Two-phase flow and pool boiling heat transfer in microgravity

Researches on two-phase flow and pool boiling heat transfer in microgravity, which included groundbased tests, flight experiments, and theoretical analyses, were conducted in the National Microgravity Laboratory/CAS. A semi-theoretical Weber number model was proposed to predict the slug-to-annular flow transition of two-phase gas–liquid flows in microgravity, while the influence of the initial bubble size on the bubble-to-slug flow transition was investigated numerically using the Monte Carlo method. Two-phase flow pattern maps in microgravity were obtained in the experiments both aboard the Russian space station Mir and aboard IL-76 reduced gravity airplane. Mini-scale modeling was also used to simulate the behavior of microgravity two-phase flow on the ground. Pressure drops of two-phase flow in microgravity were also measured experimentally and correlated successfully based on its characteristics. Two space experiments on pool boiling phenomena in microgravity were performed aboard the Chinese recoverable satellites. Steady pool boiling of R113 on a thin wire with a temperature-controlled heating method was studied aboard RS-22, while quasi-steady pool boiling of FC-72 on a plate was studied aboard SJ-8. Ground-based experiments were also performed both in normal gravity and in short-term microgravity in the drop tower Beijing. Only slight enhancement of heat transfer was observed in the wire case, while enhancement in low heat flux and deterioration in high heat flux were observed in the plate case. Lateral motions of vapor bubbles were observed before their departure in microgravity. The relationship between bubble behavior and heat transfer on plate was analyzed. A semi-theoretical model was also proposed for predicting the bubble departure diameter during pool boiling on wires. The results obtained here are intended to become a powerful aid for further investigation in the present discipline and development of two-phase systems for space applications.

Experimentally Determined Flame Properties near Flammability Limits Under Gravity and Microgravity Conditions

Flammability limits for flames propagating in a rich propane/air mixture under gravity conditions appeared to be 6.3% C3H8 for downward propagation and 9.2% C3H8 for upward propagation. Different limits might be explained by the action of preferential diffusion of the deficient reactant (Le < 1) on the limit flames, which are in different states of instability. In one of the previous studies, the flammability limits under microgtravity conditions were found to be between the upward and downward limits obtained in a standard flammability tube under normal gravity conditions. It was found in those experiments that there are two limits under microgravity conditions: one indicated by visible flame propagation and another indicated by an increase of pressure without observed flame propagation. These limits were found to be far behind the limit for downward-propagating flame at 1 g (6.3% C3H8) and close to the limit for upward-propagating flame at 1 g (9.2% C3H8). It was decided in the present work to apply a special schlieren system and instant temperature measuring system for drop tower experiments to observe combustion development during propagation of the flame front. A small cubic closed vessel (inner side, 9 cm 9 cm 9 cm) with schlieren quality glass windows were used to study limit flames under gravity and microgravity conditions. Flame development in rich limit mixtures, not visible in previous experiments under microgravity conditions for strait photography, was identified with the use of the schlieren method and instant temperature measuring system. It was found in experiments in a small vessel that there is practically no difference in flammability limits under gravity and microgravity conditions. In this paper, the mechanism of flame propagation under these different conditions is systematically studied and compared and limit burning velocity is estimated.

Influence of Contact Angle and Tube Size on Capillary-Driven Flow Under Microgravity

The influence of contact angle and tube radius on the capillary-driven flow for circular cylindrical tubes is studied systematically by microgravity experiments using the drop tower. Experimental results show that the velocity of the capillary flow decreases monotonically with an increase in the contact angle. However, the time-evolution of the velocity of the capillary flow is different for different sized tubes. At the beginning of the microgravity period, the capillary flow in a thinner tube moves faster than that in a thicker tube, and then the latter overtakes the former. Therefore, there is an intersection between the curves of meniscus velocity vs microgravity time for two differently sized tubes. In addition, for two given sized tubes this intersection is delayed when the contact angle increases. The experimental results are analyzed theoretically and also supported by numerical computations.

Experimental Study on the Ignition Process of Single Coal Particles at Microgravity

In this paper, the first Chinese microgravity (μ-g) experimental study on coal combustion was introduced. An experimental system used to study the ignition process of single coal particles was built up, complying with the requirements of the 3.5 s drop tower in the National Microgravity Laboratory of China (NMLC). High volatile bituminous and lignite coal particles with diameter of 1.5 and 2.0 mm were tested. The ignition and combustion process was recorded by a color CCD and the particle surface temperature before and at the ignition was determined by the RGB colorimetric method. Comparative experiments were conducted at normal gravity (1-g). The experiments revealed that at different gravity levels, the ignition of all tested coal particles commenced in homogeneous phase, while the shape, structure, brightness and development of the flames, as well as the volatile matter release during the ignition process are different. At μ-g, the part of volatile was released as a jet, while such a phenomenon was barely observed at 1-g. Also, after ignition, flames were more spherical, thicker, laminated and dimmer at μ-g. It was confirmed that ignition temperature decreased as the particle size or volatile content increased. However, contradicted to existing experimental results, provided other experimental conditions except gravity level were the same, ignition temperature of coal particles was about 50–80 K lower at μ-g than that at 1-g.

地震作用下大型升船机结构的时变动力可靠度

利用三维有限元方法对三峡升船机塔柱结构的动力学特性及随机地震响应进行了计算分析,结果表明塔柱结构柔度较大,其项部节点随机地震位移响应为中宽带过程.在此基础上,采用首次超越破坏机制,以塔柱结构顶部典型位置的位移限值为可靠度界限,对设计地震烈度下升船机塔柱结构的时变动力可靠度进行了计算分析,得到了塔柱结构设计基准期内的时变动力可靠度,并讨论了可靠度界限值的随机性对结构抗震时变可靠度计算结果的影响,建议升船机结构抗震可靠度计算模型采用Markov过程假定.该文可为升船机结构设计及安全运行提供必要的参考.

Analytic expression of the diffraction of a circular aperture

Recurring to the characteristic of Bessel function, we give the analytic expression or the Fresnel diffraction by a circular aperture, thus the diffractions on the propagation axis and along the boundary of the geometrical shadow are discussed conveniently. Since it is difficult to embody intuitively the physical meaning from this series expression of the Fresnel diffraction, after weighing the diffractions on the axis and along the boundary of the geometrical shadow, we propose a simple approximate expression of the circular diffraction, which is equivalent to the rigorous solution in the further propagation distance. It is important for the measurement of the parameter or the beam, such as the quantitative analysis of the relationship of the wave error and the divergence of the beam, In this paper, the relationship of the fluctuation of the transverse diffraction profile and the position of the axial point is discussed too. (c) 2005 Elsevier GrnbH. All rights reserved.

Sleeping sites of Rhinopithecus bieti at Mt. Fuhe, Yunnan

Data on sleeping site selection were collected for a group of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti; around 80) at Mt. Fuhe, Yunnan, China (99degrees20'E, 26degrees25'N, about 3,000 m asl) from November 2000 to January 2002. At the site mainly three vegetation types were present in an elevation-ascending order: deciduous broad leaf forest, mixed coniferous and broad leaf forest, and dark coniferous forest. In addition, bamboo forest presented in areas burned in 1958. Sleeping sites (n = 10) were located in the coniferous forest, where trees were the tallest, bottommost branches were the highest, the diameter of crowns was the second largest, and the gradient of the ground was the steepest. Monkeys usually kept quiet during entering and staying at a sleeping site. The site choice and the quietness may be tactics to avoid potential predators. In the coniferous forest, however, monkeys did not sleep in the valley bottom where trees were the largest, but frequently slept in the middle of the slope towards the east/southeast, in the shadow of ridges in three other directions, to avoid strong wind and to access sunshine; in winter-spring, they ranged in a more southern and lower area than in summer-autumn. These may be behavioral strategies to minimize energy stress in the cold habitat. Monkeys often slept in the same sleeping site on consecutive nights, which reflected a reduced pressure of predation probably due to either the effectiveness of anti-predation through sleeping site selection, or the population decline of predators with increasing human activities in the habitat. The group's behavioral responses to interactive and sometimes conflicting traits of the habitat are site-specific and conform to expectations for a temperate zone primate.

