Biomechanics of wheat/barley straw and corn stover

The lack of understanding the mechanical characteristics of cellulosic feedstocks is a limiting factor in economically collecting and processing crop residues, primarily wheat and barley stems and corn stover. Several testing methods—compression, tension, and bend—were investigated to increase the understanding of the biomechanical behavior of cellulosic feedstocks. Biomechanical data from these tests can provide required input to numerical models and help advance harvesting, handling, and processing techniques. In addition, integrating the models with the complete data set from this study can identify potential tools for manipulating the biomechanical properties of plant varieties in such a manner as to optimize their physical characteristics to produce higher-value biomass and more energy-efficient harvesting practices.     

Nuclear vibron model with 2 and 3 clusters for heavy nuclear molecules

An algebraic vibron model for two- and three-cluster nuclear molecules is presented, where all clusters are deformed. It is shown that if the clusters are deformed a minimum can be obtained for r ≠ 0, even in the relative vibrational limit U _R (4) ? U _R (3) for the case of two clusters, and U _R (7) ? U _R (3) ? U _R (3) for three clusters. By using coherent states, the geometrical mapping is discussed.     

Addition of Sulphur to Graphene Nanoflakes Using Thermal Plasma for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Medium

A batch process is developed to generate sulphur functionalized graphene nanoflakes (S-GNFs), corresponding to nanoparticles of stacked graphene. The growth and functionalization of the catalysts are done in a single thermal plasma reactor. The GNFs are first grown through the decomposition of methane in the thermal plasma volume followed by homogeneous nucleation of the nanoparticles in the well-controlled recombining plasma stream allowing the 2-dimensional evolution of the nanoparticle morphology. The precursor feeding conditions are then changed to liquid carbon disulphide in order to generate sulphur-based functional groups on the nanoparticles. The plasma conditions and carbon disulphide injection are varied, and samples with tuneable amount of sulphur between 4 and 28 at% are obtained. The functional groups generated include polythiophene polymer partly covering the GNFs, sulphur functionalities implemented directly on the graphitic structure, and traces of orthorhombic sulphur. The S-GNFs exhibit higher electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline medium for the samples containing the highest amounts of sulphur.     

Optimal tactics for close support operations: Part IV,perfect intelligence and communications

A new generation ofC ³ (command, control, and communication) models for military cybernetics is developed. Recursive equations for the solution of theC ³ problem are derived for an amphibious campaign with linear, time-varying dynamics. Air and ground commanders are assumed to have perfect intelligence and perfect communications. Numerical results are given for the optimal decision rules.     

A continuous review replenishment–disposal policy for an inventory system with autonomous supply and fixed disposal costs

In this study, we analyze an inventory system facing stochastic external demands and an autonomous supply (independent return flow) in the presence of fixed disposal costs and positive lead times under a continuous review replenishment–disposal policy. We derive the analytical expressions of the operating characteristics of the system; and, construct the objective function to minimize the total expected costs of ordering, holding, purchasing and disposal per unit time subject to a fill rate constraint. An extensive numerical analysis is conducted to study the sensitivity of the policy parameters and the benefit of employing a policy which allows for disposal of excess stock in this setting. We model the net demand process as the superposition of normally distributed external demand and inflows, which is expressed as a Brownian motion process. Our findings indicate that the disposal option results in considerable savings even (i) in the presence of non-zero fixed disposal costs, (ii) large actual demand rates with high return ratios (resulting in small net demands) and (iii) for moderate return ratios with high demand variability.     

Harn

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Die polarographische Bestimmung von l-Ascorbins?ure im Wein

Zusammenfassung Unter Berücksichtigung des Einflusses von Sauerstoff, freier schwefliger Säure und Äthanol wird eine geeignete Methode zur polarographischen Bestimmung von Ascorbinsäure in Wein angegeben.Für die Untersuchungen wurden Mittel des Bundesernährungs-Ministeriums zur Verfügung gestellt, wofür auch an dieser Stelle bestens gedankt sei.Die Arbeit stellt einen Ausschnitt dar aus der Dissertation von D. Hess: Über den Einfluß von schwefliger Säure und l-Ascorbinsäure bei der Weinbereitung (Universität Frankfurt am Main 1960).     

Carbon Nanoparticle Production by Inductively Coupled Thermal Plasmas: Controlling the Thermal History of Particle Nucleation

The process control for reproducibility, uniformity, and achievement of desired structures for carbon black generated in thermal plasma devices is studied in this paper through modeling, and correlated with experimental results. A numerical simulation of the flow and energy fields, stream function lines and the quench rates of the plasma gas in a conical shape reactor at different pressures was made. An argon plasma is used with highly diluted methane (0.6–7%) as the carbon precursor. The quench rates were studied in order to observe the flow development and hence the thermal history of particle nucleation. Three pressure cases of 20.7, 55.2 and 101.3 kPa and two plasma powers cases of 10 and 20 kW were studied. The modeling results enabled carbon nanoflakes production in the experimental tests performed on an inductively coupled thermal plasma system. Results indicate a robust process control enabling very little particle morphology variation over this wide range of reactor pressure values and varying plasma power, and a very high reproducibility of the particle morphologies obtained.