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2014

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Articles 9661 - 9690 of 9800

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

“Spaghetti” Design For Gravitational Wave Superconducting Antenna, Armen Gulian, J Foreman, Vahan Nikoghosyan, Shmuel Nussinov, Louis Sica, Jeff Tollaksen Jan 2014

“Spaghetti” Design For Gravitational Wave Superconducting Antenna, Armen Gulian, J Foreman, Vahan Nikoghosyan, Shmuel Nussinov, Louis Sica, Jeff Tollaksen

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

A new concept for detectors of gravitational wave radiation is discussed. Estimates suggest that strain sensitivity essentially better than that of the existing devices can be achieved in the wide frequency range. Such sensitivity could be obtained with devices about one meter long. Suggested device consists of multi-billion bimetallic superconducting wires ("spaghettis") and requires cryogenic operational temperatures (~0.3K in the case considered).


How Well Does Multiple Ocr Error Correction Generalize?, William B. Lund, Eric K. Ringger, Daniel D. Walker Jan 2014

How Well Does Multiple Ocr Error Correction Generalize?, William B. Lund, Eric K. Ringger, Daniel D. Walker

Faculty Publications

As the digitization of historical documents, such as newspapers, becomes more common, the need of the archive patron for accurate digital text from those documents increases. Building on our earlier work, the contributions of this paper are: 1. in demonstrating the applicability of novel methods for correcting optical character recognition (OCR) on disparate data sets, including a new synthetic training set, 2. enhancing the correction algorithm with novel features, and 3. assessing the data requirements of the correction learning method. First, we correct errors using conditional random fields (CRF) trained on synthetic training data sets in order to demonstrate the …


A Mathematical Model Of Collagen Lattice Contraction, J. C. Dallon, Emily J. Evans, H Paul Erhlich Jan 2014

A Mathematical Model Of Collagen Lattice Contraction, J. C. Dallon, Emily J. Evans, H Paul Erhlich

Faculty Publications

Two mathematical models for fibroblast-collagen interaction are proposed which reproduce qualitative features of fibroblast populated collagen lattice contraction in time. Both models are force based and model the cells as individual entities with discrete attachment sites however the collagen lattice is modeled differently for each model. In the collagen lattice model the lattice is more interconnected and formed by triangulating nodes to form the fibrous structure. In the collagen fiber model the nodes are not triangulated, are less interconnected, and the collagen fibers are modeled as a string of nodes. Both models suggest that the overall increase in stress of …


Form Factor Of Pnipam Microgels In Overpacked States, U. Gasser, J. S. Hyatt, J.- J. Lietor-Santos, E. S. Herman, L. Andrew Lyon, A. Fernandez-Nieves Jan 2014

Form Factor Of Pnipam Microgels In Overpacked States, U. Gasser, J. S. Hyatt, J.- J. Lietor-Santos, E. S. Herman, L. Andrew Lyon, A. Fernandez-Nieves

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

We study the form factor of thermoresponsive microgels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) at high generalized volume fractions, ζ, where the particles must shrink or interpenetrate to fit into the available space. Small-angle neutron scattering with contrast matching techniques is used to determine the particle form factor. We find that the particle size is constant up to a volume fraction roughly between random close packing and space filling. Beyond this point, the particle size decreases with increasing particle concentration; this decrease is found to occur with little interpenetration. Noteworthily, the suspensions remain liquid-like for ζ larger than 1, emphasizing the importance of …


Weekly Gridded Aquarius L-Band Radiometer/Scatterometer Observations And Salinity Retrievals Over The Polar Regions - Part 2: Initial Product Analysis, L. Brucker, Emmanuel P. Dinnat, L. S. Koenig Jan 2014

Weekly Gridded Aquarius L-Band Radiometer/Scatterometer Observations And Salinity Retrievals Over The Polar Regions - Part 2: Initial Product Analysis, L. Brucker, Emmanuel P. Dinnat, L. S. Koenig

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Following the development and availability of Aquarius weekly polar-gridded products, this study presents the spatial and temporal radiometer and scatterometer observations at L band (frequency similar to 1.4 GHz) over the cryosphere including the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, sea ice in both hemispheres, and over sub-Arctic land for monitoring the soil freeze/thaw state. We provide multiple examples of scientific applications for the L-band data over the cryosphere. For example, we show that over the Greenland Ice Sheet, the unusual 2012 melt event lead to an L-band brightness temperature (TB) sustained decrease of similar to 5K at horizontal polarization. Over …


