Maximum Spread of Droplet Impacting onto Solid Surfaces with Different Wettabilities: Adopting a Rim-Lamella Shape.

Experimental and theoretical investigations are presented for the maximum spread factor (ßm) of an impacting droplet onto solid surfaces with contact angle hysteresis. Experiments were conducted with deionized water on six surfaces with different wettabilities. The examined Weber number ( We) falls between 10-1 and 103. A new energetic model adopting a rim-lamella shape is proposed to better represent the droplet shape at the maximum spread. The dynamic contact angle at the maximum spread (θßm) is introduced in the model to account for the curvature of the surrounding rim induced by surface wettabilities. A lamella-rim thickness ratio κ ≈ AWe- B ( A, B > 0) is utilized successfully to depict the droplet shape at different We in a unifying manner. Comprehensive evaluations of the model demonstrate that the theoretical prediction can well recover the features of the experimental observations. The L2-error analysis demonstrates the improvement of the proposed model in predicting ßm for a wide range of We = 10-1 to 103: the calculated errors are smaller than 8% for all six surfaces. Moreover, the proposed model can also be applied to predict energy conversion/dissipation during the droplet spreading process and the effects of surface wettability on ßm in a reasonable manner. The variation of the percentage of the surface energy and viscous dissipation is consistent with that in previous simulations. The weakness of the current model for predicting ßm at extremely low Weber number ( We < 1) is also explained.

Wicking Enhancement in Three-Dimensional Hierarchical Nanostructures.

Wicking, the absorption of liquid into narrow spaces without the assistance of external forces, has drawn much attention due to its potential applications in many engineering fields. Increasing surface roughness using micro/nanostructures can improve capillary action to enhance wicking. However, reducing the structure length scale can also result in significant viscous forces to impede wicking. In this work, we demonstrate enhanced wicking dynamics by using nanostructures with three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical features to increase the surface area while mitigating the obstruction of liquid flow. The proposed structures were engineered using a combination of interference lithography and hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanowires, where structures at two length scales were independently designed to control wicking behavior. The fabricated hierarchical 3D structures were tested for water and ethanol wicking properties, demonstrating improved wicking dynamics with intermediate nanowire lengths. The experimental data agree with the derived fluid model based on the balance of capillary and vicious forces. The hierarchical wicking structures can be potentially used in applications in water harvesting surfaces, microfluidics, and integrated heat exchangers.

Temperature effects on particulate emissions from DPF-equipped diesel trucks operating on conventional and biodiesel fuels.

UNLABELLED: Emissions tests were conducted on two medium heavy-duty diesel trucks equipped with a particulate filter (DPF), with one vehicle using a NOx absorber and the other a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for control of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Both vehicles were tested with two different fuels (ultra-low-sulfur diesel [ULSD] and biodiesel [B20]) and ambient temperatures (70ºF and 20ºF), while the truck with the NOx absorber was also operated at two loads (a heavy weight and a light weight). The test procedure included three driving cycles, a cold start with low transients (CSLT), the federal heavy-duty urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS), and a warm start with low transients (WSLT). Particulate matter (PM) emissions were measured second-by-second using an Aethalometer for black carbon (BC) concentrations and an engine exhaust particle sizer (EEPS) for particle count measurements between 5.6 and 560 nm. The DPF/NOx absorber vehicle experienced increased BC and particle number concentrations during cold starts under cold ambient conditions, with concentrations two to three times higher than under warm starts at higher ambient temperatures. The average particle count for the UDDS showed an opposite trend, with an approximately 27% decrease when ambient temperatures decreased from 70ºF to 20ºF. This vehicle experienced decreased emissions when going from ULSD to B20. The DPF/SCR vehicle tested had much lower emissions, with many of the BC and particle number measurements below detectable limits. However, both vehicles did experience elevated emissions caused by DPF regeneration. All regeneration events occurred during the UDDS cycle. Slight increases in emissions were measured during the WSLT cycles after the regeneration. However, the day after a regeneration occurred, both vehicles showed significant increases in particle number and BC for the CSLT drive cycle, with increases from 93 to 1380% for PM number emissions compared with tests following a day with no regeneration. IMPLICATIONS: The use of diesel particulate filters (DPFs) on trucks is becoming more common throughout the world. Understanding how DPFs affect air pollution emissions under varying operating conditions will be critical in implementing effective air quality standards. This study evaluated particulate matter (PM) and black carbon (BC) emissions with two DPF-equipped heavy-duty diesel trucks operating on conventional fuel and a biodiesel fuel blend at varying ambient temperatures, loads, and drive cycles.

