A hybrid fast-multipole technique for space-charge tracking with halos
The simulation of injection and accumulation of intense proton beams in synchrotrons and accumulator rings requires a flexible and robust treatment of space-charge effects. In particular, the simulation must be able to correctly incorporate the large-amplitude beam halo which is known to arise from a variety of mechanisms. This paper describes a technique for the efficient and accurate evaluation of transverse space-charge forces in a simulated beam that may include halo particles at arbitrarily large amplitudes. The technique uses the Fast Multipole Method (FMM), together with some elements of Particle-In-Cell (PIC) methods, to evaluate the space-charge field at the location of each macroparticle. Timing comparisons show that when a large-amplitude halo is present this hybrid technique is significantly faster than plain FMM and also offers performance advantages over PIC/FFT field calculations with equivalent spatial resolution. The hybrid FMM method has been implemented and tested in the multiparticle tracking and simulation code ACCSIM and some initial results are presented.
Proton injection and RF capture in the National Spallation Neutron Source
The accelerator system for the 1 to 5 MW National Spallation Neutron Source (NSNS) consists of a linac followed by a 1 GeV proton accumulator ring. Since the ring is a very high current machine, the injection and RF capture of the protons is deeply affected by transverse and longitudinal space charge effects. Results of numerical simulation of the process are presented together with considerations on methods and results of space charge treatment in high intensity proton storage rings.
Scaffolds Containing Spirulina sp. LEB 18 Biomass: Development, Characterization and Evaluation of In Vitro Biodegradation.
Polymer nanofibers are nanomaterials that can be used as scaffolds in tissue engineering. The objective of this study was to develop, characterize and evaluate the in vitro degradation of a biomaterial consisting of nanofibers produced from biodegradable and biocompatible polymers with potential applications as a scaffold for tissue regeneration and containing Spirulina sp. LEB 18 biomass as the bioactive compound. The polymers used were poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) and polycaprolactone. The polymeric solutions exhibited sufficiently high viscosity to produce uniform nanofibers with diameters between 335 and 617 nm. The applied conditions were as follows: a voltage of 25 kV, a distance from the capillary to the collector of 120 mm, a capillary diameter of 0.80 mm, and 12% polycaprolactone and a blend of 5% polycaprolactone and 10% poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate). The biomass was incorporated into the nanofibers at a concentration of 3%, and the incorporation was confirmed using confocal microscopy. The nanofibers were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, which showed that the addition of biomass did not alter the thermal properties of the biomaterial. The addition of biomass improved the tensile strength and elongation of the scaffolds compared with those produced with polymers alone. A biodegradation assay showed enzymatic action toward the biomaterial, simulating the behavior of natural tissue. Based on the analysis, it was concluded that the scaffolds that were produced have the potential to be applied in the field of tissue regeneration as biomaterials with pharmacological properties.