Growth and aggregation micromorphology of natural gas hydrate particles near gas-liquid interface under stirring condition

To investigate the morphological evolution of the whole growth and aggregation processes of hydrate crystals near the gas–liquid interface,we used a high-pressure visual reactor with high-speed camera to capture the micromorphology of hydrate particles in a natural gas+pure water system with pressure from 2.6 to 3.6 MPa and sub-cooling from 4.7 to 6.23C.The results showed that under low sub-cooling conditions,the amount and size of particles increased first and then decreased in the range of 0–330 lm,and the small particles always dominated.These particles can be roughly classified into two categories:planar flake particles and polyhedral solid particles.Then,the concept of maximum growth dominant particle size was proposed to distinguish the morphological boundary of growth and aggregation.In addition,the micro model was established to better reflect the effects of particle formation process and evolution mechanism near the gas–liquid interface under stirring condition.The results of this study can provide a guidance for flow assurance in multiphase pipeline.

Flow pattern visualization and nonlinear analysis of gas-liquid mixing process with top-blowing gas stirring

The evaluation of the mixing effect of gas-liquid two-phase flow during the top-blown gas agitation mixing is one of the difficulties in the testing field, especially in the process of using the model method to study the metallurgical top-blowing process. In order to evaluate the effect of gas-liquid two-phase flow mixing, a gas chromatography simulation based on capacitance tomography was used to visualize the flow pattern and analyze the mixed characteristics. A gas top-blown agitation test rig was set up, the gas phase was air-selected, and the liquid phase was selected from synthetic heat-conducting oil. The top-blown stirring test process was measured and imaged by electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) equipment from ECT Instruments Ltd (UK). The MATLAB program was used to identify the mixing areas of the images to obtain the distribution of gas-liquid two-phase. The flow pattern of the gas-liquid mixing region was obtained. The chaotic detection of the gas-liquid mixing process was performed by the three-state test method;the images were processed by the counting box dimension-corrosion method to obtain the mixing uniformity time of gas-liquid flow. Results show that it is feasible to use the capacitance tomography technique to visualize the gas-liquid two-phase distribution. The uniformity time quantification of the gas-liquid mixing process is also achieved.

Multi-physical fields distribution in billet during helical electromagnetic stirring:A numerical simulation research

Electromagnetic stirring is one of the widely applied techniques to modify the quality of casting billets.Different from conventional rotate stirring,the helical stirring is more professional in assisting multi-dimensional flow of molten metal and eliminating solidification defects.In this study,the single-winding helical stirring(SWHS)was introduced,offering advantages such as smaller volume and lower electromagnetic shielding compared to traditional helical stirring methods.Following a comprehensive numerical simulation,the stirring parameters of SWHS were adjusted to yoke inclination angle of 43°and frequency of 12 Hz.The higher electromagnetic force and flow velocity in drawing direction,as well as the lower temperature gradient induced by the SWHS,are positive factors for homogeneous solidification of billet.The experimental results on Al-8%Si alloy and 0.4%C-1.1%Mn steel demonstrate that compared to rotate stirring,the SWHS process can induce better billet quality and is more effective in accelerating the equiaxed expansion and reducing element segregation.The SWHS process can enhance the equiaxed ratio of the billet by 58.3%and reduce segregation degree of carbon element by 10.97%.Consequently,SWHS holds great promise as a potential approach for improving the quality of continuous casting billets.

Mechanical stirring for highly efficient gas injection refining

In gas injection refining processes,wide dispersion of small bubbles in the bath is indispensable for high refining efficiency.Eccentric mechanical stirring with unidirectional impeller rotation was tested using a water model for pursuing better bubble disintegration and dispersion.Effects of various factors on bubble disintegration and dispersion were investigated.These factors were stirring mode,eccentricity and rotation speed,nozzle structure,nozzle immersion depth,and gas flow rate.Gas injection from a nozzle at the end of the impeller shaft and from an immersed lance was studied.Under eccentric stirring,a vortex was formed away from the shaft.Small bubbles were produced in the strong turbulence or high shear stress field near the rotating impeller and moved in the direction to the vortex keeping up with the macroscopic flow induced by the mechanical stirring.Thus small bubbles could disperse widely in the bath under eccentric stirring with unidirectional rotation.

