International Journal of Design Engineering (4 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Physical, Mechanical and Thermal behaviour of 3D Printed PLA/Wood Biocomposites  
  by Ramesh Mari, Nirmal Raj Lainal Chinnappan, Rajeshkumar L 
  Abstract: The quest for developing environmentally friendly composites has forced researchers to go for natural materials for various engineering applications. Natural fibre composites have become the order of the day owing to their better characteristics like biodegradability which is lacking in synthetic fibre-based materials. Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing has also been widely used for fabricating natural fibre composites owing to its adaptability to these materials. In the current work, polylactic acid (PLA) and wood composites were manufactured using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technique with 30 % wood content in PLA, and the effect of wood content in PLA was evaluated using physical, mechanical, and thermal analysis. Water absorption test results indicated that the inclusion of wood particles increased the hydrophilicity of the PLA/wood biocomposites. Results portrayed that the mechanical and thermal properties were high for PLA/wood biocomposites. These composites find their application in low and medium-density semi-structural applications.
  Keywords: polylactic acid; PLA; wood particles; 3D printing; mechanical properties; thermal properties; water absorption.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJDE.2024.10064275
   
  
• Taguchi's Technique for Optimising FSPCM Parameters for Drying Application  
  by Kalpeshkumar Patel, Tushar M. Patel 
  Abstract: Food preservation requires a significant amount of thermal energy to eliminate moisture from agricultural goods; solar energy is becoming increasingly popular. Phase change material (PCM) was identified through a decision-making approach for this study, based on selected characteristics, utilising TOPSIS strategies. Due to the multitude of factors and levels, the possible models are numerous. Consequently, a considerable amount of modelling and analytical work is necessary to select the best parameters among them, requiring additional time. In this experiment, a mixed-mode indirect solar dryer (MMISD) with three distinct combinations of size, position, mass flow rate of air, PCM and clay percentage is employed. To address this issue, the Taguchi approach is utilised to determine the most effective FSPCM combination for drying agricultural products. Based on S/N ratio and means of means analysis, the percentage of Kaolin is identified as the most effective and tray position is the least effective parameter.
  Keywords: mixed mode solar dryer; freeze storage phase change material; FSPCM; Taguchi method; MADM; TOPSIS.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJDE.2024.10064731
   
  
• A Neural Network Modelling for Conventional and Stepped Solar Still Productivity using Design Parameters  
  by Krunalkumar Patel, Tushar M. Patel 
  Abstract: Potable water resources are seldom accessible in remote and arid regions, making solar stills a valuable asset for such areas. Productivity is a crucial consideration in solar stills. This interplay is influenced by even slight alterations in the input parameters of the solar still. Therefore, a modified solar still is being examined to enhance productivity. The development of a neural network (NN) is necessary for commercial applications to potentially predict productivity under varying water flow rates, depths, and glass thicknesses. Conventional and stepped solar stills were fabricated to enable a more effective comparison. Through experimentation and NN modelling, it has been observed that the NN model significantly reduces the time and effort required for conducting numerous experimental sets. The LM9TP training model yielded mean squared and R-squared values of 4.8718E-05 and 1 for training and 1.5315E-06 and 0.9998 for testing, respectively. Consequently, the ANN's projected productivity values closely align with the experimental data, demonstrating a high degree of similarity.
  Keywords: conventional solar still; stepped solar still; water depth; glass thickness; mass flow rate; neural network.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJDE.2024.10065853
   
  
• Theoretical, Numerical and Experimental Estimation of Fatigue Life of Bellows for Nuclear Systems  
  by S. C. S. P. Kumar Krovvidi  
  Abstract: In critical systems, the design of bellows needs to comply with design codes such as ASME Section-III or RCC-MR, which follow the design by analysis approach. This paper presents the finite element (FE) analysis of the bellows. When subject to pressure and axial loading, the bellows can be analysed by considering axisymmetric analysis. A case study presenting the FE analysis of bellows in ABAQUS (using axisymmetric-solid and shell models) and fatigue life as per ASME Section-III was presented. A comparison with the corresponding stresses estimated as per EJMA was also presented. Testing of the bellows at room temperature was carried out on INSTRON servohydraulic system and design life as per code using experimental stress analysis (ESA) approach was presented. A comparison of the fatigue lives of the bellows obtained by design-by-analysis, ESA and by EJMA was presented and improvement on EJMA design curve was suggested.
  Keywords: bellows; fatigue; finite element analysis; FEA; Expansion Joints Manufacturer’s Association; EJMA; factor of safety.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJDE.2024.10067413