Determination of the arc-root position in a DC plasma torch

The behavior of an arc operated in the nontransferred mode with a conical-shaped cathode and a nozzle-shaped anode is studied by applying general tyro-dimensional conservation equations and auxiliary relations for the simulation of arc channel flows. The position of the arc-root attachment at the anode surface is determined by using Steenbeck's minimum principle, which postulates a minimum arc voltage for a given current and certain given boundary conditions. The overall effects of the anode-arc root on the plasma flow are, studied by comparing the results with those of the transferred mode of operation. Specific arc-channel diameters are chosen in the simulation in order to verify flit, numerical model through comparisons with experimental results. The results show that Steenbeck's minimum principle is useful for determining the position of the arc-root attachment at the anode surface. Application of this method for control of the arc-anode attachment may be valuable in the design and operation of plasma spray torches to avoid jet instabilities.     

Some inverse problems of internal-diffusion kinetics of adsorption

Methods are proposed for determining the diffusion coefficients of adsorbed molecules and the adsorption isotherms from given concentrations of the solutes in the external solution. The methods are based on a comparison of experimental data with the numerical results produced by a mathematical model of internal-diffusion kinetics of adsorption from a constant bounded volume.Translated from Vychislitel'naya i Prikladnaya Matematika, No. 66, pp. 41–46, 1988.     

Synthesis and some reactions of indolo[2,1-c]-1,4-oxazinium perchlorates

Summary The reaction of acyl perchlorates with 1 phenacylskatole affords the previously unknown 1-R-lamethyl-3phenylindolo[2,1-c1-1,4oxazinium salts, which undergo recyclization by the action of ammonia to the corresponding indolo[2,1-alpyrazines. It is found that the salts (R = CHj, CZHS) also form dimers of their anhydro bases. The perchlorate (R = Ph) is converted to indolo[2,141-1, 2, S-triazepine by the action of hydrazine.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 8, pp. 1041-1047, August, 1994.     

Fringe field quantification in an LDV probe volume by use of a magnified image

The magnified cross-section of the LDV probe volume fringe field created on a far screen (image plane) with an imaging lens is examined both analytically and experimentally. It is shown that measurements of the image plane fringe field can be used to quantitatively determine the fringe field existing within the probe volume. Because the fringe spacing in the magnified image is more accessible experimentally, both longitudinal- and lateral-coordinate variations in fringe spacing can be determined, permitting a complete mapping of the fringe field. The detailed knowledge of the fringe field thus obtained allows beam quality, alignment, and fringe uniformity to be evaluated with greater precision than is possible with other techniques.The authors would like to acknowledge C. F. Edwards and R. L. Schmitt for the loan of the beam profiler and for many helpful discussions. This work was performed at the Combustion Research Facility, Sandia National Laboratories, and was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Industrial Technologies, Advanced Industrial Concepts Division.     

Synthesis, thermal treatment and characterization of cobalt ferrite-based nanocomposites

We have used time-differential perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy with ¹⁸¹Ta-probes to study the electric field gradient at Zr-sites in synthetic zircon and hafnon between room temperature and 1,200°C. PAC spectra are similar to those obtained from naturally occurring zircons. In particular, a change in slope of the quadrupole coupling vs. temperature is observed in the synthetic zircon at the same temperature as seen in natural zircons from the Mud Tank carbonatite (Australia). The synthetic hafnon data also shows this feature but at somewhat higher temperature. Low-temperature PAC spectra of both synthetic zircon and hafnon have a clearly reduced anisotropy. We believe that the cause for this is a electronic defect, possibly created during the β-decay of the probe parent nucleus.     

Spectropolarised ray-tracing simulations in densely packed particulate medium

Light scattering from particulate medium is simulated using the Monte Carlo ray-tracing technique. The medium is modelled as a randomly packed medium of ellipsoidal grains with stochastically rough surfaces, with an optional thin coating. Optical properties are modelled using a wavelength-dependent complex refractive index and taking Fresnelian reflections and refractions from the interfaces. The size and shape of the grains are assumed to be large and smooth enough for geometric optics to apply reasonably well.The ray-tracing technique uses parallel, weighted rays for computing simultaneously over a wide wavelength spectrum and a small roughness range, and scaling to obtain a large range of sizes and absorbities simultaneously. Polarisation is fully accounted for. The multiobservation technique is effectively used at each scattering point. The scattering from thinner sample layers is also received as a subresult.Simulations are run for a set of model samples to study the effects and sensitivities regarding the values of certain parameters. It has been found that the size and composition of the grains affect the scattering in a unique and invertible way. The shape of the grain causes similar significant effects that must certainly be taken into account if any accuracy is required, although inverting for the shape is difficult without further constraints. The packing density has a small but observable effect. Polarisation can be used to study the composition of low-albedo objects.     

Asymptotic estimation of states of linear nonautonomous systems with scalar output

For a linear nonautonomous system with one output, the existence conditions for an identifier that estimates the current state with exponential rate are established. An algorithm for constructing such an identifier is described and its dependence on small perturbations of coefficients is studied.     

Mathematical models of innovation diffusion with stage structure

Mathematical models with stage structures are proposed to describe the process of awareness, evaluation and decision-making. First, a system of ordinary differential equations is presented that incorporates the awareness stage and the decision-making stage. If the adoption rate is bilinear and imitations are dominant, we find a threshold above which innovation diffusion is successful. Further, if the adoption rate has a higher nonlinearity, it is shown that there exist bistable equilibria and a region such that an innovation diffusion is successful inside and is unsuccessful outside. Secondly, a model with a time delay is proposed that includes an evaluation stage of a product. It is proved that the system exhibits stability switches. The bifurcation direction of equilibria is also discussed.     

Transport properties of polyphenylquinoxalines

The correlation between chemical structure and gas transport properties is considered for a new class of membrane materials based on structurally similar polyphenylquinoxalines that are characterized by different numbers of flexible-O-ether bonds in the repeating unit and different chain rigidities. Permeability, diffusion, and solubility coefficients have been estimated for the gases H₂, He, O₂, N₂, CO, CO₂, and CH₄; separation factors for various gas pairs have been determined. For the materials with a similar level of cohesive energy density, which characterizes interchain interactions, permeability decreases with a decrease in chain rigidity, whereas selectivity of gas separation increases.