Charging

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Kinds of Charging

  • double-layer charging

  • Terms modified by Charging

  • charging current
  • charging effect

  • Selected Abstracts


    Quantized Double-Layer Charging of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on a-Si:H Controlled by Charged Defects in a-Si:H

    ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 12 2007
    Martin Weis
    Abstract Sequential single-electron charging of iron oxide nanoparticles encapsulated in oleic acid/oleyl amine envelope and deposited by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique onto Pt electrode covered with undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon film (a-Si:H) is reported. Quantized double-layer charging of nanoparticles is detected by cyclic voltammetry as current peaks and the charging effect can be switched on/off by the excess of negative/positive charged defect states in the a-Si:H layer. The particular charge states in a-Si:H are created by the simultaneous application of a suitable bias voltage and illumination before the measurement. [source]


    Charging of tRNA with non-natural amino acids at high pressure

    FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 13 2006
    Malgorzata Giel-Pietraszuk
    We show a simple and reliable method of tRNA aminoacylation with natural, as well as non-natural, amino acids at high pressure. Such specific and noncognate tRNAs can be used as valuable substrates for protein engineering. Aminoacylation yield at high pressure depends on the chemical nature of the amino acid used and it is up to 10%. Using CoA, which carries two potentially reactive groups -SH and -OH, as a model compound we showed that at high pressure amino acid is bound preferentially to the hydroxyl group of the terminal ribose ring. [source]


    Quantized Double-Layer Charging of Rhodium2057(Tridecylamine)321 Clusters Using Differential Pulse and Cyclic Voltammetry,

    ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 2 2007
    A. Kakade
    Rhodium nanoclusters show a series of quantized double-layer-charging events in solution-phase voltammetry at room temperature (see figure). The unusual variation in the FWHM for both the cathodic and anodic regions in differential pulse voltammetry experiments can be explained by several complex factors including reorganization and disproportionation of charged clusters coupled with electron-transfer processes pertaining to the Rh,Rh bonds. [source]


    Electrostatics of pharmaceutical inhalation aerosols

    JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 12 2009
    Philip Chi Lip Kwok
    Abstract Objectives This review focuses on the key findings and developments in the rapidly expanding research area of pharmaceutical aerosol electrostatics. Key findings Data from limited in-vivo and computational studies suggest that charges may potentially affect particle deposition in the airways. Charging occurs naturally in the absence of electric fields through triboelectrification, that is contact or friction for solids and flowing or spraying for liquids. Thus, particles and droplets emitted from pulmonary drug delivery devices (dry powder inhalers, metered dose inhalers with or without spacers, and nebulisers) are inherently charged. Apparatus with various operation principles have been employed in the measurement of pharmaceutical charges. Aerosol charges are dependent on many physicochemical parameters, such as formulation composition, device construction, relative humidity and solid-state properties. In some devices, electrification has been purposefully applied to facilitate powder dispersion and liquid atomisation. Summary Currently, there are no regulatory requirements on characterising electrostatic properties of inhalation aerosols. As research in this area progresses, the new knowledge gained may become valuable for the development and regulation of inhalation aerosol products. [source]


    Analysis of a Simple Test Device for Tribo-Electric Charging of Bulk Powders

    PARTICLE & PARTICLE SYSTEMS CHARACTERIZATION, Issue 1-2 2009
    upuk
    Abstract We have developed a simple device to characterise the tribo-electric charging propensity of powders. A sample of around one gram of powder is shaken in a container by reciprocal strokes in a horizontal direction. The electric charge on the powder is quantified by a Faraday cup before and after shaking. In this paper, we analyse the operation of this simple test device by investigating the behaviour of ,-lactose monohydrate (,-LM), hydroxy propyl cellulose (HPC) and a 50 : 50 binary mixture (by mass) of these two powders with various container surfaces commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry. The experiments are carried out in controlled environmental conditions and using different shaking times and frequencies of 10, 20 and 30,Hz. The experimental results show that the saturated charge is independent of the shaking frequency. Furthermore adhered particles coating the inner surface of the shaking container decrease the net amount of charge generated by up to 50,%. [source]


    Mechanism of Charging of Au Atoms and Nanoclusters on Li Doped SiO2/Mo(112) Films

    CHEMPHYSCHEM, Issue 2 2010
    Umberto Martinez Dr.
    Abstract We present the results of supercell DFT calculations on the adsorption properties of Au atoms and small clusters (Aun, n,5) on a SiO2/Mo(112) thin film and on the same system modified by doping with Li atoms. The adsorbed Li atoms penetrate into the pores of the silica film and become stabilized at the interface where they donate one electron to the Mo metal. As a consequence, the work function of the Li-doped SiO2/Mo(112) film is reduced and results in modified adsorption properties. In fact, while on the undoped SiO2/Mo(112) film Au interacts only very weakly, on the Li-doped surface Au atoms and clusters bind with significant bond strengths. The calculations show that this is due to the occurrence of an electron transfer from the SiO2/Mo(112) interface to the adsorbed gold. The occurrence of the charge transfer is related to the work function of the support but also to the possibility for the silica film to undergo a strong polaronic distortion. [source]


