Monobromopolychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in municipal waste incinerator flyash.

Capillary column gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry was used in two different selected-ion monitoring modes to analyze trace levels of monobromopolychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (BPCDD/Fs) in municipal waste incinerator (MWI) flyash. The mass profile monitoring mode is well-suited for identification of unknown compounds in uncharacterized matrices because it has superior diagnostic capability. Owing to its high sensitivity, conventional peak top monitoring was used to quantify, on the basis of polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) standards, the BPCDD/Fs in the sample. The results were compared with those obtained by using two commercial BPCDDs as standards, and the latter results are 4 times greater, indicating the need for appropriate standards. The high certainty and sensitivity obtained from these two mass spectrometric techniques combined with the resolving power of capillary gas chromatography enabled us to compare for the first time the isomer distribution patterns between BPCDD/Fs and their PCDD/F analogues at a high confidence level. The comparison indicates BPCDD/Fs and PCDD/Fs found in MWI flyash are closely related and that many BPCDD/Fs with a 2,3,7,8-substitution configuration may be present in MWI flyash.     

Optical properties of d.c. magneto sputtered tantalum and titanium nanostructure thin film metal hydrides

Nanostructured thin films of tantalum and titanium were deposited on glass substrate using d.c. magnetron sputtering technique under the argon gas environment at a pressure of 0.1 mbar. Optical transmission and absorption studies were carried out for these samples with pressure of hydrogen. Large changes in both transmission and absorption on loading these films with hydrogen are accompanied by significant phase changes and electronic transformation. Optical photograph shows the colour variation after hydrogenation in case of tantalum film which may be used as decorative mirrors and hydrogen sensors. The hydrogen storage capability of thin films was confirmed by variation in optical properties.     

Effects of geometry and position of the metal delivery tube on ultrasonic gas atomization

The effects of the geometry and the position of the metal delivery tube on the pressure condition in the gas-metal interaction zone were studied. The measurements were performed under conditions which simulated ultrasonic gas atomization experiments, but at low gas atomization pressures (50–200 psig, 345–1380 kPa). Low gas atomization pressures are used in spray atomization and deposition processes such as liquid dynamic compaction (LDC), and Osprey. Depending on the experimental conditions, either underpressure or overpressure in the metal delivery tube was detected. The magnitude of the underpressures and overpressures was found to increase with the gas atomization pressure; the maximum pressure differences with respect to the atomization tank pressure were about 3 psi (21 kPa) when argon was used as an atomization gas with a pressure of 200 psig (1380 kPa). Underpressure or overpressure effects of such magnitude have a large effect on the metal flow rate during gas atomization. The large pressure differences measured in the present work result from using an atomizer with gas jet diameters larger than those used in previous investigations. Using a large ultrasonic atomizer, argon gas flow rates of about 5 kg/min can be obtained for atomization pressures of 200 psig (1380 kPa).     

R.f. plasma deposition from hexamethyldisiloxane-oxygen mixtures

Hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) has been used as a precursor for the deposition of silicon dioxide films at low substrate temperature (25–400°C) by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition processing. Effects of the partial pressure of oxygen in the discharge on the deposition rate and the composition of the films are investigated. The deposition rate is found to decrease with increasing oxygen concentration in the HMDSO/O₂ mixture. The chemical composition of the formed films was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. Over 40% of the oxygen in the gas phase the carbon content of films deposited from HMDSO/O₂ mixtures is less than 5%.     

The use of TEPC for reference dosimetry.

The radiation fields on board aircraft are quite complex and cover an energy range that is unusual in ordinary radiation protection work. Usually dosemeters measure only one radiation quality and the mixture found on board makes measurements complicated. There is also some doubt when it comes to the best choice of quantity for this application and no radiation standards exist for this kind of radiation field. For those reasons there is a need to find a standard measurement procedure that could serve as a reference for other, maybe simpler, measurements or for calculations of route doses. The only direct reading dosemeter that both measures the absorbed dose to tissue and the radiation quality (in terms of lineal energy) is the tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC). The instrument was originally developed for scientific purposes and is still used as such. The detector consists of a gas filled cavity surrounded by a few mm thick wall. Both wall and gas consists of tissue-like material. The measurement principles are explained. Results observed with TEPC instruments are demonstrated. A preliminary collection of data reported by different groups from measurements on board aircraft will be shown. The results agree within +/- 20%. The conclusion is that TEPC instruments have the capacity of serving as reference instruments.     

