Improper Mixing Research Articles

Energy yield potentials from the anaerobic digestion of common animal manure in Bangladesh

This study provides previously unavailable field data relating to the biogas and methane yields from supervised authentic anaerobic digesters using the most common animal manure in Bangladesh: cow dung, poultry litter and town cattle market straw which are found to produce biogas yields of 0.034, 0.030 and 0.142 m3/kg respectively, with methane concentrations of 60% and 62% and 74% respectively and total solids of 19, 23 and 45 respectively. It also reports indications that in unsupervised plant issues with underfeeding, improper water mixing and irregular feeding are very common – all of which can significantly reduce yields. The figures above should thus be treated as maximum, optimum field values. These results provide reliable data for use in scaling up for national energy and investment planning, as they related directly to common scenarios of family smallholdings, common sized poultry farms and town cattle markets in Bangladesh where there is a reliance on combustion of local wood and dung biomass for cooking, creating air pollution, health and environmental degradation issues.

Effect of nanoclay, glass fiber volume and orientation on tensile strength of epoxy-glass composite and optimization using Taguchi method

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to manufacture test boards for re-enacting plant or field situations where vacuum chamber for expelling gas bubbles and autoclave equipment would not be accessible. This research focuses on the examination and enhancement of tensile strength for the nanocomposites consisting of uniaxial glass fiber mats, nanoclay (NC) and epoxy.Design/methodology/approachThe parameters considered are the weight content of Cloisite 15A NC, the volume of glass fiber (Vgf) and the direction of glass fibers (θ). The composites are made by hand lay-up technique and tested according to ASTM D 638 standard. Taguchi L9 orthogonal array is used to design the experiments.FindingsThe results imply that the orientation of fibers exhibited high significance with a p-value of 0.001 for the upgrade of strength. NC percentage and the volume of fiber have a low effect as the p-values obtained were 0.375 and 0.294. Confirmation tests were performed at the optimal levels of parameters and the outcomes were in the permissible range of the anticipated values of S/N ratio and mean tensile strength. The negligible effect of nanoclay is due to the lack of infusion of resin into the d-spacing of clay layers due to the low configuration settings of mixing conditions which was confirmed by XRD studies. The negligible effect of glass fiber volume is due to the void content and lack of stress transfer between fibers uniformly due to the void content and improper mixing of nanoclay.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of this study is that a low-speed mechanical stirrer was used to mix NC in the epoxy and the mixture was not subjected to vacuum and ultrasonication for degassing and deagglomeration.Practical implicationsThese composites can be used as substitute materials in place of metallic parts in the aerospace and automobile sector. These composites can be used in civil structures instead of steel and concrete, which have low strength-to-weight ratio and where the requirement of strength is in the range of 60 to 390 MPa.Social implicationsThe composites can be used in a variety of applications, for example, structural works, automotive panels and low-cost housing.Originality/valueThis research gives an idea about the combined contribution of NC, Vgf and “θ” to the improvement of tensile strength of the glass-epoxy composite.

PENGENDALIAN KUALITAS PROSES PRODUKSI PAKAN IKAN DENGAN MENERAPKAN QUALITY CONTROL PRODUKSI (QCP) DI PT CENTRAL PERTIWI BAHARI

Abstract The research method used is P-Chart method, with diagram of upper and lower control chart, check sheet, pareto diagram, and cause and effect diagram. The result of analysis using Pareto Diagram can be seen that from 199,880 kg or 0.6097% defective product, it is dominant defect 0.4282% in Size, 0.0981% in Floating, 0.0633% in Moisture, 0.0150% in Belang, and Others 0.0051%. Occurrence of fish feeds product defect caused by material factors, machine, methods, and man. Based on these factors that affect the quality of fish feeds are lack of training and lack of skill, exhaustion and negligence, lack of socialization of SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) and techniques in improper mixing, poor quality materials and material storage is too long , decreased machine productivity and lack of maintenance or maintenance of machinery. Application of quality control of fish feed production process at PT Central Pertiwi Bahari has been running well, this is proved by the percentage of major defect that does not exceed the maximum standards specified by the company. Keywords: quality control, check sheet, pareto diagram, cause-effect diagram, control chart (p-chart).

