Detailed kinetic analysis of oil shale pyrolysis TGA data

There are significant resources of oil shale in the western United States, which if exploited in an environmentally responsible manner would provide secure access to transportation fuels. Understanding the kinetics of kerogen decomposition to oil is critical to designing a viable process. A dataset of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the Green River oil shale is provided and two distinct data analysis approaches—advanced isoconversional method and parameter fitting are used to analyze the data. Activation energy distributions with conversion calculated using the isoconversional method (along with uncertainties) ranged between 93 and 245 kJ/mol. Root mean square errors between the model and experimental data were the lowest for the isoconversional method, but the distributed reactivity models also produced reasonable results. When using parameter fitting approaches, a number of models produce similar results making model choice difficult. Advanced isoconversional method is better in this regard, but maybe applicable to a limited number of reaction pathways. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012     

Fundamentals‐based low‐dimensional combustion modeling of spark‐ignited internal combustion engines

A four‐mode low‐dimensional model for the in‐cylinder combustion process in an internal combustion engine is developed. The lumped parameter ordinary differential equation model is based on two mixing times that capture the reactant mixing limitations inside the cylinder and mixing limitations caused by the input and exit stream distribution. For a given inlet and operating conditions, the model predicts the exhaust composition of regulated gases (total unburned HCs, CO, and NO_x) as well as the in‐cylinder pressure and temperature. The model is able to capture the qualitative trends observed with change in fuel composition (gasoline and ethanol blending), air/fuel ratio, spark timing, engine load, and speed. The results show good qualitative and fair quantitative agreement with the experimental results published in the literature and demonstrate the possibility of such low‐dimensional model for real‐time control. Improvements and extensions to the model are discussed. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011     

An electrochemical method for measurement of mass transport in polymer membranes using acetaminophen as a model system

An electrochemical approach has been used to model and measure acetaminophen transport through a microporous polycarbonate membrane. The dynamic response of a membrane covered planar electrode system was investigated to derive a simplified middle point formula, the time at which amperometric current reaches half steady state value, that provided reliable solute diffusion coefficients. Experimental values may be noise-contaminated; when this noise is significant, the diffusion coefficient by this method needs to be refined. Here a direct simulation method with a bipartite mathematical expression for current transient was used, which fitted calculated current transients to experimental data. A best fit was reached by minimising the standard deviation between the simulated and experimental current profiles. Mathematically, the simulated curve was linear operated, i.e. shifted and stretched vertically, as well as shifted and stretched horizontally to coincide with the experimental curve. The single point formula, bipartite expression and simulation approach allowed extraction of accurate diffusion values from a previously reported approximated method. The computation approach is not only valid for membrane covered electrodes, but is suitable for other experimental set ups where a one-dimensional Fickian diffusion model is valid, for example, for axial diffusion through cylindrical geometries.     

Progress toward a liquid crystal contact lens display

A contact lens embeddable display using electro‐optic modulation was designed and fabricated. Using a guest–host liquid crystal configuration, a spherically deformed liquid crystal cell was fabricated comprising poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT : PSS) as a conductive layer and obliquely evaporated SiO₂ as an alignment layer. An additional SiO₂ buffer layer was evaporated on top of the PEDOT : PSS to overcome compatibility problems with the patterning of the photolithographically defined spacers. Although the contrast is modest, a patterned modulation could clearly be observed, indicating that our approach and fabrication process could eventually lead to a fully pixelated contact lens display.     

Experimental modeling and optimization of electric discharge diamond face grinding of metal matrix composite

Machining of metal matrix composites (MMCs) has been a big challenge for manufacturing industries due to its superior mechanical properties. Unconventional machining methods have become an alternative to give desired shapes with intricate profiles and stringent design requirements. The present research investigates the grinding performance of copper–iron–graphite MMC using electric discharge diamond face grinding (EDDFG), which is electric discharge machining-based hybrid machining process. Experiments have been performed on a self-developed experimental setup of EDDFG with scientifically designed experiments. Effects of process input parameters on two important performances, material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR), have been analyzed. Genetic algorithm-based optimization of MRR and SR models show considerable improvements in both characteristics, as confirmed by verification experiments. Results reveal that peak current is a common significant factor for both MRR and SR.     

