Combustion properties of H2/N2/O2/steam mixtures

The present work reports new experimental and numerical results of the combustion properties of hydrogen based mixtures diluted by nitrogen and steam. Spherical expanding flames have been studied in a spherical bomb over a large domain of equivalence ratios, initial temperatures and dilutions at an initial pressure of 100 kPa (T_ini = 296, 363, 413 K; N₂/O₂ = 3.76, 5.67, 9; %Steam = 0, 20, 30). From these experiments, the laminar flame speed $S_L^0$, the Markstein length L’, the activation energy Ea and the Zel'dovich β number have been determined. These parameters were also simulated using COSILAB^® in order to verify the validity of the Mével et al. [1] detailed kinetic mechanism. Other parameters as the laminar flame thickness δ and the effective Lewis number Le_eff were also simulated. These new results aim at providing an extended database that will be very useful in the hydrogen combustion hazard assessment for nuclear reactor power plant new design.     

Hydrogen-nitrous oxide delay times: Shock tube experimental study and kinetic modelling

Hydrogen-nitrous oxide mixtures have been studied for decades. In addition to their fundamental interest, they might play an important role in semi-conductor industry safety. Indeed, in silane-nitrous oxide mixtures, widely used in this industry, the silane molecule readily decomposes into molecular hydrogen which can react violently with nitrous oxide. Despite numerous shock tube studies on H₂-N₂O delay times, the pressure effect has never been addressed. The present work aims at studying this effect and at developing a detailed kinetic mechanism able to accurately reproduce experimental delay time data. Delay times of H₂-N₂O-Ar mixtures have been measured behind reflected shock waves in the 1300-2000 K temperature range and at a pressure around 300 kPa. Mixtures equivalence ratios ranged between 0.5 and 2, and the dilution was 98 and 99 mol% Ar. The present results and those from a previous study carried out in our institute show, first that, in the studied conditions, the equivalence ratio has no influence on delay times, and second, that the pressure increase drastically reduces the delay times. A kinetic model has been constructed from previously published mechanisms and tested against the present data with a mean error of 29%. Moreover, other delay time data from the literature for H₂-O₂-Ar, NH₃-Ar and H₂-N₂O-Ar mixtures are also correctly reproduced as well as macroscopic parameters such as reduced activation energies.     

Flame propagation speed and Markstein length of spherically expanding flames: Assessment of extrapolation and measurement techniques

Laminar burning velocities are of great importance in many combustion models as well as for validation and improvement of chemical kinetic schemes. Determining laminar burning velocities with high accuracy is quite challenging and different approaches exist. Hence, a comparison of existing methods measuring and evaluating laminar burning velocities is of interest. Here, two optical diagnostics, high speed tomography and Schlieren cinematography, are simultaneously set up to investigate methods for evaluating laminar flame speed in a spherical flame configuration. The hypothesis to obtain the same flame propagation radii over time with the two different techniques is addressed. Another important aspect is the estimation of flame properties, such as the unstretched flame propagation speed and Markstein length in the burnt gas phase and if these are estimated satisfactorily by common experimental approaches. Thorough evaluation of the data with several extrapolation techniques is undertaken. A systematic extrapolation approach is presented to give more confidence into results generated experimentally. The significance of the linear extrapolation routine is highlighted in this context. Measurements of spherically expanding flames are carried out in two high-pressure, high-temperature, constant-volume vessels at RWTH in Aachen, Germany and at ICARE in Orleans, France. For the discussion of the systematic extrapolation approach, flame speed measurements of methane / air mixtures with mixture Lewis numbers moderately away from unity are used. Conditions were varied from lean to rich mixtures, at temperatures of 298–373 K, and pressures of 1 atm and 5 bar.     

