Enhancement of phytochemical content and drying efficiency of onions (Allium cepa L.) through blanching.

PubMed

Ren, Feiyue; Perussello, Camila A; Zhang, Zhihang; Gaffney, Michael T; Kerry, Joseph P; Tiwari, Brijesh K

2018-03-01

This study investigated the effect of blanching (60, 70 and 80 °C for 1, 3, 5 and 10 min) combined with oven drying at 60 °C on the phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, colour and drying characteristics (drying time, drying rate constant, effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy) of onion slices. Blanching of onion slices at 60 °C for 3 min and at 70 °C for 1 min prior to drying increased their bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity compared to the control samples and other treatments. Eighteen drying models were evaluated. The Modified Page and two-term exponential models best represented the drying data. The effective diffusivity ranged from 3.32 × 10 -11 m 2 s -1 (control) to 5.27 × 10 -11 m 2 s -1 , 5.01 × 10 -11 m 2 s -1 , and 4.74 × 10 -11 m 2 s -1 for onions blanched at 60 °C, 70 °C and 80 °C, respectively. The higher activation energy was observed for the control (unblanched) sample and slightly lower values were found for 1 min- and 3 min-blanched samples, confirming the higher drying efficiency as a result of the blanching pre-treatment. The use of blanching as a pre-treatment before drying of onions resulted in enhanced phytochemical content and drying efficiency. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Mechanistic modelling of infrared mediated energy transfer during the primary drying step of a continuous freeze-drying process.

PubMed

Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; Mortier, Séverine Thérèse F C; De Meyer, Laurens; Corver, Jos; Vervaet, Chris; Nopens, Ingmar; De Beer, Thomas

2017-05-01

Conventional pharmaceutical freeze-drying is an inefficient and expensive batch-wise process, associated with several disadvantages leading to an uncontrolled end product variability. The proposed continuous alternative, based on spinning the vials during freezing and on optimal energy supply during drying, strongly increases process efficiency and improves product quality (uniformity). The heat transfer during continuous drying of the spin frozen vials is provided via non-contact infrared (IR) radiation. The energy transfer to the spin frozen vials should be optimised to maximise the drying efficiency while avoiding cake collapse. Therefore, a mechanistic model was developed which allows computing the optimal, dynamic IR heater temperature in function of the primary drying progress and which, hence, also allows predicting the primary drying endpoint based on the applied dynamic IR heater temperature. The model was validated by drying spin frozen vials containing the model formulation (3.9mL in 10R vials) according to the computed IR heater temperature profile. In total, 6 validation experiments were conducted. The primary drying endpoint was experimentally determined via in-line near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and compared with the endpoint predicted by the model (50min). The mean ratio of the experimental drying time to the predicted value was 0.91, indicating a good agreement between the model predictions and the experimental data. The end product had an elegant product appearance (visual inspection) and an acceptable residual moisture content (Karl Fischer). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role of surface energy and nano-roughness in the removal efficiency of bacterial contamination by nonwoven wipes from frequently touched surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Nicholas W. M.; Best, Emma L.; Connell, Simon D.; Goswami, Parikshit; Carr, Chris M.; Wilcox, Mark H.; Russell, Stephen J.

2017-12-01

Healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) are responsible for substantial patient morbidity, mortality and economic cost. Infection control strategies for reducing rates of transmission include the use of nonwoven wipes to remove pathogenic bacteria from frequently touched surfaces. Wiping is a dynamic process that involves physicochemical mechanisms to detach and transfer bacteria to fibre surfaces within the wipe. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which systematic changes in fibre surface energy and nano-roughness influence removal of bacteria from an abiotic polymer surface in dry wiping conditions, without liquid detergents or disinfectants. Nonwoven wipe substrates composed of two commonly used fibre types, lyocell (cellulosic) and polypropylene, with different surface energies and nano-roughnesses, were manufactured using pilot-scale nonwoven facilities to produce samples of comparable structure and dimensional properties. The surface energy and nano-roughness of some lyocell substrates were further adjusted by either oxygen (O2) or hexafluoroethane (C2F6) gas plasma treatment. Static adpression wiping of an inoculated surface under dry conditions produced removal efficiencies of between 9.4% and 15.7%, with no significant difference (p < 0.05) in the relative removal efficiencies of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus or Enterococcus faecalis. However, dynamic wiping markedly increased peak wiping efficiencies to over 50%, with a minimum increase in removal efficiency of 12.5% and a maximum increase in removal efficiency of 37.9% (all significant at p < 0.05) compared with static wiping, depending on fibre type and bacterium. In dry, dynamic wiping conditions, nonwoven wipe substrates with a surface energy closest to that of the contaminated surface produced the highest E. coli removal efficiency, while the associated increase in fibre nano-roughness abrogated this trend with S. aureus and E. faecalis.

Exergy analysis of encapsulation of photochromic dye by spray drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çay, A.; Akçakoca Kumbasar, E. P.; Morsunbul, S.

2017-10-01

Application of exergy analysis methodology for encapsulation of photochromic dyes by spray drying was presented. Spray drying system was investigated considering two subsystems, the heater and the dryer sections. Exergy models for each subsystem were proposed and exergy destruction rate and exergy efficiency of each subsystem and the whole system were computed. Energy and exergy efficiency of the system were calculated to be 5.28% and 3.40%, respectively. It was found that 90% of the total exergy inlet was destroyed during encapsulation by spray drying and the exergy destruction of the heater was found to be higher.

Space Chambers for Crop Treatment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Vacuum chambers, operated by McDonnell Douglas Corporation to test spacecraft, can also be used to dry water-soaked records. The drying temperature is low enough to allow paper to dry without curling or charging. Agricultural crops may also be dried using a spinoff system called MIVAC, which has proven effective in drying rice, wheat, soybeans, corn, etc. The system is energy efficient and can incorporate a sanitation process for destroying insects without contamination.

Energy-efficient regenerative liquid desiccant drying process

DOEpatents

Ko, Suk M.; Grodzka, Philomena G.; McCormick, Paul O.

1980-01-01

This invention relates to the use of desiccants in conjunction with an open oop drying cycle and a closed loop drying cycle to reclaim the energy expended in vaporizing moisture in harvested crops. In the closed loop cycle, the drying air is brought into contact with a desiccant after it exits the crop drying bin. Water vapor in the moist air is absorbed by the desiccant, thus reducing the relative humidity of the air. The air is then heated by the used desiccant and returned to the crop bin. During the open loop drying cycle the used desiccant is heated (either fossil or solar energy heat sources may be used) and regenerated at high temperature, driving water vapor from the desiccant. This water vapor is condensed and used to preheat the dilute (wet) desiccant before heat is added from the external source (fossil or solar). The latent heat of vaporization of the moisture removed from the desiccant is reclaimed in this manner. The sensible heat of the regenerated desiccant is utilized in the open loop drying cycle. Also, closed cycle operation implies that no net energy is expended in heating drying air.

Performance Study of Fluidized Bed Dryer with Immersed Heater for Paddy Drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suherman, S.; Azaria, N. F.; Karami, S.

2018-03-01

This paper investigated the performance of fluidized bed dryer with immersed heater for paddy drying. The influence of drying temperature and the temperature of immersed heater on drying curve, thermal efficiency, and quality of paddy was investigated. The fixed operating conditions are drying time of 60 minutes, paddy weight of 200 grams and the air velocity of 0.4 m/s. The variables are drying temperature and the temperature immersed heater namely 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 (°C). The results show addition immersed heater will increase drying rates. No constant drying rate was found. Increasing the temperature will decrease the utilized energy. The thermal efficiency decreases with increasing temperature. The increasing temperature and use immersed heater will decrease the residual moisture content, increase damaged and yellow paddy grain, and increase red paddy grain.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dong Sun Lee; Yu Ryang Pyun

A food drying process in a tunnel dryer was modeled from Keey's drying model and experimental drying curve, and optimized in operating conditions consisting of inlet air temperature, air recycle ratio and air flow rate. Radish was chosen as a typical food material to be dried, because it has the typical drying characteristics of food and quality indexes of ascorbic acid destruction and browning during drying. Optimization results of cocurrent and counter current tunnel drying showed higher inlet air temperature, lower recycle ratio and higher air flow rate with shorter total drying time. Compared with cocurrent operation counter current dryingmore » used lower air temperature, lower recycle ratio and lower air flow rate, and appeared to be more efficient in energy usage. Most of consumed energy was shown to be used for sir heating and then escaped from the dryer in the form of exhaust air.« less

Optimal conditions for preparation of banana peels, sugarcane bagasse and watermelon rind in removing copper from water.

PubMed

Liu, Cong; Ngo, Huu Hao; Guo, Wenshan; Tung, Kuo-Lun

2012-09-01

In this study, three agro-waste materials were used as biosorbents for removal of copper (Cu) from water. This work aims to optimise conditions for preparation of these materials to obtain maximum Cu adsorption capacity. The optimal conditions were determined in terms of Cu removal efficiency and/or energy consumption. The results indicate that banana peels dried at 120°C for 2h and ground into powder form led to a better performance in terms of both copper removal efficiency and energy consumption. For sugarcane bagasse and watermelon rind, 120°C was the suitable drying temperature. However, the best drying time was 1h for sugarcane bagasse and 3h for watermelon rind. The powder form with size of <150 μm was optimal for all biosorbents in terms of removal efficiency and equilibration time. The findings are beneficial to the application of these agro-waste materials for Cu removal from water and wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Design, experimental and economic evaluation of a commercial-type solar dryer for production of high-quality hay

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arinze, E.A.; Sokhansanj, S.; Schoenau, G.J.

1998-03-01

Design features, development, experimental functional performance and economic evaluation of an energy efficient solar energy dryer for commercial production of high-quality hay and processed forage products are presented. The solar hay dryer consists of an improved solar collector with selective coated aluminum absorber plate and spaced fins, and a drying shed connected to the collector by an insulated duct and having a perforated metal grate floor, swing-away plywood frames and polyethylene curtains for effectively sealing the hay stack, and a crawl space below the floor where a 3-hp in-line centrifugal fan is housed for air circulation by suction. In latemore » August and in early September, 1996, 160 small rectangular bales of alfalfa hay with about 25% bromegrass were successfully dried from 33% initial moisture content to 13%, and from 25% to 11% moisture in 4 and 3 days, respectively, under average weather conditions in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. With about 18 m{sup 3}/min per tonne airflow, 10--15 C temperature rise above ambient was obtained during peak bright sunshine hours. Relatively high daily average collector efficiency of 76%, high drying effectiveness, drying uniformity, uniform air distribution and tight sealing of the stack were achieved which resulted in an attractive green color of hay, no mold growth on hay, and an overall system drying efficiency of about 79%. Compared to a conventional natural gas drying system or field-drying method, the payback period on extra investment costs recovered through drying cost savings of $3/t to $6/t or through over two times higher prices for high-quality hay produced by the solar drying system may be just one or two years, respectively.« less

Final Report: Laboratory Development of a High Capacity Gas-Fired Paper Dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yaroslav Chudnovsky; Aleksandr Kozlov; Lester Sherrow

2005-09-30

Paper drying is the most energy-intensive and temperature-critical aspect of papermaking. It is estimated that about 67% of the total energy required in papermaking is used to dry paper. The conventional drying method uses a series of steam-heated metal cylinders that are required to meet ASME codes for pressure vessels, which limits the steam pressure to about 160 psig. Consequently, the shell temperature and the drying capacity are also limited. Gas Technology Institute together with Boise Paper Solutions, Groupe Laperrier and Verreault (GL&V) USA Inc., Flynn Burner Corporation and with funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. naturalmore » gas industry, and Gas Research Institute is developing a high efficiency gas-fired paper dryer based on a combination of a ribbon burner and advanced heat transfer enhancement technique. The Gas-Fired Paper Dryer (GFPD) is a high-efficiency alternative to conventional steam-heated drying drums that typically operate at surface temperatures in the 300 deg F range. The new approach was evaluated in laboratory and pilot-scale testing at the Western Michigan University Paper Pilot Plant. Drum surface temperatures of more than 400 deg F were reached with linerboard (basis weight 126 lb/3000 ft2) production and resulted in a 4-5 times increase in drying rate over a conventional steam-heated drying drum. Successful GFPD development and commercialization will provide large energy savings to the paper industry and increase paper production rates from dryer-limited (space- or steam-limited) paper machines by an estimated 10 to 20%, resulting in significant capital costs savings for both retrofits and new capacity.« less

Laboratory Development of A High Capacity Gas-Fired paper Dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chudnovsky, Yaroslav; Kozlov, Aleksandr; Sherrow, Lester

2005-09-30

Paper drying is the most energy-intensive and temperature-critical aspect of papermaking. It is estimated that about 67% of the total energy required in papermaking is used to dry paper. The conventional drying method uses a series of steam-heated metal cylinders that are required to meet ASME codes for pressure vessels, which limits the steam pressure to about 160 psig. Consequently, the shell temperature and the drying capacity are also limited. Gas Technology Institute together with Boise Paper Solutions, Groupe Laparrier and Verreault (GL&V) USA Inc., Flynn Burner Corporation and with funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. naturalmore » gas industry, and Gas Research Institute is developing a high efficiency gas-fired paper dryer based on a combination of a ribbon burner and advanced heat transfer enhancement technique. The Gas-Fired Paper Dryer (GFPD) is a high-efficiency alternative to conventional steam-heated drying drums that typically operate at surface temperatures in the 300ºF range. The new approach was evaluated in laboratory and pilot-scale testing at the Western Michigan University Paper Pilot Plant. Drum surface temperatures of more than 400ºF were reached with linerboard (basis weight 126 lb/3000 ft2) production and resulted in a 4-5 times increase in drying rate over a conventional steam-heated drying drum. Successful GFPD development and commercialization will provide large energy savings to the paper industry and increase paper production rates from dryer-limited (space- or steam-limited) paper machines by an estimated 10 to 20%, resulting in significant capital costs savings for both retrofits and new capacity.« less

A climate responsive urban design tool: a platform to improve energy efficiency in a dry hot climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Dallal, Norhan; Visser, Florentine

2017-09-01

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, new urban developments should address the climatic conditions to improve outdoor comfort and to reduce the energy consumption of buildings. This article describes a design tool that supports climate responsive design for a dry hot climate. The approach takes the climate as an initiator for the conceptual urban form with a more energy-efficient urban morphology. The methodology relates the different passive strategies suitable for major climate conditions in MENA region (dry-hot) to design parameters that create the urban form. This parametric design approach is the basis for a tool that generates conceptual climate responsive urban forms so as to assist the urban designer early in the design process. Various conceptual scenarios, generated by a computational model, are the results of the proposed platform. A practical application of the approach is conducted on a New Urban Community in Aswan (Egypt), showing the economic feasibility of the resulting urban form and morphology, and the proposed tool.

Microalgal drying and cell disruption--recent advances.

PubMed

Show, Kuan-Yeow; Lee, Duu-Jong; Tay, Joo-Hwa; Lee, Tse-Min; Chang, Jo-Shu

2015-05-01

Production of intracellular metabolites or biofuels from algae involves various processing steps, and extensive work on laboratory- and pilot-scale algae cultivation, harvesting and processing has been reported. As algal drying and cell disruption are integral processes of the unit operations, this review examines recent advances in algal drying and disruption for nutrition or biofuel production. Challenges and prospects of the processing are also outlined. Engineering improvements in addressing the challenges of energy efficiency and cost-effective and rigorous techno-economic analyses for a clearer prospect comparison between different processing methods are highlighted. Holistic life cycle assessments need to be conducted in assessing the energy balance and the potential environmental impacts of algal processing. The review aims to provide useful information for future development of efficient and commercially viable algal food products and biofuels production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of Comminuted Forest Biomass

Treesearch

Jacob Sprinkle; Dana Mitchell

2013-01-01

Transpirational drying and in-woods production of microchips potentially improve the economic efficiency of energy production from forest-derived feedstocks, but yield materials with moisture contents, bulk densities, and particle size distributions that differ from more conventional feedstocks. Ongoing research suggests that transpirational drying reduces the moisture...

Feed intake, digestibility and energy partitioning in beef cattle fed diets with cassava pulp instead of rice straw.

PubMed

Kongphitee, Kanokwan; Sommart, Kritapon; Phonbumrung, Thamrongsak; Gunha, Thidarat; Suzuki, Tomoyuki

2018-03-13

This study was conducted to assess the effects of replacing rice straw with different proportions of cassava pulp on growth performance, feed intake, digestibility, rumen microbial population, energy partitioning and efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization in beef cattle. Eighteen yearling Thai native beef cattle (Bos indicus) with an average initial body weight of 98.3 ± 12.8 kg were allocated to one of three dietary treatments and fed ad libitum for 149 days in a randomized complete block design. Three dietary treatments using different proportions of cassava pulp (100, 300 and 500 g/kg dry matter basis) instead of rice straw as a base in a fermented total mixed ration were applied. Animals were placed in a metabolic pen equipped with a ventilated head box respiration system to determine total digestibility and energy balance. The average daily weight gain, digestible intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and non-fiber carbohydrate, total protozoa, energy intake, energy retention and energy efficiency increased linearly (p < 0.05) with an increasing proportion of cassava pulp in the diet, whereas the three main types of fibrolytic bacteria and energy excretion in the urine (p < 0.05) decreased. The metabolizable energy requirement for the maintenance of yearling Thai native cattle, determined by a linear regression analysis, was 399 kJ/kg BW0.75, with an efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization for growth of 0.86. Our results demonstrated that increasing the proportion of cassava pulp up to 500 g/kg of dry matter as a base in a fermented total mixed ration is an effective strategy for improving productivity in zebu cattle.

Development of a low-pressure materials pre-treatment process for improved energy efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kwanghee; You, Byung Don

2017-09-01

Low pressure materials pre-treatment process has been developed as an alternative to the existing high-temperature sludge drying, limestone calcination, and limonite dehydroxylation. Using the thermodynamic equilibrium relationship between temperature and pressure represented by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, the operational temperature of these reactions could be lowered at reduced pressure for increased energy efficiency. For industrial sludge drying, the evaporation rate was controlled by interfacial kinetics showing a constant rate with time and significant acceleration in the reaction could be observed with reduced pressure. At this modified reaction rate under low pressure, the rate was also partially controlled by mass transfer. Temperature of limestone calcination was lowered, but the reaction was limited at the calculated equilibrium temperature of the Clausius-Clapeyron equation and slightly higher temperatures were required. The energy consumption during limestone calcination and limonite dehydroxylation were evaluated, where lower processing pressures could enhance the energy efficiency for limestone calcination, but limonite dehydroxylation could not achieve energy-savings due to the greater power consumption of the vacuum pump under lower pressure and reduced temperatures.

Significant reduction in energy for plant-growth lighting in space using targeted LED lighting and spectral manipulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poulet, L.; Massa, G. D.; Morrow, R. C.; Bourget, C. M.; Wheeler, R. M.; Mitchell, C. A.

2014-07-01

Bioregenerative life-support systems involving photoautotrophic organisms will be necessary to sustain long-duration crewed missions at distant space destinations. Since sufficient sunlight will not always be available for plant growth at many space destinations, efficient electric-lighting solutions are greatly needed. The present study demonstrated that targeted plant lighting with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and optimizing spectral parameters for close-canopy overhead LED lighting allowed the model crop leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. 'Waldmann's Green') to be grown using significantly less electrical energy than using traditional electric-lighting sources. Lettuce stands were grown hydroponically in a growth chamber controlling temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 level. Several red:blue ratios were tested for growth rate during the lag phase of lettuce growth. In addition, start of the exponential growth phase was evaluated. Following establishment of a 95% red + 5% blue spectral balance giving the best growth response, the energy efficiency of a targeted lighting system was compared with that of two total coverage (untargeted) LED lighting systems throughout a crop-production cycle, one using the same proportion of red and blue LEDs and the other using white LEDs. At the end of each cropping cycle, whole-plant fresh and dry mass and leaf area were measured and correlated with the amount of electrical energy (kWh) consumed for crop lighting. Lettuce crops grown with targeted red + blue LED lighting used 50% less energy per unit dry biomass accumulated, and the total coverage white LEDs used 32% less energy per unit dry biomass accumulated than did the total coverage red + blue LEDs. An energy-conversion efficiency of less than 1 kWh/g dry biomass is possible using targeted close-canopy LED lighting with spectral optimization. This project was supported by NASA grant NNX09AL99G.

Factors affecting energy and nitrogen efficiency of dairy cows: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Phuong, H N; Friggens, N C; de Boer, I J M; Schmidely, P

2013-01-01

A meta-analysis was performed to explore the correlation between energy and nitrogen efficiency of dairy cows, and to study nutritional and animal factors that influence these efficiencies, as well as their relationship. Treatment mean values were extracted from 68 peer-reviewed studies, including 306 feeding trials. The main criterion for inclusion of a study in the meta-analysis was that it reported, or permitted calculation of, energy efficiency (Eeff; energy in milk/digestible energy intake) and nitrogen efficiency (Neff; nitrogen in milk/digestible nitrogen intake) at the digestible level (digestible energy or digestible protein). The effect of nutritional and animal variables, including neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber (ADF), digestible energy, digestible protein, proportion of concentrate (PCO), dry matter intake, milk yield, days in milk, and body weight, on Eeff, Neff, and the Neff:Eeff ratio was analyzed using mixed models. The interstudy correlation between Eeff and Neff was 0.62, whereas the intrastudy correlation was 0.30. The higher interstudy correlation was partly due to milk yield and dry matter intake being present in both Eeff and Neff. We, therefore, also explored the Neff:Eeff ratio. Energy efficiency was negatively associated with ADF and PCO, whereas Neff was negatively associated with ADF and digestible energy. The Neff:Eeff ratio was affected by ADF and PCO only. In conclusion, the results indicate a possibility to maximize feed efficiency in terms of both energy and nitrogen at the same time. In other words, an improvement in Eeff would also mean an improvement in Neff. The current study also shows that these types of transverse data are not sufficient to study the effect of animal factors, such as days in milk, on feed efficiency. Longitudinal measurements per animal would probably be more appropriate. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy-saving drying and its application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovbasyuk, V. I.

2015-09-01

Superheated steam is efficiently applied as a coolant for the intensification of drying, which is an important component of many up-to-date technologies. However, traditional drying is extremely energy consuming, and many drying apparatus are environmentally unfriendly. Thus, it is important to implement the proposed drying technique using superheated steam under pressure significantly higher than the atmospheric one with subsequent steam transfer for use in a turbine for electric power generation as a compensation of energy costs for drying. This paper includes a brief thermodynamic analysis of such a technique, its environmental advantages, and possible benefits of the use of wet wastes and obtaining high-quality fuels from wet raw materials. A scheme is developed for the turbine protection from impurities that can occur in the steam at drying. Potential advantage of the technique are also the absence of heating surfaces that are in contact with wet media, the absence of the emissions to the atmosphere, and the use of low potential heat for desalination and the purification of water. The new drying technique can play an extremely important part in the implementation in the field of thermal destruction of anthropogenic wastes. In spite of the promotion of waste sorting to obtain valuable secondary raw materials, the main problem of big cities is nonutilizable waste, which makes not less than 85% of the starting quantity of waste. This can only be totally solved by combustion, which even more relates to the sewage sludge utilization. The wastes can be safely and efficiently combusted only provided that they are free of moisture. Combustion temperature optimization makes possible full destruction of dioxins and their toxic analogues.

Optimization on drying conditions of a solar electrohydrodynamic drying system based on desirability concept

PubMed Central

Dalvand, Mohammad Jafar; Mohtasebi, Seyed Saeid; Rafiee, Shahin

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article was to present a new drying method for agricultural products. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) has been applied for drying of agricultural materials due to several advantages such as energy saving, low cost equipment, low drying temperatures, and superior material quality. To evaluate this method, an EHD dryer based on solar (photovoltaic) energy was designed and fabricated. Moreover, the optimum condition for the EHD drying of kiwi fruit was studied by applying the Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology. The desirability function was applied for optimization in case of single objective and multiobjective functions. By using the multiobjective optimization method, maximum desirability value of 0.865 was obtained based on the following: applied voltage of 15 kV, field strength of 5.2 kV cm−1, without forced air stream, and finally a combination of 17 discharge electrodes (needles). The results indicated that increasing the applied voltage from 6 to 15 kV, moisture ratio (MR) decreased, though energy efficiency and energy consumption were increasing. On the other hand, field strength of 5.2 kV cm−1 was the optimal point in terms of MR. PMID:25493195

Optimization on drying conditions of a solar electrohydrodynamic drying system based on desirability concept.

PubMed

Dalvand, Mohammad Jafar; Mohtasebi, Seyed Saeid; Rafiee, Shahin

2014-11-01

The purpose of this article was to present a new drying method for agricultural products. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) has been applied for drying of agricultural materials due to several advantages such as energy saving, low cost equipment, low drying temperatures, and superior material quality. To evaluate this method, an EHD dryer based on solar (photovoltaic) energy was designed and fabricated. Moreover, the optimum condition for the EHD drying of kiwi fruit was studied by applying the Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology. The desirability function was applied for optimization in case of single objective and multiobjective functions. By using the multiobjective optimization method, maximum desirability value of 0.865 was obtained based on the following: applied voltage of 15 kV, field strength of 5.2 kV cm(-1), without forced air stream, and finally a combination of 17 discharge electrodes (needles). The results indicated that increasing the applied voltage from 6 to 15 kV, moisture ratio (MR) decreased, though energy efficiency and energy consumption were increasing. On the other hand, field strength of 5.2 kV cm(-1) was the optimal point in terms of MR.

A surprising method for green extraction of essential oil from dry spices: Microwave dry-diffusion and gravity.

PubMed

Farhat, Asma; Fabiano-Tixier, Anne-Sylvie; Visinoni, Franco; Romdhane, Mehrez; Chemat, Farid

2010-11-19

Without adding any solvent or water, we proposed a novel and green approach for the extraction of secondary metabolites from dried plant materials. This "solvent, water and vapor free" approach based on a simple principle involves the application of microwave irradiation and earth gravity to extract the essential oil from dried caraway seeds. Microwave dry-diffusion and gravity (MDG) has been compared with a conventional technique, hydrodistillation (HD), for the extraction of essential oil from dried caraway seeds. Essential oils isolated by MDG were quantitatively (yield) and qualitatively (aromatic profile) similar to those obtained by HD, but MDG was better than HD in terms of rapidity (45min versus 300min), energy saving, and cleanliness. The present apparatus permits fast and efficient extraction, reduces waste, avoids water and solvent consumption, and allows substantial energy savings. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simultaneous application of microwave energy and hot air to whole drying process of apple slices: drying kinetics, modeling, temperature profile and energy aspect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horuz, Erhan; Bozkurt, Hüseyin; Karataş, Haluk; Maskan, Medeni

2018-02-01

Drying kinetics, modeling, temperature profile and energy indices were investigated in apple slices during drying by a specially designed microwave-hot air domestic hybrid oven at the following conditions: 120, 150 and 180 W microwave powers coupled with 50, 60 and 70 °C air temperatures. Both sources of energy were applied simultaneously during the whole drying processes. The drying process continued until the moisture content of apple slices reached to 20% from 86.3% (wet basis, w.b). Drying times ranged from 330 to 800 min and decreased with increasing microwave power and air temperatures. The constant rate period was only observed at low microwave powers and air temperatures. Two falling rate periods were observed. Temperature of apple slices sharply increased within the first 60 min, then reached equilibrium with drying medium and finally increased at the end of the drying process. In order to describe drying behavior of apple slices nine empirical models were applied. The Modified Logistic Model fitted the best our experimental data ( R 2 = 0.9955-0.9998; χ 2 = 3.46 × 10-5-7.85 × 10-4 and RMSE = 0.0052-0.0221). The effective moisture and thermal diffusivities were calculated by Fick's second law and ranged from 1.42 × 10-9 to 3.31 × 10-9 m2/s and 7.70 × 10-9 to 12.54 × 10-9 m2/s, respectively. The activation energy ( Ea) values were calculated from effective moisture diffusivity ( Deff), thermal diffusivity ( α) and the rate constant of the best model ( k). The Ea values found from these three terms were similar and varied from 13.04 to 33.52 kJ/mol. Energy consumption and specific energy requirement of the hybrid drying of apple slices decreased and energy efficiency of the drying system increased with increasing microwave power and air temperature. Apples can be dried rapidly and effectively by use of the hybrid technique.

The effects of energy concentration in roughage and allowance of concentrates on performance, health and energy efficiency of pluriparous dairy cows during early lactation.

PubMed

Schmitz, Rolf; Schnabel, Karina; von Soosten, Dirk; Meyer, Ulrich; Spiekers, Hubert; Rehage, Jürgen; Dänicke, Sven

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different energy supplies from roughage and concentrates on performance, health and energy efficiency during early lactation. For this purpose an experiment was conducted containing 64 pluriparous German Holstein cows from 3 weeks prepartum until 16 weeks postpartum. During dry period all cows received an equal dry cow ration. After calving, cows were assigned in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to one of four groups, receiving either a moderate (MR, 6.0 MJ NE L ) or a high (HR, 6.4 MJ NE L ) energy concentration in roughage and furthermore moderate (MC, 150 g/kg energy-corrected milk (ECM)) or high amounts of concentrates (HC, 250 g/kg ECM) on dry matter (DM) basis, which were allocated from an automatic feeding system. Higher allocation of concentrates resulted in an increase of DM intake at expense of roughage intake. HC cows had a higher milk yield than MC cows, whereas ECM was higher in HR cows due to a decrease of milk fat yield in MR groups. Energy balance and body condition score were elevated in HC cows, but no differences occurred in development of subclinical ketosis. Furthermore, energy efficiency variables were lower in HC groups because the greater energy intake was not associated with a considerable elevation of milk yield. Consistency of faeces did not indicate digestive disorders in any of the treatment groups although the faecal manure score was significantly lower in HR groups. Our results underline the importance of a high energy uptake from roughage, which can contribute to an adequate performance and beneficial efficiency, especially at lower amounts of concentrates in ration. Feeding concentrates on an average amount of 9.4 kg/d compared to 6.4 kg/d on DM basis improved the energy balance in our trial, but without consequences for metabolic blood variables and general health of the cows.

A hydrogen transient nuclear magnetic resonance sensor for industrial drying applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nicholls, C.

1990-01-01

It has been estimated that industrial non-paper drying processes consume {approximately}0.8 quad (i.e. 8 {times} 10{sup 14} BTU) of energy per year in the United States, representing {approximately}5% of total industrial consumption. If improved technologies could be used to increase the efficiencies of the drying process and hence produce a 2% reduction in energy consumption, the energy savings would be 0.016 quad per year, or {approximately}2.5 million bbl of crude oil. DOE studies indicated that the most attractive R D target to aid in achieving these savings was an advanced moisture sensor, capable of application to a wide variety ofmore » drying processes. To meet these objectives the sensor should accurately monitor product moisture content over the range 2--35 % wt moisture (wb) and be usable at temperatures up to 350{degree}F. 22 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.« less

Subsurface Thermal Energy Storage for Improved Heating and Air Conditioning Efficiency

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-21

This project involved a field demonstration of subsurface thermal energy storage for improving the geothermal heat pump air conditioning efficiency... geothermal heat pump systems, undesirable heating of the ground may occur. This demonstration was performed at the MCAS, Beaufort, SC, where several...buildings with geothermal heat pump systems were exhibiting excessively high ground loop temperatures. These buildings were retrofitted with dry fluid

Performances of condensation boilers of the dry type observed in the laboratory and in operation (in French)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pelloux-Prayer, D.; Rottenberg, J.; Ours, A.

1982-01-01

Studies have shown that the dry type of condensation boiler offers substantial energy savings in residential space heating. For collective heating, laboratory efficiencies of 85-95% were confirmed in the field by a condensation boiler operating in a 75-unit apartment house. Compared with conventional boilers, the condensation type uses 15-21% less energy. Retrofitting existing boilers involves routing the flue gas through a heat exchanger placed in the return-water system and providing drainage for the condensates.

Thermal Aggregation of Calcium-Fortified Skim Milk Enhances Probiotic Protection during Convective Droplet Drying.

PubMed

Wang, Juan; Huang, Song; Fu, Nan; Jeantet, Romain; Chen, Xiao Dong

2016-08-03

Probiotic bacteria have been reported to confer benefits on hosts when delivered in an adequate dose. Spray-drying is expected to produce dried and microencapsulated probiotic products due to its low production cost and high energy efficiency. The bottleneck in probiotic application addresses the thermal and dehydration-related inactivation of bacteria during process. A protective drying matrix was designed by modifying skim milk with the principle of calcium-induced protein thermal aggregation. The well-defined single-droplet drying technique was used to monitor the droplet-particle conversion and the protective effect of this modified Ca-aggregated milk on Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. The Ca-aggregated milk exhibited a higher drying efficiency and superior protection on L. rhamnosus GG during thermal convective drying. The mechanism was explained by the aggregation in milk, causing the lower binding of water in the serum phase and, conversely, local concentrated milk aggregates involved in bacteria entrapment in the course of drying. This work may open new avenues for the development of probiotic products with high bacterial viability and calcium enrichment.

From municipal/industrial wastewater sludge and FOG to fertilizer: A proposal for economic sustainable sludge management.

PubMed

Bratina, Božidar; Šorgo, Andrej; Kramberger, Janez; Ajdnik, Urban; Zemljič, Lidija Fras; Ekart, Janez; Šafarič, Riko

2016-12-01

After a ban on the depositing of untreated sludge in landfills, the sludge from municipal and industrial water-treatment plants can be regarded as a problem. Waste products of the water treatment process can be a problem or an opportunity - a source for obtaining raw materials. In the European Union, raw sludge and fats, oil and grease (FOG) from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) cannot be deposited in any natural or controlled environment. For this reason, it must be processed (stabilized, dried) to be used later as a fertilizer, building material, or alternative fuel source suitable for co-incineration in high temperature furnaces (power plants or concrete plants). The processes of drying sludge, where heat and electricity are used, are energy consuming and economically unattractive. Beside energy efficiency, the main problem of sludge drying is in its variability of quality as a raw material. In addition to this, sludge can be contaminated by a number of organic and inorganic pollutants and organisms. Due to the presence or absence of pollutants, different end products can be economically interesting. For example, if the dried sludge contains coliform bacteria, viruses, helminths eggs or smaller quantities of heavy metals, it cannot be used as a fertilizer but can still be used as a fuel. The objectives of the current article is to present a batch-processing pilot device of sludge or digestate that allows the following: (1) low pressure and low temperature energy effective drying of from 10 to 40% remaining water content, (2) disinfection of pathogen (micro)organisms, (3) heavy metal reduction, (4) production of products of predetermined quality (e.g. containing different quantities of water; it can be used as a fertilizer, or if the percentage of water in the dry sludge is decreased to 10%, then the dried sludge can be used as a fuel with a calorific value similar to coal). An important feature is also the utilization of low-pressure technology to prevent odorous gasses from spreading into the environment. There are presented two new technologies: a) Sewage sludge or digestate drying in the vacuum chamber consumes approx. 1 kWh/dm 3 of evaporated water and, therefore, reaches a price of 180-240 Euros/t Dry Matter (DM), and b) Heavy metals' reduction using adsorbing reaction with magnetite nanostructures can decrease the level of heavy metals in the sewage sludge or digestate up to 20% in one cycle, which can be repeated several times on the same sludge. The aim of the paper is to present a newly developed technology which can provide economic and safe use of moderate heavy metals polluted sewage sludge on agricultural lands as organic fertilizer and, therefore, returning the nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) back to the human food chain, instead of being incinerated or landfilled. The proposed drying technology is economically sustainable due to the low vacuum and temperature (35 °C-40 °C), that increases the efficiency of the heat pump (coefficient of performance 5-7,2) of the energy produced by the anaerobic digestion. Hence, the main emphasis is given to the development of: an efficient method for heavy metals' reduction in the sludge treatment chain by using chitosan covered magnetite nanoparticles, an efficient drying method in a vacuum with low temperature energy which can be exploited from sludge digestion to reduce organic matter, and an energy sustainable concept of sludge treatment, with the addition of fats, oil and grease (FOG) to produce enough biogas for sludge drying to produce fertilizer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficient blue and green phosphorescent OLEDs with host material containing electronically isolated carbazolyl fragments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigalevicius, Saulius; Tavgeniene, Daiva; Krucaite, Gintare; Blazevicius, Dovydas; Griniene, Raimonda; Lai, Yi-Ning; Chiu, Hao-Hsuan; Chang, Chih-Hao

2018-05-01

Dry process-able host materials are well suited to realize high performance phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) with precise deposition of organic layers. We demonstrate in this study high efficiency green and blue phosphorescent OLED devices by employing 3-[bis(9-ethylcarbazol-3-yl)methyl]-9-hexylcarbazole based host material. By doping a typical green emitter of fac tris(2-phenylpyridine)iridium (Ir (ppy)3) in the compound the resultant dry-processed green device exhibited superior performance with low turn on voltage of 3.0 V and with peak efficiencies of 11.4%, 39.9 cd/A and 41.8 lm/W. When blue emitter of bis [2-(4,6-difluorophenyl)pyridinato-C2,N](picolinato)iridium (III) was used, the resultant blue device showed turn on voltage of 2.9 V and peak efficiencies of 9.4%, 21.4 cd/A and 21.7 lm/W. The high efficiencies may be attributed to the host possessing high triplet energy level, effective host-to-guest energy transfer and effective carrier injection balance.

Air-to-Water Heat Pumps With Radiant Delivery in Low-Load Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Backman, C.; German, A.; Dakin, B.

2013-12-01

Space conditioning represents nearly 50% of average residential household energy consumption, highlighting the need to identify alternative cost-effective, energy-efficient cooling and heating strategies. As homes are better built, there is an increasing need for strategies that are particularly well suited for high performance, low load homes. ARBI researchers worked with two test homes in hot-dry climates to evaluate the in-situ performance of air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) systems, an energy efficient space conditioning solution designed to cost-effectively provide comfort in homes with efficient, safe, and durable operation. Two monitoring projects of test houses in hot-dry climates were initiated in 2010 tomore » test this system. Both systems were fully instrumented and have been monitored over one year to capture complete performance data over the cooling and heating seasons. Results are used to quantify energy savings, cost-effectiveness, and system performance using different operating modes and strategies. A calibrated TRNSYS model was developed and used to evaluate performance in various climate regions. This strategy is most effective in tight, insulated homes with high levels of thermal mass (i.e. exposed slab floors).« less

Recent advances in fluidized bed drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haron, N. S.; Zakaria, J. H.; Mohideen Batcha, M. F.

2017-09-01

Fluidized bed drying are very well known to yield high heat and mass transfer and hence adopted to many industrial drying processes particularly agricultural products. In this paper, recent advances in fluidized bed drying were reviewed and focus is given to the drying related to the usage of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). It can be seen that usage of modern computational tools such as CFD helps to optimize the fluidized bed dryer design and operation for lower energy consumption and thus better thermal efficiency. Among agricultural products that were reviewed in this paper were oil palm frond, wheat grains, olive pomace, coconut, pepper corn and millet.

Genome wide association analyses based on a multiple trait approach for modeling feed efficiency

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genome wide association (GWA) of feed efficiency (FE) could help target important genomic regions influencing FE. Data provided by an international dairy FE research consortium consisted of phenotypic records on dry matter intakes (DMI), milk energy (MILKE), and metabolic body weight (MBW) on 6,937 ...

Automated Array Assembly Task In-depth Study of Silicon Wafer Surface Texturizing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, G. T.; Chitre, S.; Rhee, S. S.; Allison, K. L.

1979-01-01

A low cost wafer surface texturizing process was studied. An investigation of low cost cleaning operations to clean residual wax and organics from the surface of silicon wafers was made. The feasibility of replacing dry nitrogen with clean dry air for drying silicon wafers was examined. The two stage texturizing process was studied for the purpose of characterizing relevant parameters in large volume applications. The effect of gettering solar cells on photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency is described.

Immersion frying for the thermal drying of sewage sludge: an economic assessment.

PubMed

Peregrina, Carlos; Rudolph, Victor; Lecomte, Didier; Arlabosse, Patricia

2008-01-01

This paper presents an economic study of a novel thermal fry-drying technology which transforms sewage sludge and recycled cooking oil (RCO) into a solid fuel. The process is shown to have significant potential advantage in terms of capital costs (by factors of several times) and comparable operating costs. Three potential variants of the process have been simulated and costed in terms of both capital and operating requirements for a commercial scale of operation. The differences are in the energy recovery systems, which include a simple condensation of the evaporated water and two different heat pump configurations. Simple condensation provides the simplest process, but the energy efficiency gain of an open heat pump offset this, making it economically somewhat more attractive. In terms of operating costs, current sludge dryers are dominated by maintenance and energy requirements, while for fry-drying these are comparatively small. Fry-drying running costs are dominated by provision of makeup waste oil. Cost reduction could focus on cheaper waste oil, e.g. from grease trap waste.

The energy content of wet corn distillers grains for lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Birkelo, C P; Brouk, M J; Schingoethe, D J

2004-06-01

Forty-five energy balances were completed with 12 multiparous, lactating Holstein cows in a study designed to determine the energy content of wet corn distillers grains. Treatments were applied in a repeated switchback design and consisted of total mixed diets containing 31.4% corn silage, 18.4% alfalfa hay, and either 30.7% rolled corn and 16.7% soybean meal or 17.0% rolled corn and 31.2% wet corn distillers grains (dry matter basis). Replacement of corn and soybean meal with wet corn distillers grains reduced dry matter intake 10.9% but did not affect milk production. Neither digestible nor metabolizable energy were affected by diet composition. Heat and milk energy output did not differ by diet, but body energy retained was 2.8 Mcal/d less in cows fed the wet corn distillers grains diet. Multiple regression estimates of maintenance metabolizable energy requirement and partial efficiencies of metabolizable energy used for lactation and body energy deposition did not differ by diet. Pooled estimates were 136.2, 0.66, and 0.85, kcal of metabolizable energy/ body weight0.75 per day, respectively. Calculated by difference, wet corn distillers grains was estimated to contain 4.09, 3.36, and 2.27 Mcal/kg of dry matter as digestible, metabolizable, and lactational net energy, respectively. These energy estimates were 7 to 11% and 10 to 15%, respectively, greater than those reported for dried corn distillers grains by the 1989 and 2001 dairy NRC publications.

A field survey on coffee beans drying methods of Indonesian small holder farmers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siagian, Parulian; Setyawan, Eko Y.; Gultom, Tumiur; Napitupulu, Farel H.; Ambarita, Himsar

2017-09-01

Drying agricultural product is a post-harvest process that consumes significant energy. It can affect the quality of the product. This paper deals with literature review and field survey of drying methods of coffee beans of Indonesia farmers. The objective is to supply the necessary information on developing continuous solar drier. The results show that intermittent characteristic of sun drying results in a better quality of coffee beans in comparison with constant convective drying. In order to use energy efficiently, the drying process should be divided into several stages. In the first stage when the moist content is high, higher drying air temperature is more effective. After this step, where the moist content is low, lower drying air temperature is better. The field survey of drying coffee beans in Sumatera Utara province reveals that the used drying process is very traditional. It can be divided into two modes and depend on the coffee beans type. The Arabica coffee is firstly fermented and dried to moisture content of 80% using sun drying method, then followed by Green House model of drying up to moisture content about 12%. The latter typically spends 3 days of drying time. On the other hand, The Robusta coffee is dried by exposing to the sun directly without any treatment. After the coffee beans dried follow by peeled process. These findings can be considered to develop a continuous solar drying that suitable for coffee beans drying.

Numerical and experimental investigation of direct solar crop dryer for farmers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kareem, M. W.; Habib, Khairul; Sulaiman, S. A.

2015-07-01

This article presents a theoretical and experimental investigation on effects of weather on direct solar crop drying technique. The SIMULINK tool was employed to analyze the energy balance equations of the transient system model. A prototype of the drying system was made and data were collected between the months of June and July in Perak, Malaysia. The contribution of intense sunny days was encouraging despite the wet season, and the wind velocity was dynamic during the period of investigation. However, high percentage of relative humidity was observed. This constitutes a hindrance to efficient drying process. The reported studies were silent on the effect of thick atmospheric moisture content on drying rate of agricultural products in tropic climate. This finding has revealed the mean values of insolation, wind speed, moisturized air, system performance efficiency and chili microscopy image morphology. The predicted and measured results were compared with good agreement.

Development of a microwave clothes dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-07-01

The objective of the project is to investigate the microwave drying of clothes and to produce an impartial, generic database for use by interested parties, including appliance manufacturers, who may want to use it when designing and developing microwave clothes dryers. This interim report covers the first year of activity on the project. During that time, a laboratory test model of a microwave clothes dryer was constructed and tested over a wide range of parameters. The test unit was the same size as a residential home dryer and had eight 0.85-kW microwave power supplies from home ovens and a 5-kWmore » resistance air heater. Thus, the model could be used for microwave drying, hot air drying or for a combination of both drying techniques. Microwave drying was effective in three drying modes: Cool drying, fast drying and very efficient drying. Microwaves penetrate the clothes and heat the water molecules directly while conventional heat energy must be conducted through the clothes to evaporate the water. In cool drying, microwaves alone heat the water and an airflow of slightly warmed air carries away the moisture. In fast drying, the microwave power is combined with hot air drying to reduce drying times by as much as 50%. In the most efficient mode of drying, microwave power is used along with the waste heat from the microwave power supply. Hazards testing and fine fabric tests are scheduled for the future.« less

Comparison of protein and energy supplementation to mineral supplementation on feeding behavior of grazing cattle during the rainy to the dry season transition.

PubMed

Brandão, Rita Kelly Couto; de Carvalho, Gleidson Giordano Pinto; Silva, Robério Rodrigues; Dias, Daniel Lucas Santos; Mendes, Fabrício Bacelar Lima; Lins, Túlio Otávio Jardim D'Almeida; Filho, George Abreu; de Souza, Sinvaldo Oliveira; Barroso, Daniele Soares; de Almeida Rufino, Luana Marta; Tosto, Manuela Silva Libânio

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of protein-energy or mineral supplementation on the ingestive behavior of dairy steers on pasture in the post-weaning phase during the rainy to dry season transition. Twenty-two ½ Holstein-Zebu dairy steers with an average initial body weight of 234 ± 16 kg were distributed into a completely randomized design into two groups: protein-energy supplementation and mineral supplementation offered ad libitum. The steers receiving protein-energy supplementation showed higher (P < 0.05) intake of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) than those fed diets composed of mineral salt only. In addition, the animals that received protein-energy supplementation had longer period in grazing and spent on average more time per period eating at the trough (P < 0.05), however no significant differences were observed in the time per period in rumination and time per period in idle (P > 0.05). The supply of protein-energy supplement does not change the feeding behavior, except for an increase in the time spent feeding at the trough. The intake of protein-energy supplement improved the of DM and NDF feed efficiencies in grazing cattle during the rainy to the dry season transition.

Modeling and design of a high efficiency hybrid heat pump clothes dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

TeGrotenhuis, Ward; Butterfield, Andrew; Caldwell, Dustin

Computational modeling is used to design a hybrid heat pump clothes dryer capable of saving 50% of the energy used by residential clothes dryers with comparable drying times. The model represents the various stages of a drying cycle from warm-up through constant drying rate and falling drying rate phases and finishing with a cooldown phase. The model is fit to data acquired from a U.S. commercial standard vented electric dryer, and when a hybrid heat pump system is added, the energy factor increases from 3.0 lbs/kWh to 5.7-6.0 lbs/kWh, depending on the increase in blower motor power. The hybrid heatmore » pump system is designed from off-the-shelf components and includes a recuperative heat exchanger, an electric element, and an R-134a vapor compression heat pump. Parametric studies of element power and heating element use show a trade-off between energy savings and cycle time. Results show a step-change in energy savings from heat pump dryers currently marketed in the U.S. based on performance represented by Enery Star from standardized DOE testing.« less

The efficiency of utilization of metabolizable energy and apparent absorption of amino acids in sheep given spring- and autumn-harvested dried grass.

PubMed

Macrae, J C; Smith, J S; Dewey, P J; Brewer, A C; Brown, D S; Walker, A

1985-07-01

Three experiments were conducted with sheep given spring-harvested dried grass (SHG) and autumn-harvested dried grass (AHG). The first was a calorimetric trial to determine the metabolizable energy (ME) content of each grass and the efficiency with which sheep utilize their extra ME intakes above the maintenance level of intake. The second examined the relative amounts of extra non-ammonia-nitrogen (NAN) and individual amino acids absorbed from the small intestine per unit extra ME intake as the level of feeding was raised from energy equilibrium (M) to approximately 1.5 M. The third was a further calorimetric trial to investigate the effect of an abomasal infusion of 30 g casein/d on the efficiency of utilization of AHG. The ME content of the SHG (11.8 MJ/kg dry matter (DM] was higher than that of AHG (10.0 MJ/kg DM). The efficiency of utilization of ME for productive purposes (i.e. above the M level of intake; kf) was higher when given SHG (kf 0.54 between M and 2 M) than when given AHG (kf 0.43 between M and 2 M). As the level of intake of each grass was raised from M to 1.5 M there was a greater increment in the amounts of NAN (P less than 0.001) and the total amino acid (P less than 0.05) absorbed from the small intestines when sheep were given the SHG (NAN absorption, SHG 5.4 g/d, AHG 1.5 g/d, SED 0.54; total amino acid absorption SHG 31.5 g/d, AHG 14.3 g/d, SED 5.24). Infusion of 30 g casein/d per abomasum of sheep given AHG at M and 1.5 M levels of intake increased (P less than 0.05) the efficiency of utilization of the herbage from kf 0.45 to kf 0.57. Consideration is given to the possibility that the higher efficiency of utilization of ME in sheep given SHG may be related to the amounts of extra glucogenic amino acids absorbed from the small intestine which provide extra reducing equivalents (NADPH) and glycerol phosphate necessary for the conversion of acetate into fatty acids.

Design of Solar Heat Sheet for Air Heaters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priya, S. Shanmuga; Premalatha, M.; Thirunavukkarasu, I.

2011-12-01

The technique of harnessing solar energy for drying offers significant potential to dry agricultural products such as food grains, fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants, thereby eliminating many of the problems experienced with open-sun drying and industrial drying, besides saving huge quantities of fossil fuels. A great deal of experimental work over the last few decades has already demonstrated that agricultural products can be satisfactorily dehydrated using solar energy. Various designs of small scale solar dryers have been developed in the recent past, mainly for drying agricultural products. Major problems experienced with solar dryers are their non-reliability as their operation largely depends on local weather conditions. While back-up heaters and hybrid dryers partly solved this issue, difficulties in controlling the drying air temperature and flow rate remains a problem, and affects the quality of the dried product. This study is aimed at eliminating the fluctuations in the quality of hot air supplied by simple solar air heaters used for drying fruits, vegetables and other applications. It is an attempt to analyse the applicability of the combination of an glazed transpired solar collector (tank), thermal storage and a intake fan(suction fan) to achieve a steady supply of air at a different atmospheric temperature and flow rate for drying fruits and vegetables. Development of an efficient, low-cost and reliable air heating system for drying applications is done.

A gas circulation and purification system for gas-cell-based low-energy RI-beam production.

PubMed

Sonoda, T; Tsubota, T; Wada, M; Katayama, I; Kojima, T M; Reponen, M

2016-06-01

A gas circulation and purification system was developed at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory that can be used for gas-cell-based low-energy RI-beam production. A high-flow-rate gas cell filled with one atmosphere of buffer gas (argon or helium) is used for the deceleration and thermalization of high-energy RI-beams. The exhausted buffer gas is efficiently collected using a compact dry pump and returned to the gas cell with a recovery efficiency of >97%. The buffer gas is efficiently purified using two gas purifiers as well as collision cleaning, which eliminates impurities in the gas. An impurity level of one part per billion is achieved with this method.

A gas circulation and purification system for gas-cell-based low-energy RI-beam production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sonoda, T.; Wada, M.; Katayama, I.

A gas circulation and purification system was developed at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory that can be used for gas-cell-based low-energy RI-beam production. A high-flow-rate gas cell filled with one atmosphere of buffer gas (argon or helium) is used for the deceleration and thermalization of high-energy RI-beams. The exhausted buffer gas is efficiently collected using a compact dry pump and returned to the gas cell with a recovery efficiency of >97%. The buffer gas is efficiently purified using two gas purifiers as well as collision cleaning, which eliminates impurities in the gas. An impurity level of one part permore » billion is achieved with this method.« less

Effects of meal size, clutch, and metabolism on the energy efficiencies of juvenile Burmese pythons, Python molurus.

PubMed

Cox, Christian L; Secor, Stephen M

2007-12-01

We explored meal size and clutch (i.e., genetic) effects on the relative proportion of ingested energy that is absorbed by the gut (apparent digestive efficiency), becomes available for metabolism and growth (apparent assimilation efficiency), and is used for growth (production efficiency) for juvenile Burmese pythons (Python molurus). Sibling pythons were fed rodent meals equaling 15%, 25%, and 35% of their body mass and individuals from five different clutches were fed rodent meals equaling 25% of their body mass. For each of 11-12 consecutive feeding trials, python body mass was recorded and feces and urate of each snake was collected, dried, and weighed. Energy contents of meals (mice and rats), feces, urate, and pythons were determined using bomb calorimetry. For siblings fed three different meal sizes, growth rate increased with larger meals, but there was no significant variation among the meal sizes for any of the calculated energy efficiencies. Among the three meal sizes, apparent digestive efficiency, apparent assimilation efficiency, and production efficiency averaged 91.0%, 84.7%, and 40.7%, respectively. In contrast, each of these energy efficiencies varied significantly among the five different clutches. Among these clutches production efficiency was negatively correlated with standard metabolic rate (SMR). Clutches containing individuals with low SMR were therefore able to allocate more of ingested energy into growth.

Heat and mass transfer models to understand the drying mechanisms of a porous substrate.

PubMed

Songok, Joel; Bousfield, Douglas W; Gane, Patrick A C; Toivakka, Martti

2016-02-01

While drying of paper and paper coatings is expensive, with significant energy requirements, the rate controlling mechanisms are not currently fully understood. Two two-dimensional models are used as a first approximation to predict the heat transfer during hot air drying and to evaluate the role of various parameters on the drying rates of porous coatings. The models help determine the structural limiting factors during the drying process, while applying for the first time the recently known values of coating thermal diffusivity. The results indicate that the thermal conductivity of the coating structure is not the controlling factor, but the drying rate is rather determined by the thermal transfer process at the structure surface. This underlines the need for ensuring an efficient thermal transfer from hot air to coating surface during drying, before considering further measures to increase the thermal conductivity of porous coatings.

