Sample records for air-breathing engines capable

  1. Air-Breathing Rocket Engine Test

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    This photograph depicts an air-breathing rocket engine that completed an hour or 3,600 seconds of testing at the General Applied Sciences Laboratory in Ronkonkoma, New York. Referred to as ARGO by its design team, the engine is named after the mythological Greek ship that bore Jason and the Argonauts on their epic voyage of discovery. Air-breathing engines, known as rocket based, combined-cycle engines, get their initial take-off power from specially designed rockets, called air-augmented rockets, that boost performance about 15 percent over conventional rockets. When the vehicle's velocity reaches twice the speed of sound, the rockets are turned off and the engine relies totally on oxygen in the atmosphere to burn hydrogen fuel, as opposed to a rocket that must carry its own oxygen, thus reducing weight and flight costs. Once the vehicle has accelerated to about 10 times the speed of sound, the engine converts to a conventional rocket-powered system to propel the craft into orbit or sustain it to suborbital flight speed. NASA's Advanced SpaceTransportation Program at Marshall Space Flight Center, along with several industry partners and collegiate forces, is developing this technology to make space transportation affordable for everyone from business travelers to tourists. The goal is to reduce launch costs from today's price tag of $10,000 per pound to only hundreds of dollars per pound. NASA's series of hypersonic flight demonstrators currently include three air-breathing vehicles: the X-43A, X-43B and X-43C.

  2. Multiple pure tone elimination strut assembly. [air breathing engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burcham, F. W. (Inventor)

    1981-01-01

    An acoustic noise elimination assembly is disclosed which has a capability for disrupting the continuity of fields of sound pressures forwardly projected from fans or rotors of a type commonly found in the fan or compressor first stage for air-breathing engines, when operating at tip speeds in the supersonic range. The assembly includes a tubular cowl defining a duct for delivering an air stream axially into the intake for a jet engine. A sound barrier, defined by a number of intersecting flat plates or struts has a line of intersection coincident with a longitudinal axis of the tubular cowl, which serves to disrupt the continuity of rotating fields of multiple pure tonal components of noise.

  3. Air breathing engine/rocket trajectory optimization

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, V. K., III

    1979-01-01

    This research has focused on improving the mathematical models of the air-breathing propulsion systems, which can be mated with the rocket engine model and incorporated in trajectory optimization codes. Improved engine simulations provided accurate representation of the complex cycles proposed for advanced launch vehicles, thereby increasing the confidence in propellant use and payload calculations. The versatile QNEP (Quick Navy Engine Program) was modified to allow treatment of advanced turboaccelerator cycles using hydrogen or hydrocarbon fuels and operating in the vehicle flow field.

  4. Air Intake Performance of Air Breathing Ion Engines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fujita, Kazuhisa

    The air breathing ion engine (ABIE) is a new type of electric propulsion system which can be used to compensate the aerodynamic drag of the satellite orbiting at extremely low altitudes. In this propulsion system, the low-density atmosphere surrounding the satellite is taken in and used as the propellant of ion engines to reduce the propellant mass for a long operation lifetime. Since feasibility and performance of the ABIE are subject to the compression ratio and the air intake efficiency, a numerical analysis has been conducted by means of the direct-simulation Monte-Carlo method to clarify the characteristics of the air-intake performance in highly rarefied flows. Influences of the flight altitude, the aspect-ratio of the air intake duct, the angle of attack, and the wall conditions are investigated.

  5. Feedback linearization for control of air breathing engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Phillips, Stephen; Mattern, Duane

    1991-01-01

    The method of feedback linearization for control of the nonlinear nozzle and compressor components of an air breathing engine is presented. This method overcomes the need for a large number of scheduling variables and operating points to accurately model highly nonlinear plants. Feedback linearization also results in linear closed loop system performance simplifying subsequent control design. Feedback linearization is used for the nonlinear partial engine model and performance is verified through simulation.

  6. The Sensitivity of Precooled Air-Breathing Engine Performance to Heat Exchanger Design Parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webber, H.; Bond, A.; Hempsell, M.

    The issues relevant to propulsion design for Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) vehicles are considered. In particular two air- breathing engine concepts involving precooling are compared; SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing and Rocket Engine) as designed for the Skylon SSTO launch vehicle, and a LACE (Liquid Air Cycle Engine) considered in the 1960's by the Americans for an early generation spaceplane. It is shown that through entropy minimisation the SABRE has made substantial gains in performance over the traditional LACE precooled engine concept, and has shown itself as the basis of a viable means of realising a SSTO vehicle. Further, it is demonstrated that the precooler is a major source of thermodynamic irreversibility within the engine cycle and that further reduction in entropy can be realised by increasing the heat transfer coefficient on the air side of the precooler. If this were to be achieved, it would improve the payload mass delivered to orbit by the Skylon launch vehicle by between 5 and 10%.

  7. A Performance Map for Ideal Air Breathing Pulse Detonation Engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Paxson, Daniel E.

    2001-01-01

    The performance of an ideal, air breathing Pulse Detonation Engine is described in a manner that is useful for application studies (e.g., as a stand-alone, propulsion system, in combined cycles, or in hybrid turbomachinery cycles). It is shown that the Pulse Detonation Engine may be characterized by an averaged total pressure ratio, which is a unique function of the inlet temperature, the fraction of the inlet flow containing a reacting mixture, and the stoichiometry of the mixture. The inlet temperature and stoichiometry (equivalence ratio) may in turn be combined to form a nondimensional heat addition parameter. For each value of this parameter, the average total enthalpy ratio and total pressure ratio across the device are functions of only the reactant fill fraction. Performance over the entire operating envelope can thus be presented on a single plot of total pressure ratio versus total enthalpy ratio for families of the heat addition parameter. Total pressure ratios are derived from thrust calculations obtained from an experimentally validated, reactive Euler code capable of computing complete Pulse Detonation Engine limit cycles. Results are presented which demonstrate the utility of the described method for assessing performance of the Pulse Detonation Engine in several potential applications. Limitations and assumptions of the analysis are discussed. Details of the particular detonative cycle used for the computations are described.

  8. Engine Cycle Analysis of Air Breathing Microwave Rocket with Reed Valves

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fukunari, Masafumi; Komatsu, Reiji; Yamaguchi, Toshikazu

    The Microwave Rocket is a candidate for a low cost launcher system. Pulsed plasma generated by a high power millimeter wave beam drives a blast wave, and a vehicle acquires impulsive thrust by exhausting the blast wave. The thrust generation process of the Microwave Rocket is similar to a pulse detonation engine. In order to enhance the performance of its air refreshment, the air-breathing mechanism using reed valves is under development. Ambient air is taken to the thruster through reed valves. Reed valves are closed while the inside pressure is high enough. After the time when the shock wave exhaustsmore » at the open end, an expansion wave is driven and propagates to the thrust-wall. The reed valve is opened by the negative gauge pressure induced by the expansion wave and its reflection wave. In these processes, the pressure oscillation is important parameter. In this paper, the pressure oscillation in the thruster was calculated by CFD combined with the flux through from reed valves, which is estimated analytically. As a result, the air-breathing performance is evaluated using Partial Filling Rate (PFR), the ratio of thruster length to diameter L/D, and ratio of opening area of reed valves to superficial area {alpha}. An engine cycle and predicted thrust was explained.« less

  9. Ignition Study on a Rotary-valved Air-breathing Pulse Detonation Engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Yuwen; Han, Qixiang; Shen, Yujia; Zhao, Wei

    2017-05-01

    In the present study, the ignition effect on detonation initiation was investigated in the air-breathing pulse detonation engine. Two kinds of fuel injection and ignition methods were applied. For one method, fuel and air was pre-mixed outside the PDE and then injected into the detonation tube. The droplet sizes of mixtures were measured. An annular cavity was used as the ignition section. For the other method, fuel-air mixtures were mixed inside the PDE, and a pre-combustor was utilized as the ignition source. At firing frequency of 20 Hz, transition to detonation was obtained. Experimental results indicated that the ignition position and initial flame acceleration had important effects on the deflagration-to-detonation transition.

  10. Breath-hold times in air compared to breath-hold times during cold water immersions.

    PubMed

    Taber, Michael J; MacKinnon, Scott N; Power, Jonathan; Walker, Robert

    2015-02-01

    Given the effects of cold water immersion on breath-hold (BH) capabilities, a practical training exercise was developed for military/paramilitary personnel completing a helicopter underwater egress training (HUET) program. The exercise was designed to provide firsth and experience of the effects of cold water exposure on BH time. After completing the required HUET, 47 subjects completed two BH testing sessions as well as a short questionnaire. The first BH was completed while standing on the pool deck. The second BH was completed while fully immersed (face down) in 2-3°C water. There were 40 of the volunteers who also breathed from an emergency breathing system (EBS) while in the cold water. Results demonstrated that BH capabilities in cold water were significantly lower than those in ambient air. A significant correlation was also found between BH in air and the difference in cold water vs. air BH capabilities, which suggests that subjects who can hold their breath the longest in air experienced the greatest decrease in BH when immersed. Results indicate that 92% of the subjects reported that the practical cold water immersion exercise had a high value. Finally, 58% of those who used the EBS reported that it was harder to breathe in cold water than while in the training pool (approximately 22°C). The BH times for this group were similar to those reported in previous cold water immersion studies. Based on the questionnaire results, it is possible, when carefully applied, to include a practical cold water immersion exercise into existing HUET programs.

  11. The microspace launcher: first step to the fully air-breathing space launcher

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Falempin, F.; Bouchez, M.; Calabro, M.

    2009-09-01

    A possible application for the high-speed air-breathing propulsion is the fully or partially reusable space launcher. Indeed, by combining the high-speed air-breathing propulsion with a conventional rocket engine (combined cycle or combined propulsion system), it should be possible to improve the average installed specific impulse along the ascent trajectory and then make possible more performing launchers and, hopefully, a fully reusable one. During the last 15 years, a lot of system studies have been performed in France on that subject within the framework of different and consecutive programs. Nevertheless, these studies never clearly demonstrated that a space launcher could take advantage of using a combined propulsion system. During last years, the interest to air-breathing propulsion for space application has been revisited. During this review and taking into account technologies development activities already in progress in Europe, clear priorities have been identified regarding a minimum complementary research and technology program addressing specific needs of space launcher application. It was also clearly identified that there is the need to restart system studies taking advantage of recent progress made regarding knowledge, tools, and technology and focusing on more innovative airframe/propulsion system concepts enabling better trade-off between structural efficiency and propulsion system performance. In that field, a fully axisymmetric configuration has been considered for a microspace launcher (10 kg payload). The vehicle is based on a main stage powered by air-breathing propulsion, combined or not with liquid rocket mode. A "kick stage," powered by a solid rocket engine provides the final acceleration. A preliminary design has been performed for different variants: one using a separated booster and a purely air-breathing main stage, a second one using a booster and a main stage combining air-breathing and rocket mode, a third one without separated

  12. Swimming in air-breathing fishes.

    PubMed

    Lefevre, S; Domenici, P; McKenzie, D J

    2014-03-01

    Fishes with bimodal respiration differ in the extent of their reliance on air breathing to support aerobic metabolism, which is reflected in their lifestyles and ecologies. Many freshwater species undertake seasonal and reproductive migrations that presumably involve sustained aerobic exercise. In the six species studied to date, aerobic exercise in swim flumes stimulated air-breathing behaviour, and there is evidence that surfacing frequency and oxygen uptake from air show an exponential increase with increasing swimming speed. In some species, this was associated with an increase in the proportion of aerobic metabolism met by aerial respiration, while in others the proportion remained relatively constant. The ecological significance of anaerobic swimming activities, such as sprinting and fast-start manoeuvres during predator-prey interactions, has been little studied in air-breathing fishes. Some species practise air breathing during recovery itself, while others prefer to increase aquatic respiration, possibly to promote branchial ion exchange to restore acid-base balance, and to remain quiescent and avoid being visible to predators. Overall, the diversity of air-breathing fishes is reflected in their swimming physiology as well, and further research is needed to increase the understanding of the differences and the mechanisms through which air breathing is controlled and used during exercise. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  13. Investigation of Various Novel Air-Breathing Propulsion Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilhite, Jarred M.

    The current research investigates the operation and performance of various air-breathing propulsion systems, which are capable of utilizing different types of fuel. This study first focuses on a modular RDE configuration, which was mainly studied to determine which conditions yield stable, continuous rotating detonation for an ethylene-air mixture. The performance of this RDE was analyzed by studying various parameters such as mass flow rate, equivalence ratios, wave speed and cell size. For relatively low mass flow rates near stoichiometric conditions, a rotating detonation wave is observed for an ethylene-RDE, but at speeds less than an ideal detonation wave. The current research also involves investigating the newly designed, Twin Oxidizer Injection Capable (TOXIC) RDE. Mixtures of hydrogen and air were utilized for this configuration, resulting in sustained rotating detonation for various mass flow rates and equivalence ratios. A thrust stand was also developed to observe and further measure the performance of the TOXIC RDE. Further analysis was conducted to accurately model and simulate the response of thrust stand during operation of the RDE. Also included in this research are findings and analysis of a propulsion system capable of operating on the Inverse Brayton Cycle. The feasibility of this novel concept was validated in a previous study to be sufficient for small-scale propulsion systems, namely UAV applications. This type of propulsion system consists of a reorganization of traditional gas turbine engine components, which incorporates expansion before compression. This cycle also requires a heat exchanger to reduce the temperature of the flow entering the compressor downstream. While adding a heat exchanger improves the efficiency of the cycle, it also increases the engine weight, resulting in less endurance for the aircraft. Therefore, this study focuses on the selection and development of a new heat exchanger design that is lightweight, and is capable

  14. Cascade Optimization Strategy for Aircraft and Air-Breathing Propulsion System Concepts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Patnaik, Surya N.; Lavelle, Thomas M.; Hopkins, Dale A.; Coroneos, Rula M.

    1996-01-01

    Design optimization for subsonic and supersonic aircraft and for air-breathing propulsion engine concepts has been accomplished by soft-coupling the Flight Optimization System (FLOPS) and the NASA Engine Performance Program analyzer (NEPP), to the NASA Lewis multidisciplinary optimization tool COMETBOARDS. Aircraft and engine design problems, with their associated constraints and design variables, were cast as nonlinear optimization problems with aircraft weight and engine thrust as the respective merit functions. Because of the diversity of constraint types and the overall distortion of the design space, the most reliable single optimization algorithm available in COMETBOARDS could not produce a satisfactory feasible optimum solution. Some of COMETBOARDS' unique features, which include a cascade strategy, variable and constraint formulations, and scaling devised especially for difficult multidisciplinary applications, successfully optimized the performance of both aircraft and engines. The cascade method has two principal steps: In the first, the solution initiates from a user-specified design and optimizer, in the second, the optimum design obtained in the first step with some random perturbation is used to begin the next specified optimizer. The second step is repeated for a specified sequence of optimizers or until a successful solution of the problem is achieved. A successful solution should satisfy the specified convergence criteria and have several active constraints but no violated constraints. The cascade strategy available in the combined COMETBOARDS, FLOPS, and NEPP design tool converges to the same global optimum solution even when it starts from different design points. This reliable and robust design tool eliminates manual intervention in the design of aircraft and of air-breathing propulsion engines where it eases the cycle analysis procedures. The combined code is also much easier to use, which is an added benefit. This paper describes COMETBOARDS

  15. 46 CFR 154.1852 - Air breathing equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Air breathing equipment. 154.1852 Section 154.1852... STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Operations § 154.1852 Air breathing equipment. (a) The master shall ensure that a licensed officer inspects the compressed air breathing...

  16. 46 CFR 154.1852 - Air breathing equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Air breathing equipment. 154.1852 Section 154.1852... STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Operations § 154.1852 Air breathing equipment. (a) The master shall ensure that a licensed officer inspects the compressed air breathing...

  17. 46 CFR 154.1852 - Air breathing equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Air breathing equipment. 154.1852 Section 154.1852... STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Operations § 154.1852 Air breathing equipment. (a) The master shall ensure that a licensed officer inspects the compressed air breathing...

  18. 46 CFR 154.1852 - Air breathing equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Air breathing equipment. 154.1852 Section 154.1852... STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Operations § 154.1852 Air breathing equipment. (a) The master shall ensure that a licensed officer inspects the compressed air breathing...

  19. An inventory of aeronautical ground research facilities. Volume 2: Air breathing engine test facilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pirrello, C. J.; Hardin, R. D.; Heckart, M. V.; Brown, K. R.

    1971-01-01

    The inventory covers free jet and direct connect altitude cells, sea level static thrust stands, sea level test cells with ram air, and propulsion wind tunnels. Free jet altitude cells and propulsion wind tunnels are used for evaluation of complete inlet-engine-exhaust nozzle propulsion systems under simulated flight conditions. These facilities are similar in principal of operation and differ primarily in test section concept. The propulsion wind tunnel provides a closed test section and restrains the flow around the test specimen while the free jet is allowed to expand freely. A chamber of large diameter about the free jet is provided in which desired operating pressure levels may be maintained. Sea level test cells with ram air provide controlled, conditioned air directly to the engine face for performance evaluation at low altitude flight conditions. Direct connect altitude cells provide a means of performance evaluation at simulated conditions of Mach number and altitude with air supplied to the flight altitude conditions. Sea level static thrust stands simply provide an instrumented engine mounting for measuring thrust at zero airspeed. While all of these facilities are used for integrated engine testing, a few provide engine component test capability.

  20. Liquid-Air Breathing Apparatus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mills, Robert D.

    1990-01-01

    Compact unit supplies air longer than compressed-air unit. Emergency breathing apparatus stores air as cryogenic liquid instead of usual compressed gas. Intended for firefighting or rescue operations becoming necessary during planned potentially hazardous procedures.

  1. 2-D Air-Breathing Lightcraft Engine Experiments in Hypersonic Conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salvador, Israel I.; Myrabo, Leik N.; Minucci, Marco A. S.; de Oliveira, Antonio C.; Toro, Paulo G. P.; Chanes, José B.; Rego, Israel S.

    2011-11-01

    Experiments were performed with a 2-D, repetitively-pulsed (RP) laser Lightcraft model in hypersonic flow conditions. The main objective was the feasibility analysis for impulse generation with repetitively-pulsed air-breathing laser Lightcraft engines at hypersonic speeds. The future application of interest for this basic research endeavor is the laser launch of pico-, nano-, and micro-satellites (i.e., 0.1-100 kg payloads) into Low-Earth-Orbit, at low-cost and on-demand. The laser propulsion experiments employed a Hypersonic Shock Tunnel integrated with twin gigawatt pulsed Lumonics 620-TEA CO2 lasers (˜ 1 μs pulses), to produce the required test conditions. This hypersonic campaign was carried out at nominal Mach numbers ranging from 6 to 10. Time-dependent surface pressure distributions were recorded together with Schlieren movies of the flow field structure resulting from laser energy deposition. Results indicated laser-induced pressure increases of 0.7-0.9 bar with laser pulse energies of ˜ 170 J, on off-shroud induced breakdown condition, and Mach number of 7.

  2. Transcriptomic Analysis of Compromise Between Air-Breathing and Nutrient Uptake of Posterior Intestine in Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), an Air-Breathing Fish.

    PubMed

    Huang, Songqian; Cao, Xiaojuan; Tian, Xianchang

    2016-08-01

    Dojo loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) is an air-breathing fish species by using its posterior intestine to breathe on water surface. So far, the molecular mechanism about accessory air-breathing in fish is seldom addressed. Five cDNA libraries were constructed here for loach posterior intestines form T01 (the initial stage group), T02 (mid-stage of normal group), T03 (end stage of normal group), T04 (mid-stage of air-breathing inhibited group), and T05 (the end stage of air-breathing inhibited group) and subjected to perform RNA-seq to compare their transcriptomic profilings. A total of 92,962 unigenes were assembled, while 37,905 (40.77 %) unigenes were successfully annotated. 2298, 1091, and 3275 differentially expressed genes (fn1, ACE, EGFR, Pxdn, SDF, HIF, VEGF, SLC2A1, SLC5A8 etc.) were observed in T04/T02, T05/T03, and T05/T04, respectively. Expression levels of many genes associated with air-breathing and nutrient uptake varied significantly between normal and intestinal air-breathing inhibited group. Intraepithelial capillaries in posterior intestines of loaches from T05 were broken, while red blood cells were enriched at the surface of intestinal epithelial lining with 241 ± 39 cells per millimeter. There were periodic acid-schiff (PAS)-positive epithelial mucous cells in posterior intestines from both normal and air-breathing inhibited groups. Results obtained here suggested an overlap of air-breathing and nutrient uptake function of posterior intestine in loach. Intestinal air-breathing inhibition in loach would influence the posterior intestine's nutrient uptake ability and endothelial capillary structure stability. This study will contribute to our understanding on the molecular regulatory mechanisms of intestinal air-breathing in loach.

  3. Analysis of the Magneto-Hydrodynamic (MHD) Energy Bypass Engine for High-Speed Air-Breathing Propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Riggins, David W.

    2002-01-01

    The performance of the MHD energy bypass air-breathing engine for high-speed propulsion is analyzed in this investigation. This engine is a specific type of the general class of inverse cycle engines. In this paper, the general relationship between engine performance (specific impulse and specific thrust) and the overall total pressure ratio through an engine (from inlet plane to exit plane) is first developed and illustrated. Engines with large total pressure decreases, regardless of cause or source, are seen to have exponentially decreasing performance. The ideal inverse cycle engine (of which the MHD engine is a sub-set) is then demonstrated to have a significant total pressure decrease across the engine; this total pressure decrease is cycle-driven, degrades rapidly with energy bypass ratio, and is independent of any irreversibility. The ideal MHD engine (inverse cycle engine with no irreversibility other than that inherent in the MHD work interaction processes) is next examined and is seen to have an additional large total pressure decrease due to MHD-generated irreversibility in the decelerator and the accelerator. This irreversibility mainly occurs in the deceleration process. Both inherent total pressure losses (inverse cycle and MHD irreversibility) result in a significant narrowing of the performance capability of the MHD bypass engine. The fundamental characteristics of MHD flow acceleration and flow deceleration from the standpoint of irreversibility and second-law constraints are next examined in order to clarify issues regarding flow losses and parameter selection in the MM modules. Severe constraints are seen to exist in the decelerator in terms of allowable deceleration Mach numbers and volumetric (length) required for meaningful energy bypass (work interaction). Considerable difficulties are also encountered and discussed due to thermal/work choking phenomena associated with the deceleration process. Lastly, full engine simulations utilizing inlet

  4. Excretory nitrogen metabolism and defence against ammonia toxicity in air-breathing fishes.

    PubMed

    Chew, S F; Ip, Y K

    2014-03-01

    With the development of air-breathing capabilities, some fishes can emerge from water, make excursions onto land or even burrow into mud during droughts. Air-breathing fishes have modified gill morphology and morphometry and accessory breathing organs, which would tend to reduce branchial ammonia excretion. As ammonia is toxic, air-breathing fishes, especially amphibious ones, are equipped with various strategies to ameliorate ammonia toxicity during emersion or ammonia exposure. These strategies can be categorized into (1) enhancement of ammonia excretion and reduction of ammonia entry, (2) conversion of ammonia to a less toxic product for accumulation and subsequent excretion, (3) reduction of ammonia production and avoidance of ammonia accumulation and (4) tolerance of ammonia at cellular and tissue levels. Active ammonia excretion, operating in conjunction with lowering of ambient pH and reduction in branchial and cutaneous NH₃ permeability, is theoretically the most effective strategy to maintain low internal ammonia concentrations. NH₃ volatilization involves the alkalization of certain epithelial surfaces and requires mechanisms to prevent NH₃ back flux. Urea synthesis is an energy-intensive process and hence uncommon among air-breathing teleosts. Aestivating African lungfishes detoxify ammonia to urea and the accumulated urea is excreted following arousal. Reduction in ammonia production is achieved in some air-breathing fishes through suppression of amino acid catabolism and proteolysis, or through partial amino acid catabolism leading to alanine formation. Others can slow down ammonia accumulation through increased glutamine synthesis in the liver and muscle. Yet, some others develop high tolerance of ammonia at cellular and tissue levels, including tissues in the brain. In summary, the responses of air-breathing fishes to ameliorate ammonia toxicity are many and varied, determined by the behaviour of the species and the nature of the environment in

  5. Air-breathing adaptation in a marine Devonian lungfish.

    PubMed

    Clement, Alice M; Long, John A

    2010-08-23

    Recent discoveries of tetrapod trackways in 395 Myr old tidal zone deposits of Poland (Niedźwiedzki et al. 2010 Nature 463, 43-48 (doi:10.1038/nature.08623)) indicate that vertebrates had already ventured out of the water and might already have developed some air-breathing capacity by the Middle Devonian. Air-breathing in lungfishes is not considered to be a shared specialization with tetrapods, but evolved independently. Air-breathing in lungfishes has been postulated as starting in Middle Devonian times (ca 385 Ma) in freshwater habitats, based on a set of skeletal characters involved in air-breathing in extant lungfishes. New discoveries described herein of the lungfish Rhinodipterus from marine limestones of Australia identifies the node in dipnoan phylogeny where air-breathing begins, and confirms that lungfishes living in marine habitats had also developed specializations to breathe air by the start of the Late Devonian (ca 375 Ma). While invasion of freshwater habitats from the marine realm was previously suggested to be the prime cause of aerial respiration developing in lungfishes, we believe that global decline in oxygen levels during the Middle Devonian combined with higher metabolic costs is a more likely driver of air-breathing ability, which developed in both marine and freshwater lungfishes and tetrapodomorph fishes such as Gogonasus.

  6. Air-breathing adaptation in a marine Devonian lungfish

    PubMed Central

    Clement, Alice M.; Long, John A.

    2010-01-01

    Recent discoveries of tetrapod trackways in 395 Myr old tidal zone deposits of Poland (Niedźwiedzki et al. 2010 Nature 463, 43–48 (doi:10.1038/nature.08623)) indicate that vertebrates had already ventured out of the water and might already have developed some air-breathing capacity by the Middle Devonian. Air-breathing in lungfishes is not considered to be a shared specialization with tetrapods, but evolved independently. Air-breathing in lungfishes has been postulated as starting in Middle Devonian times (ca 385 Ma) in freshwater habitats, based on a set of skeletal characters involved in air-breathing in extant lungfishes. New discoveries described herein of the lungfish Rhinodipterus from marine limestones of Australia identifies the node in dipnoan phylogeny where air-breathing begins, and confirms that lungfishes living in marine habitats had also developed specializations to breathe air by the start of the Late Devonian (ca 375 Ma). While invasion of freshwater habitats from the marine realm was previously suggested to be the prime cause of aerial respiration developing in lungfishes, we believe that global decline in oxygen levels during the Middle Devonian combined with higher metabolic costs is a more likely driver of air-breathing ability, which developed in both marine and freshwater lungfishes and tetrapodomorph fishes such as Gogonasus. PMID:20147310

  7. The lung cancer breath signature: a comparative analysis of exhaled breath and air sampled from inside the lungs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Capuano, Rosamaria; Santonico, Marco; Pennazza, Giorgio; Ghezzi, Silvia; Martinelli, Eugenio; Roscioni, Claudio; Lucantoni, Gabriele; Galluccio, Giovanni; Paolesse, Roberto; di Natale, Corrado; D'Amico, Arnaldo

    2015-11-01

    Results collected in more than 20 years of studies suggest a relationship between the volatile organic compounds exhaled in breath and lung cancer. However, the origin of these compounds is still not completely elucidated. In spite of the simplistic vision that cancerous tissues in lungs directly emit the volatile metabolites into the airways, some papers point out that metabolites are collected by the blood and then exchanged at the air-blood interface in the lung. To shed light on this subject we performed an experiment collecting both the breath and the air inside both the lungs with a modified bronchoscopic probe. The samples were measured with a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and an electronic nose. We found that the diagnostic capability of the electronic nose does not depend on the presence of cancer in the sampled lung, reaching in both cases an above 90% correct classification rate between cancer and non-cancer samples. On the other hand, multivariate analysis of GC-MS achieved a correct classification rate between the two lungs of only 76%. GC-MS analysis of breath and air sampled from the lungs demonstrates a substantial preservation of the VOCs pattern from inside the lung to the exhaled breath.

  8. Progress of air-breathing cathode in microbial fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Zejie; Mahadevan, Gurumurthy Dummi; Wu, Yicheng; Zhao, Feng

    2017-07-01

    Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an emerging technology to produce green energy and vanquish the effects of environmental contaminants. Cathodic reactions are vital for high electrical power density generated from MFCs. Recently tremendous attentions were paid towards developing high performance air-breathing cathodes. A typical air-breathing cathode comprises of electrode substrate, catalyst layer, and air-diffusion layer. Prior researches demonstrated that each component influenced the performance of air-breathing cathode MFCs. This review summarized the progress in development of the individual component and elaborated main factors to the performance of air-breathing cathode.

  9. Protective supplied breathing air garment

    DOEpatents

    Childers, Edward L.; von Hortenau, Erik F.

    1984-07-10

    A breathing air garment for isolating a wearer from hostile environments containing toxins or irritants includes a suit and a separate head protective enclosure or hood engaging a suit collar in sealing attachment. The hood and suit collar are cylindrically shaped and dimensioned to enable the wearer to withdraw his hands from the suit sleeves to perform manual tasks within the hood interior. Breathing air is supplied from an external air line with an air delivery hose attached to the hood interior. The hose feeds air into an annular halo-like fiber-filled plenum having spaced discharge orifices attached to the hood top wall. A plurality of air exhaust/check valves located at the suit extremities cooperate with the hood air delivery system to provide a cooling flow of circulating air from the hood throughout the suit interior. A suit entry seal provided on the suit rear torso panel permits access into the suit and is sealed with an adhesive sealing flap.

  10. Protective supplied-breathing-air garment

    DOEpatents

    Childers, E.L.; von Hortenau, E.F.

    1982-05-28

    A breathing-air garment for isolating a wearer from hostile environments containing toxins or irritants is disclosed. The garment includes a suit and a separate head-protective enclosure or hood engaging a suit collar in sealing attachment. The hood and suit collar are cylindrically shaped and dimensioned to enable the wearer to withdraw his hands from the suit sleeves to perform manual tasks within the hood interior. Breathing air is supplied from an external air line with an air-delivery hose attached to the hood interior. The hose feeds air into an annular halo-like fiber-filled plenum having spaced discharge orifices attached to the hood top wall. A plurality of air exhaust/check valves located at the suit extremities cooperate with the hood air-delivery system to provide a cooling flow of circulating air from the hood throughout the suit interior. A suit entry seal provided on the suit sealed with an adhesive sealing flap.

  11. Protective supplied breathing air garment

    DOEpatents

    Childers, E.L.; Hortenau, E.F. von.

    1984-07-10

    A breathing air garment is disclosed for isolating a wearer from hostile environments containing toxins or irritants includes a suit and a separate head protective enclosure or hood engaging a suit collar in sealing attachment. The hood and suit collar are cylindrically shaped and dimensioned to enable the wearer to withdraw his hands from the suit sleeves to perform manual tasks within the hood interior. Breathing air is supplied from an external air line with an air delivery hose attached to the hood interior. The hose feeds air into an annular halo-like fiber-filled plenum having spaced discharge orifices attached to the hood top wall. A plurality of air exhaust/check valves located at the suit extremities cooperate with the hood air delivery system to provide a cooling flow of circulating air from the hood throughout the suit interior. A suit entry seal provided on the suit rear torso panel permits access into the suit and is sealed with an adhesive sealing flap. 17 figs.

  12. Improved heat tolerance in air drives the recurrent evolution of air-breathing.

    PubMed

    Giomi, Folco; Fusi, Marco; Barausse, Alberto; Mostert, Bruce; Pörtner, Hans-Otto; Cannicci, Stefano

    2014-05-07

    The transition to air-breathing by formerly aquatic species has occurred repeatedly and independently in fish, crabs and other animal phyla, but the proximate drivers of this key innovation remain a long-standing puzzle in evolutionary biology. Most studies attribute the onset of air-breathing to the repeated occurrence of aquatic hypoxia; however, this hypothesis leaves the current geographical distribution of the 300 genera of air-breathing crabs unexplained. Here, we show that their occurrence is mainly related to high environmental temperatures in the tropics. We also demonstrate in an amphibious crab that the reduced cost of oxygen supply in air extends aerobic performance to higher temperatures and thus widens the animal's thermal niche. These findings suggest that high water temperature as a driver consistently explains the numerous times air-breathing has evolved. The data also indicate a central role for oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance not only in shaping sensitivity to current climate change but also in underpinning the climate-dependent evolution of animals, in this case the evolution of air-breathing.

  13. Improved heat tolerance in air drives the recurrent evolution of air-breathing

    PubMed Central

    Giomi, Folco; Fusi, Marco; Barausse, Alberto; Mostert, Bruce; Pörtner, Hans-Otto; Cannicci, Stefano

    2014-01-01

    The transition to air-breathing by formerly aquatic species has occurred repeatedly and independently in fish, crabs and other animal phyla, but the proximate drivers of this key innovation remain a long-standing puzzle in evolutionary biology. Most studies attribute the onset of air-breathing to the repeated occurrence of aquatic hypoxia; however, this hypothesis leaves the current geographical distribution of the 300 genera of air-breathing crabs unexplained. Here, we show that their occurrence is mainly related to high environmental temperatures in the tropics. We also demonstrate in an amphibious crab that the reduced cost of oxygen supply in air extends aerobic performance to higher temperatures and thus widens the animal's thermal niche. These findings suggest that high water temperature as a driver consistently explains the numerous times air-breathing has evolved. The data also indicate a central role for oxygen- and capacity-limited thermal tolerance not only in shaping sensitivity to current climate change but also in underpinning the climate-dependent evolution of animals, in this case the evolution of air-breathing. PMID:24619438

  14. I(sup STAR), NASA's Next Step in Air-Breathing Propulsion for Space Access

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hutt, John J.; McArthur, Craig; Cook, Stephen (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    The United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has established a strategic plan for future activities in space. A primary goal of this plan is to make drastic improvements in the cost and safety of earth to low-earth-orbit transportation. One approach to achieving this goal is through the development of highly reusable, highly reliable space transportation systems analogous to the commercial airline system. In the year 2000, NASA selected the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine as the next logical step towards this goal. NASA will develop a complete flight-weight, pump-fed engine system under the Integrated System Test of an Airbreathing Rocket (I(sup STAR)) Project. The objective of this project is develop a reusable engine capable of self-powering a vehicle through the air-augmented rocket, ramjet and scramjet modes required in all RBCC based operational vehicle concepts. The project is currently approved and funded to develop the engine through ground test demonstration. Plans are in place to proceed with flight demonstration pending funding approval. The project is in formulation phase and the Preliminary Requirements Review has been completed. The engine system and vehicle have been selected at the conceptual level. The I(sup STAR) engine concept is based on an air-breathing flowpath downselected from three configurations evaluated in NASA's Advanced Reusable Technology contract. The selected flowpath features rocket thrust chambers integrated into struts separating modular flowpath ducts, a variable geometry inlet, and a thermally choked throat. The engine will be approximately 220 inches long and 79 inches wide and fueled with a hydrocarbon fuel using liquid oxygen as the primary oxidizer candidate. The primary concept for the pump turbine drive is pressure-fed catalyzed hydrogen peroxide. In order to control costs, the flight demonstration vehicle will be launched from a B-52 aircraft. The vehicle concept is based on the Air

  15. 46 CFR 154.1852 - Air breathing equipment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Air breathing equipment. 154.1852 Section 154.1852 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR SELF-PROPELLED VESSELS CARRYING BULK LIQUEFIED GASES Operations § 154.1852 Air breathing...

  16. Respiratory responses of the air-breathing fish Hoplosternum littorale to hypoxia and hydrogen sulfide.

    PubMed

    Affonso, E G; Rantin, F T

    2005-07-01

    The present study analyzes the respiratory responses of the neotropical air-breathing fish Hoplosternum littorale to graded hypoxia and increased sulfide concentrations. The oxygen uptake (VO2), critical O2 tension (PcO2), respiratory (fR) and air-breathing (fRA) frequencies in response to graded hypoxia were determined for fish acclimated to 28 degrees C. H. littorale was able to maintain a constant VO2 down to a PcO2 of 50 mm Hg, below which fish became dependent on the environmental O2 even with significant increases in fR. The fRA was kept constant around 1 breath h(-1) above 50 mm Hg and increased significantly below 40 mm Hg, reaching maximum values (about 4.5 breaths h(-1)) at 10 mm Hg. The lethality to sulfide concentrations under normoxic and hypoxic conditions were also determined along with the fRA. For the normoxic fish the sulfide lethal limit was about 70 microM, while in the hypoxic ones this limit increased to 87 muM. The high sulfide tolerance of H. littorale may be attributed to the air-breathing capability, which is stimulated by this compound.

  17. Theme and variations: amphibious air-breathing intertidal fishes.

    PubMed

    Martin, K L

    2014-03-01

    Over 70 species of intertidal fishes from 12 families breathe air while emerging from water. Amphibious intertidal fishes generally have no specialized air-breathing organ but rely on vascularized mucosae and cutaneous surfaces in air to exchange both oxygen and carbon dioxide. They differ from air-breathing freshwater fishes in morphology, physiology, ecology and behaviour. Air breathing and terrestrial activity are present to varying degrees in intertidal fish species, correlated with the tidal height of their habitat. The gradient of amphibious lifestyle includes passive remainers that stay in the intertidal zone as tides ebb, active emergers that deliberately leave water in response to poor aquatic conditions and highly mobile amphibious skipper fishes that may spend more time out of water than in it. Normal terrestrial activity is usually aerobic and metabolic rates in air and water are similar. Anaerobic metabolism may be employed during forced exercise or when exposed to aquatic hypoxia. Adaptations for amphibious life include reductions in gill surface area, increased reliance on the skin for respiration and ion exchange, high affinity of haemoglobin for oxygen and adjustments to ventilation and metabolism while in air. Intertidal fishes remain close to water and do not travel far terrestrially, and are unlikely to migrate or colonize new habitats at present, although in the past this may have happened. Many fish species spawn in the intertidal zone, including some that do not breathe air, as eggs and embryos that develop in the intertidal zone benefit from tidal air emergence. With air breathing, amphibious intertidal fishes survive in a variable habitat with minimal adjustments to existing structures. Closely related species in different microhabitats provide unique opportunities for comparative studies. © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  18. Control of gill ventilation and air-breathing in the bowfin amia calva

    PubMed

    Hedrick; Jones

    1999-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of branchial and gas bladder reflex pathways in the control of gill ventilation and air-breathing in the bowfin Amia calva. We have previously determined that bowfin use two distinct air-breathing mechanisms to ventilate the gas bladder: type I air breaths are characterized by exhalation followed by inhalation, are stimulated by aquatic or aerial hypoxia and appear to regulate O2 gas exchange; type II air breaths are characterized by inhalation alone and possibly regulate gas bladder volume and buoyancy. In the present study, we test the hypotheses (1) that gill ventilation and type I air breaths are controlled by O2-sensitive chemoreceptors located in the branchial region, and (2) that type II air breaths are controlled by gas bladder mechanosensitive stretch receptors. Hypothesis 1 was tested by examining the effects of partial or complete branchial denervation of cranial nerves IX and X to the gill arches on gill ventilation frequency (fg) and the proportion of type I air breaths during normoxia and hypoxia; hypothesis II was tested by gas bladder inflation and deflation. Following complete bilateral branchial denervation, fg did not differ from that of sham-operated control fish; in addition, fg was not significantly affected by aquatic hypoxia in sham-operated or denervated fish. In sham-operated fish, aquatic hypoxia significantly increased overall air-breathing frequency (fab) and the percentage of type I breaths. In fish with complete IX-X branchial denervation, fab was also significantly increased during aquatic hypoxia, but there were equal percentages of type I and type II air breaths. Branchial denervation did not affect the frequency of type I air breaths during aquatic hypoxia. Gas bladder deflation via an indwelling catheter resulted in type II breaths almost exclusively; furthermore, fab was significantly correlated with the volume removed from the gas bladder, suggesting a volume

  19. Air breathing direct methanol fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Ren, Xiaoming

    2002-01-01

    An air breathing direct methanol fuel cell is provided with a membrane electrode assembly, a conductive anode assembly that is permeable to air and directly open to atmospheric air, and a conductive cathode assembly that is permeable to methanol and directly contacting a liquid methanol source.

  20. Air sampling unit for breath analyzers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Szabra, Dariusz; Prokopiuk, Artur; Mikołajczyk, Janusz; Ligor, Tomasz; Buszewski, Bogusław; Bielecki, Zbigniew

    2017-11-01

    The paper presents a portable breath sampling unit (BSU) for human breath analyzers. The developed unit can be used to probe air from the upper airway and alveolar for clinical and science studies. The BSU is able to operate as a patient interface device for most types of breath analyzers. Its main task is to separate and to collect the selected phases of the exhaled air. To monitor the so-called I, II, or III phase and to identify the airflow from the upper and lower parts of the human respiratory system, the unit performs measurements of the exhaled CO2 (ECO2) in the concentration range of 0%-20% (0-150 mm Hg). It can work in both on-line and off-line modes according to American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society standards. A Tedlar bag with a volume of 5 dm3 is mounted as a BSU sample container. This volume allows us to collect ca. 1-25 selected breath phases. At the user panel, each step of the unit operation is visualized by LED indicators. This helps us to regulate the natural breathing cycle of the patient. There is also an operator's panel to ensure monitoring and configuration setup of the unit parameters. The operation of the breath sampling unit was preliminarily verified using the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) laboratory setup. At this setup, volatile organic compounds were extracted by solid phase microextraction. The tests were performed by the comparison of GC/MS signals from both exhaled nitric oxide and isoprene analyses for three breath phases. The functionality of the unit was proven because there was an observed increase in the signal level in the case of the III phase (approximately 40%). The described work made it possible to construct a prototype of a very efficient breath sampling unit dedicated to breath sample analyzers.

  1. Improved ROS defense in the swimbladder of a facultative air-breathing erythrinid fish, jeju, compared to a non-air-breathing close relative, traira.

    PubMed

    Pelster, Bernd; Giacomin, Marina; Wood, Chris M; Val, Adalberto L

    2016-07-01

    The jeju Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and the traira Hoplias malabaricus are two closely related erythrinid fish, both possessing a two-chambered physostomous swimbladder. In the jeju the anterior section of the posterior bladder is highly vascularized and the swimbladder is used for aerial respiration; the traira, in turn, is a water-breather that uses the swimbladder as a buoyancy organ and not for aerial oxygen uptake. Observation of the breathing behavior under different levels of water oxygenation revealed that the traira started aquatic surface respiration only under severe hypoxic conditions and did not breathe air. In the jeju air-breathing behavior was observed under normoxic conditions, and the frequency of air-breathing was significantly increased under hypoxic conditions. Unexpectedly, even under hyperoxic conditions (30 mg O2 L(-1)) the jeju continued to take air breaths, and compared with normoxic conditions the frequency was not reduced. Because the frequently air-exposed swimbladder tissue faces higher oxygen partial pressures than normally experienced by other fish tissues, it was hypothesized that in the facultative air-breathing jeju, swimbladder tissue would have a higher antioxidative capacity than the swimbladder tissue of the water breathing traira. Measurement of total glutathione (GSSG/GSH) concentration in anterior and posterior swimbladder tissue revealed a higher concentration of this antioxidant in swimbladder tissue as compared to muscle tissue in the jeju. Furthermore, the GSSG/GSH concentration in jeju tissues was significantly higher than in traira tissues. Similarly, activities of enzymes involved in the breakdown of reactive oxygen species were significantly higher in the jeju swimbladder as compared to the traira swimbladder. The results show that the jeju, using the swimbladder as an additional breathing organ, has an enhanced antioxidative capacity in the swimbladder as compared to the traira, using the swimbladder only as a

  2. Air-breathing fishes in aquaculture. What can we learn from physiology?

    PubMed

    Lefevre, S; Wang, T; Jensen, A; Cong, N V; Huong, D T T; Phuong, N T; Bayley, M

    2014-03-01

    During the past decade, the culture of air-breathing fish species has increased dramatically and is now a significant global source of protein for human consumption. This development has generated a need for specific information on how to maximize growth and minimize the environmental effect of culture systems. Here, the existing data on metabolism in air-breathing fishes are reviewed, with the aim of shedding new light on the oxygen requirements of air-breathing fishes in aquaculture, reaching the conclusion that aquatic oxygenation is much more important than previously assumed. In addition, the possible effects on growth of the recurrent exposure to deep hypoxia and associated elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide, ammonia and nitrite, that occurs in the culture ponds used for air-breathing fishes, are discussed. Where data on air-breathing fishes are simply lacking, data for a few water-breathing species will be reviewed, to put the physiological effects into a growth perspective. It is argued that an understanding of air-breathing fishes' respiratory physiology, including metabolic rate, partitioning of oxygen uptake from air and water in facultative air breathers, the critical oxygen tension, can provide important input for the optimization of culture practices. Given the growing importance of air breathers in aquaculture production, there is an urgent need for further data on these issues. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  3. Air-Breathing Launch Vehicle Technology Being Developed

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Trefny, Charles J.

    2003-01-01

    Of the technical factors that would contribute to lowering the cost of space access, reusability has high potential. The primary objective of the GTX program is to determine whether or not air-breathing propulsion can enable reusable single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) operations. The approach is based on maturation of a reference vehicle design with focus on the integration and flight-weight construction of its air-breathing rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) propulsion system.

  4. Ammonia as a respiratory gas in water and air-breathing fishes.

    PubMed

    Randall, David J; Ip, Yuen K

    2006-11-01

    Ammonia is produced in the liver and excreted as NH(3) by diffusion across the gills. Elevated ammonia results in an increase in gill ventilation, perhaps via stimulation of gill oxygen chemo-receptors. Acidification of the water around the fish by carbon dioxide and acid excretion enhances ammonia excretion and constitutes "environmental ammonia detoxification". Fish have difficulties in excreting ammonia in alkaline water or high concentrations of environmental ammonia, or when out of water. The mudskipper, Periphthalmodon schlosseri, is capable of active NH(4)(+) transport, maintaining low internal levels of ammonia. To prevent a back flux of NH(3), these air-breathing fish can increase gill acid excretion and reduce the membrane NH(3) permeability by modifying the phospholipid and cholesterol compositions of their skin. Several air-breathing fish species can excrete ammonia into air through NH(3) volatilization. Some fish detoxify ammonia to glutamine or urea. The brains of some fish can tolerate much higher levels of ammonia than other animals. Studies of these fish may offer insights into the nature of ammonia toxicity in general.

  5. Measurement and prediction of indoor air quality using a breathing thermal manikin.

    PubMed

    Melikov, A; Kaczmarczyk, J

    2007-02-01

    The analyses performed in this paper reveal that a breathing thermal manikin with realistic simulation of respiration including breathing cycle, pulmonary ventilation rate, frequency and breathing mode, gas concentration, humidity and temperature of exhaled air and human body shape and surface temperature is sensitive enough to perform reliable measurement of characteristics of air as inhaled by occupants. The temperature, humidity, and pollution concentration in the inhaled air can be measured accurately with a thermal manikin without breathing simulation if they are measured at the upper lip at a distance of <0.01 m from the face. Body surface temperature, shape and posture as well as clothing insulation have impact on the measured inhaled air parameters. Proper simulation of breathing, especially of exhalation, is needed for studying the transport of exhaled air between occupants. A method for predicting air acceptability based on inhaled air parameters and known exposure-response relationships established in experiments with human subjects is suggested. Recommendations for optimal simulation of human breathing by means of a breathing thermal manikin when studying pollution concentration, temperature and humidity of the inhaled air as well as the transport of exhaled air (which may carry infectious agents) between occupants are outlined. In order to compare results obtained with breathing thermal manikins, their nose and mouth geometry should be standardized.

  6. An air-breathing enzymatic cathode with extended lifetime by continuous laccase supply.

    PubMed

    Kipf, Elena; Sané, Sabine; Morse, Daniel; Messinger, Thorsten; Zengerle, Roland; Kerzenmacher, Sven

    2018-04-22

    We present a novel concept of an air-breathing enzymatic biofuel cell cathode combined with continuous supply of unpurified laccase-containing supernatant of the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor for extended lifetime. The air-breathing cathode design obviates the need for energy-intensive active aeration. In a corresponding long-term experiment at a constant current density of 50 µA cm -2 , we demonstrated an increased lifetime of 33 days (cathode potential above 0.430 V vs. SCE), independent of enzyme degradation. The obtained data suggest that theoretically a longer lifetime is feasible. However, further engineering efforts are required to prevent clogging and fouling of the supply tubes. These results represent an important step towards the realization of enzymatic biofuel cell cathodes with extended lifetime and enhanced performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Transition in organ function during the evolution of air-breathing; insights from Arapaima gigas, an obligate air-breathing teleost from the Amazon.

    PubMed

    Brauner, C J; Matey, V; Wilson, J M; Bernier, N J; Val, A L

    2004-04-01

    The transition from aquatic to aerial respiration is associated with dramatic physiological changes in relation to gas exchange, ion regulation, acid-base balance and nitrogenous waste excretion. Arapaima gigas is one of the most obligate extant air-breathing fishes, representing a remarkable model system to investigate (1) how the transition from aquatic to aerial respiration affects gill design and (2) the relocation of physiological processes from the gills to the kidney during the evolution of air-breathing. Arapaima gigas undergoes a transition from water- to air-breathing during development, resulting in striking changes in gill morphology. In small fish (10 g), the gills are qualitatively similar in appearance to another closely related water-breathing fish (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum); however, as fish grow (100-1000 g), the inter-lamellar spaces become filled with cells, including mitochondria-rich (MR) cells, leaving only column-shaped filaments. At this stage, there is a high density of MR cells and strong immunolocalization of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase along the outer cell layer of the gill filament. Despite the greatly reduced overall gill surface area, which is typical of obligate air-breathing fish, the gills may remain an important site for ionoregulation and acid-base regulation. The kidney is greatly enlarged in A. gigas relative to that in O. bicirrhosum and may comprise a significant pathway for nitrogenous waste excretion. Quantification of the physiological role of the gill and the kidney in A. gigas during development and in adults will yield important insights into developmental physiology and the evolution of air-breathing.

  8. Autonomic control of post-air-breathing tachycardia in Clarias gariepinus (Teleostei: Clariidae).

    PubMed

    Teixeira, Mariana Teodoro; Armelin, Vinicius Araújo; Abe, Augusto Shinya; Rantin, Francisco Tadeu; Florindo, Luiz Henrique

    2015-08-01

    The African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is a teleost with bimodal respiration that utilizes a paired suprabranchial chamber located in the gill cavity as an air-breathing organ. Like all air-breathing fishes studied to date, the African catfish exhibits pronounced changes in heart rate (f H) that are associated with air-breathing events. We acquired f H, gill-breathing frequency (f G) and air-breathing frequency (f AB) in situations that require or do not require air breathing (during normoxia and hypoxia), and we assessed the autonomic control of post-air-breathing tachycardia using an infusion of the β-adrenergic antagonist propranolol and the muscarinic cholinergic antagonist atropine. During normoxia, C. gariepinus presented low f AB (1.85 ± 0.73 AB h(-1)) and a constant f G (43.16 ± 1.74 breaths min(-1)). During non-critical hypoxia (PO2 = 60 mmHg), f AB in the African catfish increased to 5.42 ± 1.19 AB h(-1) and f G decreased to 39.12 ± 1.58 breaths min(-1). During critical hypoxia (PO2 = 20 mmHg), f AB increased to 7.4 ± 1.39 AB h(-1) and f G decreased to 34.97 ± 1.78 breaths min(-1). These results were expected for a facultative air breather. Each air breath (AB) was followed by a brief but significant tachycardia, which in the critical hypoxia trials, reached a maximum of 143 % of the pre-AB f H values of untreated animals. Pharmacological blockade allowed the calculation of cardiac autonomic tones, which showed that post-AB tachycardia is predominantly regulated by the parasympathetic subdivision of the autonomic nervous system.

  9. The role of size in synchronous air breathing of Hoplosternum littorale.

    PubMed

    Sloman, Katherine A; Sloman, Richard D; De Boeck, Gudrun; Scott, Graham R; Iftikar, Fathima I; Wood, Chris M; Almeida-Val, Vera M F; Val, Adalberto L

    2009-01-01

    Synchronized air breathing may have evolved as a way of minimizing the predation risk known to be associated with air breathing in fish. Little is known about how the size of individuals affects synchronized air breathing and whether some individuals are required to surface earlier than necessary in support of conspecifics, while others delay air intake. Here, the air-breathing behavior of Hoplosternum littorale held in groups or in isolation was investigated in relation to body mass, oxygen tensions, and a variety of other physiological parameters (plasma lactate, hepatic glycogen, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and size of heart, branchial basket, liver, and air-breathing organ [ABO]). A mass-specific relationship with oxygen tension of first surfacing was seen when fish were held in isolation; smaller individuals surfaced at higher oxygen tensions. However, this relationship was lost when the same individuals were held in social groups of four, where synchronous air breathing was observed. In isolation, 62% of fish first surfaced at an oxygen tension lower than the calculated P(crit) (8.13 kPa), but in the group environment this was reduced to 38% of individuals. Higher oxygen tensions at first surfacing in the group environment were related to higher levels of activity rather than any of the physiological parameters measured. In fish held in isolation but denied access to the water surface for 12 h before behavioral testing, there was no mass-specific relationship with oxygen tension at first surfacing. Larger individuals with a greater capacity to store air in their ABOs may, therefore, remain in hypoxic waters for longer periods than smaller individuals when held in isolation unless prior access to the air is prevented. This study highlights how social interaction can affect air-breathing behaviors and the importance of considering both behavioral and physiological responses of fish to hypoxia to understand the survival mechanisms they employ.

  10. Measurement of fatigue following 18 msw dry chamber dives breathing air or enriched air nitrox.

    PubMed

    Harris, R J D; Doolette, D J; Wilkinson, D C; Williams, D J

    2003-01-01

    Many divers report less fatigue following diving breathing oxygen rich N2-O2 mixtures compared with breathing air. In this double blinded, randomized controlled study 11 divers breathed either air or Enriched Air Nitrox 36% (oxygen 36%, nitrogen 64%) during an 18 msw (281 kPa(a)) dry chamber dive for a bottom time of 40 minutes. Two periods of exercise were performed during the dive. Divers were assessed before and after each dive using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20, a visual analogue scale, Digit Span Tests, Stroop Tests, and Divers Health Survey (DHS). Diving to 18m produced no measurable difference in fatigue, attention levels, ability to concentrate or DHS scores, following dives using either breathing gas.

  11. Air breathing direct methanol fuel cell

    DOEpatents

    Ren, Xiaoming; Gottesfeld, Shimshon

    2002-01-01

    An air breathing direct methanol fuel cell is provided with a membrane electrode assembly, a conductive anode assembly that is permeable to air and directly open to atmospheric air, and a conductive cathode assembly that is permeable to methanol and directly contacting a liquid methanol source. Water loss from the cell is minimized by making the conductive cathode assembly hydrophobic and the conductive anode assembly hydrophilic.

  12. Don't You Dare Breathe That Air!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Lung Association, New York, NY.

    Designed for elementary school students, the workbook focuses on the unhealthy and unpleasant effects of air pollution. Space is provided for students to draw pictures of: (1) how breathing polluted air can make people feel, (2) what polluted air can do to people's health--especially if they smoke cigarettes, (3) what air pollution can do to the…

  13. Air-breathing behavior and physiological responses to hypoxia and air exposure in the air-breathing loricariid fish, Pterygoplichthys anisitsi.

    PubMed

    da Cruz, André Luis; da Silva, Hugo Ribeiro; Lundstedt, Lícia Maria; Schwantes, Arno Rudi; Moraes, Gilberto; Klein, Wilfried; Fernandes, Marisa Narciso

    2013-04-01

    Hypoxic water and episodic air exposure are potentially life-threatening conditions that fish in tropical regions can face during the dry season. This study investigated the air-breathing behavior, oxygen consumption, and respiratory responses of the air-breathing (AB) armored catfish Pterygoplichthys anisitsi. The hematological parameters and oxygen-binding characteristics of whole blood and stripped hemoglobin and the intermediate metabolism of selected tissue in normoxia, different hypoxic conditions, and after air exposure were also examined. In normoxia, this species exhibited high activity at night and AB behavior (2-5 AB h(-1)). The exposure to acute severe hypoxia elicited the AB behavior (4 AB h(-1)) during the day. Under progressive hypoxia without access to the water surface, the fish were oxyregulators with a critical O2 tension, calculated as the inspired water O2 pressure, as 47 ± 2 mmHg. At water O2 tensions lower than 40 mmHg, the fish exhibited continuous apnea behavior. The blood exhibited high capacity for transporting O2, having a cathodic hemoglobin component with a high Hb-O2 affinity. Under severe hypoxia, the fish used anaerobic metabolism to maintain metabolic rate. Air exposure revealed physiological and biochemical traits similar to those observed under normoxic conditions.

  14. Air-breathing behavior, oxygen concentrations, and ROS defense in the swimbladders of two erythrinid fish, the facultative air-breathing jeju, and the non-air-breathing traira during normoxia, hypoxia and hyperoxia.

    PubMed

    Pelster, Bernd; Wood, Chris M; Jung, Ellen; Val, Adalberto L

    2018-05-01

    The jeju Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and the traira Hoplias malabaricus are two neighboring genera from the family of erythrinid fish, both possessing a two-chambered physostomous swimbladder. In the jeju the anterior section of the posterior bladder is highly vascularized, and the swimbladder is used for aerial respiration; the traira, in turn, is a water-breather that uses the swimbladder as a buoyancy organ and not for aerial oxygen uptake. Measurement of swimbladder oxygen partial pressure (PO 2 ) of fish kept at 26 °C in normoxic, hyperoxic (28-32 mg O 2 L - 1 ) or hypoxic (1-1.5 mg O 2 L - 1 ) water revealed constant values in traira swimbladder. Under normoxic conditions in the jeju swimbladder PO 2 was higher than in traira, and the PO 2 significantly increased under hyperoxic conditions, even in the absence of air breathing. In jeju, air-breathing activity increased significantly under hypoxic conditions. Hypoxic air-breathing activity was negatively correlated to swimbladder PO 2 , indicating that the swimbladder was intensely used for gas exchange under these conditions. In traira, the capacity of the ROS defense system, as assessed by measurement of activities of enzymes involved in ROS degradation and total glutathione (GSH + GSSG) concentration, was elevated after 4 h of hyperoxic and/or hypoxic exposure, although swimbladder PO 2 was not affected. In jeju, experiencing a higher variability in swimbladder PO 2 due to the air-breathing activity, only a reduced responsiveness of the ROS defense system to changing environmental PO 2 was detected.

  15. PERIODIC AIR-BREATHING BEHAVIOUR IN A PRIMITIVE FISH REVEALED BY SPECTRAL ANALYSIS

    PubMed

    Hedrick; Katz; Jones

    1994-12-01

    The ventilatory patterns of air-breathing fish are commonly described as 'arrhythmic' or 'irregular' because the variable periods of breath-holding are punctuated by seemingly unpredictable air-breathing events (see Shelton et al. 1986). This apparent arrhythmicity contrasts with the perceived periodism or regularity in the gill ventilation patterns of some fish and with lung ventilation in birds and mammals. In this sense, periodism refers to behaviour that occurs with a definite, recurring interval (Bendat and Piersol, 1986). The characterisation of aerial ventilation patterns in fish as 'aperiodic' has been generally accepted on the basis of qualitative examination and it remains to be validated with rigorous testing. The bowfin, Amia calva (L.), is a primitive air-breathing fish that makes intermittent excursions to the air­water interface to gulp air, which is transferred to its well-vascularized gas bladder. Its phylogenetic position as the only extant member of the sister lineage of modern teleosts affords a unique opportunity to examine the evolution of aerial ventilation and provides a model for the examination of ventilatory patterns in primitive fishes. To establish whether Amia calva exhibit a particular pattern of air-breathing, we examined time series records of aerial ventilations from undisturbed fish over long periods (8 h). These records were the same as those used to calculate average ventilation intervals under a variety of experimental conditions (Hedrick and Jones, 1993). Their study also reported the occurrence of two distinct breath types. Type I breaths were characterised by an exhalation followed by an inhalation, whereas type II breaths were characterised by inhalation only. It was also hypothesized that the type I breaths were employed to meet oxygen demands, whereas the type II breaths were used to regulate gas bladder volume. However, they did not investigate the potential presence of a periodic ventilatory pattern. We now report

  16. Air breathing and aquatic gas exchange during hypoxia in armoured catfish.

    PubMed

    Scott, Graham R; Matey, Victoria; Mendoza, Julie-Anne; Gilmour, Kathleen M; Perry, Steve F; Almeida-Val, Vera M F; Val, Adalberto L

    2017-01-01

    Air breathing in fish is commonly believed to have arisen as an adaptation to aquatic hypoxia. The effectiveness of air breathing for tissue O 2 supply depends on the ability to avoid O 2 loss as oxygenated blood from the air-breathing organ passes through the gills. Here, we evaluated whether the armoured catfish (Hypostomus aff. pyreneusi)-a facultative air breather-can avoid branchial O 2 loss while air breathing in aquatic hypoxia, and we measured various other respiratory and metabolic traits important for O 2 supply and utilization. Fish were instrumented with opercular catheters to measure the O 2 tension (PO 2 ) of expired water, and air breathing and aquatic respiration were measured during progressive stepwise hypoxia in the water. Armoured catfish exhibited relatively low rates of O 2 consumption and gill ventilation, and gill ventilation increased in hypoxia due primarily to increases in ventilatory stroke volume. Armoured catfish began air breathing at a water PO 2 of 2.5 kPa, and both air-breathing frequency and hypoxia tolerance (as reflected by PO 2 at loss of equilibrium, LOE) was greater in individuals with a larger body mass. Branchial O 2 loss, as reflected by higher PO 2 in expired than in inspired water, was observed in a minority (4/11) of individuals as water PO 2 approached that at LOE. Armoured catfish also exhibited a gill morphology characterized by short filaments bearing short fused lamellae, large interlamellar cell masses, low surface area, and a thick epithelium that increased water-to-blood diffusion distance. Armoured catfish had a relatively low blood-O 2 binding affinity when sampled in normoxia (P 50 of 3.1 kPa at pH 7.4), but were able to rapidly increase binding affinity during progressive hypoxia exposure (to a P 50 of 1.8 kPa). Armoured catfish also had low activities of several metabolic enzymes in white muscle, liver, and brain. Therefore, low rates of metabolism and gill ventilation, and a reduction in branchial gas

  17. Breathing simulator of workers for respirator performance test

    PubMed Central

    YUASA, Hisashi; KUMITA, Mikio; HONDA, Takeshi; KIMURA, Kazushi; NOZAKI, Kosuke; EMI, Hitoshi; OTANI, Yoshio

    2014-01-01

    Breathing machines are widely used to evaluate respirator performance but they are capable of generating only limited air flow patterns, such as, sine, triangular and square waves. In order to evaluate the respirator performance in practical use, it is desirable to test the respirator using the actual breathing patterns of wearers. However, it has been a difficult task for a breathing machine to generate such complicated flow patterns, since the human respiratory volume changes depending on the human activities and workload. In this study, we have developed an electromechanical breathing simulator and a respiration sampling device to record and reproduce worker’s respiration. It is capable of generating various flow patterns by inputting breathing pattern signals recorded by a computer, as well as the fixed air flow patterns. The device is equipped with a self-control program to compensate the difference in inhalation and exhalation volume and the measurement errors on the breathing flow rate. The system was successfully applied to record the breathing patterns of workers engaging in welding and reproduced the breathing patterns. PMID:25382381

  18. Breathing simulator of workers for respirator performance test.

    PubMed

    Yuasa, Hisashi; Kumita, Mikio; Honda, Takeshi; Kimura, Kazushi; Nozaki, Kosuke; Emi, Hitoshi; Otani, Yoshio

    2015-01-01

    Breathing machines are widely used to evaluate respirator performance but they are capable of generating only limited air flow patterns, such as, sine, triangular and square waves. In order to evaluate the respirator performance in practical use, it is desirable to test the respirator using the actual breathing patterns of wearers. However, it has been a difficult task for a breathing machine to generate such complicated flow patterns, since the human respiratory volume changes depending on the human activities and workload. In this study, we have developed an electromechanical breathing simulator and a respiration sampling device to record and reproduce worker's respiration. It is capable of generating various flow patterns by inputting breathing pattern signals recorded by a computer, as well as the fixed air flow patterns. The device is equipped with a self-control program to compensate the difference in inhalation and exhalation volume and the measurement errors on the breathing flow rate. The system was successfully applied to record the breathing patterns of workers engaging in welding and reproduced the breathing patterns.

  19. A study of air breathing rockets. 3: Supersonic mode combustors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masuya, G.; Chinzel, N.; Kudo, K.; Murakami, A.; Komuro, T.; Ishii, S.

    An experimental study was made on supersonic mode combustors of an air breathing rocket engine. Supersonic streams of room-temperature air and hot fuel-rich rocket exhaust were coaxially mixed and burned in a concially diverging duct of 2 deg half-angle. The effect of air inlet Mach number and excess air ratio was investigated. Axial wall pressure distribution was measured to calculate one dimensional change of Mach number and stagnation temperature. Calculated results showed that supersonic combustion occurred in the duct. At the exit of the duct, gas sampling and Pitot pressure measurement was made, from which radial distributions of various properties were deduced. The distribution of mass fraction of elements from rocket exhaust showed poor mixing performance in the supersonic mode combustors compared with the previously investigated cylindrical subsonic mode combustors. Secondary combustion efficiency correlated well with the centerline mixing parameter, but not with Annushkin's non-dimensional combustor length. No major effect of air inlet Mach number or excess air ratio was seen within the range of conditions under which the experiment was conducted.

  20. Thermodynamic efficiency analysis and cycle optimization of deeply precooled combined cycle engine in the air-breathing mode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Jianqiang; Wang, Zhenguo; Li, Qinglian

    2017-09-01

    The efficiency calculation and cycle optimization were carried out for the Synergistic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE) with deeply precooled combined cycle. A component-level model was developed for the engine, and exergy efficiency analysis based on the model was carried out. The methods to improve cycle efficiency have been proposed. The results indicate cycle efficiency of SABRE is between 29.7% and 41.7% along the flight trajectory, and most of the wasted exergy is occupied by the unburned hydrogen in exit gas. Exergy loss exists in each engine component, and the sum losses of main combustion chamber(CC), pre-burner(PB), precooler(PC) and 3# heat exchanger(HX3) are greater than 71.3% of the total loss. Equivalence ratio is the main influencing factor of cycle, and it can be regulated by adjusting parameters of helium loop. Increase the maximum helium outlet temperature of PC by 50 K, the total assumption of hydrogen will be saved by 4.8%, and the cycle efficiency is advanced by 3% averagely in the trajectory. Helium recirculation scheme introduces a helium recirculation loop to increase local helium flow rate of PC. It turns out the total assumption of hydrogen will be saved by 9%, that's about 1740 kg, and the cycle efficiency is advanced by 5.6% averagely.

  1. Breathing zone air sampler

    DOEpatents

    Tobin, John

    1989-01-01

    A sampling apparatus is provided which comprises a sampler for sampling air in the breathing zone of a wearer of the apparatus and a support for the sampler preferably in the form of a pair of eyeglasses. The sampler comprises a sampling assembly supported on the frame of the eyeglasses and including a pair of sample transport tubes which are suspended, in use, centrally of the frame so as to be disposed on opposite sides of the nose of the wearer and which each include an inlet therein that, in use, is disposed adjacent to a respective nostril of the nose of the wearer. A filter holder connected to sample transport tubes supports a removable filter for filtering out particulate material in the air sampled by the apparatus. The sample apparatus is connected to a pump for drawing air into the apparatus through the tube inlets so that the air passes through the filter.

  2. The QED engine spectrum - Fusion-electric propulsion for air-breathing to interstellar flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bussard, Robert W.; Jameson, Lorin W.

    1993-01-01

    A new inertial-electrostatic-fusion direct electric power source can be used to drive a relativistic e-beam to heat propellant. The resulting system is shown to yield specific impulse and thrust/mass ratio 2-3 orders of magnitude larger than from other advanced propulsion concepts. This QED system can be applied to aerospace vehicles from air-breathing to near-interstellar flight. Examples are given for Earth/Mars flight missions, that show transit times of 40 d with 20 percent payload in single-stage vehicles.

  3. Effect of hypobaric air, oxygen, heliox (50:50), or heliox (80:20) breathing on air bubbles in adipose tissue.

    PubMed

    Hyldegaard, O; Madsen, J

    2007-09-01

    The fate of bubbles formed in tissues during decompression to altitude after diving or due to accidental loss of cabin pressure during flight has only been indirectly inferred from theoretical modeling and clinical observations with noninvasive bubble-measuring techniques of intravascular bubbles. In this report we visually followed the in vivo resolution of micro-air bubbles injected into adipose tissue of anesthetized rats decompressed from 101.3 kPa to and held at 71 kPa corresponding to approximately 2.750 m above sea level, while the rats breathed air, oxygen, heliox (50:50), or heliox (80:20). During air breathing, bubbles initially grew for 30-80 min, after which they remained stable or began to shrink slowly. Oxygen breathing caused an initial growth of all bubbles for 15-85 min, after which they shrank until they disappeared from view. Bubble growth was significantly greater during breathing of oxygen compared with air and heliox breathing mixtures. During heliox (50:50) breathing, bubbles initially grew for 5-30 min, from which point they shrank until they disappeared from view. After a shift to heliox (80:20) breathing, some bubbles grew slightly for 20-30 min, then shrank until they disappeared from view. Bubble disappearance was significantly faster during breathing of oxygen and heliox mixtures compared with air. In conclusion, the present results show that oxygen breathing at 71 kPa promotes bubble growth in lipid tissue, and it is possible that breathing of heliox may be beneficial in treating decompression sickness during flight.

  4. Evaluation of an Ejector Ramjet Based Propulsion System for Air-Breathing Hypersonic Flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomas, Scott R.; Perkins, H. Douglas; Trefny, Charles J.

    1997-01-01

    A Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine system is designed to combine the high thrust to weight ratio of a rocket along with the high specific impulse of a ramjet in a single, integrated propulsion system. This integrated, combined cycle propulsion system is designed to provide higher vehicle performance than that achievable with a separate rocket and ramjet. The RBCC engine system studied in the current program is the Aerojet strutjet engine concept, which is being developed jointly by a government-industry team as part of the Air Force HyTech program pre-PRDA activity. The strutjet is an ejector-ramjet engine in which small rocket chambers are embedded into the trailing edges of the inlet compression struts. The engine operates as an ejector-ramjet from takeoff to slightly above Mach 3. Above Mach 3 the engine operates as a ramjet and transitions to a scramjet at high Mach numbers. For space launch applications the rockets would be re-ignited at a Mach number or altitude beyond which air-breathing propulsion alone becomes impractical. The focus of the present study is to develop and demonstrate a strutjet flowpath using hydrocarbon fuel at up to Mach 7 conditions.

  5. Leukotriene-B4 concentrations in exhaled breath condensate and lung function after thirty minutes of breathing technically dried compressed air.

    PubMed

    Neubauer, Birger; Struck, Niclas; Mutzbauer, Till S; Schotte, Ulrich; Langfeldt, Norbert; Tetzlaff, Kay

    2002-01-01

    In previous studies it had been shown that leukotriene-B4 [LTB4] concentrations in the exhaled breath mirror the inflammatory activity of the airways if the respiratory tract has been exposed to occupational hazards. In diving the respiratory tract is exposed to cold and dry air and the nasopharynx, as the site of breathing-gas warming and humidification, is bypassed. The aim of the present study was to obtain LTB4-concentrations in the exhaled breath and spirometric data of 17 healthy subjects before and after thirty minutes of technically dried air breathing at normobar ambient pressure. The exhaled breath was collected non-invasively, via a permanently cooled expiration tube. The condensate was measured by a standard enzyme immunoassay for LTB4. Lung function values (FVC, FEV1, MEF 25, MEF 50) were simultaneously obtained by spirometry. The measured pre- and post-exposure LTB4- concentrations as well as the lung function values were in the normal range. The present data gave no evidence for any inflammatory activity in the subjects' airways after thirty minutes breathing technically dried air.

  6. Heavy metals found in the breathing zone, toenails and lung function of welders working in an air-conditioned welding workplace.

    PubMed

    Hariri, Azian; Mohamad Noor, Noraishah; Paiman, Nuur Azreen; Ahmad Zaidi, Ahmad Mujahid; Zainal Bakri, Siti Farhana

    2017-09-22

    Welding operations are rarely conducted in an air-conditioned room. However, a company would set its welding operations in an air-conditioned room to maintain the humidity level needed to reduce hydrogen cracks in the specimen being welded. This study intended to assess the exposure to metal elements in the welders' breathing zone and toenail samples. Heavy metal concentration was analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The lung function test was also conducted and analysed using statistical approaches. Chromium and manganese concentrations in the breathing zone exceeded the permissible exposure limit stipulated by Malaysian regulations. A similar trend was obtained in the concentration of heavy metals in the breathing zone air sampling and in the welders' toenails. Although there was no statistically significant decrease in the lung function of welders, it is suggested that exposure control through engineering and administrative approaches should be considered for workplace safety and health improvement.

  7. Changes in cardiac output during swimming and aquatic hypoxia in the air-breathing Pacific tarpon.

    PubMed

    Clark, T D; Seymour, R S; Christian, K; Wells, R M G; Baldwin, J; Farrell, A P

    2007-11-01

    Pacific tarpon (Megalops cyprinoides) use a modified gas bladder as an air-breathing organ (ABO). We examined changes in cardiac output (V(b)) associated with increases in air-breathing that accompany exercise and aquatic hypoxia. Juvenile (0.49 kg) and adult (1.21 kg) tarpon were allowed to recover in a swim flume at 27 degrees C after being instrumented with a Doppler flow probe around the ventral aorta to monitor V(b) and with a fibre-optic oxygen sensor in the ABO to monitor air-breathing frequency. Under normoxic conditions and in both juveniles and adults, routine air-breathing frequency was 0.03 breaths min(-1) and V(b) was about 15 mL min(-1) kg(-1). Normoxic exercise (swimming at about 1.1 body lengths s(-1)) increased air-breathing frequency by 8-fold in both groups (reaching 0.23 breaths min(-1)) and increased V(b) by 3-fold for juveniles and 2-fold for adults. Hypoxic exposure (2 kPa O2) at rest increased air-breathing frequency 19-fold (to around 0.53 breaths min(-1)) in both groups, and while V(b) again increased 3-fold in resting juvenile fish, V(b) was unchanged in resting adult fish. Exercise in hypoxia increased air-breathing frequency 35-fold (to 0.95 breaths min(-1)) in comparison with resting normoxic fish. While juvenile fish increased V(b) nearly 2-fold with exercise in hypoxia, adult fish maintained the same V(b) irrespective of exercise state and became agitated in comparison. These results imply that air-breathing during exercise and hypoxia can benefit oxygen delivery, but to differing degrees in juvenile and adult tarpon. We discuss this difference in the context of myocardial oxygen supply.

  8. Ontogenetic changes and developmental adjustments in lactate dehydrogenase isozymes of an obligate air-breathing fish Channa punctatus during deprivation of air access.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Riaz; Hasnain, Absar-Ul

    2005-02-01

    In air-breathing snakehead Channa punctatus, Ldh-B is expressed at all ontogenetic and developmental stages, while Ldh-A is expressed temporally in pre-hatchlings 12-13 days ahead of bimodal respiration marked by air-breathing. Remarkable differences are observed in the LDH isozyme expression among various ontogenetic and developmental stages upon denying air access. When denied air access, water-breathing larvae show two distinct characteristics: (i) they survive longer than transitory air-breathers due to independence from air-breathing and (ii) there is more transient induction of Ldh-B than Ldh-A. Transition to bimodal breathing, which occurred post-hatching in 15-day old larvae, is coincidental with inducibility of Ldh-A and concomitant down-regulation of Ldh-B. Heart tissue from air-breathing adults denied air access shows a preferential expression of LDH-A subunit and slight down-regulation of LDH-B. Heterotetramers of A and B subunits participate in adjusting LDH levels among those stages which either precede air-breathing switchover, or are subsequent to this transition. The contribution of heterotetramers depends on the stage-specific levels of LDH homotetramers A(4) or B(4). Scaling of muscle mass during growth, tolerance to extended deprivation of air access and induction of Ldh-A are correlated. Response to restoring air contact indicated that advanced air-breathing stages of C. punctatus possess an inherent capacity to sense surface air. In kinetic properties, LDH isozymes of C. punctatus are teleost-like but species specificity is displayed in oxidative potential by cardiac muscle and in L-lactate reduction by skeletal muscle.

  9. Fast-starting after a breath: air-breathing motions are kinematically similar to escape responses in the catfish Hoplosternum littorale

    PubMed Central

    Domenici, Paolo; Norin, Tommy; Bushnell, Peter G.; Johansen, Jacob L.; Skov, Peter Vilhelm; Svendsen, Morten B. S.; Steffensen, John F.; Abe, Augusto S.

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Fast-starts are brief accelerations commonly observed in fish within the context of predator–prey interactions. In typical C-start escape responses, fish react to a threatening stimulus by bending their body into a C-shape during the first muscle contraction (i.e. stage 1) which provides a sudden acceleration away from the stimulus. Recently, similar C-starts have been recorded in fish aiming at a prey. Little is known about C-starts outside the context of predator–prey interactions, though recent work has shown that escape response can also be induced by high temperature. Here, we test the hypothesis that air-breathing fish may use C-starts in the context of gulping air at the surface. Hoplosternum littorale is an air-breathing freshwater catfish found in South America. Field video observations reveal that their air-breathing behaviour consists of air-gulping at the surface, followed by a fast turn which re-directs the fish towards the bottom. Using high-speed video in the laboratory, we compared the kinematics of the turn immediately following air-gulping performed by H. littorale in normoxia with those of mechanically-triggered C-start escape responses and with routine (i.e. spontaneous) turns. Our results show that air-breathing events overlap considerably with escape responses with a large stage 1 angle in terms of turning rates, distance covered and the relationship between these rates. Therefore, these two behaviours can be considered kinematically comparable, suggesting that air-breathing in this species is followed by escape-like C-start motions, presumably to minimise time at the surface and exposure to avian predators. These findings show that C-starts can occur in a variety of contexts in which fish may need to get away from areas of potential danger. PMID:25527644

  10. Health and efficiency in trimix versus air breathing in compressed air workers.

    PubMed

    Van Rees Vellinga, T P; Verhoeven, A C; Van Dijk, F J H; Sterk, W

    2006-01-01

    The Western Scheldt Tunneling Project in the Netherlands provided a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of trimix usage on the health of compressed air workers and the efficiency of the project. Data analysis addressed 318 exposures to compressed air at 3.9-4.4 bar gauge and 52 exposures to trimix (25% oxygen, 25% helium, and 50% nitrogen) at 4.6-4.8 bar gauge. Results revealed three incidents of decompression sickness all of which involved the use of compressed air. During exposure to compressed air, the effects of nitrogen narcosis were manifested in operational errors and increased fatigue among the workers. When using trimix, less effort was required for breathing, and mandatory decompression times for stays of a specific duration and maximum depth were considerably shorter. We conclude that it might be rational--for both medical and operational reasons--to use breathing gases with lower nitrogen fractions (e.g., trimix) for deep-caisson work at pressures exceeding 3 bar gauge, although definitive studies are needed.

  11. The distribution of mitochondria-rich cells in the gills of air-breathing fishes.

    PubMed

    Lin, Hui-Chen; Sung, Wen-Ting

    2003-01-01

    Respiration and ion regulation are the two principal functions of teleostean gills. Mainly found in the gill filaments of fish, mitochondria-rich cells (MRCs) proliferate to increase the ionoregulatory capacity of the gill in response to osmotic challenges. Gill lamellae consist mostly of pavement cells, which are the major site of gas exchange. Although lamellar MRCs have been reported in some fish species, there has been little discussion of which fish species are likely to have lamellar MRCs. In this study, we first compared the number of filament and lamellar MRCs in air-breathing and non-air-breathing fish species acclimated to freshwater and 5 g NaCl L(-1) conditions. An increase in filament MRCs was found in both air-breathing and non-air-breathing fish acclimated to freshwater. Lamellar MRCs were found only in air-breathing species, but the number of lamellar MRCs did not change significantly with water conditions, except in Periophthalmus cantonensis. Next, we surveyed the distribution of MRCs in the gills of 66 fish species (including 29 species from the previous literature) from 12 orders, 28 families, and 56 genera. Our hypothesis that lamellar MRCs are more likely to be found in air-breathing fishes was supported by a significant association between the presence of lamellar MRCs and the mode of breathing at three levels of systematic categories (species, genus, and family). Based on this integrative view of the multiple functions of fish gills, we should reexamine the role of MRCs in freshwater fish.

  12. Hypoxia tolerance and air-breathing ability correlate with habitat preference in coral-dwelling fishes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nilsson, G. E.; Hobbs, J.-P. A.; Östlund-Nilsson, S.; Munday, P. L.

    2007-06-01

    Hypoxia tolerance and air-breathing occur in a range of freshwater, estuarine and intertidal fishes. Here it is shown for the first time that coral reef fishes from the genera Gobiodon, Paragobiodon and Caracanthus, which all have an obligate association with living coral, also exhibit hypoxia tolerance and a well-developed air-breathing capacity. All nine species maintained adequate respiration in water at oxygen concentrations down to 15-25% air saturation. This hypoxia tolerance is probably needed when the oxygen levels in the coral habitat drops sharply at night. Air-breathing abilities of the species correlated with habitat association, being greatest (equaling oxygen uptake in water) in species that occupy corals extending into shallow water, where they may become air exposed during extreme low tides. Air-breathing was less well-developed or absent in species inhabiting corals from deeper waters. Loss of scales and a network of subcutaneous capillaries appear to be key adaptations allowing cutaneous respiration in air. While hypoxia tolerance may be an ancestral trait in these fishes, air-breathing is likely to be a more recent adaptation exemplifying convergent evolution in the unrelated genera Gobiodon and Caracanthus in response to coral-dwelling lifestyles.

  13. Developmental cardiorespiratory physiology of the air-breathing tropical gar, Atractosteus tropicus.

    PubMed

    Burggren, Warren W; Bautista, Gil Martinez; Coop, Susana Camarillo; Couturier, Gabriel Márquez; Delgadillo, Salomón Páramo; García, Rafael Martínez; González, Carlos Alfonso Alvarez

    2016-10-01

    The physiological transition to aerial breathing in larval air-breathing fishes is poorly understood. We investigated gill ventilation frequency (f G ), heart rate (f H ), and air breathing frequency (f AB ) as a function of development, activity, hypoxia, and temperature in embryos/larvae from day (D) 2.5 to D30 posthatch of the tropical gar, Atractosteus tropicus, an obligate air breather. Gill ventilation at 28°C began at approximately D2, peaking at ∼75 beats/min on D5, before declining to ∼55 beats/min at D30. Heart beat began ∼36-48 h postfertilization and ∼1 day before hatching. f H peaked between D3 and D10 at ∼140 beats/min, remaining at this level through D30. Air breathing started very early at D2.5 to D3.5 at 1-2 breaths/h, increasing to ∼30 breaths/h at D15 and D30. Forced activity at all stages resulted in a rapid but brief increase in both f G and f H , (but not f AB ), indicating that even in these early larval stages, reflex control existed over both ventilation and circulation prior to its increasing importance in older fishes. Acute progressive hypoxia increased f G in D2.5-D10 larvae, but decreased f G in older larvae (≥D15), possibly to prevent branchial O 2 loss into surrounding water. Temperature sensitivity of f G and f H measured at 20°C, 25°C, 28°C and 38°C was largely independent of development, with a Q 10 between 20°C and 38°C of ∼2.4 and ∼1.5 for f G and f H , respectively. The rapid onset of air breathing, coupled with both respiratory and cardiovascular reflexes as early as D2.5, indicates that larval A. tropicus develops "in the fast lane." Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  14. Oxygen and carbon dioxide sensitivity of ventilation in amphibious crabs, Cardisoma guanhumi, breathing air and water.

    PubMed

    Gannon, Andrew T; Henry, Raymond P

    2004-05-01

    Amphibious crabs, Cardisoma guanhumi, were acclimated to breathing either air or water and exposed to altered levels of oxygen and/or carbon dioxide in the medium. Hypercapnia (22, 36 and 73 torr CO(2)) stimulated a significant hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) in both groups of crabs, with a much greater effect on scaphognathite frequency (Deltaf(SC)=+700%) in air-breathing crabs than water-breathing crabs (Deltaf(SC)=+100%). In contrast, hyperoxia induced significant hypoventilation in both sets of crabs. However, simultaneous hyperoxia and hypercapnia triggered a greater than 10-fold increase in f(SC) in air-breathing crabs but no change in water-breathing crabs. For water-breathing crabs hypoxia simultaneous with hypercapnia triggered the same response as hypoxia alone-bradycardia (-50%), and a significant increase in f(SC) at moderate exposures but not at the more extreme levels. The response of air-breathing crabs to hypoxia concurrent with hypercapnia was proportionally closer to the response to hypercapnia alone than to hypoxia. Thus, C. guanhumi were more sensitive to ambient CO(2) than O(2) when breathing air, characteristic of fully terrestrial species, and more sensitive to ambient O(2) when breathing water, characteristic of fully aquatic species. C. guanhumi possesses both an O(2)- and a CO(2)-based ventilatory drive whether breathing air or water, but the relative importance switches when the respiratory medium is altered.

  15. Does air-breathing meet metabolic demands of the juvenile snakehead, Channa argus, in multiple conditions

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yongli; Lv, Xiao; Zhou, Jing; Shi, Chenchen; Duan, Ting

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to examine how the respiratory metabolism of the snakehead Channa argus changed when it shifted from breathing water to breathing air, and how increased metabolic demands caused by temperature, feeding, and exhaustive exercise affect its survival in air. The results demonstrated that the oxygen consumption rate (MO2) of the snakehead was lower for aerial respiration than aquatic respiration by 12.1, 24.5 and 20.4% at 20, 25, and 30°C, respectively. Survival time was significantly shortened with increasing temperature and was negatively correlated with the resting MO2 in air (MO2Air). No obvious feeding metabolic response was observed in the snakeheads fed at 1% and 3% body mass levels while breathing air. The maximum MO2Air of the snakehead after exhaustive exercise was significantly higher than the resting MO2Air of the control group. The results suggest that the snakehead could survive out of water by breathing air for varying lengths of time, depending on ambient temperature and metabolic demand. Additionally, some degree of metabolic depression occurs in the snakehead when breathing air. The metabolic demand associated with exercise in the snakehead, but not that associated with feeding, can be supported by its capacity for breathing air to some extent. PMID:28396489

  16. Comparison of flight results with digital simulation for a digital electronic engine control in an F-15 airplane

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Myers, L. P.; Burcham, F. W., Jr.

    1983-01-01

    Substantial benefits of a full authority digital electronic engine control on an air breathing engine were demonstrated repeatedly in simulation studies, ground engine tests, and engine altitude test facilities. A digital engine electronic control system showed improvements in efficiency, performance, and operation. An additional benefit of full authority digital controls is the capability of detecting and correcting failures and providing engine health diagnostics.

  17. High capacity for extracellular acid-base regulation in the air-breathing fish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus.

    PubMed

    Damsgaard, Christian; Gam, Le Thi Hong; Tuong, Dang Diem; Thinh, Phan Vinh; Huong Thanh, Do Thi; Wang, Tobias; Bayley, Mark

    2015-05-01

    The evolution of accessory air-breathing structures is typically associated with reduction of the gills, although branchial ion transport remains pivotal for acid-base and ion regulation. Therefore, air-breathing fishes are believed to have a low capacity for extracellular pH regulation during a respiratory acidosis. In the present study, we investigated acid-base regulation during hypercapnia in the air-breathing fish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus in normoxic and hypoxic water at 28-30°C. Contrary to previous studies, we show that this air-breathing fish has a pronounced ability to regulate extracellular pH (pHe) during hypercapnia, with complete metabolic compensation of pHe within 72 h of exposure to hypoxic hypercapnia with CO2 levels above 34 mmHg. The high capacity for pHe regulation relies on a pronounced ability to increase levels of HCO3(-) in the plasma. Our study illustrates the diversity in the physiology of air-breathing fishes, such that generalizations across phylogenies may be difficult. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  18. Benzene levels in ambient air and breath of smokers and nonsmokers in urban and pristine environments

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wester, R.C.; Maibach, H.I.; Gruenke, L.D.

    Benzene levels in human breath and in ambient air were compared in the urban area of San Francisco (SF) and in a more remote coastal pristine setting of Stinson Beach, Calif. (SB). Benzene analysis was done by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Ambient benzene levels were sevenfold higher in SF (2.6 +/- 1.3 ppb, n = 25) than SB (0.38 +/- 0.39 ppb, n = 21). In SF, benzene in smokers' breath (6.8 +/- 3.0 ppb) was greater than in nonsmokers' breath (2.5 +/- 0.8 ppb) and smokers' ambient air (3.3 +/- 0.8 ppb). In SB the same pattern was observed:more » benzene in smokers' breath was higher than in nonsmokers' breath and ambient air. Benzene in SF nonsmokers' breath was greater than in SB nonsmokers' breath. Marijuana-only smokers had benzene breath levels between those of smokers and nonsmokers. There was little correlation between benzene in breath and number of cigarettes smoked, or with other benzene exposures such as diet. Of special interest was the finding that benzene in breath of SF nonsmokers (2.5 +/- 0.8 ppb) was greater than that in nonsmokers ambient air (1.4 +/- 0.1 ppb). The same was true in SB, where benzene in nonsmokers breath was greater than ambient air (1.8 +/- 0.2 ppb versus 1.0 +/- 0.1 ppb on d 1 and 1.3 +/- 0.3 ppb versus 0.23 +/- 0.18 ppb on d 2). This suggests an additional source of benzene other than outdoor ambient air.« less

  19. Benzene and naphthalene in air and breath as indicators of exposure to jet fuel

    PubMed Central

    Egeghy, P; Hauf-Cabalo, L; Gibson, R; Rappaport, S

    2003-01-01

    Aims: To estimate exposures to benzene and naphthalene among military personnel working with jet fuel (JP-8) and to determine whether naphthalene might serve as a surrogate for JP-8 in studies of health effects. Methods: Benzene and naphthalene were measured in air and breath of 326 personnel in the US Air Force, who had been assigned a priori into low, moderate, and high exposure categories for JP-8. Results: Median air concentrations for persons in the low, moderate, and high exposure categories were 3.1, 7.4, and 252 µg benzene/m3 air, 4.6, 9.0, and 11.4 µg benzene/m3 breath, 1.9, 10.3, and 485 µg naphthalene/m3 air, and 0.73, 0.93, and 1.83 µg naphthalene/m3 breath, respectively. In the moderate and high exposure categories, 5% and 15% of the benzene air concentrations, respectively, were above the 2002 threshold limit value (TLV) of 1.6 mg/m3. Multiple regression analyses of air and breath levels revealed prominent background sources of benzene exposure, including cigarette smoke. However, naphthalene exposure was not unduly influenced by sources other than JP-8. Among heavily exposed workers, dermal contact with JP-8 contributed to air and breath concentrations along with several physical and environmental factors. Conclusions: Personnel having regular contact with JP-8 are occasionally exposed to benzene at levels above the current TLV. Among heavily exposed workers, uptake of JP-8 components occurs via both inhalation and dermal contact. Naphthalene in air and breath can serve as useful measures of exposure to JP-8 and uptake of fuel components in the body. PMID:14634191

  20. Objective vs. Subjective Evaluation of Cognitive Performance During 0.4-MPa Dives Breathing Air or Nitrox.

    PubMed

    Germonpré, Peter; Balestra, Costantino; Hemelryck, Walter; Buzzacott, Peter; Lafère, Pierre

    2017-05-01

    Divers try to limit risks associated with their sport, for instance by breathing enriched air nitrox (EANx) instead of air. This double blinded, randomized trial was designed to see if the use of EANx could effectively improve cognitive performance while diving. Eight volunteers performed two no-decompression dry dives breathing air or EANx for 20 min at 0.4 MPa. Cognitive functions were assessed with a computerized test battery, including MathProc and Ptrail. Measurements were taken before the dive, upon arrival and after 15 min at depth, upon surfacing, and at 30 min postdive. After each dive subjects were asked to identify the gas they had just breathed. Identification of the breathing gas was not possible on subjective assessment alone, while cognitive assessments showed significantly better performance while breathing EANx. Before the dives, breathing air, mean time to complete the task was 1795 ms for MathProc and 1905 ms for Ptrail. When arriving at depth MathProc took 1616 ms on air and 1523 ms on EANx, and Ptrail took 1318 ms on air and and 1356 ms on EANx, followed 15 min later by significant performance inhibition while breathing air during the ascent and the postdive phase, supporting the concept of late dive/postdive impairment. The results suggest that EANx could protect against decreased neuro-cognitive performance induced by inert gas narcosis. It was not possible for blinded divers to identify which gas they were breathing and differences in postdive fatigue between air and EANx diving deserve further investigation.Germonpré P, Balestra C, Hemelryck W, Buzzacott P, Lafère P. Objective vs. subjective evaluation of cognitive performance during 0.4-MPa dives breathing air or nitrox. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(5):469-475.

  1. Personal exposure to volatile organic compounds. I. Direct measurements in breathing-zone air, drinking water, food, and exhaled breath

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wallace, L.A.; Pellizzari, E.; Hartwell, T.

    A pilot study to test methods of estimating personal exposures to toxic substances and corresponding body burdens was carried out between July and December 1980. Individual exposures to about a dozen volatile organic compounds in air and drinking water were measured for volunteers in New Jersey and North Carolina. Breath samples were also collected from all subjects. About 230 personal air samples, 170 drinking water samples, 66 breath samples, and 4 food samples (16 composites) were analyzed for the target chemicals. Ten compounds were present in air and eight were transmitted mainly through that medium. Chloroform and bromodichloromethane were predominantlymore » transmitted through water and beverages. Food appeared to be a miner route of exposure, except possibly for trichloroethylene in margarine. Seven compounds were present in more than half of the breath samples. Diurnal and seasonal variations were noted in air and water concentrations of some compounds. Some, but not all, of the potentially occupationally exposed individuals had significantly higher workplace exposures to several chemicals. Distributions of air exposures were closer to log normal than normal for most chemicals. Several chemicals were highly correlated with each other in personal air samples, indicating possible common sources of exposures. Compounds detected included benzene, chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, halogens and vinyl chloride.« less

  2. Effects of breathing pattern and inspired air conditions on breath condensate volume, pH, nitrite, and protein concentrations.

    PubMed

    McCafferty, J B; Bradshaw, T A; Tate, S; Greening, A P; Innes, J A

    2004-08-01

    The effects of breathing pattern and inspired air conditions on the volume and content of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) were investigated. Total exhaled water (TEW), EBC volume, pH, nitrite and protein concentrations were measured in three groups of 10 healthy subjects breathing into a condenser at different target minute ventilations (Vm), tidal volumes (Vt), and inspired air conditions. The volumes of both TEW and EBC increased significantly with Vm. For Vm 7.5, 15 and 22.5 l/min, mean (SD) EBC was 627 (258) microl, 1019 (313) microl, and 1358 (364) microl, respectively (p<0.001) and TEW was 1879 (378) microl, 2986 (496) microl, and 4679 (700) microl, respectively (p<0.001). TEW was significantly higher than EBC, reflecting a condenser efficiency of 40% at a target Vm of 7.5 l/min which reduced to 29% at Vm 22.5 l/min. Lower Vt gave less TEW than higher Vt (26.6 v 30.7 microl/l, mean difference 4.1 (95% CI 2.6 to 5.6), p<0.001) and a smaller EBC volume (4.3 v 7.6 microl/l, mean difference 3.4 (95% CI 2.3 to 4.5), p<0.001). Cooler and drier inspired air yielded less water vapour and less breath condensate than standard conditions (p<0.05). Changes in the breathing pattern had no effect on EBC protein and nitrite concentrations and pH. These results show that condensate volume can be increased by using high Vt and increased Vm without compromising the dilution of the sample.

  3. The indoor air we breathe.

    PubMed Central

    Oliver, L C; Shackleton, B W

    1998-01-01

    Increasingly recognized as a potential public health problem since the outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in Philadelphia in 1976, polluted indoor air has been associated with health problems that include asthma, sick building syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivity, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Symptoms are often nonspecific and include headache, eye and throat irritation, chest tightness and shortness of breath, and fatigue. Air-borne contaminants include commonly used chemicals, vehicular exhaust, microbial organisms, fibrous glass particles, and dust. Identified causes include defective building design and construction, aging of buildings and their ventilation systems, poor climate control, inattention to building maintenance. A major contributory factor is the explosion in the use of chemicals in building construction and furnishing materials over the past four decades. Organizational issues and psychological variables often contribute to the problem and hinder its resolution. This article describes the health problems related to poor indoor air quality and offers solutions. Images p398-a p399-a PMID:9769764

  4. Air-Breathing Ramjet Electric Propulsion for Controlling Low-Orbit Spacecraft Motion to Compensate for Aerodynamic Drag

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erofeev, A. I.; Nikiforov, A. P.; Popov, G. A.; Suvorov, M. O.; Syrin, S. A.; Khartov, S. A.

    2017-12-01

    Problems on designing the air-breathing ramjet electric propulsion thruster for controlling loworbit spacecraft motion are examined in the paper. Information for choosing orbits' altitudes for reasonable application of an air-breathing ramjet electric propulsion thruster and propellant exhaust velocity is presented. Estimates of the probable increase of gas concentration in the area of air-breathing ramjet ionization are presented. The test results of the thruster are also given.

  5. Ontogeny and paleophysiology of the gill: new insights from larval and air-breathing fish.

    PubMed

    Brauner, Colin J; Rombough, Peter J

    2012-12-01

    There are large changes in gill function during development associated with ionoregulation and gas exchange in both larval and air-breathing fish. Physiological studies of larvae indicate that, contrary to accepted dogma but consistent with morphology, the initial function of the gill is primarily ionoregulatory and only secondarily respiratory. In air-breathing fish, as the gill becomes progressively less important in terms of O(2) uptake with expansion of the air-breathing organ, it retains its roles in CO(2) excretion, ion exchange and acid-base balance. The observation that gill morphology and function is strongly influenced by ionoregulatory needs in both larval and air-breathing fish may have evolutionary implications. In particular, it suggests that the inability of the skin to maintain ion and acid-base balance as protovertebrates increased in size and became more active may have been more important in driving gill development than O(2) insufficiency. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicle Tracking Control Based on Adaptive Dynamic Programming.

    PubMed

    Mu, Chaoxu; Ni, Zhen; Sun, Changyin; He, Haibo

    2017-03-01

    In this paper, we propose a data-driven supplementary control approach with adaptive learning capability for air-breathing hypersonic vehicle tracking control based on action-dependent heuristic dynamic programming (ADHDP). The control action is generated by the combination of sliding mode control (SMC) and the ADHDP controller to track the desired velocity and the desired altitude. In particular, the ADHDP controller observes the differences between the actual velocity/altitude and the desired velocity/altitude, and then provides a supplementary control action accordingly. The ADHDP controller does not rely on the accurate mathematical model function and is data driven. Meanwhile, it is capable to adjust its parameters online over time under various working conditions, which is very suitable for hypersonic vehicle system with parameter uncertainties and disturbances. We verify the adaptive supplementary control approach versus the traditional SMC in the cruising flight, and provide three simulation studies to illustrate the improved performance with the proposed approach.

  7. Environmental modulation of the onset of air breathing and survival of Betta splendens and Trichopodus trichopterus.

    PubMed

    Mendez-Sanchez, J F; Burggren, W W

    2014-03-01

    The effect of hypoxia on air-breathing onset and survival was determined in larvae of the air-breathing fishes, the three spot gourami Trichopodus trichopterus and the Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens. Larvae were exposed continuously or intermittently (12 h nightly) to an oxygen partial pressure (PO2 ) of 20, 17 and 14 kPa from 1 to 40 days post-fertilization (dpf). Survival and onset of air breathing were measured daily. Continuous normoxic conditions produced a larval survival rate of 65-75% for B. splendens and 15-30% for T. trichopterus, but all larvae of both species died at 9 dpf in continuous hypoxia conditions. Larvae under intermittent (nocturnal) hypoxia showed a 15% elevated survival rate in both species. The same conditions altered the onset of air breathing, advancing onset by 4 days in B. splendens and delaying onset by 9 days in T. trichopterus. These interspecific differences were attributed to air-breathing characteristics: B. splendens was a non-obligatory air breather after 36 dpf, whereas T. trichopterus was an obligatory air breather after 32 dpf. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  8. Stirling engine with air working fluid

    DOEpatents

    Corey, John A.

    1985-01-01

    A Stirling engine capable of utilizing air as a working fluid which includes a compact heat exchange module which includes heating tube units, regenerator and cooler positioned about the combustion chamber. This arrangement has the purpose and effect of allowing the construction of an efficient, high-speed, high power-density engine without the use of difficult to seal light gases as working fluids.

  9. Effects of breathing pattern and inspired air conditions on breath condensate volume, pH, nitrite, and protein concentrations

    PubMed Central

    McCafferty, J; Bradshaw, T; Tate, S; Greening, A; Innes, J

    2004-01-01

    Background: The effects of breathing pattern and inspired air conditions on the volume and content of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) were investigated. Methods: Total exhaled water (TEW), EBC volume, pH, nitrite and protein concentrations were measured in three groups of 10 healthy subjects breathing into a condenser at different target minute ventilations (Vm), tidal volumes (Vt), and inspired air conditions. Results: The volumes of both TEW and EBC increased significantly with Vm. For Vm 7.5, 15 and 22.5 l/min, mean (SD) EBC was 627 (258) µl, 1019 (313) µl, and 1358 (364) µl, respectively (p<0.001) and TEW was 1879 (378) µl, 2986 (496) µl, and 4679 (700) µl, respectively (p<0.001). TEW was significantly higher than EBC, reflecting a condenser efficiency of 40% at a target Vm of 7.5 l/min which reduced to 29% at Vm 22.5 l/min. Lower Vt gave less TEW than higher Vt (26.6 v 30.7 µl/l, mean difference 4.1 (95% CI 2.6 to 5.6), p<0.001) and a smaller EBC volume (4.3 v 7.6 µl/l, mean difference 3.4 (95% CI 2.3 to 4.5), p<0.001). Cooler and drier inspired air yielded less water vapour and less breath condensate than standard conditions (p<0.05). Changes in the breathing pattern had no effect on EBC protein and nitrite concentrations and pH. Conclusion: These results show that condensate volume can be increased by using high Vt and increased Vm without compromising the dilution of the sample. PMID:15282391

  10. Air-breathing during activity in the fishes amia calva and lepisosteus oculatus

    PubMed

    Farmer; d

    1998-04-01

    Many osteichthyan fishes obtain oxygen from both air, using a lung, and water, using gills. Although it is commonly thought that fishes air-breathe to survive hypoxic aquatic habitats, other reasons may be more important in many species. This study was undertaken to determine the significance of air-breathing in two fish species while exercising in oxygen-rich water. Oxygen consumption from air and water was measured during mild activity in bowfin (Amia calva) and spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) by sealing a fish in an acrylic flume that contained an air-hole. At 19-23 degreesC, the rate of oxygen consumption from air in both species was modest at rest. During low-level exercise, more than 50 % of the oxygen consumed by both species was from the air (53.0+/-22.9 % L. oculatus; 66.4+/-8.3 % A. calva).

  11. Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine inlet

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    Pictured is a component of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine. This engine was designed to ultimately serve as the near term basis for Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) air breathing propulsion systems and ultimately a Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) air breathing propulsion system.

  12. Interactions between Flight Dynamics and Propulsion Systems of Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dalle, Derek J.

    The development and application of a first-principles-derived reduced-order model called MASIV (Michigan/AFRL Scramjet In Vehicle) for an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle is discussed. Several significant and previously unreported aspects of hypersonic flight are investigated. A fortunate coupling between increasing Mach number and decreasing angle of attack is shown to extend the range of operating conditions for a class of supersonic inlets. Detailed maps of isolator unstart and ram-to-scram transition are shown on the flight corridor map for the first time. In scram mode the airflow remains supersonic throughout the engine, while in ram mode there is a region of subsonic flow. Accurately predicting the transition between these two modes requires models for complex shock interactions, finite-rate chemistry, fuel-air mixing, pre-combustion shock trains, and thermal choking, which are incorporated into a unified framework here. Isolator unstart occurs when the pre-combustion shock train is longer than the isolator, which blocks airflow from entering the engine. Finally, cooptimization of the vehicle design and trajectory is discussed. An optimal control technique is introduced that greatly reduces the number of computations required to optimize the simulated trajectory.

  13. Toward a Capability Engineering Process

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-12-01

    TOWARD A CAPABILITY ENGINEERING PROCESS M. Lizotte, F. Bernier, M. Mokhtari , M. Couture, G. Dussault, C. Lalancette, F. Lemieux System of Systems...Lizotte, F. Lemieux, the US DoD 5000 acquisition strategies?; and (8) since a M. Mokhtari , 2004: Toward Capability Engineering capability can be

  14. Improved fireman's compressed air breathing system pressure vessel development program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    King, H. A.; Morris, E. E.

    1973-01-01

    Prototype high pressure glass filament-wound, aluminum-lined pressurant vessels suitable for use in a fireman's compressed air breathing system were designed, fabricated, and acceptance tested in order to demonstrate the feasibility of producing such high performance, lightweight units. The 4000 psi tanks have a 60 standard cubic foot (SCF) air capacity, and have a 6.5 inch diamter, 19 inch length, 415 inch volume, weigh 13 pounds when empty, and contain 33 percent more air than the current 45 SCF (2250 psi) steel units. The current steel 60 SCF (3000 psi) tanks weigh approximately twice as much as the prototype when empty, and are 2 inches, or 10 percent shorter. The prototype units also have non-rusting aluminum interiors, which removes the hazard of corrosion, the need for internal coatings, and the possibility of rust particles clogging the breathing system.

  15. Evaluation of an Ejector Ramjet Based Propulsion System for Air-Breathing Hypersonic Flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thomas, Scott R.; Perkins, H. Douglas; Trefny, Charles J.

    1997-01-01

    A Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine system is designed to combine the high thrust to weight ratio of a rocket along with the high specific impulse of a ramjet in a single, integrated propulsion system. This integrated, combined cycle propulsion system is designed to provide higher vehicle performance than that achievable with a separate rocket and ramjet. The RBCC engine system studied in the current program is the Aerojet strutjet engine concept, which is being developed jointly by a government-industry team as part of the Air Force HyTech program pre-PRDA activity. The strutjet is an ejector-ramjet engine in which small rocket chambers are embedded into the trailing edges of the inlet compression struts. The engine operates as an ejector-ramjet from take-off to slightly above Mach 3. Above Mach 3 the engine operates as a ramjet and transitions to a scramjet at high Mach numbers. For space launch applications the rockets would be re-ignited at a Mach number or altitude beyond which air-breathing propulsion alone becomes impractical. The focus of the present study is to develop and demonstrate a strutjet flowpath using hydrocarbon fuel at up to Mach 7 conditions. Freejet tests of a candidate flowpath for this RBCC engine were conducted at the NASA Lewis Research Center's Hypersonic Tunnel Facility between July and September 1996. This paper describes the engine flowpath and installation, outlines the primary objectives of the program, and describes the overall results of this activity. Through this program 15 full duration tests, including 13 fueled tests were made. The first major achievement was the further demonstration of the HTF capability. The facility operated at conditions up to 1950 K and 7.34 MPa, simulating approximately Mach 6.6 flight. The initial tests were unfueled and focused on verifying both facility and engine starting. During these runs additional aerodynamic appliances were incorporated onto the facility diffuser to enhance starting

  16. Cardiorespiratory responses to hypoxia in the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822), an air-breathing fish.

    PubMed

    Belão, T C; Leite, C A C; Florindo, L H; Kalinin, A L; Rantin, F T

    2011-10-01

    The African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, possesses a pair of suprabranchial chambers located in the dorsal-posterior part of the branchial cavity having extensions from the upper parts of the second and fourth gill arches, forming the arborescent organs. This structure is an air-breathing organ (ABO) and allows aerial breathing (AB). We evaluated its cardiorespiratory responses to aquatic hypoxia. To determine the mode of air-breathing (obligate or accessory), fish had the respiratory frequency (f (R)) monitored and were subjected to normoxic water (PwO(2) = 140 mmHg) without becoming hyperactive for 30 h. During this period, all fish survived without displaying evidences of hyperactivity and maintained unchanged f (R), confirming that this species is a facultative air-breather. Its aquatic O(2) uptake ([Formula: see text]) was maintained constant down to a critical PO(2) (PcO(2)) of 60 mmHg, below which [Formula: see text] declined linearly with further reductions of inspired O(2) tension (PiO(2)). Just above the PcO(2) the ventilatory tidal volume (V (T)) increased significantly along with gill ventilation ([Formula: see text]), while f (R) changed little. Consequently, the water convection requirement [Formula: see text] increased steeply. This threshold applied to a cardiac response that included reflex bradycardia. AB was initiated at PiO(2) = 140 mmHg (normoxia) and air-breathing episodes increased linearly with more severe hypoxia, being significantly higher at PiO(2) tensions below the PcO(2). Air-breathing episodes were accompanied by bradycardia pre air-breath, to tachycardia post air-breath.

  17. Breaking wind to survive: fishes that breathe air with their gut.

    PubMed

    Nelson, J A

    2014-03-01

    Several taxonomically disparate groups of fishes have evolved the ability to extract oxygen from the air with elements of their gut. Despite perceived difficulties with balancing digestive and respiratory function, gut air breathing (GAB) has evolved multiple times in fishes and several GAB families are among the most successful fish families in terms of species numbers. When gut segments evolve into an air-breathing organ (ABO), there is generally a specialized region for exchange of gases where the gut wall has diminished, vascularization has increased, capillaries have penetrated into the luminal epithelium and surfactant is produced. This specialized region is generally separated from digestive portions of the gut by sphincters. GAB fishes tend to be facultative air breathers that use air breathing to supplement aquatic respiration in hypoxic waters. Some hindgut breathers may be continuous, but not obligate air breathers (obligate air breathers drown if denied access to air). Gut ABOs are generally used only for oxygen uptake; CO₂ elimination seems to occur via the gills and skin in all GAB fishes studied. Aerial ventilation in GAB fishes is driven primarily by oxygen partial pressure of the water (PO₂) and possibly also by metabolic demand. The effect of aerial ventilation on branchial ventilation and the cardiovascular system is complex and generalizations across taxa or ABO type are not currently possible. Blood from GAB fishes generally has a low blood oxygen partial pressure that half saturates haemoglobin (p50) with a very low erythrocytic nucleoside triphosphate concentration [NTP]. GAB behaviour in nature depends on the social and ecological context of the animal as well as on physiological factors. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  18. Sustained periodic terrestrial locomotion in air-breathing fishes.

    PubMed

    Pace, C M; Gibb, A C

    2014-03-01

    While emergent behaviours have long been reported for air-breathing osteichthyians, only recently have researchers undertaken quantitative analyses of terrestrial locomotion. This review summarizes studies of sustained periodic terrestrial movements by air-breathing fishes and quantifies the contributions of the paired appendages and the axial body to forward propulsion. Elongate fishes with axial-based locomotion, e.g. the ropefish Erpetoichthys calabaricus, generate an anterior-to-posterior wave of undulation that travels down the axial musculoskeletal system and pushes the body against the substratum at multiple points. In contrast, appendage-based locomotors, e.g. the barred mudskipper Periophthalmus argentilineatus, produce no axial bending during sustained locomotion, but instead use repeated protraction-retraction cycles of the pectoral fins to elevate the centre of mass and propel the entire body anteriorly. Fishes that use an axial-appendage-based mechanism, e.g. walking catfishes Clarias spp., produce side-to-side, whole-body bending in co-ordination with protraction-retraction cycles of the pectoral fins. Once the body is maximally bent to one side, the tail is pressed against the substratum and drawn back through the mid-sagittal plane, which elevates the centre of mass and rotates it about a fulcrum formed by the pectoral fin and the ground. Although appendage-based terrestrial locomotion appears to be rare in osteichthyians, many different species appear to have converged upon functionally similar axial-based and axial-appendage-based movements. Based on common forms observed across divergent taxa, it appears that dorsoventral compression of the body, elongation of the axial skeleton or the presence of robust pectoral fins can facilitate effective terrestrial movement by air-breathing fishes. © 2014 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  19. Effects of the six engine air breathing propulsion system on space shuttle orbiter subsonic stability and control characteristics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mennell, R. C.; Soard, T.

    1974-01-01

    Experimental aerodynamic investigations were conducted on a 0.0405 scale representation of the -89B space shuttle orbiter in the 7.75 x 11.00 foot low speed wind tunnel during the time period September 4 - 14, 1973. The primary test objective was to optimize the air breathing propulsion system nacelle cowl-inlet design and to determine the aerodynamic effects of this design on the orbiter stability and control characteristics. Nacelle cowl-inlet optimization was determined from total pressure - static pressure measurements obtained from pressure rakes located in the left hand nacelle pod at the engine face station. After the optimum cow-inlet design, consisting of a 7 deg cowl lip angle, short cowl, 7 deg short diverter, and a nacelle toe-in angle of 5 deg was selected, the aerodynamic effects of various locations of this design were investigated. The 3 pod - 6 Nacelle configuration was tested both underwing and overwing in three different longitudinal locations. Orbiter control effectiveness, both with and without Nacelles, was investigated at elevon deflections of 0 deg, -10 deg and +15 deg and at aileron deflections of 0 deg and +10 deg about 0 deg elevon.

  20. Flight evaluation of the DEEC secondary control air-start capability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, J. B.; Nelson, J.

    1983-01-01

    The air-start capability of a secondary engine control (SEC) was tested for a DEEC-equipped F100 engine and installed in an F-15 airplane. Two air-start schedules were tested. The first was referred to as the group I schedule; the second or revised schedule was the group II start schedule. Using the group I start schedule, an airspeed of 300 knots was required to ensure successful 40- and 25-percent SEC-mode air starts. If N2 were less than 40 percent, a stall would occur when the start bleeds closed 40 sec after initiation of the air start. All JFS-assisted air starts were successful with the group start schedule. For the group II schedule, the time between pressurization and start-bleed closure ranged between 50 and 72 sec depending on altitude. All air starts were successful above 225 knots givin a 75-knot reduction in required airspeed for a successful air start. Spooldown air starts of 40 percent were successful at 200 knots at altitudes up to 10,650 m and at 175 knots at altitudes up to 6100 m. Idle rpm was lower than the desired 65 percent for air starts at higher altitudes and lower airspeeds. All JSF-assisted air starts were successful.

  1. The autonomic control and functional significance of the changes in heart rate associated with air breathing in the jeju, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus.

    PubMed

    McKenzie, D J; Campbell, H A; Taylor, E W; Micheli, M; Rantin, F T; Abe, A S

    2007-12-01

    The jeju is a teleost fish with bimodal respiration that utilizes a modified swim bladder as an air-breathing organ (ABO). Like all air-breathing fish studied to date, jeju exhibit pronounced changes in heart rate (fH) during air-breathing events, and it is believed that these may facilitate oxygen uptake (MO2) from the ABO. The current study employed power spectral analysis (PSA) of fH patterns, coupled with instantaneous respirometry, to investigate the autonomic control of these phenomena and their functional significance for the efficacy of air breathing. The jeju obtained less than 5% of total MO2 (MtO2) from air breathing in normoxia at 26 degrees C, and PSA of beat-to-beat variability in fH revealed a pattern similar to that of unimodal water-breathing fish. In deep aquatic hypoxia (water PO2)=1 kPa) the jeju increased the frequency of air breathing (fAB) tenfold and maintained MtO2 unchanged from normoxia. This was associated with a significant increase in heart rate variability (HRV), each air breath (AB) being preceded by a brief bradycardia and then followed by a brief tachycardia. These fH changes are qualitatively similar to those associated with breathing in unimodal air-breathing vertebrates. Within 20 heartbeats after the AB, however, a beat-to-beat variability in fH typical of water-breathing fish was re-established. Pharmacological blockade revealed that both adrenergic and cholinergic tone increased simultaneously prior to each AB, and then decreased after it. However, modulation of inhibitory cholinergic tone was responsible for the major proportion of HRV, including the precise beat-to-beat modulation of fH around each AB. Pharmacological blockade of all variations in fH associated with air breathing in deep hypoxia did not, however, have a significant effect upon fAB or the regulation of MtO2. Thus, the functional significance of the profound HRV during air breathing remains a mystery.

  2. News from the Breath Analysis Summit 2011.

    PubMed

    Corradi, Massimo; Mutti, Antonio

    2012-06-01

    analysis is now used to diagnose and monitor asthma, check for transplant organ rejection, detect lung cancer and test for Helicobacter pyloriinfection-and the list is growing. A major milestone in the scientific study of breath was marked in the 1970s when Linus Pauling demonstrated that there is more to exhaled breath than the classic gases of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour-a lot more. Based on the gas-liquid partition chromatography analysis, Pauling reported the presence of 250 substances in exhaled breath. We now have the technology to test for any and all of these components. The field of breath analysis has made considerable advances in the 21st century and the utility of breath analysis in health care is advancing quickly. The science is rapidly expanding, the technology is improving and several new applications have been developed or are under commercial development. Breath analysis may rely on both direct (on line) and indirect (off line) reading methods: in the on-line method, breath analysis is immediately available, whereas the use of indirect methods generally involves collecting and trapping the breath sample and subsequently transferring it to an analytical instrument for analysis. Various kinds of breath samples have been used in biological monitoring, including mixed expired air and end expired air: end exhaled air represents the alveolar air concentration and mixed exhaled air represents the gas mixture coming from the dead space of the bronchial tree and the alveolar gas-exchange space. Exhaled breath analysis is an area where the modern day advances in technology and engineering meet the ever expanding need in medicine for more sensitive, specific and non-invasive tests which makes this area a major front in the interface between medicine and engineering. A major breakthrough over the past decade has been the increase in breath-based tests approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Devices measuring common breath gases

  3. Liquid air cycle engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rosevear, Jerry

    1992-01-01

    Given here is a definition of Liquid Air Cycle Engines (LACE) and existing relevant technologies. Heat exchanger design and fabrication techniques, the handling of liquid hydrogen to achieve the greatest heat sink capabilities, and air decontamination to prevent heat exchanger fouling are discussed. It was concluded that technology needs to be extended in the areas of design and fabrication of heat exchangers to improve reliability along with weight and volume reductions. Catalysts need to be improved so that conversion can be achieved with lower quantities and lower volumes. Packaging studies need to be investigated both analytically and experimentally. Recycling with slush hydrogen needs further evaluation with experimental testing.

  4. Natural ventilation without air breathing in the top openings of highway tunnels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jin, Sike; Jin, Jiali; Gong, Yanfeng

    2017-05-01

    A number of urban shallow-buried highway tunnels have been built in China. Despite much better internal air quality compared to the traditional tunnels, there is no sufficient theoretical ground or experimental support for the construction of such tunnels. Most researchers hold that natural ventilation in such tunnels depends on air breathing in the top openings, but some others are skeptical about this conclusion. By flow visualization technology on a tunnel experiment platform, we tested the characteristics of airflow in the top openings of highway tunnels. The results showed that air always flowed from outside to inside in all top openings above a continuous traffic stream, and the openings did not breathe at all. In addition, intake air in the top openings reached its maximum velocity at the tunnel entrance, and then gradually slowed down with tunnel depth increasing.

  5. To boldly gulp: standard metabolic rate and boldness have context-dependent influences on risk-taking to breathe air in a catfish.

    PubMed

    McKenzie, David J; Belão, Thiago C; Killen, Shaun S; Rantin, F Tadeu

    2015-12-01

    The African sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus has bimodal respiration, it has a suprabranchial air-breathing organ alongside substantial gills. We used automated bimodal respirometry to reveal that undisturbed juvenile catfish (N=29) breathed air continuously in normoxia, with a marked diurnal cycle. Air breathing and routine metabolic rate (RMR) increased in darkness when, in the wild, this nocturnal predator forages. Aquatic hypoxia (20% air saturation) greatly increased overall reliance on air breathing. We investigated whether two measures of risk taking to breathe air, namely absolute rates of aerial O2 uptake (ṀO2,air) and the percentage of RMR obtained from air (%ṀO2,air), were influenced by individual standard metabolic rate (SMR) and boldness. In particular, whether any influence varied with resource availability (normoxia versus hypoxia) or relative fear of predation (day versus night). Individual SMR, derived from respirometry, had an overall positive influence on ṀO2,air across all contexts but a positive influence on %ṀO2,air only in hypoxia. Thus, a pervasive effect of SMR on air breathing became most acute in hypoxia, when individuals with higher O2 demand took proportionally more risks. Boldness was estimated as time required to resume air breathing after a fearful stimulus in daylight normoxia (Tres). Although Tres had no overall influence on ṀO2,air or %ṀO2,air, there was a negative relationship between Tres and %ṀO2,air in daylight, in normoxia and hypoxia. There were two Tres response groups, 'bold' phenotypes with Tres below 75 min (N=13) which, in daylight, breathed proportionally more air than 'shy' phenotypes with Tres above 115 min (N=16). Therefore, individual boldness influenced air breathing when fear of predation was high. Thus, individual energy demand and personality did not have parallel influences on the emergent tendency to take risks to obtain a resource; their influences varied in strength with context. © 2015

  6. Air breathing in Magadi tilapia Alcolapia grahami, under normoxic and hyperoxic conditions, and the association with sunlight and reactive oxygen species.

