Mechanical abrasion as a low cost technique for contamination-free sample acquisition from contaminated (IVA clean) platforms
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A wafering machine having a multiplicity of wire cutting blades supported by a bladehead reciprocally moving past a workpiece supported by a holder that rocks about an axis perpendicular to the wires at a frequency less than the reciprocation of the bladehead.
Here we investigate the effects of erosion and weathering that occur on III-V cover-glass interconnected cells (CICs) after exposure to Mars dust storm conditions. The durability of these materials in a Martian environment is not well characterized so we perform analogous experimentation. To replicate the dust impingement, test coupons were placed in an enclosure and sandblasted with Mars dust simulant. We show the J-V response dependency on both incident angle and exposure times. We find that the simulated Martian dust storm often results in damage to the anti-reflective coating and subsequent reduced short circuit current. Reduction in the open circuit voltage is observed, likely caused by structural damage to the crystal lattice after CIC fracture. We employ data-driven modeling to determine a performance degradation rate that is consistent with zero within uncertainty. We also quantify the soiling contribution and power degradation of the photovoltaic cells on Mars through analysis of 4.95 Martian years of report-out power conditions from the Opportunity rover. We find that atmospheric dust suspended due to a weather event does not result in instantaneous settled dust on the PV cells. We calculate via autocorrelation function that the dust settling rate is approximately 21 Sols from atmospheric dust suspension. The findings presented here deliver a realistic approximation for the insolation values and subsequent PV power expected over time on the Martian surface thus informing future dust abatement systems.
Here we investigate the effects of erosion and weathering that occur on III-V cover-glass interconnected cells (CICs) after exposure to Mars dust storm conditions. The durability of these materials in a Martian environment is not well characterized so we perform analogous experimentation. To replicate the dust impingement, test coupons were placed in an enclosure and sandblasted with Mars dust simulant. We show the J-V response dependency on both incident angle and exposure times. We find that the simulated Martian dust storm often results in damage to the anti-reflective coating and subsequent reduced short circuit current. Reduction in the open circuit voltage is observed, likely caused by structural damage to the crystal lattice after CIC fracture. We employ data-driven modeling to determine a performance degradation rate that is consistent with zero within uncertainty. We also quantify the soiling contribution and power degradation of the photovoltaic cells on Mars through analysis of 4.95 Martian years of report-out power conditions from the Opportunity rover. We find that atmospheric dust suspended due to a weather event does not result in instantaneous settled dust on the PV cells. We calculate via autocorrelation function that the dust settling rate is approximately 21 Sols from atmospheric dust suspension. The findings presented here deliver a realistic approximation for the insolation values and subsequent PV power expected over time on the Martian surface thus informing future dust abatement systems.
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We explored the utility of ground-based highly accelerated life testing (HALT) on epitaxial lift-off (ELO) triple-junction coverglass interconnected cells (CICs) after exposure to simulated Martian dust storms. Dust storm impingement was replicated by sandblasting CICs with Mars dust simulant replicating conditions similar to the weather conditions reported by the Viking landers. We observed that even in cases when there are no observable open circuit voltage (VOC) losses, the minority carrier lifetime is reduced. Short circuit current (JSC) losses can be recovered upon cleaning, suggesting JSC losses are not linked to permanent damage, like cell cracking. This suggests a permanent degradation could be determined by quantifying the difference between recoverable and non-recoverable power loss. We mined field data from the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity and extracted a degradation rate to compare to our experimental data. We found exceptional agreement between 4.9 Martian years of mined field data (9.4%) and the irreversible damage observed in our HALT experiment (9.7%). We demonstrate that the laboratory method for exposing CICs to Martian dust storm conditions well represents the physical reality of long duration CIC operation on Mars.
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Early reports coming from stover-fed biorefineries have indicated that the feedstock is damaging equipment due to wear caused by the feedstock. It is suspected that biomass ash, both physiological and introduced ash, is responsible for the accelerated rates of wear being observed. Biomass ash can contain several different types of minerals, some of which are very hard. To simulate biomass wear on material handling equipment, a sandblaster was modified to shoot ground biomass at a metal coupon. The angle of impingement was set at 90°, 65.5°, or 45° by rotating the coupon. The coupon was weighed before and after shooting a known quantity of biomass to determine mass loss, and the surface characteristics of the blasted coupon were analyzed using laser microscopy. Coupon mass loss was positively correlated with ash content. Coupons blasted with loblolly pine (0.58% ash) lost 2.2mg±0.3mg per kg biomass shot, while high-ash stover (12.56% ash) coupons lost 104.7±2.1mg per kg biomass shot. Coupons blasted with NaOH leached low-ash stover (4.01% ash) lost 10.1±2.7mg per kg biomass shot. Decreasing the angle of impingement (90° to 45°) increased mass loss by about 17%. The concentrations of soil elements (silicon, aluminum, iron, titanium, sodium) were positively correlated with coupon mass loss, indicating that introduced ash is likely the primary source of wear to equipment. Future studies will identify mineral forms of ash present in biomass to further characterize biomass wear properties and to identify strategies to improve biomass quality.
