M-222 Slope Stabilization Case History – Geotechnical Lessons Learned from Michigan Department of Transportation Design Build Project

In 2009, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) became concerned about ongoing slope movements adjacent to a segment of M-222 located on outside bend of the Kalamazoo River in the City of Allegan, Michigan. Over the next couple years, continued river erosion and seasonally wet springs caused 8- to 10-foot high scarps adjacent to M-222, condemnation of a home, and several large block slides into the river. In the early spring of 2011, MDOT secured their first Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) delivery method contract to protect M-222 and repair the slope. Improvements included constructing an up to 26-foot tall retaining wall, re-grading the roughly 70-foot high slope, and armoring the toe of slope. The improvements used were selected based on assessed risks and mobility requirements. Construction of the project began in July of 2011 and was completed in spring of 2012. A history of the slope instability progression using aerial photography, selection and design of the improvements, and resulting construction challenges are discussed. The authors conclusions on geotechnical lessons learned are shared

Two-Phase Cooling of Targets and Electronics for Particle Physics Experiments

An overview of the LTCM lab’s decade of experience with two-phase cooling research for computer chips and power electronics will be described with its possible beneficial application to high-energy physics experiments. Flow boiling in multi-microchannel cooling elements in silicon (or aluminium) have the potential to provide high cooling rates (up to as high as 350 W/cm2), stable and uniform temperatures of targets and electronics, and lightweight construction while also minimizing the fluid inventory. An overview of two-phase flow and boiling research in single microchannels and multi-microchannel test elements will be presented together with video images of these flows. The objective is to stimulate discussion on the use of two-phase cooling in these demanding applications, including the possible use of CO2

Undulations on the surface of elongated bubbles in confined gas-liquid flows

© 2017 American Physical Society. A systematic analysis is presented of the undulations appearing on the surface of long bubbles in confined gas-liquid flows. CFD simulations of the flow are performed with a self-improved version of the open-source solver ESI OpenFOAM (release 2.3.1), for Ca=0.002-0.1 and Re=0.1-1000, where Ca=μU/σ and Re=2ρUR/μ, with μ and ρ being, respectively, the viscosity and density of the liquid, σ the surface tension, U the bubble velocity, and R the tube radius. A model, based on an extension of the classical axisymmetric Bretherton theory, accounting for inertia and for the curvature of the tube's wall, is adopted to better understand the CFD results. The thickness of the liquid film, and the wavelength and decay rate of the undulations extracted from the CFD simulations, agree well with those obtained with the theoretical model. Inertial effects appear when the Weber number of the flow We=CaRe=O(10-1) and are manifest by a larger number of undulation crests that become evident on the surface of the rear meniscus of the bubble. This study demonstrates that the necessary bubble length for a flat liquid film region to exist between the rear and front menisci rapidly increases above 10R when Ca>0.01 and the value of the Reynolds number approaches 1000

Pore-scale analysis of the minimum liquid film thickness around elongated bubbles in confined gas-liquid flows

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd The fluid mechanics of elongated bubbles in confined gas-liquid flows in micro-geometries is important in pore-scale flow processes for enhanced oil recovery and mobilization of colloids in unsaturated soil. The efficiency of such processes is traditionally related to the thickness of the liquid film trapped between the elongated bubble and the pore's wall, which is assumed constant. However, the surface of long bubbles presents undulations in the vicinity of the rear meniscus, which may significantly decrease the local thickness of the liquid film, thus impacting the process of interest. This study presents a systematic analysis of these undulations and the minimum film thickness induced in the range Ca=0.001-0.5 and Re=0.1-2000. Pore-scale Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations are performed with a self-improved version of the opensource solver ESI OpenFOAM which is based on a Volume of Fluid method to track the gas-liquid interface. A lubrication model based on the extension of the classical axisymmetric Bretherton theory is utilized to better understand the CFD results. The profiles of the rear meniscus of the bubble obtained with the lubrication model agree fairly well with those extracted from the CFD simulations. This study shows that the Weber number of the flow, We=CaRe, is the parameter that best describes the dynamics of the interfacial waves. When We 0.1, a larger number of wave crests becomes evident on the surface of the rear meniscus of the bubble. The liquid film thickness at the crests of the undulations thins considerably as the Reynolds number is increased, down to less than 60% of the value measured in the flat film region. This may significantly influence important environmental processes, such as the detachment and mobilization of micron-sized pollutants and pathogenic micro-organisms adhering at the pore's wall in unsaturated soil

CLOCK Genes and Circadian Rhythmicity in Alzheimer Disease

Disturbed circadian rhythms with sleep problems and disrupted diurnal activity are often seen in patients suffering from Alzheimer disease (AD). Both endogenous CLOCK genes and external Zeitgeber are responsible for the maintenance of circadian rhythmicity in humans. Therefore, modifications of the internal CLOCK system and its interactions with exogenous factors might constitute the neurobiological basis for clinically observed disruptions in rhythmicity, which often have grave consequences for the quality of life of patients and their caregivers. Presently, more and more data are emerging demonstrating how alterations of the CLOCK gene system might contribute to the pathophysiology of AD and other forms of dementia. At the same time, the impact of neuropsychiatric medication on CLOCK gene expression is under investigation

