Directional solidification of binary melts with a non-equilibrium mushy layer

When the melt or solution solidifies a constitutionally supercooled mushy layer is frequently formed ahead of the phase transition boundary. This leads to nucleation and growth mechanisms of newly born solid particles within a mush. The latter is responsible for the structures and properties appearing in the crystal. The process of solidification with a supercooled mushy layer is analytically described on the basis of two joint theories of directional and bulk crystallization. Such characteristics as the constitutional supercooling, the solid fraction and the radial density distribution function of solid particles in a mushy layer are found. The complex structure of the non-equilibrium mushy layer is completely recognized.     

Solidification of binary aqueous solution cooled from above

Freezing and melting phenomena are important in many different fields, including crystal growth, casting, metallurgy, geophysics, and oceanography. Solidification of a multi‐component solution is the one often observed in nature. In order to investigate basic features of the freezing processes of binary systems, we conducted a series of laboratory experiments in a rectangular box cooled from above using aqueous NaNO₃ solution. During the freezing, the solid phase always grows into many needle‐like crystals called the mushy layer. We measured the growth of the mushy layer thickness, the solid fraction, the temperature, and the concentration distributions. The average solid fraction is found to increase with time in the mushy layer. This causes a slow descent of the released solute in the mushy layer and its eventual fall into the liquid region below because of gravity. We propose a one‐dimensional model to explain the horizontally‐averaged mushy layer growth. In the model, the estimate of a heat flux at the mushy‐liquid interface due to natural convection is found essential for a correct prediction. The proposed theory predicts well the growth of the mushy‐layer and the average solid fraction, once the convective heat flux is properly given. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heat Trans Asian Res; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/htj.20278     

Large‐eddy simulations of the evolution of imposed turbulence in forced boundary layers in a very long domain

The technique of using imposed turbulence in combination with a forced boundary layer in order to model the atmospheric boundary layer is analyzed for a very long domain using large‐eddy simulations with different combinations of prescribed velocity profiles and pregenerated turbulence fields based on the Mann model. The ambient flow is first studied in the absence of wind turbines. The velocity profiles undergo a transition throughout the domain with a velocity increase of 10% to 15% close to the ground far downstream in the domain. The turbulence characteristics close to the turbulence plane are, as expected, similar to those of the added Mann turbulence. The turbulence will then undergo a transition throughout the domain to finally reach a balance with the shear profile at a certain downstream distance. This distance is found to depend on the turbulence level of the added Mann turbulence planes. A lower Mann turbulence level generally results in a shorter “balancing” distance. Secondly, a row of 10 turbines is imposed in the simulations at different distances from the plane of turbulence in order to determine how the distance affects wake conditions and power production levels. Our results show that a “balancing” distance is needed between the turbulence plane and the first turbine in the row in order to ensure nonchanging ambient conditions throughout the turbine row. This introduces an increase in the computational costs. The computational cost for the forced boundary technique is normally lower compared with using precursor simulations, for longer domains; however, this needs to be verified further.     

The onset of ferroconvection in a horizontal ferrofluid saturated porous layer heated from below and cooled from above with constant heat flux subject to MFD viscosity

The effect of magnetic field dependent (MFD) viscosity on the onset of ferroconvection in a ferrofluid saturated horizontal porous layer is investigated theoretically. The bounding surfaces of the porous medium are considered to be either rigid-ferromagnetic or stress free with constant heat flux conditions. The resulting eigenvalue problem is solved numerically using the Galerkin technique and also analytically by regular perturbation technique. It is found that increase in porous parameter, MFD viscosity parameter and decrease in the magnetic number is to delay the onset of ferroconvection, while the nonlinearity of fluid magnetization has no influence on the stability of the system.     

Study of transition from laminar to turbulent boundary layer on a tilted flat plate using heat transfer measurements

The boundary layer transition over a flat tilted plate has been studied by means of heat transfer measurements.Aheat flux sensor has been developed,in order to measure the efficiency of convective heat transfer for varioustypes of surfaces or flows.Its operation at constant temperature allows direct and fast measurements of heat flux.The present paper reports the development of the sensor and presents its application to the study of transition in aboundary layer depending on the angle of incidence of the external flow.An exponential relationship betweencritical Reynolds number and pressure gradient parameter has been found.     

Natural convection heat transfer of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media from a vertical cone under mixed thermal boundary conditions

This work studies the problem of the steady natural convection boundary layer flow over a downward-pointing vertical cone in porous media saturated with non-Newtonian power-law fluids under mixed thermal boundary conditions. A similarity analysis is performed, and the obtained similar equations are solved by cubic spline collocation method. The effects of the power-law viscosity index and the similarity exponent on the heat transfer characteristics under mixed thermal boundary conditions have been studied. Under mixed thermal boundary conditions, both the surface heat flux and the surface temperature are found to decrease when the power-law viscosity index of the non-Newtonian power-law fluid in porous media is increased. Moreover, an increase in the similarity exponent tends to increase the boundary layer thickness and thus decreases the surface heat flux under mixed thermal conditions. The generalized governing equations derived in this work can be applied to the cases of prescribed surface temperature and prescribed heat flux.     

