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Char
Kinds of Char Terms modified by Char Selected AbstractsEVIDENCE FOR HISTORICAL INTROGRESSION ALONG A CONTACT ZONE BETWEEN TWO SPECIES OF CHAR (PISCES: SALMONIDAE) IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH AMERICAEVOLUTION, Issue 5 2002Z. Redenbach Abstract Phylogeographic analyses can yield valuable insights into the geographic and historical contexts of contact and hybridization between taxa. Two species of char (Salmonidae), Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) and bull trout (S. confluentus) have largely parapatric distributions in watersheds of northwestern North America. They are, however, sympatric in several localities and hybridization and some introgression occurs across a broad area of contact. We conducted a comparative phylogenetic analysis of Dolly Varden and bull trout to gain a historical perspective of hybridization between these species and to test for footprints of historical introgression. We resolved two major Dolly Varden mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) clades (with 1.4,2.2% sequence divergence between haplotypes) that had different geographical distributions. Clade N is distributed across most of the range of Dolly Varden, from southern British Columbia through to the Kuril Islands in Asia. Clade S had a much more limited distribution, from Washington state, at the southern limit of the Dolly Varden range, to the middle of Vancouver Island. The distribution and inferred ages of the mtDNA clades suggested that Dolly Varden survived the Wisconsinan glaciation in a previously unsuspected refuge south of the ice sheet, and that Dolly Varden and bull trout were probably in continuous contact over most of the last 100,000 years. When bull trout were included in the phylogenetic analysis, however, the mtDNA of neither species was monophyletic: Clade S Dolly Varden clustered within the bull trout mtDNA clade. This pattern was discordant with two nuclear phylogenies produced (growth hormone 2 and rRNA internal transcribed sequence 1), in which Dolly Varden and bull trout were reciprocally monophyletic. This discordance between mtDNA- and nDNA-based phylogenies indicates that historical introgression of bull trout mtDNA into Dolly Varden occurred. Percent sequence divergence within these introgressed Dolly Varden (clade S) was 0.2,0.6%, implying that the introgression occurred prior to the most recent glaciation. Our analysis and other evidence of contact between divergent lineages in northwestern North America strongly suggests that the area may be the site of previously unsuspected suture zones of aquatic biotas. [source] Intrapartum fever and chorioamnionitis as risks for encephalopathy in term newborns: a case,control studyDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2008Heidi K Blume MD MPH In this study we examined the relationship between diagnoses of isolated intrapartum fever or chorioamnionitis and the risk of encephalopathy in term newborns. We conducted a population-based, case,control study in Washington State using 1994 to 2002 linked data from the Washington State Birth Registry and the Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System (CHARS). We identified 1060 singleton, term newborns (602 males, 458 females) with International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) diagnoses consistent with encephalopathy, and 5330 unaffected control newborns (2756 males, 2574 females). Intrapartum fever was defined by a diagnosis of intrapartum temperature of >38°C in the birth registry or CHARS databases. Chorioamnionitis was defined using ICD-9 diagnoses recorded in CHARS. We identified 2.2 cases of encephalopathy per 1000 births. Isolated intrapartum fever was associated with a 3.1-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-4.2) increased risk of newborn encephalopathy. Chorioamnionitis was associated with a 5.4-fold (95% CI 3.6-7.8) increased risk of encephalopathy. We found that isolated intrapartum fever and chorioamnionitis were independently associated with an increased risk of encephalopathy in term infants. Our data also indicate that there is a spectrum of risk for encephalopathy in term infants exposed to intrapartum fever. Infants born to women with signs of chorioamnionitis other than isolated intrapartum fever may be at higher risk of encephalopathy than those exposed only to isolated intrapartum fever. [source] Linear Ablation with Duty-Cycled Radiofrequency Energy at the Cavotricuspid IsthmusPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010STEFANIE BOLL Background: Multielectrode catheters using duty-cycled radiofrequency (RF) have been developed to treat atrial fibrillation (AF). Many of these patients also have atrial flutter. Therefore, a linear multielectrode has been developed using the same RF energy. Objective: The concept and acute results of linear ablation using duty-cycled RF were tested in the cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI). Methods: The CTI was targeted in 75 patients, in 68 (90%) among them as an adjunct to AF ablation with the same technology. A linear electrode catheter with a 4-mm tip and five 2-mm ring electrodes was connected to a generator titrating duty-cycled RF at 20,45 W up to a target temperature of 70°C in 1:1 unipolar/bipolar mode. Results: During a mean procedure time of 20 ± 12 minutes, complete CTI block was achieved by 4 ± 3 applications of duty-cycled RF in 69 (92%) patients. No more than three RF applications were necessary in 60% of patients. During the initial learning curve, standard RF had to be used in five (7%) patients. Complete block was not achieved in one patient with frequent episodes of AF. Char was observed in five (7%) patients with poor electrode cooling; consequently, the temperature ramp-up was slowed and manually turned off in the event of low-power delivery. Two