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The light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) has the unique feature to address different regions of a sensor surface without the need of complex structures. Measurements at different locations on the sensor surface can be performed in a common analyte solution, which distinctly simplifies the fluidic set-up. However, the measurement in a single analyte chamber prevents the application of different drugs or different concentrations of a drug to each measurement spot at the same time as in the case of multi-reservoir-based set-ups. In this work, the authors designed a LAPS-based set-up for cell culture screening that utilises magnetic beads loaded with the endotoxin (lipopolysaccharides, LPS), to generate a spatially distributed gradient of analyte concentration. Different external magnetic fields can be adjusted to move the magnetic beads loaded with a specific drug within the measurement cell. By recording the metabolic activities of a cell layer cultured on top of the LAPS surface, this work shows the possibility to apply different concentrations of a sample along the LAPS measurement spots within a common analyte solution.
The msprop program presented in this work is capable of solving the Maxwell–Schrödinger equations for one or several laser fields propagating through a medium of quantum optical few-level systems in one spatial dimension and in time. In particular, it allows to numerically treat systems in which a laser field interacts with the medium with both its electric and magnetic component at the same time. The internal dynamics of the few-level system is modeled by a quantum optical master equation which includes coherent processes due to optical transitions driven by the laser fields as well as incoherent processes due to decay and dephasing. The propagation dynamics of the laser fields is treated in slowly varying envelope approximation resulting in a first order wave equation for each laser field envelope function. The program employs an Adams predictor formula second order in time to integrate the quantum optical master equation and a Lax–Wendroff scheme second order in space and time to evolve the wave equations for the fields. The source function in the Lax–Wendroff scheme is specifically adapted to allow taking into account the simultaneous coupling of a laser field to the polarization and the magnetization of the medium. To reduce execution time, a customized data structure is implemented and explained. In three examples the features of the program are demonstrated and the treatment of a system with a phase-dependent cross coupling of the electric and magnetic field component of a laser field is shown.
A comparative performance analysis of the CFD platforms OpenFOAM and FLOW-3D is presented, focusing on a 3D swirling turbulent flow: a steady hydraulic jump at low Reynolds number. Turbulence is treated using RANS approach RNG k-ε. A Volume Of Fluid (VOF) method is used to track the air–water interface, consequently aeration is modeled using an Eulerian–Eulerian approach. Structured meshes of cubic elements are used to discretize the channel geometry. The numerical model accuracy is assessed comparing representative hydraulic jump variables (sequent depth ratio, roller length, mean velocity profiles, velocity decay or free surface profile) to experimental data. The model results are also compared to previous studies to broaden the result validation. Both codes reproduced the phenomenon under study concurring with experimental data, although special care must be taken when swirling flows occur. Both models can be used to reproduce the hydraulic performance of energy dissipation structures at low Reynolds numbers.
A multi-spot light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS), which belongs to the family of semiconductor field-effect devices, was applied for label-free detection of double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (dsDNA) molecules by their intrinsic molecular charge. To reduce the distance between the DNA charge and sensor surface and thus, to enhance the electrostatic coupling between the dsDNA molecules and the LAPS, the negatively charged dsDNA molecules were electrostatically adsorbed onto the gate surface of the LAPS covered with a positively charged weak polyelectrolyte layer of PAH (poly(allylamine hydrochloride)). The surface potential changes in each spot of the LAPS, induced by the layer-by-layer adsorption of a PAH/dsDNA bilayer, were recorded by means of photocurrent-voltage and constant-photocurrent measurements. In addition, the surface morphology of the gate surface before and after consecutive electrostatic adsorption of PAH and dsDNA layers was studied by atomic force microscopy measurements. Moreover, fluorescence microscopy was used to verify the successful adsorption of dsDNA molecules onto the PAH-modified LAPS surface. A high sensor signal of 25 mV was registered after adsorption of 10 nM dsDNA molecules. The lower detection limit is down to 0.1 nM dsDNA. The obtained results demonstrate that the PAH-modified LAPS device provides a convenient and rapid platform for the direct label-free electrical detection of in-solution hybridized dsDNA molecules.
