Probing deactivation by coking in catalyst pellets for dry reforming of methane using a pore network model

Dry reforming of methane(DRM) is an attractive technology for utilizing the greenhouse gases(CO_(2) and CH_(4)) to produce syngas. However, the catalyst pellets for DRM are heavily plagued by deactivation by coking, which prevents this technology from commercialization. In this work, a pore network model is developed to probe the catalyst deactivation by coking in a Ni/Al_(2)O_(3) catalyst pellet for DRM. The reaction conditions can significantly change the coking rate and then affect the catalyst deactivation. The catalyst lifetime is higher under lower temperature, pressure, and CH_(4)/CO_(2) molar ratio, but the maximum coke content in a catalyst pellet is independent of these reaction conditions. The catalyst pellet with larger pore diameter, narrower pore size distribution and higher pore connectivity is more robust against catalyst deactivation by coking, as the pores in this pellet are more difficult to be plugged or inaccessible.The maximum coke content is also higher for narrower pore size distribution and higher pore connectivity, as the number of inaccessible pores is lower. Besides, the catalyst pellet radius only slightly affects the coke content, although the diffusion limitation increases with the pellet radius. These results should serve to guide the rational design of robust DRM catalyst pellets against deactivation by coking.

Simulation research on monomer agglomeration of nonmetallic inclusions in steel with a diffusion limited aggregation model

The monomer agglomeration of nonmetallic inclusions was simulated with a diffusion limited aggregation （DLA） model of the fractal theory. The simulation study with a random two-dimensional diffusion was carried out. The results indicate that the DLA model can be used for the simulation of agglomeration behavior of the cluster-type inclusions. The morphology of clusters was observed with SEM and compared with the simulated agglomerates. The modelling procedure of the DLA model is applicable for the agglomeration process. The uncertainty of agglomeration process and the persuasive average agglomerative ratio was analyzed. The factors about the agglomerative ratio with the collision path distance and the size of particles or seed were discussed. The adherence of the nonmetallic inclusions on the dam, the weir and the walls of a tundish, and the absorption of inclusions by stopper or nozzle were also discussed.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF SINGLE-GROUP, STEADY STATE AND ISOTROPIC NEUTRON TRANSPORT EQUATION IN DIFFUSIVE REGIMES

We present an algorithm for numerical solution of transport equation in diffusive regimes, in which the transport equation is nearly singular and its solution becomes a solution of a diffusion equation. This algorithm, which is based on the Least-squares FEM in combination with a scaling transformation, presents a good approximation of a diffusion operator in diffusive regimes and guarantees an accurate discrete solution. The numerical experiments in 2D and 3D case are given, and the numerical results show that this algorithm is correct and efficient.

The Asymptotic Limit for the 3D Boussinesq System

In this paper, we show the asymptotic limit for the 3D Boussinesq system with zero viscosity limit or zero diffusivity limit. By the classical energy method, we prove that as viscosity(or diffusivity) coefficient goes to zero the solutions of the fully viscous equations converges to those of zero viscosity(or zero diffusivity) equations, which extend the previous results on the asymptotic limit under the conditions of the zero parameter(zero viscosity ν = 0 or zero diffusivity η = 0) in 2D case separately.

BOUNDARY LAYER AND VANISHING DIFFUSION LIMIT FOR NONLINEAR EVOLUTION EQUATIONS

In this paper, we consider an initial-boundary value problem for some nonlinear evolution equations with damping and diffusion. The main purpose is to investigate the boundary layer effect and the convergence rates as the diffusion parameter α goes to zero.

Real Time Dynamic Study of Amperometric Exhaust Oxygen Sensors

Previously,we had identified the various dynamic mechanisms of a wide range air to fuel ratio sensor operated in the engine exhaust by using the transfer function approach.In this study,we utilized these results to model the real time sensor response to an engine exhaust excursion.In the fitting,we identified a new dynamic mechanism,which was not detected in the previous transfer function study.This new dynamic occurred at the stoichiometric point when the engine changed from rich to lean.This new mechanism involved the depletion of the adsorbed fuel species on the electrode surface by an oxidation process. The dynamics of this effect depends on the ratio of the diffusion flux of the sensor-coating layer to the total adsorbed gas species on the electrode surface.The smaller the ratio is,the slower the dynamic mechanism will be.

ZERO KINEMATIC VISCOSITY-MAGNETIC DIFFUSION LIMIT OF THE INCOMPRESSIBLE VISCOUS MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC EQUATIONS WITH NAVIER BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

We investigate the uniform regularity and zero kinematic viscosity-magnetic diffusion limit for the incompressible viscous magnetohydrodynamic equations with the Navier boundary conditions on the velocity and perfectly conducting conditions on the magnetic field in a smooth bounded domain Ω⊂R^(3).It is shown that there exists a unique strong solution to the incompressible viscous magnetohydrodynamic equations in a finite time interval which is independent of the viscosity coefficient and the magnetic diffusivity coefficient.The solution is uniformly bounded in a conormal Sobolev space and W^(1,∞)(Ω)which allows us to take the zero kinematic viscosity-magnetic diffusion limit.Moreover,we also get the rates of convergence in L^(∞)(0,T;L^(2)),L^(∞)(0,T;W^(1,p))(2≤p<∞),and L^(∞)((0,T)×Ω)for some T>0.

