Local Flux Research Articles

Web-based applications for automated generation of functionalized graphene and carbon nanotube for molecular dynamics simulations and automated three-dimensional analysis of ion flow through nanopores

Functionalized graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are widely recognized for their exceptional physical properties, which make them highly suitable for various applications. Although molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are essential for investigating the atomic-level interactions and transport phenomena in functionalized graphene and CNT systems, setting up these simulations remains complex and time-consuming. To streamline this process, we have developed a novel web application that automates the generation of MD simulation setups of functionalized graphene and CNT systems compatible with AMBER force fields and the Gromacs software. Key features include the creation of nanopores, functionalization with hydrogen, hydroxyl, and/or carboxylate groups, and the application of periodic boundary conditions to effectively simulate infinite structures. To facilitate the MD analysis of transport phenomena through nanopores, our web application offers an automated analysis tool that generates and visualizes three-dimensional local flux fields from MD trajectories. Overall, our web applications significantly enhance the accessibility and efficiency of MD simulations of functionalized graphene systems, particularly for nanopore applications. Our web applications are freely available at https://yoo.skku.edu/apps.

Optical performance of a solar dish concentrator formed by the same size mirror located on parabolic frame

Solar dish concentrator with low cost and meeting the flux distribution is always pursued for the efficient utilization of concentrated solar energy. This paper investigates the optical performance of a solar dish concentrator formed by using a number of identical square mirror units arranged on a parabolic surface frame. The manufacturing of the mirror surface of this concentrator requires only one kind of mold, which has the significant advantage of low-cost manufacturing. Three common types of mirror units including the parabolic mirror (focal length fm), spherical mirror (radius Rm) and plane mirror are considered. The influence of key geometric parameters including the mirror width d (250–750 mm) and dimensionless parameters such as f1/D, fm/f1 and Rm/f1 (f1 is the focal length of parabolic frame) on its optical performance indexes such as the focused spot size (i.e., intercept width w), average local concentrator ratio (LCR), peak LCR and flux uniformity is analyzed using ray-tracing method, and the correctness of optical model and concentrator optical function is verified by outdoor concentrating experiments. The results show that the concentrator composed of parabolic or spherical mirrors can easily obtain a small circular focusing spot with high LCR and the intercept width can be easily controlled within 200 mm, the peak LCR can reach 34457 (average LCR is 12898), and average LCR reaches 14794 (peak LCR is 29497) at the smallest spot with w = 38.4 mm, which can be a low-cost alternative to parabolic dish concentrator. The concentrator with plane mirrors are easier to obtain square focusing spots with excellent flux uniformity, w can be controlled from 180 to 380 mm and uniform LCR is between 100 and 1400, which is very suitable for concentrating photovoltaic field.

Enhanced insights into paired droplet evaporation dynamics on heated substrates: Unveiling the role of convection and diffusion

This study aims to examine the evaporation characteristics of single and multiple droplets on a heated substrate. By utilizing a multi-syringe pump, deionized water droplets were precisely deposited on a copper substrate, ensuring uniformity and accuracy in the experimental setup. The shadowgraph technique was instrumental in determining the droplet contact angle and volume with exceptional clarity and precision. This work numerically predicted the vapor distribution and local evaporation flux across the liquid-air interface. A critical assessment of the role of natural convection at varying substrate temperatures was performed by contrasting diffusion-only cases with those incorporating both diffusion and convection. The findings reveal that the droplet pinning motion remains unchanged across different distances between droplets and various substrate temperatures, indicating that neither vapor accumulation nor substrate temperature significantly influences the behavior of the contact line. Notably, the study identifies a reduction in the evaporation rate of closely positioned paired droplets, related to a shielding effect. However, with increasing substrate temperature, the role of natural convection was found to become more pronounced, effectively reducing the overall evaporation time for both single and paired droplets, thus facilitating a quicker evaporation process.