    PubMed

    Johannsson, O E; Bergman, H L; Wood, C M; Laurent, P; Kavembe, D G; Bianchini, A; Maina, J N; Chevalier, C; Bianchini, L F; Papah, M B; Ojoo, R O

    2014-03-01

    Observations of the Magadi tilapia Alcolapia grahami in hot, highly alkaline Lake Magadi revealed that they air breathe not only during hypoxia, as described previously, but also during normoxia and hyperoxia. Air breathing under these latter conditions occurred within distinct groupings of fish (pods) and involved only a small proportion of the population. Air breathing properties (duration and frequency) were quantified from video footage. Air breathing within the population followed a diel pattern with the maximum extent of pod formation occurring in early afternoon. High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the water may be an irritant that encourages the air-breathing behaviour. The diel pattern of air breathing in the field and in experiments followed the diel pattern of ROS concentrations in the water which are amongst the highest reported in the literature (maximum daytime values of 2.53 – 8.10 μM H₂O₂). Interlamellar cell masses (ILCM) occurred between the gill lamellae of fish from the lagoon with highest ROS and highest oxygen levels, while fish from a normoxic lagoon with one third the ROS had little or no ILCM. This is the first record of air breathing in a facultative air-breathing fish in hyperoxic conditions and the first record of an ILCM in a cichlid species. © 2013 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  7. Enriched Air Nitrox Breathing Reduces Venous Gas Bubbles after Simulated SCUBA Diving: A Double-Blind Cross-Over Randomized Trial.

    PubMed

    Souday, Vincent; Koning, Nick J; Perez, Bruno; Grelon, Fabien; Mercat, Alain; Boer, Christa; Seegers, Valérie; Radermacher, Peter; Asfar, Pierre

    2016-01-01

    To test the hypothesis whether enriched air nitrox (EAN) breathing during simulated diving reduces decompression stress when compared to compressed air breathing as assessed by intravascular bubble formation after decompression. Human volunteers underwent a first simulated dive breathing compressed air to include subjects prone to post-decompression venous gas bubbling. Twelve subjects prone to bubbling underwent a double-blind, randomized, cross-over trial including one simulated dive breathing compressed air, and one dive breathing EAN (36% O2) in a hyperbaric chamber, with identical diving profiles (28 msw for 55 minutes). Intravascular bubble formation was assessed after decompression using pulmonary artery pulsed Doppler. Twelve subjects showing high bubble production were included for the cross-over trial, and all completed the experimental protocol. In the randomized protocol, EAN significantly reduced the bubble score at all time points (cumulative bubble scores: 1 [0-3.5] vs. 8 [4.5-10]; P < 0.001). Three decompression incidents, all presenting as cutaneous itching, occurred in the air versus zero in the EAN group (P = 0.217). Weak correlations were observed between bubble scores and age or body mass index, respectively. EAN breathing markedly reduces venous gas bubble emboli after decompression in volunteers selected for susceptibility for intravascular bubble formation. When using similar diving profiles and avoiding oxygen toxicity limits, EAN increases safety of diving as compared to compressed air breathing. ISRCTN 31681480.

  8. Evaluation of BAUER High Pressure Breathing Air P-2 Purification System

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-08-01

    and is a coalescing type separator that removes oil and water vapors suspended in the compressed air . The molecular sieve is made to adsorb oil and...filtering, moisture separation, and prevents compressed air return from the charged air storage flasks to the compressor during unit shutdown. A manual...1111111111111 1111 IE IH fil91i C NAVY EXPERIMENTAL DIVING UNIT REPORT NO. 10-91 EVALUATION OF BAUER HIGH PRESSURE BREATHING AIR P-2 PURIFICATION SYSTEM GEORGE D

  9. Air breathing in the Arctic: influence of temperature, hypoxia, activity and restricted air access on respiratory physiology of the Alaska blackfish Dallia pectoralis

    PubMed Central

    Lefevre, Sjannie; Damsgaard, Christian; Pascale, Desirae R.; Nilsson, Göran E.; Stecyk, Jonathan A. W.

    2014-01-01

    The Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) is an air-breathing fish native to Alaska and the Bering Sea islands, where it inhabits lakes that are ice-covered in the winter, but enters warm and hypoxic waters in the summer to forage and reproduce. To understand the respiratory physiology of this species under these conditions and the selective pressures that maintain the ability to breathe air, we acclimated fish to 5°C and 15°C and used respirometry to measure: standard oxygen uptake () in normoxia (19.8 kPa PO2) and hypoxia (2.5 kPa), with and without access to air; partitioning of standard in normoxia and hypoxia; maximum and partitioning after exercise; and critical oxygen tension (Pcrit). Additionally, the effects of temperature acclimation on haematocrit, haemoglobin oxygen affinity and gill morphology were assessed. Standard was higher, but air breathing was not increased, at 15°C or after exercise at both temperatures. Fish acclimated to 5°C or 15°C increased air breathing to compensate and fully maintain standard in hypoxia. Fish were able to maintain through aquatic respiration when air was denied in normoxia, but when air was denied in hypoxia, standard was reduced by ∼30–50%. Pcrit was relatively high (5 kPa) and there were no differences in Pcrit, gill morphology, haematocrit or haemoglobin oxygen affinity at the two temperatures. Therefore, Alaska blackfish depends on air breathing in hypoxia and additional mechanisms must thus be utilised to survive hypoxic submergence during the winter, such as hypoxia-induced enhancement in the capacities for carrying and binding blood oxygen, behavioural avoidance of hypoxia and suppression of metabolic rate. PMID:25394628

  10. Balancing the competing requirements of air-breathing and display behaviour during male-male interactions in Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens.

    PubMed

    Alton, Lesley A; Portugal, Steven J; White, Craig R

    2013-02-01

    Air-breathing fish of the Anabantoidei group meet their metabolic requirements for oxygen through both aerial and aquatic gas exchange. Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens are anabantoids that frequently engage in aggressive male-male interactions which cause significant increases in metabolic rate and oxygen requirements. These interactions involve opercular flaring behaviour that is thought to limit aquatic oxygen uptake, and combines with the increase in metabolic rate to cause an increase in air-breathing behaviour. Air-breathing events interrupt display behaviour and increase risk of predation, raising the question of how Siamese fighting fish manage their oxygen requirements during agonistic encounters. Using open-flow respirometry, we measured rate of oxygen consumption in displaying fish to determine if males increase oxygen uptake per breath to minimise visits to the surface, or increase their reliance on aquatic oxygen uptake. We found that the increased oxygen requirements of Siamese fighting fish during display behaviour were met by increased oxygen uptake from the air with no significant changes in aquatic oxygen uptake. The increased aerial oxygen uptake was achieved almost entirely by an increase in air-breathing frequency. We conclude that limitations imposed by the reduced gill surface area of air-breathing fish restrict the ability of Siamese fighting fish to increase aquatic uptake, and limitations of the air-breathing organ of anabantoids largely restrict their capacity to increase oxygen uptake per breath. The resulting need to increase surfacing frequency during metabolically demanding agonistic encounters has presumably contributed to the evolution of the stereotyped surfacing behaviour seen during male-male interactions, during which one of the fish will lead the other to the surface, and each will take a breath of air. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Spiracular air breathing in polypterid fishes and its implications for aerial respiration in stem tetrapods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graham, Jeffrey B.; Wegner, Nicholas C.; Miller, Lauren A.; Jew, Corey J.; Lai, N. Chin; Berquist, Rachel M.; Frank, Lawrence R.; Long, John A.

    2014-01-01

    The polypterids (bichirs and ropefish) are extant basal actinopterygian (ray-finned) fishes that breathe air and share similarities with extant lobe-finned sarcopterygians (lungfishes and tetrapods) in lung structure. They are also similar to some fossil sarcopterygians, including stem tetrapods, in having large paired openings (spiracles) on top of their head. The role of spiracles in polypterid respiration has been unclear, with early reports suggesting that polypterids could inhale air through the spiracles, while later reports have largely dismissed such observations. Here we resolve the 100-year-old mystery by presenting structural, behavioural, video, kinematic and pressure data that show spiracle-mediated aspiration accounts for up to 93% of all air breaths in four species of Polypterus. Similarity in the size and position of polypterid spiracles with those of some stem tetrapods suggests that spiracular air breathing may have been an important respiratory strategy during the fish-tetrapod transition from water to land.

  12. Spiracular air breathing in polypterid fishes and its implications for aerial respiration in stem tetrapods.

    PubMed

    Graham, Jeffrey B; Wegner, Nicholas C; Miller, Lauren A; Jew, Corey J; Lai, N Chin; Berquist, Rachel M; Frank, Lawrence R; Long, John A

    2014-01-01

    The polypterids (bichirs and ropefish) are extant basal actinopterygian (ray-finned) fishes that breathe air and share similarities with extant lobe-finned sarcopterygians (lungfishes and tetrapods) in lung structure. They are also similar to some fossil sarcopterygians, including stem tetrapods, in having large paired openings (spiracles) on top of their head. The role of spiracles in polypterid respiration has been unclear, with early reports suggesting that polypterids could inhale air through the spiracles, while later reports have largely dismissed such observations. Here we resolve the 100-year-old mystery by presenting structural, behavioural, video, kinematic and pressure data that show spiracle-mediated aspiration accounts for up to 93% of all air breaths in four species of Polypterus. Similarity in the size and position of polypterid spiracles with those of some stem tetrapods suggests that spiracular air breathing may have been an important respiratory strategy during the fish-tetrapod transition from water to land.

  13. Air breathing in the Arctic: influence of temperature, hypoxia, activity and restricted air access on respiratory physiology of the Alaska blackfish Dallia pectoralis.

    PubMed

    Lefevre, Sjannie; Damsgaard, Christian; Pascale, Desirae R; Nilsson, Göran E; Stecyk, Jonathan A W

    2014-12-15

    The Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) is an air-breathing fish native to Alaska and the Bering Sea islands, where it inhabits lakes that are ice-covered in the winter, but enters warm and hypoxic waters in the summer to forage and reproduce. To understand the respiratory physiology of this species under these conditions and the selective pressures that maintain the ability to breathe air, we acclimated fish to 5°C and 15°C and used respirometry to measure: standard oxygen uptake (Ṁ(O₂)) in normoxia (19.8 kPa P(O₂)) and hypoxia (2.5 kPa), with and without access to air; partitioning of standard Ṁ(O₂) in normoxia and hypoxia; maximum Ṁ(O₂) and partitioning after exercise; and critical oxygen tension (P(crit)). Additionally, the effects of temperature acclimation on haematocrit, haemoglobin oxygen affinity and gill morphology were assessed. Standard Ṁ(O₂) was higher, but air breathing was not increased, at 15°C or after exercise at both temperatures. Fish acclimated to 5°C or 15°C increased air breathing to compensate and fully maintain standard Ṁ(O₂) in hypoxia. Fish were able to maintain Ṁ(O₂) through aquatic respiration when air was denied in normoxia, but when air was denied in hypoxia, standard Ṁ(O₂) was reduced by ∼30-50%. P(crit) was relatively high (5 kPa) and there were no differences in P(crit), gill morphology, haematocrit or haemoglobin oxygen affinity at the two temperatures. Therefore, Alaska blackfish depends on air breathing in hypoxia and additional mechanisms must thus be utilised to survive hypoxic submergence during the winter, such as hypoxia-induced enhancement in the capacities for carrying and binding blood oxygen, behavioural avoidance of hypoxia and suppression of metabolic rate. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  14. History of the Gas Turbine Engine in the United States: Bibliography

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-05-11

    Space Administration, 1965. Aircraft Engine Acquisition. St. Louis, MO: US Army Aviation Systems Command, nad.. Aircraft Engine Health Monitoring System...Air Breathing Engines. 3d . Munich. 1976. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Air Breathing Engines, Munich, Germany, 7-12 March 1976...Curves." Flight Magazine 46 (February 1957):32. Manton, Grenville. "Salute to Seguin." Aeronautics 36 (June 1957):46. Morgan, P. F. "The Formation of

  15. Boeing engineers perform air flow balance testing.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-10-05

    Boeing engineers, Chris Chapman, left, Greg Clark, center, and Ashesh Patel, right, perform air flow balance testing on NASA's new Basic Express Racks. The racks, developed at Marshall, will expand the capabilities for science research aboard the International Space Station. Delivery to the station is scheduled for late 2018.

  16. Relation of Fuel-Air Ratio to Engine Performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sparrow, Stanwood W

    1925-01-01

    The tests upon which this report is based were made at the Bureau of Standards between October 1919 and May 1923. From these it is concluded that: (1) with gasoline as a fuel, maximum power is obtained with fuel-air mixtures of from 0.07 to 0.08 pound of fuel per pound of air; (2) maximum power is obtained with approximately the same ratio over the range of air pressures and temperatures encountered in flight; (3) nearly minimum specific fuel consumption is secured by decreasing the fuel content of the charge until the power is 95 per cent of its maximum value. Presumably this information is of most direct value to the carburetor engineer. A carburetor should supply the engine with a suitable mixture. This report discusses what mixtures have been found suitable for various engines. It also furnishes the engine designer with a basis for estimating how much greater piston displacement an engine operating with a maximum economy mixture should have than one operating with a maximum power mixture in order for both to be capable of the same power development.

  17. Submarines, spacecraft and exhaled breath.

    PubMed

    Pleil, Joachim D; Hansel, Armin

    2012-03-01

    important concern is a suite of products from chemical reactions among oxidizing compounds with biological chemicals such as amines, thiols and carbonyls. SAMAP Meeting We (Armin and Joachim) attended the 2011 SAMAP conference in Taranto, Italy (10-14 October), which occurred just a few weeks after the IABR meeting in Parma, Italy (11-15 September 2011). It was held at the Officers' Club of the Taranto Naval Base under the patronage of the Italian navy; the local host was Lucio Ricciardi of the University of Insubria, Varese, Italy. At the 2011 SAMAP meeting, the theme was air-independent propulsion (AIP), meaning the capability of recharging the main batteries of the submarine without the need to surface. Only a few navies (e.g. US, UK, France, Russia, China) have historically had this capability using nuclear-powered submarines that can function underwater for extended periods of time (months). Most navies operate submarines with conventional diesel-electric propulsion, wherein diesel-powered generators charge battery banks which then drive an electric motor connected to the propeller. The batteries are charged while the boat is on the surface or during snorkelling, when the boat is submerged a few meters below the surface and a snorkel tube is extended to the surface. The period between battery charges can vary from several hours to one or two days depending on the power requirements and the nature of the mission. The process is necessary for breathing air revitalization (flushing out accumulated contaminants) and for the operation of the diesel engines. However, during this period the submarine is vulnerable to detection. Since the 1940s there have been various attempts to develop a power generation system that is independent of external air (AIP). To this end hydrogen peroxide was initially used and later liquid oxygen (LOX). Currently, most AIP submarines use fuel cell technology (LOX and hydrogen) to supplement the conventional diesel-electric system in order to

  18. Evidence for membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase in the air bladder of bowfin (Amia calva), a primitive air-breathing fish.

    PubMed

    Gervais, M R; Tufts, B L

    1998-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the subcellular distribution and isoenzyme characteristics of carbonic anhydrase from the gills and respiratory air bladder of bowfin Amia calva, a primitive air-breathing fish. Separation of subcellular fractions by differential centrifugation revealed that the vast majority of carbonic anhydrase from the gills of bowfin originated from the cytoplasmic fraction. Washing of the gill microsomal pellet also indicated that the carbonic anhydrase originally associated with this pellet was largely due to contamination from the cytoplasmic fraction. Experiments with a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, sulphanilamide, and the plasma carbonic anhydrase inhibitor from this species confirmed that the bowfin gill probably contains only one carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme which had properties resembling those of CA II. In contrast to the situation in the gills, a relatively large percentage (27%) of the total air bladder carbonic anhydrase was associated with the microsomal fraction. Washing of the air bladder microsomal pellet removed little of the carbonic anhydrase activity, indicating that most of the carbonic anhydrase in the microsomal fraction was associated with the membranes. Like the mammalian pulmonary CA IV isoenzyme, microsomal carbonic anhydrase from the bowfin air bladder was less sensitive to the bowfin plasma carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) and sulphanilamide than was cytoplasmic carbonic anhydrase from the air bladder. Microsomal carbonic anhydrase from the bowfin air bladder also resembled CA IV in that it appears to be anchored to the membrane via a phosphatidylinositol-glycan linkage which could be cleaved by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. Taken together, these results suggest that a membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme resembling mammalian CA IV in terms of inhibition characteristics and membrane attachment is present in the air-breathing organ of one of the most primitive

  19. Sliding mode disturbance observer-enhanced adaptive control for the air-breathing hypersonic flight vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    An, Hao; Wang, Changhong; Fidan, Baris

    2017-10-01

    This paper presents a backstepping procedure to design an adaptive controller for the air-breathing hypersonic flight vehicle (AHFV) subject to external disturbances and actuator saturations. In each step, a sliding mode exact disturbance observer (SMEDO) is exploited to exactly estimate the lumped disturbance in finite time. Specific dynamics are introduced to handle the possible actuator saturations. Based on SMEDO and introduced dynamics, an adaptive control law is designed, along with the consideration on ;explosion of complexity; in backstepping design. The developed controller is equipped with fast disturbance rejection and great capability to accommodate the saturated actuators, which also lead to a wider application scope. A simulation study is provided to show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed controller.

  20. Power Reduction of the Air-Breathing Hall-Effect Thruster

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Sungrae

    Electric propulsion system is spotlighted as the next generation space propulsion system due to its benefits; one of them is specific impulse. While there are a lot of types in electric propulsion system, Hall-Effect Thruster, one of electric propulsion system, has higher thrust-to-power ratio and requires fewer power supplies for operation in comparison to other electric propulsion systems, which means it is optimal for long space voyage. The usual propellant for Hall-Effect Thruster is Xenon and it is used to be stored in the tank, which may increase the weight of the thruster. Therefore, one theory that uses the ambient air as a propellant has been proposed and it is introduced as Air-Breathing Hall-Effect Thruster. Referring to the analysis on Air-Breathing Hall-Effect Thruster, the goal of this paper is to reduce the power of the thruster so that it can be applied to real mission such as satellite orbit adjustment. To reduce the power of the thruster, two assumptions are considered. First one is changing the altitude for the operation, while another one is assuming the alpha value that is electron density to ambient air density. With assumptions above, the analysis was done and the results are represented. The power could be decreased to 10s˜1000s with the assumptions. However, some parameters that do not satisfy the expectation, which would be the question for future work, and it will be introduced at the end of the thesis.

  1. Applications of principal component analysis to breath air absorption spectra profiles classification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kistenev, Yu. V.; Shapovalov, A. V.; Borisov, A. V.; Vrazhnov, D. A.; Nikolaev, V. V.; Nikiforova, O. Y.

    2015-12-01

    The results of numerical simulation of application principal component analysis to absorption spectra of breath air of patients with pulmonary diseases are presented. Various methods of experimental data preprocessing are analyzed.

  2. Thermodynamic Cycle and CFD Analyses for Hydrogen Fueled Air-breathing Pulse Detonation Engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Povinelli, Louis A.; Yungster, Shaye

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents the results of a thermodynamic cycle analysis of a pulse detonation engine (PDE) using a hydrogen-air mixture at static conditions. The cycle performance results, namely the specific thrust, fuel consumption and impulse are compared to a single cycle CFD analysis for a detonation tube which considers finite rate chemistry. The differences in the impulse values were indicative of the additional performance potential attainable in a PDE.

  3. Toward a US National Air Quality Forecast Capability: Current and Planned Capabilities

    EPA Science Inventory

    As mandated by Congress, NOAA is establishing a US national air quality forecast capability. This capability is being built with EPA, to provide air quality forecast information with enough accuracy and lead-time so that people can take actions to limit harmful effects of poor a...

  4. A reusable rocket engine intelligen control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Merrill, Walter C.; Lorenzo, Carl F.

    1988-01-01

    An intelligent control system for reusable space propulsion systems for future launch vehicles is described. The system description includes a framework for the design. The framework consists of an execution level with high-speed control and diagnostics, and a coordination level which marries expert system concepts with traditional control. A comparison is made between air breathing and rocket engine control concepts to assess the relative levels of development and to determine the applicability of air breathing control concepts to future reusable rocket engine systems.

  5. A reusable rocket engine intelligent control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Merrill, Walter C.; Lorenzo, Carl F.

    1988-01-01

    An intelligent control system for reusable space propulsion systems for future launch vehicles is described. The system description includes a framework for the design. The framework consists of an execution level with high-speed control and diagnostics, and a coordination level which marries expert system concepts with traditional control. A comparison is made between air breathing and rocket engine control concepts to assess the relative levels of development and to determine the applicability of air breathing control concepts ot future reusable rocket engine systems.

  6. First Breakthrough for Future Air-Breathing Magneto-Plasma Propulsion Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Göksel, B.; Mashek, I. Ch

    2017-04-01

    A new breakthrough in jet propulsion technology since the invention of the jet engine is achieved. The first critical tests for future air-breathing magneto-plasma propulsion systems have been successfully completed. In this regard, it is also the first time that a pinching dense plasma focus discharge could be ignited at one atmosphere and driven in pulse mode using very fast, nanosecond electrostatic excitations to induce self-organized plasma channels for ignition of the propulsive main discharge. Depending on the capacitor voltage (200-600 V) the energy input at one atmosphere varies from 52-320 J/pulse corresponding to impulse bits from 1.2-8.0 mNs. Such a new pulsed plasma propulsion system driven with one thousand pulses per second would already have thrust-to-area ratios (50-150 kN/m²) of modern jet engines. An array of thrusters could enable future aircrafts and airships to start from ground and reach altitudes up to 50km and beyond. The needed high power could be provided by future compact plasma fusion reactors already in development by aerospace companies. The magneto-plasma compressor itself was originally developed by Russian scientists as plasma fusion device and was later miniaturized for supersonic flow control applications. So the first breakthrough is based on a spin-off plasma fusion technology.

  7. Dependence of exhaled breath composition on exogenous factors, smoking habits and exposure to air pollutants*

    PubMed Central

    Mochalski, P; Filipiak, A; Bajtarevic, A; Ager, C; Denz, H; Hilbe, W; Jamnig, H; Hackl, M; Dzien, A; Amann, A

    2013-01-01

    Non-invasive disease monitoring on the basis of volatile breath markers is a very attractive but challenging task. Several hundreds of compounds have been detected in exhaled air using modern analytical techniques (e.g. proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) and have even been linked to various diseases. However, the biochemical background for most of compounds detected in breath samples has not been elucidated; therefore, the obtained results should be interpreted with care to avoid false correlations. The major aim of this study was to assess the effects of smoking on the composition of exhaled breath. Additionally, the potential origin of breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is discussed focusing on diet, environmental exposure and biological pathways based on other’s studies. Profiles of VOCs detected in exhaled breath and inspired air samples of 115 subjects with addition of urine headspace derived from 50 volunteers are presented. Samples were analyzed with GC-MS after preconcentration on multibed sorption tubes in case of breath samples and solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) in the case of urine samples. Altogether 266 compounds were found in exhaled breath of at least 10% of the volunteers. From these, 162 compounds were identified by spectral library match and retention time (based on reference standards). It is shown that the composition of exhaled breath is considerably influenced by exposure to pollution and indoor-air contaminants and particularly by smoking. More than 80 organic compounds were found to be significantly related to smoking, the largest group comprising unsaturated hydrocarbons (29 dienes, 27 alkenes and 3 alkynes). On the basis of the presented results, we suggest that for the future understanding of breath data it will be necessary to carefully investigate the potential biological origin of volatiles, e.g., by means of analysis of tissues, isolated cell lines or other body fluids. In

  8. Systems engineering for Air Force C3I systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monahan, John H.

    1993-06-01

    Each day, sophisticated information systems provide the U.S. with crucial capabilities both to understand the world situation and to react effectively as required by our nation's decision makers. These systems attest to the success of the cooperative efforts of government and industry. Over the last 35 years, to help provide those capabilities, The MITRE Corporation has been privileged to fulfill the role of systems engineer on more than 100 different command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) systems for the Air Force and other elements of the Department of Defense (DOD). A long history of successful performance in this broad role provides MITRE with detailed knowledge of the systems' operational capabilities and needs, proficiency in their systems engineering, and a C3I-related corporate memory unmatched by any other organization. That background is the foundation of this book on systems engineering at MITRE.

  9. Anoxia and Acidosis Tolerance of the Heart in an Air-Breathing Fish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus).

    PubMed

    Joyce, William; Gesser, Hans; Bayley, Mark; Wang, Tobias

    2015-01-01

    Air breathing has evolved repeatedly in fishes and may protect the heart during stress. We investigated myocardial performance in the air-breathing catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, a species that can withstand prolonged exposure to severe hypoxia and acidosis. Isometric ventricular preparations were exposed to anoxia, lactic acidosis, hypercapnic acidosis, and combinations of these treatments. Ventricular preparations were remarkably tolerant to anoxia, exhibiting an inotropic reduction of only 40%, which fully recovered during reoxygenation. Myocardial anoxia tolerance was unaffected by physiologically relevant elevations of bicarbonate concentration, in contrast to previous results in other fishes. Both lactic acidosis (5 mM; pH 7.10) and hypercapnic acidosis (10% CO2; pH 6.70) elicited a biphasic response, with an initial and transient decrease in force followed by overcompensation above control values. Spongy myocardial preparations were significantly more tolerant to hypercapnic acidosis than compact myocardial preparations. While ventricular preparations were tolerant to the isolated effects of anoxia and acidosis, their combination severely impaired myocardial performance and contraction kinetics. This suggests that air breathing may be a particularly important myocardial oxygen source during combined anoxia and acidosis, which may occur during exercise or environmental stress.

  10. Ontogeny and morphometrics of the gills and swim bladder of air-breathing striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus.

    PubMed

    Phuong, Le My; Huong, Do Thi Thanh; Malte, Hans; Nyengaard, Jens Randel; Bayley, Mark

    2018-02-01

    The air-breathing fish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus has been shown to have highly plastic branchial surfaces whose area (SA) increases with temperature and aquatic hypoxia. This modulation occurs through development of inter-lamellar cell mass (ILCM). Paradoxically, in conditions where this fish has been shown capable of covering its entire aerobic scope from the water phase, it has been shown to have a very small branchial SA. To address this paradox, we measured the SA, harmonic mean diffusion distance (τ h ) and calculated the anatomic diffusion factor (ADF) of the branchial and swim bladder surfaces in fish ranging from 3 to 1900 g at 27°C in normoxia. Since the lamellae were distinguishable from the ILCM, we measured the actual SA as well as the potential SA if ILCM were lost. As a result of low τ h , P. hypophthalmus has a high capacity for branchial oxygen uptake with or without ILCM. Actual and potential gill ADF were 361 and 1002 cm 2  µm -1  kg -1 , respectively, for a 100 g fish and the ADF of the swim bladder was found to be 308 cm 2  µm -1  kg -1 By swimming fish to exhaustion at different temperatures, we show that modulation of this SA is rapid, indicating that the apparent paradox between previous studies is eliminated. Regression analysis of log-log plots of respiratory SA in relation to body mass shows that the gill scales with mass similarly to the SA in active water-breathing fish, whereas the swim bladder scales with mass more like the mammalian lung does. This fish presents a combination of respiratory surfaces not previously seen in air-breathing fish. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  11. Impact of aeroelasticity on propulsion and longitudinal flight dynamics of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Raney, David L.; Mcminn, John D.; Pototzky, Anthony S.; Wooley, Christine L.

    1993-01-01

    Many air-breathing hypersonic aerospacecraft design concepts incorporate an elongated fuselage forebody acting as the aerodynamic compression surface for a hypersonic combustion module, or scram jet. This highly integrated design approach creates the potential for an unprecedented form of aero-propulsive-elastic interaction in which deflections of the vehicle fuselage give rise to propulsion transients, producing force and moment variations that may adversely impact the rigid body flight dynamics and/or further excite the fuselage bending modes. To investigate the potential for such interactions, a math model was developed which included the longitudinal flight dynamics, propulsion system, and first seven elastic modes of a hypersonic air-breathing vehicle. Perturbation time histories from a simulation incorporating this math model are presented that quantify the propulsive force and moment variations resulting from aeroelastic vehicle deflections. Root locus plots are presented to illustrate the effect of feeding the propulsive perturbations back into the aeroelastic model. A concluding section summarizes the implications of the observed effects for highly integrated hypersonic air-breathing vehicle concepts.

  12. Impact of aeroelasticity on propulsion and longitudinal flight dynamics of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raney, David L.; McMinn, John D.; Pototzky, Anthony S.; Wooley, Christine L.

    1993-04-01

    Many air-breathing hypersonic aerospacecraft design concepts incorporate an elongated fuselage forebody acting as the aerodynamic compression surface for a hypersonic combustion module, or scram jet. This highly integrated design approach creates the potential for an unprecedented form of aero-propulsive-elastic interaction in which deflections of the vehicle fuselage give rise to propulsion transients, producing force and moment variations that may adversely impact the rigid body flight dynamics and/or further excite the fuselage bending modes. To investigate the potential for such interactions, a math model was developed which included the longitudinal flight dynamics, propulsion system, and first seven elastic modes of a hypersonic air-breathing vehicle. Perturbation time histories from a simulation incorporating this math model are presented that quantify the propulsive force and moment variations resulting from aeroelastic vehicle deflections. Root locus plots are presented to illustrate the effect of feeding the propulsive perturbations back into the aeroelastic model. A concluding section summarizes the implications of the observed effects for highly integrated hypersonic air-breathing vehicle concepts.

  13. Propulsion Controls, 1979. [air breathing engine control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1980-01-01

    The state of the art of multivariable engine control is examined in order to determine future needs and problem areas and to establish the appropriate roles of government, industries, and universities in addressing these problems.

  14. Modification of NASA Langley 8 foot high temperature tunnel to provide a unique national research facility for hypersonic air-breathing propulsion systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kelly, H. N.; Wieting, A. R.

    1984-01-01

    A planned modification of the NASA Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel to make it a unique national research facility for hypersonic air-breathing propulsion systems is described, and some of the ongoing supporting research for that modification is discussed. The modification involves: (1) the addition of an oxygen-enrichment system which will allow the methane-air combustion-heated test stream to simulate air for propulsion testing; and (2) supplemental nozzles to expand the test simulation capability from the current nominal Mach number to 7.0 include Mach numbers 3.0, 4.5, and 5.0. Detailed design of the modifications is currently underway and the modified facility is scheduled to be available for tests of large scale propulsion systems by mid 1988.

  15. Developmental transcriptome analysis and identification of genes involved in formation of intestinal air-breathing function of Dojo loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Weiwei; Cao, Xiaojuan; Xu, Xiuwen; Huang, Songqian; Liu, Chuanshu; Tomljanovic, Tea

    2016-01-01

    Dojo loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus is a freshwater fish species of the loach family Cobitidae, using its posterior intestine as an accessory air-breathing organ. Little is known about the molecular regulatory mechanisms in the formation of intestinal air-breathing function of M. anguillicaudatus. Here high-throughput sequencing of mRNAs was performed from six developmental stages of posterior intestine of M. anguillicaudatus: 4-Dph (days post hatch) group, 8-Dph group, 12-Dph group, 20-Dph group, 40-Dph group and Oyd (one-year-old) group. These six libraries were assembled into 81300 unigenes. Totally 40757 unigenes were annotated. Subsequently, 35291 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were scanned among different developmental stages and clustered into 20 gene expression profiles. Finally, 15 key pathways and 25 key genes were mined, providing potential targets for candidate gene selection involved in formation of intestinal air-breathing function in M. anguillicaudatus. This is the first report of developmental transcriptome of posterior intestine in M. anguillicaudatus, offering a substantial contribution to the sequence resources for this species and providing a deep insight into the formation mechanism of its intestinal air-breathing function. This report demonstrates that M. anguillicaudatus is a good model for studies to identify and characterize the molecular basis of accessory air-breathing organ development in fish. PMID:27545457

  16. Key Future Engineering Capabilities for Human Capital Retention

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sivich, Lorrie

    Projected record retirements of Baby Boomer generation engineers have been predicted to result in significant losses of mission-critical knowledge in space, national security, and future scientific ventures vital to high-technology corporations. No comprehensive review or analysis of engineering capabilities has been performed to identify threats related to the specific loss of mission-critical knowledge posed by the increasing retirement of tenured engineers. Archival data from a single diversified Fortune 500 aerospace manufacturing engineering company's engineering career database were analyzed to ascertain whether relationships linking future engineering capabilities, engineering disciplines, and years of engineering experience could be identified to define critical knowledge transfer models. Chi square, logistic, and linear regression analyses were used to map patterns of discipline-specific, mission-critical knowledge using archival data of engineers' perceptions of engineering capabilities, key developmental experiences, and knowledge learned from their engineering careers. The results from the study were used to document key engineering future capabilities. The results were then used to develop a proposed human capital retention plan to address specific key knowledge gaps of younger engineers as veteran engineers retire. The potential for social change from this study involves informing leaders of aerospace engineering corporations on how to build better quality mentoring or succession plans to fill the void of lost knowledge from retiring engineers. This plan can secure mission-critical knowledge for younger engineers for current and future product development and increased global competitiveness in the technology market.

  17. Effect of dry-cleaned clothes on tetrachloroethylene levels in indoor air, personal air, and breath for residents of several New Jersey homes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thomas, K.W.; Pellizzari, E.D.; Perritt, R.L.

    1991-10-01

    Several volatile organic compounds, including tetrachloroethylene, have been found to be nearly ubiquitous in residential indoor environments during previous TEAM studies. Eleven homes in New Jersey were monitored over three or five days to examine the effect of bringing freshly dry-cleaned clothes into the home on indoor air levels and personal exposures to tetrachloroethylene. Indoor air, personal air, and breath concentrations were measured over multiple 12-hrs periods before and after dry-cleaned clothes were introduced into nine of the homes. No dry-cleaned clothes were introduced into the two remaining homes. Outdoor air tetrachloroethylene concentrations were measured at six of the elevenmore » homes. Indoor/outdoor concentration ratios and source strengths were calculated at the six homes with outdoor measurements. Elevated indoor air levels and human exposures to tetrachloroethylene were measured at seven of the nine homes with dry-cleaned clothes. Indoor air concentrations reached 300 micrograms/m3 in one home and elevated indoor levels persisted for at least 48 hrs in all seven homes. Indoor/outdoor tetrachloroethylene concentration ratios exceeded 100 for the four homes with both dry-cleaned clothes and outdoor measurements. Maximum source strengths ranged from 16 to 69 mg/hr in these homes and did not directly correspond to the number of dry-cleaned garments brought into the home. Breath levels of tetrachloroethylene increased two to six-fold for participants living in seven homes with increased indoor air levels. Indoor air, personal air, and breath tetrachloroethylene concentrations were significantly related (0.05 level) to the number of garments introduced divided by the home volume.« less

  18. Infrared measurement and composite tracking algorithm for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Zhao; Gao, Changsheng; Jing, Wuxing

    2018-03-01

    Air-breathing hypersonic vehicles have capabilities of hypersonic speed and strong maneuvering, and thus pose a significant challenge to conventional tracking methodologies. To achieve desirable tracking performance for hypersonic targets, this paper investigates the problems related to measurement model design and tracking model mismatching. First, owing to the severe aerothermal effect of hypersonic motion, an infrared measurement model in near space is designed and analyzed based on target infrared radiation and an atmospheric model. Second, using information from infrared sensors, a composite tracking algorithm is proposed via a combination of the interactive multiple models (IMM) algorithm, fitting dynamics model, and strong tracking filter. During the procedure, the IMMs algorithm generates tracking data to establish a fitting dynamics model of the target. Then, the strong tracking unscented Kalman filter is employed to estimate the target states for suppressing the impact of target maneuvers. Simulations are performed to verify the feasibility of the presented composite tracking algorithm. The results demonstrate that the designed infrared measurement model effectively and continuously observes hypersonic vehicles, and the proposed composite tracking algorithm accurately and stably tracks these targets.

  19. Air elimination capability in rapid infusion systems.

    PubMed

    Zoremba, N; Gruenewald, C; Zoremba, M; Rossaint, R; Schaelte, G

    2011-11-01

    Pressure infusion devices are used in clinical practice to apply large volumes of fluid over a short period of time. Although air infusion is a major complication, they have limited capability to detect and remove air during pressure infusion. In this investigation, we tested the air elimination capabilities of the Fluido(®) (The Surgical Company), Level 1(®) (Level 1 Technologies Inc.) and Ranger(®) (Augustine Medical GmbH) pressure infusion devices. Measurements were undertaken with a crystalloid solution during an infusion flow of 100, 200, 400 and 800 ml.min(-1). Four different volumes of air (25, 50, 100 and 200 ml) were injected as boluses in one experimental setting, or infused continuously over the time needed to perfuse 2 l saline in the other setting. The perfusion fluid was collected in an airtight infusion bag and the amount of air obtained in the bag was measured. The delivered air volume was negligible and would not cause any significant air embolism in all experiments. In our experimental setting, we found, during high flow, an increased amount of uneliminated air in all used devices compared with lower perfusion flows. All tested devices had a good air elimination capability. The use of ultrasonic air detection coupled with an automatic shutoff is a significant safety improvement and can reliably prevent accidental air embolism at rapid flows. © 2011 The Authors. Anaesthesia © 2011 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

  20. Solubility testing of actinides on breathing-zone and area air samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Metzger, Robert Lawrence

    The solubility of inhaled radionuclides in the human lung is an important characteristic of the compounds needed to perform internal dosimetry assessments for exposed workers. A solubility testing method for uranium and several common actinides has been developed with sufficient sensitivity to allow profiles to be determined from routine breathing zone and area air samples in the workplace. Air samples are covered with a clean filter to form a filter-sample-filter sandwich which is immersed in an extracellular lung serum simulant solution. The sample is moved to a fresh beaker of the lung fluid simulant each day for one week, and then weekly until the end of the 28 day test period. The soak solutions are wet ashed with nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide to destroy the organic components of the lung simulant solution prior to extraction of the nuclides of interest directly into an extractive scintillator for subsequent counting on a Photon-Electron Rejecting Alpha Liquid Scintillation (PERALSsp°ler ) spectrometer. Solvent extraction methods utilizing the extractive scintillators have been developed for the isotopes of uranium, plutonium, and curium. The procedures normally produce an isotopic recovery greater than 95% and have been used to develop solubility profiles from air samples with 40 pCi or less of Usb3Osb8. This makes it possible to characterize solubility profiles in every section of operating facilities where airborne nuclides are found using common breathing zone air samples. The new method was evaluated by analyzing uranium compounds from two uranium mills whose product had been previously analyzed by in vitro solubility testing in the laboratory and in vivo solubility testing in rodents. The new technique compared well with the in vivo rodent solubility profiles. The method was then used to evaluate the solubility profiles in all process sections of an operating in situ uranium plant using breathing zone and area air samples collected during routine

  1. Sandia Laboratories technical capabilities: engineering analysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lundergan, C. D.

    1975-12-01

    This report characterizes the engineering analysis capabilities at Sandia Laboratories. Selected applications of these capabilities are presented to illustrate the extent to which they can be applied in research and development programs. (auth)

  2. Chemically Polymerized Polypyrrole for On-Chip Concentration of Volatile Breath Metabolites

    PubMed Central

    Strand, Nicholas; Bhushan, Abhinav; Schivo, Michael; Kenyon, Nicholas J.; Davis, Cristina E.

    2009-01-01

    A wide range of metabolites are measured in the gas phase of exhaled human breath, and some of these biomarkers are frequently observed to be up- or down-regulated in certain disease states. Portable breath analysis systems have the potential for a wide range of applications in health diagnostics. However, this is currently limited by the lack of concentration mechanisms to enhance trace metabolites found in the breath to levels that can be adequately recorded using miniaturized gas-phase sensors. In this study we have created chip-based polymeric pre-concentration devices capable of absorbing and desorbing breath volatiles for subsequent chemical analysis. These devices appear to concentrate chemicals from both environmental air samples as well as directly from exhaled human breath, and these devices may have applications in lab-on-a-chip-based environmental and health monitoring systems. PMID:20161533

  3. Control of cardiorespiratory function in response to hypoxia in an air-breathing fish, the African sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus.

    PubMed

    Belão, T C; Zeraik, V M; Florindo, L H; Kalinin, A L; Leite, C A C; Rantin, F T

    2015-09-01

    We evaluated the role of the first pair of gill arches in the control of cardiorespiratory responses to normoxia and hypoxia in the air-breathing catfish, Clarias gariepinus. An intact group (IG) and an experimental group (EG, bilateral excision of first gill arch) were submitted to graded hypoxia, with and without access to air. The first pair of gill arches ablations reduced respiratory surface area and removed innervation by cranial nerve IX. In graded hypoxia without access to air, both groups displayed bradycardia and increased ventilatory stroke volume (VT), and the IG showed a significant increase in breathing frequency (fR). The EG exhibited very high fR in normoxia that did not increase further in hypoxia, this was linked to reduced O2 extraction from the ventilatory current (EO2) and a significantly higher critical O2 tension (PcO2) than the IG. In hypoxia with access to air, only the IG showed increased air-breathing, indicating that the first pair of gill arches excision severely attenuated air-breathing responses. Both groups exhibited bradycardia before and tachycardia after air-breaths. The fH and gill ventilation amplitude (VAMP) in the EG were overall higher than the IG. External and internal NaCN injections revealed that O2 chemoreceptors mediating ventilatory hypoxic responses (fR and VT) are internally oriented. The NaCN injections indicated that fR responses were mediated by receptors predominantly in the first pair of gill arches but VT responses by receptors on all gill arches. Receptors eliciting cardiac responses were both internally and externally oriented and distributed on all gill arches or extra-branchially. Air-breathing responses were predominantly mediated by receptors in the first pair of gill arches. In conclusion, the role of the first pair of gill arches is related to: (a) an elevated EO2 providing an adequate O2 uptake to maintain the aerobic metabolism during normoxia; (b) a significant bradycardia and increased fAB elicited

  4. Breath-to-breath hypercapnic response in neonatal rats: temperature dependency of the chemoreflexes and potential implications for breathing stability.

    PubMed

    Cummings, Kevin J; Frappell, Peter B

    2009-07-01

    The breathing of newborns is destabilized by warm temperatures. We hypothesized that in unanesthetized, intact newborn rats, body temperature (T(B)) influences the peripheral chemoreflex response (PCR response) to hypercapnia. To test this, we delivered square-wave challenges of 8% CO(2) in air to postnatal day 4-5 (P4-P5) rats held at a T(B) of 30 degrees C (Cold group, n = 11), 33 degrees C (Cool group, n = 10), and 35 degrees C thermoneutral zone group [thermoneutral zone (TNZ) group, n = 11], while measuring ventilation (Ve) directly with a pneumotach and mask. Cool animals were challenged with 8% CO(2) balanced in either air or hyperoxia (n = 10) to identify the PCR response. Breath-to-breath analysis was performed on 30 room air breaths and every breath of the 1-min CO(2) challenge. As expected, warmer T(B) was associated with an unstable breathing pattern in room air: TNZ animals had a coefficient of variation in Ve (Ve CV%) that was double that of animals held at cooler T(B) (P < 0.001). Hyperoxia markedly suppressed the hypercapnic ventilatory response over the first 10 breaths (or approximately 4 s), suggesting that this domain is dominated by the PCR response. The PCR response (P = 0.03) and total response (P = 0.04) were significantly greater in TNZ animals compared with hypothermic animals. The total response had a significant, negative relationship with Vco(2) (R(2) = 0.53; P < 0.001). Breathing stability was positively related to the total response (R(2) = 0.36; P < 0.001) and to a lesser extent, the PCR response (R(2) = 0.19; P = 0.01) and was negatively related to Vco(2) (R(2) = 0.34; P < 0.001). ANCOVA confirmed a significant effect of T(B) alone on breathing stability (P < 0.01), with no independent effects of Vco(2) (P = 0.41), the PCR response (P = 0.82), or the total Ve response (P = 0.08). Our data suggest that in early postnatal life, the chemoreflex responses to CO(2) are highly influenced by T(B), and while related to breathing stability

  5. Air pollution engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maduna, Karolina; Tomašić, Vesna

    2017-11-01

    Air pollution is an environmental and a social problem which leads to a multitude of adverse effects on human health and standard of human life, state of the ecosystems and global change of climate. Air pollutants are emitted from natural, but mostly from anthropogenic sources and may be transported over long distances. Some air pollutants are extremely stable in the atmosphere and may accumulate in the environment and in the food chain, affecting human beings, animals and natural biodiversity. Obviously, air pollution is a complex problem that poses multiple challenges in terms of management and abatements of the pollutants emission. Effective approach to the problems of air pollution requires a good understanding of the sources that cause it, knowledge of air quality status and future trends as well as its impact on humans and ecosystems. This chapter deals with the complexities of the air pollution and presents an overview of different technical processes and equipment for air pollution control, as well as basic principles of their work. The problems of air protection as well as protection of other ecosystems can be solved only by the coordinated endeavors of various scientific and engineering disciplines, such as chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, chemical engineering and social sciences. The most important engineering contribution is mostly focused on development, design and operation of equipment for the abatement of harmful emissions into environment.

  6. Bench experiments comparing simulated inspiratory effort when breathing helium-oxygen mixtures to that during positive pressure support with air

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Inhalation of helium-oxygen (He/O2) mixtures has been explored as a means to lower the work of breathing of patients with obstructive lung disease. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) with positive pressure support is also used for this purpose. The bench experiments presented herein were conducted in order to compare simulated patient inspiratory effort breathing He/O2 with that breathing medical air, with or without pressure support, across a range of adult, obstructive disease patterns. Methods Patient breathing was simulated using a dual-chamber mechanical test lung, with the breathing compartment connected to an ICU ventilator operated in NIV mode with medical air or He/O2 (78/22 or 65/35%). Parabolic or linear resistances were inserted at the inlet to the breathing chamber. Breathing chamber compliance was also varied. The inspiratory effort was assessed for the different gas mixtures, for three breathing patterns, with zero pressure support (simulating unassisted spontaneous breathing), and with varying levels of pressure support. Results Inspiratory effort increased with increasing resistance and decreasing compliance. At a fixed resistance and compliance, inspiratory effort increased with increasing minute ventilation, and decreased with increasing pressure support. For parabolic resistors, inspiratory effort was lower for He/O2 mixtures than for air, whereas little difference was measured for nominally linear resistance. Relatively small differences in inspiratory effort were measured between the two He/O2 mixtures. Used in combination, reductions in inspiratory effort provided by He/O2 and pressure support were additive. Conclusions The reduction in inspiratory effort afforded by breathing He/O2 is strongly dependent on the severity and type of airway obstruction. Varying helium concentration between 78% and 65% has small impact on inspiratory effort, while combining He/O2 with pressure support provides an additive reduction in inspiratory effort

  7. Bench experiments comparing simulated inspiratory effort when breathing helium-oxygen mixtures to that during positive pressure support with air.

    PubMed

    Martin, Andrew R; Katz, Ira M; Jenöfi, Katharina; Caillibotte, Georges; Brochard, Laurent; Texereau, Joëlle

    2012-10-03

    Inhalation of helium-oxygen (He/O2) mixtures has been explored as a means to lower the work of breathing of patients with obstructive lung disease. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) with positive pressure support is also used for this purpose. The bench experiments presented herein were conducted in order to compare simulated patient inspiratory effort breathing He/O2 with that breathing medical air, with or without pressure support, across a range of adult, obstructive disease patterns. Patient breathing was simulated using a dual-chamber mechanical test lung, with the breathing compartment connected to an ICU ventilator operated in NIV mode with medical air or He/O2 (78/22 or 65/35%). Parabolic or linear resistances were inserted at the inlet to the breathing chamber. Breathing chamber compliance was also varied. The inspiratory effort was assessed for the different gas mixtures, for three breathing patterns, with zero pressure support (simulating unassisted spontaneous breathing), and with varying levels of pressure support. Inspiratory effort increased with increasing resistance and decreasing compliance. At a fixed resistance and compliance, inspiratory effort increased with increasing minute ventilation, and decreased with increasing pressure support. For parabolic resistors, inspiratory effort was lower for He/O2 mixtures than for air, whereas little difference was measured for nominally linear resistance. Relatively small differences in inspiratory effort were measured between the two He/O2 mixtures. Used in combination, reductions in inspiratory effort provided by He/O2 and pressure support were additive. The reduction in inspiratory effort afforded by breathing He/O2 is strongly dependent on the severity and type of airway obstruction. Varying helium concentration between 78% and 65% has small impact on inspiratory effort, while combining He/O2 with pressure support provides an additive reduction in inspiratory effort. In addition, breathing He/O2 alone may

  8. Determination of ethane, pentane and isoprene in exhaled air--effects of breath-holding, flow rate and purified air.

    PubMed

    Lärstad, M A E; Torén, K; Bake, B; Olin, A-C

    2007-01-01

    Exhaled ethane, pentane and isoprene have been proposed as biomarkers of oxidative stress. The objectives were to explore whether ethane, pentane and isoprene are produced within the airways and to explore the effect of different sampling parameters on analyte concentrations. The flow dependency of the analyte concentrations, the concentrations in dead-space and alveolar air after breath-holding and the influence of inhaling purified air on analyte concentrations were investigated. The analytical method involved thermal desorption from sorbent tubes and gas chromatography. The studied group comprised 13 subjects with clinically stable asthma and 14 healthy controls. Ethane concentrations decreased slightly, but significantly, at higher flow rates in subjects with asthma (P = 0.0063) but not in healthy controls. Pentane levels were increased at higher flow rates both in healthy and asthmatic subjects (P = 0.022 and 0.0063 respectively). Isoprene levels were increased at higher flow rates, but only significantly in healthy subjects (P = 0.0034). After breath-holding, no significant changes in ethane levels were observed. Pentane and isoprene levels increased significantly after 20 s of breath-holding. Inhalation of purified air before exhalation resulted in a substantial decrease in ethane levels, a moderate decrease in pentane levels and an increase in isoprene levels. The major fractions of exhaled ethane, pentane and isoprene seem to be of systemic origin. There was, however, a tendency for ethane to be flow rate dependent in asthmatic subjects, although to a very limited extent, suggesting that small amounts of ethane may be formed in the airways.

  9. Advanced control for airbreathing engines, volume 2: General Electric aircraft engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bansal, Indar

    1993-01-01

    The application of advanced control concepts to air breathing engines may yield significant improvements in aircraft/engine performance and operability. Screening studies of advanced control concepts for air breathing engines were conducted by three major domestic aircraft engine manufacturers to determine the potential impact of concepts on turbine engine performance and operability. The purpose of the studies was to identify concepts which offered high potential yet may incur high research and development risk. A target suite of proposed advanced control concepts was formulated and evaluated in a two phase study to quantify each concept's impact on desired engine characteristics. To aid in the evaluation specific aircraft/engine combinations were considered: a Military High Performance Fighter mission, a High Speed Civil Transport mission, and a Civil Tiltrotor mission. Each of the advanced control concepts considered in the study are defined and described. The concept potential impact on engine performance was determined. Relevant figures of merit on which to evaluate the concepts are determined. Finally, the concepts are ranked with respect to the target aircraft/engine missions. A final report describing the screening studies was prepared by each engine manufacturer. Volume 2 of these reports describes the studies performed by GE Aircraft Engines.

  10. Cooling Air Inlet and Exit Geometries on Aircraft Engine Installations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Katz, Joseph; Corsiglia, Victor R.; Barlow, Philip R.

    1982-01-01

    A semispan wing and nacelle of a typical general aviation twin-engine aircraft was tested to evaluate the cooling capability and drag or several nacelle shapes; the nacelle shapes included cooling air inlet and exit variations. The tests were conducted in the Ames Research Center 40 x 80-ft Wind Tunnel. It was found that the cooling air inlet geometry of opposed piston engine installations has a major effect on inlet pressure recovery, but only a minor effect on drag. Exit location showed large effect on drag, especially for those locations on the sides of the nacelle where the suction characteristics were based on interaction with the wing surface pressures.

  11. Radiographic evaluation of positional atelectasis in sedated dogs breathing room air versus 100% oxygen.

    PubMed

    Barletta, Michele; Almondia, Donna; Williams, Jamie; Crochik, Sonia; Hofmeister, Erik

    2014-10-01

    This study documents the degree of positional atelectasis in sedated dogs receiving 100% oxygen (O(2)) versus room air. Initial lateral recumbency was determined by an orthopedic study and initial treatment (O(2) or room air) was randomized. Each dog was maintained in lateral recumbency for 15 min, at which time ventrodorsal (VD) and opposite lateral thoracic radiographs were obtained. Each dog was then maintained in the opposite lateral recumbency and received the other treatment for 15 min, followed by a VD and opposite lateral radiograph. Radiographs were scored for severity of pulmonary pattern and mediastinal shift by 3 radiologists. Dogs breathing O(2) had significantly higher scores than dogs breathing room air. If radiographically detectable dependent atelectasis is present, repeat thoracic images following manual positive ventilation and/or position change to the opposite lateral recumbency should be made to rule out the effect of O(2) positional atelectasis and avoid misdiagnosis.

  12. Radiographic evaluation of positional atelectasis in sedated dogs breathing room air versus 100% oxygen

    PubMed Central

    Barletta, Michele; Almondia, Donna; Williams, Jamie; Crochik, Sonia; Hofmeister, Erik

    2014-01-01

    This study documents the degree of positional atelectasis in sedated dogs receiving 100% oxygen (O2) versus room air. Initial lateral recumbency was determined by an orthopedic study and initial treatment (O2 or room air) was randomized. Each dog was maintained in lateral recumbency for 15 min, at which time ventrodorsal (VD) and opposite lateral thoracic radiographs were obtained. Each dog was then maintained in the opposite lateral recumbency and received the other treatment for 15 min, followed by a VD and opposite lateral radiograph. Radiographs were scored for severity of pulmonary pattern and mediastinal shift by 3 radiologists. Dogs breathing O2 had significantly higher scores than dogs breathing room air. If radiographically detectable dependent atelectasis is present, repeat thoracic images following manual positive ventilation and/or position change to the opposite lateral recumbency should be made to rule out the effect of O2 positional atelectasis and avoid misdiagnosis. PMID:25320389

  13. Fluid dynamic problems associated with air-breathing propulsive systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chow, W. L.

    1979-01-01

    A brief account of research activities on problems related to air-breathing propulsion is made in this final report for the step funded research grant NASA NGL 14-005-140. Problems include the aircraft ejector-nozzle propulsive system, nonconstant pressure jet mixing process, recompression and reattachment of turbulent free shear layer, supersonic turbulent base pressure, low speed separated flows, transonic boattail flow with and without small angle of attack, transonic base pressures, Mach reflection of shocks, and numerical solution of potential equation through hodograph transformation.

  14. A Fixed-Wing Micro Air Vehicle with Hovering Capability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-12-01

    AFRL-AFOSR-UK-TR-2010-0001 A Fixed-Wing Micro Air Vehicle with Hovering Capability Jean-Marc Moschetta SUPAERO Dept of...06 July 2010 Air Force Research Laboratory Air Force Office of Scientific Research European Office of Aerospace Research and...To) 06 July 2007 - 06 July 2010 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE A Fixed-Wing Micro Air Vehicle with Hovering Capability 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA8655-07

  15. Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    Pictured is an artist's concept of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) launch. The RBCC's overall objective is to provide a technology test bed to investigate critical technologies associated with opperational usage of these engines. The program will focus on near term technologies that can be leveraged to ultimately serve as the near term basis for Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) air breathing propulsions systems and ultimately a Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) air breathing propulsion system.

  16. Effect of air breathing on acid-base and ion regulation after exhaustive exercise and during low pH exposure in the bowfin, Amia calva.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez, R J; Milligan, L; Pagnotta, A; McDonald, D G

    2001-01-01

    To explore a potential conflict between air breathing and acid-base regulation in the bowfin (Amia calva), we examined how individuals with access to air differed from fish without air access in their response to acidosis. After exhaustive exercise, bowfin with access to air recovered significantly more slowly from the acidosis than fish without air access. While arterial blood pH (pH(a)) of fish without air access recovered to resting levels by 8 h, pH(a) was still significantly depressed in fish having access to air. In addition, Pco(2) was slightly more elevated in fish having air access than those without it. Fish with access to air still had a significant metabolic acid load after 8-h recovery, while those without air access completely cleared the load within 4 h. These results suggest that bowfin with access to air were breathing air and, consequently, were less able to excrete CO(2) and H(+) and experienced a delayed recovery. In contrast, during exposure to low pH, air breathing seemed to have a protective effect on acid-base status in bowfin. During exposure to low pH water, bowfin with access to air developed a much milder acidosis than bowfin without air access. The more severe acidosis in fish without air access was caused by an increased rate of lactic acid production. It appears that enhanced O(2) delivery allowed air-breathing bowfin to avoid acidosis-induced anaerobic metabolism and lactic acid production. In addition, during low pH exposure, plasma Na(+) and Cl(-) concentrations of fish without air access fell slightly more rapidly than those in fish with air access, indicating that the branchial ventilatory changes associated with air breathing limited, to some degree, ion losses associated with low pH exposure.

  17. Compressed air demand-type firefighter's breathing system, volume 1. [design analysis and performance tests

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sullivan, J. L.

    1975-01-01

    The commercial availability of lightweight high pressure compressed air vessels has resulted in a lightweight firefighter's breathing apparatus. The improved apparatus, and details of its design and development are described. The apparatus includes a compact harness assembly, a backplate mounted pressure reducer assembly, a lightweight bubble-type facemask with a mask mounted demand breathing regulator. Incorporated in the breathing regulator is exhalation valve, a purge valve and a whistle-type low pressure warning that sounds only during inhalation. The pressure reducer assembly includes two pressure reducers, an automatic transfer valve and a signaling device for the low pressure warning. Twenty systems were fabricated, tested, refined through an alternating development and test sequence, and extensively examined in a field evaluation program. Photographs of the apparatus are included.

  18. Cardiorespiratory physiological phenotypic plasticity in developing air-breathing anabantid fishes (Betta splendens and Trichopodus trichopterus).

    PubMed

    Mendez-Sanchez, Jose F; Burggren, Warren W

    2017-08-01

    Developmental plasticity of cardiorespiratory physiology in response to chronic hypoxia is poorly understood in larval fishes, especially larval air-breathing fishes, which eventually in their development can at least partially "escape" hypoxia through air breathing. Whether the development air breathing makes these larval fishes less or more developmentally plastic than strictly water breathing larval fishes remains unknown. Consequently, developmental plasticity of cardiorespiratory physiology was determined in two air-breathing anabantid fishes ( Betta splendens and Trichopodus trichopterus ). Larvae of both species experienced an hypoxic exposure that mimicked their natural environmental conditions, namely chronic nocturnal hypoxia (12 h at 17 kPa or 14 kPa), with a daily return to diurnal normoxia. Chronic hypoxic exposures were made from hatching through 35 days postfertilization, and opercular and heart rates measured as development progressed. Opercular and heart rates in normoxia were not affected by chronic nocturnal hypoxic. However, routine oxygen consumption M˙O2 (~4  μ mol·O 2 /g per hour in normoxia in larval Betta ) was significantly elevated by chronic nocturnal hypoxia at 17 kPa but not by more severe (14 kPa) nocturnal hypoxia. Routine M˙O2 in Trichopodus (6-7  μ mol·O 2 /g per hour), significantly higher than in Betta , was unaffected by either level of chronic hypoxia. P Crit , the PO 2 at which M˙O2 decreases as ambient PO 2 falls, was measured at 35 dpf, and decreased with increasing chronic hypoxia in Betta , indicating a large, relatively plastic hypoxic tolerance. However, in contrast, P Crit in Trichopodus increased as rearing conditions grew more hypoxic, suggesting that hypoxic acclimation led to lowered hypoxic resistance. Species-specific differences in larval physiological developmental plasticity thus emerge between the relatively closely related Betta and Trichopodus Hypoxic rearing increased hypoxic tolerance in

  19. Neuropeptides and nitric oxide synthase in the gill and the air-breathing organs of fishes.

    PubMed

    Zaccone, Giacomo; Mauceri, Angela; Fasulo, Salvatore

    2006-05-01

    Anatomical and histochemical studies have demonstrated that the bulk of autonomic neurotransmission in fish gill is attributed to cholinergic and adrenergic mechanisms (Nilsson. 1984. In: Hoar WS, Randall DJ, editors. Fish physiology, Vol. XA. Orlando: Academic Press. p 185-227; Donald. 1998. In: Evans DH, editor. The physiology of fishes, 2nd edition. Boca Raton: CRC Press. p 407-439). In many tissues, blockade of adrenergic and cholinergic transmission results in residual responses to nerve stimulation, which are termed NonAdrenergic, NonCholinergic (NANC). The discovery of nitric oxide (NO) has provided a basis for explaining many examples of NANC transmissions with accumulated physiological and pharmacological data indicating its function as a primary NANC transmitter. Little is known about the NANC neurotransmission, and studies on neuropeptides and NOS (Nitric Oxide Synthase) are very fragmentary in the gill and the air-breathing organs of fishes. Knowledge of the distribution of nerves and effects of perfusing agonists may help to understand the mechanisms of perfusion regulation in the gill (Olson. 2002. J Exp Zool 293:214-231). Air breathing as a mechanism for acquiring oxygen has evolved independently in several groups of fishes, necessitating modifications of the organs responsible for the exchange of gases. Aquatic hypoxia in freshwaters has been probably the more important selective force in the evolution of air breathing in vertebrates. Fishes respire with gills that are complex structures with many different effectors and potential control systems. Autonomic innervation of the gill has received considerable attention. An excellent review on branchial innervation includes Sundin and Nilsson's (2002. J Exp Zool 293:232-248) with an emphasis on the anatomy and basic functioning of afferent and efferent fibers of the branchial nerves. The chapters by Evans (2002. J Exp Zool 293:336-347) and Olson (2002) provide new challenges about a variety of

  20. The US Navy/Canadian DCIEM research initiative on pressure breathing physiology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whitley, Phillip E.

