The work deals with the investigation of the effects of vacuum degassing and decarburization in high alloyed stainless steel. The reason for this is to increase corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. The theoretical part is devoted to the analysis of options to reduce carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and manganese at atmospheric pressure and in vacuum. In experimental part there is the description of melting, calculation of conditions facilitating reduction of oxide inclusions as a function of the gas pressure in the furnace and the evaluation of the influence of vacuum on the content reduction of carbon, nitrogen and manganese.

The submitted work deals with the design of the working chamber of the electron beam welders. This vacuum chamber of the cubic shape, with a volume of approx. 100 litres will be used in the ÚPT of the AV ČR v.v.i. during building an experimental welding with electron gun performance 2 kW with accelerating voltage 60 kV. The theoretical part is about the theory of electron welding, electron beam welders of basic sections of the facility, and about possibilities of the technology for welding working chambers. In the practical part of the thesis is being thought out the design of the working chamber (construction chamber in design software), the strength test of construction chamber in the software ANSYS and the design of appropriate methods of welding. The sample of the material which is the stainless steel 17240, from which the chamber will be made, have been used in methods of welding TIG and MAG that was verified by the suitability of the chosen methods of welding.

This master´s thesis deals with theoretical study of decarburization of austenitic steels. Mathematical model, which analyse numerical calculations, was compared with experiments. Obtained results were discussed considering validity of model and performed aproximations.

Ce travail de thèse, essentiellement de nature expérimentale, s’inscrit dans le domaine de la physique moléculaire en phase gazeuse avec des applications en astrophysique. Il porte sur l’étude de la photoexcitation et de la relaxation de molécules de la famille des cyanopolyynes qui sont détectées dans plusieurs objets du milieu interstellaire (nuages moléculaires, comètes) et dans les atmosphères planétaires comme celle de Titan. Ces composés participent à la chimie du carbone dans ces milieux en interagissant avec le rayonnement interstellaire ou avec le flux solaire dans le domaine spectral de l’ultraviolet du vide (VUV). La structure électronique excitée de plusieurs cyanopolyynes neutres a été étudiée avec la spectroscopie d’absorption par transformée de Fourier. Ces expériences ont permis d’identifier les états de Rydberg et de mesurer la section efficace absolue de photoabsorption. Parmi les processus de relaxation ouverts suite à la photoexcitation VUV, les voies d’ionisation et d’ionisation dissociative ont été explorées de façon détaillée à l’aide du rayonnement synchrotron SOLEIL ou du rayonnement laser du Centre Laser de l'Université Paris-Sud. Des informations variées (potentiels d’ionisation vers les premiers états électroniques, fréquences vibrationnelles, couplages vibroniques, etc) ont été obtenues sur les cations de cyanopolyynes via l’utilisation de la spectroscopie de photoélectrons de seuil et de la spectroscopie de photoélectrons d’énergie cinétique nulle. Enfin, la détection par spectrométrie de masse des fragments cationiques issus de l’ionisation dissociative a permis de mesurer leur énergie d’apparition et de déterminer leur voie de formation à l’aide de calculs DFT menés par un collaborateur. / This PhD thesis presents essentially an experimental work dealing with gas-phase molecular physics with astrophysical applications. The goal of the PhD is the study of the photoexcitation and relaxation of cyanopolyyne molecules that have been detected in different interstellar objects (molecular clouds, comets), and in planetary atmospheres (e.g. Titan). These molecules contribute to the carbon chemistry of these media by interacting with the interstellar radiation or with the solar flux in the vacuum ultraviolet range (VUV). The excited electronic structure of neutral cyanopolyynes was studied by absorption spectroscopy with a VUV Fourier-transform spectrometer. These experiments allowed us to identify the Rydberg states, and to measure the absolute photoabsorption cross section.Among the different open relaxation processes following a VUV photoexcitation, ionisation and dissociative ionisation have been investigated in detail using SOLEIL synchrotron radiation or laser sources of Centre Laser de l’Université Paris-Sud. Data on the ionisation potentials toward the first electronic states, vibrational frequencies, vibronic couplings, etc. were obtained on cyanopolyyne cations with the use of threshold photoelectron spectroscopy and zero-kinetic-energy photelectron spectroscopy. Finally, cationic species created by dissociative ionisation of cyanopolyynes were detected by mass spectrometry. The threshold energies were measured and the formation channel of these fragments was determined with the help of DFT calculations performed by a collaborator.

