Ice-slurry production using direct contact heat transfer

An ice slurry generation system was developed using direct contact heat transfer between water and the coolant, Fluroinert FC-84. The location of the coolant nozzle is an important design consideration to avoid clogging due to freezing of water. An ice fraction of up to about 40 percent was obtained with the nozzle located at the bottom of the ice slurry tank and the jet directed upwards into the water. Two simplified model were developed to extract the heat transfer coefficient between the coolant drops and the water. The first model requires as input the average drop diameter and the residence time while the second model uses the measured drop diameter distribution. The estimated heat transfer coefficients are much smaller than those computed using single-sphere correlations.     

Size selective excitonic transition energies in strongly confined CdSe quantum dots

We report on the synthesis of CdSe nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) of different radii (R). Size dependent optical properties like increase in the confinement energy with decreasing radius for different excitonic transitions are studied. Different excitonic transitions are calculated from the second derivative of UV-vis absorption spectra of as synthesized CdSe QDs. The transitions are assigned to specific states by calculating the transition energies using effective mass approximation. A close matching of the transition energies with the experiment suggesting that the second derivative of the absorption spectra could provide a direct knowledge of the electronic transition for the direct band gap semiconductor quantum dots.     

Effect of multipath fading and multiple access interference on broadband code division multiple access systems

In this paper, the performance of uncoded uplink transmissions in a broadband code division multiple access (CDMA) system using tapped delay line (TDL) antenna array under multipath conditions is investigated. An expression for broadband CDMA system is derived to calculate the optimal weights of TDL antenna array. Using the derived broadband expression, the performance of TDL antenna array is investigated and compared with that of the already existing narrowband systems. Simulation results show that TDL antenna array can reduce multipath fading and multiple access interference (MAI). It is shown that if the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) level is maintained at 20 dB and two‐ray channel model is used, two antennas with four taps each can support 30 users with a BER of 10^?3. If three‐ray channel model is used, the same antenna arrangement is not enough to support 30 users. To support these 30 users with BER of 10^?3, the number of taps needs to be increased to eight. Finally, the number of taps needs to be further increased to 16 if four‐ray channel model is used. Not only that, the SNR should also be increased to 25 dB to achieve the same BER. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Properties of controlled low-strength materials incorporating cement kiln dust and slag

This research evaluated the potential use of cement kiln dust (CKD) together with slag to replace the use of cement in the production of controlled low-strength material (CLSM). The low strength requirements of CLSM compared to conventional concrete enable the use of industrial by-products for the production of CLSM. In this study, the workability-related fresh properties of CLSM mixtures were observed through slump flow diameter, V-funnel flow time and filling capacity. Setting times, temperature rise, air content and unit weight of CLSM mixtures were also determined as part of fresh properties. The hardened properties that were monitored for 28 days included the unconfined compressive strength. The test results presented herein show that a combination of less than 50 kg/m³ slag and up to 300 kg/m³ CKD provides a good mix that satisfies the requirements of a CLSM with similar or better properties to that of CKD-based CLSM mix containing Portland cement. Suitable CLSM mixtures with reasonable fresh and hardened properties could also be developed by using CKD alone. However, reduced strength in such CLSM mixtures may limit their field application. The slag significantly assisted in increasing compressive strength of CKD-based CLSM mixtures. A CLSM mix containing a combination of slag and CKD was shown to have excellent characteristics for flowable backfill and excavatable base material. Therefore, producing CKD/slag based CLSM through the use of co-generated products from the cement and iron manufacturing processes can provide leadership for the construction industry in the transition for sustainable development.     

A general inelastic internal state variable model for amorphous glassy polymers

This paper presents the formulation of a constitutive model for amorphous thermoplastics using a thermodynamic approach with physically motivated internal state variables. The formulation follows current internal state variable methodologies used for metals and departs from the spring-dashpot representation generally used to characterize the mechanical behavior of polymers like those used by Ames et al. in Int J Plast, 25, 1495–1539 (2009) and Anand and Gurtin in Int J Solids Struct, 40, 1465–1487 (2003), Anand and Ames in Int J Plast, 22, 1123–1170 (2006), Anand et al. in Int J Plast, 25, 1474–1494 (2009). The selection of internal state variables was guided by a hierarchical multiscale modeling approach that bridged deformation mechanisms from the molecular dynamics scale (coarse grain model) to the continuum level. The model equations were developed within a large deformation kinematics and thermodynamics framework where the hardening behavior at large strains was captured using a kinematic-type hardening variable with two possible evolution laws: a current method based on hyperelasticity theory and an alternate method whereby kinematic hardening depends on chain stretching and material plastic flow. The three-dimensional equations were then reduced to the one-dimensional case to quantify the material parameters from monotonic compression test data at different applied strain rates. To illustrate the generalized nature of the constitutive model, material parameters were determined for four different amorphous polymers: polycarbonate, poly(methylmethacrylate), polystyrene, and poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide). This model captures the complex character of the stress–strain behavior of these amorphous polymers for a range of strain rates.     

