Particle Heating Research Articles

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Analysis of Aerosol Deposition: Investigating Nozzle Effects on Particle Dynamics and Deposition

Aerosol deposition (AD), also known as vacuum kinetic spray (VKS), is used to deposit dense ceramic films onto a substrate surface at room temperature. One predominant factor influencing the overall deposition process is the nozzle geometry, which significantly impacts the quality, shape, and thickness of the coating. To evaluate the effect of nozzle geometry in AD, particle trajectory and impact velocity were investigated via computational simulation. A Eulerian-Lagrangian model was used to simulate the gas flow, particle in-flight behavior, as well as particle deposition characteristics on a flat substrate. Three common nozzle geometries in AD were utilized: a converging-diverging nozzle with a slit cross-section (CD-Slit), a converging-barrel nozzle with a slit cross-section (CB-Slit), and a converging-diverging round (CD-Round) nozzle. Moreover, suitable drag coefficient and Nusselt number correlations were used to account for compressibility and rarefaction effects on particle dynamics and heat transfer. The simulation results were compared to the deposition pattern obtained experimentally. The results demonstrate that shape of the nozzle has profound effect on the particle impact velocity and deposition pattern. The CD-Round nozzle provides uniform, thinner coatings ideal for extensive surfaces at a slower deposition rate. In contrast, the CB-Slit nozzle is optimized for maximum coating thickness in narrow, thick linear patterns. The CD-Slit nozzle achieves high deposition rates with uniform coatings and a distinctive cat-ear shaped pattern.

Earthward‐Tailward Asymmetry of Plasma Temperature in Reconnection Outflow in Earth's Magnetotail

AbstractTo explore the asymmetry in ion and electron heating at Earth's magnetotail at mid‐tail distances ( −30 ), we analyze near‐simultaneous observations of reconnection outflows from two opposite sides of reconnection sites at those distances using Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) data. We report a pronounced temperature asymmetry between the earthward and tailward reconnection outflows. The asymmetry is more significant for electrons than for ions: Earthward moving ions are only three times hotter than tailward ones, but earthward moving electrons are 5–20 times hotter than tailward ones. The closed field‐line topology on the earthward side of the reconnection region, as opposed to the open topology on the tailward side, is likely a critical contributor to this asymmetry. These findings cast light on the underlying mechanisms of particle heating and energization in magnetotail reconnection, highlighting the significant role of Earth's dipolar magnetic field. This study offers insights for refining magnetic reconnection models, emphasizing the importance of incorporating realistic magnetic field topologies to accurately simulate the heating and energization processes observed in space plasma environments.

Magnetic Triggering of Functional Organosilica Filler Particles for Controlling the Thermoreversible Attachment to Polymer Matrices.

Polymer materials containing filler particles are widely used in automotive components, construction materials, packaging materials, medical devices and supplies, and much more. The fillers strongly modulate the properties of the composite. In some applications, one is interested in smart features of those composites, meaning one can post-synthetically and reversibly change the characteristics as a response to an easy-to-apply trigger. For example, if the excision of an implant material may become necessary, then the polymer-filler hybrid changing from mechanically robust to soft(er) would be very beneficial. Here, we present a proof-of-concept study that shows that stimuli-responsive polymer-filler composites can be achieved by functional organosilica nanoparticles. The nanoparticles comprise a superparamagnetic core surrounded by a mesoporous organosilica shell. The polymer matrix is attached to the filler via Diels-Alder coupling to maleimide groups present at the surface of the organosilica. Exposure to an alternating magnetic field generates local heat in the organosilica particles. Utilizing fluorescence probes bound to the polymer backbone's side chains, we could prove that detachment occurs via a retro-Diels-Alder reaction within minutes.

