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Investigation of helix-shaped and transverse crack propagation in rotor shafts based on disk shrunk technology

It is known from international feedback that the rotor shafts of the turbo-generators with disk shrunk technology may have transverse cracks located near the keys which maintain the bond between the core of the shaft and the surrounding disks in case of over speed. It was understood that the cracks were initiated by fretting between the keys and the shaft and that they propagated due to a fatigue mechanism generated by the rotational flexion of the shafts under gravity. The destructive observation now correlated to the service history of the shaft shows different mixed modes propagation phases and a stopped circumferential crack evolution during the last months of service of the shaft. Mechanical studies based on the determination of the stress intensity factors provide the evolution of the stress intensity factors during the crack propagation. They give access to information not available otherwise to explain the observed crack profiles. Finally, experimental investigations are needed to obtain the kinetics as a function of the stress intensity factors. The information provided is helpful in determining the possible crack profiles to be detected by the most suitable vibratory surveillance systems before failure in service of the shaft line.     

Vegetation Change in Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands: Deviation from the Historical Cycle

Water-level change is integral to the structure and function of Great Lakes coastal wetlands, and many studies document predictable relationships between vegetation and water level. However, anthropogenic stressors, such as invasive species, land-use change, and water-level stabilization, interact to shift the historical cycle (of native vegetation migration up- and down-slope) toward dominance by invasive Typha species. Knowing from earlier studies that water-level stabilization alters the historical vegetation cycle, we asked if similar shifts can occur where water levels are not stabilized. Using historical aerial photographs of three coastal wetlands (in Lake Michigan's Green Bay, Wisconsin), we determined that habitat dominated by Typha species has expanded to eliminate wet meadow habitat. Between 1974 and 1992, linear regressions showed strong, significant relationships of both meadow area (R² ≥ 0.894; p < 0.02) and marsh area (R² ≥ 0.784; p < 0.05) to water level in all three wetlands. In 2000, meadow area was below that predicted by the historical pattern due to the landward advance of marsh habitat during a year of decreasing water levels. In the same period, land use in the wetland watersheds converted from agriculture to urban. Urbanization and the replacement of native Typha latifolia by the invasive hybrid Typha xglauca may have overwhelmed the beneficial impact of water-level fluctuation. The documentation of vegetation shifts, as herein, is an essential step in the process of preserving and restoring ecological integrity.     

Analytical prediction of structural response to fire

In this paper, general methods for analytical prediction of thermal and structural responses of building subassemblies exposed to any specified fire exposure are summarized and validity and application of these methods to design for structural fire safety of buildings are discussed.     

A system for quality control of mineral-processing products

In this paper, consideration is given to a quality control system for mineral-processing products that provides a concentrate of optimal quality in a required quantity with minimum acceptable losses of the useful component. Operation of a new type of a specialized teslameter adapted to the conditions of an ore-mining enterprise is considered. Teslameters in an operable state are used in the quality control system for mineral-processing products of dry and liquid magnetic separation at the processing mill of OAO Vanadii and dozens of other enterprises in Russia.     

Pilot experiments with electrodialysis and ozonation for the production of a fertiliser from urine.

Pilot tests were performed with a process combination of electrodialysis and ozonation for the removal of micropollutants and the concentration of nutrients in urine. In continuous and batch experiments, maximum concentration factors up to 3.5 and 4.1 were obtained, respectively. The desalination capacity did not decrease significantly during continuous operation periods of several weeks. Membrane cleaning after 195 days resulted in approximately 35% increase in desalination rate. The Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES), a bioassay that selectively detects oestrogenic compounds, confirmed that about 90% of the oestrogenic activity was removed by electrodialysis. HPLC analysis showed that ibuprofen was removed to a high extent, while other micropollutants were below the detection limit. In view of the fact that ibuprofen is among the most rapidly transported micropollutants in electrodialysis processes, this result indicates that electrodialysis provides an effective barrier for micropollutants. Standardised plant growth tests were performed in the field with the salt solution resulting from the treatment by electrodialysis and subsequent ozonation. The results show that the plant height is comparable to synthetic fertilisers, but the crop yield is slightly lower. The latter is probably caused by volatilisation losses during field application, which can be prevented by improved application technologies.     

Pulsed underwater corona discharges as a source of strong oxidants: *OH and H2O2.

Because of undesirable side effects of chemical methods pulsed underwater corona discharges are emerging as a potential future advanced oxidation process (AOP) for water disinfection. In pulsed corona discharges a discharge channel is created, which contains a non-thermal plasma with a low degree of ionisation and low electron densities, but with electron energies of up to 10 eV. It has been demonstrated that electrons with this energy can dissociate water and oxygen molecules and produce various reactive radicals (*OH, H*, O*, HO2*), molecular species (H2O2, H2, O2), ultraviolet radiation and shock waves. It is supposed that the combination of all effects leads to a very efficient killing of microorganisms. To understand this in detail and to improve the efficiency of the overall system there is the need to develop suitable diagnostic methods for the quantitative determination of the various oxidants produced during the discharge. In this paper we present preliminary experimental results obtained with different chemical probes for *OH radicals, and H2O2 produced by pulsed corona discharges.