Numerical modeling of in-flight characteristics of inconel 625 particles during high-velocity oxy-fuel thermal spraying

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed to predict particle dynamic behavior in a high-velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) thermal spray gun in which premixed oxygen and propylene are burnt in a combustion chamber linked to a long, parallel-sided nozzle. The particle transport equations are solved in a Lagrangian manner and coupled with the two-dimensional, axisymmetric, steady state, chemically reacting, turbulent gas flow. Within the particle transport model, the total flow of the particle phase is modeled by tracking a small number of particles through the continuum gas flow, and each of these individual particles is tracked independently through the continuous phase. Three different combustion chamber designs were modeled, and the in-flight particle characteristics of Inconel were 625 studied. Results are presented to show the effect of process parameters, such as particle injection speed and location, total gas flow rate, fuel-to-oxygen gas ratio, and particle size on the particle dynamic behavior for a parallel-sided, 12 mm long combustion chamber. The results indicate that the momentum and heat transfer to particles are primarily influenced by total gas flow. The 12 mm long chamber can achieve an optimum performance for Inconel 625 powder particles ranging in diameter from 20 to 40 μm. At a particular spraying distance, an optimal size of particles is observed with respect to particle temperature. The effect of different combustion chamber dimensions on particle dynamics was also investigated. The results obtained for both a 22 mm long chamber and also one with a conical, converging design are compared with the baseline data for the 12 mm chamber.     

A Lanczos-based method for structural dynamic reanalysis problems

In this paper, a new solution method for the modified eigenvalue problem with specific application to structural dynamic reanalysis is presented. The method, which is based on the block Lanczos algorithm, is developed for multiple low rank modifications to a system and calculates a few selected eigenpairs. Given the solution to the original system Ax = λx, procedures are developed for the modified standard eigenvalue Problem (A + ΔA)x? = λ x?, where

• 1 ΔA = Σ_jBS_jB^T, where S_j = S ∈ ?^{p × p}, p ? n and B ∈ ?^{n × p} is constant for all the perturbations S_j.
• 2 ΔA = Σ_iΣ_j B_iS_jB_i^T, where B_i ∈ ?^{n × p} may vary with the pertubations S_j.

The procedures are then extended for the reciprocal and generalized eigenvalue problems so that they are directly applicable to the structural dynamic reanalysis problem. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the applications of the method.     

Biomechanical comparison of the dewar and interspinous cervical spine fixation techniques

STUDY DESIGN: This study evaluates and compares the stiffness of two cervical spine fixation techniques. OBJECTIVES: This biomechanical study was carried out to compare the interspinous and Dewar cervical spine fixation techniques. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Interspinous wiring is a commonly used method of fixation in the cervical spine. The Dewar technique is less commonly known and practiced, and clinical experience has suggested that it may be a more stable technique. METHODS: Cervical spine specimens stabilized with the interspinous and "Dewar" techniques were biomechanically tested in flexion and in torsion. Stiffness and energy absorption under moderate loads were compared. The Dewar technique uses contoured double corticocancellous iliac grafts as internal grafts/splints fixed to the spine with threaded pins and wire. The interspinous technique is a single interspinous wire loop. Eleven fresh human cervical spines were harvested from cadavers. The spines were destabilized at C4-C5 by sectioning all tissue except the anterior longitudinal ligament. Each fixation technique was applied alternatively and tested on each spine. RESULTS: In torsion testing (n = 5), the Dewar fusion was 61% stiffer than the interspinous technique (P < 0.02). Dewar: 11.3 N/mm (s.d. 4.9 N/mm) and interspinous: 8.4 N/mm (SD 3.3 N/mm). In flexion testing (n = 6), the Dewar technique was 35% stiffer than the interspinous technique (P < 0.10). Dewar: 655.4 Nmm/degree (SD 293 Nmm/degree) and interspinous: 406.8 Nmm/degree (SD 113.0 Nmm/degree). Energy absorption with the interspinous technique was greater in flexion (P < 0.10) and in torsion (P < 0.005), indicating more deformation with the interspinous technique. There was no statistically significant difference between the means of specimens tested first and those tested second independently of the fixation technique. CONCLUSIONS: These tests indicate that the Dewar cervical spine fixation is stiffer than the single interspinous wire in both flexion and particularly torsion. This project is the only biomechanical study of the Dewar technique that we are aware of, and the results support the clinical findings regarding the effectiveness of this technique.     

A comparison of light spot hydrophone and fiber optic probe hydrophone for lithotripter field characterization

The performance of a newly developed light spot hydrophone (LSHD) in lithotripter field characterization was compared to that of the fiber optic probe hydrophone (FOPH). Pressure waveforms produced by a stable electromagnetic shock wave source were measured by the LSHD and FOPH under identical experimental conditions. In the low energy regime, focus and field acoustic parameters matched well between the two hydrophones. At clinically relevant high energy settings for shock wave lithotripsy, the measured leading compressive pressure waveforms matched closely with each other. However, the LSHD recorded slightly larger |P_| (p < 0.05) and secondary peak compressive pressures (p < 0.01) than the FOPH, leading to about 20% increase in total acoustic pulse energy calculated in a 6 mm radius around the focus (p = 0.06). Tensile pulse durations deviated ~5% (p < 0.01) due to tensile wave shortening from cavitation activity using the LSHD. Intermittent compression spikes and laser light reflection artifacts have been correlated to bubble activity based on simultaneous high-speed imaging analysis. Altogether, both hydrophones are adequate for lithotripter field characterization as specified by the international standard IEC 61846.     

