Yinghong Li

A comparative study of Cr7C3, Fe3C and Fe2B in cast iron both from ab initio calculations and experiments

The ground state properties of three compounds, Cr7C3 ,F e 3C and Fe2B, are investigated using ab initio calculations based on density functional theory. Formation enthalpy values indicate that Cr7C3 is the most stable crystal among the three compounds. Fe3C is metastable which has a positive heat of formation value. The calculated bulk modulus, shear modulus and Young’s modulus value of Cr7C3 are 311 GPa, 143.8 GPa and 374 GPa, respectively. The bulk modulus values of Fe2B and Fe3C are 194 GPa and 258 GPa. We also find that both the hardness and the stiffness of the Cr7C3 type carbides can be improved by doping with B, W, Mo, etc. The bulk modulus of transition metal doped Fe2B is considerably higher than pure Fe2B. The electronic structures of Fe2B and Fe3C are ferromagnetic and the evaluated average magnetic moment of Fe is 2.09µB/atom for Fe3C and 2.02µB/atom for Fe2B, respectively. Micro-indentation test results indicate that Cr7C3 is the hardest phase among the three phases and shows excellent wear resistance performance under three-body abrasive experiments. The experimental results are in agreement with the theoretical prediction that Cr7C3 is the best both in stability and mechanical performance. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)

Influence of operating pressure on surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation characteristics

This letter reports an experimental study of surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation characteristics’ dependence on operating pressure. As the pressure decreases, the N2(CПu3) rotational temperature decreases, while its vibrational temperature decreases initially and then increases. In addition, the discharge mode changes from a filamentary type to a glow type at 45Torr. In the filamentary mode, the electron density decreases with pressure, while the electron temperature remains almost unchanged. In the glow mode, however, both the electron density and the electron temperature increase while the pressure decreases. The induced velocity shows a maximum value at 445Torr.

Influence of geometrical parameters on performance of plasma synthetic jet actuator

Plasma synthetic jet actuator (PSJA) has shown wide and promising application prospects in a high speed flow control field, due to its rapid response, high exhaust velocity, and non-moving components. In this paper, the total pressure profile of a plasma synthetic jet (PSJ) is measured and a new method is developed to evaluate the pulsed thrust of the PSJA. The influence of geometrical parameters including the electrode distance, the orifice diameter, and the throat length on PSJA performance is analyzed based on the pulsed thrust, the discharge characteristics, and the schlieren images. When varying the electrode distance, the dominant factor determining the jet intensity is the heating volume instead of the discharge energy. For the arc discharge, the electrode distance should be extended to increase both the jet velocity and the jet duration time. The design of the orifice diameter should be based on the controlled flow field. A large orifice diameter produces a strong perturbation with short time duration, while a small orifice diameter induces a lasting jet with low mass flux. In order to obtain better high frequency performance, the throat length should be shortened on the condition that the structural strength of the PSJA is maintained, while there is almost no influence of the throat length on the single cycle performance of the PSJA. Once the discharge energy is fixed, the pulsed thrust remains almost unchanged with different orifice diameters and throat lengths. These three geometrical parameters are independent to some extent and can be optimized separately.

Effects of plasma aerodynamic actuation on oblique shock wave in a cold supersonic flow

Wedge oblique shock wave control using an arc discharge plasma aerodynamic actuator was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Schlieren photography measurements in a small-scale short-duration supersonic wind tunnel indicated that the shock wave angle decreased and its start point shifted upstream with the plasma aerodynamic actuation. Also the shock wave intensity weakened, as shown by the decrease in the gas static pressure ratio of flow downstream and upstream of the shock wave. Moreover, the shock wave control effect was intensified when a static magnetic field was applied. Under test conditions of Mach 2.2, magnetic control and input voltage 3 kV, the start point of the shock wave shifted 4 mm upstream, while its angle and intensity decreased 8.6% and 8.8%, respectively. A thermal choking model was proposed to deduce the change laws of oblique shock wave control by surface arc discharge. The theoretical result was consistent with the experimental result, which demonstrated that the thermal choking model can effectively forecast the effect of plasma actuation on an oblique shock wave in a cold supersonic flow.

Analytic model and frequency characteristics of plasma synthetic jet actuator

This paper reports a novel analytic model of a plasma synthetic jet actuator (PSJA), considering both the heat transfer effect and the inertia of the throat gas. Both the whole cycle characteristics and the repetitive working process of PSJA can be predicted with this model. The frequency characteristics of a PSJA with 87 mm3 volume and different orifice diameters are investigated based on the analytic model combined with experiments. In the repetitive working mode, the actuator works initially in the transitional stage with 20 cycles and then in the dynamic balanced stage. During the transitional stage, major performance parameters of PSJA experience stepped growth, while during the dynamic balanced stage, these parameters are characterized by periodic variation. With a constant discharge energy of 6.9 mJ, there exists a saturated frequency of 4 kHz/6 kHz for an orifice diameter of 1 mm/1.5 mm, at which the time-averaged total pressure of the pulsed jet reaches a maximum. Between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm, a larger orifice diameter leads to a higher saturated frequency due to the reduced jet duration time. As the actuation frequency increases, both the time-averaged cavity temperature and the peak jet velocity initially increase and then remain almost unchanged at 1600 K and 280 m/s, respectively. Besides, with increasing frequency, the mechanical energy incorporated in single pulsed jet, the expelled mass per pulse, and the time-averaged density in the cavity, decline in a stair stepping way, which is caused by the intermittent decrease of refresh stage duration in one period.

