Production strategy for multilayer reservoirs

The two-layer quasigeostrophic flow model is an intermediate system between the single-layer two-dimensional barotropic flow model and the continuously stratified three-dimensional baroclinic flow model. This model is widely used to investigate basic mechanisms in geophysical flows, such as baroclinic effects, the Gulf stream and subtropical gyres. We consider the two-layer quasigeostrophic flow model under stochastic wind forcing on the top layer. The fluctuating part of the wind forcing is modeled as the generalized time derivative of a Wiener process. We first transform this stochastic two-layer fluid system into a coupled system of random partial differential equations. Then we prove that the stochastic two-layer fluid system has finite sets of asymptotically determining functionals (such as determining modes and determining nodes) in probability. Furthermore, we show that the asymptotic probabilistic dynamics of this system depends only on the top fluid layer. Namely, in the probability sense and asymptotically, the dynamics of the two-layer quasigeostrophic fluid system is determined by the top layer. In other words, the bottom layer is slaved by the top layer. This conclusion is true provided that the Wiener process and the fluid parameters satisfy a certain condition. In particular, this latter condition is satisfied when the trace of the covariance operator of the Wiener process is small enough and the Ekman constant r is sufficiently large.

Wavelength discrimination (WLD) detector optimization for time-of-flight positron emission tomography with depth of interaction information

This paper reports the results from numerical modeling of spudcan deep penetration through three-layer clays. Two typical seabed strength profiles commonly encountered in the field, and identified as critical for potential punch-through failure, were considered: (1) uniform stiff-soft-stiff clay and (2) nonuniform clay with an interbedded stiff clay layer. Three-dimensional large deformation finite-element (LDFE) analyses were carried out with and without simulating strain softening and strain rate dependency of the shear strength. The results were compared with previously published LDFE results and centrifuge test data. A detailed parametric study was undertaken, varying the relevant range of layer thicknesses (relative to the spudcan diameter), strength ratios, normalized strength, and strength nonhomogeneity. Punch-through and rapid leg penetration (for stiff-over-soft) and squeezing (for the reverse) were demonstrated by the penetration resistance profiles and associated soil failure mechanisms. The results emphasized that the resistance profile from a spudcan continuous penetration in a three-layer sediment (e.g., stiff-soft-stiff) may be significantly different from the combined profiles resulting from two separate analyses on first-second layers and second-third layers, even if an appropriate depth factor is accounted for. For uniform stiff-soft-stiff clays, the presence of the bottom stiff clay layer within a short distance of one diameter affected spudcan bearing response in the top layer and suppressed the potential for punch-through failure (apart from rapid leg run for t1/D=0.75 and su1s/su2=3). A trapped soil plug beneath the advancing spudcan, following penetration of the top stiff layer, caused the bottom stiff layer to be sensed earlier and led to enhancement of the limiting squeezing depth. For nonuniform clay with an interbedded stiff layer, spudcan bearing response was dominated by squeezing (with limiting squeezing depth of approximately 0.18D) in the top soft layer and potential punch-through and rapid leg run (for t2/D≥0.5 and su2/su3s=2.5) in the middle and bottom layers. In contrast to ISO recommendations, the soft soils in between the advancing spudcan base and the stronger layer did not squeeze out completely. Instead, some of the trapped material was forced into the underlying stronger layer. Punch-through distance was found to reduce significantly with increasing positive strength gradient of the bottom layer.

Thermo-physiological comfort of the fabric is achieved through the ability to manage heat and transmit sensible and insensible perspiration through the fabric. Ergonomic comfort aspects of sports clothing can be improved by enhancing the moisture management properties of knitted fabrics. Double-face knitted structures were developed by selecting the right type of material for the top and bottom layer. In this paper, the moisture management properties of four double-face knitted fabrics with hydrophobic fibre in the top layer (Polypropylene and micro-fibre polyester) and hydrophilic fibre in the bottom layer (Bamboo) were studied to find out the suitability for sportswear. The subjective perception was carried out using thermal state parameters and was correlated with Overall Moisture Management Capacity (OMMC). Double-face fabric knitted with micro-fibre polyester in the top layer and bamboo in the bottom layer has excellent moisture management properties which seem suitable for next-to-skin application. However, micro-fibre polyester (20%)/polypropylene (20%) yarns in the top layer on account of polypropylene due to its dry feel shows good OMMC followed by micro-fibre polyester in the top layer. Univariate analysis of variance with a confidence level of 95% showed that all the moisture management indices are statistically significant.

