An analytical model for gas leakage through contact interface in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Sealing performance between two contacting surfaces is of significant importance to stable operation of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. In this work, an analytical micro-scale approach is first established to predict the gas leakage in fuel cells. Gas pressure and uneven pressure distribution at the interface are also included in the model. At first, the micro tortuous leakage path at the interface is constructed by introducing contact modelling and fractal porous structure theory. In order to obtain the leakage at the entire surface, contact pressure distribution is predicted based on bonded elastic layer model. The gas leakage through the discontinuous interface can be obtained with consideration of convection and diffusion. Then, experiments are conducted to validate the numerical model, and good agreement is obtained between them. Finally, influences of surface topology, gasket compression and gasket width on leakage are studied based on the model. The results show that gas leakage would be greatly amplified when the asperity standard deviation of surface roughness exceeds 1.0 μm. Gaskets with larger width and smaller thickness are beneficial to sealing performance. The model is helpful to understand the gas leakage behavior at the interface and guide the gasket design of fuel cells.     

Flow Resistance Modeling for Coolant Distribution within Canned Motor Cooling Loops

Taylor–Couette–Poiseuille(TCP) flow dominates the inner water-cooling circulation of canned motor reactor coolant pumps. Current research on TCP flow focuses on torque behaviors and flow regime transitions through experiments and simulations. However, research on axial flow resistance in a large Reynolds number turbulent state is not sufficient, especially for the various flow patterns. This study is devoted to investigating the influence of annular flow on the axial flow resistance of liquid in the coaxial cylinders of the stator and rotor in canned motor reactor coolant pumps, and predicting the coolant flow distribution between the upper coil cooling loop and lower bearing lubricating loop for safe operation. The axial flow resistance, coupled with the annular rotation, is experimentally investigated at a flow rate with an axial Reynolds number, Rea, from 2.6 × 10~3 to 6.0 × 10~3 and rotational Reynolds number, Ret, from 1.6 × 10~4 to 4.0 × 10~4. It is revealed that the axial flow frictional coe cient varies against the axial flow rate in linear relation sets with logarithmic coordinates, which shift up when the flow has a higher Ret. Further examination of the axial flow resistance, with the Rea extending to 3.5 × 10~5 and Ret up to 1.6 × 10~5, by simulation shows gentle variation rates in the axial flow frictional coe cients against the Rea. The relation curves with different Ret values converge when the Rea exceeds 3.5 × 10~5. A prediction model for TCP flow consisting of a polygonal approximation with logarithmic coordinates is developed to estimate the axial flow resistance against different axial and rotational Reynolds numbers for the evaluation of heat and mass transfer during transition states and the engineering design of the canned motor chamber structure.     

Study of the electrolyte flow at narrow openings during electrochemical machining

Modelling of ECM is a powerful tool to improve the cost- and time intensive tool-development process. However, for certain combinations of process and geometric parameters, the simulation results include non-physical negative pressure values inside the electrolyte flow. These phenomena occur near the narrow opening into the machining gap. According to Bernoulli's law, it is plausible that low-pressure values are present in this region possibly leading to evaporation. Based on these facts, it was hypothesized that cavitation could occur during ECM. In order to successfully validate this hypothesis, the electrolyte flow is analysed both in experimental as well as simulation-based studies.     

考虑变幂数的畸变动力学相似试验模型设计方法及试验研究

动力学相似理论广泛应用于大型结构的振动试验，其中畸变相似用于解决结构的设计参数不满足等比例缩放时的相似问题，针对畸变相似关系中幂数为定值导致预测精度低的问题，提出考虑变幂数的畸变动力学相似试验模型设计方法。首先，在敏感性分析与中心差分理论推导的幂数表达式的基础上，将中心差分的范围不断扩大得到一组随相似比变化的幂数。采用最小二乘法将这组幂数拟合为关于相似比的函数并建立相似关系。然后，在多盘转子系统的数值算例中将变幂数法与文献中的两种方法进行对比，结果表明，变幂数法的预测精度较文献中的方法有很大提高。最后，通过试验研究验证了数值算例中动力学模型及临界转速求解的正确有效性。相似关系的建立是以模型的临界转速为基础，因此也验证了数值算例中的相似预测结果。     