Ethanol mass transfer model of spiral-wound membrane module with PDMS membrane for pervaporation considering module structure parameters

Pervaporation mass transfer model of spiral-wound membrane module with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane considering module structure parameters has been developed for ethanol separation. Membrane intrinsic parameters involved mass transfer including limiting diffusivity of ethanol, plasticization coefficient of ethanol and partition coefficient were firstly determined, and then the model was verified by the experimental results with a correlation coefficient of 0.998. It has been calculated that bulk ethanol concentration (xe) would be decreased from 9 v/v% to 7.26 v/v% along the flow direction, under the ethanol feeding concentration of 9 v/v%, feeding velocity of 0.008 ms−1, membrane length of 1 m, membrane width of 1.5 m, channel height of 1.2 mm, if polydimethylsiloxane/polyamide (PDMS/PA) membrane was applied. Owing to the concentration-dependence of the membrane mass transfer coefficient (km), km and local ethanol flux (Je) was also decreased from 7.20 × 10-6 m·s-1to 7.07 × 10-6 m·s−1, and 386 g·m−2·h−1 to 306 g·m−2·h−1, respectively. For polydimethylsiloxane/polyvinylidene difluoride/Polyethylene terephthalate (PDMS/PVDF/PET) membrane, km and Je were decreased from 7.72 × 10-7 m·s-1to 7.65 × 10-7 m·s−1, and 137 g·m−2·h-1to 128 g·m−2·h−1, respectively, under the same condition. Higher ethanol feeding concentration and longer module would lead to more obvious change in xe, km and Je. While higher feeding velocity would lead to weaker change in xe, km and Je.

Impact of a fresh-core mesoscale eddy in modulating oceanic response to a Madden-Julian Oscillation

Theories of ocean–atmosphere interaction during a Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) are generally based on a thermodynamic model with surface fluxes dictating changes in sea surface temperature. Evidence from a two month ocean glider deployment in early 2019 in the southeast Indian Ocean suggests the impact of mesoscale dynamics on upper-ocean stratification likely affects ocean–atmosphere interaction at MJO scales. Until mid-February, local surface fluxes consistent with a convectively suppressed MJO phase drove near-surface ocean evolution. With the advection of a fresh-core eddy to the glider location in late February, ocean dynamics then becomes an additional driver of this evolution by modulating local stratification and generating a barrier layer of ≈12 m thickness for 10 days. One-dimensional modelling experiments based on the ocean and atmospheric conditions experienced during our sampling period show that the ocean subsurface structure within the eddy induce changes in SST of physical significance for ocean-atmosphere interaction. Moreover, results also suggest that the presence of a thick eddy-induced barrier layer during the MJO suppressed phase modulates the magnitude of temperature anomalies forced by surface fluxes during the following enhanced MJO phase. As eddies are abundant in this area, their dynamics must be considered to correctly represent SST variability for MJO modelling.

Connecting Solar Wind Velocity Spikes Measured by Solar Orbiter and Coronal Brightenings Observed by SDO

The Parker Solar Probe's discovery that magnetic switchbacks and velocity spikes in the young solar wind are abundant has prompted intensive research into their origin(s) and formation mechanism(s) in the solar atmosphere. Recent studies, based on in situ measurements and numerical simulations, argue that velocity spikes are produced through interchange magnetic reconnection. Our work studies the relationship between interplanetary velocity spikes and coronal brightenings induced by changes in the photospheric magnetic field. Our analysis focuses on the characteristic periodicities of velocity spikes detected by the Proton Alpha Sensor on the Solar Orbiter during its fifth perihelion pass. Throughout the time period analyzed here, we estimate their origin along the boundary of a coronal hole. Around the boundary region, we identify periodic variations in coronal brightening activity observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The spectral characteristics of the time series of in situ velocity spikes, remote coronal brightenings, and remote photospheric magnetic flux exhibit correspondence in their periodicities. Therefore, we suggest that the localized small-scale magnetic flux within coronal holes fuels a magnetic reconnection process that can be observed as slight brightness augmentations and outward fluctuations or jets. These dynamic elements may act as mediators, bonding magnetic reconnection with the genesis of velocity spikes and magnetic switchbacks.

The Importance of Contemporaneous Wind and pCO2 Measurements for Regional Air‐Sea CO2 Flux Estimates

AbstractFew observational platforms are able to sustain direct measurements of all the key variables needed in the bulk calculation of air‐sea carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange, a capability newly established for some Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs). Western boundary currents are particularly challenging observational regions due to strong variability and dangerous sea states but are also known hot spots for CO2 uptake, making air‐sea exchange quantification in this region both difficult and important. Here, we present new observations collected by Saildrone USVs in the Gulf Stream during the winters of 2019 and 2022. We compared Saildrone data across co‐located vehicles and against the Pioneer Array moorings to validate the data quality. We explored how CO2 flux estimates differ when all variables needed to calculate fluxes from the bulk formulas are simultaneously measured on the same platform, relative to the situation where in situ observations must be combined with publicly‐available data products. We systematically replaced variables in the bulk formula with those often used for local and regional flux estimates. The analysis revealed that when using the ERA‐5 reanalysis wind speed in place of in situ observations, the ocean uptake of CO2 is underestimated by 8%; this underestimate grows to 9% if the NOAA Marine Boundary Layer atmospheric CO2 product and ERA‐5 significant wave height are also used in place of in situ observations. Overall our findings point to the importance of collecting contemporaneous observations of wind speed and ocean pCO2 to reduce biases in estimates of regional CO2 flux, especially during high wind events.

