Precision control of high temperature furnaces using an auxiliary power supply and charged practice current flow

DOEpatents

Pollock, George G.

1997-01-01

Two power supplies are combined to control a furnace. A main power supply heats the furnace in the traditional manner, while the power from the auxiliary supply is introduced as a current flow through charged particles existing due to ionized gas or thermionic emission. The main power supply provides the bulk heating power and the auxiliary supply provides a precise and fast power source such that the precision of the total power delivered to the furnace is improved.

Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Orbiter Main Propulsion System (MPS) Gaseous Hydrogen (GH2) Flow Control Valve (FCV) Poppet Eddy Current (EC) Inspection Probability of Detection (POD) Study. Volume 2; Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piascik, Robert S.; Prosser, William H.

2011-01-01

The Director of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), requested an independent assessment of the anomalous gaseous hydrogen (GH2) flow incident on the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Orbiter Vehicle (OV)-105 during the Space Transportation System (STS)-126 mission. The main propulsion system (MPS) engine #2 GH2 flow control valve (FCV) LV-57 transition from low towards high flow position without being commanded. Post-flight examination revealed that the FCV LV-57 poppet had experienced a fatigue failure that liberated a section of the poppet flange. The NESC assessment provided a peer review of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD), stress analysis, and impact testing. A probability of detection (POD) study was requested by the SSP Orbiter Project for the eddy current (EC) nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques that were developed to inspect the flight FCV poppets. This report contains the Appendices to the main report.

Effect of rotation rate on the forces of a rotating cylinder: Simulation and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, John A.; Ou, Yuh-Roung

1993-01-01

In this paper we present numerical solutions to several optimal control problems for an unsteady viscous flow. The main thrust of this work is devoted to simulation and control of an unsteady flow generated by a circular cylinder undergoing rotary motion. By treating the rotation rate as a control variable, we can formulate two optimal control problems and use a central difference/pseudospectral transform method to numerically compute the optimal control rates. Several types of rotations are considered as potential controls, and we show that a proper synchronization of forcing frequency with the natural vortex shedding frequency can greatly influence the flow. The results here indicate that using moving boundary controls for such systems may provide a feasible mechanism for flow control.

Photothermally controlled Marangoni flow around a micro bubble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namura, Kyoko; Nakajima, Kaoru; Kimura, Kenji; Suzuki, Motofumi

2015-01-01

We have experimentally investigated the control of Marangoni flow around a micro bubble using photothermal conversion. Using a focused laser spot acting as a highly localized heat source on Au nanoparticles/dielectric/Ag mirror thin film enables us to create a micro bubble and to control the temperature gradient around the bubble at a micrometer scale. When we irradiate the laser next to the bubble, a strong main flow towards the bubble and two symmetric rotation flows on either side of it develop. The shape of this rotation flow shows a significant transformation depending on the relative position of the bubble and the laser spot. Using this controllable rotation flow, we have demonstrated sorting of the polystyrene spheres with diameters of 2 μm and 0.75 μm according to their size.

Use of a novel drainage flow servo-controlled CPB for mitral valve replacement in a Jehovah's Witness.

PubMed

Niimi, Yoshinari; Murata, Seiichiro; Mitou, Yumi; Ohno, Yusuke

2018-03-01

We developed a novel open cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) system, a drainage flow servo-controlled CPB system (DS-CPB), in which rotational speed of the main roller pump is servo-controlled to generate the same amount of flow as the systemic venous drainage. It was designed to safely decrease the priming volume while maintaining a constant reservoir level, even during fluctuations of the drainage flow. We report a successful use of a novel DS-CPB system in an elderly Jehovah's Witness patient with dehydration who underwent mitral valve replacement.

Dual control active superconductive devices

DOEpatents

Martens, Jon S.; Beyer, James B.; Nordman, James E.; Hohenwarter, Gert K. G.

1993-07-20

A superconducting active device has dual control inputs and is constructed such that the output of the device is effectively a linear mix of the two input signals. The device is formed of a film of superconducting material on a substrate and has two main conduction channels, each of which includes a weak link region. A first control line extends adjacent to the weak link region in the first channel and a second control line extends adjacent to the weak link region in the second channel. The current flowing from the first channel flows through an internal control line which is also adjacent to the weak link region of the second channel. The weak link regions comprise small links of superconductor, separated by voids, through which the current flows in each channel. Current passed through the control lines causes magnetic flux vortices which propagate across the weak link regions and control the resistance of these regions. The output of the device taken across the input to the main channels and the output of the second main channel and the internal control line will constitute essentially a linear mix of the two input signals imposed on the two control lines. The device is especially suited to microwave applications since it has very low input capacitance, and is well suited to being formed of high temperature superconducting materials since all of the structures may be formed coplanar with one another on a substrate.

Precision control of high temperature furnaces using an auxiliary power supply and charged particle current flow

DOEpatents

Pollock, G.G.

1997-01-28

Two power supplies are combined to control a furnace. A main power supply heats the furnace in the traditional manner, while the power from the auxiliary supply is introduced as a current flow through charged particles existing due to ionized gas or thermionic emission. The main power supply provides the bulk heating power and the auxiliary supply provides a precise and fast power source such that the precision of the total power delivered to the furnace is improved. 5 figs.

Flow structures and sandbar dynamics in a canyon river during a controlled flood, Colorado River, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wright, S.A.; Kaplinski, M.

2011-01-01

In canyon rivers, debris fan constrictions create rapids and downstream pools characterized by secondary flow structures that are closely linked to channel morphology. In this paper we describe detailed measurements of the three-dimensional flow structure and sandbar dynamics of two pools along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon during a controlled flood release from Glen Canyon Dam. Results indicate that the pools are characterized by large lateral recirculation zones (eddies) resulting from flow separation downstream from the channel constrictions, as well as helical flow structures in the main channel and eddy. The lateral recirculation zones are low-velocity areas conducive to fine sediment deposition, particularly in the vicinity of the separation and reattachment points and are thus the dominant flow structures controlling sandbar dynamics. The helical flow structures also affect morphology but appear secondary in importance to the lateral eddies. During the controlled flood, sandbars in the separation and reattachment zones at both sites tended to build gradually during the rising limb and peak flow. Deposition in shallow water on the sandbars was accompanied by erosion in deeper water along the sandbar slope at the interface with the main channel. Erosion occurred via rapid mass failures as well as by gradual boundary shear stress driven processes. The flow structures and morphologic links at our study sites are similar to those identified in other river environments, in particular sharply curved meanders and channel confluences where the coexistence of lateral recirculation and helical flows has been documented. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

Flow Control Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

known as Darrieus turbines or, after the German inventors of these devices, Voith-Schneider propellers. Their main advantage is the ability to produce... turbines (VAWT), named for the typical orientation of the main shaft. While their efficiency is similar to that of the more common horizontal axis wind ...Oscillating Systems’, Cambridge University Press, 2002 [11] G. M. Darrieus , ’ Turbine having its rotating shaft transverse to the flow of the current

Mathematical model of an indirect action fuel flow controller for aircraft jet engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudosie, Alexandru-Nicolae

2017-06-01

The paper deals with a fuel mass flow rate controller with indirect action for aircraft jet engines. The author has identified fuel controller's main parts and its operation mode, then, based on these observations, one has determined motion equations of each main part, which have built system's non-linear mathematical model. In order to realize a better study this model was linearised (using the finite differences method) and then adimensionalized. Based on this new form of the mathematical model, after applying Laplace transformation, the embedded system (controller+engine) was described by the block diagram with transfer functions. Some Simulink-Matlab simulations were performed, concerning system's time behavior for step input, which lead to some useful conclusions and extension possibilities.

Control and Visualization of a Shear Layer Over a Weapons Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmit, Ryan; Raman, Ganesh; Lourenco, Luis; Kibens, Valdis

2005-11-01

In July 2005, the AFRL program Flow Control Analysis Development (FlowCAD) tested the High Frequency Excitation Active Flow Control for Supersonic Weapons Release (HIFEX) generic weapons bay model in the Boeing's Polysonic windtunnel facility. The 10% scaled weapons bay with an L/D of 5 was tested at Mach 1.82. Several flow control devices were tested, including: the goalpost, a wedge and pin configuration, and the splash jet, to determine their effectiveness at reducing the sound pressure levels inside the weapons bay. The results show the wedge and splash jet are equally effective at reducing the peak Rossiter tone by 20 dB. The main objective of this test was to visualize the shear layer over the weapons bay cavity. By examining the cavity shear layer with a 10 kHz Focused Schlieren system the effects from the flow control devices can be understood to produce a more effective flow control device in the future.

Velocimetry with refractive index matching for complex flow configurations, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, B. E.; Vafidis, C.; Whitelaw, J. H.

1987-01-01

The feasibility of obtaining detailed velocity field measurements in large Reynolds number flow of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) main injector bowl was demonstrated using laser velocimetry and the developed refractive-index-matching technique. An experimental system to provide appropriate flow rates and temperature control of refractive-index-matching fluid was designed and tested. Test results are presented to establish the feasibility of obtaining accurate velocity measurements that map the entire field including the flow through the LOX post bundles: sample mean velocity, turbulence intensity, and spectral results are presented. The results indicate that a suitable fluid and control system is feasible for the representation of complex rocket-engine configurations and that measurements of velocity characteristics can be obtained without the optical access restrictions normally associated with laser velocimetry. The refractive-index-matching technique considered needs to be further developed and extended to represent other rocket-engine flows where current methods either cannot measure with adequate accuracy or they fail.

Dynamics of Active Separation Control at High Reynolds Numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pack, LaTunia G.; Seifert, Avi

2000-01-01

A series of active flow control experiments were recently conducted at high Reynolds numbers on a generic separated configuration. The model simulates the upper surface of a 20% thick Glauert-Goldschmied type airfoil at zero angle of attack. The flow is fully turbulent since the tunnel sidewall boundary layer flows over the model. The main motivation for the experiments is to generate a comprehensive data base for validation of unsteady numerical simulation as a first step in the development of a CFD design tool, without which it would not be possible to effectively utilize the great potential of unsteady flow control. This paper focuses on the dynamics of several key features of the baseline as well as the controlled flow. It was found that the thickness of the upstream boundary layer has a negligible effect on the flow dynamics. It is speculated that separation is caused mainly by the highly convex surface while viscous effects are less important. The two-dimensional separated flow contains unsteady waves centered on a reduced frequency of 0.9, while in the three dimensional separated flow, frequencies around a reduced frequency of 0.3 and 1 are active. Several scenarios of resonant wave interaction take place at the separated shear-layer and in the pressure recovery region. The unstable reduced frequency bands for periodic excitation are centered on 1.5 and 5, but these reduced frequencies are based on the length of the baseline bubble that shortens due to the excitation. The conventional works well for the coherent wave features. Reproduction of these dynamic effects by a numerical simulation would provide benchmark validation.

Dynamic Modelling of the DEP Controlled Boiling in a Microchannel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lackowski, Marcin; Kwidzinski, Roman

2018-04-01

The paper presents theoretical analysis of flow dynamics in a heated microchannel in which flow rate may be controlled by dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces. Proposed model equations were derived in terms of lumped parameters characterising the system comprising of DEP controller and the microchannel. In result, an equation for liquid height of rise in the controller was obtained from momentum balances in the two elements of the considered system. In the model, the boiling process in the heated section of microchannel is taken into account through a pressure drop, which is a function of flow rate and uniform heat flux. Presented calculation results show that the DEP forces influence mainly the flow rate in the microchannel. In this way, by proper modulation of voltage applied to the DEP controller, it is possible to lower the frequency of Ledinegg instabilities.

Three-dimensional turbulent near-wall flows in streamwise corners: Current state and questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kornilov, V. I.

2017-10-01

Current advances in experimental and computational studies of three-dimensional (3-D) near-wall turbulent flows in streamwise corners (SC) including the boundary-layer transition are reviewed. The focus is the structure, properties and main regularities of such flows in a wide range of variable conditions and basic parameters. A variety of different kinds of near-wall streamwise corner flows is displayed. Analysis of approaches for modeling of the near-wall corner flow in laboratory experiment is given. The problem of simulation of such flows where some ambiguities remain is discussed. The main factors on the structure of the flow in streamwise corners are analyzed. Also, the effectiveness of flow control by streamwise vortices in the junction regions of aerodynamic surfaces is shown. Finally, some important properties of the modified near-wall turbulent corner flows which have been revealed experimentally, in particular, for the flow near the wing/body junction (WBJ), can be used as an attractive alternative for real applications.

The art and science of flow control - case studies using flow visualization methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvi, F. S.; Cattafesta, L. N., III

2010-04-01

Active flow control (AFC) has been the focus of significant research in the last decade. This is mainly due to the potentially substantial benefits it affords. AFC applications range from the subsonic to the supersonic (and beyond) regime for both internal and external flows. These applications are wide and varied, such as controlling flow transition and separation over various external components of the aircraft to active management of separation and flow distortion in engine components and over turbine and compressor blades. High-speed AFC applications include control of flow oscillations in cavity flows, supersonic jet screech, impinging jets, and jet-noise control. In this paper we review some of our recent applications of AFC through a number of case studies that illustrate the typical benefits as well as limitations of present AFC methods. The case studies include subsonic and supersonic canonical flowfields such as separation control over airfoils, control of supersonic cavity flows and impinging jets. In addition, properties of zero-net mass-flux (ZNMF) actuators are also discussed as they represent one of the most widely studied actuators used for AFC. In keeping with the theme of this special issue, the flowfield properties and their response to actuation are examined through the use of various qualitative and quantitative flow visualization methods, such as smoke, shadowgraph, schlieren, planar-laser scattering, and Particle image velocimetry (PIV). The results presented here clearly illustrate the merits of using flow visualization to gain significant insight into the flow and its response to AFC.

Non-Linear Interactions between Consumers and Flow Determine the Probability of Plant Community Dominance on Maine Rocky Shores

PubMed Central

Silliman, Brian R.; McCoy, Michael W.; Trussell, Geoffrey C.; Crain, Caitlin M.; Ewanchuk, Patrick J.; Bertness, Mark D.

2013-01-01

Although consumers can strongly influence community recovery from disturbance, few studies have explored the effects of consumer identity and density and how they may vary across abiotic gradients. On rocky shores in Maine, recent experiments suggest that recovery of plant- or animal- dominated community states is governed by rates of water movement and consumer pressure. To further elucidate the mechanisms of consumer control, we examined the species-specific and density-dependent effects of rocky shore consumers (crabs and snails) on community recovery under both high (mussel dominated) and low flow (plant dominated) conditions. By partitioning the direct impacts of predators (crabs) and grazers (snails) on community recovery across a flow gradient, we found that grazers, but not predators, are likely the primary agent of consumer control and that their impact is highly non-linear. Manipulating snail densities revealed that herbivorous and bull-dozing snails (Littorina littorea) alone can control recovery of high and low flow communities. After ∼1.5 years of recovery, snail density explained a significant amount of the variation in macroalgal coverage at low flow sites and also mussel recovery at high flow sites. These density-dependent grazer effects were were both non-linear and flow-dependent, with low abundance thresholds needed to suppress plant community recovery, and much higher levels needed to control mussel bed development. Our study suggests that consumer density and identity are key in regulating both plant and animal community recovery and that physical conditions can determine the functional forms of these consumer effects. PMID:23940510

Laminar flow control, 1976 - 1982: A selected annotated bibliography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuttle, M. H.; Maddalon, D. V.

1982-01-01

Laminar Flow Control technology development has undergone tremendous progress in recent years as focused research efforts in materials, aerodynamics, systems, and structures have begun to pay off. A virtual explosion in the number of research papers published on this subject has occurred since interest was first stimulated by the 1976 introduction of NASA's Aircraft Energy Efficiency Laminar Flow Control Program. The purpose of this selected bibliography is to list available, unclassified laminar flow (both controlled and natural) research completed from about 1975 to mid 1982. Some earlier pertinent reports are included but listed separately in the Appendix. Reports listed herein emphasize aerodynamics and systems studies, but some structures work is also summarized. Aerodynamic work is mainly limited to the subsonic and transonic sped regimes. Because wind-tunnel flow qualities, such as free stream disturbance level, play such an important role in boundary-layer transition, much recent research has been done in this area and it is also included.

Dynamics of Active Separation Control at High Reynolds Numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pack, LaTunia G.; Seifert, Avi

2000-01-01

A series of active flow control experiments were recently conducted at high Reynolds numbers on a generic separated configuration. The model simulates the upper surface of a 20% thick Glauert-Goldschmied type airfoil at zero angle of attack. The flow is fully turbulent since the tunnel sidewall boundary layer flows over the model. The main motivation for the experiments is to generate a comprehensive data base for validation of unsteady numerical simulation as a first step in the development of a CFD design tool, without which it would not be possible to effectively utilize the great potential of unsteady flow control. This paper focuses on the dynamics of several key features of the baseline as well as the controlled flow. It was found that the thickness of the upstream boundary layer has a negligible effect on the flow dynamics. It is speculated that separation is caused mainly by the highly convex surface while viscous effects are less important. The two-dimensional separated flow contains unsteady waves centered on a reduced frequency of 0.8, while in the three dimensional separated flow, frequencies around a reduced frequency of 0.3 and 1 are active. Several scenarios of resonant wave interaction take place at the separated shear-layer and in the pressure recovery region. The unstable reduced frequency bands for periodic excitation are centered on 1.5 and 5, but these reduced frequencies are based on the length of the baseline bubble that shortens due to the excitation. The conventional swept wing-scaling works well for the coherent wave features. Reproduction of these dynamic effects by a numerical simulation would provide benchmark validation.

Effect of external plasma flows on the interaction between turbulence and convective cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uzawa, Ken; Li, Jiquan

2005-10-01

It is widely recognized that large scale structures, such as zonal flows, streamers and also long wavelength Kelvin-Helmholtz modes are nonlinearly generated from maternal turbulence through modulational instability process and play a crucial role in regulating the transport in tokamaks. In order to control the transport, it is desirable to control such structures and/or modulational process. One of control parameters may be mean flow which intrinsically exists in tokamak plasmas. Besides the direct influence on the transport through vortex decorrelation, the mean flow may indirectly change the zonal flow generation by acting on the modulational process itself. In this work, we theoretically investigate the characteristics of zonal flow generation due to the electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence in the presence of long wavelength ITG driven zonal flow. This was done by extending our previous modulational analyses[1]. We have numerically analyzed the influence of mean flow on zonal flow generation. The main result is that the zonal flow generation is suppressed by the presence of the mean flow. [1]J. Li, Y. Kishimoto, Physics of Plasmas, 9, 1241 (2002)

Hydrological control over stream nitrate loss in an aggrading New Hampshire forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daley, R.; Goodale, C. L.; Buso, D.; Driscoll, C. T.; Fuss, C.; Likens, G. E.

2008-12-01

Stream chemistry of a small watershed in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (Watershed 4) displays higher nitrate export than expected for an early successional forest in this region. Within Watershed 4, a small tributary (300 m in length) has a chemical signature far different from the main channel (1000 m in length). Previous monitoring has shown that the pH of the side tributary was significantly higher than that of the main channel and contains detectable levels of nitrate whereas the main channel had no detectable nitrate, and it is suspected that this side tributary significantly contributes to watershed export under base flow conditions. We expected that watershed's dominant water and chemical sources would vary with flow conditions, especially during summer thunderstorms. We hypothesized that the side tributary is the dominant source area under the normal base flow conditions of the summer (usually under 1 L/s) and that the main stem exerts dominance under the high flow conditions brought on by events. Daily water samples were taken throughout summer 2008 with three ISCO automated samplers: One ISCO was placed at the main stem of the stream, a second at the small internal tributary, and a third was placed at the weir. The samples were analyzed for pH, specific conductivity, and ANC, DOC, DON, and major anions and cations. The chemical data was compared to precipitation and rate of watershed flow calculated at each sampling hour to detect associations between chemical dominance and hydrological conditions. Under the base flow conditions of the summer, the chemistry of watershed outflow was dominated by that of the short side tributary, with lower acidity and higher nitrate levels than the longer main channel, but with notable contributions from the main channel. During each of the three high flow events that occurred over the summer, flow in the main channel increased dramatically and flow at the weir corresponded to temporarily increased acidity and decreased ANC. Preliminary nitrate data shows that a dilution response was associated with these events since there were significant declines in the nitrate levels of both the side tributary and watershed export during high flow conditions.

Check valve installation in pilot operated relief valve prevents reverse pressurization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oswalt, L.

1966-01-01

Two check valves prevent reverse flow through pilot-operated relief valves of differential area piston design. Title valves control pressure flow to ensure that the piston dome pressure is always at least as great as the main relief valve discharge pressure.

Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Orbiter Main Propulsion System (MPS) Gaseous Hydrogen (GH2) Flow Control Valve (FCV) Poppet Eddy Current (EC) Inspection Probability of Detection (POD) Study. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piascik, Robert S.; Prosser, William H.

2011-01-01

The Director of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), requested an independent assessment of the anomalous gaseous hydrogen (GH2) flow incident on the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) Orbiter Vehicle (OV)-105 during the Space Transportation System (STS)-126 mission. The main propulsion system (MPS) engine #2 GH2 flow control valve (FCV) LV-57 transition from low towards high flow position without being commanded. Post-flight examination revealed that the FCV LV-57 poppet had experienced a fatigue failure that liberated a section of the poppet flange. The NESC assessment provided a peer review of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD), stress analysis, and impact testing. A probability of detection (POD) study was requested by the SSP Orbiter Project for the eddy current (EC) nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques that were developed to inspect the flight FCV poppets. This report contains the findings and recommendations from the NESC assessment.

Experimental and computational investigation of supersonic counterflow jet interaction in atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanchenko, Oleksandr

The flow field generated by the interaction of a converging-diverging nozzle (exit diameter, D=26 mm M=1.5) flow and a choked flow from a minor jet (exit diameter, d=2.6 mm) in a counterflow configuration was investigated. During the tests both the main C-D nozzle and the minor jet stagnation pressures were varied as well as the region of interaction. Investigations were made in the near field, at most about 2D distance, and in the far field, where the repeated patterns of shock waves were eliminated by turbulence. Both nozzles exhausted to the atmospheric pressure conditions. The flow physics was studied using Schlieren imaging techniques, Pitot-tube, conical Mach number probe, Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) and acoustic measurement methods. During the experiments in the far field the jets interaction was observed as the minor jet flow penetrates into the main jet flow. The resulting shock structure caused by the minor jet's presence was dependent on the stagnation pressure ratio between the two jets. The penetration length of the minor jet into the main jet was also dependent on the stagnation pressure ratio. In the far field, increasing the minor jet stagnation pressure moved the bow shock forward, towards the main jet exit. In the near field, the minor jet flow penetrates into the main jet flow, and in some cases modified the flow pattern generated by the main jet, revealing a new effect of jet flow interaction that was previously unknown. A correlation function between the flow modes and the jet stagnation pressure ratios was experimentally determined. Additionally the flow interaction between the main and minor jets was simulated numerically using FLUENT. The optimal mesh geometry was found and the k-epsilon turbulence model was defined as the best fit. The results of the experimental and computational studies were used to describe the shock attenuation effect as self-sustain oscillations in supersonic flow. The effects described here can be used in different flow fields to reduce the total pressure losses that occur due to the presence of shock waves. It will result in better designs of ramjet/scramjets combustors, fighter aircraft inlets and as well as in noise reduction of existing aircraft engines. It can also improve performance of rotating machinery; ramjet fuel injectors and aircraft control mechanisms.

Development of in-series piezoelectric bimorph bending beam actuators for active flow control applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Wilfred K.; Clingman, Dan J.; Amitay, Michael

2016-04-01

Piezoelectric materials have long been used for active flow control purposes in aerospace applications to increase the effectiveness of aerodynamic surfaces on aircraft, wind turbines, and more. Piezoelectric actuators are an appropriate choice due to their low mass, small dimensions, simplistic design, and frequency response. This investigation involves the development of piezoceramic-based actuators with two bimorphs placed in series. Here, the main desired characteristic was the achievable displacement amplitude at specific driving voltages and frequencies. A parametric study was performed, in which actuators with varying dimensions were fabricated and tested. These devices were actuated with a sinusoidal waveform, resulting in an oscillating platform on which to mount active flow control devices, such as dynamic vortex generators. The main quantification method consisted of driving these devices with different voltages and frequencies to determine their free displacement, blocking force, and frequency response. It was found that resonance frequency increased with shorter and thicker actuators, while free displacement increased with longer and thinner actuators. Integration of the devices into active flow control test modules is noted. In addition to physical testing, a quasi-static analytical model was developed and compared with experimental data, which showed close correlation for both free displacement and blocking force.

77 FR 11520 - Commission Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Extension

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-27

..., Gas Pipeline Certificates: Annual Reports of System Flow Diagrams and System Capacity. DATES: Comments... Certificates: Annual Reports of System Flow Diagrams and System Capacity. OMB Control No.: 1902-0005. Type of... June 1 of each year, diagrams reflecting operating conditions on the pipeline's main transmission...

CFD Analysis of Thermal Control System Using NX Thermal and Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortier, C. R.; Harris, M. F. (Editor); McConnell, S. (Editor)

2014-01-01

The Thermal Control Subsystem (TCS) is a key part of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) for the International Space Station (ISS). The purpose of this subsystem is to provide thermal control, mainly cooling, to the other APH subsystems. One of these subsystems, the Environmental Control Subsystem (ECS), controls the temperature and humidity of the growth chamber (GC) air to optimize the growth of plants in the habitat. The TCS provides thermal control to the ECS with three cold plates, which use Thermoelectric Coolers (TECs) to heat or cool water as needed to control the air temperature in the ECS system. In order to optimize the TCS design, pressure drop and heat transfer analyses were needed. The analysis for this system was performed in Siemens NX Thermal/Flow software (Version 8.5). NX Thermal/Flow has the ability to perform 1D or 3D flow solutions. The 1D flow solver can be used to represent simple geometries, such as pipes and tubes. The 1D flow method also has the ability to simulate either fluid only or fluid and wall regions. The 3D flow solver is similar to other Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) software. TCS performance was analyzed using both the 1D and 3D solvers. Each method produced different results, which will be evaluated and discussed.

Effect of repeated sprints on postprandial endothelial function and triacylglycerol concentrations in adolescent boys.

PubMed

Sedgwick, Matthew J; Morris, John G; Nevill, Mary E; Barrett, Laura A

2015-01-01

This study investigated whether repeated, very short duration sprints influenced endothelial function (indicated by flow-mediated dilation) and triacylglycerol concentrations following the ingestion of high-fat meals in adolescent boys. Nine adolescent boys completed two, 2-day main trials (control and exercise), in a counter-balanced, cross-over design. Participants were inactive on day 1 of the control trial but completed 40 × 6 s maximal cycle sprints on day 1 of the exercise trial. On day 2, capillary blood samples were collected and flow-mediated dilation measured prior to, and following, ingestion of a high-fat breakfast and lunch. Fasting flow-mediated dilation and plasma triacylglycerol concentration were similar in the control and exercise trial (P > 0.05). In the control trial, flow-mediated dilation was reduced by 20% and 27% following the high-fat breakfast and lunch; following exercise these reductions were negated (main effect trial, P < 0.05; interaction effect trial × time, P < 0.05). The total area under the plasma triacylglycerol concentration versus time curve was 13% lower on day 2 in the exercise trial compared to the control trial (8.65 (0.97) vs. 9.92 (1.16) mmol · l(-1) · 6.5 h, P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that repeated 6 s maximal cycle sprints can have beneficial effects on postprandial endothelial function and triacylglycerol concentrations in adolescent boys.

Columbus Payloads Flow Rate Anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quaranta, Albino; Bufano, Gaetana; DePalo, Savino; Holt, James M.; Szigetvari, Zoltan; Palumberi, Sergio; Hinderer, S.

2011-01-01

The Columbus Active Thermal Control System (ATCS) is the main thermal bus for the pressurized racks working inside the European laboratory. One of the ATCS goals is to provide proper water flow rate to each payload (P/L) by controlling actively the pressure drop across the common plenum distribution piping. Overall flow measurement performed by the Water Pump Assembly (WPA) is the only flow rate monitor available at system level and is not part of the feedback control system. At rack activation the flow rate provided by the system is derived on ground by computing the WPA flow increase. With this approach, several anomalies were raised during these 3 years on-orbit, with the indication of low flow rate conditions on the European racks FSL, BioLab, EDR and EPM. This paper reviews the system and P/Ls calibration approach, the anomalies occurred, the engineering evaluation on the measurement approach and the accuracy improvements proposed, the on-orbit test under evaluation with NASA and finally discusses possible short and long term solutions in case of anomaly confirmation.

Traffic flow collection wireless sensor network node for intersection light control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xu; Li, Xue

2011-10-01

Wireless sensor network (WSN) is expected to be deployed in intersection to monitor the traffic flow continuously, and the monitoring datum can be used as the foundation of traffic light control. In this paper, a WSN based on ZigBee protocol for monitoring traffic flow is proposed. Structure, hardware and work flow of WSN nodes are designed. CC2431 from Texas Instrument is chosen as the main computational and transmission unit, and CC2591 as the amplification unit. The stability experiment and the actual environment experiment are carried out in the last of the paper. The results of experiments show that WSN has the ability to collect traffic flow information quickly and transmit the datum to the processing center in real time.

Contrast of lithospheric dynamics across the southern and eastern margins of the Tibetan Plateau: a numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yujun; Fan, Taoyuan; Wu, Zhonghai

2018-05-01

Both of the southern and eastern margins of the Tibetan Plateau are bounded by the cratonic blocks (Indian plate and Sichuan basin). However, there are many differences in tectonic deformation, lithospheric structure and surface heat flow between these two margins. What dynamics cause these differences? With the constraints of the lithospheric structure and surface heat flow across the southern and eastern margins of Tibetan Plateau, we constructed 2-D thermal-mechanical finite-element models to investigate the dynamics across these two margins. The results show that the delamination of mantle lithosphere beneath the Lhasa terrane in Oligocene and the rheological contrast between the Indian and Tibetan crust are the two main factors that control the subduction of the Indian plate. The dynamics across the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau are different from the southern margin. During the lateral expansion of the Tibetan Plateau, pure shear thickening is the main deformation characteristic for the Songpan-Ganzi lithosphere. This thickening results in the reduction of geothermal gradient and surface heat flow. From this study, it can be seen that the delamination of the mantle lithosphere and the rheological contrast between the Tibetan Plateau and its bounding blocks are the two main factors that control the lithospheric deformation and surface heat flow.

Packet Scheduling Mechanism to Improve Quality of Short Flows and Low-Rate Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokota, Kenji; Asaka, Takuya; Takahashi, Tatsuro

In recent years elephant flows are increasing by expansion of peer-to-peer (P2P) applications on the Internet. As a result, bandwidth is occupied by specific users triggering unfair resource allocation. The main packet-scheduling mechanism currently employed is first-in first-out (FIFO) where the available bandwidth of short flows is limited by elephant flows. Least attained service (LAS), which decides transfer priority of packets by the total amount of transferred data in all flows, was proposed to solve this problem. However, routers with LAS limit flows with large amount of transferred data even if they are low-rate. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the quality of low-rate flows with long holding times such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) applications. This paper proposes rate-based priority control (RBPC), which calculates the flow rate and control the priority by using it. Our proposed method can transfer short flows and low-rate flows in advance. Moreover, its fair performance is shown through simulations.

Precision Adjustable Liquid Regulator (ALR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meinhold, R.; Parker, M.

2004-10-01

A passive mechanical regulator has been developed for the control of fuel or oxidizer flow to a 450N class bipropellant engine for use on commercial and interplanetary spacecraft. There are several potential benefits to the propulsion system, depending on mission requirements and spacecraft design. This system design enables more precise control of main engine mixture ratio and inlet pressure, and simplifies the pressurization system by transferring the function of main engine flow rate control from the pressurization/propellant tank assemblies, to a single component, the ALR. This design can also reduce the thermal control requirements on the propellant tanks, avoid costly Qualification testing of biprop engines for missions with more stringent requirements, and reduce the overall propulsion system mass and power usage. In order to realize these benefits, the ALR must meet stringent design requirements. The main advantage of this regulator over other units available in the market is that it can regulate about its nominal set point to within +/-0.85%, and change its regulation set point in flight +/-4% about that nominal point. The set point change is handled actively via a stepper motor driven actuator, which converts rotary into linear motion to affect the spring preload acting on the regulator. Once adjusted to a particular set point, the actuator remains in its final position unpowered, and the regulator passively maintains outlet pressure. The very precise outlet regulation pressure is possible due to new technology developed by Moog, Inc. which reduces typical regulator mechanical hysteresis to near zero. The ALR requirements specified an outlet pressure set point range from 225 to 255 psi, and equivalent water flow rates required were in the 0.17 lb/sec range. The regulation output pressure is maintained at +/-2 psi about the set point from a P (delta or differential pressure) of 20 to over 100 psid. Maximum upstream system pressure was specified at 320 psi. The regulator is fault tolerant in that it was purposely designed with no shutoff capability, such that the minimum flow position of the poppet still allows the subsystem to provide adequate flow to the main engine for basic operation.

Computational fluid dynamics simulation of airflow in the trachea and main bronchi for the subjects with left pulmonary artery sling

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Left pulmonary artery sling (LPAS) is a rare but severe congenital anomaly, in which the stenoses are formed in the trachea and/or main bronchi. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) provides useful anatomical images, but does not offer functional information. The objective of the present study is to quantitatively analyze the airflow in the trachea and main bronchi of LPAS subjects through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Methods Five subjects (four LPAS patients, one normal control) aging 6-19 months are analyzed. The geometric model of the trachea and the two main bronchi is extracted from the MDCT images. The inlet velocity is determined based on the body weight and the inlet area. Both the geometric model and personalized inflow conditions are imported into CFD software, ANSYS. The pressure drop, mass flow ratio through two bronchi, wall pressure, flow velocity and wall shear stress (WSS) are obtained, and compared to the normal control. Results Due to the tracheal and/or bronchial stenosis, the pressure drop for the LPAS patients ranges 78.9 - 914.5 Pa, much higher than for the normal control (0.7 Pa). The mass flow ratio through the two bronchi does not correlate with the sectional area ratio if the anomalous left pulmonary artery compresses the trachea or bronchi. It is suggested that the C-shaped trachea plays an important role on facilitating the air flow into the left bronchus with the inertia force. For LPAS subjects, the distributions of velocities, wall pressure and WSS are less regular than for the normal control. At the stenotic site, high velocity, low wall pressure and high WSS are observed. Conclusions Using geometric models extracted from CT images and the patient-specified inlet boundary conditions, CFD simulation can provide vital quantitative flow information for LPAS. Due to the stenosis, high pressure drops, inconsistent distributions of velocities, wall pressure and WSS are observed. The C-shaped trachea may facilitate a larger flow of air into the left bronchus under the inertial force, and decrease the ventilation of the right lung. Quantitative and personalized information may help understand the mechanism of LPAS and the correlations between stenosis and dyspnea, and facilitate the structural and functional assessment of LPAS. PMID:24957947

Split Flow Online Solid-Phase Extraction Coupled with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry System for One-Shot Data Acquisition of Quantification and Recovery Efficiency.

PubMed

Furukawa, Makoto; Takagai, Yoshitaka

2016-10-04

Online solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) is a useful tool in automatic sequential analysis. However, it cannot simultaneously quantify the analytical targets and their recovery percentages (R%) in one-shot samples. We propose a system that simultaneously acquires both data in a single sample injection. The main flowline of the online solid-phase extraction is divided into main and split flows. The split flow line (i.e., bypass line), which circumvents the SPE column, was placed on the main flow line. Under program-controlled switching of the automatic valve, the ICPMS sequentially measures the targets in a sample before and after column preconcentration and determines the target concentrations and the R% on the SPE column. This paper describes the system development and two demonstrations to exhibit the analytical significance, i.e., the ultratrace amounts of radioactive strontium ( 90 Sr) using commercial Sr-trap resin and multielement adsorbability on the SPE column. This system is applicable to other flow analyses and detectors in online solid phase extraction.

Frozen waterfall (or ice cascade) growth and decay: a thermodynamic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, Francis; Montagnat, Maurine; Weiss, Jérôme; Allard, Michel; Hétu, Bernard

2013-04-01

The ice volume evolution of an ice cascade was studied using a thermodynamic model. The model was developed from meteorological data collected in the vicinity of the waterfall and validated from ice volume measurements estimated from terrestrial LiDAR images. The ice cascade forms over a 45 m high rockwall located in northern Gaspésie, Québec, Canada. Two stages of formation were identified. During the first stage, the growth is mainly controlled by air convection around the flowing and freefalling water. The ice cascade growth rate increases with the decreasing air temperature below 0°C and when the water flow reaches its lowest level. During the second stage, the ice cascade covers the entire rockwall surface, water flow is isolated from the outside environment and ice volume increases asymptotically. Heat is evacuated from the water flow through the ice cover by conduction. The growth is mainly controlled by the radiation energy balance but more specifically by the longwave radiation emitted at the ice surface during the night. In spring, melting of the ice cascade is clearly dependant on the sensible heat carried by the increasing water flow and the diffuse solar radiation received at the ice surface during the day.

Experimental Investigation of the Application of Microramp Flow Control to an Oblique Shock Interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hirt, Stefanie M.; Anderson, Bernhard H.

2009-01-01

The effectiveness of microramp flow control devices in controlling an oblique shock interaction was tested in the 15- by 15-Centimeter Supersonic Wind Tunnel at NASA Glenn Research Center. Fifteen microramp geometries were tested varying the height, chord length, and spacing between ramps. Measurements of the boundary layer properties downstream of the shock reflection were analyzed using design of experiments methods. Results from main effects, D-optimal, full factorial, and central composite designs were compared. The designs provided consistent results for a single variable optimization.

Controls on atrazine leaching through a soil-unsaturated fractured limestone sequence at Brévilles, France.

PubMed

Roulier, Stéphanie; Baran, Nicole; Mouvet, Christophe; Stenemo, Fredrik; Morvan, Xavier; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen; Clausen, Liselotte; Jarvis, Nicholas

2006-03-01

The objective of this study was to identify the main controls on atrazine leaching through luvisols and calcisols overlying fissured limestone using the dual-permeability model MACRO. The model parameterisation was based on a combination of direct measurements (e.g. hydraulic properties, adsorption and degradation), literature data and calibration against bromide leaching experiments in field plots. A Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis was carried out for a typical application pattern, considering two different depths of unsaturated limestone (15 and 30 m). MACRO calibrations to the field experiments demonstrated the occurrence of strong macropore flow in the luvisol, while transport in the calcisol could be described by the advection-dispersion equation. MACRO simulations of tritium and atrazine leaching qualitatively matched tritium concentration profiles measured in the limestone and atrazine concentrations measured in piezometers and in aquifer discharge via a spring. The sensitivity analysis suggested that the thickness of the limestone, as well as the transport properties and processes occurring in the unsaturated rock (e.g. matrix vs. fissure flow) will have little significant long-term effect on atrazine leaching, mainly because degradation is very slow in the limestone. No mineralization of atrazine was detected in one-year incubations and a mean half-life of 10 years was assumed in the simulations. Instead, processes occurring in the soil exerted the main control on predicted atrazine leaching, especially variations in the degradation rate and the strength of sorption and macropore flow. However, fissure flow in unsaturated rock is expected to exert a much more significant control on groundwater contamination for compounds that degrade more readily in the deep vadose zone.

Reduced order modeling and active flow control of an inlet duct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Xiaoqing

Many aerodynamic applications require the modeling of compressible flows in or around a body, e.g., the design of aircraft, inlet or exhaust duct, wind turbines, or tall buildings. Traditional methods use wind tunnel experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of the flows. Although they provide a great deal of insight into the essential characteristics of the flow field, they are not suitable for control analysis and design due to the high physical/computational cost. Many model reduction methods have been studied to reduce the complexity of the flow model. There are two main approaches: linearization based input/output modeling and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) based model reduction. The former captures mostly the local behavior near a steady state, which is suitable to model laminar flow dynamics. The latter obtains a reduced order model by projecting the governing equation onto an "optimal" subspace and is able to model complex nonlinear flow phenomena. In this research we investigate various model reduction approaches and compare them in flow modeling and control design. We propose an integrated model-based control methodology and apply it to the reduced order modeling and active flow control of compressible flows within a very aggressive (length to exit diameter ratio, L/D, of 1.5) inlet duct and its upstream contraction section. The approach systematically applies reduced order modeling, estimator design, sensor placement and control design to improve the aerodynamic performance. The main contribution of this work is the development of a hybrid model reduction approach that attempts to combine the best features of input/output model identification and POD method. We first identify a linear input/output model by using a subspace algorithm. We next project the difference between CFD response and the identified model response onto a set of POD basis. This trajectory is fit to a nonlinear dynamical model to augment the linear input/output model. Thus, the full system is decomposed into a dominant linear subsystem and a low order nonlinear subsystem. The hybrid model is then used for control design and compared with other modeling methods in CFD simulations. Numerical results indicate that the hybrid model accurately predicts the nonlinear behavior of the flow for a 2D diffuser contraction section model. It also performs best in terms of feedback control design and learning control. Since some outputs of interest (e.g., the AIP pressure recovery) are not observable during normal operations, static and dynamic estimators are designed to recreate the information from available sensor measurements. The latter also provides a state estimation for feedback controller. Based on the reduced order models and estimators, different controllers are designed to improve the aerodynamic performance of the contraction section and inlet duct. The integrated control methodology is evaluated with CFD simulations. Numerical results demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of the active flow control based on reduced order models. Our reduced order models not only generate a good approximation of the nonlinear flow dynamics over a wide input range, but also help to design controllers that significantly improve the flow response. The tools developed for model reduction, estimator and control design can also be applied to wind tunnel experiment.

The variable magnetic baffle as a control device for Kaufman thrusters.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poeschel, R. L.

1972-01-01

The variable magnetic baffle described in this paper aids in control of electron flow from the hollow cathode plasma into the main discharge region by augmenting the fringe magnetic field which impedes this electron flow in conventionally baffled Kaufman thrusters. A passive, low loss, and automatic control device is obtained by using the discharge current to excite the control winding. Used in conjunction with typical thruster control loops, stable operation has been obtained over a 10:1 throttling range with a 30 cm thruster. Discharge ignition and overcurrent recycling is also facilitated through use of this device in a permanent magnet thruster.

Effect of the SiCl₄ Flow Rate on SiBN Deposition Kinetics in SiCl₄-BCl₃-NH₃-H₂-Ar Environment.

PubMed

Li, Jianping; Qin, Hailong; Liu, Yongsheng; Ye, Fang; Li, Zan; Cheng, Laifei; Zhang, Litong

2017-06-07

To improve the thermal and mechanical stability of SiC f /SiC or C/SiC composites with SiBN interphase, SiBN coating was deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) using SiCl₄-BCl₃-NH₃-H₂-Ar gas system. The effect of the SiCl₄ flow rate on deposition kinetics was investigated. Results show that deposition rate increases at first and then decreases with the increase of the SiCl₄ flow rate. The surface of the coating is a uniform cauliflower-like structure at the SiCl₄ flow rate of 10 mL/min and 20 mL/min. The surface is covered with small spherical particles when the flow rate is 30 mL/min. The coatings deposited at various SiCl₄ flow rates are all X-ray amorphous and contain Si, B, N, and O elements. The main bonding states are B-N, Si-N, and N-O. B element and B-N bonding decrease with the increase of SiCl₄ flow rate, while Si element and Si-N bonding increase. The main deposition mechanism refers to two parallel reactions of BCl₃+NH₃ and SiCl₄+NH₃. The deposition process is mainly controlled by the reaction of BCl₃+NH₃.

Stability analysis of dynamic collaboration model with control signals on two lanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhipeng; Zhang, Run; Xu, Shangzhi; Qian, Yeqing; Xu, Juan

2014-12-01

In this paper, the influence of control signals on the stability of two-lane traffic flow is mainly studied by applying control theory with lane changing behaviors. We present the two-lane dynamic collaboration model with lateral friction and the expressions of feedback control signals. What is more, utilizing the delayed feedback control theory to the two-lane dynamic collaboration model with control signals, we investigate the stability of traffic flow theoretically and the stability conditions for both lanes are derived with finding that the forward and lateral feedback signals can improve the stability of traffic flow while the backward feedback signals cannot achieve it. Besides, direct simulations are conducted to verify the results of theoretical analysis, which shows that the feedback signals have a significant effect on the running state of two vehicle groups, and the results are same with the theoretical analysis.

Fuel control for gas turbine engines

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

Stearns, C.F.; Tutherly, H.W.

1983-12-27

The basic gas turbine engine hydromechanical fuel control is adaptable to different engine configurations such as turbofan, turboprop and turboshaft engines by incorporating in the main housing those elements having a commonality to all engine configurations and providing a removable block for each configuration having the necessary control elements and flow passages required for that particular configuration. That is to say, a block with the elements peculiar to a turbofan engine could be replaced by a mating block that includes those elements peculiar to a turboshaft engine in adapting the control for a turboshaft configuration. Similarly another block with thosemore » elements peculiar to a turboprop engine could replace any of the other blocks in adapting the control to a turboprop configuration. Obviously the basic control has the necessary flow passages terminating at the interface with the block and these flow passages mate with corresponding passages in the block.« less

Helium process cycle

DOEpatents

Ganni, Venkatarao

2008-08-12

A unique process cycle and apparatus design separates the consumer (cryogenic) load return flow from most of the recycle return flow of a refrigerator and/or liquefier process cycle. The refrigerator and/or liquefier process recycle return flow is recompressed by a multi-stage compressor set and the consumer load return flow is recompressed by an independent consumer load compressor set that maintains a desirable constant suction pressure using a consumer load bypass control valve and the consumer load return pressure control valve that controls the consumer load compressor's suction pressure. The discharge pressure of this consumer load compressor is thereby allowed to float at the intermediate pressure in between the first and second stage recycle compressor sets. Utilizing the unique gas management valve regulation, the unique process cycle and apparatus design in which the consumer load return flow is separate from the recycle return flow, the pressure ratios of each recycle compressor stage and all main pressures associated with the recycle return flow are allowed to vary naturally, thus providing a naturally regulated and balanced floating pressure process cycle that maintains optimal efficiency at design and off-design process cycle capacity and conditions automatically.

Helium process cycle

DOEpatents

Ganni, Venkatarao

2007-10-09

A unique process cycle and apparatus design separates the consumer (cryogenic) load return flow from most of the recycle return flow of a refrigerator and/or liquefier process cycle. The refrigerator and/or liquefier process recycle return flow is recompressed by a multi-stage compressor set and the consumer load return flow is recompressed by an independent consumer load compressor set that maintains a desirable constant suction pressure using a consumer load bypass control valve and the consumer load return pressure control valve that controls the consumer load compressor's suction pressure. The discharge pressure of this consumer load compressor is thereby allowed to float at the intermediate pressure in between the first and second stage recycle compressor sets. Utilizing the unique gas management valve regulation, the unique process cycle and apparatus design in which the consumer load return flow is separate from the recycle return flow, the pressure ratios of each recycle compressor stage and all main pressures associated with the recycle return flow are allowed to vary naturally, thus providing a naturally regulated and balanced floating pressure process cycle that maintains optimal efficiency at design and off-design process cycle capacity and conditions automatically.

SACFIR: SDN-Based Application-Aware Centralized Adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring Routing Protocol for WSNs.

PubMed

Aslam, Muhammad; Hu, Xiaopeng; Wang, Fan

2017-12-13

Smart reconfiguration of a dynamic networking environment is offered by the central control of Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Centralized SDN-based management architectures are capable of retrieving global topology intelligence and decoupling the forwarding plane from the control plane. Routing protocols developed for conventional Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) utilize limited iterative reconfiguration methods to optimize environmental reporting. However, the challenging networking scenarios of WSNs involve a performance overhead due to constant periodic iterative reconfigurations. In this paper, we propose the SDN-based Application-aware Centralized adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring (SACFIR) routing protocol with the centralized SDN iterative solver controller to maintain the load-balancing between flow reconfigurations and flow allocation cost. The proposed SACFIR's routing protocol offers a unique iterative path-selection algorithm, which initially computes suitable clustering based on residual resources at the control layer and then implements application-aware threshold-based multi-hop report transmissions on the forwarding plane. The operation of the SACFIR algorithm is centrally supervised by the SDN controller residing at the Base Station (BS). This paper extends SACFIR to SDN-based Application-aware Main-value Centralized adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring (SAMCFIR) to establish both proactive and reactive reporting. The SAMCFIR transmission phase enables sensor nodes to trigger direct transmissions for main-value reports, while in the case of SACFIR, all reports follow computed routes. Our SDN-enabled proposed models adjust the reconfiguration period according to the traffic burden on sensor nodes, which results in heterogeneity awareness, load-balancing and application-specific reconfigurations of WSNs. Extensive experimental simulation-based results show that SACFIR and SAMCFIR yield the maximum scalability, network lifetime and stability period when compared to existing routing protocols.

SACFIR: SDN-Based Application-Aware Centralized Adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring Routing Protocol for WSNs

PubMed Central

Hu, Xiaopeng; Wang, Fan

2017-01-01

Smart reconfiguration of a dynamic networking environment is offered by the central control of Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Centralized SDN-based management architectures are capable of retrieving global topology intelligence and decoupling the forwarding plane from the control plane. Routing protocols developed for conventional Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) utilize limited iterative reconfiguration methods to optimize environmental reporting. However, the challenging networking scenarios of WSNs involve a performance overhead due to constant periodic iterative reconfigurations. In this paper, we propose the SDN-based Application-aware Centralized adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring (SACFIR) routing protocol with the centralized SDN iterative solver controller to maintain the load-balancing between flow reconfigurations and flow allocation cost. The proposed SACFIR’s routing protocol offers a unique iterative path-selection algorithm, which initially computes suitable clustering based on residual resources at the control layer and then implements application-aware threshold-based multi-hop report transmissions on the forwarding plane. The operation of the SACFIR algorithm is centrally supervised by the SDN controller residing at the Base Station (BS). This paper extends SACFIR to SDN-based Application-aware Main-value Centralized adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring (SAMCFIR) to establish both proactive and reactive reporting. The SAMCFIR transmission phase enables sensor nodes to trigger direct transmissions for main-value reports, while in the case of SACFIR, all reports follow computed routes. Our SDN-enabled proposed models adjust the reconfiguration period according to the traffic burden on sensor nodes, which results in heterogeneity awareness, load-balancing and application-specific reconfigurations of WSNs. Extensive experimental simulation-based results show that SACFIR and SAMCFIR yield the maximum scalability, network lifetime and stability period when compared to existing routing protocols. PMID:29236031

On the study of control effectiveness and computational efficiency of reduced Saint-Venant model in model predictive control of open channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, M.; van Overloop, P. J.; van de Giesen, N. C.

2011-02-01

Model predictive control (MPC) of open channel flow is becoming an important tool in water management. The complexity of the prediction model has a large influence on the MPC application in terms of control effectiveness and computational efficiency. The Saint-Venant equations, called SV model in this paper, and the Integrator Delay (ID) model are either accurate but computationally costly, or simple but restricted to allowed flow changes. In this paper, a reduced Saint-Venant (RSV) model is developed through a model reduction technique, Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD), on the SV equations. The RSV model keeps the main flow dynamics and functions over a large flow range but is easier to implement in MPC. In the test case of a modeled canal reach, the number of states and disturbances in the RSV model is about 45 and 16 times less than the SV model, respectively. The computational time of MPC with the RSV model is significantly reduced, while the controller remains effective. Thus, the RSV model is a promising means to balance the control effectiveness and computational efficiency.

Modular robot

DOEpatents

Ferrante, Todd A.

1997-01-01

A modular robot may comprise a main body having a structure defined by a plurality of stackable modules. The stackable modules may comprise a manifold, a valve module, and a control module. The manifold may comprise a top surface and a bottom surface having a plurality of fluid passages contained therein, at least one of the plurality of fluid passages terminating in a valve port located on the bottom surface of the manifold. The valve module is removably connected to the manifold and selectively fluidically connects the plurality of fluid passages contained in the manifold to a supply of pressurized fluid and to a vent. The control module is removably connected to the valve module and actuates the valve module to selectively control a flow of pressurized fluid through different ones of the plurality of fluid passages in the manifold. The manifold, valve module, and control module are mounted together in a sandwich-like manner and comprise a main body. A plurality of leg assemblies are removably connected to the main body and are removably fluidically connected to the fluid passages in the manifold so that each of the leg assemblies can be selectively actuated by the flow of pressurized fluid in different ones of the plurality of fluid passages in the manifold.

Shuttle Gaseous Hydrogen Venting Risk from Flow Control Valve Failure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drummond, J. Philip; Baurle, Robert A.; Gafney, Richard L.; Norris, Andrew T.; Pellett, Gerald L.; Rock, Kenneth E.

2009-01-01

This paper describes a series of studies to assess the potential risk associated with the failure of one of three gaseous hydrogen flow control valves in the orbiter's main propulsion system during the launch of Shuttle Endeavour (STS-126) in November 2008. The studies focused on critical issues associated with the possibility of combustion resulting from release of gaseous hydrogen from the external tank into the atmosphere during assent. The Shuttle Program currently assumes hydrogen venting from the external tank will result in a critical failure. The current effort was conducted to increase understanding of the risk associated with venting hydrogen given the flow control valve failure scenarios being considered in the Integrated In-Flight Anomaly Investigation being conducted by NASA.

Numerical Simulation of a High-Lift Configuration Embedded with High Momentum Fluidic Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vatsa, Veer N.; Duda, Benjamin; Fares, Ehab; Lin, John C.

2016-01-01

Numerical simulations have been performed for a vertical tail configuration with deflected rudder. The suction surface of the main element of this configuration, just upstream of the hinge line, is embedded with an array of 32 fluidic actuators that produce oscillating sweeping jets. Such oscillating jets have been found to be very effective for flow control applications in the past. In the current paper, a high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code known as the PowerFLOW R code is used to simulate the entire flow field associated with this configuration, including the flow inside the actuators. A fully compressible version of the PowerFLOW R code valid for high speed flows is used for the present simulations to accurately represent the transonic flow regimes encountered in the flow field due to the actuators operating at higher mass flow (momentum) rates required to mitigate reverse flow regions on a highly-deflected rudder surface. The computed results for the surface pressure and integrated forces compare favorably with measured data. In addition, numerical solutions predict the correct trends in forces with active flow control compared to the no control case. The effect of varying the rudder deflection angle on integrated forces and surface pressures is also presented.

Melt Flow Control in the Directional Solidification of Binary Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zabaras, Nicholas

2003-01-01

Our main project objectives are to develop computational techniques based on inverse problem theory that can be used to design directional solidification processes that lead to desired temperature gradient and growth conditions at the freezing front at various levels of gravity. It is known that control of these conditions plays a significant role in the selection of the form and scale of the obtained solidification microstructures. Emphasis is given on the control of the effects of various melt flow mechanisms on the local to the solidification front conditions. The thermal boundary conditions (furnace design) as well as the magnitude and direction of an externally applied magnetic field are the main design variables. We will highlight computational design models for sharp front solidification models and briefly discuss work in progress toward the development of design techniques for multi-phase volume-averaging based solidification models.

Classification and sedimentary characteristics of lacustrine hyperpycnal channels: Triassic outcrops in the south Ordos Basin, central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xian, Benzhong; Wang, Junhui; Gong, Chenglin; Yin, Yu; Chao, Chuzhi; Liu, Jianping; Zhang, Guodong; Yan, Qi

2018-06-01

Subaquatic channels are known as active conduits for the delivery of terrigenous sediments into related marine and lacustrine basins, as well as important targets for hydrocarbon exploration. Compared to submarine channels, lacustrine subaqueous channels created by hyperpycnal flows are understudied. Using well-exposed outcrops collected from three different locations in the southern Ordos Basin, central China, morphologies and architecture of a channelized hyperpycnal system were studied and classified. Six facies associations represent sedimentary processes from strong erosion by bedload dominated hyperpycnal flows, to transitional deposition jointly controlled by bedload and suspended-load dominated hyperpycnal flows, finally to deposition from suspended-load dominated hyperpycnal flows. On the basis of channel morphologies, infilling sediments and sedimentary processes, the documented channels can be classified into four main categories, which are erosional, bedload dominated, suspended-load dominated, and depositional channels. In very proximal and very distal locations, erosional channels and depositional channels serve as two end-members, while in middle areas, bedload-dominated channels and suspended-load dominated channels are transitional types. Erosional channels, as a response to strong erosion from bedload dominated hyperpycnal flows on upper slope, were mainly filled by mud interbedded with thin sand beds. As flow energy decreases, bedload dominated channels develop on middle slopes, which are characterized mainly by under- to balanced sediment infillings with cross-bedded sandstones and/or minor massive sandstones. Compared to bedload dominated channels, suspended-load dominated channels mainly develop in deeper water, and were filled mainly by massive or planar-laminated sandstones. Depositional channels, as a response to suspended-load dominated hyperpycnal flows in deep-water areas, are characterized by thin-medium bed classical turbidites with Bouma sequences and thin- to thick massive sandstones. Such evolution patterns of hyperpycnal channel systems are ascribed to the progressive decrease in flow capacity of hyperpycnal flows, and provide an adequate explanation for the basinward channelization behavior of hyperpycnal systems.

Shuttle Primary Reaction Control Subsystem Thruster Fuel Valve Pilot Seal Extrusion: A Failure Correlation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Jess; Saulsberry, Regor L.

2003-01-01

Pilot operated valves (POVs) are used to control the flow of hypergolic propellants monomethylhydrazine (fuel) and nitrogen tetroxide (oxidizer) to the Shuttle orbiter Primary Reaction Control Subsystem (PRCS) thrusters. The POV incorporates a two-stage design: a solenoid-actuated pilot stage, which in turn controls a pressure-actuated main stage. Isolation of propellant supply from the thruster chamber is accomplished in part by a captive polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) pilot seal retained inside a Custom 455.1 stainless steel cavity. Extrusion of the pilot seal restricts the flow of fuel around the pilot poppet, thus impeding or preventing the main valve stage from opening. It can also prevent the main stage from staying open with adequate force margin, particularly if there is gas in the main stage actuation cavity. During thruster operation on-orbit, fuel valve pilot seal extrusion is commonly indicated by low or erratic chamber pressure or failure of the thruster to fire upon command (Fail-Off). During ground turnaround, pilot seal extrusion is commonly indicated by slow gaseous nitrogen (GN2) main valve opening times (greater than 38 ms) or slow water main valve opening response times (greater than 33 ms). Poppet lift tests and visual inspection can also detect pilot seal extrusion during ground servicing; however, direct metrology on the pilot seat assembly provides the most quantitative and accurate means of identifying extrusion. Minimizing PRCS fuel valve pilot seal extrusion has become an important issue in the effort to improve PRCS reliability and reduce associated life cycle costs.

Current Issues in Unsteady Turbomachinery Flows (Images)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Louis

2004-01-01

Among the numerous causes for unsteadiness in turbo machinery flows are turbulence and flow environment, wakes from stationary and rotating vanes, boundary layer separation, boundary layer/shear layer instabilities, presence of shock waves and deliberate unsteadiness for flow control purposes. These unsteady phenomena may lead to flow-structure interactions such as flutter and forced vibration as well as system instabilities such as stall and surge. A major issue of unsteadiness relates to the fact that a fundamental understanding of unsteady flow physics is lacking and requires continued attention. Accurate simulations and sufficient high fidelity experimental data are not available. The Glenn Research Center plan for Engine Component Flow Physics Modeling is part of the NASA 21st Century Aircraft Program. The main components of the plan include Low Pressure Turbine National Combustor Code. The goals, technical output and benefits/impacts of each element are described in the presentation. The specific areas selected for discussion in this presentation are blade wake interactions, flow control, and combustor exit turbulence and modeling.

An Experimental Study of Synthetic Jets from Rectangular Orifices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Milanovic, Ivana M.

2003-01-01

During the past two summers Professor Milanovic conducted Wind tunnel experiments on steady jets-in-cross-flow and synthetic jets. In her anticipated visit during the upcoming summer, she will continue and complete the research on synthetic jets involving 2-dimensional orifices of different aspect ratio as well as inclined slots. In addition, experiments will be conducted on pulsatile jets-in-cross-flow. The pulsation will be provided via an oscillating valve at controllable frequencies. The experiment will involve mainly hot-wire anemometer measurements in the low-speed wind tunnel. Overall goal will be to obtain database and investigate flow control strategies. The research will be of fundamental nature.

Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics at Transonic Speeds of a 1/30-Scale Model of the Republic XF-103 Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luoma, Arvo A.

1954-01-01

The longitudinal stability and control characteristics of a 1/30-scale model of the Republic XF-103 airplane were investigated in the Langley 8-foot transonic tunnel. The effect of speed brakes located at the end of the fuselage was also investigated. The main part of the investigation was made with internal flow in the model, but some data were obtained with no internal flow. The longitudinal stability and control at transonic-speeds appeared satisfactory. The transonic drag rise was small. The speed brakes had no adverse effects on longitudinal stability.

Numerical Simulation of a High-Lift Configuration with Embedded Fluidic Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vatsa, Veer N.; Casalino, Damiano; Lin, John C.; Appelbaum, Jason

2014-01-01

Numerical simulations have been performed for a vertical tail configuration with deflected rudder. The suction surface of the main element of this configuration is embedded with an array of 32 fluidic actuators that produce oscillating sweeping jets. Such oscillating jets have been found to be very effective for flow control applications in the past. In the current paper, a high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code known as the PowerFLOW(Registered TradeMark) code is used to simulate the entire flow field associated with this configuration, including the flow inside the actuators. The computed results for the surface pressure and integrated forces compare favorably with measured data. In addition, numerical solutions predict the correct trends in forces with active flow control compared to the no control case. Effect of varying yaw and rudder deflection angles are also presented. In addition, computations have been performed at a higher Reynolds number to assess the performance of fluidic actuators at flight conditions.

KSC-2009-1949

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – One of the three thoroughly inspected gaseous hydrogen flow control valves is shown after its arrival at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Technicians installed and retested them in space shuttle Discovery. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. NASA and contractor teams have worked to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Space Shuttle Program managers decided to replace Discovery's valves with others that have undergone a detailed eddy current inspection. Program managers will review the testing and determine whether to meet on March 6 for the Flight Readiness Review for the STS-119 mission. Launch of Discovery tentatively is targeted for March 12. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-2009-1950

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare to install three gaseous hydrogen flow control valves on space shuttle Discovery. The valves were retested after installation. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. NASA and contractor teams have worked to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Space Shuttle Program managers decided to replace Discovery's valves with others that have undergone a detailed eddy current inspection. Program managers will review the testing and determine whether to meet on March 6 for the Flight Readiness Review for the STS-119 mission. Launch of Discovery tentatively is targeted for March 12. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-2009-1951

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians install three gaseous hydrogen flow control valves on space shuttle Discovery. The valves were retested after installation. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. NASA and contractor teams have worked to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Space Shuttle Program managers decided to replace Discovery's valves with others that have undergone a detailed eddy current inspection. Program managers will review the testing and determine whether to meet on March 6 for the Flight Readiness Review for the STS-119 mission. Launch of Discovery tentatively is targeted for March 12. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

KSC-2009-1948

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – One of the three thoroughly inspected gaseous hydrogen flow control valves is shown after its arrival at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Technicians installed and retested them in space shuttle Discovery. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. NASA and contractor teams have worked to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Space Shuttle Program managers decided to replace Discovery's valves with others that have undergone a detailed eddy current inspection. Program managers will review the testing and determine whether to meet on March 6 for the Flight Readiness Review for the STS-119 mission. Launch of Discovery tentatively is targeted for March 12. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes

Integrated Liquid Bismuth Propellant Feed System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Markusic, Thomas E.; Stanojev, Boris J.

2006-01-01

A prototype bismuth propellant feed and control system was constructed and tested. An electromagnetic pump was used in this system to provide fine control of the hydrostatic pressure, and a new type of in-line flow sensor was developed to provide an accurate, real-time measurement of the mass flow rate. High-temperature material compatibility was a driving design requirement for the pump and flow sensor, leading to the selection of macor for the main body of both components. Post-test inspections of both components revealed no cracks or leaking in either. In separate proof-of-concept experiments, the pump produced a linear pressure rise as a function of current that compared favorably with theoretical pump pressure predictions, with a pressure of 10 kPa at 30 A. Flow sensing was successfully demonstrated in a bench-top test using gallium as a substitute liquid metal. A real-time controller was successfully used to control the entire system, simultaneously monitoring all power supplies and performing data acquisition duties.

Effect of the SiCl4 Flow Rate on SiBN Deposition Kinetics in SiCl4-BCl3-NH3-H2-Ar Environment

PubMed Central

Li, Jianping; Qin, Hailong; Liu, Yongsheng; Ye, Fang; Li, Zan; Cheng, Laifei; Zhang, Litong

2017-01-01

To improve the thermal and mechanical stability of SiCf/SiC or C/SiC composites with SiBN interphase, SiBN coating was deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) using SiCl4-BCl3-NH3-H2-Ar gas system. The effect of the SiCl4 flow rate on deposition kinetics was investigated. Results show that deposition rate increases at first and then decreases with the increase of the SiCl4 flow rate. The surface of the coating is a uniform cauliflower-like structure at the SiCl4 flow rate of 10 mL/min and 20 mL/min. The surface is covered with small spherical particles when the flow rate is 30 mL/min. The coatings deposited at various SiCl4 flow rates are all X-ray amorphous and contain Si, B, N, and O elements. The main bonding states are B-N, Si-N, and N-O. B element and B-N bonding decrease with the increase of SiCl4 flow rate, while Si element and Si-N bonding increase. The main deposition mechanism refers to two parallel reactions of BCl3+NH3 and SiCl4+NH3. The deposition process is mainly controlled by the reaction of BCl3+NH3. PMID:28772986

Development of laminar flow control wing surface porous structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klotzsche, M.; Pearce, W.; Anderson, C.; Thelander, J.; Boronow, W.; Gallimore, F.; Brown, W.; Matsuo, T.; Christensen, J.; Primavera, G.

1984-01-01

It was concluded that the chordwise air collection method, which actually combines chordwise and spanwise air collection, is the best of the designs conceived up to this time for full chord laminar flow control (LFC). Its shallower ducting improved structural efficiency of the main wing box resulting in a reduction in wing weight, and it provided continuous support of the chordwise panel joints, better matching of suction and clearing airflow requirements, and simplified duct to suction source minifolding. Laminar flow control on both the upper and lower surfaces was previously reduced to LFC suction on the upper surface only, back to 85 percent chord. The study concludes that, in addition to reduced wing area and other practical advantages, this system would be lighter because of the increase in effective structural wing thickness.

Space Shuttle Main Propulsion System Gaseous Hydrogen Flow Control Valve Poppet Failure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeitler, Rick

2010-01-01

The presentation provides background information pertinent to the MPS GH2 Flow Control Valve Poppet failure which occurred on the Space Shuttle Endeavour during STS-126 flight. The presentation provides general MPS system operating information which is pertinent to understanding the failure causes and affects. The presentation provides additional background information on the operating environment in which the FCV functions and basic design history of the flow control valve. The presentation provides an overview of the possible flight failure modes and a brief summary of the flight rationale which was developed for this failure event. This presentation is an introductory presentation to 3 other speakers at the conference who will be speaking on M&P aspects of the investigation, non destructive inspection techniques development, and particle impact testing.

Genetic and environmental influences on the relationship between flow proneness, locus of control and behavioral inhibition.

PubMed

Mosing, Miriam A; Pedersen, Nancy L; Cesarini, David; Johannesson, Magnus; Magnusson, Patrik K E; Nakamura, Jeanne; Madison, Guy; Ullén, Fredrik

2012-01-01

Flow is a psychological state of high but subjectively effortless attention that typically occurs during active performance of challenging tasks and is accompanied by a sense of automaticity, high control, low self-awareness, and enjoyment. Flow proneness is associated with traits and behaviors related to low neuroticism such as emotional stability, conscientiousness, active coping, self-esteem and life satisfaction. Little is known about the genetic architecture of flow proneness, behavioral inhibition and locus of control--traits also associated with neuroticism--and their interrelation. Here, we hypothesized that individuals low in behavioral inhibition and with an internal locus of control would be more likely to experience flow and explored the genetic and environmental architecture of the relationship between the three variables. Behavioral inhibition and locus of control was measured in a large population sample of 3,375 full twin pairs and 4,527 single twins, about 26% of whom also scored the flow proneness questionnaire. Findings revealed significant but relatively low correlations between the three traits and moderate heritability estimates of .41, .45, and .30 for flow proneness, behavioral inhibition, and locus of control, respectively, with some indication of non-additive genetic influences. For behavioral inhibition we found significant sex differences in heritability, with females showing a higher estimate including significant non-additive genetic influences, while in males the entire heritability was due to additive genetic variance. We also found a mainly genetically mediated relationship between the three traits, suggesting that individuals who are genetically predisposed to experience flow, show less behavioral inhibition (less anxious) and feel that they are in control of their own destiny (internal locus of control). We discuss that some of the genes underlying this relationship may include those influencing the function of dopaminergic neural systems.

Benchmark for Numerical Models of Stented Coronary Bifurcation Flow.

PubMed

García Carrascal, P; García García, J; Sierra Pallares, J; Castro Ruiz, F; Manuel Martín, F J

2018-09-01

In-stent restenosis ails many patients who have undergone stenting. When the stented artery is a bifurcation, the intervention is particularly critical because of the complex stent geometry involved in these structures. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been shown to be an effective approach when modeling blood flow behavior and understanding the mechanisms that underlie in-stent restenosis. However, these CFD models require validation through experimental data in order to be reliable. It is with this purpose in mind that we performed particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements of velocity fields within flows through a simplified coronary bifurcation. Although the flow in this simplified bifurcation differs from the actual blood flow, it emulates the main fluid dynamic mechanisms found in hemodynamic flow. Experimental measurements were performed for several stenting techniques in both steady and unsteady flow conditions. The test conditions were strictly controlled, and uncertainty was accurately predicted. The results obtained in this research represent readily accessible, easy to emulate, detailed velocity fields and geometry, and they have been successfully used to validate our numerical model. These data can be used as a benchmark for further development of numerical CFD modeling in terms of comparison of the main flow pattern characteristics.

Shock wave boundary layer interaction on suction side of compressor profile in single passage test section

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flaszynski, Pawel; Doerffer, Piotr; Szwaba, Ryszard; Kaczynski, Piotr; Piotrowicz, Michal

2015-11-01

The shock wave boundary layer interaction on the suction side of transonic compressor blade is one of the main objectives of TFAST project (Transition Location Effect on Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interaction). In order to investigate the flow structure on the suction side of a profile, a design of a generic test section in linear transonic wind tunnel was proposed. The experimental and numerical results for the flow structure investigations are shown for the flow conditions as the existing ones on the suction side of the compressor profile. Near the sidewalls the suction slots are applied for the corner flow structure control. It allows to control the Axial Velocity Density Ratio (AVDR), important parameter for compressor cascade investigations. Numerical results for Explicit Algebraic Reynolds Stress Model with transition modeling are compared with oil flow visualization, schlieren and Pressure Sensitive Paint. Boundary layer transition location is detected by Temperature Sensitive Paint.

Dynamic Exergy Method for Evaluating the Control and Operation of Oxy-Combustion Boiler Island Systems.

PubMed

Jin, Bo; Zhao, Haibo; Zheng, Chuguang; Liang, Zhiwu

2017-01-03

Exergy-based methods are widely applied to assess the performance of energy conversion systems; however, these methods mainly focus on a certain steady-state and have limited applications for evaluating the control impacts on system operation. To dynamically obtain the thermodynamic behavior and reveal the influences of control structures, layers and loops, on system energy performance, a dynamic exergy method is developed, improved, and applied to a complex oxy-combustion boiler island system for the first time. The three most common operating scenarios are studied, and the results show that the flow rate change process leads to less energy consumption than oxygen purity and air in-leakage change processes. The variation of oxygen purity produces the largest impact on system operation, and the operating parameter sensitivity is not affected by the presence of process control. The control system saves energy during flow rate and oxygen purity change processes, while it consumes energy during the air in-leakage change process. More attention should be paid to the oxygen purity change because it requires the largest control cost. In the control system, the supervisory control layer requires the greatest energy consumption and the largest control cost to maintain operating targets, while the steam control loops cause the main energy consumption.

Long-term clearance from small airways in subjects with ciliary dysfunction.

PubMed

Lindström, Maria; Falk, Rolf; Hjelte, Lena; Philipson, Klas; Svartengren, Magnus

2006-05-20

The objective of this study was to investigate if long-term clearance from small airways is dependent on normal ciliary function. Six young adults with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) inhaled 111 Indium labelled Teflon particles of 4.2 microm geometric and 6.2 microm aerodynamic diameter with an extremely slow inhalation flow, 0.05 L/s. The inhalation method deposits particles mainly in the small conducting airways. Lung retention was measured immediately after inhalation and at four occasions up to 21 days after inhalation. Results were compared with data from ten healthy controls. For additional comparison three of the PCD subjects also inhaled the test particles with normal inhalation flow, 0.5 L/s, providing a more central deposition. The lung retention at 24 h in % of lung deposition (Ret24) was higher (p < 0.001) in the PCD subjects, 79 % (95% Confidence Interval, 67.6;90.6), compared to 49% (42.3;55.5) in the healthy controls. There was a significant clearance after 24 h both in the PCD subjects and in the healthy controls with equivalent clearance. The mean Ret24 with slow inhalation flow was 73.9 +/- 1.9% compared to 68.9 +/- 7.5% with normal inhalation flow in the three PCD subjects exposed twice. During day 7-21 the three PCD subjects exposed twice cleared 9% with normal flow, probably representing predominantly alveolar clearance, compared to 19% with slow inhalation flow, probably representing mainly small airway clearance. This study shows that despite ciliary dysfunction, clearance continues in the small airways beyond 24 h. There are apparently additional clearance mechanisms present in the small airways.

