A study of ignition and propagation of combustive synthesis reaction between titanium and carbon

Combustive Synthesis or Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis (SHS), is an energy-efficient combustion method of producing metallic, ceramic and composite materials from their constituent powders. This thesis presents the results of an experimental and numerical evaluation of the propagation velocity for the SHS solid-solid reaction of titanium and carbon, as well as a study of the ignition process for the reaction. The experimental results show the dependency trend of the wave propagation speed on various parameters: diameter of the reactant compact, density of the compact, reactant mixture composition, and dilution of the reactant mixture with the inert product TiC. Conditions at which the reaction ceases to propagate in a self-supporting manner are also identified. This thesis attempts to generalize the existing experimental observations of the gasless SHS process by means of a dimensional analysis, thus offering a mechanistic framework within which future developments can be correlated. The implementation of the new reaction kinetics model of Kanury and some suitable dimensionless variables permit the main factors affecting the process to be embedded in a single key parameter, the Da number. This parameter includes the overall effects of thermal properties, stoichiometry of the reaction, carbon particle size, a process constant, a compression effect and the diffusion of one reactant through an intermediate complex. The study of propagation covers a broad range of possible Da numbers that could arise for different conditions found in experiments. A section in numerical calculations of the preheated length is included as well. Comparison of the numerical and experimental results for propagation are found to be in reasonable agreement, thus validating the suitability of the analytical model. The numerical study includes an examination of the ignition problem for a stoichiometric mixture, using a prescribed surface temperature boundary condition. For this condition, an ignition threshold curve is determined above which ignition will always occur and below which no ignition is possible

IMECE2008-68149 NUMERICAL STUDY IN WING TIP VORTEX FOR A MODIFIED COMMERCIAL BOEING AIRCRAFT

ABSTRACT Recent studies have shown that the use of winglets in aircrafts wing tips have been able to reduce fuel consumption by reducing the lift-induced drag caused by wing tip vortex. This paper presents a 3-D numerical study to analyze the drag and lift forces, and the behavior of the vortexes generated in the wing tips from a modified commercial Boeing aircraft 767-300/ER. This type of aircraft does not contain winglets to control the wing tip vortex, therefore, the aerodynamic effects were analyzed adding two models of winglets to the wing tip. The first one is the vortex diffuser winglet and the second one is the tip fence winglet. The analyses were made for steady state and compressible flow, for a constant Mach number. The results show that the vortex diffuser winglet gives the best results, reducing the core velocity of the wing tip vortex up to 19%, the total drag force of the aircraft up to 3.6% and it leads to a lift increase of up to 2.4% with respect to the original aircraft without winglets

Effect of different geometry flow pattern on heat sink performance

How to achieve appropriate operating temperatures in present-day electronic equipment is a matter of fervent discussion in the current technical literature. The highly demanding cooling requirements of these devices are a quite a challenging topic. In the present work some different non-conventional patterns for liquid cooled heat sinks are proposed. These new flow patterns distribute homogeneously the working fluid through the whole system promoting the enhanced of the heat sink performance and the uniformity temperature distribution at the base of the heat sink. These configurations consist of a flow inlet at the center of the heat sink (with the purpose of feeding the radial serpentine channels), and several flow outlets located on the outer side of the heat sink. Different cases are studied by varying the number of channels, channel length, and number of spirals used. Deionized water is selected as working fluid, considering in this study the dependence of fluid viscosity in regards with temperature, this parameter has shown to be crucial in thermal analysis of heat sinks. Each case studied shows a particular performance, thus, the pressure drop, the average temperature, the total dissipated energy, and other comparative parameters are reported to discuss advantages and disadvantages of every configuration.Papers presented to the 12th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Costa de Sol, Spain on 11-13 July 2016

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

The exergy-based cost of crude oil-distillation products: A novel perspective

A novel approach to the calculation of the cost of crude oil distillation products is proposed in this paper. The approach is based on the primary exergy "invested" in the entire process, from extraction to final dispatch, in a well-to-final use perspective including all externalities: capital, labor and environmental remediation cost. The method follows the Extended Exergy Accounting (EEA) theory, and results in a quantifier, the specific extended exergy cost eec, expressed in Joules of primary exergy globally used in the process per Joule of final product. This indicator is not meant to substitute the monetary cost currently adopted in all transactions, but rather to complement it by providing designers, industry managers and energy policy planners with a thermodynamically-sound basis for assessing how far a certain productive chain is from being "sustainable" in terms of primary resources. Several different processes are analyzed, and the quantitative differences in the final eec are calculated and discussed. The conclusions contain some suggestions for a general reassessment of our approach to the exploitation of primary energy resources. Copyright © 2014 by ASME

Experimental Study and Comparison of Various Designs of Gas Flow Fields to PEM Fuel Cells and Cell Stack Performance

In this study, a significant number of experimental tests to PEM fuel cells were conducted to investigate the effect of gas flow fields on fuel cell performance. Graphite plates with various flow field or flow channel designs, from literature survey and also novel designs by the authors, were used for the PEM fuel cell assembly. The fabricated fuel cells all have an effective membrane area of 23.5 cm2. The results showed that the serpentine flow channel design is still favorable, giving the best single fuel cell performance amongst all the studied flow channel designs. A novel symmetric serpentine flow field was proposed for relatively large size fuel cell application. Four fuel cell stacks each including four cells were assembled using different designs of serpentine flow channels. The output power performances of fuel cell stacks were compared and the novel symmetric serpentine flow field design is recommended for its very good performance