Current-induced switching in CoGa/L10 MnGa/(CoGa)/Pt structure with different thicknesses

Solid-phase crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon/hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon bilayers deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

New Guinea impatiens ( Impatiens hawkeri Bull.) were grown in a recirculating ebb-and-flow subirrigation system under increasing levels of salinity stress from a mixture of NaCl and CaCl 2 (1:1 equivalent ratio, 2:1 molar ratio) and recommended production levels of other nutrients. Growth and quality decreased as salinity level increased, with a 75% to 80% growth reduction at 18 mol·m -3 NaCl-CaCl 2 compared to controls. Among controls, root mass distribution was 10%, 50%, and 40% in the top, middle, and bottom layers of the root zone, respectively. In the highest salinity treatment (18 mol·m -3 NaCl-CaCl 2 ), most of the root mass was in the middle layer (80%), while the root mass in the top and bottom layers was reduced to 5% and 15%, respectively. The electrical conductivity (EC) of the growing medium was high in the top layer in all treatments, but only exceeded maximum recommended levels in the middle and bottom layers in the 4·mol·m -3 or higher treatments. Initial postproduction leaching caused the salts in the top layer to migrate to the middle and bottom layers, which in some experiments induced a rapid and transient wilting. Up to six leaching and drying cycles of a 0.20 leaching fraction were required to reduce EC in all layers to recommended levels. Overall, salable plants of good quality and size were produced with up to 2 mol·m -3 (total 152 mg·L -1 ) NaCl-CaCl 2 in the recirculated nutrient solution.

In eutrophic areas, green macroalgae are frequently and for long periods arranged in mats, resulting in a steep light gradient. This study investigates the effect of this gradient on physiological characteristics [tissue nitrogen content, maximal photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), glutathione levels and redox ratio, absorbance and absorption spectra] of the green macroalga Ulva spp. Mats were sampled during the build-up (June), stationary (July), and decomposing (September) phases of a macroalgal bloom in the Veerse Meer, a eutrophic brackish (salinity 15–20 psu) lake in the southwest Netherlands. Water samples were taken for nutrient analyses. At all three sampling dates, the mats were composed almost entirely of Ulva spp.; in September the mats were in decay and covered with silt and epiphytes. In June and July, total dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentration (DIN) of the water within the mat was significantly higher than outside the mat. Pronounced vertical differences were found in tissue N, Fv/Fm values, total glutathione levels, glutathione redox ratios, and absorbance. In June and July, tissue N decreased from over 2.2% dry weight (DW; N-sufficient) in the bottom layers to around 1% DW (minimum level for survival) in the top layers. Wide-band absorption increased with depth in the mat and throughout the season, probably due to higher Chl a and b and lutein contents. The shape of the absorption spectrum was similar for all layers. The absorption of the silt/epiphyte film on the top Ulva layer was highest; its absorption spectrum (high absorption in the 500–560 nm range) indicates that the film on the top layers of the macroalgal mats mainly consisted of diatoms. In June, Fv/Fm and the glutathione redox ratio of the algae increased with depth in the layer, while total glutathione decreased. Low Fv/Fm values in the bottom and middle layers in September reflect the bad condition of the algae; the mats were largely decaying. It is concluded that multiple growth-limiting gradients occur in macroalgal mats: upper layers suffer from nitrogen limitation and photoinhibition while bottom layers are light limited. The algae in the mat acclimatize to low light conditions by increasing their absorption through increased pigment contents and by higher photosynthetic efficiency during the build-up and stationary period. This study qualifies the glutathione redox ratio as a promising candidate for stress indicator in macroalgae and provides suggestions for its further development.

