Analysis of friction factor reduction in turbulent water flow using a superhydrophobic coating

This study provides experimental and theoretical evidence that the coating of the inner surface of copper pipes with superhydrophobic (SH) materials induces a Cassie state flow regime on the flow of water. This results in an increase in the fluid's dimensionless velocity distribution coefficient, a, which gives rise to an increase in the apparent Reynolds number, which may approach the "plug flow state". Experimental evidence from the SH coating of a classic unsteady-state flow system resulted in a significant decrease in the friction factor and associated energy loss. The friction factor decrease can be attributed to an increase in the apparent Reynolds number. The study demonstrates that the Cassie effects imposed by SH coating can be quantitatively shown to decrease the frictional resistance to flow in commercial pipes.

Controlled release of a model antibacterial drug from a novel self-lubricating silicone biomaterial

Abstract There is considerable interest in developing medical devices that provide controlled delivery of biologically active agents, for example, to reduce the incidence of device-related infection. Silicone elastomers are one of the commonest biomaterials used in medical device production. However, they have a relatively high coefficient of friction and the resulting lack of lubricity can cause pain and tissue damage on device insertion and removal. Novel silicone cross-linking agents have recently been reported that produce inherently ‘self-lubricating’ silicone elastomers with very low coefficients of friction. In this study, the model antibacterial drug metronidazole has been incorporated into these self-lubricating silicone elastomers to produce a novel bioactive biomaterial. The in vitro release characteristics of the bioactive component were evaluated as a function of cross-linker composition and drug loading. Although conventional matrix-type release kinetics were observed for metronidazole from the silicone systems, it was also observed that increasing the concentration of the cross-linking agent responsible for the lubricious character (tetra(oleyloxy)silane) relative to that of the standard non-lubricious cross-linking agent (tetrapropoxysilane) produced an increase in the metronidazole flux rate by up to 65% for a specified drug loading. The results highlight the potential for developing lubricious silicone medical devices with enhanced drug release characteristics.

Integration Of Strength and Process Modelling of Friction-Stir-Welded Fuselage Panels

In order to reduce potential uncertainties and conservatism in welded panel analysis procedures, understanding of the relationships between welding process parameters and static strength is required. The aim of this study is to determine and characterize the key process induced properties of advanced welding assembly methods on stiffened panel local buckling and collapse performance. To this end, an in-depth experimental and computational study of the static strength of a friction stir welded fuselage skin-stiffener panel subjected to compression loading has been undertaken. Four welding process effects, viz. the weld joint width, the width of the weld Heat Affected Zone, the strength of material within the weld Heat Affected Zone and the magnitude of welding induced residual stress, are investigated. A fractional factorial experiment design method (Taguchi) has been applied to identify the relative importance of each welding process effect and investigate effect interactions on both local skin buckling and crippling collapse performance. For the identified dominant welding process effects, parametric studies have been undertaken to identify critical welding process effect magnitudes and boundaries. The studies have shown that local skin buckling is principally influenced by the magnitude of welding induced residual stress and that the strength of material in the Heat Affected Zone and the magnitude of the welding induced residual stress have the greatest influence on crippling collapse behavior.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reaxys Database Information
|

Process Modelling for Control of Product Wall Thickness in Thermoforming

The present paper describes the results of an investigation into the modelling of plug assisted thermoforming. The objective of this work was to improve the finite element modelling of thermoforming through an enhanced understanding of the physical elements underlying the process. Experiments were carried out to measure the effects on output of changes in major parameters and simultaneously simple finite element models were constructed. The experimental results show that the process creates conflicting and interrelated contact friction and heat transfer effects that largely dictate the final wall thickness distribution. From the simulation work it was demonstrated that a high coefficient of friction and no heat transfer can give a good approximation of the actual wall thickness distribution. However, when conduction was added to the model the results for lower friction values were greatly improved. It was concluded that further work is necessary to provide realistic measurements and models for contact effects in thermoforming.

