Near net shape casting process for producing high strength 6xxx aluminum alloy automobile suspension parts

The automobile suspension parts of a high strength 6xxx aluminum alloy were produced using a novel technique known as near net shape casting for forging stock preparation. Based on the outline dimension of the forging stock, the shape of the ingot was designed as the near net shape and its casting process was studied by the numerical simulation and experimental investigation. The results show that the shrinkage of the ingot was highly correlated to its shape parameters and could be successfully forecast by the stimulation model. The casting parameters of the near net shape ingot were optimized and the near net shape 6xxx aluminum alloy ingots free of defects were cast in the laboratory. In order to obtain high performance forged suspension parts, the hot compression tests of the ingot were carried out. The results show that the subgrain fraction of the forged ingot was strongly affected by Zener-Hollomon parameters （Z parameters）. The intermediate Z parameters, 1.09×10^16 s^-1, will contribute to the larger number fraction of subgrains inside the forged ingot, which contributes to the high performance of the forged products.

Colorectal cancer lymph node staining by activated carbon nanoparticles suspension in vivo or methylene blue in vitro

AIM:To investigate whether activated carbon nanoparticles suspension(ACNS) or methylene blue(MB) can increase the detected number of lymph nodes in colorectal cancer.METHODS:Sixty-seven of 72 colorectal cancer patients treated at our hospital fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study which was conducted from December 2010 to February 2012.Seven patients refused to participate.Eventually,60 patients were included,and randomly assigned to three groups(20 in each group):ACNS group(group A),MB group(group B) and non-stained conventional surgical group(group C).In group A,patients received subserosal injection of 1 mL ACNS in a 4-quadrant region around the mass.In group B,the main artery of specimen was identified and isolated after the specimen was removed,and 2 mL MB was slowly injected into the isolated,stretched and fixed vessel.In group C,no ACNS and MB were injected.All the mesentery lymph nodes were isolated and removed systematically by visually inspecting and palpating the adipose tissue.RESULTS:No difference was observed among the three groups in age,gender,tumor location,tumor diameter,T-stage,degree of differentiation,postoperative complications and peritoneal drainage retention time.The total number of detected lymph nodes was 535,476 and 223 in the three groups,respectively.The mean number of detected lymph nodes per patient was significantly higher in group A than in group C(26.8 ± 8.4 vs 12.2 ± 3.2,P < 0.001).Similarly,there were significantly more lymph nodes detected in group B than in group C(23.8 ± 6.9 vs 12.2 ± 3.2,P < 0.001).However,there was no significant difference between group A and group B.There were 50,46 and 32 metastatic lymph nodes dissected in 13 patients of group A,10 patients of group B and 11 patients of group C,without significant differences among the three groups.Eleven of the 60 patients had insufficient number of detected lymph nodes(< 12).Only one patient with T 4a rectal cancer had 10 lymph nodes detected in group B,the other 10 patients were all from group C.Based on the different diameter categories,the number of detected lymph nodes in groups A and B was significantly higher than in group C.However,there was no statistically significant difference between group A and group B.The metastatic lymph nodes were not significant different among the three groups.Similarly,tumor location,T stage and tumor differentiation did not affect the staining results.Body mass index was a minor influencing factor in the two different staining methods.The stained lymph nodes can easily be identified from the mesenteric adipose tissues,and the staining time for lymph nodes was not significantly different compared with unstained group.None of the patients in groups A and B had drug-related complications.CONCLUSION:Both activated carbon nanoparticles suspension in vivo and methylene blue in vitro can be used as tracers to increase the detected number of lymph nodes in colorectal cancer.

Effect of preoperative injection of carbon nanoparticle suspension on the outcomes of selected patients with mid-low rectal cancer

