This thesis examined the effect of sub-boiling temperatures on subsurface flow and mass transport, as a result of electrical resistance heating (ERH). Low temperature ERH was simulated using a newly developed two-dimensional, electro-thermal, flow and transport model (ETM). To capture the non-isothermal processes in the subsurface during low temperature ERH, the ETM included temperature dependent equations for density, viscosity, and electrical conductivity. The model was validated with laboratory experiments in which voltage distribution, instantaneous power, temperature, and tracer transport were measured. Both the tracer experiments and the simulation results indicated that flow and contaminant movement could be significantly impacted by low temperature ERH due to temperature induced buoyant flow. In the first part of the thesis, the ETM was used to study the onset of buoyant flow in the subsurface and its effect on contaminant transport. Buoyant flow was predicted to occur when the ratio between the Rayleigh and thermal Peclet numbers (buoyancy ratio), was greater than 1. The buoyancy ratio was expressed in terms of subsurface temperature, thermal expansion coefficient and hydraulic gradient, thus facilitating its application to subsurface thermal activities. The effect of buoyant flow on contaminant transport was found to be dependent on the buoyancy ratio and Rayleigh number. The second part of the thesis examined the effect of soil heterogeneity, electrical conductivity and applied groundwater flux on energy and mass transport. To examine soil heterogeneity effects, random permeability fields for two aquifers with varying levels of heterogeneity were generated. Higher soil electrical conductivity values increased the power dissipated and resulted in shorter heating times and quicker onset of buoyant flow. Consequently, electrical conductivity had a statistically significant effect on the subsurface energy distribution. The applied groundwater flux had a strong effect on heat and mass transport with lower velocities resulting in upward plume movement due to buoyancy effects. In addition, buoyant flow was observed to dominate over flow through high permeability zones. The last chapter of the thesis investigated the formation and movement of discrete gas bubbles during ERH by combining ETM with a macroscopic invasion percolation (MIP) model. The model simulated soils with different permeabilities and entry pressures at various operating temperatures and groundwater velocities. It was observed that discrete bubble formation occurred in all soils, with upward mobility being limited by lower temperatures and higher entry pressures. By including the MIP model, the resulting aqueous concentrations were significantly different from results obtained with a conventional advective-dispersive model, especially in high permeability soils. This was due to bubbles moving to cooler areas, collapsing, and contaminating previously clean zones. The results of this thesis demonstrated that sub-boiling temperatures affect subsurface flow and mass transport, especially when temperature-induced buoyant flow occurred. Although this study focused on ERH applications, the results may be applicable to other subsurface thermal activities such as geothermal heating.

This thesis examined the effect of sub-boiling temperatures on subsurface flow and mass transport, as a result of electrical resistance heating (ERH). Low temperature ERH was simulated using a newly developed two-dimensional, electro-thermal, flow and transport model (ETM). To capture the non-isothermal processes in the subsurface during low temperature ERH, the ETM included temperature dependent equations for density, viscosity, and electrical conductivity. The model was validated with laboratory experiments in which voltage distribution, instantaneous power, temperature, and tracer transport were measured. Both the tracer experiments and the simulation results indicated that flow and contaminant movement could be significantly impacted by low temperature ERH due to temperature induced buoyant flow. In the first part of the thesis, the ETM was used to study the onset of buoyant flow in the subsurface and its effect on contaminant transport. Buoyant flow was predicted to occur when the ratio between the Rayleigh and thermal Peclet numbers (buoyancy ratio), was greater than 1. The buoyancy ratio was expressed in terms of subsurface temperature, thermal expansion coefficient and hydraulic gradient, thus facilitating its application to subsurface thermal activities. The effect of buoyant flow on contaminant transport was found to be dependent on the buoyancy ratio and Rayleigh number. The second part of the thesis examined the effect of soil heterogeneity, electrical conductivity and applied groundwater flux on energy and mass transport. To examine soil heterogeneity effects, random permeability fields for two aquifers with varying levels of heterogeneity were generated. Higher soil electrical conductivity values increased the power dissipated and resulted in shorter heating times and quicker onset of buoyant flow. Consequently, electrical conductivity had a statistically significant effect on the subsurface energy distribution. The applied groundwater flux had a strong effect on heat and mass transport with lower velocities resulting in upward plume movement due to buoyancy effects. In addition, buoyant flow was observed to dominate over flow through high permeability zones. The last chapter of the thesis investigated the formation and movement of discrete gas bubbles during ERH by combining ETM with a macroscopic invasion percolation (MIP) model. The model simulated soils with different permeabilities and entry pressures at various operating temperatures and groundwater velocities. It was observed that discrete bubble formation occurred in all soils, with upward mobility being limited by lower temperatures and higher entry pressures. By including the MIP model, the resulting aqueous concentrations were significantly different from results obtained with a conventional advective-dispersive model, especially in high permeability soils. This was due to bubbles moving to cooler areas, collapsing, and contaminating previously clean zones. The results of this thesis demonstrated that sub-boiling temperatures affect subsurface flow and mass transport, especially when temperature-induced buoyant flow occurred. Although this study focused on ERH applications, the results may be applicable to other subsurface thermal activities such as geothermal heating.

