Going Green: Experimental Adaptation of Scenedesmus Dimorphus to Marine Conditions

Algae has gained some interest as the need for alternative fuels becomes more pressing. Reliance on fossil fuels is causing our environment and economy harm, and is not sustainable moving forward. Lipid rich algae strains can be used in the production of biofuels, and provide an alternative fuel source. One challenge facing the prospect of algae as a fuel source is that lipid rich algae grows exclusively in freshwater. Considering the scarcity and cost to use freshwater for algae growth, interest has grown in the possibility of adapting lipid rich, freshwater algae to a seawater environment. Seawater can have up to 35 grams of NaCl salt per liter more than freshwater. The Scenedesmus Dimorphus algae was chosen as the interest of this research due to its high lipid content. Also, it is very robust and well researched. Algae is grown in a controlled environment with varying salinity levels in either a bioreactor unit or 2-liter glass bottles. The objective of this research is to gradually adapt the S. dimorphus to increasing salt levels and reach a total specific gravity level of 1.010, which is about 16 grams NaCl per liter, compared to 1.025 TSG level that of seawater.https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/u_poster_2017/1043/thumbnail.jp

A Proposal for Testing Gravity's Rainbow

Various approaches to quantum gravity such as string theory, loop quantum gravity and Horava-Lifshitz gravity predict modifications of the energy-momentum dispersion relation. Magueijo and Smolin incorporated the modified dispersion relation (MDR) with the general theory of relativity to yield a theory of gravity's rainbow. In this paper, we investigate the Schwarzschild metric in the context of gravity's rainbow. We investigate rainbow functions from three known modified dispersion relations that were introduced by Amelino-Camelia, et el. in [arXiv:hep-th/9605211, arXiv:0806.0339v2, arXiv:astro-ph/9712103] and by Magueijo-Smolin in [arXiv:hep-th/0112090]. We study the effect of the rainbow functions on the deflection of light, photon time delay, gravitational red-shift, and the weak equivalence principle. We compare our results with experiments to obtain upper bounds on the parameters of the rainbow functions.Comment: 6 pages, no figures, to appear in Europhysics Letter

Sensorless action-reaction-based residual vibration suppression for multi-degree-of-freedom flexible systems

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of controlling motion and vibration of a class of flexible systems with inaccessible or unknown outputs through measurements taken from their actuators which are used as single platforms for measurements, whereas flexible dynamical systems are kept free from any attached sensors. Based on the action reaction law of dynamics, the well-known disturbance observer is used to determine the incident reaction forces from these dynamical systems on the interface planes with their actuators. Reaction forces are considered as feedback-like signals that can be used as alternatives to the inaccessible system outputs. The sensorless action reaction based motion and vibration control technique is implemented on a flexible system with finite modes and all results are verified experimentally

Black Hole with Quantum Potential

In this work, we investigate black hole (BH) physics in the context of quantum corrections. These quantum corrections were introduced recently by replacing classical geodesics with quantal (Bohmian) trajectories and hence form a quantum Raychaudhuri equation (QRE). From the QRE, we derive a modified Schwarzschild metric, and use that metric to investigate BH singularity and thermodynamics. We find that these quantum corrections change the picture of Hawking radiation greatly when the size of BH approaches the Planck scale. They prevent the BH from total evaporation, predicting the existence of a quantum BH remnant, which may introduce a possible resolution for the catastrophic behavior of Hawking radiation as the BH mass approaches zero. Those corrections also turn the spacelike singularity of the black hole to be timelike, and hence this may ameliorate the information loss problem.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures; Accepted in Nucl.Phys.

Development and optimization of small-scale axial turbines for distributed cryogenic energy storage system

This research aims to study in a comprehensive way a different power generation cryogenic energy storage cycles and effective strategies for developing an optimized design of small scale nitrogen axial turbines as the expanders for these cycles within the capacities that can be used for small/medium size buildings, rural, and remote off-grid communities. The hybrid open-closed Rankine cycle have been chosen as the case study for nitrogen turbine analysis for expansion ratios ranged from 1.5 to 3. New turbine design methodology has been developed which integrates one dimension preliminary design method (mean-line method) and three dimensional CFD simulations, and expe1imental validation testing. This turbine methodology was expanded to include developing optimization parametrization technique, a parametric study of four different blade configurations (lean, sweep, twist, and bow), and development of a novel dual stage non-repeated annular area small-scale axial nitrogen turbine. In order to validate the CFD simulation, the design methodology, and to investigate the effects of blade height on small-scale axial turbines performance, a test rig using compressed air was developed. Three manufactured axial turbines with different blade heights ( 4mm, 6mm, and 8mm) were manufactured and tested at various operating conditions

Some Implications of Two Forms of the Generalized Uncertainty Principle

Various theories of quantum gravity predict the existence of a minimum length scale, which leads to the modification of the standard uncertainty principle to the Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP). In this paper, we study two forms of the GUP and calculate their implications on the energy of the harmonic oscillator and the Hydrogen atom more accurately than previous studies. In addition, we show how the GUP modifies the Lorentz force law and the time-energy uncertainty principle.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

3-Diazo-1,4-Diphenyl-4-Hydroxy-2-Butanone: Preparation and Reactions

The recent reports of intramolecular Aldol, Dieckman and alkyla- 16 21 tion reactions of diazomethyl ketones by Burkoth and Woolsey have demonstrated that under proper conditions diazomethyl ketones will undergo normal base-catalyzed reactions. Similar intermolecular condensation reactions of diazomethyl ketones, however, have apparently not been in-, vestigated . The purpose of the present work was to investigate the possibility of intermolecular base-catalyzed alkylation and aldol-type condensations of diazomethyl ketones of the type RCH^COCHN^ . The reactions of the hydroxydiazo ketone adducts resulting from aldol condensation and which are generally not available, would also be of interest. The initial work with l-diazo-2-butanone (3 5) and benzaldehyde revealed that condensation took place preferentially at the diazo carbon to give 2-diazo- 1-hydroxy-l-phenyl-3-pentanone (4 1) as a viscous liquid. However, further work on this compound was abandoned in favor of l-diazo-3-phenyl-2-propanone (36). When diazo ketone 3_6 was treated with benzaldehyde, the condensation once again occurred at the diazo carbon and resulted in the formation of 3-diazo-l,4-diphenyl-4-hydroxy-2-butanone (42). Irradiation of the hydroxydiazo ketone 42_ in benzene or methanol below 50° gave 1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butanedione (43) . The dione 43 was also the only product isolated from the pyrolysis of 42. in refluxing chlorobenzene Treatment of the hydroxydiazo ketone 42. with hydrogen chloride gas gave 20% of the dione 43. and 31% of 3-chloro-l, 4-diphenyl-4- hydroxy-2-butanone (44). Similarly when treated with hydrogen bromide gas, 42. gave 10% of the dione 43. and 45% of 3-bromo-l, 4-diphenyl-4- hydroxy-2-butanone (45). The structures of 44. and 45. rests on the physical data and the reduction of 45. to 2-bromo-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butanediol (49). The nmr spectrum of the diol 4jl unequivocally determined the point of attachment of the halogen