In this paper the influence of high power airborne ultrasound on drying biological material (Lobo apple) properties is considered. Apple samples were dried convectively at 75 ◦C and air flow of 2 m/s with and without ultrasound assist at 200W. During experiments, sun-drenched and not sun-drenched part of fruits were considered separately to show, how the maturity of the product influences dry material properties. Dried apple crisps in a size of small bars were subjected to compression tests during which acoustic emission (AE) was used. Analysis of AE and strength test results shows that correlations between received acoustic signals and sensory attributes (crispness, brittleness) of dried apples can be found. It was noted that ultrasound improved fruit brittleness in comparison with pure convective processes, where fruit maturity determines a kind of destruction and behaviour of dried apple crisps.
Recently, attempts have been made to use porous metal as catalysts in a reactor for the hydrogen manufacturing process using steam methane reforming (SMR). This study manufactured Ni-Cr-Al based powder porous metal, stacked cubic form porous blocks, and investigated high temperature random stack creep property. To establish an environment similar to the actual situation, a random stack jig with a 1-inch diameter and height of 75 mm was used. The porous metal used for this study had an average pore size of ~1161 μm by rolling direction. The relative density of the powder porous metal was measured as 6.72%. A compression test performed at 1073K identified that the powder porous metal had high temperature (800°C) compressive strength of 0.76 MPa. A 800°C random stack creep test at 0.38 MPa measured a steady-state creep rate of 8.58×10–10 s–1, confirming outstanding high temperature creep properties. Compared to a single cubic powder porous metal with an identical stress ratio, this is a 1,000-times lower (better) steady-state creep rate. Based on the findings above, the reason of difference in creep properties between a single creep test and random stack creep test was discussed.
In this paper, the different mechanical behaviors of layered rocks with different bedding angles during uniaxial compression tests are studied. Numerical simulation models of layered rock are validated based on laboratory tests, and uniaxial compression tests are conducted by using Particle Flow Code (PFC). Using these simulations, the uniaxial compressive strength, failure patterns, development of micro-cracks, and displacement of meso particles are analyzed. When the bedding angle is similar to the failure angle, the macro failure planes develop directly along the beddings, the bedding behavior dictates the behavior of the layered rock, reducing the compressive strength.
An uniaxial compression mechanical model for the roof rock-coal (RRC) composite sample was established in order to study the effects of height ratio of roof rock to coal on the structural strength of composite sample. The composite sample strengths under different height ratios were established through stress and strain analysis of the sample extracted from the interface. The coal strength near the interface is enhanced and rock strength near the interface weakened. The structural strength of composite sample is synthetically determined by the strengths of rock and coal near and far away from the interface. The area with a low strength in composite sample is destroyed firstly. An analytical model was proposed and discussed by conducting uniaxial compression tests for sandstone-coal composite samples with different height ratios, and it was found that the structural strength and elastic modulus decrease with a decrease in height ratio. The coal strengths far away from the interface determine the structural strengths of composite sample under different height ratios, which are the main control factor for the structural strength in this test. Due to its lowest strength, the rock near the interface first experienced a tensile spalling failure at the height ratio of 9:1, without causing the structural failure of composite sample. The coal failure induces the final failure of composite sample.