Drops of biological fluids drying on a hard substrate: Variation of the morphology,weight, temperature,and mechanical properties

The time variation of the morphology, weight, temperature, and integral mechanical properties of drying drops of biological fluids are investigated with the aim of defining more exactly the mechanism of self-organization in the drops. Test fluids in experiments are distilled water, a physiological salt solution (0.9 wt. % NaCl), a solution of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in water, and a solution of BSA (7 wt. %) in the physiological solution. It is shown that the variation of the weight of the drying drops can be described by a sloping straight line with two slightly nonlinear portions at the beginning and at the end of the drying process. The earlier nonlinear portion correlates with a more rapid fall of the temperature, which slows down and stabilizes as a saturated vapor layer forms over the drop. The later nonlinear portion in the drop weight variation is associated with the retardation of water diffusion through the solidifying medium. The temperature variation of the drops is a superposition of endothermal (water evaporation) and exothermal (salt crystallization and gelation) phase transitions. Phase transitions may change the mechanical properties of the drying drops, which can be detected by the method of acoustic impedancemetry.     

Structural evolution of drying drops of biological fluids

Qualitative analysis of experimental data for the mechanisms of structuring in drying drops of biological fluids is carried out. It is shown that the structural evolution of the drying drops is a complex process in which two stages can be separated out by convention: events occurring during evaporation of free water and structuring due to evaporation of film water. Consideration of the structural evolution of drying drops on the basis of the physical chemistry of solutions, physics of polymers, mechanics, and materials science makes it possible to explain the phenomenology of the process in terms of well-known physical phenomena.     

Investigation of evaporation and boiling of liquids

It is shown experimentally that a minimum in the evaporation curve of water drops, a 5% aqueous solution of ethanol, and a 5% aqueous solution of n-butanol, i.e., the maximal evaporation rate of these liquids, is observed at a critical thermal load under boiling. Based on this finding, a method to determine the temperature of onset of the boiling crisis is suggested. It is found that the evaporation stages of drops of a liquid correlate with boiling regimes for this liquid.     

Magnetic resonance profiling studies of the drying of film-forming aqueous dispersions and glue layers

We report magnetic resonance profiling experiments to monitor (i) the drying of alkyd emulsion layers, (ii) the cure of wood glue layers and (iii) water transport through glue lines. The alkyd drying is a two stage process. We report new results which support previous evidence that the alkyd drops do not coalesce until the water fraction is below circa 0.02. The profiles recorded from glue layers suggest that MR is a sensitive probe of the curing process and barrier properties of the glue. The measurements were made using GARField (stray field, STRAFI like) magnetic resonance profiling and an improved GARField magnet design characterized by two values of the gradient-to-field strength ratio at two locations offering the same field strength is also reported.     

Equilibrium shape and stability of a charged drop in an air flow under an electric field

The pressure balance on the surface of a charged liquid drop moving along a uniform electrostatic field is analyzed. The liquid is assumed to be nonviscous and incompressible. In the approximation linear in deformation amplitude, the equilibrium shape of the drop as a function of the charge, field strength, and velocity of travel can be both a prolate and an oblate spheroid. Critical conditions for the surface instability of such a drop are obtained analytically in the form of a relationship between the charge, field strength, and velocity of travel. An instability criterion is found by extrapolating to large Reynolds numbers. This makes it possible to fit the earlier model of a corona-initiated lightning in the vicinity of large charged water drops or hailstones to the charges of the drops, field strengths, and velocities of travel (relative to the medium) typical of thunderclouds.     

Dynamics of phase transitions in drying drops of human serum protein solutions

The dynamics of structuring of protein solutions in drying drops and their morphology versus the composition of dissolved proteins are studied. An increase in the content of immunoglobulins and fibronectin is shown to have an effect on the physical properties of adsorption layers at the fluid-air interface and thereby changes the dynamic parameters of structuring in drying drops. These changes are embodied in the shape of the acoustomechanical impedance curves of drying drops and can be estimated numerically. Thus, experimental support is provided for the previous phenomenological data indicating that medical diagnosis based on recording the dynamics of the acoustomechanical impedance in drying drops of blood serum is a feasibility.     