3D MERGE与3D SPACE STIR序列在腰椎间盘突出症检查中的应用比较

目的:对比三维多回波恢复梯度回波(3D MERGE)、三维可变反转角快速自旋回波(3D SPACE STIR)序列在腰椎间盘突出症(LDH)检查中的应用效果。方法:选择2020年1月~2022年11月收治的135例LDH患者,回顾性分析患者临床和磁共振成像(MRI)资料,所有患者均接受常规MRI扫描及3D MERGE、3D SPACE STIR序列扫描,对比3D MERGE、3D SPACE STIR序列测量神经根直径的一致性,评价两种序列的图像质量参数[信噪比(SNR)、对比噪声比(CNR)]、图像清晰度评分。结果:3D MERGE和3D SPACE STIR序列测量的L3~S1神经根直径比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),且两组序列测量的L3、L4、L5和S1直径均显示出较高相关性(r=0.957,0.986,0.975,0.972,P<0.05);3D MERGE序列的SNR及CNR均高于3D SPACE STIR序列,神经根显示分级、图像清晰度评分优于3D SPACE STIR序列,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:3D MERGE、3D SPACE STIR序列在LDH神经根直径测量中具有极高一致性,3D MERGE序列较3D SPACE STIR序列能够更清晰显示神经跟的解剖形态,图像质量更好。

Numerical Simulation of Gas-Liquid Flow in a Stirred Tank with a Rushton Impeller

The gas-liquid flow field in a stirred tank with a Rushton diskturbine, including the impeller region, was numerically simulatedusing the improved inner-outer iterative procedure. Thecharacteristic features of the stirred tank, such as gas cavity andaccumulation of gas at the two sides of wall baffles, can be capturedby the simulation. The simulated results agree well with availableexperimental data. Since the improved inner-outer iterative algorithmdemands on empirical formula and experimental data for the impellerregion, and the approach seems generally applicable for simulatinggas-liquid stirred tanks.

Preparation for Semi-Solid Aluminum Alloy Slurry under Weak Electromagnetic Stirring Conditions

The effects of pouring temperature, short electromagnetic stirring with low strength and then soaking treatment on the microstructure of AISi7Mg alloy were investigated. The results show that if AlSi7Mg alloy is poured at 630 or 650℃ and meanwhile stirred by an electromagnetic field at a low power for a short time, the pouring process can be easily controlled and most solidified primary α-Al grains become spherical and only a few of them are rosette-like. Weak electromagnetic stirring makes the temperature field more homogeneous and makes the primary α-Al grains disperse in a larger region, which leads to the spherical microstructures of primary α-Al grains. When the AISi7Mg alloy is soaked or reheated at the semisolid state, the primary α-Al grains ripen further and they become more spherical, which is favorable to the semi-solid forming of AlSi7Mg alloy.

Grain Size Control of Semisolid A356 Alloy Manufactured by Electromagnetic Stirring

To investigate the possibility of substituting the mechanical stirring system with electromagnetic stirring (EMS) system for aluminum rheo die-casting, the EMS under the different stirring cooling conditions was carried out. It was found that in the early period of solidification, the dendrite breakages led to a fine primary phase. When dendrites grew coarsely, the effect of ripening on grain size overwhelmed that of dendrite breakage. It was also found that the high cooling rate favored large nucleation rate, and led to a fine primary phase. But high cooling rate also made the growth rate of the dendrite arm, which prevented the dendrite arm from being sheared off. Therefore there were a suitable stirring time and suitable cooling rate to obtain the best rheo die-casting structure. Qualified semisolid A356 aluminum alloy was successfully manufactured with short time EMS.

Annular electromagnetic stirring——a new method for the production of semi-solid A357 aluminum alloy slurry

A new method for producing semisolid slurry, annular electromagnetic stirring （AEMS）, to refine and spheroidize grains was exploited. Experimental work was undertaken to investigate the effects of cooling rate, stirring power and stirring time on the solidification behavior of A357 alloy using A-EMS. It was found that increasing the cooling rate and stirring power gave rise to substantial grain refinement, which could be attributed to the increase of effective nucleation rate caused by the extremely uniform temperature and composition fields in the bulk liquid during the initial stage of solidification. Results showed that a fully grain refined spherical structure could be obtained using proper processing conditions within 10 s.

Research on semi-solid slurry of a hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy prepared by low superheat pouring and weak electromagnetic stirring

The semi-solid slurry of a hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy was manufactured by low superheat pouring and weak electromagnetic stirring. The effects of pouting temperature and stirring power on the semi-solid slurry were investigated. The results indicated that the semi-solid slurry to satisfy rheocasting can be manufactured by low superheat pouring and weak electromagnetic stirring. The pouring temperature （or superheat） and the stirring power remarkably affected the morphology of primary α-Al and the size of primary α-Al, and there is no obvious effect of stirring time on primary α-Al. Compared with the samples made by low superheat pouring with no stirring, the nucleation rate, particle morphology and grain size of primary α-Al in A356 were markedly improved by low superheat pouring and weak electromagnetic stirring. On the condition of weak electromagnetic stirring, the pouring temperature with low superheat can be suitably raised to reach the effectiveness obtained from the lower pouring temperature without stirring.

