Objective
TO EXPLOIT THE PROMISING PROPERTIES OF ZIRCONIA CERAMICS TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY OF DIESEL ENGINES AND GAS TURBINES.
THIS PROJECT HAS THREE PHASES.
IN THE FIRST STAGE, A COMPLETE AND DETAILED CHARACTERIZATION OF THE TEXTURE AND PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF DIFFERENT ZIRCONIA COMPOSITIONS WILL BE MADE. GRAIN SIZE, SIZE DISTRIBUTION, DEGREE OF SINTERING AND CONSEQUENTLY POROSITY, WILL BE ASSESSED BY OPTICAL MICROSCOPY. X-RAY DIFFRACTION WILL BE USED TO INVESTIGATE CRYSTALLINE PHASES WITH SEM ANDXRF USED FOR GRAIN BOUNDARY AND CHEMICAL PURITY INVESTIGATIONS, RESPECTIVELY.
IN ADDITION, THERMAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES WILL BE STUDIED USING A VARIETY OF EQUIPMENT. AES IS AVAILABLE, IF NECESSARY, TOGETHER WITH ELECTRICAL MEASURING APPARATUS.
PHASE TWO WILL PRIMARILY BE CONCERNED WITH THE FABRICATION OF COMPONENTS, SUCH AS CYLINDER LINERS, PSITON HEAD CAPS, INLET GUIDEVALVES, FORMED BY DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND THEIR ASSESSMENT AS TO THEIR SINTERING BEHAVIOUR, GRAIN-SIZE AND PHASE CHANGES. SPECIAL ATTENTION WILL BE PAID TO THE PROBLEMS OF HEAT TRANSFER, TO ENSURE UNIFORM HEATING OF THE COMPONENTS THROUGHOUT THE CYCLE.
IN PHASE THREE, OPTIMIZED COMPONENTS WILL BE SUBJECTED TO MACHINING AND GRINDING OPERATIONS TO FOLLOW ANY PHASE AND TEXTUAL CHANGES. AT THIS STAGE, IN-SERVICE PERFORMANCE TESTS WILL BE CARRIED OUT USING EXPERIMENTAL DIESEL AND TURBINE ENGINES.
A.E. DEVELOPMENTS LTD. (UK) AND ROLLS-ROYCE LTD. (UK) WILL BE FULLY INVOLVED DURING THE FINAL PART OF THIS PROJECT IN THE IN-SERVICE PERFORMANCE TESTING.
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
Data not availableCoordinator
ST4 7LQ STOKE-ON-TRENT
United Kingdom