Design of Packaging Vents for Cooling Fresh Horticultural Produce

This review focuses on the design of vents in packages used for handling horticulture produce. The studies on vent designs that are conducted to obtain fundamental understanding of the mechanisms by which different parameters affect the rate and homogeneity of the airflow and the cooling process are presented. Ventilated packages should be designed in such a way that they can provide a uniform airflow distribution and consequently uniform produce cooling. Total opening area and opening size and position show a significant effect on pressure drop, air distribution uniformity and cooling efficiency. Recent advances in measurement and mathematical modelling techniques have provided powerful tools to develop detailed investigations of local airflow rate and heat and mass transfer processes within complex packaging structures. The complexity of the physical structure of the packed systems and the biological variability of the produce make both experimental and model-based studies of transport processes challenging. In many of the available mathematical models, the packed structure is assumed as a porous medium; the limitations of the porous media approach are evident during vented package design studies principally when the container-to-produce dimension ratio is below a certain value. The complex and chaotic structure within horticultural produce ventilated packages during a forced-air precooling process complicates the numerical study of energy and mass transfer considering each individual produce. Future research efforts should be directed to detailed models of the vented package, the complex produce stacking within the package, as well as their interaction with adjacent produce, stacks and surrounding environment. For the validation of the numerical models, the development of better experimental techniques taking into account the complex packaging system is also very important.     

Band gap and dispersive behavior of Ge alloyed a-SbSe thin films using single transmission spectrum

The transparency of SbSeGe glasses in the IR region makes them attractive candidates for low transmission loss applications. The samples of Sb₁₀Se_90−xGe_x (x = 0, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27) glasses have been prepared by melt quench technique. The thin films of these glasses have been deposited by vacuum evaporation technique. The optical study of thin films has been carried out. The refractive index, oscillator parameters, optical band gap and dielectric parameters have been calculated from optical measurements. The optical study reveals that the variation in the density of localized defect states on Ge addition affects the optical parameters of the system. The variation in concentration of localized defect states has been interpreted in terms of the change in structural network of the system.     

Numerical solutions of Fokker-Planck equation of nonlinear systems subjected to random and harmonic excitations

A new approach for an efficient numerical implementation of the path integral (PI) method based on non-Gaussian transition probability density function (PDF) and the Gauss-Legendre integration scheme is developed. This modified PI method is used to solve the Fokker-Planck (FP) equation and to study the nature of the stochastic and chaotic response of the nonlinear systems. The steady state PDF, periodicity, jump phenomenon, noise induced changes in joint PDF of the states are studied by the modified PI method. A computationally efficient higher order, finite difference (FD) technique is derived for the solution of higher-dimensional FP equation. A two degree of freedom nonlinear system having Coulomb damping with a variable friction coefficient subjected to Gaussian white noise excitation is considered as an example which can represent a bladed disk assembly of turbo-machinery blades. Effects of normal force and viscous damping on the mean square response are investigated.     

Effect of detector and analyzer settings on partial discharge measurement and representation

Partial discharge (PD) measurement is usually performed with PD detector and analyzer system. The data collected during the test is generally represented as distributions. These distributions are interpreted to reveal the PD phenomenon and the state of the insulation. The paper demonstrates the effect of instrument characteristics on measurement and representation of PD phenomenon with experimental results obtained from short time PD endurance tests on oil pressboard samples. The instrumentation, a combined narrowband detector and multi-channel analyzer (MCA), is analyzed for the effect of the detector resolution and gain settings on the PD distributions. The results show the instrument dependence in the PD characteristics due to differences in measurement ability at various instrument settings. These differences in representation lead to multiple interpretation for the same phenomenon or state of the insulation and hence to wrong classification. The paper emphasis is that interpretation of the results should be made to account for the measurement ability of the instruments in use.