The R-? characteristics of a three-heat-source refrigeration cycle

The influence of irreversibilities of finite-rate heat transfer and heat leak on the performance of a refrigerator driven by ‘low-grade’ heat energy rather than ‘high-grade’ work is investigated by means of an endoreversible three-heat-source cycle model. The cooling rate and coefficient of performance are adopted to be objective functions for optimization. The optimal performance of the refrigeration cycle is analyzed. Some new results are obtained. For example, the maximum cooling rate and corresponding coefficient of performance are determined. The maximum coefficient of performance and corresponding cooling rate are shown. The curves indicating the performance characteristics of the refrigeration cycle are presented. The results obtained here will play an instructive role in the exploitation of real refrigerators.     

Optimization for a steam turbine stage efficiency using a genetic algorithm

Based on the genetic optimization theory, a design method for the flow path of an axial flow steam turbine stage is presented. In this method the maximum efficiency of the stage is taken as the objective, a series of functions are taken as constraints, and the optimal geometric and aerodynamic parameters are solved using the genetic algorithm process. The efficiency and constraints evaluation are performed using a program for the thermodynamic calculation of steam turbine stages in the design condition. The fitness of each individual is determined by the turbine efficiency and a penalty function containing the constraints. The proposed method is applied to the design of a real steam turbine stage. The results show that the new method successfully reveals the optimal geometric and aerodynamic parameters of the stage for maximum efficiency.     

Optimum design of a cogeneration system in processes

Abstract

A systematic method is presented for the preliminary design of a cogeneration system with the desire of achieving minimum operating costs. The ratio of power to process heat is shown to be a critical factor in the preliminary selection of energy conversion systems. However, the final decision should be based on the operating costs and economical index, ROI. A fuel substitution factor is proposed to define theoretically the most economical power generation in plants. Two case studies are demonstrated to describe this approach.     

Transesterification in homogeneous poly(ε‐caprolactone)–epoxy blends

Transesterification has been investigated in poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL)–epoxy blends. In the hot melt process, the hydroxyl on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (DGEBA) monomers is too low to give a noticeable transesterification reaction. In the postcure process, model reactions reveal that the hydroxyls from a ring‐opening reaction are able to react with the esters of PCL. In the meantime, the PCL molecular weight decrease and its distribution becomes broader. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra reveal that fraction of the tertiary hydroxyls converts to secondary hydroxyls. In the cured DGEBA–3,3′‐dimethylmethylene‐di(cyclohexylamine)–PCL blend, a homogeneous morphology is achieved. PCL segments are grafted onto the epoxy network after postcuring and result in the lower T_g observed in the differential scanning calorimetry thermogram. A higher transesterification extent also results in broader transition peaks by dynamic mechanical analysis. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 75–82, 1999     

Chitosan–Polyelectrolyte complexation for the preparation of gel beads and controlled release of anticancer drug. I. Effect of phosphorous polyelectrolyte complex and enzymatic hydrolysis of polymer

Enzymic hydrolyzed chitosan was employed to prepare chitosan–tripolyphosphate and chitosan–polyphosphoric acid gel beads using a polyelectrolyte complexation method for the sustained‐release of anticancer agent, 6‐mercaptopurine (6‐MP). pH responsive swelling ability, drug‐release characteristics, and morphology of the chitosan gel bead depends on polyelectrolyte complexation mechanism and molecular weight of the enzymic hydrolyzed chitosan. The complexation mechanism of chitosan beads gelled in pentasodium tripolyphosphate or polyphosphoric acid solution was ionotropic crosslinking or interpolymer complex, respectively. The drug‐release patterns of all chitosan gel beads in pH 6.8 seemed to be diffusional based, which might be in accordance with the Higuchi model, whereas release profiles of the chitosan–tripolyphosphate gel beads in pH 1.2 medium seemed to be non‐Fickian diffusion controlled due to the swelling or matrix erosion of the beads. The rate of 6‐MP releasing from chitosan–tripolyphosphate or chitosan–polyphosphoric acid gel matrix were significantly increased with the decreased molecular weight of enzymic hydrolyzed chitosan. However, the dissolution rates of 6‐MP entraped in chitosan–tripolyphosphate and chitosan–polyphosphoric acid gel matrix were significantly slower than the dissolution rate of the original drug. These results indicate that the chitosan–polyphosphoric acid gel bead is a better polymer carrier for the sustained release of anticancer drugs in simulated intestinal and gastric juice medium than the chitosan–tripolyphosphate gel beads. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 1868–1879, 1999     

