Effects of ultrasonic surface rolling process on tribological behavior of 4Cr13 stainless steel

Ultrasonic surface rolling (USR) process is a novel surface strengthening technique based on the tool head's high-frequency impact on the workpiece. USR can cause severe plastic deformation on the superficial surface of metal material, and greatly improving the mechanical properties of the material. This paper elucidates the effects of USR passes on the surface roughness, sample height, microstructure, microhardness, residual stress, and tribological properties of 4Cr13 stainless steel. The results revealed that multiple USR treatments refined the near-surface layer grain of the sample. Compared with untreated sample, USR treatments significantly improved the surface roughness and microhardness of the samples. Obvious compressive residual stress and plastic deformed with a maximum value of about -723 MPa and a depth of about 229 μm were also introduced into the sample surface. Under a dry friction environment, the samples that underwent the USR treatments exhibited significantly enhanced wear resistance, and six rolling passes were found to be the most suitable treatment.

Impact of Ag2O on the mechanical and shielding features of ZnO- Er2O3-TeO2 glasses

The investigation involves a comprehensive study on the mechanical and shielding features of the zinc erbium tellurite glasses as a function of doped Ag2O content. The mechanical features are estimated for the examined glasses by utilizing the Makishima-Makinzie model. The results showed the mechanical moduli of Young (E), bulk (B), Shear (K), and longitudinal (L) increased with the increment of the Ag2O substitution ratio. Besides, the radiation shielding properties were also studied and discussed. Among the shielding parameters, the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), half-value layer (HVL), the lead equivalent and transmission rate (TR) were estimated. The linear attenuation coefficient results illustrated that the TZEAg glasses are better compared to the commercial marketing glasses, especially TZEAg5 glasses. Doping of Ag2O content in zinc erbium tellurite glass improves its ability to attenuate the gamma photons. Also, this study revealed the effectiveness of the examined glasses on the fast neutron, where the fast neutron mass removal cross-section ∑R (cm2/g) computed theoretically. The results offered the maximum value of ∑R = 0.019 cm2/g attained for TZEAg1 while the minimum value ∑R = 0.01884 cm2/g for TZEAg5 glass.

Study of a Waste Kaolin as Raw Material for Mullite Ceramics and Mullite Refractories by Reaction Sintering

A deposit of raw kaolin, located in West Andalusia (Spain), was studied in this work using a representative sample. The methods of characterization were X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), particle size analysis by sieving and sedimentation, and thermal analysis. The ceramic properties were determined. A sample of commercial kaolin from Burela (Lugo, Spain), with applications in the ceramic industry, was used in some determinations for comparison purposes. The kaolin deposit has been produced by alteration of feldspar-rich rocks. This raw kaolin was applied as an additive in local manufactures of ceramics and refractories. However, there is not previous studies concerning its characteristics and firing properties. Thus, the meaning of this investigation was to conduct a scientific study on this subject and to evaluate the possibilities of application. The raw kaolin was washed for the beneficiation of the rock using water to increase the kaolinite content of the resultant material. The results indicated that the kaolinite content of the raw material was 20 wt % as determined by XRD, showing ~23 wt % of particles lower than 63 µm. The kaolinite content of the fraction lower than 63 µm was 50 wt %. Thus, an improvement of the kaolinite content of this raw kaolin was produced by wet separation. However, the kaolin was considered as a waste kaolin, with microcline, muscovite and quartz identified by XRD. Thermal analyses by Thermo-Dilatometry (TD), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and Thermo-Gravimetry (TG) allowed observe kaolinite thermal decomposition, quartz phase transition and sintering effects. Pressed samples of this raw kaolin, the fraction lower than 63 µm obtained by water washing and the raw kaolin ground using a hammer mill were fired at several temperatures in the range 1000–1500 °C for 2 h. The ceramic properties of all these samples were determined and compared. The results showed the progressive linear firing shrinkage by sintering in these samples, with a maximum value of ~9% in the fraction lower than 63 µm. In general, water absorption capacity of the fired samples showed a decrease from ~18–20% at 1050 °C up to almost zero after firing at 1300 °C, followed by an increase of the experimental values. The open porosity was almost zero after firing at 1350 °C for 2 h and the bulk density reached a maximum value of 2.40 g/cm3 as observed in the ground raw kaolin sample. The XRD examination of fired samples indicated that they are composed by mullite, from kaolinite thermal decomposition, and quartz, present in the raw sample, as main crystalline phases besides a vitreous phase. Fully-densified or vitrified materials were obtained by firing at 1300–1350 °C for 2 h. In a second step of this research, it was examined the promising application of the previous study to increase the amount of mullite by incorporation of alumina (α-alumina) to this kaolin sample. Firing of mixtures, prepared using this kaolin and α-alumina under wet processing conditions, produced the increase of mullite in relative proportion by reaction sintering at temperatures higher than 1500 °C for 2 h. Consequently, a mullite refractory can be prepared using this kaolin. This processing of high-alumina refractories is favoured by a previous size separation, which increases the kaolinite content, or better a grinding treatment of the raw kaolin.

