Brownian dynamics simulations of planar mixed flows of polymer solutions at finite concentrations

Periodic boundary conditions for planar mixed flows are implemented in the context of a multi-chain Brownian dynamics simulation algorithm. The effect of shear rate $\dot{\gamma}$, and extension rate $\dot{\epsilon}$, on the size of polymer chains, \left, and on the polymer contribution to viscosity, $\eta$, is examined for solutions of FENE dumbbells at finite concentrations, with excluded volume interactions between the beads taken into account. The influence of the mixedness parameter, $\chi$, and flow strength, $\dot{\Gamma}$, on \left and $\eta$, is also examined, where $\chi \rightarrow 0$ corresponds to pure shear flow, and $\chi \rightarrow 1$ corresponds to pure extensional flow. It is shown that there exists a critical value, $\chi_\text{c}$, such that the flow is shear dominated for $\chi < \chi_\text{c}$, and extension dominated for $\chi > \chi_\text{c}$.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, to appear in Chemical Engineering Scienc

Explaining Snapshots of Network Diffusions: Structural and Hardness Results

Much research has been done on studying the diffusion of ideas or technologies on social networks including the \textit{Influence Maximization} problem and many of its variations. Here, we investigate a type of inverse problem. Given a snapshot of the diffusion process, we seek to understand if the snapshot is feasible for a given dynamic, i.e., whether there is a limited number of nodes whose initial adoption can result in the snapshot in finite time. While similar questions have been considered for epidemic dynamics, here, we consider this problem for variations of the deterministic Linear Threshold Model, which is more appropriate for modeling strategic agents. Specifically, we consider both sequential and simultaneous dynamics when deactivations are allowed and when they are not. Even though we show hardness results for all variations we consider, we show that the case of sequential dynamics with deactivations allowed is significantly harder than all others. In contrast, sequential dynamics make the problem trivial on cliques even though it's complexity for simultaneous dynamics is unknown. We complement our hardness results with structural insights that can help better understand diffusions of social networks under various dynamics.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure

FogGIS: Fog Computing for Geospatial Big Data Analytics

Cloud Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has emerged as a tool for analysis, processing and transmission of geospatial data. The Fog computing is a paradigm where Fog devices help to increase throughput and reduce latency at the edge of the client. This paper developed a Fog-based framework named Fog GIS for mining analytics from geospatial data. We built a prototype using Intel Edison, an embedded microprocessor. We validated the FogGIS by doing preliminary analysis. including compression, and overlay analysis. Results showed that Fog computing hold a great promise for analysis of geospatial data. We used several open source compression techniques for reducing the transmission to the cloud.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, 3rd IEEE Uttar Pradesh Section International Conference on Electrical, Computer and Electronics (09-11 December, 2016) Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) Varanasi, Indi

Thermal effects on nuclear symmetry energy with a momentum-dependent effective interaction

The knowledge of the nuclear symmetry energy of hot neutron-rich matter is important for understanding the dynamical evolution of massive stars and the supernova explosion mechanisms. In particular, the electron capture rate on nuclei and/or free protons in presupernova explosions is especially sensitive to the symmetry energy at finite temperature. In view of the above, in the present work we calculate the symmetry energy as a function of the temperature for various values of the baryon density, by applying a momentum-dependent effective interaction. In addition to a previous work, the thermal effects are studied separately both in the kinetic part and the interaction part of the symmetry energy. We focus also on the calculations of the mean field potential, employed extensively in heavy ion reaction research, both for nuclear and pure neutron matter. The proton fraction and the electron chemical potential, which are crucial quantities for representing the thermal evolution of supernova and neutron stars, are calculated for various values of the temperature. Finally, we construct a temperature dependent equation of state of $\beta$-stable nuclear matter, the basic ingredient for the evaluation of the neutron star properties.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Physical Review

Microbial Composite in Trivalent Chromium Remedition from Effluents

Chromium (III) in the industrial effluents is considered hazardous due to oxidation and therefore its remediation by alternate methodology such as biosorption has recently gained importance. Though sorption of Cr(III) on algae and fungi have been studied, their applications as fungal-clay composite is not much investigated. Growth of A.niger with bentonite showed release of spores and development of full cells in <72 h facilitating good metal uptake. In this study, Aspergillus niger and bentonite have been used to develop a composite sorbent and removal of Cr (III) from a model effluent solution of 100 ppm Cr(III) was investiga-ted. A maximum sorption of 85% Cr(III) was achieved with 1% (w/v) composite (1:6 ratio of biomass to bentonite) of <50 um size within a contact time of 5 min at 2.5 pH and 35 °C temperature. Increasing the pH up to 4.0 caused elevation in the degree of sorption. The composite was thus found to be effective sorbent to treat chromium (III) containing waste solutions

EFFECT OF STATIC VAR COMPENSATOR ON VOLTAGE STABILITY UNDER NETWORK CONTINGENCIES

This paper focuses on enhancement of system performance under network contingencies through an optimal placement and optimal setting of static var compensator (SVC). The goal of the methodology developed is to identify the weakest bus using an index called Line Flow Index (LFI) and to maintain the voltages at all load buses within their specified limits through an optimal placement and optimal setting of SVC under contingency Condition. This premise is attested on 6- bus and 30 bus systems and the simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the method

Rouse Chains with Excluded Volume Interactions: Linear Viscoelasticity

Linear viscoelastic properties for a dilute polymer solution are predicted by modeling the solution as a suspension of non-interacting bead-spring chains. The present model, unlike the Rouse model, can describe the solution's rheological behavior even when the solvent quality is good, since excluded volume effects are explicitly taken into account through a narrow Gaussian repulsive potential between pairs of beads in a bead-spring chain. The use of the narrow Gaussian potential, which tends to the more commonly used delta-function repulsive potential in the limit of a width parameter "d" going to zero, enables the performance of Brownian dynamics simulations. The simulations results, which describe the exact behavior of the model, indicate that for chains of arbitrary but finite length, a delta-function potential leads to equilibrium and zero shear rate properties which are identical to the predictions of the Rouse model. On the other hand, a non-zero value of "d" gives rise to a prediction of swelling at equilibrium, and an increase in zero shear rate properties relative to their Rouse model values. The use of a delta-function potential appears to be justified in the limit of infinite chain length. The exact simulation results are compared with those obtained with an approximate solution which is based on the assumption that the non-equilibrium configurational distribution function is Gaussian. The Gaussian approximation is shown to be exact to first order in the strength of excluded volume interaction, and is found to be accurate above a threshold value of "d", for given values of chain length and strength of excluded volume interaction.Comment: Revised version. Long chain limit analysis has been deleted. An improved and corrected examination of the long chain limit will appear as a separate posting. 32 pages, 9 postscript figures, LaTe