Orientador: José Carlos de Figueredo Pantoja / Resumo: Os objetivos deste estudo foram descrever características do equipamento e manejo de ordenha, características morfológicas das tetas, prevalência de patologias não infecciosas, e identificar fatores de risco para tais patologias. Quarenta rebanhos foram visitados para realização de levantamento de dados produtivos e de manejo, avaliação estática do equipamento de ordenha, avaliação dinâmica de parâmetros de vácuo coletados no conjunto de ordenha e dos procedimentos adotados pelos colaboradores. Houve grande heterogeneidade nas dimensões das tetas avaliadas. A prevalência de edema, anel de base, cianose, hemorragia petequial e hiperqueratose grave foi 7,81%, 45,47%, 14,69%, 0,63% e 11,88%, respectivamente. Formato e posição da teta foram associados à observação de hiperqueratose. Paridade, extração automática do conjunto, nível de vácuo e duração da fase B do ciclo de pulsação foram associados à prevalência de edema. Paridade, formato da teta e tempo de ordenha foram associadas à prevalência de anel de base. Fluxo de leite bimodal, extração automática, condição da teteira, sobreordenha, nível de vácuo na cabeça da teteira e comprimento da fase B foram associados à prevalência de cianose. Práticas indesejáveis, tais como uso de teteiras desgastadas, falta de manutenção do equipamento, ausência de extração automática, longo tempo de ordenha e sobreordenha e rotina de trabalho sequencial foram mais frequentemente observadas em rebanhos com até 50 vacas, destacando dificuldades té... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The objectives of this study were to describe characteristics of milking equipment and management, teat morphological characteristics, prevalence of noninfectious pathologies, and to identify risk factors for such pathologies. Forty herds were visited to collect production and management data, evaluation of the milking equipment, dynamic evaluation of vacuum parameters collected from the milking cluster, and milking procedures adopted on the farms. There was great heterogeneity in teat dimensions. The prevalence of edema, ring at the teat base, cyanosis, petechial hemorrhage, and severe hyperkeratosis was 7.81%, 45.47%, 14.69%, 0.63%, and 11.88%, respectively. Teat shape and position were associated with teat-end hyperkeratosis. Parity, automatic extraction of clusters, vacuum level, and length of the pulsation cycle´s B phase were associated with prevalence of edema. Parity, teat shape and milking duration were associated with prevalence of ring at the teat base. Bimodal milk flow, automatic extraction, liner condition, overmilking, vacuum at the mouthpiece chamber, and phase B´s length were associated with prevalence of cyanosis. Undesirable practices, such as the use of worn liners, lack of equipment maintenance, lack of automatic extraction, long milking and overmilking times, and sequential working routine were most often observed in small herds (< 50 cows), highlighting technical and structural difficulties faced by producers. Results of this study contribute to improve... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Digitalization is finding it’s way into production and machine-building. Autonomous, sefoptimizing and highly interconnected units will determine the functionality of machines and production facilities. Communication and automation layout will fundamentally change, data will be more and more the base for new business modells. Innovation is determining pneumatics and handling technology. The innovation topics performance improvement, modular and mechatronic design of systems, sustainability and efficiency are keeping pneumatics and vacuum technology on the pathway of success. But is the technology field also prepared for the tremendous challenges caused by the digitalization? This paper is focusing on the significance of digitalization for fluid technology, especially for pneumatics and vacuum technology. The new concepts of digitalization and autonomization are based on the Internet of Things with open Communication of cyber-physical systems. These cyber-physical systems are able to react autonoumously. Cyber-physical systems can collect, interpret and analys data and transfer it into valuable information. Based on these data, cyberphysical systems will provide services to all participants of the smart factory. There will be a digital image inside the factory cloud, which is the base of new business models. Systems of pneumatics, vacuum technology and hydraulics will play a core role in this world. They are placed directly at the interface to the real technical process, they have direct contact with the workpieces, they are collecting multitude of sensor data and are evaulating it, they have functionality like Condition Monitoring and Energy Efficiency optimization on board and are able to communicate with the world of automation. This paper will show, that the innovation trends of the last years are supporting the way towards digitalization and Industrial Internet of Things. There are already a lot of different approaches to establish vacuum and pneumatic systems as adequate elements of the digitalized world. It will also be shown, that fluid technology still is facing tremendous challenges It will be not sufficient to equip the systems with more functionality and better communication. It will be essential, that from the interpretation and correlation of data will be derived valuable services with real customer benefit. This should happen under control of the vendors of smart field devices in fluid technology. Then it will be possible to turn this new kind of value generation also into new business models.