Absolute measurement of vacuum ultraviolet fluxes from inductively coupled plasmas via metal surface photoemission currents

Quantifying vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) fluxes typically requires vacuum-compatible spectrometers and is often associated with significant cost and effort. A simple technique for the absolute measurement of local VUV fluxes from plasmas using the photoemission from a set of coated metal plates, is described. The radiant power from a 13.56 MHz hydrogen plasma operating at 40–87 mTorr and with an radio frequency (RF) input power from 100 to 120 W was investigated by irradiating a set of 2 cm diameter Au, Ag and Cu plates. The variation in photoemission currents was compared with the photoelectric yield curves to estimate the absolute flux incident on the surfaces in the 113–190 nm range. The measured fluxes were found to have an uncertainty of 5%–30% when compared with the VUV spectrometer measurements. The VUV output power was found to have a maximum at a pressure of 70–80 mTorr and to increase with RF power. In all cases, the VUV output power was measured to be approximately 12%–16% of the RF input power to the matching network, in good agreement with spectroscopy results.

Century‐Long Records of Sedimentary Input on a Caribbean Reef From Coral Ba/Ca Ratios

AbstractCoral reef ecosystems are delicately balanced and are thus prone to disruption by stressors such as storms, disease, climate variability and natural disasters. Most tropical coral populations worldwide are now in rapid decline owing to additional anthropogenic pressures, such as global warming, ocean acidification and a variety of local stressors. One such problem is the addition of excess sediment and nutrients flux to reefs from increased soil erosion from land use changes. Here we present century‐long Ba/Ca records from two Siderastrea siderea colonies as a proxy for local riverine discharge and sediment flux to the southern Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS). The coral colonies have linear extension trends, which can be seen as a first‐order indicator for coral health and response. The coral colony that exhibits a decline in linear extension rate from the forereef of the MBRS, mainly receives riverine input from Honduras, whilst the coral from the backreef, which does not exhibit a decline in extension rate, primarily receives riverine input from more sparsely populated regions of Belize. Coral Ba/Ca increased (>70%) through time in the forereef colony, while the backreef colony showed little long‐term increase in Ba/Ca over the last century. Our results suggest that increasing sediment supply may have played a role in the decline of forereef skeletal extension in the southernmost MBRS region, likely stemming from increasing land‐use changes in Honduras.

Ubiquitous but unique: Water depth and oceanographic attributes shape methane seep communities

AbstractIn the past decade, thousands of previously unknown methane seeps have been identified on continental margins around the world. As we have come to appreciate methane seep habitats to be abundant components of marine ecosystems, we have also realized they are highly dynamic in nature. With a focus on discrete depth ranges across the Cascadia Margin, we work to further unravel the drivers of seep‐associated microbial community structure. We found highly heterogenous environments, with depth as a deterministic factor in community structure. This was associated with multiple variables that covaried with depth, including surface production, prevailing oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), and geologic and hydrographic context. Development of megafaunal seep communities appeared limited in shallow depth zones (~ 200 m). However, this effect did not extend to the structure or function of microbial communities. Siboglinid tubeworms were restricted to water depths > 1000 m, and we posit this deep distribution is driven by the prevailing OMZ limiting dispersal. Microbial community composition and distribution covaried most significantly with depth, but variables including oxygen concentration, habitat type, and organic matter, as well as iron and methane concentration, also explained the distribution of the microbial seep taxa. While members of the core seep microbiome were seen across sites, there was a high abundance of microbial taxa not previously considered within the seep microbiome as well. Our work highlights the multifaceted aspects that drive community composition beyond localized methane flux and depth, where environmental diversity adds to margin biodiversity in seep systems.

