A numerical and experimental investigation of the interactions between a non‐uniform planar array of incompressible free jets

The interaction between multiple incompressible air jets has been studied numerically and experimentally. The numerical predictions have been first validated using experimental data for a single jet configuration. The spreading features of five unequal jets in the configuration of one larger central jet surrounded by four smaller equi‐distant jets, have been studied, for different lateral spacing ratios of 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 and a central jet Reynolds number of 1.24×105 (corresponding to a Mach number of 0.16). Flow of five equal jets has also been simulated, for the sake of comparison. The jet interactions commence at an axial distance of about 3–4 diameters and complete by an axial distance of about 10 diameters for the lowest spacing ratio of 1.5. For larger spacing ratios, the length required for the start and completion of jet interaction increase. Peripheral jets bend more towards the central jet and merge at a smaller distance, when their sizes are smaller than that of the central jet. The entrainment ratio for multiple jets is higher than that for a single jet. Excellent agreement is observed between the experimental data and theoretical predictions for both mean flow field and turbulent quantities, at regions away from the jet inlet. The potential core length and initial jet development, however, are not predicted very accurately due to differences in the assumed and actual velocity profiles at the jet inlet. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Origin of the lower critical flocculation temperature in polymer colloids stabilized by polydimethylsiloxane

Summary It has recently been reported (6, 7) that poly(methyl methacrylate) particles that are sterically stabilised by polydimethylsiloxane flocculate on cooling when dispersed in short chain n-alkanes. Since the LCFT was reported to be essentially independent of the nature of the dispersion medium, it was postulated (2) that incipient flocculation of these particles was caused by crystallisation of the polydimethysiloxane chains, which would have allowed the attractive van der Waals forces to become operative. This hypothesis has now been confirmed by low temperature X-ray studies.

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Zusammenfassung Von (6, 7) wurde kürzlich mitgeteilt, daß Poly(methylmethacrylat)-Teilchen, die mit Polydimethylsiloxan sterisch stabilisiert sind, in kurzkettigenn-Alkanen als Dispersionsmittel ausflocken. Da die LCFT im wesentlichen unabhängig von der Natur des Dispersionsmediums ist, wurde von (2) angenommen, daß die beginnende Ausflockung dieser Teilchen auf eine Kristallisation der Polydimethylsiloxan-Ketten zurückzuführen ist, bedingt durch die wirkenden van der Waals-Anziehungskräfte. Diese Hypothese wurde nun durch Röntgenuntersuchungen bei tiefer Temperatur bestätigt.

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Conformations of trimethoxymethylsilane: matrix isolation infrared and ab initio studies

Conformations of trimethoxymethylsilane were studied using matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy and ab initio computations. Trimethoxymethylsilane was trapped in both argon and nitrogen matrixes using heated nozzle effusive sources and a supersonic jet source, in an effort to alter the conformational population in the matrix. Ab initio calculations were carried out at the HF and B3LYP level using 6-31++G basis set to support our experimental observations. The frequencies computed at the B3LYP level was found to fit well with our experimental data. A conformer with a C1(g(+/-)g(+/-)t) structure was predicted by our computations to be the ground state conformer.     

A novel one-pot conversion of amines to homologated esters in poly(ethylene glycol)

The first deaminative homologation of amines (-CH₂NH₂) to esters (-CH₂CH₂COOEt) in one-pot is reported. The reaction proceeds through, formation of an aldehyde from an amine in the presence of Pd/C as catalyst followed by Wittig reaction and catalytic hydrogenation using poly(ethylene glycol) as the solvent in one-pot.     

