Computational/experimental studies of isolated, single component droplet combustion

Isolated droplet combustion processes have been the subject of extensive experimental and theoretical investigations for nearly 40 years. The gross features of droplet burning are qualitatively embodied by simple theories and are relatively well understood. However, there remain significant aspects of droplet burning, particularly its dynamics, for which additional basic knowledge is needed for thorough interpretations and quantitative explanations of transient phenomena. Spherically-symmetric droplet combustion, which can only be approximated under conditions of both low Reynolds and Grashof numbers, represents the simplest geometrical configuration in which to study the coupled chemical/transport processes inherent within non-premixed flames. The research summarized here, concerns recent results on isolated, single component, droplet combustion under microgravity conditions, a program pursued jointly with F.A. Williams of the University of California, San Diego. The overall program involves developing and applying experimental methods to study the burning of isolated, single component droplets, in various atmospheres, primarily at atmospheric pressure and below, in both drop towers and aboard space-based platforms such as the Space Shuttle or Space Station. Both computational methods and asymptotic methods, the latter pursued mainly at UCSD, are used in developing the experimental test matrix, in analyzing results, and for extending theoretical understanding. Methanol, and the normal alkanes, n-heptane, and n-decane, have been selected as test fuels to study time-dependent droplet burning phenomena. The following sections summarizes the Princeton efforts on this program, describe work in progress, and briefly delineate future research directions

Droplet combustion at reduced gravity

The current work involves theoretical analyses of the effects identified, experiments in the NASA Lewis drop towers performed in the middeck areas of the Space Shuttle. In addition, there is laboratory work associated with the design of the flight apparatus. Calculations have shown that some of the test-matrix data can be obtained in drop towers, and some are achievable only in the space experiments. The apparatus consists of a droplet dispensing device (syringes), a droplet positioning device (opposing, retractable, hollow needles), a droplet ignition device (two matched pairs of retractable spark electrodes), gas and liquid handling systems, a data acquisition system (mainly giving motion-picture records of the combustion in two orthogonal views, one with backlighting for droplet resolution), and associated electronics

A serial queuing model for the Navy Advanced Traceability and Control (ATAC) system

The purpose of this thesis was to develop a preliminary simulation model of the Advanced Traceability and Control (ATAC) process. The motivation was the need to evaluate significant policy decisions such as, Defense Management Review Decision (DMRD) 901's "ship or hold" decision. An analysis of the operation of ATAC and the data base maintained by Navy Material Transportation Office (NAVMTO) were made to provide necessary details for constructing the model. Significant data base problems were discovered that precluded the development of an elaborate simulation model.. Although the simulation model is very simple, it does show that more detailed and accurate ATAC data are needed to effectively measure and monitor the ATAC system.http://archive.org/details/serialqueuingmod00dryeLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

<i>AKARI</i>/IRC source catalogues and source counts for the IRAC Dark Field, ELAIS North and the <i>AKARI</i> Deep Field South

We present the first detailed analysis of three extragalactic fields (IRAC Dark Field, ELAIS-N1, ADF-S) observed by the infrared satellite, AKARI, using an optimized data analysis toolkit specifically for the processing of extragalactic point sources. The InfaRed Camera (IRC) on AKARI complements the SpitzerSpace Telescope via its comprehensive coverage between 8–24 μm filling the gap between the Spitzer/IRAC and MIPS instruments. Source counts in the AKARI bands at 3.2, 4.1, 7, 11, 15 and 18 μm are presented. At near-infrared wavelengths, our source counts are consistent with counts made in other AKARI fields and in general with SpitzerIRAC (except at 3.2 μm where our counts lie above). In the mid-infrared (11 – 18 μm), we find our counts are consistent with both previous surveys by AKARI and the Spitzer peak-up imaging survey with the InfraRed Spectrograph (IRS). Using our counts to constrain contemporary evolutionary models, we find that although the models and counts are in agreement at mid-infrared wavelengths there are inconsistencies at wavelengths shortward of 7 μm, suggesting either a problem with stellar subtraction or indicating the need for refinement of the stellar population models. We have also investigated the AKARI/IRC filters, and find an active galactic nucleus selection criteria out to z AKARI 4.1, 11, 15 and 18 μm colours

