Joining of Ceramics of Different Biofunction by Hot Isostatic Pressing

Monolithic zirconia (Z) and zirconia-hydroxyapatite (Z/HA) composites were joined by cold isostatic pressing (CIP at 300 MPa) and subsequently by glass-encapsulated hot isostatic pressing (HIP at 1225°C, 1 h and 200 MPa). The physical and mechanical properties of the materials were measured. The fracture surface was studied using a light microscope. The results indicate a strength level of the joint similar to that of the corresponding composite material (Z/HA), 845 and 860 MPa, respectively. Similar experiments with monolithic alumina (A) and alumina-hydroxyapatite (A/HA) were carried out without success. Cracking occurred in the joint area during the cold isostatic pressing process. It seems that ceramics with high green strength and similar green density are essential when joining ceramics by combined CIP and HIP processes.     

Modeling and Simulation of an Integrated Micro Packed Bed Reactor-Heat Exchanger Configuration for Direct Dimethyl Ether Synthesis

The application of an integrated micro packed bed reactor-heat exchanger for highly exothermic syngas conversion to dimethyl ether was investigated by numerical simulation. A three-dimensional pseudo-homogeneous model was developed to describe concentration and temperature distributions inside a single reaction slit. The model was adopted at low Reynolds numbers (small catalyst particles and long residence times). The simulation results reveal that the micro packed reaction slit is close to isothermal, and a negligible temperature gradient is predicted also for a doubling of the critical reaction slit dimension, i.e. the reaction slit height. The flow in the reaction slit was modelled by Brinkman??s equation and it was found that the pressure drop in wide range of gas velocity was not significant. The reactor simulation showed good agreement with experimental results and could be further developed to assess the potential of microstructured packed bed reactors to intensify large-scale industrial processes.     

Advantages and drawbacks of applying periodic time-variant modal analysis to spur gear dynamics

A simplified torsional model with a reduced number of degrees-of-freedom is used in order to investigate the potential of the technique. A time-dependent gear mesh stiffness function is introduced and expanded in a Fourier series. The necessary number of Fourier terms is determined in order to ensure sufficient accuracy of the results. The method of time-variant modal analysis is applied, and the changes in the fundamental and the parametric resonance frequencies as a function of the rotational speed of the gears, are found. By obtaining the stationary and parametric parts of the time-dependent modes shapes, the importance of the time-varying component relative to the stationary component is investigated and quantified. The method used for calculation and subsequent sorting of the left and right eigenvectors based on a first order Taylor expansion is explained. The advantages and drawbacks of applying the methodology to wind turbine gearboxes are addressed and elucidated.     

International transferability of accident modification functions for horizontal curves

Studies of the relationship between characteristics of horizontal curves and accident rate have been reported in several countries. The characteristic most often studied is the radius of a horizontal curve. Functions describing the relationship between the radius of horizontal curves and accident rate have been developed in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and the United States. Other characteristics of horizontal curves that have been studied include deflection angle, curve length, the presence of transition curves, super-elevation in curves and distance to adjacent curves. This paper assesses the international transferability of mathematical functions (accident modification functions) that have been developed to relate the radius of horizontal curves to their accident rate. The main research problem is whether these functions are similar, which enhances international transferability, or dissimilar, which reduces international transferability. Accident modification functions for horizontal curve radius developed in the countries listed above are synthesised. The sensitivity of the functions to other characteristics of curves than radius is examined. Accident modification functions developed in different countries have important similarities. The functions diverge with respect to accident rate in the sharpest curves.     

Can a road safety measure be both effective and ineffective at the same time? A game-theoretic model of the effects of daytime running lights

Studies that have evaluated the effects on accidents of daytime running lights for cars have consistently found that cars using daytime running lights are involved in fewer multi-party accidents in daylight than cars not using daytime running lights. However, studies evaluating the effects of mandatory use of daytime running lights have not always found an accident reduction. Although findings are mixed, there is a tendency for the aggregate effects of daytime running lights (i.e. the effects of an increasing share of traffic using daytime running lights) to be smaller than the intrinsic effects (i.e. the difference in accident involvement between cars using and not using daytime running lights). This paper presents a game-theoretic model to explain these apparently inconsistent findings. The game-theoretic model is based on so called Schelling-diagrams, originally introduced by Nobel laureate in economics Schelling. The effects of daytime running lights are modelled by means of Schelling-diagrams. It is shown that it is by no means impossible for cars using daytime running lights to always be safer than cars not using daytime running lights, while the total number of accidents remains constant even if the percentage of cars using daytime running lights increases from, say, 10% to 90%.     

A study of metal concentrations and metallothionein binding capacity in liver, kidney and brain tissues of three Arctic seal species

Arctic seals are known to accumulate relatively high concentrations of potential toxic heavy metals in their vital organs, such as livers and kidneys, as well as in their central nervous system. We therefore decided to determine whether mercury, copper, cadmium and zinc levels in liver, kidney and brain tissues of three Arctic seal species were associated with the intracellular metal-binding protein metallothionein (MT) as a sign of toxic exposure. Samples from four ringed (Phoca hispida), five harp (P.groenlandica) and five hooded (Cystophora cristata) seals taken during field trips to Central West Greenland (Godhavn) and the Barents Sea in the spring of 1999 were used for the present study. In all three seal species concentrations of mercury, zinc and copper were highest in the liver, except for cadmium which was highest in the kidneys. Metal concentrations increased significantly in the order: ringed seal < harp seal < hooded seal for both kidney and liver tissues. MT concentrations were highest in the kidneys and the concentrations increased in the order: ringed seal < hooded seal < harp seal. MT metal-binding capacity was highest in the kidneys for all three species and increased in the same order: ringed seals (2-10%) < hooded seals (8-15%) < harp seals (27-63%). We therefore suggest that there are species-specific differences in the sub-cellular handling of heavy metals which indicate differences in sensitivity and health implications. However, a larger sample size is needed in order to test the relationship between metal concentrations and MT up-regulation in order to decide which metals are the most important and to elucidate whether the MT binding capacity is sufficient to protect tissues (i.e. kidney) from metal toxicosis. MT with its binding capacity could be a useful marker for environmental exposure to metals and their potential toxicity in the Arctic.     

Norwegian‐grown Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.): morphology and content of sugars and fructo‐oligosaccharides in stems and tubers

BACKGROUND: Two field trials growing Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) are discussed. Twenty genetic variants were compared in order to find genotypes suitable for Norwegian production. A second trial investigated the above‐ground part of early and late variants. RESULTS: The highest yield (28.7 t ha^?1) and highest amount of tubers per plant was obtained in early variants, e.g. the white Tysnes gave 1.72 kg tubers plant^?1. Early variants had a markedly lower portion of smooth tubers. Late variants gave the most preferable tuber shape, but low yield. Only a weak correlation was found between dry matter content and total content of fructo‐oligosaccharides (FOS) (r = 0.255) in the tubers. The mean content of FOS including sucrose through all variants was found to be 116 g kg^?1 fresh weight (FW) or 550 g kg^?1 dry weight (DW). The average chain length of FOS in the tubers was found to be DP3.9. There was no difference in tuber FOS content between early and late variants. The highest above‐ground amount biomass was found for the late variants when harvested in September. The content of soluble carbohydrates was found to be highest in stalks in August (sucrose and FOS major compounds). CONCLUSION: Early variants give the highest tuber yield under Norwegian growing conditions. Late variants give highest above‐ground biomass. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry