Oversaturation Conditions Research Articles

Effects of temperature on the release of nutrient elements of solid organic materials under conditions of oversaturation

The effects of temperature on the release of chemical components of six solid organic materials under conditions of oversaturation were investigated in this paper. The six materials were peat moss (PM), weathered coals (WC), charred rice husks (CRH), sawdust (Sd), turfgrass clippings (TC), and chicken manure (CM). Significant differences were observed in the available nitrogen and phosphorus content of the aqueous extracts of organic materials at different temperatures. The available nitrogen content in aqueous extracts of PM and WC at 25 degrees C was higher than that registered at 15 degrees C and 35 degrees C. Available nitrogen content in the aqueous extracts of CRH, Sd, TC, and WC at 35 degrees C was higher than at 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C. The available phosphorus content in the aqueous extracts of organic materials at 35 degrees C was higher than that available at 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C, with the exception of Sd. In addition, the release of available phosphorus in the aqueous solution of organic materials at different temperatures varied constantly for 108h. The release of potassium (K(+)) and sodium (Na(+)) ions in the aqueous extracts of organic materials was basically steady over time, with the exception of CM. High temperature (35 degrees C) may significantly hasten the release of K(+) from organic substrates (except for WC) with low temperatures significantly inhibiting release of K(+) in Sd and CRH. High temperatures (35 degrees C) might significantly facilitate the release of Na(+) in CM and TC. However, no significant differences were manifested in the release of Na(+) from organic substrates at different temperatures, with the exception of CM and TC. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in the release of calcium, magnesium and iron ions with time, nor were there any significant differences in the contents of iron ions in the aqueous extracts of organic materials at different temperatures. The results indicate that multiple mediums should be pretreated in water for a week before being used for planting. They should be used when all mineral elements of organic materials are steady and ignoring the effect of organic mediums.

Preliminary results of the close-off depth and the stable isotopic records along a 109.91 m ice core from Dome A, Antarctica

A 109.91 m ice core was recovered from Dome A (or Dome Argus), the highest ice feature in Antarctica, during the 2004/05 austral summer by the 21st Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE-21). Both methane profile along the core and firn densification model calculation suggest that the close-off depth is at about 102.0 m with an ice age about 4200 a. Stable isotopes (δ18O and δD) of the chips samples produced during each run of ice core drilling at Dome A, together with those of the other cores recovered from the eastern inland Antarctica, suggest a relative stable climate with a temperature fluctuation amplitude about ±0.6°C at the eastern inland Antarctica during the late Holocene. The average d-excess (or d =δ D-8δ18O) of 17.1‰ along the Dome A core is probably the highest among the Antarctic inland ice cores, which may be resulted from the kinetic fractionation during the snow formation under an oversaturation condition. Moreover, the increasing trend of d-excess during the late Holocene reflects mainly the migration of the water source area for precipitation at Dome A towards low latitudes. This paper presents the first results of a shallow ice core recovered from the unexplored highest area of the Antarctic ice sheet, providing a background for the proposing deep ice core drilling at Dome A.

Synthesis of high-coercivity cobalt ferrite nanocrystals

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) possesses excellent chemical stability, good mechanical hardness and a large positive first-order crystalline anisotropy constant, which made this ferrite a promising candidate for magneto-optical recording media. In addition to precise control on the composition and structure of CoFe2O4, the success of its practical application will depend on the capability of controlling particle size at the nanoscale. This size-controlled synthesis approach became possible by modifying the oversaturation conditions during ferrite formation in water. Optimum oversaturation was achieved by monitoring of the feeding flow-rate of reactant solutions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses confirmed the formation of the ferrite structure after a reaction time as short as 5min. M–H measurements verified the strong influence of synthesis conditions and crystal size on the magnetic properties of ferrite nanocrystals. The coercivity values increased from 210 up to 5840Oe under optimum synthesis conditions.

Modeling moisture absorption process of wood-based composites under over-saturated moisture conditions using two-part equations

The objective of this study was to investigate the moisture absorption process for wood-based composites subjected to over-saturated moisture conditions. Two stages are comprised in the moisture transfer process at the over-saturated moisture conditions, an initial stage which is the moisture transfer process mainly under fiber saturation point (FSP), and a second stage which is the moisture transfer process beyond the FSP. A model was developed based on two-part equations to describe the process, from which three coefficients (k1, k21, and k22) can be used to quantitatively describe the moisture transfer process under the conditions. Two different wood-based composites, wood fiberboard and wood fiber/polymer composites (polymer content: 30%), were used to test the model at four different ambient temperatures (30, 45, 62, and 80°C). It was shown that the two-part equation can accurately describe the moisture absorption process under over-saturated moisture conditions. The moisture absorption rate in the initial stage was about 30–60% greater than that in the second stage for most of the cases evaluated in this study. The higher the temperature, the greater moisture absorption parameters were obtained. At both moisture absorption stages (below FSP and above FSP), the calculated activation energy for the moisture absorption rate of wood fiberboard was very close to that of wood fiber/polymer composites.