Molecular cloning of growth hormone receptor (GHR) from common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and identification of its two forms of mRNA transcripts

The cDNA of growth hormone receptor (GHR) was cloned from the liver of 2-year common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE). Its open reading frame (ORF) of 1806 nucleotides is translated into a putative peptide of 602 amino acids, including an extracellular ligand-binding domain of 244 amino acids (aa), a single transmembrane domain of 24 aa and an intracellular signal-transduction domain of 334 aa. Sequence analysis indicated that common carp GHR is highly homologous to goldfish (Carassius auratus) GHR at both gene and protein levels. Using a pair of gene-specific primers, a GHR fragment was amplified from the cDNA of 2-year common carp, a 224 bp product was identified in liver and a 321 bp product in other tissues. The sequencing of the products and the partial genomic DNA indicated that the difference in product size was the result of a 97 bp intron that alternatively spliced. In addition, the 321 bp fragment could be amplified from all the tissues of 4-month common carp including liver, demonstrating the occurrence of the alternative splicing of this intron during the development of common carp. Moreover, a semi-quantitative RT-PCR was performed to analyze the expression level of GHR in tissues of 2-year common carp and 4-month common carp. The result revealed that in the tissues of gill, thymus and brain, the expression level of GHR in 2-year common carp was significantly tower than that of 4-month common carp.

Abatement of waste gases and water during the processes of semiconductor fabrication

The purpose of this article is to examine the methods and equipment for abating waste gases and water produced during the manufacture of semiconductor materials and devices. Three separating methods and equipment are used to control three different groups of electronic wastes. The first group includes arsine and phosphine emitted during the processes of semiconductor materials manufacture. The abatement procedure for this group of pollutants consists of adding iodates, cupric and manganese salts to a multiple shower tower (MST) structure. The second group includes pollutants containing arsenic, phosphorus, HF, HCl, NO2, and SO3 emitted during the manufacture of semiconductor materials and devices. The abatement procedure involves mixing oxidants and bases in an oval column with a separator in the middle. The third group consists of the ions of As, P and heavy metals contained in the waste water. The abatement procedure includes adding CaCO3 and ferric salts in a flocculation-sedimentation compact device equipment. Test results showed that all waste gases and water after the abatement procedures presented in this article passed the discharge standards set by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China.

伪柔和阴影算法的研究

在计算机图形学领域，阴影的绘制一直是一个热点的研究内容，它对增强场景的真实感有着非常重要的意义。完全物理正确的柔和阴影绘制通常需要耗费大量的时间，于是研究者们提出了各种阴影的近似方法。 本文首先对阴影绘制算法的研究发展历程作了概要性的介绍，特别针对近几年国内外提出的伪柔和阴影算法做了详细的介绍和分析。这些算法主要是根据点光源得到的阴影图[1]和轮廓边进行近似软影绘制的算法，不仅绘制效率高，而且画面真实感比较强。 随着GPU的不断发展，其强大的并行计算能力以及新的可编程着色器，特别是几何着色器[2]的出现，使得基于阴影图的阴影绘制算法中可以加入和场景几何相关的一些计算。本文提出了一个深度剥离[3]和GPU相结合的实时近似软影绘制算法，该算法利用了GPU强大的可编程能力，利用场景物体轮廓信息生成半影图，以此得到伪柔和阴影。实验结果表明本算法是可行的。

