In der Milchviehhaltung nimmt die Anzahl der eingesetzten Onlinesensoren zu. Somit können bedeutende biologische Veränderungen bei Kühen z. B. Sekretveränderungen frühzeitig erkannt werden. Hohe mechanische Belastungen am Zitzengewebe, die z. B. zu Ringbildungen führen, treten beim Melken jedoch immer noch häufig auf. Eine nicht optimal angepasste Melktechnik kann einer der Gründe dafür sein. Hauptziel dieser Arbeit ist es, ein Vakuumregelungssystem für das zitzenendige Melkvakuum zu entwickeln, das in engen Zeitabständen reagiert. Das zitzenendige Melkvakuum soll durch die Regelung in der Saugphase bei großen Milchflüssen einen konstant niedrigen Vakuumabfall aufweisen. In der Entlastungsphase soll die Regelung dagegen einen konstant hohen Vakuumabfall erzeugen. Bei Nassmessungen (ISO 6690, 2007) wurden verschiedene viertelindividuelle Melksysteme im Melklabor und in Praxisbetrieben in Bezug auf ihr zitzenendiges Melkvakuum untersucht. Nachfolgend wurden verschiedene Vakuummess- und Aktorsysteme zur Vakuumbeeinflussung untersucht. Die wichtigsten Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen bestehen darin, dass die Konzeption für ein Vakuumregelungssystem gefunden und ein Prototyp gebaut werden konnte. Weiter wurden die Anforderungen an ein optimales zitzenendiges Melkvakuum erarbeitet. Das Konzept für das entwickelte Vakuumregelungssystem lässt erwarten, dass das zitzenendige Melkvakuum in der Saugphase auf 20 kPa bei einem Milchfluss von 0,25 l/min/ Euterviertel reduziert werden kann. Bei hohen Milchflüssen von 1,5 l/min/ Euterviertel und mehr wird das Vakuum in derselben Phase hingegen auf einen Mittelwert von 30 kPa eingestellt. Damit kann erstmals ein hohes Melkvakuum bei hohen und ein niedriges Melkvakuum bei niedrigen Milchflüssen erreicht werden. In Zukunft sollte das entwickelte Vakuumregelsystem zur Nutzung in allen viertelindividuellen Melksystemen angepasst werden. / The number of online-sensors in dairy farming is increasing. In this manner, important biologically changes in cows as for example changes in secretion can be detected at an early stage. But high mechanical strains on the teat tissue during milking still occur frequently and can for example lead to formation of teat rings. A suboptimal adjusted milking technology can be one of the reasons for the mentioned observations. The objective of this dissertation was to develop a vacuum control system for the teat-end vacuum that can react in short time intervals. The teat-end vacuum produced by that control system should be with constant low vacuum reduction in suction phase at high milk flows. Moreover, in release phase the control system should provide constantly high vacuum reductions. In wet-tests (ISO 6690, 2007) several individual quarter milking systems in laboratory and practical milking parlours were evaluated in terms of their associated teat-end vacuum conditions. Several vacuum measuring and actuator systems for controlling the vacuum were tested. The most important result of the studies was that the general concept for a teat-end vacuum control system was developed, and a prototype of that system was produced. Important requirements for an optimum teat-end vacuum were revealed during that work. The concept for the planned vacuum control system suggests that it is possible to reduce the mean teat-end milking vacuum in the suction phase to 20 kPa at a flow rate of 0.25 l/min per udder quarter. At higher flow rates of 1.5 l/min and more per udder quarter, the teat-end vacuum is similar to the machine vacuum with a mean value of approximately 30 kPa. Therefore, for the first time, it is possible to supply a high teat-end vacuum at a high and a low teat-end vacuum at low milk flow rates. In the future, the developed vacuum control system should be adapted for installation in all types of individual quarter milking systems.