A hygrometer comprising a porous silicon humidity sensor with phase-detection electronics

A novel hygrometer is presented, comprising a capacitive humidity sensor with a porous silicon (PS) dielectric and electronics. The adsorption of water vapor by the PS layer leading to change of its effective dielectric constant is modeled with an effective medium approximation (EMA). A simple, but precise, phase-sensitive electronic circuit has been developed. This detects any change of phase of a sinusoidal signal transmitted through the PS dielectric and correlates to ambient humidity. It is outlined how the nonlinear response of the sensor is compensated through piecewise linearization. The sensor is tested in combination with the phase detection circuitry. Excellent linearity over the entire range of relative humidity is achieved. Experimental results show a resolution better than 0.1% and an accuracy of 2% (near the transition region) and better than 0.1% (otherwise). The response time is less than 10 s with good stability.     

Magnetohydrodynamic natural convection flow on a sphere with uniform heat flux in presence of heat generation

Summary Magnetohydrodynamic natural convection boundary layer flow on a sphere with uniform heat flux in presence of heat generation has been investigated in this paper. The governing boundary layer equations are transformed into a non-dimensional form and the resulting nonlinear system of partial differential equations is then solved numerically by two distinct efficient methods, namely (i) implicit finite difference method together with the Keller box scheme and (ii) perturbation or series solution technique. The results of the surface shear stress in terms of local skin friction and the rate of heat transfer in terms of local Nusselt number, velocity distribution as well as temperature distribution are shown graphically for a selection of parameter sets consisting of the heat generation parameter and the magnetic parameter.     

Dynamic rate adaptation based on multidimensional multicode DS-CDMA in cellular wireless networks

Dynamic rate adaptation for uplink data transmission in a cellular multidimensional multicode (MDMC) direct-sequence code-division multiple-access packet data network is modeled and analyzed. An analytical framework is developed to evaluate the performances of radio link level dynamic rate adaptation schemes under multipath fading and log-normal shadowing. The radio link level throughput under optimal dynamic rate adaptation (having exponential computational complexity) and different heuristic-based suboptimal rate adaptation schemes can be assessed under the presented analytical framework. The performance of MDMC signaling is compared with that of the single-code variable spreading factor (VSF) signaling. To this end, based on an equilibrium point analysis of the system in steady-state, a base station-assisted and mobile-controlled dynamic rate adaptation scheme is presented.     

Channel-quality-based opportunistic scheduling with ARQ in multi-rate wireless networks: modeling and analysis

In this paper, we develop a novel framework for analyzing radio link level performance for opportunistic scheduling with automatic repeat request (ARQ)-based error control in multi-rate wireless networks. The multi-rate transmission is assumed to be achieved through adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) to adjust the transmission rate according to the channel condition. The residual error effect due to each AMC setting is counteracted by means of a limited persistence ARQ protocol. The novelty of the proposed analytical framework lies in the fact that we are able to derive complete statistics (in terms of probability mass function) for both short-term and long-term performance measures such as system throughput, per-flow throughput, inter-success delay under both uncorrelated and correlated wireless channels. These performance measures can also be obtained in case of non-identical channels for different users. Analytical results are validated through simulations and the impacts of channel behavior on the different radio link level performance metrics are investigated.     

Effects of mass transfer and free convection on the unsteady mhd flow past a vertical porous plate with constant suction

Effects of free convection currents and mass transfer on the unsteady flow of an electrically conducting and viscous incompressible fluid past an infinite vertical porous plate subjected to uniform suction, in the presence of transverse magnetic field, have been studied taking into account that the external flow velocity varies periodically with time in magnitude but not in direction. The effect of the induced magnetic field has been neglected. Approximate solutions to the transient flow, the amplitude and the phase of the skin-friction and the rate of heat transfer have been derived. During the course of the discussion, the effects of the Grashoff number Gr, the modified Grashoff number Gc (depending on the concentration difference), the Schmidt number Sc, the Eckert number Ec, the magnetic field parameter M, and the frequency ω have been discussed.