The regulation of NHE��� and NHE��� activity by angiotensin II is mediated by the activation of the angiotensin II type I receptor/phospholipase C/calcium/calmodulin pathway in distal nephron cells

Angiotensin II (Ang II), acting via the AT1 receptor, induces an increase in intracellular calcium [Ca(2+)]i that then interacts with calmodulin (CaM). The Ca(2+)/CaM complex directly or indirectly activates sodium hydrogen exchanger 1 (NHE1) and phosphorylates calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII), which then regulates sodium hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3) activity. In this study, we investigated the cellular signaling pathways responsible for Ang II-mediated regulation of NHE1 and NHE3 in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. The NHE1- and NHE3-dependent pHi recovery rates were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy using the fluorescent probe BCECF/AM, messenger RNA was evaluated with the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and protein expression was evaluated by immunoblot. We demonstrated that treatment with Ang II (1pM or 1 nM) for 30 min induced, via the AT1 but not the AT2 receptor, an equal increase in NHE1 and NHE3 activity that was reduced by the specific inhibitors HOE 694 and S3226, respectively. Ang II (1 nM) did not change the total expression of NHE1, NHE3 or calmodulin, but it induced CaMKII, cRaf-1, Erk1/2 and p90(RSK) phosphorylation. The stimulatory effects of Ang II (1 nM) on NHE1 or NHE3 activity or protein abundance was reduced by ophiobolin-A (CaM inhibitor), KN93 (CaMKII inhibitor) or PD98059 (Mek inhibitor). These results indicate that after 30 min, Ang II treatment may activate G protein-dependent pathways, including the AT1/PLC/Ca(2+)/CaM pathway, which induces CaMKII phosphorylation to stimulate NHE3 and induces cRaf-1/Mek/Erk1/2/p90(RSK) activity to stimulate NHE1

Cell therapy prevents structural, functional and molecular remodeling of remote non-infarcted myocardium

Background/objectives: Therapy using bone marrow (BM) cells has been tested experimentally and clinically due to the potential ability to restore cardiac function by regenerating lost myocytes or increasing the survival of tissues at risk after myocardial infarction (MI). In this study we aimed to evaluate whether BM-derived mononuclear cell (MNC) implantation can positively influence the post-MI structural remodeling, contractility and Ca(2 +)-handling proteins of the remote non-infarcted tissue in rats. Methods and results: After 48 h of MI induction, saline or BM-MNC were injected. Six weeks later, MI scars were slightly smaller and thicker, and cardiac dilatation was just partially prevented by cell therapy. However, the cardiac performance under hemodynamic stress was totally preserved in the BM-MNC treated group if compared to the untreated group, associated with normal contractility of remote myocardium as analyzed in vitro. The impaired post-rest potentiation of contractile force, associated with decreased protein expression of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2 +-ATPase and phosphorylated-phospholamban and overexpression of Na(+)/Ca(2 +) exchanger, were prevented by BM-MNC, indicating preservation of the Ca(2 +) handling. Finally, pathological changes on remodeled remote tissue such as myocyte hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis and capillary rarefaction were also mitigated by cell therapy. Conclusions: BM-MNC therapy was able to prevent cardiac structural and molecular remodeling after MI, avoiding pathological changes on Ca(2 +)-handling proteins and preserving contractile behavior of the viable myocardium, which could be the major contributor to the improvements of global cardiac performance after cell transplantation despite that scar tissue still exists.

Human skeletal muscle and erythrocyte proteins involved in acid-base homeostasis: adaptations to chronic hypoxia

