Grooved Section Research Articles

High-sensitivity fiber optic Fabry-Perot ultrasonic sensor based on a grooved silicon diaphragm for partial discharge detection.

An extrinsic fiber optic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) ultrasonic sensor based on a grooved silicon diaphragm for partial discharge (PD) detection has been proposed. The size of the groove is determined by finite element simulation, which allows the resonant frequency of the sensor to meet the requirements of PD ultrasonic detection and improves the sensitivity of the sensor by 5.07 times compared with that based on a traditional circular diaphragm. The microelectro-mechanical system process is used to fabricate the diaphragm on a silicon-on-insulator wafer, and the prepared diaphragm has a grooved section with a diameter of 829.34µm and a thickness of only 2.09µm. At its resonant frequency of 61.5kHz, the acoustic pressure sensitivity of the sensor is 172.42mV/Pa. The ultrasonic signal detection capability of the sensor is verified in the PD experiment. Furthermore, the characteristics of the corona discharge are successfully manifested based on the ultrasonic waves detected by the EFPI sensor. It is demonstrated that the proposed sensor is suitable for PD detection due to its high sensitivity, simple production process, and good resistance to environmental interference.

Concurrent Flame Spread Over Two-Sided Thick PMMA Slabs in Microgravity

Spacecraft fire safety is an important consideration when designing future exploration missions. Concurrent flow flame spread experiments were carried out aboard the Cygnus spacecraft while in orbit to address current knowledge gaps related to solid fuel combustion in microgravity. The experiments used PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) samples that were 50 mm wide and 290 mm long with two variations—one sample was a 10 mm thick flat slab, while the other was a 10 mm thick flat sample that had a 4 mm thick grooved center section. The thickness variation had a major impact on the flame shape, and the grooved sample developed a deep inverted-V shaped notch as the thin center section burned through. This notch enhanced heat transfer from the flame to the solid through an effectively wider flame base, which is the part of the flame with the highest temperature. Unlike in normal gravity (and also likely in partial gravity), where buoyant flow promotes acceleratory upward flame growth, the microgravity flames reached a steady size (limiting length) for a fixed forced convective flow in agreement with theory (i.e. there is a zero net heat flux at the flame tip). The limiting length implies that the spread rate of the flame will be controlled by the regression rate (burnout rate) of the material because the flames remains anchored to the upstream end of the fuel samples. This is a significant finding for spacecraft fire safety, and makes the probability of flashover in a spacecraft unlikely as the flame size will be small for low convective ventilation flow environments typical in spacecraft. On the other hand, long-burning flames in small vehicles will generate significant quantities of fuel vapor that may reach the lean flammability limit and cause a backdraft. The rapid extinction of the flame when the flow was turned off also supports the existing fire mitigation strategy on the ISS to deactivate the ventilation system in the event of fire alarm. These findings can be applied to improve the safety of future space exploration missions.

Analysis of Backward and Forward Effects on a Grooved Co-axial Heat Exchanger by Response Surface Methodology

In the literature, it is proved that grooved pipe models are thermally more efficient than the smooth pipe model. Different than the previous studies in which the groove dimensions are constant along the pipe, we study the effect of groove radius and the gap between adjacent grooves on the local heat transfer coefficients using computational fluid dynamics software. The grooved section consists of three sub-sections to see the effects of groove dimension in stream-wise flow direction. We vary the radius of circular grooves parametrically in each section to optimize the local groove radius throughout the pipe. We couple the fluid flow (1200<Re<24000) with energy equations, and the grooved sections are set as heated wall at constant temperature of 350 K. The optimal mesh has been selected by performing mesh independence study and finer mesh has been used in heated wall section. The radii of grooves are varied from 2 to 6 mm with an increment of 0.2 mm considering the manufacturability of the pipe, to do so we use the design of experiments (DOE). All DOE tools in ANSYS software are examined and compared with full factorial results. After DOE process, local heat transfer coefficient values of all groove parts are examined by response surface methodology (RSM).

