No description available.

Microstructure refinement was observed in the fusion zone of AZ31 magnesium (Mg) alloy resistance spot welds when an inoculant was added, either Ti, Al8Mn5, or Mn. The dependence of inoculant potency on the lattice disregistry between inoculants and matrix, and on the liquid cooling rate was studied. Microstructural characterization was performed via optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thin foils containing the interface of the inoculant particles and Mg matrix were prepared using a focused ion beam (FIB) technique. Columnar dendritic structures in the vicinity of the fusion boundary and equiaxed dendritic structures in the central area were observed in the fusion zone of welds in the SA and SB AZ31Mg alloys from different suppliers. However, the columnar dendritic zone (CDZ) was well restricted, and the width of the CDZ and the diameters of equiaxed dendrites were much smaller in the SA alloy than those in the SB alloy due to the earlier columnar-equiaxed-transition (CET) in the SA alloy. The refined microstructure in the fusion zone of the SA alloy welds is attributed to the pre-existence of the larger Al8Mn5 particles of 4-10 microns in length in the SA alloy which act as an inoculant for alpha-Mg heterogeneous nucleation. Fatigue life and dislocation substructure were compared between the SA and SB welds. The SA welds with the refined microstructure displayed an enhanced fatigue resistance compared to the SB welds, when the interfacial failure took place across the fusion zone. The increased number and dispersion of slip systems in the fine-grained SA welds contributed to the improvement of fatigue life. The well-developed columnar dendritic grains were successfully restricted and the coarse equiaxed dendritic grains were efficiently refined by intentionally adding Ti or Mn inoculant particles into the as-received SB alloy welds. The Ti and Mn particles of about 8μm diameter were observed to promote the nucleation of alpha-Mg grains during welding. TEM examinations showed the existence of local orientation relationships between the respective inoculants Ti, Mn, and Al8Mn5 with the Mg matrix. The further lattice matching was observed between the Al8Mn5 particles and Mg. The diameter of the added inoculant should be larger than 1.8 microns to make it a potent inoculant based on the thermodynamic calculation. Microstructural examinations of samples with different inoculant additions and under different cooling rates showed that the inoculant potency was high for the Ti inoculant, medium for the Al8Mn5, but low for the Mn, when the cooling rate was low. This order in the decrease of grain refinement efficiency is inversely proportional with the order of crystallographic lattice disregistry between inoculants and matrix, which is calculated based on a crystallographic matching model. This implies that the lattice disregistry determines the potency of inoculants at the low cooling rates. In comparison, the lattice disregistry did not influence the heterogeneous nucleation, when the cooling rate was high. It could be inferred that an extremely high cooling rate produces a large supercooling, and provides a sufficient driving force for heterogeneous nucleation.

Recently, the cold resistance becomes a common topic in scientific articles. If we focus on order Heteroptera, we can find a lot of studies dealing with the cold resistance or with the supercooling point (SCP) and also with the factors that influence them. According to the general rule, the acclimation at low temperatures increases the cold resistance. Therefore, the main goal of this thesis is to find out, whether the acclimation also increases the cold resistance of the water cricket Velia caprai Tamanini, 1947 (Veliidae), with the intention to measure SCP of the water crickets depending on the acclimation temperature and the length of exposure. Due to the high mortality (the 284 individuals remained alive of total 1300) and due to the technical difficulties in measuring of SCP (measured only 36 individuals) it was necessary to modify the original goal of the thesis. The new goal was to test the influence of acclimation (during one month vs. one week) and the influence of different temperatures (0°C, 5°C, 10°C) on SCP of V. caprai. The individuals used for this measurement were collected during the year 2010 and in March 2011. The results of this thesis did not confirm the hypothesis that the acclimation at low temperatures increases the cold resistance. The individuals who were acclimated at a higher temperature have the values of SCP demonstrably lower than the individuals who were acclimated at low temperatures. The individuals who overwinter for the first time have arguably higher cold resistance than the individuals who overwinter for the second time. Probable cause of these results is the fact that the water cricket V. caprai does not start with diapause in the fall but it overwinters in quiescence.

No description available.

