The Impact of Liquids and Saturated Salt Solutions on Polymer-Coated Fiber Optic Sensors for Distributed Strain and Temperature Measurement.

The application of distributed fiber optic strain and temperature measurement can be utilized to address a multitude of measurement tasks across a diverse range of fields, particularly in the context of structural health monitoring in the domains of building construction, civil engineering, and special foundation engineering. However, a comprehensive understanding of the influences on the measurement method and the sensors is essential to prevent misinterpretations or measurement deviations. In this context, this study investigated the effects of moisture exposure, including various salt solutions and a high pH value, on a distributed strain measurement using Rayleigh backscattering.

Isotope fractionation in phase-transfer processes under thermodynamic and kinetic control - Implications for diffusive fractionation in aqueous solution.

Diffusive isotope fractionation of organic compounds in aqueous solution was investigated by means of liquid-liquid and liquid-gas partitioning experiments under kinetic control. The two-film model was used to describe phase-transfer kinetics. It assumes the diffusion of solutes across a stagnant water boundary layer as the rate-controlling step.

Influence of low- and high-frequency heating on biodegrading microorganisms in soil: microbial degradation.

The influence of low-frequency (50 Hz) resistive and high-frequency (13.56 MHz, radio-frequency) dielectric heating in comparison to conventional heating on the microbial degradation of pollutants in soil was studied. The investigation of the biodegradation of model substances (benzoic acid, acetic acid, glucose, sodium acetate) added to a standard soil showed no significant influence of the electrical heating methods when compared with samples heated to the same temperature in a water bath.

Influence of low- and high-frequency electrical heating on biodegrading microorganisms in soil: soil respiration.

The influence of electrical heating on microbiological processes in soil has been studied to evaluate the potential for enhancing biodegradation of pollutants by controlling the temperature. A frequency of 50 Hz (power line frequency) was applied for resistive heating. Dielectric heating was realized using a frequency of 13.

Modeling of a thermo-chromatographic pulse (TCP) as radio-frequency (RF)-induced selective heating effect.

By utilizing the specific influence of water adsorption on the dielectric loss factor and, consequently, selective heating of the zeolite NaY in a radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic field, a hot zone moving through the packed bed can be realized initiated by water injection. While the effect of water adsorption on RF heating and the phenomenon of the thermo-chromatographic pulse (TCP) itself were described in a previous paper, the present study presents a detailed model for the description and explanation of this effect. It involves the complex dependence of dielectric loss on temperature and moisture content, a diffusion model considering both hopping and Knudsen mechanisms and a power balance for a representative segment of the packed bed.

Migrating temperature "thermo-chromatographic" pulses (TCP) initiated by radio-frequency (RF) heating.

In the present study, the astonishing influence of water dosage on a purged dry packed bed of NaY zeolite in the presence of an electric field with a frequency of 13.56 MHz was investigated. The injection of a small amount of water to the inlet of the bed led to pronounced selective heating of the inlet zone by more than 150 K.

Paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) as a tool for probing diffusion in environmentally relevant porous media.

The transport diffusivity of the paramagnetic molecule 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) was measured by monitoring its influence on the NMR transverse relaxation time (T₂) on surrounding water protons - also known as paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE). Due to the nature of the PRE effect, few paramagnetic molecules are able to simultaneously reduce the T₂ of many NMR active nuclei, which represents a significant gain in sensitivity. In an aqueous solution, the minimal detectable TEMPO concentration was around 70 ppm.

Mobile aliphatic domains in humic substances and their impact on contaminant mobility within the matrix.

Using a novel NMR option, magic angle spinning pulsed field gradient (MAS PFG) NMR, the mobility of aliphatic domains in humic substances in the presence of toluene (about 4.5 wt. %) has been monitored.

Guest diffusion in interpenetrating networks of micro- and mesopores.

Pulsed field gradient NMR is applied for monitoring the diffusion properties of guest molecules in hierarchical pore systems after pressure variation in the external atmosphere. Following previous studies with purely mesoporous solids, also in the material containing both micro- and mesopores (activated carbon MA2), the diffusivity of the guest molecules (cyclohexane) is found to be most decisively determined by the sample "history": at a given external pressure, diffusivities are always found to be larger if they are measured after pressure decrease (i.e.

Influence of moisture content and temperature on the dielectric permittivity of zeolite NaY.

The influence of moisture content and temperature on the dielectric permittivity (complex resistance) of the zeolite NaY was investigated for a fixed radio frequency (RF) of 13.56 MHz. Sealed glass tubes containing zeolite with defined moisture contents were simultaneously heated in a homogeneous high-frequency electromagnetic field.

Ambivalent role of water in thermodesorption of hydrocarbons from contaminated soil.

Thermodesorption studies with soil samples from a former filling station for light crude oil contaminated with mineral oil hydrocarbons (mainly benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, naphthalene, alkylnaphthalenes, and C(10) to C(14) alkanes) have revealed an ambivalent influence of water on desorption rates. Particularly, the influences of soil moisture content, humidity of the purge gas, temperature, and content of soil organic matter (SOM) were studied. At low temperature, purge gas humidity strongly affected the mobility of hydrocarbons in the soil organic matter (SOM) leading to an enhanced release of contaminants at higher moisture contents.

Influence of in situ steam formation by radio frequency heating on thermodesorption of hydrocarbons from contaminated soil.

Thermal desorption of a wide spectrum of organic contaminants, initiated by radio frequency (RF) heating, was studied at laboratory and pilot-plant scales for an artificially contaminated soil and for an originally contaminated soil from an industrial site. Up to 100 °C, moderate desorption rates were observed for light aromatics such as toluene, chlorobenzene, and ethylbenzene. Desorption of the less volatile contaminants was greatly enhanced above 100 °C, when fast evaporation of soil-water produced steam for hydrocarbon stripping (steam-distillation, desorption rates increased by more than 1 order of magnitude).

New option for characterizing the mobility of organic compounds in humic acids.

A new NMR option for monitoring the mobility of organic contaminants in SOM in the solid state has been successfully applied for the first time. This recently available noninvasive technique, magic angle spinning pulsed-field gradient (MAS PFG) NMR, combines both NMR spectroscopy and diffusometry to selectively monitor the diffusion of compounds sorbed in porous media or polymer matrices. Using this technique, the diffusion of toluene in humic acid particles has been studied.

Selectivity of dielectric heating: temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) experiments and initiation of thermo-chromatographic pulses.

The occurrence and extent of selective dielectric heating with microwaves (MW) and radio waves (RW) was studied with a variety of model systems using temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). Over a wide pressure and temperature range, selectivity effects were neither found for polar adsorbates (compared to non-polar compounds) nor expressed by an overheating of metal clusters supported on a nearly MW- and RW-transparent support. In contrast, significant temperature gradients between particles consisting of materials with various dielectric losses could be established under certain conditions.

Influence of salt impregnation on the initiation of thermo-chromatographic pulses by dielectric heating.

Selective dielectric heating using the influence of a coupling medium such as water can lead to the formation of combined temperature-mass transport pulses moving through a packed bed. Depending on the dielectric and sorption properties of the material, these so-called thermo-chromatographic pulses (TCP) can cause large temperature differences between the starting temperature and the peak temperature in the pulse. The impregnation of porous substances with various salts was shown to be a simple method for improving material properties leading to the formation of stable TCP.