Heat transfer enhancement in cross-flow heat exchangers using oval tubes and multiple delta winglets

A three-dimensional study of laminar flow and heat transfer in a channel with built-in oval tube and delta winglets is carried out through the solution of the complete Navier-Stokes and energy equations using a body-fitted grid and a finite-volume method. The geometrical configuration represents an element of a gas-liquid fin-tube cross-flow heat exchanger. The size of such heat exchangers can be reduced through enhancement of transport coefficients on the air (gas) side, which are usually small compared to the liquid side. In a suggested strategy, oval tubes are used in place of circular tubes, and delta-winglet type vortex generators in various configurations are mounted on the fin-surface. An evaluation of the strategy is attempted in this investigation. The investigation is carried out for different angles of attack of the winglets to the incoming flow for the case of two winglet pairs. The variation of axial location of the winglets is also considered for one pair of winglets mounted in common-flow-down configuration. The structures of the velocity field and the heat transfer characteristics have been presented. The results indicate that vortex generators in conjunction with the oval tube show definite promise for the improvement of fin-tube heat exchangers.     

Detecting infinite zeros in polynomial matrices

A simple necessary and sufficient algebraic condition is given to detect zeros at infinity in a polynomial matrix.     

Boundary Objects and Prototypes at the Interfaces of Engineering Design

The primary hypothesis of this paper is thatinternal and external changes in design andmanufacturing organizations affect theviability of boundary objects (representations,drawings, models – virtual and physical) andrequire changes in the underlying distributedcognitive models. Internal and external factorsinclude new advances in technologies, insightsinto organizational processes, organizationalrestructuring and change of market focus. Ifthe above hypothesis is true, then there areconsequences for the methodologies of designingcomputational support systems for co-operativeengineering work. We provide evidence bydescribing three empirical studies ofengineering design we have performed in largeorganizations. We investigate how changingtechnologies disrupt the common grounds amonginterfaces and how this opens debate onthe role of boundary objects, especially in theproduct visualization and analysis arena. Wethen argue that changes in market forces andother factors leading to changes inorganizational structures often lead to erosionof common understanding of representations andprototypes, above all at the interfaces. Weconclude by making the case that everystructural and information flow change inengineering organizations is accompanied by thepotential deterioration of the common ground.This requires the synthesis of new commongrounds to accommodate the needs of newinterfaces.     

Universal multiple-output second-order digital filter

A universal, second-order, digital-filter structure is proposed, which realises simultaneously a lowpass, a highpass, a bandpass, a notch and allpass transfer function. The structure uses two unit-delays and four multipliers, and is quite attractive for VLSI implementation since a versatile universal chip can be fabricated, which can be used for the implementation of Butterworth, Cheby?shev and elliptic digital filters as well as digital equalisers.     

Percutaneous nephrostomy in utero for bilateral foetal hydronephrosis

Left percutaneous nephrostomy was performed in a 30-week foetus with bilateral hydronephrosis due to abnormal pyelo-ureteral junction. Puncture of the pelvis and insertion of a 5 cm long F8 Malecot catheter were carried out under ultrasonography. The end of the catheter was left free in the amniotic fluid. Drainage was perfect during 3 weeks, until the skin of the foetus grew over the end of the catheter. At 34 weeks, a much longer catheter was introduced, but it was dislodged from the kidney within 48 hours. Vaginal delivery was induced at 37 weeks, giving birth to a normal male child. On the 4th day after birth the catheter was removed and resection-anastomosis of the left pyelo-ureteral junction was performed.     

Upregulation of Anti-Oxidative Stress Response Improves Metabolic Changes in L-Selectin-Deficient Mice but Does Not Prevent NAFLD Progression or Fecal Microbiota Shifts

(1) Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing global health problem. NAFLD progression involves a complex interplay of imbalanced inflammatory cell populations and inflammatory signals such as reactive oxygen species and cytokines. These signals can derive from the liver itself but also from adipose tissue or be mediated via changes in the gut microbiome. We analyzed the effects of a simultaneous migration blockade caused by L-selectin-deficiency and an enhancement of the anti-oxidative stress response triggered by hepatocytic Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) deletion on NAFLD progression. (2) Methods: L-selectin-deficient mice (Lsel^−/−Keap1^flx/flx) and littermates with selective hepatic Keap1 deletion (Lsel^−/−Keap1^Δhepa) were compared in a 24-week Western-style diet (WD) model. (3) Results: Lsel^−/−Keap1^Δhepa mice exhibited increased expression of erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) target genes in the liver, decreased body weight, reduced epidydimal white adipose tissue with decreased immune cell frequencies, and improved glucose response when compared to their Lsel^−/−Keap1^flx/flx littermates. Although WD feeding caused drastic changes in fecal microbiota profiles with decreased microbial diversity, no genotype-dependent shifts were observed. (4) Conclusions: Upregulation of the anti-oxidative stress response improves metabolic changes in L-selectin-deficient mice but does not prevent NAFLD progression and shifts in the gut microbiota.     

