Radial Fluctuations Research Articles

Effect of Packing Structure Evolution on the Flow Characteristics in a Binary Composite Packed Bed Based on DEM-CFD Method

The evolution of mesoscale structures of particle packing in binary composite packed beds and their effects on flow characteristics and wall effects were investigated using the discrete element method (DEM) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The DEM model was used to build a series of randomly mixed packing structures of particles in accordance with the dynamic change of mass ratio between particles in two size ranges, which were then confirmed by the findings of an X-ray tomography (CT) scan. The results show that the packing structure of b25s75 was conducive to reducing the influence of wall effect in packed bed reactors. For b25s75, the dimensionless distance of radial porosity fluctuation from the wall is 0.3705, which is the smallest among the five packing models, indicating that this structure plays a suppressive role on the wall effect. In addition, the uniformity of velocity and temperature distributions in both the radial and axial directions of different packing structures were compared. The standard deviations of radial relative velocity distributions in the packed beds of b100, b75s25, b25s75 and s100 are 0.28, 0.178, 0.139 and 0.156, respectively, indicating that the stacking mode of b25s75 can make the fluid flow and the gas–solid interactions more uniform.

Elemental Fluctuation in Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce Crystals Imposed by Li+ and Mg2+ Co-Doping: The Impact on Defects, Luminescence, and Scintillation Properties

This research revealed the response of Ga and Al sublattices to the incorporation of mismatching substituents in Gd3Al2Ga3O12:Ce single crystals. Incompatible in size and charge, Li+ and Mg2+ substituents violated configurational entropy. This led to lattice distortion and triggered structural rearrangements. The radial fluctuation of the Ga and Al elements was proven by multi-elemental energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping and elemental composition analysis. Further evidence was observed by the shift of the exciton creation energy toward higher energy in the vacuum ultraviolet excitation spectra recorded with synchrotron radiation. In the Li+ and Mg2+ co-doped samples, the crystal core was depleted with Ga atoms and enriched with Al elements. The crystal rim showed the opposite behavior. The change in thermoluminescence peak positions revealed a different mechanism for the formation of localized traps. As a result, Li+ co-doping slightly improved the light yield value, but at the same time decelerated the scintillation decay time. On the contrary, Mg2+ co-doping markedly diminished scintillation parameters.

Hydrodynamic and rheological characteristics of a pseudoplastic fluid through a rotating cylinder

The fully developed turbulent flow of pseudoplastic ( ) and Newtonian fluids in an isothermal axially rotating cylinder has been carried out using a large eddy simulation (LES) with an extended Smagorinsky model. The simulation Reynolds number of the present predictions has been assumed to be at various rotation rates This investigation seeks to assess the influence of the centrifugal force induced by the swirl on the mean flow quantities, turbulent statistics, and instantaneous turbulence structure to describe the rheological behavior and the turbulence features. The predicted results indicate that with increasing rotation rate, the pseudoplastic fluid tends to behave like a liquid when approaching the pipe center due to the lower apparent fluid viscosity in the logarithmic region as the pipe wall rotates. Moreover, the reduction in the pseudoplastic apparent viscosity in the core region induces a pronounced increase in the axial velocity profile further away from the pipe wall toward the core region. It is interesting to note that the growth of the centrifugal force induced by the swirl driven by the rotating pipe wall results in an apparent attenuation in turbulence intensities of the axial velocity fluctuation and, consequently, in the kinetic energy of turbulent fluctuations and the turbulent Reynolds shear stress of the axial-radial velocity fluctuations, as the pipe wall rotates. Moreover, the increased rotation rate leads also to a noticeable increase in the Root mean square (RMS) of the radial and tangential fluctuations. It can be said that the transport mechanism of turbulence intensities from the axial components to the other ones exhibits a marked increase with increasing pipe wall rotation.

Design of Double Staggered Parallel Bearingless Motor Drive System

To make bearingless motors (BMs) more competitive, it is imperative to reduce the cost while ensuring high performance. In this article, the driving system of the BM is optimized from the perspectives of the inverter topology and the control strategy. A dual-hybrid vector control driving scheme of the BM based on the double staggered parallel topology is proposed for the control performance and cost. Meanwhile, the levitation/torque stagger phase shift is adopted to lower the root-mean-square value of the dc-link current. The proposed driving scheme is compared with the traditional vector scheme based on a full-bridge topology on a bearingless pump system. It turns out that the two driving schemes are similar in current, speed, and rotor radial displacement fluctuation. The proposed scheme shows the advantages of simpler system structure and lower cost, so it is deemed as an attractive driving scheme for the BM.

