Self-ignition of hydrogen-air mixtures behind reflected explosive waves

Experimental results are given, which reveal the special features of selfignition of hydrogen-air gas mixtures behind reflected explosive pressure waves at moderate (below 1200 K) temperature and elevated pressure. The experiments are performed in a modified shock tube which provides for generation of explosive pressure waves. The explosive waves are characterized by a jump of parameters of shock-compressed gas (pressure, temperature) at the front with their subsequent continuous decrease. This is how undesirable gas-dynamic effects are attenuated, which are due to hypothetical pre-explosion preheating of combustible mixture by compression waves. As previously, the experiments involving standard shock waves (with constant pressure/temperature levels) revealed a significant (by a factor often and more) deviation of measured values of delay of selfignition from the calculated values towards decreasing.     

Relations for calculating the formation of hot gas-sprayed coatings

Translated from Fiziko-Khimicheskaya Mekhanika Materialov, No. 4, pp. 24–27, July–August, 1988.     

Investigations on the heat transfer of boiling binary refrigerant mixtures

Heat transfer during nucleate pool boiling was experimentally determined for the mixtures R-12/R-113, R-22/R-12, R-13/R-12, R-13/R-22 and R-23/R-13. For purposes of comparison, the respective five pure refrigerants were also investigated. Dependent upon the mixture, the measurements were made at boiling pressures of p = 0.1 to 2 MPa within the temperature region of t = 198 to 333 (−75° + 60°C) and at heat fluxes of Q = 4 × 10³ to 10⁵ W m⁻². A horizontal, electronically heated copper plate with A = 3 cm² was used. The following quantities were measured: pressure; temperature difference between the heating surface and the boiling liquid; composition and temperature in the liquid and vapour phases; and heat flow rate. The mean error of the heat transfer coefficients found was ± 5%.The results clearly show that the heat transfer for an evaporating mixture deteriorates as compared to the pure components. Essential parameters influencing this reduction are pressure, difference between vapour and liquid composition and heat flux. The fundamental relations and characteristic differences between the individual mixtures are illustrated by figures. The heat transfer coefficients measured can be represented within the whole region studied by a modified relation according to Körner.Observation of the process of evaporation has shown that by agitation (increase of convection) the heat transfer in mixtures can be improved. Additional experiments with evaporation during fluid flow in a pipe are presently in progress.     

Investigation of the explosive hazard of mixtures containing hydrogen peroxide and different alcohols

The explosive properties of mixtures of aqueous hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and different alcohols (R-OH) like 2-propanol (2-PropOH), 2-methyl-2-propanol (TBA), 2-methyl-2-butanol (TAA) and 2-methyl-2-pentanol (THA) were investigated. Among others, the potential hazard of such mixtures may be characterized by their ability to react by different mechanisms of an explosion in the condensed phase, e.g. the thermal explosion or the detonation. Accordingly, the mixtures were experimentally investigated either by heating them up under confinement in different autoclaves or by exposing them to a shock wave impact applying the steel tube test. The results are discussed and compared to literature data.     

Investigations of stiffness and fatigue properties of asphalt mixtures

Three conventional asphalt concrete mixtures containing one aggregate of a given size distribution and bitumens of different stiffness obtained from one and the same source are characterised with regard to rheological properties using uniaxial testing. Both non-destructive complex modulus and fatigue testing at different temperatures are performed. The results obtained from the non-destructive testing indicate that the mixtures studied exhibit similar rheological properties (stiffness and phase angle) in the range investigated, if compared at different temperatures (similar rheological state). The results presented also suggest that fatigue deterioration to a great extent is determined by the rheological status of the mixture. Some aspects on the test procedure, such as adequate strain measurement and heating during destructive (fatigue) testing as well as fatigue life characterisation using the classical approach, are discussed.     

On the formation of thermally sprayed alumina coatings

A model for the fomation of thermally sprayed alumina coatings is proposed. The spreading and crystallization of liquid droplets on impact with the substrate are analysed and the thermal history of individual particles related to the kinetics of nucleation of -Al₂O₃ to other forms. The results suggest that under the usual spraying conditions undercooling of the liquid droplets is such that -Al₂O₃ nucleates in preference to -Al₂O₃ and the cooling rate after solidification is sufficiently rapid to prevent transformation to -Al₂O₃ or -Al₂O₃. Transformation of initially formed -Al₂O₃ to -Al₂O₃ appears to be possible only if the lamellae formed on impact are thicker than about 10 m if the substrate is heated to about 1000° C, or if the thickness is greater than about 20 m on an unheated substrate. The -Al₂O₃ generally observed in thermally sprayed coatings is the result of crystallization from pre-existing nuclei arising from incomplete melting of the feed material.     

