A Refined Mathematical Model of Physical Processes in a Conductor at a High-Current Pulse Discharge

A novel mathematical model describing physical processes during the flow of an aperiodic pulse current with amplitude of 100 kA along a conductor with a circular cross-section is proposed and investigated. It is shown how a short-term electric discharge of an aperiodic shape affects the distribution of the current density in the cross-section of the conductor, causing its nonuniform heating and the appearance of significant thermal forces as well as mechanical stresses and strains. Based on the developed mathematical model, the relation-ship between electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical phenomena is shown, allowing a deeper understanding of the multiphysics processes taking place. The maximum values of the current density are calculated, which on the surface of the conductor reach values of 47 kA/mm2, while the temperature rise of a copper conductor with a diameter of 2.44 mm is no more than 80ºC at high temperature gradients, which causes the appearance of thermal stresses that have value (40–50)% of the value of the short-term strength limit of electrical copper. Utilization of this model allows to more accurately determine the required conductor cross-section based on the characteristics of electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical pro-cesses. It is shown that the simplified model (the condition for the uniform distribution of the current over the cross-section) gives significantly underestimated values of temperatures and does not take into account temperature deformations.

Tempering effect on residual stress in bimetallic roll

In this study, tempering effect on the residual stress is studied after uniform heating–quenching and nonuniform heating–quenching for bimetallic work roll. Results for uniform heating treatment showed that the maximum stress at the center decreases by 68% from 396 MPa to 126 MPa after the first and second tempering. Results for nonuniform heating treatment showed that the maximum stress at the center decreases by 47% from 309 MPa to 165 MPa after the first and second tempering. It may be concluded that nonuniform heating–quenching and tempering are useful for reducing the central tensile stress preventing cracks at the roll surface.

Multi-physical simulation of stirring effect on heating uniformity in a microwave reactor with interlayer

Due to the exhaustion of fossil fuels and environmental degradation, biodiesel has attracted much attention as a new energy source. Currently, microwave reactors are used extensively for producing biodiesel. However, nonuniform heating of producing biodiesel in microwave reactors is a major problem. In order to solve the problem, a microwave reactor with an interlayer which can obviously improve the uniformity of microwave heating was designed. In this work, the heating efficiency and heating uniformity of the reactor were discussed from two aspects of waveguide position and interlayer thickness by means of multi-physical coupling calculation. According to the calculation results, the optimization model of a microwave reactor with an interlayer was obtained. Then, based on the above optimization model of a microwave reactor with an interlayer, a stirrer that can improve the heat transfer of the fluid material was introduced. The Maxwell equation, heat transfer equation and flow equation were coupled by multi-physical field simulation method to explore the influence of different factors of stirrer on power consumption and heating uniformity. Through response surface analysis, it was found that the primary and secondary order of stirring factors affecting microwave heating uniformity was stirring speed > impeller diameter > bottom clearance, and there was an interaction between different factors. From the two aspects of stirring power consumption and heating uniformity, the best stirring effect was obtained.

Nonuniform Heating Method for Hot Embossing of Polymers with Multiscale Microstructures

The hot embossing of polymers is one of the most popular methods for replicating high-precision structures on thermoplastic polymer substrates at the micro-/nanoscale. However, the fabrication of hybrid multiscale microstructures by using the traditional isothermal hot embossing process is challenging. Therefore, in this study, we propose a novel nonuniform heating method for the hot embossing of polymers with multiscale microstructures. In this method, a thin graphene-based heater with a nonuniform heating function, a facility that integrates the graphene-based heater and gas-assisted hot embossing, and a roll of thermoplastic film are employed. Under appropriate process conditions, multiscale polymer microstructure patterns are fabricated through a single-step hot embossing process. The quality of the multiscale microstructure patterns replicated is uniform and high. The technique has great potential for the rapid and flexible fabrication of multiscale microstructure patterns on polymer substrates.

In Situ Evaluation of the Joining Defects in a Pb-Free Soldered Joint

Conventionally, brass has toughness more than other metals, so there is a concern about its poor machinability. Therefore, improvement of machinability was attempted by adding lead to brass. This brass called free cutting brass, typified by JIS C3771. This free-cutting brass is used for piping components and machine parts. There is a concern about elution of the lead into drinking water. Hence, Drinking Water Quality Standards Law has been amended and it restricts lead content in the free cutting brass. Therefore, lead-free free-cutting brass with no lead or minimized content of lead is required.Consequently, a lead-free free-cutting brass had been developed to improve in machinability such as JIS C6931 and JIS C6803 that are added Si and Bi instead of lead respectively. Lead was also used for the solder for joining among pure copper pipes and brass valves. That causes elution of lead from the solder into drinking water. For this reason, Lead-free solder such as Sn-Sb and Sn-Ag-Cu have been used.A fire torch technology often was used for soldering of brass. The purpose of this study is investigating soldering-ability and wettability of lead-free solder on lead-free free-cutting brass. Hence, we investigated the soldering ability of lead-free solders, Sn-5%Sb and Sn-3%Ag-0.5%Cu, for pure Cu and brass joints with nonuniform heating by hot plate.

First steps to mapping of exoplanets: modeling secondary eclipses and search inhomogeneities in the infrared brightness profiles

To detect inhomogeneities in the thermal radiation of exoplanet HD209458b, based on observations of the Spitzer space telescope processing and modeling of the light curves of secondary transits (eclipses) were carried out. Current work is the basis for the mapping of the temperature distribution on the dayside of the exoplanet. Tidal and electromagnetic star-planet interactions, together with climate effects, lead to nonuniform heating of the surface. We obtained that the depth of the eclipse was 0.101±0.009% of the total flux of the system and is consistent with the results of other works.