Upstream Distribution Research Articles

Late Cretaceous cooling and pulsed cenozoic uplift in the Fenghuang Shan: Insights into the tectonic evolution of the Qinling Orogen, central China

Reactivation of the Qinling Orogen since the Late Jurassic has been controlled by the combined effects of the convergence between the South and North China blocks, the subduction of the Pacific Plate, and the northeastward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, we present new apatite (U–Th)/He ages from a vertical transect in the Fenghuang Shan located in the North Daba Mountains, where rapid cooling at ∼95-90 Ma is identified. Inverse thermal history modeling results reveal another pulse of accelerated exhumation at ∼50 Ma. In addition, we analyzed longitudinal profiles of rivers draining the northern flank of the Fenghuang Shan and identified knickpoints that break channels into gentle upstream and steep downstream segments. We deduce that these knickpoints were initiated by an increase in the mountain-bounding fault throw, based on nearly constant chi values (an integral to the upstream drainage area distribution) and a reliance of knickpoints’ retreat distances on catchment areas. Assuming a linear slope exponent and erodibility of 10−6 m0.1/a, we estimated knickpoint ages to be ∼5.7 ± 1.7 Ma. We interpret the Late Cretaceous cooling as a result of lithospheric extensional collapse following the Late Jurassic intra-continental compression between the North and South China blocks. The early Cenozoic exhumation might relate to the active normal faulting, as a far-field response to the west Pacific back-arc extension. The expansion of the NE Tibetan Plateau may have triggered the late Miocene uplift of the mountain range. The multiple episodes of tectonic events in the Fenghuang Shan might correspond to various geodynamic regimes on the tectonic evolution in the Qinling Orogen.

Patients presenting to the ED with nonfatal drug overdose: Self-reported history of overdose and naloxone use

BackgroundIn the context of polysubstance use and fentanyl detection in non-opioid drugs supplies (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine), it is important to re-evaluate and expand our understanding of which populations are at high risk for fatal drug overdoses. The primary objective of this pilot study was to gather data from the ED to characterize the population presenting with drug overdose, including demographics, drug use patterns and comorbidities, to inform upstream overdose prevention efforts. MethodsA consecutive sample of ED patients undergoing treatment for non-fatal overdose were prospectively recruited for study participation at the time of ED visit. Participants reported history of substance use over the past six months, recent and lifetime overdose, and naloxone receipt and administration history. ResultsA total of 76 eligible participants were enrolled over the course of seven months. Participants reported high rates of opioid (56%), stimulant (56%), and cannabis use (59%). Self-reported polysubstance use, defined as self-reported use of more than one substance, was 83%. Of enrolled participants, 64% reported at least one overdose and 39% reported three or more lifetime overdoses prior to their index overdose ED visit. Participants with no self-reported intentional opioid use (n = 32) in the past six months had fentanyl positive urine drug screen 84% of the time versus 89% in the overall study population (n = 74). Participants who did not report opioid use in the past six months were less likely to possess (34% vs. 55%) or to know how to acquire (50% vs. 74%) naloxone compared to participants with self-reported history of opioid use. ConclusionThis study demonstrated high rates of fentanyl exposure on toxicology testing at time of overdose across all participants including study participants without self-reported intentional opioid use. Data gathered in the ED at time of overdose can be used to inform upstream naloxone distribution and public health initiatives.

Upstream Electrohydrodynamic Conduction Pumping for Flow Distribution Control of Parallel Microchannel Evaporators

Abstract Flow boiling in mini and microchannels has become an attractive option for many applications, such as compact and low charge heat exchangers. Microchannel heat exchangers, however, are more susceptible to maldistribution between parallel flow channels. When operating during uneven heat load conditions, the maldistribution becomes even more severe. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) conduction pumping technology offers an innovative way to redistribute flow between parallel branches in a microchannel heat exchanger and is also being explored as a next generation mechanism of microgravity heat transport. In EHD conduction pumping, a strong electric field interacts with dissociated electrolytes in dielectric fluid to generate a net body force, and thus, a net flow, with no moving parts, no acoustical noise, lower power consumption, and the ability to operate in microgravity. An EHD conduction pump was designed, fabricated, and tested for upstream flow distribution control of a parallel microchannel evaporator in an opposing configuration. Flow redistribution capability was measured at system flowrates up to 6 ml/min. The EHD conduction pump was capable of completely blocking and reversing the flow in its branch. Recovery from near critical heat flux conditions up to a maximum heat flux of 77.5 W/cm2 was also demonstrated for the operating conditions and design of this study. This was achieved in the absence of enhanced surfaces. The working fluid is HFE 7100. The results show that EHD conduction is able to effectively control the flow distribution of the microchannel evaporator, however, its effectiveness decreases with increasing heat flux and flowrate.

