The use of liquid crystals as electrorheological fluids in microsystems: Model and measurements

Fluids with controllable flow properties have gained considerable interest in the past few years. Some of these fluids such as magnetorheologic fluids are now widely applied to active dampers and valves. Although these fluids show promising properties for microsystems, their applicability is limited to the microscale since particles suspended in these fluids tend to obstruct microchannels. This paper investigates the applicability of electrorheologic liquid crystals (LCs) in microsystems. Since LCs do not contain suspended particles, they show intrinsic advantages over classic rheologic fluids in micro-applications. This paper presents a novel physical model that describes the static and the dynamic behaviour of electrorheologic LCs. The developed model is validated by comparing simulations and measurements performed on a rectangular microchannel. This assessment shows that the model presented in this paper is able to simulate both static and dynamic properties accurately. Therefore, this model is useful for the understanding, simulation and optimization of devices using LCs as electrorheological fluid. In addition, measurements performed in this paper reveal remarkable properties of LCs, such as high bandwidths and high changes in flow resistance. © 2006 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Turbulence in Rotating, Stratified and Electrically Conducting Fluids

This book investigates how turbulence responds to rotation, stratification or magnetic fields, identifying common themes, where they exist, as well as the essential differences which inevitably arise between different classes of flow.

Jetting of complex fluids

Recent results from a number of UK academic inkjet research studies advance the understanding of complex fluid jetting behavior and may be of interest to the wider digital fabrication community for the enhancement of inkjet printing applications. © 2013 Society for Imaging Science and Technology.

Phase equilibria and plate-fluid interfacial tensions for associating hard sphere fluids confined in slit pores

The excess Helmholtz free energy functional for associating hard sphere fluid is formulated by using a modified fundamental measure theory [Y. X. Yu and J. Z. Wu, J. Chem. Phys. 117, 10156 (2002)]. Within the framework of density functional theory, the thermodynamic properties including phase equilibria for both molecules and monomers, equilibrium plate-fluid interfacial tensions and isotherms of excess adsorption, average molecule density, average monomer density, and plate-fluid interfacial tension for four-site associating hard sphere fluids confined in slit pores are investigated. The phase equilibria inside the hard slit pores and attractive slit pores are determined according to the requirement that temperature, chemical potential, and grand potential in coexistence phases should be equal and the plate-fluid interfacial tensions at equilibrium states are predicted consequently. The influences of association energy, fluid-solid interaction, and pore width on phase equilibria and equilibrium plate-fluid interfacial tensions are discussed.

Numerical simulation of a bubble rising in shear-thinning fluids

The motion of a single bubble rising freely in quiescent non-Newtonian viscous fluids was investigated experimentally and computationally. The non-Newtonian effects in the flow of viscous inelastic fluids are modeled by the Carreau theological model. An improved level set approach for computing the incompressible two-phase flow with deformable free interface is used. The control volume formulation with the SIMPLEC algorithm incorporated is used to solve the governing equations on a staggered Eulerian grid. The simulation results demonstrate that the algorithm is robust for shear-thinning liquids with large density (rho(1)/rho(g) up to 10(3)) and high viscosity (eta(1)/eta(g) up to 10(4)). The comparison of the experimental measurements of terminal bubble shape and velocity with the computational results is satisfactory. It is shown that the local change in viscosity around a bubble greatly depends on the bubble shape and the zero-shear viscosity of non-Newtonian shear-thinning liquids. The shear-rate distribution and velocity fields are used to elucidate the formation of a region of large viscosity at the rear of a bubble as a result of the rather stagnant flow behind the bubble. The numerical results provide the basis for further investigations, such as the numerical simulation of viscoelastic fluids. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of volume ratio on thermocapillary flow in liquid bridges of high-Prandtl-number fluids

In present study, the transition of thermocapillary convection from the axisymmetric stationary flow to oscillatory flow in liquid bridges of 5cst silicon oil (aspect ratio 1.0 and 1.6) is investigated in microgravity conditions by the linear instability analysis. The corresponding marginal instability boundary is closely related to the gas/liquid configuration of the liquid bridge noted as volume ratio. With the increasing volume ratio, the marginal instability boundary consists of the increasing branch and the decreasing branch. A gap region exists between the branches where the critical Marangoni number of the corresponding axisymmetric stationary flow increases drastically. Particularly, a unique axisymmetric oscillatory flow (the critical azimuthal wave number is m=0) in the gap region is reported for the liquid bridge of aspect ratio 1.6. Moreover, the energy transfer between the basic state and the disturbance fields of the thermocapillary convection is analyzed at the corresponding critical Marangoni number, which reveals different major sources of the energy transfer for the development of the disturbances in regimes of the increasing branch, the gap region and the decreasing branch, respectively.

