Extended finite element-based cohesive zone method for modeling simultaneous hydraulic fracture height growth in layered reservoirs

In this study,a fully coupled hydromechanical model within the extended finite element method(XFEM)-based cohesive zone method(CZM)is employed to investigate the simultaneous height growth behavior of multi-cluster hydraulic fractures in layered porous reservoirs with modulus contrast.The coupled hydromechanical model is first verified against an analytical solution and a laboratory experiment.Then,the fracture geometry(e.g.height,aperture,and area)and fluid pressure evolutions of multiple hydraulic fractures placed in a porous reservoir interbedded with alternating stiff and soft layers are investigated using the model.The stress and pore pressure distributions within the layered reservoir during fluid injection are also presented.The simulation results reveal that stress umbrellas are easily to form among multiple hydraulic fractures’tips when propagating in soft layers,which impedes the simultaneous height growth.It is also observed that the impediment effect of soft layer is much more significant in the fractures suppressed by the preferential growth of adjoining fractures.After that,the combined effect of in situ stress ratio and fracturing spacing on the multi-fracture height growth is presented,and the results elucidate the influence of in situ stress ratio on the height growth behavior depending on the fracture spacing.Finally,it is found that the inclusion of soft layers changes the aperture distribution of outmost and interior hydraulic fractures.The results obtained from this study may provide some insights on the understanding of hydraulic fracture height containment observed in filed.

Preparation and Characterization of Polyaniline Nanofibers by Template-free Method

In the presence of p-toluene sulfonic acid (TSA) as a dopant, polyaniline (PAni) nanofibers, (about 80^-65 nm in diameter) were successfully synthesized with a chemical template-free method. It was found that the formation probability, morphology, and diameter of the resulting PAni-TSA nanofibers were sensitive to the synthetic conditions, such as reaction temperature, the molar ratio of TSA to aniline, and the concentration of TSA in the polymerization media. The molecular structure was characterized by using the FT-IR, Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction, which shows that the main chain structure of PAni-TSA nanofibers was in agreement with that of granular PAni.

Phase-field modeling of dendritic growth under forced flow based on adaptive finite element method

A mathematical model combined projection algorithm with phase-field method was applied. The adaptive finite element method was adopted to solve the model based on the non-uniform grid, and the behavior of dendritic growth was simulated from undercooled nickel melt under the forced flow. The simulation results show that the asymmetry behavior of the dendritic growth is caused by the forced flow. When the flow velocity is less than the critical value, the asymmetry of dendrite is little influenced by the forced flow. Once the flow velocity reaches or exceeds the critical value, the controlling factor of dendrite growth gradually changes from thermal diffusion to convection. With the increase of the flow velocity, the deflection angle towards upstream direction of the primary dendrite stem becomes larger. The effect of the dendrite growth on the flow field of the melt is apparent. With the increase of the dendrite size, the vortex is present in the downstream regions, and the vortex region is gradually enlarged. Dendrite tips appear to remelt. In addition, the adaptive finite element method can reduce CPU running time by one order of magnitude compared with uniform grid method, and the speed-up ratio is proportional to the size of computational domain.

Effects of Different Cultivation Methods on Growth, Yield and Quality of Cassava

The research explored effects of cultivation methods on growth, yield and quality of cassava. The results showed that the mulching treatment by direct seed- ing, the mulching treatment by transplanting, and the exposed treatment by trans- planting performed excellently in bringing seedling stage forward, improving germina- tion rate, yield and quality. For example, seedling emergence stages were 36, 31 and 31 d earlier; germination rates improved by 19.24%, 14.29% and 14.29%; yields grew by 41.98%, 26.72% and 11.45%; starch contents increased by 3.50%, 2.10% and 1.40%, respectively. Therefore, cassava in the mulching treatment by direct seeding is characterized by earlier seedling emergence stage, high germination rate, high yield and quality.

Method of Growth in Finding the Test Cube of Industrial Robots

In order to find the test cube for industrial robots as specified by ISO 9283, a seed cube is grown up in an irregular working space of the robot, provided that the corners of the cube do not exceed the boundary of the working space. All possible cubes are searched, and the cube with the maximum volume is selected. The calculation examples show that the method of growth can be used for a variety of industrial robots. The method of growth can determine the test cube and test points of irregular working space according to ISO 9283, and can avoid blindness and randomness in the selection of test points.