Zn(Ii) And Cu(Ii) Adsorption And Retention Onto Iron Oxyhydroxide Nanoparticles: Effects Of Particle Aggregation And Salinity, Rebecca B. Chesne, Christopher S. Kim Jan 2014

Zn(Ii) And Cu(Ii) Adsorption And Retention Onto Iron Oxyhydroxide Nanoparticles: Effects Of Particle Aggregation And Salinity, Rebecca B. Chesne, Christopher S. Kim

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Iron oxyhydroxides are commonly found in natural aqueous systems as nanoscale particles, where they can act as effective sorbents for dissolved metals due to their natural surface reactivity, small size and high surface area. These properties make nanoscale iron oxyhydroxides a relevant option for the remediation of water supplies contaminated with dissolved metals. However, natural geochemical processes, such as changes in ionic strength, pH, and temperature, can cause these particles to aggregate, thus affecting their sorption capabilities and remediation potential. Other environmental parameters such as increasing salinity may also impact metal retention, e. g. when particles are transported …


Closing The Knowing-Doing Gap In Invasive Plant Management: Accessibility And Interdisciplinarity Of Scientific Research, Virginia Matzek, Justin Covino, Jennifer L. Funk, Martin Saunders Jan 2014

Closing The Knowing-Doing Gap In Invasive Plant Management: Accessibility And Interdisciplinarity Of Scientific Research, Virginia Matzek, Justin Covino, Jennifer L. Funk, Martin Saunders

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Like many conservation disciplines, invasion biology may suffer from a knowing-doing gap, where scientific research fails to inform management actions. We surveyed California resource managers to evaluate engagement with scientific research and to identify research priorities. We examined managers' access to information, judgment of the usefulness of existing research, ability to generate scientific information, and priorities for future research. We found that practitioners rely on their own experience, and largely do not read the peer-reviewed literature, which they regard as only moderately useful. Less than half of managers who do research carry out experiments conforming to the norms of hypothesis …


Regional Dust Storm Modeling For Health Services: The Case Of Valley Fever, William A. Sprigg, Slobodan Nickovic, John N. Galgiani, Goran Pejanovic, Slavo Petkovic, Mirjam Vujadinovic, Ana Vukovic, Milan Dacic, Scott Dibiase, Anup K. Prasad, Hesham El-Askary Jan 2014

Regional Dust Storm Modeling For Health Services: The Case Of Valley Fever, William A. Sprigg, Slobodan Nickovic, John N. Galgiani, Goran Pejanovic, Slavo Petkovic, Mirjam Vujadinovic, Ana Vukovic, Milan Dacic, Scott Dibiase, Anup K. Prasad, Hesham El-Askary

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

On 5 July 2011, a massive dust storm struck Phoenix, Arizona (USA), raising concerns for increased cases of valley fever (coccidioidomycosis, or, cocci). A quasi-operational experimental airborne dust forecast system predicted the event and provides model output for continuing analysis in collaboration with public health and air quality communities. An objective of this collaboration was to see if a signal in cases of valley fever in the region could be detected and traced to the storm - an American haboob. To better understand the atmospheric life cycle of cocci spores, the DREAM dust model (also herein, NMME-DREAM) was modified to …


Chemistry Students’ Attitudes About Peer-Led Team Learning Workshops: Comparison To The Six Critical Components, A.E. Dreyfuss, Janet Liou-Mark, Leo Gafney Jan 2014

Chemistry Students’ Attitudes About Peer-Led Team Learning Workshops: Comparison To The Six Critical Components, A.E. Dreyfuss, Janet Liou-Mark, Leo Gafney

Publications and Research

While tracking students’ performance and perseverance is important to determine the effect of the incorporation of workshops in courses, little has been published on students’ attitudes toward workshops: How do students feel about PLTL workshops? One method of examining this question is through a questionnaire developed by Gafney. This paper will present the results of a three-semester study using this questionnaire on how students view workshop in their introductory chemistry courses.


