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Operating Temperature (operating + temperature)
Selected AbstractsOptimization of Operating Temperature for Continuous Immobilized Glucose Isomerase Reactor with Pseudo Linear KineticsENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 5 2004N.M. Faqir Abstract In this work, the optimal operating temperature for the enzymatic isomerization of glucose to fructose using a continuous immobilized glucose isomerase packed bed reactor is studied. This optimization problem describing the performance of such reactor is based on reversible pseudo linear kinetics and is expressed in terms of a recycle ratio. The thermal deactivation of the enzyme as well as the substrate protection during the reactor operation is considered. The formulation of the problem is expressed in terms of maximization of the productivity of fructose. This constrained nonlinear optimization problem is solved using the disjoint policy of the calculus of variations. Accordingly, this method of solution transforms the nonlinear optimization problem into a system of two coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of the initial value type, one equation for the operating temperature profile and the other one for the enzyme activity. The ODE for the operating temperature profile is dependent on the recycle ratio, operating time period, and the reactor residence time as well as the kinetics of the reaction and enzyme deactivation. The optimal initial operating temperature is selected by solving the ODEs system by maximizing the fructose productivity. This results into an unconstrained one-dimensional optimization problem with simple bounds on the operating temperature. Depending on the limits of the recycle ratio, which represents either a plug flow or a mixed flow reactor, it is found that the optimal temperature of operation is characterized by an increasing temperature profile. For higher residence time and low operating periods the residual enzyme activity in the mixed flow reactor is higher than that for the plug flow reactor, which in turn allows the mixed flow reactor to operate at lower temperature than that of the plug flow reactor. At long operating times and short residence time, the operating temperature profiles are almost the same for both reactors. This could be attributed to the effect of substrate protection on the enzyme stability, which is almost the same for both reactors. Improvement in the fructose productivity for both types of reactors is achieved when compared to the constant optimum temperature of operation. The improvement in the fructose productivity for the plug flow reactor is significant in comparison with the mixed flow reactor. [source] High-solids biphasic CO2,H2O pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomassBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 3 2010Jeremy S. Luterbacher Abstract A high pressure (200,bar) CO2,H2O process was developed for pretreating lignocellulosic biomass at high-solid contents, while minimizing chemical inputs. Hardwood was pretreated at 20 and 40 (wt.%) solids. Switchgrass, corn stover, big bluestem, and mixed perennial grasses (a co-culture of big bluestem and switchgrass) were pretreated at 40 (wt.%) solids. Operating temperatures ranged from 150 to 250°C, and residence times from 20,s to 60,min. At these conditions a biphasic mixture of an H2O-rich liquid (hydrothermal) phase and a CO2 -rich supercritical phase coexist. Following pretreatment, samples were then enzymatically hydrolyzed. Total yields, defined as the fraction of the theoretical maximum, were determined for glucose, hemicellulose sugars, and two degradation products: furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Response surfaces of yield as a function of temperature and residence time were compared for different moisture contents and biomass species. Pretreatment at 170°C for 60,min gave glucose yields of 77%, 73%, and 68% for 20 and 40 (wt.%) solids mixed hardwood and mixed perennial grasses, respectively. Pretreatment at 160°C for 60,min gave glucan to glucose yields of 81% for switchgrass and 85% for corn stover. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;107: 451,460. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Optimization of Operating Temperature for Continuous Immobilized Glucose Isomerase Reactor with Pseudo Linear KineticsENGINEERING IN LIFE SCIENCES (ELECTRONIC), Issue 5 2004N.M. Faqir Abstract In this work, the optimal operating temperature for the enzymatic isomerization of glucose to fructose using a continuous immobilized glucose isomerase packed bed reactor is studied. This optimization problem describing the performance of such reactor is based on reversible pseudo linear kinetics and is expressed in terms of a recycle ratio. The thermal deactivation of the enzyme as well as the substrate protection during the reactor operation is considered. The formulation of the problem is expressed in terms of maximization of the productivity of fructose. This constrained nonlinear optimization problem is solved using the disjoint policy of the calculus of variations. Accordingly, this method of solution transforms the nonlinear optimization problem into a system of two coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of the initial value type, one equation for the operating temperature profile and the other one for the enzyme activity. The ODE for the operating temperature profile is dependent on the recycle ratio, operating time period, and the reactor residence time as well as the kinetics of the reaction and enzyme deactivation. The optimal initial operating temperature is selected by solving the ODEs system by maximizing the fructose