Corrosion inhibitors for water-base slurry in multiblade sawing

The use of a water-base slurry instead of the standard PC oil vehicle was proposed for multiblade sawing (MBS) silicon wafering technology. Potential cost savings were considerable; however, significant failures of high-carbon steel blades were observed in limited tests using a water-based slurry during silicon wafering. Failures were attributed to stress corrosion. A specially designed fatigue test of 1095 steel blades in distilled water with various corrosion inhibitor solutions was used to determine the feasibility of using corrosion inhibitors in water-base MBS wafering. Fatigue tests indicate that several corrosion inhibitors have significant potential for use in a water-base MBS operation. Blade samples tested in these specific corrosion-inhibitor solutions exhibited considerably greater lifetime than those blades tested in PC oil

Plasma Lens Backgrounds at a Future Linear Collider

A 'plasma lens' might be used to enhance the luminosity of future linear colliders. However, its utility for this purpose depends largely on the potential backgrounds that may be induced by the insertion of such a device in the interaction region of the detector. In this note we identify different sources of such backgrounds, calculate their event rates from the elementary interaction processes, and evaluate their effects on the major parts of a hypothetical Next Linear Collider (NLC) detector. For plasma lens parameters which give a factor of seven enhancement of the luminosity, and using the NLC design for beam parameters as a reference, we find that the background yields are fairly high, and require further study and improvements in detector technology to avoid their impact.Comment: 14 pages incl. 3 figures; contributed to the 4th International Workshop, Electron-Electron Interactions at TeV Energies, Santa Cruz, California, Dec. 7 - 9, 2001. To be published in Int.Journ. Mod. Phys.

Confined swirling jet predictions using a multiple-scale turbulence model

A recently developed multiple scale turbulence model is used for the numerical prediction of isothermal, confined turbulent swirling flows. Because of the streamline curvature and nonequilibrium spectral energy transfer nature of the swirling flow, the utilized multiple scale turbulence model includes a different set of response equations for each of the large scale energetic eddies and the small scale transfer eddies. Predictions are made of a confined coaxial swirling jet in a sudden expansion and comparisons are made with experimental data and with the conventional single scale two equation model. The multiple scale model shows significant improvement of predictions of swirling flows over the single scale k epsilon model. The sensitivity study of the effect of prescribed inlet turbulence levels on the flow fields is also included

A non-isotropic multiple-scale turbulence model

A newly developed non-isotropic multiple scale turbulence model (MS/ASM) is described for complex flow calculations. This model focuses on the direct modeling of Reynolds stresses and utilizes split-spectrum concepts for modeling multiple scale effects in turbulence. Validation studies on free shear flows, rotating flows and recirculating flows show that the current model perform significantly better than the single scale k-epsilon model. The present model is relatively inexpensive in terms of CPU time which makes it suitable for broad engineering flow applications

Turbulence modeling of gas-solid suspension flows

The purpose here is to discuss and review advances in two-phase turbulent modeling techniques and their applications in various gas-solid suspension flow situations. In addition to the turbulence closures, heat transfer effect, particle dispersion and wall effects are partially covered

Multiple-scale turbulence closure modeling of confined recirculating flows

A multiple-scale turbulence closure scheme is developed for the numerical predictions of confined recirculating flows. This model is based on the multiple-time-scale concepts of Hanjalic et al. (1980) and takes into account the non-equilibrium spectra energy transfer mechanism. Problems concerning new formulation of energy transfer rate equations and subsequent model coefficient redefinition and energy spectrum partition are discussed. Comparisons are made with several experiments of internal recirculating flows for the purpose of model validation. Numerical results using the present model show significant improvement of predictive capability over that obtained with the single-scale k-epsilon model and show promising potential for complex turbulent flow predictions

Fracture strength of silicon solar cells

A test program was developed to determine the nature and source of the flaw controlling the fracture of silicon solar cells and to provide information regarding the mechanical strength of cells. Significant changes in fracture strengths were found in seven selected in-process wafer-to-cell products from a manufacturer's production line. The fracture strength data were statistically analyzed and interpreted in light of the exterior flaw distribution of the samples

Analytical determination of critical crack size in solar cells

Although solar cells usually have chips and cracks, no material specifications concerning the allowable crack size on solar cells are available for quality assurance and engineering design usage. Any material specifications that the cell manufacturers use were developed for cosmetic reasons that have no technical basis. Therefore, the Applied Solar Energy Corporation (ASEC) has sponsored a continuing program for the fracture mechanics evaluation of GaAs. Fracture mechanics concepts were utilized to develop an analytical model that can predict the critical crack size of solar cells. This model indicates that the edge cracks of a solar cell are more critical than its surface cracks. In addition, the model suggests that the material specifications on the allowable crack size used for Si solar cells should not be applied to GaAs solar cells. The analytical model was applied to Si and GaAs solar cells, but it would also be applicable to the semiconductor wafers of other materials, such as a GaAs thin film on a Ge substrate, using appropriate input data

Energy, greenhouse gas emissions and irrigated agriculture

On-farm energy efficiency is becoming a significant issue for highly mechanised irrigated agricultural industries due to rising energy costs and concern over greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Energy represents a major cost and one of the fastest growing input costs to primary producers. The Australian cotton growing industry is highly mechanised and heavily reliant on fossil fuels (electricity and diesel). Within highly mechanised farming systems such as those used within the cotton industry, machinery costs can represent 40 – 50% of the cotton farm input costs. Given the major dependence on machinery (direct energy inputs) and rising energy costs, energy use efficiency is an emerging issue for the Australian Cotton Industry. Both previous and current work undertaken by the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA) is studying direct on farm energy use which involves a number of case study cotton farms to understand the contribution of direct energy use to cotton production and greenhouse gas emissions. The results from this work show that energy use varies depending on the cropping enterprise and the farming system and that there are significant opportunities to reduce energy and costs. In comparison the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from direct energy use can be similar and in fact greater than the GHGs generated by nitrogen based fertiliser