Effect of steam on the single particle ignition of solid fuels in a drop tube furnace under air and simulated oxy-fuel conditions

This article investigates the effect of steam on the ignition of single particles of solid fuels in a drop tube furnace under air and simulated oxy-fuel conditions. Three solid fuels, all in the size range 125–150 µm, were used in this study; specifically, a low rank sub-bituminous Colombian coal, a low-rank/high-ash sub-bituminous Brazilian coal and a charcoal residue from black acacia. For each solid fuel, particles were burned at a constant drop tube furnace wall temperature of 1475?K, in six different mixtures of O₂/N₂/CO₂/H₂O, which allowed simulating dry and wet conventional and oxy-fuel combustion conditions. A high-speed camera was used to record the ignition process and the collected images were treated to characterize the ignition mode (either gas-phase or surface mode) and to calculate the ignition delay times. The Colombian coal particles ignite predominately in the gas-phase for all test conditions, but under simulated oxy-fuel conditions there is a decrease in the occurrence of this ignition mode; the charcoal particles experience surface ignition regardless of the test condition; and the Brazilian coal particles ignite predominately in the gas-phase when combustion occurs in mixtures of O₂/N₂/H₂O, but under simulated oxy-fuel conditions the ignition occurs predominantly on the surface. The ignition delay times for particles that ignited in the gas-phase are smaller than those that ignited on the surface, and generally the simulated oxy-fuel conditions retard the onset of both gas-phase and surface ignition. The addition of steam decreases the gas-phase and surface ignition delay times of the particles of both coals under simulated oxy-fuel conditions, but has a small impact on the gas-phase ignition delay times when the combustion occurs in mixtures of O₂/N₂/H₂O. The steam gasification reaction is likely to be responsible for the steam effect on the ignition delay times through the production of highly flammable species that promote the onset of ignition.     

On the Ree curve

We point out a characterization of the Ree curve which involves the number of rational points, the genus, and the shape of two elements of the Weierstrass semigroup at a rational point.     

Texture discrimination and multi-unit recording in the rat vibrissal nerve

Background  

Rats distinguish objects differing in surface texture by actively moving their vibrissae. In this paper we characterized some aspects of texture sensing in anesthetized rats during active touch. We analyzed the multifiber discharge from a deep vibrissal nerve when the vibrissa sweeps materials (wood, metal, acrylic, sandpaper) having different textures. We polished these surfaces with sandpaper (P1000) to obtain close degrees of roughness and we induced vibrissal movement with two-branch facial nerve stimulation. We also consider the change in pressure against the vibrissa as a way to improve the tactile information acquisition. The signals were compared with a reference signal (control) – vibrissa sweeping the air – and were analyzed with the Root Mean Square (RMS) and the Power Spectrum Density (PSD).     

The Dielectric Tensor for Magnetized Dusty Plasmas with Superthermal Plasma Populations and Dust Particles of Different Sizes

We present general expressions for the components of the dielectric tensor of magnetized dusty plasmas, valid for arbitrary direction of propagation and for situations in which populations of dust particles of different sizes are present in the plasma. These expressions are derived using a kinetic approach which takes into account the variation of the charge of the dust particles due to inelastic collisions with electrons and ions, and features the components of the dielectric tensor in terms of a finite and an infinite series, containing all effects of harmonics and Larmor radius, and is valid for the whole range of frequencies above the plasma frequency of the dust particles, which are assumed to be motionless. The integrals in velocity space which appear in the dielectric tensor are solved assuming that the electron and ion populations are described by anisotropic non-thermal distributions characterized by parameters κ _∥ and κ _⊥, featuring the Maxwellian as a limiting case. These integrals can be written in terms of generalized dispersion functions, which can be expressed in terms of hypergeometric functions. The formulation therefore becomes specially suitable for numerical analysis.     

Selective and efficient estimation of parameters for quantum process tomography

We present a new method for quantum process tomography enabling the efficient estimation, with fixed precision, of any of the parameters characterizing a quantum channel. The estimation strategy depends upon the set of matrix elements one selects to estimate. Furthermore, we describe a way to efficiently gather all the information required to efficiently estimate any average survival probability of the channel (i.e., to measure any diagonal element of its chi matrix).     