Peer Leaders’ Views On A General Chemistry Workshop Program, A.E. Dreyfuss, Janet Liou-Mark Jan 2014

Peer Leaders’ Views On A General Chemistry Workshop Program, A.E. Dreyfuss, Janet Liou-Mark

Publications and Research

How do Peer Leaders feel about their role organizationally? What motivates them to serve? Peer Leaders are the heartbeat of the PLTL instructional model. To improve any PLTL program, feedback from Peer Leaders is necessary and beneficial. Their experiences, ideas, and honest critiques will assist in shaping the program to meet its ultimate goal: To ensure all students are engaged in their learning process through an active community setting.


Numerical Simulation Of “An American Haboob”, A. Vukovic, M. Vujadinovic, G. Pejanovic, J. Andric, M. J. Kumjian, V. Djurdjevic, M. Dacic, Anup K. Prasad, Hesham El-Askary, B. C. Paris, S. Petkovic, W. Sprigg, S. Nickovic Jan 2014

Numerical Simulation Of “An American Haboob”, A. Vukovic, M. Vujadinovic, G. Pejanovic, J. Andric, M. J. Kumjian, V. Djurdjevic, M. Dacic, Anup K. Prasad, Hesham El-Askary, B. C. Paris, S. Petkovic, W. Sprigg, S. Nickovic

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

A dust storm of fearful proportions hit Phoenix in the early evening hours of 5 July 2011. This storm, an American haboob, was predicted hours in advance because numerical, land–atmosphere modeling, computing power and remote sensing of dust events have improved greatly over the past decade. High-resolution numerical models are required for accurate simulation of the small scales of the haboob process, with high velocity surface winds produced by strong convection and severe downbursts. Dust productive areas in this region consist mainly of agricultural fields, with soil surfaces disturbed by plowing and tracks of land in the high Sonoran Desert …


Is Big Data Enough? A Reflection On The Changing Role Of Mathematics In Applications, Domenico Napoletani, Marco Panza, Daniele C. Struppa Jan 2014

Is Big Data Enough? A Reflection On The Changing Role Of Mathematics In Applications, Domenico Napoletani, Marco Panza, Daniele C. Struppa

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The advent of computers, and especially high-performance computers, has had a dramatic impact on the way in which mathematics is done and even more on how mathematics is applied, as demonstrated by the growth of computational mathematics as well as what goes under the name of “experimental mathematics”, to which a journal is now devoted. More importantly, computers are now used to perform highly complex computations in order to apply mathematical models to a variety of empirical problems that could never be attacked otherwise.


On Clifford Analysis For Holomorphic Mappings, M. E. Luna-Elizarrarás, M. Shapiro, Daniele C. Struppa Jan 2014

On Clifford Analysis For Holomorphic Mappings, M. E. Luna-Elizarrarás, M. Shapiro, Daniele C. Struppa

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In the classical theory of several complex variables, holomorphic mappings are just n-tuples of holomorphic functions in m variables, with arbitrary n and m, and no relations between these functions are assumed. Some 30 years ago John Ryan introduced complex, or complexified, Clifford analysis which is, in a sense, the study of certain classes of holomorphic mappings where the components are not independent, and instead obey the relations generated by the Cauchy– Riemann and Dirac-type operators. In this paper, we take a closer look at this theory emphasizing some additional properties that holomorphic mappings satisfy in this context. Our attention …


Horizontal Divergence Of Typhoon-Generated Gravity Waves In The Upper Troposphere And Lower Stratosphere (Utls) And Its Influence On Typhoon Evolution, Seung Hee Kim, H.-Y. Chun, W. Jang Jan 2014

Horizontal Divergence Of Typhoon-Generated Gravity Waves In The Upper Troposphere And Lower Stratosphere (Utls) And Its Influence On Typhoon Evolution, Seung Hee Kim, H.-Y. Chun, W. Jang

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The characteristics of horizontal divergence induced by typhoon-generated gravity waves (HDTGWs) and the influence of HDTGW on typhoon evolution are investigated based on the simulation results of Typhoon Saomai (2006) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The power spectral density of HDTGW shows dominant powers at horizontal wavelengths of 20-30 km and at periods of less than 1 h. This is associated with gravity waves generated by vigorous convective clouds in an inner core region of the typhoon. However, the domain-averaged HDTGW in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere had a spectral peak at 24 h, which is …


