#Aircraft Cooling Turbines
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Among car enthusiasts of a certain persuasion, there exists a yearning that cannot be satisfied by regular automakers. The hoi polloi are perfectly happy with their normal, pedestrian automobiles. The elites opt for penis-shaped zoom-zooms that cost more than a house. Those of us in the middle, who have an eternal love for going very fast for very little money, are abandoned. And as we all know, being in the self-described middle is the same thing as being morally correct at all times.
Back in the 50s, people really wanted to go fast for no money. It's what started the whole world of hot rodding. And they had lots of good options, thanks to the government suddenly having a ton of warplanes that weren't currently engaged in a war. Cool plane superchargers, engines, belly tanks â anything that weird nerds could get their hands on â got shoved into cars in the quest to go fast. And automakers were run by those weird nerds, back then.
Sure, a lot of them were putatively "run" by big-dollar, humanity-crushing fascists, but the real fun, in the research and development divisions? That was happening with the same hot rodder nutjobs who would go down to the beach after work and do skids in a car mostly made out of a bathtub, until the cops showed up. And in the late 50s, what those very same nutjobs were excited about were turbines.
See, turbine engines were getting exciting then. It was the jet age. Clean, efficient, very loud, screaming jets. Not inefficient, old clangy pistons with their oiled bearings and pitiful triple-digit horsepower. No, it was time to go fast, and so they dutifully started cramming turbines into street cars. Did it make sense? No. Were any of these cars even close to being practical? Absolutely not. Was it completely bad-ass? Yes.
Unfortunately, it was at this time that the nascent development of "management science" began to metastasize in the Western world. A lot of bosses came down and saw a screaming, shrieking demon burning nineteen litres of gasoline per minute, bolted loosely into a Ford Deluxe Coupe, and they asked: how many cupholders this got? Not having a sufficient answer that didn't start with "fuck you," these same bosses then began dismantling the apparatus that held a promise of a glorious, high-pitched-whining future of thirty-thousand-rpm engines.
There is still hope. For instance, things containing turbines get crashed all the time. Once the FAA is done looking at them to figure out what they fucked up (usually: aircraft contacted the earth too soon,) they don't really pay too much attention to what happens to the carcass. If you're quick, you can cut through the fence and get ahold of your very own helicopter turbine with which to start the project. And what do you use to slice through that fence and retrieve your futurist prize? A thirty-thousand-rpm battery-operated cut-off wheel, of course. Thanks, weird nerds.
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hey are you the pilot guy?? can you tell us some cool things about airplanes?
Iâm the pilot guy, and hereâs some lame things about airplanes instead:
According to FAR Part 25, Section 795, any plane which seats more than 60 people or has a MTOW exceeding 100,000 lbs must have a âleast bomb risk locationâ.
Outer space is a Class Echo airspace. If you can manage to get past FL600 without entering the great big Class Alpha in the sky, you only need a student cert to fly in space.
Pilots are considered a part of an aircraftâs structural weight during the design process.
Sometimes a ram air turbine looks like the plane is holding a little toy windmill, and this makes me happy.
Weeeee
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Where is the doghouse?
Not only JP-7: the SR-71 could use JP-4 and JP-5 as emergency fuels but they both limited the Blackbird's top speed to Mach 1.5..
The SR-71 Blackbird was the first aircraft to use its own fuel for hydraulic fluid. It was called the fuel hydraulic system.
The legendary SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3+ spy plane was powered by two 34,000 lbf (151,240 N) thrust-class J58 afterburning turbojet engines. Each engine contained a nine-stage compressor driven by a two-stage turbine. The main burner used an eight-can combustor and the afterburner is fully modulating. The primary nozzle area was variable. Above Mach 2.2, some of the airflow was bled from the fourth stage of the compressor and dumped into the augmentor inlet through six bleed-bypass tubes, circumventing the core of the engine and transitioning the propulsive cycle from a pure turbojet to a turbo-ramjet.
The SR-71 was the first aircraft to use its own fuel for hydraulic fluid. It was called the fuel hydraulic system.
An engine-driven pump provided 1800 psi of recirculating fuel to accurate various engine components and then returned it back to the aircraft fuel system to be burned. Fuel was used in the actuators to control the afterburner nozzles, which maintain the proper exhaust gas temperature and control the thrust output. The fuel was also used in the engine actuators to shift the two-position inlet guide veins from their axial position to the cambered position and back again. This was just another of the many first-ever inventions of the-SR-71.
The J58 engine was hydromechanically controlled and burned a special low volatility jet fuel mixture known as JP-7.
Emergency fuels could be used in the SR-71 if the crew was low on fuel and had to use ANY tanker (as already explained the Blackbird relied on KC-135Q tankers [that could simultaneously carry a maximum of 74,490lb of JP-7 and 110,000lb of JP-4 for their own engines] but the SR-71 could also be refueled by standard Stratotankers in the event KC-135Qs were not available or if the Blackbird crew had to deal with an emergency situation) they could find to avoid the loss of the aircraft. The emergency fuels were JP-4 or JP-5 but they limited the Blackbird top speed to Mach 1.5. There were six main fuselage tanks. All 80,285 pounds of JP-7 fuel were carried in six main fuselage tanks. The tanks numbered one through six moved forward to aft (back) tank 6B It could hold 7,020 pounds of gravity-fed fuel and two tanks sumps. This was also called the âdoghouseâ and was located in the extreme back portion of the fuselage.
Fuel was the lifeblood of this fastest-manned airplane in the world. I found the following in a declassified CIA brief.
There it would first be used as hydraulic fluid at 600 F to control the afterburner exit flaps before being fed into the burner cans of the powerplant and the afterburner itself.
Cooling the cockpit and crew turned out to be seven times as difficult as on the X-15 research airplane which flew as much as twice as fast as the SR-71 but only for a few minutes per flight. The wheels and tires of the landing gear had to be protected from the heat by burying them in the fuselage fuel tanks for radiation cooling to save the rubber and other systems attached thereto. Special attention had to be given to the crew escape system to allow safe ejection from the aircraft over a speed and altitude range of zero miles per hour at sea level to Mach numbers up to 4.0 at over 100,000 feet.
Written by Linda Sheffield Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/27: CIA-RDP90B00170R000100080001-5 -4- The problems of taking, pictures through
Be sure to check out Linda Sheffield Miller (Col Richard (Butch) Sheffieldâs daughter, Col. Sheffield was an SR-71 Reconnaissance Systems Officer) Facebook Pages Habubrats SR-71 and Born into the Wilde Blue Yonder for awesome Blackbirdâs photos and stories.
Written by Habubrat
@Habubrats71 via X
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In relation to that anonymous ask:
I spent the last half of September studying for, then training for my Airline Transport Pilot checkride. The ATP is the highest pilot certification level the FAA provides and itâs required for flying large, turbine aircraft for hireâŚ. Commercial airlines.
Itâs also the only certificate that the military doesnât have equivalency for, so no matter what train to as a pilot in the military, I have to go get this certification on my own⌠hence this training course.
I passed the checkride and the associated ground evaluation (1 on 1 interview-style exam). The evaluator pilot was super cool, also prior Air Force. I goofed one of the three landings⌠apparently not enough to jeopardize the checkride, but I was still relieved when he shook my hand after engine shutdown. I was worried for a moment.
I have a soft employment offer from a major US carrier. This certification was the last item standing in my way, so I consider this a big win, but thatâs also where Iâve been for the last few weeks.
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Hii, can I request a Soobin + The Avengers (first movie) + Fluff and Suggestive.
