The current computer models used for simulating water quality in potable water distribution systems assume perfect mixing at pipe junctions and non-dispersive solute transport in pipe flows. To improve the prediction accuracy, the present study examines and expands these modeling assumptions using transport phenomena analyses. Whereas the level of solute mixing at a cross-type junction is evaluated numerically via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the axial transport in laminar flows is investigated with both CFD simulations and corresponding experimental runs in a single pipe. The findings show that solute mixing at junctions is rather incomplete owing to the limited spatio-temporal interaction that occurs between incoming flows with different qualities. Incomplete mixing shifts the expected propagation patterns of a chemical or microbial constituent from widely-spread to narrowly-concentrated over the service area. On the other hand, solute dispersion is found to prevail over advective transport in laminar pipe flows. Thus, this work develops axial dispersion rates through parameter optimization techniques. By accounting for axial dispersive effects, the patterns of solute delivery shifted from high concentrations over short time periods to lower doses at prolonged exposure times. In addition, the present study integrates the incomplete mixing model into the optimal placement of water quality monitoring stations aimed at detecting contaminant intrusions.

In this dissertation we present theoretical and experimental investigation of the performance quality of fiber optical communication systems, and find new and inexpansive ways of increasing the rate of theinformation transmission.The first part of this work discuss the two major factors limiting the quality of information channels in the fiber optical communication systems. Using methods of large deviation theory from statisticalphysics, we carry out analytical and numerical study of error statistics in optical communication systems in the presence of the temporal noise from optical amplifiers and the structural disorder of optical fibers. In the slowly varying envelope approximation light propagation through optical fiber is described by Schr\{o}dinger's equation. Signal transmission is impeded by the additive (amplifiers) and multiplicative (birefringence) noise This results in signal distortion that may lead to erroneous interpretation of the signal. System performance is characterized by the probability of error occurrence. Fluctuation of spacial disorder due to changing external factors (temperature, vibrations, etc) leads to fluctuations of error rates. Commonly the distribution of error rates is assumed to be Gaussian. Using the optimal fluctuation method we show that this distribution is in fact lognormal. Sucha distribution has ""fat"" tails implying that the likelihood of system outages is much higher than itwould be in the Gaussian approximation. We present experimental results that provide excellent confirmation of our theoretical predictions.In the second part of this dissertation we present some published work on bisolitons in the dispersion managed systems. Modern communication systems use light pulses to transmit tremendous amounts of information. These systems can be modeled using variations of the Nonlinear Shrodinger Equation where chromatic dispersion and nonlinear effects in the glass fiber are taken into account. The best system performance to date is achieved using dispersion management. We will see how the dispersion management works and how it can be modeled. As you pack information more tightly the interaction between the pulsesbecomes increasingly important. In Fall 2005, experiments in Germany showed that bound pairs of pulses (bisolitons) could propagate significant distances. Through numerical investigation we found parametric bifurcation of bisolitonic solutions, and developed a new iterative method with polynomial correction for the calculation of these solutions. Using these solutions in the signal transmission could increase the transmission rates.