productivity. This results into an unconstrained one-dimensional optimization problem with simple bounds on the operating temperature. Depending on the limits of the recycle ratio, which represents either a plug flow or a mixed flow reactor, it is found that the optimal temperature of operation is characterized by an increasing temperature profile. For higher residence time and low operating periods the residual enzyme activity in the mixed flow reactor is higher than that for the plug flow reactor, which in turn allows the mixed flow reactor to operate at lower temperature than that of the plug flow reactor. At long operating times and short residence time, the operating temperature profiles are almost the same for both reactors. This could be attributed to the effect of substrate protection on the enzyme stability, which is almost the same for both reactors. Improvement in the fructose productivity for both types of reactors is achieved when compared to the constant optimum temperature of operation. The improvement in the fructose productivity for the plug flow reactor is significant in comparison with the mixed flow reactor. [source] Bonded aircraft repairs under variable amplitude fatigue loading and at low temperaturesFATIGUE & FRACTURE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES, Issue 1 2000Vlot Bonded repairs can replace mechanically fastened repairs for aircraft structures. Compared to mechanical fastening, adhesive bonding provides a more uniform and efficient load transfer into the patch, and can reduce the risk of high stress concentrations caused by additional fastener holes necessary for riveted repairs. Previous fatigue tests on bonded Glare (glass-reinforced aluminium laminate) repairs were performed at room temperature and under constant amplitude fatigue loading. However, the realistic operating temperature of ,40 °C may degrade the material and will cause unfavourable thermal stresses. Bonded repair specimens were tested at ,40 °C and other specimens were tested at room temperature after subjecting them to temperature cycles. Also, tests were performed with a realistic C-5A Galaxy fuselage fatigue spectrum at room temperature. The behaviour of Glare repair patches was compared with boron/epoxy ones with equal extensional stiffness. The thermal cycles before fatigue cycling did not degrade the repair. A constant temperature of ,40 °C during the mechanical fatigue load had a favourable effect on the fatigue crack growth rate. Glare repair patches showed lower crack growth rates than boron/epoxy repairs. Finite element analyses revealed that the higher crack growth rates for boron/epoxy repairs are caused by the higher thermal stresses induced by the curing of the adhesive. The fatigue crack growth rate under spectrum loading could be accurately predicted with stress intensity factors calculated by finite element modelling and cycle-by-cycle integration that neglected interaction effects of the different stress amplitudes, which is possible because stress intensities at the crack tip under the repair patch remain small. For an accurate prediction it was necessary to use an effective stress intensity factor that is a function of the stress ratio at the crack tip Rcrack tip including the thermal stress under the bonded patch. [source] Radiation Grafted Membranes for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells,FUEL CELLS, Issue 3 2005L. Gubler Abstract The cost of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) components is crucial to the commercial viability of the technology. Proton exchange membranes fabricated via the method of radiation grafting offer a cost-competitive option, because starting materials are inexpensive commodity products and the preparation procedure is based on established industrial processes. Radiation grafted membranes have been used with commercial success in membrane separation technology. This review focuses on the application of radiation grafted membranes in fuel cells, in particular the identification of fuel cell relevant membrane properties, aspects of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication, electrochemical performance and durability obtained in cell or stack tests, and investigation of failure modes and post mortem analysis. The application in hydrogen and methanol fuelled cells is treated separately. Optimized styrene,/,crosslinker grafted and sulfonated membranes show performance comparable to perfluorinated membranes. Some properties, such as methanol permeability, can be tailored to be superior. Durability of several thousand hours at practical operating conditions has been demonstrated. Alternative styrene derived monomers with higher chemical stability offer the prospect of enhanced durability or higher operating temperature. [source] Analysis of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC)-Performance via FTIR Spectroscopy of Cathode ExhaustFUEL CELLS, Issue 4 2003F. Meier Abstract Water and methanol flux through NafionÔ and polyaryl-blend membranes prepared at ICVT were studied under DMFC operation. The water, methanol, and CO2 content in the cathode exhaust were measured by FTIR spectroscopy. Both the water and methanol flux turned out to be strongly dependent on the operating temperature and thus on membrane swelling. Apart from this, water flux through the membrane is primarily affected by the gas volume flux on the cathode side. A coupling between water flux and methanol flux was observed, which leads to the conclusion that methanol is transported both by diffusion and by convection caused by the superimposed water flux. Polyaryl-blend membranes showed a reduced diffusive methanol transport when compared to NafionÔ due to their