[EN] Chronic hypoxia is accompanied by changes in blood and skeletal muscle acid-base control. We hypothesized that the underlying mechanisms include altered protein expression of transport systems and the enzymes involved in lactate, HCO3- and H+ fluxes in skeletal muscle and erythrocytes. Immunoblotting was used to quantify densities of the transport systems and enzymes. Muscle and erythrocyte samples were obtained from eight Danish lowlanders at sea level and after 2 and 8 weeks at 4100 m (Bolivia). For comparison, samples were obtained from eight Bolivian natives. In muscle membranes there were no changes in fibre-type distribution, lactate dehydrogenase isoforms, Na+,K+-pump subunits or in the lactate-H+ co-transporters MCT1 and MCT4. The Na+-H+ exchanger protein NHE1 was elevated by 39 % in natives compared to lowlanders. The Na+-HCO3- co-transporter density in muscle was elevated by 47-69 % after 2 and 8 weeks at altitude. The membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase (CA) IV in muscle increased in the lowlanders by 39 %, whereas CA XIV decreased by 23-47 %. Levels of cytosolic CA II and III in muscle and CA I and II in erythrocytes were unchanged. The erythrocyte lactate-H+ co-transporter MCT1 increased by 230-405 % in lowlanders and was 324 % higher in natives. The erythrocyte inorganic anion exchanger (Cl--HCO3- exchanger AE1) was increased by 149-228 %. In conclusion, chronic hypoxia induces dramatic changes in erythrocyte proteins, but only moderate changes in muscle proteins involved in acid-base control. Together, these changes suggest a hypoxia-induced increase in the capacity for lactate, HCO3- and H+ fluxes from muscle to blood and from blood to erythrocytes.

Second law analysis and simulation techniques for the energy optimization of buildings

The research activity described in this thesis is focused mainly on the study of finite-element techniques applied to thermo-fluid dynamic problems of plant components and on the study of dynamic simulation techniques applied to integrated building design in order to enhance the energy performance of the building. The first part of this doctorate thesis is a broad dissertation on second law analysis of thermodynamic processes with the purpose of including the issue of the energy efficiency of buildings within a wider cultural context which is usually not considered by professionals in the energy sector. In particular, the first chapter includes, a rigorous scheme for the deduction of the expressions for molar exergy and molar flow exergy of pure chemical fuels. The study shows that molar exergy and molar flow exergy coincide when the temperature and pressure of the fuel are equal to those of the environment in which the combustion reaction takes place. A simple method to determine the Gibbs free energy for non-standard values of the temperature and pressure of the environment is then clarified. For hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and several hydrocarbons, the dependence of the molar exergy on the temperature and relative humidity of the environment is reported, together with an evaluation of molar exergy and molar flow exergy when the temperature and pressure of the fuel are different from those of the environment. As an application of second law analysis, a comparison of the thermodynamic efficiency of a condensing boiler and of a heat pump is also reported. The second chapter presents a study of borehole heat exchangers, that is, a polyethylene piping network buried in the soil which allows a ground-coupled heat pump to exchange heat with the ground. After a brief overview of low-enthalpy geothermal plants, an apparatus designed and assembled by the author to carry out thermal response tests is presented. Data obtained by means of in situ thermal response tests are reported and evaluated by means of a finite-element simulation method, implemented through the software package COMSOL Multyphysics. The simulation method allows the determination of the precise value of the effective thermal properties of the ground and of the grout, which are essential for the design of borehole heat exchangers. In addition to the study of a single plant component, namely the borehole heat exchanger, in the third chapter is presented a thorough process for the plant design of a zero carbon building complex. The plant is composed of: 1) a ground-coupled heat pump system for space heating and cooling, with electricity supplied by photovoltaic solar collectors; 2) air dehumidifiers; 3) thermal solar collectors to match 70% of domestic hot water energy use, and a wood pellet boiler for the remaining domestic hot water energy use and for exceptional winter peaks. This chapter includes the design methodology adopted: 1) dynamic simulation of the building complex with the software package TRNSYS for evaluating the energy requirements of the building complex; 2) ground-coupled heat pumps modelled by means of TRNSYS; and 3) evaluation of the total length of the borehole heat exchanger by an iterative method developed by the author. An economic feasibility and an exergy analysis of the proposed plant, compared with two other plants, are reported. The exergy analysis was performed by considering the embodied energy of the components of each plant and the exergy loss during the functioning of the plants.