The Characterization of Friction Stir Welding Process Effects on Stiffened Panel Buckling Performance

The introduction of advanced welding methods as an alternative joining process to riveting in the manufacture of primary aircraft structure has the potential to realize reductions in both manufacturing costs and structural weight. However, welding processes can introduce undesirable residual stresses and distortions in the final fabricated components, as well as localized loss of mechanical properties at the weld joints. The aim of this research is to determine and characterize the key process effects of advanced welding assembly methods on stiffened panel static strength performance. This in-depth understanding of the relationships between welding process effects and buckling and collapse strength is required to achieve manufacturing cost reductions without introducing structural analysis uncertainties and hence conservative over designed welded panels. This current work is focused at the sub-component level and examines the static strength of friction stir welded multi stiffener panels. The undertaken experimental and computational studies have demonstrated that local skin buckling is predominantly influenced by the magnitude of welding induced residual stresses and associated geometric distortions, whereas panel collapse behavior is sensitive to the lateral width of the physically joined skin and stiffener flange material, the strength of material in the Heat Affected Zone as well as the magnitude of the welding induced residual stresses. Copyright © 2006 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reaxys Database Information
|

Measurements of the XUV mass absorption coefficient of an overdense liquid metal

The increase in the XUV mass absorption coefficient of liquid aluminium, produced by high-power-laser shock-compression, is measured using XUV laser radiography. At a photon energy of 63 eV a change in the mass absorption coefficient by up to a factor of similar to2.2 is determined at densities close to twice that of solid and electron temperatures of the order of 1 eV. Comparison with hydrodynamic simulations indicate that the absorption coefficient scales with density as rho (1.3 +/-0.2).

Coefficient of consolidation by plotting velocity against displacement

A method is presented for estimating the initial compression, the final compression and the coefficient of consolidation from an observed, experimental consolidation response, using a plot of velocity versus displacement and the conventional Taylor plot of compression versus the square root of time. Goodness of fit measures indicate that the method produces good agreement between fitted and measured displacement values, at least up until the point where the impact of secondary compression on the overall displacement response becomes significant.

The coefficient of restitution of different representative types of granules

Gas fluidised beds have many applications in a wide range of industrial sectors and it is important to be able to predict their performance. This requires, for example, a deeper appreciation of the flow of the particles in such systems using both empirical and numerical methods. The coefficient of restitution is an important collisional parameter that is used in some granular flow models in order to predict the velocities and positions of the particles in fluidised beds. The current paper reports experimental data involving the coefficients of restitution of three different representative types of granule viz. melt, wet and binderless granules. They were measured at various impact velocities and the values were compared with those calculated from different theoretical models based on quasi-static contact mechanics. This required knowledge of the Young's moduli and yield stresses, which were measured quasi-statically using diametric compression. The results show that the current theoretical models for the coefficient of restitution explored here lead to either an over- or an under-estimation of the measured values. The melt granules exhibited the greatest values of the coefficient of restitution, Young's modulus and yield stress. The differences in these values were consistent with the nature of the interparticle bonding for each of the three granule types. A new model for the calculation of the coefficient of restitution of granular material was developed that takes account of the work hardening of the granules during impact. Generally, this model provides an improved prediction of the measured values. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of Friction Stir Welding Process Idealization on Residual Stress and Distortion Predictions for Future Airframe Assembly Simulations

The ability to accurately predict residual stresses and resultant distortions is a key product from process assembly simulations. Assembly processes necessarily consider large structural components potentially making simulations computationally expensive. The objective herein is to develop greater understanding of the influence of friction stir welding process idealization on the prediction of residual stress and distortion and thus determine the minimum required modeling fidelity for future airframe assembly simulations. The combined computational and experimental results highlight the importance of accurately representing the welding forging force and process speed. In addition, the results emphasize that increased CPU simulation times are associated with representing the tool torque, while there is potentially only local increase in prediction fidelity.

Buckling/post-buckling strength of friction stir welded aircraft stiffened panels

Assembling aircraft stiffened panels using friction stir welding offers potential to reduce fabrication time in comparison to current mechanical fastener assembly, making it economically feasible to select structurally desirable stiffener pitching and novel panel configurations. With such a departure from the traditional fabrication process, much research has been conducted on producing strong reliable welds, with less examination of the impact of welding process residual effects on panel structural behaviour and the development of appropriate design methods. This article significantly expands the available panel level compressive strength knowledge, demonstrating the strength potential of a welded aircraft panel with multiple lateral and longitudinal stiffener bays. An accompanying computational study has determined the most significant process residual effects that influence panel strength and the potential extent of panel degradation. The experimental results have also been used to validate a previously published design method, suggesting accurate predictions can be made if the conventional aerospace design methods are modified to acknowledge the welding altered panel properties.