Au cours des deux dernières décennies, le contexte économique a changé de manière significative en raison de la hausse des prix de l'énergie. Le bâtiment étant devenu le principal secteur consommateur d'énergie, la réduction de celle-ci est devenue un objectif économique, sociétal et environnemental. Ce sujet mobilise de nombreux travaux de recherche. Les Matériaux à Changement de Phase (MCP) représentent une solution innovante qui pourrait contribuer à améliorer la performance énergétique des bâtiments. Ils sont principalement utilisés pour la régulation de température, et leur forte capacité de stockage est un moyen de réduire la consommation d'énergie. Notre étude vise à caractériser, via une approche expérimentale et numérique, le comportement d'un PCM (l’Octadécane). Pour cela, nous avons développé et mis en œuvre un modèle numérique qui corrobore les résultats expérimentaux, et ainsi améliore la prédiction de la performance du MCP considéré.Dans ce travail, notre principale préoccupation est de mettre en évidence les erreurs ou simplifications présentes dans le modèle numérique traditionnel pouvant entraîner un écart global par rapport au comportement réel du MCP. Ces différences conduisent à une estimation erronée des temps de fusion et de la quantité d'énergie stockée. L'amélioration significative de notre modèle est la prise en compte de la convection naturelle, de la surfusion, et l'utilisation des courbes réelles d'enthalpie du MCP considéré. La relation température-enthalpie réelle tient compte de la présence d'une fraction d'impuretés solubles dans le matériau. L’originalité de ce travail est de traiter ces phénomènes physiques via la méthode de Boltzmann réseau (connue sous l'acronyme LBM) avec des fonctions de distribution doubles couplée à une formulation enthalpique. Une telle approche permet de passer outre la non-linéarité des équations régissant l'écoulement et le transfert de chaleur. Sa simplicité de mise en œuvre et son caractère local permettent d'affiner le modèle. Ainsi, on peut couvrir les problèmes de changement de phase, y compris ceux pouvant avoir lieu dans des matrices poreuses ou fibreuses. Ce dernier point a été couvert dans cette thèse.Enfin, il s'est avéré que l'approche numérique adoptée ici pour traiter les problèmes de changement de phase corrobore à la fois nos résultats expérimentaux et ceux disponibles dans la littérature. / Over the past two decades, the economic context has changed significantly due to the rise in energy prices. The building sector has become the main consumer of energy. Thereby, reducing the latter is now an economic, societal and environmental necessity. Accordingly, this topic mobilizes many researches. Phase Change Materials (PCMs) represent an innovative solution, which could improve buildings' energy performance. They are primarily used for temperature regulation, and their high storage capacity can reduce energy consumption.Our study aims at characterizing, via a complementary approach of experimental and numerical simulation, the behavior of a PCM (n-Octadecane). For this, we have developed and implemented a numerical model that corroborates the experimental results, and hence improves the prediction of the PCM performance.In this work, our main concern is to highlight the common errors or simplifications taken in the traditional numerical model, which can result in an overall discrepancy compared to the actual behavior of PCMs. Those discrepancies lead to wrong estimation of the fusion times and amount of energy stored. The major improvement of our model is the consideration of the natural convection, the supercooling, and the use of real enthalpy curves of the considered PCM. The actual temperature-enthalpy relationship takes into account the presence of a fraction of soluble impurities in the material. The originality of this work is to handle these physical phenomena via a lattice Boltzmann method (known by the acronym LBM), which leans on double distribution functions and coupled with the enthalpy formulation. Such an approach overcomes the non-linearity in the governing equations of fluid flow and heat transfer. Its simplicity and local character allow adding complexity to the model. Thereby, one can cover up the phase change problems, including those, which may occur in heterogeneous matrices. This last point has been also covered in this thesis.Finally, it turned out that the approach implemented here for phase change problems supports both, our experimental results and those available in the literature.

