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The purpose of this study is to investigate the coupling effects of the velocity slip, rarefaction effect and effective viscosity of the gas film on the performance of the aerostatic guideway in micro-scale and improve the analysis precision of the static performance of aerostatic guideway.

The corresponding model of the gas film flow with consideration of the velocity slip, rarefaction effect and effective viscosity of the gas film in micro-scale is proposed. By solving the corresponding model, the bearing capacity and the stiffness of the aerostatic guideway are obtained through the pressure distributions of the air cavity. Through comparing the bearing capacity and the stiffness in different situations, the couple effects of the three factors are analyzed. Finally, the experimental results about the stiffness are obtained and the contrast between the simulation stiffness and the tested stiffness is achieved.

Through comparing the coupling effects of the micro scale factors under different conditions on the performance of the aerostatic guideway, it was found that when comparing the effects of a single factor, the effect of the first-order slip is the largest. When two factors are randomly combined, velocity slip and viscosity of the gas film is the largest, but these coupling effects are less than the effect of considering three factors simultaneously.

It is essential to consider the first-order velocity slip, the flow factor Q and the effective viscosity when analyzing the static performance of the aerostatic guideway in micro-scale. This makes studying the performance of the aerostatic guideway in micro-scale feasible and improves the machine’s accuracy.

Explains that segregation processes during the solidification of a binary alloy occur at two distinct length scales: on the microscopic length scale of the crystal interface, in the two‐phase mushy zone, segregation is controlled by solid state mass diffusion; and, on the macroscopic scale of the process, segregation is controlled by the convective transport of the molten metal. Concludes that developing models that can capture both these scales is a challenge. Introduces a bi‐level grid, and uses a macro grid on the scale of the process for the solution of equations describing macroscopic heat and mass transport. Details how each node point in the macro grid is associated with a micro grid on which equations describing the microscopic phenomena in the mushy region are solved. In this way, develops a dual‐scale model of segregation during the solidification of a binary alloy. On investigating the unidirectional solidification of a binary alloy, demonstrates that this dual‐scale model is able to capture both the macro and micro‐scales in a single numerical treatment.

The purpose of this paper is to study the flow field characteristics of the micro-scale textured bearing surfaces using the lattice Boltzmann method based on the microscopic dynamics of the fluid.

Considering the inertia effects and the micro-scale effects, the models of a single micro-scale texture unit cell with different shapes and different film thickness ratios are established. The influence of pressure difference between inlet and outlet of the unit cell on flow characteristics is studied.

The surface pressure distribution, flow patterns and pressure contours in the flow field are obtained. The results reveal that the pressure difference has a significant influence on the characteristics of the micro-textured flow field.

The results have certain guiding significance for further step investigation on microscopic lubrication mechanism of the water-lubricated polymer bearings.

This paper aims to better understand the dynamic characteristics of an aerostatic slider caused by a gas film, and the impact of a gas film slip on the load capacity, stiffness and dynamic stiffness of the guideway is studied.

In theory, the Navier velocity slip model is introduced for fluid continuous flow equation to calculate the flow state in the micro-state; in experimental techniques, the stiffness experiment of the guideway by digital inductance meter is performed under different loadings, which are used to inspect the simulation results.

The maximum value of bearing stiffness in the condition of considering that the gas slip is larger than that of not considering the gas slip, and the gas film clearance of maximum bearing stiffness in the condition of considering the gas slip is less than that of not considering the gas slip. This is verified by the measurement of the stiffness of the guideway.

This paper mostly studies the influence of the gas slip effects on the performance of the aerostatic guideway, which will make a certain contribution to the guideway stability and the machining precision of the machine tool.

This paper computationally estimates the constitutive relationships of composite materials reinforced by single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT).

A multiscale analysis is considered. At the nanoscale level, molecular dynamics (MD) are used to predict the stiffness for an equivalent beam. A BEM solver for the elasticity problems is extended to allow the presence of inclusions and hence is used to model a RVE for the composite matrix with the equivalent nanotube beams. A genetic algorithm (GA) is developed to generate an initial population of anisotropic materials based on FEM. The GA evolves the population of properties of anisotropic materials till a material is found whose mechanical response is the same as that of the nanocomposite.

The overall process is suitable for the constitutive relationships estimation according to the verification process outlined.

The present work is limited to 2D linear problems. However, extending it to 3D non‐linear applications is straight forward.

The present technique could be used to estimate properties of NCT composites, hence practical applications such as aeroplane structures or turbine blades could be analysed using commercial finite element software. The present methodology could be used to estimate non‐mechanical properties such as the thermal and electric properties.

The present computational technique has never been presented in the literature.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the micro fluid flow analysis in a micro thruster of micro‐/nano‐ satellite propulsion system and to propose the algorithm for the fluid flow simulations with the open boundary based on moving boundary method.

The analysis is based on a finite volume moving boundary method. Underlying mathematical model is the system of Navier‐Stokes‐Fourier partial differential equation describing compressible gas model. Propellant under the study is pure nitrogen gas. First, the static geometry velocity vector field is calculated and the information of the velocity at the outflow boundary is obtained; then, with the moving boundary method the outlet boundary is evolved. Evolution of the boundary is stopped when the continuum model ceases to hold. The criteria of the continuum model failure are based on the local Knudsen number.