Characterization of geothermal reservoirs��� parameters by inverse problem resolution and geostatistical simulations

BTES (borehole thermal energy storage)systems exchange thermal energy by conduction with the surrounding ground through borehole materials. The spatial variability of the geological properties and the space-time variability of hydrogeological conditions affect the real power rate of heat exchangers and, consequently, the amount of energy extracted from / injected into the ground. For this reason, it is not an easy task to identify the underground thermal properties to use when designing. At the current state of technology, Thermal Response Test (TRT) is the in situ test for the characterization of ground thermal properties with the higher degree of accuracy, but it doesn���t fully solve the problem of characterizing the thermal properties of a shallow geothermal reservoir, simply because it characterizes only the neighborhood of the heat exchanger at hand and only for the test duration. Different analytical and numerical models exist for the characterization of shallow geothermal reservoir, but they are still inadequate and not exhaustive: more sophisticated models must be taken into account and a geostatistical approach is needed to tackle natural variability and estimates uncertainty. The approach adopted for reservoir characterization is the ���inverse problem���, typical of oil&gas field analysis. Similarly, we create different realizations of thermal properties by direct sequential simulation and we find the best one fitting real production data (fluid temperature along time). The software used to develop heat production simulation is FEFLOW 5.4 (Finite Element subsurface FLOW system). A geostatistical reservoir model has been set up based on literature thermal properties data and spatial variability hypotheses, and a real TRT has been tested. Then we analyzed and used as well two other codes (SA-Geotherm and FV-Geotherm) which are two implementation of the same numerical model of FEFLOW (Al-Khoury model).

Analisi della stabilit�� dei risultati dei test di risposta termica: prove in campo, confronto e analisi critica per diversi metodi di esecuzione e modellizzazione

