Foam-Mat Freeze Drying of Egg White and Mathematical Modeling Part I Optimization of Egg White Foam Stability

Egg white (albumen) is a rich source of protein and is widely used in confectionary industry for its wonderful foaming ability. Foam-mat freeze drying is one of the promising methods of drying, which tries to utilize the advantages of both freeze drying and foam-mat drying to produce better quality egg white powder. Preliminary experiments showed that the stability of foams made with egg white alone is not adequate for foam-mat freeze drying. Experiments were thus conducted using different stabilizers (methyl cellulose, propylene glycol alginate, and xanthan gum) to optimize foam stability. Bubble size distribution was determined using microscopy to understand foam structure. This article will discuss the effect of stabilizers on the stability of egg white foam and possible mechanisms involved. The results showed that xanthan gum at 0.125% provided sufficient stability for freeze drying.     

Transient response of a planar participating medium subjected to a train of short-pulse radiation

Transient response of a planar participating medium subjected to a short-pulse diffuse or collimated radiation is investigated. The pulse-width of the radiation is of the order of a nano-second. Short-pulse radiation can have a step or a Gaussian temporal variation. The homogenous participating medium with diffuse-gray boundaries is absorbing and scattering. The north boundary of the participating medium can be under the influence of a pulse train consisting of 1–4 pulses. The analysis is done using the finite volume method. Effects of the extinction coefficient and the scattering albedo on transmittance and reflectance signals are studied for a train of pulses. Unlike the previous studies with a single-pulse, a train of pulses provides more useful information about the medium.     

Simple Formulation for the Flexure of Plates on Nonlinear Foundation

Plates resting on an elastic medium are normally analyzed in a simplified way using the linear Winkler foundation approach. Nevertheless, plates resting on layered medium with vast differences in their moduli exhibit nonlinear behavior under pressure. The present technical note deals with a nonlinear finite-element procedure to analyze plates with linear strain displacement relations resting on a nonlinear elastic media. The coupled problem is formulated using the total potential energy (TPE) concept. The nonlinear foundation stiffness matrices have been derived using the Taylor expansion of the TPE at equilibrium and a symbolism of grouping the energy contributions. The nonlinear foundation stiffness matrices derived in the present technical note have been demonstrated to yield results that agree well with published results in the literature. A brief parametric study on the effects of nonlinearity of the foundation is also presented using the proposed foundation stiffness matrices.     

Antenna Design: Micro Strip Patch for Spectrum Utilization in Cognitive Radio Networks

Wireless Personal Communications - A micro strip patch antenna with multiple parasitic patches for Cognitive Radio Network applications is presented to enhance the bandwidth. Multiple resonances...     

Review of the process development aspects of electrochemical dyeing: its impact and commercial applications

This review discusses the recent progress made in both direct and indirect electrochemical dyeing processes and the parameters that control the dyeing process.     

A study on electromagnetic property during friction stir weld failure

Electromagnetic radiation is emitted during the transient stage of elastic to plastic deformation of metals and alloys. In the present work, aluminium plates were welded by friction stir welding (FSW) at different process parameters, such as tool rotational speed, traverse speed and rake angle. The EMR fundamental frequencies emitted during the tensile failure of the welds were measured and recorded. The variation in the fundamental frequency was analysed by fuzzy modelling using MATLAB and it was observed that an increase in the first mode of metal transfer decreases the fundamental frequency. Further, the fundamental frequency of a weld was estimated from the obtained model and found to be closer to the experimental results. This work will be more useful for metal flow analysis as well as online condition monitoring of the welds which are used in critical applications.     

Measurement sensitivity improvement in tapping-mode atomic force microscopy through bi-harmonic drive signal

This article presents a novel method to improve the measurement sensitivity and reduce impact forces in tapping-mode atomic force microscopy by reshaping the tip trajectory. A tapping drive signal composed of two harmonics is used to generate an oscillating trajectory with a broader valley compared to the typical sinusoidal trajectory. The wide broad valley reduces the velocity of the tip in the vicinity of the sample and allots a greater portion of each period in the vicinity of the sample. Numerical simulations show that this results in decreased impact force and increased sensitivity of the cantilever oscillation to changes in tip-sample offset. Experimental results demonstrate an increase in image sharpness and decrease in tip wear using the bi-harmonic driving signal.     

Investigation of water quality in combined recycled water and stormwater systems

Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) approach is an important strategy for urban water utilities to improve water security and system resilience. This study proposes a novel approach to combine recycled water and stormwater. This novel mixing method of capturing and treating stormwater at various locations along the recycled water pipeline and injecting treated stormwater in to the recycled water pipe line is unknown to have been practiced anywhere in the world. Water quality control of combined water is a vital factor for the safe use, as mixing percentage of stormwater is decided based on availability. A method to determine the water quality before mixing is required. Therefore, this paper investigates the appropriateness of the mass balance method to compute combined water quality and proposes a guideline for water quality of combined water.