The BLEMAB European project: Muon radiography as an imaging tool in the industrial field

The European project called BLEMAB (BLast furnace stack density Estimation through on-line Muons ABsorption measurements), provides for the application of the muon radiography technique in the industrial environment. The project represents a non-invasive way of monitoring a blast furnace and in particular aims to study the geometric and density development of the so-called “cohesive zone”, which is important for the performance of the blast furnace itself. The installation of the detectors is expected in 2022 at the ArcelorMittal site in Bremen (Germany). This paper describes the status of the project, the experimental setup and the first results obtained with preliminary simulations. © 2022 Societa Italiana di Fisica. All rights reserved

Imaging of the Inner Zone of Blast Furnaces Using MuonRadiography: The BLEMAB Project

The aim of the BLEMAB project (BLast furnace stack density Estimation through online Muons ABsorption measurements) is the application of muon radiography techniques, to image a blast furnace’s inner zone. In particular, the goal of the study is to characterize the geometry and size of the so-called “cohesive zone”, i.e., the spatial region where the slowly downward-moving material begins to soften and melt, which plays such an important role in the performance of the blast furnace itself. Thanks to the high penetration power of natural cosmic-ray muon radiation, muon transmission radiography could be an appropriate non invasive methodology for the imaging of large high-density structures such as a blast furnace, whose linear dimensions can be up to a few tens of meters. A state-of-the-art muon tracking system is currently in development and will be installed at a blast furnace on the ArcelorMittal site in Bremen (Germany), where it will collect data for a period of various months. In this paper, the status of the project and the expectations based on preliminary simulations are presented and briefly discussed

A time- and cost-effective strategy to sequence mammalian Y Chromosomes: an application to the de novo assembly of gorilla Y

The mammalian Y Chromosome sequence, critical for studying male fertility and dispersal, is enriched in repeats and palindromes, and thus, is the most difficult component of the genome to assemble. Previously, expensive and labor-intensive BAC-based techniques were used to sequence the Y for a handful of mammalian species. Here, we present a much faster and more affordable strategy for sequencing and assembling mammalian Y Chromosomes of sufficient quality for most comparative genomics analyses and for conservation genetics applications. The strategy combines flow sorting, short- and long-read genome and transcriptome sequencing, and droplet digital PCR with novel and existing computational methods. It can be used to reconstruct sex chromosomes in a heterogametic sex of any species. We applied our strategy to produce a draft of the gorilla Y sequence. The resulting assembly allowed us to refine gene content, evaluate copy number of ampliconic gene families, locate species-specific palindromes, examine the repetitive element content, and produce sequence alignments with human and chimpanzee Y Chromosomes. Our results inform the evolution of the hominine (human, chimpanzee, and gorilla) Y Chromosomes. Surprisingly, we found the gorilla Y Chromosome to be similar to the human Y Chromosome, but not to the chimpanzee Y Chromosome. Moreover, we have utilized the assembled gorilla Y Chromosome sequence to design genetic markers for studying the male-specific dispersal of this endangered species.National Science Foundation/[DBI-ABI 0965596]/NSF/Estados UnidosNational Science Foundation/[DBI-1356529]/NSF/Estados UnidosNational Science Foundation/[IIS-1453527]/NSF/Estados UnidosNational Science Foundation/[IIS-1421908]/NSF/Estados UnidosNational Science Foundation/[CCF-1439057]/NSF/Estados UnidosNational Institutes of Health/[1T32GM102057-0A1]/NIH/Estados UnidosUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Biología Celular y Molecular (CIBCM

Optimization of Rare Earth Metals (REM) addition in high temperature stainless steel grade 253MA.