Optical characterization of a solar concentrating dish system

Solar dishes concentrate the quasi-collimated sun light towards a focal point. Typically, the optical characterization consists of experimental flux map measurements and Monte-Carlo ray-tracing (MCRT) simulations, which are fitted based on experimental data and serve for the prediction of the distribution of the irradiation in receivers or reactors. However, the MCRT simulations usually rely on idealized mirror geometries (i.e. parabolic mirrors), neglecting the actual dish geometry resulting from its construction method (such as petals, facets or segments). Thus, the parameter fitting might yield unrealistic parameters and local radiative flux peaks (“hot spots”), which are often experimentally detected behind the focal plane, cannot be predicted. Here, we characterized the 7m diameter solar dish at EPFL comprising 27 petals with a nominal focal length of 3.8 m and a rim angle of 50.3°. The measured peak concentration was 1781 suns and the received integrated solar power was 20.0 kW over an 18 cm diameter spot. We proposed an advanced geometry approach for the MCRT model considering the curvature of the dish, i.e. geometries mathematically described by a parabola with an exponent not equal, but close to 2. The advanced geometry approach was then applied for predicting experimentally measured flux distribution in focal and off-focus planes. The fitted reflectivities were 70% and 86% for the idealized and advanced geometry approach, respectively. The idealized geometry approach found an unrealistically low value whereas the advanced geometry approach’s value was within 1% of the manufacturer’s specification. The advanced geometry approach predicted a parabola exponent of 1.94, which emphasizes that the best geometry to describe the solar dish deviates from a perfect paraboloid. We conclude that MCRT models should consider non-perfect parabolic geometries for solar dishes in order to obtain more realistic values for the fitted parameters.

Improving the Uniform Distribution of Water Flux Density in Sprinkler Spray by Adopting Various Installation Methods

In a sprinkler system, the nonuniform water flux distribution resulting from the sprinkler head design, specifically due to the deflector and frame, impedes the primary extinguishing surface cooling effect of the sprinkler. In this study, the effects of the distance between heads, supplying flow rate, head installation direction, and head installation height on the uniformity of the water flux density distribution were investigated. Simulations were conducted using the water flux distribution reproduction method proposed in a previous study. As the distance between heads decreased, water was supplied to the bottom of the head, resulting in the improved uniformity of the water flux distribution. When the flow rate was corrected with the changes in the distance between the heads to maintain the average water flux density supplied to the floor, a uniform water flux distribution was observed even when the distance between heads was relatively large. In the case of head installation direction, the most uniform distribution was observed when the sprinkler heads were installed alternately at angles corresponding to 0° and 135°. As the installation height of the sprinkler heads increased, the difference between the maximum and minimum local water flux densities decreased, leading to a more uniform water flux density distribution.

Experimental AC loss study on REBCO coil assemblies coupled with an iron cylinder

In high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power devices, the presence of iron cores changes the magnetic field profile around the HTS coil windings, potentially affecting their AC loss characteristics. AC loss measurements for HTS coil windings coupled with an iron core using the electrical method can lead to a significant error, owing to the indirect estimation of the iron core loss through using a copper test coil. To investigate the cause of the experimental error and the influence of an iron core on coil AC losses, transport AC losses of REBCO double pancake coil (DPC) assemblies coupled with an iron cylinder were measured. A 40-turn 1DPC and an 80-turn 2DPC assembly wound with 4 mm SuperPower wire were employed in the measurements. To ensure the same iron core loss using the HTS coil assembly and the copper coil, 2D finite element method simulations were conducted iteratively to design the iron core and the copper coil to get the same local magnetic field distributions in the designed iron core for the two cases. The main cause of the error is due to the difference in local magnetic flux densities in the iron core generated by the HTS coil assembly and the copper coil even when the ampere-turns of the coils are identical. We showed that the simulation-guided measurement method can assure accurate AC loss measurement in the HTS coil assemblies coupled with iron cores. Compared with the AC losses in the 1DPC and 2DPC coil assemblies without the iron cylinder, the presence of the iron cylinder significantly increases the coil losses. Frequency dependence is observed in the coil AC losses of the 1DPC and 2DPC assemblies when coupled with the iron cylinder. This is due to the eddy current induced in the iron cylinder generating a magnetic field, which influences the coil AC loss.

Reduction in Marine Primary Productivity in the Early Cambrian Nanhua Basin, South China.

