Acoustic anechoic layers with singly periodic array of scatterers: Computational methods, absorption mechanisms, and optimal design

The acoustic properties of anechoic layers with a singly periodic array of cylindrical scatterers are investigated. A method combined plane wave expansion and finite element analysis is extended for out-of-plane incidence. The reflection characteristics of the anechoic layers with cavities and locally resonant scatterers are discussed. The backing is a steel plate followed by an air half space. Under this approximate zero transmission backing condition, the reflection reduction is induced by the absorption enhancement. The absorption mechanism is explained by the scattering/absorption cross section of the isolated scatterer. Three types of resonant modes which can induce efficient absorption are revealed. Due to the fact that the frequencies of the resonant modes are related to the size of the scatterers, anechoic layers with scatterers of mixed size can broaden the absorption band. A genetic optimization algorithm is adopted to design the anechoic layer with scatterers of mixed size at a desired frequency band from 2 kHz to l0 kHz for normal incidence, and the influence of the incident angle is also discussed.

A method for simulating sediment incipient motion varying with time and space in an ocean model(FVCOM):development and validation

We modified the sediment incipient motion in a numerical model and evaluated the impact of this modification using a study case of the coastal area around Weihai, China. The modified and unmodified versions of the model were validated by comparing simulated and observed data of currents, waves, and suspended sediment concentrations(SSC) measured from July 25^(th) to July 26^(th), 2006. A fitted Shields diagram was introduced into the sediment model so that the critical erosional shear stress could vary with time. Thus, the simulated SSC patterns were improved to more closely reflect the observed values, so that the relative error of the variation range decreased by up to 34.5% and the relative error of simulated temporally averaged SSC decreased by up to 36%. In the modified model, the critical shear stress values of the simulated silt with a diameter of 0.035 mm and mud with a diameter of 0.004 mm varied from 0.05 to 0.13 N/m^2, and from 0.05 to 0.14 N/m^2, respectively, instead of remaining constant in the unmodified model. Besides, a method of applying spatially varying fractions of the mixed grain size sediment improved the simulated SSC distribution to fit better to the remote sensing map and reproduced the zonal area with high SSC between Heini Bay and the erosion groove in the modified model. The Relative Mean Absolute Error was reduced by between 6% and 79%, depending on the regional attributes when we used the modified method to simulate incipient sediment motion. But the modification achieved the higher accuracy in this study at a cost of computation speed decreasing by 1.52%.

Comparison of Aerosol Effects on Simulated Spring and Summer Hailstorm Clouds

Numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the effect of cloud condensation nuclei（CCN） concentrations on microphysical processes and precipitation characteristics of hailstorms. Two hailstorm cases are simulated, a spring case and a summer case, in a semiarid region of northern China, with the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System. The results are used to investigate the differences and similarities of the CCN effects between spring and summer hailstorms. The similarities are：（1） The total hydrometeor mixing ratio decreases, while the total ice-phase mixing ratio enhances, with increasing CCN concentration;（2） Enhancement of the CCN concentration results in the production of a greater amount of small-sized hydrometeor particles, but a lessening of large-sized hydrometeor particles;（3） As the CCN concentration increases, the supercooled cloud water and rainwater make a lesser contribution to hail, while the ice-phase hydrometeors take on active roles in the growth of hail;（4） When the CCN concentration increases, the amount of total precipitation lessens,while the role played by liquid-phase rainfall in the amount of total precipitation reduces, relatively, compared to that of icephase precipitation. The differences between the two storms include：（1） An increase in the CCN concentration tends to reduce pristine ice mixing ratios in the spring case but enhance them in the summer case;（2） Ice-phase hydrometeor particles contribute more to hail growth in the spring case, while liquid water contributes more in the summer case;（3） An increase in the CCN concentration has different effects on surface hail precipitation in different seasons.

Experimental study by online measurement of the precipitation of nickel hydroxide: Effects of operating conditions

The objective of this work is using the online measurement method to study the process of precipitation of nickel hydroxide in a single-feed semi-batch stirred reactor with an internal diameter ofD = 240mm. The effects of impeller speed, impeller type, impeller diameter and feed location on the mean particle size d43 and particle size distribution （PSD） were investigated, d43 and PSD were measured online using a Malvern Insitec Liquid Pro- cess Sizer every 20 s. It was found that d43 varied between 13 kwh and 26 lain under different operating conditions, and it decreased with increasing impeller diameter. When feeding at the off-bottom distance of D/2 under lower impeller speeds, d43 was significantly smaller than that at D/3. PSDs were slightly influenced by operating conditions.

Effect of anions from calcium sources on the synthesis of nano-sized xonotlite fibers

The xonotlite fibers were synthesized via the hydrothermal synthesis method with CaO and SiO_2 as the raw materials and the molar ratio of Si/Ca of 1.0. Effect of anions from various calcium sources on the microstructure of the xonotlite fibers is studied in this paper. These obtained products were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), transmission electron microscope(TEM) and scanning electron microscope(SEM) techniques to investigate their crystalline phase, crystal structure and morphology. The results indicate that anion from various calcium sources has little influence on the crystalline phases of xonotlite fibers but poses a great impact on their morphologies. Xonotlite fibers with single crystal characteristics and large aspect ratio of 50—100 were successfully fabricated from CaCl_2 as calcium material at 225 °C for 15 h. The existence of Cl-anion in the CaO-SiO_2-H_2O system significantly contributes to the formation of xonotlite crystal.

Enhancing mixing of particles by baffies in a rotating drum mixer

Baffles with shape of ＂-＂ （single baffle）, ＂＋＂ （cross-baffles with four arms） and （baffles with 6 arms） are used to enhance the mixing of particles in a rotating drum mixer. A micro-dynamics study of mixing and segregation ofa bi-disperse system of two particle sizes in the rotating drum with these three kinds of baffles is carried out using the discrete element method （DEM）. The effect of the baffles on mixing, and the mechanisms of mixing enhancement by the baffles are discussed and analyzed. Simulation results show that in an unbaffled drum mixer, particle convection, particle diffusion, and size segregation of hi- disperse particles, all play important roles in the mixing process; whereas size segregation will be largely restrained when the drum mixer has a baffle, regardless of its shape, and the degree of mixing is higher than that in an unbaffled drum mixer. The different mixing characteristics for ＂-＂ shaped baffle, ＂＋＂ baffle, and baffle are revealed by the simulation results. For ＂＋＂ or style baffles, there is an optimal size of baffles for the mixing of particles, and the ootimal mixing efficiency is higher than that for ＂-＂ baffle.