High power pulsed lasers

Pulsed high power lasers can deliver sufficient energy on inertial fusion time scales (0.1–10 ns) to heat and compress DT fuel to fusion reaction conditions. Several laser systems have been examined for application to the fusion problem. Examples are Ndglass, CO₂, KrF, and I₂, etc. A great deal of developmental effort has been applied to the Ndglass laser and the CO₂ gas laser systems. These systems now deliver >10⁴ kJ and >20×10¹² W to inertial fusion targets. The Nova Ndglass laser is being constructed to provide >200 kJ and >200×10¹² W of 1 m radiation for fusion experimentation in the mid-1980s. For inertial fusion target gain, >100 times the laser input, it is expected that the laser must deliver 3–5 MJ of energy on the 10–20 ns time scale. This paper reviews the developments in laser technology and outlines approaches to construction of a 3–5 MJ driver.     

Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy of dark- and light-adapted bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants grown under three irradiance levels and subjected to fluctuating lighting conditions

Fluorescence spectral characteristics associated with growth under different irradiance levels, and during rapidly changing lighting conditions, were measured on healthy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants using a laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIFS) system. The LIFS system was designed as a prototype of a handheld field remote sensing system and used a tripled Nd:YAG laser to produce ultraviolet (UV) excitation photons at 355 nm. Dark-adapted canopies of the bean and wheat plants grown under 150, 300, or 450 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) exhibited LIFS spectra with higher relative fluorescence intensities than emissions from light-adapted plants at all three light levels. Blue/red and blue/far-red leaf fluorescence ratios for both bean and wheat plants increased dramatically as PAR increased, but red/far-red ratios decreased as PAR increased. Light-adapted plants grown under the three light levels were then subjected to several rapidly changing lighting conditions. Plants were exposed sequentially to 150, 300, and 650 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR from metal halide lamps, followed by a fourth light treatment of 650 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR from a mixture of metal halide and tungsten-halogen lamps. The tungsten-halogen lamps added significant amounts of near-infrared (NIR) irradiation to the background light environment provided by the metal halide lamps. Results indicated that both bean and wheat canopies generally exhibited stable blue, green, red, and far-red fluorescence emissions when plants were exposed to 150, 300, and 650 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR from the metal halide lamps. In contrast, when bean and wheat plants were exposed to the NIR-enriched light supplied by the tungsten-halogen lamps, blue and green fluorescence remained stable, but red and far-red fluorescence increased dramatically immediately after exposure to the NIR photons. However, the increased levels of red and far-red fluorescence observed after exposure to NIR light decreased quickly (within 55 s) and returned to “baseline” levels observed at the start of the rapidly changing light experiments. Results indicate that handheld LIFS instruments can be used for remote sensing of plant canopies under a diversity of lighting conditions including full darkness, dawn and dusk lighting environments, and under rapidly changing light environments similar to those encountered on partly cloudy days.     

The three-dimensional X-ray crystal microscope: A new tool for materials characterization

The three-dimensional (3-D) X-ray crystal microscope is a new nondestructive tool for the 3-D characterization of the mesoscopic and nanoscopic materials structure. A prototype microscope is installed on beamline 34-ID at the advanced photon source and has begun initial operation. The prototype microscope has a routine spatial resolution of approximately 0.5 × 0.5 × 1 μm³ and can probe tens to hundreds of microns below a sample surface, depending on the composition of the sample. For each volume element measured, the microscope can determine between 10 and 16 parameters. The measured parameters are the local crystallographic phase (1 deg of freedom), the Eulerian angles of crystal orientation (3 deg of freedom), and the plastic and/or elastic strain-tensor elements (6 to 12 deg of freedom). The time required to collect each volume element varies between 1 and 14 seconds, depending on the precision of the parameters and the sample complexity. Much faster data acquisition and much better spatial resolution are certain in the near future. Some initial results are presented to illustrate how the 3-D X-ray crystal microscope can provide unprecedented information about the 3-D structure of materials. This article is based on a presentation made at the symposium “Characterization and Representation of Material Microstructures in 3-D” held October 8–10, 2002, in Columbus, OH, under the auspices of ASM International’s Phase Transformations committee.     

A Suite of Tools for Debugging Distributed Autonomous Systems

This paper describes a set of tools that enables developers to log and analyze the run-time behavior of distributed control systems. A feature of the tools is that they can be applied to distributed systems. The logging tools enable developers to instrument C or C++ programs so that data indicating state changes can be logged automatically in a variety of formats. In particular, run-time data from distributed systems can be synchronized into a single relational database. Tools are also provided for visualizing the logged data. Analysis to verify correct program behavior is done using a new interval logic that is described in this paper. The logic enables system engineers to express temporal specifications for the autonomous control program that are then checked against the logged data. The data logging, visualization, and interval logic analysis tools are all fully implemented. Results are given from a NASA distributed autonomous control system application.