In current production systems, automation and handling of workpieces is often solved by use of vacuum technology. Most production systems use vacuum ejectors which generate vacuum from compressed air by means of the Venturi effect. However, producing vacuum with compressed air is significantly less efficient than using other principles. To minimize the energy costs of pneumatic vacuum generation or to make full use of the energy available, it is important that the inner contour of the nozzle is shaped precisely to suit the specific application - also the system\'s flow conduction needs to be optimal and the flow losses have to be minimized. This paper presents a method for optimally designing pneumatic vacuum generators and producing them economically even at very low lot sizes in order to keep the operation costs low and address other concerns (such as noise emissions) as well.

According to the Swedish Government's set targets for energy use and environmental quality imposed by the European Union, the total energy per heated unit area in residential and commercial buildings will have to be decreased by 20% in 2020 and 50% by 2050 in relation to the annual consumption of 1995. The building sector should additionally be completely independent of fossil fuels for energy usage, with the increasing sector of renewable energy continuously growing until 2020. In its current state, the number of multistory buildings and single-family houses in Sweden exceeds 4 000 000 units. In order to attain the set goals, renovation of the existing housing stock is a necessity given its current relatively slow turnover. As a result of the Swedish Million Unit Program undertaken during 1965−1974, about 750 000 apartments are currently in need of renovation in order to meet today's building standards. Simultaneously, new buildings are built with energy efficiency in mind. In this study an early stage methodology is developed for building refurbishment that takes advantage of a multi-faceted approach. The methodology comprises of multiple dimensions related to a techno-economic, environmental and building occupancy approach. The work presented herein includes a thorough literature review of decision making tools within the built environment and identifies major research efforts in sustainable refurbishment. The technical aspect of this study deals with the proper identification of high-efficient insulation materials that would serve one of the set purposes of energy efficiency when utilized within building envelopes. Further, results are shown for case studies, in which economic investments in Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) and a coupled heat and moisture transport for predefined configurations of VIPs with supplementary insulation of balcony slabs and wall cross-sections are considered. The developed methodology also examines simulations of the total energy consumption utilizing a set of different insulation materials such as mineral wool and VIPs, for a number of locations in Northern and Southern Europe. The research findings of this study identify several aspects of a new developed tool for decision making, to be used in sustainable renovation and refurbishment. / <p>QC 20120918</p>

Stainless steel family grades are very famous for their combined corrosion resistance and high mechanical properties. These properties can be improved further by decreasing the content of impurities like carbon and oxygen. The main purpose of this research work is to study the possibility of stainless steel powder decarburization by vacuum annealing. The influence of different process parameters like treatment time, temperature, fraction size and depth of the powder layer on the decarburization process was analyzed. The investigation results showed that it is possible to achieve extra low values of carbon and oxygen in steel powder by processing it with optimum process parameters.

The overall objective of this thesis is to evaluate the fundamentals of current low concentration CO2 separation technologies and to provide an alternate method using adsorption technology with existing as well as new adsorbents. Two different applications for the adsorption of CO2 are explored; Direct Air Capture (DAC) and excimer gas purification. The investigation of aerogels as possible adsorbent for these applications was also explored. The first application, DAC of CO2 using adsorbents, addresses climate change by reducing the amount of atmospheric CO2 levels that are directly correlated to global warming. Because of DAC being carbon negative, this field has gained significant attention in the literature. DAC as a CO2 reduction strategy was approached in two ways: 1. Chapter 2 investigates capturing and concentrating CO2 from 0.04% in the air to 95% to be able to sequester it into the ground. This research began by doing an adsorbent selection using pure gas gravimetric measurements on seven different commercially available type X zeolites that were determined to have potential for this separation. Breakthrough experiments were then carried out with the most promising zeolite by perturbing the bed with compressed ambient air. In the process studied, a basic four step temperature vacuum swing adsorption (TVSA) cycle was investigated comprising the following steps: pressurization, adsorption, blowdown, and desorption. Four different regeneration temperatures were tested along with four different gas space velocities. With this cycle configuration, CO2 was concentrated to 95% from 0.04% with total capture fractions as high as 81%. This study highlighted methods to reduce the energy consumption per ton of CO2 captured in the system as well as the potential of using low Si/Al ratio faujasite structured zeolites in DAC of CO2 for greenhouse gas reduction. 