Failure Investigation of Boiler Water Wall Tubes of a Thermal Power Station

Failure investigation was carried out on boiler water wall tubes of a thermal power plant through visual inspection, chemical analysis, and metallurgical analysis. Failure was in the form of thin/micro cracks along the length of the tubes which were located at the girth welding joint of tubes. Experimental results revealed that the cracking was from inward to outward of the tube thickness. Discontinuities/cavities were observed in the welded region which might have occurred due to lack of fusion of base metal and the weld metal. Cracks were initiated from the sharp corner/crack tip of the cavities/discontinuities present at the welded region under the action of hoop/thermal stress existed during the operation. Nature of the crack propagation indicates the case of typical hydrogen-induced cracking. Moreover, the presence of the cavities/discontinuities reduced the cross-sectional area of tubes resulting increased stress intensity. Increased stress beyond the flow stress of the material assisted by hydrogen-induced effect resulted the cracking of the tubes. In order to mitigate the problem, proper welding of tubes joints should be carried out followed by proper inspection after weld. Secondly, hydrogen dissolution during welding should be prevented and treatment for its removal after welding should be carried out.     

Superior Tribological Properties of Particulate Aluminum Matrix Nano Composites

Aluminum is the best metal for producing metal matrix composites which are known as one of the most useful and high-tech composites in our world. Combining aluminum and nano Al₂O₃ particles will yield a material with high mechanical properties. Characterization of tribological properties revealed that the presence of nano particles significantly increased wear resistance of the composite. In case of unreinforced Al alloy, the depth of penetration is governed by the hardness of the specimen surface and applied load. But, in case of Al matrix composite, the depth of penetration of the harder asperities of hardened steel disk is primarily governed by the protruded hard ceramic reinforcement. The hard Al₂O₃ particles act as a protrusion over the matrix, carries a major portion of the applied load and protect the abrasives from penetration into the specimen surface.     

Analytic investigation of effect of electric field on elasto-plastic response of a functionally graded piezoelectric hollow sphere

In this work, the effect of electric potential on the mechanical (Stresses, strains, displacement) and electrical (electrical displacement and intensity) response of a Functionally graded piezoelectric (FGP) hollow sphere is analytically investigated. The sphere is under the action of internal/external pressure and temperature gradient as well. The inhomogeneity is based on power law in radial direction. The analysis is done in two parts: elastic response and plastic response, using Tresca yield criterion. It is shown by illustrative example that under internal pressure and assumed model parameters, the commencement of plastic region is from outside surface towards inside in the plastic zone is extended with the increase of electric potential. Interestingly, radial stress and displacement have an extreme not on the boundaries, but on the inside.     

Characterization of the Ion Beam Current Density of the RF Ion Source with Flat and Convex Extraction Systems

Silicon - The characterization of ion beam current density distribution and beam uniformity is crucial for improving broad-beam ion source technologies. The design of the broad ion beam extraction...     

CSH RNA Interference Reduces Global Nutrient Uptake and Umbilical Blood Flow Resulting in Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Deficiency of the placental hormone chorionic somatomammotropin (CSH) can lead to the development of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). To gain insight into the physiological consequences of CSH RNA interference (RNAi), the trophectoderm of hatched blastocysts (nine days of gestational age; dGA) was infected with a lentivirus expressing either a scrambled control or CSH-specific shRNA, prior to transfer into synchronized recipient sheep. At 90 dGA, umbilical hemodynamics and fetal measurements were assessed by Doppler ultrasonography. At 120 dGA, pregnancies were fitted with vascular catheters to undergo steady-state metabolic studies with the ³H₂O transplacental diffusion technique at 130 dGA. Nutrient uptake rates were determined and tissues were subsequently harvested at necropsy. CSH RNAi reduced (p ≤ 0.05) both fetal and uterine weights as well as umbilical blood flow (mL/min). This ultimately resulted in reduced (p ≤ 0.01) umbilical IGF1 concentrations, as well as reduced umbilical nutrient uptakes (p ≤ 0.05) in CSH RNAi pregnancies. CSH RNAi also reduced (p ≤ 0.05) uterine nutrient uptakes as well as uteroplacental glucose utilization. These data suggest that CSH is necessary to facilitate adequate blood flow for the uptake of oxygen, oxidative substrates, and hormones essential to support fetal and uterine growth.     

A mixed analytical-numerical investigation of snap-through of low arches with a power-law variable thickness

Snap-through is an instability phenomenon that occurs in arch and dome-shaped structures, wherein the structure has to move from a stable equilibrium state through an unstable path into another stable equilibrated configuration in a jumping action. In this study, a linear elastic isotropic low arch is considered as a structure with power-law variable thickness. The phenomenon is investigated by considering the equation of the deflection for the variable thickness arch, solving it with an elegant analytical technique, and finding the snap-through critical load from an extreme condition. The effect of power-law exponent and geometry of the arch centerline on critical load is investigated and the constant thickness case and a very rare case of power-law thickness variation found in literature are considered for verification.     

Influence of compliant walls on peristaltic motion with heat/mass transfer and chemical reaction

In this work the fundamental problem of peristalsis with heat and mass transfer is investigated in the presence of a chemical reaction. An incompressible viscous fluid is considered in a channel with compliant walls. Mathematical modeling is based upon the laws of mass, linear momentum, energy and concentration. Analysis is presented not only for long wavelength and low Reynolds number but also for small Grashof number. The solutions are carried out for the stream function, temperature, concentration field and heat transfer coefficient. The results of various interesting parameters are plotted and discussed.     

Experimental Measurement of Asymmetric Fluctuations of Poloidal Magnetic Field in Damavand Tokomak at Different Plasma Currents

Toroidal and Poloidal magnetic fields have an important effect on the tokomak topology. Damavand Tokomak is a small size tokomak characterized with k?=?1.2, B _t?=?1T, R ₀?=?36?cm, maximum plasma current is about 35?KA with a discharge time of 21?ms. In this experimental work, the variation of poloidal magnetic field on the torodial cross section is measured and analyzed. In order to measure the polodial magnetic field, 18 probes were installed on the edge of tokomak plasma with ?θ?=?18°, while a limiter was installed inside the torus. Plasma current, I _p, induces a polodial magnetic field, B _p, smaller than the torodial magnetic field B _t. Magnetic lines B produced as a combination of B _t and B _p, are localized on the nested toroidal magnetic surfaces. The presence of polodial magnetic field is necessary for particles confinement. Mirnov oscillations are the fluctuations of polodial magnetic field, detected by magnetic probes. Disrupted instability in Tokomak typically starts with mirnov oscillations which appear as fluctuations of polodial magnetic field and is detected by magnetic probes. Minor disruptions inside the plasma can contain principal magnetic islands and their satellites can cause the annihilation of plasma confinement. Production of thin layer of turbulent magnetic field lines cause minor disruption. Magnetic limiter may cause the deformation of symmetric equilibrium configuration and chaotic magnetic islands reveal in plasma occurring in thin region of chaotic field lines close to their separatrix. The width of this chaotic layer in the right side of poloidal profile of Damavand Tokomak is smaller than the width in the left side profile because of Shafranov displacement. Ergodic region in the left side of profile develops a perturbation on the magnetic polodial field lines, B _p, that are greater in magnitude than that in the right side, although the values of B _p on the left side are smaller than that on the right side of the profile. The Left side of profile is close to the principal magnetic axis and the right side is away from Z axis of Tokamak.