An Efficient Technique for Solving Inhomogeneous Electromagnetic Inverse Scattering Problems

The electromagnetic inverse scattering approach seeks to obtain the electric characteristics of a scatterer using information about the source and the scattered data. The inverse scattering problem usually suffers from limited knowledge about the scatterer used, which makes its solution more challenging than the forward problem. This paper presents an inversion approach to estimating the unknown electric properties of a two- and three-dimensional inhomogeneous scatterer. The presented approach considers the inverse scattering problem as a global minimization problem with a meshless forward formulation for the computation of the scattered electromagnetic field. Various simulated annealing cooling schedules are applied and assessed to solve the problem, and the results of several case studies are presented for both two- and three-dimensional electromagnetic inverse scattering problems.

Austenite Decomposition and Precipitation Behavior of Plastically Deformed Low-Si Microalloyed Steel

The aim of the present study is to assess the effects of hot deformation and cooling paths on the phase transformation kinetics in a precipitation-strengthened automotive 0.2C–1.5Mn–0.5Si steel with Nb and Ti microadditions. The analysis of the precipitation processes was performed while taking into account equilibrium calculations and phase transitions resulting from calculated time–temperature–transformation (TTT) and continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams. The austenite decomposition was monitored based on thermodynamic calculations of the volume fraction evolution of individual phases as a function of temperature. The calculations were compared to real CCT and DCCT (deformation continuous cooling transformation) diagrams produced using dilatometric tests. The research included the identification of the microstructure of the nondeformed and thermomechanically processed supercooled austenite products formed at various cooling rates. The complex interactions between the precipitation process, hot deformation, and cooling schedules are linked.

Kinetic Study on Phosphate Enrichment Behavior in CaO–SiO2–FeO–Fe2O3–P2O5 Steelmaking Slags

The iso-thermal crystallization behavior of phosphate-enriched phase has been experimentally investigated in the rapidly quenched CaO–SiO2–FeO–Fe2O3–P2O5 steelmaking slags under different cooling schedules. The experimental results indicate that increasing endpoint temperature from 1453 to 1533 K and prolonging holding time from 2 to 60 min can result in an increasing tendency of the size of phosphate-enriched phase in the shape of one-dimensional rod. The crystallization kinetics of phosphate-enriched phase in steelmaking slags has been described by Avrami equation. The Avrami constant $$n$$ was obtained to be 0.472, while the crystallization rate constant $$k$$ was recommended as $$\ln k{\rm{= 57}}{\rm{. 40 + 12,273}}{\rm{. 96}}/T - {\rm{8}}{\rm{. 25}}\,\ln T - {\rm{5}}{\rm{. 5}\times{\rm 10}^{- 3}}T$$. Thus, the apparent activation energy $$E$$ of crystallization is recommended as $$E{\rm{= 537}}{\rm{. 60}} - {\rm{206}}{\rm{. 015}}T$$ kJ/mol.

High Versatility of Niobium Alloyed AHSS

The effect of processing parameters on the final microstructure and properties of advanced high strength CMnSiNb steel was investigated. Several processing strategies with various numbers of deformation steps and various cooling schedules were carried out, namely heat treatment without deformation, conventional quenching and TRIP steel processing with bainitic hold or continuous cooling. Obtained multiphase microstructures consisted of the mixture of ferrite, bainite, retained austenite and M-A constituent. They possessed ultimate tensile strength in the range of 780-970 MPa with high ductility A5mmabove 30%. Volume fraction of retained austenite was for all the samples around 13%. The only exception was reference quenched sample with the highest strength 1186 MPa, lowest ductility A5mm= 20% and only 4% of retained austenite.

Simulation of Power Efficient Cooling Technology for Continuously Cast Bars

The article describes a power efficient technology, allowing to preserve and maintain the heat content in a continuously cast bar at the production line “Continuous Casting Machine – Rolling Mill”. It considers a possibility of obtaining the maximum heat content in the continuously cast bar by means of rational cooling schedules in the secondary cooling zone. In order to maintain the achieved heat content in the bar, it is proposed to utilize heat insulation of the bar in the air cooling zone prior to its cutting-to-length. The article describes the design of the heat insulating shell in the CCM process scheme and the materials to be used for it. To analyze the interaction of heat flows between the bar and the shell in the heat insulation zone, the author has made a thermal balance of this zone. A mathematical model of the concast bar cooling with due consideration of the heat insulation zone and its implementation by means of numerical methods is described here. The application of numerical simulation has allowed to predict rational cooling schedules for the continuously cast bar and to determine the heat content of the bar at the exit from the continuous casting machine with respect to the heat insulation. According to the results of the simulation, there have been plotted the charts of temperature distribution along the CCM length, comparing the air cooling of the bar and its thermal conditioning in the heat insulation zone. These results confirm the effectiveness of utilizing heat insulation for maintaining the maximum heat content of the bar, which makes it possible to reduce the power costs for its heating prior to the rolling.

Fracture and Crack Propagation Behavior of 560 MPa Microalloyed Pipeline Steel under Different Cooling Schedules

Three kinds of pipeline steel with different microstructures were fabricated by varying cooling schedules during thermo-mechanical controlled processing (TMCP). Charpy impact property of the pipeline steels were obtained, and the fracture and crack-arrest mechanisms were further studied. The results indicated that the steels were classified into two kinds according to their microstructures, the mixture of acicular ferrite (AF), quasi-polygonal ferrite (QF), granular bainite (GB) and small fraction of degenerate pearlite (DP), and the mixed microstructure of AF and GB, respectively. The processed steel with microstructure of AF and GB exhibited more excellent low-temperature toughness and crack-arrest properties with upper shelf energy of ~281 J and energy transition temperature of ~-76°C. The mixed microstructure (AF + GB) possessing smaller effective grain size hindered the propagating of crack and consumed large amount of energy during fracture. The effective grain size of microstructure was the dominant factor controlling low-temperature toughness and crack-arrest properties of pipeline steel, which increased the high-angle boundary length per unit area and further increased the crack propagation energy during fracture.