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The application of phase change materials (PCMs) into buildings is a prospective method for mitigating energy consumption in the construction sector. Among the diverse PCM options, salt hydrate PCMs stand out for their superior thermal storage densities, adaptable operating temperature ranges, and cost-effectiveness, rendering them highly attractive for practical engineering applications. However, the utilization of salt hydrates has encountered obstacles, including pronounced supercooling, severe phase separation, and insufficient thermal conductivity, limiting their efficacy in energy storage solutions. In response to these challenges and in pursuit of rendering salt hydrates viable for building energy storage systems, substantial research has been conducted in recent years. This paper offers a comprehensive overview of the strategies devised to address the challenges associated with salt hydrate PCMs, and it also elucidates the corresponding optimization methodologies and bolstering mechanisms, providing a valuable resource for researchers in this field.

The number density, size and composition of inclusions in U75V heavy rail steel during ladle furnace (LF)–RH refining process were studied by an Aztec-Feature inclusion automatic software which equipped with a field emission microscope. The results showed that the MnO–SiO2–Al2O3-type inclusions were the main inclusions at LF start. The MnO–SiO2–Al2O3-type inclusions were transformed into the CaO–SiO2–Al2O3-type inclusions during the LF refining process because of the Ca and Al elements which were brought by ferroalloy. At the RH start stage, the main inclusions were CaO–SiO2–Al2O3-type inclusions with low melting temperature and CaO–MgO–Al2O3-type inclusions with high melting temperature in the sample. And, the CaO–MgO–Al2O3-type inclusions were obviously removed during RH vacuum treatment. The average compositions of CaO–SiO2–Al2O3-type inclusions had no obvious change from RH vacuum holding for 15 min, RH vacuum break to RH soft blowing.

Mach 4.5 tests in a conventional trans-supersonic wind tunnel are often accompanied by the air liquefaction phenomenon, resulting in the low reliability of test data. The Mach 4.5 nozzle developed in a hypersonic wind tunnel is able to heat airflow and provide more accurate test data. At present, China does not have the capability to test the Mach 4.5 nozzle in the 0.5-meter hypersonic wind tunnel. This gap may be filled by developing the Mach 4.5 nozzle in the hypersonic wind tunnel. The axisymmetric nozzle profile was calculated by the inviscid flow calculation method, and the boundary layer was modified by the Sivells-Payne method. Then, the numerical simulation was carried out, and the simulation results prove that the nozzle profile thus calculated meets the design requirements of the Mach number. For its structural design, a three-section design method is adopted to ensure the continuity and smoothness of the inner surface so as to better calibrate the flow field. Standard model tests were also carried out. The test results show that the velocity field of the Mach 4.5 nozzle we developed meets technical requirements. The standard model test data provide data reliable support for the development of aircraft.

Mechanical belt sanding is critical in the manufacturing of bamboo and bamboo products, where surface roughness is commonly used to quantitatively evaluate the surface quality. In this study, flattened bamboo workpieces were sanded using P80 and P120 abrasive belts to create different surfaces. The linear roughness parameters, namely Rz, Ra, Rq, Rsk, Rku, and Rmr(c), were measured using both a stylus profilometer and a 3D profilometer. Statistical t-tests were conducted to determine the significance of differences between the two methods. Additionally, roughness profiles were analyzed in the frequency domain using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Power Spectral Density (PSD) methods. A Random Forest (RF) regression model was also developed to predict the roughness values and figure out the dominant factors between granularity and measurement methods. The results revealed that both the stylus and 3D profilometers provided reliable comparisons of Rz, Ra, Rq, and Rmr (50%) for different grit sizes. However, resolution differences between the two methods were found to be critical for accurately interpreting roughness values. Variations in Rsk and Rku highlighted differences in sensitivity and detection range, particularly at finer scales, between the two methods. The stylus profilometer, with its higher spatial resolution and finer sampling density, demonstrated greater sensitivity to finer surface details. This was consistent with the FFT and PSD analyses, which showed that the stylus profilometer captured higher-frequency surface components more effectively. Furthermore, the RF model indicated that the choice of measurement method had negligible impact on the evaluation of the selected roughness parameters, suggesting that standardizing measurement techniques may not be essential for consistent roughness assessments of sanded bamboo surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]