Bending Strength Evaluation Of Friction Stir Welded AA6101-T6 And AA6351-T6 Aluminum Alloys Butt Joint

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state joining process and has been proven as a suitable technology for joining similar and dissimilar materials. In FSW process, the major benefit is that the maximum temperature reached is less than 80% of the melting temperature (TM) of the metal to be welded. The joint is carry out in the solid-state and excessive micro structural degradation of the weld zone is hence neglected. This process uses a non consumable tool to produce frictional heat in the adjoining surfaces. The key process parameters such as tool rotational speed, welding speed, axial force and tool pin profile perform an important role in determining the joint strength. Friction stir welding (FSW) has been used in this work to produce butt joints of 12-mm-thick plates of two different aluminum alloys (AA6101T6 and AA6351T6). These two selected aluminum alloys are having a wide application in structural works and electrical appliances. The experiments have been performed by a taper cylindrical threaded tool pin made up with high carbon high chromium steel having a shoulder diameter of 25 mm and a tapered pin with diameter going from 8mm to 6mm along 11.7mm in length. Three different rotational speeds 900, 1100 and 1300 rpm of the tool were selected for the welding process. A welding speed of 16 mm/min was maintained constant during the FSW process. The bending strength evaluations of the welded joints have been carried out using a three point bend test on a Universal Testing Machine (Tinius Olsen-H50KS, 50 kN). The cross head speed of 0.5 mm/min was maintained constant during the test to avoid the strain rate effect on the strength of the metal joint. The highest flexural strength was obtained with the welded joint made at 1100 rpm, with welding speed of 16 mm/min and the bending strain obtained for the weld joint at 1100 rpm is about 33% higher than the weld joint at 900 rpm. No much variation in the bending strain was observed for joints made at 1100 and 1300 rpm. The low flexural strength for the joint at 900 rpm may be due to the improper mixing and the poor bond quality. The evaluations reveal that the tool rotational speed performs an important parameter in evaluating the weld quality and the joint strength.

Haemorrhagic bowel syndrome in fattening pigs

BackgroundHaemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) is a sporadically occurring disorder in fattening pigs, characterized by sudden death in combination with severe abdominal distension and intense red colouration of the intestine. Deep understanding of aetiology and pathogenesis of HBS are still lacking, although several risk factors are known.Case presentationIn a continuously stocked fattening farm with 1500 pigs and liquid feeding based on whey, the mortality rate increased from 1.7% to 3.5% during summer time. Sporadic sudden death of growing pigs occurred along with severe abdominal distension as the main sign in these animals. All batches arriving at the farm received in-feed medication with Tiamulin hydrogen fumarate (2 mg/kg body weight/day; according to the license for use in Switzerland) due to detection of Brachyspira hyodysenteriae in the past, although a partial sanitation had been conducted thereafter. No changes of the origins, housing and the feeding procedure were reported. A herd examination was conducted revealing a hygiene problem in the feeding system. For further diagnostics a necropsy was performed, showing a pale carcass with a bloated abdomen due to a haemorrhagic infarction of part of the small intestine caused by a mesenteric torsion. Furthermore, a feed analysis was conducted, revealing a pH-value of 5 in the liquid feed, and a severe contamination with Enterobacteriaceae was detected. Based on these examinations, HBS was diagnosed. Subsequently, the farmer controlled the pH-value of the liquid feed with formic acid, improved the cleaning procedure of the liquid feeding system and stopped the in-feed medication. Following the implementation of these measures, key performance indicators improved significantly, but 4 months later the same clinical manifestation occurred again. This time huge variations in the pH-value of the liquid feed between different feeding times were recorded and were attributed to improper mixing of the formic acid in the whey tank. After implementation of a technical solution to control the pH-value, the health status improved again.ConclusionIn the present case, it is likely that the cause of the clinical manifestation of HBS was a contamination of Enterobacteriaceae in the liquid feed facilitated by a hygiene problem in the feeding system, and a chronic dysbacteriosis of the intestinal tract due to the non-justified routine use of antimicrobials. Speculatively, the prophylactic antimicrobial treatment was unnecessary and might even have exacerbated the clinical problem.