Elvis: Exploring The Local Volume In Simulations, Shea Garrison-Kimmel, Michael Boylan-Kolchin, James S. Bullock, Kyle Lee Jan 2014

Elvis: Exploring The Local Volume In Simulations, Shea Garrison-Kimmel, Michael Boylan-Kolchin, James S. Bullock, Kyle Lee

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We introduce a set of high-resolution dissipationless simulations that model the Local Group (LG) in a cosmological context: Exploring the Local Volume in Simulations (ELVIS). The suite contains 48 Galaxy-size haloes, each within high-resolution volumes that span 2-5 Mpc in size, and each resolving thousands of systems with masses below the atomic cooling limit. Half of the ELVIS galaxy haloes are in paired configurations similar to the Milky Way (MW) and M31; the other half are isolated, mass-matched analogues. We find no difference in the abundance or kinematics of substructure within the virial radii of isolated versus paired hosts. On …


Quantum Non-Barking Dogs, Sara Imari Walker, Paul C. W. Davies, Prasant Samantray, Yakir Aharonov Jan 2014

Quantum Non-Barking Dogs, Sara Imari Walker, Paul C. W. Davies, Prasant Samantray, Yakir Aharonov

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Quantum weak measurements with states both pre- and post-selected offer a window into a hitherto neglected sector of quantum mechanics. A class of such systems involves time dependent evolution with transitions possible. In this paper we explore two very simple systems in this class. The first is a toy model representing the decay of an excited atom. The second is the tunneling of a particle through a barrier. The post-selection criteria are chosen as follows: at the final time, the atom remains in its initial excited state for the first example and the particle remains behind the barrier for the …


New Insights On Emergence From The Perspective Of Weak Values And Dynamical Non-Locality, Jeff Tollaksen Jan 2014

New Insights On Emergence From The Perspective Of Weak Values And Dynamical Non-Locality, Jeff Tollaksen

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this article, we will examine new fundamental aspects of "emergence" and "information" using novel approaches to quantum mechanics which originated from the group around Aharonov. The two-state vector formalism provides a complete description of pre- and post-selected quantum systems and has uncovered a host of new quantum phenomena which were previously hidden. The most important feature is that any weak coupling to a pre- and post-selected system is effectively a coupling to a "weak value" which is given by a simple expression depending on the two-state vector. In particular, weak values, are the outcomes of so called "weak measurements" …


Topological Duality And Lattice Expansions, Ii: Lattice Expansions With Quasioperators, M. Andrew Moshier, Peter Jipsen Jan 2014

Topological Duality And Lattice Expansions, Ii: Lattice Expansions With Quasioperators, M. Andrew Moshier, Peter Jipsen

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The main objective of this paper (the second of two parts) is to show that quasioperators can be dealt with smoothly in the topological duality established in Part I. A quasioperator is an operation on a lattice that either is join preserving and meet reversing in each argument or is meet preserving and join reversing in each argument. The paper discusses several common examples, including orthocomplementation on the closed subspaces of a fixed Hilbert space (sending meets to joins), modal operators auS and a- on a bounded modal lattice (preserving joins, resp. meets), residuation on a bounded residuated lattice (sending …


Closed String Thermodynamics And A Blue Tensor Spectrum, Robert H. Brandenberger, Ali Nayeri, Subodh P. Patil Jan 2014

Closed String Thermodynamics And A Blue Tensor Spectrum, Robert H. Brandenberger, Ali Nayeri, Subodh P. Patil

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The BICEP-2 team has recently reported the positive detection of cosmic microwave background Bmode polarization. Although uncertainties due to galactic dust foregrounds remain, it is a constructive exercise to work out the implications of presuming some part of the detected B-mode signal to be due to primordial gravitational waves. Were a positive detection of a tensor-to-scalar ratio larger than r greater than or similar to O(10(-2)) confirmed, detecting a tilt in the tensor spectrum comparable to that observed for the scalar power spectrum becomes in principle possible. We wish to explore in this brief paper the possibility of there being …


