Oscillating viscoelastic flow in a curved duct—Exact analytical and numerical solution

The analytical solution of the equations of motion is presented for a fully developed laminar flow in a curved channel with circular walls, when an oscillating circumferential pressure gradient is imposed (finite gap oscillating Dean flow). The fluid studied, is a viscoelastic (Jeffrey) fluid. The validity of the solution is verified by a finite difference numerical method.     

A new approach based on the surrogating method in the project time compression problems

This paper develops a mathematical model for project time compression problems in CPM/PERT type networks. It is noted this formulation of the problem will be an adequate approximation for solving the time compression problem with any continuous and non-increasing time-cost curve. The kind of this model is Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP) with zero-one variables, and the Benders' decomposition procedure for analyzing this model has been developed. Then this paper proposes a new approach based on the surrogating method for solving these problems. In addition, the required computer programs have been prepared by the author to execute the algorithm. An illustrative example solved by the new algorithm, and two methods are compared by several numerical examples. Computational experience with these data shows the superiority of the new approach.     

Joint determination of production run length and number of standbys in a deteriorating production process

Two economic manufacturing quantity models with unrepairable and repairable standby key modules are proposed in this study that determine the economic production run length and the economic number of standbys in a deteriorating production process, where the key module of the production unit deteriorates over time and incurs some portion of defective items. For the model with unrepairable standbys, the active key module, once deteriorating, is replaced by a standby and the module itself is disposed. For the model with repairable standbys, the deteriorating key module is replaced by a standby and the module is then sent to the service center for maintenance. When completing the maintenance, it then joins the standbys for later production use. By minimizing the annual cost, which takes into account setup cost, holding cost, costs due to standbys and defective items, the economic production run length and the economic number of standbys are obtained for each of the proposed models.     

Highly reflective AlGaAsSb/InP Bragg reflector at 1.55 μm grown by MOVPE

The metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy growth of a highly reflective 24-pair AlGaAsSb/InP-distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) is reported for the first time. The influence of the growth parameters such as the V/III input ratio, the growth temperature and the pressure, the total H₂ flow, the gas velocity and the switching sequence of the source gases at the interfaces has been deeply investigated and optimized to achieve stable growth conditions. The DBR achieves a reflectivity as high as 99.5% around 1.55 μm, a uniform stable composition, and an excellent crystal quality over the 2 inch wafer, with a surface free of crosshatch and a defect density below 1/cm². For the optical characterizations, measurements of linear and nonlinear reflectivity, transmission, pump-probe and photoluminescence were done. The interfaces and bulk layers of InP/AlGaAsSb/InP heterostructures were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. High resolution X-ray diffraction measurements were used to determine the composition shift in the growth plane of the DBR. The measurements show the high quality of the growth and demonstrate that thick AlGaAsSb/InP heterostructures can be grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE), and in particular DBRs above 1.31 μm.     

Test of universality in anisotropic 3D Ising model

Chen and Dohm predicted theoretically in 2004 that the widely believed universality principle is violated in the Ising model on the simple cubic lattice with more than only six nearest neighbours. Schulte and Drope by Monte Carlo simulations found such violation, but not in the predicted direction. Selke and Shchur tested the square lattice. Here, we check only this universality for the susceptibility ratio near the critical point. For this purpose we study first the standard Ising model on a simple cubic lattice with six nearest neighbours, then with six nearest and 12 next-nearest neighbours, and compare the results with the Chen–Dohm lattice of six nearest neighbours and only half of the 12 next-nearest neighbours. We do not confirm the violation of universality found by Schulte and Drope in the susceptibility ratio.     

Scatter search for the vehicle routing problem with time windows

In this paper we use a scatter search framework to solve the vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW). Our objective is to achieve effective solutions and to investigate the effects of reference set design parameters pertaining to size, quality and diversity. Both a common arc method and an optimization-based set covering model are used to combine vehicle routing solutions. A reactive tabu search metaheuristic and a tabu search with an advanced recovery feature, together with a set covering procedure are used for solution improvement. Our approach led to a robust solution method, generating solution quality that is competitive with the current best metaheuristics.     

Motion of chains in polypeptide brushes

A simple model of a polypeptide multi-chain layer was designed and studied. Each chain was constructed on a flexible [310] lattice and terminally attached to an impenetrable surface. The chains consisted of hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acid residues. The force field consisted of the long-range contact potential between polymer segments and the short range repulsion. The Monte Carlo simulations of this model were carried out using the Metropolis algorithm. The influence of the grafting density, the temperature and the sequence of the chain on the static properties of the system were studied. The size and structure of the polymer film formed near the surface were investigated. The low temperature structures of brushes were described and compared. We found that the influence of temperature on the size and structure of the dense brushes was rather small. The temperature dependences of the diffusion coefficient were studied and compared for different sequences of amino acid residues.     

A brief review on structural concepts of novel supramolecular proton transfer compounds and their metal complexes

Our research group has been interested in synthesis of proton transfer compounds as new supramolecular synthons for the onepot preparation of self-assembled transition metal complex-organo-networks since 2000. We have focused on the proton delivery from acids, which are considered as suitable proton donors, to amines as proton acceptors. The results were production of several proton transfer ion pairs possessing some remaining donor sites applied for coordination to metallic centers in preparation of metal-organic structures. Some of the complexes showed contributions of both cationic and anionic fragments of the starting ion pair, while some others contained only one of these species as ligand. Much of the investigations on reviewed compounds focused on the concept of supramolecular systems, co-crystallization, stereochemically active lone pairs, coordination polyhedron and mainly on various interactions involve including van der Waals, ion pairing, hydrogen bondings, face to face π-π stackings and edge to face C-H...π, C-O...π, N-H...π, S-O...π, Ti...π and Hg-Cl...π interactions. The mentioned interactions are the most commonly used strategies in the extension of supramolecular structures.     

The torsion of a viscoelastic plate in an unsteady flow

The stability of the equilibrium position of a viscoelastic plate, subjected to torsional strain and effect of the free airflow is investigated. The unsteadiness of the flow is taken into account by introducing integral terms into the moments of the aerodynamic forces acting on the plate. In a neighbourhood of the equilibrium position, a general solution of a Volterra-type integro-differential equation with partial derivatives is constructed in the form of a Fourier series, as a function of the longitudinal coordinate of the plate with coefficients that are the power series in the small parameters introduced. The stability of the plate equilibrium in the unstrained state is analysed in the case when there are small perturbations (possibly, discontinuous) of the flow velocity. The stability under persistent perturbations of the equilibrium of the strained plate with respect to non-linear perturbing forces and perturbations of its shape at the instant of time preceding the specified initial instant is also investigated.