A model for crack formation during active solid pyrolysis of a char-forming solid: crack patterns; surface area generation; volatile mass efflux

A model is developed for the formation and propagation of cracks in a material sample that is heated at its top surface, pyrolyses, and then thermally degrades to form char. In this work the sample is heated uniformly over its entire top surface by a hypothetical flame (a heat source). The pyrolysis mechanism is described by a one-step overall reaction that is dependent nonlinearly on the temperature (Arrhenius form). Stresses develop in response to the thermal degradation of the material by means of a shrinkage strain caused by local mass loss during pyrolysis. When the principal stress exceeds a prescribed threshold value, the material forms a local crack. Cracks are found to generally originate at the surface in response to heating, but occasionally they form in the bulk, away from ever-changing material boundaries. The resulting cracks evolve and form patterns whose characteristics are described. Quantities examined in detail are: the crack spacing in the pyrolysis zone; the crack length evolution; the formation and nature of crack loops which are defined as individual cracks that have joined to form loops that are disconnected from the remaining material; the formation of enhanced pyrolysis area; and the impact of all of the former quantities on mass flux. It is determined that the mass flux from the sample can be greatly enhanced over its nominal (non-cracking) counterpart. The mass efflux profile qualitatively resembles those observed in Cone Calorimeter tests.     

Viscoelastic properties of amorphous polymers 3: low molecular weight poly(methylphenylsiloxane)

By making creep and recoverable creep measurements of a nearly monodisperse low molecular weight poly(methyl phenyl siloxane) sample, we have found on decreasing temperature towardsT _g that there is continuously a change in the viscoelastic spectrum concomitant with a decrease of the steadystate recoverable compliance. This behavior is exactly the same as previously observed in low molecular weight poly(styrene), proving that this spectacular anomaly in the viscoelasticity of low molecular weight polymers is general and deserves an explanation. Photon correlation spectroscopic measurements performed on the same sample have extended the observation of the viscoelastic response to shorter times and the result corroborates the trend of variation established by the creep data.Dedicated to Prof.Dr. E. W. Fischer on his 65th Birthday. Prof.Dr. Fischer is known for his valuable contribution to fosterine, international collaboration of research in polymer science. This work is an example of his contribution because it would not be possible without him bringing us together. One of us (KLN) would like to take this opportunity to thank Prof. Dr. Fischer for his unwaiving support of the 1st (Crete) and the 2nd (Alicante) International Discussion Meeting on Relaxations in Complex Systems     

A possible counterexample to well posedness of entropy solutions and to Godunov scheme convergence

A particular case of initial data for the two-dimensional Euler equations is studied numerically. The results show that the Godunov method does not always converge to the physical solution, at least not on feasible grids. Moreover, they suggest that entropy solutions (in the weak entropy inequality sense) are not well posed.

     

Instability in a delay-PDE model of earthquake occurrence

Summary Ductile deformation prior to brittle fracture in rocks causes fracture to take place with a time delay after the critical stress for fracture is reached, in the presence of an increasing load stress. We discuss the stability of a stochastic model of interactive earthquake occurrence under the influence of time delays resulting from the ductile process. A threshold for oscillatory behavior is found for large enough coupling and discrete time delays. The system is stable if the time delays are spread over a broad time interval, even for large coupling.     

Development of the mechanics of underground and special structures in Kazakhstan over the last 40 years

Some results on underground structures obtained by Kazakh mechanicians are reviewed. The review covers a period of the last forty years. Also results on the mechanics of special objects are discussed.Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 40, No. 10, pp. 3–36, October 2004.     

Numerical Prediction of the Strain State of Thermoset Matrix/Mineral Filler Composite Plates

The numerical prediction of the fields of inelastic strains (the linear invariant of the tensor of inelastic strains) in thermoset polyester/marble filler composite plates is discussed. A uniformly distributed load is applied to the plates, which lie on a steel base. The strain fields are predicted by means of the boundary element method by using creep test data for the composites and the polyester matrix itself. Identical creep tests were performed for two ages of the materials (1 month and 13 years), which allowed evaluating the aging effect. The study is carried out in two stages. At the first stage, the application of the generalized Maxwell-Gurevich equation to the thermoset matrix/mineral filler composite is demonstrated. The model parameters determined from the experimental creep data is used for the second stage, where the state of inelastic strains in the plates is predicted by applying the boundary element method. The influence of composite formulation (filler content) and physical aging of the polyester matrix on the state of inelastic strains in the plates is shown.__________Russian translation published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 145–156, March–April, 2005.     

爆磁压缩发生器通过脉冲变压器对脉冲形成线充电的理论分析

 将爆磁压缩等效为电流源的方法，对爆磁压缩发生器通过脉冲变压器对脉冲形成线充电进行了理论分析，得出爆磁压缩发生器在负载上产生电流波形（简称负载电流）为直线情况和任意电流波形情况下充电电流和充电电压的表达式。分析表明变压器耦合互感与负载电流随时间变化增长率是脉冲形成线充电的两个重要参数，脉冲形成线第一个充电电压峰值与变压器的耦合互感和负载电流波形斜率成正比，负载电流波形斜率的变化可以改变充电电压峰值的时间，斜率不断增加可以延长第一个充电电压峰值时间，从而可能增加充电电压的幅值，提高爆磁压缩发生器能量的利用效率。     

用Josephson结电子模拟器测量磁通量子2e/h

介绍用Josephson结电子模拟器在政党温度下，模拟测量磁通量子2e/h，用模拟器来研究Josephosn结的特性。该实验可作为普通物理实验中课题设计实验的一个内容。     

Effects of Moisture and Stresses on the Structure and Properties of Polyester Resin

The results of a complex study of structural changes in a cured Norpol 440 polyester resin under the action of damp environment and mechanical loading are presented. A considerable effect of absorbed moisture on the structure and some characteristics of the material is revealed by using thermophysical methods and X-ray diffractometry. The joint effect of moisture and mechanical stress is estimated by investigating the creep in stationary and nonstationary moisture conditions. The anisotropy of the material structure formed during creep is evaluated from the results of dilatometric measurements. It is found that the degree of anisotropy of the material after creep accompanied by moisture sorption is higher than that after creep in the conditions of moisture equilibrium with atmosphere. It is established that the aftercure and relaxation of the residual creep deformation come to an end at heating to 80-85°C. At a further rise in temperature and repeated heating, changes in the material structure are not observed.     

Magnetic hysteresis of the magnetoresistance and the critical current density in polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7−δ–Ag superconductors

A systematic study of the magnetic hysteresis in transport properties of polycrystalline YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ–Ag compounds has been made based on two kinds of measurements at 77 K and under applied magnetic fields up to 30 mT: critical current density J_c(B_a) and magnetoresistance R(B_a). The R(B_a) curves show a minimum in their decreasing branch occurring at B=B_min which was found to be both the excitation current I_ex and the maximum applied magnetic field B_am dependent. In addition, for a certain value of B_am>5 mT, we have observed that B_min increases with increasing I_ex and reaches a saturation value. The J_c(B_a) curves show a maximum in decreasing applied magnetic fields occurring at B=B_max. We have also found that B_max increases with increasing B_am and reaches a saturation value. The minimum in the R(B_a) and the maximum in J_c(B_a) curves were found to be related to the trapped flux within the grains. All the experimental results are discussed within the context of the flux dynamics and transport mechanisms in these high-T_c materials.