An evaluation of earth banked tanks for slurry storage

End of project reportThis study examines the feasibility of using earth-banked tanks (EBT’s) as an alternative and economical means of winter storage for animal and other farmyard wastes. The study contains a detailed literature review on the subject, the results of a series of laboratory-scale experiments, field studies and a predictive model of the transport process through the soil liner of an earth-banked tank

Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on arterial stiffness in patients with hypertension: a randomized pilot study.

BackgroundOmega-3 fatty acids prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in patients with myocardial infarction or heart failure. Benefits in patients without overt CVD have not been demonstrated, though most studies did not use treatment doses (3.36 g) of omega-3 fatty acids. Arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) predicts CVD events independent of standard risk factors. However, no therapy has been shown to reduce PWV in a blood pressure-independent manner. We assessed the effects of esterified omega-3 fatty acids on PWV and serum markers of inflammation among patients with hypertension.Design and methodsWe performed a prospective, randomized; double-blinded pilot study of omega-3 fatty acids among 62 patients in an urban, safety net hospital. Patients received 3.36 g of omega-3 fatty acids vs. matched placebo daily for 3-months. The principal outcome measure was change in brachial-ankle PWV. Serum inflammatory markers associated with CVD risk were also assessed.ResultsThe majority (71 %) were of Latino ethnicity. After 3-months, mean change in arterial PWV among omega-3 and placebo groups was -97 cm/s vs. -33 cm/s respectively (p = 0.36 for difference, after multivariate adjustment for baseline age, systolic blood pressure, and serum adiponectin). Non-significant reductions in lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LpPLA2) mass and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) relative to placebo were also observed (p = 0.08, and 0.21, respectively).ConclusionHigh-dose omega-3 fatty acids did not reduce arterial PWV or markers of inflammation among patients within a Latino-predominant population with hypertension.Clinical trial registrationNCT00935766 , registered July 8 2009

The influence of reactant flow structure on flame front propagation

The combustion of hydrocarbon based fuels is one of the worlds main sources of energy, with applications ranging from large scale industrial processes to transport. However, the use of these fuels has two keys problems, long term supply and emissions. In order to extend the use of hydrocarbon fuels and reduce their environmental impact, fundamental understanding of the combustion process is needed so that applications can be fully optimised. One of the most influential factors that effects the combustion processes is turbulence, a factor that significantly alters flame propagation and subsequent rates of heat release. It is this feature of combustion that is focused upon within this work. Initially flame-turbulence interaction is investigated using a fan stirred combustion bomb using high speed particle image velocimetry to examine the combustion of stoichiometric mixtures of methane and air. This study looks at how flame propagation effects turbulence and how different levels of turbulence effect flame structure. This work demonstrates that a flow field is significantly altered by a propagating flame, but that local turbulent structures are maintained ahead of it, structures that directly impact flame propagation. This section of work demonstrates that fundamental understanding is needed of how specific rotational flow structures, which characterise turbulent flows, effect local burning velocity. The rest of the work in this thesis details the study of the interaction between controlled toroidal vortices and a propagating flame front using a novel twin-chamber combustion bomb. As part of this study a new technique for the measurement of local burning velocity, using asynchronous particle image velocimetry, is developed and implemented; a technique which enables the quantification of local burning velocity within highly rotating flows. The information acquired using this new technique is then used to quantify the true local burning velocity by taking into account the translation of the flame via advection. Study of flame-vortex interaction in this manner is used to assess the impact of vortex structure on flame propagation rates. The burning velocity data demonstrates that there is a significant enhancement to the rate of flame propagation where the flame directly interacts with the rotating vortex. Away from this interaction with the main vortex core, the flame exhibits propagation rates around the value recorded for unperturbed combustion. Additional examination has shown that aspects of both the local flow field and the flame profile correlates with the local burning velocity; specifically flame curvature and the angle that the flame intersects the flame front.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Gravitational production of super-Hubble-mass particles: an analytic approach

Through a mechanism similar to perturbative particle scattering, particles of mass $m_\chi$ larger than the Hubble expansion rate $H_\mathrm{inf}$ during inflation can be gravitationally produced at the end of inflation without the exponential suppression powers of $\exp(-m_\chi/H_\mathrm{inf})$. Here we develop an analytic formalism for computing particle production for such massive particles. We apply our formalism to specific models that have been previously been studied only numerically, and we find that our analytical approximations reproduce those numerical estimates well.Comment: v2: 24 pages, 1 figure. Refs added. Clarified discussion of time scales at Eq. (6.11

Autonomous power expert system

The Autonomous Power Expert (APEX) system was designed to monitor and diagnose fault conditions that occur within the Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System (SSF/EPS) Testbed. APEX is designed to interface with SSF/EPS testbed power management controllers to provide enhanced autonomous operation and control capability. The APEX architecture consists of three components: (1) a rule-based expert system, (2) a testbed data acquisition interface, and (3) a power scheduler interface. Fault detection, fault isolation, justification of probable causes, recommended actions, and incipient fault analysis are the main functions of the expert system component. The data acquisition component requests and receives pertinent parametric values from the EPS testbed and asserts the values into a knowledge base. Power load profile information is obtained from a remote scheduler through the power scheduler interface component. The current APEX design and development work is discussed. Operation and use of APEX by way of the user interface screens is also covered

Infiltration/cure modeling of resin transfer molded composite materials using advanced fiber architectures

A model was developed which can be used to simulate infiltration and cure of textile composites by resin transfer molding. Fabric preforms were resin infiltrated and cured using model generated optimized one-step infiltration/cure protocols. Frequency dependent electromagnetic sensing (FDEMS) was used to monitor in situ resin infiltration and cure during processing. FDEMS measurements of infiltration time, resin viscosity, and resin degree of cure agreed well with values predicted by the simulation model. Textile composites fabricated using a one-step infiltration/cure procedure were uniformly resin impregnated and void free. Fiber volume fraction measurements by the resin digestion method compared well with values predicted using the model

Nitrogen and carbohydrate content of the strawberry plant : seasonal changes and the effects of fertilizers

Publication authorized March 19, 1937."Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the University of Missouri, 1936"--P. [3].Includes bibliographical references (pages 51-52)