Simultaneous Heat Research Articles

Energy and exergy analysis of a novel direct-expansion ice thermal storage system based on three-fluid heat exchanger module

Direct-expansion ice thermal storage (DX-ITS) system can overcome the mismatch between cold energy supply and demand, and also exhibit the characteristics of high energy efficiency, simple pipeline and minimal installation space. However, existing DX-ITS failed to achieve simultaneous high-efficiency heat transfer in the processes of charging and discharging, thereby limiting its widespread use. This study developed a novel DX-ITS system based on three-fluid heat exchanger modules employing micro heat pipe arrays to address the proceeding issue. Temperature distribution, pressure, charging and discharging power, energy efficiency ratio, exergy efficiency and ice packing factor during the charging and discharging processes at different compressor speeds, cooling-air temperature and flow rates were experimentally studied. Results demonstrated that maximum charging power, energy efficiency ratio, exergy efficiency, ice packing factor and discharging power of proposed system using a 4 HP compressor under experimental conditions reached 5.71 kW, 2.31, 11.12 %, 82.1 % and 4.99 kW, respectively. Moreover, cooling-air temperature had a more significant effect on system performance compared with cooling-air flow rate and compressor speed. The 11.7 %, 25.9 %, 24.3 %, and 20.6 % reductions in charging power, energy efficiency ratio, exergy efficiency, and ice packing factor were observed with an increase of cooling-air temperature from 18 °C to 35.5 °C.

MHD convective rotating flow of viscoelastic fluid past an infinite vertical oscillating porous plate with Hall effects

AbstractIt is considered the unsteady and incompressible magnetohydrodynamic rotating free convection flow of viscoelastic fluid with simultaneous heat and mass transfer near an infinite vertical oscillating porous plate under the influence of uniform transverse magnetic field and taking Hall current into account. The governing equations of the flow field are then solved by a regular perturbation method for a small elastic parameter. The expressions for the velocity, temperature, and concentration have been derived analytically and also its behavior is computationally discussed with reference to different flow parameters with the help of graphs. The skin friction on the boundary, the heat flux in terms of the Nusselt number, and the rate of mass transfer in terms of the Sherwood number are also obtained and their behavior discussed. The resultant velocity enhances with increasing Hall parameter and rotation parameter. The reversal behavior is observed with increasing viscoelastic parameters. The resultant velocity enhances and experiences retardation in the flow field with increasing radiation parameters, whereas the secondary velocity component increases with increasing rotation parameters. The temperature diminishes as the Prandtl number and/or the frequency of oscillations. The concentration reduces at all points of the flow field with the increase in the Schmidt number.

Entrained flow gasification-based biomass-to-X processes: An energetic and technical evaluation

A large number of process routes is available for the production of sustainable energy carriers from biogenic residues. Benchmarking these routes usually suffers from a lack of comparable performance data. The present work addresses this through a comprehensive model-based comparison of various biomass-to-X routes. Herein, seven routes (methanol, synthetic natural gas, dimethyl ether, Fischer-Tropsch syncrude, ammonia, and hydrogen with and without carbon capture) are modelled in detailed Aspen Plus® simulations. The evaluation itself is based on various key performance indicators, which capture both energetic (i.e. energy yield and usable heat per feedstock) and material-based (i.e. carbon and hydrogen conversion efficiency, and CO2 emissions) properties of the routes. The results show, that no simple correlations can be drawn between energetic and material-based indicators. In summary across all considered properties, the methanol route exhibits the best combined results, in particular with the highest carbon efficiency of 40 %. Fischer-Tropsch is more suitable for integration into existing industrial parks due to the lowest energy yield of 40 % with a lot of by-product formation and the highest amount of useable heat per feedstock of 211.3kWMW-1. Whereas dimethyl ether and synthetic natural gas have potential for integration into heat grids, mainly due to their good conversion and simultaneous large heat dissipation. Ammonia and hydrogen should only be considered in combination with carbon capture. Therefore, the key performance indicators determined herein must be considered together with project- and location-specific requirements and the market outlook for the product.