The effect of CD4 injection on WD molecule sputtering at the divertor target in EAST

Tungsten (W) is one of the preferred plasma-facing materials for future fusion reactors because of the advantages of high melting point, low physical sputtering rate and low fuel retention. The lifetime and service performance of W materials are limited by erosion processes. In recent years, tungsten deuteride molecular (WD) sputtering has been discovered in tokamak. Studying WD sputtering helps to better understand the erosion of tungsten materials in tokamak. EAST adopts the method of injecting impurity gas in the divertor to alleviate the particle flux and heat flux bombarding the tungsten divertor, and CD4 is one of the impurities used. CD4 injection experiments on EAST show that after CD4 is injected from the upper outer (UO) divertor target, despite that the electron temperature (Te) around the strike point on the UO divertor target drops to about 8 eV, strong WD sputtering occurs in the far scrape-off layer (SOL) region. The divertor probe data shows that after CD4 injection, the particle flux from the upstream plasma onto the divertor split into two bands, creating a new particle flux strike point in the far SOL region. The energy of incident particles at the original strike point is significantly reduced, while the energy of incident particles at the far SOL region is enhanced. The edge electron density profile at mid-plane indicates that CD4 injection causes an increase of density in the SOL, which could improve the coupling of Lower-Hybrid Wave (LHW) with the edge plasma as evidenced by the decreasing reflected power of LHW. The increase in absorbed power of LHW could change the particle and energy transport in the edge plasma, thus plays an important role in the enhanced WD sputtering in the far SOL region after CD4 injection.

N exus: a framework for controlled simulations of idealized galaxies

ABSTRACT Motivated by the need for realistic, dynamically self-consistent, evolving galaxy models that avoid the complexity of full, and zoom-in, cosmological simulations, we have developed Nexus, an integral framework to create and evolve synthetic galaxies made of collisionless and gaseous components. Nexus leverages the power of publicly available, tried-and-tested packages: the stellar-dynamics, action-based library Action-based Galaxy Modelling Architecture (AGAMA); and the adaptive mesh refinement, N-body/hydrodynamical code Ramses, modified to meet our needs. In addition, we make use of a proprietary module to account for galaxy formation physics, including gas cooling and heating, star formation, stellar feedback, and chemical enrichment. Nexus’ basic functionality consists in the generation of bespoke initial conditions (ICs) for a diversity of galaxy models, which are advanced in time to simulate the galaxy’s evolution. The fully self-consistent ICs are generated with a distribution-function-based approach, as implemented in the galaxy modelling module of AGAMA – up to now restricted to collisionless components, extended in this work to treat two types of gaseous configurations: hot haloes and gas discs. Nexus allows constructing equilibrium models with disc gas fractions $0~\le ~f_{\rm {\rm gas}}~\le ~1$, appropriate to model both low- and high-redshift galaxies. Similarly, the framework is ideally suited to the study of galactic ecology, i.e. the dynamical interplay between stars and gas over billions of years. As a validation and illustration of our framework, we reproduce several isolated galaxy model setups reported in earlier studies, and present a new, ‘nested bar’ galaxy simulation. Future upgrades of Nexus will include magnetohydrodynamics and highly energetic particle (‘cosmic ray’) heating.

Effect of Process Parameters on Yttria‐Stabilized Zirconia Particles In‐Flight Behavior and Melting State in Atmospheric Plasma Spraying

The preparation of coatings by atmospheric plasma spraying gives rise to complex physical processes, which present challenges to the study of plasma jet characteristics and particle in‐flight behavior. Herein, a 3D numerical model that integrates multiple physical phenomena, including electromagnetism and thermal and gas dynamics, to simulate the heating, acceleration, and melting of particles under the thermal–mechanical effect, is developed. Meanwhile, yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings are prepared under varying process parameters. The DPV‐2000 system is employed for the diagnosis of particle velocity, surface temperature, and diameter. Following comparison, the simulation exhibits errors of 4.5% and 14.8% for the maximum temperature and velocity, respectively. An increase in current intensity from 500 to 600 A results in a rise in the proportion of particles exhibiting temperatures above the melting point (2963 K), from 75.1 to 93.4%, accompanied by an increase in average velocity of ≈16.6%. As the spraying distance increases from 60 to 100 mm, the proportion of particles melting decreases from 93.5 to 66.3%, and the average velocity decreases by ≈9.2%. This work will provide a theoretical foundation for the optimization of process parameters to adjust particle behavior and melting state, thus achieving an optimal spraying effect.

Insight into particle size distribution and particle-scale reactions in a supercritical water fluidized bed reactor by CPFD method

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) provides a promising solution for converting coal into hydrogen-rich gaseous. However, the modelling of the coal SCWG process still poses challenges due to the heterogeneous particle distribution, large quantity of particles, and complex chemical reactions. This study presents a novel three-dimensional numerical model based on computational particle fluid dynamics (CPFD) to study coal particle gasification in the reactor. The model integrates realistic coal particle size distribution, heat and mass transfer phenomena alongside heterogeneous/homogeneous chemical reactions across phases, elucidating multi-scale reacting flow behaviors and illustrating particle volume fraction, size, and velocity distributions. The obtained results reveal the evolution of coal composition, particle scale gasification process, and distribution of gaseous product components in the supercritical fluidized bed reactor. This work aims to serve as a reference for understanding the flow and heat transfer phenomena between supercritical water and coal particles in SCWG reactors.

Whistler wave scattering of energetic electrons past 90°

The consequences of a 90° barrier in the scattering of energetic electrons by whistler waves are explored with self-consistent two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. In the presence of a 90° scattering barrier, a field-aligned heat flux of energetic electrons will rapidly scatter to form a uniform distribution with pitch angles 0<θ<90° but with a discontinuous jump at θ=90° to a lower energy distribution of electrons with 90°<θ<180°. However, simulations reveal that such a distribution contains a large reservoir of free energy that is released to drive large-amplitude, oblique-propagating whistler waves (δB/B0∼0.1). As a result, energetic electrons near a pitch angle 90° experience strong resonance scattering. Nearly half of the energetic electrons in the positive parallel velocity plane cross the 90° barrier and diffuse to negative parallel velocities. Thus, the late-time electron velocity distribution becomes nearly isotropic. This result has implications for understanding the regulation of energetic particle heat flux in space and astrophysical environments, including the solar corona, the solar wind, and the intracluster medium of galaxy clusters.

Solar Orbiter Observations of Proton and Alpha Particle Kinetic Signatures Related to the Presence of Switchbacks in the Inner Heliosphere: A Case Study

We investigate how ions, namely protons and alpha particles, kinetically react to the presence of strong deflections in the magnetic field, the so-called switchbacks, in the first stream of slow Alfvénic wind observed by Solar Orbiter at the heliocentric distance of 0.64 au. We focus on an isolated, large-scale switchback, and we study in detail ion kinetic properties. Beyond the expected correlation between the magnetic deflection and ion velocity related to the Alfvénic nature of the switchbacks, we find that, within the switchback, proton and alpha particle densities increase, suggesting ongoing wave activity. Very interestingly, we observe a clear correlation between the magnetic deflection and alpha particle temperature, while no correlation has been found with proton temperature. This is an indication of a possible role played by switchbacks in preferentially heating heavy ions. Our results suggest that the presence of switchbacks can induce a deformation of the proton velocity distribution function, while the preferential heating of alpha particles could be due to a denser secondary beam and a smaller relative drift speed between the beam and core.

Configuration optimization of a biomass chemical looping gasification (CLG) system combined with CO2 absorption