different internal microstructure. The impact of methanol cross-over on cathode losses at high current density needs further clarification with respect to the prevailing mechanism of methanol oxidation at the cathode. [source] Experimental Study of the Aging and Self-Healing of the Glass/Ceramic Sealant Used in SOFCsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Wenning N. Liu High operating temperatures of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) require that the sealant must function at a high temperature between 600°C and 900°C and in the oxidizing and reducing environments of fuel and air. This paper describes tests to investigate the temporal evolution of the volume fraction of ceramic phases, the evolution of micro-damage, and the self-healing behavior of the glass,ceramic sealant used in SOFCs. It was found that after the initial sintering process, further crystallization of the glass,ceramic sealant does not stop, but slows down and reduces the residual glass content while boosting the ceramic crystalline content. Under a long-term operating environment, distinct fibrous and needle-like crystals in the amorphous phase disappeared, and smeared/diffused phase boundaries between the glass phase and ceramic phase were observed. Meanwhile, the micro-damage was induced by the cooling down process from the operating temperature to room temperature, which can potentially degrade the mechanical properties of the glass/ceramic sealant. The glass/ceramic sealant exhibited self-healing upon reheating to the SOFC operating temperature, which can restore the mechanical performance of the glass/ceramic sealant. [source] Fabrication of Precise Fluidic Structures in LTCCINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2009Fred Barlow A number of emerging applications of low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) require embedded fluidic structure within the co-fired ceramic and or precise external dimensional tolerances. These structures enable the control of fluids for cooling, sensing, and biomedical applications, and variations in their geometry from the design can have a significant impact on the overall performance of the devices. One example of this type of application is a multilayer cooler developed recently by the authors for cooling laser diode bars. In many laser systems, laser diodes are the primary emitters, or assemblies of these diode bars are used to pump traditional laser crystals such as Nd:YLF. Assemblies of these diodes require large amounts of electrical current for proper operation, and the device operating temperature must be carefully controlled in order to avoid a shift in the output wavelength. These diodes are packaged into water-cooled assemblies and by their nature dissipate enormous amounts of heat, with waste heat fluxes on the order of 2000 W/cm2. The traditional solution to this problem has been the development of copper multilayer coolers. Assemblies of laser diodes are then formed by stacking these diode bars and coolers. Several problems exist with this approach including the erosion of the copper coolers by the coolant, a requirement for the use of deionized water within the system, and a significant CTE mismatch between the diode bar and the metal cooler. Diodes are bonded to these metal structures and liquid coolant is circulated through the metal layers in order to cool the diode bar. In contrast, the coolers developed by the authors utilize fluid channels and jets formed within LTCC as well as embedded cavity structures to control the flow of a high-velocity liquid and actively cool the laser diode bars mounted on the surface of the LTCC., The dimensional tolerances of these cooler assemblies and complex shapes that are used to control the fluid can have a significant impact on the overall performance of the laser system. This paper describes the fabrication process used to create the precise channel and jet structures used in these LTCC-based coolers, as well as some of the challenges associated with these processes. [source] Performance improvement of the vapour compression refrigeration cycle by a two-phase constant area ejectorINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2009Nagihan Bilir Abstract The performance of a vapour compression system that uses an ejector as an expansion device was investigated. In the analysis, a two-phase constant area ejector flow model was used. R134a was selected as the refrigerant. According to the obtained results, for any operating temperature there are different optimum values of pressure drop in the suction chamber, ejector area ratio, ejector outlet pressure and cooling coefficient of performance (COP). As the difference between condenser and evaporator temperatures increases, the improvement ratio in COP rises whereas ejector area ratio drops. The minimum COP improvement ratio in the investigated field was 10.1%, while its maximum was 22.34%. Even in the case of an off-design operation, the performance of a system with ejector is higher than that of the basic system. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Exergetic performance analysis of a PEM fuel cellINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2006M. Ay Abstract In this paper we investigate the effects of thermodynamic irreversibilities on the exergetic performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells as a function of cell operating temperature, pressures of anode and cathode, current density, and membrane thickness. The practical operating conditions are selected to be 3,5 atm for anode and cathode pressures, and 323,353 K for the cell temperatures, respectively. In addition, the membrane thicknesses are chosen as 0.016, 0.018 and 0.02 cm, respectively. Moreover, the current density range of the PEM fuel cell is selected to be 0.01,2.0 A cm,2. It is concluded that exergy efficiency of PEM fuel cell decreases with a rise in membrane thickness and current density, and increases with a rise of cell operating pressure and with a decrease of current density for the same membrane thickness. Thus, it can be said that, in order to increase the exergetic performance of PEM fuel cell, the lower membrane thickness, the lower current density and the higher cell operating pressure should be selected in case PEM fuel cell is operated at constant cell temperature. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Control-oriented nonlinear modelling of molten carbonate fuel cellsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2004Cheng Shen Abstract Performance and availability of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) stack are greatly dependent on its operating temperature. Control of the operating temperature within a specified range and reduction of its temperature fluctuation are highly desirable. The models of MCFC stack existing are too complicated to be suitable for design of a controller because of its lack of clear input,output relations. In this paper, according to the demands of control design, a quantitative relations model of control-oriented MCFC between the temperatures of the stack and flowrates of the input gases is developed, based on conservation laws. It is an affine nonlinear model with multi-input and multi-output, the flowrates of fuel and oxidant gases as the manipulated vector and the temperatures of MCFC electrode,electrolyte plates, separator plates as the controlled vector. The modelling and simulation procedures are given in detail. The simulation tests reveal that the model developed is accurate and it is suitable to be used as a model in designing a controller of MCFC stack. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Carbon monoxide poisoning of proton exchange membrane fuel cellsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2001J. J. Baschuk Abstract Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance degrades when carbon monoxide (CO) is present in the fuel gas; this is referred to as CO poisoning. This paper investigates CO poisoning of PEMFCs by reviewing work on the electrochemistry of CO and hydrogen, the experimental performance of PEMFCs exhibiting CO poisoning, methods to mitigate CO poisoning and theoretical models of CO poisoning. It is found that CO poisons the anode reaction through preferentially adsorbing to the platinum surface and blocking active sites, and that the CO poisoning effect is slow and reversible. There exist three methods to mitigate the effect of CO poisoning: (i) the use of a platinum alloy catalyst, (ii) higher cell operating temperature and (iii) introduction of oxygen into the fuel gas flow. Of these three methods, the third is the most practical. There are several models available in the literature for the effect of CO poisoning on a PEMFC and from the modeling efforts, it is clear that small CO oxidation rates can result in much increased performance of the anode. However, none of the existing models have considered the effect of transport phenomena in a cell, nor the effect of oxygen crossover from the cathode, which may be a significant contributor to CO tolerance in a PEMFC. In addition, there is a lack of data for CO oxidation and adsorption at low temperatures, which is needed for detailed modeling of CO poisoning in PEMFCs. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Preparation of novel ZSM-5 zeolite-filled chitosan membranes for pervaporation separation of dimethyl carbonate/methanol mixturesJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 3 2007Bingbing Liu Abstract Novel mixed matrix membranes were prepared by incorporating ZSM-5 zeolite into chitosan polymer for the pervaporative separation of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from methanol. These membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to assess their morphology, intermolecular interactions, and crystallinity. Sorption studies indicated that the degree of swelling for zeolite-filled membranes increased with zeolite content in the membrane increasing and the separation selectivity of DMC/methanol was dominated by solubility selectivity rather than diffusivity selectivity. The characteristics of these membranes for separating DMC/methanol mixtures were investigated by varying zeolite content, feed composition, and operating temperature. The pervaporation separation index (PSI) showed that 5 wt % of ZSM-5 zeolite-filled membrane gave the optimum performance in the PV process. From the temperature-dependent permeation values, the Arrhenius activation parameters were estimated. The resulting lower activation energy values obtained for zeolite-filled membranes contribute to the framework of the zeolite. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007 [source] HTPB-based polyurethaneurea membranes for recovery of aroma compounds from aqueous solution by pervaporationJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007Yunxiang Bai Abstract Hydroxyterminated polybutadiene (HTPB)-based polyurethaneurea (PU), HTPB-PU, was synthesized by two-step polymerization and was firstly used as membrane materials to recover aroma, ethyl acetate (EA), from aqueous solution by pervaporation (PV). The effects of the number,average molecular weight (Mn) of HTPB, EA in feed, operating temperature, and membrane thickness on the PV performance of HTPB-PU membranes were investigated. The membranes demonstrated high EA permselectivity as well as high EA flux. The DSC result showed two transition temperatures in the HTPB-PU membrane and contact angle measurements revealed the difference of hydrophobicity of the membrane at both sides, which were induced by glass plate and air, respectively, due to movement of the soft hydrophobic polybutadiene (PB) segments in HTPB-PU chains. Furthermore, the PV performance of the HTPB-PU membrane with the hydrophobic surface facing the feed was much better than that with the hydrophilic surface. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 552,559, 2007 [source] A thermal study on the use of immobilized penicillin G acylase in the formation of 7-amino-3-deacetoxy cephalosporanic acid from cephalosporin GJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 10 2004Jian-Liang Pan Abstract Penicillin G acylase (PGA) is an important enzyme for the industrial production of 7-amino-3-deacetoxy cephalosporanic acid (7-ADCA) from cephalosporin G (Ceph-G), and 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) from penicillin G (Pen-G). These products are used for the manufacture of semi-synthetic cephalosporins and penicillins. In this study, immobilized PGA was utilized to catalyze the conversion of Ceph-G to 7-ADCA. The optimal conditions were found to be an operating temperature of 45 °C, 0.2 M phosphate buffer, a substrate concentration of 30 mg cm,3 and a catalyst particle concentration of 0.01 g cm,3 (specific activity of 623.2 U g,1). Up to 45 °C the reaction was characterized by an activation energy of 38.66 kJ mol,1. Beyond 57.5 °C there was a sharp decline of activity, characterized by a deactivation energy of 235.88 kJ mol,1. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Proton Conductivity Measurements in Yttrium Barium Cerate by Impedance SpectroscopyJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 11 2002W. Grover Coors Proton-conducting solid-electrolyte perovskite ceramics based on acceptor-doped barium and strontium cerates have become the focus of extensive investigations as candidate materials for fuel cells that operate at moderate temperatures. To assess the suitability of a material for this application, it is necessary that bulk electrolyte conductivity be measured at the operating temperature. However, very little reliable published conductivity data exist above 600°C. Protonic conductivity in yttrium-doped barium cerate has been observed to be less at high temperatures than would be expected, based on the activation energy and preexponential for hydrogen transport at temperatures <300°C. Conductivity data obtained from impedance spectroscopy on BaCe0.9Y0.1O3,, over the extended temperature range of 100°,900°C are presented. An Arrhenius plot of the data shows two distinct linear regions, suggesting that two different rate-limiting processes occur in series with a break-over transition at ,250°C. The decrease in conductivity is apparently not due to dehydration. An activation energy for protonic transport of 0.26 eV, about one-half of the low-temperature value, is proposed, based on curve fitting of the high-temperature data. [source] Large-scale submerged fermentation of Antrodia cinnamomea for anti-hepatoma activityJOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 13 2008Jih-Hung Pan Abstract BACKGROUND: Submerged cultivation of Antrodia cinnamomea was carried out for manufacturing the fermentation product with anti-hepatoma activity. The fermentation process was optimized for different parameters at shake flask level to obtain products with high inhibition potency against Hep G2 hepatoma cells. Scale-up of the fermentation process was then achieved from 250 mL shake flask to 5 L, 500 L and 5-ton fermenters. RESULTS: Glucose and malt extract were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The initial pH of 5.0 and an operating temperature of 22 °C were the best for a product with lowest IC50 value. A shorter cultivation time was required when the scale of fermentation increased from 5 L to 5 tons. The reducing sugar and solids contents of the broth filtrate were correlated exponentially with the IC50 of the ethanolic extract of mycelium for hepatoma cells, and the level of ergosterol in the mycelium extract follows the same profile as the increase in Hep G2 cells inhibition. CONCLUSION: When Antrodia cinnamomea is cultured in a 5-ton fermenter, 4 weeks are required for the fermentation product to reach the highest anti-hepatoma activity. The solid and reducing sugar contents of the broth filtrate as well as the ergosterol content in the ethanol extract of mycelium can serve as the marker during fermentation for manufacturing product with anti-hepatoma activity. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Internal-loss-limited maximum operating temperature and characteristic temperature of quantum dot laserLASER PHYSICS LETTERS, Issue 4 2007L. Jiang Abstract Carrier-density-dependent internal optical loss sets an upper limit for operating temperatures and considerably reduces the characteristic temperature of a quantum dot laser. Such internal loss also constrains the shallowest potential well depth and the smallest tolerable size of a quantum dot at which the lasing can be attained. At the maximum operating temperature or when any parameter of the structure is equal to its critical tolerable value, the characteristic temperature drops to zero. (© 2007 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA) [source] QD technology and market prospects in the sectors of space exploration, biomedicine, defense, and securityPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 12 2008C. A. Charitidis Abstract Quantum dots (QD) are a unique subset of nanomaterials characterized by their extraordinary quantum confinement behaviour. Even though the quantum