Experimental and detailed kinetic model for the oxidation of a Gas to Liquid (GtL) jet fuel

The kinetics of oxidation, ignition, and combustion of Gas-to-Liquid (GtL) Fischer–Tropsch Synthetic kerosene as well as of a selected GtL-surrogate were studied. New experimental results were obtained using (i) a jet-stirred reactor – species profiles (10 bar, constant mean residence time of 1 s, temperature range 550–1150 K, equivalence ratios φ = 0.5, 1, and 2), (ii) a shock tube – ignition delay time (≈16 bar, temperature range 650–1400 K, φ = 0.5 and 1), and (iii) a burner – laminar burning velocity (atmospheric pressure, preheating temperature = 473 K, 1.0 ? φ ? 1.5). The concentrations of the reactants, stable intermediates, and final products were measured as a function of temperature in the jet-stirred reactor (JSR) using probe sampling followed by on-line Fourier Transformed Infra-Red spectrometry, and gas chromatography analyses (on-line and off-line). Ignition delay times behind reflected shock waves were determined by measuring time-dependent CH^* emission at 431 nm. Laminar flame speeds were obtained in a bunsen-type burner by applying the cone angle method. Comparison with the corresponding results for Jet A-1 showed comparable combustion properties. The GtL-fuel oxidation was modeled under these conditions using a detailed chemical kinetic reaction mechanism (8217 reactions vs. 2185 species) and a 3-component model fuel mixture composed of n-decane, iso-octane (2,2,4-trimethyl pentane), and n-propylcyclohexane. The model showed good agreement with concentration profiles obtained in a JSR at 10 bar. In the high temperature regime, the model represents well the ignition delay times for the fuel air mixtures investigated; however, the calculated delays are longer than the measurements. It was observed that the ignition behavior of the surrogate fuel is mainly influenced by n-alkanes and not by the addition of iso-alkanes and cyclo-alkanes. The simulated laminar burning velocities were found in excellent agreement with the measurements. No deviation between burning velocity data for the GtL-surrogate and GtL was seen, within the uncertainty range. The presented data on ignition delay times and burning velocities agree with earlier results obtained for petrol-derived jet fuel. The suitability of both the current detailed reaction model and the selected GtL surrogate was demonstrated. Finally, our results support the use of the GtL fuel as an alternative jet fuel.     

Joint source and sending rate modeling in adaptive video streaming

This work addresses the modeling of traffic generated by a video source operating in the context of adaptive streaming services. Traffic modeling is a key in several network design issues, such as dimensioning of core and access network resources, developing pricing procedures, carrying out cost-revenue studies. The actual traffic generated during a video streaming session depends on both the video source and the bandwidth variations imposed by lower communication layers. We propose a new traffic model that jointly encompasses these two effects. Specifically, we consider the modeling of the sequence of frame sizes generated by a video streaming source that dynamically adapts its rate to the available communication channel bandwidth using bitstream switching techniques. In order to represent the source rate adaptation to the random network bandwidth variations on the communication channel, we resort to a framework based on Hidden Markov Processes (HMPs). Our HMP model represents the first joint source and sending rate model in adaptive streaming literature. Thanks to effective modeling assumptions on the frame size probability density function (pdf), the HMP parameters can be estimated by means of the Expectation Maximization algorithm. The traffic model is validated by numerical simulations of a mobile adaptive video streaming scenario. We study the model's ability to predict several traffic statistics, including the traffic load of a video streaming source in different network points. Besides, we evaluate the model accuracy in characterizing aggregate video traffic resulting from multiplexing various video sources. In all experiments, we show that the proposed model is able to accurately capture the traffic characteristics.     

Modulation of charge transport properties of reduced graphene oxide by submonolayer physisorption of an organic dye

We have examined the effect of submonolayer coverage of 1-pyrene butyric acid on charge carrier transport in reduced graphene oxide. We have modeled the interaction of 1-pyrene butyric acid molecules with graphene and determined the amount of charge transfer at the interface between the two materials. The effect of 1-pyrene butyric acid as electron acceptor was determined by transfer characteristics measurements on thin film transistors for thick layers. By using time-resolved photocurrent measurements we were able to detect a reduction of electron mobility in reduced graphene oxide for coverage as low as 0.08%.     