Biomass chemical looping gasification (CLG) combined with CO2 absorption in a dual circulating fluidized bed (DCFB) has emerged as an advanced technology for clean and efficient biomass utilization, yet the reactor design for achieving higher gasification performance and the in-depth understanding of physical-thermal-chemical characteristics is still lacking. This study presents an optimized design aimed at enhancing hydrogen production and carbon reduction in the biomass CLG process with a DCFB reactor by employing the multiphase particle-in-cell (MP-PIC) method integrated with thermochemical sub-models. The proposed reactor is comprehensively compared with the original reactor from the experimental setup in terms of particle mixing, heat transfer, and gasification behaviors. The results indicate that compared to the original setups, the proposed CLG system demonstrates: (i) an improved gas-solid mixing, as evidenced by the particle mixing index rising from 0.23 to 0.34; (ii) an enhanced particle heat transfer coefficient, which boosts heat and mass transfer process; (iii) a 10.11 % increase in H2 concentration alongside a 23.71 % decrease in CO2 concentration; (iv) a particle distribution characterized by higher concentration at the bottom and lower concentration at the top, along with intensified particle back-mixing. The pressure drop inside the combustor is higher than that in the gasifier. A smaller absorbent mean particle diameter and lower-positioned biomass feeding port contribute to the improvement of the CLG performance.

Effect of Particle Size, Lubricant, and Heat Temperature on the Flowability of Ni-Based Powders for Additive Manufacturing

Effect of Particle Size, Lubricant, and Heat Temperature on the Flowability of Ni-Based Powders for Additive Manufacturing

Influence of Central Coke Ratio on the Internal State of Blast Furnace

Central coke charging (CCC) is a widely used burden distribution method for blast furnaces (BFs). Adjusting the central coke ratio can change the burden temperature field and affect the smooth operation of BF. This study presents a coupled physical and mathematical model, incorporating particle motion, gas flow, and heat transfer between the burden and gas in two 5500 m3 BFs. The central coke ratios of the blast furnace A (BFA) and blast furnace B (BFB) is 15% and 20%, respectively. The root positions of the cohesive zone in the BFA and BFB are in the lower part of the stack and bosh zones, respectively. In the central area of the BF, the gas flow rate, gas temperature, and burden temperature of the BFB are higher. In the edge area of the BF, the gas flow rate, gas temperature, and burden temperature of the BFA are higher. The actual top gas temperature and gas pressure verify the accuracy of the proposed model. This model investigates the influence of the central coke ratio on the position of the cohesive zone, gas flow rate, gas temperature, and burden temperature, providing a cost‐effective method for studying the effect of the burden distribution matrix on the internal state of the BF.

Modelling the ejection of primary aerosols during the fast pyrolysis of biomass anisotropic particles

A model for the fast pyrolysis of anisotropic biomass particles is presented which considers bubbling dynamics within the liquid intermediate phase (metaplast) and aerosol ejection from this phase. The model employs the population balance equation and the method of moments to estimate the production rate and resultant size distribution of aerosol ejections, incorporating a detailed CRECK reaction mechanism, and considers the effect of anisotropic biomass microstructure on the intraparticle transport of mass and energy. This study investigates the impact of particle size, heating rate (heat transfer coefficient), and lignocellulosic composition on aerosol ejection. The model predicts that, at high heating rates (convective heat transfer coefficient of 359 W/m2.K), aerosols can contribute over 20% to the heavy fraction yield in bio-oil for small particles (1 mm diameter, 4 mm length). The model can predict aerosol size distribution and surface area, indicating an average size of 20 μm for bubbles and 5 μm for aerosols during increased bubble production and aerosol ejection rates. These findings are consistent with prior experimental results and provide essential information for future modeling of extra-particle reactions of the aerosols as they progress through the reactor.

Lower hybrid and solitary waves in dusk flank region of the Earth’s magnetosphere

A variety of plasma waves have been detected in the vicinity of the magnetopause by various spacecraft missions. In this paper, utilizing high-resolution data from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, we present new observations of simultaneous lower hybrid and ion solitary waves in the dusk flank region of Earth’s magnetosphere. All four MMS spacecraft consistently observed this wave activity during their traversal from Earth’s magnetosphere to the magnetosheath. Our analysis suggests that the lower hybrid drift waves, driven by lower-hybrid drift instability, were observed in correlation with density gradients. Furthermore, the analysis indicates that the entire ion bulk population drifts, which drives ion solitary waves. It is found that these waves play a crucial role in particle heating in the dusk flank region of Earth’s magnetosphere.