Bond数变化对固壁液滴接触角的影响

本文利用微重力落塔实验研究了Bond数改变时,PTFE和铝板表面上正滴和倒滴接触角的动态变化。实验发现液滴接触角与Bond数的大小有关,当Bond数趋于0时,还与其放置状态有关。本文采用VOF方法对Bond数变化引起的液滴形状及内部流动变化进行二维数值模拟,结果显示液滴内部的流动控制着液滴的外形和接触角。     

水平均质表面上液滴聚合过程的可视化实验研究

对水平均匀表面上液滴的聚合过程及特性进行了可视化实验研究,获得了液滴半径和液滴物性等参数对液滴聚合过程中液滴液桥半径和接触角变化特性的影响规律。实验结果表明:液滴聚合中液桥半径和接触角都呈衰减振荡变化; 聚合前液滴半径越小,液桥半径振荡频率越大,振幅越小,振荡时间越短;液滴的粘度越大,液桥半径的振荡频率越小, 振幅越小,振荡时间越短;液滴聚合前的接触角明显大于聚合液滴静止后的接触角,其差值与固体界面状况和气、固、液物性相关。     

Crisis phenomena in falling liquid films at periodic heat loads

Experimental results on development of crisis phenomena in a falling film of cryogenic liquid at alternating pulse heat release are presented. Experimental data on local temperature evolution along a heat releasing surface are obtained. It is shown that amplitude of heater temperature pulsations depends significantly on the heat flux density and coordinates along the liquid film flow. New experimental data on the critical heat fluxes corresponding to formation of stable dry spots and drying crisis are presented depending on duration of heat release pulses. It is shown that parameters of the forming metastable regular structures and critical drying parameters of the heat-releasing surface are determined by dynamics of the movable boundaries of wetting during self-organization of a system.     

Analysis of possible reasons for macroscopic differences in the characteristics of the ignition of a model liquid fuel by a local heat source and a massive heated body

A numerical study of the ignition of the liquid fuel drop-massive heat source-air and liquid fuel-small-size heat source-air systems was performed. It was established how the ignition delay times of single drops and large amounts of liquid fuel depend on the temperature of the heated body. Possible modes of ignition of a typical fuel by small and extensive heat sources were identified.     

New phase nucleation in electric fields

The formation of vapor bubbles in a superheated liquid or of liquid drops in a superheated vapor in a uniform electric field and at a charged center is considered. The work done for the formation of drops as well as their critical size decrease in all cases. The critical size of bubbles always increases, while the work decreases at a charged center and in a uniform field. An explanation is offered for the results of experiments on the initiation of boiling of a superheated liquid by electric field pulses.     

单颗种子导热系数的测定及传热过程实验研究

对于种子干燥方面的研究,大多是针对其宏观传热传质即干燥动力学方面。本文采用热成象技术对单颗蚕豆种子的传热过程进行了研究,用实验求解导热方程反问题的方法计算出不同含水率下单颗种子的导热系数,对种子在非稳态下内部温度场进行了测试与分析．研究结果表明,在含水率小于 ２０％时,其导热系数随着含水率的增加而增大,当含水率大于 ２５％时则表现出较强的非均质性和非稳态性。对单颗蚕豆种子内部温度场测定而得到的种子热剖面温度分布表明,种子内部存在温度梯度其热扩散具有均匀性,同时反映出种皮传热热阻的存在。这些结果对于深入研究种子内部的传热传质机理,具有重要的实际意义。     

Influence of dissolved gas on optical breakdown and small-angle scattering of light in liquids

It is demonstrated that the small-angle laser beam scattering pattern in liquid depends greatly on the dissolved gas content: the intensity of the scattering steeply drops after degassing doubly distilled water. It was experimentally found that the parameters or small-angle scattering of light correlate strongly with those of optical breakdown in liquid. Namely, the fractal dimension and the gyration radius of scatterers in aqueous KCl solutions behave similar to the optical breakdown probability in those liquids versus salt concentration, while the optical breakdown cannot be induced after degassing. The effect might be associated with the presence of stable gas microbubbles in liquid.     

