How do gait frequency and serum-replacement interval affect polyethylene wear in knee-wear simulator tests?

Polyethylene wear (PE) is known to be a limiting factor in total joint replacements. However, a standardized wear test (e.g. ISO standard) can only replicate the complex in vivo loading condition in a simplified form. In this study, two different parameters were analyzed: (a) Bovine serum, as a substitute for synovial fluid, is typically replaced every 500,000 cycles. However, a continuous regeneration takes place in vivo. How does serum-replacement interval affect the wear rate of total knee replacements? (b) Patients with an artificial joint show reduced gait frequencies compared to standardized testing. What is the influence of a reduced frequency? Three knee wear tests were run: (a) reference test (ISO), (b) testing with a shortened lubricant replacement interval, (c) testing with reduced frequency. The wear behavior was determined based on gravimetric measurements and wear particle analysis. The results showed that the reduced test frequency only had a small effect on wear behavior. Testing with 1 Hz frequency is therefore a valid method for wear testing. However, testing with a shortened replacement interval nearly doubled the wear rate. Wear particle analysis revealed only small differences in wear particle size between the different tests. Wear particles were not linearly released within one replacement interval. The ISO standard should be revised to address the marked effects of lubricant replacement interval on wear rate.     

Fluorescent Nanodiamonds Embedded in Biocompatible Translucent Shells

High pressure high temperature (HPHT) nanodiamonds (NDs) represent extremely promising materials for construction of fluorescent nanoprobes and nanosensors. However, some properties of bare NDs limit their direct use in these applications: they precipitate in biological solutions, only a limited set of bio‐orthogonal conjugation techniques is available and the accessible material is greatly polydisperse in shape. In this work, we encapsulate bright 30‐nm fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) in 10–20‐nm thick translucent (i.e., not altering FND fluorescence) silica shells, yielding monodisperse near‐spherical particles of mean diameter 66 nm. High yield modification of the shells with PEG chains stabilizes the particles in ionic solutions, making them applicable in biological environments. We further modify the opposite ends of PEG chains with fluorescent dyes or vectoring peptide using click chemistry. High conversion of this bio‐orthogonal coupling yielded circa 2000 dye or peptide molecules on a single FND. We demonstrate the superior properties of these particles by in vitro interaction with human prostate cancer cells: while bare nanodiamonds strongly aggregate in the buffer and adsorb onto the cell membrane, the shell encapsulated NDs do not adsorb nonspecifically and they penetrate inside the cells.     

Force‐Driven Single‐Atom Manipulation on a Low‐Reactive Si Surface for Tip Sharpening

A single atomic manipulation on the delta‐doped B:Si(111)‐()R30° surface using a low temperature dynamic atomic force microscopy based on the Kolibri sensor is investigated. Through a controlled vertical displacement of the probe, a single Si adatom in order to open a vacancy is removed. It is shown that this process is completely reversible, by accurately placing a Si atom back into the vacancy site. In addition, density functional theory simulations are carried out to understand the underlying mechanism of the atomic manipulation in detail. This process also rearranges the atoms at the tip apex, which can be effectively sharpened in this way. Such sharper tips allow for a deeper look into the Si adatom vacancy site. Namely, high‐resolution images of the vacancy showing subsurface Si dangling bond triplets, which surround the substitutional B dopant atom in the first bilayer, are achieved.     

Frequency-dependent damping model for the hydroacoustic finite element analysis of fluid-filled pipes with diameter changes

The integration of a model for longitudinal hydroacoustic fluid damping in thin hydraulic pipes in 3D finite element models is presented in this paper. In order to perform quantitative prediction of the vibroacoustic behavior and resulting noise levels of such fluid-structure coupled system due to hydraulic excitation, an accurate frequency-dependent fluid damping model including friction effects near the pipe wall is required. This step is achieved by matching complex wave numbers from analytical derivation into a parameterized damped wave equation and consecutive translation into finite element modeling.Since the friction effect close to the pipe wall changes locally with the inner pipe radius, the fluid damping model is applied segment-wise in order to model the influence of cross-sectional discontinuity, such as orifices, on the oscillating pressure pulsations. A component synthesis approach, which uses pipe segments as substructures, allows a simple model generation and fast computation times.The numerical harmonic results are compared to experimental frequency response functions, which are performed on a hydraulic test bench driven by a dynamic pressure source in the kHz-range.     

Energy recovery and economy aspects of steam-explosion pretreatment in waste phytomass management

Steam-explosion pretreatment allows lowering of the natural resistance of plant material to subsequent biodegrading processes, such as anaerobic fermentation. This is achieved by a complex of cavitation forces that disintegrate rigid lignocellulose structures and liberate labile organic matter during a quick release of phytomass from a steam-pressurized reactor back to the atmospheric pressure. Hydrolyzing reactants or catalysts may increase the effect; however, the management of chemicals raises financial and environmental concerns. The current state of knowledge was reviewed to identify promising designs and reengineering that would enable subsequent transfer into the commercial scale in order to reverse the current trend of phytomass waste management – landfilling. In an effort to achieve profitability, it has been concluded that further development should focus on a deeper interconnection of the apparatus with associated technology units, reuse of waste heat from the subsequent biogas combustion, widening the range of processing parameters, reuse of nutrients, and utilization of the ballast organic matter.     

Assessment of the Superheater Ash Fouling Using a Numerical Model of the Superheater

ABSTRACT

Superheaters are high-temperature cross-flow heat exchangers. Steam flows inside the tubes, and the flue gas outside in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the tubes. However, they differ very substantially from the other heat exchangers operating at low temperatures. Superheaters are characterized by complex flow system and high tube walls temperature. Superheaters are among the most exposed to damaging pressure elements of steam boilers. Damage to the superheater causes about 40% of emergency shutdowns of boilers. The paper presents the boiler superheater model with distributed parameters, which is used to determine on-line the degree of superheater fouling by ash.