Evaluating the Critical Thickness of TiO2 Layer on Insulating Mesoporous Templates for Efficient Current Collection in Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

In this paper, a way of utilizing thin and conformal overlayer of titanium dioxide on an insulating mesoporous template as a photoanode for dye‐sensitized solar cells is presented. Different thicknesses of TiO₂ ranging from 1 to 15 nm are deposited on the surface of the template by atomic layer deposition. This systematic study helps unraveling the minimum critical thickness of the TiO₂ overlayer required to transport the photogenerated electrons efficiently. A merely 6‐nm‐thick TiO₂ film on a 3‐μm mesoporous insulating substrate is shown to transport 8 mA/cm² of photocurrent density along with ≈900 mV of open‐circuit potential when using our standard donor‐π‐acceptor sensitizer and Co(bipyridine) redox mediator.     

The effect of twin screw extrusion on structural,electrical, and rheological properties in carbon nanotube poly‐ether‐ether‐ketone nanocomposites

The influence of twin screw extruder dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the structural, electrical, and rheological properties in poly(ether ether ketone) is studied. Intermediate rotational speeds (200 rpm) of co‐rotating twin screws yield higher electrical conductivity and dynamic shear modulus than for lower or higher speeds when using 3 wt % multiwall CNTs. These improved properties at intermediate speeds are correlated with the dispersion state of nanotubes in the polymer matrix by using transmission electron microscopy and multispectral Raman mapping. We find that the complex shear modulus near structural percolation depends on the dispersion of the CNTs and the residence time in the extruder plays an important role in the final properties of the nanocomposite. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Process Control For Ozonation Systems: A Novel Real-Time Approach

For real-time control of ozonation processes in water works, a sequencing batch reactor was constructed to measure the ozone decay rate constant (k_O3) in short time intervals of about 15 min. The batch reactor is filled during the production process, immediately after dissolving ozone in water by a static mixer. On the basis of k_O3 and the initial ozone concentration ([O₃]₀), and the experimentally determined ratio of the concentrations of ^?OH radicals to ozone (R_ct), the degradation of micropollutants in ozone reactors (modeled as Continuously Stirred Tank Reactors - CSTRs) were calculated for compounds with known reaction rate constants with ozone and ^?OH radicals. Calculated degradation of atrazine, iopromide, benzotriazole and acesulfame are in good agreement with measured data. For acesulfame the following rate constants were determined in this study at 20 ^oC: reaction rate constant with ozone = 88 M^?1s^?1, reaction rate constant with ^?OH radical = 4.55?×?10⁹ M^?1s^?1. For the ozone reaction an activation energy of 35 kJ/mol was determined. Similarly to micropollutants, the relative inactivation of microorganisms (N/N₀) can be calculated based on the inactivation rate constant for ozone and if applicable the lag phase. The pI-value (=??logN/N₀) was introduced and implemented in the process management system to calculate online the log inactivation of reference microorganisms such as B. subtilis spores. The system was tested for variation of pH (6.5–8.5), DOC (1.2–4.2 mg/L) flowrate 3.2–12 m³/h and temperature (5.7–9 ^oC). Furthermore, a given pI-value, e.g. 1 for a 1-log inactivation of B. subtilis spores, can be set as control parameter in the process management system. The ozone gas flow is then adjusted until the set pI-value is reached. The process control concept was validated with B. subtilis spores. Generally, a good agreement was found between calculated and measured inactivation data. It was also demonstrated, that a constant ozone residual may lead to insufficient disinfection or overdosing of ozone. The new process control concept for ozonations based on onsite measurement of the ozone decay rate constant and the pI-value allows to assess disinfection and degradation processes quantitatively in real-time.     

In vitro study on digestion of peptides in Emmental cheese: analytical evaluation and influence on angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides

A simple in vitro protocol simulating gastrointestinal digestion of proteins and peptides to investigate the effect of digestive enzymes on the biological activity of peptides present in dairy products was developed. This protocol consisted in a 30 min incubation with pepsin followed by a 4 h incubation with trypsin or pancreatin. It was applied to an Emmental cheese water-soluble extract (WSE) and to a casein solution (as a control). Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) allowed to monitor the digestion of proteins. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) allowed to monitor the conversion of proteins and peptides into peptides and amino acids: it is proposed to use the mean retention time corresponding to the overall retention time distribution of molecules to assess the effect of digestive enzymes. The biological activity focused in this study was the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity. Digestion of Emmental WSE induced an increase of the ACE inhibition as compared to undigested WSE while a 10 kDa ultrafiltered WSE lost a part of its ACE inhibitory activity after digestion process. These results strongly suggest that digestive enzymes diminished the ACE inhibition by the peptides present in Emmental cheese WSE, while the digestion of peptides of high molecular weight would generate new ACE inhibitory peptides.     