groin hematomas occurred; otherwise, no clinical complications were observed. Conclusion: Multielectrode catheters delivering duty-cycled RF can effectively ablate the CTI with few RF applications with promising acute results. Further modifications are necessary to improve catheter steering and prevent char formation. (PACE 2010; 444,450) [source] Characterization of biochar from fast pyrolysis and gasification systemsENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 3 2009Catherine E. Brewer Abstract Thermochemical processing of biomass produces a solid product containing char (mostly carbon) and ash. This char can be combusted for heat and power, gasified, activated for adsorption applications, or applied to soils as a soil amendment and carbon sequestration agent. The most advantageous use of a given char depends on its physical and chemical characteristics, although the relationship of char properties to these applications is not well understood. Chars from fast pyrolysis and gasification of switchgrass and corn stover were characterized by proximate analysis, CHNS elemental analysis, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area, particle density, higher heating value (HHV), scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence ash content analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy using a photo-acoustic detector (FTIR-PAS), and quantitative 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) using direct polarization and magic angle spinning. Chars from the same feedstocks produced under slow pyrolysis conditions, and a commercial hardwood charcoal, were also characterized. Switchgrass and corn stover chars were found to have high ash content (32,55 wt %), much of which was silica. BET surface areas were low (7,50 m2/g) and HHVs ranged from 13 to 21 kJ/kg. The aromaticities from NMR, ranging between 81 and 94%, appeared to increase with reaction time. A pronounced decrease in aromatic CH functionality between slow pyrolysis and gasification chars was observed in NMR and FTIR-PAS spectra. NMR estimates of fused aromatic ring cluster size showed fast and slow pyrolysis chars to be similar (,7,8 rings per cluster), while higher-temperature gasification char was much more condensed (,17 rings per cluster). © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2009 [source] EVIDENCE FOR HISTORICAL INTROGRESSION ALONG A CONTACT ZONE BETWEEN TWO SPECIES OF CHAR (PISCES: SALMONIDAE) IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH AMERICAEVOLUTION, Issue 5 2002Z. Redenbach Abstract Phylogeographic analyses can yield valuable insights into the geographic and historical contexts of contact and hybridization between taxa. Two species of char (Salmonidae), Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) and bull trout (S. confluentus) have largely parapatric distributions in watersheds of northwestern North America. They are, however, sympatric in several localities and hybridization and some introgression occurs across a broad area of contact. We conducted a comparative phylogenetic analysis of Dolly Varden and bull trout to gain a historical perspective of hybridization between these species and to test for footprints of historical introgression. We resolved two major Dolly Varden mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) clades (with 1.4,2.2% sequence divergence between haplotypes) that had different geographical distributions. Clade N is distributed across most of the range of Dolly Varden, from southern British Columbia through to the Kuril Islands in Asia. Clade S had a much more limited distribution, from Washington state, at the southern limit of the Dolly Varden range, to the middle of Vancouver Island. The distribution and inferred ages of the mtDNA clades suggested that Dolly Varden survived the Wisconsinan glaciation in a previously unsuspected refuge south of the ice sheet, and that Dolly Varden and bull trout were probably in continuous contact over most of the last 100,000 years. When bull trout were included in the phylogenetic analysis, however, the mtDNA of neither species was monophyletic: Clade S Dolly Varden clustered within the bull trout mtDNA clade. This pattern was discordant with two nuclear phylogenies produced (growth hormone 2 and rRNA internal transcribed sequence 1), in which Dolly Varden and bull trout were reciprocally monophyletic. This discordance between mtDNA- and nDNA-based phylogenies indicates that historical introgression of bull trout mtDNA into Dolly Varden occurred. Percent sequence divergence within these introgressed Dolly Varden (clade S) was 0.2,0.6%, implying that the introgression occurred prior to the most recent glaciation. Our analysis and other evidence of contact between divergent lineages in northwestern North America strongly suggests that the area may be the site of previously unsuspected suture zones of aquatic biotas. [source] Cone calorimeter testing of S2 glass reinforced polymer compositesFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 7 2009Alexander B. Morgan Abstract With the ever increasing demand for fuel savings on vehicles, there is a strong push to replace metal with polymeric + fiber (carbon/glass) composites. However, the replacement of metal with polymeric composites can lead to additional fire risk. Our study focused on glass fiber reinforced polymer composites meant for vehicular structural applications, and flammability performance of these composites was studied by cone calorimetery. The effects of fiberglass loading, nanocomposite use (clay, carbon nanofiber) and polymer type (epoxy, phenolic) were studied under a heat flux of 50kW/m2 to better understand the potential effects that these variables would have on material flammability. It was found that as fiberglass loading increased, flammability decreased, but at a cost to structural integrity of the residual polymer + fiber char. The use of nanocomposites has little effect on reducing flammability in this set of samples, but the use of phenolic resins in comparison with epoxy resins was found to yield the greatest improvements in flammability performance. Further, the phenolic system yielded a higher level of structural integrity to the final polymer + fiberglass char when compared with the other polymer systems of low heat release. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The application of a novel flame retardant on viscose fiberFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 3 2009Jiang-tao Hu Abstract The paper is mainly about a novel organophosphorus flame-retardant N-1-chloroisopropyl alcohol-3-dimethylphosphonopropionamide. Dimethyl phosphate, acrylamide and epichlorohydrin were used as raw materials. The mechanisms of synthesis and molecule structure of the flame retardant were discussed. The fiber was treated using the pad-dry-cure-wash method. The limiting oxygen index value of the modified sample was 31%, higher than that of the sample treated with MDPA (Pyrovatex CP). After 50 laundry cycles, it still had some flame retardancy left. Thermogravimetry (TG) and Differentiate TG analyses confirmed that the flame retardant caused fiber to decompose below its ignition temperature and formed carbonaceous residue or char when exposed to fire. The treatment had an obvious effect on the denier of the fiber; the tensile strength of fiber slightly decreased, but that effect could be negligible. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Flame retardation and thermal degradation of flame-retarded polypropylene composites containing melamine phosphate and pentaerythritol phosphateFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 5 2008Shun Zhou Abstract The flame retardation of polypropylene (PP) composites containing melamine phosphate (MP) and pentaerythritol phosphate (PEPA) was characterized by limiting oxygen index (LOI) and UL 94. The morphology of the char obtained from the combustion of the composites was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal degradation of the composites was investigated using thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and real-time Fourier transform infrared (RTFTIR) spectroscopy. It has been found that the PP composites containing only MP do not show good flame retardancy even at 40% additive level. Compared with the PP/MP binary composites, all the LOI values of the PP/MP/PEPA ternary composites at the same additive loading increase, and UL 94 ratings of the ternary composites at suitable MP/PEPA ratios are raised to V-0 from no rating (PP/MP). The TG and RTFTIR studies indicate that the interaction occurs among MP, PEPA and PP. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Flame retardancy finish with an organophosphorus retardant on silk fabricsFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 6 2006Jin-Ping Guan Abstract The paper mainly deals with flame retardancy of silk fabrics treated with a commercial organophosphorus flame retardant [N-hydroxymethyl (3-dimethyl phosphono) propionamide (HDPP), also known as Pyrovatex CP], using the pad-dry-cure-wash method. The structures and properties of the treated and control sample are discussed. The Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) value of the modified sample is above 30%. After 50 laundry cycles, it still has some flame retardancy left. HDPP and a cross-linking agent (HMM) were bound to silk fabrics which is confirmed by FT-IR spectra and amino analysis. The reaction degree of the flame retardant with silk is also high; almost all the tyrosine units have reacted, which can be confirmed by amino acid analysis. The reaction between flame retardant and silk only occurs in the amorphous region of silk fibre, which is confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and amino acid analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis show that the flame retardant causes silk fabrics to decompose below its ignition temperature (600°C) and formed carbonaceous residue or char when exposed to fire. The char behaves as a thermal barrier to fire, so silk fabrics show good flame retardancy. The treatment has a little effect on the whiteness of the silk fabrics and the tensile strength of treated silk fabrics slightly decreased; both effects are negligible. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Flame-retardant action of red phosphorus/magnesium oxide and red phosphorus/iron oxide compositions in recycled PETFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 5 2006F. Laoutid Abstract Red phosphorus was combined with metallic oxides Fe2O3 and MgO to improve the fire properties of recycled PET. Both Fe2O3 and MgO act as co-synergist agents at a total loading of 5 wt%. The analysis by diffraction X of the char formed during combustion shows that transformation of Fe2O3 to Fe3O4 occurs. Fe2O3 favours the oxidation and improves the effectiveness of red phosphorus. It is suggested that MgO interacts with acidic end groups of PET and forms a thermal stable residue. The thermal decomposition of recycled PET containing red phosphorus combined with Fe and Mg oxides was studied by thermal analysis and leads to an increase in char formation. While the incorporation of Fe2O3 in this ternary blend maintains the mechanical properties of PET, the reactivity of MgO leads to a brittle material. The use of reinforcements (talc and glass fibres) to mechanically stabilize the char formed during combustion of ternary blend with Fe2O3 entails a further decrease in heat release rate, nevertheless impact resistance of the material decreases dramatically. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Surface temperature of decomposing construction materials studied by laser-induced phosphorescenceFIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 1 2005Alaa Omrane Abstract Measurements of surface temperature and mass loss of decomposing construction materials during rapid pyrolysis are presented. Experiments have been performed with samples of low-density fiberboard, medium-density fiberboard, particleboard and poly(methyl methacrylate) in a single particle reactor at temperatures between 300° and 600°C. Ultraviolet laser light was used to excite micrometer-sized thermographic phosphor particles that were deposited on the investigated materials, and the temperature was obtained from temporally resolved measurements of the laser-induced emission. The wood-based materials show a similar behavior, with small differences being attributed to differences in material properties. The surface temperature rapidly increases to about 400°C when a particle is introduced to the hot reactor. The initial phase is followed by rapid decomposition during which the surface temperature is 380°,540°C. The heating rate is slowed down during the rapid pyrolysis, and again increases as the remaining char is heated to the reactor temperature. The poly (methyl methacrylate), however, melts and at high temperatures can be characterized as a liquid with a boiling point of about 400°C. Thermographic phosphors are concluded to be suitable for high precision remote measurements of the surface temperature of decomposing construction materials, and possibilities for further studies and developments of the technique are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Modeling and experimental studies on combustion characteristics of porous coal char: Volume reaction modelINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL KINETICS, Issue 5 2010Anup Kumar Sadhukhan A generalized single-particle model for the prediction of combustion dynamics of a porous coal char in a fluidized bed is analyzed in the present work using a volume reaction model (VRM). A fully transient nonisothermal model involving both heterogeneous and homogeneous chemical reactions, multicomponent mass transfer, heat transfer with intraparticle resistances, as well as char structure evolution is developed. The model takes into account convection and diffusion inside the particle pores, as well as in the boundary layer. By addressing the Stefan flow originated due to nonequimolar mass transfer and chemical reactions, this work enables a more realistic analysis of the combustion process. The model, characterized by a set of partial differential equations coupled with nonlinear boundary conditions, is solved numerically using the implicit finite volume method (FVM) with a FORTRAN code developed in-house. The use of a FVM for solving such an elaborate char combustion model, based on the VRM, was not reported earlier. Experiments consisting of fluidized-bed combustion of a single char particle were carried out to determine the internal surface area of a partially burned char particle and to enable model validation. Predicted results are found to compare well with the reported experimental results for porous coal char combustion. The effects of various parameters (i.e., bulk temperature and initial particle radius) are examined on the dynamics of combustion of coal char. The phenomena of ignition and extinction are also investigated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 299,315, 2010 [source] Modelling of a downdraft biomass gasifier with finite rate kinetics in the reduction zoneINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2009Prokash C. Roy Abstract A model of a downdraft gasifier has been developed based on chemical equilibrium in the pyro-oxidation zone and finite rate kinetic-controlled chemical reactions in the reduction zone. The char reactivity factor (CRF) in the reduction zone, representing the number of active sites on the char and its degree of burn out, has been optimized by comparing the model predictions against the experimental results from the literature. The model predictions agree well with the temperature distribution and exit gas composition obtained from the experiments at CRF=100. A detailed parametric study has been performed at different equivalence ratios (between 2 and 3.4) and moisture content (in the range of 0,40%) in the fuel to obtain the composition of the producer gas as well as its heating value. It is observed that the heating value of the producer gas increases with the increase in the equivalence ratio and decrease in the biomass moisture content. The effect of divergence angle of the reduction zone geometry (in the range of 30,150°) on the temperature and species concentration distributions in the gasifier has been studied. An optimum divergence angle, giving the best quality of the producer gas, has been identified for a particular height of the reduction zone. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effect of supplementary firing options on cycle performance and CO2 emissions of an IGCC power generation systemINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 7 2009N. V. Gnanapragasam Abstract Supplementary firing is adopted in combined-cycle power plants to reheat low-temperature gas turbine exhaust before entering into the heat recovery steam generator. In an effort to identify suitable supplementary firing options in an integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power plant configuration, so as to use coal effectively, the performance is compared for three different supplementary firing options. The comparison identifies the better of the supplementary firing options based on higher efficiency and work output per unit mass of coal and lower CO2 emissions. The three supplementary firing options with the corresponding fuel used for the supplementary firing are: (i) partial gasification with char, (ii) full gasification with coal and (iii) full gasification with syngas. The performance of the IGCC system with these three options is compared with an option of the IGCC