Search results for "Mechanical engineering"
showing 10 items of 4245 documents
Excitons in few-layer hexagonal boron nitride: Davydov splitting and surface localization
2018
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has been attracting great attention because of its strong excitonic effects. Taking into account few-layer systems, we investigate theoretically the effects of the number of layers on quasiparticle energies, absorption spectra, and excitonic states, placing particular focus on the Davydov splitting of the lowest bound excitons. We describe how the inter-layer interaction as well as the variation in electronic screening as a function of layer number $N$ affects the electronic and optical properties. Using both \textit{ab initio} simulations and a tight-binding model for an effective Hamiltonian describing the excitons, we characterize in detail the symmetry of t…
Pull-off adhesion of hybrid glass-steel adhesive joints in salt fog environment
2016
The aim of this paper was to evaluate the durability behaviour of glass/steel adhesive joints exposed to salt fog environmental conditions for ten weeks, according to ASTM B117 standard. To this scope, pull-off mechanical tests were carried out in order to evaluate the performances evolution and damage phenomena of the adhesive joints during the ageing exposition. Two different types of adhesives were compared (i.e. epoxy and polyurethane ones). Moreover, the effects of the glass surface condition and the presence of a basalt mat layer within the adhesive thickness were evaluated. The mechanical performances were related with the occurred failure mechanisms. Epoxy-based joints showed higher…
A novel linear friction welding based approach for sheet-bulk joining
2019
In the last decades, the development of new, flexible manufacturing processes caused the increase of the demands for highly customized complex functional parts in many industrial fields. The peculiar design of these components often overcome conventional sheet metal and bulk metal forming processes capabilities. In order to face this issue, new hybrid techniques, capable of exploit key advantages of different processes, have to be developed. In this paper, a novel approach based on the Linear Friction Welding process is proposed to obtain sheet-bulk joints. The feasibility of the technique on high specific strength alloys is investigated through an experimental campaign.In the last decades,…
The effects of biomass co-gasification and co-firing on the development of combustion dynamics
2018
Abstract Effects of wheat straw co-firing with gas (propane flame) and co-gasification/co-combustion with wood pellets on the development of thermo-chemical conversion of biomass pellets and on heat energy production were experimentally studied and analyzed with the aim to improve the gasification/combustion characteristics and the applicability of wheat straw as an alternative energy source for cleaner heat energy production. The results suggest that the wheat straw co-firing with propane provides an enhanced thermal decomposition of pellets with more complete combustion of volatiles increasing thus the heat output at thermo-chemical conversion of wheat straw and the produced heat energy p…
PVC silver zeolite composites with antimicrobial properties
2011
Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) composites containing increasing amounts (2-20%, w/w) of silver zeolite (SZ) were prepared by melt mixing and characterized by thermal, mechanical and rheological analyses. The addition of large amount of SZ did not influence the processability and the formability of the composites, if compared to neat plasticized PVC. The antibacterial activity of PVC SZ composites was tested on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis and resulted promising both in culture broth and on agar plate and also in sterile urine seeded with these strains, for simulation purposes. In sterile urine, composites induced a significant reduction (4-6 log units) of viability of both st…
Estimates for Divergence Velocities of Axially Moving Orthotropic Thin Plates
2014
Some models for axially moving orthotropic thin plates are investigated analytically via methods of complex analysis to derive estimates for critical plate velocities. Linearised Kirchhoff plate theory is used, and the energy forms of steady-state models are considered with homogeneous and inhomogeneous tension profiles in the cross direction of the plate. With the help of the energy forms, some limits for the divergence velocity of the plate are found analytically. In numerical examples, the derived lower limits for the divergence velocity are analysed for plates with small flexural rigidity. peerReviewed
Design of Reliable and Efficient Banki-Type Turbines
2020
A new shape for the external surface of the Crossflow turbine blades is proposed, which allows for the preservation of hydraulic efficiency in spite of a significant maximum blade thickness providing mechanic robustness and reliability. The final shape of the blades is assessed using an iterative solution for two uncoupled models: a 2D computational fluid dynamic (CFD) and a structural 3D finite element method (FEM) analysis of a single blade. Application of the proposed methodology to the design of a power recovery system (PRS) turbine, a new backpressure Crossflow-type inline turbine for pressure regulation, and energy production in a real Sicilian site follows.
Strength of cellulosic fiber/starch acetate composites with variable fiber and plasticizer content
2014
In this experimental study, the performance of injection-molded short flax and hemp fibers in plasticized starch acetate were analyzed in terms of strength. Parameters involved in the analysis are a variable fiber and plasticizer content. The measured strength of the composites varies in the range of 12–51 MPa for flax fibers and 11–42 MPa for hemp fibers, which is significantly higher than the properties of the unreinforced starch acetate matrix. The micro-structural parameters used in modeling of composite strength were obtained from optical observations and indirect measurements. Some of these parameters were qualitatively verified by X-ray microtomography.
Evaluation of biomass activity and wastewater characterization in a UCT-MBR pilot plant by means of respirometric techniques
2011
Abstract Over the last two decades, Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs) emerged even more for wastewater treatment, ensuring high removal efficiencies as well as very small footprint requirements. Indeed, in this kind of process, a modification in biomass activity and viability can exist compared to that of a CAS process. In this context, respirometric analysis represents a reliable tool in order to evaluate the actual biomass kinetic parameters, to insert in mathematical models in the design phase, as well as to monitor the biomass viability, especially when these processes are operated with high SRT values. The paper presents some results of respirometric techniques applied for the characterisati…
Identification of metalloporphyrins extracted from the copper bearing black shale of fore sudetic monocline (Poland)
2006
Abstract Metalloporphyrins were isolated from copper-bearing black shale ores. The shale originates from the Lubin copper mine (Poland). The porphyrins have been extracted by way of a Soxhlet apparatus, and then purified using column chromatography. In order to identify the extracted porphyrins complexes UV–Vis, mass spectrometry and EPR analytical techniques have been used.