Ink Fluidic Behaviors during R2R Slot Die Coating on Quality Thin Film Formation

High throughput slot die coating is a desired fabrication method for flexible display, solar cell, Li-ion battery pack, intelligent package and wearable electronics. In this study, the stability of the thin film formation by slot die coating is investigated through theoretical, experimental and numerical studies with the combined effects of the fluid and substrate surface characteristics. The theoretical model based on the viscous capillary theory reveals fluid upstream and downstream distribution patterns and associated parameters that descript the coating layer stability. A 3D model based on the volume of fluid method (VOF) is developed to illustrate the coating process affecting the coating quality by the substrate velocity and flow rate. The numerical and experimental results agree that higher viscosity fluid is more prone to trap air bubbles and/or to create de-wetting areas while as the lower viscosity fluid were responsible for upstream liquid dripping. Boundary by the fluid, substrate, and operating parameters, our numerical study has developed the coating operation window to minimize or eliminate coating defects which has been confirmed by the experiments. These study results could lead high yield coating processes and efficiency in large area functional coating production.

A framework for water supply regulation in coastal areas by avoiding saltwater withdrawal considering upstream streamflow distribution

Freshwater availability in coastal areas depends on the withdrawal from tidal rivers. It is severely threatened by saltwater intrusion, especially in the dry season. Freshwater availability is associated closely with natural factors and human activities. Limited research has investigated how freshwater availability is influenced by saltwater intrusion, streamflow, projects, etc., and how the water supply security downstream is affected by the abovementioned factors. To fill these gaps, this paper presents a new framework, i.e., water supply regulation by avoiding saltwater withdrawal (RASW). The framework is based on data on streamflow, tide, wind, the salinity of withdrawal stations, capacities of withdrawal projects and reservoirs, and water demand, which holistically develops relationships among saltwater intrusion, upstream streamflow, and water supply. The RASW contains three phases, i.e., estuary salinity-exceedance simulation, upstream streamflow distribution design, and local water supply security analysis. The proposed intellectual framework and methodology have been tested on the water supply for Zhuhai-Macao of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Great Bay Area, South China. Results demonstrated that the meta-Gaussian copula efficiently simulated the six-dimensional monthly streamflow distribution and was appropriate for streamflow distribution scenario design. Water supply security benefited greatly from the joint river-reservoir regulation mode. Nevertheless, the water supply security was threatened in the extreme scenarios when the extremely low streamflow distribution happened in the late period or lasted for an extended period. The proposed framework facilitates integrated decision-making for water supply security in coastal areas. Utilizing the streamflow distribution as a management tool and controlling them to avoid extremely low streamflow and adjust their occurrence time can alleviate water supply pressure. Moreover, the capacities of local regulating facilities should be designed with full consideration.

Detection efficiency of adult Pacific lamprey passage counts at Leaburg Dam and upstream distribution in the McKenzie River (Oregon, USA)

AbstractAdult Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) were counted using consistent methodology since 2005 with a video monitoring system as they passed Leaburg Dam (McKenzie River, Oregon, USA) en route to upstream spawning areas. In this study we evaluated the detection efficiency of the video system and upstream distribution of Pacific lamprey using the video counts of lamprey passage (herein, “dam counts”), passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, and radio telemetry. In 2019–2020 we collected, tagged and tracked 32 adult lamprey (4 from the McKenzie River and 28 that were translocated from Willamette Falls). All fish were tagged and released into the tailrace of Leaburg Dam in June 2019. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife employees and volunteers from the local community conducted mobile radiotracking above and below the dam in drift boats (114 mainstem river kilometers) and on foot (several tributaries). The estimated detection efficiency for dam counts was 92% (95% confidence interval: 67%–99%). Fifty percent (16 of 32) of the tagged lamprey passed the dam, including 13 of 28 that were translocated. Thirty‐seven percent (6 of 16) of lamprey that passed Leaburg Dam were detected in a restored reach of the South Fork McKenzie, 32.6 river kilometers upstream of the dam.