Carbon nanofibers/liquid metal composites for high temperature laser ultrasound.

As the demand for clean energy becomes greater worldwide, there will also be an increasing demand for next generation nuclear power plants that incorporate advanced sensors and monitoring equipment. A major challenge posed by nuclear power plants is that, during normal operation, the reactor compartment is subjected to high operating temperatures and radiation flux. Diagnostic sensors monitoring such structures are also subject to temperatures reaching hundreds of degrees Celsius, which puts them at risk for heat degradation. In this work, the ability of carbon nanofibers to work in conjunction with a liquid metal as a photoacoustic transmitter was demonstrated at high temperatures. Fields metal, a Bi-In-Sn eutectic, and gallium are compared as acoustic mediums. Fields metal was shown experimentally to have superior performance over gallium and other reference cases. Under stimulation from a low fluence 6 ns pulse laser at 6 mJ/cm2 with 532 nm green light, the Fields metal transducer transmitted a 200 kHz longitudinal wave with amplitude >5.5 times that generated by a gallium transducer at 300 °C. Each high temperature test was conducted from a hot to cold progression, beginning as high as 300 °C, and then cooling down to 100 °C. Each test shows increasing signal amplitude of the liquid metal transducers as temperature decreases. Carbon nanofibers show a strong improvement over previously used candle-soot nanoparticles in both their ability to produce strong acoustic signals and absorb higher laser fluences up to 12 mJ/cm2.

Noninvasive liquid level sensing with laser generated ultrasonic waves.

This article proposes a noninvasive liquid level sensing technique using laser-generated ultrasound waves for nuclear power plant applications. Liquid level sensors play an important role of managing the coolant system safely and stably in the plant structure. Current sensing techniques are mostly intrusive, performing inside the fluidic structure, which is disadvantageous in terms of the regular maintenance of the plant system. Furthermore, typical intrusive sensors do not perform stably under varying environmental conditions such as temperature and radiation. In this study, sensing units are attached to the outer surface of a liquid vessel to capture guided ultrasound waves in a nonintrusive manner. The signal intensity of the guided wave dissipates when the signal interacts with the internal liquid media. The sensing mechanism is mathematically expressed as an index value to correlate the liquid level with the sensor signal. For the acoustic wave generation, laser-generated ultrasound was adopted instead of using typical contact type transducers. Following the simulation validation of the proposed concept, the performance of the developed sensor was confirmed through experimental results under elevated liquid temperature conditions. The nonlinear multivariable regression exhibited the best-fit to the datasets measured under the variable liquid level and temperature conditions.

Fundamental study of porcine drip bloodstains on fabrics: Blood droplet impact and wicking dynamics.