Bed erosion control at 60 degree river confluence using vanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wuppukondur, Ananth; Chandra, Venu

2017-04-01

Confluences are common occurrences along natural rivers. Hydrodynamics at the confluence is complex due to merging of main and lateral flows with different characteristics. Bed erosion occurs at the confluence due to turbulence and also secondary circulation induced by centrifugal action of the lateral flow. The eroded sediment poses various problems in the river ecosystem including river bank failure. Reservoirs are majorly affected due to sediment deposition which reduces storage capacity. The bed erosion also endangers stability of pipeline crossings and bridge piers. The aim of this experimental study is to check the performance of vanes in controlling bed erosion at the confluence. Experiments are performed in a 600 confluence mobile bed model with a non-uniform sediment of mean particle size d50 = 0.28mm. Discharge ratio (q=ratio of lateral flow discharge to main flow discharge) is maintained as 0.5 and 0.75 with a constant average main flow depth (h) of 5cm. Vanes of width 0.3h (1.5cm) and thickness of 1 mm are placed along the mixing layer at an angle of 150, 300 and 600(with respect to main flow) to perform the experiments. Also, two different spacing of 2h and 3h (10cm and 15cm) between the vanes are used for conducting the experiments. A digital point gauge with an accuracy of ±0.1mm is used to measure bed levels and flow depths at the confluence. An Acoustic Doppler Velocitimeter (ADV) with a frequency of 25Hz and accuracy of ±1mm/s is used to measure flow velocities. Maximum scour depth ratio Rmax, which is ratio between maximum scour depth (Ds) and flow depth (h), is used to present the experimental results.From the experiments without vanes, it is observed that the velocities are increasing along the mixing layer and Rmax=0.82 and 1.06, for q=0.5 and 0.75, respectively. The velocities reduce with vanes since roughness increases along the mixing layer. For q=0.5 and 0.75, Rmax reduces to 0.62 and 0.7 with vanes at 2h spacing, respectively. Similarly, for the same discharge ratios (q), Rmax reduces to 0.64 and 0.72 with 3h spacing between the vanes, respectively. Obstruction to the flow increases with an increase of vane angle which leads to decrease of bed erosion. Also, the bed erosion increases with an increase of spacing between the vanes. Hence, vanes placed at 600 vane angle and 2h spacing exhibit better performance.

Modular robot

DOEpatents

Ferrante, T.A.

1997-11-11

A modular robot may comprise a main body having a structure defined by a plurality of stackable modules. The stackable modules may comprise a manifold, a valve module, and a control module. The manifold may comprise a top surface and a bottom surface having a plurality of fluid passages contained therein, at least one of the plurality of fluid passages terminating in a valve port located on the bottom surface of the manifold. The valve module is removably connected to the manifold and selectively fluidically connects the plurality of fluid passages contained in the manifold to a supply of pressurized fluid and to a vent. The control module is removably connected to the valve module and actuates the valve module to selectively control a flow of pressurized fluid through different ones of the plurality of fluid passages in the manifold. The manifold, valve module, and control module are mounted together in a sandwich-like manner and comprise a main body. A plurality of leg assemblies are removably connected to the main body and are removably fluidically connected to the fluid passages in the manifold so that each of the leg assemblies can be selectively actuated by the flow of pressurized fluid in different ones of the plurality of fluid passages in the manifold. 12 figs.

Active control of continuous air jet with bifurcated synthetic jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dančová, Petra; Vít, Tomáš; Jašíková, Darina; Novosád, Jan

The synthetic jets (SJs) have many significant applications and the number of applications is increasing all the time. In this research the main focus is on the primary flow control which can be used effectively for the heat transfer increasing. This paper deals with the experimental research of the effect of two SJs worked in the bifurcated mode used for control of an axisymmetric air jet. First, the control synthetic jets were measured alone. After an adjustment, the primary axisymmetric jet was added in to the system. For comparison, the primary flow without synthetic jets control was also measured. All experiments were performed using PIV method whereby the synchronization between synthetic jets and PIV system was necessary to do.

KSC-2009-1873

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians have removed space shuttle Discovery's three gaseous hydrogen flow control valves, two of which will undergo detailed inspection. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. NASA and contractor teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Approximately 4,000 images of each valve removed will be reviewed for evidence of cracks. Valves that have flown fewer times will be installed in Discovery. NASA's Space Shuttle Program has established a plan that could support shuttle Discovery's launch to the International Space Station, tentatively targeted for March 12. An exact target launch date will be determined as work on the valves progresses. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Flow structure at low momentum ratio river confluences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moradi, Gelare; Rennie, Colin. D.; Cardot, Romain; Mettra, François; Lane, Stuart. N.

2017-04-01

The flow structure at river confluences is a complex pattern of fluid motion and can be characterized by the formation of secondary circulation. As river confluences play an essential role on flow hydrodynamics and control the movement of sediment through river networks, there has been substantial attention given to this subject in recent decades. However, there is still much debate over how momentum ratio and sediment transport can control secondary circulation and mixing processes. In particular, studies have tended to assume that there is some equilibrium between the bed morphology present and the flow structures that form in the junction region. However, this overlooks the fact that tributaries may be associated with highly varying sediment supply regimes, especially for shorter and steeper tributaries, with temporal changes in sediment delivery ratios (between the main stem and the tributary) that do not follow exactly changes in momentum ratio. This may lead to bed morphologies that are a function of rates of historical sediment supply during sediment transporting events and not the momentum ratio associated with the junction during its measurement. It is quite possible that tributaries with low flow momentum ratio have a relatively higher sediment delivery ratio, such that the tributary is still able to influence significantly secondary circulation in the main channel, long after the sediment transport event, and despite its low flow momentum during measurement. The focus of this paper is low momentum ratio junctions where it is possible that the tributary can deliver large amounts of sediment. Secondary circulation at junctions is thought to be dominated by streamwise-oriented vortical cells. These cells are produced by the convergence of surface flow towards the centre of the main channel, with descending motion in the zone of maximum flow convergence. Once flow arrives at the bed, it diverges and completes its rotation by an upwelling motion through the surface at the channels margins. Numerical models, laboratory experiments and field studies have confirmed the presence of this motion. However, such studies have focused on situations where the momentum ratio is close to one and there have been fewer investigations of confluences where the momentum ratio is much less than one. This study presents field investigations in two upper Rhône river confluences in Switzerland, using an acoustic Doppler current profiler (aDcp). These two confluences are characterized by low momentum ratios but potentially higher sediment delivery ratios during extreme events. Results show that sediment delivery from the tributary during extreme events leads to the formation of a tributary mouth bar and associated bed discordance as well as a bank attached bar downstream of the tributary. In both cases, this discordant bed forms a two-layer flow and the water from the tributary penetrates into the upper part of the main river water column. This results in a mixing interface that is shifted toward the outer bank. When this mixing layer detaches from the tributary outer bank, it forms a large recirculation region in the upper part of the water column and a pronounced scour hole at this bank. The bank attached bar that forms downstream during sediment supply events leads to substantial curvature of the main channel flow, even when the flow momentum of the tributary is low and helps to shift the zone of deepest main river flow towards the outer bank.

Liquid Bismuth Propellant Management System for the Very High Specific Impulse Thruster with Anode Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, K. A.; Markusic, T. E.; Stanojev, B. J.

2007-01-01

Two prototype bismuth propellant feed systems were constructed and operated in conjunction with a propellant vaporizer. One system provided bismuth to a vaporizer using gas pressurization but did not include a means to measure the flow rate. The second system incorporated an electromagnetic pump to provide fine control of the hydrostatic pressure and a new type of in-line flow sensor that was developed for accurate, real-time measurement of the mass flow rate. High-temperature material compatibility was a driving design requirement for the pump and flow sensor, leading to the selection of Macor for the main body of both components. Posttest inspections of both components revealed no degradation of the material. The gas pressurization system demonstrated continuous pressure control over a range from zero to 200 torr. In separate proof-of-concept experiments, the electromagnetic pump produced a linear pressure rise as a function of current that compared favorably with theoretical pump pressure predictions, producing a pressure rise of 10 kPa at 30 A. Preliminary flow sensor operation indicated a bismuth flow rate of 6 mg/s with an uncertainty of plus or minus 6%. An electronics suite containing a real-time controller was successfully used to control the entire system, simultaneously monitoring all power supplies and performing data acquisition duties.

Climatic and geomorphic controls on low flow hydrograph recession

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandler, D. G.; Daley, M.; Kasaee Roodsari, B.; Shaw, S. B.; McNamara, J.

2017-12-01

Large scale operational hydrologic models should be capable of predicting seasonally low flow and stream intermittency as well as peak flow and inundation. We contrast examples of controls on low flow exerted by geomorphic and climatic setting at small catchment study sites in the Northeast and Northwest of the USA to indicate differences in hydrologic processes. Both regions accumulate winter snowpack and have an extended spring freshet, but the Reynolds Creek CZO and Dry Creek Experimental Watershed (both in Idaho mountains) experience a protracted summer drought, with occasional storms whereas precipitation free periods greater than five days are uncommon in the hilly Sleepers River (Vermont), and Yellow Barn State Forest (New York) and at Ley Creek, on a glacial plain (New York). At both Dry Creek and Reynolds Creek, headwater stream flow direction was transverse to groundwater, and below field capacity discharge was well related to either the ground water surface or corresponded to inversion of the hydraulic gradient over the depth of the soil. At all sites except Ley Creek, the headwaters became intermittent as the main tributary discharge declined, often disconnecting the surface source springs and seeps from the valley bottom stream. At the Idaho sites recession analysis for main stem was further complicated by consumptive use for irrigation and domestic wells. Modeling the recession characteristics of these various settings and across stream orders results in a variety of exponent values for power law scaling approaches that indicate the importance of site context for modeling low flow.

Boundary-Layer Control: In Memory of Bill Reynolds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, John

2004-11-01

Professor Bill Reynolds (1933-2004) inspired many students and colleagues with his never-ending curiosity and thought-provoking ideas. Bill's relentless energy, together with his hallmark can-do character and do-it-yourself attitude, led to many seminal contributions to mechanical engineering in general, and fluid mechanics in particular. He has left a lasting impact on many of us, especially for those who had the privilege of working closely with him. Some of my current work on boundary-layer control, the use of neural networks in particular, were inspired by many discussions with Bill. He was among the first to see the potential of control-theoretic approaches for flow control, which has become the main thrust of my current research. Without his continued encouragement, I would not have been deeply involved in this line of research; and perhaps, we would not have seen the current flurry of research activities in applying modern control theories to flow control. In memory of Bill Reynolds, who himself has contributed much to flow control, an analysis of boundary-layer control from a linear system perspective will be presented.

Enhanced cell trapping throughput using DC-biased AC electric field in a dielectrophoresis-based fluidic device with densely packed silica beads.

PubMed

Lewpiriyawong, Nuttawut; Xu, Guolin; Yang, Chun

2018-03-01

This paper presents the use of DC-biased AC electric field for enhancing cell trapping throughput in an insulator-based dielectrophoretic (iDEP) fluidic device with densely packed silica beads. Cell suspension is carried through the iDEP device by a pressure-driven flow. Under an applied DC-biased AC electric field, DEP trapping force is produced as a result of non-uniform electric field induced by the gap of electrically insulating silica beads packed between two mesh electrodes that allow both fluid and cells to pass through. While the AC component is mainly to control the magnitude of DEP trapping force, the DC component generates local electroosmotic (EO) flow in the cavity between the beads and the EO flow can be set to move along or against the main pressure-driven flow. Our experimental and simulation results show that desirable trapping is achieved when the EO flow direction is along (not against) the main flow direction. Using our proposed DC-biased AC field, the device can enhance the trapping throughput (in terms of the flowrate of cell suspension) up to five times while yielding almost the same cell capture rates as compared to the pure AC field case. Additionally, the device was demonstrated to selectively trap dead yeast cells from a mixture of flowing live and dead yeast cells. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Wind tunnel experiments on flow separation control of an Unmanned Air Vehicle by nanosecond discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Chen; Hua, Liang

2016-02-01

Plasma flow control (PFC) is a new kind of active flow control technology, which can improve the aerodynamic performances of aircrafts remarkably. The flow separation control of an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) by nanosecond discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation (NDPAA) is investigated experimentally in this paper. Experimental results show that the applied voltages for both the nanosecond discharge and the millisecond discharge are nearly the same, but the current for nanosecond discharge (30 A) is much bigger than that for millisecond discharge (0.1 A). The flow field induced by the NDPAA is similar to a shock wave upward, and has a maximal velocity of less than 0.5 m/s. Fast heating effect for nanosecond discharge induces shock waves in the quiescent air. The lasting time of the shock waves is about 80 μs and its spread velocity is nearly 380 m/s. By using the NDPAA, the flow separation on the suction side of the UAV can be totally suppressed and the critical stall angle of attack increases from 20° to 27° with a maximal lift coefficient increment of 11.24%. The flow separation can be suppressed when the discharge voltage is larger than the threshold value, and the optimum operation frequency for the NDPAA is the one which makes the Strouhal number equal one. The NDPAA is more effective than the millisecond discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation (MDPAA) in boundary layer flow control. The main mechanism for nanosecond discharge is shock effect. Shock effect is more effective in flow control than momentum effect in high speed flow control. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61503302, 51207169, and 51276197), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2014M562446), and the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province, China (Grant No. 2015JM1001).

Cigarette smoking impairs nitric oxide-mediated cerebral blood flow increase: Implications for Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Toda, Noboru; Okamura, Tomio

2016-08-01

Cerebral blood flow is mainly regulated by nitrergic (parasympathetic, postganglionic) nerves and nitric oxide (NO) liberated from endothelial cells in response to shear stress and stretch of vasculature, whereas sympathetic vasoconstrictor control is quite weak. On the other hand, peripheral vascular resistance and blood flow are mainly controlled by adrenergic vasoconstrictor nerves; endothelium-derived NO and nitrergic nerves play some roles as vasodilator factors. Cigarette smoking impairs NO synthesis in cerebral vascular endothelial cells and nitrergic nerves leading to interference with cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism in the brain. Smoking-induced cerebral hypoperfusion is induced by impairment of synthesis and actions of NO via endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)/neuronal NOS (nNOS) inhibition and by increased production of oxygen radicals, resulting in decreased actions of NO on vascular smooth muscle. Nicotine acutely and chronically impairs the action of endothelial NO and also inhibits nitrergic nerve function in chronic use. Impaired cerebral blood supply promotes the synthesis of amyloid β that accelerates blood flow decrease. This vicious cycle is thought to be one of the important factors involving in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Quitting smoking is undoubtedly one of the important ways to prevent and delay the genesis or slow the progress of impaired cognitive function and AD. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An engine trade study for a supersonic STOVL fighter-attack aircraft, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beard, B. B.; Foley, W. H.

1982-01-01

The best main engine for an advanced STOVL aircraft flight demonstrator was studied. The STOVL aircraft uses ejectors powered by engine bypass flow together with vectored core exhaust to achieve vertical thrust capability. Bypass flow and core flow are exhausted through separate nozzles during wingborne flight. Six near term turbofan engines were examined for suitability for this aircraft concept. Fan pressure ratio, thrust split between bypass and core flow, and total thrust level were used to compare engines. One of the six candidate engines was selected for the flight demonstrator configuration. Propulsion related to this aircraft concept was studied. A preliminary candidate for the aircraft reaction control system for hover attitude control was selected. A mathematical model of transfer of bypass thrust from ejectors to aft directed nozzle during the transition to wingborne flight was developed. An equation to predict ejector secondary air flow rate and ram drag is derived. Additional topics discussed include: nozzle area control, ejector to engine inlet reingestion, bypass/core thrust split variation, and gyroscopic behavior during hover.

Wing box transonic-flutter suppression using piezoelectric self-sensing actuators attached to skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otiefy, R. A. H.; Negm, H. M.

2010-12-01

The main objective of this research is to study the capability of piezoelectric (PZT) self-sensing actuators to suppress the transonic wing box flutter, which is a flow-structure interaction phenomenon. The unsteady general frequency modified transonic small disturbance (TSD) equation is used to model the transonic flow about the wing. The wing box structure and piezoelectric actuators are modeled using the equivalent plate method, which is based on the first order shear deformation plate theory (FSDPT). The piezoelectric actuators are bonded to the skin. The optimal electromechanical coupling conditions between the piezoelectric actuators and the wing are collected from previous work. Three main different control strategies, a linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) which combines the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) with the Kalman filter estimator (KFE), an optimal static output feedback (SOF), and a classic feedback controller (CFC), are studied and compared. The optimum actuator and sensor locations are determined using the norm of feedback control gains (NFCG) and norm of Kalman filter estimator gains (NKFEG) respectively. A genetic algorithm (GA) optimization technique is used to calculate the controller and estimator parameters to achieve a target response.

Energy efficient continuous flow ash lockhopper

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Earl R., Jr. (Inventor); Suitor, Jerry W. (Inventor); Dubis, David (Inventor)

1989-01-01

The invention relates to an energy efficient continuous flow ash lockhopper, or other lockhopper for reactor product or byproduct. The invention includes an ash hopper at the outlet of a high temperature, high pressure reactor vessel containing heated high pressure gas, a fluidics control chamber having an input port connected to the ash hopper's output port and an output port connected to the input port of a pressure letdown means, and a control fluid supply for regulating the pressure in the control chamber to be equal to or greater than the internal gas pressure of the reactor vessel, whereby the reactor gas is contained while ash is permitted to continuously flow from the ash hopper's output port, impelled by gravity. The main novelty resides in the use of a control chamber to so control pressure under the lockhopper that gases will not exit from the reactor vessel, and to also regulate the ash flow rate. There is also novelty in the design of the ash lockhopper shown in two figures. The novelty there is the use of annular passages of progressively greater diameter, and rotating the center parts on a shaft, with the center part of each slightly offset from adjacent ones to better assure ash flow through the opening.

Effects of perfluorohexane vapor on relative blood flow distribution in an animal model of surfactant-depleted lung injury

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubler, Matthias; Souders, Jennifer E.; Shade, Erin D.; Polissar, Nayak L.; Bleyl, Jorg U.; Hlastala, Michael P.

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that treatment with vaporized perfluorocarbon affects the relative pulmonary blood flow distribution in an animal model of surfactant-depleted acute lung injury. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: A university research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Fourteen New Zealand White rabbits (weighing 3.0-4.5 kg). INTERVENTIONS: The animals were ventilated with an FIO(2) of 1.0 before induction of acute lung injury. Acute lung injury was induced by repeated saline lung lavages. Eight rabbits were randomized to 60 mins of treatment with an inspiratory perfluorohexane vapor concentration of 0.2 in oxygen. To compensate for the reduced FIO(2) during perfluorohexane treatment, FIO(2) was reduced to 0.8 in control animals. Change in relative pulmonary blood flow distribution was assessed by using fluorescent-labeled microspheres. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Microsphere data showed a redistribution of relative pulmonary blood flow attributable to depletion of surfactant. Relative pulmonary blood flow shifted from areas that were initially high-flow to areas that were initially low-flow. During the study period, relative pulmonary blood flow of high-flow areas decreased further in the control group, whereas it increased in the treatment group. This difference was statistically significant between the groups (p =.02) as well as in the treatment group compared with the initial injury (p =.03). Shunt increased in both groups over time (control group, 30% +/- 10% to 63% +/- 20%; treatment group, 37% +/- 20% to 49% +/- 23%), but the changes compared with injury were significantly less in the treatment group (p =.03). CONCLUSION: Short treatment with perfluorohexane vapor partially reversed the shift of relative pulmonary blood flow from high-flow to low-flow areas attributable to surfactant depletion.

Identifying Hydrogeological Controls of Catchment Low-Flow Dynamics Using Physically Based Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cochand, F.; Carlier, C.; Staudinger, M.; Seibert, J.; Hunkeler, D.; Brunner, P.

2017-12-01

Identifying key catchment characteristics and processes which control the hydrological response under low-flow conditions is important to assess the catchments' vulnerability to dry periods. In the context of a Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) project, the low-flow behaviours of two mountainous catchments were investigated. These neighboring catchments are characterized by the same meteorological conditions, but feature completely different river flow dynamics. The Roethenbach is characterized by high peak flows and low mean flows. Conversely, the Langete is characterized by relatively low peak flows and high mean flow rates. To understand the fundamentally different behaviour of the two catchments, a physically-based surface-subsurface flow HydroGeoSphere (HGS) model for each catchment was developed. The main advantage of a physically-based model is its ability to realistically reproduce processes which play a key role during low-flow periods such as surface-subsurface interactions or evapotranspiration. Both models were calibrated to reproduce measured groundwater heads and the surface flow dynamics. Subsequently, the calibrated models were used to explore the fundamental physics that control hydrological processes during low-flow periods. To achieve this, a comparative sensitivity analysis of model parameters of both catchments was carried out. Results show that the hydraulic conductivity of the bedrock (and weathered bedrock) controls the catchment water dynamics in both models. Conversely, the properties of other geological formations such as alluvial aquifer or soil layer hydraulic conductivity or porosity play a less important role. These results change significantly our perception of the streamflow catchment dynamics and more specifically the way to assess catchment vulnerability to dry period. This study suggests that by analysing catchment scale bedrock properties, the catchment dynamics and the vulnerability to dry period may be assessed.

A pattern-based analysis of clinical computer-interpretable guideline modeling languages.

PubMed

Mulyar, Nataliya; van der Aalst, Wil M P; Peleg, Mor

2007-01-01

Languages used to specify computer-interpretable guidelines (CIGs) differ in their approaches to addressing particular modeling challenges. The main goals of this article are: (1) to examine the expressive power of CIG modeling languages, and (2) to define the differences, from the control-flow perspective, between process languages in workflow management systems and modeling languages used to design clinical guidelines. The pattern-based analysis was applied to guideline modeling languages Asbru, EON, GLIF, and PROforma. We focused on control-flow and left other perspectives out of consideration. We evaluated the selected CIG modeling languages and identified their degree of support of 43 control-flow patterns. We used a set of explicitly defined evaluation criteria to determine whether each pattern is supported directly, indirectly, or not at all. PROforma offers direct support for 22 of 43 patterns, Asbru 20, GLIF 17, and EON 11. All four directly support basic control-flow patterns, cancellation patterns, and some advance branching and synchronization patterns. None support multiple instances patterns. They offer varying levels of support for synchronizing merge patterns and state-based patterns. Some support a few scenarios not covered by the 43 control-flow patterns. CIG modeling languages are remarkably close to traditional workflow languages from the control-flow perspective, but cover many fewer workflow patterns. CIG languages offer some flexibility that supports modeling of complex decisions and provide ways for modeling some decisions not covered by workflow management systems. Workflow management systems may be suitable for clinical guideline applications.

Analysis of the STS-126 Flow Control Valve Structural-Acoustic Coupling Failure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Trevor M.; Larko, Jeffrey M.; McNelis, Mark E.

2010-01-01

During the Space Transportation System mission STS-126, one of the main engine's flow control valves incurred an unexpected failure. A section of the valve broke off during liftoff. It is theorized that an acoustic mode of the flowing fuel, coupled with a structural mode of the valve, causing a high cycle fatigue failure. This report documents the analysis efforts conducted in an attempt to verify this theory. Hand calculations, computational fluid dynamics, and finite element methods are all implemented and analyses are performed using steady-state methods in addition to transient analysis methods. The conclusion of the analyses is that there is a critical acoustic mode that aligns with a structural mode of the valve

Effect of hindlimb unweighting on tissue blood flow in the rat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, K. S.; Delp, M. D.; Fitts, R. H.

1992-01-01

This study characterized distribution of blood flow in the rat during hindlimb unweighting (HU), and post-HU standing and exercise. The relationship between reduced hindlimb blood flow and the previously observed elevation in anaerobic metabolism observed with contractile activity in the atrophied soleus muscle was examined (Witzmann et al., 1992). Blood flow was measured during unweighting, normal standing, and running on a treadmill (15 m/min), after 15 days of HU or cage control. For another group blood flow was measured during preexercise treadmill standing and treadmill running. During unweighting, PE standing, and running no difference in soleus blood flow was observed between groups. Muscles composed mainly of fast twitch glycolytic fibers received greater blood flow during chronic unweighting. With exercise blood flow to visceral organs was reduced in control animals, a similar change was not seen in 15 day HU rats. These changes suggest a reduction in the ability of the sympathetic nervous system to distribute cardiac output after chronic HU. A reduction in blood flow to the soleus during exercise was not observed after HU and so does not explain the increased dependence of the atrophied soleus on anerobic energy production during contractile activity.

SAPFLUXNET: towards a global database of sap flow measurements.

PubMed

Poyatos, Rafael; Granda, Víctor; Molowny-Horas, Roberto; Mencuccini, Maurizio; Steppe, Kathy; Martínez-Vilalta, Jordi

2016-12-01

Plant transpiration is the main evaporative flux from terrestrial ecosystems; it controls land surface energy balance, determines catchment hydrological responses and influences regional and global climate. Transpiration regulation by plants is a key (and still not completely understood) process that underlies vegetation drought responses and land evaporative fluxes under global change scenarios. Thermometric methods of sap flow measurement have now been widely used to quantify whole-plant and stand transpiration in forests, shrublands and orchards around the world. A large body of research has applied sap flow methods to analyse seasonal and diurnal patterns of transpiration and to quantify their responses to hydroclimatic variability, but syntheses of sap flow data at regional to global scales are extremely rare. Here we present the SAPFLUXNET initiative, aimed at building the first global database of plant-level sap flow measurements. A preliminary metadata survey launched in December 2015 showed an encouraging response by the sap flow community, with sap flow data sets from field studies representing >160 species and >120 globally distributed sites. The main goal of SAPFLUXNET is to analyse the ecological factors driving plant- and stand-level transpiration. SAPFLUXNET will open promising research avenues at an unprecedented global scope, namely: (i) exploring the spatio-temporal variability of plant transpiration and its relationship with plant and stand attributes, (ii) summarizing physiological regulation of transpiration by means of few water-use traits, usable for land surface models, (iii) improving our understanding of the coordination between gas exchange and plant-level traits (e.g., hydraulics) and (iv) analysing the ecological factors controlling stand transpiration and evapotranspiration partitioning. Finally, SAPFLUXNET can provide a benchmark to test models of physiological controls of transpiration, contributing to improve the accuracy of individual water stress responses, a key element to obtain robust predictions of vegetation responses to climate change. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Research on Segmentation Monitoring Control of IA-RWA Algorithm with Probe Flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Danping; Guo, Kun; Yao, Qiuyan; Zhao, Jijun

2018-04-01

The impairment-aware routing and wavelength assignment algorithm with probe flow (P-IA-RWA) can make an accurate estimation for the transmission quality of the link when the connection request comes. But it also causes some problems. The probe flow data introduced in the P-IA-RWA algorithm can result in the competition for wavelength resources. In order to reduce the competition and the blocking probability of the network, a new P-IA-RWA algorithm with segmentation monitoring-control mechanism (SMC-P-IA-RWA) is proposed. The algorithm would reduce the holding time of network resources for the probe flow. It segments the candidate path suitably for the data transmitting. And the transmission quality of the probe flow sent by the source node will be monitored in the endpoint of each segment. The transmission quality of data can also be monitored, so as to make the appropriate treatment to avoid the unnecessary probe flow. The simulation results show that the proposed SMC-P-IA-RWA algorithm can effectively reduce the blocking probability. It brings a better solution to the competition for resources between the probe flow and the main data to be transferred. And it is more suitable for scheduling control in the large-scale network.

River flow maintenance turbine for Milner Hydroelectric Development

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

Carson, J.L.; Holveck, W.H.; Gokhman, A.

1995-12-31

The Milner Hydroelectric Project on the Snake River in Idaho was commissioned in 1992. The project included renovation of an existing dam, which was built to supply irrigation water to a canal system, construction of a new spillway, and the addition of a new powerhouse. The forebay of the main powerhouse is located on a combination power and irrigation canal, approximately 3500 feet (1070 m) from the dam, with a short tailrace returning the water to the river. There are two Kaplan turbines installed in the main powerhouse, rated at 1000 cfs and 4000 cfs respectively at a net headmore » of 150 feet. The FERC license required that a target flow of 200 cfs be released from the dam to maintain a stream flow between the dam and the powerhouse. In order to utilize this flow, a small powerhouse was constructed at the toe of the dam. The site conditions favored a vertical axial flow turbine, with a net head of 56 feet. As the flow is constant and the head is fairly constant, a fixed geometry turbine was selected, to be controlled solely by the intake gate. Due to the higher head, the main powerhouse can generate more power per unit of flow than can the bypass turbine. Therefore, it is undesirable for the discharge of the bypass turbine to be any greater than required by the license. Also, the release flow is determined by a river gauge, the accuracy of which is unknown, but assumed to be within five percent. In order to meet these two requirements, the turbine was specified to have manually adjustable runner blades to obtain the required release flow of 200 cfs at any head between 55 and 58 feet.« less

KSC-2009-1875

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a technician holds one of space shuttle Discovery's gaseous hydrogen flow control valves after its removal. Two of the three valves being removed will undergo detailed inspection. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. NASA and contractor teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Approximately 4,000 images of each valve removed will be reviewed for evidence of cracks. Valves that have flown fewer times will be installed in Discovery. NASA's Space Shuttle Program has established a plan that could support shuttle Discovery's launch to the International Space Station, tentatively targeted for March 12. An exact target launch date will be determined as work on the valves progresses. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2009-1876

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a technician holds one of space shuttle Discovery's gaseous hydrogen flow control valves after its removal. Two of the three valves being removed will undergo detailed inspection. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. NASA and contractor teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Approximately 4,000 images of each valve removed will be reviewed for evidence of cracks. Valves that have flown fewer times will be installed in Discovery. NASA's Space Shuttle Program has established a plan that could support shuttle Discovery's launch to the International Space Station, tentatively targeted for March 12. An exact target launch date will be determined as work on the valves progresses. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2009-1874

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a technician bags one of space shuttle Discovery's gaseous hydrogen flow control valves after its removal. Two of the three valves being removed will undergo detailed inspection. Part of the main propulsion system, the valves channel gaseous hydrogen from the main engines to the external tank. NASA and contractor teams have been working to identify what caused damage to a flow control valve on shuttle Endeavour during its November 2008 flight. Approximately 4,000 images of each valve removed will be reviewed for evidence of cracks. Valves that have flown fewer times will be installed in Discovery. NASA's Space Shuttle Program has established a plan that could support shuttle Discovery's launch to the International Space Station, tentatively targeted for March 12. An exact target launch date will be determined as work on the valves progresses. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

The modern instrumentation used for monitoring and controlling the main parameters of the regenerative electro-mechano-hydraulic drive systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cristescu, Corneliu; Drumea, Petrin; Krevey, Petrica

2009-01-01

In this work is presented the modern instrumentation used for monitoring and controlling the main parameters for one regenerative drive system, used to recovering the kinetic energy of motor vehicles, lost in the braking phase, storing and using this energy in the starting or accelerating phases. Is presented a Romanian technical solution for a regenerative driving system, based on a hybrid solution containing a hydro-mechanic module and an existing thermal motor drive, all conceived as a mechatronics system. In order to monitoring and controlling the evolution of the main parameters, the system contains a series of sensors and transducers that provide the moment, rotation, temperature, flow and pressure values. The main sensors and transducers of the regenerative drive system, their principal features and tehnical conecting solutions are presented in this paper, both with the menaging electronic and informational subsystems.

Main control computer security model of closed network systems protection against cyber attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seymen, Bilal

2014-06-01

The model that brings the data input/output under control in closed network systems, that maintains the system securely, and that controls the flow of information through the Main Control Computer which also brings the network traffic under control against cyber-attacks. The network, which can be controlled single-handedly thanks to the system designed to enable the network users to make data entry into the system or to extract data from the system securely, intends to minimize the security gaps. Moreover, data input/output record can be kept by means of the user account assigned for each user, and it is also possible to carry out retroactive tracking, if requested. Because the measures that need to be taken for each computer on the network regarding cyber security, do require high cost; it has been intended to provide a cost-effective working environment with this model, only if the Main Control Computer has the updated hardware.

Flow in water-intake pump bays: A guide for utility engineers. Final report

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

Ettema, R.

1998-09-01

This report is intended to serve as a guide for power-plant engineers facing problems with flow conditions in pump bays in water-intake structures, especially those located alongside rivers. The guide briefly introduces the typical prevailing flow field outside of a riverside water intake. That flow field often sets the inflow conditions for pump bays located within the water intake. The monograph then presents and discusses the main flow problems associated with pump bays. The problems usually revolve around the formation of troublesome vortices. A novel feature of this monograph is the use of numerical modeling to reveal diagnostically how themore » vortices form and their sensitivities to flow conditions, such as uniformity of approach flow entering the bay and water-surface elevation relative to pump-bell submergence. The modeling was carried out using a computer code developed specially for the present project. Pump-bay layouts are discussed next. The discussion begins with a summary of the main variables influencing bay flows. The numerical model is used to determine the sensitivities of the vortices to variations in the geometric parameters. The fixes include the use of flow-control vanes and suction scoops for ensuring satisfactory flow performance in severe flow conditions; notably flows with strong cross flow and shallow flows. The monograph ends with descriptions of modeling techniques. An extensive discussion is provided on the use of numerical model for illuminating bay flows. The model is used to show how fluid viscosity affects bay flow. The effect of fluid viscosity is an important consideration in hydraulic modeling of water intakes.« less

Currents in monterey submarine canyon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Xu, J. P.; Noble, M.A.

2009-01-01

Flow fields of mean, subtidal, and tidal frequencies between 250 and 3300 m water depths in Monterey Submarine Canyon are examined using current measurements obtained in three yearlong field experiments. Spatial variations in flow fields are mainly controlled by the topography (shape and width) of the canyon. The mean currents flow upcanyon in the offshore reaches (>1000 m) and downcanyon in the shallow reaches (100-m amplitude isotherm oscillations and associated high-speed rectilinear currents. The 15-day spring-neap cycle and a ???3-day??? band are the two prominent frequencies in subtidal flow field. Neither of them seems directly correlated with the spring-neap cycle of the sea level.

Integrated single-walled carbon nanotube/microfluidic devices for the study of the sensing mechanism of nanotube sensors.

PubMed

Fu, Qiang; Liu, Jie

2005-07-21

A method to fabricate integrated single-walled carbon nanotube/microfluidic devices was developed. This simple process could be used to directly prepare nanotube thin film transistors within the microfluidic channel and to register SWNT devices with the microfludic channel without the need of an additional alignment step. The microfluidic device was designed to have several inlets that deliver multiple liquid flows to a single main channel. The location and width of each flow in the main channel could be controlled by the relative flow rates. This capability enabled us to study the effect of the location and the coverage area of the liquid flow that contained charged molecules on the conduction of the nanotube devices, providing important information on the sensing mechanism of carbon nanotube sensors. The results showed that in a sensor based on a nanotube thin film field effect transistor, the sensing signal came from target molecules absorbed on or around the nanotubes. The effect from adsorption on metal electrodes was weak.

Electromagnetically driven peristaltic pump

DOEpatents

Marshall, Douglas W.

2000-01-01

An electromagnetic peristaltic pump apparatus may comprise a main body section having an inlet end and an outlet end and a flexible membrane which divides the main body section into a first cavity and a second cavity. The first cavity is in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ends of the main body section. The second cavity is not in fluid communication with the first cavity and contains an electrically conductive fluid. The second cavity includes a plurality of electrodes which are positioned within the second cavity generally adjacent the flexible membrane. A magnetic field generator produces a magnetic field having a plurality of flux lines at least some of which are contained within the second cavity of the main body section and which are oriented generally parallel to a flow direction in which a material flows between the inlet and outlet ends of the main body section. A control system selectively places a voltage potential across selected ones of the plurality of electrodes to deflect the flexible membrane in a wave-like manner to move material contained in the first cavity between the inlet and outlet ends of the main body section.

Pseudo-shock waves and their interactions in high-speed intakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnani, F.; Zare-Behtash, H.; Kontis, K.

2016-04-01

In an air-breathing engine the flow deceleration from supersonic to subsonic conditions takes places inside the isolator through a gradual compression consisting of a series of shock waves. The wave system, referred to as a pseudo-shock wave or shock train, establishes the combustion chamber entrance conditions, and therefore influences the performance of the entire propulsion system. The characteristics of the pseudo-shock depend on a number of variables which make this flow phenomenon particularly challenging to be analysed. Difficulties in experimentally obtaining accurate flow quantities at high speeds and discrepancies of numerical approaches with measured data have been readily reported. Understanding the flow physics in the presence of the interaction of numerous shock waves with the boundary layer in internal flows is essential to developing methods and control strategies. To counteract the negative effects of shock wave/boundary layer interactions, which are responsible for the engine unstart process, multiple flow control methodologies have been proposed. Improved analytical models, advanced experimental methodologies and numerical simulations have allowed a more in-depth analysis of the flow physics. The present paper aims to bring together the main results, on the shock train structure and its associated phenomena inside isolators, studied using the aforementioned tools. Several promising flow control techniques that have more recently been applied to manipulate the shock wave/boundary layer interaction are also examined in this review.

Small hydraulic turbine drives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rostafinski, W. A.

1970-01-01

Turbine, driven by the fluid being pumped, requires no external controls, is completely integrated into the flow system, and has bearings which utilize the main fluid for lubrication and cooling. Torque capabilities compare favorably with those developed by positive displacement hydraulic motors.

Using a tracer technique to identify the extent of non-ideal flows in the continuous mixing of non-Newtonian fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, D.; Ein-Mozaffari, F.; Mehrvar, M.

2013-05-01

The identification of non-ideal flows in a continuous-flow mixing of non-Newtonian fluids is a challenging task for various chemical industries: plastic manufacturing, water and wastewater treatment, and pulp and paper manufacturing. Non-ideal flows such as channelling, recirculation, and dead zones significantly affect the performance of continuous-flow mixing systems. Therefore, the main objective of this paper was to develop an identification protocol to measure non-ideal flows in the continuous-flow mixing system. The extent of non-ideal flows was quantified using a dynamic model that incorporated channelling, recirculation, and dead volume in the mixing vessel. To estimate the dynamic model parameters, the system was excited using a frequency-modulated random binary input by injecting the saline solution (as a tracer) into the fresh feed stream prior to being pumped into the mixing vessel. The injection of the tracer was controlled by a computer-controlled on-off solenoid valve. Using the trace technique, the extent of channelling and the effective mixed volume were successfully determined and used as mixing quality criteria. Such identification procedures can be applied at various areas of chemical engineering in order to improve the mixing quality.

Pressure-flow relationships in in vitro model of compartment syndrome.

PubMed

Shrier, I; Magder, S

1995-07-01

Compartment syndrome is a condition in which an increase in intramuscular pressure decreases blood flow to skeletal muscle. According to the Starling resistor (i.e., vascular waterfall) model of blood flow, the decrease in flow could occur through an increase in arterial resistance (Rart) or an increase in the critical closing pressure (Pcrit). To determine which explains the decrease in flow, we pump perfused a canine gastrocnemius muscle placed within an airtight box, controlled box pressures (Pbox) so that flow ranged from 100 to 50%, and measured Pcrit, Rart, arterial compliance, small venular pressure (measured by the double-occlusion technique), and venous pressure. An increase in Pbox limited flow mainly through an increase in Pcrit (75-85%), with only small changes in Rart (15-25%) and no change in arterial compliance. Increases in Pbox also produced a vascular waterfall in the venous circulation, but small venular transmural pressure always remained less than control levels. We conclude that increases in Pbox mostly limit blood flow through increases in Pcrit and that Rart plays a minor role. Transmural pressure across the small venules decreases with increases in intramuscular pressure, which contradicts the currently held belief that compartment syndrome is due to a cycle of swelling-ischemia-swelling.

Assessing the effects of check dams on sediment dynamics in a debris-flow catchment through SfM technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cucchiaro, Sara; Beinat, Alberto; Calsamiglia, Aleix; Cavalli, Marco; Cazorzi, Federico; Crema, Stefano; Marchi, Lorenzo

2017-04-01

The Moscardo Torrent (eastern Italian Alps) is a small rugged catchment (drainage area 4.1 km2, range in elevation between 890 and 2043 m) frequently affected by debris flows that deliver large amounts of sediment to the receiving stream, and cause concerns for infrastructures located on the alluvial fan and near the confluence. Over the last decades, hydraulic control works were implemented in the main channel to limit bed erosion and to stabilize channel banks. Although the objectives of training works have been only partly achieved, check dams and hillslope stabilization works have affected the sediment transfer from hillslopes to the channels and along the main channel. The effects of hydraulic control works were investigated by means of multi-temporal Structure from Motion (SfM) surveys based on images taken from the ground and UAV. The ground and air based surveys were carried out over a channel reach in which two check dams have recently been built. SfM surveys were taken before and after three debris-flow events (occurred between June and July 2016), allowing the generation of four high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). Geomorphic changes caused by the debris-flow events have been assessed in order to produce the DEM of Differences (DoDs with a 0.2 m spatial resolution) that allowed estimating erosion and deposition volumes in the study area. Furthermore a debris-flow monitoring system has been in operation in the Moscardo Torrent; the analysis of the videos and of the hydrographs recorded by ultrasonic sensors permitted to assess the debris-flow volumes. These estimates were used to characterize the magnitude of events in support of the topographic analysis. By examining the changing pattern of erosion and deposition over time it was possible to understand the check dams' effects on sediment dynamics. The results show that the new check dams effectively stored sediment transported by the three debris flows. However, once the check dams have been completely filled, they lost their functionality, letting sediment flow downstream along paths drawn accidentally by the torrent control works and by the morphology of debris-flow deposits. Moreover, debris-flow lobes deposited upstream of the check dams could act as sediment sources further increasing downstream debris-flow magnitude.

Unsteady Analysis of Turbine Main Flow Coupled with Secondary Air Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hah, Chunill

2006-01-01

Two numerical approaches are used to model the interaction between the turbine main gas flow and the wheelspace cavity seal flow. The 3-D, unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are solved with a CFD code based on a structured grid to study the interaction between the turbine main gas flow and the wheelspace cavity seal flow. A CFD code based on an unstructured grid is used to solve detailed flow feature in the cavity seal which has a complex geometry. The numerical results confirm various observations from earlier experimental studies under similar flow conditions. When the flow rate through the rim cavity seal is increased, the ingestion of the main turbine flow into the rim seal area decreases drastically. However, a small amount of main gas flow is ingested to the rim seal area even with very high level of seal flow rate. This is due to the complex nature of 3-D, unsteady flow interaction near the hub of the turbine stage.

Elemental and cooperative diffusion in a liquid, supercooled liquid and glass resolved

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassar, Daniel R.; Lancelotti, Ricardo F.; Nuernberg, Rafael; Nascimento, Marcio L. F.; Rodrigues, Alisson M.; Diz, Luiza T.; Zanotto, Edgar D.

2017-07-01

The diffusion mechanisms controlling viscous flow, structural relaxation, liquid-liquid phase separation, crystal nucleation, and crystal growth in multicomponent glass-forming liquids are of great interest and relevance in physics, chemistry, materials, and glass science. However, the diffusing entities that control each of these important dynamic processes are still unknown. The main objective of this work is to shed some light on this mystery, advancing the knowledge on this phenomenon. For that matter, we measured the crystal growth rates, the viscosity, and lead diffusivities in PbSiO3 liquid and glass in a wide temperature range. We compared our measured values with published data covering 16 orders of magnitude. We suggest that above a certain temperature range Td (1.2Tg-1.3Tg), crystal growth and viscous flow are controlled by the diffusion of silicon and lead. Below this temperature, crystal growth and viscous flow are more sluggish than the diffusion of silicon and lead. Therefore, Td marks the temperature where decoupling between the (measured) cationic diffusivity and the effective diffusivities calculated from viscosity and crystal growth rates occurs. We reasonably propose that the nature or size of the diffusional entities controlling viscous flow and crystal growth below Td is quite different; the slowest is the one controlling viscous flow, but both processes require cooperative movements of some larger structural units rather than jumps of only one or a few isolated atoms.

Numerical and experimental study of blowing jet on a high lift airfoil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobonea, A.; Pricop, M. V.

2013-10-01

Active manipulation of separated flows over airfoils at moderate and high angles of attack in order to improve efficiency or performance has been the focus of a number of numerical and experimental investigations for many years. One of the main methods used in active flow control is the usage of blowing devices with constant and pulsed blowing. Through CFD simulation over a 2D high-lift airfoil, this study is trying to highlight the impact of pulsed blowing over its aerodynamic characteristics. The available wind tunnel data from INCAS low speed facility are also beneficial for the validation of the numerical analysis. This study intends to analyze the impact of the blowing jet velocity and slot geometry on the efficiency of an active flow control.

Diesel engine exhaust oxidizer

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

Kammel, R.A.

1992-06-16

This patent describes a diesel engine exhaust oxidizing device. It comprises: an enclosure having an inlet for receiving diesel engine exhaust, a main flow path through the enclosure to an outlet of the enclosure, a by-ass through the enclosure, and a microprocessor control means.

Reduced-Order Modeling for Optimization and Control of Complex Flows

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-30

Statistics Colloquium, Auburn, AL, (January 2009). 16. University of Pittsburgh, Mathematics Colloquium, Pittsburgh, PA, (February 2009). 17. Goethe ...Center for Scientific Computing, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Ger- many, (June 2009). 18. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson

Controlled double emulsification utilizing 3D PDMS microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Fu-Che; Su, Yu-Chuan

2008-06-01

This paper presents a PDMS emulsification device that is capable of generating water-in-oil-in-water double emulsions in a controlled manner. Specially designed 3D microchannels are utilized to steer the independently driven water- and oil-phase flows (especially to restrict the attachment of the middle oil-phase flow on the channel surfaces), and to break the continuous flows into monodisperse double emulsions. In addition to channel geometries and fluid flow rates, surfactants and osmotic agents are employed to facilitate the breakup process and stabilize the resulting emulsion structures. In the prototype demonstration, two-level SU-8 molds were fabricated to duplicate PDMS microstructures, which were surface treated and bonded irreversibly to form 3D microchannels. Throughout the emulsification trials, dripping was intentionally induced to generate monodisperse double emulsions with single or multiple aqueous droplets inside each oil drop. It is found that the overall and core sizes of the resulting double emulsions could be adjusted independently, mainly by varying the outer and inner fluid flow rates, respectively. As such, the presented double emulsification device could potentially realize the controllability on emulsion structure and size distribution, which is desired for a variety of biological and pharmaceutical applications.

Stratigraphy, sedimentology and inferred flow dynamics from the July 2015 block-and-ash flow deposits at Volcán de Colima, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macorps, Elodie; Charbonnier, Sylvain J.; Varley, Nick R.; Capra, Lucia; Atlas, Zachary; Cabré, Josep

2018-01-01

The July 2015 block-and-ash flow (BAF) events represent the first documented series of large-volume and long-runout BAFs generated from sustained dome collapses at Volcán de Colima. This eruption is particularly exceptional at this volcano due to (1) the large volume of BAF material emplaced (0.0077 ± 0.001 km3), (2) the long runout reached by the associated BAFs (max. 10 km), and (3) the short period ( 18 h) over which two main long-sustained dome collapse events occurred (on 10 and 11 July, respectively). Stratigraphy and sedimentology of the 2015 BAF deposits exposed in the southern flank of the volcano based on lithofacies description, grain size measurements and clast componentry allowed the recognition of three main deposit facies (i.e., valley-confined, overbank and ash-cloud surge deposits). Correlations and lithofacies variations inside three main flow units from both the valley-confined and overbank deposits left from the emplacement of the second series of BAFs on 11 July provide detailed information about: (1) the distribution, volumes and sedimentological characteristics of the different units; (2) flow parameters (i.e., velocity and dynamic pressure) and mobility metrics as inferred from associated deposits; and (3) changes in the dynamics of the different flows and their material during emplacement. These data were coupled with geomorphic analyses to assess the role of the topography in controlling the behaviour and impacts of the successive BAF pulses on the volcano flanks. Finally, these findings are used to propose a conceptual model for transport and deposition mechanisms of the July 2015 BAFs at Volcán de Colima. In this model, deposition occurs by rapid stepwise aggradation of successive BAF pulses. Flow confinement in a narrow and sinuous channel enhance the mobility and runout of individual channelized BAF pulses. When these conditions occur, the progressive valley infilling from successive sustained dome-collapse events promote the overspill and lateral spreading of the upper and marginal regions of the main flow body, generating highly mobile overbank flows that travel outside of the main valley. Volume- and distance-dependent critical channel capacities for the generation of overbank flows are used to better estimate the inundation area of these hazardous unconfined pyroclastic flows. These results highlight the importance of including and correctly assessing the hazards posed by large volume and long runout BAFs associated with frequent, small VEI, sustained dome-collapse eruptions.

[Effects of sand-covering on apple trees transpiration and fruit quality in dry land orchards of Longdong, Gansu].

PubMed

Zhang, Kun; Yin, Xiao-ning; Liu, Xiao-yong; Wang, Fa-lin

2010-11-01

Aiming at the seasonal drought in the dry land orchards of Longdong, Gansu Province, a sand-covering experiment was conducted with 15-year-old Nagafu No. 2 apple trees, with the soil water content, temperature, stem sap flow velocity, leaf stomatal conductance, and fruit quality measured. In the orchard covered with 5-cm-thick riversand, the increment of soil temperature in February-April was lower than 1 degrees C, while in June-July, it was 2.44 degrees C and 2.61 degrees C on sunny and cloudy days, respectively. The soil water content was over 60% of field capacity throughout the growing season. On sunny days with high soil water content (H season), the stem sap flow curve presented a wide peak. Under sand- covering, the sap flow started 0.6 h earlier, and the maximum sap flow velocity was 25.5% higher than the control. On cloudy days of H season, the maximum sap flow velocity was 165.6% higher than the control. On sunny days with low soil water content (L season), the sap flow curve had a single peak, and under sand covering, the sap flow started 0.5-1 h earlier than the control on sunny days. The maximum sap flow velocity was 794 g x h(-1). On cloudy days of L season, the sap flow started 1 h earlier, and the maximum sap flow velocity was 311.0% higher than the control. The evaporation of the control was 156.0% higher than that of sand-covering from March to July, suggesting that excessive ground water evaporation was the main reason to cause soil drought. Under sand-covering, single fruit mass was improved obviously whereas fruit firmness was reduced slightly, and soluble solids, vitamin C, total sugar, and organic acid contents were somewhat promoted.

Paper-based microfluidics with an erodible polymeric bridge giving controlled release and timed flow shutoff.

PubMed

Jahanshahi-Anbuhi, Sana; Henry, Aleah; Leung, Vincent; Sicard, Clémence; Pennings, Kevin; Pelton, Robert; Brennan, John D; Filipe, Carlos D M

2014-01-07

Water soluble pullulan films were formatted into paper-based microfluidic devices, serving as a controlled time shutoff valve. The utility of the valve was demonstrated by a one-step, fully automatic implementation of a complex pesticide assay requiring timed, sequential exposure of an immobilized enzyme layer to separate liquid streams. Pullulan film dissolution and the capillary wicking of aqueous solutions through the device were measured and modeled providing valve design criteria. The films dissolve mainly by surface erosion, meaning the film thickness mainly controls the shutoff time. This method can also provide time-dependent sequential release of reagents without compromising the simplicity and low cost of paper-based devices.

Global Flow Instability and Control IV Held in Crete, Greece on September 28-October 2, 2009: A Synthesis of Presentations and Discussions

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

non-uniform, stationary rotation / non- Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 8 stationary rotation , mass...Cayley spectral transformation as a means of rotating the basin of convergence of the Arnoldi algorithm. Instead of doing the inversion of the large...pair of counter rotating streamwise vortices embedded in uniform shear flow. Consistently with earlier work by the same group, the main present finding

K-65-12.8 condensing steam turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valamin, A. E.; Kultyshev, A. Yu.; Gol'dberg, A. A.; Sakhnin, Yu. A.; Bilan, V. N.; Stepanov, M. Yu.; Polyaeva, E. N.; Shekhter, M. V.; Shibaev, T. L.

2016-11-01

A new condensing steam turbine K-65-12.8 is considered, which is the continuation of the development of the steam turbine family of 50-70 MW and the fresh steam pressure of 12.8 MPa, such as twocylinder T-50-12.8 and T-60/65-12.8 turbines. The turbine was developed using the modular design. The design and the main distinctive features of the turbine are described, such as a single two-housing cylinder with the steam flow loop; the extraction from the blading section for the regeneration, the inner needs, and heating; and the unification of some assemblies of serial turbines with shorter time of manufacture. The turbine uses the throttling steam distribution; steam from a boiler is supplied to a turbine through a separate valve block consisting of a central shut-off valve and two side control valves. The blading section of a turbine consists of 23 stages: the left flow contains ten stages installed in the inner housing and the right flow contains 13 stages with diaphragm placed in holders installed in the outer housing. The disks of the first 16 stages are forged together with a rotor, and the disks of the rest stages are mounted. Before the two last stages, the uncontrolled steam extraction is performed for the heating of a plant with the heat output of 38-75 GJ/h. Also, a turbine has five regenerative extraction points for feed water heating and the additional steam extraction to a collector for the inner needs with the consumption of up to 10 t/h. The feasibility parameters of a turbine plant are given. The main solutions for the heat flow diagram and the layout of a turbine plant are presented. The main principles and features of the microprocessor electro hydraulic control and protection system are formulated.

Modernization and Activation of the NASA Ames 11- by 11-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kmak, Frank J.

2000-01-01

The Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (UPWT) was modernized to improve performance, capability, productivity, and reliability. Automation systems were installed in all three UPWT tunnel legs and the Auxiliaries facility. Major improvements were made to the four control rooms, model support systems, main drive motors, and main drive speed control. Pressure vessel repairs and refurbishment to the electrical distribution system were also completed. Significant changes were made to improve test section flow quality in the 11-by 11-Foot Transonic leg. After the completion of the construction phase of the project, acceptance and checkout testing was performed to demonstrate the capabilities of the modernized facility. A pneumatic test of the tunnel circuit was performed to verify the structural integrity of the pressure vessel before wind-on operations. Test section turbulence, flow angularity, and acoustic parameters were measured throughout the tunnel envelope to determine the effects of the tunnel flow quality improvements. The new control system processes were thoroughly checked during wind-off and wind-on operations. Manual subsystem modes and automated supervisory modes of tunnel operation were validated. The aerodynamic and structural performance of both the new composite compressor rotor blades and the old aluminum rotor blades was measured. The entire subsonic and supersonic envelope of the 11-by 11-Foot Transonic leg was defined up to the maximum total pressure.

Monitoring and control of the biogas process based on propionate concentration using online VFA measurement.

PubMed

Boe, Kanokwan; Steyer, Jean-Philippe; Angelidaki, Irini

2008-01-01

Simple logic control algorithms were tested for automatic control of a lab-scale CSTR manure digester. Using an online VFA monitoring system, propionate concentration in the reactor was used as parameter for control of the biogas process. The propionate concentration was kept below a threshold of 10 mM by manipulating the feed flow. Other online parameters such as pH, biogas production, total VFA, and other individual VFA were also measured to examine process performance. The experimental results showed that a simple logic control can successfully prevent the reactor from overload, but with fluctuations of the propionate level due to the nature of control approach. The fluctuation of propionate concentration could be reduced, by adding a lower feed flow limit into the control algorithm to prevent undershooting of propionate response. It was found that use of the biogas production as a main control parameter, rather than propionate can give a more stable process, since propionate was very persistent and only responded very slowly to the decrease of the feed flow which lead to high fluctuation of biogas production. Propionate, however, was still an excellent parameter to indicate process stress under gradual overload and thus recommended as an alarm in the control algorithm. Copyright IWA Publishing 2008.

The impact of iterated games on traffic flow at noncontrolled intersections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Chao; Jia, Ning

2015-05-01

Intersections without signal control widely exist in urban road networks. This paper studied the traffic flow in a noncontrolled intersection within an iterated game framework. We assume drivers have learning ability and can repetitively adjust their strategies (to give way or to rush through) in the intersection according to memories. A cellular automata model is applied to investigate the characteristics of the traffic flow. Numerical experiments indicate two main findings. First, the traffic flow experiences a "volcano-shaped" fundamental diagram with three different phases. Second, most drivers choose to give way in the intersection, but the aggressive drivers cannot be completely eliminated, which is coincident with field observations. Analysis are also given out to explain the observed phenomena. These findings allow deeper insight of the real-world bottleneck traffic flow.

Assessment by three-dimensional power Doppler ultrasound of cerebral blood flow perfusion in fetuses with congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Zeng, S; Zhou, J; Peng, Q; Tian, L; Xu, G; Zhao, Y; Wang, T; Zhou, Q

2015-06-01

To use three-dimensional (3D) power Doppler ultrasound to investigate cerebral blood flow perfusion in fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD). The vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI) in the total intracranial volume and the main arterial territories (middle cerebral artery (MCA), anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA)) were evaluated prospectively and compared in 112 fetuses with CHD and 112 normal fetuses using 3D power Doppler. Correlations between the 3D power Doppler indices and neurodevelopment scores at 12 months of age were assessed in a subset of the CHD group, and values were compared with those of controls. Compared with the controls, the VI, FI and VFI of the total intracranial volume and the three main arteries were significantly higher in fetuses with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and left-sided obstructive lesions (P < 0.001), and the 3D power Doppler values in the ACA territory were significantly higher in fetuses with transposition of the great arteries (P < 0.01). The largest proportional increase in the blood flow perfusion indices in the fetuses with CHD relative to controls was observed in the ACA territory (P < 0.05). Among 41 cases with CHD that underwent testing, the mean Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) and Mental Development Index (MDI) scores were significantly lower than in 94 of the controls that were tested (P < 0.001). Among these CHD cases, total intracranial FI was positively correlated with PDI (r = 0.342, P = 0.029) and MDI (r = 0.339, P = 0.030), and ACA-VI and ACA-VFI were positively correlated with PDI (r = 0.377 and 0.389, P = 0.015 and 0.012, respectively) but were not correlated with MDI (r = 0.243 and 0.203, P = 0.126 and 0.204, respectively). Cerebral blood flow perfusion was increased relative to controls in most fetuses with CHD and was associated with neurodevelopment scores at 12 months. Prenatal 3D power Doppler ultrasound might help to identify cases of brain vasodilatation earlier and inform parental counseling. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Multivariate statistical process control of a continuous pharmaceutical twin-screw granulation and fluid bed drying process.

PubMed

Silva, A F; Sarraguça, M C; Fonteyne, M; Vercruysse, J; De Leersnyder, F; Vanhoorne, V; Bostijn, N; Verstraeten, M; Vervaet, C; Remon, J P; De Beer, T; Lopes, J A

2017-08-07

A multivariate statistical process control (MSPC) strategy was developed for the monitoring of the ConsiGma™-25 continuous tablet manufacturing line. Thirty-five logged variables encompassing three major units, being a twin screw high shear granulator, a fluid bed dryer and a product control unit, were used to monitor the process. The MSPC strategy was based on principal component analysis of data acquired under normal operating conditions using a series of four process runs. Runs with imposed disturbances in the dryer air flow and temperature, in the granulator barrel temperature, speed and liquid mass flow and in the powder dosing unit mass flow were utilized to evaluate the model's monitoring performance. The impact of the imposed deviations to the process continuity was also evaluated using Hotelling's T 2 and Q residuals statistics control charts. The influence of the individual process variables was assessed by analyzing contribution plots at specific time points. Results show that the imposed disturbances were all detected in both control charts. Overall, the MSPC strategy was successfully developed and applied. Additionally, deviations not associated with the imposed changes were detected, mainly in the granulator barrel temperature control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Significance of losses in water distribution systems in India

PubMed Central

Raman, V.

1983-01-01

Effective management of water supply systems consists in supplying adequate quantities of clean water to the population. Detailed pilot studies of water distribution systems were carried out in 9 cities in India during 1971-81 to establish the feasibility of a programme of assessment, detection, and control of water losses from supply systems. A cost-benefit analysis was carried out. Water losses from mains and service pipes in the areas studied amounted to 20-35% of the total flow in the system. At a conservative estimate, the national loss of processed water through leaks in the water distribution systems amounts to 1012 litres per year, which is equivalent to 500 million rupees. It is possible to bring down the water losses in the pipe mains to 3-5% of the total flow, and the cost incurred on the control programme can be recovered in 6-18 months. Appropriate conservation measures will help in achieving the goals of the International Water Supply and Sanitation Decade to provide clean water for all. PMID:6418401

Significance of losses in water distribution systems in India.

PubMed

Raman, V

1983-01-01

Effective management of water supply systems consists in supplying adequate quantities of clean water to the population. Detailed pilot studies of water distribution systems were carried out in 9 cities in India during 1971-81 to establish the feasibility of a programme of assessment, detection, and control of water losses from supply systems. A cost-benefit analysis was carried out. Water losses from mains and service pipes in the areas studied amounted to 20-35% of the total flow in the system. At a conservative estimate, the national loss of processed water through leaks in the water distribution systems amounts to 10(12) litres per year, which is equivalent to 500 million rupees.It is possible to bring down the water losses in the pipe mains to 3-5% of the total flow, and the cost incurred on the control programme can be recovered in 6-18 months. Appropriate conservation measures will help in achieving the goals of the International Water Supply and Sanitation Decade to provide clean water for all.

A multi-functional bubble-based microfluidic system

PubMed Central

Khoshmanesh, Khashayar; Almansouri, Abdullah; Albloushi, Hamad; Yi, Pyshar; Soffe, Rebecca; Kalantar-zadeh, Kourosh

2015-01-01

Recently, the bubble-based systems have offered a new paradigm in microfluidics. Gas bubbles are highly flexible, controllable and barely mix with liquids, and thus can be used for the creation of reconfigurable microfluidic systems. In this work, a hydrodynamically actuated bubble-based microfluidic system is introduced. This system enables the precise movement of air bubbles via axillary feeder channels to alter the geometry of the main channel and consequently the flow characteristics of the system. Mixing of neighbouring streams is demonstrated by oscillating the bubble at desired displacements and frequencies. Flow control is achieved by pushing the bubble to partially or fully close the main channel. Patterning of suspended particles is also demonstrated by creating a large bubble along the sidewalls. Rigorous analytical and numerical calculations are presented to describe the operation of the system. The examples presented in this paper highlight the versatility of the developed bubble-based actuator for a variety of applications; thus providing a vision that can be expanded for future highly reconfigurable microfluidics. PMID:25906043

NPTool: Towards Scalability and Reliability of Business Process Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braghetto, Kelly Rosa; Ferreira, João Eduardo; Pu, Calton

Currently one important challenge in business process management is provide at the same time scalability and reliability of business process executions. This difficulty becomes more accentuated when the execution control assumes complex countless business processes. This work presents NavigationPlanTool (NPTool), a tool to control the execution of business processes. NPTool is supported by Navigation Plan Definition Language (NPDL), a language for business processes specification that uses process algebra as formal foundation. NPTool implements the NPDL language as a SQL extension. The main contribution of this paper is a description of the NPTool showing how the process algebra features combined with a relational database model can be used to provide a scalable and reliable control in the execution of business processes. The next steps of NPTool include reuse of control-flow patterns and support to data flow management.

An Experimental Study of Vortex Flow Formation and Dynamics in Confined Microcavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khojah, Reem; di Carlo, Dino

2017-11-01

New engineering solutions for bioparticle separation invites revisiting classic fluid dynamics problems. Previous studies investigated cavity vortical flow that occurs in 2D with the formation of a material flux boundary or separatrix between the main flow and cavity flow. We demonstrate the concept of separatrix breakdown, in which the cavity flow becomes connected to the main flow, occurs as the cavity is confined in 3D, and is implicated in particle capture and rapid mass exchange in cavities. Understanding the convective flux between the channel and a side cavity provides insight into size-dependent particle capture and release from the cavity flow. The process of vortex formation and separatrix breakdown between the main channel to the side cavity is Reynolds number dependent and can be described by dissecting the flow streamlines from the main channel that enter and spiral out of the cavity. Laminar streamlines from incremented initial locations in the main flow are observed inside the cavity under different flow conditions. Experimentally, we provide the Reynolds number threshold to generate certain flow geometry. We found the optimal flow conditions that enable rapid convective transfer through the cavity flow and exposure and interaction between soluble factors with captured cells. By tuning which fraction of the main flow has solute, we can create a dynamic gate between the cavity and channel flow that potentially serves as a time-dependent fluid exchange approach for objects within the cavity.

A Fuzzy Control System for Reducing Urban Runoff by a Stormwater Storage Tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, P.; Cai, Y.; Wang, J.

2017-12-01

Stormwater storage tank (SST) is a popular low impact development technology for reducing stormwater runoff in the construction of sponge city. Most researches on SST were mainly the design, pollutants removal effect, and operation assessment. While there were few researches on the automatic control of SST for reducing peak flow. In this paper, fuzzy control was introduced into the peak control of SST to improve the efficiency of reducing stormawter runoff. Firstly, the design of SST was investigated. A catchment area and return period were assumed, a SST model was manufactured, and then the storage capacity of the SST was verified. Secondly, the control parameters of the SST based on reducing stormwater runoff was analyzed, and a schematic diagram of real-time control (RTC) system based on peak control SST was established. Finally, fuzzy control system of a double input (flow and water level) and double output (inlet and outlet valve) was designed. The results showed that 1) under the different return periods (one year, three years, five years), the SST had the effect of delayed peak control and storage by increasing the detention time, 2) rainfall, pipeline flow, the influent time and the water level in the SST could be used as RTC parameters, and 3) the response curves of flow velocity and water level fluctuated very little and reached equilibrium in a short time. The combination of online monitoring and fuzzy control was feasible to control the SST automatically. This paper provides a theoretical reference for reducing stormwater runoff and improving the operation efficiency of SST.

Modeling Groundwater Flow System of a Drainage Basin in the Basement Complex Environment of Southwestern Nigera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akinwumiju, Akinola S.; Olorunfemi, Martins O.

2018-05-01

This study attempted to model the groundwater flow system of a drainage basin within the Basement Complex environment of Southwestern Nigeria. Four groundwater models were derived from Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) Data, remotely sensed data, geological information (hydrolineaments and lithology) and borehole data. Subsequently, two sub-surface (local and regional) flow systems were delineated in the study area. While the local flow system is controlled by surface topography, the regional flow system is controlled by the networks of intermediate and deep seated faults/fractures. The local flow system is characterized by convergence, divergence, inflow and outflow in places, while the regional flow system is dominated by NNE-SSW and W-E flow directions. Minor flow directions include NNW-SSE and E-W with possible linkages to the main flow-paths. The NNE-SSW regional flow system is a double open ended flow system with possible linkage to the Niger Trough. The W-E regional flow system is a single open ended system that originates within the study area (with possible linkage to the NNE-SSW regional flow system) and extends to Ikogosi in the adjoining drainage basin. Thus, the groundwater drainage basin of the study area is much larger and extensive than its surface drainage basin. The all year round flowing (perennial) rivers are linked to groundwater outcrops from faults/fractures and contact zones. Consequently, larger percentage of annual rainwater usually leaves the basin in form of runoff and base flow. Therefore, the basin is categorized as a donor basin but with suspected subsurface water input at its northeastern axis.

KSC-02pd1129

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-07-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- With the engines removed from Endeavour, the inside of Endeavour is exposed. At left center, Scott Minnick, with United Space Alliance, operates a fiber-optic camera inside the flow line. Other USA team members, right, watching the progress on a screen in front, are Gerry Kathka (with controls), Mike Fore and Peggy Ritchie. The inspection is the result of small cracks being discovered on the LH2 Main Propulsion System (MPS) flow liners in other orbiters. Endeavour is next scheduled to fly on mission STS-113.

Lipid tubules Formed by Flow-Controlled Hydration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Jing; Hirst, Linda S.

2007-03-01

Self-assembled cylindrical tubules from lipid molecules have attracted considerable attention because of their interesting supramolecular structures and technological applications. Schnur et al. [1] reported the formation of tubular microstructures from a series of diacetylenic phospholipids after liposomes were cooled through their chain melting transition. After that, several methods have been developed to fabricate such unique microstructures mainly by means of deforming preformed Giant unilamellar vesicles. Here we present a simple strategy to construct lipid microtubules through a flow-controlled lipid hydration. Fluorescent microscopy and Confocal Laser Microscopy were used to visualize the formation and the structure of the lipid tubules. Tubules were found to develop following the direction of the dynamic flow with highly parallel alignment. At high flow speeds, partial cross-linking of the lipid tubules was observed. To demonstrate the generality of this method, different types of phospholipids, such as Phosphatidic Acid (PA), Phosphatidylserine (PS), Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) were investigated. [1] J.M. Schnur et al, Science, 264, 945 (1994).

Basal and thermal control mechanisms of the Ragnhild glaciers, East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattyn, Frank; de Brabander, Sang; Huyghe, Ann

The Ragnhild glaciers are three enhanced-flow features situated between the Sør Rondane and Yamato Mountains in eastern Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. We investigate the glaciological mechanisms controlling their existence and behavior, using a three-dimensional numerical thermomechanical ice-sheet model including higher-order stress gradients. This model is further extended with a steady-state model of subglacial water flow, based on the hydraulic potential gradient. Both static and dynamic simulations are capable of reproducing the enhanced ice-flow features. Although basal topography is responsible for the existence of the flow pattern, thermomechanical effects and basal sliding seem to locally soften and lubricate the ice in the main trunks. Lateral drag is a contributing factor in balancing the driving stress, as shear margins can be traced over a distance of hundreds of kilometers along west Ragnhild glacier. Different basal sliding scenarios show that central Ragnhild glacier stagnates as west Ragnhild glacier accelerates and progressively drains the whole catchment area by ice and water piracy.

Regional-scale analysis of karst underground flow deduced from tracing experiments: examples from carbonate aquifers in Malaga province, southern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barberá, J. A.; Mudarra, M.; Andreo, B.; De la Torre, B.

2018-02-01

Tracer concentration data from field experiments conducted in several carbonate aquifers (Malaga province, southern Spain) were analyzed following a dual approach based on the graphical evaluation method (GEM) and solute transport modeling to decipher flow mechanisms in karst systems at regional scale. The results show that conduit system geometry and flow conditions are the principal factors influencing tracer migration through the examined karst flow routes. Solute transport is mainly controlled by longitudinal advection and dispersion throughout the conduit length, but also by flow partitioning between mobile and immobile fluid phases, while the matrix diffusion process appears to be less relevant. The simulation of tracer breakthrough curves (BTCs) suggests that diffuse and concentrated flow through the unsaturated zone can have equivalent transport properties under extreme recharge, with high flow velocities and efficient mixing due to the high hydraulic gradients generated. Tracer mobilization within the saturated zone under low flow conditions mainly depends on the hydrodynamics (rather than on the karst conduit development), which promote a lower longitudinal advection and retardation in the tracer migration, resulting in a marked tailing effect of BTCs. The analytical advection-dispersion equation better approximates the effective flow velocity and longitudinal dispersion estimations provided by the GEM, while the non-equilibrium transport model achieves a better adjustment of most asymmetric and long-tailed BTCs. The assessment of karst underground flow properties from tracing tests at regional scale can aid design of groundwater management and protection strategies, particularly in large hydrogeological systems (i.e. transboundary carbonate aquifers) and/or in poorly investigated ones.

Elongational Flow Assists with the Assembly of Protein Nanofibrils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mittal, Nitesh; Kamada, Ayaka; Lendel, Christofer; Lundell, Fredrik; Soderberg, Daniel

2016-11-01

Controlling the aggregation process of protein-based macromolecular structures in a confined environment using small-scale flow devices and understanding their assembly mechanisms is essential to develop bio-based materials. Whey protein, a protein mixture with β-lactoglobulin as main component, is able to self-assemble into amyloid-like protein nanofibers which are stabilized by hydrogen bonds. The conditions at which the fibrillation process occurs can affect the properties and morphology of the fibrils. Here, we show that the morphology of protein nanofibers greatly affects their assembly. We used elongational flow based double flow-focusing device for this study. In-situ behavior of the straight and flexible fibrils in the flow channel is determined using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique. Our process combines hydrodynamic alignment with dispersion to gel-transition that produces homogeneous and smooth fibers. Moreover, successful alignment before gelation demands a proper separation of the time-scales involved, which we tried to identify in the current study. The presented approach combining small scale flow devices with in-situ synchrotron X-ray studies and protein engineering is a promising route to design high performance protein-based materials with controlled physical and chemical properties. We acknowledge the support from Wallenberg Wood Science Center.

Climate controls on streamflow variability in the Missouri River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wise, E.; Woodhouse, C. A.; McCabe, G. J., Jr.; Pederson, G. T.; St-Jacques, J. M.

2017-12-01

The Missouri River's hydroclimatic variability presents a challenge for water managers, who must balance many competing demands on the system. Water resources in the Missouri River Basin (MRB) have increasingly been challenged by the droughts and floods that have occurred over the past several decades and the potential future exacerbation of these extremes by climate change. Here, we use observed and modeled hydroclimatic data and estimated natural flow records to describe the climatic controls on streamflow in the upper and lower portions of the MRB, examine atmospheric and oceanic patterns associated with high- and low-flow years, and investigate trends in climate and streamflow over the instrumental period. Results indicate that the two main source regions for total outflow, in the uppermost and lowermost parts of the basin, are under the influence of very different sets of climatic controls. Winter precipitation, impacted by changes in zonal versus meridional flow from the Pacific Ocean, as well as spring precipitation and temperature, play a key role in surface water supply variability in the upper basin. Lower basin flow is significantly correlated with precipitation in late spring and early summer, indicative of Atlantic-influenced circulation variability affecting the flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The upper basin, with decreasing snowpack and streamflow and warming spring temperatures, will be less likely to provide important flow supplements to the lower basin in the future.

Analysis and improvement measures of flight delay in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zang, Yuhang

2017-03-01

Firstly, this paper establishes the principal component regression model to analyze the data quantitatively, based on principal component analysis to get the three principal component factors of flight delays. Then the least square method is used to analyze the factors and obtained the regression equation expression by substitution, and then found that the main reason for flight delays is airlines, followed by weather and traffic. Aiming at the above problems, this paper improves the controllable aspects of traffic flow control. For reasons of traffic flow control, an adaptive genetic queuing model is established for the runway terminal area. This paper, establish optimization method that fifteen planes landed simultaneously on the three runway based on Beijing capital international airport, comparing the results with the existing FCFS algorithm, the superiority of the model is proved.