La Tomographie à Emission de Positrons (TEP) permet d'obtenir une mesure dynamique et résolue en espace de la concentration d'un traceur radioactif injecté au patient. La quantification du débit sanguin cérébral par TEP repose sur l'utilisation d'un modèle cinétique le reliant à la variation spatio-temporelle de la concentration du traceur dans le cerveau. Différents modèles cinétiques sont proposés dans la littérature. Cependant, la majorité d'entre eux repose sur une modélisation compartimentale de l'organe observé. Dans ce cas, l'organe est subdivisé en un compartiment capillaire échangeant avec un compartiment tissulaire par une cinétique le plus souvent du premier ordre. Les résultats obtenus avec ce type de modèle sous-estiment le débit et ne permettent pas de prédire les premiers instants de la dynamique de répartition du traceur. Ces faiblesses ont été confirmées suite à l'amélioration de la résolution temporelle des tomographes, conduisant à l'élaboration de modèles incorporant plus de réalité physiologique. Cependant, tous ces modèles sont développés pour modéliser les échanges entre la micro-circulation et le tissu environnant à l'échelle d'un capillaire (échelle microscopique). Or la résolution spatiale des tomographes utilisés en clinique ne permet pas de distinguer la micro-circulation et le tissu. L'utilisation de ces modèles cinétiques avec des mesures de concentrations macroscopiques dépasse donc leur cadre théorique de validité et peut introduire des résultats faussés. Dans ce contexte, nous proposons un modèle cinétique basé sur le changement d'échelle (utilisant la méthode de prise de moyenne volumique). Ce changement d'échelle permet de remplacer l'ensemble micro-circulation/tissu par un volume fictif, homogène, dont les propriétés macroscopiques sont calculées à partir des propriétés microscopiques d'un Volume Elémentaire Représentatif (VER) du milieu. Dans un premier temps, afin de pouvoir comparer les résultats de ce modèle avec ceux du modèle compartimental standard, le VER considéré est constitué d'un capillaire unique et de son enveloppe de tissu, puis une complexité géométrique supplémentaire est introduite en considérant un réseau de capillaire isotrope à l'échelle de Darcy. Ces modèles sont utilisés pour identifier le débit à l'aide d'une méthode inverse. Pour cela, l'évolution temporelle du champ de concentration dans notre géométrie de référence, qui ne peut être mesurée par TEP en raison de sa faible résolution spatiale, est déterminée par des simulations numériques ainsi que par des mesures in vitro à l'aide d'un modèle expérimental, également développé au cours de ce travail, permettant de reproduire l'écoulement dans un canal traversant une matrice diffusante (gel d'alginate). / Positron Emission Tomography (PET) provides a dynamic and space-resolved measurement of the concentration field of a radioactive tracer previously injected to the patient. Quantification of cerebral blood flow by PET is based on the use of a kinetic model linking cerebral blood flow to the spatial and temporal variations of tracer concentration in the brain. Various kinetic models have been proposed in the literature. However, most of the mare based on a compartmental approach of the observed organ In this case, the organ is divided in two compartments, the capillary and the tissue, and the exchanges between these two compartments are often described by a first order kinetic model. Results obtained with this kind of model under estimate the flow rate and are notable to predict the first instants of the tracer dynamics distribution. With the continuous improvement of the temporal resolution of PET, these weaknesses have been confirmed, which led to the development of models incorporating more physiological reality. However, all these models have been developed to describe exchanges between micro-circulation and surrounding tissue at the scale of capillary vessels (microscopic scale). Because the spatial resolution of PET inclinical practice is insufficient to allow the distinction between micro-circulation and tissue, using of these models with kinetic measurement of macroscopic concentrations exceeds their theoretical validity and can introduce false results. In this context, we propose a kinetic model based on up-scaling (using the method of volume averaging). This up-scaling technique allows to replace the two previous compartments (tissue and micro-circulation) by an homogeneous fictive volume, whose macroscopic properties are calculated from the microscopic properties of are presentative elementary volume (REV) of the medium. First, in order to compare the results of this model with those of the standard compartmental model, the considered REV consists of a single capillary and its surrounding tissue. Second, additional geometric complexity is introduced by considering an isotropic capillary network at the Darcy scale. These models are used to identify the flow rate using an inverse method. For that purpose, the temporal evolution of concentration field in a geometry of reference, which can't be measured by PET due to its low spatial resolution, is determined by numerical simulations and by in vitro measurements. These measurements are performed using an experimental model developed during this work to reproduce the flow in a channel passing through a diffusive matrix (alginate gel).

