Dehydration characteristics and mathematical modelling of lemon slices drying undergoing oven treatment

In this study, the effect of drying temperature on drying behaviour and mass transfer parameters of lemon slices was investigated. The drying experiments were conducted in a laboratory air ventilated oven dryer at temperatures of 50, 60 and 75 °C. It was observed that the drying temperature affected the drying time and drying rate significantly. Drying rate curves revealed that the process at the temperature levels taken place in the falling rate period entirely. The usefulness of eight thin layer models to simulate the drying kinetics was evaluated and the Midilli and Kucuk model showed the best fit to experimental drying curves. The effective moisture diffusivity was determined on the basis of Fick’s second law and obtained to be 1.62 × 10^?11, 3.25 × 10^?11 and 8.11 × 10^?11 m² s^?1 for the temperatures of 50, 60 and 75 °C, respectively. The activation energy and Arrhenius constant were calculated to be 60.08 kJ mol^?1 and 0.08511 m² s^?1, respectively. The average value of convective mass transfer coefficient for the drying temperatures of 50, 60 and 75 °C was calculated to be 5.71 × 10^?7, 1.62 × 10^?6 and 2.53 × 10^?6 m s^?1, respectively.     

Combined slit and plate–plate magnetorheometry of a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) and parameterization using the Casson model

We describe a magneto-slit die of 0.34 mm height and 4.25 mm width attached to a commercial piston capillary rheometer, enabling the measurement of apparent flow curves of a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) in the high shear rate regime (apparent shear rates 276 up to 20,700 s^???1, magnetic flux density up to 300 mT). The pressure gradient in the magnetized slit is measured via two pressure holes. While the flux density versus coil current without MRF could directly be measured by means of a Hall probe, the flux density with MRF was investigated by finite element simulations using Maxwell® 2D. The true shear stress versus shear rate is obtained by means of the Weissenberg–Rabinowitsch correction. The slit die results are compared to plate–plate measurements performed in a shear rate regime of 0.46 up to 210 s^???1. It is shown that the Casson model yields a pertinent fit of the true shear stress versus shear rate data from plate–plate geometry. Finally, a joint fit of the slit and plate–plate data covering a shear rate range of 1 up to 50,000 s^???1 is presented, again using the Casson model. The parameterization of the MRF behavior over the full shear rate regime investigated is of relevance for the design of MR devices, like, e.g., automotive dampers. In the Appendix, we demonstrate the drawbacks of the Bingham model in describing the same data. We also show the parameterization of the flow curves by applying the Herschel–Bulkley model.     

Drying characteristics of garlic (Allium sativum L) slices in a convective hot air dryer

The effects of drying temperatures on the drying kinetics of garlic slices were investigated using a cabinet-type dryer. The experimental drying data were fitted best to the Page and Modified Page models apart from other theoretical models to predict the drying kinetics. The effective moisture diffusivities varied from 4.214 × 10^?10 to 2.221 × 10^?10 m² s^?1 over the temperature range studied, and activation energy was 30.582 kJ mol^?1.     

Deformation mechanism in a coarse-grained Mg–Al–Zn alloy at elevated temperatures

Deformation behavior of a coarse-grained AZ31 magnesium alloy was investigated at elevated temperatures using commercial rolled sheet. The as-received material had equiaxed grains with an average grain size of 130 μm. The tensile tests revealed that the material exhibited high ductility of 196% at 648 K and 3×10⁻⁵ s⁻¹. Stress exponent, grain size exponent and activation energy were characterized to clarify the deformation mechanism. It was suggested from the data analysis that the high ductility was attributed to the deformation mechanism of glide-controlled dislocation creep. In addition, constitutive equation was developed for the present alloy.     

Flow-induced crystallization of high-density polyethylene: the effects of shear and uniaxial extension

The effects of shear, uniaxial extension and temperature on the flow-induced crystallization of two different types of high-density polyethylene (a metallocene and a ZN-HDPE) are examined using rheometry. Shear and uniaxial extension experiments were performed at temperatures below and well above the peak melting point of the polyethylenes in order to characterize their flow-induced crystallization behavior at rates relevant to processing (elongational rates up to 30 s^− 1 and shear rates 1 to 1,000 s^− 1 depending on the application). Generally, strain and strain rate found to enhance crystallization in both shear and elongation. In particular, extensional flow was found to be a much stronger stimulus for polymer crystallization compared to shear. At temperatures well above the melting peak point (up to 25°C), polymer crystallized under elongational flow, while there was no sign of crystallization under simple shear. A modified Kolmogorov crystallization model (Kolmogorov, Bull Akad Sci USSR, Class Sci, Math Nat 1:355–359, 1937) proposed by Tanner and Qi (Chem Eng Sci 64:4576–4579, 2009) was used to describe the crystallization kinetics under both shear and elongational flow at different temperatures.     