Based on an identifying Volterra type integral equation for randomly right censored observations from a lifetime distribution function F, we solve the corresponding estimating equation by an explicit and implicit Euler scheme. While the first approach results in some known estimators, the second one produces new semi-parametric and pre-smoothed Kaplan–Meier estimators which are real distribution functions rather than sub-distribution functions as the former ones are. This property of the new estimators is particular useful if one wants to estimate the expected lifetime restricted to the support of the observation time.
Specifically, we focus on estimation under the semi-parametric random censorship model (SRCM), that is, a random censorship model where the conditional expectation of the censoring indicator given the observation belongs to a parametric family. We show that some estimated linear functionals which are based on the new semi-parametric estimator are strong consistent, asymptotically normal, and efficient under SRCM. In a small simulation study, the performance of the new estimator is illustrated under moderate sample sizes. Finally, we apply the new estimator to a well-known real dataset.
We present an electromechanically coupled computational model for the investigation of a thin cardiac tissue construct consisting of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived atrial, ventricular and sinoatrial cardiomyocytes. The mechanical and electrophysiological parts of the finite element model, as well as their coupling are explained in detail. The model is implemented in the open source finite element code Code_Aster and is employed for the simulation of a thin circular membrane deflected by a monolayer of autonomously beating, circular, thin cardiac tissue. Two cardio-active drugs, S-Bay K8644 and veratridine, are applied in experiments and simulations and are investigated with respect to their chronotropic effects on the tissue. These results demonstrate the potential of coupled micro- and macroscopic electromechanical models of cardiac tissue to be adapted to experimental results at the cellular level. Further model improvements are discussed taking into account experimentally measurable quantities that can easily be extracted from the obtained experimental results. The goal is to estimate the potential to adapt the presented model to sample specific cell cultures.
Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) is a promising candidate for flutter testing and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of aircraft wings that are passively excited by wind loads. However, no studies have been published where OMA is tested in transonic flows, which is the dominant condition for large civil aircraft and is characterized by complex and unique aerodynamic phenomena. We use data from the HIRENASD large-scale wind tunnel experiment to automatically extract modal parameters from an ambiently excited wing operated in the transonic regime using two OMA methods: Stochastic Subspace Identification (SSI) and Frequency Domain Decomposition (FDD). The system response is evaluated based on accelerometer measurements. The excitation is investigated from surface pressure measurements. The forcing function is shown to be non-white, non-stationary and contaminated by narrow-banded transonic disturbances. All these properties violate fundamental OMA assumptions about the forcing function. Despite this, all physical modes in the investigated frequency range were successfully identified, and in addition transonic pressure waves were identified as physical modes as well. The SSI method showed superior identification capabilities for the investigated case. The investigation shows that complex transonic flows can interfere with OMA. This can make existing approaches for modal tracking unsuitable for their application to aircraft wings operated in the transonic flight regime. Approaches to separate the true physical modes from the transonic disturbances are discussed.
In this study, we show that synthetic sapphire (Al₂O₃), an established implant material, can also serve as a platform material for biosensors comparable to nanocrystalline diamond. Sapphire chips, beads, and powder were first modified with (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES), followed by succinic anhydride (SA), and finally single-stranded probe DNA was EDC coupled to the functionalized layer. The presence of the APTES-SA layer on sapphire powders was confirmed by thermogravimetric analyis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Using planar sapphire chips as substrates and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as surface-sensitive tool, the sequence of individual layers was analyzed with respect to their chemical state, enabling the quantification of areal densities of the involved molecular units. Fluorescence microscopy was used to demonstrate the hybridization of fluorescently tagged target DNA to the probe DNA, including denaturation- and re-hybridization experiments. Due to its high thermal conductivity, synthetic sapphire is especially suitable as a chip material for the heat-transfer method, which was employed to distinguish complementary- and non-complementary DNA duplexes containing single-nucleotide polymorphisms. These results indicate that it is possible to detect mutations electronically with a chemically resilient and electrically insulating chip material.
