Comparison of activities in selective catalytic reduction of NOx by C3H8 over Co/MFI, Fe/MFI, and H/MFI zeolite catalysts

The Co/MFI(SiO₂/Al₂O₃ = 30) were prepared by a precipitation method with NaOCl in alkali solutions exhibited high activities to N₂ at 250 °C for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO_x. These catalysts showed two UV–vis bands at 700 and 400 nm, indicating the presence of octahedral Co(III) as well as tetrahedral Co(II). The high SCR activity over such Co(III, II)/MFI(30) seems to come from Co(III)---O moieties. The Co(II)MFI(30) catalysts prepared from Co(II)Cl₂ exhibited low SCR activities due to the presence of tetrahedral Co(II) ions in MFI. Less CO formation occurred over Co/MFI catalysts. The Fe/MFI(30) catalyst exhibited high activity due to the presence of some Fe---O species in MFI but more amount of CO were produced during SCR. H/MFI(30) catalyst exhibited a good SCR activity. However, more amount of carbonaceous deposits were produced on it. The correlation between acid concentration and SCR activity was discussed over H/MFIs.     

Resistive superconducting transition of κ-type BEDT-TTF organic superconductors in a magnetic field

The superconducting transition of the organic compoundsκ-(BEDT-TTF)₂ X is studied by resistive measurement in a magnetic field up to 10 T applied normal to the conducting plane. For the salts withX=Cu[N(CN)₂]Br andX=CuCN[N(CN)₂] the transition shows fanshaped broadening caused by superconductivity fluctuation. For theX=Cu(NCS)₂ salt the resistivity shows a peak in the transition region in a magnetic field below 4 T.This phenomenon is suppressed in defect-reduced samples for intralayer conduction. We discuss this peak in relation to the thermal fluctuation on the Josephson junction structures in this salt.     

Heat transfer enhancement by Marangoni convection in the NH3–H2O absorption process

The objectives of this paper are to quantify the effect of Marangini convection on the absorption performance for the ammonia–water absorption process, and to visualize Marangoni convection that is induced by adding a heat transfer additive, n-octanol. A real-time single-wavelength holographic interferometer is used for the visualization using a He–Ne gas laser. The interface temperature is always the highest due to the absorption heat release near the interface. It was found that the thermal boundary layer (TBL) increased faster than the diffusion boundary layer (DBL), and the DBL thickness increased by adding the heat transfer additive. At 5 s after absorption started, the DBL thickness for 5 mass% NH₃ without and with the heat transfer additive was 3.0 and 4.5 mm, respectively. Marangoni convection was observed near the interface only in the cases with heat transfer additive. The Marangoni convection was very strong just after the absorption started and it weakened as time elapsed. It was concluded that the absorption performance could be improved by increasing the absorption driving potential (x_vb−x_vi) and by increasing the heat transfer additive concentration. The absorption heat transfer was enhanced as high as 3.0–4.6 times by adding the heat transfer additive that generated Marangoni convection.     

Radiative ignition mechanism of solid fuels

Transmittance of external radiation from a CO₂ laser through a boundary layer of decomposition products over a vertical sample surface is measured during the ignition period. The results indicate that there is significant absorption of the external radiation for PMMA, and a lesser but still not negligible amount, for red oak. An increase in gas phase temperature over surface temperature is observed over much of the ignition interval. Using the experimentally measured incident flux at the sample surface, surface temperature history was calculated from a model that included re-radiation and convection losses from the surface, endothermic decomposition and conduction into the material. The results confirm the significant effect of gas phase absorption on surface temperature. Steady-state-derived surface regression rate expression was used for PMMA in this model. The results raise questions about the validity of such data for the dynamic heating conditions during the ignition period. Further studies needed to understand the radiative ignition mechanism are identified.     

Numerical analysis of wave-type heat transfer propagating in a thin foil irradiated by short-pulsed laser

This paper presents a numerical simulation of wave-type heat transfer phenomena propagating in an aluminum thin foil irradiated by a pulsed laser using the cubic interpolated propagation method coupled with a thermo-convective model. We did not use the two-step model and dual-phase lag model, which are generally known as the non-Fourier heat conduction law, but wave-type heat transfer phenomena could be observed by our method. The main characteristic of the method is to solve the governing equation including the equation of continuity, the equation of motion, the equation of energy and the equation of state. It is found that when the pulse duration is under the order of picosecond, the pure heat conduction is hardly observed and heat transfer toward the inside of materials occurs only by a thermal shock wave. The heat conduction mode after pulse laser irradiation is strongly dependent upon the value of total incident laser energy density E_in and the threshold value for pure heat conduction is 5.0 × 10⁴ J/m² for an aluminum.     