E-commerce and logistics sprawl: A spatial exploration of last-mile logistics platforms

The rise of e-commerce helped fuel consumer appetite for quick home deliveries. One consequence has been the placing of some logistics facilities in proximity to denser consumer markets. The trend departs from prevailing discussion on “logistics sprawl,” or the proliferation of warehousing into the urban periphery. This study spatially and statistically explores the facility- and region-level dimensions that characterize the centrality of e-commerce logistics platforms. Analyzing 910 operational Amazon logistics platforms in 89 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) between 2013 and 2021, this study estimates temporal changes in distances to relative, population centroids and population-weighted market densities. Results reveal that although some platforms serving last-mile deliveries locate closer to consumers than upstream distribution platforms to better fulfill time-demands, centrality varies due to facility operating characteristics, market size, and when the platform opened.

Experimental study on the removal of submicron droplets by fibrous filter media in a sound field

The acoustic agglomeration technology is proposed as pretreatment to effectively reduce the concentration of particles produced in the industrial process, thus to improve the filtration efficiency of subsequent filter devices. However, the removal of submicron droplets by sound waves has not yet received attention. In this paper, a new method is proposed for high-efficient filtration of submicron droplets based on sound waves. According to the entrainment mechanism of sound waves on the submicron droplets, a sound field is introduced in the filtration system to enhance the collision probability between the droplets and the fibers in filter materials. The effects of sound pressure level (SPL) and sound frequency on the droplet removal were experimentally investigated at different filtration gas velocities. The results show that there is no shift for the upstream particle size distribution, however, the downstream droplet concentration decreases when the sound field is introduced. The effect of the sound field on filtration performance is determined by the vibration amplitude and the vibration period of the droplets. In the SPL range of 130–145 dB, the improvement of the filtration performance is better with the increase of the SPL for a fixed sound frequency. In the frequency range of 500–900 Hz, the optimal filtration performance of the filter material is obtained at 700 Hz. When the filtration gas velocity is between 0.2 and 0.4 m/s, the improvement of the filtration performance gradually weakens as the filtration velocity increases. Furthermore, the reduction of the downstream droplet concentration is more significant for low-efficient filters or those with fewer layers under the same condition in the sound field.

Multi-layer control on DC fast charging stations equipped with distributed energy storages and connected to distribution network: Managing power and energy following events

In this paper, DC fast charging (DCFC) stations are integrated into the distribution network (DN). The designed DCFC stations are equipped with several charging devices (CDs) at different rated powers, which can charge electric vehicles (EVs) at various power levels through charging points (CPs). A central control system (CCS) is designed for each DCFC, which is applied for managing its local controllers. The CDs also use distributed energy storage (DES) alongside the DC chargers in order to increase the speed of the charging process and utilize the stored energy for improving the DN operation. The DN central controller scheme is as well designed to control the CCS of DCFCs and make positive effects on the upstream distribution grid. The CCS of DN, in addition to managing the CCS of DCFCs, is responsible for controlling the charge level of DCFCs according to four control strategies in each station including improving voltage fluctuations on the DN side, injecting reactive power from DCFCs to DN during a fault on the DN side, increasing DN resiliency by supplying critical loads in the time of upstream network outage, and supplying loads with time-varying active-reactive powers. The nonlinear simulations using MATLAB-SIMULINK demonstrate that the proposed strategies can effectively improve the performance of DN in addition to accurate control of the charging process in the EVs.

Glacier retreat reorganizes river habitats leaving refugia for Alpine invertebrate biodiversity poorly protected.

Alpine river biodiversity around the world is under threat from glacier retreat driven by rapid warming, yet our ability to predict the future distributions of specialist cold-water species is currently limited. Here we link future glacier projections, hydrological routing methods and species distribution models to quantify the changing influence of glaciers on population distributions of 15 alpine river invertebrate species across the entire European Alps, from 2020 to 2100. Glacial influence on rivers is projected to decrease steadily, with river networks expanding into higher elevations at a rate of 1% per decade. Species are projected to undergo upstream distribution shifts where glaciers persist but become functionally extinct where glaciers disappear completely. Several alpine catchments are predicted to offer climate refugia for cold-water specialists. However, present-day protected area networks provide relatively poor coverage of these future refugia, suggesting that alpine conservation strategies must change to accommodate the future effects of global warming.

The Impact of Distance in Retail Markets

We examine the demand-side implications of Amazon's distribution and logistics investments. Our results indicate that online demand–transactions at Amazon and its competitors–does not respond to the consumer's proximity to Amazon's upstream fulfillment distribution facilities, suggesting that their densification did not differentially improve local shipping times and on-time delivery. Instead, we find that investments in last-mile delivery facilities and services allow the company to improve shipping times more directly in the urban markets served by these facilities, simultaneously increasing demand through the rollout of same-day service options and reducing the visits to traditional brick-and-mortar retail.

