Throughout the history of the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR), Transient Rod (TR) A has experienced an increased rate of failure versus the other two TRs (B and C). Either by pneumatic force or electric motor, the transient rods remove the poison rods from the ACRR core allowing for the irradiation of experiments. In order to develop causes for why TR A is failing (rod break) more often, a better understanding of the whole TR system and its components is needed. This study aims to provide a foundational understanding of how the TR pneumatic system affects the motion of the TRs and the resulting effects that the TR motion has on the neutronics of the ACRR. Transient rod motion profiles have been generated using both experimentally-obtained pressure data and by thermodynamic theory, and input into Razorback, a SNL-developed point kinetics and thermal hydraulics code, to determine the effects that TR timing and pneumatic pressure have on reactivity addition and reactivity feedback. From this study, accurate and precise TR motion profiles have been developed, along with an increased understanding of the pulse timing sequence. With this information, a safety limit within the ACRR was verified for different TR travel lengths and pneumatic system pressures. In addition, longer reactivity addition times have been correlated to cause larger amounts of reactivity feedback. The added clarity on TR motion and timing from this study will pave the way for further study to determine the cause for the increased failure rate of TR A.

No description available.

Over the past couple of decades interest in particle-stabilised emulsions or Pickering emulsions has greatly increased. When using particles as stabilisers, as opposed to surfactants, the interface becomes more rigid and this can lead to interesting physical properties. In addition, the resulting emulsions are found to be longer-lived garnering commercial interest. This thesis aims to explore the mechanical properties of some specific systems containing particle-stabilised interfaces. The main system investigated was the bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gel or bijel. The bijel has two continuous interpenetrating liquid phases separated by a particle-stabilised interface. Therefore, the structure has a very large interface in a fairly small volume and the pore size is under the experimentalist's control giving it promise in a variety of applications, particularly those based on catalysis. The response of bijels stabilised by either spherical particles or anisotropic rod-shaped particles to centrifugal compression has been investigated in this thesis. It was found that, in both cases, the structure was distorted to create anisotropic particle-stabilised sheets orientated perpendicular to the force. The original method for fabricating bijels involves the arrested spinodal decomposition of partially miscible liquids. This method requires partially miscible liquid pairs and particles that are equally wetted by each phase. Due to these requirements, a new method for making bijels using mixing was developed by others and the bijel made by mixing has been tested with oscillatory rheology combined with imaging and squeeze flow experiments. It was found that at low strain the bijel displayed solid-like behaviour and the structure remained intact until well past the yielding point. In addition, two further systems were investigated. The first system was rod-shaped particle-stabilised emulsion droplets that stick together by particle bridging. Bridging is where one particle can stabilise two droplet interfaces, preventing coalescence and leading to droplet clusters. Particle bridging was found to occur regardless of shear rate, particle volume fraction and to some extent aspect ratio with these anisotropic rod-shaped particles. This behaviour is hypothesised to be a consequence of the charged nature of the silica surface above pH 2. The second system was large particle-stabilised water droplets that can sprout tubes by the partitioning of solute from a bath into the droplet. By using different solutes and mixtures of different alcohols, the key requirements for sprouting behaviour have been ascertained. The most important requirement was found to be achieving the correct balance between the interfacial tension and the amount of solute partitioning into the droplet.