Dynamic Control of a Flexible Shaft Mounted in Adaptive or Active Bearing

The dynamic behavior of rotors is highly influenced by bearing characteristics. In previous works, the authors have shown that it may be beneficial to adapt the bearing behavior to the shaft behavior. Several adaptive and active components will be developed in this paper in order to control the shaft dynamical amplitude. Different models of hydrodynamic bearings behavior are described. The Reynolds equation resolution may be done by numerical or analytical solutions. A physical analysis of the equation of thin films will identify the most sensitive parameters. The shaft flexibility is taking into account by a modal approach. The fluid-structure coupling process is a simulation, step by step, of the rotor behavior. At each step, the nonlinear fluid force is numerically calculated to obtain the unbalanced shaft response. The results, presented in this paper, concern the dynamic response of unbalanced shaft mounted in adaptive or active bearings： bearings with variable clearance, variable viscosity or variable housing speed. It is shown that the fluid bearing parameters must be adapted to the rotor speed （in particular near or far a critical speed）. Then, the paper presents a new kind of active bearing. It works with a mechanical control of the housing position. Several parameters are tested and compared. The robustness of the dynamic control parameters is presented. In conclusion, the bearing adaptation could be very useful to control the shaft dynamic. This limits the effect of the critical speed, in particular by diminishing the shaft amplitude and the dynamic forces transmitted to the housing.     

Determination of shearing stiffness parameters to design multi-layer spruce beams using welding-through wood dowels

This paper presents a methodology to characterize the secant shearing stiffness of welding-through wood dowels used in multi-layer spruce beams. Welding-through wood dowel’s stiffness behaviour as well as isostatic multi-layer beams’ behaviour were investigated experimentally. These elements are made by a specifically designed machine to guarantee repeatability. A model of finite elements was developed to reproduce the bending behaviour of the beams tested from non-linear connection behaviour. This model is then used to study the influence of parameters such as: layer number, spacing of dowels, load type (concentrated or distributed), strength class and beam span. After a sensibility analysis, a parameterized regression model allows to obtain k _ser and k _u fastener secant stiffness in compliance with EN 1995-1 standard to design multi-layer beams in an elastic analytical model way. This model is based on the work by Kreuzinger (1999).     

Load bearing capacity of minimal invasive direct and indirect veneers bonded to maxillary incisors with severe wear: effect of preparation design and material type

This study evaluated the load bearing capacity of direct and indirect veneers vs. full-coverage crowns and classified the failure types after fracture load. Sound human maxillary incisors (N = 108, n = 12 per group) were randomly divided into nine groups to receive one of the following restoration types: Group 1: Intact tooth, Group 2: Direct resin composite, Group 3: Lingual: Indirect composite veneer, Labial: Ceramic veneer, Lingual overlap: Ceramic, Group 4: Lingual: Indirect composite, Labial: Ceramic, Lingual overlap: Indirect composite, Group 5: Lingual: Direct composite, Labial: Ceramic, Group 6: Lingual: Ceramic, Labial: Ceramic, Group 7: Feldspathic ceramic crown, Group 8: Metal-ceramic Crown, Group 9: Lithium disilicate crown. Teeth were prepared simulating the erosion/wear conditions in each group. After cementing, the specimens were stored in distilled water at 37 °C for 2 months and then loaded to failure from the lingual surface at 105° inclination in the Universal Testing Machine (1 mm/min). Failure types were classified as irreparable or repairable. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Sheffe and Bonneferroni tests (α = 0.05). Mean fracture strength (N) of Groups 1, 4, 8, and 9 (558 ± 278 – 880 ± 319) were significantly higher than those of other groups (348 ± 101–421 ± 162) (p < 0.05). Lingual veneering with direct/indirect resin composite or ceramic did not significantly affect the results (p > 0.05) but lingual overlap with indirect composite increased the results (p < 0.05). Group 1, 2, 4 and 5 presented more repairable failures. Restoration of eroded teeth could best be achieved with direct composite veneer at the lingual and ceramic veneer on the labial surface.