[pt] Um dispositivo experimental foi desenvolvido para o estudo do super-resfriamento da água em cápsulas cilíndricas visando sua utilização em processos de termo-acumulação. A bancada experimental é constituída basicamente por: seção de teste, sistema de resfriamento, sistema de visualização e sistema de aquisição e armazenamento de dados. A temperatura do fluido externo, ou fluido de transferência (FT), uma solução aquosa de álcool a 50% por volume, foi mantida fixa por um banho de temperatura controlada durante cada teste. O trabalho foi dividido em quatro etapas. A primeira trata do estudo estatístico do super- resfriamento e nucleação, onde foram utilizadas 4 cápsulas de materiais distintos (alumínio, bronze, PVC e acrílico) de 45 mm de diâmetro, com diferentes temperaturas do FT. A segunda etapa investiga a Taxa de Resfriamento, parâmetro que quantifica a queda da temperatura e influencia fortemente o superresfriamento e a nucleação. Na terceira etapa, foi estudada a influência da rugosidade da parede interna da cápsula. Nesta etapa, quatro diferentes cápsulas de alumínio, com diferentes rugosidades, foram utilizadas. Finalmente, na quarta etapa, foram realizadas visualizações do processo de nucleação para posterior processamento e melhor entendimento do fenômeno. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o material da cápsula (condutividade e rugosidade) e a temperatura do FT têm grande influência nos fenômenos de super-resfriamento e nucleação da água em cápsulas cilíndricas, afetando, fortemente, o processo de mudança de fase. / [en] An experimental device was developed to investigate the supercooling phenomenon in water inside cylindrical capsules used for cold storage process. The experimental device is formed by the test section, the cooling system, the visualization system and the data acquisition and storage system. The temperature of the transfer fluid (TF), a water-alcohol mixture (50% volume), is controlled by a constant temperature bath (CTB). The work was divided in four stages. The first is the statistical study of the supercooling and nucleation phenomena, where four capsules of 45 mm diameter made with different materials (aluminum, brass, PVC and acrylic) had been used, with different temperatures of the FT. The second stage studies the Cooling Rate, a parameter related to the supercooling and nucleation phenomena. In the third stage, the influence of the superficial roughness of the internal wall was investigated. Four aluminum capsules, with different roughness, were used. Finally, in the fourth stage, visualizations of the nucleation process had carried out, for posterior processing and analysis. The results indicate that the material of the capsule (conductivity and roughness) and the temperature of the TF have a considerable influence in the supercooling and nucleation phenomena of the water inside cylindrical capsules, strongly affecting the phase change process.

Magnetické nanočástice a nanostrukturované materiály jsou velkým příslibem v mnoha oblastech, včetně biomedicíny, sanace životního prostředí nebo získávání energie. Proto neustále roste zájem o výzkum jejich jedinečných vlastností a vývoj uskutečnitelných výrobních postupů. Tato práce se zabývá metodou samouspořádávání, spočívající v povrchové precipitaci tenkých vrstev, za účelem výroby epitaxních polí nanoostrůvků ze slitiny FeRh na různých monokrystalických substrátech. Při tomto výrobním postupu zůstává zachována metamagnetická fázová přeměna nanoostrůvků. Morfologie a magnetické vlastnosti samouspořádaných nanomagnetů z FeRh jsou charakterizovány kombinací experimentálních technik a modelování, přičemž bylo zjištěno, že jejich rovnovážné tvary a magnetické uspořádání jsou navzájem propojeny. Kromě toho je navržena cesta pro získání volných nanočástic, která by mohla potenciálně umožnit využití metamagnetických nanostruktur v buněčných kulturách a biomedicíně obecně. Za tímto účelem jsou nanoostrůvky FeRh uvolňovány ze substrátu chemickým leptáním. Chování nanočástic a jejich reakce na teplotu a magnetické pole jsou studovány v kapalném prostředí. Metamagnetické vlastnosti separovaných nanočástic jsou charakterizovány pomocí vibrační magnetometrie.

No description available.