Flexible HVAC System for Lab or Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedan, Jonathan

2001-01-01

Discusses an effort to design a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system flexible enough to accommodate an easy conversion of classrooms to laboratories and dry labs to wet labs. The design's energy efficiency and operations and maintenance are examined. (GR)

Humidity Distributions in Multilayered Walls of High-rise Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamayunova, Olga; Musorina, Tatiana; Ishkov, Alexander

2018-03-01

The limitation of free territories in large cities is the main reason for the active development of high-rise construction. Given the large-scale projects of high-rise buildings in recent years in Russia and abroad and their huge energy consumption, one of the fundamental principles in the design and reconstruction is the use of energy-efficient technologies. The main heat loss in buildings occurs through enclosing structures. However, not always the heat-resistant wall will be energy-efficient and dry at the same time (perhaps waterlogging). Temperature and humidity distributions in multilayer walls were studied in the paper, and the interrelation of other thermophysical characteristics was analyzed.

Optimization of mooseer (A. hirtifolium Boiss.) dehydration under infrared conditions.

PubMed

Chayjan, Reza Amiri; Fealekari, Mosayeb

2017-01-01

In recent years, infrared drying has gained popularity as an alternative drying method for a va- riety of agricultural products. The use of infrared radiation technology in drying agricultural products has several advantages. These may include decreased drying time, high energy efficiency, high-quality finished products and uniform temperature in the product. With intermittent infrared and convection heating of a thick porous material, the drying time can be reduced compared to convection alone, while keeping good food quality and high energy efficiency. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the drying con- ditions of mooseer under infrared-convective drying. Experiments were performed at air temperatures of  40, 55 and 70°C, infrared powers of 500, 1000 and 1500 W, air velocities of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 m/s and slice thicknesses of 2, 4, and 6 mm. In this study, effective moisture diffusivity (Deff), shrinkage, color changes and specific energy consumption (SEC) were investigated. The central composite design (CCD) was selected for the design and optimization of the process. Deff was obtained between 1.4×10 and 3.57×10    m /s. With increasing air temperature and slice –10                                  –9       2 thickness, Deff also increased. The level of shrinkage rose as slice thickness increased. The highest and lowest values of color changes were calculated at air temperatures of 70°C (52.3%) and 40°C (5.65%), respectively. Increasing air velocity led to an increase in SEC. Optimum conditions for mooseer drying were achieved at air temperature of 70°C, infrared power of 867.46, air velocity of 0.59 m/s and slice thickness of 2 mm. At this point, Deff, shrinkage, color changes and SEC was obtained as 1.32×10–9 m2/s, 29.58%, 17.62% and 4.64 MJ/kg, respectively. The desir- ability value of 0.689 was achieved for the drying process.  .

Energy efficiency and its relationship with milk, body, and intake traits and energy status among primiparous Nordic Red dairy cattle.

PubMed

Mäntysaari, P; Liinamo, A-E; Mäntysaari, E A

2012-06-01

Existing variation in energy efficiency and its relationship with milk yield and milk composition, body weight and body condition, feed intake, and energy status was studied in primiparous Nordic Red dairy cattle with data including 3,752 weekly records from 145 cows. Energy efficiency was defined as energy conversion efficiency (ECE) and as residual energy intake (REI) estimated based on Finnish feeding standards (REI₁) or from the current data (REI₂). The results indicated true phenotypic variation in energy efficiency of the cows. The proportion of total variance due to the animal was 0.35 for REI₁, 0.30 for REI₂, and 0.50 for ECE. The high efficiency based on ECE was associated with increased mobilization of body reserves (r = -0.50) and decreased dry matter intake (r = -0.51). With REI as an energy efficiency measure, the increased efficiency was associated with a large decrease in feed intake (REI₁: r = 0.60; REI2: r = 0.74) without any effect on body weight change (REI₁: r = 0.13; REI2: r = 0.00). Increased efficiency based on ECE and REI₁ was associated with increased milk yield (ECE: r = 0.58; REI₁: r = -0.41). A clear effect of stage of lactation on REI was found, which could be caused by true differences in utilization of metabolizable energy during lactation. However, it might also be related, in part, to the lack of knowledge of the composition of body weight change in the beginning of lactation. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Tube Diameter on The Design of Heat Exchanger in Solar Drying system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husham Abdulmalek, Shaymaa; Khalaji Assadi, Morteza; Al-Kayiem, Hussain H.; Gitan, Ali Ahmed

2018-03-01

The drying of agriculture product consumes a huge fossil fuel rates that demand to find an alternative source of sustainable environmental friendly energy such as solar energy. This work presents the difference between using solar heat source and electrical heater in terms of design aspect. A circular-finned tube bank heat exchanger is considered against an electrical heater used as a heat generator to regenerate silica gel in solar assisted desiccant drying system. The impact of tube diameter on the heat transfer area was investigated for both the heat exchanger and the electrical heater. The fin performance was investigated by determining fin effectiveness and fin efficiency. A mathematical model was developed using MATLAB to describe the forced convection heat transfer between hot water supplied by evacuated solar collector with 70 °C and ambient air flow over heat exchanger finned tubes. The results revealed that the increasing of tube diameter augments the heat transfer area of both heat exchanger and electrical heater. The highest of fin efficiency was around 0.745 and the lowest was around 0.687 while the fin effectiveness was found to be around 0.998.

Impact of Meloidogyne incognita on Physiological Efficiency of Vitis vinifera.

PubMed

Melakeberhan, H; Ferris, H

1989-01-01

Four-week-old French Colombard plants rooted from green cuttings were inoculated with 0, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, or 8,000 Meloidogyne incognita second-stage juveniles and maintained at 25 C night and 30 C day. Leaf area and dry weight and the rates of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and internal leaf CO concentration were measured at intervals up to 59 days after inoculation. Nematode stress dosage, measured as the product of cumulative number of juveniles and females and their total energy (calories) demand, was up to 3.4 kcal and accounted for up to 15% of the energy assimilated by the plants. There was a decline in the rate of leaf area expansion and leaf, stem, shoot, root (excluding nematode weight), and total plant dry weight with increasing nematode stress. Root weight including nematodes was not affected. Total respiration, plant photosynthesis, energy assimilated into plant tissue and respiration, and gross production efficiency decreased significantly with nematode stress. Photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and internal CO concentration were not affected. This study demonstrates that the energy demand for growth and reproduction of M. incognita accounts for a significant portion of the total energy entering the plant system. As a result, less energy is partitioned into leaf area expansion which, in turn, affects the energy entering the system and results in decreased productivity of nematode-infected grape vines.

Hyperconcentrated Sweet Whey, a New Culture Medium That Enhances Propionibacterium freudenreichii Stress Tolerance.

PubMed

Huang, Song; Rabah, Houem; Jardin, Julien; Briard-Bion, Valérie; Parayre, Sandrine; Maillard, Marie-Bernadette; Le Loir, Yves; Chen, Xiao Dong; Schuck, Pierre; Jeantet, Romain; Jan, Gwénaël

2016-08-01

Propionibacterium freudenreichii is used as a cheese-ripening starter and as a probiotic. Its reported physiological effects at the gut level, including modulation of bifidobacteria, colon epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis, and intestinal inflammation, rely on active metabolism in situ Survival and activity are thus key factors determining its efficacy, creating stress adaptation and tolerance bottlenecks for probiotic applications. Growth media and growth conditions determine tolerance acquisition. We investigated the possibility of using sweet whey, a dairy by-product, to sustain P. freudenreichii growth. It was used at different concentrations (dry matter) as a culture medium. Using hyperconcentrated sweet whey led to enhanced multistress tolerance acquisition, overexpression of key stress proteins, and accumulation of intracellular storage molecules and compatible solutes, as well as enhanced survival upon spray drying. A simplified process from growth to spray drying of propionibacteria was developed using sweet whey as a 2-in-1 medium to both culture P. freudenreichii and protect it from heat and osmotic injury without harvesting and washing steps. As spray drying is far cheaper and more energy efficient than freeze-drying, this work opens new perspectives for the sustainable development of new starter and probiotic preparations with enhanced robustness. In this study, we demonstrate that sweet whey, a dairy industry by-product, not only allows the growth of probiotic dairy propionibacteria, but also triggers a multitolerance response through osmoadaptation and general stress response. We also show that propionibacteria accumulate compatible solutes under these culture conditions, which might account for the limited loss of viability after spray drying. This work opens new perspectives for more energy-efficient production of dairy starters and probiotics. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Hyperconcentrated Sweet Whey, a New Culture Medium That Enhances Propionibacterium freudenreichii Stress Tolerance

PubMed Central

Huang, Song; Rabah, Houem; Jardin, Julien; Briard-Bion, Valérie; Parayre, Sandrine; Maillard, Marie-Bernadette; Le Loir, Yves; Schuck, Pierre; Jeantet, Romain

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Propionibacterium freudenreichii is used as a cheese-ripening starter and as a probiotic. Its reported physiological effects at the gut level, including modulation of bifidobacteria, colon epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis, and intestinal inflammation, rely on active metabolism in situ. Survival and activity are thus key factors determining its efficacy, creating stress adaptation and tolerance bottlenecks for probiotic applications. Growth media and growth conditions determine tolerance acquisition. We investigated the possibility of using sweet whey, a dairy by-product, to sustain P. freudenreichii growth. It was used at different concentrations (dry matter) as a culture medium. Using hyperconcentrated sweet whey led to enhanced multistress tolerance acquisition, overexpression of key stress proteins, and accumulation of intracellular storage molecules and compatible solutes, as well as enhanced survival upon spray drying. A simplified process from growth to spray drying of propionibacteria was developed using sweet whey as a 2-in-1 medium to both culture P. freudenreichii and protect it from heat and osmotic injury without harvesting and washing steps. As spray drying is far cheaper and more energy efficient than freeze-drying, this work opens new perspectives for the sustainable development of new starter and probiotic preparations with enhanced robustness. IMPORTANCE In this study, we demonstrate that sweet whey, a dairy industry by-product, not only allows the growth of probiotic dairy propionibacteria, but also triggers a multitolerance response through osmoadaptation and general stress response. We also show that propionibacteria accumulate compatible solutes under these culture conditions, which might account for the limited loss of viability after spray drying. This work opens new perspectives for more energy-efficient production of dairy starters and probiotics. PMID:27235433

Assessing solar energy and water use efficiencies in winter wheat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asrar, G.; Hipps, L. E.; Kanemasu, E. T.

1982-01-01

The water use and solar energy conversion efficiencies of two cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L., vars, Centurk and Newton) planted at three densities, were examined during a growing season. Water use, based on soil moisture depletion, was the lowest under the light, and the highest under the heavy planting densities of both cultivars. Water use efficiency of medium and heavy planting densities were greater than the light planting densities in both cultivars. The canopy radiation extinction coefficients of both cultivars increased with increases in planting density. Efficiency of operation interception of photosynthetically active radiation by both cultivars improved from the time of jointing until anthesis, and then decreased during senescence. The efficiency of the conversion of intercepted radiation to dry matter (biochemical efficiency) decreased throughout the growing season both cultivars. The interception, biochemical, and photosynthetic efficiencies improved as planting density increased.

Effect of increasing monensin sodium levels in diets with virginiamycin on the finishing of Nellore cattle.

PubMed

Benatti, João Marcos B; Alves Neto, João Alexandrino; de Oliveira, Ivanna M; de Resende, Flávio D; Siqueira, Gustavo R

2017-11-01

This study evaluated the effect of increasing levels of monensin sodium (MON) in diets with virginiamycin (VM) on the finishing of feedlot cattle. Two hundred and eighty intact male Nellore cattle (348 ± 32 kg body weight, 22 months) received one of the following five diets: control diet (without additives); diet containing VM (25 mg per kg dry matter) combined with 0 (MON0), 10 (MON10), 20 (MON20) or 30 (MON30) mg MON per kg dry matter. During adaptation (28 days), the MON0 diet increased dietary net energy for maintenance and gain compared to the control diet (P = 0.04). The combination of additives linearly reduced dry matter intake, body weight and average daily gain (P < 0.01). Considering the total study period (110 days), there was a trend of greater net energy intake for maintenance (P = 0.09) and hot carcass weight (P = 0.06) for animals fed MON0 compared to the control diet. The combination of additives linearly reduced dry matter intake (P = 0.04) and linearly increased gain : feed and dietary net energy for maintenance and gain (P < 0.01). The combination of VM with MON at a dose of 30 mg/kg dry matter is recommended for Nellore feedlot cattle because it improves the efficiency of energy utilization. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

U.S. Army CERDEC Field Evaluation and Testing of Soldier and Man-Portable Fuel Cell Power Sources. CERDEC C2D Army Power Division, Power Sources Branch

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-19

Energy Density of UltraCell XX25 72 25W Mission Energy Density: 24-hr 230 Whr /kg 72-hr 360 Whr /kg UltraCell XX55 RMFC 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 0% 25...Weight: 2.7 kg System Efficiency: 26.0 % 55W Mission Energy Density: 24 hr 265 Whr /kg* 72-hr 410 Whr /kg* * Calculated based on initial data only AMIe60...10.25" x 9" x 4" Start Up Time: 15min. System Dry Weight: 2.8 kg System Efficiency: 18.0 % 60W Mission Energy Density: 24 hr 400 Whr /kg 72-hr

Microwave drying remediation of petroleum-contaminated drill cuttings.

PubMed

Júnior, Irineu Petri; Martins, André Leibsohn; Ataíde, Carlos H; Duarte, Cláudio R

2017-07-01

The oil reservoir drilling phase generates contaminated cuttings with oil formation itself. These cuttings must be subjected to a decontamination process before being disposed of in the environment. Several technologies are cited in literature for the remediation of soil contaminated with oil or diesel, but none have been reported to remedy drill cuttings contaminated with oil from reservoir. The reservoir drill cuttings are a problem because its discharge is not allowed. The drying technology using microwave has shown promise in the decontamination of cuttings with non-aqueous base drilling fluid, conciliating good robustness and high removal efficiency. Considering the aspects mentioned previously, the application of heating and drying technology using microwave in the remediation of oil contaminated cuttings from well drill was studied. The influence of temperature, specific energy and initial content of water in the drying operation of the reservoir cuttings and of the drilling cuttings artificially contaminated with oil were analyzed. The results showed an influence of temperature in the drying of the cuttings, being necessary to reach the boiling temperature of heavier hydrocarbons to reach an efficient removal in the operation. The specific energy has a strong influence, reaching a total decontamination using 2.67 kWh/kg. The initial water content was effective in removing oil, reducing the residual level of oil with the increase of initial content of water. It also modifies the temperature profiles of the kinetic-warming of the contaminated cuttings. Both the technology and the equipment used proved effective for obtaining total decontamination of oil from the cuttings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Application of Perfluorocarbons as Impregnants for Plastic Film Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mauldin, G. H.

1981-01-01

A liquid impregnated, plastic film (wet) capacitor was developed that is thought to be the most reliable and space efficient capacitor of any type ever produced for high voltage, pulse discharge service. The initial design stores five times the energy of a premium quality dry capacitor of equivalent energy and reliability. The technology, as well as a production capacitor design using this technology are described.

Papaya drying and waste conversion system. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1982-02-12

This project, performed under United States Department of Energy Small-scale Appropriate Energy Technology Grant, involves demonstration of an integrated system using solar energy to process off-grade or reject fruit into marketable food products. The integrated system consists of three phases: (1) solar dehydration of usable fruit; (2) solar vacuum distillation of fermented wastes (peelings, rinds, skins, and seeds) to produce an ethanol fuel to use as a backup source of heat for dehydration; and (3) land reclamation by mixing stillage and compost with volcanic cinder and ash to produce on marginal land a rich soil suitable for growing more cropsmore » to dry. Although the system is not 100% complete the investigators have demonstrated that a small business can efficiently use solar energies in an integrated fashion to process waste into food, improve the quality of the land, and provide meaningful jobs in a region of very high unemployment.« less

Magnetically Enhanced Solid-Liquid Separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rey, C. M.; Keller, K.; Fuchs, B.

2005-07-01

DuPont is developing an entirely new method of solid-liquid filtration involving the use of magnetic fields and magnetic field gradients. The new hybrid process, entitled Magnetically Enhanced Solid-Liquid Separation (MESLS), is designed to improve the de-watering kinetics and reduce the residual moisture content of solid particulates mechanically separated from liquid slurries. Gravitation, pressure, temperature, centrifugation, and fluid dynamics have dictated traditional solid-liquid separation for the past 50 years. The introduction of an external field (i.e. the magnetic field) offers the promise to manipulate particle behavior in an entirely new manner, which leads to increased process efficiency. Traditional solid-liquid separation typically consists of two primary steps. The first is a mechanical step in which the solid particulate is separated from the liquid using e.g. gas pressure through a filter membrane, centrifugation, etc. The second step is a thermal drying process, which is required due to imperfect mechanical separation. The thermal drying process is over 100-200 times less energy efficient than the mechanical step. Since enormous volumes of materials are processed each year, more efficient mechanical solid-liquid separations can be leveraged into dramatic reductions in overall energy consumption by reducing downstream drying requirements have a tremendous impact on energy consumption. Using DuPont's MESLS process, initial test results showed four very important effects of the magnetic field on the solid-liquid filtration process: 1) reduction of the time to reach gas breakthrough, 2) less loss of solid into the filtrate, 3) reduction of the (solids) residual moisture content, and 4) acceleration of the de-watering kinetics. These test results and their potential impact on future commercial solid-liquid filtration is discussed. New applications can be found in mining, chemical and bioprocesses.

Steam atmosphere drying exhaust steam recompression system

DOEpatents

Becker, F.E.; Smolensky, L.A.; Doyle, E.F.; DiBella, F.A.

1994-03-08

This invention relates to a heated steam atmosphere drying system comprising dryer in combination with an exhaust recompression system which is extremely energy efficient and eliminates dangers known to air dryers. The system uses superheated steam as the drying medium, which recirculates through the system where its heat of evaporation and heat of compression is recovered, thereby providing a constant source of heat to the drying chamber. The dryer has inlets whereby feedstock and superheated steam are fed therein. High heat transfer and drying rates are achieved by intimate contact of the superheated steam with the particles being dried. The dryer comprises a vessel which enables the feedstock and steam to enter and recirculate together. When the feedstock becomes dry it will exit the dryer with the steam and become separated from the steam through the use of a curvilinear louver separator (CLS). The CLS enables removal of fine and ultrafine particles from the dryer. Water vapor separated from the particles in the CLS as superheated steam, may then be recovered and recirculated as steam through the use of a compressor to either directly or indirectly heat the dryer, and a heat exchanger or a heater to directly provide heat to the dryer. This system not only provides a very efficient heat transfer system but results in a minimum carry-over of ultrafine particles thereby eliminating any explosive hazard. 17 figures.

Steam atmosphere drying exhaust steam recompression system

DOEpatents

Becker, Frederick E.; Smolensky, Leo A.; Doyle, Edward F.; DiBella, Francis A.

1994-01-01

This invention relates to a heated steam atmosphere drying system comprising dryer in combination with an exhaust recompression system which is extremely energy efficient and eliminates dangers known to air dryers. The system uses superheated steam as the drying medium, which recirculated through the system where its heat of evaporation and heat of compression is recovered, thereby providing a constant source of heat to the drying chamber. The dryer has inlets whereby feedstock and superheated steam are fed therein. High heat transfer and drying rates are achieved by intimate contact of the superheated steam with the particles being dried The dryer comprises a vessel which enables the feedstock and steam to enter recirculate together. When the feedstock becomes dry it will exit the dryer with the steam and become separated from the steam through the use of a curvilinear louver separator (CLS). The CLS enables removal of fine and ultrafine particles from the dryer. Water vapor separated from the particles in the CLS as superheated steam, may then be recovered and recirculated as steam through the use of a compressor to either directly or indirectly heat the dryer, and a heat exchanger or a heater to directly provide heat to the dryer. This system not only provides a very efficient heat transfer system but results in a minimum carry-over of ultrafine particles thereby eliminating any explosive hazard.

Anaerobic digestion of ultrasonicated sludge at different solids concentrations - Computation of mass-energy balance and greenhouse gas emissions.

PubMed

Pilli, Sridhar; Yan, S; Tyagi, R D; Surampalli, R Y

2016-01-15

Two cases of anaerobic digestion (AD) of sludge, namely (i) with pre-treatment and (ii) without pre-treatment, were assessed using mass-energy balance and the corresponding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For a digestion period of 30 days, volatile solids degradation of the control sludge and the ultrasonicated secondary sludge was 51.4% and 60.1%, respectively. Mass balance revealed that the quantity of digestate required for dewatering, transport and land application was the lowest (20.2 × 10(6) g dry sludge/day) for ultrasonicated secondary sludge at 31.4 g TS/L. Furthermore, for ultrasonicated secondary sludge at 31.4 g TS/L, the maximum net energy (energy output - energy input) of total dry solids (TDS) was 7.89 × 10(-6) kWh/g and the energy ratio (output/input) was 1.0. GHG emissions were also reduced with an increase in the sludge solids concentration (i.e., 40.0 g TS/L < 30.0 g TS/L < 20.0 g TS/L). Ultrasonication pre-treatment proved to be efficient and beneficial for enhancing anaerobic digestion efficiency of the secondary sludge when compared to the primary and mixed sludge. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beamed Energy Propulsion by Means of Target Ablation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenberg, Benjamin A.

2004-03-30

This paper describes hundreds of pendulum tests examining the beamed energy conversion efficiency of different metal targets coated with multiple liquid enhancers. Preliminary testing used a local laser with photographic paper targets, with no liquid, water, canola oil, or methanol additives. Laboratory experimentation was completed at Wright-Patterson AFB using a high-powered laser, and ballistic pendulums of aluminum, titanium, or copper. Dry targets, and those coated with water, methanol and oil were repeatedly tested in laboratory conditions. Results were recorded on several high-speed digital video cameras, and the conversion efficiency was calculated. Paper airplanes successfully launched using BEP were likewise recorded.

Infrared pre-drying and dry-dehulling of walnuts for improved processing efficiency and product quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The walnut industry is faced with an urgent need to improve post-harvest processing efficiency, particularly drying and dehulling operations. This research investigated the feasibility of dry-dehulling and infrared (IR) pre-drying of walnuts for improved processing efficiency and dried product quali...

Control of the dehydration process in production of intermediate-moisture meat products: a review.

PubMed

Chang, S F; Huang, T C; Pearson, A M

1996-01-01

IM meat products are produced by lowering the aw to 0.90 to 0.60. Such products are stable at ambient temperature and humidity and are produced in nearly every country in the world, especially in developing areas where refrigeration is limited or unavailable. Traditionally IM meats use low cost sources of energy for drying, such as sun drying, addition of salt, or fermentation. Products produced by different processes are of interest since they do not require refrigeration during distribution and storage. Many different IM meat products can be produced by utilizing modern processing equipment and methods. Production can be achieved in a relatively short period of time and their advantages during marketing and distribution can be utilized. Nevertheless, a better understanding of the principles involved in heat transfer and efficiency of production are still needed to increase efficiency of processing. A basic understanding of the influence of water vapor pressure and sorption phenomena on water activity can materially improve the efficiency of drying of IM meats. Predrying treatments, such as fermentation and humidity control, can also be taken advantage of during the dehydration process. Such information can lead to process optimization and reduction of energy costs during production of IM meats. The development of sound science-based methods to assure the production of high-quality and nutritious IM meats is needed. Finally, such products also must be free of pathogenic microorganisms to assure their success in production and marketing.

The evaporative drying of sludge by immersion in hot oil: Effects of oil type and temperature.

PubMed

Ohm, Tae-In; Chae, Jong-Seong; Lim, Kwang-Soo; Moon, Seung-Hyun

2010-06-15

We investigated the evaporative drying by immersion in hot oil (EDIHO) method for drying sludge. This involved heating oil to a temperature higher than that needed for moisture to be evaporated from the sludge by turbulent heat and mass transfer. We fry-dried sewage and leather plant sludge for 10 min in each of four different oils (waste engine, waste cooking, refined waste, and B-C heavy) and three different temperatures (140 degrees C, 150 degrees C, and 160 degrees C). Drying efficiency was found to be greater for higher temperatures. However, giving consideration to energy efficiency we suggest that the optimal temperature for fry-drying sludge is 150 degrees C. At 150 degrees C, the water content of sewage sludge reduced from 78.9% to between 1.5% (with waste cooking oil) and 3.8% (with waste engine oil). The reduction in water content for leather plant sludge fry-dried at 150 degrees C was from 81.6% to between 1% (with waste cooking oil) and 6.5% (with refined waste oil). The duration of the constant rate-drying period was also influenced by the type of oil used: refined waste oil>waste engine oil>B-C heavy oil>waste cooking oil. The duration at 150 degrees C with waste cooking oil was 3 min for sewage sludge and 2 min for leather plant sludge. It is likely that the drying characteristics of oil are influenced by its thermal properties, including its specific heat, and molecular weight. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Different Holder Devices for Freeze-Drying in Dual-Chamber Cartridges With a Focus on Energy Transfer.

PubMed

Korpus, Christoph; Friess, Wolfgang

2017-04-01

For freeze-drying in dual-chamber cartridges, a holder device to enable handling and safe positioning in the freeze-dryer is necessary. The aim of this study was to analyze 4 different types of holder devices and to define the best system based on energy transfer. The main criteria were drying homogeneity, ability to minimize the influence of atypical radiation on product temperatures, and heat transfer effectiveness. The shell holder reduced the influence of atypical radiation by almost 60% compared to a block system and yielded the most homogenous sublimation rates. Besides the most efficient heat transfer with values of 1.58E-4 ± 2.06E-6 cal/(s*cm 2 *K) at 60 mTorr to 3.63E-4 ± 1.85E-5 cal/(s*cm 2 *K) at 200 mTorr for K tot , reaction times to shelf temperature changes were up to 4 times shorter compared to the other holder systems and even faster than for vials. The flexible holder provided a comparable shielding against atypical radiation as the shell but introduced a third barrier against energy transfer. Block and guardrail holder were the least efficient system tested. Hence, the shell holder provided the best radiation shielding, enhanced the transferability of the results to a larger scale, and improved the homogeneity between the dual-chamber cartridges. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Method to Produce Durable Pellets at Lower Energy Consumption Using High Moisture Corn Stover and a Corn Starch Binder in a Flat Die Pellet Mill

PubMed Central

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar; Conner, Craig C.; Hoover, Amber N.

2016-01-01

A major challenge in the production of pellets is the high cost associated with drying biomass from 30 to 10% (w.b.) moisture content. At Idaho National Laboratory, a high-moisture pelleting process was developed to reduce the drying cost. In this process the biomass pellets are produced at higher feedstock moisture contents than conventional methods, and the high moisture pellets produced are further dried in energy efficient dryers. This process helps to reduce the feedstock moisture content by about 5-10% during pelleting, which is mainly due to frictional heat developed in the die. The objective of this research was to explore how binder addition influences the pellet quality and energy consumption of the high-moisture pelleting process in a flat die pellet mill. In the present study, raw corn stover was pelleted at moistures of 33, 36, and 39% (w.b.) by addition of 0, 2, and 4% pure corn starch. The partially dried pellets produced were further dried in a laboratory oven at 70 °C for 3-4 hr to lower the pellet moisture to less than 9% (w.b.). The high moisture and dried pellets were evaluated for their physical properties, such as bulk density and durability. The results indicated that increasing the binder percentage to 4% improved pellet durability and reduced the specific energy consumption by 20-40% compared to pellets with no binder. At higher binder addition (4%), the reduction in feedstock moisture during pelleting was <4%, whereas the reduction was about 7-8% without the binder. With 4% binder and 33% (w.b.) feedstock moisture content, the bulk density and durability values observed of the dried pellets were >510 kg/m3 and >98%, respectively, and the percent fine particles generated was reduced to <3%. PMID:27340875

Method to Produce Durable Pellets at Lower Energy Consumption Using High Moisture Corn Stover and a Corn Starch Binder in a Flat Die Pellet Mill.

PubMed

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar; Conner, Craig C; Hoover, Amber N

2016-06-15

A major challenge in the production of pellets is the high cost associated with drying biomass from 30 to 10% (w.b.) moisture content. At Idaho National Laboratory, a high-moisture pelleting process was developed to reduce the drying cost. In this process the biomass pellets are produced at higher feedstock moisture contents than conventional methods, and the high moisture pellets produced are further dried in energy efficient dryers. This process helps to reduce the feedstock moisture content by about 5-10% during pelleting, which is mainly due to frictional heat developed in the die. The objective of this research was to explore how binder addition influences the pellet quality and energy consumption of the high-moisture pelleting process in a flat die pellet mill. In the present study, raw corn stover was pelleted at moistures of 33, 36, and 39% (w.b.) by addition of 0, 2, and 4% pure corn starch. The partially dried pellets produced were further dried in a laboratory oven at 70 °C for 3-4 hr to lower the pellet moisture to less than 9% (w.b.). The high moisture and dried pellets were evaluated for their physical properties, such as bulk density and durability. The results indicated that increasing the binder percentage to 4% improved pellet durability and reduced the specific energy consumption by 20-40% compared to pellets with no binder. At higher binder addition (4%), the reduction in feedstock moisture during pelleting was <4%, whereas the reduction was about 7-8% without the binder. With 4% binder and 33% (w.b.) feedstock moisture content, the bulk density and durability values observed of the dried pellets were >510 kg/m(3) and >98%, respectively, and the percent fine particles generated was reduced to <3%.

The effect of harvest time, dry matter content and mechanical pretreatments on anaerobic digestion and enzymatic hydrolysis of miscanthus.

PubMed

Frydendal-Nielsen, Susanne; Hjorth, Maibritt; Baby, Sanmohan; Felby, Claus; Jørgensen, Uffe; Gislum, René

2016-10-01

Miscanthus x giganteus was harvested as both green and mature biomass and the dry matter content of the driest harvest was artificially decreased by adding water in two subsamples, giving a total of five dry matter contents. All five biomass types were mechanically pretreated by roller-milling, extrusion or grinding and accumulated methane production and enzymatically-accessible sugars were measured. Accumulated methane production was studied using sigmoid curves that allowed comparison among the treatments of the rate of the methane production and ultimate methane yield. The green biomass gave the highest methane yield and highest levels of enzymatically-accessible cellulose. The driest biomass gave the best effect from extrusion but with the highest energy consumption, whereas roller-milling was most efficient on wet biomass. The addition of water to the last harvest improved the effect of roller-milling and equalled extrusion of the samples in efficiency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

2007 Joint Service Power Expo Held in San Diego, California on April 24-26, 2007. Volume 4: Thursday Presentations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-26

Marc Gietter (#4929) Fuel reduction solutions for deployment of mobile electric power systems - Oerlikon Contraves , Philippe Bisaillon Eng. MEM...9,675 Whr/kg Global Commodity 8 e50 • 50 Watt Continuous Power • 12V • 100 Watt peak power • System Specifications • Dry system weight , less than 2.25...System Dry Weight 2.25kg Volume 4.5 Net System Efficiency 17% Specifications Specific Energy 3 Day Mission W-hr/kg 775 10 Day Mission W-hr/kg 1200 Goal

Energy-efficient biomass processing with pulsed electric fields for bioeconomy and sustainable development.

PubMed

Golberg, Alexander; Sack, Martin; Teissie, Justin; Pataro, Gianpiero; Pliquett, Uwe; Saulis, Gintautas; Stefan, Töpfl; Miklavcic, Damijan; Vorobiev, Eugene; Frey, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

Fossil resources-free sustainable development can be achieved through a transition to bioeconomy, an economy based on sustainable biomass-derived food, feed, chemicals, materials, and fuels. However, the transition to bioeconomy requires development of new energy-efficient technologies and processes to manipulate biomass feed stocks and their conversion into useful products, a collective term for which is biorefinery. One of the technological platforms that will enable various pathways of biomass conversion is based on pulsed electric fields applications (PEF). Energy efficiency of PEF treatment is achieved by specific increase of cell membrane permeability, a phenomenon known as membrane electroporation. Here, we review the opportunities that PEF and electroporation provide for the development of sustainable biorefineries. We describe the use of PEF treatment in biomass engineering, drying, deconstruction, extraction of phytochemicals, improvement of fermentations, and biogas production. These applications show the potential of PEF and consequent membrane electroporation to enable the bioeconomy and sustainable development.

The principle of ‘maximum energy dissipation’: a novel thermodynamic perspective on rapid water flow in connected soil structures

PubMed Central

Zehe, Erwin; Blume, Theresa; Blöschl, Günter

2010-01-01

Preferential flow in biological soil structures is of key importance for infiltration and soil water flow at a range of scales. In the present study, we treat soil water flow as a dissipative process in an open non-equilibrium thermodynamic system, to better understand this key process. We define the chemical potential and Helmholtz free energy based on soil physical quantities, parametrize a physically based hydrological model based on field data and simulate the evolution of Helmholtz free energy in a cohesive soil with different populations of worm burrows for a range of rainfall scenarios. The simulations suggest that flow in connected worm burrows allows a more efficient redistribution of water within the soil, which implies a more efficient dissipation of free energy/higher production of entropy. There is additional evidence that the spatial pattern of worm burrow density at the hillslope scale is a major control of energy dissipation. The pattern typically found in the study is more efficient in dissipating energy/producing entropy than other patterns. This is because upslope run-off accumulates and infiltrates via the worm burrows into the dry soil in the lower part of the hillslope, which results in an overall more efficient dissipation of free energy. PMID:20368256

A green salt-leaching technique to produce sericin/PVA/glycerin scaffolds with distinguished characteristics for wound-dressing applications.

PubMed

Aramwit, Pornanong; Ratanavaraporn, Juthamas; Ekgasit, Sanong; Tongsakul, Duangta; Bang, Nipaporn

2015-05-01

Sericin/PVA/glycerin scaffolds could be fabricated using the freeze-drying technique; they showed good physical and biological properties and can be applied as wound dressings. However, freeze-drying is an energy- and time-consuming process with a high associated cost. In this study, an alternative, solvent-free, energy- and time-saving, low-cost salt-leaching technique is introduced as a green technology to produce sericin/PVA/glycerin scaffolds. We found that sericin/PVA/glycerin scaffolds were successfully fabricated without any crosslinking using a salt-leaching technique. The salt-leached sericin/PVA/glycerin scaffolds had a porous structure with pore interconnectivity. The sericin in the salt-leached scaffolds had a crystallinity that was as high as that of the freeze-dried scaffolds. Compared to the freeze-dried scaffolds with the same composition, the salt-leached sericin/PVA/glycerin scaffolds has larger pores, a lower Young's modulus, and faster rates of biodegradation and sericin release. When cultured with L929 mouse fibroblast cells, a higher number of cells were found in the salt-leached scaffolds. Furthermore, the salt-leached scaffolds were less adhesive to the wound, which would reduce pain upon removal. Therefore, salt-leached sericin/PVA/glycerin scaffolds with distinguished characteristics were introduced as another choice of wound dressing, and their production process was simpler, more energy efficient, and saved time and money compared to the freeze-dried scaffolds. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Specially Treated Aramid Fiber Stabilized Gel-Emulsions: Preparation of Porous Polymeric Monoliths and Highly Efficient Removing of Airborne HCHO.

PubMed

Liu, Jianfei; Chen, Xiangli; Wang, Pei; Fu, Xuwei; Liu, Kaiqiang; Fang, Yu

2017-08-01

Porous polymeric monoliths with densities as low as ≈0.060 g cm -3 are prepared in a gel-emulsion template way, of which the stabilizer employed is a newly discovered acidified aramid fiber that is so efficient that 0.05% (w/v, accounts for continuous phase) is enough to gel the system. The porous monoliths as obtained can be dried at ambient conditions, avoiding energy-consuming processes. Importantly, the monoliths show selective adsorption to HCHO, and the corresponding adsorption capacity (M6) is ≈2700 mg g -1 , the best result that is reported until now. More importantly, the monoliths can be reused after drying. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dry Reforming of Methane in a Gliding Arc Plasmatron: Towards a Better Understanding of the Plasma Chemistry.

PubMed

Cleiren, Emelie; Heijkers, Stijn; Ramakers, Marleen; Bogaerts, Annemie

2017-10-23

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) in a gliding arc plasmatron is studied for different CH 4 fractions in the mixture. The CO 2 and CH 4 conversions reach their highest values of approximately 18 and 10 %, respectively, at 25 % CH 4 in the gas mixture, corresponding to an overall energy cost of 10 kJ L -1 (or 2.5 eV per molecule) and an energy efficiency of 66 %. CO and H 2 are the major products, with the formation of smaller fractions of C 2 H x (x=2, 4, or 6) compounds and H 2 O. A chemical kinetics model is used to investigate the underlying chemical processes. The calculated CO 2 and CH 4 conversion and the energy efficiency are in good agreement with the experimental data. The model calculations reveal that the reaction of CO 2 (mainly at vibrationally excited levels) with H radicals is mainly responsible for the CO 2 conversion, especially at higher CH 4 fractions in the mixture, which explains why the CO 2 conversion increases with increasing CH 4 fraction. The main process responsible for CH 4 conversion is the reaction with OH radicals. The excellent energy efficiency can be explained by the non-equilibrium character of the plasma, in which the electrons mainly activate the gas molecules, and by the important role of the vibrational kinetics of CO 2 . The results demonstrate that a gliding arc plasmatron is very promising for DRM. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Advanced Drying Process for Lower Manufacturing Cost of Electrodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahmad, Iftikhar; Zhang, Pu

For this Vehicle Technologies Incubator/Energy Storage R&D topic, Lambda Technologies teamed with Navitas Systems and proposed a new advanced drying process that promised a 5X reduction in electrode drying time and significant reduction in the cost of large format lithium batteries used in PEV's. The operating principle of the proposed process was to use penetrating radiant energy source Variable Frequency Microwaves (VFM), that are selectively absorbed by the polar water or solvent molecules instantly in the entire volume of the electrode. The solvent molecules are thus driven out of the electrode thickness making the process more efficient and much fastermore » than convective drying method. To evaluate the Advanced Drying Process (ADP) a hybrid prototype system utilizing VFM and hot air flow was designed and fabricated. While VFM drives the solvent out of the electrode thickness, the hot air flow exhausts the solvent vapors out of the chamber. The drying results from this prototype were very encouraging. For water based anodes there is a 5X drying advantage (time & length of oven) in using ADP over standard drying system and for the NMP based cathodes the reduction in drying time has 3X benefit. For energy savings the power consumption measurements were performed to ADP prototype and compared with the convection standard drying oven. The data collected demonstrated over 40% saving in power consumption with ADP as compared to the convection drying systems. The energy savings are one of the operational cost benefits possible with ADP. To further speed up the drying process, the ADP prototype was explored as a booster module before the convection oven and for the electrode material being evaluated it was possible to increase the drying speed by a factor of 4, which could not be accomplished with the standard dryer without surface defects and cracks. The instantaneous penetration of microwave in the entire slurry thickness showed a major advantage in rapid drying of the electrode materials. For the existing electrode materials, the material analysis and cell characterization data from ADP dried electrodes showed equivalent (or slightly better) performance. However, for high loading and thicker electrode materials (for high energy densities) the ADP advantages are more prominent. There was less binder migration, the resistance was lower hence the current capacities and retention of the battery cells were higher. The success of the project has enabled credible communications with commercial end users as well as battery coating line integrators. Goal is to scale ADP up for high volume manufacturing of Li-ion battery electrodes. The implementation of ADP in high volume manufacturing will reduce a high cost production step to bring the overall price of Li-ion batteries down. This will ultimately have a positive impact on the public by making electric and hybrid vehicles more affordable.« less

Energy Efficient Clothes Dryer with IR Heating and Electrostatic Precipitator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weaver, Stanton

The project goal was to develop a revolutionary energy saving technology for residential clothes drying. The team developed an IR (infrared) heating system and NESP (Nebulizer and Electro-Static Precipitator) for integration into a ventless clothes dryer. The proposed technology addresses two of the major inefficiencies in current electric vented dryers by providing effective energy transfer for the removal of the water and recapture of the vapor latent heat. The IR heaters operating in the mid wave (2.5-10um) are very efficient as they target the 3-micron peak absorption of the water molecule. This allows direct energy absorption, unlike conventional element heatersmore » where heat is transferred by convection. The low power NESP removes water vapor from the exhausted stream and recaptures the latent heat in the ESP (Electro-Static Precipitator) exchanger section. This allows the warm dry air to be recirculated back into the drum for additional efficiency savings. The remaining majority of the dryer hardware stays the same. Summing the efficiency gain from the two subcomponents we anticipated the EF (Efficiency Factor) to exceed the goal of 4.04. EF is obtained by dividing the weight (lbs) of water removed by the energy (kWhr) used, where the test load size is 8.45 lbs of bone dry clothing wetted to 57.5% or 4.8lbs of water, and dried to a remaining moisture content of 2.5-5%. Additional benefits include not having to recondition (heat or cool) the large amounts of make-up air to replace the air exhausted by a vented dryer. It was anticipated that the NESP/heat exchanger would be the most challenging and highest risk element in the program. Therefore, the team focused their efforts during Phase 1 of the program on the design, construction, testing, and optimization of the NESP/heat exchanger. At the end Phase 1, the team compared the performance of the NESP/heat exchanger with the system level requirements and made a Go/No-Go decision on proceeding with the second portion of the program. Phase 2 of the program was structured to develop the IR heating system and then integrate it and the NESP/heat exchanger into a residential clothes dryer prototype for final testing. The proposed technology utilizes heat recovery which is known to have the biggest impact on dryer efficiency. The two current mainstream recovery approaches are air to air exchangers and heat pump condenser systems. Air to air exchanges can be very efficient but require large surface areas which are prone to fouling from uncaptured lint. Dryers based on heat pump condenser recovery systems have shown efficiency improvements of 20–60% and are commercially available. The issue with a heat pump condenser approach is the added cost, as typical prices are twice that of standard vented dryers and they are only available in small to medium capacities. The energy factor (EF) for these systems is 5.50 to 6.88 pounds/kWh compared to conventional dryers at 2.75 to 3.67 pounds/kWh. The efficiency improvements for the proposed technology come from the use of IR heating and the NESP. As the concept is in its infancy, and these improvements were difficult to predict without experimental data, assumptions were made based on available literature. IR radiant drying times, when compared to convection, are typically 30% less. This is a result of the fact that radiant energy heats directly and is absorbed at and below the surface, unlike convection heating, that must conduct the heat through the boundary film of air at the clothes surface and rely on wicking of the moisture to the surface. The second area of improvement comes from the NESP. The NESP operation is as follows: 1. Highly charged, micron sized, droplets of water are injected into the dryer exhaust by the Nebulizer. 2. These charged droplets attract water molecules and continue to grow in size, until losing their charge. During this process, latent heat is rejected back into the air stream. 3. The large droplets enter the ESP, where they are recharged and drawn to the ESP wall, to be extracted at the bottom of the ESP. The warm dry air is then recirculated back into the dryer. The proposed technology, at the time of the proposal submission was estimated to have an EF of 4.79. At program completion we have designed, built, tested, integrated and optimized the proposed technologies into a prototype “high efficiency” residential clothes dryer. Testing of the integrated prototype dryer provided insight into the technical effectiveness and economic feasibility of the proposed technologies. The program has the potential of greatly impacting energy savings. The predicted EF of the proposed technology is 4.79, yielding an energy savings of 42% when compared to conventional electric vented dryers. Given there are approximately 84 million dryers in the US consuming ~64 billion kWh per year, a net savings of 27 billion kWh per year or 0.092 quads could be realized. Since the dryer is not vented, make up air from the room is not needed, adding an additional savings of ~1kWh per load, or 23.8 billion kWh per year. In addition, it is envisioned that the proposed ESP, when successful, would potentially find applications in industrial and residential dehumidification.« less

Energy utilization, nitrogen balance and microbial protein supply in cattle fed Pennisetum purpureum and condensed tannins.

PubMed

Piñeiro-Vázquez, A T; Canul-Solis, J R; Alayón-Gamboa, J A; Chay-Canul, A J; Ayala-Burgos, A J; Solorio-Sánchez, F J; Aguilar-Pérez, C F; Ku-Vera, J C

2017-02-01

The aim of the experiment was to assess the effect of condensed tannins (CT) on feed intake, dry matter digestibility, nitrogen balance, supply of microbial protein to the small intestine and energy utilization in cattle fed a basal ration of Pennisetum purpureum grass. Five heifers (Bos taurus × Bos indicus) with an average live weight of 295 ± 19 kg were allotted to five treatments consisting of increasing levels of CT (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4% CT/kg DM) in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Dry matter intake (DMI) was similar (p > 0.05) between treatments containing 0, 1, 2 and 3% of CT/kg DM and it was reduced (p < 0.05) to 4% CT (5.71 kg DM/day) with respect to that observed with 0% CT (6.65 kg DM/day). Nitrogen balance, purine derivatives excretion in urine, microbial protein synthesis and efficiency of synthesis of microbial nitrogen in the rumen were not affected (p ≥ 0.05) by the increase in the levels of condensed tannins in the ration. Energy loss as CH 4 was on average 2.7% of the gross energy consumed daily. Metabolizable energy intake was 49.06 MJ/day in cattle fed low-quality tropical grass with a DMI of 6.27 kg/day. It is concluded that concentrations of CT between 2 and 3% of DM of ration reduced energy loss as CH 4 by 31.3% and 47.6%, respectively, without affecting intakes of dry and organic matter; however, digestibilities of dry and organic matter are negatively affected. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Solar Collectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Solar Energy's solar panels are collectors for a solar energy system which provides heating for a drive-in bank in Akron, OH. Collectors were designed and manufactured by Solar Energy Products, a firm established by three former NASA employees. Company President, Frank Rom, an example of a personnel-type technology transfer, was a Research Director at Lewis Research Center, which conducts extensive solar heating and cooling research, including development and testing of high-efficiency flat-plate collectors. Rom acquired solar energy expertise which helped the company develop two types of collectors, one for use in domestic/commercial heating systems and the other for drying grain.

Investigation of Stability of Photosynthetic Reaction Center and Quantum Dot Hybrid Films.

PubMed

Lukashev, E P; Knox, P P; Oleinikov, I P; Seifullina, N Kh; Grishanova, N P

2016-01-01

The efficiency of interaction (efficiency of energy transfer) between various quantum dots (QDs) and photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) from the purple bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides and conditions of long-term stability of functioning of such hybrid complexes in film preparations were investigated. It was found that dry films containing RCs and QDs and maintained at atmospheric humidity are capable to keep their functional activity for at least some months as judging by results of measurement of their spectral characteristics, efficiency of energy transfer from QDs to RCs, and RC electron-transport activity. Addition of trehalose to the films giving them still greater stability is especially expressed for films maintained at low humidity. These stable hybrid film structures are promising for further biotechnological studies for developing new phototransformation devices.

Energy use in the New Zealand food system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patterson, M.G.; Earle, M.D.

1985-03-01

The study covered the total energy requirements of the production, processing, wholesale distribution, retailing, shopping and household sectors of the food system in New Zealand. This included the direct energy requirements, and the indirect energy requirements in supplying materials, buildings and equipment. Data were collected from a wide range of literature sources, and converted into forms required for this research project. Also, data were collected in supplementary sample surveys at the wholesale distribution, retailing and shopping sectors. The details of these supplementary surveys are outlined in detailed survey reports fully referenced in the text. From these base data, the totalmore » energy requirements per unit product (MJ/kg) were estimated for a wide range of food chain steps. Some clear alternatives in terms of energy efficiency emerged from a comparison of these estimates. For example, it was found that it was most energy efficient to use dehydrated vegetables, followed by fresh vegetables, freeze dried vegetables, canned vegetables and then finally frozen vegetables.« less

Moisture removal characteristics of thin layer rough rice under sequenced infrared radiation heating and cooling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rice drying with infrared (IR) radiation has been investigated during recent years and showed promising potential with improved quality and energy efficiency. The objective of this study was to further investigate the moisture removal characteristics of thin layer rough rice heated by IR and cooled ...

Improving Photovoltaic Energy Production with Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hausner, M. B.; Berli, M.

2014-12-01

The efficiency of solar photovoltaic (PV) generators declines sharply with increased temperatures. Peak solar exposure often occurs at the same time as peak temperatures, but solar PV installations are typically designed based on solar angle. In temperate areas, the peak temperatures may not be high enough to induce significant efficiency losses. In some of the areas with the greatest potential for solar development, however, summer air temperatures regularly reach 45 °C and PV panel temperatures exceed the air temperatures. Here we present a preliminary model of a PV array intended to optimize solar production in a hot and arid environment. The model begins with the diurnal and seasonal cycles in the angle and elevation of the sun, but also includes a meteorology-driven energy balance to project the temperatures of the PV panels and supporting structure. The model will be calibrated and parameterized using a solar array at the Desert Research Institute's (DRI) Renewable Energy Deployment and Display (REDD) facility in Reno, Nevada, and validated with a similar array at DRI's Las Vegas campus. Optical fibers will be installed on the PV panels and structural supports and interrogated by a distributed temperature sensor (DTS) to record the spatial and temporal variations in temperature. Combining the simulated panel temperatures, the efficiency-temperature relationship for the panels, and the known solar cycles at a site will allow us to optimize the design of future PV collectors (i.e., the aspect and angle of panels) for given production goals.

Solar drying and organoleptic characteristics of two tropical African fish species using improved low-cost solar driers.

PubMed

Mustapha, Moshood K; Ajibola, Taiye B; Salako, Abdulbashir F; Ademola, Sunmola K

2014-05-01

This study was done to evaluate the drying performance, efficiency, and effectiveness of five different types of improved low-cost solar driers in terms of moisture loss from two tropical African fish species Clarias gariepinus (African sharp tooth catfish) and Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) and testing the organoleptic characteristics of the dried samples. The driers used were made from plastic, aluminum, glass, glass with black igneous stone, and mosquito net, with traditional direct open-sun drying as a control. A significant (P < 0.05) decrease in weight resulting from moisture loss in the two fish species was observed in all the driers, with the highest reduction occurring in the glass drier containing black stone. The rate of weight loss was faster in the first 4 days of drying with black stone-inserted glass drier showing the fastest drying rate with a constant weight in C. gariepinus attained on the 11th day and in O. niloticus on the eighth day. The slowest drier was plastic where a constant weight of the species were recorded on and 13th day and 11th day, respectively. Volunteers were used to assess the organoleptic characteristics of the dried samples and they showed lowest acceptability for the open-sun drying, while samples from the glass drier containing black stone had the highest acceptability in terms of the taste, flavor, appearance, texture, odor, palatability, and shelf-life. The low-cost solar driers were effective found in removing water from the fish resulting in significant loss of weight and moisture. The highest drying time, efficient performance, drying effectiveness, and high acceptability of the organoleptic parameters of the dried products from the black stone-inserted glass drier were due to the ability of the glass and the black stone to retain, transmit, and radiate heat to the fish sample all the time (day and night). These low-cost driers are simple to construct, materials for its construction readily available, easy to maintain and operate, hygienic in use, reliable, effective, occupies less area, dry products faster with increased shelf-life, save man-hour, user-friendly, use renewable energy, protect the drying samples from filthiness, wetness, and invasion by pests, insects, and microbes, with well-dried, high-quality, and better preserved final products. The adoption and use any of these low-cost solar driers by artisanal fishermen and general household in sub-Saharan Africa will not only help in reducing post catch losses, but also ensure food safety and security as there is abundant solar energy in these sub-Saharan African tropical countries for the operation of the driers.

Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Opportunities for the Fruit and Vegetable Processing Industry. An ENERGY STAR Guide for Energy and Plant Managers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masanet, Eric; Masanet, Eric; Worrell, Ernst

2008-01-01

The U.S. fruit and vegetable processing industry--defined in this Energy Guide as facilities engaged in the canning, freezing, and drying or dehydrating of fruits and vegetables--consumes over $800 million worth of purchased fuels and electricity per year. Energy efficiency improvement isan important way to reduce these costs and to increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy price volatility. There are a variety of opportunities available at individual plants in the U.S. fruit and vegetable processing industry to reduce energy consumption in a cost-effective manner. This Energy Guide discusses energy efficiency practices and energy-efficient technologies that can be implementedmore » at the component, process, facility, and organizational levels. A discussion of the trends, structure, and energy consumption characteristics of the U.S. fruit and vegetable processing industry is provided along with a description of the major process technologies used within the industry. Next, a wide variety of energy efficiency measures applicable to fruit and vegetable processing plants are described. Many measure descriptions include expected savings in energy and energy-related costs, based on case study data from real-world applications in fruit and vegetable processing facilities and related industries worldwide. Typical measure payback periods and references to further information in the technical literature are also provided, when available. Given the importance of water in fruit and vegetable processing, a summary of basic, proven measures for improving plant-level water efficiency are also provided. The information in this Energy Guide is intended to help energy and plant managers in the U.S. fruit and vegetable processing industry reduce energy and water consumption in a cost-effective manner while maintaining the quality of products manufactured. Further research on the economics of all measures--as well as on their applicability to different production practices--is needed to assess their cost effectiveness at individual plants.« less

Influence of dust and mud on the optical, chemical, and mechanical properties of a pv protective glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilbas, Bekir Sami.; Ali, Haider; Khaled, Mazen M.; Al-Aqeeli, Nasser; Abu-Dheir, Numan; Varanasi, Kripa K.

2015-10-01

Recent developments in climate change have increased the frequency of dust storms in the Middle East. Dust storms significantly influence the performances of solar energy harvesting systems, particularly (photovoltaic) PV systems. The characteristics of the dust and the mud formed from this dust are examined using various analytical tools, including optical, scanning electron, and atomic force microscopies, X-ray diffraction, energy spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The adhesion, cohesion and frictional forces present during the removal of dry mud from the glass surface are determined using a microtribometer. Alkali and alkaline earth metal compounds in the dust dissolve in water to form a chemically active solution at the glass surface. This solution modifies the texture of the glass surface, thereby increasing the microhardness and decreasing the transmittance of the incident optical radiation. The force required to remove the dry mud from the glass surface is high due to the cohesive forces that result from the dried mud solution at the interface between the mud and the glass. The ability altering the characteristics of the glass surface could address the dust/mud-related limitations of protective surfaces and has implications for efficiency enhancements in solar energy systems.

Influence of dust and mud on the optical, chemical, and mechanical properties of a pv protective glass.

PubMed

Yilbas, Bekir Sami; Ali, Haider; Khaled, Mazen M; Al-Aqeeli, Nasser; Abu-Dheir, Numan; Varanasi, Kripa K

2015-10-30

Recent developments in climate change have increased the frequency of dust storms in the Middle East. Dust storms significantly influence the performances of solar energy harvesting systems, particularly (photovoltaic) PV systems. The characteristics of the dust and the mud formed from this dust are examined using various analytical tools, including optical, scanning electron, and atomic force microscopies, X-ray diffraction, energy spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The adhesion, cohesion and frictional forces present during the removal of dry mud from the glass surface are determined using a microtribometer. Alkali and alkaline earth metal compounds in the dust dissolve in water to form a chemically active solution at the glass surface. This solution modifies the texture of the glass surface, thereby increasing the microhardness and decreasing the transmittance of the incident optical radiation. The force required to remove the dry mud from the glass surface is high due to the cohesive forces that result from the dried mud solution at the interface between the mud and the glass. The ability altering the characteristics of the glass surface could address the dust/mud-related limitations of protective surfaces and has implications for efficiency enhancements in solar energy systems.