Influence of undulating wall heat and mass flux on MHD natural convection boundary layer flow from a vertical wall

Current study expounds an unsteady magnetohydrodynamic natural convective flow along a vertical wall in presence of variable transverse magnetic field. Small amplitude undulation in wall heat flux and wall mass flux are imposed at the vertical wall to generate the boundary layer flow. The flow governing equations are divided into sets of steady and unsteady equations and then transformed into the similarity and nonsimilarity equations, respectively, by introducing stream function formulations. The sets of nonsimilarity equations are solved numerically by using three different techniques, namely, perturbation solution technique, asymptotic solution technique and implicit finite difference technique applied, respectively, for lower, higher, and all frequencies (ξ). Results are illustrated in connection with the amplitude and phase angles of shear stress, wall temperature, and concentration against the frequency (ξ) for wide ranges of physically significant parameters. Likening of the results obtained by above mentioned numerical methods are presented in every figure and table. Results reveal that the amplitude of undulating shear stress and wall temperature dwindle and the amplitude of wall concentration increases due to increment in Prandtl number (Pr). Besides, on incrementing Schmidt number (Sc) the amplitude of undulating shear stress and wall concentration dwindle and the amplitude of wall temperature increases. Results also reveal that on incrementing magnetic parameter (M) the amplitude of transient shear stress dwindles while the amplitude of transient wall temperature and concentration increase.     

Synthesis and characterization of CuInSe2 thin films from Cu, In and Se stacked layers using a closed graphite box

Various techniques have been used to produce CuInSe₂ but the problem of producing films with the desired properties for efficient device fabrication over large areas has always persisted. The Stacked Elemental Layer (SEL) technique has been demonstrated as a method for producing films over a large area, but the films normally annealed in vacuum or in Se ambient, mostly exhibited poor morphology with small grain sizes which result in poor devices. A method of synthesizing CuInSe₂ films by annealing or selenization of the Cu, In and Se elemental layers using a closed graphite box was developed. SEM, EDX, XRD, spectrophotometric and Hall measurements were used to characterize all annealed films. Results have shown single phase chalcopyrite films with improved crystal sizes of about 4 μm The film composition varied from Cu-rich to In-rich with electrical resistivities of 10⁻³ to 10⁴ Ωcm, cattier concentrations of 5 × 10¹⁵ to 10¹⁷ cm⁻³ and mobilities of 0.6 to 7.8 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ An energy band gap of 0.99 eV and 1.02 eV was obtained for a Cu-rich and near stoichiometric In-rich films respectively. Heterojunction devices using the structure ZnO/CdS/CuInSe₂ were fabricated with electrical conversion efficiencies of 6.5%.     

MHD nonlinear natural convection from a uniformly moving porous vertical plate with constant heat and mass flux in the presence of thermal radiation,diffusion-thermo,heat sink,and chemical reaction

An attempt has been made to investigate the problem of nonlinear free convection heat and mass transfer flow past an infinite vertical porous plate embedded in a porous medium by taking into account thermal radiation and heat sink with constant heat and mass flux. Transversely oriented and of uniform strength $B_0$, a magnetic field has been introduced to the fluid area. The nonlinear density variation with temperature as well as concentration are the basis for the current physical situation, which is explained by this mathematical model. Exact solutions are derived for momentum equation, energy equation, and species continuity equation under the relevant boundary conditions. The dimensionless governing equations are analytically solved. The influence of various physical parameters, such as Dufour number, Schmidt number, thermal Grashof number, magnetic parameter, mass Grashof number, heat sink, thermal radiation, Prandtl number, chemical reaction parameter on the flow, and transport characteristic, has been presented graphically and in tabular form. The novelty of the present investigation is that here both constant heat and mass flux at the plate are taken into account in addition to thermal radiation and heat sink. The findings of the mathematical study demonstrate that velocity, temperature, and skin friction intensify with a rise in the Dufour number this is due to the fact that the convection current becomes stronger as the Dufour number rises. Fluid's concentration declines as the Schmidt number grows, or the concentration rises as the mass diffusivity rises. Fluid temperature is enhanced with high thermal diffusivity. Frictional resistance on the plate hikes due to thermal buoyancy force.     

Effect of iron content on the hydrogen production kinetics of electroless-deposited CoNiFeP alloy catalysts from the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride,and a study of its feasibility in a new hydrolysis using magnesium and calcium borohydrides

The effect of Fe content in electroless-deposited CoNi-Fe_x-P alloy catalysts (x = 5.5–11.8 at.%) from the hydrolysis of NaBH₄ is investigated in alkaline sodium borohydride solution. The electroless-deposited CoNiFe_5.5-P and CoNiFe_7.6-P alloy catalysts are composed of flake-like micron particles; however, with an increase in Fe content to 11.8 at.%, the flake-like morphology is changed to a spherical shape and the crystal structure of the electroless-deposited CoNiFeP catalyst is transformed from FCC to BCC. Among all the CoNi-Fe_x-P alloy catalysts, the CoNi-Fe_x-P (x = 7.6 at.%) catalyst has the highest hydrogen production rate of 1128 ml min⁻¹ g⁻¹_catalyst in alkaline solution containing 1 wt% NaOH + 10 wt% NaBH₄ at 303 K. For the optimized catalyst, the activation energy of the hydrolysis of NaBH₄ is calculated to be 54.26 kJ mol⁻¹. Additionally, in this work, we report a new hydrolysis using Mg(BH₄)₂ and Ca(BH₄)₂. As a result, the Mg(BH₄)₂ is stored unstably in an alkaline solution, whereas the Ca(BH₄)₂ is stored stably. When optimizing the hydrogen production kinetics from the hydrolysis of Ca(BH₄)₂, the rate is 784 ml min⁻¹ g⁻¹_catalyst in 10 wt% NaOH + 3 wt% Ca(BH₄)₂ solution.