Effect of activating fluxes on weld mechanical properties in TIG welding

Activating TIG (A-TIG) welding has received many attentions worldwide since the end of 1990s. Compared with conventional TIG welding A-TIG welding can greatly improve the welding productivity and reduce the welding cost without altering the equipments under the same welding procedures and is considered as a innovative variant of conventional TIG welding. The materials applied by A-TIG welding have ranged from original titanium alloy to stainless steel, carbon steel, high temperature alloy steel and so forth. The effects of activating fluxes with single component on weld mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness and elastics during A-TIG welding of stainless steel are discussed in this paper. The experimental results show that different fluxes have different effects on the weld mechanical properties. Among these fluxes the flux SiO_2 is the best in the performance of tensile strength and ductility, while flux Cr_2O_3 is the best in the performance of weld hardness compared with conventional TIG welding. These experiments provide the foundation for selecting the most suitable fluxes for stainless steel in practical welding production.

Robust Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm for Modeling the Effectof Oxides Thermal Properties on AMIG 304L Stainless Steel Welds

There are several advantages to the MIG(Metal Inert Gas)process,which explains its increased use in variouswelding sectors,such as automotive,marine,and construction.A variant of the MIG process,where the sameequipment is employed except for the deposition of a thin layer of flux before the welding operation,is the AMIG(Activated Metal Inert Gas)technique.This study focuses on investigating the impact of physical properties ofindividual metallic oxide fluxes for 304L stainless steel welding joint morphology and to what extent it can helpdetermine a relationship among weld depth penetration,the aspect ratio,and the input physical properties ofthe oxides.Five types of oxides,TiO_(2),SiO_(2),Fe_(2)O_(3),Cr_(2)O_(3),and Mn_(2)O_(3),are tested on butt joint design withoutpreparation of the edges.A robust algorithm based on the particle swarm optimization(PSO)technique is appliedto optimally tune the models’parameters,such as the quadratic error between the actual outputs(depth and aspectratio),and the error estimated by the models’outputs is minimized.The results showed that the proposed PSOmodel is first and foremost robust against uncertainties in measurement devices and modeling errors,and second,that it is capable of accurately representing and quantifying the weld depth penetration and the weld aspect ratioto the oxides’thermal properties.

Effects of activating flux on CO_2 laser welding process of 6013 Al alloy

In order to increase the absorption of laser energy and improve the weld appearance in laser welding of Al alloy, 1.8 mm- 6013 Al alloy plate was welded by activating flux CO2 laser welding. Activating flux includes oxide and fluoride, which was coated on the workpiece surface before welding. The experimental results show that the activating flux can effectively improve the absorption of CO2 laser energy and increase the amount of the molten base metal. The improvement on the absorption of laser energy by oxide activating flux is greater than that by fluoride activating flux or two-component activating flux, but the slag detachability made from both the single activating flux and two-activating flux is poor. The gas pore sensitivity with oxide activating flux is much higher than that with fluoride activating flux in CO2 laser welding of 6013 Al alloy.

YAG laser welding with surface activating flux

YAG laser welding with surface activating flux has been investigated, and the influencing factors and mechanism are discussed. The results show that both surface activating flux and surface active element S have fantastic effects on the YAG laser weld shape, that is to obviously increase the weld penetration and D/W ratio in various welding conditions. The mechanism is thought to be the change of weld pool surface tension temperature coefficient, thus, the change of fluid flow pattern in weld pool due to the flux.

Experimental study on activating welding for aluminum alloys

TIG welding and EB welding Jbr aluminum alloy 3003 were carried out to study the effects of activating flux on weld penetration of activating welding for aluminum alloys. SiO2 was used as the activating flux. It is found that, SiO2 can increase the weld penetration and decrease the weld width of FBTIG when the flux gap is small. For A-TIG welding and EB welding with focused mode, the weld penetrations and the weld widths increase simultaneoudy. SiO2 has little effect on the weld penetration and weld width of EB welding with defocused mode. It is believed that, change of surface tension temperature gradient is not the main mechanism of SiO2 improving weld penetration of activating welding for aluminum alloys.

