MHD combined free and forced convection flow through two parallel porous walls

Summary The flow of a viscous conducting fluid between two parallel plates of infinite length (one of which is at rest and the other moving parallel to itself with a linear axial temperature variation) under the influence of a uniform transverse magnetic field is considered. It is assumed that the fluid is injected into the channel through the lower wall and sucked from the channel through the upper wall with the same velocityv ₀. The velocity and temperature distributions, the coefficient of skin friction and the rate of heat transfer coefficient are evaluated. The effects of magnetic parameterM, the suction Reynolds numberR, the Grashoff numberG and Binkmann numberB on the above mentioned physical quantities are investigated.With 21 Figures     

Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Lanthanum Strontium Manganite Powder by the Urea–Formaldehyde Polymer Gel Combustion Route

Nanocrystalline lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM) powder has been synthesized by combustion of a transparent gel obtained by the polymerization of methylol urea and urea in a solution containing La³⁺, Sr²⁺, and Mn²⁺ (LSM ions). Chemistry of the transparent urea–formaldehyde (UF) polymer gel formation and structure of the gel have been proposed such that the LSM ions act in between the growing UF polymer chains by interacting through NH, OH, and CO groups by co-ordination and prevent polymer self-assembly through inter-chain hydrogen bonding as evidenced from infrared spectrum. Thermally stable structures formed by the decomposition of UF polymer below 300°C undergo combustion in the presence of nitrate oxidant in a temperature range from 350°–450°C. A perovskite LSM phase has been formed by self-sustained combustion of the dried gel initiated with little kerosene. The powder obtained after deagglomeration and calcination at 600°C for 2 h has a D ₅₀ value of 0.19 μm, and the particles are aggregates of crystallites 10–25 nm in size.     

Characterization of CuAlO2 films prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering

Thin films of copper aluminum oxide (CuAlO₂) were prepared on glass substrates by dc magnetron sputtering at a substrate temperature of 523 K under various oxygen partial pressures in the range 1 × 10⁻⁴–3 × 10⁻³ mbar. The dependence of cathode potential on the oxygen partial pressure was explained in terms of oxidation of the sputtering target. The influence of oxygen partial pressure on the structural, electrical and optical properties was systematically studied. p-Type CuAlO₂ films with polycrystalline nature, electrical resistivity of 3.1 Ω cm, Hall mobility of 13.1 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ and optical band gap of 3.54 eV were obtained at an oxygen partial pressure of 6 × 10⁻⁴ mbar.     

PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜的变色特性研究

为改善V2O5薄膜的电致变色性能，采用溶胶-凝胶法将具有高离子电导率并具有水溶性的聚环氧乙烷（PEO）直接嵌入V2O5层间，制备了PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜。采用标准三电极法从0．5mol／L LiClO4的PC电解质溶液向PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜注入锂离子，测量了纳米复合薄膜在注入不同数量锂离子时的可见光透射光谱以及对应的颜色变化，并运用循环伏安法测试其电化学性能。实验结果表明，PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜的循环伏安图出现了2对氧化还原峰，并且具有稳定的循环可逆性。随着应用电压的不同，薄膜呈现黄色、绿色和蓝色的多色可逆变化。PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜的电化学稳定性和机械性能都优于V2O5干凝胶薄膜，可以作为电致变色材料得到应用。X射线光电子能谱（XPS）成分分析表明PEO／V2O5纳米复合薄膜的电致变色效应与V、O的化合价和化学环境密切相关。     

Non‐linear finite element modal approach for the large amplitude free vibration of symmetric and unsymmetric composite plates

A theoretical analysis is presented for the large amplitude vibration of symmetric and unsymmetric composite plates using the non‐linear finite element modal reduction method. The problem is first reduced to a set of Duffing‐type modal equations using the finite element modal reduction method. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that no updating of the non‐linear stiffness matrices is needed. Without loss of generality, accurate frequency ratios for the fundamental mode and the higher modes of a composite plate at various values of maximum deflection are then determined by using the Runge–Kutta numerical integration scheme. The procedure for obtaining proper initial conditions for the periodic plate motions is very time consuming. Thus, an alternative scheme (the harmonic balance method) is adopted and assessed, as it was employed to formulate the large amplitude free vibration of beams in a previous study, and the results agreed well with the elliptic solution. The numerical results that are obtained with the harmonic balance method agree reasonably well with those obtained with the Runge–Kutta method. The contribution of each linear mode to the maximum deflection of a plate can also be obtained. The frequency ratios for isotropic and composite plates at various maximum deflections are presented, and convergence of frequencies with the number of finite elements, number of linear modes, and number of harmonic terms is also studied. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characteristics of soil-cement blocks using highly sandy soils

