On the Structure of MHD Shock Waves in Diffusive-Dispersive Media

We consider the equations of compressible magnetohydrodynamics including the diffusive effects of fluid viscosity, thermal heat conductivity, electrical resistivity, and, in particular, the dispersive influence of the Hall term. The equations describe the dynamics of a plasma as it arises in astrophysical and technical applications. For a model problem we prove an existence result for shock profiles for all values of the Hall parameter. The same question for the complete six-dimensional system seems to be only solvable for small values of the Hall parameter, that is, viewing the Hall effect as a perturbation. To obtain substantial information on the complete system for all ranges of the dissipation parameters we present a careful numerical study. In particular the study confirms a well-known conjecture on the existence and bifurcation of orbits and illustrates the breaking of symmetry due to the Hall term.     

Investigation on ignition behaviors of pulverized coal particles in a tubular swirl burner

This paper intensively investigated the ignition of turbulent coal flames in a novel fully-mixed tubular swirl burner. The Nikon D300s digital camera was used to capture the statistical ignition behavior of dispersed coal particle streams in different ambiences. Meanwhile, the combustion dynamics of individual coal particles were also recorded by means of high-speed photography. Two low-rank coal samples, Hulunbel lignite and Zhundong coal, were tested in this study. The ignition delay times of coal particles in the swirl burner were compared with those in a flat-flame burner. In contrast to previous work on a laminar flat-flame burner, the current experimental results show that the turbulent ambience significantly enhances the ignition of all coal samples, which is exceptionally pronounced under high temperature and low oxygen conditions. In addition, the sensitivity analysis suggests that both the enhanced heat and mass transfer contribute to the early ignition in turbulence. The effect of elevated mass transfer coefficient turns prominent in low oxygen fraction ambience, wherein the volatile barrier effect is suppressed by the enhanced mixing process. The combined effect of turbulence favors the shifting of ignition modes to the heterogeneous-dominant region. Last but not least, the ceased volatile flame that visualized in turbulent low oxygen ambience further confirms the important role of heterogeneous ignition.     

Experimental and modeling assessment of sulfur release from coal under low and high heating rates

Coal combustion releases elevated amounts of pollutants to the atmosphere including SO_X. During the pyrolysis step, sulfur present in the coal is released to the gas phase as many different chemical species such as H₂S, COS, SO₂, CS₂, thiols and larger tars, also called SO_X precursors, as they form SO_X during combustion. Understanding the sulfur release process is crucial to the development of reliable kinetic models, which support the design of improved reactors for cleaner coal conversion processes. Sulfur release from two bituminous coals, Colombian hard coal (K1) and American high sulfur coal (U2), were studied in the present work. Low heating rate (LHR) experiments were performed in a thermogravimetric analyzer coupled with mass spectrometry (TG-MS), allowing to track the mass loss and the evolution of many volatile species (CO, CO₂, CH₄, SO₂, H₂S, COS, HCl and H₂O). High heating rate (HHR) experiments were performed in an entrained flow reactor (drop-tube reactor – DTR), coupled with MS and nondispersive infrared sensor (NDIR). HHR experiments were complemented with CFD simulation of the multidimentional reacting flow field. A kinetic model of coal pyrolysis is employed to reproduce the experiments allowing a comprehensive assessment of the process. The suitability of this model is confirmed for LHR. The combination of HHR experiments with CFD simulations and kinetic modeling revealed the complexity of sulfur chemistry in coal combustion and allowed to better understand of the individual phenomena resulting in the formation of the different SO_X precursors. LHR and HHR operating conditions lead to different distribution of sulfur species released, highly-dependent on the gas-phase temperature and residence time. Higher retention of total sulfur in char is observed at LHR (63%) when compared to HHR (37–44%), at 1273 K. These data support the development of reliable models with improved predictability.     

From Infinite Chains according to 1∞[Zr(S2O7)4/2] in Zr(S2O7)2 to the unprecedented [Zr(S2O7)4]4– Anion in Ag4[Zr(S2O7)4]

The reaction of ZrCl₄ with oleum (65 % SO₃) in the presence of Ag₂SO₄ at 250 °C yielded colorless single crystals of Zr(S₂O₇)₂ [orthorhombic, Pccn, Z = 4, a = 709.08(6) pm, b = 1442.2(2) pm, c = 942.23(9) pm, V = 963.5(2) × 10⁶ pm³]. Zr(S₂O₇)₂ shows Zr⁴⁺ ions in an eightfold distorted square antiprismatic coordination of oxygen atoms belonging to four chelating disulfate units. Each S₂O₇^2– ion is connected to a further Zr⁴⁺ ion leading to chains according to ¹_∞[Zr(S₂O₇)_4/2]. The same reaction at a temperature of 150 °C resulted in the formation of Ag₄[Zr(S₂O₇)₄] [monoclinic, C2/c, Z = 4, a = 1829.35(9) pm, b = 704.37(3) pm, c = 1999.1(1) pm, β = 117.844(2)°, V = 2277.6(2) × 10⁶ pm³]. Ag₄[Zr(S₂O₇)₄] exhibits the unprecedented [Zr(S₂O₇)₄]^4– anion, in which the central Zr⁴⁺ cation is coordinated by four chelating disulfate units. Thus, in Ag₄[Zr(S₂O₇)₄] the ¹_∞[[Zr(S₂O₇)_4/2] chains observed in Zr(S₂O₇)₂ are formally cut into pieces by the implementation of Ag⁺ ions.     

