A systematic data integration technique for mold-surface polishing processes planning

This paper presents a new MSDI (mold surface data integration) method for presenting ruled mold-surface data for CAPP applications. The method makes use of adjacency and feature-data matrices to establish a framework of feature-based data. The MSDI method enables the storage, retrieval and operations of geometries, topologies, and machining information of a given ruled mold surface. The matrices of adjacency and feature-data effectively represent the relations. Boolean algebra and group technology (GT) methods are introduced to generate the desired process plans. A sample mold made of ruled surfaces is made and used to show the effectiveness of the proposed data representation and the integrated mold surface processing method. A compact computer program is implemented to enhance the speed and accuracy of the MSDI method. The numerical results indicate that the mold surface decomposition and integration procedure presented in this paper are systematic and effective. The paper provides a novel modular mold surface modeling tool and procedure that can be further extended to accommodate more features appearing in complicated ruled mold surfaces.     

Distinct dispersion stability of various TiO2 nanopowders using ammonium polyacrylate as dispersant

The dispersion stabilities of three titania (TiO₂) nanopowders with different particle sizes and surface chemistries in aqueous suspensions containing a common water-based dispersant, ammonium polyacrylate (PAA-NH₄), have been investigated and compared. According to adsorption isotherm and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses, the adsorption conformations of PAA-NH₄ are distinct for the different TiO₂ nanopowders. In addition, PAA-NH₄ exhibited the greatest adsorption affinity to the larger, hydrophilic TiO₂ nanopowder and the least affinity to smaller, hydrophobic nanopowder. From sedimentation and rheological results, the dispersion stability of the larger, hydrophilic TiO₂ nanopowder was demonstrated to be the greatest. Based on thermodynamic and kinetic calculations for the stabilization energies, the larger, hydrophilic TiO₂ nanopowder was also shown to be the best-stabilized powder, although it settles faster than the smaller, hydrophilic TiO₂ nanopowder; this is due to the greater affection of sedimentation flux on the larger nanopowder. In contrast, the hydrophobic TiO₂ nanopowder formed a gel-like structure in the aqueous suspension when the solid content was greater than 10 wt%, which is attributed to polymer bridging between PAA-NH₄-adsorbed TiO₂ nanoparticles.     

In-situ observation on the transformation of calcium phosphate cement into hydroxyapatite

In the present study, the in-situ transformation of calcium phosphate cement into hydroxyapatite (HAp) within the first hour is monitored with a synchrotron X-ray beam. A disodium hydrogen phosphate solution is used as cement liquid to activate the reaction between dicalcium phosphate anhydrous (DCPA) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂). The XRD analysis indicates that the amounts of DCPA and Ca(OH)₂ first decrease within the first min of the reaction. Then, the intensity of DCPA's XRD peaks starts to increase instead in the period of 5 to 20 min. After 20 min, the DCPA particles are consumed slowly to form fine HAp particles. Large pores are evident upon the completion of reaction.     

Solid fuel combustion experiments in microgravity using a continuous fuel dispenser and related numerical simulations

The conventional way of determining the flammability characteristics of a material involves a number of tedious single-sample tests to distinguish flammable from non-flammable conditions. A novel test device and fuel configuration has been developed that permits multiple successive tests for indefinite lengths of thin solid materials. In this device, a spreading flame can be established and held at a fixed location in front of optimized diagnostics while continuous variations of test parameters are made. This device is especially well-suited to conducting experiments in space (e.g. aboard the International Space Station) where the limited resources of stowage, volume, and crew time pose major constraints. A prototype version of this device was tested successfully in both a normal gravity laboratory and during low-gravity aircraft trials. As part of this ongoing study of material flammability behavior, a numerical model of concurrent-flow flame spread is used to simulate the flame. Two and three-dimensional steady-state forms of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with chemical reactions and gas and solid radiation are solved. The model is used to assist in the design of the test apparatus and to interpret the results of microgravity experiments. This paper describes details of the fuel testing device and planned experiment diagnostics. A special fuel, developed to optimize use of the special testing device, is described. Some results of the numerical flame spread model are presented to explain the three-dimensional nature of flames spreading in concurrent flow and to show how the model is used as an experiment design tool.     