Btw, congrats for your achievement â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
NOW SHOWING...
pairing: choi soobin x fem!reader
genre: fluff, suggestive
wc: 1.7k
details + warnings: mdni, soobin + fem!reader don't represent any particular characters (though some references are made), a lil makeout sesh đľâđŤ
note: thank you!! âĄâĄ
you can't sleep.Â
not that you ever slept much in the first place, but since joining s.h.i.e.l.d. in their efforts of recovering the tesseract and locating kai's sister who happens to be in possession of it â even worse, kai's sister who aims to take over the planet with it â you've all but given up on proper rest. this mission is far bigger than yourself, far bigger than anyone on your ragtag team of (what you guess you could call) superheroes, for that matter. you may be a trained assassin and a master of close-range combat, but you cannot deny the traces of fear that gnaw at your nerves.
sitting up in your bed, you rub at your eyes until they feel raw. your room is too warm to be comfortable, and all you can think about is the sheer amount of unpredictability that plagues this situation. you're used to set dates, locations, people to eliminateâŚthis situation entails none of those things. no one knows where bahiyyih is, no one knows where the tesseract is, and no one has a goddamn clue what she's planning. your chest tightens for a moment. breathe. breathe.
you strip the covers from your body once your eyes blink back into focus, swinging your legs over the side of the bed. the floor is cool beneath the soles of your feet as you move to stand; the sensation brings you back to yourself, bars your mind from spiraling any further. you need to get out of this room right now. with haste, you slip a pair of slides on and make your way out of your room. the helicarrier is eerily quiet as you walk down the sprawling hallways, the only sounds reaching your ears being the wind rushing by and the rumbling of the aircraft carrier's turbines. dim lights illuminate your path and create ominous shadows along the walls; you pay them little mind â you'd know if someone was following you. your shoes make little noise against the walkway, your featherlight steps a result of your intensive training. your heartbeat slowly returns to normal.Â
eventually, the hallway leads to a large room, a lookout platform lying opposite of where you stand. the windows jut out from the floor at an angle, supported by thick, floor-to-ceiling metal beams. you stride over to the platform, staring out at the clouds that rush by; far below, the ocean has opened its gaping maw, the darkness endless yet oddly comforting.Â
you're unsure how long you stand there, vision blurred as you stare out at the nothingness, before your ears perk up at the sound of footsteps sounding from behind. they are trying to be quiet, you can tell, but they lack finesse. it causes you to immediately raise your guard. the footsteps slowly grow closer, and your muscles tense in response. they're right behind you now, a hand reaching out to grab your shoulderâ
in a flash, you have them twisted the other way, one arm pinned between their shoulder blades and the other clasped in your other hand's unrelenting grip. your foot moves on autopilot as it kicks the back of their knee. their knees collide with the platform with a dull thump!Â
âitâs me! itâs me!â the person whispers frantically, their unmistakably male tone bordering on panicked. itâs then that you recognize the platinum blond head of hair, the long limbs, a voice you know all too wellâŚ
soobin.
âoh my god, iâm so sorry,â you whisper back while you release his limbs. he stands, rubbing at where your fingers pressed a little too hard into his flesh with a soft âow.â you level him with a raised eyebrow and downturned lips. âcâmon, itâs your fault. you shouldnât have tried to sneak up on me.â
âyeah, i guess youâre right,â soobin sighs, rotating his shoulder with a pained wince. âjesus, remind me not to get on your bad side.â
this draws a chuckle from you. âwhatâre you doing up, anyway? itâs late.âÂ
âcouldnât sleep, so i decided to get out and patrol,â he simply replies. itâs then that you notice that heâs wearing a simplified, more casual version of his field uniform â a tight black tank top, tactical pants of a similar color and fit, and his normal pair of thick gloves adorning his hands. you realize that youâve never seen his bare arms before, only ever through his suit. though his build is thin and lithe, you can see the defined muscles that push against the skin of his biceps. the sight causes your mouth to run dry.Â
youâre feeling oddly bare in your sleep attire, your arms crossing over your chest. as your eyes meet his again, you find him staring at you, questions dancing his dark eyes. he continues, âyâknow, i could ask you the same.â
âsame reason as you, but my first thought wasnât to patrol,â you laugh, refusing to let your eyes wander any more. âyou work too hard.â
âah, itâs nothingâ force of habit, really,â he says, heart-shaped lips curving into a sheepish grin.
sure, you might be a little attracted to soobin, but you respect him more than anything. he didn't join this team just to flaunt his homemade tech like yeonjun, he is not here out of obligation like kai â rather, he's on this team because he wants to help people. his unrelenting drive to keep the world safe and lead your team to success is admirable, even if he does butt heads with yeonjun more often than not.
after a brief bout of silence, an idea pops into your head. your eyes trail back up to meet his own. âdo you want to go spar, maybe?â
his eyes widen almost imperceptibly before his bunny-like smile returns, a teasing lilt to his following words.Â
âas long as you promise to go easy on me.â
after a brief stop at your room so that you could change into more fight-appropriate clothing, you and soobin navigate the hallways to the on-board training center. you have only been here a few times since you arrived on the helicarrier, usually taking out your energy on one of the punching bags that line the perimeter of the mat. it's odd to know that you are about to spar with an actual person; soobin is the only one who has accepted your offer thus far.
the two of you are quick to begin after a bout of stretching. the moment you're done bumping fists in the middle of the ring, his leg swings out from behind him, aiming for your side. you roll out of the way, rising to your feet to his left.
âcheap move,â you grin, closing in while intercepting his fist. you struggle for a moment to hold his arm back; while you prize agility, he favors strength. he mirrors your expression.Â
âjust evening out the playing field.â his foot slips behind your ankle and pushes forward, but you slip out of the precarious position with ease.
the two of you go at it for awhile, exchanging punches and kicks, wearing each other down slowly â you're more evenly matched than he gave himself credit for. what you throw, he blocks, and when he swings, you easily sidestep out of the way, his limbs cutting through empty air. your stamina seems to trump his, however, his movements growing sloppier, more holes opening up in his defense.
like a machine, you exploit these weaknesses. the next time he throws a kick, you grab his calf and twist, his body rotating in the air before he crashes to the mat. the action knocks the breath from his lungs, and you take the opportunity to straddle his hips, your hands gathering his wrists and pinning them above his head.
âcaught you,â you pant, a smirk playing on your lips as you lean over him, noses brushing against each other and mere centimeters separating your lips. it doesnât take either of you long to realize just how close you are, frozen in place as you stare at each other in silence.Â
it's unclear who leans in first, but your lips are suddenly enveloped by his. your grip on his wrists loosens, and he takes the opportunity to wrap large his hands around your waist, pulling you closer to him. you lean down more, deepening the kiss, allowing his tongue to slip into your mouth. you resist the urge to grind down against him, your mind growing foggy with a lack of oxygen when neither of you pull away.
eventually, you are the first to pull away, pressing him back down as he chases your lips. you're back to staring at each other now, but there's somethingâŚdifferent in the way he looks back at you â lightly veiled need swirls in his irises. you release a breath against his cheek. his hands do not move from their position on your waist.
soobin breaks the silence, but he doesnât meet your gaze. âisâŚthis a bad time to admit that i kinda like you?â
though your heart pounds, you try to act as if youâre not on the verge of freaking out. âi wouldnât say so, no,â you smile, stomach fluttering. ââcause i kinda like you too.â
leaning up, he kisses you again, slower this time, savoring the sensation of your soft lips against his. you find yourselves smiling into each other's mouths, and you lose yourself in him, ignorant of the way his hands wander down to your hips. suddenly, he rolls you over, turning the tables on you as he pins your hands down.
ârule number one,â he whispers against your lips, pupils blown out as he towers over you. ânever let your guard down.â
âand rule number two?â you tease, tone light and breathy.
one side of his lips quirks up. âhm, guess weâll have to figure that one out together.â
he's back to kissing you soon after, sparring be damned.
3k event masterlist | masterlist
Š to agustdiv1ne. do not copy, repost, steal, and/or translate.