A new approach for concurrently improving performance of South Korean food waste valorization and renewable energy recovery via dry anaerobic digestion under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

PubMed

Nguyen, Dinh Duc; Yeop, Jeong Seong; Choi, Jaehoon; Kim, Sungsu; Chang, Soon Woong; Jeon, Byong-Hun; Guo, Wenshan; Ngo, Huu Hao

2017-08-01

Dry semicontinuous anaerobic digestion (AD) of South Korean food waste (FW) under four solid loading rates (SLRs) (2.30-9.21kg total solids (TS)/m 3 day) and at a fixed TS content was compared between two digesters, one each under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. Biogas production and organic matter reduction in both digesters followed similar trends, increasing with rising SLR. Inhibitor (intermediate products of the anaerobic fermentation process) effects on the digesters' performance were not observed under the studied conditions. In all cases tested, the digesters' best performance was achieved at the SLR of 9.21kg TS/m 3 day, with 74.02% and 80.98% reduction of volatile solids (VS), 0.87 and 0.90m 3 biogas/kg VS removed , and 0.65 (65% CH 4 ) and 0.73 (60.02% CH 4 ) m 3 biogas/kg VS fed , under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, respectively. Thermophilic dry AD is recommended for FW treatment in South Korea because it is more efficient and has higher energy recovery potential when compared to mesophilic dry AD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct and Dry Deposited Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Films Doped with MoO(x) as Electron-Blocking Transparent Electrodes for Flexible Organic Solar Cells.

PubMed

Jeon, Il; Cui, Kehang; Chiba, Takaaki; Anisimov, Anton; Nasibulin, Albert G; Kauppinen, Esko I; Maruyama, Shigeo; Matsuo, Yutaka

2015-07-01

Organic solar cells have been regarded as a promising electrical energy source. Transparent and conductive carbon nanotube film offers an alternative to commonly used ITO in photovoltaics with superior flexibility. This communication reports carbon nanotube-based indium-free organic solar cells and their flexible application. Direct and dry deposited carbon nanotube film doped with MoO(x) functions as an electron-blocking transparent electrode, and its performance is enhanced further by overcoating with PSS. The single-walled carbon nanotube organic solar cell in this work shows a power conversion efficiency of 6.04%. This value is 83% of the leading ITO-based device performance (7.48%). Flexible application shows 3.91% efficiency and is capable of withstanding a severe cyclic flex test.

Inter-relationships among alternative definitions of feed efficiency in grazing lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Hurley, A M; López-Villalobos, N; McParland, S; Kennedy, E; Lewis, E; O'Donovan, M; Burke, J L; Berry, D P

2016-01-01

International interest in feed efficiency, and in particular energy intake and residual energy intake (REI), is intensifying due to a greater global demand for animal-derived protein and energy sources. Feed efficiency is a trait of economic importance, and yet is overlooked in national dairy cow breeding goals. This is due primarily to a lack of accurate data on commercial animals, but also a lack of clarity on the most appropriate definition of the feed intake and utilization complex. The objective of the present study was to derive alternative definitions of energetic efficiency in grazing lactating dairy cows and to quantify the inter-relationships among these alternative definitions. Net energy intake (NEI) from pasture and concentrate intake was estimated up to 8 times per lactation for 2,693 lactations from 1,412 Holstein-Friesian cows. Energy values of feed were based on the French Net Energy system where 1 UFL is the net energy requirements for lactation equivalent of 1kg of air-dry barley. A total of 8,183 individual feed intake measurements were available. Energy balance was defined as the difference between NEI and energy expenditure. Efficiency traits were either ratio-based or residual-based; the latter were derived from least squares regression models. Residual energy intake was defined as NEI minus predicted energy to fulfill the requirements for the various energy sinks. The energy sinks (e.g., NEL, metabolic live weight) and additional contributors to energy kinetics (e.g., live weight loss) combined, explained 59% of the variation in NEI, implying that REI represented 41% of the variance in total NEI. The most efficient 10% of test-day records, as defined by REI (n=709), on average were associated with a 7.59 UFL/d less NEI (average NEI of the entire population was 16.23 UFL/d) than the least efficient 10% of test-day records based on REI (n=709). Additionally, the most efficient 10% of test-day records, as defined by REI, were associated with superior energy conversion efficiency (ECE, i.e., NEL divided by NEI; ECE=0.55) compared with the least efficient 10% of test-day records (ECE=0.33). Moreover, REI was positively correlated with energy balance, implying that more negative REI animals (i.e., deemed more efficient) are expected to be, on average, in greater negative energy balance. Many of the correlations among the 14 defined efficiency traits differed from unity, implying that each trait is measuring a different aspect of efficiency. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Buildings and community systems technology transfer support: Task 8, No. 1088

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Information on items prepared for delivery by the contractor for the Industrial Energy Conservation Program are presented in this document. The information in the following brochures: Integrated Community Energy Systems (ICES); Energy Savings Through Automatic Thermostat Controls; Energy-Conserving Systems in Restaurants; Waste Heat Recovery: More Power from Fuels; and Fuel Cells: A New Kind of Power Plant is included. The Energy Efficiency Logo and 2 photographs are presented. A memo concerning ERDA energy data collection, dated November 4, 1976 and a letter about Goldmark Communications, Inc., dated August 16, 1976 are included. The Energy Efficiency Research pamphlet (EER) is reprinted.more » The following are also included: Working draft - Technology Transfer Section of Buildings Conservation Pad; Environmental Concerns/Industrial Growth - Speech to Industrial Council Workshop, Urban Land Institute, 1976 Fall Meeting, October 5, 1976; discussion on Liquid Nitrogen Freezing for Process Foods; and paper on Buildings and Community Systems Program Strategy. Information on high temperature recuperator systems; microwave/vacuum grain drying; Annual Cycle Energy Systems (ACES); Sambo's; Energy Outreach Program; and thermally activated heat pumps is also included. (MCW)« less

Analysis of maizena drying system using temperature control based fuzzy logic method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arief, Ulfah Mediaty; Nugroho, Fajar; Purbawanto, Sugeng; Setyaningsih, Dyah Nurani; Suryono

2018-03-01

Corn is one of the rice subtitution food that has good potential. Corn can be processed to be a maizena, and it can be used to make type of food that has been made from maizena, viz. Brownies cake, egg roll, and other cookies. Generally, maizena obtained by drying process carried out 2-3 days under the sun. However, drying process not possible during the rainy season. This drying process can be done using an automatic drying tool. This study was to analyze the design result and manufacture of maizena drying system with temperature control based fuzzylogic method. The result show that temperature of drying system with set point 40°C - 60°C work in suitable condition. The level of water content in 15% (BSN) and temperatureat 50°C included in good drying process. Time required to reach the set point of temperature in 50°C is 7.05 minutes. Drying time for 500 gr samples with temperature 50°C and power capacity 127.6 watt was 1 hour. Based on the result, drying process using temperature control based fuzzy logic method can improve energy efficiency than the conventional method of drying using a direct sunlight source with a temperature that cannot be directly controlled by human being causing the quality of drying result of flour is erratic.

Investigations on laser hard tissue ablation under various environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, H. W.; Oh, J.; Welch, A. J.

2008-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of liquid environments upon laser bone ablation. A long-pulsed Er,Cr:YSGG laser was employed to ablate bovine bone tibia at various radiant exposures under dry, wet (using water or perfluorocarbon) and spray environmental conditions. Energy loss by the application of liquid during laser irradiation was evaluated, and ablation performance for all conditions was quantitatively measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Microscope images were also used to estimate thermal side effects in tissue after multiple-pulse ablation. Wet using water and spray conditions equally attenuated the 2.79 µm wavelength laser beam. Higher transmission efficiency was obtained utilizing a layer of perfluorocarbon. Dry ablation exhibited severe carbonization due to excessive heat accumulation. Wet condition using water resulted in similar ablation volume to the dry case without carbonization. The perfluorocarbon layer produced the largest ablation volume but some carbonization due to the poor thermal conductivity. Spray induced clean cutting with slightly reduced efficiency. Liquid-assisted ablation provided significant beneficial effects such as augmented material removal and cooling/cleaning effects during laser osteotomy.

Horizontal-axis clothes washer market poised for expansion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

George, K.L.

1994-12-31

The availability of energy- and water-efficient horizontal-axis washing machines in the North American market is growing, as US and European manufacturers position for an expected long-term market shift toward horizontal-axis (H-axis) technology. Four of the five major producers of washing machines in the US are developing or considering new H-axis models. New entrants, including US-based Staber Industries and several European manufacturers, are also expected to compete in this market. The intensified interest in H-axis technology is partly driven by speculation that new US energy efficiency standards, to be proposed in 1996 and implemented in 1999, will effectively mandate H-axis machines.more » H-axis washers typically use one-third to two-thirds less energy, water, and detergent than vertical-axis machines. Some models also reduce the energy needed to dry the laundry, since their higher spin speeds extract more water than is typical with vertical-axis designs. H-axis washing machines are the focus of two broadly-based efforts to support coordinated research and incentive programs by electric, gas, and water utilities: The High-Efficiency Laundry Metering/Marketing Analysis (THELMA), and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) High-Efficiency Clothes Washer Initiative. These efforts may help to pave the way for new types of marketing partnerships among utilities and other parties that could help to speed adoption of H-axis washers.« less

Simulation of energy- efficient building prototype using different insulating materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouhaibi, Salma; Belouaggadia, Naoual; Lbibb, Rachid; Ezzine, Mohammed

2018-05-01

The objective of this work is to analyze the energetic efficiency of an individual building including an area of 130 m2 multi-zone, located in the region of FEZ which is characterized by a very hot and dry climate in summer and a quite cold one in winter, by incorporating insulating materials. This study was performed using TRNSYS V16 simulation software during a typical year of the FEZ region. Our simulation consists in developing a comparative study of two types of polystyrene and silica-aerogel insulation materials, in order to determine the best thermal performance. The results show that the thermal insulation of the building envelope is among the most effective solutions that give a significant reduction in energy requirements. Similarly, the use of silica-aerogels gives a good thermal performance, and therefore a good energy gain.

[THERAPEUTIC AND DIETARY CORRECTION OF PROTEIN-ENERGY DEFICIENCY WITH A DRY PROTEIN COMPOSITE FORMULA IN PATIENTS WITH PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN A TUBERCULOSIS HOSPITAL].

PubMed

2010-01-01

The time course of changes in the degree of tuberculous intoxication syndrome (scores), body mass deficiency (body mass index), routine clinical X-ray data on 300 first detected patients with tuberculosis treated at the Regional Clinical Tuberculosis Hospital (n = 160) and the clinic of the I. M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy (n = 140) was assessed to evaluate the efficiency of using a dry protein composite formula in the package of therapeutic measures in inpatients with pulmonary tuberculosis. A study group included 200 patients whose basic diet comprised the dry protein composite formula DISOO Nutrinor. A control group consisted of 100 patients receiving standard antituberculosis treatment and basic diet without using the above formula. In the vast majority of study group patients (n = 152), intoxication symptoms substantially reduced 1.6 months after the start of treatment whereas this occurred noticeably later (following 2.5 months) in the control group (n = 80). Better positive changes in weight gain were found during dietary therapy with the dry protein composite formula in the study group than in the control group. During correction of a dietary protein component, the monthly body weight gain in the study group was 2.2 kg on average greater than that in the control group. The study group patients were also found to have a more significant resolution of infiltrative and focal lung changes on control X-ray studies than the control patients. Also, the study group patients showed a trend for more frequent cessation of bacterial excretion than did the controls. The rate of adverse reactions to chemotherapy was 5% (10 subjects) in the study group and thrice higher than that in the control group (15%, 15 subjects) in the control group. The findings prove the efficiency and urgency of correction of protein-energy deficiency in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis, by supplementing the dry protein composite formula to the basic diet.

[Characteristics of dry matter production and nitrogen accumulation in barley genotypes with high nitrogen utilization efficiency].

PubMed

Huang, Yi; Li, Ting-Xuan; Zhang, Xi-Zhou; Ji, Lin

2014-07-01

A pot experiment was conducted under low (125 mg x kg-1) and normal (250 mg x kg(-1)) nitrogen treatments. The nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency of 22 barley cultivars were investigated, and the characteristics of dry matter production and nitrogen accumulation in barley were analyzed. The results showed that nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency were different for barley under two nitrogen levels. The maximal values of grain yield, nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain and nitrogen harvest index were 2.87, 2.91 and 2.47 times as those of the lowest under the low nitrogen treatment. Grain yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain and nitrogen harvest index of barley genotype with high nitrogen utilization efficiency were significantly greater than low nitrogen utilization efficiency, and the parameters of high nitrogen utilization efficiency genotype were 82.1%, 61.5% and 50.5% higher than low nitrogen utilization efficiency genotype under the low nitrogen treatment. Dry matter mass and nitrogen utilization of high nitrogen utilization efficiency was significantly higher than those of low nitrogen utilization efficiency. A peak of dry matter mass of high nitrogen utilization efficiency occurred during jointing to heading stage, while that of nitrogen accumulation appeared before jointing. Under the low nitrogen treatment, dry matter mass of DH61 and DH121+ was 34.4% and 38.3%, and nitrogen accumulation was 54. 8% and 58.0% higher than DH80, respectively. Dry matter mass and nitrogen accumulation seriously affected yield before jointing stage, and the contribution rates were 47.9% and 54.7% respectively under the low nitrogen treatment. The effect of dry matter and nitrogen accumulation on nitrogen utilization efficiency for grain was the largest during heading to mature stages, followed by sowing to jointing stages, with the contribution rate being 29.5% and 48.7%, 29.0% and 15.8%, respectively. In conclusion, barley genotype with high nitrogen utilization efficiency had a strong ability of dry matter production and nitrogen accumulation. It could synergistically improve yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency by enhancing the ability of nitrogen uptake and dry matter formation before jointing stage in barley.

DCDM1: Lessons Learned from the World's Most Energy Efficient Data Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sickinger, David E; Van Geet, Otto D; Carter, Thomas

This presentation discusses the holistic approach to design the world's most energy-efficient data center, which is located at the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This high-performance computing (HPC) data center has achieved a trailing twelve-month average power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.04 and features a chiller-less design, component-level warm-water liquid cooling, and waste heat capture and reuse. We provide details of the demonstrated PUE and energy reuse effectiveness (ERE) and lessons learned during four years of production operation. Recent efforts to dramatically reduce the water footprint will also be discussed. Johnson Controls partnered with NREL andmore » Sandia National Laboratories to deploy a thermosyphon cooler (TSC) as a test bed at NREL's HPC data center that resulted in a 50% reduction in water usage during the first year of operation. The Thermosyphon Cooler Hybrid System (TCHS) integrates the control of a dry heat rejection device with an open cooling tower.« less

Energetics and environmental costs of agriculture in a dry tropical region of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, V. P.; Singh, J. S.

1992-07-01

The present article, based on a study of five village ecosystems, assesses the energy efficiency of rain-fed agriculture in a dry tropical environment and the impact of agricultural activity on the surrounding natural ecosystems. Agronomic yield is insufficient to meet the food requirement of the human population, hence 11.5%-49.7% of the required amount of food grains are imported from the market. Energy requirements of five studied agroecosystems are subsidized considerably by the surrounding forest in the form of fodder and firewood. Natural ecosystems supply about 80%-95% of fodder needs and 81%-100% of fuelwood needs. The output-input ratio of agriculture indicated that, on average, 4.1 units of energy are expended to obtain one unit of agronomic energy. Of this, 3.9 units are supplied by the natural ecosystem. In addition, 38% of the extracted firewood is marketed. The illegal felling and lopping of trees result in ever-increasing concentric circles of forest destruction around the villages and together with excessive grazing results in savannization. The forests can be conserved by encouraging fuelwood plantations (0.7 ha/ha cultivated land) and developing village pastures (1.6 ha/ha cultivated land) and reducing the livestock numbers. Agricultural production in the region can be stabilized by introducing improved dry farming techniques such as intercropping, planned rainwater management, and adequate use of fertilizers.

An experimental assessment on the performance of different lubrication techniques in grinding of Inconel 751.

PubMed

Balan, A S S; Vijayaraghavan, L; Krishnamurthy, R; Kuppan, P; Oyyaravelu, R

2016-09-01

The application of emulsion for combined heat extraction and lubrication requires continuous monitoring of the quality of emulsion to sustain a desired grinding environment; this is applicable to other grinding fluids as well. Thus to sustain a controlled grinding environment, it is necessary to adopt an effectively lubricated wheel-work interface. The current study was undertaken to assess experimentally the ​ effects of different grinding environments such as dry, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) and Cryo-MQL on performance, such as grinding force, temperature, surface roughness and chip morphology on Inconel 751, a higher heat resistance material posing thermal problems and wheel loading. The results show that grinding with the combination of both liquid nitrogen (LN2) and MQL lowers temperature, cutting forces, and surface roughness as compared with MQL and dry grinding. Specific cutting energy is widely used as an inverse measure of process efficiency in machining. It is found from the results that specific cutting energy of Cryo-MQL assisted grinding is 50-65% lower than conventional dry grinding. The grindability of Inconel 751 superalloy can be enhanced with Cryo-MQL condition.

PROTOCOL TO EVALUATE THE MOISTURE DURABILITY OF ENERGY-EFFICIENT WALLS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boudreaux, Philip R; Pallin, Simon B; Hun, Diana E

Walls account for about 8% of the energy used in residential buildings. This energy penalty can be reduced with higher insulation levels and increased airtightness. However, these measures can compromise the moisture durability and long-term performance of wall assemblies because they can lead to lower moisture tolerance due to reduced drying potential. To avert these problems, a moisture durability protocol was developed to evaluate the probability that an energy-efficient wall design will experience mold growth. This protocol examines the effects of moisture sources in walls through a combination of simulations and lab experiments, uses the mold growth index as themore » moisture durability indicator, and is based on a probabilistic approach that utilizes stochastically varying input parameters. The simulation tools used include a new validated method for taking into account the effects of air leakage in wall assemblies This paper provides an overview of the developed protocol, discussion of the probabilistic simulation approach and describes results from the evaluation of two wall assemblies in Climate Zones 2, 4, and 6. The protocol will be used to supply builders with wall designs that are energy efficient, moisture durable and cost-effective.« less

Future irrigation expansion outweigh groundwater recharge gains from climate change in semi-arid India.

PubMed

Sishodia, Rajendra P; Shukla, Sanjay; Wani, Suhas P; Graham, Wendy D; Jones, James W

2018-09-01

Simultaneous effects of future climate and irrigation intensification on surface and groundwater systems are not well understood. Efforts are needed to understand the future groundwater availability and associated surface flows under business-as-usual management to formulate policy changes to improve water sustainability. We combine measurements with integrated modeling (MIKE SHE/MIKE11) to evaluate the effects of future climate (2040-2069), with and without irrigation expansion, on water levels and flows in an agricultural watershed in low-storage crystalline aquifer region of south India. Demand and supply management changes, including improved efficiency of irrigation water as well as energy uses, were evaluated. Increased future rainfall (7-43%, from 5 Global Climate Models) with no further expansion of irrigation wells increased the groundwater recharge (10-55%); however, most of the recharge moved out of watershed as increased baseflow (17-154%) with a small increase in net recharge (+0.2mm/year). When increased rainfall was considered with projected increase in irrigation withdrawals, both hydrologic extremes of well drying and flooding were predicted. A 100-year flow event was predicted to be a 5-year event in the future. If irrigation expansion follows the historical trends, earlier and more frequent well drying, a source of farmers' distress in India, was predicted to worsen in the future despite the recharge gains from increased rainfall. Storage and use of excess flows, improved irrigation efficiency with flood to drip conversion in 25% of irrigated area, and reduced energy subsidy (free electricity for 3.5h compared to 7h/day; $1 billion savings) provided sufficient water savings to support future expansion in irrigated areas while mitigating well drying as well as flooding. Reductions in energy subsidy to fund the implementation of economically desirable (high benefit-cost ratio) demand (drip irrigation) and supply (water capture and storage) management was recommended to achieve a sustainable food-water-energy nexus in semi-arid regions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water injected fuel cell system compressor

DOEpatents

Siepierski, James S.; Moore, Barbara S.; Hoch, Martin Monroe

2001-01-01

A fuel cell system including a dry compressor for pressurizing air supplied to the cathode side of the fuel cell. An injector sprays a controlled amount of water on to the compressor's rotor(s) to improve the energy efficiency of the compressor. The amount of water sprayed out the rotor(s) is controlled relative to the mass flow rate of air inputted to the compressor.

Noncontact Infrared-Mediated Heat Transfer During Continuous Freeze-Drying of Unit Doses.

PubMed

Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; De Meyer, Laurens; Corver, Jos; Vervaet, Chris; De Beer, Thomas

2017-01-01

Recently, an innovative continuous freeze-drying concept for unit doses was proposed, based on spinning the vials during freezing. An efficient heat transfer during drying is essential to continuously process these spin frozen vials. Therefore, the applicability of noncontact infrared (IR) radiation was examined. The impact of several process and formulation variables on the mass of sublimed ice after 15 min of primary drying (i.e., sublimation rate) and the total drying time was examined. Two experimental designs were performed in which electrical power to the IR heaters, distance between the IR heaters and the spin frozen vial, chamber pressure, product layer thickness, and 5 model formulations were included as factors. A near-infrared spectroscopy method was developed to determine the end point of primary and secondary drying. The sublimation rate was mainly influenced by the electrical power to the IR heaters and the distance between the IR heaters and the vial. The layer thickness had the largest effect on total drying time. The chamber pressure and the 5 model formulations had no significant impact on sublimation rate and total drying time, respectively. This study shows that IR radiation is suitable to provide the energy during the continuous processing of spin frozen vials. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of dust and mud on the optical, chemical, and mechanical properties of a pv protective glass

PubMed Central

Yilbas, Bekir Sami.; Ali, Haider; Khaled, Mazen M.; Al-Aqeeli, Nasser; Abu-Dheir, Numan; Varanasi, Kripa K.

2015-01-01

Recent developments in climate change have increased the frequency of dust storms in the Middle East. Dust storms significantly influence the performances of solar energy harvesting systems, particularly (photovoltaic) PV systems. The characteristics of the dust and the mud formed from this dust are examined using various analytical tools, including optical, scanning electron, and atomic force microscopies, X-ray diffraction, energy spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The adhesion, cohesion and frictional forces present during the removal of dry mud from the glass surface are determined using a microtribometer. Alkali and alkaline earth metal compounds in the dust dissolve in water to form a chemically active solution at the glass surface. This solution modifies the texture of the glass surface, thereby increasing the microhardness and decreasing the transmittance of the incident optical radiation. The force required to remove the dry mud from the glass surface is high due to the cohesive forces that result from the dried mud solution at the interface between the mud and the glass. The ability altering the characteristics of the glass surface could address the dust/mud-related limitations of protective surfaces and has implications for efficiency enhancements in solar energy systems. PMID:26514102

High Efficiency Liquid-Desiccant Regenerator for Air Conditioning and Industrial Drying

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andrew Lowenstein

2005-12-19

Over 2 quads of fossil fuels are used each year for moisture removal. This includes industrial and agricultural processes where feedstocks and final products must be dried, as well as comfort conditioning of indoor spaces where the control of humidity is essential to maintaining healthy, productive and comfortable working conditions. Desiccants, materials that have a high affinity for water vapor, can greatly reduce energy use for both drying and dehumidification. An opportunity exists to greatly improve the competitiveness of advanced liquid-desiccant systems by increasing the efficiency of their regenerators. It is common practice within the chemical process industry to usemore » multiple stage boilers to improve the efficiency of thermal separation processes. The energy needed to regenerate a liquid desiccant, which is a thermal separation process, can also be reduced by using a multiple stage boiler. In this project, a two-stage regenerator was developed in which the first stage is a boiler and the second stage is a scavenging-air regenerator. The only energy input to this regenerator is the natural gas that fires the boiler. The steam produced in the boiler provides the thermal energy to run the second-stage scavenging-air regenerator. This two-stage regenerator is referred to as a 1?-effect regenerator. A model of the high-temperature stage of a 1?-effect regenerator for liquid desiccants was designed, built and successfully tested. At nominal operating conditions (i.e., 2.35 gpm of 36% lithium chloride solution, 307,000 Btu/h firing rate), the boiler removed 153 lb/h of water from the desiccant at a gas-based efficiency of 52.9 % (which corresponds to a COP of 0.95 when a scavenging-air regenerator is added). The steam leaving the boiler, when condensed, had a solids concentration of less than 10 ppm. This low level of solids in the condensate places an upper bound of about 6 lb per year for desiccant loss from the regenerator. This low loss will not create maintenance problems nor will it significantly increase operating expenses. An energy balance on the boiler showed that heat loss through the insulated jacket was 10%. This value is much higher than the 2% to 5% that is typical of most boilers and indicates a need to better insulate the unit. With insulation that brings jacket losses down to 5%, a 1?-effect regenerator that uses this boiler as its high-temperature stage will have a gas-based COP of 1.05. The estimated cost to manufacture a 300-lb/h, 1?-effect regenerator at 500 units per year is $17,140. Unfortunately, the very high cost for natural gas that now prevails in the U.S. makes it very difficult for a gas-fired LDAC to compete against an electric vapor-compression air conditioner in HVAC applications. However, there are important industrial markets that need very dry air where the high price of natural gas will encourage the sale of a LDAC with the 1?-effect regenerator since in these markets it competes against less efficient gas-fired desiccant technologies. A manufacturer of industrial dehumidification equipment is now negotiating a sales agreement with us that would include the 1?-effect regenerator.« less

Future consequences of decreasing marginal production efficiency in the high-yielding dairy cow.

PubMed

Moallem, U

2016-04-01

The objectives were to examine the gross and marginal production efficiencies in high-yielding dairy cows and the future consequences on dairy industry profitability. Data from 2 experiments were used in across-treatments analysis (n=82 mid-lactation multiparous Israeli-Holstein dairy cows). Milk yields, body weights (BW), and dry matter intakes (DMI) were recorded daily. In both experiments, cows were fed a diet containing 16.5 to 16.6% crude protein and net energy for lactation (NEL) at 1.61 Mcal/kg of dry matter (DM). The means of milk yield, BW, DMI, NEL intake, and energy required for maintenance were calculated individually over the whole study, and used to calculate gross and marginal efficiencies. Data were analyzed in 2 ways: (1) simple correlation between variables; and (2) cows were divided into 3 subgroups, designated low, moderate, and high DMI (LDMI, MDMI, and HDMI), according to actual DMI per day: ≤ 26 kg (n=27); >26 through 28.2 kg (n=28); and >28.2 kg (n=27). The phenotypic Pearson correlations among variables were analyzed, and the GLM procedure was used to test differences between subgroups. The relationships between milk and fat-corrected milk yields and the corresponding gross efficiencies were positive, whereas BW and gross production efficiency were negatively correlated. The marginal production efficiency from DM and energy consumed decreased with increasing DMI. The difference between BW gain as predicted by the National Research Council model (2001) and the present measurements increased with increasing DMI (r=0.68). The average calculated energy balances were 1.38, 2.28, and 4.20 Mcal/d (standard error of the mean=0.64) in the LDMI, MDMI, and HDMI groups, respectively. The marginal efficiency for milk yields from DMI or energy consumed was highest in LDMI, intermediate in MDMI, and lowest in HDMI. The predicted BW gains for the whole study period were 22.9, 37.9, and 75.8 kg for the LDMI, MDMI, and HDMI groups, respectively. The present study demonstrated that marginal production efficiency decreased with increasing feed intake. Because of the close association between production and intake, the principle of diminishing marginal productivity may explain why increasing milk production (and consequently increasing intake) does not always enhance profitability. To maintain high production efficiency in the future, more attention should be given to optimizing rather than maximizing feed intake, a goal that could be achieved by nutritional manipulations that would increase digestibility or by using a diet of denser nutrients that would provide all nutritional requirements from lower intake. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Material and energy recovery in integrated waste management systems: an innovative approach for the characterization of the gaseous emissions from residual MSW bio-drying.

PubMed

Ragazzi, M; Rada, E C; Antolini, D

2011-01-01

In the sector of residual municipal solid waste management an increasing attention is put towards the role of biological treatments like bio-drying and bio-stabilization in order to decrease the need of landfilling volumes. The literature shows a lack of information concerning the emission factor of pollutants released from these processes. The available data are generally spot characterizations of concentration and air flow-rate that are used together in order to assess the emission factors. This approach caused significant differences among the available data as the release of pollutants is not steady. This paper belongs to a group of six papers concerning a research on material and energy recovery in integrated waste management systems, developed by a network of five universities. The contribution of the University of Trento, focuses on the bio-drying process with the following targets: (a) developing an innovative low cost method of sampling/measurement able to take into account the dynamics of release of pollutants; (b) checking the efficiency of a bio-filter; (c) verifying the variability of generation of some pollutants; (d) generating emission factors. The research was developed using a bio-drying pilot plant. As a treatment of the process air, the bio-reactor was coupled with a bio-filter. The emissions were characterized using an original approach based on the adoption of two measurement chambers suitable for hosting passive samplers. The passive samplers allowed the characterization of VOCs, N(2)O, NH(3) and H(2)S. A bio-chemical model, useful for energy and mass balances, supported the interpretation of the presented bio-drying run. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dry anaerobic digestion of cow manure and agricultural products in a full-scale plant: Efficiency and comparison with wet fermentation.

PubMed

Chiumenti, Alessandro; da Borso, Francesco; Limina, Sonia

2018-01-01

For years, anaerobic digestion processes have been implemented for the management of organic wastes, agricultural residues, and animal manure. Wet anaerobic digestion still represents the most common technology, while dry fermentation, dedicated to the treatment of solid inputs (TS>20%) can be considered as an emerging technology, not in terms of technological maturity, but of diffusion. The first agricultural dry anaerobic digestion plant constructed in Italy was monitored from the start-up, for over a year. The plant was fed with manure and agricultural products, such as corn silage, triticale, ryegrass, alfalfa, and straw. Three Combined Heat and Power units, for a total installed power of 910kW e , converted biogas into thermal and electric energy. The monitoring included the determination of quality and quantity of input feedstocks, of digestate (including recirculation rate), of leachate, biogas quality (CH 4 , CO 2 , H 2 S), biogas yield, energy production, labor requirement for loading, and unloading operations. The results of the monitoring were compared to performance data obtained in several full scale wet digestion plants. The dry fermentation plant revealed a start-up phase that lasted several months, during which the average power resulted in 641kW e (70.4% of nominal power), and the last period the power resulted in 788kW e (86.6% of installed power). Improving the balance of the input, the dry fermentation process demonstrated biogas yields similar to wet anaerobic digestion, congruent to the energy potential of the biomasses used in the process. Furthermore, the operation of the plant required significant man labor, mainly related to loading and unloading of the anaerobic cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Drying and decontamination of raw pistachios with sequential infrared drying, tempering and hot air drying.

PubMed

Venkitasamy, Chandrasekar; Brandl, Maria T; Wang, Bini; McHugh, Tara H; Zhang, Ruihong; Pan, Zhongli

2017-04-04

Pistachio nuts have been associated with outbreaks of foodborne disease and the industry has been impacted by numerous product recalls due to contamination with Salmonella enterica. The current hot air drying of pistachios has low energy efficiency and drying rates, and also does not guarantee the microbial safety of products. In the study described herein, dehulled and water-sorted pistachios with a moisture content (MC) of 38.14% (wet basis) were dried in a sequential infrared and hot air (SIRHA) drier to <9% MC. The decontamination efficacy was assessed by inoculating pistachios with Enterococcus faecium, a surrogate of Salmonella enterica used for quality control in the almond industry. Drying with IR alone saved 105min (34.4%) of drying time compared with hot air drying. SIRHA drying of pistachios for 2h with infrared (IR) heat followed by tempering at a product temperature of 70°C for 2h and then by hot air drying shortened the drying time by 40min (9.1%) compared with drying by hot air only. This SIRHA method also reduced the E. faecium cell population by 6.1-logCFU/g kernel and 5.41-logCFU/g shell of pistachios. The free fatty acid contents of SIRHA dried pistachios were on par with that of hot air dried samples. Despite significant differences in peroxide values (PV) of pistachio kernels dried with the SIRHA method compared with hot air drying at 70°C, the PV were within the permissible limit of 5Meq/kg for edible oils. Our findings demonstrate the efficacy of SIRHA drying in achieving simultaneous drying and decontamination of pistachios. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Detailed monitoring of two biogas plants and mechanical solid-liquid separation of fermentation residues.

PubMed

Bauer, Alexander; Mayr, Herwig; Hopfner-Sixt, Katharina; Amon, Thomas

2009-06-01

The Austrian "green electricity act" (Okostromgesetz) has led to an increase in biogas power plant size and consequently to an increased use of biomass. A biogas power plant with a generating capacity of 500 kW(el) consumes up to 38,000 kg of biomass per day. 260 ha of cropland is required to produce this mass. The high water content of biomass necessitates a high transport volume for energy crops and fermentation residues. The transport and application of fermentation residues to farmland is the last step in this logistic chain. The use of fermentation residues as fertilizer closes the nutrient cycle and is a central element in the efficient use of biomass for power production. Treatment of fermentation residues by separation into liquid and solid phases may be a solution to the transport problem. This paper presents detailed results from the monitoring of two biogas plants and from the analysis of the separation of fermentation residues. Furthermore, two different separator technologies for the separation of fermentation residues of biogas plants were analyzed. The examined biogas plants correspond to the current technological state of the art and have designs developed specifically for the utilization of energy crops. The hydraulic retention time ranged between 45.0 and 83.7 days. The specific methane yields were 0.40-0.43 m(3)N CH(4) per kg VS. The volume loads ranged between 3.69 and 4.00 kg VS/m(3). The degree of degradation was between 77.3% and 82.14%. The screw extractor separator was better suited for biogas slurry separation than the rotary screen separator. The screw extractor separator exhibited a high throughput and good separation efficiency. The efficiency of slurry separation depended on the dry matter content of the fermentation residue. The higher the dry matter content, the higher the proportion of solid phase after separation. In this project, we found that the fermentation residues could be divided into 79.2% fluid phase with a dry matter content of 4.5% and 20.8% solid phase with a dry matter content of 19.3%. Dry matter, volatile solids and carbon, raw ash and phosphate--in relation to the mass--accumulated strongly in the solid phase. Nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen were slightly enriched in the solid phase. Only the potassium content decreased slightly in the solid phase.

Performance of a convective, infrared and combined infrared- convective heated conveyor-belt dryer.

PubMed

El-Mesery, Hany S; Mwithiga, Gikuru

2015-05-01

A conveyor-belt dryer was developed using a combined infrared and hot air heating system that can be used in the drying of fruits and vegetables. The drying system having two chambers was fitted with infrared radiation heaters and through-flow hot air was provided from a convective heating system. The system was designed to operate under either infrared radiation and cold air (IR-CA) settings of 2000 W/m(2) with forced ambient air at 30 °C and air flow of 0.6 m/s or combined infrared and hot air convection (IR-HA) dryer setting with infrared intensity set at 2000 W/m(2) and hot at 60 °C being blown through the dryer at a velocity of 0.6 m/s or hot air convection (HA) at an air temperature of 60 °C and air flow velocity 0.6 m/s but without infrared heating. Apple slices dried under the different dryer settings were evaluated for quality and energy requirements. It was found that drying of apple (Golden Delicious) slices took place in the falling rate drying period and no constant rate period of drying was observed under any of the test conditions. The IR-HA setting was 57.5 and 39.1 % faster than IR-CA and HA setting, respectively. Specific energy consumption was lower and thermal efficiency was higher for the IR-HA setting when compared to both IR-CA and HA settings. The rehydration ratio, shrinkage and colour properties of apples dried under IR-HA conditions were better than for either IR-CA or HA.

Paired Straight Hearth Furnace - Transformational Ironmaking Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Wei-Kao; Debski, Paul

2014-11-19

The U. S. steel industry has reduced its energy intensity per ton of steel shipped by 33% since 1990. However, further significant gains in energy efficiency will require the development of new, transformational iron and steelmaking processes. The Paired Straight Hearth Furnace (PSH) process is an emerging alternative high productivity, direct reduced iron (DRI) technology that may achieve very low fuel rates and has the potential to replace blast furnace ironmaking. The PSH furnace can operate independently or may be coupled with other melting technologies to produce liquid hot metal that is both similar to blast furnace iron and suitablemore » as a feedstock for basic oxygen steelmaking furnaces. The PSH process uses non-metallurgical coal as a reductant to convert iron oxides such as iron ore and steelmaking by-product oxides to DRI pellets. In this process, a multi-layer, nominally 120mm tall bed of composite “green balls” made from oxide, coal and binder is built up and contained within a moving refractory hearth. The pellet bed absorbs radiant heat energy during exposure to the high temperature interior refractory surfaces of the PSH while generating a strongly reducing gas atmosphere in the bed that yields a highly metalized DRI product. The PSH concept has been well tested in static hearth experiments. A moving bed design is being developed. The process developers believe that if successful, the PSH process has the potential to replace blast furnaces and coke ovens at a fraction of the operating and capital cost while using about 30% less energy relative to current blast furnace technology. DRI output could also feed electric arc furnaces (EAFs) by displacing a portion of the scrap charge.« less

Smart geo-energy village development by using cascade direct use of geothermal energy in Bonjol, West Sumatera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetya, Novrisal; Erwinsyah Umra Lubis, Defry; Raharjo, Dharmawan; Miryani Saptadji, Nenny; Pratama, Heru Berian

2017-12-01

West Sumatera is a province which has a huge geothermal potential - approximately 6% of Indonesia’s total geothermal potential which equals to 1,656 MWe. One of the significant reserves located in Bonjol subdistrict which accounts for more than 50 MWe. The energy from geothermal manifestation in Bonjol can be utilized prior to indirect development. Manifestation at the rate 3 kg/s and 87 °C will flow to cascading system consisting several applications, arranged in order from high to low temperature to efficiently use the excessive energy. The direct use application selected is based on the best potential commodities as well as temperature constraint of heat source. The objective of this paper is to perform a conceptual design for the first cascade direct use of geothermal energy in Indonesia to establish Bonjol Smart Geo-Energy Village which will be transformed as the center of agricultural, stockbreeding, tourism as well as cultural site. A comprehenssive research was performed through remote survey area, evaluation featured product, analysis of heat loss and heat exchange in cascade system. From potential commodities, the three applications selected are cocoa drying and egg hatching incubation machine as well as new tourism site called Terapi Panas Bumi. The optimum temperature for cocoa drying is 62°C with the moisture content 7% which consumes 78 kW for one tones cocoa dried. Whereas, egg incubation system consists of two chamber with the same temperature 40°C for each room and relative humidity 55% and 70%. For the last stage, Terapi Panas Bumi works in temperature 40°C. Based on the result technical and economical aspect, it exhibits cascade direct use of geothermal energy is very recommended to develop.

Thermodynamics Analysis of Refinery Sludge Gasification in Adiabatic Updraft Gasifier

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Reem; Sinnathambi, Chandra M.; Eldmerdash, Usama; Subbarao, Duvvuri

2014-01-01

Limited information is available about the thermodynamic evaluation for biomass gasification process using updraft gasifier. Therefore, to minimize errors, the gasification of dry refinery sludge (DRS) is carried out in adiabatic system at atmospheric pressure under ambient air conditions. The objectives of this paper are to investigate the physical and chemical energy and exergy of product gas at different equivalent ratios (ER). It will also be used to determine whether the cold gas, exergy, and energy efficiencies of gases may be maximized by using secondary air injected to gasification zone under various ratios (0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5) at optimum ER of 0.195. From the results obtained, it is indicated that the chemical energy and exergy of producer gas are magnified by 5 and 10 times higher than their corresponding physical values, respectively. The cold gas, energy, and exergy efficiencies of DRS gasification are in the ranges of 22.9–55.5%, 43.7–72.4%, and 42.5–50.4%, respectively. Initially, all 3 efficiencies increase until they reach a maximum at the optimum ER of 0.195; thereafter, they decline with further increase in ER values. The injection of secondary air to gasification zone is also found to increase the cold gas, energy, and exergy efficiencies. A ratio of secondary air to primary air of 0.5 is found to be the optimum ratio for all 3 efficiencies to reach the maximum values. PMID:24672368

The NES strikes a dry hole

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heede, R.

1991-12-31

Thanks to widespread use of more efficient automobiles, aircraft, buildings, computers, appliances, and factories, US energy expenditures are $200 billion lower today that if the economy had remained at the level of energy productivity in 1973, and $400 billion annual energy expenditures could be trimmed in the future. However if energy saving are cheap and effective and environmentally beneficial, the question remains of why we don`t take better advantage of them. The speed of technological advances and resistance to change coupled with several varieties of political myopia explain the bulk of the slow adoption of energy savings. The central issuemore » is not technology or even cost, but sound implementation strategies and education, the focus of this article.« less

Auto-flotation of heterocyst enables the efficient production of renewable energy in cyanobacteria

PubMed Central

Chen, Ming; Li, Jihong; Zhang, Lei; Chang, Sandra; Liu, Chen; Wang, Jianlong; Li, Shizhong

2014-01-01

Utilizing cyanobacteria as a bioenergy resource is difficult due to the cost and energy consuming harvests of microalgal biomass. In this study, an auto-floating system was developed by increasing the photobiological H2 production in the heterocysts of filamentous cyanobacteria. An amount of 1.0 μM of diuron, which inhibited O2 production in cyanobacteria, resulted in a high rate of H2 production in heterocysts. The auto-floating process recovered 91.71% ± 1.22 of the accumulated microalgal biomass from the liquid media. Quantification analysis revealed that 0.72–1.10 μmol H2 per mg dry weight microalgal biomass was necessary to create this auto-floating system. Further bio-conversion by using anaerobic digestion converted the harvested microalgal biomass into biogas. Through this novel coupled system of photobiological H2 production and anaerobic digestion, a high level of light energy conversion efficiency from solar energy to bioenergy was attained with the values of 3.79% ± 0.76. PMID:24499777

Auto-flotation of heterocyst enables the efficient production of renewable energy in cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Chen, Ming; Li, Jihong; Zhang, Lei; Chang, Sandra; Liu, Chen; Wang, Jianlong; Li, Shizhong

2014-02-06

Utilizing cyanobacteria as a bioenergy resource is difficult due to the cost and energy consuming harvests of microalgal biomass. In this study, an auto-floating system was developed by increasing the photobiological H2 production in the heterocysts of filamentous cyanobacteria. An amount of 1.0 μM of diuron, which inhibited O2 production in cyanobacteria, resulted in a high rate of H2 production in heterocysts. The auto-floating process recovered 91.71% ± 1.22 of the accumulated microalgal biomass from the liquid media. Quantification analysis revealed that 0.72-1.10 μmol H2 per mg dry weight microalgal biomass was necessary to create this auto-floating system. Further bio-conversion by using anaerobic digestion converted the harvested microalgal biomass into biogas. Through this novel coupled system of photobiological H2 production and anaerobic digestion, a high level of light energy conversion efficiency from solar energy to bioenergy was attained with the values of 3.79% ± 0.76.

A high-fidelity model for coupling flow and mechanical deformation of the porous paper web - a key to improved understanding of dewatering and rewet at the press section in paper making

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hao, Y.; Trebotich, D.; Wang, W.

The U.S. pulp and paper industry is the third-largest manufacturing user of energy, with an energy demand of 2,540 trillion Btu in 2010. Within the papermaking process, drying consumes over 400 trillion Btu annually which makes it one of the largest energy saving opportunities. In the 2014 Forest Products Industry Technology Roadmap, it is concluded that increasing the paper web solid content entering the dryer section from the current 45- 55 percent to approaching 65 percent, which would save 1.0 MMBtu per ton or 20 percent of the energy used in drying, is one of the most needed technology breakthroughsmore » to achieve a more sustainable approach for manufacturing pulp and paper products. Achieving such significant energy savings highly depends on understanding the fundamental dynamics of the wet press process and then developing optimized solutions for design of more energy-efficient press processes and equipment. The objective of this project is to develop reliable computational capabilities to accurately simulate the flow of water from/to the porous pulp medium (dewatering/rewetting) during the pressing process in paper making.« less

Evaporative cooling of air in an adiabatic channel with partially wetted zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terekhov, V. I.; Gorbachev, M. V.; Khafaji, H. Q.

2016-03-01

The paper deals with the numerical study of heat and mass transfer in the process of direct evaporation air cooling in the laminar flow of forced convection in a channel between two parallel insulated plates with alternating wet and dry zones along the length. The system of Navier-Stokes equations and equations of energy and steam diffusion are being solved in two-dimensional approximation. At the channel inlet, all thermal gas-dynamic parameters are constant over the cross section, and the channel walls are adiabatic. The studies were carried out with varying number of dry zones ( n = 0-16), their relative length ( s/l = 0-1) and Reynolds number Re = 50-1000 in the flow of dry air (φ0 = 0) with a constant temperature at the inlet (T 0 = 30 °C). The main attention is paid to optimization analysis of evaporation cell characteristics. It is shown that an increase in the number of alternating steps leads to an increase in the parameters of thermal and humid efficiency. With an increase in Re number and a decrease in the extent of wet areas, the efficiency parameter reduces.

Use of dry citrus pulp or soybean hulls as a replacement for corn grain in energy and nitrogen partitioning, methane emissions, and milk performance in lactating Murciano-Granadina goats.

PubMed

López, M C; Estellés, F; Moya, V J; Fernández, C

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of substitution of dietary corn grain by dry citrus pulp or soybean hulls on energy and nitrogen partitioning, substrate oxidation, methane emission, and milk performance in dairy goats during midlactation. Twelve multiparous Murciano-Granadina goats of similar body weight (41.7 ± 2.8 kg) were split in 3 groups in an incomplete crossover design. One group of 4 goats was fed a mixed ration with 605 g/kg of dry matter of corn grain (CRG), another group replaced corn grain with dry citrus pulp (CTP), and the last with soybean hulls (SYH). The goats were allocated to individual metabolism cages. After 14 d of adaptation, feed intake, total fecal and urine output, and milk yield were recorded daily over a 5-d period. Then, gas exchange measurements were recorded by a mobile open-circuit indirect calorimetry system using a head box. Dry matter intake was similar for all 3 groups (1.53 kg/d, on average). Total replacement of the concentrate with fibrous by-products increased fiber apparent digestibility. The metabolizable energy intake was significantly greater for diet CRG than SYH (1,193 vs. 1,079 kJ/kg of BW⁰·⁷⁵, respectively), CTP showed an intermediate value. The heat production was higher for the fiber diet than starchy diet (908 vs. 843 kJ/kg of BW⁰·⁷⁵ for SYH and CRG, respectively). The efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for milk production obtained by regression was 0.59. Goats fed CTP and SYH diets produced similar CH₄ emissions (34.8 g/d, on average), significantly higher compared with goats fed the CRG diet (24.7 g/d). Goats of the 3 treatments were in negative energy balance, so the oxidation of fat was greater than for carbohydrates. No significant differences were observed for milk production (1.72 kg/d), and milk fat was significantly greater for a more fibrous diet compared with a starchy diet (6.57 vs. 4.95% in SYH and CRG, respectively).

Sludge-Drying Lagoons: a Potential Significant Methane Source in Wastewater Treatment Plants.

PubMed

Pan, Yuting; Ye, Liu; van den Akker, Ben; Ganigué Pagès, Ramon; Musenze, Ronald S; Yuan, Zhiguo

2016-02-02

"Sludge-drying lagoons" are a preferred sludge treatment and drying method in tropical and subtropical areas due to the low construction and operational costs. However, this method may be a potential significant source of methane (CH4) because some of the organic matter would be microbially metabolized under anaerobic conditions in the lagoon. The quantification of CH4 emissions from lagoons is difficult due to the expected temporal and spatial variations over a lagoon maturing cycle of several years. Sporadic ebullition of CH4, which cannot be easily quantified by conventional methods such as floating hoods, is also expected. In this study, a novel method based on mass balances was developed to estimate the CH4 emissions and was applied to a full-scale sludge-drying lagoon over a three year operational cycle. The results revealed that processes in a sludge-drying lagoon would emit 6.5 kg CO2-e per megaliter of treated sewage. This would represent a quarter to two-thirds of the overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater-treatment plants (WWTPs). This work highlights the fact that sludge-drying lagoons are a significant source of CH4 that adds substantially to the overall GHG footprint of WWTPs despite being recognized as a cheap and energy-efficient means of drying sludge.

High Efficiency, High Performance Clothes Dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peter Pescatore; Phil Carbone

This program covered the development of two separate products; an electric heat pump clothes dryer and a modulating gas dryer. These development efforts were independent of one another and are presented in this report in two separate volumes. Volume 1 details the Heat Pump Dryer Development while Volume 2 details the Modulating Gas Dryer Development. In both product development efforts, the intent was to develop high efficiency, high performance designs that would be attractive to US consumers. Working with Whirlpool Corporation as our commercial partner, TIAX applied this approach of satisfying consumer needs throughout the Product Development Process for bothmore » dryer designs. Heat pump clothes dryers have been in existence for years, especially in Europe, but have not been able to penetrate the market. This has been especially true in the US market where no volume production heat pump dryers are available. The issue has typically been around two key areas: cost and performance. Cost is a given in that a heat pump clothes dryer has numerous additional components associated with it. While heat pump dryers have been able to achieve significant energy savings compared to standard electric resistance dryers (over 50% in some cases), designs to date have been hampered by excessively long dry times, a major market driver in the US. The development work done on the heat pump dryer over the course of this program led to a demonstration dryer that delivered the following performance characteristics: (1) 40-50% energy savings on large loads with 35 F lower fabric temperatures and similar dry times; (2) 10-30 F reduction in fabric temperature for delicate loads with up to 50% energy savings and 30-40% time savings; (3) Improved fabric temperature uniformity; and (4) Robust performance across a range of vent restrictions. For the gas dryer development, the concept developed was one of modulating the gas flow to the dryer throughout the dry cycle. Through heat modulation in a gas dryer, significant time and energy savings, combined with dramatically reduced fabric temperatures, was achieved in a cost-effective manner. The key design factor lay in developing a system that matches the heat input to the dryer with the fabrics ability to absorb it. The development work done on the modulating gas dryer over the course of this program led to a demonstration dryer that delivered the following performance characteristics: (1) Up to 25% reduction in energy consumption for small and medium loads; (2) Up to 35% time savings for large loads with 10-15% energy reduction and no adverse effect on cloth temperatures; (3) Reduced fabric temperatures, dry times and 18% energy reduction for delicate loads; and, (4) Robust performance across a range of vent restrictions.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Geet, Otto

NREL has developed a methodology to prioritize which data center cooling systems could be upgraded for better efficiency based on estimated cost savings and economics. The best efficiency results are in cool or dry climates where 'free' economizer or evaporative cooling can provide most of the data center cooling. Locations with a high cost of energy and facilities with high power usage effectiveness (PUE) are also good candidates for data center cooling system upgrades. In one case study of a major cable provider's data centers, most of the sites studied had opportunities for cost-effective cooling system upgrades with payback periodmore » of 5 years or less. If the cable provider invested in all opportunities for upgrades with payback periods of less than 15 years, it could save 27% on annual energy costs.« less

Dry bean genotype evaluation for growth, yield components and phosphorus use efficiency

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Dry beans along with rice are staple food for populations of South America. In this tropical region beans are grown on Oxisols and phosphorus is one of the most yield limiting factors for dry bean production. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate P use efficiency in 20 promising dry bean...

Thermochemical valorization and characterization of household biowaste.

PubMed

Vakalis, S; Sotiropoulos, A; Moustakas, K; Malamis, D; Vekkos, K; Baratieri, M

2017-12-01

Valorization of municipal solid waste (MSW), by means of energy and material recovery, is considered to be a crucial step for sustainable waste management. A significant fraction of MSW is comprised from food waste, the treatment of which is still a challenge. Therefore, the conventional disposal of food waste in landfills is being gradually replaced by recycling aerobic treatment, anaerobic digestion and waste-to-energy. In principle, thermal processes like combustion and gasification are preferred for the recovery of energy due to the higher electrical efficiency and the significantly less time required for the process to be completed when compared to biological process, i.e. composting, anaerobic digestion and transesterification. Nonetheless, the high water content and the molecular structure of biowaste are constraining factors in regard to the application of thermal conversion pathways. Investigating alternative solutions for the pre-treatment and more energy efficient handling of this waste fraction may provide pathways for the optimization of the whole process. In this study, by means of utilizing drying/milling as an intermediate step, thermal treatment of household biowaste has become possible. Household biowaste has been thermally processed in a bench scale reactor by means of torrefaction, carbonization and high temperature pyrolysis. According to the operational conditions, fluctuating fractions of biochar, bio-oil (tar) and syngas were recovered. The thermochemical properties of the feedstock and products were analyzed by means of Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA), Ultimate and Proximate analysis and Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR). The analysis of the products shows that torrefaction of dried household biowaste produces an energy dense fuel and high temperature pyrolysis produces a graphite-like material with relatively high yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small Scale Irrigation within Water, Energy and Food Nexus Framework in Ethiopia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerik, T.; Worqlul, A. W.; Yihun, D.; Bizimana, J. C.; Jeong, J.; Schmitter, P.; Srinivasan, R.; Richardson, J. W.; Clark, N.

2017-12-01

This study presents the nexus of food, energy and water framework in the context of small scale irrigation for vegetable production during the dry season in an irrigated agriculture system in Ethiopia. The study is based on detailed data collected in three sites of the Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI) project in Ethiopia. The sites were Robit, Dangishta and Lemo and detailed field data was collected in 18 households in each site. The field data collected includes crop management (such as irrigation amount and dates, fertilizer rates, tillage practices, irrigation technologies, etc.) and agricultural production (crop yield, biomass, etc.) on tomato, onion and cabbage during the dry season. Four different water lifting technologies - namely rope with pulley and bucket, rope and washer pump, solar pump and motor pump - were used for water withdrawal from shallow groundwater wells. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX) models were used in an integrated manner to assess water resource potential and develop water use efficiency of vegetables, which is a relationship between amount of water applied and vegetable yield. The water use efficiency for each vegetable crops were translated into energy requirement as pumping hours and potential irrigable areas for the water lifting technologies. This integrated approach was found useful to optimize water and energy use for sustainable food production using small scale irrigation. The holistic approach will not only provide a significant contribution to achieving food self-sufficiency, but will also be effective for optimizing agricultural input. Keyword: small scale irrigation, integrated modeling, water lifting technology, East Africa

Dry-spray deposition of TiO2 for a flexible dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using a nanoparticle deposition system (NPDS).