Rheological scaling and modeling of shear-enhanced crystallization rate of polypropylene

Shear-induced isothermal crystallization of a commercial isotactic polypropylene (iPP) has been investigated by using a rotational rheometer at the steady shear rates ranging from 0.00012 s⁻¹ to 1 s⁻¹, and the temperatures from 135 to 145 °C. Two time scales can be utilized to characterize the crystallization rates: one is the level-upturn onset time of the viscosity; another is that of the normal force. Plotting the onset times against the corresponding onset strain, a common critical value for all the undercooling temperatures can be identified, below which the shear flows have no significant effect on the crystallization rates. Furthermore, we propose a concept of dimensionless onset work; this parameter can make the normalized onset times approximately temperature-invariant in the range of our experiment. Our modeling of the quiescent crystallization is based on the nucleation theory of Ziabicki; the results indicate two-dimensional crystallite growth on pre-existing nuclei. The shear enhanced crystallization is modeled by estimating the excess free energy induced by the flow, and using the rheological model recently proposed by Marrucci, in which the required relaxation times are derived from our rheological measurements. The results imply that the crystallization under the present low shear rates is still two-dimensional crystallite growth on pre-existing nuclei, thus supporting the athermal nucleation theory proposed by Janeschitz-Kriegl. Compared with the experimental data, the modeling is only partially successful. Further improvements encompassing the effects of shear flows on the non-linear increase of the number density of athermal nuclei and on the acceleration of polymer chain disentanglement are needed.     

Annular Pulse Shaping Technique for Large-Diameter Kolsky Bar Experiments on Concrete

The goal of this study is to design a novel annular pulse shaping technique for large-diameter Kolsky bars for investigating the dynamic compressive response of concretes. The purpose of implementing an annular pulse shaper design is to alleviate inertia-induced stresses in the pulse shaper material that would otherwise superpose unwanted oscillations on the incident wave. This newly developed pulse shaping technique led to well-controlled testing conditions enabling dynamic stress equilibrium, uniform deformation, and constant strain-rate in the testing of a chosen concrete material. The observed dynamic deformation rate of the concrete is highly consistent (8 % variation) with the stress in the specimen well equilibrated confirming the validity of this new technique. Experimental results at both quasi-static (10^?4 s^?1) and dynamic (100 s^?1, 240 s^?1) strain rates showed that the failure strength of this concrete is rate-sensitive.     

Influence of temperature and strain rate on the mechanical behavior of three amorphous polymers: Characterization and modeling of the compressive yield stress

Uniaxial compression stress–strain tests were carried out on three commercial amorphous polymers: polycarbonate (PC), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polyamideimide (PAI). The experiments were conducted under a wide range of temperatures (−40 °C to 180 °C) and strain rates (0.0001 s⁻¹ up to 5000 s⁻¹). A modified split-Hopkinson pressure bar was used for high strain rate tests. Temperature and strain rate greatly influence the mechanical response of the three polymers. In particular, the yield stress is found to increase with decreasing temperature and with increasing strain rate. The experimental data for the compressive yield stress were modeled for a wide range of strain rates and temperatures according to a new formulation of the cooperative model based on a strain rate/temperature superposition principle. The modeling results of the cooperative model provide evidence on the secondary transition by linking the yield behavior to the energy associated to the β mechanical loss peak. The effect of hydrostatic pressure is also addressed from a modeling perspective.     

Rheo-optical measurements of the first and third normal stresses of homopolymer poly(vinyl methyl ether) melt

Normal stresses play a key role in polymer processing, yet accurate measurements are still challenging. Simultaneous rheo-optical measurements are conducted on a poly(vinyl methyl ether) homopolymer melt over a wide range of temperatures and oscillatory shear frequencies, in an effort to measure the normal stresses, by using quantitative flow birefringence measurements. The stress optical rule holds well for this polymer as expected, with the value of the stress optic coefficient of (6.38±0.19)×10⁻¹¹ cm²/dyn at 30°C. The first and third normal stress difference coefficients, calculated using a single memory constitutive equation applied to the stress and birefringence data, are in excellent agreement. The ratio of the measured third and first normal stress difference coefficients, (1−β)=0.71±0.05, agrees well with the result of the Doi–Edwards model with independent alignment approximation (β=0.28). The measurement of normal stress difference coefficients with such small deviations proves the robust nature of the improved rheo-optical instrument and its ability to measure complete stress tensor.     