A generalized CFD model for evaluating catalytic separation process in structured porous materials

A hybrid multiphase model is developed to simulate the simultaneous momentum, heat and mass transfer and heterogeneous catalyzed reaction in structured catalytic porous materials. The approach relies on the combination of the volume of fluid (VOF) and Eulerian–Eulerian models, and several plug-in field functions. The VOF method is used to capture the gas–liquid interface motion, and the Eulerian–Eulerian framework solves the temperature and chemical species concentration equations for each phase. The self-defined field functions utilize a single-domain approach to overcome convergence difficulty when applying the hybrid multiphase for a multi-domain problem. The method is then applied to investigate selective removal of specific species in multicomponent reactive evaporation process. The results show that the coupling of catalytic reaction and interface species mass transfer at the phase interface is conditional, and the coupling of catalytic reaction and momentum transfer across fluid–porous interface significantly affects the conversion rate of reactants. Based on the numerical results, a strategy is proposed for matching solid catalyst with operating condition in catalytic distillation application.

HEMT-Based 1 K Front-End Electronics for the Heat and Ionization Ge CryoCube of the Future Ricochet CE$$\nu $$NS Experiment

The RICOCHET reactor neutrino observatory is planned to be installed at the Laue Langevin Institute (ILL) starting mid-2022. Its scientific goal is to perform a low-energy and high precision measurement of the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE$\nu$NS) spectrum in order to explore exotic physics scenarios. RICOCHET will host two cryogenic detector arrays: the CryoCube (Ge target) and the Q-ARRAY (Zn target), operated at 10 mK. The 1 kg Ge CryoCube will consist of 27 Ge crystals instrumented with NTD-Ge thermal sensors and charge collection electrodes for a simultaneous heat and ionization readout to reject the electromagnetic backgrounds (gamma, beta, x-rays). We present the status of its front-end electronics. The first stage of amplification is made of High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) developed by CNRS/C2N laboratory, optimized to achieve ultra-low noise performance at 1K with a dissipation as low as 15 $\mu$W per channel. Our noise model predicts that 10 eV heat and 20 eVee RMS baseline resolutions are feasible with a high dynamic range for the deposited energy (up to 10 MeV) thanks to loop amplification schemes. Such resolutions are mandatory to have a high discrimination power between nuclear and electron recoils at the lowest energies.

Numerical Simulation of Heat Production and Dissipation of Ventilated Brake Disc for High-Speed Trains under the Action of the Flow Field

For the unique structural characteristics of ventilated brake discs and the complex problem of energy conversion during braking, a calculation method for energy conversion of the ventilated brake disc based on simultaneous heat generation and heat dissipation is proposed. The transient heat transfer model of the ventilated brake disc for high-speed trains is established. Considering the control equations of heat generation–heat dissipation and plate–cylinder convection heat transfer, the virtual simulation of the energy change of the ventilated brake disc during the braking process is carried out. The temperature and stress distribution of contact friction surface and clearance structure of the ventilated brake disc are analysed from the perspective of function conversion. The results show that the heat generated by the ventilated brake disc increases nonlinearly, and the heat dissipated increases linearly. The heat of ventilated brake disc increases with the increase of braking time, but its growth rate decreases continuously. The maximum temperature of the ventilated brake disc is 268 °C, which appears on the friction surface. After braking, its heat is 6.636 × 106 J. The analysis results and methods provide a basis for optimizing the structure of ventilated brake discs.