Additive manufacturing of compositionally gradient metal-ceramic structures: Stainless steel to vanadium carbide

Processing of hard, refractory ceramic coatings in a metal matrix is challenging due to various factors including delamination or cracking due to large material property differences at the interphase, and non-uniform distribution due to improper mixing. These issues can be reduced or even eliminated if the coating had a gradual change in material properties from the surface to the inside. Additive manufacturing is now being looked at to accomplish compositional control beyond the ability to produce net shape parts for repair as well as adding functionality. In this study, laser engineered net shaping (LENS™) was used to manufacture compositionally gradient structures of vanadium carbide (VC) and stainless steel 304 (SS304). Compositions ranging from 5 to 100wt% of VC were mixed with SS304. The internal stress from the carbides significantly increased the hardness and wear resistance of the coatings. The 100%VC outer layer increased the hardness by 1450HV and lowered the wear rate by 95% compared to SS304 substrate.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of Temperature Distribution in Fluidized Bed Polymerization Reactor for Polypropylene Production

Propylene polymerization process is one of the chemical processes that take place in the fluidized bed reactor. The gas monomer is fed through the distributor to react with the solid catalyst particles inside the reactor. The polymer particles are produced from the heterogeneous exothermic polymerization reaction. Although the fluidized bed polymerization reactor has high heat and mass transfer rate, the thermal efficiency is usually limited due to the formation of hot spots and improper mixing. In this research, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the fluidized bed polymerization reactor for polypropylene production is developed in order to study the temperature distribution within the reactor. The polymer growth rate and particle size distribution are included in the CFD model development. The heat is generated from highly exothermic polymerization reaction and removed in the heat exchanger. By proper adjusting the monomer feed velocity, the uniform temperature distribution inside the reactor is obtained in axial and radial directions. Additionally, the temperature of the outlet gas stream can be reduced, thus reducing the external cooling duty.

Flexible Pavement Evaluation: A Case Study

This study is a survey to evaluate the flexible pavement conditions to determine and specify the types of the failures in the pavement for the selected highway. It is very significant to evaluate and identify the causes of the flexible pavement failures and select the proper and best treatment and maintenance type. The study had two major and critical goals which covered by considering the following three tasks; the first was the visual evaluation and inspection of existing flexible pavement conditions including the failures, the second to determine and find out the actual causes of these failures in the pavement, and the third is to select the most and effective treatments and maintenance types. As a case study, Khanaqin-Kalar 2-way 2-lane rural highway was selected for evaluation and inspection purposes. The field evaluation works were achieved on the existing flexible pavement conditions of the selected rural highway. The results were most of the damages and failures in the pavement are serious and extreme surface deformation, cracks, disintegration, and surface defects. These damages and failures are caused by fatigue and other types of failures resulted from the movement of heavy vehicles and trucks, poor drainage design, unsuitable pavement layers thickness design, and improper pavement mix design and selected materials.

Research of quality of motor fuels and oils in agricultural production of Kuban

The quality of fuel and lubricants used in agricultural production was studied in order to assess the effect of their properties on the performance of the engine. The analysis of gasoline determined the following quality indicators: density, presence of mechanical impurities, water content, acid number, the presence of mineral acids and alkalis, fractional distillation of fuel (determination of the boiling and boiling point of 10 % of fuel, 50 % of fuel and 90 % of fuel). When analyzing the properties of diesel fuel, the following indicators of its quality were determined: density, presence of mechanical impurities, water content, flash point, viscosity at 20 °С, presence of mineral acids and alkalis. The evaluation of the quality of motor oils was carried out according to the following parameters: density, viscosity at 50 °C, viscosity at 100 °C, viscosity index, flash point, presence of mineral acids and alkalis, mechanical impurities and water, acid number. The most often deviating from the standard of quality indicators of gasoline is the density, starting properties, the propensity to form in the summer of steam plugs in the power system. Sometimes this is accompanied by incompleteness of combustion. Diesel fuels are characterized by the following violations of standard quality indicators: high content of actual resins, reduced viscosity and very high (above 100 °C) flash point. The most common indicators of the quality of motor oils, the deviation from which can lead to a malfunction of the engine, are: viscosity at 100 °C, viscosity index, acid reaction, water availability, low flash point. After assessing the quality of motor oils, the most common causes of motor malfunction were identified. Most violations of the quality of oils are associated with its improper storage or deliberate mixing with cheaper components.

