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The purpose of this paper is to present a double‐sided tubular linear machine layout direct‐drive applications, with particular focus on wave‐energy conversion. The paper documents both the computational and mathematical analysis of this novel machine layout.

The selection and finite‐element optimisation of the permanent‐magnet array is presented. The machine is then modelled using magnetic circuit theory. By simultaneously solving the system of equations, a demonstrative design is developed and simulated so as to validate the mathematical model and compare the performance of the new layout with a traditional layout.

A surface‐mounted magnetic array, with unshaped‐poles, is most suitable for the proposed layout. The mathematical model exhibits a suitable level of accuracy for design and analysis purposes. The calculated resultant force differs from the FEA calculation by 1.85 per cent. A higher force‐density is exhibited by the proposed layout, when compared with flat layouts, with a reduction of 36.5 per cent in the spatial footprint and magnetic material of the machine.

Although the research is focused on the application of wave‐energy conversion, the techniques are application‐independent. However, certain design decisions should be reviewed for other applications.

The practical implementation of such a machine poses many mechanical obstacles. These have been solved in theory, and are being implemented at the time of writing.

The combination of a double‐sided and a tubular layout has not previously been researched. This research fills that void and provides designers with the technical background and a mathematical model for development of such devices.

The purpose of this paper is to devise a magnetic field modelling approach suitable for simulating the transient behaviour of a class of electromagnetic systems (particularly linear synchronous motors).

The classical 2D magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) approach is extended by separately accounting for leakage flux from highly permeable polygonal regions (where the MEC approach is most applicable). It capitalises on the computational efficiency of an MEC approach for regions where the flux can be assumed to be uniformly channelled through a coarse network of “flux tubes” and accounts for leakage flux from these regions by introducing mutual permeances. These mutual permeances are geometry dependent and can be calculated upfront using a surface‐current representation of the magnetomotive force attributed to each flux tube.

As demonstrated with a simple example, the magnetic field solution converges with an increasing subdivision of flux tubes, yielding a transparent trade‐off between simulation time and accuracy.

Using Schwarz‐Christoffel mapping to approximate the mutual permeances is restrictive and introduces unnecessary error. Hence, the use of finite element or boundary element methods to obtain these permeances is under investigation. Furthermore, it is expected that introducing 2D flux tube elements for junction regions would be beneficial.

A novel approach is presented that aims to improve the accuracy of a traditional MEC solution, whilst retaining its computational advantage for the flux that is well channelled. The method has particular merit for the dynamic modelling of linear motors, where the machine's behaviour is dominated by the flux bridging the air gap.

Since last few years, cold chain management (CCM) has gained growing interest among practitioners, policymakers, researchers and academicians. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review focused on food cold chain management (FCCM) over the last 16 years to identify state of the art in the literature, highlight research gaps and define appropriate research questions (RQs) for future research.

The paper analyzes the content of 89 research articles published on the topic of food cold chain (FCC) from 2001 to 2016 within different journals. The Scopus and Web of Science databases were taken into consideration to shortlist research articles. Henceforth, the authors scrutinized the FCC industry to offer some effective strategies to tackle the chain complexities. The authors also draw interwoven between FCC infrastructure, integration, stakeholders’ interest, value addition, partners’ performance and overall food cold chain performance (FCCP) into a conceptual framework.

This paper identifies four research gaps in the literature of FCC concerning the most popular approaches used for the FCCP measurement, the performance measurement metrics, the factors which negatively affect the FCCP and the main sustainability issues in FCC.

This study identifies RQs which represent possible areas of investigation to improve the body of the FCCP evaluation and management. Furthermore, the FCC practitioners, food authorities and researchers might find this review useful, as it draws a clear picture of research in the respective domain.

This article aims to evaluate published food cold chain (FCC) literature against risk management and supply chain sustainability concepts.

The article uses the theory refinement logic proposed by Seuring et al. (2021) to analyze the contents of FCC management-related literature published over the past 20 years. A sample of 116 articles was gathered using Web of Science and subsequently analyzed. The respective articles were then systematically coded against the frameworks of Beske and Seuring (2014) and Vlajic et al. (2012), which focused on building sustainable and robust supply chains, respectively.

The literature review revealed that debates around managing contemporary sources of disruptions/vulnerability and making FCCs more sustainable and resilient are gradually developing. However, an overarching risk management perspective along with incorporating social and environmental dimensions in managing FCCs still needs the adequate attention of the respective research community.

The deductive internal logic of theory refinement approach used in this paper could have been further strengthened by using additional frameworks. This limitation, however, opens avenues for further research. The findings of the paper will stimulate the interest of future researchers to work on expanding our understanding related to sustainability and risk management in FCCs.

The paper is the first attempt to organize published FCC literature along dimensions of supply chain sustainability and risk management. The paper thus provides the respective researchers with a foundation that will help them adopt a focused approach to addressing the research gaps.

The purpose of this paper is to review the agriculture supply chain (ASC) literature along many dimensions which include but are not restricted to scope, objective, wastages, driver, obstacle, outcome, etc.

In total, 203 relevant and scholarly articles of various researchers and practitioners during 2000-2016 were reviewed. The information related to definition, research methodology, global research spread, supply chain strategy, various types of produce, author profile and year of publication of ASC were collected and analysed.

The information related to empirical research and viewpoint of various ASC drivers were captured, studied and analysed in detail. Although inventory policy, demand forecasting and ASC integration were found to be important areas of ASC, they were less focused, studied and researched.

Mainly post-harvest ASC of different agricultural produces were considered whereas products such as dairy, fishery and meat supply chains were not included in the study.

The paper provides an insight into various aspects of ASC in general and one can get a deeper and richer knowledge on it which will help in formulating effective strategies to design of an effective and efficient ASC. It uncovers the research gaps for the new future research paths. This systemic review is strongly felt to fill the gap in the ASC literature.