    1994-01-01

    Development of improved positive pressure breathing garments for altitude and acceleration protection has occurred without collection of sufficient physiological data to understand the mechanisms of the improvement. Furthermore, modeling of the predicted response of future enhanced garments is greatly hampered by this lack of information. A joint, international effort is under way between Canada's Defense and Civil Institute for Environmental Medicine (DCIEM) and the US Navy's Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Warminster (NAWCACDIVWAR). Using a Canadian subject pool, experiments at both the DCIEM altitude facility and the NAWCADIVWAR Dynamic Flight Simulator have been conducted to determine the cardiovascular and respiratory consequences of high levels of positive pressure breathing for altitude and positive pressure breathing for acceleration protection. Various improved pressure breathing garments were used to collect comparative physiological and performance data. New pressure breathing level and durahon capabilities have been encountered. Further studies will address further improvements in pressure suit design and correlation of altitude and acceleration data.

  1. High-Throughput Sequencing Identifies MicroRNAs from Posterior Intestine of Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) and Their Response to Intestinal Air-Breathing Inhibition.

    PubMed

    Huang, Songqian; Cao, Xiaojuan; Tian, Xianchang; Wang, Weimin

    2016-01-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) exert important roles in animal growth, immunity, and development, and regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Knowledges about the diversities of miRNAs and their roles in accessory air-breathing organs (ABOs) of fish remain unknown. In this work, we used high-throughput sequencing to identify known and novel miRNAs from the posterior intestine, an important ABO, in loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) under normal and intestinal air-breathing inhibited conditions. A total of 204 known and 84 novel miRNAs were identified, while 47 miRNAs were differentially expressed between the two small RNA libraries (i.e. between the normal and intestinal air-breathing inhibited group). Potential miRNA target genes were predicted by combining our transcriptome data of the posterior intestine of the loach under the same conditions, and then annotated using COG, GO, KEGG, Swissprot and Nr databases. The regulatory networks of miRNAs and their target genes were analyzed. The abundances of nine known miRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR. The relative expression profiles of six known miRNAs and their eight corresponding target genes, and two novel potential miRNAs were also detected. Histological characteristics of the posterior intestines in both normal and air-breathing inhibited group were further analyzed. This study contributes to our understanding on the functions and molecular regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in accessory air-breathing organs of fish.

  2. Human breath metabolomics using an optimized noninvasive exhaled breath condensate sampler

    PubMed Central

    Zamuruyev, Konstantin O.; Aksenov, Alexander A.; Pasamontes, Alberto; Brown, Joshua F.; Pettit, Dayna R.; Foutouhi, Soraya; Weimer, Bart C.; Schivo, Michael; Kenyon, Nicholas J.; Delplanque, Jean-Pierre; Davis, Cristina E.

    2017-01-01

    Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) analysis is a developing field with tremendous promise to advance personalized, non-invasive health diagnostics as new analytical instrumentation platforms and detection methods are developed. Multiple commercially-available and researcher-built experimental samplers are reported in the literature. However, there is very limited information available to determine an effective breath sampling approach, especially regarding the dependence of breath sample metabolomic content on the collection device design and sampling methodology. This lack of an optimal standard procedure results in a range of reported results that are sometimes contradictory. Here, we present a design of a portable human EBC sampler optimized for collection and preservation of the rich metabolomic content of breath. The performance of the engineered device is compared to two commercially available breath collection devices: the RTube™ and TurboDECCS. A number of design and performance parameters are considered, including: condenser temperature stability during sampling, collection efficiency, condenser material choice, and saliva contamination in the collected breath samples. The significance of the biological content of breath samples, collected with each device, is evaluated with a set of mass spectrometry methods and was the primary factor for evaluating device performance. The design includes an adjustable mass-size threshold for aerodynamic filtering of saliva droplets from the breath flow. Engineering an inexpensive device that allows efficient collection of metalomic-rich breath samples is intended to aid further advancement in the field of breath analysis for non-invasive health diagnostic. EBC sampling from human volunteers was performed under UC Davis IRB protocol 63701-3 (09/30/2014-07/07/2017). PMID:28004639

  3. TR-BREATH: Time-Reversal Breathing Rate Estimation and Detection.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chen; Han, Yi; Chen, Yan; Lai, Hung-Quoc; Zhang, Feng; Wang, Beibei; Liu, K J Ray

    2018-03-01

    In this paper, we introduce TR-BREATH, a time-reversal (TR)-based contact-free breathing monitoring system. It is capable of breathing detection and multiperson breathing rate estimation within a short period of time using off-the-shelf WiFi devices. The proposed system exploits the channel state information (CSI) to capture the miniature variations in the environment caused by breathing. To magnify the CSI variations, TR-BREATH projects CSIs into the TR resonating strength (TRRS) feature space and analyzes the TRRS by the Root-MUSIC and affinity propagation algorithms. Extensive experiment results indoor demonstrate a perfect detection rate of breathing. With only 10 s of measurement, a mean accuracy of can be obtained for single-person breathing rate estimation under the non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenario. Furthermore, it achieves a mean accuracy of in breathing rate estimation for a dozen people under the line-of-sight scenario and a mean accuracy of in breathing rate estimation of nine people under the NLOS scenario, both with 63 s of measurement. Moreover, TR-BREATH can estimate the number of people with an error around 1. We also demonstrate that TR-BREATH is robust against packet loss and motions. With the prevailing of WiFi, TR-BREATH can be applied for in-home and real-time breathing monitoring.

  4. Planar array stack design aided by rapid prototyping in development of air-breathing PEMFC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Chen-Yu; Lai, Wei-Hsiang; Weng, Biing-Jyh; Chuang, Huey-Jan; Hsieh, Ching-Yuan; Kung, Chien-Chih

    The polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is one of the most important research topics in the new and clean energy area. The middle or high power PEMFCs can be applied to the transportation or the distributed power system. But for the small power application, it is needed to match the power requirement of the product generally. On the other hand, the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is one of the most common type that researchers are interested in, but recently the miniature or the micro-PEMFCs attract more attention due to their advantages of high open circuit voltage and high power density. The objective of this study is to develop a new air-breathing planar array fuel cell stacked from 10 cells made by rapid prototyping technology which has potential for fast commercial design, low cost manufacturing, and even without converters/inverters for the system. In this paper, the main material of flow field plates is acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) which allows the fuel cell be mass-manufactured by plastic injection molding technology. The rapid prototyping technology is applied to construct the prototype and verify the practicability of the proposed stack design. A 10-cell air-breathing miniature PEMFC stack with a volume of 6 cm × 6 cm × 0.9 cm is developed and tested. Its segmented membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is designed with the active surface area of 1.3 cm × 1.3 cm in each individual MEA. The platinum loading at anode and cathode are 0.2 mg cm -2 and 0.4 mg cm -2, respectively. Results show that the peak power densities of the parallel connected and serial connected stack are 99 mW cm -2 at 0.425 V and 92 mW cm -2 at 4.25 V, respectively under the conditions of 70 °C relative saturated humidity (i.e., dew point temperature), ambient temperature and free convection air. Besides, the stack performance is increased under forced convection. If the cell surface air is blown by an electric fan, the peak power densities of parallel connected and

  5. EEG patterns associated with nitrogen narcosis (breathing air at 9 ATA).

    PubMed

    Pastena, Lucio; Faralli, Fabio; Mainardi, Giovanni; Gagliardi, Riccardo

    2005-11-01

    The narcotic effect of nitrogen impairs diver performance and limits dive profiles, especially for deep dives using compressed air. It would be helpful to establish measurable correlates of nitrogen narcosis. The authors observed the electroencephalogram (EEG) of 10 subjects, ages 22-27 yr, who breathed air during a 3-min compression to a simulated depth of 80 msw (9 ATA). The EEG from a 19-electrode cap was recorded for 20 min while the subject reclined on a cot with eyes closed, first at 1 ATA before the dive and again at 9 ATA. Signals were analyzed using Fast Fourier Transform and brain mapping for frequency domains 0-4 Hz, 4-7 Hz, 7-12 Hz, and 12-15 Hz. Student's paired t-test and correlation tests were used to compare results for the two conditions. Two EEG patterns were observed. The first was an increase in delta and theta activity in all cortical regions that appeared in the first 2 min at depth and was related to exposure time. The second was an increase in delta and theta activity and shifting of alpha activity to the frontal regions at minute 6 of breathing air at 9 ATA and was related to the narcotic effects of nitrogen. If confirmed by studies with larger case series, this EEG pattern could be used to identify nitrogen narcosis for various gas mixtures and prevent the dangerous impact of nitrogen on diver performance.

  6. Performance Validation Approach for the GTX Air-Breathing Launch Vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Trefny, Charles J.; Roche, Joseph M.

    2002-01-01

    The primary objective of the GTX effort is to determine whether or not air-breathing propulsion can enable a launch vehicle to achieve orbit in a single stage. Structural weight, vehicle aerodynamics, and propulsion performance must be accurately known over the entire flight trajectory in order to make a credible assessment. Structural, aerodynamic, and propulsion parameters are strongly interdependent, which necessitates a system approach to design, evaluation, and optimization of a single-stage-to-orbit concept. The GTX reference vehicle serves this purpose, by allowing design, development, and validation of components and subsystems in a system context. The reference vehicle configuration (including propulsion) was carefully chosen so as to provide high potential for structural and volumetric efficiency, and to allow the high specific impulse of air-breathing propulsion cycles to be exploited. Minor evolution of the configuration has occurred as analytical and experimental results have become available. With this development process comes increasing validation of the weight and performance levels used in system performance determination. This paper presents an overview of the GTX reference vehicle and the approach to its performance validation. Subscale test rigs and numerical studies used to develop and validate component performance levels and unit structural weights are outlined. The sensitivity of the equivalent, effective specific impulse to key propulsion component efficiencies is presented. The role of flight demonstration in development and validation is discussed.

  7. Work of Breathing into Snow in the Presence versus Absence of an Artificial Air Pocket Affects Hypoxia and Hypercapnia of a Victim Covered with Avalanche Snow: A Randomized Double Blind Crossover Study.

    PubMed

    Roubík, Karel; Sieger, Ladislav; Sykora, Karel

    2015-01-01

    Presence of an air pocket and its size play an important role in survival of victims buried in the avalanche snow. Even small air pockets facilitate breathing. We hypothesize that the size of the air pocket significantly affects the airflow resistance and work of breathing. The aims of the study are (1) to investigate the effect of the presence of an air pocket on gas exchange and work of breathing in subjects breathing into the simulated avalanche snow and (2) to test whether it is possible to breathe with no air pocket. The prospective interventional double-blinded study involved 12 male volunteers, from which 10 completed the whole protocol. Each volunteer underwent two phases of the experiment in a random order: phase "AP"--breathing into the snow with a one-liter air pocket, and phase "NP"--breathing into the snow with no air pocket. Physiological parameters, fractions of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the airways and work of breathing expressed as pressure-time product were recorded continuously. The main finding of the study is that it is possible to breath in the avalanche snow even with no air pocket (0 L volume), but breathing under this condition is associated with significantly increased work of breathing. The significant differences were initially observed for end-tidal values of the respiratory gases (EtO2 and EtCO2) and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) between AP and NP phases, whereas significant differences in inspiratory fractions occurred much later (for FIO2) or never (for FICO2). The limiting factor in no air pocket conditions is excessive increase in work of breathing that induces increase in metabolism accompanied by higher oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. The presence of even a small air pocket reduces significantly the work of breathing.

  8. Integrated gas analyzer for complete monitoring of turbine engine test cells.

    PubMed

    Markham, James R; Bush, Patrick M; Bonzani, Peter J; Scire, James J; Zaccardi, Vincent A; Jalbert, Paul A; Bryant, M Denise; Gardner, Donald G

    2004-01-01

    Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is proving to be reliable and economical for the quantification of many gas-phase species during testing and development of gas turbine engines in ground-based facilities such as sea-level test cells and altitude test cells. FT-IR measurement applications include engine-generated exhaust gases, facility air provided as input to engines, and ambient air in and around test cells. Potentially, the traditionally used assembly of many gas-specific single gas analyzers will be eliminated. However, the quest for a single instrument capable of complete gas-phase monitoring at turbine engine test cells has previously suffered since the FT-IR method cannot measure infrared-inactive oxygen molecules, a key operational gas to both air-breathing propulsion systems and test cell personnel. To further the quest, the FT-IR sensor used for the measurements presented in this article was modified by integration of a miniature, solid-state electrochemical oxygen sensor. Embedded in the FT-IR unit at a location near the long-effective-optical-path-length gas sampling cell, the amperometric oxygen sensor provides simultaneous, complementary information to the wealth of spectroscopic data provided by the FT-IR method.

  9. Keynote Address: When Breath Becomes Air-As Physician Becomes Patient.

    PubMed

    Kalanithi, Lucy; Wakelee, Heather; Carlson, Robert W

    2017-05-01

    As part of the NCCN 22nd Annual Conference: Improving the Quality, Effectiveness, and Efficiency of Cancer Care, Lucy Kalanithi, MD, wife of now-deceased best-selling author Paul Kalanithi ( When Breath Becomes Air ), and Heather Wakelee, MD, Paul's oncologist, discussed-for the first time together in a public forum-Paul's experience of going from a neurosurgery resident to a patient with cancer with a terminal diagnosis. Robert Carlson, MD, moderated the discussion. Copyright © 2017 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

  10. New insights into gill chemoreception: receptor distribution and roles in water and air breathing fish.

    PubMed

    Milsom, William K

    2012-12-01

    The location (gills, oro-branchial cavity or elsewhere) and orientation (external (water) or internal (blood) sensing) of the receptors involved in reflex changes in each of the different components of the cardiorespiratory response (breathing frequency, breath amplitude, heart rate, systemic vascular resistance) to hypoxia and hypercarbia are highly variable between species of water and air breathing fish. Although not universal, the receptors involved in eliciting changes in heart rate and breathing frequency in response to hypoxia and hypercarbia tend to be restricted exclusively to the gills while those producing increases in breath amplitude are more wide spread, frequently also being found at extrabranchial sites. The distribution of the chemoreceptors sensitive to CO(2) in the gills involved in producing ventilatory responses tend to be more restricted than that of the O(2)-sensitive chemoreceptors and the specific location of the receptors involved in the various components of the cardiorespiratory response can vary from those of the O(2)-sensitive chemoreceptors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. 42 CFR 84.88 - Breathing bag test.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Apparatus § 84.88 Breathing bag test. (a) Breathing bags will be tested in an air atmosphere saturated with... Institute upon request. (d) The air within the bag(s) shall not contain more than 100 parts per million of... 42 Public Health 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Breathing bag test. 84.88 Section 84.88 Public...

  12. Exploration Medical Capability System Engineering Introduction and Vision

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mindock, J.; Reilly, J.

    2017-01-01

    Human exploration missions to beyond low Earth orbit destinations such as Mars will require more autonomous capability compared to current low Earth orbit operations. For the medical system, lack of consumable resupply, evacuation opportunities, and real-time ground support are key drivers toward greater autonomy. Recognition of the limited mission and vehicle resources available to carry out exploration missions motivates the Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Element's approach to enabling the necessary autonomy. The Element's work must integrate with the overall exploration mission and vehicle design efforts to successfully provide exploration medical capabilities. ExMC is applying systems engineering principles and practices to accomplish its integrative goals. This talk will briefly introduce the discipline of systems engineering and key points in its application to exploration medical capability development. It will elucidate technical medical system needs to be met by the systems engineering work, and the structured and integrative science and engineering approach to satisfying those needs, including the development of shared mental and qualitative models within and external to the human health and performance community. These efforts are underway to ensure relevancy to exploration system maturation and to establish medical system development that is collaborative with vehicle and mission design and engineering efforts.

  13. Cubic PdNP-based air-breathing cathodes integrated in glucose hybrid biofuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faggion Junior, D.; Haddad, R.; Giroud, F.; Holzinger, M.; Maduro de Campos, C. E.; Acuña, J. J. S.; Domingos, J. B.; Cosnier, S.

    2016-05-01

    Cubic Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) were synthesized using ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and were evaluated for the catalytic oxygen reduction reaction. PdNPs were confined with multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) dispersions to form black suspensions and these inks were dropcast onto glassy carbon electrodes. Different nanoparticle sizes were synthesized and investigated upon oxygen reduction capacities (onset potential and electrocatalytic current densities) under O2 saturated conditions at varying pH values. Strong evidence of O2 diffusion limitation was demonstrated. In order to overcome oxygen concentration and diffusion limitations in solution, we used a gas diffusion layer to create a PdNP-based air-breathing cathode, which delivered -1.5 mA cm-2 at 0.0 V with an onset potential of 0.4 V. This air-breathing cathode was combined with a specially designed phenanthrolinequinone/glucose dehydrogenase-based anode to form a complete glucose/O2 hybrid bio-fuel cell providing an open circuit voltage of 0.554 V and delivering a maximal power output of 184 +/- 21 μW cm-2 at 0.19 V and pH 7.0.Cubic Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) were synthesized using ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and were evaluated for the catalytic oxygen reduction reaction. PdNPs were confined with multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) dispersions to form black suspensions and these inks were dropcast onto glassy carbon electrodes. Different nanoparticle sizes were synthesized and investigated upon oxygen reduction capacities (onset potential and electrocatalytic current densities) under O2 saturated conditions at varying pH values. Strong evidence of O2 diffusion limitation was demonstrated. In order to overcome oxygen concentration and diffusion limitations in solution, we used a gas diffusion layer to create a PdNP-based air-breathing cathode, which delivered -1.5 mA cm-2 at 0.0 V with an onset potential of 0.4 V. This air-breathing cathode was combined with a specially designed phenanthrolinequinone

  14. Human breath metabolomics using an optimized non-invasive exhaled breath condensate sampler.

    PubMed

    Zamuruyev, Konstantin O; Aksenov, Alexander A; Pasamontes, Alberto; Brown, Joshua F; Pettit, Dayna R; Foutouhi, Soraya; Weimer, Bart C; Schivo, Michael; Kenyon, Nicholas J; Delplanque, Jean-Pierre; Davis, Cristina E

    2016-12-22

    Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) analysis is a developing field with tremendous promise to advance personalized, non-invasive health diagnostics as new analytical instrumentation platforms and detection methods are developed. Multiple commercially-available and researcher-built experimental samplers are reported in the literature. However, there is very limited information available to determine an effective breath sampling approach, especially regarding the dependence of breath sample metabolomic content on the collection device design and sampling methodology. This lack of an optimal standard procedure results in a range of reported results that are sometimes contradictory. Here, we present a design of a portable human EBC sampler optimized for collection and preservation of the rich metabolomic content of breath. The performance of the engineered device is compared to two commercially available breath collection devices: the RTube ™ and TurboDECCS. A number of design and performance parameters are considered, including: condenser temperature stability during sampling, collection efficiency, condenser material choice, and saliva contamination in the collected breath samples. The significance of the biological content of breath samples, collected with each device, is evaluated with a set of mass spectrometry methods and was the primary factor for evaluating device performance. The design includes an adjustable mass-size threshold for aerodynamic filtering of saliva droplets from the breath flow. Engineering an inexpensive device that allows efficient collection of metalomic-rich breath samples is intended to aid further advancement in the field of breath analysis for non-invasive health diagnostic. EBC sampling from human volunteers was performed under UC Davis IRB protocol 63701-3 (09/30/2014-07/07/2017).

  15. Survey of Aerothermodynamics Facilities Useful for the Design of Hypersonic Vehicles Using Air-Breathing Propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arnold, James O.; Deiwert, George S.

    1997-01-01

    This paper surveys the use of aerothermodynamic facilities which have been useful in the study of external flows and propulsion aspects of hypersonic, air-breathing vehicles. While the paper is not a survey of all facilities, it covers the utility of shock tunnels and conventional hypersonic blow-down facilities which have been used for hypersonic air-breather studies. The problems confronting researchers in the field of aerothermodynamics are outlined. Results from the T5 GALCIT tunnel for the shock-on lip problem are outlined. Experiments on combustors and short expansion nozzles using the semi-free jet method have been conducted in large shock tunnels. An example which employed the NASA Ames 16-Inch shock tunnel is outlined, and the philosophy of the test technique is described. Conventional blow-down hypersonic wind tunnels are quite useful in hypersonic air-breathing studies. Results from an expansion ramp experiment, simulating the nozzle on a hypersonic air-breather from the NASA Ames 3.5 Foot Hypersonic wind tunnel are summarized. Similar work on expansion nozzles conducted in the NASA Langley hypersonic wind tunnel complex is cited. Free-jet air-frame propulsion integration and configuration stability experiments conducted at Langley in the hypersonic wind tunnel complex on a small generic model are also summarized.

  16. An Overview of 2014 SBIR Phase 1 and Phase 2 Air-Breathing Propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.; Morris, Jessica R.

    2015-01-01

    NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program focuses on technological innovation by investing in development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA mission directorates address critical research needs for Agency programs. This report highlights nine of the innovative SBIR 2014 Phase I and Phase II projects that emphasize one of NASA Glenn Research Center's six core competencies-Air-Breathing Propulsion. The technologies cover a wide spectrum of applications such as development of X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging method for the measurement of complex 3D ice shapes, phased array techniques for low signal-to-noise ratio wind tunnels, compact kinetic mechanisms for petroleum-derived and alternative aviation fuels, and hybrid electric propulsion systems for a multirotor aircraft. Each featured technology describes an innovation, technical objective, and highlights NASA commercial and industrial applications. This report provides as an opportunity for NASA engineers, researchers, and program managers to learn how NASA SBIR technologies could help their programs and projects, and lead to collaborations and partnerships between the small SBIR companies and NASA that would benefit both.

  17. 40 CFR 1065.125 - Engine intake air.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Engine intake air. 1065.125 Section 1065.125 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Equipment Specifications § 1065.125 Engine intake air. (a) Use the intake-air...

  18. An Overview of Air-Breathing Propulsion Efforts for 2015 SBIR Phase I

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nguyen, Hung D.; Steele, Gynelle C.

    2016-01-01

    NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program focuses on technological innovation by investing in development of innovative concepts and technologies to help NASA mission directorates address critical research needs for Agency programs. This report highlights 24 of the innovative SBIR 2015 Phase I projects that emphasize one of NASA Glenn Research Center's six core competencies-Air-Breathing Propulsion. The technologies cover a wide spectrum of applications such as hybrid nanocomposites for efficient aerospace structures; plasma flow control for drag reduction; physics-based aeroanalysis methods for open rotor conceptual designs; vertical lift by series hybrid power; fast pressure-sensitive paint systems for production wind tunnel testing; rugged, compact, and inexpensive airborne fiber sensor interrogators based on monolithic tunable lasers; and high sensitivity semiconductor sensor skins for multi-axis surface pressure characterization. Each featured technology describes an innovation and technical objective and highlights NASA commercial and industrial applications. This report provides an opportunity for NASA engineers, researchers, and program managers to learn how NASA SBIR technologies could help their programs and projects, and lead to collaborations and partnerships between the small SBIR companies and NASA that would benefit both.

  19. 40 CFR 1065.125 - Engine intake air.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Engine intake air. 1065.125 Section... ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Equipment Specifications § 1065.125 Engine intake air. (a) Use the intake-air system installed on the engine or one that represents a typical in-use configuration. This includes the...

  20. 40 CFR 1065.125 - Engine intake air.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Engine intake air. 1065.125 Section... ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Equipment Specifications § 1065.125 Engine intake air. (a) Use the intake-air system installed on the engine or one that represents a typical in-use configuration. This includes the...

  1. 40 CFR 1065.125 - Engine intake air.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Engine intake air. 1065.125 Section... ENGINE-TESTING PROCEDURES Equipment Specifications § 1065.125 Engine intake air. (a) Use the intake-air system installed on the engine or one that represents a typical in-use configuration. This includes the...

  2. Heat Exchanger Design in Combined Cycle Engines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Webber, H.; Feast, S.; Bond, A.

    Combined cycle engines employing both pre-cooled air-breathing and rocket modes of operation are the most promising propulsion system for achieving single stage to orbit vehicles. The air-breathing phase is purely for augmentation of the mission velocity required in the rocket phase and as such must be mass effective, re-using the components of the rocket cycle, whilst achieving adequate specific impulse. This paper explains how the unique demands placed on the air-breathing cycle results in the need for sophisticated thermodynamics and the use of a series of different heat exchangers to enable precooling and high pressure ratio compression of the air for delivery to the rocket combustion chambers. These major heat exchanger roles are; extracting heat from incoming air in the precooler, topping up cycle flow temperatures to maintain constant turbine operating conditions and extracting rejected heat from the power cycle via regenerator loops for thermal capacity matching. The design solutions of these heat exchangers are discussed.

  3. Research Technology (ASTP) Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    Pictured is an artist's concept of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) launch. The RBCC's overall objective is to provide a technology test bed to investigate critical technologies associated with opperational usage of these engines. The program will focus on near term technologies that can be leveraged to ultimately serve as the near term basis for Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) air breathing propulsions systems and ultimately a Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) air breathing propulsion system.

  4. Mobile selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) devices and their use for pollution exposure monitoring in breath and ambient air-pilot study.

    PubMed

    Storer, Malina; Salmond, Jennifer; Dirks, Kim N; Kingham, Simon; Epton, Michael

    2014-09-01

    Studies of health effects of air pollution exposure are limited by inability to accurately determine dose and exposure of air pollution in field trials. We explored the feasibility of using a mobile selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) device, housed in a van, to determine ambient air and breath levels of benzene, xylene and toluene following exercise in areas of high motor vehicle traffic. The breath toluene, xylene and benzene concentration of healthy subjects were measured before and after exercising close to a busy road. The concentration of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in ambient air were also analysed in real time. Exercise close to traffic pollution is associated with a two-fold increase in breath VOCs (benzene, xylene and toluene) with levels returning to baseline within 20 min. This effect is not seen when exercising away from traffic pollution sources. Situating the testing device 50 m from the road reduced any confounding due to VOCs in the inspired air prior to the breath testing manoeuvre itself. Real-time field testing for air pollution exposure is possible using a mobile SIFT-MS device. This device is suitable for exploring exposure and dose relationships in a number of large scale field test scenarios.

  5. Application of ion chemistry and the SIFT technique to the quantitative analysis of trace gases in air and on breath

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, David; Španěl, Patrik

    Our major objective in this paper is to describe a new method we have developed for the analysis of trace gases at partial pressures down to the ppb level in atmospheric air, with special emphasis on the detection and quantification of trace gases on human breath. It involves the use of our selected ion flow tube (Sift) technique which we previously developed and used extensively for the study of gas phase ionic reactions occurring in ionized media such as the terrestrial atmosphere and interstellar gas clouds. Before discussing this analytical technique we describe the results of our very recent Sift and flowing afterglow (FA) studies of the reactions of the H3O+ and OH- ions, of their hydrates H3O+(H2O)1,2,3 and OH- (H2O)1,2, and of NO+ and O2+, with several hydrocarbons and oxygen-bearing organic molecules, studies that are very relevant to our trace gas analytical studies. Then follows a detailed discussion of the application of our Sift technique to trace gas analysis, after which we present some results obtained for the analyses of laboratory air, the breath of a healthy non-smoking person, the breath of a person who regularly smokes cigarettes, the complex vapours emitted by banana and onion, and the molecules present in a butane/air flame. We show how the quantitative analysis of breath can be achieved from only a single exhalation and in real time (the time response of the instrument is only about 20 ms). We also show how the time variation of breath gases over long time periods can be followed, using the decay of ethanol on the breath after the ingestion of distilled liquor as an example, yet simultaneously following several other trace gases including acetone and isoprene which are very easily detected on the breath of all individuals because of their relatively high partial pressures (typically 100 to 1000 ppb). The breath of a smoker is richer in complex molecules, some nitrogen containing organics apparently being very evident at the 5 to 50 ppb level

  6. How Does a Hopping Kangaroo Breathe?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giuliodori, Mauricio J.; Lujan, Heidi L.; Janbaih, Hussein; DiCarlo, Stephen E.

    2010-01-01

    We developed a model to demonstrate how a hopping kangaroo breathes. Interestingly, a kangaroo uses less energy to breathe while hopping than while standing still. This occurs, in part, because rather than using muscle power to move air into and out of the lungs, air is pulled into (inspiration) and pushed out of (expiration) the lungs as the…

  7. Perspective use of direct human blood as an energy source in air-breathing hybrid microfluidic fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dector, A.; Escalona-Villalpando, R. A.; Dector, D.; Vallejo-Becerra, V.; Chávez-Ramírez, A. U.; Arriaga, L. G.; Ledesma-García, J.

    2015-08-01

    This work presents a flexible and light air-breathing hybrid microfluidic fuel cell (HμFC) operated under biological conditions. A mixture of glucose oxidase, glutaraldehyde, multi-walled carbon nanotubes and vulcan carbon (GOx/VC-MWCNT-GA) was used as the bioanode. Meanwhile, integrating an air-exposed electrode (Pt/C) as the cathode enabled direct oxygen delivery from air. The microfluidic fuel cell performance was evaluated using glucose obtained from three different sources as the fuel: 5 mM glucose in phosphate buffer, human serum and human blood. For the last fuel, an open circuit voltage and maximum power density of 0.52 V and 0.20 mW cm-2 (at 0.38 V) were obtained respectively; meanwhile the maximum current density was 1.1 mA cm-2. Furthermore, the stability of the device was measured in terms of recovery after several polarization curves, showing excellent results. Although this air-breathing HμFC requires technological improvements before being tested in a biomedical device, it represents the best performance to date for a microfluidic fuel cell using human blood as glucose source.

  8. Data engineering systems: Computerized modeling and data bank capabilities for engineering analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kopp, H.; Trettau, R.; Zolotar, B.

    1984-01-01

    The Data Engineering System (DES) is a computer-based system that organizes technical data and provides automated mechanisms for storage, retrieval, and engineering analysis. The DES combines the benefits of a structured data base system with automated links to large-scale analysis codes. While the DES provides the user with many of the capabilities of a computer-aided design (CAD) system, the systems are actually quite different in several respects. A typical CAD system emphasizes interactive graphics capabilities and organizes data in a manner that optimizes these graphics. On the other hand, the DES is a computer-aided engineering system intended for the engineer who must operationally understand an existing or planned design or who desires to carry out additional technical analysis based on a particular design. The DES emphasizes data retrieval in a form that not only provides the engineer access to search and display the data but also links the data automatically with the computer analysis codes.

  9. Morphological and biochemical variations in the gills of 12 aquatic air-breathing anabantoid fish.

    PubMed

    Huang, Chun-Yen; Lin, Chung-Ping; Lin, Hui-Chen

    2011-01-01

    All fish species in the Anabantoidei suborder are aquatic air-breathing fish. These species have an accessory air-breathing organ, called the labyrinth organ, in the branchial cavity and can engulf air at the surface of the water to assist in gas exchange. It is therefore necessary to examine the extent of gill modification among anabantoid fish species and the potential trade-offs in their function. The experimental hypothesis that we aimed to test is whether anabantoid fishes have both morphological and functional variations in the gills among different species. We examined the gills of 12 species from three families and nine genera of Anabantoidei. Though the sizes of the fourth gill arch in three species of Trichogaster were reduced significantly, not all anabantoid species had morphological and functional variations in the gills. In these three species, the specific enzyme activity and relative protein abundance of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase were significantly higher in the anterior gills as compared with the posterior gills and the labyrinth organ. The relative abundance of cytosolic carbonic anhydrase, an indicator of gas exchange, was found to be highest in the labyrinth organ. The phylogenetic distribution of the fourth gill's morphological differentiation suggests that these variations are lineage specific, which may imply a phylogenetic influence on gill morphology in anabantoid species.

  10. Heavy Lift Launch Capability with a New Hydrocarbon Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Threet, Grady E., Jr.; Holt, James B.; Philips, Alan D.; Garcia, Jessica A.

    2011-01-01

    The Advanced Concepts Office at NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center was tasked to define the thrust requirement of a new liquid oxygen rich staged combustion cycle hydrocarbon engine that could be utilized in a launch vehicle to meet NASA s future heavy lift needs. Launch vehicle concepts were sized using this engine for different heavy lift payload classes. Engine out capabilities for one of the heavy lift configurations were also analyzed for increased reliability that may be desired for high value payloads or crewed missions. The applicability for this engine in vehicle concepts to meet military and commercial class payloads comparable to current ELV capability was also evaluated.

  11. Computational Fluid Dynamics Investigation of Human Aspiration in Low Velocity Air: Orientation Effects on Nose-Breathing Simulations

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Kimberly R.; Anthony, T. Renée

    2014-01-01

    An understanding of how particles are inhaled into the human nose is important for developing samplers that measure biologically relevant estimates of exposure in the workplace. While previous computational mouth-breathing investigations of particle aspiration have been conducted in slow moving air, nose breathing still required exploration. Computational fluid dynamics was used to estimate nasal aspiration efficiency for an inhaling humanoid form in low velocity wind speeds (0.1–0.4 m s−1). Breathing was simplified as continuous inhalation through the nose. Fluid flow and particle trajectories were simulated over seven discrete orientations relative to the oncoming wind (0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 135, 180°). Sensitivities of the model simplification and methods were assessed, particularly the placement of the recessed nostril surface and the size of the nose. Simulations identified higher aspiration (13% on average) when compared to published experimental wind tunnel data. Significant differences in aspiration were identified between nose geometry, with the smaller nose aspirating an average of 8.6% more than the larger nose. Differences in fluid flow solution methods accounted for 2% average differences, on the order of methodological uncertainty. Similar trends to mouth-breathing simulations were observed including increasing aspiration efficiency with decreasing freestream velocity and decreasing aspiration with increasing rotation away from the oncoming wind. These models indicate nasal aspiration in slow moving air occurs only for particles <100 µm. PMID:24665111

  12. Microstructured optical fiber interferometric breathing sensor.

    PubMed

    Favero, Fernando C; Villatoro, Joel; Pruneri, Valerio

    2012-03-01

    In this paper a simple photonic crystal fiber (PCF) interferometric breathing sensor is introduced. The interferometer consists of a section of PCF fusion spliced at the distal end of a standard telecommunications optical fiber. Two collapsed regions in the PCF caused by the splicing process allow the excitation and recombination of a core and a cladding PCF mode. As a result, the reflection spectrum of the device exhibits a sinusoidal interference pattern that instantly shifts when water molecules, present in exhaled air, are adsorbed on or desorbed from the PCF surface. The device can be used to monitor a person's breathing whatever the respiration rate. The device here proposed could be particularly important in applications where electronic sensors fail or are not recommended. It may also be useful in the evaluation of a person's health and even in the diagnosis and study of the progression of serious illnesses such as sleep apnea syndrome. © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

  13. Engine-Out Capabilities Assessment of Heavy Lift Launch Vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holladay, Jon; Baggett, Keithe; Thrasher, Chad; Bellamy, K. Scott; Feldman, Stuart

    2012-01-01

    Engine-out (EO) is a condition that might occur during flight due to the failure of one or more engines. Protection against this occurrence can be called engine-out capability (EOC) whereupon significantly improved loss of mission may occur, in addition to reduction in performance and increased cost. A standardized engine-out capability has not been studied exhaustively as it pertains to space launch systems. This work presents results for a specific vehicle design with specific engines, but also uniquely provides an approach to realizing the necessity of EOC for any launch vehicle system design. A derived top-level approach to engine-out philosophy for a heavy lift launch vehicle is given herein, based on an historical assessment of launch vehicle capabilities. The methodology itself is not intended to present a best path forward, but instead provides three parameters for assessment of a particular vehicle. Of the several parameters affected by this EOC, the three parameters of interest in this research are reliability (Loss of Mission (LOM) and Loss of Crew (LOC)), vehicle performance, and cost. The intent of this effort is to provide insight into the impacts of EO capability on these parameters. The effects of EOC on reliability, performance and cost are detailed, including how these important launch vehicle metrics can be combined to assess what could be considered overall launch vehicle affordability. In support of achieving the first critical milestone (Mission Concept Review) in the development of the Space Launch System (SLS), a team assessed two-stage, large-diameter vehicles that utilized liquid oxygen (LOX)-RP propellants in the First Stage and LOX/LH2 propellant in the Upper Stage. With multiple large thrust-class engines employed on the stages, engine-out capability could be a significant driver to mission success. It was determined that LOM results improve by a factor of five when assuming EOC for both Core Stage (CS) (first stage) and Upper Stage (US

  14. Introduction of a compressed air breathing apparatus for the offshore oil and gas industry.

    PubMed

    Brooks, Chris J; MacDonald, Conor V; Carroll, Joel; Gibbs, Peter N G

    2010-07-01

    When a helicopter ditches the majority of crew and passengers have to make an underwater escape. Some may not be able to hold their breath and will drown. For at least 15 yr, military aircrew have been trained to use a scuba system. In the offshore oil and gas industry, there has been more caution about introducing a compressed air system and a rebreather system has been introduced as an alternative. Recently, Canadian industry and authorities approved the introduction of Helicopter Underwater Emergency Breathing Apparatus (HUEBA) training using compressed air. This communication reports the training of the first 1000 personnel. Training was introduced in both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland concurrently by the same group of instructors. Trainees filled out a questionnaire concerning their perceived ratings of the ease or difficulty of classroom training and the practical use of the HUEBA. Ninety-eight percent of trainees found the classroom and in-water training to be "good/very good". Trainees found it to be "easy/very easy" to clear the HUEBA and breathe underwater in 84% and 64% of cases, respectively. Divers reported a greater ease in learning all the practical uses of the HUEBA except application of the nose clip. There were problems with the nose clip fitting incorrectly, and interference of the survival suit hood with the regulator, which subsequently have been resolved. When carefully applied, the introduction of the HUEBA into training for offshore oil and gas industry helicopter crew and passengers can be safely conducted.

  15. Compressed breathing air - the potential for evil from within.

    PubMed

    Millar, Ian L; Mouldey, Peter G

    2008-06-01

    Human underwater activities rely on an adequate supply of breathable compressed gas, usually air, free from contaminants that could cause incapacitation underwater or post-dive or longer-term health effects. Potentially fatal but well-known hazards are hypoxia secondary to steel cylinder corrosion and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning due to contaminated intake air. Another phenomenon may be behind some previously unexplained episodes of underwater incapacitation and perhaps death: low-level CO poisoning and/or the effects of gaseous contaminants generated within the compressor, including toluene and other volatile compounds. Many low molecular weight volatile contaminants are anaesthetic and will be potentiated by pressure and nitrogen narcosis. In sub-anaesthetic doses, impaired judgement, lowered seizure threshold and sensitisation of the heart to arrhythmias may occur. Toxic compounds can be volatilised from some compressor oils, especially mineral oils, in overheated compressors, or be created de novo under certain combinations of temperature, humidity and pressure, perhaps catalysed by metal traces from compressor wear and tear. Most volatiles can be removed by activated carbon filtration but many filters are undersized and may overload in hot, moist conditions and with short dwell times. A compressor that passes normal testing could contaminate one or more cylinders after heating up and then return to producing clean air as the filters dry and the systems cool. The scope of this problem is very unclear as air quality is tested infrequently and often inadequately, even after fatalities. More research is needed as well as better education regarding the safe operation and limitations of high-pressure breathing air compressors.

  16. 30 CFR 250.610 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.610 Section 250... Operations § 250.610 Diesel engine air intakes. No later than May 31, 1989, diesel engine air intakes shall be equipped with a device to shut down the diesel engine in the event of runaway. Diesel engines...

  17. 30 CFR 250.610 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.610 Section 250... Operations § 250.610 Diesel engine air intakes. No later than May 31, 1989, diesel engine air intakes shall be equipped with a device to shut down the diesel engine in the event of runaway. Diesel engines...

  18. Affordable Flight Demonstration of the GTX Air-Breathing SSTO Vehicle Concept

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krivanek, Thomas M.; Roche, Joseph M.; Riehl, John P.; Kosareo, Daniel N.

    2003-01-01

    The rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) powered single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) reusable launch vehicle has the potential to significantly reduce the total cost per pound for orbital payload missions. To validate overall system performance, a flight demonstration must be performed. This paper presents an overview of the first phase of a flight demonstration program for the GTX SSTO vehicle concept. Phase 1 will validate the propulsion performance of the vehicle configuration over the supersonic and hypersonic air- breathing portions of the trajectory. The focus and goal of Phase 1 is to demonstrate the integration and performance of the propulsion system flowpath with the vehicle aerodynamics over the air-breathing trajectory. This demonstrator vehicle will have dual mode ramjetkcramjets, which include the inlet, combustor, and nozzle with geometrically scaled aerodynamic surface outer mold lines (OML) defining the forebody, boundary layer diverter, wings, and tail. The primary objective of this study is to demon- strate propulsion system performance and operability including the ram to scram transition, as well as to validate vehicle aerodynamics and propulsion airframe integration. To minimize overall risk and develop ment cost the effort will incorporate proven materials, use existing turbomachinery in the propellant delivery systems, launch from an existing unmanned remote launch facility, and use basic vehicle recovery techniques to minimize control and landing requirements. A second phase would demonstrate propulsion performance across all critical portions of a space launch trajectory (lift off through transition to all-rocket) integrated with flight-like vehicle systems.

  19. Hypoxic cardiorespiratory reflexes in the facultative air-breathing fish jeju (Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus): role of branchial O2 chemoreceptors.

    PubMed

    Lopes, Jane Mello; Boijink, Cheila de Lima; Florindo, Luiz Henrique; Leite, Cleo Alcantara Costa; Kalinin, Ana Lúcia; Milsom, William K; Rantin, Francisco Tadeu

    2010-08-01

    In one series of experiments, heart frequency (f (H)), blood pressure (P (a)), gill ventilation frequency (f ( R )), ventilation amplitude (V (AMP)) and total gill ventilation (V (TOT)) were measured in intact jeju (Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus) and jeju with progressive denervation of the branchial branches of cranial nerves IX (glossopharyngeal) and X (vagus) without access to air. When these fish were submitted to graded hypoxia (water PO(2) approximately 140, normoxia to 17 mmHg, severe hypoxia), they increased f ( R ), V (AMP), V (TOT) and P (a) and decreased f (H). In a second series of experiments, air-breathing frequency (f (RA)), measured in fish with access to the surface, increased with graded hypoxia. In both series, bilateral denervation of all gill arches eliminated the responses to graded hypoxia. Based on the effects of internal (caudal vein, 150 microg NaCN in 0.2 mL saline) and external (buccal) injections of NaCN (500 microg NaCN in 1.0 mL water) on f (R), V (AMP), V (TOT), P (a) and f (H) we conclude that the O(2) receptors involved in eliciting changes in gill ventilation and associated cardiovascular responses are present on all gill arches and monitor the O(2) levels of both inspired water and blood perfusing the gills. We also conclude that air breathing arises solely from stimulation of branchial chemoreceptors and support the hypothesis that internal hypoxaemia is the primary drive to air breathing.

  20. Breathing air in air: in what ways might extant amphibious fish biology relate to prevailing concepts about early tetrapods, the evolution of vertebrate air breathing, and the vertebrate land transition?

    PubMed

    Graham, Jeffrey B; Lee, Heather J

    2004-01-01

    The air-breathing fishes have heuristic importance as possible models for the Paleozoic evolution of vertebrate air breathing and the transition to land. A recent hypothesis about this transition suggests that the diverse assemblage of marine amphibious fishes occurring primarily in tropical, high intertidal zone habitats are analogs of early tetrapods and that the intertidal zone, not tropical freshwater lowlands, was the springboard habitat for the Devonian land transition by vertebrates. Here we argue that selection pressures imposed by life in the intertidal zone are insufficient to have resulted in the requisite aerial respiratory capacity or the degree of separation from water required for the vertebrate land transition. The extant marine amphibious fishes, which occur mainly on rocky shores or mudflats, have reached the limit of their niche expansion onto land and remain tied to water by respiratory structures that are less efficient in air and more vulnerable to desiccation than lungs. We further argue that evolutionary contingencies actuated by the Devonian origin of the tetrapods marked a critical point of divergence for a way of life in which selection pressures would operate on the physiology, morphology, and natural history of the different vertebrate groups. While chronically hypoxic and shallow water conditions in the habitats of some primitive bony fishes and some amphibians appear similar to the conditions that prevailed in the Devonian, markedly different selection pressures have operated on other amphibians and bony fishes over the 300 million years since the vertebrate land transition. For example, both egg development and larval metamorphosis in extant amphibians are geared mainly toward compensating for the uncertainty of habitat water quality or even the absence of water by minimizing the time required to develop there. In contrast, reproduction by most intertidal (and amphibious) fishes, all of which are teleosts, remains dependent on a

  1. Numerical models analysis of energy conversion process in air-breathing laser propulsion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hong Yanji; Song Junling; Cui Cunyan

    Energy source was considered as a key essential in this paper to describe energy conversion process in air-breathing laser propulsion. Some secondary factors were ignored when three independent modules, ray transmission module, energy source term module and fluid dynamic module, were established by simultaneous laser radiation transportation equation and fluid mechanics equation. The incidence laser beam was simulated based on ray tracing method. The calculated results were in good agreement with those of theoretical analysis and experiments.

  2. Direct Detection of C_2H_2 in Air and Human Breath by Cw-Crds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmidt, Florian M.; Vaittinen, Olavi; Metsälä, Markus; Halonen, Lauri

    2010-06-01

    Continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (cw-CRDS) is an established cavity-enhanced absorption technique that can provide the necessary sensitivity, selectivity and fast acquisition time for many applications involving the detection of trace species. We present a simple but highly sensitive cw-CRDS spectrometer based on an external cavity diode laser operating in the near-infrared region. This instrument allows us to directly detect acetylene (C_2H_2) mixing ratios in air with a detection limit of 120 parts per trillion by volume (pptv) measuring on a C_2H_2 absorption line at 6565.620 cm-1. Acetylene is a combustion product that is routinely used in environmental monitoring as a marker for anthropogenic emissions. In a recent work, the spectrometer was employed to measure the level of acetylene in indoor and outdoor air in Helsinki. Continuous flow measurements with high time resolution (one minute) revealed strong fluctuations in the acetylene mixing ratio in outdoor air during daytime. Due to its non-invasive nature and fast response time, the analysis of exhaled breath for medical diagnostics is an excellent and straightforward alternative to methods using urine or blood samples. In an ongoing study, the cw-CRDS instrument is used to establish the baseline level of acetylene in the breath of the healthy population. An elevated amount of acetylene in breath could indicate exposure to combustion exhausts or other volatile organic compound (VOC) rich sources. The latest results of this investigation will be presented. F. M. Schmidt, O. Vaittinen, M. Metsälä, P. Kraus and L. Halonen, submitted for publication in Appl. Phys. B.

  3. System controls challenges of hypersonic combined-cycle engine powered vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morrison, Russell H.; Ianculescu, George D.

    1992-01-01

    Hypersonic aircraft with air-breathing engines have been described as the most complex and challenging air/space vehicle designs ever attempted. This is particularly true for aircraft designed to accelerate to orbital velocities. The propulsion system for the National Aerospace Plane will be an active factor in maintaining the aircraft on course. Typically addressed are the difficulties with the aerodynamic vehicle design and development, materials limitations and propulsion performance. The propulsion control system requires equal materials limitations and propulsion performance. The propulsion control system requires equal concern. Far more important than merely a subset of propulsion performance, the propulsion control system resides at the crossroads of trajectory optimization, engine static performance, and vehicle-engine configuration optimization. To date, solutions at these crossroads are multidisciplinary and generally lag behind the broader performance issues. Just how daunting these demands will be is suggested. A somewhat simplified treatment of the behavioral characteristics of hypersonic aircraft and the issues associated with their air-breathing propulsion control system design are presented.

  4. DoD Capability Benefits from Preserving the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-04-23

    Master of Military Studies Research Paper September 2010- April 2011 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE DoP capability benefits from preserving the Civil Reserve Air...capability benefits from preserving the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER...1 Executive Summary Title: DOD capability benefits from preserving the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) Author: Major Constantine E. Tsoukatos

  5. Role of Air-Breathing Pulse Detonation Engines in High Speed Propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Povinelli, Louis A.; Lee, Jin-Ho; Anderberg, Michael O.

    2001-01-01

    In this paper, the effect of flight Mach number on the relative performance of pulse detonation engines and gas turbine engines is investigated. The effect of ram and mechanical compression on combustion inlet temperature and the subsequent sensible heat release is determined. Comparison of specific thrust, fuel consumption and impulse for the two engines show the relative benefits over the Mach number range.

  6. Hyperbaric nitrogen prolongs breath-holding time in humans.

    PubMed

    Morooka, H; Wakasugi, Y; Shimamoto, H; Shibata, O; Sumikawa, K

    2000-09-01

    Either an increase in PaCO(2) or a decrease in PaO(2), can affect respiratory stimulation through respiratory centers, thus influencing breath-holding time (BHT). This study was designed to determine whether and how hyperbaric air could influence BHT in comparison with hyperbaric oxygen in humans. We studied 36 healthy volunteers in a multiplace hyperbaric chamber. BHT, pulse oximeter, and transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension were measured at 1 and 2.8 atmosphere absolute (ATA) in two groups. Group A (n = 20) breathed air. Group O (n = 16) breathed oxygen with a face mask (5 L/min). BHTs were 108 +/- 28 s at 1.0 ATA and 230 +/- 71 s at 2.8 ATA in Group A, and 137 +/- 48 s at 1.0 ATA and 180 +/- 52 s at 2.8 ATA in Group O. Transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension in Group A (59 +/- 2 mm Hg) was higher than that in Group O (54 +/- 2 mm Hg) at the end of maximal breath-holding at 2.8 ATA. The prolongation of BHT in hyperbaric air is significantly greater than that in hyperbaric oxygen. Breath-holding time is significantly prolonged in hyperbaric air than it is in hyperbaric oxygen. The mechanism involves the anesthetic effect of nitrogen suppressing the suffocating feeling during breath-holding.

  7. Active water management at the cathode of a planar air-breathing polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell using an electroosmotic pump

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fabian, T.; O'Hayre, R.; Litster, S.; Prinz, F. B.; Santiago, J. G.

    In a typical air-breathing fuel cell design, ambient air is supplied to the cathode by natural convection and dry hydrogen is supplied to a dead-ended anode. While this design is simple and attractive for portable low-power applications, the difficulty in implementing effective and robust water management presents disadvantages. In particular, excessive flooding of the open-cathode during long-term operation can lead to a dramatic reduction of fuel cell power. To overcome this limitation, we report here on a novel air-breathing fuel cell water management design based on a hydrophilic and electrically conductive wick in conjunction with an electroosmotic (EO) pump that actively pumps water out of the wick. Transient experiments demonstrate the ability of the EO-pump to "resuscitate" the fuel cell from catastrophic flooding events, while longer term galvanostatic measurements suggest that the design can completely eliminate cathode flooding using less than 2% of fuel cell power, and lead to stable operation with higher net power performance than a control design without EO-pump. This demonstrates that active EO-pump water management, which has previously only been demonstrated in forced-convection fuel cell systems, can also be applied effectively to miniaturized (<5 W) air-breathing fuel cell systems.

  8. Test Capabilities and Recent Experiences in the NASA Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hodge, Jeffrey S.; Harvin, Stephen F.

    2000-01-01

    The NASA Langley 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel is a combustion-heated hypersonic blowdown-to-atmosphere wind tunnel that provides flight enthalpy simulation for Mach numbers of 4, 5, and 7 through an altitude range from 50,000 to 120,000 feet. The open-.jet test section is 8-ft. in diameter and 12-ft. long. The test section will accommodate large air-breathing hypersonic propulsion systems as well as structural and thermal protection system components. Stable wind tunnel test conditions can be provided for 60 seconds. Additional test capabilities are provided by a radiant heater system used to simulate ascent or entry heating profiles. The test medium is the combustion products of air and methane that are burned in a pressurized combustion chamber. Oxygen is added to the test medium for air-breathing propulsion tests so that the test gas contains 21 percent molar oxygen. The facility was modified extensively in the late 1980's to provide airbreathing propulsion testing capability. In this paper, a brief history and general description of the facility are presented along with a discussion of the types of supported testing. Recently completed tests are discussed to explain the capabilities this facility provides and to demonstrate the experience of the staff.

  9. Optimal Area Profiles for Ideal Single Nozzle Air-Breathing Pulse Detonation Engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Paxson, Daniel E.

    2003-01-01

    The effects of cross-sectional area variation on idealized Pulse Detonation Engine performance are examined numerically. A quasi-one-dimensional, reacting, numerical code is used as the kernel of an algorithm that iteratively determines the correct sequencing of inlet air, inlet fuel, detonation initiation, and cycle time to achieve a limit cycle with specified fuel fraction, and volumetric purge fraction. The algorithm is exercised on a tube with a cross sectional area profile containing two degrees of freedom: overall exit-to-inlet area ratio, and the distance along the tube at which continuous transition from inlet to exit area begins. These two parameters are varied over three flight conditions (defined by inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure and ambient static pressure) and the performance is compared to a straight tube. It is shown that compared to straight tubes, increases of 20 to 35 percent in specific impulse and specific thrust are obtained with tubes of relatively modest area change. The iterative algorithm is described, and its limitations are noted and discussed. Optimized results are presented showing performance measurements, wave diagrams, and area profiles. Suggestions for future investigation are also discussed.

  10. Assessment of flying-quality criteria for air-breathing aerospacecraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mcruer, Duane T.; Myers, Thomas T.; Hoh, Roger H.; Ashkenas, Irving L.; Johnston, Donald E.

    1992-01-01

    A study of flying quality requirements for air breathing aerospacecraft gives special emphasis to the unusual operational requirements and characteristics of these aircraft, including operation at hypersonic speed. The report considers distinguishing characteristics of these vehicles, including dynamic deficiencies and their implications for control. Particular emphasis is given to the interaction of the airframe and propulsion system, and the requirements for dynamic systems integration. Past operational missions are reviewed to define tasks and maneuvers to be considered for this class of aircraft. Areas of special concern with respect to vehicle dynamics and control are identified. Experience with the space shuttle orbiter is reviewed with respect to flight control system mechanization and flight experience in approach and landing flying qualities for the National Aerospace Plane (NASP).

  11. 30 CFR 250.610 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.610 Section 250... Well-Workover Operations § 250.610 Diesel engine air intakes. No later than May 31, 1989, diesel engine air intakes shall be equipped with a device to shut down the diesel engine in the event of runaway...

  12. 40 CFR 91.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Engine intake air temperature... Provisions § 91.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement... the supply system or in the air stream entering the engine. (b) The temperature measurements must be...

  13. 40 CFR 91.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Provisions § 91.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement... the supply system or in the air stream entering the engine. (b) The temperature measurements must be...

  14. 40 CFR 91.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Provisions § 91.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement... the supply system or in the air stream entering the engine. (b) The temperature measurements must be...

  15. 40 CFR 91.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Provisions § 91.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement... the supply system or in the air stream entering the engine. (b) The temperature measurements must be...

  16. Hypercarbic cardiorespiratory reflexes in the facultative air-breathing fish jeju (Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus): the role of branchial CO2 chemoreceptors.

    PubMed

    de Lima Boijink, Cheila; Florindo, Luiz Henrique; Leite, Cleo A Costa; Kalinin, Ana Lúcia; Milsom, William K; Rantin, Francisco Tadeu

    2010-08-15

    The aim of the present study was to determine the roles that externally versus internally oriented CO(2)/H(+)-sensitive chemoreceptors might play in promoting cardiorespiratory responses to environmental hypercarbia in the air-breathing fish, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus (jeju). Fish were exposed to graded hypercarbia (1, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20% CO(2)) and also to graded levels of environmental acidosis (pH approximately 7.0, 6.0, 5.8, 5.6, 5.3 and 4.7) equal to the pH levels of the hypercarbic water to distinguish the relative roles of CO(2) versus H(+). We also injected boluses of CO(2)-equilibrated solutions (5, 10 and 20% CO(2)) and acid solutions equilibrated to the same pH as the CO(2) boluses into the caudal vein (internal) and buccal cavity (external) to distinguish between internal and external stimuli. The putative location of the chemoreceptors was determined by bilateral denervation of branches of cranial nerves IX (glossopharyngeal) and X (vagus) to the gills. The data indicate that the chemoreceptors eliciting bradycardia, hypertension and gill ventilatory responses (increased frequency and amplitude) to hypercarbia are exclusively branchial, externally oriented and respond specifically to changes in CO(2) and not H(+). Those involved in producing the cardiovascular responses appeared to be distributed across all gill arches while those involved in the gill ventilatory responses were located primarily on the first gill arch. Higher levels of aquatic CO(2) depressed gill ventilation and stimulated air breathing. The chemoreceptors involved in producing air breathing in response to hypercarbia also appeared to be branchial, distributed across all gill arches and responded specifically to changes in aquatic CO(2). This would suggest that chemoreceptor groups with different orientations (blood versus water) are involved in eliciting air-breathing responses to hypercarbia in jeju.

  17. Electrochemical performance of an air-breathing direct methanol fuel cell using poly(vinyl alcohol)/hydroxyapatite composite polymer membrane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Chun-Chen; Chiu, Shwu-Jer; Lin, Che-Tseng

    A novel composite polymer membrane based on poly(vinyl alcohol)/hydroxyapatite (PVA/HAP) was successfully prepared by a solution casting method. The characteristic properties of the PVA/HAP composite polymer membranes were examined by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), micro-Raman spectroscopy and AC impedance method. An air-breathing DMFC, comprised of an air cathode electrode with MnO 2/BP2000 carbon inks on Ni-foam, an anode electrode with PtRu black on Ti-mesh, and the PVA/HAP composite polymer membrane, was assembled and studied. It was found that this alkaline DMFC showed an improved electrochemical performance at ambient temperature and pressure; the maximum peak power density of an air-breathing DMFC in 8 M KOH + 2 M CH 3OH solution is about 11.48 mW cm -2. From the application point of view, these composite polymer membranes show a high potential for the DMFC applications.

  18. 40 CFR 91.310 - Engine intake air humidity measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Engine intake air humidity measurement... Provisions § 91.310 Engine intake air humidity measurement. This section refers to engines which are supplied... air, the ambient testcell humidity measurement may be used. (a) Humidity conditioned air supply. Air...

  19. Firefighter's Breathing System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mclaughlan, P. B.; Giorgini, E. A.; Sullivan, J. L.; Simmonds, M. R.; Beck, E. J.

    1976-01-01

    System, based on open-loop demand-type compressed air concept, is lighter and less bulky than former systems, yet still provides thirty minutes of air supply. Comfort, visibility, donning time, and breathing resistance have been improved. Apparatus is simple to recharge and maintain and is comparable in cost to previously available systems.

  20. Engine bleed air reduction in DC-10

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Newman, W. H.; Viele, M. R.

    1980-01-01

    An 0.8 percent fuel savings was achieved by a reduction in engine bleed air through the use of cabin air recirculation. The recirculation system was evaluated in revenue service on a DC-10. The cabin remained comfortable with reductions in cabin fresh air (engine bleed air) as much as 50 percent. Flight test verified the predicted fuel saving of 0.8 percent.

  1. 30 CFR 250.510 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.510 Section 250.510 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF... Well-Completion Operations § 250.510 Diesel engine air intakes. Diesel engine air intakes must be...

  2. Understanding cathode flooding and dry-out for water management in air breathing PEM fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Paquin, Mathieu; Fréchette, Luc G.