Tuning of magnetic properties in cobalt ferrite nanocrystals

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) possesses excellent chemical stability, good mechanical hardness, and a large positive first order crystalline anisotropy constant, making it a promising candidate for magneto-optical recording media. In addition to precise control of the composition and structure of CoFe2O4, its practical application will require the capability to control particle size at the nanoscale. The results of a synthesis approach in which size control is achieved by modifying the oversaturation conditions during ferrite formation in water through a modified coprecipitation approach are reported. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) diffraction, and TEM energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analyses confirmed the formation of the nanoscale cobalt ferrite. M-H measurements verified the strong influence of synthesis conditions on crystal size and hence, on the magnetic properties of ferrite nanocrystals. The room-temperature coercivity values increased from 460 up to 4626Oe under optimum synthesis conditions determined from a 23 factorial design.

Thermodynamic considerations and computer simulations on the formation of core-shell nanoparticles under electrochemical conditions

We report on thermodynamic modeling and computer simulations on the electrochemical generation of metallic and bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) by means of quenched molecular dynamics (QMD). The present results suggest that the spontaneous formation of core-shell NPs depends on several factors, i.e. size and shape of the core, chemical composition of the system, and under-/oversaturation conditions. Homo- and heteroatomic prototypical systems were considered. The former systems were Au and Pt. The latter were Ag(core)/Au(shell), Pt(core)/Au(shell), Au(core)/Ag(shell) and Au(core)/Pt(shell).

Municipal solid waste decomposition under oversaturated condition in comparison with leachate recirculation

Municipal solid waste (MSW) decomposition under oversaturated condition in comparison with leachate recirculation was investigated in two simulated reactors (A and B). Reactor B was operated with leachate recirculation while in reactor A, an oversaturated condition was maintained without leachate recirculation. Results showed that MSW decomposition in reactor A was much faster than that in reactor B. The final CODcr concentration and pH value of leachates in reactor A were around 1000 mg L −1 and 7.0, respectively, in comparison to 18,000 mg L −1 and below 6.5 in reactor B after 420 days of incubation. Biogas production was positively related to ambient temperature. The total biogas and methane yields were 2800 L and 1330 L in reactor A while only 1470 L and 600 L in reactor B. These results indicated that the relative retardation of MSW degradation in reactor B was primarily resulted from the increased resistance of mass transfer and the accumulation of biogas caused by leachate recirculation and the resultant acid inhibition. Bioreactor landfill operated under liquid oversaturated and MSW loose condition could be a promising approach for accelerating municipal solid waste degradation.

Mesoscopic simulation of a dynamic link loading process

Passing from path flows to link flows requires non-linear and complex flow propagation models known as network loading models. In specific technical literature, different approaches have been used to study Dynamic Network Loading models, depending on whether the link performances are expressed in an aggregate or disaggregate way, and how vehicles are traced. When vehicle movements are traced implicitly and link performances are expressed in an aggregate way, the approach is macroscopic. When vehicle movements are traced explicitly, two cases are possible, depending on whether link performances are expressed in a disaggregate or aggregate way. In the first case, the approach is microscopic, otherwise it is mesoscopic. In this paper, a mesoscopic Dynamic Network Loading model is considered, based on discrete packets and taking into account the vehicle acceleration and deceleration. A simulation was carried out, first using theoretical input data to simulate over-saturation condition, and then real data to validate the model. The results show that the model appears realistic in the representation of outflow dynamics and is quite easy to calculate. It is worth noting that network loading models are usually used downstream of the assignment models from which they take path flows to calculate link flows. In the above mentioned simulation, we assumed that a generic assignment model provides sinusoidal path flow.