The focus of this thesis work is to optimize rare earth metal (REM) addition in Therma 253MA, an austenitic stainless-steel grade in order to get a good trade-off between oxidation resistance property and the amount of big REM inclusions formed. Big REM inclusions are detrimental to material properties and REM is required to be dissolved in the matrix for improving the oxidation resistance. REM optimization can also lead to economical savings for Outokumpu. The distribution of REM between matrix and inclusion is affected by factors such as REM addition, initial oxygen and sulphur contents and time to casting of the melt. The re-oxidation of melt in the tundish also affects the REM distribution. Hence, the effect of these factors on the inclusion characteristics is investigated by analysing samples with different REM additions, using light optical microscope (LOM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). LOM analysis focussed on stringer inclusion characteristics. SEM+EDS analysis is done using automated "INCA Feature" software with focus on overall inclusion characteristics. Oxidation and creep tests are also performed to study the effect of different REM additions on oxidation and creep behaviour. The results from inclusion analysis show that increasing REM addition and time to casting has a bad effect on stringer and overall inclusion characteristics. The re-oxidation in the tundish influences the inclusion formation, but does not affect the stringer characteristics. The resistance to oxidation of the samples is also compared and is observed to increase within increasing REM addition. Finally, this works suggests an optimal REM addition for Therma 253MA to get a good balance between oxidation resistance and amount of big inclusions.Fokus för detta avhandlingsarbete är att optimera tillsats av sällsynt jordartsmetall (REM) i Therma 253MA, en austenitisk rostfritt stålkvalitet för att få en bra avvägning mellan oxidationsbeständighetsegenskap och mängden stora REM-inneslutningar som bildas. Stora REM-inneslutningar är skadliga för materialegenskaperna och REM måste lösas i matrisen för att förbättra oxidationsbeständigheten. REM-optimering kan också leda till ekonomiska besparingar för Outokumpu. Fördelningen av REM mellan matris och inkludering påverkas av faktorer såsom REM-tillsats, initialt syre- och svavelinnehåll och tid till gjutning av smältan. Re-oxidation av smälta i tunden påverkar också REM-fördelningen. Följaktligen undersöks effekten av dessa faktorer på inkluderingsegenskaperna genom att analysera prover med olika REM-tillsatser, med användning av ljusoptiskt mikroskop (LOM) och avsökning av elektronmikroskop (SEM). LOM-analys fokuserade på stringer-inkluderingsegenskaper. SEM + EDS-analys görs med hjälp av automatiserad "INCA Feature" -programvara med fokus på övergripande inkluderingsegenskaper. Oxidations- och krypningstest utförs också för att studera effekten av olika REM-tillsatser på oxidation och krypbeteende. Resultaten från inkluderingsanalys visar att ökande REM-tillsats och tid till gjutning har en dålig effekt på stringer och totala inkluderingsegenskaper. Återoxidationen i tunden påverkar inkluderingsbildningen, men påverkar inte stringeregenskaperna. Motståndet mot oxidation av proverna jämförs också och observeras öka inom ökande REM-tillsats. Slutligen föreslår detta ett optimalt REM-tillägg för Therma 253MA för att få en bra balans mellan oxidationsmotstånd och mängd stora inneslutningar

Optimization of Rare Earth Metals (REM) addition in high temperature stainless steel grade 253MA.