#txt fluff#soobin fluff#txt x reader#soobin x reader#txt suggestive#soobin suggestive#txt imagines#soobin imagines#txt smut#soobin smut#txt drabbles#3k milestone celebration#agust.nsfw#đ â soob
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Wait tell me something about commercial aviation safety that sounds cool.
okay so like, the engines being Important is an obvious statement right? because not only do they make the Plane Go but they're also the plane's electrical power plant. it's why you've got cabin lighting and A/C and flight attendants can make you food of various quality, and also, ya know, let the pilots have instrumentation. and modern aircraft can fly safely on only one engine! granted, your pilot will be landing that thing at the closest suitable airport ASAP, but it'll all in all be a fairly standard landing, probably just earlier and likely at a different place than you were planning.
but what if you lose both? like US Airways Flight 1549? i mean, beyond the fact you're now in a Giant Glider, the pilots are now flying said Giant Glider without all but the most basic, analogue instruments, right?
nope! (unless your pilots panic/are busy trying to keep the plane in control/incapacitated, to which then you have Bigger Problems, Sorry). there's the Ram Air Turbine, which will deploy automatically and use the air blowing past it to make electricity, though it'll be prioritized for cockpit instruments only. there's also the Auxiliary Power Unit or APU which has to be deployed by the pilots, but gives them even more power than the Ram Air Turbine because, if you've flown, i guarantee you've been on a plane that's used it, because that's the plane's power source on the ground when the engines are off, such as when at the gate.
if Flight 1549 sounds a bit familiar, that's because it's better known as the Miracle on the Hudson, AKA the A320 that landed on the Hudson River in NYC in 2009 after losing both engines to bird strikes at low altitude. and among the many brilliant things Captain Chelsea "Sully" Sullenberger did in that accident was almost immediately start the APU, which gave him and First Officer Jeff Skiles way more instrumentation a lot faster. in fact the emergency checklist made after Flight 1549 (because checklists for dual engine failure before it assumed you were at higher altitude, and thus assumed you had much more time to troubleshoot/try and re-start the engines) is pretty much just everything Sully and Skiles did based on pure instinct during that emergency, with starting the APU one of the first instructions. it's colloquially called the Sully Checklist for that reason.
anyway here are some more links to Wikipedia articles about really interesting air accidents (FYI none of these have fatalities so don't worry if you're sensitive to that sort of thing!):
TACA Flight 110: Proto-Flight 1549 effectively, a 737 loses both engines during final approach into New Orleans after hail ingestion into the engines. Captain Carlos Dardano (who is worth a look up on his own, this dude is a badass) safely brought the airliner to a stop on a levee.
British Airways Flight 5390: First Officer Alastair Atchison lands a BAC One-Eleven alone after Captain Tim Lancaster is partially ejected from the aircraft after the cockpit windscreen on his side is blown out due to improper maintenance. to an airport F/O Atchison is unfamiliar with. while also overflying London, some of the busiest airspace in the world.
Air Canada Flight 143 AKA The Gimli Glider: another loss of engine power, this time due to incorrect fuel loading due to Canada's then-recent switch from Imperial to Metric. pilots landed the plane safely at a closed down airfield that had been converted to a drag racing course. one of the most famous airplane crashes.
Federal Express Flight 705: (TW: attempted murder-suicide) okay this is technically a cargo flight, but it's one of the most badass displays of flying ever. a disgruntled Federal Express employee attempts to hijack the flight and crash it for life insurance payout and also revenge (he was targeting Federal Express' hub). despite inflicting all three pilots (this is old enough that this plane still had a flight engineer) with severe head wounds, they all fought off the attacker and landed safely, while also flying a fully-loaded DC-10 frighter like a fucking fighter jet to throw the attacker off-balance.
i also recommend the Mentour Pilot YouTube channel. it's run by an active 737 pilot who's also trains new pilots, so there's tons of good insider knowledge and he breaks down complicated aviation concepts into plain language very well. his videos are very well done and i always learn something new, even with accidents and incidents i've read extensively about.
#buckets of mail#long post#aviation#commercial aviation#miracle on the hudson#mentour pilot#WHEW I WENT ON FOR A BIT THERE OKAY#i decided against going into the MCAS/737 MAX thing because of the fatality aspect#but i'll go into it if asked#also same with TCAS and EGPWS#me in 2017: okay maybe if i learn a little more about how airplanes work i won't be quite so scared of flying#me in 2023: well that curiosity sure has stuck around#and gotten really intense#but hey! i'm not scared of flying anymore!
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Nuclear Power Renaissance with Molten Salts - Technology Org
New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/nuclear-power-renaissance-with-molten-salts-technology-org/
Nuclear Power Renaissance with Molten Salts - Technology Org
A science team is reinventing nuclear energy systems via molten salt technologies.
A retro wonder gleaming white in the sun, propelled by six rear-facing rotors and four jet engines affixed to the longest wings ever produced for a combat aircraft, the Convair B-36 Peacemaker looks like it flew right out of a 1950s science fiction magazine.
Frozen uranium containing fuel salt (NaF-BeF2-UF4), inside a glovebox in Raluca Scarlatâs SALT lab. Illustration by Sasha Kennedy/UC Berkeley
One of these bombers, which flew over the American Southwest from 1955 to 1957, was unique. It bore the fan-like symbol for ionizing radiation on its tail. The NB-36H prototype was designed to be powered by a molten salt nuclear reactor â a lightweight alternative to a water-cooled reactor.
Nuclear-propelled aircraft like the NB-36H were intended to fly for weeks or months without stopping, landing only when the crew ran short of food and supplies. So what happened? Why werenât the skies filled with these fantastical aircraft?
âThe problem was that nuclear-powered airplanes are absolutely crazy,â says Per F. Peterson, the William S. Floyd and Jean McCallum Floyd Chair in Nuclear Engineering. âThe program was canceled, but the large thermal power to low-weight ratio in molten salt reactors is the reason that they remain interesting today.â
Because of numerous concerns, including possible radioactive contamination in the event of a crash, the idea of nuclear-powered aircraft never took off. But nuclear submarines, using water as coolant, completely replaced their combustion-powered predecessors. Civilian reactors were built on the success of submarine systems, and as a result, most nuclear reactors today are cooled with water.
Professor Per Peterson holds a single fuel pebble, which can produce enough electricity to power a Tesla Model 3 for 44,000 miles. Illustration by Adam Lau / Berkeley Engineering
While most water-cooled reactors can safely and reliably generate carbon-free electricity for decades, they do present numerous challenges in terms of upfront cost and efficiency.
Molten salt reactors, like those first designed for nuclear-powered aircraft, address many of the inherent challenges with water-cooled reactors. The high-temperature reaction of such reactors could potentially generate much more energy than water-cooled reactors, hastening efforts to phase out fossil fuels.
Now, at the Department of Nuclear Engineering, multiple researchers, including Peterson, are working to revisit and reinvent molten salt technologies, paving the way for advanced nuclear energy systems that are safer, more efficient and cost-effective â and may be a key for realizing a carbon-free future.
Smaller, safer reactors
In the basement of Etcheverry Hall, thereâs a two-inch-thick steel door that looks like it might belong on a bank vault. These days, the door is mostly left open, but for two decades it was the portal between the university and the Berkeley Research Reactor, used mainly for training. In 1966, the reactor first achieved a steady-state of nuclear fission.
Fission occurs when the nucleus of an atom absorbs a neutron and breaks apart, transforming itself into lighter elements. Radioactive elements like uranium naturally release neutrons, and a nuclear reactor harnesses that process.
Concentrated radioactive elements interact with neutrons, splitting themselves apart, shooting more neutrons around and splitting more atoms. This self-sustaining chain reaction releases immense amounts of energy in the form of radiation and heat. The heat is transferred to water that propels steam turbines that generate electricity.
The reactor in Etcheverry Hall is long gone, but the gymnasium-sized room now houses experiments designed to test cooling and control systems for molten salt reactors. Peterson demonstrated one of these experiments in August. The Compact Integral Effects Test (CIET) is a 30-foot-tall steel tower packed with twisting pipes.
The apparatus uses heat transfer oil to model the circulation of molten salt coolant between a reactor core and its heat exchange system. CIET is contributing extensively to the development of passive safety systems for nuclear reactors.
After a fission reaction is shut down, such systems allow for the removal of residual heat caused by radioactive decay of fission products without any electrical power â one of the main safety features of molten salt reactors.
The first molten salt reactor tested at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1950s was small enough to fit in an airplane, and the new designs being developed today are not much larger.
Conventional water-cooled reactors are comparatively immense â the energy-generating portion of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County occupies approximately 12 acres, and containment of feedwater is not the only reason why.
