Steel cleanliness as a function of stirring practice during vacuum degassing treatment have been investigated in industrial studies at the steel plants of SSAB Special Steels in Oxelösund and Uddeholm AB in Hagfors. The cleanliness was examined with regards to the contents of sulphur, nitrogen and large inclusions (&gt;10µm). The stirring practice during the vacuum degassing treatment has been studied with respect to time, namely by shortening the vacuum degassing treatment time from 24 to 15 minutes. Furthermore, the effect of the stirring intensity was studied by measuring the open eye zone using camera recordings. The focus has been to study the effect of a shortened vacuum degassing time as well as a controlled stirring intensity on the steel cleanliness. Moreover, study the effect of subsequent induction stirring, after vacuum degassing, on the amount of inclusions. By taking steel and slag samples taken before and after the vacuum degassing treatment, the different stirring practices could be investigated. It should be noted that all heats reached the desired composition regardless of the treatment time and stirring practice. The results from the trials at SSAB Special Steels showed that the stirring practice during vacuum degassing have an effect on the total number of inclusions. The strong argon stirring during vacuum degassing with visible open eyes resulted in an average increase of 400% of the total amount of inclusions &gt;10µm. However, no difference between a vacuum degassing time of 24 or 15 minutes was seen with respect to the increased amount of inclusions, denitrogenization or desulphurization. During the subsequent induction stirring, which was softer with no open eyes, the effect of the stirring practice was unclear due to overlapping confidence intervals. An average decrease of 65% of the total amount of inclusions &gt;10 µm was seen for the heats  with non-overlapping confidence intervals. Based on these results it can be suggested that the use of a soft induction stirring after the vacuum degassing treatment as a possible process change to reach lower amounts of large inclusions. The stirring intensity during the vacuum degassing treatment was measured as the average ladle eye size during the trials at Uddeholm AB. This, due to that stronger stirring results in larger ladle eye zone. The results show that the amount of smaller inclusions (&lt;11.2 μm) decrease by up to 90% compared to the original amount, regardless of the stirring intensity. A stronger stirring showed tendency to increase the amount of large inclusion (&gt;22.4 μm). Moreover, the denitrogenization and desulphurization was not affected by the changed stirring intensity during vacuum degassing. It was also found that the average ladle eye size did not correlate to the logged average argon flow. / <p>QC 20150522</p>

QC 20101221

Understanding volatile evolution associated with active volcanic magmatic systems is of paramount importance because volatiles control and determine the magnitude of an eruption owing to the large change in molar volume that volatile species show depending on their physical state (volatiles dissolved in silicate melts vs. volatiles exsolved as vapor). For active volcanic systems studying the volatile evolution can help to assess the potential hazard associated to a certain locality. Also, volatile evolution in magmatic system controls the formation of certain ore deposits. Despite the importance of understanding volatile evolution of magmatic systems, concentrations of volatiles of evolving magmas are not easily available especially for magmas originated in the deep crust. Fortunately, sample of melts can be entrapped as melt inclusion (MI) into growing igneous minerals in crystalizing magma chamber. After the entrapment, the crystal works as an insulating capsule from the external magmatic environment. Researchers have started to use MI because they provide some advantages in respect to the classical whole rock approach to petrological studies. One of the most important advantages is that MI often represent sample of a deep and non-degassed melt (glass) available at Earth's surface. In fact, with the exception of deep ocean basalts, igneous whole rocks found at the Earth's surface are degassed magmas. This dissertation is a compilation of four publications produced during six years of research and is addressed to give a contribution in understanding the volatile evolution in magmatic systems and also to improve the present understanding of information that can be obtained using the melt inclusions technique. In the first chapter, I present an alternative interpretation of H₂O-CO₂ trends obtained from MI. In this study, we demonstrate that these trends can be due to post entrapment crystallization on the wall of the MI and not to magma ascent. This alternative view is more realistic especially for cases where in the same phenocrysts MI show strongly different CO₂ concentrations. In the second chapter, I present a study to test for the MI reliability in recording volatile concentrations. We used the approach of the melt inclusion assemblage (MIA) that consists of analyzing groups of MI presumably entrapped at the same time and, thus, at same chemical and physical conditions. The results show that most of the MIA studied show consistent volatile concentrations corroborating the reliability of the MI technique. CO₂ shows the highest degrees of variability and we have assessed this behavior mostly to C-contamination in the surface of the sample. The third chapter is a study case (the Solchiaro eruption in Southern Italy) that shows the potential uses of MI to understanding the volatile evolution. I present a model showing the dynamic of the magma based on MI. This study also discusses the origin of anomalous MI and which MI provide the best information. The final chapter is dedicated to test the applicability of the new Linkam TS1400XY heating stage. I was able to show how this new microthermometric tool is capable of homogenizing MI at high temperature and to quench MI to a homogeneous glass state. / Ph. D.