The Pile Fuel Cladding Silo (PFCS) at the Sellafield decommissioning, reprocessing and nuclear waste management facility in the UK was constructed in the late 1940-s and used for the storage of Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) arising from the Windscale Piles, Calderhall and Chapelcross Reactors until the 1960's. The PFCS is 21 metres high and comprises 6 identical tall compartments with the waste added to the silo via a charge-hole at the top of each compartment; each compartment is split by a central dividing wall that runs from the base of the silo to a few metres below the underside of the silo roof. A deflector plate assembly (DPA) supported on two horizontal beams is located between the top of the dividing wall and the roof and allowed the waste to spread as it fell into the silo and prevent excessive mounding. Sellafield Ltd is currently engaged in an overall programme of works to remove the waste for storage within modern ILW containers. Prior to the commencement of these works the Deflector Plate Assemblies (DPA) and beam structures within the silos are required to be removed to allow access for the waste retrievals equipment through the side of the silo at the point where the DPAs are situated. James Fisher Nuclear (JFN) and Sellafield Ltd have developed a system using suspended water jet cutting equipment combined with custom long reach tooling, installed through penetrations made in the side of the silo, to enable the remote size reduction of the DPA and beams within each compartment. The use of a low pressure suspended water jet cutting system has enabled a single water/abrasive hose to be routed down a tool deployment pole and allowed long hose lengths up to 80 m from pump to nozzle enabling siting of equipment on a congested and difficult access site. The use of lightweight, yet high strength, carbon fibre poles within the tools has enabled the deployment of tool end effectors at distances of up to 6.5 m from the compartment walls using a relatively small 60 mm diameter pole. This maximised articulation of the pole within the 300 mm wall penetrations to reach all areas of the DPA. Capability of the operators to install the tooling and size reduce DPA and beam assemblies have been demonstrated through the training on a Full Scale Test Rig (FSTR). The FSTR was integral to the development of the equipment and techniques and to providing assurance to the client that the project was technically achievable given the tight building restraints and safety issues. (authors)
The aim of this work was to establish the influence of the thickness of the anodic coatings on their mechanical properties and to understand the relation between their hardness and the abrasion resistance. The coatings were produced in the hard anodizing process onto the 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. Their thickness was in the range between 19 and 43 µm. The abrasion resistance was determined by using Taber abrasion test. The weight losses of the coatings obtained were in the range between 15 and 11 mg and decreased with their increasing thickness. It has been shown that the hardness measured on the cross sections of the coatings did not correspond to their abrasion resistance. Thus, the new approach has been proposed. The hardness of the coatings was estimated on the basis of the results of the scratch test performed at the constant load. The results obtained correspond to the abrasion resistance of the coatings.
An alternate and sustainable form of energy is concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, which capture and store the sun’s energy in the form of heat. To increase the efficiency and overall cost of the plant, particles were used as a heat transfer medium. As particles flow through this system, the movement of particles creates erosion, in the forms of abrasion and attrition. Experiments were tested at room temperature and 800 degrees Celsius for both abrasion wear and attrition erosion. In abrasion wear, specimens were placed inside a container, particles were added, and the specimen rotated in and out of the particles. In attrition erosion, a steel disk rotated amongst particles which resulted in particles rubbing against each other. Abrasion wear increased when temperature increased while attrition showed that the particles broke down as the amount of time increased. For attrition at 800 degrees Celsius, oxide was increased and mixed with the particles. Durability models will be created to predict attrition and abrasion based on the particle and specimen mechanical properties. This discovery shows that this method of utilizing particles for CSP plants would improve efficiency and decrease overall costs.
