Evaluation of the Predicted Particle Properties (P3) Microphysics Scheme in Simulations of Stratiform Clouds with Embedded Convection

To evaluate the ability of the Predicted Particle Properties(P3)scheme in the Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF)model,we simulated a stratiform rainfall event over northern China on 22 May 2017.WRF simulations with two P3 versions,P3-nc and P3-2ice,were evaluated against rain gauge,radar,and aircraft observations.A series of sensitivity experiments were conducted with different collection efficiencies between ice and cloud droplets.The comparison of the precipitation evolution between P3-nc and P3-2ice suggested that both P3 versions overpredicted surface precipitation along the Taihang Mountains but underpredicted precipitation in the localized region on the leeward side.P3-2ice had slightly lower peak precipitation rates and smaller total precipitation amounts than P3-nc,which were closer to the observations.P3-2ice also more realistically reproduced the overall reflectivity structures than P3-nc.A comparison of ice concentrations with observations indicated that P3-nc underestimated aggregation,whereas P3-2ice produced more active aggregation from the self-collection of ice and ice-ice collisions between categories.Efficient aggregation in P3-2ice resulted in lower ice concentrations at heights between 4 and 6 km,which was closer to the observations.In this case,the total precipitation and precipitation pattern were not sensitive to riming.Riming was important in reproducing the location and strength of the embedded convective region through its impact on ice mass flux above the melting level.

Balancing particle properties for practical lithium-ion batteries

As a state-of-the-art secondary battery,lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)have dominated the consumer electronics market since Sony unveiled the commercial secondary battery with LiCoO_(2) as the negative electrode material in the early 1990s.The key to the efficient operation of LIBs lies in the effective contact between the Li-ion-rich electrolyte and the active material particles in the electrode.The particle properties of the electrode materials affect the lithium ion diffusion path,diffusion resistance,contact area with the active material,the electrochemical performance and the energy density of batteries.To achieve satisfied comprehensive performance and of LIBs,it is not only necessary to focus on the modification of materials,but also to balance the properties of electrode material particles.Therefore,in this review,we analyze the influence of particle properties on the battery performance from three perspectives:particle size,particle size distribution,and particle shape.A deep understanding of the effect and mechanism of particles on electrodes and batteries will help develop and manufacture practical LIBs.

DROPLETS AND PARTICLES IN SPRAYS: TAILORING PARTICLE PROPERTIES WITHIN SPRAY PROCESSES

Particle generation via atomization and spray processes is a widely applied method for powder production. By means of atomization processes, the relevant particle properties may be tailored to the powder user's need in a wide range. Understanding and control of the main subprocesses of atomization is a key feature for choosing a suitable type of spray process and operation conditions. Tailoring particle properties and extending the applications of particle production beyond the current limits is also possible in this way. This contribution highlights some features of spray processes for powder production, namely the gas- and fluid-dynamic processes involved, the materials-related subprocesses, and the formation of the multiphase flow in the spray. As an example, the production of fibre- or sphere-shaped particles from melt atomization is discussed.

SUMMARY TABLES OF PARTICLE PROPERTIES

Particle Data GroupK.A. Olive, K. Agashe, C. Amsler, M. Antonelli, J.-F. Arguin, D.M. Asner, H. Baer, H.R. Band, R.M. Barnett, T. Basaglia, C.W. Bauer, J.J. Beatty, V.I. Belousov, J. Beringer, G. Bernardi, S. Bethke, H. Bichsel, O. Biebel,

Electrical and Optical Properties of Nano Aluminum Film/Particle Structure

The electrical and optical effects of particles on the nano aluminum film deposited by thermal evaporation was investigated. From the characterization results of scanning electron microscope（SEM）, the accumulation in tens of nanometers had been observed. The current-voltage（I-V） curve of the sample indicates its nonlinear electrical characters expecting the corresponding nonlinear optical properties. By the theoretical calculation, nonlinear conduction of the carrier transportation may result from the barrier-well-barrier structure, where negative resistance and Coulomb blockade effect appears. The simulation results are approximately matched with the experimental results. By testing the fluorescence emission spectrum of the sample, peaks were found to be located at 420 and 440 nm. In addition, the full width at half maximum（FWHM） had been obviously broadened by means of adding 2, 5-diphenyloxazole（DPO）. Therefore, discrete energy levels could be estimated inside those particles.