In dieser Arbeit wird ein Simulationsprogramm für das Gas-Verhalten in Heizungssystemen entwickelt. Der Gaseintrag durch das Membranausdehnungsgefäß und Dichtungsstellen, die Entstehung und Ansammlung von Gasblasen und die Funktionen der Heizungsanlage werden in einem Programm dynamisch simuliert. Mit diesem Programm wird eine Parameter-Studie durchgeführt. Die Einflüsse verschiedener Faktoren auf das Vorhandensein des Gases und die Leistung der Heizungsanlage werden ausgewertet, wie zum Beispiel der Druck und Temperatur im Heizungssystem, die Gasgehalten im Füllwasser, die Auswirkung eines atmosphärischen Entgasungsgeräts. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Einfluss der Gaspermeation auf das Auftreten von Gasblasen im Heizungssystem im Vergleich zum Anfangsgasgehalt im Füllwasser sehr gering ist. Bei höherer Temperatur dringt viel mehr Sauerstoff in das System ein. Die meisten Gasblasen sammeln sich in dem Heizkörper in der höchsten Etage mit dem kürzesten Kreislauf an. Das atmosphärische Entgasungsgerät wirkt besser als das MAG bei der Druckhaltung. Jedoch wird mehr Rost in der Heizungsanlage durch den von dem Behälter des Entgasungsgeräts eingetragenen Sauerstoff erzeugt. / The purpose of this paper is to find out how and how much gas get into the heating system through permeation, when and where the gas bubbles get accumulated in the heating system and how well an atmospheric degassing device works. For this propose a dynamic timestep simulation was made with C# program to simulate heating system and the gas behaviors in the system. Sensibility tests were made for different factors such as sealing material, temperature and gas concentration in water. In addition, the speed of the gas permeation in the dynamic simulation gets compared with the values of static calculation in the literature. The results showed, that different sealing material and different temperature could make a big difference for the amount of gas that permeate in to the system. But compare to the initial gas concentration in the filling water is gas permeation alone is not a decisive factor for the presence of gas bubbles in the heating system and does not have a major impact on the performance of the heating system. More oxygen enters the system and get consumed by corrosion at higher operation temperatures. The results also showed, that the atmospheric degassing device works better than MAG at the pressure maintenance and getting rid of gas bubbles. However, oxygen gets constantly introduced in to the heating system through the container of the atmospheric degassing device. More rust is therefore generated.

Increasing demands regarding performance, safety and environmental compatibility of hydraulic mobile machines in combination with rising cost pressures create a growing need for specialized optimization of hydraulic systems; particularly with regard to hydraulic reservoirs. In addition to the secondary function of cooling the oil, two main functions of the hydraulic reservoir are oil storage and de-aeration of the hydraulic oil. While designing hydraulic reservoirs regarding oil storage is quite simple, the design regarding de-aeration can be quite difficult. The author presents an approach to a system optimization of hydraulic reservoirs which combines experimental and numerical techniques to resolve some challenges facing hydraulic tank design. Specialized numerical tools are used in order to characterize the de-aeration performance of hydraulic tanks. Further the simulation of heat transfer is used to study the cooling function of hydraulic tank systems with particular attention to plastic tank solutions. To accompany the numerical tools, experimental test rigs have been built up to validate the simulation results and to provide additional insight into the design and optimization of hydraulic tanks which will be presented as well.