Electric dipolar interaction assisted growth of single crystalline organic thin films

We report on a forest-like-to-desert-like pattern evolution in the growth of an organic thin film observed by using an atomic force microscope. We use a modified diffusion limited aggregation model to simulate the growth process and are able to reproduce the experimental patterns. The energy of electric dipole interaction is calculated and determined to be the driving force for the pattern formation and evolution. Based on these results, single crystalline films are obtained by enhancing the electric dipole interaction while limiting effects of other growth parameters.

Monte Carlo simulation of ramified aggregates on hetero-substrates

We have studied the aggregation of particles on a hetero-substrate consisting of two different substrates A and B with finite surface barriers EAB and EBA between the AB and BA boundaries, respectively. With the diffusion energy limited aggregation （DELA） model, we find that the number of clusters and the mean radius of gyration of the clusters are dependent on the surface barriers EAB and EBA. For the case with a constant of EBA, a series of minima are summarized as EAB ： （E0 - kBAEBA）/kAB with kAB and kBA being two integers, for main minima （kBA = kAB = 1） and two local minima （kBA = kAB and kBA = kAB ＋ 1） between two neighbouring main minima.

Continuous flow synthesis of plasmonic gold patches and nearly-complete nanoshells on polystyrene core particles

We describe the development of a T-mixer based continuous flow process for the coating of 86-500 nm diameter spherical polystyrene particles with thin gold patches by heterogeneous nucleation and growth.After establishing a suitable flow rate for good mixing and sufficiently uniform product morphology we systematically investigate the main reaction parameters.This reveals a considerable tunability of the patch morphology and,by virtue of the localized surface plasmon resonance of gold,the optical properties of the product dispersions.In order to further widen the range of nanostructures accessible by our process,a second T-mixer was added.This introduced new gold precursor,leading to further growth of the patches that were formed after the first mixer.By this approach,nearly-complete gold nanoshells could be produced in high yield on both small and large core particles,without the unwanted production of free-standing gold nanoparticles.Due to the pronounced optical properties of nearly-complete gold nanoshells on small core particles,we could estimate from electrodynamic sim-ulations the equivalent shell thickness to be as low as 8.6 nm.This is significantly thinner than can be routinely achieved using the standard seeded growth approach to synthesise gold nanoshells.Our results are therefore highly promising for the gram-scale synthesis of plasmon resonant nanostructures with designed optical properties.

A UNIFORM FIRST-ORDER METHOD FOR THE DISCRETE ORDINATE TRANSPORT EQUATION WITH INTERFACES IN X,Y-GEOMETRY

A uniformly first-order convergent numerical method for the discrete-ordinate transport equation in the rectangle geometry is proposed in this paper. Firstly we approximate the scattering coefficients and source terms by piecewise constants determined by their cell averages. Then for each cell, following the work of De Barros and Larsen [1, 19], the solution at the cell edge is approximated by its average along the edge. As a result, the solution of the system of equations for the cell edge averages in each cell can be obtained analytically. Finally, we piece together the numerical solution with the neighboring cells using the interface conditions. When there is no interface or boundary layer, this method is asymptotic-preserving, which implies that coarse meshes （meshes that do not resolve the mean free path） can be used to obtain good numerical approximations. Moreover, the uniform first-order convergence with respect to the mean free path is shown numerically and the rigorous proof is provided.

Diffusion Limit of 1-D Small Mean Free Path of Radiative Transfer Equations in Bounded Domain

In this paper, we consider the diffusion limit of the small mean free path for the radiative transfer equations, which describe the spatial transport of radiation in material. By using asymptotic expansions, we prove that the nonlinear transfer equa- tion has a diffusion limit as the mean free path tends to zero, and moreover we study the boundary layer problem and mixed layer problem in bounded domain [0,1]. Then we show the validity of their asymptotic expansions relies only on the smoothness of boundary condition, and remove the Fredholm alternative and centering condition.

On asymptotic properties of a constant-step-size sign-error algorithm for adaptive filtering

This work is devoted to asymptotic properties of a sign-error adaptive filtering algorithm with constant step size. Under much weaker conditions than those that appear in the literature, we obtain convergence and rate of convergence by using weak convergence methods. An example is provided to demonstrate the performance of the algorithm.

Initial and Boundary Value Problem for a System of Balance Laws from Chemotaxis:Global Dynamics and Diffusivity Limit

In this paper,we study long-time dynamics and diffusion limit of large-data solutions to a system of balance laws arising from a chemotaxis model with logarithmic sensitivity and nonlinear production/degradation rate.Utilizing energy methods,we show that under time-dependent Dirichlet boundary conditions,long-time dynamics of solutions are driven by their boundary data,and there is no restriction on the magnitude of initial energy.Moreover,the zero chemical diffusivity limit is established under zero Dirichlet boundary conditions,which has not been observed in previous studies on related models.

L^6 BOUND FOR BOLTZMANN DIFFUSIVE LIMIT

We consider diffusive limit of the Boltzmann equation in a periodic box.We establish L~6 estimate for the hydrodynamic part Pf of particle distribution function, which leads to uniform bounds global in time.