PubMed

Kim, Min-Saeng; Chun, Doo-Man; Choi, Jung-Oh; Lee, Jong-Cheon; Kim, Yang Hee; Kim, Kwang-Su; Lee, Caroline Sunyong; Ahn, Sung-Hoon

2012-04-01

TiO2 powders were deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates for application to the photoelectrode of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). In the conventional DSSC manufacturing process, a semiconductor oxide such as TiO2 powder requires a sintering process at higher temperature than the glass transition temperature (T(g)) of polymers, and thus utilization of flexible polymer substrates in DSSC research has been constrained. To overcome this restriction related to sintering, we used a nanoparticle deposition system (NPDS) that could produce a thin coating layer through a dry-spray method under atmospheric pressure at room temperature. The powder was sprayed through a slit-type nozzle having a 0.4 x 10 mm2 rectangular outlet. In order to determine the deposited TiO2 thickness, five kinds of TiO2 layered specimens were prepared, where the specimens have single and double layer structures. Deposited powders on the ITO coated PET substrates were observed using FE-SEM and a scan profiler The thicker TiO2 photoelectrode with a DSSC having a double layer structure showed higher energy efficiency than the single layer case. The highest fabricated flexible DSSC displayed a short circuit current density J(sc) = 1.99 mA cm(-2), open circuit voltage V(oc) = 0.71 V, and energy efficiency eta = 0.94%. These results demonstrate the possibility of utilizing the dry-spray method to fabricate a TiO2 layer on flexible polymer substrates at room temperature under atmospheric pressure.

Updraft gasification of salmon processing waste.

PubMed

Rowland, Sarah; Bower, Cynthia K; Patil, Krushna N; DeWitt, Christina A Mireles

2009-10-01

The purpose of this study was to judge the feasibility of gasification for the disposal of waste streams generated through salmon harvesting. Gasification is the process of converting carbonaceous materials into combustible "syngas" in a high temperature (above 700 degrees C), oxygen deficient environment. Syngas can be combusted to generate power, which recycles energy from waste products. At 66% to 79% moisture, raw salmon waste streams are too wet to undergo pyrolysis and combustion. Ground raw or de-oiled salmon whole fish, heads, viscera, or frames were therefore "dried" by mixing with wood pellets to a final moisture content of 20%. Ground whole salmon with moisture reduced to 12% moisture was gasified without a drying agent. Gasification tests were performed in a small-scale, fixed-bed, updraft gasifer. After an initial start-up period, the gasifier was loaded with 1.5 kg of biomass. Temperature was recorded at 6 points in the gasifier. Syngas was collected during the short steady-state period during each gasifier run and analyzed. Percentages of each type of gas in the syngas were used to calculate syngas heating value. High heating value (HHV) ranged from 1.45 to 1.98 MJ/kg. Bomb calorimetry determined maximum heating value for the salmon by-products. Comparing heating values shows the efficiency of gasification. Cold gas efficiencies of 13.6% to 26% were obtained from the various samples gasified. Though research of gasification as a means of salmon waste disposal and energy production is ongoing, it can be concluded that pre-dried salmon or relatively low moisture content mixtures of waste with wood are gasifiable.

High-oil-load encapsulation of medium-chain triglycerides and D-limonene mixture in modified starch by spray drying.

PubMed

Paramita, Vita; Furuta, Takeshi; Yoshii, Hidefumi

2012-02-01

Oil mixtures of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and D-limonene in mixing ratios from 10 to 100 wt% were encapsulated in modified starch (wall material) by spray drying to produce oil-rich powders. The oil load (mass ratio of oil mixture to wall material) of the infeed emulsion markedly influenced the properties of the infeed liquid and the characteristics of the resulting powder. The viscosity of the infeed liquid and the particle size of the powder exponentially decreased with increasing oil load, while the emulsion droplet size in the infeed liquid increased. In addition, retention of D-limonene during spray drying also decreased markedly with increasing oil load. Irrespective of the different oil loads and concentrations of the wall material, D-limonene retention was well correlated with the emulsion droplet diameter of the infeed liquid. The encapsulation efficiency of the oil mixture exhibited a maximum value (almost 100%) at an oil load between 0.5 and 1.0, before decreasing at higher oil loads. At an oil load of 2.0, the encapsulation efficiency of D-limonene was reduced to almost zero, while around 40% of the initial MCT was encapsulated in the powder. The increase in oil load also led to increased amounts of surface oil of MCT and D-limonene in the resulting powder due to the increasing emulsion droplet diameter of the infeed liquids. This study proposes the microencapsulation of medium-chain triglycerides under high-oil-load conditions by spray drying. The powders prepared by this process provide significant benefits in terms of rapid energy conversion after consumption without accumulation in the body. Important quality factors of the powder products such as the encapsulation efficiency and the amount of surface oil were examined to understand the optimum process conditions for spray drying. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Performance analysis of phase-change material storage unit for both heating and cooling of buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waqas, Adeel; Ali, Majid; Ud Din, Zia

2017-04-01

Utilisation of solar energy and the night ambient (cool) temperatures are the passive ways of heating and cooling of buildings. Intermittent and time-dependent nature of these sources makes thermal energy storage vital for efficient and continuous operation of these heating and cooling techniques. Latent heat thermal energy storage by phase-change materials (PCMs) is preferred over other storage techniques due to its high-energy storage density and isothermal storage process. The current study was aimed to evaluate the performance of the air-based PCM storage unit utilising solar energy and cool ambient night temperatures for comfort heating and cooling of a building in dry-cold and dry-hot climates. The performance of the studied PCM storage unit was maximised when the melting point of the PCM was ∼29°C in summer and 21°C during winter season. The appropriate melting point was ∼27.5°C for all-the-year-round performance. At lower melting points than 27.5°C, declination in the cooling capacity of the storage unit was more profound as compared to the improvement in the heating capacity. Also, it was concluded that the melting point of the PCM that provided maximum cooling during summer season could be used for winter heating also but not vice versa.

Impact of Feed Efficiency and Diet on Adaptive Variations in the Bacterial Community in the Rumen Fluid of Cattle

PubMed Central

Hernandez-Sanabria, Emma; Goonewardene, Laksiri A.; Wang, Zhiquan; Durunna, Obioha N.; Moore, Stephen S.

2012-01-01

Limited knowledge of the structure and activities of the ruminal bacterial community prevents the understanding of the effect of population dynamics on functional bacterial groups and on host productivity. This study aimed to identify particular bacteria associated with host feed efficiency in steers with differing diets and residual feed intake (RFI) using culture-independent methods: PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. PCR-DGGE profiles were generated from the ruminal fluid of 55 steers fed a low-energy-density diet and then switched to a high-energy-density diet. Bacterial profile comparisons by multivariate statistical analysis showed a trend only for RFI-related clusters on the high-energy diet. When steers (n = 19) belonging to the same RFI group under both diets were used to identify specific bacterial phylotypes related to feed efficiency traits, correlations were detected between dry matter intake, average daily gain, and copy numbers of the 16S rRNA gene of Succinivibrio sp. in low-RFI (efficient) steers, whereas correlations between Robinsoniella sp. and RFI (P < 0.05) were observed for high-RFI (inefficient) animals. Eubacterium sp. differed significantly (P < 0.05) between RFI groups that were only on the high-energy diet. Our work provides a comprehensive framework to understand how particular bacterial phylotypes contribute to differences in feed efficiency and ultimately influence host productivity, which may either depend on or be independent from diet factors. PMID:22156428

Improving health and energy efficiency through community-based housing interventions.

PubMed

Howden-Chapman, Philippa; Crane, Julian; Chapman, Ralph; Fougere, Geoff

2011-12-01

Houses designed for one climate and cultural group may not be appropriate for other places and people. Our aim is to find cost-effective ways to improve the characteristics of older homes, ill-fitted for New Zealand's climate, in order to improve the occupants' health. We have carried out two community randomised trials, in partnership with local communities, which have focused on retrofitted insulation and more effective heating and have two other studies under way, one which focuses on electricity vouchers and the other on housing hazard remediation. The Housing, Insulation and Health Study showed that insulating 1,350 houses, built before insulation was required, improved the occupants' health and well being as well as household energy efficiency. In the Housing, Heating and Health Study we investigated the impact of installing more effective heating in insulated houses for 409 households, where there was a child with doctor-diagnosed asthma. Again, the study showed significant results in the intervention group; indoor temperatures increased and levels of NO(2) were halved. Children reported less poor health, lower levels of asthma symptoms and sleep disturbances by wheeze and dry cough. Children also had fewer days off school. Improving the energy efficiency of older housing leads to health improvements and energy efficiency improvements. Multidisciplinary studies of housing interventions can create compelling evidence to support policies for sustainable housing developments which improve health.

[Thermal energy utilization analysis and energy conservation measures of fluidized bed dryer].

PubMed

Xing, Liming; Zhao, Zhengsheng

2012-07-01

To propose measures for enhancing thermal energy utilization by analyzing drying process and operation principle of fluidized bed dryers,in order to guide optimization and upgrade of fluidized bed drying equipment. Through a systematic analysis on drying process and operation principle of fluidized beds,the energy conservation law was adopted to calculate thermal energy of dryers. The thermal energy of fluidized bed dryers is mainly used to make up for thermal consumption of water evaporation (Qw), hot air from outlet equipment (Qe), thermal consumption for heating and drying wet materials (Qm) and heat dissipation to surroundings through hot air pipelines and cyclone separators. Effective measures and major approaches to enhance thermal energy utilization of fluidized bed dryers were to reduce exhaust gas out by the loss of heat Qe, recycle dryer export air quantity of heat, preserve heat for dry towers, hot air pipes and cyclone separators, dehumidify clean air in inlets and reasonably control drying time and air temperature. Such technical parameters such air supply rate, air inlet temperature and humidity, material temperature and outlet temperature and humidity are set and controlled to effectively save energy during the drying process and reduce the production cost.

Influence of drying method on the surface energy of cellulose nanofibrils determined by inverse gas chromatography

Treesearch

Yucheng Peng; Douglas J. Gardner; Yousoo Han; Zhiyong Cai; Mandla A. Tshabalala

2013-01-01

Research and development of the renewable nanomaterial cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) has received considerable attention. The effect of drying on the surface energy of CNFs was investigated. Samples of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were each subjected to four separate drying methods: air-drying, freeze-drying, spray-drying, and...

Dry Kraft Pulping at Ambient Pressure for Cost Effective Energy Saving and Pollution Deduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yulin Deng; Art Ragauskas

Sponsored by the DOE Industrial Energy Efficiency Grand Challenge program, our research team at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted laboratory studies and confirmed the concept of making wood pulp using a dry pulping technology. This technology is a new process different from any prior pulping technology used in Kraft and CTMP pulping. Three different kinds of dry pulping methods were investigated. (a) Dry Pulping at Atmospheric Pressure: The first one is to dry and bake the pretreated woodchips in a conventional oven at atmospheric pressure without the use of a catalyst. (b) Dry Pulping at Reduced Pressure: The secondmore » method is to dry the pretreated woodchips first in a vacuum oven in the presence of anthraquinone (AQ) as a pulping catalyst, followed by baking at elevated temperature. (c) Liquid Free Chemical Pulping, LFCP. The third method is to first remove the free water of pretreated woodchips, followed by dry pulping using a conventional Kraft pulping digester with AQ and triton as additives. Method one: Experimental results indicated that Dry Pulping at Atmospheric Pressure could produce pulp with higher brightness and lower bulk than conventional Kraft pulp. However, tensile strength of the acquired pulp is much lower than traditional Kraft pulp, and their Kappa number and energy consumption are higher than conventional Kraft pulp. By fully analyzing the results, we concluded that wood fibers might be damaged during the drying process at elevated temperature. The main reason for wood fiber damage is that a long drying time was used during evaporation of water from the woodchips. This resulted in an un-uniform reaction condition on the woodchips: the outside layer of the woodchips was over reacted while inside the woodchips did not reacted at all. To solve this problem, dry pulping at reduced pressure was investigated. Method two: To achieve uniform reaction throughout the entire reaction system, the water inside the pretreated woodchips was evaporated first under vacuum condition at low temperature. Then, the dry woodchips were baked at high temperature (120-130 C) at atmospheric pressure. The qualities of the pulp made with this method were improved compared to that made with method one. The pulp shows higher brightness and lower bulk than Kraft pulping. The tensile strength is significantly higher than the pulp made from the first method. Although the pulp is stronger than that of TMP pulp, it is still lower than conventional Kraft fiber. Method Three: The third dry method was done in a Kraft pulping digester at elevated pressure but without free liquid in the digester. With this method, pulp that has almost the same qualities as conventional Kraft pulp could be produced. The screen yield, Kappa number, fiber brightness, pulp strength and pulp bulk are almost identical to the conventional Kraft pulp. The key advantages of this dry pulping method include ca. 55 % of cooking energy saved during the pulping process, as high as 50 wt% of NaOH saving as well as 3 wt% of Na2S saving comparing to Kraft one. By analyzing fiber properties, yields, chemical and energy consumptions, we concluded that the dry pulping method based on Liquid Free Chemical Pulping, LFCP, could be very attractive for the pulp and paper industry. More fundamental studies and scale up trials are needed to fully commercialize the technology. We expect to conduct pilot trials between 12 to 24 months of period if the DOE or industry can provide continual research funding. Based on the technology we demonstrated in this report, several pilot trial facilities in the United States will be available after small modifications. For example, the Herty Foundation in Savannah, Georgia is one of these potential locations. DOE funding for continuous study and final lead to commercialization of the technique is important.« less

Investigation of the changes in aerosolization behavior between the jet-milled and spray-dried colistin powders through surface energy characterization

PubMed Central

Jong, Teresa; Li, Jian; Mortonx, David A.V.; Zhou, Qi (Tony); Larson, Ian

2016-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the surface energy factors behind improved aerosolization performance of spray-dried colistin powder formulations compared to those produced by jet-milling. Inhalable colistin powder formulations were produced by jet-milling or spray-drying (with or without L-leucine). Scanning electron micrographs showed the jet-milled particles had irregularly angular shapes, while the spray-dried particles were more spherical. Significantly higher fine particle fractions (FPFs) were measured for the spray-dried (43.8-49.6%) vs. the jet-milled formulation (28.4 %) from a Rotahaler at 60L/min; albeit the size distribution of the jet-milled powder was smaller. Surprisingly, addition of L-leucine in the spray drying feed-solution gave no significant improvement in FPF. As measured by inverse gas chromatography, spray-dried formulations had significantly (p<0.001) lower dispersive, specific and total surface energy values and more uniform surface energy distributions than the jet-milled powder. Interestingly, no significant difference was measured in the specific and total surface energy values between the spray-dried formulation with or without L-leucine. Based upon our previous findings in the self-assembling behavior of colistin in aqueous solution and the surface energy data obtained here, we propose the self-assembly of colistin molecules during spray-drying, contributed significantly to the reduction of surface free energy and the superior aerosolization performance. PMID:26886330

Experimental digester facility modifications and digester gas upgrading research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Srivastava, V.J.; Biljetina, R.; Akin, C.

1989-01-01

The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) has been participating in an experimental program at the Community Waste Research Facility (CWRF) located at the Walt Disney World Resort Complex, Orlando, Florida. Four institutions have formed a team to provide solutions to community waste treatment and disposal programs. Of primary importance to this research effort is the implementation of low-cost, energy-efficient waste treatment and recovery technologies and the net production of energy (methane) from biomass and waste resources. The production of methane is being studied in a novel, high-rate digester. During 1988, we were responsible for modifying the Experimental Test Unit (ETU)more » to permit dry solids feeding of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and for conducting bench-scale experiments to evaluate techniques for efficient removal of carbon dioxide produced during anaerobic digestion.« less

Feed conversion efficiency in dairy cows: Repeatability, variation in digestion and metabolism of energy and nitrogen, and ruminal methanogens.

PubMed

Arndt, C; Powell, J M; Aguerre, M J; Crump, P M; Wattiaux, M A

2015-06-01

The objective was to study repeatability and sources of variation in feed conversion efficiency [FCE, milk kg/kg dry matter intake (DMI)] of lactating cows in mid to late lactation. Trials 1 and 2 used 16 cows (106 to 368 d in milk) grouped in 8 pairs of 1 high- and 1 low-FCE cow less than 16 d in milk apart. Trial 1 determined the repeatability of FCE during a 12-wk period. Trial 2 quantified the digestive and metabolic partitioning of energy and N with a 3-d total fecal and urine collection and measurement of CH4 and CO2 emission. Trial 3 studied selected ruminal methanogens in 2 pairs of cows fitted with rumen cannulas. Cows received a single diet including 28% corn silage, 27% alfalfa silage, 17% crude protein, and 28% neutral detergent fiber (dry matter basis). In trial 1, mean FCE remained repeatedly different and averaged 1.83 and 1.03 for high- and low-FCE cows, respectively. In trial 2, high-FCE cows consumed 21% more DMI, produced 98% more fat- and protein-corrected milk, excreted 42% less manure per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk, but emitted the same daily amount of CH4 and CO2 compared with low-FCE cows. Percentage of gross energy intake lost in feces was higher (28.6 vs. 25.9%), but urinary (2.76 vs. 3.40%) and CH4 (5.23 vs. 6.99%) losses were lower in high- than low-FCE cows. Furthermore, high-FCE cows partitioned 15% more of gross energy intake toward net energy for maintenance, body gain, and lactation (37.5 vs. 32.6%) than low-FCE cows. Lower metabolic efficiency and greater heat loss in low-FCE cows might have been associated in part with greater energy demand for immune function related to subclinical mastitis, as somatic cell count was 3.8 fold greater in low- than high-FCE cows. As a percentage of N intake, high-FCE cows tended to have greater fecal N (32.4 vs. 30.3%) and had lower urinary N (32.2 vs. 41.7%) and greater milk N (30.3 vs. 19.1%) than low-FCE cows. In trial 3, Methanobrevibacter spp. strain AbM4 was less prevalent in ruminal content of high-FCE cows, which emitted less CH4 per unit of DMI and per unit of neutral detergent fiber digested than low-FCE cows. Thus lower digestive efficiency was more than compensated by greater metabolic efficiencies in high- compared with low-FCE cows. There was not a single factor, but rather a series of mechanisms involved in the observed differences in efficiency of energy utilization of the lactating cows in this study. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoekman, S. Kent; Broch, Broch; Robbins, Curtis

The primary objective of this project was to utilize a flexible, energy-efficient facility, called the DRI Renewable Energy Experimental Facility (REEF) to support various renewable energy research and development (R&D) efforts, along with education and outreach activities. The REEF itself consists of two separate buildings: (1) a 1200-ft2 off-grid capable house and (2) a 600-ft2 workshop/garage to support larger-scale experimental work. Numerous enhancements were made to DRI's existing renewable power generation systems, and several additional components were incorporated to support operation of the REEF House. The power demands of this house are satisfied by integrating and controlling PV arrays, solarmore » thermal systems, wind turbines, an electrolyzer for renewable hydrogen production, a gaseous-fuel internal combustion engine/generator set, and other components. Cooling needs of the REEF House are satisfied by an absorption chiller, driven by solar thermal collectors. The REEF Workshop includes a unique, solar air collector system that is integrated into the roof structure. This system provides space heating inside the Workshop, as well as a hot water supply. The Workshop houses a custom-designed process development unit (PDU) that is used to convert woody biomass into a friable, hydrophobic char that has physical and chemical properties similar to low grade coal. Besides providing sufficient space for operation of this PDU, the REEF Workshop supplies hot water that is used in the biomass treatment process. The DRI-REEF serves as a working laboratory for evaluating and optimizing the performance of renewable energy components within an integrated, residential-like setting. The modular nature of the system allows for exploring alternative configurations and control strategies. This experimental test bed is also highly valuable as an education and outreach tool both in providing an infrastructure for student research projects, and in highlighting renewable energy features to the public.« less

Preparation and characterization of hydroxyapatite-coated iron oxide particles by spray-drying technique.

PubMed

Donadel, Karina; Felisberto, Marcos D V; Laranjeira, Mauro C M

2009-06-01

Magnetic particles of iron oxide have been increasingly used in medical diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging and in cancer therapies involving targeted drug delivery and magnetic hyperthermia. In this study we report the preparation and characterization of iron oxide particles coated with bioceramic hydroxyapatite by spray-drying. The iron oxide magnetic particles (IOMP) were coated with hydroxyapatite (HAp) by spray-drying using two IOMP/HAp ratios (0.7 and 3.2). The magnetic particles were characterized by way of scanning electronic microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, flame atomic absorption spectrometry,vibrating sample magnetometry and particle size distribution (laser diffraction). The surface morphology of the coated samples is different from that of the iron oxide due to formation of hydroxyapatite coating. From an EDX analysis, it was verified that the surface of the coated magnetic particles is composed only of HAp, while the interior containsiron oxide and a few layers of HAp as expected. The results showed that spray-drying technique is an efficient and relatively inexpensive method for forming spherical particles with a core/shell structure.

Food structure: Its formation and relationships with other properties.

PubMed

Joardder, Mohammad U H; Kumar, Chandan; Karim, M A

2017-04-13

Food materials are complex in nature as it has heterogeneous, amorphous, hygroscopic and porous properties. During processing, microstructure of food materials changes which significantly affects other properties of food. An appropriate understanding of the microstructure of the raw food material and its evolution during processing is critical in order to understand and accurately describe dehydration processes and quality anticipation. This review critically assesses the factors that influence the modification of microstructure in the course of drying of fruits and vegetables. The effect of simultaneous heat and mass transfer on microstructure in various drying methods is investigated. Effects of changes in microstructure on other functional properties of dried foods are discussed. After an extensive review of the literature, it is found that development of food structure significantly depends on fresh food properties and process parameters. Also, modification of microstructure influences the other properties of final product. An enhanced understanding of the relationships between food microstructure, drying process parameters and final product quality will facilitate the energy efficient optimum design of the food processor in order to achieve high-quality food.

Experimental evaluation and thermodynamic system modeling of thermoelectric heat pump clothes dryer

DOE PAGES

Patel, Viral K.; Gluesenkamp, Kyle R.; Goodman, Dakota; ...

2018-02-28

Electric clothes dryers consume about 6% of US residential electricity consumption. Using a solid-state technology without refrigerant, thermoelectric (TE) heat pump dryers have the potential to be more efficient than units based on electric resistance and less expensive than units based on vapor compression. This study presents a steady state TE dryer model, and validates the model against results from an experimental prototype. The system model is composed of a TE heat pump element model coupled with a psychrometric dryer sub-model. Experimental results had energy factors (EFs) of up to 2.95 kg of dry cloth per kWh (6.51 lb c/kWh),more » with a dry time of 159 min. A faster dry time of 96 min was also achieved at an EF of 2.54 kg c/kWh (5.60 lb c/kWh). The model was able to replicate the experimental results within 5% of EF and 5% of dry time values. Finally, the results are used to identify important parameters that affect dryer performance, such as relative humidity of air leaving the drum.« less

Sewage sludge drying method combining pressurized electro-osmotic dewatering with subsequent bio-drying.

PubMed

Li, Qian; Lu, Xuebin; Guo, Haigang; Yang, Zengjun; Li, Yingte; Zhi, Suli; Zhang, Keqiang

2018-04-30

In this study, pressurized electro-osmotic dewatering (PEOD) as a pretreatment process, instead of the conventional practice of adding bulking agents, for sewage sludge bio-drying was proposed. Initially, various parameters were optimized for obtaining dewatered sewage sludge (DSS), treated by an efficient, quick, and energy-saving PEOD process. The results show that the moisture content (MC) of sewage sludge could decrease from 83.41% to 60.0% within 7.5 min in the optimum conditions of the PEOD process. Subsequently, two DSS bio-drying tests were carried out to investigate the effects of inoculation. The highest temperature (68.1 °C) was obtained for T2 (inoculation), which was 3.6 °C higher than that for T1 (non- inoculation). The MC accumulative removal rate for T1 (41.49%) was slightly less than that for T2 (44.60%). Lastly, the volatile solid degradation dynamics model parameters were measured. The degradation rate constants (k) for T1 and T2 were 0.00501 and 0.00498, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization for blast furnace slag dry cooling granulation device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dazhan, Sheng; Yali, Wang; Ruiyun, Wang; Suping, Cui; Xiaoyu, Ma

2017-03-01

Since the large accumulation amount of blast furnace slag (BFS) with recycling value, it has become a hot topic for recovery utilization. Compared with the existing various BFS granulation process, the dry granulation process can promote the use of blast furnace granulated slag as cement substitute and concrete admixtures. Our research group developed a novel dry cooling granulation experiment device to treat BFS. However, there are still some problems to be solved. The purpose of this research is to improve the cooling and granulation efficiency of the existing dry type cooling equipment. This topic uses the FLUENT simulation software to study the impact of the number of air inlet on the cooling effect of the device. The simulation result is that the device possessing eight air inlets can increase the number of hot and cold gas exchanged, resulting in a better cooling effect. According to the power consumption, LCA analysis was carried out on the cooling granulation process. The results show that the device equipped eight air inlets not only improved the original equipment cooling granulation effect, but also increased resource utilization ratio, realized energy-saving and emission reduction.

Experimental evaluation and thermodynamic system modeling of thermoelectric heat pump clothes dryer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patel, Viral K.; Gluesenkamp, Kyle R.; Goodman, Dakota

Electric clothes dryers consume about 6% of US residential electricity consumption. Using a solid-state technology without refrigerant, thermoelectric (TE) heat pump dryers have the potential to be more efficient than units based on electric resistance and less expensive than units based on vapor compression. This study presents a steady state TE dryer model, and validates the model against results from an experimental prototype. The system model is composed of a TE heat pump element model coupled with a psychrometric dryer sub-model. Experimental results had energy factors (EFs) of up to 2.95 kg of dry cloth per kWh (6.51 lb c/kWh),more » with a dry time of 159 min. A faster dry time of 96 min was also achieved at an EF of 2.54 kg c/kWh (5.60 lb c/kWh). The model was able to replicate the experimental results within 5% of EF and 5% of dry time values. Finally, the results are used to identify important parameters that affect dryer performance, such as relative humidity of air leaving the drum.« less

Feeding value of supplemental curcas crude oil in finishing diets for feedlot lambs.

PubMed

Félix-Bernal, J A; Estrada-Angulo, A; Angulo-Escalante, M A; Castro-Pérez, B I; Landeros-López, H; López-Soto, M A; Barreras, A; Zinn, R A; Plascencia, A

2016-09-01

The objective of this experiment was to determine the feeding value of a mechanically extracted nontoxic variety of oil (JCO) as source of energy for feedlot lambs. Twenty Pelibuey × Katahdin lambs were individually fed a dry-rolled-corn-based finishing diet supplemented with 0%, 2%, 4%, or 6% JCO (diet dry matter basis). Supplemental JCO replaced dry rolled corn in the basal diet. Fatty acid composition of JCO was C16:0, 14.0%; C18:0, 8.2%; C18:1, 26.0%; C18:2, 50.3%, and C18:3, 0.4%. Daily intakes of JCO averaged 24.7, 51.1, and 77.3 g/day or 0.57, 1.08, and 1.62 g/kg LW for the 2%, 4%, and 6% levels of supplementation, respectively. Supplemental JCO did not affect ( = 0.33) dry matter intake (DMI), but tended to increase (linear effect, = 0.06) average daily gain, efficiency of gain (linear effect, < 0.01), and dietary net energy (linear effect, < 0.01) and decreased (linear effect, < 0.01) the ratio of observed/expected DMI. At low levels (20 g/kg diet dry matter) of supplementation, the net energy (NE) value of JCO corresponds closely (0.99) to the NE value assigned by current standards (), and this NE value decreased linearly as the inclusion level of JCO increased. There were not treatment effects on plasma metabolites. Across treatments, the concentrations of hemoglobin (11.64 ± 1.08 g/dL), hematocrit (39.15 ± 3.67%), glucose (85.2 ± 17.64 mg/dL), creatinine (1.43 ± 0.28 mg/dL), and urea (20.70 ± 4.35 mg/dL) were within normal (9-15 g/dL, 27%-40%, 50-90 mg/dL, 1.0-1.8 mg/dL, and 15-50 mg/dL, for hemoglobin, hematocrit, glucose, creatinine, and urea, respectively) ranges for healthy lambs. Based on DMI, performance and plasma metabolites observed in this study, nontoxic JCO is a suitable source of energy in finishing diets for lambs.

Diesel Fueled SOFC for Class 7/Class 8 On-Highway Truck Auxiliary Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vesely, Charles John-Paul; Fuchs, Benjamin S.; Booten, Chuck W.

2010-03-31

The following report documents the progress of the Cummins Power Generation (CPG) Diesel Fueled SOFC for Class 7/Class 8 On-Highway Truck Auxiliary Power (SOFC APU) development and final testing under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) contract DE-FC36-04GO14318. This report overviews and summarizes CPG and partner development leading to successful demonstration of the SOFC APU objectives and significant progress towards SOFC commercialization. Significant SOFC APU Milestones: Demonstrated: Operation meeting SOFC APU requirements on commercial Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel. SOFC systems operating on dry CPOX reformate. Successful start-up and shut-down of SOFC APUmore » system without inert gas purge. Developed: Low cost balance of plant concepts and compatible systems designs. Identified low cost, high volume components for balance of plant systems. Demonstrated efficient SOFC output power conditioning. Demonstrated SOFC control strategies and tuning methods.« less

Experimental investigation of drying characteristics of cornelian cherry fruits ( Cornus mas L.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozgen, Filiz

2015-03-01

Major target of present paper is to investigate the drying kinetics of cornelian cherry fruits ( Cornus mas L.) in a convective dryer, by varying the temperature and the velocity of drying air. Freshly harvested fruits are dried at drying air temperature of 35, 45 and 55 °C. The considered drying air velocities are V air = 1 and 1.5 m/s for each temperature. The required drying time is determined by taking into consideration the moisture ratio measurements. When the moisture ratio reaches up to 10 % at the selected drying air temperature, then the time is determined ( t = 40-67 h). The moisture ratio, fruit temperature and energy requirement are presented as the functions of drying time. The lowest drying time (40 h) is obtained when the air temperature is 55 °C and air velocity is 1.5 m/s. The highest drying time (67 h) is found under the conditions of 35 °C temperature and 1 m/s velocity. Both the drying air temperature and the air velocity significantly affect the required energy for drying system. The minimum amount of required energy is found as 51.12 kWh, at 55 °C and 1 m/s, whilst the maximum energy requirement is 106.7 kWh, at 35 °C and 1.5 m/s. It is also found that, air temperature significantly influences the total drying time. Moreover, the energy consumption is decreasing with increasing air temperature. The effects of three parameters (air temperature, air velocity and drying time) on drying characteristics have also been analysed by means of analysis of variance method to show the effecting levels. The experimental results have a good agreement with the predicted ones.

The effect of friction in coulombian damper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahad, H. S.; Tudor, A.; Vlase, M.; Cerbu, N.; Subhi, K. A.

2017-02-01

The study aimed to analyze the damping phenomenon in a system with variable friction, Stribeck type. Shock absorbers with limit and dry friction, is called coulombian shock-absorbers. The physical damping vibration phenomenon, in equipment, is based on friction between the cushioning gasket and the output regulator of the shock-absorber. Friction between them can be dry, limit, mixture or fluid. The friction is depending on the contact pressure and lubricant presence. It is defined dimensionless form for the Striebeck curve (µ friction coefficient - sliding speed v). The friction may damp a vibratory movement or can maintain it (self-vibration), depending on the µ with v (it can increase / decrease or it can be relative constant). The solutions of differential equation of movement are obtained for some work condition of one damper for automatic washing machine. The friction force can transfer partial or total energy or generates excitation energy in damper. The damping efficiency is defined and is determined analytical for the constant friction coefficient and for the parabolic friction coefficient.

Air solar collectors in building use - A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bejan, Andrei-Stelian; Labihi, Abdelouhab; Croitoru, Cristiana; Catalina, Tiberiu

2018-02-01

In the current energy and environmental context it is imperative to implement systems based on renewable energy sources in order to reduce energy consumptions worldwide. Solar collectors are studied by many years and many researchers are focusing their attention in order to increase their efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Water solar collectors are often implemented for domestic hot water, heating or industrial processes and already have a place on the market. A promising system which is not yet widely known is represented by air solar collectors that could represent an efficient way to use the solar energy with a lower investment cost, a system that can be used in order to preheat the fresh air required for heating, drying, or to maintain a minimum temperature during winter. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review on air solar collectors used mainly in buildings, acting as a solar wall. Air solar collectors are roughly classified into two types: glazed and opaque. The present study comprises the solar collector classification, applications and their main parameters with a special focus on opaque solar collectors.

Role of temperature on growth and metabolic rate in the tenebrionid beetles Alphitobius diaperinus and Tenebrio molitor.

PubMed

Bjørge, Julie Dahl; Overgaard, Johannes; Malte, Hans; Gianotten, Natasja; Heckmann, Lars-Henrik

2018-03-10

Insects are increasingly used as a dietary source for food and feed and it is therefore important to understand how rearing conditions affect growth and development of these agricultural animals. Temperature is arguably the most important factor affecting metabolism and growth rate in insects. Here, we investigated how rearing temperature affected growth rate, growth efficiency and macronutrient composition in two species of edible beetle larvae: Alphitobius diaperinus and Tenebrio molitor. Growth rates of both species were quantified at temperatures ranging from 15.2 to 38.0 °C after which we measured protein and lipid content of the different treatment groups. Metabolic rate was measured in a similar temperature range by measuring the rate of O 2 consumption (V·O 2 ) and CO 2 production (V·CO 2 ) using repeated measures closed respirometry. Using these measurements, we calculated the growth efficiency of mealworms by relating the energy assimilation rate to the metabolic rate. Maximum daily growth rates were 18.3% and 16.6% at 31 °C, for A. diaperinus and T. molitor respectively, and we found that A. diaperinus was better at maintaining growth at high temperatures while T. molitor had superior growth at lower temperatures. Both species had highest efficiencies of energy assimilation in the temperature range of 23.3-31.0 °C, with values close to 2 J assimilated/J metabolised in A. diaperinus and around 4 J assimilated/J metabolised in T. molitor. Compared to "conventional" terrestrial livestock, both species of insects were characterised by high growth rates and very high energy conversion efficiency at most experimental temperatures. For A. diaperinus, lipid content was approximately 30% of dry mass and protein content approximately 50% of dry mass across most temperatures. Temperature had a greater influence on the body composition of T. molitor. At 31.0 °C the lipid and protein content was measured to 47.4% and 37.9%, respectively but lipid contents decreased, and protein contents increased when temperatures were higher or lower than 31.0 °C. In summary, rearing temperature had large and independent effects on growth rate, energy assimilation efficiency and protein/lipid content. Accordingly, temperature is a critical parameter to control in commercial insect rearing regardless if the producer wants to optimise production speed, production efficiency or product quality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biofuel production system with operation flexibility: Evaluation of economic and environmental performance under external disturbance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kou, Nannan

Biomass derived liquid hydrocarbon fuel (biofuel) has been accepted as an effective way to mitigate the reliance on petroleum and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. An increasing demand for second generation biofuels, produced from ligno-cellulosic feedstock and compatible with current infrastructure and vehicle technologies, addresses two major challenges faced by the current US transportation sector: energy security and global warming. However, biofuel production is subject to internal disturbances (feedstock supply and commodity market) and external factors (energy market). The biofuel industry has also heavily relied on government subsidy during the early development stages. In this dissertation, I investigate how to improve the economic and environmental performance of biorefineries (and biofuel plant), as well as enhance its survivability under the external disturbances. Three types of disturbance are considered: (1) energy market fluctuation, (2) subsidy policy uncertainty, and (3) extreme weather conditions. All three factors are basically volatile, dynamic, and even unpredictable, which makes them difficult to model and have been largely ignored to date. Instead, biofuel industry and biofuel research are intensively focused on improving feedstock conversion efficiency and capital cost efficiency while assuming these advancements alone will successfully generate higher profit and thus foster the biofuel industry. The collapse of the largest corn ethanol biofuel company, Verasun Energy, in 2008 calls into question this efficiency-driven approach. A detailed analysis has revealed that although the corn ethanol plants operated by Verasun adopted the more efficient (i.e. higher ethanol yield per bushel of corn and lower capital cost) dry-mill technology, they could not maintain a fair profit margin under fluctuating market condition which made ethanol production unprofitable. This is because dry-mill plant converts a single type of biomass feedstock (corn grain) into a single primary product (ethanol). The traditional lower efficient (i.e. lower ethanol yield per bushel of corn and higher capital cost) wet-mill plant has a more diverse and adjustable product portfolio i.e. corn syrup, starch, and ethanol. The fact that only the dry-mill corn ethanol plants have bankrupted while the wet-mill corn ethanol plants have survived the late 2000s economy recession suggests that the higher conversion efficiency achieved by the dry-mill production mode has jeopardized operational flexibility, a design operational feature I agree that is indispensable for the biofuel plant's long term profit and viability. Based on the analysis of corn ethanol production, operational flexibility has been proposed as a key strategy for the next generation biofuel plants to improve its lifetime economic performance, as well as to enhance its survivability under external disturbances. This strategy requires the biofuel plant to adopt a flexible feedstock management, making it possible to utilize alternative types of biomass feedstock when the primary feedstock supply is disturbed. Biofuel plants also need to produce a wider range of final products that could meet the preference variation that either comes from the energy market or from the subsidy policy. Aspen Plus model based numerical simulations have been carried out for a thermochemical ethanol plant and a Fischer Tropsch plant (both are assumed to be located in southwest Indiana) to test this strategy under the external disturbances of extreme weather impact, different energy price projections and various subsidy policy combinations. For the thermochemical ethanol plant, effects of extreme weather conditions are mainly evaluated. It has been shown that this strategy could effectively increase the net present value of the biofuel plant and significantly decrease the GHG emission comparing with the traditional single-feedstock strategy, when the extreme weather conditions are considered. It has also been demonstrated that this strategy could significantly decrease the possibility for the biofuel plant to bankrupt. For the Fischer Tropsch diesel plant, all the three external disturbances have been examined. It has been learned that operational flexibility through full capacity power co-generation, flexible feedstock management and hydrogen production by natural gas autothermal reforming could maximize the net present value under the influence of the external disturbances. Thus it is suggested that the future biofuel plant should adopt operational flexibility to increase the lifetime economic performance and to enhance the survivability under the influence of external disturbance.

Purple-bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers and quantum-dot hybrid-assemblies in lecithin liposomes and thin films.

PubMed

Lukashev, Eugeny P; Knox, Petr P; Gorokhov, Vladimir V; Grishanova, Nadezda P; Seifullina, Nuranija Kh; Krikunova, Maria; Lokstein, Heiko; Paschenko, Vladimir Z

2016-11-01

Quantum dots (QDs) absorb ultraviolet and long-wavelength visible light energy much more efficiently than natural bacterial light-harvesting proteins and can transfer the excitation energy to photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs). Inclusion of RCs combined with QDs as antennae into liposomes opens new opportunities for using such hybrid systems as a basis for artificial energy-transforming devices that potentially can operate with greater efficiency and stability than devices based only on biological components or inorganic components alone. RCs from Rhodobacter sphaeroides and QDs (CdSe/ZnS with hydrophilic covering) were embedded in lecithin liposomes by extrusion of a solution of multilayer lipid vesicles through a polycarbonate membrane or by dialysis of lipids and proteins dispersed with excess detergent. The efficiency of RC and QD interaction within the liposomes was estimated using fluorescence excitation spectra of the photoactive bacteriochlorophyll of the RCs and by measuring the fluorescence decay kinetics of the QDs. The functional activity of the RCs in hybrid complexes was fully maintained, and their stability was even increased. The efficiency of energy transfer between QDs and RCs and conditions of long-term stability of function of such hybrid complexes in film preparations were investigated as well. It was found that dry films containing RCs and QDs, maintained at atmospheric humidity, are capable of maintaining their functional activity for at least some months as judged by measurements of their spectral characteristics, efficiency of energy transfer from QDs to RCs and RC electron transport activity. Addition of trehalose to the films increases the stability further, especially for films maintained at low humidity. These stable hybrid film structures are promising for further studies towards developing new phototransformation devices for biotechnological applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drying characteristics of electro-osmosis dewatered sludge.

PubMed

Ma, Degang; Qian, Jingjing; Zhu, Hongmin; Zhai, Jun

2016-12-01

Electro-osmotic dewatering (EDW) is one of the effective deeply dewatering technologies that is suitable for treating sludge with 55-80% of moisture content. Regarding EDW as the pre-treatment process of drying or incinerating, this article investigated the drying characteristics of electro-osmosis-dewatered sludge, including shear stress test, drying curves analysis, model analysis, and energy balance calculation. After EDW pre-treatment, sludge adhesion was reduced. The sludge drying rate was higher compared to the non-pre-treated sludge, especially under high temperatures (80-120°C). In addition, it is better to place the sludge cake with cathode surface facing upward for improving the drying rate. An adjusted model based on the Logarithmic model could better describe the EDW sludge drying process. Using the energy balance calculation, EDW can save the energy consumed in the process of sludge incineration and electricity generation and enable the system to run without extra energy input.

Dry reforming of methane via plasma-catalysis: influence of the catalyst nature supported on alumina in a packed-bed DBD configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brune, L.; Ozkan, A.; Genty, E.; Visart de Bocarmé, T.; Reniers, F.

2018-06-01

These days, the consideration of CO2 as a feedstock has become the subject of more interest. The reutilization of CO2 is already possible via cold plasma techniques operating at atmospheric pressure. A promising technology is the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). In most cases DBDs exhibit a low energy efficiency for CO2 conversion. However, several routes can be used to increase this efficiency and hence, the product formation. One of these routes is the packed-bed DBD configuration with porous beads inside the gap of the DBD, which also allows the coupling of plasma with catalysis. Catalysts can be introduced in such a configuration to exploit the synergistic effect between plasma and catalytically active surfaces, leading to a more efficient process. In this article, the dry reforming of methane (DRM) is studied, which aims to convert both CO2 and CH4, another greenhouse gas, at the same time. The conversions and energy costs of the DRM process are investigated and compared in both the packed-bed DBD configurations containing catalysts (Co, Cu or Ni) and the classical DBD. The change in filamentary behavior is studied in detail and correlated with the obtained conversions using gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and using an oscilloscope. A characterization of the catalysts on the beads is also carried out. Both the CO2 and CH4 conversions are clearly increased with the plasma-catalysis. Moreover, CH4 conversions as high as 90% can be obtained in certain conditions with copper catalysts.

Analysis of dry friction damping characteristics for short cylindrical shell structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Nengmao; Wang, Yanrong

2018-05-01

An efficient mathematical model to describe the friction of short cylindrical shell structures with a dry friction damping sleeve is proposed. The frictional force in the circumference and axial direction is caused by the opposing bending strains at the interface. Slipping will occur at part region of the interface and the mathematic model of the slipping region is established. Ignoring the effect of contact stiffness on the vibration analysis, the friction energy dissipation capability of damping sleeve would be calculated. Structural vibration mode, positive pressure at the interface and vibration stress of the short cylindrical shell structures is analyzed as influence factors to the critical damping ratio. The results show that the circumferential friction energy dissipation is more sensitive to the number of nodal diameter, and the circumferential friction damping ratio increases rapidly with the number of nodal diameter. The slipping frictional force would increase along with the positive pressure, but the slipping region would decrease with it. The peak damping ratio keeps nearly constant. But the vibration stress corresponding to peak damping ratio would increases with the positive pressure. The dry friction damping ratio of damping sleeve contains the effect of frictional force in the circumference and axial direction, and the axial friction plays a major role.

Drying behaviour, effective diffusivity and energy of activation of olive leaves dried by microwave, vacuum and oven drying methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elhussein, Elaf Abdelillah Ali; Şahin, Selin

2018-07-01

Drying is the crucial food processing for bioactive components from plant materials before strating extraction in addition to preservation of raw plant materials during storage period. Olive leaves were dried by various methods such as microwave drying (MD), oven drying (OD) and vacuum drying (VD) at several temperature values in the present study. Mathematical models allow to develop, design and control the processes. 14 emprical equations were used to estimate the drying behaviour and the time required for drying. Convenience of the models were evaluated according to the correlation coefficient ( R 2 ), varience ( S 2 ) and root mean square deviation ( D RMS ). On the other hand, the effective diffusion coefficient and energy for activation were also calculated. Effects of the drying methods on the total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC) and oleuropein contents and free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) of the olive leaves were also investigated to take into considiration the quality of the dried product. MD has proved to be the fastest drying method having the highest effective diffusivity and the lowest activation energy with a more qualitive product.

Drying behaviour, effective diffusivity and energy of activation of olive leaves dried by microwave, vacuum and oven drying methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elhussein, Elaf Abdelillah Ali; Şahin, Selin

2018-01-01

Drying is the crucial food processing for bioactive components from plant materials before strating extraction in addition to preservation of raw plant materials during storage period. Olive leaves were dried by various methods such as microwave drying (MD), oven drying (OD) and vacuum drying (VD) at several temperature values in the present study. Mathematical models allow to develop, design and control the processes. 14 emprical equations were used to estimate the drying behaviour and the time required for drying. Convenience of the models were evaluated according to the correlation coefficient (R 2 ), varience (S 2 ) and root mean square deviation (D RMS ). On the other hand, the effective diffusion coefficient and energy for activation were also calculated. Effects of the drying methods on the total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC) and oleuropein contents and free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) of the olive leaves were also investigated to take into considiration the quality of the dried product. MD has proved to be the fastest drying method having the highest effective diffusivity and the lowest activation energy with a more qualitive product.

Milk production and energy efficiency of Holstein and Jersey-Holstein crossbred dairy cows offered diets containing grass silage.

PubMed

Xue, B; Yan, T; Ferris, C F; Mayne, C S

2011-03-01

Eight Holstein and 8 Jersey-Holstein crossbred dairy cows (all primiparous) were used in a repeated 2 (genotype) × 2 (concentrate level) factorial design study involving a total of 4 periods (each of 6-wk duration), designed to examine the effect of cross-breeding on the efficiency of milk production and energy use. The 4 periods began at 5, 11, 27, and 33 wk of lactation, respectively. Animals were offered a completely mixed diet containing grass silage and concentrates, with the level of concentrate in the diet either 30 or 70% of dry matter (DM). During the final 10 d of each period, ration digestibility and energy use was measured, the latter in indirect open-circuit respiration calorimeters. No significant interaction existed between cow genotype and dietary concentrate level for feed intake, milk production, or any of the energy use parameters measured. Across the 2 genotypes, total DM intake, milk yield, and milk protein and lactose concentrations increased with increasing dietary concentrate level. Thus, cows offered the high-concentrate diet had a higher gross energy (GE) intake, and a higher energy output in feces, urine, milk as heat, and a higher metabolizable energy (ME) intake as a proportion of GE intake and as a proportion of digestible energy intake. Across the 2 levels of concentrates, the Jersey-Holstein cows had a significantly higher total DM intake and body condition score, and produced milk with higher fat, protein, and energy concentrations, compared with those of the Holstein cows. In addition, the Jersey-Holstein cows had a significantly higher GE intake and energy output in urine, methane, and milk. However, crossbreeding had no significant effect on energy digestibility or metabolizability, energy partitioning between milk and body tissue, or the efficiency of ME use for lactation. Relating ME intake to milk energy output and heat production indicated that crossbreeding did not influence ME requirement for maintenance or energy efficiencies. The energy metabolism data were also used to compare energy efficiencies between "early" (data pooled for the first 2 periods) and "late" (data pooled for the second 2 periods) stages of lactation. Stage of lactation had no effect on energy digestibility or metabolizability, whereas increasing stage of lactation increased the rate of energy partitioning into body tissue and reduced the rate of energy partitioning into milk, irrespective of cow genotype. In conclusion, crossbreeding of Holstein dams with Jersey sires had no adverse effects on the overall production efficiency of Holstein dairy cows in terms of milk production, efficiency of ME use for lactation, and energy partitioning between milk and body tissue. Copyright © 2011 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in drying and dehydration of fruits and vegetables: a review.

PubMed

Sagar, V R; Suresh Kumar, P

2010-01-01

Fruits and vegetables are dried to enhance storage stability, minimize packaging requirement and reduce transport weight. Preservation of fruits and vegetables through drying based on sun and solar drying techniques which cause poor quality and product contamination. Energy consumption and quality of dried products are critical parameters in the selection of drying process. An optimum drying system for the preparation of quality dehydrated products is cost effective as it shortens the drying time and cause minimum damage to the product. To reduce the energy utilization and operational cost new dimensions came up in drying techniques. Among the technologies osmotic dehydration, vacuum drying, freeze drying, superheated steam drying, heat pump drying and spray drying have great scope for the production of quality dried products and powders.

Life Cycle Cost of Solar Biomass Hybrid Dryer Systems for Cashew Drying of Nuts in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhanushkodi, Saravanan; Wilson, Vincent H.; Sudhakar, Kumarasamy

2015-12-01

Cashew nut farming in India is mostly carried out in small and marginal holdings. Energy consumption in the small scale cashew nut processing industry is very high and is mainly due to the high energy consumption of the drying process. The drying operation provides a lot of scope for energy saving and substitutions of other renewable energy sources. Renewable energy-based drying systems with loading capacity of 40 kg were proposed for application in small scale cashew nut processing industries. The main objective of this work is to perform economic feasibility of substituting solar, biomass and hybrid dryer in place of conventional steam drying for cashew drying. Four economic indicators were used to assess the feasibility of three renewable based drying technologies. The payback time was 1.58 yr. for solar, 1.32 for biomass and 1.99 for the hybrid drying system, whereas as the cost-benefit estimates were 5.23 for solar, 4.15 for biomass and 3.32 for the hybrid system. It was found that it is of paramount importance to develop solar biomass hybrid dryer for small scale processing industries.

Adaptations of the reed frog Hyperolius viridiflavus (Amphibia, Anura, Hyperoliidae) to its arid environment : I. The skin of Hyperolius viridiflavus nitidulus in wet and dry season conditions.

PubMed

Kobelt, Frank; Linsenmair, K E

1986-03-01

Hyperolius viridiflavus nitidulus inhabits parts of the seasonally very hot and dry West African savanna. During the long lasting dry season, the small frog is sitting unhidden on mostly dry plants and has to deal with high solar radiation load (SRL), evaporative water loss (EWL) and small energy reserves. It seems to be very badly equipped to survive such harsh climatic conditions (unfavorable surface to volume ratio, very limited capacity to store energy and water). Therefore, it must have developed extraordinary efficient mechanisms to solve the mentioned problems. Some of these mechanisms are to be looked for within the skin of the animal (e.g. protection against fast desiccation, deleterious effects of UV radiation and overheating). The morphology of the wet season skin is, in most aspects, that of a "normal" anuran skin. It differs in the organization of the processes of the melanophores and in the arrangement of the chromatophores in the stratum spongiosum, forming no "Dermal Chromatophore Unit". During the adaptation to dry season conditions the number of iridophores in dorsal and ventral skin is increased 4-6 times compared to wet season skin. This increase is accompanied by a very conspicuous change of the wet season color pattern. Now, at air temperatures below 35° C the color becomes brownish white or grey and changes to a brilliant white at air temperatures near and over 40° C. Thus, in dry season state the frog retains its ability for rapid color change. In wet season state the platelets of the iridophores are irregularly distributed. In dry season state many platelets become arranged almost parallel to the surface. These purine crystals probably act as quarter-wave-length interference reflectors, reducing SRL by reflecting a considerable amount of the radiated energy input.EWL is as low as that of much larger xeric reptilians. The impermeability of the skin seems to be the result of several mechanisms (ground substance, iridophores, lipids, mucus) supplementing each other.The light red skin at the pelvic region and inner sides of the limbs is specialized for rapid uptake of water allowing the frog to replenish the unavoidable EWL by using single drops of dew or rain, available for only very short periods.

A microwave applicator for uniform irradiation by circularly polarized waves in an anechoic chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiang, W. Y.; Wu, M. H.; Wu, K. L.; Lin, M. H.; Teng, H. H.; Tsai, Y. F.; Ko, C. C.; Yang, E. C.; Jiang, J. A.; Barnett, L. R.; Chu, K. R.

2014-08-01

Microwave applicators are widely employed for materials heating in scientific research and industrial applications, such as food processing, wood drying, ceramic sintering, chemical synthesis, waste treatment, and insect control. For the majority of microwave applicators, materials are heated in the standing waves of a resonant cavity, which can be highly efficient in energy consumption, but often lacks the field uniformity and controllability required for a scientific study. Here, we report a microwave applicator for rapid heating of small samples by highly uniform irradiation. It features an anechoic chamber, a 24-GHz microwave source, and a linear-to-circular polarization converter. With a rather low energy efficiency, such an applicator functions mainly as a research tool. This paper discusses the significance of its special features and describes the structure, in situ diagnostic tools, calculated and measured field patterns, and a preliminary heating test of the overall system.

KSC-2009-6798

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-12-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Trenches are prepared to support the walls of the Propellants North Administrative and Maintenance Facility in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The facility will have a two-story administrative building to house managers, mechanics and technicians who fuel spacecraft at Kennedy adjacent to an 1,800-square-foot single-story shop to store cryogenic fuel transfer equipment. The new facility will feature high-efficiency roofs and walls, “Cool Dry Quiet” air conditioning with energy recovery technology, efficient lighting, and other sustainable features. The facility is striving to qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, Platinum certification. If successful, Propellants North will be the first Kennedy facility to achieve this highest of LEED ratings after it is completed in the summer of 2010. The facility was designed for NASA by Jones Edmunds and Associates. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-6797

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-12-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Construction of the Propellants North Administrative and Maintenance Facility begins in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The facility will have a two-story administrative building to house managers, mechanics and technicians who fuel spacecraft at Kennedy adjacent to an 1,800-square-foot single-story shop to store cryogenic fuel transfer equipment. The new facility will feature high-efficiency roofs and walls, “Cool Dry Quiet” air conditioning with energy recovery technology, efficient lighting, and other sustainable features. The facility is striving to qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, Platinum certification. If successful, Propellants North will be the first Kennedy facility to achieve this highest of LEED ratings after it is completed in the summer of 2010. The facility was designed for NASA by Jones Edmunds and Associates. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

A microwave applicator for uniform irradiation by circularly polarized waves in an anechoic chamber.

PubMed

Chiang, W Y; Wu, M H; Wu, K L; Lin, M H; Teng, H H; Tsai, Y F; Ko, C C; Yang, E C; Jiang, J A; Barnett, L R; Chu, K R

2014-08-01

Microwave applicators are widely employed for materials heating in scientific research and industrial applications, such as food processing, wood drying, ceramic sintering, chemical synthesis, waste treatment, and insect control. For the majority of microwave applicators, materials are heated in the standing waves of a resonant cavity, which can be highly efficient in energy consumption, but often lacks the field uniformity and controllability required for a scientific study. Here, we report a microwave applicator for rapid heating of small samples by highly uniform irradiation. It features an anechoic chamber, a 24-GHz microwave source, and a linear-to-circular polarization converter. With a rather low energy efficiency, such an applicator functions mainly as a research tool. This paper discusses the significance of its special features and describes the structure, in situ diagnostic tools, calculated and measured field patterns, and a preliminary heating test of the overall system.

