Vertical Uplift Resistance of Pipes Buried in Sand

By incorporating the variation of peak soil friction angle (phi) with mean principal stress (sigma(m)), the effect of pipe diameter (D) on the vertical uplift resistance of a long horizontal pipeline embedded in sand has been investigated. The analysis has been performed by using the lower bound finite-element limit analysis in combination with nonlinear optimization. Three well-defined phi versus sigma(m) curves reported from literature for different sands have been used. It is observed that for a given embedment ratio, with an increase in pipe diameter, the magnitude of the uplift factor (F-gamma) reduces quite significantly, which indicates the importance of considering scale effects while designing buried pipe lines. The scale effects have been found to become even more substantial with an increase in the embedment ratio. The analysis compares well with various theoretical results reported from literature. On the other hand, as compared to available centrifuge test results, the present analysis has been found to provide quite a higher magnitude of the uplift resistance when the theoretical prediction is based on peak soil friction angle. However, if the theoretical analysis is performed by using the friction angle that accounts for the progressive shear failure, the difference between the theoretical and centrifuge test results decreases quite significantly.(C) 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Heterologous promoter recognition leading to high-level expression of cloned foreign genes in Bombyx mori cell lines and larvae

The baculovirus expression system using the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) has been extensively utilized for high-level expression of cloned foreign genes, driven by the strong viral promoters of polyhedrin (polh) and p10 encoding genes. A parallel system using Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) is much less exploited because the choice and variety of BmNPV-based transfer vectors are limited. Using a transient expression assay, we have demonstrated here that the heterologous promoters of the very late genes polh and p10 from AcNPV function as efficiently in BmN cells as the BmNPV promoters. The location of the cloned foreign gene with respect to the promoter sequences was critical for achieving the highest levels of expression, following the order +35 > +1 > -3 > -8 nucleotides (nt) with respect to the polh or p10 start codons. We have successfully generated recombinant BmNPV harboring AcNPV promoters by homeologous recombination between AcNPV-based transfer vectors and BmNPV genomic DNA. Infection of BmN cell lines with recombinant BmNPV showed a temporal expression pattern, reaching very high levels in 60-72 h post infection. The recombinant BmNPV harboring the firefly luciferase-encoding gene under the control of AcNPV polh or p10 promoters, on infection of the silkworm larvae led to the synthesis of large quantities of luciferase. Such larvae emanated significant luminiscence instantaneously on administration of the substrate luciferin resulting in 'glowing silkworms'. The virus-infected larvae continued to glow for several hours and revealed the most abundant distribution of virus in the fat bodies. In larval expression also, the highest levels were achieved when the reporter gene was located at +35 nt of the polh.

Axially homogeneous, zero mean flow buoyancy-driven turbulence in a vertical pipe

We report an experimental study of a new type of turbulent flow that is driven purely by buoyancy. The flow is due to an unstable density difference, created using brine and water, across the ends of a long (length/diameter = 9) vertical pipe. The Schmidt number Sc is 670, and the Rayleigh number (Ra) based on the density gradient and diameter is about 10(8). Under these conditions the convection is turbulent, and the time-averaged velocity at any point is `zero'. The Reynolds number based on the Taylor microscale, Re-lambda, is about 65. The pipe is long enough for there to be an axially homogeneous region, with a linear density gradient, about 6-7 diameters long in the midlength of the pipe. In the absence of a mean flow and, therefore, mean shear, turbulence is sustained just by buoyancy. The flow can be thus considered to be an axially homogeneous turbulent natural convection driven by a constant (unstable) density gradient. We characterize the flow using flow visualization and particle image velocimetry (PIV). Measurements show that the mean velocities and the Reynolds shear stresses are zero across the cross-section; the root mean squared (r.m.s.) of the vertical velocity is larger than those of the lateral velocities (by about one and half times at the pipe axis). We identify some features of the turbulent flow using velocity correlation maps and the probability density functions of velocities and velocity differences. The flow away from the wall, affected mainly by buoyancy, consists of vertically moving fluid masses continually colliding and interacting, while the flow near the wall appears similar to that in wall-bound shear-free turbulence. The turbulence is anisotropic, with the anisotropy increasing to large values as the wall is approached. A mixing length model with the diameter of the pipe as the length scale predicts well the scalings for velocity fluctuations and the flux. This model implies that the Nusselt number would scale as (RaSc1/2)-Sc-1/2, and the Reynolds number would scale as (RaSc-1/2)-Sc-1/2. The velocity and the flux measurements appear to be consistent with the Ra-1/2 scaling, although it must be pointed out that the Rayleigh number range was less than 10. The Schmidt number was not varied to check the Sc scaling. The fluxes and the Reynolds numbers obtained in the present configuration are Much higher compared to what would be obtained in Rayleigh-Benard (R-B) convection for similar density differences.