The boundary layer as a means of controlling the flow of liquids and gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrenk, Oskar

1930-01-01

According to one of the main propositions of the boundary layer theory the scarcely noticeable boundary layer may, under certain conditions, have a decisive influence on the form of the external flow by causing it to separate from the wing surface. These phenomena are known to be caused by a kind of stagnation of the boundary layer at the point of separation. The present report deals with similar phenomena. It is important to note that usually the cause (external interference) directly affects only the layer close to the wall, while its indirect effect extends to a large portion of the external flow.

Non-domestic phosphorus release in rivers during low-flow: Mechanisms and implications for sources identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupas, Rémi; Tittel, Jörg; Jordan, Phil; Musolff, Andreas; Rode, Michael

2018-05-01

A common assumption in phosphorus (P) load apportionment studies is that P loads in rivers consist of flow independent point source emissions (mainly from domestic and industrial origins) and flow dependent diffuse source emissions (mainly from agricultural origin). Hence, rivers dominated by point sources will exhibit highest P concentration during low-flow, when flow dilution capacity is minimal, whereas rivers dominated by diffuse sources will exhibit highest P concentration during high-flow, when land-to-river hydrological connectivity is maximal. Here, we show that Soluble Reactive P (SRP) concentrations in three forested catchments free of point sources exhibited seasonal maxima during the summer low-flow period, i.e. a pattern expected in point source dominated areas. A load apportionment model (LAM) is used to show how point sources contribution may have been overestimated in previous studies, because of a biogeochemical process mimicking a point source signal. Almost twenty-two years (March 1995-September 2016) of monthly monitoring data of SRP, dissolved iron (Fe) and nitrate-N (NO3) were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms: SRP and Fe exhibited similar seasonal patterns and opposite to that of NO3. We hypothesise that Fe oxyhydroxide reductive dissolution might be the cause of SRP release during the summer period, and that NO3 might act as a redox buffer, controlling the seasonality of SRP release. We conclude that LAMs may overestimate the contribution of P point sources, especially during the summer low-flow period, when eutrophication risk is maximal.

Programming for energy monitoring/display system in multicolor lidar system research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alvarado, R. C., Jr.; Allen, R. J.

1982-01-01

The Z80 microprocessor based computer program that directs and controls the operation of the six channel energy monitoring/display system that is a part of the NASA Multipurpose Airborne Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) system is described. The program is written in the Z80 assembly language and is located on EPROM memories. All source and assembled listings of the main program, five subroutines, and two service routines along with flow charts and memory maps are included. A combinational block diagram shows the interfacing (including port addresses) between the six power sensors, displays, front panel controls, the main general purpose minicomputer, and this dedicated microcomputer system.

Global Forest Products Model software design and implementation (GFPM version 2014 with BPMP)

Treesearch

Shushuai Zhu; James Turner; Joseph   Buongiorno

2014-01-01

An overview of the GFPM software structure is given in Section 1.1 in terms of the overall processing flows and the main components of the GFPM. Section 1.2 describes the role of batch files in controlling the execution of the GFPM programs, and details of the sequence of program execution corresponding to each of the “Main Menu” options of the GFPM. Next, each...

Effects of a spring flushing flow on the distribution of radio-tagged juvenile rainbow trout in a Wyoming tailwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simpkins, D.G.; Hubert, W.A.; Wesche, T.A.

2000-01-01

The controlled release of dammed water, designed to produce a flushing flow that would remove fine sediments from spawning habitat in a flow-regulated river, did not displace juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (20-25 cm total length) downstream. Of eight naturally spawned (wild) and nine hatchery fish that were radio-tagged, only one wild fish and two hatchery fish were found in different locations after an eight-fold increase in flow. These three fish moved upstream and the greatest movement was 96 m. Cobble and boulder substrates in main-channel pools were thought to provide slow-water-velocity refuges during the flushing flow. Our findings and the findings of other researchers suggest that flushing flows can be conducted to enhance spawning habitat for rainbow trout without causing extensive downstream movements or habitat displacement of small fish in regulated rivers.

Retention time and flow patterns in Lake Marion, South Carolina, 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patterson, G.G.; Harvey, R.M.

1995-01-01

In 1984, six dye tracer tests were made on Lake Marion to determine flow patterns and retention times under conditions of high and low flow. During the high-flow tests, with an average inflow of about 29,000 cubic feet per second, the approximate travel time through the lake for the peak tracer concentration was 14 days. The retention time was about 20 days. During the low-flow tests, with an average inflow of about 9,000 cubic feet per second, the approximate travel time was 41 days, and the retention time was about 60 days. The primary factors controlling movement of water in the lake are lake inflow and outflow. The tracer cloud moved consistently downstream, slowing as the lake widened. Flow patterns in most of the coves, and in some areas along the northeastern shore, are influenced more by tributary inflow than by factors attributable to water from the main body of the lake.

Occurrence of benzotriazoles in the rivers Main, Hengstbach, and Hegbach (Germany).

PubMed

Kiss, Aliz; Fries, Elke

2009-09-01

Benzotriazoles (BT) as 1H-benzotriazole (1H-BT), 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5Me-BT), and 4-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (4Me-BT) are frequently used as corrosion inhibitors in dish washer detergents, aircraft de-icing/anti-icing fluids (ADAF), automotive antifreeze formulations, brake fluids, fluids for industrial cooling systems, metal-cutting fluids, and in solid cooling lubricants. Discharge of treated municipal waste water and controlled over-runs of combined waste water sewers are potential point sources for BT in rivers. The aim of this monitoring study was to yield an overview on exposure concentrations and loads of BT in the German rivers Main, Hengstbach, and Hegbach. Concentrations of 1H-BT, 5Me-BT, and 4Me-BT were determined in grab samples collected from different sampling points in the rivers Main, Hengstbach, and Hegbach at four different sampling times. Main and Hengstbach rivers were sampled close to Frankfurt International Airport. Both rivers receive domestic waste water effluents. BT were extracted from 2.5 L of river water by solid phase extraction using Bond Elut ppl cartridges (200 mg/3 mL). The extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in full scan mode. Mass flows of BT were calculated by concentrations multiplied by mean daily river flow rates. Median concentrations and mass flows were compared for different rivers. Mass flows were also compared for selected sampling points at different sampling times. 1H-BT, 5Me-BT, and 4Me-BT were detected in Main and Hengstbach rivers. 1H-BT and 5Me-BT were also detected in Hegbach River. Concentrations ranged from 38 to 1,474 ng/L for 1H-BT, from 25 to 281 ng/L for 5Me-BT, and from 25 to 952 ng/L for 4Me-BT. Median concentrations of 1H-BT, 5Me-BT, and 4Me-BT were lower in Main than in Hengstbach River. Much higher median mass flows of all BT were calculated for Main than for Hengstbach River. At sampling points P9 (Main) and P5 (Hengstbach) concentrations of 4Me-BT and 5Me-BT increased from March 29, 2008 to May 1, 2008 to June 22, 2008 whereas daily mean river flow rate decreased simultaneously. However, concentration of 1H-BT in Main and Hengstbach River increased from March 29, 2008 to May 1, 2008 and decreased again on June 22, 2008. In the Main River, lowest and highest mass flows for all BT were calculated on June 22, 2008 and May 1, 2008, respectively. In the Hengstbach River lowest and highest mass flows for 1H-BT and 4Me-BT were also calculated on June 22, 2008 and May 1, 2008, respectively. However, mass flows of 5Me-BT in Hengstbach River were rather similar at all three sampling times. In all grab samples, 1H-BT was more abundant than 5Me-BT and 4Me-BT in Main and Hengstbach River, except on June 22, 2008. Ratios of 1H-BT/(5Me-BT + 4Me-BT) determined on March 15, 2008, March 29, 2008, and May 1, 2008 varied between 1.6 and 9.0 with a median value of 1.9 (n = 9) whereas on June 22, 2008 the ratios varied between 0.4 and 0.7 with a median value of 0.6 (n = 5). Due to the absence of waste water effluents in the Hegbach River, other input sources as controlled over-runs of combined waste water sewers and/or atmospheric deposition of BT must be regarded as possible input sources. Exfiltration of ground water containing BT to Hegbach River must be also regarded, especially when considering the high polarity of BT. Median concentrations of BT in Main River were much lower than in Hengstbach River due to dilution. However, median mass flows were higher in the Main River than in the Hengstbach River. Higher mass flows could be attributed to higher source strengths and/or numerous emissions sources in the Main River. Mass flows determined on June 22, 2008 in Main and Hengstbach rivers probably reflect emissions of BT only from dishwasher detergents since de-icing operations were unlikely at that time. Emissions of BT from dish washer detergents are rather constant without any seasonal variations. Assuming the absence of additional input sources and constant in-stream removal processes, mass flows calculated for all other sampling times must be nearly similar to mass flows for June 22, 2009 as it was only observed for 5Me-BT in Hengstbach River. The higher mass flows for 1H-BT and 4Me-BT in March and May in both rivers could be an indication for temporal variations of emission pattern and/or of in-stream removal processes. 1H-BT/(4Me-BT + 5Me-BT) ratios above one in March and May and below one in June could be also an indication for temporal variations of input and/or removal processes. 1H-BT, 5Me-BT, and 4Me-BT used as corrosion inhibitors in many applications were detected in the rivers Main, Hengstbach, and Hegbach with relative high temporal and spatial concentration variations. Dilution is a dominant factor that influences exposure concentrations of BT in the studied rivers. We conclude that, especially in smaller rivers (as Hengstbach River), the hydrological situation has to be regarded when predicting exposure concentrations of BT. Characteristic emission strength and in-stream removal processes must be known to relate loads of BT in river water to different sources. The ratio of 1H-BT/(4Me-BT + 5Me-BT) could be possibly used for source apportionment. Time series analyses of BT in composite river water samples collected at two river sites of the Hengstbach/Schwarzbach catchment area, without any waste water effluents in between, are recommended to study in-stream removal of BT. In addition, exposure modeling is recommended of BT, regarding all input sources and in-stream removal processes to predict exposure concentrations of BT in rivers. In order to calibrate and validate the model, additional monitoring data are required.

Cascading Tesla Oscillating Flow Diode for Stirling Engine Gas Bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dyson, Rodger

2012-01-01

Replacing the mechanical check-valve in a Stirling engine with a micromachined, non-moving-part flow diode eliminates moving parts and reduces the risk of microparticle clogging. At very small scales, helium gas has sufficient mass momentum that it can act as a flow controller in a similar way as a transistor can redirect electrical signals with a smaller bias signal. The innovation here forces helium gas to flow in predominantly one direction by offering a clear, straight-path microchannel in one direction of flow, but then through a sophisticated geometry, the reversed flow is forced through a tortuous path. This redirection is achieved by using microfluid channel flow to force the much larger main flow into this tortuous path. While microdiodes have been developed in the past, this innovation cascades Tesla diodes to create a much higher pressure in the gas bearing supply plenum. In addition, the special shape of the leaves captures loose particles that would otherwise clog the microchannel of the gas bearing pads.

A review of wind turbine-oriented active flow control strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubrun, Sandrine; Leroy, Annie; Devinant, Philippe

2017-10-01

To reduce the levelized cost of energy, the energy production, robustness and lifespan of horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) have to be improved to ensure optimal energy production and operational availability during periods longer than 15-20 years. HAWTs are subject to unsteady wind loads that generate combinations of unsteady mechanical loads with characteristic time scales from seconds to minutes. This can be reduced by controlling the aerodynamic performance of the wind turbine rotors in real time to compensate the overloads. Mitigating load fluctuations and optimizing the aerodynamic performance at higher time scales need the development of fast-response active flow control (AFC) strategies located as close as possible to the torque generation, i.e., directly on the blades. The most conventional actuators currently used in HAWTs are mechanical flaps/tabs (similar to aeronautical accessories), but some more innovative concepts based on fluidic and plasma actuators are very promising since they are devoid of mechanical parts, have a fast response and can be driven in unsteady modes to influence natural instabilities of the flow. In this context, the present paper aims at giving a state-of-the-art review of current research in wind turbine-oriented flow control strategies applied at the blade scale. It provides an overview of research conducted in the last decade dealing with the actuators and devices devoted to developing AFC on rotor blades, focusing on the flow phenomena that they cause and that can lead to aerodynamic load increase or decrease. After providing some general background on wind turbine blade aerodynamics and on the atmospheric flows in which HAWTs operate, the review focuses on flow separation control and circulation control mainly through experimental investigations. It is followed by a discussion about the overall limitations of current studies in the wind energy context, with a focus on a few studies that attempt to provide a global efficiency assessment and wind energy-oriented energy balance.

The Influence of Topography on the Emplacement Dynamics of Martian Lava flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tremblay, J.; Fitch, E. P.; Fagents, S. A.

2017-12-01

Lava flows on the Martian surface exhibit a diverse array of complex morphologies. Previous emplacement models, based on terrestrial flows, do not fully account for these observed complex morphologies. We assert that the topography encountered by the flow can exert substantial control over the thermal, rheological, and morphological evolution of the flow, and that these effects can be better incorporated into flow models to predict Martian flow morphologies. Our development of an updated model can be used to account for these topographical effects and better constrain flow parameters. The model predicts that a slope break or flow meander induces eddy currents within the flow, resulting in the disruption of the flow surface crust. The exposure of the flow core results in accelerated cooling of the flow and a resultant increase in viscosity, leading to slowing of the flow. A constant source lava flux and a stagnated flow channel would then result in observable morphological changes, such as overflowing of channel levees. We have identified five morphological types of Martian flows, representing a range of effusion rates, eruption durations and topographic settings, which are suitable for application of our model. To characterize flow morphology, we used imaging and topographic data sets to collect data on flow dimensions. For eight large (50 to hundreds of km long) channelized flows in the Tharsis region, we used the MOLA 128 ppd DEM and/or individual MOLA shot points to derive flow cross-sectional thickness profiles, from which we calculated the cross-sectional area of the flow margins adjacent to the main channel. We found that the largest flow margin cross sectional areas (excluding the channel) occur in association with a channel bend, typically near the bend apex. Analysis of high-resolution images indicates that these widened flow margins are the result of repeated overflows of the channel levees and emplacement of short flow lobes adjacent to the main flow. In the context of our model, the morphological changes associated with channel bends and slope breaks support our interpretation of lava crust disruption and enhanced flow cooling. We are currently working to obtain data for the additional three flow types and to further apply our lava emplacement model.

Transition to turbulence in plane channel flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biringen, S.

1984-01-01

Results obtained from a numerical simulation of the final stages of transition to turbulence in plane channel flow are described. Three dimensional, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are numerically integrated to obtain the time evolution of two and three dimensional finite amplitude disturbances. Computations are performed on CYBER-203 vector processor for a 32x51x32 grid. Results are presented for no-slip boundary conditions at the solid walls as well as for periodic suction blowing to simulate active control of transition by mass transfer. Solutions indicate that the method is capable of simulating the complex character of vorticity dynamics during the various stages of transition and final breakdown. In particular, evidence points to the formation of a lambda-shape vortex and the subsequent system of horseshoe vortices inclined to the main flow direction as the main elements of transition. Calculations involving periodic suction-blowing indicate that interference with a wave of suitable phase and amplitude reduces the disturbance growth rates.

Observations of debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Part 1, in-situ measurements of flow dynamics, tracer particle movement and video imagery from the summer of 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCoy, Scott W.; Coe, Jeffrey A.; Kean, Jason W.; Tucker, Greg E.; Staley, Dennis M.; Wasklewicz, Thad A.

2011-01-01

Debris flows initiated by surface-water runoff during short duration, moderate- to high-intensity rainfall are common in steep, rocky, and sparsely vegetated terrain. Yet large uncertainties remain about the potential for a flow to grow through entrainment of loose debris, which make formulation of accurate mechanical models of debris-flow routing difficult. Using a combination of in situ measurements of debris flow dynamics, video imagery, tracer rocks implanted with passive integrated transponders (PIT) and pre- and post-flow 2-cm resolution digital terrain models (terrain data presented in a companion paper by STALEY et alii, 2011), we investigated the entrainment and transport response of debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, CO, USA. Four monitored events during the summer of 2009 all initiated from surface-water runoff, generally less than an hour after the first measurable rain. Despite reach-scale morphology that remained relatively constant, the four flow events displayed a range of responses, from long-runout flows that entrained significant amounts of channel sediment and dammed the main-stem river, to smaller, short-runout flows that were primarily depositional in the upper basin. Tracer-rock travel-distance distributions for these events were bimodal; particles either remained immobile or they travelled the entire length of the catchment. The long-runout, large-entrainment flow differed from the other smaller flows by the following controlling factors: peak 10-minute rain intensity; duration of significant flow in the channel; and to a lesser extent, peak surge depth and velocity. Our growing database of natural debris-flow events can be used to develop linkages between observed debris-flow transport and entrainment responses and the controlling rainstorm characteristics and flow properties.

Fluid Flow Technology that Measures Up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

From 1994 to 1996, NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center conducted a Center Director's Discretionary Fund research effort to apply artificial intelligence technologies to the health management of plant equipment and space propulsion systems. Through this effort, NASA established a business relationship with Quality Monitoring and Control (QMC), of Kingwood, Texas, to provide hardware modeling and artificial intelligence tools. Very detailed and accurate Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) analysis and algorithms were jointly created, which identified several missing, critical instrumentation needs for adequately evaluating the engine health status. One of the missing instruments was a liquid oxygen (LOX) flow measurement. This instrument was missing since the original SSME included a LOX turbine flow meter that failed during a ground test, resulting in considerable damage for NASA. New balanced flow meter technology addresses this need with robust, safe, and accurate flow metering hardware.

49 CFR 192.181 - Distribution line valves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... line valves. (a) Each high-pressure distribution system must have valves spaced so as to reduce the... pressure, the size of the mains, and the local physical conditions. (b) Each regulator station controlling the flow or pressure of gas in a distribution system must have a valve installed on the inlet piping...

Flow and sorption controls of groundwater arsenic in individual boreholes from bedrock aquifers in central Maine, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yang, Qiang; Culbertson, Charles W.; Nielsen, Martha G.; Schalk, Charles W.; Johnson, Carole D.; Marvinney, Robert G.; Stute, Martin; Zheng, Yan

2014-01-01

To understand the hydrogeochemical processes regulating well water arsenic (As) evolution in fractured bedrock aquifers, three domestic wells with [As] up to 478 μg/L are investigated in central Maine. Geophysical logging reveals that fractures near the borehole bottom contribute 70-100% of flow. Borehole and fracture water samples from various depths show significant proportions of As (up to 69%) and Fe (93-99%) in particulates (>0.45 μm). These particulates and those settled after a 16-day batch experiment contain 560-13,000 g/kg of As and 14-35% weight/weight of Fe. As/Fe ratios (2.5-20 mmol/mol) and As partitioning ratios (adsorbed/dissolved [As], 20,000-100,000 L/kg) suggest that As is sorbed onto amorphous hydrous ferric oxides. Newly drilled cores also show enrichment of As (up to 1300 mg/kg) sorbed onto secondary iron minerals on the fracture surfaces. Pumping at high flow rates induces large decreases in particulate As and Fe, a moderate increase in dissolved [As] and As(III)/As ratio, while little change in major ion chemistry. The δD and δ18O are similar for the borehole and fracture waters, suggesting a same source of recharge from atmospheric precipitation. Results support a conceptual model invoking flow and sorption controls on groundwater [As] in fractured bedrock aquifers whereby oxygen infiltration promotes the oxidation of As-bearing sulfides at shallower depths in the oxic portion of the flow path releasing As and Fe; followed by Fe oxidation to form Fe oxyhydroxide particulates, which are transported in fractures and sorb As along the flow path until intercepted by boreholes. In the anoxic portions of the flow path, reductive dissolution of As-sorbed iron particulates could re-mobilize As. For exposure assessment, we recommend sampling of groundwater without filtration to obtain total As concentration in groundwater.

Flow and sorption controls of groundwater arsenic in individual boreholes from bedrock aquifers in central Maine, USA.

PubMed

Yang, Qiang; Culbertson, Charles W; Nielsen, Martha G; Schalk, Charles W; Johnson, Carole D; Marvinney, Robert G; Stute, Martin; Zheng, Yan

2015-02-01

To understand the hydrogeochemical processes regulating well water arsenic (As) evolution in fractured bedrock aquifers, three domestic wells with [As] up to 478 μg/L are investigated in central Maine. Geophysical logging reveals that fractures near the borehole bottom contribute 70-100% of flow. Borehole and fracture water samples from various depths show significant proportions of As (up to 69%) and Fe (93-99%) in particulates (>0.45 μm). These particulates and those settled after a 16-day batch experiment contain 560-13,000 mg/kg of As and 14-35% weight/weight of Fe. As/Fe ratios (2.5-20 mmol/mol) and As partitioning ratios (adsorbed/dissolved [As], 20,000-100,000 L/kg) suggest that As is sorbed onto amorphous hydrous ferric oxides. Newly drilled cores also show enrichment of As (up to 1300 mg/kg) sorbed onto secondary iron minerals on the fracture surfaces. Pumping at high flow rates induces large decreases in particulate As and Fe, a moderate increase in dissolved [As] and As(III)/As ratio, while little change in major ion chemistry. The δD and δ(18)O are similar for the borehole and fracture waters, suggesting a same source of recharge from atmospheric precipitation. Results support a conceptual model invoking flow and sorption controls on groundwater [As] in fractured bedrock aquifers whereby oxygen infiltration promotes the oxidation of As-bearing sulfides at shallower depths in the oxic portion of the flow path releasing As and Fe; followed by Fe oxidation to form Fe oxyhydroxide particulates, which are transported in fractures and sorb As along the flow path until intercepted by boreholes. In the anoxic portions of the flow path, reductive dissolution of As-sorbed iron particulates could re-mobilize As. For exposure assessment, we recommend sampling of groundwater without filtration to obtain total As concentration in groundwater. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flow and sorption controls of groundwater arsenic in individual boreholes from bedrock aquifers in central Maine, USA

PubMed Central

Yang, Qiang; Culbertson, Charles W.; Nielsen, Martha G.; Schalk, Charles W.; Johnson, Carole D.; Marvinney, Robert G.; Stute, Martin; Zheng, Yan

2014-01-01

To understand the hydrogeochemical processes regulating well water arsenic (As) evolution in fractured bedrock aquifers, three domestic wells with [As] up to 478 µg/L are investigated in central Maine. Geophysical logging reveals that fractures near the borehole bottom contribute 70–100% of flow. Borehole and fracture water samples from various depths show significant proportions of As (up to 69%) and Fe (93–99%) in particulates (>0.45 µm). These particulates and those settled after a 16-day batch experiment contain 560–13,000 mg/kg of As and 14–35% weight/weight of Fe. As/Fe ratios (2.5–20 mmole/mole) and As partitioning ratios (adsorbed/dissolved [As], 20,000–100,000 L/kg) suggest that As is sorbed onto amorphous hydrous ferric oxides. Newly drilled cores also show enrichment of As (up to 1,300 mg/kg) sorbed onto secondary iron minerals on the fracture surfaces. Pumping at high flow rates induces large decreases in particulate As and Fe, a moderate increase in dissolved [As] and As(III)/As ratio, while little change in major ion chemistry. The δD and δ18O are similar for the borehole and fracture waters, suggesting a same source of recharge from atmospheric precipitation. Results support a conceptual model invoking flow and sorption controls on groundwater [As] in fractured bedrock aquifers whereby oxygen infiltration promotes oxidation of As-bearing sulfides at shallower depths in the oxic portion of the flow path releasing As and Fe; followed by Fe oxidation to form Fe oxyhydroxide particulates, which are transported in fractures and sorb As along the flow path until intercepted by boreholes. In the anoxic portions of the flow path, reductive dissolution of As-sorbed iron particulates could re-mobilize As. For exposure assessment, we recommend sampling of groundwater without filtration to obtain total As concentration in groundwater. PMID:24842411

Optical flows method for lightweight agile remote sensor design and instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chong; Xing, Fei; Wang, Hongjian; You, Zheng

2013-08-01

Lightweight agile remote sensors have become one type of the most important payloads and were widely utilized in space reconnaissance and resource survey. These imaging sensors are designed to obtain the high spatial, temporary and spectral resolution imageries. Key techniques in instrumentation include flexible maneuvering, advanced imaging control algorithms and integrative measuring techniques, which are closely correlative or even acting as the bottle-necks for each other. Therefore, mutual restrictive problems must be solved and optimized. Optical flow is the critical model which to be fully represented in the information transferring as well as radiation energy flowing in dynamic imaging. For agile sensors, especially with wide-field-of view, imaging optical flows may distort and deviate seriously when they perform large angle attitude maneuvering imaging. The phenomena are mainly attributed to the geometrical characteristics of the three-dimensional earth surface as well as the coupled effects due to the complicated relative motion between the sensor and scene. Under this circumstance, velocity fields distribute nonlinearly, the imageries may badly be smeared or probably the geometrical structures are changed since the image velocity matching errors are not having been eliminated perfectly. In this paper, precise imaging optical flow model is established for agile remote sensors, for which optical flows evolving is factorized by two forms, which respectively due to translational movement and image shape changing. Moreover, base on that, agile remote sensors instrumentation was investigated. The main techniques which concern optical flow modeling include integrative design with lightweight star sensors along with micro inertial measurement units and corresponding data fusion, the assemblies of focal plane layout and control, imageries post processing for agile remote sensors etc. Some experiments show that the optical analyzing method is effective to eliminate the limitations for the performance indexes, and succeeded to be applied for integrative system design. Finally, a principle prototype of agile remote sensor designed by the method is discussed.

Aircraft dual-shaft jet engine with indirect action fuel flow controller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudosie, Alexandru-Nicolae

2017-06-01

The paper deals with an aircraft single-jet engine's control system, based on a fuel flow controller. Considering the engine as controlled object and its thrust the most important operation effect, from the multitude of engine's parameters only its rotational speed n is measurable and proportional to its thrust, so engine's speed has become the most important controlled parameter. Engine's control system is based on fuel injection Qi dosage, while the output is engine's speed n. Based on embedded system's main parts' mathematical models, the author has described the system by its block diagram with transfer functions; furthermore, some Simulink-Matlab simulations are performed, concerning embedded system quality (its output parameters time behavior) and, meanwhile, some conclusions concerning engine's parameters mutual influences are revealed. Quantitative determinations are based on author's previous research results and contributions, as well as on existing models (taken from technical literature). The method can be extended for any multi-spool engine, single- or twin-jet.

[Mechanisms of grass in slope erosion control in Loess sandy soil region of Northwest China].

PubMed

Zhao, Chun-Hong; Gao, Jian-En; Xu, Zhen

2013-01-01

By adopting the method of simulated precipitation and from the viewpoint of slope hydrodynamics, in combining with the analysis of soil resistance to erosion, a quantitative study was made on the mechanisms of grass in controlling the slope erosion in the cross area of wind-water erosion in Loess Plateau of Northwest China under different combinations of rainfall intensity and slope gradient, aimed to provide basis to reveal the mechanisms of vegetation in controlling soil erosion and to select appropriate vegetation for the soil and water conservation in Loess Plateau. The grass Astragalus adsurgens with the coverage about 40% could effectively control the slope erosion. This grass had an efficiency of more than 70% in reducing sediment, and the grass root had a greater effect than grass canopy. On bare slope and on the slopes with the grass plant or only the grass root playing effect, there existed a functional relation between the flow velocity on the slopes and the rainfall intensity and slope gradient (V = DJ(0.33 i 0.5), where V is flow velocity, D is the comprehensive coefficient which varies with different underlying surfaces, i is rainfall intensity, and J is slope gradient). Both the grass root and the grass canopy could markedly decrease the flow velocity on the slopes, and increase the slope resistance, but the effect of grass root in decreasing flow velocity was greater while the effect in increasing resistance was smaller than that of grass canopy. The effect of grass root in increasing slope resistance was mainly achieved by increasing the sediment grain resistance, while the effect of canopy was mainly achieved by increasing the slope form resistance and wave resistance. The evaluation of the soil resistance to erosion by using a conceptual model of sediment generation by overland flow indicated that the critical shear stress value of bare slope and of the slopes with the grass plant or only the grass root playing effect was 0.533, 1.672 and 0.925 Pa, respectively.

Study of the flow mixing in a novel ARID raceway for algae production

DOE PAGES

Xu, Ben; Li, Peiwen; Waller, P.

2014-07-31

A novel flow field for algae raceways has been proposed, which is fundamentally different from traditional paddlewheel-driven raceways. To reduce freezing and heat loss in the raceway during cold time, the water is drained to a deep storage canal. The ground bed of the new raceway has a low slope so that water, lifted by propeller pump, can flow down in laterally-laid serpentine channels, relying on gravitational force. The flow rate of water is controlled so that it can overflow the lateral channel walls and mix with the main flow in the next lower channel, which thus creates a bettermore » mixing. In order to optimize the design parameters of the new flow field, methods including flow visualization, local point velocity measurement, and CFD analysis were employed to investigate the flow mixing features. Different combinations of channel geometries and water velocities were evaluated. An optimized flow field design and details of flow mixing are presented. The study offers an innovative design for large scale algae growth raceways which is of significance to the algae and biofuel industry.« less

Study of the flow mixing in a novel ARID raceway for algae production

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

Xu, Ben; Li, Peiwen; Waller, P.

A novel flow field for algae raceways has been proposed, which is fundamentally different from traditional paddlewheel-driven raceways. To reduce freezing and heat loss in the raceway during cold time, the water is drained to a deep storage canal. The ground bed of the new raceway has a low slope so that water, lifted by propeller pump, can flow down in laterally-laid serpentine channels, relying on gravitational force. The flow rate of water is controlled so that it can overflow the lateral channel walls and mix with the main flow in the next lower channel, which thus creates a bettermore » mixing. In order to optimize the design parameters of the new flow field, methods including flow visualization, local point velocity measurement, and CFD analysis were employed to investigate the flow mixing features. Different combinations of channel geometries and water velocities were evaluated. An optimized flow field design and details of flow mixing are presented. The study offers an innovative design for large scale algae growth raceways which is of significance to the algae and biofuel industry.« less

30. Engine controls and valve gear, looking aft on main ...

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

30. Engine controls and valve gear, looking aft on main (promenade) deck level. Threaded admission valve lift rods (two at immediate left of chronometer) permit adjustment of valve timing in lower and upper admission valves of cylinder (left rod controls lower valve, right rod upper valve). Valve rods are lifted by jaw-like "wipers" during operation. Exhaust valve lift rods and wipers are located to right of chronometer. Crank at extreme right drives valve wiper shaft when engaged to end of eccentric rod, shown under "Crank Indicator" dial. Pair of handles to immediate left of admission valve rods control condenser water valves; handles to right of exhaust valve rods control feedwater flow to boilers from pumps. Gauges indicate boiler pressure (left) and condenser vacuum (right); "Crank Indicator" on wall aids engineer in keeping engine crank off "dead-center" at stop so that engine may be easily restarted. - Steamboat TICONDEROGA, Shelburne Museum Route 7, Shelburne, Chittenden County, VT

Proper orthogonal decomposition analysis for cycle-to-cycle variations of engine flow. Effect of a control device in an inlet pipe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vu, Trung-Thanh; Guibert, Philippe

2012-06-01

This paper aims to investigate cycle-to-cycle variations of non-reacting flow inside a motored single-cylinder transparent engine in order to judge the insertion amplitude of a control device able to displace linearly inside the inlet pipe. Three positions corresponding to three insertion amplitudes are implemented to modify the main aerodynamic properties from one cycle to the next. Numerous particle image velocimetry (PIV) two-dimensional velocity fields following cycle database are post-treated to discriminate specific contributions of the fluctuating flow. We performed a multiple snapshot proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) in the tumble plane of a pent roof SI engine. The analytical process consists of a triple decomposition for each instantaneous velocity field into three distinctive parts named mean part, coherent part and turbulent part. The 3rd- and 4th-centered statistical moments of the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD)-filtered velocity field as well as the probability density function of the PIV realizations proved that the POD extracts different behaviors of the flow. Especially, the cyclic variability is assumed to be contained essentially in the coherent part. Thus, the cycle-to-cycle variations of the engine flows might be provided from the corresponding POD temporal coefficients. It has been shown that the in-cylinder aerodynamic dispersions can be adapted and monitored by controlling the insertion depth of the control instrument inside the inlet pipe.

Hypogenic origin, geologic controls and functional organization of a giant cave system in Precambrian carbonates, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimchouk, Alexander; Auler, Augusto S.; Bezerra, Francisco H. R.; Cazarin, Caroline L.; Balsamo, Fabrizio; Dublyansky, Yuri

2016-01-01

This study is focused on speleogenesis of the Toca da Boa Vista (TBV) and Toca da Barriguda (TBR), the longest caves in South America occurring in the Neoproterozoic Salitre Formation in the São Francisco Craton, NE Brazil. We employ a multidisciplinary approach integrating detailed speleomorphogenetic, lithostratigraphic and geological structure studies in order to reveal the origin of the caves, their functional organization and geologic controls on their development. The caves developed in deep-seated confined conditions by rising flow. The overall fields of passages of TBV and TBR caves represent a speleogenetically exploited large NE-SW-trending fracture corridor associated with a major thrust. This corridor vertically extends across the Salitre Formation allowing the rise of deep fluids. In the overall ascending flow system, the formation of the cave pattern was controlled by a system of sub-parallel anticlines and troughs with NNE-SSW dominant orientation, and by vertical and lateral heterogeneities in fracture distribution. Three cave-stratigraphic stories reflect the actual hydrostratigraphy during the main phase of speleogenesis. Cavities at different stories are distinct in morphology and functioning. The gross tree-dimensional pattern of the system is effectively organized to conduct rising flow in deep-seated confined conditions. Cavities in the lower story developed as recharge components to the system. A laterally extensive conduit network in the middle story formed because the vertical flow from numerous recharge points has been redirected laterally along the highly conductive unit, occurring below the major seal - a scarcely fractured unit. Rift-like and shaft-like conduits in the upper story developed along fracture-controlled outflow paths, breaching the integrity of the major seal, and served as outlets for the cave system. The cave system represents a series of vertically organized, functionally largely independent clusters of cavities developed within individual ascending flow cells. Lateral integration of clusters occurred due to hydrodynamic interaction between the flow cells in course of speleogenetic evolution and change of boundary conditions. The main speleogenetic phase, during which the gross cave pattern has been established and the caves acquired most of their volume, was likely related to rise of deep fluids at about 520 Ma or associated with rifting and the Pangea break-up in Triassic-Cretaceous. This study highlights the importance of speleogenetic studies for interpreting porosity and permeability features in carbonate reservoirs.

The Effect of Fluid Properties on Two-Phase Regimes of Flow in a Wide Rectangular Microchannel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronshin, F. V.; Cheverda, V. V.; Chinnov, E. A.; Kabov, O. A.

2018-04-01

We have experimentally studied a two-phase flow in a microchannel with a height of 150 μm and a width of 20 mm. Different liquids have been used, namely, a purified Milli-Q water, an 50% aqueous-ethanol solution, and FC-72. Before and after the experiment, the height of the microchannel was controlled, as well as the wettability of its walls and surface tension of liquids. Using the schlieren method, the main characteristics of two-phase flow in wide ranges of gas- and liquid-flow rates have been revealed. The flow regime-formation mechanism has been found to depend on the properties of the liquid used. The flow regime has been registered when the droplets moving along the microchannel are vertical liquid bridges. It has been shown that, when using FC-72 liquid, a film of liquid is formed on the upper channel wall in the whole range of gas- and liquid-flow rates.

Nonlinear model-order reduction for compressible flow solvers using the Discrete Empirical Interpolation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fosas de Pando, Miguel; Schmid, Peter J.; Sipp, Denis

2016-11-01

Nonlinear model reduction for large-scale flows is an essential component in many fluid applications such as flow control, optimization, parameter space exploration and statistical analysis. In this article, we generalize the POD-DEIM method, introduced by Chaturantabut & Sorensen [1], to address nonlocal nonlinearities in the equations without loss of performance or efficiency. The nonlinear terms are represented by nested DEIM-approximations using multiple expansion bases based on the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition. These extensions are imperative, for example, for applications of the POD-DEIM method to large-scale compressible flows. The efficient implementation of the presented model-reduction technique follows our earlier work [2] on linearized and adjoint analyses and takes advantage of the modular structure of our compressible flow solver. The efficacy of the nonlinear model-reduction technique is demonstrated to the flow around an airfoil and its acoustic footprint. We could obtain an accurate and robust low-dimensional model that captures the main features of the full flow.

Analytical studies on the instabilities of heterogeneous intelligent traffic flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngoduy, D.

2013-10-01

It has been widely reported in literature that a small perturbation in traffic flow such as a sudden deceleration of a vehicle could lead to the formation of traffic jams without a clear bottleneck. These traffic jams are usually related to instabilities in traffic flow. The applications of intelligent traffic systems are a potential solution to reduce the amplitude or to eliminate the formation of such traffic instabilities. A lot of research has been conducted to theoretically study the effect of intelligent vehicles, for example adaptive cruise control vehicles, using either computer simulation or analytical method. However, most current analytical research has only applied to single class traffic flow. To this end, the main topic of this paper is to perform a linear stability analysis to find the stability threshold of heterogeneous traffic flow using microscopic models, particularly the effect of intelligent vehicles on heterogeneous (or multi-class) traffic flow instabilities. The analytical results will show how intelligent vehicle percentages affect the stability of multi-class traffic flow.

Lessons Learned from the Space Shuttle Engine Hydrogen Flow Control Valve Poppet Breakage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martinez, Hugo E.; Damico, Stephen; Brewer, John

2011-01-01

The Main Propulsion System (MPS) uses three Flow Control Valves (FCV) to modulate the flow of pressurant hydrogen gas from the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) to the hydrogen External Tank (ET). This maintains pressure in the ullage volume as the liquid level drops, preserving ET structural integrity and assuring the engines receive a sufficient amount of head pressure. On Space Transportation System (STS)-126 (2009), with only a handful of International Space Station (ISS) assembly flights from the end of the Shuttle program, a portion of a single FCV?s poppet head broke off at about a minute and a half after liftoff. The risk of the poppet head failure is that the increased flow area through the FCV could result in excessive gaseous hydrogen flow back to the external tank, which could result in overboard venting of hydrogen ullage pressure. If the hydrogen venting were to occur in first stage (i.e., lower atmosphere), a flammability hazard exists that could lead to catastrophic loss of crew and vehicle. Other failure risks included particle impact damage to MPS downstream hardware. Although the FCV design had been plagued by contamination-related sluggish valve response problems prior to a redesign at STS-80 (1996), contamination was ruled out as the cause of the STS-126 failure. Employing a combination of enhanced hardware inspection and a better understanding of the consequences of a poppet failure, safe flight rationale for subsequent flights (STS-119 and later) was achieved. This paper deals with the technical lessons learned during the investigation and mitigation of this problem at a time when assembly flights were each in the critical path to Space Station success.

A Novel Approach for Modeling Chemical Reaction in Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sozen, Mehmet; Majumdar, Alok

2002-01-01

The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) is a computer code developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center for analyzing steady state and transient flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and concentrations in a complex flow network. The code, which performs system level simulation, can handle compressible and incompressible flows as well as phase change and mixture thermodynamics. Thermodynamic and thermophysical property programs, GASP, WASP and GASPAK provide the necessary data for fluids such as helium, methane, neon, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, fluorine, hydrogen, water, a hydrogen, isobutane, butane, deuterium, ethane, ethylene, hydrogen sulfide, krypton, propane, xenon, several refrigerants, nitrogen trifluoride and ammonia. The program which was developed out of need for an easy to use system level simulation tool for complex flow networks, has been used for the following purposes to name a few: Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump Secondary Flow Circuits, Axial Thrust Balance of the Fastrac Engine Turbopump, Pressurized Propellant Feed System for the Propulsion Test Article at Stennis Space Center, X-34 Main Propulsion System, X-33 Reaction Control System and Thermal Protection System, and International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System design. There has been an increasing demand for implementing a combustion simulation capability into GFSSP in order to increase its system level simulation capability of a liquid rocket propulsion system starting from the propellant tanks up to the thruster nozzle for spacecraft as well as launch vehicles. The present work was undertaken for addressing this need. The chemical equilibrium equations derived from the second law of thermodynamics and the energy conservation equation derived from the first law of thermodynamics are solved simultaneously by a Newton-Raphson method. The numerical scheme was implemented as a User Subroutine in GFSSP.

Redesigned Gas Mass Flow Sensors for Space Shuttle Pressure Control System and Fuel Cell System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

A program was conducted to determine if a state of the art micro-machined silicon solid state flow sensor could be used to replace the existing space shuttle orbiter flow sensors. The rather aggressive goal was to obtain a new sensor which would also be a multi-gas sensor and operate over a much wider flow range and with a higher degree of accuracy than the existing sensors. Two types of sensors were tested. The first type was a venturi throat design and the second was a bypass design. The accuracy of venturi design was found to be marginally acceptable. The bypass sensor was much better although it still did not fully reach the accuracy goal. Two main problems were identified which would require further work.

Effects of gravity and blood volume shifts on cardiogenic oscillations in respired gas.

PubMed

Montmerle, Stéphanie; Linnarsson, Dag

2005-09-01

During the cardiac cycle, cardiogenic oscillations of expired gas (x) concentrations (COS([x])) are generated. At the same time, there are heart-synchronous cardiogenic oscillations of airway flow (COS(flow)), where inflow occurs during systole. We hypothesized that both phenomena, although primarily generated by the heartbeat, would react differently to the cephalad blood shift caused by inflation of an anti-gravity (anti-G) suit and to changes in gravity. Twelve seated subjects performed a rebreathing-breath-holding-expiration maneuver with a gas mixture containing O2 and He at normal (1 G) and moderately increased gravity (2 G); an anti-G suit was inflated to 85 mmHg in each condition. When the anti-G suit was inflated, COS(flow) amplitude increased (P = 0.0028) at 1 G to 186% of the control value without inflation (1-G control) and at 2 G to 203% of the control value without inflation (2-G control). In contrast, the amplitude of COS of the concentration of the blood-soluble gas O2 (COS([O2/He])), an index of the differences in pulmonary perfusion between lung units, declined to 75% of the 1-G control value and to 74% of the 2-G control value (P = 0.0030). There were no significant changes in COS(flow) or COS([O2/He]) amplitudes with gravity. We conclude that the heart-synchronous mechanical agitation of the lungs, as expressed by COS(flow), is highly dependent on peripheral-to-central blood shifts. In contrast, COS([blood-soluble gas]) appears relatively independent of this mechanical agitation and seems to be determined mainly by differences in intrapulmonary perfusion.

Electromechanically Actuated Valve for Controlling Flow Rate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, Paul

2007-01-01

A proposed valve for controlling the rate of flow of a fluid would include an electric-motor-driven ball-screw mechanism for adjusting the seating element of the valve to any position between fully closed and fully open. The motor would be of a type that can be electronically controlled to rotate to a specified angular position and to rotate at a specified rate, and the ball screw would enable accurate linear positioning of the seating element as a function of angular position of the motor. Hence, the proposed valve would enable fine electronic control of the rate of flow and the rate of change of flow. The uniqueness of this valve lies in a high degree of integration of the actuation mechanism with the flow-control components into a single, relatively compact unit. A notable feature of this integration is that in addition to being a major part of the actuation mechanism, the ball screw would also be a flow-control component: the ball screw would be hollow so as to contain part of the main flow passage, and one end of the ball screw would be the main seating valve element. The relationships among the components of the valve are best understood by reference to the figure, which presents meridional cross sections of the valve in the fully closed and fully open positions. The motor would be supported by a bracket bolted to the valve body. By means of gears or pulleys and a timing belt, motor drive would be transmitted to a sleeve that would rotate on bearings in the valve body. A ball nut inside the sleeve would be made to rotate with the sleeve by use of a key. The ball screw would pass through and engage the ball nut. A key would prevent rotation of the ball screw in the valve body while allowing the ball screw to translate axially when driven by the ball nut. The outer surface of the ball screw would be threaded only in a mid-length region: the end regions of the outer surface of the ball screw would be polished so that they could act as dynamic sealing surfaces. The inlet end (the right end as depicted in the figure) of the ball screw would be the main seating valve element: in the fully closed position, it would be pressed against the valve seat, as depicted in the upper part of the figure. A retainer would hold the valve seat in an inlet fitting. In addition, the retainer would be contoured to obtain a specified flow rate as a function of axial position of the ball screw. In the fully closed position, little force would be needed to press the ball screw against the seat because the push bore area upon which the upstream pressure would act would be small. The motor would position and hold the ball screw against the seat, providing the force necessary for sealing. To open the valve to a particular position, the motor would be commanded to rotate to a particular angular position (equivalently, a particular number of revolutions) at a particular rate of rotation within its torque limitations. Once the valve was open, fluid would flow through the inlet fitting and the chamber in the inlet housing, past the seat and its retainer, along the hollow core of the ball screw, and through the outlet housing and outlet fitting. The net force generated from fluid pressure in the open position would be small because the pressure exposed to the push bore areas at the inlet and outlet are nearly equal and the forces generated would be in opposing directions.

Flow induced vibrations in the SSME injector heads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lepore, Frank A.

1991-01-01

A description is given of the flowfield in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) powerhead, the mechanisms which control flow-induced vibrations, and previous experimental work. An in-depth description is given of the development phase of the program , which includes the analysis, design, and fabrication of liquid oxygen (LOX) posts models used in the experimental phase, as well as test facilities, equipment, and procedures used. Also covered is the experimental data analysis, which includes overall steady state powerhead flowfield as well as the high frequency response of the LOX posts.

Bifurcation analysis of nephron pressure and flow regulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barfred, Mikael; Mosekilde, Erik; Holstein-Rathlou, Niels-Henrik

1996-09-01

One- and two-dimensional continuation techniques are applied to study the bifurcation structure of a model of renal flow and pressure control. Integrating the main physiological mechanisms by which the individual nephron regulates the incoming blood flow, the model describes the interaction between the tubuloglomerular feedback and the response of the afferent arteriole. It is shown how a Hopf bifurcation leads the system to perform self-sustained oscillations if the feedback gain becomes sufficiently strong, and how a further increase of this parameter produces a folded structure of overlapping period-doubling cascades. Similar phenomena arise in response to increasing blood pressure. The numerical analyses are supported by existing experimental results on anesthetized rats.

The effect of hydrodynamic conditions on the phenotype of Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms.

PubMed

Simões, Manuel; Pereira, Maria O; Sillankorva, Sanna; Azeredo, Joana; Vieira, Maria J

2007-01-01

This study investigated the phenotypic characteristics of monoculture P. fluorescens biofilms grown under turbulent and laminar flow, using flow cells reactors with stainless steel substrata. The cellular physiology and the overall biofilm activity, structure and composition were characterized, and compared, within hydrodynamically distinct conditions. The results indicate that turbulent flow-generated biofilm cells were significantly less extensive, with decreased metabolic activity and a lower protein and polysaccharides composition per cell than those from laminar flow-generated biofilms. The effect of flow regime did not cause significantly different outer membrane protein expression. From the analysis of biofilm activity, structure and composition, turbulent flow-generated biofilms were metabolically more active, had twice more mass per cm(2), and higher cellular density and protein content (mainly cellular) than laminar flow-generated biofilms. Conversely, laminar flow-generated biofilms presented higher total and matrix polysaccharide contents. Direct visualisation and scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that these different flows generate structurally different biofilms, corroborating the quantitative results. The combination of applied methods provided useful information regarding a broad spectrum of biofilm parameters, which can contribute to control and model biofilm processes.

Improvement in symptoms and cochlear flow with pycnogenol in patients with Meniere's disease and tinnitus.

PubMed

Luzzi, R; Belcaro, G; Hu, S; Dugall, M; Hosoi, M; Cacchio, M; Ippolito, E; Corsi, M

2014-06-01

The aim of this supplement registry was to evaluate the efficacy of the Pycnogenol® in improving cochlear flow and symptoms in a 6-month follow-up for patients with Meniere's disease (MD), tinnitus and cochlear hypoperfusion. Main signs/symptoms were considered: Spontaneous vertigo, positional vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, pressure in the ear, unsteady gait, associated clinical problems, alterations in daily life. All subjects were managed with the best available management (BM); one group used the supplement Pycnogenol (150 mg/day). Cochlear flow and tinnitus were also evaluated. Out of 120 patients incuded in the registry, 55 used Pycnogenol and 52 (controls) were managed only with BM. There was a more significant improvement in all registry items at 3 and 6 months in the Pycnogenol group (P<0.05). The number of lost working days was lower in the Pycnogenol group. At 3 months, 45.4% of subjects using Pycnogenol were completely asymptomatic in comparison with 23.07% of controls. At 6 months 87.3% of the Pycnogenol subjects were asymptomatic compared with 34.6% of controls. Cochlear flow velocity was significantly better (higher flow, higher diastolic component) in the Pycnogenol group (P<0.05). The subjective tinnitus scale decreased in both groups (P<0.05); the decrease was more significant in Pycnogenol subjects (P<0.05) at 3 and 6 months. Symptoms of Meniere's disease, flow at cochlear level and tinnitus improved in Pycnogenol subjects in comparison with best management.

Evaluation of Renal Blood Flow and Oxygenation in CKD Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

PubMed

Khatir, Dinah S; Pedersen, Michael; Jespersen, Bente; Buus, Niels H

2015-09-01

Animal studies suggest that progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is related to renal hypoxia. With renal blood supply determining oxygen delivery and sodium absorption being the main contributor to oxygen consumption, we describe the relationship between renal oxygenation, renal artery blood flow, and sodium absorption in patients with CKD and healthy controls. Cross-sectional study. 62 stable patients with CKD stages 3 to 4 (mean age, 61±13 [SD] years) and 24 age- and sex-matched controls. CKD versus control status. Renal artery blood flow, tissue oxygenation (relative changes in deoxyhemoglobin concentration of the renal medulla [MR2*] and cortex [CR2*]), and sodium absorption. Renal artery blood flow was determined by phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); MR2* and CR2* were determined by blood oxygen level-dependent MRI. Ultrafiltered and reabsorbed sodium were determined from measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) and 24-hour urine collections. mGFR in patients was 37% that of controls (36±15 vs 97±23 mL/min/1.73 m(2); P < 0.001), and reabsorbed sodium was 37% that of controls (6.9 vs 19.1 mol/24 h; P < 0.001). Single-kidney patient renal artery blood flow was 72% that of controls (319 vs 443 mL/min; P < 0.001). Glomerular filtration fraction was 9% in patients and 18% in controls (P < 0.001). Patients and controls had similar CR2* (13.4 vs 13.3 s(-1)) and medullary MR2* (26.4 vs 26.5 s(-1)) values. Linear regression analysis demonstrated no associations between R2* and renal artery blood flow or sodium absorption. Increasing arterial blood oxygen tension by breathing 100% oxygen had very small effects on CR2*, but reduced MR2* in both groups. Only renal artery blood flow was determined and thus regional perfusion could not be related to CR2* or MR2*. In CKD, reductions of mGFR and reabsorbed sodium are more than double that of renal artery blood flow, whereas cortical and medullary oxygenation are within the range of healthy persons. Reduction in glomerular filtration fraction may prevent renal hypoxia in CKD. Copyright © 2015 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nitrate and phosphorus transport through subsurface drains under free and controlled drainage.

PubMed

Saadat, Samaneh; Bowling, Laura; Frankenberger, Jane; Kladivko, Eileen

2018-05-28

Controlled drainage (CD) is a structural conservation practice in which the drainage outlet is managed in order to reduce drain flow volume and nutrient loads to water bodies. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential of CD to improve water quality for two different seasons and levels of outlet control, using ten years of data collected from an agricultural drained field in eastern Indiana with two sets of paired plots. The Rank Sum test was used to quantify the impact of CD on cumulative annual drain flow and nitrate-N and phosphorus loads. CD plots had a statistically significant (at 5% level) lower annual drain flow (eastern pair: 39%; western pair: 25%) and nitrate load (eastern pair: 43%; western pair: 26%) compared to free draining (FD) plots, while annual soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and total phosphorus (TP) loads were not significantly different. An ANCOVA model was used to evaluate the impact of CD on daily drain flow, nitrate-N, SRP and TP concentrations and loads during the two different periods of control. The average percent reduction of daily drain flow was 68% in the eastern pair and 58% in the western pair during controlled drainage at the higher outlet level (winter) and 64% and 58% at the lower outlet level (summer) in the eastern and western pairs, respectively. Nitrate load reduction was similar to drain flow reduction, while the effect of CD on SRP and TP loads was not significant except for the increase in SRP in one pair. These results from a decade-long field monitoring and two different statistical methods enhance our knowledge about water quality impacts of CD system and support this management practice as a reliable system for reducing nitrate loss through subsurface drains, mainly caused by flow reduction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Risks to Human Health in Heterogeneous Aquifers under Uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Barros, Felipe

2015-04-01

Reliable quantification of human health risk from toxic chemicals present in groundwater is a challenging task. The main difficulty relies on the fact that many of the components that constitute human health risk assessment are uncertain and requires interdisciplinary knowledge. Understanding the impact from each of these components in risk estimation can provide guidance for decision makers to manage contaminated sites and best allocate resources towards minimal prediction uncertainty. This presentation will focus on the impact of aquifer heterogeneity in human health risk. Spatial heterogeneity of the hydrogeological properties can lead to the formation of preferential flow channels which control the plume spreading rates and travel time statistics, both which are critical in assessing the risk level. By making use of an integrated hydrogeological-health stochastic framework, the significance of characteristic length scales (e.g. characterizing flow, transport and sampling devices) in both controlling the uncertainty of health risk and determining data needs is highlighted. Through a series of examples, we show how fundamental knowledge on the main physical mechanisms affecting solute pathways are necessary to understand the human health response to varying drivers.

Investigation of methods for calculating duration of lightsignal regulation cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorokhin, S. V.; Novikov, A. N.; Zelikov, V. A.; Strukov, Y. V.; Novikov, I. A.; Shevtsova, A. G.; Likhachev, D. V.

2018-05-01

The research objective is development of a new approach to determining of mode operation of traffic lights taking into consideration advanced characteristics of traffic flow. It will allow one to decrease transport delay significantly while a vehicle on the way and, using signal control, to increase main parameters on the whole, such as fuel consumption, travel time and traffic speed. The research shows that basic approaches, which are applied nowadays to determine main parameters of traffic lights, do not allow one to take into consideration a number of characteristics of traffic flow, so it leads to many challenges that appear as ineffective using of traffic lights. There is critical transport delay at many controlled crossroads so it can lead to emergence of traffic accidents. The research contributes to the knowledge, studying the experience of using these approaches and, on the basis of their improvement and development of new approaches, allowing one to reduce risks to a minimum. The study also provides an opportunity to expand the scope of further research in this area, combining and applying lessons learned.

Vascular reactivity in arterioles from normal and alloxan-diabetic mice: studies on single perfused islets.

PubMed

Lai, En Yin; Jansson, Leif; Patzak, Andreas; Persson, A Erik G

2007-01-01

Pancreatic islets possess an autonomous mechanism of blood flow regulation, independent of that of the exocrine pancreas. To study islet vascular regulation without confounding effects of the exocrine blood vessels, we have developed a technique enabling us to isolate single pancreatic islets and then to perfuse them using their endogenous vasculature for distribution of the medium. This made it possible to directly study the vascular reactivity of islet arterioles to different substances. We confirmed that control of islet blood flow is mainly located at the precapillary level. As expected, administration of angiotensin II and l-nitro-arginine methyl ester contracted islet arterioles, whereas nitric oxide and adenosine dilated them. d-glucose, the main insulin secretagogue, had a selective dilating effect on smooth muscle in islet arterioles but not in glomerular afferent arterioles. The response to glucose was amplified in islet arterioles from diabetic animals, indicating enhanced islet blood perfusion in diabetes. This newly developed technique for perfusing isolated pancreatic islets will provide new insights into islet perfusion control and its possible contributions to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

Seismic stratigraphy and depositional history of the Büyükçekmece Bay since Latest Pleistocene, Marmara Sea, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vardar, Denizhan; Alp, Hakan; Alpar, Bedri

2018-02-01

High-resolution seismic data shed light on latest Pleistocene and Holocene sedimentation beneath the Büyükçekmece Bay, northern shelf area of the Marmara Sea, Turkey. Discontinuous fluvio-marine and marine deposits overlying the erosional truncation surface of Oligocene-Lower Miocene deposits are as thick as 30 m and preserved preferentially within the incised valleys that were controlled by some old faults. A series of prograding shoreline, laterally passing to the latest Pleistocene-Holocene valley-fill deposits, are thought to have accumulated mainly during times of shoreline transgression and sea-level rise. The overall morphology and stratigraphic setting observed in the Büyükçekmece Bay and at the southern outlet of the Bosphorus Strait have nearly same characteristics, implying that similar hydrodynamic conditions, erosional and depositional processes were mainly under the control of strong northerly flows during the Late Quaternary. These flows were less powerful in the Büyükçekmece region with decreased sediment input and smaller accommodation space.

Flow Distribution Around the SSME Main Injector Assembly Using Porosity Formulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Gary C.; Chen, Yen-Sen; Wang, Ten-See

1995-01-01

Hot gas turbulent flow distribution around the main injector assembly of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) and Liquid Oxidizer (LOX) flow distribution through the LOX posts have a great effect on the combustion phenomena inside the main combustion chamber. In order to design a CFD model to be an effective engineering analysis tool with good computational turn- around time (especially for 3-D flow problems) and still maintain good accuracy in describing the flow features, the concept of porosity was employed to describe the effects of blockage and drag force due to the presence of the LOX posts in the turbulent flow field around the main injector assembly of the SSME. 2-D numerical studies were conducted to identify the drag coefficients of the flows both through tube banks and around the shielded posts over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. Empirical, analytical expressions of the drag coefficient as a function of local flow Reynolds number were then deduced. The porosity model was applied to the turbulent flow around the main injector assembly of the SSME, and analyses were performed. The 3-D CFD analysis was divided into three parts, LOX dome, hot gas injector assembly, and hydrogen cavity. The numerical results indicate that the mixture ratio at the downstream of injector face was close to stoichiometric around baffle elements.

Flow Distribution Around the SSME Main Injector Assembly Using Porosity Formulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Gary C.; Chen, Yen-Sen; Wang, Ten-See

1995-01-01

Hot gas turbulent flow distribution around the main injector assembly of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) and Liquid Oxidizer (LOX) flow distribution through the LOX posts have a great effect on the combustion phenomena inside the main combustion chamber. In order to design a CFD model to be an effective engineering analysis tool with good computational turn-around time (especially for 3-D flow problems) and still maintain good accuracy in describing the flow features, the concept of porosity was employed to describe the effects of blockage and drag force due to the presence of the LOX posts in the turbulent flow field around the main injector assembly of the SSME. 2-D numerical studies were conducted to identify the drag coefficients of the flows both through tube banks and around the shielded posts over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. Empirical, analytical expressions of the drag coefficient as a function of local flow Reynolds number were then deduced. The porosity model was applied to the turbulent flow around the main injector assembly of the SSME, and analyses were performed. The 3-D CFD analysis was divided into three parts, LOX dome, hot gas injector assembly, and hydrogen cavity. The numerical results indicate that the mixture ratio at the downstream of injector face was close to stoichiometric around baffle elements.

Engineering the Flow of Liquid Two-Phase Systems by Passive Noise Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zeyi; Kong, Tiantian; Zhou, Chunmei; Wang, Liqiu

2018-02-01

We investigate a passive noise-control approach to engineering the two-phase flow in a microfluidic coflow system. The presence or absence of the jet breakup is studied for two immiscible oil phases, in a straight microchannel (referred to as the J device in the main text), an expansion microchannel (the W device) and a microchannel with the expansion-contraction geometry (the S device), respectively. We show that the jet breaks into droplets, in the jetting regime and the dripping regime (also referred to as the widening-jetting regime) for the straight channel and expansion channel, respectively, while a stable long jet does not break for the expansion-contraction geometry. As the inner phase passes the expansion-contraction functional unit, the random noise on the interface is significantly reduced and the hydrodynamic instability is suppressed, for a range of experimental parameters including flow rates, device geometry, liquid viscosity, and interfacial tension. We further present scale-up devices with multiple noise-control units and achieve decimeter-long yet stable jets. Our simple, effective, and robust noise-control approach can benefit microfluidic applications such as microfiber fabrication, interface chemical reaction, and on-chip distance transportation.

A flow cytometric approach to the study of crustacean cellular immunity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cardenas, W.; Jenkins, J.A.; Dankert, J.R.

2000-01-01

Responses of hemocytes from the crayfish Procambarus zonangulus to stimulation by fungal cell walls (Zymosan A) were measured by flow cytometry. Changes in hemocyte physical characteristics were assessed flow cytometrically using forward- and sidescatter light parameters, and viability was measured by two-color fluorescent staining with calcein-AM and ethidium homodimer 1. The main effects of zymosan A on crayfish hemocytes were reduction in cell size and viability compared to control mixtures (hemocytes in buffer only). Adding diethyldithiocarbamic acid, an inhibitor of phenoloxidase, to hemocyte to zymosan mixtures delayed the time course of cell size reduction and cell death compared to zymosan-positive controls. The inclusion of trypsin inhibitor in reaction mixtures further delayed the reduction in hemocyte size and cell death, thereby indicating that a proteolytic cascade, along with prophenoloxidase activation, played a key role in generating signal molecules which mediate these cellular responses. In addition to traditional methods such as microscopy and protein chemistry, flow cytometry can provide a simple, reproducible, and sensitve method for evaluating invertebrate hemocyte responses to immunological stimuli.

Experiments of draining and filling processes in a collapsible tube at high external pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flaud, P.; Guesdon, P.; Fullana, J.-M.

2012-02-01

The venous circulation in the lower limb is mainly controlled by the muscular action of the calf. To study the mechanisms governing the venous draining and filling process in such a situation, an experimental setup, composed by a collapsible tube under external pressure, has been built. A valve preventing back flows is inserted at the bottom of the tube and allows to model two different configurations: physiological when the fluid flow is uni-directional and pathological when the fluid flows in both directions. Pressure and flow rate measurements are carried out at the inlet and outlet of the tube and an original optical device with three cameras is proposed to measure the instantaneous cross-sectional area. The experimental results (draining and filling with physiological or pathological valves) are confronted to a simple one-dimensional numerical model which completes the physical interpretation. One major observation is that the muscular contraction induces a fast emptying phase followed by a slow one controlled by viscous effects, and that a defect of the valve decreases, as expected, the ejected volume.

Hydrographic surveys at seven chutes and three backwaters on the Missouri River in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri, 2011-13

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krahulik, Justin R.; Densmore, Brenda K.; Anderson, Kayla J.; Kavan, Cory L.

2015-01-01

Discharge was measured at chute survey sites, in both the main channel of the Missouri River upstream from the chute and the chute. Many chute entrances and control structures were damaged by floodwater during the 2011 Missouri River flood, allowing a larger percentage of the total Missouri River discharge to flow through the chute than originally intended in the chute design. Measured discharge split between the main channel and the chute at most chutes was consistent with effects of the 2011 Missouri River flood damages and a larger percent of the total Missouri River discharge was flowing through the chute than originally intended. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers repaired many of these chutes in 2012 and 2013, and the resulting hydraulic changes are reflected in the discharge splits.

Anomaly Detection in Test Equipment via Sliding Mode Observers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Solano, Wanda M.; Drakunov, Sergey V.

2012-01-01

Nonlinear observers were originally developed based on the ideas of variable structure control, and for the purpose of detecting disturbances in complex systems. In this anomaly detection application, these observers were designed for estimating the distributed state of fluid flow in a pipe described by a class of advection equations. The observer algorithm uses collected data in a piping system to estimate the distributed system state (pressure and velocity along a pipe containing liquid gas propellant flow) using only boundary measurements. These estimates are then used to further estimate and localize possible anomalies such as leaks or foreign objects, and instrumentation metering problems such as incorrect flow meter orifice plate size. The observer algorithm has the following parts: a mathematical model of the fluid flow, observer control algorithm, and an anomaly identification algorithm. The main functional operation of the algorithm is in creating the sliding mode in the observer system implemented as software. Once the sliding mode starts in the system, the equivalent value of the discontinuous function in sliding mode can be obtained by filtering out the high-frequency chattering component. In control theory, "observers" are dynamic algorithms for the online estimation of the current state of a dynamic system by measurements of an output of the system. Classical linear observers can provide optimal estimates of a system state in case of uncertainty modeled by white noise. For nonlinear cases, the theory of nonlinear observers has been developed and its success is mainly due to the sliding mode approach. Using the mathematical theory of variable structure systems with sliding modes, the observer algorithm is designed in such a way that it steers the output of the model to the output of the system obtained via a variety of sensors, in spite of possible mismatches between the assumed model and actual system. The unique properties of sliding mode control allow not only control of the model internal states to the states of the real-life system, but also identification of the disturbance or anomaly that may occur.

Use of ERTS-1 DCS in the management and control of water resources systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finegan, J. W., Jr.

1975-01-01

The ERTS-1 experimental hydrologic Data Collection Platform System that has been established at the New England Division (NED), the reasons for getting involved with the experiment, some of the initial problems associated with the data collection hardware, and a preliminary conclusion based on operating experiences are reviewed. The New England Region includes the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The entire area consists of approximately 97,000 sq. km. (60,000 square miles), half of which is in the state of Maine. The limits of the NED are all of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont to the western limits of the Connecticut River basin, Massachusetts, Connecticut to the western edge of the Housatonic River basin and Rhode Island. All reservoirs have flood control as a primary purpose. Other uses include water supply, recreation and low flow augmentation. However, none of the reservoirs are presently operated for hydroelectric power, navigation, or irrigation purposes. Basically then, flood control regulation is NED's primary concern.

Application of PSAT to Load Flow Analysis with STATCOM under Load Increase Scenario and Line Contingencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Telang, Aparna S.; Bedekar, P. P.

2017-09-01

Load flow analysis is the initial and essential step for any power system computation. It is required for choosing better options for power system expansion to meet with ever increasing load demand. Implementation of Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) device like STATCOM, in the load flow, which is having fast and very flexible control, is one of the important tasks for power system researchers. This paper presents a simple and systematic approach for steady state power flow calculations with FACTS controller, static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) using command line usage of MATLAB tool-power system analysis toolbox (PSAT). The complexity of MATLAB language programming increases due to incorporation of STATCOM in an existing Newton-Raphson load flow algorithm. Thus, the main contribution of this paper is to show how command line usage of user friendly MATLAB tool, PSAT, can extensively be used for quicker and wider interpretation of the results of load flow with STATCOM. The novelty of this paper lies in the method of applying the load increase pattern, where the active and reactive loads have been changed simultaneously at all the load buses under consideration for creating stressed conditions for load flow analysis with STATCOM. The performance have been evaluated on many standard IEEE test systems and the results for standard IEEE-30 bus system, IEEE-57 bus system, and IEEE-118 bus system are presented.

Numerical modelling and data assimilation of the Larsen B ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula.

PubMed

Vieli, Andreas; Payne, Antony J; Du, Zhijun; Shepherd, Andrew

2006-07-15

In this study, the flow and rheology of pre-collapse Larsen B ice shelf are investigated by using a combination of flow modelling and data assimilation. Observed shelf velocities from satellite interferometry are used to constrain an ice shelf model by using a data assimilation technique based on the control method. In particular, the ice rheology field and the velocities at the inland shelf boundary are simultaneously optimized to get a modelled flow and stress field that is consistent with the observed flow. The application to the Larsen B ice shelf shows that a strong weakening of the ice in the shear zones, mostly along the margins, is necessary to fit the observed shelf flow. This pattern of bands with weak ice is a very robust feature of the inversion, whereas the ice rheology within the main shelf body is found to be not well constrained. This suggests that these weak zones play a major role in the control of the flow of the Larsen B ice shelf and may be the key to understanding the observed pre-collapse thinning and acceleration of Larsen B. Regarding the sensitivity of the stress field to rheology, the consistency of the model with the observed flow seems crucial for any further analysis such as the application of fracture mechanics or perturbation model experiments.

Passive chip-based droplet sorting

DOEpatents

Beer, Neil Reginald; Lee, Abraham P; Hatch, Andrew C; Fisher, Jeffrey S

2015-03-03

An apparatus for passive sorting of microdroplets including a main flow channel, a flow stream of microdroplets in the main flow channel wherein the microdroplets have substantially the same diameter and wherein the flow stream of microdroplets includes first microdroplets having a first degree of stiffness and second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness wherein the second degree of stiffness is different than the first degree of stiffness. A second flow channel is connected to the main flow channel for the second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness. A separator separates the second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness from the first microdroplets and directs the second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness into the second flow channel.

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

Beer, Neil Reginald; Lee, Abraham P; Hatch, Andrew C

An apparatus for passive sorting of microdroplets including a main flow channel, a flow stream of microdroplets in the main flow channel wherein the microdroplets have substantially the same diameter and wherein the flow stream of microdroplets includes first microdroplets having a first degree of stiffness and second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness wherein the second degree of stiffness is different than the first degree of stiffness. A second flow channel is connected to the main flow channel for the second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness. A separator separates the second microdroplets having a second degreemore » of stiffness from the first microdroplets and directs the second microdroplets having a second degree of stiffness into the second flow channel.« less

Distribution of "Compound" and "Simple" Flows in the Deccan Traps (India)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanderkluysen, L.; Self, S.; Jay, A. E.; Sheth, H. C.; Clarke, A. B.

2014-12-01

The Deccan Traps are a dominantly mafic large igneous province (LIP) that, prior to erosion, covered ~1 million km2 of west-central India with lava flows. The type sections of the Western Ghats escarpment, where the Deccan lava pile reaches a maximum reconstructed stratigraphic thickness of ~3400 m, are subdivided into eleven formations defined on chemo-stratigraphic grounds. Earlier work recognized that emplacement of Deccan basalt flows primarily occurs following two main modes: as a stack of meter-sized pāhoehoe toes and lobes, termed "compound" flows; or as inflated sheet lobes tens to hundreds of meters in width and meters to tens of meters in height, previously termed "simple" flows. Initially, the distribution of small lobes and sheet lobes in the Deccan was thought to be controlled by distance from source, but later work suggested the distribution to be mainly controlled along stratigraphic, formational boundaries, with six of the lower formations being composed exclusively of compound flows, and the upper 4-5 formations being wholly built of sheet lobes. This simple stratigraphic subdivision of lava flow morphologies has also been documented in the volcanic architecture of other LIPs, e.g., the Etendeka, the Ethiopian Traps, and in the Faeroe Islands (North Atlantic LIP). Upon examination of eight sections carefully logged along the Western Ghats, this traditional view must be challenged. Where the lower Deccan formations crop out, we found that as much as 65% of the exposed thickness (below the Khandala Formation) is made up of sheet lobes, from 40% in the Bhimashankar Formation to 75% in the Thakurvadi Formation. Near the bottom of the sequence, 25% of the Neral Formation is composed of sheet lobes ≥15 m in thickness. This distribution in lava flow morphology does not seem to be noticeably affected by the inferred distance to the source (based on the location of similar-composition dikes for each formation). Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the development of compound flows and inflated sheet lobes, involving one or more of the following factors: underlying slope, varying effusion rate, and source geometry. Analogue experiments are currently under way to test the relative influence of each of these factors in the development of different lava flow morphologies in LIPs.

Angiographic analysis for phantom simulations of endovascular aneurysm treatments with a new fully retrievable asymmetric flow diverter.

PubMed

Yoganand, Aradhana; Wood, Rachel P; Jimenez, Carlos; Siddiqui, Adnan; Snyder, Kenneth; Nagesh, S V Setlur; Bednarek, D R; Rudin, S; Baier, Robert; Ionita, Ciprian N

2015-02-21

Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) is the main diagnostic tool for intracranial aneurysms (IA) flow-diverter (FD) assisted treatment. Based on qualitative contrast flow evaluation, interventionists decide on subsequent steps. We developed a novel fully Retrievable Asymmetric Flow-Diverter (RAFD) which allows controlled deployment, repositioning and detachment achieve optimal flow diversion. The device has a small low porosity or solid region which is placed such that it would achieve maximum aneurysmal in-jet flow deflection with minimum impairment to adjacent vessels. We tested the new RAFD using a flow-loop with an idealized and a patient specific IA phantom in carotid-relevant physiological conditions. We positioned the deflection region at three locations: distally, center and proximally to the aneurysm orifice and analyzed aneurysm dome flow using DSA derived maps for mean transit time (MTT) and bolus arrival times (BAT). Comparison between treated and untreated (control) maps quantified the RAFD positioning effect. Average MTT, related to contrast presence in the aneurysm dome increased, indicating flow decoupling between the aneurysm and parent artery. Maximum effect was observed in the center and proximal position (~75%) of aneurysm models depending on their geometry. BAT maps, correlated well with inflow jet direction and magnitude. Reduction and jet dispersion as high as about 50% was observed for various treatments. We demonstrated the use of DSA data to guide the placement of the RAFD and showed that optimum flow diversion within the aneurysm dome is feasible. This could lead to more effective and a safer IA treatment using FDs.

Angiographic analysis for phantom simulations of endovascular aneurysm treatments with a new fully retrievable asymmetric flow diverter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoganand, Aradhana; Wood, Rachel P.; Jimenez, Carlos; Siddiqui, Adnan; Snyder, Kenneth; Setlur Nagesh, S. V.; Bednarek, D. R.; Rudin, S.; Baier, Robert; Ionita, Ciprian N.