Transient Numerical Modeling of the Combustion of Bi-Component Liquid Droplets: Methanol/Water Mixture

This study shows that liquid mixtures of methanol and water are attractive candidates for microgravity droplet combustion experiments and associated numerical modeling. The gas phase chemistry for these droplet mixtures is conceptually simple, well understood and substantially validated. In addition, the thermodynamic and transport properties of the liquid mixture have also been well characterized. Furthermore, the results obtained in this study predict that the extinction of these droplets may be observable in ground-based drop to tower experiments. Such experiments will be conducted shortly followed by space-based experiments utilizing the NASA FSDC and DCE experiments

Alternator and voltage regulator-exciter for a Brayton cycle space power system. Volume 1 - Design and development

Alternator and voltage regulator for Brayton cycle space power syste

Food of Lake Trout in Lake Superior

Stomachs were examined from 1,492 lake trout and 83 siscowets collected from Lake Superior. Data are given on the food of lake trout of legal size (17 inches or longer) by year, season, and depth of water, and on the relation between food and size among smaller lake trout.Fish contributed 96.7 to 99.9 per cent of the total volume of food in the annual samples. Ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) were most common (52.2 to 87.5 per cent of the volume) in 1950 to 1953 and American smelt ranked first (65.6 per cent of the volume) in 1963. Cottids were in 8.9 to 12.3 per cent of the stomachs in 1950 to 1953 but in only 4.3 per cent in 1963. Insects ranked second to fish in occurrence (9.6 per cent for the combined samples) and crustaceans followed at 3.9 per cent.The greatest seasonal changes in the food of lake trout were among fish caught at 35 fathoms and shallower. The occurrence of Coregonus increased from 34.6 per cent in February‐March to 71.1 per cent in October‐December. Smelt were in 76.9 per cent of the stomachs in February‐March but in only 2.2 per cent in October‐December. Cottids, Mysis relicta, and insects were most common in the July‐September collections.Lake trout taken at depths greater than 35 fathoms had eaten a higher percentage of Cottidae and Coregonus than had those captured in shallower water. Smelt, ninespine sticklebacks, Mysis, and insects were more frequent in stomachs of lake trout from less than 35 fathoms.Crustaceans comprised more than 70 per cent of the total volume of food for 4.0‐ to 7.9‐inch lake trout but their importance decreased as the lake trout grew larger. Pontoporeia affinis was the most common in the stomachs of 4.0‐ to 6.9‐inch lake trout and Mysis held first rank at 7.0 to 12.9 inches. Ostracods were important only to 4.0‐ to 4.9‐inch lake trout. As the lake trout became larger, the importance of fish grew from 4.4‐per cent occurrence at 5.0 to 5.9 inches to 93.9 per cent at 16.0 to 16.9 inches. Smelt were most commonly eaten by undersize (less than 17 inches) lake trout.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141203/1/tafs0169.pd

Three Stage Cool Flame Droplet Burning Behavior of n-Alkane Droplets at Elevated Pressure Conditions: Hot, Warm and Cool Flame

Transient, isolated n-alkane droplet combustion is simulated at elevated pressure for helium-diluent substituted-air mixtures. We report the presence of unique quasi-steady, three-stage burning behavior of large sphero-symmetric n-alkane droplets at these elevated pressures and helium substituted ambient fractions. Upon initiation of reaction, hot-flame diffusive burning of large droplets is initiated that radiatively extinguishes to establish cool flame burning conditions in nitrogen/oxygen air at atmospheric and elevated pressures. However, at elevated pressure and moderate helium substitution for nitrogen ( X He > 20%), the initiated cool flame burning proceeds through two distinct, quasi-steady-state, cool flame burning conditions. The classical Hot flame ( 1500 K) radiatively extinguishes into a Warm flame burning mode at a moderate maximum reaction zone temperature ( 970 K), followed by a transition to a lower temperature ( 765 K), quasi-steady Cool flame burning condition. The reaction zone (flame) temperatures are associated with distinctly different yields in intermediate reaction products within the reaction zones and surrounding near-field, and the flame-standoff ratios characterizing each burning mode progressively decrease. The presence of all three stages first appears with helium substitution near 20%, and the duration of each stage is observed to be strongly dependent on helium substitutions level between 2060%. For helium substitution greater than 60%, the hot flame extinction is followed by only the lower temperature cool flame burning mode. In addition to the strong coupling between the diffusive loss of both energy and species and the slowly evolving degenerate branching in the low and negative temperature coefficient (NTC) kinetic regimes, the competition between the low-temperature chain branching and intermediate-temperature chain termination reactions control the Warm and Cool flame quasi-steady conditions and transitioning dynamics

