Simultaneous gate and vent location optimization in liquid composite molding processes

In liquid composite molding processes the resin is injected into the mold cavity, which contains pre-placed reinforcement fabrics, through openings known as gates while the displaced air leaves the mold through openings called as vents. Gate and vent locations determine process outputs such as fill time, pressure requirements and whether the fabrics will be saturated entirely, a requirement for the success of the mold filling operation. Disturbances such as racetracking, in which the resin flows faster along the edges of the mold, further complicate the gate and vent selection process. In this study, a cascaded optimization algorithm, which is created by integration of branch and bound search and map-based exhaustive search, is proposed for simultaneous gate and vent location optimization in the presence of racetracking. Three case studies are presented to demonstrate usefulness of this methodology and the results are validated in a Virtual Manufacturing Environment.     

Alpha Induced Reaction Cross Section Calculations of Tantalum Nucleus

The fusion energy is attractive as an energy source because the fusion will not produce CO₂ or SO₂ and so fusion will not contribute to environmental problems, such as particulate pollution and excessive CO₂ in the atmosphere. The fusion reaction does not produce radioactive nuclides and it is not self-sustaining, as is a fission reaction when a critical mass of fissionable material is assembled. Since the fusion reaction is easily and quickly quenched the primary sources of heat to drive such an accident are heat from radioactive decay and heat from chemical reactions. Both the magnitude and time dependence of the generation of heat from radioactive decay can be controlled by proper selection and design of materials. Tantalum is one of the candidate materials for the first wall of fusion reactors and for component parts of irradiation chambers. Accurate experimental cross-section data of alpha induced reactions on Tantalum are also of great importance for thermonuclear reaction rate determinations since the models used in the study of stellar nucleosynthesis are strongly dependent on these rates (Santos et al. in J Phys G 26:301, 2000). In this study, neutron-production cross sections for target nuclei ¹⁸¹Ta have been investigated up to 100 MeV alpha energy. The excitation functions for (α, xn) reactions (x = 1, 2, 3) have been calculated by pre-equilibrium reaction mechanism. And also neutron emission spectra for ¹⁸¹Ta (α, xn) reactions at 26.8 and 45.2 MeV have been calculated. The mean free path multiplier parameters has been investigated. The pre-equilibrium results have been calculated by using the hybrid model, the geometry dependent hybrid (GDH) model. Calculation results have been also compared with the available measurements in literature.     

Encapsulation of Food Ingredients Using Nanoliposome Technology

Nanoliposomes are microscopic vesicles composed of phospholipid bilayers entrapping one or more aqueous compartments. Their unique properties have triggered numerous applications in several scientific and technological fields. Nanoliposomes can provide controlled release of various bioactive agents, including food ingredients and nutraceuticals, at the right place and the right time. Therefore, they increase the effectiveness and cellular uptake of the encapsulated material. Reactive, sensitive, or volatile additives (vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, slimming agents, etc.) can be turned into stable ingredients using nanoliposomes. This article reviews various aspects of nanoliposomes including currently available preparation methods, and their application in food technology.     

Biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus strains and their control by selected phytochemicals

Biofilm formation by 30 Staphylococcus aureus dairy isolates and their control by phytochemicals were investigated. The majority of strains were biofilm positive by phenotypic analysis. The nuc and icaA genes were present in 30 and 27 strains, respectively. In addition, 13 strains were positive for all nuc, clfA, fnbA and icaA genes. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of citral, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, farnesol, limonene and terpinen‐4‐ol were also evaluated for seven strains. It was shown that the use of farnesol, cinnamaldehyde or terpinen‐4‐ol at a concentration of 2 mg/mL could be at least 80% effective on S. aureus strains and their biofilms.     

New Magnesium Composite with Mg17Al12 Intermetallic Particles

Powder Metallurgy and Metal Ceramics - Although magnesium is one of the materials with the lowest density, its application is limited amongst other commercial materials due to insufficient...     

Biomethane production kinetics of rumen pretreated lignocellulosic wastes

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - Bioenergy production from lignocellulosic biomass is challenging due to its complex structure. Therefore, a pretreatment is required before methane...     

Effect of temperature on cosolvent flooding for the enhanced solubilization and mobilization of NAPLs in porous media

This paper examines the potential for enhanced NAPL recovery from the subsurface through the combined application of hot water and cosolvent flushing. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the effect of temperature on fluid properties and the multiphase behavior of the ethanol-water-toluene system and to assess the impact of temperature on the capillary, Bond and total trapping numbers and on flooding stability. Column flooding experiments were also conducted to evaluate toluene NAPL recovery efficiency for different ethanol contents and flushing solution temperatures. The ethanol content considered ranged from 20 to 100% by mass, while the flushing solution temperatures were varied from 10 to 40°C. It is shown that small variations in the system temperature can strongly influence the solubilization, mobilization and stability of the multiphase system, but that the impact of temperature on the enhanced NAPL recovery is also dependent on the ethanol content of the flushing solution. The impact of hot water on NAPL recovery was most pronounced at intermediate ethanol contents (40-60% by mass) where the increase in system temperature led to enhanced NAPL solubilization as well as NAPL mobilization. This study demonstrates that coupling of hot water with in situ cosolvent flooding is a potentially effective remedial alternative that can optimize NAPL recovery while reducing the amount of chemicals injected into the subsurface.     

Emissivity Measurements and Modeling of Silicon-Related Materials: An Overview

An overview of the emissivity measurements and modeling of silicon-related materials is presented. The experimental component of this investigation is based on results obtained utilizing spectral emissometry. An analysis of the comparison of the measured data with other similar approaches is made. In particular, the celebrated work of Sato is revisited to understand the implications of his study. Simulations of the temperature and wavelength dependent emissivity of silicon based on the semiempirical MULTIRAD model are presented. The influence of doping concentration, surface roughness, and coatings on the emissivity of silicon, as a function of temperature, is discussed.