Multiscale Modelling and Characterization of Mechanical Properties in Heat-Resistant Alloys

Various heat-resistant alloys have been used in industry; however, the bridge between the bulk mechanical properties and the underlying micro- and nanoscopic local properties remains an issue [...]

Heat activation and inactivation of bacterial spores. Is there an overlap?

Heat activation at a sublethal temperature is widely applied to promote Bacillus species spore germination. This treatment also has potential to be employed in food processing to eliminate undesired bacterial spores by enhancing their germination, and then inactivating the less heat resistant germinated spores at a milder temperature. However, incorrect heat treatment could also generate heat damage in spores, and lead to more heterogeneous spore germination. Here, the heat activation and heat damage profile of Bacillus subtilis spores was determined by testing spore germination and outgrowth at both population and single spore levels. The heat treatments used were 40-80°C, and for 0-300 min. The results were as follows. 1) Heat activation at 40-70°C promoted L-valine and L-asparagine-glucose-fructose-potassium (AGFK) induced germination in a time dependent manner. 2) The optimal heat activation temperatures for AGFK and L-valine germination via the GerB plus GerK or GerA germinant receptors were 65 and 50-65°C, respectively. 3) Heat inactivation of dormant spores appeared at 70°C, and the heat damage of molecules essential for germination and growth began at 70 and 65°C, respectively. 4) Heat treatment at 75°C resulted in both activation of germination and damage to the germination apparatus, and 80°C treatment caused more pronounced heat damage. 5) For the spores that should withstand adverse environmental temperatures in nature, heat activation seems functional for a subsequent optimal germination process, while heat damage affected both germination and outgrowth. Importance Bacterial spores are thermal resistant structures that can thus survive preservation strategies and revive through the process of spore germination. The more heat resistant spores are the more heterogeneous they germinate upon adding germinants. Upon germination spores can cause food spoilage and cause food intoxication. Here we provide new information on both heat activation and inactivation regimes and their effects on the (heterogeneity of) spore germination.

Investigation of the Influence of Direct Metal Deposition Modes on Microstructure and Formation of Defects in Samples of Heat Resistant Alloy

The article discusses the influence of technological modes of the DMD method on the macro- and microstructure of a heat-resistant nickel-based alloy to use this technology for heat-resistant materials in the manufacture of parts for combustion chambers in gas turbine plants.

Improving the Efficiency of Turning Processing of Heat-Resistant Alloys by Introducing Ultrasonic Field Energy into the Cutting Zone

Studies have been carried out to assess the effectiveness of dry processing by the current preparations from the heat-resistant alloy CN45MVTUBR with mineral ceramic incisors with the introduction of the ultrasound-field energy treatment zone. It has been established that the use of ULTRASOUND in the rough treatment of mineral ceramic tools without coolant allows to reduce the depth of the defective layer in 1.5 times.

Effect of Types of Grinding Fluid on Grinding Characteristics of CMSX4

Nickel-based heat-resistant alloys are widely used for fabricating the turbine blades in gas turbine engines. An increase in the number of such engines operated by air carriers will increase the demand for high-efficiency machining of nickel-based heat-resistant alloys. However, the high-efficiency grinding of nickel-based heat-resistant alloys is challenging because of their low thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity, high chemical activity, large work-hardening properties, and high-temperature strength. In this work, the authors propose a high-efficiency grinding technique that uses speed-stroke grinding of nickel-based heat-resistant alloys, and aim to clarify the optimum grinding conditions for the proposed grinding method. The workpiece material is CMSX4 used for the turbine blades. A Cubitron + WA grinding wheel and WA grinding wheel mounted on a linear motor-driven surface grind machines are used for grinding, and the grinding force, surface roughness, and grinding ratio are investigated with the removal rate maintained constant. Two types of grinding fluid are prepared: solution and soluble. From the experiments, it is found that wet grinding features a lower grinding force, smaller surface roughness, and higher grinding ratio when compared to dry-cut grinding. The improvement in the grinding ratio at high table speeds is significant, and it is found to be greater for the soluble-type fluid than for the solution-type fluid.

Chlorine Corrosion in a Low-Power Boiler Fired with Agricultural Biomass

The selection of appropriate heat-resistant materials which are at the same time resistant to atmospheres rich in chlorine and its compounds is one of the most important current construction problems in steel boiler elements when using biomass fuels of agricultural origin. In the research presented here, an area was identified in the furnace of a 10 kW boiler where there was a potential risk of chlorine corrosion. This zone was determined based on numerical analysis of the combustion process; it is the zone with the highest temperatures and where the gas atmosphere conducive to the formation of chlorine corrosion centers. Subsequently, tests were carried out in the process environment of the combustion chamber of a 10 kW boiler (the fuel was barley straw) by placing samples of eight construction materials in a numerically-designated zone. These included samples of steel (coal boiler St41K, heat-resistant H25T and H24JS, and heat-resistant valve 50H21G9N4) as well as intermetallic materials based on phases (FeAl, Fe3Al, NiAl, and Ni3Al). The samples remained in the atmosphere of the boiler furnace for 1152 h at a temperature of 750–900 °C. After this time, the surfaces of the samples were subjected to SEM microscopy and scanning analysis. The results showed that the St41K boiler steel was not suitable for operation under the assumed conditions, and that a thick layer of complex corrosion products was visible on its surface. The least amount of corrosion damage was observed for the samples of 50H21G9N4 steel and intermetallic materials.