    An analysis of water management in air breathing small polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is presented. Comprehensive understanding of flooding and dry-out limiting phenomena is presented through a combination of analytical modeling and experimental investigations using a small PEMFC prototype. Configurations of the fuel cell with different heat and mass transfer properties are experimentally evaluated to assess the impact of thermal resistance and mass transport resistance on water balance. Manifestation of dry-out and flooding problems, as limiting phenomena, are explained through a ratio between these two resistances. Main conclusions are that decreasing the ratio between thermal and mass transport resistance under a certain point leads to flooding problems in air breathing PEMFC. Increasing this ratio leads to dry-out of the polymer electrolyte membrane. However, too high thermal resistance or too low mass transport resistance reduces the limiting current by pushing forward the dry-out problem. This work provides a framework to achieve the proper balance between thermal rejection and mass transport to optimize the maximum current density of free convection fuel cells.

  3. 30 CFR 250.610 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.610 Section 250.610 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... Operations § 250.610 Diesel engine air intakes. No later than May 31, 1989, diesel engine air intakes shall...

  4. 30 CFR 250.510 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.510 Section 250.510 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... Operations § 250.510 Diesel engine air intakes. Diesel engine air intakes must be equipped with a device to...

  5. 30 CFR 250.510 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.510 Section 250.510 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... Operations § 250.510 Diesel engine air intakes. Diesel engine air intakes must be equipped with a device to...

  6. 30 CFR 250.510 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.510 Section 250.510 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR... Operations § 250.510 Diesel engine air intakes. Diesel engine air intakes must be equipped with a device to...

  7. Geometry Modeling and Adaptive Control of Air-Breathing Hypersonic Vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vick, Tyler Joseph

    Air-breathing hypersonic vehicles have the potential to provide global reach and affordable access to space. Recent technological advancements have made scramjet-powered flight achievable, as evidenced by the successes of the X-43A and X-51A flight test programs over the last decade. Air-breathing hypersonic vehicles present unique modeling and control challenges in large part due to the fact that scramjet propulsion systems are highly integrated into the airframe, resulting in strongly coupled and often unstable dynamics. Additionally, the extreme flight conditions and inability to test fully integrated vehicle systems larger than X-51 before flight leads to inherent uncertainty in hypersonic flight. This thesis presents a means to design vehicle geometries, simulate vehicle dynamics, and develop and analyze control systems for hypersonic vehicles. First, a software tool for generating three-dimensional watertight vehicle surface meshes from simple design parameters is developed. These surface meshes are compatible with existing vehicle analysis tools, with which databases of aerodynamic and propulsive forces and moments can be constructed. A six-degree-of-freedom nonlinear dynamics simulation model which incorporates this data is presented. Inner-loop longitudinal and lateral control systems are designed and analyzed utilizing the simulation model. The first is an output feedback proportional-integral linear controller designed using linear quadratic regulator techniques. The second is a model reference adaptive controller (MRAC) which augments this baseline linear controller with an adaptive element. The performance and robustness of each controller are analyzed through simulated time responses to angle-of-attack and bank angle commands, while various uncertainties are introduced. The MRAC architecture enables the controller to adapt in a nonlinear fashion to deviations from the desired response, allowing for improved tracking performance, stability, and

  8. Exploration Medical Capability System Engineering Overview

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mindock, J.; McGuire, K.

    2018-01-01

    Deep Space Gateway and Transport missions will change the way NASA currently practices medicine. The missions will require more autonomous capability compared to current low Earth orbit operations. For the medical system, lack of consumable resupply, evacuation opportunities, and real-time ground support are key drivers toward greater autonomy. Recognition of the limited mission and vehicle resources available to carry out exploration missions motivates the Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Element's approach to enabling the necessary autonomy. The ExMC Systems Engineering team's mission is to "Define, develop, validate, and manage the technical system design needed to implement exploration medical capabilities for Mars and test the design in a progression of proving grounds." The Element's work must integrate with the overall exploration mission and vehicle design efforts to successfully provide exploration medical capabilities. ExMC is using Model-Based System Engineering (MBSE) to accomplish its integrative goals. The MBSE approach to medical system design offers a paradigm shift toward greater integration between vehicle and the medical system, and directly supports the transition of Earth-reliant ISS operations to the Earth-independent operations envisioned for Mars. This talk will discuss how ExMC is using MBSE to define operational needs, decompose requirements and architecture, and identify medical capabilities needed to support human exploration. How MBSE is being used to integrate across disciplines and NASA Centers will also be described. The medical system being discussed in this talk is one system within larger habitat systems. Data generated within the medical system will be inputs to other systems and vice versa. This talk will also describe the next steps in model development that include: modeling the different systems that comprise the larger system and interact with the medical system, understanding how the various systems work together, and

  9. Deployable Engine Air Brake

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2014-01-01

    On approach, next-generation aircraft are likely to have airframe noise levels that are comparable to or in excess of engine noise. ATA Engineering, Inc. (ATA) is developing a novel quiet engine air brake (EAB), a device that generates "equivalent drag" within the engine through stream thrust reduction by creating a swirling outflow in the turbofan exhaust nozzle. Two Phase II projects were conducted to mature this technology: (1) a concept development program (CDP) and (2) a system development program (SDP).

  10. 40 CFR 89.325 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature measurement. 89.325 Section 89.325 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Test Equipment Provisions § 89.325 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air...

  11. 30 CFR 250.610 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.610 Section 250.610 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND... engine air intakes. No later than May 31, 1989, diesel engine air intakes shall be equipped with a device...

  12. 30 CFR 250.510 - Diesel engine air intakes.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Diesel engine air intakes. 250.510 Section 250.510 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS AND... engine air intakes. Diesel engine air intakes must be equipped with a device to shut down the diesel...

  13. Metabolic and thyroidal response in air-breathing perch (Anabas testudineus) to water-borne kerosene.

    PubMed

    Peter, Valsa S; Joshua, Elizabeth K; Wendelaar Bonga, Sjoerd E; Peter, M C Subhash

    2007-01-01

    To address the physiological compensatory adaptations in air-breathing fish to a toxicant, we studied the metabolite pattern, serum and liver enzymes and thyroidal response in a tropical air-breathing perch, Anabas testudineus (kept at 30 degrees C in a 12-h L:D cycle) after exposing the fish for 48h to the water-soluble fraction of kerosene. The concentrations of serum glucose (P <0.05), triglycerides (P <0.01) and liver total protein (P <0.05) were significantly increased in kerosene-exposed fish. The serum urea level, however, remained unaffected. A significant (P <0.05) increase in liver RNA occurred without changing the liver DNA concentration. Kerosene exposure decreased the level of aspartate aminotransferase activities in serum (P <0.001) and liver (P <0.05) but it increased (P <0.05) the liver alanine aminotransferase activity without changing its activity in serum. The levels of serum (P <0.01) and liver (P <0.001) lactate dehydrogenase activity were declined and the serum (P <0.05) and liver (P <0.05) alkaline phosphatase activity levels were elevated in kerosene-treated fish. The nominated levels (3.33-6.66ml/L) of kerosene significantly (P <0.01) elevated the thyroxine (T(4)) titre, and reduced (P <0.05) the triiodothyronine (T(3)) titre. The fish pretreated with either T(3) or T(4) and exposed to kerosene had a metabolic and thyroidal response that differed from that in control fish treated with kerosene: no rise in serum glucose was observed, nor in triglycerides, total protein and RNA in the liver, whereas declined levels of T(4) and T(3) were observed. The upregulation of the thyroid along with the marked metabolite changes point to a positive involvement of thyroid in energy metabolism during kerosene exposure. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the fish thyroid responds to the action of petroleum products and influences the metabolic homeostasis of this air-breathing fish.

  14. 42 CFR 84.141 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... respirators shall be respirable breathing air and contain no less than 19.5 volume-percent of oxygen. (b... Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from American..._locations.html. (c) Compressed, liquefied breathing air shall meet the applicable minimum grade requirements...

  15. Exercise in cold air and hydrogen peroxide release in exhaled breath condensate.

    PubMed

    Marek, E; Volke, J; Mückenhoff, K; Platen, P; Marek, W

    2013-01-01

    Athletes have changes in the lung epithelial cells caused by inhalation of cold and dry air. The exhaled breath condensate contains a number of mediators from the respiratory system and H(2)O(2) is described as a marker of airways inflammation. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of exercise combined with cold air on the H(2)O(2) release in the exhaled breath. Twelve males (23.1 ± 1.5 years) were randomly assigned at 2 different days (1 day rest) to perform a 50 min run (75-80% of their max. heart rate) under normal (N) laboratory (18.1 ± 1.1°C) or cold (C) field condition (-15.2 ± 3.1°C). Before and immediately after each run, the EBC was collected under laboratory conditions and was analyzed amperometrically. Prior to the two runs, H(2)O(2) concentrations were 145.0 ± 31.0 (N) and 160.0 ± 49.1 nmol/L (C) and theoretical release was 70.3 ± 37.1 (N) and 82.6 ± 27.1 pmol/min (C) (p > 0.05). After each run, H(2)O(2) concentration increased significantly to 388.0 ± 22.8 nmol/L (N) and 622.1 ± 44.2 nmol/L (C) (p < 0.05), along with an increase in the theoretical release: 249.2 ± 35.7 pmol/min (N) and 400.9 ± 35.7 pmol/min (C) (p < 0.05). We conclude that release of H(2)O(2) into the EBC takes place under both resting conditions and after exercise. The concentration and release of H(2)O(2) increased after exercise in cold air compared to resting and laboratory conditions, which points to an increase in inflammatory and oxidative stress.

  16. 40 CFR 91.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... measurement. 91.309 Section 91.309 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Provisions § 91.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement must be made within 100 cm of the air-intake of the engine. The measurement location must be either in...

  17. 40 CFR 89.325 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Test Equipment Provisions § 89.325 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement must be made within 122 cm of the engine. The measurement location must be made either...

  18. 40 CFR 89.325 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Test Equipment Provisions § 89.325 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement must be made within 122 cm of the engine. The measurement location must be made either...

  19. 40 CFR 89.325 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Engine intake air temperature... Test Equipment Provisions § 89.325 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement must be made within 122 cm of the engine. The measurement location must be made either...

  20. 40 CFR 89.325 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Test Equipment Provisions § 89.325 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air temperature measurement must be made within 122 cm of the engine. The measurement location must be made either...

  1. Breath air measurement using wide-band frequency tuning IR laser photo-acoustic spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kistenev, Yury V.; Borisov, Alexey V.; Kuzmin, Dmitry A.; Bulanova, Anna A.; Boyko, Andrey A.; Kostyukova, Nadezhda Y.; Karapuzikov, Alexey A.

    2016-03-01

    The results of measuring of biomarkers in breath air of patients with broncho-pulmonary diseases using wide-band frequency tuning IR laser photo-acoustic spectroscopy and the methods of data mining are presented. We will discuss experimental equipment and various methods of intellectual analysis of the experimental spectra in context of above task. The work was carried out with partial financial support of the FCPIR contract No 14.578.21.0082 (ID RFMEFI57814X0082).

  2. The absence of ion-regulatory suppression in the gills of the aquatic air-breathing fish Trichogaster lalius during oxygen stress.

    PubMed

    Huang, Chun-Yen; Lin, Hsueh-Hsi; Lin, Cheng-Huang; Lin, Hui-Chen

    2015-01-01

    The strategy for most teleost to survive in hypoxic or anoxic conditions is to conserve energy expenditure, which can be achieved by suppressing energy-consuming activities such as ion regulation. However, an air-breathing fish can cope with hypoxic stress using a similar adjustment or by enhancing gas exchange ability, both behaviorally and physiologically. This study examined Trichogaster lalius, an air-breathing fish without apparent gill modification, for their gill ion-regulatory abilities and glycogen utilization under a hypoxic treatment. We recorded air-breathing frequency, branchial morphology, and the expression of ion-regulatory proteins (Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and vacuolar-type H(+)-ATPase) in the 1(st) and 4(th) gills and labyrinth organ (LO), and the expression of glycogen utilization (GP, glycogen phosphorylase protein expression and glycogen content) and other protein responses (catalase, CAT; carbonic anhydrase II, CAII; heat shock protein 70, HSP70; hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, HIF-1α; proliferating cell nuclear antigen, PCNA; superoxidase dismutase, SOD) in the gills of T. lalius after 3 days in hypoxic and restricted conditions. No morphological modification of the 1(st) and 4(th) gills was observed. The air-breathing behavior of the fish and CAII protein expression both increased under hypoxia. Ion-regulatory abilities were not suppressed in the hypoxic or restricted groups, but glycogen utilization was enhanced within the groups. The expression of HIF-1α, HSP70 and PCNA did not vary among the treatments. Regarding the antioxidant system, decreased CAT enzyme activity was observed among the groups. In conclusion, during hypoxic stress, T. lalius did not significantly reduce energy consumption but enhanced gas exchange ability and glycogen expenditure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Airborne rotary air separator study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Acharya, A.; Gottzmann, C. F.; Nowobilski, J. J.

    1990-01-01

    Several air breathing propulsion concepts for future earth-to-orbit transport vehicles utilize air collection and enrichment, and subsequent storage of liquid oxygen for later use in the vehicle emission. Work performed during the 1960's established the feasibility of substantially reducing weight and volume of a distillation type air separator system by operating the distillation elements in high 'g' fields obtained by rotating the separator assembly. This contract studied the capability test and hydraulic behavior of a novel structured or ordered distillation packing in a rotating device using air and water. Pressure drop and flood points were measured for different air and water flow rates in gravitational fields of up to 700 g. Behavior of the packing follows the correlations previously derived from tests at normal gravity. The novel ordered packing can take the place of trays in a rotating air separation column with the promise of substantial reduction in pressure drop, volume, and system weight. The results obtained in the program are used to predict design and performance of rotary separators for air collection and enrichment systems of interest for past and present concepts of air breathing propulsion (single or two-stage to orbit) systems.

  4. Pulse Detonation Engines for High Speed Flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Povinelli, Louis A.

    2002-01-01

    Revolutionary concepts in propulsion are required in order to achieve high-speed cruise capability in the atmosphere and for low cost reliable systems for earth to orbit missions. One of the advanced concepts under study is the air-breathing pulse detonation engine. Additional work remains in order to establish the role and performance of a PDE in flight applications, either as a stand-alone device or as part of a combined cycle system. In this paper, we shall offer a few remarks on some of these remaining issues, i.e., combined cycle systems, nozzles and exhaust systems and thrust per unit frontal area limitations. Currently, an intensive experimental and numerical effort is underway in order to quantify the propulsion performance characteristics of this device. In this paper, we shall highlight our recent efforts to elucidate the propulsion potential of pulse detonation engines and their possible application to high-speed or hypersonic systems.

  5. Robust estimation-free prescribed performance back-stepping control of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles without affine models

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bu, Xiangwei; Wu, Xiaoyan; Huang, Jiaqi; Wei, Daozhi

    2016-11-01

    This paper investigates the design of a novel estimation-free prescribed performance non-affine control strategy for the longitudinal dynamics of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (AHV) via back-stepping. The proposed control scheme is capable of guaranteeing tracking errors of velocity, altitude, flight-path angle, pitch angle and pitch rate with prescribed performance. By prescribed performance, we mean that the tracking error is limited to a predefined arbitrarily small residual set, with convergence rate no less than a certain constant, exhibiting maximum overshoot less than a given value. Unlike traditional back-stepping designs, there is no need of an affine model in this paper. Moreover, both the tedious analytic and numerical computations of time derivatives of virtual control laws are completely avoided. In contrast to estimation-based strategies, the presented estimation-free controller possesses much lower computational costs, while successfully eliminating the potential problem of parameter drifting. Owing to its independence on an accurate AHV model, the studied methodology exhibits excellent robustness against system uncertainties. Finally, simulation results from a fully nonlinear model clarify and verify the design.

  6. Recent developments in turbomachinery component materials and manufacturing challenges for aero engine applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Srinivas, G.; Raghunandana, K.; Satish Shenoy, B.

    2018-02-01

    In the recent years the development of turbomachinery materials performance enhancement plays a vital role especially in aircraft air breathing engines like turbojet engine, turboprop engine, turboshaft engine and turbofan engines. Especially the transonic flow engines required highly sophisticated materials where it can sustain the entire thrust which can create by the engine. The main objective of this paper is to give an overview of the present cost-effective and technological capabilities process for turbomachinery component materials. Especially the main focus is given to study the Electro physical, Photonic additive removal process and Electro chemical process for turbomachinery parts manufacture. The aeronautical propulsion based technologies are reviewed thoroughly where in surface reliability, geometrical precession, and material removal and highly strengthened composite material deposition rates usually difficult to cut dedicated steels, Titanium and Nickel based alloys. In this paper the past aeronautical and propulsion mechanical based manufacturing technologies, current sophisticated technologies and also future challenging material processing techniques are covered. The paper also focuses on the brief description of turbomachinery components of shaping process and coating in aeromechanical applications.

  7. Stack air-breathing membraneless glucose microfluidic biofuel cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galindo-de-la-Rosa, J.; Moreno-Zuria, A.; Vallejo-Becerra, V.; Arjona, N.; Guerra-Balcázar, M.; Ledesma-García, J.; Arriaga, L. G.

    2016-11-01

    A novel stacked microfluidic fuel cell design comprising re-utilization of the anodic and cathodic solutions on the secondary cell is presented. This membraneless microfluidic fuel cell employs porous flow-through electrodes in a “V”-shape cell architecture. Enzymatic bioanodic arrays based on glucose oxidase were prepared by immobilizing the enzyme onto Toray carbon paper electrodes using tetrabutylammonium bromide, Nafion and glutaraldehyde. These electrodes were characterized through the scanning electrochemical microscope technique, evidencing a good electrochemical response due to the electronic transference observed with the presence of glucose over the entire of the electrode. Moreover, the evaluation of this microfluidic fuel cell with an air-breathing system in a double-cell mode showed a performance of 0.8951 mWcm-2 in a series connection (2.2822mAcm-2, 1.3607V), and 0.8427 mWcm-2 in a parallel connection (3.5786mAcm-2, 0.8164V).

  8. Defences against ammonia toxicity in tropical air-breathing fishes exposed to high concentrations of environmental ammonia: a review.

    PubMed

    Ip, Y K; Chew, S F; Wilson, J M; Randall, D J

    2004-10-01

    In the tropics, air-breathing fishes can be exposed to environmental ammonia when stranded in puddles of water during the dry season, during a stay inside a burrow, or after agricultural fertilization. At low concentrations of environmental ammonia, NH(3) excretion is impeded, as in aerial exposure, leading to the accumulation of endogenous ammonia. At high concentrations of environmental ammonia, which results in a reversed NH(3) partial pressure gradient (DeltaP(NH3)), there is retention of endogenous ammonia and uptake of exogenous ammonia. In this review, several tropical air-breathing fishes (giant mudskipper, African catfish, oriental weatherloach, swamp eel, four-eyed sleeper, abehaze and slender African lungfish), which can tolerate high environmental ammonia exposure, are used as examples to demonstrate how eight different adaptations can be involved in defence against ammonia toxicity. Four of these adaptations deal with ammonia toxicity at branchial and/or epithelial surfaces: (1) active excretion of NH(4)(+); (2) lowering of environmental pH; (3) low NH(3) permeability of epithelial surfaces; and (4) volatilization of NH(3), while another four adaptations ameliorate ammonia toxicity at the cellular and subcellular levels: (5) high tolerance of ammonia at the cellular and subcellular levels; (6) reduction in ammonia production; (7) glutamine synthesis; and (8) urea synthesis. The responses of tropical air-breathing fishes to high environmental ammonia are determined apparently by behavioural adaptations and the nature of their natural environments.

  9. The Aviation System Analysis Capability Air Carrier Cost-Benefit Model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gaier, Eric M.; Edlich, Alexander; Santmire, Tara S.; Wingrove, Earl R.., III

    1999-01-01

    To meet its objective of assisting the U.S. aviation industry with the technological challenges of the future, NASA must identify research areas that have the greatest potential for improving the operation of the air transportation system. Therefore, NASA is developing the ability to evaluate the potential impact of various advanced technologies. By thoroughly understanding the economic impact of advanced aviation technologies and by evaluating how the new technologies will be used in the integrated aviation system, NASA aims to balance its aeronautical research program and help speed the introduction of high-leverage technologies. To meet these objectives, NASA is building the Aviation System Analysis Capability (ASAC). NASA envisions ASAC primarily as a process for understanding and evaluating the impact of advanced aviation technologies on the U.S. economy. ASAC consists of a diverse collection of models and databases used by analysts and other individuals from the public and private sectors brought together to work on issues of common interest to organizations in the aviation community. ASAC also will be a resource available to the aviation community to analyze; inform; and assist scientists, engineers, analysts, and program managers in their daily work. The ASAC differs from previous NASA modeling efforts in that the economic behavior of buyers and sellers in the air transportation and aviation industries is central to its conception. Commercial air carriers, in particular, are an important stakeholder in this community. Therefore, to fully evaluate the implications of advanced aviation technologies, ASAC requires a flexible financial analysis tool that credibly links the technology of flight with the financial performance of commercial air carriers. By linking technical and financial information, NASA ensures that its technology programs will continue to benefit the user community. In addition, the analysis tool must be capable of being incorporated into the

  10. An Air Breathing Lithium-Oxygen Battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sayahpour, Baharak Sayah

    coating that effectively blocks the diffusion of the actual air components e.g., N2, CO2, and H2O and allowing only for Li ion transport. The Li-air battery developed in this work, which for the first time successfully operates in a realistic atmosphere with high cycle-life, is a promising step toward engineering the next generation of Li batteries with much higher specific energy density than Li-ion batteries.

  11. FAA Rotorcraft Research, Engineering, and Development Bibliography, 1962-1988. Supplement

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-03-01

    fires, the aircraft engine was the major fire origin for twin- and single- engine air - craft. Only in single- engine aircraft was the instrument panel a...Certification Issues. The topics of Operational Requirements, Procedures, Air - worthiness and Engineering Capabilities are discussed. Volume II presents the...Issues. The topics of Operational Requirements, Procedures, Air - worthiness and Engineering Capabilities are discussed. Volume II presents the operator

  12. CapDEM - Toward a Capability Engineering Process: A Discussion Paper

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-09-01

    Mokhtari DRDC Valcartier S. Lam DRDC Ottawa Defence R&D Canada – Valcartier Technical Report DRDC Valcartier TR 2004-230 September 2005 CapDEM...Toward a capability engineering process A discussion paper F. Bernier M. Couture G. Dussault C. Lalancette F. Lemieux M. Lizotte M. Mokhtari DRDC...Lizotte, M., Mokhtari , M. 2005. CapDEM – Toward capability engineering process definition: A discussion paper: A discussion paper. DRDC Valcartier

  13. The Advanced Modeling, Simulation and Analysis Capability Roadmap Vision for Engineering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zang, Thomas; Lieber, Mike; Norton, Charles; Fucik, Karen

    2006-01-01

    This paper summarizes a subset of the Advanced Modeling Simulation and Analysis (AMSA) Capability Roadmap that was developed for NASA in 2005. The AMSA Capability Roadmap Team was chartered to "To identify what is needed to enhance NASA's capabilities to produce leading-edge exploration and science missions by improving engineering system development, operations, and science understanding through broad application of advanced modeling, simulation and analysis techniques." The AMSA roadmap stressed the need for integration, not just within the science, engineering and operations domains themselves, but also across these domains. Here we discuss the roadmap element pertaining to integration within the engineering domain, with a particular focus on implications for future observatory missions. The AMSA products supporting the system engineering function are mission information, bounds on information quality, and system validation guidance. The Engineering roadmap element contains 5 sub-elements: (1) Large-Scale Systems Models, (2) Anomalous Behavior Models, (3) advanced Uncertainty Models, (4) Virtual Testing Models, and (5) space-based Robotics Manufacture and Servicing Models.

  14. Advanced control for airbreathing engines, volume 1: Pratt and Whitney

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ralph, J. A.

    1993-01-01

    The application of advanced control concepts to air breathing engines may yield significant improvements in aircraft/engine performance and operability. Screening studies of advanced control concepts for air breathing engines were conducted by three major domestic aircraft engine manufacturers to determine the potential impact of concepts on turbine engine performance and operability. The purpose of the studies was to identify concepts which offered high potential yet may incur high research and development risk. A target suite of proposed advanced control concepts was formulated and evaluated in a two phase study to quantify each concept's impact on desired engine characteristics. To aid in the evaluation specific aircraft/engine combinations were considered: a Military High Performance Fighter mission, a High Speed Civil Transport mission, and a Civil Tiltrotor mission. Each of the advanced control concepts considered in the study are defined and described. The concept potential impact on engine performance was determined. Relevant figures of merit on which to evaluate the concepts are determined. Finally, the concepts are ranked with respect to the target aircraft/engine missions. A final report describing the screening studies was prepared by each engine manufacturer. Volume 1 of these reports describes the studies performed by Pratt & Whitney.

  15. Australian Air Breathing Propulsion Research for Hypersonic, Beamed Energy-Propelled Vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Froning, David

    2010-05-01

    A three year laser-propelled vehicle analysis and design investigation has been begun in June, 2009 by Faculty and graduate students at the University of Adelaide under a Grant/Cooperative Agreement Award to the University of Adelaide by the Asian Office of Aerospace Research and Development (AOARD). The major objectives of thsis investigation are: (a) development of hypersonic, air breathing "lightcraft" with innovative air inlets that enable acceptable airflow capture and combustion, and acceptable cowl-lip heating rates during hot, high-speed, high angle-of-attack hypersonic flight; (b) yest of the most promising lightcraft and inlet design in the high power laser beam that is part of the shock tunnel facility at CTO Instituto in Brazil; and (c) plan a series of laser guided and propelled flights that achieve supersonic or higher speed at the Woomera Test Facility (WTF) in South Australia—using the existing WTF launching and tracking facilities and sponsor-provided laser pointing and tracking and illumination systems.

  16. Personal continuous air monitor

    DOEpatents

    Morgan, Ronald G.; Salazar, Samuel A.

    2000-01-01

    A personal continuous air monitor capable of giving immediate warning of the presence of radioactivity has a filter/detector head to be worn in the breathing zone of a user, containing a filter mounted adjacent to radiation detectors, and a preamplifier. The filter/detector head is connected to a belt pack to be worn at the waist or on the back of a user. The belt pack contains a signal processor, batteries, a multichannel analyzer, a logic circuit, and an alarm. An air pump also is provided in the belt pack for pulling air through the filter/detector head by way of an air tube.

  17. From breathing to respiration.

    PubMed

    Fitting, Jean-William

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of breathing remained an enigma for a long time. The Hippocratic school described breathing patterns but did not associate breathing with the lungs. Empedocles and Plato postulated that breathing was linked to the passage of air through pores of the skin. This was refuted by Aristotle who believed that the role of breathing was to cool the heart. In Alexandria, breakthroughs were accomplished in the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system. Later, Galen proposed an accurate description of the respiratory muscles and the mechanics of breathing. However, his heart-lung model was hampered by the traditional view of two non-communicating vascular systems - veins and arteries. After a period of stagnation in the Middle Ages, knowledge progressed with the discovery of pulmonary circulation. The comprehension of the purpose of breathing progressed by steps thanks to Boyle and Mayow among others, and culminated with the contribution of Priestley and the discovery of oxygen by Lavoisier. Only then was breathing recognized as fulfilling the purpose of respiration, or gas exchange. A century later, a controversy emerged concerning the active or passive transfer of oxygen from alveoli to the blood. August and Marie Krogh settled the dispute, showing that passive diffusion was sufficient to meet the oxygen needs. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. ISO 9000 and/or Systems Engineering Capability Maturity Model?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gholston, Sampson E.

    2002-01-01

    For businesses and organizations to remain competitive today they must have processes and systems in place that will allow them to first identify customer needs and then develop products/processes that will meet or exceed the customers needs and expectations. Customer needs, once identified, are normally stated as requirements. Designers can then develop products/processes that will meet these requirements. Several functions, such as quality management and systems engineering management are used to assist product development teams in the development process. Both functions exist in all organizations and both have a similar objective, which is to ensure that developed processes will meet customer requirements. Are efforts in these organizations being duplicated? Are both functions needed by organizations? What are the similarities and differences between the functions listed above? ISO 9000 is an international standard of goods and services. It sets broad requirements for the assurance of quality and for management's involvement. It requires organizations to document the processes and to follow these documented processes. ISO 9000 gives customers assurance that the suppliers have control of the process for product development. Systems engineering can broadly be defined as a discipline that seeks to ensure that all requirements for a system are satisfied throughout the life of the system by preserving their interrelationship. The key activities of systems engineering include requirements analysis, functional analysis/allocation, design synthesis and verification, and system analysis and control. The systems engineering process, when followed properly, will lead to higher quality products, lower cost products, and shorter development cycles. The System Engineering Capability Maturity Model (SE-CMM) will allow companies to measure their system engineering capability and continuously improve those capabilities. ISO 9000 and SE-CMM seem to have a similar objective, which

  19. Toxicity and bioconcentration of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in an air-breathing catfish, Saccobranchus fossilis (Bloch)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Khangarot, B.S.; Takroo, R.; Singh, R.R.

    1991-12-01

    The current study was undertaken to determine the sublethal toxicity of commercial grade hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) to a freshwater air-breathing catfish, Saccobranchus fossilis (Bloch) for 14 days. The bioconcentration of HCH and its distribution in gill, brain and liver was determined. This species was selected for the present study because it is widely distributed in ponds, lakes and rivers of India and consumed as human diet in many parts of the world.

  20. 14 CFR 23.1111 - Turbine engine bleed air system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Turbine engine bleed air system. 23.1111 Section 23.1111 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... Induction System § 23.1111 Turbine engine bleed air system. For turbine engine bleed air systems, the...

  1. 14 CFR 23.1111 - Turbine engine bleed air system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Turbine engine bleed air system. 23.1111 Section 23.1111 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... Induction System § 23.1111 Turbine engine bleed air system. For turbine engine bleed air systems, the...

  2. 14 CFR 23.1111 - Turbine engine bleed air system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Turbine engine bleed air system. 23.1111 Section 23.1111 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... Induction System § 23.1111 Turbine engine bleed air system. For turbine engine bleed air systems, the...

  3. 14 CFR 23.1111 - Turbine engine bleed air system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Turbine engine bleed air system. 23.1111 Section 23.1111 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... Induction System § 23.1111 Turbine engine bleed air system. For turbine engine bleed air systems, the...

  4. 14 CFR 23.1111 - Turbine engine bleed air system.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Turbine engine bleed air system. 23.1111 Section 23.1111 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION... Induction System § 23.1111 Turbine engine bleed air system. For turbine engine bleed air systems, the...

  5. 40 CFR 90.310 - Engine intake air humidity measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Engine intake air humidity measurement... Emission Test Equipment Provisions § 90.310 Engine intake air humidity measurement. This section refers to... for the engine intake air, the ambient test cell humidity measurement may be used. (a) Humidity...

  6. Socioeconomic disparities in indoor air, breath, and blood perchloroethylene level among adult and child residents of buildings with or without a dry cleaner.

    PubMed

    Storm, Jan E; Mazor, Kimberly A; Shost, Stephen J; Serle, Janet; Aldous, Kenneth M; Blount, Benjamin C

    2013-04-01

    In many cities, dry cleaners using perchloroethylene are frequently located in multifamily residential buildings and often cause elevated indoor air levels of perchloroethylene throughout the building. To assess individual perchloroethylene exposures associated with co-located dry cleaners, we measured perchloroethylene in residential indoor air, and in blood and breath of adults and children residing in buildings with a dry cleaner as part of the New York City (NYC) Perc Project. We also measured perchloroethylene in indoor air, and in blood and breath of residents of buildings without a dry cleaner for comparison. Here, we evaluate whether an environmental disparity in perchloroethylene exposures is present. Study participants are stratified by residential building type (dry cleaner or reference) and socioeconomic characteristics (race/ethnicity and income); measures of perchloroethylene exposure are examined; and, the influence of stratified variables and other factors on perchloroethylene exposure is assessed using multivariate regression. All measures of perchloroethylene exposure for residents of buildings with a dry cleaner indicated a socioeconomic disparity. Mean indoor air perchloroethylene levels were about five times higher in minority (82.5 ug/m(3)) than in non-minority (16.5 ug/m(3)) households, and about six times higher in low-income (105.5 ug/m(3)) than in high income (17.8 ug/m(3)) households. Mean blood perchloroethylene levels in minority children (0.27 ng/mL) and adults (0.46 ng/mL) were about two and three times higher than in non-minority children (0.12 ng/mL) and adults (0.15 ng/mL), respectively. Mean blood perchloroethylene levels in low income children (0.34 ng/mL) and adults (0.62 ng/mL) were about three and four times higher than in high income children (0.11 ng/mL) and adults (0.14 ng/mL), respectively. A less marked socioeconomic disparity was observed in perchloroethylene breath levels with minority and low income residents having

  7. 40 CFR 89.326 - Engine intake air humidity measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Engine intake air humidity measurement... Test Equipment Provisions § 89.326 Engine intake air humidity measurement. (a) Humidity conditioned air... type of intake air supply, the humidity measurements must be made within the intake air supply system...

  8. What is the most efficient respiratory organ for the loricariid air-breathing fish Pterygoplichthys anisitsi, gills or stomach? A quantitative morphological study.

    PubMed

    da Cruz, André Luis; Fernandes, Marisa Narciso

    2016-12-01

    The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the morphometric respiratory potential of gills compared to the stomach in obtaining oxygen for aerobic metabolism in Pterygoplichthys anisitsi, a facultative air-breathing fish. The measurements were done using stereological methods. The gills showed greater total volume, volume-to-body mass ratio, potential surface area, and surface-to-volume ratio than the stomach. The water-blood diffusion barrier of the gills is thicker than the air-blood diffusion barrier of the stomach. Taken together, the surface area, the surface-to-volume ratio and the diffusion distance for O 2 transfer from the respiratory medium to blood yield a greater diffusing capacity for gills than for the stomach, suggesting greater importance of aquatic respiration in this species. On the other hand, water breathing is energetically more expensive than breathing air. Under severe hypoxic conditions, O 2 uptake by the stomach is more efficient than by the gills, although the stomach has a much lower diffusing capacity. Thus, P. anisitsi uses gills under normoxic conditions but the stomach may also support aerobic metabolism depending on environmental conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  9. Rechargeable Lithium-Air Batteries: Development of Ultra High Specific Energy Rechargeable Lithium-Air Batteries Based on Protected Lithium Metal Electrodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    2010-07-01

    BEEST Project: PolyPlus is developing the world’s first commercially available rechargeable lithium-air (Li-Air) battery. Li-Air batteries are better than the Li-Ion batteries used in most EVs today because they breathe in air from the atmosphere for use as an active material in the battery, which greatly decreases its weight. Li-Air batteries also store nearly 700% as much energy as traditional Li-Ion batteries. A lighter battery would improve the range of EVs dramatically. Polyplus is on track to making a critical breakthrough: the first manufacturable protective membrane between its lithium–based negative electrode and the reaction chamber where it reacts with oxygenmore » from the air. This gives the battery the unique ability to recharge by moving lithium in and out of the battery’s reaction chamber for storage until the battery needs to discharge once again. Until now, engineers had been unable to create the complex packaging and air-breathing components required to turn Li-Air batteries into rechargeable systems.« less

  10. Determination of regional lung air volume distribution at mid-tidal breathing from computed tomography: a retrospective study of normal variability and reproducibility

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Determination of regional lung air volume has several clinical applications. This study investigates the use of mid-tidal breathing CT scans to provide regional lung volume data. Methods Low resolution CT scans of the thorax were obtained during tidal breathing in 11 healthy control male subjects, each on two separate occasions. A 3D map of air volume was derived, and total lung volume calculated. The regional distribution of air volume from centre to periphery of the lung was analysed using a radial transform and also using one dimensional profiles in three orthogonal directions. Results The total air volumes for the right and left lungs were 1035 +/− 280 ml and 864 +/− 315 ml, respectively (mean and SD). The corresponding fractional air volume concentrations (FAVC) were 0.680 +/− 0.044 and 0.658 +/− 0.062. All differences between the right and left lung were highly significant (p < 0.0001). The coefficients of variation of repeated measurement of right and left lung air volumes and FAVC were 6.5% and 6.9% and 2.5% and 3.6%, respectively. FAVC correlated significantly with lung space volume (r = 0.78) (p < 0.005). FAVC increased from the centre towards the periphery of the lung. Central to peripheral ratios were significantly higher for the right (0.100 +/− 0.007 SD) than the left (0.089 +/− 0.013 SD) (p < 0.0001). Conclusion A technique for measuring the distribution of air volume in the lung at mid-tidal breathing is described. Mean values and reproducibility are described for healthy male control subjects. Fractional air volume concentration is shown to increase with lung size. PMID:25063729

  11. Air-breathing aerospace plane development essential: Hypersonic propulsion flight tests

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mehta, Unmeel B.

    1994-01-01

    Hypersonic air-breathing propulsion utilizing scramjets can fundamentally change transatmospheric accelerators for low earth-to-orbit and return transportation. The value and limitations of ground tests, of flight tests, and of computations are presented, and scramjet development requirements are discussed. It is proposed that near full-scale hypersonic propulsion flight tests are essential for developing a prototype hypersonic propulsion system and for developing computational-design technology so that it can be used for designing this system. In order to determine how these objectives should be achieved, some lessons learned from past programs are presented. A conceptual two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) prototype/experimental aerospace plane is recommended as a means of providing access-to-space and for conducting flight tests. A road map for achieving these objectives is also presented.

  12. Correction of Temperatures of Air-Cooled Engine Cylinders for Variation in Engine and Cooling Conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schey, Oscar W; Pinkel, Benjamin; Ellerbrock, Herman H , Jr

    1939-01-01

    Factors are obtained from semiempirical equations for correcting engine-cylinder temperatures for variation in important engine and cooling conditions. The variation of engine temperatures with atmospheric temperature is treated in detail, and correction factors are obtained for various flight and test conditions, such as climb at constant indicated air speed, level flight, ground running, take-off, constant speed of cooling air, and constant mass flow of cooling air. Seven conventional air-cooled engine cylinders enclosed in jackets and cooled by a blower were tested to determine the effect of cooling-air temperature and carburetor-air temperature on cylinder temperatures. The cooling air temperature was varied from approximately 80 degrees F. to 230 degrees F. and the carburetor-air temperature from approximately 40 degrees F. to 160 degrees F. Tests were made over a large range of engine speeds, brake mean effective pressures, and pressure drops across the cylinder. The correction factors obtained experimentally are compared with those obtained from the semiempirical equations and a fair agreement is noted.

  13. Tuned intake air system for a rotary engine

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Corbett, W.D.

    This patent describes a rotary internal combustion engine for an outboard board motor. It comprises a plenum chamber attached to the rear of the engine; and the plenum chamber including an inner wall attached to the exhaust manifold; an inlet conduit connecting the cooling air exit passage and the inlet air opening; an outlet conduit connecting the outlet air opening and the combustion air inlet; and the outlet conduit terminating in a combustion air outlet in the inner wall of the plenum chamber.

  14. Tuned intake air inlet for a rotary engine

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Corbett, W.D.; Sheaffer, B.L.

    This patent describes, in a rotary internal combustion engine, an improved assembly for providing a balanced flow of combustion air to the fuel supply inlet. It comprises: a plenum chamber attached to the engine block, the plenum chamber including an air inlet adapted to receive air from the cooling air exit passage and an air outlet for the discharge of air; and an outlet conduit connecting the air outlet and the fuel supply inlet. The conduit disposed to partially surround the plenum chamber to provide a conduit length substantially greater than the distance from the cooling air exit passage totmore » he fuel supply inlet.« less

  15. Changes in Breath Trihalomethane Levels Resulting from Household Water-Use Activities

    PubMed Central

    Gordon, Sydney M.; Brinkman, Marielle C.; Ashley, David L.; Blount, Benjamin C.; Lyu, Christopher; Masters, John; Singer, Philip C.

    2006-01-01

    Common household water-use activities such as showering, bathing, drinking, and washing clothes or dishes are potentially important contributors to individual exposure to trihalomethanes (THMs), the major class of disinfection by-products of water treated with chlorine. Previous studies have focused on showering or bathing activities. In this study, we selected 12 common water-use activities and determined which may lead to the greatest THM exposures and result in the greatest increase in the internal dose. Seven subjects performed the various water-use activities in two residences served by water utilities with relatively high and moderate total THM levels. To maintain a consistent exposure environment, the activities, exposure times, air exchange rates, water flows, water temperatures, and extraneous THM emissions to the indoor air were carefully controlled. Water, indoor air, blood, and exhaled-breath samples were collected during each exposure session for each activity, in accordance with a strict, well-defined protocol. Although showering (for 10 min) and bathing (for 14 min), as well as machine washing of clothes and opening mechanical dishwashers at the end of the cycle, resulted in substantial increases in indoor air chloroform concentrations, only showering and bathing caused significant increases in the breath chloroform levels. In the case of bromodichloromethane (BDCM), only bathing yielded a significantly higher air level in relation to the preexposure concentration. For chloroform from showering, strong correlations were observed for indoor air and exhaled breath, blood and exhaled breath, indoor air and blood, and tap water and blood. Only water and breath, and blood and breath were significantly associated for chloroform from bathing. For BDCM, significant correlations were obtained for blood and air, and blood and water from showering. Neither dibromochloromethane nor bromoform gave measurable breath concentrations for any of the activities

  16. Validation of a new mixing chamber system for breath-by-breath indirect calorimetry.

    PubMed

    Kim, Do-Yeon; Robergs, Robert Andrew

    2012-02-01

    Limited validation research exists for applications of breath-by-breath systems of expired gas analysis indirect calorimetry (EGAIC) during exercise. We developed improved hardware and software for breath-by-breath indirect calorimetry (NEW) and validated this system as well as a commercial system (COM) against 2 methods: (i) mechanical ventilation with known calibration gas, and (ii) human subjects testing for 5 min each at rest and cycle ergometer exercise at 100 and 175 W. Mechanical calibration consisted of medical grade and certified calibration gas ((4.95% CO(2), 12.01% O(2), balance N(2)), room air (20.95% O(2), 0.03% CO(2), balance N(2)), and 100% nitrogen), and an air flow turbine calibrated with a 3-L calibration syringe. Ventilation was mimicked manually using complete 3-L calibration syringe manouvers at a rate of 10·min(-1) from a Douglas bag reservoir of calibration gas. The testing of human subjects was completed in a counterbalanced sequence based on 5 repeated tests of all conditions for a single subject. Rest periods of 5 and 10 min followed the 100 and 175 W conditions, respectively. COM and NEW had similar accuracy when tested with known ventilation and gas fractions. However, during human subjects testing COM significantly under-measured carbon dioxide gas fractions, over-measured oxygen gas fractions and minute ventilation, and resulted in errors to each of oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, and respiratory exchange ratio. These discrepant findings reveal that controlled ventilation and gas fractions are insufficient to validate breath-by-breath, and perhaps even time-averaged, systems of EGAIC. The errors of the COM system reveal the need for concern over the validity of commercial systems of EGAIC.

  17. 48 CFR 206.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; or engineering, development, or research capability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Industrial mobilization; or engineering, development, or research capability. 206.302-3 Section 206.302-3 Federal Acquisition... engineering, development, or research capability. ...

  18. 48 CFR 206.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; or engineering, development, or research capability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Industrial mobilization; or engineering, development, or research capability. 206.302-3 Section 206.302-3 Federal Acquisition... engineering, development, or research capability. ...

  19. 48 CFR 206.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; or engineering, development, or research capability.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Industrial mobilization; or engineering, development, or research capability. 206.302-3 Section 206.302-3 Federal Acquisition... engineering, development, or research capability. ...

  20. Survey of Aerothermodynamics Facilities Useful for the Design of Hypersonic Vehicles Using Air-Breathing Propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Arnold, James O.; Deiwert, G. S.

    1997-01-01

    The dream of producing an air-breathing, hydrogen fueled, hypervelocity aircraft has been before the aerospace community for decades. However, such a craft has not yet been realized, even in an experimental form. Despite the simplicity and beauty of the concept, many formidable problems must be overcome to make this dream a reality. This paper summarizes the aero/aerothermodynamic issues that must be addressed to make the dream a reality and discusses how aerothermodynamics facilities and their modem companion, real-gas computational fluid dynamics (CFD), can help solve the problems blocking the way to realizing the dream. The approach of the paper is first to outline the concept of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle and then discuss the nose-to-tail aerothermodynamics issues and special aerodynamic problems that arise with such a craft. Then the utility of aerothermodynamic facilities and companion CFD analysis is illustrated by reviewing results from recent United States publications wherein these problems have been addressed. Papers selected for the discussion have k e n chosen such that the review will serve to survey important U.S. aero/aerothermodynamic real gas and conventional wind tunnel facilities that are useful in the study of hypersonic, hydrogen propelled hypervelocity vehicles.

  1. A Ringdown Breath Analyzer for Diabetes Monitoring: Breath Acetone in Diabetic Patients.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Chuji; Mbi, Armstrong; Shepherd, Mark

    2008-03-01

    It is highly desirable for millions of diabetic patients to have a non-blood, non-invasive, point-of-care device for monitoring daily blood glucose (BG) levels and the adequacy of diabetic treatment and control. Cavity ringdown spectroscopy, due to its unique capability of high sensitivity, fast-response, and relatively low cost for instrumentation, has the potential for medical application through non-invasive analysis of breath biomarkers. We report the first ringdown acetone breath analyzer for clinic testing with diabetic outpatients. The instrument was set in a clinic center and 34 outpatients (24 T1D and 10 T2D) were tested during a four-day period. 10 T1D subjects and 15 nondiabetic persons were tested in our laboratory. Three juvenile-onset T1D subjects were selected for a 24-hr monitoring on the variations of breath acetone and simultaneous BG level. In this talk, we present our research findings including the correlations of breath acetone with BG level and A1C.

  2. Combustion engine. [for air pollution control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Houseman, J. (Inventor)

    1977-01-01

    An arrangement for an internal combustion engine is provided in which one or more of the cylinders of the engine are used for generating hydrogen rich gases from hydrocarbon fuels, which gases are then mixed with air and injected into the remaining cylinders to be used as fuel. When heavy load conditions are encountered, hydrocarbon fuel may be mixed with the hydrogen rich gases and air and the mixture is then injected into the remaining cylinders as fuel.

  3. Particle-bound benzene from diesel engine exhaust.

    PubMed

    Muzyka, V; Veimer, S; Shmidt, N

    1998-12-01

    The large surface area of the carbon core of diesel exhaust particles may contribute to the adsorption or condensation of such volatile carcinogenic organic compounds as benzene. The attention of this study focused on determining the distribution of benzene between the gas and particulate phases in the breathing zone of bus garage workers. Benzene and suspended particulate matter were evaluated jointly in the air of a municipal bus garage. Personal passive monitors were used for benzene sampling in the breathing zone of the workers. Active samplers were used for sampling diesel exhaust particles and the benzene associated with them. The benzene levels were measured by gas chromatography. Diesel engine exhaust from buses was the main source of air pollution caused by benzene and particles in this study. The concentration of benzene in the gas and particulate phases showed a wide range of variation, depending on the distance of the workplace from the operating diesel engine. Benzene present in the breathing zone of the workers was distributed between the gas and particulate phases. The amounts of benzene associated with particles were significantly lower in summer than in winter. The particulate matter of diesel exhaust contains benzene in amounts comparable to the concentrations of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and the usually found nitro-PAH. The concentration of benzene in the gas phase and in the suspended particulate matter of air can serve as an additional indicator of exposure to diesel exhaust and its carcinogenicity.

  4. Impact of Breathing 100% Oxygen on Radiation-Induced Cognitive Impairment

    PubMed Central

    Wheeler, Kenneth T.; Payne, Valerie; D’Agostino, Ralph B.; Walb, Matthew C.; Munley, Michael T.; Metheny-Barlow, Linda J.; Robbins, Mike E.

    2015-01-01

    Future space missions are expected to include increased extravehicular activities (EVAs) during which astronauts are exposed to high-energy space radiation while breathing 100% oxygen. Given that brain irradiation can lead to cognitive impairment, and that oxygen is a potent radiosensitizer, there is a concern that astronauts may be at greater risk of developing cognitive impairment when exposed to space radiation while breathing 100% O2 during an EVA. To address this concern, unanesthetized, unrestrained, young adult male Fischer 344 × Brown Norway rats were allowed to breathe 100% O2 for 30 min prior to, during and 2 h after whole-body irradiation with 0, 1, 3, 5 or 7 Gy doses of 18 MV X rays delivered from a medical linear accelerator at a dose rate of ~425 mGy/min. Irradiated and unirradiated rats breathing air (~21% O2) served as controls. Cognitive function was assessed 9 months postirradiation using the perirhinal cortex-dependent novel object recognition task. Cognitive function was not impaired until the rats breathing either air or 100% O2 received a whole-body dose of 7 Gy. However, at all doses, cognitive function of the irradiated rats breathing 100% O2 was improved over that of the irradiated rats breathing air. These data suggest that astronauts are not at greater risk of developing cognitive impairment when exposed to space radiation while breathing 100% O2 during an EVA. PMID:25338095

  5. Thermodynamic Analysis of Dual-Mode Scramjet Engine Operation and Performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Riggins, David; Tacket, Regan; Taylor, Trent; Auslender, Aaron

    2006-01-01

    Recent analytical advances in understanding the performance continuum (the thermodynamic spectrum) for air-breathing engines based on fundamental second-law considerations have clarified scramjet and ramjet operation, performance, and characteristics. Second-law based analysis is extended specifically in this work to clarify and describe the performance characteristics for dual-mode scramjet operation in the mid-speed range of flight Mach 4 to 7. This is done by a fundamental investigation of the complex but predictable interplay between heat release and irreversibilities in such an engine; results demonstrate the flow and performance character of the dual mode regime and of dual mode transition behavior. Both analytical and computational (multi-dimensional CFD) studies of sample dual-mode flow-fields are performed in order to demonstrate the second-law capability and performance and operability issues. The impact of the dual-mode regime is found to be characterized by decreasing overall irreversibility with increasing heat release, within the operability limits of the system.

  6. 40 CFR 90.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature measurement. 90.309 Section 90.309 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Emission Test Equipment Provisions § 90.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) The measurement...

  7. Cardiorespiratory adaptation to breath-holding in air: Analysis via a cardiopulmonary simulation model.

    PubMed

    Albanese, Antonio; Limei Cheng; Ursino, Mauro; Chbat, Nicolas W

    2015-01-01

    Apnea via breath-holding (BH) in air induces cardiorespiratory adaptation that involves the activation of several reflex mechanisms and their complex interactions. Hence, the effects of BH in air on cardiorespiratory function can become hardly predictable and difficult to be interpreted. Particularly, the effect on heart rate is not yet completely understood because of the contradicting results of different physiological studies. In this paper we apply our previously developed cardiopulmonary model (CP Model) to a scenario of BH with a twofold intent: (1) further validating the CP Model via comparison against experimental data; (2) gaining insights into the physiological reasoning for such contradicting experimental results. Model predictions agreed with published experimental animal and human data and indicated that heart rate increases during BH in air. Changes in the balance between sympathetic and vagal effects on heart rate within the model proved to be effective in inverting directions of the heart rate changes during BH. Hence, the model suggests that intra-subject differences in such sympatho-vagal balance may be one of the reasons for the contradicting experimental results.

  8. Far Noise Field of Air Jets and Jet Engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Callaghan, Edmund E; Coles, Willard D

    1957-01-01

    An experimental investigation was conducted to study and compare the acoustic radiation of air jets and jet engines. A number of different nozzle-exit shapes were studied with air jets to determine the effect of exit shape on noise generation. Circular, square, rectangular, and elliptical convergent nozzles and convergent-divergent and plug nozzles were investigated. The spectral distributions of the sound power for the engine and the air jet were in good agreement for the case where the engine data were not greatly affected by reflection or jet interference effects. Such power spectra for a subsonic or slightly choked engine or air jet show that the peaks of the spectra occur at a Strouhal number of 0.3.

  9. Development of a Premixed Combustion Capability for Scramjet Combustion Experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rockwell, Robert D.; Goyne, Christopher P.; Rice, Brian E.; Chelliah, Harsha; McDaniel, James C.; Edwards, Jack R.; Cantu, Luca M. L.; Gallo, Emanuela C. A.; Cutler, Andrew D.; Danehy, Paul M.

    2015-01-01

    Hypersonic air-breathing engines rely on scramjet combustion processes, which involve high speed, compressible, and highly turbulent flows. The combustion environment and the turbulent flames at the heart of these engines are difficult to simulate and study in the laboratory under well controlled conditions. Typically, wind-tunnel testing is performed that more closely approximates engine testing rather than a careful investigation of the underlying physics that drives the combustion process. The experiments described in this paper, along with companion data sets being developed separately, aim to isolate the chemical kinetic effects from the fuel-air mixing process in a dual-mode scramjet combustion environment. A unique fuel injection approach is taken that produces a nearly uniform fuel-air mixture at the entrance to the combustor. This approach relies on the precombustion shock train upstream of the dual-mode scramjet combustor. A stable ethylene flame anchored on a cavity flameholder with a uniformly mixed combustor inflow has been achieved in these experiments allowing numerous companion studies involving coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), particle image velocimetry (PIV), and planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) to be performed.

  10. Dissociation and Recombination Effects on the Performance of Pulse Detonation Engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Povinelli, Louis A.

    2003-01-01

    This paper summarizes major theoretical results for pulse detonation engine performance taking into account real gas chemistry, as well as significant performance differences resulting from the presence of ram and compression heating. An unsteady CFD analysis, as well as a thermodynamic cycle analysis, was conducted in order to determine the actual and the ideal performance for an air-breathing pulse detonation engine (PDE) using either a hydrogen-air or ethylene-air mixture over a flight Mach number range from 0 to 4. The results clearly elucidate the competitive regime of PDE application relative to ramjets and gas turbines.

  11. A Historical Systems Study of Liquid Rocket Engine Throttling Capabilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Betts, Erin M.; Frederick, Robert A., Jr.

    2010-01-01

    This is a comprehensive systems study to examine and evaluate throttling capabilities of liquid rocket engines. The focus of this study is on engine components, and how the interactions of these components are considered for throttling applications. First, an assessment of space mission requirements is performed to determine what applications require engine throttling. A background on liquid rocket engine throttling is provided, along with the basic equations that are used to predict performance. Three engines are discussed that have successfully demonstrated throttling. Next, the engine system is broken down into components to discuss special considerations that need to be made for engine throttling. This study focuses on liquid rocket engines that have demonstrated operational capability on American space launch vehicles, starting with the Apollo vehicle engines and ending with current technology demonstrations. Both deep throttling and shallow throttling engines are discussed. Boost and sustainer engines have demonstrated throttling from 17% to 100% thrust, while upper stage and lunar lander engines have demonstrated throttling in excess of 10% to 100% thrust. The key difficulty in throttling liquid rocket engines is maintaining an adequate pressure drop across the injector, which is necessary to provide propellant atomization and mixing. For the combustion chamber, cooling can be an issue at low thrust levels. For turbomachinery, the primary considerations are to avoid cavitation, stall, surge, and to consider bearing leakage flows, rotordynamics, and structural dynamics. For valves, it is necessary to design valves and actuators that can achieve accurate flow control at all thrust levels. It is also important to assess the amount of nozzle flow separation that can be tolerated at low thrust levels for ground testing.

  12. Smart sensor systems for human health breath monitoring applications.

    PubMed

    Hunter, G W; Xu, J C; Biaggi-Labiosa, A M; Laskowski, D; Dutta, P K; Mondal, S P; Ward, B J; Makel, D B; Liu, C C; Chang, C W; Dweik, R A

    2011-09-01

    Breath analysis techniques offer a potential revolution in health care diagnostics, especially if these techniques can be brought into standard use in the clinic and at home. The advent of microsensors combined with smart sensor system technology enables a new generation of sensor systems with significantly enhanced capabilities and minimal size, weight and power consumption. This paper discusses the microsensor/smart sensor system approach and provides a summary of efforts to migrate this technology into human health breath monitoring applications. First, the basic capability of this approach to measure exhaled breath associated with exercise physiology is demonstrated. Building from this foundation, the development of a system for a portable asthma home health care system is described. A solid-state nitric oxide (NO) sensor for asthma monitoring has been identified, and efforts are underway to miniaturize this NO sensor technology and integrate it into a smart sensor system. It is concluded that base platform microsensor technology combined with smart sensor systems can address the needs of a range of breath monitoring applications and enable new capabilities for healthcare.

  13. Overview of NASA MSFC IEC Federated Engineering Collaboration Capability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moushon, Brian; McDuffee, Patrick

    2005-01-01

    The MSFC IEC federated engineering framework is currently developing a single collaborative engineering framework across independent NASA centers. The federated approach allows NASA centers the ability to maintain diversity and uniqueness, while providing interoperability. These systems are integrated together in a federated framework without compromising individual center capabilities. MSFC IEC's Federation Framework will have a direct affect on how engineering data is managed across the Agency. The approach is directly attributed in response to the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAB) finding F7.4-11 which states the Space Shuttle Program has a wealth of data sucked away in multiple databases without a convenient way to integrate and use the data for management, engineering, or safety decisions. IEC s federated capability is further supported by OneNASA recommendation 6 that identifies the need to enhance cross-Agency collaboration by putting in place common engineering and collaborative tools and databases, processes, and knowledge-sharing structures. MSFC's IEC Federated Framework is loosely connected to other engineering applications that can provide users with the integration needed to achieve an Agency view of the entire product definition and development process, while allowing work to be distributed across NASA Centers and contractors. The IEC DDMS federation framework eliminates the need to develop a single, enterprise-wide data model, where the goal of having a common data model shared between NASA centers and contractors is very difficult to achieve.

  14. Metabolic breath analyzer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perry, C. L.

    1971-01-01

    Instrument measures metabolic breathing rate and dynamics of human beings in atmospheres ranging from normal air to 100 percent oxygen at ambient pressures from 14.7 to 3.0 psia. Measurements are made at rest or performing tasks up to maximum physical capacity under either zero or normal gravity.

  15. Life and Breath

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellis, Helen D.

    1974-01-01

    This article describes a public education program combining the screening process and a follow-up program for teaching victims of emphysema and other respiratory diseases how to better their living condition through proper breathing, avoidance of air pollutants and cigarette smoking, and taking better care of themselves physically. (PD)

  16. Propulsion integration of hypersonic air-breathing vehicles utilizing a top-down design methodology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirkpatrick, Brad Kenneth

    In recent years, a focus of aerospace engineering design has been the development of advanced design methodologies and frameworks to account for increasingly complex and integrated vehicles. Techniques such as parametric modeling, global vehicle analyses, and interdisciplinary data sharing have been employed in an attempt to improve the design process. The purpose of this study is to introduce a new approach to integrated vehicle design known as the top-down design methodology. In the top-down design methodology, the main idea is to relate design changes on the vehicle system and sub-system level to a set of over-arching performance and customer requirements. Rather than focusing on the performance of an individual system, the system is analyzed in terms of the net effect it has on the overall vehicle and other vehicle systems. This detailed level of analysis can only be accomplished through the use of high fidelity computational tools such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) or Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The utility of the top-down design methodology is investigated through its application to the conceptual and preliminary design of a long-range hypersonic air-breathing vehicle for a hypothetical next generation hypersonic vehicle (NHRV) program. System-level design is demonstrated through the development of the nozzle section of the propulsion system. From this demonstration of the methodology, conclusions are made about the benefits, drawbacks, and cost of using the methodology.

  17. Guaranteed cost control with poles assignment for a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Hongyi; Si, Yulin; Wu, Ligang; Hu, Xiaoxiang; Gao, Huijun

    2011-05-01

    This article investigates the problem of guaranteed cost control for a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (FAHV). The FAHV includes intricate coupling between the engine and flight dynamics as well as complex interplay between flexible and rigid modes, which results in an intractable system for the control design. A longitudinal model is adopted for control design due to the complexity of the vehicle. First, for a highly nonlinear and coupled FAHV, a linearised model is established around the trim condition, which includes the state of altitude, velocity, angle of attack, pitch angle and pitch rate, etc. Secondly, by using the Lyapunov approach, performance analysis is carried out for the resulting closed-loop FAHV system, whose criterion with respect to guaranteed performance cost and poles assignment is expressed in the framework of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The established criterion exhibits a kind of decoupling between the Lyapunov positive-definite matrices to be determined and the FAHV system matrices, which is enabled by the introduction of additional slack matrix variables. Thirdly, a convex optimisation problem with LMI constraints is formulated for designing an admissible controller, which guarantees a prescribed performance cost with the simultaneous consideration of poles assignment for the resulting closed-loop system. Finally, some simulation results are provided to show that the guaranteed cost controller could assign the poles into the desired regional and achieve excellent reference altitude and velocity tracking performance.

  18. Was the appearance of surfactants in air breathing vertebrates ultimately the cause of decompression sickness and autoimmune disease?