O objetivo deste estudo foi mensurar o fluxo salivar, pH, capacidade tampão, concentrações de proteína total e ácido siálico, atividades das enzimas amilase e peroxidase e concentração dos íons sódio, potássio, cálcio, fósforo, zinco e magnésio em saliva total de indivíduos síndrome de Down com idade entre 1 e 25 anos. Nos indivíduos com idade entre 1 e 5 anos a saliva total foi coletada através de uma leve sucção, enquanto que nos outros indivíduos com idade entre 6 e 10, 11 e 15, 15 e 20, 21 e 25 a saliva total foi coletada com estimulação mecânica através da mastigação de parafilm, durante 10 minutos. O pH e a capacidade tampão foramdeterminadas usando um pHmetro digital. A capacidade tampão foi mensurada através de titulação com HCl a 0,01N. A concentração de eletrólitos foi determinada através de um espectrofotômetro de emissão atômica com fonte de excitação de argônio induzido. A proteína total foi mensurada através do reagente de Folin. A atividade da amilase foi mensurada através da produção de maltose e a atividade da peroxidase foi mensurada através da utilização de orto-dianisidina. Para a analise estatística os dados foram apresentados em media ± desvio padrão. Foi utilizado o teste “t" de Student para determinar as diferenças entre as medias dos indivíduos síndrome de Down e o grupo controle. Nenhuma diferença significante foi observada na concentração de ácido siálico, fósforo, zinco, magnésio e cálcio entre os indivíduos síndrome de Down e o grupo controle. A concentração de sódio, proteína total e a capacidade tampão demonstraram ser maior nos indivíduos com síndrome de Down em comparação ao grupo controle. Por outro lado, o fluxo salivar, a concentração de potássio, e a atividade das enzimas amilase e peroxidase foram menores no grupo síndrome de Down quando comparado ao grupo controle. Estes resultados sugerem que as pessoas com síndrome de Down apresentam alterações no metabolismo do ducto e/ou das células acinares das glândulas salivares. / The aim of this study was to measure the flow rate, pH, buffer capacity, sialic acid, total protein concentrations, amylase and peroxidase activities and sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium concentration whole saliva of individuals with Down syndrome aged 1 - 25 years. In individuals aged 1-5 years the whole saliva was collected under slight suction, while in the others individuals aged 6-10, 11-15, 15-20, 21-25 the whole saliva was collected with stimulation by chewing a piece of parafilm, for 10 minutes. The pH and the buffer capacity were determined using a digital pHmeter. The buffer capacity was measured by titration with 0.01 N HCl. Electrolyte concentrations were determined by inductively coupled argon plasma with atomic emission spectrometry. Sialic acid was determined by thiobarbituric acid assay. Protein was determined by the folin’s phenol reagent. Amylase was assayed measuring the maltose produced by the breakdown of starch and peroxidase with ortho dianisidine. For statistical analysis the date are presented as mean ± SD. Student’s “t" test was used to determine differences between the mean of the Down syndrome and control groups. No statistically significant differences were observed in sialic acid, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium and calcium concentration between the individuals with Down syndrome and control group. The sodium and total protein concentration and buffer capacity showed higher in the Down syndrome than in the control group. On the other hand the flow rate and potassium concentration, amylase and peroxidase activities were lower in the Down syndrome than in the control group. These results suggest that the Down syndrome persons present alteration in the metabolism of the duct and/or acinar cells of salivary glands.