Excitation temperature and electron number density behavior of atmospheric pressure D.C. argon plasma jet during spheroidization of nickel

The excitation temperature and electron number density of the atmospheric pressure D.C. argon plasma jet during spheroidization of nickel have been measured at 5 mm from the nozzle exit by optical emission spectroscopic technique. Emission spectra of the argon plasma, argon plasma with carrier gas and carrier gas with nickel powder were recorded in 400-450 nm wavelength interval. The effect of carrier gas and powder loading on the excitation temperature and electron number density of the plasma jet were determined using atomic Boltzmann plot method and stark broadening of the Ar I (430.010 nm) line respectively. The experiment was done at 6.5, 7.9, 11.4 and 12.1 kW input power levels. Argon was used as plasma gas and also carrier gas. Nickel powders in the size ranging from 40 to 100 μm were processed. On introduction of carrier gas and nickel powder loading, the excitation temperature and electron density of the jet were found to decrease. From the results, the degree of ionization of the plasma jet was calculated by using the measured excitation temperature and electron density values. The spheroidzed nickel powder was characterized by SEM, optical photographs and XRD.     

Spontaneous anti-stokes Raman probe for gas temperature measurements in industrial furnaces.

A compact, pulsed Nd:YAG laser-based instrument has been built to measure in situ absolute gas temperatures in large industrial furnaces by use of spontaneous anti-Stokes Raman scattering. The backscattering configuration was used to simplify the optics alignment and increase signal-to-noise ratios. Gated signal detection significantly reduced the background emission that is found in combustion environments. The anti-Stokes instead of the Stokes component was used to eliminate contributions to spectra from cold atmospheric nitrogen. The system was evaluated in a methane/air flame and in a bench-top oven, and the technique was found to be a reliable tool for nonintrusive absolute temperature measurements with relatively clean gas streams. A water-cooled insertion probe was integrated with the Raman system for measurement of the temperature profiles inside an industrial furnace. Gas temperatures near 1500-1800 K at atmospheric pressure in an industrial furnace were inferred by fitting calculated profiles to experimental spectra with a standard deviation of less than 1% for averaging times of ~200 s. The temperatures inferred from Raman spectra are in good agreement with data recorded with a thermocouple probe.     

Kompakte trockenlaufende Vakuumpumpen. Compact Dry Vacuum Pumps

Diaphragm vacuum pumps are more and more used e.g. as roughing pumps for wide‐range turbo molecular pumps, gas analysers and other laboratory applications. Recent progress as a result of numerically optimised planar diaphragm technology and electronic drive systems make these systems even more compact, powerful and reliable. Maintenance intervals beyond 40.000 hours of continuous operation – similar to the interval of turbo molecular pumps – seem now reachable with variable speed systems.     

ZnFe2O4纳米球的制备及其对丙酮的气敏性能研究

丙酮被广泛应用于工业和实验室,对丙酮浓度的检测十分重要。ZnFe₂O₄是一种尖晶石型三元金属氧化物,气敏性能优良,可广泛应用于气体传感器。本文采用简单的一步水热法制备了球状的ZnFe₂O₄气敏材料。通过XRD、XPS、SEM、TEM、N2吸附-解析仪对材料的形貌结构、化学组成、比表面积等进行分析,并以丙酮为目标气体对其气敏性能进行了综合研究。结果表明,ZnFe₂O₄纳米球是由纳米粒子自组装而成,有较大的比表面积;该ZnFe₂O₄基气体传感器在最佳工作温度150℃下对丙酮的灵敏度为65.74,并具有出色的选择性、稳定性、重复性,但随着湿度的增加其气敏性能逐渐降低。     

Lanthanzirkonat: ein innovatives Wärmedämmschichtmaterial. Lanthanum zirconate: an innovative Thermal Barrier Material

This paper presents the work of the research project AiF‐13114 N/1. Within the scope of this project coating systems from Lanthanum Zirconate and Y ttria s tabilised Z irconia (YSZ) were developed by use of E lectron B eam P hysical V apour D eposition (EB‐PVD). In addition, the potentials of Lanthanum Zirconate and YSZ as thermal barrier coatings within gas turbines were examined. Basis of the coating development was the use of powdery Lanthanum and YSZ, that were vaporised in a PVD‐machine from a double‐grooved cupreous crucible. Process parameters are evaluated to gain long lasting, columnar Lanthanum Zirconate EB‐PVD coatings with high stability, low heat conductivity a higher sintering inertness, that offer the opportunity to increase the temperature within the first stage of a gas turbine system [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Therefor YSZ ‐ commonly used as conventional thermal barrier coating ‐ was used as a reference system during the tests. As base material Inconel Alloy 600 (a nickel‐based superalloy) was applied. The microstructure and the topography of the developed coating systems were characterized with the help of scanning electron microscopy. Nanoindentation proved to be a measurement method in order to define the stiffness distribution along the columns. The thermal cycle durability was determined via thermal cycle test.     