Enhancement of Heat-Resistance of Carbonyl Iron Particles by Coating with Silica and Consequent Changes in Electromagnetic Properties

Silica-coated carbonyl iron particles （CIPs） are fabricated with the Stober method to improve their heat-resistance and wave-aSsorption properties. The morphology, heat-resistance, electromagnetic properties and microwave absorption of raw-CIPs and silica-coated CIPs are investigated using a scanning electron microscope, an energy dispersive spectrometer, a thermal-gravimetric analyzer, and a network analyzer. The results show that the heat-resistance of silica-coated CIPs is better than that of raw CIFs. The reflection losses exceeding -lOdB of silica-coated CIPs are obtained in the frequency range 9.5-12.4 GHz for the absorber thickness of 2.3 mm, and the same reflection losses of uncoated CIPs reach the data in the lower frequency range for the same thickness. The enhanced microwave absorption of silica-coated CIPs can be ascribed to the combination of proper electromagnetic impedance match and the decrease of dielectric permittivity.

Combustion Properties of Metal Particles as Components of Modified Double-Base Propellants

Metal particles such as aluminum（ Al）,magnesium（ Mg）,boron（ B） and nickel（ Ni）,as well as Mg/Al alloy（ Mg/Al = 3/4） are currently the most widely used ingredients in modified doublebase propellants. In this contribution,the combustion properties of the metal species are studied by means of the high-speed photography technique and the non-contact wavelet-based measurement of flame temperature distribution. The combustion process of the Al,Mg and Mg/Al samples shows both gas phase reaction and surface oxidation,which yield volatile and nonvolatile products,corresponding to the oxide and suboxide respectively. However,the combustion of B and Ni shows only gas phase reaction,due to their high melting point as well as high enthalpy of vaporization. In addition to the experiments,a hypothetical combustion model has been proposed to clarify the combustion characteristics of metal species in modified double-base propellants.

RESEARCH ON STABILITY OF INTERFACE OF JET CONTAINING SUSPENDED SOLID PARTICLES

The stability equation of interface of two-phase jet and the corresponding particle-gas disturbance velocity ratio equation are derived by means of the phase-coupled model. The stability nares of interface of two-phase jet for different particle properties and the corresponding particle-gas disturbance velocity ratio curves are given out through numerical computation. Further, several important conclusions on effect of particle property on growth and propagation of disturbance of interface of two-phase jet and particle disturbance property me presented on the basis of analyses of the obtained stability curves and particle-gas disturbance velocity ratio curves. These important conclusions can play a guiding role in studying development of two-phase jet and executing artificial controls over it in project practice.

Numerical simulation study of ionization characteristics of argon dielectric barrier discharge

In order to better analyze the characteristics of particle distribution and its influencing factors in the ionized space during the process of coaxial dielectric barrier discharge,a self-designed two-dimensional axisymmetric structure exciter was used to carry out optical diagnosis,with the electron temperature calculated through Gaussian fitting.A plasma model was applied to conduct research on the discharge process through numerical simulation,with the changes in electron density and electron temperature were analyzed by using different discharge parameters.The research results show that with an increase in discharge voltage,pressure inside the reactor and relative permittivity,the discharge process is promoted.In addition,a rise in current density leads to an increase in the number of charged particles on the surface of the medium during the discharge process,while a rise in discharge intensity causes an increase in the electron density.Electron temperature decreases due to the increased loss of collision energy between particles.These results were confirmed by comparing experimental data with simulation results.