The core temperature in this type of reactor is usually kept at some 300 degrees Celsius, which requires 140 atmospheres of pressure to keep the water liquid. This need to pressurize the coolant means that the reactor must be built with robust, thick-walled materials, increasing both size and cost. Molten salts donât require pressurization because they boil at much higher temperatures.
In conventional reactors, water coolant can boil away in an accident, potentially causing the nuclear fuel to meltdown and damage the reactor. Because the boiling point of molten salts are higher than the operational temperature of the reactor, meltdowns are extremely unlikely.
Even in the event of an accident, the molten salt would continue to remove heat without any need for electrical power to cycle the coolant â a requirement in conventional reactors.
âMolten salts, because they canât boil away, are intrinsically appealing, which is why theyâre emerging as one of the most important technologies in the field of nuclear energy,â says Peterson.
The big prize: efficiency
Assistant professor Raluca Scarlat uses a glovebox in her Etcheverry Hall lab. Illustration by Adam Lau / Berkeley Engineering
To fully grasp the potential benefits of molten salts, one has to visit the labs of the SALT Research Group. Raluca O. Scarlat, assistant professor of nuclear engineering, is the principal investigator for the groupâs many molten salt studies.
Scarlatâs lab is filled with transparent gloveboxes filled with argon gas. Inside these gloveboxes, Scarlat works with many types of molten salts, including FLiBe, a mixture of beryllium and lithium fluoride. Her team aims to understand exactly how this variety of salt might be altered by exposure to a nuclear reactor core.
On the same day that Peterson demonstrated the CIET test, researchers in the SALT lab were investigating how much tritium (a byproduct of fission) beryllium fluoride could absorb.
Salts are ionic compounds, meaning that they contain elements that have lost electrons and other elements that have gained electrons, resulting in a substance that carries no net electric charge. Ionic compounds are very complex and very stable. They can absorb a large range of radioactive elements.
This changes considerations around nuclear waste, especially if the radioactive fuel is dissolved into the molten salt. Waste products could be electrochemically separated from the molten salts, reducing waste volumes and conditioning the waste for geologic disposal.
Waste might not even be the proper term for some of these byproducts, as many are useful for other applications â like tritium, which is a fuel for fusion reactors.
Salts can also absorb a lot of heat. FLiBe remains liquid between approximately 460 degrees and 1460 degrees Celsius. The higher operating temperature of molten salt coolant means more steam generation and more electricity, greatly increasing the efficiency of the reactor, and for Scarlat, efficiency is the big prize.
âIf we filled the Campanile with coal and burned it to create electricity, a corresponding volume of uranium fuel would be the size of a tennis ball,â says Scarlat. âHaving hope that we can decarbonize and decrease some of the geopolitical issues that come from fossil fuel exploration is very exciting.â
âFinding good compromisesâ
Thermal efficiency refers to the amount of useful energy produced by a system as compared with the heat put into it. A combustion engine achieves about 20% thermal efficiency. A conventional water-cooled nuclear reactor generally achieves about 32%.
According to Massimiliano Fratoni, Xenel Distinguished Associate Professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, a high-temperature, molten salt reactor might achieve 45% thermal efficiency.
So, with all the potential benefits of molten salt reactors, why werenât they widely adopted years ago? According to Peter Hosemann, Professor and Ernest S. Kuh Chair in Engineering, thereâs a significant challenge inherent in molten salt reactors: identifying materials that can withstand contact with the salt.
Anyone whoâs driven regularly in a region with icy roads has probably seen trucks and cars with ragged holes eaten in the metal around the wheel wells. Salt spread on roads to melt ice is highly corrosive to metal. A small amount of moisture in the salt coolant of a nuclear reactor could cause similar corrosion, and when combined with extreme heat and high radiation, getting the saltâs chemistry right is even more critical.
Hosemann, a materials scientist, uses electron microscopes to magnify metal samples by about a million times. The samples have been corroded and or irradiated, and Hosemann studies how such damage alters their structures and properties. These experiments may help reactor designers estimate how much corrosion to expect every year in a molten salt reactor housing.
Hosemann says molten salt reactors present special engineering challenges because the salt coolant freezes well above room-temperatures, meaning that repairs must either be done at high temperatures, or the coolant must first be drained.
Commercially successful molten salt reactors then will have to be very reliable, and that wonât be simple. For example, molten salt reactors with liquid fuel may be appealing in terms of waste management, but they also add impurities into the salt that make it more corrosive.
Liquid fuel designs will need to be more robust to counter corrosion, resulting in higher costs, and the radioactive coolant presents further maintenance challenges.
Nuclear engineering graduate students Sasha Kennedy and Nathanael Gardner, from left, work with molten salt. Illustration by Adam Lau/Berkeley Engineering
âGood engineering is always a process of finding good compromises. Even the molten salt reactor, as beautiful as it is, has to make compromises,â says Hosemann.
Peterson thinks the compromise is in making molten salt reactors modular. He was the principal investigator on the Department of Energy-funded Integrated Research Project that conducted molten salt reactor experiments from 2012 to 2018.
His research was spun off into Kairos Power, which he co-founded with Berkeley Engineering alums Edward Blandford (Ph.D.â10 NE) and Mike Laufer (Ph.D.â13 NE), and where Peterson serves as Chief Nuclear Officer.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission just completed a review of Kairos Powerâs application for a demonstration reactor, Hermes, as a proof of concept. Peterson says that high-temperature parts of Kairos Powerâs reactors would likely last for 15 to 25 years before theyâd need to be replaced, and because the replacement parts will be lighter than those of conventional reactors, theyâll consume fewer resources.
âAs soon as youâre forced to make these high-temperature components replaceable, youâre systematically able to improve them. Youâre building improvements, replacing the old parts and testing the new ones, iteratively getting better and better,â says Peterson.
Lowering energy costs
California is committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Itâs tempting to assume that this goal can be reached with renewables alone, but electricity demand doesnât follow peak energy generating times for renewables.Â
Natural gas power surges in the evenings as renewable energy wanes. Even optimistic studies on swift renewable energy adoption in California still assume that some 10% of energy requirements wonât be achieved with renewables and storage alone.
Considering the increasing risks to infrastructure in California from wildfires and intensifying storms, itâs likely that non-renewable energy sources will still be needed to meet the stateâs energy needs.
Engineers in the Department of Nuclear Engineering expect that nuclear reactors will make more sense than natural gas for future non-renewable energy needs because they produce carbon-free energy at a lower cost. In 2022, the price of natural gas in the United States fluctuated from around $2 to $9 per million BTUs.
Peterson notes that energy from nuclear fuel currently costs about 50 cents per million BTUs. If new reactors can be designed with high intrinsic safety and lower construction and operating costs, nuclear energy might be even more affordable.
Molten salt sits on a microscope stage in professor Raluca Scarlatâs lab. Illustration by Adam Lau/Berkeley Engineering
Even if molten salt reactors do not end up replacing natural gas, Hosemann says the research will still prove valuable. He points to other large-scale scientific and engineering endeavors like fusion reactors, which in 60 years of development have never been used commercially but have led to other breakthroughs.
âDo I think weâll have fusion-generated power in our homes in the next five years? Absolutely not. But itâs still valuable because it drives development of superconductors, plasmas and our understanding of materials in extreme environments, which today get used in MRI systems and semiconductor manufacturing,â says Hosemann. âWho knows what weâll find as we study molten salt reactors?â
Source: UC Berkeley
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For most of the history of civilisation weâve exploited a pretty small selection of metals, including copper and tin for bronze-age tools, iron for steel, and lead, gold and silver. Our repertoire has begun to diversify over the past century or so, with the widespread use of aluminium and other new metals. But in the past few decades the number of different metals we wield in our technological society has absolutely exploded. A modern smartphone contains more than 30 different elements. These include carbon and hydrogen in the plastic casing, silicon for the microchip wafers, and copper wiring and gold contacts. But there are also small amounts of a large number of other metals, each exploited for its own particular electronic properties, or for the tiny, powerful magnets used in the speaker and vibration motor. This means that if you own a smartphone, you have in your pocket a substantial fraction of all the stable elements of the periodic table. And itâs not just modern electronics that demand a huge diversity of different metals. So too do the high-performance alloys used in the turbines of a power station or aircraft jet engine, or the reaction-accelerating catalysts that we use in industrial chemistry for refining oil, producing plastics or synthesising modern medicinal drugs. Yet most of us have never even heard of many of these critical metals â elements with exotic names like tantalum, yttrium or dysprosium.