Dendroclimatic studies of aspen growth in Moscow

This article presents the results of studying aspen (Populus tremula L.) growth in urbanized environment of Moscow metropolis with the help of dendrochronology method. Four significant correlation coefficients for data of two aspen chronologies and the group of forty-eight meteoparameters of current calendar year and the calendar year which was previous to the year of tree ring formation were established by the dendroclimatic method. According to the results of correlation calculation it was established that correlations sustainable for both considered chronologies as well as biologically interpretable ones between radial growth fluctuations and climatic data fluctuations are absent. It is due to the fact that the aspen trees on considered plots are in the conditions near the optimum zone and the factors, which are limiting radial growth size, change from year to year. One year one factor has strong deviation from optimal for species parameters, and another year it will be another factor. In this case the correlation analysis gives results about the lack of correlation, but it does not mean that climatic factors have no impact on tree ring formation. The absence of correlation, for instance, to the temperatures observed in May of the current year is important as this is a period of great cambium activity and assimilation biomass forming. So, the increase in temperature of this month, probably predicted with global warming, will not have a negative effect on aspen growth in the conditions of the studied stands.

Tracking the super resolved structure of mitochondria using red emissive carbon nanodots as a fluorescent biomarker.

Herein, we report new red emissive highly photostable and water-soluble carbon nanodots (TPP CNDs) to visualize mitochondrial dynamics using super-resolution radial fluctuations (SRRF) microscopy. The TPP CNDs were synthesized in a one-step method, using 3-(carboxypropyl)triphenylphosphonium bromide (TPP) and o-phenylenediamine (OPDA) as precursors. The obtained crystal structure, NMR, and mass data suggested the presence of [3-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)propyl](triphenyl)phosphonium bromide (C28H26N2P+Br-) as a molecular fluorophore (MF) on the surface of the TPP CNDs. The TPP CNDs showed better photostability than the commercially available MitoTracker™ Green and were highly capable for long-term imaging of mitochondrial fission during hyperglycemic conditions and structural changes upon an antidiabetic drug treatment, without altering their fluorescence nature.

Numerical study on uniformity of atmospheric helium gas dielectric barrier discharge on non-smooth surface regulated by sinusoidal clipping voltage

In practical applications of dielectric barrier discharges under atmospheric pressure, plasma usually acts on non-smooth surfaces. The electric field distortion and uneven surface charge distribution caused by its surface morphology will create an adverse effect on the uniformity and stability of the discharge. In this paper, we establish a simulation model of atmospheric pressure helium dielectric barrier discharge on a wavy lower dielectric plate, and use a sinusoidal clipping voltage to regulate the discharge uniformity. The results show that the discharge uniformity is improved compared with the unclipped case, and the discharge mode is changed from columnar mode to quasi-uniform mode. This can be attributed to the incomplete discharge dissipation caused by the reduction of air gap voltage; the subsequent electron backflow process neutralizes the the residual space electrons with the surface charge, which limits the accumulation of surface charges. With the increase of clipping ratio, the surface charge distribution becomes more uniform, and the radial fluctuation of electric field distribution weakens. In addition, the discharge efficiency is improved in a certain clipping range. This study reveals the mechanism of clipping voltage influence on non-smooth surface discharge, and provides a new idea for regulating the uniformity of dielectric barrier discharge.

Numerical investigations of turbulent heat transfer enhancement in circular tubes via modified internal profiles

Convective heat transfer enhancement in turbulent pipe flows via patterned surface textures is studied numerically via large eddy simulation (LES). The Reynolds and Prandtl numbers of the flow are 90,000 and 0.836, respectively. The patterned surface textures consist of ellipsoidal inward-facing elements, a wire coil, and spiral corrugations. The governing equations are solved on three-dimensional grids with the finite volume method using second-order temporal and spatial schemes. The mean Nusselt number and friction factor are calculated in each textured pipe and compared to an untextured baseline configuration. The inward-facing ellipsoidal elements showed the best performance yielding 22 − 42 % heat transfer enhancement with 41 − 97 % pressure loss penalty. The mechanisms driving convective heat transfer enhancement are examined via order-of-magnitude analysis of the first and second laws of thermodynamics. An effective convective mixing parameter is defined to reflect the interplay between the radial turbulence and local thermal gradients. The best enhancement technique yields 46% larger effective convective mixing with 26% lower turbulent kinetic energy compared to the least efficient case. The analysis shows that high heat transfer enhancement is promoted by inducing strong radial turbulent fluctuations in high-temperature-gradient regions while keeping other regions undisturbed. • Heat transfer enhancement via surface textures is studied via large eddy simulation. • Inward ellipsoids yield 22% higher heat transfer rate and 41% larger pressure drop. • The process driving heat transfer enhancement is explained via total energy budgets. • Near-wall radial fluctuations contribute the most towards enhancing heat transfer. • Axial vortices yield the best heat transfer enhancement and low entropy generation.