Recent progresses in the suppression method based on the growth mechanism of lithium dendrite

Lithium secondary batteries（LSBs） with high energy densities need to be further developed for future applications in portable electronic devices, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and smart grids. Lithium metal is the most promising electrode for next-generation rechargeable batteries. However, the formation of lithium dendrite on the anode surface leads to serious safety concerns and low coulombic efficiency.Recently, researchers have made great efforts and significant progresses to solve these problems. Here we review the growth mechanism and suppression method of lithium dendrite for LSBs’ anode protection. We also establish the relationship between the growth mechanism and suppression method. The research direction for building better LSBs is given by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of these methods based on the growth mechanism.

Growth interface of CdMnTe crystal by traveling heater method

The growth interfaces of CdMnTe（CMT） crystals grown by traveling heater method（THM） were studied. Two types of polycrystalline CMT feed ingots synthesized in a traditional rocking furnace and vertical Bridgman（VB） furnace were adopted in THM growth, and the effects of the polycrystalline feed on the growth interface were revealed. The morphology of the growth interface of CMT crystal（CMT2） grown from the feed by vertical Bridgman was smoother with lower curvature compared with that of CMT crystal（CMT1） from the feed by rocking furnace. The radial Mn composition and Te inclusion distribution of the CMT wafers were analyzed and correlated to the growth interface. The Mn segregation along the radial direction and Te inclusion density of CMT2 were lower than those of CMT1. The VB method synthesized polycrystalline feed could improve the growth interface morphology, which is beneficial for decreasing the Te inclusions and Mn segregation in CMT wafers.

Key Techniques and Applications of Adaptive Growth Method for Stiffener Layout Design of Plates and Shells

The application of the adaptive growth method is limited because several key techniques during the design process need manual intervention of designers. Key techniques of the method including the ground structure construction and seed selection are studied, so as to make it possible to improve the effectiveness and applicability of the adaptive growth method in stiffener layout design optimization of plates and shells. Three schemes of ground structures, which are comprised by different shell elements and beam elements, are proposed. It is found that the main stiffener layouts resulted from different ground structures are almost the same, but the ground structure comprised by 8-nodes shell elements and both 3-nodes and 2-nodes beam elements can result in clearest stiffener layout, and has good adaptability and low computational cost. An automatic seed selection approach is proposed, which is based on such selection rules that the seeds should be positioned on where the structural strain energy is great for the minimum compliance problem, and satisfy the dispersancy requirement. The adaptive growth method with the suggested key techniques is integrated into an ANSYS-based program, which provides a design tool for the stiffener layout design optimization of plates and shells. Typical design examples, including plate and shell structures to achieve minimum compliance and maximum bulking stability are illustrated. In addition, as a practical mechanical structural design example, the stiffener layout of an inlet structure for a large-scale electrostatic precipitator is also demonstrated. The design results show that the adaptive growth method integrated with the suggested key techniques can effectively and flexibly deal with stiffener layout design problem for plates and shells with complex geometrical shape and loading conditions to achieve various design objectives, thus it provides a new solution method for engineering structural topology design optimization.

Application of the Method of Characteristics to Population Balance Models Considering Growth and Nucleation Phenomena

The population balance modeling is regarded as a universally accepted mathematical framework for dynamic simulation of various particulate processes, such as crystallization, granulation and polymerization. This article is concerned with the application of the method of characteristics (MOC) for solving population balance models describing batch crystallization process. The growth and nucleation are considered as dominant phenomena, while the breakage and aggregation are neglected. The numerical solutions of such PBEs require high order accuracy due to the occurrence of steep moving fronts and narrow peaks in the solutions. The MOC has been found to be a very effective technique for resolving sharp discontinuities. Different case studies are carried out to analyze the accuracy of proposed algorithm. For validation, the results of MOC are compared with the available analytical solutions and the results of finite volume schemes. The results of MOC were found to be in good agreement with analytical solutions and superior than those obtained by finite volume schemes.

Analysis on high-temperature oxidation and growth stress of iron-based alloy using phase field method

High-temperature oxidation is an important property to evaluate thermal protection materials. However, since oxidation is a complex process involving microstructure evolution, its quantitative analysis has always been a challenge. In this work, a phase field method （PFM） based on the thermodynamics theory is developed to simulate the oxidation behavior and oxidation induced growth stress. It involves microstructure evolution and solves the problem of quantitatively computational analysis for the oxidation behavior and growth stress. Employing this method, the diffusion process, oxidation performance, and stress evolution axe predicted for Fe-Cr-A1-Y alloys. The numerical results agree well with the experimental data. The linear relationship between the maximum growth stress and the environment oxygen concentration is found. PFM provides a powerful tool to investigate high-temperature oxidation in complex environments.

