Investigation on the flameholding mechanisms in supersonic flows: backward-facing step and cavity flameholder

Abstract  

As effective devices to extend the fuel residence time in supersonic flow and prolong the duration time for hypersonic vehicles cruising in the near-space with power, the backward-facing step and the cavity are widely employed in hypersonic airbreathing propulsive systems as flameholders. The two-dimensional coupled implicit RANS equations, the standard k-ε turbulence model, and the finite-rate/eddy-dissipation reaction model have been used to generate the flow field structures in the scramjet combustors with the backward-facing step and the cavity flameholders. The flameholding mechanism in the combustor has been investigated by comparing the flow field in the corner region of the backward-facing step with that around the cavity flameholder. The obtained results show that the numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data, and the different grid scales make only a slight difference to the numerical results. The vortices formed in the corner region of the backward-facing step, in the cavity and upstream of the fuel injector make a large difference to the enhancement of the mixing between the fuel and the free airstream, and they can prolong the residence time of the mixture and improve the combustion efficiency in the supersonic flow. The size of the recirculation zone in the scramjet combustor partially depends on the distance between the injection and the leading edge of the cavity. Further, the shock waves in the scramjet combustor with the cavity flameholder are much stronger than those that occur in the scramjet combustor with the backward-facing step, and this causes a large increase in the static pressure along the walls of the combustor.     

Methoxycarbonyl-terminated hyperbranched poly(amine-ester) as templates for synthesis of silver nanoparticles

Highly stable and spherical silver nanoparticles, stabilized by methoxycarbonyl-terminated hyperbranched poly(amine-ester) (HPAE-COOCH₃), were synthesized in water with reducing AgNO₃/HPAE-COOCH₃ using two methods, viz. NaBH₄ and ultraviolet irradiation. HPAE-COOCH₃ was found to play a key role in the formation of nanoparticles. UV–visible absorption, Transmission electron microscopic (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) had been used to study the structure and characterization of the silver nanoparticles. The absorption peaks of the silver nanoparticles appear at ~420 nm in UV–visible absorption spectra; average particle size reduced by NaBH₄ is ~30 nm, which is ~10 and ~15 nm, respectively, when ultraviolet irradiation time is 12 and 24 h. FT-IR spectra confirm that there is strong interaction between silver nanoparticles and HPAE-COOCH₃. And silver nanoparticles/HPAE-COOCH₃ aqueous solution can keep stable for more than 3 months.     

Leading-order actions of Goldstino fields

This paper starts with a self-contained discussion of the so-called Akulov–Volkov action S_AV\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{AV}}, which is traditionally taken to be the leading-order action of the Goldstino field. Explicit expressions for S_AV\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{AV}} and its chiral version S_AV^ch\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{AV}}^{\mathrm{ch}} are presented. We then turn to the issue on how these actions are related to the leading-order action S_NL\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{NL}} proposed in the newly proposed constrained superfield formalism. We show that S_NL\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{NL}} may yield S_AV/S_AV^ch\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm {AV}}/\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{AV}}^{\mathrm{ch}} or a totally different action S_KS\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{KS}}, depending on how the auxiliary field in the former is integrated out. However, S_KS\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{KS}} and S_AV/S_AV^ch\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm {AV}}/\mathcal{S}_{\mathrm{AV}}^{\mathrm{ch}} always yield the same S-matrix elements, as one would have expected from general considerations in quantum field theory.     

Geometries and electronic properties of NbnV(0, ±1) (n = 1−6) clusters studied by density-functional theory

Using density functional theory (DFT) with valence basis set LANL2TZ to study the relative stabilities and electronic properties of the most stable structures of Nb _n V^(0,?±1) (n = 1?6) clusters. The ground state structures of Nb _n V ^(0,?±1) keep the similar geometric structure as the host Nb _n clusters. The doping of vanadium atom enhances the chemical activities of Nb _n clusters. The Nb₃V and Nb₆V are more stable than other clusters. The average binding energy of charged systems (Nb _n V⁺ and Nb _n V^? clusters) are generally larger than neutral Nb _n V clusters natural population analysis shows that there are charge transfers from niobium to vanadium atoms in the small Nb_1?4V, however, for larger clusters (Nb₅V and Nb₆V), the charge transfers are from vanadium to niobium atoms. The vertical and adiabatic ionization potentials (VIP and AIP) are estimated and the vertical one is more close to experimental results.     

