Experimental evaluation of the wind convection heat transfer on the glass cover of the single-slope solar still

Accurate evaluation of the wind convection heat transfer coefficient (h_w) for solar-based systems is essential, especially for solar desalination systems. Thermal behavior and productivity of solar stills are highly affected by the external heat loss through the glass cover. This paper describes a new experimental approach to estimate the h_w on the glass cover of the conventional single-slope solar distiller (CSS). Indoor experiments have been conducted under steady-state conditions for a wind speed between 0 and 3 m/s. The h_w has been evaluated through an energy balance performed on the distiller's glass cover. The results showed that increasing the wind speed increases the hw (from 5.64 to 31.57 W/m² K) and enhances the distillation rate (from 5.28 to 7.61 mL/min). A new relationship for the h_w was proposed for the CSS and compared with the experimental data available in the literature. The comparison shows that the obtained results are close to the data from solar systems, with a deviation ranging from 27.4% to 37%. However, a significant deviation was obtained with earlier models derived from flat plates (from 29.5% to 59%).     

About some UP-based polynomial fragments of SAT

This paper explores several polynomial fragments of SAT that are based on the unit propagation (UP) mechanism. As a first case study, one Tovey’s polynomial fragment of SAT is extended through the use of UP. Then, we answer an open question about connections between the so-called UP-Horn class (and other UP-based polynomial variants) and Dalal’s polynomial Quad class. Finally, we introduce an extended UP-based pre-processing procedure that allows us to prove that some series of benchmarks from the SAT competitions are polynomial ones. Moreover, our experimentations show that this pre-processing can speed-up the satisfiability check of other instances.     

Infrared, Raman, and Electron Spin Resonance Studies of Vitreous Alkaline Tungsten Phosphates and Related Glasses

Ternary phosphates are found to vitrify within large domains of compositions inside the phase diagrams P₂O₅–WO₃–A₂O (A = Li, Na). Structural approach of the highly modified glasses P₂O₅–A₂MoO₄–A₂O (M = Mo,W) was investigated using various spectroscopic techniques such as infrared, Raman, and electron spin resonance (ESR). These glasses were found to contain MO₆octahedra, MO₄tetrahedra, M₂O₇dimers, PO₄tetrahedra, and also P₂O₇or metaphosphate chains, depending on the composition considered. As shown in earlier studies, the glass network is progressively depolymerized as the content of A₂O increases. ESR experiments were conducted on both X-ray irradiated and unirradiated samples. Unirradiated glasses exhibit two ESR signals attributed to W⁵⁺ and Mo⁵⁺ centers that are octahedrally coordinated. Irradiation of these glasses induces new paramagnetic centers ascribed to the phosphorus–oxygen–hole–center and peroxy radicals. The M⁵⁺ concentration depends strongly on the sample composition and temperature. ESR parameters are determined using a computer simulation approach adapted for vitreous materials.     

Robust output feedback sampling control based on second-order sliding mode

This paper proposes a new second-order sliding mode output feedback controller. This is developed in the case of finite sampling frequency and uses only output information in order to ensure desired trajectory tracking with high accuracy in a finite time in spite of uncertainties and perturbations. This new strategy is evaluated in simulations on an academic example.     

Characterisation and modelling of behaviour of a shape memory alloys

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) provide an attractive solid-state actuation alternative to engineers in various fields due to their ability to exhibit recoverable deformations while under substantial loads. This feature is of particular importance when utilising the smart composite materials reinforced by SMA. Many constitutive models describing this repeatable phenomenon have been proposed, where some models also capture the effects of rate-independent irrecoverable deformations in SMAs. This paper presents experimental investigations and numerical simulations on shape memory alloys. First, by consisting in determining the transformations of equiatomic Ti–Ni shape memory alloys by differential scanning calorimeter. Then, in order to validate a 3D numerical model of the pseudoelastic behaviour of SMA allowing a finite strain analysis, a set of experimental tests at various initial temperatures is proposed. Finally, the numerical simulations of uniaxial tests performed on shape memory alloys are presented and compared with experimental data, permitting the validation of the proposed modelling. Reasonably good correlation is obtained between the experimental and model predictions.     