Joining of hybrid AA6063-6SiC p -3Gr p composite and AISI 1030 steel by friction welding

Abstract Joining of metals and aluminium hybrid metal matrix composites has significant applications in aviation, ship building and automotive industries. In the present work, investigation is carried out on Friction Welding of AISI 1030 steel and hybrid AA6063-6SiC p -3Gr p composite, that are difficult to weld by fusion welding technique. Silicon carbide and graphite particle reinforced AA6063 matrix hybrid composite was developed successfully using stir casting method and the joining feasibility of AISI1030 steel with AA6063-6SiC p -3Gr p hybrid composite was tried out by friction stud welding technique. During friction stage of welding process, the particulates (SiC & Graphite) used for reinforcement, tend to increase the viscosity and lead to improper mixing of matrix and reinforcement. This eventually results in lower strength in dissimilar joints. To overcome this difficulty AA1100 interlayer is used while joining hybrid composite to AISI 1030 steel. Experimentation was carried out using Taguchi based design of experiments (DOE) technique. Multiple regression methods were applied to understand the relationship between process parameters of the friction stud welding process. Micro structural examination reveals three separate zones namely fully plasticized zone, partially deformed zone and unaffected base material zone. Ultra fine dynamically recrystallized grains of about 341 nm were observed at the fully plasticized zone. EDX analysis confirms the presence of intermetallic compound Fe 2 Al 5 at the joint interface. According to the experimental analysis using DOE, rotational speed and interlayer sheet thickness contribute about 39% and 36% respectively in determining the impact strength of the welded joints. It is found that joining with 0.5 mm interlayer sheet provides efficient joints. Developed regression model could be used to predict the axial shortening distance and impact strength of the welded joint with reasonable accuracy.

Mixing regime simulation and cellulose particle tracing in a stacked frame photocatalytic reactor

To sustainably meet the global energy demand, unconventional methods to produce renewable energy must emerge. Biofuels from cellulose (via fermentable sugar production) mediated via photocatalysis provides an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. In order to effectively drive photocatalytic processes an effective reactor design is required, the design of which is influenced by a number of key factors such as the catalyst to reactant ratio and residence time, catalyst illumination time, light penetration and distribution for the system, mass transfer limitations (mixing) and product recovery. In this study we use COMSOL Multiphysics® to simulate and assess one of the mentioned parameters – mixing regime of cellulose particles in a Stacked Frame Photocatalysis Reactor (SFPR). In the reactor design, we compare two mixers: a ‘plus’ shaped magnetic stirrer bar and an 8 blade Rushton impeller. The simulations reveal that the Rushton impeller offers a radial mixing pattern with a higher fluid velocity of 1.2m/s when compared to the stirrer bar that offers a fluid velocity of 0.9m/s. Cellulose particle tracing simulations confirm that the particle dispersion is superior in the case of the Rushton impeller as the vorticity generated during the mixing push the particles to the reactor’s walls. Since the particles are forced towards the walls, there is a probability of more particles being illuminated than in the case of no or improper mixing.

Influence of alkaline treatment and fiber loading on the physical and mechanical properties of kenaf/polypropylene composites for variety of applications

Due to current trend and increasing interest towards natural based fiber products, Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus) fibers have been used for the developments of many products. Therefore, Kenaf fiber-reinforced composites have been widely used in engineering and industrial applications. The present work deals with the fabricating and characterization of untreated and treated kenaf/polypropylene (PP)-reinforced composites. Composites of PP reinforced with treated and untreated kenaf fibers were fabricated using the injection molding technique. Different fiber loadings of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50wt% treated and untreated kenaf composites were also prepared. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed on the treated, untreated kenaf fibers and kenaf/PP composites. Moreover, the alkaline-treated kenaf composites exhibit better physical, morphological, and mechanical properties because of the compatibility of kenaf with PP. However, variations in tensile and flexural properties depend on treatment and kenaf fiber contents. The percentage increase in the mechanical properties of the treated kenaf/PP composites relative to that of PP was also measured. In addition, 40wt% kenaf fiber loading resulted in higher mechanical properties. By contrast, kenaf/PP composite with 50% fiber loading was not successfully prepared because of improper mixing and the burning of kenaf fibers in the PP matrix. To conclude, 40% kenaf/PP composites with superior physical and mechanical properties may be used in variety of applications such as automotive, sports, construction, animal bedding, and mass production industries.

