Rare-earth diiodides and derivatives

The rare-earth diiodides, MI₂, may be synthesized from the corresponding triiodides, MI₃, by reduction with their metals at elevated temperatures or, alternatively, through so-called metallothermic reduction reactions with alkaline or alkaline-earth metals. In these cases, ternary iodides may be obtained that may be derived from the binary diiodides by either formal addition or substitution. Prominent formula types that are thus obtained are A^IMI₃, or the mixed-valent A^I₅M^II₂M^IIII₁₂ and A^IIMI₄ with A^I and A^II representing alkaline or alkaline-earth elements (and their analogues), respectively. Further iodides that are relevant in these systems are, for example, Pr₂I₅, Ba₆Pr₃I₁₉ and interstitially stabilized phases such as {Er₁₄(N₂)(C₂)₂}I₂₄, La₉O₄I₁₆ and Ba{Ce₄N₂}I₈.     

Recrystallization in Commercially Pure Aluminum

Recrystallization behavior in commercial aluminum with a purity of 99.4 pct was studied by techniques such as high voltage electron microscopy, 100 kV transmission electron microscopy, and light microscopy. Sample parameters were the initial grain size (290 and 24 microns) and the degree of deformation (5 to 30 pct reduction in thickness by cold-rolling). It was found that the original grain boundary region is the preferred site for nucleation. A few intragranular nuclei were, however, also observed. The effectiveness of the nucleation sites is enhanced by the presence of intermetallic particles (FeAl₃), which start to become operative when the degree of deformation is raised from 15 to 30 pct. The temperature of nucleation and of recrystallization decreases when the degree of deformation is increased and the initial grain size is decreased. The recrystallized grain size follows the same trend and it is observed that the refinement of the recrystallized grain size caused by an increasing degree of deformation and decreasing initial grain size is enhanced by the FeAl₃ particles (when the degree of deformation is raised from 15 to 30 pct). Finally, the structural and kinetic observations are discussed and compared with results from an earlier study¹ covering the recrystallization behavior of commercial aluminum of the same purity deformed at higher degrees of deformation (50 to 90 pct reduction in thickness by cold-rolling).     

Alternative Danish energy planning

In the spring of 1976 the Danish government published an energy plan for Denmark for the period up to 1995. An essential part of this plan was the introduction of five nuclear power plants in the Danish supply system. An alternative energy plan which excluded nuclear power was later published by a group of Danish scientists. It includes a relatively extended application of solar and wind energy, and also emphasises the use of decentralised fossil fuel plants with combined power production and district heating. This paper describes the main features and data of the alternative Danish energy plan and compares it with the official government plan.     

Clinical system for interstitial photodynamic therapy with combined on-line dosimetry measurements

A system for interstitial photodynamic therapy with delta-aminolaevulinic acid and multiple optical fibers has been developed. The system enables photodynamic treatment of large embedded tumor volumes and utilizes real-time measurements to allow on-line dosimetry. Important parameters such as light fluence rate, sensitizer fluorescence intensity, and changes in local blood oxygen saturation are measured with the same fibers that deliver the therapeutic light. Data from the first clinical treatments on nodular basal cell carcinomas indicate a major treatment-induced light absorption increase, rapid sensitizer photobleaching, and a relatively constant global tissue oxygen saturation level during the treatment.     

Design of a wind turbine rotor for maximum aerodynamic efficiency

The design of a three‐bladed wind turbine rotor is described, where the main focus has been highest possible mechanical power coefficient, CP, at a single operational condition. Structural, as well as off‐design, issues are not considered, leading to a purely theoretical design for investigating maximum aerodynamic efficiency. The rotor is designed assuming constant induction for most of the blade span, but near the tip region, a constant load is assumed instead. The rotor design is obtained using an actuator disc model, and is subsequently verified using both a free‐wake lifting line method and a full three‐dimensional Navier–Stokes solver. Excellent agreement is obtained using the three models. Global CP reaches a value of slightly above 0.51, while global thrust coefficient CT is 0.87. The local power coefficient C_p increases to slightly above the Betz limit on the inner part of the rotor; the local thrust coefficient C_t increases to a value above 1.1. This agrees well with the theory of de Vries, which states that including the effect of the low pressure behind the centre of the rotor stemming from the increased rotation, both C_p and C_t will increase towards the root. Towards the tip, both C_p and C_t decrease due to tip corrections as well as drag. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wind turbine rotor‐tower interaction using an incompressible overset grid method

