Studying the thermal conductivity of a deep Eocene clay formation: direct measurements vs back-analysis results

An experimental study on Ypresian clays–one of the potential deep and sedimentary clay formations in Belgium for the geological disposal of heat-emitting radioactive waste–has been undertaken to systematically study its thermal conductivity using different experimental techniques. As a first step, a new experimental setup with heat flux measurement has been used and careful pre-conditioning protocols have been followed to directly measure this thermal property. The aim of these pre-conditioning tests has been ensuring a very high degree of saturation and the closure of fissures / gaps along bedding planes before the thermal tests are run under low stress conditions. Thermal tests have shown to be particularly sensitive when the thermal conductivity is determined along a direction orthogonal to these bedding planes. The study is then complemented by using a constant volume heating cell, in which heating pulse tests have been carried out under fully saturated conditions that have been ensured with a high water back-pressure. Numerical models have been used to interpret this pulse test, to exploit all the information provided by temperature measurements and to back-analyse the thermal conductivity. Direct thermal conductivity data with the improved pre-conditioning protocol allowed obtaining results consistent with the values reported when using back-analysis in the constant volume cell. The article discusses the importance of restoring full saturation conditions, particularly on retrieval of deep sedimentary clays, which may undergo opening of fissures along bedding planes that may affect the correct determination of the thermal conductivity.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Prótesis de rodilla externa mecatrónica

Se diseña un mecanismo de articulación de rodilla para una prótesis externa, es decir el prototipo puede ser usado en personas con amputaciones del tipo transfemoral, con el fin de contribuir a la sociedad al brindar soluciones a favor de las personas con capacidades especiales. Se toma en consideración los aspectos más relevantes para el desarrollo de la marcha humana protésica normal como son: nivel de actividad física, medidas antropométricas, materiales adecuados para la construcción, estabilidad y confort entre otros. Luego de realizar un análisis extensivo y proceso de diseño y rediseño se construyó un prototipo funcional, que en el futuro podrá ser probado en personas que así lo requieran.Peer Reviewe

Piscicultura familiar: primeiros olhares e oportunidades de ação no Tocantins.

Nos últimos anos a piscicultura vem se consolidando como atividade de destaque no sistema de produção da agricultura familiar. A visão dos produtores sobre a atividade vem se modificando, deixando de ser uma atividade marginalizada na propriedade e se tornando uma alternativa de diversificação da produção. Contudo, o acesso dos produtores à extensão aquícola ainda é deficiente. O acesso às tecnologias ainda é considerado um elemento fraco na cadeia produtiva da aquicultura, sobretudo na piscicultura familiar. Apesar destes gargalos, a produção piscícola oriunda da agricultura familiar tem aumentado significativamente nos últimos anos, em especial no estado de Tocantins. O crescimento da piscicultura familiar neste estado levou a Embrapa Pesca e Aquicultura a desenvolver uma ação denominada Projeto Divinópolis, que visa identificar demandas e propor ações relacionadas à geração de tecnologias para a piscicultura familiar, além de fornecer subsídios para políticas públicas e ações de fomento. Tais ações vislumbram o fortalecimento da cadeia produtiva da piscicultura nos municípios de Divinópolis e Abreulândia, área de abrangência do projeto.Organizado por: Sílvio Ricardo Maurano; AQUACIÊNCIA 2012

Monte Carlo Simulations of Some Dynamical Aspects of Drop Formation

In this work we present some results from computer simulations of dynamical aspects of drop formation in a leaky faucet. Our results, which agree very well with the experiments, suggest that only a few elements, at the microscopic level, would be necessary to describe the most important features of the system. We were able to set all parameters of the model in terms of real ones. This is an additional advantage with respect to previous theoretical works.Comment: 7 pages (Latex), 6 figures (PS) Accepted to publication in Int. J. Mod. Phys. C Source Codes at http://www.if.uff.br/~arlim

Cosmological Equation of State and Interacting Energies

In this paper we study a model of cosmic evolution, assuming that the different components of the universe could interact between them any time. An effective equation of state (EOS) for the universe has been used as well. A particular function for w, which gives a good agreement between our results and the experimental data, has been studied. Finally, the model obtained has been applied to different important cases

Inventários corporativos das emissões de gases de efeito estufa da Embrapa Hortaliças dos anos de 2008, 2009, 2010 e 2011.

bitstream/item/84610/1/doc-139.pd

Thermal stability of sputter-deposited 330 austenitic stainless-steel thin films with nanoscale growth twins

We have explored the thermal stability of nanoscale growth twins in sputter-deposited 330 stainless-steel (SS) films by vacuum annealing up to 500 °C. In spite of an average twin spacing of only 4 nm in the as-deposited films, no detectable variation in the twin spacing or orientation of twin interfaces was observed after annealing. An increase in the average columnar grain size was observed after annealing. The hardness of 330 SS films increases after annealing, from 7 GPa for as-deposited films to around 8 GPa for annealed films, while the electrical resistivity decreases slightly after annealing. The changes in mechanical and electrical properties after annealing are interpreted in terms of the corresponding changes in the residual stress and microstructure of the films

The algebraic Bethe ansatz for open vertex models

We present a unified algebraic Bethe ansatz for open vertex models which are associated with the non-exceptional $A^{(2)}_{2n},A^{(2)}_{2n-1},B^{(1)}_n,C^{(1)}_n,D^{(1)}_{n}$ Lie algebras. By the method, we solve these models with the trivial K matrix and find that our results agree with that obtained by analytical Bethe ansatz. We also solve the $B^{(1)}_n,C^{(1)}_n,D^{(1)}_{n}$ models with some non-trivial diagonal K-matrices (one free parameter case) by the algebraic Bethe ansatz.Comment: Latex, 35 pages, new content and references are added, minor revisions are mad

Molecular dynamics simulation and crystal field calculations of the Eu2O3-PbO-SiO2 glassy system submitted to long annealing time

The Eu2O3-PbO-SiO2 glassy system submitted to a long annealing time (100 ps) has been obtained by molecular dynamics calculations. The average of 87/86 sites of the Eu3 + ion with six/seven nearest neighbours are used to discuss the number of lines and the local symmetry of the luminescent site through the crystal field parameters, using the simple overlap model in the frame of the method of equivalent nearest neighbours. The magnitude of the [View the MathML source] Bq2(q = 0, 1, 2) and the non-negligible [View the MathML source] B44 and [View the MathML source] B46( [View the MathML source] B34, [View the MathML source] B36 and [View the MathML source] B66) lead to the indication of distorted C4h and C3i site symmetries of the six and seven nearest neighbours, respectively. We have then compared very satisfactorily our 7F1 sublevels calculations with those observed in the emission spectra of an Eu-borate glass annealed for 30 min and 17 h. This comparison is justified because the emission behaviour of europium ions in different glassy systems are honestly very similar. Further, the decrease observed in the 5D0→7F2/5D0→7F1 transition intensity ratio is a clear indication that the Eu3 + ion are nucleating a crystalline phase. Such satisfactory comparisons indicate that we have obtained a transparent glass-ceramics