Positive solutions and pattern formation in a diffusive tritrophic system with Crowley–Martin functional response

Nonlinear Dynamics - In the present work, we have studied a diffusive tritrophic food chain model in which the species at each trophic level interact in accordance with Crowley–Martin...     

Hydromagnetic instability of streaming fluids in porous medium

The instability of the plane interface between two uniform, superposed, electrically conducting and counter-streaming fluids through a porous medium is considered in the presence of a horizontal magnetic field. In the absence of surface tension, perturbations transverse to the direction of streaming are found to be unaffected by the presence of streaming if perturbations in the direction of streaming are ignored. For perturbations in all other directions there exists instability for a certain wavenumber range. The instability of this system is postponed by the presence of magnetic field. The magnetic field and surface tension are able to suppress this Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for small wavelength perturbations and the medium porosity reduces the stability range given in terms of a difference between the streaming velocities and the Alfvén velocity.This research forms a part of the research project awarded to the first author (R.C.S.) by the University Grants Commission.     

Banana-shaped mesogens: a new homologous series of compounds exhibiting the B7 mesophase

The synthesis and characterization of a new homologous series of compounds, the 2-cyano-1,3-phenylene bis[4-(4-n-alkoxyphenyliminomethyl)benzoates] derived from 2-cyanoresorcinol is reported. All the compounds are enantiotropic mesogens and exhibit the fascinating B₇ mesophase. The characterization of the mesophase was performed using polarizing optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and electro-optical studies.     

Forced-air precooling of spherical foods in bulk: A parametric study

In this paper, a mathematical model for forced-air precooling of spherical food products in bulk is developed. The foods are arranged in horizontal layers stacked one above the other to form a rectangular parallelepiped with a vertical gap in between the product layers. The foods are cooled by chilled air blown along the height of the package. The governing equations for the conduction heat transfer in the foods, simultaneous heat and mass transfer at the food-air interface and in the air stream are solved numerically using finite-difference methods. A comprehensive numerical study is performed by varying the process parameters over a wide range. Typical results showing the variation of moist air properties along the height of the package and the effect of each parameter on the process time are presented. The ranges of parameters for advantageous operation of the precooling system are identified. Correlations are obtained for the process time based on the product center and mass-averaged temperatures in terms of process parameters.     

Estimation of dynamic properties of attractors observed in hollow copper electrode atmospheric pressure arc plasma system

Understanding of the basic nature of arc root fluctuation is still one of the unsolved problems in thermal arc plasma physics. It has direct impact on myriads of thermal plasma applications being implemented at present. Recently, chaotic nature of arc root behavior has been reported through the analysis of voltages, acoustic and optical signals which are generated from a hollow copper electrode arc plasma torch. In this paper we present details of computations involved in the estimation process of various dynamic properties and show how they reflect chaotic behavior of arc root in the system.     

Electron spin resonance study of γ-irradiated poly(acrylic acid)

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) γ-irradiated in air at room temperature and recorded at room temperature and at liquid-nitrogen temperature have been studied to identify the radiation products. The ESR spectra are composed of eight lines with hyperfine splittings of 23 ± 1 G and 11 ± 1 G. The method of least-squares total curve fitting, employing the Lorentzian line shape function, to the observed spectra enabled the assignment of the spectra. Computed spectra obtained by the superposition of a singlet and the spectra due to chain radicals are considered to give the best fits to the observed ESR spectra. The singlet is assigned to the radicals COOH, and the component 10-line spectra are assigned to the chain radicals CH₃? CH? CH₂ ～ and/or ～ CH₂? CH? CH₂ ～. The observed change in line shape with temperature of the ESR spectra is attributed to the hindered oscillations of the methyl groups about the C_α? C_β bond axis of the chain radicals. The existence of the methyl groups is confirmed by the measurement of infrared absorption.     

Cooperative Strategies for Solving the Bicriteria Sparse Multiple Knapsack Problem

For hard optimization problems, it is difficult to design heuristic algorithms which exhibit uniformly superior performance for all problem instances. As a result it becomes necessary to tailor the algorithms based on the problem instance. In this paper, we introduce the use of a cooperative problem solving team of heuristics that evolves algorithms for a given problem instance. The efficacy of this method is examined by solving six difficult instances of a bicriteria sparse multiple knapsack problem. Results indicate that such tailored algorithms uniformly improve solutions as compared to using predesigned heuristic algorithms.     

Some hydrodynamic aspects of 3-phase inverse fluidized bed

Hydrodynamics of 3-phase inverse fluidized bed is studied experimentally using low density particles for different liquid and gas velocities. The hydrodynamic characteristics studied include pressure drop, minimum liquid and gas fluidization velocities and phase holdups. The minimum liquid fluidization velocity determined using the bed pressure gradient, decreases with increase in gas velocity. The axial profiles of phase holdups shows that the liquid holdup increases along the bed height, whereas the solid holdup decreases down the bed. However, the gas holdup is almost uniform in the bed.     

Sorption and concentration of51Cr(VI) traces on TiO2 and ZrO2 by radioindicator study

The carrier technique has been used to concentrate Cr(VI) radiometrically by studying the carrying efficiency as a function of pH of aqueous medium, added ions, carrying capacity, amount of carrier and subsequent desorption of the activity adsorbed under optimum experimental conditions. The study shows that under optimum experimental conditions, 0.15 g of ZrO₂ and 0.25 g of TiO₂ carry 0.01 mg and 0.001 mg of chromium respectively. Further, the activity carried under the specified conditions can be recovered more or less quantitatively by leaching the carrier.