Preparation,intermolecular motion,and thermal properties of thiodiphenyl epoxy

The thiodiphenyl epoxy (THEP) was prepared by the 4,4′‐thiodiphenol (THDOL) and the epichlorohydrin (ECH) without using any NaOH or KOH catalysts. The THEP possessed weak hydrogen bonding in the cured THEP/DGEBA system. The intermolecular motion parameters k and q were 0.26 and ?168.5, respectively, which determined by the Gordon‐Taylor and Kwei equations. The soft sulfide linkage (? S? ) of the THEP degraded at lower temperature than cured DGEBA material, and further to form various thermal stable sulfate derivative chars. The char yields increased from 11.43 to 25.94 wt % and from 0.65 to 1.04 wt % in the nitrogen and air, respectively. Introduction of the THEP into the DGEBA could provide the antioxidation thermal property and improve the thermal stability of the DGEBA epoxy in the air. In the air atmosphere, the activation energies of the second thermal degradation were increased from 66.67 to 103.42 kJ/mol. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Intermolecular force and thermal properties of the sulfonyl epoxy blends cured with DGEBA epoxy

The sulfonyl epoxy monomer (SEP) was synthesized and further to blend with the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA). The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the SEP/DGEBA blended materials increased from 103.7 to 163.8°C. The cross‐linking density and polymer chain self‐association intra‐molecular action affected more than that the polymer–polymer intermolecular action (hydrogen bonding) in the SEP blended with the DGEBA materials. The excess stabilization energy in the overall stabilization was only 0.00145% (14.5 ppm), which indicated that the polymer‐polymer intermolecular action was weak. The thermal degradation of the SEP segments could form various sulfate derivatives at lower temperature and analyzed by the TGA/GC/Mass. The sulfate derivatives could generate the thermal stable chars, which provided the “shielding effect” and antioxidation property. Additionally, these chars could also improve the protective effect and inhibit the thermal‐oxidation decomposition under the air atmosphere. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Morphology,Electrical, and Rheological Properties of Silane‐Modified Silver Nanowire/Polymer Composites

Electrically conducting films containing AgNws, hydrophilic and hydrophobic resins were prepared. FT‐IR reveals that the interface between the AgNws and epoxy could be successfully modified by APTES. XPS shows that the AgNws were attracted by hydrogen bonds of ? NH₂ and ? NH? groups after APTES modification. SEM analysis shows that the AgNws were well dispersed in the resin. The AgNws were also blended with hydrophilic and acrylic resins, and the resulting blends were compared with AgNws/epoxy blends. Results show that AgNw/PVA‐resin films possess the lowest surface electrical resistance. The AgNw/PVA‐resin and silane‐modified AgNw/epoxy resin conductive films possess a similar electrical percolation threshold.

     

Influence of nitrogen plasma post-treatment on diamond-like carbon films synthesized by RF plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

DLC films were synthesized by RF plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and the effects of nitrogen plasma post-treatment at different pressures on the structure and properties of DLC films were investigated. Higher roughness was obtained after plasma post-treatment at higher pressures (0.3 and 0.9 torr) and plasma post-treatment at a lower pressure (0.15 torr) resulted in lower roughness than that of original films. The hardness of DLC films decreased with the decrease of post-treatment pressure, which is consistent with the Raman results of I_D/I_G ratio and G peak position. Compared to the original DLC film, the residual stress after plasma post-treatment decreased slightly due to the relatively thin region involved in the plasma post-treatment.