A Temperature-Dependent Heat Source for Simulating Deep Penetration in Selective Laser Melting Process

Numerical methods for simulating selective laser melting (SLM) have been widely carried out to understand the physical behaviors behind the process. Numerical simulation at the macroscale allows the relationship between input parameters (laser power, scanning speed, powder layer thickness, etc.) and output results (distortion, residual stress, etc.) to be investigated. However, the macroscale thermal models solved by the finite element method cannot predict the melt pool depth correctly as they ignore the effect of fluid flow in the melting pool, especially in the case of the presence of deep penetration. To remedy this limitation, an easy-implemented temperature-dependent heat source is proposed. This heat source can adjust its parameters during the simulation to compensate for these neglected thermal effects related to the fluid flow and keyhole, and the heat source’s parameters become fixed once the temperatures of the points of interest become stable. Contrary to the conventional heat source model, parameters of the proposed heat source do not require a calibration with experiments for each process parameter. The proposed model is validated by comparing its results with those of the anisotropic thermal conductivity method and experimental measurements.

The Effects of the Length and Conductivity of Artificial Fracture on Gas Production from a Class 3 Hydrate Reservoir

Natural gas hydrate is considered as a potential energy resource. To develop technologies for the exploitation of natural gas hydrate, several field gas production tests have been carried out in permafrost and continental slope sediments. However, the gas production rates in these tests were still limited, and the low permeability of the hydrate-bearing sediments is identified as one of the crucial factors. Artificial fracturing is proposed to promote gas production rate by improving reservoir permeability. In this research, numerical studies about the effect of fracture length and fluid conductivity on production performance were carried out on an artificially fractured Class 3 hydrate reservoir (where the single hydrate zone is surrounded by an overlaying and underlying hydrate-free zone), in which the equivalent conductivity method was applied to depict the artificial fracture. The results show that artificial fracture can enhance gas production by offering an extra fluid flow channel for the migration of gas released from hydrate dissociation. The effect of fracture length on production is closely related to the time frame of production, and gas production improvement by enlarging the fracture length is observed after a certain production duration. Through the production process, secondary hydrate formation is absent in the fracture, and the high conductivity in the fracture is maintained. The results indicate that the increase in fracture conductivity has a limited effect on enhancing gas production.

A Physical-Chemical Study of the Interference of Ceftriaxone Antibiotic with Copper Chloride Salt

The nano-CuCl2.2H2O salt was prepared by the ball milling method. The association parameters for bulk and nano-CuCl2 salts in H2O are estimated at different temperatures using the conductivity method by applying the Fuoss–Shedlovsky equation and it was higher for nano-CuCl2 than bulk CuCl2 salt. The interaction between the cation (Cu2+) and ligand (ceftriaxone) in H2O was determined also by the conductometric method. Two stoichiometric complexes 1/2 and 1/1 (M/L) are estimated and follow the order Kf (1/1) > Kf (1 : 2) and ∆Gf (1/1) > ∆Gf (1/2) for (M : L) (in negative values) indicate the favorable of formation of (1/1) complex compared to the (1 : 2) complex. The Gibbs free energies change was increased in negative signs with increasing the temperature. The antimicrobial activities of CFT, bulk Cu-CFT complex, and nano-Cu-CFT complex were studied on LB agar by the disc diffusion technique against clinical isolates of gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Fungi (Candida albicans). It was observed that (CFT) has a higher zone of inhibition and antibacterial activity than that of bulk and nano-Cu-CFT complexes in Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (gram-negative bacteria). The nano-Cu-CFT complex showed a higher clear zone of inhibition and antifungal activity against candida than bulk Cu-CFT complex while the absence of the inhibition zone in CFT, so nano-Cu-CFT complex, can be used as an antifungal drug.

Measurements of pitch-off diameter of gas bubbles in liquid metal

To determine the separation diameter of bubbles in a liquid metal melt, an original technique based on the conductivity method is proposed. A thin electrode is installed in the center of the outflow channel, and the separation of bubbles is determined by closing and opening the electrical circuit. In this way, the separation frequency of the bubbles and their volume can be determined. Additional studies are carried out on a transparent liquid (water). It is shown that the presence of an electrode has little effect on the process of bubble detachment. The processing data of high-speed video filming and the proposed method in a transparent liquid coincide with high accuracy. Measurements of the frequency of bubble detachment in melts of the Rose and lead alloy are carried out. The results obtained are used to tune two-phase flow models when simulating fast neutron reactors with heavy liquid metal coolants.