Development and Evaluation of Stable Paracetamol Loaded Solid Dispersion with Enhanced Analgesic and Hepatoprotective Property

Paracetamol (PCM) is enlisted in the WHO model list as an essential medicine for pain and palliative care, but at overdose, it causes hepatic damage. This study was designed to assess the analgesic efficacy and hepatoprotective property of a solid dispersion (SD) loaded with PCM. A number of PCM loaded formulations (PSDs) were fabricated using silica alone or in combination with polyethylene glycol and/or Na-citrate followed by in-vitro dissolution profiling. Selected PSDs with improved dissolution profile were subjected to solid-state characterization (DSC, PXRD, FTIR, and SEM), stability study along with investigation of in-vivo analgesic efficacy and effect on hepatocytes. Among these, PSD10 showed a rapid and significantly higher in-vitro drug release than pure PCM. This improvement was distinct to other PSDs also. Solid-state characterization of PSD10 authenticated the conversion of crystalline PCM to amorphous form upon formulation. Subsequent oral administration of PSD10 in Swiss albino mice showed 1.44-fold greater analgesic efficacy than pure PCM at dose 30 mg/kg. Besides, at acute toxic dose, liver histology of PSD10 mice was comparable with NC mice indicating hepatic protection upon formulation, whereas the PCM mice showed extensive hepatic necrosis which was also endorsed by significantly higher values of SGPT, SGOT, and ALP than PSD10 mice. Finally, an accelerated stability study of PSD10 performed according to the guideline of ICH noticed no remarkable deviation in its dissolution performance as well as crystalline nature. Thus, this newly developed PSD10 may be a safe and promising alternative for pain management and palliative care.

Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Solid-liquid Two-phase Flow in Centrifugal Pump

The flow with solid-liquid two-phase media inside centrifugal pumps is very complicated and the relevant method for the hydraulic design is still immature so far. There exist two main problems in the operation of the two-phase flow pumps, i.e., low overall efficiency and severe abrasion. In this study, the three-dimensional, steady, incompressible, and turbulent solid-liquid two-phase flows in a low-specific-speed centrifugal pump are numerically simulated and analyzed by using a computational fluid dynamics （CFD） code based on the mixture model of the two-phase flow and the RNG k-~ two-equation turbulence model, in which the influences of rotation and curvature are fully taken into account. The coupling between impeller and volute is implemented by means of the frozen rotor method. The simulation results predicted indicate that the solid phase properties in two-phase flow, especially the concentration, the particle diameter and the density, have strong effects on the hydraulic performance of the pump. Both the pump head and the efficiency are reduced with increasing particle diameter or concentration. However, the effect of particle density on the performance is relatively minor. An obvious jet-wake flow structure is presented near the volute tongue and becomes more remarkable with increasing solid phase concentration. The suction side of the blade is subject to much more severe abrasion than the pressure side. The obtained results preliminarily reveal the characteristics of solid-liquid two-phase flow in the centrifugal pump, and are helpful for improvement and empirical correction in the hydraulic design of centrifugal pumps.

Effects of total replacement of corn silage with sorghum silage on milk yield,composition, and quality

Background： In the last years, difficulties occurring in corn cultivation（i.e., groundwater shortages, mycotoxin contamination） have been forcing dairy farmers to consider alternative silages. Some experiments conducted on lactating cows have proven that the total replacement of corn silage with sorghum silage did not reduce milk yield.However, this kind of substitution involves supplementing sorghum-based diets with grains, to compensate for the lower starch content of sorghum silage compared to corn silage. Change of silage type and inclusion of starch sources in the diet would influence rumen fermentations, with possible effects on milk composition（i.e., fatty acid profile） and coagulation properties. A worsening of milk coagulation properties would have a negative economic impact in Italy, where most of the milk produced is processed into cheese.This study was designed to compare milk composition and quality, with emphasis on fatty acid profile and coagulation properties, in dairy cows fed two diets based on corn or sorghum silage.Results： The sorghum diet reduced milk yield（P = 0.043） but not 4% fat corrected milk（P = 0.85）. Feeding sorghum silage did not influence milk contents of protein（P = 0.07） and lactose（P = 0.65）, and increased fat content（P = 0.024）.No differences emerged for milk concentrations of saturated（P = 0.61） and monounsaturated fatty acids（P = 0.50）,whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids were lower（P 〈 0.001） for the sorghum diet. Concentrations of n-6（P 〈 0.001） and n-3 fatty acids（P = 0.017） were lower in milk of cows fed the sorghum diet. Milk coagulation properties did not differ between the two diets, except the ＂a30＂（the curd firmness, expressed in mm, 30 min after rennet addition）, that was lower（P = 0.042） for the sorghum diet.Conclusions： Feeding a forage sorghum silage, properly supplemented with corn meal, as total replacement of corn silage maintained milk composition and did not influence negatively milk coagulation properties, which have a great economic relevance for the Italian dairy industry. Thus, silages obtained from forage sorghums could have a potential as substitute of corn silages in dairy cow diets.