    Road pricing: lessons from London

    ECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 46 2006
    Georgina Santos
    SUMMARY Road pricing LESSONS FROM LONDON This paper assesses the original London Congestion Charging Scheme (LCCS) and its impacts, and it simulates the proposed extension which will include most of Kensington and Chelsea. It also touches upon the political economy of the congestion charge and the increase of the charge from £5 to £8 per day. The possibility of transferring the experience to Paris, Rome and New York is also discussed. The LCCS has had positive impacts. This was despite the considerable political influences on the charge level and location. It is difficult to assess the impacts of the increase of the charge from £5 to £8, which took place in July 2005, because no data have yet been released by Transport for London. The proposed extension of the charging zone does not seem to be an efficient change on economic grounds, at least for the specific boundaries, method of charging and level of charging that is currently planned. Our benefit cost ratios computed under different assumptions of costs and benefits are all below unity. Overall, the experience shows that simple methods of congestion charging, though in no way resembling first-best Pigouvian taxes, can do a remarkably good job of creating benefits from the reduction of congestion. Nevertheless, the magnitude of these benefits can be highly sensitive to the details of the scheme, which therefore need to be developed with great care. , Georgina Santos and Gordon Fraser [source]


    Quantized Double-Layer Charging of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on a-Si:H Controlled by Charged Defects in a-Si:H

    ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 12 2007
    Martin Weis
    Abstract Sequential single-electron charging of iron oxide nanoparticles encapsulated in oleic acid/oleyl amine envelope and deposited by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique onto Pt electrode covered with undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon film (a-Si:H) is reported. Quantized double-layer charging of nanoparticles is detected by cyclic voltammetry as current peaks and the charging effect can be switched on/off by the excess of negative/positive charged defect states in the a-Si:H layer. The particular charge states in a-Si:H are created by the simultaneous application of a suitable bias voltage and illumination before the measurement. [source]


    Transport and environment: policy directions for europe

    ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 3 2001
    Robert Tinch
    Transport externalities are among the most important environmental problems affecting quality of life in Europe. Forecasts suggest that past environmental improvements may now be rolled back by traffic growth, and current traffic trends are not sustainable. The theory of environmental policy proposes pricing external costs at their marginal social costs as one solution. Although full marginal social cost pricing is impracticable, advances in tolling technology and environmental valuation mean that it is now a viable option to approximate such charging. There are signs that the European Commission and other bodies are starting to favour pricing over regulatory instruments. However, often overlooked is the potential for non-convexities in the transport sector or between transport and the rest of the economy. For example it may be that small increases in resources for public transport would not result in welfare gains, whereas large increases would. Non-convexities would mean that market forces under marginal social cost pricing might lead away from the optimal transport system. This is one reason why pricing instruments cannot in themselves be a panacea for transport externalities or bring about a sustainable transport system. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [source]


    Hybrid Nanoparticle/Organic Devices with Strong Resonant Tunneling Behaviors

    ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 16 2009
    Tianhang Zheng
    Abstract A hybrid nanoparticle/organic device consisting of small molecule organic semiconductors and Ag nanoparticles is reported. The single device exhibits unusual properties of organic resonant tunneling diode (ORTD) at low driving voltage region and offers light emission at high voltage. For ORTD, a strong negative differential resistance behavior is demonstrated at room temperature. The current resonance with the peak-to-valley current ratio of over 4.6 and narrow linewidth of only ,1.4,V is achieved. A detailed operating mechanism of the charging and emission modes is proposed, which can be discussed in terms of the strong charge-trapping effect of Ag nanoparticles. The repeatable operations of hybrid device show the mutual influences between two modes and the light emission properties of the ORTD are also discussed. [source]


    Generation and accumulation of oil and condensates in the Wenchang A Sag, western Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

