Grid‐independent depth‐averaged simulations with a collocated unstructured finite volume scheme

In this article, the depth‐averaged transport equations are written in a new way so that it is possible to solve the transport equations for very small water depths. Variables are interpolated into the cell face with two different schemes and, the schemes are compared in terms of computational cost and accuracy. The bed source terms are computed using two different assumptions. The effect of these assumptions on numerical simulations is then investigated. Solutions of transport equations on different types of unstructured triangular grids are compared and, an appropriate choice of grid is suggested. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polyelectrolyte Nanocomposite Membranes Using Imidazole-Functionalized Nanosilica for Fuel Cell Applications

The preparation and characterization of a new type of nanocomposite polyelectrolyte membrane, based on DuPont Nafion/imidazole-modified nanosilica (Im-Si), for direct methanol fuel cell applications is described. Related to the interactions between the protonated imidazole groups, grafted on the surface of nanosilica, and negatively charged sulfonic acid groups of Nafion, new electrostatic interactions can be formed in the interface of Nafion and Im-Si which result in both lower methanol permeability and also higher proton conductivity. Physical characteristics of these manufactured nanocomposite membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, water uptake, methanol permeability, and ion-exchange capacity, as well as proton conductivity. The Nafion/Im-Si membranes showed higher proton conductivity, lower methanol permeability and, as a consequence, higher selectivity parameter in comparison to the neat Nafion or Nafion/silica membranes. The obtained results indicated that the Nafion/Im-Si membranes could be utilized as promising polyelectrolyte membranes for direct methanol fuel cell applications.     

Organically modified montmorillonite and chitosan–phosphotungstic acid complex nanocomposites as high performance membranes for fuel cell applications

Nanocomposite membranes based on polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) of chitosan/phosphotungstic acid (PWA) and different types of montmorillonite (MMT) were prepared as alternative membranes to Nafion for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed an electrostatically fixed PWA within the PEC membranes, which avoids a decrease in proton conductivity at practical condition. Various amounts of pristine as well as organically modified MMT (OMMT) (MMT: Cloisite Na, OMMT: Cloisite 15A, and Cloisite 30B) were introduced to the PEC membranes to decrease in methanol permeability and, thus, enhance efficiency and power density of the cells. X-ray diffraction patterns of the nanocomposite membranes proved that MMT (or OMMT) layers were exfoliated in the membranes at loading weights of lower than 3 wt.%. Moreover, the proton conductivity and the methanol permeability as well as the water uptake behavior of the manufactured nanocomposite membranes were studied. According to the selectivity parameter, ratio of proton conductivity to methanol permeability, the PEC/2 wt.% MMT 30B was identified as the optimum composition. The DMFC performance tests were carried out at 70 °C and 5 M methanol feed and the optimum membrane showed higher maximum power density as well as acceptable durability compared to Nafion 117. The obtained results indicated that owing to the relatively high selectivity and power density, the optimum nanocomposite membrane could be considered as a promising polyelectrolyte membrane (PEM) for DMFC applications.     

Evaluation of aerodynamic performance enhancement of Risø_B1 airfoil with an optimized cavity by PIV measurement

Journal of Visualization - Airfoils are mostly inefficient in their off-design conditions. In order to improve the aerodynamic performance of airfoils in these conditions, using an optimized cavity...     

Polynomial integrability of the Hamiltonian systems with homogeneous potential of degree − 3

In this paper, we study the polynomial integrability of natural Hamiltonian systems with two degrees of freedom having a homogeneous potential of degree k given either by a polynomial, or by an inverse of a polynomial. For k=−2,−1,…,3,4, their polynomial integrability has been characterized. Here, we have two main results. First, we characterize the polynomial integrability of those Hamiltonian systems with homogeneous potential of degree −3. Second, we extend a relation between the nontrivial eigenvalues of the Hessian of the potential calculated at a Darboux point to a family of Hamiltonian systems with potentials given by an inverse of a homogeneous polynomial. This relation was known for such Hamiltonian systems with homogeneous polynomial potentials. Finally, we present three open problems related with the polynomial integrability of Hamiltonian systems with a rational potential.     

Fractality feature in incompressible three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of decaying isotropic 3D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence based on the 10243-modes in a periodic box is used to study the statistical properties of turbulence. In this paper, the presence of intermittency in MHD turbulence is investigated through the analysis of the Probability Distribution Function (PDF) for Elsässer fields and total energy fluctuations. We observe that the PDFs of the Elsässer fields fluctuations display a strong non-Gaussian behavior at small scale, which can be ascribed to multifractality feature, while the PDFs of the total energy fluctuations have the same shape over all observed scales and are monofractal. The PDFs have stretched exponential tail and satisfy the function P(|δX|) ～ exp(?A|δX| ^μ ). Numerically, we extract the exponent μ and find that it is constant for monofractal behavior as the length scale varies. To check the notion of self-similarity in the respective fluctuation, we apply the compensated structure functions.     

Application of titanium nanoparticles containing natural compounds in cutaneous wound healing

The aim of the study was the rapid green synthesis of titanium nanoparticles using the aqueous extract of Falcaria vulgaris leaves (TiNPs@FV) and exploring their antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antifungal, antibacterial, and cutaneous wound healing activities under in vitro and in vivo condition. These nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis, Fourier transform-infrared(FT-IR), X-ray diffraction XRD), field emission-scanning electron microscopy FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy TEM) analyses. The synthesized TiNPs@FV had great cell viability on human umbilical vein endothelial cells and indicted this method was nontoxic. DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) test revealed similar antioxidant potentials for F. vulgaris, TiNPs@FV, and butylated hydroxytoluene. All data of antibacterial, antifungal, and cutaneous wound healing tests were analyzed by SPSS 22 software. In the antimicrobial part of this study, TiNPs@FV indicated higher antifungal and antibacterial effects than all standard antibiotics (p ≤ 0.01). Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration of TiNPs@FV against all fungi were at 2–4 mg/mL and 2-8 mg/mL ranges, respectively. But, MIC and minimal bactericidal concentration of TiNPs@FV against all bacteria were at 2-8 mg/mL and 2-16 mg/mL ranges, respectively. In the part of cutaneous wound healing, use of TiNPs@FV ointment significantly (p ≤ 0.01) raised the wound contracture, vessel, hydroxyl proline, hexuronic acid, hexosamine, fibrocyte, and fibrocytes/fibroblast rate and significantly (p ≤ 0.01) decreased the wound area, total cells, neutrophil, and lymphocyte compared to other groups in rats. The results of FT-IR, UV-Vis, XRD, TEM, and FE-SEM confirm that the aqueous extract of F. vulgaris leaves can be used to yield titanium nanoparticles with a notable amount of remedial effects.     

The effect of number of baffles on the improvement efficiency of primary sedimentation tanks

In this study, the effect of different numbers of baffles is investigated using computational simulation. Laboratory measurements using different numbers of constant height baffles in a rectangular primary sedimentation tank are conducted. The velocity fields measured by an Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) are used to verify the results of the computational model. The effects of the number of baffles arrangement on the hydraulic performance of primary settling tanks are studied by using two different ways: the parameters of flow pattern and the Flow Through Curves (FTCs) method. The results of both the experimental and computational investigations indicate that increasing the number of baffles in suitable positions provides minimum volume of the recirculation region, dissipates the kinetic energy, creates a uniform flow field in the tank and finally the hydraulic efficiency of the sedimentation tank will be improved.