Incidence of Intravenous Medication Errors in a South Indian Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: The use of medications in the hospital is a complex process which is dependent on the successful interaction of the health care professionals. Intravenous medication errors are one such which compromise patient confidence in the health-care system, increase health-care costs and has high incidence but limited evidence. Objective: The study reports the incidence of intravenous errors in preparation and administration. Specifically, the study was done to explore and measure the frequency of IV medication errors by direct observation and identify clues to their causes. Methodology: The study design is a prospective observational study which enrolls patients given intravenous therapy in the department of general medicine and ICUs in a tertiary care hospital. Error categories were categorized and error rate of drug classes was measured. Results: In a period of 6 months, 161 (N) samples were observed. Five error types (improper aseptic conditions, wrong diluents, improper mixing, wrong dose/volume, and wrong time) accounted for 78.88% of errors. Improper aseptic conditions were the most frequent and accounted for 39.13%. The least type of errors was wrong dose errors-7.45%. The other categories wrong diluents, improper mixing and wrong time accounted for 9.93%.10.55% 13.04% respectively. Conclusion: This study found a high rate of intravenous medication errors of moderate significance. Changes in practice should be considered to make intravenous therapy safer for patients. The findings of this study suggest that it is necessary to engage pharmacists in IV dose preparation and administration.

Characteristic Features and Effect of Neo-Hydrofoil Impeller Applied in Sewage Treatment Plants

In this study, a newly developed agitator with hydrofoil impeller applied to actual biological process in advanced wastewater treatment plant was evaluated. Several series of experiments were conducted in two different wastewater treatment plants where actual problems have been occurred such as the production of scums and sludge settling. For more effective evaluation, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and measurements of MLSS (Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids) and DO (Dissolved Oxygen) were used with other measuring equipments. After the installation of one unit of vertical hydrofoil agitator in plant A, scum and sludge settling problems were solved and more than seventy percent of operational energy was saved. In case of plant B, there were three cells of each anoxic and anaerobic tanks, and each cell had one unit of submersible horizontal agitator. After the integration of three cells to one cell in each tank, and installation of one vertical hydrofoil agitator per tank, all the problems caused by improper mixing were solved and more than eighty percent of operational energy was found to be saved. Simple change of agitator applied to biological process in wastewater treatment plant was proved to be essential to eliminate scum and sludge settling problems and to save input energy.

DURABILITY OF FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS: A CASE STUDY OF SOUTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

This study presents the evaluation of flexible pavements in the south-eastern Nigeria in terms of their durability in years, ranking, predominant factors affecting pavement durability and the estimate of durability. In this regard, two separate questionnaires of different contents focusing on the nature of the pavements and their constituent materials, their design and construction process, the disposition of the persons involved in their construction and the interaction of the pavement with the natural environment were designed and distributed across the five south eastern states of Nigeria. These questionnaires were distributed to the general public and to persons possessing the required technical background for road construction. Findings which are in agreement with an experimental case study of one road network which connects four out of the five states under the area of study has shown that the average estimate of pavement durability lies in the range of 1 to 5 years, the ranking of durability which is a function of knowledge of worldwide trends of pavement durability lay between poor durability and average durability while factors like lack of drainage/inadequate drainage, corruption and or deliberate use of poor quality materials, inadequate thickness of pavement surfacing, improper mix design, lack of routine maintenance, and lack of periodic maintenance were among the key factors. Finally Chi-square tests showed that there were significant association between the estimate of durability and factors such as corruption and or deliberate use of poor quality materials and poor workmanship or construction as obtained from the response of the general public, while in the case of respondents with technical background, it is observed that there is a significant interaction between the estimate of durability and the poor design and construction factors and between the estimate of durability and maintenance related factors. The asymptotic significance (2-sided) ranged from 0.001 to 0.044. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v35i2.9

The effects of improper mixing and preferential wetting of active and excipient ingredients on content uniformity in high shear wet granulation