Computational fluid dynamics simulations of solar-assisted, spacer-filled direct contact membrane distillation: Seeking performance improvement

Significant downstream performance reduction and concentration polarisation reduce direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) efficiency. These challenges are not well researched since they are difficult to implement experimentally and numerically. Hence, this study examined the impact of solar absorbers and different spacer filaments upon DCMD performance. A 2D computational fluid dynamics model that considered simultaneous mass and heat transfer across the membrane and throughout the channels was developed to simulate water flux in DCMD modules under the use of solar absorbers and spacer filaments of various designs. The simulation outcomes were in excellent agreement with experimental results provided by two different studies, with the assisted solar absorber module and the spacer-filled module deviating <5 % and 3 % from the experimental results, respectively. A module equipped with the solar absorber membrane enhanced the DCMD performance better than a module with a solar absorber plate. The results also illustrated that a module with cylindrical detached spacer filaments improved DCMD performance more than a module with rectangular and semicircular attached spacers. Finally, it was shown that a module equipped with an integrated developed spacer and solar absorber membrane significantly enhanced water flux and both concentration and temperature polarisations, specifically when the inlet velocity was increased. Water flux and the temperature polarisation coefficient increased by 220 % in the integrated module, and the concentration polarisation coefficient decreased by 10 %. Moreover, the developed module resulted in a substantial increase in downstream performance.

Effective control of antibiotic resistance using a sonication-based combinational treatment and its application to fresh food

Antibiotics have been widely used to treat several infectious diseases. However, the overuse of antibiotics has promoted the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) in various fields, including the food industry. In this study, the antimicrobial efficacies of two conventional sterilization methods, mild heat, and sonication, were evaluated and optimized to develop a new strategy against ARB. Simultaneous mild heat and sonication (HS) treatment led to a significant reduction in viable cell counts, achieving a 5.58-log reduction in 4 min. However, no remarkable decrease in viable cell counts was observed in individually treated groups. Interestingly, the release of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) increased in a time-dependent manner in the heat-treated and HS-treated groups. The inactivation levels of ARGs increased as the HS treatment time increased from 2 to 8 min, and most ARGs were degraded after 8 min. In contrast, no significant inactivation of ARGs was observed in the heat-treated and sonication-treated groups after 8 min. These results reveal the synergistic effect of the combination treatment in controlling not only ARB but also ARGs. Finally, on applying this newly developed combination treatment to fresh food (cherry tomato and carrot juice), 3.97- and 4.28-log microbial inactivation was achieved, respectively. In addition, combination treatment did not affect food quality during storage for 5 days. Moreover, HS treatment effectively inactivated ARGs in fresh food systems.

Simultaneous heat and mass enhancement in mixed convective flow of power-law fluid using hybrid nanoparticles

Heat conduction and solute diffusion in fluid have been used for modeling of simultaneous heat and mass transportation in non-Newtonian fluid obeying the power-law rheological constitutive model. For thermal and mass transport enhancement, nanoparticles (Cu and AlO ) are dispersed in a mixture of water and ethylene glycol (EG). Mathematical models with correlations for physical properties are solved numerically via the finite element method (FEM). Wall shear stress on the surface of the pipe is enhanced when the intensity of the magnetic field rises. The wall shear stress reduces as positive buoyancy force increases. However, when the buoyancy force is negative , the wall shear stress increases. When the Grashof number is raised, the heat transfer rate at the pipe's surface tends to rise. Similarly, as the Schmidt number rises, the mass flux rises as well. Numerical outcomes have predicted that the motion of fluid becomes fast as the curvature parameter is increased. Favorable Buoyancy force increases the thickness of momentum boundary layer flow, whereas opposing Buoyancy force is responsible of a decrease in thickness of momentum boundary layer flow. Joule heating is responsible of an increase in the thermal boundary layer. Wall shear stress on the surface of the pipe is enhanced when the intensity of the magnetic field is increased.