Characterization and physical stability of fast-dissolving microparticles containing nifedipine

The suitability of a poly(sodium methacrylate, methyl methacrylate) (NaPMM), a novel mucoadhesive material, to prepare fast-dissolving microparticles containing nifedipine (NIF) in the range of 25–75% w/w was verified. Microparticles made of a low-viscosity hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), were also prepared to compare the NIF release profile and bioadhesive properties. The release test was carried out in oversaturation conditions. The physical state of microparticles was also investigated. The formulation stability was evaluated over a 3-month period in long-term and accelerated conditions. The presence of amorphous NIF within freshly prepared microparticles was attributed to interactions between the drug and both polymers. NaPMM conferred to microparticles suitable mucoadhesive properties and significantly increased NIF dissolution rate in comparison to HPMC. Nevertheless, NIF apparent solubilities obtained by NaPMM microparticles were lower than those obtained by the HPMC set. After 3-month storage in the case of HPMC microparticles, NIF dissolution rate and supersaturation degree significantly decreased due to drug crystallization. As far as NaPMM microparticles are concerned, neither NIF dissolution rate nor apparent solubility significantly changed.

Actinide solubility-controlling phases during the dissolution of phosphate ceramics

Phosphate ceramics (britholites, monazite/brabantite solid solutions, thorium phosphate diphosphate, i.e. β-TPD, and associated β-TPD/monazite composites) are often considered as potential candidates to immobilize tri- and tetravalent actinides. In order to study the properties of such materials on the retention of actinides during aqueous alteration, phosphate-based neoformed phases were prepared using under- and over-saturation processes then extensively characterized (involving grazing XRD, EPMA, μ-Raman, IR or SEM). In over-saturation conditions, lanthanides (used as surrogates of trivalent actinides) are quickly precipitated as three hydrated forms (monazite, rhabdophane or xenotime) depending on the temperature, the heating time and the ionic radius of the element. Moreover, as already described for thorium, tetravalent actinides (Th, U, Np, Pu) are more often immobilized as phosphate hydrogenphosphate compounds. However, samples of (Ln,Ca,Th)-rhabdophane can also precipitate in the presence of large concentrations of calcium. Such neoformed phases were also precipitated at the surface of leached phosphate-based ceramics during under-saturation experiments. The associated thermodynamic solubility constants at infinite dilution were estimated. Due to their rapid precipitation and their very low solubility constants, these actinide phosphate solubility-controlling phases appear of significant interest in the field of the evaluation of the long-term performance of actinide-doped phosphate ceramics.

Comparison of fuzzy logic and artificial neural networks approaches in vehicle delay modeling

Modeling vehicle delay has been an interesting subject for traffic engineers and urban planners. Determination of vehicle delay is a complex task and the delay is influenced by many variables that have uncertainties and vagueness, especially for non-uniform or over-saturated conditions. In this study, vehicle delay is modeled using new approaches such as Fuzzy Logic (FL) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to deal with all conditions. The Neuro Fuzzy Delay Estimation (NFDE) model and Artificial Neural Networks Delay Estimation (ANNDE) model are developed. The overall delay data required for the model were collected from ten signalized intersections in Turkey. The results of the developed models are compared with the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), Akçelik’s methods and the delay data collected from intersections. The results showed that delay estimations by the ANNDE and NFDE model are promising. It is also inferred that the NFDE model results are the best fitted. The Average Relative Error (ARE) rates of NFDE model are determined as 7% for under-saturated and 5% for over-saturated conditions. The results reflect the fact that the neuro-fuzzy approach may be used as a promising method in vehicle delay estimation.

Immobilization of tetravalent actinides in phosphate ceramics

Three phosphate-based ceramics were studied for the immobilization of tri- and tetravalent actinides: britholite Ca9Nd1-xAnxIV(PO4)5-x(SiO4)1+xF2, monazite/brabantite Ln1-2xIIICaxAnxIVPO4 and thorium phosphate diphosphate β-Th4-xAnxIV(PO4)4P2O7 (β-TPD). For each material, the incorporation of thorium and uranium (IV) was examined through dry chemistry routes, using mechanical grinding of the initial mixtures then heating at high temperature (1373–1673K). The quantitative incorporation of thorium in the britholite structure was obtained up to 20wt% through the coupled substitution (Nd3+,PO43-)⇔(Th4+,SiO44-). On the contrary, the incorporation of uranium was limited to 5–8wt% and always led to a two-phase system composed by U-britholite and CaU2O5+y. The incorporation of Th and U(IV) was also examined in both matrices, β-TPD and monazite/brabantite solid solutions. Homogeneous and single phase samples of β-TUPD and (Th,U)-monazite/brabantite solid solutions were obtained using successive cycles of mechanical grinding/calcination. The three matrices were prepared in the pellet form then leached in 10−1M or 10−4M HNO3 at 363K. The very low normalized dissolution rates confirmed the good resistance of the materials to aqueous alteration. Moreover, in over-saturation conditions, the formation of neoformed phases onto the surface of the pellets was evidenced for several sintered samples.

