Nuclear β+\beta^+/EC decays in covariant density functional theory and the impact of isoscalar proton-neutron pairing

Self-consistent proton-neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation based on the spherical nonlinear point-coupling relativistic Hartree-Bogoliubov theory is established and used to investigate the $\beta^+$/EC-decay half-lives of neutron-deficient Ar, Ca, Ti, Fe, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Sn isotopes. The isoscalar proton-neutron pairing is found to play an important role in reducing the decay half-lives, which is consistent with the same mechanism in the $\beta$ decays of neutron-rich nuclei. The experimental $\beta^+$/EC-decay half-lives can be well reproduced by a universal isoscalar proton-neutron pairing strength.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Robust sliding mode design for uncertain stochastic systems based on H∞ control method

The official published version can be found at the link below.In this paper, the design problem of sliding mode control (SMC) is addressed for uncertain stochastic systems modeled by Itô differential equations. There exist the parameter uncertainties in both the state and input matrices, as well as the unmatched external disturbance. The key feature of this work is the integration of SMC method with H∞ technique such that the robust stochastic stability with a prescribed disturbance attenuation level can be achieved. A sufficient condition for the existence of the desired sliding mode controller is obtained via linear matrix inequalities. The reachability of the specified sliding surface is proven. Finally, a numerical simulation example is presented to illustrate the proposed method.This work was funded by The Royal Society of the U.K.;NNSF of China. Grant Numbers: 60674015, 60674089;The Technology Innovation Key Foundation of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission. Grant Number: 09ZZ60;Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project. Grant Number: B50

Self-consistent relativistic quasiparticle random-phase approximation and its applications to charge-exchange excitations and β\beta-decay half-lives

The self-consistent quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) approach is formulated in the canonical single-nucleon basis of the relativistic Hatree-Fock-Bogoliubov (RHFB) theory. This approach is applied to study the isobaric analog states (IAS) and Gamov-Teller resonances (GTR) by taking Sn isotopes as examples. It is found that self-consistent treatment of the particle-particle residual interaction is essential to concentrate the IAS in a single peak for open-shell nuclei and the Coulomb exchange term is very important to predict the IAS energies. For the GTR, the isovector pairing can increase the calculated GTR energy, while the isoscalar pairing has an important influence on the low-lying tail of the GT transition. Furthermore, the QRPA approach is employed to predict nuclear $\beta$-decay half-lives. With an isospin-dependent pairing interaction in the isoscalar channel, the RHFB+QRPA approach almost completely reproduces the experimental $\beta$-decay half-lives for nuclei up to the Sn isotopes with half-lives smaller than one second. Large discrepancies are found for the Ni, Zn, and Ge isotopes with neutron number smaller than $50$, as well as the Sn isotopes with neutron number smaller than $82$. The potential reasons for these discrepancies are discussed in detail.Comment: 34 pages, 14 figure

Two-phase flow and oxygen transport in the perforated gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Liquid water transport in perforated gas diffusion layers (GDLs)is numerically investigated using a three-dimensional (3D)two-phase volume of fluid (VOF)model and a stochastic reconstruction model of GDL microstructures. Different perforation depths and diameters are investigated, in comparison with the GDL without perforation. It is found that perforation can considerably reduce the liquid water level inside a GDL. The perforation diameter (D = 100 μm)and the depth (H = 100 μm)show pronounced effect. In addition, two different perforation locations, i.e. the GDL center and the liquid water break-through point, are investigated. Results show that the latter perforation location works more efficiently. Moreover, the perforation perimeter wettability is studied, and it is found that a hydrophilic region around the perforation further reduces the water saturation. Finally, the oxygen transport in the partially-saturated GDL is studied using an oxygen diffusion model. Results indicate that perforation reduces the oxygen diffusion resistance in GDLs and improves the oxygen concentration at the GDL bottom up to 101% (D = 100 μm and H = 100 μm)

Numerical simulation of two-phase cross flow in the gas diffusion layer microstructure of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

The cross flow in the under-land gas diffusion layer (GDL) between 2 adjacent channels plays an important role on water transport in proton exchange membrane fuel cell. A 3-dimensional (3D) two-phase model that is based on volume of fluid is developed to study the liquid water-air cross flow within the GDL between 2 adjacent channels. By considering the detailed GDL microstructures, various types of air-water cross flows are investigated by 3D numerical simulation. Liquid water at 4 locations is studied, including droplets at the GDL surface and liquid at the GDL-catalyst layer interface. It is found that the water droplet at the higher-pressure channel corner is easier to be removed by cross flow compared with droplets at other locations. Large pressure difference Δp facilitates the faster water removal from the higher-pressure channel. The contact angle of the GDL fiber is the key parameter that determines the cross flow of the droplet in the higher-pressure channel. It is observed that the droplet in the higher-pressure channel is difficult to flow through the hydrophobic GDL. Numerical simulations are also performed to investigate the water emerging process from different pores of the GDL bottom. It is found that the amount of liquid water removed by cross flow mainly depends on the pore's location, and the water under the land is removed entirely into the lower-pressure channel by cross flow

Two-phase flow dynamics in the gas diffusion layer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Volume of fluid modeling and comparison with experiment

This paper proposes a three-dimensional (3D) volume of fluid (VOF) study to investigate two-phase flow in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and liquid water distribution. A stochastic model was adopted to reconstruct the 3D microstructures of Toray carbon papers and incorporate the experimentally-determined varying porosity. The VOF predictions were compared with the water profiles obtained by the X-ray tomographic microscopy (XTM) and the Leverett correlation. It was found local water profiles are similar in the sample’s sub-regions under the pressure difference p = 1000 Pa between the two GDL surfaces, but may vary significantly under p = 6000 Pa. The water-air interfaces inside the GDL structure were presented to show water distribution and breakthrough