The use of twin screw extruders for feeding coal against pressures of up to 1500 PSI

Recent tests with a twin-screw, co-rotating extruder which was successfully used to convey and feed coal against pressures of up to 1500 psi are described. Intermeshing and self-wiping, co-rotating twin-screws give greatly improved conveying and pressure built-up capabilities and avoid hangup and eventual decomposition of coal particles in the screw flights. The conveying action of intermeshing, self-wiping, co-rotating extruder systems approaches that of a positive displacement pump. With this feature, it is possible to maintain very accurate control over all aspects of product conveyance in the extruder, i.e., intake, conveyance and pressure buildup

Numerical Investigation of Second Mode Attenuation over Carbon/Carbon Surfaces on a Sharp Slender Cone

We have carried out axisymmetric numerical simulations of a spatially developing hypersonic boundary layer over a sharp 7$^{\circ{}}$-half-angle cone at $M_\infty=7.5$ inspired by the experimental investigations by Wagner (2015). Simulations are first performed with impermeable (or solid) walls with a one-time broadband pulse excitation applied upstream to determine the most convectively-amplified frequencies resulting in the range 260kHz -- 400kHz, consistent with experimental observations of second-mode instability waves. Subsequently, we introduce harmonic disturbances via continuous periodic suction and blowing at 270kHz and 350kHz. For each of these forcing frequencies complex impedance boundary conditions (IBC), modeling the acoustic response of two different carbon/carbon (C/C) ultrasonically absorptive porous surfaces, are applied at the wall. The IBCs are derived as an output of a pore-scale aeroacoustic analysis -- the inverse Helmholtz Solver (iHS) -- which is able to return the broadband real and imaginary components of the surface-averaged impedance. The introduction of the IBCs in all cases leads to a significant attenuation of the harmonically-forced second-mode wave. In particular, we observe a higher attenuation rate of the introduced waves with frequency of 350kHz in comparison with 270kHz, and, along with the iHS impedance results, we establish that the C/C surfaces absorb acoustic energy more effectively at higher frequencies.Comment: AIAA-SciTech 201

A perspective on the economics of natural gas decontrol

Natural gas ; Natural resources ; Energy policy

Enhancing the Jaquez k Nearest Neighbor Test for Space-Time Interaction

The Jacquez k nearest neighbor test, originally developed to improve upon shortcomings of existing tests for space-time interaction, has been shown to be a robust and powerful method of detecting interaction. Despite its flexibility and power however, the test has three main shortcomings: (1) it discards important information regarding the spatial and temporal scale at which detected interac- tion takes place; (2) the results of the test have not been visualized; (3) recent research demonstrates the test to be susceptible to population shift bias. This study presents enhancements to the Jacquez k nearest neighbors test with the goal of addressing each of these three shortcomings and improving the utility of the test. Data on Burkitt’s lymphoma cases in Uganda between 1961-1975 are employed to illustrate the modifications and enhance the visual output of the test. Output from the enhanced test is compared to that provided by alternative tests of space-time interaction. Results show the enhancements presented in this study transform the Jacquez test into a complete, descriptive, and informative metric that can be used as a stand alone measure of global space-time interaction.space-time interaction, Jacquez k nearest neighbor, visualization, space-time cube, population shift bias

Quality assurance in stereotactic radiosurgery/radiotherapy according to DIN 6875-1

The new DIN (' Deutsche Industrie- Norm') 6875- 1, which is currently being finalised, deals with quality assurance ( QA) criteria and tests methods for linear accelerator and Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery/ radiotherapy including treatment planning, stereotactic frame and stereotactic imaging and a system test to check the whole chain of uncertainties. Our existing QA program, based on dedicated phantoms and test procedures, has been refined to fulfill the demands of this new DIN. The radiological and mechanical isocentre corresponded within 0.2 mm and the measured 50% isodose lines were in agreement with the calculated ones within less than 0.5 mm. The measured absorbed dose was within 3%. The resultant output factors measured for the 14-, 8- and 4- mm collimator helmet were 0.9870 +/- 0.0086, 0.9578 +/- 0.0057 and 0.8741 +/- 0.0202, respectively. For 170 consecutive tests, the mean geometrical accuracy was 0.48 +/- 0.23 mm. Besides QA phantoms and analysis software developed in- house, the use of commercially available tools facilitated the QA according to the DIN 6875- 1 with which our results complied. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

The Importance of Broadband Provision to Knowledge Intensive Firm Location

Despite the volume of literature afforded knowledge work and innovations in information and communications technologies (ICTs), few studies have examined the importance of ICTs to knowledge industries and the impact of their availability on firm location decisions. This study will evaluate the relative importance of ICTs to knowledge intensive firm location for select US metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). Spatial econometric estimation techniques are used to construct models from ZIP code level data that describe the relative importance of broadband to knowledge intensive industries, as defined in this study. A global model is constructed for all relevant ZIP code areas across the continental U.S and the results are compared to metropolitan specific models. In addition to demonstrating variations by metropolitan area in the relative importance of broadband provision, the results suggest that broadband deployment initiatives will have varied outcomes on knowledge intensive firm growth and the subsequent change in the industrial composition of regional economies in future years.

Emergence of topological electronic phases in elemental lithium under pressure

Lithium, a prototypical simple metal under ambient conditions, has a surprisingly rich phase diagram under pressure, taking up several structures with reduced symmetry, low coordination numbers, and even semiconducting character with increasing density. Using first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that some predicted high-pressure phases of elemental Li also host topological electronic structures. Beginning at 80 GPa and coincident with a transition to the Pbca phase, we find Li to be a Dirac nodal line semimetal. We further calculate that Li retains linearly-dispersive energy bands in subsequent predicted higher pressure phases, and that it exhibits a Lifshitz transition between two Cmca phases at 220 GPa. The Fd-3m phase at 500 GPa forms buckled honeycomb layers that give rise to a Dirac crossing 1 eV below the Fermi energy. The well-isolated topological nodes near the Fermi level in these phases result from increasing p-orbital character with density at the Fermi level, itself a consequence of rising 1s core wavefunction overlap, and a preference for nonsymmorphic symmetries in the crystal structures favored at these pressures. Our results provide evidence that under pressure, bulk 3D materials with light elements, or even pure elemental systems, can undergo topological phase transitions hosting nontrivial topological properties near the Fermi level with measurable consequences; and that, through pressure, we can access these novel phases in elemental lithium.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publicatio