Fast determination of meso-level mechanical parameters of PFC models

To solve the problems of blindness and inefficiency existing in the determination of meso-level mechanical parameters of particle flow code (PFC) models, we firstly designed and numerically carried out orthogonal tests on rock samples to investigate the correlations between macro-and meso-level mechanical parameters of rock-like bonded granular materials. Then based on the artificial intelligent technology, the intelligent prediction systems for nine meso-level mechanical parameters of PFC models were obtained by creating, training and testing the prediction models with the set of data got from the orthogonal tests. Lastly the prediction systems were used to predict the meso-level mechanical parameters of one kind of sandy mudstone, and according to the predicted results the macroscopic properties of the rock were obtained by numerical tests. The maximum relative error between the numerical test results and real rock properties is 3.28% which satisfies the precision requirement in engineering. It shows that this paper provides a fast and accurate method for the determination of meso-level mechanical parameters of PFC models.

Mutiparametric Characterization of Atmospheric Particulate in a Heavy-Polluted Area of South Italy

To obtain a real-time image of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) in highly polluted areas and to understand how the anthropogenic component linked to urban activities (industrial activities, domestic heating, road traffic, waste disposal) can locally affect near-surface measurement of PM, several measurement campaigns were achieved in the Campania region (Southern Italy) using both Lidar and in-situ instruments. A comparison between the obtained results highlights a good correlation between the data and the potential of remote sensing instruments for air quality monitoring. Data analysis was performed in terms of particle backscattering coefficient profile at 355 nm, PM mass concentration, and size distribution. Wind profiles, which covered a range of altitudes from 40 m to 290 m, were also used to study sources and physical processes involved. Measurement carried out in a rural area with a landfill site highlighted the presence of a homogeneous particulate layer throughout the sounded area due to winds driving aerosol from the landfill to the surrounding areas. The size distribution in mass concentration, highlighted a modal diameter moving towards 0.9 and 2 μm with a larger mass concentration of particles in the morning, before noon and in the afternoon when a large number of trucks delivered solid wastes. Moreover, large concentrations of particulate matter were measured in a small urban town with few industrial activities which peak (211 ± 33 μg·m-3) was measured in the direction of the most urbanized area, probably due to the lighting of the domestic heating systems. Bimodal size distribution in number concentration was measured, indicative of two types of atmospheric particles sources: gas and liquid combustion (particles with sizes below 80 nm), including vehicular traffic and domestic gas-heating, and biomass combustion (particles with sizes of the order of 200 - 500 nm). Finally, data collected in a highly populated and industrialized area highlights the presence of particles having a high level of spherical geometry (aerosol depolarization below 5%) pointing towards the industrial area. Conversely, the measurements performed pointing toward other directions highlighted a diffused source of aspherical particles (depolarization values of about 3%) spreading throughout all city territory. The work showed as the co-location of remote sensing and near surface instruments is a promising approach to studying aerosol properties in the atmospheric layers and has more accurate information on atmospheric dynamics. Moreover, the correlation between the obtained results highlighted the potential of remote sensing instruments for air quality monitoring.

EFFECT OF NON-SPHERICAL PARTICLES ON THE FLUID TURBULENCE IN A PARTICULATE PIPE FLOW

In the non-spherical particulate turbulent flows, a set of new fluidfluctuating velocity equations with the non-spherical particle source term were derived, then a newmethod, which treats the slowly varying functions and rapidly varying functions separately, wasproposed to solve the equations, and finally the turbulent intensity and the Reynolds stress of theflu-id were obtained by calculating the fluctuating velocity statlsti-cally. The equations andmethod were used to a paniculate tur-bulent pipe flow. The results show that the turbulent intensityand the Reynolds stress are decreased almost inverse proportion-ally to the fluctuating velocityratio of particle to fluid. Non-spherical particles have a greater suppressing effect on thetur-bulence than the spherical particles. The particles with short re-laxation time reduce theturbulence intensity of fluid, while the particles with long relaxation time increase the turbulenceinten-sity of fluid. For fixed particle and fluid, the small particles sup-press the turbulence andthe large particles increase the turbu-ience.

