Applications of Infrared Spectroscopy in Petroleum Analysis and Oil Spill Identification

Each year an estimated 5 to 10 million tons of oil are discharged into the oceans of the world. Eighty percent of this spilled oil remains in the environment, directly poisoning marine life and indirectly threatening the rest of the plant and animal environment.     

A simple and environmentally benign synthesis of polypyridine-polycarboxylic acids

An oxidation method using dilute nitric acid solutions under solvothermal conditions has been developed to synthesise a series of polypyridine-polycarboxylic acids. It has been successfully applied to a range of methyl substituted polypyridines including symmetrical and asymmetrical 2,2′-bipyridines; 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridines and; 2,2′:6′,2″:6″,2?-tetra-pyridines and yields crystalline polypyridine-polycarboxylic acids in a single step. Simple product recovery through filtration yields a recyclable filtrate. More forcing conditions led to demethylation of the polypyridine ligand most probably via decarboxylation. This simple approach avoids potentially harmful metal-based oxidants and negates any issues associated with the disposal of their resultant (hazardous) waste.     

Populations with individual variation in dispersal in heterogeneous environments: Dynamics and competition with simply diffusing populations

We consider a model for a population in a heterogeneous environment, with logistic-type local population dynamics, under the assumption that individuals can switch between two different nonzero rates of diffusion. Such switching behavior has been observed in some natural systems. We study how environmental heterogeneity and the rates of switching and diffusion affect the persistence of the population. The reactiondiffusion systems in the models can be cooperative at some population densities and competitive at others. The results extend our previous work on similar models in homogeneous environments. We also consider competition between two populations that are ecologically identical, but where one population diffuses at a fixed rate and the other switches between two different diffusion rates. The motivation for that is to gain insight into when switching might be advantageous versus diffusing at a fixed rate. This is a variation on the classical results for ecologically identical competitors with differing fixed diffusion rates, where it is well known that the slower diffuser wins.     

The effect of cyclone inlet dimensions on the flow pattern and performance

The effect of the cyclone inlet dimensions on the performance and flow field pattern has been investigated computationally using the Reynolds stress turbulence model (RSM) for five cyclone separators. The results show that, the maximum tangential velocity in the cyclone decreases with increasing the cyclone inlet dimensions. No acceleration occurs in the cyclone space (the maximum tangential velocity is nearly constant throughout the cyclone). Increasing the cyclone inlet dimensions decreases the pressure drop. The cyclone cut-off diameter increases with increasing cyclone inlet dimension (consequently, the cyclone overall efficiency decreases due to weakness of the vortex strength). The effect of changing the inlet width is more significant than the inlet height especially for the cut-off diameter. The optimum ratio of inlet width to inlet height b/a is from 0.5 to 0.7.