Optical emission characteristics of surface nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge plasma

This paper reports an experimental study of the optical emission characteristics of the surface dielectric barrier discharge plasma excited by nanosecond pulsed voltage. N2(C3Пu) rotational and vibrational temperatures are almost the same with upper electrode powered with positive polarity and lower electrode grounded or upper electrode grounded and lower electrode powered with positive polarity. While the electron temperature is 12% higher with upper electrode powered with positive polarity and lower electrode grounded. When the frequency is below 2000 Hz, there is almost no influence of applied voltage amplitude and frequency on N2(C3Пu) rotational, vibrational temperature and electron temperature. As the pressure decreases from 760 Torr to 5 Torr, N2(C3Пu) rotational temperature remains almost unchanged, while its vibrational temperature decreases initially and then increases. The discharge mode changes from a filamentary type to a glow type around 80 Torr. In the filamentary mode, the electron tempera...

Influence of positive slopes on ultrafast heating in an atmospheric nanosecond-pulsed plasma synthetic jet

The influence of positive slopes on the energy coupling and hydrodynamic responses in an atmospheric nanosecond-pulsed plasma synthetic jet (PSJ) was investigated using a validated dry air plasma kinetics model. Based on a 1D simulation of the energy transfer mechanism in ultrafast gas heating, and with reasonable simplification, a 2D model of a PSJ was developed to investigate the discharge characteristics and hydrodynamic responses under different rise times. In the 1D simulation, a shorter voltage rise time results in a higher electric field in less time, reduces the time of ionization front propagation and produces stronger ionization. The energy transfer efficiency of ultrafast heating is approximately 60% but a steeper positive slope could raise local heating power density and make input energy 77% higher at the cost of 2.4% lower energy transfer efficiency under the same voltage amplitude and pulse width. The quench heating power density is always 27–30 times higher than that of ion collision in most discharge regions, while ion collision heating power density is 10–103 times higher in the sheath region. In 2D PSJ simulation, spatial-temporal distribution of electron density, reduced electric field and deposited energy were calculated for the first time. Heating energy increases sharply with voltage rise time decrease in the time scale of 20–50 ns. Jet velocity increases by 100 m s−1 when the rise time is reduced by 20 ns. A shorter voltage rise time also leads to higher orifice pressure and temperature, but their peak values are limited by the structure of the orifice and the discharge cavity.

Investigation of the performance characteristics of a plasma synthetic jet actuator based on a quantitative Schlieren method

A quantitative Schlieren method is developed to calculate the density field of axisymmetric flows. With this method, the flow field structures of plasma synthetic jets are analysed in detail. Major performance parameters, including the maximum density increase behind the shock wave, the expelled mass per pulse and the impulse, are obtained to evaluate the intensity of the shock wave and the jet. A high-density but low-velocity jet issues out of the cavity after the precursor shock wave, with a vortex ring at the wave front. The vortex ring gradually lags behind the center jet during the propagation, and its profile resembles a pair of kidneys in shape. After the jet terminates, the vortex ring breaks down and the whole density field is separated into two regions. In one period, the jet front velocity first increases and then decreases, with a maximum value of 270 m s−1. The precursor shock wave velocity decays quickly from 370 m s−1 to 340 m s−1 in the first 50 μs. The variation in the maximum density rise behind the precursor shock wave is similar to that of the jet front velocity. The averaged exit density drops sharply at around 50 μs and then gradually rises. The maximum mass flow rate is about 0.35 g s−1, and the total expelled mass in one period occupies 26% of the initial cavity gas mass. The impulse produced in the jet stage is estimated to be 5 μN s–1. The quantitative Schlieren method developed can also be used in the research of other compressible axisymmetric flows.

Experimental study of flow control on delta wings with different sweep angles using pulsed nanosecond DBD plasma actuators

A low-speed wind tunnel study of active flow control for improving aerodynamic performance of delta wings at high angles of attack is presented. A dielectric barrier discharge actuator driven by pulsed nanosecond voltage is used to create periodic perturbations along the leading edge of delta wing. Four wings with sweep back angles of Λ = 30°, 47°, and 60° are tested. Data obtained by means of force measurements show that the effectiveness of the actuation strongly depends on the wing’s sweep angles and the actuation frequency. For Λ = 30°, 47° delta wings, the pulsed actuation could increase the lift at post stall regions. For Λ = 60° delta wing, the pulsed actuation at the leading edge almost has no effect on its aerodynamic performance. At last, the control mechanism is discussed.

Influence of excitation voltage waveform on dielectric barrier discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation characteristics

Plasma flow control, based on the plasma aerodynamic actuati on generated by air discharge, is an active field in aerodynamics due to its potential application in performance improvement of future aircraft. In order to better understand the underlying physical mechanism of plasma flow control, it is i mportant to investigate the relationship between the operating parameters and the plasma aerodynamic actuation characteristics. This paper reports the electrical, optical and mech anical characteristics of surface dielectric barrier discharge p lasma aerodynamic actuation excited by microsecond and nanosecond high voltage waveforms. The nanosecond discharge is more diffuser than the microsecond discharge and the discharge current is much larger at the same applied voltage amplitude. The optical emission intensity of the nanosecond discharge plasma is stronger than that of the microsecond discharge plasma, while the rotational and vibrational temperatures of N2 in the nanosecond discharge plasma are less. In addition, the relative intensity of the first negative system of N + 2 (B 2 � + u ! X 2 � + g ) and the second positive system of N2(C 3 �u ! B 3 �g) is much less in the nanosecond discharge plasma. The velocity measurements indicate that the air flow induced by the nanose cond discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation is vertical to the dielectric surface, while that induced by the microsecond discharge actuation is parallel to the dielectric surface.