2. Chapter 3 expands on the research of Chapter 2 by capturing CO2 from 0.04% in the air and concentrating it to high purity CO2 levels where the cost for operating the process will be reimbursed through the value of the produced CO2. The goal of this research was to increase the CO2 to as high as possible because the purer the CO2, the more valuable it is. This research started by conducting an in-depth investigation into the pure gas adsorption of CO2, N2, O2, and Ar on the most promising zeolite from Chapter 2. The data was then fitted to the TD-Toth model which allowed for the evaluation of the TVSA cycle and showed the potential of reducing the pressure and/or elevating the temperature during the blowdown step in order to produce high purity CO2. To confirm this, the TVSA cycle was run on a fixed bed breakthrough experiment where high purity CO2 was produced between a concentration of 99.5% and 99.96% by lowering the blowdown pressure. By controlling the blowdown temperature, the concentration of the product was increased from 99.8% to 99.95%, however with a significant loss of CO2. This effect of N2, O2, and Ar desorbing during the blowdown step with CO2 desorbing during the evacuation step is shown graphically by measuring the concentration and flow rate of the exiting gas species. The results from this study show the potential for producing a valuable product of high purity CO2 from atmospheric concentrations. The second application in this thesis that is explored in Chapter 4 is the purification of trace impurities of CO2, CF4, COF2, and O2 from F2, Kr, and Ne for applications in excimer lasers. Due to the incompatibility of many adsorbents to F2 and HF, aluminas and polymeric adsorbents were selected as potentially compatible materials. To increase the compatibility of these adsorbents, the use of a cryo-cooler was determined to be feasible to precool the feed stream before separation, which increases the adsorption capacity and compatibility of the material to F2 and HF. To determine the adsorption potential in the low concentration of these adsorbents, the concentration pulse chromatographic technique was chosen to determine the Henry’s Law constants of CO2, CF4, and O2. This data was then plotted on the van’t Hoff plot and extrapolated to colder temperatures to determine the benefit of using a cryo-cooler. From this study, it was determined that HayeSep Q was the best polymeric adsorbent with significant adsorption of CO2 at temperatures below -50˚C while being the best performing CF4 adsorbent. AA-300 was the best performing alumina in this study while having significant adsorption of CF4 at temperatures below -135˚C. However, from a compatibility standpoint, both of these materials need to be tested to determine their robustness in the presence of F2 and HF at room and reduced temperatures. Chapters 5 & 6 in this thesis explore the fundamentals of adsorption on aerogels as a prelude to using aerogels as possible adsorbents for DAC of CO2. This investigation into aerogels looks at silica aerogels and carbon aerogels, which are both industrially produced and explores their adsorption with relation to like materials such as silica gel and activated carbons. Both of these Chapters utilize experimentally determined adsorption isotherms of CO2, N2, O2, and Ar as well as characterization to determine adsorption trends in the materials. Some major conclusions for silica aerogels were that common surface modifications to make the material more resilient against water adsorption impacts the adsorption of CO2 significantly with roughly 4 fold difference in adsorption capacity. For carbon aerogels some major conclusions were that the adsorption was increasingly dominated by the heterogeneous nature of the surface at lower pressures and increasingly dominated by the pore size at the higher pressures. Both chapters discuss the adsorption of air along with ideas such as the influence of gas thermal conductivity in the pores with respects to adsorption. L'objectif général de cette thèse est d'évaluer les principes fondamentaux des technologies actuelles de séparation du CO2 à faible concentration et de fournir une méthode alternative utilisant la technologie d’adsorption avec des adsorbants actuels ainsi que d'en découvrir de nouveaux. Deux applications différentes pour l'adsorption du CO2 ont été explorées; la capture directe dans l’air ambient (CAD) et la purification des gaz excimères, ainsi que la recherche d'aérogels comme adsorbant possible pour ces applications. La première application, le CAD du CO2 utilisant des adsorbants, pourrait répondre aux changements climatiques puisque les niveaux de CO2 atmosphérique sont directement corrélés au réchauffement climatique. Dernièrement, le CAD a fait l'objet d'une attention particulière en tant que stratégie de réduction du CO2, par conséquent, deux voies différentes ont été explorées dans cette thèse: 1. Le chapitre 2 étudie la capture et la concentration du CO2 de 0,04% dans l'air à 95% afin de pouvoir l’enfermer dans la terre. Pour ce faire, une sélection d'adsorbant a été