Application of a Three-dimensional Wind Driven Circulation Model to Assess the Locations of New Drinking Water Intakes in Lake Ontario

A 3D transport model is used to perform a comparative analysis of several potential drinking water intakes located along the northwest shore of Lake Ontario between Toronto and Oshawa. The model is specifically used to assess each intake under both long- and short-term transport of a potential pollutant release from the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station and potential and actual pollutant releases from local land sources respectively. A model based on a 500 m grid resolution is calibrated using data collected in the aftermath of the 1992 tritium spill at the Pickering Nuclear Generation Station and subsequently used to simulate long-term transport. A model based on a 100 m grid resolution is verified using drogue studies and used to simulate short-term transport events. Both models are used to assess pollutant levels at each of nine potential intake locations under different wind scenarios and pollutant releases. Field data for the study included water quality and flow measurements from local sewers and rivers, and estimates of pollutant levels from the local waste water treatment plants. This paper describes the model setup for both the long-term and short-term transport models, calibration using field data, long-term transport modeling, short-term transport modeling, and the comprehensive analysis approach used to evaluate the nine potential intake locations proposed. Results indicated that four intakes in particular outperformed other intake locations by maintaining bottom pollutant levels within governmental standards and warning times that exceeded 20 hours.     

A Mass Transport Model for Drying Wood under Isothermal Conditions

Mass transport in wood during drying can have different mechanisms at different periods of drying. Depending on the current moisture content (MC) and the structure of the wood, the driving forces for the mass transport are essentially different. Above the fiber saturation point (FSP), the lumens are partially saturated and the transport of liquid (free) water occurs as a consequence of capillary action. On the other hand, below the FSP, bound water within the cell walls is conveyed by diffusion, and water vapor in the lumens moves under influence of pressures gradient. Based on these considerations, a unified model is presented that takes into account the transport of the different moisture phases. Simulation of the drying of a Norway spruce sample at 50°C from about 135 to 7% MC is carried out using the finite element method (FEM). Comparison between the simulated average MC and the experimental observations obtained from X-ray computed tomography (CT) shows reasonable agreement. Possible simplifications in the model are briefly discussed as well as some aspects of the numerical implementation. Finally, the influence of absolute permeability on the average MC is studied.     

VERIFICATION AND COMPARISON OF FORMULAS FOR BED LOAD TRANSPORT

1 .　ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＴｈｅｂｅｄｌｏａｄｔｒａｎｓｐｏｒｔｈａｓｂｅｅｎｅｘｔｅｎｓｉｖｅｌｙｓｔｕｄｉｅｄｉｎｔｈｅｐａｓｔｆｅｗｄｅｃａｄｅｓａｎｄｍａｎｙｆｏｒｍｕｌａｓｆｏｒｐｒｅｄｉｃｔｉｎｇｂｅｄｌｏａｄｔｒａｎｓｐｏｒｔｒａｔｅｈａｖｅｂｅｅｎｐｒｅｓｅｎｔｅｄ(Ｅｉｎｓｔｅｉｎ 1950 ;Ｍｅｙｅｒ Ｐｅｔｅｒ 194 8;Ｂａｇｎｏｌｄ 1973;Ｅｎｇｅｌｕｎｄ 1976;Ｙａｌｉｎ 1972 ;Ｓａｍａｇａ 1986;ａｎｄＫａｒｉｍ 1998) .Ｗｈｅｎａｐｐｌｉｅｄｔｏｓｔｒｅａｍｓｗｉｔｈｐａｒｔｉａｌ…     

Lateral space-charge effects on ballistic electron transport across graded heterojunctions

Hot electron transport across graded compound semiconductor heterojunctions has been explored using a two-dimensional formulation of the self-consistent ensemble Monte Carlo method. The Al_xGa_1-xAs/GaAs heterojunction imbedded into a vertical field effect transistor with two ohmic contacts (source, drain) and two lateral Schottky gates has been used as an example. Lateral space charges modulated by the gates are shown to control ballistic injection of electrons over the heterojunction under steady state conditions. The transient response to a gate pulse is found to be determined by carrier transit from the heavily doped source contact region into the channel. A conceptual one-dimensional section model is used to explain the Monte Carlo results.     

Non-contact methods of measuring moisture concentration in external layers of building partitions: III—Water vapour condensation on the cementitious surfaces

This paper presents the results of the larger study into a potential application of laser radiation for the detection of phase transition processes in low temperatures occurring on the surface layers of cementitious materials. An attempt was made to identify relationships between the environmental conditions—temperature and air humidity, and the selected parameters of the reflected light. Onset of the condensation process and formation of water microdrops on the surface of the material leads to the phase displacement of individual laser rays, which are represented by different speckle images.

