The influence of particle surface friction on the behavior of gas-fluidized beds: Development of a two fluid model

The influence of physically realistic collisional properties on the hydrodynamics in a bubbling dense gas-solid fluidized bed is investigated using both a Discrete Particle Model (DPM) and a Two Fluid Model (TFM) incorporating a kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF) for rough spheres by Lei et al. (1). The validated KTGF accounts for particle rotation and particle surface friction expilicitly. Comparisons between the two models are carried out to investigate the influence of particle friction on axial particle velocity, solids circulation pattern, and bubble behavior. The simulated results from both models reveal that the friction coefficient plays an important role in the formation of heterogeneous structures in a bubbling bed. When the friction coefficient is increased, larger bubbles appear and the fluidization in the bed is more vigorous. In addition, the time-averaged gas-solid flow field and time-averaged solids volume fraction vary significantly with different friction coefficient. Less dense zones are found in the bed for larger values of the friction coefficient. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Partial slip boundary conditions for collisional granular flows at flat frictional walls

Generally, slip occurs at the boundary wall for the granular flows, and the boundary may provide fluctuation energy to the flow. Wall boundary conditions (BCs) for the solids phase have significant effects on numerical predictions of various gas-solids fluidized beds. In this work, we derive new boundary conditions for collisional granular flows of spheres at flat frictional walls. New theory for the solids stress tensors, energy dissipation rates per unit area and the fluxes of fluctuation energy is proposed distinguishing sliding and sticking collisions and including particle rotation. Comparisons between the theory and the literature simulation data from Louge (1) show that an excellent prediction for stress ratio can be obtained. We propose an approximated expression for the mean rotational velocity in the bubbling fluidized beds using discrete particle model. The theory also predicts better agreement for the fluxes of fluctuation energy and energy dissipation rates for relative rough spheres with the expression. Finally, we determine new BCs with an extra BC for the rotational granular temperature based on the theory within the framework of kinetic theory of granular flow. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

A blowup criterion for ideal viscoelastic flow

We establish an analog of the Beale-Kato-Majda criterion for singularities of smooth solutions of the system of PDE arising in the Oldroyd model for ideal viscoelastic flow

An image reconstruction algorithm based on the semiparametric model for electrical capacitance tomography

AbstractElectrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is considered as a promising tomography technology, and exactly reconstructing the original objects is highly desirable in real applications. In this paper, a generalized image reconstruction model that simultaneously considers the inaccurate property in the measured capacitance data and the linearization approximation error is presented. A generalized objective function, which has been developed using a combinational M-estimation and an extended stabilizing item, is proposed. The objective function unifies six estimation methods into a concise formula, where different estimation methods can be easily obtained by selecting different parameters. The homotopy method that integrates the beneficial advantages of the alternant iteration scheme is employed to solve the proposed objective function. Numerical simulations are implemented to evaluate the numerical performances and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, and the numerical results reveal that the proposed algorithm is efficient and overcomes the numerical instability in the process of ECT image reconstruction. For the reconstructed objects in this paper, a dramatic improvement in accuracy and spatial resolution can be achieved, which indicates that the proposed algorithm is a promising candidate for solving ECT inverse problems

Cholgate - a randomized controlled trial comparing the effect of automated and on-demand decision support on the management of cardiovascular disease factors in primary care

Automated and on-demand decision support systems integrated into an electronic medical record have proven to be an effective implementation strategy for guidelines. Cholgate is a randomized controlled trial comparing the effect of automated and on-demand decision support on the management of cardiovascular disease factors in primary care

Origins of the Ambient Solar Wind: Implications for Space Weather

The Sun's outer atmosphere is heated to temperatures of millions of degrees, and solar plasma flows out into interplanetary space at supersonic speeds. This paper reviews our current understanding of these interrelated problems: coronal heating and the acceleration of the ambient solar wind. We also discuss where the community stands in its ability to forecast how variations in the solar wind (i.e., fast and slow wind streams) impact the Earth. Although the last few decades have seen significant progress in observations and modeling, we still do not have a complete understanding of the relevant physical processes, nor do we have a quantitatively precise census of which coronal structures contribute to specific types of solar wind. Fast streams are known to be connected to the central regions of large coronal holes. Slow streams, however, appear to come from a wide range of sources, including streamers, pseudostreamers, coronal loops, active regions, and coronal hole boundaries. Complicating our understanding even more is the fact that processes such as turbulence, stream-stream interactions, and Coulomb collisions can make it difficult to unambiguously map a parcel measured at 1 AU back down to its coronal source. We also review recent progress -- in theoretical modeling, observational data analysis, and forecasting techniques that sit at the interface between data and theory -- that gives us hope that the above problems are indeed solvable.Comment: Accepted for publication in Space Science Reviews. Special issue connected with a 2016 ISSI workshop on "The Scientific Foundations of Space Weather." 44 pages, 9 figure

Partial Wave Analysis of J/ψ→γ(K+K−π+π−)J/\psi \to \gamma (K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-)

BES data on $J/\psi \to \gamma (K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-)$ are presented. The $K^*\bar K^*$ contribution peaks strongly near threshold. It is fitted with a broad $0^{-+}$ resonance with mass $M = 1800 \pm 100$ MeV, width $\Gamma = 500 \pm 200$ MeV. A broad $2^{++}$ resonance peaking at 2020 MeV is also required with width $\sim 500$ MeV. There is further evidence for a $2^{-+}$ component peaking at 2.55 GeV. The non-$K^*\bar K^*$ contribution is close to phase space; it peaks at 2.6 GeV and is very different from $K^{*}\bar{K^{*}}$.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, Submitted to PL

Effect of the Aerosol-Phase State on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from the Reactive Uptake of Isoprene-Derived Epoxydiols (IEPOX)

Acid-catalyzed reactions between gas- and particle-phase constituents are critical to atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. The aerosol-phase state is thought to influence the reactive uptake of gas-phase precursors to aerosol particles by altering diffusion rates within particles. However, few experimental studies have explored the precise role of the aerosol-phase state on reactive uptake processes. This laboratory study systematically examines the reactive uptake coefficient (γ) of trans-β-isoprene epoxydiol (trans-β-IEPOX), the predominant IEPOX isomer, on acidic sulfate particles coated with SOA derived from α-pinene ozonolysis. γIEPOX is obtained for core-shell particles, the morphology of which was confirmed by microscopy, as a function of SOA coating thickness and relative humidity. γIEPOX is reduced, in some cases by half of the original value, when SOA coatings are present prior to uptake, especially when coating thicknesses are > 15 nm. The diurnal trend of IEPOX lost to acid-catalyzed reactive uptake yielding SOA compared with other known atmospheric sinks (gas-phase oxidation or deposition) is derived by modeling the experimental coating effect with field data from the southeastern United States. IEPOX-derived SOA is estimated to be reduced by 16-27% due to preexisting organic coatings during the afternoon (12:00 to 7:00 p.m., local time), corresponding to the period with the highest level of production

Detector Description and Performance for the First Coincidence Observations between LIGO and GEO

For 17 days in August and September 2002, the LIGO and GEO interferometer gravitational wave detectors were operated in coincidence to produce their first data for scientific analysis. Although the detectors were still far from their design sensitivity levels, the data can be used to place better upper limits on the flux of gravitational waves incident on the earth than previous direct measurements. This paper describes the instruments and the data in some detail, as a companion to analysis papers based on the first data.Comment: 41 pages, 9 figures 17 Sept 03: author list amended, minor editorial change