Numerical analysis of turbulent structure in compound meandering open channel by algebraic Reynolds stress model

The turbulent flow in a compound meandering channel with a rectangular cross section is one of the most complicated turbulent flows, because the flow behaviour is influenced by several kinds of forces, including centrifugal forces, pressure‐driven forces and shear stresses generated by momentum transfer between the main channel and the flood plain. Numerical analysis has been performed for the fully developed turbulent flow in a compound meandering open‐channel flow using an algebraic Reynolds stress model. The boundary‐fitted coordinate system is introduced as a method for coordinate transformation in order to set the boundary conditions along the complicated shape of the meandering open channel. The turbulence model consists of transport equations for turbulent energy and dissipation, in conjunction with an algebraic stress model based on the Reynolds stress transport equations. With reference to the pressure–strain term, we have made use of a modified pressure–strain term. The boundary condition of the fluctuating vertical velocity is set to zero not only for the free surface, but also for computational grid points next to the free surface, because experimental results have shown that the fluctuating vertical velocity approaches zero near the free surface. In order to examine the validity of the present numerical method and the turbulent model, the calculated results are compared with experimental data measured by laser Doppler anemometer. In addition, the compound meandering open channel is clarified somewhat based on the calculated results. As a result of the analysis, the present algebraic Reynolds stress model is shown to be able to reasonably predict the turbulent flow in a compound meandering open channel. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improved detectability with a polymer-based trapping device in rapid HPLC analysis for ultra-low levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in environmental samples.

A new high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method has been developed to detect ultra-low concentrations of bisphenol-A (BPA) (below 1 ng/L (ppt)) using column switching electrochemical detection (ECD). The results were superior to those obtained from manual pretreatment procedure with membrane stationary phase. BPA is inherently ubiquitous in the environment, including tools and solvents used for its analysis; to obtain meaningful results, therefore, the concentration of the overall BPA contamination must be below the detection limit for BPA using the analytical system. Therefore, purified water for preparing the standard BPA solution must be filtered with a hydrophobic membrane to suppress BPA background levels of contamination. In addition, we investigated methods for effectively preserving environmental water containing BPA. The addition of a small amount of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) provided good recovery even after overnight storage. By employing these precautionary measures and procedures to reduce BPA contamination from the analytical procedure, we could accurately determine l(-10) ppt of BPA in environmental water samples using a column switching HPLC system.     

Photo-Absorption and photochemical decomposition of copper and alkaline-earth ß-diketonates as source gases of high-Tc superconducting films

For low-temperature deposition of oxide films relating to Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductors, photo-absorption and -decomposition properties were examined with respect to copper and alkaline-earth ß-diketonates. It was confirmed that all ß-diketonates examined were promising as source materials for photochemical vapour deposition (photo-CVD) using a low-pressure mercury lamp, in view of their large light absorption coefficients at wavelength 254 nm. The light irradiation was effective for the formation of highly crystalline oxide films at temperatures below 600 °C. By combining two sources, Ca₂CuO₃ and SrCuO₂ films were prepared. Photo-CVD of c-axis oriented Bi₂Sr₂CuO_x film was achieved by the irradiation of ternary sources of Bi(C₆H₅)₃ and strontium and copper ß-diketonates at 500 °C.     

Major-to-ultratrace elements in bone-marrow fluid as determined by ICP-AES and ICP-MS.

The major-to-ultratrace elements in human bone-marrow fluid were determined by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry), and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). The bone-marrow fluid sample was centrifuged prior to acid digestion to exclude the bone piece from bone marrow, and then digested with nitric acid. As a result, 20 elements could be determined over the concentration range from 1610 microg g(-1) for Na to 0.00043 microg g(-1) for W. It was found that Fe, Zn and Sb were enriched by ca. 264-, 7- and 15-fold, respectively, in bone-marrow fluid, compared to those in human blood serum. Alkali metals (K, Rb, Cs), except for Na, were also significantly enriched in bone-marrow fluid. Furthermore, the concentrations of various elements, such as Fe, P, Al, Zn, Cu, Se, Zr, Sn, Ag and W, were significantly higher than those in open seawater.     

Tumor cell detection method using complement-mediated cytolytic reaction and imaging sensor system

A novel tumor-detection system consisting of complementmediated cytolytic reaction and an image processing system was developed for the simple and rapid determination of tumor cells. The present system consists of a CCD image sensor, image memory board, personal computer, and microscope. When monoclonal antibody 3C4, which is specific to the guinea pig hepatoma L-10, was added to cell suspension, only L-10 cytolysis occurred. Cytolysis caused a decrease in brightness of the cells observed by phase-contrast microscopy. The phase contrast image of the cells before cytolysis was converted to a digitalized signal and stored in computer memory. After cytolysis, a brightness threshold above that of lysed cells was subtracted from the digitalized signal and compared to the signal stored before reaction. L-10 cells in mixed cell suspension were determined specifically by the system. Measurement time was only 2 sec and overall time, including reaction time, was approximately 30 min. Since this method does not require a cell washing process, automation of the whole system is possible.     