Atomically Thin Mesoporous Nanomesh of Graphitic C₃N₄ for High-Efficiency Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

PubMed

Han, Qing; Wang, Bing; Gao, Jian; Cheng, Zhihua; Zhao, Yang; Zhang, Zhipan; Qu, Liangti

2016-02-23

Delamination of layer materials into two-dimensional single-atom sheets has induced exceptional physical properties, including large surface area, ultrahigh intrinsic carrier mobility, pronounced changes in the energy band structure, and other properties. Here, atomically thin mesoporous nanomesh of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is fabricated by solvothermal exfoliation of mesoporous g-C3N4 bulk made from thermal polymerization of freeze-drying assembled Dicyandiamide nanostructure precursor. With the unique structural advantages for aligned energy levels, electron transfer, light harvesting, and the richly available reaction sites, the as-prepared monolayer of mesoporous g-C3N4 nanomesh exhibits a superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 8510 μmol h(-1) g(-1) under λ > 420 nm and an apparent quantum efficiency of 5.1% at 420 nm, the highest of all the metal-free g-C3N4 nanosheets photocatalysts.

Emissions from small-scale energy production using co-combustion of biofuel and the dry fraction of household waste.

PubMed

Hedman, Björn; Burvall, Jan; Nilsson, Calle; Marklund, Stellan

2005-01-01

In sparsely populated rural areas, recycling of household waste might not always be the most environmentally advantageous solution due to the total amount of transport involved. In this study, an alternative approach to recycling has been tested using efficient small-scale biofuel boilers for co-combustion of biofuel and high-energy waste. The dry combustible fraction of source-sorted household waste was mixed with the energy crop reed canary-grass (Phalaris Arundinacea L.), and combusted in both a 5-kW pilot scale reactor and a biofuel boiler with 140-180 kW output capacity, in the form of pellets and briquettes, respectively. The chlorine content of the waste fraction was 0.2%, most of which originated from plastics. The HCl emissions exceeded levels stipulated in new EU-directives, but levels of equal magnitude were also generated from combustion of the pure biofuel. Addition of waste to the biofuel did not give any apparent increase in emissions of organic compounds. Dioxin levels were close to stipulated limits. With further refinement of combustion equipment, small-scale co-combustion systems have the potential to comply with emission regulations.

Digestibility Is Similar between Commercial Diets That Provide Ingredients with Different Perceived Glycemic Responses and the Inaccuracy of Using the Modified Atwater Calculation to Calculate Metabolizable Energy

PubMed Central

Asaro, Natalie J.; Guevara, Marcial A.; Berendt, Kimberley; Zijlstra, Ruurd; Shoveller, Anna K.

2017-01-01

Dietary starch is required for a dry, extruded kibble; the most common diet type for domesticated felines in North America. However, the amount and source of dietary starch may affect digestibility and metabolism of other macronutrients. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of 3 commercial cat diets on in vivo and in vitro energy and macronutrient digestibility, and to analyze the accuracy of the modified Atwater equation. Dietary treatments differed in their perceived glycemic response (PGR) based on ingredient composition and carbohydrate content (34.1, 29.5, and 23.6% nitrogen-free extract for High, Medium, and LowPGR, respectively). A replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design was used, with 3 diets and 3 periods. In vivo apparent protein, fat, and organic matter digestibility differed among diets, while apparent dry matter digestibility did not. Cats were able to efficiently digest and absorb macronutrients from all diets. Furthermore, the modified Atwater equation underestimated measured metabolizable energy by approximately 12%. Thus, the modified Atwater equation does not accurately determine the metabolizable energy of high quality feline diets. Further research should focus on understanding carbohydrate metabolism in cats, and establishing an equation that accurately predicts the metabolizable energy of feline diets. PMID:29117110

Methods and devices used in the wildfire localization for the protection of forest ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasymov, D. P.; Fateyev, V. N.; Zima, V. P.

2017-11-01

The development of devices for localization and extinguishing of wildland fires based on knowledge of the flame structure, including the drying zone, heating, pyrolysis, mixing with oxygen in the air, using relatively small energy disturbances (shock waves), which minimizes the damage caused to the environment have been represented. Using of the considered technical solutions leading to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of activities to combat wildland fires has been shown.

New electrostatic coal cleaning method cuts sulfur content by 40%

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1985-12-01

An emission control system that electrically charges pollutants and coal particles promises to reduce sulfur 40% at half the cost. The dry coal cleaning processes offer superior performance and better economics than conventional flotation cleaning. Advanced Energy Dynamics, Inc. (AED) is developing both fine and ultra fine processes which increase combustion efficiency and boiler reliability and reduced operating costs. The article gives details from the performance tests and comparisons and summarizes the economic analyses. 4 tables.

Production of drug nanosuspensions: effect of drug physical properties on nanosizing efficiency.

PubMed

Liu, Tao; Müller, Rainer H; Möschwitzer, Jan P

2018-02-01

Drug nanosuspension is one of the established methods to improve the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. Drug physical properties aspect (morphology, solid state, starting size et al) is a critical parameter determining the production efficiency. Some drug modification approaches such as spray-drying were proved to improve the millability of drug powders. However, the mechanism behind those improved performances is unclear. This study is to systematically investigate the influence of those physical properties. Five different APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) with different millabilities, i.e. resveratrol, hesperetin, glibenclamide, rutin, and quercetin, were processed by standard high pressure homogenization (HPH), wet bead milling (WBM), and a combinative method of spray-drying and HPH. Smaller starting sizes of certain APIs could accelerate the particle size reduction velocity during both HPH and WBM processes. Spherical particles were observed for almost all spray-dried powders (except spray-dried hesperetin) after spray-drying. The crystallinity of some spray-dried samples such as rutin and glibenclamide became much lower than their corresponding unmodified powders. Almost all spray-dried drug powders after HPH processes could lead to smaller nanocrystal particle size than unmodified APIs. The modified microstructure instead of solid state after spray-drying explained the potential reason for improved nanosizing efficiency. In addition, the contribution of starting size on the production efficiency was also critical according to both HPH and WBM results.

Mathematical modelling of thin layer hot air drying of apricot with combined heat and power dryer.

PubMed

Faal, Saeed; Tavakoli, Teymor; Ghobadian, Barat

2015-05-01

In this study thermal energy of an engine was used to dry apricot. For this purpose, experiments were conducted on thin layer drying apricot with combined heat and power dryer, in a laboratory dryer. The drying experiments were carried out for four levels of engine output power (25 %, 50 %, 75 % and full load), producing temperatures of 50, 60, 70, and 80 ° C in drying chamber respectively. The air velocity in drying chamber was about 0.5 ± 0.05 m/s. Different mathematical models were evaluated to predict the behavior of apricot drying in a combined heat and power dryer. Conventional statistical equations namely modeling efficiency (EF), Root mean square error (RMSE) and chi-square (χ2) were also used to determine the most suitable model. Assessments indicated that the Logarithmic model considering the values of EF = 0.998746, χ 2 = 0.000120 and RMSE = 0.004772, shows the best treatment of drying apricot with combined heat and power dryer among eleven models were used in this study. The average values of effective diffusivity ranged 1.6260 × 10(-9) to 4.3612 × 10(-9) m2/s for drying apricot at air temperatures between 50 and 80 °C and at the air flow rate of 0.5 ± 0.05 m/s; the values of Deff increased with the increase of drying temperature the effective diffusivities in the second falling rate period were about eight times greater than that in the first falling rate period.

NREL's Energy-Saving Technology for Air Conditioning Cuts Peak Power Loads Without Using Harmful Refrigerants (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2012-07-01

This fact sheet describes how the DEVAP air conditioner was invented, explains how the technology works, and why it won an R&D 100 Award. Desiccant-enhanced evaporative (DEVAP) air-conditioning will provide superior comfort for commercial buildings in any climate at a small fraction of the electricity costs of conventional air-conditioning equipment, releasing far less carbon dioxide and cutting costly peak electrical demand by an estimated 80%. Air conditioning currently consumes about 15% of the electricity generated in the United States and is a major contributor to peak electrical demand on hot summer days, which can lead to escalating power costs, brownouts,more » and rolling blackouts. DEVAP employs an innovative combination of air-cooling technologies to reduce energy use by up to 81%. DEVAP also shifts most of the energy needs to thermal energy sources, reducing annual electricity use by up to 90%. In doing so, DEVAP is estimated to cut peak electrical demand by nearly 80% in all climates. Widespread use of this cooling cycle would dramatically cut peak electrical loads throughout the country, saving billions of dollars in investments and operating costs for our nation's electrical utilities. Water is already used as a refrigerant in evaporative coolers, a common and widely used energy-saving technology for arid regions. The technology cools incoming hot, dry air by evaporating water into it. The energy absorbed by the water as it evaporates, known as the latent heat of vaporization, cools the air while humidifying it. However, evaporative coolers only function when the air is dry, and they deliver humid air that can lower the comfort level for building occupants. And even many dry climates like Phoenix, Arizona, have a humid season when evaporative cooling won't work well. DEVAP extends the applicability of evaporative cooling by first using a liquid desiccant-a water-absorbing material-to dry the air. The dry air is then passed to an indirect evaporative cooling stage, in which the incoming air is in thermal contact with a moistened surface that evaporates the water into a separate air stream. As the evaporation cools the moistened surface, it draws heat from the incoming air without adding humidity to it. A number of cooling cycles have been developed that employ indirect evaporative cooling, but DEVAP achieves a superior efficiency relative to its technological siblings.« less

Thermophilic Dry Methane Fermentation of Distillation Residue Eluted from Ethanol Fermentation of Kitchen Waste and Dynamics of Microbial Communities.

PubMed

Huang, Yu-Lian; Tan, Li; Wang, Ting-Ting; Sun, Zhao-Yong; Tang, Yue-Qin; Kida, Kenji

2017-01-01

Thermophilic dry methane fermentation is advantageous for feedstock with high solid content. Distillation residue with 65.1 % moisture content was eluted from ethanol fermentation of kitchen waste and subjected to thermophilic dry methane fermentation, after adjusting the moisture content to 75 %. The effect of carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio on thermophilic dry methane fermentation was investigated. Results showed that thermophilic dry methane fermentation could not be stably performed for >10 weeks at a C/N ratio of 12.6 and a volatile total solid (VTS) loading rate of 1 g/kg sludge/d; however, it was stably performed at a C/N ratio of 19.8 and a VTS loading rate of 3 g/kg sludge/d with 83.4 % energy recovery efficiency. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the number of bacteria and archaea decreased by two orders of magnitude at a C/N ratio of 12.6, whereas they were not influenced at a C/N ratio of 19.8. Microbial community analysis revealed that the relative abundance of protein-degrading bacteria increased and that of organic acid-oxidizing bacteria and acetic acid-oxidizing bacteria decreased at a C/N ratio of 12.6. Therefore, there was accumulation of NH 4 + and acetic acid, which inhibited thermophilic dry methane fermentation.

Modelling of nectarine drying under near infrared - Vacuum conditions.

PubMed

Alaei, Behnam; Chayjan, Reza Amiri

2015-01-01

Drying of nectarine slices was performed to determine the thermal and physical properties in order to reduce product deterioration due to chemical reactions, facilitate storage and lower transportation costs. Because nectarine slices are sensitive to heat with long drying period, the selection of a suitable drying approach is a challenging task. Infrared-vacuum drying can be used as an appropriate method for susceptible materials with high moisture content such as nectarine slices. Modelling of nectarine slices drying was carried out in a thin layer near infraredvacuum conditions. Drying of the samples was implemented at the absolute pressures of 20, 40 and 60 kPa and drying temperatures of 50, 60 and 70°C. Drying behaviour of nectarine slices, as well as the effect of drying conditions on moisture loss trend, drying rate, effective diffusion coefficient, activation energy, shrinkage, colour and energy consumption of nectarine slices, dried in near infrared-vacuum dryer are discussed in this study. Six mathematical models were used to predict the moisture ratio of the samples in thin layer drying. The Midilli model had supremacy in prediction of nectarine slices drying behaviour. The maximum drying rates of the samples were between 0.014-0.047 gwater/gdry material·min. Effective moisture diffusivity of the samples was estimated in the ranges of 2.46·10-10 to 6.48·10-10 m2/s. Activation energy were computed between 31.28 and 35.23 kJ/mol. Minimum shrinkage (48.4%) and total colour difference (15.1) were achieved at temperature of 50°C and absolute pressure of 20 kPa. Energy consumption of the tests was estimated in the ranges of 0.129 to 0.247 kWh. Effective moisture diffusivity was increased with decrease of vacuum pressure and increase of drying temperature but effect of drying temperature on effective moisture diffusivity of nectarine slices was more than vacuum pressure. Activation energy was decreased with decrease in absolute pressure. Total colour difference and shrinkage of nectarine slices on near infrared-vacuum drying was decreased with decrease of vacuum pressure and decrease of drying temperature.

Effect of surface coating with magnesium stearate via mechanical dry powder coating approach on the aerosol performance of micronized drug powders from dry powder inhalers.

PubMed

Zhou, Qi Tony; Qu, Li; Gengenbach, Thomas; Larson, Ian; Stewart, Peter J; Morton, David A V

2013-03-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of particle surface coating with magnesium stearate on the aerosolization of dry powder inhaler formulations. Micronized salbutamol sulphate as a model drug was dry coated with magnesium stearate using a mechanofusion technique. The coating quality was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Powder bulk and flow properties were assessed by bulk densities and shear cell measurements. The aerosol performance was studied by laser diffraction and supported by a twin-stage impinger. High degrees of coating coverage were achieved after mechanofusion, as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Concomitant significant increases occurred in powder bulk densities and in aerosol performance after coating. The apparent optimum performance corresponded with using 2% w/w magnesium stearate. In contrast, traditional blending resulted in no significant changes in either bulk or aerosolization behaviour compared to the untreated sample. It is believed that conventional low-shear blending provides insufficient energy levels to expose host micronized particle surfaces from agglomerates and to distribute guest coating material effectively for coating. A simple ultra-high-shear mechanical dry powder coating step was shown as highly effective in producing ultra-thin coatings on micronized powders and to substantially improve the powder aerosolization efficiency.

Dry period plane of energy: Effects on glucose tolerance in transition dairy cows.

PubMed

Mann, S; Leal Yepes, F A; Duplessis, M; Wakshlag, J J; Overton, T R; Cummings, B P; Nydam, D V

2016-01-01

Overfeeding energy in the dry period can affect glucose metabolism and the energy balance of transition dairy cows with potential detrimental effects on the ability to successfully adapt to early lactation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of different dry cow feeding strategies on glucose tolerance and on resting concentrations of blood glucose, glucagon, insulin, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in the peripartum period. Cows entering second or greater lactation were enrolled at dry-off (57 d before expected parturition) into 1 of 3 treatment groups following a randomized block design: cows that received a total mixed ration (TMR) formulated to meet but not exceed energy requirements during the dry period (n=28, controlled energy); cows that received a TMR supplying approximately 150% of energy requirements during the dry period (n=28, high energy); and cows that were fed the same diet as the controlled energy group for the first 28 d, after which the TMR was formulated to supply approximately 125% of energy requirements until calving (n=28, intermediate energy). Intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT) with rapid administration of 0.25 g of glucose/kg of body weight were performed 28 and 10d before expected parturition, as well as at 4 and 21 d after calving. Area under the curve for insulin and glucose, maximal concentration and time to half-maximal concentration of insulin and glucose, and clearance rates were calculated. Insulin resistance (IR) indices were calculated from baseline samples obtained during IVGTT and Spearman rank correlations determined between IVGTT parameters and IR indices. Treatment did not affect IVGTT parameters at any of the 4 time points. Correlation between IR indices and IVGTT parameters was generally poor. Overfeeding cows energy in excess of predicted requirements by approximately 50% during the entire dry period resulted in decreased postpartum basal plasma glucose and insulin, as well as increased glucagon, BHB, and NEFA concentrations after calving compared with cows fed a controlled energy diet during the dry period. In conclusion, overfeeding energy during the entire dry period or close-up period alone did not affect glucose tolerance as assessed by IVGTT but energy uptake during the dry period was associated with changes in peripartal resting concentrations of glucose, as well as postpartum insulin, glucagon, NEFA, and BHB concentrations. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What determines transitions between energy- and moisture-limited evaporative regimes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghighi, E.; Gianotti, D.; Akbar, R.; Salvucci, G.; Entekhabi, D.

2017-12-01

The relationship between evaporative fraction (EF) and soil moisture (SM) has traditionally been used in atmospheric and land-surface modeling communities to determine the strength of land-atmosphere coupling in the context of the dominant evaporative regime (energy- or moisture-limited). However, recent field observations reveal that EF-SM relationship is not unique and could vary substantially with surface and/or meteorological conditions. This implies that conventional EF-SM relationships (exclusive of surface and meteorological conditions) are embedded in more complex dependencies and that in fact it is a multi-dimensional function. To fill the fundamental knowledge gaps on the important role of varying surface and meteorological conditions not accounted for by the traditional evaporative regime conceptualization, we propose a generalized EF framework using a mechanistic pore-scale model for evaporation and energy partitioning over drying soil surfaces. Nonlinear interactions among the components of the surface energy balance are reflected in a critical SM that marks the onset of transition between energy- and moisture-limited evaporative regimes. The new generalized EF framework enables physically based estimates of the critical SM, and provides new insights into the origin of land surface EF partitioning linked to meteorological input data and the evolution of land surface temperature during surface drying that affect the relative efficiency of surface energy balance components. Our results offer new opportunities to advance predictive capabilities quantifying land-atmosphere coupling for a wide range of present and projected meteorological input data.

Crop drying by indirect active hybrid solar - Electrical dryer in the eastern Algerian Septentrional Sahara

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boughali, S.; Bouchekima, B.; Mennouche, D.

2009-12-15

In the present work, a new specific prototype of an indirect active hybrid solar-electrical dryer for agricultural products was constructed and investigated at LENREZA Laboratory, University of Ouargla (Algerian Sahara). In the new configuration of air drying passage; the study was done in a somewhat high range of mass flow rate between 0.04 and 0.08 kg/m{sup 2} s a range not properly investigated by most researchers. Experimental tests with and without load were performed in winter season in order to study the thermal behavior of the dryer and the effect of high air masse flow on the collector and systemmore » drying efficiency. The fraction of electrical and solar energy contribution versus air mass flow rate was investigated. Slice tomato was studied with different temperatures and velocities of drying air in order to study the influence of these parameters on the removal moisture content from the product and on the kinetics drying and also to determine their suitable values. Many different thin layer mathematical drying models were compared according to their coefficient of determination (R{sup 2}) and reduced chi square ({chi}{sup 2}) to estimate experimental drying curves. The Middli model in this condition proved to be the best for predicting drying behavior of tomato slice with (R{sup 2} = 0.9995, {chi}{sup 2} = 0.0001). Finally an economic evaluation was calculated using the criterion of payback period which is found very small 1.27 years compared to the life of the dryer 15 years. (author)« less

Arrhenius activation energy of damage to catalase during spray-drying.

PubMed

Schaefer, Joachim; Lee, Geoffrey

2015-07-15

The inactivation of catalase during spray-drying over a range of outlet gas temperatures could be closely represented by the Arrhenius equation. From this an activation energy for damage to the catalase could be calculated. The close fit to Arrhenius suggests that the thermally-induced part of inactivation of the catalase during the complex drying and particle-formation processes takes place at constant temperature. These processes are rapid compared with the residence time of the powder in the collecting vessel of the cyclone where dried catalase is exposed to a constant temperature equal to approximately the drying gas outlet temperature. A lower activation energy after spray drying with the ultrasonic nozzle was found than with the 2-fluid nozzle under otherwise identical spray drying conditions. It is feasible that the ultrasonic nozzle when mounted in the lid of the spray dryer heats up toward the drying gas inlet temperature much more that the air-cooled 2-fluid nozzle. Calculation of the Arrhenius activation energy also showed how the stabilizing efficacy of trehalose and mannitol on the catalase varies in strength across the range of drying gas inlet and outlet temperatures examined. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stepwise drying of medicinal plants as alternative to reduce time and energy processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuervo-Andrade, S. P.; Hensel, O.

2016-07-01

The objective of drying medicinal plants is to extend the shelf life and conserving the fresh characteristics. This is achieved by reducing the water activity (aw) of the product to a value which will inhibit the growth and development of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, significantly reducing enzyme activity and the rate at which undesirable chemical reactions occur. The technical drying process requires an enormous amount of thermal and electrical energy. An improvement in the quality of the product to be dried and at the same time a decrease in the drying cost and time are achieved through the utilization of a controlled conventional drying method, which is based on a good utilization of the renewable energy or looking for other alternatives which achieve lower processing times without sacrificing the final product quality. In this work the method of stepwise drying of medicinal plants is presented as an alternative to the conventional drying that uses a constant temperature during the whole process. The objective of stepwise drying is the decrease of drying time and reduction in energy consumption. In this process, apart from observing the effects on decreases the effective drying process time and energy, the influence of the different combinations of drying phases on several characteristics of the product are considered. The tests were carried out with Melissa officinalis L. variety citronella, sowed in greenhouse. For the stepwise drying process different combinations of initial and final temperature, 40/50°C, are evaluated, with different transition points associated to different moisture contents (20, 30, 40% and 50%) of the product during the process. Final quality of dried foods is another important issue in food drying. Drying process has effect in quality attributes drying products. This study was determining the color changes and essential oil loses by reference the measurement of the color and essential oil content of the fresh product was used. Drying curves were obtained to observe the dynamics of the process for different combinations of temperature and points of change, corresponding to different conditions of moisture content of the product.

An Alginate/Cyclodextrin Spray Drying Matrix to Improve Shelf Life and Antioxidant Efficiency of a Blood Orange By-Product Extract Rich in Polyphenols: MMPs Inhibition and Antiglycation Activity in Dysmetabolic Diseases.

PubMed

Lauro, Maria Rosaria; Crascì, Lucia; Giannone, Virgilio; Ballistreri, Gabriele; Fabroni, Simona; Sansone, Francesca; Rapisarda, Paolo; Panico, Anna Maria; Puglisi, Giovanni

2017-01-01

Alginate and β -cyclodextrin were used to produce easily dosable and spray-dried microsystems of a dried blood orange extract with antidysmetabolic properties, obtained from a by-product fluid extract. The spray-dried applied conditions were able to obtain a concentrate dried extract without the loss of AOA and with TPC and TMA values of 35-40% higher than that of the starting material. They were also effective in producing microparticles with 80-100% of encapsulation efficiency. The 2% sodium alginate was capable of improving the extract shelf life , while the beta-cyclodextrin (1 : 1 molar ratio with dried extract) prolonged the extract antioxidant efficiency by 6 hours. The good inhibition effect of the dried extract on the AGE formation and the MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity is presumably due to a synergic effect exerted by both anthocyanin and bioflavonoid extract compounds and was improved by the use of alginate and cyclodextrin.

An Alginate/Cyclodextrin Spray Drying Matrix to Improve Shelf Life and Antioxidant Efficiency of a Blood Orange By-Product Extract Rich in Polyphenols: MMPs Inhibition and Antiglycation Activity in Dysmetabolic Diseases

PubMed Central

Giannone, Virgilio; Ballistreri, Gabriele; Fabroni, Simona; Rapisarda, Paolo; Panico, Anna Maria; Puglisi, Giovanni

2017-01-01

Alginate and β-cyclodextrin were used to produce easily dosable and spray-dried microsystems of a dried blood orange extract with antidysmetabolic properties, obtained from a by-product fluid extract. The spray-dried applied conditions were able to obtain a concentrate dried extract without the loss of AOA and with TPC and TMA values of 35–40% higher than that of the starting material. They were also effective in producing microparticles with 80–100% of encapsulation efficiency. The 2% sodium alginate was capable of improving the extract shelf life, while the beta-cyclodextrin (1 : 1 molar ratio with dried extract) prolonged the extract antioxidant efficiency by 6 hours. The good inhibition effect of the dried extract on the AGE formation and the MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity is presumably due to a synergic effect exerted by both anthocyanin and bioflavonoid extract compounds and was improved by the use of alginate and cyclodextrin. PMID:29230268

Non-starch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes increase the performance of broiler chickens fed wheat of low apparent metabolizable energy.

PubMed

Choct, M; Hughes, R J; Trimble, R P; Angkanaporn, K; Annison, G

1995-03-01

The effect of a commercial glycanase product (Avizyme TX) on the performance of 4-wk-old broiler chickens fed wheats with low and normal apparent metabolizable energy values was studied. Controls were fed a corn-based diet. Supplementation with the enzyme product significantly (P < 0.01) increased the apparent metabolizable energy of the low metabolizable energy wheat from 12.02 to 14.94 MJ/kg dry matter. The apparent metabolizable energy value of the normal wheat was increased from 14.52 to 14.83 MJ/kg dry matter; this was, however, not significant. Birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat diet had significantly (P < 0.01) higher digesta viscosity and lower small intestinal starch and protein digestibilities than birds fed the normal wheat diet. Chickens fed the low metabolizable energy wheat tended to grow less than those fed the normal wheat diet. When the low metabolizable energy wheat+enzyme diet was fed, digesta viscosity was significantly (P < 0.01) lower (20.28 vs. 10.36 mPa.s), and small intestinal digestibility coefficient of starch was significantly (P < 0.01) greater (0.584 vs. 0.861) relative to values in birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat diet alone. Although the protein digestibility coefficient also increased from 0.689 to 0.745, the difference was not significant. Weight gain and feed efficiency of birds fed the low metabolizable energy wheat+enzyme equaled those of controls. The enzyme product significantly (P < 0.01) increased the solubilization of non-starch polysaccharides within the gastrointestinal tract of birds fed both types of wheat diets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of voltage waveform on dielectric barrier discharge ozone production efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mericam-Bourdet, N.; Kirkpatrick, M. J.; Tuvache, F.; Frochot, D.; Odic, E.

2012-03-01

Dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) are commonly used for gas effluent cleanup and ozone generation. For these applications, the energy efficiency of the discharge is a major concern. This paper reports on investigations carried out on the voltage shape applied to DBD reactor electrodes, aiming to evaluate a possible energy efficiency improvement for ozone production. Two DBD reactor geometries were used: pin-to-pin and cylinder-to-cylinder, both driven either by a bi-directional power supply (voltage rise rate 1 kV/μs) or by a pulsed power supply (voltage rise rate 1 kV/ns). Ozone formed in dry air was measured at the reactor outlet. Special attention was paid to discharge input power evaluation using different methods including instantaneous current-voltage product and transferred charge-applied voltage figures. The charge transferred by the discharges was also correlated to the ozone production. It is shown that, in the case of the DBD reactors under investigation, the applied voltage shape has no influence on the ozone production efficiency. For the considered voltage rise rate, the charge deposit on the dielectric inserted inside the discharge gap is the important factor (as opposed to the voltage shape) governing the efficiency of the discharge - it does this by tailoring the duration of the current peak into the tens of nanosecond range.

Effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy of rambutan seed under different drying methods to promote storage stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, So'bah; Shamsul Anuar, Mohd; Saleena Taip, Farah; Shamsudin, Rosnah; M, Siti Roha A.

2017-05-01

The effects of two drying methods, oven and microwave drying on the effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy of rambutan seed were studied. Effective moisture diffusivity and activation energy are the main indicators used for moisture movement within the material. Hence, it is beneficial to determine an appropriate drying method to attain a final moisture content of rambutan seed that potentially could be used as secondary sources in the industry. An appropriate final moisture content will provide better storage stability that can extend the lifespan of the rambutan seed. The rambutan seeds were dried with two drying methods (oven and microwave) at two level of the process variables (oven temperature; 40°C and 60°C and microwave power; 250W and 1000W) at constant initial moisture contents. The result showed that a higher value of effective moisture diffusivity and less activation energy were observed in microwave drying compared to oven drying. This finding portrays microwave drying expedites the moisture removal to achieve the required final moisture content and the most appropriate drying method for longer storage stability for rambutan seed. With respect to the process variables; higher oven temperatures and lower microwave powers also exhibit similar trends. Hopefully, this study would provide a baseline data to determine an appropriate drying method for longer storage period for turning waste to by-products.

Impact of ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment on energy consumption during drying, grinding, and pelletization of corn stover

DOE PAGES

Bonner, Ian Jeffery; Thompson, David N.; Plummer, Mitchell; ...

2016-01-08

Pretreatment and densification of biomass can increase the viability of bioenergy production by providing a feedstock that is readily hydrolyzed and able to be transported greater distances. Ammonia Fiber Expansion (AFEX) is one such method targeted for use at distributed depots to create a value-added and densified feedstock for bioenergy use. However, the pretreatment process results in a high-moisture material that must be dried, further size reduced, and pelletized; all of which are energy intensive processes. This work quantifies the energy consumption required to dry, grind, and densify AFEX pretreated corn stover compared to non-pretreated stover and explores the potentialmore » of reduced drying as a means to conserve energy. The purpose of this work is to understand whether material property changes resulting from AFEX pretreatment influence the material performance in downstream formatting operations. Material properties, heat balance equations, and a rotary drum dryer model were used to model a commercial scale rotary drum dryer for AFEX pretreated corn stover, showing the potential to reduce dryer energy consumption by up to 36% compared to non-pretreated corn stover. Laboratory measured grinding and pelleting energies were both very sensitive to material moisture content. Overall, the total energy required for drying, grinding, and pelleting amounts to a savings of up to 20 kWh/dry ton for the AFEX pretreated material when dried to a low moisture content, equating to up to 0.55 /kg savings for gas and electricity. Grinding and pelleting of high moisture AFEX pretreated stover was shown to be more costly than the savings collected through reduced drying. Furthermore, while the energy and cost savings shown here are modest, the results help to highlight operational challenges and opportunities for continued improvement.« less

Impact of ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment on energy consumption during drying, grinding, and pelletization of corn stover

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonner, Ian Jeffery; Thompson, David N.; Plummer, Mitchell

Pretreatment and densification of biomass can increase the viability of bioenergy production by providing a feedstock that is readily hydrolyzed and able to be transported greater distances. Ammonia Fiber Expansion (AFEX) is one such method targeted for use at distributed depots to create a value-added and densified feedstock for bioenergy use. However, the pretreatment process results in a high-moisture material that must be dried, further size reduced, and pelletized; all of which are energy intensive processes. This work quantifies the energy consumption required to dry, grind, and densify AFEX pretreated corn stover compared to non-pretreated stover and explores the potentialmore » of reduced drying as a means to conserve energy. The purpose of this work is to understand whether material property changes resulting from AFEX pretreatment influence the material performance in downstream formatting operations. Material properties, heat balance equations, and a rotary drum dryer model were used to model a commercial scale rotary drum dryer for AFEX pretreated corn stover, showing the potential to reduce dryer energy consumption by up to 36% compared to non-pretreated corn stover. Laboratory measured grinding and pelleting energies were both very sensitive to material moisture content. Overall, the total energy required for drying, grinding, and pelleting amounts to a savings of up to 20 kWh/dry ton for the AFEX pretreated material when dried to a low moisture content, equating to up to 0.55 /kg savings for gas and electricity. Grinding and pelleting of high moisture AFEX pretreated stover was shown to be more costly than the savings collected through reduced drying. Furthermore, while the energy and cost savings shown here are modest, the results help to highlight operational challenges and opportunities for continued improvement.« less

Numerical analysis of single and multiple particles of Belchatow lignite dried in superheated steam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakrzewski, Marcin; Sciazko, Anna; Komatsu, Yosuke; Akiyama, Taro; Hashimoto, Akira; Kaneko, Shozo; Kimijima, Shinji; Szmyd, Janusz S.; Kobayashi, Yoshinori

2018-03-01

Low production costs have contributed to the important role of lignite in the energy mixes of numerous countries worldwide. High moisture content, though, diminishes the applicability of lignite in power generation. Superheated steam drying is a prospective method of raising the calorific value of this fuel. This study describes the numerical model of superheated steam drying of lignite from the Belchatow mine in Poland in two aspects: single and multi-particle. The experimental investigation preceded the numerical analysis and provided the necessary data for the preparation and verification of the model. Spheres of 2.5 to 30 mm in diameter were exposed to the drying medium at the temperature range of 110 to 170 °C. The drying kinetics were described in the form of moisture content, drying rate and temperature profile curves against time. Basic coal properties, such as density or specific heat, as well as the mechanisms of heat and mass transfer in the particular stages of the process laid the foundations for the model construction. The model illustrated the drying behavior of a single particle in the entire range of steam temperature as well as the sample diameter. Furthermore, the numerical analyses of coal batches containing particles of various sizes were conducted to reflect the operating conditions of the dryer. They were followed by deliberation on the calorific value improvement achieved by drying, in terms of coal ingredients, power plant efficiency and dryer input composition. The initial period of drying was found crucial for upgrading the quality of coal. The accuracy of the model is capable of further improvement regarding the process parameters.

Environmental dust effects on aluminum surfaces in humid air ambient.

PubMed

Yilbas, Bekir Sami; Hassan, Ghassan; Ali, Haider; Al-Aqeeli, Nasser

2017-04-05

Environmental dusts settle on surfaces and influence the performance of concentrated solar energy harvesting devices, such as aluminum troughs. The characteristics of environmental dust and the effects of mud formed from the dust particles as a result of water condensing in humid air conditions on an aluminum wafer surface are examined. The dissolution of alkaline and alkaline earth compounds in water condensate form a chemically active mud liquid with pH 8.2. Due to gravity, the mud liquid settles at the interface of the mud and the aluminum surface while forming locally scattered patches of liquid films. Once the mud liquid dries, adhesion work to remove the dry mud increases significantly. The mud liquid gives rise to the formation of pinholes and local pit sites on the aluminum surface. Morphological changes due to pit sites and residues of the dry mud on the aluminum surface lower the surface reflection after the removal of the dry mud from the surface. The characteristics of the aluminum surface can address the dust/mud-related limitations of reflective surfaces and may have implications for the reductions in the efficiencies of solar concentrated power systems.

Environmental dust effects on aluminum surfaces in humid air ambient

PubMed Central

Yilbas, Bekir Sami; Hassan, Ghassan; Ali, Haider; Al-Aqeeli, Nasser

2017-01-01

Environmental dusts settle on surfaces and influence the performance of concentrated solar energy harvesting devices, such as aluminum troughs. The characteristics of environmental dust and the effects of mud formed from the dust particles as a result of water condensing in humid air conditions on an aluminum wafer surface are examined. The dissolution of alkaline and alkaline earth compounds in water condensate form a chemically active mud liquid with pH 8.2. Due to gravity, the mud liquid settles at the interface of the mud and the aluminum surface while forming locally scattered patches of liquid films. Once the mud liquid dries, adhesion work to remove the dry mud increases significantly. The mud liquid gives rise to the formation of pinholes and local pit sites on the aluminum surface. Morphological changes due to pit sites and residues of the dry mud on the aluminum surface lower the surface reflection after the removal of the dry mud from the surface. The characteristics of the aluminum surface can address the dust/mud-related limitations of reflective surfaces and may have implications for the reductions in the efficiencies of solar concentrated power systems. PMID:28378798

New Control Design Principles Based on Measured Performance and Energy Analysis of HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning) Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-01

components must also perform accurately if control is to be accurate, tests were made to determine if these components were likely to introduce more...efficient. However, it also greatly increases the com- plexity of the control systems, since room temperature measurements must be made for each zone, with...involving a psychrometer (a dry-bulb and a wet-bulb mercury thermometer) provides only a rough indication. Calibration is time- consuming and only partly

Development of Biodegradable Polycation-Based Inhalable Dry Gene Powders by Spray Freeze Drying

PubMed Central

Okuda, Tomoyuki; Suzuki, Yumiko; Kobayashi, Yuko; Ishii, Takehiko; Uchida, Satoshi; Itaka, Keiji; Kataoka, Kazunori; Okamoto, Hirokazu

2015-01-01

In this study, two types of biodegradable polycation (PAsp(DET) homopolymer and PEG-PAsp(DET) copolymer) were applied as vectors for inhalable dry gene powders prepared by spray freeze drying (SFD). The prepared dry gene powders had spherical and porous structures with a 5~10-μm diameter, and the integrity of plasmid DNA could be maintained during powder production. Furthermore, it was clarified that PEG-PAsp(DET)-based dry gene powder could more sufficiently maintain both the physicochemical properties and in vitro gene transfection efficiencies of polyplexes reconstituted after powder production than PAsp(DET)-based dry gene powder. From an in vitro inhalation study using an Andersen cascade impactor, it was demonstrated that the addition of l-leucine could markedly improve the inhalation performance of dry powders prepared by SFD. Following pulmonary delivery to mice, both PAsp(DET)- and PEG-PAsp(DET)-based dry gene powders could achieve higher gene transfection efficiencies in the lungs compared with a chitosan-based dry gene powder previously reported by us. PMID:26343708

Smart Screening System (S3) In Taconite Processing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daryoush Allaei; Ryan Wartman; David Tarnowski

2006-03-01

The conventional screening machines used in processing plants have had undesirable high noise and vibration levels. They also have had unsatisfactorily low screening efficiency, high energy consumption, high maintenance cost, low productivity, and poor worker safety. These conventional vibrating machines have been used in almost every processing plant. Most of the current material separation technology uses heavy and inefficient electric motors with an unbalanced rotating mass to generate the shaking. In addition to being excessively noisy, inefficient, and high-maintenance, these vibrating machines are often the bottleneck in the entire process. Furthermore, these motors, along with the vibrating machines and supportingmore » structure, shake other machines and structures in the vicinity. The latter increases maintenance costs while reducing worker health and safety. The conventional vibrating fine screens at taconite processing plants have had the same problems as those listed above. This has resulted in lower screening efficiency, higher energy and maintenance cost, and lower productivity and workers safety concerns. The focus of this work is on the design of a high performance screening machine suitable for taconite processing plants. SmartScreens{trademark} technology uses miniaturized motors, based on smart materials, to generate the shaking. The underlying technologies are Energy Flow Control{trademark} and Vibration Control by Confinement{trademark}. These concepts are used to direct energy flow and confine energy efficiently and effectively to the screen function. The SmartScreens{trademark} technology addresses problems related to noise and vibration, screening efficiency, productivity, and maintenance cost and worker safety. Successful development of SmartScreens{trademark} technology will bring drastic changes to the screening and physical separation industry. The final designs for key components of the SmartScreens{trademark} have been developed. The key components include smart motor and associated electronics, resonators, and supporting structural elements. It is shown that the smart motors have an acceptable life and performance. Resonator (or motion amplifier) designs are selected based on the final system requirement and vibration characteristics. All the components for a fully functional prototype are fabricated. The development program is on schedule. The last semi-annual report described the completion of the design refinement phase. This phase resulted in a Smart Screen design that meets performance targets both in the dry condition and with taconite slurry flow using PZT motors. This system was successfully demonstrated for the DOE and partner companies at the Coleraine Mineral Research Laboratory in Coleraine, Minnesota. Since then, the fabrication of the dry application prototype (incorporating an electromagnetic drive mechanism and a new deblinding concept) has been completed and successfully tested at QRDC's lab.« less

Genetic analysis of efficiency traits in Austrian dairy cattle and their relationships with body condition score and lameness.

PubMed

Köck, A; Ledinek, M; Gruber, L; Steininger, F; Fuerst-Waltl, B; Egger-Danner, C

2018-01-01

This study is part of a larger project whose overall objective was to evaluate the possibilities for genetic improvement of efficiency in Austrian dairy cattle. In 2014, a 1-yr data collection was carried out. Data from 6,519 cows kept on 161 farms were recorded. In addition to routinely recorded data (e.g., milk yield, fertility, disease data), data of novel traits [e.g., body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), lameness score, body measurements] and individual feeding information and feed quality were recorded on each test-day. The specific objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for efficiency (related) traits and to investigate their relationships with BCS and lameness in Austrian Fleckvieh, Brown Swiss, and Holstein cows. The following efficiency (related) traits were considered: energy-corrected milk (ECM), BW, dry matter intake (DMI), energy intake (INEL), ratio of milk output to metabolic BW (ECM/BW 0.75 ), ratio of milk output to DMI (ECM/DMI), and ratio of milk energy output to total energy intake (LE/INEL, LE = energy in milk). For Fleckvieh, the heritability estimates of the efficiency (related) traits ranged from 0.11 for LE/INEL to 0.44 for BW. Heritabilities for BCS and lameness were 0.19 and 0.07, respectively. Repeatabilities were high and ranged from 0.30 for LE/INEL to 0.83 for BW. Heritability estimates were generally lower for Brown Swiss and Holstein, but repeatabilities were in the same range as for Fleckvieh. In all 3 breeds, more-efficient cows were found to have a higher milk yield, lower BW, slightly higher DMI, and lower BCS. Higher efficiency was associated with slightly fewer lameness problems, most likely due to the lower BW (especially in Fleckvieh) and higher DMI of the more-efficient cows. Body weight and BCS were positively correlated. Therefore, when selecting for a lower BW, BCS is required as additional information because, otherwise, no distinction between large animals with low BCS and smaller animals with normal BCS would be possible. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High surface area aerogels for energy storage and efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maloney, Ryan Patrick

The dissertation is divided into two main chapters, each focused on a different application for aerogel. The first chapter concerns the development of silica aerogel for thermal insulation. It begins with initial characterization of a silica aerogel insulation for a next-generation Advanced Radioisotope Stirling Generator for space vehicles. While the aerogel as made performs well, it is apparent that further improvements in mechanical strength and durability are necessary. The chapter then continues with the exploration of chlorotrimethysilane surface modification, which somewhat surprisingly provides a drastic increase in mechanical properties, allowing the inherently brittle silica network to deform plastically to >80% strain. It is hypothesized that the hydrophobic surface groups reduce capillary forces during drying, lowering the number of microcracks that may form and weaken the gel. This surface modification scheme is then implemented in a fiber-reinforced, opacified aerogel insulation for a prototypical thermoelectric generator for automotive waste heat recovery. This is the first known report of aerogel insulation for thermoelectrics. The aerogel insulation is able to increase the efficiency of the thermoelectric generator by 40% compared with commercial high-temperature insulating wool. Unfortunately, the supercritical drying process adds significant cost to the aerogel insulation, limiting its commercial viability. The chapter then culminates in the development and characterization of an Ambiently Dried Aerogel Insulation (ADAI) that eliminates the need for expensive supercritical drying. It is believed that this report represents the first aerogel insulation that can be dried without undergoing a large volume change before "springing back" to near its original volume, which allows it to be cast into place into complex geometries and around rigid inclusions. This reduces a large barrier to the commercial viability of aerogel insulation. The advantages of ADAI are demonstrated in a third-generation prototypical thermoelectric generator for automotive waste heat recovery. The second chapter then details two different aerogel-based materials for electrochemical energy storage. It begins with lithium titanate aerogel, which takes advantage of the high surface area of the aerogel morphology to display a batt-cap behavior. This should allow the lithium titanate aerogel to perform at higher rates than would normally be expected for the bulk oxide material. Additionally, the flexibility of the sol-gel process is demonstrated through the incorporation of electrically conductive high-surface area exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets in the oxide. The last section describes the characterization of a LiMn2O 4 spinel coated carbon nanofoam in a non-aqueous electrolyte. The short diffusion path, high surface area and intimately wired architecture of the nanofoam allows the oxide to retain its capacity at significantly higher rates when compared with literature values for the bulk oxide. Additionally, the nanometric length scale improves cycle life, and the high surface area dramatically increases the insertion capacity by providing a higher concentration of surface defects. Taken together, it is clear that aerogels are an extremely attractive class of material for applications pertaining to energy and efficiency, and further research in this area will provide valuable solutions for pressing societal needs. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Effect of sources of calcium salts of fatty acids on production, nutrient digestibility, energy balance, and carryover effects of early lactation grazing dairy cows.

PubMed

de Souza, Jonas; Batistel, Fernanda; Santos, Flávio Augusto Portela

2017-02-01

The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of sources of calcium salts of fatty acids (FA) on production, nutrient digestibility, energy balance, and carryover effects of early lactation grazing dairy cows. Treatment diets were offered from 3 to 16 wk postpartum (the treatment period), in which all cows grazed elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum 'Cameroon') and treatments were added to a concentrate supplement. The treatments were (1) control (concentrate without supplemental fat); (2) concentrate with calcium salts of soybean FA (CSSO); and (3) concentrate with calcium salts of palm FA (CSPO). From 17 to 42 wk postpartum (the carryover period), all cows received a common diet fed as a total mixed ration. During the treatment period, CSPO increased milk yield, milk fat yield, 3.5% fat-corrected milk, energy-corrected milk, and cumulative milk yield compared with control and CSSO. Treatment CSSO increased the yield of milk but did not affect 3.5% fat-corrected milk or energy-corrected compared with control. Also, CSSO decreased milk fat yield, dry matter intake, neutral detergent fiber digestibility, and body weight and body condition loss. Compared with control, both CSSO and CSPO increased feed efficiency (3.5% fat-corrected milk:dry matter intake), and CSPO increased feed efficiency compared with CSSO. When considering energy partitioning (as % energy intake), CSPO increased energy partitioning toward milk and increased energy mobilized from body reserves compared with control and CSSO. Furthermore, CSSO tended to reduce the mobilization of energy from body reserves compared with control. In the carryover period, no differences in milk composition were observed among treatments. A treatment by time interaction was observed during the carryover period for milk yield because cows on CSPO maintained higher production compared with control and CSSO cows until 30 wk postpartum; CSSO had a lower carryover effect sustaining higher milk yield compared with control until 25 wk postpartum. In conclusion, supplementation with CSPO was an effective strategy to increase energy intake and yields of milk and milk solids and it had a greater carryover effect. Supplementation with CSSO resulted in lower mobilization of reserves and less variation in body weight and body condition throughout lactation. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Predicting the quality of powders for inhalation from surface energy and area.

PubMed

Cline, David; Dalby, Richard

2002-09-01

To correlate the surface energy of active and carrier components in an aerosol powder to in vitro performance of a passive dry powder inhaler. Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) was used to assess the surface energy of active (albuterol and ipratropium bromide) and carrier (lactose monohydrate, trehalose dihydrate and mannitol) components of a dry powder inhaler formulation. Blends (1%w/w) of drug and carrier were prepared and evaluated for dry powder inhaler performance by cascade impaction. The formulations were tested with either of two passive dry powder inhalers, Rotahaler (GlaxoSmithKline) or Handihaler (Boehringer Ingelheim). In vitro performance of the powder blends was strongly correlated to surface energy interaction between active and carrier components. Plotting fine particle fraction vs. surface energy interaction yielded an R2 value of 0.9283. Increasing surface energy interaction between drug and carrier resulted in greater fine particle fraction of drug. A convincing relationship, potentially useful for rapid formulation design and screening, was found between the surface energy and area parameters derived from IGC and dry powder inhaler performance.

Effect of drying methods (microwave vacuum, freeze, hot air and sun drying) on physical, chemical and nutritional attributes of five pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum) cultivars.

PubMed

Maurya, Vaibhav Kumar; Gothandam, Kodiveri Muthukaliannan; Ranjan, Vijay; Shakya, Amita; Pareek, Sunil

2018-07-01

A randomized block design experiment was performed to investigate the influence of drying on the physical, chemical and nutritional quality attributes of five prominent cultivars of India under sun drying (SD) (mean temperature 35.5 °C, average daily radiation 5.26 kW h m -2 and mean relative humidity 73.66% RH), hot air drying (HD) at 65 °C, microwave vacuum drying (MVD) (800 W, 5 kPa) and freeze drying (FD) (-50 °C, 5 kPa). Water activity, pH, total phenolic content (TPC), ascorbic acid (AA), capsaicin, β-carotene, color and Scoville heat unit were studied. TPC, AA, capsaicin content, β-carotene, color and water activity were significantly affected by the drying method. FD was observed to be most efficient in minimizing the loss of color, capsaicin and β-carotene. The hotness of analyzed samples decreased in the order 'Bird's Eye' > 'Sannam S4' > 'CO-4' > 'PLR-1' > 'PKM-1' among the studied cultivars, and FD > MVD > HD > SD among the drying methods. The FD method was observed to be the most efficient drying method for retaining capsaicin content over other drying methods (SD, HD, MVD), whereas MVD was found to be most efficient in minimizing the loss to nutritional attributes for all five pepper cultivars. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Membrane-based energy efficient dewatering of microalgae in biofuels production and recovery of value added co-products.

PubMed

Bhave, Ramesh; Kuritz, Tanya; Powell, Lawrence; Adcock, Dale

2012-05-15

The objective of this paper is to describe the use of membranes for energy efficient biomass harvesting and dewatering. The dewatering of Nannochloropsis sp. was evaluated with polymeric hollow fiber and tubular inorganic membranes to demonstrate the capabilities of a membrane-based system to achieve microalgal biomass of >150 g/L (dry wt.) and ∼99% volume reduction through dewatering. The particle free filtrate containing the growth media is suitable for recycle and reuse. For cost-effective processing, hollow fiber membranes can be utilized to recover 90-95% media for recycle. Tubular membranes can provide additional media and water recovery to achieve target final concentrations. Based on the operating conditions used in this study and taking into scale-up considerations, an integrated hollow fiber-tubular membrane system can process microalgal biomass with at least 80% lower energy requirement compared to traditional processes. Backpulsing was found to be an effective flux maintenance strategy to minimize flux decline at high biomass concentration. An effective chemical cleaning protocol was developed for regeneration of fouled membranes.

An assessment of the potential products and economic and environmental impacts resulting from a billion ton bioeconomy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, Jonathan N.; Stokes, Bryce; Dunn, Jennifer

This study is the summation of several analyses to assess the size and benefits of a Billion Ton Bioeconomy, a vision to enable a sustainable market for producing and converting a billion tons of US biomass to bio-based energy, fuels, and products by 2030. Two alternative biomass availability scenarios in 2030, defined as the (i) Business-as-usual (598 million dry tons) and (ii) Billion Ton (1042 million dry tons), establish a range of possible outcomes for the future bioeconomy. The biomass utilized in the current (2014) (365 million dry tons) economy is estimated to displace approximately 2.4% of fossil energy consumptionmore » and avoid 116 million tons of CO 2-equivalent (CO 2e) emissions, whereas the Billion Ton bioeconomy of 2030 could displace 9.5% of fossil energy consumption and avoid as much as 446 million tons of CO 2 equivalent emissions annually. Developing the integrated systems, supply chains, and infrastructure to efficiently grow, harvest, transport, and convert large quantities of biomass in a sustainable way could support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Bio-based activities in the current (2014) economy are estimated to have directly generated more than 48 billion in revenue and 285 000 jobs. Our estimates show that developing biomass resources and addressing current limitations to achieve a Billion Ton bioeconomy could expand direct bioeconomy revenue by a factor of 5 to contribute nearly 259 billion and 1.1 million jobs to the US economy by 2030.« less

An assessment of the potential products and economic and environmental impacts resulting from a billion ton bioeconomy

DOE PAGES

Rogers, Jonathan N.; Stokes, Bryce; Dunn, Jennifer; ...

2016-11-21

This study is the summation of several analyses to assess the size and benefits of a Billion Ton Bioeconomy, a vision to enable a sustainable market for producing and converting a billion tons of US biomass to bio-based energy, fuels, and products by 2030. Two alternative biomass availability scenarios in 2030, defined as the (i) Business-as-usual (598 million dry tons) and (ii) Billion Ton (1042 million dry tons), establish a range of possible outcomes for the future bioeconomy. The biomass utilized in the current (2014) (365 million dry tons) economy is estimated to displace approximately 2.4% of fossil energy consumptionmore » and avoid 116 million tons of CO 2-equivalent (CO 2e) emissions, whereas the Billion Ton bioeconomy of 2030 could displace 9.5% of fossil energy consumption and avoid as much as 446 million tons of CO 2 equivalent emissions annually. Developing the integrated systems, supply chains, and infrastructure to efficiently grow, harvest, transport, and convert large quantities of biomass in a sustainable way could support the transition to a low-carbon economy. Bio-based activities in the current (2014) economy are estimated to have directly generated more than 48 billion in revenue and 285 000 jobs. Our estimates show that developing biomass resources and addressing current limitations to achieve a Billion Ton bioeconomy could expand direct bioeconomy revenue by a factor of 5 to contribute nearly 259 billion and 1.1 million jobs to the US economy by 2030.« less

Drying of medicinal plants with solar energy utilization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wisniewski, G.

In the paper, a potential of solar energy for drying of medicinal plants in Polish conditions is estimated and development of solar drying technologies is presented. The results of economic assessment of flat-plate solar collectors applied for drying of medicinal plants on a farm are promising. In some specific conditions, e.g. drying of wild grown medicinal plants in remote areas, even application of photovoltaic modules for driving of a fan of a solar dryer is a profitable option and enables easy control of the drying air temperature.

Low temperature hot air drying of potato cubes subjected to osmotic dehydration and intermittent microwave: drying kinetics, energy consumption and product quality indexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehghannya, Jalal; Bozorghi, Somayyeh; Heshmati, Maryam Khakbaz

2018-04-01

Hot-air drying is a slow energy-extensive process. Use of intermittent microwave (IM) in hot-air (HA) drying of food products is characterized with advantages including reduced process time, energy saving, and improved final quality. In this study, the effect of IM-HA drying following an osmotic dehydration (OD) pretreatment was analyzed on qualitative and quantitative properties of the output (i.e. effective moisture diffusion coefficient (Deff), shrinkage, bulk density, rehydration and energy consumption). Temperature and airflow velocity were fixed at 40°C and 1 m/s, respectively. The process variables included sucrose solution concentration at five levels (0 or control, 10, 30, 50 and 70 w/w%), microwave output power at four levels (0 or control, 360, 600 and 900 W), and pulse ratio at four levels (1, 2, 3 and 4). Use of osmotic dehydration in combination with IM-HA drying reduced the drying time by up to about 54%. Increasing the osmotic solution concentration to 30% and using higher pulse ratios increased the Deff. The lowest shrinkage and bulk density as well as the highest rehydration belonged to the 900 W microwave power and pulse ratio of 4. The lowest energy consumption was observed when using the 900 W power level, showing 63.27% less consumption than the HA drying method.

Integrated control of emission reductions, energy-saving, and cost-benefit using a multi-objective optimization technique in the pulp and paper industry.

PubMed

Wen, Zongguo; Xu, Chang; Zhang, Xueying

2015-03-17

Reduction of water pollutant emissions and energy consumption is regarded as a key environmental objective for the pulp and paper industry. The paper develops a bottom-up model called the Industrial Water Pollutant Control and Technology Policy (IWPCTP) based on an industrial technology simulation system and multiconstraint technological optimization. Five policy scenarios covering the business as usual (BAU) scenario, the structural adjustment (SA) scenario, the cleaner technology promotion (CT) scenario, the end-treatment of pollutants (EOP) scenario, and the coupling measures (CM) scenario have been set to describe future policy measures related to the development of the pulp and paper industry from 2010-2020. The outcome of this study indicates that the energy saving amount under the CT scenario is the largest, while that under the SA scenario is the smallest. Under the CT scenario, savings by 2020 include 70 kt/year of chemical oxygen demand (COD) emission reductions and savings of 7443 kt of standard coal, 539.7 ton/year of ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) emission reductions, and savings of 7444 kt of standard coal. Taking emission reductions, energy savings, and cost-benefit into consideration, cleaner technologies like highly efficient pulp washing, dry and wet feedstock preparation, and horizontal continuous cooking, medium and high consistency pulping and wood dry feedstock preparation are recommended.