New insight into the thermal stability of the amorphous tetraphenyl-diamine (TPD) – A combined calorimetry/in-situ Raman microscopy study

Non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the influences of particle size daver and heating rate q+ on the crystal growth and decomposition kinetics of amorphous N,N’-bis(3-methylphenyl)-N,N’-bis(phenyl)-benzidine (TPD). The macroscopic crystallization kinetics was found to be strongly dependent on q+. At high q+, the crystal growth proceeded dominantly from the mechanical defects acting as primary growth centers, with the corresponding activation energy being ∼70–80 kJ mol−1. At low q+, the crystalline phase was primarily formed from heterogeneous nuclei, with the activation energy for the growth process being ∼980 kJ mol−1. The prolonged nucleation led to extensive passivation of the surface mechanical defects with respect to their function as direct crystal-growth-accelerating centers. Temperature-resolved in-situ Raman microscopy has confirmed the conclusions derived from the DSC data and helped to identify the residual low-q+ defects-originating crystal growth as proceeding from volume-located micro-cracks. The X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that TPD crystallizes into an identical phase under all circumstances. The thermal decomposition of TPD was found to proceed in a single step, by simple nth-order reaction kinetics with the activation energy of ∼120 kJ mol−1.

Numerical investigation of the physical-thermal-chemical behaviours of particles during coal combustion and desulfurization processes in a CFB combustor

The desulfurization process has been practised for the clean utilization of coal in chemical engineering fields, yet the physical, thermal, and chemical characteristics of particles are still lacking understanding. In this work, a comprehensive numerical model based on the Eulerian-Lagrangian framework was established to study the particle behaviours during coal combustion and desulfurization processes in a pilot-scale circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustor. After model validation, the effects of several crucial operation parameters (e.g., excess air ratio, calcium to sulphur ratio, and calcium oxide size) on particle behaviours are illuminated. The results show that density-induced segregation causes coal particles to accumulate in the upper part of the riser. The sand, coal, and CaO particles have time-averaged Reynolds numbers of 15, 6.5, and 0.5, respectively. The particle temperature is higher in areas with lower solid concentrations. Increasing excess air ratio (ϕg) decreases the temperature of sand particles but elevates that of coal and CaO particles. The average particle heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) for sand, coal, and CaO particles are 205 W/m2·K, 172 W/m2·K, and 275 W/m2·K, respectively. With the increase in ϕg, the HTC of sand particles increases but that of CaO particles remains unchanged, additionally, the mass of coal particles decreases and the mass of carbon in coal particles decreases along with the riser. The influence of the Ca/S ratio and CaO size on the axial distribution of coal particle mass and carbon mass fraction is negligible. For each particle species, the axial dispersion coefficient (Dz) is two orders of magnitude greater than the radial ones (Dx, Dy), indicating that the vertical introduction of the fluidizing gas dominates the dense gas-solid flow in the riser.

Modeling the evaporation and drying of two-component slurry droplets

In this paper, we present a mathematical model and numerical simulation for the evaporation and drying of a liquid droplet containing suspended solids, relevant to processes such as spray drying and spray pyrolysis in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The model comprises three stages: first is the evaporation of the liquid droplet consisting of solid particles, followed by the second stage starting with the formation of a porous crust around a wet-core region and, finally, the third stage with sensible heating of the dry particle. Using a finite difference method with a moving grid, we account for the moving interface between the crust and wet core. Our model incorporates spatial temperature variations and is validated against experimental data on colloidal silica droplet drying, showing good agreement. We examine model assumptions and analyze the impact of drying conditions on drying rate and final particle morphology. Along with the temperature and velocity of the drying gas, we also find that the shape of suspended solid particles inside the droplet and assuming continuum flow of vapor through the crust influence drying quality. Finally, we develop a regime map to predict whether the final particle will be solid or hollow based on operating conditions.