Optimization of performance of PV panels and selection of best site for solar park in Pakistan

To incorporate solar energy efficiently into a country, it is needed to know the optimal tilt and azimuth angle of the solar collectors' location. Also, to build a solar park, it is necessary to know the most suitable and high-energy generating place inside a country, thus saving time and money. This study analyzed collector geometry for Karachi in particular and Pakistan in general. Karachi has the potential of 339.36 kW-hr/m2/annum energy at an annually optimal fixed tilt of 26°. In case collector geometry had to be changed in Karachi, a range of 40° azimuth angle and 20° tilt angle from its maximum value is available. The power produced in this case would only have a difference of 1%. Optimal yearly and monthly tilt of most of the locations of Pakistan (300+) were calculated. Through them, it was revealed that the Optimal Tilt of Pakistan follows the value of latitude closely. Generally, changing the tilt angle monthly is recommended for areas that produce more energy, while fixed annual tilt could be suitable for low energy-producing regions. Effects of temperature were also incorporated while finding the energy produced by the photovoltaic (PV) panels.

Optical Force on a Metal Nanorod Exerted by a Photonic Jet

In this article, we study the optical force exerted on nanorods. In recent years, the capture of micro-nanoparticles has been a frontier topic in optics. A Photonic Jet (PJ) is an emerging subwavelength beam with excellent application prospects. This paper studies the optical force exerted by photonic jets generated by a plane wave illuminating a Generalized Luneburg Lens (GLLs) on nanorods. In the framework of the dipole approximation, the optical force on the nanorods is studied. The electric field of the photonic jet is calculated by the open-source software package DDSCAT developed based on the Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA). In this paper, the effects of the nanorods’ orientation and dielectric constant on the transverse force Fx and longitudinal force Fy are analyzed. Numerical results show that the maximum value of the positive force and the negative force are equal and appear alternately at the position of the photonic jet. Therefore, to capture anisotropic nanoscale-geometries (nanorods), it is necessary to adjust the position of GLLs continuously. It is worth emphasizing that manipulations with nanorods will make it possible to create new materials at the nanoscale.

Faulty Line Selection Method Based on Comprehensive Dynamic Time Warping Distance in a Flexible Grounding System

A flexible grounding system is a system in which the neutral point of the power supply is grounded via the arc suppression coil in parallel with a low-resistance resistor. When operating normally or a temporary ground fault occurs, the arc suppression coil is used for grounding, whereas the small resistance is switched on when a permanent ground fault occurs. At present, the problem of low protection sensitivity when a high-resistance ground fault occurs in a flexible grounding system has not been solved yet. According to the characteristics of low waveform similarity between the faulty line and the non-faulty line when a single-phase grounding fault occurred, a new faulty line selection method based on a combination of Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) distance and the transient projection method is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the fault transient signal is extracted by a digital filter as a basis for faulty line selection. Secondly, the transient zero-sequence current of each line is projected onto the busbar transient zero-sequence voltage, and the projected DTW distance of each line is calculated. Finally, according to the calculation formula of waveform comprehensive similarity coefficient, the Comprehensive DTW (CDTW) distance is obtained, and the top three CDTW distance values are selected to determine the faulty line. If the maximum value is greater than the sum of the other two CDTW distance values, the line corresponding to the maximum value is judged as the faulty line; otherwise, it is judged as a busbar fault. The simulation results based on MATLAB/Simulink and field data test show that the method can accurately determine the faulty line under diverse fault conditions.

