Opposed flame spread over folded PMMA plate with various internal angles

The effect of the internal angle on downward flame spread over a thick folded plate is experimentally investigated in this study. The lateral side of a thermoplastic plate is cut at desired angles and two of these plates are welded to form a single folded sample. All the faces other than the front and two 5-mm areas of the front face from each side were coated to inhibit the combustion. Experiments are conducted for various folded plates of different angles, 60°, 90°, 120°, and 180°. Following ignition at the upper edge of the sample, the opposed flame spread on the front face is observed and the flame spread rate at various positions is quantified by image analysis. The flame spreads more rapidly at the folding edge, while the other parts then accelerate to catch up with the corner spread and, eventually, all the parts across the width achieve the same flame spread rate as the folding edge. This result indicates that the flame spread rate at the folding edge is the characteristic value which represents the steady-state of the system of interest. A simple model is developed considering change of heated volume against the flame and change of the induced flow velocity due to the geometry. The former effect is formulated from geometrical consideration in the vicinity of the edge, while the latter is formulated based on an experimental fact that the flame height is inversely proportional to the internal angle. A prediction formula of the flame spread rate at the folding edge is established by modifying the conventional one for the flat plate. The calculated flame spread rate shows reasonably good agreement with the experimental data. This study helps fundamental understanding of the flame spread behavior of practical combustibles such as pillars or rods with various cross-sectional shapes.     

Analysis of model dimensionality,particle shrinkage,boundary layer reactions on particle-scale modelling of biomass char conversion under pulverized fuel combustion conditions

In this work, the effects of model dimensionality, particle shrinkage, and boundary layer reactions on particle-scale modelling of biomass char conversion under pulverized fuel combustion conditions have been analysed by using six models: zero-dimensional models with constant particle size (0D_Cons) or shrinking particle size (0D_SPM), one-dimensional models with/without considering particle shrinkage (1D_Cons/1D_SPM), and 1D_Cons and 1D_SPM with considering boundary layer reactions (1D_Cons_BH and 1D_SPM_BH). A comparison with existing experimental data shows that the 1D_SPM_BH model with consideration of intra-particle heat and mass transfer, particle shrinkage, and boundary layer reactions is an appropriate model to describe biomass char conversion over a wide range of conditions. The 0D_Cons model is a good approximation for the conditions of small particle size (< 1 mm) at 1273–1473 K, but overestimates the char conversion rate for larger biomass char particle or at high temperatures (regime III). The 0D_SPM model gives a reasonable prediction on char conversion time but predicts a larger contribution of reaction between char and O₂ as compared to the 1D_SPM_BH model. The consideration of intra-particle heat and mass transfer in particle-scale modelling (1D_Cons and 1D_SPM) is beneficial to improving the model prediction of char conversion time and the contributions of char oxidation and gasification reactions. The boundary layer reactions have a significant effect on the prediction of char conversion for large particles (> 1 mm) and high temperatures (> 1473 K). An implication for the selection of a particle-scale model in CFD modelling is also given.     

Precisely installing gold nanoparticles at the core/shell interface of micellar assemblies of triblock copolymers

Two reduction-cleavable ABA triblock copolymers possessing two disulfide linkages, PMMA-ss-PMEO₃MA-ss-PMMA and PDEA-ss-PEO-ss-PDEA were synthesized via facile substitution reactions from homopolymer precursors, where PMMA, PMEO₃MA, PDEA, and PEO represent poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(tri(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacrylate, poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate), and poly(ethylene oxide), respectively. Spherical micelles were obtained through supramolecular self-assembly of these two triblock copolymers in aqueous solutions. The resultant micelles with abundant disulfide bonds could serve as soft templates and precisely accommodate gold nanoparticles in the core/shell interface as a result of the formation of Au-S bonds.     

