Influence of service-induced microstructural changes on the failure of a cobalt-based superalloy first stage nozzle

The present work was carried out to investigate the influence of serviced-induced microstructural changes on the failure of cobalt-base superalloy X-45 using in a first stage gas turbine nozzle. The obtained results show that the continuous film of carbides in the grain boundaries and the formation of needle like phases in the interior of grains are due to transformation of primary carbides M₆C type to secondary carbides M₂₃C₆ type as a result of high-temperature operations. This dense and continuous net of the carbides reduces ductility and toughness of the alloy in comparison with the initial values. Therefore, failure was facilitated by cyclic stresses during start-up/shutdown of gas turbine.     

三元乙丙橡胶的热老化行为及其BP神经网络预测

通过对三元乙丙橡胶(EPDM)橡胶在70℃、80℃和90℃3个温度下的高温加速老化实验,测试其拉伸强度,断裂伸长率和压缩永久变形的物性值的保持率。建立了EPDM的热老化时间与其3种物性值之间的热老化行为规律关系。结果表明:以3种物性为基础,利用Arrhenius作图法推算出23℃下EPDM橡胶材料的使用寿命分别为316年、158.5年、78.5年。同时,利用BP神经网络预测EPDM橡胶在3个温度下的热老化行为,预测结果误差分别为10-3、10-4、10-5。     

用特征曲线法确定油井水侵途径

对油井水淹动态进行分析,准确确定油井出水原因,是提高堵水工艺措施效果的关键。常规的油井出水原因分析方法,因本身的局限性,或是费用高而使其应用受到限制。所提出的含水特征曲线方法能够有效地分析机械采油井、自喷井及停产井的含水动态,并能够简捷地确定油井的出水原因。     

Numerical prediction of wind turbine noise

This paper develops and validates the first principle based numerical method for predicting the noise radiated from the rotating Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) blades. The noise radiated to the far-field was predicted by the code based on Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW–H) equation, using both original non-permeable formulation and permeable formulation. A commercially available CFD solver, ANSYS CFX 11.0, was used to calculate the flow parameters on and around the blade surface that are required for FW–H codes. A capability of the solver for modelling the flow field around the wind turbine blades was validated by comparing with the experimental results of NREL phase VI wind turbine blades. The FW–H codes were validated using acoustic results of UH-1H helicopter rotor in hover and Hartzell aircraft propeller in forward motion, which were measured in anechoic wind tunnel facility. Then the developed FW–H acoustic codes were applied to calculate the noise radiated from NREL Phase VI wind turbine blades.     

Compatibilizing effect of mesoporous fillers on the mechanical properties and morphology of polypropylene and polystyrene blend

Polypropylene(PP)/Polystyrene(PS) (PP/PS = 80/20) blend with different types of fillers were prepared by using melt method. Four different types of fillers, namely mesoporous MCM-41 (without template), nano-SiO₂, Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/MCM-41 and PMMA/SiO₂ were considered. For PMMA/MCM-41 filler, the synthesis of the filler consisting of entrapped strand of PMMA within the pores of mesoporous MCM-41 (without template) was described. The mechanical properties of the blend determined as the nano-fillers contents and the different types of blend were found to vary with the different interface between fillers and the matrix. SEM revealed a good interaction between the matrix phases and PMMA/MCM-41 or MCM-41 (without template). The decreased T_g of PS implied that the good adhesion between PP and PS blend was obtained by adding PMMA/MCM-41 nano-filler.     

Developing a Robust Multi-Attribute Decision-Making Framework to Evaluate Performance of Water System Design and Planning under Climate Change

In theory, emergence of robustness concept has pushed decision-makers toward designing alternatives, such as resistant against the potential fluctuations fueled by uncertain surrounding environment. This study promotes an objective-based multi-attributes decision-making framework that takes into account the uncertainties associated with the impacts of the climate change on water resources systems. To capture the uncertainties of climate change, Monte Carlo approach has been used to generate a series of ensembles. These generated ensembles represent the stochastic behavior of the hydro-climatic variables under climate change. This framework represents the inherent uncertainties associated with hydro-climatic simulations. Next, a coupled TOPSIS/Entropy multi-attribute decision-making framework has been formed to prioritize the feasible alternatives using system performance measures. The main objective of this framework is to minimize the risk of deceptive and subjective assessments during decision-making process. Karkheh River basin has been selected as a case study to demonstrate the implication of this framework. Using a set of system performance attributes, the performance of two hydropower systems has been estimated during the baseline period and under the future climate change conditions. According to the conducted frequency analysis, the alternative in which both hydropower projects would go under construction emerged as the robust solution (i.e., there was a 99.9% chance that it outperforms other solutions). The results indicate that the construction of these hydropower systems leads to the increase of Karkheh River basin robustness in the future.

     

Risk‐based optimal energy management of virtual power plant with uncertainties considering responsive loads

This paper proposes a stochastic scheduling model to determine optimal operation of generation and storage units of a virtual power plant (VPP) for participating in a joint energy and regulation service (RS) market under uncertainty. Beside electricity, the VPP provides required RSs according to the probability of delivery request in the electricity market. A new model for providing RS is introduced in which the dispatchable generation units are financially compensated with their readiness declarations and will be charged/paid for their real‐time down/up regulations. Besides, the VPP sets up incentive price‐quantity curves to benefit from the potential of demand side management in both energy and RS market. Within the model presented here, the VPP consists of two types of generation units: wind turbine and standby diesel generator; the latter is modeled by considering CO₂‐emission penalty costs. The given uncertainties are divided into two parts. Firstly, the uncertainties from the energy market price are simulated using information gap decision theory to evaluate the risk‐based resource scheduling for both risk‐taker and risk‐averse VPP. Other uncertainties affecting decision making such as wind turbine generation, load, regulation up/down calling probabilities, and regulation market prices are modeled via scenario trees. Three typical case studies are implemented to validate the performance and effectiveness of the proposed scheduling approach.     

Retracted papers by Iranian authors: causes,journals, time lags,affiliations, collaborations

Scientometrics - This study aims to analyze 343 retraction notices indexed in the Scopus database, published in 2001–2019, related to scientific articles (co-)written by at least one author...     

Highly efficient electrocatalysts fabricated via electrophoretic deposition for alcohol oxidation,oxygen reduction,hydrogen evolution,and oxygen evolution reactions

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a versatile technique that has drawn attention due to its ease of use and performance in depositing high-quality layers at room temperature. This technique principle is based on the deposition of charged particles from a stable colloidal suspension on a conductive substrate using either a direct or alternating current. Using relatively simple and low-cost equipment, the EPD technique enables the deposition of layers with controlled microstructures at nanoscale. The EPD technique has been particularly successful in the fabrication of the electrocatalyst layers for low-temperature fuel cells, which are anchored on the top of the fuel cell electrodes. In comparison with other electrocatalyst layer deposition techniques such as drop-casting, the EPD technique offers clear advantages for the control of the thickness and packing density of the electrocatalyst layers. Owing to the dense packing density, electrocatalyst layers deposited by EPD could achieve enhanced conductivity and efficiency. The present review aims at comprehensively evaluating the recently published results on the electrocatalyst layers fabricated by EPD and applied in oxygen reduction reactions, alcohol electro-oxidation reactions, hydrogen evolution reactions, and oxygen evolution reactions.