Temperature effect on the reference frequency of FDR soil moisture sensor

The FDR automatic soil moisture sensor must determine reference frequency in the air and water. Experimental studies show that the water reference frequency is influenced by water temperature. The variation of the reference frequency of the sensor is measured with the change of the water temperature,then analysis the influence of the volume water content measurement of the sensor,analysis found that the error is not more than 3% for the measurement of the volumetric water content of the temperature.     

Effect of electrode orientation on linear polarisation measurements using sensor controlled guard ring

Abstract

Use of a sensor controlled guard ring has been developed in recent years to enhance the accuracy of linear polarisation corrosion rate measurements on reinforced concrete structures. The sensors are used to monitor potential differences measured on the concrete surface above the reinforcing steel. These data are then used to confine the corrosion measurement to a known area of reinforcing steel. The role of the sensors is paramount in maintaining adequate confinement of the perturbation applied to the reinforcing steel. Experiments were conducted on reinforced concrete specimens containing both active and passive zones of reinforcing steel. Polarisation resistance measurements were taken using both a potentiostatically controlled guard ring device developed at the University of Liverpool and a galvanostatically controlled commercial device. Both devices indicated that the orientation of the sensor electrodes can affect the polarisation resistance determined when taking measurements on passive steel next to actively corroding areas. The sensor orientation was not observed to affect the polarisation resistance measurements taken on actively corroding steel next to passive steel.     

覆膜条件下氮磷肥对土壤理化性质、酶活性及烟草生长的影响

通过大田试验研究了覆膜条件下氮磷肥料互作对植烟土壤理化性质,土壤酶活性以及烟草生长的影响。结果表明,覆膜能提高植烟土壤温度及中性磷酸酶的活性,促进烟株对氮、磷的吸收;明显地促进烟株地上部的生长,使烟株早发育。但覆膜导致烟株的根冠比下降,且覆膜后土壤的氧化还原电位和pH值下降,可能造成土壤中硝化作用的减弱,使NH 4-N向NO-3-N转化减慢,从而降低了烟草对NO-3-N的吸收率。覆膜条件下土壤中脲酶的活性随尿素、磷肥用量的增加而有所降低,且覆膜本身也降低了脲酶的活性。     

Mapping of adhesion forces on soil minerals in air and water by atomic force spectroscopy (AFS)

The adhesion force between an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip and sample surfaces, mica and quartz substrates, was measured in air and water. The force curves show that the adhesion has a strong dependence on both the surface roughness and the environmental conditions surrounding the sample. The variability of the adhesion force was examined in a series of measurements taken at the same point, as well as at different places on the sample surface. The adhesion maps obtained from the distribution of the measured forces indicated regions contaminated by either organic compounds or adsorbed water. Using simple mathematical expressions we could quantitatively predict the adhesion force behavior in both air and water. The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical calculations, where the adhesion forces in air and water were mostly associated with capillary and van der Waals forces, respectively. A small long-range repulsive force is also observed in water due to the overlapping electrical double-layers formed on both the tip and sample surfaces.     

Relation between the cleanability of bare or polysiloxane-coated stainless steels and their water contact angle hysteresis

Cleaning of bare or coated stainless steel surfaces is investigated using some specific techniques for both particulate soil and oil removal. Particulate soil is removed from the surface by a water drop sliding, whereas oil is eliminated by shear flow of a commercial detergent. The cleanability performance is found to depend both on surface energy and topography. In general, the water contact angle hysteresis, which itself is related to the advancing contact angle and the surface roughness, is found to be an appropriate criterion for characterizing the cleaning performance. This finding is discussed in terms of retention and removal forces during the cleaning process and could provide in the future a criterion for material selection for industrial use of stainless steel surfaces.     

Cathodic Protection and Stress Corrosion Cracking of Mild Steel District Heating Distribution Systems

Abstract

Inadequate design or construction of certain district heating distribution systems has led to severe corrosion problems. These systems were then cathodically protected by means of impressed current installations, and the frequency of leaks was thereby reduced. However, following this, a number of failures due to stress corrosion cracking have been discovered. This has been traced to the alkaline environment round the pipe produced by the cathodic protecion process, combined with subsequent concentration by evaporation, the potential of the pipe then being in the range known to promote caustic cracking when residual stresses are present in the pipe. The only possible solutions to the problem for existing pipelines are either to remove the cathodic protection and revert to the likelihood of general corrosion problems, or to control the applied current so that the pipeline is kept out of the potential range known to promote stress corrosion. In practice this is difficult to achieve and may result in parts of the pipeline being under-protected.