Exploring the ultrahigh rolling contact fatigue life of M50 bearing steel by adjusting the cryogenic sequence

The influence of different cryogenic sequences on the rolling contact fatigue(RCF)life of M50-bearing steel has been studied.The results show that direct cryogenic treatment after quenching can effectively improve RCF life.The L_(10)life is strikingly 5 times longer than that with cryogenic treatment after tem-pering.This is caused by the distinct lattice construction of martensite and the transformation of retained austenite.More secondary nanocarbides and fine twins are formed via cryogenic treatment before tem-pering compared with cryogenic treatment after tempering.The improvement in the RCF life of the steel is attributed to the joint effects of the secondary nanocarbides and twin boundaries with a width of 5-13 nm,which delays significantly crack initiation and propagation.This study highlights a common method to improve the service life of high-carbon and high-alloy steels by adjusting the cryogenic se-quence.

Effects of Primary Carbide Size and Type on the Sliding Wear and Rolling Contact Fatigue Properties of M50 Bearing Steel

The influences of primary carbide size and type on the sliding wear behavior and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) properties of M50 bearing steel were systematically investigated under oil lubrication condition. A major breakthrough was achieved in the influence of primary carbide on tribological behavior. The opposite effect brought by primary carbide size on the sliding wear resistance and RCF life of M50 bearing steel was determined. Wear resistance increased with an increase in the studied primary carbide size, whereas RCF life decreased significantly. Compared with the 0 R and R positions with a relatively small carbide size, the wear volume of the 1/2 R position with a large carbide size was the smallest. Compared with the 0 R and R positions, the L10 life of the 1/2 R position decreased by 82.7% and 84.8%, respectively. On the basis of the statistical correlation between primary carbide size and the two tribological properties, a critical maximum carbide size of 5-10 μm was proposed to achieve optimal tribological performance. This research suggests that the equivalent diameter of the primary carbide should be controlled to be smaller than 10 μm, but further decreasing primary carbide size to less than 5 μm is unnecessary. The influence of primary carbide type in M50 bearing steel on sliding wear resistance was also discussed. Results indicate that the MC-type carbides with higher elastic modulus and microhardness exhibit better wear resistance than the M2C-type carbides.

Effects of Rare Earth elements on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of 718H pre-hardened mold steel

718 H Pre-ha rdened mold steels with diffe rent Rare Earth(RE) contents were prepared to investigate the influence of RE on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties through a series of experiments and theoretical analysis.The results indicated that the toal oxygen(T.O) content decreased from 15 ppm to 6 ppm with 0.022 wt% RE addition,which is attributed to the active chemical properties of RE elements.For test steels,RE additions of 0.012 wt% and 0.022 wt% were significantly effective for refining inclusions by eliminating 11.5% large-sized inclusions with diameter exceeding 10 μm compared with that of ORE steel.RE addition contributed to modify irregular MnS and Al2 O3 inclusions into ellipsoidal RE-inclusions(RE2 O,RES,RE2 O2 S and REAlO3).The purification of molten steel and the modification of inclusions by RE treatment have significant effects on improvement of the fatigue crack growth tests(FCG) inhibition ability and impact energy as well as the isotropy.However,excessive addition of RE elements(0.07 wt%)seriously reduced the impact energy,ultimate tensile strength and FCG inhibition ability due to rapidly increase of the volume fraction of large-sized inclusions.In addition to the inclusions formed by RE treatment,trace solid solution RE atoms improve the stability of undercooled austenite,resulting in the transformation region of bainite and perlite of 0.07 RE steel shifting to the bottom right and prolonging the incubation period compared with that of ORE steel.

Solidification microstructure of Cr4Mo4V steel forged in the semi-solid state

Semi-solid forging of iron-based alloys during solidification has unique characteristics distinct from those of the classical hot forging.With the aim of acquiring precise knowledge concerning the microstructural evolution of bearing steel Cr4 Mo4 V in this process,a series of semi-solid forging experiments were carried out in which samples were wrapped in a designed pure iron sheath.The effects of forging temperature and forging reduction on the grain morphology and liquid flow behavior were investigated,respectively.By forging solidifying metal(FSM),bulky primary dendrites were broken and spheroidal grains with an average shape factor of 0.87 were obtained at 1360?C.With the decreasing forging temperature to 1340?C,the microstructural homogeneity can be improved.On the other hand,it shows that a higher forging reduction(50%)is essential for the spheroidization of grains and elimination of liquid segregation.Those microstructural characteristics are related to different motion mechanisms of solid and liquid phases at different forging temperatures.Additionally,the effect of semi-solid forging on the eutectic carbides was also investigated,and the results demonstrate that the higher diffusion capacity and less liquid segregation jointly lower the large eutectic carbides and consequently cause its uniform distribution during FSM.