Ephemeral streams are small headwater streams that only experience streamflow in response to a precipitation event. Due to their highly complex and dynamic spatial and temporal nature, ephemeral streams have been difficult to monitor and are in general poorly understood. This research implemented an extensive network of recently developed electrical resistance sensors to monitor ephemeral streamflow in a Southern Ontario watershed, located in Guelph, Ontario. From this data, patterns of stream network expansion and contraction were determined. Further analysis examined a series of spatial and temporal variables that were monitored to explain the occurrence of ephemeral channel activity through binary logistic regression. The results suggest that the most common patterns of network expansion and contraction at the study site are incomplete coalescence and disintegration, respectively. Analysis of the primary controls on ephemeral streamflow showed only weak relationships, suggesting that there are more complex processes at work in these ephemeral streams. This research has implications for improving ephemeral streamflow monitoring in the future, which will be important for developing and implementing meaningful conservation and management strategies.

A laboratory scale study was conducted to evaluate the thermal remediation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in a saturated groundwater system using electrical resistance heating (ERH). Two experiments were conducted using a two-dimensional polycarbonate test cell, the first consisting of a single pool of TCE perched above a capillary barrier, the second consisting of two pools of TCE each perched on separate capillary barriers. Temperature data was collected during the heating process from an array of 32 thermocouples located throughout the test cell. Visualization of the vaporization of liquid phase TCE, as well as the upward migration of the produced vapour was recorded using a digital camera. Chemical testing was performed 48 hours after experiment termination to measure post heating soil concentrations. A co-boiling plateau in temperature was found to be a clear and evident earmark of an ongoing phase change in the pooled TCE. Temperature was found to increase more rapidly in the second experiment that included a fully spanning barrier. As temperatures increased above the co-boiling plateau, vapour rise originating from the source zone was observed, and was found to create a high saturation gas zone beneath the upper capillary barrier when no clear pathway was available for it to escape upwards. When the source zones had reached the target temperature of 100°C and the ERH process stopped, this high saturation gas zone condensed, leading to elevated TCE concentrations below as well as within the capillary barrier itself. The water table within the experimental cell was also noted to drop measurably when the gas zone collapsed. Post-testing chemical analysis showed reductions in TCE concentrations of over 99.04% compared to the source zone, although due to condensation of entrapped gas and convective mixing, there was a net redistribution of TCE within the experimental domain, especially within confined areas below the capillary barriers. A secondary set of experiments were conducted using a homogenous silica sand pack with no chemical contaminants to determine the effect, if any, of the wave shape of electrical input on the ERH process. It was found that in early time heating, square wave inputs consistently produced a more localized heating pattern when compared to the standard sine wave electrical input. This effect equalized between the two experiments as the ERH process went on, perhaps due to the increased dominance of conduction and convection as the mode of heat transfer in the test cell at higher temperatures. It is believed that the localization of heating in square wave experiments is due to a consistent power supply due to the lack of a sinusoidal ramping in power delivery. / Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2009-03-18 14:40:46.019

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de NÃvel Superior / Solar thermal desalination plants operate with variable heat source, solar radiation, which complicates the identification of the influence of process variables and of the constructive geometric parameters. In operation, brackish or salt water is heated in a storage tank, where it evaporates and condenses on the walls of a lower metal tray (first stage) installed above the tank. By condensing, the steam transfers heat to the salt water of this first stage and the condensate is collected on the outside of the tank. This work aims to develop a new prototype desalination unit with thermal controllable operating parameters for operation in transient and steady states. In the prototype, the heating of the water to be desalinated is done by electrical resistance with controllable source, allowing the variation of the desired heating power. Sensors of the type