Two-particle rapidity correlations in proton-nucleus interactions at 300 GeV

The single- and two-particle inclusive rapidity distributions for proton-nucleus interactions at 300 GeV in nuclear emulsions are presented. The analysis of the data with the two-particle rapidity correlation function R(ν₁, ν₂) shows clear evidence of short range correlations. A remarkable asymmetry between projectile and target hemisphere is found.     

Modélisation et simulation numérique du changement de phase liquide–vapeur en cavitéModeling and numerical simulation of liquid–vapor phase change in an enclosed cavity

A model for the simulation of boiling flow with phase change in a closed cavity is presented. A front-tracking method is used to deal with the liquid–vapor interface. The liquid phase is incompressible while the vapor phase is weakly compressible and obeys to the perfect gas law. This model can deal with large density ratio (${\rho }_l/{\rho }_v?1000$) flows while accounting for the saturation curve. Computations are performed on a 1D validation case, idealizing a pressure cooker. Results are compared with a low Mach number approximation. To cite this article: V. Daru et al., C. R. Mecanique 334 (2006).     

Migration Testing of GPPS and HIPS Polymers: Swelling Effect Caused by Food Simulants Compared to Real Foods

Migration kinetic data from general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) were generated for a set of model substances as well as styrene monomer and oligomers at different temperatures (20 °C, 40 °C, 60 °C) using food simulants stipulated in the European Regulation (EU) 10/2011 and real foods like milk, cream and olive oil (20 °C, 40 °C). The extent of polymer swelling was characterized gravimetrically and visual changes of the test specimens after migration contact were recorded. Isooctane and 95% ethanol caused strong swelling and visual changes of HIPS, overestimating real migration into foods especially at high temperatures; GPPS was affected by isooctane only at 60 °C. With 50% ethanol, after 10 days contact at 60 °C or 40 °C both polymers were slightly swollen. Contrary, most of the real foods analyzed caused no detectable swelling or visual changes of the investigated polymers. This study demonstrates that the recommendations provided by EU regulations are not always in agreement with the physicochemical properties of styrenic polymers. The critical point remains the selection of adequate food simulants/testing conditions, since the high overestimation of aggressive media can lead to non-compliance of polystyrene materials even if the migration into real food would be of no concern.     

Interaction of a deformable solid with two-phase flows: An Eulerian-based numerical model for fluid-structure interaction using the level contour reconstruction method

We describe the formulation of a method for fluid-structure interaction involving the coupling of moving and/or flexible solid structures with multiphase flows in the framework of the Level Contour Reconstruction Method. We present an Eulerian-based numerical procedure for tracking the motion and interaction of a liquid-gas interface with a fluid-solid interface in the Lagrangian frame together with the evaluation of the fluid transport equations coupled to those for the solid transport, namely the left Cauchy-Green strain tensor field, in the Eulerian frame. To prevent excessive dissipation due to the convective nature of the solid transport equation, a simple incompressibility constraint for the strain field is enforced. A single grid structure is used for both the fluid and solid phases which allows for a simple and natural coupling of the fluid and solid dynamics. Several benchmark tests are performed to show the accuracy of the numerical method and which demonstrate accurate results compared to several of those in the existing literature. In particular we show that surface tension effects including contact line dynamics on the deforming solid phase can be properly simulated. The three-phase interaction of a droplet impacting on a flexible cantilever is investigated in detail. The simulations follow the detailed motion of the droplet impact (and subsequent deformation, breakup, and fall trajectory) along with the motion of the deformable solid cantilever due to its own weight as well as due to the force of the droplet impact.     

Tailored Porous Transport Layers for Optimal Oxygen Transport in Water Electrolyzers: Combined Stochastic Reconstruction and Lattice Boltzmann Method

The porous transport layer (PTL) plays an integral role for the mass transport in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. In this work, a stochastic reconstruction method of titanium felt-based PTLs is applied and combined with the Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The aim is to parametrically investigate the impact of different PTL structures on the transport of oxygen. The structural characteristics of a reconstructed PTL agree well with experimental investigations. Moreover, the impact of PTL porosity, fiber radius, and anisotropy parameter on the structural characteristics of PTLs are analyzed, and their impact on oxygen transport are elucidated by LBM. Eventually, a customized graded PTL is reconstructed, exhibiting almost optimal mass transport performance for the removal of oxygen. The results show that a higher porosity, larger fiber radius, and smaller anisotropy parameter facilitate the formation of oxygen propagation pathways. By tailoring the fiber characteristics and thus optimizing the PTLs, guidelines for the optimal design and manufacturing can be obtained for large-scale PTLs for electrolyzers.     