<p>The hot rod and wire rolling process is widely used to produce rolled iron alloys in different shapes and dimensions. This industry has been under a constant development during the last decades. Today, complex geometries are produced at a high speed since it is possible to use several stands in each mill at the same time. A reason for the development is rising demands from customers. The most important demands are to save energy, to get better material properties and higher dimension accuracy. To meet these demands on speed and accuracy, a better control of how the material behaves in the process is needed. There is also a need to be able to quickly find a new setup of the mill in order to be able to produce other geometries.</p><p>The purpose with this Master Thesis is to model and simulate the hot rod and wire rolling process with the modeling language Modelica. The model is given the known inputs and the desired final result in order to compute the unknown inputs to the mill. To meet these goals, a model that depends on for example the gap between the rolls, the roll speeds and the tensions between different stands is needed. It should be possible to make simulations to find roll speeds or to calculate the tensions caused by known roll speeds.</p><p>With the help of models of the steps in the process, a model has been developed in Modelica. The model can be expanded to a mill with an arbitrary number of stands. In the search for the best way of modeling a hot rod and wire rolling mill, several algorithms have been simulated and analyzed in Modelica. The results from all simulations show that the billet and the groove should be described by different functions for the upper and the lower half. Furthermore, it is not a good solution to use only polynomials to describe the shapes in the process. A function with infinite derivative in the endpoints is needed to describe the billet in an acceptable way. The problem has also been solved using Matlab. In this work it is shown that the Modelica solution is preferred, compared to solving the optimization problems in Matlab. An advantage with the Modelica solution is that the model can be split into several easily connected sub models. Unfortunately it was even hard for Modelica to solve general problems. The describing functions made it hard to find the intersections and to keep the area constant during the rotation. The least square method could lead to bad approximations of the shapes.</p> / <p>Profilvalsning används idag globalt som en process för att tillverka metaller i olika former och har under de senaste årtiondena varit i en lång utvecklingsfas. Numera valsas komplicerade geometrier samtidigt som produktiviteten har ökat drastiskt tack vare möjligheten att valsa med flera valspar samtidigt. Under utvecklingsprocessen har även kraven från kunderna ökat, främst vad gäller energibesparing och noggrannhet på den slutgiltiga produktens dimensioner och materialegenskaper. För att kunna möta dessa krav på snabbhet och noggrannhet krävs större kontroll av hur materialet beter sig i valsningsprocessen och att det snabbt går att bestämma hur valsverket ska ställas in när en ny serie ska tillverkas.</p><p>Syftet med examensarbetet som redovisas i denna rapport är främst att modellera och simulera profilvalsningsprocessen med modelleringsspråket Modelica. Modellen ska sedan kunna användas för att utifrån givna indata till processen bestämma olika inparametrar till valsverket för att uppnå önskat slutresultat. För att nå dessa mål krävs en modell som bland annat beror på spelet mellan valsarna, valshastigheterna och dragen mellan olika valspar. Simuleringar ska kunna göras för att både bestämma önskade valshastigheter och för att beräkna vilka drag givna valshastigheter ger upphov till i valsverket.</p><p>Med hjälp av modeller och beskrivningar av de olika stegen i valsningsprocessen har en modell tagits fram i Modelica. Modellen har en given inprofil och kan sedan byggas ut till ett valsverk med önskat antal valspar. I Modelica har olika modeller och algoritmer simulerats och analyserats för att kunna svara på hur ett profilvalsverk modelleras på bästa sätt. Resultaten från de olika simuleringarna visar att heta och valsspår bör beskrivas med olika funktioner för den övre och för den undre delen av profilen. Det är ingen bra lösning att endast använda polynom för att beskriva de olika formerna. En basfunktion med oändlig derivata i ändpunkterna är nödvändig för att beskriva hetan på ett bra sätt. En fördel med Modelica är även att modellen enkelt kan delas upp i flera enkelt sammankopplade delmodeller. Tyvärr var det svårt även för Modelica att lösa generella problem. Funktionerna som användes för att beskriva de olika formerna gjorde det svårt att hitta skärningspunkter och att hålla arean konstant under rotationen. Minsta kvadratmetoden resulterade ibland i dåliga approximationer av de olika formerna.</p>