PT-100 were installed, especially specified for the dimensions of the storage tank for measuring water temperature at different positions in the tank. The mass of water in the tank is measured by a precision balance. With the measurements, graphics of water temperature of the tank during the heating, the cooling and the steady state were constructed. Also, the Global Coefficient of Heat Transfer was measured for phases of heating, cooling and steady state. Finally, desalination was found by the electrical conductivity of the used water. / Dessalinizadores solares tÃrmicos operam com fonte variÃvel de calor, a radiaÃÃo solar, o que dificulta a identificaÃÃo da influÃncia das variÃveis de processo e dos parÃmetros geomÃtricos construtivos. Em seu funcionamento, Ãgua salobra ou salgada à aquecida em um tanque de armazenamento, onde evapora e condensa nas paredes inferiores de uma bandeja metÃlica (primeiro estÃgio) instalada acima do tanque. Ao condensar, o vapor transfere calor para a Ãgua salgada desse primeiro estÃgio e o condensado à coletado no exterior do tanque. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo o desenvolvimento de um novo protÃtipo de dessalinizador tÃrmico com parÃmetros operacionais controlÃveis para funcionamento em regimes transiente e permanente. No protÃtipo, o aquecimento da Ãgua a ser dessalinizada à feito por resistÃncia elÃtrica com fonte de tensÃo controlÃvel, permitindo a variaÃÃo desejÃvel da potÃncia de aquecimento. Foram instalados sensores do tipo PT-100, especialmente especificados para as dimensÃes do tanque de armazenamento, para mediÃÃes de temperaturas da Ãgua em diferentes posiÃÃes no tanque. A massa de Ãgua no tanque à medida por balanÃa de precisÃo. Com as mediÃÃes realizadas, foram construÃdos grÃficos de temperatura da Ãgua do tanque durante os regimes constante de aquecimento e resfriamento. Foi tambÃm medido o Coeficiente Global de TransferÃncia de Calor para as fases de aquecimento, regime permanente e resfriamento. Por fim, foi constatada a dessalinizaÃÃo por medidas de condutividade elÃtrica da Ãgua utilizada.

La sollicitation de fretting apparait comme un processus de dégradation très pénalisant dans les multiples systèmes industriels (aéronautique, industrie automobile, industriels du nucléaire, transports ferroviaires etc. …). Ce processus d’usure engendre dans la plupart des cas soit une réparation (rechargement) des surfaces soit le remplacement des composants (situation la plus souvent observée). La sollicitation de fretting est associée à des micro-déplacements alternés entre deux surfaces en contact. On observe généralement ce type de sollicitation dans tous les contacts soumis à des vibrations ou à des cycles thermiques. La sollicitation de fretting usure dans les contacts électriques est particulièrement pénalisante. Outre l’endommagement des surfaces, ce processus induit une augmentation significative de la résistance électrique des contacts et une perte de fonctionnalité du connecteur en particulier dans les connecteurs basses tensions très sensibles aux fluctuations de la résistance électrique. Pour palier ce problème les industriels de la connectique et leurs clients (industriels de l’automobile) cherchent à mettre en place de nouveaux dépôts palliatifs pour résoudre ces problèmes tout en limitant les surcouts liés à l’utilisation de dépôts nobles tels que l’or.Le sujet de cette thèse porte sur cette problématique avec pour objectif de mettre en place une méthodologie de choix des dépôts pour optimiser la durée de vie des connecteurs. L’étude aborde essentiellement l’influence des conditions de chargements mécaniques et plus particulièrement l’amplitude de débattement / The degradation by fretting appears as a very troublesome process in many industrial systems (spatial, automotive, nuclear industry, railway systems etc. …). This wear process makes it necessary to repair or to replace the destroyed component. The process of degradation by fretting is associated with the micro-displacement between two surfaces in contact. This type of degradation is observed in all types of contacts subjected to the vibrations or thermal variations. The degradation by fretting in electrical contact is particularly dangerous. The wear of the contacting surfaces causes a significant increase of the electrical resistance of the contact and the decay of the functional properties of the connector. This situation concerns especially the low tension connectors very sensible to the fluctuations of the electrical resistance. In order to avoid this situation the automotive industry and its suppliers, the manufacturers of the electrical connectors, are looking for new materials and coatings.The objective of this thesis consists to develop the methodology of choice of the coating materials in order to optimise the lifetime of the electrical contact. The study focuses mainly on the influence of the mechanical conditions, the displacement amplitude in particular, on the performance of the electrical connector.