The Cambrian explosion is represented by a rapid diversification of early animals in which the role of marine primary productivity remains obscure. In this study, we analyzed multiple geochemical data, including TOC, major, and trace elements, in the basinal Yuanjia section, South China. Covariations among TOC, P/Al, CuEF, and NiEF suggest that they could be taken as effective marine productivity proxies in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin. The similarities of CdEF and Cd/Mo in the Nanhua Basin and modern upwelling settings suggest that they might be effective to track upwelling, where Cd and Mo were mainly controlled by plankton biomass and redox conditions, respectively. Our results indicate that CoEF and Co × Mn were invalid in evaluating upwelling because of the significant effects of water-column redox conditions on Co enrichments in the Nanhua Basin. The decreased TOC, P/Al, CuEF, and NiEF reflect a long-term decline in marine productivity from late age 2 to age 3. In comparison with the published results in the outer shelf (Jinsha, TZS drill core, YJK drill core, and GDM-1 well) and slope areas (TX-1 well), the fall in marine productivity might be common in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin. Our results exhibit that the reduced marine productivity was accompanied by weakened upwelling, quiet hydrothermal activities, and enhanced local terrestrial fluxes, indicating that variations in marine productivity might be mainly driven by the development of upwelling in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin. Comparison of marine productivity with fossil records suggests that food availability was sufficient to sustain the Cambrian explosion in the Nanhua Basin. We infer that marine productivity might indirectly stimulate early animal evolution through its significant impact on water-column oxygen levels in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin.

A novel asymptotically consistent approximation for integral evaporation from a spherical cap droplet

The total evaporation rate due to a volatile capillarity-dominated droplet diffusively evaporating into the surrounding gas is a critically important quantity in industrial and engineering applications such as Q/OLED screen manufacturing. However, the analytical expression in terms of integrals in toroidal coordinates can be unwieldy in applications, as well as expensive to compute. Therefore, simple yet highly accurate approximate solutions are frequently used in practical settings. Herein we present a new approximate form that is both accurate and fast to compute, but also retains the correct asymptotic behaviour in the key physical regimes, namely hydrophilic and superhydrophobic substrates, and a hemispherical droplet. We illustrate this by comparison to several previous approximations and, in particular, illustrate its use in calculating droplet lifetimes, as well as approximating the local evaporative flux.

Demonstration of dual-thrust capability in hybrid rockets using multi-layered tubular fuel grains

This study demonstrates the thrust modulation capabilities of a hybrid rocket motor employing a Multi-Layered Tubular (MLT) fuel grain. The MLT configuration involves arranging the fuel grains with distinct regression rates as layers. As combustion progresses, the regression rate changes based on the burning of each fuel layer, leading to variable thrust while maintaining a constant oxidizer flow rate. Variable-thrust fuel grains are suitable for diverse mission types, including employment in sounding rockets and cruise missiles, particularly those designed for anti-ship operations and missions wherein a boost-sustain thrust profile is required. The MLT fuel grains were designed for a boost-sustain phase thrust profile generally observed in missiles. Wax was used as a booster fuel, and wax with 20%EVA was used as a sustainer fuel. Two MLT configurations with different durations for the boost phase were demonstrated. During the tests, the boost-sustain phase was achieved successfully. However, a transition phase was observed while shifting from the boost to the sustain phase. The delay of the transition phase was observed to increase when the duration of the boost phase increased. The combined effect of axial variation of fuel regression rate and local mass flux is the reason for the transition phase. The Thrust Turn-Down Ratio (TDR) for Multi-Layered Tubular (MLT) fuel grains was calculated. At a web thickness (for booster fuel) of 4 mm, the TDR was approximately 1.23:1, and at a 5.5 mm web thickness, it was 1.28:1. Further, 20%Mg was added to the wax to increase the regression rate of booster fuel. The Wax/20%Mg fuel showed 41% and 14% improvement in regression rate and thrust, respectively. The TDR was improved marginally compared to pure wax-based MLT grain.

