An effective method of bulk materials moisture measurement using capacitive sensors

When we speak about capacitance moisture meters for bulk materials we have to face with different values of dielectric permittivity for different bulk materials in dehydrated state, what causes a method error that can be named ‘type uncertainty’. Besides, different varieties of the same material have different values of dielectric permittivity, which depend from geographical origin, processing conditions etc. It can be hardly predicted automatically and type uncertainty can be compensated only in separate situations with the help of preliminary calibration. Main tasks of the research are to develop new comparison principle of moisture measurement with better accuracy due to effective compensation of physical, chemical and granulometric composition influence on the result of moisture measurement, develop new primary and secondary instrument transducers. Moisture sensor consists of four measuring capacitors. Two of them should be filled with a sample, which moisture content should be determined, and other pair of measuring capacitors should be filled with a same substance, but previously dehydrated. Mathematical models, developed to take into account granulometric composition of a bulk material were used to carry out a comparison analysis for three types of instrument measuring transducers. Obtained results proved that suggested principle of moisture measurement provides effective compensation of granulometric composition influence. Developed measuring principle had been experimentally tested what helped to confirm that it provides two times better compensation of different physical and chemical composition for different materials in comparison with the direct comparison method.     

煤与高岭石表面性质对凝聚过程的影响机制

煤泥水中含大量高岭石等黏土矿物，为其絮凝沉降带来较大的困难。为明确矿物性质对凝聚过程的影响机制，在应用扩展的DLVO理论计算煤和高岭石颗粒间作用力的基础上，采用聚焦光束反射测量仪监测了CaCl2用量为4.50 mmol/L时20 g/L的煤和高岭石的悬浮液在60, 100和150 r/min的搅拌转速下的凝聚过程。结果表明，颗粒间的静电作用力在颗粒表面间距2?200 nm范围内起主导作用，高岭石的电负性较大，在凝聚过程中更难发生靠近和碰撞；较高的转速可为颗粒提供较大的动量，有利于提高碰撞频率，缩短完成凝聚所需时间，实验条件下，煤和高岭石的凝聚时间分别由74和123 s缩短至47和89 s。疏水性作用力在颗粒表面间距小于2 nm的范围内起主导作用，决定了颗粒的黏附效率；煤因强疏水性，在碰撞后更易黏附，且能抵抗更高的流体剪切作用，可由19.32 μm凝聚形成100 μm的大凝聚体，而高岭石则因其亲水性难以得到较大粒度的凝聚体，均小于30 μm。     

PZT components derived from polysulphone spinning process

The present paper deals with the development of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) fibres, pearls and fibre fragments, for their use as active phase in piezocomposites. As new a approach, the green ceramic components are shaped by polysulphone spinning, allowing for effective and flexible forming over a wide range of different geometries and sizes. The correlation between processing parameters, e.g. the slurry composition, nozzle size and operation velocity, and the resultant shape of ceramic components is analysed. Sintered piezoceramic parts show a dense microstructure. Performance data are evaluated on PZT/epoxy composites. Measurement results of strain, polarisation and piezoelectric coupling are given and discussed. The developed PZT components are seen as key for the creation of smart and lightweight structural components. Further, free formed PZT components open new design approaches for sensing and actuating devices and ultrasound transducers.     

换能器结构参数对聚合物超声塑化黏弹生热的影响

为研究超声换能器结构参数对聚合物超声塑化过程黏弹性生热的影响，首先确定超声黏弹性生热系统的组成，进行纵振超声换能器结构设计；然后分析超声黏弹性生热过程及超声黏弹性生热原理；最后采用单一变量法分析超声换能器的主要结构参数对其纵振频率及工具头前端质点最大振幅的影响，将其实际输出的纵振激励加载于熔融聚合物，研究其结构参数对聚合物超声黏弹性生热过程及达到聚合物玻璃化转变温度所用时间的影响。结果表明，随纵振激励作用时间的增加，聚合物温度非线性升高；放大比对聚合物温度变化影响最大，前盖板厚度和工具头长度次之，影响最小的是变幅杆长度。     

宽频带梯形叉指式换能器优化设计及应用

由声表面波（Surface Acoustic Wave）器件发展而来的叉指换能器（Interdigital Transducer，IDT）由于其工作频率可以设计、频带宽可调、损耗低等特点逐步应用于结构健康监测（Structural Health Monitoring，SHM）系统中，因此在智能材料与结构中有着广泛的应用前景。本文针对现有矩形IDT带宽窄的不足，研究宽频带梯形叉指换能器（Trapezoidal Interdigital Transducer，TIDT）。采用有限元分析方法对TIDT的尺寸进行结构优化设计，并对设计的TIDT进行性能测试，通过实验研究了TIDT用于结构损伤检测的初步应用。实验结果表明，TIDT在实际应用中进一步提高了损伤识别精度，具有广泛的应用前景。     

Innovative focused ultrasound-based sealing method of flexible packaging films—Principles and characteristics

A key process to package goods is the closure procedure. It ensures the good protection against the environment and vice versa. Ultrasonic sealing presents the advantage of converting locally ultrasound into heat, which is optimal for temperature sensitive goods. The disadvantages remain, however, the equipment cost, the noise generation, and the process sensitivity to materials. It is necessary to develop a sealing process to decrease the acquisition cost of the sealing equipment and cover a wide range of polymer films. This paper focuses on a new sealing method based on high-intensity focused ultrasound. The principles and characteristics of this process are discussed and underpinned with experimental results. Both the acoustic and thermal effects of the sealing process are summarized. A study of the process parameter impact on the seam strength in static and dynamic operating is proposed. Low-density polyethylene films with a carrier layer of bi-oriented polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate are used. A first test bench generates point-shaped seam. The heat generation is recorded with an infrared thermography system. A second test bench, a horizontal form fill and seal machine, produces longitudinal seams. The seam quality is controlled by tensile test and tightness test. A quick heating of the polymer films is found. Point seams and longitudinal seams are successfully generated. The seams behave similarly to the ones generated with ultrasonic sealing process. However, the sealing velocity is limited to 3 m/min. This work provides a summary of the characteristics and principles of the new sealing method in packaging applications.     

基于十字形阵列和2D-MUSIC算法的Lamb波检测

采用由压电传感器组成的十字形阵列进行Lamb波信号的激励和接收，提出一种二维多重信号分类（2D-MUSIC）方法对铝板中的缺陷进行定位检测。选用合适的频率激励产生单一模态信号，可避免多模态的影响，降低Lamb波的频散；利用2D-MUSIC算法对接收信号进行分段处理，并结合反射信号和二维导向矢量对铝板中的缺陷进行定位。结果表明，提出的2D-MUSIC算法对铝板中的缺陷定位比传统MUSIC算法更精准。