    PubMed

    Arieli, Ran

    2015-01-15

    All air breathing vertebrates are endowed with pulmonary surfactants, surface-active lipoprotein complexes formed by type II alveolar cells. Surfactants are deposited in clearly defined areas on the luminal aspect of blood vessels, producing hydrophobic spots. Gas nanobubbles measuring 5-100nm form spontaneously on the smooth hydrophobic spot from dissolved gas. Bubbles nucleate and grow at these spots after decompression from high pressure. Proteins with hydrophobic regions circulating in the blood will adhere to the gas phase-plasma interface. Deformation of their secondary and tertiary configuration will present them as foreign molecules or autoantigens. Components of the intact protein which are also present in a deformed protein may be recognized as foreign too. This process is proposed as the trigger for autoimmune diseases. The presence of autoimmune disease in air breathing vertebrates, increased autoimmunity and the elevated risk of decompression sickness with age, as well as variable sensitivity to both diseases, can be matched with the appearance of surfactant spots. Eliminating these spots may provide protection against both diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Dual gas-diffusion membrane- and mediatorless dihydrogen/air-breathing biofuel cell operating at room temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Hong-qi; So, Keisei; Kitazumi, Yuki; Shirai, Osamu; Nishikawa, Koji; Higuchi, Yoshiki; Kano, Kenji

    2016-12-01

    A membraneless direct electron transfer (DET)-type dihydrogen (H2)/air-breathing biofuel cell without any mediator was constructed wherein bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria (BOD) and membrane-bound [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F (MBH) were used as biocatalysts for the cathode and the anode, respectively, and Ketjen black-modified water proof carbon paper (KB/WPCC) was used as an electrode material. The KB/WPCC surface was modified with 2-aminobenzoic acid and p-phenylenediamine, respectively, to face the positively charged electron-accepting site of BOD and the negatively charged electron-donating site of MBH to the electrode surface. A gas-diffusion system was employed for the electrodes to realize high-speed substrate supply. As result, great improvement in the current density of O2 reduction with BOD and H2 reduction with MBH were realized at negatively and postively charged surfaces, respectively. Gas diffusion system also suppressed the oxidative inactivation of MBH at high electrode potentials. Finally, based on the improved bioanode and biocathode, a dual gas-diffusion membrane- and mediatorless H2/air-breathing biofuel cell was constructed. The maximum power density reached 6.1 mW cm-2 (at 0.72 V), and the open circuit voltage was 1.12 V using 1 atm of H2 gas as a fuel at room temperature and under passive and quiescent conditions.

  20. Aircraft Engine Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Veres, Joseph P.

    2003-01-01

    The objective is to develop the capability to numerically model the performance of gas turbine engines used for aircraft propulsion. This capability will provide turbine engine designers with a means of accurately predicting the performance of new engines in a system environment prior to building and testing. The 'numerical test cell' developed under this project will reduce the number of component and engine tests required during development. As a result, the project will help to reduce the design cycle time and cost of gas turbine engines. This capability will be distributed to U.S. turbine engine manufacturers and air framers. This project focuses on goals of maintaining U.S. superiority in commercial gas turbine engine development for the aeronautics industry.

  1. Self-collected breath sampling for monitoring low-level benzene exposures among automobile mechanics.

    PubMed

    Egeghy, Peter P; Nylander-French, Leena; Gwin, Kristin K; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Rappaport, Stephen M

    2002-07-01

    Automobile mechanics are exposed to benzene through their contact with gasoline vapor and engine exhaust. This study investigated the benzene uptake associated with these exposures. We first evaluated the reliability of self-collected breath samples among a subset of subjects and found good agreement between these samples and those collected under expert supervision (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.79, n = 69). We then used self-monitoring together with a longitudinal sampling design (with up to three measurements per worker) to measure benzene in air and benzene in end-exhaled breath among 81 workers from 12 automobile repair garages in North Carolina. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001, Mann-Whitney rank sum test) was observed between non-smokers and smokers for post-exposure benzene concentration in breath (median values of 18.9 and 39.1 micro g/m(3), respectively). Comparing pre- and post-exposure breath concentrations within these two groups, the difference was significant among non-smokers (P < 0.0001) but not significant among smokers (P > 0.05). Mixed effects regression analysis using backwards elimination yielded five significant predictors of benzene concentration in breath, namely benzene exposure (P < 0.0001), pre-exposure benzene concentration in breath (P = 0.021), smoking status (P < 0.0001), fuel system work (P = 0.0043) and carburetor cleaner use (P < 0.0001). The between-person variance component comprised only 28% of the total variance in benzene levels in breath, indicating that differences among individuals related to physiological and metabolic characteristics had little influence on benzene uptake among these workers.

  2. Development of NASA Technical Standards Program Relative to Enhancing Engineering Capabilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gill, Paul S.; Vaughan, William W.

    2003-01-01

    The enhancement of engineering capabilities is an important aspect of any organization; especially those engaged in aerospace development activities. Technical Standards are one of the key elements of this endeavor. The NASA Technical Standards Program was formed in 1997 in response to the NASA Administrator s directive to develop an Agencywide Technical Standards Program. The Program s principal objective involved the converting Center-unique technical standards into Agency wide standards and the adoption/endorsement of non-Government technical standards in lieu of government standards. In the process of these actions, the potential for further enhancement of the Agency s engineering capabilities was noted relative to value of being able to access Agencywide the necessary full-text technical standards, standards update notifications, and integration of lessons learned with technical standards, all available to the user from one Website. This was accomplished and is now being enhanced based on feedbacks from the Agency's engineering staff and supporting contractors. This paper addresses the development experiences with the NASA Technical Standards Program and the enhancement of the Agency's engineering capabilities provided by the Program s products. Metrics are provided on significant aspects of the Program.

  3. Closed-loop air cooling system for a turbine engine

    DOEpatents

    North, William Edward

    2000-01-01

    Method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a closed-loop air cooling system for a turbine engine. The method and apparatus provide for bleeding pressurized air from a gas turbine engine compressor for use in cooling the turbine components. The compressed air is cascaded through the various stages of the turbine. At each stage a portion of the compressed air is returned to the compressor where useful work is recovered.

  4. 42 CFR 84.141 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Supplied-Air...) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable minimum grade requirements for Type I gaseous air set forth in the Compressed Gas Association Commodity Specification for Air, G-7.1, 1966 (Grade D or...

  5. 42 CFR 84.141 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Supplied-Air...) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable minimum grade requirements for Type I gaseous air set forth in the Compressed Gas Association Commodity Specification for Air, G-7.1, 1966 (Grade D or...

  6. 42 CFR 84.141 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Supplied-Air...) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable minimum grade requirements for Type I gaseous air set forth in the Compressed Gas Association Commodity Specification for Air, G-7.1, 1966 (Grade D or...

  7. 42 CFR 84.141 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Supplied-Air...) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable minimum grade requirements for Type I gaseous air set forth in the Compressed Gas Association Commodity Specification for Air, G-7.1, 1966 (Grade D or...

  8. Augmentor transient capability of an F100 engine equipped with a digital electronic engine control

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burcham, F. W., Jr.; Pai, G. D.

    1984-01-01

    An F100 augmented turbofan engine equipped with digital electronic engine control (DEEC) system was evaluated. The engine was equipped with a specially modified augmentor to provide improved steady state and transient augmentor capability. The combination of the DEEC and the modified augmentor was evaluated in sea level and altitude facility tests and then in four different flight phases in an F-15 aircraft. The augmentor configuration, logic, and test results are presented.

  9. Portable breathing system. [a breathing apparatus using a rebreathing system of heat exchangers for carbon dioxide removal

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lovell, J. S. (Inventor)

    1979-01-01

    A semiclosed-loop rebreathing system is discussed for use in a hostile environment. A packed bed regenerative heat exchanger providing two distinct temperature humidity zones of breathing gas with one zone providing cool, relatively dry air and the second zone providing hot, moist air is described.

  10. Diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione in breathing zone and area air during large-scale commercial coffee roasting, blending and grinding processes.

    PubMed

    McCoy, Michael J; Hoppe Parr, Kimberly A; Anderson, Kim E; Cornish, Jim; Haapala, Matti; Greivell, John

    2017-01-01

    Recently described scientific literature has identified the airborne presence of 2,3-butanedione (diacetyl) and 2,3-pentanedione at concentrations approaching or potentially exceeding the current American Conference of Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) at commercial coffee roasting and production facilities. Newly established National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limits for diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione are even more conservative. Chronic exposure to these alpha-diketones at elevated airborne concentrations has been associated with lung damage, specifically bronchiolitis obliterans, most notably in industrial food processing facilities. Workers at a large commercial coffee roaster were monitored for both eight-hour and task-based, short-term, 15-min sample durations for airborne concentrations of these alpha-diketones during specific work processes, including the coffee bean roasting, blending and grinding processes, during two separate 8-h work periods. Additionally, the authors performed real-time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of the workers' breathing zone as well as the area workplace air for the presence of organic compounds to determine the sources, as well as quantitate and identify various organic compounds proximal to the roasting and grinding processes. Real-time FTIR measurements provided both the identification and quantitation of diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione, as well as other organic compounds generated during coffee bean roasting and grinding operations. Airborne concentrations of diacetyl in the workers' breathing zone, as eight-hour time-weighted averages were less than the ACGIH TLVs for diacetyl, while concentrations of 2,3-pentanedione were below the limit of detection in all samples. Short-term breathing zone samples revealed airborne concentrations for diacetyl that exceeded the ACGIH short-term exposure limit of 0.02 parts per million (ppm) in

  11. A brief review on the recent advances in scramjet engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choubey, Gautam; Pandey, K. M.; Maji, Ambarish; Deshamukhya, Tuhin

    2017-07-01

    The scramjet engine is the most favourable air breathing propulsive system and suitable option for high-speed flight (Ma<4). Several scientists across the globe are continuously working on the advancement of the high-speed scramjet engine due to its implementation in the military missiles, low-cost access to space etc. The mixing phenomena associated with air and fuel is the salient feature for the effective combustion process and the fuel and air should be mixed adequately before entering into the combustor. But the key challenges associated with scramjet engine are the high speed of air inside the combustor and low residence time which actually deteriorate the combustion phenomena. That's why numerous computational, as well as experimental researches are being carried out by several researchers. The flow-field inside the scramjet engine is very complex. Hence an elaborated approach of the complicated combustion and mixing process inside the combustor is essential for the upgradation of the effective scramjet engine. This paper clearly signifies a brief review of the current development in scramjet engine.

  12. System and method for conditioning intake air to an internal combustion engine

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sellnau, Mark C.

    A system for conditioning the intake air to an internal combustion engine includes a means to boost the pressure of the intake air to the engine and a liquid cooled charge air cooler disposed between the output of the boost means and the charge air intake of the engine. Valves in the coolant system can be actuated so as to define a first configuration in which engine cooling is performed by coolant circulating in a first coolant loop at one temperature, and charge air cooling is performed by coolant flowing in a second coolant loop at a lower temperature. Themore » valves can be actuated so as to define a second configuration in which coolant that has flowed through the engine can be routed through the charge air cooler. The temperature of intake air to the engine can be controlled over a wide range of engine operation.« less

  13. Working characteristics of variable intake valve in compressed air engine.

    PubMed

    Yu, Qihui; Shi, Yan; Cai, Maolin

    2014-01-01

    A new camless compressed air engine is proposed, which can make the compressed air energy reasonably distributed. Through analysis of the camless compressed air engine, a mathematical model of the working processes was set up. Using the software MATLAB/Simulink for simulation, the pressure, temperature, and air mass of the cylinder were obtained. In order to verify the accuracy of the mathematical model, the experiments were conducted. Moreover, performance analysis was introduced to design compressed air engine. Results show that, firstly, the simulation results have good consistency with the experimental results. Secondly, under different intake pressures, the highest output power is obtained when the crank speed reaches 500 rpm, which also provides the maximum output torque. Finally, higher energy utilization efficiency can be obtained at the lower speed, intake pressure, and valve duration angle. This research can refer to the design of the camless valve of compressed air engine.

  14. Identification of breathing cracks in a beam structure with entropy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wimarshana, Buddhi; Wu, Nan; Wu, Christine

    2016-04-01

    A cantilever beam with a breathing crack is studied to detect and evaluate the crack using entropy measures. Closed cracks in engineering structures lead to proportional complexities to their vibration responses due to weak bi-linearity imposed by the crack breathing phenomenon. Entropy is a measure of system complexity and has the potential in quantifying the complexity. The weak bi-linearity in vibration signals can be amplified using wavelet transformation to increase the sensitivity of the measurements. A mathematical model of harmonically excited unit length steel cantilever beam with a breathing crack located near the fixed end is established, and an iterative numerical method is applied to generate accurate time domain dynamic responses. The bi-linearity in time domain signals due to the crack breathing are amplified by wavelet transformation first, and then the complexities due to bi-linearity is quantified using sample entropy to detect the possible crack and estimate the crack depth. It is observed that the method is capable of identifying crack depths even at very early stages of 3% with the increase in the entropy values more than 10% compared with the healthy beam. The current study extends the entropy based damage detection of rotary machines to structural analysis and takes a step further in high-sensitivity structural health monitoring by combining wavelet transformation with entropy calculations. The proposed technique can also be applied to other types of structures, such as plates and shells.

  15. The diving paradox: new insights into the role of the dive response in air-breathing vertebrates.

    PubMed

    Davis, Randall W; Polasek, Lori; Watson, Rebecca; Fuson, Amanda; Williams, Terrie M; Kanatous, Shane B

    2004-07-01

    When aquatic reptiles, birds and mammals submerge, they typically exhibit a dive response in which breathing ceases, heart rate slows, and blood flow to peripheral tissues is reduced. The profound dive response that occurs during forced submergence sequesters blood oxygen for the brain and heart while allowing peripheral tissues to become anaerobic, thus protecting the animal from immediate asphyxiation. However, the decrease in peripheral blood flow is in direct conflict with the exercise response necessary for supporting muscle metabolism during submerged swimming. In free diving animals, a dive response still occurs, but it is less intense than during forced submergence, and whole-body metabolism remains aerobic. If blood oxygen is not sequestered for brain and heart metabolism during normal diving, then what is the purpose of the dive response? Here, we show that its primary role may be to regulate the degree of hypoxia in skeletal muscle so that blood and muscle oxygen stores can be efficiently used. Paradoxically, the muscles of diving vertebrates must become hypoxic to maximize aerobic dive duration. At the same time, morphological and enzymatic adaptations enhance intracellular oxygen diffusion at low partial pressures of oxygen. Optimizing the use of blood and muscle oxygen stores allows aquatic, air-breathing vertebrates to exercise for prolonged periods while holding their breath.

  16. Space Shuttle Main Engine Liquid Air Insulation Redesign Lessons Learned

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gaddy, Darrell; Carroll, Paul; Head, Kenneth; Fasheh, John; Stuart, Jessica

    2010-01-01

    The Space Shuttle Main Engine Liquid Air Insulation redesign was required to prevent the reoccurance of the STS-111 High Pressure Speed Sensor In-Flight Anomaly. The STS-111 In-Flight Anomaly Failure Investigation Team's initial redesign of the High Pressure Fuel Turbopump Pump End Ball Bearing Liquid Air Insulation failed the certification test by producing Liquid Air. The certification test failure indicated not only the High Pressure Fuel Turbopump Liquid Air Insulation, but all other Space Shuttle Main Engine Liquid Air Insulation. This paper will document the original Space Shuttle Main Engine Liquid Air STS-111 In-Flight Anomaly investigation, the heritage Space Shuttle Main Engine Insulation certification testing faults, the techniques and instrumentation used to accurately test the Liquid Air Insulation systems on the Stennis Space Center SSME test stand, the analysis techniques used to identify the Liquid Air Insulation problem areas and the analytical verification of the redesign before entering certification testing, Trade study down selected to three potential design solutions, the results of the development testing which down selected the final Liquid Air Redesign are also documented within this paper.

  17. Experimental and modeling study of thermal exposure of a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).

    PubMed

    Donnelly, Michelle K; Yang, Jiann C

    2015-08-01

    An experimental apparatus designed to study firefighter safety equipment exposed to a thermal environment was developed. The apparatus consisted of an elevated temperature flow loop with the ability to heat the air stream up to 200°C. The thermal and flow conditions at the test section were characterized using thermocouples and bi-directional probes. The safety equipment examined in this study was a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), including a facepiece and an air cylinder. The SCBA facepiece was placed on a mannequin headform and coupled to a breathing simulator that was programmed with a prescribed breathing pattern. The entire SCBA assembly was placed in the test section of the flow loop for these thermal exposure experiments. Three air stream temperatures, 100°C, 150°C, and 200°C, were used with the average air speed at the test section set at 1.4m/s and thermal exposure durations up to 1200 s. Measurements were made using type-K bare-bead thermocouples located in the mannequin's mouth and on the outer surface of the SCBA cylinder. The experimental results indicated that increasing the thermal exposure severity and duration increased the breathing air temperatures supplied by the SCBA. Temperatures of breathing air from the SCBA cylinder in excess of 60°C were observed over the course of the thermal exposure conditions used in most of the experiments. A mathematical model for transient heat transfer was developed to complement the thermal exposure experimental study. The model took into consideration forced convective heat transfer, quasi-steady heat conduction through the composite layers of the SCBA cylinder wall, the breathing pattern and action of the breathing simulator, and predicted air temperatures from the thermally exposed SCBA cylinder and temperatures at the outer surface of the SCBA cylinder. Model predictions agreed reasonably well with the experimental measurements. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Dynamic output feedback control of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle via T-S fuzzy approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hu, Xiaoxiang; Wu, Ligang; Hu, Changhua; Wang, Zhaoqiang; Gao, Huijun

    2014-08-01

    By utilising Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy set approach, this paper addresses the robust H∞ dynamic output feedback control for the non-linear longitudinal model of flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicles (FAHVs). The flight control of FAHVs is highly challenging due to the unique dynamic characteristics, and the intricate couplings between the engine and fight dynamics and external disturbance. Because of the dynamics' enormous complexity, currently, only the longitudinal dynamics models of FAHVs have been used for controller design. In this work, T-S fuzzy modelling technique is utilised to approach the non-linear dynamics of FAHVs, then a fuzzy model is developed for the output tracking problem of FAHVs. The fuzzy model contains parameter uncertainties and disturbance, which can approach the non-linear dynamics of FAHVs more exactly. The flexible models of FAHVs are difficult to measure because of the complex dynamics and the strong couplings, thus a full-order dynamic output feedback controller is designed for the fuzzy model. A robust H∞ controller is designed for the obtained closed-loop system. By utilising the Lyapunov functional approach, sufficient solvability conditions for such controllers are established in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed T-S fuzzy dynamic output feedback control method is demonstrated by numerical simulations.

  19. Hypersonic propulsion flight tests as essential to air-breathing aerospace plane development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mehta, U.

    Hypersonic air-breathing propulsion utilizing scramjets can fundamentally change transatmospheric acclerators for transportation from low Earth orbits (LEOs). The value and limitations of ground tests, of flight tests, and of computations are presented, and scramjet development requirements are discussed. Near-full-scale hypersonic propulsion flight tests are essential for developing a prototype hypersonic propulsion system and for developing computation-design technology that can be used in designing that system. In order to determine how these objectives should be achieved, some lessons learned from past programs are presented. A conceptual two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO) prototype/experimental aerospace plane is recommended as a means of providing access-to-space and for conducting flight tests. A road map for achieving these objectives is also presented.

  20. 40 CFR 90.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Emission Test Equipment Provisions § 90.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) The measurement...) The temperature measurements must be accurate to within ±2 °C. ...

  1. 40 CFR 90.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Engine intake air temperature... Emission Test Equipment Provisions § 90.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) The measurement...) The temperature measurements must be accurate to within ±2 °C. ...

  2. 40 CFR 90.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Emission Test Equipment Provisions § 90.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) The measurement...) The temperature measurements must be accurate to within ±2 °C. ...

  3. 40 CFR 90.309 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature... Emission Test Equipment Provisions § 90.309 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) The measurement...) The temperature measurements must be accurate to within ±2 °C. ...

  4. 28. Main engine air pump located to port side of ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    28. Main engine air pump located to port side of main engine cylinder beside engine bed. Dynamo lies aft of air pump (at right), pipe at extreme left of image carries lake water to condenser valves. - Steamboat TICONDEROGA, Shelburne Museum Route 7, Shelburne, Chittenden County, VT

  5. Working Characteristics of Variable Intake Valve in Compressed Air Engine

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Qihui; Shi, Yan; Cai, Maolin

    2014-01-01

    A new camless compressed air engine is proposed, which can make the compressed air energy reasonably distributed. Through analysis of the camless compressed air engine, a mathematical model of the working processes was set up. Using the software MATLAB/Simulink for simulation, the pressure, temperature, and air mass of the cylinder were obtained. In order to verify the accuracy of the mathematical model, the experiments were conducted. Moreover, performance analysis was introduced to design compressed air engine. Results show that, firstly, the simulation results have good consistency with the experimental results. Secondly, under different intake pressures, the highest output power is obtained when the crank speed reaches 500 rpm, which also provides the maximum output torque. Finally, higher energy utilization efficiency can be obtained at the lower speed, intake pressure, and valve duration angle. This research can refer to the design of the camless valve of compressed air engine. PMID:25379536

  6. Respiratory and thermoregulatory responses of rabbits breathing carbon dioxide during heat exposure.

    PubMed Central

    Maskrey, M; Nicol, S C

    1976-01-01

    1. Rabbits were clipped and exposed in turn to three environmental conditions: control (C), cold exposure (CE) and water deprivation (WD). Following each type of treatment, the rabbits were exposed to an ambient temperature (Ta) of 35 degrees C for 1 hr. Throughout this period they breathed either normal atmospheric air or 6% CO2 in air. 2.During heat exposure, measurements were made of the respiratory responses and of the O2 consumption (Vo2) of the rabbits. Rectal temperature (Tre) was measured immediately before and again immediately after heat exposure. 3. When subjected to cold exposure or water deprivation the rabbits showed an initial decrease in respiratory frequency (RF) and an initial increase in VT when compared with controls. There was no difference in VE. Rabbits breathing 6% CO2 showed an increase in VT and VE and a decrease in RF when compared with rabbits breathing atmospheric air. In all cases a change in VT or RF was associated with a reciprocal change in the other parameter. 4. The respiratory responses to breathing 6% CO2 were essentially similar in treated and control rabbits, from which it is concluded that neither cold exposure nor water deprivation alter the sensitivity of the medullary respiratory centre to the respiratory drive from the central chemosensors. 5. The increase in Tre during heat exposure was significantly less in rabbits breathing 6% CO2 than in rabbits breathing atmospheric air. However, there was no significant over-all difference in VO2 between rabbits breathing CO2 and those breathing air. From this it is concluded that increased ventilation induced by CO2 causes a greater dissipation of heat than does thermally-induced panting. 6. It is concluded that VT is controlled by the level of blood PCO2 whereas RF is controlled by thermoregulatory requirements. It is further concluded that the reciprocal relationship between VT and RF is regulated in such a way as to maintain VE at the appropriate level for effecting gaseous

  7. Portable Breathing Assembly

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-06-12

    In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Jacobs Test and Operations Support Contract, or TOSC, technicians fill portable breathing apparatuses, or PBAS. The PBAs are to be use on board the International Space Staton to provide astronauts with breathable air in the event of a fire or other emergency situation.

  8. Heat-transfer processes in air-cooled engine cylinders

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pinkel, Benjamin

    1938-01-01

    From a consideration of heat-transfer theory, semi-empirical expressions are set up for the transfer of heat from the combustion gases to the cylinder of an air-cooled engine and from the cylinder to the cooling air. Simple equations for the average head and barrel temperatures as functions of the important engine and cooling variables are obtained from these expressions. The expressions involve a few empirical constants, which may be readily determined from engine tests. Numerical values for these constants were obtained from single-cylinder engine tests for cylinders of the Pratt & Whitney 1535 and 1340-h engines. The equations provide a means of calculating the effect of the various engine and cooling variables on the cylinder temperatures and also of correlating the results of engine cooling tests. An example is given of the application of the equations to the correlation of cooling-test data obtained in flight.

  9. Breathing easier? The known impacts of biodiesel on air quality

    PubMed Central

    Traviss, Nora

    2013-01-01

    Substantial scientific evidence exists on the negative health effects of exposure to petroleum diesel exhaust. Many view biodiesel as a ‘green’, more environmentally friendly alternative fuel, especially with respect to measured reductions of particulate matter in tailpipe emissions. Tailpipe emissions data sets from heavy-duty diesel engines comparing diesel and biodiesel fuels provide important information regarding the composition and potential aggregate contribution of particulate matter and other pollutants to regional airsheds. However, exposure – defined in this instance as human contact with tailpipe emissions – is another key link in the chain between emissions and human health effects. Although numerous biodiesel emissions studies exist, biodiesel exposure studies are nearly absent from the literature. This article summarizes the known impacts of biodiesel on air quality and health effects, comparing emissions and exposure research. In light of rapidly changing engine, fuel and exhaust technologies, both emissions and exposure studies are necessary for developing a fuller understanding of the impact of biodiesel on air quality and human health. PMID:23585814

  10. Residential Air Pollution and Associations with Wheeze and Shortness of Breath in Adults: A Combined Analysis of Cross-Sectional Data from Two Large European Cohorts.

    PubMed

    Doiron, Dany; de Hoogh, Kees; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Mbatchou, Stéphane; Eeftens, Marloes; Cai, Yutong; Schindler, Christian; Fortier, Isabel; Hodgson, Susan; Gaye, Amadou; Stolk, Ronald; Hansell, Anna

    2017-09-29

    Research examining associations between air pollution exposure and respiratory symptoms in adults has generally been inconclusive. This may be related in part to sample size issues, which also preclude analysis in potentially vulnerable subgroups. We estimated associations between air pollution exposures and the prevalence of wheeze and shortness of breath using harmonized baseline data from two very large European cohorts, Lifelines (2006-2013) and UK Biobank (2006-2010). Our aim was also to determine whether the relationship between air pollution and respiratory symptom prevalence differed between individuals with different characteristics. Cross-sectional analyses explored associations between prevalence of self-reported wheeze and shortness of breath and annual mean particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5μm, 2.5-10μm, and <10μm (PM2.5, PMcoarse, and PM10, respectively) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations at place of residence using logistic regression. Subgroup analyses and tests for interaction were performed for age, sex, smoking status, household income, obesity status, and asthma status. All PM exposures were associated with respiratory symptoms based on single-pollutant models, with the largest associations seen for PM2.5 with prevalence of wheezing {odds ratio (OR)=1.16 per 5μg/m³ [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11, 1.21]} and shortness of breath [OR=1.61 per 5μg/m³ (95% CI: 1.45, 1.78)]. The association between shortness of breath and a 5-μg/m³ increment in PM2.5 was significantly higher for individuals from lower-[OR=1.73 (95% CI: 1.52, 1.97)] versus higher-income households [OR=1.31 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.55); p-interaction=0.005), whereas the association between PM2.5 and wheeze was limited to lower-income participants [OR=1.30 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.38) vs. OR=1.02; (95% CI: 0.96, 1.08); p-interaction<0.001]. Exposure to NO2 also showed positive associations with wheeze and shortness of breath. Exposure to PM and NO2 air pollution was

  11. Residential Air Pollution and Associations with Wheeze and Shortness of Breath in Adults: A Combined Analysis of Cross-Sectional Data from Two Large European Cohorts

    PubMed Central

    de Hoogh, Kees; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Mbatchou, Stéphane; Eeftens, Marloes; Cai, Yutong; Schindler, Christian; Fortier, Isabel; Hodgson, Susan; Gaye, Amadou; Stolk, Ronald; Hansell, Anna

    2017-01-01

    Background: Research examining associations between air pollution exposure and respiratory symptoms in adults has generally been inconclusive. This may be related in part to sample size issues, which also preclude analysis in potentially vulnerable subgroups. Objectives: We estimated associations between air pollution exposures and the prevalence of wheeze and shortness of breath using harmonized baseline data from two very large European cohorts, Lifelines (2006–2013) and UK Biobank (2006–2010). Our aim was also to determine whether the relationship between air pollution and respiratory symptom prevalence differed between individuals with different characteristics. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses explored associations between prevalence of self-reported wheeze and shortness of breath and annual mean particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5μm, 2.5–10μm, and <10μm (PM2.5, PMcoarse, and PM10, respectively) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations at place of residence using logistic regression. Subgroup analyses and tests for interaction were performed for age, sex, smoking status, household income, obesity status, and asthma status. Results: All PM exposures were associated with respiratory symptoms based on single-pollutant models, with the largest associations seen for PM2.5 with prevalence of wheezing {odds ratio (OR)=1.16 per 5μg/m³ [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11, 1.21]} and shortness of breath [OR=1.61 per 5μg/m³ (95% CI: 1.45, 1.78)]. The association between shortness of breath and a 5-μg/m³ increment in PM2.5 was significantly higher for individuals from lower-[OR=1.73 (95% CI: 1.52, 1.97)] versus higher-income households [OR=1.31 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.55); p-interaction=0.005), whereas the association between PM2.5 and wheeze was limited to lower-income participants [OR=1.30 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.38) vs. OR=1.02; (95% CI: 0.96, 1.08); p-interaction<0.001]. Exposure to NO2 also showed positive associations with wheeze and shortness of

  12. Compression-ignition Engine Performance at Altitudes and at Various Air Pressures and Temperatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moore, Charles S; Collins, John H

    1937-01-01

    Engine test results are presented for simulated altitude conditions. A displaced-piston combustion chamber on a 5- by 7-inch single cylinder compression-ignition engine operating at 2,000 r.p.m. was used. Inlet air temperature equivalent to standard altitudes up to 14,000 feet were obtained. Comparison between performance at altitude of the unsupercharged compression-ignition engine compared favorably with the carburetor engine. Analysis of the results for which the inlet air temperature, inlet air pressure, and inlet and exhaust pressure were varied indicates that engine performance cannot be reliably corrected on the basis of inlet air density or weight of air charge. Engine power increases with inlet air pressure and decreases with inlet air temperatures very nearly as straight line relations over a wide range of air-fuel ratios. Correction factors are given.

  13. The role of arterial chemoreceptors in the breath-by-breath augmentation of inspiratory effort in rabbits during airway occlusion or elastic loading.

    PubMed

    Callanan, D; Read, D J

    1974-08-01

    1. The breath-by-breath augmentation of inspiratory effort in the five breaths following airway occlusion or elastic loading was assessed in anaesthetized rabbits from changes of airway pressure, diaphragm e.m.g. and lung volume.2. When the airway was occluded in animals breathing air, arterial O(2) tension fell by 20 mmHg and CO(2) tension rose by 7 mmHg within the time of the first five loaded breaths.3. Inhalation of 100% O(2) or carotid denervation markedly reduced the breath-by-breath progression but had little or no effect on the responses at the first loaded breath.4. These results indicate that the breath-by-breath augmentation of inspiratory effort following addition of a load is mainly due to asphyxial stimulation of the carotid bodies, rather than to the gradual emergence of a powerful load-compensating reflex originating in the chest-wall, as postulated by some workers.5. The small residual progression seen in animals breathing 100% O(2) or following carotid denervation was not eliminated (a) by combining these procedures or (b) by addition of gas to the lungs to prevent the progressive lung deflation which occurred during airway occlusion.6. Bilateral vagotomy, when combined with carotid denervation, abolished the residual breath-by-breath progression of inspiratory effort.

  14. Optical Measurements at the Combustor Exit of the HIFiRE 2 Ground Test Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brown, Michael S.; Herring, Gregory C.; Cabell, Karen; Hass, Neal; Barhorst, Todd F.; Gruber, Mark

    2012-01-01

    The development of optical techniques capable of measuring in-stream flow properties of air breathing hypersonic engines is a goal of the Aerospace Propulsion Division at AFRL. Of particular interest are techniques such as tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy that can be implemented in both ground and flight test efforts. We recently executed a measurement campaign at the exit of the combustor of the HIFiRE 2 ground test engine during Phase II operation of the engine. Data was collected in anticipation of similar data sets to be collected during the flight experiment. The ground test optical data provides a means to evaluate signal processing algorithms particularly those associated with limited line of sight tomography. Equally important, this in-stream data was collected to compliment data acquired with surface-mounted instrumentation and the accompanying flowpath modeling efforts-both CFD and lower order modeling. Here we discuss the specifics of hardware and data collection along with a coarse-grained look at the acquired data and our approach to processing and analyzing it.

  15. 48 CFR 206.302-3 - Industrial mobilization, engineering, developmental, or research capability, or expert services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Industrial mobilization, engineering, developmental, or research capability, or expert services. 206.302-3 Section 206.302-3 Federal..., engineering, developmental, or research capability, or expert services. ...

  16. 48 CFR 206.302-3 - Industrial mobilization, engineering, developmental, or research capability, or expert services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Industrial mobilization, engineering, developmental, or research capability, or expert services. 206.302-3 Section 206.302-3 Federal..., engineering, developmental, or research capability, or expert services. ...

  17. Influence of air contaminants on planar, self-breathing hydrogen PEM fuel cells in an outdoor environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biesdorf, Johannes; Zamel, Nada; Kurz, Timo

    2014-02-01

    In this study, the effects of air contaminants on the operation of air-breathing fuel cells in an outdoor environment are investigated. For this purpose, a unique testing platform, which allows continuous operation of 30 cells at different locations, was developed. Three of these testing platforms were placed at different sites in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, with high variances of weather and pollution patterns. These locations range from a highly polluted place next to a busy highway to a location with virtually pure air at an altitude of 1205 m. The fuel cells were tested at all sites for over 4500 h in continuous operation. The degradation of the cells due to air pollutants was measured as a voltage decrease for three different operation loads and membranes from two different manufactures. As the temperature of the fuel cells has not been regulated, the irreversible degradation of the cell voltages could not be isolated from the dominant influence of the temperature in the raw data. With the use of the measured data, the impact of real mixtures of air contaminants was observed to be mainly reversible.

  18. Systems Engineering for Space Exploration Medical Capabilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mindock, Jennifer; Reilly, Jeffrey; Rubin, David; Urbina, Michelle; Hailey, Melinda; Hanson, Andrea; Burba, Tyler; McGuire, Kerry; Cerro, Jeffrey; Middour, Chris; hide

    2017-01-01

    Human exploration missions that reach destinations beyond low Earth orbit, such as Mars, will present significant new challenges to crew health management. For the medical system, lack of consumable resupply, evacuation opportunities, and real-time ground support are key drivers toward greater autonomy. Recognition of the limited mission and vehicle resources available to carry out exploration missions motivates the Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Element's approach to enabling the necessary autonomy. The Element's work must integrate with the overall exploration mission and vehicle design efforts to successfully provide exploration medical capabilities. ExMC is applying systems engineering principles and practices to accomplish its goals. This paper discusses the structured and integrative approach that is guiding the medical system technical development. Assumptions for the required levels of care on exploration missions, medical system goals, and a Concept of Operations are early products that capture and clarify stakeholder expectations. Model-Based Systems Engineering techniques are then applied to define medical system behavior and architecture. Interfaces to other flight and ground systems, and within the medical system are identified and defined. Initial requirements and traceability are established, which sets the stage for identification of future technology development needs. An early approach for verification and validation, taking advantage of terrestrial and near-Earth exploration system analogs, is also defined to further guide system planning and development.

  19. Two stroke homogenous charge compression ignition engine with pulsed air supplier

    DOEpatents

    Clarke, John M.

    2003-08-05

    A two stroke homogenous charge compression ignition engine includes a volume pulsed air supplier, such as a piston driven pump, for efficient scavenging. The usage of a homogenous charge tends to decrease emissions. The use of a volume pulsed air supplier in conjunction with conventional poppet type intake and exhaust valves results in a relatively efficient scavenging mode for the engine. The engine preferably includes features that permit valving event timing, air pulse event timing and injection event timing to be varied relative to engine crankshaft angle. The principle use of the invention lies in improving diesel engines.

  20. POLLUTION PREVENTION FOR CLEANER AIR: EPA'S AIR AND ENERGY ENGINEERING RESEARCH LABORATORY

    EPA Science Inventory

    The article discusses the role of EPA's Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory (AEERL) in pollution prevention research for cleaner air. For more than 20 years, AEERL has been conducting research to identify control approaches for the pollutants and sources which contribu...

  1. Effects of aerial hypoxia and temperature on pulmonary breathing pattern and gas exchange in the South American lungfish, Lepidosiren paradoxa.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Glauber S F; Ventura, Daniela A D N; Zena, Lucas A; Giusti, Humberto; Glass, Mogens L; Klein, Wilfried

    2017-05-01

    The South American lungfish Lepidosiren paradoxa is an obligatory air-breathing fish possessing well-developed bilateral lungs, and undergoing seasonal changes in its habitat, including temperature changes. In the present study we aimed to evaluate gas exchange and pulmonary breathing pattern in L. paradoxa at different temperatures (25 and 30°C) and different inspired O 2 levels (21, 12, 10, and 7%). Normoxic breathing pattern consisted of isolated ventilatory cycles composed of an expiration followed by 2.4±0.2 buccal inspirations. Both expiratory and inspiratory tidal volumes reached a maximum of about 35mlkg -1 , indicating that L. paradoxa is able to exchange nearly all of its lung air in a single ventilatory cycle. At both temperatures, hypoxia caused a significant increase in pulmonary ventilation (V̇ E ), mainly due to an increase in respiratory frequency. Durations of the ventilatory cycle and expiratory and inspiratory tidal volumes were not significantly affected by hypoxia. Expiratory time (but not inspiratory) was significantly shorter at 30°C and at all O 2 levels. While a small change in oxygen consumption (V̇O 2 ) could be noticed, the carbon dioxide release (V̇CO 2 , P=0.0003) and air convection requirement (V̇ E /V̇O 2 , P=0.0001) were significantly affected by hypoxia (7% O 2 ) at both temperatures, when compared to normoxia, and pulmonary diffusion capacity increased about four-fold due to hypoxic exposure. These data highlight important features of the respiratory system of L. paradoxa, capable of matching O 2 demand and supply under different environmental change, as well as help to understand the evolution of air breathing in lungfish. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Trajectory optimization and guidance for an aerospace plane

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mease, Kenneth D.; Vanburen, Mark A.

    1989-01-01

    The first step in the approach to developing guidance laws for a horizontal take-off, air breathing single-stage-to-orbit vehicle is to characterize the minimum-fuel ascent trajectories. The capability to generate constrained, minimum fuel ascent trajectories for a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle was developed. A key component of this capability is the general purpose trajectory optimization program OTIS. The pre-production version, OTIS 0.96 was installed and run on a Convex C-1. A propulsion model was developed covering the entire flight envelope of a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle. Three separate propulsion modes, corresponding to an after burning turbojet, a ramjet and a scramjet, are used in the air breathing propulsion phase. The Generic Hypersonic Aerodynamic Model Example aerodynamic model of a hypersonic air breathing single-stage-to-orbit vehicle was obtained and implemented. Preliminary results pertaining to the effects of variations in acceleration constraints, available thrust level and fuel specific impulse on the shape of the minimum-fuel ascent trajectories were obtained. The results show that, if the air breathing engines are sized for acceleration to orbital velocity, it is the acceleration constraint rather than the dynamic pressure constraint that is active during ascent.

  3. Bedside diagnosis of alcohol intoxication with a pocket-size breath-alcohol device: sampling from unconscious subjects and specificity for ethanol.

    PubMed

    Falkensson, M; Jones, W; Sörbo, B

    1989-06-01

    We describe a novel mouth-cup device for sampling breath from unconscious subjects and analysis with a hand-held breath-alcohol instrument, the "Alcolmeter SD-2." This equipment was evaluated in healthy volunteers after they drank a moderate dose of alcohol. Three kinds of breath were analyzed: (a) end-expired air from a conventional mouth-tube, (b) breath sampled from the mouth-cup, and (c) air from a nasal tube supplied with the breath analyzer. The ethanol concentration in breath from the mouth-cup was slightly less than in end-expired air but significantly greater than in nasal air. Results with mouth-tube and mouth-cup correlated highly with blood-ethanol concentration as determined by gas chromatography; nasal-tube air correlated less well. The Alcolmeter responded not only to ethanol but also to methanol, 1-propanol, and 2-propanol, whereas ethylene glycol gave no response. The time-response curve for methanol was different, and this might permit differential diagnosis of methanol poisoning.

  4. 40 CFR 86.313-79 - Air flow measurement specifications; diesel engines.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...; diesel engines. 86.313-79 Section 86.313-79 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Emission Regulations for New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.313-79 Air flow measurement specifications; diesel engines. (a) The air flow measurement...

  5. 40 CFR 86.313-79 - Air flow measurement specifications; diesel engines.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...; diesel engines. 86.313-79 Section 86.313-79 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Emission Regulations for New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.313-79 Air flow measurement specifications; diesel engines. (a) The air flow measurement...

  6. 40 CFR 86.313-79 - Air flow measurement specifications; diesel engines.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...; diesel engines. 86.313-79 Section 86.313-79 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Emission Regulations for New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.313-79 Air flow measurement specifications; diesel engines. (a) The air flow measurement...

  7. 40 CFR 86.313-79 - Air flow measurement specifications; diesel engines.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...; diesel engines. 86.313-79 Section 86.313-79 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Emission Regulations for New Gasoline-Fueled and Diesel-Fueled Heavy-Duty Engines; Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.313-79 Air flow measurement specifications; diesel engines. (a) The air flow measurement...

  8. Variable oxygen/nitrogen enriched intake air system for internal combustion engine applications

    DOEpatents

    Poola, Ramesh B.; Sekar, Ramanujam R.; Cole, Roger L.

    1997-01-01

    An air supply control system for selectively supplying ambient air, oxygen enriched air and nitrogen enriched air to an intake of an internal combustion engine includes an air mixing chamber that is in fluid communication with the air intake. At least a portion of the ambient air flowing to the mixing chamber is selectively diverted through a secondary path that includes a selectively permeable air separating membrane device due a differential pressure established across the air separating membrane. The permeable membrane device separates a portion of the nitrogen in the ambient air so that oxygen enriched air (permeate) and nitrogen enriched air (retentate) are produced. The oxygen enriched air and the nitrogen enriched air can be selectively supplied to the mixing chamber or expelled to atmosphere. Alternatively, a portion of the nitrogen enriched air can be supplied through another control valve to a monatomic-nitrogen plasma generator device so that atomic nitrogen produced from the nitrogen enriched air can be then injected into the exhaust of the engine. The oxygen enriched air or the nitrogen enriched air becomes mixed with the ambient air in the mixing chamber and then the mixed air is supplied to the intake of the engine. As a result, the air being supplied to the intake of the engine can be regulated with respect to the concentration of oxygen and/or nitrogen.

  9. Development of mainshaft seals for advanced air breathing propulsion systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dobek, L. J.

    1973-01-01

    A gas-film face seal design incorporating shrouded Rayleigh step lift pads at the primary sealing face was analyzed for performance over a wide range of gas turbine engine conditions. Acceptable leakage rates and operation without rubbing contact was predicted for engine conditions that included sealed pressures to 500 psi, sliding speeds to 600 ft/sec, and sealed gas temperatures to 1200 F. In the experimental evaluation, measured gas leakage rates were, in general, close to that predicted and sometimes lower. Satisfactory performance of the gas-film seal was demonstrated at the maximum seal seat axial runout expected in present positive contact face seal applications. Stable operation was shown when testing was performed with air-entrained dirt.

  10. The Influence of Directed Air Flow on Combustion in Spark-Ignition Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rothrock, A M; Spencer, R C

    1939-01-01

    The air movement within the cylinder of the NACA combustion apparatus was regulated by using shrouded inlet valves and by fairing the inlet passage. Rates of combustion were determined at different inlet-air velocities with the engine speed maintained constant and at different engine speeds with the inlet-air velocity maintained approximately constant. The rate of combustion increased when the engine speed was doubled without changing the inlet-air velocity; the observed increase was about the same as the increase in the rate of combustion obtained by doubling the inlet-air velocity without changing the engine speed. Certain types of directed air movement gave great improvement in the reproducibility of the explosions from cycle to cycle, provided that other variables were controlled. Directing the inlet air past the injection valve during injection increased the rate of burning.

  11. Electronic modification of Pt via Ti and Se as tolerant cathodes in air-breathing methanol microfluidic fuel cells.

    PubMed

    Ma, Jiwei; Habrioux, Aurélien; Morais, Cláudia; Alonso-Vante, Nicolas

    2014-07-21

    We reported herein on the use of tolerant cathode catalysts such as carbon supported Pt(x)Ti(y) and/or Pt(x)Se(y) nanomaterials in an air-breathing methanol microfluidic fuel cell. In order to show the improvement of mixed-reactant fuel cell (MRFC) performances obtained with the developed tolerant catalysts, a classical Pt/C nanomaterial was used for comparison. Using 5 M methanol concentration in a situation where the fuel crossover is 100% (MRFC-mixed reactant fuel cell application), the maximum power density of the fuel cell with a Pt/C cathodic catalyst decreased by 80% in comparison with what is observed in the laminar flow fuel cell (LFFC) configuration. With Pt(x)Ti(y)/C and Pt(x)Se(y)/C cathode nanomaterials, the performance loss was only 55% and 20%, respectively. The evaluation of the tolerant cathode catalysts in an air-breathing microfluidic fuel cell suggests the development of a novel nanometric system that will not be size restricted. These interesting results are the consequence of the high methanol tolerance of these advanced electrocatalysts via surface electronic modification of Pt. Herein we used X-ray photoelectron and in situ FTIR spectroscopies to investigate the origin of the high methanol tolerance on modified Pt catalysts.

  12. Development of the anode bipolar plate/membrane assembly unit for air breathing PEMFC stack using silicone adhesive bonding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Minkook; Lee, Dai Gil

    2016-05-01

    Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) exhibit a wide power range, low operating temperature, high energy density and long life time. These advantages favor PEMFC for applications such as vehicle power sources, portable power, and backup power applications. With the push towards the commercialization of PEMFC, especially for portable power applications, the overall balance of plants (BOPs) of the systems should be minimized. To reduce the mass and complexity of the systems, air-breathing PEMFC stack design with open cathode channel configuration is being developed. However, the open cathode channel configuration incurs hydrogen leakage problem. In this study, the bonding strength of a silicon adhesive between the Nafion membrane and the carbon fiber/epoxy composite bipolar plate was measured. Then, an anode bipolar plate/membrane assembly unit which was bonded with the silicone adhesive was developed to solve the hydrogen leakage problem. The reliability of the anode bipolar plate/membrane assembly unit was estimated under the internal pressure of hydrogen by the FE analysis. Additionally, the gas sealability of the developed air breathing PEMFC unit cell was experimentally measured. Finally, unit cell performance of the developed anode bipolar plate/membrane assembly unit was tested and verified under operating conditions without humidity and temperature control.

  13. Heat exchanger design for hot air ericsson-brayton piston engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ďurčanský, P.; Lenhard, R.; Jandačka, J.

    2014-03-01

    One of the solutions without negative consequences for the increasing energy consumption in the world may be use of alternative energy sources in micro-cogeneration. Currently it is looking for different solutions and there are many possible ways. Cogeneration is known for long time and is widely used. But the installations are often large and the installed output is more suitable for cities or industry companies. When we will speak about decentralization, the small machines have to be used. The article deals with the principle of hot-air engines, their use in combined heat and electricity production from biomass and with heat exchangers as primary energy transforming element. In the article is hot air engine presented as a heat engine that allows the conversion of heat into mechanical energy while heat supply can be external. In the contribution are compared cycles of hot-air engine. Then are compared suitable heat exchangers for use with hot air Ericsson-Brayton engine. In the final part is proposal of heat exchanger for use in closed Ericsson-Brayton cycle.

  14. Electronic Nose Functionality for Breath Gas Analysis during Parabolic Flight

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dolch, Michael E.; Hummel, Thomas; Fetter, Viktor; Helwig, Andreas; Lenic, Joachim; Moukhamedieva, Lana; Tsarkow, Dimitrij; Chouker, Alexander; Schelling, Gustav

    2017-06-01

    The presence of humans in space represents a constant threat for their health and safety. Environmental factors such as living in a closed confinement, as well as exposure to microgravity and radiation, are associated with significant changes in bone metabolism, muscular atrophy, and altered immune response, which has impacts on human performance and possibly results in severe illness. Thus, maintaining and monitoring of crew health status has the highest priority to ensure whole mission success. With manned deep space missions to moon or mars appearing at the horizon where short-term repatriation back to earth is impossible the availability of appropriate diagnostic platforms for crew health status is urgently needed. In response to this need, the present experiment evaluated the functionality and practicability of a metal oxide based sensor system (eNose) together with a newly developed breath gas collecting device under the condition of altering acceleration. Parabolic flights were performed with an Airbus A300 ZeroG at Bordeaux, France. Ambient air and exhaled breath of five healthy volunteers was analyzed during steady state flight and parabolic flight maneuvres. All volunteers completed the study, the breath gas collecting device valves worked appropriately, and breathing through the collecting device was easy and did not induce discomfort. During breath gas measurements, significant changes in metal oxide sensors, mainly sensitive to aromatic and sulphur containing compounds, were observed with alternating conditions of acceleration. Similarly, metal oxide sensors showed significant changes in all sensors during ambient air measurements. The eNose as well as the newly developed breath gas collecting device, showed appropriate functionality and practicability during alternating conditions of acceleration which is a prerequisite for the intended use of the eNose aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for breath gas analysis and crew health status

  15. Collaborative environments for capability-based planning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McQuay, William K.

    2005-05-01

    Distributed collaboration is an emerging technology for the 21st century that will significantly change how business is conducted in the defense and commercial sectors. Collaboration involves two or more geographically dispersed entities working together to create a "product" by sharing and exchanging data, information, and knowledge. A product is defined broadly to include, for example, writing a report, creating software, designing hardware, or implementing robust systems engineering and capability planning processes in an organization. Collaborative environments provide the framework and integrate models, simulations, domain specific tools, and virtual test beds to facilitate collaboration between the multiple disciplines needed in the enterprise. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is conducting a leading edge program in developing distributed collaborative technologies targeted to the Air Force's implementation of systems engineering for a simulation-aided acquisition and capability-based planning. The research is focusing on the open systems agent-based framework, product and process modeling, structural architecture, and the integration technologies - the glue to integrate the software components. In past four years, two live assessment events have been conducted to demonstrate the technology in support of research for the Air Force Agile Acquisition initiatives. The AFRL Collaborative Environment concept will foster a major cultural change in how the acquisition, training, and operational communities conduct business.

  16. Breath sulfides and pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis.

    PubMed

    Kamboures, M A; Blake, D R; Cooper, D M; Newcomb, R L; Barker, M; Larson, J K; Meinardi, S; Nussbaum, E; Rowland, F S

    2005-11-01

    We have determined the concentrations of carbonyl sulfide (OCS), dimethylsulfide, and carbon disulfide (CS(2)) in the breath of a group of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and one of healthy controls. At the detection sensitivity in these experiments, room air always contained measurable quantities of these three gases. For each subject the inhaled room concentrations were subtracted from the time-coincident concentrations in exhaled breath air. The most significant differences between the CF and control cohorts in these breath-minus-room values were found for OCS. The control group demonstrated a net uptake of 250 +/- 20 parts-per-trillion-by-volume (pptv), whereas the CF cohort had a net uptake of 110 +/- 60 pptv (P = 0.00003). Three CF patients exhaled more OCS than they inhaled from the room. The OCS concentrations in the CF cohort were strongly correlated with pulmonary function. The dimethylsulfide concentrations in breath were greatly enhanced over ambient, but no significant difference was observed between the CF and healthy control groups. The net (breath minus room) CS(2) concentrations for individuals ranged between +180 and -100 pptv. They were slightly greater in the CF cohort (+26 +/- 38 pptv) vs. the control group (-17 +/- 15 pptv; P = 0.04). Lung disease in CF is accompanied by the subsistence of chronic bacterial infections. Sulfides are known to be produced by bacteria in various systems and were therefore the special target for this investigation. Our results suggest that breath sulfide content deserves attention as a noninvasive marker of respiratory colonization.

  17. Sports-related lung injury during breath-hold diving.

    PubMed

    Mijacika, Tanja; Dujic, Zeljko

    2016-12-01

    The number of people practising recreational breath-hold diving is constantly growing, thereby increasing the need for knowledge of the acute and chronic effects such a sport could have on the health of participants. Breath-hold diving is potentially dangerous, mainly because of associated extreme environmental factors such as increased hydrostatic pressure, hypoxia, hypercapnia, hypothermia and strenuous exercise.In this article we focus on the effects of breath-hold diving on pulmonary function. Respiratory symptoms have been reported in almost 25% of breath-hold divers after repetitive diving sessions. Acutely, repetitive breath-hold diving may result in increased transpulmonary capillary pressure, leading to noncardiogenic oedema and/or alveolar haemorrhage. Furthermore, during a breath-hold dive, the chest and lungs are compressed by the increasing pressure of water. Rapid changes in lung air volume during descent or ascent can result in a lung injury known as pulmonary barotrauma. Factors that may influence individual susceptibility to breath-hold diving-induced lung injury range from underlying pulmonary or cardiac dysfunction to genetic predisposition.According to the available data, breath-holding does not result in chronic lung injury. However, studies of large populations of breath-hold divers are necessary to firmly exclude long-term lung damage. Copyright ©ERS 2016.

  18. Performance analysis of underwater pump for water-air dual-use engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Jun; Wang, Yun; Chen, Yu

    2017-10-01

    To make water-air dual-use engine work both in air and under water, the compressor of the engine should not only meet the requirements of air flight, but also must have the ability to work underwater. To verify the performance of the compressor when the water-air dual-use engine underwater propulsion mode, the underwater pumping water model of the air compressor is simulated by commercial CFD software, and the flow field analysis is carried out. The results show that conventional air compressors have a certain ability to work in the water environment, however, the blade has a great influence on the flow, and the compressor structure also affects the pump performance. Compressor can initially take into account the two modes of water and air. In order to obtain better performance, the structure of the compressor needs further improvement and optimization.

  19. 42 CFR 84.152 - Breathing tube test; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ...: (i) Be employed on Type C supplied-air respirators of the demand and pressure-demand class; and (ii... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Supplied-Air Respirators § 84.152 Breathing tube test; minimum requirements. (a)(1) Type A and Type B supplied-air...

  20. Systems Engineering for Space Exploration Medical Capabilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mindock, Jennifer; Reilly, Jeffrey; Urbina, Michelle; Hailey, Melinda; Rubin, David; Reyes, David; Hanson, Andrea; Burba, Tyler; McGuire, Kerry; Cerro, Jeffrey; hide

    2017-01-01

    Human exploration missions to beyond low Earth orbit destinations such as Mars will present significant new challenges to crew health management during a mission compared to current low Earth orbit operations. For the medical system, lack of consumable resupply, evacuation opportunities, and real-time ground support are key drivers toward greater autonomy. Recognition of the limited mission and vehicle resources available to carry out exploration missions motivates the Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) Element's approach to enabling the necessary autonomy. The Element's work must integrate with the overall exploration mission and vehicle design efforts to successfully provide exploration medical capabilities. ExMC is applying systems engineering principles and practices to accomplish its integrative goals. This paper discusses the structured and integrative approach that is guiding the medical system technical development. Assumptions for the required levels of care on exploration missions, medical system guiding principles, and a Concept of Operations are early products that capture and clarify stakeholder expectations. Mobel-Based Systems Engineering techniques are then applied to define medical system behavior and architecture. Interfaces to other flight and ground systems, and within the medical system are identified and defined. Initial requirements and traceability are established, which sets the stage for identification of future technology development needs. An early approach for verification and validation, taking advantage of terrestrial and near-Earth exploration system analogs, is also defined to further guide system planning and development.

  1. Breath-Hold Diving.

    PubMed

    Fitz-Clarke, John R

    2018-03-25

    Breath-hold diving is practiced by recreational divers, seafood divers, military divers, and competitive athletes. It involves highly integrated physiology and extreme responses. This article reviews human breath-hold diving physiology beginning with an historical overview followed by a summary of foundational research and a survey of some contemporary issues. Immersion and cardiovascular adjustments promote a blood shift into the heart and chest vasculature. Autonomic responses include diving bradycardia, peripheral vasoconstriction, and splenic contraction, which help conserve oxygen. Competitive divers use a technique of lung hyperinflation that raises initial volume and airway pressure to facilitate longer apnea times and greater depths. Gas compression at depth leads to sequential alveolar collapse. Airway pressure decreases with depth and becomes negative relative to ambient due to limited chest compliance at low lung volumes, raising the risk of pulmonary injury called "squeeze," characterized by postdive coughing, wheezing, and hemoptysis. Hypoxia and hypercapnia influence the terminal breakpoint beyond which voluntary apnea cannot be sustained. Ascent blackout due to hypoxia is a danger during long breath-holds, and has become common amongst high-level competitors who can suppress their urge to breathe. Decompression sickness due to nitrogen accumulation causing bubble formation can occur after multiple repetitive dives, or after single deep dives during depth record attempts. Humans experience responses similar to those seen in diving mammals, but to a lesser degree. The deepest sled-assisted breath-hold dive was to 214 m. Factors that might determine ultimate human depth capabilities are discussed. © 2018 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 8:585-630, 2018. Copyright © 2018 American Physiological Society. All rights reserved.

  2. Modulation of redox regulatory molecules and electron transport chain activity in muscle of air breathing fish Heteropneustes fossilis under air exposure stress.

    PubMed

    Paital, Biswaranjan

    2014-01-01

    Responses of redox regulatory system to long-term survival (>18 h) of the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis in air are not yet understood. Lipid and protein oxidation level, oxidant (H2O2) generation, antioxidative status (levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and reductase, ascorbic acid and non-protein sulfhydryl) and activities of respiratory complexes (I, II, III and IV) in mitochondria were investigated in muscle of H. fossilis under air exposure condition (0, 3, 6, 12 and 18 h at 25 °C). The increased levels of both H2O2 and tissue oxidation were observed due to the decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes in muscle under water deprivation condition. However, ascorbic acid and non-protein thiol groups were the highest at 18 h air exposure time. A linear increase in complex II activity with air exposure time and an increase up to 12 h followed by a decrease in activity of complex I at 18 h were observed. Negative correlation was observed for complex III and V activity with exposure time. Critical time to modulate the above parameters was found to be 3 h air exposure. Dehydration induced oxidative stress due to modulation of electron transport chain and redox metabolizing enzymes in muscle of H. fossilis was clearly observed. Possible contribution of redox regulatory system in muscle tissue of the fish for long-term survival in air is elucidated. Results of the present study may be useful to understand the redox metabolism in muscle of fishes those are exposed to air in general and air breathing fishes in particular.

  3. Design type air engine Di Pietro

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zwierzchowski, Jaroslaw

    The article presents a pneumatic engine constructed by Angelo Di Pietro. 3D solid models of pneumatic engine components were presented therein. A directional valve is a key element of the control system. The valve functions as a camshaft distributing air to particular engine chambers. The construction designed by Angelo Di Pietro is modern and innovative. A pneumatic engine requires low pressure to start rotary movement. With the use of CFD software, the fields of velocity vectors' distribution were determined. Moreover, the author determined the distribution of pressure values in engine inlet and outlet channels. CFD model studies on engine operation were conducted for chosen stages of operating cycles. On the basis of simulation tests that were conducted, the values of flow rates for the engine were determined. The distribution of pressure values made it possible to evaluate the torque value on the rotating shaft.

  4. Water management in a planar air-breathing fuel cell array using operando neutron imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coz, E.; Théry, J.; Boillat, P.; Faucheux, V.; Alincant, D.; Capron, P.; Gébel, G.

    2016-11-01

    Operando Neutron imaging is used for the investigation of a planar air-breathing array comprising multiple cells in series. The fuel cell demonstrates a stable power density level of 150 mW/cm2. Water distribution and quantification is carried out at different operating points. Drying at high current density is observed and correlated to self-heating and natural convection. Working in dead-end mode, water accumulation at lower current density is largely observed on the anode side. However, flooding mechanisms are found to begin with water condensation on the cathode side, leading to back-diffusion and anodic flooding. Specific in-plane and through-plane water distribution is observed and linked to the planar array design.

  5. Self-acting seals for helicopter engines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lynwander, P.

    1975-01-01

    An experimental evaluation was conducted with NASA-designed self-acting face and circumferential seals for use in the main shaft positions of advanced gas turbine engines. The seals featured Rayleigh step pads (self-acting geometry) for lift augmentation. The tested seals incorporated design improvements over previous self-acting configurations. Self-acting face seals were tested to speeds of 214 m/s (700 ft/sec, 63700 rpm), air pressures of 216.8 N/sq cm abs (314.7 psia), and air temperatures of 688K (778 F). Self-acting circumferential seals were tested to speeds of 183 m/s (600 ft/sec, 47700 rpm), air pressures of 61.8 N/sq cm abs (89.7 psia), and air temperatures of 711 K (820 F). Self-acting face-seals are capable of operating at conditions exceeding conventional seal capability. The limit on speed capability was found to be the flatness of the seal-seat. The self-acting circumferential seal design tested requires further development for use in advanced engines.