Effects of marble powder as a partial replacement of cement on some engineering properties of self-compacting concrete

Self-compacting concretes (SCC) are highly fluid concretes that can flow and be placed in formwork under their own weight without the requirement of internal or external energy. This fluidity is obtained with the use of high paste volume and superplasticizer. The paste of SCC is made principally of cement, which is the most expensive component of concrete. As a result, the production cost of SCC is higher than conventional concrete. However, to make the manufacture of SCC more practical and economical, the binder is often a binary, ternary even quaternary compound: Portland cement mixed with mineral additions. The primary aim of this work is to study the effect of incorporating the marble powder as a supplementary cementations material on the rheological and mechanical properties of SCC. The fresh properties were measured using the slump flow, J-Ring, V-funnel, and modified slump flow. The properties of hardened SCC such as strengths and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) were determined at age of 3, 28, and 90 days. The results have shown that using of marble powder in SCC enhances their fresh properties. At hardened state, the incorporation of marble powder decreases the mechanical strengths and UPV. It can be noted that it is possible to produce an economical SCC when the cement is partially substituted by the marble powder.     

Experimental analysis of the solidification of Sn–3 wt.%Pb alloy under natural convection

A quasi-two-dimensional solidification benchmark experiment with controlled thermal boundary conditions is proposed. The experiment consists in solidifying a rectangular ingot of Sn–3 wt.%Pb alloy using two lateral heat exchangers to extract the heat flux from one or two sides of the sample. The temperature difference between the two sides of the heat exchangers may vary from 0 to 40 K and the cooling rate from 0.02 to 0.04 K/s. This slow-cooling condition has been used to promote segregation formation. An array of fifty thermocouples placed on the corresponding sample walls is used to determine the instantaneous temperature distribution. During the solidification process, the temperature field is recorded versus time and analyzed. This makes it possible to estimate the change in temperature due to natural convection, the velocity field and the solidification macrostructure and segregation behavior. After each experiment, the segregation patterns are obtained by X-ray analysis and confirmed by eutectic fraction measurements. The local solute distribution is determined by means of induction coupled plasma analysis.     

A two-dimensional analytical model of subthreshold behavior to study the scaling capability of deep submicron double-gate GaN-MESFETs

In this paper, a new deep submicron double-gate (DG) Gallium Nitride (GaN)-MESFET design and its 2-D analytical model have been proposed, investigated and expected to suppress the short-channel-effects (SCEs) and improve the subthreshold behavior for deep submicron GaN-MESFET-based applications. The model predicts that the threshold voltage roll-off, DIBL effects and the subthreshold swing are greatly improved in comparison with the conventional Single-Gate (SG) GaN-MESFETs. The developed approaches are verified and validated by the good agreement found with the 2D numerical simulations for wide range of device parameters and bias conditions. DG GaN-MESFET can alleviate the critical problem and further improve the immunity of SCEs of deep submicron GaN-MESFET-based circuit for future power switching and digital gate devices.     

Impact of enzymatic treatment on wood surface free energy: contact angle analysis

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cellulase treatment on wood surface physicochemical characteristics. The cedar wood samples were treated by cellulase for 30 min at different concentrations: 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, and 1.2 mg/ml. Then the physicochemical properties (the wetting behavior and interfacial free energy) of the cedar samples surfaces were characterized by the sessile drop technique. The obtained results showed that the untreated cedar wood samples exhibited a hydrophobic character with a high water contact angle (θ_w = 71.9°) and a negative value of the interfacial free energy (?Giwi = ?59.3 mJ/m²). Thereafter, the wood hydrophobicity decreased continuously until it reached the hydrophilicity qualitatively (at the first concentration of cellulase (0.2 mg/ml)) and quantitatively (at 0.8 mg/ml of cellulase). The cedar wood surface treatment with cellulase also revealed a significant evolution of the acid-base parameters. Moreover, a linear relationship between the degree of hydrophobicity and the cellulase concentration has been found. This study clearly shows the impact that could have the produced enzyme by micro-organisms involved in wood biodegradation and especially their consequences on the physicochemical surface properties of the wooden materials.     

Effect of the temperature of cerium nitrate–NaCl solution on corrosion inhibition of mild steel

In this study, the effect of temperature on corrosion inhibition is studied in the absence and presence of an optimal concentration of cerium nitrate (600 mg/L) as an inhibitor of mild steel in sodium chloride. Corrosion tests are carried out through electrochemical techniques such as impedance spectroscopy and d.c. polarization measurements. The surface morphology of the films is investigated by optical microscopy, white-light interferometry, and scanning electronic microscopy, coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis for chemical composition. The results obtained show that the activation energy for the corrosion inhibition process to occur increases in the presence of a cerium nitrate inhibitor. However, the corrosion resistance of mild steel is somewhat lost upon increasing the solution temperature up to 55°C, which leads to more cracked films. The enthalpy and entropy values suggest a mixed mechanism of chemisorption and physisorption inhibition, with a major dominance of physisorption control.