Acid freezes uricolysis in addition to glycolysis: Utility of fluoride-EDTA-citrate tube in the measurement of uric acid for patients administered rasburicase

Background In samples from patients administered rasburicase, ex vivo uricolysis leads to spuriously low uric acid results. The manufacturer’s recommendation of storing the sample in ice-water until analysis, however, does not fully arrest uricolysis. Since uricase activity is affected by pH and metal chelators, we assessed uricolysis inhibition in sodium fluoride-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-citrate sample tube (FC Mix tube, Greiner) used primarily for plasma glucose. Method A serum pool was spiked with rasburicase and uric acid measured at 15, 45, 90, 150, 240 and 1080 min in a lithium heparin tube in ice-water, plain tube at room temperature (RT), EDTA tube at RT, FC Mix tube in ice-water, FC Mix tube at RT and FC Mix tube at RT prepared by dissolving FC Mix in serum. Results The rate of urate decay was lowest in the FC Mix tube independent of temperature, then lithium heparin tube in ice-water, then EDTA tube at RT and highest in the plain tube at RT. Uric acid concentrations in the prepared FC Mix tube at RT and heparin tube in ice-water were, respectively, 98.2% and 93.8% of control values at 90 min, 97.1% and 89.3% of control values at 4 h, and remained higher in the prepared FC Mix tube at all time points. Conclusion NaF-EDTA-citrate mixture largely arrested rasburicase mediated ex vivo uricolysis without the need for sample cooling. We propose that sample tubes containing NaF-EDTA-citrate be used for the measurement of uric acid in patients administered rasburicase.

HEAT TRANSFER ENHANCEMENT USING HELICAL PIPES

The enhancement of laminar forced convection inside helical pipes is studied numerically and compared with plain pipes. The study is achieved numerically using the (Fluent-CFD 6.3.26) software program for solving the governing equations. The heat transfer factor and friction factor are calculated using the enhancement technique and compared with the plain tube. In this research the factors that affect the enhancement technique using helical pipes are studied, these factors are the ratio of (pitch /pipe length) (SL), Reynolds number and the heat flux applied to the external surface of the pipe. The results showed that there is an increasing in the heat transfer factor is related to the decreasing of (SL), increasing of Reynolds number and heat flux. The performance of the helical pipes is evaluated depending on the calculation of (Enhancement ratio), and its found that the enhancement ratio increases as Reynolds number increases and (SL) decreases. It is found that the best enhancement ratio was (200%) at (SR=0.05), (Re=2000),(Heat flux=3000W/m2).The results are compared with the literature and there is a good agreement.

Numerical Analysis for Heat Transfer Augmentation in a Circular Tube Heat Exchanger Using a Triangular Perforated Y-Shaped Insert

The present investigation constitutes CFD analysis of the heat transmission phenomenon in a tube heat exchanger with a Y-shaped insert with triangular perforation. The analysis is accomplished by considering air as a working fluid with a Reynolds number ranging from 3000 to 21,000. The segment considered for analysis consists of a circular tube of 68 mm diameter and 1.5 m length. The geometrical parameter considered is the perforation index (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%). The constant heat flux is provided at the tube wall and a pressure-based solver is used for the solution. The studies are performed for analyzing the effects of inserts on the heat transfer and friction factor in the circular tube heat exchanger which results in augmented heat transfer at a higher perforation index (PI) and lower friction factor. The investigation results show that the highest heat transfer is 5.84 times over a simple plain tube and the maximum thermal performance factor (TPF) is 3.25 at PI = 30%, Re = 3000.

Shell-Side Flow Condensation Heat Transfer on Three-Dimensional Enhanced Surface

An experimental investigation of shell-side flow condensation was performed on advanced three-dimensional surface-enhanced tubes, including a herringbone micro-fin tube and a newly-developed 1-EHT tube. An equivalent plain tube was also tested for performance comparison. All the test tubes have similar geometry parameters (inner diameter 11.43mm, outer diameter 12.7mm). Tests were conducted using R410A as the working fluid at a condensation saturation temperature of 45·C, covering the mass flux range of 10-55 kg/(m2·s) with an inlet quality of 0.8 and an outlet quality of 0.1. Experimental results showed that the plain tube exhibits a better condensation heat transfer performance when compared to the enhanced tubes. Moreover, the mass flux has a significant influence on the best transfer coefficient for shell-side condensation. A new prediction model based on the Cavallini's equation was developed to predict the condensing coefficient where the mean absolute error is less than 4%.