Drying characteristics and quality of bananas under infrared radiation heating

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hot air (HA) drying of banana has low drying efficiency and results in undesirable product quality. The objectives of this research were to investigate the feasibility of infrared (IR) heating to improve banana drying rate, evaluate quality of the dried product, and establish models for predicting d...

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production from swine manure through short-term dry anaerobic digestion and its separation from nitrogen and phosphorus resources in the digestate.

PubMed

Huang, Weiwei; Huang, Wenli; Yuan, Tian; Zhao, Ziwen; Cai, Wei; Zhang, Zhenya; Lei, Zhongfang; Feng, Chuanping

2016-03-01

The sustainability of an agricultural system depends highly upon the recycling of all useful substances from agricultural wastes. This study explored the feasibility of comprehensive utilization of C, N and P resources in swine manure (SM) through short-term dry anaerobic digestion (AD) followed by dry ammonia stripping, aiming at achieving (1) effective total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production and separation; (2) ammonia recovery from the digestate; and (3) preservation of high P bioavailability in the solid residue for further applications. Specifically, two ammonia stripping strategies were applied and compared in this work: (I) ammonia stripping was directly performed with the digestate from dry AD of SM (i.e. dry ammonia stripping); and (II) wet ammonia stripping was conducted by using the resultant filtrate from solid-liquid separation of the mixture of digestate and added water. Results showed that dry AD of the tested SM at 55 °C, 20% TS and unadjusted initial pH (8.6) for 8 days produced relatively high concentrations of total VFAs (94.4 mg-COD/g-VS) and ammonia-N (20.0 mg/g-VS) with high potentially bioavailable P (10.6 mg/g-TS) remained in the digestate, which was considered optimal in this study. In addition, high ammonia removal efficiencies of 96.2% and 99.7% were achieved through 3 h' dry and wet stripping (at 55 °C and initial pH 11.0), respectively, while the total VFAs concentration in the digestate/filtrate remained favorably unchanged. All experimental data from the two stripping processes well fitted to the pseudo first-order kinetic model (R(2) = 0.9916-0.9997) with comparable theoretical maximum ammonia removal efficiencies (Aeq, >90%) being obtained under the tested dry and wet stripping conditions, implying that the former was more advantageous due to its much higher volumetric total ammonia-N removal rate thus much smaller reactor volume, less energy/chemicals consumption and no foaming problems. After 8 days' dry AD and 3 h' dry ammonia stripping, the separated liquid containing VFAs and the recovered ammonia were both marketable products, and the solid residues with averagely higher C/N ratios of 25.7 than those of raw SM (18.0) meanwhile maintaining a relatively high bioavailable P content of 8.1 mg/g-TS can serve as better feedstock for methane fermentation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Losses, inefficiencies and waste in the global food system.

PubMed

Alexander, Peter; Brown, Calum; Arneth, Almut; Finnigan, John; Moran, Dominic; Rounsevell, Mark D A

2017-05-01

Losses at every stage in the food system influence the extent to which nutritional requirements of a growing global population can be sustainably met. Inefficiencies and losses in agricultural production and consumer behaviour all play a role. This paper aims to understand better the magnitude of different losses and to provide insights into how these influence overall food system efficiency. We take a systems view from primary production of agricultural biomass through to human food requirements and consumption. Quantities and losses over ten stages are calculated and compared in terms of dry mass, wet mass, protein and energy. The comparison reveals significant differences between these measurements, and the potential for wet mass figures used in previous studies to be misleading. The results suggest that due to cumulative losses, the proportion of global agricultural dry biomass consumed as food is just 6% (9.0% for energy and 7.6% for protein), and 24.8% of harvest biomass (31.9% for energy and 27.8% for protein). The highest rates of loss are associated with livestock production, although the largest absolute losses of biomass occur prior to harvest. Losses of harvested crops were also found to be substantial, with 44.0% of crop dry matter (36.9% of energy and 50.1% of protein) lost prior to human consumption. If human over-consumption, defined as food consumption in excess of nutritional requirements, is included as an additional inefficiency, 48.4% of harvested crops were found to be lost (53.2% of energy and 42.3% of protein). Over-eating was found to be at least as large a contributor to food system losses as consumer food waste. The findings suggest that influencing consumer behaviour, e.g. to eat less animal products, or to reduce per capita consumption closer to nutrient requirements, offer substantial potential to improve food security for the rising global population in a sustainable manner.

Experimental study on drying kinetic of cassava starch in a pneumatic drying system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suherman, Kumoro, Andri Cahyo; Kusworo, Tutuk Djoko

2015-12-01

The aims of this study are to present the experimental research on the drying of cassava starch in a pneumatic dryer, to describe its drying curves, as well as to calculate its thermal efficiency. The effects of operating conditions, namely the inlet air temperature (60-100 °C) and solid-gas flow rate ratio (Ms/Mg 0.1-0.3) were studied. Heat transfer is accomplished through convection mechanism in a drying chamber based on the principle of direct contact between the heated air and the moist material. During the drying process, intensive heat and mass transfer between the drying air and the cassava starch take place. In order to meet the SNI standards on solid water content, the drying process was done in two cycles. The higher the temperature of the drying air, the lower the water content of the solids exiting the dryer. Thermal efficiency of the 2nd cycle was found to be lower than the 1st cycle.

Liquid fuel reforming using microwave plasma at atmospheric pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miotk, Robert; Hrycak, Bartosz; Czylkowski, Dariusz; Dors, Miroslaw; Jasinski, Mariusz; Mizeraczyk, Jerzy

2016-06-01

Hydrogen is expected to be one of the most promising energy carriers. Due to the growing interest in hydrogen production technologies, in this paper we present the results of experimental investigations of thermal decomposition and dry reforming of two alcohols (ethanol and isopropanol) in the waveguide-supplied metal-cylinder-based nozzleless microwave (915 MHz) plasma source (MPS). The hydrogen production experiments were preceded by electrodynamics properties investigations of the used MPS and plasma spectroscopic diagnostics. All experimental tests were performed with the working gas (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) flow rate ranging from 1200 to 3900 normal litres per hour and an absorbed microwave power up to 5 kW. The alcohols were introduced into the plasma using an induction heating vaporizer. The ethanol thermal decomposition resulted in hydrogen selectivity up to 100%. The hydrogen production rate was up to 1150 NL(H2) h-1 and the energy yield was 267 NL(H2) kWh-1 of absorbed microwave energy. Due to intense soot production, the thermal decomposition process was not appropriate for isopropanol conversion. Considering the dry reforming process, using isopropanol was more efficient in hydrogen production than ethanol. The rate and energy yield of hydrogen production were up to 1116 NL(H2) h-1 and 223 NL(H2) kWh-1 of microwave energy used, respectively. However, the hydrogen selectivity was no greater than 37%. Selected results given by the experiment were compared with the results of numerical modeling.

High-Performance Computing Data Center Water Usage Efficiency |

Science.gov Websites

cooler-an advanced dry cooler that uses refrigerant in a passive cycle to dissipate heat-was installed at efficiency-using wet cooling when it's hot and dry cooling when it's not. Learn more about NREL's partnership

Maintenance energy requirement of llamas.

PubMed

Carmean, B R; Johnson, K A; Johnson, D E; Johnson, L W

1992-09-01

Five castrated male llamas (mean body weight, 94 kg) were studied in an energy balance trial to determine maintenance energy requirement of llamas. Llamas were fed a 50% oat hay-50% pelleted concentrate diet (2.43 Mcal of metabolizable energy/kg of diet dry matter) at approximately 1.6% of body weight (BW). An 8-day total collection digestion trial was used to determine fecal and urine energy losses. Heat production and methane emissions were determined via indirect respiration calorimetry measurements on each llama fed at the same level of intake as during the digestion trial and subsequently on days 3 and 4 of a period of nonfeeding. Fecal, urine, and methane energy losses of the llamas fed near-maintenance intake were 32.5, 3.5, and 7.1% of gross energy intake, respectively. The postabsorptive metabolic rate, commonly called nonfed (fasting) heat production, was 59.3 kcal/BW0.75. Using a linear relation between postabsorptive and maintenance energy requirement and efficiency of energy use below maintenance of 0.702, metabolizable energy requirement at maintenance was determined to be 84.5 kcal/BW0.75.

Evaluating the process parameters of the dry coating process using a 2(5-1) factorial design.

PubMed

Kablitz, Caroline Désirée; Urbanetz, Nora Anne

2013-02-01

A recent development of coating technology is dry coating, where polymer powder and liquid plasticizer are layered on the cores without using organic solvents or water. Several studies evaluating the process were introduced in literature, however, little information about the critical process parameters (CPPs) is given. Aim of the study was the investigation and optimization of CPPs with respect to one of the critical quality attributes (CQAs), the coating efficiency of the dry coating process in a rotary fluid bed. Theophylline pellets were coated with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate as enteric film former and triethyl citrate and acetylated monoglyceride as plasticizer. A 2(5-1) design of experiments (DOEs) was created investigating five independent process parameters namely coating temperature, curing temperature, feeding/spraying rate, air flow and rotor speed. The results were evaluated by multilinear regression using the software Modde(®) 7. It is shown, that generally, low feeding/spraying rates and low rotor speeds increase coating efficiency. High coating temperatures enhance coating efficiency, whereas medium curing temperatures have been found to be optimum in terms of coating efficiency. This study provides a scientific base for the design of efficient dry coating processes with respect to coating efficiency.

Building America Case Study: Performance of a Hot-Dry Climate Whole House Retrofit, Stockton, California (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ARBI

2014-09-01

The Stockton house retrofit is a two-story tudor style single family deep retrofit in the hot-dry climate of Stockton, CA. The home is representative of a deep retrofit option of the scaled home energy upgrade packages offered to targeted neighborhoods under the pilot Large-Scale Retrofit Program (LSRP) administered by the Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI). Deep retrofit packages expand on the standard package by adding HVAC, water heater and window upgrades to the ducting, attic and floor insulation, domestic hot water insulation, envelope sealing, lighting and ventilation upgrades. Site energy savings with the deep retrofit were 23% compared tomore » the pre-retrofit case, and 15% higher than the savings estimated for the standard retrofit package. Energy savings were largely a result of the water heater upgrade, and a combination of the envelope sealing, insulation and HVAC upgrade. The HVAC system was of higher efficiency than the building code standard. Overall the financed retrofit would have been more cost effective had a less expensive HVAC system been selected and barriers to wall insulation remedied. The homeowner experienced improved comfort throughout the monitored period and was satisfied with the resulting utility bill savings.« less

Dichromated Gelatine as a Material of Optical Element

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyuk-Soo; Cho, Dong-Hyun; Choi, Yong-Jin; Son, Jung-Young; Park, Seung-Han

1999-04-01

In the fabrication process of optical elements (OEs) by the laser scanning method using a dichromated gelatin (DCG) photoplate, the expansion and drying stress of gelatine caused by inhomogeneous liquid flow inside the gelatine affects the shape of OEs. The reason this inhomogeneous liquid flow exists in the energy oversaturated parts of OEs is the presence of surplus energy. In order to obtain the OEs of desired spherical lens shape, the drying stress should be reduced and therefore the maximum energy of the illuminating laser should be defined not to cause the surplus energy. The maximum energy is investigated according to the relative concentrations of (NH4)2Cr2O7 to DCG. The use of photoplates with a relative concentration of (NH4)2Cr2O7 to gelatin of more than 20% has some advantages when making the lens raster, especially a short-focal-length lens raster. It is also very important to increase the drying time to reduce the total drying stress by maintaining high humidity during the drying process.

Solidification of liposomes by freeze-drying: the importance of incorporating gelatin as interior support on enhanced physical stability.

PubMed

Guan, Peipei; Lu, Yi; Qi, Jianping; Niu, Mengmeng; Lian, Ruyue; Wu, Wei

2015-01-30

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of gelatin as interior support on the physical stability of freeze-dried liposomes. Anticancer agent paclitaxel (PTX) was selected as a model drug. Freeze-dried liposomes containing interior gelatin support (GLs) were prepared by thin-film dispersion/freeze-drying method. Several properties of the GLs, including entrapment efficiency, particle size and gelation temperature, were extensively characterized. Encapsulation efficiency of conventional liposomes (CLs) and liposomes containing lyoprotectants as interior support dropped to lower than 20% after reconstitution, while GLs still maintained an entrapment efficiency of over 84%. Scanning electron microscopy revealed well preserved liposomal structure of GLs after reconstitution. Meanwhile, the particle size and entrapment efficiency of GLs were also well preserved after reconstitution. In contrary, deformation of CLs and recrystallization of PTX were observed, as well as significant changes in particle size and entrapment efficiency. Taken together, interior gelatin support obviously enhanced the physical stability of liposomes against the lyophilization stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method of preparing and handling chopped plant materials

DOEpatents

Bransby, David I.

2002-11-26

The method improves efficiency of harvesting, storage, transport, and feeding of dry plant material to animals, and is a more efficient method for harvesting, handling and transporting dry plant material for industrial purposes, such as for production of bioenergy, and composite panels.

Statistical estimate of mercury removal efficiencies for air pollution control devices of municipal solid waste incinerators.

PubMed

Takahashi, Fumitake; Kida, Akiko; Shimaoka, Takayuki

2010-10-15

Although representative removal efficiencies of gaseous mercury for air pollution control devices (APCDs) are important to prepare more reliable atmospheric emission inventories of mercury, they have been still uncertain because they depend sensitively on many factors like the type of APCDs, gas temperature, and mercury speciation. In this study, representative removal efficiencies of gaseous mercury for several types of APCDs of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) were offered using a statistical method. 534 data of mercury removal efficiencies for APCDs used in MSWI were collected. APCDs were categorized as fixed-bed absorber (FA), wet scrubber (WS), electrostatic precipitator (ESP), and fabric filter (FF), and their hybrid systems. Data series of all APCD types had Gaussian log-normality. The average removal efficiency with a 95% confidence interval for each APCD was estimated. The FA, WS, and FF with carbon and/or dry sorbent injection systems had 75% to 82% average removal efficiencies. On the other hand, the ESP with/without dry sorbent injection had lower removal efficiencies of up to 22%. The type of dry sorbent injection in the FF system, dry or semi-dry, did not make more than 1% difference to the removal efficiency. The injection of activated carbon and carbon-containing fly ash in the FF system made less than 3% difference. Estimation errors of removal efficiency were especially high for the ESP. The national average of removal efficiency of APCDs in Japanese MSWI plants was estimated on the basis of incineration capacity. Owing to the replacement of old APCDs for dioxin control, the national average removal efficiency increased from 34.5% in 1991 to 92.5% in 2003. This resulted in an additional reduction of about 0.86Mg emission in 2003. Further study using the methodology in this study to other important emission sources like coal-fired power plants will contribute to better emission inventories. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ice Thermal Storage Systems for LWR Supplemental Cooling and Peak Power Shifting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haihua Zhao; Hongbin Zhang; Phil Sharpe

2010-06-01

Availability of enough cooling water has been one of the major issues for the nuclear power plant site selection. Cooling water issues have frequently disrupted the normal operation at some nuclear power plants during heat waves and long draught. The issues become more severe due to the new round of nuclear power expansion and global warming. During hot summer days, cooling water leaving a power plant may become too hot to threaten aquatic life so that environmental regulations may force the plant to reduce power output or even temporarily to be shutdown. For new nuclear power plants to be builtmore » at areas without enough cooling water, dry cooling can be used to remove waste heat directly into the atmosphere. However, dry cooling will result in much lower thermal efficiency when the weather is hot. One potential solution for the above mentioned issues is to use ice thermal storage systems (ITS) that reduce cooling water requirements and boost the plant’s thermal efficiency in hot hours. ITS uses cheap off-peak electricity to make ice and uses those ice for supplemental cooling during peak demand time. ITS is suitable for supplemental cooling storage due to its very high energy storage density. ITS also provides a way to shift large amount of electricity from off peak time to peak time. Some gas turbine plants already use ITS to increase thermal efficiency during peak hours in summer. ITSs have also been widely used for building cooling to save energy cost. Among three cooling methods for LWR applications: once-through, wet cooling tower, and dry cooling tower, once-through cooling plants near a large water body like an ocean or a large lake and wet cooling plants can maintain the designed turbine backpressure (or condensation temperature) during 99% of the time; therefore, adding ITS to those plants will not generate large benefits. For once-through cooling plants near a limited water body like a river or a small lake, adding ITS can bring significant economic benefits and avoid forced derating and shutdown during extremely hot weather. For the new plants using dry cooling towers, adding the ice thermal storage systems can effectively reduce the efficiency loss and water consumption during hot weather so that new LWRs could be considered in regions without enough cooling water. \\ This paper presents the feasibility study of using ice thermal storage systems for LWR supplemental cooling and peak power shifting. LWR cooling issues and ITS application status will be reviewed. Two ITS application case studies will be presented and compared with alternative options: one for once-through cooling without enough cooling for short time, and the other with dry cooling. Because capital cost, especially the ice storage structure/building cost, is the major cost for ITS, two different cost estimation models are developed: one based on scaling method, and the other based on a preliminary design using Building Information Modeling (BIM), an emerging technology in Architecture/Engineering/Construction, which enables design options, performance analysis and cost estimating in the early design stage.« less

Dry syngas purification process for coal gas produced in oxy-fuel type integrated gasification combined cycle power generation with carbon dioxide capturing feature.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Makoto; Akiho, Hiroyuki

2017-12-01

Electricity production from coal fuel with minimizing efficiency penalty for the carbon dioxide abatement will bring us sustainable and compatible energy utilization. One of the promising options is oxy-fuel type Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (oxy-fuel IGCC) power generation that is estimated to achieve thermal efficiency of 44% at lower heating value (LHV) base and provide compressed carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) with concentration of 93 vol%. The proper operation of the plant is established by introducing dry syngas cleaning processes to control halide and sulfur compounds satisfying tolerate contaminants level of gas turbine. To realize the dry process, the bench scale test facility was planned to demonstrate the first-ever halide and sulfur removal with fixed bed reactor using actual syngas from O 2 -CO 2 blown gasifier for the oxy-fuel IGCC power generation. Design parameter for the test facility was required for the candidate sorbents for halide removal and sulfur removal. Breakthrough test was performed on two kinds of halide sorbents at accelerated condition and on honeycomb desulfurization sorbent at varied space velocity condition. The results for the both sorbents for halide and sulfur exhibited sufficient removal within the satisfactory short depth of sorbent bed, as well as superior bed conversion of the impurity removal reaction. These performance evaluation of the candidate sorbents of halide and sulfur removal provided rational and affordable design parameters for the bench scale test facility to demonstrate the dry syngas cleaning process for oxy-fuel IGCC system as the scaled up step of process development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

20% Efficient Zn0.9Mg0.1O:Al/Zn0.8Mg0.2O/Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 Solar Cell Prepared by All-Dry Process through a Combination of Heat-Light-Soaking and Light-Soaking Processes.

PubMed

Chantana, Jakapan; Kato, Takuya; Sugimoto, Hiroki; Minemoto, Takashi

2018-04-04

Development of Cd-free Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se) 2 (CIGSSe)-based thin-film solar cells fabricated by an all-dry process is intriguing to minimize optical loss at a wavelength shorter than 520 nm owing to absorption of the CdS buffer layer and to be easily integrated into an in-line process for cost reduction. Cd-free CIGSSe solar cells are therefore prepared by the all-dry process with a structure of Zn 0.9 Mg 0.1 O:Al/Zn 0.8 Mg 0.2 O/CIGSSe/Mo/glass. It is demonstrated that Zn 0.8 Mg 0.2 O and Zn 0.9 Mg 0.1 O:Al are appropriate as buffer and transparent conductive oxide layers with large optical band gap energy values of 3.75 and 3.80 eV, respectively. The conversion efficiency (η) of the Cd-free CIGSSe solar cell without K-treatment is consequently increased to 18.1%. To further increase the η, the Cd-free CIGSSe solar cell with K-treatment is next fabricated and followed by posttreatment called the heat-light-soaking (HLS) + light-soaking (LS) process, including HLS at 110 °C followed by LS under AM 1.5G illumination. It is disclosed that the HLS + LS process gives rise to not only the enhancement of carrier density but also the decrease in the carrier recombination rate at the buffer/absorber interface. Ultimately, the η of the Cd-free CIGSSe solar cell with K-treatment prepared by the all-dry process is enhanced to the level of 20.0%.

Helically agitated mixing in dry dilute acid pretreatment enhances the bioconversion of corn stover into ethanol

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Dry dilute acid pretreatment at extremely high solids loading of lignocellulose materials demonstrated promising advantages of no waste water generation, less sugar loss, and low steam consumption while maintaining high hydrolysis yield. However, the routine pretreatment reactor without mixing apparatus was found not suitable for dry pretreatment operation because of poor mixing and mass transfer. In this study, helically agitated mixing was introduced into the dry dilute acid pretreatment of corn stover and its effect on pretreatment efficiency, inhibitor generation, sugar production, and bioconversion efficiency through simultaneous saccharification and ethanol fermentation (SSF) were evaluated. Results The overall cellulose conversion taking account of cellulose loss in pretreatment was used to evaluate the efficiency of pretreatment. The two-phase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model on dry pretreatment was established and applied to analyze the mixing mechanism. The results showed that the pretreatment efficiency was significantly improved and the inhibitor generation was reduced by the helically agitated mixing, compared to the dry pretreatment without mixing: the ethanol titer and yield from cellulose in the SSF reached 56.20 g/L and 69.43% at the 30% solids loading and 15 FPU/DM cellulase dosage, respectively, corresponding to a 26.5% increase in ethanol titer and 17.2% increase in ethanol yield at the same fermentation conditions. Conclusions The advantage of helically agitated mixing may provide a prototype of dry dilute acid pretreatment processing for future commercial-scale production of cellulosic ethanol. PMID:24387051

The effect of high power airborne ultrasound and microwaves on convective drying effectiveness and quality of green pepper.

PubMed

Szadzińska, Justyna; Łechtańska, Joanna; Kowalski, Stefan Jan; Stasiak, Marcin

2017-01-01

The effectiveness of hybrid drying based on convective drying with application of ultrasound and microwave enhancement is the main subject of the studies. The drying kinetics, energy consumption as well as the quality aspect of green pepper is analysed. It was shown that hybrid drying methods shorten significantly the drying time, reduce the energy consumption and affect positively the quality factors. Each of the analysed aspects depend on combination of the convective-ultrasound-microwave drying programs. Besides, based on the drying model elaborated earlier by one of the authors, the effects of ultrasound on convective drying assessed by such phenomena as "heating effect", "vibration effect" and "synergistic effect" are presented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Theophylline cocrystals prepared by spray drying: physicochemical properties and aerosolization performance.

PubMed

Alhalaweh, Amjad; Kaialy, Waseem; Buckton, Graham; Gill, Hardyal; Nokhodchi, Ali; Velaga, Sitaram P

2013-03-01

The purpose of this work was to characterize theophylline (THF) cocrystals prepared by spray drying in terms of the physicochemical properties and inhalation performance when aerosolized from a dry powder inhaler. Cocrystals of theophylline with urea (THF-URE), saccharin (THF-SAC) and nicotinamide (THF-NIC) were prepared by spray drying. Milled THF and THF-SAC cocrystals were also used for comparison. The physical purity, particle size, particle morphology and surface energy of the materials were determined. The in vitro aerosol performance of the spray-dried cocrystals, drug-alone and a drug-carrier aerosol, was assessed. The spray-dried particles had different size distributions, morphologies and surface energies. The milled samples had higher surface energy than those prepared by spray drying. Good agreement was observed between multi-stage liquid impinger and next-generation impactor in terms of assessing spray-dried THF particles. The fine particle fractions of both formulations were similar for THF, but drug-alone formulations outperformed drug-carrier formulations for the THF cocrystals. The aerosolization performance of different THF cocrystals was within the following rank order as obtained from both drug-alone and drug-carrier formulations: THF-NIC>THF-URE>THF-SAC. It was proposed that micromeritic properties dominate over particle surface energy in terms of determining the aerosol performance of THF cocrystals. Spray drying could be a potential technique for preparing cocrystals with modified physical properties.

Feeding different dietary protein to energy ratios to Holstein heifers: effects on growth performance, blood metabolites and rumen fermentation parameters.

PubMed

Dong, L F; Zhang, W B; Zhang, N F; Tu, Y; Diao, Q Y

2017-02-01

Eighteen Chinese Holstein heifers average age 230 ± 14 days were allocated to 1 of 3 dietary crude protein (CP) to metabolizable energy (ME) ratios to examine the effects on growth performance, blood metabolites and rumen fermentation parameters with 90-days experiment. Three different dietary CP:ME ratios were targeted based on the formulation of dietary CP contents of 10.85%, 12.78% and 14.63% on dry matter (DM) basis with similar ME contents (10.42 MJ/kg DM), which were categorized as low, medium and high dietary CP:ME ratios. The actual CP:ME ratios obtained in this study significantly increased from low to high CP:ME ratio groups with a value of 10.59, 11.83 and 13.38 g/MJ respectively. Elevated CP:ME ratios significantly increased CP intake (kg/day) and feed efficiency (FE) which was defined as dry matter intake as a proportion of average daily gain (ADG), whereas little difference was observed in body weight (kg), ADG (kg/day), DM intake (kg/day) and ME intake (MJ/day) among the three different CP:ME ratio groups. Increasing dietary CP to ME ratios significantly increased CP digestibility, whereas digestibility of DM and gross energy remained constant in the current experiment. Blood urea nitrogen and insulin-like growth factor-1 linearly increased with increasing dietary CP:ME ratios. There was significantly dietary treatment effect on rumen fermentation parameters including acetate, propionate, butyrate and total volatile fatty acids. Therefore, this study indicated that increasing dietary CP levels with similar energy content contributed to increased protein intake and its digestibility, as well as FE. Holstein heifers between 200 and 341 kg subjected to 13.38 dietary CP:ME ratio showed improved feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, some blood metabolites and rumen fermentation characteristics for 0.90 kg/day rate of gain. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A two-dimensional DNA lattice implanted polymer solar cell.

PubMed

Lee, Keun Woo; Kim, Kyung Min; Lee, Junwye; Amin, Rashid; Kim, Byeonghoon; Park, Sung Kye; Lee, Seok Kiu; Park, Sung Ha; Kim, Hyun Jae

2011-09-16

A double crossover tile based artificial two-dimensional (2D) DNA lattice was fabricated and the dry-wet method was introduced to recover an original DNA lattice structure in order to deposit DNA lattices safely on the organic layer without damaging the layer. The DNA lattice was then employed as an electron blocking layer in a polymer solar cell causing an increase of about 10% up to 160% in the power conversion efficiency. Consequently, the resulting solar cell which had an artificial 2D DNA blocking layer showed a significant enhancement in power conversion efficiency compared to conventional polymer solar cells. It should be clear that the artificial DNA nanostructure holds unique physical properties that are extremely attractive for various energy-related and photonic applications.

Performance of the mixed LED light quality on the growth and energy efficiency of Arthrospira platensis.

PubMed

Mao, Ruixin; Guo, Shuangsheng

2018-06-01

The effect of mixed light quality with red, blue, and green LED lamps on the growth of Arthrospira platensis was studied, so as to lay the theoretical and technical basis for establishing a photo-bioreactor lighting system for application in space. Meanwhile, indexes, like morphology, growth rate, photosynthetic pigment compositions, energy efficiency, and main nutritional components, were measured respectively. The results showed that the blue light combined with red light could decrease the tightness of filament, and the effect of green light was opposite. The combination of blue light or green light with red light induced the filaments to get shorter in length. The 8R2B treatment could promote the growth of Arthrospira platensis significantly, and its dry weight reached 1.36 g L -1 , which was 25.93% higher than the control. What's more, 8R2B treatment had the highest contents of carbohydrate and lipid, while 8R2G was rich in protein. 8R0.5G1.5B had the highest efficiency of biomass production, which was 161.53 mg L -1  kW -1  h -1 . Therefore, the combination of red and blue light is more conducive to the growth of Arthrospira platensis, and a higher biomass production and energy utilization efficiency can be achieved simultaneously under the mixed light quality with the ratio of 8R0.5G1.5B.

Fragmentation efficiency of explosive volcanic eruptions: A study of experimentally generated pyroclasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kueppers, Ulrich; Scheu, Bettina; Spieler, Oliver; Dingwell, Donald B.

2006-05-01

Products of magma fragmentation can pose a severe threat to health, infrastructure, environment, and aviation. Systematic evaluation of the mechanisms and the consequences of volcanic fragmentation is very difficult as the adjacent processes cannot be observed directly and their deposits undergo transport-related sorting. However, enhanced knowledge is required for hazard assessment and risk mitigation. Laboratory experiments on natural samples allow the precise characterization of the generated pyroclasts and open the possibility for substantial advances in the quantification of fragmentation processes. They hold the promise of precise characterization and quantification of fragmentation efficiency and its dependence on changing material properties and the physical conditions at fragmentation. We performed a series of rapid decompression experiments on three sets of natural samples from Unzen volcano, Japan. The analysis comprised grain-size analysis and surface area measurements. The grain-size analysis is performed by dry sieving for particles larger than 250 μm and wet laser refraction for smaller particles. For all three sets of samples, the grain-size of the most abundant fraction decreases and the weight fraction of newly generated ash particles (up to 40 wt.%) increases with experimental pressure/potential energy for fragmentation. This energy can be estimated from the volume of the gas fraction and the applied pressure. The surface area was determined through Argon adsorption. The fragmentation efficiency is described by the degree of fine-particle generation. Results show that the fragmentation efficiency and the generated surface correlate positively with the applied energy.

Microwave drying of wood strands

Treesearch

Guanben Du; Siqun Wang; Zhiyong Cai

2005-01-01

Characteristics of microwave drying of wood strands with different initial moisture contents and geometries were investigated using a commercial small microwave oven under different power inputs. Temperature and moisture changes along with the drying efficiency were examined at different drying scenarios. Extractives were analyzed using gas chromatography=mass...

Scalable, "Dip-and-Dry" Fabrication of a Wide-Angle Plasmonic Selective Absorber for High-Efficiency Solar-Thermal Energy Conversion.

PubMed

Mandal, Jyotirmoy; Wang, Derek; Overvig, Adam C; Shi, Norman N; Paley, Daniel; Zangiabadi, Amirali; Cheng, Qian; Barmak, Katayun; Yu, Nanfang; Yang, Yuan

2017-11-01

A galvanic-displacement-reaction-based, room-temperature "dip-and-dry" technique is demonstrated for fabricating selectively solar-absorbing plasmonic-nanoparticle-coated foils (PNFs). The technique, which allows for facile tuning of the PNFs' spectral reflectance to suit different radiative and thermal environments, yields PNFs which exhibit excellent, wide-angle solar absorptance (0.96 at 15°, to 0.97 at 35°, to 0.79 at 80°), and low hemispherical thermal emittance (0.10) without the aid of antireflection coatings. The thermal emittance is on par with those of notable selective solar absorbers (SSAs) in the literature, while the wide-angle solar absorptance surpasses those of previously reported SSAs with comparable optical selectivities. In addition, the PNFs show promising mechanical and thermal stabilities at temperatures of up to 200 °C. Along with the performance of the PNFs, the simplicity, inexpensiveness, and environmental friendliness of the "dip-and-dry" technique makes it an appealing alternative to current methods for fabricating selective solar absorbers. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[Effects of ultrasonic pretreatment on drying characteristics of sewage sludge].

PubMed

Li, Run-Dong; Yang, Yu-Ting; Li, Yan-Long; Niu, Hui-Chang; Wei, Li-Hong; Sun, Yang; Ke, Xin

2009-11-01

The high water content of sewage sludge has engendered many inconveniences to its treatment and disposal. While ultrasonic takes on unique advantages on the sludge drying because of its high ultrasonic power, mighty penetrating capability and the ability of causing cavitations. Thus this research studies the characteristics influences of ultrasonic bring to the sludge drying and effects of the exposure time, ultrasonic generator power, temperatures of ultrasonic and drying temperature on the drying characteristics of dewatered sludge. Results indicate that ultrasonic pretreatment could speed up evaporation of the free water in sludge surface and help to end the drying stage with constant speed. In addition, ultrasonic treatment can effectively improve the sludge drying efficiency which could be more evident with the rise of the ultrasonic power (100-250 W), ultrasonic temperature and drying temperature. If dried under low temperature such as 105 degrees C, sludge will have premium drying characteristics when radiated under ultrasound for a shorter time such as 3 min. In the end, the ultrasonic treatment is expected to be an effective way to the low-cost sludge drying and also be an important reference to the optimization of the sludge drying process because of its effects on the increase of sludge drying efficiency.

Energy use pattern in rice milling industries-a critical appraisal.

PubMed

Goyal, S K; Jogdand, S V; Agrawal, A K

2014-11-01

Rice milling industry is one of the most energy consuming industries. Like capital, labour and material, energy is one of the production factors which used to produce final product. In economical term, energy is demand-derived goods and can be regarded as intermediate good whose demand depends on the demand of final product. This paper deals with various types of energy pattern used in rice milling industries viz., thermal energy, mechanical energy, electrical energy and human energy. The important utilities in a rice mill are water, air, steam, electricity and labour. In a rice mill some of the operations are done manually namely, cleaning, sun drying, feeding paddy to the bucket elevators, weighing and packaging, etc. So the man-hours are also included in energy accounting. Water is used for soaking and steam generation. Electricity is the main energy source for these rice mills and is imported form the state electricity board grids. Electricity is used to run motors, pumps, blowers, conveyors, fans, lights, etc. The variations in the consumption rate of energy through the use of utilities during processing must also accounted for final cost of the finished product. The paddy milling consumes significant quantity of fuels and electricity. The major energy consuming equipments in the rice milling units are; boilers and steam distribution, blowers, pumps, conveyers, elevators, motors, transmission systems, weighing, etc. Though, wide variety of technologies has been evolved for efficient use of energy for various equipments of rice mills, so far, only a few have improved their energy efficiency levels. Most of the rice mills use old and locally available technologies and are also completely dependent on locally available technical personnel.

Hydrolytically stable fluorinated metal-organic frameworks for energy-efficient dehydration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadiau, Amandine; Belmabkhout, Youssef; Adil, Karim; Bhatt, Prashant M.; Pillai, Renjith S.; Shkurenko, Aleksander; Martineau-Corcos, Charlotte; Maurin, Guillaume; Eddaoudi, Mohamed

2017-05-01

Natural gas must be dehydrated before it can be transported and used, but conventional drying agents such as activated alumina or inorganic molecular sieves require an energy-intensive desiccant-regeneration step. We report a hydrolytically stable fluorinated metal-organic framework, AlFFIVE-1-Ni (KAUST-8), with a periodic array of open metal coordination sites and fluorine moieties within the contracted square-shaped one-dimensional channel. This material selectively removed water vapor from gas streams containing CO2, N2, CH4, and higher hydrocarbons typical of natural gas, as well as selectively removed both H2O and CO2 in N2-containing streams. The complete desorption of the adsorbed water molecules contained by the AlFFIVE-1-Ni sorbent requires relatively moderate temperature (~105°C) and about half the energy input for commonly used desiccants.

Making use of renewable energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnston, J.C.

1984-01-01

This book describes renewable energy projects proposed for the rural areas of developing countries. Topics considered include biogas generation in Zimbabwe, biogas technology for water pumping in Botswana, soil fertility and energy problems in rural development in the Zaire rain forest, international scientific collaboration on biogas technologies for rural development, alcohol from biomass, an ethanol project in Zimbabwe, biomass alcohol and the fuel-food issue, solar water heating in Zimbabwe, absorbent box solar cookers, solar crop drying in Zimbabwe, the use of passive solar energy in Botswana buildings, the potential of mini hydro systems, woodfuel as a potential renewable energy source,more » small-scale afforestation for domestic needs in the communal lands of Zimbabwe, muscle power, the use of human energy in construction, hand-operated water pumps, animal power for water pumping in Botswana, the production of charcoal in Zambia, improving the efficiency of a traditional charcoal-burning Burmese cooking stove, social impacts, non-engineering constraints affecting energy use in a rural area, women and energy, and non-technical factors influencing the establishment of fuels-from-crops industries in developing countries.« less

Effects of ultrasonic pretreatments on quality, energy consumption and sterilization of barley grass in freeze drying.

PubMed

Cao, Xiaohuang; Zhang, Min; Mujumdar, Arun S; Zhong, Qifeng; Wang, Zhushang

2018-01-01

Barley grass is a plant resource for rehabilitation therapy. Its processing requires retaining nutrition well for rehabilitation cure of consumers. To meet the aim as well as low energy consumption and microbiological safety of products, ultrasonic treatments (UT) were applied to bathing materials at different power levels (10, 30, 45, 60W/L) for 10mins. After treatments, the bathed barley grass (100g) was freeze-dried under vacuum -0.09MPa with fixed power of 2W/g. Parameters of color, microbial colony, energy consumption, glass transition temperature, moisture content, water activity, taste substances, contents of flavonoid and chlorophyll were determined after drying. In contrast with no treatment case, UT (45W/L) decreased drying time by 14% and decreased energy consumption by 19%; UT (60W/L) decreased total microbial colonies by 33%. Also, UT (30W/L) yielded contents of flavonoid (9.2/kg) and chlorophyll (10.5g/kg) of dried sample; UT power (10W/L) yielded the highest L ∗ (51.5) and the lowest a ∗ (-9.3) value. Simultaneously, UT leads to a higher glass transition temperature (Tg), lower water activity and produces less sourness and bitterness of dried products. Ultra-sonication is an alternative to improve quality, flavor and energy consumption of barley grass in freeze drying. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BIOMASS DRYING TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

The report examines the technologies used for drying of biomass and the energy requirements of biomass dryers. Biomass drying processes, drying methods, and the conventional types of dryers are surveyed generally. Drying methods and dryer studies using superheated steam as the d...

Improvement of dry fractionation ethanol fermentation by partial germ supplementation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ethanol fermentation of dry fractionated grits (corn endosperm pieces) containing different levels of germ was studied using the dry grind process. Partial removal of germ fraction allows for marketing the germ fraction and potentially more efficient fermentation. Grits obtained from a dry milling p...

Dietary leucine requirement of juvenile Japanese seabass ( Lateolabrax japonicus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yan; Cheng, Zhenyan; Mai, Kangsen; Ai, Qinghui

2015-02-01

A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to examine the dietary leucine requirement of juvenile Japanese seabass in seawater floating net cages (1.5 m × 1.5 m × 2.0 m). Six isonitrogenous (crude protein 40%) and isoenergetic (gross energy 20 kJ g-1) diets were formulated to contain different concentrations of leucine (0.9%, 1.49%, 2.07%, 2.70%, 3.30% and 3.88% of dry matter). Crystalline L-amino acids were supplemented to simulate the whole body amino acid pattern of Japanese seabass except for leucine. Three groups (30 fish individuals each, 8.0 g ± 0.20 g in initial weight) were fed to apparent satiation at 5:00 and 17:30 every day. During the experimental period, the water temperature ranged from 26 to 32δC and salinity from 26 to 30, and the dissolved oxygen was maintained at 7 mg L-1. The results showed that weight gain ( WG), nitrogen retention ( NR), feed efficiency ( FE) and protein efficiency ratio ( PER) were significantly increased when dietary leucine was increased from 0.90% to 2.70% of dry matter, and then declined. WG was the highest when fish were fed D4 containing 2.70% of leucine. No significant differences were observed in body composition among dietary treatments ( P > 0.05). Considering the change of WG, the optimum dietary leucine requirement of juvenile Japanese seabass was either 2.39% of dry matter or 5.68% of dietary protein.

Development of a microwave clothes dryer. Interim report II

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, R.D.; Gerling, J.E.

The objective of the project is to investigate the microwave drying of clothes and to produce a database for use by interested parties, including appliance manufacturers, in designing and developing microwave clothes dryers. This is an interim report covering 1992 activities. Performance of a research model of a microwave dryer was compared to that of a conventional (top-of-the-line) electric dryer. Drying time was reduced by 58%; superior fabric care was demonstrated on fine fabrics because of the low drying temperatures; and efficiency was increased 18%. Microwaves penetrate the clothes and heat the water molecules directly while conventional heat energy mustmore » be conducted through the clothes to heat the water. A flow of heated air conducts the water vapor away from the clothes. Conventional metal buttons and zippers do not heat greatly in the 2,450 MHz microwave field but bobby pins, bread ties and nails heat enough to damage clothes. That heating has been eliminated by switching to the 915-MHz microwave frequency. Metallized threads may still constitute a heating problem. Based upon results from tests of the research model, a prototype has been designed and three units have been constructed. One unit is retained for laboratory testing while the other two will be shipped to two major appliance manufacturers for evaluations in their laboratories. Consumer panels generally liked the high speed, fabric care and improved efficiency of the microwave dryer but were concerned about the higher first cost.« less

Improvements In solar dry kiln design

Treesearch

E. M. Wengert

1971-01-01

Interest in solar drying of lumber has increased in recent years because previous results had indicated that: Drying times are shorter and final moisture contents are lower in solar drying than in air drying; much less lumber degrade occurs in solar drying when compared to air drying; and the cost of energy is less in solar drying than in kiln drying. Work in the field...

HEATING ATTIC AIR USING SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY FOR SPACE HEATING AND DRYING APPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

This unit is expected to replace the conventional forms of drying and will be able to supplement space heating. Replacement of these current forms of drying and space heating will result in the reduction of energy consumption from this sector which will also lead to cost savin...

Grapes ( Vitis vinifera) drying by semitransparent photovoltaic module (SPVM) integrated solar dryer: an experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, Sumit; Tiwari, G. N.

2018-06-01

In present research paper, semi-transparent photovoltaic module (SPVM) integrated greenhouse solar drying system has been used for grapes ( Vitis vinifera) drying. Based on hourly experimental information namely solar intensity, moisture evaporated, ambient air temperature, grape surface temperatures, relative humidity and greenhouse air temperature etc. heat and mass transfer coefficient for the SPVM drying system have been evaluated. It has been seen that the convective heat transfer coefficients for grapes found between 3.1-0.84 W/m2 K. Also, there is a fair agreement between theoretical and practical mass transfer (moisture evaporated) during drying of grapes with a correlation coefficient (r) and root mean square percentage deviation (e) of 0.88 and 11.56 respectively. Further, nonlinear regression procedure has been used to fit various drying models namely Henderson and Pabis model, Newton's model, and Page's model. From the analysis, it was found that Page's model is best fitted for grapes drying in SPV greenhouse as well as open sun drying. Further, net electrical energy, thermal energy and equivalent thermal energy were found to be 3.61, 17.66 and 27.15 kWh during six days of drying respectively.

Experimental Study on Charging Process in the COREX Melter Gasifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Zhiguo; You, Yang; Li, Haifeng; Zhou, Heng; Zou, Zongshu

2018-04-01

Burden distribution plays an important role in achieving high stability and energy efficiency in the COREX melter gasifier. In this work, a 1/7.5 scale experimental apparatus is established to investigate the burden distribution under the independent and mixed charging conditions. The effects of GIMBAL distributor angle, rotational speed, DRI-flap angle, and charging pattern on these charging conditions are investigated. The results show that the non-uniform distribution of pellet in circumferential direction is intrinsic to the discharge system due to the shape of the DRI flap. The charging pattern has a significant impact on the ore-to-coal volume ratio and bed voidage. The ore-to-coal volume ratio reaches the peak at 550 to 650 mm, indicating that the reduction burden near the wall is heavier than that in the center. The voidage in the middle region is smaller than that of the center and near-wall region. The results also reveal the size segregation along the radial direction of the burden pile. The smaller particles tend to accumulate in the center while the larger ones segregate more near the wall. The findings obtained from experiments should be helpful for the efficient operation of the COREX melter gasifier.

Renewable Energy Production from DoD Installation Solid Wastes By Anaerobic Digestion

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-06

favorable environmental conditions including a mesophilic (37 oC) or thermophilic (55 oC) temperature , the absence of oxygen , and a pH between 6.5...a high temperature process that uses oxygen -starved combustion to convert dry organic matter to a syngas. Syngas is a low BTU fuel that can be used...production rates are at the 36.7 °C digester temperature . Parameter Units 7gCOD/L-d 12gCOD/L-d Effective SRT days 18.5 10.8 COD Conversion Efficiency % 67

Renewable Energy Production from DoD Installation Solid Wastes by Anaerobic Digestion

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

favorable environmental conditions including a mesophilic (37 oC) or thermophilic (55 oC) temperature , the absence of oxygen , and a pH between 6.5...a high temperature process that uses oxygen -starved combustion to convert dry organic matter to a syngas. Syngas is a low BTU fuel that can be used...production rates are at the 36.7 °C digester temperature . Parameter Units 7gCOD/L-d 12gCOD/L-d Effective SRT days 18.5 10.8 COD Conversion Efficiency % 67

Progress of solar technology and potential farm uses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heid, W. G., Jr.; Trotter, W. K.

1982-09-01

The efficient use of solar energy on farms for space heating and cooling of livestock buildings, drying crops, and heating farm homes is discussed. Low cost, homemade solar collectors, having multiple uses and a payback of less than 5 years, are the most popular systems. In contrast, most commercially produced systems are still too expensive for agricultural uses, partly because they fail to qualify for tax credits as large as those allowed for residential uses. The solar industry has shown little interest in marketing the low cost technologies specifically developed for agriculture.

Mass transfer, physical, and mechanical characteristics of terebinth fruit (Pistacia atlantica L.) under convective infrared microwave drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaveh, Mohammad; Abbaspour-Gilandeh, Yousef; Chayjan, Reza Amiri; Taghinezhad, Ebrahim; Mohammadigol, Reza

2018-01-01

This research was investigated to the thin-layer drying of terebinth fruit under convective infrared microwave (CIM) conditions with initial moisture content about 4.28% (g water/g dry matter). The effects of drying different conditions were studied on the effective moisture diffusivity, activation energy, specific energy, shrinkage, color, and mechanical properties of terebinth. Experiments were conducted at three air temperatures (45, 60, and 70 °C), three infrared power (500, 1000, and 1500 W) and three microwave power (270, 450 and 630 W). All these experiments were carried out under air velocity of 0.9 m/s. The effective moisture diffusivity of terebinth was obtained as 1.79 × 10-9 to 15.77 × 10-9 m2/s during drying. The activation energy of terebinth samples was measured to be 12.70 to 32.28 kJ/mol. To estimate the drying kinetic of terebinth, seven mathematical models were used to fit the experimental data of thin-layer drying. Results showed that the Midilli et al. model withR 2 = 0.9999, χ 2 = 0.0001 andRMSE = 0.0099 had the best performance in prediction of moisture content. Specific energy consumption was within the range of 127.62 to 678.90 MJ/kg. The maximum shrinkage during drying was calculated 69.88% at the air temperature 75 °C, infrared power of 1500 W, and microwave power 630 W. Moreover, the maximum values of the ΔL ∗ (15.89), Δa ∗ (12.28), Δb ∗(-0.12), and total color difference (ΔE= 17.44) were calculated in this work. Also, the maximum rupture force and energy for dried terebinth were calculated to be 149.2 N and 2845.4 N.mm, respectively.

Mass transfer, physical, and mechanical characteristics of terebinth fruit ( Pistacia atlantica L.) under convective infrared microwave drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaveh, Mohammad; Abbaspour-Gilandeh, Yousef; Chayjan, Reza Amiri; Taghinezhad, Ebrahim; Mohammadigol, Reza

2018-07-01

This research was investigated to the thin-layer drying of terebinth fruit under convective infrared microwave (CIM) conditions with initial moisture content about 4.28% (g water/g dry matter). The effects of drying different conditions were studied on the effective moisture diffusivity, activation energy, specific energy, shrinkage, color, and mechanical properties of terebinth. Experiments were conducted at three air temperatures (45, 60, and 70 °C), three infrared power (500, 1000, and 1500 W) and three microwave power (270, 450 and 630 W). All these experiments were carried out under air velocity of 0.9 m/s. The effective moisture diffusivity of terebinth was obtained as 1.79 × 10-9 to 15.77 × 10-9 m2/s during drying. The activation energy of terebinth samples was measured to be 12.70 to 32.28 kJ/mol. To estimate the drying kinetic of terebinth, seven mathematical models were used to fit the experimental data of thin-layer drying. Results showed that the Midilli et al. model with R 2 = 0.9999, χ 2 = 0.0001 and RMSE = 0.0099 had the best performance in prediction of moisture content. Specific energy consumption was within the range of 127.62 to 678.90 MJ/kg. The maximum shrinkage during drying was calculated 69.88% at the air temperature 75 °C, infrared power of 1500 W, and microwave power 630 W. Moreover, the maximum values of the Δ L ∗ (15.89), Δ a ∗ (12.28), Δ b ∗(-0.12), and total color difference (Δ E= 17.44) were calculated in this work. Also, the maximum rupture force and energy for dried terebinth were calculated to be 149.2 N and 2845.4 N.mm, respectively.

Association between body energy content in the dry period and post-calving production disease status in dairy cattle.

PubMed

Smith, G L; Friggens, N C; Ashworth, C J; Chagunda, M G G

2017-09-01

The transition from gestation to lactation is marked by significant physiological changes for the individual cow such that disease incidence is highest in early lactation. Around the time of calving, cows rely on mobilisation of body energy reserves to fill the energy deficit created by an increase in nutrient demands at a time of restricted feed intake. It is well established that monitoring of body energy reserves in lactation is an important component of herd health management. However, despite their influence on future health and productivity, monitoring of body energy reserves in the dry period is often sparse. Further, there is increasing concern that current dry off management is inappropriate for modern cattle and may influence future disease risk. This study aimed to identify candidate indicators of early lactation production disease from body energy data collected in the dry period and production data recorded at the time of dry off. Retrospective analysis was performed on 482 cow-lactations collected from a long-term Holstein-Friesian genetic and management systems project, the Langhill herd in Scotland. Cow-lactations were assigned to one of four health groups based on health status in the first 30 days of lactation. These four groups were as follows: healthy, reproductive tract disorders (retained placenta and metritis), subclinical mastitis and metabolic disorders (ketosis, hypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia and left displaced abomasum). ANOVA, employing a GLM was used to determine effects for the candidate indicator traits. Cows which were diagnosed with a reproductive tract disorder in the first 30 days of lactation experienced a significantly greater loss in body energy content, body condition score and weight in the preceding dry period than healthy cows. The rate of change in body energy content during the first 15 days of the dry period was -18.26 MJ/day for cows which developed reproductive tract disorder compared with +0.63 MJ/day for healthy cows. Cows diagnosed with subclinical mastitis in the first 30 days of lactation had significantly greater milk yield at dry off in the previous lactation than cows that developed a reproductive tract disorder or metabolic disease in addition to a significantly higher yield to body energy content ratio at dry off than healthy cows. Physiological and production traits recorded in the lactation and dry period preceding a disease event differed between cows which developed different diseases post-calving. Differences in these traits allow the development of new disease indicators for use in models for the prediction of disease risk in the transition period.

Life cycle analyses of CO2, energy, and cost for four different routes of microalgal bioenergy conversion.

PubMed

Ventura, Jey-R S; Yang, Benqin; Lee, Yong-Woo; Lee, Kisay; Jahng, Deokjin

2013-06-01

With a target production of 1000 ton of dry algae/yr, lipid content of 30 wt.%, and productivity of 30 g/m(2)-d in a 340-day annual operation, four common scenarios of microalgae bioenergy routes were assessed in terms of cost, energy, and CO2 inputs and outputs. Scenario 1 (biodiesel production), Scenario 2 (Scenario 1 with integrated anaerobic digestion system), Scenario 3 (biogas production), and Scenario 4 (supercritical gasification) were evaluated. Scenario 4 outperformed other scenarios in terms of net energy production (1282.42 kWh/ton algae) and CO2 removal (1.32 ton CO2/ton algae) while Scenario 2 surpassed the other three scenarios in terms of net cost. Scenario 1 produced the lowest energy while Scenario 3 was the most expensive bioenergy system. This study evaluated critical parameters that could direct the proper design of the microalgae bioenergy system with an efficient energy production, CO2 removal, and economic feasibility. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predicting moisture and economic value of solid forest fuel piles for improving the profitability of bioenergy use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauren, Ari; Kinnunen, Jyrki-Pekko; Sikanen, Lauri

2016-04-01

Bioenergy contributes 26 % of the total energy use in Finland, and 60 % of this is provided by solid forest fuel consisting of small stems and logging residues such as tops, branches, roots and stumps. Typically the logging residues are stored as piles on site before transporting to regional combined heat and power plants for combustion. Profitability of forest fuel use depends on smart control of the feedstock. Fuel moisture, dry matter loss, and the rate of interest during the storing are the key variables affecting the economic value of the fuel. The value increases with drying, but decreases with wetting, dry matter loss and positive rate of interest. We compiled a simple simulation model computing the moisture change, dry matter loss, transportation costs and present value of feedstock piles. The model was used to predict the time of the maximum value of the stock, and to compose feedstock allocation strategies under the question: how should we choose the piles and the combustion time so that total energy yield and the economic value of the energy production is maximized? The question was assessed concerning the demand of the energy plant. The model parameterization was based on field scale studies. The initial moisture, and the rates of daily moisture change and dry matter loss in the feedstock piles depended on the day of the year according to empirical field measurements. Time step of the computation was one day. Effects of pile use timing on the total energy yield and profitability was studied using combinatorial optimization. Results show that the storing increases the pile maximum value if the natural drying onsets soon after the harvesting; otherwise dry matter loss and the capital cost of the storing overcome the benefits gained by drying. Optimized timing of the pile use can improve slightly the profitability, based on the increased total energy yield and because the energy unit based transportation costs decrease when water content in the biomass is decreased.

Passive bloodstains: from an impact energy to a final dried pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Fiona; Brutin, David

2016-11-01

Tracking down the origin of a blood droplet present on a crime scene has become of major importance in bloodstain pattern analysis. Passive bloodstains are not yet well understood. Accordingly the purpose of this research is to provide new tools to forensic investigators in the analysis of bloodstains arising from blood droplets dripping naturally. The study aims to understand the link between the final dried pattern of a passive bloodstain and its impact energy. Currently no such tool exists, and no correlation has yet been proven. This research was therefore focusing on a new parameter, the thicker outer rim observed on the dried final pattern. To do so, we created several passive bloodstains with different impact energies. A correlation was highlighted between the inner diameter, the maximum spreading diameter, the initial diameter of a blood droplet and its impact energy. This correlation shows how the drying mechanism of a blood droplet is influenced by its impact energy as it alters the red blood cells dispersion inside the droplet. The biological deposit and the final dried pattern are subsequently modified. ANR funded project: D-Blood Project.

Quality drying in a hardwood lumber predryer : guidebook--checklist

Treesearch

E. M. Wengert; R. S. Boone

The IMPROVE Lumber Drying Program is intended to increase awareness of the lumber drying system as a critical component in the manufacture of quality lumber. One objective of the program is to provide easy-to-use tools that a kiln/predryer operator can use to maintain an efficient drying operation and therefore improve lumber drying quality. This report is one...

Postharvest Ultrasound-Assisted Freeze-Thaw Pretreatment Improves the Drying Efficiency, Physicochemical Properties, and Macamide Biosynthesis of Maca (Lepidium meyenii).