The development and use of a torsional Hopkinson-bar apparatus

A technique is described by means of which torsional waves of large, essentially constant amplitude can be generated in an elastic bar. Waves with rise times of order 25 μs and maximum angular velocities of order 10³ rad.s^?1 have been achieved and used to test tubular specimens at shear-strain rates up to 15×10³ s^?1. Results are presented for mild steel tested at 2×10³ s^?1, and it is shown that the flow stress correlates well with the trend found at lower rates using conventional methods. The measured drop of stress at yield, however, was considerably smaller in the present tests than in earlier work; this is attributed to the generation of flexural waves which reach the specimen at the same time as the torsional wave.     

Thin-layer drying of tomato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. cv. Rio Grande</Emphasis>) slices in a convective hot air dryer

The effects of different drying temperatures on the drying kinetics of tomato slices were investigated using a cabinet-type dryer. The experimental drying data were fitted best to the to the Page and Modified Page models apart from other theoretical models to predict the drying kinetics. The effective moisture diffusivities varied from 1.015 × 10⁻⁹ to 2.650 × 10⁻⁹ m² s⁻¹over the temperature range studied, and activation energy was 22.981 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Strain-rate history effects and microstructural aspects in lithium fluoride and aluminium single crystals after dynamic loading

Single crystals of LiF and Al are deformed in shear at a number of constant strain-rates in the range 10^–4 to 1600 s^–1. These constant rate tests are supplemented by a series of jump tests in which a sharp increment in strain rate is imposed during the quasi-static straining. Dislocation arrangements are observed by etch-pits technique for LiF crystals and by TEM for Al crystals. It is shown that cell sizes vary inversely with flow stress and strain-rate sensitivity.     

High-temperature pressure-shear plate impact experiments using pure tungsten carbide impactors

The pressure-shear plate impact experiment has been modified to test materials at high temperatures (up to 700°C). Together with the high strain rates characteristic of this experiment (10⁶ s^–1), the high-temperature capability allows the shearing resistance of materials to be measured under conditions unattainable with other testing equipment. The compressive and shear responses of pure tungsten carbide at different temperatures are presented, as well as the results of one test on OFHC copper at a temperature of 691°C and a shear strain rate of 1.4×10⁶ s^–1.     

Load enhancement effects by polymer-thickened oils in strip squeeze film flow

A modification to existing equipment is described which permits continuous squeeze-film flow to be obtained between parallel-sided strips of material rather than between disc-shaped surface. Squeeze film flow is simulated by having liquid move through one of the surfaces via an array of equispaced holes. The Squeeze-film behavior of a Newtonian base oil is first tested at temperatures of 24°C and 55°C. It is shwon that loads are in reasonable agreement with theretical predictions and that end effects (corrected by means of a guard ring) and fluid maldistribution effects are of small proporitons. At the very highest liquid flowrates, the rapid liquid flow through the holes may influence the measured load. The Polymer-thickened oils, representinhg 10 W/30 and 10 W/50 motor oils, are tested at temperatures of 24°C and 55°C. Both oils five marked load enhancement, compared with Newtonian oil under similar flow conditions, at the higher flowrates used. The 10 W/50 oil gives load enhancement of 76 per cent at 55°C, increasing rapidly with the simulated approach velocity. Fluid inertia effects in the squeeze film flow aslo increase the load significantly. The results confirm earlier data using disc-shaped surfaces; load enhancement is greater in the present work on strip squeeze films because the fluid deformation rates are greater (2000 s^t-1 in planar extention and 2 x 10⁵ s^t-1 in shear). It is suggested that the fuel consumption of cars could be improved by the development of elastic, shear stable oils of lower viscosity than those currently in use.     

Numerical study of chain conformation on shear banding using diffusive Rolie-Poly model

Shear-banding phenomenon in the entangled polymer systems was investigated in a planar Couette cell with the diffusive Rolie-Poly (ROuse LInear Entangled POLYmers) model, a single-mode constitutive model derived from a tube-based molecular theory. The steady-state shear stress ?? _s was constant in the shear gradient direction while the local shear rate changed abruptly, i.e., split into the bands. We focused on the molecular conformation (also calculated from the Rolie-Poly model) around the band boundary. A band was found also for the conformation, but its boundary was much broader than that for the shear rate. Correspondingly, the first normal stress difference (N ₁) gradually changed in this diffuse boundary of the conformational bands (this change of N ₁ was compensated by a change of the local pressure). For both shear rate and conformation, the boundary widths were quite insensitive to the macroscopic shear rate but changed with various parameters such as the diffusion constant and the relaxation times (the reptation and the Rouse times). The broadness of the conformational banding, associated by the gradual change of N ₁, was attributed to competition between the molecular diffusion (in the shear gradient direction) and the conformational relaxation under a constraint of constant ?? _s.     

