Quiescent Conditions (quiescent + condition)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Characterization of the fire environments in central offices of the telecommunications industry

FIRE AND MATERIALS, Issue 3 2003
Archibald Tewarson
Abstract Eight free burning and two sprinklered fire tests were performed with electrical cable trays and live digital switch racks in a large enclosure to simulate telecommunications central office (TCO) fires started by electrical overheating. Very-slow-growing (non-flaming), slower-growing (partially flaming) and low-intensity-faster-growing (flaming) fires releasing gray-white, gray, and black smoke, respectively, were observed in the tests. Under quiescent conditions present in the unvented enclosure fire tests for cables, very-slow-growing fires were detected in about 1452 s, whereas the slower-growing fires were detected in about 222 s by commercial fire detectors. Under ventilation conditions typical of TCOs, detection times were very similar for the five types of commercial TCOs fire detectors used in the tests. The average detection times for slower-growing fires (cable fires) and low-intensity-faster-growing fires (digital switch rack fires) were 242±17% and 249±11%s respectively. The TCO procedures to reduce smoke damage from fires (on fire detection, inlet ventilation flow is turned off and exhaust flow is turned on) were found to be beneficial. The extent of smoke damage decreased significantly with an increase in the exhaust flow rate. The chloride ion mass deposition suggested that equipment recovery would be possible in the smoke environment if the cable vapor concentration could be reduced below about 3 g/m3. The metal corrosion rate was found proportional to the 0.6th power of the smoke concentration, similar to that found for the corrosion of metal surfaces exposed to aqueous solutions of HCl and HNO3 and for acid rain with no protective layer at the surface. Sprinkler water was found to wash down the smoke deposits on the surfaces with little indication of corrosion enhancement. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Agitation and mobilization of thixotropic liquids

AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 9 2010
J. J. Derksen
Abstract Direct numerical simulations of transitional and turbulent flows of purely viscous thixotropic liquids in stirred tanks have been performed. The simple thixotropy model used is based on the notion of a network in the liquid with an integrity that builds up with finite rate under quiescent conditions, and breaks down under liquid deformation. We solve a transport equation for the network integrity which is two-way coupled to the lattice-Boltzmann-based flow solver. The liquid's time scale characterized by the dimensionless Deborah number shows a profound impact on the level of mobilization and the flow patterns in the mixing tanks, especially if the time scale of the liquid is of the same order as the circulation time in the tank. It is also demonstrated to what extent increasing the impeller speed improves mobilization and mixing. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010 [source]


Rheological Investigation of Shear Induced-Mixing and Shear Induced-Demixing for Polystyrene/Poly(vinyl methyl ether) Blend

MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS, Issue 9 2004
Samy A. Madbouly
Abstract Full Paper: The phase behavior of polystyrene (PS) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) blend has been investigated rheologically as a function of temperature, composition and oscillating shear rate as well as different heating rates. An LCST (lower critical solution temperature)-type phase diagram was detected rheologically from the sudden changes in the slopes of the dynamic temperature ramps of G, at given heating and shear rate values. The rheological cloud points were dependent on the heating rate, , and oscillating shear rate, . The cloud points shifted a few degrees to higher temperatures with increasing and reached an equilibrium value (heating rate independent) at ,°C/min. The phase diagrams of the blends detected at ,=,0.1 and 1 rad/s were located in lower temperature ranges than the quiescent phase diagram, i.e., oscillating shear rate induced-demixing at these two values for the shear rate. On the other hand, at ,=,10 rad/s, the phase diagram shifted to higher temperatures, higher than the corresponding values found under quiescent conditions, i.e., shear induced-mixing took place. Based on these two observations, shear induced-demixing and shear induced-mixing can be detected rheologically within a single composition at low and high shear rate values, respectively, and this is in good agreement with the previous investigation using simple shear flow techniques. In addition, the William, Landel and Ferry (WLF)-superposition principle was found to be applicable only in the single-phase regime; however, the principle broke-down at a temperature higher than or equal to the cloud point. Furthermore, different spinodal phase diagrams were estimated at different oscillating shear rates based on the theoretical approach of Ajji and Choplin. Spinodal phase diagrams at different oscillating shear rates. [source]


Evolution of 1612-MHz maser emission in expanding circumstellar shells

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2005
M. D. Gray
ABSTRACT Observations show that 1612-MHz masers of OH/IR stars can fade on a time-scale of a decade. This fading is probably associated with the switch from rapid mass loss, which is ultimately linked with an internal He-shell flash, to the much slower mass loss supported by more quiescent conditions. We study the observed maser decay with a composite computational model, comprising a time-dependent chemical model of the envelope, and a radiation transfer model which provides the maser pumping. Our combined model is able to reproduce the rapid decay of maser intensity, following a sudden drop in the stellar mass-loss rate. The explanation for the rapid fall in maser emission is not a fall in the OH number density, or the kinetic temperature in the inverted layers, but the loss of a radiative pump route which carries population from levels 1 to 4 via levels 16, 15 and 11. The loss of these pump routes is a result, in turn, of a greatly reduced energy density of 53-,m radiation. [source]


Linear and nonlinear melt-state viscoelastic properties of polypropylene/organoclay nanocomposites

POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 7 2008
Ehssan Nazockdast
Rheological behavior of polypropylene (PP)/organoclay nanocomposites varying in compatibilizer (PP- g -MA) and organoclay concentration was investigated. The samples were prepared by melt intercalation method in an internal mixer. The wide angle X-ray diffraction patterns and results of rheological measurements showed that the compatibilizer had strong influence in increasing the interlayer spacing. The observed low frequency liquid-like to solid-like transition and apparent yield stress in simple shear flows, along with convergence of transient shear stress to nonzero values in stress relaxation after the cessation of flow experiments, were found to be consistent with formation of a physical network in quiescent conditions which could be easily ruptured with applying low shear rates. The values of stress overshoot strain in flow reversal experiments were independent of shear rate, organoclay, and compatibilizer content. From the results of frequency sweep experiments in different nonlinear strain amplitudes it was shown that extended Cox-Merz analogy was valid in nonlinear dynamic deformations while the shear viscosity showed positive deviation from this analogy with higher deviations at lower shear rates. Results of storage modulus recovery and flow reversal experiments at different shear rates suggested that network structure is reformed with a much slower rate compared to the rotational relaxation of organoclay platelets. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers [source]


Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells: All Present and Correct?

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 2 2010
A. W. Thomson
Although well-recognized for their sentinel role and, when activated, their immunostimulatory function, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DC) possess inherent tolerogenic (tol) ability. Under quiescent conditions, these cells maintain central and peripheral self tolerance. When appropriately conditioned, in vitro or in vivo, they inhibit innate and adaptive immunity to foreign antigens, including memory T-cell responses. This suppressive function is mediated by various mechanisms, including the expansion and induction of antigen-specific regulatory T cells. Extensive experience in rodent models and recent work in nonhuman primates, indicate the potential of pharmacologically-modified, tol DC (tolDC) to regulate alloimmunity in vivo and to promote lasting, alloantigen-specific T-cell unresponsiveness and transplant survival. While there are many questions yet to be addressed concerning the functional biology of tolDC in humans, these cells offer considerable potential as natural, safe and antigen-specific regulators for long-term control of the outcome of organ and hematopoietic cell transplantation. This minireview surveys recent findings that enhance understanding of the functional biology and therapeutic application of tolDC, with special reference to transplantation. [source]