system without supplementary firing. Each supplementary firing option also involves pre-heating of the air entering the gas turbine combustion chamber in the gas cycle and reheating of the low-pressure steam in the steam cycle. The effects on coal consumption and CO2 emissions are analysed by varying the operating conditions such as pressure ratio, gas turbine inlet temperature, air pre-heat and supplementary firing temperature. The results indicate that more work output is produced per unit mass of coal when there is no supplementary firing. Among the supplementary firing options, the full gasification with syngas option produces the highest work output per unit mass of coal, and the partial gasification with char option emits the lowest amount of CO2 per unit mass of coal. Based on the analysis, the most advantageous option for low specific coal consumption and CO2 emissions is the supplementary firing case having full gasification with syngas as the fuel. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Numerical studies on the reaction of carbon particles in a vacuum residue,air flameINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2006Ho Young Park Abstract A computational work was carried out for the study of one-dimensional, laminar, premixed, flat, atomized vacuum residue (VR) particle,air flames. The mathematical model includes the specified pyrolysis scheme, soot and char oxidation scheme. With some experimental works, the product composition and kinetic parameters of VR pyrolysis were determined and used for the present computational work. The computed results show that the oxidation of VR carbon char and soot occurs mainly in the reaction zone and the oxidation rate of soot is much higher than that of VR carbon char. The oxidation rates of carbon char and soot can be increased with the decrease in particle diameter, and it might be accomplished by the more effective atomization and mixing of solid particles with combustion air. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Thermal processing of biomass natural fibre wastes by pyrolysisINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2004Anton R. Reed Abstract Waste biomass material in the form of natural fibres used in the production of textile products were examined for their potential to produce activated carbon by physical activation. The five biomass types were hemp, flax, jute, coir and abaca. Each biomass was pyrolysed in a fixed bed reactor and the char characterized. The char was subsequently, activated with steam in a char activation reactor. The surface area and porosity of the derived activated carbon was determined. Surface areas of between 770 and 879 m2 g,1 were achieved. The yield of activated carbon was mostly less than 20 wt% of the original biomass. The five biomass samples were also pyrolysed in a thermogravimetric analyser. The thermal degradation of the biomas samples were discussed in terms of the thermal degradation of the main components of the biomass, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Emission of trace toxic metals during pulverized fuel combustion of Czech coalsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 13 2003P. Danihelka Abstract A study of the trace elements emission (As, Se, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Zn, Hg, Tl, Pb, Ni, Sn, Sb, V, Mn and Fe) from pulverized coal combustion has been made at six heating and power stations situated in the Czech Republic. The amount of chlorine in coal has considerable influence on volatilization of some elements such as Zn, Cu, Pb, Hg and Tl, which is explained by the formation of thermodynamically stable compounds of these elements with chlorine. Generally, the affinities for Cl follows the order Tl > Cu > Zn > Pb > Co > Mn > Sn > Hg. The experimental data indicates enrichment of some of the trace toxic elements in the emissions (Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hg and Pb) and good agreement was obtained by thermodynamic equilibrium calculations with a few exceptions. In the case of Fe, Mn, Co, Cr and Sn calculated values are overestimated in the bottom ash and there are zero predicted amounts of these elements in the fly ash. In comparison, the results from experiments show up to 80% of these elements retained in fly ash. This implies that there exist additional steps leading to the enrichment by Fe, Mn, Co, Cr and Sn of small particles. Such mechanisms could include the ejection during devolatilization of small inorganic particles from the coal of bottom ash particles, or disintegration of the char containing these metals to small particles of fly ash. On the other hand, there are slightly overestimated or similar values of relative enrichment factors for As, V, Cu, Cd, Sb, Tl and Pb in the fly ashes and zero predicted values for bottom ashes. Our experimental results show about 5% or less of these elements are retained in bottom ashes, so they probably remain in the bottom ash inside unburned parts of coal. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Gasification of char particles in packed beds: analysis and resultsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2001S. Dasappa Abstract In this paper a packed bed of char particles is considered for experimental study and analysis. The packed char bed is modelled by extending the single-particle analysis (Dasappa et al., 1994a, Chem. Eng. Sci.49,2:223,232. Dasappa et al., 1994b, Twenty-fifth Symposium (International) on Combustion, pp. 1619,1628. Dasappa et al., 1998, Twenty-seventh Symposium (International) on Combustion, pp. 1335,1342.). All the reactions related to gasification are introduced into the reaction system as in Dasappa et al. (1998). The propagation of the reaction front into the packed char bed against the air stream is modelled. The results are compared with the experimental data on a model quartz reactor using charcoal. Experimental data of propagation of the reaction front through the packed bed from the present study and of Groeneveld's charcoal gasifier are used for comparison. Using the analysis of Dosanjh et al. 1987 (Combust. Flame68:131,142), it is shown that heat loss dominates the heat generation at the quench condition. It is also shown that increasing the oxygen fraction in air has resulted in flame front to propagate into the char bed. The critical air mass flux for peak propagation rate in a bed of char is found to be 0.1 kg m,2 s. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Recruitment pulses induce cannibalistic giants in Arctic charJOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2006PÄR BYSTRÖM Summary 1Recent theoretical studies on the population dynamic consequences of cannibalism have focused on mechanisms behind the emergence of large cannibals (giants) in size-structured populations. Theoretically, giants emerge when a strong recruiting cohort imposes competition induced mortality on stunted adults, but also provides a profitable resource for a few adults that accelerate in growth and reach giant sizes. 2Here the effects of a recruitment pulse on the individual and population level in an allopatric Arctic char population have been studied over a 5-year period and these results were contrasted with theoretical model predictions for the conditions necessary for the emergence of cannibalistic giants. 3The recruitment pulse had negative effects on invertebrate resource abundance, and the decrease in body condition and increase in mortality of adult char suggested that strong intercohort competition took place. 4The frequency of cannibalism increased and a few char accelerated in growth and reached ,giant' sizes. 5The main discrepancy between model predictions and field data was the apparently small effect the recruited cohort had on resources and adult char performance during their first summer. Instead, the effects became pronounced when the cohort was 1 year old. This mismatch between model predictions and field observations was suggested to be due to the low per capita fecundity in char and the restricted nearshore habitat use in young-of-the-year (YOY) char. 6This study provides empirical evidence that the emergence of giants is associated with the breakthrough of a strong recruiting cohort and also suggests that the claimed stable char populations with large cannibals may instead be populations with dynamic size structure that results in intermittent breakthroughs of recruitment pulses, providing the conditions necessary for char to enter the cannibalistic niche. 7The data suggest that increased recruit survival through restricted habitat use may destabilize dynamics and cause the emergence of giants. However, they also suggest that this does not necessarily develop into populations with bi-modal size structure in populations with low per capita fecundity and size- and density-dependent habitat use of recruiting cohorts. [source] Mechanical properties and flammability of polycarbonate alloys containing nanosize additivesJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2009Zhiyi Zhang Abstract Different organic,inorganic composite particles [montmorillonite/poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), SiO2/PBA/PMMA, and CaCO3/PBA/PMMA] were synthesized by emulsion polymerization. Furthermore, polycarbonate (PC) alloys were prepared via the doping of these composite particles into PC with a twin-screw extruder. The structure, mechanical properties, and flammability of the PC alloys were studied in detail. Although the tensile modulus of PC decreased a little, the flexibility and impact resistance were improved by the addition of these composite particles. This result was attributed to the fact that the composite particles were well dispersed in the PC matrix, with a cocontinuous phase formed between the particles and PC. In addition, the combustion behavior of the PC alloys, compared with that of the pure PC, resulted from a ceramic-like char that formed on the surface of the PC alloys during burning. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009 [source] Thermal stability and ablation properties of silicone rubber compositesJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 2 2008Eung Soo Kim Abstract Effects of incorporation of clay and carbon fiber (CF) into a high temperature vulcanized (HTV) silicone rubber, i.e., poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) containing vinyl groups, on its thermal stability and ablation properties were explored through thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and oxy-acetylene torch tests. Natural clay, sodium montmorillonite (MMT), was modified with a silane compound bearing tetra sulfide (TS) groups to prepare MMTS4: the TS groups may react with the vinyl groups of HTV and enhance the interfacial interaction between the clay and HTV. MMTS4 layers were better dispersed than MMT layers in the respective composites with exfoliated/intercalated coexisting morphology. According to TGA results and to the insulation index, the HTV/MMTS4 composite was more thermally stable than HTV/MMT. However, addition of CF to the composites lowered their thermal stability, because of the high thermal conductivity of CF. The time elapsed for the composite specimen, loaded with a constant weight, to break off after the oxy-acetylene flame bursts onto the surface of the specimen was employed as an index for an integrated assessment of the ablation properties, simultaneously taking into consideration the mechanical strength of the char and the rate of decomposition. The elapsed time increased in the order of: HTV < HTV/CF , HTV/MMTS4 < HTV/CF/MMTS4 , HTV/MMT < HTV/CF/MMT. This order was different from the increasing order of the thermal stability determined by TGA results and the insulation index. The decreased degree of crosslinking of the composites with MMTS4 compared with that of the composite with MMT may be unfavorable for the formation of a mechanically strong char and could lead to early rupture of the HTV/MMTS4 specimen. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Catalytic hydrothermal treatment of pine wood biomass: effect of RbOH and CsOH on product distributionJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2005Selhan Karagöz Abstract Low-temperature hydrothermal treatment of pine wood biomass was performed in the presence of RbOH and CsOH catalysts (280 °C for 15 min). The effect of the catalysts on the distribution of products and the volatility distribution of oxygenated hydrocarbons was studied in detail. Oxygenated hydrocarbons were extracted from the liquid and solid portions and analysed individually by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Catalytic (RbOH and CsOH) hydrothermal treatment of wood biomass produced mainly phenolic compounds and benzenediol derivatives. The use of RbOH and CsOH catalysts hindered the formation of char and favoured the formation of oil products, as observed previously for various other base catalysts. The volatility distribution of hydrocarbons (ether extract) was characterised by carbon-normal paraffin (C-NP) gram and it was found that the oxygenated hydrocarbons from all runs, including thermal, were distributed in the boiling point region of n-C6 to n-C17. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Improved design and optimization models for the fixed bed adsorption of acid dye and zinc ions from effluentsJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 12 2002Danny C Abstract The bed depth service time (BDST) design model, which accounts for the change of bed adsorption capacity with service time, has been modified to expand its application and overcome the limiting assumptions of the original BDST analysis. Column experiments were undertaken to test the new model for two adsorption systems, namely zinc ion,bone char and Acid Blue 80 dye-activated carbon. It was found that the percentage of saturation capacity could be correlated using a square-root dependence on the service time and this correlation was incorporated into the original BDST analysis to replace the total sorption capacity term, giving the model a much wider application to real systems. The empty bed residence time optimization approach was modified using the same time-dependent capacity expression and was successfully applied to the metal ion,bone char and the dye-activated carbon system with the use of equilibrium saturated bed capacity. These modifications to the BDST design model and the EBRT optimization model will give more accurate scale-up data for the design of large-scale column adsorption systems. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry [source] The importance of growth and mortality costs in the evolution of the optimal life historyJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2006D. A. ROFF Abstract A central assumption of life history theory is that the evolution of the component traits is determined in part by trade-offs between these traits. Whereas the existence of such trade-offs has been well demonstrated, the relative importance of these remains unclear. In this paper we use optimality theory to test the hypothesis that the trade-off between present and future fecundity induced by the costs of continued growth is a sufficient explanation for the optimal age at first reproduction, ,, and the optimal allocation to reproduction, G, in 38 populations of perch and Arctic char. This hypothesis is rejected for both traits and we conclude that this trade-off, by itself, is an insufficient explanation for the observed values of , and G. Similarly, a fitness function that assumes a mortality cost to reproduction but no growth cost cannot account for the observed values of ,. In contrast, under the assumption that fitness is maximized, the observed life histories can be accounted for by the joint action of trade-offs between growth and reproductive allocation and between mortality and reproductive allocation (Individual Juvenile Mortality model). Although the ability of the growth/mortality model to fit the data does not prove that this is the mechanism driving the evolution of the optimal age at first reproduction and allocation to reproduction, the fit does demonstrate that the hypothesis is consistent with the data and hence cannot at this time be rejected. We also examine two simpler versions of this model, one in which adult mortality is a constant proportion of juvenile mortality [Proportional Juvenile Mortality (PJM) model] and one in which the proportionality is constant within but not necessarily between species [Specific Juvenile Mortality (SSJM) model]. We find that the PJM model is unacceptable but that the SSJM model produces fits suggesting that, within the two species studied, juvenile mortality is proportional to adult mortality but the value differs between the two species. [source] Evaporation of pyrolysis oil: Product distribution and residue char analysisAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 8 2010Guus van Rossum Abstract The evaporation of pyrolysis oil was studied at varying heating rates (,1,106°C/min) with surrounding temperatures up to 850°C. A total product distribution (gas, vapor, and char) was measured using two atomizers with different droplet sizes. It was shown that with very high heating rates (,106°C/min) the amount of char was significantly lowered (,8%, carbon basis) compared to the maximum amount, which was produced at low heating rates using a TGA (,30%, carbon basis; heating rate 1°C/min). The char formation takes place in the 100,350°C liquid temperature range due to polymerization reactions of compounds in the pyrolysis oil. All pyrolysis oil fractions (whole oil, pyrolytic lignin, glucose and aqueous rich/lean phase) showed charring behavior. The pyrolysis oil chars age when subjected to elevated temperatures (,700°C), show similar reactivity toward combustion and steam gasification compared with chars produced during fast pyrolysis of solid biomass. However, the structure is totally different where the pyrolysis oil char is very light and fluffy. To use the produced char in conversion processes (energy or syngas production), it will have to be anchored to a carrier. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010 [source] Multicomponent mass transport model for the sorption of metal ions on bone charAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 9 2004Danny C. K. Ko Abstract The sorption of binary mixtures of copper/cadmium and copper/zinc ions onto bone char was studied in fixed beds. The effects of solution flow rate, initial dye concentration, and bone char particle size range were investigated. A mass transport model based on film-surface diffusion and the IAS model for the equilibrium relationship was used to develop theoretical fixed-bed breakthrough curves. The model incorporates the Sips isotherm for the first time in fixed-bed predictions, since this isotherm gives an excellent correlation of the experimental equilibrium data. The model was used to determine the optimum surface diffusivities as 7.37 × 10,10 and 2.73 × 10,9 cm2/s for copper and cadmium in the Cu/Cd system; and 1.61 × 10,9 and 2.43 × 10,9 cm2/s for copper and zinc in the Cu/Zn system. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 50: 2130,2141, 2004 [source] Modeling for simulation of fluidized-bed incineration processAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 6 2001F. Marias A mathematical model for the fluidized-bed incineration process was developed using the waste composed of wood, cardboard and polyvinyl chloride. It is based on heat and mass balances of the gas held within the five zones representing both the bubbling bed and freeboard and including heat transfer with sand and reacting particles of char (pyrolysis residue). The mixture fraction concept and assumption of chemical equilibrium are used to compute temperature and species concentration fields resulting from volatile combustion. These fields are affected by char combustion, which relies, in turn, on a model based on surface reaction and a full population balance. The formation of pollutants (NOx, SOx ) was also taken into account. The main steps involved by the numerical resolution of the model are discussed, and some results are shown for a 1 MW unit. [source] Thermal behavior and flame retardancy of flexible poly(vinyl chloride) treated with zinc hydroxystannate and zinc stannateJOURNAL OF VINYL & ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Weihong Wu The flame-retardant and smoke-suppressant properties of inorganic tin compounds such as zinc hydroxystannate (ZHS) and zinc stannate (ZS) were studied in comparison with those of alumina trihydrate and magnesium hydroxide through the limiting oxygen index test and a smoke density test. The thermal degradation in air of flexible poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) treated with the above compounds was studied by thermal analysis from ambient temperature to 800°C. The activation energy was calculated by using the Vyazovkin model-free kinetic method and the Kissinger method. The results showed that tin compounds such as ZHS and ZS could be used as highly effective flame retardants for flexible PVC; these flame retardants enhanced the stability and the activation energy of the oxidation of the char. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL, 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) and plasticized chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride),thermal decomposition studiesJOURNAL OF VINYL & ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Peter Carty The thermal decomposition of chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) and three plasticized chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) systems has been investigated. The routes of decomposition of these systems have been elucidated by investigating char formation and by using a combination of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and prolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy methods (Py/GC/MS). The effects of the charforming/smoke-suppressing iron(III) compound FeOOH in these polymer systems has also been investigated. The structure of both CPVC polymer and plasticzer determine the path of thermal decomposition and also the quantity and nature of the decomposition compunds formed. Changes in oxygen index and the formation of smoke during burning in these systems have been related to the char that is formed and also to the chemical nature of the decomposition products. [source] Synthesis and Characterization of Organic/Inorganic Polyrotaxanes from Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane and Poly(ethylene oxide)/, -Cyclodextrin Polypseudorotaxanes via Click ChemistryMACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS, Issue 9 2009Ke Zeng Abstract Organic/inorganic polyrotaxanes were synthesized via Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between 3-azidapropylhepta(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl) POSS and dialkyne-terminated PEO/, -cyclodextrin polypseudorotaxanes. The organic/inorganic hybrid polyrotaxanes were characterized by means of 1H NMR spectroscopy and WAXRD. It was found that the nanosized POSS blocking agents significantly affected the crystal structures of polyrotaxanes. Thermal gravimetric analysis showed that the organic/inorganic hybrid polyrotaxanes exhibited enhanced thermal stability compared to their parent polypseudorotaxanes, in terms of rate of thermal degradation and the summation of char and ceramic yields. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||