Il Test di Risposta Termica (Thermal Response Test-TRT) (Mogenson,1983) �� il test esistente con il pi�� alto grado di accuratezza per la caratterizzazione del reservoir geotermico superficiale. Il test consiste in una simulazione in situ del funzionamento di un sistema a circuito chiuso di sfruttamento dell���energia geotermica, per un periodo limitato di tempo, attraverso l���iniezione o estrazione di calore a potenza costante all���interno del geo-scambiatore (Borehole Heat Exchanger-BHE). Dall���analisi della variazione delle temperature del fluido circolante, �� possibile avere una stima delle propriet�� termiche medie del volume del reservoir geotermico interessato dal test. Le grandezze principali per la caratterizzazione di un serbatoio geotermico sono la conduttivit�� termica (��), la capacit�� termica volumetrica (c), la temperatura indisturbata del suolo (Tg) e la resistenza termica del pozzo (Rb); la loro determinazione �� necessaria per il corretto progettazione degli geo-scambiatori. I risultati del TRT sono tuttavia sensibili alle condizioni al contorno spazio-temporali quali ad es.: variazione della temperatura del terreno, movimento d���acqua di falda, condizioni metereologiche, eventi stagionali, ecc. Questo lavoro vuole: i) introdurre uno studio sui problemi di caratterizzazione del reservoir geotermico superficiale, in particolare analizzando l���effetto che il movimento d���acqua di falda ha sui parametri termici; ii) analizzare la sensitivit�� dei risultati del test alle variabilit�� dei parametri caratteristici del funzionamento delle attrezzature. Parte del lavoro della mia tesi �� stata svolta in azienda per un periodo di 4 mesi presso la ���Groenholland Geo Energy systems��� che ha sede ad Amsterdam in Olanda. Tre diversi esperimenti sono stati realizzati sullo stesso sito (stratigrafia nota del terreno: argilla, sabbia fine e sabbia grossa) usando una sonda profonda 30 metri e diversi pozzi per l���estrazione d���acqua e per monitorare gli effetti in prossimit�� del geo scambiatore. I risultati degli esperimenti sono stati molto diversi tra di loro, non solo in termini di dati registrati (temperature del fluido termovettore), ma in termini dei valori dei parametri ottenuti elaborando i dati. In particolare non �� sufficiente adottare il modello classico della sorgente lineare infinita (Infinite Line Source Solution- ILS) (Ingersoll and Plass, 1948), il quale descrive il trasferimento di calore per conduzione in un mezzo omogeneo indefinito a temperatura costante. Infatti, lo scambio di calore avviene anche tramite convezione causata dal movimento d���acqua di falda, non identificabile mediante gli approcci classici tipo CUSUM test (Cumulative Sum test) (Brown e altri,1975) Lo studio della tesi vuole dare un quadro di riferimento per correlare la variabilit�� dei risultati con la variabilit�� delle condizioni al contorno. L���analisi integra le metodologie classiche (ILS) con un approccio geostatistico utile a comprendere i fenomeni e fluttuazioni che caratterizzano il test. Lo studio delle principali variabili e parametri del test, quali temperatura in ingresso e uscita del fluido termovettore, portata del fluido e potenza iniettata o estratta, �� stato sviluppato mediante: il variogramma temporale, ovvero la semivarianza dell���accrescimento, che esprime il tipo di autocorrelazione temporale della variabile in esame; la covarianza incrociata temporale, ovvero la covarianza fra due variabili del sistema, che ne definisce quantitativamente il grado di correlazione in funzionamento del loro sfasamento temporale. L���approccio geostatistico proposto considera la temperatura del fluido Tf come una funzione aleatoria (FA) non stazionaria nel tempo (Chiles, 1999), il cui trend �� formalmente definito, ma deve essere identificato numericamente. Si considera quindi un classico modello a residuo; in cui la FA �� modellizzata come la somma di un termine deterministico, la media (il valore atteso) m(t),coincidente col modello descritto dalla teoria della sorgente lineare infinit��, e di un termine aleatorio, la fluttuazione, Y(t). Le variabili portata e potenza sono invece considerate delle funzioni aleatorie stazionarie nel tempo, ovvero a media costante. Da questo studio di Tesi si sono raggiunte delle conclusioni molto importanti per lo studio del TRT: Confronto tra gli esperimenti in estrazione di calore, con e senza movimento d���acqua di falda: si studia l���effetto indotto dalla falda sul TRT. E��� possibile caratterizzare quantitativamente l���incremento della conducibilit�� termica equivalente legata a fenomeni convettivi dovuti al movimento d���acqua di falda. Inoltre, i variogrammi sperimentali evidenziano periodicit�� simili nei due casi e legate al funzionamento della pompa di calore e della componentistica associata ed alla circolazione del fluido termovettore all���interno della sonda. Tuttavia, la componente advettiva ha un effetto di smorzamento sulle piccole periodicit�� dei variogrammi, ma di aumento dell���ampiezza delle periodicit�� maggiori a causa del funzionamento della pompa di calore che deve fornire maggiore energia al sistema per bilanciare le dispersioni dovute al movimento d���acqua di falda. Confronto fra estrazione ed iniezione di calore, con movimento d���acqua di falda: si studia la significativit�� dei risultati nei due casi. L���analisi delle variografie evidenzia significative differenze nella struttura dei variogrammi sperimentali. In particolare, nel test con iniezione di calore i variogrammi sperimentali delle temperature hanno valori sistematicamente inferiori, circostanza che assicura una migliore precisione nella stima dei parametri termici. Quindi eseguire il TRT in iniezione di calore risulta pi�� preciso. Dall���analisi dei variogrammi sperimentali delle singole variabili quali temperatura del fluido in ingresso e uscita all���interno del geoscambiatore �� stato confermato il fenomeno di smorzamento delle oscillazioni da parte del terreno. Dall���analisi delle singole variabili del test (temperature, potenza, portata) �� stata confermata l���indipendenza temporale fra portate e temperature. Ci�� �� evidenziato dalle diverse strutture dei variogrammi diretti e dalle covarianze incrociate prossime a zero. Mediante correlogrami �� stato dimostrato la possibilit�� di calcolare il tempo impiegato dal fluido termovettore per circolare all���interno della sonda. L���analisi geostatistica ha permesso quindi di studiare in dettaglio la sensitivit�� dei risultati del TRT alle diverse condizioni al contorno, quelle legate al reservoir e quelle legate al funzionamento delle attrezzature

Validation of the CFD code NEPTUNE for a full scale simulator for decay heat removal systems with in-pool heat exchangers