AAS, XRPD, SEM/EDS, and FTIR characterization of Zn 2+ retention by calcite, calcite–kaolinite, and calcite–clinoptilolite minerals

In this study, the sorption behavior of Zn 2+ on calcite, kaolinite, and clinoptilolite, in addition to mixtures of calcite with kaolinite and clinoptilolite, was investigated at various loadings and mixture compositions using atomic absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared techniques. According to the obtained results, within the experimental operating conditions, the sorption capacity was enhanced with increasing amount of calcite in both types of mixtures. Under neutral–alkaline pH conditions and high loadings, the order of Zn 2+ retention was observed as calcite > clinoptilolite > kaolinite. The experiments on the retention of Zn 2+ by pure calcite under conditions of oversaturation showed that the uptake process proceeds via an initial adsorption mechanism (possibly ion-exchange type) followed by a slower mechanism that leads to the overgrowth of the hydrozincite phase, Zn 5(OH) 6(CO 3) 2.

Zeta potential measurement of calcium carbonate

The problem of scaling, which one finds in industrial heat exchangers, particularly in atmospheric coolers in nuclear power stations, depends on calcium carbonate deposits from fresh water. To better understand this phenomenon, we have examined the eventual implication of superficial electric charge of precipitated crystal nuclei. After a bibliographical review showing a fundamental divergence from already published results, this paper describes an experimental plant to measure the zeta potential in controlled conditions of thermodynamic equilibrium, oversaturation, or undersaturation of a CaCO 3H 2OCO 2 system taking into account simultaneously the three phases: gas, liquid, and solid. The zeta potential is measured by a crystalline-plug method with calcite or aragonite crystals. The potential cancels at thermodynamic equilibrium and is always negative for other conditions, in particular for oversaturation where the possibility of scaling exists. The analysis of these results suggests that the potential determining ions of the system are Ca 2+ and HCO − 3.

Dynamic Truckload Truck Routing and Scheduling in Oversaturated Demand Situations

The problem considered is dynamic online truckload routing and scheduling with time windows operating in oversaturated conditions, that is, when the demand for service exceeds the system’s average capacity. The relationship between computation time and the solution quality, measured by system efficiency and response time, is discussed. A dynamic operation process for implementing various algorithms and procedures is described, with the aim of fully utilizing computational resources without wasting available time between successive demand requests. In addition, particularly when demand arrival rates result in oversaturated system conditions, application of intelligent acceptance and filtering decision procedures that consider system status and demand characteristics can result in significant operational benefits. Simulation experiments conducted to evaluate the relative performance of the proposed approaches confirm the existence of significant improvement potential in terms of both system efficiency and response time over previous approaches.

Program for Optimizing Diamond Interchanges in Oversaturated Conditions

Traditionally, optimization of diamond interchange timings has been done with PASSER III for standard and special diamond phasing sequences. PASSER III is limited because it is designed for undersaturated conditions. It applies vertical stacking of queues and is not capable of modeling queue spillback conditions in its current form. This deficiency is addressed by the arterial signal coordination software (ASCS), whose capabilities in timing diamond interchanges in under-saturated and oversaturated conditions are presented here. ASCS consists of three modules: ( a) input module, a user interface through which volume and geometry inputs can be provided to the program; ( b) optimization module, a genetic algorithm-based optimization routine that can optimize signal timings; and ( c) analysis module, which consists of a bandwidth analysis routine and a delay analysis routine (DAR). The DAR is a mesoscopic simulator that applies a second-by-second analysis of flows for modeling flows accurately. DAR applies horizontal stacking of queues and shock wave analysis to estimate the performance of traffic operations. Validation of ASCS for oversaturated arterial links against PASSER III and CORSIM was conducted. The results indicate that delay and throughput estimation in ASCS are realistic. The genetic algorithm-based optimization routine in ASCS was applied to estimate diamond interchange timings for three scenarios. Where queue spillback occurred, ASCS clearly outperformed PASSER III. ASCS produced near-optimal results for all scenarios studied.

