Optimization of capillary gas chromatography-Fourier Transform Infrared (GC-FTIR) spectrometry has been accomplished by studying various columns, lightpipe designs, FTIR detectors and spectroscopic parameters. For adequate separation of complex samples the efficiency of WCOT (Wall Coated Open Tubular) fused silica capillary columns was found to be unmatched by packed columns or wide bore glass capillaries. A consequence of using more narrow bore columns, however, is lower sample capacity and less IR detectability. Two 6 cm light pipes and a more narrow 40 cm lightpipe were compared with respect to both optical throughput and eluent band broadening. FTIR spectroscopic parameters such as mirror velocity and number of scans coadded were examined in order to achieve an optimum signal to noise ratio. The complexity of a particular sample has been shown to dictate certain spectroscopic parameters. The sensitivity differences of two liquid-nitrogen cooled FTIR detectors used in the GC-FTIR experiments have been determined with reference to using them with either a long or short lightpipe. The capability of optimized capillary GC-FTIR has been demonstrated in the analysis of model compound mixtures and comp lex petroleum products including test aviation jet fuels. Major attention was given to the detection and identification of aliphatic and aromatic components in the highly complex samples. Computerized library search routines have been used to tentatively identify eluting components by infrared spectral matching to quality vapor phase library file spectra. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) data are also included for the same jet fuel samples to directly compare extent of information provided and relative spectroscopic sensitivities. / Master of Science

The performance of three maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids, grown under two irrigation levels, was used to investigate the effects of soil moisture competition between adjacent plots, the transmission of these effects into multi-row adjacent plots and types of multi-row plots and plot borders most effective in shielding from these interplot competition effects. On the basis of grain yield, competition effects intended to the second rows of five-row plots necessitating more than five-row plots to accurately evaluate the full transmission of interplot competition effects into adjacent plots. Evaluation of genotypes in one-row plots all with the same common border row genotype to make them three-row plots would be more suitable for evaluation of relative competitiveness for soil moisture under soil moisture stress conditions compared to no border rows or border rows of the same genotype being evaluated.

Drop Towers provide brief terrestrial access to microgravity environments. When used for capillary fluidics research, a drop tower allows for unique control over an experiment's initial conditions, which enables, enhances, or otherwise improves the study of capillary phenomena at significantly larger length scales than can normally be achieved on the ground. This thesis provides a historical context for the introduction of a new, highly accessible, 2.1s tower design used for capillary research and presents a variety of demonstrative experimental results for purely capillarity-driven flows leading to bubble ingestion, sinking flows, multiphase flows, and droplet ejections. The focus of this thesis is paid to capillarity-driven droplet ejection including historical significance, mathematical models, criteria for ejection and experimental validation. A scale analysis provides a single parameter Su+ which is used to predict the flow velocity at the base of the nozzle. By simplifying the flow in the nozzle we identify two criteria for auto-ejection, the nozzle must be `short' and the velocity of the flow must be sufficient to invert the liquid meniscus and overpower surface tension at the nozzle tip such that We⁺ > 12. Drop tower experiments are conducted and compared to analytical predictions using a regimemap. This thesis also includes results from experiments experiments conducted in a stationary ground-based laboratory and aboard the International Space Station which clearly demonstrate droplet ejection in regimes from transient liquid jets to large isolated drops. Droplets generated in a microgravity environment are 106 times larger than 1g₀ counter-parts.

Understanding the interactions between a body of liquid and a curvy surface is important for many applications such as underwater drag force reduction, droplet filtration, self-cleaning, and fog harvesting, among many others. This study investigates ways to predict the performance of granular and fibrous surfaces for some of the above applications. More specifically, our study is focused on 1) modeling the mechanical stability of the air-water interface over submerged superhydrophobic (SHP) surfaces and their expected drag reduction benefits, and 2) predicting the mechanical stability of a droplet on a fiber in the presence of an external body force. For the first application, we modeled the air–water interface over submerged superhydrophobic coatings comprised of particles/fibers of different diameters or Young–Laplace contact angles. We developed mathematical expressions and modeling methodologies to determine the maximum depth to which such coatings can be used for underwater drag reduction as well as the magnitude of the depth-dependent drag reduction effect of the surface. For the second application, we studied the force required to detach a droplet from a single fiber or from two crossing fibers. The results of our numerical simulations were compared to those obtained from experiment with ferrofluid droplets under a magnetic field, and excellent agreement was observed. Such information is of crucial importance in design and manufacture of droplet–air and droplet–fluid separation media, fog harvesting media, protective clothing, fiber-reinforced composite materials, and countless other applications.