The underlying physics in bloodstain formation on fabrics is not well understood, despite its importance in bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA). This paper presents a fundamental study of the formation of drip bloodstains on fabrics, by focusing on blood droplet impact and wicking dynamics. The bloodstains were created on plain woven fabric by the perpendicular impact of a single blood drop with seven different impact velocities. The whole droplet impact and wicking processes were captured by multiple cameras. Fabric properties were characterized in detail at different levels. The bloodstain formation process was classified into distinct stages, including the inertial impact, initial absorption, first wicking and second wicking stages. The subsequent wicking process greatly alters the impact-induced bloodstains, in terms of bloodstain area. The dimensionless impact-induced stain factor (ßi,e) is strongly dependent on the impact velocity while the final stain factor (ßf,e) after the second wicking stage is not. The contribution of the subsequent wicking in altering the stain factor (or stain area) is quantified and found to decrease with increasing impact velocity. The blood wicking dynamics on the fabric in the majority of the first wicking stage can be well described by a simple scaling: [Formula: see text] , where ti marks the end of the inertial impact stage. The wicking coefficient C, which represents the influence of droplet impact on the subsequent droplet wicking, is found to scale as C∼We-0.34. In the end, brief comments are provided regarding (1) the influence of the evaporation on the blood drop post-impact wicking dynamics and (2) the shape of bloodstains formed on fabrics, with a few suggested research directions for future work.

Carboxymethylated lignins with low surface tension toward low viscosity and highly stable emulsions of crude bitumen and refined oils.

Kraft and organosolv lignins were subjected to carboxymethylation to produce fractions that were soluble in water, displayed a minimum surface tension as low as 34mN/m (25°C) and a critical aggregation concentration of ∼1.5wt%. The carboxymethylated lignins (CML), which were characterized in terms of their degree of substitution ((31)P NMR), elemental composition, and molecular weight (GPC), were found suitable in the formulation of emulsions with bitumens of ultra-high viscosity, such as those from the Canadian oil sands. Remarkably, the interfacial features of the CML enabled fuel emulsions that were synthesized in a very broad range of internal phase content (30-70%). Cryo-replica transmission electron microscopy, which was used here the first time to assess the morphology of the lignin-based emulsions, revealed the droplets of the emulsion stabilized with the modified lignin. The observed drop size (diameters<2µm) was confirmed by light scattering, which revealed a normal size distribution. Such characteristics led to stable emulsified systems that are amenable for a wide range of applications. Emulsification with CML afforded bitumen emulsions with very high colloidal stability (no change was noted for over one month) and with a strong shear thinning behavior. Both features indicate excellent prospects for storage, transport and spraying, which are relevant in operations for power generation, which also take advantage of the high heating value of the emulsion components. The ability of CML to stabilize emulsions and to contribute in their combustion was tested with light fuels (kerosene, diesel, and jet fuel) after formulation of high internal phase systems (70% oil) that enabled operation of a fuel engine. A significant finding is that under certain conditions and compared to the respective pure fuel, combustion of the O/W emulsions stabilized by CML presented lower NOx and CO emissions and maintained a relatively high combustion efficiency. The results highlight the possibilities in high volume application for lignin biomacromolecules.

Reducing NOx emissions from a biodiesel-fueled engine by use of low-temperature combustion.

Biodiesel is popularly discussed in many countries due to increased environmental awareness and the limited supply of petroleum. One of the main factors impacting general replacement of diesel by biodiesel is NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions. Previous studies have shown higher NOx emissions relative to petroleum diesel in traditional direct-injection (DI) diesel engines. In this study, effects of injection timing and different biodiesel blends are studied for low load [2 bar IMEP (indicated mean effective pressure)] conditions. The results show that maximum heat release rate can be reduced by retarding fuel injection. Ignition and peak heat release rate are both delayed for fuels containing more biodiesel. Retarding the injection to post-TDC (top dead center) lowers the peak heat release and flattens the heat release curve. It is observed that low-temperature combustion effectively reduces NOx emissions because less thermal NOx is formed. Although biodiesel combustion produces more NOx for both conventional and late-injection strategies, with the latter leading to a low-temperature combustion mode, the levels of NOx of B20 (20 vol % soy biodiesel and 80 vol % European low-sulfur diesel), B50, and B100 all with post-TDC injection are 68.1%, 66.7%, and 64.4%, respectively, lower than pure European low-sulfur diesel in the conventional injection scenario.