Evaluation and Selection of Bio-relevant Dissolution Media for a Poorly Water-Soluble New Chemical Entity

The purpose of this work is to develop a bio-relevant dissolution method for formulation screening in order to select an enhanced bioavailable formulation for a poorly water-soluble drug. The methods used included a modified rotating disk apparatus for measuring intrinsic dissolution rate of the new chemical entity (NCE) and the USP dissolution method II for evaluating dissolution profiles of the drug in three different dosage forms. The in vitro dissolution results were compared with the in vivo bioavailability for selecting a bio-relevant medium. The results showed that the solubility of the NCE was proportional to the concentration of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in the media. The apparent intrinsic dissolution rate of the NCE was linear to the rotational speed of the disk, which indicated that the dissolution of the drug is a diffusion-controlled mechanism. The apparent intrinsic dissolution rate was also linear to the surfactant concentration in the media, which was interpreted using the Noyes and Whitney Empirical Theory. Three formulations were studied in three different SLS media using the bulk drug as a reference. The dissolution results were compared with the corresponding bioavailability results in dogs. In the 1% SLS—sink conditions—the drug release from all the formulations was complete and the dissolution results were discriminative for the difference in particle size of the drug in the formulations. However, the data showed poor IVIV correlation. In the 0.5% SLS medium—non-sink conditions—the dissolution results showed the same rank order among the tested formulations as the bioavailability. The best IVIV correlation was obtained from the dissolution in 0.25% SLS medium, an over-saturated condition. The conclusions are: a surfactant medium increases the apparent intrinsic dissolution rate of the NCE linearly due to an increase in solubility. A low concentration of surfactant in the medium (0.25%) is more bio-relevant than higher concentrations of surfactant in the media for the poorly water-soluble drug. Creating sink conditions (based on bulk drug solubilities) by using a high concentration of a surfactant in the dissolution medium may not be a proper approach in developing a bio-relevant dissolution method for a poorly water-soluble drug.

Signal Coordination and Arterial Capacity in Oversaturated Conditions

Models for estimation of the capacities of oversaturated arterials were developed. The input variables in these models are capacities of individual intersections, offsets, and vehicle queue lengths. Models for quantification of capacity loss due to blockage caused by downstream queues are also presented. The proposed models show that when arterial capacity is determined in oversaturated conditions, it is not sufficient to consider only the capacities of critical intersections; instead, the capacities of critical subsystems must be considered. A critical subsystem is any two intersections plus the link that joins them where traffic processing capability is the lowest. This traffic processing capability, or critical subsystem capacity, determines the arterial capacity. It is a function of the capacities of the respective intersections, the offset between them, and the queue length on the link joining them. It is shown that a critical subsystem is not unique in that it may change location over the course of the study period. To minimize capacity loss, it is shown that offsets must be an explicit function of queue lengths. The practical use of the models was demonstrated for an oversaturated two-intersection system. The results show that improper setting of offsets can lead to significant capacity loss. In extreme cases all capacity in a given cycle may be lost if the offsets are not set properly.

Delay Variability at Signalized Intersections

Delays that individual vehicles may experience at a signalized intersection are usually subject to large variation because of the randomness of traffic arrivals and interruption caused by traffic signal controls. Although such variation may have important implications for the planning, design, and analysis of signal controls, currently no analytical model is available to quantify it. The development of an analytical model for predicting the variance of overall delay is described. The model is constructed on the basis of the delay evolution patterns under two extreme traffic conditions: highly undersaturated and highly oversaturated conditions. A discrete cycle-by-cycle simulation model is used to generate data for calibrating and validating the proposed model. The practical implications of the model are demonstrated through its use in determining optimal cycle times with respect to delay variability and in assessing level of service according to the percentiles of overall delay.

Traffic Signal Optimization Program for Oversaturated Conditions: Genetic Algorithm Approach

Traffic signal optimization programs have been used widely among transportation professionals. However, none of the existing computer programs can optimize all four traffic control parameters (i.e., cycle length, green split, offset, and phase sequence) simultaneously, even for undersaturated conditions. In this paper, a genetic algorithm-based signal optimization program that can handle oversaturated signalized intersections is presented. The program consists of a genetic algorithm (GA) optimizer and a mesoscopic traffic simulator. The GA optimizer is designed to search for a near-optimal traffic signal timing plan on the basis of a fitness value obtained from the mesoscopic simulator. The proposed program is compared with the newly released TRANSYT-7F version 8.1 on the basis of CORSIM simulation program. Three different demand volume levels—low, medium, and high demand—are tested. For the low-demand and high-demand volume cases, the GA-based program produced statistically better signal timing plans than did TRANSYT-7F in terms of queue time. In the case of medium-demand volume level, the signal timing plan obtained from the GA-based program produced statistically equivalent queue time compared with TRANSYT-7F. Both programs are judged to provide superior capability for oversaturated conditions due to their queue blockage model when compared with previously available signal timing optimization software.