Pedestal fluctuation measurements with charge exchange imaging at the DIII-D tokamak

A new high radial resolution 2D multichannel Charge eXchange Imaging (CXI) diagnostic is under development for deployment at DIII-D. The diagnostic system will measure low-to-intermediate radial wavenumber carbon density fluctuations by observing the n = 8 - 7 (λ = 529.06 nm) C-VI emission line, resulting from charge exchange collisions between heating neutral beam atoms and the intrinsic carbon ion density. The new CXI diagnostic will provide measurements with ΔR ∼ 0.4 cm to access higher kr instabilities (kr < 8cm-1) predicted to arise in the steep-gradient region of the H-mode pedestal. The CXI system will feature 60 fiber bundles in a 12 × 5 arrangement, with each bundle consisting of four 1mm fibers. A custom optical system has been designed to filter and image incoming signals onto an 8 × 8 avalanche photodiode array. Additionally, a novel electronics suite has been designed and commissioned to amplify and digitize the relatively low-intensity carbon signal at a 2MHz bandwidth. Forward modeling results of the active C-VI emission suggest sufficient signal to noise ratios to resolve turbulent fluctuations. Prototype measurements demonstrate the ability to perform high frequency pedestal measurements.

Analysis of particle dispersion in a turbulent flow considering particle rotation

Non-spherical particles exist widely in natural and industrial fluid systems and the motions of non-spherical particles are significantly different from that of spherical particles. In this paper, a simplified model of non-spherical particles considering particle drag correction, lift, and rotation was established. Based on the Eulerian–Lagrangian simulation, the dispersion characteristics of spherical and non-spherical particles with different Stokes numbers in a high-speed turbulent jet were analyzed and compared considering the effect of particle rotation. The results show that, the differences in particle dispersion and radial velocity fluctuation between non-spherical particles and spherical particles in the jet are significant, especially when Stokes number is large. Moreover, the effects of different type of forces on the dispersion of non-spherical particles and spherical particles were compared in detail, which revealed that the change of the Magnus force caused by the increase in the angular velocity of non-spherical particles plays a dominant role in the differences of particle dispersion.

Super‐Resolution Near‐Infrared Fluorescence Microscopy of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes Using Deep Learning

Single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have unique optical and physical properties, with numerous biomedical imaging and sensing applications, owing to their near‐infrared (nIR) fluorescence which overlaps with the biological transparency window. However, their longer emission wavelengths compared to emitters in the visible range result in a lower resolution due to the diffraction limit. Moreover, the elongated high‐aspect‐ratio structure of SWCNTs poses an additional challenge on super‐resolution techniques that assume point emitters. Utilizing the advantages of deep learning and convolutional neural networks, along with the super‐resolution radial fluctuation (SRRF) algorithm for network training, a fast, parameter‐free, computational method is offered for enhancing the spatial resolution of nIR fluorescence images of SWCNTs. An average improvement of 22% in the resolution and 47% in signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) compared to the original images is shown, whereas SRRF leads to only 24% SNR improvement. The approach is demonstrated for a variety of SWCNT densities and length distributions, and a wide range of imaging conditions with challenging SNRs, including real‐time videos, without compromising the temporal resolution. The results open the path for accelerated and accessible super‐resolution of nIR fluorescent SWCNTs images, further advancing their applicability as nanoscale optical probes.