Development and application of a new general method for the asymmetric synthesis of syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols

A general method is described for asymmetric synthesis of both syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols. The first application of metalloenamines derived from N-sulfinyl imines is reported for the highly diastereoselective addition to aldehydes. The reduction of the product beta-hydroxy N-sulfinyl imines 2 with catecholborane and LiBHEt(3) provides syn- and anti-1,3-amino alcohols with very high diastereomeric ratios. This method was found to be effective for a variety of substrates incorporating either aromatic or various aliphatic substituents. The convergent and efficient asymmetric syntheses of the two natural products, (-)-8-epihalosaline and (-)-halosaline, were also accomplished.     

Electrical conducting and magnetic properties of (ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvalenothioquinone-1,3-diselenolemethide)2.FeBr4 (GaBr4) crystals with two different interlayer arrangements of donor molecules

Two donor molecules newly synthesized, dimethylthio- and ethylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalenothioquinone-1,3-diselenolemethides (1 and 2), were used to prepare their charge-transfer (CT) salts with a magnetic FeBr(4)(-) counteranion. For 1, a low electrical conducting 1:1 salt (1.FeBr(4)) was obtained, in which molecules of 1 are tightly dimerized in a one-dimensional (1D) stacking column. On the other hand, 2 gave a 2:1 salt (2(2).FeBr(4)) as two different kinds of plate crystals (I and II). Both I and II possess similar stacking structures of molecules of 2 in each 1D column with a half-cut pipelike structure along the c axis. However, for I, the stacking columns are aligned in the same direction along the a and b axes, while for II they are in the same direction along the a axis, but in the reverse direction along the b axis, resulting in the difference in the relative arrangement of molecules of 2 and FeBr(4)(-) ions between the two crystals. The room-temperature electrical conductivities of the single crystals of I and II were 13.6 and 12.7 S cm(-)(1), respectively. The electrical conducting behavior in I was metallic above 170 K but changed to be semiconducting with a very small activation energy of 7.0 meV in the temperature range 4-170 K. In contrast, II showed the semiconducting behavior in the whole temperature range 77-285 K. The corresponding nonmagnetic GaBr(4)(-) salts with almost the same crystal structure as I and II showed definitively different electrical conducting properties in the metal to semiconductor transition temperature in I as well as in the magnitude of activation energy in the semiconducting region of I and II. The interaction between the d spins of FeBr(4)(-) ions was weak and antiferromagnetic in both I and II, but the magnitude of the spin interaction was unexpectedly larger compared with that in the FeBr(4)(-) salt of the corresponding sulfur derivative of 2 with closer contact between the neighboring FeBr(4)(-) ions. These electrical conducting and magnetic results suggest a significant interaction between the conducting pi electrons and the d spins of FeBr(4)(-) ions located near the columns or layers.     

Convenient synthesis of 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl compounds from aromatic aldehydes by means of the TBAF-mediated Horner reaction

A simple synthesis of 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl compounds by means of the TBAF-mediated Horner reaction is described. The reagent, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyldiphenylphosphine oxide, was readily prepared either by Arbuzov reaction of ethyl diphenylphosphinite with 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl iodide or by treating chlorodiphenylphosphine with trifluoroacetic acid and water. Treatment of the phosphine oxide with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of TBAF at room temperature afforded the corresponding 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl compounds in good yields. The present method is very convenient for preparing 3,3,3-trifluoropropenyl compounds from aromatic aldehydes in terms of availability of the reagent, operational simplicity, and good yields of the products.     

The study of electron beam flue gas treatment for coal-fired thermal plant in Japan

The fundamental research work with simulated coal-fired flue gas was performed in JAERI to get basic data for electron beam treatment of flue gas from thermal power plants in Japan. The standard condition of the experiments was set to be the same as that of next large scale pilot test in Nagoya. The concentrations of NO_x and SO_x were 225 ppm and 800 ppm, respectively. The temperature of the system was 65°C. The effect of multiple irradiation was observed for NO_x removal. The target SO_x and NO_x removals (94% and 80%, respectively) with low NH₃ leakage (less than 10 ppm) were achieved at 9 kGy irradiation with 0.9 NH₃ stoichiometry during 7 hours continuous operation. The facility for the pilot plant (12,000 Nm³/hr) has just built at the site of Shin-Nagoya power plant of Chubu Electric Power Company and will be started in full operation in November 1992.     

Homogeneous palladium catalyst suppressing Pd black formation in air oxidation of alcohols

In homogeneous catalyst systems, there is the persistent problem that metal aggregation and precipitation cause catalyst decomposition and considerable loss of catalytic activity. Pd black formation is a typical example. Pd catalysts are known to easily aggregate and form Pd black, although they realize a wide variety of useful reactions in organic synthesis. In order to overcome this intrinsic problem of homogeneous Pd catalysis, we explored a new class of Pd catalyst by adopting aerobic oxidation of alcohols as a probe reaction. Herein we report a new catalyst system that suppresses the Pd black formation even under air and with a high substrate to catalyst molar ratio (S/C: more than 1000) in oxidation of alcohols. The novel pyridine derivatives having a 2,3,4,5-tetraphenylphenyl substituent and its higher dendritic unit at the 3-position of the pyridine ring were found to be excellent ligands with Pd(OAc)2 in the palladium-catalyzed air (balloon) oxidation of alcohols in toluene at 80 degrees C. Comparison with structurally related pyridine ligands revealed that introduction of the 2,3,4,5-tetraphenylphenyl substituent at the 3-position of pyridine ring effectively suppresses the Pd black formation, maintaining the catalytic activity for a long time to give aldehydes or ketones as products in high yields.