The concern is that unlike widespread resources like iron or nitrogen, several of these elements crucial to the modern world may become prohibitively scarce. These have become known as the endangered elements. In response to the Mendeleev anniversary, the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) has released a version of the periodic table (see above) to highlight the elements that are most at risk over the coming decades.
Helium, for example is considered to be under serious threat in the next 100 years. It is the second most abundant element in the universe, but preciously rare on Earth because it is light enough to simply escape from the top of our atmosphere. The helium we do use is effectively mined from deep underground, usually along with natural gas, as it is produced as radiation particles from the decay of elements like uranium. Helium is very useful â as a cooling liquid for the superconducting magnets in hospital MRI scanners, for example, or as an extremely light gas for weather balloons and airships. But once it leaks into the air it is lost for ever, and there are concerns over meeting supply in the future. With this perspective, its frivolous use in party balloons seems almost painfully wasteful.
Many of these endangered elements are the sort of exotic metals used in modern electronics, and indeed the supply of 17 elements needed for smartphones may give cause for concern in years to come. Particularly worrying is the fact that many of those facing potential scarcity are exactly the elements we need for the green technologies to replace our reliance on fossil fuels â those used in rechargeable batteries, solar panels, and the powerful magnets within the motors of electric cars or generators in wind turbines. Gallium, for example, is needed for integrated circuits, solar panels, blue LEDs and laser diodes for Blu-ray Discs. Indium is used in everything from TVs to laptops, and in particular the touch-sensitive screens of modern smartphones and tablets. It is estimated that at current usage rates, available indium will be used up in 50 years and will become very expensive to collect and purify.
Except for helium, the problem isnât that these scarce elements actually become lost to the planet, but that they become too expensive to mine or too dispersed to recycle effectively. âRare earth elementsâ, such as yttrium, dysprosium, neodymium and scandium, are actually relatively plentiful in the Earthâs crust but arenât geologically concentrated into rich ores. This means that they canât be extracted economically in many areas of the world. And once they have been manufactured as tiny components within an electronic device, they can be even harder to reclaim and recycle. EuChemS calculates that 10m smartphones are discarded or replaced every month in the EU alone, and so serious action is needed to tackle these challenges of elemental scarcity.
#current events#environmentalism#capitalism#manufacturing#science#chemistry#mining#tantalum#yttrium#dysprosium#helium#indium#neodymium#scandium#dmitri mendeleev#periodic table
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slight correction, they managed to get all four engines running but had to shut down one of them again cuz it was struggling.
furthermore, the aircraft did have onboard radar, but it didn't pick up the ash because doppler radar only works on water, and volcanic ash is bone dry. and they didn't see it because this whole event happened at night.
anyway, the engines cut out because the ash melted onto the turbine blades and choked them. the pilots knew none of this, nor why their windscreen looked like the old starfield screen saver, and could only try restarting the engines again. and again. and again. as fast as they could. they had the fuel, they knew the procedures, there wasn't anythiing to indicate that the engines were broken other then them not running. so for those twelve minutes they just kept trying to relight the engines. otherwise they would have to ditch and ditching over the ocean never ends well.
and eventually they caught and shuddered back to life. the melted ash had cooled enough to flake off the turbine blades and all four engines slowly came back online. one of them started struggling again so they shut it down to prevent damage or a flameout.
furthermore, the ILS was not inoperative otherwise they wouldn't have been able to land at all, only the part that told them how high they should be automatically.
The story of British Airways Flight 009.
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Applications of Hastelloy B2 Round Bars in the Chemical and Aerospace Industries
Hastelloy B2 is a high-performance alloy known for its excellent resistance to corrosion, particularly in highly acidic environments. This makes it a popular choice in industries such as chemical processing and aerospace. One of the key forms in which Hastelloy B2 is supplied is as Hastelloy B2 round bars, which are used in a variety of critical applications where strength and resistance to corrosion are essential.
1. Chemical Industry Applications
In the chemical industry, Hastelloy B2 round bars are primarily used for equipment and components that come into contact with highly corrosive chemicals. This alloyâs ability to resist attack from acids, especially hydrochloric acid and other chlorides, makes it ideal for use in reactors, piping systems, and heat exchangers where exposure to aggressive chemicals is common.
For example, Hastelloy B2 round bars are used to make valves, pumps, and pressure vessels that handle harsh chemical reactions. These components must not only be resistant to corrosion but also capable of maintaining strength under high pressure and temperature. Hastelloy B2, with its strong resistance to stress corrosion cracking and pitting, helps ensure the durability and reliability of these critical parts.
2. Corrosion-Resistant Equipment
The chemical industry often deals with substances that can cause severe corrosion over time, leading to equipment failures, maintenance costs, and safety hazards. Hastelloy B2 round bars provide an effective solution by offering long-lasting corrosion resistance, thus reducing the need for frequent repairs and replacements. Whether itâs in storage tanks, reaction vessels, or piping systems, Hastelloy B2âs ability to withstand chemical exposure ensures smooth operations and lowers operational costs.
3. Aerospace Industry Applications
In the aerospace industry, materials used must withstand extreme temperatures, pressures, and exposure to various atmospheric conditions. Hastelloy B2 round bars are used in components that require high strength and resistance to heat and corrosion, making them a popular choice for aircraft and spacecraft parts.
For example, Hastelloy B2 round bars are used to create turbine blades, engine components, and exhaust systems in aerospace applications. These parts are exposed to high heat and pressure during flight, and Hastelloy B2's excellent resistance to heat and corrosion ensures that they perform reliably. The alloy's strength, even at elevated temperatures, makes it ideal for maintaining the structural integrity of aerospace components.
4. Heat Exchangers and Other High-Temperature Applications
In both the chemical and aerospace industries, heat exchangers are essential for transferring heat between different substances. These components must be made from materials that can handle high temperatures without degrading. Hastelloy B2 round bars are an excellent choice for heat exchangers in both industries, as they maintain their strength and resist corrosion at high temperatures. This makes them perfect for use in systems that involve heating or cooling chemical substances or exhaust gases.
5. Welding and Fabrication
Another significant application of Hastelloy B2 round bars is in welding and fabrication. In both the chemical and aerospace industries, welding is often required to join parts made from Hastelloy B2. Due to its excellent welding properties, Hastelloy B2 round bars can be easily welded to create custom parts and components for various industrial applications. This flexibility is crucial in industries where bespoke solutions are often needed to meet specific design or operational requirements.
6. Specialized Components for Harsh Environments
Both the chemical and aerospace industries deal with environments where few materials can thrive. Hastelloy B2 round bars are ideal for applications in these extreme environments because they maintain their structural integrity and resist damage from corrosive chemicals, high temperatures, and mechanical stress. These properties make Hastelloy B2 a preferred material for specialized components used in equipment such as distillation columns, reactors, and components within rocket engines.
7. Long-Term Durability and Performance
In industries like chemical processing and aerospace, downtime due to equipment failure can be costly. The durability and high-performance characteristics of Hastelloy B2 round bars help prevent such issues. Their resistance to corrosion and high strength ensure that they last longer, requiring fewer repairs and replacements. This leads to increased productivity, fewer operational disruptions, and reduced maintenance costs.
Conclusion
Hastelloy B2 round bars are essential components in both the chemical and aerospace industries due to their excellent resistance to corrosion, high strength, and ability to perform in extreme environments. Whether in chemical reactors, heat exchangers, or aerospace engine parts, Hastelloy B2âs durability and performance make it a reliable choice for industries that require materials capable of withstanding harsh conditions. By using Hastelloy B2 round bars, companies in these sectors can ensure that their equipment operates efficiently, safely, and for longer periods, ultimately contributing to the success and sustainability of their operations.