This work focuses on the content non-homogeneity in granules across size classes in a high shear wet granulation process as a result of powder segregation during dry mixing coupled with preferential wettability of one of the ingredients with the binder fluid.A two component API-excipient system comprised of acetaminophen (APAP) and microcrystalline cellulose PH-101 (MCC) is investigated in a high shear granulation environment for content uniformity of the granules with respect to APAP. It was found that the fine granules were super potent while the coarse granules were starved of the APAP. This was attributed to a dual cause of powder segregation during dry mixing and superior wettability of the MCC compared to APAP. Post the dry mixing stage, the top layer of the powder bed is found to be sub-potent due to percolation of the smaller APAP particles to the bottom of the bed as they find spaces between the larger MCC particles. Thus, a drop of the binder fluid which falls on the bed is likely to be surrounded by MCC particles, which give them a higher chance of being incorporated in the nucleus. Moreover, MCC being the superior wetting of the two ingredients, also preferentially attaches itself to the growing granules. The granules are thus starved of the APAP leading to disparity in content across size classes.Lastly, the effect of content non-uniformity was categorically quantified on the rate of active release. It was observed that content non-uniformity results in a lack of predictability and consequently control, on the rate of release of the active ingredient from the granules. This work highlights the need for qualitative understanding and quantitative analysis of factors that contribute to the occurrence of granule content non-uniformity, if one is to enable inherently robust pharmaceutical product design.

Backcalculation of Swollen Crumb Rubber Modulus in Asphalt Rubber Binder and Its Relation to Performance

A method is presented to estimate the engineering properties of swollen rubber particles within crumb rubber–modified (CRM) asphalt binders. It was observed that the backcalculated modulus of swollen rubber within the CRM asphalt binder was related to performance. Thus improper mixing temperatures as well as interaction times could lead to the insufficient swelling of rubber and to a performance worse than anticipated in CRM asphalt mixtures. The backcalculated modulus of the rubber within the CRM asphalt could be used as a quality control tool, which could be measured during construction. An experimental approach was taken to investigate the mechanisms of interaction between the asphalt binders and crumb rubber and their effect on the modulus of the rubber within the CRM asphalt binder. The experimental program included dynamic shear modulus (| G*|) as well as linear amplitude sweep tests. These tests were performed on neat binder, CRM binders mixed at three temperatures, neat binder mixed at these three temperatures (without the rubber), and the residual binder obtained through the drainage of the CRM binders (i.e., by filtering out the rubber particles). In addition to the experimental approach, a three-dimensional finite element (FE) based micromechanical model of the | G*| test was developed with ABAQUS software. The FE model provided insight into the relationship between the microscale and macroscale material behavior (i.e., the stiffening and softening effects of rubber in CRM asphalt binders).

The Use of Mobile Technology for Intensive Training in Medication Management in the Pediatric Population

▪Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic disease for which complications include acute chest syndrome, painful vaso-occlusive crisis, and stroke. There has been increased use of chronic transfusions to prevent and treat complications associated with SCD (Blinder, 2013), however, the result is iron overload for which complications include liver failure, heart failure and death. (Niederau, 1996; Brittenham, 1994; Harmatz, 2000) To effectively prevent and treat iron overload, chelation with oral medications must be taken correctly (Kwiatkowski, 2004). Depending on the method used to measure medication compliance, adherence varies between 43% and 76%. (Raphael et al., 2009; Alvarez et al., 2009) The variability underscores the need to better investigate and improve adherence. The success of treatment plans requires collaboration among patients, families and providers to take prescribed medications. We sought to implement mobile technology to facilitate this collaboration, while at the same time providing education and engaging both patients and parents.We performed a feasibility study using an original mobile application to assess adherence with oral chelation therapy and provide a platform for education modules. Eligible patients had a diagnosis of SCD or thalassemia with a history of iron overload, were ≥5 years of age and had access to a phone or other mobile device with the iOS operating system. Devices were provided for use if needed. During the first 30 days of the study, participants were asked to self-record up to a 5-minute video of daily medication administration. They performed this with our mobile application, which we could review and track. On day 2-3 of participation, they received a generic welcome message via the application. On day 7 of participation, they received a personalized message of encouragement for consistent use, or a message prompting them to try harder for daily use. Weekly, for the remainder of the first month, they received generic text ‘pop-ups’ on the application. For months 2-3, patients were then asked to do a short photo log of daily medication administration. For months 4-6, they were asked to maintain a log and continue to record videos if they desired. In addition, during the initial 3 months, patients participated in educational modules and quizzes related to SCD/thalassemia, iron overload and chelation therapy. Data was analyzed starting after one week of participation.Eight patients (4 males and 4 females, median age 12.5 years old, range 8-19) have been consented to participate. Seven patients have SCD and 1 has thalassemia major. We have analyzed 106 data days for 5 patients; Two patients have not yet reached 1 week of participation, and one patient has been temporarily excluded due to difficulties with internet connectivity and inability to confirm entries. Compliance of recording ‘selfies’ was 84%. Average length of ‘selfie’ videos was 12.7 seconds for male participants and 74.7 seconds for females (range 3 to 300 seconds). Videos reviewed also included: messages to providers, indications of difficulties with taste, and interaction with parents while preparing medication. Three patients have returned for 30-day follow up. Mean ferritin in these patients prior to enrollment was 1948.3 ng/ml (SD 758.4) and at one month follow-up was 1589.3 (SD 147.6).This study illustrates that mobile technology in the form of an interactive application is a feasible method that can be used to increase adherence to therapy plans, such as oral chelation therapy. We were able to accurately document adherence (84%) using our newly developed mobile app and are interested to see long-term compliance following completion of the study. Interestingly, we also report longer ‘selfie’ videos for females and may argue for gender specific recommendations for improving compliance to treatment plans. Detailed review of videos also revealed information that may further assist in compliance such as identification of improper mixing. Further expansion of this study and evaluation of laboratory markers (such as ferritin) at 3 months will additionally support the use of a mobile technology based intensive training program for patients with SCD. Efforts are also underway employing a similar strategy for hydroxyurea adherence. In summary, we believe mobile technology has become an integral part of health care management and has the potential to improve care for patients with chronic illnesses. DisclosuresShah:Novartis: Speakers Bureau.