A Combination of Residual Distribution and the Active Flux Formulations or a New Class of Schemes That Can Combine Several Writings of the Same Hyperbolic Problem:Application to the 1D Euler Equations

We show how to combine in a natural way(i.e.,without any test nor switch)the conservative and non-conservative formulations of an hyperbolic system that has a conservative form.This is inspired from two different classes of schemes:the residual distribution one(Abgrall in Commun Appl Math Comput 2(3):341–368,2020),and the active flux formulations(Eyman and Roe in 49th AIAA Aerospace Science Meeting,2011;Eyman in active flux.PhD thesis,University of Michigan,2013;Helzel et al.in J Sci Comput 80(3):35–61,2019;Barsukow in J Sci Comput 86(1):paper No.3,34,2021;Roe in J Sci Comput 73:1094–1114,2017).The solution is globally continuous,and as in the active flux method,described by a combination of point values and average values.Unlike the“classical”active flux methods,the meaning of the point-wise and cell average degrees of freedom is different,and hence follow different forms of PDEs;it is a conservative version of the cell average,and a possibly non-conservative one for the points.This new class of scheme is proved to satisfy a Lax-Wendroff-like theorem.We also develop a method to perform nonlinear stability.We illustrate the behaviour on several benchmarks,some quite challenging.

Stationarity Preservation Properties of the Active Flux Scheme on Cartesian Grids

Hyperbolic systems of conservation laws in multiple spatial dimensions display features absent in the one-dimensional case,such as involutions and non-trivial stationary states.These features need to be captured by numerical methods without excessive grid refine-ment.The active flux method is an extension of the finite volume scheme with additional point values distributed along the cell boundary.For the equations of linear acoustics,an exact evolution operator can be used for the update of these point values.It incorporates all multi-dimensional information.The active flux method is stationarity preserving,i.e.,it discretizes all the stationary states of the PDE.This paper demonstrates the experimental evidence for the discrete stationary states of the active flux method and shows the evolution of setups towards a discrete stationary state.

Research on the Mechanism of Penetration Increase by Flux in A-TIG Welding

The mechanism of penetration depth increased by activating flux in activating tungsten inert gas(A-TIG)weldingwas studied by measuring the distribution of trace element Bi in the weld and monitoring the change of arc voltageduring A-TIG welding of stainless steel 0Crl8Ni9 with fluxes SiO_(2)and TiO_(2).The results show that the mechanismof penetration depth in A-TIG welding depends on the sort of flux used.The weld pool convection after coating theflux SiO_(2)and flux TiO_(2)is changed inversely compared with convectional TIG welding without flux.The arc voltageis increased by flux SiO_(2)whilst flux TiO_(2)does not have effect on the arc voltage.The reason of penetration depthincrease for SiO_(2)is due to the constriction of arc plasma and the change of surface tension gradient.The increaseof weld penetration depth with TiO_(2)only ascribes to the change of surface tension gradient.

Large-scale circulation features associated with the heat wave over Northeast China in summer 2018

In late July and early August 2018,Northeast China suffered from extremely high temperatures,with the maxium temperature anomaly exceeding 6°C.In this study,the large-scale circulation features associated with this heat wave over Northeast China are analyzed using station temperature data and NCEP–NCAR reanalysis data.The results indicate that strong anomalous positive geopotential height centers existed from the lower to upper levels over Northeast China,and the related downward motions were directly responsible for the extreme high-temperature anomalies.The northwestward shift of the western Pacific subtropical high(WPSH)and the northeastward shift of the South Asian high concurrently reinforced the geopotential height anomalies and descending flow over Northeast China.In addition,an anomalous Pacific–Japan pattern in the lower troposphere led to the northwestward shift of the WPSH,jointly favoring the anomalous geopotential height over Northeast China.Two wave trains emanating from the Atlantic region propagated eastwards along high latitudes and midlatitudes,respectively,and converged over Northeast China,leading to the enhancement of the geopotential height anomalies.

Activated flux tungsten inert gas welding of 8 mm-thick AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel

AISI 304 stainless steel plates were welded with activated flux tungsten inert gas(A-TIG) method by utilizing self-developed activated flux. It is indicated from the experimental results that for 8 mm-thick AISI 304 stainless steel plate, weld joint of full penetration and one-side welding with good weld appearance can be obtained in a single pass without groove preparation by utilizing A-TIG welding. Moreover, activated flux powders do not cause significant effect on the microstructure of TIG weld and the mechanical properties of A-TIG weld joints are also superior to those of C-TIG(conventional TIG) welding.