Effects of window opening style on inside environment of solar greenhouse based on CFD simulation

Solar greenhouse is extensively used in horticultural production in China.Natural ventilation is one of the key technological means to adjust the inside environment of greenhouse,while the effects of window opening styles on the inside environment are still not well understood.In the present study,the temperature and air flow field of five operation styles,namely back roof central opening style(G1),back roof evenly spaced opening style(G2),top roof full opening style(G3),style of G1+G3,and style of G2+G3 were simulated using the CFD method.The results indicated that:(1)the simulated and measured results exhibited favorable agreement,with relative errors within 5%;(2)In the case of the windows opening area was the same and only single ventilation style was applied,back roof full opening style exhibited the best cooling effect.The inside average temperature of the greenhouse with G1 style decreased by 0.5°C and 1.6°C respectively compared with those of greenhouses with G2 and G3.(3)The cooling effect of the style of G2+G3 was more favorable than that of the style of G1+G3.The style of G2+G3 exhibited better cooling effect than the single ventilation styles,with the lowest temperature(27.5°C)and temperature uniformity coefficient(0.36).

Revisiting dynamics and models of microsegregation during polycrystalline solidification of binary alloy

Microsegregation formed during solidification is of great importance to material properties.The conventional Lever rule and Scheil equation are widely used to predict solute segregation.However,these models always fail to predict the exact solute concentration at a high solid fraction because of theoretical assumptions.Here,the dynamics of microsegregation during polycrystalline solidification of refined Al-Cu alloy is studied via two-and three-dimensional quantitative phase-field simulations.Simulations with different grain refinement level,cooling rate,and solid diffusion coefficient demonstrate that solute segregation at the end of solidification(i.e.when the solid fraction is close to unit)is not strongly correlated to the grain morphology and back diffusion.These independences are in accordance with the Scheil equation which only relates to the solid fraction,but the model predicts a much higher liquid concentration than simulations.Accordingly,based on the quantitative phase-field simulations,a new analytical microsegregation model is derived.Unlike the Scheil equation or the Lever rule that respectively overestimates or underestimates the liquid concentration,the present model predicts the liquid concentration in a pretty good agreement with phase-field simulations,particularly at the late solidification stage.

Analysis of the thermal performance of the novel assembled Chinese solar greenhouse with a modular soil wall in winter of Yinchuan,China

In order to improve the thermal insulation and storage performance of Chinese solar greenhouses in winter,a novel assembled Chinese solar greenhouse(ACSG)without energy supplement in cold climatic areas was designed to evaluate and compare its thermal performance with that of conventional Chinese solar greenhouse(CSG).The thermal properties of both greenhouses were tested in field on cold winter days in Ningxia,China.The results indicated that the land utilization rate of ACSG was 19.3%higher than that of CSG.On a typical sunny day(the lowest outdoor temperature was−22.0℃)and typical cloudy day(the lowest outdoor temperature was−19.7℃)during the experiment,the minimum indoor temperature of ACSG was respectively 1.7℃and 2.0℃higher than that of CSG.The results for 24 consecutive days(the average outdoor daily minimum air temperature was−19.0℃)showed that the average minimum indoor temperature of ACSG was 1.4℃higher than that of CSG(p<0.05).The modular soil wall attached with colored steel polystyrene boards would be exploited as the north wall of CSG in Yinchuan area.

Influence of thermodynamic disfigurement on the convective heat transfer of solar greenhouse

Solar greenhouse is a typical greenhouse without any additional heating system,which has developed rapidly in Northern China.However,due to the construction quality,management methods,especially the long-term use and other factors,there are usually different degrees of thermodynamic disfigurements in the envelop enclosure of solar greenhouse.The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of thermodynamic disfigurement on the temperature distribution and convective heat transfer of solar greenhouse.In this study,the east and west compartments of a typical solar greenhouse which is located in Yangling,China(108°4′E,34°16′N)were tested.The air temperature of each compartment was collected using temperature recorders,and the thermal infrared images of different compartment envelopes were obtained by a thermal infrared imager on a typical cloudy day.Convective heat transfer coefficients and heat flux densities of different compartment envelopes in the solar greenhouse were calculated.The results showed that the temperature difference can be displayed in the thermal infrared images of compartment envelopes,the surface temperature of the front roof was the lowest,followed by the back roof,the wall surface temperature was the highest.The minimum average surface temperature of the front roof in the eastern compartment was only 3.8℃,which was 6.8℃ and 9.2℃ lower than the average surface temperature of the back roof and back wall,respectively.The surface average temperature of thermodynamic disfigurements located at the bottom of the south side in the front roof of the eastern compartment,whose area accounted for 16.5%of the total front roof in the eastern compartment,was only 5.4℃.Compared with non-thermodynamic disfigurement,the average convective heat transfer coefficient and heat flux density of thermodynamic disfigurements in the front roof of the eastern compartment were increased by 20.3%and 110.3%,respectively.The average air temperature in the eastern compartment was 3.5℃ lower than the average air temperature in the western compartment of the solar greenhouse.Construction of brick wall at the bottom of the south side of the front roof in the solar greenhouse helped to increase the inner surface temperature of the front roof,with an average temperature rise of 6.2℃,and reduce the area of thermodynamic disfigurement,which only accounted for 2.6%of the total front roof in the western compartment.The average surface temperature of thermodynamic disfigurements mainly caused by the entry and exit door in the wall of the eastern compartment was only 9.8℃,which was lower 3.2℃ than the average temperature of non-thermodynamic disfigurement of the wall.Thermodynamic disfigurement helped to increase heat loss.The weighted average proportion of thermodynamic disfigurement in the western compartment was 2.1%,while that of thermodynamic disfigurement in the eastern compartment was 10.7%.The thermal insulation performance of the western compartment envelope in the solar greenhouse was better than that of the eastern compartment envelope.

