Sharif Digital Repository

Pilot scale experiments were performed on the digestion of dairy cow manure in a semi-continuous process using a mixed plug flow reactor (MPFR) to determine the effects of organic loading rate (OLR), temperature and mixing levels on production biogas and methane yield. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for the design and analysis of experiments with the optimization of OLR, temperature and mixing level during the biogas production process. Experiments were designed as per the central composite design technique. Four cubic mathematical models were derived for prediction of the responses. The optimization study has been carried out to identify the highest yields achievable when... 

In this paper, the effect of radial structure on the performance of a linear-lateral GaAs high power photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) is investigated. For this purpose a three-dimensional device modeling is used to model the optically initiated GaAs switch. In this simulation a p-type device with carbon as shallow acceptor is compensated by deep donor EL2 level as a trap level. The PCSS device is designed in a back-triggered, radially symmetric switch structure which extends the blocking voltage by reducing the peak electric field near the electrodes. Device modeling was performed and the effect of different trap concentrations on dark I-V characteristics has been investigated. In... 

Purpose - In this paper, the flow of multiphase fluids in a one-dimensional homogeneous porous media involving the gravity effects is numerically studied using the dominant wave method. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - The numerical scheme used for solving the pressure equations, obtained for the black-oil model, is a backward Euler scheme while the hyperbolic mass conservation equations, derived for both black-oil and Buckley-Leverett models, are solved using the dominant wave method. Higher-order schemes are achieved using either variable derivatives along with the minmod limiter or a MUSCL type interface construction scheme using the Fromm's limiter.... 

The effect of cooling rate after hot deformation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a commercial microalloyed forging steel (30MSV6 grade) was investigated using the hot compression test. Hot compression test was performed at 1150 and 925 °C followed by air cooling at different rates. Final microstructures and mechanical properties were evaluated by optical microscopy and shear punch test (SPT), respectively. The results indicated that by increasing the cooling rate, the as-received ferritic-pearlitic microstructure changes to the acicular ferrite, bainite or martensite. It is shown that both yield and ultimate strength increase but the ductility decreases significantly. At a... 

In the present study, we employ all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the dynamic behaviors and structural properties of the native and modified cellulose chains in the bulk, aqueous, and organic media. Particular attention has been directed to the role of different hydrophobic and hydrophilic functional groups as linear and branched aliphatic and also cyclic pendent groups on the solubility and packing of the cellulose chain. The various properties related to density profile, mean squared displacement, intramolecular entropy, radius of gyration, and radial distribution function were calculated. The results showed that the chain tendency toward crystallinity decreased when... 

Online elemental analysis of irradiated tissues is an important challenge in proton therapy for estimating the depth of the Bragg peak and monitoring the healing process. In the present study, the prompt gamma (PG) spectra of the most abundant elements of human tissues were obtained for two different incident protons of 30 MeV and 120 MeV using the Geant4 toolkit. Train phantoms were defined to study the elemental analysis of the tissue from PG spectra. It was found that the intensities of 7.12 and 3.91 MeV PG depend on the mass of 16O and 20Ca elements for both proton energies, respectively. Furthermore, multi-variable linear functions were presented for overlapping peaks like 4.44 and 2.31... 

Purpose: Online determination of the elemental composition of tissues near the Bragg peak is a challenge in proton therapy related studies. In the present work, an analysis method based on the whole spectral information is presented for the quantitative determination of the elemental composition (weight %) of an irradiated target from its emitted Prompt Gamma (PG) spectrum. Materials and Methods: To address this issue, four test phantoms with different weights (%) of 12C, 16O, 20Ca, and 14N elements were considered. The simulated PG spectra were recorded using 3 × 3 inch NaI detectors. A library consisting of the spectra of single-element phantoms as well as the spectra of test-irradiated... 

In this paper, we report on 2D numerical simulation of spectral response for InGaN dual-band photodetector operating at near ultraviolet and visible wavelengths. The back-to-back p–i–n/n–i–p integrated structure enables independent and simultaneous detection of two bands under back-side illumination. The effect of indium content and absorption layer thickness of the two sub-detectors on external quantum efficiency and optical crosstalk between two sub-detectors have been investigated. The optimum values for indium content and thickness of absorption layer in sub-detectors are determined  

Set of experiments has been developed to study existing runaway electrons in "Damavand" tokamak plasma upon characteristics of hard x-ray emissions produced by collision of the runaway electrons with the plasma particles and limiters. As a first step, spatial distribution of hard x-ray emissions on the equatorial plane of the torus was considered. Obtained spectra of hard x-ray emissions for different alignments of shielded detector indicate isotropic emissivity in the equatorial plane. This is in agreement with wide angle cone of bremsstrahlung radiations, deduced from the mean value of energy of the runaway electrons. The mean energy was calculated from the slope of the energy spectrum of... 

The labels mathematician, engineer, and physicist have all been used in reference to Balthazar van der Pol. The van der Pol oscillator, which we study in this paper, is a model developed by him to describe the behavior of nonlinear vacuum tube circuits in the relatively early days of the development of electronics technology. Our study in this paper will be based entirely on numerical solutions. The rigorous foundations for the analysis (e.g., the proof that the equation has a limit cycle solution which is a global attractor) date back to the work of Lienard in 1928, with later more general analysis by Levinson and others  

Internet banking is a tool to achieve competitive advantage and its usage has been spreading rapidly in recent years. This paper strives to identify a comprehensive study of the major internet banking quality measurements, which covers a wide range of literature relevant to international papers and scholars and then evaluate them through using a precise method, Shannon entropy. At the last stage the validated criteria were exploited to survey in Iranian banks. The empirical research consists of a quantitative study of internet banking by a sample of employees in two banks of Iran. In this regard, the raised question is about whether or not the internet banking is a strategic information... 

In this study, chalcopyrite concentrate produced in Sarcheshmeh copper plant was subjected to oxidative leaching investigation by cupric ion to determine the effect of several parameters on the copper and iron dissolution, including temperature of leaching, time of holding and cupric concentration as oxidant agent in a range of 38–97 °C, 1.5–8.5 h and 0.2–0.8 M, respectively. The leaching media was chloride providing with 3 M HCl 37% and CuCl2. The experiments were designed by central composite design method. The dissolution of copper and iron was examined. The maximum dissolution of copper 62.64%, was obtained at 85 °C, 7 h and oxidant concentration of 0.7 M. The kinetics model of... 

This paper presents actual cases of steady reactive power oscillation of distributed generations (DGs) during parallel operation with the main grid. The cause of the problem was found to be the adverse effects of excitation system voltage regulation. It is shown, through preliminary investigation and detailed simulation studies, that how the excitation control system can be modified to overcome this problem. On-site test results verify the analysis results and effectiveness of the remedial actions. Finally, general practical recommendations are offered for excitation control of synchronous generator-based DG, such that it performs properly, both in grid connected and in islanding conditions