  6. Ram booster

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brand, Vance D. (Inventor); Morgan, Walter Ray (Inventor)

    2011-01-01

    The present invention is a space launch system and method to propel a payload bearing craft into earth orbit. The invention has two, or preferably, three stages. The upper stage has rocket engines capable of carrying a payload to orbit and provides the capability of releasably attaching to the lower, or preferably, middle stage. Similar to the lower stage, the middle stage is a reusable booster stage that employs all air breathing engines, is recoverable, and can be turned-around in a short time between missions.

  7. The Design of Future Airbreathing Engine Systems within an Intelligent Synthesis Environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Malone, J. B.; Housner, J. M.; Lytle, J. K.

    1999-01-01

    This paper describes a new Initiative proposed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The purpose of this initiative is to develop a future design environment for engineering and science mission synthesis for use by NASA scientists and engineers. This new initiative is called the Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE). The paper describes the mission of NASA, future aerospace system characteristics, the current engineering design process, the ISE concept, and concludes with a description of possible ISE applications for the decision of air-breathing propulsion systems.

  8. Aircrew and passenger protective breathing equipment studies.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1978-01-01

    This document represents a collection of various reports concerning the protective capability of passenger and crew oxygen breathing equipment and specialized devices and concepts against smoke and toxic gases produced by aircraft fires.

  9. 42 CFR 84.79 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Self... respiratory tract irritating compounds. (c) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable...

  10. 42 CFR 84.79 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Self... respiratory tract irritating compounds. (c) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable...

  11. 42 CFR 84.79 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Self... respiratory tract irritating compounds. (c) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable...

  12. 42 CFR 84.79 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Self... respiratory tract irritating compounds. (c) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable...

  13. 42 CFR 84.79 - Breathing gas; minimum requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES APPROVAL OF RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES Self... respiratory tract irritating compounds. (c) Compressed, gaseous breathing air shall meet the applicable...

  14. High-Altitude Flight Cooling Investigation of a Radial Air-Cooled Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Manganiello, Eugene J; Valerino, Michael F; Bell, E Barton

    1947-01-01

    An investigation of the cooling of an 18-cylinder, twin-row, radial, air-cooled engine in a high-performance pursuit airplane has been conducted for variable engine and flight conditions at altitudes ranging from 5000 to 35,000 feet in order to provide a basis for predicting high-altitude cooling performance from sea-level or low altitude experimental results. The engine cooling data obtained were analyzed by the usual NACA cooling-correlation method wherein cylinder-head and cylinder-barrel temperatures are related to the pertinent engine and cooling-air variables. A theoretical analysis was made of the effect on engine cooling of the change of density of the cooling air across the engine (the compressibility effect), which becomes of increasing importance as altitude is increased. Good agreement was obtained between the results of the theoretical analysis and the experimental data.

  15. Air Force seal activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayhew, Ellen R.

    1994-07-01

    Seal technology development is an important part of the Air Force's participation in the Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) initiative, the joint DOD, NASA, ARPA, and industry endeavor to double turbine engine capabilities by the turn of the century. Significant performance and efficiency improvements can be obtained through reducing internal flow system leakage, but seal environment requirements continue to become more extreme as the engine thermodynamic cycles advance towards these IHPTET goals. Brush seal technology continues to be pursued by the Air Force to reduce leakage at the required conditions. Likewise, challenges in engine mainshaft air/oil seals are also being addressed. Counter-rotating intershaft applications within the IHPTET initiative involve very high rubbing velocities. This viewgraph presentation briefly describes past and current seal research and development programs and gives a summary of seal applications in demonstrator and developmental engine testing.

  16. Air Research

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA's air research provides the critical science to develop and implement outdoor air regulations under the Clean Air Act and puts new tools and information in the hands of air quality managers and regulators to protect the air we breathe.

  17. Breath Figure Method for Construction of Honeycomb Films

    PubMed Central

    Dou, Yingying; Jin, Mingliang; Zhou, Guofu; Shui, Lingling

    2015-01-01

    Honeycomb films with various building units, showing potential applications in biological, medical, physicochemical, photoelectric, and many other areas, could be prepared by the breath figure method. The ordered hexagonal structures formed by the breath figure process are related to the building units, solvents, substrates, temperature, humidity, air flow, and other factors. Therefore, by adjusting these factors, the honeycomb structures could be tuned properly. In this review, we summarized the development of the breath figure method of fabricating honeycomb films and the factors of adjusting honeycomb structures. The organic-inorganic hybrid was taken as the example building unit to discuss the preparation, mechanism, properties, and applications of the honeycomb films. PMID:26343734

  18. Optical fiber sensor for breathing diagnostics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Claus, Richard O.; Distler, T.; Mecham, J. B.; Davis, B.; Arregui, F. J.; Matias, I. R.

    2004-06-01

    We report improvements of an optical fiber-based humidity sensor to the problem of breathing diagnostics. The sensor is fabricated by molecularly self-assembling selected polymers and functionalized inorganic nanoclusters into multilayered optical thin films on the cleaved and polished flat end of a singlemode optical fiber. Recent work has studied the synthesis process and the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the change in optical reflection from such a multicomponent film that occurs as a function of humidity and various chemicals. We briefly review that prior work as a way to introduce more recent developments. The paper then discusses the application of these humidity sensors to the analysis of air flow associated with breathing [1]. We have designed the sensor thin film materials to enable the detection of relative humidity over a wide range, from approximately 5 to 95%, and for response times as short as several microseconds. This fast response time allows the near real-time analysis of air flow and water vapor transport during a single breath, with the advantage of very small size. The use of multiple sensors spaced a known distance apart allows the measurement of flow velocity, and recent work indicates a variation in sensor response versus coating thickness.

  19. Physiology of Oxygen Breathing in Pilots: A Brief Review

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-03-23

    brief review Abstract This non-exhaustive survey presents literature describing some effects of breathing oxygen partial pressures between...CG, J Butler, AB DuBois (1959). Some effects of restriction of chest cage expansion on pulmonary function in man: an experimental study. J Clin...Effects of Submerged Breathing of Air or Oxygen. Navy Experimental Diving Unit TR 02-14, Panama City, FL. http://archive.rubicon- foundation.org/3483

  20. The effects of wearing Passenger Protective Breathing Equipment on evacuation times through type III and type IV emergency aircraft exits in clear air and smoke.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1989-11-01

    The effects of Passenger Protective Breathing Equipment (PPBE) on the time required for simulated emergency evacuations through Type III and Type IV overwing aircraft exits were studied in two quasi-independent experiments, one in clear air and anoth...

  1. Enzymatic Fuel Cells: Integrating Flow-Through Anode and Air-Breathing Cathode into a Membrane-Less Biofuel Cell Design (Postprint)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-06-01

    AFRL-RX-TY-TP-2011-0081 ENZYMATIC FUEL CELLS: INTEGRATING FLOW- THROUGH ANODE AND AIR-BREATHING CATHODE INTO A MEMBRANE-LESS BIOFUEL CELL...RESPONSIBLE PERSON 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) 01-JUN-2011 Journal Article (POSTPRINT) 01-JAN-2010 -- 31-JAN-2011 Enzymatic Fuel Cells...unlimited. Ref Public Affairs Case # 88ABW-2011-2228, 14 Apr 11. Document contains color images. One of the key goals of enzymatic biofuel cells

  2. Reducing emissions by using special air filters for internal combustion engines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Birtok-Băneasă, C.; Raţiu, S. A.; Alexa, V.; Crăciun, A. L.; Josan, A.; Budiul-Berghian, A.

    2017-05-01

    This paper presents the experimental methodology to carry out functional performance tests for an air filter with a particular design of its housing, generically named Super absorbing YXV „Air by Corneliu”, patented and homologated by the Romanian Automotive Registry, to which numerous prizes and medals were awarded at national and international innovations salons. The tests were carried out in the Internal Combustion Engines Laboratory, within the specialization “Road vehicles” belonging to the Faculty of Engineering Hunedoara, component of Politehnica University of Timisoara. The scope of the study is to optimise the air intake into the engine cylinders by reducing the gas-dynamic resistances caused by the air filter and, therefore, to achieve higher energy efficiency, i.e. fuel consumption reduction and engine performance increase. We present some comparative values of various operating parameters of the engine fitted, in the first measuring session, with the original filter, and then with the studied filter. The data collected shows a reduction in fuel consumption by using this type of filter, which leads to lower emissions.

  3. New Capabilities in the Astrophysics Multispectral Archive Search Engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheung, C. Y.; Kelley, S.; Roussopoulos, N.

    The Astrophysics Multispectral Archive Search Engine (AMASE) uses object-oriented database techniques to provide a uniform multi-mission and multi-spectral interface to search for data in the distributed archives. We describe our experience of porting AMASE from Illustra object-relational DBMS to the Informix Universal Data Server. New capabilities and utilities have been developed, including a spatial datablade that supports Nearest Neighbor queries.

  4. Aviation System Analysis Capability Air Carrier Investment Model-Cargo

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, Jesse; Santmire, Tara

    1999-01-01

    The purpose of the Aviation System Analysis Capability (ASAC) Air Cargo Investment Model-Cargo (ACIMC), is to examine the economic effects of technology investment on the air cargo market, particularly the market for new cargo aircraft. To do so, we have built an econometrically based model designed to operate like the ACIM. Two main drivers account for virtually all of the demand: the growth rate of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and changes in the fare yield (which is a proxy of the price charged or fare). These differences arise from a combination of the nature of air cargo demand and the peculiarities of the air cargo market. The net effect of these two factors are that sales of new cargo aircraft are much less sensitive to either increases in GDP or changes in the costs of labor, capital, fuel, materials, and energy associated with the production of new cargo aircraft than the sales of new passenger aircraft. This in conjunction with the relatively small size of the cargo aircraft market means technology improvements to the cargo aircraft will do relatively very little to spur increased sales of new cargo aircraft.

  5. Incorporating engine health monitoring capability into the SSME Block II controller

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clarke, James W.; Copa, Roderick J.

    An account is given of the architecture of the SSME's Block II controller's architecture, its incorporation of smart input electronics (SIE), and the potential benefits of this technology in SSME health-monitoring capabilities. SIE allows the Block II controller to conduct its control functions while simultaneously furnishing the computational capabilities and sensor input interface for any newly defined health-monitoring functions. It is expected that the SIE technology may be directly transferred to any follow-on engine design.

  6. Numerical, Analytical, Experimental Study of Fluid Dynamic Forces in Seals Volume 6: Description of Scientific CFD Code SCISEAL

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Athavale, Mahesh; Przekwas, Andrzej

    2004-01-01

    The objectives of the program were to develop computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes and simpler industrial codes for analyzing and designing advanced seals for air-breathing and space propulsion engines. The CFD code SCISEAL is capable of producing full three-dimensional flow field information for a variety of cylindrical configurations. An implicit multidomain capability allow the division of complex flow domains to allow optimum use of computational cells. SCISEAL also has the unique capability to produce cross-coupled stiffness and damping coefficients for rotordynamic computations. The industrial codes consist of a series of separate stand-alone modules designed for expeditious parametric analyses and optimization of a wide variety of cylindrical and face seals. Coupled through a Knowledge-Based System (KBS) that provides a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI), the industrial codes are PC based using an OS/2 operating system. These codes were designed to treat film seals where a clearance exists between the rotating and stationary components. Leakage is inhibited by surface roughness, small but stiff clearance films, and viscous pumping devices. The codes have demonstrated to be a valuable resource for seal development of future air-breathing and space propulsion engines.

  7. Two-stroke S.I. engine competitive to four-stroke engine in terms of the exhaust emission

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pavletic, R.; Trenc, F.

    1994-09-01

    A model engine with disintegrated working cycle was built. Its operation is not autonomous; compression of the working air is performed separately outside the engine by the compressed-air line supply. Pre-compressed charge together with the injected fuel is introduced in the combustion chamber. The model engine makes possible to determine indicated performance characteristics and its emission capability. Effective measured engine characteristics are of course not comparable with those obtained by a practical engine. The model presented is a two-stroke cycle engine. Exhaust emission picture of the presented engine is comparable with the emission of a modern four-stroke engine. 2 refs.,more » 13 figs., 2 tabs.« less

  8. Clean Air Act Vehicle and Engine Enforcement Case Resolutions

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Clean Air Act requires new engines and equipment sold or distributed in the United States to be certified to meet EPA-established emissions requirements to protect public health and the environment from air pollution.

  9. Rocket Ejector Studies for Application to RBCC Engines: An Integrated Experimental/CFD Approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pal, S.; Merkle, C. L.; Anderson, W. E.; Santoro, R. J.

    1997-01-01

    Recent interest in low cost, reliable access to space has generated increased interest in advanced technology approaches to space transportation systems. A key to the success of such programs lies in the development of advanced propulsion systems capable of achieving the performance and operations goals required for the next generation of space vehicles. One extremely promising approach involves the combination of rocket and air- breathing engines into a rocket-based combined-cycle engine (RBCC). A key element of that engine is the rocket ejector which is utilized in the zero to Mach two operating regime. Studies of RBCC engine concepts are not new and studies dating back thirty years are well documented in the literature. However, studies focused on the rocket ejector mode of the RBCC cycle are lacking. The present investigation utilizes an integrated experimental and computation fluid dynamics (CFD) approach to examine critical rocket ejector performance issues. In particular, the development of a predictive methodology capable of performance prediction is a key objective in order to analyze thermal choking and its control, primary/secondary pressure matching considerations, and effects of nozzle expansion ratio. To achieve this objective, the present study emphasizes obtaining new data using advanced optical diagnostics such as Raman spectroscopy and CFD techniques to investigate mixing in the rocket ejector mode. A new research facility for the study of the rocket ejector mode is described along with the diagnostic approaches to be used. The CFD modeling approach is also described along with preliminary CFD predictions obtained to date.

  10. Defining an Approach for Future Close Air Support Capability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-01-01

    may take on the form of a force-mix study that considers multiple joint scenarios and missions. viii Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank...the Army and other services on an approach for defining future CAS capability. 9 Colin Clark, “Air...unit; one British soldier was killed, and five others were wounded.15 Only one A-10 was shot down during all of OIF and OEF. However, it should be

  11. 48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

  12. 48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

  13. 48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

  14. 48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

  15. 48 CFR 6.302-3 - Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ...; engineering, developmental, or research capability; or expert services. 6.302-3 Section 6.302-3 Federal... Other Than Full and Open Competition 6.302-3 Industrial mobilization; engineering, developmental, or... achieve industrial mobilization, (ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or...

  16. Rebreathed air as a reference for breath-alcohol testers

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1975-01-01

    A technique has been devised for a reference measurement of the performance of breath-alcohol measuring instruments directly from the respiratory system. It is shown that this technique is superior and simpler than comparison measurements based on bl...

  17. Cinema audiences reproducibly vary the chemical composition of air during films, by broadcasting scene specific emissions on breath

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, Jonathan; Stönner, Christof; Wicker, Jörg; Krauter, Nicolas; Derstroff, Bettina; Bourtsoukidis, Efstratios; Klüpfel, Thomas; Kramer, Stefan

    2016-05-01

    Human beings continuously emit chemicals into the air by breath and through the skin. In order to determine whether these emissions vary predictably in response to audiovisual stimuli, we have continuously monitored carbon dioxide and over one hundred volatile organic compounds in a cinema. It was found that many airborne chemicals in cinema air varied distinctively and reproducibly with time for a particular film, even in different screenings to different audiences. Application of scene labels and advanced data mining methods revealed that specific film events, namely “suspense” or “comedy” caused audiences to change their emission of specific chemicals. These event-type synchronous, broadcasted human chemosignals open the possibility for objective and non-invasive assessment of a human group response to stimuli by continuous measurement of chemicals in air. Such methods can be applied to research fields such as psychology and biology, and be valuable to industries such as film making and advertising.

  18. Cinema audiences reproducibly vary the chemical composition of air during films, by broadcasting scene specific emissions on breath.

    PubMed

    Williams, Jonathan; Stönner, Christof; Wicker, Jörg; Krauter, Nicolas; Derstroff, Bettina; Bourtsoukidis, Efstratios; Klüpfel, Thomas; Kramer, Stefan

    2016-05-10

    Human beings continuously emit chemicals into the air by breath and through the skin. In order to determine whether these emissions vary predictably in response to audiovisual stimuli, we have continuously monitored carbon dioxide and over one hundred volatile organic compounds in a cinema. It was found that many airborne chemicals in cinema air varied distinctively and reproducibly with time for a particular film, even in different screenings to different audiences. Application of scene labels and advanced data mining methods revealed that specific film events, namely "suspense" or "comedy" caused audiences to change their emission of specific chemicals. These event-type synchronous, broadcasted human chemosignals open the possibility for objective and non-invasive assessment of a human group response to stimuli by continuous measurement of chemicals in air. Such methods can be applied to research fields such as psychology and biology, and be valuable to industries such as film making and advertising.

  19. Cinema audiences reproducibly vary the chemical composition of air during films, by broadcasting scene specific emissions on breath

    PubMed Central

    Williams, Jonathan; Stönner, Christof; Wicker, Jörg; Krauter, Nicolas; Derstroff, Bettina; Bourtsoukidis, Efstratios; Klüpfel, Thomas; Kramer, Stefan

    2016-01-01

    Human beings continuously emit chemicals into the air by breath and through the skin. In order to determine whether these emissions vary predictably in response to audiovisual stimuli, we have continuously monitored carbon dioxide and over one hundred volatile organic compounds in a cinema. It was found that many airborne chemicals in cinema air varied distinctively and reproducibly with time for a particular film, even in different screenings to different audiences. Application of scene labels and advanced data mining methods revealed that specific film events, namely “suspense” or “comedy” caused audiences to change their emission of specific chemicals. These event-type synchronous, broadcasted human chemosignals open the possibility for objective and non-invasive assessment of a human group response to stimuli by continuous measurement of chemicals in air. Such methods can be applied to research fields such as psychology and biology, and be valuable to industries such as film making and advertising. PMID:27160439

  20. Variable speed gas engine-driven air compressor system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morgan, J. R.; Ruggles, A. E.; Chen, T. N.; Gehret, J.

    1992-11-01

    Tecogen Inc. and Ingersoll-Rand Co. as a subcontractor have designed a nominal 150-hp gas engine-driven air compressor utilizing the TECODRIVE 8000 engine and the Ingersoll-Rand 178.5-mm twin screw compressor. Phase 1 included the system engineering and design, economic and applications studies, and a draft commercialization plan. Phase 2 included controls development, laboratory prototype construction, and performance testing. The testing conducted verified that the compressor meets all design specifications.

  1. Extending the Capabilities of Closed-loop Distributed Engine Control Simulations Using LAN Communication

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aretskin-Hariton, Eliot D.; Zinnecker, Alicia Mae; Culley, Dennis E.

    2014-01-01

    Distributed Engine Control (DEC) is an enabling technology that has the potential to advance the state-of-the-art in gas turbine engine control. To analyze the capabilities that DEC offers, a Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) test bed is being developed at NASA Glenn Research Center. This test bed will support a systems-level analysis of control capabilities in closed-loop engine simulations. The structure of the HIL emulates a virtual test cell by implementing the operator functions, control system, and engine on three separate computers. This implementation increases the flexibility and extensibility of the HIL. Here, a method is discussed for implementing these interfaces by connecting the three platforms over a dedicated Local Area Network (LAN). This approach is verified using the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C-MAPSS40k), which is typically implemented on one computer. There are marginal differences between the results from simulation of the typical and the three-computer implementation. Additional analysis of the LAN network, including characterization of network load, packet drop, and latency, is presented. The three-computer setup supports the incorporation of complex control models and proprietary engine models into the HIL framework.

  2. Engineering with uncertainty: monitoring air bag performance.

    PubMed

    Wetmore, Jameson M

    2008-06-01

    Modern engineering is complicated by an enormous number of uncertainties. Engineers know a great deal about the material world and how it works. But due to the inherent limits of testing and the complexities of the world outside the lab, engineers will never be able to fully predict how their creations will behave. One way the uncertainties of engineering can be dealt with is by actively monitoring technologies once they have left the development and production stage. This article uses an episode in the history of automobile air bags as an example of engineers who had the foresight and initiative to carefully track the technology on the road to discover problems as early as possible. Not only can monitoring help engineers identify problems that surface in the field, it can also assist them in their efforts to mobilize resources to resolve problem.

  3. Rotary vane type IC engine with built-in scavenging air blower

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chang, V.

    This patent describes a rotary internal combustion engine. This engine consists of: a housing assembly including three sections and having a single common power shaft, the three sections being integrally connected together and operatively connected together into a unitary self-contained engine, air and fuel mixture intake conduit means communicatively connected to a first of the three sections, means in the first section to perform admission and compression of the air and fuel mixture admitted from the conduit means, means to convey the compressed air and fuel mixture to a second of the three sections. A single internal partition wall meansmore » between the first and second sections, and the air and fuel mixture conveys means consisting of a port formed in the partition wall means. In the second section the compressed air is ignited with a fuel mixture and to permit expansion of the ignited air and fuel mixture to thereby furnish power strokes to the power shaft. In the second section for exhausting the gaseous products of combustion, air blower in the third of the three sections driven by the power shaft.« less

  4. Customer Management Skills for Effective Air Force Civil Engineering Customer Service.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-09-01

    advertise --competence. (1) Craftsmen working closely with customer service -doing what is promised when it’s promised -if return to job site required, tell...RD-RI74 1 4 CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT SKILLS FOR EFFECTIVE AIR FORCE / I CIVIL ENGINEERING CUST (U) AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON RFS ON...I93 -A CUSTOMER MANAGEMENT SKILLS FOR EFFECTIVE AIR FORCE CIVIL ENGINEERING CUSTOMER SERVICE THESIS Danny S.- Long Captain, USAF AFIT/GEM/DEM/86S-1 7

  5. Breathing Easy over Air Quality.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greim, Clifton; Turner, William

    1991-01-01

    School systems should test the air in every school building for the presence and level of contaminants such as radon and asbestos and whether the ventilation system is circulating the proper amount of air. Periodic maintenance is required for all mechanical systems. (MLF)

  6. Volatile Biomarkers in Breath Associated With Liver Cirrhosis — Comparisons of Pre- and Post-liver Transplant Breath Samples

    PubMed Central

    Fernández del Río, R.; O'Hara, M.E.; Holt, A.; Pemberton, P.; Shah, T.; Whitehouse, T.; Mayhew, C.A.

    2015-01-01

    Background The burden of liver disease in the UK has risen dramatically and there is a need for improved diagnostics. Aims To determine which breath volatiles are associated with the cirrhotic liver and hence diagnostically useful. Methods A two-stage biomarker discovery procedure was used. Alveolar breath samples of 31 patients with cirrhosis and 30 healthy controls were mass spectrometrically analysed and compared (stage 1). 12 of these patients had their breath analysed after liver transplant (stage 2). Five patients were followed longitudinally as in-patients in the post-transplant period. Results Seven volatiles were elevated in the breath of patients versus controls. Of these, five showed statistically significant decrease post-transplant: limonene, methanol, 2-pentanone, 2-butanone and carbon disulfide. On an individual basis limonene has the best diagnostic capability (the area under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) is 0.91), but this is improved by combining methanol, 2-pentanone and limonene (AUROC curve 0.95). Following transplant, limonene shows wash-out characteristics. Conclusions Limonene, methanol and 2-pentanone are breath markers for a cirrhotic liver. This study raises the potential to investigate these volatiles as markers for early-stage liver disease. By monitoring the wash-out of limonene following transplant, graft liver function can be non-invasively assessed. PMID:26501124

  7. Replicating the AC-130’s Urban Close Air Support Capabilities Around the Clock

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-12-15

    Each employs four Allison T56 -15 turbo-prop engines, dual-wheel construction, steerable nose gear, two tandem-mounted main retractable landing gear...Primary Function: Close air support, air interdiction and force protection Builder: Lockheed/Boeing Corp. Power Plant: Four Allison T56 -A-15

  8. Evaluation of Bio-VOC Sampler for Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Exhaled Breath

    PubMed Central

    Kwak, Jae; Fan, Maomian; Harshman, Sean W.; Garrison, Catherine E.; Dershem, Victoria L.; Phillips, Jeffrey B.; Grigsby, Claude C.; Ott, Darrin K.

    2014-01-01

    Monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from exhaled breath has been used to determine exposures of humans to chemicals. Prior to analysis of VOCs, breath samples are often collected with canisters or bags and concentrated. The Bio-VOC breath sampler, a commercial sampling device, has been recently introduced to the market with growing use. The main advantage for this sampler is to collect the last portion of exhaled breath, which is more likely to represent the air deep in the lungs. However, information about the Bio-VOC sampler is somewhat limited. Therefore, we have thoroughly evaluated the sampler here. We determined the volume of the breath air collected in the sampler was approximately 88 mL. When sampling was repeated multiple times, with the succeeding exhalations applied to a single sorbent tube, we observed linear relationships between the normalized peak intensity and the number of repeated collections with the sampler in many of the breath VOCs detected. No moisture effect was observed on the Tenax sorbent tubes used. However, due to the limitation in the collection volume, the use of the Bio-VOC sampler is recommended only for detection of VOCs present at high concentrations unless repeated collections of breath samples on the sampler are conducted. PMID:25532709

  9. MEASUREMENTS OF AIR POLLUTANT BIOMARKERS WITH EXHALED BREATH TECHNIQUES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Use of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has appeal as a noninvasive surrogate sample for lung-derived fluid. Additionally, EBC can be collected multiple times over the course of a study, unlike many other lung sampling techniques which can be performed fewer times. However validat...

  10. A simple, remote, video based breathing monitor.

    PubMed

    Regev, Nir; Wulich, Dov

    2017-07-01

    Breathing monitors have become the all-important cornerstone of a wide variety of commercial and personal safety applications, ranging from elderly care to baby monitoring. Many such monitors exist in the market, some, with vital signs monitoring capabilities, but none remote. This paper presents a simple, yet efficient, real time method of extracting the subject's breathing sinus rhythm. Points of interest are detected on the subject's body, and the corresponding optical flow is estimated and tracked using the well known Lucas-Kanade algorithm on a frame by frame basis. A generalized likelihood ratio test is then utilized on each of the many interest points to detect which is moving in harmonic fashion. Finally, a spectral estimation algorithm based on Pisarenko harmonic decomposition tracks the harmonic frequency in real time, and a fusion maximum likelihood algorithm optimally estimates the breathing rate using all points considered. The results show a maximal error of 1 BPM between the true breathing rate and the algorithm's calculated rate, based on experiments on two babies and three adults.

  11. Breath acidification in adolescent runners exposed to atmospheric pollution: A prospective, repeated measures observational study

    PubMed Central

    Ferdinands, Jill M; Crawford, Carol A Gotway; Greenwald, Roby; Van Sickle, David; Hunter, Eric; Teague, W Gerald

    2008-01-01

    Background Vigorous outdoors exercise during an episode of air pollution might cause airway inflammation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of vigorous outdoor exercise during peak smog season on breath pH, a biomarker of airway inflammation, in adolescent athletes. Methods We measured breath pH both pre- and post-exercise on ten days during peak smog season in 16 high school athletes engaged in daily long-distance running in a downwind suburb of Atlanta. The association of post-exercise breath pH with ambient ozone and particulate matter concentrations was tested with linear regression. Results We collected 144 pre-exercise and 146 post-exercise breath samples from 16 runners (mean age 14.9 years, 56% male). Median pre-exercise breath pH was 7.58 (interquartile range: 6.90 to 7.86) and did not change significantly after exercise. We observed no significant association between ambient ozone or particulate matter and post-exercise breath pH. However both pre- and post-exercise breath pH were strikingly low in these athletes when compared to a control sample of 14 relatively sedentary healthy adults and to published values of breath pH in healthy subjects. Conclusion Although we did not observe an acute effect of air pollution exposure during exercise on breath pH, breath pH was surprisingly low in this sample of otherwise healthy long-distance runners. We speculate that repetitive vigorous exercise may induce airway acidification. PMID:18328105

  12. 'Breath figure' PLGA films as implant coatings for controlled drug release

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ponnusamy, Thiruselvam

    The breath figure method is a versatile and facile approach of generating ordered micro and nanoporous structures in polymeric materials. When a polymer solution (dissolved in a high vapor pressure organic solvent) is evaporated out in the presence of a moist air stream, the evaporative cooling effect causes the condensation and nucleation of water droplets onto the polymer solution surface. This leads to the formation of an imprinted porous structure upon removal of the residual solvent and water. The facile removal of the water droplet template leaving its structural imprint is a specifically appealing aspect of the breath figure film technology. The first part of the dissertation work involves the fabrication of drug loaded breath figure thin films and its utilization as a controlled drug release carrier and biomaterial scaffold. In a single fabrication step, single layer/multilayer porous thin films were designed and developed by combining the breath figure process and a modified spin or dip coating technique. Using biodegradable polymers such as poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG), drug loaded films were fabricated onto FDA approved medical devices (the Glaucoma drainage device and the Surgical hernia mesh). The porosity of the films is in the range of 2-4 microm as characterized by scanning electron microscope. The drug coated medical implants were characterized for their surface and bulk morphology, the degradation rate of the film, drug release rate and cell cytotoxicity. The results suggest that the use of breath figure morphologies in biodegradable polymer films adds an additional level of control to drug release. In comparison to non-porous films, the breath figure films showed an increased degradation and enhanced drug release. Furthermore, the porous nature of the film was investigated as a biomaterial scaffold to construct three dimensional in vitro tissue model systems. The breath figure film with interconnected

  13. Lithium-Air Battery: High Performance Cathodes for Lithium-Air Batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    2010-08-01

    BEEST Project: Researchers at Missouri S&T are developing an affordable lithium-air (Li-Air) battery that could enable an EV to travel up to 350 miles on a single charge. Today’s EVs run on Li-Ion batteries, which are expensive and suffer from low energy density compared with gasoline. This new Li-Air battery could perform as well as gasoline and store 3 times more energy than current Li-Ion batteries. A Li-Air battery uses an air cathode to breathe oxygen into the battery from the surrounding air, like a human lung. The oxygen and lithium react in the battery to produce electricity. Current Li-Airmore » batteries are limited by the rate at which they can draw oxygen from the air. The team is designing a battery using hierarchical electrode structures to enhance air breathing and effective catalysts to accelerate electricity production.« less

  14. The effect of breathing an ambient low‐density, hyperoxic gas on the perceived effort of breathing and maximal performance of exercise in well‐trained athletes

    PubMed Central

    Ansley, L; Petersen, D; Thomas, A; Gibson, A St Clair; Robson‐Ansley, P; Noakes, T D

    2007-01-01

    Background The role of the perception of breathing effort in the regulation of performance of maximal exercise remains unclear. Aims To determine whether the perceived effort of ventilation is altered through substituting a less dense gas for normal ambient air and whether this substitution affects performance of maximal incremental exercise in trained athletes. Methods Eight highly trained cyclists (mean SD) maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) = 69.9 (7.9) (mlO2/kg/min) performed two randomised maximal tests in a hyperbaric chamber breathing ambient air composed of either 35% O2/65% N2 (nitrox) or 35% O2/65% He (heliox). A ramp protocol was used in which power output was incremented at 0.5 W/s. The trials were separated by at least 48 h. The perceived effort of breathing was obtained via Borg Category Ratio Scales at 3‐min intervals and at fatigue. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and minute ventilation (VE) were monitored continuously. Results Breathing heliox did not change the sensation of dyspnoea: there were no differences between trials for the Borg scales at any time point. Exercise performance was not different between the nitrox and heliox trials (peak power output = 451 (58) and 453 (56) W), nor was VO2max (4.96 (0.61) and 4.88 (0.65) l/min) or maximal VE (157 (24) and 163 (22) l/min). Between‐trial variability in peak power output was less than either VO2max or maximal VE. Conclusion Breathing a less dense gas does not improve maximal performance of exercise or reduce the perception of breathing effort in highly trained athletes, although an attenuated submaximal tidal volume and VE with a concomitant reduction in VO2 suggests an improved gas exchange and reduced O2 cost of ventilation when breathing heliox. PMID:17062658

  15. The effects of aquatic oxygen concentration, body size and respiratory behaviour on the stamina of obligate aquatic (Bufo americanus) and facultative air-breathing (Xenopus laevis and Rana berlandieri) anuran larvae.

    PubMed

    Wassersug, R J; Feder, M E

    1983-07-01

    Larvae of the anurans Rana berlandieri and Xenopus laevis have lungs and can breathe air as well as irrigate buccal and pharyngeal surfaces for aquatic respiration. Larvae of Bufo americanus lack lungs until just before metamorphosis and are obligately aquatic. We examined the relationship between the locomotor stamina (time to fatigue), aquatic oxygen concentration, body size, and respiratory behaviour of swimming larvae of these species, with the following results: Stamina is size-dependent in all three species. Aquatic hypoxia reduces stamina in larvae of all three species, but most conspicuously in Bufo. Breathing air increases stamina in Rana larvae, especially in large animals and under aquatic hypoxia. In contrast to Rana larvae, Xenopus larvae swimming in normoxic water undergo a reduction in stamina when allowed to breathe air. In hypoxic water, aerial respiration moderates the reduction in stamina seen in Xenopus larvae. Branchial irrigation is associated with increased stamina in Xenopus, and is increased under hypoxia and at high swimming velocities. Respiratory demand, buoyancy and the drag associated with branchial irrigation all affect respiratory behaviour in Xenopus larvae. The great amount of interspecific variation in the relationship between respiratory behaviour and stamina reveals the importance of measuring performance directly when attempting to interpret the functional significance of respiratory structures and behaviour.

  16. Stirling engines for hybrid electric vehicle applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ernst, William D.

    Laboratory and vehicle chassis dynamometer test data based on natural gas fuel are presented for kinematic Stirling engine emissions levels over a range of air/fuel ratios and exhaust gas recirculation levels. It is concluded that the natural-gas-fired Stirling engine is capable of producing exhaust pipe emissions levels significantly below those of other engines. The projected emissions levels are found to be compliant with the 1995 California Air Resources Board Mobile Source Emission Standards for ultra-low-emissions vehicles.

  17. An Ultrasonic Contactless Sensor for Breathing Monitoring

    PubMed Central

    Arlotto, Philippe; Grimaldi, Michel; Naeck, Roomila; Ginoux, Jean-Marc

    2014-01-01

    The monitoring of human breathing activity during a long period has multiple fundamental applications in medicine. In breathing sleep disorders such as apnea, the diagnosis is based on events during which the person stops breathing for several periods during sleep. In polysomnography, the standard for sleep disordered breathing analysis, chest movement and airflow are used to monitor the respiratory activity. However, this method has serious drawbacks. Indeed, as the subject should sleep overnight in a laboratory and because of sensors being in direct contact with him, artifacts modifying sleep quality are often observed. This work investigates an analysis of the viability of an ultrasonic device to quantify the breathing activity, without contact and without any perception by the subject. Based on a low power ultrasonic active source and transducer, the device measures the frequency shift produced by the velocity difference between the exhaled air flow and the ambient environment, i.e., the Doppler effect. After acquisition and digitization, a specific signal processing is applied to separate the effects of breath from those due to subject movements from the Doppler signal. The distance between the source and the sensor, about 50 cm, and the use of ultrasound frequency well above audible frequencies, 40 kHz, allow monitoring the breathing activity without any perception by the subject, and therefore without any modification of the sleep quality which is very important for sleep disorders diagnostic applications. This work is patented (patent pending 2013-7-31 number FR.13/57569). PMID:25140632

  18. A Breath of Fresh Air

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Belew, Rachel

    2011-01-01

    One of the most important aspects of a healthy school--and one that, unfortunately, often falls by the wayside--is indoor air quality. The U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates that more than 15,000 schools nationwide report suffering from poor indoor air quality. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, schools with poor…

  19. A Breath of Fresh Air: Addressing Indoor Air Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Palliser, Janna

    2011-01-01

    Indoor air pollution refers to "chemical, biological, and physical contamination of indoor air," which may result in adverse health effects (OECD 2003). The causes, sources, and types of indoor air pollutants will be addressed in this article, as well as health effects and how to reduce exposure. Learning more about potential pollutants in home…

  20. Instrumentation development for drug detection on the breath

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1972-09-01

    Based on a survey of candidate analytical methods, mass spectrometry was identified as a promising technique for drug detection on the breath. To demonstrate its capabilities, an existing laboratory mass spectrometer was modified by the addition of a...

  1. Migration history of air-breathing fishes reveals Neogene atmospheric circulation patterns

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Böhme, M.

    2004-05-01

    The migration history of an air-breathing fish group (Channidae; snakehead fishes) is used for reconstructing Neogene Eurasian precipitation and atmospheric circulation patterns. The study shows that snakeheads are sensitive indicators of summer precipitation maxima in subtropical and temperate regions, and are present regularly if the wettest month exceeds 150 mm precipitation and 20 °C mean temperature. The analysis of 515 fossil freshwater fish deposits of the past 50 m.y. from Africa and Eurasia shows two continental-scale migration events from the snakeheads' center of origin in the south Himalayan region, events that can be related to changes in the Northern Hemisphere circulation pattern. The first migration, ca. 17.5 Ma, into western and central Eurasia may have been caused by a northward shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone that brought western Eurasia under the influence of trade winds that produced a zonal and meridional precipitation gradient in Europe. During the second migration, between 8 and 4 Ma, into Africa and East Asia, snakeheads reached their present-day distribution. This migration could have been related to the intensification of the Asian monsoon that brought summer precipitation to their migratory pathways in East Africa Arabia and East Asia.

  2. Effect of oxygen-breathing during a decompression-stop on bubble-induced platelet activation after an open-sea air dive: oxygen-stop decompression.

    PubMed

    Pontier, J-M; Lambrechts, K

    2014-06-01

    We highlighted a relationship between decompression-induced bubble formation and platelet micro-particle (PMP) release after a scuba air-dive. It is known that decompression protocol using oxygen-stop accelerates the washout of nitrogen loaded in tissues. The aim was to study the effect of oxygen deco-stop on bubble formation and cell-derived MP release. Healthy experienced divers performed two scuba-air dives to 30 msw for 30 min, one with an air deco-stop and a second with 100% oxygen deco-stop at 3 msw for 9 min. Bubble grades were monitored with ultrasound and converted to the Kisman integrated severity score (KISS). Blood samples for cell-derived micro-particle analysis (AnnexinV for PMP and CD31 for endothelial MP) were taken 1 h before and after each dive. Mean KISS bubble score was significantly lower after the dive with oxygen-decompression stop, compared to the dive with air-decompression stop (4.3 ± 7.3 vs. 32.7 ± 19.9, p < 0.001). After the dive with an air-breathing decompression stop, we observed an increase of the post-dive mean values of PMP (753 ± 245 vs. 381 ± 191 ng/μl, p = 0.003) but no significant change in the oxygen-stop decompression dive (329 ± 215 vs. 381 +/191 ng/μl, p = 0.2). For the post-dive mean values of endothelial MP, there was no significant difference between both the dives. The Oxygen breathing during decompression has a beneficial effect on bubble formation accelerating the washout of nitrogen loaded in tissues. Secondary oxygen-decompression stop could reduce bubble-induced platelet activation and the pro-coagulant activity of PMP release preventing the thrombotic event in the pathogenesis of decompression sickness.

  3. Correlation of the Characteristics of Single-Cylinder and Flight Engines in Tests of High-Performance Fuels in an Air-Cooled Engine I : Cooling Characteristics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilson, Robert W.; Richard, Paul H.; Brown, Kenneth D.

    1945-01-01

    Variable charge-air flow, cooling-air pressure drop, and fuel-air ration investigations were conducted to determine the cooling characteristics of a full-scale air-cooled single cylinder on a CUE setup. The data are compared with similar data that were available for the same model multicylinder engine tested in flight in a four-engine airplane. The cylinder-head cooling correlations were the same for both the single-cylinder and the flight engine. The cooling correlations for the barrels differed slightly in that the barrel of the single-cylinder engine runs cooler than the barrel of te flight engine for the same head temperatures and engine conditions.

  4. The effects of inspiratory diaphragm breathing exercise and expiratory pursed-lip breathing exercise on chronic stroke patients' respiratory muscle activation.

    PubMed

    Seo, KyoChul; Hwan, Park Seung; Park, KwangYong

    2017-03-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of inspiratory diaphragm breathing exercise and expiratory pursed-lip breathing exercise on chronic stroke patients' respiratory muscle activation. [Subjects and Methods] All experimental subjects performed exercises five times per week for four weeks. Thirty chronic stroke patients were randomly assign to an experimental group of 15 patients and a control group of 15 patients. The experimental group underwent exercises consisting of basic exercise treatment for 15 minutes and inspiratory diaphragm breathing exercise and expiratory pursed-lip breathing exercise for 15 minutes and the control group underwent exercises consisting of basic exercise treatment for 15 minutes and auto-med exercise for 15 minutes. The activation levels of respiratory muscles were measured before and after the experiment using MP 150WSW to obtain the results of the experiment. [Results] In the present study, when the pulmonary functions of the experimental group and the control group before and after the experiment were compared, whereas the experimental group showed significant differences in all sections. In the verification of intergroup differences between the experimental group and the control group before and after the experiment. [Conclusion] The respiratory rehabilitation exercise is considered to be capable of inducing positive effects on stroke patients' respiratory muscles through diaphragm breathing exercise and lip puckering breathing exercise.

  5. Adhesion of volatile propofol to breathing circuit tubing.

    PubMed

    Lorenz, Dominik; Maurer, Felix; Trautner, Katharina; Fink, Tobias; Hüppe, Tobias; Sessler, Daniel I; Baumbach, Jörg Ingo; Volk, Thomas; Kreuer, Sascha

    2017-08-21

    Propofol in exhaled breath can be measured and may provide a real-time estimate of plasma concentration. However, propofol is absorbed in plastic tubing, thus estimates may fail to reflect lung/blood concentration if expired gas is not extracted directly from the endotracheal tube. We evaluated exhaled propofol in five ventilated ICU patients who were sedated with propofol. Exhaled propofol was measured once per minute using ion mobility spectrometry. Exhaled air was sampled directly from the endotracheal tube and at the ventilator end of the expiratory side of the anesthetic circuit. The circuit was disconnected from the patient and propofol was washed out with a separate clean ventilator. Propofol molecules, which discharged from the expiratory portion of the breathing circuit, were measured for up to 60 h. We also determined whether propofol passes through the plastic of breathing circuits. A total of 984 data pairs (presented as median values, with 95% confidence interval), consisting of both concentrations were collected. The concentration of propofol sampled near the patient was always substantially higher, at 10.4 [10.25-10.55] versus 5.73 [5.66-5.88] ppb (p < 0.001). The reduction in concentration over the breathing circuit tubing was 4.58 [4.48-4.68] ppb, 3.46 [3.21-3.73] in the first hour, 4.05 [3.77-4.34] in the second hour, and 4.01 [3.36-4.40] in the third hour. Out-gassing propofol from the breathing circuit remained at 2.8 ppb after 60 h of washing out. Diffusion through the plastic was not observed. Volatile propofol binds or adsorbs to the plastic of a breathing circuit with saturation kinetics. The bond is reversible so propofol can be washed out from the plastic. Our data confirm earlier findings that accurate measurements of volatile propofol require exhaled air to be sampled as close as possible to the patient.

  6. Space Logistics: Launch Capabilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Furnas, Randall B.

    1989-01-01

    The current maximum launch capability for the United States are shown. The predicted Earth-to-orbit requirements for the United States are presented. Contrasting the two indicates the strong National need for a major increase in Earth-to-orbit lift capability. Approximate weights for planned payloads are shown. NASA is studying the following options to meet the need for a new heavy-lift capability by mid to late 1990's: (1) Shuttle-C for near term (include growth versions); and (2) the Advanced Lauching System (ALS) for the long term. The current baseline two-engine Shuttle-C has a 15 x 82 ft payload bay and an expected lift capability of 82,000 lb to Low Earth Orbit. Several options are being considered which have expanded diameter payload bays. A three-engine Shuttle-C with an expected lift of 145,000 lb to LEO is being evaluated as well. The Advanced Launch System (ALS) is a potential joint development between the Air Force and NASA. This program is focused toward long-term launch requirements, specifically beyond the year 2000. The basic approach is to develop a family of vehicles with the same high reliability as the Shuttle system, yet offering a much greater lift capability at a greatly reduced cost (per pound of payload). The ALS unmanned family of vehicles will provide a low end lift capability equivalent to Titan IV, and a high end lift capability greater than the Soviet Energia if requirements for such a high-end vehicle are defined.In conclusion, the planning of the next generation space telescope should not be constrained to the current launch vehicles. New vehicle designs will be driven by the needs of anticipated heavy users.

  7. A General-Purpose Optimization Engine for Multi-Disciplinary Design Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Patnaik, Surya N.; Hopkins, Dale A.; Berke, Laszlo

    1996-01-01

    A general purpose optimization tool for multidisciplinary applications, which in the literature is known as COMETBOARDS, is being developed at NASA Lewis Research Center. The modular organization of COMETBOARDS includes several analyzers and state-of-the-art optimization algorithms along with their cascading strategy. The code structure allows quick integration of new analyzers and optimizers. The COMETBOARDS code reads input information from a number of data files, formulates a design as a set of multidisciplinary nonlinear programming problems, and then solves the resulting problems. COMETBOARDS can be used to solve a large problem which can be defined through multiple disciplines, each of which can be further broken down into several subproblems. Alternatively, a small portion of a large problem can be optimized in an effort to improve an existing system. Some of the other unique features of COMETBOARDS include design variable formulation, constraint formulation, subproblem coupling strategy, global scaling technique, analysis approximation, use of either sequential or parallel computational modes, and so forth. The special features and unique strengths of COMETBOARDS assist convergence and reduce the amount of CPU time used to solve the difficult optimization problems of aerospace industries. COMETBOARDS has been successfully used to solve a number of problems, including structural design of space station components, design of nozzle components of an air-breathing engine, configuration design of subsonic and supersonic aircraft, mixed flow turbofan engines, wave rotor topped engines, and so forth. This paper introduces the COMETBOARDS design tool and its versatility, which is illustrated by citing examples from structures, aircraft design, and air-breathing propulsion engine design.

  8. Capability of air filters to retain airborne bacteria and molds in heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

    PubMed

    Möritz, M; Peters, H; Nipko, B; Rüden, H

    2001-07-01

    The capability of air filters (filterclass: F6, F7) to retain airborne outdoor microorganisms was examined in field experiments in two heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. At the beginning of the 15-month investigation period, the first filter stages of both HVAC systems were equipped with new unused air filters. The number of airborne bacteria and molds before and behind the filters were determined simultaneously in 14 days-intervals using 6-stage Andersen cascade impactors. Under relatively dry (< 80% R. H.) and warm (> 12 degrees C) outdoor air conditions air filters led to a marked reduction of airborne microorganism concentrations (bacteria by approximately 70% and molds by > 80%). However, during long periods of high relative humidity (> 80% R. H.) a proliferation of bacteria on air filters with subsequent release into the filtered air occurred. These microorganisms were mainly smaller than 1.1 microns therefore being part of the respirable fraction. The results showed furthermore that one possibility to avoid microbial proliferation is to limit the relative humidity in the area of the air filters to 80% R. H. (mean of 3 days), e.g. by using preheaters in front of air filters in HVAC-systems.

  9. The physics of pulsed streamer discharge in high pressure air and applications to engine techonologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Yung-Hsu

    The goal of this dissertation is to study high pressure streamers in air and apply it to diesel engine technologies. Nanosecond scale pulsed high voltage discharges in air/fuel mixtures can generate radicals which in turn have been shown to improve combustion efficiency in gasoline fueled internal combustion engines. We are exploring the possibility to extend such transient plasma generation and expected radical species generation to the range of pressures encountered in compression-ignition (diesel) engines having compression ratios of ˜20:1, thereby improving lean burning efficiency and extending the range of lean combustion. At the beginning of this dissertation, research into streamer discharges is reviewed. Then, we conducted experiments of streamer propagation at high pressures, calculated the streamer velocity based on both optical and electrical measurements, and the similarity law was checked by analyzing the streamer velocity as a function of the reduced electric field, E/P. Our results showed that the similarity law is invalid, and an empirical scaling factor, E/√P, is obtained and verified by dimensional analysis. The equation derived from the dimensional analysis will be beneficial to proper electrode and pulse generator design for transient plasma assisted internal engine experiments. Along with the high pressure study, we applied such technique on diesel engine to improve the fuel efficiency and exhaust treatment. We observed a small effect of transient plasma on peak pressure, which implied that transient plasma has the capability to improve the fuel consumption. In addition, the NO can be reduced effectively by the same technique and the energy cost is 30 eV per NO molecule.

  10. Optical fiber sensors for breathing diagnostics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Q.; Claus, Richard O.; Mecham, Jeffrey B.; Vercellino, M.; Arregui, Francisco J.; Matias, Ignacio R.

    2002-03-01

    We report the application of an optical fiber-based humidity sensor to the problem of breathing diagnostics. The sensor is fabricated by molecularly self-assembling selected polymers and functionalized inorganic nanoclusters into multilayered optical thin films on the cleaved and polished flat end of a singlemode optical fiber. Prior work has studied the synthesis process and the fundamental mechanisms responsible for the change in optical reflection from the film that occurs as a function of humidity. We will briefly review that prior work as a way to introduce more recent developments. This paper will then discuss the application of these sensors to the analysis of air flow. We have designed the sensor thin film materials for the detection of relative humidity over a wide range, from approximately 10 to 95%, and for response times as short as several tens of milliseconds. This very fast response time allows the near real-time analysis of air flow and humidity during a single breath, with the advantage of very small size.

  11. Bronchoconstriction Triggered by Breathing Hot Humid Air in Patients with Asthma

    PubMed Central

    Hayes, Don; Collins, Paul B.; Khosravi, Mehdi

    2012-01-01

    Rationale: Hyperventilation of hot humid air induces transient bronchoconstriction in patients with asthma; the underlying mechanism is not known. Recent studies showed that an increase in temperature activates vagal bronchopulmonary C-fiber sensory nerves, which upon activation can elicit reflex bronchoconstriction. Objectives: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the bronchoconstriction induced by increasing airway temperature in patients with asthma is mediated through cholinergic reflex resulting from activation of these airway sensory nerves. Methods: Specific airway resistance (SRaw) and pulmonary function were measured to determine the airway responses to isocapnic hyperventilation of humidified air at hot (49°C; HA) and room temperature (20–22°C; RA) for 4 minutes in six patients with mild asthma and six healthy subjects. A double-blind design was used to compare the effects between pretreatments with ipratropium bromide and placebo aerosols on the airway responses to HA challenge in these patients. Measurements and Main Results: SRaw increased by 112% immediately after hyperventilation of HA and by only 38% after RA in patients with asthma. Breathing HA, but not RA, triggered coughs in these patients. In contrast, hyperventilation of HA did not cause cough and increased SRaw by only 22% in healthy subjects; there was no difference between their SRaw responses to HA and RA challenges. More importantly, pretreatment with ipratropium completely prevented the HA-induced bronchoconstriction in patients with asthma. Conclusions: Bronchoconstriction induced by increasing airway temperature in patients with asthma is mediated through the cholinergic reflex pathway. The concomitant increase in cough response further indicates an involvement of airway sensory nerves, presumably the thermosensitive C-fiber afferents. PMID:22505744

  12. 22. Power plant engine pipingcompressed air piping diagram and sections, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    22. Power plant engine piping-compressed air piping diagram and sections, sheet 81 of 130 - Naval Air Station Fallon, Power Plant, 800 Complex, off Carson Road near intersection of Pasture & Berney Roads, Fallon, Churchill County, NV

  13. Assessment of regional ventilation and deformation using 4D-CT imaging for healthy human lungs during tidal breathing

    PubMed Central

    Jahani, Nariman; Choi, Jiwoong; Iyer, Krishna; Hoffman, Eric A.

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to assess regional ventilation, nonlinearity, and hysteresis of human lungs during dynamic breathing via image registration of four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) scans. Six healthy adult humans were studied by spiral multidetector-row CT during controlled tidal breathing as well as during total lung capacity and functional residual capacity breath holds. Static images were utilized to contrast static vs. dynamic (deep vs. tidal) breathing. A rolling-seal piston system was employed to maintain consistent tidal breathing during 4D-CT spiral image acquisition, providing required between-breath consistency for physiologically meaningful reconstructed respiratory motion. Registration-derived variables including local air volume and anisotropic deformation index (ADI, an indicator of preferential deformation in response to local force) were employed to assess regional ventilation and lung deformation. Lobar distributions of air volume change during tidal breathing were correlated with those of deep breathing (R2 ≈ 0.84). Small discrepancies between tidal and deep breathing were shown to be likely due to different distributions of air volume change in the left and the right lungs. We also demonstrated an asymmetric characteristic of flow rate between inhalation and exhalation. With ADI, we were able to quantify nonlinearity and hysteresis of lung deformation that can only be captured in dynamic images. Nonlinearity quantified by ADI is greater during inhalation, and it is stronger in the lower lobes (P < 0.05). Lung hysteresis estimated by the difference of ADI between inhalation and exhalation is more significant in the right lungs than that in the left lungs. PMID:26316512

  14. Next Generation Tanker: Optimizing Air Refueling Capabilities in 2030 with a Divested KC-10 Fleet

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-06-19

    and Acquisition of Our Next Generation Tanker (No. AFIT/ GMO /ENS/02E-15). 33 Appendix A: Advanced Air Refueling Capability Concepts Standard... advantage of advanced technologies for the purpose of increasing aircraft range. This capability could allow basing of forces and operations outside

  15. Material Capability for Transport of Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-07-13

    is shown in Figure 1. The air supply was house compressed air conditioned by passing it through a series of demisters, a hot Hopcalite catalyst bed...required to reach that value was recorded. At the end of a test, the tubing was rinsed with methanol and dried with compressed breathing air or filtered... compressed house air . Solvents such as acetone were not used as they react with hydrazines (8]. Table 2 lists the combinations of tubing length, UDMH or

  16. Effects of nitrite exposure on functional haemoglobin levels, bimodal respiration, and swimming performance in the facultative air-breathing fish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus.

    PubMed

    Lefevre, Sjannie; Jensen, Frank B; Huong, Do T T; Wang, Tobias; Phuong, Nguyen T; Bayley, Mark

    2011-07-01

    In this study we investigated nitrite (NO₂⁻) effects in striped catfish, a facultative air-breather. Fish were exposed to 0, 0.4, and 0.9 mM nitrite for 0, 1, 2, 4, and 7 days, and levels of functional haemoglobin, methaemoglobin (metHb) and nitrosyl haemoglobin (HbNO) were assessed using spectral deconvolution. Plasma concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, chloride, potassium, and sodium were also measured. Partitioning of oxygen consumption was determined to reveal whether elevated metHb (causing functional hypoxia) induced air-breathing. The effects of nitrite on maximum oxygen uptake (MO(2max)) and critical swimming speed (U(crit)) were also assessed. Striped catfish was highly tolerant to nitrite exposure, as reflected by a 96 h LC₅₀ of 1.65 mM and a moderate nitrite uptake into the blood. Plasma levels of nitrite reached a maximum after 1 day of exposure, and then decreased, never exceeding ambient levels. MetHb, HbNO and nitrate (a nitrite detoxification product) also peaked after 1 day and then decreased. Only high levels of nitrite and metHb caused reductions in MO(2max) and U(crit). The response of striped catfish contrasts with that seen in most other fish species and discloses efficient mechanisms of combating nitrite threats. Furthermore, even though striped catfish is an efficient air-breather, this species has the ability to sustain aerobic scope and swimming performance without air-breathing, even when faced with nitrite-induced reductions in blood oxygen carrying capacity. Our study is the first to confirm that high levels of nitrite and metHb reduce MO(2max) and thereby aerobic scope, while more moderate elevations fail to do so. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the low nitrite accumulation in striped catfish. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Simulating urban-scale air pollutants and their predicting capabilities over the Seoul metropolitan area.

    PubMed

    Park, Il-Soo; Lee, Suk-Jo; Kim, Cheol-Hee; Yoo, Chul; Lee, Yong-Hee

    2004-06-01

    Urban-scale air pollutants for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter > or = 10 microm, and ozone (O3) were simulated over the Seoul metropolitan area, Korea, during the period of July 2-11, 2002, and their predicting capabilities were discussed. The Air Pollution Model (TAPM) and the highly disaggregated anthropogenic and the biogenic gridded emissions (1 km x 1 km) recently prepared by the Korean Ministry of Environment were applied. Wind fields with observational nudging in the prognostic meteorological model TAPM are optionally adopted to comparatively examine the meteorological impact on the prediction capabilities of urban-scale air pollutants. The result shows that the simulated concentrations of secondary air pollutant largely agree with observed levels with an index of agreement (IOA) of >0.6, whereas IOAs of approximately 0.4 are found for most primary pollutants in the major cities, reflecting the quality of emission data in the urban area. The observationally nudged wind fields with higher IOAs have little effect on the prediction for both primary and secondary air pollutants, implying that the detailed wind field does not consistently improve the urban air pollution model performance if emissions are not well specified. However, the robust highest concentrations are better described toward observations by imposing observational nudging, suggesting the importance of wind fields for the predictions of extreme concentrations such as robust highest concentrations, maximum levels, and >90th percentiles of concentrations for both primary and secondary urban-scale air pollutants.

  18. Increased cardiac output, not pulmonary artery systolic pressure, increases intrapulmonary shunt in healthy humans breathing room air and 40% O2

    PubMed Central

    Elliott, Jonathan E; Duke, Joseph W; Hawn, Jerold A; Halliwill, John R; Lovering, Andrew T

    2014-01-01

    Blood flow through intrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses (IPAVAs) has been demonstrated to increase in healthy humans during a variety of conditions; however, whether or not this blood flow represents a source of venous admixture (/) that impairs pulmonary gas exchange efficiency (i.e. increases the alveolar-to-arterial difference (A–aDO2)) remains controversial and unknown. We hypothesized that blood flow through IPAVAs does provide a source of /. To test this, blood flow through IPAVAs was increased in healthy humans at rest breathing room air and 40% O2: (1) during intravenous adrenaline (epinephrine) infusion at 320 ng kg−1 min−1 (320 ADR), and (2) with vagal blockade (2 mg atropine), before and during intravenous adrenaline infusion at 80 ng kg−1 min−1 (ATR + 80 ADR). When breathing room air the A–aDO2 increased by 6 ± 2 mmHg during 320 ADR and by 5 ± 2 mmHg during ATR + 80 ADR, and the change in calculated / was +2% in both conditions. When breathing 40% O2, which minimizes contributions from diffusion limitation and alveolar ventilation-to-perfusion inequality, the A–aDO2 increased by 12 ± 7 mmHg during 320 ADR, and by 9 ± 6 mmHg during ATR + 80 ADR, and the change in calculated / was +2% in both conditions. During 320 ADR cardiac output () and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) were significantly increased; however, during ATR + 80 ADR only was significantly increased, yet blood flow through IPAVAs as detected with saline contrast echocardiography was not different between conditions. Accordingly, we suggest that blood flow through IPAVAs provides a source of intrapulmonary shunt, and is mediated primarily by increases in rather than PASP. PMID:25085889

  19. Breathing exercises for dysfunctional breathing/hyperventilation syndrome in adults.

    PubMed

    Jones, Mandy; Harvey, Alex; Marston, Louise; O'Connell, Neil E

    2013-05-31

    Dysfunctional breathing/hyperventilation syndrome (DB/HVS) is a respiratory disorder, psychologically or physiologically based, involving breathing too deeply and/or too rapidly (hyperventilation) or erratic breathing interspersed with breath-holding or sighing (DB). DB/HVS can result in significant patient morbidity and an array of symptoms including breathlessness, chest tightness, dizziness, tremor and paraesthesia. DB/HVS has an estimated prevalence of 9.5% in the general adult population, however, there is little consensus regarding the most effective management of this patient group. (1) To determine whether breathing exercises in patients with DB/HVS have beneficial effects as measured by quality of life indices (2) To determine whether there are any adverse effects of breathing exercises in patients with DB/HVS SEARCH METHODS: We identified trials for consideration using both electronic and manual search strategies. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and four other databases. The latest search was in February 2013. We planned to include randomised, quasi-randomised or cluster randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which breathing exercises, or a combined intervention including breathing exercises as a key component, were compared with either no treatment or another therapy that did not include breathing exercises in patients with DB/HVS. Observational studies, case studies and studies utilising a cross-over design were not eligible for inclusion.We considered any type of breathing exercise for inclusion in this review, such as breathing control, diaphragmatic breathing, yoga breathing, Buteyko breathing, biofeedback-guided breathing modification, yawn/sigh suppression. Programs where exercises were either supervised or unsupervised were eligible as were relaxation techniques and acute-episode management, as long as it was clear that breathing exercises were a key component of the intervention.We excluded any intervention without breathing exercises or

  20. Profile of a Successful Civil Engineering Career in the United States Air Force.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-09-01

    Introduction ........ * * ........... 7 Career Success .. .. .. . .. . . ... 4- . .. ....... 8 Research Methods . .. . .. a.. . .. .. ............ it III...Definition of Terms I The following terms, for the purpose of this study, were defined as: Career success refers to an Air Force civil engineering officer...discussion of career success . An Air Force civil engineer is an officer currently possessing a 55XX duty Air Force . Specialty Code (AFSC). Statement of

  1. Effects of slow breathing rate on heart rate variability and arterial baroreflex sensitivity in essential hypertension.