Des effets densité-dépendants survenant lors de la croissance d'une population ont le potentiel de réduire cette hausse démographique. De tels effets densité-dépendants peuvent avoir des causes multiples, mais certaines demeurent moins étudiées. Dans cette optique, nous avons analysé les effets de la densité sur le succès reproducteur et la dispersion natale agissant par d'autres mécanismes qu'une limitation de la nourriture. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilisé un suivi sur plusieurs années d'une population de bernaches du Canada (Branta canadensis maxima) nichant dans le sud du Québec. Nos résultats montrent d'une part la présence d'effets densité-dépendants négatifs survenant par hétérogénéité de l'habitat au niveau des risques de prédation et d'inondation des nids. D'autre part, une plus forte densité de couples réduisait leur succès reproducteur, probablement suite à de plus importantes interactions agressives entre ces derniers. Finalement, le risque de prédation des nids variait aussi avec la densité de ceux-ci, de façon positive ou négative selon les prédateurs impliqués. Par ailleurs, malgré une hausse importante de la taille de la population au cours de l'étude, le nombre de couples reproducteurs n'avait pas d'effet sur la distance de dispersion natale des oiseaux. Cependant, la densité de nids à plus fine échelle spatiale influençait la sélection du site de nidification de ces bernaches. Les individus nés dans des parcelles caractérisées par une forte ainsi qu'une faible densité de nids lors de l'année de leur première reproduction dispersaient pour s'établir dans des parcelles de densité intermédiaire, suggérant que des effets bénéfiques de la présence de congénères pourraient aussi être présents. Finalement, nous avons examiné le premier cas connu d'appariement entre frère et sœur chez une espèce d'oie. Bien que non directement reliée à la densité, cette situation pourrait avoir été favorisée par une dispersion natale plus faible que la moyenne chez le mâle de ce couple ainsi que par les fréquentes adoptions observées chez ces oiseaux. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : densité, reproduction, dispersion natale, hétérogénéité de l'habitat, interférence, attraction sociale, densité-dépendance, consanguinité.

A caractérisation de l'écoulement, du transfert de chaleur et de masse lors du déplacement de gouttelettes de diamètre inferieur au millimètre dans un milieu extérieur font l'objet de notre étude. La première partie présente l'état de l'art des connaissances théoriques et expérimentales des comportements aérodynamiques ainsi que les mécanismes de transfert thermiques et massiques intervenant entre une phase dispersée et une phase continue. La deuxième partie est consacrée à l'étude du phénomène d'évaporation d'une gouttelette mono-dispersée en chute libre dans l'air. Pour cela, nous avons réalisé un dispositif expérimental. Les mesures, nous permettent de prédire l'évaporation de la gouttelette en fonction des caractéristiques physico-chimiques et de l'hygrométrie du milieu extérieur. Pour la modélisation du transfert de chaleur et de masse nous avons utilisé un modèle simple qui tient en compte du couplage entre le mouvement et les phénomènes de transferts, validé dans une précédente étude au sein du laboratoire. Un bon accord est observé. La troisième partie traite de la simulation numérique de l'interaction entre les particules sphériques dans un régime laminaire. Tout d'abord, nous avons proposé et validé un modèle simple qui ne tient pas en compte des phénomènes d'interaction. Les résultats obtenus sont en concordance avec la littérature. Par la suite, nous avons étudié l'interaction entre trois particules identiques et co-alignées. Ce modèle tient compte de la nature de la particule, du nombre du Reynolds et de la distance de séparation. Nous avons validé ce travail par une comparaison avec une étude précédente que nous avons généralisé. La dernière partie est cernée sur l'étude de la dispersion des gouttelettes dans un écoulement turbulent homogène et isotrope. Pour cela, nous avons proposé un modèle Lagrangien de suivi des trajectoires. La production de la turbulence est assurée par une condition de turbulence de grille. Nous avons considéré que les caractéristiques moyennes de l'écoulement fluide sont connues. La sélection des fluctuations de vitesse turbulente est assurée par une méthode probabiliste gaussienne que nous avons développée. La fluctuation est conservée durant un certain temps lié à turbulence, elle est renouvelée au cours du calcul. Ce renouvellement est donné par le temps caractéristique de turbulence.