阴影实时绘制技术研究

阴影是自然界中一种普遍存在的自然现象，它能够提供场景数据之外的感知信息，因此阴影的实时绘制是真实感技术研究的主要内容之一。本文围绕阴影的实时绘制技术这一主题展开，主要研究内容包括以下几个方面： （1）预滤波阴影贴图反走样技术研究 方差阴影贴图算法是一种基于概率方法的预滤波算法，它本身存在着比较严重的光渗现象。我们采用高次幂函数对深度进行非线性映射，按照这一深度根据方差阴影贴图算法求得一个可见性数值，并与原始的方法求得的可见性数值求取一个最小值，作为最终的可见性，从而能够很好地消除光渗现象。同时，我们针对指数阴影贴图算法的不稳定性，将其与方差阴影贴图算法相结合，采用混合的方法消除二者存在的缺陷。 （2）基于GPU的近似软影绘制 通过对阴影图算法进行扩展，提出了一种完全基于GPU的近似软影实时绘制算法。第一遍与传统的阴影图算法类似，从光源中心计算场景的深度图。第二遍采用几何着色器提取物体的轮廓边，同时在轮廓边上生成新的几何图元，利用硬件自动插值功能，向外绘制线性近似半影图，并根据第一遍得到的深度图在像素着色器中对背面轮廓形成的半影区进行剔除；对于重叠的半影区，通过设定片元的伪深度值利用硬件进行自动融合；这一遍是完全在GPU中运行的，与其它方法不同的是我们只需要一遍绘制即可得到近似半影区纹理。第三遍分别查询深度图和半影图，以确定场景的本影区以及半影区中像素的亮度，从而得到面光源照射下场景的近似软影效果。 （3）基于预计算辐射率传输的近似软影绘制 基于预计算辐射率传输的方法，提出了一种基于圆盘近似的全动态场景柔和阴影实时绘制算法。该方法首先采用圆盘对物体表面进行近似，对每个圆盘形成的遮挡使用椭圆遮挡域表示，预计算过程中根据每个椭圆遮挡域参数进行采样并用球面调和系数表示，同时将其转换为对数，对采样数据采用主元分析方法进行压缩；在绘制的过程中，根据圆盘的法线、半径以及和阴影接收点之间的相对位置确定其椭圆遮挡域的值，然后采用球面调和指数算法进行累积。该方法将圆盘近似算法和球面调和指数算法相结合，能够灵活地描述柔性物体以及较薄的物体形成的柔和阴影。 （4）近似全局光照算法研究 提出了一种混合的近似全局光照算法，对原始模型采用卷积软影图算法计算直接光照，而间接光照采用简化模型计算。在直接光照计算过程中同时生成光源视点的场景的颜色、法线以及世界坐标位置纹理，利用准随机采样的方法从这三幅纹理中获得间接光照采样点，称之为像素光源，然后利用抛物面阴影贴图算法对简化模型计算间接光照；最后将直接光照和间接光照融合获得最终结果。为了进一步提高精确性，仅用简化模型生成阴影贴图，间接光照绘制的过程中采用Deferred Shading的方式进行计算，将视域中可见像素的位置和法线保存在纹理中，间接光照计算直接对纹理中的像素进行。该方法能够较好地处理动态场景的近似全局光照效果。

方差阴影图中的光渗现象消除算法

方差阴影图算法使用概率的方法计算像素被遮挡的上限概率,通过对深度图滤波的方法来有效地减少阴影图算法中的走样问题,但在深度比较复杂的场景中方差阴影图算法会出现光渗现象,即在应该是阴影的区域却有了亮度.文中使用最小-最大阴影图来辅助消除方差阴影图中的光渗现象,在对深度纹理进行滤波的同时生成一个最小-最大阴影图;在实时绘制场景时,利用最小-最大阴影图来辅助判断当前片元是否完全处在阴影区域内部,由此生成更真实、更准确的阴影.该算法可以很容易地添加到已有的方差阴影图算法的片元处理程序中,并且不会对原有阴影的柔和边界以及绘制的帧率产生影响.

基于GPU的近似软影实时绘制

通过对阴影图算法进行扩展,提出一种完全基于GPU的近似软影实时绘制算法,它是一种3遍算法:第一遍从光源中心计算场景的深度图;第二遍采用几何着色器提取物体的轮廓边,同时在轮廓边上生成新的几何图元,利用硬件自动插值功能向外绘制线性近似半影图,并根据第一遍得到的深度图在像素着色器中对背面轮廓形成的半影区进行剔除;对于重叠的半影区设定片元的伪深度值,利用硬件进行自动融合.第三遍分别查询深度图和半影图,确定场景的本影区以及半影区中像素的亮度,从而得到面光源照射下场景的近似软影效果.

Total-internal-reflection fluorescence microscopy with W-shaped axicon mirrors

A scheme based on a W-shaped axicon mirror device for total-internal-reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is presented. This approach combines the advantages of higher efficiency compared with traditional TIRFM, adjustable illumination area, and simple switching between wide-field and TIRF imaging modes. TIRF images obtained with this approach are free of shadow artifacts and of interference fringes. Example micrographs of fluorescently labeled polystyrene beads, of Convallaria majalis tissue, and of Propidium-iodide-labeled Chinese hamster ovary cells are shown, and the capabilities of the scheme are discussed. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America