2015-03-01

Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) is the main diagnostic tool for intracranial aneurysms (IA) flow-diverter (FD) assisted treatment. Based on qualitative contrast flow evaluation, interventionists decide on subsequent steps. We developed a novel fully Retrievable Asymmetric Flow-Diverter (RAFD) which allows controlled deployment, repositioning and detachment achieve optimal flow diversion. The device has a small low porosity or solid region which is placed such that it would achieve maximum aneurysmal in-jet flow deflection with minimum impairment to adjacent vessels. We tested the new RAFD using a flow-loop with an idealized and a patient specific IA phantom in carotid-relevant physiological conditions. We positioned the deflection region at three locations: distally, center and proximally to the aneurysm orifice and analyzed aneurysm dome flow using DSA derived maps for mean transit time (MTT) and bolus arrival times (BAT). Comparison between treated and untreated (control) maps quantified the RAFD positioning effect. Average MTT, related to contrast presence in the aneurysm dome increased, indicating flow decoupling between the aneurysm and parent artery. Maximum effect was observed in the center and proximal position (~75%) of aneurysm models depending on their geometry. BAT maps, correlated well with inflow jet direction and magnitude. Reduction and jet dispersion as high as about 50% was observed for various treatments. We demonstrated the use of DSA data to guide the placement of the RAFD and showed that optimum flow diversion within the aneurysm dome is feasible. This could lead to more effective and a safer IA treatment using FDs.

Model based hydropower gate operation for mitigation of CSO impacts by means of river base flow increase.

PubMed

Achleitner, S; De Toffol, S; Engelhard, C; Rauch, W

2005-01-01

In river stretches being subjected to flow regulation, usually for the purpose of energy production (e.g. Hydropower) or flood protection (river barrage), a special measure can be taken against the effect of combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The basic idea is the temporal increase of the river base flow (during storm weather) as an in-stream measure for mitigation of CSO spilling. The focus is the mitigation of the negative effect of acute pollution of substances. The measure developed can be seen as an application of the classic real time control (RTC) concept onto the river system. Upstream gate operation is to be based on real time monitoring and forecasting of precipitation. The main objective is the development of a model based predictive control system for the gate operation, by modelling of the overall wastewater system (incl. the receiving water). The main emphasis is put on the operational strategy and the appropriate short-term forecast of spilling events. The potential of the measure is tested for the application of the operational strategy and its ecological and economic feasibility. The implementation of such an in-stream measure into the hydropower's operational scheme is unique. Advantages are (a) the additional in-stream dilution of acute pollutants entering the receiving water and (b) the resulting minimization of the required CSO storage volume.

Numerical research of dynamic characteristics in tower solar cavity receiver based on step-change radiation flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhengwei; Wang, Yueshe; Hao, Yun; Wang, Qizhi

2013-07-01

The solar cavity receiver is an important light-energy to thermal-energy convector in the tower solar thermal power plant system. The heat flux in the inner surface of the cavity will show the characteristics of non-continuous step change especially in non-normal and transient weather conditions, which may result in a continuous dynamic variation of the characteristic parameters. Therefore, the research of dynamic characteristics of the receiver plays a very important role in the operation and the control safely in solar cavity receiver system. In this paper, based on the non-continuous step change of radiation flux, a non-linear dynamic model is put forward to obtain the effects of the non-continuous step change radiation flux and step change feed water flow on the receiver performance by sequential modular approach. The subject investigated in our study is a 1MW solar power station constructed in Yanqing County, Beijing. This study has obtained the dynamic responses of the characteristic parameters in the cavity receiver, such as drum pressure, drum water level, main steam flow and main steam enthalpy under step change radiation flux. And the influence law of step-change feed water flow to the dynamic characteristics in the receiver also has been analyzed. The results have a reference value for the safe operation and the control in solar cavity receiver system.

Low regional cerebral blood flow in burning mouth syndrome patients with depression.

PubMed

Liu, B-L; Yao, H; Zheng, X-J; Du, G-H; Shen, X-M; Zhou, Y-M; Tang, G-Y

2015-07-01

The main aims of this study were to (i) investigate the emotional disorder status of patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and (ii) detect regional cerebral blood flow in BMS patients with the application of combined single-photon emission computed tomography and computed tomography (SPECT/CT). The degree of pain was measured using the visual analysis scale, and emotional disorder with the self-rating anxiety scale, self-rating depression scale, and Hamilton depression rating scale in 29 patients with BMS and 10 healthy controls. SPECT/CT was performed in 29 patients with BMS and 10 healthy controls, and statistical parametric mapping method was used for between-group analyses. The incidence rate of depression in patients with BMS was 31.0%. Compared to the control group, patients with BMS displayed significantly different depression and anxiety scales (P < 0.05). Significantly lower regional cerebral blood flow in the left parietal and left temporal lobes was recorded for BMS patients with depression (P < 0.05). Patients with BMS experience more depression and anxious emotion. Moreover, depression in patients with BMS may be associated with lower regional cerebral blood flow in the left temporal and left parietal lobes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Modeling the use of a binary mixture as a control scheme for two-phase thermal systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benner, S. M.; Costello, Frederick A.

1990-01-01

Two-phase thermal loops using mechanical pumps, capillary pumps, or a combination of the two have been chosen as the main heat transfer systems for the space station. For these systems to operate optimally, the flow rate in the loop should be controlled in response to the vapor/liquid ratio leaving the evaporator. By substituting a mixture of two non-azeotropic fluids in place of the single fluid normally used in these systems, it may be possible to monitor the temperature of the exiting vapor and determine the vapor/liquid ratio. The flow rate would then be adjusted to maximize the load capability with minimum energy input. A FLUINT model was developed to study the system dynamics of a hybrid capillary pumped loop using this type of control and was found to be stable under all the test conditions.

Pressure difference-flow rate variation in a femoral artery branch casting of man for steady flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cho, Y. I.; Back, L. H.; Crawford, D. W.

1983-01-01

In-vitro, steady flow in a casting of the profunda femoris branch of the femoral artery of man was studied by measuring pressure differences in the main lumen and also in the branch over a large Reynolds number range from 200 to 1600. Effects of viscous and inviscid flows in this femoral artery branch were demonstrated quantitatively. The critical ratio of the flow rate in the branch to the upstream main lumen in this casting was found to be 0.4, above which the inviscid flow analysis indicated a pressure rise and below which it yielded a pressure drop in the main lumen across the branch junction. Pressure rises were experimentally found to occur both in the main lumen and in the branch for certain ranges of the aforementioned ratio.

Using streamflow and hydrochemical tracers to conceptualise hydrological function of underground channel system in a karst catchment of southwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhicai; Chen, Xi; Wang, Jinli

2016-04-01

Karst hydrodynamic behaviour is complex because of special karst geology and geomorphology. The permeable multi-media consisting of soil, epikarst fractures and conduits has a key influence on karst hydrological processes. Spatial heterogeneity is high due to special landforms of vertical shafts, caves and sinkholes, which leads to a high dynamic variability of hydrological processes in space and time, and frequent exchange of surface water and groundwater. Underground water in different reach were sampled over the 1996-2001 in a karst catchment of Houzhai, with 81km2, located in Guizhou province of southwest China. Samples were analysed for water temperature, pH, conductivity and four solute concentrations. The monitoring sought to assess the combined utility of flow discharge and natural geochemical tracers in upscaling flow structure understanding in karst area. Based on previous researches and field investigation, the catchment characteristics were explored with the use of a GIS. Both flow discharge and solute concentrations exhibited clear seasonal patterns at every groundwater sampling sites. The variations of flow and chemistry are more dramatic in upstream site with less soil cover and more sinkholes development, which affect the hydrological pathways significantly. There was clear evidence that the differences in geology and soil were the main controls on hydrology and flow chemistry, which was spatially variable in different sites of underground channel. Conceptual flow structures in main hydrological response units for different area in the catchment were developed according to the variation of discharge and flow chemistry.

Modeling of Autovariator Operation as Power Components Adjuster in Adaptive Machine Drives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakin, P. D.; Belkov, V. N.; Shtripling, L. O.

2018-01-01

Full application of the available power and stationary mode preservation for the power station (engine) operation of the transport machine under the conditions of variable external loading, are topical issues. The issues solution is possible by means of mechanical drives with the autovaried rate transfer function and nonholonomic constraint of the main driving mediums. Additional to the main motion, controlled motion of the driving mediums is formed by a variable part of the transformed power flow and is implemented by the integrated control loop, functioning only on the basis of the laws of motion. The mathematical model of the mechanical autovariator operation is developed using Gibbs function, acceleration energy; the study results are presented; on their basis, the design calculations of the autovariator driving mediums and constraints, including its automatic control loop, are possible.

Design development of the Apollo command and service module thrust vector attitude control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, W. H.

1978-01-01

Development of the Apollo thrust vector control digital autopilot (TVC DAP) was summarized. This is the control system that provided pitch and yaw attitude control during velocity change maneuvers using the main rocket engine on the Apollo service module. A list of ten primary functional requirements for this control system are presented, each being subordinate to a more general requirement appearing earlier on the list. Development process functions were then identified and the essential information flow paths were explored. This provided some visibility into the particular NASA/contractor interface, as well as relationships between the many individual activities.

AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL MAINTENANCE 2. UNIT X, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS--HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS (PART II).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Engineering Inst., Cleveland, OH.

THIS MODULE OF A 25-MODULE COURSE IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS USED ON DIESEL POWERED VEHICLES. TOPICS ARE (1) CHECKING THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, (2) SERVICING THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, (3) EXAMINING THE RANGE CONTROL VALVE, (4) EXAMINING THE LOCK-UP AND FLOW VALVE, (5) EXAMINING THE MAIN REGULATOR…

Guinea pig cochlear blood flow under definite sound exposure-hydrogen clearance measurement.

PubMed

Meyer, P; Kuhl, K D; Schmidt, R; Grützmacher, W

1991-01-01

Blood flow measurements were carried out on 18 coloured guinea pigs (8 animals served as control group) before and during definite sound exposure (12 kHz, 110 dB SPL). The exposure time amounted to 60 min. The anaesthesia was carried out according to the following schedule: a mixture consisting of 70 mg alpha-chloralose/kg b.w. and 400 mg urethane/kg b.w. was injected intraperitoneally. The relaxation was performed by means of i.p. application of 3 mg Tricuran/kg b.w./h. The hydrogen clearance measurements (HCM) were carried out under artificial respiration with control of arterial pH, endexpiratory CO2 content, as well as blood pressure and body temperature. After a duration of noise exposure of 30-45 min the cochlear blood flow reached an average level of 80% of the initial point. This level remained mainly unchanged until the end of noise exposure (60 min). Our HMC's confirm Laser Doppler flowmetry findings.

Spatial pattern of severe acute respiratory syndrome in-out flow in 2003 in Mainland China.

PubMed

Xu, Chengdong; Wang, Jinfeng; Wang, Li; Cao, Chunxiang

2014-12-31

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) spread to 32 countries and regions within a few months in 2003. There were 5327 SARS cases from November 2002 to May 2003 in Mainland China, which involved 29 provinces, resulted in 349 deaths, and directly caused economic losses of $18.3 billion. This study used an in-out flow model and flow mapping to visualize and explore the spatial pattern of SARS transmission in different regions. In-out flow is measured by the in-out degree and clustering coefficient of SARS. Flow mapping is an exploratory method of spatial visualization for interaction data. The findings were as follows. (1) SARS in-out flow had a clear hierarchy. It formed two main centers, Guangdong in South China and Beijing in North China, and two secondary centers, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, both connected to Beijing. (2) "Spring Festival travel" strengthened external flow, but "SARS panic effect" played a more significant role and pushed the external flow to the peak. (3) External flow and its three typical kinds showed obvious spatial heterogeneity, such as self-spreading flow (spatial displacement of SARS cases only within the province or municipality of onset and medical locations); hospitalized flow (spatial displacement of SARS cases that had been seen by a hospital doctor); and migrant flow (spatial displacement of SARS cases among migrant workers). (4) Internal and external flow tended to occur in younger groups, and occupational differentiation was particularly evident. Low-income groups of male migrants aged 19-35 years were the main routes of external flow. During 2002-2003, SARS in-out flow played an important role in countrywide transmission of the disease in Mainland China. The flow had obvious spatial heterogeneity, which was influenced by migrants' behavior characteristics. In addition, the Chinese holiday effect led to irregular spread of SARS, but the panic effect was more apparent in the middle and late stages of the epidemic. These findings constitute valuable input to prevent and control future serious infectious diseases like SARS.

Environmental impact of irrigation in la violada district (Spain): I. Salt export patterns.

PubMed

Isidoro, D; Quílez, D; Aragüés, R

2006-01-01

Salt loading in irrigation return flows contributes to the salinization of the receiving water bodies, particularly when originated in salt-affected areas as frequently found in the middle Ebro River basin (Spain). We determined the salt loading in La Violada Gully from the total dissolved solids (TDS) and flows (Q) during the 1995 to 1998 hydrological years. Since this gully collects flows from various sources, an end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) was performed to quantify the drainage flow from La Violada Irrigation District (VID). Three flow components were identified in La Violada Gully: drainage waters from VID (Qd); tail-waters from irrigation ditches, spill-over, and seepage from the Monegros Canal (Qo); and ground water inflows (Qg) originating in the dryland watershed. Gypsum in the soils of VID was the main source for salts in La Violada Gully (flow-weighted mean TDS=1720 mg L-1, dominated by sulfate and calcium). The contribution of Qg to the total gully flow during the 1996 irrigation season was low (6.5% of the total flow). The 1995 to 1998 annual salt load average in La Violada Gully was 78 628 Mg, 71% of which was exported during the irrigation season. The 1995 to 1998 irrigation season salt load average in Qd was 43 015 Mg (77% of the total load). Thus, irrigated agriculture in VID was the main source of salt loading in this gully, with a yield of 11.1 Mg of salts per hectare of irrigated land for the irrigation season. Efficient irrigation systems and irrigation management practices that reduce Qd are key factors for controlling off-site salt pollution of these gypsum-rich irrigated areas.

Dissolved oxygen in the Tualatin River, Oregon, during winter flow conditions, 1991 and 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelly, V.J.

1996-01-01

Throughout the winter period, November through April, wastewater treatment plants in the Tualatin River Basin discharge from 10,000 to 15,000 pounds per day of biochemical oxygen demand to the river. These loads often increase substantially during storms when streamflow is high. During the early winter season, when streamflow is frequently less than the average winter flow, the treatment plants discharge about 2,000 pounds per day of ammonia. This study focused on the capacity of the Tualatin River to assimilat oxygen-demanding loads under winter streamflow conditions during the 1992 water year, with an emphasis on peak-flow conditions in the river, and winter-base-flow conditions during November 1992. Concentrations of dissolved oxygen throughout the main stem of the river during the winter remained generally high relative to the State standard for Oregon of 6 milligrams per liter. The most important factors controlling oxygen consumption during winter-low-flow conditions were carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand and input of oxygen-depleted waters from tributaries. During peak-flow conditions, reduced travel time and increased dilution associated with the increased streamflow minimized the effect of increased oxygen-demanding loads. During the base-flow period in November 1992, concentrations of dissolved oxygen were consistently below 6 milligrams per liter. A hydrodynamic water-quality model was used to identify the processes depleting dissolved oxygen, including sediment oxygen demand, nitrification, and carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand. Sediment oxygen demand was the most significant factor; nitrification was also important. Hypothetical scenarios were posed to evaluate the effect of different wastewater treatment plant loads during winter-base-flow conditions. Streamflow and temperature were significant factors governing concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the main-stem river.

Device for balancing parallel strings

DOEpatents

Mashikian, Matthew S.

1985-01-01

A battery plant is described which features magnetic circuit means in association with each of the battery strings in the battery plant for balancing the electrical current flow through the battery strings by equalizing the voltage across each of the battery strings. Each of the magnetic circuit means generally comprises means for sensing the electrical current flow through one of the battery strings, and a saturable reactor having a main winding connected electrically in series with the battery string, a bias winding connected to a source of alternating current and a control winding connected to a variable source of direct current controlled by the sensing means. Each of the battery strings is formed by a plurality of batteries connected electrically in series, and these battery strings are connected electrically in parallel across common bus conductors.

Fiber/proppant mixtures control proppant flowback in South Texas

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

Howard, P.R.; King, M.T.; Morris, M.

1995-12-31

Backproduction of proppant from hydraulic fractures (proppant flowback) is a continuing operational problem in the oil and gas industry. Up to 20% of the proppant can be flowed back after the treatment. Curable resin-coated proppants are used to control proppant production, but are known to chemically interact with fracturing fluids and may be prone to several failure mechanisms. Curable resin-coated proppants also require either well shut-in or the use of activators at low temperatures. A new method to control proppant flowback relies on fibers mixed with the proppant to stabilize the proppant pack. The main advantage of this patented technologymore » is that it is physical rather than chemical. Therefore, proppant flowback is controlled without specific shut-in time, temperature, or pressure constraints. This paper presents flowback results from fractures of dry gas wells (<1 millidarcy permeability) where fiber/proppant mixtures were used to control proppant flow-back (11 cases). Fluid flowback rate, gas rate and proppant production were monitored during the cleanup period. These wells are compared to wells where either curable resin-coated proppants or no flowback control were used (15 cases). The fiber/proppant mixtures controlled flowback of proppant for both sand and ceramic proppants when used with all the proppant or in only the last part of proppant (tail-in). Flowback could begin right after the fracturing equipment was rigged down (15 to 30 minutes). Cleanup fluid flow rates were up to ten times higher than previously obtainable with curable resin-coated proppants and less proppant was flowed back. Faster flowback rates also resulted in earlier onset of gas production and reduced flowback time. Fibers allow greater latitude in flowback rate than curable resin-coated proppants without the need for shut-in time.« less

Stability Improvement of High-Pressure-Ratio Turbocharger Centrifugal Compressor by Asymmetrical Flow Control-Part II: Nonaxisymmetrical Self-Recirculation Casing Treatment.

PubMed

Zheng, Xinqian; Zhang, Yangjun; Yang, Mingyang; Bamba, Takahiro; Tamaki, Hideaki

2013-03-01

This is part II of a two-part paper involving the development of an asymmetrical flow control method to widen the operating range of a turbocharger centrifugal compressor with high-pressure ratio. A nonaxisymmetrical self-recirculation casing treatment (SRCT) as an instance of asymmetrical flow control method is presented. Experimental and numerical methods were used to investigate the impact of nonaxisymmetrical SRCT on the surge point of the centrifugal compressor. First, the influence of the geometry of a symmetric SRCT on the compressor performance was studied by means of numerical simulation. The key parameter of the SRCT was found to be the distance from the main blade leading edge to the rear groove (S r ). Next, several arrangements of a nonaxisymmetrical SRCT were designed, based on flow analysis presented in part I. Then, a series of experiments were carried out to analyze the influence of nonaxisymmetrical SRCT on the compressor performance. Results show that the nonaxisymmetrical SRCT has a certain influence on the performance and has a larger potential for stability improvement than the traditional symmetric SRCT. For the investigated SRCT, the surge flow rate of the compressor with the nonaxisymmetrical SRCTs is about 10% lower than that of the compressor with symmetric SRCT. The largest surge margin (smallest surge flow rate) can be obtained when the phase of the largest S r is coincident with the phase of the minimum static pressure in the vicinity of the leading edge of the splitter blades.

Suspended sediment fluxes in a tidal wetland: Measurement, controlling factors, and error analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ganju, N.K.; Schoellhamer, D.H.; Bergamaschi, B.A.

2005-01-01

Suspended sediment fluxes to and from tidal wetlands are of increasing concern because of habitat restoration efforts, wetland sustainability as sea level rises, and potential contaminant accumulation. We measured water and sediment fluxes through two channels on Browns Island, at the landward end of San Francisco Bay, United States, to determine the factors that control sediment fluxes on and off the island. In situ instrumentation was deployed between October 10 and November 13, 2003. Acoustic Doppler current profilers and the index velocity method were employed to calculate water fluxes. Suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) were determined with optical sensors and cross-sectional water sampling. All procedures were analyzed for their contribution to total error in the flux measurement. The inability to close the water balance and determination of constituent concentration were identified as the main sources of error; total error was 27% for net sediment flux. The water budget for the island was computed with an unaccounted input of 0.20 m 3 s-1 (22% of mean inflow), after considering channel flow, change in water storage, evapotranspiration, and precipitation. The net imbalance may be a combination of groundwater seepage, overland flow, and flow through minor channels. Change of island water storage, caused by local variations in water surface elevation, dominated the tidalty averaged water flux. These variations were mainly caused by wind and barometric pressure change, which alter regional water levels throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Peak instantaneous ebb flow was 35% greater than peak flood flow, indicating an ebb-dominant system, though dominance varied with the spring-neap cycle. SSC were controlled by wind-wave resuspension adjacent to the island and local tidal currents that mobilized sediment from the channel bed. During neap tides sediment was imported onto the island but during spring tides sediment was exported because the main channel became ebb dominant Over the 34-d monitoring period 14,000 kg of suspended sediment were imported through the two channels. The water imbalance may affect the sediment balance if the unmeasured water transport pathways are capable of transporting large amounts of sediment. We estimate a maximum of 2,800 kg of sediment may have been exported through unmeasured pathways, giving a minimum net import of 11,200 kg. Sediment flux measurements provide insight on tidal to fortnightly marsh sedimentation processes, especially in complex systems where sedimentation is spatially and temporally variable. ?? 2005 Estuarine Research Federation.

Prospects for the control of onchocerciasis in Africa

PubMed Central

Waddy, B. B.

1969-01-01

Onchocerciasis is found in association with all the main river systems of northern tropical Africa, and there are endemic foci south of the Equator. Heavy and prolonged infection may cause blindness and intense pruritis. The vectors, Simulium damnosum and S. neavei, are also intolerable pests when they swarm. The disease and its vector together cause serious economic loss and are a main cause of the depopulation of river valleys in the savanna lands. The basin of the River Volta, in which the worst endemic area in the world is situated, is considered to be the most favourable area for a study of the problems involved in the large-scale control of onchocerciasis carried by S. damnosum. Mass treatment or prophylaxis are not practicable at present. The clinical condition progresses for many years in the absence of fresh infection, and drugs capable of mass application are needed. However, the first aim is to attack the larval stages of the vector with insecticides. DDT is ideal for this purpose in large, steadily flowing rivers, but a more suitable insecticide and formulation are needed for small, irregularly flowing streams. Research is needed into many aspects of the adult life of S. damnosum, including feeding and resting habits, dry season survival and flight range. One of the main practical problems is prevention of reinfestation of a treated river system. PMID:5307598

Microscopic and low Reynolds number flows between two intersecting permeable walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egashira, R.; Fujikawa, T.; Yaguchi, H.; Fujikawa, S.

2018-06-01

Two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations are solved in an analytical way to clarify characteristics of low-Re flows in a microscopic channel consisting of two intersecting permeable walls, the intersection of which is supposed to be a sink or a source. Such flows are, therefore, considered to be an extension of the so-called Jeffery–Hamel flow to the permeable wall case. A set of nonlinear forth-order ordinary differential equations are obtained, and their solutions are sought for the small permeable velocity compared with the main flow one by a perturbation method. The solutions contain the solutions found in the past, such as the flow between two parallel permeable walls studied by Berman and the Jeffery–Hamel flow between the impermeable walls as special cases. Velocity distribution and friction loss in pressure along the main stream are represented in the explicit manner and compared with those of the Jeffery–Hamel flow. Numerical examples show that the wall permeability has a great influence on the friction loss. Furthermore, it is shown that the convergent main flow accompanied with the fluid addition through the walls is inversely directed away from the origin due to the balance of the main flow and the permeable one, while the flow accompanied with fluid suction is just directed toward the origin regardless of conditions.

Homogeneity of lava flows - Chemical data for historic Mauna Loan eruptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rhodes, J. M.

1983-01-01

Chemical analyses of basalts collected from the major historic eruptions of Mauna Loa volcano show that many of the flow fields are remarkably homogeneous in composition. Despite their large size (lengths 9-85 km), large areal extents (13-114 sq km), and various durations of eruption (1-450 days), many of the flow fields have compositional variability that is within, or close to, the analytical error for most elements. The flow fields that are not homogeneous vary mainly in olivine content in an otherwise homogeneous melt. Some are composite flow fields made up of several, apparently homogeneous subunits erupted at different elevations along the active volcanic rifts. Not all volcanoes produce lavas that are homogeneous like those of Mauna Loa. If studies such as this are to be used to evaluate compositional diversity in lavas where there is a lack of sampling control, such as on other planets, it is necessary to understand why some flow units and flow fields are compositionally homogeneous and others are not, and to develop criteria for distinguishing between them.

Hydrological Controls on Nutrient Concentrations and Fluxes in Agricultural Catchments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petry, J.; Soulsby, C.

2002-12-01

This investigation into diffuse agricultural pollution and the hydrological controls that exert a strong influence on both nutrient concentrations and fluxes, was conducted in an intensively farmed lowland catchment in north-east Scotland. The study focuses on spatial and seasonal variations in nutrient concentrations and fluxes at the catchment scale, over a 15-month period. The water quality of the 14.5 km2 Newmills Burn catchment has relatively high nutrient levels with mean concentrations of NO3-N and NH3-N at 6.09 mg/l and 0.28 mg/l respectively. Average PO4-P concentrations are 0.06 mg/l. Over short timescales nutrient concentrations and fluxes are greatest during storm events when PO4-P and NH3-N are mobilised by overland flow in riparian areas, where soils have been compacted by livestock or machinery. Delivery of deeper soil water in subsurface storm flow, facilitated by agricultural under-drainage, produces a marked increase in NO3-N (6.9 mg/l) concentrations on the hydrograph recession limb. A more detailed insight into the catchment response to storm events, and in particular the response of the hydrological pathways which provide the main sources of runoff during storm events, was gained by sampling stream water at 2-hourly intervals during 5 events. End Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA) was carried out using event specific end-member chemistries to differentiate three catchment-scale hydrological pathways (overland flow, subsurface storm flow, groundwater flow) on the basis of observed Si and NO3-N concentrations in sampled source waters. Results show that overland flow generally dominates the storm peak and provides the main flow path by which P is transferred to stream channels during storm events, whilst subsurface storm flows usually dominate the storm hydrograph volumetrically and route NO3-rich soil water to the stream. The study shows that altering hydrological pathways in a catchment can have implications for nutrient management. Whilst buffer strips can reduce the delivery of NH3-N and PO4-P by overland flow to stream channels during storm events, the management of N-rich storm runoff as NO3 via sub-surface drains would require significant interference with the drainage network. This could have a negative impact on agricultural production in the catchment.

Burner ignition system

DOEpatents

Carignan, Forest J.

1986-01-21

An electronic ignition system for a gas burner is battery operated. The battery voltage is applied through a DC-DC chopper to a step-up transformer to charge a capacitor which provides the ignition spark. The step-up transformer has a significant leakage reactance in order to limit current flow from the battery during initial charging of the capacitor. A tank circuit at the input of the transformer returns magnetizing current resulting from the leakage reactance to the primary in succeeding cycles. An SCR in the output circuit is gated through a voltage divider which senses current flow through a flame. Once the flame is sensed, further sparks are precluded. The same flame sensor enables a thermopile driven main valve actuating circuit. A safety valve in series with the main gas valve responds to a control pressure thermostatically applied through a diaphragm. The valve closes after a predetermined delay determined by a time delay orifice if the pilot gas is not ignited.

Bacteriophages and dairy fermentations

PubMed Central

Marcó, Mariángeles Briggiler; Moineau, Sylvain; Quiberoni, Andrea

2012-01-01

This review highlights the main strategies available to control phage infection during large-scale milk fermentation by lactic acid bacteria. The topics that are emphasized include the factors influencing bacterial activities, the sources of phage contamination, the methods available to detect and quantify phages, as well as practical solutions to limit phage dispersion through an adapted factory design, the control of air flow, the use of adequate sanitizers, the restricted used of recycled products, and the selection and growth of bacterial cultures. PMID:23275866

Design of control system based on SCM music fountain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Biqing; Li, Zhao; Jiang, Suping

2018-06-01

The design of the design of a microprocessor controlled by simple circuit, introduced this design applied to the components, and draw the main flow chart presentation. System is the use of an external music source, the intensity of the input audio signal lights will affect the light off, the fountain spray of water level will be based on changes in the lantern light off. This design uses a single-chip system is simple, powerful, good reliability and low cost.

Cerebello-cortical network fingerprints differ between essential, Parkinson's and mimicked tremors.

PubMed

Muthuraman, Muthuraman; Raethjen, Jan; Koirala, Nabin; Anwar, Abdul Rauf; Mideksa, Kidist G; Elble, Rodger; Groppa, Sergiu; Deuschl, Günter

2018-06-01

Cerebello-thalamo-cortical loops play a major role in the emergence of pathological tremors and voluntary rhythmic movements. It is unclear whether these loops differ anatomically or functionally in different types of tremor. We compared age- and sex-matched groups of patients with Parkinson's disease or essential tremor and healthy controls (n = 34 per group). High-density 256-channel EEG and multi-channel EMG from extensor and flexor muscles of both wrists were recorded simultaneously while extending the hands against gravity with the forearms supported. Tremor was thereby recorded from patients, and voluntarily mimicked tremor was recorded from healthy controls. Tomographic maps of EEG-EMG coherence were constructed using a beamformer algorithm coherent source analysis. The direction and strength of information flow between different coherent sources were estimated using time-resolved partial-directed coherence analyses. Tremor severity and motor performance measures were correlated with connection strengths between coherent sources. The topography of oscillatory coherent sources in the cerebellum differed significantly among the three groups, but the cortical sources in the primary sensorimotor region and premotor cortex were not significantly different. The cerebellar and cortical source combinations matched well with known cerebello-thalamo-cortical connections derived from functional MRI resting state analyses according to the Buckner-atlas. The cerebellar sources for Parkinson's tremor and essential tremor mapped primarily to primary sensorimotor cortex, but the cerebellar source for mimicked tremor mapped primarily to premotor cortex. Time-resolved partial-directed coherence analyses revealed activity flow mainly from cerebellum to sensorimotor cortex in Parkinson's tremor and essential tremor and mainly from cerebral cortex to cerebellum in mimicked tremor. EMG oscillation flowed mainly to the cerebellum in mimicked tremor, but oscillation flowed mainly from the cerebellum to EMG in Parkinson's and essential tremor. The topography of cerebellar involvement differed among Parkinson's, essential and mimicked tremors, suggesting different cerebellar mechanisms in tremorogenesis. Indistinguishable areas of sensorimotor cortex and premotor cerebral cortex were involved in all three tremors. Information flow analyses suggest that sensory feedback and cortical efferent copy input to cerebellum are needed to produce mimicked tremor, but tremor in Parkinson's disease and essential tremor do not depend on these mechanisms. Despite the subtle differences in cerebellar source topography, we found no evidence that the cerebellum is the source of oscillation in essential tremor or that the cortico-bulbo-cerebello-thalamocortical loop plays different tremorogenic roles in Parkinson's and essential tremor. Additional studies are needed to decipher the seemingly subtle differences in cerebellocortical function in Parkinson's and essential tremors.

Left and right ventricular hemodynamic forces in healthy volunteers and elite athletes assessed with 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Arvidsson, Per M; Töger, Johannes; Carlsson, Marcus; Steding-Ehrenborg, Katarina; Pedrizzetti, Gianni; Heiberg, Einar; Arheden, Håkan

2017-02-01

Intracardiac blood flow is driven by hemodynamic forces that are exchanged between the blood and myocardium. Previous studies have been limited to 2D measurements or investigated only left ventricular (LV) forces. Right ventricular (RV) forces and their mechanistic contribution to asymmetric redirection of flow in the RV have not been measured. We therefore aimed to quantify 3D hemodynamic forces in both ventricles in a cohort of healthy subjects, using magnetic resonance imaging 4D flow measurements. Twenty five controls, 14 elite endurance athletes, and 2 patients with LV dyssynchrony were included. 4D flow data were used as input for the Navier-Stokes equations to compute hemodynamic forces over the entire cardiac cycle. Hemodynamic forces were found in a qualitatively consistent pattern in all healthy subjects, with variations in amplitude. LV forces were mainly aligned along the apical-basal longitudinal axis, with an additional component aimed toward the aortic valve during systole. Conversely, RV forces were found in both longitudinal and short-axis planes, with a systolic force component driving a slingshot-like acceleration that explains the mechanism behind the redirection of blood flow toward the pulmonary valve. No differences were found between controls and athletes when indexing forces to ventricular volumes, indicating that cardiac force expenditures are tuned to accelerate blood similarly in small and large hearts. Patients' forces differed from controls in both timing and amplitude. Normal cardiac pumping is associated with specific force patterns for both ventricles, and deviation from these forces may be a sensitive marker of ventricular dysfunction. Reference values are provided for future studies. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Biventricular hemodynamic forces were quantified for the first time in healthy controls and elite athletes (n = 39). Hemodynamic forces constitute a slingshot-like mechanism in the right ventricle, redirecting blood flow toward the pulmonary circulation. Force patterns were similar between healthy subjects and athletes, indicating potential utility as a cardiac function biomarker. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

78 FR 79289 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-30

... leakage into the main deck cargo wire integration unit (WIU). The water flowed from the main deck floor... deck cargo wire integration unit (WIU). The water flowed from the main deck floor panels, through...

Dynamic Modeling of the Main Blow in Basic Oxygen Steelmaking Using Measured Step Responses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kattenbelt, Carolien; Roffel, B.

2008-10-01

In the control and optimization of basic oxygen steelmaking, it is important to have an understanding of the influence of control variables on the process. However, important process variables such as the composition of the steel and slag cannot be measured continuously. The decarburization rate and the accumulation rate of oxygen, which can be derived from the generally measured waste gas flow and composition, are an indication of changes in steel and slag composition. The influence of the control variables on the decarburization rate and the accumulation rate of oxygen can best be determined in the main blow period. In this article, the measured step responses of the decarburization rate and the accumulation rate of oxygen to step changes in the oxygen blowing rate, lance height, and the addition rate of iron ore during the main blow are presented. These measured step responses are subsequently used to develop a dynamic model for the main blow. The model consists of an iron oxide and a carbon balance and an additional equation describing the influence of the lance height and the oxygen blowing rate on the decarburization rate. With this simple dynamic model, the measured step responses can be explained satisfactorily.

Parametric study of fluid flow manipulation with piezoelectric macrofiber composite flaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeghi, O.; Tarazaga, P.; Stremler, M.; Shahab, S.

2017-04-01

Active Fluid Flow Control (AFFC) has received great research attention due to its significant potential in engineering applications. It is known that drag reduction, turbulence management, flow separation delay and noise suppression through active control can result in significantly increased efficiency of future commercial transport vehicles and gas turbine engines. In microfluidics systems, AFFC has mainly been used to manipulate fluid passing through the microfluidic device. We put forward a conceptual approach for fluid flow manipulation by coupling multiple vibrating structures through flow interactions in an otherwise quiescent fluid. Previous investigations of piezoelectric flaps interacting with a fluid have focused on a single flap. In this work, arrays of closely-spaced, free-standing piezoelectric flaps are attached perpendicular to the bottom surface of a tank. The coupling of vibrating flaps due to their interacting with the surrounding fluid is investigated in air (for calibration) and under water. Actuated flaps are driven with a harmonic input voltage, which results in bending vibration of the flaps that can work with or against the flow-induced bending. The size and spatial distribution of the attached flaps, and the phase and frequency of the input actuation voltage are the key parameters to be investigated in this work. Our analysis will characterize the electrohydroelastic dynamics of active, interacting flaps and the fluid motion induced by the system.

Numerical simulation of inducing characteristics of high energy electron beam plasma for aerodynamics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Yongfeng; Jiang, Jian; Han, Xianwei; Tan, Chang; Wei, Jianguo

2017-04-01

The problem of flow active control by low temperature plasma is considered to be one of the most flourishing fields of aerodynamics due to its practical advantages. Compared with other means, the electron beam plasma is a potential flow control method for large scale flow. In this paper, a computational fluid dynamics model coupled with a multi-fluid plasma model is established to investigate the aerodynamic characteristics induced by electron beam plasma. The results demonstrate that the electron beam strongly influences the flow properties, not only in the boundary layers, but also in the main flow. A weak shockwave is induced at the electron beam injection position and develops to the other side of the wind tunnel behind the beam. It brings additional energy into air, and the inducing characteristics are closely related to the beam power and increase nonlinearly with it. The injection angles also influence the flow properties to some extent. Based on this research, we demonstrate that the high energy electron beam air plasma has three attractive advantages in aerodynamic applications, i.e. the high energy density, wide action range and excellent action effect. Due to the rapid development of near space hypersonic vehicles and atmospheric fighters, by optimizing the parameters, the electron beam can be used as an alternative means in aerodynamic steering in these applications.

Coupling curvature-dependent and shear stress-stimulated neotissue growth in dynamic bioreactor cultures: a 3D computational model of a complete scaffold.

PubMed

Guyot, Y; Papantoniou, I; Luyten, F P; Geris, L

2016-02-01

The main challenge in tissue engineering consists in understanding and controlling the growth process of in vitro cultured neotissues toward obtaining functional tissues. Computational models can provide crucial information on appropriate bioreactor and scaffold design but also on the bioprocess environment and culture conditions. In this study, the development of a 3D model using the level set method to capture the growth of a microporous neotissue domain in a dynamic culture environment (perfusion bioreactor) was pursued. In our model, neotissue growth velocity was influenced by scaffold geometry as well as by flow- induced shear stresses. The neotissue was modeled as a homogenous porous medium with a given permeability, and the Brinkman equation was used to calculate the flow profile in both neotissue and void space. Neotissue growth was modeled until the scaffold void volume was filled, thus capturing already established experimental observations, in particular the differences between scaffold filling under different flow regimes. This tool is envisaged as a scaffold shape and bioprocess optimization tool with predictive capacities. It will allow controlling fluid flow during long-term culture, whereby neotissue growth alters flow patterns, in order to provide shear stress profiles and magnitudes across the whole scaffold volume influencing, in turn, the neotissue growth.

Critical parameters in the production of ceramic pot filters for household water treatment in developing countries.

PubMed

Soppe, A I A; Heijman, S G J; Gensburger, I; Shantz, A; van Halem, D; Kroesbergen, J; Wubbels, G H; Smeets, P W M H

2015-06-01

The need to improve the access to safe water is generally recognized for the benefit of public health in developing countries. This study's objective was to identify critical parameters which are essential for improving the performance of ceramic pot filters (CPFs) as a point-of-use water treatment system. Defining critical production parameters was also relevant to confirm that CPFs with high-flow rates may have the same disinfection capacity as pots with normal flow rates. A pilot unit was built in Cambodia to produce CPFs under controlled and constant conditions. Pots were manufactured from a mixture of clay, laterite and rice husk in a small-scale, gas-fired, temperature-controlled kiln and tested for flow rate, removal efficiency of bacteria and material strength. Flow rate can be increased by increasing pore sizes and by increasing porosity. Pore sizes were increased by using larger rice husk particles and porosity was increased with larger proportions of rice husk in the clay mixture. The main conclusions: larger pore size decreases the removal efficiency of bacteria; higher porosity does not affect the removal efficiency of bacteria, but does influence the strength of pots; flow rates of CPFs can be raised to 10-20 L/hour without a significant decrease in bacterial removal efficiency.

Variability of sap flow on forest hillslopes: patterns and controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassler, Sibylle; Blume, Theresa

2013-04-01

Sap flow in trees is an essential variable in integrated studies of hydrologic fluxes. It gives indication of transpiration rates for single trees and, with a suitable method of upscaling, for whole stands. This information is relevant for hydrologic and climate models, especially for the prediction of change in water fluxes in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum under climate change. To this end, we do not only need knowledge concerning the response of sapflow to atmospheric forcing but also an understanding of the main controls on its spatial variability. Our study site consists of several subcatchments of the Attert basin in Luxembourg underlain by schists of the Ardennes massif. Within these subcatchments we measure sap flow in more than 20 trees on a range of forested hillslopes covered by a variety of temperate deciduous tree species such as beech, oak, hornbeam and maple as well as conifers such as firs. Our sap flow sensors are based on the heat pulse velocity method and consist of three needles, one needle acting as the heating device and the other two holding three thermistors each, enabling us to simultaneously measure sap flow velocity at three different depths within the tree. In close proximity to the trees we collect additional data on soil moisture, matric potential and groundwater levels. First results show that the sensor design seems promising for an upscaling of the measured sap flow velocities to sap flow at the tree level. The maximum depth of actively used sapwood as well as the decrease in sap flow velocity with increasing depth in the tree can be determined by way of the three thermistors. Marked differences in sap flow velocity profiles are visible between the different species, resulting in differences in sap flow for trees of similar diameter. We examine the range of tree sap flow values and variation due to species, size class, slope position and exposition and finally relate them to the dynamics of soil moisture conditions with the goal to identify the most important controls of sap flow at our study site.

The significance of slab-crusted lava flows for understanding controls on flow emplacement at Mount Etna, Sicily

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guest, John E.; Stofan, Ellen R.

2005-04-01

Slab-crusted flows on Mount Etna, Sicily are defined here as those whose crust has ridden on the flow core without significant disruption or deformation and have a high length to width ratio. They typically erupt from ephemeral boccas as late-stage products on dominantly aa flow fields, such as that of the 1983 eruption on Mount Etna. Slab-crusted flows tend to inflate mainly as they approach and after they reach the maximum length of slab-crust formation, the flow interior acting as a preferential pathway for injecting lava under a stable crust. Coalescence of vesicles under successive crusts causes separation between core and crust giving a new cooling surface within the flow, on which ropy surfaces (and occasionally aa textures) of limited areal extent may develop. Slab-crusted flows tend to form at ephemeral boccas together with other surface textural types including toes, ropy pahoehoe sheets and aa flows. This suggests that, on Etna, slab-crusted flows form from lava of the same rheological properties as both aa and pahoehoe textured flows. They do not represent a transition between aa and pahoehoe as argued for toothpaste flows in Hawaii. We conclude that slab-crusted flows on Etna owe their morphology to a relatively high critical ratio of effusion rate to advance rate, related to vent cross-sectional area and the slope over which the flow forms.

Understanding Angiography-Based Aneurysm Flow Fields through Comparison with Computational Fluid Dynamics.

PubMed

Cebral, J R; Mut, F; Chung, B J; Spelle, L; Moret, J; van Nijnatten, F; Ruijters, D

2017-06-01

Hemodynamics is thought to be an important factor for aneurysm progression and rupture. Our aim was to evaluate whether flow fields reconstructed from dynamic angiography data can be used to realistically represent the main flow structures in intracranial aneurysms. DSA-based flow reconstructions, obtained during interventional treatment, were compared qualitatively with flow fields obtained from patient-specific computational fluid dynamics models and quantitatively with projections of the computational fluid dynamics fields (by computing a directional similarity of the vector fields) in 15 cerebral aneurysms. The average similarity between the DSA and the projected computational fluid dynamics flow fields was 78% in the parent artery, while it was only 30% in the aneurysm region. Qualitatively, both the DSA and projected computational fluid dynamics flow fields captured the location of the inflow jet, the main vortex structure, the intrasaccular flow split, and the main rotation direction in approximately 60% of the cases. Several factors affect the reconstruction of 2D flow fields from dynamic angiography sequences. The most important factors are the 3-dimensionality of the intrasaccular flow patterns and inflow jets, the alignment of the main vortex structure with the line of sight, the overlapping of surrounding vessels, and possibly frame rate undersampling. Flow visualization with DSA from >1 projection is required for understanding of the 3D intrasaccular flow patterns. Although these DSA-based flow quantification techniques do not capture swirling or secondary flows in the parent artery, they still provide a good representation of the mean axial flow and the corresponding flow rate. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Google Glass for Residents Dealing With Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Arrest: A Randomized, Controlled, Simulation-Based Study.

PubMed

Drummond, David; Arnaud, Cécile; Guedj, Romain; Duguet, Alexandre; de Suremain, Nathalie; Petit, Arnaud

2017-02-01

To determine whether real-time video communication between the first responder and a remote intensivist via Google Glass improves the management of a simulated in-hospital pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest before the arrival of the ICU team. Randomized controlled study. Children's hospital at a tertiary care academic medical center. Forty-two first-year pediatric residents. Pediatric residents were evaluated during two consecutive simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary arrests with a high-fidelity manikin. During the second evaluation, the residents in the Google Glass group were allowed to seek help from a remote intensivist at any time by activating real-time video communication. The residents in the control group were asked to provide usual care. The main outcome measures were the proportion of time for which the manikin received no ventilation (no-blow fraction) or no compression (no-flow fraction). In the first evaluation, overall no-blow and no-flow fractions were 74% and 95%, respectively. During the second evaluation, no-blow and no-flow fractions were similar between the two groups. Insufflations were more effective (p = 0.04), and the technique (p = 0.02) and rate (p < 0.001) of chest compression were more appropriate in the Google Glass group than in the control group. Real-time video communication between the first responder and a remote intensivist through Google Glass did not decrease no-blow and no-flow fractions during the first 5 minutes of a simulated pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest but improved the quality of the insufflations and chest compressions provided.

Hyporheic zone influences on concentration-discharge relationships in a headwater sandstone stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoagland, Beth; Russo, Tess A.; Gu, Xin; Hill, Lillian; Kaye, Jason; Forsythe, Brandon; Brantley, Susan L.

2017-06-01

Complex subsurface flow dynamics impact the storage, routing, and transport of water and solutes to streams in headwater catchments. Many of these hydrogeologic processes are indirectly reflected in observations of stream chemistry responses to rain events, also known as concentration-discharge (CQ) relations. Identifying the relative importance of subsurface flows to stream CQ relationships is often challenging in headwater environments due to spatial and temporal variability. Therefore, this study combines a diverse set of methods, including tracer injection tests, cation exchange experiments, geochemical analyses, and numerical modeling, to map groundwater-surface water interactions along a first-order, sandstone stream (Garner Run) in the Appalachian Mountains of central Pennsylvania. The primary flow paths to the stream include preferential flow through the unsaturated zone ("interflow"), flow discharging from a spring, and groundwater discharge. Garner Run stream inherits geochemical signatures from geochemical reactions occurring along each of these flow paths. In addition to end-member mixing effects on CQ, we find that the exchange of solutes, nutrients, and water between the hyporheic zone and the main stream channel is a relevant control on the chemistry of Garner Run. CQ relationships for Garner Run were compared to prior results from a nearby headwater catchment overlying shale bedrock (Shale Hills). At the sandstone site, solutes associated with organo-mineral associations in the hyporheic zone influence CQ, while CQ trends in the shale catchment are affected by preferential flow through hillslope swales. The difference in CQ trends document how the lithology and catchment hydrology control CQ relationships.

Measurements of noise produced by flow past lifting surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kendall, J. M.

1978-01-01

Wind tunnel studies have been conducted to determine the specific locations of aerodynamic noise production within the flow field about various lifting-surface configurations. The models tested included low aspect ratio shapes intended to represent aircraft flaps, a finite aspect ratio NACA 0012 wing, and a multi-element wing section consisting of a main section, a leading edge flap, and dual trailing edge flaps. Turbulence was induced on the models by surface roughness. Lift and drag were measured for the flap models. Hot-wire anemometry was used for study of the flap-model vortex roll-up. Apparent noise source distributions were measured by use of a directional microphone system, located outside the tunnel, which was scanned about the flow region to be analyzed under computer control. These distributions exhibited a diversity of pattern, suggesting that several flow processes are important to lifting-surface noise production. Speculation concerning these processes is offered.

A novel technique to control the bubble formation process in a co-flow configuration with planar geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Rus, Javier; Bolaños-Jiménez, Rocío; Gutiérrez-Montes, Cándido; Martínez-Bazán, Carlos; Sevilla, Alejandro

2015-11-01

We present a novel technique to properly control the bubble formation frequency and size by forcing the water stream in a co-flow configuration with planar geometry through the modulation of the water velocity at the nozzle exit. The main goal of this work is to experimentally explore whether the bubbling regime, which is naturally established for certain values of the water-to-air velocity ratio, Λ =uw /ua , and the Weber number, We =ρwuw2Ho / σ , can be controlled by the imposed disturbances. A detailed experimental characterization of the forcing effect has been performed by measuring the pressure fluctuations in both the water and the air streams. In addition, the velocity amplitude, which characterizes the process, is obtained. The results show that a minimum disturbance amplitude is needed for an effective control of the bubbling process. Moreover, the process is governed by kinematic non-linear effects, and the position of the maximum deformation is shown to be described through a one-dimensional flow model for the water sheet, based on the exact solution of the Euler equation. Supported by the Spanish MINECO, Junta de Andalucía and EU Funds under projects DPI2014-59292-C3-3-P, P11-TEP7495 and UJA2013/08/05.

Development of a debris flow model in a geotechnical centrifuge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabrera, Miguel Angel; Wu, Wei

2013-04-01

Debris flows occur in three main stages. At first the initial soil mass, which rests in a rigid configuration, reaches a critic state releasing a finite mass over a failure surface. In the second stage the released mass starts being transported downhill in a dynamic motion. Segregation, erosion, entrainment, and variable channel geometry are among the more common characteristics of this stage. Finally, at the third stage the transported mass plus the mass gained or loosed during the transportation stage reach a flat and/or a wide area and its deposition starts, going back to a rigid configuration. The lack of understanding and predictability of debris flow from the traditional theoretical approaches has lead that in the last two decades the mechanics of debris flows started to be analysed around the world. Nevertheless, the validation of recent numerical advances with experimental data is required. Centrifuge modelling is an experimental tool that allows the test of natural processes under defined boundary conditions in a small scale configuration, with a good level of accuracy in comparison with a full scale test. This paper presents the development of a debris flow model in a geotechnical centrifuge focused on the second stage of the debris flow process explained before. A small scale model of an inclined flume will be developed, with laboratory instrumentation able to measure the pore pressure, normal stress, and velocity path, developed in a scaled debris flow in motion. The model aims to reproduce in a controlled environment the main parameters of debris flow motion. This work is carried under the EC 7th Framework Programme as part of the MUMOLADE project. The dataset and data-analysis obtained from the tests will provide a qualitative description of debris flow motion-mechanics and be of valuable information for MUMOLADE co-researchers and for the debris flow research community in general.

Performance of a High-Fidelity 4kW-Class Engineering Model PPU and Integration with HiVHAc System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinero, Luis R.; Kamhawi, Hani; Shilo, Vladislav

2016-01-01

The High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc) propulsion system consists of a thruster,power processing unit (PPU), and propellant feed system. An engineering model PPU was developed by Colorado Power Electronics, Inc. funded by NASA's Small Business Innovative Research Program. This PPU uses an innovative 3-phase resonant converter to deliver 4 kW of discharge power over a wide range of input and output voltage conditions.The PPU includes a digital control interface unit that automatically controls the PPU and a xenon flow control module (XFCM). It interfaces with a control computer to receive high level commands and relay telemetry through a MIL-STD-1553B interface. The EM PPU was thoroughly tested at GRC for functionality and performance at temperature extremes and demonstrated total efficiencies a high as 95 percent. It was integrated with the HiVHAc thruster and the XFCM to demonstrate closed-loop control of discharge current with anode flow. Initiation of the main discharge and power throttling were also successfully demonstrated and discharge oscillations were characterized.

Performance of a High-Fidelity 4kW-Class Engineering Model PPU and Integration with HiVHAc System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinero, Luis R.; Kamhawi, Hani; Shilo, Vlad

2016-01-01

The High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc) propulsion system consists of a thruster, power processing unit (PPU), and propellant feed system. An engineering model PPU was developed by Colorado Power Electronics, Inc. funded by NASA's Small Business Innovative Research Program. This PPU uses an innovative 3-phase resonant converter to deliver 4 kW of discharge power over a wide range of input and output voltage conditions. The PPU includes a digital control interface unit that automatically controls the PPU and a xenon flow control module (XFCM). It interfaces with a control computer to receive highlevel commands and relay telemetry through a MIL-STD-1553B interface. The EM PPU was thoroughly tested at GRC for functionality and performance at temperature limits and demonstrated total efficiencies a high as 95 percent. Integrated testing of the unit was performed with the HiVHAc thruster and the XFCM to demonstrate closed-loop control of discharge current with anode flow. Initiation of the main discharge and power throttling were also successfully demonstrated and discharge oscillations were characterized.

Biochemical analysis with microfluidic systems.

PubMed

Bilitewski, Ursula; Genrich, Meike; Kadow, Sabine; Mersal, Gaber

2003-10-01

Microfluidic systems are capillary networks of varying complexity fabricated originally in silicon, but nowadays in glass and polymeric substrates. Flow of liquid is mainly controlled by use of electroosmotic effects, i.e. application of electric fields, in addition to pressurized flow, i.e. application of pressure or vacuum. Because electroosmotic flow rates depend on the charge densities on the walls of capillaries, they are influenced by substrate material, fabrication processes, surface pretreatment procedures, and buffer additives. Microfluidic systems combine the properties of capillary electrophoretic systems and flow-through analytical systems, and thus biochemical analytical assays have been developed utilizing and integrating both aspects. Proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids can be separated because of their different electrophoretic mobility; detection is achieved with fluorescence detectors. For protein analysis, in particular, interfaces between microfluidic chips and mass spectrometers were developed. Further levels of integration of required sample-treatment steps were achieved by integration of protein digestion by immobilized trypsin and amplification of nucleic acids by the polymerase chain reaction. Kinetic constants of enzyme reactions were determined by adjusting different degrees of dilution of enzyme substrates or inhibitors within a single chip utilizing mainly the properties of controlled dosing and mixing liquids within a chip. For analysis of kinase reactions, however, a combination of a reaction step (enzyme with substrate and inhibitor) and a separation step (enzyme substrate and reaction product) was required. Microfluidic chips also enable separation of analytes from sample matrix constituents, which can interfere with quantitative determination, if they have different electrophoretic mobilities. In addition to analysis of nucleic acids and enzymes, immunoassays are the third group of analytical assays performed in microfluidic chips. They utilize either affinity capillary electrophoresis as a homogeneous assay format, or immobilized antigens or antibodies in heterogeneous assays with serial supply of reagents and washing solutions.

Long, paired A'A/Pahoehoe flows of Mauna Loa: Volcanological significance and insights they provide into volcano plumbing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowland, Scott K.; Walker, George P. L.

1987-01-01

The long lava flows of Mauna Loa, Hawaii have been cited as Earth's closed analogs to the large Martian flows. It is therefore important to understand the flow mechanics and characteristics of the Mauna Loa flows and to make use of these in an attempt to gain insights into Martian eruptive processes. Two fundamentally different kinds of long lava flows can be distinguished on Hawaiian volcanoes as in Martian flows. The two kinds may have identical initial viscosities, chemical compositions, flow lengths, and flow volumes, but their flow mechanisms and thermal energy budgets are radically different. One travels a distance set by the discharge rate as envisaged by Walker and Wadge, and the other travels a distance set mainly by the eruption duration and ground slope. In the Mauna Loa lavas, yield strength becomes an important flow morphology control only in the distal part of a'a lavas. The occurrence of paired flows on Mauna Loa yields insights into the internal plumbing systems of the volcano, and it is significant that all of the volume of the a'a flow must be stored in a magma chamber before eruption, while none of the volume of the pahoehoe needs to be so stored. Differentiation between the two kinds of flows on images of Martian volcanoes is possible and hence an improved understanding of these huge structures is acquired.

Horizontal mantle flow controls subduction dynamics.

PubMed

Ficini, E; Dal Zilio, L; Doglioni, C; Gerya, T V

2017-08-08

It is generally accepted that subduction is driven by downgoing-plate negative buoyancy. Yet plate age -the main control on buoyancy- exhibits little correlation with most of the present-day subduction velocities and slab dips. "West"-directed subduction zones are on average steeper (~65°) than "East"-directed (~27°). Also, a "westerly"-directed net rotation of the lithosphere relative to the mantle has been detected in the hotspot reference frame. Thus, the existence of an "easterly"-directed horizontal mantle wind could explain this subduction asymmetry, favouring steepening or lifting of slab dip angles. Here we test this hypothesis using high-resolution two-dimensional numerical thermomechanical models of oceanic plate subduction interacting with a mantle flow. Results show that when subduction polarity is opposite to that of the mantle flow, the descending slab dips subvertically and the hinge retreats, thus leading to the development of a back-arc basin. In contrast, concordance between mantle flow and subduction polarity results in shallow dipping subduction, hinge advance and pronounced topography of the overriding plate, regardless of their age-dependent negative buoyancy. Our results are consistent with seismicity data and tomographic images of subduction zones. Thus, our models may explain why subduction asymmetry is a common feature of convergent margins on Earth.

Water Quality Planning in Rivers: Assimilative Capacity and Dilution Flow.

PubMed

Hashemi Monfared, Seyed Arman; Dehghani Darmian, Mohsen; Snyder, Shane A; Azizyan, Gholamreza; Pirzadeh, Bahareh; Azhdary Moghaddam, Mehdi

2017-11-01

Population growth, urbanization and industrial expansion are consequentially linked to increasing pollution around the world. The sources of pollution are so vast and also include point and nonpoint sources, with intrinsic challenge for control and abatement. This paper focuses on pollutant concentrations and also the distance that the pollution is in contact with the river water as objective functions to determine two main necessary characteristics for water quality management in the river. These two necessary characteristics are named assimilative capacity and dilution flow. The mean area of unacceptable concentration [Formula: see text] and affected distance (X) are considered as two objective functions to determine the dilution flow by a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) optimization algorithm. The results demonstrate that the variation of river flow discharge in different seasons can modify the assimilation capacity up to 97%. Moreover, when using dilution flow as a water quality management tool, results reveal that the content of [Formula: see text] and X change up to 97% and 93%, respectively.

Identifying hydrological regime and eco-flow threshold of small and medium flood of the Xiaoqing River in Jinan city

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Cao, Sheng-Le

2017-06-01

It was known that hydrological regime was the main influencing factor of river ecosystem, but the regime of different flow rates of urban rivers was poorly understood. We collected daily inflows at the Huangtai station of the Xiaoqing River from 1960 to 2014 and divided the data into three periods. Then we calculated hydrological parameters by the method of EFCs (Environmental Flow Components) and analyzed the tendency and change rates of each component respectively in the three periods. Combined with the ecological significance of environmental flow components, we identified the small and medium flood had the greatest impact on the river regime and ecosystem. And then we used the hydraulic parameters in the good ecosystem period as control conditions, to calculate the ecological threshold of the flow component under the current situation. This study could provide technical support for restoring and improving hydrological regime and ecological environment of the Xiaoqing River in Jinan city.

Engineering fluid flow using sequenced microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amini, Hamed; Sollier, Elodie; Masaeli, Mahdokht; Xie, Yu; Ganapathysubramanian, Baskar; Stone, Howard A.; di Carlo, Dino

2013-05-01

Controlling the shape of fluid streams is important across scales: from industrial processing to control of biomolecular interactions. Previous approaches to control fluid streams have focused mainly on creating chaotic flows to enhance mixing. Here we develop an approach to apply order using sequences of fluid transformations rather than enhancing chaos. We investigate the inertial flow deformations around a library of single cylindrical pillars within a microfluidic channel and assemble these net fluid transformations to engineer fluid streams. As these transformations provide a deterministic mapping of fluid elements from upstream to downstream of a pillar, we can sequentially arrange pillars to apply the associated nested maps and, therefore, create complex fluid structures without additional numerical simulation. To show the range of capabilities, we present sequences that sculpt the cross-sectional shape of a stream into complex geometries, move and split a fluid stream, perform solution exchange and achieve particle separation. A general strategy to engineer fluid streams into a broad class of defined configurations in which the complexity of the nonlinear equations of fluid motion are abstracted from the user is a first step to programming streams of any desired shape, which would be useful for biological, chemical and materials automation.

Implementation of RS-485 Communication between PLC and PC of Distributed Control System Based on VB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lian Zhang, Chuan; Da Huang, Zhi; Qing Zhou, Gui; Chong, Kil To

2015-05-01

This paper focuses on achieving RS-485 communication between programmable logical controller (PLC) and PC based on visual basic 6.0 (VB6.0) on an experimental automatic production line. Mitsubishi FX2N PLCs and a PC are chosen as slave stations and main station, respectively. Monitoring software is developed using VB6.0 for data input/output, flow control and online parameters setting. As a result, all functions are fulfilled with robust performance. It is concluded from results that one PC can monitor several PLCs using RS-485 communication.

Vaginal blood flow after radical hysterectomy with and without nerve sparing. A preliminary report.

PubMed

Pieterse, Q D; Ter Kuile, M M; Deruiter, M C; Trimbos, J B M Z; Kenter, G G; Maas, C P

2008-01-01

Radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy (RHL) for cervical cancer causes damage to the autonomic nerves, which are responsible for increased vaginal blood flow during sexual arousal. The aim of the study of which we now report preliminary data was to determine whether a nerve-sparing technique leads to an objectively less disturbed vaginal blood flow response during sexual stimulation. Photoplethysmographic assessment of vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) during sexual stimulation by erotic films was performed. Subjective sexual arousal was assessed after each stimulus. Thirteen women after conventional RHL, 10 women after nerve-sparing RHL, and 14 healthy premenopausal women participated. Data were collected between January and August 2006. The main outcome measure was the logarithmically transformed mean VPA. To detect statistically significant differences in mean VPA levels between the three groups, a univariate analysis of variance was used. Mean VPA differed between the three groups (P= 0.014). The conventional group had a lower vaginal blood flow response than the control group (P= 0.016), which tended also to be lower than that of the nerve-sparing group (P= 0.097). These differences were critically dependent on baseline vaginal blood flow differences between the groups. The conventional group follows a vaginal blood flow pattern similar to postmenopausal women. Conventional RHL is associated with an overall disturbed vaginal blood flow response compared with healthy controls. Because it is not observed to the same extent after nerve-sparing RHL, it seems that the nerve-sparing technique leads to a better overall vaginal blood flow caused by less denervation of the vagina.

Seismic responses and controlling factors of Miocene deepwater gravity-flow deposits in Block A, Lower Congo Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Linlin; Wang, Zhenqi; Yu, Shui; Ngia, Ngong Roger

2016-08-01

The Miocene deepwater gravity-flow sedimentary system in Block A of the southwestern part of the Lower Congo Basin was identified and interpreted using high-resolution 3-D seismic, drilling and logging data to reveal development characteristics and main controlling factors. Five types of deepwater gravity-flow sedimentary units have been identified in the Miocene section of Block A, including mass transport, deepwater channel, levee, abandoned channel and sedimentary lobe deposits. Each type of sedimentary unit has distinct external features, internal structures and lateral characteristics in seismic profiles. Mass transport deposits (MTDs) in particular correspond to chaotic low-amplitude reflections in contact with mutants on both sides. The cross section of deepwater channel deposits in the seismic profile is in U- or V-shape. The channel deposits change in ascending order from low-amplitude, poor-continuity, chaotic filling reflections at the bottom, to high-amplitude, moderate to poor continuity, chaotic or sub-parallel reflections in the middle section and to moderate-weak amplitude, good continuity, parallel or sub-parallel reflections in the upper section. The sedimentary lobes are laterally lobate, which corresponds to high-amplitude, good-continuity, moundy reflection signatures in the seismic profile. Due to sediment flux, faults, and inherited terrain, few mass transport deposits occur in the northeastern part of the study area. The front of MTDs is mainly composed of channel-levee complex deposits, while abandoned-channel and lobe-deposits are usually developed in high-curvature channel sections and the channel terminals, respectively. The distribution of deepwater channel, levee, abandoned channel and sedimentary lobe deposits is predominantly controlled by relative sea level fluctuations and to a lesser extent by tectonism and inherited terrain.

Physiological Signal Analysis for Evaluating Flow during Playing of Computer Games of Varying Difficulty.

PubMed

Tian, Yu; Bian, Yulong; Han, Piguo; Wang, Peng; Gao, Fengqiang; Chen, Yingmin

2017-01-01

Flow is the experience of effortless attention, reduced self-consciousness, and a deep sense of control that typically occurs during the optimal performance of challenging tasks. On the basis of the person-artifact-task model, we selected computer games (tasks) with varying levels of difficulty (difficult, medium, and easy) and shyness (personality) as flow precursors to study the physiological activity of users in a flow state. Cardiac and respiratory activity and mean changes in skin conductance (SC) were measured continuously while the participants ( n = 40) played the games. Moreover, the associations between self-reported psychological flow and physiological measures were investigated through a series of repeated-measures analyses. The results showed that the flow experience is related to a faster respiratory rate, deeper respiration, moderate heart rate (HR), moderate HR variability, and moderate SC. The main effect of shyness was non-significant, whereas the interaction of shyness and difficulty influenced the flow experience. These findings are discussed in relation to current models of arousal and valence. The results indicate that the flow state is a state of moderate mental effort that arises through the increased parasympathetic modulation of sympathetic activity.

Physiological Signal Analysis for Evaluating Flow during Playing of Computer Games of Varying Difficulty

PubMed Central

Tian, Yu; Bian, Yulong; Han, Piguo; Wang, Peng; Gao, Fengqiang; Chen, Yingmin

2017-01-01

Flow is the experience of effortless attention, reduced self-consciousness, and a deep sense of control that typically occurs during the optimal performance of challenging tasks. On the basis of the person–artifact–task model, we selected computer games (tasks) with varying levels of difficulty (difficult, medium, and easy) and shyness (personality) as flow precursors to study the physiological activity of users in a flow state. Cardiac and respiratory activity and mean changes in skin conductance (SC) were measured continuously while the participants (n = 40) played the games. Moreover, the associations between self-reported psychological flow and physiological measures were investigated through a series of repeated-measures analyses. The results showed that the flow experience is related to a faster respiratory rate, deeper respiration, moderate heart rate (HR), moderate HR variability, and moderate SC. The main effect of shyness was non-significant, whereas the interaction of shyness and difficulty influenced the flow experience. These findings are discussed in relation to current models of arousal and valence. The results indicate that the flow state is a state of moderate mental effort that arises through the increased parasympathetic modulation of sympathetic activity. PMID:28725206

Jet pump-drive system for heat removal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

French, James R. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

The invention does away with the necessity of moving parts such as a check valve in a nuclear reactor cooling system. Instead, a jet pump, in combination with a TEMP, is employed to assure safe cooling of a nuclear reactor after shutdown. A main flow exists for a reactor coolant. A point of withdrawal is provided for a secondary flow. A TEMP, responsive to the heat from said coolant in the secondary flow path, automatically pumps said withdrawn coolant to a higher pressure and thus higher velocity compared to the main flow. The high velocity coolant is applied as a driver flow for the jet pump which has a main flow chamber located in the main flow circulation pump. Upon nuclear shutdown and loss of power for the main reactor pumping system, the TEMP/jet pump combination continues to boost the coolant flow in the direction it is already circulating. During the decay time for the nuclear reactor, the jet pump keeps running until the coolant temperature drops to a lower and safe temperature where the heat is no longer a problem. At this lower temperature, the TEMP/jet pump combination ceases its circulation boosting operation. When the nuclear reactor is restarted and the coolant again exceeds the lower temperature setting, the TEMP/jet pump automatically resumes operation. The TEMP/jet pump combination is thus automatic, self-regulating and provides an emergency pumping system free of moving parts.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction after myocardial infarction: increased coronary zero flow pressure both in the infarcted and in the remote myocardium is mainly related to left ventricular filling pressure

PubMed Central

Van Herck, P L; Carlier, S G; Claeys, M J; Haine, S E; Gorissen, P; Miljoen, H; Bosmans, J M; Vrints, C J

2007-01-01

Objective To investigate the underlying mechanisms of a decreased coronary flow reserve after myocardial infarction (MI) by analysing the characteristics of the diastolic hyperaemic coronary pressure–flow relationship. Design Prospective study. Setting Tertiary care hospital. Patients 68 patients with a recent MI and 27 patients with stable angina pectoris (AP; control group). Main outcome measures The intercept with the pressure axis (the zero flow pressure or Pzf) and slope index of the pressure–flow relationship (SIPF) were calculated from the simultaneously recorded hyperaemic intracoronary blood flow velocity and aortic pressure after successful coronary stenting. Results A stepwise increase in Pzf from AP (14.6 (8.0) mm Hg), over non‐Q‐wave MI (22.5 (9.1) mm Hg), to Q‐wave MI (37.1 (12.9) mm Hg; p<0.001) was observed. Similar changes in Pzf were found in a reference artery perfusing the non‐infarcted myocardium. Multivariate analysis showed that in both regions the left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was the most important determinant of the Pzf. The SIPF was not statistically different in the treated vessel between patients with MI and AP, but was increased in MI patients with a markedly increased LVEDP. Conclusions After an MI, the coronary pressure–flow relationship is shifted to the right both in the infarcted and in the non‐infarcted remote myocardium, as shown by the increased Pzf. The correlation with Pzf suggests that elevated left ventricular filling pressures contribute to the impediment of myocardial perfusion in patients with infarction. PMID:17395671

Atmospheric circulation types and daily mortality in Athens, Greece.

PubMed Central

Kassomenos, P; Gryparis, A; Samoli, E; Katsouyanni, K; Lykoudis, S; Flocas, H A

2001-01-01

We investigated the short-term effects of synoptic and mesoscale atmospheric circulation types on mortality in Athens, Greece. The synoptic patterns in the lower troposphere were classified in 8 a priori defined categories. The mesoscale weather types were classified into 11 categories, using meteorologic parameters from the Athens area surface monitoring network; the daily number of deaths was available for 1987-1991. We applied generalized additive models (GAM), extending Poisson regression, using a LOESS smoother to control for the confounding effects of seasonal patterns. We adjusted for long-term trends, day of the week, ambient particle concentrations, and additional temperature effects. Both classifications, synoptic and mesoscale, explain the daily variation of mortality to a statistically significant degree. The highest daily mortality was observed on days characterized by southeasterly flow [increase 10%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 6.1-13.9% compared to the high-low pressure system), followed by zonal flow (5.8%; 95% CI, 1.8-10%). The high-low pressure system and the northwesterly flow are associated with the lowest mortality. The seasonal patterns are consistent with the annual pattern. For mesoscale categories, in the cold period the highest mortality is observed during days characterized by the easterly flow category (increase 9.4%; 95% CI, 1.0-18.5% compared to flow without the main component). In the warm period, the highest mortality occurs during the strong southerly flow category (8.5% increase; 95% CI, 2.0-15.4% compared again to flow without the main component). Adjusting for ambient particle levels leaves the estimated associations unchanged for the synoptic categories and slightly increases the effects of mesoscale categories. In conclusion, synoptic and mesoscale weather classification is a useful tool for studying the weather-health associations in a warm Mediterranean climate situation. PMID:11445513

Application of ATHLET/DYN3D coupled codes system for fast liquid metal cooled reactor steady state simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanov, V.; Samokhin, A.; Danicheva, I.; Khrennikov, N.; Bouscuet, J.; Velkov, K.; Pasichnyk, I.

2017-01-01

In this paper the approaches used for developing of the BN-800 reactor test model and for validation of coupled neutron-physic and thermohydraulic calculations are described. Coupled codes ATHLET 3.0 (code for thermohydraulic calculations of reactor transients) and DYN3D (3-dimensional code of neutron kinetics) are used for calculations. The main calculation results of reactor steady state condition are provided. 3-D model used for neutron calculations was developed for start reactor BN-800 load. The homogeneous approach is used for description of reactor assemblies. Along with main simplifications, the main reactor BN-800 core zones are described (LEZ, MEZ, HEZ, MOX, blankets). The 3D neutron physics calculations were provided with 28-group library, which is based on estimated nuclear data ENDF/B-7.0. Neutron SCALE code was used for preparation of group constants. Nodalization hydraulic model has boundary conditions by coolant mass-flow rate for core inlet part, by pressure and enthalpy for core outlet part, which can be chosen depending on reactor state. Core inlet and outlet temperatures were chosen according to reactor nominal state. The coolant mass flow rate profiling through the core is based on reactor power distribution. The test thermohydraulic calculations made with using of developed model showed acceptable results in coolant mass flow rate distribution through the reactor core and in axial temperature and pressure distribution. The developed model will be upgraded in future for different transient analysis in metal-cooled fast reactors of BN type including reactivity transients (control rods withdrawal, stop of the main circulation pump, etc.).

Jet pump-drive system for heat removal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

French, J. R. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A jet pump, in combination with a TEMP, is employed to assure safe cooling of a nuclear reactor after shutdown. A TEMP, responsive to the heat from the coolant in the secondary flow path, automatically pumps the withdrawn coolant to a higher pressure and thus higher velocity compared to the main flow. The high velocity coolant is applied as a driver flow for the jet pump which has a main flow chamber located in the main flow circulation pump. Upon nuclear shutdown and loss of power for the main reactor pumping system, the TEMP/jet pump combination continues to boost the coolant flow in the direction it is already circulating. During the decay time for the nuclear reactor, the jet pump keeps running until the coolant temperature drops to a lower and safe temperature. At this lower temperature, the TEMP/jet jump combination ceases its circulation boosting operation. The TEMP/jet pump combination is automatic, self-regulating and provides an emergency pumping system free of moving parts.

Experiment on a feedback control of nonlinear thermocapillary convection in a half-zone liquid bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudo, M.; Ueno, I.; Shiomi, J.; Amberg, G.; Kawamura, H.

Under microgravity condition, themocapillarity dominates in material processing. In a half-zone method, two co-axial cylindrical rods hold a liquid bridge by the surface tension. By adding a temperature difference Δ T between the rods, thermocapillary flow is induced in the bridge. The convection changes from two-dimensional steady flow to three-dimensional oscillatory one at a critical Δ T in the case of medium to high Prandtl number (Pr) fluid. In our latest study (Shiomi et al., JFM, 2003), complete damping of the temperature oscillation was not achieved at highly nonlinear regions by a simple cancellation scheme. The excitation of unexpected other azimuthal wave numbers prevented the suppression of the oscillation. The present study aimed to develop a new control scheme with taking into account of spatio-temporal azimuthal temperature distribution. The target geometry was a liquid bridge of 5 mm in diameter and of a unit aspect ratio, Γ g(g= H/R=1, where H and R are the height and the radius of the bridge, respectively). At this aspect ratio, a dominant azimuthal mode was wave number of 2 when the control was absent. Silicone oil of 5 cSt (Pr = 68 at 25C) was employed as a test fluid. The flow field was visualized by suspending polystyrene sphere particles (D =17μ m). The present experiments were performed with 4 sensors located at different azimuthal positions for the evaluation of the azimuthal surface temperature distribution as well as with 2 heaters to suppress its non-uniform distribution. All sensors and heaters were located at the mid-height of the bridge. The present algorithm involved two main features; the first one was the time-dependent estimation of the azimuthal surface temperature distribution at the height of the sensors and heaters. Evaluation of the azimuthal temperature distribution enabled us to cancel the temperature oscillation by local heating effectively. The second one was the time-dependent evaluation of a frequency of the dominant mode number. This scheme enabled us to predict the azimuthal temperature distribution properly. The control was applied to a highly nonlinear flow that exhibited a traveling-wave type oscillatory flow (traveling flow) in the absence of the control. Under the control, the amplitude of temperature measured by each sensor attenuated significantly. The flow visualization exhibited a gradual change of the flow structure from the traveling down to the standing flow with less nonlinearity. We realized the reduction of the amplitude less than half of the initial value without amplifying other azimuthal-wave-number oscillations.