Reconstructing Environmental Changes of a Coastal Lagoon with Coral Reefs in Southeastern Hainan Island

Coastal lagoons with small catchment basins are highly sensitive to natural processes and anthropogenic activities. To figure out the environmental changes of a coastal lagoon and its contribution to carbon burial, two sediment cores were collected in Xincun Lagoon, southeastern Hainan Island and (210) ~Pb activities, grain size parameters, total organic carbon(TOC), total nitrogen(TN), total inorganic carbon(TIC) and stable carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C) were measured. The results show that in 1770–1815, the decreasing water exchange capacity with outer open water, probably caused by the shifting and narrowing of the tidal inlet, not only diminished the currents and fined the sediments in the lagoon, but also reduced the organic matter of marine sources. From 1815 to 1950, the sedimentary environment of Xincun Lagoon was frequently influenced by storm events. These extreme events resulted in the high fluctuation of sediment grain size and sorting, as well as the great variation in contributions of terrestrial(higher plants, soils) and marine sources(phytoplankton, algae, seagrass). The extremely high content of TIC, compared to TOC before 1950 could be attributed to the large-scale coverage of coral reefs. However, with the boost of seawater aquaculture activities after 1970, the health growth of coral species was severely threatened, and corresponding production and inorganic carbon burial flux reduced. The apparent enhanced inorganic carbon burial rate after 1990 might result from the concomitant carbonate debris produced by seawater aquaculture. This result is important for local government long-term coastal management and environmental planning.

Group planting of cherry (Prunus avium L.) fosters growth and tree quality is superior to conventional row planting in Germany

Wild cherry trees produce high-quality timber and provide multiple ecosystem services. However, planting and tending cherry stands in conventional rows are too costly. Therefore, low density group planting was trialled as an alternative to row planting. The mortality, growth, and quality of planted cherry trees were compared between the group and row planting. The influence of neighbourhood competition and light availability on growth and quality was studied. The group and row planting of cherry trees were established at a wind-thrown site in southwestern Germany in the year 2000. In group planting, five cherry seedlings and seven lime seedlings （Tilia cordata Mill.） were planted with a 1 x 1 m spacing. In total, 60 groups were planted per hectare with a 13 × 13 m spacing. In contrast, 3300 seedlings （2475 cherries and 825 limes） were planted per hectare in row planting with a 3 × 1 m spacing. Ten groups and plots （10 × 10 m） were randomly established in group and row planting stand, respectively. The survival rate, stability （height to diameter ratio）, diameter, and height growth were significantly higher in group planting. In the group plantings,40.5% of cherry trees had straight stems and 13.5% had a monopodial crown compared with 15% with straight stems and 2% with a monopodial crown in row planting. The proportion of dominant cherry trees in canopy was 49% in groups compared with 22% in rows. The length of branch free bole was significantly higher in cherries planted in groups than those grown in rows. Intra- and interspecific competition reduced the growth and stability of cherry trees in row planting, but not in group planting. Light availability did not cause any significant effects on growth and quality between group and row planting. This first study on cherry group planting indicates that the survival rate, growth, and tree quality were higher in groups than in rows at this early development stage. The competition by naturally born seedlings was an important reason for the difference in performance between group and row planting. This study will encourage forest practitioners to establish more cherry group planting trials on multiple sites to test the effectiveness of this alternative technique as a tool of regeneration and restoration silviculture.

A Synthetic Study of the Position Difference of the Southern Branch Trough of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Based on Objective Identification

The southern branch trough (SBT) mainly appears in the winter half year (November to May of the following year), using the 4 times daily NCEP/NCAR re-analysis data nearly 41 years (1979-2019) to analyze the differences of the SBT distribution of spatial location, frequency in winter and spring, then selects the “eastern type” and “western type” of the 10 most typical SBT, using simplified vertical vorticity tendency equation, using simplified vertical vorticity tendency equation to diagnosis of the SBT in power, heat, water vapor and wave energy in different positions. The results show that: 1) The location of the SBT is more eastward in winter, and more westward in spring. 2) The diagnosis results of the vorticity equation show that the vorticity of the southern branch of the “western type” is mainly contributed by advection term;the vorticity of the “eastern type” south branch is mainly contributed by the non-adiabatic heating term. 3) The SBT of the “eastern type” has more obvious vorticity advection than the southern branch of the “western type”, and the dynamic action is stronger. The “western type” SBT has stronger Q1, specific humidity advection and water vapor flux than the “eastern type” SBT, which is greatly affected by thermal action and water vapor. When the “eastern type” and “western type” SBT occur, the T-N wave activity flux appears obvious abnormal energy fluctuation propagation.