Investigation of flow behaviors in a fluidized bed reactor with binary mixture of Geldart-A and B particles

Flow dynamics in bubbling and turbulent fluidized beds containing both Geldart-A and B particles were investigated in this research. The numerical model was validated against experimental data, with a 6.16% average deviation. Results show that binary mixture segregation is enhanced as superficial gas velocity decreases. A larger flotsam packing ratio promotes homogeneous flotsam distribution; Second, bed density decreases with increasing bed height or superficial gas velocity. As the flotsam packing ratio decreases from 81.10 to 10.70%, bed density reaches the maximum at 41.50%, indicating the most severe volume contraction; Third, when the flotsam packing ratio decreases, the local mixing index's variances between upper and lower sections in dense phase first increases, then decreases, with stronger radial fluctuation detected; Fourth, as superficial gas velocity or flotsam packing ratio increases, the full mixing height ratio improves; Finally, multivariate correlations for dense phase bed expansion are established, yielding a 3.94% average error. • A modified EMMS drag model was adopted to examine flow features in a bidisperse fluidized bed. • The quantified impacts of superficial gas velocity and packing state on flow are obtained. • Multivariate correlations for dense phase bed expansion were fitted with high accuracy.

Athermal GES-based solar plasma stability with sphero-logabarotropic special effects

A model formalism for the small-scale radial fluctuations excitable in the athermal (non-thermal) solar plasma system on the basis of the non-extensive gravito-electrostatic sheath (GES) model fabric is reported. A unique speciality here is that it intercouples the solar interior plasma (SIP) and the solar wind plasma (SWP) gravito-electrostatically via the interfacial diffused solar surface boundary (SSB). The constitutive electrons are thermostatistically framed in the κ-distribution laws via the Tsallis thermostatistics. In contrast, the heavier ions are treated as an inhomogeneous fluid. The turbulent degrees of freedom are accounted through the Larson nonlinear logabarotropic equation of state in curved geometry. A spherically symmetric wave analysis over the perturbed GES structure results in a unique pair of distinct linear dispersion laws (SIP plus SWP) without any typical quasi-classic approximation. A numerical illustrative platform for the dispersion analysis specifically shows that an antikink-type (kink-type) impulsive rarefactive (compressive) propagatory boost due to irregular dispersion is experienced by the fluctuations at the heliospheric core (photospheric SSB). We see that the thermostatistical parameter (Tsallis power-law tail index κ) acts as a unique form of acceleration agency for both the SIP and SWP instabilities to proliferate. At the last, the explorative semi-analytic results are contextually compared with the realistic domains of the collective excitation of the helioseismic waves and SSB oscillations.

Super-resolved fluorescence imaging of peripheral nerve

Traditional histopathologic evaluation of peripheral nerve employs brightfield microscopy with diffraction limited resolution of ~ 250 nm. Though electron microscopy yields nanoscale resolution of the nervous system, sample preparation is costly and the technique is incompatible with living samples. Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) comprises a set of imaging techniques that permit nanoscale resolution of fluorescent objects using visible light. The advent of SRM has transformed biomedical science in establishing non-toxic means for investigation of nanoscale cellular structures. Herein, sciatic nerve sections from GFP-variant expressing mice, and regenerating human nerve from cross-facial autografts labelled with a myelin-specific fluorescent dye were imaged by super-resolution radial fluctuation microscopy, stimulated emission depletion microscopy, and structured illumination microscopy. Super-resolution imaging of axial cryosections of murine sciatic nerves yielded robust visualization myelinated and unmyelinated axons. Super-resolution imaging of axial cryosections of human cross-facial nerve grafts demonstrated enhanced resolution of small-caliber thinly-myelinated regenerating motor axons. Resolution and contrast enhancement afforded by super-resolution imaging techniques enables visualization of unmyelinated axons, regenerating axons, cytoskeleton ultrastructure, and neuronal appendages of mammalian peripheral nerves using light microscopes.

Turbulent Pipe Flow Subjected To A Mild Straining

Turbulent pipe flow passing through a contraction is measured using planar PIV. The considered Reynolds numbers based on the pre-contraction pipe diameter are between Re_D = 12,300 and 47,900. The dimensionless strain rate imposed by the present contraction is restricted to 2.0, which means that the staining is rapid with respect to the integral time scale. When normalized with the Kolmogorov time scale, the strain is approximately unity at the center of the pipe. Therefore, the imposed strain is considered to be mild. It is found that the response of the streamwise velocity fluctuations (large scales) follow the predictions by Rapid Distortion Theory (RDT) within the experimental uncertainty. However, the radial velocity fluctuations, which are associated with smaller scales as compared to streamwise fluctuations, show a delayed response to the imposed strain. Such a delay is inconsistent with RDT. The present measurements, therefore, suggest a scale-depend response in agreement with some observations in other flows. The anomalous behavior of radial velocity fluctuations is discussed in relation to the coherent structures present in a turbulent pipe flow.