    PubMed

    Li, Changjun; Chang, Qinghua; Zhang, Jia; Chai, Wenshu

    2018-05-01

    This study is to investigate the effects of slow breathing on heart rate variability (HRV) and arterial baroreflex sensitivity in essential hypertension.We studied 60 patients with essential hypertension and 60 healthy controls. All subjects underwent controlled breathing at 8 and 16 breaths per minute. Electrocardiogram, respiratory, and blood pressure signals were recorded simultaneously. We studied effects of slow breathing on heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory peak, high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, and LF/HF ratio of HRV with traditional and corrected spectral analysis. Besides, we tested whether slow breathing was capable of modifying baroreflex sensitivity in hypertensive subjects.Slow breathing, compared with 16 breaths per minute, decreased the heart rate and blood pressure (all P < .05), and shifted respiratory peak toward left (P < .05). Compared to 16 breaths/minute, traditional spectral analysis showed increased LF power and LF/HF ratio, decreased HF power of HRV at 8 breaths per minute (P < .05). As breathing rate decreased, corrected spectral analysis showed increased HF power, decreased LF power, LF/HF ratio of HRV (P < .05). Compared to controls, resting baroreflex sensitivity decreased in hypertensive subjects. Slow breathing increased baroreflex sensitivity in hypertensive subjects (from 59.48 ± 6.39 to 78.93 ± 5.04 ms/mm Hg, P < .05) and controls (from 88.49 ± 6.01 to 112.91 ± 7.29 ms/mm Hg, P < .05).Slow breathing can increase HF power and decrease LF power and LF/HF ratio in essential hypertension. Besides, slow breathing increased baroreflex sensitivity in hypertensive subjects. These demonstrate slow breathing is indeed capable of shifting sympatho-vagal balance toward vagal activities and increasing baroreflex sensitivity, suggesting a safe, therapeutic approach for essential hypertension.

  2. Method and apparatus for controlling fuel/air mixture in a lean burn engine

    DOEpatents

    Kubesh, John Thomas; Dodge, Lee Gene; Podnar, Daniel James

    1998-04-07

    The system for controlling the fuel/air mixture supplied to a lean burn engine when operating on natural gas, gasoline, hydrogen, alcohol, propane, butane, diesel or any other fuel as desired. As specific humidity of air supplied to the lean burn engine increases, the oxygen concentration of exhaust gas discharged by the engine for a given equivalence ratio will decrease. Closed loop fuel control systems typically attempt to maintain a constant exhaust gas oxygen concentration. Therefore, the decrease in the exhaust gas oxygen concentration resulting from increased specific humidity will often be improperly attributed to an excessive supply of fuel and the control system will incorrectly reduce the amount of fuel supplied to the engine. Also, the minimum fuel/air equivalence ratio for a lean burn engine to avoid misfiring will increase as specific humidity increases. A relative humidity sensor to allow the control system to provide a more enriched fuel/air mixture at high specific humidity levels. The level of specific humidity may be used to compensate an output signal from a universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor for changing oxygen concentrations at a desired equivalence ratio due to variation in specific humidity specific humidity. As a result, the control system will maintain the desired efficiency, low exhaust emissions and power level for the associated lean burn engine regardless of the specific humidity level of intake air supplied to the lean burn engine.

  3. Applying Early Systems Engineering: Injecting Knowledge into the Capability Development Process

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-10-01

    involves early use of systems engi- neering and technical analyses to supplement the existing operational analysis techniques currently used in...complexity, and costs of systems now being developed require tight coupling between operational requirements stated in the CDD, system requirements...Fleischer » Keywords: Capability Development, Competitive Prototyping, Knowledge Points, Early Systems Engineering Applying Early Systems

  4. Effect of breathing oxygen-enriched air on exercise performance in patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension: randomized, sham-controlled cross-over trial.

    PubMed

    Ulrich, Silvia; Hasler, Elisabeth D; Saxer, Stéphanie; Furian, Michael; Müller-Mottet, Séverine; Keusch, Stephan; Bloch, Konrad E

    2017-04-14

    The purpose of the current trial was to test the hypothesis that breathing oxygen-enriched air increases exercise performance of patients with pulmonary arterial or chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary hypertension (PAH/CTEPH) and to investigate involved mechanisms. Twenty-two patients with PAH/CTEPH, eight women, means ± SD 61 ± 14 years, resting mPAP 35 ± 9mmHg, PaO2 ambient air >7.3 kPa, underwent four bicycle ergospirometries to exhaustion on different days, while breathing oxygen-enriched (FiO2 0.50, hyperoxia) or ambient air (FiO2 0.21, normoxia) using progressively increased or constant load protocols (with 75% maximal work rate under FiO2 0.21), according to a randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind, cross-over design. ECG, pulmonary gas-exchange, arterial blood gases, cerebral and quadriceps muscle tissue oxygenation (CTO and QMTO) by near-infrared spectroscopy were measured. In ramp exercise, maximal work rate increased from 113 ± 38 W with normoxia to 132 ± 48 W with hyperoxia, mean difference 19.7 (95% CI 10.5-28.9) W, P < 0.001. Constant load exercise endurance increased from 571 ± 443 to 1242 ± 514 s, mean difference 671 (95% CI 392-951) s, P < 0.001. At end-exercise with hyperoxia PaO2, CTO, QMTO, and PaCO2 were increased, and ventilatory equivalents for CO2 were reduced while the physiological dead space/tidal volume ratio remained unchanged. In patients with PAH/CTEPH, breathing oxygen-enriched air provides major increases in exercise performance. This is related to an improved arterial oxygenation that promotes oxygen availability in muscles and brain and to a reduction of the excessive ventilatory response to exercise thereby enhancing ventilatory efficiency. Patients with PAH/CTEPH may therefore benefit from oxygen therapy during daily physical activities and training. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01748474. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The

  5. Air intake side secondary air supply system for an internal combustion engine with a duty ratio control operation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kawanabe, T.; Asakura, M.; Shina, T.

    1987-09-01

    An air intake side secondary air supply system is described for an internal combustion engine having an air intake passage with a carburetor and an exhaust passage, comprising: an air intake side secondary air supply passage communicating with the air intake passage on the downstream side of the carburetor; an open/close valve disposed in the air intake side secondary air supply passage; an oxygen concentration sensor disposed in the exhaust passage; and detection and control means for detecting whether an air-fuel ratio of mixture to be supplied to the engine is leaner or richer with respect to a target air-fuelmore » ratio through a level of an output signal of the oxygen concentration sensor and for periodically actuating the open/close valve, the detection and control means decreasing a valve open period of the open/close valve within each cyclic period by a first predetermined amount when a detected air-fuel ratio of mixture is leaner than the target air-fuel ratio and increasing the valve open period by a second predetermined amount when the detected air-fuel ratio of mixture is richer than the target air-fuel ratio. The second predetermined amount is different from the first predetermined amount.« less

  6. Backup control airstart performance on a digital electronic engine control-equipped F100-engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, J. B.

    1984-01-01

    The air start capability of a backup control (BUC) was tested for a digital electronic engine control (DEEC) equipped F100 engine, which was installed in an F-15 aircraft. Two air start schedules were tested. Using the group 1 start schedule, based on a 40 sec timer, an air speed of 300 knots was required to ensure successful 40 and 25% BUC mode spooldown airstarts. If core rotor speed (N2) was less than 40% a stall would occur when the start bleed closed, 40 sec after initiation of the air start. All jet fuel starter (JFS) assisted air starts were successful with the group 1 start schedule. For the group 2 schedule, the time between pressurization and start bleed closure ranged between 50 sec and 72 sec. Idle rps was lower than the desired 65% for air starts at higher altitudes and lower air speeds.

  7. Leveraging Leadership for Better Business: A Look at Civil Engineering in the Air Force

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-12-05

    What does it all mean ?" CE Quarterly Magazine article dated Winter 98 - "The Air Force Civil Engineer...Future" CE Quarterly Magazine article dated Winter 98 - "Civil Engineering Outsourcing: What does it all mean ?" CE Quarterly Magazine article dated...Engineering Outsourcing: What does it all mean ?" CE Quarterly Magazine article dated Winter 98 - "The Air Force Civil Engineer

  8. Strategies for Limiting Engineers' Potential Liability for Indoor Air Quality Problems.

    PubMed

    von Oppenfeld, Rolf R; Freeze, Mark E; Sabo, Sean M

    1998-10-01

    Engineers face indoor air quality (IAQ) issues at the design phase of building construction as well as during the investigation and mitigation of potential indoor air pollution problems during building operation. IAQ issues that can be identified are "building-related illnesses" that may include problems of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). IAQ issues that cannot be identified are termed "sick building syndrome." Frequently, microorganism-caused illnesses are difficult to confirm. Engineers who provide professional services that directly or indirectly impact IAQ face significant potential liability to clients and third parties when performing these duties. Potential theories supporting liability claims for IAQ problems against engineers include breach of contract and various common law tort theories such as negligence and negligent misrepresentation. Furthermore, an increasing number of federal, state, and local regulations affect IAQ issues and can directly increase the potential liability of engineers. A duty to disclose potential or actual air quality concerns to third parties may apply for engineers in given circumstances. Such a duty may arise from judicial precedent, the Model Guide for Professional Conduct for Engineers, or the Code of Ethics for Engineers. Practical strategies engineers can use to protect themselves from liability include regular training and continuing education in relevant regulatory, scientific, and case law developments; detailed documentation and recordkeeping practices; adequate insurance coverage; contractual indemnity clauses; contractual provisions limiting liability to the scope of work performed; and contractual provisions limiting the extent of liability for engineers' negligence. Furthermore, through the proper use of building materials and construction techniques, an engineer or other design professional can effectively limit the potential for IAQ liability.

  9. Investigation at Mach Numbers 2.98 and 2.18 of Axially Symmetric Free-jet Diffusion with a Ram-jet Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hunczak, Henry R

    1952-01-01

    An investigation was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a free-jet diffuser in reducing the over-all pressure ratios required to operate a free jet with a large air-breathing engine as a test vehicle. Efficient operation of the free jet was determined with and without the considerations required for producing suitable engine-inlet flow conditions. A minimum operating pressure ration of 5.5 was attained with a ratio of nozzle-exit to engine-inlet area of 1.85. Operation of the free jet with unstable engine-inlet flow (buzz) is also included.

  10. Hydrogen sulphide in human nasal air quantified using thermal desorption and selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wondimu, Taddese; Wang, Rui; Ross, Brian

    2014-09-01

    The discovery that hydrogen sulphide (H2S) acts as a gasotransmitter when present at very low concentrations (sub-parts per billion (ppbv)) has resulted in the need to quickly quantify trace amounts of the gas in complex biological samples. Selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is capable of real-time quantification of H2S but many SIFT-MS instruments lack sufficient sensitivity for this application. In this study we investigate the utility of combining thermal desorption with SIFT-MS for quantifying H2S in the 0.1-1 ppbv concentration range. Human orally or nasally derived breath, and background ambient air, were collected in sampling bags and dried by passing through CaCl2 and H2S pre-concentrated using a sorbent trap optimised for the capture of this gas. The absorbed H2S was then thermally desorbed and quantified by SIFT-MS. H2S concentrations in ambient air, nasal breath and oral breath collected from 10 healthy volunteers were 0.12  ±  0.02 (mean ± SD), 0.40  ±  0.11 and 3.1  ±  2.5 ppbv respectively, and in the oral cavity H2S, quantified by SIFT-MS without pre-concentration, was present at 13.5  ±  8.6 ppbv. The oral cavity H2S correlates well with oral breath H2S but not with nasal breath H2S, suggesting that oral breath H2S derives mainly from the oral cavity but nasal breath is likely pulmonary in origin. The successful quantification of such low concentrations of H2S in nasal air using a rapid analytical procedure paves the way for the straightforward analysis of H2S in breath and may assist in elucidating the role that H2S plays in biological systems.

  11. Breath-collection device for delayed breath-alcohol analysis

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1980-12-01

    The report includes the details of a study to develop, evaluate, and validate a breath collection device (BCD) for delayed breath-alcohol analysis. Primary applications of the BCD include collection of breath-alcohol samples for field surveys or for ...

  12. A fully integrated standalone portable cavity ringdown breath acetone analyzer.

    PubMed

    Sun, Meixiu; Jiang, Chenyu; Gong, Zhiyong; Zhao, Xiaomeng; Chen, Zhuying; Wang, Zhennan; Kang, Meiling; Li, Yingxin; Wang, Chuji

    2015-09-01

    Breath analysis is a promising new technique for nonintrusive disease diagnosis and metabolic status monitoring. One challenging issue in using a breath biomarker for potential particular disease screening is to find a quantitative relationship between the concentration of the breath biomarker and clinical diagnostic parameters of the specific disease. In order to address this issue, we need a new instrument that is capable of conducting real-time, online breath analysis with high data throughput, so that a large scale of clinical test (more subjects) can be achieved in a short period of time. In this work, we report a fully integrated, standalone, portable analyzer based on the cavity ringdown spectroscopy technique for near-real time, online breath acetone measurements. The performance of the portable analyzer in measurements of breath acetone was interrogated and validated by using the certificated gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results show that this new analyzer is useful for reliable online (online introduction of a breath sample without pre-treatment) breath acetone analysis with high sensitivity (57 ppb) and high data throughput (one data per second). Subsequently, the validated breath analyzer was employed for acetone measurements in 119 human subjects under various situations. The instrument design, packaging, specifications, and future improvements were also described. From an optical ringdown cavity operated by the lab-set electronics reported previously to this fully integrated standalone new instrument, we have enabled a new scientific tool suited for large scales of breath acetone analysis and created an instrument platform that can even be adopted for study of other breath biomarkers by using different lasers and ringdown mirrors covering corresponding spectral fingerprints.

  13. A fully integrated standalone portable cavity ringdown breath acetone analyzer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Meixiu; Jiang, Chenyu; Gong, Zhiyong; Zhao, Xiaomeng; Chen, Zhuying; Wang, Zhennan; Kang, Meiling; Li, Yingxin; Wang, Chuji

    2015-09-01

    Breath analysis is a promising new technique for nonintrusive disease diagnosis and metabolic status monitoring. One challenging issue in using a breath biomarker for potential particular disease screening is to find a quantitative relationship between the concentration of the breath biomarker and clinical diagnostic parameters of the specific disease. In order to address this issue, we need a new instrument that is capable of conducting real-time, online breath analysis with high data throughput, so that a large scale of clinical test (more subjects) can be achieved in a short period of time. In this work, we report a fully integrated, standalone, portable analyzer based on the cavity ringdown spectroscopy technique for near-real time, online breath acetone measurements. The performance of the portable analyzer in measurements of breath acetone was interrogated and validated by using the certificated gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results show that this new analyzer is useful for reliable online (online introduction of a breath sample without pre-treatment) breath acetone analysis with high sensitivity (57 ppb) and high data throughput (one data per second). Subsequently, the validated breath analyzer was employed for acetone measurements in 119 human subjects under various situations. The instrument design, packaging, specifications, and future improvements were also described. From an optical ringdown cavity operated by the lab-set electronics reported previously to this fully integrated standalone new instrument, we have enabled a new scientific tool suited for large scales of breath acetone analysis and created an instrument platform that can even be adopted for study of other breath biomarkers by using different lasers and ringdown mirrors covering corresponding spectral fingerprints.

  14. Retinal Vessel Oxygen Saturation during 100% Oxygen Breathing in Healthy Individuals

    PubMed Central

    Olafsdottir, Olof Birna; Eliasdottir, Thorunn Scheving; Kristjansdottir, Jona Valgerdur; Hardarson, Sveinn Hakon; Stefánsson, Einar

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To detect how systemic hyperoxia affects oxygen saturation in retinal arterioles and venules in healthy individuals. Methods Retinal vessel oxygen saturation was measured in 30 healthy individuals with a spectrophotometric retinal oximeter (Oxymap T1). Oximetry was performed during breathing of room air, 100% oxygen (10 minutes, 6L/min) and then again room air (10 minutes recovery). Results Mean oxygen saturation rises modestly in retinal arterioles during 100% oxygen breathing (94.5%±3.8 vs. 92.0%±3.7% at baseline, p<0.0001) and dramatically in retinal venules (76.2%±8.0% vs. 51.3%±5.6%, p<0.0001). The arteriovenous difference decreased during 100% oxygen breathing (18.3%±9.0% vs. 40.7%±5.7%, p<0.0001). The mean diameter of arterioles decreased during 100% oxygen breathing compared to baseline (9.7±1.4 pixels vs. 10.3±1.3 pixels, p<0.0001) and the same applies to the mean venular diameter (11.4±1.2 pixels vs. 13.3±1.5 pixels, p<0.0001). Conclusions Breathing 100% oxygen increases oxygen saturation in retinal arterioles and more so in venules and constricts them compared to baseline levels. The dramatic increase in oxygen saturation in venules reflects oxygen flow from the choroid and the unusual vascular anatomy and oxygen physiology of the eye. PMID:26042732

  15. Endogenous CO dynamics monitoring in breath by tunable diode laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kouznetsov, Andrian I.; Stepanov, Eugene V.; Shulagin, Yurii A.; Skrupskii, Vladimir A.

    1996-04-01

    High sensitive CO gas analyzer based on tunable diode laser (TDL) was used as a real time monitor of endogenous carbon monoxide in a set of breath physiology experiments. The measurements of the CO content dynamics in exhaled air with 10 ppb sensitivity were attended with detection of carbon dioxide and O2 in breath, lung ventilation parameters, heart rate and blood analysis using conventional techniques. Variations of endogenous CO in human breath caused by hyperoxia, hypoxia, hyperventilation as well as sport loading were studied in real time. Scattering of the CO variation time constants was observed for different tested persons. Possible reasons for this scattering related with the organisms' physiology peculiarities are discussed.

  16. Closed loop engine control for regulating NOx emissions, using a two-dimensional fuel-air curve

    DOEpatents

    Bourn, Gary D.; Smith, Jack A.; Gingrich, Jess W.

    2007-01-30

    An engine control strategy that ensures that NOx emissions from the engine will be maintained at an acceptable level. The control strategy is based on a two-dimensional fuel-air curve, in which air manifold pressure (AMP) is a function of fuel header pressure and engine speed. The control strategy provides for closed loop NOx adjustment to a base AMP value derived from the fuel-air curve.

  17. Effect of breathing-hole size on the electrochemical species in a free-breathing cathode of a DMFC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hwang, J. J.; Wu, S. D.; Lai, L. K.; Chen, C. K.; Lai, D. Y.

    A three-dimensional numerical model is developed to study the electrochemical species characteristics in a free-breathing cathode of a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). A perforated current collector is attached to the porous cathode that breathes the fresh air through an array of orifices. The radius of the orifice is varied to examine its effect on the electrochemical performance. Gas flow in the porous cathode is governed by the Darcy equation with constant porosity and permeability. The multi-species diffusive transports in the porous cathode are described using the Stefan-Maxwell equation. Electrochemical reaction on the surfaces of the porous matrices is depicted via the Butler-Volmer equation. The charge transports in the porous matrices are dealt with by Ohm's law. The coupled equations are solved by a finite-element-based CFD technique. Detailed distributions of electrochemical species characteristics such as flow velocities, species mass fractions, species fluxes, and current densities are presented. The optimal breathing-hole radius is derived from the current drawn out of the porous cathode under a fixed overpotential.

  18. Aspiration tests in aqueous foam using a breathing simulator

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Archuleta, M.M.

    1995-12-01

    Non-toxic aqueous foams are being developed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) for use in crowd control, cell extractions, and group disturbances in the criminal justice prison systems. The potential for aspiration of aqueous foam during its use and the resulting adverse effects associated with complete immersion in aqueous foam is of major concern to the NIJ when examining the effectiveness and safety of using this technology as a Less-Than-Lethal weapon. This preliminary study was designed to evaluate the maximum quantity of foam that might be aspirated by an individual following total immersion inmore » an SNL-developed aqueous foam. A.T.W. Reed Breathing simulator equipped with a 622 Silverman cam was used to simulate the aspiration of an ammonium laureth sulfate aqueous foam developed by SNL and generated at expansion ratios in the range of 500:1 to 1000:1. Although the natural instinct of an individual immersed in foam is to cover their nose and mouth with a hand or cloth, thus breaking the bubbles and decreasing the potential for aspiration, this study was performed to examine a worst case scenario where mouth breathing only was examined, and no attempt was made to block foam entry into the breathing port. Two breathing rates were examined: one that simulated a sedentary individual with a mean breathing rate of 6.27 breaths/minute, and one that simulated an agitated or heavily breathing individual with a mean breathing rate of 23.7 breaths/minute. The results of this study indicate that, if breathing in aqueous foam without movement, an air pocket forms around the nose and mouth within one minute of immersion.« less

  19. Hyper-X Research Vehicle - Artist Concept in Flight with Scramjet Engine Firing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    This is an artist's depiction of a Hyper-X research vehicle under scramjet power in free-flight following separation from its booster rocket. The X-43A was developed to flight test a dual-mode ramjet/scramjet propulsion system at speeds from Mach 7 up to Mach 10 (7 to 10 times the speed of sound, which varies with temperature and altitude). Hyper-X, the flight vehicle for which is designated as X-43A, is an experimental flight-research program seeking to demonstrate airframe-integrated, 'air-breathing' engine technologies that promise to increase payload capacity for future vehicles, including hypersonic aircraft (faster than Mach 5) and reusable space launchers. This multiyear program is currently underway at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The Hyper-X schedule calls for its first flight later this year (2000). Hyper-X is a joint program, with Dryden sharing responsibility with NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia. Dryden's primary role is to fly three unpiloted X-43A research vehicles to validate engine technologies and hypersonic design tools as well as the hypersonic test facility at Langley. Langley manages the program and leads the technology development effort. The Hyper-X Program seeks to significantly expand the speed boundaries of air-breathing propulsion by being the first aircraft to demonstrate an airframe-integrated, scramjet-powered free flight. Scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) are ramjet engines in which the airflow through the whole engine remains supersonic. Scramjet technology is challenging because only limited testing can be performed in ground facilities. Long duration, full-scale testing requires flight research. Scramjet engines are air-breathing, capturing their oxygen from the atmosphere. Current spacecraft, such as the Space Shuttle, are rocket powered, so they must carry both fuel and oxygen for propulsion. Scramjet technology-based vehicles need to carry only fuel. By eliminating the need

  20. Research Technology

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-04-15

    Pictured is a component of the Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engine. This engine was designed to ultimately serve as the near term basis for Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) air breathing propulsion systems and ultimately a Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) air breathing propulsion system.

  1. Dynamic Characteristics of Simple Cylindrical Hydraulic Engine Mount Utilizing Air Compressibility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nakahara, Kazunari; Nakagawa, Noritoshi; Ohta, Katsutoshi

    A cylindrical hydraulic engine mount with simple construction has been developed. This engine mount has a sub chamber formed by utilizing air compressibility without a diaphragm. A mathematical model of the mount is presented to predict non-linear dynamic characteristics in consideration of the effect of the excitation amplitude on the storage stiffness and loss factor. The mathematical model predicts experimental results well for the frequency responses of the storage stiffness and loss factor over the frequency range of 5 Hz to 60Hz. The effect of air volume and internal pressure on the dynamic characteristics is clarified by the analysis and dynamic characterization testing. The effectiveness of the cylindrical hydraulic engine mount on the reduction of engine shake is demonstrated for riding comfort through on-vehicle testing with a chassis dynamometer.

  2. How to breathe when you are short of breath

    MedlinePlus

    ... pursed lip breathing; Hypoxia - pursed lip breathing; Chronic respiratory failure - pursed lip breathing ... et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine . 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016: ...

  3. Improved prescribed performance control for air-breathing hypersonic vehicles with unknown deadzone input nonlinearity.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yingyang; Hu, Jianbo

    2018-05-19

    An improved prescribed performance controller is proposed for the longitudinal model of an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle (AHV) subject to uncertain dynamics and input nonlinearity. Different from the traditional non-affine model requiring non-affine functions to be differentiable, this paper utilizes a semi-decomposed non-affine model with non-affine functions being locally semi-bounded and possibly in-differentiable. A new error transformation combined with novel prescribed performance functions is proposed to bypass complex deductions caused by conventional error constraint approaches and circumvent high frequency chattering in control inputs. On the basis of backstepping technique, the improved prescribed performance controller with low structural and computational complexity is designed. The methodology guarantees the altitude and velocity tracking error within transient and steady state performance envelopes and presents excellent robustness against uncertain dynamics and deadzone input nonlinearity. Simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method. Copyright © 2018 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Design Evolution and Performance Characterization of the GTX Air-Breathing Launch Vehicle Inlet

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    DeBonis, J. R.; Steffen, C. J., Jr.; Rice, T.; Trefny, C. J.

    2002-01-01

    The design and analysis of a second version of the inlet for the GTX rocket-based combine-cycle launch vehicle is discussed. The previous design did not achieve its predicted performance levels due to excessive turning of low-momentum comer flows and local over-contraction due to asymmetric end-walls. This design attempts to remove these problems by reducing the spike half-angle to 10- from 12-degrees and by implementing true plane of symmetry end-walls. Axisymmetric Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes simulations using both perfect gas and real gas, finite rate chemistry, assumptions were performed to aid in the design process and to create a comprehensive database of inlet performance. The inlet design, which operates over the entire air-breathing Mach number range from 0 to 12, and the performance database are presented. The performance database, for use in cycle analysis, includes predictions of mass capture, pressure recovery, throat Mach number, drag force, and heat load, for the entire Mach range. Results of the computations are compared with experimental data to validate the performance database.

  5. Impact of air pollutants on athletic performance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pierson, W.E.

    Human controlled and observational studies both lead to the conclusion of air pollution adversely affecting athletic performance during training and competition. The dosage of various air pollutants during exercise is much higher due to the marked increase in ventilatory rate and concomitant nasal and oral breathing. This is particularly true for sulfur dioxide which is a highly water-soluble gas and is normally absorbed in the upper airway during nasal breathing. With heavy exercise, oral pharyngeal breathing is the predominant mode of breathing and much larger amounts of sulfur dioxide are delivered to the lower airway resulting in significant impact uponmore » the lower respiratory tract. More recently, several controlled human studies have shown that a combination of exercise and air pollutants such as ozone (O3) or sulfur dioxides (SO2) cause a significant increase in bronchoconstriction and air flow obstruction when compared to the same exposure at rest. In strenuous athletic competition such as the Olympic Games where small increments of time often determine the ultimate success of athletes, the impact of air pollutants and subsequent adverse ventilatory changes can affect athletic performance. 62 references.« less

  6. Use of a turbine in a breath-by-breath computer-based respiratory measurement system.

    PubMed

    Venkateswaran, R S; Gallagher, R R

    1997-01-01

    The Computer-Based Respiratory Measurement System (CBRMS) is capable of analyzing individual breaths to monitor the kinetics of oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production, tidal volumes, pulmonary ventilation, and other respiratory parameters during rest, exercise, and recovery. Respiratory gas volumes are measured by a calibrated turbine transducer while the respiratory gas concentrations are measured by a calibrated, fast-responding medical gas analyzer. To improve accuracy of the results, the inspiratory volumes and gas concentrations are measured and not assumed to be equal to expiratory volumes or ambient concentrations respectively. The respiratory gas volumes and concentration signals are digitized and stored in arrays. The gas volumes are converted to flow signals by software differentiation. These digitized data arrays are stored as files in a personal computer. Time alignment of the flow and gas concentration signals is performed at each breath for maximum accuracy in analysis. For system verification, data were obtained under resting conditions and under constant load exercises at 50 W, 100 W, and 150 W. These workloads were performed by a healthy, male subject on a bicycle ergometer. A strong correlation existed between the CBRMS steady-state results and the standard end-expirate bag collection technique. Thus, there is reason to believe that the CBRMS is capable of calculating respiratory transient responses accurately, a significant contribution to an understanding of total respiratory system function.

  7. Clean Air Act Standards and Guidelines for Energy, Engines, and Combustion

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This page contains the stationary sources of air pollution for the energy, engines, and combustion industries, and their corresponding air pollution regulations. To learn more about the regulations for each industry, just click on the links below.

  8. Fast and Accurate Exhaled Breath Ammonia Measurement

    PubMed Central

    Solga, Steven F.; Mudalel, Matthew L.; Spacek, Lisa A.; Risby, Terence H.

    2014-01-01

    This exhaled breath ammonia method uses a fast and highly sensitive spectroscopic method known as quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) that uses a quantum cascade based laser. The monitor is coupled to a sampler that measures mouth pressure and carbon dioxide. The system is temperature controlled and specifically designed to address the reactivity of this compound. The sampler provides immediate feedback to the subject and the technician on the quality of the breath effort. Together with the quick response time of the monitor, this system is capable of accurately measuring exhaled breath ammonia representative of deep lung systemic levels. Because the system is easy to use and produces real time results, it has enabled experiments to identify factors that influence measurements. For example, mouth rinse and oral pH reproducibly and significantly affect results and therefore must be controlled. Temperature and mode of breathing are other examples. As our understanding of these factors evolves, error is reduced, and clinical studies become more meaningful. This system is very reliable and individual measurements are inexpensive. The sampler is relatively inexpensive and quite portable, but the monitor is neither. This limits options for some clinical studies and provides rational for future innovations. PMID:24962141

  9. Improving Visual Survey Capabilities for Marine Mammal Studies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-09-30

    presence of air- breathing mammals, and they can be conducted from ships, aircraft, or land . For ship- and land -based surveys, powerful, pedestal-mounted...part of the ONR-and NRL-funded Air- Sea Interactions in the Northern Indian Ocean Regional Initiative (ASIRI) program, a physical oceanographic...research effort to study upper ocean processes and air- sea interactions that regulate the Asian monsoons. We will use the DURIP-funded big-eye

  10. Care for Your Air: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Understand indoor air in homes, schools, and offices. Most of us spend much of our time indoors. The air that we breathe in our homes, in schools, and in offices can put us at risk for health problems.

  11. Artist's Concept of Magnetic Launch Assisted Air-Breathing Rocket

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This artist's concept depicts a Magnetic Launch Assist vehicle in orbit. Formerly referred to as the Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) system, the Magnetic Launch Assist system is a launch system developed and tested by engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) that could levitate and accelerate a launch vehicle along a track at high speeds before it leaves the ground. Using electricity and magnetic fields, a Magnetic Launch Assist system would drive a spacecraft along a horizontal track until it reaches desired speeds. The system is similar to high-speed trains and roller coasters that use high-strength magnets to lift and propel a vehicle a couple of inches above a guideway. A full-scale, operational track would be about 1.5-miles long, capable of accelerating a vehicle to 600 mph in 9.5 seconds, and the vehicle would then shift to rocket engines for launch into orbit. The major advantages of launch assist for NASA launch vehicles is that it reduces the weight of the take-off, the landing gear, the wing size, and less propellant resulting in significant cost savings. The US Navy and the British MOD (Ministry of Defense) are planning to use magnetic launch assist for their next generation aircraft carriers as the aircraft launch system. The US Army is considering using this technology for launching target drones for anti-aircraft training.

  12. Internal combustion engine system having a power turbine with a broad efficiency range

    DOEpatents

    Whiting, Todd Mathew; Vuk, Carl Thomas

    2010-04-13

    An engine system incorporating an air breathing, reciprocating internal combustion engine having an inlet for air and an exhaust for products of combustion. A centripetal turbine receives products of the combustion and has a housing in which a turbine wheel is rotatable. The housing has first and second passages leading from the inlet to discrete, approximately 180.degree., portions of the circumference of the turbine wheel. The passages have fixed vanes adjacent the periphery of the turbine wheel and the angle of the vanes in one of the passages is different than those in the other so as to accommodate different power levels providing optimum approach angles between the gases passing the vanes and the blades of the turbine wheel. Flow through the passages is controlled by a flapper valve to direct it to one or the other or both passages depending upon the load factor for the engine.

  13. Inflammatory Asthma Phenotype Discrimination Using an Electronic Nose Breath Analyzer.

    PubMed

    Plaza, V; Crespo, A; Giner, J; Merino, J L; Ramos-Barbón, D; Mateus, E F; Torrego, A; Cosio, B G; Agustí, A; Sibila, O

    2015-01-01

    Patients with persistent asthma have different inflammatory phenotypes. The electronic nose is a new technology capable of distinguishing volatile organic compound (VOC) breath-prints in exhaled breath. The aim of the study was to investigate the capacity of electronic nose breath-print analysis to discriminate between different inflammatory asthma phenotypes (eosinophilic, neutrophilic, paucigranulocytic) determined by induced sputum in patients with persistent asthma. Fifty-two patients with persistent asthma were consecutively included in a cross-sectional proof-of-concept study. Inflammatory asthma phenotypes (eosinophilic, neutrophilic and paucigranulocytic) were recognized by inflammatory cell counts in induced sputum. VOC breath-prints were analyzed using the electronic nose Cyranose 320 and assessed by discriminant analysis on principal component reduction, resulting in cross-validated accuracy values. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated. VOC breath-prints were different in eosinophilic asthmatics compared with both neutrophilic asthmatics (accuracy 73%; P=.008; area under ROC, 0.92) and paucigranulocytic asthmatics (accuracy 74%; P=.004; area under ROC, 0.79). Likewise, neutrophilic and paucigranulocytic breath-prints were also different (accuracy 89%; P=.001; area under ROC, 0.88). An electronic nose can discriminate inflammatory phenotypes in patients with persistent asthma in a regular clinical setting. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02026336.

  14. A trajectory design method via target practice for air-breathing hypersonic vehicle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kong, Xue; Yang, Ming; Ning, Guodong; Wang, Songyan; Chao, Tao

    2017-11-01

    There are strong coupling interactions between aerodynamics and scramjet, this kind of aircraft also has multiple restrictions, such as the range and difference of dynamic pressure, airflow, and fuel. On the one hand, we need balance the requirement between maneuverability of vehicle and stabilization of scramjet. On the other hand, we need harmonize the change of altitude and the velocity. By describing aircraft's index system of climbing capability, acceleration capability, the coupling degree in aerospace, this paper further propose a rapid design method which based on target practice. This method aimed for reducing the coupling degree, it depresses the coupling between aircraft and engine in navigation phase, satisfy multiple restriction conditions to leave some control buffer and create good condition for control implementation. According to the simulation, this method could be used for multiple typical fly commissions such as climbing, acceleration or both.

  15. Integrating the Development of Continuous Improvement and Innovation Capabilities into Engineering Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jorgensen, Frances; Kofoed, Lise Busk

    2007-01-01

    In this paper, a study is presented in which engineering students at a Danish university developed Continuous Improvement (CI) and innovation capabilities through action research and experiential learning methods. The paper begins with a brief overview of the literature on CI and innovation, followed by an account of how the students designed and…

  16. Elimination characteristics of post-operative isoflurane levels in alveolar exhaled breath via PTR-MS analysis.

    PubMed

    Fernández Del Río, R; O'Hara, M E; Pemberton, P; Whitehouse, T; Mayhew, C A

    2016-10-12

    Isoflurane (1-chloro-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether), C 3 H 2 ClF 5 O, is a commonly used inhalation anaesthetic. Using a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) we have detected isoflurane in the breath of patients several weeks following major surgery. That isoflurane is detected in the breath of patients so long after being anaesthetised raises questions about when cognitive function has fully returned to a patient. Temporal profiles of isoflurane concentrations in breath are presented for five patients (F/M 3/2, mean age 50 years, min-max 36-58 years) who had undergone liver transplant surgery. In addition, results from a headspace analysis of isoflurane are presented so that the product ions resulting from the reactions of H 3 O + with isoflurane in PTR-MS could be easily identified in the absence of the complex chemical environment of breath. Six product ions were identified. In order of increasing m/z (using the 35 Cl isotope where appropriate) these are [Formula: see text] (m/z 51), CHFCl + (m/z 67), CF 3 CHCl + (m/z 117), C 3 F 4 OCl + (m/z 163), C 3 H 2 F 4 OCl + (m/z 165), and C 3 F 4 OCl + H 2 O (m/z 183). No protonated parent was detected. For the headspace study both clean air and CO 2 enriched clean air (4% CO 2 ) were used as buffer gases in the drift tube of the PTR-MS. The CO 2 enriched air was used to determine if exhaled breath would affect the product ion branching ratios. Importantly no significant differences were observed, and therefore for isoflurane the product ion distributions determined in a normal air mixture can be used for breath analysis. Given that PTR-MS can be operated under different reduced electric fields (E/N), the dependence of the product ion branching percentages for isoflurane on E/N (96-138 Td) are reported.

  17. Comparison of Select Analytes in Exhaled Aerosol from E-Cigarettes with Exhaled Smoke from a Conventional Cigarette and Exhaled Breaths

    PubMed Central

    Long, Gerald A.

    2014-01-01

    Exhaled aerosols were collected following the use of two leading U.S. commercial electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and a conventional cigarette by human subjects and analyzed for phenolics, carbonyls, water, glycerin and nicotine using a vacuum-assisted filter pad capture system. Exhaled breath blanks were determined for each subject prior to each product use and aerosol collection session. Distribution and mass balance of exhaled e-cigarette aerosol composition was greater than 99.9% water and glycerin, and a small amount (<0.06%) of nicotine. Total phenolic content in exhaled e-cigarette aerosol was not distinguishable from exhaled breath blanks, while total phenolics in exhaled cigarette smoke were significantly greater than in exhaled e-cigarette aerosol and exhaled breaths, averaging 66 µg/session (range 36 to 117 µg/session). The total carbonyls in exhaled e-cigarette aerosols were also not distinguishable from exhaled breaths or room air blanks. Total carbonyls in exhaled cigarette smoke was significantly greater than in exhaled e-cigarette aerosols, exhaled breath and room air blanks, averaging 242 µg/session (range 136 to 352 µg/session). These results indicate that exhaled e-cigarette aerosol does not increase bystander exposure for phenolics and carbonyls above the levels observed in exhaled breaths of air. PMID:25350011

  18. Comparison of select analytes in exhaled aerosol from e-cigarettes with exhaled smoke from a conventional cigarette and exhaled breaths.

    PubMed

    Long, Gerald A

    2014-10-27

    Exhaled aerosols were collected following the use of two leading U.S. commercial electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and a conventional cigarette by human subjects and analyzed for phenolics, carbonyls, water, glycerin and nicotine using a vacuum-assisted filter pad capture system. Exhaled breath blanks were determined for each subject prior to each product use and aerosol collection session. Distribution and mass balance of exhaled e-cigarette aerosol composition was greater than 99.9% water and glycerin, and a small amount (<0.06%) of nicotine. Total phenolic content in exhaled e-cigarette aerosol was not distinguishable from exhaled breath blanks, while total phenolics in exhaled cigarette smoke were significantly greater than in exhaled e-cigarette aerosol and exhaled breaths, averaging 66 µg/session (range 36 to 117 µg/session). The total carbonyls in exhaled e-cigarette aerosols were also not distinguishable from exhaled breaths or room air blanks. Total carbonyls in exhaled cigarette smoke was significantly greater than in exhaled e-cigarette aerosols, exhaled breath and room air blanks, averaging 242 µg/session (range 136 to 352 µg/session). These results indicate that exhaled e-cigarette aerosol does not increase bystander exposure for phenolics and carbonyls above the levels observed in exhaled breaths of air.

  19. Evolution of lung breathing from a lungless primitive vertebrate.

    PubMed

    Hoffman, M; Taylor, B E; Harris, M B

    2016-04-01

    Air breathing was critical to the terrestrial radiation and evolution of tetrapods and arose in fish. The vertebrate lung originated from a progenitor structure present in primitive boney fish. The origin of the neural substrates, which are sensitive to metabolically produced CO2 and which rhythmically activate respiratory muscles to match lung ventilation to metabolic demand, is enigmatic. We have found that a distinct periodic centrally generated rhythm, described as "cough" and occurring in lamprey in vivo and in vitro, is modulated by central sensitivity to CO2. This suggests that elements critical for the evolution of breathing in tetrapods, were present in the most basal vertebrate ancestors prior to the evolution of the lung. We propose that the evolution of breathing in all vertebrates occurred through exaptations derived from these critical basal elements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Monitoring of rapid blood pH variations by CO detection in breath with tunable diode laser

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kouznetsov, Andrian I.; Stepanov, Eugene V.; Zyrianov, Pavel V.; Shulagin, Yurii A.; Diachenko, Alexander I.; Gurfinkel, Youri I.

    1997-06-01

    Detection of endogenous carbon monoxide content in breath with tunable diode lasers (TDL) was proposed for noninvasive monitoring of rapid blood pH variation. Applied approach is based on high sensitivity of the haemoglobin and myoglobin affinity for CO to blood pH value and an ability to detect rapidly small variations of CO content in expired air. Breath CO absorption in 4.7 micrometers spectral region was carefully measured using PbSSe tunable diode laser that can provide 1 ppb CO concentration sensitivity and 10 s time constant. Applied TDL gas analyzer was used to monitor expired air of studied persons in physiological tests including hyperventilation and physical load. Simultaneous blood tests were conducted to demonstrate correlation between blood and breath chemical parameters.

  1. The effect of single engine fixed wing air transport on rate-responsive pacemakers.

    PubMed

    De Rotte, A A; Van Der Kemp, P

    1999-09-01

    Insufficient information exists about the safety of patients with accelerometer-based rate-responsive pacemakers in air transport by general aviation aircraft. The response in pacing rate of two types of accelerometer-based rate-responsive pacemakers with data logging capabilities was studied during test flights with single engine fixed wing aircraft. Results were compared with the rate-response of these pacemakers during transportation by car and were also interpreted in respect to physiological heart rate response of aircrew during flights in single engine fixed wing aircraft. In addition, a continuous accelerometer readout was recorded during a turbulent phase of flight. This recording was used for a pacemaker-simulator experiment with maximal sensitive motion-sensor settings. Only a minor increase in pacing rate due to aircraft motion could be demonstrated during all phases of flight at all altitudes with the pacemakers programmed in the normal mode. This increase was of the same magnitude as induced during transport by car and would be of negligible influence on the performance of the individual pacemaker patient equipped with such a pacemaker. Moreover, simultaneous Holter monitoring of the pilots during these flights showed a similar rate-response in natural heart rate compared with the increase in pacing rate induced by aircraft motion in accelerometer-based rate-responsive pacemakers. No sensor-mediated pacemaker tachycardia was seen during any of these recordings. However, a 15% increase in pacing rate was induced by severe air turbulence. Programming the maximal sensitivity of the motion sensor into the pacemaker could, on the other hand, induce a significant increase in pacing rate as was demonstrated by the simulation experiments. These results seem to rule out potentially dangerous or adverse effects from motional or vibrational influences during transport in single engine fixed wing aircraft on accelerometer-based rate-responsive pacemakers with

  2. Solid-state gas sensors for breath analysis: a review.

    PubMed

    Di Natale, Corrado; Paolesse, Roberto; Martinelli, Eugenio; Capuano, Rosamaria

    2014-05-08

    The analysis of volatile compounds is an efficient method to appraise information about the chemical composition of liquids and solids. This principle is applied to several practical applications, such as food analysis where many important features (e.g. freshness) can be directly inferred from the analysis of volatile compounds. The same approach can also be applied to a human body where the volatile compounds, collected from the skin, the breath or in the headspace of fluids, might contain information that could be used to diagnose several kinds of diseases. In particular, breath is widely studied and many diseases can be potentially detected from breath analysis. The most fascinating property of breath analysis is the non-invasiveness of the sample collection. Solid-state sensors are considered the natural complement to breath analysis, matching the non-invasiveness with typical sensor features such as low-cost, easiness of use, portability, and the integration with the information networks. Sensors based breath analysis is then expected to dramatically extend the diagnostic capabilities enabling the screening of large populations for the early diagnosis of pathologies. In the last years there has been an increased attention to the development of sensors specifically aimed to this purpose. These investigations involve both specific sensors designed to detect individual compounds and non-specific sensors, operated in array configurations, aimed at clustering subjects according to their health conditions. In this paper, the recent significant applications of these sensors to breath analysis are reviewed and discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Effects of air injection on a turbocharged Teledyne Continential Motors TSIO-360-C engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cosgrove, D. V.; Kempke, E. E.

    1979-01-01

    A turbocharged fuel injected aircraft engine was operated over a range of test conditions that included that EPA five-mode emissions cycle and fuel air ratio variations for individual modes while injecting air into the exhaust gas. Air injection resulted in a decrease of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide while exceeding the maximum recommended turbine inlet temperature of 1650 F at the full rich mixture of the engine. Leanout tests indicated that the EPA standards could be met through the combined use of fuel management and air injection.

  4. Rotary internal combustion engine with integrated supercharged fuel-air induction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Southard, A.A.

    This patent describes an improved method of operating a rotary internal combustion engine of the type wherein a multicusped rotor rotatable upon a rotatable eccentric rotates within a cavity bounded by a wall of lobed trochoidal configuration. The rotor cusps have sealing engagement separating and defining operating chambers in the cavity about the rotor between adjacent pairs of cusps. Such chambers are angularly spaced about and orbit the center of the cavity as the rotor rotates while each chamber alternately expands and contracts in volume. The method comprises cylindrically operating each chamber through a sequence of six phases that aremore » synchronized with three successive increases and decreases in the volume of such chamber, with the first four phases being an internal combustion engine power cycle comprising an air intake phase, a compression phase, a combustion phase and an exhaust phase. The fifth phase comprises inducting air into the chamber, and the sixth phase comprises compressing the inducted air in such chamber and passing such inducted and compressed air through an elongated transfer zone.« less

  5. A wireless breathing-training support system for kinesitherapy.

    PubMed

    Tawa, Hiroki; Yonezawa, Yoshiharu; Maki, Hiromichi; Ogawa, Hidekuni; Ninomiya, Ishio; Sada, Kouji; Hamada, Shingo; Caldwell, W Morton

    2009-01-01

    We have developed a new wireless breathing-training support system for kinesitherapy. The system consists of an optical sensor, an accelerometer, a microcontroller, a Bluetooth module and a laptop computer. The optical sensor, which is attached to the patient's chest, measures chest circumference. The low frequency components of circumference are mainly generated by breathing. The optical sensor outputs the circumference as serial digital data. The accelerometer measures the dynamic acceleration force produced by exercise, such as walking. The microcontroller sequentially samples this force. The acceleration force and chest circumference are sent sequentially via Bluetooth to a physical therapist's laptop computer, which receives and stores the data. The computer simultaneously displays these data so that the physical therapist can monitor the patient's breathing and acceleration waveforms and give instructions to the patient in real time during exercise. Moreover, the system enables a quantitative training evaluation and calculation the volume of air inspired and expired by the lungs.

  6. Development of gas exchange and ion regulation in two species of air-breathing fish, Betta splendens and Macropodus opercularis.

    PubMed

    Huang, Chun-Yen; Lin, Cheng-Huang; Lin, Hui-Chen

    2015-07-01

    Aquatic air-breathing anabantoids, a group of fish species characterized by the presence of a labyrinth organ and some gills, exhibit morphological variations. This study aimed to examine whether unequal gill growth begins during the early stages and described the sequence of the early gill developmental events in Betta splendens and Macropodus opercularis. To determine when the ion regulatory and gas exchange abilities first appear in the gills, mitochondria-rich cells (MRCs) and neuroepithelial cells (NECs) were examined in young B. splendens. To evaluate the relative importance of the gills and the labyrinth organ under different levels of oxygen uptake stress, the levels of carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (NKA) protein expressions in 2 gills and the labyrinth organ were examined in M. opercularis. We found that the first 3 gills developed earlier than the 4th gill in both species, an indication that the morphological variation begins early in life. In B. splendens, the MRCs and NECs clearly appeared in the first 3 gills at 4 dph and were first found in the 4th gill until 11 dph. The oxygen-sensing ability of the gills was concordant with the ionoregulatory function. In M. opercularis, the hypoxic group had a significantly higher air-breathing frequency. CAII protein expression was higher in the labyrinth organ in the hypoxic group. The gills exhibited increased NKA protein expression in the hypoxic and restricted groups, respectively. Functional plasticity in CAII and NKA protein expressions was found between the gills and the labyrinth organ in adult M. opercularis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Hypothyroidism Affects D2 Receptor-mediated Breathing without altering D2 Receptor Expression

    PubMed Central

    Schlenker, Evelyn H.; Rio, Rodrigo Del; Schultz, Harold D.

    2015-01-01

    Bromocriptine depressed ventilation in air and D2 receptor expression in the nucleus tractus solitaries (NTS) in male hypothyroid hamsters. Here we postulated that in age- matched hypothyroid female hamsters, the pattern of D2 receptor modulation of breathing and D2 receptor expression would differ from those reported in hypothyroid males. In females hypothyroidism did not affect D2 receptor protein levels in the NTS, carotid bodies or striatum. Bromocriptine, but not carmoxirole (a peripheral D2 receptor agonist), increased oxygen consumption and body temperature in awake air-exposed hypothyroid female hamsters and stimulated their ventilation before and following exposure to hypoxia. Carmoxirole depressed frequency of breathing in euthyroid hamsters prior to, during and following hypoxia exposures and stimulated it in the hypothyroid hamsters following hypoxia. Although hypothyroidism did not affect expression of D2 receptors, it influenced central D2 modulation of breathing in a disparate manner relative to euthyroid hamsters. PMID:24434437

  8. Hypothyroidism affects D2 receptor-mediated breathing without altering D2 receptor expression.

    PubMed

    Schlenker, Evelyn H; Del Rio, Rodrigo; Schultz, Harold D

    2014-03-01

    Bromocriptine depressed ventilation in air and D2 receptor expression in the nucleus tractus solitaries (NTS) in male hypothyroid hamsters. Here we postulated that in age-matched hypothyroid female hamsters, the pattern of D2 receptor modulation of breathing and D2 receptor expression would differ from those reported in hypothyroid males. In females hypothyroidism did not affect D2 receptor protein levels in the NTS, carotid bodies or striatum. Bromocriptine, but not carmoxirole (a peripheral D2 receptor agonist), increased oxygen consumption and body temperature in awake air-exposed hypothyroid female hamsters and stimulated their ventilation before and following exposure to hypoxia. Carmoxirole depressed frequency of breathing in euthyroid hamsters prior to, during and following hypoxia exposures and stimulated it in the hypothyroid hamsters following hypoxia. Although hypothyroidism did not affect expression of D2 receptors, it influenced central D2 modulation of breathing in a disparate manner relative to euthyroid hamsters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. An innovative system for supplying air and fuel mixture to a combustion chamber of an engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saikumar, G. R. Bharath

    2018-04-01

    Conventional carburetors are being used since decades to ensure that the desired ratio of air and fuel enters the combustion chamber for combustion for the purpose of generating power in an Spark Ignition(SI) internal combustion engine. However to increase the efficiency, the carburetor system is gradually being replaced by fuel injection systems. Fuel injection systems use injectors to supply pressurized fuel into the combustion chamber. Owing to the high initial and maintenance cost, carburetors are still ruling in the low cost vehicle domain. An innovative concept is conceived, which is an alternative method to the carburetor system to supply the air and fuel mixture to a combustion chamber of an engine. This system comprises of an inner hollow cylinder with minute holes drilled along its length with an outer cylinder capable of sliding along its length or its longitudinal axis. This system is placed in the venturi instead of the conventional carburetor system. Fuel enters from the bottom inlet of the inner cylinder and flows out through the holes provided along its length. The fuel flow from the inner cylinder is dependent on the size and the number of holes exposed at that instance by the sliding outer cylinder which in turn is connected to the throttle or accelerator.

  10. Air/fuel supply system for use in a gas turbine engine

    DOEpatents

    Fox, Timothy A; Schilp, Reinhard; Gambacorta, Domenico

    2014-06-17

    A fuel injector for use in a gas turbine engine combustor assembly. The fuel injector includes a main body and a fuel supply structure. The main body has an inlet end and an outlet end and defines a longitudinal axis extending between the outlet and inlet ends. The main body comprises a plurality of air/fuel passages extending therethrough, each air/fuel passage including an inlet that receives air from a source of air and an outlet. The fuel supply structure communicates with and supplies fuel to the air/fuel passages for providing an air/fuel mixture within each air/fuel passage. The air/fuel mixtures exit the main body through respective air/fuel passage outlets.

  11. The SnoDog: Preliminary design of a close air support aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ashbaugh, Scott; Bartel, Kent; Cavalli, J. R.; Chan, John; Chung, Jason; Dimaranan, Liza; Freese, Mike; Levitt, Rick; Soban, Dani

    1991-01-01

    U.S. military forces are presently searching for the next generation Close Air Support aircraft. The following report presents the SnoDog, a low-cost ($14.8 million) aircraft capable of operating from remote battlefields and unimproved airstrips. The configuration consists of a conventional, low aspect-ratio wing, twin booms, twin canted vertical stabilizers along with a high-mounted joined horizontal tail. A supercritical airfoil for the wing enhances aerodynamic performance, while the SnoDog's instability increases maneuverability over current close air support aircraft. Survivability was incorporated into the design by the use of a titanium tub to protect the cockpit from anti-aircraft artillery, as well as, the twin booms and retracted gear disposition. The booms aid survivability by supplying separated, redundant controls, and the landing gear are slightly exposed when retracted to enable a belly landing in emergencies. Designed to fly at Mach .76, the SnoDog is powered by two low-bypass turbofan engines. Engine accessibility and interchangeable parts make the SnoDog highly maintainable. The SnoDog is adaptable to many different missions, as it is capable of carrying advanced avionics pods, carrying external fuel tanks or refueling in-air, and carrying various types of munitions. This makes the SnoDog a multirole aircraft capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground combat. This combination of features make the SnoDog unique as a close air support aircraft, capable of meeting the U.S. military's future needs.

  12. Design and development of the Waukesha Custom Engine Control Air/Fuel Module

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moss, D.W.

    1996-12-31

    The Waukesha Custom Engine Control Air/Fuel Module (AFM) is designed to control the air-fuel ratio for all Waukesha carbureted, gaseous fueled, industrial engine. The AFM is programmed with a personal computer to run in one of four control modes: catalyst, best power, best economy, or lean-burn. One system can control naturally aspirated, turbocharged, in-line or vee engines. The basic system consists of an oxygen sensing system, intake manifold pressure transducer, electronic control module, actuator and exhaust thermocouple. The system permits correct operation of Waukesha engines in spite of changes in fuel pressure or temperature, engine load or speed, and fuelmore » composition. The system utilizes closed loop control and is centered about oxygen sensing technology. An innovative approach to applying oxygen sensors to industrial engines provides very good performance, greatly prolongs sensor life, and maintains sensor accuracy. Design considerations and operating results are given for application of the system to stationary, industrial engines operating on fuel gases of greatly varying composition.« less

  13. ICL-based TDLAS sensor for real-time breath gas analysis of carbon monoxide isotopes.

    PubMed

    Ghorbani, Ramin; Schmidt, Florian M

    2017-05-29

    We present a compact sensor for carbon monoxide (CO) in air and exhaled breath based on a room temperature interband cascade laser (ICL) operating at 4.69 µm, a low-volume circular multipass cell and wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy. A fringe-limited (1σ) sensitivity of 6.5 × 10 -8 cm -1 Hz -1/2 and a detection limit of 9 ± 5 ppbv at 0.07 s acquisition time are achieved, which constitutes a 25-fold improvement compared to direct absorption spectroscopy. Integration over 10 s increases the precision to 0.6 ppbv. The setup also allows measuring the stable isotope 13 CO in breath. We demonstrate quantification of indoor air CO and real-time detection of CO expirograms from healthy non-smokers and a healthy smoker before and after smoking. Isotope ratio analysis indicates depletion of 13 CO in breath compared to natural abundance.

  14. Measurement of Civil Engineering Customer Satisfaction in Tactical Air Command: A Prototype Evaluation Program.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-09-01

    customers . The article states that in response to a White House Office of Consumer Affairs study and with the wide use of minicomputers: Companies are...D-A174 l16 MEASUREMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CUSTOMER SRTISFACTIbN 1/ IN TACTICAL AIR CO (U) AIR FORCE INST OF TECH ...... RIGHT-PATTERSON AFB ON...BUREAU OF STANDARDS- 1963-A_ . -_- ’II I-F MEASUREMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN TACTICAL AIR COMMAND: A PROTOTYPE EVALUATION PROGRAM

  15. Piston Temperatures in an Air-Cooled Engine for Various Operating Conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Manganiello, Eugene J

    1940-01-01

    As part of a program for the study of piston cooling, this report presents the results of tests conducted on a single-cylinder, air-cooled, carburetor engine to determine the effect of engine operating conditions on the temperatures at five locations on the piston.

  16. A selective nanosensor device for exhaled breath analysis.

    PubMed

    Gouma, P; Prasad, A; Stanacevic, S

    2011-09-01

    This paper describes a novel concept of a three-nanosensor array microsystem that may potentially serve as a coarse diagnostic tool handheld breath analyzer to provide a first detection device. The specification and performance of a simple metal oxide nanosensor operating between three distinct temperatures are discussed, focusing on the need for a noninvasive blood cholesterol monitor. Interfacing the sensor array to an integrated circuit for electrical readout and temperature control provides a complete microsystem capable of capturing a single exhaled breath and analyzing it with respect to the relative content of isoprene, carbon dioxide and ammonia gas. This inexpensive sensor technology may be used as a personalized medical diagnostics tool in the near future.

  17. Development of Engines for Unmanned Air Vehicles: Some Factors to be Considered

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-01-01

    discussions, Honeywell Engines & Systems , Phoenix, AZ, December 14, 2001 [8] Jane’s Aero- Engines , Issue 11, Bill Gunston, Ed., pp. 93–97 (PW300, PW500...Weight/Thrust Reduction Compared to Engine Development Cost—UCAVs................................................................. 24 11. System ... engines are not candidate propulsion systems . The majority of Department of Defense (DoD) efforts (Global Hawk, Air Force UCAV, and Navy UCAV) are

  18. Increasing the Air Charge and Scavenging the Clearance Volume of a Compression-Ignition Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spanogle, J A; Hicks, C W; Foster, H H

    1934-01-01

    The object of the investigation presented in this report was to determine the effects of increasing the air charge and scavenging the clearance volume of a 4-stroke-cycle compression-ignition engine having a vertical-disk form combustion chamber. Boosting the inlet-air pressure with normal valve timing increased the indicated engine power in proportion to the additional air inducted and resulted in smoother engine operation with less combustion shock. Scavenging the clearance volume by using a valve overlap of 145 degrees and an inlet-air boost pressure of approximately 2 1/2 inches of mercury produced a net increase in performance for clear exhaust operation of 33 percent over that obtained with normal valve timing and the same boost pressure. The improved combustion characteristics result in lower specific fuel consumption, and a clearer exhaust.

  19. Perm State University HPC-hardware and software services: capabilities for aircraft engine aeroacoustics problems solving

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Demenev, A. G.

    2018-02-01

    The present work is devoted to analyze high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure capabilities for aircraft engine aeroacoustics problems solving at Perm State University. We explore here the ability to develop new computational aeroacoustics methods/solvers for computer-aided engineering (CAE) systems to handle complicated industrial problems of engine noise prediction. Leading aircraft engine engineering company, including “UEC-Aviadvigatel” JSC (our industrial partners in Perm, Russia), require that methods/solvers to optimize geometry of aircraft engine for fan noise reduction. We analysed Perm State University HPC-hardware resources and software services to use efficiently. The performed results demonstrate that Perm State University HPC-infrastructure are mature enough to face out industrial-like problems of development CAE-system with HPC-method and CFD-solvers.

  20. Venturi Air-Jet Vacuum Ejector For Sampling Air

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hill, Gerald F.; Sachse, Glen W.; Burney, L. Garland; Wade, Larry O.

    1990-01-01

    Venturi air-jet vacuum ejector pump light in weight, requires no electrical power, does not contribute heat to aircraft, and provides high pumping speeds at moderate suctions. High-pressure motive gas required for this type of pump bled from compressor of aircraft engine with negligible effect on performance of engine. Used as source of vacuum for differential-absorption CO-measurement (DACOM), modified to achieve in situ measurements of CO at frequency response of 10 Hz. Provides improvement in spatial resolution and potentially leads to capability to measure turbulent flux of CO by use of eddy-correlation technique.