The sterilization of packages in aseptic food processes is highly significant to maintain a consumer-safe product with extended shelf-life. Today, the sterilization of food packages is predominantly accomplished by gaseous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in combination with heat. In order to monitor this sterilization process, calorimetric gas sensors as differential set-up of two platinum temperature sensors representing a catalytically active (additionally deposition of MnO2) and a passive segment have been recently developed. The temperature rise of the exothermic decomposition serves as an indicator of the present H2O2 concentration. In the present work, a theoretical approach considering the sensor’s thermochemistry and physical transport phenomena was formulated to evaluate the temperature rise based on the energy content of gaseous H2O2. In a further part of this work, three polymers have been analyzed with respect to their application as passivation materials. The examined polymers are photoresist SU-8, perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP). Thermal analyses by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) have been conducted to determine the operation limits of the polymers. The overall chemical resistance and stability of the polymers against the harsh environmental conditions during the sterilization process have been examined by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR).
The chemical imaging sensor was applied to in-situ pH imaging of the solution in the vicinity of a corroding surface of stainless steel under potentiostatic polarization. A test piece of polished stainless steel was placed on the sensing surface leaving a narrow gap filled with artificial seawater and the stainless steel was corroded under polarization. The pH images obtained during polarization showed correspondence between the region of lower pH and the site of corrosion. It was also found that the pH value in the gap became as low as 2 by polarization, which triggered corrosion.
The Saturnian moon Enceladus with its extensive water bodies underneath a thick ice sheet cover is a potential candidate for extraterrestrial life. Direct exploration of such extraterrestrial aquatic ecosystems requires advanced access and sampling technologies with a high level of autonomy. A new technological approach has been developed as part of the collaborative research project Enceladus Explorer (EnEx). The concept is based upon a minimally invasive melting probe called the IceMole. The force-regulated, heater-controlled IceMole is able to travel along a curved trajectory as well as upwards. Hence, it allows maneuvers which may be necessary for obstacle avoidance or target selection. Maneuverability, however, necessitates a sophisticated on-board navigation system capable of autonomous operations. The development of such a navigational system has been the focal part of the EnEx project. The original IceMole has been further developed to include relative positioning based on in-ice attitude determination, acoustic positioning, ultrasonic obstacle and target detection integrated through a high-level sensor fusion. This paper describes the EnEx technology and discusses implications for an actual extraterrestrial mission concept.
Block ramps are ecologically oriented drop structures with adequate energy dissipation and partially moderate flow velocities. A special case is given with crossbar block ramps, where the upstream and downstream level difference is reduced by a series of basins. To prevent the total structure from failing, the stability of single boulders within the crossbars and the bed material in between must be guaranteed. The present paper addresses the stability of bed material and scour development for various flow regimes. Any bed material erosion may affect the stability of the crossbar boulders, which in turn can result in major damages of the ramp. Therefore new design approaches are developed to choose an appropriate bed material size and to avoid failures of crossbar block ramp structures.
Modeling contribution to risk assessment of thermal production power for geothermal reservoirs
(2013)
We present an effective finite difference formulation for implementing and modeling multiple borehole heat exchangers (BHE) in the general 3-D coupled heat and flow transport code SHEMAT. The BHE with arbitrary length can be either coaxial or double U-shaped. It is particularly suitable for modeling deep BHEs which contain varying pipe diameters and materials.
Usually, in numerical simulations, a fine discretization of the BHE assemblage is required, due to the large geometric aspect ratios involved. This yields large models and long simulation times. The approach avoids this problem by considering heat transport between fluid and the soil through pipes and grout via thermal resistances. Therefore, the simulation time can be significantly reduced.
The coupling with SHEMAT is realized by introducing an effective heat generation. Due to this connection, it is possible to consider heterogeneous geological models, as well as the influence of groundwater flow. This is particularly interesting when studying the long term behavior of a single BHE or a BHE field. Heating and cooling loads can enter the model with an arbitrary interval, e.g. from hourly to monthly values. When dealing with large BHE fields, computing times can be further significantly reduced by focusing on the temperature field around the BHEs, without explicitly modeling inlet and outlet temperatures. This allows to determine the possible migration of cold and warm plumes due to groundwater flow, which is of particular importance in urban areas with a high BHE installation density.
The model is validated against the existing BHE modeling codes EWS and EED. A comparison with monitoring data from a deep BHE in Switzerland shows a good agreement. Synthetic examples demonstrate the field of application of this model.