Photochemical properties and source of pollutants during continuous pollution episodes in Beijing, October, 2011

Beijing suffered from serious air pollution in October, 2011 with the occurrence of three continuous episodes. Here we analyze the pollution status of particulate matter, the relationship between the gaseous pollutants, physical and chemical properties of single particles, and the profile of water-soluble ions in PM2.5 during the three episodes. Regional and photochemically aged air masses, which were characterized as having high values of O3 and SO2, were hypothesized to have played a dominant role in the first episode. After mixing local air masses with freshly-emitted primary pollutants, the concentration of NOx continued to increase and the size of SO42-, NO3- and NH4＋ in the particle population continued to become smaller. The amount of elemental carbon-rich and organic carbonrich particles in the scaled single particles （0.2-2 μm） and water-soluble K＋ in PM2.s also increased in the episodes. All the available information suggests that the biomass or fuel burning sources in or around Beijing may have had a huge impact on the last two episodes.

Enhanced mechanical properties in Al/diamond composites by Si addition

Diamond particles reinforced aluminum–silicon matrix composites,abbreviated as Al（Si）/diamond composites,were fabricated by squeeze casting.The effect of Si content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated.The mechanical properties are found to increase monotonically with Si content increasing up to 7.0 wt%.The Al-7.0 wt% Si/diamond composite exhibits tensile strength of 78 MPa,bending strength of 230 MPa,and compressive strength of426 MPa.Al–Si eutectic phases are shown to connect with Al matrix and diamond particles tightly,which is responsible for the enhancement of mechanical properties in the Al（Si）/diamond composites.

Hydrodynamics in a new liquid–solid circulating conventional fluidized bed

A new type of liquid–solid fluidized bed,named circulating conventional fluidized bed(CCFB)which operates below particle terminal velocity was proposed and experimentally studied.The hydrodynamic behavior was systematically studied in a liquid–solid CCFB of 0.032 m I.D.and 4.5 m in height with five different types of particles.Liquid–solid fluidization with external particle circulation was experimentally realized below the particle terminal velocity.The axial distribution of local solids holdup was obtained and found to be fairly uniform in a wide range of liquid velocities and solids circulation rates.The average solids holdup is found to be significantly increased compared with conventional fluidization at similar conditions.The effect of particle properties and operating conditions on bed behavior was investigated as well.Results show that particles with higher terminal velocity have higher average solids holdup.

Active metal brazing of SiO2–BN ceramic and Ti plate with Ag–Cu–Ti＋BN composite filler

SiO2–BN ceramic and Ti plate were joined by active brazing in vacuum with Ag–Cu–Ti＋BN composite filler.The effect of BN content,brazing temperature and time on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the brazed joints was investigated.The results showed that a continuous Ti N–Ti B2reaction layer formed adjacent to the SiO2–BN ceramic,whose thickness played a key role in the bonding properties.Four Ti–Cu compound layers,Ti2Cu,Ti3Cu4,Ti Cu2and Ti Cu4,were observed to border Ti substrate due to the strong affinity of Ti and Cu compared with Ag.The central part of the joint was composed of Ag matrix,over which some fine-grains distributed.The added BN particles reacted with Ti in the liquid filler to form fine Ti B whiskers and Ti N particles with low coefficients of thermal expansion（CTE）,leading to the reduction of detrimental residual stress in the joint,and thus improving the joint strength.The maximum shear strength of 31 MPa was obtained when 3 wt%BN was added in the composite filler,which was 158%higher than that brazed with single Ag–Cu–Ti filler metal.The morphology and thickness of the reaction layer adjacent to the parent materials changed correspondingly with the increase of BN content,brazing temperature and holding time.Based on the correlation between the microstructural evolution and brazing parameters,the bonding mechanism of SiO2–BN and Ti was discussed.