Anguillids in the upper Nu–Salween River, South-East Asia: species composition, distributions, natal sources and conservation implications

Context Anguillids are ecologically and commercially important fishes in the Indo-Pacific, but river fragmentation threatens their populations. The free-flowing large river, Nu–Salween River, may be their last remaining habitat within China. Aims This study investigated the species composition, distributions and natal sources of anguillids from the Nu–Salween River. Methods We adopted a convolutional neural network (i.e. morphology–molecule network, MMNet) integrating morphological and molecular data to identify eel specimens collected in the upper reach from 2017 to 2021. Key results Three anguillid species (187 individuals of Anguilla bengalensis, 34 of Anguilla bicolor and 25 of Anguilla marmorata) were identified using integrative taxonomy. The MMNet method, with accuracies exceeding 99.90%, outperformed methods using morphological or molecular data alone for each of the three eel species. A. bengalensis has the widest distribution range, whereas A. bicolor and A. marmorata have narrower ranges and may be new to this region. These riverine eels are parts of widespread Indo-Pacific metapopulations. Conclusions The upstream distribution expansions of eels in the Nu–Salween are likely to be due to climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. Implications We argue that the Nu–Salween River is a key habitat for migratory fishes surrounding the Indo-Pacific and should be maintained as free-flowing because neighbouring large rivers are increasingly dammed.

Floodplain Connecting Channels as Critical Paths for Hydrological Connectivity of Deltaic River Networks

AbstractA river bifurcation is critical for distributing water, sediment and nutrients to the downstream branches of deltaic river networks. However, the downstream branches of a bifurcation can be linked by a connecting channel cutting through deltaic floodplains. The floodplain connecting channel as a downstream control can affect water partitioning at the river bifurcation and hence the hydrological connectivity of the river network. However, its effects are still largely elusive. In this study, we explored how a connecting channel linking downstream branches affects water partitioning at the upstream bifurcation and water distribution along the two branches. The investigation was conducted through idealized numerical simulations using Delft3D, followed by analysis of the cascading effects on the hydrological connectivity of river networks using graph theory. The results show that connecting channels can mitigate asymmetric water partitioning at the upstream bifurcation. However, this happens at the expense of inducing more uneven flow at the downstream outlets. The flow adjustment is due to the altered spatial water surface slope in the two branches associated with the flow exchange from one channel to the other via the connecting channel. Further analysis of hydrological connectivity shows that connecting channels can generally reduce the vulnerability of the channel network to hydrological alterations, especially changing inflow, by enhancing flow exchange between the two branches. Our results suggest that connecting channels are critical paths for hydrological connectivity, which have important implications for the management of deltaic river networks and their floodplains.

Ceiling temperature distribution and decay in tunnel fires: Effect of longitudinal velocity, bifurcated shaft exhaust and fire location

This paper establishes a model tunnel to investigate the impact of longitudinal velocity (u), bifurcated shaft exhaust velocity (BSEV) and fire location on ceiling temperature and decay. The experimental results show that a longitudinal velocity of 0.6 m/s can control the upstream high temperature within 2.5 m when the distance between fire and shaft (D) is 1.0 m, and further increase in longitudinal velocity has little effect on upstream temperature distribution. Downstream temperature profile should be divided into two cases according to the magnitude of longitudinal velocity: the difference between the temperature decay model in low-speed region (u ≤ 0.5 m/s) and that in the high-speed region (u > 0.5 m/s) is particularly obvious with D at 1.0 m, and the downstream temperature decay rate in the low-speed region is the slowest compared to all the working conditions in this paper. For D more than 1.0 m, the range of high temperature distribution increases with D for certain longitudinal velocities (0.6-0.7 m/s); however, at particularly large longitudinal velocity (0.8 m/s), D has almost no effect on the upstream temperature distribution. The effect of longitudinal velocity on upstream temperature is stronger than that of BSEV. The downstream ceiling temperature decay model is little affected by longitudinal velocity and BSEV with D more than 1.0 m. The temperature decay rate first decreases, then increases, and finally decreases again as the D increases. Existing temperature attenuation models cannot predict the temperature profile in longitudinally ventilated tunnels with BSEV, but the temperature decay model considering fire location proposed in this paper can provide a reference value for tunnels with synergistic ventilation of longitudinal ventilation and BSEV.