Background:Carbon nanoparticles show significant lymphatic tropism and can be used to identify lymph nodes surrounding mid-low rectal tumors.In this study,we analyzed the effect of trans anal injection of a carbon nanoparticle suspension on the outcomes of patients with mid-low rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic resection.Methods:We collected the data of 87 patients with mid-low rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic resection between November 2014 and March 2015 at Cancer Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College.For 35 patients in the experimental group,the carbon nanoparticle suspension was injected transanally into the submucosa of the rectum around the tumor 30 min before the operation;52 patients in the control group underwent the operation directly without the injection of carbon nanoparticle suspension.We then compared the operation outcomes between the two groups.Results:In the experimental group,the rate of incomplete mesorectal excision was lower than that in the control group,but no significant difference was found(2.9%vs.7.7%,P = 0.342).The distance between the tumor and the circumferential resection margin was 5.8 ± 1.4 mm in the experimental group and 4.8 ±1.1 mm in the control group(P = 0.001).The mean number of lymph nodes removed was 28.2 ± 9.4 in the experimental group and 22.7 ± 7.3in the control group(P = 0.003);the mean number of lymph nodes smaller than 5 mm in diameter was 10.1 ± 7.5and 4.5 ±3.7,respectively(P< 0.001).Three patients in the experimental group received lateral lymph node resection.Among the three patients,we retrieved three nodes(one stained node) from the first patient,three nodes(two stained nodes) from the second patient,and two nodes(no stained nodes) from the third patient.Conclusions:Injecting a carbon nanoparticle suspension improved the outcomes of patients who underwent laparoscopic resection for mid-low rectal cancer;it also improved the accuracy of pathologic staging.Moreover,for selected patients,this technique narrowed the scope of lateral lymph node dissection.

Wien Effect in Suspensions of Electrodialyzed Soil Particles and Its Influencing Factors

The electrical conductivity of suspensions and their supernatants from theelectrodialyzed clay fractions of latosol, yellow-brown soil and black soil equilibrated withnitrate solutions were determined at different field strengths using a short high-voltage pulseapparatus to demonstrate the Wien effect in soil suspensions and to investigate factors affectingit. It was found that Wien effect was much stronger in suspensions with a clay content of 30 gkg^(-1) from the soils equilibrated with a 1 X 10^(-4) KNO_3 solution than in their supernatants.The threshold field strength (TFS), at which the relative conductivity is equal to 1.05, i.e., theWien effect begins to be obvious, of the yellow-brown soil suspensions (clay content of 30 gkg^(-1)) equilibrated with different nitrate solutions of a concentration of 1 X 10^(-4)/z molL^(-1), where z is the valence, varied with the type of nitrates, being lowest for NaNO_3 (47 kVcm^(-1)) and highest for Ca(NO_3)_2 (98 kV cm^(-1)). At high field strengths (larger than 130 kVcm^(-1)), the relative conductivities of yellow-brown soil suspensions containing different nitratesdiminished in the order: NaNO_3 > KNO_3 > Mg(NO_3)_2 > Zn(NO_3)_2 > Ca(NO_3)_2. The rates andintensities of the Wien effect in the suspensions of the three soils equilibrated with 5 X 10^(-5)mol L^(-1) Ca(NO_3)_2 solution were in the order of the yellow-brown soil > the latosol > the blacksoil. The results for the yellow-brown soil suspensions (clay concentration of 30 g kg )equilibrated with KNO_3 solutions of various concentrations clearly demonstrated that the moredilute the solution, the lower the TFS, and the larger the relative conductivity of the suspensionsat high field strengths. The results for yellow-brown soil suspensions with different clayconcentrations indicated that as the clay concentration increased, the low field electricalconductivity, EC_0, also increased, but the TFS decreased, and the Wien effect increased.

SEMI-ACTIVE CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUSPENSION WITH MAGNETO-RHEOLOGICAL DAMPERS:PART Ⅰ——CONTROLLER SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION

A modified skyhook-based semi-active controller is proposed for implementing an asymmetric control suspension design with symmetric magneto-rheological （MR） dampers. The controller is formulated in current form, which is modulated by integrating a continuous modulation and an asymmetric damping force generation algorithms, so as to effectively minimize switching and hysteretic effects from the MR-damper. The proposed controller is implemented with a quarter-vehicle MR-suspension model, and its relative response characteristics are thus evaluated in terms of defined performance measures under varying amplitude harmonic, rounded pulse and random excitations. The sensitivity of the semi-active suspension performance to variations in controller parameters is thoroughly evaluated. The results illustrate that the proposed skyhook-based asymmetric semi-active MR-suspension controller has superior robustness on the system parameter variations, and can achieve desirable multi-objective suspension performance.

