PIV analysis of flow around a container ship model with a rotating propeller

The flow characteristics of the propeller wake behind a container ship model with a rotating propeller were investigated using a two-frame PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) technique. Ensemble-averaged mean velocity fields were measured at four different blade phases and ensemble-averaged to investigate the flow structure in the near-wake region. The mean velocity fields in longitudinal planes show that a velocity deficit is formed in the regions near the blade tips and hub. As the flow develops in the downstream direction, the trailing vortices formed behind the propeller hub move upward slightly due to the presence of the hull wake and free surface. Interaction between the bilge vortices and the incoming flow around the hull causes the flow structure to be asymmetric. Contour plots of the vorticity give information on the radial distribution of the loading on the blades. The radial velocity profiles fluctuate to a greater extent under the heavy (J=0.59) and light loading (J=0.88) conditions than under the design loading condition (J=0.72). The turbulence intensity has large values around the tip and trailing vortices. As the wake develops in the downstream direction, the strength of the vorticity diminishes and the turbulence intensity increases due to turbulent diffusion and active mixing between the tip vortices and the adjacent wake flow.     

Carbon Nanotubes as a Ligand in Cp2ZrCl2‐Based Ethylene Polymerization

Summary: We report a simple method for tuning catalytic property of a metallocene‐based catalyst, Cp₂ZrCl₂, for ethylene polymerization by the direct adsorption of Cp₂ZrCl₂ onto multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The direct interactions between MWCNTs and the Cp rings of Cp₂ZrCl₂ controlled the polymerization behaviors, and we could generate polyethylene with an extremely high molecular weight ( = 1 000 000) at 30 °C and under 1 atm of ethylene gas.

Preparation of Cp₂ZrCl₂‐MWCNT.     

Acidic metabolite profiling analysis of catecholamine and serotonin as O‐ethoxycarbonyl/tert‐butyldimethylsilyl derivatives by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

A novel derivatization method was developed for the simultaneous determination of six acidic metabolites of catecholamine and serotonin by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The metabolites were converted to O‐ethoxycarbonyl/tert‐butyldimethylsilyl (EOC/TBDMS) derivatives for the direct GC‐MS analysis in selected ion monitoring mode. Their mass spectral pattern as EOC/TBDMS derivatives showed characteristic fragment ions of [M – 15]⁺ and [M – 57]⁺, which permitted rapid and accurate structural confirmation of acidic metabolites. The present method was linear (r ≥ 0.998), reproducible (percentage relative standard deviation = 1.0–10.0) and accurate (% relative error = ?9.7–9.8) with detection limits of 0.001–4.7 ng/mL. When applied to human urine samples, the method allowed simultaneous determination of six acidic metabolites of catecholamine and serotonin. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metabolomic analysis of amino acids and organic acids in aging mouse eyes using gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

This is a metabolomics study for monitoring altered amino acid (AA) and organic acid (OA) metabolism of in eyes from aging an mouse model at 8 and 18 weeks and 18 months. Simultaneous metabolic profiling analysis of OAs and AAs was performed as ethoxycarbonyl/methoxime/tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 42 metabolites—24 AAs and 18 OAs—were determined and their composition values were normalized to the corresponding mean values of 8-week-old mice as the control group. Then their normalized values were plotted as star graphs, which were distorted and readily distinguishable for each age-related group. Among the 42 metabolites, 18 AAs and 11 OAs were age dependent and significantly different (p < 0.05). Principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis showed unclear separation between 8- and 18-week-old mice but clear separation between these and 18-month-old mice. In particular, the variable importance in projection scores of 4-hydroxyproline, cis-aconitic acid, glycine, isocitric acid, leucine, pipecolic acid and lysine from partial least-squares–discriminant analysis were higher than 1.3. A heatmap for the classification and visualization of 42 metabolites showed differences in metabolite changes with aging. Altered AA and OA profiles were monitored, which may explain the metabolic disturbance of AA and OA. These findings are related to mitochondrial dysfunctions related to energy metabolism and the impaired antioxidant system in the aging eye. Therefore, the present metabolomics results of the association between physiological states and altered metabolism of AA and OA will be useful for understanding the aging eye and related diseases.     

