Chaos and instability in a power system: Subharmonic-resonant case

The response of a single-machine quasi-infinite busbar system to the simultaneous occurrence of principal parametric resonance and subharmonic resonance of order one-half is investigated. By numerical simulations we show the existence of oscillatory solutions (limit cycles), period-doubling bifurcations, chaos, and unbounded motions (loss of synchronism). The method of multiple scales is used to derive a second-order analytical solution that predicts (a) the onset of period-doubling bifurcations, which is a precursor to chaos and unbounded motions (loss of synchronism), and (b) saddle-node bifurcations, which may be precursors to loss of synchronism.     

Comparison of Aluminium Nanostructures Created by Discharges in Various Dielectric Liquids

Synthesis of aluminium-containing nanoparticles (NPs) by electrical discharges was performed in three dielectric liquids (heptane, liquid nitrogen and water) with aluminium electrodes. The nature of the liquid plays an essential role in the synthesis yield and in the structural properties of NPs. Time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy of selected emission lines emitted during the discharge and its time afterglow was used to observe the chemical changes occurring in the gas phase. It turns out that in heptane and liquid nitrogen, crystalline metallic NPs (from 5 to 10 nm in diameter) are synthesized and oxidized next into amorphous alumina when they are in contact with air, once the liquid is evaporated. In heptane, the transformation of the liquid itself into hydrogenated amorphous carbon creates a kind a matrix in which the aluminium NPs are embedded. Sometimes, a protective graphite shell grows around the NPs and protects them from any further oxidation. In water, these crystalline metallic NPs are synthesized during the first 800 ns of the discharge process, when oxidation is limited by the outward flux of the metallic vapour. They are oxidized next in water. A second type of alumina NPs (several 10 s of nm in diameter) are produced from 800 ns on. They are likely formed from AlO molecules and no longer from aluminium atoms. In every liquid, sub-micrometric particles are also found due to droplet emission from the liquid well created during impacts of spark discharges on electrodes.     

The role of Fe–X···X–Fe contacts in the crystal structures of [(2-iodopyridinium)2FeX4]X (X = Cl, Br)

The analogy of chloride–chloride contacts in compounds containing Fe–Cl1···Cl2–Fe synthons with well-studied organic C–Cl1···Cl2–C interactions has been investigated. The crystal structures of the two tetrahaloferrate(III) salts, [(2-iodopyridinium)₂FeX₄]X (X = Cl, Br) have been determined. Analysis of these two isomorphous structures and related published structures shows that the arrangement of Fe–Cl1···Cl2–Fe synthons is similar to that of C–Cl1···Cl2–C with the Fe–Cl1···Cl2 and Cl1···Cl2–Fe angles being ~150°. While inter-chlorine distances are less than the sum of van der Waals radii in C–Cl1···Cl2–C units, they are equal to, or longer, than the sum of van der Waals radii in the corresponding Fe–Cl1···Cl2–Fe contacts. This might indicate that the arrangement of Fe–Cl1···Cl2–Fe synthons occurs predominately to reduce repulsive forces rather than as a result of attractive forces. However, it is observed that the halide–halide distance in [(2-iodopyridinium)₂FeBr₄]Br is shorter than in the isostructural chloride species, which can be explained by the fact that bromine is softer than chlorine. Several intermolecular forces unite the cations and anions within the crystalline lattice of [(2-iodopyridinium)₂FeX₄]X including N–H···X^?, C–I···X–Fe, N(π)···X–Fe, N(π)···I–C, and Fe–X1···X2–Fe contacts. The calculated electron density and electrostatic potential of the [FeX₄]^? anions and the organic iodopyridinium cations was used to describe the arrangement of these synthons and the hierarchy of the strengths of the respective contacts.     

The Use of Porous Fins for Heat Transfer Augmentation in Parallel-Plate Channels

In this study, a steady, fully developed laminar forced convection heat augmentation via porous fins in isothermal parallel-plate duct is numerically investigated. High-thermal conductivity porous fins are attached to the inner walls of two parallel-plate channels to enhance the heat transfer characteristics of the flow under consideration. The Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer model is used to model the flow inside the porous fins. This study reports the effect of several operating parameters on the flow hydrodynamics and thermal characteristics. This study demonstrates, mainly, the effects of porous fin thickness, Darcy number, thermal conductivity ratio, Reynolds number, and microscopic inertial coefficient on the thermal performance of the present flow. It is found that the highest Nusselt number is achieved at fully filled porous duct which requires the highest pumping pressure. The results show that using porous fins requires less pumping pressure with comparable high heat augmentation weight against fully filled porous duct. It is found that higher Nusselt numbers are achieved by increasing the microscopic inertial coefficient (A), the Reynolds number (Re), and the thermal conductivity of the porous substrate k ₂. The results show that heat transfer can be enhanced (1) with the use of high thermal conductivity fins, (2) by decreasing the Darcy number, and (3) by increasing microscopic inertial coefficient.     