PubMed

Chen, Jin-Jin; Gong, Peng-Fei; Liu, Yi-Lan; Liu, Bo-Yan; Eggert, Dawn; Guo, Yuan-Heng; Zhao, Ming-Xia; Zhao, Qing-Sheng; Zhao, Bing

2018-04-01

A novel technique of ultrasound-assisted freeze-thaw pretreatment (UFP) was developed to improve the drying efficiency of maca and bioactive amide synthesis in maca. The optimal UFP conditions are ultrasonic processing 90 min at 30 °C with 6 freeze-thaw cycles. Samples with freeze-thaw pretreatment (FP), ultrasound pretreatment (UP), and UFP were prepared for further comparative study. A no pretreatment (NP) sample was included as a control. The results showed that UFP improved the drying efficiency of maca slices, showing the highest effective moisture diffusivity (1.75 × 10 -9 m 2 /s). This result was further supported by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The rehydration capacity and protein content of maca slices were improved by UFP. More importantly, contents of bioactive macamides and their biosynthetic precursors were increased in 2.5- and 10-fold, respectively. In conclusion, UFP is an efficient technique to improve drying efficiency, physicochemical properties, and bioactive macamides of maca, which can be applied in the industrial manufacture of maca products. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated lodgepole pine: preliminary evaluation of mass balance and process energy efficiency.

PubMed

Zhu, J Y; Zhu, Wenyuan; Obryan, Patricia; Dien, Bruce S; Tian, Shen; Gleisner, Rolland; Pan, X J

2010-05-01

Lodgepole pine from forest thinnings is a potential feedstock for ethanol production. In this study, lodgepole pine was converted to ethanol with a yield of 276 L per metric ton of wood or 72% of theoretical yield. The lodgepole pine chips were directly subjected to sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocellulose (SPORL) pretreatment and then disk-milled; the recovered cellulose substrate was quais-simultaneously saccharified enzymatically and fermented to ethanol using commercial cellulases and Saccharomyces cerevisiae D5A. The liquor stream from the pretreatment containing hydrolyzed sugars mainly from hemicelluloses was fermented by the same yeast strain after detoxification using an XAD resin column. The SPORL pretreatment was conducted at 180 degrees C for a period of 25 min with a liquor-to-wood ratio of 3:1 (v/w) in a laboratory digester. Three levels of sulfuric acid charge (0.0%, 1.4%, and 2.2% on an oven dried wood basis in w/w) and three levels of sodium bisulfite charge (0.0%, 4.0%, and 8.0% in w/w) were applied. Mechanical and thermal energy consumption for milling and pretreatment were determined. These data were used to determine the efficiency of sugar recoveries and net ethanol energy production values and to formulate a preliminary mass and energy balance.

Space Heating Load Estimation Procedure for CHP Systems sizing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vocale, P.; Pagliarini, G.; Rainieri, S.

2015-11-01

Due to its environmental and energy benefits, the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) represents certainly an important measure to improve energy efficiency of buildings. Since the energy performance of the CHP systems strongly depends on the fraction of the useful cogenerated heat (i.e. the cogenerated heat that is actually used to meet building thermal demand), in building applications of CHP, it is necessary to know the space heating and cooling loads profile to optimise the system efficiency. When the heating load profile is unknown or difficult to calculate with a sufficient accuracy, as may occur for existing buildings, it can be estimated from the cumulated energy uses by adopting the loads estimation procedure (h-LEP). With the aim to evaluate the useful fraction of the cogenerated heat for different operating conditions in terms of buildings characteristics, weather data and system capacity, the h-LEP is here implemented with a single climate variable: the hourly average dry- bulb temperature. The proposed procedure have been validated resorting to the TRNSYS simulation tool. The results, obtained by considering a building for hospital use, reveal that the useful fraction of the cogenerated heat can be estimated with an average accuracy of ± 3%, within the range of operative conditions considered in the present study.

Integrated solar thermochemical reaction system for steam methane reforming

DOE PAGES

Zheng, Feng; Diver, Rich; Caldwell, Dustin D.; ...

2015-06-05

Solar-aided upgrade of the energy content of fossil fuels, such as natural gas, can provide a near-term transition path towards a future solar-fuel economy and reduce carbon dioxide emission from fossil fuel consumption. Both steam and dry reforming a methane-containing fuel stream have been studied with concentrated solar power as the energy input to drive the highly endothermic reactions but the concept has not been demonstrated at a commercial scale. Under a current project with the U.S. Department of Energy, PNNL is developing an integrated solar thermochemical reaction system that combines solar concentrators with micro- and meso-channel reactors and heatmore » exchangers to accomplish more than 20% solar augment of methane higher heating value. The objective of our three-year project is to develop and prepare for commercialization such solar reforming system with a high enough efficiency to serve as the frontend of a conventional natural gas (or biogas) combined cycle power plant, producing power with a levelized cost of electricity less than 6¢/kWh, without subsidies, by the year 2020. In this paper, we present results from the first year of our project that demonstrated a solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency as high as 69% with a prototype reaction system.« less

Energy from vascular plant wastewater treatment systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolverton, B.C.; McDonald, R.C.

1981-04-01

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) duckweed (Spirodela sp. and Lemna sp.), water pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides), and kudzu (Pueraria lobata) were anaerobically fermented using an anaerobic filter technique that reduced the total digestion time from 90 d to an average of 23 d and produced 0.14 to 0.22 m/sup 3/ CH/sub 4//kg (dry weight) (2.3 to 3.6 ft/sup 3//lb) from mature filters for the 3 aquatic species. Kudzu required an average digestion time of 33 d and produced an average of 0.21 m/sup 3/ CH/sub 4//kg (dry weight) (3.4 ft/sup 3//lb). The anaerobic filter provided a large surface area for the anaerobicmore » bacteria to establish and maintain an optimal balance of facultative, acid-forming, and methane-producing bacteria. Consequently the efficiency of the process was greatly improved over prior batch fermentations.« less

Outstanding Li-storage performance of LiFePO4@MWCNTs cathode material with 3D network structure for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Xiaodong; Zhang, Le

2018-05-01

In this work, the MWCNTs-decorated LiFePO4 microspheres (LiFePO4@MWCNTs) with a 3D network structure have been synthesized by a facile and efficient spray-drying approach followed by solid-state reaction in a reduction atmosphere. In the as-prepared composite, the MWCNTs around LiFePO4 nanoparticles can provide 3D conductive networks which greatly facilitate the transport of Li+-ion and electron during the electrochemical reaction. Compared to the pure LiFePO4 material, the LiFePO4@MWCNTs composite as cathode for lithium-ion batteries exhibits significantly improved Li-storage performance in terms of rate capability and cyclic stability. Therefore, we can speculate that the spray-drying approach is a promising route to prepare the high-performance electrode materials with 3D network structure for electrochemical energy storage.

The Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) - A Building America Energy Efficient Housing Partnership

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robb Aldrich; Lois Arena; Dianne Griffiths

2010-12-31

This final report summarizes the work conducted by the Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) (http://www.carb-swa.com/), one of the 'Building America Energy Efficient Housing Partnership' Industry Teams, for the period January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010. The Building America Program (BAP) is part of the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program (BTP). The long term goal of the BAP is to develop cost effective, production ready systems in five major climate zones that will result in zero energy homes (ZEH) that produce as much energy as they use on an annual basis bymore » 2020. CARB is led by Steven Winter Associates, Inc. with Davis Energy Group, Inc. (DEG), MaGrann Associates, and Johnson Research, LLC as team members. In partnership with our numerous builders and industry partners, work was performed in three primary areas - advanced systems research, prototype home development, and technical support for communities of high performance homes. Our advanced systems research work focuses on developing a better understanding of the installed performance of advanced technology systems when integrated in a whole-house scenario. Technology systems researched included: - High-R Wall Assemblies - Non-Ducted Air-Source Heat Pumps - Low-Load HVAC Systems - Solar Thermal Water Heating - Ventilation Systems - Cold-Climate Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps - Hot/Dry Climate Air-to-Water Heat Pump - Condensing Boilers - Evaporative condensers - Water Heating CARB continued to support several prototype home projects in the design and specification phase. These projects are located in all five program climate regions and most are targeting greater than 50% source energy savings over the Building America Benchmark home. CARB provided technical support and developed builder project case studies to be included in near-term Joule Milestone reports for the following community scale projects: - SBER Overlook at Clipper Mill (mixed, humid climate) - William Ryan Homes - Tampa (hot, humid climate).« less

75 FR 52321 - Dry Lake Wind Power II LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-25

... proceeding, of Dry Lake Wind Power II LLC application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER10-1720-000] Dry Lake Wind Power II LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket...

Design of modular control system for grain dryers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Gaoqing; Liu, Yanhua; Zu, Yuan

In order to effectively control the temperature of grain drying bin, grain ,air outlet as well as the grain moisture, it designed the control system of 5HCY-35 which is based on MCU to adapt to all grains drying conditions, high drying efficiency, long life usage and less manually. The system includes: the control module of the constant temperature and the temperature difference control in drying bin, the constant temperature control of heating furnace, on-line testing of moisture, variety of grain-circulation speed control and human-computer interaction interface. Spatial curve simulation, which takes moisture as control objectives, controls the constant temperature and the temperature difference in drying bin according to preset parameter by the user or a list to reduce the grains explosive to ensure the seed germination percentage. The system can realize the intelligent control of high efficiency and various drying, the good scalability and the high quality.

Encapsulation of black carrot juice using spray and freeze drying.

PubMed

Murali, S; Kar, Abhijit; Mohapatra, Debabandya; Kalia, Pritam

2015-12-01

Black carrot juice extracted using pectinase enzyme was encapsulated in three different carrier materials (maltodextrin 20DE, gum arabic and tapioca starch) using spray drying at four inlet temperatures (150, 175, 200 and 225 ℃) and freeze drying at a constant temperature of - 53 ℃ and vacuum of 0.22-0.11 mbar with the constant feed mixture. The products were analyzed for total anthocyanin content, antioxidant activity, water solubility index, encapsulation efficiency and total colour change. For both the drying methods followed in this study, maltodextrin 20DE as the carrier material has proven to be better in retaining maximum anthocyanin and antioxidant activity compared to gum arabic and tapioca starch. The best spray dried product, was obtained at 150 ℃. The most acceptable was the freeze dried product with maximum anthocyanin content, antioxidant activity, water solubility index, encapsulation efficiency and colour change. © The Author(s) 2014.

Development of an Inhaled Dry-Powder Formulation of Tobramycin Using PulmoSphere™ Technology

PubMed Central

Weers, Jeffry; Heuerding, Silvia

2011-01-01

Abstract At present, the only approved inhaled antipseudomonal antibiotics for chronic pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are nebulized solutions. However, prolonged administration and cleaning times, high administration frequency, and cumbersome delivery technologies with nebulizers add to the high treatment burden in this patient population. PulmoSphere™ technology is an emulsion-based spray-drying process that enables the production of light porous particle, dry-powder formulations, which exhibit improved flow and dispersion from passive dry powder inhalers. This review explores the fundamental characteristics of PulmoSphere technology, focusing on the development of a dry powder formulation of tobramycin for the treatment of chronic pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) infection in CF patients. This dry powder formulation provides substantially improved intrapulmonary deposition efficiency, faster delivery, and more convenient administration over nebulized formulations. The availability of more efficient and convenient treatment options may improve treatment compliance, and thereby therapeutic outcomes in CF. PMID:21395432

Smart Screening System (S3) In Taconite Processing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daryoush Allaei; Angus Morison; David Tarnowski

2005-09-01

The conventional screening machines used in processing plants have had undesirable high noise and vibration levels. They also have had unsatisfactorily low screening efficiency, high energy consumption, high maintenance cost, low productivity, and poor worker safety. These conventional vibrating machines have been used in almost every processing plant. Most of the current material separation technology uses heavy and inefficient electric motors with an unbalanced rotating mass to generate the shaking. In addition to being excessively noisy, inefficient, and high-maintenance, these vibrating machines are often the bottleneck in the entire process. Furthermore, these motors, along with the vibrating machines and supportingmore » structure, shake other machines and structures in the vicinity. The latter increases maintenance costs while reducing worker health and safety. The conventional vibrating fine screens at taconite processing plants have had the same problems as those listed above. This has resulted in lower screening efficiency, higher energy and maintenance cost, and lower productivity and workers safety concerns. The focus of this work is on the design of a high performance screening machine suitable for taconite processing plants. SmartScreens{trademark} technology uses miniaturized motors, based on smart materials, to generate the shaking. The underlying technologies are Energy Flow Control{trademark} and Vibration Control by Confinement{trademark}. These concepts are used to direct energy flow and confine energy efficiently and effectively to the screen function. The SmartScreens{trademark} technology addresses problems related to noise and vibration, screening efficiency, productivity, and maintenance cost and worker safety. Successful development of SmartScreens{trademark} technology will bring drastic changes to the screening and physical separation industry. The final designs for key components of the SmartScreens{trademark} have been developed. The key components include smart motor and associated electronics, resonators, and supporting structural elements. It is shown that the smart motors have an acceptable life and performance. Resonator (or motion amplifier) designs are selected based on the final system requirement and vibration characteristics. All the components for a fully functional prototype are fabricated. The development program is on schedule. The last semi-annual report described the process of FE model validation and correlation with experimental data in terms of dynamic performance and predicted stresses. It also detailed efforts into making the supporting structure less important to system performance. Finally, an introduction into the dry application concept was presented. Since then, the design refinement phase was completed. This has resulted in a Smart Screen design that meets performance targets both in the dry condition and with taconite slurry flow using PZT motors. Furthermore, this system was successfully demonstrated for the DOE and partner companies at the Coleraine Mineral Research Laboratory in Coleraine, Minnesota.« less

Feasibility study analysis for multi-function dual energy oven (case study: tapioca crackers small medium enterprise)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soraya, N. W.; El Hadi, R. M.; Chumaidiyah, E.; Tripiawan, W.

2017-12-01

Conventional drying process is constrained by weather (cloudy / rainy), and requires wide drying area, and provides low-quality product. Multi-function dual energy oven is the appropriate technology to solve these problems. The oven uses solar thermal or gas heat for drying various type of products, including tapioca crackers. Investment analysis in technical, operational, and financial aspects show that the multi-function dual energy oven is feasible to be implemented for small medium enterprise (SME) processing tapioca crackers.

Cassava chip (Manihot esculenta Crantz) as an energy source for ruminant feeding.

PubMed

Wanapat, Metha; Kang, Sungchhang

2015-12-01

Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) is widely grown in sub-tropical and tropical areas, producing roots as an energy source while the top biomass including leaves and immature stems can be sun-dried and used as cassava hay. Cassava roots can be processed as dried chip or pellet. It is rich in soluble carbohydrate (75 to 85%) but low in crude protein (2 to 3%). Its energy value is comparable to corn meal but has a relatively higher rate of rumen degradation. Higher levels of non-protein nitrogen especially urea (1 to 4%) can be successfully incorporated in concentrates containing cassava chip as an energy source. Cassava chip can also be processed with urea and other ingredients (tallow, sulfur, raw banana meal, cassava hay, and soybean meal) to make products such as cassarea, cassa-ban, and cassaya. Various studies have been conducted in ruminants using cassava chip to replace corn meal in the concentrate mixtures and have revealed satisfactory results in rumen fermentation efficiency and the subsequent production of meat and milk. In addition, it was advantageous when used in combination with rice bran in the concentrate supplement. Practical home-made-concentrate using cassava chip can be easily prepared for use on farms. A recent development has involved enriching protein in cassava chips, yielding yeast fermented cassava chip protein (YEFECAP) of up to 47.5% crude protein, which can be used to replace soybean meal. It is therefore, recommended to use cassava chip as an alternative source of energy to corn meal when the price is economical and it is locally available.

U.S. DOE Progress Towards Developing Low-Cost, High Performance, Durable Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications.

PubMed

Houchins, Cassidy; Kleen, Greg J; Spendelow, Jacob S; Kopasz, John; Peterson, David; Garland, Nancy L; Ho, Donna Lee; Marcinkoski, Jason; Martin, Kathi Epping; Tyler, Reginald; Papageorgopoulos, Dimitrios C

2012-12-18

Low cost, durable, and selective membranes with high ionic conductivity are a priority need for wide-spread adoption of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Electrolyte membranes are a major cost component of PEMFC stacks at low production volumes. PEMFC membranes also impose limitations on fuel cell system operating conditions that add system complexity and cost. Reactant gas and fuel permeation through the membrane leads to decreased fuel cell performance, loss of efficiency, and reduced durability in both PEMFCs and DMFCs. To address these challenges, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Program, in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, supports research and development aimed at improving ion exchange membranes for fuel cells. For PEMFCs, efforts are primarily focused on developing materials for higher temperature operation (up to 120 °C) in automotive applications. For DMFCs, efforts are focused on developing membranes with reduced methanol permeability. In this paper, the recently revised DOE membrane targets, strategies, and highlights of DOE-funded projects to develop new, inexpensive membranes that have good performance in hot and dry conditions (PEMFC) and that reduce methanol crossover (DMFC) will be discussed.

Growth and energy budget of juvenile lenok Brachymystax lenok in relation to ration level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Li, Zhongjie; Zhang, Tanglin; Yuan, Jing; Mou, Zhenbo; Liu, Jiashou

2015-03-01

We evaluated the effect of ration level (RL) on the growth and energy budget of lenok Brachymystax lenok. Juvenile lenok (initial mean body weight 3.06±0.13 g) were fed for 21 d at five different ration levels: starvation, 2%, 3%, 4% bwd (body weight per day, based on initial mean values), and apparent satiation. Feed consumption, apparent digestibility, and growth were directly measured. Specific growth rates in terms of wet weight, dry weight, protein, and energy increased logarithmically with an increase in ration levels. The relationship between specific growth rate in terms of wet weight (SGRw, %/d) and RL (%) was characterized by a decelerating curve: SGRw=-1.417+3.166ln(RL+1). The apparent digestibility coefficients of energy exhibited a decreasing pattern with increasing ration level, and there was a significant difference among different RLs. Body composition was significantly affected by ration size. The relationship between feed efficiency rate in terms of energy (FERe) and RL was: FERe=-14.167+23.793RL-3.367(RL)2, and the maximum FERe was observed at a 3.53% ration. The maintenance requirement for energy of juvenile lenok was 105.39 kJ BW (kg)-0.80/d, the utilization efficiency of DE for growth was 0.496. The energy budget equation at satiation was: 100IE=29.03FE+5.78(ZE+UE)+39.56 HE+25.63 RE, where IE is feed energy, FE is fecal energy, ZE+UE is excretory energy, HE is heat production, and RE is recovered energy. Our results suggest that the most suitable feeding rate for juvenile lenok aquaculture for wet weight growth is 2.89% bwd, whereas for energy growth, the suggested rate is 3.53% bwd at this growth stage.

Health and Wellbeing of Occupants in Highly Energy Efficient Buildings: A Field Study.

PubMed

Wallner, Peter; Tappler, Peter; Munoz, Ute; Damberger, Bernhard; Wanka, Anna; Kundi, Michael; Hutter, Hans-Peter

2017-03-19

Passive houses and other highly energy-efficient buildings need mechanical ventilation. However, ventilation systems in such houses are regarded with a certain degree of skepticism by parts of the public due to alleged negative health effects. Within a quasi-experimental field study, we investigated if occupants of two types of buildings (mechanical vs. natural ventilation) experience different health, wellbeing and housing satisfaction outcomes and if associations with indoor air quality exist. We investigated 123 modern homes (test group: with mechanical ventilation; control group: naturally ventilated) built in the years 2010 to 2012 in the same geographic area and price range. Interviews of occupants based on standardized questionnaires and measurements of indoor air quality parameters were conducted twice (three months after moving in and one year later). In total, 575 interviews were performed (respondents' mean age 37.9 ± 9 years in the test group, 37.7 ± 9 years in the control group). Occupants of the test group rated their overall health status and that of their children not significantly higher than occupants of the control group at both time points. Adult occupants of the test group reported dry eyes statistically significantly more frequently compared to the control group (19.4% vs. 12.5%). Inhabitants of energy-efficient, mechanically ventilated homes rated the quality of indoor air and climate significantly higher. Self-reported health improved more frequently in the mechanically ventilated new homes ( p = 0.005). Almost no other significant differences between housing types and measuring time points were observed concerning health and wellbeing or housing satisfaction. Associations between vegetative symptoms (dizziness, nausea, headaches) and formaldehyde concentrations as well as between CO₂ levels and perceived stale air were observed. However, both associations were independent of the type of ventilation. In summary, occupants of the mechanically ventilated homes rated their health status slightly higher and their health improved significantly more frequently than in occupants of the control group. As humidity in homes with mechanical ventilation was lower, it seems plausible that the inhabitants reported dry eyes more frequently.

40 CFR 63.3965 - How do I determine the emission capture system efficiency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...; coating solvent flash-off, curing, and drying occurs within the capture system; and the removal or... spray booth and a curing oven. (b) Measuring capture efficiency. If the capture system does not meet... surface preparation activities and drying and curing time. (c) Liquid-to-uncaptured-gas protocol using a...

Drying kinetics of onion ( Allium cepa L.) slices with convective and microwave drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demiray, Engin; Seker, Anıl; Tulek, Yahya

2017-05-01

Onion slices were dried using two different drying techniques, convective and microwave drying. Convective drying treatments were carried out at different temperatures (50, 60 and 70 °C). Three different microwave output powers 328, 447 and 557 W were used in microwave drying. In convective drying, effective moisture diffusivity was estimated to be between 3.49 × 10-8 and 9.44 × 10-8 m2 s-1 within the temperature range studied. The effect of temperature on the diffusivity was described by the Arrhenius equation with an activation energy of 45.60 kJ mol-1. At increasing microwave power values, the effective moisture diffusivity values ranged from 2.59 × 10-7 and 5.08 × 10-8 m2 s-1. The activation energy for microwave drying of samples was calculated using an exponential expression based on Arrhenius equation. Among of the models proposed, Page's model gave a better fit for all drying conditions used.

Highly efficient secondary dewatering of dewatered sewage sludge using low boiling point solvents.

PubMed

He, Chao; Chena, Chia-Lung; Xu, Zhirong; Wang, Jing-Yuan

2014-01-01

Secondary dewatering of dewatered sludge is imperative to make conventional drying and incineration of sludge more economically feasible. In this study, a secondary dewatering of dewatered sludge with selected solvents (i.e. acetone and ethanol) followed by vacuum filtration and nature drying was investigated to achieve in-depth dewatering. After the entire secondary dewatering process, the sludge was shown to be odourless and the organic matter content was greatly retained. Increased mean particle size of sludge after solvent contact improved solid-liquid separation. With an acetone/sludge ratio of 3:1 (mL:g) in solvent contact and subsequent nature drying at ambient temperature after 24 h, the moisture content of sludge can be reduced to a level less than 20%. It is found that the polysaccharides were mainly precipitated by acetone, whereas the release ratios of protein and DNA were increased significantly as the added acetone volumes were elevated. During nature drying, accumulated evaporation rates of the sludge after solvent contact were 5-6 times higher than original dewatered sludge. Furthermore, sludge after acetone contact had better nature drying performance than ethanol. The two-stage dewatering involves solvent contact dewatering and solvent enhanced evaporation dewatering. Through selecting an appropriate solvent/sludge ratio as well as economical solvents and minimizing the solvent loss in a closed-pilot system, this dewatering process can be competitive in industrial applications. Therefore, this solvent-aided secondary dewatering is an energy-saving technology for effective in-depth dewatering of dewatered sludge and subsequent sludge utilization.

Land surface energy budget during dry spells: global CMIP5 AMIP simulations vs. satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallego-Elvira, Belen; Taylor, Christopher M.; Harris, Phil P.; Ghent, Darren; Folwell, Sonja S.

2015-04-01

During extended periods without rain (dry spells), the soil can dry out due to vegetation transpiration and soil evaporation. At some point in this drying cycle, land surface conditions change from energy-limited to water-limited evapotranspiration, and this is accompanied by an increase of the ground and overlying air temperatures. Regionally, the characteristics of this transition determine the influence of soil moisture on air temperature and rainfall. Global Climate Models (GCMs) disagree on where and how strongly the surface energy budget is limited by soil moisture. Flux tower observations are improving our understanding of these dry down processes, but typical heterogeneous landscapes are too sparsely sampled to ascertain a representative regional response. Alternatively, satellite observations of land surface temperature (LST) provide indirect information about the surface energy partition at 1km resolution globally. In our study, we analyse how well the dry spell dynamics of LST are represented by GCMs across the globe. We use a spatially and temporally aggregated diagnostic to describe the composite response of LST during surface dry down in rain-free periods in distinct climatic regions. The diagnostic is derived from daytime MODIS-Terra LST observations and bias-corrected meteorological re-analyses, and compared against the outputs of historical climate simulations of seven models running the CMIP5 AMIP experiment. Dry spell events are stratified by antecedent precipitation, land cover type and geographic regions to assess the sensitivity of surface warming rates to soil moisture levels at the onset of a dry spell for different surface and climatic zones. In a number of drought-prone hot spot regions, we find important differences in simulated dry spell behaviour, both between models, and compared to observations. These model biases are likely to compromise seasonal forecasts and future climate projections.

[Effects of plastic film mulching and rain harvesting modes on chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics, yield and water use efficiency of dryland maize].

PubMed

Li, Shang-Zhong; Fan, Ting-Lu; Wang, Yong; Zhao, Gang; Wang, Lei; Tang, Xiao-Ming; Dang, Yi; Zhao, Hui

2014-02-01

The differences on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, yield and water use efficiency of dryland maize were compared among full plastic film mulching on double ridges and planting in catchment furrows (FFDRF), half plastic film mulching on double ridges and planting in catchment furrows (HFDRF), plastic film mulching on ridge and planting in film-side (FS), and flat planting with no plastic film mulching (NM) under field conditions in dry highland of Loess Plateau in 2007-2012. The results showed that fluorescence yield (Fo), the maximum fluorescence yield (Fm), light-adapted fluorescence yield when PS II reaction centers were totally open (F), light-adapted fluorescence yield when PS II reaction centers closed (Fm'), the maximal photochemical efficiency of PS II (Fv/Fm), the actual photochemical efficiency of PS II in the light (Phi PS II), the relative electron transport rate (ETR), photochemical quenching (qP) and non-photochemical quenching (qN) in maize leaves of FFDRF were higher than that of control (NM), and the value of 1-qP was lower than that of control, at 13:00, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters values of FFDRF was significantly higher than control, which were increased by 5.3%, 56.8%, 10.7%, 36.3%, 23.6%, 56.7%, 64.4%, 45.5%, 23.6% and -55.6%, respectively, compared with the control. Yield and water use efficiency of FFDRF were the highest in every year no matter dry year, normal year, humid year and hail disaster year. Average yield and water use efficiency of FFDRF were 12,650 kg x hm(-2) and 40.4 kg x mm(-1) x hm(-2) during 2007-2012, increased by 57.8% and 61.6% compared with the control, respectively, and also significantly higher compared with HFDRF and PS. Therefore, it was concluded that FFDRF had significantly increased the efficiency of light energy conversion and improved the production capacity of dryland maize.

Effect of nutritional plane on health and performance in dairy calves after experimental infection with Cryptosporidium parvum.

PubMed

Ollivett, Theresa L; Nydam, Daryl V; Linden, Thomas C; Bowman, Dwight D; Van Amburgh, Michael E

2012-12-01

To evaluate the effect of nutritional plane on health and performance of dairy calves after infection with Cryptosporidium parvum. Randomized, controlled trial. 20 Holstein bull calves. Calves were assigned to a higher plane of nutrition (HPN; 0.30 Mcal intake energy/kg of metabolic body weight using a 28% protein-20% fat milk replacer) or conventional nutrition (CN; 0.13 Mcal intake energy/kg of metabolic body weight using a 20% protein-20% fat milk replacer). Calves were inoculated with C parvum oocysts at 3 days old. Fecal and health scores, oocyst counts, weight gain, dry matter intake, and hematologic variables were measured for 21 days. Data were analyzed with nonparametric and regression methods. Results-Body weight (day 1), serum total protein concentration (day 3), and PCV (day 3) were not different between groups. Oocyst shedding was not different between groups. The PCV was higher in the CN group (40%), compared with the HPN group (32%) at the end of the study. Fecal scores (FS) improved faster in the HPN group (median, -0.1 FS/feeding), compared with the CN group (median, -0.06 FS/feeding). The HPN calves had better average daily gain (ADG) than did CN calves (median, 433 g/d vs -48 g/d, respectively). Feed efficiency (ADG:dry matter intake ratio) was better for HPN calves than CN calves (median, 131.9 g/kg vs -31.4 g/kg). After a pathogen challenge, calves maintained hydration, had faster resolution of diarrhea, grew faster, and converted feed with greater efficiency when fed a higher plane of nutrition.

Optimization of the Büchi B-90 spray drying process using central composite design for preparation of solid dispersions.

PubMed

Gu, Bing; Linehan, Brian; Tseng, Yin-Chao

2015-08-01

A central composite design approach was applied to study the effect of polymer concentration, inlet temperature and air flow rate on the spray drying process of the Büchi B-90 nano spray dryer (B-90). Hypromellose acetate succinate-LF was used for the Design of Experiment (DoE) study. Statistically significant models to predict the yield, spray rate, and drying efficiency were generated from the study. The spray drying conditions were optimized according to the models to maximize the yield and efficiency of the process. The models were further validated using a poorly water-soluble investigational compound (BI064) from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. The polymer/drug ratio ranged from 1/1 to 3/1w/w. The spray dried formulations were amorphous determined by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction. The particle size of the spray dried formulations was 2-10 μm under polarized light microscopy. All the formulations were physically stable for at least 3h when suspended in an aqueous vehicle composed of 1% methyl cellulose. This study demonstrates that DoE is a useful tool to optimize the spray drying process, and the B-90 can be used to efficiently produce amorphous solid dispersions with a limited quantity of drug substance available during drug discovery stages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Thermal Collector With Varied Glass Covers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luminosu, I.; Pop, N.

2010-08-01

The thermal collector with varied glass covers represents an innovation realized in order to build a collector able to reach the desired temperature by collecting the solar radiation from the smallest surface, with the highest efficiency. In the case of the thermal collector with variable cover glasses, the number of the glass plates covering the absorber increases together with the length of the circulation pipe for the working fluid. The thermal collector with varied glass covers compared to the conventional collector better meet user requirements because: for the same temperature increase, has the collecting area smaller; for the same collection area, realizes the highest temperature increase and has the highest efficiency. This works is addressed to researchers in the solar energy and to engineers responsible with air-conditioning systems design or industrial and agricultural products drying.

[Application of microwave irradiation technology to the field of pharmaceutics].

PubMed

Zhang, Xue-Bing; Shi, Nian-Qiu; Yang, Zhi-Qiang; Wang, Xing-Lin

2014-03-01

Microwaves can be directly transformed into heat inside materials because of their ability of penetrating into any substance. The degree that materials are heated depends on their dielectric properties. Materials with high dielectric loss are more easily to reach a resonant state by microwaves field, then microwaves can be absorbed efficiently. Microwave irradiation technique with the unique heating mechanisms could induce drug-polymer interaction and change the properties of dissolution. Many benefits such as improving product quality, increasing energy efficiency and reducing times can be obtained by microwaves. This paper summarized characteristics of the microwave irradiation technique, new preparation techniques and formulation process in pharmaceutical industry by microwave irradiation technology. The microwave technology provides a new clue for heating and drying in the field of pharmaceutics.

Dry Matter Losses and Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Outside Storage of Short Rotation Coppice Willow Chip.

PubMed

Whittaker, Carly; Yates, Nicola E; Powers, Stephen J; Misselbrook, Tom; Shield, Ian

This study examined the dry matter losses and the greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations within two short rotation coppice (SRC) willow wood chip storage heaps. One heap was built on a grassland area (East Midlands) and the other (Rothamsted) on a concrete hard standing. A series of 1- and 3-m probes were embedded in the heaps in order to retrieve gas samples for analysis, and pre-weighed net bags were positioned in the core of the heap to detect dry matter losses. The bagged samples showed dry matter losses of 18 and 19 % in the East Midlands and Rothamsted heaps after 210 and 97 days storage, respectively. The Rothamsted heap showed a whole-heap dry matter loss of 21 %. During this time, the wood chips dried from 54 to 39 % moisture content in the East Midlands heap and 50 to 43 % at Rothamsted. The results from analysing the whole Rothamsted heap indicated an overall loss of 1.5 GJ per tonne stored, although measurements from bagged samples in the core suggested that the chips dried sufficiently to have a minimal energy loss from storage. The process of mixing the heap, however, led to incorporation of wet outer layers and hence the average moisture content was higher in an average sample of chip. After establishment of the heaps, the temperature rose rapidly and this correlated with a peak in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentration within the heap. A peak in methane (CH 4 ) concentration was also detected in both heaps, though more noticeably in the East Midlands heap after around 55 days. In both instances, the peak CH 4 concentration occurred as CO 2 concentrations dropped, suggesting that after an active period of aerobic decomposition in the first 2 months of storage, the conditions in the heap became anaerobic. The results from this study suggest that outside wood chip storage is not an efficient method of storing biomass, though this may be location-specific as there are some studies showing lower dry matter losses. It is necessary to explore other methods of harvesting SRC to minimise losses and optimise land use efficiency. Further research is required to detect whether there are fugitive emissions of CH 4 from wood chip heaps, as this will compromise the net GHG savings from utilising the biomass stored in this way.

Evaluation on Microalgae Biomass for Bioethanol Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chng, L. M.; Lee, K. T.; Chan, D. C. J.

2017-06-01

The depletion of energy resources has triggered worldwide concern for alternative sources, especially renewable energy. Microalgae biomass offers the most promising feedstock for renewable energy because of their impressive efficient growing characteristics and valuable composition. Simple cell structure of the microalgae would simplify the pretreatment technology thus increase the cost-effectiveness of biofuel production. Scenedesmus dimorphus is a carbohydrate-rich microalgae that has potential as biomass for bioethanol. The cultivation of Scenedesmus dimorphus under aeration of carbon dioxide enriched air resulted 1.47 g/L of dry biomass with composition of 12 w/w total lipid, 53.7 w/w carbohydrate and 17.4 protein. Prior to ethanolic fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, various pre-treatment methods were investigated to release and degrade the complex carbohydrate in cell biomass thus obtaining the maximal amount of digestible sugar for ethanolic yeast. In this study, sulfuric acid was used as hydrolysis agent while amyloglucosidase as enzymatic agent. Dried biomass via hydrothermal acidic hydrolysis yielded sugar which is about 89 of total carbohydrate at reaction temperature of 125 °C and acid concentration of 4 v/v. While combination of organosolv treatment (mixture of methanol and chloroform) with enzymatic hydrolysis yielded comparable amount of sugar with 0.568 g glucose/g treated-biomass. In this study, the significant information in pre-treatment process ensures the sustainability of the biofuel produced.

Sewage sludge drying process integration with a waste-to-energy power plant.

PubMed

Bianchini, A; Bonfiglioli, L; Pellegrini, M; Saccani, C

2015-08-01

Dewatered sewage sludge from Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTPs) is encountering increasing problems associated with its disposal. Several solutions have been proposed in the last years regarding energy and materials recovery from sewage sludge. Current technological solutions have relevant limits as dewatered sewage sludge is characterized by a high water content (70-75% by weight), even if mechanically treated. A Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) with good thermal characteristics in terms of Lower Heating Value (LHV) can be obtained if dewatered sludge is further processed, for example by a thermal drying stage. Sewage sludge thermal drying is not sustainable if the power is fed by primary energy sources, but can be appealing if waste heat, recovered from other processes, is used. A suitable integration can be realized between a WWTP and a waste-to-energy (WTE) power plant through the recovery of WTE waste heat as energy source for sewage sludge drying. In this paper, the properties of sewage sludge from three different WWTPs are studied. On the basis of the results obtained, a facility for the integration of sewage sludge drying within a WTE power plant is developed. Furthermore, energy and mass balances are set up in order to evaluate the benefits brought by the described integration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physics of direct-contact ultrasonic cloth drying process

DOE PAGES

Peng, Chang; Ravi, Saitej; Patel, Viral K.; ...

2017-02-27

Existing methods of drying fabrics involve energy-intensive thermal evaporation of moisture from clothes. Drying fabrics using high-frequency vibrations of piezoelectric transducers can substantially reduce drying time and energy consumption. In this method, vibrational energy generates instability on the liquid-air interface and mechanically ejects water from a wet fabric. For the first time, the physics of the ultrasonic fabric drying process in direct-contact mode is studied. The kinematic and thermal responses of water droplets and fabrics on piezoelectric crystal transducers and metal mesh–based transducers are studied. The results suggest that on piezoelectric crystal transducers, the response of a droplet subjected tomore » ultrasonic excitation is dictated by the relative magnitude of the surface tension and the ultrasonic excitation forces. The drying process for a fabric on the studied transducers consists of two regimes—vibrational and thermal. When the water content is high, the vibrational forces can eject bulk water rapidly. But the more strongly bound water within the smaller fabric pores evaporates by the thermal energy generated as a result of the viscous losses. Our study finds that a metal mesh–based transducer is more suitable for dewatering fabrics, as it facilitates the ejection of water from the fabric–transducer interface to the opposite side of the mesh. A demonstration unit developed consumes 10–20% of the water latent heat energy at water contents greater than 20%.« less

Physics of direct-contact ultrasonic cloth drying process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peng, Chang; Ravi, Saitej; Patel, Viral K.

Existing methods of drying fabrics involve energy-intensive thermal evaporation of moisture from clothes. Drying fabrics using high-frequency vibrations of piezoelectric transducers can substantially reduce drying time and energy consumption. In this method, vibrational energy generates instability on the liquid-air interface and mechanically ejects water from a wet fabric. For the first time, the physics of the ultrasonic fabric drying process in direct-contact mode is studied. The kinematic and thermal responses of water droplets and fabrics on piezoelectric crystal transducers and metal mesh–based transducers are studied. The results suggest that on piezoelectric crystal transducers, the response of a droplet subjected tomore » ultrasonic excitation is dictated by the relative magnitude of the surface tension and the ultrasonic excitation forces. The drying process for a fabric on the studied transducers consists of two regimes—vibrational and thermal. When the water content is high, the vibrational forces can eject bulk water rapidly. But the more strongly bound water within the smaller fabric pores evaporates by the thermal energy generated as a result of the viscous losses. Our study finds that a metal mesh–based transducer is more suitable for dewatering fabrics, as it facilitates the ejection of water from the fabric–transducer interface to the opposite side of the mesh. A demonstration unit developed consumes 10–20% of the water latent heat energy at water contents greater than 20%.« less

Generation and Use of Thermal Energy in the U.S. Industrial Sector and Opportunities to Reduce its Carbon Emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McMillan, Colin A.; Boardman, Richard; McKellar, Michael

The industrial sector was the third-largest source of direct U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2014 behind electricity generation and transportation and accounted for roughly 20% of total emissions (EPA 2016). The Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that total U.S. energy consumption will grow to about 108 exajoules (1 EJ = 10 18 J) or 102 quads (1 quad = 10 15 British thermal units) in 2025, with nearly all of the growth coming from the industrial sector (DOE 2015b). Energy consumption in the industrial sector is forecast to increase to 39.5 EJ (37.4 quads)—a 22% increase, exceeding 36% ofmore » total energy consumption in the United States. Therefore, it is imperative that industrial GHG emissions be considered in any strategy intent on achieving deep decarbonization of the energy sector as a whole. It is important to note that unlike the transportation sector and electrical grid, energy use by industry often involves direct conversion of primary energy sources to thermal and electrical energy at the point of consumption. About 52% of U.S. industrial direct GHG emissions are the result of fuel combustion (EPA 2016) to produce hot gases and steam for process heating, process reactions, and process evaporation, concentration, and drying. The heterogeneity and variations in scale of U.S. industry and the complexity of modern industrial firms’ global supply chains are among the sector’s unique challenges to minimizing its GHG emissions. A combination of varied strategies—such as energy efficiency, material efficiency, and switching to low-carbon fuels—can help reduce absolute industrial GHG emissions. This report provides a complement to process-efficiency improvement to consider how clean energy delivery and use by industry could reduce GHG emissions. Specifically, it considers the possibility of replacing fossil-fuel combustion in industry with nuclear (specifically small modular reactors [SMRs]), solar thermal (referred to herein as solar industrial process heat [SIPH]), and geothermal energy sources. The possibility of applying electrical heating and greater use of hydrogen is also considered, although these opportunities are not discussed in as much detail.« less

Infrared Drying as a Quick Preparation Method for Dried Tangerine Peel

PubMed Central

Xu, Mingyue; Zhao, Chengying; Ahmad, Aftab; Zhang, Huijuan; Xiao, Hang

2017-01-01

To establish the most convenient and effective method to dry tangerine peels, different methods (sun drying, hot-air drying, freeze drying, vacuum drying, and medium- and short-wave infrared drying) were exploited. Our results indicated that medium- and short-wave infrared drying was the best method to preserve nutraceutical components; for example, vitamin C was raised to 6.77 mg/g (D.W.) from 3.39 mg/g (sun drying). Moreover, the drying time can be shortened above 96% compared with sun drying. Importantly, the efficiency of DPPH radical scavenging was enhanced from 26.66% to 55.92%. These findings would provide a reliable and time-saving methodology to produce high-quality dried tangerine peels. PMID:29348752

FPL design for lumber dry kiln using solar/wood energy in tropical latitudes

Treesearch

J. L. Tschernitz; W. T. Simpson

1985-01-01

Developing countries with a timber resource that can be manufactured into finished products either for local use or export often lack the capital to build high-cost dry kilns. Many of these countries are in the tropics where solar radiation and ambient temperatures are high. The low-cost solar/wood energy lumber dry kiln described in this report was designed and tested...

Solvothermal method as a green chemistry solution for micro-encapsulation of phase change materials for high temperature thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudor, Albert Ioan; Motoc, Adrian Mihail; Ciobota, Cristina Florentina; Ciobota, Dan. Nastase; Piticescu, Radu Robert; Romero-Sanchez, Maria Dolores

2018-05-01

Thermal energy storage systems using phase change materials (PCMs) as latent heat storage are one of the main challenges at European level in improving the performances and efficiency of concentrated solar power energy generation due to their high energy density. PCM with high working temperatures in the temperature range 300-500 °C are required for these purposes. However their use is still limited due to the problems raised by the corrosion of the majority of high temperature PCMs and lower thermal transfer properties. Micro-encapsulation was proposed as one method to overcome these problems. Different micro-encapsulation methods proposed in the literature are presented and discussed. An original process for the micro-encapsulation of potassium nitrate as PCM in inorganic zinc oxide shells based on a solvothermal method followed by spray drying to produce microcapsules with controlled phase composition and distribution is proposed and their transformation temperatures and enthalpies measured by differential scanning calorimetry are presented.

In-depth investigation on the pyrolysis kinetics of raw biomass. Part I: kinetic analysis for the drying and devolatilization stages.

PubMed

Chen, Dengyu; Zheng, Yan; Zhu, Xifeng

2013-03-01

An in-depth investigation was conducted on the kinetic analysis of raw biomass using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), from which the activation energy distribution of the whole pyrolysis process was obtained. Two different stages, namely, drying stage (Stage I) and devolatilization stage (Stage II), were shown in the pyrolysis process in which the activation energy values changed with conversion. The activation energy at low conversions (below 0.15) in the drying stage ranged from 10 to 30 kJ/mol. Such energy was calculated using the nonisothermal Page model, known as the best model to describe the drying kinetics. Kinetic analysis was performed using the distributed activation energy model in a wide range of conversions (0.15-0.95) in the devolatilization stage. The activation energy first ranged from 178.23 to 245.58 kJ/mol and from 159.66 to 210.76 kJ/mol for corn straw and wheat straw, respectively, then increasing remarkably with an irregular trend. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of different drying methods on Chinese ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe): Changes in volatiles, chemical profile, antioxidant properties, and microstructure.

PubMed

An, Kejing; Zhao, Dandan; Wang, Zhengfu; Wu, Jijun; Xu, Yujuan; Xiao, Gengsheng

2016-04-15

Nowadays, food industry is facing challenges in preserving better quality of fruit and vegetable products after processing. Recently, many attentions have been drawn to ginger rhizome processing due to its numerous health promoting properties. In our study, ginger rhizome slices were subjected to air-drying (AD), freeze drying (FD), infrared drying (IR), microwave drying (MD) and intermittent microwave & convective drying (IM&CD). Quality attributes of the dried samples were compared in terms of volatile compounds, 6, 8, 10-gingerols, 6-shogaol, antioxidant activities and microstructure. Results showed that AD and IR were good drying methods to preserve volatiles. FD, IR and IM&CD led to higher retention of gingerols, TPC, TFC and better antioxidant activities. However, FD and IR had relative high energy consumption and drying time. Therefore, considering about the quality retention and energy consumption, IM&CD would be very promising for thermo sensitive material. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy stability of droplets and dry spots in a thin film model of hanging drops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheung, Ka-Luen; Chou, Kai-Seng

2017-10-01

The 2-D thin film equation describing the evolution of hang drops is studied. All radially symmetric steady states are classified, and their energy stability is determined. It is shown that the droplet with zero contact angle is the only global energy minimizer and the dry spot with zero contact angle is a strict local energy minimizer.

Optimization and economic evaluation of industrial gas production and combined heat and power generation from gasification of corn stover and distillers grains.

PubMed

Kumar, Ajay; Demirel, Yasar; Jones, David D; Hanna, Milford A

2010-05-01

Thermochemical gasification is one of the most promising technologies for converting biomass into power, fuels and chemicals. The objectives of this study were to maximize the net energy efficiency for biomass gasification, and to estimate the cost of producing industrial gas and combined heat and power (CHP) at a feedrate of 2000kg/h. Aspen Plus-based model for gasification was combined with a CHP generation model, and optimized using corn stover and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) as the biomass feedstocks. The cold gas efficiencies for gas production were 57% and 52%, respectively, for corn stover and DDGS. The selling price of gas was estimated to be $11.49 and $13.08/GJ, respectively, for corn stover and DDGS. For CHP generation, the electrical and net efficiencies were as high as 37% and 88%, respectively, for corn stover and 34% and 78%, respectively, for DDGS. The selling price of electricity was estimated to be $0.1351 and $0.1287/kWh for corn stover and DDGS, respectively. Overall, high net energy efficiencies for gas and CHP production from biomass gasification can be achieved with optimized processing conditions. However, the economical feasibility of these conversion processes will depend on the relative local prices of fossil fuels. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clothes Dryer Automatic Termination Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

TeGrotenhuis, Ward E.

Volume 2: Improved Sensor and Control Designs Many residential clothes dryers on the market today provide automatic cycles that are intended to stop when the clothes are dry, as determined by the final remaining moisture content (RMC). However, testing of automatic termination cycles has shown that many dryers are susceptible to over-drying of loads, leading to excess energy consumption. In particular, tests performed using the DOE Test Procedure in Appendix D2 of 10 CFR 430 subpart B have shown that as much as 62% of the energy used in a cycle may be from over-drying. Volume 1 of this reportmore » shows an average of 20% excess energy from over-drying when running automatic cycles with various load compositions and dryer settings. Consequently, improving automatic termination sensors and algorithms has the potential for substantial energy savings in the U.S.« less

Sludge dewatering and stabilization in drying reed beds: characterization of three full-scale systems in Catalonia, Spain.

PubMed

Uggetti, Enrica; Llorens, Esther; Pedescoll, Anna; Ferrer, Ivet; Castellnou, Roger; García, Joan

2009-09-01

Optimization of sludge management can help reducing sludge handling costs in wastewater treatment plants. Sludge drying reed beds appear as a new and alternative technology which has low energy requirements, reduced operating and maintenance costs, and causes little environmental impact. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of three full-scale drying reed beds in terms of sludge dewatering, stabilization and hygienisation. Samples of influent sludge and sludge accumulated in the reed beds were analysed for pH, Electrical Conductivity, Total Solids (TS), Volatile Solids (VS), Chemical Oxygen Demand, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, nutrients (Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) and Total Phosphorus (TP)), heavy metals and faecal bacteria indicators (Escherichiacoli and Salmonella spp.). Lixiviate samples were also collected. There was a systematic increase in the TS concentration from 1-3% in the influent to 20-30% in the beds, which fits in the range obtained with conventional dewatering technologies. Progressive organic matter removal and sludge stabilization in the beds was also observed (VS concentration decreased from 52-67% TS in the influent to 31-49% TS in the beds). Concentration of nutrients of the sludge accumulated in the beds was quite low (TKN 2-7% TS and TP 0.04-0.7% TS), and heavy metals remained below law threshold concentrations. Salmonella spp. was not detected in any of the samples, while E. coli concentration was generally lower than 460MPN/g in the sludge accumulated in the beds. The studied systems demonstrated a good efficiency for sludge dewatering and stabilization in the context of small remote wastewater treatment plants.

Physical and chemical pretreatment of lignocellulosics in pineapple (Ananus comosus) peels dried for investment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukkaew, Adulsman; Boonsong, Panthip; Thongpradistha, Sriubol; Intan, Maimoon

2017-08-01

Pineapple (Ananus comosus) Peels, once known as waste from agricultural, can be a problem when we eliminate in agriculture and industry. The current technology can help preliminarily to solve this problem. The sustainable solution to this problem is lignocellulosics pretreatments for converted saccharide as a carbon source for ethanol production. The objective of this study is the investigation of pineapple peels pretreatment to produce fermentable sugar by drying and digesting 5% sulfuric acid (H2SO4). And study of cost economic passed selection for investment. The result found that the best investment of drying was 100 °C at 11 hours for the sulphuric acid which could be easily crushed into a fine powder. Moreover, digestion of pineapple peels gave the best total sugar 252.2 g/l by 5% H2SO4 incubated for 60 minutes at room temperature. The pineapple peels were digested by 5%H2SO4 concentration by incubating for 60 minutes at room temperature, finding to be the best condition and the lowest investment. Finally, the optimisation of investment and management for lignocellulosic pretreatment will improve efficiency of strategy for economic and energy development.

Wetlands with greater degree of urbanization improve PM2.5 removal efficiency.

PubMed

Liu, Jiakai; Yan, Guoxin; Wu, Yanan; Wang, Yu; Zhang, Zhenming; Zhang, Mingxiang

2018-09-01

In recent decades, China has experienced both rapid urbanization and heavy air pollution and the rapid urbanization trend would be continue in the next decade. Wetlands have been shown to be efficient in particle removal, primarily through dry deposition and leaf accumulation. Thus, a more comprehensive understanding of PM2.5 removal by wetlands during urbanization processes could inform urban planning. In the current study, three wetland plots, Cuihu Lake Park (CL), Summer Palace (SP), and Olympic Park (OP), were selected as low, medium, and highly degrees of urbanization site respectively based on the proportions of building and traffic district areas to compare the removal efficiencies. Results show the average dry deposition velocity in OP was significantly higher than CL and SP. Dry deposition is mainly influenced by meteorological conditions. Buildings and other infrastructure make the meteorological conditions conducive to deposition, resulting in higher wind velocity, higher temperature, and more intense turbulence between buildings. Variation in leaf accumulation was not statistically significant between the three plots, and plant species was the major factor affecting the amount of accumulation. The dry deposition contribution to particle removal increases with degree of urbanization. The average dry deposition accounted for 39.74%, 52.55%, and 62.75% at low, middle and high level respectively. Therefore, Wetlands with greater degree of urbanization improve PM2.5 removal efficiency primarily by accelerating the dry deposition process. The result emphasizes the importance of wetlands in particle removal in highly urbanized areas and thus more wetlands should be preserved and/or created during urban expansion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental study on the drying of natural latex medical gloves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chankrachang, Mano; Yongyingsakthavorn, Pisit; Tohsan, Atitaya; Nontakaew, Udomkiat

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research was to study latex film drying at 70 °C using a laboratory drying oven. Two different total solid content (TSC) latex compounds, which 45% TSC and 35% TSC were used. The undried latex films were prepared according to the common procedures used in latex gloves manufacturers, that is, by dry coagulant dipping process. The experimental results such as initial moisture content, the amount of moisture and drying time of latex films in each latex compound formula were determined. After that, the results were projected to calculate on the production capacity expand by 1 million piece/day of natural latex medical gloves. Finally, the rate of moisture entering the latex drying oven and the energy consumption of the drying oven were estimated. The results indicated that when the 35% TSC of latex compound was used. The initial moisture content of latex film was higher than 45% TSC of latex compound about 7%. The drying time of 35% TSC was longer than 45% TSC for 2.5 min and consume more energy about 10%. As a result, the 45% TSC latex compound was the better way to saving energy and managing humidity in the production line. Therefore, it was found to very useful to an approximate design length and size of actual of latex drying oven and the rate of moisture entering the oven as well.

Anaerobic digestion of thermal pre-treated sludge at different solids concentrations--Computation of mass-energy balance and greenhouse gas emissions.

PubMed

Pilli, Sridhar; More, Tanaji; Yan, Song; Tyagi, Rajeshwar Dayal; Surampalli, Rao Y

2015-07-01

The effect of thermal pre-treatment on sludge anaerobic digestion (AD) efficiency was studied at different total solids (TS) concentrations (20.0, 30.0 and 40.0 g TS/L) and digestion times (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 days) for primary, secondary and mixed wastewater sludge. Moreover, sludge pre-treatment, AD and disposal processes were evaluated based on a mass-energy balance and corresponding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Mass balance revealed that the least quantity of digestate was generated by thermal pre-treated secondary sludge at 30.0 g TS/L. The net energy (energy output-energy input) and energy ratio (energy output/energy input) for thermal pre-treated sludge was greater than control in all cases. The reduced GHG emissions of 73.8 × 10(-3) g CO2/g of total dry solids were observed for the thermal pre-treated secondary sludge at 30.0 g TS/L. Thermal pre-treatment of sludge is energetically beneficial and required less retention time compared to control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of sward maturity and pre-conditioning temperature on the energy production from grass silage through the integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass (IFBB): 2. Properties of energy carriers and energy yield.

PubMed

Richter, F; Fricke, T; Wachendorf, M

2011-04-01

In order to determine influencing parameters on energy production of the IFBB process, herbage from a lowland hay meadow (Arrhenaterion) was sampled and ensiled at eight dates between 27 April and 21 June 2007. The silage from each date was processed in six IFBB treatments with and without hydrothermal conditioning at different temperatures. Methane yields and higher heating values were determined and an energy balance was calculated with whole-crop digestion (WCD) of the silage as reference system. Maximum net energy yields were 10.2 MWh ha(-1) for the IFBB treatment without hydrothermal conditioning and 9.0 MWh ha(-1) for the treatment with hydrothermal conditioning at 50 °C. WCD achieved a maximum net energy yield of 3.7 MWh ha(-1). Energy conversion efficiency ranged from 0.24 to 0.54 and was predicted with high accuracy by temperature of hydrothermal conditioning as well as concentration of neutral detergent fibre and dry matter in the silage (R(2)=0.90). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy from aquatic plant wastewater treatment systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolverton, B. C.; Mcdonald, R. C.