Study on inhomogeneous cooling behavior of extruded profile with unequal and large thicknesses during quenching using thermo-mechanical coupling model

The interfacial heat transfer coefficient between hot profile surface and cooling water was determined by using inverse heat conduction model combined with end quenching experiment. Then, a Deform-3D thermo-mechanical coupling model for simulating the on-line water quenching of extruded profile with unequal and large thicknesses was developed. The temperature field, residual stress field and distortion of profile during quenching were investigated systematically. The results show that heat transfer coefficient increases as water flow rate increases. The peak heat transfer coefficient with higher water flow rates appears at lower interface temperatures. The temperature distribution across the cross-section of profile during quenching is severe nonuniform and the maximum temperature difference is 300 °C at quenching time of 3.49 s. The temperature difference through the thickness of different parts of profile first increases sharply to a maximum value, and then gradually decreases. The temperature gradient increases obviously with the increase of thickness of parts. After quenching, there exist large residual stresses on the inner side of joints of profile and the two ends of part with thickness of 10 mm. The profile presents a twisting-type distortion across the cross-section under non-uniform cooling and the maximum twisting angle during quenching is 2.78°.     

Machining accuracy improvement for a dual-spindle ultra-precision drum roll lathe based on geometric error analysis and calibration

This paper performs a comprehensive analysis and calibration on the geometric error of the ultra-precision drum roll lathe with dual-spindle symmetrical structure and cross slider layout. Firstly, the volumetric error model which contains all geometric errors of the dual-spindle ultra-precision drum roll lathe (DSUPDRL) is developed based on the combination of the homogenous transfer matrix (HTM) and multi-body system (MBS) theory. Secondly, sensitivity analysis for the volumetric error model is conducted to identify the sensitive geometric error components of the DSUPDRL using an improved Sobol method based on the quasi-Monte Carlo algorithm. The result of sensitivity analysis laid the foundation for the subsequent geometric error calibration. Then, some sensitive error components along the X and Z directions are calibrated using a laser interferometer and a pair of inductance displacement probes. Besides the volumetric error model, the concentricity error caused by dual-spindle symmetrical structure is proposed and calibrated by the on-machine measurement using a classic reversal method. Finally, a large-scale roller mold with a diameter of 250 mm and a length of 600 mm is machined using the DSUPDRL after calibration. The experimental result shows that 1.4 μm/600 mm generatrix accuracy is obtained, which validate the effectiveness of the geometric error analysis and calibration.     

Electromagnetism-like algorithms for optimized tool path planning in 5-axis flank machining

Optimization of tool path planning using metaheuristic algorithms such as ant colony systems (ACS) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) provides a feasible approach to reduce geometrical machining errors in 5-axis flank machining of ruled surfaces. The optimal solutions of these algorithms exhibit an unsatisfactory quality in a high-dimensional search space. In this study, various algorithms derived from the electromagnetism-like mechanism (EM) were applied. The test results of representative surfaces showed that all EM-based methods yield more effective optimal solutions than does PSO, despite a longer search time. A new EM-MSS (electromagnetism-like mechanism with move solution screening) algorithm produces the most favorable results by ensuring the continuous improvement of new searches. Incorporating an SPSA (simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation) technique further improves the search results with effective initial solutions. This work enhances the practical values of tool path planning by providing a satisfactory machining quality.     

Investigation into eddy current pulsed thermography for rolling contact fatigue detection and characterization

This paper reports on the use of eddy current pulsed thermography (ECPT) for detection and characterization of rolling contact fatigue (RCF). Detection mechanisms with eddy currents and heat propagation effects were discussed with RCF modeled as a simple angled defect. Two different angled defects were studied through numerical simulations and experimentally by using uniform magnetic field (UMF) excited by Helmholtz coils. Finally, a rail sample with RCF defects was inspected using UMF excitation. It is shown that ECPT with UMF excitation provides an efficient and robust method to detect angled defects, compared with nonuniform magnetic field (NUMF) excitation.