Flow patterns in granulating systems

Particle flow patterns were investigated for wet granulation and dry powder mixing in ploughshare mixers using Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT). In a 4-l mixer, calcium carbonate with mean size 45 μm was granulated using a 50 wt.% solution of glycerol and water as binding fluid, and particle movement was followed using a 600-μm calcium hydroxy-phosphate tracer particle. In a 20-l mixer, dry powder flow was studied using a 600-μm resin bead tracer particle to simulate the bulk polypropylene powder with mean size 600 μm. Important differences were seen between particle flow patterns for wet and dry systems. Particle speed relative to blade speed was lower in the wet system than in the dry system, with the ratios of average particle speed to blade tip speed for all experiments in the range 0.01–0.25. In the axial plane, the same particle motion was observed around each blade; this provides a significant advance for modelling flow in ploughshare mixers. For the future, a detailed understanding of the local velocity, acceleration and density variations around a plough blade will reveal the effects of flow patterns in granulating systems on the resultant distribution of granular product attributes such as size, density and strength.     

Evolving knowledge for the solution of clustering problems in cellular manufacturing

Hierarchical clustering has been widely used for the solution of problems in the area of cellular manufacturing. Hierarchical clustering procedures utilize coefficients that quantify the level of similarity between pairs of machines or parts in the plant. An evolutionary methodology is proposed for the construction of new similarity coefficients that can be used by standard hierarchical clustering methodologies for the solution of cell-formation problems. A typical application is presented for the simplest case of the cell-formation problem. However, alternative similarity coefficients can be evolved for advanced formulations of the problem by suitably modifying the set of fitness cases that constitute the environment of the evolutionary process.     

Wind vs. wind tunnel: The aerodynamics of the inlet for NASA's new,very large,nonreturn-flow facility

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is currently modifying the 40- by 80-foot subsonic wind tunnel at Ames Research Center. This modified facility will go a long way toward meeting the projected need for improvements in the capabilities of ground-based aeronautical facilities. A major concern during design development has been the effect of the external wind on the quality (uniformity) of the flow in the test section of the new open-return test circuit. Wind-effects studies on model wind tunnels have developed a relatively complex inlet treatment which should assure good test-section flow quality under most wind conditions. However, the experimental program, coupled with on-site wind measurements, has also demonstrated that even a minimum treatment can ensure adequate testing capabilities in the presence of the prevailing local winds, and that test programs will not be significantly affected.     

Managing the demand for vascular surgery: the imperative, the opportunity

Determination of ascorbic acid (AA) in food was performed by column liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection using an eluent (100 mM KH2PO4 (pH 3) with 1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium dihydrate) for pre-run sample stabilization. The applied potential was set at 400 mV vs. an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The proposed method was simple, rapid (analysis time: ca. 8 min), sensitive (detection limit: ca. 0.5 ng per injection (20 microliters) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3), highly selective and reproducible [relative standard deviation: ca. 1.8% (n = 5)]. The calibration graph for AA was linear in the range 0.1-16 ng per injection (20 microliters). Recovery of AA was over 90% by the standard addition method.     

A computer-controlled variable light attenuator for protection and autoranging of a laser-induced fluorescence detector for capillary zone electrophoresis

Photodetectors have a limited range over which they can measure light intensities for any particular setting. The intensity of light reaching the detector can be kept within this range by using a liquid crystal variable light attenuator controlled by a computer that continuously checks the amount of light reaching the detector and adjusts the attenuation to an appropriate level. Using such a system we have constructed an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera-based detector with a dynamic range of over six orders of magnitude which is never exposed to damaging or saturating light levels.     

Optimized design of wastewater treatment systems: Application to the mechanical pulp and paper industry: I. Design and cost relationships

Four different end-of-pipe waste-treatment processes applicable to mechanical pulp and paper manufacture were modelled. Calculated costs for an average mill were capital $34–$44 million, operating cost $3.5–$6 million/year and discounted (10 years) $60–$85 million. Compared with mill reported values, capital and operating costs of activated sludge treatment (AST) were higher by 17 and 29%, respectively; those for aerated stabilization basin (ASB) were higher by 27 and 180%. Major variables affecting the costs were BOD and TSS levels and the wastewater-to-pulp ratio. It was concluded that ASB is more economical than AST and that anaerobic treatment plus AST could be advantageous at high BOD levels.     

Multicell CDMA network design

Traditional design rules for cellular networks are not directly applicable to code division multiple access (CDMA) networks where intercell interference is not mitigated by cell placement and careful frequency planning. For transmission quality requirements, a minimum signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) must be achieved. The base-station location, its pilot-signal power (which determines the size of the cell), and the transmission power of the mobiles all affect the received SIR. In addition, because of the need for power control in CDMA networks, large cells can cause a lot of interference to adjacent small cells, posing another constraint to design. In order to maximize the network capacity associated with a design, we develop a methodology to calculate the sensitivity of capacity to base-station location, pilot-signal power, and transmission power of each mobile. To alleviate the problem caused by different cell sizes, we introduce the power compensation factor, by which the nominal power of the mobiles in every cell is adjusted. We then use the calculated sensitivities in an iterative algorithm to determine the optimal locations of the base stations, pilot-signal powers, and power compensation factors in order to maximize the capacity. We show examples of how networks using these design techniques provide higher capacity than those designed using traditional techniques     

Modelling and validation of granulation with heterogeneous binder dispersion and chemical reaction

In this paper a multidimensional model for binder granulation is presented. The particles undergo different transformations such as coalescence, compaction, and breakage. Further chemical reaction in the granules is taken into account in order to incorporate binder solidification which is observed to be a significant transformation in many industrial applications. The equations of the model framework are solved numerically with a direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) algorithm. In addition to the comparison between experiment and simulation, the model framework also enables the study of critical parameters in binder granulation such as reaction rate (solidification of binder) and size of the added binder droplets, which demonstrates its promising potential.