Observation Of A Quantum Cheshire Cat In A Matter-Wave Interferometer Experiment, Tobias Denkmayr, Hermann Geppert, Stephan Sponar, Hartmut Lemmel, Alexandre Matzkin, Jeff Tollaksen, Yuji Hasegawa Jan 2014

Observation Of A Quantum Cheshire Cat In A Matter-Wave Interferometer Experiment, Tobias Denkmayr, Hermann Geppert, Stephan Sponar, Hartmut Lemmel, Alexandre Matzkin, Jeff Tollaksen, Yuji Hasegawa

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

From its very beginning, quantum theory has been revealing extraordinary and counter-intuitive phenomena, such as wave-particle duality, Schrodinger cats and quantum non-locality. Another paradoxical phenomenon found within the framework of quantum mechanics is the 'quantum Cheshire Cat': if a quantum system is subject to a certain pre- and postselection, it can behave as if a particle and its property are spatially separated. It has been suggested to employ weak measurements in order to explore the Cheshire Cat's nature. Here we report an experiment in which we send neutrons through a perfect silicon crystal interferometer and perform weak measurements to probe …


Assessing Optimal Set Of Implemental Physical Parameterization Schemes In A Multi-Physics Land Surface Model Using Genetic Algorithm, S. Hong, X. Yu, S. K. Park, Y.-S. Choi, Boksoon Myoung Jan 2014

Assessing Optimal Set Of Implemental Physical Parameterization Schemes In A Multi-Physics Land Surface Model Using Genetic Algorithm, S. Hong, X. Yu, S. K. Park, Y.-S. Choi, Boksoon Myoung

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Optimization of land surface models has been challenging due to the model complexity and uncertainty. In this study, we performed scheme-based model optimizations by designing a framework for coupling "the micro-genetic algorithm" (micro-GA) and "the Noah land surface model with multiple physics options" (Noah-MP). Micro-GA controls the scheme selections among eight different land surface parameterization categories, each containing 2–4 schemes, in Noah-MP in order to extract the optimal scheme combination that achieves the best skill score. This coupling framework was successfully applied to the optimizations of evapotranspiration and runoff simulations in terms of surface water balance over the Han River …


Interpolation By Polynomials With Symmetries, Daniel Alpay, Izchak Lewkowicz Jan 2014

Interpolation By Polynomials With Symmetries, Daniel Alpay, Izchak Lewkowicz

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We here specialize the standard matrix-valued polynomial interpolation to the case where on the imaginary axis the interpolating polynomials admit various symmetries: Positive semidefinite, Skew-Hermitian, J- Hermitian, Hamiltonian and others.

The procedure is comprized of three stages, illustrated through the case where on $i\R$ the interpolating polynomials are to be positive semidefinite. We first, on the expense of doubling the degree, obtain a minimal degree interpolating polynomial P(s) which on $i\R$ is Hermitian. Then we find all polynomials Ψ(s), vanishing at the interpolation points which are positive semidefinite on $i\R$. Finally, using the fact that the set of positive semidefinite …


Krein-Langer Factorization And Related Topics In The Slice Hyperholomorphic Setting, Daniel Alpay, Fabrizio Colombo, Irene Sabadini Jan 2014

Krein-Langer Factorization And Related Topics In The Slice Hyperholomorphic Setting, Daniel Alpay, Fabrizio Colombo, Irene Sabadini

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

We study various aspects of Schur analysis in the slice hyperholomorphic setting. We present two sets of results: first, we give new results on the functional calculus for slice hyperholomorphic functions. In particular, we introduce and study some properties of the Riesz projectors. Then we prove a Beurling-Lax type theorem, the so-called structure theorem. A crucial fact which allows to prove our results, is the fact that the right spectrum of a quaternionic linear operator and the point S-spectrum coincide. Finally, we study the Krein-Langer factorization for slice hyperholomorphic generalized Schur functions. Both the Beurling-Lax type theorem and the Krein-Langer …


Is The Quantum State Real? An Extended Review Of Psi-Ontology Theorems, Matthew S. Leifer Jan 2014

Is The Quantum State Real? An Extended Review Of Psi-Ontology Theorems, Matthew S. Leifer