交变流动热机的介观热力循环理论--第一部分 制冷机回热器的介观热力循环模型及分析

提出了交变流动热机的介观热力循环理论,系统地分析交变流动热机中关键部件的热力过程.本部分将基于物理上直观的拉格朗日法,首先分析回热器内具有代表性微团的热力过程,进而阐述回热器整体在整机中的热力工作过程和功能.分析表明,回热器中的不同气体微团及相应的固体工作介质更像一个个配合精巧、工作在不同温度水平、功能完整的微型热机.对于制冷机来说,回热器内的微团通过接力作用,一步步将低温热源的热量向高温泵送,并最终排向环境温度热源.     

Singularities of Realization of Film Boiling on Wire Heaters. Organic Liquids

The singularities of realization of the mode of film boiling on wire heaters are investigated in a wide range of organic liquids. Carbon tetrachloride and various alcohols (C1–C5) are used for investigation. It is demonstrated that chemical reactions accompanied by gas liberation proceed in the cavity of film boiling, which are caused by the thermal decomposition (pyrolysis) of the original substance. The kinetics of chemical gas liberation are studied, and the composition of reaction products is determined as a function of the heater and liquid temperature and of the heater material. It is demonstrated that the gas liberation in subcooled liquids at high heater temperatures is fully defined by the chemical processes. It is found that, in the case of a short heating element and in liquids subcooled to the saturation temperature, the heat transfer in the film mode occurs in the form of a self-oscillatory process with the oscillation amplitude of the heater temperature of 350–400°C. The mechanism of the emergence of such oscillation is suggested.     

Pyroelectric Thermal-Wave Resonant Cavity: A Precision Thermal Diffusivity Sensor for Gases and Vapors

A novel thermal-wave resonant cavity (TWRC) was constructed and used for thermophysical measurements of gases and vapors, with an AC current-heated thin-film resistive element acting as a thermal-wave source. A thin-film pyroelectric element was used both as a cavity wall and as a signal transducer. A theoretical model of the cavity length-scanned thermal-wave field was developed to quantify the standing-wave resonance antinode patterns in the demodulated lock-in signal output in-phase and quadrature channels. These resonance extrema were used to measure precisely the thermal diffusivity of the intracavity gas or vapor. Seven high-purity gases (nitrogen, dry air, oxygen, methane, hydrogen in nitrogen, pure hydrogen, and helium) were measured using the cavity. Fourth-significant-figure precision was obtained for this parameter, with standard deviations less than 0.32% for the five measurements performed with each gas. Furthermore, three grades of gasoline vapors from Imperial Oil were studied with the cavity. The measured thermal diffusivities showed that the TWRC can monitor fundamental evaporation kinetics as an analytical quality-control instrument. These results, together with the simplicity of TWRC sensor fabrication, are indicative of its potential to become a new standard measurement instrument for the determination of gas thermal diffusivity with improved precision, and a new in situ monitor of chemical evaporation kinetics over conventional methodologies, such as gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.     

载气在CVD法制备纳米碳管工艺中的作用

纳米碳管是性能优异的具有准一维特征的纳米材料,CVD法是制备纳米碳管的典型工艺之一。本文以乙炔气体为原料气体、循环失效后的贮氢电极舍金材料作为反应催化剂,研究了在相同反应条件下,CVD法制备纳米碳管过程中载气对纳米碳管形貌和产率的影响。通过对产物TEM观察和TG分析发现,虽然载气不直接参与合成反应但对产物产率和形貌有很大的影响,氢气作为载气可以获得形貌和热稳定性更好的纳米碳管。     

Gap-free fibre laser welding of Zn-coated steel on Al alloy for light-weight automotive applications

As a result of new policies related to global warming announced by the European Union, avoiding unnecessary energy waste and reducing environmental pollution levels are becoming a major issue in the automotive industry. Accordingly, the lap welding of Zn-coated steels process, which is commonly used for producing car doors, has been gradually developed to lap welding of Zn-coated steel to light materials, such as Al alloy, Mg alloy and composite materials, in order to effectively reduce the vehicle weight. In certain part of car manufacture, organic glues are used to temporally join the Zn-coated steels and Al alloys before permanent welding takes place. The stability of such temporary joining by glues needs improving. Laser “stitching” or low strength welding could be considered as an alternative. However, challenges exist in joining Zn-coated steel on Al alloy by laser welding, due to significant differences of material properties between the two welding materials. Porosity, spatter and intermetallic brittle phases are readily produced in the weld. In this study, the effects of welding speed, laser power, number of the welding passes and type of shielding gas in gap-free welding of Zn-coated steel on Al alloy were investigated using a 1 kW single mode continuous wave fibre laser. Results show that a weld with higher shear strengths in the laser stitching application and less intermetallic phases could be obtained when nitrogen gas was used as the shielding gas. The corrosion resistance and the surface finish of the weld could be improved in double pass welding, especially when argon gas was used as the shielding gas.     