Structural heterogeneity in non-crystalline Tex Se1−x thin films

Rapid crystallization behavior of amorphous TexSe1−x thin films limits the use of these alloys as coatings and in optoelectronic devices. Understanding the short- and medium-range ordering of the amorphous structure and the fundamental physics governing the crystallization of the films is crucial. Although the lack of long range crystalline order restricts the characterization of the amorphous films, electron microscopy offers a way to extract information about the nanoscale ordering. In this paper, the local ordering of amorphous TexSe1−x thin films with x=0.22, 0.61, 0.70, 0.90, and 1 grown by thermal evaporation is investigated using radial distribution function (RDF) and fluctuation electron microscopy (FEM) analysis. RDF results show that the nearest-neighbor distances of selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) in their crystalline structure are preserved, and their bond lengths increase with the addition of Te. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict structures with interatomic distances similar to those measured experimentally. Additionally, fluctuations in atomic coordination are analyzed. Medium range order (MRO) analysis obtained from FEM and DFT calculations suggests that there are at least two populations within the chain network structure, which are close to the Se–Se and Te–Te intrachain distances. For the binary alloy with x &amp;gt; 0.61, TexSe1−x, Te–Te like populations increase and Te fragments might form, suggesting that the glass forming ability decreases rapidly.

Near-Infrared-Emitting Silver Nanoclusters as Fluorescent Probes for Super-resolution Radial Fluctuation Imaging of Lysosomes

Near-Infrared-Emitting Silver Nanoclusters as Fluorescent Probes for Super-resolution Radial Fluctuation Imaging of Lysosomes

Intracellular dynamics of the Sigma-1 receptor observed with super-resolution imaging microscopy.

Sigma-1 receptor (Sig1R) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related membrane protein, that forms heteromers with other cellular proteins. As the mechanism of action of this chaperone protein remains unclear, the aim of the present study was to detect and analyze the intracellular dynamics of Sig1R in live cells using super-resolution imaging microscopy. For that, the Sig1R-yellow fluorescent protein conjugate (Sig1R-YFP) together with fluorescent markers of cell organelles were transfected into human ovarian adenocarcinoma (SK-OV-3) cells with BacMam technology. Sig1R-YFP was found to be located mainly in the nuclear envelope and in both tubular and vesicular structures of the ER but was not detected in the plasma membrane, even after activation of Sig1R with agonists. The super-resolution radial fluctuations approach (SRRF) performed with a highly inclined and laminated optical sheet (HILO) fluorescence microscope indicated substantial overlap of Sig1R-YFP spots with KDEL-mRFP, slight overlap with pmKate2-mito and no overlap with the markers of endosomes, peroxisomes, lysosomes, or caveolae. Activation of Sig1R with (+)-pentazocine caused a time-dependent decrease in the overlap between Sig1R-YFP and KDEL-mRFP, indicating that the activation of Sig1R decreases its colocalization with the marker of vesicular ER and does not cause comprehensive translocations of Sig1R in cells.

Achieving Increased Resolution and Reconstructed Image Quality with Intensity and Gradient Variance Reweighted Radial Fluctuations

Achieving Increased Resolution and Reconstructed Image Quality with Intensity and Gradient Variance Reweighted Radial Fluctuations

Pressure Fluctuation Characteristics Analysis of Centrifugal Pump as Turbine in Its Start-Up Process

In order to study pressure fluctuation characteristics of a centrifugal pump as turbine (PAT) in its start-up process, Fluent was used to do numerical simulation of the PAT start-up process. Time and frequency domain analyses were performed on the data acquired at different positions and different heads. The results show that a large number of low-pressure areas and strong vortexes are formed within the impeller at the initial time of start-up. With the increase in rotating speed, the vortexes rapidly decrease and are concentrated on the blade non-working face. The pressure fluctuation amplitude is the maximum at the start-up initial instant; with increase in rotating speed, it reduces rapidly at the volute spiral part. The pressure fluctuation number within one impeller rotation cycle is consistent with blade number, and the dominant frequency of pressure fluctuation is 6 times the impeller rotational frequency. The dominant frequency amplitude of radial pressure fluctuation increases with decrease in radial size in the volute. The pressure fluctuation in the impeller is much more intensive than that in the volute, and its maximum dominant frequency amplitude occurs in the middle of the impeller towards the inner edge. With the increase in head, the number of pressure fluctuation and the amplitude of dominant frequency increase at the same time during the start-up process.