Stabilization of Auto-Igniting Flames Within a Gas Turbine Sequential Combustor, Through the Control of Static Temperature Variation—Detailed Numerical Investigation

Abstract Axially staged combustion systems offer both enhanced operability and fuel flexibility for gas turbines, allowing stable operation and low emissions across a wide range of engine loads. The sequential combustion concept, where the first combustion stage is supported by a standard lean premixed flame and the second stage relies on an auto-ignition-dominated flame, forms the focus of the present contribution. Within the present state of the art, the still-oxygen-rich exhaust gases from the first stage are mixed with second stage fuel within a sequential burner. Within the presently investigated concept, the flame is anchored by establishing a positive static temperature gradient within the burner. The advantage of such a concept is that it potentially allows for very small combustor residence times and can be easily incorporated into an integrated combustor–nozzle guide vane. The concept does however present significant challenges, which are investigated within then present contribution. A critical challenge is that, in order to setup the static temperature gradient, the flow has to be accelerated to a relatively high Mach number, ca. 0.7, and then decelerated in a diffusing section where the flame is located. Achieving fuel/air premixing and combustion, while achieving acceptable pressure drops is not trivial at the high velocities. Additionally, the dynamic stability of the concept is not clear and needs to be investigated. Within the present work, compressible computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to investigate the pressure drop characteristics within the system. It is demonstrated that for the system a total pressure drop of less than 6% can be achieved. To realize this, the premixing section includes multipoint fuel injection coupled with mixing devices. The arrangement is designed to both limit excessive pressure losses by focusing losses within regions of the flow where they contribute effectively to fuel/air mixing as well as locating the flame where Rayleigh losses are acceptable. The dynamic behavior of the system is studied by way of two-dimensional (2D) fully premixed CFD. Investigation of the flame response to harmonic perturbations in inlet temperature shows that the flame transfer function (FTF) is characterized by amplitude growing, in line with the concept of auto-ignition at low Mach number, linearly with frequency. The rate of growth with frequency of the FTF amplitude is rather high reaching up to 60 times the imposed relative fluctuation of inlet temperature at a frequency of 600 Hz. This rapid growth is in line with the behavior of auto-ignition at low Mach number. A substantial difference with the low Mach number concept is given by upstream traveling acoustic waves generated by the flame that going through high Mach number locations, can affect, in respect of the conservation of entropy transported by convection, the upstream temperature distribution and therefore auto-ignition itself.

Effect of Airflow Non-Uniformities on the Thermal Performance of Water–Air Heat Exchangers—Experimental Study and Analysis

The thermal performance of fin-and-tube heat exchangers (HX) is a crucial aspect in a multitude of applications and fields; several design and operational parameters influence this performance. This study focuses on the issue of flow maldistribution and its effect on the HX thermal performance. For this purpose, an experimental setup is designed and implemented to emulate the conditions under which an automotive heat exchanger operates in regard to the non-uniform upstream airflow velocity distribution over the HX surface. The setup allows obtaining various configurations of airflow velocity non-uniformity of some desired mean velocity and standard deviation. The experimental results reveal that a higher degree of non-uniformity (higher standard deviation of the velocity distribution) causes an increased deterioration of the HX thermal performance. For example, at a water flowrate of 200 L/h and a mean airflow velocity of 2 m/s, increasing the standard deviation from 0 to 2 m/s (i.e., moving from the lowest to highest degrees of non-uniformity) causes a total deterioration of 27% in the performance (3.78 to 2.75 kW, respectively), which can also be observed in the increased level of outlet water temperature (53.8 to 58.2 °C, respectively). The obtained results confirm the numerical results reported in the literature.

Experimental study on temperature characteristics in a subway train carriage with lateral openings in a longitudinally ventilated tunnel

Under the rapid development of subway systems, a fundamental understanding of subway fire safety is critically needed to benefit its designs and assessment. Previous studies on train carriage fires are limited to single-carriage fires under natural ventilation. However, it is still unclear how longitudinal ventilation affects the smoke movement in the train carriage with lateral openings. Therefore, a series of 1:3 reduced-scale experimental tests were conducted to investigate the smoke temperature characteristics in a train carriage located in a longitudinally ventilated tunnel. Under various fire sizes and ventilation rates, the ceiling gas temperature and smoke layer height were measured. Compared to the traditional fire scenario with end openings, the maximum ceiling gas temperature and the downstream temperature distribution decay factor are relatively smaller because of the lateral flame tilt and less heat loss during smoke propagation. The effects of ventilation velocity on the maximum ceiling gas temperature are significantly weakened under the blockage effect of the train carriage. The downstream temperature distribution followed a single exponential attenuation function, independent of the fire size and ventilation rate. However, the upstream temperature distribution is much more complex under the restriction of the end wall. A four-segment model was proposed to predict the upstream temperature distribution based on the relationship between the back-layering length and half the carriage length. The fire size and ventilation rate also show limited influence on the smoke stratification, with a layer height of 0.316 m in the stable region. The research outcomes offer adeeper understanding of the smoke propagation of the subway train carriage fire and a theoretical guide on the designs of future tunnels.