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Towards the end of 2011, Pusey, Barrett and Rudolph derived a theorem that aimed to show that the quantum state must be ontic (a state of reality) in a broad class of realist approaches to quantum theory. This result attracted a lot of attention and controversy. The aim of this review article is to review the background to the Pusey–Barrett–Rudolph Theorem, to provide a clear presentation of the theorem itself, and to review related work that has appeared since the publication of the Pusey–Barrett–Rudolph paper. In particular, this review: Explains what it means for the quantum state to be ontic …


The Impact Of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems On Small And Medium Enterprises, Miguel Buleje Jan 2014

The Impact Of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems On Small And Medium Enterprises, Miguel Buleje

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are considered the price of entry in today's business environment, and the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) retiring legacy systems in favor of ERP systems is increasing exponentially.

However, there is a lack of knowledge and awareness of ERP systems and their potential benefit and effect on performance, and overall value to SMEs. While ERP adoption costs and potential benefits are high, it is not apparent whether the end result will translate into higher productivity for SMEs.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the benefits that accrue to a firm on …


Bright Microwave Pulses From Psr B0531+21 Observed With A Prototype Transient Survey Receiver, J. A. O'Dea, F. A. Jenet, Tsan Huei Cheng, Chau M. Buu, Martin Beroiz, Sami W. Asmar, J. W. Armstrong Jan 2014

Bright Microwave Pulses From Psr B0531+21 Observed With A Prototype Transient Survey Receiver, J. A. O'Dea, F. A. Jenet, Tsan Huei Cheng, Chau M. Buu, Martin Beroiz, Sami W. Asmar, J. W. Armstrong

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Recent discoveries of transient radio events have renewed interest in time-variable astrophysical phenomena. Many radio transient events are rare, requiring long observing times for reliable statistical study. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Deep Space Network (DSN) tracks spacecraft nearly continuously with 13 large-aperture, low system temperature radio antennas. During normal spacecraft operations, the DSN processes only a small fraction of the pre-detection bandwidth available from these antennas; any information in the remaining bandwidth, e.g., from an astronomical source in the same antenna beam as the spacecraft, is currently ignored. As a firmware modification to the standard DSN …


การพัฒนาโปรแกรมพลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณสำหรับการไหลภายในท่อขนส่งน้ำมันดิบ, วันวิสา รักทอง Jan 2014

การพัฒนาโปรแกรมพลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณสำหรับการไหลภายในท่อขนส่งน้ำมันดิบ, วันวิสา รักทอง

