A characteristics study on the performance of a 2-stage light gas gun

In order to obtain an overall and systematic understanding of the performance of a two-stage light gas gun (TLGG), a numerical code to simulate the process occurring in a gun shot is advanced based on the quasi-one-dimensional unsteady equations of motion with the real gas effect,;friction and heat transfer taken into account in a characteristic formulation for both driver and propellant gas. Comparisons of projectile velocities and projectile pressures along the barrel with experimental results from JET (Joint European Tons) and with computational data got by the Lagrangian method indicate that this code can provide results with good accuracy over a wide range of gun geometry and loading conditions.

Experimental study on oscillatory thermocapillary convection

The transition processes from steady flow into oscillatory flow in a liquid bridge of the half floating zone are studied experimentally. Two methods of noncontacted diagnoses are developed to measure the distribution of critical Marangoni numbers described by the onset of the oscillation st the free surface of the liquid bridge.The experimental results obtained for both cases of the upper rod heated and the lower rod heated agree with the prediction by Rayleigh's instability theory.The sensitive relations between the relatively fat or slender liquid bridge and the onset of oscillatory convection are also discussed to reveal the insight of the pressure distribution near the free surface. The experiments have been performed in a small liquid bridge, where the Bond number is much smaller than 1, and the results can be used to simulate the experiment in the microgravity environment.

On post-instability processes in adiabatic shear in hot rolled steel

EXPERIMENTS carried out using a split Hopkinson torsional bar have shown that only one shear band develops in specimens of hot rolled steel which break during testing. We observed, however, that in specimens which were not deformed to failure, several fine shear bands appeared. We believe that these formed during the loading cycle before the appearance of the final shear band and were not due to the effect of unloading. So we developed a numerical model to study the evolution of shear banding from several finite amplitude disturbances (FADs) in both temperature and strain rate. This numerical model reveals the detailed processes by which the FADs evolve into a fully developed shear band and suggests that beyond instability, the so-called shear banding process consists of two stages: inhomogeneous shearing and true shear-banding. The latter is characterized by the collapse of the stress and an abrupt increase of the local shear strain rate.

Oscillatory Instability of Rayleigh-Marangoni-Benard Convection in Two-Layer System

The convective instabilities in two or more superposed layers heated from below were studied extensively by many scientists due to several interfacial phenomena in nature and crystal growth application. Most works of them were performed mainly on the instability behaviors induced only by buoyancy force, especially on the oscillatory behavior at onset of convection (see Gershuni et. Al.(1982), Renardy et. Al. (1985,2000), Rasenat et. Al. (1989), and Colinet et. Al.(1994)) . But the unstable situations of multi-layer liquid convection will become more complicated and interesting while considering at the same time the buoyancy effect combined with thermocapillary effect. This is the case in the gravity reduced field or thin liquid layer where the thermocapillary effect is as important as buoyancy effect. The objective of this study was to investigate theoretically the interaction between Rayleigh-Bénard instability and pure Marangoni instability in a two-layer system, and more attention focus on the oscillatory instability both at the onset of convection and with increasing supercriticality. Oscillatory behavious of Rayleigh-Marangoni-Bénard convective instability (R-M-B instability) and flow patterns are presented in the two-layer system of Silicon Oil (10cSt) over Fluorinert (FC70) for a larger various range of two-layer depth ratios (Hr=Hupper/Hdown) from 0.2 to 5.0. Both linear instability analysis and 2D numerical simulation (A=L/H=10) show that the instability of the system depends strongly on the depth ratio of two-layer liquids. The oscillatory instability regime at the onset of R-M-B convection are found theoretically in different regions of layer thickness ratio for different two-layer depth H=12,6,4,3mm. The neutral stability curve of the system displaces to right while we consider the Marangoni effect at the interface in comparison with the Rayleigh-Bénard instability of the system without the Marangoni effect (Ma=0). The numerical results show different regimes of the developing of convection in the two-layer system for different thickness ratios and some differences at the onset of pure Marangoni convection and the onset of Rayleigh-Bénard convections in two-layer liquids. Both traveling wave and standing wave were detected in the oscillatory instability regime due to the competition between Rayleigh-Bénard instability and Marangoni effect. The mechanism of the standing wave formation in the system is presented numerically in this paper. The oscillating standing wave results in the competition of the intermediate Marangoni cell and the Rayleigh convective rolls. In the two-layer system of 47v2 silicone oil over water, a transition form the steady instability to the oscillatory instability of the Rayleigh-Marangoni-Bénard Convection was found numerically above the onset of convection for ε=0.9 and Hr=0.5. We propose that this oscillatory mechanism is possible to explain the experimental observation of Degen et. Al.(1998). Experimental work in comparison with our theoretical findings on the two-layer Rayleigh-Marangoni-Bénard convection with thinner depth for H<6mm will be carried out in the near future, and more attention will be paid to new oscillatory instability regimes possible in the influence of thermocapillary effects on the competition of two-layer liquids