Wave drift force in a two-layer fluid of finite depth

Based on the momentum and energy conservation principles, a compact calculation formula is analytically derived for the wave-drift force on a 2-D body floating in a two-layer fluid of finite depth. In a two-layer fluid, two different wave modes (the surface-wave mode with longer wavelength and the internal-wave mode with shorter wavelength) exist not only in the incident wave but also in the body-scattered wave, and these wave characteristics are properly incorporated in the obtained formula. It is noted that, unlike the single-layer case, the wave-drift force can be negative in the incident wave of surface-wave mode, if the transmitted wave with internal-wave mode is large. Numerical computations are implemented for a Lewis-form body by means of the boundary-integral-equation method with Green’s function for the two-layer fluid problem. The effects of density ratio, interface position, and body motions on the wave-drift force are studied, and some important features are found for two-layer fluids.     

Carrying capacity and vulnerability of four Asian lakes: A comparative study

To present axes for evaluating the water resources, lake environment and water use in a lake and its watershed, a comparative study was done for four East Asian lakes; lake Kasumigaura (Japan), Lake Laguna (Philippines), Lake Songkhla (Thailand) and Lake Dianchi (China). Two axes were then determined from the relationship between: (1) water use and water supply rate, and (2) water use and water quality. To clarify the meanings ‘carrying capacity’ and ‘vulnerability’, the maximum population density in the lake basin and total nitrogen concentration in the lake water were calculated and discussed to decide the direction of environmentally sound management of the drainage basin.     

The elimination of hepatitis B virus infection: changing seroepidemiology of hepatitis A and B virus infection in Okinawa, Japan over a 26-year period

Serial changes in hepatitis A virus (HAV) and B virus (HBV) markers were determined from 1970 to 1996 in healthy Japanese residents of a rural area of Okinawa, Japan. All 190 serum samples taken in 1970, 791 in 1980, 708 in 1988, and 523 in 1996 from residents 0 to more than 60 years of age were tested for antibody to HAV (anti-HAV), antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The age-adjusted prevalences of anti-HAV and anti-HBc decreased significantly from 83.9% and 74.9%, respectively, in 1970 to 39.7% and 36.6%, respectively, in 1996. In residents < or = 29 years of age, the prevalences of anti-HAV and anti-HBc decreased significantly from 65.3% and 83.8%, respectively, in 1970 to 0.7% and 8.2%, respectively, in 1996. The age-adjusted HBsAg prevalence decreased significantly from 8.2% in 1980 to 4.1% in 1988. These results indicate that exposure to HAV and HBV infections among Okinawa residents less than 29 years of age is decreasing, probably because of improvements in socioeconomic conditions since 1970. Infection with HBV may be eliminated there in the near future.     

INFLUENCE OF DESIGN AND OPERATING CONDITIONS ON THE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE OF A TWO-STAGE ADSORPTION CHILLER

This article aims at clarifying the possible design and operating conditions for silica gel-water adsorption refrigeration cycles driven by near-ambient temperature waste heat sources (between 45 and 75°C) with relatively small regenerating temperature lifts (15 to 45 K). A two-stage silica gel-water advanced adsorption chiller is introduced and a simulation model of the chiller was developed to analyze the influence of operating and design conditions on the system performance (coefficient of performance, COP, and cooling capacity). It was hypothesized that the proposed chiller can be driven by low temperature waste heat at 55°C to produce effective cooling. Simulation results show that the operating conditions such as cycle time and hot and cooling water inlet temperature have an influential effect on cooling capacity and COP. COP is proportional to cycle time and heat transfer coefficient as well as inversely proportional to the cooling water inlet temperature, while there are optimum values of hot water temperature and silica gel weight for maximum COP. Cooling capacity mainly improves with the addition of silica gel weight and decreases as cooling water temperature increases. Simulation results also revealed that the system performance can be improved significantly by setting the design and operating conditions optimally.