No description available.

The most popular and convenient route of drug administration remains the oral route, however, protein and peptide drugs such as insulin have poor membrane permeability and stability in the gastrointestinal tract. Absorption enhancers can be added to drug delivery systems to overcome the epithelial cell membrane permeability problem. Although previous studies have shown that aloe leaf materials improve the transport of drugs across intestinal epithelia, their performance in solid oral dosage forms has not yet been investigated. Beads containing insulin and each of the selected absorption enhancers (i.e. Aloe ferox, Aloe marlothii and Aloe vera gel materials) were produced by extrusion-spheronisation, using a full factorial design to optimise the formulations based on transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) reduction of Caco-2 cell monolayers as response. The optimum bead formulations were evaluated in terms of friability, mass variation, particle surface texture, shape, size and dissolution. The transport of insulin across excised pig intestinal tissue from the optimised bead formulations was determined over a 2 h period. The samples obtained from the transport studies were analysed for insulin content by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the TEER reduction, as an indication of tight junction modulation, obtained for the bead formulations containing aloe materials was concentration dependent. Furthermore, inclusion of croscarmellose sodium (Ac-di-sol®) as a disintegrant showed an enhanced TEER reduction effect in combination with the aloe gel materials. Dissolution profiles indicated that the beads containing aloe leaf materials in conjunction with insulin, released the insulin within an hour. In accordance with the TEER reduction results, the A. marlothii and A. vera materials containing beads showed similar increased insulin delivery across excised pig intestinal tissue, which was pronouncedly higher than that of the control group (insulin alone). It can be concluded that beads containing aloe leaf materials have high potential as effective delivery systems for protein therapeutics such as insulin via the oral route of administration. / MSc (Pharmaceutics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The most popular and convenient route of drug administration remains the oral route, however, protein and peptide drugs such as insulin have poor membrane permeability and stability in the gastrointestinal tract. Absorption enhancers can be added to drug delivery systems to overcome the epithelial cell membrane permeability problem. Although previous studies have shown that aloe leaf materials improve the transport of drugs across intestinal epithelia, their performance in solid oral dosage forms has not yet been investigated. Beads containing insulin and each of the selected absorption enhancers (i.e. Aloe ferox, Aloe marlothii and Aloe vera gel materials) were produced by extrusion-spheronisation, using a full factorial design to optimise the formulations based on transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) reduction of Caco-2 cell monolayers as response. The optimum bead formulations were evaluated in terms of friability, mass variation, particle surface texture, shape, size and dissolution. The transport of insulin across excised pig intestinal tissue from the optimised bead formulations was determined over a 2 h period. The samples obtained from the transport studies were analysed for insulin content by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the TEER reduction, as an indication of tight junction modulation, obtained for the bead formulations containing aloe materials was concentration dependent. Furthermore, inclusion of croscarmellose sodium (Ac-di-sol®) as a disintegrant showed an enhanced TEER reduction effect in combination with the aloe gel materials. Dissolution profiles indicated that the beads containing aloe leaf materials in conjunction with insulin, released the insulin within an hour. In accordance with the TEER reduction results, the A. marlothii and A. vera materials containing beads showed similar increased insulin delivery across excised pig intestinal tissue, which was pronouncedly higher than that of the control group (insulin alone). It can be concluded that beads containing aloe leaf materials have high potential as effective delivery systems for protein therapeutics such as insulin via the oral route of administration. / MSc (Pharmaceutics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Este trabalho tem como objetivo estudar filmes finos de polímeros semicondutores preparados a partir de dispersões coloidais de poli(3,4 etilenodioxitiofeno)/poli(estirenosulfonato de sódio) (PEDOT:PSS), submetidos a tratamentos físico-químicos para alterar as suas características morfológicas e estruturais, melhorando a condutividade elétrica e mantendo um bom nível de transmitância óptica na faixa de comprimento de onda da luz visível. Foram utilizadas no estudo duas dispersões coloidais comerciais de PEDOT:PSS, identificadas como P1 e P2. O P1 descrito pelo fornecedor como de grau condutivo (1 S.cm-1) e P2 de grau altamente condutivo (<100 ?