The focus of this work is to investigate the dissolution of MW25, a non-radioactive simulant of UK high-level nuclear waste borosilicate glass, and to predict its performance in the near field of a geological repository. A single-pass flow-through (SPFT) experimental system was used to measure the forward dissolution rates of MW25. Experiments were conducted in two parts. Experiment Part 1 considers the dissolution of the waste glass in deionised water at 40 and 90 oC and circum-neutral pH. Experiment Part 2 considers the dissolution of the waste glass in simulant groundwaters, with similar compositions to groundwaters of Callovo-Oxfordian clay (lower-strength sedimentary rock (LSSR)) and Borrowdale Volcanic Group rocks (higher-strength rock (HSR)), at 40 oC and pH 7. The forward dissolution rate measured in deionised water was found to be approximately one order of magnitude higher at 90 oC than at 40 oC. A similar release was observed for Si, Mg and Al at 40 oC and 90 oC, whereas the B, Cs, Na, Li and Mo showed an order of magnitude increase when the temperature was increased from 40 to 90 oC for low q/S values. The activation energy (Ea) of the reactions shows that the dissolution process is a surface phenomenon. At 90 oC the net effect of the processes governing MW25 dissolution led to the preferential release of boron and alkali metals relative to the release of Si during the transient dissolution stage, accompanied by an increase in the concentration of silicic acid. This suggests that the solution activity of silicic acid at a higher temperature has a weak influence on the release of the mobile elements. The forward dissolution rate measured in LSSR simulant groundwater was found to be slightly higher than that measured in HSR simulant groundwater. The dissolution behaviour of MW25 in both groundwaters is consistent with its behaviour in deionised water at 40 oC, with the dissolution rates of elements increasing as flow rates were increased. However, forward dissolution rates measured in the simulant groundwaters were lower than the forward dissolution rates measured in deionised water under these experimental conditions. This is attributable to the interaction of the components of the simulant groundwaters with the glass, as revealed by post-reaction surface analyses, and a consequential lower alkalinity of the leachates collected in the experiments with simulant groundwater than in deionised water. Reactive chemical transport simulations of waste glass dissolution and radionuclide release in a hypothetical near field were conducted over a time span of a million years with GoldSim. The results showed that enclosing the waste glass in a steel canister covered by a copper canister and emplacing the waste package in a granite host rock is optimal for the long-term isolation of the radionuclides. The waste glass was found to play a significant role in the overall performance of the near field. This study features a new method for estimating the surface area of reacted glass powder more accurately than the geometric surface area estimate, which is the preferred standard method among researchers.

A study was conducted to evaluate the properties and processes influencing the rate and magnitude of volume decrease and strength gain for oil sand fine tailings resulting from a change in bitumen extraction process (caustic versus non-caustic) and the effect of adding a coagulant to caustic fine tailings. Laboratory flume deposition tests were carried out with the objective to hydraulically deposit oil sand tailings and compare the effects of extraction processes on the nature of beach deposits in terms of geometry, particle size distribution, and density. A good correlation exists between flume deposition tests results using oil sand tailings and the various other tailings materials. These comparisons show the reliability and effectiveness of flume deposition tests in terms of establishing general relationships and can serve as a guide to predict beach slopes. Fine tailings were collected from the various flume tests and a comprehensive description of physical and chemical characteristics of the different fine tailings was carried out. The characteristics of the fine tailings is presented in terms of index properties, mineralogy, specific surface area, water chemistry, liquid limits, particle size distribution and structure. The influence of these fundamental properties on the compressibility, hydraulic conductivity and shear strength properties of the fine tailings was assessed. Fourteen two meter and one meter high standpipe tests were instrumented to monitor the rate and magnitude of self-weight consolidation of the different fine tailings materials. Consolidation tests using slurry consolidometers were carried out to determine consolidation properties, namely compressibility and hydraulic conductivity, as well as the effect of adding a coagulant (calcium sulphate [CaSO4]) to caustic fine tailings. The thixotropic strength of the fine tailings was examined by measuring shear strength over time using a vane shear apparatus. A difference in water chemistry during bitumen extraction was concluded to be the cause of substantial differences in particle size distributions and degree of dispersion of the comparable caustic and non-caustic fine tailings. The degree of dispersion was consistent with predictions for dispersed clays established by the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) values for these materials. The biggest advantage of non-caustic fine tailings and treating caustic fine tailings with coagulant is an increased initial settlement rate and slightly increased hydraulic conductivity at higher void ratios. Thereafter, compressibility and hydraulic conductivity are governed by effective stress. The chemical characteristics of fine tailings (water chemistry, degree of dispersion) do not have a significant impact on their compressibility behaviour and have only a small influence at high void ratio (low effective stress). Fine tailings from a caustic based extraction process had relatively higher shear strengths than comparable non-caustic fine tailings at equivalent void ratios. However, shear strength differences were small and the overall impact on consolidation behaviour, which also depends on compressibility and hydraulic conductivity, is not expected to be significant.