The effects of an airfoil at different angles of attack and a circular cylindrical rod within the edge of the boundary layer flow at the leading edge of a cavity as a device for controlling the large pressure fluctuations (resonance tones) in the cavity were investigated. The airfoil results were compared with the rod in crossflow method positioned at the same leading edge location. The cavity used for testing corresponded to a length to depth ratio, L/D of 11.0/2.25 with a length to width ratio, L/W of 11.0/3.00 at a freestream Mach 1.84 flow. The study included measurements of dynamic pressure transducer output at 40 kHz and Frequency Spectra calculations, using Schlieren techniques for shock wave structures with velocity and vorticity fields obtained from PIV measurements. All airfoil configurations experienced flow separation to varying degrees. The negative 10 degree angle of attack configuration experienced the greatest amount of flow separation. All airfoil configurations provided varying degrees of cavity (resonant) tone suppression. Of the airfoil configurations, the negative 10 degree airfoil provided the best noise suppression with a 5 dB SPL reduction in broadband noise and a 9 dB reduction in peak amplitude for the 3rd resonant mode. Although all the airfoil configurations provided various levels of noise suppression, none of the configurations performed to the level of the rod in crossflow technique which provided an 8 dB SPL reduction in broadband noise and a 22 dB reduction in peak amplitude for the 2nd resonant mode. Indications of shear flow lofting effects could not be studied within any of the configurations tested. Lofting effect testing would have required flow field visualization of the cavity trailing edge region. Dynamic pressure measurements at a location near the cavity trailing edge did not detect the rod vortex shedding frequency, clearly. Because PIV results showed strong indication of vortex shedding, the lack of vortex shedding frequency data was attributed to the dynamic pressure transducer being located a far distance of 44 rod diameters downstream of the rod location. All airfoil test configurations showed evidence of deflections to the cavity leading edge oblique shock wave. The mechanisms of the deflection were the airfoil trailing edge shocks interacting with the cavity leading edge shock.

The hot rod and wire rolling process is widely used to produce rolled iron alloys in different shapes and dimensions. This industry has been under a constant development during the last decades. Today, complex geometries are produced at a high speed since it is possible to use several stands in each mill at the same time. A reason for the development is rising demands from customers. The most important demands are to save energy, to get better material properties and higher dimension accuracy. To meet these demands on speed and accuracy, a better control of how the material behaves in the process is needed. There is also a need to be able to quickly find a new setup of the mill in order to be able to produce other geometries. The purpose with this Master Thesis is to model and simulate the hot rod and wire rolling process with the modeling language Modelica. The model is given the known inputs and the desired final result in order to compute the unknown inputs to the mill. To meet these goals, a model that depends on for example the gap between the rolls, the roll speeds and the tensions between different stands is needed. It should be possible to make simulations to find roll speeds or to calculate the tensions caused by known roll speeds. With the help of models of the steps in the process, a model has been developed in Modelica. The model can be expanded to a mill with an arbitrary number of stands. In the search for the best way of modeling a hot rod and wire rolling mill, several algorithms have been simulated and analyzed in Modelica. The results from all simulations show that the billet and the groove should be described by different functions for the upper and the lower half. Furthermore, it is not a good solution to use only polynomials to describe the shapes in the process. A function with infinite derivative in the endpoints is needed to describe the billet in an acceptable way. The problem has also been solved using Matlab. In this work it is shown that the Modelica solution is preferred, compared to solving the optimization problems in Matlab. An advantage with the Modelica solution is that the model can be split into several easily connected sub models. Unfortunately it was even hard for Modelica to solve general problems. The describing functions made it hard to find the intersections and to keep the area constant during the rotation. The least square method could lead to bad approximations of the shapes. / Profilvalsning används idag globalt som en process för att tillverka metaller i olika former och har under de senaste årtiondena varit i en lång utvecklingsfas. Numera valsas komplicerade geometrier samtidigt som produktiviteten har ökat drastiskt tack vare möjligheten att valsa med flera valspar samtidigt. Under utvecklingsprocessen har även kraven från kunderna ökat, främst vad gäller energibesparing och noggrannhet på den slutgiltiga produktens dimensioner och materialegenskaper. För att kunna möta dessa krav på snabbhet och noggrannhet krävs större kontroll av hur materialet beter sig i valsningsprocessen och att det snabbt går att bestämma hur valsverket ska ställas in när en ny serie ska tillverkas. Syftet med examensarbetet som redovisas i denna rapport är främst att modellera och simulera profilvalsningsprocessen med modelleringsspråket Modelica. Modellen ska sedan kunna användas för att utifrån givna indata till processen bestämma olika inparametrar till valsverket för att uppnå önskat slutresultat. För att nå dessa mål krävs en modell som bland annat beror på spelet mellan valsarna, valshastigheterna och dragen mellan olika valspar. Simuleringar ska kunna göras för att både bestämma önskade valshastigheter och för att beräkna vilka drag givna valshastigheter ger upphov till i valsverket. Med hjälp av modeller och beskrivningar av de olika stegen i valsningsprocessen har en modell tagits fram i Modelica. Modellen har en given inprofil och kan sedan byggas ut till ett valsverk med önskat antal valspar. I Modelica har olika modeller och algoritmer simulerats och analyserats för att kunna svara på hur ett profilvalsverk modelleras på bästa sätt. Resultaten från de olika simuleringarna visar att heta och valsspår bör beskrivas med olika funktioner för den övre och för den undre delen av profilen. Det är ingen bra lösning att endast använda polynom för att beskriva de olika formerna. En basfunktion med oändlig derivata i ändpunkterna är nödvändig för att beskriva hetan på ett bra sätt. En fördel med Modelica är även att modellen enkelt kan delas upp i flera enkelt sammankopplade delmodeller. Tyvärr var det svårt även för Modelica att lösa generella problem. Funktionerna som användes för att beskriva de olika formerna gjorde det svårt att hitta skärningspunkter och att hålla arean konstant under rotationen. Minsta kvadratmetoden resulterade ibland i dåliga approximationer av de olika formerna.