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การขนส่งน้ำมันดิบผ่านท่อเป็นกระบวนการที่พบเห็นได้ทั่วไปในอุตสาหกรรมปิโตรเลียม น้ำมันดิบส่วนใหญ่มีความหนืดสูง อีกทั้งโดยปกติแล้วอุณหภูมิของสิ่งแวดล้อมภายนอกท่อนั้นมักจะต่ำกว่าอุณหภูมิของน้ำมันดิบภายในท่อ น้ำมันดิบจึงเกิดการสูญเสียความร้อน อุณหภูมิจะลดลงเรื่อยๆ ตามระยะทางและเวลาที่เปลี่ยนแปลงไป เมื่ออุณหภูมิของน้ำมันดิบลดลงจนถึงจุดขุ่น (Cloud point) น้ำมันดิบบางส่วนจะเปลี่ยนสถานะกลายเป็นไข (Wax) และเมื่ออุณหภูมิลดลงต่อไปเรื่อยๆ จนกระทั่งถึงจุดไหลเท (Pour point) ไขจะมีการสะสมตัวจนทำให้ท่ออุดตัน น้ำมันดิบจะไม่สามารถไหลได้ ดังนั้น การขนส่งน้ำมันดิบผ่านท่อจะไม่สามารถดำเนินการต่อได้ เพื่อป้องกันหรือลดความรุนแรงจากการสูญเสียประสิทธิภาพที่เกิดขึ้นจากไขภายในท่อขนส่ง งานวิจัยนี้จึงทำการเขียนโปรแกรมคอมพิวเตอร์ในการสร้างแบบจำลองการไหลภายในท่อขนส่งน้ำมันดิบเพื่อศึกษาพฤติกรรมการไหลที่มีความซับซ้อน และทำนายการเกิดไขในระบบท่อ ความรู้ทางพลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณ (Computational fluid dynamics) ถูกนำมาใช้ในการแก้ปัญหาการไหลสำหรับงานวิจัยนี้ สำหรับการพัฒนาโปรแกรมพลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณ แบบจำลองที่นำมาใช้มีลักษณะเป็นท่อตรงยาว และทำการแบ่งกริดในรูปแบบของกริดแบบเยื้องกัน เกิดเป็นปริมาณควบคุม ซึ่งจะเป็นตัวเก็บตัวแปรที่ต้องการคำนวณหาคำตอบ ได้แก่ ความเร็ว ความดัน อุณหภูมิ เป็นต้น โดยใช้ระเบียบวิธี ไฟไนต์วอลุมแปลงสมการเชิงอนุพันธ์ย่อยให้อยู่ในรูปสมการพีชคณิตเพื่อความสะดวกในการแก้ปัญหา ส่วนการหาคำตอบจากสมการพีชคณิตจะใช้ขั้นตอนวิธีเมทริกซ์สามแนวเฉียง ซึ่งวิธีการที่กล่าวมาข้างต้นเป็นส่วนหนึ่งในขั้นตอนวิธี Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equation ที่เป็นวิธีคำนวณซ้ำเพื่อให้ได้มาซึ่งคำตอบที่แม่นยำที่สุด ผลที่ได้พบว่า โปรแกรมจำลองมีความน่าเชื่อถือ โดยมีการเปรียบเทียบความถูกต้องกับการทดลองจริงและโปรแกรมสำเร็จรูป ANSYS FLUENT โปรแกรมที่ได้สามารถใช้ทำนายพฤติกรรมการไหลของน้ำมันดิบ รวมถึงการเกิดไขภายในระบบท่อได้อย่างแม่นยำ และสามารถประยุกต์ใช้กับระบบการไหลของของไหลประเภทอื่นได้อีกด้วย


Mechanical And Thermal Properties Of Polylactide/Polymeric Plasticizers, Wanlapha Apising Jan 2014

Mechanical And Thermal Properties Of Polylactide/Polymeric Plasticizers, Wanlapha Apising

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The current study focused on flexibility improvement of polylactide by using three new types of plasticizers: diethyl succinate, glycerol ethoxylate, poly(di(ethylene glycol)adipate). The plasticizer concentrations were varied depending on each type. Mechanical property of the plasticized polymers was investigated. It was found that elongation at break of the plasticized polymers was increased, whereas tensile strength and Young’s modulus were decreased. The plasticized polymer with diethyl succinate exhibited the highest elongation at break. Thermal property of the plasticized polymers containing glycerol ethoxylate yielded the lowest Tg and Tc. When the plasticizers were added, thermal property was reduced, in which the plasticized …


Dry Reforming Of Methane In Palladium-Silver-Copper Alloy Membrane Reactor, Sarocha Sumrunronnasak Jan 2014

Dry Reforming Of Methane In Palladium-Silver-Copper Alloy Membrane Reactor, Sarocha Sumrunronnasak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

PdAgCu ternary alloy membranes were prepared by the sequential electroless plating of Pd following by electroplating of Ag and Cu onto stainless steel support. The metal composition of the membrane was varied by changing the metal deposition times. The fabricated membranes were then annealed at various temperatures from 500 °C to 600 °C under argon atmosphere in order to form the alloys for 20 to 120 hrs. The Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were employed to investigate the element distribution in the membrane which provided the insight of the alloying formation. Complete formation of the alloy …


Preparation Of Polylactide/ Polycaprolactone/Hydroxyapatite Particles, Walaiporn Nguantanom Jan 2014

Preparation Of Polylactide/ Polycaprolactone/Hydroxyapatite Particles, Walaiporn Nguantanom

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research focused on preparation of polylactide/polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite particles by using the solvent evaporation method. The effects of HA loadings varied in a range of 10-40 wt% and blending ratios between PLA and PCL on the size distribution, morphology, and thermal properties of the composite films were investigated. The results showed that the size distributions of the composite particles were composed of both small and large particles, depending on the HA concentration and blending ratio of PLA/PCL. The addition of HA at 10 wt% exhibited a strong influence on the size distribution of microspheres, while the PLA/PCL blend tended to produce …