The validations of the flow with respect to the Knudsen number showed that the continuum model is valid in the nozzle interior part (from the pressure value to the nozzle throat). The exterior nozzle part (diverging side) showed immediate raising of the Knudsen number above the continuum threshold (0.01). For the overall accurate computations of thruster flow, the continuum model must be coupled with molecular model (i.e. Boltzmann BGK).

In this paper, the authors propose a method for the computation of an open boundary flow with the application of the moving boundary method.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of fluid–structure interaction in micro-scale on the performance of the hydrostatic spindle and improve the analysis precision of the dynamic performance of hydrostatic spindle.

Dynamic analysis of hydrostatic spindle before and after fluid–structure interaction is carried out according to stiffness and damping performance of the bearing, which demonstrates that the natural frequency and peak response of the spindle are increased in the micro-scale.

It is concluded from the simulation and experimental results that there is micro-scale effect in the actual operation of the spindle system and slippage exists in the oil film flow. The error between the modal detection result and the theoretical value is within 10 per cent, which also verifies the correctness of the above conclusions.

This paper analyzes the changes of the bearing performance parameters at macro- and micro-scale, which present the influence of the static and dynamic performance of the spindle in the micro-scale.

The purpose of this paper is to numerically investigate the effects of the shape on the performance of the cathode catalyst agglomerate used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). The shapes investigated are slabs, cylinders and spheres.

Three 1D models are developed to represent the slab like, cylindrical and spherical agglomerates, respectively. The models are solved for the concentration of the dissolved oxygen using a finite element software, COMSOL Multiphysics®. “1D” and “1D axisymmetric” schemes are used to model the slab like and cylindrical agglomerates, respectively. There is no one-dimensional scheme available in COMSOL Multiphysics® for spherical coordinate systems. To resolve this, the governing equation in “1D” scheme is mathematically modified to match that of the spherical coordinate system.

For a given length of the diffusion path, the variation in the performances of the investigated agglomerates is dependent on the operational overpotential. Under low magnitudes of the overpotentials, where the performance is mainly limited by reaction, the slab-like agglomerate outperforms the spherical and cylindrical agglomerates. In contrast, under high magnitudes of the overpotentials where the agglomerate performance is mainly limited by diffusion, the spherical and cylindrical agglomerates outperform the slab-like agglomerate.

The current advances in the nano-fabrication technology gives more flexibility in designing the catalyst layers in PEFCs to the desired structures. If the design of the agglomerate catalyst is to be assessed, the current micro-scale modelling offers an efficient and rapid way forward.

The current micro-scale modelling is an efficient alternative to developing a full (or half) fuel cell model to evaluate the effects of the agglomerate structure.

This study aims to assess the performance of SAF 2205 duplex stainless steel against pure wear, tribo-corrosion, corrosion and the synergism between wear and corrosion. The effect of plasma nitriding conducted at low temperature (380°C) on SAF 2205 steel was analyzed.

Three systems were used for assessing the synergism between wear and corrosion: tribo-corrosion – wear tests conducted using the micro-scale abrasion test, performed under a slurry of alumina particles containing 3.5% NaCl; pure wear – tests conducted using the previous system but isolated in a glovebox with a 99% N2 atmosphere; and cyclic polarization under 3.5% NaCl solution. A hard nitrided layer of 3 µm thickness was characterized using X-ray diffraction, presenting expanded austenite.

The wear mode after micro-scale abrasion tests changed in the absence of an oxygen atmosphere. During pure wear, a mixed mode was identified (rolling + grooving), with the grooving mode more intense for the untreated steel. For tribo-corrosion tests, only rolling wear was identified. For all cases, the nitrided samples presented less wear. The corrosion results indicated a higher repassivation potential for the nitrided condition.

The synergism was more positive for the nitrided sample than for the untreated one, which can be considered for surface treatments of duplex stainless steels in practical applications.

A detailed description of wear mechanisms showed a significant change in the presence of oxygen atmosphere, a new approach for isolating pure wear.

Wave breaking significantly affects the exchange process between ocean and atmosphere. This paper aims to simulate the upper ocean dynamics under the influence of wave breaking, which may help to figure out the transport of energy by these breakers.

The authors use a breaker-LES model to simulate the oceanic boundary layer in hurricane conditions, in which breakers become the main source of momentum and energy instead of traditional wind stress.

The mean horizontal velocities and energy increase rapidly with wind speed, reflecting that input from atmosphere dominates the coherent structure in the upper ocean. The penetration ability of a breaker limits its effective depth and thus the total turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) decreases sharply near the surface. Langmuir circulation is the main source of TKE in deeper water. The authors compared the dissipation rate (e) in the simulations with two estimates and found that the model tends to the scaling of ε∼z^–3.4 at extreme wind speeds.

The probability distribution of breakers is also discussed based on the balance between the input from atmosphere and output by wave breaking. The authors considered the contribution of micro-scale breakers and revaluated the probability density function. The results show stability in hurricane conditions.