Experimental Study on Bénard-Marangoni Convection in Double Immiscible Liquid Layer

An experimental investigation of Bénard-Marangoni convection has been performed in double immiscible liquid layers of rectangular configuration on the ground. The two kinds of liquid are 10cst silicon oil and FC-70 respectively. The size of rectangular chamber is 100mm×40mm in horizontal cross-section. The evolution processes of convection are observed in the differential thickness ratio of two liquid layers. The critical temperature difference was measured via the detections of fluid convection by a particle image velocimetry (PIV) in the vertical cross-section of the liquid layer. The critical temperature difference or the critical Marangoni number was given. And the influence of the thickness ratio of two liquid layers on the convection instability was discussed. The evolution processes of patterns and temperature distributions on the interface are displayed by using thermal liquid crystal. The velocity distributions on the interface were also obtained. In comparison with the thermocapillary effect, the effect of buoyancy convection will relatively increase when the depth of the liquid layer increases. Because of the coupling of buoyancy and thermocapillary effect, the convection instability is much more complex than that in the microgravity environment. And the critical convection depends on the change of the thickness of liquid layers and also the change of thickness ratio of two liquid layers.

Rayleigh-Marangoni-Bénard Convective Instability

The Rayleigh-Marangoni-Benard convective instability (R-M-B instability) and flow patterns in the two-layer system of silicon oil 10cSt and Fluorinert FC70 liquids are studied theoretically and experimentally. Both linear instability analysis and 2D numerical simulation (A=L/H=10) were performed to study the influence of thermocapillary force on the convective instability of the two-layer system. Time-dependent oscillations arising at the onset of convection were investigated in a larger various range of two-layer depth ratios (Hr=H1/H2) from 0.2 to 5.0 for different total depth less than 12mm. Our results are different from the previous study on the Rayleig-B閚ard instability and show the strong effects of thermocapillary force at the interface on the time-dependent oscillations at the onset of instability convection. Primary experimental results of the critical instability parameters and the convective structure in the R-M-B convection have been obtained by using the digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) system, and a good agreement in comparison with the results of numerical simulation was obtained.

Self-instability and bending behaviors of nano plates

This paper aims at investigating the size-dependent self-buckling and bending behaviors of nano plates through incorporating surface elasticity into the elasticity with residual stress fields. In the absence of external loading, positive surface tension induces a compressive residual stress field in the bulk of the nano plate and there may be self-equilibrium states corresponding to the plate self-buckling. The self-instability of nano plates is investigated and the critical self-instability size of simply supported rectangular nano plates is determined. In addition, the residual stress field in the bulk of the nano plate is usually neglected in the existing literatures, where the elastic response of the bulk is often described by the classical Hooke’s law. The present paper considered the effect of the residual stress in the bulk induced by surface tension and adopted the elasticity with residual stress fields to study the bending behaviors of nano plates without buckling. The present results show that the surface effects only modify the coefficients in corresponding equations of the classical Kirchhoff plate theory.

Kinetic Study Of The Rayleigh-Benard Flows

The present paper employs the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method to study the Rayleigh-Benard flows, where the temperature ratio of the upper to lower plate is fixed to 0.1. For a Knudsen number (Kn) of 0.01, as the Rayleigh number (Ra) increases, the flow changes from the thermal conductive state to the convective state at about Ra=1700, and the calculated relation of heat flux through the lower plate versus Ra is in good agreement with classical experimental and theoretical results. For Kn=0.05, the thermal conductive state remains stable, and the increase of Ra cannot trigger thermal instability.

A Continuation Method Applied to the Study of Thermocapillary Instabilities in Liquid Bridges

A continuation method is applied to investigate the linear stability of the steady, axisymmetric thermocapillary flows in liquid bridges. The method is based upon an appropriate extended system of perturbation equations depending on the nature of transition of the basic flow. The dependence of the critical Reynolds number and corresponding azimuthal wavenumber on serval parameters is presented for both cylindrical and non-cylindrical liquid bridges.

A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE ELBOW JOINTS IN 5 SPECIES OF CHINESE MACAQUES

In this paper, we report the findings of a comparative study of the elbow joints of five species of macaque that inhabit China: Macaca assamensis, M. arctoides, M. mulatta, M. thibetana and M. nemestrina. Results of multivariate analyses of size-related variables and indices of the elbow joint suggested that the breadths of the ventral aspect of the trochlea and of the medial epicondyle of the humerus as well as indices describing the head of the radius are important factors for discriminating these species. The elbow joint of M. arctoides was most similar to that of M. thibetana, no doubt reflecting recency of common ancestry and similarity in terrestrial locomotion. The structures of the elbow joints in M. nemestrina and assamensis seemed more adapted to arboreal quadrupedalism. The elbow joint of M. mulatta, however, appears intermediate between the most terrestrial and the most arboreal forms.

