Cavity Growth Research Articles

Behavior of hydrofoil cavitation in a slit channel

The paper presents the results of a cavitation in a slit channel study and offers an analytical description of cavity development. Special emphasis was placed on examining partial cavitation near a NACA 0012 hydrofoil (NACA – the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) inside slit channels of different geometries. Experimental investigation was carried out via high-speed imaging and the laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) method. The experimental data showed that the local flow velocity in hydrofoil leading edge area increased abruptly under arising cavitation. In addition, occurrence of cavitation raised flow velocity pulsation by 20%. In the case of a shorter channel, cavity growth occurred at higher cavitation numbers than for a longer channel. The cavity growth velocity was higher for a shorter channel. We showed that the tendency of partial cavitation development in the slit channel can be described as follows: L/C ∼ σ−1, where L is the cavity length; C is the hydrofoil chord; σ is the cavitation number; and parameter A changes as the slit channel length is varied. Comparison of cavitation development near hydrofoil at different attack angles α inside the slit channel with a three-dimensional (3D) cavitation tunnel was conducted. Cavitation in the slit channel occurred at lower σ/2α values compared to 3D cavitation flow around the hydrofoil. To directly compare lengths of the attached cavities arising in slit channels and 3D cavitation tunnels, an additional parameter is proposed, taking into account friction of the slit channel: K = λ·l/D. This parameter allowed us to quantitatively compare the characteristics of cavitating hydrofoils in slit channels and 3D tunnels. The paper provides the governing criteria of the cavitation in the slit channel. Our results propose the physical foundations for the development of cavities in the slit channel.

Growth rate of a giant Tarlov (perineural) cyst with intrapelvic extension

Background and importanceGiant Tarlov cysts (GTCs) are perineural cysts and their presacral intrapelvic extension are extremely rare entities. We present a case of GTC with intrapelvic extension who has preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) follow-ups of 12 years, and we demonstrate the annual growth rate and the time-size correlation of a GTC.MethodsCase report.Clinical presentationA 37-year-old woman was admitted with left gluteal pain radiating to left foot, left leg numbness, progressed over 12 years. On MRI, starting from the L5–S1 level, a giant Tarlov cyst with an atypical configuration, is observed. The patient had a known sacral Tarlov cyst, first discovered on MRI obtained 12 years before the surgery. She had 6 consecutive MRI follow-ups in 12 years preoperatively. The cysts diameters have been measured and the growth rate was estimated. We showed for the first time that presented GTC grows in in both Sagittal Diagonal (SD) and Sagittal Craniocaudal (SC) diameters over time with overall annual growth rates, 7.671% for RGR_SD and 6.237% for RGR_SC.ConclusionWhen the time-size correlation is observed, it becomes evident that the GTSs’ growing speed increases over the years because of minimal resistance in the intrapelvic cavity. Early surgery may be considered to prevent rapid growth in the intrapelvic cavity and to reduce possible complications of the giant cyst.

Influence of temperature on hot corrosion behavior of GH4169 superalloy subjected to Na2SO4–NaCl salts attack

This work studies the hot corrosion behavior of GH4169 Ni-based superalloy, deposited with a mixture of salts comprising 95 wt% Na2SO4 and 5 wt% NaCl, across three distinct temperatures (i.e., 650 °C, 800 °C and 950 °C). Corrosion and non-corrosive exposure experiments were compared, yielding data on mass loss and gain, respectively. Material characterization results revealed that the corrosion layer was mainly comprised of Cr2O3, Fe2O3, NiO, Al2O3, TiO2, NbS2 and MoS2. Notably, as the temperature ascended from 650 °C to over 800 °C, the corrosion mechanisms underwent a transition from pitting to uniform corrosion, corresponding to low-temperature hot corrosion and high-temperature hot corrosion, respectively. At 650 °C, a large number of semi-ellipsoidal corrosion pits manifested on the surface. Conversely, at 800 °C and 950 °C, the corrosion layer on the surface exhibited nearly uniform spallation. The pit growth model and spallation dynamics model were, respectively, developed based on the observed microstructure features. The models serve as tools for quantitative examination of the hot corrosion process of the superalloy at different temperatures.