Rossby waves with linear topography in barotropic fluids

Rossby waves are the most important waves in the atmosphere and ocean, and are parts of a large-scale system in fluid. The theory and observation show that, they satisfy quasi-geostrophic and quasi-static equilibrium approximations. In this paper, solitary Rossby waves induced by linear topography in barotropic fluids with a shear flow are studied. In order to simplify the problem, the topography is taken as a linear function of latitude variable y, then employing a weakly nonlinear method and a perturbation method, a KdV (Korteweg-de Vries) equation describing evolution of the amplitude of solitary Rossby waves induced by linear topography is derived. The results show that the variation of linear topography can induce the solitary Rossby waves in barotropic fluids with a shear flow, and extend the classical geophysical theory of fluid dynamics.

东天山地区金矿床成矿流体地球化学及其成矿机制

The mechanism of gold ore formation in the eastern Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, that has been dealt with from various aspects, remains unclear. On the basis of investigations of regional geology, ore deposit geology, and microscopic observations of ores and related rocks of the Jinwozi, the 210, and the Mazhuangshan gold ore deposits, this thesis made a systematic research on the microthermometry of gangue quartz-hosted fluid inclusions, gas, liquid ion and rare earth element compositions and hydrogen, oxygen isotope compositions of sulfide- and quartz-hosted fluid inclusions, and sulfur and lead isotope compositions of sulfide ore minerals from the major ores in the three deposits. On the basis of the above synthetic studies, sources of ore-forming fluids and metals, and mechanism of gold ore formation in the region were discussed. Gas compositions of pyrite- and sphalerite-hosted fluid inclusions were first analyzed in this thesis. Compared with gangue quartz-hosted fluid inclusions, the sulfide-hosted ones are richer in gaseous species CO2, CO, and CH4 etc. Both gas and liquid CO2 are commonly observed in fluid inclusions, whereas halite daughter minerals rarely occur. Ore-forming fluids for the three gold ore deposits are characteristically of medium to low temperatures, medium to low salinities, are rich in CO2 and Na+, K+, Cl" ions. Gas covariation diagrams exhibit linear trends that are interpreted as reflecting mixing between the magamtic fluid and meteoric-derived groundwater. Regarding rare earth element compositions, the Jinwozi and the 210 deposits show moderate to strong LREE/HREE fractionations with negative Eu anomalies. However, the Mazhuangshan deposit shows little LREE/HREE fractionation with positive Eu anomalies. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of pyrite-hosted fluid inclusions that were first analyzed in this thesis indicate the presence of magmatic water. Hydrogen and oxygen isotope compositions of pyrite- and quartz-hosted fluid inclusions suggest mixing between magmatic water and meteoric-derived groundwater. Sulfur and lead isotope compositions of sulfide ore minerals indicate multi-sources for the metallogenetic materials that range from the crust to the mantle. On the basis of the above synthetic studies, genesis of the gold ore deposits in the eastern Tianshan Mountains was approached. From the Middle-Late Hercynian to Early Indosinian, geodynamic regime of the region was changing from the collisional compression to the post-collisional extension. During the period, magmas were derived from the crust and the mantle and carried metallogenetic materials. Magma intrusion in the upper crust released the magmatic fluids, and drove circulation of groundwater. Mixing of magmatic fluid with groundwater, and extraction of metallogenetic materials from the country rocks are the mechanism for the gold ore formation in the eastern Tianshan Mountains.