Transient conjugated heat transfer analysis from a sphere

The phenomena of conjugate unsteady heat transfer from a solid spherical particle in a convective environment is numerically investigated for Reynolds numbers in the range from 0.1 to 100. The flow and energy equations for both dispersed and continuous phases are solved using a Chebyshev-Legendre spectral method. This work is an extension of the previous effort of simulating flow around a sphere using spectral method [2] to include heat transfer. General findings indicate that quasi-steady analysis underestimates the overall heat transfer rate significantly at very early time stages, however the extent of underprediction becomes less as time progresses. The underprediction of the quasi-steady assumption becomes larger as Reynolds number increases for a fixed Prandtl number.Der Modellfall des gekoppelten, nichtstationären Wärmeübergangs von einem festen, kugelförmigen Partikel an ein Konvektionsfeld wird numerisch für Reynoldszahlen von 0,1 bis 100 untersucht. Die Lösung der Impuls- und Energiegleichungen für den dispersen wie den kontinuierlichen Bereich erfolgt unter Verwendung einer Chebyshev-Legendre Spektralmethode. Diese Arbeit setzt frühere Untersuchungen fort, wobei jetzt unter Verwendung derselben Methode auch der Wärmeübergang Berücksichtigung findet. Es zeigte sich, daß die quasistationäre Behandlung den Gesamtwärmeübergang im frühen Anlaufstadium erheblich unterbewertet. Dieser Effekt verringert sich im weiteren Verlauf des Austauschvorganges; er wächst (bei festgehaltener Prandtlzahl) mit der Reynoldszahl.The authors would like to thank Dr. R. W. Douglass for his valuable comments and Dr. M. J. Oliver and Mr. V. A. Mousseau for their assistance in running the computer program. This work is performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy, contract number DE-AC07-765-ID01570, and was supported in part by the INEL Long-Term Research Inditiatives Program.     

Transient conjugate mixed convection from a sphere in a porous medium saturated with cold pure or saline water

In this paper, a numerical investigation of the transient conjugate mixed convection flow about a sphere embedded in a porous medium saturated with pure or saline water is carried out. The effect of density extremum is considered by using the nonlinear dependence of density on the temperature. The salinity effects are considered by assuming uniform saline concentration over the domain considered. The direction of the natural convection is changed either to aiding or to opposing the upcoming flow direction simulating the sphere is either hot or cold relative to the surrounding temperature. Results show that the initial temperature differences as well as the saline concentration alter the transient heat transfer rate in conceivable degree. It was found that the heat capacity ratio between the sphere and the surrounding media has more significant effect on the calculated heat transfer rate than the thermal conductivity ratio. The study is performed by using six nondimensional parameters and results are discussed in detail. Received on 10 November 1997     

Stripping study of U(VI) from loaded TBP/n-paraffin using ammonium nitrate bearing waste as strippant

Stripping studies of U(VI) from loaded solvent TBP/n-paraffin was carried out using ammonium nitrate solution as strippant. Effects of various stripping parameters such as concentration of ammonium nitrate solution, U(VI) concentration in organic phase, initial pH of strippant, temperature etc. have been investigated in detail. Kinetics of the stripping process by ammonium nitrate was found to be slower than that of stripping with water. It was observed that with the increase in ammonium nitrate concentration in aqueous solution, stripping of U(VI) decreased. With the increase in U(VI) loading in the organic phase, there was an increase in uranium stripping for ammonium nitrate whereas for distilled water it becomes reverse. With the increase in pH of the aqueous ammonium nitrate solution, stripping increased up to a certain pH of 8.5 and after that precipitation of uranium started. Increase in temperature of the biphasic system shows an enhancing effect of U(VI) stripping. Evaluation of thermodynamic data such as ?H indicated that the process is endothermic. Based on the optimized conditions, McCabe–Thiele diagram was constructed for U(VI) stripping using ammonium nitrate solution at room temperature.     

Aliphatic β‐Nitroalcohols for Therapeutic Corneoscleral Cross‐Linking: Chemical Stability Studies Using 1H‐NMR Spectroscopy

Recent studies suggest that aliphatic β‐nitro alcohols may represent a useful class of compounds for use as in vivo therapeutic corneoscleral cross‐linking agents with higher order nitroalcohols (HONAs) showing enhanced efficacy over the mono‐nitroalcohols. The current study was undertaken in order to evaluate the chemical stability of these compounds during storage conditions. Two mono‐nitroalcohols (2‐nitroethanol=2ne and 2‐nitro‐1‐propanol=2nprop) and two HONAs, a nitrodiol (2‐methyl‐2‐nitro‐1,3‐propanediol=MNPD), and a nitrotriol (2‐hydroxymethyl‐2‐nitro‐1,3‐propanediol=HNPD) were monitored for chemical stability by ¹H‐NMR for up to 7 months. Each compound was studied at two concentrations (1% and 10%) either in unbuffered H₂O or 0.2 m NaH₂PO₄/Na₂HPO₄ (pH=5), and at 0°C and room temperature (RT) for a total of eight conditions for each compound. The ¹H‐NMR spectra for the starting material were compared to subsequent spectra. Under all four of the conditions studied, both the nitrodiol (MNPD) and nitrotriol (HNPD) were stable for the duration of 7 months. 2nprop became unstable under all conditions at 3 months. 2ne was the most unstable of all the compounds tested. HONAs exhibit excellent chemical stability under long‐term storage conditions. In contrast, the nitromonols tested are significantly less stable. These findings are relevant to the translation of this technology into clinical use.