Quantifying the mechanical properties of polymeric tubing and scaffold using atomic force microscopy and nanoindentation

Measurement of mechanical parameters of polymeric scaffolds presents a significant challenge due to their intricate shape and small characteristics dimensions of their elements—around 100 μm. In this study, mechanical properties of polymeric tubing and scaffold, made of biodegradable poly(l ‐lactic) acid (PLLA), were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanoindentation, complemented with tensile testing. AFM was employed to assess the properties of the tube and scaffold locally, while nanoindentation produced results with a dependency on the depth of indentation. As a result, the AFM‐measured elastic modulus differs from the nanoindentation data due to a substantial difference in indentation depth between the two methods. With AFM, a modulus between 2 and 2.5 GPa was measured, while a wide range was obtained from nanoindentation on both the tube and scaffold, depending on the indentation scale. Changes in the elastic modulus with in‐vitro degradation and aging were observed over the 1‐year period. To complement the indentation measurements, tensile testing was used to study the structural behavior of the tube, demonstrating the yielding, hardening and fracture properties of the material. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:1084–1091, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Synergistic Effect of Excited State Property and Aggregation Characteristic of Organic Semiconductor on Efficient Hole-Transportation in Perovskite Device

Intrinsic characteristics of organic semiconductor-based hole transport materials (HTMs) such as facile synthesizability, energy level tunability, and charge transport capability have been highlighted as crucial factors determining the performances of perovskite photovoltaic (PV) cells. However, their properties in the excited state have not been actively studied, although PVs are operated under solar illumination. Here, the characteristics of organic HTMs in their excited state such as transition dipole moment can be a decisive factor that can improve built-in potential of PVs, consequently enhancing their charge extraction property as well as reducing carrier recombination. Moreover, the aggregation property of organic semiconductors, which has been an essential factor for high-performance organic HTMs to improve their carrier transport property, can induce a synergistic effect with their excited state property for the high-efficiency perovskite PVs. Additionally, it is also confirmed that their optical bandgaps, manipulated to have their absorption in the UV region, are beneficial to block UV light that degrades the quality of perovskite, consequently improving the stability of perovskite PV in p–i–n configuration. As a proof-of-concept, a model system, composed of triarylamine and imidazole-based organic HTMs, is designed, and it is believed that this strategy paves a way toward high-performance and stable perovskite PV devices.     

Enhancement of Heat Transfer Using Delta-Winglet Type Vortex Generators with a Common-Flow-up Arrangement

Simulations of a coolant air flowing in a heat exchanger with delta-winglet type vortex generators in common-flow-up configuration have been performed to unveil the salient heat transfer characteristics. The heat exchanger is approximated as a periodic rectangular channel with heated walls and a pair of built-in tubes near the inlet and outlet. The heat transfer characteristics of the heat exchangers with vortex generators near the inlet, outlet, and both inlet and outlet have been compared. The Navier-Stokes equations together with the energy equation are solved employing unstructured finite volume method. The simulations reveal a significant enhancement in heat transfer because of the strong swirling motion originating from the streamwise longitudinal vortices behind the pair of delta winglets. The spiraling flow entrains air into the core and causes intermixing of the fluid layers to disrupt the growth of the thermal boundary layer. A parametric study on the angles of attack identifies the conditions under which enhancement in heat transfer can lead to significant miniaturization of the heat exchangers. The analysis also reveals interesting flow structures behind the winglets and correlates them to the mechanism of heat transfer.     

Steady mixed convection across a confined square cylinder

The effects of cross-buoyancy and of Prandtl number on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of an isothermal square cylinder confined in a channel has been investigated here. The numerical results have been presented for the range of conditions as: 1 ≤ Re ≤ 30, 0.7 ≤ Pr ≤ 100 (the maximum value of Peclet number being 3000) and 0 ≤ Ri ≤ 1for a fixed blockage ratio of 0.125. The overall drag and lift coefficients, local and average Nusselt numbers and the representative streamline and isotherm plots are presented to elucidate the role of Reynolds number, Prandtl number and Richardson number. The drag coefficient is found to be less sensitive to the Richardson number than the lift coefficient.