Wave reflection at a free interface in an anisotropic pyroelectric medium with nonclassical thermoelasticity

In this paper, the well-established two-dimensional mathematical model for linear pyroelectric materials is employed to investigate the reflection of waves at the boundary between a vacuum and an elastic, transversely isotropic, pyroelectric material. A comparative study between the solutions of (a) classical thermoelasticity, (b) Cattaneo–Lord–Shulman theory and (c) Green–Lindsay theory equations, characterised by none, one and two relaxation times, respectively, is presented. Suitable boundary conditions are considered in order to determine the reflection coefficients when incident elasto–electro–thermal waves impinge the free interface. It is established that, in the quasi-electrostatic approximation, three different classes of waves: (1) two principally elastic waves, namely a quasi-longitudinal Primary (qP) wave and a quasi-transverse Secondary (qS) wave; and (2) a mainly thermal (qT) wave. The observed electrical effects are, on the other hand, a direct consequence of mechanical and thermal phenomena due to pyroelectric coupling. The computed reflection coefficients of plane qP waves are found to depend upon the angle of incidence, the elastic, electric and thermal parameters of the medium, as well as the thermal relaxation times. The special cases of normal and grazing incidence are also derived and discussed. Finally, the reflection coefficients are computed for cadmium selenide observing the influence of (1) the anisotropy of the material, (2) the electrical potential and (3) temperature variations and (4) the thermal relaxation times on the reflection coefficients.     

On forced convection in channels partially filled with porous substrates

 This paper numerically simulates the forced convection flow in the developing region of a parallel-plate channel partially filled with two porous substrates of equal thickness deposited at the inner walls of the channel. The major objective of the present work is to investigate the impact of several operating and design parameters on the thermal performance of the channel under consideration. The physical problem is simulated by using Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer model. For a prescribed amount of porous material, the current investigation discusses the comparison between inserting this entire amount at one side of the channel and inserting half of this amount at each side of the channel. Received on 25 May 2000 / Published online: 29 November 2001     

Dual anti-inflammatory and antiglycation propensities of a potentially novel class of functionalized fluoroquinolones

Promoted by elevated blood glucose concentrations in diabetes, glycation involves the nonenzymatic addition of reducing sugars and/or their reactive degradation products to amine groups on proteins. New synthetic approaches to 18 fluoroquinolones (FQs) have been developed on the basis of a promising antiglycation activity using 400μM methylglyoxal as the choice glucocytotoxicity concentration. Their anti-inflammatory and radical scavenging properties were elucidated in vitro. Intriguingly, FQs could exhibit an exceedingly more superior than or substantially comparable cytoprotection against methylglyoxal-induced carbonyl toxicity in RAW264.7 macrophages and antiglycation activity to aminoguanidine, as the reference compound. This kind of activity can suggestively be associated with the chelating properties possessed by the synthesized FQs as their DPPH radical scavenging activities proved to be significantly inferior to those of the reference compound, the ascorbic acid. The inhibitory bioactivities using the Griess assay were examined of the compounds against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Selectively, compounds R-2TCBA , R-4FACBA , R-3TCBA , and R-4CLACBA exerted an exceedingly remarkable and superior anti-inflammatory effects (P < .001 vs indomethacin IC₅₀ value of 101.07 ± 2.2 μM) while R-4TCBA and T-4BrACBA were moderately more efficacious than indomethacin. Compounds T-4CLACBA and R-4BrACBA displayed comparable activity with indomethacin. None of the tested compounds and indomethacin exerted any cytotoxicity against RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages. FQs possess potent duality of antiglycation–anti-inflammatory capacities and are devoid of undesirable side effects. FQs can, therefore, serve as scaffolds for the development and designing of new clinical deglycation and antiglycation therapeutic agents.     

Spectroscopic Study of Solvent Polarity on the Optical and Photo-Physical Properties of Novel 9,10-bis(coumarinyl)anthracene

Novel 7,7′-((anthracene-9,10-diylbis(methylene))bis(oxy))bis(4-methyl-2H-chromen-2-one) (BisCA) was prepared as fluorescent probe. The chemical structure of the novel BisCA was confirmed by spectroscopic data as well as elemental analyses. The solvatochromic characteristics of the new proble and its precursors were investigated in different solvents including, ethanol, DMF and toluene as protic polar, aprotic polar and non-polar solvents, respectively. Photo-physical parameters of probes, such as fluorescence quantum yields, fluorescence lifetime of excited state, radiative and non-radiative decay, were assessed in different media. The intermolecular H-bond effect on absorption and excitation spectra of the novel probe was reported in different solvents. Also, Onsager cavity radius and dipole moment of ground state and excited state of the probe were calculated as described by Bakhshiev and Reichardt methods.