Design and development of pilot plant applied to wind and light abandonment power conversion: Electromagnetic heating of solid particles and steam generator

With the rising capacity of renewable energy electricity but incomplete supporting dissipation equipment, this work develops a new charging and discharging device for electromagnetic heating of solid particles to convert electricity from renewable sources into superheated steam, which achieves battery storage efficiency with sufficient safety, terrain-independent and scalable through paralleling. The study reveals that the electro-thermal conversion efficiency of electromagnetically heated iron ore particles increases with particle mass flow rate at different wall temperatures, reaching a maximum of 93.8% at 500 °C. In contrast, the efficiency trend for quartz sand particles is inconsistent, peaking at 68% due to poor thermal conductivity causing inefficiencies at higher mass flow rates. A dimensionless mathematical model (Re-Nu, Re < 10) for both particles is derived from experimental data, offering theoretical guidance for industrialization. Experiments with a shell-and-tube solid particle-packed bed yield continuous production of 35 kg/h, 300 °C superheated steam for 12 min with an 86.4% discharge efficiency and achieve an 81% cycle efficiency, which surpasses compressed air storage(60%), approaches battery and flywheel efficiency(85%). Economic feasibility analysis for a 5MW/5MWH system under two business models demonstrates a short payback period of 2.62 years when providing industrial steam and 6.4 years when used in thermal power plant flexibility transformation. Technological innovations to improve equipment efficiency are critical to the first business mode (selling steam), while grid-determined peak prices are critical to the latter (thermal flexibility retrofits). The study underscores the technical and economic superiority of the proposed devices for utilizing abandoned wind and light, providing a novel solution for carbon reduction and peak shaving in the context of new energy.

Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Matrix Syntactic Foams Manufactured with Aluminum Smelter Waste

Aluminum smelter waste (ASW) is a big contributor to landfill and its recycling has been of great interest. This study characterizes the ASW powder, manufactures aluminum matrix syntactic foams using ASW, and investigates their mechanical properties. Different particle size groups of the ASW powder contain different impurities and porosities, leading to different strengths. The mechanical behaviors of the ASW syntactic foams are similar to existing metal matrix syntactic foams. The compressive yield strength, plateau strength, and specific energy absorbed vary in the ranges of 111–398, 33–145 MPa, and 18–71 MJ m−3. The flexural strength and flexural modulus vary in the ranges of 8–138 MPa and 13–72 GPa. The peak impact strength and impact energy in drop‐weight impact vary in the ranges of 192–547 MPa and 16–29 J. Particle size and heat treatment of the ASW powder have significant effects on the properties and brittleness of the resultant syntactic foam.

Viscous heating and thermal gyration of magneto-micropolar fluid particles through an isothermal porous fixed channel with internal non-uniform heat generation: An analytical investigation

The experimental and theoretical analysis of viscous dissipation and heat generation/absorption management is crucial in engineering, medical, biological, and exploration activities. This study investigates the analytical solution of viscous heating and thermal gyration of magneto-micropolar fluid particles across a resistive medium with internal non-uniform heat generation/absorption. The formulated partial differential equations were appropriately converted into coupled ordinary differential equations employing similarity variables along with the boundary conditions. The simulation of the resultant equations is carried out using the collocating weighted residual scheme, and the result is validated using the shooting technique via the Runge-Kutta method of order four, Adomian decomposition technique, variational iteration scheme, differential transform method, and quasi-linearization technique as the control methods. Tabular and graphical representations are provided to illustrate the flow characteristics. Taking from the results, the existence of a magnetic field retards the gyration of the fluid particle motion. The spin gradient and vortex viscosity terms reveal the reverse occurrence of micro-rotation distribution, and it is seen that the porosity term suppresses the velocity field. Furthermore, it is observed that the parameters that enhance internal heat generation decrease the viscosity of the fluid in the region. Hence, these findings will assist scientists and engineers to effectively manage heat generation/absorption in industries where effective heat transfer activities are crucial to achieving ideal performance and reducing energy waste.