In this paper, 3D Navier–Stokes simulations of the unsteady flow over the NREL Phase VI turbine are presented. The computations are carried out using the structured grid, incompressible, finite volume flow solver EllipSys3D, which has been extended to include the use of overset grids. Computations are presented, firstly, on an isolated rotor, and secondly, on the downwind configuration of the turbine, which includes modelling of the rotor, tower and tunnel floor boundary. The solver successfully captures the unsteady interaction between the rotor blades and the tower wake, and the computations are in good agreement with the experimental data available. The interaction between the rotor and the tower induces significant increases in the transient loads on the blades and is characterized by an instant deloading and subsequent reloading of the blade, associated with the velocity deficit in the wake, combined with the interaction with the shed vortices, which causes a strongly time‐varying response. Finally, the results show that the rotor has a strong effect on the tower shedding frequency, causing under certain flow conditions vortex lock‐in to take place on the upper part of the tower. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Freshness Assessment of Thawed and Chilled Cod Fillets Packed in Modified Atmosphere Using Near-infrared Spectroscopy

Near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectra was recorded of 105 samples of cod mince prepared from chill stored thawed cod fillets of varying quality in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Traditional chemical, physical, microbiological and sensory quality methods developed for assessing fresh fish products were determined on the same cod fillets. The purpose was to evaluate the potential of NIR spectroscopy for estimating (i) frozen storage temperature, (ii) frozen storage period and (iii) chill storage period of thawed-chilled MAP Barents Sea cod fillets. Furthermore, the potential for measuring of selected quality attributes as drip loss, water holding capacity and content of dimethylamine by NIR was evaluated. The results of the investigation were presented using multivariate modelling methods such as partial least-squares regression (PLSR) and discriminant partial least-squares regression (DPLSR). Systematic differences in the NIR measurements on minced cod fillets were primarily due to the chill storage duration (days at 2°C) on thawed-chilled MAP fillets. PLSR models based on wavelengths selected by a new Jack-knife method resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.90 between measured and predicted duration of chill storage period (days at 2°C). The root-mean-square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) was 3.4 d at 2°C. NIR measurements provided promising results for evaluation of freshness for thawed-chilled MAP cod fillets completing the traditionally quality methods. However, it is necessary to study the effect of e.g. sample preparation, season, fishing ground and cod size together with more sophisticated pre-treatments of NIR spectra before the NIR method can be integrated as a method for evaluation of thawed-chilled MAP cod fillets.     

Shifts in biodegradation kinetics of the herbicides MCPP and 2,4-D at low concentrations in aerobic aquifer materials

Biodegradation kinetics of two phenoxy acid herbicides, MCPP [(+/-)-2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)propanoic acid; mecoprop] and 2,4-D [2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid] were studied in laboratory batch microcosms at low concentrations (0.025-100 microg/L) using 14C technique with sediments and groundwater from a shallow aerobic sandy aquifer. Below a certain threshold concentration of approximately 1 microg/L for 2,4-D and 10 microg/L for MCPP, the biodegradation followed first-order nongrowth kinetics, and no adaptation was observed within the experimental period of 341 d. Half-lifes for ultimate degradation were 500 d for 2,4-D and 1100 d for MCPP at 10 degrees C in unpolluted aquifer sediment in this environmentally relevant concentration regime. Above the threshold concentrations, the biodegradation rate accelerated gradually due to selective growth of specific biomass, which was ascertained from 14C most probable number enumerations of specific phenoxy acid degraders. Atthe highest concentration tested (100 microg/ L), specific degraders increased from 10(-1) to 10(5) cells/g during the experiment, and half-lifes after adaptation decreased to approximately 5 d. The enhanced rate of degradation by adapted systems was maintained during degradation of the last residuals measured to less than 0.1 microg/L. In situ long-term preexposure of the aquifer sediment also resulted in significant higher degradation rates of the phenoxy acids.