scholarly journals Continuous Directional Water Delivery on the 3D-Printed Arrowhead Microstructure Array

Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lihua Liang ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Junjun Chen ◽  
Kunpeng Jiang ◽  
Yufeng Sheng ◽  
...  

Unidirectional transport is attracting increasing attention in the field of microfluidics, because it does not require an external energy supply. However, most of the current self-driving structures are still plagued with persistent problems that restrict their practical applications. These include low transport velocity, short transport distance, and complex structure. This work reports the design of a new arrowhead microstructure array, on which liquid transport can reach speeds of 23 mm/s and the ratio of transport length to channel width (L/R) can reach up to approximately 40. This structure drives liquid through a unique arrow conformation, which can induce capillary force and arrest the reverse motion of the liquid simultaneously. By means of theory, simulation, and experiment, we have studied the mechanism of liquid transport on this structure. We provide a detailed discussion of the relationship between the velocity of liquid transport and the microstructural dimensions. The findings may inspire the design of novel, unidirectional, liquid-spreading surfaces.

Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Lei Wang ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Bo Zhang ◽  
Shile Feng ◽  
Mei Zhang ◽  
...  

Achieving the directional and long-range droplet transport on solid surfaces is widely preferred for many practical applications but has proven to be challenging. Particularly, directionality and transport distance of droplets on hydrophobic surfaces are mutually exclusive. Here, we report that drain fly, a ubiquitous insect maintaining nonwetting property even in very high humidity, develops a unique ballistic droplet transport mechanism to meet these demanding challenges. The drain fly serves as a flexible rectifier to allow for a directional and long-range propagation as well as self-removal of a droplet, thus suppressing unwanted liquid flooding. Further investigation reveals that this phenomenon is owing to the synergistic conjunction of multiscale roughness, structural periodicity, and flexibility, which rectifies the random and localized droplet nucleation (nanoscale and microscale) into a directed and global migration (millimeter-scale). The mechanism we have identified opens up a new approach toward the design of artificial rectifiers for broad applications.


Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nam Kim ◽  
Mun-Ju Shin

Hourly flood flow estimation for gauged and ungauged catchments is a prerequisite for planning and water management. Various methods have been applied in a multitude of studies to calculate the peak flow for ungauged catchments. However, it is not simple for engineers to use the existing methods in practical applications. An easier method is suggested for this purpose in this study. The authors estimated the relationship between the runoff coefficient, intensity of rainfall, and curve number, and then utilized the relationship to calculated the peak flow using the rational method for ungauged catchments. Rainfall and flood time series for ungauged study catchments were generated by a simple data generation method and a distributed rainfall–runoff model. Results showed that the runoff coefficients simulated using the estimated relationship reasonably agree with the runoff coefficients in the studied ungauged catchments. In addition, the peak flow simulated using the rational method and the relationship highly agree with the peak flow in the ungauged catchments. Therefore, the peak flow in ungauged catchments can be easily calculated by this method, which is more pragmatic for engineers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 36-47
Author(s):  
D. S. Ternovsky ◽  
V. Ya. Uzun

The article presents the results of a study aimed at proving the existence of systematic error in traditional calculations of long-term growth rates of agricultural production based on chain indices of agricultural production. According to the authors, the article also introduces a more accurate assessment of its dynamics with the account to the structure of the relationship between prices and the volume of agricultural production. The paper describes a theoretical model that is a methodological basis for the study and explains the discrepancy in assessing the dynamics of agricultural production using chain indices and indexes at constant prices. It allows establishing differences in the ratios of the Laspeyres, Paasche, and Lowe indices for crop and livestock production, due to factors in the formation of demand and the complex structure of the relationship between the price level and the volume of production. The adequacy of the constructed theoretical model is proved based on aggregated data that eliminated the influence of incompleteness of the initial information. As a result, it was established that livestock production is characterized by time-distributed changes in prices and quantity of products, which makes it possible to assess its dynamics using both chain indices and symmetric indices. It is proved that the dynamics of crop production cannot be adequately described using chain indices, since a positive correlation of prices of the previous period and production volumes of the current period causes an overstatement of the index in comparable prices of the previous year. Based on calculations within the proposed aggregated model, it is proved that the use of constant prices as the Lowe index weights, updated every five years, is an acceptable approximation of the Fisher symmetric index. Application of the indicated methodology for calculating the index to the data on Russian agricultural production by main types of products in 1990-2018 allowed to establish an overstatement of dynamics by 11.9%. The main difference falls on crop production (+ 19.6%), while for livestock - the differences are insignificant (-0.7%).