SEMI-ACTIVE CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUSPENSION WITH MAGNETO-RHEOLOGICAL DAMPERS PARTⅡ——EVALUATION OF SUSPENSION PERFORMANCE

The design and analysis of an intelligent vehicle suspension with MR dampers should address hybrid semi-active control goals, such as rejection of current-switching discontinuity and MR-damper hysteresis, asymmetric damping from the symmetric MR-damper design, robustness on the vehicle operation parameter uncertainties and consideration of essential multiple suspension goals. Following the proposed skyhook-based asymmetric semi-active controller （Part I ） for achieving the above goals, herein, a set of suspension performance measures and three kinds of varying amplitude harmonic, rounded pulse and really measured random excitations are systematically defined, and the sensitivity of quarter-vehicle MR-suspension performance to variations in operating conditions is thoroughly analyzed. The results illustrate that the proposed skyhook-based semi-active MR-suspension in the asymmetric mode yields relatively superior dynamic responses to meet the multiple suspension performances of ride, rattle space, road-holding and dynamic tire force transmitted to the pavement, and has desirable robustness on variations in operating conditions of vehicle load and speed and the road roughness.

Accelerated methane storage in clathrate hydrates using surfactantstabilized suspension with graphite nanoparticles

In this study,enhanced kinetics of methane hydrate formation in the sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS)solution with different concentrations of suspended graphite nanoparticles(GNPs)were investigated at 6.1-9.0 MPa and 274.15 K.The GNPs with rough surfaces and excellent thermal conductivity not only provided a considerable number of microsites for hydrate nucleation but also facilitated the fast hydrate heat transfer in the suspension system.At a relatively low pressure of 6.1 MPa,the suspension with 0.4 wt%of GNPs exhibited the minimum induction time of 22 min and maximum methane uptake of 126.1 cm3·cm-3.However,the methane storage performances of the suspensions with higher and lower concentrations of GNPs were not satisfactory.At the applied pressure,the temperature increase arising from the hydrate heat in the suspension system with the optimized concentration(0.4 wt%)of GNPs was more significant than that in the traditional SDS solution.Furthermore,compared with those of the system without GNPs,enhanced hydration rate and storage capacity were achieved in the suspensions with GNPs,and the storage capacities were increased by 3.9%-17.0%.The promotion effect of GNPs on gas hydrate formation at low pressure is much more obvious than that at high pressure.

Influence of Particle Size Distribution on the Optical Properties of Fine-Dispersed Suspensions

Nanofluids have great potential for solar energy harvesting due to their suitable optical and thermophysical properties.One of the promising applications of nanofluids is utilization in solar collectors with the direct absorption of light(DASC).The design of a DASC requires detailed knowledge of the optical properties of nanofluids,which can be significantly affected by the particle size distribution.The paper presents the method to take into account the particle size distribution when calculating nanofluid extinction spectra.To validate the proposed model,the particle size distribution and spectral absorbance were measured for aqueous suspension with multi-walled graphite nanotubes;the minimum size of primary nanoparticles was 49 nm.The proposed model is compared with experiments demonstrating the concentration averaged and maximum discrepancies of 6.6%and 32.2%against 12.6%and 77.7%for a model assuming a monosized suspension.

Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Particles by Suspension Polymerization in Silicon Oil

Molecularly imprinted polymers using 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid （2,4-D） as templates were prepared by suspension polymerization in silicon oil. The polymer particles exhibited regular shape in the micro-scale range. The adsorbing experiments indicated that the imprinted polymer particles possessed higher affinity to 2,4-D than the non-imprinted polymer particles.

Mechanism of Off-Bottom Suspension of Solid Particles in a Mechanical Stirred Tank

The minimum fluid velocity to maintain particles just suspendedwas deduced, and the theoretical analysis shows that the minimumvelocity is influenced by the properties of the solid and liquid, notby the operational conditions. For justification, the local minimumvelocity at the bottom of the tank was measured by a bi- electrodeconductivity probe, in a square-sectioned stirred tank (0.75m×0.75×1.0m) with the glass beads-water system. The experiments showed thatthe fluid velocities for the same suspension state were identicaldespite that the power Dissipated per unite mass was not the sameunder different configuration and operation. Both theoreticalanalysis And experimental results indicate that the off-bottomsuspension is controlled by the local fluid flow over the bottom Ofthe stirred tank.