Experimental and chemical kinetic modeling study of 3-pentanone oxidation

Shock tube ignition delay times have been measured for 3-pentanone at a reflected shock pressure of 1 atm (±2%), in the temperature range 1250-1850 K, at equivalence ratios of 0.5-2.0 for O(2) mixtures in argon with fuel concentrations varying from 0.875 to 1.3125%. Laminar flame speeds have also been measured at an initial pressure of 1 atm over an equivalence ratio range. Complementary to previous studies [Pichon S., Black, G., Chaumeix, N., Yahyaoui, M., Simmie, J. M., Curran, H. J., Donohue, R. Combust. Flame, 2009, 156, 494-504; Serinyel, Z.; Black, G.; Curran, H. J.; Simmie, J. M. Combustion Sci. Tech., 2010, 182, 574-587], laminar flame speeds of 2-butanone have also been measured, and relative reactivities of these ketones have been compared and discussed. A chemical kinetic submechanism describing the oxidation of 3-pentanone has been developed and detailed in this paper; rate constants for unimolecular fuel decomposition reactions have been treated for falloff in pressure with nine-parameter fits using the Troe Formulism. Both compounds treated in this work may be used as fuel tracers, thus further ignition delay time measurements have been carried out by adding 3-pentanone to n-heptane in order to test the effect of the blend on ignition delay timing. It was found that the autoignition characteristics of n-heptane remained unaffected in the presence of 15% 3-pentanone in the fuel, consistent with results obtained using acetone and 2-butanone [Pichon S., Black, G., Chaumeix, N., Yahyaoui, M., Simmie, J. M., Curran, H. J., Donohue, R. Combust. Flame, 2009, 156, 494-504; Serinyel, Z.; Black, G.; Curran, H. J.; Simmie, J. M. Combustion Sci. Tech., 2010, 182, 574-587].     

Detonation properties of stoichiometric gaseous n-heptane/oxygen/argon mixtures

A study of detonation velocity and cellular structure for stoichiometric heptane/oxygen and for some stoichiometric heptane/oxygen/argon mixtures is carried out in a shock tube at low initial pressure. The critical conditions for the detonation onset and for the propagation of a self-sustained detonation wave are determined. A simplified form of the ZND model used in conjunction with a validated detailed kinetic model leads to the determination of the proportionality factor, A, between the detonation cell width, λ, and the induction distance, Δ, in the detonation wave. This A factor is of practical importance to estimate the detonation properties of n-heptane based mixtures including n-heptane/air. The prediction of detonation cell size λ for n-heptane based mixtures is discussed according to the recent semi-empirical detonation model of Gavrikov et al. The cell sizes predicted according to this detonation model are underestimated by a factor of about 8. The limitations of this model are underlined when applied to n-heptane based mixtures.     

The immunosuppressive effects of phthalocyanine photodynamic therapy in mice are mediated by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and can be adoptively transferred to naive recipients

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising treatment modality for malignant tumors but it is also immunosuppressive which may reduce its therapeutic efficacy. The purpose of our study was to elucidate the role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in PDT immunosuppression. Using silicon phthalocyanine 4 (Pc4) as photosensitizer, nontumor-bearing CD4 knockout (CD4-/-) mice and their wild type (WT) counterparts were subjected to Pc4-PDT in a manner identical to that used for tumor regression (1 cm spot size, 0.5 mg kg(-1) Pc4, 110 J cm(-2) light) to assess the effect of Pc4-PDT on cell-mediated immunity. There was a decrease in immunosuppression in CD4-/- mice compared with WT mice. We next examined the role of CD8+ T cells in Pc4-PDT-induced immunosuppression using CD8-/- mice following the same treatment regimen used for CD4-/- mice. Similar to CD4-/- mice, CD8-/- mice exhibited less immunosuppression than WT mice. Pc4-PDT-induced immunosuppression could be adoptively transferred with spleen cells from Pc4-PDT treated donor mice to syngenic naive recipients (P < 0.05) and was mediated primarily by T cells, although macrophages were also found to play a role. Procedures that limit PDT-induced immunosuppression but do not affect PDT-induced regression of tumors may prove superior to PDT alone in promoting long-term antitumor responses.     

Nitromethane pyrolysis in shock tubes and a micro flow reactor with a controlled temperature profile

Nitromethane has many applications, such as in racing, as a gasoline fuel additive, and as a monopropellant. Despite a large number of studies and the small size of the molecule, the combustion chemistry of nitromethane is still not well understood. To improve models, the pyrolysis of nitromethane (CH₃NO₂) was investigated experimentally in shock tubes and in a micro flow reactor with a controlled temperature profile (MFR), under dilute conditions. Several spectroscopic diagnostics were used in the shock tubes to follow the concentration time histories of CO, H₂O (both using IR laser absorption), and CH₃NO₂ (UV light absorption). A quadrupole mass spectrometer was used to measure CH₃NO₂, NO₂, CH₄, C₂H₄, and C₂H₂ at various temperatures with the MFR. These unique experimental results were compared to modern, detailed kinetics models from the literature, and no mechanism was able to reproduce these data over the wide range of conditions investigated. Predictions for the CO and H₂O levels were generally inaccurate, and the CH₄, C₂H₄, and C₂H₂ predictions were poor in most cases for the MFR data. Importantly, all models largely differ in their predictions. A numerical analysis was performed to identify ways to improve the next generation of nitromethane models. Results indicate that nitromethane decomposition needs to be improved below 1050 K, and that hydrocarbon-NOx interactions still need to be further investigated.     