L'eau est un liquide omniprésent, son omniprésence n'a d'équivalence que la multitude de ses secrets. En effet, dans le cas de l'eau, le comportement de nombreuses grandeurs thermodynamiques et dynamiques se différencie de celui des liquides « standard ». Cette différence est d'autant plus importante dans l'état dit surfondue. Dans cette thèse, on s'intéresse à la viscosité de l'eau légère et lourde dans l'état surfondue à pression atmosphérique. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilisé la méthode de microscopie dynamique différentielle. Nous avons ainsi pu mesurer la viscosité jusqu'à -34°C pour l'eau légère et -25°C pour l'eau lourde. Ces mesures de viscosité corrélées à des mesures de coefficient d'auto-diffusion nous ont permis de confirmer l'existence d'une anomalie dite violation de Stokes-Einstein / Water is an omnipresent liquid, indeed secrets of water are uncountable. In the water case, the behaviour of many thermodynamical and dynamicalquantities is very different from other standard liquids. This difference is more important in the supercooled state. In this thesis we focus on the viscosity of the heavy and light water into the supercooled state at atmospheric pressure. To do this we use the differential dynamic microscopy method. We were able to measure the viscosity to -34 C for light water and -25°C for heavy water. These viscosity measurements correlated to measurements of self-diffusion coefficient allowed us to confirm the existence of a so-called anomaly violation Stokes-Einstein

Utilizing Phase Change Materials (PCM) for Latent Thermal Energy Storage (LTES) applications have previously been extensively researched as a measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy consumption. In order to make use of the waste heat from industrial processes for LTES purposes, a new demand emerged for PCMs capable of phase change in mid-temperature ranges of 100 °C - 200 °C. This higher temperature requirement made most of the previously studied material inapplicable as they had much lower melting and solidification temperatures. With this in mind, a new generation of PCMs consisting of Sugar Alcohols (SA) has been proposed. Erythritol is seen as an especially promising SA with good thermophysical properties for LTES purposes. However, it has been shown to suffer from severe supercooling, which makes it unreliable in real applications. To eradicate this issue, two additives, Graphene Oxide (GO) and Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) at varying mass fractions were mixed with pure erythritol to form a composite which was studied using the Temperature-history (T-history) method to determine its effectiveness in reducing supercooling. Results show that at its most effective mass fraction, GO reduces supercooling by 28 o C and a 31 o C reduction is seen by the addition of PVP. The impacts on the duration of crystallization was also documented and analyzed using the same method. It was observed that the duration of crystallization was increased with increasing mass fractions of the additives. Other important properties of the composites were also studied in order to determine the overall feasibility for industrial applications. It includes analysis of the storage capacity through latent heat, changes in viscosity along with impacts on thermal diffusivity of the composites. / Att använda fasändringsmaterial (PCM) för termisk energilagring i form av latent värme (LTES) har tidigare extensivt forskats och undersökts som en lösning för att minska utsläppen av växthusgaser från energiförbrukning. För att utnyttja spillvärme från industriella processer för LTES-ändamål uppstod en efterfrågan på PCM som ändrar fas i temperaturer mellan 100 °C - 200 °C. Detta krav på högre temperatur gjorde att de flesta av de tidigare aktuella materialen inte kunde tillämpas eftersom de hade mycket lägre smält- och kristalliseringstemperaturer. Med detta i åtanke har en ny generation av PCM bestående av sockeralkoholer (SA) föreslagits. Erytritol ses som ett särskilt lovande SA med goda egenskaper för LTES-ändamål. Den har dock visat sig drabbas av svår underkylning, vilket gör den opålitligt i verkliga tillämpningar. För att utrota detta problem blandades två tillsatser, Graphene Oxide (GO) och Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) vid olika massfraktioner med ren erytritol för att bilda en komposit som studerades med metoden Temperature-history (T-history) för att bestämma dess effektivitet på att minska underkylningen. Resultaten visar att GO på sin mest effektiva massfraktion minskar underkylningen med 28 o C och tillsats av PVP lyckats minska den med som mest 31 o C. Påverkningarna på varaktighet av kristallisering dokumenterades och analyserades med samma metod. Det var observerad att varaktigheten av kristallisering ökades med ökande massfraktioner av tillsatserna. Även andra viktiga egenskaper hos kompositerna studerades för att avgöra rimligheten att använda dessa för industriella tillämpningar. Det inkluderar analys av lagringskapaciteten genom latent värme, förändringar i viskositet tillsammans med påverkan på kompositernas termiska diffusivitet.