Effects of mass of charge on loop heat pipe operational characteristics

Experimental results on a loop heat pipe, using R134a as the working fluid, indicates that the liquid inventory in the compensation chamber can significantly influence the operating characteristics. The large liquid inventory in the compensation chamber, under terrestrial conditions, can result in loss of thermal coupling between the compensation chamber and the evaporator core. This causes the operating temperature to increase monotonically. This phenomenon, which has been experimentally observed, is reported in this paper. A theoretical model to predict the steady-state performance of a loop heat pipe with a weak thermal link between the compensation chamber and the core, as observed in the experiment, is also presented. The predicted and the experimentally determined temperatures correlate well.

Unsteady flow of a dilute suspension in a semi-infinite contracting or expanding pipe

In the present paper an exact similar solution of the Navier-Stokes equation for unsteady flow of a dilute suspension in a semi-infinite contracting or expanding circular pipe is presented. The effects of the Schmidt number (Sc), Reynolds number (|ε|), the volume fraction (α) and the relaxation time (τ) of the particulate phase on the flow characteristics are examined. The presence of the solid particles has been observed to influence the flow behaviour significantly. These solutions are valid down to the state of a completely collapsed pipe, since the nonlinearity is retained fully. The results may help understanding the flow near the heart and certain forced contractions or expansions of valved veins.

Laminar flow of a suspension in a curved pipe with varying curvature

The laminar flow of a fairly concentrated suspension (in which the volume fraction Z of the solid particles < 0.4) in a spatially varying periodically curved pipe has been examined numerically. Unlike the case of interacting suspension flows, the particles are found to flow in a well-mixed fashion, altering both the axial and circumferential velocities and consequently the fluid flux in the tube, depending on their diffusivity and inertia. The magnitude of shear stress at the wall is enhanced, suggesting that, if applied to vascular system, the vascular wall could be prone to ulceration during pathological situations like polycythemia. The delay in adaptation of the deviation in Poiseuille flow velocity to the curvature changes is also discussed in detail.

Ionized Gas towards Galactic Centre-Constraints from Low-Frequency Recombination Lines

Observations of the H272α recombination line towards the galactic centre show features near VLSR= 0, -50 and + 36 kms-1 . We have combined the parameters of these features with the available -166 measurements to obtain the properties of the ionized gas present along the line of sight and also in the -3 kpc arm-. For the line-of-sight ionized gas we get an electron density around 7 cm-3 and a pathlength through it 10-60 pc. The emission measure and the electron temperature are in the range 500-2900 pc cm-6 and 2000-6000 - respectively. The ionized gas in the 3 kpc arm has an electron density of 30 cm-3 and extends over 9 pc along the line of sight if we assume an electron temperature of 104 K. Using the available upper limit to the intensity of the H351α recombination line, we show that the distributed ionized gas responsible for the dispersion of pulsar signals should have a temperature > 4500 - and a minimum filling factor of 20 per cent. We also show that recombination lines from the -warm ionized- gas proposed by McKee & Ostriker (1977) should be detectable in the frequency range 100-150 MHz towards the galactic centre with the sensitivity available at present.

Rationale of Length Scale-Down Model Span Testing of Transmission Lines

Length scale-down (LS) model tests have been traditionally employed for laboratory studies on aeolian vibration of transmission line conductors. The span adopted is normally 30 m and is recommended by the relevant Indian, as well as other, standards. The traditionally adopted length of the LS model is reexamined herein to establish the rationale behind the choice. Based on the theoretical studies discussed, certain guidelines for the choice of model span of conductor are emphasized. In addition, the adequacy of the LS span as a tool for predicting the performance of the full span is reestablished.