The proposed Den Haag Zuidwest district heating system of the city of The Hague consists of a deep doublet in a Jurassic sandstone layer that is designed for a production temperature of 75 °C and a reinjection temperature of 40 °C at a flow rate of 150 m3 h−1. The prediction of reservoir temperature and production behavior is crucial for success of the proposed geothermal doublet. This work presents the results of a study of the important geothermal and geohydrological issues for the doublet design. In the first phase of the study, the influences of the three-dimensional (3D) structures of anticlines and synclines on the temperature field were examined. A comprehensive petrophysical investigation was performed to build a large scale 3D-model of the reservoir. Several bottomhole temperatures (BHTs), as well as petrophysical logs were used to calibrate the model using thermal conductivity measurements on 50 samples from boreholes in different lithological units in the study area. Profiles and cross sections extracted from the calculated temperature field were used to study the temperature in the surrounding areas of the planned doublet. In the second phase of the project, a detailed 3D numerical reservoir model was set up, with the aim of predicting the evolution of the producer and injector temperatures, and the extent of the cooled area around the injector. The temperature model from the first phase provided the boundary conditions for the reservoir model. Hydraulic parameters for the target horizons, such as porosity and permeability, were taken from data available from the nearby exploration wells. The simulation results are encouraging as no significant thermal breakthrough is predicted. For the originally planned location of the producer, the extracted water temperature is predicted to be around 79 °C, with an almost negligible cooling in the first 50 years of production. When the producer is located shallower parts of the reservoir, the yield water temperatures is lower, starting at ≈76 °C and decreasing to ≈74 °C after 50 years of operation. This comparatively larger decrease in temperature with time is caused by the structural feature of the reservoir, namely a higher dip causes the cooler water to easily move downward. In view of the poor reservoir data, the reservoir simulation model is constructed to allow iterative updates using data assimilation during planned drilling, testing, and production phases. Measurements during an 8 h pumping test carried out in late 2010 suggest that a flow rate of 150 m3 h−1 is achievable. Fluid temperatures of 76.5 °C were measured, which is very close to the predicted value.
Capacitive field-effect electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor sensors consisting of an Al-p-Si-SiO2 structure have been used for the electrical detection of unlabelled single- and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) molecules by their intrinsic charge. A simple functionalization protocol based on the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique was used to prepare a weak polyelectrolyte/probe-DNA bilayer, followed by the hybridization with complementary target DNA molecules. Due to the flat orientation of the LbL-adsorbed DNA molecules, a high sensor signal has been achieved. In addition, direct label-free detection of in-solution hybridized dsDNA molecules has been studied.
The chemical imaging sensor is a field-effect sensor which is able to visualize both the distribution of ions (in LAPS mode) and the distribution of impedance (in SPIM mode) inthe sample. In this study, a novel wound-healing assay is proposed, in which the chemical imaging sensor operated in SPIM mode is applied to monitor the defect of a cell layer brought into proximity of the sensing surface.A reduced impedance inside the defect, which was artificially formed ina cell layer, was successfully visualized in a photocurrent image.
A sensor system for investigating (bio)degradationprocesses of polymers is presented. The system utilizes semiconductor field-effect sensors and is capable of monitoring the degradation process in-situ and in real-time. The degradation of the polymer poly(d,l-lactic acid) is exemplarily monitored in solutions with different pH value, pH-buffer solution containing the model enzyme lipase from Rhizomucormiehei and cell-culture medium containing supernatants from stimulated and non-stimulated THP-1-derived macrophages mimicking activation of the immune system.
An amperometric enzyme biosensor has been applied for the detection of adrenaline. The adrenaline biosensor has been prepared by modification of an oxygen electrode with the enzyme laccase that operates at a broad pH range between pH 3.5 to pH 8. The enzyme molecules were immobilized via cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. The sensitivity of the developed adrenaline biosensor in different pH buffer solutions has been studied.