High structural control in metal-mediated synthesis of new functionalized diphosphines using diphosphinoketenimines as precursors

The diphosphinoketenimine ligand in the neutral complexes fac-[MnI(CO)(3){(PPh(2))(2)C=C=NR}] (1 a: R = Ph; 1 b: R = p-tolyl) undergoes nucleophilic attack by MeLi and nBuMgCl yielding, after hydrolysis, the diphosphinoenamine-containing complexes fac-[MnI(CO)(3){(PPh(2))(2)C=C(R')NHR}] (3 a,b: R' = Me; 4 a,b: R' = nBu). Complex 1 a reacts under the same conditions with H(2)C=C=CHMgBr to afford fac-[MnI(CO)(3){(PPh(2))(2)C=C(CH(2)CC[triple chemical bond]CH)NHR}] (5 a), which contains a terminal alkyne group on the alpha-carbon atom of the diphosphinoenamine ligand. The cationic complexes fac-[Mn(CO)(4){(PPh(2))(2)C=C=NR}](+) (6) react with H(2)C=C=CHMgBr to afford diphosphinomethanide derivatives bearing three different types of functional groups, depending upon the substituent on the nitrogen atom of the ketenimine: cumulene in fac-[Mn(CO)(4){(PPh(2))(2)C--C(CH=C=CH(2))=N-xylyl}] (7 d), internal alkyne in fac-[Mn(CO)(4){(PPh(2))(2)C--C(C[triple chemical bond]CCH(3))=NtBu}] (8), and quinoline in 9 (R = Ph), whose formation implies an unusual cyclization process. Protonation of 7 d, 8, and 9 with HBF(4) occurs at the nitrogen atom to give the cationic derivatives 10 d, 11, and 12, respectively, which contain the corresponding functionalized diphosphine ligands. Irradiation of 3 a,b and 4 a,b with Vis/UV light makes it possible to isolate the free ligands (PPh(2))(2)C=C(R')NHR (13 a,b and 14 a,b), completing the metal-assisted synthesis of these novel functionalized diphosphines. Irradiation of 12 with Vis/UV light generates free phosphinoquinoline ligand 15, which readily affords a complex 16 containing 15 as a P,N-chelating ligand when treated with [PdCl(2)(NCMe)(2)], thus demonstrating its coordination capability.     

Threshold-photoelectron-spectroscopy-coincidence study of the double photoionization of HBr

A threshold-photoelectron-coincidence spectrum of HBr has been recorded in the 32.2-35.8 eV photon energy range, with a resolution of approximately 0.01 eV, using a synchrotron radiation source. The X (3)Sigma(-) and a (1)Delta(2) states of the HBr(2+) dication are clearly observed in the spectrum, while there is no clear evidence for the formation of the b (1)Sigma(+) electronic state. For the first two states, the vibrational states v=0-3 have been resolved, while for the ground X (3)Sigma(-) state also spin-orbit splitting has been detected. The results appear in good agreement with previous experimental observations. A comparison with theoretical predictions indicates the role of "noncovalent" contributions to the interaction between the two atomic partners for the formation of metastable states.     

Supramolecular self-assembled arrangements of maltose glyconanoparticles

Our group previously reported the preparation of water-soluble Au-Fe(x)O(y) nanoparticles functionalized with a maltose neoglycoconjugate. A fraction soluble in methanol was also separated and originated a new supramolecular polymeric aggregate. We report here the full characterization of this novel material by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fluorescence emission, and atomic force microscopy. By means of noncontact dynamic atomic force microscopy, we have been able to obtain information about the organization of the organic components of the polymers, which eluded TEM analysis. We have observed that polymers packed in units about 65 nm in length and 40 nm in width on Au surfaces. The nanoparticles seem to be encapsulated by the organic material. We propose interactions between the sugar residues and the amphiphilic character of the maltose neoglycoconjugate (with a lipophilic undecane spacer) as responsible for the origin of these amazing supramolecular arrangements.