    GEOFLUIDS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 4 2009
    H. J. GAN
    Abstract The Pearl River Mouth (PRM) Basin is one of four Cenozoic basins in the South China Sea, and the Wenchang A Sag is a secondary depression in the western part of the basin. Both the Wenchang and Enping formations contain good source rocks in the western PRM Basin; however, only the latter has been considered a likely source of the discovered oil and gas. New data from fluid inclusions and the analysis of oil,source rock correlations for the WC10-3 oil and gas pools indicate two stages of petroleum charging, the earlier originating from the Wenchang Formation and the later from the Enping Formation. Kinetics of petroleum generation and structural evolution modeling were employed to further investigate the mechanism of formation of the WC10-3 oil and gas pools. It was shown that the crucial condition for the formation of pools is the time of development of the structural trap. The Wenchang Formation source rocks generated oil from 25 to 14 Ma in the possible source area of the WC10-3 oil and gas pools in the Wenchang A Sag, so that only traps formed earlier than this period could capture oil sourced by the Wenchang Formation. The Enping Formation source rock experienced its oil window from 18 Ma to the present with the main stage of oil generation from 15 to 5 Ma. During this period structural traps in the sag continued to form until movements became weak, so that most pools in the Wenchang A Sag originated from the Enping Formation source rock. The likely dissipation of oil and gas from the earlier stage of charging should be taken into account in assessing the oil potential of the Wenchang A Sag. [source]


    Self-Folding of Charged Single Dendronized Polymers,

    ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 17 2008
    Wei Zhuang
    Back-folding of a single dendronized polymer on itself upon charging is shown in the Figure. This duplex formation is a step on the way to create more complex, still ordered supramolecular structures based on polyelectrolytes. [source]


    The effects of momentum diffusers and flow guides on the efficiency of stratified hot water seasonal heat stores

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 10 2008
    V. Panthalookaran
    Abstract Hot water seasonal heat stores (HWSHS) carry the solar thermal energy from energy-rich seasons of the year over to energy-poor seasons so as to ensure the availability of solar energy throughout the year. Momentum diffusers and flow guides are designed to charge and discharge the harvested solar thermal energy within HWSHS in a stratified manner to enhance the efficiency of the solar systems. To evaluate the efficiency of an HWSHS, a characterization scheme developed for general stratified thermal energy stores (TES) (Sol Energy 2007; 81:1043,1054) is used. It addresses the First Law and Second Law concerns over a TES simultaneously. This study is confined to systems that use the same nozzles at fixed positions in both charging and discharging cycles. Different parameters related to axial, conical and radial diffusers as well as a variety of flow-guide designs are studied. The results suggest that a nozzle that brings about better diffuser action by minimizing entropy generation may not necessarily improve the energy response and guarantee better overall efficiency of the HWSHS. Of all, the different nozzle designs experimented with the conical diffusers with smaller angles of diffusion produced the best overall efficiency. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    A model for latent heat energy storage systems

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 14 2006
    Numan Yuksel
    Abstract In this study, a theoretical approach is proposed for the prediction of time and temperature during the heat charge and discharge in the latent heat storage of phase changed materials (PCM). By the use of the average values of the mean specific heat capacities for the phase-changed materials, analytical solutions are obtained and compared with the available experimental data in the literature. It is shown that decreasing the entry temperature of the working fluid from ,4 to ,15°C has a very dominant and strong effect on the PCM solidification time. The effect of the working fluid flow rate and the material of PCM capsules on the time for complete solidification and total charging is also investigated. The agreement between the present theoretical model results and the experimental data related to the cooling using small spheres and the heat storage using rectangle containers is very good. The largest difference between the present results and the experimental data becomes about 10% when the fluid temperature approaches the phase change temperature at high temperatures. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    A feasibility study of using thermal energy storage in a conventional air-conditioning system

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 11 2004
    M. M. Hussain
    Abstract An Erratum has been published for this article in International Journal of Energy Research 2004; 28 (13): 1213. This paper deals with the simulation of thermal energy storage (TES) system for HVAC applications. TES is considered to be one of the most preferred demand side management technologies for shifting cooling electrical demand from peak daytime hours to off peak night hours. TES is incorporated into the conventional HVAC system to store cooling capacity by chilling ethylene glycol, which is used as a storage medium. The thermodynamic performance is assessed using exergy and energy analyses. The effects of various parameters such as ambient temperature, cooling load, and mass of storage are studied on the performance of the TES. A full storage cycle, with charging, storing and discharging stages, is considered. In addition, energy and exergy analysis of the TES is carried out for system design and optimization. The temperature in the storage is found to be as low as 6.4°C after 1 day of charging without load for a mass of 250 000 kg. It is found that COP of the HVAC system increases with the decrease of storage temperature. Energy efficiency of the TES is found to be 80% for all the mass flow rate of the discharging fluid, whereas exergy efficiency varies from 14 to 0.5%. This is in fact due to the irreversibilities in a TES process destroy a significant amount of the input exergy, and the TES exergy efficiencies therefore become always lower than the corresponding energy efficiencies. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    A novel photochromic time,temperature indicator to support cold chain management