Hemodynamic transition driven by stent porosity in sidewall aneurysms.

PubMed

Bouillot, Pierre; Brina, Olivier; Ouared, Rafik; Lovblad, Karl-Olof; Farhat, Mohamed; Pereira, Vitor Mendes

2015-05-01

The healing process of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) treated with flow diverter stents (FDSs) depends on the IA flow modifications and on the epithelization process over the neck. In sidewall IA models with straight parent artery, two main hemodynamic regimes with different flow patterns and IA flow magnitude were broadly observed for unstented and high porosity stented IA on one side, and low porosity stented IA on the other side. The hemodynamic transition between these two regimes is potentially involved in thrombosis formation. In the present study, CFD simulations and multi-time lag (MTL) particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) measurements were combined to investigate the physical nature of this transition. Measurable velocity fields and non-measurable shear stress and pressure fields were assessed experimentally and numerically in the aneurysm volume in the presence of stents with various porosities. The two main regimes observed in both PIV and CFD showed typical flow features of shear and pressure driven regimes. In particular, the waveform of the averaged IA velocities was matching both the shear stress waveform at IA neck or the pressure gradient waveform in parent artery. Moreover, the transition between the two regimes was controlled by stent porosity: a decrease of stent porosity leads to an increase (decrease) of pressure differential (shear stress) through IA neck. Finally, a good PIV-CFD agreement was found except in transitional regimes and low motion eddies due to small mismatch of PIV-CFD running conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The relative importance of different grass components in controlling runoff and erosion on a hillslope under simulated rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Changjia; Pan, Chengzhong

2018-03-01

The effects of vegetation cover on overland flow and erosion processes on hillslopes vary with vegetation type and spatial distribution and the different vegetation components, including the above- and below-ground biomass. However, few attempts have been made to quantify how these factors affect erosion processes. Field experimental plots (5 m × 2 m) with a slope of approximately 25° were constructed and simulated rainfall (60 mm hr-1) (Rainfall) and simulated rainfall combined with upslope overland flow (20 L min-1) (Rainfall + Flow) were applied. Three grass species were planted, specifically Astragalus adsurgens (A. adsurgens), Medicago sativa (M. sativa) and Cosmos bipinnatus (C. bipinnatus). To isolate and quantify the relative contributions of the above-ground grass parts (stems, litter cover and leaves) and the roots to reducing surface runoff and erosion, each of the three grass species was subjected to three treatments: intact grass control (IG), no litter or leaves (only the grass stems and roots were reserved) (NLL), and only roots remaining (OR). The results showed that planting grass significantly reduced overland flow rate and velocity and sediment yield, and the mean reductions were 21.8%, 29.1% and 67.1%, respectively. M. sativa performed the best in controlling water and soil losses due to its thick canopy and dense, fine roots. Grasses reduced soil erosion mainly during the early stage of overland flow generation. The above-ground grass parts primarily contributed to reducing overland flow rate and velocity, with mean relative contributions of 64% and 86%, respectively. The roots played a predominant role in reducing soil erosion, with mean contribution of 84%. Due to the impact of upslope inflow, overland flow rate and velocity and sediment yield increased under the Rainfall + Flow conditions. The results suggest that grass species on downslope parts of semi-arid hillslopes performed better in reducing water and soil losses. This study is beneficial for forage selection, allocation and management practices, such as forage harvesting, when implementing restoration strategies to control soil and water losses.

Erosion of a wet/dry granular interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jop, Pierre; Lefebvre, Gautier

2013-04-01

To model the dynamic of landslides, the evolution of the interface between the erodible ground and the flowing material is still studied experimentally or numerically (ie. Mangeney et al. 2010, Iverson 2012). In some cases, the basal material is more cohesive than the flowing one. Such situation arises for example due to cementation or humidity. What are the exchange rates between these phases? What is the coupling between the evolution of the interface and the flow? We studied the erosion phenomenon and performed laboratory experiments to focus on the interaction between a cohesive unsaturated granular material and a dry granular flow. Both materials were spherical grains, the cohesion being induced by adding a given mass of liquid to the grains. Two configurations were explored: a circular aggregate submitted to a dry flow in a rotating drum, and a granular flow eroding a wet granular pile. First, we focused on the influence of the cohesion, controlled by the liquid properties, such as the surface tension and the viscosity. Then the flow characteristics were modified by varying the grain size and density. These results allowed us to present a model for the erosion mechanisms, based on the flow and fluid properties. The main results are the need to take into account the whole probability distribution the stress applied on the wet grains and that both the surface tension and the viscosity are important since they play a different roles. The latter is mainly responsible of the time scale of the dynamic of a wet grain, while the former acts as a threshold on the force distribution. In the second configuration, we could also control the inclination of the slope. This system supported the previous model and moreover revealed an interface instability, leading the formation of steep steps, which is a reminiscence of the cyclic-steps observed during river-channel incision (Parker and Izumi 2000). We will present the dynamics of such granular steps. [1] Mangeney, A., O. Roche, O. Hungr, N. Mangold, G. Faccanoni, and A. Lucas (2010), Erosion and mobility in granular collapse over sloping beds, J. Geophys. Res., 115, F03040, doi:10.1029/2009JF001462. [2] Iverson, R. M. (2012), Elementary theory of bed-sediment entrainment by debris flows and avalanches, J. Geophys. Res., 117, F03006, doi:10.1029/2011JF002189. [3] Parker G.and Izumi N., Purely erosional cyclic and solitary steps created by flow over a cohesive bed, J. Fluid Mech. (2000), vol. 419, pp. 203-238.

Effects of respiratory muscle work on respiratory and locomotor blood flow during exercise.

PubMed

Dominelli, Paolo B; Archiza, Bruno; Ramsook, Andrew H; Mitchell, Reid A; Peters, Carli M; Molgat-Seon, Yannick; Henderson, William R; Koehle, Michael S; Boushel, Robert; Sheel, A William

2017-11-01

What is the central question of this study? Does manipulation of the work of breathing during high-intensity exercise alter respiratory and locomotor muscle blood flow? What is the main finding and its importance? We found that when the work of breathing was reduced during exercise, respiratory muscle blood flow decreased, while locomotor muscle blood flow increased. Conversely, when the work of breathing was increased, respiratory muscle blood flow increased, while locomotor muscle blood flow decreased. Our findings support the theory of a competitive relationship between locomotor and respiratory muscles during intense exercise. Manipulation of the work of breathing (WOB) during near-maximal exercise influences leg blood flow, but the effects on respiratory muscle blood flow are equivocal. We sought to assess leg and respiratory muscle blood flow simultaneously during intense exercise while manipulating WOB. Our hypotheses were as follows: (i) increasing the WOB would increase respiratory muscle blood flow and decrease leg blood flow; and (ii) decreasing the WOB would decrease respiratory muscle blood flow and increase leg blood flow. Eight healthy subjects (n = 5 men, n = 3 women) performed a maximal cycle test (day 1) and a series of constant-load exercise trials at 90% of peak work rate (day 2). On day 2, WOB was assessed with oesophageal balloon catheters and was increased (via resistors), decreased (via proportional assist ventilation) or unchanged (control) during the trials. Blood flow was assessed using near-infrared spectroscopy optodes placed over quadriceps and the sternocleidomastoid muscles, coupled with a venous Indocyanine Green dye injection. Changes in WOB were significantly and positively related to changes in respiratory muscle blood flow (r = 0.73), whereby increasing the WOB increased blood flow. Conversely, changes in WOB were significantly and inversely related to changes in locomotor blood flow (r = 0.57), whereby decreasing the WOB increased locomotor blood flow. Oxygen uptake was not different during the control and resistor trials (3.8 ± 0.9 versus 3.7 ± 0.8 l min -1 , P > 0.05), but was lower on the proportional assist ventilator trial (3.4 ± 0.7 l min -1 , P < 0.05) compared with control. Our findings support the concept that respiratory muscle work significantly influences the distribution of blood flow to both respiratory and locomotor muscles. © 2017 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2017 The Physiological Society.

Experimental study of the surface thermal signature of gravity currents: application to the assessment of lava flow effusion rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garel, F.; Kaminski, E.; Tait, S.; Limare, A.

2011-12-01

During an effusive volcanic eruption, the crisis management is mainly based on the prediction of lava flows advance and its velocity. As the spreading of lava flows is mainly controlled by its rheology and the eruptive mass flux, the key question is how to evaluate them during the eruption (rather than afterwards.) A relationship between the heat flux lost by the lava at its surface and the eruption rate is likely to exist, based on the first-order argument that higher eruption rates should correspond to larger power radiated by a lava flow. The semi-empirical formula developed by Harris and co-workers (e.g. Harris et al., Bull. Volc. 2007) is currently used to estimate lava flow rate from satellite surveys yielding the surface temperatures and area of the lava flow field. However, this approach is derived from a static thermal budget of the lava flow and does not explicitly model the time-evolution of the surface thermal signal. Here we propose laboratory experiments and theoretical studies of the cooling of a viscous axisymmetric gravity current fed at constant flux rate. We first consider the isoviscous case, for which the spreading is well-know. The experiments using silicon oil and the theoretical model both reveal the establishment of a steady surface thermal structure after a transient time. The steady state is a balance between surface cooling and heat advection in the flow. The radiated heat flux in the steady regime, a few days for a basaltic lava flow, depends mainly on the effusion rate rather than on the viscosity. In this regime, one thermal survey of the radiated power could provide a consistent estimate of the flow rate if the external cooling conditions (wind) are reasonably well constrained. We continue to investigate the relationship between the thermal radiated heat flux and the effusion rate by using in the experiments fluids with temperature-dependent viscosity (glucose syrup) or undergoing solidification while cooling (PEG wax). We observe a transient evolution of the radiated heat flux closely related to the variations of the flow area. The study of experiments with time-variable effusion rates finally gives first leads on the inertia of the thermal surface structure. This is to be related to the time-period over which the thermal proxy averages the actual effusion rate, hence to the acquisition frequency appropriate for a thermal monitoring of effusive volcanic eruptions.

The 15 September 1991 pyroclastic flows at Unzen Volcano (Japan): a flow model for associated ash-cloud surges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Toshitsugu; Nakada, Setsuya

1999-04-01

Large-scale collapse of a dacite dome in the late afternoon of 15 September 1991 generated a series of pyroclastic-flow events at Unzen Volcano. Pyroclastic flows with a volume of 1×10 6 m 3 (as DRE) descended the northeastern slope of the volcano, changing their courses to the southeast due to topographic control. After they exited a narrow gorge, an ash-cloud surge rushed straight ahead, detaching the main body of the flow that turned and followed the topographic lows to the east. The surge swept the Kita-Kamikoba area, which had been devastated by the previous pyroclastic-flow events, and transported a car as far as 120 m. Following detachment, the surge lost its force after it moved several hundred meters, but maintained a high temperature. The deposits consist of a bottom layer of better-sorted ash (unit 1), a thick layer of block and ash (unit 2), and a thin top layer of fall-out ash (unit 3). Unit 2 overlies unit 1 with an erosional contact. The upper part of unit 2 grades into better-sorted ash. At distal block-and-ash flow deposits, the bottom part of unit 2 also consists of better-sorted ash, and the contact with the unit 1 deposits becomes ambiguous. Video footage of cascading pyroclastic flows during the 1991-1995 eruption, traveling over surfaces without any topographic barriers, revealed that lobes of ash cloud protruded intermittently from the moving head and sides, and that these lobes surged ahead on the ground surface. This fact, together with the inspection by helicopter shortly after the events, suggests that the protruded lobes consisted of better-sorted ash, and resulted in the deposits of unit 1. The highest ash-cloud plume at the Oshigadani valley exit, and the thickest deposition of fall-out ash over Kita-Kamikoba and Ohnokoba, indicate that abundant ash was also produced when the flow passed through a narrow gorge. In the model presented here, the ash clouds from the pyroclastic flows were composed of a basal turbulent current of high concentration (main body), an overriding and intermediate fluidization zone, and an overlying dilute cloud. Release of pressurized gas in lava block pores, due to collisions among blocks and the resulting upward current, caused a zone of fluidization just above the main body. The mixture of gas and ash sorted in the fluidization zone moved ahead and to the side of the main body as a gravitational current, where the ash was deposited as surge deposits. The main body, which had high internal friction and shear near its base, then overran the surge deposits, partially eroding them. When the upward current of gas (fluidization) waned, better-sorted ash suspended in the fluidization zone was deposited on block-and-ash deposits. In the distal places of block-and-ash deposits, unit 2 probably was deposited in non-turbulent fashion without any erosion of the underlying layer (unit 1).

Flow controls on lowland river macrophytes: a review.

PubMed

Franklin, Paul; Dunbar, Michael; Whitehead, Paul

2008-08-01

We review the current status of knowledge regarding the role that flow parameters play in controlling the macrophyte communities of temperate lowland rivers. We consider both direct and indirect effects and the interaction with other factors known to control macrophyte communities. Knowledge gaps are identified and implications for the management of river systems considered. The main factors and processes controlling the status of macrophytes in lowland rivers are velocity (hence also discharge), light, substrate, competition, nutrient status and river management practices. We suggest that whilst the characteristics of any particular macrophyte community reflect the integral effects of a combination of the factors, fundamental importance can be attributed to the role of discharge and velocity in controlling instream macrophyte colonisation, establishment and persistence. Velocity and discharge also appear to control the relative influence of some of the other controlling factors. Despite the apparent importance of velocity in determining the status of macrophyte communities in lowland rivers, relatively little is understood about the nature of the processes controlling this relationship. Quantitative knowledge is particularly lacking. Consequently, the ability to predict macrophyte abundance and distribution in rivers is still limited. This is further complicated by the likely existence of feedback effects between the growth of macrophytes and velocity. Demand for water resources increases the pressure on lowland aquatic ecosystems. Despite growing recognition of the need to allocate water for the needs of instream biota, the inability to assess the flow requirements of macrophyte communities limits the scope to achieve this. This increases the likelihood of overexploitation of the water resource as other users, whose demands are quantifiable, are prioritised.

Calibrating the Helium Pressurization System for the Space Shuttle Liquid-Hydrogen Tank

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Analysis of the results from the STS-114 tanking tests and subsequent launch called into question existing thermal and mass models of helium pressurization of the liquid hydrogen tank. This hydrogen tank, which makes up the bottom two-thirds of the External Tank, is pressurized prior to launch to avoid cavitation in the Shuttle Main Engine pumps. At about 2 minutes prior to launch, the main vent valve is closed, and pressurized helium flows into the tank ullage space to achieve set point pressure. As the helium gas cools, its pressure drops, calling for additional helium. Subsequent helium flows are provided in short, timed pulses. The number of pulses is taken as a rough leak indicator. An analysis of thermal models by Marshall Space Flight Center showed considerable uncertainty in the pressure-versus-time behavior of the helium ullage space and the ability to predict the number of pulses normally expected. Kennedy Space Center proposed to calibrate the dime-sized orifice, which together with valves, controls the helium flow quantity (Figure 1). Pressure and temperature sensors were installed to provide upstream and downstream measurements necessary to compute flow rate based on the orifice discharge coefficient. An assessment of flow testing with helium indicated an extremely costly use of this critical resource. In order to reduce costs, we proposed removing the orifices from each Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) and asking Colorado Engineering Experiment Station Inc. (CEESI) to calibrate the flow. CEESI has a high-pressure air flow system with traceable flow meters capable of handling the large flow rates. However, literature research indicated that square-edged orifices of small diameters often exhibit significant hysteresis and nonrepeatability in the vicinity of choked or sonic flow. Fortunately, the MLP orifices behaved relatively well in testing (Figure 2). Using curve fitting of the air-flow data, in conjunction with ASME orifice modeling equations, a method of relating the helium mass flow to measured air flow data was obtained. This analysis showed that the highest uncertainty in flow occurred in the vicinity of the choking pressure ratio, as would be expected. In addition, analysis of typical flow pulses showed that most of the helium flow occurred either well below or well above this uncertain area. The final result is the ability to provide postlaunch estimates of helium mass flows that are within 1.5 percent of the actual value.

Hydrothermal fluids circulation and travertine deposition in an active tectonic setting: Insights from the Kamara geothermal area (western Anatolia, Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brogi, Andrea; Alçiçek, M. Cihat; Yalçıner, Cahit Çağlar; Capezzuoli, Enrico; Liotta, Domenico; Meccheri, Marco; Rimondi, Valentina; Ruggieri, Giovanni; Gandin, Anna; Boschi, Chiara; Büyüksaraç, Aydin; Alçiçek, Hülya; Bülbül, Ali; Baykara, Mehmet Oruç; Shen, Chuan-Chou

2016-06-01

Coexistence of thermal springs, travertine deposits and tectonic activity is a recurring feature for most geothermal areas. Although such a certainty, their relationships are debated mainly addressing on the role of the tectonic activity in triggering and controlling fluids flow and travertine deposition. In this paper, we present the results of an integrated study carried out in a geothermal area located in western Anatolia (Turkey), nearby the well-known Pamukkale area (Denizli Basin). Our study focused on the relationships among hydrothermal fluids circulation, travertine deposition and tectonic activity, with particular emphasis on the role of faults in controlling fluids upwelling, thermal springs location and deposition of travertine masses. New field mapping and structural/kinematics analyses allowed us to recognize two main faults systems (NW- and NE-trending), framed in the Neogene-Quaternary extensional tectonic evolution of western Anatolia. A geo-radar (GPR) prospection was also provided in a key-area, permitting us to reconstruct a buried fault zone and its relationships with the development of a fissure-ridge travertine deposit (Kamara fissure-ridge). The integration among structural and geophysical studies, fluids inclusion, geochemical, isotopic data and 230 Th/238 U radiometric age determination on travertine deposits, depict the characteristics of the geothermal fluids and their pathway, up to the surface. Hydrological and seismological data have been also taken in account to investigate the relation between local seismicity and fluid upwelling. As a main conclusion we found strict relationships among tectonic activity, earthquakes occurrence, and variation of the physical/chemical features of the hydrothermal fluids, presently exploited at depth, or flowing out in thermal springs. In the same way, we underline the tectonic role in controlling the travertine deposition, making travertine (mainly banded travertine) a useful proxy to reconstruct the seismological history of an area, as well as the characteristics of the parent geothermal fluids, adding an effective tool for geothermal exploration tasks.

Pressurization, Pneumatic, and Vent Subsystems of the X-34 Main Propulsion System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hedayat, A.; Steadman, T. E.; Brown, T. M.; Knight, K. C.; White, C. E., Jr.; Champion, R. H., Jr.

1998-01-01

In pressurization systems, regulators and orifices are use to control the flow of the pressurant. For the X-34 Main Propulsion System, three pressurization subsystem design configuration options were considered. In the first option, regulators were used while in the other options, orifices were considered. In each design option, the vent/relief system must be capable of relieving the pressurant flow without allowing the tank pressure to rise above proof, therefore, impacts on the propellant tank vent system were investigated and a trade study of the pressurization system was conducted. The analysis indicated that design option using regulators poses least risk. Then, a detailed transient thermal/fluid analysis of the recommended pressurization system was performed. Helium usage, thermodynamic conditions, and overpressurization of each propellant tank were evaluated. The pneumatic and purge subsystem is used for pneumatic valve actuation, Inter-Propellant Seal purges, Engine Spin Start, and engine purges at the required interface pressures, A transient analysis of the pneumatic and purge subsystem provided helium usage and flow rates to Inter-Propellant Seal and engine interfaces. Fill analysis of the helium bottles of pressurization and pneumatic subsystems during ground operation was performed. The required fill time and the stored

Modeling and Prediction of Krueger Device Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guo, Yueping; Burley, Casey L.; Thomas, Russell H.

2016-01-01

This paper presents the development of a noise prediction model for aircraft Krueger flap devices that are considered as alternatives to leading edge slotted slats. The prediction model decomposes the total Krueger noise into four components, generated by the unsteady flows, respectively, in the cove under the pressure side surface of the Krueger, in the gap between the Krueger trailing edge and the main wing, around the brackets supporting the Krueger device, and around the cavity on the lower side of the main wing. For each noise component, the modeling follows a physics-based approach that aims at capturing the dominant noise-generating features in the flow and developing correlations between the noise and the flow parameters that control the noise generation processes. The far field noise is modeled using each of the four noise component's respective spectral functions, far field directivities, Mach number dependencies, component amplitudes, and other parametric trends. Preliminary validations are carried out by using small scale experimental data, and two applications are discussed; one for conventional aircraft and the other for advanced configurations. The former focuses on the parametric trends of Krueger noise on design parameters, while the latter reveals its importance in relation to other airframe noise components.

New age constraints for the Saalian glaciation in northern central Europe: Implications for the extent of ice sheets and related proglacial lake systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, Jörg; Lauer, Tobias; Winsemann, Jutta

2018-01-01

A comprehensive palaeogeographic reconstruction of ice sheets and related proglacial lake systems for the older Saalian glaciation in northern central Europe is presented, which is based on the integration of palaeo-ice flow data, till provenance, facies analysis, geomorphology and new luminescence ages of ice-marginal deposits. Three major ice advances with different ice-advance directions and source areas are indicated by palaeo-ice flow directions and till provenance. The first ice advance was characterised by a southwards directed ice flow and a dominance of clasts derived from southern Sweden. The second ice advance was initially characterised by an ice flow towards the southwest. Clasts are mainly derived from southern and central Sweden. The latest stage in the study area (third ice advance) was characterised by ice streaming (Hondsrug ice stream) in the west and a re-advance in the east. Clasts of this stage are mainly derived from eastern Fennoscandia. Numerical ages for the first ice advance are sparse, but may indicate a correlation with MIS 8 or early MIS 6. New pIRIR290 luminescence ages of ice-marginal deposits attributed to the second ice advance range from 175 ± 10 to 156 ± 24 ka and correlate with MIS 6. The ice sheets repeatedly blocked the main river-drainage pathways and led to the formation of extensive ice-dammed lakes. The formation of proglacial lakes was mainly controlled by ice-damming of river valleys and major bedrock spillways; therefore the lake levels and extends were very similar throughout the repeated ice advances. During deglaciation the lakes commonly increased in size and eventually drained successively towards the west and northwest into the Lower Rhine Embayment and the North Sea. Catastrophic lake-drainage events occurred when large overspill channels were suddenly opened. Ice-streaming at the end of the older Saalian glaciation was probably triggered by major lake-drainage events.

Coarse and fine sediment transportation patterns and causes downstream of the Three Gorges Dam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Songzhe; Yang, Yunping; Zhang, Mingjin; Sun, Zhaohua; Zhu, Lingling; You, Xingying; Li, Kanyu

2017-11-01

Reservoir construction within a basin affects the process of water and sediment transport downstream of the dam. The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) affects the sediment transport downstream of the dam. The impoundment of the TGR reduced total downstream sediment. The sediment group d≤0.125 mm (fine particle) increased along the path, but the average was still below what existed before the reservoir impoundment. The sediments group d>0.125 mm (coarse particle) was recharged in the Yichang to Jianli reach, but showed a deposition trend downstream of Jianli. The coarse sediment in the Yichang to Jianli section in 2003 to 2007 was above the value before the TGR impoundment. However, the increase of both coarse and fine sediments in 2008 to 2014 was less than that in 2003 to 2007. The sediment retained in the dam is the major reason for the sediment reduction downstream. However, the retention in different river reaches is affected by riverbed coarsening, discharge, flow process, and conditions of lake functioning and recharging from the tributaries. The main conclusions derived from our study are as follows: 1) The riverbed in the Yichang to Shashi section was relatively coarse, thereby limiting the supply of fine and coarse sediments. The fine sediment supply was mainly controlled by TGR discharge, whereas the coarse sediment supply was controlled by the duration of high flow and its magnitude. 2) The supply of both coarse and fine sediments in the Shashi to Jianli section was controlled by the amount of total discharge. The sediment supply from the riverbed was higher in flood years than that in the dry years. The coarse sediment tended to deposit, and the deposition in the dry years was larger than that in the flood years. 3) The feeding of the fine sediment in the Luoshan to Hankou section was mainly from the riverbed. The supply in 2008 to 2014 was more than that in 2003 to 2007. Around 2010, the coarse sediments transited from depositing to scouring that was probably caused by the increased duration of high flow days. 4) Fine sediments appeared to be deposited in large amounts in the Hankou to Jiujiang section. The coarse sediment was fed by the riverbed scouring, and much more coarse sediments were recharged from the riverbed in the flood years than in the dry years. 5) In the Jiujiang to Datong section, the ratio of fine sediments from the Poyang Lake and that from the riverbed was 1: 2.82. The sediment from the riverbed scouring contributed more to the coarse sediment transportation. The contribution was mainly affected by the input by magnitude and duration of high flows.

High-frequency counter-flow plasma synthetic jet actuator and its application in suppression of supersonic flow separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongyu; Li, Jun; Jin, Di; Tang, Mengxiao; Wu, Yun; Xiao, Lianghua

2018-01-01

We come up with a control strategy for suppression of supersonic flow separation based on high-frequency Counter-flow Plasma Synthetic Jet Actuator (CPSJA). The main purpose of this investigation is to verify if its control authority can be enhanced by the jet/shock interaction. We use a blunt nose to generate a bow shock, a step on a flat plate to introduce a massive separation in a Mach 2 wind tunnel, and the CPSJA to generate Plasma Synthetic Jet (PSJ). In this study, pulsed capacitive discharge is provided for an array of CPSJAs, which makes the actuation (discharge) frequency f1 = 1 kHz, f2 = 2 kHz and f3 = 3 kHz. We use the high-speed schlieren imaging and fast response pressure transducers as well as a numerical simulation to investigate the quiescent PSJ properties, the interaction between the jet and bow shock, and its disturbance effect on the downstream separated region. The schlieren images show that PSJ is characterized by a succession of vortex rings; the jet strength weakens with the increase of frequency. A 4.5 mN jet thrust is found for all the frequencies. The simulation results show that jet/shock interaction produces vorticity in the vortex ring of the jet, enhancing turbulent mixing in PSJ so that a great deal of momentum is produced into the flow. We found the downstream flow is significantly disturbed by the enhanced actuation. Actuation with frequency of f2, f3 which is close to the natural frequency fn of the separation bubble suppresses the separation with the upstream laminar boundary layer being periodically attenuated, which has a better control effect than f1. The control effect is sensitive to the position where PSJ interacts with the shear layer, but the amount of energy deposited in one pulse is not crucial in a separation reduction in the experiment.

Flow resistance dynamics in step‐pool stream channels: 1. Large woody debris and controls on total resistance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilcox, Andrew C.; Wohl, Ellen E.

2006-01-01

Flow resistance dynamics in step‐pool channels were investigated through physical modeling using a laboratory flume. Variables contributing to flow resistance in step‐pool channels were manipulated in order to measure the effects of various large woody debris (LWD) configurations, steps, grains, discharge, and slope on total flow resistance. This entailed nearly 400 flume runs, organized into a series of factorial experiments. Factorial analyses of variance indicated significant two‐way and three‐way interaction effects between steps, grains, and LWD, illustrating the complexity of flow resistance in these channels. Interactions between steps and LWD resulted in substantially greater flow resistance for steps with LWD than for steps lacking LWD. LWD position contributed to these interactions, whereby LWD pieces located near the lip of steps, analogous to step‐forming debris in natural channels, increased the effective height of steps and created substantially higher flow resistance than pieces located farther upstream on step treads. Step geometry and LWD density and orientation also had highly significant effects on flow resistance. Flow resistance dynamics and the resistance effect of bed roughness configurations were strongly discharge‐dependent; discharge had both highly significant main effects on resistance and highly significant interactions with all other variables.

The Relationship Between Personality Traits, Flow-Experience, and Different Aspects of Practice Behavior of Amateur Vocal Students

PubMed Central

Heller, Katharina; Bullerjahn, Claudia; von Georgi, Richard

2015-01-01

Most of the existing studies on musical practice are concerned with instrumentalists only. Since singers are seldom considered in research, the present study is based on an online-sample of amateur vocal students (N = 120; 92 female, 28 male). The study investigated the correlations between personality traits, flow-experience and several aspects of practice characteristics. Personality was represented by the three personality dimensions extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism, assessed by Eysenck’s Personality Profiler as well as the trait form of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. ‘Flow-experience,’ ‘self-congruence’ and ‘fear of losing control over concentration,’ assessed by the Practice Flow Inventory, served as variables for flow-experience. The practice motivation was measured by the Practice Motivation Questionnaire in four categories (‘self,’ ‘group,’ ‘audience,’ ‘teacher’). In addition, the Practice Behavior Questionnaire was used to provide an insight into the practice situation and behavior of singing students. The results show significant correlations: participants with high extraversion-scores experience significantly more flow than less extraverted persons, whereas lesser flow-experience seems to be related to high neuroticism-scores. Nevertheless, there is no influence in flow-experience concerning singing style (‘classical’ or ‘popular’). The longer the practicing time, the more likely students are to achieve flow-experience. However, older singers tend to have less flow-experience. Consequently, singers seem to differ in their personality and practice behavior compared to other musicians. Most of the findings show that having control over one’s instrument is decisive for achieving a performance of high quality, especially for singers. On the other hand, certainty in handling an instrument is essential to arouse a flow-feeling. However, flow-experience seems to be common mainly with amateur singers. In conclusion, this offers a starting point for new research on the psychology of vocalists in greater depth. PMID:26733904

The Relationship Between Personality Traits, Flow-Experience, and Different Aspects of Practice Behavior of Amateur Vocal Students.

PubMed

Heller, Katharina; Bullerjahn, Claudia; von Georgi, Richard

2015-01-01

Most of the existing studies on musical practice are concerned with instrumentalists only. Since singers are seldom considered in research, the present study is based on an online-sample of amateur vocal students (N = 120; 92 female, 28 male). The study investigated the correlations between personality traits, flow-experience and several aspects of practice characteristics. Personality was represented by the three personality dimensions extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism, assessed by Eysenck's Personality Profiler as well as the trait form of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. 'Flow-experience,' 'self-congruence' and 'fear of losing control over concentration,' assessed by the Practice Flow Inventory, served as variables for flow-experience. The practice motivation was measured by the Practice Motivation Questionnaire in four categories ('self,' 'group,' 'audience,' 'teacher'). In addition, the Practice Behavior Questionnaire was used to provide an insight into the practice situation and behavior of singing students. The results show significant correlations: participants with high extraversion-scores experience significantly more flow than less extraverted persons, whereas lesser flow-experience seems to be related to high neuroticism-scores. Nevertheless, there is no influence in flow-experience concerning singing style ('classical' or 'popular'). The longer the practicing time, the more likely students are to achieve flow-experience. However, older singers tend to have less flow-experience. Consequently, singers seem to differ in their personality and practice behavior compared to other musicians. Most of the findings show that having control over one's instrument is decisive for achieving a performance of high quality, especially for singers. On the other hand, certainty in handling an instrument is essential to arouse a flow-feeling. However, flow-experience seems to be common mainly with amateur singers. In conclusion, this offers a starting point for new research on the psychology of vocalists in greater depth.

TRACE Model for Simulation of Anticipated Transients Without Scram in a BWR

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

Cheng L. Y.; Baek J.; Cuadra,A.

2013-11-10

A TRACE model has been developed for using theTRACE/PARCS computational package [1, 2] to simulate anticipated transients without scram (ATWS) events in a boiling water reactor (BWR). The model represents a BWR/5 housed in a Mark II containment. The reactor and the balance of plant systems are modeled in sufficient detail to enable the evaluation of plant responses and theeffectiveness of automatic and operator actions tomitigate this beyond design basis accident.The TRACE model implements features thatfacilitate the simulation of ATWS events initiated by turbine trip and closure of the main steam isolation valves (MSIV). It also incorporates control logic tomore » initiate actions to mitigate the ATWS events, such as water levelcontrol, emergency depressurization, and injection of boron via the standby liquid control system (SLCS). Two different approaches have been used to model boron mixing in the lower plenum of the reactor vessel: modulate coolant flow in the lower plenum by a flow valve, and use control logic to modular.« less

Influence of isoflurane on the diastolic pressure-flow relationship and critical occlusion pressure during arterial CABG surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hinz, José; Mansur, Ashham; Hanekop, Gerd G; Weyland, Andreas; Popov, Aron F; Schmitto, Jan D; Grüne, Frank F G; Bauer, Martin; Kazmaier, Stephan

2016-01-01

The effects of isoflurane on the determinants of blood flow during Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery are not completely understood. This study characterized the influence of isoflurane on the diastolic Pressure-Flow (P-F) relationship and Critical Occlusion Pressure (COP) during CABG surgery. Twenty patients undergoing CABG surgery were studied. Patients were assigned to an isoflurane or control group. Hemodynamic and flow measurements during CABG surgery were performed twice (15 minutes after the discontinuation of extracorporeal circulation (T15) and again 15 minutes later (T30)). The zero flow pressure intercept (a measure of COP) was extrapolated from a linear regression analysis of the instantaneous diastolic P-F relationship. In the isoflurane group, the application of isoflurane significantly increased the slope of the diastolic P-F relationship by 215% indicating a mean reduction of Coronary Vascular Resistance (CVR) by 46%. Simultaneously, the Mean Diastolic Aortic Pressure (MDAP) decreased by 19% mainly due to a decrease in the systemic vascular resistance index by 21%. The COP, cardiac index, heart rate, Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure (LVEDP) and Coronary Sinus Pressure (CSP) did not change significantly. In the control group, the parameters remained unchanged. In both groups, COP significantly exceeded the CSP and LVEDP at both time points. We conclude that short-term application of isoflurane at a sedative concentration markedly increases the slope of the instantaneous diastolic P-F relationship during CABG surgery implying a distinct decrease with CVR in patients undergoing CABG surgery.

International Aviation (Selected Articles)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-11

THE ANAYLYSIS OF DYNAMIC FORCES IN AVIATION STRUCTURES Following along with the development of test manufacturing projects for many types of aircraft...type water troughs. All the main equipment embodies automated measurement controls. It is capable of obtaining test data and curves in a real time...results from thousands of calculations, and decisions were made to select the imaginary origin point to act as the turbulence flow origination point

Hydrodynamics and morphodynamics of a mobile bed confluence under equilibrium conditions for different values of the flow discharge ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birjukova Canelas, Olga; Lage Ferreira, Rui Miguel; Heleno Cardoso, António

2017-04-01

Under steady water and sediment feeding in laboratory conditions, sediment fluxes tend to reach a steady state and bed morphology tends to equilibrium. This laboratory study states two objectives: i) to provide a detailed three-dimensional characterization of the flow field at a movable bed confluence and ii) to contribute to the characterization of the effect of the flow discharge ratio (Qr = Qt/Qm, Qt - tributary flow discharge and Qm - main channel flow discharge) on the flow field. While the junction angle between the main channel and the tributary as well as the sediment discharge ratio were kept constant, two scenarios corresponding to two different flow discharge ratios with dominant main channel flow discharge (Qm > Qt) were analyzed. Prior to the flow velocity measurements, both channels were fed with water and sand mixtures and tests were run until the equilibrium condition was reached, i.e. until the moment where the difference between the total supplied sand discharge and the total outgoing sand discharge was smaller than ± 5%. During the experiments, bed topography was systematically recorded. Then, the flow was stopped, the water was slowly drained and the bed was carefully fixed with a cement and vernix coat and allowed to dry to guarantee that it remained stable from there on, while the clear water (free of sand) discharges were fed again to the fixed bed converging channels. A 3D side looking Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV), installed on a remotely controlled and precisely positioned (± 0.1 mm) robotic arm, was used to measure the instantaneous velocities at a very dense mesh. Once the velocities measured and recorded, the water surface levels were surveyed. For the case with more dominant tributary flow (Qr = 0.17), as expected, the scour hole formed at the tributary mouth is much deeper and larger and extends towards the outer bank of the post-confluence channel, as well as upstream the junction corner. The avalanche slopes are, consequently, steeper. On the other hand, for the case with a weaker tributary flow (Qr = 0.08), no erosion is observed immediately upstream the junction. Moreover, the bank-attached sediment bar downstream the junction is considerably more developed in longitudinal and vertical directions. In both scenarios, a strong horizontal vortical structure was observed immediately downstream the junction. More detailed analysis of the origin and the characteristics of these and other flow patterns is still under investigation. Acknowledgements This research as partially supported by Portuguese and European funds, within programs COMPETE2020 and PORL-FEDER, through project PTDC/ECM-HID/6387/2014 granted by the National Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).

Double-diffusive convection in geothermal systems: the salton sea, California, geothermal system as a likely candidate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fournier, R.O.

1990-01-01

Much has been published about double-diffusive convection as a mechanism for explaining variations in composition and temperature within all-liquid natural systems. However, relatively little is known about the applicability of this phenomenon within the heterogeneous rocks of currently active geothermal systems where primary porosity may control fluid flow in some places and fractures may control it in others. The main appeal of double-diffusive convection within hydrothermal systems is-that it is a mechanism that may allow efficient transfer of heat mainly by convection, while at the same time maintaining vertical and lateral salinity gradients. The Salton Sea geothermal system exhibits the following reservoir characteristics: (1) decreasing salinity and temperature from bottom to top and center toward the sides, (2) a very high heat flow from the top of the system that seems to require a major component of convective transfer of heat within the chemically stratified main reservoir, and (3) a relatively uniform density of the reservoir fluid throughout the system at all combinations of subsurface temperature, pressure, and salinity. Double-diffusive convection can account for these characteristics very nicely whereas other previously suggested models appear to account either for the thermal structure or for the salinity variations, but not both. Hydrologists, reservoir engineers, and particularly geochemists should consider the possibility and consequences of double-diffusive convection when formulating models of hydrothermal processes, and of the response of reservoirs to testing and production. ?? 1990.

Turbulence generation through intense localized sources of energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maqui, Agustin; Donzis, Diego

2015-11-01

Mechanisms to generate turbulence in controlled conditions have been studied for nearly a century. Most common methods include passive and active grids with a focus on incompressible turbulence. However, little attention has been given to compressible flows, and even less to hypersonic flows, where phenomena such as thermal non-equilibrium can be present. Using intense energy from lasers, extreme molecule velocities can be generated from photo-dissociation. This creates strong localized changes in both the hydrodynamics and thermodynamics of the flow, which may perturb the flow in a way similar to an active grid to generate turbulence in hypersonic flows. A large database of direct numerical simulations (DNS) are used to study the feasibility of such an approach. An extensive analysis of single and two point statistics, as well as spectral dynamics is used to characterize the evolution of the flow towards realistic turbulence. Local measures of enstrophy and dissipation are studied to diagnose the main mechanisms for energy exchange. As commonly done in compressible flows, dilatational and solenoidal components are separated to understand the effect of acoustics on the development of turbulence. Further results for cases that assimilate laboratory conditions will be discussed. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of AFOSR.

Hemodynamics

PubMed Central

Secomb, Timothy W.

2016-01-01

A review is presented of the physical principles governing the distribution of blood flow and blood pressure in the vascular system. The main factors involved are the pulsatile driving pressure generated by the heart, the flow characteristics of blood, and the geometric structure and mechanical properties of the vessels. The relationship between driving pressure and flow in a given vessel can be understood by considering the viscous and inertial forces acting on the blood. Depending on the vessel diameter and other physical parameters, a wide variety of flow phenomena can occur. In large arteries, the propagation of the pressure pulse depends on the elastic properties of the artery walls. In the microcirculation, the fact that blood is a suspension of cells strongly influences its flow properties and leads to a non-uniform distribution of hematocrit among microvessels. The forces acting on vessel walls include shear stress resulting from blood flow and circumferential stress resulting from blood pressure. Biological responses to these forces are important in the control of blood flow and the structural remodeling of vessels, and also play a role in major disease processes including hypertension and atherosclerosis. Consideration of hemodynamics is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the functioning of the circulatory system. PMID:27065172

An integrated simulator of structure and anisotropic flow in gas diffusion layers with hydrophobic additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burganos, Vasilis N.; Skouras, Eugene D.; Kalarakis, Alexandros N.

2017-10-01

The lattice-Boltzmann (LB) method is used in this work to reproduce the controlled addition of binder and hydrophobicity-promoting agents, like polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), into gas diffusion layers (GDLs) and to predict flow permeabilities in the through- and in-plane directions. The present simulator manages to reproduce spreading of binder and hydrophobic additives, sequentially, into the neat fibrous layer using a two-phase flow model. Gas flow simulation is achieved by the same code, sidestepping the need for a post-processing flow code and avoiding the usual input/output and data interface problems that arise in other techniques. Compression effects on flow anisotropy of the impregnated GDL are also studied. The permeability predictions for different compression levels and for different binder or PTFE loadings are found to compare well with experimental data for commercial GDL products and with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) predictions. Alternatively, the PTFE-impregnated structure is reproduced from Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images using an independent, purely geometrical approach. A comparison of the two approaches is made regarding their adequacy to reproduce correctly the main structural features of the GDL and to predict anisotropic flow permeabilities at different volume fractions of binder and hydrophobic additives.

A PIV Study of Baseline and Controlled Flow over the Highly Deflected Flap of a Generic Low Aspect Ratio Trapezoidal Wing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tewes, Philipp; Genschow, Konstantin; Little, Jesse; Wygnanski, Israel

2017-11-01

A detailed flow survey using PIV was conducted over a highly-deflected flap (55°) of a low-aspect ratio trapezoidal wing. The wing section is a NACA 0012 with 45° sweep at both the leading and trailing edges, an aspect ratio of 1.5 and a taper ratio of 0.27. The main element is equipped with 7 equally spaced fluidic oscillators, covering the inner 60 % of the span, located near the flap hinge. Experiments were carried out at 0° and 8° incidence at a Reynolds number of 1.7 .106 for both baseline and active flow control (AFC) cases. Velocity ISO-surfaces, x-vorticity and streamlines are analyzed / discussed. A flap leading edge vortex governs the baseline flow field for 0°. This vortical structure interacts with the jets emitted by the actuators (Cμ = 1 %). Its development is hampered and the vortex is redirected toward the trailing edge resulting in a CL increase. At 8°, the dominant flap leading edge vortex could not be detected and is believed to have already merged with the tip vortex. AFC attached the flow over the flap and enhanced the lift by up to 20 % while maintaining longitudinal stability. The dominant flow features in the AFC cases are actuator-generated streamwise vortices which appear stronger at 8°. This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research under ONR Grant No. N00014-14-1-0387.

Fluid flow analysis and vertical gradient freeze crystal growth in a travelling magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lantzsch, R.; Grants, I.; Galindo, V.; Patzold, O.; Gerbeth, G.; Stelter, M.; Croll, A.

2006-12-01

In bulk crystal growth of semiconductors the concept of remote flow control by means of alternating magnetic fields has attracted considerable interest (see, e.g., te{1,2,3,4,5,6}). In this way the melt flow can be tailored for growth under optimised conditions to improve the crystal properties and/or the growth yield. A promising option is to apply an axially travelling magnetic wave to the melt (Travelling Magnetic Field - TMF). It introduces a mainly axial Lorentz force, which leads to meridional flow patterns. In recent numerical studies te{3}, te{6} the TMF has been recognised to be a versatile and efficient tool to control the heat and mass transport in the melt. For the Vertical Bridgman/Vertical Gradient Freeze (VB/VGF) growth, the beneficial effect of an adequately adjusted TMF-induced flow was clearly demonstrated in te{6} in terms of the reduction of thermal shear stress at the solid-liquid interface. In this paper, we present experimental and numerical results on the TMF driven convection in an isothermal model fluid as well as first VGF-TMF crystal growth experiments. The model investigations are focused on the transition from laminar to instationary flow conditions that should be avoided in crystal growth applications. The VGF experiments were aimed at growing Ga doped germanium single crystals under the influence of the travelling field in a newly developed VGF-TMF equipment. Figs 4, Refs 10.

Detachment of sprayed colloidal copper oxychloride-metalaxyl fungicides by a shallow water flow.

PubMed

Pose-Juan, Eva; Paradelo-Pérez, Marcos; Rial-Otero, Raquel; Simal-Gándara, Jesus; López-Periago, José E

2009-06-01

Flow shear stress induced by rainfall promotes the loss of the pesticides sprayed on crops. Some of the factors influencing the losses of colloidal-size particulate fungicides are quantified by using a rotating shear system model. With this device it was possible to analyse the flow shear influencing washoff of a commercial fungicide formulation based on a copper oxychloride-metalaxyl mixture that was sprayed on a polypropylene surface. A factor plan with four variables, i.e. water speed and volume (both variables determining flow boundary stress in the shear device), formulation dosage and drying temperature, was set up to monitor colloid detachment. This experimental design, together with sorption experiments of metalaxyl on copper oxychloride, and the study of the dynamics of metalaxyl and copper oxychloride washoff, made it possible to prove that metalaxyl washoff from a polypropylene surface is controlled by transport in solution, whereas that of copper oxychloride occurs by particle detachment and transport of particles. Average losses for metalaxyl and copper oxychloride were, respectively, 29 and 50% of the quantity applied at the usual recommended dosage for crops. The key factors affecting losses were flow shear and the applied dosage. Empirical models using these factors provided good estimates of the percentage of fungicide loss. From the factor analysis, the main mechanism for metalaxyl loss induced by a shallow water flow is solubilisation, whereas copper loss is controlled by erosion of copper oxychloride particles.

Salinity driven oceanographic upwelling

DOEpatents

Johnson, D.H.

1984-08-30

The salinity driven oceanographic upwelling is maintained in a mariculture device that includes a long main duct in the general shape of a cylinder having perforated cover plates at each end. The mariculture device is suspended vertically in the ocean such that one end of the main duct is in surface water and the other end in relatively deep water that is cold, nutrient rich and relatively fresh in comparison to the surface water which is relatively warm, relatively nutrient deficient and relatively saline. A plurality of elongated flow segregating tubes are disposed in the main duct and extend from the upper cover plate beyond the lower cover plate into a lower manifold plate. The lower manifold plate is spaced from the lower cover plate to define a deep water fluid flow path to the interior space of the main duct. Spacer tubes extend from the upper cover plate and communicate with the interior space of the main duct. The spacer tubes are received in an upper manifold plate spaced from the upper cover plate to define a surface water fluid flow path into the flow segregating tubes. A surface water-deep water counterflow is thus established with deep water flowing upwardly through the main duct interior for discharge beyond the upper manifold plate while surface water flows downwardly through the flow segregating tubes for discharge below the lower manifold plate. During such counterflow heat is transferred from the downflowing warm water to the upflowing cold water. The flow is maintained by the difference in density between the deep water and the surface water due to their differences in salinity. The upwelling of nutrient rich deep water is used for marifarming by fertilizing the nutrient deficient surface water. 1 fig.

Salinity driven oceanographic upwelling

DOEpatents

Johnson, David H.

1986-01-01

The salinity driven oceanographic upwelling is maintained in a mariculture device that includes a long main duct in the general shape of a cylinder having perforated cover plates at each end. The mariculture device is suspended vertically in the ocean such that one end of the main duct is in surface water and the other end in relatively deep water that is cold, nutrient rich and relatively fresh in comparison to the surface water which is relatively warm, relatively nutrient deficient and relatively saline. A plurality of elongated flow segregating tubes are disposed in the main duct and extend from the upper cover plate beyond the lower cover plate into a lower manifold plate. The lower manifold plate is spaced from the lower cover plate to define a deep water fluid flow path to the interior space of the main duct. Spacer tubes extend from the upper cover plate and communicate with the interior space of the main duct. The spacer tubes are received in an upper manifold plate spaced from the upper cover plate to define a surface water fluid flow path into the flow segregating tubes. A surface water-deep water counterflow is thus established with deep water flowing upwardly through the main duct interior for discharge beyond the upper manifold plate while surface water flows downwardly through the flow segregating tubes for discharge below the lower manifold plate. During such counterflow heat is transferred from the downflowing warm water to the upflowing cold water. The flow is maintained by the difference in density between the deep water and the surface water due to their differences in salinity. The upwelling of nutrient rich deep water is used for marifarming by fertilizing the nutrient deficient surface water.

Numerical study of active control of mixing in electro-osmotic flows by temperature difference using lattice Boltzmann methods.

PubMed

Alizadeh, A; Wang, J K; Pooyan, S; Mirbozorgi, S A; Wang, M

2013-10-01

In this paper, the effect of temperature difference between inlet flow and walls on the electro-osmotic flow through a two-dimensional microchannel is investigated. The main objective is to study the effect of temperature variations on the distribution of ions and consequently internal electric potential field, electric body force, and velocity fields in an electro-osmotic flow. We assume constant temperature and zeta potential on walls and use the mean temperature of each cross section to characterize the Boltzmann ion distribution across the channel. Based on these assumptions, the multiphysical transports are still able to be described by the classical Poisson-Boltzmann model. In this work, the Navier-Stokes equation for fluid flow, the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for ion distribution, and the energy equation for heat transfer are solved by a couple lattice Boltzmann method. The modeling results indicate that the temperature difference between walls and the inlet solution may lead to two symmetrical vortices at the entrance region of the microchannel which is appropriate for mixing enhancements. The advantage of this phenomenon for active control of mixing in electro-osmotic flow is the manageability of the vortex scale without extra efforts. For instance, the effective domain of this pattern could broaden by the following modulations: decreasing the external electric potential field, decreasing the electric double layer thickness, or increasing the temperature difference between inlet flow and walls. This work may provide a novel strategy for design or optimization of microsystems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of voltage oriented control technique in a fully renewable, wind powered, autonomous system with storage capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondylis, Georgios P.; Vokas, Georgios A.; Anastasiadis, Anestis G.; Konstantinopoulos, Stavros A.

2017-02-01

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the technological feasibility of a small autonomous network, with electricity storage capability, which is completely electrified by wind energy. The excess energy produced, with respect to the load requirements, is sent to the batteries for storage. When the energy produced by the wind generator is not sufficient, load's energy requirement is covered by the battery system, ensuring, however, that voltage, frequency and other system characteristics are within the proper boundaries. For the purpose of this study, a Voltage Oriented Control system has been developed in order to monitor the autonomous operation and perform the energy management of the network. This system manages the power flows between the load and the storage system by properly controlling the Pulse Width Modulation pulses in the converter, thus ensuring power flows are adequate and frequency remains under control. The experimental results clearly indicate that a stand-alone wind energy system based on battery energy storage system is feasible and reliable. This paves the way for fully renewable and zero emission energy schemes.

On the connection of permafrost and debris flow activity in Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, Thomas; Kaitna, Roland

2016-04-01

Debris flows represent a severe hazard in alpine regions and typically result from a critical combination of relief energy, water, and sediment. Hence, besides water-related trigger conditions, the availability of abundant sediment is a major control on debris flows activity in alpine regions. Increasing temperatures due to global warming are expected to affect periglacial regions and by that the distribution of alpine permafrost and the depth of the active layer, which in turn might lead to increased debris flow activity and increased interference with human interests. In this contribution we assess the importance of permafrost on documented debris flows in the past by connecting the modeled permafrost distribution with a large database of historic debris flows in Austria. The permafrost distribution is estimated based on a published model approach and mainly depends of altitude, relief, and exposition. The database of debris flows includes more than 4000 debris flow events in around 1900 watersheds. We find that 27 % of watersheds experiencing debris flow activity have a modeled permafrost area smaller than 5 % of total area. Around 7 % of the debris flow prone watersheds have an area larger than 5 %. Interestingly, our first results indicate that watersheds without permafrost experience significantly less, but more intense debris flow events than watersheds with modeled permafrost occurrence. Our study aims to contribute to a better understanding of geomorphic activity and the impact of climate change in alpine environments.

Modal analysis of passive flow control for the turbulent wake of a generic planar space launcher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loosen, S.; Statnikov, V.; Meinke, M.; Schröder, W.

2018-06-01

The turbulent wake of a generic planar space launcher equipped with two passive flow control devices is simulated using a zonal RANS-LES method and analyzed by dynamic mode decomposition (DMD). In the first approach, the effect of a classical boat tail on the wake is examined. In the second concept, a flow control device consisting of semi-circular lobes integrated at the base shoulder of the main body is used. The objective of the two concepts is to reduce the reattachment length and thus the lever arm of the forces as well as to stabilize the separated shear layer. Using a boat tail, the reattachment length can be reduced by 50%. Furthermore, it is shown that the semi-circular lobes enhance the turbulent mixing and the shear layer growth rate. Hence, they significantly reduce the reattachment length by about 75%. The semi-circular lobes partially reduce undesired low-frequency pressure fluctuations on the nozzle surface. However, this reduction is achieved at the expense of an increase of high-frequency pressure fluctuations due to intensified small turbulent scales. The DMD analysis of the velocity field reveals that the large-scale coherent structures featuring a wave length of two step heights observed in the reference configuration without flow control can be suppressed by the lobes. The spanwise wave length of the coherent structures seems to depend on the geometry of the lobes, since all detected spatial DMD modes show a spanwise periodicity being equal to the distance between two lobes.

Modal analysis of passive flow control for the turbulent wake of a generic planar space launcher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loosen, S.; Statnikov, V.; Meinke, M.; Schröder, W.

2017-12-01

The turbulent wake of a generic planar space launcher equipped with two passive flow control devices is simulated using a zonal RANS-LES method and analyzed by dynamic mode decomposition (DMD). In the first approach, the effect of a classical boat tail on the wake is examined. In the second concept, a flow control device consisting of semi-circular lobes integrated at the base shoulder of the main body is used. The objective of the two concepts is to reduce the reattachment length and thus the lever arm of the forces as well as to stabilize the separated shear layer. Using a boat tail, the reattachment length can be reduced by 50%. Furthermore, it is shown that the semi-circular lobes enhance the turbulent mixing and the shear layer growth rate. Hence, they significantly reduce the reattachment length by about 75%. The semi-circular lobes partially reduce undesired low-frequency pressure fluctuations on the nozzle surface. However, this reduction is achieved at the expense of an increase of high-frequency pressure fluctuations due to intensified small turbulent scales. The DMD analysis of the velocity field reveals that the large-scale coherent structures featuring a wave length of two step heights observed in the reference configuration without flow control can be suppressed by the lobes. The spanwise wave length of the coherent structures seems to depend on the geometry of the lobes, since all detected spatial DMD modes show a spanwise periodicity being equal to the distance between two lobes.

Assessment of Air Traffic Controller Acceptability of Aircrew Route Change Requests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Idris, Husni; Enea, Gabriele; Burke, Kelly; Wing, David

2017-01-01

NASA developed the traffic aware strategic aircrew requests concept for a cockpit automation that identifies route improvements and advises the aircrew to request the change from the air traffic controller. In order to increase the chance of air traffic control approval, the automation ensures that the route is clear of known traffic, weather, and airspace restrictions. Hence the technology is anticipated to provide benefits in areas such as flight efficiency, flight schedule compliance, passenger comfort, and pilot and controller workload. In support of a field trial of a prototype of the technology, observations were conducted at the Atlanta and Jacksonville air traffic control centers to identify the main factors that affect the acceptability of aircrew requests by air traffic controllers. Observers shadowed air traffic controllers as the test flight pilot made pre-scripted requests to invoke acceptability issues and then they interviewed voluntarily fifty controllers with experience ranging from one to thirty-five years. The most common reason for rejecting requests is conflicting with traffic followed by violating air traffic procedures, increasing sector workload, and conflicting with major arrival and departure flows and flow restrictions. Quantitative parameters such as the distance that a route should maintain from sector boundaries and special use airspace were identified and recommended for inclusion in the automation.

Recent Development in Optical Chemical Sensors Coupling with Flow Injection Analysis

PubMed Central

Ojeda, Catalina Bosch; Rojas, Fuensanta Sánchez

2006-01-01

Optical techniques for chemical analysis are well established and sensors based on these techniques are now attracting considerable attention because of their importance in applications such as environmental monitoring, biomedical sensing, and industrial process control. On the other hand, flow injection analysis (FIA) is advisable for the rapid analysis of microliter volume samples and can be interfaced directly to the chemical process. The FIA has become a widespread automatic analytical method for more reasons; mainly due to the simplicity and low cost of the setups, their versatility, and ease of assembling. In this paper, an overview of flow injection determinations by using optical chemical sensors is provided, and instrumentation, sensor design, and applications are discussed. This work summarizes the most relevant manuscripts from 1980 to date referred to analysis using optical chemical sensors in FIA.

Identification and assessment of groundwater flow and storage components of the relict Schöneben Rock Glacier, Niedere Tauern Range, Eastern Alps (Austria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkler, Gerfried; Wagner, Thomas; Pauritsch, Marcus; Birk, Steffen; Kellerer-Pirklbauer, Andreas; Benischke, Ralf; Leis, Albrecht; Morawetz, Rainer; Schreilechner, Marcellus G.; Hergarten, Stefan

2016-06-01

More than 2,600 relict rock glaciers are known in the Austrian Alps but the knowledge of their hydraulic properties is severely limited. The relict Schöneben Rock Glacier (Niedere Tauern Range, Austria), with an extension of 0.17 km2, was investigated based on spring data (2006-2014) and seismic refraction survey. Spring-discharge hydrographs and natural and artificial tracer data suggest a heterogeneous aquifer with a layered internal structure for the relict rock glacier. The discharge behavior exhibits a fast and a delayed flow component. The spring discharge responds to recharge events within a few hours but a mean residence time of several months can also be observed. The internal structure of the rock glacier (up to several tens of meters thick) consists of: an upper blocky layer with a few meters of thickness, which lacks fine-grained sediments; a main middle layer with coarse and finer-grained sediments, allowing for fast flow; and an approximately 10-m-thick basal till layer as the main aquifer body responsible for the base flow. The base-flow component is controlled by (fine) sandy to silty sediments with low hydraulic conductivity and high storage capacity, exhibiting a difference in hydraulic conductivity to the upper layer of about three orders of magnitude. The high storage capacity of relict rock glaciers has an impact on water resources management in alpine catchments and potentially regulates the risk of natural hazards such as floods and related debris flows. Thus, the results highlight the importance of such aquifer systems in alpine catchments.

Characteristics of traffic flow at nonsignalized T-shaped intersection with U-turn movements.

PubMed

Fan, Hong-Qiang; Jia, Bin; Li, Xin-Gang; Tian, Jun-Fang; Yan, Xue-Dong

2013-01-01

Most nonsignalized T-shaped intersections permit U-turn movements, which make the traffic conditions of intersection complex. In this paper, a new cellular automaton (CA) model is proposed to characterize the traffic flow at the intersection of this type. In present CA model, new rules are designed to avoid the conflicts among different directional vehicles and eliminate the gridlock. Two kinds of performance measures (i.e., flux and average control delay) for intersection are compared. The impacts of U-turn movements are analyzed under different initial conditions. Simulation results demonstrate that (i) the average control delay is more practical than flux in measuring the performance of intersection, (ii) U-turn movements increase the range and degree of high congestion, and (iii) U-turn movements on the different direction of main road have asymmetrical influences on the traffic conditions of intersection.

Regional cerebral blood flow assessed by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt and hepatic encephalopathy.

PubMed

Or, Matan; Peremans, Kathelijne; Martlé, Valentine; Vandermeulen, Eva; Bosmans, Tim; Devriendt, Nausikaa; de Rooster, Hilde

2017-02-01

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in eight dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt (PSS) and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) was compared with rCBF in eight healthy control dogs using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with a 99m technetium-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime ( 99m Tc-HMPAO) tracer. SPECT scans were abnormal in all PSS dogs. Compared to the control group, rCBF in PSS dogs was significantly decreased in the temporal lobes and increased in the subcortical (thalamic and striatal) area. Brain perfusion imaging alterations observed in the dogs with PSS and HE are similar to those in human patients with HE. These findings suggest that dogs with HE and PSS have altered perfusion of mainly the subcortical and the temporal regions of the brain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Seasonal Shift in Climatic Limiting Factors on Tree Transpiration: Evidence from Sap Flow Observations at Alpine Treelines in Southeast Tibet

PubMed Central

Liu, Xinsheng; Nie, Yuqin; Luo, Tianxiang; Yu, Jiehui; Shen, Wei; Zhang, Lin

2016-01-01

Alpine and northern treelines are primarily controlled by low temperatures. However, little is known about the impact of low soil temperature on tree transpiration at treelines. We aim to test the hypothesis that in cold-limited forests, the main limiting factors for tree transpiration switch from low soil temperature before summer solstice to atmospheric evaporative demand after summer solstice, which generally results in low transpiration in the early growing season. Sap flow, meteorological factors and predawn needle water potential were continuously monitored throughout one growing season across Smith fir (Abies georgei var. smithii) and juniper (Juniperus saltuaria) treelines in southeast Tibet. Sap flow started in early May and corresponded to a threshold mean air-temperature of 0°C. Across tree species, transpiration was mainly limited by low soil temperature prior to the summer solstice but by vapor pressure deficit and solar radiation post-summer solstice, which was further confirmed on a daily scale. As a result, tree transpiration for both tree species was significantly reduced in the pre-summer solstice period as compared to post-summer solstice, resulting in a lower predawn needle water potential for Smith fir trees in the early growing season. Our data supported the hypothesis, suggesting that tree transpiration mainly responds to soil temperature variations in the early growing season. The results are important for understanding the hydrological response of cold-limited forest ecosystems to climate change. PMID:27468289

Sensitivity of numerical simulation models of debris flow to the rheological parameters and application in the engineering environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosso, M.; Sesenna, R.; Magni, L.; Demurtas, L.; Uras, G.

2009-04-01

Debris flows represents serious hazards in mountainous regions. For engineers it is important to know the quantitative analysis of the flow in terms of volumes, velocities and front height, and it is significant to predict possible triggering and deposition areas. In order to predict flow and deposition behaviour, debris flows traditionally have been regarded as homogenous fluids and bulk flow behaviour that was considered to be controlled by the rheological properties of the matrix. Flow mixtures with a considerable fraction of fines particles typically show a viscoplastic flow behaviour but due to the high variability of the material composition, complex physical interactions on the particle scale and time dependent effects, no generally applicable models are at time capable to cover the full range of all possible flow types. A first category of models, mostly of academic origin, uses a rigorous methodological approach, directed to describe to the phenomenon characterizing all the main parameters that regulate the origin and the propagation of the debris flow, with detail attention to rheology. A second category, which are referred mainly to the commercial environment, has as first objective the versatility and the simplicity of use, introducing theoretical simplifications in the definition of the rheology and in the propagation of the debris flow. The physical variables connected to the rheology are often difficult to determine and involve complex procedures of calibration of the model or long and expensive campaigns of measure, whose application can turn out not suitable to the engineering environment. The rheological parameters of the debris are however to the base of the codes of calculation mainly used in commerce. The necessary data to the implementation of the model refer mainly to the dynamic viscosity, to the shear stress, to the volumetric mass and to the volumetric concentration, that are linked variables. Through the application of various bidimensional and monodimensional commercial models for the simulation of debris flow, in particular because of the reconstruction of famous and expected events in the river basin of the Comboè torrent (Aosta Valley, Italy), it has been possible to reach careful consideration about the calibration of the rheological parameters and the sensitivity of simulation models, specifically about the variability of them. The geomechanical and volumetric characteristics of the sediment at the bottom of the debris could produce uncertainties in model implementation, above all in not exclusively cinematic models, mostly influenced by the rheological parameters. The parameter that mainly influences the final result of the applied numerical models is the volumetric solid concentration that is variable in space and time during the debris flow propagation. In fact rheological parameters are described by a power equation of volumetric concentration. The potentiality and the suitability of a numerical code in the engineering environmental application have to be consider not referring only to the quality and amount of results, but also to the sensibility regarding the parameters variability that are bases of the inner ruotines of the program. Therefore, a suitable model will have to be sensitive to the variability of parameters that the customer can calculate with greater precision. On the other side, it will have to be sufficiently stable to the variation of those parameters that the customer cannot define univocally, but only by range of variation. One of the models utilized for the simulation of debris flow on the Comboè Torrent has been demonstrated as an heavy influenced example by small variation of rheological parameters. Consequently, in spite of the possibility to lead accurate procedures of back-analysis about a recent intense event, it has been found a difficulty in the calibration of the concentration for new expected events. That involved an extreme variability of the final results. In order to achieve more accuracy in the numerical simulation, the rheological parameters were estimated by an implicit way, proceeding to their determination through the application of simple numerical iteration. In fact they can link the obtained values of velocity and hydraulic levels. Literature formulations were used in order to determine rheological parameters. The parameters and ? wowere correlated to velocity and to empirical parameters that have small range of variability. This approach allows to produce a control of input parameters in the calculation models, comparing the obtained base result (velocity and water surface elevation). The implementation of numerical models for engineering profession must be carried out in order that aleatory variables, that are difficult to determine, do not involve an extreme variability of the final result. However, it's a good manner to proceed to the determination of interested variables by means of empirical formulations and through the comparison between different simplified models, including in the analysis pure cinematic models.

Phase transition and flow-rate behavior of merging granular flows.

PubMed

Hu, Mao-Bin; Liu, Qi-Yi; Jiang, Rui; Hou, Meiying; Wu, Qing-Song

2015-02-01

Merging of granular flows is ubiquitous in industrial, mining, and geological processes. However, its behavior remains poorly understood. This paper studies the phase transition and flow-rate behavior of two granular flows merging into one channel. When the main channel is wider than the side channel, the system shows a remarkable two-sudden-drops phenomenon in the outflow rate when gradually increasing the main inflow. When gradually decreasing the main inflow, the system shows obvious hysteresis phenomenon. We study the flow-rate-drop phenomenon by measuring the area fraction and the mean velocity at the merging point. The phase diagram of the system is also presented to understand the occurrence of the phenomenon. We find that the dilute-to-dense transition occurs when the area fraction of particles at the joint point exceeds a critical value ϕ(c)=0.65±0.03.

European multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled trial of Nilvadipine in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease-the substudy protocols: NILVAD frailty; NILVAD blood and genetic biomarkers; NILVAD cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers; NILVAD cerebral blood flow.

PubMed

Meulenbroek, Olga; O'Dwyer, Sarah; de Jong, Daan; van Spijker, Gerrita; Kennelly, Sean; Cregg, Fiona; Olde Rikkert, Marcel; Abdullah, Laila; Wallin, Anders; Walsh, Cathal; Coen, Robert; Kenny, Rose Anne; Daly, Leslie; Segurado, Ricardo; Borjesson-Hanson, Anne; Crawford, Fiona; Mullan, Michael; Lucca, Ugo; Banzi, Rita; Pasquier, Florence; Breuilh, Laetitia; Riepe, Matthias; Kalman, Janos; Molloy, William; Tsolaki, Magda; Howard, Robert; Adams, Jessica; Gaynor, Siobhan; Lawlor, Brian

2016-07-19

In conjunction with the NILVAD trial, a European Multicentre Double-Blind Placebo Controlled trial of Nilvadipine in Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), there are four NILVAD substudies in which eligible NILVAD patients are also invited to participate. The main NILVAD protocol was previously published in BMJ Open (2014). The objectives of the NILVAD substudies are to determine whether frailty, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood biomarker profile and Apolipoprotein E (APOE) status predict response to Nilvadipine, and to investigate the effect of Nilvadipine on cerebral blood flow and blood biomarkers. All participants who fulfil criteria for the main NILVAD study are eligible for participation in the NILVAD substudies. Participation is subject to informed consent and whether the substudy is available at a particular NILVAD study site. Each substudy entails extra measurements during the course of the main NILVAD study. For example, in the blood and genetic biomarkers substudy, extra blood (30 mL) will be collected at week 0, week 13, week 52 and week 78, while in the cerebral blood flow substudy, participants will receive an MRI and transcranial Doppler measurements at week 0, week 26 and week 78. In the CSF substudy, 10 mL CSF is collected at week 0 and week 78. All NILVAD substudies and all subsequent amendments have received ethical approval within each participating country, according to national regulations. Each participant provides written consent to participate. All participants remain anonymised throughout and the results of each substudy will be published in an international peer reviewed journal. EUDRACT 2012-002764-27; Pre-results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Regulation of snow-fed rivers affects flow regimes more than climate change.

PubMed

Arheimer, B; Donnelly, C; Lindström, G

2017-07-05

River flow is mainly controlled by climate, physiography and regulations, but their relative importance over large landmasses is poorly understood. Here we show from computational modelling that hydropower regulation is a key driver of flow regime change in snow-dominated regions and is more important than future climate changes. This implies that climate adaptation needs to include regulation schemes. The natural river regime in snowy regions has low flow when snow is stored and a pronounced peak flow when snow is melting. Global warming and hydropower regulation change this temporal pattern similarly, causing less difference in river flow between seasons. We conclude that in snow-fed rivers globally, the future climate change impact on flow regime is minor compared to regulation downstream of large reservoirs, and of similar magnitude over large landmasses. Our study not only highlights the impact of hydropower production but also that river regulation could be turned into a measure for climate adaptation to maintain biodiversity on floodplains under climate change.Global warming and hydropower regulations are major threats to future fresh-water availability and biodiversity. Here, the authors show that their impact on flow regime over a large landmass result in similar changes, but hydropower is more critical locally and may have potential for climate adaptation in floodplains.

Evolutionary analysis of groundwater flow: Application of multivariate statistical analysis to hydrochemical data in the Densu Basin, Ghana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yidana, Sandow Mark; Bawoyobie, Patrick; Sakyi, Patrick; Fynn, Obed Fiifi

2018-02-01

An evolutionary trend has been postulated through the analysis of hydrochemical data of a crystalline rock aquifer system in the Densu Basin, Southern Ghana. Hydrochemcial data from 63 groundwater samples, taken from two main groundwater outlets (Boreholes and hand dug wells) were used to postulate an evolutionary theory for the basin. Sequential factor and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to disintegrate the data into three factors and five clusters (spatial associations). These were used to characterize the controls on groundwater hydrochemistry and its evolution in the terrain. The dissolution of soluble salts and cation exchange processes are the dominant processes controlling groundwater hydrochemistry in the terrain. The trend of evolution of this set of processes follows the pattern of groundwater flow predicted by a calibrated transient groundwater model in the area. The data suggest that anthropogenic activities represent the second most important process in the hydrochemistry. Silicate mineral weathering is the third most important set of processes. Groundwater associations resulting from Q-mode hierarchical cluster analysis indicate an evolutionary pattern consistent with the general groundwater flow pattern in the basin. These key findings are at variance with results of previous investigations and indicate that when carefully done, groundwater hydrochemical data can be very useful for conceptualizing groundwater flow in basins.

Evolution of weighted complex bus transit networks with flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Ailing; Xiong, Jie; Shen, Jinsheng; Guan, Wei

2016-02-01

Study on the intrinsic properties and evolutional mechanism of urban public transit networks (PTNs) has great significance for transit planning and control, particularly considering passengers’ dynamic behaviors. This paper presents an empirical analysis for exploring the complex properties of Beijing’s weighted bus transit network (BTN) based on passenger flow in L-space, and proposes a bi-level evolution model to simulate the development of transit routes from the view of complex network. The model is an iterative process that is driven by passengers’ travel demands and dual-controlled interest mechanism, which is composed of passengers’ spatio-temporal requirements and cost constraint of transit agencies. Also, the flow’s dynamic behaviors, including the evolutions of travel demand, sectional flow attracted by a new link and flow perturbation triggered in nearby routes, are taken into consideration in the evolutional process. We present the numerical experiment to validate the model, where the main parameters are estimated by using distribution functions that are deduced from real-world data. The results obtained have proven that our model can generate a BTN with complex properties, such as the scale-free behavior or small-world phenomenon, which shows an agreement with our empirical results. Our study’s results can be exploited to optimize the real BTN’s structure and improve the network’s robustness.

Nuclear reactor downcomer flow deflector

DOEpatents

Gilmore, Charles B [Greensburg, PA; Altman, David A [Pittsburgh, PA; Singleton, Norman R [Murrysville, PA

2011-02-15

A nuclear reactor having a coolant flow deflector secured to a reactor core barrel in line with a coolant inlet nozzle. The flow deflector redirects incoming coolant down an annulus between the core barrel and the reactor vessel. The deflector has a main body with a front side facing the fluid inlet nozzle and a rear side facing the core barrel. The rear side of the main body has at least one protrusion secured to the core barrel so that a gap exists between the rear side of the main body adjacent the protrusion and the core barrel. Preferably, the protrusion is a relief that circumscribes the rear side of the main body.

[Investigation of the clinical value of total salival flow rates].

PubMed

Wang, S; Zhao, Z; Li, J

1998-11-01

To investigate clinical value of total saliva flow rates. The symptom of dry mouth was correlated with unstimulated (UWSFR) and stimulated (SWSFR) whole saliva flow rates on chewing medical paraffin in 62 patients with dry mouth complaints (30 with Sjögren's syndrome, 32 with sialosis) and 23 controls. The symptom of dry mouth was classified into 0,1,2,3,4 according to a treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS). UWSFR and SWSFR were determined after fasting in the morning. UWSFR was (0.070 +/- 0.089) ml/min in Sjögren's syndrome, (0.175 +/- 0.115) ml/min in sialosis, (0.330 +/- 0.188) ml/min in controls. SWSFR was (0.709 +/- 0.720) ml/min in Sjögren's syndrome, (1.561 +/- 0.867) ml/min in sialosis, (1.894 +/- 0.661) ml/min in controls. A highly significant correlation was found between TESS score and UWSFR and between TESS score and SWSFR. Only UWSFR was decreased in the patients with a TESS score of 1 or 2, while both UWSFR and SWSFR were significantly decreased in patients with TESS scores of 3,4. It is concluded that UWSFR is more sensitive in relation to dry mouth complaints than SWSFR, and that a mild dry mouth is mainly related to decreased UWSFR.

Protective effects of salivary factors in dental caries in diabetic patients of Pakistan.