盾构渣土基碳复合陶粒的制备及除磷性能

以固体废弃物地铁盾构渣土、稻草秸秆和氧化镁为主要原料,通过烧结法制备了一种盾构渣土基碳复合陶粒。考察了陶粒吸附磷的主要影响因素及平衡吸附量,并采用模型对实验数据进行拟合分析。结果表明,当盾构渣土、稻草秸秆粉末和氧化镁质量比为7∶2∶1,在最佳烧结条件700℃烧结可得到除磷性能最佳的陶粒。当吸附pH=6.3时,陶粒具有较高的磷吸附性能。吸附在12 h内基本能达到吸附平衡,该过程适合准二级动力学方程。盾构渣土基碳复合陶粒对磷酸盐的吸附符合Temkin等温模型,随温度升高吸附量逐渐增大,40℃下最大吸附量为12.76 mg/g。热力学参数ΔH=5.64 k J/mol0,ΔS=8.00 J/(K·mol)0,ΔG=3.16 k J/mol0,呈吸热、非自发的热力学特征,陶粒吸附磷后可通过2.0 mol/L的氢氧化钠溶液重新解吸回收。     

On existence of positive solutions of Sturm-Liouville boundary value problems for a nonlinear singular differential system

By employing the fixed point theorem of cone expansion and compression of norm type, we investigate the existence of positive solutions of Sturm-Liouville boundary value problems for a nonlinear singular differential system. Some well-known results in the literature are generalized and improved. An example is presented to illustrate the application of our main result.     

考虑公众参与的公共工程项目应急管理演化分析

在当前的公共工程项目突发事件应急管理过程中,公众参与正起着越来越重要的作用。文章基于有限理性假设,考虑公众参与在公共工程项目应急管理中的影响作用,将政府角色细分为中央政府和地方政府两个决策主体,构建了中央政府—地方政府—公众三方的非合作演化博弈模型,分析了不同决策主体的演化稳定策略,模拟了决策过程,并通过仿真验证了模型结论。研究结果显示:公众参与已成为公共工程应急管理决策进程中的重要力量,若三方中的中央政府能够有效的规制地方政府的不规范行为,公众参与能起到较好的“旁站”监督效果,将会促进系统趋向“中央政府有效监督,地方政府有效规制,公众积极参与”的理想演化稳定均衡状态。     

Characterization of Locally Finite Simple Groups of the Type <Superscript>3</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis><Subscript>4</Subscript> Over Fields of Odd Characteristic in the Class of Periodic Groups

We prove that a periodic group is locally finite, given that each finite subgroup of the group lies in a subgroup isomorphic to a finite simple group of Lie type ³D₄ over a field of odd characteristic.     

The shelf space and pricing strategies for a retailer-dominated supply chain with consignment based revenue sharing contracts

Consider a two-echelon supply chain consisting of two manufacturers and a dominant retailer, such as big supermarkets like Walmart. Under a consignment contract with revenue sharing, the two manufacturers sell through the retailer two substitutable products whose demands are dependent on their shelf space and sales prices. The two manufacturers may compete horizontally for shelf space and pricing by three scenarios: Nash game, Stackelberg game, and collusion, and play vertically the retailer-Stackelberg game with the retailer. For each of these horizontal scenarios, we present all participators’ equilibrium strategies and their corresponding profits, based on which the impacts of manufacturers’ cost difference and moving sequence are investigated. Additionally, we discuss whether a horizontal collusion among manufacturers occurs when they choose their scenarios and whether centralization is always beneficial for the entire chain under the considered consignment contract. The study reveals the following results: (i) When the manufacturers compete horizontally, the high-cost manufacturer always sets a high-price and less shelf space strategy, while the low-cost manufacturer always adopts a low-price and more shelf space strategy, which is not affected by their moving sequence. If they collude horizontally, it is just reverse. (ii) When the two manufacturers compete horizontally, all participators’ equilibrium strategies and their corresponding profits are significantly influenced by manufacturers’ moving sequence. (iii) A horizontal collusion between the manufacturers can occur only when their cost difference is relatively small; this finding supplements existing literature. (iv) When the cost difference between manufacturers is relatively big, then centralization may be detrimental to the entire chain, which can explain why several supply chains adopt vertical competition strategies in practice. In addition, we find that these results still hold for the limited shelf space scenario and shelf-space limitation enhances the horizontal and vertical competition intensity by increasing shelf space fee.