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Francis Kwaku Kuma ◽  
Mohd Effandi Yosuff

The study explores the relevance of theoretical aspect of crowd financing by reviewing the defining literature on Pecking Order and Agency theories in details and evaluates applications of these theories based on crowdfunding. In particular, the study critically considers the key concepts of these theories and how they could be applied in practical terms. The study decides to adopt Pecking Order and the Agency theories because they provide valuable insights into the trend of crowdfunding streams available to firms. The paper primarily adds to existing literature on the broader definition of crowdfunding as a concept and then examine the relationship between this concept and its practical applications to the chosen theories. The study combines these theoretical perspectives with the practical aspects of startup companies raising finance using the crowd because a broad reading of the literature tends to point to in this direction. The key concepts of these theories are critically considered and the study is conducted in the form of review of literature and expression of opinion. Citation: author1, author2, author3. The dynamics of Pecking Order and Agency theories on crowdfunding concept as alternate finance for start-up businesses. 2020; 4(1): 1-13.Received: (February 2, 2020) Accepted: (March 31, 2020)


Author(s):  
Mustafa Aydın ◽  
Mehmet Tuğrul Yılmaz ◽  
Muzaffer Şeker

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the spatial abilities of medical school students and their learning in anatomy. Methods: The spatial abilities of the 120 students (74 females, 46 males) were examined using Mental Rotation Test (MRT). The relationship between the mental rotation scores and the mean scores of their practical and theoretical anatomy examinations was determined in terms of gender. Results: The study revealed that mental rotation skills of female participants were lower than males; however, there was no significant difference in their exam (theoretical and practical anatomy examinations) scores in terms of gender. The spatial ability of the students had a low level significant effect on their anatomy scores, regarding practical applications. Conclusion: The results of the study revealed a significant relationship between students’ spatial ability and their success in practical anatomy examinations. This suggests that improving spatial ability skills may have a significant contribution to practical anatomy learning and may be considered as a part of anatomy education.


Author(s):  
A. Druma ◽  
M. K. Alam ◽  
M. Anghelescu ◽  
C. Druma ◽  
B. Maruyama

The relationship between the 3D structure of the open-cell carbon foams and its properties is particularly difficult to establish without a “true” representation of the foam. The complex structure of graphitized carbon foams is difficult to capture using one or even two-dimensional models. Several attempts have been made to model carbon foams as cellular materials. However, the regular models cannot account for the complex interaction between the pores in the true foam. The present paper characterizes the structure of “true” foam and links it to its thermal and mechanical properties.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 97-120
Author(s):  
Szymon Kardaś

The purpose of the article is to analyze the current condition and development prospects for the Russian LNG sector. Taking into account the specifics of the functioning of the Russian state, the author chose the realistic paradigm (neoclassical realism), which is useful in the context of showing the relationship between internal structures and external activity of the state. The author argues that Russian expansion in the LNG sector is the result of the lobbying capacity of Novatek – the largest private gas producer in Russia. Although the state budget incurs significant costs related to the implementation of Novatek projects, in particular due to fiscal preferences, it also achieves the possibility of achieving the objectives in external and internal energy policy. Novatek’s expansion increases Russia’s share in external energy markets; at the same time LNG expansion, it is used for internal purposes. Novatek’s dominant position in the LNG sector is confirmed by both already implemented projects and plans for further expansion. The factors favoring Russian expansion are constant state support for Novatek projects, high level of internationalization of implemented projects and favorable forecasts on energy markets. The strong competition between currently dominant LNG producers and the risk of internal competition between Russian exporters are among the key long-term challenges.


Author(s):  
Gustavo Xavier Bonifaz

The present paper aims at answering why a country that shared, with other Latin American states, a centralist tradition that was even strengthened in the aftermath of its 1952 revolution, became one of the most radical and complex decentralisers in the region. The present is a country case study in which, using a process-tracing analysis, the evolution of decentralisation in Bolivia will be explained up to its current complex structure from a perspective of the relationship between political legitimation under competitive elections and the way in which the party system processed longstanding tensions between the state and different segments of society.


Author(s):  
Ioannis Karydis ◽  
Alexandros Nanopoulos ◽  
Yannis Manolopoulos

This chapter provides a broad survey of music data mining, including clustering, classification and pattern discovery in music. The data studied is mainly symbolic encodings of musical scores, although digital audio (acoustic data) is also addressed. Throughout the chapter, practical applications of music data mining are presented. Music data mining addresses the discovery of knowledge from music corpora. This chapter encapsulates the theory and methods required in order to discover knowledge in the form of patterns for music analysis and retrieval, or statistical models for music classification and generation. Music data, with their temporal, highly structured and polyphonic character, introduce new challenges for data mining. Additionally, due to their complex structure and their subjectivity to inaccuracies caused by perceptual effects, music data present challenges in knowledge representation as well.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lianna Pizzo ◽  
Amanda Chilvers

This article presents theoretical orientations and practical applications for the assessment of d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh) children. It discusses current approaches to assessment and the factors affecting d/Dhh children’s participation in assessments using those approaches. Gaps in the field around access to appropriate assessments are discussed. This review also shares information on the relationship between the purpose of the assessment and the approach selected. Basic considerations for both d/Deaf and hard of hearing multilingual learners (d/DMLs) and d/Dhh children with additional disabilities will be addressed. Finally, general recommendations are made for research and practice.


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