Flameless combustion with liquid fuel: A review focusing on fundamentals and gas turbine application

Flameless combustion has been developed to reduce emissions whilst retaining thermal efficiencies in combustion systems. It is characterized with its distinguished features, such as suppressed pollutant emission, homogeneous temperature distribution, reduced noise and thermal stress for burners and less restriction on fuels (since no flame stability is required). Recent research has shown the potential of flameless combustion in the power generation industry such as gas turbines. In spite of its potential, this technology needs further research and development to improve its versatility in using liquid fuels as a source of energy. In this review, progress toward application of the flameless technique is presented with emphasis on gas turbines. A systematic analysis of the state-of-the-art and the major technical and physical challenges in operating gas turbines with liquid fuels in a flameless combustion mode is presented. Combustion characteristics of flameless combustion are explained along with a thorough review of modelling and simulation of the liquid fuel fed flameless combustion. A special focus is given to the relevant research on applications to the inner turbine burners. The paper is concluded by highlighting recent findings and pointing out several further research directions to improve the flameless combustion application in gas turbines, including in-depth flow and combustion mechanisms, advanced modelling, developed experimental technology and comprehensive design methods aiming at gas turbine flameless combustors

Official Reports of the Town of Wayland for Its One Hundred and Forty-Third Municipal Year From January 1,1922 To January 1, 1923

We study the relation between the metallicity of quasar broad line region (BLR) and black hole (BH) mass (10(7.5)-10(10) M-circle dot) and quasar bolometric luminosity (10(44.6)-10(48) erg s(-1)) using a sample of similar to 130000 quasars at 2.25 <= z <= 5.25 from Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12 (DR12). We generate composite spectra by stacking individual spectra in the same BH mass (bolometric luminosity) and redshift bins and then estimate the metallicity of quasar BLR using metallicity-sensitive broad emission-line flux ratios based on the photoionization models. We find a significant correlation between quasar BLR metallicity and BH mass (bolometric luminosity) but no correlation between quasar BLR metallicity and redshift. We also compare the metallicity of quasar BLR and that of host galaxies inferred from the mass metallicity relation of star-forming galaxy at z similar to 2.3 and 3.5. We find quasar BLR metallicity is 0.3 similar to 1.0 dex higher than their host galaxies. This discrepancy cannot be interpreted by the uncertainty due to different metallicity diagnostic methods, mass metallicity relation of galaxy, metallicity gradient in quasar host galaxies, BH mass estimation, the effect of different spectral energy distribution models, and a few other potential sources of uncertainties. We propose a possibility that the high metallicity in quasar BLR might be caused by metal enrichment from massive star formation in the nucleus region of quasars or even the accretion disc

Effect of radiation on the Notch signaling pathway in osteoblasts

Notch signaling has been shown to be important in osteoblast differentiation. Therapeutic radiation has been shown to alter the skeletal system, yet little information is available on the changes in Notch signaling in irradiated osteoblasts. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of radiation therapy with 2 and 4 Gy on Notch signaling in osteoblasts. In order to assess the radiation damage on osteoblast differentiation, total RNA and protein were collected three days after exposure to radiation. The effects of radiation on Notch signaling at the early and terminal stages of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cell differentiation was analyzed by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. Our study applied a previously established method to induce MC3T3-E1 cell differentiation into osteoblasts and osteoblast precursors. Our results showed that the expression of Notch receptors (Notch1-4), ligands (Jagged1, Jagged2 and Delta1), target of Notch signaling (Hes1) and markers (ALP, M-CSF, RANKL and OPG) were altered following 2 and 4 Gy of irradiation. The present research did not indicate a strong relationship between Notch1 regulation and suppression of osteoblast differentiation. We found Hes1 may play a role in the radiation effect on osteoblast differentiation. Our results indicate that radiated osteoblast precursors and osteoblasts promoted osteoclast differentiation and proliferation