Recent Advances in Positron Emission Particle Tracking: A Comparative Review

Positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) is a technique which allows the high-resolution, three-dimensional imaging of particulate and multiphase systems, including systems which are large, dense, and/or optically opaque, and thus difficult to study using other methodologies. In this work, we bring together researchers from the world's foremost PEPT facilities not only to give a balanced and detailed overview and review of the technique but, for the first time, provide a rigorous, direct, quantitative assessment of the relative strengths and weaknesses of all contemporary PEPT methodologies. We provide detailed explanations of the methodologies explored, including also interactive code examples allowing the reader to actively explore, edit and apply the algorithms discussed. The suite of benchmarking tests performed and described within the document is made available in an open-source repository for future researchers.

Studying the surfactant dynamics at non-isothermal liquid surface with thermography

The dynamics of liquid multiphase systems largely depends on the conditions on the interface. The behavior of a system with adsorbed surfactant layers at the interface boundaries may differ qualitatively from the behavior of a system with pure surface. The experimental study of such systems is difficult, since the presence of adsorbed layer can most often be judged only by indirect signs. Therefore, most of the research is carried out by numerical modeling. Unfortunately, the currently existing numerical studies of liquid multiphase systems with adsorbed surfactant layer are far from perfect due to numerous simplifications and approximations assumed in theoretical models. In this paper, we propose a new approach for visualization and studying the boundary between a clean surface and an adsorbed surfactant layer. It is based on the comparison of track images of the fluid motion in the volume and the registration of the temperature distribution at the interface boundary. This approach made it possible to unambiguously associate the characteristic regions on the temperature profile with the position of the so-called stagnation point. The proposed method for visualizing the stagnation point can be useful in a number of problems of interface hydrodynamics based on the thermocapillary effect.

Quantitative Analysis of Phase Separation Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method

Phase separation is widely observed in multiphase systems. In this study, it has been investigated using Shan–Chen lattice Boltzmann method. The adhesion parameter in SC model leads to the desired fluid–fluid phenomenon, which was varied to specify the strength of separation between two phases to present emulsified performance in oil production. In order to describe such behaviors quantitatively, graphical distributions were described with time and were corresponded with a statistical index–Fourier structure factor that is able to predict complex phase separation behaviors, thereby providing a measurement for calculating such random distribution during the process of separation as well as evaluating heterogeneous degrees of the entire domain. The repulsive interactions are specified as low, intermediate, and high values. Phase separations with clear boundaries have been observed and each stage of separation evolvement has been discussed in this study. Magnitudes of structure factors are increased with higher degrees of fluctuations.

Recent Advances and Applications of Plant-Based Bioactive Saponins in Colloidal Multiphase Food Systems

The naturally occurring saponins exhibit remarkable interfacial activity and also possess many biological activities linking to human health benefits, which make them particularly attractive as bifunctional building blocks for formulation of colloidal multiphase food systems. This review focuses on two commonly used food-grade saponins, Quillaja saponins (QS) and glycyrrhizic acid (GA), with the aim of clarifying the relationship between the structural features of saponin molecules and their subsequent self-assembly and interfacial properties. The recent applications of these two saponins in various colloidal multiphase systems, including liquid emulsions, gel emulsions, aqueous foams and complex emulsion foams, are then discussed. A particular emphasis is on the unique use of GA and GA nanofibrils as sole stabilizers for fabricating various multiphase food systems with many advanced qualities including simplicity, ultrastability, stimulability, structural viscoelasticity and processability. These natural saponin and saponin-based colloids are expected to be used as sustainable, plant-based ingredients for designing future foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

On Little’s Formula in Multiphase Queues

The structure of this work in the field of queuing theory consists of two stages. The first stage presents Little’s Law in Multiphase Systems (MSs). To obtain this result, the Strong Law of Large Numbers (SLLN)-type theorems for the most important MS probability characteristics (i.e., queue length of jobs and virtual waiting time of a job) are proven. The next stage of the work is to verify the result obtained in the first stage.