LAPS are field-effect-based potentiometric sensors which are able to monitor analyte concentrations in a spatially resolved manner. Hence, a LAPS sensor system is a powerful device to record chemical imaging of the concentration of chemical species in an aqueous solution, chemical reactions, or the growth of cell colonies on the sensor surface, to record chemical images. In this work, multi-chamber 3D-printed structures made out of polymer (PP-ABS) were combined with LAPS chips to analyse differentially and simultaneously the metabolic activity of Escherichia coli K12 and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, and the responds of those cells to the addition of glucose solution.
This paper proposes an approach to the choice and evaluation of engineering models with the aid of a typical application in geotechnics. An important issue in the construction of shallow tunnels, especially in weak ground conditions, is the tunnel face stability. Various theoretical and numerical models for predicting the necessary support pressure have been put forth in the literature. In this paper, we combine laboratory experiments performed at the University of Innsbruck with current methods of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis for assessing adequacy, predictive power and robustness of the models. The major issues are the handling of the twofold uncertainty of test results and of model predictions as well as the decision about what are the influential input parameters.
Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (hrHPV) can result in the formation of anogenital cancers. As hrHPV proteins E6 and E7 are required for cancer initiation and maintenance, they are ideal targets for immunotherapeutic interventions. Previously, we have described the development of DNA vaccines for the induction of HPV16 E6 and E7 specific T cell immunity. These vaccines consist of ‘gene-shuffled’ (SH) versions of HPV16 E6 and E7 that were fused to Tetanus Toxin Fragment C domain 1 (TTFC) and were named TTFC-E6SH and TTFC-E7SH. Gene-shuffling was performed to avoid the risk of inducing malignant transformation at the vaccination site. Here, we describe the preclinical safety evaluation of these candidate vaccines by analysis of their transforming capacity in vitro using established murine fibroblasts (NIH 3T3 cells) and primary human foreskin keratinocytes (HFKs). We demonstrate that neither ectopic expression of TTFC-E6SH and TTFC-E7SH alone or in combination enabled NIH 3T3 cells to form colonies in soft agar. In contrast, expression of HPV16 E6WT and E7WT alone or in combination resulted in effective transformation. Similarly, retroviral transduction of HFKs from three independent donors with both TTFC-E6SH and TTFC-E7SH alone or in combination did not show any signs of immortalization. In contrast, the combined expression of E6WT and E7WT induced immortalization in HFKs from all donors. Based on these results we consider it justified to proceed to clinical evaluation of DNA vaccines encoding TTFC-E6SH and TTFC-E7SH in patients with HPV16 associated (pre)malignancies.
Simulation model for the transient process behaviour of solar aluminium recycling in a rotary kiln
(2015)
A novel photoexcitation method for the light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) realized a higher spatial resolution of chemical imaging. In this method, a modulated light probe, which generates the alternating photocurrent signal, is surrounded by a ring of constant light, which suppresses the lateral diffusion of photocarriers by enhancing recombination. A device simulation verified that a higher spatial resolution could be obtained by adjusting the gap between the modulated and constant light. It was also found that a higher intensity and a longer wavelength of constant light was more effective. However, there exists a tradeoff between the spatial resolution and the amplitude of the photocurrent, and thus, the signal-to-noise ratio. A tilted incidence of constant light was applied, which could achieve even higher resolution with a smaller loss of photocurrent.
A semiconductor field-effect device has been used for an enzymatically catalyzed degradation of biopolymers for the first time. This novel technique is capable to monitor the degradation process of multiple samples in situ and in real-time. As model system, the degradation of the biopolymer poly(D, L-lactic acid) has been monitored in the degradation medium containing the enzyme lipase from Rhizomucor miehei. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of capacitive field-effect sensors for degradation studies of biodegradable polymers.
High-k perovskite oxide of barium strontium titanate (BST) represents a very attractive multi-functional transducer material for the development of (bio-)chemical sensors for liquids. In this work, BST films have been applied as a sensitive transducer material for a label-free detection of adsorbed charged macromolecules (positively charged polyelectrolytes) and concentration of hydrogen peroxide vapor as well as protection insulator layer for a contactless electrolyte-conductivity sensor. The experimental results of characterization of individual sensors are presented. Special emphasis is devoted towards the development of a capacitively-coupled contactless electrolyte-conductivity sensor.