Stabilization of nickel nanoparticle suspensions with the aid of polymer and surfactant: static bottle tests and dynamic micromodel flow tests

Nickel nanoparticles can work as catalyst for the aquathermolysis reactions between water and heavy oil.A homogeneous and stable suspension is needed to carry the nickel nanoparticles into deeper reservoirs.This study conducts a detailed investigation on how to achieve stabilized nickel nanoparticle suspensions with the use of surfactant and polymer.To stabilize the nickel nanoparticle suspension,three surfactants including sodium dodecyl sulfate,cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and polyoxyalkalene amine derivative(Hypermer) along with xanthan gum polymer were introduced into the nickel nanoparticle suspension.Static stability tests and zeta potential measurements were conducted to determine the polymer/surfactant recipes yielding the most stable nickel nanoparticle suspensions.Dynamic micromodel flow tests were also conducted on three suspensions to reveal how the nickel nanoparticles would travel and distribute in porous media.Test results showed that when the injection was initiated,most nickel nanoparticles were able to pass through the gaps between the sand grains and produced in the outlet of the micromodel;only a small number of the nickel nanoparticles were attached to the grain surface.A higher nickel concentration in the suspension may lead to agglomeration of nickel nanoparticles in porous media,while a lower concentration can mitigate this agglomeration.Moreover,clusters tended to form when the nickel nanoparticle suspension carried an electrical charge opposite to that of the porous media.Follow-up waterflood was initiated after the nanofluid injection.It was found that the waterflood could not flush away the nanoparticles that were remaining in the micromodel.

A Population Balance Model for Disperse Systems:Particle Size Distribution in Suspension Polymerization

On the basis of population balance a mathematical model is developed to describe the formation of polymer particle in styrene suspension polymerization. The characteristics of coalescence and breakage of droplets and the gel effect are analyzed in particular. Parameters of the models are estimated by experimental data on reaction conversion and particle size distribution. The results show that the model is suitable for predicting polymerization processes.

SEMI-ACTIVE CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUSPENSION WITH MAGNETO-RHEOLOGICAL DAMPERS:PART III—EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION

A hardware-in-the-loop （HIL） test and simulation platform is developed in the laboratory, so as to validate the performance characteristics of the proposed skyhook-based asymmetric semi-active controller in Part I, and examine the validity of the proposed MR-damper model in a system surrounding. A real-time monitor is designed to assess and monitor the responses of the quarter-vehicle model in the HIL platform, and to select the excitation, controller synthesis, and the output displays. A drive current circuit hardware employing PID feedback technique is developed to compensate for the time delays from the servo-controller and drive current circuit, in which a small resistance is integrated in the current amplifier circuit to provide the feedback signal. The experiments were performed to measure the responses of the quarter-vehicle MR-suspension models with fixed current and the proposed semi-active MR-damping variations, under harmonic, rounded pulse and random road excitations. The measured data were compared with the corresponding model results to examine the model and controller validity, and revealed generally good agreements in the model and tested results and very little sensitivity of the tested responses to variations in the sprung mass. The HIL test results validate the effectiveness of the proposed skyhook-based semi-active asymmetric controller and its high robustness against the vehicle load variations in view of the intelligent vehicle suspension design.

Transition and self-sustained turbulence in dilute suspensions of finite-size particles

We study the transition to turbulence of channel flow of finite-size particle suspensions at low volume fraction, i.e., φ ≈0.001. The critical Reynolds number above which turbulence is sustained reduces to Re ≈ 1675, in the presence of few particles, independently of the initial condition, a value lower than that of the corresponding single-phase flow, i.e., Re ≈1775. In the dilute suspension, the initial arrangement of the particles is important to trigger the transition at a fixed Reynolds number and particle volume fraction. As in single phase flows, streamwise elongated disturbances are initially induced in the flow. If particles can induce oblique disturbances with high enough energy within a certain time, the streaks breakdown, flow experiences the transition to turbulence and the particle trajectories become chaotic, Otherwise, the streaks decay in time and the particles immigrate towards the channel core in a laminar flow.