Interdecadal change of the linkage between the North Atlantic Oscillation and the tropical cyclone frequency over the western North Pacific

The relationship between the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO) and the tropical cyclone frequency over the western North Pacific(WNPTCF) in summer is investigated by use of observation data. It is found that their linkage appears to have an interdecadal change from weak connection to strong connection. During the period of 1948–1977, the NAO was insignificantly correlated to the WNPTCF. However, during the period of 1980–2009, they were significantly correlated with stronger(weaker) NAO corresponding to more(fewer) tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific. The possible reason for such a different relationship between the NAO and the WNPTCF during the former and latter periods is further analyzed from the perspective of large-scale atmospheric circulations. When the NAO was stronger than normal in the latter period, an anomalous cyclonic circulation prevailed in the lower troposphere of the western North Pacific and the monsoon trough was intensified, concurrent with the eastward-shifting western Pacific subtropical high as well as anomalous low-level convergence and high-level divergence over the western North Pacific. These conditions favor the genesis and development of tropical cyclones, and thus more tropical cyclones appeared over the western North Pacific. In contrast, in the former period, the impact of the NAO on the aforementioned atmospheric circulations became insignificant, thereby weakening its linkage to the WNPTCF. Further study shows that the change of the wave activity flux associated with the NAO during the former and latter periods may account for such an interdecadal shift of the NAO–WNPTCF relationship.

Variations in Regional Mean Daily Precipitation Extremes and Related Circulation Anomalies over Central China During Boreal Summer

The variations of regional mean daily precipitation extreme （RMDPE） events in central China and associated circulation anomalies during June, July, and August （JJA） of 1961-2010 are investigated by using daily in-situ precipitation observations and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. The precipitation data were collected at 239 state-level stations distributed throughout the provinces of Henan, Hubei, and Hunan. During 1961-2010, the 99th percentile threshold for RMDPE is 23.585 mm day-1. The number of RMDPE events varies on both interannual and interdecadal timescales, and increases significantly after the mid 1980s. The RMDPE events happen most frequently between late June and mid July, and are generally associated with anomalous baroclinic tropospheric circulations. The supply of moisture to the southern part of central China comes in a stepping way from the outer-region of an abnormal anticyclone over the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea. Fluxes of wave activity generated over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau converge over central China, which favors the genesis and maintenance of wave disturbances over the region. RMDPE events typically occur in tandem with a strong heating gradient formed by net heating in central China and the large-scale net cooling in the surrounding area. The occurrence of RMDPE events over central China is tied to anomalous local cyclonic circulations, topographic forcing over the northeast Tibetan Plateau, and anomalous gradients of diabatic heating between central China and the surrounding areas.

Environmental exposure and flux of thallium by industrial activities utilizing thallium-bearing pyrite

Thallium(Tl) is a typical toxic heavy metal,with higher toxicity to mammals than Hg,Cd,and Pb.Accurate assessments of its environmental exposure and flux are central to effective management and control of Tl pollution.This paper first presents in detail the environmental exposure and flux of Tl by typical industrial activities utilizing Tl-bearing pyrite minerals to produce sulfuric acid.For this purpose,sequential extraction and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry(ICP-MS) were used to investigate total content and geo-chemical partitioning of Tl in raw pyrite ores and solid roasting wastes,thereby uncovering Tl distribution and transformation during the production process.Results showed that some portions of Tl bearing in the minerals went into vapor,which transferred Tl into different processes;and some portions of Tl went into water during the gas washing procedure,leaving some other portions remained in the solid slags.More importantly,detailed investigation revealed that 40% of Tl in the pyrite minerals was active,among which 25% of Tl originally in the pyrite minerals was washed into water during gas cleaning process and 15% of active Tl retained in the slags.The latter portion of active Tl could be possibly transferred to the soil or water with the slag deposal or being reused;and 60% of Tl remained relatively stable in the residual phase.

Thermally activated flux flow,vortex-glass phase transition and the mixed-state Hall effect in 112-type iron pnictide superconductors

The transport properties in the mixed state of high-quality Ca_(0.8)La_(0.2)Fe_(0.98)Co_(0.02)As_2single crystal,a newly discovered 112-type iron pnictide superconductor,are comprehensively studied by magneto-resistivity measurement.The field-dependent activation energy,U_0,is derived in the framework of thermally activated flux flow(TAFF)theory,yielding a power law dependence U_0～H~αwith a crossover at a magnetic field around 2 T in both H⊥ab and H//ab,which is ascribed to the different pinning mechanisms.Moreover,we have clearly observed the vortex phase transition from vortex-glass to vortex-liquid according to the vortex-glass model,and vortex phase diagrams are constructed for both H⊥ab and H//ab.Finally,the results of mixed-state Hall effect show that no sign reversal of transverse resistivityρ_(xy)(H)is detected,indicating that the Hall component arising from the vortex flow is in theories or experiments previously reported on some high-T_ccuprates.