Proton conductors of cerium pyrophosphate for intermediate temperature fuel cell

The crystal structure and proton conductivity of cerium pyrophosphate are investigated to explore its potential electrolyte applications for intermediate temperature fuel cell. Among the CeP₂O₇ thin plates, which are sintered at 300–900 °C, the 450 °C CeP₂O₇ sample exhibits superior proton conductivity under humidified conditions. Its conductivity, measured with impedance spectroscopy, is higher than 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ in the intermediate temperature range, with a maximum value 3.0 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ at 180 °C. When 10 mol% Mg is doped on the Ce site of CeP₂O₇, the maximum conductivity is raised to 4.0 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹ at 200 °C. The Mg doping not only raises the conductivity, but also shifts and widens its temperature window for electrolyte applications. Ce_0.9Mg_0.1P₂O₇ is considered a more appropriate composition, with conductivity >10⁻² S cm⁻¹ between 160 and 280 °C. Accordingly, a hydrogen–air cell is built with the Ce_0.9Mg_0.1P₂O₇ electrolyte and its performance is measured. The fuel cell generates electricity up to 122 mA cm⁻² at 0.33 V using 50% H₂ at 240 °C.     

A systematic approach for automatic assembly sequence plan generation

This paper presents a systematic approach for automatic assembly sequence plan generation (ASPG) by using an integrated framework of the part liaison matrix and precedence Boolean relations. The objective of this study is to propose a unified and integrated mathematical representation, manageable by computer programs, that allows an optimal assembly sequence be generated for various different production conditions and environment. To meet the aforementioned objective, a five-step modelling procedure is presented. In the first step, the product design and production information associated with part allocations and assembling sequences are logically arranged, simplified and systematically coded into the liaison matrix and precedence Boolean algebraic expression. In the second step, the position and assembly sequence relations of the original product are simplified into the so-called sub-assembly by using a group-like technology method. By doing so, the liaison matrix and precedence Boolean relation of the grouped sub-assemblies can then be easily obtained in the third modelling step. In the fourth modelling step, the constrained precedence Boolean relations of the grouped sub-assemblies are characterised and generalised for use in the proposed model. By simultaneously solving the aforementioned general and constrained position and precedence Boolean relations, the optimised assembly sequence of the underlying product can be quickly obtained in the fifth modelling step. A product assembly example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed modelling approach. The enhancement of assembly efficiency and quality are also carefully evaluated .     

A computational study on the combustion of hydrogen/methane blended fuels for a micro gas turbines

To understand the combustion performance of using hydrogen/methane blended fuels for a micro gas turbine that was originally designed as a natural gas fueled engine, the combustion characteristics of a can combustor has been modeled and the effects of hydrogen addition were investigated. The simulations were performed with three-dimensional compressible k-ε turbulent flow model and presumed probability density function for chemical reaction. The combustion and emission characteristics with a variable volumetric fraction of hydrogen from 0% to 90% were studied. As hydrogen is substituted for methane at a fixed fuel injection velocity, the flame temperatures become higher, but lower fuel flow rate and heat input at higher hydrogen substitution percentages cause a power shortage. To apply the blended fuels at a constant fuel flow rate, the flame temperatures are increased with increasing hydrogen percentages. This will benefit the performance of gas turbine, but the cooling and the NO_x emissions are the primary concerns. While fixing a certain heat input to the engine with blended fuels, wider but shorter flames at higher hydrogen percentages are found, but the substantial increase of CO emission indicates a decrease in combustion efficiency. Further modifications including fuel injection and cooling strategies are needed for the micro gas turbine engine with hydrogen/methane blended fuel as an alternative.     

Characteristics of highly orientated BiFeO3 thin films on a LaNiO3-coated Si substrate by RF sputtering

BiFeO₃ (BFO) films were grown on LaNiO₃-coated Si substrate by a RF magnetron sputtering system at temperatures in the range of 300-700 °C. X-ray reflectivity and high-resolution diffraction measurements were employed to characterize the microstructure of these films. For a substrate temperature below 300 °C and at 700 °C only partially crystalline films and completely randomly polycrystalline films were grown, whereas highly (001)-orientated BFO film was obtained for a substrate temperature in the range of 400-600 °C. The crystalline quality of BFO thin films increase as the deposition temperature increase except for the film deposited at 700 °C. The fitted result from X-ray reflectivity curves show that the densities of the BFO films are slightly less than their bulk values. For the BFO films deposited at 300-600 °C, the higher the deposition temperature, the larger the remnant polarization and surface roughness of the films present.