/?). Foram produzidos filmes finos em três procedimentos diferentes e realizadas medidas de resistência elétrica e transmitância óptica. Na primeira série, os filmes foram preparados por spin-coating da dispersão coloidal original de PEDOT:PSS e seguidos pelo recozimento na estufa. Na segunda série, foi adicionado à dispersão coloidal original de PEDOT:PSS um solvente orgânico polar, o dimetilsulfóxido (DMSO), após a centrifugação, a dispersão sobrenadante foi depositada para a preparação de filmes finos como descrito na etapa anterior. Na terceira série, à parte sobrenadante da dispersão coloidal de PEDOT:PSS preparada na segunda série, foi adicionada uma solução precursora de nanopartículas de prata (Tinta Reativa de Prata) (TRP2) e a dispersão coloidal foi depositada para formar filmes finos como descrito anteriormente. As resistividades elétricas com os valores mais significativos foram de filmes de P1 e de P2 depositados a 2000 rpm. Para P1 foram observadas resistividades de 1,37 ?.cm, 0,34 ?.cm e 0,18 ?.cm, para as dispersões coloidais P1 original, P1 tratado com DMSO e P1 tratado com DMSO/TRP2, respectivamente, correspondendo a uma redução de 87% do valor da resistência elétrica da primeira para a terceira série. A transmitância óptica dos filmes a 550 nm se manteve entre 80~90% para todas as séries, nas análises por espectroscopia no UV-Vis. Para os filmes de P2, depositadas a 2000 rpm, as resistividades elétricas nos filmes foram de 0,76 ?.cm, 0,015 ?.cm e 0,0012 ?.cm, para P2 original, P2 tratado com DMSO e P2 tratado com DMSO/TRP2, respectivamente, correspondendo a uma redução de 99,8% do valor da resistência elétrica da primeira para a terceira série. O valor da transmitância óptica dos filmes a 550 nm manteve-se entre 85~90% na primeira e segunda série, entretanto para os filmes da terceira série, devido à presença da fase prata grosseira, reduziu-se para o intervalo entre 40~60%. / This work aims to study thin films of semiconducting polymers prepared from colloidal dispersions of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS), submitted to physicochemical treatments in order to change their microstructural features and improve their electrical conductivity, while maintaining a good level of optical transmittance in the visible wavelength range. Two types of commercial colloidal dispersions of PEDOT:PSS were used in the study, named as P1 and P2. The P1 is described as a conductive grade (250 ?/?) and P2, highly conductive grade (<100 ?/?). Thin films were produced from colloidal dispersions through three different procedures and their electrical resistance and optical transmittance were measured. In the first series, films were prepared by spin-coating of the PEDOT: PSS pristine colloidal dispersion, followed by annealing in the oven. In the second series, to the pristine colloidal dispersion of PEDOT:PSS a polar organic solvent dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was added, then after centrifugation, the supernatant colloidal dispersion was deposited to form thin films as described previously. In the third series, to the supernatant colloidal dispersion of PEDOT:PSS prepared in the second series, a silver nanoparticle precursor solution (Reactive Silver Ink) (TRP2) was added and the colloidal dispersion was deposited to form thin films as described previously. Electrical resistivity with the most significant values from P1 and P2 films deposited at 2000 rpm. For the films from P1, 1.37 ?.cm, 0.34 ?.cm and 0.18 ?.cm were observed, for pristine colloidal dispersion, with DMSO and with DMSO and TRP2, respectively; corresponding to a reduction of 87% of the electrical resistance from the first to the third series. The optical transmittance of films at 550 nm, as measured by UV-Vis spectroscopy, was maintained in the range 80~90% for all series. For the films from P2, the electrical resistances were observed to vary from 0.76 ?.cm to 0.015 ?.cm and 0.0012 ?.cm, for pristine P2 colloidal dispersion, after DMSO addition and with DMSO and TRP2, respectively, corresponding to a reduction of 99.8% in the electrical resistance from the first series to the third one. The optical transmittance of films at 550 nm was observed to remain in the range 85~90% for the first and second series, while the third series, due to the massive presence of a coarse silver phase, dropped to the range 40~60%.