dot industry is still in its infancy with revenues now reaching $10 million, it is expected to surpass $500 million in 2009. However, in order to leverage the full potential of the QD technology, new fabrication processes must be developed to attain high detectivity and high operating temperature (HOT) photodetector devices. The Quantum Dot Infrared Photodetectors (QDIPs) possess an immense potential for civilian and military applications due to the distinct characteristics stemming from their dimensionality , which provides 3D carrier confinement and the capacity for normal-incidence detection , and their amenability to bandgap engineering , which allows tailoring the peak and cutoff wavelengths according to custom needs. The QDIPs, especially when optimized to operate at higher temperatures, can become critical components in space exploration, defence and security, optical communication, quantum computing and cryptography, and medical imaging applications. Robust and reliable solutions for these fields will command a premium position in the marketplace as by responding to the societal need for secure electronic transactions, exponentially faster data processing, and higher quality diagnostic tools. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Properties of new nanocomposite triblock copolymer gels based on expandable graphite,POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 9 2008Marissa A. Paglicawan In this work, we investigated the effect of expandable graphite (EG) on the property of triblock copolymer prepared from a poly(styrene- b -(ethylene- co -butylene)- b -styrene) (SEBS) imbibed with an EB-compatible hydrocarbon oil. The rheological properties showed that at a temperature between 30 and 40°C below the gel point, the triblock copolymer gels had a dynamic storage modulus (G,) greater than loss modulus (G,), thereby indicating that at ambient temperature, a physical network is still present in spite of the addition of nanoparticles. Dynamic rheological measurements of the resultant nanocomposite triblock copolymer gels confirmed that the addition of EG affects the linear viscoelastic properties and maximum operating temperature of the parent triblock copolymer gels. The mechanical properties showed only marginal increase, which can be attributed to the poor dispersion that leads to agglomeration of particle into micrometer size stacks, and thus the particles behave only as inorganic fillers. The morphology and X-ray diffraction revealed that the EG used to generate nanocomposite triblock copolymer gels is dispersed generally within the swollen copolymer and/or solvent. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Twin-screw compounding of poly(methyl methacrylate)/clay nanocomposites: effects of compounding temperature and matrix molecular weightPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 8 2007Jr Hao Liaw Abstract Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/organoclay nanocomposites prepared by melt-compounding using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder were intercalated nanocomposites. Commercially available PMMA resins of various molecular weights were used for comparison. The results showed an optimum compounding temperature for maximum intercalation with balanced shear and diffusion. Higher operating temperature reduced the shear mixing effect, and might have induced early degradation of the organoclay. Lower operating temperature, in contrast, reduced the mobility of the polymer molecules, which not only hampered the intercalation attempts, but also generated high torque in the extrusion. The mechanical behavior of the nanocomposites was studied. The tensile modulus, storage modulus and glass transition temperature of the nanocomposites increased with increasing clay content; however, an associated decrease in strength and strain at break was also observed. The notched impact strength also showed a slight decrease with clay content. Nanocomposites based on the lower molecular weight PMMA yielded more significant improvement in mechanical and thermal properties at the same clay content. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Assessing the outdoor operating temperature of photovoltaic modulesPROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS: RESEARCH & APPLICATIONS, Issue 4 2008David Faiman Abstract By a careful study of data collected from seven varieties of photovoltaic (PV) module it is demonstrated that a simple modified form of the Hottel,Whillier,Bliss (HWB) equation, familiar from the analysis of flat-plate solar,thermal collectors, can be employed to predict module temperatures within an accuracy comparable to the cell-to-cell temperature differences typically encountered within a module. Furthermore, for modules within the range of construction parameters employed in this study, the actual values of the two modified HWB constants do not appear to depend upon module type. The implication of these results for the accuracy of outdoor module characterization is discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Reliability Model for Polyimide,Metal Interconnect Shorts in GaAs ASICsQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 8 2004N. Strifas Abstract A physical reliability model has been developed to calculate the time to failure of polyimide,metal multilevel interconnected GaAs components due to the shorts between interconnect metallizations through a polyimide interlayer. The failure mechanism for the shorts between neighboring metals through the polyimide is described as a stress-assisted diffusion process along a polyimide microcrack due to the combination of process defect and high thermal stress concentration. The finite element method has been used to determine the temperature increase during operation and the resulting thermal stress due to the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of the materials used in the multilevel metallization GaAs module of devices. Numerical methods have been used to solve the partial differential diffusion equations with stress gradients in order to obtain the time to failure of the devices. The time to failure for the shorts between metal level 4 and metal 2 at 123 °C operating temperature was calculated to be 20 h for the conditions analyzed. The activation energy for the failure of the shorts between two level metals was calculated to be 0.48 eV. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Solar membrane natural gas steam-reforming process: evaluation of reactor performanceASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 1 2010M. De Falco Abstract In this work, the performance of an innovative plant for efficient hydrogen production using solar energy for the process heat duty requirements has been evaluated via a detailed 2D model. The steam-reforming reactor consists of a bundle of coaxial double tubes assembled in a shell. The annular section of each tube is the reaction zone in which Ni-based catalyst pellets are packed, whereas the inner tube is a dense Pd-based selective membrane that is able to remove hydrogen from the reaction zone. By coupling reaction and hydrogen separation, equilibrium constrains inside the reactor are circumvented and high methane conversions at relatively low temperatures are achieved. The heat needed for the steam-reforming reaction at this low operating temperature can be supplied by using a molten salt stream, heated up to 550 °C by a parabolic mirror solar plant, as heating fluid. The effects on membrane reactor performance of some operating conditions, as gas mixture residence time, reaction pressure and steam-to-carbon ratio, are assessed together with the enhancement of methane conversion with respect to the traditional process, evaluated in the range 40.5,130.9% at the same operating conditions. Moreover, owing to the use of a solar source for chemical process heat duty requirements, the greenhouse gases (GHG) reduction is estimated to be in the range 33,67%. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Numerical simulation of flow and heat transfer in connection of gasifier to the radiant syngas coolerASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5 2009Jianjun Ni Abstract The connection of gasifier to the radiant syngas cooler has been regarded as a key technology for heat recovery system. Multiphase flow and heat transfer processes presented in this work considers particle deposition and radiation model to mixture of non-gray gas with particles. An axisymmetric simulation of the multiphase flow in an industrial scale connection is performed. The standard k -, model, Renormalization group (RNG) k -, model and Realizable k -, model turbulence model are proposed. The particle motion is modeled by discrete random walk model. The discrete ordinates model (DOM), P-1 and discrete transfer model (DTRM) are used to model the radiative heat transfer. The effect of particles on the radiative heat transfer was taken into account when the DOM and P-1 model were used. The absorption coefficient of the gas mixture is calculated by means of a weighted-sum-of-gray-gas (WSGG) model. The results with the DOM and P-1 model are very similar and close to practical condition. A large number of particles are deposited on the cone of gasifier which is the top of connection. Maximum temperature difference is approximate 7 K when the cooling tube heights change from 0.5 m to 1.5 m. The temperature inside has a linear relationship with operating temperature. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The effect of GSM and TETRA mobile handset signals on blood pressure, catechol levels and heart rate variability ,BIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 6 2007Anthony T. Barker Abstract An acute rise in blood pressure has been reported in normal volunteers during exposure to signals from a mobile phone handset. To investigate this finding further we carried out a double blind study in 120 healthy volunteers (43 men, 77 women) in whom we measured mean arterial pressure (MAP) during each of six exposure sessions. At each session subjects were exposed to one of six different radio frequency signals simulating both GSM and TETRA handsets in different transmission modes. Blood catechols before and after exposure, heart rate variability during exposure, and post exposure 24 h ambulatory blood pressure were also studied. Despite having the power to detect changes in MAP of less than 1 mmHg none of our measurements showed any effect which we could attribute to radio frequency exposure. We found a single statistically significant decrease of 0.7 mmHg (95% CI 0.3,1.2 mmHg, P,=,.04) with exposure to GSM handsets in sham mode. This may be due to a slight increase in operating temperature of the handsets when in this mode. Hence our results have not confirmed the original findings of an acute rise in blood pressure due to exposure to mobile phone handset signals. In light of this negative finding from a large study, coupled with two smaller GSM studies which have also proved negative, we are of the view that further studies of acute changes in blood pressure due to GSM and TETRA handsets are not required. Bioelectromagnetics 28:433,438, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Determination and pharmacokinetic study of bergenin in rat plasma by RP-HPLC methodBIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY, Issue 10 2006Yan-Bin Shi Abstract A validated reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method was developed for the determination of bergenin in rat plasma. Bergenin in rat plasma was extracted with methanol, which also acted as a deproteinization agent. Chromatographic separation of bergenin was performed on a C18 column, with a mobile phase of methanol,water (22:78, v/v) at a flow-rate of 0.8 mL/min and an operating temperature of 40°C, and UV detection was set at 220 nm. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.25,50 µg/mL (r = 0.9990) in rat plasma. The limit of quantification was 0.25 µg/mL using a plasma sample of 100 µL. The extraction recoveries were 83.40 ± 6.02, 81.49 ± 2.40 and 72.51 ± 2.64% at concentrations of 0.5, 5 and 50 µg/mL, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day precision and accuracy were validated by relative standard deviation (RSD%) and relative error (RE%), which were in the ranges 3.74,9.91 and ,1.6,8.0%. After intravenous administration to rats at the dose of 11.25 mg/kg, the plasma concentration,time curve of bergenin was best conformed to a two-compartment open model. The main pharmacokinetic parameters indicated that bergenin exhibited a wide distribution and moderate elimination velocity in rat. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Thermodynamic Equilibrium Calculations for the Reforming of Coke Oven Gas with Gasification GasCHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY (CET), Issue 1 2007B. Li Abstract Thermodynamic analyses of the reforming of coke oven gas with gasification gas for syngas were investigated as a function of coke oven gas-to-gasification gas ratio (1,3), oxygen-to-methane ratio (0,1.56), pressure (25,35,bar) and temperature (700,1100,°C). Thermodynamic equilibrium results indicate that the operating temperature should be approximately 1100,°C and the oxygen-to-methane ratio should be approximately 0.39, where about 80,% CH4 and CO2 can be converted at 30,bar. Increasing the operating pressure shifts the equilibrium toward the reactants (CH4 and CO2); increasing the pressure from 25 to 35,bar decreases the conversion of CO2 from 73.7,% to 67.8,%. The conversion ratio of CO2 is less than that in the absence of O2. For a constant feed gas composition (7,% O2, 31,% gasification gas, and 62,% coke oven gas), a H2/CO ratio of about 2 occurs at temperatures of 950,°C and above. Pressure effects on the H2/CO ratio are negligible for temperatures greater than 750,°C. The steam produced has an effect on the hydrogen selectivity, but its mole fraction decreases with temperature; trace amounts of other secondary products are observed. [source] Membranen für Polymerelektrolyt-Brennstoffzellen,CHEMIE-INGENIEUR-TECHNIK (CIT), Issue 11 2003A. Glüsen Dr. rer. nat. Abstract Die Polymerelektrolyt-Membran ist das Herzstück von wasserstoffbetriebenen Polymerelektrolyt-Brennstoffzellen (PEFC) und methanolbetriebenen Direktmethanol-Brennstoffzellen (DMFC). Membranen aus sulfonierten Fluoropolymeren sind derzeit kommerziell erhältlich. Wichtige Forschungs- und Entwicklungsziele sind derzeit für die PEFC die Erhöhung der Betriebstemperatur, ohne die Membran zusätzlich befeuchten zu müssen, und für die DMFC die Verringerung des Methanoltransportes durch die Membran. Zusätzlich sollen durch die Verwendung fluorfreier Polymere die Kosten der Membran und die Umweltbelastung reduziert werden. Dabei spielen bereits in der industriellen Entwicklung befindliche Membranen ebenso eine Rolle wie neue Membrankonzepte aus der Grundlagenforschung. Membranes for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells The polymer electrolyte membrane is the heart of hydrogen fuelled Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFC) and methanol fuelled Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC). Membranes of sulfonated fluoropolymers are already commercially available. Important goals for research and development are for PEFCs an increased operating temperature without the need for additional humidification and for DMFC the reduction of methanol transport through the membrane. The use of non-fluorinated polymers aims at a reduction in membrane cost and environmental hazards. Membranes already in industrial product development are considered as well as novel membrane concepts in fundamental research. [source] Supercritical fluid extraction of walnut kernel oilEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 7 2006Sema Salg Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the main process parameters on supercritical fluid extraction of walnut (Juglans regia,L.) kernel oil. The recovery of walnut kernel oil was performed in a green and high-tech separation process. CO2 and CO2 +,ethanol mixtures were used as the supercritical solvent. The extraction was carried out at operating pressures of 30, 40 and 50,MPa, operating temperatures of 313, 323 and 333,K, mean particle sizes of 1.78×10,4, 3.03×10,4, 4.78×10,4, 7.00×10,4 and 9.00×10,4,m, supercritical CO2 (SC CO2) flow rates of 1.67×10,8, 3.33×10,8, 6.67×10,8 and 13.33×10,8,m3/s and entrainer (ethanol) concentrations of 2, 4, 8 and 12,vol-%. Maximum extraction yield and oil solubility in SC CO2 obtained at 50,MPa, 333,K, 9.00×10,4,m, 3.33×10,4,m3/h were 0.65,kg oil/kg of dry sample and 37.16,g oil/kg CO2, respectively. The results obtained in this study showed that the crossover pressure effect of walnut kernel oil was at 30,MPa. At 30,MPa and 313,K, the obtained extraction yields above 4,vol-% ethanol reached the organic solvent extraction yield of 68.5,kg oil/kg dry sample. Extraction time was decreased significantly because of the higher solubility of walnut kernel oil in SC CO2 +,ethanol mixtures. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||