Abstract: A method and an article of manufacture for determining a rate of change of orientation of a plurality of fibers disposed in a fluid are provided. The method includes determining a first tensor indicative of the rate of change of orientation of the plurality of fibers in the fluid in a predetermined region due to rigid body rotation of the plurality of fibers and the fluid. The method further includes determining a second tensor indicative of the rate of change or orientation of the plurality of fibers in the fluid in the predetermined region due to deformation of the plurality of fibers and the fluid in the predetermined region, utilizing a first scalar value that reduces the rate of change of orientation of the plurality of fibers due to deformation of the plurality of fibers and the fluid. The method further includes determining a third tensor indicative of a total rate of change of orientation of the plurality of fibers based on the first and second tensors, wherein the third tensor is an objective tensor.

Abstract: A system for mixing a shot of at least two fluid components in which the components are stored in accumulators and are supplied simultaneously therefrom to the input ports of a mixing device. The fluid components are stored in the accumulators at preselected pressures which will tend to assure that the fluids are supplied approximately at a desired preselected volume flow rate ratio. Positive displacement devices are placed in the lines which supply the fluids from the accumulators to the mixing device, such devices being mechanically linked through gear linkage having a gear ratio selected in accordance with the preselected volume flow rate ratio. During operation, the positive displacement devices assure that the preselected volume flow rate ratio of the fluids is maintained at the desired ratio throughout the entire shot.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a mixture of solid particles of two different types wherein the particles of one type are electrically charged with a charge of one polarity, e.g., a positive polarity, and the particles of the other type are electrically charged with a charge of the opposite polarity,e.g., a negative polarity. The charged particles are combined over a selected time period during which they retain their mobility so that at the end of such time period they form a mixture the characteristic of which is better than a random mixture, i.e., the ratio of the number of particles of one type to the number of particles of the other type in each of a plurality of samples thereof tends to be the same as the ratio of the number of particles of said one type to the number of particles of the other type in the overall mixture.