Overcoming sticky problems of large dielectric loss and poor breakdown strength ( Eb) is prerequisite of actual applications for high dielectric constant polymer composites. Herein, three kinds of multi-layer structure composites with different spatial structures (2MP-CE/CNT, CE/CNT-2MP-CE/CNT, MP-CE/CNT-MP) were prepared based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), cyanate ester (CE) resin and mica paper (MP). Compared with traditional single-layer CE/CNT composite, multi-layer CE/CNT-2MP-CE/CNT composites, of which the middle layer is two pieces of MPs with a thickness of 60 µm, while both bottom and top layers are CE/CNT composite, simultaneously achieve 105 reduction in dielectric loss and 18.1 times increase in energy storage density ( Ue). Through modulating two sheets of MPs and CE/CNT as top and bottom layer, respectively, 2MP-CE/CNT composite with 60 μm MPs has the largest breakdown strength ( Eb), its Eb and Ue are severally about 7.1 and 19.5 times of those of CE/CNT composite. The relationship and mechanism between spatial structure and integrated performance such as dielectric properties, Eb and Ue of composites were systematically investigated. The attractive integrated performances of CE/CNT-2MP-CE/CNT and 2MP-CE/CNT composites are attributed to their unique composition and spatial structures, which bring special micro-capacitance and interfacial polarization, and thus leading to outstanding performances. Therefore, this investigation provides a strategy for getting desirable performances through building composites with specific spatial structure.

This paper discusses on the effect of rubberized concrete in the form of hybrid i.e. first (top) layer (only rubberized) and second (bottom) layer (conventional concrete with fibre. A total of eight beams with the size of 150×200 mm in cross-section and length 1000 mm, were tested experimentally over an effective span of 900 mm. The crumb rubber aggregate was used instead of sand river as partial replacement of 10%, 12.5%, and 15% by volume at the top layer. Steel fibers were used, namely hooked-end fibers with an aspect ratio of 80 with an amount of 0.5% by volume at the bottom layer. The performance of hybrid structure of all models beams was evaluated under static responses in terms of mechanical properties (split tensile strength and compressive strength) and beams characteristics including cracks behavior, flexural strength, cracking and ultimate load, total energy, stiffness, and ultimate deflection, strain capacity, and ductility index. This types of modeling (hybrid structure) have shown a promising performance in the most characteristics compared to the controlled model with non-additional materials. Those explorations can lead to new applications of this particular models with these material in engineering sustainable structures.

Most of the molybdenum (Mo) bilayer films are deposited by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering at the bottom and the top layer (DC/DC). However, the deposition of Mo bilayer film by radio frequency (RF) Mo bottom layer and DC Mo top layer magnetron sputtering has been less studied by researchers. In this paper, the bottom layer of Mo bilayer film was deposited by RF magnetron sputtering to maintain its good adhesion and high reflectance, and the top layer was deposited by DC magnetron sputtering to obtain good conductivity (RF/DC). Generally, the bottom layer sputtering pressure is relatively random, in this paper, the effects of the bottom layer RF sputtering pressures on the microstructures and properties of Mo bilayer films were first studied in detail. Next, in order to further improve their properties, the as-prepared Mo bilayer films at 0.4 Pa bottom layer RF sputtering pressure were annealed at different temperatures and then investigated. Specifically, Mo bilayer films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates by RF/DC magnetron sputtering at different bottom layer RF sputtering pressures in the range of 0.4–1.2 Pa, the powers of bottom layer RF sputtering and top layer DC sputtering were 120 W and 100 W, respectively. Then, Mo bilayer films, prepared at a bottom layer sputtering pressure of 0.4 Pa and top layer sputtering pressure of 0.3 Pa, were annealed for 30 min at various temperatures in the range of 100–400 °C. The effects of bottom layer sputtering pressures and the annealing temperatures on the microstructures, electrical and optical properties of Mo bilayer films were clarified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic-force microscopy (AFM), and ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectra, respectively. It is shown that with decreasing bottom layer sputtering pressure from 1.2 to 0.4 Pa and increasing annealing temperature from 100 to 400 °C, the crystallinity, electrical and optical properties of Mo bilayer films were improved correspondingly. The optimized Mo bilayer film was prepared at the top layer sputtering pressure of 0.3 Pa, the bottom layer sputtering pressure of 0.4 Pa and the annealing temperature of 400 °C. The extremely low resistivity of 0.92 × 10−5 Ω.cm was obtained. The photo-conversion efficiency of copper indium gallium selenium (CIGS) solar cell with the optimized Mo bilayer film as electrode was up to as high as 13.5%.