The Importance of Phenology and Thermal Exposure to Early Life History Success of Nonnative Smallmouth Bass in the Yellowstone River

AbstractKnowledge of potential spread by introduced species is critical to effective management and conservation. The Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu is an example of a fish that has been introduced globally, often spreads after introduction, and has substantial predatory impacts on fish assemblages. Nonnative Smallmouth Bass in the free‐flowing Yellowstone River, Montana, have expanded from warmer, downstream sections of river into colder, upstream sections containing socio‐economically valuable trout fisheries. We sought insight into mechanisms controlling upstream spread by evaluating whether progressively colder upstream climates physiologically constrained successful recruitment by limiting age‐0 growth and preventing overwinter survival (i.e., population establishment). We documented the phenology, growth, and overwinter survival of age‐0 Smallmouth Bass across a temperature gradient leading to their upstream extent in the Yellowstone River. The upstream extent of population establishment did not appear limited by water temperature alone. Age‐0 body size at the onset of winter did not differ significantly between colder, upstream reaches and warmer, downstream reaches. Instead, the earlier hatch timing exhibited by some age‐0 individuals in upstream sections allowed them to experience longer growing seasons than many individuals in downstream sections. This counter‐intuitive hatching phenology mediated much of the expected decreases in growth in colder, upstream climates. Furthermore, evidence of successful overwinter survival and simulations of age‐0 starvation mortality indicated that age‐0 individuals at the upstream extent of their distribution successfully recruited to the age‐1 year‐class during four consecutive years. However, age‐0 individuals were rare or absent throughout the uppermost upstream distribution of adults, suggesting that something other than temperature limits or discourages reproduction farther upstream. Taken together, our results suggest that Smallmouth Bass have not yet reached the thermal limit of their upstream distribution in the Yellowstone River and that future spread may challenge fisheries managers tasked with management of coldwater trout fisheries in this river.

Geometric and hydrodynamic influences on the droplet breakup dynamics in a branched microdevice

Droplet breakup phenomenon in a microchannel is a well-known potential approach for process intensification. Here we investigate a branched microdevice to explore the influence of Capillary number (Ca) and the ratio of branching arm width to the main channel (β) on droplet breakup dynamics by developing a 3-D computational model, which was firstly validated with the in-house as well as independent experimental results. A homogeneous pressure field inside a droplet is found to be the principal reason in droplet non-breakup for widely asymmetric configuration (i.e., β = 0.4 and 1.2). For other branching configurations (β = 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0), droplet breakup in three different regimes is identified, and a regime map is formulated as a function of Ca vs. β. It is observed that apart from Ca, a critical β also exists for the transition between breakup and non-breakup regimes, and the configuration with β = 0.8 is more susceptible for droplet breakup owing to the force balance in both arms with respect to confinement and flow direction. Additionally, the smaller critical Ca for β = 1.0 than for β = 0.6 indicates the significance of upstream flow distribution.

A smart discrete charging method for optimum electric vehicles integration in the distribution system in presence of demand response program

Electric vehicle charging is one of the common techniques for techno-economic energy management in the distribution system, which, if implemented properly, brings several benefits such as the peak load shaving, total costs reduction, losses minimization, etc. Unlike traditional charging methods, it is not necessary to completely charge electric vehicles. Instead, each vehicle can be charged smartly just based on its demand for its next trips. In this way, charging takes less time and the total consumption is balanced without any discomfort for the drivers. To implement this smart method, electric vehicle owners must fill in an information sheet that contains the number and lengths of the their next. Then, its required energy is calculated this info, and the initial battery state of charge. Finally, the charging management system starts the planning according to its upstream distribution system operator. Several parameters are needed for the planning such as time of use tariff of the electricity, the distribution transformer or substation physical limits, the rate of the charge (normal or fast), etc. The aim of the planning is to minimize the charging cost considering the technical and economic constraints. Here, the YALMIP and MOSEK software are used as the solver of the proposed mixed-integer linear programming model.