The Relation between Concrete, Mortar and Paste Scale Early Age Properties

Microstructure development of concrete, mortar, and paste scale of cement-based material (CBM) during the early hydration stage has a significant impact on CBM’s physical, mechanical, and durability characteristics at the high maturity state. The research was carried out using compositions with increased autogenous shrinkage and extended early age period, proposed within the RRT+ programme of the COST Action TU1404. The electrical conductivity method, used to follow the solidification process of CBM, is capable of determining the initial and final setting time, and the end of the solidification process acceleration stage for the paste and mortar scale. Simultaneous ultrasonic P- and S-wave transmission measurements revealed that the ratio of velocities VP/VS is highly dependent on the presence of aggregates—it is considerably higher for the paste scale compared to the mortar and concrete scale. The deviation from the otherwise roughly constant ratio VP/VS for each scale may indicate cracks in the material. The non-linear correlation between the dynamic and static elastic moduli valid over the three scales was confirmed. Additionally, it was found that the static E-modulus correlates very well with the square of the VS and that the VS is highly correlated to the cube compressive strength—but a separate trendline exists for each CBM scale.

Inversion of the satellite observations of the tidally induced magnetic field in terms of 3-D upper-mantle electrical conductivity: Method and synthetic tests

<p><span><span>We have developed and tested a new frequency-domain, spherical harmonic-finite element approach to the inverse problem of global electromagnetic (EM) induction. It is based on the quasi-Newton minimization of data misfit and regularization, and uses the adjoint approach for fast calculation of misfit gradients in the model space. Thus, it allows for an effective inversion of satellite-observed magnetic field induced by tidally driven flows in the Earth's oceans in terms of 3-D structure of the electrical conductivity in the upper mantle.</span></span><span><span> Before proceeding to the inversion of Swarm-derived models of tidal magnetic signatures, we have performed a series of </span></span><span><span>parametric studies</span></span><span><span>, using a 3-D conductivity model WINTERC-e as a testbed.</span></span></p><p><span>The WINTERC-e model has been derived using state-of-the-art laboratory conductivity measurements of mantle minerals, and thermal and compositional model of the lithosphere and upper mantle WINTERC-grav. The latter model is based on the inversion of global surface waveforms, satellite gravity and gradiometry measurements, surface elevation, and heat flow data </span><span><span>in a thermodynamically self-consistent framework. </span></span><span><span>Therefore, the WINTERC-e model, independent of any EM data, represents an ideal target for synthetic tests of the 3-D EM inversion.</span></span><span> </span></p><p><span><span>We tested the impact of </span></span><span><span>the </span></span><span><span>satellite </span></span><span><span>altitude</span></span><span><span>, </span></span><span><span>the truncation degree of the </span></span><span><span>spherical-harmonic </span></span><span><span>expansion of the tidal signals, the random</span></span><span><span> noise in data</span></span><span><span>,</span></span><span> </span><span><span>and </span></span><span><span>of the </span></span><span><span>sub-</span></span><span><span>continental conductivity</span></span><span> </span><span><span>on the </span></span><span><span>ability to recover the sub-oceanic upper-mantle conductivity structure.</span></span><span><span> We </span></span><span><span>demonstrate </span></span><span><span>that </span></span><span><span>with </span></span><span><span>suitable regularization </span></span><span><span>we</span></span><span> </span><span><span>can successfully reconstruct the 3D upper-mantle conductivity below world oceans.</span></span></p>

Conductivity as a New Monitoring Technique for Zinc Metal Corrosion and Corrosion Processes

The electrical conductivity method was successfully applied to monitor the corrosion and corrosion inhibition processes of zinc metal. Measurements of electrical conductivity at 20.0 oC of three different corrosive solutions (NaCl, HCl and NaOH) were performed with two different concentrations (0.10 and 1.00 M) containing zinc sheets in the absence and presence of four different concentrations of sodium lignosulfonate (1.0, 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 mM). The analysis of curves that illustrates the changes in electrical conductivity of these solutions provides qualitative information about the strength of corrosion as well as the extent of corrosion inhibition behavior. The results obtained from electrical conductivity measurements revealed that sodium lignosulfonate was an effective corrosion inhibitor in acidic medium (for both 0.10 and 1.00 M HCl) in which it converted into lignosulfonic acid, but was less effective in salt and alkaline media.