Anti-Reflective superhydrophobic coatings with excellent durable and Self-cleaning properties for solar cells

Investigation of waste pulps and soda pulp bleaching with xylanase (X) and laccase mediator system (LMS) alone and in conjunction (one after the other) (XLMS). Soda and different grades of waste pulp fibres [used for making three-layered duplex sheets - top layer (TL), protective layer (PL) and bottom layer (BL)] when pretreated with either xylanase (40.0 IU g(-1)) or LMS (up to 200.0 U g(-1)) alone and in combination (one after the other) (XLMS) exhibited an increase in release of reducing sugars [up to 881.0% soda pulp; up to 736.6% (TL), up to 215.7% (PL) and up to 198.0% (BL) waste pulp], reduction in kappa number [up to 17.6% soda pulp; up to 14.0% (TL), up to 25.3% (PL) and up to 10.9% (BL), waste pulp], improvement in brightness [up to 20.4% soda pulp; up to 23.6% (TL), up to 8.6% (PL) and up to 5.0% (BL), waste pulp] when compared with the respective controls. The usage of XLMS along with 15% reduced level of hypochlorite at CEHHXLMS/EHHXLMS bleaching stage reduced kappa number [5.5% soda pulp; 11.4% (TL), 7.9% (PL), waste pulp] and improved brightness [1.0% soda pulp; 0.9% (TL), 1.4% (PL) waste pulp] when compared with the controls. Scanning electron microscopic studies revealed development of cracks, flakes, pores and peeling off the fibres in the enzyme-treated pulp samples. These modifications of the fibre surface during enzymatic bleaching in turn indicated the removal of lignin and derived compounds from the fibre cell wall. The work describes synergistic action of xylanase with LMS for bleaching of waste and nonwood pulps for eco-friendly production of paper and thus reveals a new unexploited arena for enzyme-based pulp bleaching. The drastic improvement in pulp properties obtained after xylanase and LMS treatment would improve the competitiveness of enzyme-based, environmentally benign processes over chemicals both economically and environmentally.

Structures are commonly founded on layered soil deposits. In this study, settlement due to a circular load on a two-layer soil system overlying a rock stratum or a stiff soil deposit is estimated and compared with the values obtained using Steinbrenner’s and Finite element approaches. Design tables are proposed for settlements due to uniform circular loading (of radius equal to a) applied on two-layer soil system for top-layer thickness H 1 = 0.2a–6.0a, bottom-layer thickness H 2 = 1.0a–6.0a, moduli ratio of top and bottom layers E 1 /E 2 = 0.01–100 and Poisson’s ratio v = 0.2–0.5. The settlement factors from the study were also compared with the Ueshita and Meyerhof’s values for a finite top layer overlying a semi-infinite bottom layer. Results were compared with the observed settlement of a structure resting on a layered soil profile overlying a rock stratum. Proposed settlement of the two-layer system shows good agreement with these studies.

The methane oxidation characteristics at the top and bottom layers in up-flow biofilters were investigated. Two biofilters were packed with perlite and tobermolite (biofilter A: respectively top and bottom; biofilter B: respectively bottom and top) and then compared. The methane oxidation rate was analyzed with the packed bed of the biofilter layers. The bacterial population in the biofilter was characterized using quantitative real-time PCR. For the methane oxidation rate of the biofilter A column, the perlite top part () gave a relatively higher value than the tobermolite bottom part (). For the methane oxidation rate of the biofilter B column, the tobermolite top part () provided a relatively higher value than the perlite bottom part (). The pmoA gene copy numbers, responsible for methanotrophs, in the top layer of biofilter A (1.27E+13 pmoA gene copy number/mg-VSS) was higher than in the bottom layer (3.33E+13 pmoA gene copy number/mg-VSS). However, the population of methanotrophs in biofilter B was not significantly different between the top and bottom layers. These results suggest that although the methane oxidation rates of perlite and tobermolite in the top parts of biofilter A and B were high, methanotroph populations were higher in the bottom parts of both biofilters, with a rapid decline in methane concentrations within the biofilters.