Light-addressable potentiometric sensors (LAPS) consisting of a p-Si-SiO2 and p-Si-SiO2-Au structure, respectively, have been tested for a label-free electrical detection of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) hybridization. Three different strategies for immobilizing single-stranded probe DNA (ssDNA) molecules on a LAPS surface have been studied and compared: (a) immobilization of thiol-modified ssDNA on the patterned Au surface via gold-thiol bond, (b) covalent immobilization of amino-modified ssDNA onto the SiO2 surface functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and (c) layer-by-layer adsorption of negatively charged ssDNA on a positively charged weak polyelectrolyte layer of poly(allylamine hydrochloride).
The chemical imaging sensor, which is based on the principle of the light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS), is a powerful tool to visualize the spatial distribution of chemical species on the sensor surface. The spatial resolution of this sensor depends on the diffusion of photocarriers excited by a modulated light. In this study, a novel hybrid fiber-optic illumination was developed to enhance the spatial resolution. It consists of a modulated light probe to generate a photocurrent signal and a ring of constant light, which suppresses the lateral diffusion of minority carriers excited by the modulated light. It is demonstrated that the spatial resolution was improved from 92 μm to 68 μm.
In this study we show an optical biosensor concept, based on elastic light scattering from sapphire microspheres. Transmitted and elastic scattering intensity of the microspheres (radius 500 μm, refractive index 1.77) on an optical fiber half coupler is analyzed at 1510 nm. The 0.43 nm angular mode spacing of the resonances is comparable to the angular mode spacing value estimated using the optical size of the microsphere. The spectral linewidths of the resonances are in the order of 0.01 nm, which corresponds to quality factors of approximately 105. A polydopamine layer is used as a functionalizing agent on sapphire microspherical resonators in view of biosensor implementation. The varying layer thickness on the microsphere is determined as a function of the resonance wavelength shift. It is shown that polymer functionalization has a minor effect on the quality factor. This is a promising step toward the development of an optical biosensor.
Our knowledge on tree responses to drought is mainly based on short-term manipulation experiments which do not capture any possible long-term adjustments in this response. Therefore, historical water channels in inner-Alpine dry valleys were used as century-long irrigation experiments to investigate adjustments in tree growth to contrasting water supply. This involved quantifying the tree-ring growth of irrigated and non-irrigated (control) Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Valais (Switzerland), as well as European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) and black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) in Vinschgau (Italy). Furthermore, the adjustments in radial growth of Scots pine and European larch to an abrupt stop in irrigation were analyzed.
Irrigation promoted the radial growth of all tree species investigated compared to the control: (1) directly through increased soil water availability, and (2) indirectly through increased soil nutrients and humus contents in the irrigated plots. Irrigation led to a full elimination of growth responses to climate for European larch and black pine, but not for Scots pine, which might become more sensitive to drought with increasing tree size in Valais. For the control trees, the response of the latewood increment to water availability in July/August has decreased in recent decades for all species, but increased in May for Scots pine only. The sudden irrigation stop caused a drop in radial growth to a lower level for Scots pine or similar level for larch compared to the control for up to ten years. However, both tree species were then able to adjust to the new conditions and subsequently grew with similar (Scots pine) or even higher growth rates (larch) than the control.
To estimate the impact of climate change on future forest development, the duration of manipulation experiments should be on longer time scales in order to capture adjustment processes and feedback mechanisms of forest ecosystems.
In co-operation with the German Aerospace Center, the Solar-Institut Jülich has been analyzing the different technologies that are available for methanol production from CO2 using solar energy. The aim of the project is to extract CO2 from industrial exhaust gases or directly from the atmosphere to recycle it by use of solar energy. Part of the study was the modeling and simulating of a methane reformer for the production of synthesis gas, which can be operated by solar or hybrid heat sources. The reformer has been simplified in such a way that the model is accurate and enables fast calculations. The developed pseudo-homogeneous one- dimensional model can be regarded as a kind of counter-current heat exchanger and is able to incorporate a steam reforming reaction as well as a dry reforming reaction.