In the present work, a multi physics simulation of an innovative safety system for light water nuclear reactor is performed, with the aim to increase the reliability of its main decay heat removal system. The system studied, denoted by the acronym PERSEO (in Pool Energy Removal System for Emergency Operation) is able to remove the decay power from the primary side of the light water nuclear reactor through a heat suppression pool. The experimental facility, located at SIET laboratories (PIACENZA), is an evolution of the Thermal Valve concept where the triggering valve is installed liquid side, on a line connecting two pools at the bottom. During the normal operation, the valve is closed, while in emergency conditions it opens, the heat exchanger is flooded with consequent heat transfer from the primary side to the pool side. In order to verify the correct system behavior during long term accidental transient, two main experimental PERSEO tests are analyzed. For this purpose, a coupling between the mono dimensional system code CATHARE, which reproduces the system scale behavior, with a three-dimensional CFD code NEPTUNE CFD, allowing a full investigation of the pools and the injector, is implemented. The coupling between the two codes is realized through the boundary conditions. In a first analysis, the facility is simulated by the system code CATHARE V2.5 to validate the results with the experimental data. The comparison of the numerical results obtained shows a different void distribution during the boiling conditions inside the heat suppression pool for the two cases of single nodalization and three volume nodalization scheme of the pool. Finaly, to improve the investigation capability of the void distribution inside the pool and the temperature stratification phenomena below the injector, a two and three dimensional CFD models with a simplified geometry of the system are adopted.

Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Gas Forced Convection through Microtubes and Micro Heat Exchangers

The last decade has witnessed very fast development in microfabrication technologies. The increasing industrial applications of microfluidic systems call for more intensive and systematic knowledge on this newly emerging field. Especially for gaseous flow and heat transfer at microscale, the applicability of conventional theories developed at macro scale is not yet completely validated; this is mainly due to scarce experimental data available in literature for gas flows. The objective of this thesis is to investigate these unclear elements by analyzing forced convection for gaseous flows through microtubes and micro heat exchangers. Experimental tests have been performed with microtubes having various inner diameters, namely 750 ���m, 510 ���m and 170 ���m, over a wide range of Reynolds number covering the laminar region, the transitional zone and also the onset region of the turbulent regime. The results show that conventional theory is able to predict the flow friction factor when flow compressibility does not appear and the effect of fluid temperature-dependent properties is insignificant. A double-layered microchannel heat exchanger has been designed in order to study experimentally the efficiency of a gas-to-gas micro heat exchanger. This microdevice contains 133 parallel microchannels machined into polished PEEK plates for both the hot side and the cold side. The microchannels are 200 ��m high, 200 ��m wide and 39.8 mm long. The design of the micro device has been made in order to be able to test different materials as partition foil with flexible thickness. Experimental tests have been carried out for five different partition foils, with various mass flow rates and flow configurations. The experimental results indicate that the thermal performance of the countercurrent and cross flow micro heat exchanger can be strongly influenced by axial conduction in the partition foil separating the hot gas flow and cold gas flow.

Funktionelle Analyse der Plasmamembran-Ca 2+-ATPase 2 -PMCA2- in Modellen der Neurodegeneration