Kraft recovery boiler smelt is shattered into small droplets by an impinging steam jet to prevent smelt-water explosions in the dissolving tank. Inadequate shattering increases the likelihood of dissolving tank explosions. While industry has not dedicated much effort to smelt shattering, the safety implications require smelt shattering to be studied in detail. An experimental set-up was constructed to simulate the shattering operation using a water-glycerine solution and air instead of smelt and steam respectively. The objective was to examine how physical properties and flow characteristics affect shattering. It was found that increasing shatter jet velocity greatly reduced droplet mean diameter. Increasing the liquid flow rate greatly increased droplet size, as expected. Shattering was not significantly affected by viscosity, unless a weak shatter jet was used on a highly viscous fluid. Increasing the proximity of the shatter jet nozzle decreased droplet size.

The labyrinth seal is a non-contact annular type sealing device used to reduce the internal leakage of the working fluid which is caused by the pressure difference between each stage in a turbomachine. Reducing the leakage mass flow rate of the working fluid through the labyrinth seal is desirable because it improves the efficiency of the turbomachine. The carry-over coefficient, based on the divergence angle of the jet, changed with flow parameters with fixed seal geometry while earlier models expressed the carry-over coefficient solely as a function of seal geometry. For both compressible and incompressible flows, the Reynolds number based on clearance was the only flow parameter which could influence the carry-over coefficient. In the case of incompressible flow based on the simulations for various seal geometries and operating conditions, for a given Reynolds number, the carry-over coefficient strongly depended on radial clearance to tooth width ratio. Moreover, in general, the lower the Reynolds number, the larger is the divergence angle of the jet and this results in a smaller carry-over coefficient at lower Reynolds numbers. However, during transition from laminar to turbulent, the carry-over coefficient reduced initially and once the Reynolds number attained a critical value, the carry-over coefficient increased again. In the case of compressible flow, the carry-over coefficient had been slightly increased if radial clearance to tooth width ratio and radial clearance to tooth pitch ratio were increased. Further, the carry-over coefficient did not considerably change if only radial clearance to tooth width ratio was decreased. The discharge coefficient for compressible and incompressible flows depended only on the Reynolds number based on clearance. The discharge coefficient of the tooth in a single cavity labyrinth seal was equivalent to that in a multiple tooth labyrinth seal indicating that flow downstream had negligible effect on the discharge coefficient. In particular, for compressible fluid under certain flow and seal geometric conditions, the discharge coefficient did not increase with an increase in the Reynolds number. It was correlated to the pressure ratio, Pr. Moreover, it was also related to the fact that the flow of the fluid through the constriction became compressible and the flow eventually became choked. At low pressure ratios (less than 0.7), Saikishan’s incompressible model deviated from CFD simulation results. Hence, the effects of compressibility became significant and both the carry-over coefficient compressibility factor and the discharge coefficient compressibility factor needed to be considered and included into the leakage model. The carry-over coefficient compressibility factor, phi, had two linear relationships with positive and negative slopes regarding the pressure ratios. This result was not associated with the seal geometry because the seal geometry ratios for each instance were located within the nearly same ranges. Further, the phi-Pr relationship was independent of the number of teeth regardless of single and multiple cavity labyrinth seals. The discharge coefficient compressibility factor, psi, was a linear relationship with pressure ratios across the tooth as Saikishan predicted. However, in certain flow and seal geometric conditions, Saikishan’s model needed to be modified for the deviation appearing when the pressure ratios were decreased. Hence, a modified psi-Pr relationship including Saikishan’s model was presented in order to compensate for the deviation between the simulations and his model.

No description available.

No description available.

Kraft recovery boiler smelt is shattered into small droplets by an impinging steam jet to prevent smelt-water explosions in the dissolving tank. Inadequate shattering increases the likelihood of dissolving tank explosions. While industry has not dedicated much effort to smelt shattering, the safety implications require smelt shattering to be studied in detail. An experimental set-up was constructed to simulate the shattering operation using a water-glycerine solution and air instead of smelt and steam respectively. The objective was to examine how physical properties and flow characteristics affect shattering. It was found that increasing shatter jet velocity greatly reduced droplet mean diameter. Increasing the liquid flow rate greatly increased droplet size, as expected. Shattering was not significantly affected by viscosity, unless a weak shatter jet was used on a highly viscous fluid. Increasing the proximity of the shatter jet nozzle decreased droplet size.