Modeling and simulation of solvent behavior and temperature distribution within long stick propellants with large web thickness undergoing drying

Drying is a complicated physical process which involves simultaneous heat and mass transfer in the removal of solvents inside propellants. Inappropriate drying techniques may result in the formation of a hard skin layer near the surface to block the free access of most solvent through for long stick propellants with large web thickness, which lead to lower drying efficiency and worse drying quality. This study aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of drying process and clarify the mechanism of the blocked layer near the propellant surface. A new three-dimensional coupled heat and mass transfer (3D-CHMT) model was successfully developed under transient conditions. The drying experiment results show that the 3D-CHMT model could be applied to describe the drying process well since the relative error of the content of solvent between simulation and experiment values is only 5.5%. The solvent behavior simulation demonstrates that the mass transfer process can be divided into super-fast (SF) and subsequent minor-fast (MF) stages, and the SF stage is vital to the prevention of the blocked layer against the free access for solvent molecules inside propellant grains. The effective solvent diffusion coefficient (Deff) of the propellant surface initially increases from 3.4 × 10−6 to 5.3 × 10−6 m2/s as the temperature increases, and then decreases to 4.1 × 10−8 m2/s at 60–100 min. The value of Deff of surface between 0–1.4 mm has a unique trend of change compared with other regions, and it is much lower than that of the internal at 100 min under simulation conditions. Meanwhile, the temperature of the propellant surface increases rapidly at the SF stage (0–100 min) and then very slowly thereafter. Both the evolution of Deff and temperature distribution demonstrate that the blocked layer near the propellant surface has been formed in the time period of approximately 0–100 min and its thickness is about 1.4 mm. To mitigate the formation of blocked layer and improve its drying quality of finial propellant products effectively, it should be initially dried at lower drying temperature (30–40 °C) in 0–100 min and then dried at higher drying temperature (50–60 °C) to reduce drying time for later drying process in double base gun propellants. The present results can provide theoretical guidance for drying process and optimization of drying parameters for long stick propellants with large web thickness.

Heat and mass transfer in hygroscopic hydrogels

Sorption and desorption with hygroscopic hydrogels hold significant promise for thermal management, passive cooling, thermal energy storage, and atmospheric water harvesting. However, a comprehensive understanding of the energy and mass transport mechanisms in hygroscopic hydrogels remains missing, impeding accurate modeling and optimization. In this work, we develop a model for the simultaneous vapor, water, and heat transfer in hygroscopic hydrogels during sorption and desorption processes. We show that by considering vapor diffusion in the hydrogel micropores, water diffusion in the polymer mesh, and heat transfer in the porous hydrogel, we can accurately capture experimentally observed thermally-driven desorption rates in these hydrogels. Furthermore, we consider three typical operating configurations of hydrogels and elucidate the differences in the transport mechanisms depending on the configuration. Finally, for each of these configurations, we identify key design parameters, including hydrogel thickness, hydrogel shear modulus, heat transfer coefficient, and thermal conductivity, and we parametrically show that by varying these parameters, a hygroscopic hydrogel can desorb up to 128.5%, 14.9%, 69.7%, and 9.6% more water, respectively, relative to the initial water content. This work provides a generic framework to model sorption and desorption processes in hygroscopic hydrogels which can guide the design and optimization in applications of thermal management, passive cooling, thermal energy storage, and atmospheric water harvesting with hydrogels.

Long-Range Wireless System for U-Value Assessment Using a Low-Cost Heat Flux Sensor.

The present study exposes an economical and easy-to-use system to assess the heat transfer in building envelopes by determining the U-value. Nowadays these systems require long wires and a host to collect and process the data. In this work, a multi-point system for simultaneous heat flux measurement has been proposed. The aim is to reduce the long measurement time and the cost of thermal isolation evaluations in large buildings. The system proposed consists of a low-cost 3D-printed heat flux sensor integrated with a LoRa transceiver and two temperature sensors. The heat flux (HF) sensor was compared and calibrated with a commercial HF sensor from the Fluxteq brand.

