In this study, commercially available Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, CFX-4.4 has been used for the simulations of aerosol transport through various aerosol-sampling devices. Aerosol transport was modeled as a classical dilute and dispersed two-phase flow problem. Eulerian-Lagrangian framework was adopted wherein the fluid was treated as the continuous phase and aerosol as the dispersed phase, with a one-way coupling between the phases. Initially, performance of the particle transport algorithm implemented in the code was validated against available experimental and numerical data in the literature. Code predictions were found to be in good agreement against experimental data and previous numerical predictions. As a next step, the code was used as a tool to optimize the performance of a virtual impactor prototype. Suggestions on critical geometrical details available in the literature, for a virtual impactor, were numerically investigated on the prototype and the optimum set of parameters was determined. Performance curves were generated for the optimized design at various operating conditions. A computational model of the Linear Slot Virtual Impactor (LSVI) fabricated based on the optimization study, was constructed using the worst-case values of the measured geometrical parameters, with offsets in the horizontal and vertical planes. Simulations were performed on this model for the LSVI operating conditions. Behavior of various sized particles inside the impactor was illustrated with the corresponding particle tracks. Fair agreement was obtained between code predictions and experimental results. Important information on the virtual impactor performance, not known earlier, or, not reported in the literature in the past, obtained from this study, is presented. In the final part of this study, simulations on aerosol deposition in turbulent pipe flow were performed. Code predictions were found to be completely uncorrelated to experimental data. The discrepancy was traced to the performance of the code's turbulent dispersion model. A detailed literature survey revealed the inherent technical deficiencies in the model, even for particle dispersion. Based on the results of this study, it was determined that while the code can be used for simulating aerosol transport under laminar flow conditions, it is not capable of simulating aerosol transport under turbulent flow conditions.

In this study, commercially available Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, CFX-4.4 has been used for the simulations of aerosol transport through various aerosol-sampling devices. Aerosol transport was modeled as a classical dilute and dispersed two-phase flow problem. Eulerian-Lagrangian framework was adopted wherein the fluid was treated as the continuous phase and aerosol as the dispersed phase, with a one-way coupling between the phases. Initially, performance of the particle transport algorithm implemented in the code was validated against available experimental and numerical data in the literature. Code predictions were found to be in good agreement against experimental data and previous numerical predictions. As a next step, the code was used as a tool to optimize the performance of a virtual impactor prototype. Suggestions on critical geometrical details available in the literature, for a virtual impactor, were numerically investigated on the prototype and the optimum set of parameters was determined. Performance curves were generated for the optimized design at various operating conditions. A computational model of the Linear Slot Virtual Impactor (LSVI) fabricated based on the optimization study, was constructed using the worst-case values of the measured geometrical parameters, with offsets in the horizontal and vertical planes. Simulations were performed on this model for the LSVI operating conditions. Behavior of various sized particles inside the impactor was illustrated with the corresponding particle tracks. Fair agreement was obtained between code predictions and experimental results. Important information on the virtual impactor performance, not known earlier, or, not reported in the literature in the past, obtained from this study, is presented. In the final part of this study, simulations on aerosol deposition in turbulent pipe flow were performed. Code predictions were found to be completely uncorrelated to experimental data. The discrepancy was traced to the performance of the code's turbulent dispersion model. A detailed literature survey revealed the inherent technical deficiencies in the model, even for particle dispersion. Based on the results of this study, it was determined that while the code can be used for simulating aerosol transport under laminar flow conditions, it is not capable of simulating aerosol transport under turbulent flow conditions.

