16,721 research outputs found
Thermodiffusion in model nanofluids by molecular dynamics simulations
In this work, a new algorithm is proposed to compute single particle
(infinite dilution) thermodiffusion using Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics
simulations through the estimation of the thermophoretic force that applies on
a solute particle. This scheme is shown to provide consistent results for
simple Lennard-Jones fluids and for model nanofluids (spherical non-metallic
nanoparticles + Lennard-Jones fluid) where it appears that thermodiffusion
amplitude, as well as thermal conductivity, decrease with nanoparticles
concentration. Then, in nanofluids in the liquid state, by changing the nature
of the nanoparticle (size, mass and internal stiffness) and of the solvent
(quality and viscosity) various trends are exhibited. In all cases the single
particle thermodiffusion is positive, i.e. the nanoparticle tends to migrate
toward the cold area. The single particle thermal diffusion 2 coefficient is
shown to be independent of the size of the nanoparticle (diameter of 0.8 to 4
nm), whereas it increases with the quality of the solvent and is inversely
proportional to the viscosity of the fluid. In addition, this coefficient is
shown to be independent of the mass of the nanoparticle and to increase with
the stiffness of the nanoparticle internal bonds. Besides, for these
configurations, the mass diffusion coefficient behavior appears to be
consistent with a Stokes-Einstein like law
Supersymmetry solution for finitely extensible dumbbell model
Exact relaxation times and eigenfunctions for a simple mechanical model of
polymer dynamics are obtained using supersymmetry methods of quantum mechanics.
The model includes the finite extensibility of the molecule and does not make
use of the self-consistently averaging approximation. The finite extensibility
reduces the relaxation times when compared to a linear force. The linear
viscoelastic behaviour is obtained in the form of the ``generalized Maxwell
model''. Using these results, a numerical integration scheme is proposed in the
presence of a given flow kinematics.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Droplet evaporation in one-component fluids: Dynamic van der Waals theory
In a one-component fluid, we investigate evaporation of a small axysymmetric
liquid droplet in the partial wetting condition on a heated wall at . In the dynamic van der Waals theory (Phys. Rev. E {\bf 75}, 036304
(2007)), we take into account the latent heat transport from liquid to gas upon
evaporation. Along the gas-liquid interface, the temperature is nearly equal to
the equilibrium coexisting temperature away from the substrate, but it rises
sharply to the wall temperature close to the substrate. On an isothermal
substrate, evaporation takes place mostly on a narrow interface region near the
contact line in a late stage, which is a characteristic feature in
one-component fluids.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Evidence from Rb–Sr mineral ages for multiple orogenic events in the Caledonides of Shetland, Scotland
Shetland occupies a unique central location within the North Atlantic Caledonides. Thirty-three new high-precision Rb–Sr mineral ages indicate a polyorogenic history. Ages of 723–702 Ma obtained from the vicinity of the Wester Keolka Shear Zone indicate a Neoproterozoic (Knoydartian) age and preclude its correlation with the Silurian Moine Thrust. Ordovician ages of c. 480–443 Ma obtained from the Yell Sound Group and the East Mainland Succession constrain deformation fabrics and metamorphic assemblages to have formed during Grampian accretionary orogenic events, broadly contemporaneously with orogenesis of the Dalradian Supergroup in Ireland and mainland Scotland. The relative paucity of Silurian ages is attributed to a likely location at a high structural level in the Scandian nappe pile relative to mainland Scotland. Ages of c. 416 and c. 411 Ma for the Uyea Shear Zone suggest a late orogenic evolution that has more in common with East Greenland and Norway than with northern mainland Scotland
Magnetorotational-type instability in Couette-Taylor flow of a viscoelastic polymer liquid
We describe an instability of viscoelastic Couette-Taylor flow that is
directly analogous to the magnetorotational instability (MRI) in astrophysical
magnetohydrodynamics, with polymer molecules playing the role of magnetic field
lines. By determining the conditions required for the onset of instability and
the properties of the preferred modes, we distinguish it from the centrifugal
and elastic instabilities studied previously. Experimental demonstration and
investigation should be much easier for the viscoelastic instability than for
the MRI in a liquid metal. The analogy holds with the case of a predominantly
toroidal magnetic field such as is expected in an accretion disk and it may be