Elevation and Aspect Effects on Soil Microclimate and the Germination Timing of Fall-Planted Seeds

Invasive annual grasses now dominate millions of hectares of rangeland in the Intermountain Western United States. Local annual grass distribution, however, has been shown to follow landscape patterns of slope, aspect, and elevation that are correlated with ecological resilience to stress and disturbance and resistance to annual grass invasion. Although these patterns have previously been linked to soil-climate classes, several mechanistic factors in native-plant seedling establishment are also associated with both topography and seasonal weather patterns in the year following planting. In this study we used the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model to estimate long-term weather effects on soil microclimate and hydrothermal-germination models to predict germination response of one fast- and one slow-germinating native grass as a function of planting date, slope, aspect, and elevation in the Boise Foothills in southwestern Idaho. Higher elevation and northerly aspect sites are more likely to defer germination of seeded species until late enough in the fall that they avoid postgermination/preemergence freezing mortality. These sites are also more favorable for survival of emerged seedlings through mid to late summer. Slope, aspect, and elevation effects on modeled restoration outcomes are consistent with previously modeled general patterns of ecological resilience and resistance as a function of soil hydrothermal class, but inclusion of slope and aspect effects may produce finer-scale metrics for mapping these patterns over space. The probabilistic nature of microclimatic variability as a function of elevation may yield useful insights into successful restoration approaches for reestablishment of native plant communities in lower-elevation ecosystems with inherently lower ecological resilience and resistance. The generally arid climate in this region, however, may limit successful restoration outcomes at lower elevation in most years even under conditions of long-term annual grass control.

Optimization of the first CUPID detector module

CUPID will be a next generation experiment searching for the neutrinoless double beta decay, whose discovery would establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Based on the experience achieved with the CUORE experiment, presently taking data at LNGS, CUPID aims to reach a background free environment by means of scintillating Li_{2}^{100}MoO_4 crystals coupled to light detectors. Indeed, the simultaneous heat and light detection allows us to reject the dominant background of alpha particles, as proven by the CUPID-0 and CUPID-Mo demonstrators. In this work we present the results of the first test of the CUPID baseline module. In particular, we propose a new optimized detector structure and light sensors design to enhance the engineering and the light collection, respectively. We characterized the heat detectors, achieving an energy resolution of (5.9 ± 0.2) keV FWHM at the Q-value of ^{100}Mo (about 3034 keV). We studied the light collection of the baseline CUPID design with respect to an alternative configuration which features gravity-assisted light detectors’ mounting. In both cases we obtained an improvement in the light collection with respect to past measures and we validated the particle identification capability of the detector, which ensures an alpha particle rejection higher than 99.9%, fully satisfying the requirements for CUPID.

A phenomenological-based dynamic model for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel-cell humidifier assembly

This paper presents the deduction of a phenomenological-based semi-physical model (PBSM) for the gas humidification in a fuel-cell assembly. Unlike previously published models, the one proposed here includes the momentum transfer effects and their influences over simultaneous heat and mass transfers occurring into the process as a whole. These effects strongly affect the model precision due to the compressible characteristics of the air. High sensitivity of gas properties regarding changes in both pressure and temperature are also included by modelling the gas as a compressible fluid. The model reproduces the air–water vapour mixture behaviour from the compressor discharge to the fuel-cell inlet port. Since the air humidity and temperature conditions must be maintained at their set-points to guarantee an optimal fuel-cell performance, a model such as the one presented here can be used for designing any model-based control strategy towards achieving desirable operative conditions taking also into account the operational context of the considered assembly. The comparative assessment done with experimental data from a real test bench has shown the effectiveness of the proposed model in accurately reproduce the behaviour of such complex systems.