An Exact Analysis of Unsteady Convective Diffusion in an Annular Pipe

An exact solution to the unsteady convective diffusion equation for the dispersion of a solute in a fully developed laminar flow in an annular pipe is obtained. Generalized dispersion model which is valid for all time after the injection of solute in the flow is used to evaluate the dispersion coefficients as functions of time. It is observed that the axial dispersion decreases with an increase in the radius of the inner cylinder.

Unsteady flow of a dilute suspension in a semi-infinite contracting or expanding pipe

In the present paper an exact similar solution of the Navier-Stokes equation for unsteady flow of a dilute suspension in a semi-infinite contracting or expanding circular pipe is presented. The effects of the Schmidt number (Sc), Reynolds number (|ε|), the volume fraction (α) and the relaxation time (τ) of the particulate phase on the flow characteristics are examined. The presence of the solid particles has been observed to influence the flow behaviour significantly. These solutions are valid down to the state of a completely collapsed pipe, since the nonlinearity is retained fully. The results may help understanding the flow near the heart and certain forced contractions or expansions of valved veins.

Energy losses at pipe trifurcations

In the case of pipe trifurcation, previous observations report negative energy losses in the centre branch. This causes an anomaly, because there should not be any negative energy loss due to conservation of energy principle. Earlier investigators have suggested that this may be due to the non-inclusion of kinetic energy coefficient (a) in the computations of energy losses without any experimental evidence. In the present work, through experimentally determined velocity profiles, energy loss coefficients have been evaluated. It has been found that with the inclusion of a in the computations of energy loss, there is no negative energy loss in the centre branch.

A study of the deformation slip lines in quenched and aged Al-2% Ge alloy

Optical microscopy has been employed to observe the slip lines in deformed Al-2% Ge alloy samples. Slip lines have been observed in the as-quenched, partially-aged, fully-aged and over-aged states. The lines tend to traverse fairly straight paths in the case of quenched and partially-aged conditions. Fully-aged samples also reveal such straight running lines when tested at low-temperatures. However, the density of the lines generally decreases as the peak-aged state is approached. These results are in agreement with the idea that thermally activated shearing of the precipitates is occurring in the alloy aged up to peak-hardness. The irregular lines for the over-aged specimens support the view that the moving dislocations by-pass the precipitates during deformation. The influence of test-temperature on the appearance of slip traces has been briefly examined.

On plane-wave propagation in a uniform pipe in the presence of a mean flow and a temperature gradient

A theoretical study on the propagation of plane waves in the presence of a hot mean flow in a uniform pipe is presented. The temperature variation in the pipe is taken to be a linear temperature gradient along the axis. The theoretical studies include the formulation of a wave equation based on continuity, momentum, and state equation, and derivation of a general four-pole matrix, which is shown to yield the well-known transfer matrices for several other simpler cases.

Transition of turbulent pipe flow

The velocity profile in turbulent pipe flow is usually divided into two regions, a wall or inner region and a core or outer region. For the inner region, the viscosity and wall shear stress are the important parameters governing the velocity distribution whereas for the outer region, the wall reduces the velocity below the maximum velocity independent of viscosity. In the present work, a velocity model is proposed for turbulent flow in the wall region of a pipe covering the entire transition from smooth to rough flows. Coupling this model for the wall region with the power law velocity model for the core region, an equation for the friction factor is obtained. The model constants are evaluated by using Nikuradse's experiments in the fully smooth and rough turbulent flows. The model shows good agreement with the friction factor and the velocity profiles obtained by Nikuradse for the transition region of turbulent flow.

On-line Dynamic Security Assessment: Determination of Critical Transmission Lines

The main objective of on-line dynamic security assessment is to take preventive action if required or decide remedial action if a contingency actually occurs. Stability limits are obtained for different contingencies. The mode of instability is one of the outputs of dynamic security analysis. When a power system becomes unstable, it splits initially into two groups of generators, and there is a unique cutset in the transmission network known as critical cutset across which the angles become unbounded. The knowledge of critical cutset is additional information obtained from dynamic security assessment, which can be used for initiating preventive control actions, deciding emergency control actions, and adaptive out-of-step relaying. In this article, an analytical technique for the fast prediction of the critical cutset by system simulation for a short duration is presented. Case studies on the New England ten-generator system are presented. The article also suggests the applications of the identification of critical cutsets.