L’objectif est de construire le modèle homogénéisé d’un écoulement diphasique en milieu poreux et fracturé, en mettant en évidence le phénomène de mélange dynamique (mixing) entre les phases, provoqué par l’hétérogénéité du milieu. L’attention est concentrée sur l’influence de la capillarité. L’homogénéisation à double échelle a été appliquée. Le mixing se manifeste sous forme de la dispersion hydrodynamique et de l’advection renormalisée. Le tenseur de dispersion, déterminé à travers le problème cellulaire, est une fonction non linéaire de la saturation, vitesse d’écoulement, rapport de viscosité et du nombre capillaire. Pour les milieux fracturés, une méthode streamline configurations a été avancée pour le cas diphasique. Elle permet d’obtenir la dispersion et la perméabilité effective sous forme analytique pour des réseaux de fracture périodiques, ou semi-analytique pour des réseaux aléatoires. La simulation d’un déplacement diphasique à la base du nouveau modèle a été réalisée / The objective of the thesis is to develop the homogenized model of a two-phase flow through a porous and fractured medium by highlighting the dynamic mixing between the phases, caused by the medium heterogeneity. Attention is focused on the influence of the capillarity. The two-scale homogenization is applied. The mixing is manifested in form of the hydrodynamic dispersion and renormalized advection. The dispersion tensor, determined by the cell problem, is a nonlinear function of saturation, flow velocity, viscosity ratio and capillary number. For a fractured medium the method of streamline configurations was advanced for a two- phase case. This method enables to obtain the dispersion tensor and the effective permeability in analytical form for periodic fractured networks or in semi-analytical form for random networks. The simulation of two- phase displacement based on the new model is performed

[pt] Estudos recentes mostram que a injeção de emulsões óleo-água pode levar a uma melhor varredura do reservatório e reduzir consideravelmente a saturação residual de óleo em processos de recuperação avançada. Estes efeitos estão diretamente ligados ao comportamento do escoamento de gotas de óleos suspensas em água através das gargantas de poros. Desta forma, a otimização do processo de injeção e da formulação da emulsão com o objetivo de aumentar o volume de óleo recuperado requer por um melhor entendimento do escoamento na escala de poros. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo do escoamento de gotas de óleos suspensa em água através de micro canais de seção reta constante e através de uma garganta, que são usados como modelos do espaço poroso. O campo de velocidade da fase contínua e a velocidade da gota de óleo foi determinado através da técnica de velocimetria por imagem de partículas em escala micrométrica (Micro-PIV) para diferentes tamanhos de gotas e geometria do capilar e garganta. Os resultados obtidos mostram a variação do padrão do escoamento devido a presença da gotas de óleo e fornecem importantes informações de como gotas de óleo mudam a mobilidade do fluido injetado quando o mesmo escoa através de poros com gargantas menores do que tamanho das gotas. / [en] Recent studies show that oil-water emulsion injection may lead to a better reservoir sweep and reduce residual oil saturation in enhanced oil recovery processes. These effects are directly linked to the flow behavior of oil drops suspended in water through the pore throats of a porous material. Therefore, the optimization of the injection process and of the emulsion properties with the goal to increase the volume of oil displaced requires a better understanding of the emulsion flow in the pore scale. This work presents an analysis of the flow of oil drops suspended in water through micro channels with constant cross-section area and with a throat, that are used as a model for the pore scale. The velocity field of the continuous phase and the drop velocity are obtained using the micro particle image velocimetry techniques (Micro-PIV) for different drop sizes and micro channel geometries. The results show the changes in the flow pattern due to the presence of oil drops and yield important information on how oil drops reduce the mobility of the injected liquid when it flows through pore throats smaller than the drop size.