Activation of Molecular Hydrogen by Bis(η5,η1‐pentafulvene)‐titanium Complexes – Efficient Formation of Titanium(III)hydrides

The synthesis and crystal structures of two dinuclear titanocene hydride complexes are reported. Both complexes, namely bis(η⁵‐(di‐para‐tolylmethyl)cyclopentadienyl)titanium hydride dimer, [(η⁵‐C₂₀H₁₉)₂Ti(μ‐H)]₂ ( 2a ), and bis(η⁵‐2‐adamantylcyclopentadienyl)‐titanium hydride dimer, [(η⁵‐C₁₅H₁₉)₂Ti(μ‐H)]₂ ( 2b ), are formed via activation of molecular hydrogen by the corresponding bis(η⁵,η¹‐pentafulvene)titanium complexes 1a and 1b at ambient temperatures and pressures in high yields. The hydride complexes 2a and 2b exhibit planar [Ti₂H₂] cores and, as a result of the heterolytic cleavage of molecular hydrogen, substituted Cp Ligands were formed during the reaction.     

Comparison of CCD,CMOS and intensified cameras

The properties of digital cameras are often important to obtain accurate results with image based measurement techniques. Unfortunately, a detailed comparison of the sensor specifications and performance is not accessible as this information is normally not provided by the manufacturers and no generally accepted comparison standard exists. Therefore, a detailed quantitative comparison was performed to evaluate and assess the characteristics of state-of-the-art CCD, CMOS and intensified CMOS sensors. These results may be of assistance when selecting the appropriate sensor for a desired application.     

Porous polycrystals built up by uniformly and axisymmetrically oriented needles: homogenization of elastic propertiesPolycristaux poreux constitués d'aiguilles orientées de façon uniforme ou axisymétrique : homogénéisation des propriétés élastiques

Porous polycrystal-type microstructures built up of needle-like platelets or sheets are characteristic for a number of biological and man-made materials. Herein, we consider (i) uniform, (ii) axisymmetrical orientation distribution of linear elastic, isotropic as well as anisotropic needles. Axisymmetrical needle orientation requires derivation of the Hill tensor for arbitrarily oriented ellipsoidal inclusions with one axis tending towards infinity, embedded in a transversely isotropic matrix; therefore, Laws' integral expression of the Hill tensor is evaluated employing the theory of rational functions. For a porosity lower 0.4, the elastic properties of the polycrystal with uniformly oriented needles are quasi-identical to those of a polycrystal with solid spheres. However, as opposed to the sphere-based model, the needle-based model does not predict a percolation threshold. As regards axisymmetrical orientation distribution of needles, two effects are remarkable: Firstly, the sharper the cone of orientations the higher the anisotropy of the polycrystal. Secondly, for a given cone, the anisotropy increases with the porosity. Estimates for the polycrystal stiffness are hardly influenced by the anisotropy of the bone mineral needles. Our results also confirm the very high degree of orientation randomness of crystals building up mineral foams in bone tissues. To cite this article: A. Fritsch et al., C. R. Mecanique 334 (2006).     

In situ study on molecular diffusion phenomena in nanoporous catalytic solids

As an omnipresent phenomenon in nature, diffusion is among the rate-determining processes in many technological processes. This is in particular true for catalytic conversion in nanoporous materials. We provide a critical review of the possibilities of exploring diffusion phenomena over microscopic dimensions in such media by direct experimental observation. By monitoring the probability distribution of molecular displacements as a function of time, the pulsed field gradient technique of NMR (PFG NMR) records the rate of molecular re-distribution. By varying the observation time, PFG NMR is thus able to trace even hierarchies of transport resistances as occurring, e.g., in catalyst particles in the form of binder-compacted assemblages of zeolite crystallites. Alternatively, and complementary to this information, interference microscopy (IFM) and IR microscopy (IRM) are able to follow the evolution of intracrystalline concentration profiles during uptake and release. This allows, in particular, an accurate quantification of the transport resistances on the surface of the individual crystallites and of the probability that reactant molecules from the gas phase, upon colliding with the external surface, are able to penetrate through such "surface barriers" into the crystal bulk phase. Being able to distinguish between different molecular species, IRM is able to record the evolution of intracrystalline concentration profiles even during multi-component adsorption and catalytic reactions (169 references).     

Liquid densities of THF and excess volumes for the mixture with water in a wide temperature and pressure range

In this paper densities for THF (tetrahydrofuran) and THF + water mixtures measured with the help of the Anton Paar DMA HPM vibrating tube densimeter are reported. The pure component densities of tetrahydrofuran measured in the temperature range from 278 to 437 K and pressures up to 130 MPa were correlated with the TRIDEN-System. Additionally densities of the binary mixture tetrahydrofuran + water were measured for 6 different concentrations in a temperature range from 288 to 338 K and up to 130 MPa. Excess volumes (vE)$(v^E)$ of the mixture were determined using the own correlation of the tetrahydrofuran densities and the equation of state (EoS) for water by Wagner and Pruß. Redlich–Kister polynomials were used to fit the vE-data$v^E\text{-data}$. Additionally in this work it was checked if the vibrating tube densimeter allows the determination of the miscibility gap for the system THF–water as a function of temperature and pressure.