Regime transition in viscous and pseudo viscous systems: A comparative study

A comprehensive quantitative study on the effect of liquid viscosity (1 ≤ µ_L ≤ 1149 mPa‐s) on the local flow phenomena of the gas phase in a small diameter bubble column is performed using ultrafast electron beam X‐ray tomography. The internal dynamic flow structure and the bubble size distribution shows a dual role of the liquid viscosity on the hydrodynamics. Further, the effect of solid concentration (C_s = 0.05, 0.20) on the local flow behavior of the gas phase is studied for the pseudo slurry viscosities similar to the liquid viscosities of the gas–liquid systems. The effects of liquid and pseudo slurry viscosities on flow structure, bubble size distribution, and gas phase distribution are compared. The bubble coalescence is significantly enhanced with the addition of particles as compared to the system without particles for apparently same viscosity. The superficial gas velocity at which transition from homogeneous bubbly to slug flow regime occurs is initiated by the addition of particles as compared to the particle free system for apparently same viscosity. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 3079–3090, 2014     

Higher Hydrocarbon Production through Oxidative Coupling of Methane Combined with Hydrogenation of Carbon Oxides

In the production of higher hydrocarbons, combining oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) with hydrogenation of the formed carbon oxides in a separate reactor provides an alternative to the currently applied methane conversion to syngas followed by Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis. The effects of CH₄:O₂ feed ratio in the OCM reactor and partial pressures of H₂ or/and H₂O in the hydrogenation reactor were analyzed to maximize production of C₂₊ hydrocarbons and reduce CO_x formation. The highest C₂₊ yield was achieved with low CH₄:O₂ feed ratio for OCM and removal of the formed water before entering the hydrogenation reactor.     

Powder coating of veneered particle board surfaces by hot pressing

The powder coating of veneered particle boards by the sequence electrostatic powder application – powder curing via hot pressing is studied in order to create high gloss surfaces. To obtain an appealing aspect, veneer sheets were glued by heat and pressure on top of particle boards and the resulting surfaces were used as carrier substrates for powder coat finishing. Prior to the powder coating, the veneered particle board surfaces were pre-treated by sanding to obtain good uniformity and the boards were stored in a climate chamber at controlled temperature and humidity conditions to adjust an appropriate electrical surface resistance. Characterization of surface texture was done by 3D microscopy. The surface electrical resistance was measured for the six veneers before and after their application on the particle board surface. A transparent powder top-coat was applied electrostatically onto the veneered particle board surface. Curing of the powder was done using a heated press at 130 °C for 8 min and a smooth, glossy coating was obtained on the veneered surfaces. By applying different amounts of powder the coating thickness could be varied and the optimum amount of powder was determined for each veneer type.     

A New Access to Piperidino-cyclopiperidinecarboxamides – constrained analogues of a pharmaceutical used diaminic building block

6-Piperidino-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-6-carboxamide diastereomers 1a and 2a represent conformationally rigid analogues of 3a which is a building block in some pharmaceutical compounds. A new access to these compounds 1a and 2a was found via the cleavage of bicyclic N,N-acetal 6 with hydrocyanic acid as the stereodetermining step. Reaction of derivatives 1a and 2a with bromodiphenyl-butyronitrile 14 gave cyclopiritramide isomers 1c and 2c , respectively. Qualitative preliminary investigations showed different affinities of 1c and 2c to the opiate-μ receptor. These results were discussed on the basis of an X-ray structural analysis of cyclopiritramide isomer 2c . 1-Benzylcyclopiperidine derivatives 1d and 2d were used as model systems for studying the conformation of cyclopiritramide isomer 1c and 2c , respectively.     

ER Stress in ERp57 Knockout Knee Joint Chondrocytes Induces Osteoarthritic Cartilage Degradation and Osteophyte Formation

Ageing or obesity are risk factors for protein aggregation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of chondrocytes. This condition is called ER stress and leads to induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR), which, depending on the stress level, restores normal cell function or initiates apoptotic cell death. Here the role of ER stress in knee osteoarthritis (OA) was evaluated. It was first tested in vitro and in vivo whether a knockout (KO) of the protein disulfide isomerase ERp57 in chondrocytes induces sufficient ER stress for such analyses. ER stress in ERp57 KO chondrocytes was confirmed by immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. Knee joints of wildtype (WT) and cartilage-specific ERp57 KO mice (ERp57 cKO) were analyzed by indentation-type atomic force microscopy (IT-AFM), toluidine blue, and immunofluorescence/-histochemical staining. Apoptotic cell death was investigated by a TUNEL assay. Additionally, OA was induced via forced exercise on a treadmill. ER stress in chondrocytes resulted in a reduced compressive stiffness of knee cartilage. With ER stress, 18-month-old mice developed osteoarthritic cartilage degeneration with osteophyte formation in knee joints. These degenerative changes were preceded by apoptotic death in articular chondrocytes. Young mice were not susceptible to OA, even when subjected to forced exercise. This study demonstrates that ER stress induces the development of age-related knee osteoarthritis owing to a decreased protective function of the UPR in chondrocytes with increasing age, while apoptosis increases. Therefore, inhibition of ER stress appears to be an attractive therapeutic target for OA.     

Diazoverbindungen. 72. (Diazoalkyl)phosphane – Synthese durch elektrophile Diazoalkansubstitution und oxidative Additionsreaktionen am Phosphor

Diazo Compounds. 72. Diazoalkylphosphanes – Synthesis by Electrophilic Diazoalkane Substitution and Oxidative Addition Reactions at Phosphorus Electrophilic diazoalkane substitution of the diazomethyl compounds 1a,b with the chloro phosphanes 2a-o in the presence of lithium diethylamide yields the diazoalkyl phosphanes 3a-z . Oxidative addition of oxygen, sulfur and selenium at phosphorus leads into the series of oxo, thioxo and selenoxo phosphanes having diazoalkyl substituents ( 4a-d, 5a-m and 7a-d ). The silyl group of 5n,o is cleaved by chromatography on aluminium oxide to yield the (diazomethyl)phosphane sulfides 6a,b .     

Measurements of the Refractive Index Increment on Hydroxyethyl Starch as a Basis for Absolute Molecular Weight Determinations

Solutions of hydroxyethyl starch are used as a blood plasma substitute. If their physiological efficiency is to be optimized, they need to be accurately characterized in terms of their molecular weight and its distribution. The absolute determination of molecular weight and molecular weight distribution by means of light scattering require a knowledge of the refractive index increment. Although numerous investigations of the refractive index increment of hydroxyethyl starch have already been published, the results vary significantly due to the use of different samples and the choice of different measuring parameters. There was therefore an urgent need to examine the extent to which the refractive index increment depends on molecular parameters, the experimental method used and the type of processing. Here it was found that different sample preparations result in different contents of solid matter, so that an exact determination of the quantity is required. Hydroxyethyl starches in the molecular weight range of about Mw = 200.000 g/mol and varying degrees of substitution between DS 0.38 and 0.50 which are regarded as optimal for clinical use give a refractive index increment of dn/dc^633nm = 0.146 = 0.005 cm³/g (solvent: H₂O/0.02% NaN₃; T = 25°C).