In this dissertation, we determine how the dispersion, network formation and alignment of carbon nanotubes in polymer nanocomposites affect the electrical properties of two different polymer composite systems: high temperature bismaleimide (BMI) and polyethylene. The knowledge gained from this study will facilitate optimization of the above mentioned parameters, which would further enhance the electrical properties of polymer nanocomposites. BMI carbon fiber composites filled with nickel-coated single walled carbon nanotubes (Ni-SWNTs) were processed using high temperature vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) to study the effect of lightning strike mitigation. Coating the SWNTs with nickel resulted in enhanced dispersions confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). An improved interface between the carbon fiber and Ni-SWNTs resulted in better surface coverage on the carbon plies. These hybrid composites were tested for Zone 2A lightning strike mitigation. The electrical resistivity of the composite system was reduced by ten orders of magnitude with the addition of 4 weight percent Ni-SWNTs (calculated with respect to the weight of a single carbon ply). The Ni-SWNTs - filled composites showed a reduced amount of damage to simulated lightning strike compared to their unfilled counterparts indicated by the minimal carbon fiber pull out. Methods to reduce the electrical resistivity of 10 weight percent SWNTs -- medium density polyethylene (MDPE) composites were studied. The composites processed by hot coagulation method were subjected to low DC electric fields (10 V) at polymer melt temperatures to study the effect of viscosity, nanotube welding, dispersion and, resultant changes in electrical resistivity. The electrical resistivity of the composites was reduced by two orders of magnitude compared to 10 wt% CNT-MDPE baseline. For effective alignment of SWNTs, a new process called Electric field Vacuum Spray was devised to overcome viscosity within the dispersed nanotube polymer system, and produce conductive MDPE-SWNT thin films. Polarized Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis on the samples showed an improvement in SWNT -- SWNT contacts and alignment in the polymer matrix. The resistivity of the samples processed by this new method was two order magnitudes lower than the samples processed by hot coagulation method subjected to electric field.

This dissertation work addresses two important aspects of nanotechnology - stable dispersion and self-assembly of colloidal nanostructures. Three distinctly different types of nano-scaled materials have been studied: 0-dimensional ZnO quantum dots (QDs), 1-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and 2-dimensional alpha-zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoplatelets. Specifically, highly crystalline ZrP layered compounds with differences in diameters have been synthesized and fully exfoliated into monolayer platelets with uniform thickness, followed by their self-assembly into liquid crystalline structures, i.e., nematic and smectic. A novel colloidal approach to debundle and disperse CNTs has been developed by utilizing nanoplatelets to gather and concentrate sonication energy onto nanotube bundles. In such a fashion, CNTs are fully exfoliated into individual tubes through physical means to preserve their exceptional physical properties. Moreover, monodisperse ZnO QDs with high purity have been synthesized through a simple colloidal approach. Exfoliated ZrP nanoplatelets are used to tune the dispersion of ligand-free ZnO QDs from micron-sized aggregates to an individual QD level depending on the ratio between nanoplatelets and QDs. Dynamic analysis suggests that the dispersion mechanism mainly involves the change of QD dispersion free energy due to the presence of nanoplatelets, so that QDs can interact favorably with the surrounding media. In addition, the nanoplatelet-assisted dispersion approach has been utilized to disperse QDs and CNTs into polymeric matrices. Dispersion - property relationship in polymer nanocomposites has been systematically investigated with emphasis on optical properties for QDs and mechanical properties for CNTs.

No description available.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Physics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Physics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

An understanding of the dispersion of contaminants in turbulent flows is important in many fields ranging from air pollution to chemical engineering, and random walk models provide one approach to understanding and calculating aspects of dispersion. Two types of random walk model are investigated in this thesis. The first type, so-called "one-particle models", are capable of predicting only mean concentrations while the second type, "two-particle models", are able to give some information on the fluctuations in concentration as well. Many different one-particle random walk models have been proposed previously and several criteria have emerged to distinguish good models from bad. In this thesis, the relationships between the various criteria are examined and it is shown that most of the criteria are equivalent. It is also shown how a model can be designed to (i) satisfy the criteria exactly and (ii) be consistent with inertial subrange theory. Some examples of models which obey the criteria are described. The theory developed for one-particle models is then extended to the two-particle case and used to design a two-particle model suitable for modelling dispersion in high Reynolds number isotropic turbulence. The properties of this model are investigated in detail and compared with previous models. In contrast to most previous models, the new model is three-dimensional and leads to a prediction for the particle separation probability density function which is in agreement with inertial subrange theory. The values of concentration variance from the new model are compared with experimental data and show encouraging agreement.