Control of free-radical emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate by oxygen injection. II. Experimental study

Oxygen injection has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated as an effective control measure for limiting the rate of heat release and altering the rate of polymerization in emulsion processes. A detailed mathematical model has been previously developed to describe the system behavior with and without oxygen injection. A simple lab scale apparatus was constructed and run extensively. Only trace quantities of oxygen are needed to inhibit the reaction completely. The facile response makes this method attractive for fast temperature control. However, because of the rapid penetration of dissolved oxygen into the polymer particles, growing radical chains are terminated prematurely, lowering product molecular weights. To minimize this detrimental effect, pulsed oxygen control is used and extensive experimental work was performed to determine the effects of controller set points on molecular weight. Moderate oxygen flows and moderate set point temperatures are found to give the optimal response without significant lowering of the final molecular weight. Injected quantities agree well with the order-of-magnitude sparging calculations needed to completely stop initiation. However, complete agreement between model simulations and experimental results was not reached due to an unmeasured loss of monomer from the reactor. Chain transfer to monomer is found to be important in modeling the polymer molecular weight. It has, however, a negligible effect on the reaction rate.     

Two-fluid large-eddy simulation approach for particle-laden turbulent flows

In this paper, effects of particles on the subgrid scales of turbulence are properly accounted for during the modeling of subgrid scale stresses in the large-eddy simulation (LES) of fluid phase. In doing so, we propose closed filtered kinetic equations for phase space density of the particle. The various moments of these equations give the `fluid' equations which can be considered as the LES equations for the particle phase. The influence of subgrid scales motion on the particles is included in these `fluid' equations.     

Theoretical analysis of control properties for the brushless doubly fed reluctance machine

The brushless doubly fed induction machine (BDFIM) has been extensively researched for approximately 30 years, but a related machine [the brushless doubly fed reluctance machine (BDFRM)], has not. This was mainly due to the fact that reluctance rotor designs were not capable of generating saliency ratios large enough to make the BDFRM competitive with other machines. However, recent developments in reluctance rotors, spurred on by research into synchronous reluctance machines, has resulted in high saliency ratio rotors that are economic to build. This, together with the promise of higher efficiency and simpler control compared to the BDFIM, means that further investigation of the BDFRM is warranted. A relatively limited amount of work to date has been published on the BDFRM. This paper attempts to fill this void by presenting a theoretical analysis of some of the important control properties of the ideal BDFRM.     

Performance and modeling of advanced Ti:LiNbO3 digitaloptical switches

High-performance Y-branch digital optical switches realized in Ti:LiNbO₃ are presented. Their switching response functions have been optimized in terms of switch voltage and crosstalk ratio. The optimization is based on analyzing different types of waveguide shaping and switching arrangements using coupled mode theory and computer simulations. Excellent switching characteristics are achieved with devices exploiting a specially shaped waveguide branch in a dilated switch arrangement. Demonstrated performances include switching voltage as low as 9 V with crosstalk suppression better than 45 dB and fiber-to-fiber losses as low as 4 dB. Polarization independence with crosstalk suppression better than 40 dB over a 1520- to 1570-nm wavelength range is achieved for any applied switch voltage greater than 18 V. These optimized digital optical switches have further demonstrated the capability to reshape electrical input signals at switching rates of several hundred megahertz     

Synthesis, 1H−NMR and Electronic Absorption Spectra,and Halochromic Properties of Bis(2-methyl-1-phenyl-3-isoindolyl)-(het)arylmethane Dyes

Several bis(2-methyl-1-phenyl-3-isoindolyl)-(het)arylmethane perchlorate dye salts have been synthesised, the (het)aryl substituent representing the acceptor systems 2-benzothiazolyl, 1-methyl-2-benzimidazolyl, 4-quinolyl, 4- and 2-pyridyl as well as phenyl.The constitution of these green dye salts was supported by their ¹H-NMR spectra. The variation of the electronic absorption maxima of this dye series was in accord with theoretical considerations based on SCF-CI and PMO calculations. They give rise to the statement that the bathochromic effect of the varied (het)aryl group is essentially due to a LUMO-LUMO interaction with the di-isoindolylmethane cyanine moiety, i.e. a second-order perturbation, enlarging the bathochromic shift caused by the increased twist angles inflicted on the central bonds by the bulkiness of the (het)aryl substituents (a first-order perturbation). The halochromic properties of these dyes are explicable on the same basis.The dissociation constants pK^★ and pK^★_R+ were measured and compared with analogous di-indolyl- (1) and di-indolizinyl-hetaryl-methane dyes (4), showing little difference with regard to the former and the distinct sequence indolizinyl > indolyl > isoindolyl dye series for the latter.     

Is Chlorogenic Acid Bitter?

Chlorogenic acid at 5° published threshold concentration (100 mg/ L) in aqueous 0.2% potassium acid tartrate was not significantly more bitter than aqueous 0.2% potassium tartrate alone when evaluated by taste panel.     

Simulation of magnetic component models in electric circuitsincluding dynamic thermal effects

It is essential in the simulation of power electronics applications to model magnetic components accurately. In addition to modeling the nonlinear hysteresis behavior, eddy currents and winding losses must be included to provide a realistic model. In practice the losses in magnetic components give rise to significant temperature increases which can lead to major changes in the component behavior. In this paper a model of magnetic components is presented which integrates a nonlinear model of hysteresis, electro-magnetic windings and thermal behavior in a single model for use in circuit simulation of power electronics systems. Measurements and simulations are presented which demonstrate the accuracy of the approach for the electrical, magnetic and thermal domains across a variety of operating conditions, including static thermal conditions and dynamic self heating     

Front Cover

In this paper, the authors present the results of experiments which clearly demonstrate a technical basis confirming that the carrier frequency harmonics data can be used for diagnostics relative to motor stator insulation degradation.