Calcium (Ca2+) ist ein ubiquit��r vorkommendes Signalmolek��l, das an der Regulation zahlreicher zellul��rer Prozesse, von der Proliferation bis zum programmierten Zelltod, beteiligt ist. Daher m��ssen die intrazellul��ren Ca2+-Spiegel streng kontrolliert werden. Ver��nderungen der Ca2+-Hom��ostase w��hrend der altersassoziierten Neurodegeneration k��nnen dazu beitragen, dass Neuronen vulnerabler sind. So wurden erh��hte Ca2+-Konzentrationen in gealterten Neuronen, begleitet von einer erh��hten Vulnerabilit��t, beobachtet (Hajieva et al., 2009a). Weiterhin wird angenommen, dass der selektive Untergang von dopaminergen Neuronen bei der Parkinson Erkrankung auf eine erh��hte Ca2+-Last zur��ckzuf��hren sein k��nnte, da diese Neuronen einem st��ndigen Ca2+-Influx,rnaufgrund einer besonderen Isoform (CaV 1.3) spannungsgesteuerter Ca2+-Kan��le des L-Typs, ausgesetzt sind (Chan et al., 2007). Bislang wurden die molekularen Mechanismen, die einem Ca2+-Anstieg zu Grunde liegen und dessen Auswirkung jedoch nicht vollst��ndig aufgekl��rt und daher in der vorliegenden Arbeit untersucht. Um Ver��nderungen der Ca2+-Hom��ostase w��hrend der altersassoziiertenrnNeurodegeneration zu analysieren wurden prim��re Mittelhirnzellen aus Rattenembryonen und SH-SY5Y-Neuroblastomazellen mit dem Neurotoxin 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-Pyridin (MPP+), das bei der Etablierung von Modellen der Parkinson-Erkrankung breite Anwendung findet, behandelt. Ver��nderungen der intrazellul��ren Ca2+-Konzentration wurden mit einem auf dem gr��n fluoreszierenden Protein (GFP)-basierten Ca2+-Indikator,rn���Cameleon cpYC 3.6��� (Nagai et al., 2004), ermittelt. Dabei wurde in dieser Arbeit gezeigt, dass MPP+ die Abregulation der neuronenspezifischen ATP-abh��ngigen Ca2+-Pumpe der Plasmamembran (PMCA2) induziert, die mit der Ca2+-ATPase des endoplasmatischen Retikulums (SERCA) und dem Na+/Ca2+-Austauscher (NCX) das zellul��re Ca2+-Effluxsystem bildet, was zu einer erh��hten zytosolischen Ca2+-Konzentration f��hrt. Die PMCA2-Abnahme wurde sowohl auf Transkriptionsebene als auch auf Proteinebene demonstriert, w��hrend keine signifikanten Ver��nderungen der SERCA- und NCX-Proteinmengen festgestellt wurden. Als Ursache der Reduktion der PMCA2-Expression wurde eine Abnahme des Transkriptionsfaktors Phospho-CREB ermittelt, dessen Phosphorylierungsstatus abh��ngig von der Proteinkinase A (PKA) war. Dieser Mechanismus wurde einerseits unter MPP+-Einfluss und andererseits vermittelt durch endogene molekulare Modulatoren gezeigt. Interessanterweise konnten die durch MPP+ induzierte PMCA2-Abregulation und der zytosolische Ca2+-Anstieg durch die Aktivierung der PKA verhindert werden. Parallel dazu wurde eine MPP+-abh��ngige verringerte mitochondriale Ca2+-Konzentration nachgewiesen, welche mit einer Abnahme des mitochondrialen Membranpotentials korrelierte. Dar��ber hinaus kam es als Folge der PMCA2-Abnahme zu einem verminderten neuronalen ��berleben.rnVer��nderungen der Ca2+-Hom��ostase wurden auch w��hrend der normalen Alterung inrnprim��ren Fibroblasten und bei M��usen nachgewiesen. Dabei wurden verringerte PMCA und SERCA-Proteinmengen in gealterten Fibroblasten, einhergehend mit einem Anstieg der zytosolischen Ca2+-Konzentration demonstriert. Weiterhin wurden verringerte PMCA2-Proteinmengen im Mittelhirn von gealterten M��usen (C57B/6) detektiert.rnDer zellul��re Ca2+-Efflux ist somit sowohl im Zuge der physiologischen Alterung als auch in einem altersbezogenen Krankheitsmodell beeintr��chtigt, was das neuronale ��berleben beeinflussen kann. In zuk��nftige Studien soll aufgekl��rt werden, welche Auswirkungen einer PMCA2-Reduktion genau zu dem Verlust von Neuronen f��hren bzw. ob durch eine PMCA2-��berexpression neurodegenerative Prozesse verhindert werden k��nnen.

Optische Mikroskopie an elektrostatisch stabilisierten kolloidalen Suspensionen unter dem Einfluss geladener W��nde - ausgew��hlte Gleichgewichts- und Nichtgleichgewichtsph��nomene

