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This study prepares an experimental examination of thermal and hydraulic analysis of an absorber plate integrated with different arrangements of twisted turbulators, including longitudinal, transversal, and oblique orientations. These arrangements are considered for both the integral and the interrupted turbulators over Reynolds number range from 9174 to 55048. Nu ratio and f ratio range from 1.15–2.21 and 1.73–7.79, respectively. The interrupted turbulators with oblique arrangements with the attach angles of 30° and 60° come in the second and third places, respectively, and the maximum criterion value in the latter cases is 1.29 and 1.21. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel method for numerical simulation of drying is proposed and the process is optimized by Taguchi method. A 2D numerical solution is performed to analyze coupled heat and mass transfer occurring during drying of a rectangular moist object. The dryer section and the moist object are conjugately simulated where the coupled heat and mass transfer equations are solved together. The lattice Boltzmann method is employed to solve hydrodynamic, heat, and mass transfer equations. This study applied the Taguchi method to determine optimum conditions for drying so as to minimize the drying time and energy consumption. The control factors included temperature, air velocity, and thickness ratio (the moist object thickness to channel width). The following optimal conditions were obtained: temperature (T = 60 °C), velocity (V = 0.1 m/s), and thickness ratio (TR =0.1). The results of numerical solution are then compared to the measured data available in the literature, presenting a reasonable agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transient, one-dimensional, thermally thick, noncharring solid material version of a numerical thermal degradation model is used to analyze the thermal degradation process of poly(methyl methacrylate) when subjected to a radiation source from a graphite plate. A theory is developed to account for oxygen-sensitive thermal degradation, which is based on differences in polymer degradation behavior in inert and non-inert environments. The model includes condensed phase heat transfer, in-depth thermal and oxidative decomposition, advective mass transfer, and in-depth absorption of radiation. It is found that an increase in gas-phase oxygen concentration decreases the surface temperature and increases the gasification rate substantially. The predictions yield physically realistic results when compared with published experimental data for an external radiation source with flux of 17 kW·m -2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity and toxicity of oral etoposide in women with recurrent ovarian cancer are described from a case series of women who had measurable disease. All patients had had previous platinum-based chemotherapy. Etoposide was given as 50 mg/day for 21 days every 4 weeks until there was progression of the disease or prohibitive toxicity. Twelve patients were enrolled into this study. Ten patients received a total of 48 cycles of etoposide; the median number of cycles was 4 (range 1 - 11). There were two partial responses (20%; 95% CI, 0 - 45%). The responses lasted 3.5 and 6 months. Median progression-free interval (PFI) was 7.5 months (range 5.5 - 11), and median survival time was 8.5 months (range 1.2 - 21.5). The main haematological toxicity was leukopenia and no treatment-related death occurred. Although etoposide appears to exhibit activity in recurrent ovarian cancer, response and survival durations are short, with a high rate of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]