Investigations of diffusion behaviour in Al-doped zinc oxide and zinc stannate coatings

Multi-layer dielectric/silver/dielectric coating systems have excellent proprieties as heat insulators and for solar energy reflection and electrical conductivity. The largest market is dominated by low-emissivity (low-E) coatings, which are applied to large area architectural glazing to reduce heat losses from buildings. They combine high visible transparency with high reflectance in the far-infrared region, where the thin (~ 10 nm) silver layer reflects long wavelength IR back into the building and the dielectric layers both protect the silver and act as anti reflectance layers.In this study, a range of dielectric coatings has been deposited onto soda-lime glass substrates by reactive sputtering from metallic targets. The magnetrons were driven in DC mode and also in mid-frequency pulsed DC and AC modes. Process variables investigated include operating pressure, oxygen flow rate and magnetron configuration. Selected coatings were annealed at 650 °C and analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM).The oxide samples were then over-coated with silver and annealed for a second time. These coatings were analysed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) to determine the diffusion rates of silver and sodium (from the substrate) through the oxide coatings.The results to date, presented here, show the diffusion of silver and sodium atoms through zinc oxide and zinc stannate thin films deposited under a vast range of conditions. Preliminary attempts have been made to estimate diffusion coefficients for these coating systems and to relate these values to processing conditions and the structural variations observed.     

Shock-waves formation by the discrete Boltzmann equation for binary gas mixtures

Summary This paper deals with the analysis of the onset, evolution and asymptotic behaviour of shock-waves described by the discrete Boltzmann equation. The related mathematical problem consists in solving an initial value problem in an unbounded domain for a set of hyperbolic semilinear equations. Quantitative results for shock-waves profiles in an arbitrary binary gas mixture have been obtained.     

Investigations of surface coatings to reduce memory effect in plastic scintillator detectors used for radioxenon detection

In this work Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ coatings are tested as Xe diffusion barriers on plastic scintillator substrates. The motivation is improved beta-gamma coincidence detection systems, used to measure atmospheric radioxenon within the verification regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. One major drawback with the current setup of these systems is that the radioxenon tends to diffuse into the plastic scintillator material responsible for the beta detection, resulting in an unwanted memory effect. Here, coatings with thicknesses between 20 and 900 nm have been deposited onto plastic scintillators, and investigated using two different experimental techniques. The results show that all tested coatings reduce the Xe diffusion into the plastic. The reduction is observed to increase with coating thickness for both coating materials. The 425 nm Al₂O₃ coating is the most successful one, presenting a diffusion reduction of a factor 100, compared to uncoated plastic. In terms of memory effect reduction this coating is thus a viable solution to the problem in question.     

Some properties of explosive mixtures containing peroxides Part I. Relative performance and detonation of mixtures with triacetone triperoxide

This study concerns mixtures of triacetone triperoxide (3,3,6,6,9,9-hexamethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8-hexoxonane, TATP) and ammonium nitrate (AN) with added water (W), as the case may be, and dry mixtures of TATP with urea nitrate (UN). Relative performances (RP) of the mixtures and their individual components, relative to TNT, were determined by means of ballistic mortar. The detonation energies, E0, and detonation velocities, D, were calculated for the mixtures studied by means of the thermodynamic code CHEETAH. Relationships have been found and are discussed between the RP and the E0 values related to unit volume of gaseous products of detonation of these mixtures. These relationships together with those between RP and oxygen balance values of the mixtures studied indicate different types of participation of AN and UN in the explosive decomposition of the respective mixtures. Dry TATP/UN mixtures exhibit lower RP than analogous mixtures TATP/AN containing up to 25% of water. Depending on the water content, the TATP/AN mixtures possess higher detonability values than the ANFO explosives. A semi-logarithmic relationship between the D values and oxygen coefficients has been derived for all the mixtures studied at the charge density of 1000 kg m(-3). Among the mixtures studied, this relationship distinguishes several samples of the type of "tertiary explosives" as well as samples that approach "high explosives" in their performances and detonation velocities.     

Investigations on the effects of plasma-assisted pre-treatment for plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition TiN coatings on tool steel

Different mixtures of hydrogen, nitrogen and argon were tested for the cleaning and nitriding of cold-working, high chromium tool steel, prior to TiN deposition with the aim of improving adhesion of the TiN layer. It is well known that the condition of the substrate surface and hardening of the substrate by nitriding have a large influence on the adhesion strength of films. Good adhesion was achieved when nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere with 40%-80% nitrogen (and 20%-60% hydrogen, respectively) was used, the best adhesion quality values were achieved (HF 1-2) with 40% nitrogen. With higher or lower fractions of nitrogen in the pre-treatment gas, adhesion was reduced. Argon addition also had negative effects on the adhesion strength. The microstructure and chemical composition of the near-interface region of the differently pretreated samples were analysed using secondary ion mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and light optical microscopy.     