Validation of a novel method for detecting and stabilizing malfunctioning areas in fuel cell stacks
(2014)
In this paper a setup for detecting malfunctioning areas of MEAs in fuel cell stacks is described. Malfunctioning areas generate electric cross currents inside bipolar plates. To exploit this we suggest bipolar plates consisting not of two but of three layers. The third one is a highly conducting layer and segmented such that the cross currents move along the segments to the surface of the stack where they can be measured by an inductive sensor. With this information a realistic model can be used to detect the malfunctioning area. Furthermore the third layer will prevent any current inhomogeneity of a malfunctioning cell to spread to neighbouring cells in the stack. In this work the results of measurements in a realistic cell setup will be compared with the results obtained in simulation studies with the same configuration. The basis for the comparison is the reliable characterisation of the electrical properties of the cell components and the implication of these results into the simulation model. The experimental studies will also show the limits in the maximum number of segments, which can be used for a reliable detection of cross currents.
The characterization of the degradation kinetics of biodegradable polymers is mandatory with regard to their proper application. In the present work, polymer-modified electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (PMEIS) field-effect sensors have been applied for in-situ monitoring of the pH-dependent degradation kinetics of the commercially available biopolymer poly(d,l-lactic acid) (PDLLA) in buffer solutions from pH 3 to pH 13. PDLLA films of 500 nm thickness were deposited on the surface of an Al–p-Si–SiO2–Ta2O5 structure from a polymer solution by means of spin-coating method. The PMEIS sensor is, in principle, capable to detect any changes in bulk, surface and interface properties of the polymer induced by degradation processes. A faster degradation has been observed for PDLLA films exposed to alkaline solutions (pH 9, pH 11 and pH 13).
Members of the species Bacillus pumilus get more and more in focus of the biotechnological industry as potential new production strains. Based on exoproteome analysis, B. pumilus strain Jo2, possessing a high secretion capability, was chosen for an omics-based investigation. The proteome and metabolome of B. pumilus cells growing either in minimal or complex medium was analyzed. In total, 1542 proteins were identified in growing B. pumilus cells, among them 1182 cytosolic proteins, 297 membrane and lipoproteins and 63 secreted proteins. This accounts for about 43% of the 3616 proteins encoded in the B. pumilus Jo2 genome sequence. By using GC–MS, IP-LC/MS and H NMR methods numerous metabolites were analyzed and assigned to reconstructed metabolic pathways. In the genome sequence a functional secretion system including the components of the Sec- and Tat-secretion machinery was found. Analysis of the exoproteome revealed secretion of about 70 proteins with predicted secretion signals. In addition, selected production-relevant genome features such as restriction modification systems and NRPS clusters of B. pumilus Jo2 are discussed.
The light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) is an electrochemical sensor with a field-effect structure to detect the variation of the Nernst potential at its sensor surface, the measured area on which is defined by illumination. Thanks to this light-addressability, the LAPS can be applied to chemical imaging sensor systems, which can visualize the two-dimensional distribution of a particular target ion on the sensor surface. Chemical imaging sensor systems are expected to be useful for analysis of reaction and diffusion in various electrochemical and biological samples. Recent developments of LAPS-based chemical imaging sensor systems, in terms of the spatial resolution, measurement speed, image quality, miniaturization and integration with microfluidic devices, are summarized and discussed.
Picosecond dynamics in haemoglobin from different species: A quasielastic neutron scattering study
(2014)
The present work describes a novel multiple sensor-type system for the real-time analysis of aseptic sterilisation processes employing gaseous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a sterilant. The inactivation kinetics of Bacillus atrophaeus by gaseous H2O2 have been investigated by means of a methodical calibration experiment, taking into account the process variables H2O2 concentration, humidity and gas temperature. It has been found that the microbicidal effectiveness at H2O2 concentrations above 2% v/v is largely determined by the concentration itself, while at lower H2O2 concentrations, the gas temperature and humidity play a leading role. Furthermore, the responses of different types of gas sensors towards the influencing factors of the sterilisation process have been analysed within the same experiment. Based on a correlation established between the inactivation kinetics and the sensor responses, a calorimetric H2O2 sensor and a metal-oxide semiconductor (MOX) sensor have been identified as possible candidates for monitoring the microbicidal effectiveness of aseptic sterilisation processes employing gaseous H2O2. Therefore, two linear models that describe the relationship between sensor response and microbicidal effectiveness have been proposed.