Das Verhalten kolloidaler Suspensionen unter r��umlich beschr��nkter Geometrie ist von gro��er Bedeutung f��r die statistische Physik wie auch f��r die Technologie. Von speziellem Interesse sind Modellsysteme geladener kolloidaler Sph��ren aufgrund ihrer langreichweitigen und ver��nderbaren Wechselwirkungen. In dieser Arbeit wurde ein experimenteller Aufbau f��r die optische mikroskopische Untersuchung solcher, zwischen ebenen W��nden beschr��nkter Systeme realisiert. Anhand von Piezo-Aktuatoren kann die Zellgeometrie flexibel und pr��zise eingestellt werden. Unter Verwendung eines Pumpkreislaufs mit einer Ionentauschers��ule k��nnen kolloidale Suspensionen unter stark entsalzten Bedingungen effizient pr��pariert werden. Anhand dieses Aufbaus wurde zun��chst das Gleichgewichtsphasendiagramm monodisperser geladener kolloidaler Sph��ren zwischen parallelen W��nden untersucht. Es wurden quantitative Resultate f��r den Grenzfall starker Entsalzung erzielt, welche mit theoretischen Grundzustandsvorhersagen ��bereinstimmen. In Doppellagensystemen konnte die Existenz transienter kolloidaler Moir��-Rotationsmuster demonstriert werden, welche besondere zweidimensionale Kristallstrukturen mit komplexer Basis darstellen. Es wurden ferner Nichtgleichgewichtsph��nomene untersucht, welche durch Gradienten von lokal freigesetzten Elektrolyten verursacht werden. Durch haupts��chlich diffusioosmotischen Partikeltransport entlang einer einzelnen geladenen Substratoberfl��che konnten die Bildung kristalliner Ordnung sowie komplexe, selbstorganisierte Bewegungszust��nde in einem verd��nnten kolloidalen Monolagenfluid bei kleinen Reynolds-Zahlen induziert werden. Interessante Perspektiven f��r die zuk��nftige Verwendung des experimentellen Aufbaus ergeben sich aus Beobachtungen verschiedener weiterer Ph��nomene.

Bestimmung thermischer Untergrundparameter in Erdw��rmesondenfeldern und Evaluierung tiefenaufgel��ster Thermal-Response-Tests durch thermohydraulische Modellierungen

Die oberfl��chennahe Geothermie leistet im Bereich der Nutzung regenerativer W��rme einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Klima- und Umweltschutz. Um die technische Nutzung oberfl��chennaher Geothermie zu optimieren, ist die Kenntnis der Beschaffenheit des geologischen Untergrundes ausschlaggebend. Die vorliegende Dissertation befasst sich mit der Bestimmung verschiedener Untergrundparameter an einem Erdw��rmesondenfeld. Es wurden Untersuchungen zur Bestimmung der W��rmeleitf��higkeit wie der enhanced Thermal Response Test (eTRT), sowie eine Untergrund-Temperatur��berwachung im ersten Betriebsjahr durchgef��hrt. Die ��berwachung zeigte keine gegenseitige Beeinflussung einzelner Sonden. Ein Vergleich zwischen dem geplanten und dem tats��chlichem W��rmebedarf des ersten Betriebsjahres ergab eine Abweichung von ca. 35%. Dies zeigt, dass die Nutzungsparameter der Anlage deren Effizienz ma��geblich beeinflussen k��nnen. Der am Beispielobjekt praktisch durchgef��hrte eTRT wurde mittels numerischer Modellierung auf seine Reproduzierbarkeit hin ��berpr��ft. Bei einem rein konduktiven W��rmetransport im Untergrund betrug die maximale Abweichung der Messung selbst unter ung��nstigen Bedingungen lediglich ca. 6% vom zu erwartenden Wert. Die Detektion von grundwasserdurchflossenen Schichten ist in den Modellen ebenfalls gut abbildbar. Problematisch bleibt die hohe Abh��ngigkeit des Tests von einer konstanten W��rmezufuhr. Lediglich die Bestimmung der W��rmeleitf��higkeit ��ber das Relaxationsverhalten des Untergrundes liefert bei W��rmeeintragsschwankungen hinreichend genaue Ergebnisse. Die mathematische Nachbearbeitung von fehlerhaften Temperaturkurven bietet einen Einstiegspunkt f��r weiterf��hrende Forschung.

Microchannel heat exchangers: An attractive option for the regenerator of a mobile orc waste heat recovery system

The performance of microchannel heat exchangers was assessed in gas-to-liquid applications in the order of several tens of kWth . The technology is suitable for exhaust heat recovery systems based on organic Rankine cycle. In order to design a light and compact microchannel heat exchanger, an optimization process is developed. The model employed in the procedure is validated through computational fluid-dynamics analysis with commercial software. It is shown that conjugate effects have a significant impact on the heat transfer performance of the device.

