Model based online diagnosis of unbalance and transverse fatigue crack in rotor systems

A model based technique for online identification of malfunctions in rotor systems is discussed. Presence of fault changes the dynamic behavior of the system. This change is taken into account by equivalent loads acting on the undamaged system model. Equivalent loads are fictitious forces and moments acting on the undamaged system model, which generate a dynamic behavior identical to that of the real damaged system. The mathematical representation of equivalent loads is referred to as Fault Model. The work focuses on developing a fault model for a transverse fatigue crack in shaft and testing it through simulated studies. The basic principle of the technique is validated for unbalance identification, through numerical simulations as well as by experiments on a real rotor system.     

Producing and transferring low-spatial-frequency grids for measuring displacement fields with moiré and grid methods

Experimental Techniques -     

Oblique-basis shell-model calculations

A one-dimensional harmonic oscillator in a box is used to introduce the oblique-basis concept. The method is extended to the nuclear shell model by combining traditional spherical shell model states, which yield a diagonal representation of the usual single-particle interaction, with SU(3) shell model collective configurations that track deformation. An application to ²⁴Mg, using the realistic two-body interaction of Wildenthal, is used to explore the validity of this mixed-mode shell-model scheme. The theory is also applied to lower pf-shell nuclei, ^44–48Ti and ⁴⁸Cr, using the Kuo-Brown-3 interaction. These nuclei show strong SU(3) symmetry breaking due mainly to the single-particle spin-orbit splitting. Nevertheless, the results also show that yrast band B(E2) values are insensitive to fragmentation of SU(3) symmetry. Specifically, the quadrupole collectivity as measured by B(E2) strengths remains high even though the SU(3) symmetry is rather badly broken. The results suggest that an oblique-basis mixed-mode shell-model theory may be useful in situations where competing degrees of freedom dominate the dynamics.     

Optical properties of a high-efficiency glass ceramic X-ray storage phosphor

The turbidity, photoluminescence, and photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL) of fluorozirconate glass containing barium chloride nano- and micro-crystals have been measured for samples prepared by isochronal (70 min) annealing over a temperature range of 220–283°C, and correlated with the microstructure as determined by X-ray diffraction measurements. Crystallization of hexagonal phase barium chloride commences at around 220°C, but until 275°C the material retains excellent transparency although it displays negligible PSL. Between 275°C and 277°C, the hexagonal phase converts to the orthorhombic phase, the transparency abruptly decreases, and the PSL rises to a value of around 13% of that found for the commercial storage phosphor BaFBr:Eu. For a slightly higher temperature of 280°C, new phases appear which correspond to the onset of bulk crystallization, and at 283°C the relative PSL rises to 33%, while the transparency falls further. The trade-off between optical transparency and PSL over this narrow temperature window for X-ray imaging plate applications is briefly discussed.     

New developments in X-ray storage phosphors

We found a significant PSL effect in Eu²⁺-doped fluorozirconate glasses (ZBLAN) which were additionally doped with Br⁻ or Cl⁻ ions. The PSL is attributed to the characteristic emission of Eu²⁺ present in nano-crystallites of BaBr₂ or BaCl₂, which form in the glass upon annealing. The metastable hexagonal form of BaX₂ (X=Br,Cl) is always formed first before it is converted into the stable orthorhombic form. The particle size increases upon annealing and so does the PSL efficiency of the glass ceramic. However, there is a saturation of the PSL efficiency, which is for Br⁻ doping about 9% and for Cl⁻-doping about 80% of the Eu-doped BaFBr standard. The particle size was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM results show a clear tendency for bigger particles for longer annealing at the expense of its number. The particle size for the most efficient phosphor is about 100 nm.     

Low-threshold interband cascade lasers operating above room temperature

Mid-IR type-II interband cascade lasers were demonstrated in pulsed mode at temperatures up to 325 K and in continuous mode up to 200 K. At 80 K, the threshold current density was 8.9 A/cm² and a continuous wave output power of 140 mW/facet was obtained.     

High-efficiency erbium ion luminescence in silicon nanocrystal systems

The photoluminescence spectra and kinetics of both erbium-doped and undoped multilayer structures of quasi-ordered silicon nanocrystals in a silicon dioxide matrix were studied. It was shown that the optical excitation energy of silicon nanocrystals 2–3 nm in size can be practically completely transferred to Er³⁺ ions in the oxide surrounding the nanocrystals, with its subsequent radiation at 1.5 μm. Possible reasons for the high excitation efficiency of the Er³⁺ ions are discussed, and the conclusion is drawn that the F?rster mechanism is dominant in the energy transfer processes occurring in these structures. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 46, No. 1, 2004, pp. 105–109. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2004 by Kashkarov, Kamenev, Lisachenko, Shalygina, Timoshenko, Schmidt, Heitmann, Zacharias.     

New data on the ternary fission of 252Cf from the Gammasphere facility

Ternary fission of ²⁵²Cf was studied at Gammasphere using eight ΔE×E particle telescopes. Helium, beryllium, boron, and carbon light charged particles (LCPs) emitted with kinetic energy more than 9, 21, 26, and 32 MeV, respectively, were identified. The 3368-keV γ transition from the first 2⁺ excited state in ¹⁰Be was found and the population probability ratio N(2⁺)/N(0⁺) = 0.160 ± 0.025 was estimated. No evidence was found for 3368-keV γ rays emitted from a triple molecular state. For the first time, charge distributions are obtained for ternary fission fragments emitted with helium, beryllium, and carbon LCPs.