Determining The Effects Of Awarding Lowest Bid Price System On The Construction Projects Of Ethiopian Southern Nation

Identifying the effects of low bid award system in construction projects can be used as benchmark to find alternative method to low bid award system in the future of construction industry. The results of questioner survey conducted to determine the effects of awarding lowest bid award system in construction projects of Ethiopian southern nation are presented in this study. Personnel from consultants, owners and contractors are among the survey`s respondent. The result of the study outlines promote transparency, avoid fraud and corruption, promoting competition amongst contractors, excessive time overrun, compromise quality and hindering profitability of contractors as the top ranked effects of low bid award system. Construction industry participants have started recognizing that accepting the least price bid does not guarantee maximum value. Achieving a value-based procurement approach is a challenge, particularly for the Pakistani public sector clients, who are limited in their ability to evaluate the competitive bids based solely on the lowest-bid award system. Persisting problems of inferior quality of constructed facilities, high incidence of claims and litigation, and frequent cost and schedule overruns have become the main features of public construction works contracts. This research was undertaken to assess the performance of public owned construction projects awarded on a lowest bidder bid awarding system.

Principle and structure of a multi-chamber piezoelectric pump with large flow rate integrated into printed circuit board

Parametric simulation of multi-chamber piezoelectric pump proposed by authors shows that its flow rate is positively correlated with chamber compression ratio when height of chamber wall is not less than central deflection of circular piezoelectric unimorph actuator (CPUA). Therefore, in this paper, principle and structure of multi-chamber piezoelectric pump with novel CPUAs with three-layer structure are proposed and realized, so as to improve its chamber compression ratio, and then improve its flow rate. Its processing technology compatible with PCB processing technology is studied and its flow rate model is established. Central deflection of CPUA with three-layer structure and the flow rate characteristics are tested. Experimental results show that when the central deflection of CPUA with three-layer structure reaches the maximum value of 106.8 μm, the chamber compression ratio and flow rate of multi-chamber piezoelectric pump reach the maximum value of 50% and 3.11 mL/min, respectively. The maximum flow rate is increased by 622% compared to unimproved pump. By comparing experimental results with numerical and finite element simulation results, the realized multi-chamber piezoelectric pump has large flow rate and the established flow rate model can predict its flow rate.

Dynamic Response and Failure Process of a Counter-Bedding Rock Slope under Strong Earthquake Conditions

There are massive landslides and potential landslides along the Three Rivers Basin in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, which pose a serious threat to the Sichuan–Tibet Railway. A normal shaking table model test was conducted to study the dynamic characteristics and dynamic response of a symmetrical counter-bedding rock slope based on the Zongrong Village landslide. The influences of the dynamic parameters, seismic wave type, and a weak intercalated layer on the slope’s dynamic response were considered. The results showed symmetry between the growth trend of the acceleration amplification factor and other research results. When the input wave amplitude was constant, the acceleration amplification factor increased at first and then decreased as the frequency increased. When the input frequency was near the slope’s natural frequency, the acceleration amplification factor increased at first and then decreased with an increase in the input amplitude and reached the maximum value at 0.3 g. The acceleration amplification factor increased linearly with height in the vertical direction inside the slope but increased slowly at first and then sharply along the slope surface, reaching the maximum value at the slope’s top and exhibiting an obvious “elevation effect”. When sinusoidal waves, Wolong waves, and Maoxian waves with the same amplitude were input, the slope’s amplification effect on the bedrock wave was more obvious. The weak intercalated layer showed the phenomenon of “thin layer amplification” and “thick layer attenuation” in response to the input seismic wave. The slope’s failure process can be roughly divided into three stages: (1) the formation of tensile cracks at the top and shear cracks at the toe; (2) the extension of cracks and the sliding of the slope-surface block; (3) the formation of the main sliding surface.

Elucidating Macular Structure-Function Correlations in Glaucoma

Correlation between structural data from optical coherence tomography (OCT) and functional data from the visual field (VF) may be suboptimal because of poor mapping of OCT measurement locations to VF test stimuli. We tested the hypothesis that stronger structure-function correlations in the macula can be achieved with fundus-tracking perimetery, by precisely mapping OCT measurements to VF sensitivity at the same location. The conventional 64 superpixel (3°x3°) OCT grid was mapped to VF sensitivities averaged in 40 corresponding VF units with standard automated perimetry (conventional mapped approach, CMA) in 38 glaucoma patients and 10 healthy subjects. Similarly, a 144 superpixel (2°x2°) OCT grid was mapped to each of the 68 VF locations with fundus-tracking perimetry (localized mapped approach, LMA). For each approach, the correlation between sensitivity at each VF unit and OCT superpixel was computed and the maximum value used to generate vector maps. CMA yielded significantly higher structure-function correlations compared to LMA. Only 20% of the vectors with CMA and <5% with LMA were within corresponding mapped OCT superpixels, while most were directed towards loci with structural damage. Measurement variability and patterns of glaucomatous damage are more likely to affect the correlations rather than precise mapping of VF stimuli.