A secure quantum key distribution scheme based on variable quantum encoding algorithms

The security of the quantum secret key plays a critical role in quantum communications.Thus far,one problem that still exists in existing protocols is the leakage of the length of the secret key.In this letter,based on variable quantum encoding algorithms,we propose a secure quantum key distribution scheme,which can overcome the security problem involving the leakage of the secret key.Security analysis shows that the proposed scheme is both secure and effective.     

Electric field-induced stress birefringence in layered composites PbZr1-xTixO3/Polycarbonate

Electro-optical composites based on the product of electro-strictive and elasto-optical effects are developed.Layered composites of PbZr 1 x Ti x O 3 and polycarbonate are synthesised.Their electro-optical properties are studied.The nominal transverse electro-optical coefficient of the composite is observed to be about 3.6 times larger than that of LiNbO 3.Experiments and theoretical analyses show that the electro-optical effect of the composite has a strong ’size effect’.With the ratio of thickness/length decreasing or the width of elasto-optical phase increasing,the half-wave electric field intensity increases but the transverse electro-optical coefficient decreases for the layered composite.     

Ultra-low on-resistance high voltage (>600 V) SOI MOSFET with a reduced cell pitch

A low specific on-resistance (R S,on) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) trench MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistor) with a reduced cell pitch is proposed.The lateral MOSFET features multiple trenches:two oxide trenches in the drift region and a trench gate extended to the buried oxide (BOX) (SOI MT MOSFET).Firstly,the oxide trenches increase the average electric field strength along the x direction due to lower permittivity of oxide compared with that of Si;secondly,the oxide trenches cause multiple-directional depletion,which improves the electric field distribution and enhances the reduced surface field (RESURF) effect in the SOI layer.Both of them result in a high breakdown voltage (BV).Thirdly,the oxide trenches cause the drift region to be folded in the vertical direction,leading to a shortened cell pitch and a reduced R S,on.Fourthly,the trench gate extended to the BOX further reduces R S,on,owing to the electron accumulation layer.The BV of the MT MOSFET increases from 309 V for a conventional SOI lateral double diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) to 632 V at the same half cell pitch of 21.5 μm,and R S,on decreases from 419 m · cm 2 to 36.6 m · cm 2.The proposed structure can also help to dramatically reduce the cell pitch at the same breakdown voltage.     

Propagation and interaction of ion-acoustic solitary waves in a quantum electron-positron-ion plasma

This paper discusses the existence of ion-acoustic solitary waves and their interaction in a dense quantum electron-positron-ion plasma by using the quantum hydrodynamic equations.The extended Poincar’e-Lighthill-Kuo perturbation method is used to derive the Korteweg-de Vries equations for quantum ion-acoustic solitary waves in this plasma.The effects of the ratio of positrons to ions unperturbation number density p and the quantum diffraction parameter H e (H p) on the newly formed wave during interaction,and the phase shift of the colliding solitary waves are studied.It is found that the interaction between two solitary waves fits linear superposition principle and these plasma parameters have significantly influence on the newly formed wave and phase shift of the colliding solitary waves.The investigations should be useful for understanding the propagation and interaction of ion-acoustic solitary waves in dense astrophysical plasmas (such as white dwarfs) as well as in intense laser-solid matter interaction experiments.     

Transport properties of Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3/Nb:SrTiO3 heterojunctions

Current–voltage (J–V) characteristics of epitaxial hetero-junctions composed of Pr_0.7Ca_0.3MnO₃ and Nb:SrTiO₃ were studied under forward and reversed bias conditions. Detailed analysis showed that the J–V characteristics of these heterojunctions can be well-fitted by the thermally-assisted tunnelling model. While the dielectric constant of Nb:SrTiO₃ extracted under the forward bias was about one order of magnitude smaller than that of bulk SrTiO₃, the value obtained under reverse bias was very close to that of the bulk SrTiO₃. The result can be explained by the existence of an interface layer on the Nb:SrTiO₃ substrate with a smaller effective dielectric constant. The current finding suggested that the properties of interface layer should be taken into account in order to accurately simulate the J–V characteristics of such heterojunctions.