The Role for Coagulation Markers in Mild Snakebite Envenomations

Introduction: The majority of patients seeking medical treatment for snakebites do not suffer from severe envenomation. However, no guidelines exist for ordering coagulation markers in patients with minimal or moderate envenomation, nor in those who do not receive antivenom. In this study, we sought to determine whether it was possible to limit the practice of ordering coagulation studies to those patients suffering severe envenomation, rattlesnake envenomation, or both.Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on all cases of crotalid snakebite presenting to an adult emergency department (ED) from April 1998 to June 2006. Each chart was abstracted for patient’s age, gender, type of snake (if known), severity of envenomation at initial presentation, coagulation test results, whether antivenom was administered, and whether the patient was admitted.Results: Over an approximately 8-year period, 131 snakebite cases presented that met the inclusion criteria, of which 35 (26.7%) had some type of coagulation marker abnormality. Limiting coagulation testing to patients suffering severe envenomation or rattlesnake envenomation would have resulted in failure to identify 89% or 77%, respectively, of the 35 patients who were found to have at least 1 abnormal coagulation marker.Conclusion: Our study failed to identify a subset of patients that could be defined as low risk or for whom coagulation marker testing could be foregone. This study suggests that coagulation tests should be routinely performed on all patients presenting to the ED with complaints of envenomation by copperheads, moccasins, or rattlesnakes. Further clarification of when coagulation markers are indicated may require a prospective study that standardizes snake identification and the timing of coagulation marker testing. [West J Emerg Med. 2012;13(1):68–74.

Theoretical Basis for Estimated Test Times and Conditions for Drop Tower and Space-Based Droplet Burning Experiments With Methanol and N-Heptane

In order to develop an extensive envelope of test conditions for NASA's space-based Droplet Combustion Experiment (DCE) as well those droplet experiments which can be performed using a drop tower, the transient vaporization and combustion of methanol and n-heptane droplets were simulated using a recently developed fully time-dependent, spherically symmetric droplet combustion model. The transient vaporization of methanol and n-heptane was modeled to characterize the instantaneous gas phase composition surrounding the droplet prior to the introduction of an ignition source. The results for methanol/air showed that the entire gas phase surrounding a 2 mm methanol droplet deployed in zero-g .quickly falls outside the lean flammability limit. The gas phase surrounding an identically-sized n-heptane droplet, on the other hand, remains flammable. The combustion of methanol was then modeled considering a detailed gas phase chemical kinetic mechanism (168 steps, 26 species) and the effect of the dissolution of flame-generated water into the liquid droplet. These results were used to determine the critical ignition diameter required to achieve quasi-steady droplet combustion in a given oxidizing environment. For droplet diameters greater than the critical ignition diameter, the model predicted a finite diameter at which the flame would extinguish. These extinction diameters were found to vary significantly with initial droplet diameter. This phenomenon appears to be unique to the transient heat transfer, mass transfer and chemical kinetics of the system and thus has not been reported elsewhere to date. The extinction diameter was also shown to vary significantly with the liquid phase Lewis number since the amount of water present in the droplet at extinction is largely governed by the rate at which water is transported into the droplet via mass diffusion. Finally, the numerical results for n-heptane combustion were obtained using both 2 step and 96 step semi-emperical chemical kinetic mechanisms. Neither mechanism exhibited the variation of extinction diameter with initial diameter