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Aircraft Engine Blades Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)
Innovations like blisk technology and 3D printing are improving their performance, reducing engine weight, and increasing fuel efficiency, making them essential for the future of sustainable aviation.
Sample Report:
 Introduction to Aircraft Engine Blades
What are Aircraft Engine Blades?
Aircraft engine blades are critical components in jet engines, responsible for compressing air and converting fuel into thrust.
They are located in the turbine and compressor sections of an engine.
Types of Blades:
Compressor Blades: Increase the pressure of incoming air.
Turbine Blades: Extract energy from hot gases to drive the compressor and other systems.
How Aircraft Engine Blades Work
Aerodynamics in Blades:
The aerodynamic design of blades allows efficient air movement and heat management.
Blade Shape and Curvature: Designed to handle the high-speed airflow and extreme conditions inside a jet engine.
Blade Function:
Blades play a vital role in compressing air, mixing it with fuel, and generating the necessary energy to propel the aircraft.
 Materials Used in Aircraft Engine Blades
Advanced Alloys and Composites:
Aircraft engine blades are made from heat-resistant materials like nickel-based superalloys.
Why These Materials Matter:
Blades endure extreme temperatures (up to 2,500°F) and pressure, necessitating materials that can handle stress without deformation.
Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs):
Emerging materials offering greater heat resistance and weight reduction, boosting fuel efficiency.
 Challenges in Aircraft Engine Blade Design
Thermal Stress:
The heat produced by jet engines can cause metal fatigue or cracking, posing a significant design challenge.
Fatigue and Wear:
Blades undergo cyclic stress from constant engine operation, making durability crucial.
Advanced Cooling Techniques:
Internal cooling channels and thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) help manage blade temperatures and extend lifespan.
Inquiry Before Buying:
 Manufacturing of Aircraft Engine Blades
Casting and Forging:
The manufacturing process includes investment casting and single-crystal forging, which ensures precision in the bladeâs aerodynamic shape.
Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing):
3D printing technologies are emerging as game-changers, allowing for complex designs and reducing manufacturing time.
Innovations in Aircraft Engine Blades
Blisk Technology (Bladed Disks):
Integrating blades and disks into a single component, reducing weight and improving efficiency.
Shape Memory Alloys:
Materials that adapt to changing temperatures to enhance performance.
Active Clearance Control:
Systems designed to adjust blade tip clearance in real-time to optimize efficiency and performance.
Schedule a Call :
 Future Trends in Blade Technology
Lightweight Composite Materials:
The future lies in even lighter and more durable materials to improve fuel efficiency.
Smart Blades:
Blades equipped with sensors to monitor real-time performance and optimize maintenance schedules.
Sustainability:
Manufacturers are focusing on developing blades that reduce fuel consumption, contributing to the industryâs push for greener aviation.
Maintaining and Replacing Engine Blades
Inspections and Maintenance:
Blades are regularly inspected for cracks, erosion, and wear during scheduled maintenance.
Cost of Replacement:
Replacing a turbine blade can be costly, which makes early detection of wear critical.
 The Environmental Impact of Aircraft Engine Blades
Fuel Efficiency:
Engine blades have a direct impact on the engineâs fuel consumption, which contributes to lower emissions.
Noise Reduction:
New blade designs aim to reduce the noise levels of jet engines, especially in urban areas.
Buy Now :
Conclusion
Aircraft engine blades represent a marvel of engineering, constantly evolving with the demands for efficiency, durability, and environmental sustainability. Whether through material innovation or advanced design techniques, these components are crucial for the future of aviation.
For More Information about Aircraft Engine Blades Market click here
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Inconel Alloy 625 Fasteners: Properties, Applications, and Benefits
Inconel Alloy 625 Fasteners: Properties, Applications, and Benefits
Inconel Alloy 625 is a high-performance alloy of nickel created to have impressive resistance to oxidation and corrosion especially in extreme environments. It is attributed to the uniqueness of its properties that it becomes very widely used for special applications especially high-strength materials with high thermal stability and corrosion-resistant features. In this blog, we will discuss applications, properties, and benefits of Inconel Alloy 625 fasteners.
What is Inconel Alloy 625?
Inconel 625 is an austenitic nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy known for their strength and toughness even at elevated temperatures. The alloy contains some elements which enhance its resistance to oxidation, pitting, and crevice corrosion. Hence, it is used in demanding applications.
Key Properties of Inconel 625
Corrosion Resistance: Inconel 625 shows excellent resistance against pitting and crevice corrosion, so it is ideal for aggressive and corrosive environments.
Strength: It will retain the strength and integrity in the high-temperature conditions. The hardness will not degrade and remain stable; this makes it ideal for cyclic heating and cooling operations.
High Temperature Stability: The bolts produced from Inconel 625 retains an operational temperature range extending to extremes. It does not lose its hardness and is stable thus ideal for use in cyclic heating and cooling applications.
Resistance to Oxidation: The alloy composition safeguards it from oxidation as well as slow oxygen discharge damage, specially at high temperatures.
Weldability: In electric resistance welding, the Inconel 625 fasteners are ideal as they have a natural fit for applications where joining takes place.
Applications for Inconel 625 Fasteners
It is widely used, from extremely high temperatures to extreme oxidation atmospheres by all industries as Inconel 625 bolts and fasteners. The regular applications are as follows:
Engine Casings: The major fastener application of Inconel 625 is in aircraft engine casings, where resistance to high temperature and oxidation is a vital requirement.
Honeycomb Structures: It is used in the aerospace industry, particularly in honeycomb structures, to achieve structural strength and reliability in extreme conditions of stress.
Hydraulic Lines: Due to its corrosion-resistant material, it can be used very suitably in hydraulic system and lines, particularly under high-pressure conditions.
Cyclic Heating and Cooling Applications: Inconel 625 bolts are very useful when parts are supposed to endure sudden temperature changes, such as furnaces or power plants.
Inconel Material Grades
There are numerous grades of Inconel alloys that have been specifed according to the application. Inconel 625 is one of the most versatile and mostly utilized grades due to excellent mechanical properties along with resistance to corrosion. Some other major grades of Inconel are:
Inconel 600: It possesses resistance to oxidation and carburization at working temperature.
Inconel 718: It has excellent strength and creep-resistant properties for high temperatures with a wide usage in gas turbine engines.
Inconel 800: It has extraordinary resistivity to corrosion, and excellent structural stability at high temperatures, which makes it applicable in heat exchangers and nuclear reactors.
Benefits of Using Inconel 625 Bolts
Resistance under Extreme Conditions: Inconel 625 bolts have the finest degree of integrity and performance in any environment, be it temperature or corrosive that they encounter.
Versatility: Their weldability in various industries from aerospace to power generation justifies it as an extremely versatile product.
Long Service Life: By providing resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion, long service life is well maintained in such a way that it requires them to be changed for relatively lesser periods.
Cost Effectiveness: It has a costlier initial investment, however longevity also combined with the reduced maintenance cost makes the fasteners of Inconel 625 cost effective in the long term.
Conclusion
Those industries that require a part having extreme working capacity use Inconel 625 fasteners. It offers basic resistance to corrosion because of excellent thermal stability along with high strength. Numerous applications make the corrosion resistance, coupled with strength, offer it a placing in rough environments. If you look for fasteners that will work very fine under conditions of thermal cycling, electric resistance welding, or in a worse chemical environment then inconel 625 is the reliable and efficient option.
FAQ
1. What is the application of Inconel 625 fasteners?
Inconel 625 fasteners are applied wherever strength and resistance due to oxidation and corrosion are high, mainly due to applications such as engine casings, honeycomb structures, and hydraulic lines.
2. What makes Inconel 625 stand from the other alloys?
Inconel 625 is unlike most other alloys since it contains nitrogen that provides some form of resistance to primary water stresses. Inconel 625 exhibits adequate resistance against pitting and crevice corrosion with excellent high temperature stability. This alloy is stable under cycling heating and cooling, so it can be used in extreme environments.
3. Is Inconel 625 fastener weldable?
Yes, Inconel 625 fasteners are electrically resistance welded. Therefore, this is another means by which its uses are enhanced, or expanded.
