Experimental and numerical modeling of the effect of solid surface on NOx emission in the combustion chamber of a water heater

A combined experimental and CFD modeling study of the turbulent non-premixed natural gas on a laboratory scale has been performed. Effect of solid surface enhancement in combustion chamber on the flame temperature and NO emission was investigated. The solid surface called as filling material (FM) was cylindrical and was placed coaxially in the center of combustion chamber. The temperature and NO distribution in the combustion chamber were compared for different geometries of the filling material. The diameters of the filling materials were 25 and 30 cm with two lengths of 20 and 40 cm. Experimental study has been carried out on a fire tube water heater. The flame temperature on the center line of the combustion chamber, gas temperature and NO emission in the combustion chamber were measured. The actual geometry of the fire tube water heater and the burner were modeled and then analyzed by the FLUENT code. Turbulent diffusion flames were investigated numerically using a finite volume method for the solution of the conservation and reaction equations governing the problem. The measured values were specified as the boundary conditions. The elemental analysis of the natural gas was taken as a mixture of hydrocarbon and air was the oxidizer. The standard k-ε model was used for the modeling of the turbulence phenomena in the combustor. The non-premixed combustion model was chosen. In the conserved scalar approach, turbulence effects were accounted for with the help of an assumed shape probability density function or PDF. The discrete ordinates (DO) radiation model was used for modeling of the radiative heat transfer in the combustion room. The model results were compared with the experimental results. The model results were in good agreement with the measurements. The filling material provided the recirculation of the cooler gases into the flame. The recirculation reduced the oxygen concentration in the flame and controlled the flame temperature. It was found that the filling material with the diameter bigger than the flame diameter increased the heat transfer rate in the back flow around the flame.     

Understanding the Potential In Vitro Modes of Action of Bis(β-diketonato) Oxovanadium(IV) Complexes

To understand the potential in vitro modes of action of bis(β-diketonato) oxovanadium(IV) complexes, nine compounds of varying functionality have been screened using a range of biological techniques. The antiproliferative activity against a range of cancerous and normal cell lines has been determined, and show these complexes are particularly sensitive against the lung carcinoma cell line, A549. Annexin V (apoptosis) and Caspase-3/7 assays were studied to confirm these complexes induce programmed cell death. While gel electrophoresis was used to determine DNA cleavage activity and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the Comet assay was used to determine induced genomic DNA damage. Additionally, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based DNA melting and fluorescent intercalation displacement assays have been used to determine the interaction of the complexes with double strand (DS) DNA and to establish preferential DNA base-pair binding (AT versus GC).     

Microstructures of Y2O3-Stabilized ZrO2 Electron Beam-Physical Vapor Deposition Coatings on Ni-Base Superalloys

The microstructures of ZrO₂–20 wt% Y₂O₃ thermal barrier coatings formed by electron beam-physical vapor deposition on a Nibase superalloy have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. The coating systems consist of several layers, including a superalloy substrate, a bond coat, an Al₂O₃ scale, and the PVD coating. The overall ceramic thermal barrier coatings were characterized, with special emphasis being given to the α-Al₂O₃ scale which forms between the bond coat and the ZrO₂₋Y₂O₃ coating. The oxide scale exhibited various morphologies in different coating systems; the majority of the porosity formed in this region for all coatings.     

5-methyl-8-N-substituted-thiocarbamoyl-7,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0] non-6-enes: evaluation as BSAO inhibitors and pharmacological activity screening

In this study a series of 5-methyl-8-N-substituted-thiocarbamoyl-7,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0] non-6-enes derivatives previously synthesized and separated to their stereoisomers, were evaluated as BSAO inhibitors and screened pharmacologically for antidepressant activity, effect on anxiety and experimental parkinsonism by in vivo tests. The title compounds caused 30-40% inhibition irrespective of geometric isomerism as well as nature of substituent. On the other hand, their open chain derivative NBE (4-ethyl, p-methoxybenzylidenthiosemicarbazide) showed a marked enzyme inhibition and antidepressant effect. While the other group was inactive as antidepressant effect, these compounds have shown diastereoselective antitremor activity by inhibiting the tremors induced by oxotremorin in mice pretreated with dopaminergic antagonist haloperidol. The title compounds constitutes a new class of BSAO inhibitors and may serve as usefull leads for further investigation as specific BSAO inhibitors, antiparkinson, antidepressant and anticholinergic agents.     