Combined effect of chloride and sulfate ions on the corrosion behavior of Q355B steel in simulated concrete pore solution

By integrating electrochemical testing and microscopic characterization, this paper investigates the corrosion behavior of Cl- and SO42- on Q355B steel in high pH simulated concrete pore solutions. Experiments showed that when Cl- and SO42- were brought into the simulated concrete pore solution system, the corrosion exhibited inhibition then promotion as the SO42- concentration increased. The occurrence of this phenomenon can be attributed to the competitive adsorption of Cl- and SO42-, which initially inhibits corrosion, followed by synergistic penetration that promotes corrosion. Moreover, SO42- have a negligible impact on the formation of pitting but encourages the growth of already-formed pits. Surface roughness exhibited a decrease with the increase of SO42- concentration.

Development of corrosion-fatigue analysis method of cable hangers in tied-arch bridges considering train-bridge interaction

This study proposes an integrated corrosion-fatigue analysis method for bridge hangers by combining the dynamic bridge-train interaction analysis for random train arrivals with various speeds and the linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM)-based crack propagation analysis considering the corrosion-fatigue effects. Accordingly, a three-stage process, namely, zinc coating corrosion, pit-crack transition, and corrosion-fatigue crack propagation for wires in hangers, was proposed to simulate the total service life. A train-bridge-interaction analysis was conducted on a tied-arch bridge with multiple cable hangers using the vector form intrinsic finite element method, where the stresses in the hangers were generated under high-speed train loads. The pit-crack transition was analyzed based on the pit growth and fatigue growth; whose rates compete to dominate the transition phenomenon. The fatigue crack growth rate was estimated using a LEFM approach considering the equivalent stress ranges and number of stress cycles. The effects of reducing the cable cross-section and updating the internal stress of the multi-layered wires were investigated. The present method was compared with the continuum damage mechanics model for validation. A relatively short remaining corrosion-fatigue life was found in the cables under the train loads, after corrosion of the zinc coating and pit-crack transition in the steel wires were developed.

Anti-Infection of Oral Microorganisms from Herbal Medicine of Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav.

The WHO Global Status Report on Oral Health 2022 reveals that oral diseases caused by infection with oral pathogenic microorganisms affect nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide. Oral health problems are caused by the presence of S. mutans, S. sanguinis, E. faecalis and C. albicans in the oral cavity. Synthetic anti-infective drugs have been widely used to treat oral infections, but have been reported to cause side effects and resistance. Various strategies have been implemented to overcome this problem. Synthetic anti-infective drugs have been widely used to treat oral infections, but they have been reported to cause side effects and resistance. Therefore, it is important to look for safe anti-infective alternatives. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies suggest that Red Betel leaf (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav) could be a potential source of oral anti-infectives. This review aims to discuss the pathogenesis mechanism of several microorganisms that play an important role in causing health problems, the mechanism of action of synthetic oral anti-infective drugs in inhibiting microbial growth in the oral cavity, and the potential of red betel leaf (Piper crocatum Ruiz & Pav) as an herbal oral anti-infective drug. This study emphasises the importance of researching natural components as an alternative treatment for oral infections that is more effective and can meet global needs.

Suppression of helium migration in arc-melted and 3D-printed CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloy

We compare the evolution and migration of helium cavities in 3D-printed and arc-melted CoCrFeMnNi high entropy alloys (HEAs), and 304 stainless steel (SS), using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The materials are subjected to Ni and He sequential implantation as well as subsequent thermal annealing. After irradiation at room temperature, all samples initially display similar He cavity sizes. Annealing up to 673 K has a minimal impact on cavity size. However, annealing at 873 K leads to significant cavity growth. Both HEA materials exhibit larger average cavity sizes compared to 304 SS, while a higher proportion of small cavities is found in the 304 SS. This indicates that Ostwald Ripening is more prevalent in 304 SS, confirmed by in-situ thermal annealing in TEM. Depth distribution analysis reveals distinct cavity belts after annealing: from the narrowest in 3D printed HEA to the broadest belts in 304 SS. These results indicate that the He concentration at the peak of irradiation damage decreases in the same order. We suggest that the long-range migration of He atoms is limited in both the Cantor and 3D-printed Cantor HEAs, potentially due to the complex diffusion paths of the He atoms.