Soil-cement blocks also known as compressed earth blocks or stabilised mud blocks are used for load bearing masonry. The paper focuses on the study of various characteristics of soil-cement blocks using highly sandy soils through an experimental investigation. Characteristics of soilcement blocks having three different cement contents (6%, 8% and 12%) have been examined. Paper reports results of influence of cement content on compressive strength, tensile strength, the initial rate of absorption (IRA), water absorption, rate of water absorption, surface porosity and pore size, stress-strain relationships and elastic properties of soil-cement blocks. The results indicate that there is 2.5 times increase in strength for doubling of cement content from 6%. IRA decreases drastically with the increase in cement content of the block. Saturated water content of the blocks is not sensitive to cement content, whereas rate of moisture absorption greatly depends on the cement content. Pore size decreases with increase in cement content of block, whereas surface porosity is independent of the cement content. Soil-cement block modulus varies between 2000 and 6000MPa. Elastic modulus increases by 2.5 times when the cement content is increased from 6 to 8%, whereas the increase in modulus is marginal when cement content goes from 8 to 12%.     

Neural networks for estimating the tool path length in concurrent engineering applications

This paper deals with the development of a neural computing system that can predict the cutting tool path length for milling an arbitrary pocket defined within the domain of a product design, in a computer numerically controlled (CNC) setting. Existing computer aided design and manufacturing systems (CAD/CAM) consume significant amounts of time in terms of data entry pertaining to the geometries and subsequent modifications to them. In the concurrent engineering environment, where even the designer needs information from the CAD/CAM systems, such time-consuming processes can be expensive. To alleviate this problem, a neural network system can be used to estimate machining time by predicting cost-dependent variables such as tool path length for the pocket milling operation. Pockets are characterized and classified into various groups. A randomized design is described so that the training samples that have been chosen represent the domain evenly. An appropriate network was built and trained with the sample pocket geometries. The analysis of the performance of the system in terms of tool path length prediction for new pocket geometries is presented.     

Influence of Tool Rotational Speed and Post-Weld Heat Treatments on Friction Stir Welded Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic Steel

The effects of tool rotational speed (200 and 700 rpm) on evolving microstructure during friction stir welding (FSW) of a reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steel (RAFMS) in the stir zone (SZ), thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), and heat-affected zone (HAZ) have been explored in detail. The influence of post-weld direct tempering (PWDT: 1033 K (760 °C)/ 90 minutes + air cooling) and post-weld normalizing and tempering (PWNT: 1253 K (980 °C)/30 minutes + air cooling + tempering 1033 K (760 °C)/90 minutes + air cooling) treatments on microstructure and mechanical properties has also been assessed. The base metal (BM) microstructure was tempered martensite comprising Cr-rich M₂₃C₆ on prior austenite grain and lath boundaries with intra-lath precipitation of V- and Ta-rich MC precipitates. The tool rotational speed exerted profound influence on evolving microstructure in SZ, TMAZ, and HAZ in the as-welded and post-weld heat-treated states. Very high proportion of prior austenitic grains and martensite lath boundaries in SZ and TMAZ in the as-welded state showed lack of strengthening precipitates, though very high hardness was recorded in SZ irrespective of the tool speed. Very fine-needle-like Fe₃C precipitates were found at both the rotational speeds in SZ. The Fe₃C was dissolved and fresh precipitation of strengthening precipitates occurred on both prior austenite grain and sub-grain boundaries in SZ during PWNT and PWDT. The post-weld direct tempering caused coarsening and coalescence of strengthening precipitates, in both matrix and grain boundary regions of TMAZ and HAZ, which led to inhomogeneous distribution of hardness across the weld joint. The PWNT heat treatment has shown fresh precipitation of M₂₃C₆ on lath and grain boundaries and very fine V-rich MC precipitates in the intragranular regions, which is very much similar to that prevailed in BM prior to FSW. Both the PWDT and PWNT treatments caused considerable reduction in the hardness of SZ. In the as-welded state, the 200 rpm joints have shown room temperature impact toughness close to that of BM, whereas 700 rpm joints exhibited very poor impact toughness. The best combination of microstructure and mechanical properties could be obtained by employing low rotational speed of 200 rpm followed by PWNT cycle. The type and size of various precipitates, grain size, and evolving dislocation substructure have been presented and comprehensively discussed.     

Shifting of research trends in islanding detection method - a comprehensive survey

The augmentation in electricity demand, power system privatization as well as efficacy of renewable resources has paved the way for power system companies and researchers to exploit the field of grid connected distributed generation (DG) and its issues, islanding being a dominant one. Several research works have been conducted to mitigate the issues of islanding detection (ID). In context of this, the paper gives a comprehensive review of islanding issues, standard test systems, criteria and shifting of research trends in islanding detection methods (IDMs). The significant contributions pertain to categorization of IDMs, evaluation of non-detection zone (NDZ) for each test system, disquisition on evolution and advancement of IDMs and its comparisons based on criteria such as NDZ, run on time, nuisance tripping percentage, applicability in multi DG system and implementation cost to draw out the strength and shortcomings of individual methods that will come to aid to the companies or researchers for establishing the applicability and appropriateness of such method for their concerned domain.