PubMed

Jawed, Muhammad; Khan, Rashid N; Shahid, Syed M; Azhar, Abid

2012-01-01

Salivary factors have been studied for their effects on the process of dental caries in patients of diabetes mellitus type 2. In this study, protective role of salivary pH, salivary flow rate, and salivary calcium is assessed in the patients of diabetes mellitus type 2 with dental caries. The samples of saliva were collected from 400 patients of diabetes mellitus type 2 and 300 age- and sex- matched controls after getting informed consent. All the subjects were classified into four groups according to age. The severity of dental caries was counted by decayed, missed, and filled teeth (DMFT) score. The salivary pH, flow rate, and calcium levels were found to be low in patients as compared to controls. The levels of fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, and DMFT score were found to be significantly high in patients than controls. The glycemic factors were significantly correlated with salivary factors indicating their influence on progression of caries in diabetes. On the basis of findings, it is concluded that the suitable salivary pH and flow rate may be regarded as main protective factors against dental caries in diabetes. Optimum level of salivary calcium may be responsible for continuous supply of calcium to arrest the demineralization and help reduce the occurrence of dental caries.

Controls on the quality of Miocene reservoirs, southern Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutiérrez Paredes, Hilda Clarisa; Catuneanu, Octavian; Hernández Romano, Ulises

2018-01-01

An investigation was conducted to determine the main controls on the reservoir quality of the middle and upper Miocene sandstones in the southern Gulf of Mexico based on core descriptions, thin section petrography and petrophysical data; as well as to explore the possible link between the sequence stratigraphic framework, depositional facies and diagenetic alterations. The Miocene deep marine sandstones are attributed to the falling-stage, lowstand, and transgressive systems tracts. The middle Miocene falling-stage systems tract includes medium-to very fine-grained, and structureless sandstones deposited in channels and frontal splays, and muddy sandstones, deposited in lobes of debrites. The lowstand and transgressive systems tracts consist of medium-to very fine-grained massive and normally graded sandstones deposited in channel systems within frontal splay complexes. The upper Miocene falling-stage systems tract includes medium-to coarse-grained, structureless sandstones deposited in channel systems and frontal splay, as well as lobes of debrites formed by grain flows and hybrid-flow deposits. The lowstand and transgressive systems tracts include fine-grained sandstones deposited in overbank deposits. The results reveal that the depositional elements with the best reservoir quality are the frontal splays deposited during the falling-stage system tracts. The reservoir quality of the Miocene sandstones was controlled by a combination of depositional facies, sand composition and diagenetic factors (mainly compaction and calcite cementation). Sandstone texture, controlled primarily by depositional facies appears more important than sandstone composition in determining reservoir quality; and compaction was more important than cementation in porosity destruction. Compaction was stopped, when complete calcite cementation occurred.

Analysis of the 2006 block-and-ash flow deposits of Merapi Volcano, Java, Indonesia, using high-spatial resolution IKONOS images and complementary ground based observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thouret, Jean-Claude; Gupta, Avijit; Liew, Soo Chin; Lube, Gert; Cronin, Shane J.; Surono, Dr

2010-05-01

On 16 June 2006 an overpass of IKONOS coincided with the emplacement of an active block-and-ash flow fed by a lava dome collapse event at Merapi Volcano (Java, Indonesia). This was the first satellite image recorded for a moving pyroclastic flow. The very high-spatial resolution data displayed the extent and impact of the pyroclastic deposits emplaced during and prior to, the day of image acquisition. This allowed a number of features associated with high-hazard block-and-ash flows emplaced in narrow, deep gorges to be mapped, interpreted and understood. The block-and-ash flow and surge deposits recognized in the Ikonos images include: (1) several channel-confined flow lobes and tongues in the box-shaped valley; (2) thin ash-cloud surge deposit and knocked-down trees in constricted areas on both slopes of the gorge; (3) fan-like over bank deposits on the Gendol-Tlogo interfluves from which flows were re-routed in the Tlogo secondary valley; (4) massive over bank lobes on the right bank from which flows devastated the village of Kaliadem 0.5 km from the main channel, a small part of this flow being re-channeled in the Opak secondary valley. The high-resolution IKONOS images also helped us to identify geomorphic obstacles that enabled flows to ramp and spill out from the sinuous channel, a process called flow avulsion. Importantly, the avulsion redirected flows to unexpected areas away from the main channel. In the case of Merapi we see that the presence of valley fill by previous deposits, bends and man-made dams influence the otherwise valley-guided course of the flows. Sadly, Sabo dams (built to ameliorate the effect of high sediment load streams) can actually cause block-and-ash flows to jump out of their containing channel and advance into sensitive areas. Very-high-spatial resolution satellite images are very useful for mapping and interpreting the distribution of freshly erupted volcanic deposits. IKONOS-type images with 1-m resolution provide opportunities to study and map the meter-scale detail of volcanic deposits. When such high-spatial-resolution satellite remote sensing data are combined with in situ field work, geomorphic analyses can be applied that allow us to more fully understand the dynamics and hazards of eruptions. In the case given here, IKONOS imagery allowed two qualitative hazard assessments for block-and-ash flow activity in drainages around Merapi. Firstly, the interpretation of IKONOS images provides insights in factors that control the propagation of secondary flows as the avulsion of the main flows is driven by longitudinal change in channel capacity due to increased sinuosity in the valley and decreased containment space. Secondly, the sinuosity and obstacles (including Sabo dams) may create over bank flows over adjacent low relief, allowing them to reach unexpectedly vulnerable areas distant from an active dome and away from the volcanically active valleys. Hazard assessment should therefore consider the geometry of secondary channels outside the principal valleys.

Investigation of induced recirculation during planned ventilation system maintenance

PubMed Central

Pritchard, C.J.; Scott, D.F.; Noll, J.D.; Voss, B.; Leonis, D.

2015-01-01

The Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR) investigated ways to increase mine airflow to underground metal/nonmetal (M/NM) mine working areas to improve miners’ health and safety. One of those areas is controlled recirculation. Because the quantity of mine air often cannot be increased, reusing part of the ventilating air can be an effective alternative, if implemented properly, until the capacity of the present system is improved. The additional airflow can be used to provide effective dilution of contaminants and higher flow velocities in the underground mine environment. Most applications of controlled recirculation involve taking a portion of the return air and passing it back into the intake to increase the air volume delivered to the desired work areas. OMSHR investigated a Nevada gold mine where shaft rehabilitation was in progress and one of the two main fans was shut down to allow reduced air velocity for safe shaft work. Underground booster fan operating pressures were kept constant to maintain airflow to work areas, inducing controlled recirculation in one work zone. Investigation into system behavior and the effects of recirculation on the working area during times of reduced primary ventilation system airflow would provide additional information on implementation of controlled recirculation into the system and how these events affect M/NM ventilation systems. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health monitored the ventilation district when both main fans were operating and another scenario with one of the units turned off for maintenance. Airflow and contaminants were measured to determine the exposure effects of induced recirculation on miner health. Surveys showed that 19% controlled recirculation created no change in the overall district airflow distribution and a small reduction in district fresh air intake. Total dust levels increased only modestly and respirable dust levels were also low. Diesel particulate matter (DPM) levels showed a high increase in district intake mass flow, but minor increases in exposure levels related to the recirculation percentage. Utilization of DPM mass flow rates allows input into ventilation modeling programs to better understand and plan for ventilation changes and district recirculation effects on miners’ health. PMID:26190862

Fluid dynamic study in a femoral artery branch casting of man with upstream main lumen curvature for steady flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cho, Y. I.; Back, L. H.; Back, M. R.

1985-01-01

An in-vitro, steady flow investigation was conducted in a hollow, transparent vascular replica of the profunda femoris branch of man for a range of physiological flow conditions. The replica casting tested was obtained from a human cadaver and indicated some plague formation along the main lumen and branch. The flow visualization observations and measured pressure distributions indicated the highly three-dimensional flow characteristics with arterial curvature and branching, and the important role of centrifugal effects in fluid transport mechanisms.

Lift enhancing tabs for airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, James C. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A tab deployable from the trailing edge of a main airfoil element forces flow onto a following airfoil element, such as a flap, to keep the flow attached and thus enhance lift. For aircraft wings with high lift systems that include leading edge slats, the slats may also be provided with tabs to turn the flow onto the following main element.

Wall shear stress characterization of a 3D bluff-body separated flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fourrié, Grégoire; Keirsbulck, Laurent; Labraga, Larbi

2013-10-01

Efficient flow control strategies aimed at reducing the aerodynamic drag of road vehicles require a detailed knowledge of the reference flow. In this work, the flow around the rear slanted window of a generic car model was experimentally studied through wall shear stress measurements using an electrochemical method. The mean and fluctuating wall shear stress within the wall impact regions of the recirculation bubble and the main longitudinal vortex structures which develop above the rear window are presented. Correlations allow a more detailed characterization of the recirculation phenomenon within the separation bubble. In the model symmetry plane the recirculation structure compares well with simpler 2D configurations; specific lengths, flapping motion and shedding of large-scale vortices are observed, these similarities diminish when leaving the middle plane due to the strong three-dimensionality of the flow. A specific attention is paid to the convection processes occurring within the recirculation: a downstream convection velocity is observed, in accordance with 2D recirculations from the literature, and an upstream convection is highlighted along the entire bubble length which has not been underlined in some previous canonical configurations.

Dynamic Analysis of Sounding Rocket Pneumatic System Revision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armen, Jerald

2010-01-01

The recent fusion of decades of advancements in mathematical models, numerical algorithms and curve fitting techniques marked the beginning of a new era in the science of simulation. It is becoming indispensable to the study of rockets and aerospace analysis. In pneumatic system, which is the main focus of this paper, particular emphasis will be placed on the efforts of compressible flow in Attitude Control System of sounding rocket.

L'aquifère du bassin de la Mamora, Maroc: geometrie et ecoulements souterrainsThe aquifer of the Mamora Basin, Morocco: geometry and groundwater flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zouhri, L.

2001-05-01

The Mamora aquifer, in the northern Moroccan Meseta, constitutes the main regional water resource. Its impermeable basement is mostly composed of blue marls. The lithostratigraphy of the basin aquifer is characterised by a sequence of sandstones, sandy limestones, conglomerates and sandy clays. The structure of the basement of the Mamora aquifer, deduced from electrical resistivity measurements, allowed the hydrogeological behaviour of the reservoir, and the direction of the groundwater flow, to be established. The combination of the lithological, morphological, piezometric, geophysical and structural investigations revealed a northward thickening of the substrate with groundwater flow towards the Rharb (to the north) and towards the Atlantic Ocean (northwest). This 'multicriteria' approach enabled a structural model to be defined, which correlated well with the aquifer geometry and the groundwater flow. The variability of the hydrogeological units, and the northward thickening of the sedimentary facies, were controlled by northeast-southwest orientated faults, which affect their impermeability.

SSME/side loads analysis for flight configuration, revision A. [structural analysis of space shuttle main engine under side load excitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, W.

1974-01-01

This document describes the dynamic loads analysis accomplished for the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) considering the side load excitation associated with transient flow separation on the engine bell during ground ignition. The results contained herein pertain only to the flight configuration. A Monte Carlo procedure was employed to select the input variables describing the side load excitation and the loads were statistically combined. This revision includes an active thrust vector control system representation and updated orbiter thrust structure stiffness characteristics. No future revisions are planned but may be necessary as system definition and input parameters change.

Main Oxidizer Valve Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Addona, Brad; Eddleman, David

2015-01-01

A developmental Main Oxidizer Valve (MOV) was designed by NASA-MSFC using additive manufacturing processes. The MOV is a pneumatically actuated poppet valve to control the flow of liquid oxygen to an engine's injector. A compression spring is used to return the valve to the closed state when pneumatic pressure is removed from the valve. The valve internal parts are cylindrical in shape, which lends itself to traditional lathe and milling operations. However, the valve body represents a complicated shape and contains the majority of the mass of the valve. Additive manufacturing techniques were used to produce a part that optimized mass and allowed for design features not practical with traditional machining processes.

The problem of modeling the process of air blowing through finely perforated wall for skin friction reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kornilov, V. I.; Boiko, A. V.

2017-10-01

Problems of experimental modeling of the process of air blowing into turbulent boundary layer of incompressible fluid through finely perforated wall are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of both the main factors responsible for the effectiveness of blowing and the possibility of studying the factors in artificially generated turbulent boundary layer. It was shown that uniformity of the injected gas is one of the main requirements to enhance the effectiveness of this method of flow control. An example of the successful application of this technology exhibiting a significant reduction of the turbulent skin friction is provided.

[Acid-base equilibrium and the brain].

PubMed

Rabary, O; Boussofara, M; Grimaud, D

1994-01-01

In physiological conditions, the regulation of acid-base balance in brain maintains a noteworthy stability of cerebral pH. During systemic metabolic acid-base imbalances cerebral pH is well controlled as the blood/brain barrier is slowly and poorly permeable to electrolytes (HCO3- and H+). Cerebral pH is regulated by a modulation of the respiratory drive, triggered by the early alterations of interstitial fluid pH, close to medullary chemoreceptors. As blood/brain barrier is highly permeable to Co2, CSF pH is corrected in a few hours, even in case of severe metabolic acidosis and alkalosis. Conversely, during ventilatory acidosis and alkalosis the cerebral pH varies in the same direction and in the same range than blood pH. Therefore, the brain is better protected against metabolic than ventilatory acid-base imbalances. Ventilatory acidosis and alkalosis are able to impair cerebral blood flow and brain activity through interstitial pH alterations. During respiratory acidosis, [HCO3-] increases in extracellular fluids to control cerebral pH by two main ways: a carbonic anhydrase activation at the blood/brain and blood/CSF barriers level and an increase in chloride shift in glial cells (HCO3- exchanged for Cl-). During respiratory alkalosis, [HCO3-] decreases in extracellular fluids by the opposite changes in HCO3- transport and by an increase in lactic acid synthesis by cerebral cells. The treatment of metabolic acidosis with bicarbonates may induce a cerebral acidosis and worsen a cerebral oedema during ketoacidosis. Moderate hypocapnia carried out to treat intracranial hypertension is mainly effective when cerebral blood flow is high and vascular CO2 reactivity maintained. Hypocapnia may restore an altered cerebral blood flow autoregulation. Instrumental hypocapnia requires a control of cerebral perfusion pressure and cerebral arteriovenous difference for oxygen, to select patients for whom this kind of treatment may be of benefit, to choose the optimal level of hypocapnia and to avoid any deleterious effect. If hypocapnia is maintained over several days, an adaptation of CSF pH may limit the therapeutic effect on the cerebral blood flow and the intracranial pressure.

Free-living bacterial communities associated with tubeworm (Ridgeia piscesae) aggregations in contrasting diffuse flow hydrothermal vent habitats at the Main Endeavour Field, Juan de Fuca Ridge

PubMed Central

Forget, Nathalie L; Kim Juniper, S

2013-01-01

We systematically studied free-living bacterial diversity within aggregations of the vestimentiferan tubeworm Ridgeia piscesae sampled from two contrasting flow regimes (High Flow and Low Flow) in the Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents Marine Protected Area (MPA) on the Juan de Fuca Ridge (Northeast Pacific). Eight samples of particulate detritus were recovered from paired tubeworm grabs from four vent sites. Most sequences (454 tag and Sanger methods) were affiliated to the Epsilonproteobacteria, and the sulfur-oxidizing genus Sulfurovum was dominant in all samples. Gammaproteobacteria were also detected, mainly in Low Flow sequence libraries, and were affiliated with known methanotrophs and decomposers. The cooccurrence of sulfur reducers from the Deltaproteobacteria and the Epsilonproteobacteria suggests internal sulfur cycling within these habitats. Other phyla detected included Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Deinococcus–Thermus. Statistically significant relationships between sequence library composition and habitat type suggest a predictable pattern for High Flow and Low Flow environments. Most sequences significantly more represented in High Flow libraries were related to sulfur and hydrogen oxidizers, while mainly heterotrophic groups were more represented in Low Flow libraries. Differences in temperature, available energy for metabolism, and stability between High Flow and Low Flow habitats potentially explain their distinct bacterial communities. PMID:23401293

Comparative in vitro flow study of 3 different Ex-PRESS miniature glaucoma device models.

PubMed

Estermann, Stephan; Yuttitham, Kanokwan; Chen, Julie A; Lee, On-Tat; Stamper, Robert L

2013-03-01

To determine the flow characteristics of the 3 different models of the Ex-PRESS miniature glaucoma device in a controlled laboratory study. The 3 different Ex-PRESS models (P-50, R-50, and P-200; Optonol Ltd; now Alcon Lab) were tested using a gravity-driven flow test. Three samples of each of the 3 Ex-PRESS models were subjected to a constant gravitational force of fluid at 5 different pressure levels (5 to 25 mm Hg). Four measurements per sample were taken at each pressure level. The main outcome measure was flow rate (Q) (µL/min). Resistance (R) was calculated by dividing pressure (P) by the measured flow (Q). The flow rate was primarily pressure dependent. The P-200 model (internal diameter 200 µm) showed a statistically significant higher flow rate and lower resistance compared with both the P-50 and R-50 models (internal diameter 50 µm) (P<0.0001). The P-50 and R-50 models demonstrated similar flow rates (P=0.08) despite their difference in tube length (2.64 vs. 2.94 mm). The 3 models of the Ex-PRESS mini shunt behaved in vitro as simple flow resistors by creating a relatively constant resistance to flow. Tube diameter was the only parameter with significant impact on flow and resistance. All models demonstrated flow rates per unit of pressure much higher than the outflow facility of a healthy human eye.

Hydrogeological characterization of flow system in a karstic aquifer, Seymareh dam, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrouj Peely, Ahmad; Mohammadi, Zargham; Raeisi, Ezzatollah; Solgi, Khashayar; Mosavi, Mohammad J.; Kamali, Majid

2018-07-01

In order to determine the characteristics of the flow system in a karstic aquifer, an extensive hydrogeological study includes dye tracing test was conducted. The aquifer suited left abutment of Seymareh Dam, in Ravandi Anticline and discharges by more than 50 springs in the southern flank. Flow system in the aquifer is mainly controlled by the reservoir of Seymareh Dam. Time variations of the spring discharge and water table in the observation wells were highly correlated with the reservoir water level. The average groundwater velocity ranges from 0.2 to more than 14 m/h based on the dye tracing test. The probable flow paths were differentiated in two groups including the flow paths in the northern and southern flanks of Ravandi Anticline. Types of groundwater flow in the proposed flow paths are determined as diffuse or conduit flow type considering groundwater velocity and shape of the breakthrough curves. An index is proposed for differentiation of diffuse and conduit flow system based on relationship of groundwater velocity and hydraulic gradient. Dominant geometry of the flow routs (e.g., conduit diameter and fracture aperture) is estimated for the groundwater flow paths toward the springs. Based on velocity variations and variance coefficient of the water table and discharge of springs on map view a major karst conduit was probably developed in the aquifer. This research emphasizes applying of an extensive hydrogeological study for characterization of flow system in the karst aquifer.

Flow structure in continuous flow electrophoresis chambers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deiber, J. A.; Saville, D. A.

1982-01-01

There are at least two ways that hydrodynamic processes can limit continiuous flow electrophoresis. One arises from the sensitivity of the flow to small temerature gradients, especially at low flow rates and power levels. This sensitivity can be suppressed, at least in principle, by providing a carefully tailored, stabilizing temperature gradient in the cooling system that surrounds the flow channel. At higher power levels another limitation arises due to a restructuring of the main flow. This restructuring is caused by buoyancy, which is in turn affected by the electro-osmotic crossflow. Approximate solutions to appropriate partial differential equations have been computed by finite difference methods. One set of results is described here to illustrate the strong coupling between the structure of the main (axial) flow and the electro-osmotic flow.

Hydraulic Modeling and Evolutionary Optimization for Enhanced Real-Time Decision Support of Combined Sewer Overflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmer, A. L.; Minsker, B. S.; Schmidt, A. R.; Ostfeld, A.

2011-12-01

Real-time mitigation of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) requires evaluation of multiple operational strategies during rapidly changing rainfall events. Simulation models for hydraulically complex systems can effectively provide decision support for short time intervals when coupled with efficient optimization. This work seeks to reduce CSOs for a test case roughly based on the North Branch of the Chicago Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), which is operated by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC). The North Branch tunnel flows to a junction with the main TARP system. The Chicago combined sewer system alleviates potential CSOs by directing high interceptor flows through sluice gates and dropshafts to a deep tunnel. Decision variables to control CSOs consist of sluice gate positions that control water flow to the tunnel as well as a treatment plant pumping rate that lowers interceptor water levels. A physics-based numerical model is used to simulate the hydraulic effects of changes in the decision variables. The numerical model is step-wise steady and conserves water mass and momentum at each time step by iterating through a series of look-up tables. The look-up tables are constructed offline to avoid extensive real-time calculations, and describe conduit storage and water elevations as a function of flow. A genetic algorithm (GA) is used to minimize CSOs at each time interval within a moving horizon framework. Decision variables are coded at 15-minute increments and GA solutions are two hours in duration. At each 15-minute interval, the algorithm identifies a good solution for a two-hour rainfall forecast. Three GA modifications help reduce optimization time. The first adjustment reduces the search alphabet by eliminating sluice gate positions that do not influence overflow volume. The second GA retains knowledge of the best decision at the previous interval by shifting the genes in the best previous sequence to initialize search at the new interval. The third approach is a micro-GA with a small population size and high diversity. Current tunnel operations attempt to avoid dropshaft geysers by simultaneously closing all sluice gates when the downstream end of the deep tunnel pressurizes. In an effort to further reduce CSOs, this research introduces a constraint that specifies a maximum allowable tunnel flow to prevent pressurization. The downstream junction depth is bounded by two flow conditions: a low tunnel water level represents inflow from the main system only, while a higher level includes main system flow as well as all possible North Branch inflow. If the lower of the two tunnel levels is pressurized, no North Branch flow is allowed to enter the junction. If only the higher level pressurizes, a linear rating is used to restrict the total North Branch flow below the volume that pressurizes the boundary. The numerical model is successfully calibrated to EPA SWMM and efficiently portrays system hydraulics in real-time. Results on the three GA approaches as well as impacts of various policies for the downstream constraint will be presented at the conference.

Particle control near reticle and optics using showerhead

DOEpatents

Delgado, Gildardo R.; Chilese, Frank; Garcia, Rudy; Torczynski, John R.; Geller, Anthony S.; Rader, Daniel J.; Klebanoff, Leonard E.; Gallis, Michail A.

2016-01-26

A method and an apparatus to protect a reticle against particles and chemicals in an actinic EUV reticle inspection tool are presented. The method and apparatus utilizes a pair of porous metal diffusers in the form of showerheads to provide a continual flow of clean gas. The main showerhead bathes the reticle surface to be inspected in smoothly flowing, low pressure gas, isolating it from particles coming from surrounding volumes. The secondary showerhead faces away from the reticle and toward the EUV illumination and projection optics, supplying them with purge gas while at the same time creating a buffer zone that is kept free of any particle contamination originating from those optics.

Influence of cerebral blood vessel movements on the position of perivascular synapses.

PubMed

Urrecha, Miguel; Romero, Ignacio; DeFelipe, Javier; Merchán-Pérez, Angel

2017-01-01

Synaptic activity is regulated and limited by blood flow, which is controlled by blood vessel dilation and contraction. Traditionally, the study of neurovascular coupling has mainly focused on energy consumption and oxygen delivery. However, the mechanical changes that blood vessel movements induce in the surrounding tissue have not been considered. We have modeled the mechanical changes that movements of blood vessels cause in neighboring synapses. Our simulations indicate that synaptic densities increase or decrease during vascular dilation and contraction, respectively, near the blood vessel walls. This phenomenon may alter the concentration of neurotransmitters and vasoactive substances in the immediate vicinity of the vessel wall and thus may have an influence on local blood flow.

A lift formula applied to low-Reynolds-number unsteady flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shizhao; Zhang, Xing; He, Guowei; Liu, Tianshu

2013-09-01

A lift formula for a wing in a rectangular control volume is given in a very simple and physically lucid form, providing a rational foundation for calculation of the lift of a flapping wing in highly unsteady and separated flows at low Reynolds numbers. Direct numerical simulations on the stationary and flapping two-dimensional flat plate and rectangular flat-plate wing are conducted to assess the accuracy of the lift formula along with the classical Kutta-Joukowski theorem. In particular, the Lamb vector integral for the vortex force and the acceleration term of fluid for the unsteady inertial effect are evaluated as the main contributions to the unsteady lift generation of a flapping wing.

Application of supercritical antisolvent method in drug encapsulation: a review

PubMed Central

Kalani, Mahshid; Yunus, Robiah

2011-01-01

The review focuses on the application of supercritical fluids as antisolvents in the pharmaceutical field and demonstrates the supercritical antisolvent method in the use of drug encapsulation. The main factors for choosing the solvent and biodegradable polymer to produce fine particles to ensure effective drug delivery are emphasized and the effect of polymer structure on drug encapsulation is illustrated. The review also demonstrates the drug release mechanism and polymeric controlled release system, and discusses the effects of the various conditions in the process, such as pressure, temperature, concentration, chemical compositions (organic solvents, drug, and biodegradable polymer), nozzle geometry, CO2 flow rate, and the liquid phase flow rate on particle size and its distribution. PMID:21796245

Numerical modeling of heat transfer in molten silicon during directional solidification process

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

Srinivasan, M.; Ramasamy, P., E-mail: ramasamyp@ssn.edu.in

2015-06-24

Numerical investigation is performed for some of the thermal and fluid flow properties of silicon melt during directional solidification by numerical modeling. Dimensionless numbers are extremely useful to understand the heat and mass transfer of fluid flow on Si melt and control the flow patterns during crystal growth processes. The average grain size of whole crystal would increase when the melt flow is laminar. In the silicon growth process, the melt flow is mainly driven by the buoyancy force resulting from the horizontal temperature gradient. The thermal and flow pattern influences the quality of the crystal through the convective heatmore » and mass transport. The computations are carried out in a 2D axisymmetric model using the finite-element technique. The buoyancy effect is observed in the melt domain for a constant Rayleigh number and for different Prandtl numbers. The convective heat flux and Reynolds numbers are studied in the five parallel horizontal cross section of melt silicon region. And also, velocity field is simulated for whole melt domain with limited thermal boundaries. The results indicate that buoyancy forces have a dramatic effect on the most of melt region except central part.« less

Hydrological controls on Chemical weathering in the Jinsha River draining the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhong, Jun; Li, Siliang; Yue, Fujun; Ding, Hu

2016-04-01

The geochemistry of the riverine waters could provide an insight in understanding the surface processes, such as chemical weathering and carbon cycle. As the headwater of Chanjiang (Yangtze) River, Jinsha River flows on the southestern Qinhai-Tibet Plateau at high altitute (from 1000m to 4600m) above the major areas of human impact and carries important information on this erosive region. In spite of being impacted by monsoonal climate and with significant variations of discharge, the temporal variations of compositions of main ions and chemical weathering of Jinsha River are rarely documented. In this study, a systematic investigation on the seasonal and episodic water geochemistry (major ions and δ13CDIC) of the outlet of Jinsha River basin were carried out with the purpose of 1) characterizing temporal variations of aqueous geochemistry and its controlling factors, 2) quantifying rock weathering and associated CO2 consumption rates, and 3) exploring the impact of hydrological controls on chemical weathering of the Jinsha River Basin. The results show that the concentrations of Ca, Mg, HCO3 and NO3 are generally decreased during monsoon season, while that of Cl, Na, SO4, K are relative higher in monsoon season than in dry season, which may be mainly caused by hydrological condition, i.e., with increased runoff, more surficial evaporate dissolved water and salt lake water of the Basin flow into the river. Moreover, due to increased contribution of soil CO2and fast decomposition of organic matters, δ13CDIC in the high-flow period has more negative values than in low-flow period, and shows a negative relation with the concentration of DOC. An increasing of Ca concentrations was found with shift of the δ13CDIC values, positively, indicating the precipitation might be occured. Meanwhile, the dissolution of gypsum and anhydrite might enhance the calcium precipition. The forward model results show that the weathering rates of silicate and carbonate as well as that of related CO2 consumption have a positive relation with water discharge, highlighting the hydrological controls on chemical weathering and CO2 consumption rates, which should be considered in the future study in river basins impacted by monsoon climate. This work was supported by The China National Science Fund for Outstanding Young Scholars (Grant No. 41422303).

Choosing the Right Systems Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Péči, Matúš; Važan, Pavel

2014-12-01

The paper examines systems integration and its main levels at higher levels of control. At present, the systems integration is one of the main aspects participating in the consolidation processes and financial flows of a company. Systems Integration is a complicated emotionconsuming process and it is often a problem to choose the right approach and level of integration. The research focused on four levels of integration, while each of them is characterized by specific conditions. At each level, there is a summary of recommendations and practical experience. The paper also discusses systems integration between the information and MES levels. The main part includes user-level integration where we describe an example of such integration. Finally, we list recommendations and also possible predictions of the systems integration as one of the important factors in the future.

Physical aspects of computing the flow of a viscous fluid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehta, U. B.

1984-01-01

One of the main themes in fluid dynamics at present and in the future is going to be computational fluid dynamics with the primary focus on the determination of drag, flow separation, vortex flows, and unsteady flows. A computation of the flow of a viscous fluid requires an understanding and consideration of the physical aspects of the flow. This is done by identifying the flow regimes and the scales of fluid motion, and the sources of vorticity. Discussions of flow regimes deal with conditions of incompressibility, transitional and turbulent flows, Navier-Stokes and non-Navier-Stokes regimes, shock waves, and strain fields. Discussions of the scales of fluid motion consider transitional and turbulent flows, thin- and slender-shear layers, triple- and four-deck regions, viscous-inviscid interactions, shock waves, strain rates, and temporal scales. In addition, the significance and generation of vorticity are discussed. These physical aspects mainly guide computations of the flow of a viscous fluid.

The visual control of stability in children and adults: postural readjustments in a ground optical flow.

PubMed

Baumberger, Bernard; Isableu, Brice; Flückiger, Michelangelo

2004-11-01

The aim of this research was to analyse the development of postural reactions to approaching (AOF) and receding (ROF) ground rectilinear optical flows. Optical flows were shaped by a pattern of circular spots of light projected on the ground surface by a texture flow generator. The geometrical structure of the projected scenes corresponded to the spatial organisation of visual flows encountered in open outdoor settings. Postural readjustments of 56 children, ranging from 7 to 11 years old, and 12 adults were recorded by the changes of the centre of foot pressure (CoP) on a force platform during 44-s exposures to the moving texture. Before and after the optical flows exposure, a 24-s motionless texture served as a reference condition. Effect of ground rectilinear optical flows on postural control development was assessed by analysing sway latencies (SL), stability performances and postural orientation. The main results that emerge from this experiment show that postural responses are directionally specific to optical flow pattern and that they vary as a function of the motion onset and offset. Results showed that greater developmental changes in postural control occurred in an AOF (both at the onset and offset of the optical flow) than in an ROF. Onset of an approaching flow induced postural instability, canonical shifts in postural orientation and long latencies in children which were stronger than in the receding flow. This pattern of responses evolved with age towards an improvement in stability performances and shorter SL. The backward decreasing shift of the CoP in children evolved in adults towards forward postural tilt, i.show $132#e. in the opposite direction of the texture's motion. Offset of an AOF motion induced very short SL in children (which became longer in adult subjects), strong postural instability, but weaker shift of orientation compared to the receding one. Postural stability improved and orientation shift evolved to forward inclinations with age. SL remained almost constant across age at both onset and offset of the receding flow. Critical developmental periods seem to occur by the age of 8 and 10 years, as suggested by the transient 'neglect' of the children to optical flows. Linear vection was felt by 90% of the 7 year olds and decreased with age to reach 55% in adult subjects. The mature sensorimotor coordination subserving the postural organisation shown in adult subjects is an example aiming at reducing the postural effects induced by optical flows. The data are discussed in relation to the perceptual importance of mobile visual references on a ground support.

Computing the sensitivity of drag and lift in flow past a circular cylinder: Time-stepping versus self-consistent analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meliga, Philippe

2017-07-01

We provide in-depth scrutiny of two methods making use of adjoint-based gradients to compute the sensitivity of drag in the two-dimensional, periodic flow past a circular cylinder (Re≲189 ): first, the time-stepping analysis used in Meliga et al. [Phys. Fluids 26, 104101 (2014), 10.1063/1.4896941] that relies on classical Navier-Stokes modeling and determines the sensitivity to any generic control force from time-dependent adjoint equations marched backwards in time; and, second, a self-consistent approach building on the model of Mantič-Lugo et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 084501 (2014), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.084501] to compute semilinear approximations of the sensitivity to the mean and fluctuating components of the force. Both approaches are applied to open-loop control by a small secondary cylinder and allow identifying the sensitive regions without knowledge of the controlled states. The theoretical predictions obtained by time-stepping analysis reproduce well the results obtained by direct numerical simulation of the two-cylinder system. So do the predictions obtained by self-consistent analysis, which corroborates the relevance of the approach as a guideline for efficient and systematic control design in the attempt to reduce drag, even though the Reynolds number is not close to the instability threshold and the oscillation amplitude is not small. This is because, unlike simpler approaches relying on linear stability analysis to predict the main features of the flow unsteadiness, the semilinear framework encompasses rigorously the effect of the control on the mean flow, as well as on the finite-amplitude fluctuation that feeds back nonlinearly onto the mean flow via the formation of Reynolds stresses. Such results are especially promising as the self-consistent approach determines the sensitivity from time-independent equations that can be solved iteratively, which makes it generally less computationally demanding. We ultimately discuss the extent to which relevant information can be gained from a hybrid modeling computing self-consistent sensitivities from the postprocessing of DNS data. Application to alternative control objectives such as increasing the lift and alleviating the fluctuating drag and lift is also discussed.

Duct flow nonuniformities for Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

Analytical capabilities for modeling hot gas flow on the fuel side of the Space Shuttle Main Engines are developed. Emphasis is placed on construction and documentation of a computational grid code for modeling an elliptical two-duct version of the fuel side hot gas manifold. Computational results for flow past a support strut in an annular channel are also presented.

Bubble Formation from Wall Orifice in Liquid Cross-Flow Under Low Gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nahra, Henry K.; Kamotani, Y.

2000-01-01

Two-phase flows present a wide variety of applications for spacecraft thermal control systems design. Bubble formation and detachment is an integral part of the two phase flow science. The objective of the present work is to experimentally investigate the effects of liquid cross-flow velocity, gas flow rate, and orifice diameter on bubble formation in a wall-bubble injection configuration. Data were taken mainly under reduced gravity conditions but some data were taken in normal gravity for comparison. The reduced gravity experiment was conducted aboard the NASA DC-9 Reduced Gravity Aircraft. The results show that the process of bubble formation and detachment depends on gravity, the orifice diameter, the gas flow rate, and the liquid cross-flow velocity. The data are analyzed based on a force balance, and two different detachment mechanisms are identified. When the gas momentum is large, the bubble detaches from the injection orifice as the gas momentum overcomes the attaching effects of liquid drag and inertia. The surface tension force is much reduced because a large part of the bubble pinning edge at the orifice is lost as the bubble axis is tilted by the liquid flow. When the gas momentum is small, the force balance in the liquid flow direction is important, and the bubble detaches when the bubble axis inclination exceeds a certain angle.

Mathematical Investigation of Fluid Flow, Mass Transfer, and Slag-steel Interfacial Behavior in Gas-stirred Ladles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Qing; Nastac, Laurentiu

2018-06-01

In this study, the Euler-Euler and Euler-Lagrange modeling approaches were applied to simulate the multiphase flow in the water model and gas-stirred ladle systems. Detailed comparisons of the computational and experimental results were performed to establish which approach is more accurate for predicting the gas-liquid multiphase flow phenomena. It was demonstrated that the Euler-Lagrange approach is more accurate than the Euler-Euler approach. The Euler-Lagrange approach was applied to study the effects of the free surface setup, injected bubble size, gas flow rate, and slag layer thickness on the slag-steel interaction and mass transfer behavior. Detailed discussions on the flat/non-flat free surface assumption were provided. Significant inaccuracies in the prediction of the surface fluid flow characteristics were found when the flat free surface was assumed. The variations in the main controlling parameters (bubble size, gas flow rate, and slag layer thickness) and their potential impact on the multiphase fluid flow and mass transfer characteristics (turbulent intensity, mass transfer rate, slag-steel interfacial area, flow patterns, etc.,) in gas-stirred ladles were quantitatively determined to ensure the proper increase in the ladle refining efficiency. It was revealed that by injecting finer bubbles as well as by properly increasing the gas flow rate and the slag layer thickness, the ladle refining efficiency can be enhanced significantly.

Non-Markovian quantum feedback networks II: Controlled flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, John E.

2017-06-01

The concept of a controlled flow of a dynamical system, especially when the controlling process feeds information back about the system, is of central importance in control engineering. In this paper, we build on the ideas presented by Bouten and van Handel [Quantum Stochastics and Information: Statistics, Filtering and Control (World Scientific, 2008)] and develop a general theory of quantum feedback. We elucidate the relationship between the controlling processes, Z, and the measured processes, Y, and to this end we make a distinction between what we call the input picture and the output picture. We should note that the input-output relations for the noise fields have additional terms not present in the standard theory but that the relationship between the control processes and measured processes themselves is internally consistent—we do this for the two main cases of quadrature measurement and photon-counting measurement. The theory is general enough to include a modulating filter which post-processes the measurement readout Y before returning to the system. This opens up the prospect of applying very general engineering feedback control techniques to open quantum systems in a systematic manner, and we consider a number of specific modulating filter problems. Finally, we give a brief argument as to why most of the rules for making instantaneous feedback connections [J. Gough and M. R. James, Commun. Math. Phys. 287, 1109 (2009)] ought to apply for controlled dynamical networks as well.

Elevations, Major Component Isometric, Propellant Flow Schematic, and External Tank ...

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

Elevations, Major Component Isometric, Propellant Flow Schematic, and External Tank Connection to Shuttle Main Engines - Space Transportation System, Space Shuttle Main Engine, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Harris County, TX

Assessing the Impact of Topography on Groundwater Salinization Due to Storm Surge Inundation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, X.; Yang, J.; Graf, T.; Koneshloo, M.; O'Neal, M. A.; Michael, H. A.

2015-12-01

The sea-level rise and increase in the frequency and intensity of coastal storms due to climate change are likely to exacerbate adverse effects of storm surges on low-lying coastal areas. The landward flow of water during storm surges introduces salt to surficial coastal aquifers and threatens groundwater resources. Coastal topography (e.g. ponds, dunes, canals) likely has a strong impact on overwash and salinization processes, but is generally highly simplified in modeling studies. To understand the topographic impacts on groundwater salinization, we modeled overwash and variable-density groundwater flow and salt transport in 3D using the fully coupled surface and subsurface numerical simulator, HydroGeoSphere. The model simulates the coastal aquifer as an integrated system considering processes such as overland flow, coupled surface and subsurface exchange, variably saturated flow, and variable-density flow. To represent various coastal landscape types, we started with realistic coastal topography from Delaware, USA, and then generated synthetic fields with differing shore-perpendicular connectivity and surface depressions. The groundwater salinization analysis suggested that the topographic connectivity promoting overland flow controls the volume of aquifer that is salinized. In contrast, depression storage of surface water mainly controls the time for infiltrated salt to flush from the aquifer. The results indicate that for a range of synthetic conditions, topography increases the flushing time of salt by 20-300% relative to an equivalent "simple slope" in which topographic variation is absent. Our study suggests that topography have a significant impact on overwash salinization, with important implications for land management at local scales and groundwater vulnerability assessment at regional to global scales.

POD analysis of flow over a backward-facing step forced by right-angle-shaped plasma actuator.

PubMed

Wang, Bin; Li, Huaxing

2016-01-01

This study aims to present flow control over the backward-facing step with specially designed right-angle-shaped plasma actuator and analyzed the influence of various scales of flow structures on the Reynolds stress through snapshot proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). 2D particle image velocimetry measurements were conducted on region (x/h = 0-2.25) and reattachment zone in the x-y plane over the backward-facing step at a Reynolds number of Re h  = 27,766 (based on step height [Formula: see text] and free stream velocity [Formula: see text]. The separated shear layer was excited by specially designed right-angle-shaped plasma actuator under the normalized excitation frequency St h  ≈ 0.345 along the 45° direction. The spatial distribution of each Reynolds stress component was reconstructed using an increasing number of POD modes. The POD analysis indicated that the flow dynamic downstream of the step was dominated by large-scale flow structures, which contributed to streamwise Reynolds stress and Reynolds shear stress. The intense Reynolds stress localized to a narrow strip within the shear layer was mainly affected by small-scale flow structures, which were responsible for the recovery of the Reynolds stress peak. With plasma excitation, a significant increase was obtained in the vertical Reynolds stress peak. Under the dimensionless frequencies St h  ≈ 0.345 and [Formula: see text] which are based on the step height and momentum thickness, the effectiveness of the flow control forced by the plasma actuator along the 45° direction was ordinary. Only the vertical Reynolds stress was significantly affected.

Cyclooxygenase-2 Selectively Controls Renal Blood Flow Through a Novel PPARβ/δ-Dependent Vasodilator Pathway.

PubMed

Kirkby, Nicholas S; Sampaio, Walkyria; Etelvino, Gisele; Alves, Daniele T; Anders, Katie L; Temponi, Rafael; Shala, Fisnik; Nair, Anitha S; Ahmetaj-Shala, Blerina; Jiao, Jing; Herschman, Harvey R; Xiaomeng, Wang; Wahli, Walter; Santos, Robson A; Mitchell, Jane A

2018-02-01

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an inducible enzyme expressed in inflammation and cancer targeted by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. COX-2 is also expressed constitutively in discreet locations where its inhibition drives gastrointestinal and cardiovascular/renal side effects. Constitutive COX-2 expression in the kidney regulates renal function and blood flow; however, the global relevance of the kidney versus other tissues to COX-2-dependent blood flow regulation is not known. Here, we used a microsphere deposition technique and pharmacological COX-2 inhibition to map the contribution of COX-2 to regional blood flow in mice and compared this to COX-2 expression patterns using luciferase reporter mice. Across all tissues studied, COX-2 inhibition altered blood flow predominantly in the kidney, with some effects also seen in the spleen, adipose, and testes. Of these sites, only the kidney displayed appreciable local COX-2 expression. As the main site where COX-2 regulates blood flow, we next analyzed the pathways involved in kidney vascular responses using a novel technique of video imaging small arteries in living tissue slices. We found that the protective effect of COX-2 on renal vascular function was associated with prostacyclin signaling through PPARβ/δ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ). These data demonstrate the kidney as the principle site in the body where local COX-2 controls blood flow and identifies a previously unreported PPARβ/δ-mediated renal vasodilator pathway as the mechanism. These findings have direct relevance to the renal and cardiovascular side effects of drugs that inhibit COX-2, as well as the potential of the COX-2/prostacyclin/PPARβ/δ axis as a therapeutic target in renal disease. © 2018 The Authors.

Observation of improved and degraded confinement with driven flow on the LAPD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaffner, David

2012-10-01

External continuous control over azimuthal flow and flow shear has been achieved in a linear plasma device for the first time allowing for a careful study of the effect of flow shear on pressure-gradient-driven turbulence and transport in the edge of the Large Plasma Device (LAPD). The flow is controlled using biasable iris-like limiters situated axially between the cathode source and main plasma chamber. LAPD rotates spontaneously in the ion diamagnetic direction (IDD); positive limiter bias first reduces, then minimizes (producing a near-zero shear state), and finally reverses the flow into the electron diamagnetic direction (EDD). Degradation of particle confinement is observed in the minimum shearing state and reduction in turbulent particle flux is observed with increasing shearing in both flow directions. Near-complete suppression of turbulent particle flux is observed for shearing rates comparable to the turbulent autocorrelation rate measured in the minimum shear state. Turbulent flux suppression is dominated by amplitude reduction in low-frequency (>10kHz) density fluctuations and a reduction in the radial correlation length. An increase in fluctuations for the highest shearing states is observed with the emergence of a coherent mode which does not lead to net particle transport. Magnetic field is varied in order to explore whether and how field effects transport modification. Calculations of transport equations are used to predict density profiles given source and temperature profiles and can show the level of transport predicted to be necessary in order to produce the experimental density profiles observed. Finally, the variations of density fluctuations and radial correlation length are fit well with power-laws and compare favorably to simple models of shear suppression of transport.

How Hydrodynamics Control Algal Blooms in the Ythan Estuary, Scotland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Champangern, K.; Hoey, T.; Thomas, R.; Mitchard, E. T.

2016-12-01

The Ythan estuary, northeast Scotland, was designated in 2000 as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) under the European Commission (EC) Nitrates Directive. Much of the catchment is intensively farmed and water quality has been adversely affected by nutrients from agricultural fertilisers. As a result, algal mats develop annually on tidal flats where sediment from upstream and from the adjacent dune systems is deposited. Understanding the patterns of water (river and ocean) circulation in the estuary as well as nutrient transport in the estuary is crucial for comprehending the role of several factors (elevation; sediment characteristics; nutrient flux) control the locations and scale of annual algal blooms. To understand the controls, the Delft3d flow model is used to simulate hydrodynamic patterns and nutrient pathways in the estuary during high flow and low flow events. The results from the simulations reveal that during high river flow in the central part of the estuary, where algal growth is most extensive, flow velocity are higher during flood tide than in the ebb. However, the velocity in this area remain very low throughout the tidal cycle. During low river flow, the velocity during one tidal cycle has the same pattern as in high flow event, although the velocity is generally slightly higher than during high river flow except during slack tide where velocity and shear stress are lower. The modelled nutrient pathways and their concentration also show the movement of nutrients with regard to interaction of both fresh and sea water. The concentration is greatest during low tide in the upper estuary followed by middle and lower estuary, while appearing lowest during high tide. The nutrients mobilise along the main channel where velocity is greater. However, they are also dispersed to shallower areas where algal growth is extensive and remain high concentrated in the areas until a new flood tide. These model results are validated against measured data, of which the validation results illustrate a good agreement with the measured data. Moreover, these results are clearly consistent with areas where extensive algal growth occurs in upper and middle estuary derived from satellite image classification. This study suggests that hydrodynamics strongly controls over persistence of algal formation in location and extent.

A new traffic control design method for large networks with signalized intersections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leininger, G. G.; Colony, D. C.; Seldner, K.

1979-01-01

The paper presents a traffic control design technique for application to large traffic networks with signalized intersections. It is shown that the design method adopts a macroscopic viewpoint to establish a new traffic modelling procedure in which vehicle platoons are subdivided into main stream queues and turning queues. Optimization of the signal splits minimizes queue lengths in the steady state condition and improves traffic flow conditions, from the viewpoint of the traveling public. Finally, an application of the design method to a traffic network with thirty-three signalized intersections is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique.

The Parent Control in the Mechanical Engineering Management-Holding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šnircová, Jana; Hodulíková, Petra; Joehnk, Peter

2012-12-01

The group of entities under the control of parent, so called holding, is arisen as the result and the most often used form of the business concentration nowadays. The paper is focused to find special tasks of parent company for to preserve effective unified economic control in the management-holding. The unified economic control the holding exists in the conditions of the main conflict of interest - holding is not a legal but economic unit and the connected companies into it have a legal autonomy with the economic dependence. The unified economic control limits the financial independence of every individual company of the holding. The attention in the paper is concentrated to the management concept of the parent control, i.e. the parent company supervises the control of intragroup flows and all of subsidiaries production activities.

The design of water markets when instream flows have value.

PubMed

Murphy, James J; Dinar, Ariel; Howitt, Richard E; Rassenti, Stephen J; Smith, Vernon L; Weinberg, Marca

2009-02-01

The main objective of this paper is to design and test a decentralized exchange mechanism that generates the location-specific pricing necessary to achieve efficient allocations in the presence of instream flow values. Although a market-oriented approach has the potential to improve upon traditional command and control regulations, questions remain about how these rights-based institutions can be implemented such that the potential gains from liberalized trade can be realized. This article uses laboratory experiments to test three different water market institutions designed to incorporate instream flow values into the allocation mechanism through active participation of an environmental trader. The smart, computer-coordinated market described herein offers the potential to significantly reduce coordination problems and transaction costs associated with finding mutually beneficial trades that satisfy environmental constraints. We find that direct environmental participation in the market can achieve highly efficient and stable outcomes, although the potential does exist for the environmental agent to influence outcomes.

Statistical prediction of dynamic distortion of inlet flow using minimum dynamic measurement. An application to the Melick statistical method and inlet flow dynamic distortion prediction without RMS measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schweikhard, W. G.; Chen, Y. S.

1986-01-01

The Melick method of inlet flow dynamic distortion prediction by statistical means is outlined. A hypothetic vortex model is used as the basis for the mathematical formulations. The main variables are identified by matching the theoretical total pressure rms ratio with the measured total pressure rms ratio. Data comparisons, using the HiMAT inlet test data set, indicate satisfactory prediction of the dynamic peak distortion for cases with boundary layer control device vortex generators. A method for the dynamic probe selection was developed. Validity of the probe selection criteria is demonstrated by comparing the reduced-probe predictions with the 40-probe predictions. It is indicated that the the number of dynamic probes can be reduced to as few as two and still retain good accuracy.

Vorticity Dynamics in Axial Compressor Flow Diagnosis and Design.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jie-Zhi; Yang, Yan-Tao; Wu, Hong; Li, Qiu-Shi; Mao, Feng; Zhou, Sheng

2007-11-01

It is well recognized that vorticity and vortical structures appear inevitably in viscous compressor flows and have strong influence on the compressor performance. But conventional analysis and design procedure cannot pinpoint the quantitative contribution of each individual vortical structure to the integrated performance of a compressor, such as the stagnation-pressure ratio and efficiency. We fill this gap by using the so-called derivative-moment transformation which has been successfully applied to external aerodynamics. We show that the compressor performance is mainly controlled by the radial distribution of azimuthal vorticity, of which an optimization in the through-flow design stage leads to a simple Abel equation of the second kind. Solving the equation yields desired circulation distribution that optimizes the blade geometry. The advantage of this new procedure is demonstrated by numerical examples, including the posterior performance check by 3-D Navier-Stokes simulation.

Discharge flow of a granular media from a silo: effect of the packing fraction and of the hopper angle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benyamine, Mebirika; Aussillous, Pascale; Dalloz-Dubrujeaud, Blanche

2017-06-01

Silos are widely used in the industry. While empirical predictions of the flow rate, based on scaling laws, have existed for more than a century (Hagen 1852, translated in [1] - Beverloo et al. [2]), recent advances have be made on the understanding of the control parameters of the flow. In particular, using continuous modeling together with a mu(I) granular rheology seem to be successful in predicting the flow rate for large numbers of beads at the aperture (Staron et al.[3], [4]). Moreover Janda et al.[5] have shown that the packing fraction at the outlet plays an important role when the number of beads at the apeture decreases. Based on these considerations, we have studied experimentally the discharge flow of a granular media from a rectangular silo. We have varied two main parameters: the angle of the hopper, and the bulk packing fraction of the granular material by using bidisperse mixtures. We propose a simple physical model to describe the effect of these parameters, considering a continuous granular media with a dilatancy law at the outlet. This model predicts well the dependance of the flow rate on the hopper angle as well as the dependance of the flow rate on the fine mass fraction of a bidisperse mixture.

Stocks, Flows, and Distribution of Critical Metals in Embedded Electronics in Passenger Vehicles.

PubMed

Restrepo, Eliette; Løvik, Amund N; Wäger, Patrick; Widmer, Rolf; Lonka, Radek; Müller, Daniel B

2017-02-07

One of the major applications of critical metals (CMs) is in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), which is increasingly embedded in other products, notably passenger vehicles. However, recycling strategies for future CM quantities in end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) are poorly understood, mainly due to a limited understating of the complexity of automotive embedded EEE. We introduce a harmonization of the network structure of automotive electronics that enables a comprehensive quantification of CMs in all embedded EEE in a vehicle. This network is combined with a material flow analysis along the vehicle lifecycle in Switzerland to quantify the stocks and flows of Ag, Au, Pd, Ru, Dy, La, Nd, and Co in automotive embedded EEE. In vehicles in use, we calculated 5 -2 +3 t precious metals in controllers embedded in all vehicle types and 220 -60 +90 t rare earth elements (REE); found mainly in five electric motors: alternator, starter, radiator-fan and electronic power steering motor embedded in conventional passenger vehicles and drive motor/generator embedded in hybrid and electric vehicles. Dismantling these devices before ELV shredding, as well as postshredder treatment of automobile shredder residue may increase the recovery of CMs from ELVs. Environmental and economic implications of such recycling strategies must be considered.

A critical evaluation of various methods for the analysis of flow-solid interaction in a nest of thin cylinders subjected to cross flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Sang-Wook

1987-01-01

Various experimental, analytical, and numerical analysis methods for flow-solid interaction of a nest of cylinders subjected to cross flows are reviewed. A nest of cylinders subjected to cross flows can be found in numerous engineering applications including the Space Shuttle Maine Engine-Main Injector Assembly (SSME-MIA) and nuclear reactor heat exchangers. Despite its extreme importance in engineering applications, understanding of the flow-solid interaction process is quite limited and design of the tube banks are mostly dependent on experiments and/or experimental correlation equations. For future development of major numerical analysis methods for the flow-solid interaction of a nest of cylinders subjected to cross flow, various turbulence models, nonlinear structural dynamics, and existing laminar flow-solid interaction analysis methods are included.

Interactive simulation system for artificial ventilation on the internet: virtual ventilator.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Akihiro; Abe, Tadashi; Hirose, Minoru; Kamioka, Koichi; Hamada, Atsushi; Ikeda, Noriaki

2004-12-01

To develop an interactive simulation system "virtual ventilator" that demonstrates the dynamics of pressure and flow in the respiratory system under the combination of spontaneous breathing, ventilation modes, and ventilator options. The simulation system was designed to be used by unexperienced health care professionals as a self-training tool. The system consists of a simulation controller and three modules: respiratory, spontaneous breath, and ventilator. The respiratory module models the respiratory system by three resistances representing the main airway, the right and left lungs, and two compliances also representing the right and left lungs. The spontaneous breath module generates inspiratory negative pressure produced by a patient. The ventilator module generates driving force of pressure or flow according to the combination of the ventilation mode and options. These forces are given to the respiratory module through the simulation controller. The simulation system was developed using HTML, VBScript (3000 lines, 100 kB) and ActiveX control (120 kB), and runs on Internet Explorer (5.5 or higher). The spontaneous breath is defined by a frequency, amplitude and inspiratory patterns in the spontaneous breath module. The user can construct a ventilation mode by setting a control variable, phase variables (trigger, limit, and cycle), and options. Available ventilation modes are: controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV), continuous positive airway pressure, synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV), pressure support ventilation (PSV), SIMV + PSV, pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV), pressure-regulated volume control (PRVC), proportional assisted ventilation, mandatory minute ventilation (MMV), bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP). The simulation system demonstrates in a graph and animation the airway pressure, flow, and volume of the respiratory system during mechanical ventilation both with and without spontaneous breathing. We developed a web application that demonstrated the respiratory mechanics and the basic theory of ventilation mode.

Analogue experiments as benchmarks for models of lava flow emplacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garel, F.; Kaminski, E. C.; Tait, S.; Limare, A.

2013-12-01

During an effusive volcanic eruption, the crisis management is mainly based on the prediction of lava flow advance and its velocity. The spreading of a lava flow, seen as a gravity current, depends on its "effective rheology" and on the effusion rate. Fast-computing models have arisen in the past decade in order to predict in near real time lava flow path and rate of advance. This type of model, crucial to mitigate volcanic hazards and organize potential evacuation, has been mainly compared a posteriori to real cases of emplaced lava flows. The input parameters of such simulations applied to natural eruptions, especially effusion rate and topography, are often not known precisely, and are difficult to evaluate after the eruption. It is therefore not straightforward to identify the causes of discrepancies between model outputs and observed lava emplacement, whereas the comparison of models with controlled laboratory experiments appears easier. The challenge for numerical simulations of lava flow emplacement is to model the simultaneous advance and thermal structure of viscous lava flows. To provide original constraints later to be used in benchmark numerical simulations, we have performed lab-scale experiments investigating the cooling of isoviscous gravity currents. The simplest experimental set-up is as follows: silicone oil, whose viscosity, around 5 Pa.s, varies less than a factor of 2 in the temperature range studied, is injected from a point source onto a horizontal plate and spreads axisymmetrically. The oil is injected hot, and progressively cools down to ambient temperature away from the source. Once the flow is developed, it presents a stationary radial thermal structure whose characteristics depend on the input flow rate. In addition to the experimental observations, we have developed in Garel et al., JGR, 2012 a theoretical model confirming the relationship between supply rate, flow advance and stationary surface thermal structure. We also provide experimental observations of the effect of wind the surface thermal structure of a viscous flow, that could be used to benchmark a thermal heat loss model. We will also briefly present more complex analogue experiments using wax material. These experiments present discontinuous advance behavior, and a dual surface thermal structure with low (solidified) vs. high (hot liquid exposed at the surface) surface temperatures regions. Emplacement models should tend to reproduce these two features, also observed on lava flows, to better predict the hazard of lava inundation.

The hydrogeochemistry of argillaceous rock formations at the Horonobe URL site, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hama, K.; Kunimaru, T.; Metcalfe, R.; Martin, A. J.

A hydrogeochemical investigation is being carried out as part of the Horonobe underground research laboratory (URL) project in Japan. The main aims are to: (1) investigate an actual example of a geological environment in a sedimentary rock formation in Japan; and (2) to confirm the reliability of generic technologies that may in future be applied during the geological disposal of high level radioactive waste. The main rock formations being characterized are the marine Wakkanai and Koetoi Formations (Miocene to Pliocene), consisting dominantly of siliceous shales (porcelanites) and diatomaceous shales respectively. These formations are located within the Tempoku Basin, within a back-arc tectonic setting. Rock sequences of this kind occur widely in Japan and throughout the northern Pacific region. However, prior to the present study, there was relatively little information concerning the processes controlling in situ chemical conditions and groundwater flow in such settings. Chemical data was obtained for both pumped waters and squeezed porewaters in order to characterize the hydrogeochemistry of these argillaceous rock formations. The in situ chemical conditions, residence time of the groundwaters and the evolution processes of the groundwaters were investigated. Generally, at each locality studied, shallower groundwaters are fresh and have Na-HCO 3 dominated chemistry. Deeper groundwaters are saline (TDS up to about 22,000 mg/l) and have Na-Cl dominated chemistry. However, lateral gradients in salinity are also recognized, with salinity contours in the Na-Cl dominated saline water (having TDS > 10,000 mg/l) probably varying in elevation by at least 250 m. Further investigations are required to confirm the origins of the groundwater salinity, but the Na-Cl dominated groundwater chemistry is provisionally explained as a consequence of the dilution of fossil seawater, accompanied by diagenetic water-rock reactions. The vertical and lateral salinity gradients can potentially be used to test the validity of coupled groundwater flow models. A conceptual model is tentatively suggested in which the spatial distribution and frequency of fractures helps to control the spatial distribution of groundwater salinity. Future investigations will clarify the timing of flow, the flow directions and the characteristics of the flow paths.

Estimated Magnitudes and Recurrence Intervals of Peak Flows on the Mousam and Little Ossipee Rivers for the Flood of April 2007 in Southern Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodgkins, Glenn A.; Stewart, Gregory J.; Cohn, Timothy A.; Dudley, Robert W.

2007-01-01

Large amounts of rain fell on southern Maine from the afternoon of April 15, 2007, to the afternoon of April 16, 2007, causing substantial damage to houses, roads, and culverts. This report provides an estimate of the peak flows on two rivers in southern Maine--the Mousam River and the Little Ossipee River--because of their severe flooding. The April 2007 estimated peak flow of 9,230 ft3/s at the Mousam River near West Kennebunk had a recurrence interval between 100 and 500 years; 95-percent confidence limits for this flow ranged from 25 years to greater than 500 years. The April 2007 estimated peak flow of 8,220 ft3/s at the Little Ossipee River near South Limington had a recurrence interval between 100 and 500 years; 95-percent confidence limits for this flow ranged from 50 years to greater than 500 years.

4. View north of Lake Whitney Dam. Wood shed at ...

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

4. View north of Lake Whitney Dam. Wood shed at center of photograph houses a turbine installed in 1932. Brick structure to the left of the turbine shed is a gate house which houses the main valves controlling flow of lake to water to the filter plant. - Lake Whitney Water Filtration Plant, Lake Whitney Dam, East side of Whitney Avenue near intersection with Armory Street, Hamden, New Haven County, CT

The Effects of Alarm Display, Processing, and Availability on Crew Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-11-01

snow Instrumentation line leakage Small LOCA Steam generator tube rupture Small feedwater leakage inside containment Cycling of main steam...implemented. • Due to primary pressure controller failure, pressure heater banks cycle between on and off. 8.00 CF1 CF2 CF3 CF4 CF5...temperatures after the high-pressure pre- heaters flows into the steam generators number of active emergency feedwater pumps openings of the condensate

Dynamics of near-surface electric discharges and mechanisms of their interaction with the airflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leonov, Sergey B.; Adamovich, Igor V.; Soloviev, Victor R.

2016-12-01

The main focus of the review is on dynamics and kinetics of near-surface discharge plasmas, such as surface dielectric barrier discharges sustained by AC and repetitively pulsed waveforms, pulsed DC discharges, and quasi-DC discharges, generated in quiescent air and in the airflow. A number of technical issues related to plasma flow control applications are discussed in detail, including discharge development via surface ionization waves, charge transport and accumulation on dielectric surface, discharge contraction, different types of flow perturbations generated by surface discharges, and effect of high-speed flow on discharge dynamics. In the first part of the manuscript, plasma morphology and results of electrical and optical emission spectroscopy measurements are discussed. Particular attention is paid to dynamics of surface charge accumulation and dissipation, both in diffuse discharges and during development of ionization instabilities resulting in discharge contraction. Contraction leads to significant increase of both the surface area of charge accumulation and the energy coupled to the plasma. The use of alternating polarity pulse waveforms accelerates contraction of surface dielectric barrier discharges and formation of filamentary plasmas. The second part discusses the interaction of discharge plasmas with quiescent air and the external airflow. Four major types of flow perturbations have been identified: (1) low-speed near-surface jets generated by electrohydrodynamic interaction (ion wind); (2) spanwise and streamwise vortices formed by both electrohydrodynamic and thermal effects; (3) weak shock waves produced by rapid heating in pulsed discharges on sub-microsecond time scale; and (4) near-surface localized stochastic perturbations, on sub-millisecond time, detected only recently. The mechanism of plasma-flow interaction remains not fully understood, especially in filamentary surface dielectric barrier discharges. Localized quasi-DC surface discharges sustained in a high-speed flow are discussed in the third part of the review. Although dynamics of this type of the discharge is highly transient, due to its strong interaction with the flow, the resultant flow structure is stationary, including the oblique shock and the flow separation region downstream of the discharge. The oblique shock is attached to a time-averaged, wedge-shaped, near-wall plasma layer, with the shock angle controlled by the discharge power, which makes possible changing the flow structure and parameters in a controlled way. Finally, unresolved and open-ended issues are discussed in the summary.

Historical changes in annual peak flows in Maine and implications for flood-frequency analyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodgkins, Glenn A.

2010-01-01

To safely and economically design bridges, culverts, and other structures that are in or near streams (fig. 1 for example), it is necessary to determine the magnitude of peak streamflows such as the 100-year flow. Flood-frequency analyses use statistical methods to compute peak flows for selected recurrence intervals (100 years, for example). The recurrence interval is the average number of years between peak flows that are equal to or greater than a specified peak flow. Floodfrequency analyses are based on annual peak flows at a stream. It has long been assumed that annual peak streamflows are stationary over very long periods of time, except in river basins subject to urbanization, regulation, and other direct human activities. Stationarity is the concept that natural systems fluctuate within an envelope of variability that does not change over time (Milly and others, 2008). Because of the potential effects of global warming on peak flows, the assumption of peak-flow stationarity has recently been questioned (Milly and others, 2008). Maine has many streamgaging stations with 50 to 105 years of recorded annual peak streamflows. This long-term record has been tested for historical flood-frequency stationarity, to provide some insight into future flood frequency (Hodgkins, 2010). This fact sheet, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT), provides a partial summary of the results of the study by Hodgkins (2010).

Minnowbrook VI: 2009 Workshop on Flow Physics and Control for Internal and External Aerodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaGraff, John E.; Povinelli, Louis A.; Gostelow, J. Paul; Glauser, Mark

2010-01-01

Topics covered include: Flow Physics and control for Internal and External Aerodynamics (not in TOC...starts on pg13); Breaking CFD Bottlenecks in Gas-Turbine Flow-Path Design; Streamwise Vortices on the Convex Surfaces of Circular Cylinders and Turbomachinery Blading; DNS and Embedded DNS as Tools for Investigating Unsteady Heat Transfer Phenomena in Turbines; Cavitation, Flow Structure and Turbulence in the Tip Region of a Rotor Blade; Development and Application of Plasma Actuators for Active Control of High-Speed and High Reynolds Number Flows; Active Flow Control of Lifting Surface With Flap-Current Activities and Future Directions; Closed-Loop Control of Vortex Formation in Separated Flows; Global Instability on Laminar Separation Bubbles-Revisited; Very Large-Scale Motions in Smooth and Rough Wall Boundary Layers; Instability of a Supersonic Boundary-Layer With Localized Roughness; Active Control of Open Cavities; Amplitude Scaling of Active Separation Control; U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Need for Flow Physics and Control With Applications Involving Aero-Optics and Weapon Bay Cavities; Some Issues Related to Integrating Active Flow Control With Flight Control; Active Flow Control Strategies Using Surface Pressure Measurements; Reduction of Unsteady Forcing in a Vaned, Contra-Rotating Transonic Turbine Configuration; Active Flow Control Stator With Coanda Surface; Controlling Separation in Turbomachines; Flow Control on Low-Pressure Turbine Airfoils Using Vortex Generator Jets; Reduced Order Modeling Incompressible Flows; Study and Control of Flow Past Disk, and Circular and Rectangular Cylinders Aligned in the Flow; Periodic Forcing of a Turbulent Axisymmetric Wake; Control of Vortex Breakdown in Critical Swirl Regime Using Azimuthal Forcing; External and Turbomachinery Flow Control Working Group; Boundary Layers, Transitions and Separation; Efficiency Considerations in Low Pressure Turbines; Summary of Conference; and Final Plenary Session Transcript.

Artificial neural networks applied to flow prediction scenarios in Tomebamba River - Paute watershed, for flood and water quality control and management at City of Cuenca Ecuador

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cisneros, Felipe; Veintimilla, Jaime

2013-04-01

The main aim of this research is to create a model of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) that allows predicting the flow in Tomebamba River both, at real time and in a certain day of year. As inputs we are using information of rainfall and flow of the stations along of the river. This information is organized in scenarios and each scenario is prepared to a specific area. The information is acquired from the hydrological stations placed in the watershed using an electronic system developed at real time and it supports any kind or brands of this type of sensors. The prediction works very good three days in advance This research includes two ANN models: Back propagation and a hybrid model between back propagation and OWO-HWO. These last two models have been tested in a preliminary research. To validate the results we are using some error indicators such as: MSE, RMSE, EF, CD and BIAS. The results of this research reached high levels of reliability and the level of error are minimal. These predictions are useful for flood and water quality control and management at City of Cuenca Ecuador

Effect of Low-Dose Aspirin on Midluteal Phase Uterine Artery Blood Flow in Patients With Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.

PubMed

Kang, Xiaomin; Wang, Tongfei; He, Liyin; Xu, Haijing; Liu, Zhilan; Zhao, Aimin

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in uterine artery blood flow parameters and pregnancy outcomes, if any. An investigation was conducted to determine the effects of low-dose aspirin on uterine artery blood flow indices in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss. This observational study included 353 Chinese women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and 85 women without a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (control group) from Ren Ji Hospital. All patients were scanned transvaginally with transvaginal Doppler sonography 6 to 8 days after ovulation to measure the pulsatility index (PI), resistive index (RI), and systolic-to-diastolic ratio (S/D) of the left and right main uterine arteries. Low-dose aspirin at a dose of 50 mg/d was administered orally in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss for 2 months, and the blood flow indices were measured subsequently. The Student t test was used for analysis of the results, P < .05 was considered significant. The mean PI and S/D of the uterine arteries in the recurrent pregnancy loss group were significantly higher than in the control group. Although not statistically significant, the RI was higher in the recurrent pregnancy loss group than the control group. Moreover, the PI and S/D increased as the number of pregnancy losses increased. Significant enhancements of the PI and S/D were observed in patients with 4 or more consecutive abortions. After low-dose aspirin supplementation, patients with recurrent pregnancy loss showed a highly significant reduction in the PI and S/D. Uterine blood flow decreased during the luteal phase in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss. Low-dose aspirin induced a reversible increase in uterine blood flow and may be of therapeutic value. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Application of video-cameras for quality control and sampling optimisation of hydrological and erosion measurements in a catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lora-Millán, Julio S.; Taguas, Encarnacion V.; Gomez, Jose A.; Perez, Rafael

2014-05-01

Long term soil erosion studies imply substantial efforts, particularly when there is the need to maintain continuous measurements. There are high costs associated to maintenance of field equipment keeping and quality control of data collection. Energy supply and/or electronic failures, vandalism and burglary are common causes of gaps in datasets, reducing their reach in many cases. In this work, a system of three video-cameras, a recorder and a transmission modem (3G technology) has been set up in a gauging station where rainfall, runoff flow and sediment concentration are monitored. The gauging station is located in the outlet of an olive orchard catchment of 6.4 ha. Rainfall is measured with one automatic raingauge that records intensity at one minute intervals. The discharge is measured by a flume of critical flow depth, where the water is recorded by an ultrasonic sensor. When the water level rises to a predetermined level, the automatic sampler turns on and fills a bottle at different intervals according to a program depending on the antecedent precipitation. A data logger controls the instruments' functions and records the data. The purpose of the video-camera system is to improve the quality of the dataset by i) the visual analysis of the measurement conditions of flow into the flume; ii) the optimisation of the sampling programs. The cameras are positioned to record the flow at the approximation and the gorge of the flume. In order to contrast the values of ultrasonic sensor, there is a third camera recording the flow level close to a measure tape. This system is activated when the ultrasonic sensor detects a height threshold, equivalent to an electric intensity level. Thus, only when there is enough flow, video-cameras record the event. This simplifies post-processing and reduces the cost of download of recordings. The preliminary contrast analysis will be presented as well as the main improvements in the sample program.

FLOW SEPARATION CONDITIONS AT PIPE WALLS OF WATER DISTRIBUTION MAINS

EPA Science Inventory

Biofilm formations on pipe walls have been found in potable water distribution mains. The biofilm layers contribute to accelerated corrosion rates, increased flow resistance, and formation of encrustations that may deteriorate drinking water quality. Research to evaluate the depe...

Structure and variability of the Western Maine Coastal Current

USGS Publications Warehouse

Churchill, J.H.; Pettigrew, N.R.; Signell, R.P.

2005-01-01

Analyses of CTD and moored current meter data from 1998 and 2000 reveal a number of mechanisms influencing the flow along the western coast of Maine. On occasions, the Eastern Maine Coastal Current extends into the western Gulf of Maine where it takes the form of a deep (order 100 m deep) and broad (order 20 km wide) southwestward flow with geostrophic velocities exceeding 20 cm s -1. This is not a coastally trapped flow, however. In fields of geostrophic velocity, computed from shipboard-CTD data, the core of this current is roughly centered at the 100 m isobath and its onshore edge is no closer than 10 km from the coast. Geostrophic velocity fields also reveal a relatively shallow (order 10 m deep) baroclinic flow adjacent to the coast. This flow is also directed to the southwest and appears to be principally comprised of local river discharge. Analyses of moored current meter data reveal wind-driven modulations of the coastal flow that are consistent with expectations from simple theoretical models. However, a large fraction of the near-shore current variance does not appear to be directly related to wind forcing. Sea-surface temperature imagery, combined with analysis of the moored current meter data, suggests that eddies and meanders within the coastal flow may at times dominate the near-shore current variance. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calculation of Turbine Axial Thrust by Coupled CFD Simulations of the Main Flow Path and Secondary Cavity Flow in an SLI LOX Turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorney, D. J.; Marci, Bogdan; Tran, Ken; Sargent, Scott

2003-01-01

Each single reusable Space Launch Initiative (SLI) booster rocket is an engine operating at a record vacuum thrust level of over 730,000 Ibf using LOX and LH2. This thrust is more than 10% greater than that of the Delta IV rocket, resulting in relatively large LOX and LH2 turbopumps. Since the SLI rocket employs a staged combustion cycle the level of pressure is very high (thousands of psia). This high pressure creates many engineering challenges, including the balancing of axial-forces on the turbopumps. One of the main parameters in the calculation of the axial force is the cavity pressure upstream of the turbine disk. The flow in this cavity is very complex. The lack of understanding of this flow environment hinders the accurate prediction of axial thrust. In order to narrow down the uncertainty band around the actual turbine axial force, a coupled, unsteady computational methodology has been developed to simulate the interaction between the turbine main flow path and the cavity flow. The CORSAIR solver, an unsteady three- dimensional Navier-Stokes code for turbomachinery applications, was used to solve for both the main and the secondary flow fields. Turbine axial thrust values are presented in conjunction with the CFD simulation, together with several considerations regarding the turbine instrumentation for axial thrust estimations during test.

Optimal Control of Shock Wave Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions Using Micro-Array Actuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Bernhard H.; Tinapple, Jon; Surber, Lewis

2006-01-01

The intent of this study on micro-array flow control is to demonstrate the viability and economy of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to determine optimal designs of micro-array actuation for controlling the shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions within supersonic inlets and compare these concepts to conventional bleed performance. The term micro-array refers to micro-actuator arrays which have heights of 25 to 40 percent of the undisturbed supersonic boundary layer thickness. This study covers optimal control of shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions using standard micro-vane, tapered micro-vane, and standard micro-ramp arrays at a free stream Mach number of 2.0. The effectiveness of the three micro-array devices was tested using a shock pressure rise induced by the 10 shock generator, which was sufficiently strong as to separate the turbulent supersonic boundary layer. The overall design purpose of the micro-arrays was to alter the properties of the supersonic boundary layer by introducing a cascade of counter-rotating micro-vortices in the near wall region. In this manner, the impact of the shock wave boundary layer (SWBL) interaction on the main flow field was minimized without boundary bleed.