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
    Judith Kreyenschmidt
    Summary A detailed investigation of the behaviour of a new printable photochromic time,temperature indicator (TTI) was conducted to characterise its properties under specific temperature conditions and to analyse the influence of ultra violet (UV) light irradiation (activation) on the discolouration process. The reproducibility of the charging process and the discolouration process of the TTI were analysed. For different charging times the calculated activation energies based on the Arrhenius model ranged from 23.2 to 25.3 kcal mol,1 depending on the UV light irradiation (charging time). A quality contour diagram was established to define the appropriate charging time for different kinds of products. Due to the possibility of defining the shelf life of a TTI by different charging times, this novel TTI constitutes a reliable tool to monitor the cold chains of a broad range of food products on their way from production to consumption. [source]


    Adjusting magnetic moments of Sc13 and Y13 clusters by doping different X atom (X = Na, Mg, Al, Si, P)

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2010
    Fu-Yang Tian
    Abstract We have investigated the structural and magnetic properties of the doped XM12 and charged M13 (X = Na, Mg, Al, Si, P; M = Sc, Y) clusters using the density-functional theory with spin-polarized generalized gradient approximation. It was found that doped atoms can induce significant change of the magnetic moments of Sc13 and Y13 clusters. The total magnetic moments of the NaM12, MgM12, AlM12, SiM12, and PM12 clusters are regular 5, 6 (12), 7, 8, and 9 ,b, respectively (but 19 ,b for Sc13 and Y13, 12 ,b for Y, 18 ,b for Sc, Sc, and Y). The doped atom substituting the surface atom of the plausible icosahedral configuration is viewed as the ground-state structure of the XM12 (X = Na, P; M = Sc, Y) and MgSc12 clusters. While for XM12 (X = Al, Si; M = Sc, Y) and MgY12 clusters, the doped atom occupying the central position of the icosahedral configuration is viewed as the ground-state structure. The doping and the charging both enhance the stability of the Sc13 and Y13 clusters. These findings should have an important impact on the design of the adjustable magnetic moments systems. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010 [source]


    The potential role for economic instruments in drought management,

    IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue 4 2004
    Stephen Merrett
    changement du climat; gestion des sécheresses; irrigation; prix de l'eau Abstract Climate change in the twenty-first century will likely reduce the return period of drought events, indicating that drought management will be even more important in the future than it is already. In the case of England's Anglian region it is shown that two principal institutions are responsible for drought management,the Environment Agency and Anglian Water Services (AWS). The region has a fast-growing population of more than 5 million people, it has 58% of the most productive agricultural land in England and Wales, and in some summers irrigation can make up 50% of water use. An examination of the drought plans of the Agency and AWS demonstrates that in both cases the policy instruments that they deploy to manage drought are informational, infrastructural and regulatory. In neither case would they use water pricing as a management tool. Moreover, the government's drought plan guidelines for the water utilities make no reference to economic instruments of drought management nor do they suggest that utilities should review the economic impact on their customers of regulatory action. The principal issues that would arise if water charging were to be deployed as a drought management instrument are then reviewed. The paper concludes by proposing that national government should evaluate the feasibility, costs, benefits and risks of replacing the regulatory instruments of drought management by economic instruments. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Avec les changements climatiques prévus au vingt-et-unième siècle les périodes de sècheresse deviendront probablement plus fréquentes et la gestion de ces sécheresses deviendra plus problématique. Cet article indique que dans la région Anglian de l'Angleterre deux institutions ont la responsabilité de cette gestion: "the Environment Agency" et "Anglian Water Services". Un examen des plans d'action pour la sécheresse de ces deux institutions montre que, dans les deux cas, les instruments qui seront déployés seront soit informationels soit infrastructurels soit règlementaires. Il n'y a pas dans ces plans une seule référence au prix de l'eau comme instrument de gestion. De même les conseils du gouvernement national pour la préparation de ces plans ignorent les instruments économiques. L'article conclut que le gouvernement doit réviser la faisabilité des instruments de gestion des sécheresses, et d'estimation de leurs coûts et bénéfices pour introduire davantage d'instruments économiques. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Carbon limitation in trees

    JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
    Christian Körner
    Summary 1The ongoing enrichment of the atmosphere with CO2 raises the question of whether growth of forest trees, which represent close to 90% of the global biomass carbon, is still carbon limited at current concentrations of close to 370 p.p.m. As photosynthesis of C3 plants is not CO2 -saturated at such concentrations, enhanced ,source activity' of leaves could stimulate ,sink activity' (i.e. growth) of plants, provided other resources and developmental controls permit. I explore current levels of non-structural carbon in trees in natural forests in order to estimate the potential for a carbon-driven stimulation of growth. 2The concentration of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in tree tissues is considered a measure of carbon shortage or surplus for growth. A periodic reduction of NSC pools indicates either that carbon demand exceeds con-current supply, or that both source and sink activity are low. A steady, very high NSC concentration is likely to indicate that photosynthesis fully meets, or even exeeds, that needed for growth (surplus assimilates accumulate). 3The analysis presented here considers data for mature trees in four climatic zones: the high elevation treeline (in Mexico, the Alps and Northern Sweden), a temperate lowland forest of central Europe, Mediterranean sclerophyllous woodland and a semideciduous tropical forest in Panama. 4In all four climatic regions, periods of reduced or zero growth show maximum C-loading of trees (source activity exceeding demand), except for dry midsummer in the Mediterranean. NSC pools are generally high throughout the year, and are not significantly affected by mass fruiting episodes. 5It is concluded that, irrespective of the reason for its periodic cessation, growth does not seem to be limited by carbon supply. Instead, in all the cases examined, sink activity and its direct control by the environment or developmental constraints, restricts biomass production of trees under current ambient CO2 concentrations. 6The current carbohydrate charging of mature wild trees from the tropics to the cold limit of tree growth suggests that little (if any) leeway exists for further CO2 -fertilization effects on growth. [source]


    HPTLC/DESI-MS imaging of tryptic protein digests separated in two dimensions,

    JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY (INCORP BIOLOGICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY), Issue 12 2008
    Sofie P. Pasilis
    Abstract Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) was demonstrated as a method to detect and identify peptides from two-dimensional separations of cytochrome c and myoglobin tryptic digests on ProteoChrom HPTLC Cellulose sheets. Data-dependent tandem mass spectra were acquired during lane scans across the TLC plates. Peptides and the corresponding proteins were identified using a protein database search software. Two-dimensional distributions of identified peptides were mapped for each separated protein digest. Sequence coverages for cytochrome c and myoglobin were 81 and 74%, respectively. These compared well with those determined using the more standard HPLC/ESI-MS/MS approach (89 and 84%, respectively). Preliminary results show that use of more sensitive instrumentation has the potential for improved detection of peptides with low Rf values and improvement in sequence coverage. However, less multiple charging and more sodiation were seen in HPTLC/DESI-MS spectra relative to HPLC/ESI-MS spectra, which can affect peptide identification by MS/MS. Methods to increase multiple charging and reduce the extent of sodiation are currently under investigation. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    On the electrostatic equilibrium of granular flow in pneumatic conveying systems

    AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 11 2006
    Jun Yao
    Abstract An analytical methodology involving the concept of "electrostatic equilibrium" is developed for granular flow in pneumatic conveying systems. The methodology can be used for estimation of the electrostatic field distribution at various sections of the system and explanation of the mechanisms involved for various electrostatic phenomena observed. For all cases conducted in the conveying system, there was a "charging time" required for the system to reach the state of "electrostatic equilibrium." Experiments conducted at different sections of the system showed that the time required increased in the order: horizontal pipe, vertical pipe, and pipe bend. Through a physical analysis, it is deduced that electrostatic equilibrium is related to the granules' behavior and local flow characteristics. In general, a longer time duration taken to reach equilibrium corresponds to a process with more complicated granular flow patterns. In the electrostatic equilibrium state, the field distribution shows the highest electrostatic field strength near the pipe wall, and this field strength degrades from the pipe wall to the pipe center. At various pipe sections, the highest strength occurs at the bend, in accord with observations that electric sparking first occurs at that location within the entire pneumatic conveying system. In the vertical pipe, granular distribution was measured using electrical capacitance tomography (ECT), and granular velocities were cross-referenced with those using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The electrostatic force at low air flow rates is found to be the primary cause for granules sticking to the pipe wall and results in the formation of the half-ring or ring structure. The state of electrostatic equilibrium is physically influenced by several elements in conveying systems. In a cyclic conveying system, a new pipe (or low humidity or no antistatic agent) tends to expedite the process to reach electrostatic equilibrium and attain high magnitude of electrostatic current at the state. In a non-cyclic horizontal conveying system, a thin film (pipe) is found to prolong the process duration to reach equilibrium, while the case with charged film (pipe) takes shorter duration to do so. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006 [source]