A thermodynamically consistent creep constitutive model considering damage mechanisms

This paper derives a physically-based creep-damage and life prediction model through the basic laws of thermodynamics. The model divides creep damage into two parts: one corresponding to high temperature and low stress, related to cavity nucleation and cavity growth, and the other corresponding to high stress, related to dislocation movement. The creep strain rate consists of two components: diffusion creep, which is assumed to occur in all stress ranges, and dislocation-related creep, which activates when the external stress exceeds a certain threshold. The proposed model characterizes damage by the degradation of creep free energy. It accurately describes creep behavior over a wide stress range, including the transition phenomena observed in creep strain rate curves and creep life curves. This provides a constitutive reference for simulating long-term creep damage and life based on short-term creep data.

Lattice numerical modeling of the effects of synthetic gas flow rate and pre-existing cleat dimensions on the crack propagation and cavity growth in UCG process

Lattice numerical modeling of the effects of synthetic gas flow rate and pre-existing cleat dimensions on the crack propagation and cavity growth in UCG process

Durolon® polymer as a nuclear track detector: Characterization by chemical etching

This paper presents the properties of alpha particle tracks in a polymer, known as Durolon®. The study involves measurements of the time-dependent evolution of etch pit diameters and areal densities for low-energy alpha particles under various etching conditions, including different temperatures and solutions. A time-dependent model was successfully employed to describe the etch pit growth rates. Additionally, optical absorption and Raman spectroscopy techniques were applied to the samples under investigation, complementing the traditional results obtained through optical microscopy. The suitability of Durolon® polymer as a nuclear track detector is discussed based on the results obtained from the aforementioned complementary techniques. In summary, this research represents a critical step toward establishing Durolon® polymer as a viable nuclear track detector.

Swelling at high radiation damage levels of 120 and 240 dpa in 3.5 MeV self-ion irradiated ferritic/martensitic steels

The swelling behavior of ferritic/martensitic steels (FC92–B/-N, HT9, and Gr.92) was investigated following 3.5 MeV Fe++ ion irradiation. Tested alloys were helium-pre-implanted up to the peak contents of 120 and 240 appm with He/dpa ratio of 1 appm/dpa at room temperature and then exposed to self-ion beam to the peak damage conditions of 120 and 240 dpa at 475 °C. Field-emission transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the cavity evolution. FC92–B exhibited the highest resistance to swelling among the irradiated alloys. The final volumetric swelling of FC92–B reached 1.3 % at 70 dpa and 2.9 % at 140 dpa. On the other hand, HT9 exhibited the highest swelling, reaching 7.4 % at 140 dpa. Comparing the present swelling results at 140 dpa/140 appm He with swelling data at 280 dpa/280 appm He from our previous study, it was observed that Gr.92 and FC92–N swelled more at 140 dpa/140 appm He than at 280 dpa/280 appm He. This negative correlation between swelling and dose in Gr.92 and FC92–N is primarily attributed to the helium-associated swelling suppression at higher helium concentration of 280 appm. A bimodal cavity size distribution appeared only in Gr.92 and FC92–N at 280 dpa/280 appm. This result demonstrates that the excess amount of helium over 200 appm promoted early-stabilization of new-born cavities, resulting in preferentially enhanced cavity nucleation, while impeding the growth of nucleated cavities. An inhibition in cavity growth possibly led to an extended duration of nucleation-dominant stages, finally suppressing swelling in ion-irradiated Gr.92 and FC92–N alloys.

Corrosion fatigue mechanisms and evaluation methods of high‐strength steel wires: A state‐of‐the‐art review

AbstractCorrosion significantly degrades the fatigue performance of high‐strength steel wires. This study conducts an extensive review of corrosion fatigue in corroded steel wires based on relevant literature. It outlines corrosion fatigue evolution mechanisms and discusses various test methodologies. Six distinct approaches are employed to assess corrosion fatigue life. A three‐stage multiscale corrosion fatigue evolution process involves pitting formation and growth, short crack propagation, and long crack propagation. Advanced fatigue assessment methods like the theory of critical distances (TCD) and the strain energy density (SED) are explored for predicting the corrosion fatigue life for corroded steel wires. A model utilizes an elastoplastic corrosion fatigue damage framework to comprehensively represent the complex interactions. The physics‐data‐driven method has garnered increasing attention due to its requirement of fewer sample data and good robustness. Moreover, the reliability method underscores its pivotal role in guaranteeing the longevity of suspenders and cables in practical settings.