Assessment of a miniature four-roll mill and a cross-slot microchannel for high-strain-rate stagnation point flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akbaridoust, Farzan; Philip, Jimmy; Marusic, Ivan

2018-04-01

Stagnation point flows have been widely used to study the deformation and break-up of objects in two-dimensional pure straining flows. Here, we report a systematic study of the characterisation of stagnation point flows in two devices, a miniature Taylor’s four-roll mill and a cross-slot microchannel. The aim of the study is to find the best platform suitable for investigating the effect of strain rate on the mechanical properties of waterborne microorganisms. Using micro-PIV, the velocity field and the strain rates in both devices were measured at different flow rates and compared with an ideal hyperbolic stagnation point flow. The cross-slot microchannel was found to be a better experimental device than the miniature four-roll mill for the purpose of confining micron-sized objects in a controlled stagnation point flow. This is mainly due to the difficulty of maintaining a fixed location for the stagnation point within one micron in the miniature four-roll mill and achieving high strain rates beyond 10 s-1 . However, with no moving parts, the cross-slot microchannel was found to maintain a steady flow, with the stagnation point varying less than one micron at a cross-junction of 400× 400~μm2 , and was able to reach uniform strain rates up to 140 s-1 .

Study on movable fluid of low permeability reservoir with NMR technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongqian; Li, Yajun; Gong, Houjian; Dong, Mingzhe

2018-03-01

Fluid mobility is an important factor affecting the development of low permeability reservoirs. The fluid mobility of 4 core samples obtained from the Shahejie group of Dongying Sag(China) is conducted using the nuclear magnetic resonance analysis technique. The main part of NMR T2 spectrum usually has two form: unimodal and bimodal. When the main part of T2 spectrum is bimodal, water in large pores flows out firstly, while water in small pores can't flow until the centrifugal force is large enough. When the main part of T2 spectrum is unimodal, the water in small pores is easier to flow out. The movable fluid percentage is mainly affected by the pore distribution, permeability and porosity.

Sliding mode controller for a photovoltaic pumping system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

ElOugli, A.; Miqoi, S.; Boutouba, M.; Tidhaf, B.

2017-03-01

In this paper, a sliding mode control scheme (SMC) for maximum power point tracking controller for a photovoltaic pumping system, is proposed. The main goal is to maximize the flow rate for a water pump, by forcing the photovoltaic system to operate in its MPP, to obtain the maximum power that a PV system can deliver.And this, through the intermediary of a sliding mode controller to track and control the MPP by overcoming the power oscillation around the operating point, which appears in most implemented MPPT techniques. The sliding mode control approach is recognized as one of the efficient and powerful tools for nonlinear systems under uncertainty conditions.The proposed controller with photovoltaic pumping system is designed and simulated using MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. In addition, to evaluate its performances, a classical MPPT algorithm using perturb and observe (P&O) has been used for the same system to compare to our controller. Simulation results are shown.

Development of monitoring and control system for a mine main fan based on frequency converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. C.; Zhang, R. W.; Kong, X. Z.; Y Gong, J.; Chen, Q. G.

2013-12-01

In the process of mine exploitation, the requirement of air flow rate often changes. The procedure of traditional control mode of the fan is complex and it is hard to meet the worksite requirement for air. This system is based on Principal Computer (PC) monitoring system and high performance PLC control system. In this system, the frequency converter is adapted to adjust the fan speed and the air of worksite can be regulated steplessly. The function of the monitoring and control system contains on-line monitoring and centralized control. The system can monitor the parameters of fan in real-time, control the operation of frequency converter, as well as, control the fan and its accessory equipments. At the same time, the automation level of the system is highly, the field equipments can be monitored and controlled automatically. So, the system is an important safeguard for mine production.

Insights on Flow Behavior of Foam in Unsaturated Porous Media during Soil Flushing.

PubMed

Zhao, Yong S; Su, Yan; Lian, Jing R; Wang, He F; Li, Lu L; Qin, Chuan Y

2016-11-01

  One-dimensional column and two-dimensional tank experiments were carried out to determine (1) the physics of foam flow and propagation of foaming gas, foaming liquid, and foam; (2) the pressure distribution along foam flow and the effect of media permeability, foam flow rate and foam quality on foam injection pressure; and (3) the migration and distribution property of foam flow in homogeneous and heterogeneous sediments. The results demonstrated that: (1) gas and liquid front were formed ahead of the foam flow front, the transport speed order is foaming gas > foaming liquid > foam flowing; (2) injection pressure mainly comes from the resistance to bubble migration. Effect of media permeability on foam injection pressure mainly depends on the physics and behavior of foam flow; (3) foam has a stronger capacity of lateral spreading, besides, foam flow was uniformly distributed across the foam-occupied region, regardless of the heterogeneity of porous media.

Mechanism analysis of Magnetohydrodynamic heat shield system and optimization of externally applied magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Kai; Liu, Jun; Liu, Weiqiang

2017-04-01

As a novel thermal protection technique for hypersonic vehicles, Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) heat shield system has been proved to be of great intrinsic value in the hypersonic field. In order to analyze the thermal protection mechanisms of such a system, a physical model is constructed for analyzing the effect of the Lorentz force components in the counter and normal directions. With a series of numerical simulations, the dominating Lorentz force components are analyzed for the MHD heat flux mitigation in different regions of a typical reentry vehicle. Then, a novel magnetic field with variable included angle between magnetic induction line and streamline is designed, which significantly improves the performance of MHD thermal protection in the stagnation and shoulder areas. After that, the relationships between MHD shock control and MHD thermal protection are investigated, based on which the magnetic field above is secondarily optimized obtaining better performances of both shock control and thermal protection. Results show that the MHD thermal protection is mainly determined by the Lorentz force's effect on the boundary layer. From the stagnation to the shoulder region, the flow deceleration effect of the counter-flow component is weakened while the flow deflection effect of the normal component is enhanced. Moreover, there is no obviously positive correlation between the MHD shock control and thermal protection. But once a good Lorentz force's effect on the boundary layer is guaranteed, the thermal protection performance can be further improved with an enlarged shock stand-off distance by strengthening the counter-flow Lorentz force right after shock.

Dynamic power flow controllers

DOEpatents

Divan, Deepakraj M.; Prasai, Anish

2017-03-07

Dynamic power flow controllers are provided. A dynamic power flow controller may comprise a transformer and a power converter. The power converter is subject to low voltage stresses and not floated at line voltage. In addition, the power converter is rated at a fraction of the total power controlled. A dynamic power flow controller controls both the real and the reactive power flow between two AC sources having the same frequency. A dynamic power flow controller inserts a voltage with controllable magnitude and phase between two AC sources; thereby effecting control of active and reactive power flows between two AC sources.

Mass conservation: 1-D open channel flow equations

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeLong, Lewis L.

1989-01-01

Unsteady flow simulation in natural rivers is often complicated by meandering channels of compound section. Hydraulic properties and the length of the wetted channel may vary significantly as a meandering river inundates its adjacent floodplain. The one-dimensional, unsteady, open-channel flow equations can be extended to simulate floods in channels of compound section. It will be shown that equations derived from the addition of differential equations individually describing flow in main and overbank channels do not in general conserve mass when overbank and main channels are of different lengths.

Solar wind energy transfer through the magnetopause of an open magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, L. C.; Roederer, J. G.

1982-01-01

An expression is derived for the total power, transferred from the solar wind to an open magnetosphere, which consists of the electromagnetic energy rate and the particle kinetic energy rate. The total rate of energy transferred from the solar wind to an open magnetosphere mainly consists of kinetic energy, and the kinetic energy flux is carried by particles, penetrating from the solar wind into the magnetosphere, which may contribute to the observed flow in the plasma mantle and which will eventually be convected slowly toward the plasma sheet by the electric field as they flow down the tail. While the electromagnetic energy rate controls the near-earth magnetospheric activity, the kinetic energy rate should dominate the dynamics of the distant magnetotail.

Influence of cerebral blood vessel movements on the position of perivascular synapses

PubMed Central

DeFelipe, Javier

2017-01-01

Synaptic activity is regulated and limited by blood flow, which is controlled by blood vessel dilation and contraction. Traditionally, the study of neurovascular coupling has mainly focused on energy consumption and oxygen delivery. However, the mechanical changes that blood vessel movements induce in the surrounding tissue have not been considered. We have modeled the mechanical changes that movements of blood vessels cause in neighboring synapses. Our simulations indicate that synaptic densities increase or decrease during vascular dilation and contraction, respectively, near the blood vessel walls. This phenomenon may alter the concentration of neurotransmitters and vasoactive substances in the immediate vicinity of the vessel wall and thus may have an influence on local blood flow. PMID:28199396

[Nailfold capillaroscopy].

PubMed

Geyer, M; Vasile, M; Hermann, W

2014-03-01

Capillaroscopy is performed to evaluate the morphology, frequency and blood flow of nailfold capillaries as well as relevant extracapillary changes in rheumatic conditions. The main indication is the differentiation between primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon. Various rheumatic conditions show different and partially typical pathognomonic alterations of the microcirculation or capillary patterns. This simple, noninvasive, inexpensive and effective technique is well suited for early diagnosis, especially of connective tissue diseases. The specific significance is highest for systemic sclerosis which is the most frequently evaluated entity. The corresponding microscopic alterations allow stage-adapted conclusions concerning the acuity of inflammation to be formed. That is not the only reason why capillaroscopy represents an important tool in follow-up controls and together with other techniques, such as flow measurement by laser Doppler, further conclusions can be drawn.

Evaluation of environmental flow requirements using eco-hydrologic-hydraulic methods in perennial rivers.

PubMed

Abdi, Reza; Yasi, Mehdi

2015-01-01

The assessment of environmental flows in rivers is of vital importance for preserving riverine ecosystem processes. This paper addresses the evaluation of environmental flow requirements in three reaches along a typical perennial river (the Zab transboundary river, in north-west Iran), using different hydraulic, hydrological and ecological methods. The main objective of this study came from the construction of three dams and inter-basin transfer of water from the Zab River to the Urmia Lake. Eight hydrological methods (i.e. Tennant, Tessman, flow duration curve analysis, range of variability approach, Smakhtin, flow duration curve shifting, desktop reserve and 7Q2&10 (7-day low flow with a 2- and 10-year return period)); two hydraulic methods (slope value and maximum curvature); and two habitat simulation methods (hydraulic-ecologic, and Q Equation based on water quality indices) were used. Ecological needs of the riverine key species (mainly Barbus capito fish), river geometries, natural flow regime and the environmental status of river management were the main indices for determining the minimum flow requirements. The results indicate that the order of 35%, 17% and 18% of the mean annual flow are to be maintained for the upper, middle and downstream river reaches, respectively. The allocated monthly flow rates in the three Dams steering program are not sufficient to preserve the Zab River life.

Unsaturated C3,5,7,9-Monocarboxylic Acids by Aqueous, One-Pot Carbon Fixation: Possible Relevance for the Origin of Life

PubMed Central

Scheidler, Christopher; Sobotta, Jessica; Eisenreich, Wolfgang; Wächtershäuser, Günter; Huber, Claudia

2016-01-01

All scientific approaches to the origin of life share a common problem: a chemical path to lipids as main constituents of extant cellular enclosures. Here we show by isotope-controlled experiments that unsaturated C3,5,7,9-monocarboxylic acids form by one-pot reaction of acetylene (C2H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) in contact with nickel sulfide (NiS) in hot aqueous medium. The primary products are toto-olefinic monocarboxylic acids with CO-derived COOH groups undergoing subsequent stepwise hydrogenation with CO as reductant. In the resulting unsaturated monocarboxylic acids the double bonds are mainly centrally located with mainly trans-configuration. The reaction conditions are compatible with an origin of life in volcanic-hydrothermal sub-seafloor flow ducts. PMID:27283227

House dust mite barrier bedding for childhood asthma: randomised placebo controlled trial in primary care [ISRCTN63308372].

PubMed

Sheikh, Aziz; Hurwitz, Brian; Sibbald, Bonnie; Barnes, Greta; Howe, Maggie; Durham, Stephen

2002-06-18

The house dust mite is the most important environmental allergen implicated in the aetiology of childhood asthma in the UK. Dust mite barrier bedding is relatively inexpensive, convenient to use, and of proven effectiveness in reducing mattress house dust mite load, but no studies have evaluated its clinical effectiveness in the control of childhood asthma when dispensed in primary care. We therefore aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of house dust mite barrier bedding in children with asthma treated in primary care. Pragmatic, randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial conducted in eight family practices in England. Forty-seven children aged 5 to 14 years with confirmed house dust mite sensitive asthma were randomised to receive six months treatment with either house dust mite barrier or placebo bedding. Peak expiratory flow was the main outcome measure of interest; secondary outcome measures included asthma symptom scores and asthma medication usage. No difference was noted in mean monthly peak expiratory flow, asthma symptom score, medication usage or asthma consultations, between children who received active bedding and those who received placebo bedding. Treating house dust mite sensitive asthmatic children in primary care with house dust mite barrier bedding for six months failed to improve peak expiratory flow. Results strongly suggest that the intervention made no impact upon other clinical features of asthma.

House dust mite barrier bedding for childhood asthma: randomised placebo controlled trial in primary care [ISRCTN63308372

PubMed Central

Sheikh, Aziz; Hurwitz, Brian; Sibbald, Bonnie; Barnes, Greta; Howe, Maggie; Durham, Stephen

2002-01-01

Background The house dust mite is the most important environmental allergen implicated in the aetiology of childhood asthma in the UK. Dust mite barrier bedding is relatively inexpensive, convenient to use, and of proven effectiveness in reducing mattress house dust mite load, but no studies have evaluated its clinical effectiveness in the control of childhood asthma when dispensed in primary care. We therefore aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of house dust mite barrier bedding in children with asthma treated in primary care. Methods Pragmatic, randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled trial conducted in eight family practices in England. Forty-seven children aged 5 to 14 years with confirmed house dust mite sensitive asthma were randomised to receive six months treatment with either house dust mite barrier or placebo bedding. Peak expiratory flow was the main outcome measure of interest; secondary outcome measures included asthma symptom scores and asthma medication usage. Results No difference was noted in mean monthly peak expiratory flow, asthma symptom score, medication usage or asthma consultations, between children who received active bedding and those who received placebo bedding. Conclusions Treating house dust mite sensitive asthmatic children in primary care with house dust mite barrier bedding for six months failed to improve peak expiratory flow. Results strongly suggest that the intervention made no impact upon other clinical features of asthma. PMID:12079502

Computational study of the vortex path variation with the VG height

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Gámiz, U.; Zamorano, G.; Zulueta, E.

2014-06-01

An extensive range of conventional, vane-type, passive vortex generators (VGs) are in use for successful applications of flow separation control. In most cases, the VG height is designed with the same thickness as the local boundary layer at the VG position. However, in some applications, these conventional VGs may produce excess residual drag. The so-called low-profile VGs can reduce the parasitic drag associated to this kind of passive control devices. As suggested by many authors, low-profile VGs can provide enough momentum transfer over a region several times their own height for effective flow-separation control with much lower drag. The main objective of this work is to study the variation of the path and the development of the primary vortex generated by a rectangular VG mounted on a flat plate with five different device heights h = δ, h1 = 0.8δ, h2 = 0.6δ, h3 = 0.4δ and h4 = 0.25m, where 5 is the local boundary layer thickness. For this purpose, computational simulations have been carried out at Reynolds number Re = 1350 based on the height of the conventional VG h = 0.25m with the angle of attack of the vane to the oncoming flow β = 18.5°. The results show that the VG scaling significantly affects the vortex trajectory and the peak vorticity generated by the primary vortex.

TASAR Flight Trial 2: Assessment of Air Traffic Controller Acceptability of TASAR Requests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Idris, Husni; Enea, Gabriele

2016-01-01

In support of the Flight Trial (FT-2) of NASA's prototype of the Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests (TASAR) concept, observations were conducted at the air traffic facilities to identify and assess the main factors that affect the acceptability of pilot requests by air traffic controllers. Two observers shadowed air traffic controllers at the Atlanta (ZTL) and Jacksonville (ZJX) air traffic control centers as the test flight pilot made pre-scripted requests to invoke acceptability issues and then they interviewed the observed and other controllers voluntarily. Fifty controllers were interviewed with experience ranging from one to thirty-five years. All interviewed controllers were enthusiastic about the technology and accounting for sector boundaries in pilot requests, particularly if pilots can be made aware of high workload situations. All interviewed controllers accept more than fifty percent of pilot requests; forty percent of them reject less than ten percent of requests. The most common reason for rejecting requests is conflicting with traffic followed by violating letters of agreement (LOAs) and negatively impacting neighboring sector workload, major arrival and departure flows and flow restrictions. Thirty-six requests were made during the test, eight of which were rejected due to: the aircraft already handed off to another sector, violating LOA, opposing traffic, intruding into an active special use airspace (SUA), intruding into another center, weather, and unfamiliarity with the requested waypoint. Nine requests were accepted with delay mostly because the controller needed to locate unfamiliar waypoints or to coordinate with other controllers.

Granular flow in a rotating drum: Experiments and theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hung, C. Y.; Stark, C. P.; Capart, H.; Li, L.; Smith, B.; Grinspun, E.

2015-12-01

Erosion at the base of a debris flow fundamentally controls how large the flow will become and how far it will travel. Experimental observations of this important phenomenon are rather limited, and this lack has led theoretical treatments to making ad hoc assumptions about the basal process. In light of this, we carried out a combination of laboratory experiments and theoretical analysis of granular flow in a rotating drum, a canonical example of steady grain motion in which entrainment rates can be precisely controlled. Our main result is that basal sediment is entrained as the velocity profile adjusts to imbalance in the flow of kinetic energy.Our experimental apparatus consisted of a 40cm-diameter drum, 4cm-deep, half-filled with 2.3mm grains. Rotation rates varied from 1-70 rpm. We varied the effective scale by varying effective gravity from 1g to 70g on a geotechnical centrifuge. The field of grain motion was recorded using high-speed video and mapped using particle tracking velocimetry. In tandem we developed a depth-averaged theory using balance equations for mass, momentum and kinetic energy. We assumed a linearized GDR Midi granular rheology [da Cruz, 2005] and a Coulomb friction law along the sidewalls [Jop et al., 2005]. A scaling analysis of our equations yields a dimensionless "entrainment number" En, which neatly parametrizes the flow geometry in the drum for a wide range of variables, e.g., rotation rate and effective gravity. At low En, the flow profile is planar and kinetic energy is balanced locally in the flow layer. At high En, the flow profile is sigmoidal (yin-yang shaped) and the kinetic energy is dominated by longitudinal, streamwise transfer. We observe different scaling behavior under each of these flow regimes, e.g., between En and kinetic energy, surface slope and flow depth. Our theory correctly predicts their scaling exponents and the value of En at which the regime transition takes place. We are also able to make corrections for Coriolis and dilation effects that improve the match between theory and experiment.

Modeled future peak streamflows in four coastal Maine rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodgkins, Glenn A.; Dudley, Robert W.

2013-01-01

To safely and economically design bridges and culverts, it is necessary to compute the magnitude of peak streamflows that have specified annual exceedance probabilities (AEPs). Annual precipitation and air temperature in the northeastern United States are, in general, projected to increase during the 21st century. It is therefore important for engineers and resource managers to understand how peak flows may change in the future. This report, prepared in cooperation with the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT), presents modeled changes in peak flows at four basins in coastal Maine on the basis of projected changes in air temperature and precipitation. To estimate future peak streamflows at the four basins in this study, historical values for climate (temperature and precipitation) in the basins were adjusted by different amounts and input to a hydrologic model of each study basin. To encompass the projected changes in climate in coastal Maine by the end of the 21st century, air temperatures were adjusted by four different amounts, from -3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (ºF) (-2 degrees Celsius (ºC)) to +10.8 ºF (+6 ºC) of observed temperatures. Precipitation was adjusted by three different percentage values from -15 percent to +30 percent of observed precipitation. The resulting 20 combinations of temperature and precipitation changes (includes the no-change scenarios) were input to Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) watershed models, and annual daily maximum peak flows were calculated for each combination. Modeled peak flows from the adjusted changes in temperature and precipitation were compared to unadjusted (historical) modeled peak flows. Annual daily maximum peak flows increase or decrease, depending on whether temperature or precipitation is adjusted; increases in air temperature (with no change in precipitation) lead to decreases in peak flows, whereas increases in precipitation (with no change in temperature) lead to increases in peak flows. As the magnitude of air temperatures increase in the four basins, peak flows decrease by larger amounts. If precipitation is held constant (no change from historical values), 17 to 26 percent decreases in peak flow occur at the four basins when temperature is increased by 7.2°F. If temperature is held constant, 26 to 38 percent increases in peak flow result from a 15-percent increase in precipitation. The largest decreases in peak flows at the four basins result from 15-percent decreases in precipitation combined with temperature increases of 10.8°F. The largest increases in peak flows generally result from 30-percent increases in precipitation combined with 3.6 °F decreases in temperatures. In many cases when temperature and precipitation both increase, small increases or decreases in annual daily maximum peak flows result. For likely changes projected for the northeastern United States for the middle of the 21st century (temperature increase of 3.6 °F and precipitation increases of 0 to 15 percent), peak-flow changes at the four coastal Maine basins in this study are modeled to be evenly distributed between increases and decreases of less than 25 percent. Peak flows with 50-percent and 1-percent AEPs (equivalent to 2-year and 100-year recurrence interval peak flows, respectively) were calculated for the four basins in the study using the PRMS-modeled annual daily maximum peak flows. Modeled peak flows with 50-percent and 1-percent AEPs with adjusted temperatures and precipitation were compared to unadjusted (historical) modeled values. Changes in peak flows with 50-percent AEPs are similar to changes in annual daily maximum peak flow; changes in peak flows with 1-percent AEPs are similar in pattern to changes in annual daily maximum peak flow, but some of the changes associated with increasing precipitation are much larger than changes in annual daily maximum peak flow. Substantial decreases in maximum annual winter snowpack water equivalent are modeled to occur with increasing air temperatures at the four basins in the study. (Snowpack is the snow on the ground that accumulates during a winter, and water equivalent is the amount of water in a snowpack if it were melted.) The decrease in modeled peak flows with increasing air temperature, given no change in precipitation amount, is likely caused by these decreases in winter snowpack and resulting decreases in snowmelt runoff. This Scientific Investigations Report, prepared in cooperation with the Maine Department of Transportation, presents a summary of modeled changes in peak flows at four basins in coastal Maine on the basis of projected changes in air temperature and precipitation. The full Fact Sheet (Hodgkins and Dudley, 2013) is available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2013/3021/.

Pulsatile perfusion bioreactor for cardiac tissue engineering.

PubMed

Brown, Melissa A; Iyer, Rohin K; Radisic, Milica

2008-01-01

Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of mortality in North America. Cardiac tissue engineering aims to engineer a contractile patch of physiological thickness to use in surgical repair of diseased heart tissue. We previously reported that perfusion of engineered cardiac constructs resulted in improved tissue assembly. Because heart tissues respond to mechanical stimuli in vitro and experience rhythmic mechanical forces during contraction in vivo, we hypothesized that provision of pulsatile interstitial medium flow to an engineered cardiac patch would result in enhanced tissue assembly by way of mechanical conditioning and improved mass transport. Thus, we constructed a novel perfusion bioreactor capable of providing pulsatile fluid flow at physiologically relevant shear stresses and flow rates. Pulsatile perfusion (PP) was achieved by incorporation of a normally closed solenoid pinch valve into the perfusion loop and was carried out at a frequency of 1 Hz and a flow rate of 1.50 mL/min (PP) or 0.32 mL/min (PP-LF). Nonpulsatile flow at 1.50 mL/min (NP) or 0.32 mL/min (NP-LF) served as controls. Static controls were cultivated in well plates. The main experimental groups were seeded with cells enriched for cardiomyocytes by one preplating step (64% cardiac Troponin I+, 34% prolyl-4-hydroxylase+), whereas pure cardiac fibroblasts and cells enriched for cardiomyocytes by two preplating steps (81% cardiac Troponin I+, 16% prolyl-4-hydroxylase+) served as controls. Cultivation under pulsatile flow had beneficial effects on contractile properties. Specifically, the excitation threshold was significantly lower in the PP condition (pulsatile perfusion at 1.50 mL/min) than in the Static control, and the contraction amplitude was the highest; whereas high maximum capture rate was observed for the PP-LF conditions (pulsatile perfusion at 0.32 mL/min). The enhanced hypertrophy index observed for the PP-LF group was consistent with the highest cellular length and diameter in this group. Within the same cultivation groups (Static, NP-LF, PP-LF, PP, and NP) there were no significant differences in the diameter between fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes, although cardiomyocytes were significantly more elongated than fibroblasts under PP-LF conditions. Cultivation of control cell populations resulted in noncontractile constructs when cardiac fibroblasts were used (as expected) and no overall improvement in functional properties when two steps of preplating were used to enrich for cardiomyocytes in comparison with only one step of preplating.

Climatic controls on arid continental basin margin systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, Amy; Clarke, Stuart; Richards, Philip; Milodowski, Antoni

2016-04-01

Alluvial fans are both dominant and long-lived within continental basin margin systems. As a result, they commonly interact with a variety of depositional systems that exist at different times in the distal extent of the basin as the basin evolves. The deposits of the distal basin often cycle between those with the potential to act as good aquifers and those with the potential to act as good aquitards. The interactions between the distal deposits and the basin margin fans can have a significant impact upon basin-scale fluid flow. The fans themselves are commonly considered as relatively homogeneous, but their sedimentology is controlled by a variety of factors, including: 1) differing depositional mechanisms; 2) localised autocyclic controls; 3) geometrical and temporal interactions with deposits of the basin centre; and, 4) long-term allocyclic climatic variations. This work examines the basin margin systems of the Cutler Group sediments of the Paradox Basin, western U.S.A and presents generalised facies models for the Cutler Group alluvial fans as well as for the zone of interaction between these fans and the contemporaneous environments in the basin centre, at a variety of scales. Small-scale controls on deposition include climate, tectonics, base level and sediment supply. It has been ascertained that long-term climatic alterations were the main control on these depositional systems. Models have been constructed to highlight how both long-term and short-term alterations in the climatic regime can affect the sedimentation in the basin. These models can be applied to better understand similar, but poorly exposed, alluvial fan deposits. The alluvial fans of the Brockram Facies, northern England form part of a once-proposed site for low-level nuclear waste decommissioning. As such, it is important to understand the sedimentology, three-dimensional geometry, and the proposed connectivity of the deposits from the perspective of basin-scale fluid flow. The developed models suggest that the deposits of the Brockram alluvial fans have the potential to contain numerous preferential flow zones. Where these flow zones are adjacent to the unique deposits of the zone of interaction it affects basin-scale fluid flow by: 1) interconnecting decent reservoirs in the distal extent of the basin; 2) creating flow pathways away from these reservoirs; 3) introducing secondary baffles into the system; and, 4) creating a bypass to charge these distal reservoirs.

Tree-, stand- and site-specific controls on landscape-scale patterns of transpiration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kathrin Hassler, Sibylle; Weiler, Markus; Blume, Theresa

2018-01-01

Transpiration is a key process in the hydrological cycle, and a sound understanding and quantification of transpiration and its spatial variability is essential for management decisions as well as for improving the parameterisation and evaluation of hydrological and soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer models. For individual trees, transpiration is commonly estimated by measuring sap flow. Besides evaporative demand and water availability, tree-specific characteristics such as species, size or social status control sap flow amounts of individual trees. Within forest stands, properties such as species composition, basal area or stand density additionally affect sap flow, for example via competition mechanisms. Finally, sap flow patterns might also be influenced by landscape-scale characteristics such as geology and soils, slope position or aspect because they affect water and energy availability; however, little is known about the dynamic interplay of these controls.We studied the relative importance of various tree-, stand- and site-specific characteristics with multiple linear regression models to explain the variability of sap velocity measurements in 61 beech and oak trees, located at 24 sites across a 290 km2 catchment in Luxembourg. For each of 132 consecutive days of the growing season of 2014 we modelled the daily sap velocity and derived sap flow patterns of these 61 trees, and we determined the importance of the different controls.Results indicate that a combination of mainly tree- and site-specific factors controls sap velocity patterns in the landscape, namely tree species, tree diameter, geology and aspect. For sap flow we included only the stand- and site-specific predictors in the models to ensure variable independence. Of those, geology and aspect were most important. Compared to these predictors, spatial variability of atmospheric demand and soil moisture explains only a small fraction of the variability in the daily datasets. However, the temporal dynamics of the explanatory power of the tree-specific characteristics, especially species, are correlated to the temporal dynamics of potential evaporation. We conclude that transpiration estimates on the landscape scale would benefit from not only consideration of hydro-meteorological drivers, but also tree, stand and site characteristics in order to improve the spatial and temporal representation of transpiration for hydrological and soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer models.

Enhancement of flow measurements using fluid-dynamic constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egger, H.; Seitz, T.; Tropea, C.

2017-09-01

Novel experimental modalities acquire spatially resolved velocity measurements for steady state and transient flows which are of interest for engineering and biological applications. One of the drawbacks of such high resolution velocity data is their susceptibility to measurement errors. In this paper, we propose a novel filtering strategy that allows enhancement of the noisy measurements to obtain reconstruction of smooth divergence free velocity and corresponding pressure fields which together approximately comply to a prescribed flow model. The main step in our approach consists of the appropriate use of the velocity measurements in the design of a linearized flow model which can be shown to be well-posed and consistent with the true velocity and pressure fields up to measurement and modeling errors. The reconstruction procedure is then formulated as an optimal control problem for this linearized flow model. The resulting filter has analyzable smoothing and approximation properties. We briefly discuss the discretization of the approach by finite element methods and comment on the efficient solution by iterative methods. The capability of the proposed filter to significantly reduce data noise is demonstrated by numerical tests including the application to experimental data. In addition, we compare with other methods like smoothing and solenoidal filtering.

Ultrasonic Mastering of Filter Flow and Antifouling of Renewable Resources.

PubMed

Radziuk, Darya; Möhwald, Helmuth

2016-04-04

Inadequate access to pure water and sanitation requires new cost-effective, ergonomic methods with less consumption of energy and chemicals, leaving the environment cleaner and sustainable. Among such methods, ultrasound is a unique means to control the physics and chemistry of complex fluids (wastewater) with excellent performance regarding mass transfer, cleaning, and disinfection. In membrane filtration processes, it overcomes diffusion limits and can accelerate the fluid flow towards the filter preventing antifouling. Here, we outline the current state of knowledge and technological design, with a focus on physicochemical strategies of ultrasound for water cleaning. We highlight important parameters of ultrasound for the delivery of a fluid flow from a technical perspective employing principles of physics and chemistry. By introducing various ultrasonic methods, involving bubbles or cavitation in combination with external fields, we show advancements in flow acceleration and mass transportation to the filter. In most cases we emphasize the main role of streaming and the impact of cavitation with a perspective to prevent and remove fouling deposits during the flow. We also elaborate on the deficiencies of present technologies and on problems to be solved to achieve a wide-spread application. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Wettability control on fluid-fluid displacements in patterned microfluidics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Benzhong; MacMinn, Christopher; Juanes, Ruben

2015-11-01

Two-phase flow in porous media is important in many natural and industrial processes. While it is well known the wetting properties of porous media can vary drastically depending on the media and the pore fluids, their effect continues to challenge our microscopic and macroscopic descriptions. We conduct experiments via radial displacement of silicone oil by water in microfluidic devices patterned with vertical posts. These devices allow for flow visualization in a complex but well-defined microstructure. Additionally, the surface energy of the devices can be tuned over a wide range of contact angles. We perform injection experiments with highly unfavorable mobility contrast at rates over four orders of magnitude. We focus on three wetting conditions: drainage θ = 120°, weak imbibition θ = 60°, and strong imbibition θ = 7°. In drainage, we see a transition from viscous fingering at high capillary numbers to a morphology that differs from capillary fingering. In weak imbibition, we observe stabilization of flow due to cooperative invasion at the pore scale. In strong imbibition, we find the flow is heavily influenced by a precursor front that emanates from the main imbibition front. Our work shows the important, yet intricate, impact of wettability on immiscible flow in porous media.

Numerical and Experimental Methods for Wake Flow Analysis in Complex Terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castellani, Francesco; Astolfi, Davide; Piccioni, Emanuele; Terzi, Ludovico

2015-06-01

Assessment and interpretation of the quality of wind farms power output is a non-trivial task, which poses at least three main challenges: reliable comprehension of free wind flow, which is stretched to the limit on very complex terrains, realistic model of how wake interactions resemble on the wind flow, awareness of the consequences on turbine control systems, including alignment patterns to the wind and, consequently, power output. The present work deals with an onshore wind farm in southern Italy, which has been a test case of IEA- Task 31 Wakebench project: 17 turbines, with 2.3 MW of rated power each, are sited on a very complex terrain. A cluster of machines is investigated through numerical and experimental methods: CFD is employed for simulating wind fields and power extraction, as well as wakes, are estimated through the Actuator Disc model. SCADA data mining techniques are employed for comparison between models and actual performances. The simulations are performed both on the real terrain and on flat terrain, in order to disentangle the effects of complex flow and wake effects. Attention is devoted to comparison between actual alignment patterns of the cluster of turbines and predicted flow deviation.

A fuzzy-logic-based controller for methane production in anaerobic fixed-film reactors.

PubMed

Robles, A; Latrille, E; Ruano, M V; Steyer, J P

2017-01-01

The main objective of this work was to develop a controller for biogas production in continuous anaerobic fixed-bed reactors, which used effluent total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration as control input in order to prevent process acidification at closed loop. To this aim, a fuzzy-logic-based control system was developed, tuned and validated in an anaerobic fixed-bed reactor at pilot scale that treated industrial winery wastewater. The proposed controller varied the flow rate of wastewater entering the system as a function of the gaseous outflow rate of methane and VFA concentration. Simulation results show that the proposed controller is capable to achieve great process stability even when operating at high VFA concentrations. Pilot results showed the potential of this control approach to maintain the process working properly under similar conditions to the ones expected at full-scale plants.

Protein crystal growth in low gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigelson, Robert S.

1993-01-01

This Final Technical Report for NASA Grant NAG8-774 covers the period from April 27, 1989 through December 31, 1992. It covers five main topics: fluid flow studies, the influence of growth conditions on the morphology of isocitrate lyase crystals, control of nucleation, the growth of lysozyme by the temperature gradient method and graphoepitaxy of protein crystals. The section on fluid flow discusses the limits of detectability in the Schlieren imaging of fluid flows around protein crystals. The isocitrate lyase study compares crystals grown terrestrially under a variety of conditions with those grown in space. The controlling factor governing the morphology of the crystals is the supersaturation. The lack of flow in the interface between the drop and the atmosphere in microgravity causes protein precipitation in the boundary layer and a lowering of the supersaturation in the drop. This lowered supersaturation leads to improved crystal morphology. Preliminary experiments with lysozyme indicated that localized temperature gradients could be used to nucleate crystals in a controlled manner. An apparatus (thermonucleator) was designed to study the controlled nucleation of protein crystals. This apparatus has been used to nucleate crystals of materials with both normal (ice-water, Rochelle salt and lysozyme) and retrograde (horse serum albumin and alpha chymotrypsinogen A) solubility. These studies have lead to the design of an new apparatus that small and more compatible with use in microgravity. Lysozyme crystals were grown by transporting nutrient from a source (lysozyme powder) to the crystal in a temperature gradient. The influence of path length and cross section on the growth rate was demonstrated. This technique can be combined with the thermonucleator to control both nucleation and growth. Graphoepitaxy utilizes a patterned substrate to orient growing crystals. In this study, silicon substrates with 10 micron grooves were used to grow crystals of catalase, lysozyme and canavalin. In all cases, the crystals grew oriented to the substrate. The supersaturation needed for nucleation and growth was lower on the patterned substrates. In some cases, isolated, large crystals were grown.

Mississippi River Headwaters Lakes in Minnesota. Feasibility Study. Main Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

in Leech lake and marsh restoration; and a review of the adequacy and effectiveness of the existing flood control project for Aitkin, Pine Knoll and...be retained plans in accordance with the Department of Army Regulations now in effect . The recommended plan should incorporate conservation features...BENEFITS ($1,000’s) 96 COMPARISON OF LOW FLOW NONEXCEEDANCE AT ANOKA 99 RANKING OF PLANS 100 EFFECTS OF PLANS ON PHYSICAL IMPACT AREA 103 SUMMARY OF

Zinc Bromide Flow Battery Installation for Islanding and Backup Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-09

predictably is in place. The ability to control generation has become more difficult with the increase of RE systems such as solar PV and wind turbines ...Both PV and wind systems generate power based on unpredictable cycles of nature. At very low levels of RE penetration the grid can be balanced by...Page Intentionally Left Blank 15 5.0 TEST DESIGN This goal of this demonstration was to solve two main problems . The first

Space Shuttle Discovery Launch

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-31

NASA Shuttle Launch Director Michael Leinbach, left, STS-124 Assistant Launch Director Ed Mango, center, and Flow Director for Space Shuttle Discovery Stephanie Stilson clap in the the Launch Control Center after the main engine cut off and successful launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-124) Saturday, May 31, 2008, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The Shuttle lifted off from launch pad 39A at 5:02 p.m. EDT. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Modeling and Simulation of the ITER First Wall/Blanket Primary Heat Transfer System

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

Ying, Alice; Popov, Emilian L

2011-01-01

ITER inductive power operation is modeled and simulated using a thermal-hydraulics system code (RELAP5) integrated with a 3-D CFD (SC-Tetra) code. The Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS) functions are predicted together with the main parameters operational ranges. The control algorithm strategy and derivation are summarized as well. The First Wall and Blanket modules are the primary components of PHTS, used to remove the major part of the thermal heat from the plasma. The modules represent a set of flow channels in solid metal structure that serve to absorb the radiation heat and nuclear heating from the fusion reactions and tomore » provide shield for the vacuum vessel. The blanket modules are water cooled. The cooling is forced convective with constant blanket inlet temperature and mass flow rate. Three independent water loops supply coolant to the three blanket sectors. The main equipment of each loop consists of a pump, a steam pressurizer and a heat exchanger. A major feature of ITER is the pulsed operation. The plasma does not burn continuously, but on intervals with large periods of no power between them. This specific feature causes design challenges to accommodate the thermal expansion of the coolant during the pulse period and requires active temperature control to maintain a constant blanket inlet temperature.« less

Feed intake, forestomach fluid volume, dilution rate and mean retention of fluid in the forestomach during water deprivation and rehydration in camels (Camelus sp.).

PubMed

von Engelhardt, W; Haarmeyer, P; Lechner-Doll, M

2006-04-01

Camels were deprived of water for 11 days. Before and during water deprivation and during rehydration changes in body weight, feed and water intake were measured. Using the liquid marker Cr-EDTA forestomach fluid volume, mean fluid retention and fluid dilution in the forestomach were estimated. At the eleventh day of water deprivation hay intake had decreased to only 9.6% of controls, dilution rates had decreased to 31%, mean retention time of fluid in the forestomach had increased to 189%. At the end of dehydration flow of saliva of 2 l/h mainly contributed to the still rather high dilution rates. Thereby buffering capacity and flow of fluid into the forestomach for microbial digestion as well as the outflow from the forestomach were maintained. At the beginning of rehydration camels drank 97 l within a few minutes, and animals thereby replaced all the water lost. Following this first huge water intake water is rapidly absorbed from the forestomach, and forestomach volume decreased again to dehydration values. At the third day of rehydration control values were reached again. Although feed intake decreased dramatically during water deprivation, functions of the forestomach can be maintained sufficiently mainly due to saliva inflow. This explains the mostly rapid recovery of camels when water is available again.

A preliminary evaluation of regional ground-water flow in south-central Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

La Sala, A. M.; Doty, G.C.; Pearson, F.J.

1973-01-01

The characteristics of regional ground-water flow were investigated in a 4,500-square-mile region of south-central Washington, centered on the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Hanford Reservation. The investigation is part of the Commission's feasibility study on storing high-level radioactive waste in chambers mined in basaltic rocks at a. depth of about 3,000 feet or more below the surface. Ground-water flow., on a regional scale, occurs principally in the basalt and-in interbedded sediments of the Columbia River Group, and is controlled by topography, the structure of the basalt, and the large streams--the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima Rivers. The ground water beneath the main part of the Hanford Reservation, south and west of the Columbia River, inures southeastward from recharge areas in the uplands, including Cold Creek and Dry Creek valleys, and ultimately discharges to the Columbia River south of the reservation: East and southeast of the Columbia River, ground water flows generally southwestward and discharges to the River. The Yakima River valley contains a distinct flow system in which movement is toward the Yakima River from the topographic divides. A large southward-flowing ground-water system beneath the southern flank of the Horse Heaven Hills discharges to the Columbia River in the westward-trending reach downstream from Wallula Gap.

High frequency longitudinal profiling reveals hydrologic controls on solute sourcing, transport and processing in a karst river

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hensley, R. T.; Cohen, M. J.; Spangler, M.; Gooseff, M. N.

2017-12-01

The lower Santa Fe River is a large, karst river of north Florida, fed by numerous artesian springs and also containing multiple sink-rise systems. We performed repeated longitudinal profiles collecting very high frequency measurements of multiple stream parameters including temperature, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH, dissolved organic matter, nitrate, ammonium, phosphate and turbidity. This high frequency dataset provided a spatially explicit understanding of solute sources and coupled biogeochemical processing rates along the 25 km study reach. We noted marked changes in river profiles as the river transitioned from low to high flow during the onset of the wet season. The role of lateral inflow from springs as the primary solute source was greatly reduced under high flow conditions. Effects of sink-rise systems, which under low flow conditions allow the majority of flow to bypass several kilometer long sections of the main channel, virtually disappeared under high flow conditions. Impeded light transmittance at high flow reduced primary production and by extension assimilatory nutrient uptake. This study demonstrates how high frequency longitudinal profiling can be used to observe how hydrologic conditions can alter groundwater-surface water interactions and modulate the sourcing, transport and biogeochemical processing of stream solutes.

Bandwidth turbulence control based on flow community structure in the Internet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiaoyu; Gu, Rentao; Ji, Yuefeng

2016-10-01

Bursty flows vary rapidly in short period of time, and cause fierce bandwidth turbulence in the Internet. In this letter, we model the flow bandwidth turbulence process by constructing a flow interaction network (FIN network), with nodes representing flows and edges denoting bandwidth interactions among them. To restrain the bandwidth turbulence in FIN networks, an immune control strategy based on flow community structure is proposed. Flows in community boundary positions are immunized to cut off the inter-community turbulence spreading. By applying this control strategy in the first- and the second-level flow communities separately, 97.2% flows can effectively avoid bandwidth variations by immunizing 21% flows, and the average bandwidth variation degree reaches near zero. To achieve a similar result, about 70%-90% immune flows are needed with targeted control strategy based on flow degrees and random control strategy. Moreover, simulation results showed that the control effect of the proposed strategy improves significantly if the immune flow number is relatively smaller in each control step.

Exploring the role of flood transience in coarse bed load sediment transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, C. B.; Singer, M. B.; Hill, K. M.; Paola, C.

2015-12-01

The rate of bed load transport under steady flow is known to vary both spatially and temporally due to various hydrologic and granular phenomena. Grain size distributions and riverbed properties (packing, imbrication, etc.) are known to affect flux for a particular value of applied flow stress, while hydrology is mainly assumed to control the magnitude of the applied bed stress above the threshold for bed material entrainment. The prediction of bed load sediment transport in field settings is further complicated by the inherent transience in flood hydrology, but little is known about how such flood transience influences bed load flux over a range of applied bed stress. Here we investigate the role of flood transience for gravel bed load transport through controlled laboratory experiments in a 28 m long 0.5 meter wide flume. We explore transient flow as the combination of unsteady and intermittent flow, where unsteady flow varies in magnitude over a given duration, and intermittent flow is characterized by turning the flow on and off. We systematically vary these details of flood hydrographs from one experiment to the next, and monitor the bed load as it varies with water discharge in real time by measuring sediment flux and tracking particles. We find that even with a narrow unimodal grain size distribution and constant sediment supply we observe hysteresis in bed load flux, different thresholds for entrainment and distrainment for the rising and falling limbs of a flood, and a threshold of entrainment that can vary one flood hydrograph to the next. Despite these complex phenomena we find that the total bed load transported for each flood plots along a linear trend with the integrated excess stress, consistent with prior field results. These results suggest that while the effects of transient flow and the shape of the hydrograph are measurable, they are second-order compared to the integrated excess stress.

Sensitivity analysis of urban flood flows to hydraulic controls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shangzhi; Garambois, Pierre-André; Finaud-Guyot, Pascal; Dellinger, Guilhem; Terfous, Abdelali; Ghenaim, Abdallah

2017-04-01

Flooding represents one of the most significant natural hazards on each continent and particularly in highly populated areas. Improving the accuracy and robustness of prediction systems has become a priority. However, in situ measurements of floods remain difficult while a better understanding of flood flow spatiotemporal dynamics along with dataset for model validations appear essential. The present contribution is based on a unique experimental device at the scale 1/200, able to produce urban flooding with flood flows corresponding to frequent to rare return periods. The influence of 1D Saint Venant and 2D Shallow water model input parameters on simulated flows is assessed using global sensitivity analysis (GSA). The tested parameters are: global and local boundary conditions (water heights and discharge), spatially uniform or distributed friction coefficient and or porosity respectively tested in various ranges centered around their nominal values - calibrated thanks to accurate experimental data and related uncertainties. For various experimental configurations a variance decomposition method (ANOVA) is used to calculate spatially distributed Sobol' sensitivity indices (Si's). The sensitivity of water depth to input parameters on two main streets of the experimental device is presented here. Results show that the closer from the downstream boundary condition on water height, the higher the Sobol' index as predicted by hydraulic theory for subcritical flow, while interestingly the sensitivity to friction decreases. The sensitivity indices of all lateral inflows, representing crossroads in 1D, are also quantified in this study along with their asymptotic trends along flow distance. The relationship between lateral discharge magnitude and resulting sensitivity index of water depth is investigated. Concerning simulations with distributed friction coefficients, crossroad friction is shown to have much higher influence on upstream water depth profile than street friction coefficients. This methodology could be applied to any urban flood configuration in order to better understand flow dynamics and repartition but also guide model calibration in the light of flow controls.

A numerical study of the complex flow structure in a compound meandering channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moncho-Esteve, Ignacio J.; García-Villalba, Manuel; Muto, Yasu; Shiono, Koji; Palau-Salvador, Guillermo

2018-06-01

In this study, we report large eddy simulations of turbulent flow in a periodic compound meandering channel for three different depth conditions: one in-bank and two overbank conditions. The flow configuration corresponds to the experiments of Shiono and Muto (1998). The predicted mean streamwise velocities, mean secondary motions, velocity fluctuations, turbulent kinetic energy as well as mean flood flow angle to meandering channel are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. We have analyzed the flow structure as a function of the inundation level, with particular emphasis on the development of the secondary motions due to the interaction between the main channel and the floodplain flow. Bed shear stresses have been also estimated in the simulations. Floodplain flow has a significant impact on the flow structure leading to significantly different bed shear stress patterns within the main meandering channel. The implications of these results for natural compound meandering channels are also discussed.

Pressure gradient induced generation of microbubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evangelio, Alvaro; Campo-Cortes, Francisco; Gordillo, Jose Manuel

2015-11-01

It is well known that the controlled production of monodisperse bubbles possesses uncountable applications in medicine, pharmacy and industry. Here we provide with a detailed physical description of the bubble formation processes taking place in a type of flow where the liquid pressure gradient can be straightforwardly controlled. In our experiments, a gas flow rate discharges through a cylindrical needle into a pressurized chamber. The pressure gradient created from the exit of the injection needle towards the entrance of a extraction duct promotes the stretching of the gas ligament downstream. In our analysis, which is supported by an exhaustive experimental study in which the liquid viscosity is varied by three orders of magnitude, different regimes can be distinguished depending mainly on the Reynolds number. Through our physical modeling, we provide closed expressions for both the bubbling frequencies and for the bubble diameters as well as the conditions under which a monodisperse generation is obtained in all regimes found. The excellent agreement between our expressions and the experimental data fully validates our physical modeling.

Three-dimensional steady flow computations in manifold-type junctions and a comparison with experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Tang-Wei; Chang, Shengming

Results of three-dimensional steady flow calculations are compared with existing pressure and velocity measurements of two manifold-type junctions. The junctions consist of a main duct and a side branch, both with the same rectangular cross section, with the side branch joining the main duct at an angle of either 90 or 45 degrees. Both combining and dividing flow configurations are considered for different total mass flow rates and different side-branch-to-main-duct mass flow ratios. One objective of this investigation was to assess the effects of numerical differencing scheme and mesh refinement on solution accuracy, and both parameters showed strong influences on the computed results. It is shown that calculations should be made with the highest possible level of numerical accuracy and grid resolution in regions of flow recirculation. Comparisons of computed and measured velocities, static pressures, and flow loss coefficients are presented in this paper. For most cases considered, the model predictions are in good agreement with the measurements. Results can be used as input loss coefficients to an engine-simulation code, in addition to being used to evaluate a specific junction design.

The spatial-temporal variations of water quality in controlling points of the main rivers flowing into the Miyun Reservoir from 1991 to 2011.

PubMed

Li, Dongqing; Liang, Ji; Di, Yanming; Gong, Huili; Guo, Xiaoyu

2016-01-01

Cluster analysis (CA), discriminant analysis (DA), and principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA) were used to analyze the interannual, seasonal, and spatial variations of water quality from 1991 to 2011 in controlling points (Xinzhuang Bridge, Daguan Bridge) of the main rivers (Chaohe River, Baihe River) flowing into the Miyun Reservoir. The results demonstrated that total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) exceeded China National Standard II for surface water separately 5.08 times and 1 time. CA showed that the water quality could be divided into three interannual (IA) groups: IAI (1991-1995, 1998), IAII (1996-1997, 1999-2000, 2002-2006), and IAIII (2001, 2007-2011) and two seasonal clusters: dry season 1 (December), dry season 2 (January-February), and non-dry season (March-November). At interannual scale, the higher concentration of SO4 (2-) from industrial activities, atmospheric sedimentation, and fertilizer use in IAIII accelerated dissolution of carbonate, which increased Ca(2+), Mg(2+), total hardness (T-Hard), and total alkalinity (T-Alk). The decreasing trend of CODMn contributed to the establishment of sewage treatment plants and water and soil conservation in the Miyun upstream. The changing trend of NO3 (-)-N indicated increasing non-point pollution load of IAII and effective non-point pollution controlling of IAIII. Only one parameter T in the seasonal scale verified improved non-point pollution controlling. The major pollution in two controlling points was NO3 (-)-N, T-Hard, TN, and other ion pollution (SO4 (2-), F(-), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), T-Hard, T-Alk). Higher concentration of NO3 (-)-N in Xinzhuang and CODMn in Daguan indicated different controlling measures, especially controlling agriculture intensification in Chaohe River to decrease N pollution and decreasing water and soil loss and cage culture in Baihe River to weaken organic pollution. Controlling SO4 (2-) from industrial activity, atmospheric sedimentation and fertilizer use in watershed can effectively control Ca(2+), Mg(2+), T-Hard, and T-Alk.

The characteristics of hydrogeochemical zonation of groundwater in inland plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin-yu, HOU; Li-ting, XING; Yi, YANG; Wen-jing, ZHANG; Guang-yao, CHI

2018-05-01

To find out the hydrochemical zoning of groundwaterin the inland plain, taking Jiyang plain as an example, based on mathematical statistics, ion ratio coefficient and isotopic analysis method, the characteristics of water chemical composition and its zoning at different depths of 500m were studied. The result shows: ①The groundwater flow system in the study area can be divided into local flow system, intermediate flow system and regional flow system. ②The hydrochemical type of shallow groundwater is complex. The hydrochemical types of middle confined water are mainly ClṡSO4—MgṡNa and SO4ṡCl—NaṡMg. The deep confined water is mainly HCO3. ③The TDS of shallow groundwater increases gradually along the direction of groundwater flow. ④The shallow saltwater and freshwater are alternately distributed in horizontal direction, and saltwater is distributed sporadically in the interfluve area with sporadic punctate or banded, and hydrochemical types are mainly ClṡSO4—NaṡMgṡCa. Conclusion: Groundwater in the study area is affected by complicated hydrogeochemical action, mainly in the form of filtration, cation exchange and evaporation. The inland plain area is characterized by hydrogeochemical zonation in horizontal and vertical.

High resolution flow field prediction for tail rotor aeroacoustics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quackenbush, Todd R.; Bliss, Donald B.

1989-01-01

The prediction of tail rotor noise due to the impingement of the main rotor wake poses a significant challenge to current analysis methods in rotorcraft aeroacoustics. This paper describes the development of a new treatment of the tail rotor aerodynamic environment that permits highly accurate resolution of the incident flow field with modest computational effort relative to alternative models. The new approach incorporates an advanced full-span free wake model of the main rotor in a scheme which reconstructs high-resolution flow solutions from preliminary, computationally inexpensive simulations with coarse resolution. The heart of the approach is a novel method for using local velocity correction terms to capture the steep velocity gradients characteristic of the vortex-dominated incident flow. Sample calculations have been undertaken to examine the principal types of interactions between the tail rotor and the main rotor wake and to examine the performance of the new method. The results of these sample problems confirm the success of this approach in capturing the high-resolution flows necessary for analysis of rotor-wake/rotor interactions with dramatically reduced computational cost. Computations of radiated sound are also carried out that explore the role of various portions of the main rotor wake in generating tail rotor noise.

Spatial variability and its main controlling factors of the permafrost soil-moisture on the northern-slope of Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, W.; Sheng, Y.

2017-12-01

The soil moisture movement is an important carrier of material cycle and energy flow among the various geo-spheres in the cold regions. It is very critical to protect the alpine ecology and hydrologic cycle in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Especially, it becomes one of the key problems to reveal the spatial-temporal variability of soil moisture movement and its main influence factors in earth system science. Thus, this research takes the north slope of Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a case study. The present study firstly investigates the change of permafrost moisture in different slope positions and depths. Based on this investigation, this article attempts to investigate the spatial variability of permafrost moisture and identifies the key influence factors in different terrain conditions. The method of classification and regression tree (CART) is adopted to identify the main controlling factors influencing the soil moisture movement. And the relationships between soil moisture and environmental factors are revealed by the use of the method of canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The results show that: 1) the change of the soil moisture on the permafrost slope is divided into 4 stages, including the freezing stability phase, the rapid thawing phase, the thawing stability phase and the fast freezing phase; 2) this greatly enhances the horizontal flow in the freezing period due to the terrain slope and the freezing-thawing process. Vertical migration is the mainly form of the soil moisture movement. It leads to that the soil-moisture content in the up-slope is higher than that in the down-slope. On the contrary, the soil-moisture content in the up-slope is lower than that in the down-slope during the melting period; 3) the main environmental factors which affect the slope-permafrost soil-moisture are elevation, soil texture, soil temperature and vegetation coverage. But there are differences in the impact factors of the soil moisture in different freezing-thawing stages; 4) the main factors that affect the slope-permafrost soil-moisture at the shallow depth of 0-20cm are slope, elevation and vegetation coverage. And the main factors influencing the soil moisture at the middle and lower depth are complex.

Effectiveness of Electrostimulation on Whole Salivary Flow Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Dyasnoor, Sujatha; Kamath, Shwetha; Khader, Nishat Fatima Abdul

2017-01-01

Context Xerostomia and hyposalivation are associated with diabetes. Research is sparse regarding electrostimulation as a mainstream therapy for salivary gland hypofunction. Objective To clinically evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy in stimulating whole salivary flow among patients with xerostomia and hyposalivation caused by diabetes mellitus. Design Forty patients between age 30 to 75 years with diabetes mellitus categorized as controlled or uncontrolled who had subjective symptoms of xerostomia and an objective sign of hyposalivation were included in a prospective study. Main Outcome Measures Unstimulated saliva through the “low forced spitting” method and stimulated saliva collection using TENS were assessed and compared. Longer-term effects of TENS application were evaluated by recalling the patient 24 hours later. Results A statistically significant increase in stimulated whole saliva after TENS application in continuous mode (p < 0.001) was demonstrated compared with unstimulated saliva, especially in xerostomic patients with diabetes. Burst mode inferred a statistically significant decrease in salivary flow (p < 0.001). Conclusion In patients with diabetes with xerostomia and hyposalivation, TENS was highly effective in stimulating whole salivary flow. PMID:28488983

Prediction of dynamic and aerodynamic characteristics of the centrifugal fan with forward curved blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polanský, Jiří; Kalmár, László; Gášpár, Roman

2013-12-01

The main aim of this paper is determine the centrifugal fan with forward curved blades aerodynamic characteristics based on numerical modeling. Three variants of geometry were investigated. The first, basic "A" variant contains 12 blades. The geometry of second "B" variant contains 12 blades and 12 semi-blades with optimal length [1]. The third, control variant "C" contains 24 blades without semi-blades. Numerical calculations were performed by CFD Ansys. Another aim of this paper is to compare results of the numerical simulation with results of approximate numerical procedure. Applied approximate numerical procedure [2] is designated to determine characteristics of the turbulent flow in the bladed space of a centrifugal-flow fan impeller. This numerical method is an extension of the hydro-dynamical cascade theory for incompressible and inviscid fluid flow. Paper also partially compares results from the numerical simulation and results from the experimental investigation. Acoustic phenomena observed during experiment, during numerical simulation manifested as deterioration of the calculation stability, residuals oscillation and thus also as a flow field oscillation. Pressure pulsations are evaluated by using frequency analysis for each variant and working condition.

Water movement and isoproturon behaviour in a drained heavy clay soil: 1. Preferential flow processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haria, A. H.; Johnson, A. C.; Bell, J. P.; Batchelor, C. H.

1994-12-01

The processes and mechanisms that control pesticide transport from drained heavy clay catchments are being studied at Wytham Farm (Oxford University) in southern England. In the first field season field-drain water contained high concentrations of pesticide. Soil studies demonstrated that the main mechanism for pesticide translocation was by preferential flow processes, both over the soil surface and through the soil profile via a macropore system that effectively by-passed the soil matrix. This macropore system included worm holes, shrinkage cracks and cracks resulting from ploughing. Rainfall events in early winter rapidly created a layer of saturation in the A horizon perched above a B horizon of very low hydraulic conductivity. Drain flow was initiated when the saturated layer in the A horizon extended into the upper 0.06m of the soil profile; thereafter water moved down slope via horizontal macropores possibly through a band of incorporated straw residues. These horizontal pathways for water movement connected with the fracture system of the mole drains, thus feeding the drains. Overland flow occurred infrequently during the season.

Application of Reactive Transport Modeling to Heap Bioleaching of Copper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W.

2017-12-01

Copper heap bioleaching is a complex industrial process that utilizes oxidative chemical leaching and microbial activities to extract copper from packed ore beds. Mathematical modelling is an effective tool for identifying key factors that determine the leaching performance. HeapSim is a modelling tool that incorporates all fundamental processes that occur in a heap under leach, such as the movement of leaching solution, chemical reaction kinetics, heat transfer, and microbial activities, to predict the leaching behavior of a heap. In this study, the HeapSim model was applied to simulate chalcocite heap bioleaching at Quebrada Blanca mine located in the Northern Chile. The main findings were that the model could be satisfactorily calibrated and validated to simulate chalcocite leaching. Heap temperature was sensitive to the changes in the raffinate temperature, raffinate flow rate, and the extent of pyrite oxidation. At high flow rates, heap temperature was controlled by the raffinate temperature. In contrast, heat removal by the raffinate solution flow was insignificant at low flow rates, leading to the accumulation of heat generated by pyrite reaction and therefore an increase in heap temperature.

Chemically generated convective transport in microfluidic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shklyaev, Oleg; Das, Sambeeta; Altemose, Alicia; Shum, Henry; Balazs, Anna; Sen, Ayusman

High precision manipulation of small volumes of fluid, containing suspended micron sized objects like cells, viruses, and large molecules, is one of the main goals in designing modern lab-on-a-chip devices which can find a variety of chemical and biological applications. To transport the cargo toward sensing elements, typical microfluidic devices often use pressure driven flows. Here, we propose to use enzymatic chemical reactions which decompose reagent into less dense products and generate flows that can transport particles. Density variations that lead to flow in the assigned direction are created between the place where reagent is fed into the solution and the location where it is decomposed by enzymes attached to the surface of the microchannel. When the reagent is depleted, the fluid motion stops and particles sediment to the bottom. We demonstrate how the choice of chemicals, leading to specific reaction rates, can affect the transport properties. In particular, we show that the intensity of the fluid flow, the final location of cargo, and the time for cargo delivery are controlled by the amount and type of reagent in the system.

Long Penetration Mode Counterflowing Jets for Supersonic Slender Configurations - A Numerical Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkatachari, Balaji Shankar; Cheng, Gary; Chang, Chau-Layn; Zichettello, Benjamin; Bilyeu, David L.

2013-01-01

A novel approach of using counterflowing jets positioned strategically on the aircraft and exploiting its long penetration mode (LPM) of interaction towards sonic-boom mitigation forms the motivation for this study. Given that most previous studies on the counterflowing LPM jet have all been on blunt bodies and at high supersonic or hypersonic flow conditions, exploring the feasibility to obtain a LPM jet issuing from a slender body against low supersonic freestream conditions is the main focus of this study. Computational fluid dynamics computations of axisymmetric models (cone-cylinder and quartic geometry), of relevance to NASA's High Speed project, are carried out using the space-time conservation element solution element viscous flow solver with unstructured meshes. A systematic parametric study is conducted to determine the optimum combination of counterflowing jet size, mass flow rate, and nozzle geometry for obtaining LPM jets. Details from these computations will be used to assess the potential of the LPM counterflowing supersonic jet as a means of active flow control for enabling supersonic flight over land and to establish the knowledge base for possible future implementation of such technologies.

Blood Flow After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage

PubMed Central

Selkow, Noelle M.; Herman, Daniel C.; Liu, Zhenqi; Hertel, Jay; Hart, Joseph M.; Saliba, Susan A.

2015-01-01

Context: The most common modality used to address acute inflammation is cryotherapy. Whereas pain decreases with cryotherapy, evidence that changes occur in perfusion of skeletal muscle is limited. We do not know whether ice attenuates the increases in perfusion associated with acute inflammation. Objective: To examine the effects of repeated applications of ice bags on perfusion of the gastrocnemius muscle after an eccentric exercise protocol. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Eighteen healthy participants (3 men, 15 women; age = 22.2 ± 2.2 years, height = 166.0 ± 11.9 cm, mass = 69.4 ± 25.0 kg). Intervention(s): To induce eccentric muscle damage, participants performed 100 unilateral heel-lowering exercises off a step to the beat of a metronome. A randomized intervention (cryotherapy, sham, control) was applied to the exercised lower extremity immediately after the protocol and again at 10, 24, and 34 hours after the protocol. Main Outcome Measure(s): Baseline perfusion measurements (blood volume, blood flow, and blood flow velocity) were taken using contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the exercised leg. Perfusion was reassessed after the first intervention and 48 hours after the protocol as percentage change scores. Pain was measured with a visual analog scale at baseline and at 10, 24, 34, and 48 hours after the protocol. Separate repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to assess each dependent variable. Results: We found no interactions among interventions for microvascular perfusion. Blood volume and blood flow, however, increased in all conditions at 48 hours after exercise (P < .001), and blood flow velocity decreased postintervention from baseline (P = .041). We found a time-by-intervention interaction for pain (P = .009). Visual analog scale scores were lower for the cryotherapy group than for the control group at 34 and 48 hours after exercise. Conclusions: Whereas eccentric muscle damage resulted in increased blood flow, ice did not decrease muscle perfusion 48 hours after exercise. Therefore, ice does not seem to decrease muscle perfusion when blood flow is elevated, as it would be during inflammation. PMID:25658816

Intelligent Flow Control Valve

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, Anthony R (Inventor)

2015-01-01

The present invention is an intelligent flow control valve which may be inserted into the flow coming out of a pipe and activated to provide a method to stop, measure, and meter flow coming from the open or possibly broken pipe. The intelligent flow control valve may be used to stop the flow while repairs are made. Once repairs have been made, the valve may be removed or used as a control valve to meter the amount of flow from inside the pipe. With the addition of instrumentation, the valve may also be used as a variable area flow meter and flow controller programmed based upon flowing conditions. With robotic additions, the valve may be configured to crawl into a desired pipe location, anchor itself, and activate flow control or metering remotely.

Stable isotopes and volatile organic compounds along seven ground-water flow paths in divergent and convergent flow systems, southern California, 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milby Dawson, Barbara J.; Belitz, Kenneth; Land, Michael; Danskin, Wesley R.

2003-01-01

Ground water is a major source of drinking water in southern California. In an effort to understand factors influencing the susceptibility of ground water tapped by public supply wells, the U.S. Geological Survey has undertaken studies in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board. The vertical and lateral distribution of stable isotopes (deuterium and oxygen-18) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) were examined along seven ground-water flow paths in three urban ground-water basins in southern California: Central Basin in Los Angeles County, Main Basin in Orange County, and Bunker Hill Basin in San Bernardino County. Forty-seven monitoring wells and 100 public supply wells were sampled. The results of this study suggest that the direction of flow and perhaps the degree of confinement in an aquifer system are important controls on the distribution of VOCs. Ground-water flow in the Central and Main Basins in the southern California coastal plain is characterized as radially divergent, with ground-water flow directions moving outward from focused areas of recharge in the unconfined part of the aquifer system toward dispersed areas of discharge in the more confined part. In these basins, there is a volume of water containing VOCs that extends out into a volume of water containing no VOCs. This pattern suggests that radially divergent flow systems disperse VOCs in distal areas. The overall pattern also suggests that ground water in the pressure area is generally insulated from compounds introduced at land surface. These two factors?dispersion of VOCs due to divergence of flow and insulation from land-surface inputs?suggest that the susceptibility of public supply wells to surface contamination decreases with distance in radially divergent, well confined ground-water flow system. In the inland Bunker Hill Basin, ground-water flow is characterized as radially convergent; ground-water flow directions move inward from dispersed recharge areas in the unconfined part of the aquifer system, toward an area of focused discharge in the more confined part. The number of VOCs increased and the concentrations of individual VOCs increased, or remained the same, with increasing travel distance. Methyl tert-butyl ether was detected only in wells in the confined part of the aquifer system, suggesting that the confining units present in the distal part of the Bunker Hill Basin do not prevent VOCs from reaching ground water. These results suggest that VOCs in the Bunker Hill Basin are collected and concentrated as ground water moves downgradient because of radial convergenence of flow. They also suggest that ground water in the Bunker Hill Basin has an increasing opportunity to pick up VOCs introduced at land surface as it moves along a flow path. Some of the downgradient increase in VOC occurrence and concentration may be due to pumping that selectively removes cleaner ground water, thus leaving ground water containing more VOCs in the aquifer. These two factors?collection of VOCs due to convergence of flow and increasing opportunity to collect surficial contaminants perhaps due to a relative absence of confinement?suggest that the susceptibility of public supply wells to surface contamination increases with distance in radially convergent ground-water flow systems, particularly those that are unconfined.

Turbine disk cavity aerodynamics and heat transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, B. V.; Daniels, W. A.

1992-01-01

Experiments were conducted to define the nature of the aerodynamics and heat transfer for the flow within the disk cavities and blade attachments of a large-scale model, simulating the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) turbopump drive turbines. These experiments of the aerodynamic driving mechanisms explored the following: (1) flow between the main gas path and the disk cavities; (2) coolant flow injected into the disk cavities; (3) coolant density; (4) leakage flows through the seal between blades; and (5) the role that each of these various flows has in determining the adiabatic recovery temperature at all of the critical locations within the cavities. The model and the test apparatus provide close geometrical and aerodynamic simulation of all the two-stage cavity flow regions for the SSME High Pressure Fuel Turbopump and the ability to simulate the sources and sinks for each cavity flow.

U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Need for Flow Physics and Control With Applications Involving Aero-Optics and Weapon Bay Cavities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmit, Ryan

2010-01-01

To develop New Flow Control Techniques: a) Knowledge of the Flow Physics with and without control. b) How does Flow Control Effect Flow Physics (What Works to Optimize the Design?). c) Energy or Work Efficiency of the Control Technique (Cost - Risk - Benefit Analysis). d) Supportability, e.g. (size of equipment, computational power, power supply) (Allows Designer to include Flow Control in Plans).

Internal flow patterns on heat transfer characteristics of a closed-loop oscillating heat-pipe with check valves using ethanol and a silver nano-ethanol mixture

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

Bhuwakietkumjohn, N.; Rittidech, S.

The aim of this research was to investigate the internal flow patterns and heat transfer characteristics of a closed-loop oscillating heat-pipe with check valves (CLOHP/CV). The ratio of number of check valves to meandering turns was 0.2. Ethanol and a silver nano-ethanol mixture were used as working fluids with a filling ratio of 50% by total volume of tube. The CLOHP/CV was made of a glass tube with an inside diameter of 2.4 mm. The evaporator section was 50 mm and 100 mm in length and there were 10 meandering turns. An inclination angle of 90 from horizontal axis wasmore » established. The evaporator section was heated by an electric heater and the condenser section was cooled by distilled water. Temperature at the evaporator section was controlled at 85 C, 105 C and 125 C. The inlet and outlet temperatures were measured. A digital camera and video camera were used to observe the flow patterns at the evaporator. The silver nano-ethanol mixture gave higher heat flux than ethanol. When the temperature at the evaporator section was increased from 85 C to 105 C and 125 C. It was found that, the flow patterns occurred as annular flow + slug flow, slug flow + bubble flow and dispersed bubble flow + bubble flow respectively. The main regime of each flow pattern can be determined from the flow pattern map ethanol and a silver nano-ethanol mixture. Each of the two working fluids gave corresponding flow patterns. (author)« less

International food trade reduces environmental effects of nitrogen pollution in China.

PubMed

Shi, Yaxing; Wu, Shaohua; Zhou, Shenglu; Wang, Chunhui; Chen, Hao

2016-09-01

The globalization of agricultural trade has dramatically altered global nitrogen flows by changing the spatial pattern of nitrogen utilization and emissions at a global scale. As a major trading country, China uses a large amount of nitrogen, which has a profound impact on global nitrogen flows. Using data on food production and trade between China and 26 other countries and regions, we calculated nitrogen inputs and outputs in food production ecosystem in each country. We estimated nitrogen flows in international food trade and analyzed their impact on nitrogen pollution in China. We divided nitrogen flows into embodied and virtual nitrogen flows. Embodied nitrogen is taken up by the plant and incorporated into the final food product, whereas virtual nitrogen is lost to the environment throughout the food production process and is not contained in the final food product. Our results show that China mainly imports food products from America and Asia, accounting for 95 % of all imported food. Asia (mainly Japan) and Europe are the main exporters of food from China, with Japan and the EU accounting for 17 and 10 % of all exported food, respectively. Total nitrogen inputs and outputs in food production in China were 55,400 and 61,000 Gg respectively, which were much higher than in other countries. About 1440 and 950 Gg of embodied and virtual nitrogen respectively flow into China through the food trade, mainly from food-exporting countries such as the USA, Argentina, and Brazil. Meanwhile, 177 and 160 Gg of embodied and virtual nitrogen respectively flow out of China from the export of food products, mainly to Japan. China's net food imports have reduced 720 and 458 Gg for nitrogen utilization and outputs, respectively, which accounted for 1.3 and 0.78 % of total nitrogen inputs and outputs in China. These results suggest that food trade in China has a profound effect on nitrogen flows and has greatly reduced environmental impacts on nitrogen pollution in China.

History of Suction-Type Laminar-Flow Control with Emphasis on Flight Resrearch: Monographs in Aerospace History Number 13

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braslow, A. L.

1999-01-01

The paper contains the following sections: Foreword; Preface; Laminar-Flow Control Concepts and Scope of Monograph; Early Research on Suction-Type Laminar-Flow Control (Research from the 1930s through the War Years; Research from after World War II to the Mid-1960s); Post X-21 Research on Suction-Type Laminar-Flow Control; Status of Laminar-Flow Control Technology in the Mid-1990s; Glossary; Document 1-Aeronautics Panel, AACB, R&D Review, Report of the Subpanel on Aeronautic Energy Conservation/Fuels; Document 2-Report of Review Group on X-21A Laminar Flow Control Program; Document 3-Langley Research Center Announcement, Establishment of Laminar Flow Control Working Group; Document 4-Intercenter Agreement for Laminar Flow Control Leading Edge Glove Flights, LaRC and DFRC; Document 5-Flight Report NLF-144, of AFTIF-111 Aircraft with the TACT Wing Modified by a Natural Laminar Flow Glove; Document 6-Flight Record, F-16XL Supersonic Laminar Flow Control Aircraft; Index; and About the Author.

Thrust chamber performance using Navier-Stokes solution. [space shuttle main engine viscous nozzle calculation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, J. S.; Freeman, J. A.

1984-01-01

The viscous, axisymmetric flow in the thrust chamber of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) was computed on the CRAY 205 computer using the general interpolants method (GIM) code. Results show that the Navier-Stokes codes can be used for these flows to study trends and viscous effects as well as determine flow patterns; but further research and development is needed before they can be used as production tools for nozzle performance calculations. The GIM formulation, numerical scheme, and computer code are described. The actual SSME nozzle computation showing grid points, flow contours, and flow parameter plots is discussed. The computer system and run times/costs are detailed.