    HYDROTHERMALLY FLUORITIZED ORDOVICIAN CARBONATES AS RESERVOIR ROCKS IN THE TAZHONG AREA, CENTRALTARIM BASIN, NW CHINA

    JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
    Zhijun Jin
    Reservoir rocks at the Tazhong 45 oil pool, central Tarim Basin, consist of fluoritized carbonate strata of Middle - Late Ordovician age. Petrological observations indicate that the fluorite replaces calcite. Several other hydrothermal minerals including pyrite, quartz, sphalerite and chlorite accompany the fluorite. Two generations of fluid inclusions are present in the fluorite. Homogenization temperatures (Th) for primary inclusions are mostly between 260°C and 310°C and represent the temperature of the hydrothermal fluid responsible for fluorite precipitation. Th for secondary inclusions range from 100°C to 130°C, and represent the hydrocarbon charging temperature as shown by the presence of hydrocarbons trapped in some secondary inclusions. The mineral assemblage and the homogenization temperatures of the primary fluid inclusions indicate that the precipitation of fluorite is related to hydrothermal activity in the Tazhong area. Strontium isotope analyses imply that the hydrothermal fluids responsible for fluorite precipitation are related to late-stage magmatic activity, and felsic magmas were generated by mixing of mafic magma and crustal materials during the Permian. Theoretical calculations show that the molecular volume of a carbonate rock decreases by 33.5% when calcite is replaced by fluorite, and the volume shrinkage can greatly enhance reservoir porosity by the formation of abundant intercrystalline pores. Fluoritization has thus greatly enhanced the reservoir quality of Ordovician carbonates in the Tazhong 45 area, so that the fluorite and limestone host rocks have become an efficient hydrocarbon reservoir. According to the modelled burial and thermal history of the Tazhong 45 well, and the homogenization temperatures of secondary fluid inclusions in the fluorite, hydrocarbon charging at the Tazhong 45 reservoir took place in the Tertiary. [source]


    THE PALEOCENE SANDY SIRI FAIRWAY: AN EFFICIENT "PIPELINE" DRAINING THE PROLIFIC CENTRAL GRABEN?

    JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
    S.E. Ohm
    A new petroleum charge model is presented for the sand-dominated Paleocene channel system known as the Siri Fairway in the Central Graben of the North Sea. The Siri Fairway is located in the platform area along the Danish - Norwegian border and extends from the Norwegian palaeo shelf into the Tail-End Graben and Søgne Basin. The nearest known expelling source rocks are located in the Central Graben. The discovery of the Siri oilfield and later the Cecilie and the Nini fields proves that petroleum has migrated through these Paleocene sandstones for up to 70 km, which is a considerable distance in the North Sea. If the Siri Fairway has acted as a "pipeline" for petroleum migrating from the Graben to the platform area, the chemical composition of the hydrocarbons discovered in the Graben and within the Fairway itself should be similar in terms of maturity and organic facies signature. This study shows this not to be the case. The Graben oils have a mature signature, whereas the oils from the Siri field have an early mature signature and are mixed with biogenic gas generated in situ. The biogenic gas "signature", which was inherited from gas which accumulated in the trap before the arrival of the oil charge, should have disappeared if petroleum had continuously been introduced to the Fairway. It therefore appears that hydrocarbon charging to the Fairway ceased for some reason before the source rocks in the Graben entered the main oil window; the Siri Fairway therefore represents an aborted migration route, and limited charging of the Paleocene sandstone deposits in the platform has occurred. The chemical composition of the oils from the Siri field indicates that the Fairway was charged from two different basins with different subsidence histories. The Siri-2 trap is thus interpreted to have been filled with the same oil as that found in Siri-1 and Siri-3, but this oil was later partly displaced by oil generated in a shallower sub-basin. The sandstones in the Siri Fairway were deposited as turbidites and/or gravity slides in the Late Paleocene, and consist of stacked interfingering sandstone lobes which are encased to varying degrees in fine-grained sediments. Although long distance migration through the sandstones has been proved to occur, connectivity between individual sandlobes may be problematic. The number of dry wells drilled in the Fairway and the early-mature character of the analysed oils, together with the general absence of more mature later petroleum, indicate that migration routes in this region are limited and difficult to predict. [source]