Numerical Analysis of Flow and Heat Transfer Enhancement in A Horizontal Pipe with Plain and Dimple Twisted Tape

In order to improve thermo-hydraulic performance of laminar flow various techniques has been used among which a plain tube with twisted tape insert is widely used. The main objective is to numerically study flow field in order to enhance heat transfer, through a circular pipe built in with/without Dimples on twisted strip. Effect of plain and dimple strip on thermo hydraulic performance discussed. The analysis results for laminar range of 800<Re<2000 is obtained with twist ratio of the strip is 3.0. Analysis is carried for full length tape with constant heat flux. The simulation results of Nusselt number versus Reynolds number of the plain, plain twisted tape and Dimple twisted tape with the experimental data give variation of 2.5, 5.75 and 9.5%. The friction factor of Dimple twisted tape tube is 6 to 13 times that of the plain tube. The thermal performance factor of the Dimple twisted tape and plain twisted tape tube is 4 to 15% and 3 to 12 % respectively higher than that of plain tube. Due to increase in thermal performance factor of induced strip with dimples there is an intensification of heat transfer obtained through circular duct with dimple twisted tape insert than that of plain twisted tape and plain pipe. The use of a twisted tube compounded with dimples is feasible in terms of energy saving at lower Reynolds numbers. Present study is applicable for design of compact heat exchanger in order to optimize energy consumption.

The effect of off-center placement of twisted tape on flow and heat transfer characteristics in a circular tube

This study is conducted to investigate the effect of off-center placement of twisted tape on flow distribution and heat transfer in a circular tube. The effect of tape width of 20, 18, 16, 14 and 12 mm on the heat transfer performance is discussed under the same twist ratio of 2.0. The numerical analysis of the flow field, average Nusselt number, friction factor and thermo-hydraulic performance parameter of the tube are discussed with Reynolds number ranged from 2600 to 8760. The results indicate that the Nusselt number of the tube fitted with center-placed twisted tapes at various width is 7–51% higher than the plain tube, and performance in low Reynolds region was found more effective than that in high Reynolds region. The heat transfer for circular tube with twisted tape attached to the wall shows better performance than that for the tube with center-placed twisted tape. With a smaller tape width, a higher increasing ratio of Nu-wall/Nu-center is obtained. The increasing ratio for Nusselt number ranged from 3 to 18%. However, the use of twisted tape inserts is not beneficial for energy saving. The thermo-hydraulic performance parameters for convective heat transfer of helium gas flowing in a circular tube are below unity for the calculated Reynolds region.

Buoyancy Force on a Plain or Perforated Portion of a Pipe

Torque and drag models have been used for many decades to calculate tensions and torques along drill-strings, casing strings and liner strings. However, when applied to sand-screens, it is important to check that all the initial hypotheses used for torque and drag calculations are still valid. In particular, it should be checked whether the buoyancy force on a perforated tube may differ from the one applied to a plain tube. The buoyancy force applied on a pipe, contributes to the sum of efforts at the contact between the pipe and the borehole and therefore influences torque and drag calculations. This contact force is local and should account for localized effects as well as the material internal forces, torques and moments on each side of the contact. As the buoyancy force is the result of the gravitational component of the pressure gradient on the surface of the pipe that is in contact with the fluid, the presence of holes in the pipe also influences the buoyancy force. When applied to a portion of a pipe, buoyancy does not have contributions at the end caps of that portion of the drill-stem since these end caps are not in contact with the fluid, except at positions with a change of diameter. Therefore, one shall be cautious when calculating the local buoyancy force either on a plain or a perforated tube. The paper describes how to calculate the local buoyancy force on a portion of a drill-stem by application of the Gauss theorem accounting for the necessary corrections arising from the end caps not being exposed to the fluid. An experimental setup has been built to verify that the tension inside a pipe subject to buoyancy does follow the derived mathematical calculations. With complex well construction operations, for instance during extended reach drilling or when drilling very shallow wells with high kick-off rates, the slightest error in torques and drag calculations may end up in jeopardizing the chance of success of the drilling operation. It is therefore important to check that all initial calculation hypotheses are still valid in those contexts and that for instance, sand-screens may be run in hole safely after a successful drilling operation.