Although the analysis of parameters of the reflected light are very difficult in the case of porous materials because of highly developed roughness of the surface structure it has been proved that a dynamic study of the phase transition phenomena can be successfully carried out without mechanical intervention.     

Kinetochemical and morphological differentiation of ettringites by the Le Chatelier-Anstett test

In this research, former XRD experiments have been verified by Le Chatelier-Ansttet (L-A) test. For this purpose, 28 cements consisting of 7 Portland cements and 21 blended cements containing 20%, 30% and 40% metakaolin have been submitted to the Le Chatelier-Anstett (L-A) test for 2 years. With all these cements, L-A specimens were manufactured and a direct parameter was measured for these specimens: increase in diameter, Δ∅, or diameter growth. Other complementary determinations were chemical analysis, XDA patterns and SEM of ettringites and specific properties of some cements tested. The experimental results have borne out that the formation rate of the ettringite formed from the reactive alumina, Al₂O₃^r−, present in pozzolans must be considerably higher than the formation rate of the ettringite from C₃A and much higher than the ettringite from C₄AF, both present in OPC. Owing to this, these ettringites were proposed being named “rapid formation” (ett-rf), “slow formation” (ett-lf) and “very slow formation” (ett-vlf) ettringites, respectively. On the other hand, these experimental results have also shown that the ett-rf has a much smaller size than the ett-lf (this is a direct consequence of the aforementioned conclusion); that almost all the alumina, Al₂O₃, present in M pozzolan must be regarded as being “reactive,” Al₂O₃^r−, or at least, the greatest part; that the detrimental effects derived from gypsum attack are shown much earlier in these POZC than in their plain OPC and, to such an extent, that this aggressive action can be described as rapid gypsum attack; and that none of the 21 POZC tested can be described as high nor moderate sulphate resistant cements according to L-A test.     

Simulation of water and nitrogen dynamics in soils during wastewater applications by using a finite-element model

A mathematical model was developed to simulate water movement, mass transport, and nitrogen transformations in soils during wastewater applications. The model is one-dimensional and based on the Galerkin finite-element method. The submodel of mass transport of nitrogen incorporates the convection-dispersion processes of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen, nitrification, denitrification, ammonium exchange and uptake of ammonium and nitrate ions. The accuracy and validity of the proposed model was examined by comparison with an explicit-implicit finite-difference model results. The model was used for simulation of water and nitrogen dynamics during wastewater application in homogeneous and multi-layered soils under different N concentration, rate, duration and scheduling of application.     

Non-contact methods of measuring moisture concentration in external layers of building partitions II—Monitoring of the water vapour condensation on porous surfaces

This paper present the results of the investigation into a potential application of laser radiation for the detection of phase transition processes occurring on the surface layers of porous materials. An attempt was made to discuss in the approximation equations, the relationships between coefficients of the reflected light, the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment. Laser light reflected from the porous surface carries information about the roughness of the structure. The presence of water microdrop on the surface of the porous material, as a result of condensation and thus a phase transition, leads to the phase displacement of individual rays, which is represented by different images. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the reflected light parameters allows a dynamic study of the phase transition phenomena without mechanical intervention.     

Extension of the QUASAR River-Water Quality Model to Unsteady Flow Conditions

A modification of the well-known water-quality model 'quality simulation along river systems'(QUASAR) is presented in order to extend its ability, so that it may be considered applicable under unsteady-flow conditions. An aggregated dead-zone travel-time parameter, based on (a) the kinematic wave velocity (celerity) of the flow wave and (b) the behaviour of the solute within so-called 'dead zones', has been incorporated into the existing model formulation. This extends the current continuously-stirred tank reactor-based model process to account for the behaviour of solute under unsteady-flow conditions. The enhanced water-quality model has been validated by application to the Colorado River.     

Isolation and preliminary characterization of Pichia pinus mutants insensitive to glucose repression

A new method for the isolation of glucose repression-insensitive mutants in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pinus was developed. The method is based on screening of small suspension samples derived from 2-deoxyglucose-resistant colonies for alcohol oxidase activity. Alcohol oxidase activity was evaluated by determination of formaldehyde excreted by cells. Mutants with glucose non-repressible alcohol oxidase and catalase synthesis were obtained. All mutants grew poorly on D -xylose compared to the wild type, whereas growth on L -arabinose was similar to the wild type. Changes in the glucose transport system were suggested to be responsible for altered growth characteristics and defective glucose repression.