The focus of this thesis work is to optimize rare earth metal (REM) addition in Therma 253MA, an austenitic stainless-steel grade in order to get a good trade-off between oxidation resistance property and the amount of big REM inclusions formed. Big REM inclusions are detrimental to material properties and REM is required to be dissolved in the matrix for improving the oxidation resistance. REM optimization can also lead to economical savings for Outokumpu. The distribution of REM between matrix and inclusion is affected by factors such as REM addition, initial oxygen and sulphur contents and time to casting of the melt. The re-oxidation of melt in the tundish also affects the REM distribution. Hence, the effect of these factors on the inclusion characteristics is investigated by analysing samples with different REM additions, using light optical microscope (LOM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). LOM analysis focussed on stringer inclusion characteristics. SEM+EDS analysis is done using automated "INCA Feature" software with focus on overall inclusion characteristics. Oxidation and creep tests are also performed to study the effect of different REM additions on oxidation and creep behaviour. The results from inclusion analysis show that increasing REM addition and time to casting has a bad effect on stringer and overall inclusion characteristics. The re-oxidation in the tundish influences the inclusion formation, but does not affect the stringer characteristics. The resistance to oxidation of the samples is also compared and is observed to increase within increasing REM addition. Finally, this works suggests an optimal REM addition for Therma 253MA to get a good balance between oxidation resistance and amount of big inclusions.Fokus för detta avhandlingsarbete är att optimera tillsats av sällsynt jordartsmetall (REM) i Therma 253MA, en austenitisk rostfritt stålkvalitet för att få en bra avvägning mellan oxidationsbeständighetsegenskap och mängden stora REM-inneslutningar som bildas. Stora REM-inneslutningar är skadliga för materialegenskaperna och REM måste lösas i matrisen för att förbättra oxidationsbeständigheten. REM-optimering kan också leda till ekonomiska besparingar för Outokumpu. Fördelningen av REM mellan matris och inkludering påverkas av faktorer såsom REM-tillsats, initialt syre- och svavelinnehåll och tid till gjutning av smältan. Re-oxidation av smälta i tunden påverkar också REM-fördelningen. Följaktligen undersöks effekten av dessa faktorer på inkluderingsegenskaperna genom att analysera prover med olika REM-tillsatser, med användning av ljusoptiskt mikroskop (LOM) och avsökning av elektronmikroskop (SEM). LOM-analys fokuserade på stringer-inkluderingsegenskaper. SEM + EDS-analys görs med hjälp av automatiserad "INCA Feature" -programvara med fokus på övergripande inkluderingsegenskaper. Oxidations- och krypningstest utförs också för att studera effekten av olika REM-tillsatser på oxidation och krypbeteende. Resultaten från inkluderingsanalys visar att ökande REM-tillsats och tid till gjutning har en dålig effekt på stringer och totala inkluderingsegenskaper. Återoxidationen i tunden påverkar inkluderingsbildningen, men påverkar inte stringeregenskaperna. Motståndet mot oxidation av proverna jämförs också och observeras öka inom ökande REM-tillsats. Slutligen föreslår detta ett optimalt REM-tillägg för Therma 253MA för att få en bra balans mellan oxidationsmotstånd och mängd stora inneslutningar

Genetic Algorithm Parameter Effect on 3D Truss Optimization with Discrete Variable

The Genetic Algorithm is one of the advanced optimization techniques frequently used for solving complex problems in the research field, and there are plenty of parameters which affect the outcome of the GA. In this study, a 25-bar truss with the nonlinear constraint is chosen with the objective to minimize the mass and variables being the discrete area. For the same, GA parameter like Selection Function, Population Size, Crossover Function, and Creation Function are varied to find the best combination with minimum function evaluation. It is found that the Uniform selection gives the best result irrespective of the creation function, population size or crossover functions. But this is at the cost of a large number of function evaluations, and the other selection function fails to reach the global optimum and has a smaller number of function evaluation count. If the analysis of selection function is done one at a time, it is seen that all Cases performs better in Roulette but, Case A which is non-integer type with 200 population size being computationally cheaper than Case B and C of population size 300. In the Tournament selection, Case A, B with smaller population size and Case C with higher population size performs better. Case C performs better at Remainder selection with smaller population size, and Case A and B for Stochastic Uniform with higher population size. And, it is clear that the function evaluation count increases with the population size in every Case from this study

A thermal dehydration study of WO3.2H2O

Abstract: Step-wise thermal dehydration of WO3 . 2H(2)O has been investigated and the various hydrated tungsten trioxide phases characterized. A cubic phase of tungsten trioxide with 0.36 moles of water is obtained by heating WO3 . 2H(2)O to 498 K