The characteristics of heat flow in the Shenhu gas hydrate drilling area, northern South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xing; Wan, Zhifeng; Wang, Xianqing; Sun, Yuefeng; Xia, Bin

2016-12-01

Marine heat flow is of great significance for the formation and occurrence of seabed oil, gas and gas hydrate resources. Geothermal gradient is an important parameter in determining the thickness of the hydrate stability zone. The northern slope of the South China Sea is rich in gas hydrate resources. Several borehole drilling attempts were successful in finding hydrates in the Shenhu area, while others were not. The failures demand further study on the distribution regularities of heat flow and its controlling effects on hydrate occurrence. In this study, forty-eight heat flow measurements are analyzed in the Shenhu gas hydrate drilling area, located in the northern South China Sea, together with their relationship to topography, sedimentary environment and tectonic setting. Canyons are well developed in the study area, caused mainly by the development of faults, faster sediment supply and slumping of the Pearl River Estuary since the late Miocene in the northern South China Sea. The heat flow values in grooves, occurring always in fault zones, are higher than those of ridges. Additionally, the heat flow values gradually increase from the inner fan, to the middle fan, to the external fan subfacies. The locations with low heat flow such as ridges, locations away from faults and the middle fan subfacies, are more conducive to gas hydrate occurrence.

Flow reversal, convection, and modeling in the DIII-D divertor

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

Boedo, J.A.; Porter, G.D.; Schaffer, M.J.

1998-12-01

Measurements of the parallel Mach number of background plasma in the DIII-D tokamak divertor [M. A. Mahdavi {ital et al.} in {ital Proceedings, 16th International Conference}, Montreal, 1996 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1997) Vol. I, p. 397] were performed using a fast scanning Mach probe. The parallel particle flow shows evidence of complex behavior such as reverse flow, i.e., flow away from the target plate, stagnant flow, and large scale convection. For detached discharges, measurements confirm predictions of convective flow towards the divertor target plate at near sound speed over large regions in the divertor. The resulting convected heatmore » flux is a dominant heat transport mechanism in the divertor. For attached discharges with high recycling, particle flow reversal in a thin region at or near the outer separatrix, thereby confirming the existence of a mechanism by which impurities can be transported away from the divertor target plates. Modeling results from the two-dimensional fluid code UEDGE [G. D. Porter and the DIII-D Team, {open_quotes}Divertor characterization experiments and modelling in DIII-D,{close_quotes} in {ital Proceedings of the 23rd European Conference on Controlled Fusion and Plasma Physics}, 24{endash}28 June 1996, Kiev, Ukraine (European Physical Society, Petit-Lancy, Switzerland, 1996), Vol. 20C, Part II, p. 699] can reproduce the main features of the experimental observations. {copyright} {ital 1998 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Topological characteristics underpin intermittency and anomalous transport behavior in soil-like porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzner, M.; Morales, V.; Willmann, M.; Jerjen, I.; Kaufmann, R.; Dentz, M.

2016-12-01

Continuum models of porous media are based on the validity of the Darcy equation for fluid and Fick's law for scalar fluxes on a representative elementary volume. Fluctuations of pore-scale flow and scalar transport are averaged out and represented in terms of effective parameters such as hydrodynamic dispersion. However, the intermittent behavior of pore-scale flow impacts on the nature of particle and scalar transport, and it determines the way dissolved substances mix and react. The understanding of the origin of these processes is of both fundamental and practical importance in applications ranging from reactive transport in groundwater flow to diffusion in fuel cells or biological systems. A central issue in porous medium flow is therefore to relate intermittent behavior of Lagrangian velocity at pore scale imposed by the complex pore network geometry to transport properties at larger scales. Lagrangian measurements in porous systems are nonetheless scarce and most experimental techniques do not provide access to all three velocity components. In this contribution we report 3D measurements of Lagrangian velocity in soil-like porous media. We complement these measurements with detailed X-ray scans of the pore network. We find sharp velocity transitions close to pore throats, and low flow variability in the pore bodies, which gives rise to stretched exponential Lagrangian velocity and acceleration distributions characterized by a sharp peak at low velocity and a superlinear evolution of particle dispersion. We demonstrate that porosity and pore size distribution alone cannot explain the observed features of the flow. Rather, anomalous transport is better interpreted in terms of how pores of various geometries are interconnected. We reproduce the main observations using a continuous-time random walk (CTRW) model revealing the main features that control the system and showing the potential of this simple model to capture transport in complex geometries.

Methods to quantify seepage beneath Levee 30, Miami-Dade County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sonenshein, R.S.

2001-01-01

A two-dimensional, cross-sectional, finite-difference, ground-water flow model and a simple application of Darcy?s law were used to quantify ground-water flow (from a wetlands) beneath Levee 30 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Geologic and geophysical data, vertical seepage data from the wetlands, canal discharge data, ground-water-level data, and surface-water-stage data collected during 1995 and 1996 were used as boundary conditions and calibration data for the ground-water flow model and as input for the analytical model. Vertical seepage data indicated that water from the wetlands infiltrated the subsurface, near Levee 30, at rates ranging from 0.033 to 0.266 foot per day when the gates at the control structures along Levee 30 canal were closed. During the same period, stage differences between the wetlands (Water Conservation Area 3B) and Levee 30 canal ranged from 0.11 to 1.27 feet. A layer of low-permeability limestone, located 7 to 10 feet below land surface, restricts vertical flow between the surface water in the wetlands and the ground water. Based on measured water-level data, ground-water flow appears to be generally horizontal, except in the direct vicinity of the canal. The increase in discharge rate along a 2-mile reach of the Levee 30 canal ranged from 9 to 30 cubic feet per second per mile and can be attributed primarily to ground-water inflow. Flow rates in Levee 30 canal were greatest when the gates at the control structures were open. The ground-water flow model data were compared with the measured ground-water heads and vertical seepage from the wetlands. Estimating the horizontal ground-water flow rate beneath Levee 30 was difficult owing to the uncertainty in the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the main flow zone of the Biscayne aquifer. Measurements of ground-water flows into Levee 30 canal, a substantial component of the water budget, were also uncertain, which lessened the ability to validate the model results. Because of vertical flows near Levee 30 canal and a very low hydraulic gradient east of the canal, a simplified Darcian approach simulated with the ground-water flow model does not accurately estimate the horizontal ground-water flow rate. Horizontal ground-water flow rates simulated with the ground-water flow model (for a 60-foot-deep by 1-foot-wide section of the Biscayne aquifer) ranged from 150 to 450 cubic feet per day west of Levee 30 and from 15 to 170 cubic feet per day east of Levee 30 canal. Vertical seepage from the wetlands, within 500 feet of Levee 30, generally accounted for 10 to 15 percent of the total horizontal flow beneath the levee. Simulated horizontal ground-water flow was highest during the wet season and when the gates at the control structures were open.

Device for passive flow control around vertical axis marine turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coşoiu, C. I.; Georgescu, A. M.; Degeratu, M.; Haşegan, L.; Hlevca, D.

2012-11-01

The power supplied by a turbine with the rotor placed in a free stream flow may be increased by augmenting the velocity in the rotor area. The energy of the free flow is dispersed and it may be concentrated by placing a profiled structure around the bare turbine in order to concentrate more energy in the rotor zone. At the Aerodynamic and Wind Engineering Laboratory (LAIV) of the Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest (UTCB) it was developed a concentrating housing to be used for hydro or aeolian horizontal axis wind turbines, in order to increase the available energy in the active section of turbine rotor. The shape of the concentrating housing results by superposing several aero/hydro dynamic effects, the most important being the one generated by the passive flow control devices that were included in the housing structure. Those concentrating housings may be also adapted for hydro or aeolian turbines with vertical axis. The present paper details the numerical research effectuated at the LAIV to determine the performances of a vertical axis marine turbine equipped with such a concentrating device, in order to increase the energy quantity extracted from the main flow. The turbine is a Darrieus type one with three vertical straight blades, symmetric with respect to the axis of rotation, generated using a NACA4518 airfoil. The global performances of the turbine equipped with the concentrating housing were compared to the same characteristics of the bare turbine. In order to validate the numerical approach used in this paper, test cases from the literature resulting from experimental and numerical simulations for similar situations, were used.

In vitro characterization of a magnetically suspended continuous flow ventricular assist device.

PubMed

Kim, H C; Bearnson, G B; Khanwilkar, P S; Olsen, D B; Maslen, E H; Allaire, P E

1995-01-01

A magnetically suspended continuous flow ventricular assist device using magnetic bearings was developed aiming at an implantable ventricular assist device. The main advantage of this device includes no mechanical wear and minimal chance of blood trauma such, as thrombosis and hemolysis, because there is no mechanical contact between the stationary and rotating parts. The total system consists of two subsystems: the centrifugal pump and the magnetic bearing. The centrifugal pump is comprised of a 4 vane logarithmic spiral radial flow impeller and a brushless DC motor with slotless stator, driven by the back emf commutation scheme. Two radial and one thrust magnetic bearing that dynamically controls the position of the rotor in a radial and axial direction, respectively, contains magnetic coils, the rotor's position sensors, and feedback electronic control system. The magnetic bearing system was able to successfully suspend a 365.5g rotating part in space and sustain it for up to 5000 rpm of rotation. Average force-current square factor of the magnetic bearing was measured as 0.48 and 0.44 (kg-f/Amp2) for radial and thrust bearing, respectively. The integrated system demonstrated adequate performance in mock circulation tests by providing a 6 L/min flow rate against 100 mmHg differential pressure at 2300 rpm. Based on these in vitro performance test results, long-term clinical application of the magnetically suspended continuous flow ventricular assist device is very promising after system optimization with a hybrid system using both active (electromagnet) and passive (permanent magnets) magnet bearings.

Power flow control using quadrature boosters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadanandan, Sandeep N.

A power system that can be controlled within security constraints would be an advantage to power planners and real-time operators. Controlling flows can lessen reliability issues such as thermal limit violations, power stability problems, and/or voltage stability conditions. Control of flows can also mitigate market issues by reducing congestion on some lines and rerouting power to less loaded lines or onto preferable paths. In the traditional control of power flows, phase shifters are often used. More advanced methods include using Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) Controllers. Some examples include Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitors, Synchronous Series Static Compensators, and Unified Power Flow Controllers. Quadrature Boosters (QBs) have similar structures to phase-shifters, but allow for higher voltage magnitude during real power flow control. In comparison with other FACTS controllers QBs are not as complex and not as expensive. The present study proposes to use QBs to control power flows on a power system. With the inclusion of QBs, real power flows can be controlled to desired scheduled values. In this thesis, the linearized power flow equations used for power flow analysis were modified for the control problem. This included modifying the Jacobian matrix, the power error vector, and calculating the voltage injected by the quadrature booster for the scheduled real power flow. Two scenarios were examined using the proposed power flow control method. First, the power flow in a line in a 5-bus system was modified with a QB using the method developed in this thesis. Simulation was carried out using Matlab. Second, the method was applied to a 30-bus system and then to a 118-bus system using several QBs. In all the cases, the calculated values of the QB voltages led to desired power flows in the designated line.

Power and energy ratios in mechanical CVT drive control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balakin, P. D.; Stripling, L. O.

2017-06-01

Being based on the principle of providing the systems with adaptation property to the real parameters and operational condition, the mechanical system capable to control automatically the components of convertible power is offered and this allows providing stationary operation of the vehicle engine in the terms of variable external loading. This is achieved by drive control integrated in the power transmission, which implements an additional degree of freedom and operates on the basis of the laws of motion, with the energy of the main power flow by changing automatically the kinematic characteristics of the power transmission, this system being named CVT. The power and energy ratios found allow performing the necessary design calculations of the sections and the links of the mechanical CVT scheme.

Effect of Flow Rate Controller on Liquid Steel Flow in Continuous Casting Mold using Numerical Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gursoy, Kadir Ali; Yavuz, Mehmet Metin

2014-11-01

In continuous casting operation of steel, the flow through tundish to the mold can be controlled by different flow rate control systems including stopper rod and slide-gate. Ladle changes in continuous casting machines result in liquid steel level changes in tundishes. During this transient event of production, the flow rate controller opening is increased to reduce the pressure drop across the opening which helps to keep the mass flow rate at the desired level for the reduced liquid steel level in tundish. In the present study, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models are developed to investigate the effect of flow rate controller on mold flow structure, and particularly to understand the effect of flow controller opening on meniscus flow. First, a detailed validation of the CFD models is conducted using available experimental data and the performances of different turbulence models are compared. Then, the constant throughput casting operations for different flow rate controller openings are simulated to quantify the opening effect on meniscus region. The results indicate that the meniscus velocities are significantly affected by the flow rate controller and its opening level. The steady state operations, specified as constant throughput casting, do not provide the same mold flow if the controller opening is altered. Thus, for quality and castability purposes, adjusting the flow controller opening to obtain the fixed mold flow structure is proposed. Supported by Middle East Technical University (METU) BAP (Scientific Research Projects) Coordination.

157. ARAIII Reactor building (ARA608) Main gas loop mechanical flow ...

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

157. ARA-III Reactor building (ARA-608) Main gas loop mechanical flow sheet. This drawing was selected as a typical example of mechanical arrangements within reactor building. Aerojet-general 880-area/GCRE-0608-50-013-102634. - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Army Reactors Experimental Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Nonlinear-regression groundwater flow modeling of a deep regional aquifer system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooley, Richard L.; Konikow, Leonard F.; Naff, Richard L.

1986-01-01

A nonlinear regression groundwater flow model, based on a Galerkin finite-element discretization, was used to analyze steady state two-dimensional groundwater flow in the areally extensive Madison aquifer in a 75,000 mi2 area of the Northern Great Plains. Regression parameters estimated include intrinsic permeabilities of the main aquifer and separate lineament zones, discharges from eight major springs surrounding the Black Hills, and specified heads on the model boundaries. Aquifer thickness and temperature variations were included as specified functions. The regression model was applied using sequential F testing so that the fewest number and simplest zonation of intrinsic permeabilities, combined with the simplest overall model, were evaluated initially; additional complexities (such as subdivisions of zones and variations in temperature and thickness) were added in stages to evaluate the subsequent degree of improvement in the model results. It was found that only the eight major springs, a single main aquifer intrinsic permeability, two separate lineament intrinsic permeabilities of much smaller values, and temperature variations are warranted by the observed data (hydraulic heads and prior information on some parameters) for inclusion in a model that attempts to explain significant controls on groundwater flow. Addition of thickness variations did not significantly improve model results; however, thickness variations were included in the final model because they are fairly well defined. Effects on the observed head distribution from other features, such as vertical leakage and regional variations in intrinsic permeability, apparently were overshadowed by measurement errors in the observed heads. Estimates of the parameters correspond well to estimates obtained from other independent sources.

Combustion Devices CFD Team Analyses Review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rocker, Marvin

2008-01-01

A variety of CFD simulations performed by the Combustion Devices CFD Team at Marshall Space Flight Center will be presented. These analyses were performed to support Space Shuttle operations and Ares-1 Crew Launch Vehicle design. Results from the analyses will be shown along with pertinent information on the CFD codes and computational resources used to obtain the results. Six analyses will be presented - two related to the Space Shuttle and four related to the Ares I-1 launch vehicle now under development at NASA. First, a CFD analysis of the flow fields around the Space Shuttle during the first six seconds of flight and potential debris trajectories within those flow fields will be discussed. Second, the combusting flows within the Space Shuttle Main Engine's main combustion chamber will be shown. For the Ares I-1, an analysis of the performance of the roll control thrusters during flight will be described. Several studies are discussed related to the J2-X engine to be used on the upper stage of the Ares I-1 vehicle. A parametric study of the propellant flow sequences and mixture ratios within the GOX/GH2 spark igniters on the J2-X is discussed. Transient simulations will be described that predict the asymmetric pressure loads that occur on the rocket nozzle during the engine start as the nozzle fills with combusting gases. Simulations of issues that affect temperature uniformity within the gas generator used to drive the J-2X turbines will described as well, both upstream of the chamber in the injector manifolds and within the combustion chamber itself.

Nonlinear-Regression Groundwater Flow Modeling of a Deep Regional Aquifer System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooley, Richard L.; Konikow, Leonard F.; Naff, Richard L.

1986-12-01

A nonlinear regression groundwater flow model, based on a Galerkin finite-element discretization, was used to analyze steady state two-dimensional groundwater flow in the areally extensive Madison aquifer in a 75,000 mi2 area of the Northern Great Plains. Regression parameters estimated include intrinsic permeabilities of the main aquifer and separate lineament zones, discharges from eight major springs surrounding the Black Hills, and specified heads on the model boundaries. Aquifer thickness and temperature variations were included as specified functions. The regression model was applied using sequential F testing so that the fewest number and simplest zonation of intrinsic permeabilities, combined with the simplest overall model, were evaluated initially; additional complexities (such as subdivisions of zones and variations in temperature and thickness) were added in stages to evaluate the subsequent degree of improvement in the model results. It was found that only the eight major springs, a single main aquifer intrinsic permeability, two separate lineament intrinsic permeabilities of much smaller values, and temperature variations are warranted by the observed data (hydraulic heads and prior information on some parameters) for inclusion in a model that attempts to explain significant controls on groundwater flow. Addition of thickness variations did not significantly improve model results; however, thickness variations were included in the final model because they are fairly well defined. Effects on the observed head distribution from other features, such as vertical leakage and regional variations in intrinsic permeability, apparently were overshadowed by measurement errors in the observed heads. Estimates of the parameters correspond well to estimates obtained from other independent sources.

Topical Menthol, Ice, Peripheral Blood Flow, and Perceived Discomfort

PubMed Central

Topp, Robert; Ledford, Elizabeth R.; Jacks, Dean E.

2013-01-01

Context: Injury management commonly includes decreasing arterial blood flow to the affected site in an attempt to reduce microvascular blood flow and edema and limit the induction of inflammation. Applied separately, ice and menthol gel decrease arterial blood flow, but the combined effects of ice and menthol gel on arterial blood flow are unknown. Objectives: To compare radial artery blood flow, arterial diameter, and perceived discomfort before and after the application of 1 of 4 treatment conditions. Design: Experimental crossover design. Setting: Clinical laboratory. Participants or Other Participants: Ten healthy men, 9 healthy women (mean age = 25.68 years, mean height = 1.73 m, mean weight = 76.73 kg). Intervention(s): Four treatment conditions were randomly applied for 20 minutes to the right forearm of participants on 4 different days separated by at least 24 hours: (1) 3.5 mL menthol gel, (2) 0.5 kg of crushed ice, (3) 3.5 mL of menthol gel and 0.5 kg of crushed ice, or (4) no treatment (control). Main Outcome Measure(s): Using high-resolution ultrasound, we measured right radial artery diameter (cm) and blood flow (mL/min) every 5 minutes for 20 minutes after the treatment was applied. Discomfort with the treatment was documented using a 1-to-10 intensity scale. Results: Radial artery blood flow decreased (P < .05) from baseline in the ice (−20% to −24%), menthol (−17% to −24%), and ice and menthol (−36% to −39%) treatments but not in the control (3% to 9%) at 5, 10, and 15 minutes. At 20 minutes after baseline, only the ice (−27%) and combined ice and menthol (−38%) treatments exhibited reductions in blood flow (P < .05). Discomfort was less with menthol than with the ice treatment at 5, 10, and 20 minutes after application (P < .05). Arterial diameter and heart rate did not change. Conclusions: The application of 3.5 mL of menthol was similar to the application of 0.5 kg of crushed ice in reducing peripheral blood flood. Combining crushed ice with menthol appeared to have an additive effect on reducing blood flow. PMID:23672386

Modeling and Simulation of Bus Dispatching Policy for Timed Transfers on Signalized Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Hsun-Jung; Lin, Guey-Shii

2007-12-01

The major work of this study is to formulate the system cost functions and to integrate the bus dispatching policy with signal control. The integrated model mainly includes the flow dispersion model for links, signal control model for nodes, and dispatching control model for transfer terminals. All such models are inter-related for transfer operations in one-center transit network. The integrated model that combines dispatching policies with flexible signal control modes can be applied to assess the effectiveness of transfer operations. It is found that, if bus arrival information is reliable, an early dispatching decision made at the mean bus arrival times is preferable. The costs for coordinated operations with slack times are relatively low at the optimal common headway when applying adaptive route control. Based on such findings, a threshold function of bus headway for justifying an adaptive signal route control under various time values of auto drivers is developed.

Asymptotic research of transonic gas flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velmisov, Petr A.; Tamarova, Yuliya A.

2017-12-01

The article is dedicated to the development asymptotic theory of gas flowing at speed next to sound velocity, particularly of gas transonic flows, i.e. the flows, containing both, subsonic and supersonic areas. The main issue, when styding such flows, are nonlinearity and combined type of equations, describing the transonic flow. Based on asymptotic nonlinear equation obtained in the article, the gas transonic flows is studied, considering transverse disturbance with respect to the main flow. The asymptotic conditions at shock-wave front and conditions on the streamlined surface are found. Moreover, the equation of sound surface and asymptotic formula defining the pressure are recorded. Several exact particular solutions of such equation are given, and their application to solve several tasks of transonic aerodynamics is indicated. Specifically, the polynomial form solution describing gas axisymmetric flows in Laval nozzles with constant acceleration in direction of the nozzle's axis and flow swirling is obtained. The solutions describing the unsteady flow along the channels between spinning surfaces are presented. The asymptotic equation is obtained, describing the flow, appearing during non-separated and separated flow past, closely approximated to cylindrical one. Specific solutions are given, based on which the examples of steady flow are formed.

Experimental Flow Models for SSME Flowfield Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abel, L. C.; Ramsey, P. E.

1989-01-01

Full scale flow models with extensive instrumentation were designed and manufactured to provide data necessary for flow field characterization in rocket engines of the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) type. These models include accurate flow path geometries from the pre-burner outlet through the throat of the main combustion chamber. The turbines are simulated with static models designed to provide the correct pressure drop and swirl for specific power levels. The correct turbopump-hot gas manifold interfaces were designed into the flow models to permit parametric/integration studies for new turbine designs. These experimental flow models provide a vehicle for understanding the fluid dynamics associated with specific engine issues and also fill the more general need for establishing a more detailed fluid dynamic base to support development and verification of advanced math models.

Non-invasive pulmonary blood flow analysis and blood pressure mapping derived from 4D flow MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delles, Michael; Rengier, Fabian; Azad, Yoo-Jin; Bodenstedt, Sebastian; von Tengg-Kobligk, Hendrik; Ley, Sebastian; Unterhinninghofen, Roland; Kauczor, Hans-Ulrich; Dillmann, Rüdiger

2015-03-01

In diagnostics and therapy control of cardiovascular diseases, detailed knowledge about the patient-specific behavior of blood flow and pressure can be essential. The only method capable of measuring complete time-resolved three-dimensional vector fields of the blood flow velocities is velocity-encoded magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), often denoted as 4D flow MRI. Furthermore, relative pressure maps can be computed from this data source, as presented by different groups in recent years. Hence, analysis of blood flow and pressure using 4D flow MRI can be a valuable technique in management of cardiovascular diseases. In order to perform these tasks, all necessary steps in the corresponding process chain can be carried out in our in-house developed software framework MEDIFRAME. In this article, we apply MEDIFRAME for a study of hemodynamics in the pulmonary arteries of five healthy volunteers. The study included measuring vector fields of blood flow velocities by phase-contrast MRI and subsequently computing relative blood pressure maps. We visualized blood flow by streamline depictions and computed characteristic values for the left and the right pulmonary artery (LPA and RPA). In all volunteers, we observed a lower amount of blood flow in the LPA compared to the RPA. Furthermore, we visualized blood pressure maps using volume rendering and generated graphs of pressure differences between the LPA, the RPA and the main pulmonary artery. In most volunteers, blood pressure was increased near to the bifurcation and in the proximal LPA, leading to higher average pressure values in the LPA compared to the RPA.

Parametric Studies of Flow Separation using Air Injection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Wei

2004-01-01

Boundary Layer separation causes the airfoil to stall and therefore imposes dramatic performance degradation on the airfoil. In recent years, flow separation control has been one of the active research areas in the field of aerodynamics due to its promising performance improvements on the lifting device. These active flow separation control techniques include steady and unsteady air injection as well as suction on the airfoil surface etc. This paper will be focusing on the steady and unsteady air injection on the airfoil. Although wind tunnel experiments revealed that the performance improvements on the airfoil using injection techniques, the details of how the key variables such as air injection slot geometry and air injection angle etc impact the effectiveness of flow separation control via air injection has not been studied. A parametric study of both steady and unsteady air injection active flow control will be the main objective for this summer. For steady injection, the key variables include the slot geometry, orientation, spacing, air injection velocity as well as the injection angle. For unsteady injection, the injection frequency will also be investigated. Key metrics such as lift coefficient, drag coefficient, total pressure loss and total injection mass will be used to measure the effectiveness of the control technique. A design of experiments using the Box-Behnken Design is set up in order to determine how each of the variables affects each of the key metrics. Design of experiment is used so that the number of experimental runs will be at minimum and still be able to predict which variables are the key contributors to the responses. The experiments will then be conducted in the 1ft by 1ft wind tunnel according to the design of experiment settings. The data obtained from the experiments will be imported into JMP, statistical software, to generate sets of response surface equations which represent the statistical empirical model for each of the metrics as a function of the key variables. Next, the variables such as the slot geometry can be optimized using the build-in optimizer within JMP. Finally, a wind tunnel testing will be conducted using the optimized slot geometry and other key variables to verify the empirical statistical model. The long term goal for this effort is to assess the impacts of active flow control using air injection at system level as one of the task plan included in the NASAs URETI program with Georgia Institute of Technology.

Implementation of High Speed Distributed Data Acquisition System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raju, Anju P.; Sekhar, Ambika

2012-09-01

This paper introduces a high speed distributed data acquisition system based on a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The aim is to develop a "distributed" data acquisition interface. The development of instruments such as personal computers and engineering workstations based on "standard" platforms is the motivation behind this effort. Using standard platforms as the controlling unit allows independence in hardware from a particular vendor and hardware platform. The distributed approach also has advantages from a functional point of view: acquisition resources become available to multiple instruments; the acquisition front-end can be physically remote from the rest of the instrument. High speed data acquisition system transmits data faster to a remote computer system through Ethernet interface. The data is acquired through 16 analog input channels. The input data commands are multiplexed and digitized and then the data is stored in 1K buffer for each input channel. The main control unit in this design is the 16 bit processor implemented in the FPGA. This 16 bit processor is used to set up and initialize the data source and the Ethernet controller, as well as control the flow of data from the memory element to the NIC. Using this processor we can initialize and control the different configuration registers in the Ethernet controller in a easy manner. Then these data packets are sending to the remote PC through the Ethernet interface. The main advantages of the using FPGA as standard platform are its flexibility, low power consumption, short design duration, fast time to market, programmability and high density. The main advantages of using Ethernet controller AX88796 over others are its non PCI interface, the presence of embedded SRAM where transmit and reception buffers are located and high-performance SRAM-like interface. The paper introduces the implementation of the distributed data acquisition using FPGA by VHDL. The main advantages of this system are high accuracy, high speed, real time monitoring.

Design of Interactively Time-Pulsed Microfluidic Mixers in Microchips using Numerical Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Lung-Ming; Tsai, Chien-Hsiung

2007-01-01

In this paper, we propose a novel technique in which driving voltages are applied interactively to the respective inlet fluid flows of three configurations of a microfluidic device, namely T-shaped, double-T-shaped, and double-cross-shaped configurations, to induce electroosmotic flow (EOF) velocity variations in such a way as to develop a rapid mixing effect in the microchannel. In these configurations a microfluidic mixer apply only one electrokinetic driving force, which drives the sample fluids and simultaneously produces a periodic switching frequency. It requires no other external driving force to induce perturbations to the flow field. The effects of the main applied electric field, the interactive frequency, and the pullback electric field on the mixing performance are thoroughly examined numerically. The optimal interactive frequency range for a given set of micromixer parameters is identified for each type of control mode. The numerical results confirm that micromixers operating at an optimal interactive frequency are capable of delivering a significantly enhanced mixing performance. Furthermore, it is shown that the optimal interactive frequency depends upon the magnitude of the main applied electric field. The interactively pulsed mixers developed in this study have a strong potential for use in lab-on-a-chip systems. They involve a simpler fabrication process than either passive or active on-chip mixers and require less human intervention in operation than their bulky external counterparts.

Geothermic analysis of high temperature hydrothermal activities area in Western plateau of Sichuan province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.

2016-12-01

There is a high temperature hydrothermal activity area in the western plateau of Sichuan. More than 200 hot springs points have been found in the region, including 11 hot spring water temperature above local boiling point. Most of these distribute along Jinshajjiang fracture, Dege-Xiangcheng fracture, Ganzi-Litang fracture as well as Xianshuihe fracture, and form three high-temperature hydrothermal activity strips in the NW-SE direction. Using gravity, magnetic, seismic and helium isotope data, this paper analyzed the crust-mantle heat flow structure, crustal heat source distribution and water heating system. The results show that the geothermal activity mainly controlled by the "hot" crust. The ratio of crustal heat flow and surface heat flow is higher than 60%. In the high temperature hydrothermal activities area, there is lower S wave velocity zone with Vs<3.2 km/s in 15 30 km depth in middle and lower crust. Basing on the S wave velocity inversion temperature of crust-mantle, it has been found that there is a high temperature layer with 850 1000 ° in 20 40 km depth. It is the main heat source of high temperature hydrothermal activity area of western Sichuan. Our argument is that atmospheric precipitation, surface water infiltrated along the fault fracture into the crustal deep, heating by crustal hot source, and circulation to surface become high temperature hot water. Geothermal water mainly reserve in the Triassic strata of the containing water good carbonate rocks, and in the intrusive granite which is along the fault zone. The thermal energy of Surface heat thermal activities mainly comes from the high-temperature hot source which is located in the middle and lower crust. Being in the deep crustal fracture, the groundwater infiltrated to the deep crust and absorbed heat, then, quickly got back to the surface and formed high hot springs.

Neural network based adaptive output feedback control: Applications and improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutay, Ali Turker

Application of recently developed neural network based adaptive output feedback controllers to a diverse range of problems both in simulations and experiments is investigated in this thesis. The purpose is to evaluate the theory behind the development of these controllers numerically and experimentally, identify the needs for further development in practical applications, and to conduct further research in directions that are identified to ultimately enhance applicability of adaptive controllers to real world problems. We mainly focus our attention on adaptive controllers that augment existing fixed gain controllers. A recently developed approach holds great potential for successful implementations on real world applications due to its applicability to systems with minimal information concerning the plant model and the existing controller. In this thesis the formulation is extended to the multi-input multi-output case for distributed control of interconnected systems and successfully tested on a formation flight wind tunnel experiment. The command hedging method is formulated for the approach to further broaden the class of systems it can address by including systems with input nonlinearities. Also a formulation is adopted that allows the approach to be applied to non-minimum phase systems for which non-minimum phase characteristics are modeled with sufficient accuracy and treated properly in the design of the existing controller. It is shown that the approach can also be applied to augment nonlinear controllers under certain conditions and an example is presented where the nonlinear guidance law of a spinning projectile is augmented. Simulation results on a high fidelity 6 degrees-of-freedom nonlinear simulation code are presented. The thesis also presents a preliminary adaptive controller design for closed loop flight control with active flow actuators. Behavior of such actuators in dynamic flight conditions is not known. To test the adaptive controller design in simulation, a fictitious actuator model is developed that fits experimentally observed characteristics of flow control actuators in static flight conditions as well as possible coupling effects between actuation, the dynamics of flow field, and the rigid body dynamics of the vehicle.

Comparison of Peak-Flow Estimation Methods for Small Drainage Basins in Maine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodgkins, Glenn A.; Hebson, Charles; Lombard, Pamela J.; Mann, Alexander

2007-01-01

Understanding the accuracy of commonly used methods for estimating peak streamflows is important because the designs of bridges, culverts, and other river structures are based on these flows. Different methods for estimating peak streamflows were analyzed for small drainage basins in Maine. For the smallest basins, with drainage areas of 0.2 to 1.0 square mile, nine peak streamflows from actual rainfall events at four crest-stage gaging stations were modeled by the Rational Method and the Natural Resource Conservation Service TR-20 method and compared to observed peak flows. The Rational Method had a root mean square error (RMSE) of -69.7 to 230 percent (which means that approximately two thirds of the modeled flows were within -69.7 to 230 percent of the observed flows). The TR-20 method had an RMSE of -98.0 to 5,010 percent. Both the Rational Method and TR-20 underestimated the observed flows in most cases. For small basins, with drainage areas of 1.0 to 10 square miles, modeled peak flows were compared to observed statistical peak flows with return periods of 2, 50, and 100 years for 17 streams in Maine and adjoining parts of New Hampshire. Peak flows were modeled by the Rational Method, the Natural Resources Conservation Service TR-20 method, U.S. Geological Survey regression equations, and the Probabilistic Rational Method. The regression equations were the most accurate method of computing peak flows in Maine for streams with drainage areas of 1.0 to 10 square miles with an RMSE of -34.3 to 52.2 percent for 50-year peak flows. The Probabilistic Rational Method was the next most accurate method (-38.5 to 62.6 percent). The Rational Method (-56.1 to 128 percent) and particularly the TR-20 method (-76.4 to 323 percent) had much larger errors. Both the TR-20 and regression methods had similar numbers of underpredictions and overpredictions. The Rational Method overpredicted most peak flows and the Probabilistic Rational Method tended to overpredict peak flows from the smaller (less than 5 square miles) drainage basins and underpredict peak flows from larger drainage basins. The results of this study are consistent with the most comprehensive analysis of observed and modeled peak streamflows in the United States, which analyzed statistical peak flows from 70 drainage basins in the Midwest and the Northwest.

LavaSIM: the effect of heat transfer in 3D on lava flow characteristics (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujita, E.

2013-12-01

Characteristics of lava flow are governed by many parameters like lava viscosity, effusion rate, ground topography, etc. The accuracy and applicability of lava flow simulation code is evaluated whether the numerical simulation can reproduce these features quantitatively, which is important from both strategic and scientific points of views. Many lava flow simulation codes are so far proposed, and they are classified into two categories, i.e., the deterministic and the probabilistic models. LavaSIM is one of the former category models, and has a disadvantage of time consuming. But LavaSIM can solves the equations of continuity, motion, energy by step and has an advantage in the calculation of three-dimensional analysis with solid-liquid two phase flow, including the heat transfer between lava, solidified crust, air, water and ground, and three-dimensional convection in liquid lava. In other word, we can check the detailed structure of lava flow by LavaSIM. Therefore, this code can produce both channeled and fan-dispersive flows. The margin of the flow is solidified by cooling and these solidified crusts control the behavior of successive lava flow. In case of a channel flow, the solidified margin supports the stable central main flow and elongates the lava flow distance. The cross section of lava flow shows that the liquid lava flows between solidified crusts. As for the lava extrusion flow rate, LavaSIM can include the time function as well as the location of the vents. In some cases, some parts of the solidified wall may be broken by the pressure of successive flow and/or re-melting. These mechanisms could characterize complex features of the observed lava flows at many volcanoes in the world. To apply LavaSIM to the benchmark tests organized by V-hub is important to improve the lava flow evaluation technique.

Water resources of Windward Oahu, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Takasaki, K.J.; Hirashima, George Tokusuke; Lubke, E.R.

1969-01-01

Windward Oahu lies in a large cavity--an erosional remnant of the Koolau volcanic dome at its greatest stage of growth. Outcrops include volcanic rocks associated with caldera collapse and the main fissure zone which is marked by a dike complex that extends along the main axis of the dome. The fissure zone intersects and underlies the Koolau Range north of Waiahole Valley. South of Waiahole Valley, the crest of the Koolau Range is in the marginal dike zone, an area of scattered dikes. The crest of the range forms the western boundary of windward Oahu. Dikes, mostly vertical and parallel or subparallel to the fissure zone, control movement and discharge of ground water because they are less permeable than the rocks they intrude. Dikes impound or partly impound ground water by preventing or retarding its movement toward discharge points. The top of this water, called high-level water in Hawaii, is at an altitude of about 1,000 feet in the north end of windward Oahu and 400 feet near the south end in Waimanalo Valley. It underlies most of the area and extends near or to the surface in poorly permeable rocks in low-lying areas. Permeability is high in less weathered mountain areas and is highest farthest away from the dike complex. Ground-water storage fluctuates to some degree owing to limited changes in the level of the ground-water reservoir--maximum storage is about 60,000 million gallons. The fluctuations control the rate at which ground water discharges. Even at its lowest recorded level, the reservoir contains a major part of the storage capacity because most of the area is perennially saturated to or near the surface. Tunnels have reduced storage by about 26,000 million gallons--only a fraction of the total storage--by breaching dike controls. Much of the reduction in storage can be restored if the .breached dike controls are replaced by flow-regulating bulkheads. Perennial streams intersect high-level water and collectively form its principal discharge. The larger streams are those that cut deepest into high-level reservoirs. Except near the coast in the northern end of the area, where dikes are absent, total base flow of streams equals total ground-water discharge. Development of high-level water by tunnels and wells diverts ground-water discharge from streams, decreasing the base flow of these streams. Construction of Haiku tunnel decreased the flow of Kahaluu Stream, 2 ? miles away, by about 26 percent. The dependable flow of water is estimated at 118 mgd (million gallons per day), of which 84 mgd is discharged by streams, tunnels, springs, and wells The remaining 34 mgd is underflow, most of it discharging into the sea near the northern end of ,the area. Average flow is estimated at 220 mgd, of which 159 mgd is. inventoried flow and 61 mgd is estimated underflow. Specific capacity of wells tapping lava flows of the Koolau Volcanic Series ranges from less than 1 to 11 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown in the dike-complex zone and from 2 to 100 in the marginal dike zone. A transmissivity of 4,000,000 gallons per day per foot was determined for the basal aquifer. Permeabilities of rocks in high mountainous areas penetrated by water-development tunnels were compared by recession constants determined from free-flow drainage. Evapotranspiration was estimated from regression curves obtained by correlating median annual rainfall and median annual pan evaporation. Evapotranspiration values from these curves compared favorably w4th values obtained from water-budget listings of rainfall and measured ground-water flow. The chemical quality of water in wells and tunnels tapping rocks of the Koolau and Honolulu Volcanic Series is excellent. Except in a few isolated areas near the shore, the chloride content of the water from these sources is generally less than 100 parts per million. Wells tapping calcareous materials are subject to sea-water contamination under heavy pumping.

Inflow/outflow boundary conditions for particle-based blood flow simulations: Application to arterial bifurcations and trees

DOE PAGES

Lykov, Kirill; Li, Xuejin; Lei, Huan; ...

2015-08-28

When blood flows through a bifurcation, red blood cells (RBCs) travel into side branches at different hematocrit levels, and it is even possible that all RBCs enter into one branch only, leading to a complete separation of plasma and R- BCs. To quantify this phenomenon via particle-based mesoscopic simulations, we developed a general framework for open boundary conditions in multiphase flows that is effective even for high hematocrit levels. The inflow at the inlet is duplicated from a fully developed flow generated in a pilot simulation with periodic boundary conditions. The outflow is controlled by adaptive forces to maintain themore » flow rate and velocity gradient at fixed values, while the particles leaving the arteriole at the outlet are removed from the system. Upon valida- tion of this approach, we performed systematic 3D simulations to study plasma skimming in arterioles of diameters 20 to 32 microns. For a flow rate ratio 6:1 at the branches, we observed the \\all-or-nothing" phenomenon with plasma only entering the low flow rate branch. We then simulated blood-plasma separation in arteriolar bifurcations with different bifurcation angles and same diameter of the daughter branches. Our simulations predict a significant increase in RBC flux through the main daughter branch as the bifurcation angle is increased. Lastly, we demonstrated the new methodology for simulating blood flow in ves- sels with multiple inlets and outlets, constructed using an angiogenesis model.« less

Inflow/outflow boundary conditions for particle-based blood flow simulations: Application to arterial bifurcations and trees

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

Lykov, Kirill; Li, Xuejin; Lei, Huan

When blood flows through a bifurcation, red blood cells (RBCs) travel into side branches at different hematocrit levels, and it is even possible that all RBCs enter into one branch only, leading to a complete separation of plasma and R- BCs. To quantify this phenomenon via particle-based mesoscopic simulations, we developed a general framework for open boundary conditions in multiphase flows that is effective even for high hematocrit levels. The inflow at the inlet is duplicated from a fully developed flow generated in a pilot simulation with periodic boundary conditions. The outflow is controlled by adaptive forces to maintain themore » flow rate and velocity gradient at fixed values, while the particles leaving the arteriole at the outlet are removed from the system. Upon valida- tion of this approach, we performed systematic 3D simulations to study plasma skimming in arterioles of diameters 20 to 32 microns. For a flow rate ratio 6:1 at the branches, we observed the \\all-or-nothing" phenomenon with plasma only entering the low flow rate branch. We then simulated blood-plasma separation in arteriolar bifurcations with different bifurcation angles and same diameter of the daughter branches. Our simulations predict a significant increase in RBC flux through the main daughter branch as the bifurcation angle is increased. Lastly, we demonstrated the new methodology for simulating blood flow in ves- sels with multiple inlets and outlets, constructed using an angiogenesis model.« less

Unsteady characteristics of low-Re flow past two tandem cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wei; Dou, Hua-Shu; Zhu, Zuchao; Li, Yi

2018-06-01

This study investigated the two-dimensional flow past two tandem circular or square cylinders at Re = 100 and D / d = 4-10, where D is the center-to-center distance and d is the cylinder diameter. Numerical simulation was performed to comparably study the effect of cylinder geometry and spacing on the aerodynamic characteristics, unsteady flow patterns, time-averaged flow characteristics and flow unsteadiness. We also provided the first global linear stability analysis and sensitivity analysis on the physical problem for the potential application of flow control. The objective of this work is to quantitatively identify the effect of the cylinder geometry and spacing on the characteristic quantities. Numerical results reveal that there is wake flow transition for both geometries depending on the spacing. The characteristic quantities, including the time-averaged and fluctuating streamwise velocity and pressure coefficient, are quite similar to that of the single cylinder case for the upstream cylinder, while an entirely different variation pattern is observed for the downstream cylinder. The global linear stability analysis shows that the spatial structure of perturbation is mainly observed in the wake of the downstream cylinder for small spacing, while moves upstream with reduced size and is also observed after the upstream cylinder for large spacing. The sensitivity analysis reflects that the temporal growth rate of perturbation is the most sensitive to the near-wake flow of downstream cylinder for small spacing and upstream cylinder for large spacing.

Inflow/Outflow Boundary Conditions for Particle-Based Blood Flow Simulations: Application to Arterial Bifurcations and Trees.

PubMed

Lykov, Kirill; Li, Xuejin; Lei, Huan; Pivkin, Igor V; Karniadakis, George Em

2015-08-01

When blood flows through a bifurcation, red blood cells (RBCs) travel into side branches at different hematocrit levels, and it is even possible that all RBCs enter into one branch only, leading to a complete separation of plasma and RBCs. To quantify this phenomenon via particle-based mesoscopic simulations, we developed a general framework for open boundary conditions in multiphase flows that is effective even for high hematocrit levels. The inflow at the inlet is duplicated from a fully developed flow generated in a pilot simulation with periodic boundary conditions. The outflow is controlled by adaptive forces to maintain the flow rate and velocity gradient at fixed values, while the particles leaving the arteriole at the outlet are removed from the system. Upon validation of this approach, we performed systematic 3D simulations to study plasma skimming in arterioles of diameters 20 to 32 microns. For a flow rate ratio 6:1 at the branches, we observed the "all-or-nothing" phenomenon with plasma only entering the low flow rate branch. We then simulated blood-plasma separation in arteriolar bifurcations with different bifurcation angles and same diameter of the daughter branches. Our simulations predict a significant increase in RBC flux through the main daughter branch as the bifurcation angle is increased. Finally, we demonstrated the effectiveness of the new methodology in simulations of blood flow in vessels with multiple inlets and outlets, constructed using an angiogenesis model.

Lava Fountaining Discharge Regime driven by Slug-to-Churn Flow Transition. (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ripepe, M.; Pioli, L.; Marchetti, E.; Ulivieri, G.

2013-12-01

Lava fountaining episodes at Etna volcano appear characterized by the transition between Strombolian and Hawaiian end-member eruptive styles. There is no evidence for this transition in the seismic (i.e. seismic tremor) signal. However, infrasonic records provide unprecedented evidence on this flow transition. Each eruptive episode is characterized by distinctive common trend in the amplitude, waveform and frequency content of the infrasonic wavefield, which evidences the shift from discrete, and transient, strombolian to sustained, and oscillatory, lava fountain dynamics. Large scale experiments on the dynamics of two-phase flow of basaltic magmas show how the transition between different regimes mainly depends on gas volume flow, which in turn controls pressure distribution within the conduit and also magma vesicularity. In particular, while regular large bubble bursting is associated with slug flow regime, large amplitude and low frequency column oscillations are associated with churn flow. In large pipes, transition from slug to churn flow regime is independent on conduit diameter and it is reached at high superficial gas velocity. Lava fountaining episodes at Etna can be thus interpreted as induced by the transition from the slug (discrete strombolian) to churn flow (sustained lava fountain) regimes that is reflecting an increase in the gas discharge rate. Based on laboratory experiments, we calculate that transition between these two end-member explosive regimes at Etna occurs when gas superficial velocity is 76 m/s for near-the-vent stagnant magma conditions.

Flame Spread and Extinction Over a Thick Solid Fuel in Low-Velocity Opposed and Concurrent Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Feng; Lu, Zhanbin; Wang, Shuangfeng

2016-05-01

Flame spread and extinction phenomena over a thick PMMA in purely opposed and concurrent flows are investigated by conducting systematical experiments in a narrow channel apparatus. The present tests focus on low-velocity flow regime and hence complement experimental data previously reported for high and moderate velocity regimes. In the flow velocity range tested, the opposed flame is found to spread much faster than the concurrent flame at a given flow velocity. The measured spread rates for opposed and concurrent flames can be correlated by corresponding theoretical models of flame spread, indicating that existing models capture the main mechanisms controlling the flame spread. In low-velocity gas flows, however, the experimental results are observed to deviate from theoretical predictions. This may be attributed to the neglect of radiative heat loss in the theoretical models, whereas radiation becomes important for low-intensity flame spread. Flammability limits using oxygen concentration and flow velocity as coordinates are presented for both opposed and concurrent flame spread configurations. It is found that concurrent spread has a wider flammable range than opposed case. Beyond the flammability boundary of opposed spread, there is an additional flammable area for concurrent spread, where the spreading flame is sustainable in concurrent mode only. The lowest oxygen concentration allowing concurrent flame spread in forced flow is estimated to be approximately 14 % O2, substantially below that for opposed spread (18.5 % O2).

Peripheral Vasoconstriction and Abnormal Parasympathetic Response to Sighs and Transient Hypoxia in Sickle Cell Disease

PubMed Central

Sangkatumvong, Suvimol; Khoo, Michael C. K.; Kato, Roberta; Detterich, Jon A.; Bush, Adam; Keens, Thomas G.; Meiselman, Herbert J.; Wood, John C.

2011-01-01

Rationale: Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by vasoocclusive crises. Although hypoxia and pulmonary disease are known risk factors for these crises, the mechanisms that initiate vasoocclusive events are not well known. Objectives: To study the relationship between transient hypoxia, respiration, and microvascular blood flow in patients with sickle cell. Methods: We established a protocol that mimics nighttime hypoxic episodes and measured microvascular blood flow to determine if transient hypoxia causes a decrease in microvascular blood flow. Significant desaturations were induced safely by five breaths of 100% nitrogen. Measurements and Main Results: Desaturation did not induce change in microvascular perfusion; however, it induced substantial transient parasympathetic activity withdrawal in patients with sickle cell disease, but not controls subjects. Marked periodic drops in peripheral microvascular perfusion, unrelated to hypoxia, were triggered by sighs in 11 of 11 patients with sickle cell and 8 of 11 control subjects. Although the sigh frequency was the same in both groups, the probability of a sigh inducing a perfusion drop was 78% in patients with sickle cell and 17% in control subjects (P < 0.001). Evidence for sigh-induced sympathetic nervous system dominance was seen in patients with sickle cell (P < 0.05), but was not significant in control subjects. Conclusions: These data demonstrate significant disruption of autonomic nervous system balance, with marked parasympathetic withdrawal in response to transient hypoxia. They draw attention to an enhanced autonomic nervous system–mediated sigh–vasoconstrictor response in patients with sickle cell that could increase red cell retention in the microvasculature, promoting vasoocclusion. PMID:21616995

Optimization of Casting Design Parameters on Fabrication of Reliable Semi-Solid Aluminum Suspension Control Arm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragab, Kh. A.; Bouaicha, A.; Bouazara, M.

2017-09-01

The semi-solid casting process has the advantage of providing reliable mechanical aluminum parts that work continuously in dynamic as control arm of the suspension system in automotive vehicles. The quality performance of dynamic control arm is related to casting mold and gating system designs that affect the fluidity of semi-solid metal during filling the mold. Therefore, this study focuses on improvement in mechanical performance, depending on material characterization, and casting design optimization, of suspension control arms made of A357 aluminum semi-solid alloys. Mechanical and design analyses, applied on the suspension arm, showed the occurrence of mechanical failures at unexpected weak points. Metallurgical analysis showed that the main reason lies in the difficult flow of semi-solid paste through the thin thicknesses of a complex geometry. A design modification procedure is applied to the geometry of the suspension arm to avoid this problem and to improve its quality performance. The design modification of parts was carried out by using SolidWorks design software, evaluation of constraints with ABAQUS, and simulation of flow with ProCast software. The proposed designs showed that the modified suspension arm, without ribs and with a central canvas designed as Z, is considered as a perfect casting design showing an increase in the structural strength of the component. In this case, maximum von Mises stress is 199 MPa that is below the yield strength of the material. The modified casting mold design shows a high uniformity and minim turbulence of molten metal flow during semi-solid casting process.

The Design of a Standard Software Development Methodology for the Brazilian Aeronautical Ministry.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

controlling the overall aeronautical activities. In war time its main objective will be to achieve and maintain air superiority over the Brazilian territory...and the detailed design phase. Like flowcharts, pseudocode can be used at any level of abstraction[171. (4) Advantages 0 (a) Is superior to flow...incorporate database concepts[17]. Its level of proliferation in Brasil is low, and it is not known by the SIMAER’s professionals. ’- ," 3. Structured Design

Assessment of Debris Flow Potential Hazardous Zones Using Numerical Models in the Mountain Foothills of Santiago, Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celis, C.; Sepulveda, S. A.; Castruccio, A.; Lara, M.

2017-12-01

Debris and mudflows are some of the main geological hazards in the mountain foothills of Central Chile. The risk of flows triggered in the basins of ravines that drain the Andean frontal range into the capital city, Santiago, increases with time due to accelerated urban expansion. Susceptibility assessments were made by several authors to detect the main active ravines in the area. Macul and San Ramon ravines have a high to medium debris flow susceptibility, whereas Lo Cañas, Apoquindo and Las Vizcachas ravines have a medium to low debris flow susceptibility. This study emphasizes in delimiting the potential hazardous zones using the numerical simulation program RAMMS-Debris Flows with the Voellmy model approach, and the debris-flow model LAHARZ. This is carried out by back-calculating the frictional parameters in the depositional zone with a known event as the debris and mudflows in Macul and San Ramon ravines, on May 3rd, 1993, for the RAMMS approach. In the same scenario, we calibrate the coefficients to match conditions of the mountain foothills of Santiago for the LAHARZ model. We use the information obtained for every main ravine in the study area, mainly for the similarity in slopes and material transported. Simulations were made for the worst-case scenario, caused by the combination of intense rainfall storms, a high 0°C isotherm level and material availability in the basins where the flows are triggered. The results show that the runout distances are well simulated, therefore a debris-flow hazard map could be developed with these models. Correlation issues concerning the run-up, deposit thickness and transversal areas are reported. Hence, the models do not represent entirely the complexity of the phenomenon, but they are a reliable approximation for preliminary hazard maps.

Subsystem Analysis/Optimization for the X-34 Main Propulsion System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDonald, J. P.; Hedayat, A.; Brown, T. M.; Knight, K. C.; Champion, R. H., Jr.

1998-01-01

The Orbital Sciences Corporation X-34 vehicle demonstrates technologies and operations key to future reusable launch vehicles. The general flight performance goal of this unmanned rocket plane is Mach 8 flight at an altitude of 250,000 feet. The Main Propulsion System (MPS) supplies liquid propellants to the main engine, which provides the primary thrust for attaining mission goals. Major MPS design and operational goals are aircraft-like ground operations, quick turnaround between missions, and low initial/operational costs. Analyses related to optimal MPS subsystem design are reviewed in this paper. A pressurization system trade weighs maintenance/reliability concerns against those for safety in a comparison of designs using pressure regulators versus orifices to control pressurant flow. A propellant dump/feed system analysis weighs the issues of maximum allowable vehicle landing weight, trajectory, and MPS complexity to arrive at a final configuration for propellant dump/feed systems.

Thermal Analysis on Plume Heating of the Main Engine on the Crew Exploration Vehicle Service Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Xiao-Yen J.; Yuko, James R.

2007-01-01

The crew exploration vehicle (CEV) service module (SM) main engine plume heating is analyzed using multiple numerical tools. The chemical equilibrium compositions and applications (CEA) code is used to compute the flow field inside the engine nozzle. The plume expansion into ambient atmosphere is simulated using an axisymmetric space-time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) Euler code, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. The thermal analysis including both convection and radiation heat transfers from the hot gas inside the engine nozzle and gas radiation from the plume is performed using Thermal Desktop. Three SM configurations, Lockheed Martin (LM) designed 604, 605, and 606 configurations, are considered. Design of multilayer insulation (MLI) for the stowed solar arrays, which is subject to plume heating from the main engine, among the passive thermal control system (PTCS), are proposed and validated.

Hydrological controls on chemical weathering in the typical carbonated river basin, SW China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LI, S. L.; Jin, L.; Zhong, J., Sr.

2016-12-01

The dynamics of dissolved load in the riverine system could provide an insight in understanding the surface processes, such as chemical weathering and carbon cycle. The Xijiang River is a typical carbonated river basin, located at southwestern China. The Xijiang River catchment is controlled by a humid subtropical climate. In spite of being impacted by monsoonal climate and with significant variations of discharge, the temporal variations of compositions of main ions and chemical weathering of Xijiang River are rarely documented. In this study, a systematic investigation on the seasonal and episodic water geochemistry (major ions and d13CDIC) of the major branch and outlet of Xijiang River were carried out with the purpose of 1) characterizing temporal variations of aqueous geochemistry and its controlling factors, 2) exploring the impact of hydrological controls on chemical weathering of the Xijiang River Basin. The results show that the concentrations of Cl, Na, Ca, Mg, and HCO3 are generally decreased during monsoon season, which should be mainly caused by dilution. However, the dilution effect does not strictly follow the theoretical dilution curve. Moreover, d13CDIC in the high-flow period has more negative values than in low-flow period. More negative δ13CDIC values in the river during the wet season reflected the influx of rain water with biological CO2 during the rain event. This study suggested that hydrochemistry and d13CDIC had a large variation responding to rainstorm events. The calculated results show that the weathering rates of silicate and carbonate as well as that of related CO2 consumption have a positive relation with water discharge, highlighting the hydrological controls on chemical weathering and CO2 consumption rates. The results indicated carbonated weathering rate responding to hydrological condition sensitivity in the typical carbonate river basin. This work was supported by The China National Science Fund for Outstanding Young Scholars (Grant No. 41422303).

Structural and functional changes in the microcirculation of lepromatous leprosy patients - Observation using orthogonal polarization spectral imaging and laser Doppler flowmetry iontophoresis

PubMed Central

Treu, Curt; de Souza, Maria das Graças Coelho; Lupi, Omar; Sicuro, Fernando Lencastre; Maranhão, Priscila Alves; Kraemer-Aguiar, Luiz Guilherme; Bouskela, Eliete

2017-01-01

Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infection of skin and peripheral nerves caused by Mycobacterium leprae and is considered the main infectious cause of disability worldwide. Despite the several studies regarding leprosy, little is known about its effects on microvascular structure and function in vivo. Thus, we have aimed to compare skin capillary structure and functional density, cutaneous vasomotion (spontaneous oscillations of arteriolar diameter), which ensures optimal blood flow distribution to skin capillaries) and cutaneous microvascular blood flow and reactivity between ten men with lepromatous leprosy (without any other comorbidity) and ten age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Orthogonal polarization spectral imaging was used to evaluate skin capillary morphology and functional density and laser Doppler flowmetry to evaluate blood flow, vasomotion and spectral analysis of flowmotion (oscillations of blood flow generated by vasomotion) and microvascular reactivity, in response to iontophoresis of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. The contribution of different frequency components of flowmotion (endothelial, neurogenic, myogenic, respiratory and cardiac) was not statistically different between groups. However, endothelial-dependent and -independent vasodilatations elicited by acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside iontophoresis, respectively, were significantly reduced in lepromatous leprosy patients compared to controls, characterizing the existence of microvascular dysfunction. These patients also presented a significant increase in the number of capillaries with morphological abnormalities and in the diameters of the dermal papilla and capillary bulk when compared to controls. Our results suggest that lepromatous leprosy causes severe microvascular dysfunction and significant alterations in capillary structure. These structural and functional changes are probably induced by exposure of the microvascular bed to chronic inflammation evoked by the Mycobacterium leprae. PMID:28419120

Positron emission tomography detects greater blood flow and less blood flow heterogeneity in the exercising skeletal muscles of old compared with young men during fatiguing contractions

PubMed Central

Rudroff, Thorsten; Weissman, Jessica A; Bucci, Marco; Seppänen, Marko; Kaskinoro, Kimmo; Heinonen, Ilkka; Kalliokoski, Kari K

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate blood flow and its heterogeneity within and among the knee muscles in five young (26 ± 6 years) and five old (77 ± 6 years) healthy men with similar levels of physical activity while they performed two types of submaximal fatiguing isometric contraction that required either force or position control. Positron emission tomography (PET) and [15O]-H2O were used to determine blood flow at 2 min (beginning) and 12 min (end) after the start of the tasks. Young and old men had similar maximal forces and endurance times for the fatiguing tasks. Although muscle volumes were lower in the older subjects, total muscle blood flow was similar in both groups (young men: 25.8 ± 12.6 ml min−1; old men: 25.1 ± 15.4 ml min−1; age main effect, P = 0.77) as blood flow per unit mass of muscle in the exercising knee extensors was greater in the older (12.5 ± 6.2 ml min−1 (100 g)−1) than the younger (8.6 ± 3.6 ml min−1 (100 g)−1) men (age main effect, P = 0.001). Further, blood flow heterogeneity in the exercising knee extensors was significantly lower in the older (56 ± 27%) than the younger (67 ± 34%) men. Together, these data show that although skeletal muscles are smaller in older subjects, based on the intact neural drive to the muscle and the greater, less heterogeneous blood flow per gram of muscle, old fit muscle achieves adequate exercise hyperaemia. Key points The results of previous studies that attempted to demonstrate the effects of ageing on skeletal muscle blood flow are controversial because these studies used indirect assessments of skeletal muscle blood flow obtained via whole limb blood flow measurements that provide no information on the distribution of blood flow within particular muscles. We used positron emission tomography to measure blood flow per gram of muscle in old and young men with similar levels of physical activity. Resting muscle blood flow was similar in both groups and exercising muscle blood flow was greater and less heterogeneous in the older men. Old and young men achieved similar maximal voluntary contraction forces and endurance times during two types of fatiguing isometric task. These findings indicate that physically active old men have intact neural drive to the muscle and achieve adequate exercise hyperaemia despite the age-induced decrease in their muscle volume. PMID:24247981

User's manual for the generalized computer program system. Open-channel flow and sedimentation, TABS-2. Main text

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, W. A.; McAnally, W. H., Jr.

1985-07-01

TABS-2 is a generalized numerical modeling system for open-channel flows, sedimentation, and constituent transport. It consists of more than 40 computer programs to perform modeling and related tasks. The major modeling components--RMA-2V, STUDH, and RMA-4--calculate two-dimensional, depth-averaged flows, sedimentation, and dispersive transport, respectively. The other programs in the system perform digitizing, mesh generation, data management, graphical display, output analysis, and model interfacing tasks. Utilities include file management and automatic generation of computer job control instructions. TABS-2 has been applied to a variety of waterways, including rivers, estuaries, bays, and marshes. It is designed for use by engineers and scientists who may not have a rigorous computer background. Use of the various components is described in Appendices A-O. The bound version of the report does not include the appendices. A looseleaf form with Appendices A-O is distributed to system users.

Phylogeography and Sex-Biased Dispersal across Riverine Manatee Populations (Trichechus inunguis and Trichechus manatus) in South America

PubMed Central

Satizábal, Paula; Mignucci-Giannoni, Antonio A.; Duchêne, Sebastián; Caicedo-Herrera, Dalila; Perea-Sicchar, Carlos M.; García-Dávila, Carmen R.; Trujillo, Fernando; Caballero, Susana J.

2012-01-01

Phylogeographic patterns and sex-biased dispersal were studied in riverine populations of West Indian (Trichechus manatus) and Amazonian manatees (T. inunguis) in South America, using 410bp D-loop (Control Region, Mitochondrial DNA) sequences and 15 nuclear microsatellite loci. This multi-locus approach was key to disentangle complex patterns of gene flow among populations. D-loop analyses revealed population structuring among all Colombian rivers for T. manatus, while microsatellite data suggested no structure. Two main populations of T. inunguis separating the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon were supported by analysis of the D-loop and microsatellite data. Overall, we provide molecular evidence for differences in dispersal patterns between sexes, demonstrating male-biased gene flow dispersal in riverine manatees. These results are in contrast with previously reported levels of population structure shown by microsatellite data in marine manatee populations, revealing low habitat restrictions to gene flow in riverine habitats, and more significant dispersal limitations for males in marine environments. PMID:23285054

Surface-directed capillary system; theory, experiments and applications.

PubMed

Bouaidat, Salim; Hansen, Ole; Bruus, Henrik; Berendsen, Christian; Bau-Madsen, Niels Kristian; Thomsen, Peter; Wolff, Anders; Jonsmann, Jacques

2005-08-01

We present a capillary flow system for liquid transport in microsystems. Our simple microfluidic system consists of two planar parallel surfaces, separated by spacers. One of the surfaces is entirely hydrophobic, the other mainly hydrophobic, but with hydrophilic pathways defined on it by photolithographic means. By controlling the wetting properties of the surfaces in this manner, the liquid can be confined to certain areas defined by the hydrophilic pathways. This technique eliminates the need for alignment of the two surfaces. Patterned plasma-polymerized hexafluoropropene constitutes the hydrophobic areas, whereas the untreated glass surface constitutes the hydrophilic pathways. We developed a theoretical model of the capillary flow and obtained analytical solutions which are in good agreement with the experimental results. The capillarity-driven microflow system was also used to pattern and immobilize biological material on planar substrates: well-defined 200 microm wide strips of human cells (HeLa) and fluorescence labelled proteins (fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled bovine serum albumin, i.e., FITC-BSA) were fabricated using the capillary flow system presented here.

Predicting reduced visibility related crashes on freeways using real-time traffic flow data.

PubMed

Hassan, Hany M; Abdel-Aty, Mohamed A

2013-06-01

The main objective of this paper is to investigate whether real-time traffic flow data, collected from loop detectors and radar sensors on freeways, can be used to predict crashes occurring at reduced visibility conditions. In addition, it examines the difference between significant factors associated with reduced visibility related crashes to those factors correlated with crashes occurring at clear visibility conditions. Random Forests and matched case-control logistic regression models were estimated. The findings indicated that real-time traffic variables can be used to predict visibility related crashes on freeways. The results showed that about 69% of reduced visibility related crashes were correctly identified. The results also indicated that traffic flow variables leading to visibility related crashes are slightly different from those variables leading to clear visibility crashes. Using time slices 5-15 minutes before crashes might provide an opportunity for the appropriate traffic management centers for a proactive intervention to reduce crash risk in real-time. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Local and non-local effects of spanwise finite perturbations in erodible river bathymetries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musa, Mirko; Hill, Craig; Guala, Michele

2015-11-01

Laboratory experiments were performed to study the effect of axial-flow hydrokinetic turbine models on an erodible river bed under live-bed conditions. Results indicate that the presence of an operating turbine rotor creates a blockage in the mean flow which produces a remarkable geomorphic signature in the migrating bedforms. These impacts affect a local area downstream of the turbines when placed symmetrically with respect to the cross section of the channel. On the other hand, more interesting results are observed with an asymmetric installation of the turbines. This configuration demonstrates a stronger effect on the mean flow, resulting in a larger plan-wise distortion of the mean topography and differential migration patterns of bedforms. Different turbine installation arrangements and hub heights above the mean bed were investigated, focusing mainly on the perturbation of sediment transport characteristics influenced by the turbine wake. Additional results with spanwise modulated submerged walls explore the possibility to control river topography harvesting this type of geomorphic destabilization.

Monitoring the orientation of rare-earth-doped nanorods for flow shear tomography.

PubMed

Kim, Jongwook; Michelin, Sébastien; Hilbers, Michiel; Martinelli, Lucio; Chaudan, Elodie; Amselem, Gabriel; Fradet, Etienne; Boilot, Jean-Pierre; Brouwer, Albert M; Baroud, Charles N; Peretti, Jacques; Gacoin, Thierry

2017-09-01

Rare-earth phosphors exhibit unique luminescence polarization features originating from the anisotropic symmetry of the emitter ion's chemical environment. However, to take advantage of this peculiar property, it is necessary to control and measure the ensemble orientation of the host particles with a high degree of precision. Here, we show a methodology to obtain the photoluminescence polarization of Eu-doped LaPO 4 nanorods assembled in an electrically modulated liquid-crystalline phase. We measure Eu 3+ emission spectra for the three main optical configurations (σ, π and α, depending on the direction of observation and the polarization axes) and use them as a reference for the nanorod orientation analysis. Based on the fact that flowing nanorods tend to orient along the shear strain profile, we use this orientation analysis to measure the local shear rate in a flowing liquid. The potential of this approach is then demonstrated through tomographic imaging of the shear rate distribution in a microfluidic system.

Studies on sodium boiling phenomena in out of pile rod bundles for various accidental situations in Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors (LMFBR) experiments and interpretations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seiler, J. M.; Rameau, B.

Bundle sodium boiling in nominal geometry for different accident conditions is reviewed. Voiding of a subassembly is controlled by not only hydrodynamic effects but mainly by thermal effects. There is a strong influence of the thermal inertia of the bundle material compared to the sodium thermal inertia. Flow instability, during a slow transient, can be analyzed with numerical tools and estimated using simplified approximations. Stable boiling operational conditions under bundle mixed convection (natural convection in the reactor) can be predicted. Voiding during a fast transient can be approximated from single channel calculations. The phenomenology of boiling behavior for a subassembly with inlet completely blocked, submitted to decay heat and lateral cooling; two-phase sodium flow pressure drop in a tube of large hydraulic diameter under adiabatic conditions; critical flow phenomena and voiding rate under high power, slow transient conditions; and onset of dry out under local boiling remains problematical.

Turbomachine Sealing and Secondary Flows. Part 1; Review of Sealing Performance, Customer, Engine Designer, and Research Issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, R. C.; Steinetz, B. M.; Braun, M. J.

2004-01-01

Although forces outside our control shape our industry, turbomachine sealing research, design, and customer agendas established in 1978 by Ludwig, Campbell, and Smith in terms of specific fuel consumption and performance remain as objectives today. Advances have been made because failures of the space shuttle main engine turbomachinery ushered in a new understanding of sealing in high-power-density systems. Further, it has been shown that changes in sealing, especially for high-pressure rotors, dramatically change the performance of the entire engine or turbomachine. Maintaining seal leakages and secondary flows within engine design specifications remains the most efficient and cost effective way to enhance performance and minimize maintenance costs. This three-part review summarizes experiences, ideas, successes, and failures by NASA and the U.S. aerospace industry in secondary flow management in advanced turbomachinery. Part 1 presents system sealing, part 2 system rotordynamics, and part 3 modeling, with some overlap of each part.

Phylogeography and sex-biased dispersal across riverine manatee populations (Trichechus inunguis and Trichechus manatus) in South America.

PubMed

Satizábal, Paula; Mignucci-Giannoni, Antonio A; Duchêne, Sebastián; Caicedo-Herrera, Dalila; Perea-Sicchar, Carlos M; García-Dávila, Carmen R; Trujillo, Fernando; Caballero, Susana J

2012-01-01

Phylogeographic patterns and sex-biased dispersal were studied in riverine populations of West Indian (Trichechus manatus) and Amazonian manatees (T. inunguis) in South America, using 410bp D-loop (Control Region, Mitochondrial DNA) sequences and 15 nuclear microsatellite loci. This multi-locus approach was key to disentangle complex patterns of gene flow among populations. D-loop analyses revealed population structuring among all Colombian rivers for T. manatus, while microsatellite data suggested no structure. Two main populations of T. inunguis separating the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon were supported by analysis of the D-loop and microsatellite data. Overall, we provide molecular evidence for differences in dispersal patterns between sexes, demonstrating male-biased gene flow dispersal in riverine manatees. These results are in contrast with previously reported levels of population structure shown by microsatellite data in marine manatee populations, revealing low habitat restrictions to gene flow in riverine habitats, and more significant dispersal limitations for males in marine environments.

Active ultrasonic cross-correlation flowmeters for mixed-phase pipe flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheen, S. H.; Raptis, A. C.

Two ultrasonic flowmeters which employ the active cross-correlation technique and use a simple clamp-on transducer arrangement are discussed. The flowmeter for solid/liquid flows was tested over a wide range of coal concentration in water and oil. The measured velocity based on the peak position of the cross-correlation function is consistently higher by about 15% than the average velocity measured by flow diversion. The origin of the difference results mainly from the flow velocity profiles and the transit-time probability distribution. The flowmeter that can measure particle velocity in a solid/gas flow requires acoustic decoupling arrangement between two sensing stations. The measured velocity is mainly associated with the particles near the wall. Performance of both flowmeters is presented.

Ejector Noise Suppression with Auxiliary Jet Injection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berman, Charles H.; Andersen, Otto P., Jr.

1997-01-01

An experimental program to reduce aircraft jet turbulence noise investigated the interaction of small auxiliary jets with a larger main jet. Significant reductions in the far field jet noise were obtained over a range of auxiliary jet pressures and flow rates when used in conjunction with an acoustically lined ejector. While the concept is similar to that of conventional ejector suppressors that use mechanical mixing devices, the present approach should improve thrust and lead to lower weight and less complex noise suppression systems since no hardware needs to be located in the main jet flow. A variety of auxiliary jet and ejector configurations and operating conditions were studied. The best conditions tested produced peak to peak noise reductions ranging from 11 to 16 dB, depending on measurement angle, for auxiliary jet mass flows that were 6.6% of the main jet flow with ejectors that were 8 times the main jet diameter in length. Much larger reductions in noise were found at the original peak frequencies of the unsuppressed jet over a range of far field measurement angles.

Observations of pockmark flow structure in Belfast Bay, Maine, Part 2: evidence for cavity flow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fandel, Christina L.; Lippmann, Thomas C.; Foster, Diane L.; Brothers, Laura L.

2017-01-01

Pockmark flow circulation patterns were investigated through current measurements along the rim and center of two pockmarks in Belfast Bay, Maine. Observed time-varying current profiles have a complex vertical and directional structure that rotates significantly with depth and is strongly dependent on the phase of the tide. Observations of the vertical profiles of horizontal velocities in relation to relative geometric parameters of the pockmark are consistent with circulation patterns described qualitatively by cavity flow models (Ashcroft and Zhang 2005). The time-mean behavior of the shear layer is typically used to characterize cavity flow, and was estimated using vorticity thickness to quantify the growth rate of the shear layer horizontally across the pockmark. Estimated positive vorticity thickness spreading rates are consistent with cavity flow predictions, and occur at largely different rates between the two pockmarks. Previously modeled flow (Brothers et al. 2011) and laboratory measurements (Pau et al. 2014) over pockmarks of similar geometry to those examined herein are also qualitatively consistent with cavity flow circulation, suggesting that cavity flow may be a good first-order flow model for pockmarks in general.

In vivo testing of a magnetically suspended centrifugal pump designed for long-term use.

PubMed

Yamada, T; Nishimura, K; Akamatsu, T; Tsukiya, T; Park, C H; Kono, S; Matsuda, K; Ban, T

1997-10-01

The life of currently-available centrifugal pumps is limited to no more than three days. As a magnetically suspended centrifugal pump (MSCP) contains no shaft or seal, it could be expected to have a longer life expectancy. The MSCP was evaluated in a chronic animal model using eight adult sheep. Left ventricular assist with the MSCP was instituted between the left atrium and the descending aorta. The flow rates ranged from 2.5 to 6.0 L/min. The duration of the experiments ranged from 14 to 60 days. No mechanical failure occurred. The plasma free hemoglobin levels remained within an acceptable range (3-19 mg/dL). No reduction in the counts of red blood cells or platelets was observed. Thrombus formation within the MSCP was recognized in one pump. The main reason for termination was thromboembolism derived from the circuits. Three types of regulation methods (constant rotational speed, constant motor current, and controlled motor current) were also investigated. Regulation by a constant motor current mode altered the pressure-flow (P-Q) characteristics, and thereby, a steadier pump flow was obtained compared with regulation in the constant rotational speed mode. Moreover, the controlled motor current mode can change the P-Q relationship. These results demonstrate that the MSCP is a promising device for long-term use.

Combination gas producing and waste-water disposal well

DOEpatents

Malinchak, Raymond M.

1984-01-01

The present invention is directed to a waste-water disposal system for use in a gas recovery well penetrating a subterranean water-containing and methane gas-bearing coal formation. A cased bore hole penetrates the coal formation and extends downwardly therefrom into a further earth formation which has sufficient permeability to absorb the waste water entering the borehole from the coal formation. Pump means are disposed in the casing below the coal formation for pumping the water through a main conduit towards the water-absorbing earth formation. A barrier or water plug is disposed about the main conduit to prevent water flow through the casing except for through the main conduit. Bypass conduits disposed above the barrier communicate with the main conduit to provide an unpumped flow of water to the water-absorbing earth formation. One-way valves are in the main conduit and in the bypass conduits to provide flow of water therethrough only in the direction towards the water-absorbing earth formation.