山东莱州金城金矿床构造-流体成矿特征

This paper studied the metallotectonics, altered rocks, altered minerals and fluid inclusions. The conclusions are: (1)The gold deposits in Jiaodong district were formed quickly uplifted tectonic setting which was induced by the Mantle doming in Mesozoic era. (2)Both Jiaojia-type and Linglong-type gold mineralizations were formed in the same tectonic-fluid system. (3) The Ar-Ar age of the earlier stage of the gold mineralization is 114～116Ma. (4)The development of the plaiting ore-control tectonic system underwent four stagesrcounterclockwise ductile compresso-shearing, clockwise brittle tenso-shearing and counterclockwise brittle compresso-shearing and brittle normal faulting after mineralization. (5)The mineralization has five stages: quartz and k-feldspar stage, quartz and ferro-carbonate and pyrite stage, quartz and chalcopyrite stage, pyrite and sericite and quartz stage and carbonate stage, and they make up four ore-types: red ore, vein ore, mottled ore and grey ore. (6) The features of mineralizations and ore-forming fluids in different stages are different. But the ore-forming fluids are rich in Si, Fe, P_2O_5, H_2O, CO_2, SO_4~(2-), K~+, Na~+, Ca~(2+) and Cl~- in general and their salinities are from 4 to 18 NaClwt%. (7) The ore-forming fluids came mainly from the Mantle in early stage, then mainly from magma, and mainly from meteoric water in the last stage. (8) Au in the ore-forming fluid was mainly carried in the form of complex of Au and S. (9)The temperature of ore-forming fluid is from 350℃ to 120℃and its pressure is from 20MPa to 38MPa. (10)The gold vein composed by quartz, ferro-carbonate, chalcopyrite and pyrite (vein ore) was filled in the tensional fracture in the top of the magma dome. The disseminated ore bodies composed by pyrite, sericite and quartz (grey ore) was metasomatized in the shearing fault which developed along the contact zone between Linglong intrusive body and Jiaodong Group, which is placed in the flank top of magma dome. In the joint and fracture induced by the shearing fault which developed along the contact zone between Linglong intrusive body and Jiaodong Group, veiniet and stockwork ore (red ore) and veinlet-disseminated ore (mottled ore) composed by quartz and pyrite was formed. (ll)Fluid boiling maybe one of the form of the ore-forming substances precipitation.

河北寿王坟铜矿成矿定年及同位素地球化学特征

Samples from carbonate wall-rocks, skarn, ore of skarn type, later calcite vein, and ore of porphyry type in Shouwangfen copper deposit district were collected. Systematic study was carried out on carbon, oxygen, rubidium, strontium and sulfur isotope compositions of carbonates and sulfides in these samples. The first Isochron dating by the Rb-Sr isotopes in chalcopyrite of ore sub-sample was done as well. The following conclusions were obtained. The age (113.6±4.3Ma), obtained by Rb-Sr isotope isochron dating of chalcopyrite and pyrite from sub-sample of skarn ores, probably represents the true mineralization age of skarn ores. That demonstrates the genetic relationship between granodiorite in Shouwangfen complex and skarn copper ores. On the other hand, the Rb-Sr isochron age (73±15Ma) of chalcopyrite from porphyry ores is a little incredible because of bad synthesizing evaluation. But combined with other age data of igneous rocks, it implies the possibility of hydrothermal mineralization in connection with magma activity during the fourth period of Yanshanian in Hebei Province, even in the whole northern edge of Huabei continental block. Together from structure analysis of sulfide sub-samples, from pretreating preccedure of Rb-Sr isotope isochron and its' valuating, we found out that Rb-Sr isotope isochron of sulfide sub-samples is influenced by the crystal structure of sulfides. That is, sulfide ores with very big crystals are not suitable for sub-sample isochron. Carbon, oxygen, sulfur and strontium compositions, of different minerals in these two kinds of ores, imply that the ore-forming hydrothermal fluids were probably derived from magma deep under the crust. The calcite ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr ratios from the porphyry are consistent to the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the Rb-Sr isochron of chalcopyrite and pyrite in the skarn ore, indicating that these two kinds of ores have the same source characteristic, although the porphyry deposit was formed probably 40 million years later than the skarn one according to our dating results. Skarn and skarn ores are usually considered as interaction product between carbonate wall-rocks and magmatic fluids, but the carbon of the sedimentary carbonate seems not involved in the skarn ores. Considering the connection of magmatic processes and hydrothermal ore formation in the Shouwangfen district, particularly, the spatial distribution of skarn-type and porphyry-type ores, it is possible that the Shouwangfen ore district corresponds to a hydrothermal ore-forming system, which was promoted by high-intruding magmatic rocks. Systematic stable isotopic research can help to reveal the upper part of this hydrothermal ore-forming system, which mainly related to heated and circulating meteoric water, and the lower part principally related to ascending magmatic fluids. Both skarn and porphyry ore-bodies are formed by up-intruding magmatic fluids (even more deep mantle-derived fluids).