Anomalous dynamics of aqueous solutions of di-propylene glycol methylether confined in MCM-41 by quasielastic neutron scattering.

The molecular dynamics of solutions of di-propylene glycol methylether (2PGME) and H2O (or D2O) confined in 28 Å pores of MCM-41 have been studied by quasielastic neutron scattering and differential scanning calorimetry over the concentration range 0-90 wt.% water. This system is of particular interest due to its pronounced non-monotonic concentration dependent dynamics of 2PGME in the corresponding bulk system, showing the important role of hydrogen bonding for the dynamics. In this study we have elucidated how this non-monotonic concentration dependence is affected by the confined geometry. The results show that this behaviour is maintained in the confinement, but the slowest diffusive dynamics of 2PGME is now observed at a considerably higher water concentration; at 75 wt.% water in MCM-41 compared to 30 wt.% water in the corresponding bulk system. This difference can be explained by an improper mixing of the two confined liquids. The results suggest that water up to a concentration of about 20 wt.% is used to hydrate the hydrophilic hydroxyl surface groups of the silica pores, and that it is only at higher water contents the water becomes partly mixed with 2PGME. Hence, due to this partial micro-phase separation of the two liquids larger, and thereby slower relaxing, structural entities of hydrogen bonded water and 2PGME molecules can only be formed at higher water contents than in the bulk system. However, the Q-dependence is unchanged with confinement, showing that the nature of the molecular motions is preserved. Thus, there is no indication of localization of the dynamics at length scales of less than 20 Å. The dynamics of both water and 2PGME is strongly dominated by translational diffusion at a temperature of 280 K.

CFD Simulation of Air Flow through the Annular Distributor of a Swirling Fluidized Bed

Fluidized beds are widely used in a variety of industrial processes. The air distributor being an integral part of the fluidized bed, the air flow characteristic through it is of great importance as far as the design and working of it is concerned. Inappropriate design will lead to an incomplete fluidization and improper mixing of the air and bed particles. The current study was carried out to investigate the flow characteristics and predict non-uniformity in flow through the annular distributor of a Swirling Fluidized Bed and its variation with various aspects of the distributor like blade overlap angle and blade inclination. In this study, the commercial CFD package FLUENT 6.3 was used for analysis. The velocity and pressure profiles for various blade designs were investigated at the distributor outlet based on several operating variables including air inlet velocities, blade overlap angles (9o, 12o, 15o, and 18o), blade inclinations (10oand 15o), along with variations in the opening between the distributor blades. The most significant finding of this work is that the fluid tends to flow through a path with least resistance. The flow path with the largest cross section area and shortest path length has been identified and explains the velocity profile at blade exit.