The convection heat transfer coefficient in a Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB)

Circulating Fluidized Beds are increasingly used in gas–solid and gas–catalytic reactions. A recent development involves their use in physical gas–solid processes such as drying, VOC adsorption or solar energy capture and storage. The heat transfer from the wall of the CFB to the flowing gas–solid suspension is the major design parameter, and was studied for different powders at different operating conditions as determined by the gas velocity and solids circulation flux. Measured values of the heat transfer coefficients are discussed, and compared with empirical predictions of Molodtsof–Muzyka, and Gorliz–Grace. Whereas Gorliz–Grace predicts heat transfer coefficients correctly within a narrow range of operating conditions only, the Molodtsof–Muzyka approach can be simplified into a linear relationship.     

Flammability of gas mixtures. Part 2: influence of inert gases

Ternary systems, which contain flammable gas, inert gas and air, were studied in order to give the user an evaluation of the ISO 10156 calculation method for the flammability of gas mixtures. While in Part 1 of this article the fire potential of flammable gases was the focal point, the influence of inert gases on the flammability of gas mixtures was studied in Part 2. The inerting capacity of an inert gas is expressed by the dimensionless K value, the so-called "coefficient of nitrogen equivalency". The experimental determination of K values is demonstrated by using explosion diagrams. The objective of this study was to compare the estimated results, given by ISO 10156, with measurements of explosion ranges based on the German standard DIN 51649-1, given by CERN and CHEMSAFE. The comparison shows that ISO 10156, Table 1, supplies conservative K values, which can be regarded as safe in all cases. Nevertheless, in a number of cases ISO underestimates the inerting capacity, so that non-flammable gas mixtures are considered flammable.     

Transport and fate of volatile organic chemicals in unsaturated, nonisothermal, salty porous media: 1. Theoretical development.

A wide variety of volatile organic chemicals (VOC) have been applied to agricultural land or buried in chemical waste sites. The fate of these chemicals depends upon several mechanisms such as sorption, degradation, and transport in liquid and gaseous phases. Understanding the transport mechanisms affecting the volatile chemicals can lead to better management strategies. A theory describing inorganic solute transport, water and heat transfer, and the fate and transport of VOC in porous media has been developed. This theory includes matric water pressure head, solution osmotic pressure head, gravity pressure head, temperature, inorganic solute concentration, and VOC concentration gradients as driving forces for heat and mass transfer. The effect of surface tension, as a function of VOC concentration and temperature, on the matric water pressure head is included. The VOC can be associated with gas, liquid, and solid phases of the porous media. The gas and liquid phases are mobile, but the solid phase is immobile. The transfer of VOC across the gas/liquid, liquid/solid, and gas/solid interfaces is included using sorption-equilibrium assumptions at the interfaces. The VOC can degrade. This degradation is described by a first-order decay rate. The theory can be used to predict spatial and temporal variations of water content, temperature, inorganic concentration and the total concentration of VOC within a porous medium. The concentration of VOC in each phase can be predicted also.     

Gaseinlasssystem zur massenspektrometrischen Analyse kleiner Gasproben. Gas Inlet System to Analyse Small Gas Samples by a Mass Spectrometer

A quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS) was used to analyse gas samples taken from human bodies with the aid of hypodermic syringe. Because of the small amount of the produced gas samples (< 1 cm³) a special gas inlet system has been developed and built allowing to transfer the gas samples into a testing volume unadulteratedly concerning size and composition. From the testing volume the gas specimen directly flows through an UHV‐needle valve into the ion source of the MS. After a careful calibration of the MS respecting to the interesting components of the gas sample a quantitative analysis can be carried out with an uncertainty of < 1 %.     

An experimental study of hydrogen solubility in liquid aluminium

Hydrogen solubility in molten aluminium at different temperatures from 973–1123 K, has been measured using Sieverts' method. Inert gas (helium or argon) was used as a reference gas to calibrate the measurement system of the Sieverts' apparatus. The measured hydrogen solubility was found to vary with the reference gases. Helium was detected to be soluble in liquid aluminium. When helium is used as the reference gas, its solubility resulted in lower measured hydrogen solubility than that when argon was used to calibrate the measurement system of the apparatus. Argon gas was therefore considered as an appropriate reference gas when Sieverts' method is used to measure the hydrogen solubility in liquid aluminium. The hydrogen solubility, S, in liquid aluminium as a function of melt temperature, T, determined in the present investigation is expressed as log S = (−2980/T) + 3.07.