Influencing factors on flow boiling of carbon dioxide in enhanced tubes and comparison with correlations

Carbon dioxide two-phase flow characteristics are different from those of conventional refrigerants, due to the CO2 particular thermodynamic and transport properties obtained by working at high reduced pressures. Moreover, the use of peculiar heat transfer surfaces such as grooves and internal fins are often preferred to enhance the boiling heat transfer performance. This paper collects CO2 flow boiling heat transfer coefficient data from different independent databases available in scientific literature, regarding both smooth and enhanced geometries and a wide range of operative conditions, that are typical of refrigeration systems and heat pumps. The database for enhanced tubes covers internal diameters from 0.8 to 8.92 mm, saturation temperatures from -30 to +20 °C, imposed heat fluxes from 1.67 to 60 kW/m2 and mass velocities from 75 to 800 kg/m2s, collecting more than 800 points. Heat transfer data for smooth and enhanced surfaces under the same conditions are collected, in order to measure the enhancement and to correlate it to the geometry augmentation. The assessment of quoted prediction methods explicitly developed for carbon dioxide is finally carried out, with a proposal for a correction factor

Dynamics of long gas bubbles rising in a vertical tube in a cocurrent liquid flow

© 2019 American Physical Society. When a confined long gas bubble rises in a vertical tube in a cocurrent liquid flow, its translational velocity is the result of both buoyancy and mean motion of the liquid. A thin film of liquid is formed on the tube wall and its thickness is determined by the interplay of viscous, inertial, capillary and buoyancy effects, as defined by the values of the Bond number (Bo≡ρgR2/σ with ρ being the liquid density, g the gravitational acceleration, R the tube radius, and σ the surface tension), capillary number (Cab≡μUb/σ with Ub being the bubble velocity and μ the liquid dynamic viscosity), and Reynolds number (Reb≡2ρUbR/μ). We perform experiments and numerical simulations to investigate systematically the effect of buoyancy (Bo=0-5) on the shape and velocity of the bubble and on the thickness of the liquid film for Cab=10-3-10-1 and Reb=10-2-103. A theoretical model, based on an extension of Bretherton's lubrication theory, is developed and utilized for parametric analyses; its predictions compare well with the experimental and numerical data. This study shows that buoyancy effects on bubbles rising in a cocurrent liquid flow make the liquid film thicker and the bubble rise faster, when compared to the negligible gravity case. In particular, gravitational forces impact considerably the bubble dynamics already when B

Plasma Magnetohydrodynamics and Energy Conversion

Contains reports on five research projects.U. S. Air Force. Aeronautical Systems Division (Contract AF33(615)-1083)National Science Foundation (Grant GK-19

Directional Reflectance Studies in Support of the Radiometric Calibration Test Site (RadCaTS) at Railroad Valley

The Radiometric Calibration Test Site (RadCaTS) is a suite of commercial and custom instruments used to make measurements of the surface reflectance and atmosphere throughout the day at Railroad Valley, Nevada. It was developed in response to the need for daily radiometric calibration data for the vast array of Earth-observing sensors on orbit, which is continuously increasing as more nations and private companies launch individual environmental satellites as well as large constellations. The current suite of instruments at RadCaTS includes five ground-viewing radiometers (GVRs), four of which view the surface in a nadir-viewing configuration. Many sensors such as those on Landsat-7 and Landsat-8 view Railroad Valley within 3 of nadir, while others such as those on Sentinel-2A and -2B, RapidEye, Aqua, Suomi NPP, and Terra can view Railroad Valley at off-nadir angles. Past efforts have shown that the surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) has minimal impact on vicarious calibration uncertainties for views <10, but the desire to use larger view angles has prompted the effort to develop a BRDF correction for data from RadCaTS. The current work investigates the application of Railroad Valley BRDF data derived from a BRF camera developed at the University of Arizona in the 1990s (but is no longer in use) to the current RadCaTS surface reflectance measurements. Also investigated are early results from directional reflectance studies using a mobile spectro-goniometer system during a round-robin field campaign in 2018. This work describes the preliminary results, the effects on current measurements, and the approach for future measurements

Opportunities to Intercalibrate Radiometric Sensors From International Space Station

Highly accurate measurements of Earth's thermal infrared and reflected solar radiation are required for detecting and predicting long-term climate change. We consider the concept of using the International Space Station to test instruments and techniques that would eventually be used on a dedicated mission such as the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory. In particular, a quantitative investigation is performed to determine whether it is possible to use measurements obtained with a highly accurate reflected solar radiation spectrometer to calibrate similar, less accurate instruments in other low Earth orbits. Estimates of numbers of samples useful for intercalibration are made with the aid of year-long simulations of orbital motion. We conclude that the International Space Station orbit is ideally suited for the purpose of intercalibration