Cascade impactors, routinely used for in vitro particle size characterization of pharmaceutical aerosols, are calibrated using dilute, charge-neutralized, monodisperse aerosols. But pharmaceutical aerosols are known to generate concentrated, inherently charged, polydisperse aerosol clouds. A computational model of the Andersen Cascade Impactor (ACI) suggested that the presence of charge on aerosol particles may influence their deposition within the ACI, but experimental validation of the model is warranted. This dissertation investigates the influence of electrostatic charge upon the deposition behavior of aerosols within cascade impactors, to address the impact of charge on particle size characterization. The influence of applied charge upon the deposition pattern and aerodynamic particle size distribution (APSD) of commercially available pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) within the Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI) was examined. Electrostatic properties were modified using an external voltage source in conjunction with the ELPI corona charger and observed to be dependent on the formulation and device packaging. Induced artificial charge on the aerosol particles influenced the deposition pattern within the impactor, but did not result in a significant change in the apparent APSD. An experimental apparatus capable of producing charge neutralized and charged aerosol, with targeted deposition on the CFD predicted ‘charge sensitive’ ACI stages, was developed. In vitro results were observed to be in partial agreement with the CFD predictions. While charge influenced the deposition pattern in the ACI with increased deposition observed in the charger and on the upper stages of the ACI, it did not influence the apparent APSD of the aerosol. Electrostatic charge effects on deposition behavior within cascade impactors were delineated with respect to space charge and image charge effects by investigating the influence of impactor grounding, particle size, stage coating and loading. While the deposition pattern within the ACI was influenced by charge, only stage coating and stage loading resulted in a small, significant difference in the apparent APSD, which may not be practically relevant due to the variability associated with in vitro aerosol testing. Similar trends were observed in the deposition behavior of charge neutralized and charged aerosol within an abbreviated ACI system compared to the full resolution ACI.

Delaminations in concrete bridge decks result primarily from corrosion of the reinforcing bars (or rebar). This corrosion leads to volumetric expansion of the rebar. When the rebar expands, concrete cracks, and there is a localized separation of the concrete cover from the underlying concrete. Impact-echo testing is an effective technique to map delaminations on concrete bridge decks. However, mapping speed is limited by necessary retrieval of the impactor for traditional tests. To achieve higher scanning speeds, it is advantageous to use both a non-contact measurement (air-coupled impact-echo) and disposable-impactor excitation. Disposable impactors have the potential advantage of achieving greater deck scanning speeds because they do not need to be retrieved, and they can also be used with air-coupled measurement systems. This thesis reports impact excitation of concrete using disposable impactors such as water droplets and ice balls. The impact characteristics of these impactors are compared with those of steel balls and chain links. Comparing the acoustic recordings on intact and delaminated concrete surface shows that water droplets and ice balls are able to excite flexural resonant modes associated with delamination defects. The use of water droplets and ice balls for shallow delamination detection in concrete is thus demonstrated.

No description available.

Atualmente a Engenharia supera novas fronteiras, principalmente devido à redução das dimensões dos equipamentos, e um exemplo desses impactos é o atual estágio de desenvolvimento da nanotecnologia. Ademais, não só as questões ambientais inerentes à contaminação do meio físico como também seu monitoramento devem ser continuamente abordadas para garantir que o profissional possa atuar nessa nova condição. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar como um grupo de estruturas miniaturizadas pode ser usado na remoção de partículas de um meio líquido ou gasoso e a separação de componentes de uma mistura. Também objetivou-se desenvolver uma metodologia simples de testes voltada para o estudo do comportamento dos fluidos no interior de estruturas onde material particulado e pequenas dimensões dificultam a passagem deste fluido. A utilização de canais preenchidos com material particulado ocorre tanto na Engenharia Química, para produção de compostos, como na Química, para a análise de substâncias. Os testes utilizaram equipamentos comuns em laboratório de química, uma estrutura para produção de spray, duas estruturas impactadoras distintas para remoção de partículas, e duas estruturas, denominadas como canais tridimensionais e de separação preliminar, para separação de compostos orgânicos voláteis. As substâncias puras permitem avaliar o tempo de residência e compará-lo com as misturas. As estruturas apresentaram comportamento muito semelhante quando comparadas as filmagens com o auxílio de traçadores e as simulações usando FEMLABÒ. O conjunto proposto de estruturas permite produzir spray com gotas de até 10 mm e obter uma impressão digital de compostos orgânicos em uma mistura, pois os resultados permitem montar tabelas qualitativas e semi-quantitativas que descrevem vários fenômenos, tais como, difusão, separação de compostos, perda de carga, etc. Estas estruturas apresentaram uma série de vantagens, tais como, mesodimensionamento, que facilita sua produção e manuseio, e possibilidade de uso em demonstrações de como ocorrem os fenômenos internos à estrutura. / Nowadays, mainly due to products miniaturization, engineering faces new horizons, which can be easily exemplified by the enhancement on nanotechnology development. Furthermore, not only environmental contamination but also environmental monitoring must be addressed in order to produce a systemic knowledge. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine how a group of miniaturized structures could be used on particle removal and component separation on a mixture. Also a secondary target was to develop a simple methodology in order to determine the fluid behavior inside the structures where particle material and small dimensions hinder flow passage. The use of packed channels is common not only in Chemical Engineering, on synthesis production, but also in Chemistry, for chemical analysis. Tests were carried out using equipment normally present in Chemistry to evaluate a set of structures composed by: one spray, two different impactors and other two different structures (one of them with five different outlets) for separation of volatile organic compounds. Tests were performed in liquid and gaseous phases and used several reactants (kerosene, gasoline, acetone, 2-propanol and ethanol) and their mixtures; pure reactants allow evaluation of the resident time and comparison with mixtures behavior. Simulations were also performed and the structure behavior evaluated by tracers shows good agreement with simulations data. The whole group of structures allows the production of spray with up to 10mm droplet dimension and the footprint of components in a mixture, i.e., the obtained data can be disposed as qualitative and quantitative tables, which describe several phenomena, such as diffusion, separation of compounds, load loss, etc. These structures present several advantages since dimensions on mesorange not only facilitate their production and manipulation bur also allow to unravel phenomena occurring inside the structures.