Vitamin D and Skin Cancer

Vitamin D signaling plays a key role in many important processes, including cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, immune regulation, hormone secretion and skeletal health. Furthermore, vitamin D production and supplementation have been shown to exert protective effects via an unknown signaling mechanism involving the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in several diseases and cancer types, including skin cancer. With over 3.5 million new diagnoses in 2 million patients annually, skin cancer is the most common cancer type in the United States. While ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation is the main etiologic factor for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), UVB also induces cutaneous vitamin D production. This paradox has been the subject of contradictory findings in the literature in regards to amount of sun exposure necessary for appropriate vitamin D production, as well as any beneficial or detrimental effects of vitamin D supplementation for disease prevention. Further clinical and epidemiological studies are necessary to elucidate the role of vitamin D in skin carcinogenesis.     

Tualang honey protects keratinocytes from ultraviolet radiation-induced inflammation and DNA damage(†)

Malaysian tualang honey possesses strong antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. Here, we evaluated the effect of tualang honey on early biomarkers of photocarcinogenesis employing PAM212 mouse keratinocyte cell line. Keratinocytes were treated with tualang honey (1.0%, v/v) before a single UVB (150 mJ cm^?2) irradiation. We found that the treatment of tualang honey inhibited UVB‐induced DNA damage, and enhanced repair of UVB‐mediated formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and 8‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydro‐2′‐deoxyguanosine. Treatment of tualang honey inhibited UVB‐induced nuclear translocation of NF‐κB and degradation of IκBα in murine keratinocyte cell line. The treatment of tualang honey also inhibited UVB‐induced inflammatory cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression. Furthermore, the treatment of tualang honey inhibited UVB‐induced COX‐2 expression and PGE2 production. Taken together, we provide evidence that the treatment of tualang honey to keratinocytes affords substantial protection from the adverse effects of UVB radiation via modulation in early biomarkers of photocarcinogenesis and provide suggestion for its photochemopreventive potential.     

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activities of Some 6-Methyl-3-Thioxo-2,3-Dihydro-1,2,4-Triazine Derivatives

Abstract

4-Arylidene-imidazole derivatives (4a,b) were readily prepared by reacting 4-am- ino-6-methyl-3–thioxo-2,3–dihydro[1,2,4]triazin-5(4H)-one (1) with 4-arylidene-2-phenyl- 4H-oxazol-5-one (2). Reaction of 1 with some aromatic aldehydes in presence of triethylphosphite exclusively afforded the corresponding aminophosphonates 5a-c. Reaction of 1 with 3-phenyl-1H-quinazoline-2,4-dione (6a) and/or 3-phenyl-2-thioxo-2,3-dihydro- 1H-quinazolin-4-one (6b) gave 2-(6-methyl-5-oxo-3-thioxo-2,5-dihydro-3H-[1,2,4]triazin-4-ylimino)-3-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-quinazolin-4-one (7). Moreover, on treating 1 with 2-phenylbenzo[d][1,3]thiazine-4-thione (8), 6-methyl-4-(2-phenyl-4-thioxo-4H-quinazolin-3-yl)-3-thioxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-[1,2,4]triazine-5-one (9) was obtained in 65% yield. Reaction of 1 with 4-sulfonylaminoacetic acid derivatives (10a,b) afforded the corresponding sulfonamides (11a,b), respectively. Acid hydrolysis of 11a afforded 7-aminomethyl-3-methyl[1,3,4]thiadiazole[2,3-c][1,2,4]triazin-4-one (12). 4-Amino-6-methyl-3-(morpholine-4-ylsulfanyl)-4H-[1,2,4]triazin-5-one (14) was prepared by reacting compound 1 with morpholine in presence of KI/I₂, while 3,3′-bis(4-amino-6-methyl-5-oxo-triazinyl)disulfide (16) was obtained by oxidation of 1 with lead tetraacetate. The antimicrobial activity of the products was evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as the fungus Candida albicans.

[Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements for the following free supplemental files: Additional text, figures, and tables.]