Effect of culture methods on individual variation in the growth of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus within a cohort and family

There is substantial individual variation in the growth rates of sea cucumber Apostiehopus japonicus individuals. This necessitates additional work to grade the seed stock and lengthens the production period. We evaluated the influence of three culture methods （free-mixed, isolated-mixed, isolated-alone） on individual variation in growth and assessed the relationship between feeding, energy conversion efficiency, and individual growth variation in individually cultured sea cucumbers. Of the different culture methods, animals grew best when reared in the isolated-mixed treatment （i.e., size classes were held separately）, though there was no difference in individual variation in growth between rearing treatment groups. The individual variation in growth was primarily attributed to genetic factors. The difference in food conversion efficiency caused by genetic differences among individuals was thought to be the origin of the variance. The level of individual growth variation may be altered by interactions among individuals and environmental heterogeneity. Our results suggest that, in addition to traditional seed grading, design of a new kind of substrate that changes the spatial distribution of sea cucumbers would effectively enhance growth and reduce individual variation in growth of sea cucumbers in culture.

Growth and characterization of superconducting Ca_(1-x)Na_(x)Fe_(2)As_(2) single crystals by NaAs-flux method

High-quality superconducting Ca_(1-x)Na_(x)Fe_(2)As_(2)single crystals have been successfully grown by the NaAs-flux method,with sodium doping level x=0.4–0.64.The typical sizes of these crystals are more than 10 mm in ab-plane and~0.1 mm along c-axis in thickness.X-ray diffraction,resistance and magnetization measurements are carried out to characterize the quality of these crystals.While no signature of magnetic phase transitions is detected in the normal state,bulk superconductivity is found for these samples,with a sharp transition at T_(c) ranging from 19.8 K(x=0.4)to 34.8 K(x=0.64).The doping dependences of the c-axis parameter and T_(c) are consistent with previous reports,suggesting a possible connection between the lattice parameters and superconductivity.

Numerical Simulations of Equiaxed Dendrite Growth Using Phase Field Method

Phase field method offers the prospect of being able to perform realistic numerical experiments on dendrite growth in a metallic system. In this paper, the equiaxed dendrite evolution during the solidification of a pure material was numerically simulated using the phase field model. The equiaxed dendrite growth in a two-dimensional square domain of undercooled melt (nickel) with four-fold anisotropy was simulated. The phase field model equations was solved using the explicit finite difference method on a uniform mesh. The formation of various equiaxed dendrite patterns was shown by a series of simulations, and the effect of anisotropy on equiaxed dendrite morphology was investigated.

Organotemplate-free Hydrothermal Synthesis of SUZ-4 Zeolite: Influence of Synthesis Conditions

Various conditions were investigated in detail for the novel organic template-free static hydrothermal synthesis of SUZ-4 zeolite in the presence of seeds. The obtained samples were characterized by XRD （X-ray diffraction）, SEM （scanning electron microscope）, TG （thermal gravimetric analysis）, ICP （inductively coupling plasma） elemental analysis, nitrogen sorption isotherm and surface area. The results show that pure SUZ-4 zeolites with high crystallinity are obtained in a broad window of synthesis conditions： seed mass concentration 0.2%-2%, SIO2/A1203 molar ratio 21 25, KOH/SiO2 molar ratio 0.33 0.43, H20/SiO2 molar ratio 7.14-38.1, aging time 24 h, crystallization temperature 160℃, and crystallization time 6-10 d. Also, crystallinity and size of the rod-like SUZ-4 zeolite crystals are found to alter with the conditions.

Fatigue crack growth rate test using a frequency sweep method

Fatigue crack propagation characteristics of a diesel engine crankshaft are studied by measuring the fatigue crack growth rate using a frequency sweep method on a resonant fatigue test rig. Based on the phenomenon that the system frequency will change when the crack becomes large, this method can be directly applied to a complex component or structure. Finite element analyses （FEAs） are performed to calibrate the relation between the frequency change and the crack size, and to obtain the natural frequency of the test rig and the stress intensity factor （SIF） of growing cracks. The crack growth rate i.e. da/dN-AK of each crack size is obtained by combining the testing-time monitored data and FEA results. The results show that the crack growth rate of engine crankshaft, which is a component with complex geometry and special surface treatment, is quite different from that of a pure material. There is an apparent turning point in the Paris＇s crack partition. The cause of the fatigue crack growth is also discussed.