Inflows Towards Bipolar Magnetic Active Regions and Their Nonlinear Impact on a Three-Dimensional Babcock–Leighton Solar Dynamo Model

The changing magnetic fields of the Sun are generated and maintained by a solar dynamo, the exact nature of which remains an unsolved fundamental problem in solar physics. Our objective in this paper is to investigate the role and impact of converging flows toward Bipolar Magnetic Regions (BMR inflows) on the Sun’s global solar dynamo. These flows are large-scale physical phenomena that have been observed and so should be included in any comprehensive solar dynamo model. We have augmented the Surface flux Transport And Babcock–LEighton (STABLE) dynamo model to study the nonlinear feedback effect of BMR inflows with magnitudes varying with surface magnetic fields. This fully-3D realistic dynamo model produces the sunspot butterfly diagram and allows a study of the relative roles of dynamo saturation mechanisms such as tilt-angle quenching and BMR inflows. The results of our STABLE simulations show that magnetic field-dependent BMR inflows significantly affect the evolution of the BMRs themselves and result in a reduced buildup of the global poloidal field due to local flux cancellation within the BMRs, to an extent that is sufficient to saturate the dynamo. As a consequence, for the first time, we have achieved fully 3D solar dynamo solutions, in which BMR inflows alone regulate the amplitudes and periods of the magnetic cycles.

Flux-Tunable Josephson Diode Effect in a Hybrid Four-Terminal Josephson Junction.

We investigate the direction-dependent switching current in a flux-tunable four-terminal Josephson junction defined in an InAs/Al two-dimensional heterostructure. The device exhibits the Josephson diode effect with switching currents that depend on the sign of the bias current. The superconducting diode efficiency, reaching a maximum of |η| ≈ 34%, is widely tunable─both in amplitude and sign─as a function of magnetic fluxes and gate voltages. Our observations are supported by a circuit model of three parallel Josephson junctions with nonsinusoidal current-phase relation. With respect to conventional Josephson interferometers, phase-tunable multiterminal Josephson junctions enable large diode efficiencies in structurally symmetric devices, where local magnetic fluxes generated on the chip break both time-reversal and spatial symmetries. Our work presents an approach for developing Josephson diodes with wide-range tunability that do not rely on exotic materials.

How high salt shock affects performance and membrane fouling characteristics of a halophilic membrane bioreactor used for treating hypersaline wastewater

In the present study, the effect of short-term salt shocks (13% and 20%) on the performance of a halophilic MBR bioreactor used to treat a hypersaline (5% salt) synthetic wastewater was considered. 13% and 20% salt shocks resulted in a transient and permanent decrease in chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency, respectively which could be correlated with soluble microbial products (SMP) concentration and specific oxygen uptake rate values of the halophilic population. DNA leakage tests suggested that both 13% and 20% short-term salt shocks resulted in some cell structural damage. During both 13% and 20% salt shocks mixed liquor SMP, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), zeta potential and endogenous respiration increased while relative hydrophobicity, EPSp/EPSc and exogenous respiration decreased; in both cases, however, the pre-shock values for these parameters were restored after the removal of the salt shock. 13% salt shock resulted in a transient increase in the membrane fouling rate and a permanent rise in total membrane resistance (Rt). On the other hand, both membrane fouling rate and Rt increased during 20% salt shock. Membrane fouling rate initially reduced after the 20% salt shock removal but after 5 days a “TMP jump” occurred. The latter was caused by the higher steady state SMPc and SMPp concentrations after removal of 20% salt shock compared to pre-shock values. This might have either resulted in a decrease in critical flux or an increase in local flux above critical flux in some parts of the membrane. The contribution of cake layer resistance to overall membrane resistance increased after the 13% and 20% salt shocks. The findings of the present study reveal the robustness of halophilic MBRs against salt shocks in the treatment of hypersaline wastewater. However, in cases of very high salt shocks, appropriate membrane fouling reduction strategies should be carried out during its operation.

Experimental investigation and prediction of CHF in wire-wrapped rod bundles

The wire-wrapped tight lattice fuel assembly is one of the options for small modular reactors. To clarify the characteristics of critical heat transfer for departure from nucleate boiling, experiments were conducted to investigate the critical heat flux in a wire-wrapped 19-rod bundle. The critical heat flux coincident with associated thermal–hydraulic parameters was obtained under typical pressurized water reactor conditions. Validation of data accuracy was performed to provide confidence in the experiment results. It was found that the critical heat flux in the wire-wrapped rod bundle is sensitive to the change in steam quality at some steam quality regions. Besides, the critical heat flux in wire-wrapped rod bundles has a similar reflection under the effects of local pressure, local mass flux, and steam quality. However, the current correlations tend to overestimate the critical heat flux for a wire-wrapped rod bundle. Hence, further development of KfK-3 correlations was proposed for better prediction of the critical heat flux in wire-wrapped bundles. This work is helpful for rod bundle designs of advanced pressurized water reactors.