Investigations on mechanical behaviour of brittle wear-resistant coatings II: Theory

From considerations concerning the loading conditions in thin elastic-brittle coatings on a steel substrate, fracture processes due to bending of the coated material are investigated. The most important features of this model are (1) statistical nucleation and growth of cracks, (2) crack interaction due to unloading and stress concentration and (3) features of crack growth and arrest due to coating-substrate interactions. Finally a functional relationship between the experimentally available number n(σ) of cracks per length and the strength distribution function F(σ) of coating elements is derived. This functional relationship may be used to identify the residual stress σⁱ, the strength parameters such as the lower limit σ_f⁰, mean value σ_f and coefficient β of variance as well as the structural dimensions from the experimental data given in Part I of this paper.     

Investigations into sol-gel silica and silica hybrid coatings for dielectromagnetic soft magnetic composite applications

A series of inorganic and organic–inorganic hybrid silica coatings were synthesised by a sol-gel process from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) precursors, and used to investigate their effectiveness as insulation materials in dielectromagnetic soft magnetic composites. The coating materials and coated iron powders were analysed by FTIR, electron and atomic force microscopy. Results showed that introduction of the organic phase imparted desirable hydrophobicity and flexibility to the coating, whilst still providing effective electrical insulation at temperatures up to 500 °C. The hybrid coatings covered the iron particle surface very effectively and formed continuous coatings that could remain intact even after compaction at pressures up to 900 MPa, depending on the coating amount. Initial magnetic characterisations are also encouraging. As a result, such hybrid-coated iron powders can be considered suitable candidates as heat-treatable high-performance dielectromagnetics.     

Investigations on the influence of cement type on thaumasite formation

A high sulfate resistance is required if cements are to be used in sulfate bearing waters and soils especially under conditions favouring thaumasite formation. A long period program of laboratory investigations was carried out on CEN cements to assess thaumasite and ettringite formation. The experimental concept involved mixing ground cement pastes with stoichiometrical components of gypsum, calcite and water. The specimens were stored at 6 °C whereby chemical worst case conditions for thaumasite formation were simulated. At time intervals XRD analysis was conducted. Apart from pure cements mixtures containing additives, pure C₃S pastes with and without Al₂O₃ addition were investigated. The results confirm that thaumasite formation can be accelerated by Al₂O₃ bearing components in cements. However, thaumasite formation is also possible without active participation of Al³⁺. The assessment of sulfate resistance of cements only from the chemical point of view apparently gives results which are contrary to the field experience.     

Some properties of explosive mixtures containing peroxides Part II. Relationships between detonation parameters and thermal reactivity of the mixtures with triacetone triperoxide

This study concerns mixtures of triacetone triperoxide (3,3,6,6,9,9-hexamethyl-1,2,4,5,7,8-hexoxonane, TATP) and ammonium nitrate (AN) with added water (W), as the case may be, and two dry mixtures of TATP with urea nitrate (UN). Relative performances (RP) of the mixtures and their individual components, relative to TNT, were determined by means of ballistic mortar. Thermal reactivity of these mixtures was examined by means of differential thermal analysis and the data were analyzed according to the modified Kissinger method (the peak temperature was replaced by the temperature of decomposition onset in this case). The reactivity, expressed as the EaR(-1) slopes of the Kissinger relationship, correlates with the squares of the calculated detonation velocities for the charge density of 1000 kg m(-3) of the studied energetic materials. Similarly, the relationships between the EaR(-1) values and RP have been found. While the first mentioned correlation (modified Evans-Polanyi-Semenov equation) is connected with the primary chemical micro-mechanism of the mixtures detonation, the relationships in the second case should be connected with the thermochemical aspects of this detonation.     

炸药量对双层圆管爆炸焊接影响的数值模拟

为研究炸药量对爆炸焊接过程的影响,并优化双层圆管结构爆炸焊接工艺.采用ANSYS/LS-DYNA软件建立钢-铜双层圆管爆炸焊接三维有限元模型,在对模型进行可靠性验证的基础上,研究炸药量对结合界面、覆管所受压力及其运动速度和动能的影响规律.结果表明:炸药量对基覆管产生的变形量及覆管速度影响极大,变形量和覆管速度过小均不能实现良好结合。覆管所受压力及其速度和动能在爆炸瞬间急速增大,与基管碰撞后急速减小并趋近于0,据此可判断爆炸复合管的质量.