Generic model control — A case study revisited

The application of the Generic Model Control (GMC) algorithm to the control of an evaporator has been reported recently by Lee et al. (1989). The results of their case study are claimed to demonstrate the superiority of the nonlinear GMC algorithm over conventional techniques including Dynamic Matrix Control. In this note it is shown that for the evaporator example the improved performance arises primarily from the full multivariable and feedforward nature of the control law, rather than from the nonlinear nature of GMC.     

Scaling Effects in Perovskite Ferroelectrics: Fundamental Limits and Process‐Structure‐Property Relations

Ferroelectric materials are well‐suited for a variety of applications because they can offer a combination of high performance and scaled integration. Examples of note include piezoelectrics to transform between electrical and mechanical energies, capacitors used to store charge, electro‐optic devices, and nonvolatile memory storage. Accordingly, they are widely used as sensors, actuators, energy storage, and memory components, ultrasonic devices, and in consumer electronics products. Because these functional properties arise from a noncentrosymmetric crystal structure with spontaneous strain and a permanent electric dipole, the properties depend upon physical and electrical boundary conditions, and consequently, physical dimension. The change in properties with decreasing physical dimension is commonly referred to as a size effect. In thin films, size effects are widely observed, whereas in bulk ceramics, changes in properties from the values of large‐grained specimens is most notable in samples with grain sizes below several micrometers. It is important to note that ferroelectricity typically persists to length scales of about 10 nm, but below this point is often absent. Despite the stability of ferroelectricity for dimensions greater than ~10 nm, the dielectric and piezoelectric coefficients of scaled ferroelectrics are suppressed relative to their bulk counterparts, in some cases by changes up to 80%. The loss of extrinsic contributions (domain and phase boundary motion) to the electromechanical response accounts for much of this suppression. In this article, the current understanding of the underlying mechanisms for this behavior in perovskite ferroelectrics is reviewed. We focus on the intrinsic limits of ferroelectric response, the roles of electrical and mechanical boundary conditions, grain size and thickness effects, and extraneous effects related to processing. In many cases, multiple mechanisms combine to produce the observed scaling effects.     

Daily Enteral DHA Supplementation Alleviates Deficiency in Premature Infants

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential fatty acid (FA) important for health and neurodevelopment. Premature infants are at risk of DHA deficiency and circulating levels directly correlate with health outcomes. Most supplementation strategies have focused on increasing DHA content in mother's milk or infant formula. However, extremely premature infants may not reach full feedings for weeks and commercially available parenteral lipid emulsions do not contain preformed DHA, so blood levels decline rapidly after birth. Our objective was to develop a DHA supplementation strategy to overcome these barriers. This double‐blind, randomized, controlled trial determined feasibility, tolerability and efficacy of daily enteral DHA supplementation (50 mg/day) in addition to standard nutrition for preterm infants (24–34 weeks gestational age) beginning in the first week of life. Blood FA levels were analyzed at baseline, full feedings and near discharge in DHA (n = 31) or placebo supplemented (n = 29) preterm infants. Term peers (n = 30) were analyzed for comparison. Preterm infants had lower baseline DHA levels (p < 0.0001). Those receiving DHA had a progressive increase in circulating DHA over time (from 3.33 to 4.09 wt% or 2.88 to 3.55 mol%, p < 0.0001) while placebo‐supplemented infants (receiving standard neonatal nutrition) had no increase over time (from 3.35 to 3.32 wt% or 2.91 to 2.87 mol%). Although levels increased with additional DHA supplementation, preterm infants still had lower blood DHA levels than term peers (4.97 wt% or 4.31 mol%) at discharge (p = 0.0002). No differences in adverse events were observed between the groups. Overall, daily enteral DHA supplementation is feasible and alleviates deficiency in premature infants.     

A review of the operating limits in slot die coating processes

Slot die coating is a pre‐metered process commonly used for producing thin and uniform films. It is an important film fabrication method for applications where precise coating is required. A major concern in slot die coating processes is how to determine the operating limits to set the appropriate range of operating parameters, including coating speed, flow rate, vacuum pressure, coating gap, liquid viscosity and surface tension, etc. Operating limits directly determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the process. In this article, the current state of academic research on operating limits in slot die coating processes is reviewed. Specifically, the theories, mechanisms, and empirical conclusions related to the limits on vacuum pressure, the low‐flow limit, the limit of wet thickness for zero‐vacuum‐pressure cases, the limit of dynamic wetting failure, and the limits of coating speed for a specific flow rate are reviewed. The article concludes with some recommendations for future work. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 2508–2524, 2016     

Mathematical modelling of protein diffusion in microcapsules: A comparison with experimental results

The objective of this study was to develop a general diffusion model for describing mass transport phenomena and membrane diffusivities in alginate—polylysine (PLL) microcapsules. Good agreement between calculated and experimental protein concentration profiles was obtained based on a microcapsule model, consisting of a capsule membrane containing a partially impermeable alginate gel core with a decreasing gel pore size towards the centre of the capsule. The apparent size of the impermeable gel core and the capsule membrane permeability were directly dependent on the size of the diffusing protein and the alginate-PLL reaction time. The presence of this impermeable core may hinder the commercial and clinical use of these microcapsules in cell culture engineering and cell transplantation by affecting cell viability.     

Removal of fatty soil from glass by surfactants and surfactant-builder compositions

Previous papers have reported radiotagged fatty soil removal from glass either by solvents or by aqueous solutions of sodium tripolyphosphate and other builders. This paper provies soil-removal data for aqueous systems of both pure and built surfactant compositions of the nonionic and alkylbenzene sulfonate types. In general, nonionics are the most effective detergents for the system fatty soil/glass; the 10-mole ethylene oxide adduct products show peak soil-removal. Nonionic surfactants appear most effective for soil removal when used in baths closely approaching their cloud-points. Though modification of hydrophobe by EO addition can affect cloud point, peak soil-removal effectiveness seems to be controlled by hydrophobe selection. Highest soil removal for the alkylbenzene series occurred with the longer alkyl chain (pentadecyl). Admixture of surfactant and sodium tripolyphosphate provided synergistic compositions with certain 10-EO surfactants. Building of anionics markedly improved soil removal over the pure material but seldom exceeded the removal by STP alone. Presented at 34th fall meeting, American Oil Chemists' Society, New York, October 17–19, 1960.     

Temperature effects during the storage of cottonseed

A recently published formula (1) enables persons storing cottonseed to predict the amount of deterioration to be expected as a function of storage time. It permits expected storage losses to be weighed against other economic alternatives such as accelerated processing. However, the formula has a serious limitation inasmuch as it is useful only when the storage temperature remains constant. This paper discusses the effect of temperature upon the seed deterioration rate and it extends the formula to cover the effect of changing temperature conditions. Sponsored by the Texas Engineering Experiment Station and the Cotton Research Committee of Texas, College Station, Texas.