O aumento do consumo de alimentos ricos em gorduras e carboidratos associado à reduzida prática de exercícios físicos pode ter como consequência o desenvolvimento da obesidade e de distúrbios metabólicos, tais como intolerância à glicose, resistência à insulina, diabetes tipo 2 e dislipidemias. O músculo esquelético contribui diretamente para o desenvolvimento e progressão dos distúrbios metabólicos, especialmente em decorrência da disfunção mitocondrial. Uma das ferramentas amplamente utilizada para o tratamento de distúrbios metabólicos é o treinamento físico, pois promove adaptações metabólicas no sentido oposto aos prejuízos metabólicos induzidos por dietas hipercalóricas. O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar se o treinamento físico aeróbio seria capaz de prevenir o desenvolvimento de distúrbios metabólicos induzidos por dieta hipercalórica composta por ração de cafeteria mais frutose e sacarose diluídas em água de beber em camundongos, e se essa resposta seria mediada por adaptações no músculo esquelético. Os resultados obtidos revelaram que o treinamento físico aeróbio preveniu os distúrbios metabólicos induzidos por dieta hipercalórica, tais como deposição de gordura, hiperfagia, hiperglicemia e aumento de pressão arterial, bem como melhorou a capacidade aeróbia. Essas respostas foram associadas apenas ao aumento na capilarização do músculo esquelético, já que a capacidade oxidativa determinada pela citrato sintase e a expressão da proteína PGC-1? não modificaram / The increased consumption of foods rich in fats and carbohydrates associated with reduced physical exercise may result in the development of obesity and metabolic disorders such as glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. Skeletal muscle contributes directly to the development and progression of metabolic disorders, especially as a result of mitochondrial dysfunction. One of the tools widely used for the treatment of metabolic disorders is physical training, which promotes metabolic adaptations in the opposite direction to metabolic damage induced by hypercaloric diets. The present study aimed to evaluate whether physical training could prevent the development of metabolic disorders induced by hypercaloric diet consisting of cafeteria diet plus fructose and sucrose diluted in drinking water in mice, and if this response was mediated by adaptations in skeletal muscle. The results showed that physical training prevented metabolic disorders induced by hypercaloric diet, such as fat deposition, hyperphagia, hyperglycemia, increased blood pressure, and improved aerobic capacity. These responses were associated only with the increase in skeletal muscle capillarity, because oxidative capacity citrate synthase and protein expression of PGC-1? did not change

Lorsqu'un liquide mouillant touche un solide, on observe un ménisque de taille millimétrique. Si le solide est rugueux à une échelle submillimétrique, le liquide peut progresser le long des aspérités sur une distance qui est potentiellement illimitée si le solide est horizontal. Nous modélisons la rugosité avec des piliers cylindriques et montrons que quelques cylindres seulement suffisent à transporter et guider précisément un liquide. Nous étudions la dynamique macroscopique et microscopique de l'invasion. Nous examinons ensuite combien de liquide s'accumule dans une variété de textures et proposons un nouveau type de détergence pour extraire le liquide de la rugosité. Nous prenons aussi la gravité en compte et l'utilisons d'abord pour démontrer que plusieurs fronts liquides peuvent être observés simultanément dans des porosités multi-échelles. Nous nous intéressons enfin aux ponts capillaires millimétriques et nous dédions notre dernier chapitre à leur dynamique de croissance radiale. / When a wetting liquid contacts a solid, we observe a liquid meniscus of millimetric size. If the solid is rough at a submillimetric scale, the liquid may progress along the asperities for a potentially unlimited distance if the solid is horizontal. We model the roughness with a regular texture and show that a low number of surface features is sufficient to transport and precisely guide a liquid. We study the macroscopic and microscopic dynamics of the invasion. We examine then how much liquid accumulates in a variety of texture and propose a new kind of detergency to remove the liquid from the roughness. We also consider the influence of gravity and use it to demonstrate that multiple liquid fronts can be observed simultaneously in porosities of different scales. Then we turn our attention to millimetric capillary bridges and dedicate our last chapter to explain their dynamics of radial growth with the Cox-Voinov model.