Management of Fungating Oral Cancer: A Case Report

Abstract Fungating growths are most distressing causing substantial psychological distress for patients and families. Malodor associated with fungating growth causes social isolation, yet malodor management remains suboptimal. Management of fungating cancer growth of oral cavity is unique and difficult. This paper discusses the management of malodor and infection associated with fungating wound including definitive treatment of fungating growth of an oral cavity cancer patient.

Nucleation of Pitting and Evolution of Stripping on Lithium-Metal Anodes.

The stripping reaction of lithium (Li) will greatly impact the cyclability and safety of Li-metal batteries. However, Li pits' nucleation and growth, the origin of uneven stripping, are still poorly understood. In this study, we analyze the nucleation mechanism of Li pits and their morphology evolution with a large population and electrode area (>0.45 cm2). We elucidate the dependence of the pit size and density on the current density and overpotential, which are aligned with classical nucleation theory. With a confocal laser scanning microscope, we reveal the preferential stripping on certain crystal grains and a new stripping mode between pure pitting and stripping without pitting. Descriptors like circularity and the aspect ratio (R) of the pit radius to depth are used to quantify the evolution of Li pits in three dimensions. As the pits grow, growth predominates along the through-planedirection, surpassing the expanding rate in the in-plane direction. After analyzing more than 1000 pits at each condition, we validate that the overpotential is inversely related to the pit radius and exponentially related to the rate of nucleation. With this established nucleation-overpotential relationship, we can better understand and predict the evolution of the surface area and roughness of Li electrodes under different stripping conditions. The knowledge and methodology developed in this work will significantly benefit Li-metal batteries' charging/discharging profile design and the assessment of large-scale Li-metal foils.

Mechanistic insights into chemical corrosion of AA1050 in ethanol‐blended fuels with water contamination via phase field modeling

AbstractAluminum alloys are widely used in automotive construction, and since the introduction of biogenic ethanol into fuels, the issue of nonaqueous alcoholate corrosion has become an important topic. In this paper, the kinetics of AA1050 temperature‐induced alcoholate pitting corrosion are examined experimentally with a specially constructed microreactor. The generated data are utilized to create a phase field model for the pit growth phase. The effects of ethanol‐blend composition and water content are quantitatively assessed and simulated. Phase field simulations allow for the first time the mechanistic characterization of the chemical corrosion process with a water content of up to 0.3% and an estimation of relevant reaction parameters at temperatures of up to 150°C. The approach can further be utilized to develop strategies for minimizing corrosion risk in‐service.

Identifying multiple synergistic factors on the susceptibility to stress relaxation cracking in variously heat-treated weldments

The 347H austenitic stainless steel has been widely used for pressure vessels and pipeline (PVP) applications due to its excellent creep and corrosion resistance, which fit ideally to the harsh conditions in petrochemical industries, fossil fuel or nuclear power plants, and modern energy storages. However, a failure mode has been commonly observed with cracks emerging at the heat affected zone (HAZ) of weldments during post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) or under intermediate to high temperature service conditions. This phenomenon is termed as Stress Relaxation Cracking (SRC) since the purpose of PWHT is to relieve the welding-induced residual stress fields, or as Stress Age Cracking (SAC) if failure happens during service. A leading literature explanation of this failure suggests that the residual stress relaxation and the precipitation dissolution and/or re-precipitation occur in the same temperature range, which can lead to locally high strains and thus to crack at the grain boundaries. Since in situ spatial measurements of residual stress fields, microstructural evolution, and failure processes are nearly infeasible, this work recourses to a micromechanical finite element framework that models the high temperature failure as the nucleation and growth of grain boundary cavities, whereas various parameters such as thermomechanical loading history and its evolution, the competition of grain-interior dislocation creep and grain-boundary diffusion in failure lifetime, and microstructural heterogeneities (such as the precipitate free zone near grain boundaries) can be quantitatively incorporated. It can be concluded from these microstructure-explicit simulations that an accurate knowledge of residual stress evolution and a carefully calibrated set of material constitutive parameters are the essential prerequisites for lifetime predictions. The understanding of individual governing factors also leads to a mechanistic interpretation of the observed SRC susceptibility C-curves. These results suggest that the criticality of residual stress evolution, but not the precipitation-induced local strains, be the leading factor for SRC.

