An inverse solution methodology for estimating the diffusion coefficient of gases in Athabasca bitumen from pressure-decay data

An inverse solution methodology is developed for the estimation of diffusion coefficient of gases in highly viscous, oil-sands bitumens from isothermal, pressure-decay measurements. The approach involves modeling the rate of change in pressure using the diffusion equation for the liquid phase coupled with a mass balance equation for the gas phase. The inverse solution framework is utilized to arrive at two graphical techniques for estimating the diffusion coefficient. Both techniques involve the determination of the slope of a straight line resulting from plotting the experimental data in accordance with the developed model. An advantage of the proposed techniques is that the diffusion coefficient is estimated directly, i.e. without making it an adjustable parameter. The novelty of the proposed method is in its simplicity as well as its ability to isolate portions of the pressure-decay data affected by experimental fluctuations. The effect of the initial pressure on the predicted diffusion coefficient and pressure-decay profile was also investigated. The diffusion coefficients of CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₆ and N₂ in Athabasca bitumen at 50–90 °C and about 8 MPa were estimated and compared with literature values.     

POLYELECTROLYTE MULTILAYER STAMPING IN AQUEOUS PHASE AND NON-CONTACT MODE

Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) transfer printing has been previously achieved by stamping under dry conditions. Here, we show for the first time, that PEM can be transferred from a stamp to the base substrate under aqueous conditions whereby the two surfaces are in a non-contact mode. Degradable multilayers of (PAA/PEG)(10.5) followed by non-degradable multilayers of (PDAC/SPS)(80.5) were fabricated under acidic pH conditions on either PDMS or glass (stamp), and subsequently transferred over top of another multilayer prepared on a different substrate (base substrate), with a spacing of ~ 200 μm between the stamping surface and the base substrate. This multilayer transfer was performed under physiological pH conditions. This process is referred to herein as non-contact, aqueous-phase multilayer (NAM) transfer. NAM transfer can be useful for applications such as fabricating three-dimensional (3-D) cellular scaffolds. We attempted to create a 3-D cellular scaffold using NAM transfer, and characterized the scaffolds with conventional and fluorescence microscopy.     

Analysis of the Sommer technique for measurement of the mobility for charges in two dimensions

The technique for measuring the low-frequency ac mobility of free surface charges first employed by Sommer is analyzed for arbitrary values of driving frequency, charge mobility, and effective mass. Analytical expressions for the cell admittance are given for both rectangular and circular geometries in the absence of edge corrections.     

The removal of heavy metals in anaerobic upflow sludge blanket reactors

The continuous removal of heavy metals by the biological solids in an anaerobic reactor has been examined. The metals used were chromium (III), zinc and lead. Both competitive and non-competitive removal was studied. The results were evaluated in terms of adsorption isotherms and were compared with earlier batch studies. This suggested that the sludge acted as a cation-exchange material, with chromium having a much lower binding intensity than lead and zinc. The data also suggest that the nature of the sludge surface is of considerable significance in determining the capacity and intensity of binding. The effect of the metals on biogas formation was also examined. This showed that inhibition of the gas formation was a function of the metal concentration and that the relative toxicities appeared to be zinc > lead > chromium.