This study explores the possibility of prediction and modification of some of the physicochemical properties of non-metallic inclusions by considering top slag-steel-ladle equilibria in an ASEA-SKF ladle furnace. To test the reliability of an available computational thermodynamic computer program, the first sub project was done. It was concluded that LiMeS, an interface for Thermo-Calc, is a useful tool for slag-steel equilibrium calculations. The second sub project was set out to find some model/s that could calculate the most accurate oxygen activity of molten steel compared to the measured one. This study concluded that both Wagner’s and Turkdogan's equations are useful. It was further seen that increasing the Al contents in the molten steel, increasing the CaO/Al2O3 ratio in the top slag, and reducing the temperature, resulted in reduction of the oxygen activity of the molten steel. In the third sub project a comparison was made between measured CaO and Al2O3 (normalised to CaO-Al2O3) in top slag, calcium aluminate inclusions, and the results of theoretical calculations. The average contents of CaO and Al2O3 in all inclusions were close to the composition of the phase Ca12Al14O33 and the contents of CaO and Al2O3 in the slags were close to the composition of the phase Ca3Al2O6 in the binary phase diagram of CaO-Al2O3. The forth sub project set out to study the effect of vacuum degassing time on non-metallic inclusions. It was concluded that during the vacuum degassing process the share of calcium aluminates compared to spinels, Ca content of the oxides, and the average equivalent circle diameters of the oxides were increasing, and oxides tended to form spherical shapes. Finally, based on the preceding four sub projects, the fifth sub project aimed to optimize the steel treatment in an ASEA-SKF ladle furnace. The final results showed that by adding 200 kg fluorite to the top slag of 1200 kg, it was possible to achieve a sulphur content of less than 10 ppm in the steel and a sulphur ratio between slag and steel of 1570, and at the same time reduce the oxygen activity of the molten steel and the degassing time. / <p>QC 20120917</p>

Volatile heavy metals are liberated from magmas during eruptive and passively degassing volcanic activity. Volcanic emanations have been estimated to contribute 20-40% of volatile elements such as Bi, Pb, As or Sb, and up to 40-50 % of Cd and Hg annually (Nriagu, 1989). Some workers, however, believe these ranges are too high (Hinkley, 1999) or too low (Zreda-Gostynska and Kyle, 1997) leading to considerable differences in global inventory budgets of these metals and the degree to which they load the atmosphere. The objective of this work is to investigate the behavior of volatile heavy metals such as Au, Tl, As, Pb etc. in subaerially erupted magmas and experimentally in silicate melts. Analysis of natural pumice samples confirm the futile, sporadic nature of Hg and associated heavy metals, suggesting these metals are fully degassed prior to deposition. Diffusion experiments were conducted in natural basalt, dacite and synthetic rhyolite (Ab-Or-Qz minimum eutectic) over a range of temperatures (1200 – 1430 °C) at 0.1 MPa. Starting compositions were doped with a heavy metal cocktail (Bi, Pb, Tl, Au, Re, Sb, Sn, Cd, Mo, As, Cu) and loaded into open top Pt capsules. One set of experiments examined the effect of melt composition (polymerization) on element diffusion, and the second investigated the effects of ligands on diffusion by adding known concentrations of Cl and S. During experiments of varying duration, concentration gradients arose in the volatile trace metals due to their varying volatility, as measured (normal to the melt/gas interface) by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) in quenched glasses. Diffusion profiles followed an Arrhenius relationship from which diffusion coefficients (D) and activation energies (Ea) were obtained for Au, Tl, As, Cd, Re, Pb and Bi (in decreasing order of volatility). Results show Au and Tl are the most volatile in dacite and rhyolite yielding LogDDac Au = -10.7 ± 0.1 m2/s and LogDDac Tl = -10.9 ± 0.1 m2/s in dacite, and LogDRhy Au = -10.9 ± 0.1 m2/s and LogDRhy Tl = -11.3 ± 0.3 m2/s in rhyolite respectively. The D for Au could not be measured in basalt but Tl was the fastest diffusing species LogDBas Tl = -10.8 ± 0.2 m2/s. Ligands Cl and S were shown to increase the volatilities of all metals, with S having a more profound effect. Diffusivities were applied to a simple 1D bubble growth model (Smith 1955). Model results indicate diffusion coefficients play a major role in metal fractionation processes occurring at depths that ultimately dictate what metal ratios are measured at the surface of volcanoes.