Millisecond dynamics of colloidal suspension studied by X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility

X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy(XPCS)has emerged as a powerful tool for probing the nanoscale dynamics of soft condensed matter and strongly correlated materials owing to its high spatial resolution and penetration capabilities.This technique requires high brilliance and beam coherence,which are not directly available at modern synchrotron beamlines in China.To facilitate future XPCS experiments,we modified the optical setup of the newly commissioned BL10U1 USAXS beamline at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility(SSRF).Subsequently,we performed XPCS measurements on silica suspensions in glycerol,which were opaque owing to their high concentrations.Images were collected using a high frame rate area detector.A comprehensive analysis was performed,yielding correlation functions and several key dynamic parameters.All the results were consistent with the theory of Brownian motion and demonstrated the feasibility of XPCS at SSRF.Finally,by carefully optimizing the setup and analyzing the algorithms,we achieved a time resolution of 2 ms,which enabled the characterization of millisecond dynamics in opaque systems.

MACROPROCESS OF PARTICLE FORMATION IN SUSPENSION POLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE WITH INORGANIC STABILIZER SYSTEM

The macroprocess of particle formation from suspension droplets of styrene in a pdymerizationsystem was investigated.Inorganic hydroxyapatite or its mixture with polyvinyl alcohol as thepolymerization system was used.Those items such as the effects of the Weight fraction of dispersed-phase,the amount of the inorganic stabilizer and the agitation speed on the breakup and coalescence of thetransient dispersed drops etc.Were examined.Results showd that the dynamic behavior of the transi-ent polymer droplets changed in the presence of the suspension stabilizer during the reaction.

RESEARCH ON THE MOTION OF PARTICLES IN THE TURBULENT PIPE FLOW OF FIBER SUSPENSIONS

The motion of fibers in turbulent pipe flow was simulated by 3-D integral method based on the slender body theory and simplified model of turbulence.The orientation distribution of fibers in the computational area for different Re numbers was computed.The results which were consistent with the experimental ones show that the fluctuation velocity of turbulence cause fibers to orient randomly.The orientation distributions become broader as the Re number increases.Then the fluctuation velocity and angular velocity of fibers were obtained.Both are affected by the fluctuation velocity of turbulence.The fluctuation velocity intensity of fiber is stronger at longitudinal than at lateral,while it was opposite for the fluctuation angular velocity intensity of fibers.Finally,the spatial distribution of fiber was given.It is obvious that the fiber dispersion is strenghened with the increase of Re numbers.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF ORIENTATION DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION OF CYLINDRICAL PARTICLE SUSPENSIONS

The orientation distribution function of cylindrical particle suspensions was deduced and numerically simulated, and an application was taken in a wedge-shaped flow field. The relationship between the orientation distribution function and particle orientation angles was obtained. The results show that comparing with the most probable angle distribution which comes to being in short time, the distribution of the steady state doesn't vary much. in range; the main difference is the anti-clockwise rotation in the right and upper field, that is, particles rotate more at the points where the velocity gradients are larger. The most probable orientations are close to the direction of local streamlines. In the direction of streamlines, with poleradius decreasing, the most probable angles increase, but the angles between their orientations and the local streamlines decrease.

Effects of particle fractions on the Bingham yield stress and viscosity of fine-coarse particle suspensions

The rheological behaviors of highly concentrated fine particle suspensions(clay-silt-water mixtures)and coarse particle suspensions(coarse particles within a fine particle suspension)were investigated in this study.Experimental results demonstrated that the Bingham Fluid Model with two rheological parameters,Bingham yield stressand viscosity,wellcharacterized the rheological behavior of fine particle suspensions at shear rates between 4 and 20 s^(-1).The inclusion of coarse particles within a fine particle suspension induced an enhancement to the rheological parameters.The rheological parameters of a coarse particle suspension not only depend on its total particle fraction but also on its relative fine/coarse particle fractions.Empirical equations of these two parameters were proposed,quantitatively related to both fine and coarse particle fractions.Results indicated that the Bingham yield stress and viscosity are much more(an order larger)sensitive to changes in fine particle fraction than to changes in coarse particle fraction.

Surface Modification and Suspension Stability of Ultrafine Al(OH)_3 Particles

The influence of single and compound dispersant on the sedimentation performance of modifiedultrafine Al(OH)3powder aqueous suspension was studied by the determination of the settlement rate and the Zeta potential.The results showed that the type and dosage of the dispersant have remarkable impacts on the dispersion stability.Using the mixture of DP-270and Sodium C16alkylbenzenesulfonate(mass ratio=1∶1)in the Al(OH)3aqueous suspension,the dispersion stability was improved effectively.As for spherical partic...