    A REVIEW OF GEOLOGICAL DATA THAT CONFLICT WITH THE PARADIGM OF CATAGENIC GENERATION AND MIGRATION OF OIL

    JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGY, Issue 3 2005
    H. Hugh Wilson
    The majority of petroleum geologists today agree that the complex problems that surround the origin, generation, migration and accumulation of hydrocarbons can be resolved by accepting the geochemical conclusion that the process originates by catagenic generation in deeply-buried organically-rich source rocks. These limited source rock intervals are believed to expel hydrocarbons when they reach organic maturity in oil kitchens. The expelled oil and gas then follow migration pathways to traps at shallower levels. However, there are major geological obstacles that cast doubt upon this interpretation. The restriction of the source rock to a few organically rich levels in a basin forces the conclusion that the basin plumbing system is leaky and allows secondary horizontal and vertical migration through great thicknesses of consolidated sedimentary rocks in which there are numerous permeability barriers that are known to effectively prevent hydrocarbon escape from traps. The sourcing of lenticular traps points to the enclosing impermeable envelope as the logical origin of the trapped hydrocarbons. The lynch-pin of the catagenic theory of hydrocarbon origin is the expulsion mechanism from deeply-buried consolidated source rock under high confining pressures. This mechanism is not understood and is termed an "enigma". Assuming that expulsion does occur, the pathways taken by the hydrocarbons to waiting traps can be ascertained by computer modelling of the basin. However, subsurface and field geological support for purported migration pathways has yet to be provided. Many oilfield studies have shown that oil and gas are preferentially trapped in synchronous highs that were formed during, or very shortly after, the deposition of the charged reservoir. An unresolved problem is how catagenically generated hydrocarbons, expelled during a long-drawn-out maturation period, can have filled synchronous highs but have avoided later traps along the assumed migration pathways. From many oilfield studies, it has also been shown that the presence of hydrocarbons inhibits diagenesis and compaction of the reservoir rock. This "Füchtbauer effect" points to not only the early charging of clastic and carbonate reservoirs, but also to the development of permeability barriers below the early-formed accumulations. These barriers would prevent later hydrocarbon additions during the supposed extended period of expulsion from an oil kitchen. Early-formed traps that have been sealed diagenetically will retain their charge even if the trap is opened by later structural tilting. Diagenetic traps have been discovered in clastic and carbonate provinces but their recognition as viable exploration targets is discouraged by present-day assumptions of late hydrocarbon generation and a leaky basin plumbing system. Because there are so many geological realities that cast doubt upon the assumptions that devolve from the paradigm of catagenic generation, the alternative concept of early biogenic generation and accumulation of immature oil, with in-reservoir cracking during burial, is again worthy of serious consideration. This concept envisages hydrocarbon generation by bacterial activity in many anoxic environments and the charging of synchronous highs from adjacent sources. The resolution of the fundamental problem of hydrocarbon generation and accumulation, which is critical to exploration strategies, should be sought in the light of a thorough knowledge of the geologic factors involved, rather than by computer modelling which may be guided by questionable geochemical assumptions. [source]


    Analysis of the surface energy of pharmaceutical powders by inverse gas chromatography

    JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2002
    Ian M. Grimsey
    Abstract The behavior of pharmaceutical solids, during either processing or use, can be noticeably affected by the surface energetics of the constituent particles. Several techniques exist to measure the surface energy, for example, sessile drop, and dynamic contact angle measurements. Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) is an alternative technique where the powder surface is characterized by the retention behavior of minute quantities of well-characterized vapors that are injected into a column containing the material of interest. Recently published articles using IGC on pharmaceutical powders have ranged from linking surface energetic data with triboelectric charging to studying the effect of surface moisture on surface energetics. Molecular modelling has also recently been used to explore the links between IGC data and the structural and chemical factors that influence surface properties, thereby achieving predictive knowledge regarding powder behavior during processing. In this minireview, the reported applications of IGC in the analysis of pharmaceutical powders are summarized and the major findings highlighted. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 91:571,583, 2002 [source]


    Triboelectrification of Spray-dried Lactose Prepared from Different Feedstock Concentrations

    JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2000
    ORLA E. CASSIDY
    Powder systems may acquire electrostatic charge during various pharmaceutical processing operations and may give rise to difficulties in handling and powder flow, mainly due to adhesion/cohesion effects. We have investigated the electrostatic charging of spray-dried lactose prepared from different feedstock concentrations using a laboratory spray-dryer. Triboelectrification of the spray-dried lactose samples was effected through contact with the stainless steel surface of either a mixing vessel or a cyclone separator. Results from both techniques showed differences in charge accumulation and particle-steel adhesion between the spray-dried lactose samples. As the feedstock concentration used to produce the spray-dried lactose was increased in the range 10,50% w/v, the mean charge on the lactose decreased from ,20.8 to ,1.3 nC g,1 and ,54.9 to ,4.1 nC g,1 for the mixing vessel and cyclone separator, respectively, with a corresponding decrease in adhesion. In addition, as the feedstock concentration was increased from 10 to 50% w/v, decreases were obtained in surface area values (1.06 to 0.56 m2 g,1), pore diameter (198.7 to 83.5 ,m) and pore volume (1.09 to 0.75 cm3 g,1), and together with differences in crystal form correlated with the charge and adhesion results. The results suggested that the feedstock concentration could have a considerable influence on the charging and adhesional properties of spray-dried lactose. This may have relevance during pharmaceutical processing and manufacturing operations. [source]


    Specimen charging in X-ray absorption spectroscopy: correction of total electron yield data from stabilized zirconia in the energy range 250,915,eV

    JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION, Issue 2 2005
    Dimitrios Vlachos
    The effects of specimen charging on X-ray absorption spectroscopy using total electron yield have been investigated using powder samples of zirconia stabilized by a range of oxides. The stabilized zirconia powder was mixed with graphite to minimize the charging but significant modifications of the intensities of features in the X-ray absorption near-edge fine structure (XANES) still occurred. The time dependence of the charging was measured experimentally using a time scan, and an algorithm was developed to use this measured time dependence to correct the effects of the charging. The algorithm assumes that the system approaches the equilibrium state by an exponential decay. The corrected XANES show improved agreement with the electron energy-loss near-edge fine structure obtained from the same samples. [source]


    Morphology Change of Undoped and Sulfate-Ion-Doped Yttria Powders during Firing

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 3 2004
    Ikegami Takayasu
    Morphologic changes that occurred during firing in undoped and sulfate-ion-doped yttria powders were examined in the present study. Clear scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of uncoated insulators were achieved and charging of electrons was avoided by observing small samples, throughout which most of the electrons of the incident beam penetrated. SEM observation and firing of the samples were repeated several times. Searching the observed areas or particles started at low magnification, with the aid of photographs taken earlier. The sulfate-ion dopant inhibited volume diffusion and/or grain-boundary diffusion, and then particle growth of the sulfate-ion-doped yttria proceeded by surface diffusion or evaporation,condensation along with pore growth, which resulted in collapse of the agglomerates of primary particles. Although most of the other particles exhibited slight pore growth along with particle growth at temperatures as low as 800°C, a hardening of the agglomerated particles, because of pore elimination by volume diffusion and/or grain-boundary diffusion, occurred at temperatures >850°C. [source]


    A study on the behavior of a cylindrical type Li-Ion secondary battery under abnormal conditions. Über das Verhalten eines zylindrischen Li-Ionen Akkumulators unter abnormalen Bedingungen

    MATERIALWISSENSCHAFT UND WERKSTOFFTECHNIK, Issue 5 2010
    S. Kim
    zylindrische Li-Ionen Akkumulatoren; mechanisches Verhalten; abnormale Bedingungen; Separator Abstract Li-ion (lithium ion) secondary batteries are rechargeable batteries in which lithium ions move between the cathode and the anode. Lithium is not as safe as nickel cadmium (NiCd), and the Li-ion battery can under some conditions increase in temperature and ignite abnormal conditions which includes overcharging, being subjected to an impact, or being hit by a projectile. Before studying causes of Li-ion battery explosions, the term "abnormal condition" was defined. Next, to check the mechanical conditions, an impact test by a free falling object of 9.1 kg weight made of steel was carried out. After the impact test, the damage of the separator around the hollow of the jelly roll in the cell was observed. Following this, the same cell's electrochemical conditions were assessed through a heating test to determine the potential thermal runaway. Finally, to analyze the mechanical damage to the Li-ion batteries during the charging and the impact test, a finite element analysis was performed using LS-DYNA and ABAQUS software. A cylindrical type Li-ion secondary battery was selected for the impact test, heating test, and simulation. The test and simulation results provided insights into the extent to which cylindrical cells can endure abnormal conditions. [source]


    The assessment of microscopic charging effects induced by focused electron and ion beam irradiation of dielectrics

    MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 3 2007
    Marion A. Stevens-Kalceff
    Abstract Energetic beams of electrons and ions are widely used to probe the microscopic properties of materials. Irradiation with charged beams in scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) systems may result in the trapping of charge at irradiation induced or pre-existing defects within the implanted microvolume of the dielectric material. The significant perturbing influence on dielectric materials of both electron and (Ga+) ion beam irradiation is assessed using scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques. Kelvin Probe Microscopy (KPM) is an advanced SPM technique in which long-range Coulomb forces between a conductive atomic force probe and the silicon dioxide specimen enable the potential at the specimen surface to be characterized with high spatial resolution. KPM reveals characteristic significant localized potentials in both electron and ion implanted dielectrics. The potentials are observed despite charge mitigation strategies including prior coating of the dielectric specimen with a layer of thin grounded conductive material. Both electron- and ion-induced charging effects are influenced by a delicate balance of a number of different dynamic processes including charge-trapping and secondary electron emission. In the case of ion beam induced charging, the additional influence of ion implantation and nonstoichiometric sputtering from compounds is also important. The presence of a localized potential will result in the electromigration of mobile charged defect species within the irradiated volume of the dielectric specimen. This electromigration may result in local modification of the chemical composition of the irradiated dielectric. The implications of charging induced effects must be considered during the microanalysis and processing of dielectric materials using electron and ion beam techniques. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]