Film thickness, interfacial waviness and heat transfer during downflow condensation of R134a

• Condensation tests are performed with R134a in a 3.38 mm tube. • Simultaneous film thickness and heat transfer measurements are carried out. • The experimental results of R134a are compared to those of R245fa. • The interfacial waves inception is delayed for R134a due to the high vapor density. • Models for condensation heat transfer, film thickness and void fraction are assessed. Coupled measurements of liquid film thickness and heat transfer during condensation inside minichannels are rare in the literature due to the technical difficulties in performing accurate and non-intrusive measures. The availability of such experimental data is fundamental for better understanding the occurring physical mechanisms and for the proper design of heat exchangers. To cover this gap, in the present work liquid film thickness and heat transfer coefficients have been simultaneously measured during vertical downflow condensation inside a 3.38 mm inner diameter channel. Condensation tests have been run with refrigerant R134a at mass flux between 30 and 150 kg m −2 s −1 and 30 °C saturation temperature. The instantaneous liquid film thickness and interfacial waves are detected by combining two complementary optical methods: shadowgraph technique (applied to a sequence of flow pattern images recorded by a high speed camera) and chromatic confocal imaging. In the data analysis, the experimental results of R134a have been discussed in comparison to R245fa condensation data taken during a previous experimental campaign at much lower pressure. On average, R134a displays higher liquid film thickness than R245fa and the appearance of high-amplitude disturbance waves, which promote the thinning of the liquid film and enhance the heat transfer, is detected at higher mass flux for R134a as compared to R245fa. The liquid film thickness is found to decrease with the increasing mass flux for both fluids, except from 30 to 50 kg m −2 s −1 due to the transition between shear stress-driven and gravity-driven downflow condensation. The accuracy of several well-known models for the prediction of heat transfer coefficient, film thickness and void fraction has been assessed with comparison to the experimental data of both R134a and R245fa.

Numerical modeling of latent heat thermal energy storage integrated with heat pump for domestic hot water production

A combination of a heat pump and thermal energy storage is an efficient method to utilize variable renewable energy. Phase change materials have the potential to provide higher energy densities for thermal energy storage. Previous thermal energy storages utilizing phase change materials are either limited to sequential charge and discharge cycles or a complicated design that limits the maximum charge and responsiveness. This paper presents a novel integration of a heat pump and a thermal energy storage for a responsive simultaneous consumption and charging of the thermal energy storage up to the maximum charge. This concept is illustrated with a process model which is an essential tool in the dimensioning, design, and analysis of integrated thermal energy storage systems. The concept is demonstrated in domestic hot water with the heat pump operating either constantly, with solar energy, or with cheap electricity. For the daily demand of 138.4 kWh, heat pump outputs of 6.0, 14.0, and 22.8 kW were required with thermal energy storage capacities of 30.5, 54.6, and 130.2 kWh. This demonstrates the applicability of the concept as well as the process model for research and design of thermal energy storage with phase change materials. • Integrated model for a heat pump and a thermal energy storage for Matlab-Simulink environment. • Novel design for using only one heat transfer surface inside the energy storage. • Simultaneous heat production and consumption achieved with the novel design. • Developed process model utilized for case study for production of domestic hot water. • Utilization of variable renewable energy enhanced.

Modelling Debris-Covered Glacier Ablation Using the Simultaneous Heat and Water Transport Model. Part 1: Model Development and Application to North Changri Nup

Modelling ablation of glacier ice under a layer of mineral debris is increasingly important, because the extent of supraglacial debris is expanding worldwide due to glacier recession. Physically based models have been developed, but the uncertainty in predictions is not yet well constrained. A new one-dimensional model of debris-covered ice ablation that is based on the Simultaneous Heat and Water transfer model is introduced here. SHAW-Glacier is a physically based, vertically integrated, fully coupled, water and energy balance model, which includes the advection of heat by rainwater and lateral flow. SHAW-Glacier was applied to North Changri Nup, a high elevation alpine glacier in the monsoon-dominated Central Himalaya. Simulations were compared with observed debris temperature profiles, snow depth, and ablation stake measurements for debris 0.03–0.41 m thick, in a 2500 m2 study area. Prediction uncertainty was estimated in a Monte Carlo analysis. SHAW-Glacier simulated the characteristic pattern of decreasing ablation with increasing debris thickness. However, the observations of ablation did not follow the characteristic pattern; annual ablation was highest where the debris was thickest. Recursive partitioning revealed a substantial, non-linear sensitivity to the snow threshold air temperature, suggesting a sensitivity to the duration of snow cover. Photographs showed patches of snow persisting through the ablation season, and the observational data were consistent with uneven persistence of snow patches. The analyses indicate that patchy snow cover in the ablation season can overwhelm the sensitivity of sub-debris ablation to debris thickness. Patchy snow cover may be an unquantified source of uncertainty in predictions of sub-debris ablation.