No description available.

Articulated rigid-rod polymers asPBI were synthesized via polycondensation reaction. Using 2-sulfoterephthalic acid and 5-sulfoisophthalic acid in different ratios for copolycondensation reaction making the fully conjugated rigid-rod backbone became articulated. Both rigid-rod and articulated rigid-rod were further derivatized using alkane sulfonated pendants and became water-soluble rigid-rod and articulated rigid-rod polyelectrolytes. Lithium salt doped cast films of the polyelectrolytes showed a root-temperature DC conductivity parallel to film surface (

Development of opto-electronic polymers has been focused on conjugated rigid-rod polymers which assume a para-catenated backbone yielding a rod-like configuration. As a consequence of their rigidity, the rod-like molecules display superior mechanical properties, thermo-oxidative stability and solvent resistance. The later two characters cause difficulties in processing these high-performance rigid-rod polymers. This in terms limits their applications in critical technologies, such as conducting polymers, nonlinear optics, and solid polyelectrolytes. In this study, chemical derivatives of the rigid-rod polymers were synthesized using pendants of propane-sulfonated ionomers to (1) enhance the solubility of the rigid-rod polymers, and (2) generate a solid polyelectrolyte suitable for energy storage. Extensive synthesis efforts were focused on generating monomers and polymers of propane-sulfonated poly(p-phenylene-benzobisimidazole), PBI, making it a water soluble electrolyte. Various analysis techniques were applied to ascertain the chemical structure and the purity of the monomers and of the polymers. The polymer molecular weight was also determined using viscometry. An intrinsic viscosity of 4.9 dL/g was achieved for the 2-sulfo-PBI and of 0.58 dL/g for the propane-sulfonated PBI with Na+ ionomer pendants

In this study, an electrolytic micro-machining tester is employed to investigate the effects of supply voltage,electrode gap and initial machining position on the geometry of the tungsten needle. The tungsten needle to be electrolyzed is dipped in an aqueous electrolyte of 2wt % sodium hydroxide as the anode, and the stainless steel needle with a diameter of 50 £gm as the cathode(tool electrode), and the electrode gap is set to be 30 £gm.Morever,the tungsten needle can be allowed to be fixed or in the reciprocating motion. Experimental results show that when the tip diameter of stainless steel needle is less than 50 £gm, a great quantity of current density and power are generated to cause the temperature failure of the tool electrode. At a certain gap between the electrodes, the electric field is focused on the narrow range to improve its processing efficiency. Under the higher supply voltage condition, it is difficult to control the size because the diameter of tungsten rod is reduced very quickly. Under the lower supply voltage condition, the diameter of tungsten rod can be processed to smaller sizes, but it takes a long time. Therefore, in the beginning of the experiment, the tungsten rod is electrolyzed under a higher voltage to the small size, and then the supply vltage is switched to lower value to conduct the electrolysis process. Consequently, a finer and more even tungsten needle can be obtained. Experimental results show that a more even tungsten needle with the length of 600 £gm and the diameter of 4 £gm can be manufactured.