Low molecular weight organogels based on long-chain carbamates

Thermoreversible organogels were prepared from carbamates with alkyl side chains of different lengths. Gelation was possible only up to an alkyl side chain length of 12 carbons, beyond which crystallization occurs, due to the dominant van der Waals interaction between the alkyl chains. This is in contrast to other alkane-based organogels, in which gelating efficiency increased with the length of the alkane chain (see Abdallah, D. J.; Weiss, R. G. Adv. Mater. 2000, 12, 1237). The critical concentration for gelation decreases drastically with an increase in the side chain length. Xerogels of these show birefringent fibers with uniform cross section and unlimited growth in one direction. The extent of this unlimited growth is affected by the length of the alkyl side chain in the carbamate, which finally ceases the gel formation ability of the carbamate. Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy images of the gels are similar to those of xerogels. From X-ray diffraction of the fibers, we propose that the growth direction is along the plane of hydrogen bonds between the carbamate molecules. The thickness of the fibers depends on the length of the alkyl side chain. Morphological differences are seen between gels prepared by slow cooling and quenching of the solution. Thus, the morphology of the fibrous xerogels of the carbamates can be tailored for specific applications, by the choice of the alkyl side chain length and the rate of cooling the solution.     

Synthesis of the southern furan segment of furanocembranoids

Abstract

A convergent synthesis of the southern furan segment of novel furanocembranoids from Croton oblongifolius has been accomplished involving silver-catalyzed cyclization of alkynyl diol as the key step towards 2, 5-disubstituted furan ring formation.     

Thermal analysis of low alloy Cr-Mo steel

The paper deals with results of thermal analysis of low-alloyed chromium-molybdenum steel. The methods of analysis were dilatometry, differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The Ac₁ and Ac₃ temperatures of the steel samples measured by dilatometry and DTA during the heating period were in good agreement. Generated by cooling a martensitic structure first became apparent at 503 K. Tempering of the as-quenched samples showed the presence of the second tempering stage in the region between 473 and 573 K. At that stage heat capacity decreased from 0.48 to 0.32 J g^-1 K^-1, as a result of conversion of transition carbide due to heat consumption. After normalization of the as-quenched samples the heat capacity values were restored to between 0.42 and 0.47 J g^-1 K^-1 in the temperature range from 373 to 673 K. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Single-step conversion of N-benzyl, N-trityl and N-diphenylmethyl amines to t-butyl carbamates using polymethylhydrosiloxane

t-Butyl carbamates were obtained efficiently in high yields from the corresponding N-benzyl, N-trityl and N-diphenylmethyl precursors in a single-step reductive transformation employing polymethylhydrosiloxane and di-t-butyl dicarbonate under Pd(OH)₂/C catalysis.     

Palladium-catalyzed addition of hydroxylamine derivatives to Baylis-Hillman acetate adducts

The first use of hydroxylamine derivatives as the aminoxy equivalent of nucleophiles in palladium catalyzed addition to Baylis-Hillman acetate adducts is described. The reaction proceeds smoothly to give the substituted allyloxy amines in good yield and selectivity.     

MODEL SIMULATION OF WATER-IN-OIL XANTHAN FERMENTATION

The W/O xanthan fermentation is simulated by integrating the microbial kinetic behaviors and the multiple-phase process characteristics. Model 1 assumes uniform redistribution of cells, substrates and product by frequent droplet breakup and coalescence. Model 2 simulates the system of viscous aqueous phase with minimal droplet breakup and component redistribution. The real fermentation should proceed within the bounds set by the two models. Effects of various parameters are evaluated. The aqueous-phase xanthan concentration (X_n) and volumetric productivity (Q_P) achieved at 200 h are used as the indicators. X_n and Q_P increase with nitrogen-source concentration (S_NO) initially but plateau (Model 1) or decrease slightly (Model 2) at high S_NO. X_n (at 200 h) decreases with increasing aqueous-phase volume fraction (f). Q_P, however, increases with f reflecting its basing on the total dispersion volume. Increasing agitation and aeration result in higher X_n and Q_P. The higher agitation enhances the G/O interfacial oxygen transfer and reduces the droplet size. Increasing aeration improves the G/O interfacial transfer but increases the droplet size. Its net positive effect implies a rate-limiting step at G/O interface. The W/O fermentation can produce far higher X_n (> 200 kg/m3) and Q_P( > 0.8 kg/m3-h) than the conventional fermentation (X_n ～ 50 kg/m3, Q_P ～ 0.5 kg/m3-h).