Atualmente a Engenharia supera novas fronteiras, principalmente devido à redução das dimensões dos equipamentos, e um exemplo desses impactos é o atual estágio de desenvolvimento da nanotecnologia. Ademais, não só as questões ambientais inerentes à contaminação do meio físico como também seu monitoramento devem ser continuamente abordadas para garantir que o profissional possa atuar nessa nova condição. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar como um grupo de estruturas miniaturizadas pode ser usado na remoção de partículas de um meio líquido ou gasoso e a separação de componentes de uma mistura. Também objetivou-se desenvolver uma metodologia simples de testes voltada para o estudo do comportamento dos fluidos no interior de estruturas onde material particulado e pequenas dimensões dificultam a passagem deste fluido. A utilização de canais preenchidos com material particulado ocorre tanto na Engenharia Química, para produção de compostos, como na Química, para a análise de substâncias. Os testes utilizaram equipamentos comuns em laboratório de química, uma estrutura para produção de spray, duas estruturas impactadoras distintas para remoção de partículas, e duas estruturas, denominadas como canais tridimensionais e de separação preliminar, para separação de compostos orgânicos voláteis. As substâncias puras permitem avaliar o tempo de residência e compará-lo com as misturas. As estruturas apresentaram comportamento muito semelhante quando comparadas as filmagens com o auxílio de traçadores e as simulações usando FEMLABÒ. O conjunto proposto de estruturas permite produzir spray com gotas de até 10 mm e obter uma impressão digital de compostos orgânicos em uma mistura, pois os resultados permitem montar tabelas qualitativas e semi-quantitativas que descrevem vários fenômenos, tais como, difusão, separação de compostos, perda de carga, etc. Estas estruturas apresentaram uma série de vantagens, tais como, mesodimensionamento, que facilita sua produção e manuseio, e possibilidade de uso em demonstrações de como ocorrem os fenômenos internos à estrutura. / Nowadays, mainly due to products miniaturization, engineering faces new horizons, which can be easily exemplified by the enhancement on nanotechnology development. Furthermore, not only environmental contamination but also environmental monitoring must be addressed in order to produce a systemic knowledge. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine how a group of miniaturized structures could be used on particle removal and component separation on a mixture. Also a secondary target was to develop a simple methodology in order to determine the fluid behavior inside the structures where particle material and small dimensions hinder flow passage. The use of packed channels is common not only in Chemical Engineering, on synthesis production, but also in Chemistry, for chemical analysis. Tests were carried out using equipment normally present in Chemistry to evaluate a set of structures composed by: one spray, two different impactors and other two different structures (one of them with five different outlets) for separation of volatile organic compounds. Tests were performed in liquid and gaseous phases and used several reactants (kerosene, gasoline, acetone, 2-propanol and ethanol) and their mixtures; pure reactants allow evaluation of the resident time and comparison with mixtures behavior. Simulations were also performed and the structure behavior evaluated by tracers shows good agreement with simulations data. The whole group of structures allows the production of spray with up to 10mm droplet dimension and the footprint of components in a mixture, i.e., the obtained data can be disposed as qualitative and quantitative tables, which describe several phenomena, such as diffusion, separation of compounds, load loss, etc. These structures present several advantages since dimensions on mesorange not only facilitate their production and manipulation bur also allow to unravel phenomena occurring inside the structures.