Les systèmes aquatiques continentaux sont des vecteurs majeurs du cycle global du carbone, recevant une quantité importante de carbone qu’ils émettent vers l’atmosphère et exportent aux océans. Nous caractérisons les concentrations et les transferts de toutes les formes carbonées à l’interface eau souterraine-ruisseau-atmosphère, dans un bassin versant de plaine, tempéré, forestier et sablonneux, où l’hydrologie se produit majoritairement au travers du drainage des eaux souterraines. Nous suivons différentes stations couvrant l’ensemble de la variabilité du bassin, depuis les eaux souterraines jusqu’à l’exutoire, avec des proportions variables d’occupation du sol. Le DOC est exporté majoritairement en périodes de crues alors que la même quantité de DIC est exportée entre périodes de crues et d’étiages. Le carbone terrestre dérivé des sols forestiers est la source principale de carbone dans les eaux superficielles et seulement 3% de la NEE est exportée. L’occupation du sol modifie localement les formes de carbone dans les ruisseaux mais à l’échelle du bassin la forêt prédomine. Nous quantifions le dégazage de CO2 en s’appuyant sur un bilan de masse isotopique. Environ 75% du dégazage total se produit dans les ruisseaux de premiers et de seconds ordres, qui se comportent comme des points chauds pour l’émission de CO2. Ce travail de thèse contribue à une meilleure définition du rôle des ruisseaux et des rivières dans le cycle global du carbone. De manière plus précise, il améliore les connaissances sur la proportion du pompage biologique de CO2 atmosphérique d’un écosystème qui est exportée vers le réseau hydrographique, ainsi que le devenir de ce carbone en aval. / Inland waters are a major component of the global carbon cycle. These systems receive a significant amount of carbon from aquatic and terrestrial sources. A part of this carbon is degassed in the atmosphere while another is exported to the oceans. We characterize the concentrations and transfers of all carbon forms at the groundwater-stream-atmosphere interface, in a temperate, forested and sandy lowland watershed, where hydrology occurs in majority through drainage of groundwater. We monitored contrasting study site representative of the diversity of the ecosystem, from groundwater to river mouth, with different proportion of land use. DOC is exported in majority during high flow periods whereas the same amount of DIC is exported between high and base flow periods.Terrestrial carbon that originates from soils forests is the major source of carbon in surface waters but only 3% of the NEE is exported. Land use modifies locally the different forms of carbon in streams but at the basin scale forests predominate. We quantify the degassing ofCO2 based on fairly well balanced isotopic mass balance. About 75% of the total degassing occurs in first and second order streams, which behave as hotspots for CO2 degassing. This work contributes to a better definition of the role of streams and rivers in the global carboncycle. Specifically, this work enhances understanding on the proportion of CO2 pumped byan ecosystem and then exported to the river system, as well as the fate of this carbon downstream.

Products manufactured by aluminium casting have become very popular and already replaced many parts that were once produced by iron and steel casting. This trends upwards especially in the automotive industry as it has become extremely important to reduce vehicle weight due to environmental requirements and economical aspects. This popularity of aluminium alloys could be ascribed to their light weights and many other advantages including excellent castability, good corrosion resistance, good thermal and electrical conductivity, good machinability, low melting temperatures and minimal gas solubility with the exception of hydrogen. The most important alloy group among casting alloys is Aluminium Silicon (Al - Si).   Al-Si alloys must undergo a specific melt treatment procedure prior to casting. This treatment consists of several steps including degassing of hydrogen, grain refinement and eutectic modification. The aim of this study is to make an assessment of the metal treatment process of an (Al-Si) casting alloy at Unnaryd Modell AB for the purpose of improving the melt conditions and thus the quality of the final product. A rotary degasser provided by Foseco is also tested instead of the traditional tablet degassing method to see if this technique would result in any significant improvement of the melt quality. The results show that Unnaryd modell AB follows a proper treatment routine. It shows moreover that the rotary degassing is superior to the tablet degassing in many aspects including the level of degassing achieved, time efficiency, environmental consideration and personnel security.

No description available.