Manufacture technique of semi-solid slurry of hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy by low superheat pouring and weak electromagnetic stirring

The semi-solid slurry of hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy was manufactured by low superheat pouring and weak electromagnetic stirring. The effects of pouring temperature and stirring power on the semi-solid slurry making process were investigated. The results indicate that the semi-solid slurry to satisfy rheocasting requirement can be made by a combination of low superheat pouring and weak electromagnetic stirring. The pouring temperature (or superheat) and the stirring power significantly affect the morphology and the size of primary α-Al, while there is no obvious effect of the stirring time on primary α-Al. Compared with the samples made by low superheat pouring without stirring, the nucleation rate, particle morphology and grain size of primary α-Al in A356 Al alloy are markedly improved by a process of applying both low superheat pouring and weak electromagnetic stirring. Under the condition of weak electromagnetic stirring applied, the pouring temperature with low superheat can be equivalently to reach the effectiveness obtained from the even lower pouring temperature without stirring.

Experimental studies and phase field modeling of microstructure evolution during solidification with electromagnetic stirring

Thixocasting requires manufacturing of billets with non-dendritic microstructure.Aluminum alloy A356 billets were produced by rheocasting in a mould placed inside a linear electromagnetic stirrer.Subsequent heat treatment was used to produce a transition from rosette to globular microstructure.The current and the duration of stirring were explored as control parameters.Simultaneous induction heating of the billet during stirring was quantified using experimentally determined thermal profiles.The effect of processing parameters on the dendrite fragmentation was discussed.Corresponding computational modeling of the process was performed using phase-field modeling of alloy solidification in order to gain insight into the process of morphological changes of a solid during this process.A non-isothermal alloy solidification model was used for simulations.The morphological evolution under such imposed thermal cycles was simulated and compared with experimentally determined one.Suitable scaling using the thermosolutal diffusion distances was used to overcome computational difficulties in quantitative comparison at system scale.The results were interpreted in the light of existing theories of microstructure refinement and globularisation.

Analysis of cracking phenomena in continuous casting of 1Cr13 stainless steel billets with final electromagnetic stirring

Solidification cracking that occurs during continuous casting of 1Cr13 stainless steel was investigated with and without final elec- tromagnetic stirring （F-EMS）. The results show that cracks initiates and propagates along the grain boundaries where the elements of carbon and sulfur are enriched. The final stirrer should be appropriately placed at a location that is 7.5 m away from the meniscus, and the appropri- ate thickness of the liquid core in the stirring zone is 50 ram. As a stirring current of 250 A is imposed, it can promote colurnnar-equiaxed transition, decrease the secondary dendrite arm spacing, and reduce the segregation of both carbon and sulfur. F-EMS can effectively de- crease the amount of cracks in 1Cr13 stainless steel.

EFFECT OF GRAIN REFINING ON PRIMARYαPHASE IN SEMI-SOLID A356 ALLOY PREPARED BY LOW SUPERHEAT POURING AND SLIGHT ELECTROMAGNETIC STIRRING

The semi-solid slurry of A356 alloy, which is grain-refined by Al-Ti-B master alloy, is prepared by low superheat pouring and slight electromagnetic stirring. The effects of grain refining on the morphology and the grain size of the primary α phase in the slurry manufactured are researched. The results indicate that the slurry with particle-like and rosette-like primary α phases can be prepared by low superheat pouring and slight electromagnetic stirring from liquid A356 alloy grain-refined, in which the pouring temperature can be suitably raised. Compared with the A356 samples without grain refining, the grain size and particle morphology of primary α phase as well as the distribution of the grain with particle-like or rosette-like along radial in the ingot in A356 are markedly improved by grain refining.

Numerical Simulation of Linear Electromagnetic Stirring in Secondary Cooling Region of Slab Caster

According to the theory of alternating magnetohydrodynamics and magnetic boundary renewal method,mathematical models were proposed for electromagnetic stirring in secondary cooling region( SEMS) of slab caster. The magnetic fields and flow fields of melt were simulated with SEMS. It's shown that the electromagnetic forces with inward and sidelong components produced by travel magnetic field at the wide faces of slab make the melt whirling in horizontal section,and the convection of the melt is strengthened obviously there. In addition,magnetic flux density attenuates from the edge to the center of slab,and the profile of the melt velocity along slab thickness in the center of the horizontal section takes a two-opposite-peak configuration. Ultimately,the stirring intensity and features are determined by the electromagnetic parameters,coil arrangement and stirring types.