A novel nested system of tubes with special cross-section as the energy absorber

The present article introduces a new thin-walled specimen with longitudinal grooved section as an energy absorber during the flattening process. On the other hand, this paper examines lateral compression process and energy absorption behavior of grooved sections with special cross-section between two rigid platens. Influences of presence of polyurethane foam-filler and nesting the section by aluminum or brazen tube are studied on energy absorption capability by the structure under the lateral loading in the quasi-static condition. For this aim, seven groups of specimens are prepared and in each group, five similar specimens are tested with different loading angles of 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°, respect to the central line of two grooves of thin-walled section. Effects of presence of foam-filler into the grooved section of single samples and into inner aluminum or brazen tube of nested systems, effects of material type and wall thickness of inner tube of nested grooved sections, and influences of loading angle are investigated on energy absorption behavior and deformation mode of the structures during the flattening process. Based on experimental measurements and between all the tested specimens, the present research work suggest a grooved section with special cross-section that has been nested by an inner polyurethane foam-filled aluminum tube as the best energy absorber during the lateral compression. Finally, results of the present work are compared with represented results of some previous published works by other researchers to find out advantages of the introduced novel nested system of the present article.

Studies on the Effect of Pellet Size on Positive Conveying in Helically Grooved Single Screw Extruders

The helical grooved barrel feed section permits, when the barrel channel aspect ratio and the barrel channel helical angle are properly designed, an operating mode where the positive conveying is prevailing. While the pellet size of materials is varied, different dimension relationships of the barrel channel depth and pellet size could induce different equivalent barrel channel aspect ratios with the transformation of solids conveying mechanisms from the positive conveying to the friction-drag conveying. Considering the effect of dimension relationships on the solids conveying mechanism, a novel pellet-size physical model was established to guide the available design of the barrel channel geometry for positive conveying. In the pellet-size model, one or two shear interfaces were identified inside the solid-plug resulting in different equivalent barrel channel aspect ratios, based on which the solids conveying mechanism on the shear interfaces was detailed by the boundary condition equations for positive conveying. Besides, the theoretical simulations are also compared with the on-line measuring experimental data. The results show that the equivalent barrel channel aspect ratio on the shear interfaces exists indeed and determines the solids conveying mechanism, which is well confirmed by the excellent consistence between the predicted and measured data.

Finite element analysis of plastic deformation in variable lead axisymmetric forward spiral extrusion

A modified axisymmetric forward spiral extrusion (AFSE) has been proposed recently to enhance the strain accumulation during the process. The new technique is called variable lead axisymmetric forward spiral extrusion (VLAFSE) that features a variable lead along the extrusion direction. To assess the effect of design modification on plastic deformation, a comprehensive study has been performed here using a 3D transient finite element (FE) model. The FE results established the shear deformation as the dominant mode of deformation which has been confirmed experimentally. The variable lead die extends strain accumulation in the radial and longitudinal directions over the entire grooved section of the die and eliminates the rigid body rotation which occurs in the case of a constant lead die, AFSE. A comparison of forming loads for VLAFSE and AFSE proved the advantages of the former design in the reduction of the forming load which is more pronounced under higher frictional coefficients. This finding proves that the efficiency of VLAFSE is higher than that of AFSE. Besides, the significant amount of accumulated shear strain in VLAFSE along with non-axisymmetric distribution of friction creates a surface feature in the processed sample called zipper effect that has been investigated.

Increasing the efficiency of the extrusion process

AbstractThe article presents constructional methods of increasing the efficiency of the polymer extrusion process. Increasing the efficiency of the polymer extrusion process consists in the increase of the flow rate of the processed polymer and the energy efficiency of polymer processing extruders and the decrease of the specific energy consumption and the pulsation of the flow rate and polymer pressure, as well as quality improvement of the received extrudate as a result of better homogenization of mechanical and thermal properties and polymer structure. Therefore, the improvement of the constructional solution of the screw and barrel of the extruder plasticating system was discussed. The improvement of the construction of the screw lies in using the active and passive grooved barrel section. Original constructional solutions of the active grooved section with both longitudinal and helical grooves were shown. The devices increasing the efficiency of the extrusion were also shown, which included a screen changer, a melt pump, and a static mixer. Appropriate conclusions were drawn. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers

Niektore nowe problemy sterowania automatycznego procesem wytlaczania

Control of an extrusion process in the extruder with a passive grooved feed section bases on either the screw velocity change (Fig. 1) or the changes of temperatures of particular heating zones of plastifying system and extruder head. This work concerns the better use of possibility of control offered by the extruder with active grooved feed section. Its constructional features can fit the processes carrying out in it (Fig. 3). An idea of an extruder, allowing changing the direction of the grooves' torsion during the extrusion as well as to change continuously an angle of the grooves' torsion and their cross-section shape, was elaborated and then the model and a prototype were constructed. On this basis the conditions allowing selecting the optimal couple of screw velocity and an angle of the grooves' torsion leading to the optimal work of an extruder (Figs. 5 and 6) were presented. These activities and application of self-learning mechanisms, using the artificial intelligence methods, allow constructing the system of automatic control of an extrusion process, able to improve its own efficiency gradually with extruder use. A number of limitations of such optimization were pointed out.

The effect of the feed section groove taper angle on the performance of a single‐screw extruder

AbstractA new mechanism is described that allows adjustment of the groove geometry in grooved feed extruders. This mechanism enables efficient, continuous and independent change of the groove geometry during the extrusion process. The patented solution of the activated grooved feed section enables one to change the number of grooves, taper angle and, connected with it, groove depth. The paper contains the graphical presentation of the selected results of experimental studies of autothermal extrusion of a medium density polyethylene in an extruder with the grooved feed section in which the groove taper angle, and thus groove depth, was changed during the extrusion process. The influence of changing the groove taper angle in the range from 0 to 5.236 × 10−2 rad and screw speeds ranging from 177 to 279 rev/min on extruder output was studied. The energy efficiency of the extruder was studied as well.

A Throughput Model for Grooved Bush Extruders

Abstract On modern extrusion plants, polyolefins are generally processed using barrels that have a grooved feed section. Accurate calculation of the melt throughput is of decisive importance for the process engineering layout of these extruders. Up to the point at which the limit speed that gives rise to the conversion from solid friction to melt film friction is attained, the conveying capacity is determined by the feed zone that is filled with granules. This paper sets out a method of calculating the throughput for speeds below this limit, paying consideration to the melt flow components in both the screw channel and the grooves. The calculation method was verified experimentally with the aid of throughput measurements for different polyolefins. The results generally fall within a tolerance range of +/−10 %.

Augmented Heat Transfer in a Recovery Passage Downstream From a Grooved Section: An Example of Uncoupled Heat/Momentum Transport

Earlier experiments have shown that cutting transverse grooves into one surface of a rectangular cross-sectional passage stimulates flow instabilities that greatly enhance heat transfer/pumping power performance of air flows in the Reynolds number range 1000 < Re < 5000. In the current work, heat transfer, pressure, and velocity measurements in a flat passage downstream from a grooved region are used to study how the flow recovers once it is disturbed. The time-averaged and unsteady velocity profiles, as well as the heat transfer coefficient, are dramatically affected for up to 20 hydraulic diameters past the end of the grooved section. The recovery lengths for shear stress and pressure gradient are significantly shorter and decrease rapidly for Reynolds numbers greater than Re = 3000. As a result, a 5.4-hydraulic-diameter-long recovery region requires 44 percent less pumping power for a given heat transfer level than if grooving continued.

Determination of stable crack growth resistance of ductile material using an rdcb specimen

A method to determine the plane stress fracture resistance curve for the stable crack growth of ductile material is presented. A reinforced double cantilever beam (RDCB) specimen of thin grooved section is used to determine the COD and JR of aluminium 2024-T3 material which exhibits substantial stable crack growth. The method makes use of the BEF and Dugdale models to determine the load-deflection behaviour of the specimen. The derivation is based on the experimentally determined load and crack extension values. The crack growth resistance for specimens of different thicknesses are deduced using the proposed method and are compared with those of the compliance method as well as the finite element method.