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.     

A numerical model for induction heating processes coupling electromagnetism and thermomechanics

This paper presents a mathematical and numerical model developed for coupling the various physical phenomena (electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical) taking place in axisymmetrical induction heating processes. All three electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical models are time dependent and take full account of the electromagnetic and thermal non‐linear effect especially with magnetic materials. The electromagnetic problem is discretized and solved in the workpiece, air and inductors. The heat transfer equation and the mechanical equilibrium equations are solved in the workpiece only, both using a finite element method. The mechanical model can take into account thermoelastic–plastic behaviour for the part. The model has been successfully applied to several cases of induction heating. Comparisons between numerical and experimental results show an excellent agreement. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Trace element evaporation during coal gasification based on a thermodynamic equilibrium calculation approach

Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations using the HSC-Chemistry program were performed to determine the distribution and mode of occurrence of potentially toxic and corrosive trace elements in gases from coal gasification processes. The influence of temperature, pressure and gas atmospheres on equilibrium composition was evaluated. In these reducing conditions, the behaviour of the trace elements is complex, but some form of organization can be attempted. Elements were classified into three groups. Group A includes those elements that, according to thermodynamic data at equilibrium, could probably be condensed in coal gasification. Mn is classified in this group. Group B contains those elements that could be totally or partially in gas phase in gas cleaning conditions, and can be divided into two subgroups, depending on whether the cleaning conditions are hot or cold. Co, Be, Sb, As, Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni, V, Cr are elements in this group. Group C contains those elements that could be totally in gas phase in all the possible conditions, including flue gas emissions. Se, Hg and B are the elements that make up this group.     

Study of trace elements in coal and mining wastes and its significance in China

In the world energy about 26% of all was dedved from coal combustion. Nearly 80% of the electricity produced in China is generated from coal. Coal will play the most important role in the coming 50 years as the past century in China. However one consequentially of the mining and combustion of coal is the mobilization of trace elements, especially trace metals, which have environmental and human health significance. Information on concentrations and distributions of potentially toxic elements in coal, and information On the modes of occurrence of these elements and the relations of the minerals in coal can help to predict the behavior of the potentially toxic trace metals dudng cleaning, combustion, weathering, and leaching.     

FEM model of the ohmic resistance of IP-SOFCs

In the present work, the ohmic resistance of an integrated planar-SOFC (IP-SOFC) has been evaluated by developing a model whose equations have been solved numerically through an FEM method. The model allows to estimate the distribution of voltage and current density in the cell. A comparison between simulated and experimental data of area specific resistance is reported, which shows satisfactory agreement. The mathematical model has also been used to carry out some parametric studies for optimisation purposes. Indeed, a reduction in cell pitch length and an increase in electrode thickness are predicted to lead to a reduction in ohmic losses in IP-SOFCs.     

Prediction of the effects on dynamic response due to distributed structural modification with additional degrees of freedom

The aim of this study is to investigate means of efficiently assessing the effects of distributed structural modification on the dynamic properties of a complex structure. The dynamic properties of the modified structure can be determined by experimental testing or numerical simulation, both of which are complex, expensive and time-consuming. Assuming that the original dynamic characteristics are already established and that the modification is a relatively simple attachment, the modified dynamic properties may be determined numerically without solving the equations of motion of the full-modified structure. The frequency response functions (FRFs) of the modified structure can be computed by coupling the original FRFs and a delta dynamic stiffness matrix for the modification introduced. The validity of this approach is investigated by applying it to a cantilever beam to which a smaller beam is attached as modification. The original FRFs were obtained experimentally as well as numerically. The delta dynamic stiffness matrix was determined numerically by modeling the attachment and part of the original structure including the attachment points. The FRFs of the modified beam were then computed. Good agreement is obtained by comparing the results to the FRFs of the modified beam determined experimentally as well as by numerical modeling of the complete modified structure.     

用αβ谱仪测量人工αβ放射性气溶胶体积活度的试验研究

本文介绍了用αβ谱仪系统同时测量αβ谱、实现Ｒｎ／Ｔｈ子体补偿、确定超铀α核素气溶胶体积活度及人工放射性气溶胶总β体积活度的技术途径。利用ＲａＡ、ＲａＣ′ａ峰的二段时间计数可确定空气中ＲａＡ、ＲａＢ、ＲａＣ的气溶胶体积活度，相应的，也能给出ＲａＢ、ＲａＣ对总β计数的贡献。根据一般环境条件下的平衡比，用ＴｈＣ′的。计数修正Ｔｈ子体对αβ测量的影响。￣［２３９］ｐｕ或／和￣［２４１］Ａｍ人工核素的α计数，可通过两段时间分别扣除ＲａＡ、ＲａＣ′拖尾的方法确定；β计数分别扣除Ｒｎ／Ｔｈ子体β贡献即可确定。在本文规定的测量条件下，对室内天然Ｒｎ子体水平在１５Ｂｑ／ｍ￣３以下，超铀α核素气溶胶体积活度的测量下限可达到０．１Ｂｑ／ｍ￣３；即使在７５Ｂｑ／ｍ￣３环境下，人工核素总β的测量下限也可达ｌＢｑ／ｍ￣３以下。     

碳化硅加热元件的电性能和使用

本文介绍碳化硅加热元件的电特性、表面负荷以及工作气氛对它的影响，并对它设计和使用要点举例予以说明。     

Mortar finite element discretization for the flow in a nonhomogeneous porous medium

Darcy’s equations model the flow of a viscous incompressible fluid in a rigid porous medium. One of the parameters of the system depends on the permeability of the medium and, when this medium is not homogeneous, the variations of the parameter could be very high. To handle this phenomenon, we propose a discretization of the model that relies on the mortar finite element method. Indeed, the idea is to construct a decomposition of the domain such that the permeability is constant on each element of the partition and to use independent meshes on the different subdomains. We perform the a priori and a posteriori analysis of this discretization and present some numerical experiments which are in good coherency with the results of the analysis.     

The distribution of nutrient elements in cell wall and other fractions of the herbage of some grasses and legumes

The distribution of 10 nutrient elements was assessed in three fractions of herbage samples of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, white clover and lucerne. The cell wall fraction, prepared by mechanical disintegration of undried material, contained the following proportions of the total herbage content of the major elements: N, 2.9–16.4%; P, 3.0–6.9%; S, 3.6–17.2%; Ca, 11.3–51.8%; Mg. 6.4–27.6% and K, 0.1–1.7%. Substantial though more variable proportions of the trace element cations, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu were also present in the cell wall fraction. The extent to which the elements were soluble in water was assessed by analysis of the water-insoluble fraction prepared from freeze-dried samples of each herbage. The proportions of the total herbage content of the major elements soluble in water were: N, 30–57%; P, 80–92%; S, 35–71%; Ca, 48–69%; Mg. 65–83% and K, 90–96%. With the trace element cations the proportions soluble in water were more variable, though they were generally less than 70% of the total. The extent to which the various elements were soluble in 80% aqueous ethanol was assessed by analysis of the insoluble fraction prepared from freeze-dried materials. With each of the major elements, smaller proportions of the total herbage content were soluble in 80% ethanol than in water, which may reflect in part the lower solubility of proteins and pectin. With the trace element cations, the differences in solubility between 80% ethanol and water were generally small and inconsistent.