Effect of electromagnetic stirring in mold on the macroscopic quality of high carbon steel billet

An industrial plant trial for optimizing the process parameters in a round billet continuous casting mold with electromagnetic stirring （M-EMS） was performed, in which the influences of stirring parameters with M-EMS on the solidification macrostructure of high carbon steel were investigated. The results show that the billet quality is not well controlled under the condition of working current and frequency with EMS, in which the subsurface crack of grade 1.0-2.0 ups to 38.09%, the central pipe of grade 1.0-1.5 reaches to 14.28%, and the central porosity of grade 1.5 is 14.29%. The parameters of current 260 A and frequency 8 Hz as the final optimum scheme has a remarkable effect for improving the macroscopic quality of billet, in which the subsurface crack, central pipe and skin blowhole are all disappeared, and the central porosity and carbon segregation are also well improved.

Preparation of semisolid AlSi7Mg alloy slurry through weak traveling-wave electromagnetic stirring

The semisolid AlSi7Mg alloy slurry with large capacity was prepared by low superheat pouring and week traveling-wave electromagnetic stirring. The effects of electromagnetic stirring power and frequency on the shape and distribution of primary α-A1 grains in the AlSi7Mg alloy slurry were discussed. The experimental results show that the AlSi7Mg alloy slurry with fine and spherical primary α-A1 grains distributed homogeneously can be obtained. Under the condition of low superheat pouring and week traveling-wave electromagnetic stirring, when the pouring temperature is 630℃, raising the stirring power or frequency appropriately can gain a better shape of primary α-Al grains; but if the stirring power or frequency is increased to a certain value （1.72 kW or10 Hz）, the shape of primary α-A1 grains cannot be obviously improved and spherical primary α-Al grains distributed homogeneously can be still obtained.

Effects of annular electromagnetic stirring processing parameters on semi-solid slurry production

A computational model coupling an electromagnetic model with a macroscopic heat and fluid flow model in semi-solid aluminum alloy slurry preparation by annular electromagnetic stirring(A-EMS) was developed.Effects of A-EMS processing parameters,such as stirring current,stirring frequency and stirring gap width,on macroscopic transport phenomena during the solidification were analyzed by commercial software ANSYS 10.0 with corresponding experimental verification.The results show that the magnetic flux density and the melt velocity increase and the temperature difference decreases as stirring gap width and stirring frequency decrease or the stirring current increases.The slurry with the fine and uniform globular grain structure can be gained by adjusting gap width,electromagnetic frequency and current,such as under the conditions of 10 mm of gap width,10 Hz of electromagnetic frequency and 50 A of current.The calculated results are in reasonably good agreement with the measured ones.

Characterization on morphology evolution of primary phase in semisolid A356 under slightly electromagnetic stirring

The effects of slight electromagnetic stirring on morphology of primary phase in semisolid A356 prepared by low superheat pouring and slight electromagnetic stirring were researched,and some characteristic parameters characterized the morphology and grain size of the primary phase were calculated.The results indicate that the stirring power has an important effect on the morphology and the grain size.The characteristics of the morphology could be characterized by the fractal dimensions and the shape factors.The fractal dimension and the shape factor change when the morphology changes with processing conditions.Both increase with the increase of the stirring power,but the fractal dimension is still affected by the grain size.The increase of stirring power could obviously improve the grain size,fractal dimension and shape factor of the primary phase.

Preparation of CuCr alloys by thermit-reduction electromagnetic stirring

The influences of the additive CaF2, different molds, mold pre-heating temperature, electromagnetic stirring, and alloying elements on CuCr have been investigated respectively during the preparation of CuCr alloys by thermit-reduction electromagnetic stirring. The results indicate that the reasonable reactant mass ratio of CuO： Cr2O3：Al is 100：140：160; CaF2 can reduce the solidification point of slags to improve the metal separating efficiency from slags; the crystal particles become thinner because of the high cooling velocity in the metal mold; while casting in the graphite mold, the casting properties of CuCr improve with the increase of pre-heating temperature; the compact alloys are prepared at 500℃; electromagnetic stirring can prevent the growth of dendrite crystal into refine crystal particles, as well as homogenize Cu and Cr to improve the CuCr properties; the optimal stirring time is 7 min; when the alloying elements Ni and Co are added to the reactants, elements Cu and Cr can distribute evenly but the crystal particles become thick.