Finite-difference time-domain simulation of scattering from objectsin continuous random media

A three-dimensional (3D) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) scheme is introduced to model the scattering from objects in continuous random media. FDTD techniques have been previously applied to scattering from random rough surfaces and randomly placed objects in a homogeneous background, but little has been done to simulate continuous random media with embedded objects where volumetric scattering effects are important. In this work, Monte Carlo analysis is used in conjunction with FDTD to study the scattering from perfectly electrically conducting (PEC) objects embedded in continuous random media. The random medium models under consideration are chosen to be inhomogeneous soils with a spatially fluctuating random permittivities and prescribed correlation functions. The ability of frequency averaging techniques to discriminate objects in this scenarion is also briefly investigated. The simulation scheme described in this work can be adapted and used to help in interpreting the scattered field data from targets in random environments such as geophysical media, biological media, or atmospheric turbulence     

An iterative ADI-FDTD with reduced splitting error

We present a new iterative alternating-direction-implicit finite-difference time-domain (ADI-FDTD) method. By recognizing the ADI-FDTD method as a special case of a more general iterative approach to solve the Crank-Nicolson (CN) FDTD scheme, the splitting error in ADI-FDTD can be reduced systematically. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the improved accuracy of this method.     

The impacts of a GTL plant on Brazil's oil products supply and refinery expansion

This paper assesses the impacts of a GTL plant on the expansion of Brazil's oil refining segment. The GTL plant (50,000 bpd) was sized to start up operations in 2015, producing diesel and naphtha through the indirect route (FT-synthesis). This plant will consume the non-associated natural gas production from the recent discoveries at the Santos Basin (around 419 Bm³), and the associated gas production from the Campos Basin. Both basins are located in the Southeast of Brazil, the most populated, rich and industrialized region of the country. Two different criteria for refinery expansion were simulated in order to meet oil product demand scenarios. Findings show that depending on the refinery expansion criteria considered GTL will play a fundamental hole to meet the oil product demand forecast to Brazil in the next 10 years.     

Preparation of ultra‐low‐density microcellular materials

Microcellular polymeric materials can be obtained by the polymerization of a high‐internal‐phase emulsion. These materials are good candidates as targets toward inertial confinement fusion. This application requires severe specifications, including a very low density and a small cell size. In this study, we examined the influence of parameters such as emulsification conditions, surfactant nature, and the presence of a porogen on the obtainment of those requirements. It was possible to obtain microcellular polymeric foams with apparent densities as low as 0.0126 g/cm³. However, it was difficult to obtain very low material density and still maintain a small average pore size. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 2053–2063, 2005     

Photo-Fenton removal of water-soluble polymers

This paper presents the results of experiments carried out in a laboratory-scale photochemical reactor on the photodegradation of different polymers in aqueous solutions by the photo-Fenton process. Solutions of three polymers, polyethyleneglicol (PEG), polyacrylamide (PAM), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), were tested under different conditions. The reaction progress was evaluated by sampling and analyzing the total organic carbon concentration in solution (TOC) along the reaction time. The behavior of the different polymers is discussed, based on the evolution of the TOC–time curves. Under specific reaction conditions, the formation and coalescence of solid particles was visually observed. Solids formation occurred simultaneously to a sharp decrease in the TOC of the liquid phase. This may be favorable for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing polymers, since the photodegradation process can be coupled with solid separation systems, which may reduce the treatment cost.     

An on-line learning algorithm for the orthogonal weight estimation of MLP

We propose an on-line learning algorithm for Multi Layered Perceptrons (MLP) with an Orthogonal Weight Estimator (OWE) architecture. Such an architecture allows to dynamically and efficiently estimate the weights of a MLP in context dependent behaviour problems. The proposed learning algorithm attempts to solve the problem of time-consuming in the learning phase encountered to train these weight estimators.     

Theoretical and Experimental Study of Water Transport in a Hollow Cylinder Applied to the Drying of Round Squid Mantle

Until now, attention has been focused solely in the drying of squid mantle from an experimental point of view, neglecting the transport phenomenon studies of water in squid muscle. This work studies the drying of squid mantle (Loligo brasiliensis), previously salted and smoked by liquid smoking (hickory extract), using a tubular dryer in closed cycle with a silicagel fixed bed in series. The mass transfer phenomenon during drying was studied, based on the Fick's second law, with the effective diffusivity supposed constant, which enabled an analytical solution to the problem. The drying curve calculated with the resulting equation was compared with experimental data. The model was applied to a hollow cylinder geometry (round squid mantle), with its internal surface isolated from the drying environment by a plastic film. The latter was given a tubular form and introduced inside the mantle cavity (impervious wall boundary condition).     

Influence of the counter-ion on the effective charge of polyacrylic acid in dilute condition

Osmotic pressure measurements were satisfactorily used to compute the effective charge of poly(acrylic) acid (PAA) at different pHs and with different monovalent and divalent counterions. This experimental method is sensitive to the osmotically active species (polymer and counterions). After correction for the polymer contribution to the total osmotic pressure (solvency and excluded volume), the remaining pressure can be attributed to the polyelectrolyte counterions and processed with Donnan and equation of state in order to compute the effective charge number per polymeric chain (Z^eff). The behavior of Z^eff against the chain concentration and pH was investigated after neutralization of PAA with LiOH, NaOH, and TMAOH. The results clearly indicate that the nature of the monovalent counterion has no effect on Z^eff leading to the conclusion that the interaction between monovalent counterions and the acrylate functionality is purely electrostatic in agreement with conductimetric and potentiometric results reported in the literature. The behavior of Z^eff against the degree of ionization of the polymer and its concentration is also in good agreement with the theoretical expectations of the theory of ionic condensation. Osmotic measurements were also used in order to understand the influence of divalent cations (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺) on Z^eff of the sodium salt of PAA at pH 9 and at different divalent/acrylate molar ratio. All the divalent cations depress Z^eff each of one at different degrees, confirming a specific divalent/polymer interaction. The energy of hydration of cations can explain most of the observed results with divalents.     

All-Optical Vestigial Sideband Generation Using a Semiconductor Optical Amplifier

An all-optical setup to generate vestigial sideband signals based on self-phase modulation in a semiconductor optical amplifier is experimentally demonstrated at 10 Gb/s. Sideband suppressions higher than 15 dB are reported with improved eye opening. Wavelength-independent operation over 26 nm is demonstrated. Increased chromatic dispersion tolerance is verified: a receiver sensitivity penalty of 5.3 dB, relative to back-to-back, is obtained after transmission over 2720 ps/nm; whereas conventional double sideband is penalized by 4.0 dB after 1360 ps/nm