possible to access a turbulent regime in which many modes are unstable.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Physical Review Letter
Gaussian approximation for finitely extensible bead-spring chains with hydrodynamic interaction
The Gaussian Approximation, proposed originally by Ottinger [J. Chem. Phys.,
90 (1) : 463-473, 1989] to account for the influence of fluctuations in
hydrodynamic interactions in Rouse chains, is adapted here to derive a new
mean-field approximation for the FENE spring force. This "FENE-PG" force law
approximately accounts for spring-force fluctuations, which are neglected in
the widely used FENE-P approximation. The Gaussian Approximation for
hydrodynamic interactions is combined with the FENE-P and FENE-PG spring force
approximations to obtain approximate models for finitely-extensible bead-spring
chains with hydrodynamic interactions. The closed set of ODE's governing the
evolution of the second-moments of the configurational probability distribution
in the approximate models are used to generate predictions of rheological
properties in steady and unsteady shear and uniaxial extensional flows, which
are found to be in good agreement with the exact results obtained with Brownian
dynamics simulations. In particular, predictions of coil-stretch hysteresis are
in quantitative agreement with simulations' results. Additional simplifying
diagonalization-of-normal-modes assumptions are found to lead to considerable
savings in computation time, without significant loss in accuracy.Comment: 26 pages, 17 figures, 2 tables, 75 numbered equations, 1 appendix
with 10 numbered equations Submitted to J. Chem. Phys. on 6 February 200
Reactive self-heating model of aluminum spherical nanoparticles
Aluminum-oxygen reaction is important in many highly energetic, high pressure
generating systems. Recent experiments with nanostructured thermites suggest
that oxidation of aluminum nanoparticles occurs in a few microseconds. Such
rapid reaction cannot be explained by a conventional diffusion-based mechanism.
We present a rapid oxidation model of a spherical aluminum nanoparticle, using
Cabrera-Mott moving boundary mechanism, and taking self-heating into account.
In our model, electric potential solves the nonlinear Poisson equation. In
contrast with the Coulomb potential, a "double-layer" type solution for the
potential and self-heating leads to enhanced oxidation rates. At maximal
reaction temperature of 2000 C, our model predicts overall oxidation time scale
in microseconds range, in agreement with experimental evidence.Comment: submitte
The effects of organic farming on the soil physical environment
The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of organic farming practices on the development of soil physical properties, and in particular, soil structure in comparison with conventional agricultural management. The soil structure of organically and conventionally managed soils at one site was compared in a quantitative manner at different scales of observations using image analysis. Key soil physical and chemical properties were measured as well as the pore fractal geometry to characterise pore roughness. Organically managed soils had higher organic matter content and provided a more stable soil structure than conventionally managed soils. The higher porosity (%) at the macroscale in soil under conventional management was due to fewer larger pores while mesoand microscale porosity was found to be greater under organic management. Organically managed soils typically provided spatially well distributed pores of all sizes and of greater roughness compared to those under conventional management. These variations in the soil physical environment are likely to impact significantly on the performance of these soils for a number of key processes such as crop establishment and water availabilit
Channel Flow of a Tensorial Shear-Thinning Maxwell Model: Lattice Boltzmann Simulations
We introduce a nonlinear generalized tensorial Maxwell-type constitutive
equation to describe shear-thinning glass-forming fluids, motivated by a recent
microscopic approach to the nonlinear rheology of colloidal suspensions. The
model captures a nonvanishing dynamical yield stress at the glass transition
and incorporates normal-stress differences. A modified lattice-Boltzmann (LB)
simulation scheme is presented that includes non-Newtonian contributions to the
stress tensor and deals with flow-induced pressure differences. We test this
scheme in pressure-driven 2D Poiseuille flow of the nonlinear generalized
Maxwell fluid. In the steady state, comparison with an analytical solution
shows good agreement. The transient dynamics after startup and cessation of the
pressure gradient are studied; the simulation reproduces a finite stopping time
for the cessation flow of the yield-stress fluid in agreement with previous
analytical estimates
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