A series of controlled grinding experiments, utilizing loose or fixed abrasives of either alumina or diamond at various particle sizes, were performed on a wide range of optical workpiece materials [single crystals of Al 2 O 3 (sapphire), SiC, Y 3 Al 5 O 12 (YAG), CaF 2 , and LiB 3 O 5 (LBO); a SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 -P 2 O 5 -Li 2 O glass ceramic (Zerodur); and glasses of SiO 2 :TiO 2 (ULE), SiO 2 (fused silica), and P 2 O 5 -Al 2 O 3 -K 2 O-BaO (Phosphate)]. The material removal rate, surface roughness, and the morphology of surface fractures were measured. Separately, Vickers indentation was performed on the workpieces, and the depths of various crack types as a function of applied load was measured. Single pass grinding experiments showed distinct differences in the spatial pattern of surface fracturing between the loose alumina abrasive (isolated indent-type lateral cracking) and the loose or fixed diamond abrasive (scratch-type elongated lateral cracking). Each of the grinding methods had a removal rate and roughness that scaled with the lateral crack slope, sℓ (i.e. the rate of increase in lateral crack depth with the applied load) of the workpiece material. A grinding model (based on the volumetric removal of lateral cracks accounting for neighboring lateral crack removal efficiency and the fraction of abrasive particles leading to fracture initiation) and a roughness model (based on the depth of lateral cracks or the interface gap between the workpiece and lap) are shown to quantitatively describe the material removal rate and roughness as a function of workpiece material, abrasive size, applied pressure and relative velocity. This broad, multi-process variable grinding model can serve as a predictive tool for estimating grinding rates and surface roughness for various grinding processes on different workpiece materials
The subsurface mechanical damage (SSD) depth after grinding fused silica glass with a comprehensive set of sub-aperture fixed abrasive grinding tools [cup, wheel, belt, pad, and rotary face mill (with and without ultrasonics)] and process parameters has been statistically measured using the taper wedge technique and evaluated. Consistent with a previously reported grinding model [J. Non-Cryst. Solids 352, 5601–5617 (2006) Crossref , Materials Science and Technology of Optical Fabrication (Wiley & Sons, 2018)], based on the sliding indentation fracture by sliding particles or asperities where the normal load per particle determines the depth of the fracture (and ultimately the overall SSD depth), the dominant factor controlling SSD depth was found to be the abrasive size regardless of the tool type and process conditions. Compared to full aperture grinding methods, the overall SSD depth was higher using the sub-aperture tools, likely due to the higher effective pressure and higher load per particle distribution. Here, in addition to abrasive size, a significant reduction in SSD depth was achieved by: (1) reducing the load distribution on the abrasive particles via increase in contact area and/or decrease in mechanical loading; (2) using a more compliant host tool medium; and (3) in what we believe is a more novel way, using ultrasonics. Combining low abrasive size, larger contact area, and a compliant host, the 6 µm diamond in a resin matrix (Trizact) on a foam pad led to very low SSD depth (~ 4.6 µm), relatively fast grinding rate (186 mm 3 /h), and little or no figure degradation. This grinding tool/process is an attractive choice for final grind, resulting in significantly reduced polish out (i.e., “grey out”) times. With the rotary face mill tool, the use of ultrasonics consistently led to a SSD depth reduction (ranging from 17%–34%). A new fracture mechanics-based model, to the best of our knowledge, where the relevant normal load is parallel to the feed direction, has been developed to explain how ultrasonics leads to lower SSD depth. The key factors, supported by finite element stress analysis and load measurements, are (1) the initiation of fractures at higher z heights during the tool’s ultrasonic vertical oscillations, thus propagating less deep into workpiece; (2) reduction in load (and therefore reduction in fracture propagation distance) due to smaller tool-workpiece feed direction contact area (again caused by higher heights relative to depth of cut); (3) upward movement of the tool during oscillation leads to fracturing toward the surface instead into the depth; and finally (4) at tool’s lowest point of oscillation cycle, there may not be enough time for the fracture to propagate to its full length.
Friction properties were measured with a gold film; the graded interface between gold and nickel substrate; and the nickel substrate. All sliding was conducted against hard silicon carbide pins in two processes. In the adhesive process, friction arises primarily from adhesion between sliding surfaces. In the abrasion process, friction occurs as a result of the hard pin sliding against the film, indenting into it, and plowing a series of grooves. Copper and 440 C stainless steel substrates were also used. Results indicate that the friction related to both adhesion and abrasion is influenced by coating depth. The trends in friction behavior as a function of film depth are, however, just the opposite. The graded interface exhibited the highest adhesion and friction, while the graded interface resulted in the lowest abrasion and friction. The coefficient of friction due to abrasion is inversely related to the hardness. The greater the hardness of the surface, the lower is the abrasion and friction. The microhardness in the graded interface exhibited the highest hardness due to an alloy hardening effect. Almost no graded interface between the vapor-deposited gold film and the substrates was detected.
An abrasion chamber was constructed to produce grain to grain impacts and to eliminate, as far as possible, grain to wall impact. Quartz, basalt, olivine, and volcanic ash were used as abrasives to determine particle longevity on Mars during eolian abrasion. The various abrasion velocities, measured velocity or particles, calculated velocity of collision, time during which abrasion took place, the charge (material) in grams, and the percent remaining after completion are tabulated. The tests show that if coarse sand-sized particles of the composition presumably present on Mars are moved at the wind velocities given, almost complete destruction can occur in geologically insignificant time periods. Grain to rock collisions are not necessary for almost complete destruction; grain to grain collisions are sufficient.