effectué en utilisant des mesures gravimétriques à gaz pur sur sept zéolithes de type X disponibles dans le commerce qui ont été déterminés comme ayant un potentiel pour cette séparation. Des expériences révolutionnaires ont ensuite été réalisées avec la zéolite la plus prometteuse en perturbant le lit avec de l'air ambiant comprimé. Dans le processus étudié, un cycle basique à quatre étapes d’adsorption modulée en température et pression (AMTP) a été étudié, comprenant les étapes suivantes: pressurisation, adsorption, purge et désorption. Quatre températures de régénération différentes ont été testées ainsi que quatre vitesses spatiales de gaz différents. Avec cette configuration de cycle, le CO2 était concentré à 95% de 0,04% avec des fractions de capture totales aussi élevées que 81%. Cette étude a mis en évidence des méthodes pour réduire la consommation d'énergie par tonne de CO2 captée dans le système ainsi que le potentiel d'utilisation de zéolithes structurées à base de faujasite à faible rapport Si/Al dans le CAD du CO2 pour la réduction des gaz à effet de serre. 2. Le chapitre 3 approfondit les recherches du chapitre 2 en capturant le CO2 de 0,04% dans l'air et en le concentrant à des niveaux de très haute pureté où le processus sera remboursé par la valeur du CO2 produit. L'objectif de cette partie était d'augmenter la pureté du CO2 le plus possible car plus le CO2 est pur, plus il est précieux. Une enquête approfondie sur l'adsorption de gaz pur de CO2, N2, O2 et Ar sur la zéolite la plus prometteuse du chapitre 2. Les données ont ensuite été ajustées au modèle TD-Toth qui a permis d'évaluer le cycle AMTP et a montré le potentiel de réduire la pression et/ou d'élever la température pendant l'étape de purge afin de produire du CO2 de haute pureté. Pour confirmer cela, le cycle AMTP a été fait par le biais d’une expérience dans un lit fixe où du CO2 de haute pureté a été produit entre une concentration de 99,5% et 99,96% en abaissant la pression de purge. En contrôlant la température de purge, la concentration du produit est passée de 99,8% à 99,95%, mais avec une perte importante de CO2. Cet effet de la désorption de N2, O2 et Ar pendant l'étape de purge avec la désorption du CO2 pendant l'étape d'évacuation est illustré graphiquement en mesurant la concentration et le débit des espèces de gaz sortant. Les résultats de cette étude montrent le potentiel de production d'un produit précieux de CO2 de haute pureté à partir des concentrations atmosphériques. La deuxième application de cette thèse qui est explorée au Chapitre 4 est la purification des traces d'impuretés de CO2, CF4, COF2 et O2 de F2, Kr et Ne pour des applications dans les lasers à excimère. En raison de l'incompatibilité de nombreux adsorbants avec le F2 et le HF, les alumines et les adsorbants polymères ont été sélectionnés comme matériaux potentiellement compatibles. Pour augmenter la compatibilité de ces adsorbants, l'utilisation d'un cryoréfrigérant a été jugée possible pour pré-refroidir le flux d'alimentation avant la séparation, ce qui augmente la capacité d'adsorption et la compatibilité du matériau en F2 et HF. Pour déterminer le potentiel d'adsorption dans la faible concentration de ces adsorbants, la technique de chromatographie pulsée de concentration a été choisie pour déterminer les constantes de la loi de Henry de CO2, CF4 et O2. Ces données ont ensuite été tracées sur le graphique van’t Hoff et extrapolées à des températures plus froides pour déterminer les avantages de l’utilisation d’un cryoréfrigérant. À partir de cette étude, il a été déterminé que HayeSep Q était le meilleur adsorbant polymère avec une adsorption significative de CO2 à des températures inférieures à -50 ° C tout en étant l'adsorbant CF4 le plus performant. L'AA-300 était l'alumine la plus performante de cette étude tout en ayant une adsorption significative de CF4 à des températures inférieures à -135 °C. Cependant, du point de vue de la compatibilité, ces deux matériaux doivent être testés pour déterminer leur robustesse en présence de F2 et de HF à température ambiante et réduite. Les chapitres 5 et 6 explorent les principes fondamentaux de l'adsorption sur les aérogels en prélude à l'utilisation d'aérogels comme adsorbants possibles pour le CAD du CO2. Cette enquête sur les aérogels examine les aérogels de silice et les aérogels de carbone, qui sont tous les deux fabriqués industriellement et explore leur adsorption par rapport à des matériaux similaires tels que le gel de silice et les charbons actifs. Ces deux chapitres utilisent des isothermes d'adsorption déterminés expérimentalement de CO2, N2, O2 et Ar ainsi que la caractérisation pour déterminer les tendances d'adsorption dans les matériaux. Certaines conclusions majeures pour les aérogels de silice étaient que les modifications de surface courantes pour rendre le matériau plus résistant à l'adsorption d'eau ont un impact significatif sur l'adsorption de CO2 avec une différence d'environ 4 fois dans la capacité d'adsorption. Pour les aérogels de carbone, certaines conclusions majeures étaient que l'adsorption était de plus en plus dominée par la nature hétérogène de la surface à des pressions plus faibles et de plus en plus dominée par la taille des pores aux pressions plus élevées. Les deux chapitres discutent de l'adsorption d'air ainsi que des idées telles que l'influence de la conductivité thermique du gaz dans les pores en ce qui concerne l'adsorption.