新疆萨吾尔金矿带构造-流体地球化学及成矿作用

The Sawuer gold belt is located in the transition belt between Siberian plate and Kazakhstan-Junggar plate. Based on the geological and geochemical studies on the Kuoerzhenkuola and Buerkesidai gold deposits, in Sawuer gold mineralization belt, the time-space structure of mineralization and mineralizing factor are studied, the metallogenic regularity is concluded in thistheses. The ore bodies have the regularity that orebody are of the extensive and compressive in the sallow and depth of volcanic apparatue, respectively, and the vertical extension of orebody is more intensive than the horizontal extension. The gold deposits were controlled by the fractures of volcanic apparatus and regional faults, and featured by the hydrothermal alteration and metasomatism type disseminated mineralization and filling type vein mineralization. By virtue of the geological and geochemical studies on the two deposits that the formation of the two deposits are significantly related to the volcanic activity, we propose new ideas about their origin: (1) the two deposits are located in the same strata, and share the same genesis. (2) both of two deposits are volcanogenic late-stage hydrothermal gold deposits. Based on mapping of volcanic lithofacies and structure for the first time, it is discovered that a volcanic apparatus existed in the study area. Volcanic-intrusive activity can be divided into three cycles and nine lithofacies. where the two deposits are hosted in the same volcanic cycle, in this case, the wall-rock should belong to the same strata. The 40Ar-39Ar age method is employed in this work to analyze the fluid inclusions of quartz in the ore bodies from Kuoerzhenkuola and Buerkesidai gold deposits. The results show that the main mineralization occurred in 332.05 + 2.02-332.59 + 0.5IMa and 335.53 + 0.32Ma~336.78 + 0.50Ma for Kuoerzhenkuola and Buerkesidai gold deposits respectively, indicating that the two deposits are formed almost at the same time, and the metallogenic epoch of the tow deposits are close to those of the hosting rocks formed by volcanic activity of Sawuer gold belt. This geochronological study supplies new evidence for determining the timing of gold mineralization, the geneses of gold deposits? and identifies that in Hercynian period, the Altai developed tectonic-magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization of Early Carboniferous period, except known two metallogenic mineralization periods including tectonic-magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization of Devonian period and Late Carboniferous-Permian period respectively. The study of fluid inclusions indicates that the ore-forming fluid is a type of NaCl-HbO fluid with medium-low temperature and low salinity, Au is transported by the type of auric-sulfur complex (Au (HS)2-), the ore is formed in reduction condition. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of fluid inclusions in the major mineralizating stage show that the solutions mainly originated from magmatic water and meteoric water. The fluid mixing and water-rock reaction cause the deposition of Au. The helium and argon isotope compositions of fluid inclusions hosted in pyrite have been measured from Kuoerzhenkuola and Buerkesidai gold deposits in Sawuer gold belt. The results show that the ore-forming fluids of two deposits possessed the same source and is a mixture of mantle- and partial meteoric water-derived fluid, and the reliability of He and Ar isotopic compositions in Hercynian period is discussed. Isotopic studies including H, O, He, C, S, Pb and Sr reveal the same result that the ore-forming fluids of two deposits possessed the same source: the water derived mainly from magmatic water, partially from meteoric water; the mineralizers and ore materials derived mainly from mantle beneath the island arc, and partially from crust. The ore-forming fluids of two deposits are a mixture of mantle-derived fluids being incorporated by crust-derived fluid, and shallow partial meteoric water. Based on these results, it is proposed that the geneses of the two gold deposits are the same, being volcanogenic late-stage hydrothermal gold deposits that the ore-forming fluids filled in fractures of volcanic apparatus and metasomatized the host rocks in the volcanic apparatus. It is the first time we carried out the geophysical exploration, that is, the EH-4 continuous electrical conductivity image system measurement, the results show that relative large-size mineralizing anomalies in underground have been discovered.lt can confirm the law and genesis of the deposits mentioned above, and change the two abandoned mines to current large-size potenial exploration target.