Template-free hydrothermal synthesis and gas-sensitivity of hollow-structured Cu_(0.3)Co_(2.7)O_(4) microspheres

Hollow-structured Cu_(0.3)Co_(2.7)O_(4) microspheres have been synthesized by a simple one-pot template-free hydrothermal method with copper sulfate,cobalt acetate and ammonia as raw materials.The products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction,energy dispersive X-ray analysis,selected area electron diffraction,high-resolution transmission electron microscopy,scanning electron microscopy and BET measurements.The research results show that the hollow Cu_(0.3)Co_(2.7)O_(4) microspheres consist of single-crystalline nanocubes with the diameter of about 20 nm.The formation mechanism of hollow Cu_(0.3)Co_(2.7)O_(4) microspheres is suggested as Ostwald ripening in a solid-solution-solid process,and Cu_(0.3)Co_(2.7)O_(4) microspheres are mesoporous containing two pore sizes of 3.3 and 5.9 nm.The as-prepared Cu_(0.3)Co_(2.7)O_(4) sensors have optimal gas responses to 50×10^(−6) mg/m^(3) C_(2)H_(5)OH at 190℃.

Study on the Bubble Growth and Departure with A Lattice Boltzmann Method

For the growth and departure of bubbles from an orifice, a free energy lattice Boltzmann model is adopted to deal with this complex multiphase flow phenomenon. A virtual layer is set at the boundary of the flow domain to deal with the no-slip boundary condition. Effects of the viscosity, surface tension, gas inertial force and buoyancy on the characteristics of bubbles when they grow and departure from an orifice in quiescent liquid are studied. The releasing period and departure diameter of the bubble are influenced by the residual gas at the orifice, and the interaction between bubbles is taken into consideration. The relations between the releasing period or departure diameter and the gravity acceleration show fair agreements with previous numerical and theoretical results. And the influence of the gas outflow velocity on bubble formation is discussed as well. For the bubbles growing in cross-flow field, effects of the cross-flow speed and the gas outflow velocity on the bubble formation are discussed, which is related to the application in ship resistance reduction. And optimal choice of the ship speed and gas outflow velocity is studied. Cases in this paper also prove that this high density ratio LBM model has its flexibility and effectiveness on multiphase flow simulations.

Machine Learning to Instruct Single Crystal Growth by Flux Method

Growth of high-quality single crystals is of great significance for research of condensed matter physics. The exploration of suitable growing conditions for single crystals is expensive and time-consuming, especially for ternary compounds because of the lack of ternary phase diagram. Here we use machine learning(ML) trained on our experimental data to predict and instruct the growth. Four kinds of ML methods, including support vector machine(SVM), decision tree, random forest and gradient boosting decision tree, are adopted. The SVM method is relatively stable and works well, with an accuracy of 81% in predicting experimental results. By comparison,the accuracy of laboratory reaches 36%. The decision tree model is also used to reveal which features will take critical roles in growing processes.

Quantifying growth and breakage of agglomerates in fluid-particle flow using discrete particle method

The cohesive solids in liquid flows are featured by the dynamic growth and breakage of agglomerates, and the difficulties in the development, design and optimization of these systems are related to this significant feature.In this paper, discrete particle method is used to simulate a solid–liquid flow system including millions of cohesive particles, the growth rate and breakage rate of agglomerates are then systematically investigated. It was found that the most probable size of the agglomerates is determined by the balance of growth and breakage of the agglomerates the cross point of the lines of growth rate and breakage rate as a function of the particle numbers in an agglomerate, marks the most stable agglomerate size. The finding here provides a feasible way to quantify the dynamic behaviors of growth and breakage of agglomerates, and therefore offers the possibility of quantifying the effects of agglomerates on the hydrodynamics of fluid flows with cohesive particles.

Synthesis and growth mechanism of SiC/SiO2 nanochains by catalyst-free thermal evaporation method in Ar/CO atmosphere

SiC/SiO2 nanochains were synthesized on a carbon fiber substrate by a catalyst-free thermal evaporation method in the Ar/CO atmosphere.X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)revealed that the as-synthesized SiC/SiO2 nanochains are composed of single-crystalline SiC nanowires and amorphous SiO2 beads.The introduction of CO can promote the formation of SiO2,so that the SiC/SiO2 nanochains are subsequently formed during cooling.In addition,the photoluminescence spectrum of SiC/SiO2 nanochains showed a broad emission peak at around 350 nm,which is ascribed to the oxygen discrepancy in the SiO2 beads as well as the SiC/SiO2 interfacial effect.These findings can provide guidance for further study of the vapor growth of 1D SiC-based materials.