Design of an indirectly fired gas turbine integrated with an organic rankine cycle unit for combined heat and power production

In the last years, the European countries have paid increasing attention to renewable sources and greenhouse emissions. The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have established ambitious targets for the next years. In this scenario, biomass plays a prominent role since its life cycle produces a zero net carbon dioxide emission. Additionally, biomass can ensure plant operation continuity thanks to its availability and storage ability. Several conventional systems running on biomass are available at the moment. Most of them are performant either in the large-scale or in the small power range. The absence of an efficient system on the small-middle scale inspired this thesis project. The object is an innovative plant based on a wet indirectly fired gas turbine (WIFGT) integrated with an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) unit for combined heat and power production. The WIFGT is a performant system in the small-middle power range; the ORC cycle is capable of giving value to low-temperature heat sources. Their integration is investigated in this thesis with the aim of carrying out a preliminary design of the components. The targeted plant output is around 200 kW in order not to need a wide cultivation area and to avoid biomass shipping. Existing in-house simulation tools are used: They are adapted to this purpose. Firstly the WIFGT + ORC model is built; Zero-dimensional models of heat exchangers, compressor, turbines, furnace, dryer and pump are used. Different fluids are selected but toluene and benzene turn out to be the most suitable. In the indirectly fired gas turbine a pressure ratio around 4 leads to the highest efficiency. From the thermodynamic analysis the system shows an electric efficiency of 38%, outdoing other conventional plants in the same power range. The combined plant is designed to recover thermal energy: Water is used as coolant in the condenser. It is heated from 60��C up to 90��C, ensuring the possibility of space heating. Mono-dimensional models are used to design the heat exchange equipment. Different types of heat exchangers are chosen depending on the working temperature. A finned-plate heat exchanger is selected for the WIFGT heat transfer equipment due to the high temperature, oxidizing and corrosive environment. A once-through boiler with finned tubes is chosen to vaporize the organic fluid in the ORC. A plate heat exchanger is chosen for the condenser and recuperator. A quasi-monodimensional model for single-stage axial turbine is implemented to design both the WIFGT and the ORC turbine. The system simulation after the components design shows an electric efficiency around 34% with a decrease by 10% compared to the zero-dimensional analysis. The work exhibits the system potentiality compared to the existing plants from both technical and economic point of view.

Thermal Energy Storage for Solar Power Production

Solar energy is the most abundant persistent energy resource. It is also an intermittent one available for only a fraction of each day while the demand for electric power never ceases. To produce a significant amount of power at the utility scale, electricity generated from solar energy must be dispatchable and able to be supplied in response to variations in demand. This requires energy storage that serves to decouple the intermittent solar resource from the load and enables around-the-clock power production from solar energy. Practically, solar energy storage technologies must be efficient as any energy loss results in an increase in the amount of required collection hardware, the largest cost in a solar electric power system. Storing solar energy as heat has been shown to be an efficient, scalable, and relatively low-cost approach to providing dispatchable solar electricity. Concentrating solar power systems that include thermal energy storage (TES) use mirrors to focus sunlight onto a heat exchanger where it is converted to thermal energy that is carried away by a heat transfer fluid and used to drive a conventional thermal power cycle (e.g., steam power plant), or stored for later use. Several approaches to TES have been developed and can generally be categorized as either thermophysical (wherein energy is stored in a hot fluid or solid medium or by causing a phase change that can later be reversed to release heat) or thermochemical (in which energy is stored in chemical bonds requiring two or more reversible chemical reactions).

Improved column-based radiochemical processing of the generator produced 68Ga

An improved chemical strategy for processing of the generator produced 68Ga was developed based on processing of the original 68Ge/68Ga generator eluate on a micro-column. Direct pre-concentration and purification of the eluted 68Ga is performed on a cation-exchange resin in hydrochloric acid/acetone media. A supplementary step based on a second micro-column filled with a second resin allows direct re-adsorption of 68Ga eluted from the cation exchanger. 68Ga is finally striped from the second resin with a small volume of pure water. For this purpose a strong anion exchanger and a novel extraction chromatographic resin based on tetraalkyldiglycolamides are characterized. The strategy allows online pre-concentration and purification of 68Ga from the original generator eluate. The supplementary column allows transferring 68Ga with high radionuclide and chemical quality in the aqueous solution with small volume and low acidity useful for direct radiolabeling reactions.