instability of standing wave, global existence and blowup for the klein-gordon-zakharov system with different-degree nonlinearities

This paper discusses the Klein–Gordon–Zakharov system with different-degree nonlinearities in two and three space dimensions. Firstly, we prove the existence of standing wave with ground state by applying an intricate variational argument. Next, by introducing an auxiliary functional and an equivalent minimization problem, we obtain two invariant manifolds under the solution flow generated by the Cauchy problem to the aforementioned Klein–Gordon–Zakharov system. Furthermore, by constructing a type of constrained variational problem, utilizing the above two invariant manifolds as well as applying potential well argument and concavity method, we derive a sharp threshold for global existence and blowup. Then, combining the above results, we obtain two conclusions of how small the initial data are for the solution to exist globally by using dilation transformation. Finally, we prove a modified instability of standing wave to the system under study.

One-dimensional modulation instability of broad optical beams in biased photorefractive-photovoltaic crystals under steady-state conditions

We present a comprehensive study of the one-dimensional modulation instability of broad optical beams in biased photo refractive-photovoltaic crystals under steady-state conditions. We obtain the one-dimensional modulation instability growth rate by globally treating the space-charge field and by considering distinction between values of Eo in nonlocal effects and local effects in the space-charge field, where Eo is the field constant correlated with terms in the space-charge field, which depends on the external bias field, the bulk photovoltaic effect, and the ratio of the optical beam's intensity to that of the dark irradiance. The one-dimensional modulation instability growth rate in local effects can be determined from that in nonlocal effects. When the bulk photovoltaic effect is neglectable, irrespective of distinction between values of Eo in nonlocal effects and local effects in the space-charge field, the one-dimensional modulation instability growth rates in nonlocal effects and local effects are those of broad optical beams studied previously in biased photorefractive-nonphotovoltaic crystals. When the external bias field is absent, the one-dimensional modulation instability growth rates in nonlocal effects and local effects predict those of broad optical beams in open- and closed-circuit photorefractive-photovoltaic crystals. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

IMPROVEMENT OF STRUCTURAL INSTABILITY OF THE ION-SENSITIVE FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTOR (ISFET)

Three causes involved in the instability of the ISFET are proposed in this study. First, it is ascertained that hydroxyl group resident at the surface of the Si3N4 film or in the electrolyte solution is most active and subject to gain or loss of electrons. This is one of the main causes for ISFET structural instability. Secondly, the stability of the pH-sensitive FET varies with deposition conditions in the fabrication process of the ISFET. This proves to be another cause of ISFET instability. Thirdly, the pH of the measured solution varies with the measuring process and time, contributing to the instability, but is not a cause of the instability of the pH-ISFET itself. We utilized the technique of readjusting and controlling the ratio of hydroxyl groups to amine groups to enhance the stability of the ISFET. Our techniques to improve stability characteristics proved to be effective in practice.

A study of the suppression of the high-temperature helium embrittlement in an oxide-particle dispersion strengthened alloy

In this paper, an investigation on the micro-structure of an Fe-base oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloy irradiated with high-energy Ne-20 ions to different doses at a temperature around 0.5T(m) (T-m is the melting point of the alloy) is presented. Investigation with the transmission electron microscopy found that the accelerated growth of voids at grain-boundaries, which is usually a concern in conventional Fe-base alloys under conditions of inert-gas implantation, was not observed in the ODS alloy irradiated even to the highest dose (12000 at.ppm Ne). The reason is ascribed to the enhanced recombination of point defects and strong trapping of Ne atoms at the interfaces of the nano-scale oxide particles in grains. The study showed that ODS alloys have good resistance to the high-temperature inter-granular embrittlement due to inert-gas accumulation, exhibiting prominence of application in harsh situations of considerable helium production at elevated temperatures like in a fusion reactor.

Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine attenuates the acute liver injury caused by X-ray in mice

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of different doses and administration modes of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) against X-ray-induced liver damage in mice. Kun-Ming mice were divided into four groups, each composed of six animals: two control groups and two NAC-treated groups. An acute study was carried out to determine alterations in lipid peroxidation (determined by measuring malondiadehyde (MDA) level), glutathione (GSH) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (assayed by colorimetric method), and DNA damage (characterized by DNA-single strand break using with comet assay) as well as cell apoptosis (measured by flow cytometry) at 12 h after irradiation. The results showed that there were dose-related decreases in MDA level, DNA damage and cell apoptosis, and dose-dependent increases in GSH content and SOD activity in all NAC-treated groups compared to control groups, indicating that pre-treatment or post-treatment with NAC significantly attenuates the acute liver damage caused by X-ray. In addition, significant positive correlations were observed between MDA level and DNA damage or cell apoptosis, implying that lipid peroxidation plays a major role in X-ray-induced liver injury. The data suggest that NAC exerts its radioprotective effect by counteracting accumulated reactive oxygen species in the liver through its properties as a direct antioxidant and a GSH precursor, when administered before or after X-ray irradiation.