Sensitivity of solar greenhouse envelopes to the thermal disfigurements and optimal selection of the thermal insulation quilt

The objectives of the present work are focused on exploration of the reasons for temperature difference in different envelopes,the sensitivity of envelopes of solar greenhouse to thermal disfigurements and optimal selection of the thermal insulation quilt.Theoretical analysis and derivation are conducted according to the experimental results of surface temperature,convective heat transfer,and heat flux density in different envelopes which with thermal disfigurements of solar greenhouse using heat transfer theory.The results revealed that the difference of intrinsic thermal conductivity and thickness of the envelopes leads to difference in the thermal flux and thus in the surface temperature of different envelopes.Compared with the front roof and back roof,the wall is more sensitive to thermal disfigurements.According to the influence of thermal disfigurements on solar greenhouse temperature,the allowable thermal disfigurements area fraction of front roof and back roof are given.Based on the analysis of heat transfer theory and test results,the work given the expression of the thickness and thermal conductivity of thermal insulation quilt under different outdoor minimum temperatures for optimal selection of thermal insulation quilt based on comprehensive considering factors of the solar greenhouse structure,crop demand,outdoor minimum temperature,and insulation quilt properties.The results of this work give technical criterion for whether the envelopes with thermal disfigurements needs to be repaired or replaced,and it also provides theoretical and technical support for design the solar greenhouse as well as methodological guidance for the optimal selection of the thermal insulation quilt.

Application performances of two greenhouses with new types of backwall in Yangling,China

In order to investigate the application performances of the solar greenhouses with new types of backwall(greenhouse W_(2),and greenhouse W_(3))and the ordinary clay brick backwall greenhouse(greenhouse W_(1)),and provide a theoretical basis for the construction of solar greenhouse in Yangling Demonstration Zone,Shaanxi,China,two greenhouses with different new types of backwall were designed.The backwall of one of them was built with lightweight aggregate concrete block(greenhouse W_(2))and that of the other one was assembled with a row of sand-filled cement pipes(greenhouse W_(3)).The tested greenhouses were constructed in Yangling Demonstration Zone.Based on the data collected on typical sunny and cloudy days,the indoor temperature,inside wall temperature,and the heat flow of the greenhouses with new types of backwall were compared with those detected in the ordinary clay brick backwall solar greenhouse,and the tested results were numerically simulated.According to the comparison of the physiological indicators of tomatoes planted in the greenhouses and the construction costs,the greenhouse type with the best practicability was found.The results indicated that:The average air temperature in greenhouses W_(1),W_(2),and W_(3)and outside was 15.1℃,15.9℃,17.3℃,and−0.4℃ on the night of a sunny day,and the air temperature in W_(3)was the highest.The average air temperature in greenhouses W_(1),W_(2),and W_(3)and outside were 9.5℃,13.3℃,11.0℃,and−5.5℃ on the night of a cloudy day,the air temperature in W_(2)was the highest.In the depth of 0-330 mm from the interface of the backwalls,the walls were obviously affected by the solar radiation,and the temperature changed greatly.The wall temperature on the sunny days exhibited an ascending order of W_(1),W_(2),W_(3),while on the cloudy days was in the ascending order of W_(1),W_(3),W_(2).The wall of W_(3)absorbed the most heat during the daytime and released the most heat at night on the sunny day,while W_(2)exhibited the second most heat absorption during the daytime,however,it exhibited the highest heat release at night on the cloudy day,which were almost equaled to its heat absorption.Tomatoes in W_(3)grew well and exhibited the highest yield,and this greenhouse had the lowest construction costs.Comprehensively considering the physiological indicators of tomatoes and the corresponding construction costs of greenhouses,W_(3)has the best application performance in Yangling Demonstration Zone.