蒸汽爆炸粗混合过程中的蒸发阻力模型

在蒸汽爆炸的粗混合过程中,由于液体的快速蒸发,高温金属液滴的周围会产生一层很薄的蒸汽膜,此时液滴周围的边界层流动与没有液体蒸发时有很大的不同,因此,常温情况下的小球在连续液体中运动时的通用阻力模型在这种情况下是不适用的．本文通过受力分析,考虑了高温小球受力的分布和表面蒸发对小球周围力的影响,从阻力的基本机理上分析了蒸发状态下小球的运动阻力,分别提出了高温颗粒穿过自由表面时与其在液体中运动时的蒸发阻力模型．分析表明,当小球温度高于2500 K,特别是在靠近自由表面的区域,由于小球表面液体蒸发而产生的蒸发阻力作用非常明显．分析指出,小球的入水初速、小球表面的液体蒸发速率以及汽膜厚度都是影响小球运动阻力大小的重要因素．     

电场对含水物料中水分子作用的研究进展

电场解冻、电渗透脱水、高压电场干燥三方面的应用研究越来越受到人们的关注 ,是静电研究的一些新领域 ,为脱水与解冻工作开辟了一条新途径 .大量实验表明这三方面应用研究具有物料不升温、很好的保持物料有效成分和不污染环境等许多优点 .文章综述了近年来这三方面研究在国内外的进展与应用成果 ,认为它们的共性都是电场对含水物料中水分子作用的结果 ,并且对此进行了分析 .     

Osmotic dehydration and convective drying of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) – The influence of ultrasound on process kinetics and product quality

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of ultrasound on two subsequent processes – initial osmotic dehydration and convective drying of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa). The effect of ultrasound (at a frequency of 25 kHz) was assessed both in terms of process kinetics and product quality. During the study, three different osmotic agents were used – erythritol, sorbitol, and sucrose – in an aqueous solution at a concentration of 50% (w/w). The essential kinetic parameters were analyzed – water loss and increase of dry matter during osmotic dehydration, and evolution of moisture content and temperature of samples during convective drying (drying curves). Product quality was assessed on the basis of color, water activity, and content of relevant bioactive components – polyphenols and carotenoids. It was found that the application of ultrasound during osmotic dehydration resulted in higher water loss and solid gain. This surely results from the phenomena occurring during the propagation of the elastic waves in the liquid medium (mainly related to cavitation) and enhancement of the mass transfer. The use of ultrasound during convective drying also had a positive effect on the kinetics of this process. In most cases, during the ultrasonically assisted drying operations, a significant increase in drying rate was observed, leading to a reduction in drying time. This may be due to the intensification of both heat and mass transfer as a result of the mechanical and thermal effects of ultrasound. The assessment of product quality showed that the use of sugar alcohols was a good alternative to sucrose, and ultrasound-assisted convective drying increased the retention of valuable carotenoids and polyphenols. Moreover, in all dried kiwifruit slices, water activity was below 0.6, which can guarantee the microbiological stability of the tested samples.     

A new technology for studying multicomponent liquids using a quartz crystal resonator: Theory and applications

A new technique for analyzing multicomponent liquids is suggested. It is based on recording “electronic autographs” of liquids and thereby allows one to identify and certify them. In this technique, information comes from the dynamics of the complex process of self-organization in drying drops, this dynamics being dependent on the composition and structure of the liquid. Detecting the self-organization dynamics as acoustomechanical impedance, one can reveal quantitative distinctions between liquids and thereby test their quality by comparing with a reference.     

Structure and dynamics of liquid crystalline pattern formation in drying droplets of DNA

We investigate the formation of ringlike deposits in drying drops of DNA. In analogy with the colloidal "coffee rings," DNA is transported to the perimeter by the capillary flow. At the droplet edge, however, DNA forms a lyotropic liquid crystal (LC) with concentric chain orientations to minimize the LC elastic energy. During the final stages of drying, the contact line retracts, and the radial stress causes undulations at the rim that propagate inward through the LC and form a periodic zigzag structure. We examine the phenomenon in terms of a simple model based on LC elasticity.     

Drop on a hot plate: the appearance of 1/<Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis> noise at the transition to the ball-shaped state

The evaporation of pentane, hexane, and water drops from a horizontal heating surface is studied experimentally. The temperature at which the drops take a completely spherical shape correlates with limit superheat temperatures under quasi-static conditions, suggesting dynamic burnout. Fluctuations in transient regimes are measured by optical and resistive methods. It is found that the spectral densities of the fluctuation intensity are of a flicker nature. Such behavior is associated with percolation in a set of nonequilibrium phase transitions.     

Interaction of shock waves with bubble-liquid drops

The regular reflection of an air shock wave from a spherical drop of a bubble liquid is studied. In the framework of an extended equilibrium model, the effect of the shock waves on single drops of various shapes and on drop ensembles (drop screens) is numerically investigated. It is shown that, when subjected to shock waves, bubble-liquid drops and drops of a bubble-free liquid collapse in a radically different way.