4. Is Inconel 625 suitable for high-temperature applications?
Yes, Inconel 625 is strong and structurally sound at high temperatures and therefore suitable for both engine parts as well as thermal systems.
5. What companies and suppliers sell Inconel 625 fasteners?
Ananka Group - manufacturers and exporters of Inconel fasteners in a number of different forms and sizes, mainly used for high-quality solutions for industrial applications.
With the tremendous properties and benefits that Inconel 625 fasteners offer, it is one of the most preferred options in several high-technology industries for applications that require criticality.
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How Vacuum Brazing Works? Process, Application, Benefits & More
In the heart of aerospace manufacturing, where each componentâs failure could mean catastrophic consequences, every weld, joint, and connection must be impeccable. Imagine a technician carefully piecing together a jet engine, knowing that even the smallest flaw could compromise an aircraftâs performance at 30,000 feet. Similarly, precision isnât just a requirement in tooling and mold manufacturingâitâs a necessity. The margins for error are razor-thin, and the ability to create durable, heat-resistant joints is crucial for long-term performance. This is where the vacuum brazing process steps in, offering a solution that ensures strength and perfection in every bond.
How Vacuum Brazing Works
Vacuum brazing is a specialized metal joining process in a controlled, oxygen-free environment. The key to this technique lies in the use of a filler metal with a lower melting point than the base metals being joined. During the vacuum brazing process, the filler metal is heated to its melting temperature, allowing it to flow and fill the gap between the surfaces being joined.
The vacuum environment plays a crucial role in the success of this process. By removing oxygen and other contaminants from the surrounding atmosphere, the risk of oxidation and impurities is significantly reduced. This ensures a clean, high-quality joint with excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. The vacuum also allows for the use of lower brazing temperatures, which can help preserve the integrity of the base metals and prevent distortion or warping.
The specific steps involved in the vacuum brazing process include:
preparing the surfaces to be joined, selecting the appropriate filler metal, loading the assembly into a vacuum furnace, heating the assembly to the required brazing temperature, maintaining the vacuum, and allowing the joint to cool down in a controlled manner. Each of these steps must be carefully executed to achieve the desired outcome, as the success of the vacuum brazing process relies on the precise control of various parameters, such as temperature, time, and vacuum pressure.
Applications of Vacuum Brazing in Various Industries
Vacuum brazing has a wide range of applications across numerous industries, each of which leverages the unique benefits and capabilities of this joining process.
In the aerospace industry, vacuum brazing is extensively used in the manufacturing of jet engine components, such as turbine blades, heat exchangers, and fuel system parts. The ability to join dissimilar materials, create strong and durable joints, and achieve hermetic seals make vacuum brazing an essential technique in this sector, where safety, reliability, and performance are paramount.
The automotive industry also heavily relies on vacuum brazing, particularly in the production of heat exchangers, turbochargers, and other high-temperature components. The controlled environment and the ability to join diverse materials allow for the creation of robust and efficient automotive systems that can withstand the demanding operating conditions of modern vehicles.
In the electronics and semiconductor industries, vacuum brazing is utilized in the fabrication of microelectronic devices, power modules, and specialized electronic components. The hermetic sealing capabilities of this process are crucial in protecting sensitive electronic components from environmental factors, ensuring their long-term reliability and performance.
The medical device industry is another sector that benefits greatly from the advantages of vacuum brazing. This joining technique is employed in the production of surgical instruments, implants, and other medical equipment that require high-strength, corrosion-resistant, and biocompatible joints. The ability to join dissimilar materials, such as titanium and stainless steel, is particularly valuable in the medical field.
Best Practices in Vacuum Brazing
Material Selection: Choosing the right materials for both the base components and the braze alloy is critical. In aerospace, materials like titanium and nickel-based superalloys are often used for their high strength and heat resistance. For tooling and mold manufacturers, materials like stainless steel and carbide are common. Itâs important to ensure compatibility between the base materials and the braze alloy to achieve the best results.
Precision Cleaning: Contamination is the enemy of a good braze. Even microscopic particles can prevent proper bonding. Therefore, meticulous cleaning of the parts is essential before the brazing process begins. This often involves chemical cleaning or plasma cleaning to ensure all contaminants are removed.
Temperature Control: Maintaining the right temperature throughout the process is key to preventing warping, cracking, or other damage to the parts. Using a controlled vacuum environment helps maintain uniform temperatures, but careful monitoring is still essential.
Post-Braze Inspection: After brazing, itâs crucial to inspect the joints for any signs of weakness, voids, or defects. Non-destructive testing methods such as X-ray or ultrasonic testing can be used to ensure the integrity of the joints.
Benefits of Vacuum Brazing
High-Quality Joints
Vacuum brazing produces exceptionally clean and strong joints due to the absence of oxides and other impurities The process ensures uniform heating, resulting in consistent and reliable joints with excellent mechanical properties
Versatility
One of the standout features of vacuum brazing is its ability to join a wide range of materials, including stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, and superalloys It can also join dissimilar materials, such as ceramics to metals, expanding the possibilities for innovative designs
Environmental Benefits
Vacuum brazing is an environmentally friendly process. It eliminates the need for flux, which can be a source of contamination and waste The use of non-toxic filler materials further enhances its eco-friendliness
Cost and Time Efficiency
The process offers significant time and cost savings. The parts produced are bright, clean, and often do not require additional post-processing, reducing overall production time and costs
Precision and Control
Vacuum brazing allows for precise control over the heating and cooling cycles, ensuring dimensional accuracy and minimizing the risk of thermal stress and distortion This precision is particularly beneficial for complex assemblies with multiple joints
The Process of Vacuum Brazing
Vacuum brazing involves several steps:
Cleaning and preparation: The parts to be joined must be meticulously cleaned to remove any oils, dirt, or oxides. This ensures that the filler material can flow smoothly across the surfaces.
Assembly: The parts are then assembled with the braze alloy placed in contact with the joint areas. The assembly is placed into a vacuum furnace.
Heating: The vacuum chamber is gradually heated to a temperature where the braze alloy melts, typically between 600°C and 1200°C, depending on the materials involved.
Filler Metal Flow: As the temperature rises, the braze alloy flows into the joint through capillary action, bonding the parts together without melting them.
Cooling: After the brazing is complete, the furnace is cooled down. The parts are allowed to cool in the vacuum environment, preventing oxidation and other contaminants from affecting the joint.
Inspection: Once the process is complete, the components undergo rigorous inspection to ensure the joints are strong, leak-tight, and meet the necessary specifications.
How Bhat Metals Can Help
At Bhat Metals, we understand the unique challenges faced by both aerospace and tooling manufacturers. Our vacuum brazing services are designed to provide the highest quality joints, ensuring that your components perform flawlessly under the most demanding conditions. Whether youâre looking to improve the strength of aerospace components or increase the durability of industrial molds, we have the expertise to help you achieve your goals.
Our team is committed to helping you solve the complex issues you face, from material selection to post-braze inspection. We work with you every step of the way to ensure that your project is completed to the highest standards, with minimal downtime and maximum efficiency.
Conclusion
Vacuum brazing is a versatile, efficient, and environmentally friendly process that offers numerous benefits for aerospace, tooling, and mold manufacturers. By understanding the process and adhering to best practices, you can achieve high-quality, reliable joints that meet the stringent demands of your industry. Are you ready to explore the potential of vacuum brazing for your next project?
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Did you know two Buick Nailhead V8 engines were used to start the SR-71 Mach 3+ plane because the Blackbird didnât have a starter?
The Blackbird
The SR-71, unofficially known as the âBlackbird,â was a long-range, Mach 3+, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft.
The first flight of an SR-71 took place on Dec. 22, 1964, and the first SR-71 to enter service was delivered to the 4200th (later 9th) Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., in January 1966.
The Blackbird was in a different category from anything that had come before. âEverything had to be invented. Everything,â Skunk Works legendary aircraft designer Kelly Johnson recalled in an interesting article appeared on Lockheed Martin website.