High fidelity ultrasonic measurements for defect detection and characterisation

Repeatable measurements with detachable transducers such as phased arrays have much potential for enhancing the sensitivity of nondestructive evaluation (NDE), as baseline subtraction can be employed. This paper aims to develop post-processing methods to overcome the variation between inspections which leads to poor subtraction performance. In this paper, ultrasonic immersion inspections are performed on a brass sample and a steel sample with a corroded backwall. Reference measurements are taken, and then small defects are machined to simulate defect growth in industrial applications. Defect types include two 1 mm diameter flat bottom holes (FBH) extending from 15 mm to 17 mm in the brass sample and two 2 mm diameter holes drilled to 1 mm depth from the corroded surface of the steel sample to represent the growth of localised pits. Although FMC/TFM is used in this paper, the defects have similar response amplitudes to the structural noise, and they cannot be detected or characterised directly from the images by the conventional 6 dB drop method. This paper demonstrates the utilisation of ultrasonic measurements, together with cross-correlation, to obtain inspection variables which include array position and couplant wave velocity. By knowing the variations between inspection conditions, compensation is made in post-processing to improve image repeatability, and hence the performance of baseline subtraction. The SNR is improved by approximately 10–25 dB depending on how great the actual variations are. It is shown that these previously undetectable defects can be seen and accurately sized after conducting baseline subtraction with compensation.

A correlative approach to evaluating the links between local microstructural parameters and creep initiated cavities

The study and modelling of material degradation processes, such as the initiation and growth of creep cavities in high-temperature applications, require a correlative and comprehensive knowledge of the microstructure. However, individual microscopy is limited to a small region and specific microstructural information of the specimen. This work demonstrates a novel correlative microscopy approach for characterising creep cavitation and establishing correlations with local microstructural parameters in a statistical manner. This approach combines datasets from stitched higher-resolution backscattered electron (BSE) images, XeF2 Focused Ion Beam (FIB) images, and backscattered electron diffraction (EBSD) maps with advanced image correlation techniques. Deep-learning image segmentation techniques and statistical analysis are applied to find relations between creep cavitation and local microstructural environment. This approach is demonstrated in a cyclic creep-tested 316H stainless steel specimen with extensive creep cavities. The results show that in this material, strain localization, grain boundary misorientation, and substantial precipitation dominate the nucleation of cavities, whereas other microstructural properties such as grain size and Schmid factor play smaller roles. This study presents the use of the correlative microscopy approach to provide new insights into creep cavitation behaviour and its implications for establishing creep cavitation damage models.

Cellular automata simulation of cavity growth during creep of Al–Mg alloy

Lifespan of high temperature services could seriously be affected by cavitation and thus, prediction of this phenomenon is considered as a significant task. A two-dimensional cellular automata approach coupled with governing equations for cavity nucleation and growth was developed to predict the size and distribution of cavities. Different growth mechanisms including diffusion and strain-controlled processes were taken into account and also, the coalescence phenomenon and the corresponding growth rate were considered in the model. The creep experiments were conducted on AA5052 under different temperatures and applied stresses such as 15 MPa at 300 °C, 20 MPa at 300 °C and 30 MPa at 270 °C for providing essential data points. Afterwards, the optical metallography and the scanning electron microscopy were performed to characterize the cavity size and distribution. The obtained results were then used to determine material constants and validate the simulation outcomes and a reasonable consistency was found between the predictions and experimental data. It was found that the strain-controlled growth is the dominant mechanism for strains larger than 0.04 while the coalescence of cavities might be significant when cavity volume fraction is higher than 0.5%. The simulations showed that the large cavity radius was observed when growth rate due to coalescence was implemented in the model.

Effect of structural heterogeneity on stable pit growth of Co-based metallic glasses

The artificial pit technique was employed to investigate the stable pit growth of Co68.15Fe4.35Si12.5B12Cr3 metallic glasses (MGs) exposed to 0.6 M NaCl solution. Critical parameters of pit growth stability were assessed to clarify the correlation between structural heterogeneity and stable pitting kinetics. Thermally induced degeneration of structural heterogeneity increases the repassivation potential and critical pit solution concentration required for pit survival, thus strongly inhibits the activation-controlled growth of salt-film-free pits. Nevertheless, the inhibitory effect on the diffusion-controlled growth of salt-film-covered pits is relatively weak, as revealed by the fact that the saturation concentration required for salt precipitation remains unaffected.