Comparison of coal-to-ethanol product separation strategies

Given China's energy structure and the limitations of bioethanol, the coal-to-ethanol (CTE) pathway, from dimethyl ether to ethanol (DMTE) via carbonylation and hydrogenation, is highly anticipated. Ethanol, methanol, methyl acetate, and ethyl acetate are the crude hydrogenation products that need to be purified, requiring at least an eight-column scheme. However, the optimization of the existing separation strategy with ethanol as the priority is unfavorable in the following aspects: it is usually plagued by tedious rules of thumb and, due to the large scale of the process, is prone to falling into local minima; pre-designed heat integration inevitably neglects the interaction of parameter optimization and heat integration; reports on alternative feasible distillation sequences are scarce in publications, let alone comparisons amongst these counterparts. Therefore, four viable separation strategies are proposed in this paper to compare with this faulted separation strategy. A self-adapting dynamic differential evolution (SADDE) algorithm, which is accelerated by parallel computation, is used to search for optimal column parameters of all the configuration options and facilitates simultaneous heat integration structure synthesis. Two strategies stand out after 3000 generations of evolution. Splitting methanol outperforms in specific steam consumption (SSC) of ethanol (1.8177), much better than the benchmark (2.4840), and splitting ethyl acetate with ethyl acetate priority has the most competitive total annual cost (TAC), 23.98% lower than the benchmark.In summary, this paper provides a reference for optimizing complex distillation systems like CTE product separation, or more specifically, the DMTE route, before the appearance of the most suitable separation strategy in demand. Furthermore, it will also serve for the CTE superstructure to further explore the optimal distillation sequence.

A smart tri-layered nanofibrous hydrogel thin film with controlled release of dual drugs for chemo-thermal therapy of breast cancer

A tri-layered nanofibrous hydrogel thin film with temperature sensitivity is introduced as a new controlled drug release system to treat breast cancer. A simultaneous heat generation with the tunable release of dual drugs is observed in response to visible light radiation. A tri-layered nanofibrous sheet was fabricated through sequential electrospinning the blends of Au@Chit@DOX-loaded poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-methylol acrylamide) (poly (NIPAAm-co-NMA)) and Curcumin-loaded poly (vinyl alcohol) (Cu-loaded PVA), where the Cu-loaded PVA nanofibers (NFs) are sandwiched between two layers of Au@Chit@DOX-loaded poly (NIPAAm-co-NMA) NFs. After thermal crosslinking of the tri-layered nanofibrous sheet, the nanofibrous hydrogel thin film is obtained. FTIR/ATR, UV–Vis, Photoluminescence, and PXRD analyses were used for characterizing. PVA NFs and poly (NIPAAm-co-NMA) NFs were observed in the average diameters of 358 and 212 nm, respectively, and Au@Chit@DOX nanoparticles (NPs) appeared as local thickening inside the NFs. The distribution of drugs was visualized with confocal images. The thermal stability up to 295 °C and tensile strength of 0.65 MPa with 99.36% elongation were reported for the nanofibrous hydrogel thin film. Unlike the fast release of drugs from the nanofibrous sheet, a controlled release of drugs was observed from the nanofibrous hydrogel thin film at 45 °C and under visible light radiation. 52% at 45 °C and 55% under light radiation were reported for the Cur release and 86% at 45 °C and 88% under light radiation were observed for the release of DOX within 18 h. The in vitro cell viability results under light radiation displayed a chemo-thermal therapy over breast cancer cells.