A curva de retenção da água no solo é um dos principais instrumentos para avaliar a qualidade física dos solos e possibilitar seu manejo adequado. Por meio da Teoria da Capilaridade vários equipamentos foram desenvolvidos para determinar a intensidade com que a água está retida ao solo, porém, pouco se tem dado atenção para verificar se os pressupostos para o real funcionamento da teoria estão sendo atendidos. Um aspecto refere-se ao tamanho da amostra utilizada para determinar a curva de retenção, de modo que haja continuidade dos feixes capilares na amostra e placa porosa. Desta forma, este trabalho propõe avaliar diferentes tamanhos de amostra indeformada para a determinação da curva de retenção. Para isso, coletaram-se amostras em anéis volumétricos cilíndricos de três tamanhos (altura) diferentes (T1 - 0,075 m; T2 - 0,05 m; T3 - 0,025 m;) e mesmo diâmetro interno (0,07 m), dos horizontes diagnósticos de um Latossolo e um Nitossolo em áreas experimentais da Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (Esalq/USP), Piracicaba - SP. Realizou-se a caracterização física destes solos, por meio da análise granulométrica, densidade do solo, densidade de partículas, porosidade total e teor de carbono orgânico. As curvas foram determinadas para cada tamanho de amostra, utilizando-se o Funil de Haines, para as tensões 0,5, 1, 4, 6 e 10 kPa, e a Câmara de Pressão de Richards para 33, 100 e 500 kPa. As curvas de retenção foram ajustadas pelo modelo utilizado por van Genuchten. Estimadas as curvas, avaliou-se a distribuição de poros do solo das amostras, determinando-se a curva de frequência acumulada de poros em função do logaritmo do raio e, depois pela diferenciação das equações de ajuste das curvas de retenção, a curva diferencial de frequência acumulada de poros. Os resultados mostram que o Latossolo, por ter textura arenosa no horizonte estudado, não apresentou diferença significativa nas curvas de retenção para os tamanhos das amostras estudadas. Verificou-se pouca modificação na distribuição dos poros deste solo, que possui teor elevado das frações areia fina e muito fina, e desenvolveram papel importante para a retenção de água. O Nitossolo, por sua vez, apresentou diferença significativa da curva obtida pela amostra de menor tamanho (T3), havendo maior retenção de água com a diminuição do tamanho da amostra. Devido a sua textura muito argilosa, o arranjo estrutural deste solo foi diferenciado ao se utilizar as amostras maiores, com provável interrupção e descontinuidade dos feixes capilares. Consequentemente, houve também alteração na distribuição dos poros, com redução dos mesoporos e aumento dos microporos. Desta forma, pode-se concluir que o tamanho da amostra influenciou a curva de retenção da água devido à complexidade estrutural do solo, que provavelmente é diferente nas amostras maiores por causa da continuidade dos feixes capilares, principalmente no Nitossolo. Em outras palavras, quanto menor o tamanho da amostra há menor diferenciação no arranjo de poros, ou seja, maior proximidade da real condição do solo e, assim, uma interpretação da retenção de água \"mais correta\" por meio da Teoria da Capilaridade. / The soil water retention curve is one of main tools to assess the physical quality of the soil and to make possible its adequate management. By means of the Capillary Theory, many instruments have been developed to determine the water retention forces in soil, but, little attention has been given to check whether the assumptions for the application of the theory are being attended. One aspect relates to the sample size used to determine the retention curve, so that there is capillary continuity of the sample and porous plate. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate different sizes of undisturbed cylindrical samples for determination of the retention curve. The samples were collected from diagnostic horizons of Latosol and a Nitosol, in experimental areas of the Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (Esalq/USP), Piracicaba - SP. Three volumetric rings with three different heights (T1 - 0,075 m; T2 - 0,05 m; T3 - 0,025 m;), were used the diameter of the rings were the same for the three sizes (0,07 m). The physical characterization soils were made by the granulometric analysis, bulk density, particle density, porosity and organic carbon. The curves were determined for each sample size, using the Haine\'s funnel, for tensions 0.5, 1, 4, 6 and 10 kPa, and Richard\'s pressure chamber for 33, 100 and 500 kPa. The pore size distribution of the soil was evoluated first by determining the cumulative frequency curve of pore radius, and then, by differentiating fitling equation of fluis curve to obtain a differential curve of pore cumulative frequency. The retention curves were fitted by the model used by Van Genuchtem. The results showed that in the Latosol there was no significant difference in retention curves for the sizes of the samples studied. There was little change in pore distribution of the fluis soil with high content of fractions fine and very fine sand, that developes significant role in soil water retention. The Nitosol exhibited significant difference of the curve obtained by the smallest size sample (T3), with greater water retention with the decreasing of the sample size. Because of its very clayey texture, the structural arrangement of this soil was different when larger samples were used, with probable interruption and discontinuity of capillaries. Consequently there was also a change in the pore distribution, with reduction of mesopores and an increase of micropores. Thus, itean be conclude that the sample size influenced the soil water retention curve due to the structural complexity of the soil that probably is different in the bigger sample because of the continuity of the capillary budles fluit was more affected in the Nitosol. In other words, the smaller the sample size, the smaller the difference in the arrangement of pores, that is, more closeness of the actual condition of the soil and so a \"more correct\" interpretation of soil water retention by capillary theory.

Thesis. 1975. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. / Vita. / Includes bibliographical references. / Ph.D.