Direct simulation of multiphase flows with modeling of dynamic interface contact angle

We describe a modeling technique for dynamic contact angle between a phase interface and a solid wall using a generalized Navier boundary condition in the context of a front-tracking-based multiphase method. The contact line motion is determined by the generalized Navier slip boundary condition in order to eliminate the infinite shear stress at the contact line. Applying this slip boundary condition only to the interface movement with various slip ratios shows good agreement with experimental results compared to allowing full fluid slip along the solid surface. The interface slip model performs well on grid convergence tests using both the slip ratio and slip length models. A detailed energy analysis was performed to identify changes in kinetic, surface, and potential energies as well as viscous and contact line dissipation with time. A friction coefficient for contact line dissipation was obtained based on the other computed energy terms. Each energy term and the friction coefficient were compared for different grid resolutions. The effect of varying the slip ratio as well as the contact angle distribution versus contact line speed was analyzed. The behavior of drop impact on a solid wall with different advancing and receding angles was investigated. Finally, the proposed dynamic contact model was extended to three dimensions for large-scale parallel calculations. The impact of a droplet on a solid cylinder was simulated to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposing formulation on general solid structures. Widely different contact angles were tested and showed distinctive characteristic behavior clearly.     

Molecular Imprinting of Cyclodextrin Supramolecular Hydrogels Improves Drug Loading and Delivery

Cyclodextrin‐based controlled delivery materials have previously been developed for controlled release of different therapeutic drugs. In this study, a supramolecular hydrogel made from cyclodextrin‐based macromonomers is subjected to molecular imprinting to investigate the impact on release kinetics and drug loading, when compared with non‐imprinted, or alternately imprinted hydrogels. Mild synthesis conditions are used to molecularly imprint three antibiotics—novobiocin, rifampicin, and vancomycin—and to test two different hydrogel chemistries. The release profile and drug loading of the molecularly imprinted hydrogels are characterized using ultraviolet spectroscopy over a period of 35 days and compared to non‐imprinted, and alternately imprinted hydrogels. While only modest differences are observed in the release rate of the antibiotics tested, a substantial difference is observed in the total drug‐loading amount possible for hydrogels releasing drugs which has been templated by those drugs. Hydrogels releasing drugs which are templated by other drugs do not show improved release or loading. Analysis by FTIR does not show substantial incorporation of drug into the polymer. Lastly, bioactivity assays confirmed long‐term stability and release of incorporated antibiotics.     

Modeling Three-Dimensional Multiphase Flow Using a Level Contour Reconstruction Method for Front Tracking without Connectivity

Three-dimensional multiphase flow and flow with phase change are simulated using a simplified method of tracking and reconstructing the phase interface. The new level contour reconstruction technique presented here enables front tracking methods to naturally, automatically, and robustly model the merging and breakup of interfaces in three-dimensional flows. The method is designed so that the phase surface is treated as a collection of physically linked but not logically connected surface elements. Eliminating the need to bookkeep logical connections between neighboring surface elements greatly simplifies the Lagrangian tracking of interfaces, particularly for 3D flows exhibiting topology change. The motivation for this new method is the modeling of complex three-dimensional boiling flows where repeated merging and breakup are inherent features of the interface dynamics. Results of 3D film boiling simulations with multiple interacting bubbles are presented. The capabilities of the new interface reconstruction method are also tested in a variety of two-phase flows without phase change. Three-dimensional simulations of bubble merging and droplet collision, coalescence, and breakup demonstrate the new method's ability to easily handle topology change by film rupture or filamentary breakup. Validation tests are conducted for drop oscillation and bubble rise. The susceptibility of the numerical method to parasitic currents is also thoroughly assessed.     

The Local Front Reconstruction Method for direct simulation of two- and three-dimensional multiphase flows

We present a new interface reconstruction technique, the Local Front Reconstruction Method (LFRM), for incompressible multiphase flows. This new method falls in the category of Front Tracking methods but it shares automatic topology handling characteristics of the previously proposed Level Contour Reconstruction Method (LCRM). The LFRM tracks the phase interface explicitly as in Front Tracking but there is no logical connectivity between interface elements thus greatly easing the algorithmic complexity. Topological changes such as interfacial merging or pinch off are dealt with automatically and naturally as in the Level Contour Reconstruction Method. Here the method is described for both two- and three-dimensional flow geometries. The interfacial reconstruction technique in the LFRM differs from that in the LCRM formulation by foregoing using an Eulerian distance field function. Instead, the LFRM uses information from the original interface elements directly to generate the new interface in a mass conservative way thus showing significantly improved local mass conservation. Because the reconstruction procedure is independently carried out in each individual reconstruction cell after an initial localization process, an adaptive reconstruction procedure can be easily implemented to increase the accuracy while at the same time significantly decreasing the computational time required to perform the reconstruction. Several benchmarking tests are performed to validate the improved accuracy and computational efficiency as compared to the LCRM. The results demonstrate superior performance of the LFRM in maintaining detailed interfacial shapes and good local mass conservation especially when using low-resolution Eulerian grids.