The behaviour of field-responsive fluids during shear start-up

The application of an external field (magnetic or electric) to suspensions of particles in a carrier liquid often causes a dramatic increase in the flow resistance. The transient stress response of these systems during the start-up of shear flow was studied as a function of the shear rate, using a system of carbonyl iron particles dispersed in paraffinic spindle oil under magnetic flux densities up to 0.57 T. It was found that initially the stress increased in proportion to the applied strain, reaching a plateau value at a characteristic strain of 0.2. Similar strain dependence of the transient stress behaviour was observed for shear rates spanning the range 0.01 s^–1 to 10 s^–1, suggesting that strain-governed deformation and rupture of the particle aggregates in the fluid was the main contribution to the response. In addition, the steady state flow curves of these fluids were obtained over the shear rate range 0.1 to 100 s^–1.     

Nonlinear viscoelasticity of PP/PS/SEBS blends

The nonlinear viscoelastic behavior of polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blends compatibilized or not with the linear triblock copolymer (styrene-ethylene-/butylene-styrene, SEBS) was investigated. Start-up of steady-shear at rates from 0.1 to 10 s^–1 was carried out using a controlled strain rotational rheometer and a sliding plate rheometer for strain histories involving one or several shear rates. The shear stress and first normal shear stress difference were measured as functions of time, and the morphologies of the samples before and after shearing were determined. For each strain history except that involving a single shear rate of 0.1 s^–1 the blends showed typical non-linear viscoelastic behavior: a shear stress overshoot/undershoot, depending on the history, followed by a steady state for each step. The first normal stress difference increased monotonically to a steady-state value. The values of the stresses increased with the addition of SEBS. The shear stress overshoot and undershoot and the times at which they occurred depended strongly on the strain history, decreasing for a subsequent shear rate step performed in the same direction as the former, and the time at which stress undershoot occurred increased for a subsequent shear rate step performed in the opposite direction, irrespective of the magnitude of the shear rate. This behavior was observed for all the blends studied. The time of overshoot in a single-step shear rate experiment is inversely proportional to the shear rate, and the steady-state value of N₁ scaled linearly with shear rate, whereas the steady-state shear stress did not. The average diameter of the dispersed phase decreased for all strain histories when the blend was not compatibilized. When the blend was compatibilized, the average diameter of the dispersed phase changed only during the stronger flows. Experimental data were compared with the predictions of a model formulated using ideas of Doi and Ohta (1991), Lacroix et al. (1998) and Bousmina et al. (2001). The model correctly predicted the behavior of the uncompatibilized blends for single-step shear rates but not that of the compatibilized blends, nor did it predict morphologies after shearing.     

Rheology and birefringence of Fomblin YR at very high shear rates

The rheological and structural properties of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) lubricant films including viscosity, shear stress, and birefringence were measured at relatively low to extremely high shear rates using a rotational optical rheometer. The viscosity of various films with different thicknesses exhibit Newtonian behavior up to a shear rate 1 × 10⁴ s⁻¹, with a transition to shear-thinning behavior obvious at higher shear rates. Birefringence of these films was also measured for the first time, and these results indicate chain alignment with shear in the shear-thinning regime. The shear rate at which alignment occurs is similar to that of the onset of shear thinning. This correlation between chain alignment and shear thinning provides direct evidence that the ability of PFPEs to lubricate hard drives at high shear rates is a direct consequence of the ability of the applied shear field to align the molecules on a molecular level.     

The dependence of crack velocity on the critical stress in fracture

The constant velocity of crack propagation in PMMA is investigated in terms of the fracture stress for both continuously increasing loading (strain rate ?=0.59×10^?4 s^?1) and dynamic loading (strain rate ?=0.35 s^?1). It was found that the constant crack velocity increases with increasing fracture stress and that it depends on the loading conditions (continuously increasing or dynamic loading). In particular, it was found that the increase of the constant velocity for the static loading case is higher than for the dynamic one. However, in both cases, the constant velocity reaches a limiting value for stresses higher than a certain level.     

Rheological characteristics of glass-fibre-filled polypropylene melts

The rheological properties of glass fibre-filled polypropylene melts have been investigated. A high pressure capillary rheometer has been used for the experimental study. The effect of shear rate, temperature, and fibre concentration on the melt viscosity and viscoelastic properties have been studied. An equation has been proposed to correlate the melt viscosity with shear rate, temperature and fibre content. A master curve relation on this basis has been brought out using the shift factora _T . a _T shift factor (=/ _r ) - A _i coefficients of the polynomical of eq. (1) (i = 0, 1, 2, ,n) - B constant in the AFE equation (eq. (2)) (Pa s) - B constant in eq. (3) - D extrudate diameter - d capillary diameter - activation energy at constant shear rate (kcal/mole) - E activation energy at constant shear stress (kcal/mole) - T melt temperature (K) - X fraction glass fibre by weight - shear rate (s^–1) - shear viscosity (Pa s) - normal stress coefficient (Pa s²) - ₁ – ₂ first normal-stress difference (Pa) - shear stress (Pa) - r at reference temperature