Cool Video Explains how SR-71 Blackbirdâs J58 Turbo-Ramjet Engine Works
The speed of the SR-71 exceeded 2,000 mph. Other planes of the era could, in theory, approximate that speed but only in short, after-burner-driven bursts. The Blackbird maintained a record-setting speed for hours at a time. At such velocity, friction with the atmosphere generates temperatures that would melt the conventional airframe.
Two Buick Nailhead V8 engines to start the SR-71 Mach 3+ plane
When Kelly Johnson was designing the A-12/YF-12 /M-21 and SR-71 he didnât want the weight to be added for a starter on the airplane. He said the more it weights the more fuel it will need. It was decided that two Buick Nailhead V8 engines would be able to do the job.
Did you know two Buick Nailhead V8 engines were used to start the SR-71 Mach 3+ plane because the Blackbird didnât have a starter?
SR-71 Blackbird AG330 start cart
Not only starting the Blackbird, the fastest airplane in the world, was exciting, but also sounded like the Indianapolis 500 was getting the SR-71 ready to fly thanks to the two V8 engines as you can hear in the following video.
youtube
According to Autoevolution, for this purpose alone, two of either above-mentioned Nailhead V8s were fused together via a common transmission and drive shaft to work in tandem, then placed inside a metal housing mounted on four wheels with a trailer hitch and dubbed the AG330 âstart cart.â The resulting Chimera was attached directly to the Blackbirdâs two engines. Using the combined drive shaft, the two V8s spun the turbines to the point they could sustain compression by themselves. Nailhead V8s served as impromptu starter motors for the SR-71 and its cousins, the A-12 Archangel and the YF-12 fighter, until at least 1970, when the bulk of them were replaced with Chevy 454 V8s.
Did you know two Buick Nailhead V8 engines were used to start the SR-71 Mach 3+ plane because the Blackbird didnât have a starter?
Phased out
These were also phased out when a new, quieter pneumatic system was implemented to do the same job as the start cart at most airbases on US soil the Blackbird and company operated from. Some remained for longer at auxiliary bases abroad, including a handful with the original Buick Nailheads, until the Blackbird and all its variants was retired in 1999.
@Habubrats71 via X
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Laser Clean Cleaning: Transforming Maintenance in Industry
Keeping your industrial and engine parts clean isn't just about making them look shiny; it is a crucial step to ensure that they perform at their best and last a long time. This article is about how using laser technology for cleaning can be a big game-changer compared to old methods. We also see which industries can really benefit from this cool technology.
Why is it important to clean items for use in industry?
Preparation for painting:Â Before painting engine parts, metal parts or tools, they must be thoroughly cleaned. Laser-rens.dk helps to remove grease and dirt so that the paint adheres better and looks fantastic.
Better Performance:Â Engines and parts that are clean perform much better. Removing things like dirt and carbon prevents them from being damaged, which means the engine will work well for longer.
Catch problems early:Â Regular cleaning means you can catch any problems before they become serious. This saves money and keeps your engines in top shape.
What are the advantages of laser cleaning in industry? Laser cleaning is like the new green hero in industrial cleaning. Here's why it's so great:
Super precise:Â Lasers can remove dirt without damaging the part itself. This is really important for delicate parts.
Eco-friendly:Â No nasty chemicals needed here! Laser cleaning is about being green and reducing waste.
Fast and efficient:Â often faster than old methods, meaning more work is done in less time.
Which industries can benefit from laser cleaning technology? Let's explore some of these industries and understand how laser cleaning can be a game-changer for them: Automotive and Motorcycle Manufacturing:Â In the automotive and motorcycle world, precision and efficiency are everything. Laser cleaning helps remove rust, paint and contaminants from vehicle parts, ensuring that each part meets the high standards required for performance and safety.
Gear/motor production:Â Gears/motors are the heart of so many machines. Laser cleaning in this sector ensures that each gear is free of debris and imperfections, which is essential for smooth operation and the life of the machinery.
Industrial machine production:Â In factories and plants, large machines require regular maintenance. Laser cleaning can effectively remove dirt, oil and production residues and helps prevent breakdowns and extend the life of the machines.
Aerospace Industry:Â When it comes to aircraft and spacecraft, even the smallest amount of dirt or oxidation can cause significant problems. Laser cleaning provides a high level of precision needed to maintain and restore parts, ensuring they meet the strict standards of the aerospace industry.
Energy and power production:Â In energy production, whether it is wind turbines, solar panels or conventional power plants, efficiency is key. Laser cleaning helps maintain these systems, ensures optimal performance and reduces the risk of failure.
Marine industry:Â Ships and other marine vessels face a unique challenge due to saltwater corrosion. Laser cleaning is highly effective at removing rust and salt deposits, which helps maintain the structural integrity of these vessels.
Rail Industry:Â Trains and rail systems require regular maintenance for safety and efficiency. Laser cleaning can be used to clean and restore various components, from engines to rails, and ensure reliable and safe railway operations.
Electronics production:Â In the production of electronics, where the components are often delicate and small, laser cleaning can precisely remove contaminants such as solder flux and adhesives without damaging the components.
Production of medical equipment:Â Cleanliness and hygiene are of utmost importance in medical equipment. Laser cleaning provides a high degree of precision and cleanliness, which is essential for medical devices that must meet strict hygiene standards.
Each of these industries has unique challenges when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. Laser technology for cleaning offers a solution that is not only effective, but also efficient, environmentally friendly and gentle on the materials being cleaned.
See it in action
Check out our project with one GEAR MANUFACTURERto see how amazing laser cleaning is.
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Turbine Drip Oil Market Anticipated to Witness High Growth Owing to Increasing Military Spending
The turbine drip oil market includes oils that are used for lubrication inside gas turbine engines. Turbine drip oil provides essential lubrication to critical engine components such as bearings, gears and seals. It protects vital engine parts from damage due to friction and wear. The demand for turbine drip oil is driven by rising aviation activities and increasing military budgets across countries.
Global Turbine Drip Oil Market is estimated to be valued at USD 2.21 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 3.31 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% from 2024 to 2031.
Key Takeaways Key players operating in the turbine drip oil market are Chevron, Royal Manufacturing, Cenex, Archer Lubricants, Mystik Lubricants, United Lubricants, Magnum Manufacturing, Texas Refinery Corp, Apar Industries Ltd, Behran Oil Co., BP Plc, Castrol Ltd., CHS Inc., CITGO Petroleum Corp, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Shell India, Penrite Oil Company, Paras Lubricants. These players are focusing on new product development and global expansion strategies to gain competitive advantage. The key opportunities in the Turbine Drip Oils Market Growth include growing demand for lightweight and high-performance aircraft turbines as well as increasing MRO activities. The global turbine drip oil market is expanding rapidly as major players seek to tap opportunities in emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil through joint ventures, partnerships and acquisitions. Market Drivers and Restrain The primary driver for the turbine drip oil market is the rising global defense budgets. Many countries are increasing their defense spending to modernize their militaries with new aircraft, helicopters, warships and other equipment requiring turbine engines. For instance, the US defense budget stood at $778 billion in 2022, creating strong demand for turbine oils. However, stringent environmental regulations pose a challenge for the Turbine Drip Oil Market Size and Trends. Regulators are enforcing stricter norms on emission levels from aircraft and turbine engines to control air pollution. This is increasing the pressure on oil manufacturers to develop bio-based and environmentally acceptable lubricant solutions. Continuous innovation is needed to meet the dual objectives of performance and sustainability.
Segment Analysis The turbine drip oil market is dominated by the industrial segment, as turbine drip oil is widely used in manufacturing industries for lubricating machinery. Turbine drip oil finds major applications in various industries like power generation, oil & gas, chemicals, and others where large turbines and other heavy machinery are used. Within industrial segment, power generation sub-segment holds the largest share as continuous operations of turbines in power plants requires effective lubrication and cooling provided by turbine drip oil. Global Analysis North America region holds the largest share in the global turbine drip oil market currently. The region has presence of developed industrial sector with numerous power plants and oil & gas installations where turbine drip oil is highly consumed. Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing market during the forecast period owing to rapid industrialization and growing energy demands in emerging economies of China and India. Countries like China, Japan and India are witnessing rise in power generation through coal based plants, thus driving the adoption of turbine drip oil.
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