New Structure-Based Model for Estimating Undrained Shear Strength

This paper presents an experimental study of the strength in anisotropic clays by means of centrifuge model, cone penetration, and vane shear tests. To understand the effects of void ratio, overconsolidation ratio, and testing rate on the undrained shear strength (Su) of anisotropic Speswhite clay, a new centrifugal testing technique is designed to obtain constant overconsolidation ratio (OCR) profiles with varying void ratios (e), called the “descending gravity test.” The parameters controlling the generation of peak shear strength are quantified. As a result of this function, a new material and rate-dependent surface is defined in the e-OCR-Su space, which is identified as a “structural state capacity surface” since it relates the anisotropic structure to structure inherent capacity and properties. A new function for the estimation of excess pore pressure (uex) generated by cone penetration is found. By combining the strength and pore pressure functions a new model is proposed, called the “CU model.” The CU model is a structure-based model that provides reliable estimates of shear strength for in situ saturated clays using the knowledge of void and overconsolidation ratios. Finally, by combining Su-e-OCR and uex-e-OCR relationships, it estimates the void ratio and OCR profiles of anisotropic clays from piezocone penetration test results.     

Effect of pre-setting pressure applied to mechanical behaviours of reactive powder concrete during setting phase

In this study, mixing rates, fiber content and pre-setting pressure of reactive powder concrete (RPC) were examined. Mixing ratios were determined by different mixing techniques in literature using material characteristics via computer software. The samples were prepared according to these mixing ratios. The fresh (plastic) concrete samples were filled in a specified mould. Six different (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 MPa) pre-setting pressure were applied. It is observed that application of pre-setting pressure increased compressive strength of the samples about twice.     

Detection and classification of vehicles from omnidirectional videos using multiple silhouettes

To detect and classify vehicles in omnidirectional videos, we propose an approach based on the shape (silhouette) of the moving object obtained by background subtraction. Different from other shape-based classification techniques, we exploit the information available in multiple frames of the video. We investigated two different approaches for this purpose. One is combining silhouettes extracted from a sequence of frames to create an average silhouette, the other is making individual decisions for all frames and use consensus of these decisions. Using multiple frames eliminates most of the wrong decisions which are caused by a poorly extracted silhouette from a single video frame. The vehicle types we classify are motorcycle, car (sedan) and van (minibus). The features extracted from the silhouettes are convexity, elongation, rectangularity and Hu moments. We applied two separate methods of classification. First one is a flowchart-based method that we developed and the second is K-nearest neighbour classification. 60% of the samples in the dataset are used for training. To ensure randomization in the experiments, threefold cross-validation is applied. The results indicate that using multiple silhouettes increases the classification performance.     

Enhancement of pacemaker induced stochastic resonance by an autapse in a scale-free neuronal network

An autapse is an unusual synapse that occurs between the axon and the soma of the same neuron. Mathematically, it can be described as a self-delayed feedback loop that is defined by a specific time-delay and the so-called autaptic coupling strength. Recently, the role and function of autapses within the nervous system has been studied extensively. Here, we extend the scope of theoretical research by investigating the effects of an autapse on the transmission of a weak localized pacemaker activity in a scale-free neuronal network. Our results reveal that by mediating the spiking activity of the pacemaker neuron, an autapse increases the propagation of its rhythm across the whole network, if only the autaptic time delay and the autaptic coupling strength are properly adjusted. We show that the autapse-induced enhancement of the transmission of pacemaker activity occurs only when the autaptic time delay is close to an integer multiple of the intrinsic oscillation time of the neurons that form the network. In particular, we demonstrate the emergence of multiple resonances involving the weak signal, the intrinsic oscillations, and the time scale that is dictated by the autapse. Interestingly, we also show that the enhancement of the pacemaker rhythm across the network is the strongest if the degree of the pacemaker neuron is lowest. This is because the dissipation of the localized rhythm is contained to the few directly linked neurons, and only afterwards, through the secondary neurons, it propagates further. If the pacemaker neuron has a high degree, then its rhythm is simply too weak to excite all the neighboring neurons, and propagation therefore fails.     

Invitro digestion and absorption efficiency of homogenised milk lipids

The effects of homogenisation, heat treatment and their order on in vitro gastric/pancreatic digestions, and in vitro absorption of milk lipids, expressed as free fatty acids, were investigated. Milk, cream or mixture of homogenised/heat‐treated cream and skim milk were subjected to gastric digestion at pH 2 or 6, followed by pancreatic digestion and cell absorption by CaCo‐2 cells. Heat treatment after or prior to homogenisation affected in vitro digestion efficiencies of milk lipids. The presence of milk proteins led to reductions in the levels of gastric/pancreatic digestion of homogenised milk lipids. Absorption of FFA was not affected by gastric digestion pH.