1979-01-01

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), duckweed (Spirodela sp. and Lemma sp.), water pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides), and kudzu (Pueraria lobata) were anaerobically fermented using an anaerobic filter technique that reduced the total digestion time from 90 days to an average of 23 days and produced 0.14-0.28 cu m CH4/kg (dry weight) (2.3-4.5 cu ft/lb) from mature filters. The anaerobic filter provided a large surface area for the anaerobic bacteria to establish and maintain an optimum balance of facultative, acid-forming, and methane-producing bacteria. Consequently the efficiency of the process was greatly improved over prior batch fermentations.

Quality drying of softwood lumber : guidebook - checklist

Treesearch

M. R. Milota; J. D. Danielson; R. S. Boone; D. W. Huber

The IMPROVE Lumber Drying Program is intended to increase awareness of the lumber drying system as a critical component in the manufacture of quality lumber. One objective of the program is to provide easy-to-use tools that a kiln operator can use to maintain an efficient kiln operation and therefore contribute to lumber drying quality. This report is one component of...

Quality drying of hardwood lumber : guidebook -- checklist

Treesearch

R. S. Boone; M. R. Milota; J. D. Danielson; D. W. Huber

The IMPROVE Lumber Drying Program is intended to increase awareness of the lumber drying system as a critical component in the manufacture of quality lumber. One objective of the program is to provide easy-to-use tools that a kiln operator can use to maintain an efficient kiln operation and therefore improve lumber drying quality. This report is one component of the...

Preparation and Characterization of Ato Nanoparticles by Coprecipitation with Modified Drying Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shimin; Liang, Dongdong; Liu, Jindong; Jiang, Weiwei; Liu, Chaoqian; Ding, Wanyu; Wang, Hualin; Wang, Nan

Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles were prepared by coprecipitation by packing drying and traditional direct drying (for comparison) methods. The as-prepared ATO nanoparticles were characterized by TG, XRD, EDS, TEM, HRTEM, BET, bulk density and electrical resistivity measurements. Results indicated that the ATO nanoparticles obtained by coprecipitation with direct drying method featured hard-agglomerated morphology, high bulk density, low surface area and low electrical resistivity, probably due to the direct liquid evaporation during drying, the fast shrinkage of the precipitate, the poor removal efficiency of liquid molecules and the hard agglomerate formation after calcination. Very differently, the ATO product obtained by the packing and drying method featured free-agglomerated morphology, low bulk density, high surface area and high electrical resistivity ascribed probably to the formed vapor cyclone environment and liquid evaporation-resistance, avoiding fast liquid removal and improving the removal efficiency of liquid molecules. The intrinsic formation mechanism of ATO nanoparticles from different drying methods was illustrated based on the dehydration process of ATO precipitates. Additionally, the packing and drying time played key roles in determining the bulk density, morphology and electrical conductivity of ATO nanoparticles.

Efficiency and safety of subconjunctival injection of anti-VEGF agent - bevacizumab - in treating dry eye.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiaodan; Lv, Huibin; Qiu, Weiqiang; Liu, Ziyuan; Li, Xuemin; Wang, Wei

2015-01-01

Dry eye is a chronic inflammatory ocular surface disease with high prevalence. The current therapies for dry eye remain to be unspecific and notcomprehensive. This study aims to explore safety and efficacy of a novel treatment - subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab - in dry eye patients. Sixty-four eyes of 32 dry eye patients received subconjunctival injection of 100 μL 25 mg/mL bevacizumab. Dry eye symptoms, signs (corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, conjunctival vascularity, corneal staining, tear break-up time, Marx line score, and blood pressure), and conjunctival impression cytology were evaluated 3 days before and 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after injection. Significant improvements were observed in dry eye symptoms, tear break-up time, and conjunctival vascularization area at all the visits after injection compared to the baseline (P<0.05). The density of the goblet cell increased significantly at 1 month and 3 months after injection (P<0.05). There was no visual and systemic threat observed in any patient. Subconjunctival injection of 100 μL 25 mg/mL bevacizumab is a safe and efficient treatment for ocular surface inflammation of dry eye disease.

Preparation of redispersible liposomal dry powder using an ultrasonic spray freeze-drying technique for transdermal delivery of human epithelial growth factor

PubMed Central

Yin, Fei; Guo, Shiyan; Gan, Yong; Zhang, Xinxin

2014-01-01

In this work, an ultrasonic spray freeze-drying (USFD) technique was used to prepare a stable liposomal dry powder for transdermal delivery of recombinant human epithelial growth factor (rhEGF). Morphology, particle size, entrapment efficiency, in vitro release, and skin permeability were systematically compared between rhEGF liposomal dry powder prepared using USFD and that prepared using a conventional lyophilization process. Porous and spherical particles with high specific area were produced under USFD conditions. USFD effectively avoided formation of ice crystals, disruption of the bilayer structure, and drug leakage during the liposome drying process, and maintained the stability of the rhEGF liposomal formulation during storage. The reconstituted rhEGF liposomes prepared from USFD powder did not show significant changes in morphology, particle size, entrapment efficiency, or in vitro release characteristics compared with those of rhEGF liposomes before drying. Moreover, the rhEGF liposomal powder prepared with USFD exhibited excellent enhanced penetration in ex vivo mouse skin compared with that for powder prepared via conventional lyophilization. The results suggest that ultrasonic USFD is a promising technique for the production of stable protein-loaded liposomal dry powder for application to the skin. PMID:24729702

Preparation of redispersible liposomal dry powder using an ultrasonic spray freeze-drying technique for transdermal delivery of human epithelial growth factor.

PubMed

Yin, Fei; Guo, Shiyan; Gan, Yong; Zhang, Xinxin

2014-01-01

In this work, an ultrasonic spray freeze-drying (USFD) technique was used to prepare a stable liposomal dry powder for transdermal delivery of recombinant human epithelial growth factor (rhEGF). Morphology, particle size, entrapment efficiency, in vitro release, and skin permeability were systematically compared between rhEGF liposomal dry powder prepared using USFD and that prepared using a conventional lyophilization process. Porous and spherical particles with high specific area were produced under USFD conditions. USFD effectively avoided formation of ice crystals, disruption of the bilayer structure, and drug leakage during the liposome drying process, and maintained the stability of the rhEGF liposomal formulation during storage. The reconstituted rhEGF liposomes prepared from USFD powder did not show significant changes in morphology, particle size, entrapment efficiency, or in vitro release characteristics compared with those of rhEGF liposomes before drying. Moreover, the rhEGF liposomal powder prepared with USFD exhibited excellent enhanced penetration in ex vivo mouse skin compared with that for powder prepared via conventional lyophilization. The results suggest that ultrasonic USFD is a promising technique for the production of stable protein-loaded liposomal dry powder for application to the skin.

Drying of seaweeds by geothermal heat in Iceland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hallsson, S.V.

For over a thousand years seaweeds have been sundered in Iceland for various uses, but geothermal heat was utilized for the first time for drying of seaweed in Hveragerdi 1939. During the sixties various experiments were carried on the drying of several types of seaweeds, grass, capeline and mussell in various sizes and types of experimental through-circulation dryers. On the bases of these experiments, a 5-belt through-circulation dryer was selected for the drying of seaweeds and possibly the mentioned marine and agricultural products in the commercial drying station built at Teykholar, W-Iceland, where seaweed meal has been produced since 1975.more » Results of drying experiments are compared with drying parameters in the commercial drying station at Teykholar, and the available data on drying of seaweeds using geothermal energy is summarized and compared with data from Scotland and Canada. The author looks to the future for the drying and possibly cultivation and extraction of chemicals by geothermal heat from seaweeds and various other heat sensitive products available in Iceland. Without geothermal energy seaweed industry would not exist in Iceland nor would this paper.« less

Antibacterial Loaded Spray Dried Chitosan Polyelectrolyte Complexes as Dry Powder Aerosol for the Treatment of Lung Infections

PubMed Central

Mishra, Brahmeshwar; Mishra, Madhusmita; Yadav, Sarita Kumari

2017-01-01

Inhalation delivery of aerosolized antibacterials is preferred over conventional methods of delivery for targeting lung infection. The present study is concerned with the development and characterization of a novel, spray dried, aerosolized, chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) based microparticles containing antibacterials for the treatment of lung infections. Chitosan polyelectrolyte complex microparticles were formulated by spray drying process. Prepared spray dried chitosan PEC microparticles were studied for surface morphology, drug encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, Carr’s index, solid state interaction by XRD, aerosolization behaviour and in-vitro drug release. In-vitro cytotoxicity studies of microparticles were carried out on H1299 alveolar cell lines. Antibacterial efficacy of microparticles was assessed on the basis of determination of pharmacokinetic parameters in bronchial alveolar lavage (BAL) of rats using PK/PD analysis. The PEC microparticles were mostly spherical and exhibited high drug encapsulation efficiency. Release profiles showed an initial burst phase followed by a secondary sustained release phase. Good aerosolization behaviour as dry powder inhaler was demonstrated by microparticles with high values of recovered dose, emitted dose, and fine particle fraction. No overt cytotoxicity of microparticles was detected against H1299 alveolar cell line. More than 8 to 9 folds higher Cmax values were obtained in BAL fluid with microparticles as compared to intravenously administered antibacterial solution. The findings of the study suggest that chitosan polyelectrolyte complex based microparticles as dry powder inhaler can be an efficient antibacterial delivery system for sustained and effective management of lung infection. PMID:28496463

KSC-2009-6794

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-12-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Concrete is poured into the trenches that will provide the foundation for the walls of the Propellants North Administrative and Maintenance Facility in Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A tilt-up construction method is being used to erect a THERMOMASS concrete wall insulation system for the facility's walls. The facility will have a two-story administrative building to house managers, mechanics and technicians who fuel spacecraft at Kennedy adjacent to an 1,800-square-foot single-story shop to store cryogenic fuel transfer equipment. The new facility will feature high-efficiency roofs and walls, “Cool Dry Quiet” air conditioning with energy recovery technology, efficient lighting, and other sustainable features. The facility is striving to qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, Platinum certification. If successful, Propellants North will be the first Kennedy facility to achieve this highest of LEED ratings after it is completed in the summer of 2010. The facility was designed for NASA by Jones Edmunds and Associates. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Low damage dry etch for III-nitride light emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedy, Joseph G.; Young, Nathan G.; Kelchner, Kathryn M.; Hu, Yanling; Farrell, Robert M.; Nakamura, Shuji; DenBaars, Steven P.; Weisbuch, Claude; Speck, James S.

2015-08-01

We have developed a dry etch process for the fabrication of lithographically defined features close to light emitting layers in the III-nitride material system. The dry etch was tested for its effect on the internal quantum efficiency of c-plane InGaN quantum wells using the photoluminescence of a test structure with two active regions. No change was observed in the internal quantum efficiency of the test active region when the etched surface was greater than 71 nm away. To demonstrate the application of the developed dry etch process, surface-etched air gaps were fabricated 275 nm away from the active region of an m-plane InGaN/GaN laser diode and served as the waveguide upper cladding. Electrically injected lasing was observed without the need for regrowth or recovery anneals. This dry etch opens up a new design tool that can be utilized in the next generation of GaN light emitters.

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and cation use efficiency in stands of regenerating tropical dry forest.

PubMed

Waring, Bonnie G; Becknell, Justin M; Powers, Jennifer S

2015-07-01

Plants on infertile soils exhibit physiological and morphological traits that support conservative internal nutrient cycling. However, potential trade-offs among use efficiencies for N, P, and cations are not well explored in species-rich habitats where multiple elements may limit plant production. We examined uptake efficiency and use efficiency of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Al, and Na in plots of regenerating tropical dry forests spanning a gradient of soil fertility. Our aim was to determine whether plant responses to multiple elements are correlated, or whether there are trade-offs among exploitation strategies across stands varying in community composition, soil quality, and successional stage. For all elements, both uptake efficiency and use efficiency decreased as availability of the corresponding element increased. Plant responses to N, Na, and Al were uncoupled from uptake and use efficiencies for P and essential base cations, which were tightly correlated. N and P use efficiencies were associated with shifts in plant species composition along the soil fertility gradient, and there was also a trend towards increasing N use efficiency with stand age. N uptake efficiency was positively correlated with the abundance of tree species that associate with ectomycorrhizal fungi. Taken together, our results suggest that successional processes and local species composition interact to regulate plant responses to availability of multiple resources. Successional tropical dry forests appear to employ different strategies to maximize response to N vs. P and K.

Harnessing the genetics of the modern dairy cow to continue improvements in feed efficiency.

PubMed

VandeHaar, M J; Armentano, L E; Weigel, K; Spurlock, D M; Tempelman, R J; Veerkamp, R

2016-06-01

Feed efficiency, as defined by the fraction of feed energy or dry matter captured in products, has more than doubled for the US dairy industry in the past 100 yr. This increased feed efficiency was the result of increased milk production per cow achieved through genetic selection, nutrition, and management with the desired goal being greater profitability. With increased milk production per cow, more feed is consumed per cow, but a greater portion of the feed is partitioned toward milk instead of maintenance and body growth. This dilution of maintenance has been the overwhelming driver of enhanced feed efficiency in the past, but its effect diminishes with each successive increment in production relative to body size and therefore will be less important in the future. Instead, we must also focus on new ways to enhance digestive and metabolic efficiency. One way to examine variation in efficiency among animals is residual feed intake (RFI), a measure of efficiency that is independent of the dilution of maintenance. Cows that convert feed gross energy to net energy more efficiently or have lower maintenance requirements than expected based on body weight use less feed than expected and thus have negative RFI. Cows with low RFI likely digest and metabolize nutrients more efficiently and should have overall greater efficiency and profitability if they are also healthy, fertile, and produce at a high multiple of maintenance. Genomic technologies will help to identify these animals for selection programs. Nutrition and management also will continue to play a major role in farm-level feed efficiency. Management practices such as grouping and total mixed ration feeding have improved rumen function and therefore efficiency, but they have also decreased our attention on individual cow needs. Nutritional grouping is key to helping each cow reach its genetic potential. Perhaps new computer-driven technologies, combined with genomics, will enable us to optimize management for each individual cow within a herd, or to optimize animal selection to match management environments. In the future, availability of feed resources may shift as competition for land increases. New approaches combining genetic, nutrition, and other management practices will help optimize feed efficiency, profitability, and environmental sustainability. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of idealised baroclinic waves to mean atmospheric temperature and meridional temperature gradient changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rantanen, Mika; Räisänen, Jouni; Sinclair, Victoria A.; Järvinen, Heikki

2018-06-01

The sensitivity of idealised baroclinic waves to different atmospheric temperature changes is studied. The temperature changes are based on those which are expected to occur in the Northern Hemisphere with climate change: (1) uniform temperature increase, (2) decrease of the lower level meridional temperature gradient, and (3) increase of the upper level temperature gradient. Three sets of experiments are performed, first without atmospheric moisture, thus seeking to identify the underlying adiabatic mechanisms which drive the response of extra-tropical storms to changes in the environmental temperature. Then, similar experiments are performed in a more realistic, moist environment, using fixed initial relative humidity distribution. Warming the atmosphere uniformly tends to decrease the kinetic energy of the cyclone, which is linked both to a weaker capability of the storm to exploit the available potential energy of the zonal mean flow, and less efficient production of eddy kinetic energy in the wave. Unsurprisingly, the decrease of the lower level temperature gradient weakens the resulting cyclone regardless of the presence of moisture. The increase of the temperature gradient in the upper troposphere has a more complicated influence on the storm dynamics: in the dry atmosphere the maximum eddy kinetic energy decreases, whereas in the moist case it increases. Our analysis suggests that the slightly unexpected decrease of eddy kinetic energy in the dry case with an increased upper tropospheric temperature gradient originates from the weakening of the meridional heat flux by the eddy. However, in the more realistic moist case, the diabatic heating enhances the interaction between upper- and low-level potential vorticity anomalies and hence helps the surface cyclone to exploit the increased upper level baroclinicity.

A Guide to Energy Savings - For the Field Crops Producer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schienbein, Allen

This booklet gives a brief overview of energy use in field crop production and gives examples of cutting costs of fertilizer use, irrigation, grain drying, tobacco drying, forate production, and tractor and truck use. Recordkeeping is also discussed. (BB)

Combined effects of Fenton peroxidation and CaO conditioning on sewage sludge thermal drying.

PubMed

Liu, Huan; Liu, Peng; Hu, Hongyun; Zhang, Qiang; Wu, Zhenyu; Yang, Jiakuan; Yao, Hong

2014-12-01

Joint application of Fenton's reagent and CaO can dramatically enhance sludge dewaterability, thus are also likely to affect subsequent thermal drying process. This study investigated the synergistic effects of the two conditioners on the thermal drying behavior of sewage sludge and the emission characteristics of main sulfur-/nitrogen-containing gases. According to the results, Fenton peroxidation combined with CaO conditioning efficiently promoted sludge heat transfer, reduced the amounts of both free and bound water, and created porous structure in solids to provide evaporation channels, thus producing significant positive effects on sludge drying performance. In this case, the required time for drying was shortened to one-third. Additionally, joint usage of Fenton's reagent and CaO did not increase the losses of organic matter during sludge drying process. Meanwhile, they facilitated the formation of sulfate and sulfonic acid/sulfone, leading to sulfur retention in dried sludge. Both of Fenton peroxidation and CaO conditioning promoted the oxidation, decomposition, and/or dissolution of protein and inorganic nitrogen in sludge pre-treatment. As a consequence, the emissions of sulfurous and nitrogenous gases from dewatered sludge drying were greatly suppressed. These indicate that combining Fenton peroxidation with CaO conditioning is a promising strategy to improve drying efficiency of sewage sludge and to control sulfur and nitrogen contaminants during sludge thermal drying process. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of acoustic-convective drying of sunflower cake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhilin, A. A.

2017-10-01

The dynamics of drying sunflower cake by a new acoustic-convective method has been studied. Unlike the conventional (thermal-convective) method, the proposed method allows moisture to be extracted from porous materials without applying heat to the sample to be dried. Kinetic curves of drying by the thermal-convective and acoustic-convective methods were obtained and analyzed. The advantages of the acoustic-convective extraction of moisture over the thermal-convective method are discussed. The relaxation times of drying were determined for both drying methods. An intermittent drying mode which improves the efficiency of acoustic-convective extraction of moisture is considered.

Retrofitting Vegas: Implementing Energy Efficiency in Two Las Vegas Test Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, S.

2013-04-01

In 2009, the state of Nevada received nearly forty million dollars in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The purpose of this funding was to stabilize communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment. In an effort to provide guidance to local officials and maximize how effectively this NSP funding is utilized in retrofitting homes, CARB provided design specifications, energy modeling, and technical support for the Building America Retrofit Alliance (BARA) team and its local partners - Better Building Performance, Nevada Energy Star Partners Green Alliance, and Home Free Nevada - for two retrofit testmore » homes. One home was to demonstrate a modest retrofit and the other a deep energy retrofit. Through this project, CARB has provided two robust solution packages for retrofitting homes built in this region between the 1980s and early 1990s without substantially inconveniencing the occupants. The two test homes, the Carmen and Sierra Hills, demonstrate how cost-effectively energy efficient upgrades can be implemented in the hot, dry climate of the Southwest. In addition, the homes were used as an educational experience for home performance professionals, building trades, remodelers, and the general public. In-field trainings on air-sealing, HVAC upgrades, and insulating were provided to local contractors during the retrofit and BARA documented these retrofits through a series of video presentations, beginning with a site survey and concluding with the finished remodel and test out.« less

Environmental and Economic Performance of Commercial-scale Solar Photovoltaic Systems: A Field Study of Complex Energy Systems at the Desert Research Institute (DRI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, X.

2014-12-01

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are being aggressively deployed at residential, commercial, and utility scales to complement power generation from conventional sources. This is motivated both by the desire to reduce carbon footprints and by policy-driven financial incentives. Although several life cycle analyses (LCA) have investigated environmental impacts and energy payback times of solar PV systems, most results are based on hypothetical systems rather than actual, deployed systems that can provide measured performance data. Over the past five years, Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Nevada has installed eight solar PV systems of scales from 3 to 1000 kW, the sum of which supply approximately 40% of the total power use at DRI's Reno and Las Vegas campuses. The goal of this work is to explore greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts and examine the economic performance of DRI's PV systems by developing and applying a comprehensive LCA and techno-economic (TEA) model. This model is built using data appropriate for each type of panel used in the DRI systems. Power output is modeled using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) model PVWatts. The performance of PVWatts is verified by the actual measurements from DRI's PV systems. Several environmental and economic metrics are quantified for the DRI systems, including life cycle GHG emissions and energy return. GHG results are compared with Nevada grid-based electricity. Initial results indicate that DRI's solar-derived electricity offers clear GHG benefits compared to conventional grid electricity. DRI's eight systems have GHG intensity values of 29-56 gCO2e/kWh, as compared to the GHG intensity of 212 gCO2e/kWh of national average grid power. The major source of impacts (82-92% of the total) is the upstream life cycle burden of manufacturing PV panels, which are made of either mono-crystalline or multi-crystalline silicon. Given the same type of PV panel, GHG intensity decreases as the scale of the system increases. Energy payback times of DRI's solar PV systems range from 0.5 to 1.5 years. The cost payback time for the DRI PV systems and the cost per ton of CO2 avoided by replacing Nevada-specific electrical power will be determined. The sensitivity of these environmental and economic impacts with respect to specific model parameters is being investigated.

Cell disruption and lipid extraction for microalgal biorefineries: A review.

PubMed

Lee, Soo Youn; Cho, Jun Muk; Chang, Yong Keun; Oh, You-Kwan

2017-11-01

The microalgae-based biorefinement process has attracted much attention from academic and industrial researchers attracted to its biofuel, food and nutraceutical applications. In this paper, recent developments in cell-disruption and lipid-extraction methods, focusing on four biotechnologically important microalgal species (namely, Chlamydomonas, Haematococcus, Chlorella, and Nannochloropsis spp.), are reviewed. The structural diversity and rigidity of microalgal cell walls complicate the development of efficient downstream processing methods for cell-disruption and subsequent recovery of intracellular lipid and pigment components. Various mechanical, chemical and biological cell-disruption methods are discussed in detail and compared based on microalgal species and status (wet/dried), scale, energy consumption, efficiency, solvent extraction, and synergistic combinations. The challenges and prospects of the downstream processes for the future development of eco-friendly and economical microalgal biorefineries also are outlined herein. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Thermal Collector With Varied Glass Covers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Luminosu, I.; Pop, N.

2010-08-04

The thermal collector with varied glass covers represents an innovation realized in order to build a collector able to reach the desired temperature by collecting the solar radiation from the smallest surface, with the highest efficiency. In the case of the thermal collector with variable cover glasses, the number of the glass plates covering the absorber increases together with the length of the circulation pipe for the working fluid. The thermal collector with varied glass covers compared to the conventional collector better meet user requirements because: for the same temperature increase, has the collecting area smaller; for the same collectionmore » area, realizes the highest temperature increase and has the highest efficiency. This works is addressed to researchers in the solar energy and to engineers responsible with air-conditioning systems design or industrial and agricultural products drying.« less

Roll Compaction and Tableting of High Loaded Metformin Formulations Using Efficient Binders.

PubMed

Arndt, Oscar-Rupert; Kleinebudde, Peter

2018-04-23

Metformin has a poor tabletability and flowability. Therefore, metformin is typically wet granulated with a binder before tableting. To save production costs, it would be desirable to implement a roll compaction/dry granulation (RCDG) process for metformin instead of using wet granulation. In order to implement RCDG, the efficiency of dry binders is crucial to ensure a high drug load and suitable properties of dry granules and tablets. This study evaluates dry granules manufactured by RCDG and subsequently tableting of high metformin content formulations (≥ 87.5%). Based on previous results, fine particle grades of hydroxypropylcellulose and copovidone in different fractions were compared as dry binders. The formulations are suitable for RCDG and tableting. Furthermore, results can be connected to in-die and out-of-die compressibility analysis. The addition of 7% of dry binder is a good compromise to generate sufficient mechanical properties on the one hand, but also to save resources and ensure a high metformin content on the other hand. Hydroxypropylcellulose was more efficient in terms of granule size, tensile strength and friability. Three percent croscarmellose was added to reach the specifications of the US Pharmacopeia regarding dissolution. The final formulation has a metformin content of 87.5%. A loss in tabletability does not occur for granules compressed at different specific compaction forces, which displays a robust tensile strength of tablets independent of the granulation process.

Comparing the Life Cycle Energy Consumption, Global ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Managing the water-energy-nutrient nexus for the built environment requires, in part, a full system analysis of energy consumption, global warming and eutrophication potentials of municipal water services. As an example, we evaluated the life cycle energy use, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and aqueous nutrient releases of the whole anthropogenic municipal water cycle starting from raw water extraction to wastewater treatment and reuse/discharge for five municipal water and wastewater systems. The assessed options included conventional centralized services and four alternative options following the principles of source-separation and water fit-for-purpose. The comparative life cycle assessment identified that centralized drinking water supply coupled with blackwater energy recovery and on-site greywater treatment and reuse was the most energyand carbon-efficient water service system evaluated, while the conventional (drinking water and sewerage) centralized system ranked as the most energy- and carbon-intensive system. The electricity generated from blackwater and food residuals co-digestion was estimated to offset at least 40% of life cycle energy consumption for water/waste services. The dry composting toilet option demonstrated the lowest life cycle eutrophication potential. The nutrients in wastewater effluent are the dominating contributors for the eutrophication potential for the assessed system configurations. Among the parameters for which variability

New design of a PEFC cathode separator of for water management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiura, K.; Takahashi, N.; Kamimura, T.

2017-11-01

Generally, polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) need humidifiers to prevent the drying of the membrane, but this use of humidifiers creates water management issues, such as the flooding/plugging phenomena and decreased system efficiency because of an increase in the electric energy needed for auxiliary equipment. Although most researchers have developed high-temperature membranes that do not need humidifiers, a lot of time is necessary for the development of these membranes, and these membranes drive up costs. Therefore, we propose a new cathode separator design that can recycle water generated by power generation in the same cell and a stack structure that can redistribute water collected in the cathode outlet manifold to drying cells. Because the new cathode separator has a bypass channel from the gas outlet to the gas inlet to transport excess water, a dry part in the gas inlet is supplied with excess water in the gas outlet through the bypass channel even if the PEFC is operated under dry conditions. Excess water in the PEFC stack can be transported from the cell with excess water to the drying cell through the cathode outlet manifold with a porous wall. Therefore, we confirm the influence of the plugging phenomenon in the cathode gas outlet manifold on the cell performance of each cell in the stack. As a result, the cell performance of the new cathode separator design is better than that of the standard separator under the low humidity conditions. We confirm that the plugging phenomenon in the cathode outlet manifold affects the cell performance of each cell in the stack.

Kiln Size Affects Energy Required to Dry Lumber

Treesearch

Howard N. Rosen

1980-01-01

Energy requirements for lumber drying kilns can depend on kiln size and range from 18,000 Btu/lb water evaporated for a 10 board food capacity kiln to 1,600 Btu/lb water evaporated for a 100,000 board foot capacity kiln.

Method of drying passivated micromachines by dewetting from a liquid-based process

DOEpatents

Houston, Michael R.; Howe, Roger T.; Maboudian, Roya; Srinivasan, Uthara

2000-01-01

A method of fabricating a micromachine includes the step of constructing a low surface energy film on the micromachine. The micromachine is then rinsed with a rinse liquid that has a high surface energy, relative to the low surface energy film, to produce a contact angle of greater than 90.degree. between the low surface energy film and the rinse liquid. This relatively large contact angle causes any rinse liquid on the micromachine to be displaced from the micromachine when the micromachine is removed from the rinse liquid. In other words, the micromachine is dried by dewetting from a liquid-based process. Thus, a separate evaporative drying step is not required, as the micromachine is removed from the liquid-based process in a dry state. The relatively large contact angle also operates to prevent attractive capillary forces between micromachine components, thereby preventing contact and adhesion between adjacent microstructure surfaces. The low surface energy film may be constructed with a fluorinated self-assembled monolayer film. The processing of the invention avoids the use of environmentally harmful, health-hazardous chemicals.

The effects of climate change on heating energy consumption of office buildings in different climate zones in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Fanchao; Li, Mingcai; Cao, Jingfu; Li, Ji; Xiong, Mingming; Feng, Xiaomei; Ren, Guoyu

2017-06-01

Climate plays an important role in heating energy consumption owing to the direct relationship between space heating and changes in meteorological conditions. To quantify the impact, the Transient System Simulation Program software was used to simulate the heating loads of office buildings in Harbin, Tianjin, and Shanghai, representing three major climate zones (i.e., severe cold, cold, and hot summer and cold winter climate zones) in China during 1961-2010. Stepwise multiple linear regression was performed to determine the key climatic parameters influencing heating energy consumption. The results showed that dry bulb temperature (DBT) is the dominant climatic parameter affecting building heating loads in all three climate zones across China during the heating period at daily, monthly, and yearly scales (R 2 ≥ 0.86). With the continuous warming climate in winter over the past 50 years, heating loads decreased by 14.2, 7.2, and 7.1 W/m2 in Harbin, Tianjin, and Shanghai, respectively, indicating that the decreasing rate is more apparent in severe cold climate zone. When the DBT increases by 1 °C, the heating loads decrease by 253.1 W/m2 in Harbin, 177.2 W/m2 in Tianjin, and 126.4 W/m2 in Shanghai. These results suggest that the heating energy consumption can be well predicted by the regression models at different temporal scales in different climate conditions owing to the high determination coefficients. In addition, a greater decrease in heating energy consumption in northern severe cold and cold climate zones may efficiently promote the energy saving in these areas with high energy consumption for heating. Particularly, the likely future increase in temperatures should be considered in improving building energy efficiency.

U.S. DOE Progress Towards Developing Low-Cost, High Performance, Durable Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications

PubMed Central

Houchins, Cassidy; Kleen, Greg J.; Spendelow, Jacob S.; Kopasz, John; Peterson, David; Garland, Nancy L.; Ho, Donna Lee; Marcinkoski, Jason; Martin, Kathi Epping; Tyler, Reginald; Papageorgopoulos, Dimitrios C.

2012-01-01

Low cost, durable, and selective membranes with high ionic conductivity are a priority need for wide-spread adoption of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Electrolyte membranes are a major cost component of PEMFC stacks at low production volumes. PEMFC membranes also impose limitations on fuel cell system operating conditions that add system complexity and cost. Reactant gas and fuel permeation through the membrane leads to decreased fuel cell performance, loss of efficiency, and reduced durability in both PEMFCs and DMFCs. To address these challenges, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Program, in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, supports research and development aimed at improving ion exchange membranes for fuel cells. For PEMFCs, efforts are primarily focused on developing materials for higher temperature operation (up to 120 °C) in automotive applications. For DMFCs, efforts are focused on developing membranes with reduced methanol permeability. In this paper, the recently revised DOE membrane targets, strategies, and highlights of DOE-funded projects to develop new, inexpensive membranes that have good performance in hot and dry conditions (PEMFC) and that reduce methanol crossover (DMFC) will be discussed. PMID:24958432

Comparison of fuel value and combustion characteristics of two different RDF samples.

PubMed

Sever Akdağ, A; Atımtay, A; Sanin, F D

2016-01-01

Generation of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) tends to increase with the growing population and economic development of the society; therefore, establishing environmentally sustainable waste management strategies is crucial. In this sense, waste to energy strategies have come into prominence since they increase the resource efficiency and replace the fossil fuels with renewable energy sources by enabling material and energy recovery instead of landfill disposal of the wastes. Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), which is an alternative fuel produced from energy-rich Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) materials diverted from landfills, is one of the waste to energy strategies gaining more and more attention. This study aims to investigate the thermal characteristics and co-combustion efficiency of two RDF samples in Turkey. Proximate, ultimate and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) were conducted on these samples. Furthermore, elemental compositions of ash from RDF samples were determined by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The RDF samples were combusted alone and co-combusted in mixtures with coal and petroleum coke in a lab scale reactor at certain percentages on energy basis (3%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 30%) where co-combustion processes and efficiencies were investigated. It was found that the calorific values of RDF samples on dry basis were close to that of coal and a little lower compared to petroleum coke used in this study. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that when RDF in the mixture was higher than 10%, the CO concentration in the flue gas increased and so the combustion efficiency decreased; furthermore, the combustion characteristics changed from char combustion to volatile combustion. However, RDF addition to the fuel mixtures decreased the SO2 emission and did not change the NOx profiles. Also, XRF analysis showed that the slagging and fouling potential of RDF combustion was a function of RDF portion in fuel blend. When the RDF was combusted alone, the slagging and fouling indices of its ash were found to be higher than the limit values producing slagging and fouling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vacuum drying of apples (cv. Golden Delicious): drying characteristics, thermodynamic properties, and mass transfer parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadi, Fatemeh; Tzempelikos, Dimitrios

2018-01-01

In this work, apples of cv. Golden Delicious were cut into slices that were 5 and 7 mm thick and then vacuum dried at 50, 60 and 70 °C and pressure of 0.02 bar. The thin layer model drying kinetics was studied, and mass transfer properties, specifically effective moisture diffusivity and convective mass transfer coefficient, were evaluated using the Fick's equation of diffusion. Also, thermodynamic parameters of the process, i.e. enthalpy (ΔH), entropy (ΔS) and Gibbs free energy (ΔG), were determined. Colour properties were evaluated as one of the important indicators of food quality and marketability. Determination of mass transfer parameters and thermodynamic properties of vacuum dried apple slices has not been discussed much in the literature. In conclusion, the Nadi's model fitted best the observed data that represent the drying process. Thermodynamic properties were determined based on the dependence of the drying constant of the Henderson and Pabis model on temperature, and it was concluded that the variation in drying kinetics depends on the energy contribution of the surrounding environment. The enthalpy and entropy diminished, while the Gibbs free energy increased with the increase of the temperature of drying; therefore, it was possible to verify that variation in the diffusion process in the apple during drying depends on energetic contributions of the environment. The obtained results showed that diffusivity increased for 69%, while the mass transfer coefficient increase was even higher, 75%, at the variation of temperature of 20 °C. The increase in the dimensionless Biot number was 20%.

Vacuum drying of apples (cv. Golden Delicious): drying characteristics, thermodynamic properties, and mass transfer parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadi, Fatemeh; Tzempelikos, Dimitrios

2018-07-01

In this work, apples of cv. Golden Delicious were cut into slices that were 5 and 7 mm thick and then vacuum dried at 50, 60 and 70 °C and pressure of 0.02 bar. The thin layer model drying kinetics was studied, and mass transfer properties, specifically effective moisture diffusivity and convective mass transfer coefficient, were evaluated using the Fick's equation of diffusion. Also, thermodynamic parameters of the process, i.e. enthalpy ( ΔH), entropy ( ΔS) and Gibbs free energy ( ΔG), were determined. Colour properties were evaluated as one of the important indicators of food quality and marketability. Determination of mass transfer parameters and thermodynamic properties of vacuum dried apple slices has not been discussed much in the literature. In conclusion, the Nadi's model fitted best the observed data that represent the drying process. Thermodynamic properties were determined based on the dependence of the drying constant of the Henderson and Pabis model on temperature, and it was concluded that the variation in drying kinetics depends on the energy contribution of the surrounding environment. The enthalpy and entropy diminished, while the Gibbs free energy increased with the increase of the temperature of drying; therefore, it was possible to verify that variation in the diffusion process in the apple during drying depends on energetic contributions of the environment. The obtained results showed that diffusivity increased for 69%, while the mass transfer coefficient increase was even higher, 75%, at the variation of temperature of 20 °C. The increase in the dimensionless Biot number was 20%.

Earthquake Energy Dissipation in Light of High-Velocity, Slip-Pulse Shear Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reches, Z.; Liao, Z.; Chang, J. C.

2014-12-01

We investigated the energy dissipation during earthquakes by analysis of high-velocity shear experiments conducted on room-dry, solid samples of granite, tonalite, and dolomite sheared at slip-velocity of 0.0006-1m/s, and normal stress of 1-11.5MPa. The experimental fault were loaded in one of three modes: (1) Slip-pulse of abrupt, intense acceleration followed by moderate deceleration; (2) Impact by a spinning, heavy flywheel (225 kg); and (3) Constant velocity loading. We refer to energy dissipation in terms of power-density (PD=shear stress*slip-velocity; units of MW/m^2), and Coulomb-energy-density (CED= mechanical energy/normal stress; units of m). We present two aspects: Relative energy dissipation of the above loading modes, and relative energy dissipation between impact experiments and moderate earthquakes. For the first aspect, we used: (i) the lowest friction coefficient of the dynamic weakening; (ii) the work dissipated before reaching the lowest friction; and (iii) the cumulative mechanical work during the complete run. The results show that the slip-pulse/impact modes are energy efficient relatively to the constant-velocity mode as manifested by faster, more intense weakening and 50-90% lower energy dissipation. Thus, for a finite amount of pre-seismic crustal energy, the efficiency of slip-pulse would amplify earthquake instability. For the second aspect, we compare the experimental CED of the impact experiments to the reported breakdown energy (EG) of moderate earthquakes, Mw = 5.6 to 7.2 (Chang et al., 2012). In is commonly assumed that the seismic EG is a small fraction of the total earthquake energy, and as expected in 9 out of 11 examined earthquakes, EG was 0.005 to 0.07 of the experimental CED. We thus speculate that the experimental relation of Coulomb-energy-density to total slip distance, D, CED = 0.605 × D^0.933, is a reasonable estimate of total earthquake energy, a quantity that cannot be determined from seismic data.

Efficiency of mitochondrial DNA restriction analysis and RAPD-PCR to characterize yeasts growing on dry-cured Iberian ham at the different geographic areas of ripening.

PubMed

Andrade, María J; Rodríguez, Mar; Casado, Eva; Córdoba, Juan J

2010-03-01

The efficiency of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction analysis and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR to characterize yeasts growing on dry-cured Iberian ham was evaluated. Besides, the distribution of the main species and biotypes of yeasts in the different ripening areas of this product was investigated. MtDNA restriction analysis allowed yeast characterization at species and strain level. RAPD-PCR with the primers (GACA)(4) and (GAC)(5) was inappropriate for characterization at species level. Most of the mtDNA restriction patterns detected in dry-cured Iberian ham were consistent with Debaryomyces hansenii. Several yeasts biotypes were associated to specific geographic areas of dry-cured Iberian ham ripening. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Use of semisynthetic penicillin in the treatment of infectious mastitis in cows during the dry period].

PubMed

Vasil', M; Federic, F

1990-03-01

During two years in a herd of dairy cows with an average number of 94 cows the effects on infection level were investigated of single nonselective antibiotics treatment of cow's udder in the dry period. The treatment influenced favourably the results of complex periodic three-months examinations: --level of infection with infectious mastitis was reduced from 38.3% to 9.8%; --occurrence of clinical forms of mastitis dropped from 17.4% to 5.9%;--occurrence of NK-test positive reactions decreased from 55.8% to 21.8%. An investigation into therapeutic efficiency of three intramammary preparations revealed the highest total therapeutic effect of Stapenor retard (Bayer, FRG)--93.2%; Syntarpene 500 (Polfa, Poland) had the total therapeutic efficiency of 92.6% and the efficiency of Oxaclene foam (Spofa, CSSR) made 86.5%. The results demonstrate good efficiency of the method because the levels of mastitis infection in the herd were positively influenced, and excellent therapeutic efficiency of semisynthetic penicillins containing intramammary preparations used for mastitis treatment of dairy cows in the dry period.

Lowering rumen-degradable protein maintained energy-corrected milk yield and improved nitrogen-use efficiency in multiparous lactating dairy cows exposed to heat stress.

PubMed

Kaufman, J D; Kassube, K R; Ríus, A G

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of reducing rumen-degradable protein (RDP) and rumen-undegradable protein (RUP) proportions on feed intake, milk production, and N-use efficiency in primiparous and multiparous cows exposed to warm climates. Eighteen primiparous and 30 multiparous mid-lactation Holstein cows were used in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments formulated to contain 2 proportions of RDP (10 and 8%) and 2 proportions RUP (8 and 6%) of dry matter (DM) indicated as follows: (1) 10% RDP, 8% RUP; (2) 8% RDP, 8% RUP; (3) 10% RDP, 6% RUP; and (4) 8% RDP, 6% RUP. Protein sources were manipulated to obtain desired RDP and RUP proportions. Diets were isoenergetic and contained 50% forage and 50% concentrate (DM basis). Cows were individually fed the 10% RDP, 8% RUP diet 3 wk before treatment allocation. Cows were exposed to the prevailing Tennessee July and August temperature and humidity in a freestall barn with no supplemental cooling. Main effects and their interaction were tested using the Mixed procedure of SAS (least squares means ± standard error of the mean; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Observed values of nutrient intake and milk production were used to obtain NRC (2001) model predictions. Cows showed signs of heat stress throughout the study. Reducing from 10 to 8% RDP decreased dry matter intake (DMI; 0.9 kg/d) at 8% RUP, but increased DMI (2.6 kg/d) at 6% RUP in primiparous cows. Reducing from 10 to 8% RDP decreased milk yield (10%) at 8% RUP, but increased yield (14%) at 6% RUP. Treatments did not affect yield of energy-corrected milk. For multiparous cows, treatments did not affect DMI. Reducing from 10 to 8% RDP decreased yield of energy-corrected milk (3.4%) at 8% RUP, but increased yield (8.8%) at 6% RUP. Reducing from 10 to 8% RDP and 8 to 6% RUP both increased N-use efficiency for primiparous and multiparous cows. The NRC model underestimated metabolizable protein and RUP supply, and overestimated RUP requirements, resulting in predictive losses of milk yield 1.4 to 5.8 times greater than observed values. In summary, the reduction of RDP and RUP proportions did not affect DMI, whereas the RUP reduction at 10% RDP had a small negative effect on energy-corrected milk yield. However, reduction of RDP and RUP consistently improved N-use efficiency of heat-stressed multiparous cows. The reduction of RDP and RUP proportions reduced DMI and milk yield but did not affect energy-corrected milk yield in primiparous cows, indicating a limited supply of nutrients. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solar Reforming of Carbon Dioxide to Produce Diesel Fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dennis Schuetzle; Robert Schuetzle

2010-12-31

This project focused on the demonstration of an innovative technology, referred to as the Sunexus CO2 Solar Reformer, which utilizes waste CO2 as a feedstock for the efficient and economical production of synthetic diesel fuel using solar thermal energy as the primary energy input. The Sunexus technology employs a two stage process for the conversion of CO2 to diesel fuel. A solar reforming system, including a specially designed reactor and proprietary CO2 reforming catalyst, was developed and used to convert captured CO2 rich gas streams into syngas (primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide) using concentrated solar energy at high conversion efficiencies.more » The second stage of the system (which has been demonstrated under other funding) involves the direct conversion of the syngas into synthetic diesel fuel using a proprietary catalyst (Terra) previously developed and validated by Pacific Renewable Fuels and Chemicals (PRFC). The overall system energy efficiency for conversion of CO2 to diesel fuel is 74%, due to the use of solar energy. The results herein describe modeling, design, construction, and testing of the Sunexus CO2 Solar Reformer. Extensive parametric testing of the solar reformer and candidate catalysts was conducted and chemical kinetic models were developed. Laboratory testing of the Solar Reformer was successfully completed using various gas mixtures, temperatures, and gas flow rates/space velocities to establish performance metrics which can be employed for the design of commercial plants. A variety of laboratory tests were conducted including dry reforming (CO2 and CH{sub 4}), combination dry/steam reforming (CO2, CH{sub 4} & H{sub 2}O), and tri-reforming (CO2, CH{sub 4}, H{sub 2}O & O{sub 2}). CH{sub 4} and CO2 conversions averaged 95-100% and 50-90% per reformer cycle, respectively, depending upon the temperatures and gas space velocities. No formation of carbon deposits (coking) on the catalyst was observed in any of these tests. A 16 ft. diameter, concentrating solar dish was modified to accommodate the Sunexus CO2 Solar Reformer and the integrated system was installed at the Pacific Renewable Fuels and Chemicals test site at McClellan, CA. Several test runs were conducted without catalyst during which the ceramic heat exchanger in the Sunexus Solar Reformer reached temperatures between 1,050 F (566 C) and 2,200 F (1,204 C) during the test period. A dry reforming mixture of CO2/CH{sub 4} (2.0/1.0 molar ratio) was chosen for all of the tests on the integrated solar dish/catalytic reformer during December 2010. Initial tests were carried out to determine heat transfer from the collimated solar beam to the catalytic reactor. The catalyst was operated successfully at a steady-state temperature of 1,125 F (607 C), which was sufficient to convert 35% of the 2/1 CO2/CH{sub 4} mixture to syngas. This conversion efficiency confirmed the results from laboratory testing of this catalyst which provided comparable syngas production efficiencies (40% at 1,200 F [650 C]) with a resulting syngas composition of 20% CO, 16% H{sub 2}, 39% CO2 and 25% CH{sub 4}. As based upon the laboratory results, it is predicted that 90% of the CO2 will be converted to syngas in the solar reformer at 1,440 F (782 C) resulting in a syngas composition of 50% CO: 43% H{sub 2}: 7% CO2: 0% CH{sub 4}. Laboratory tests show that the higher catalyst operating temperature of 1,440 F (782 C) for efficient conversion of CO2 can certainly be achieved by optimizing solar reactor heat transfer, which would result in the projected 90% CO2-to-syngas conversion efficiencies. Further testing will be carried out during 2011, through other funding support, to further optimize the solar dish CO2 reformer. Additional studies carried out in support of this project and described in this report include: (1) An Assessment of Potential Contaminants in Captured CO2 from Various Industrial Processes and Their Possible Effect on Sunexus CO2 Reforming Catalysts; (2) Recommended Measurement Methods for Assessing Contaminant Levels in Captured CO2 Streams; (3) An Assessment of Current Commercial Scale Fisher-Tropsch (F-T) Technologies for the Conversion of Syngas to Fuels; (4) An Overview of CO2 Capture Technologies from Various Industrial Sources; and (5) Lifecycle Analysis for the Capture and Conversion of CO2 to Synthetic Diesel Fuel. Commercial scale Sunexus CO2 Solar Reformer plant designs, proposed in this report, should be able to utilize waste CO2 from a wide variety of industrial sources to produce a directly usable synthetic diesel fuel that replaces petroleum derived fuel, thus improving the United States energy security while also sequestering CO2. Our material balance model shows that every 5.0 lbs of CO2 is transformed using solar energy into 6.26 lbs (1.0 U.S. gallon) of diesel fuel and into by-products, which includes water. Details are provided in the mass and energy model in this report.« less

Improved photoluminescence efficiency in UV nanopillar light emitting diode structures by recovery of dry etching damage.

PubMed

Jeon, Dae-Woo; Jang, Lee-Woon; Jeon, Ju-Won; Park, Jae-Woo; Song, Young Ho; Jeon, Seong-Ran; Ju, Jin-Woo; Baek, Jong Hyeob; Lee, In-Hwan

2013-05-01

In this study, we have fabricated 375-nm-wavelength InGaN/AlInGaN nanopillar light emitting diodes (LED) structures on c-plane sapphire. A uniform and highly vertical nanopillar structure was fabricated using self-organized Ni/SiO2 nano-size mask by dry etching method. To minimize the dry etching damage, the samples were subjected to high temperature annealing with subsequent chemical passivation in KOH solution. Prior to annealing and passivation the UV nanopillar LEDs showed the photoluminescence (PL) efficiency about 2.5 times higher than conventional UV LED structures which is attributed to better light extraction efficiency and possibly some improvement of internal quantum efficiency due to partially relieved strain. Annealing alone further increased the PL efficiency by about 4.5 times compared to the conventional UV LEDs, while KOH passivation led to the overall PL efficiency improvement by more than 7 times. Combined results of Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggest that annealing decreases the number of lattice defects and relieves the strain in the surface region of the nanopillars whereas KOH treatment removes the surface oxide from nanopillar surface.

Energy impact of cathode drying and solvent recovery during lithium-ion battery manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Shabbir; Nelson, Paul A.; Gallagher, Kevin G.; Dees, Dennis W.

2016-08-01

Successful deployment of electric vehicles requires maturity of the manufacturing process to reduce the cost of the lithium ion battery (LIB) pack. Drying the coated cathode layer and subsequent recovery of the solvent for recycle is a vital step in the lithium ion battery manufacturing plant and offers significant potential for cost reduction. A spreadsheet model of the drying and recovery of the solvent, is used to study the energy demand of this step and its contribution towards the cost of the battery pack. The base case scenario indicates that the drying and recovery process imposes an energy demand of ∼10 kWh per kg of the solvent n-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), and is almost 45 times the heat needed to vaporize the NMP. For a plant producing 100 K battery packs per year for 10 kWh plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), the energy demand is ∼5900 kW and the process contributes 107 or 3.4% to the cost of the battery pack. The cost of drying and recovery is equivalent to 1.12 per kg of NMP recovered, saving 2.08 per kg in replacement purchase.

Surface Sampling of Spores in Dry-Deposition Aerosols▿

PubMed Central

Edmonds, Jason M.; Collett, Patricia J.; Valdes, Erica R.; Skowronski, Evan W.; Pellar, Gregory J.; Emanuel, Peter A.

2009-01-01

The ability to reliably and reproducibly sample surfaces contaminated with a biological agent is a critical step in measuring the extent of contamination and determining if decontamination steps have been successful. The recovery operations following the 2001 attacks with Bacillus anthracis spores were complicated by the fact that no standard sample collection format or decontamination procedures were established. Recovery efficiencies traditionally have been calculated based upon biological agents which were applied to test surfaces in a liquid format and then allowed to dry prior to sampling tests, which may not be best suited for a real-world event with aerosolized biological agents. In order to ascertain if differences existed between air-dried liquid deposition and biological spores which were allowed to settle on a surface in a dried format, a study was undertaken to determine if differences existed in surface sampling recovery efficiencies for four representative surfaces. Studies were then undertaken to compare sampling efficiencies between liquid spore deposition and aerosolized spores which were allowed to gradually settle under gravity on four different test coupon types. Tests with both types of deposition compared efficiencies of four unique swabbing materials applied to four surfaces with various surface properties. Our studies demonstrate that recovery of liquid-deposited spores differs significantly from recovery of dry aerosol-deposited spores in most instances. Whether the recovery of liquid-deposited spores is overexaggerated or underrepresented with respect to that of aerosol-deposited spores depends upon the surface material being tested. PMID:18997021

Method to produce durable pellets at lower energy consumption using high moisture corn stover and a corn starch binder in a flat die pellet mill

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar; Conner, Craig C.; Hoover, Amber N.

Biomass from plants can serve as an alternative renewable energy resources for energy production. Low densities of 40–60 kg/m3 for ground lignocellulosic biomass like corn stover limit its operation for energy purposes. The common drawbacks are inefficient transportation, a bigger storage foot print, and handling problems. Densification of biomass using pellet mill helps to overcome these limitations. This study helps to understand the effect of binder on high moisture biomass with a focus on the quality (density and durability), the pelleting efficiency and the specific energy consumption of its pelleting process. Raw corn stover was pelleted at high moisture ofmore » 33% (w.b.) at both varying preheating temperatures and binder percentage. The die speed of the pellet mill was set at 60Hz. The pellets produced were analyzed and showed higher moisture content. They were further dried in a laboratory oven at 70°C for 3-4 hr bringing the pellet moisture to <9%. The dried pellets were evaluated for their physical properties like unit, bulk and tapped density, and durability. Furthermore, the results indicated increasing the binder percentage to 4% improved the physical properties of the pellets and reduced the specific energy consumption. Higher binder addition of 4% reduced the feedstock moisture loss during pelleting to <4%, which can be due reduced residence time of the material in the die. On the other hand the physical properties like density and durability improved significantly with binder addition. At 4% binder and 33% feedstock moisture content, the bulk density and durability values observed were >510 kg/m3 and >98% and the percent fines generation has reduced to <3%. Also at these conditions the specific energy consumption was reduced by about 30-40% compared no binder pelleting test.« less

Method to produce durable pellets at lower energy consumption using high moisture corn stover and a corn starch binder in a flat die pellet mill

DOE PAGES

Tumuluru, Jaya Shankar; Conner, Craig C.; Hoover, Amber N.

2016-06-15

Biomass from plants can serve as an alternative renewable energy resources for energy production. Low densities of 40–60 kg/m3 for ground lignocellulosic biomass like corn stover limit its operation for energy purposes. The common drawbacks are inefficient transportation, a bigger storage foot print, and handling problems. Densification of biomass using pellet mill helps to overcome these limitations. This study helps to understand the effect of binder on high moisture biomass with a focus on the quality (density and durability), the pelleting efficiency and the specific energy consumption of its pelleting process. Raw corn stover was pelleted at high moisture ofmore » 33% (w.b.) at both varying preheating temperatures and binder percentage. The die speed of the pellet mill was set at 60Hz. The pellets produced were analyzed and showed higher moisture content. They were further dried in a laboratory oven at 70°C for 3-4 hr bringing the pellet moisture to <9%. The dried pellets were evaluated for their physical properties like unit, bulk and tapped density, and durability. Furthermore, the results indicated increasing the binder percentage to 4% improved the physical properties of the pellets and reduced the specific energy consumption. Higher binder addition of 4% reduced the feedstock moisture loss during pelleting to <4%, which can be due reduced residence time of the material in the die. On the other hand the physical properties like density and durability improved significantly with binder addition. At 4% binder and 33% feedstock moisture content, the bulk density and durability values observed were >510 kg/m3 and >98% and the percent fines generation has reduced to <3%. Also at these conditions the specific energy consumption was reduced by about 30-40% compared no binder pelleting test.« less

Evolution of thermo-physical properties of Akuama (picralima nitida) seed and antioxidants retention capacity during hot air drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ndukwu, M. C.; Bennamoun, L.; Anozie, O.

2018-05-01

Interest in picralima nitida is growing over the years because of its therapeutic application in human and animal medicine. In many countries the dried seed is compounded and sold as drugs but there is limited information on the process variables associated with its thermal processing. The study therefore, is focused on the evolution of physical properties, heat and mass transfer coefficient, specific heat capacity, energy utilization and quality characteristics of the seed during oven and microwave drying. The goal is to generate data using theoretical and empirical steps for process model development that can be applied in dryer design. The results obtained showed that the coefficient of heat and mass transfer varied from 0.0421-1.326 W/m2 K and 1.49 × 10-7 - 8.47 × 10-6 m/s respectively while the specific heat capacity ranged between 1189 and 2531 J/ kg K. The volume of the seed shrank gradually with a non-linear exponential shape for all drying treatments. The intrinsic particle and bulk densities decreased while the porosity of the seed increased with drying period, indicating an increase in internal voids of the seeds. The energy and specific energy utilized for drying peaked after 14 h, 12 h and 7 h of continuous drying at 50, 60 and 70 °C for oven drying treatment. Effective moisture diffusivities for all treatments ranged from 5.37 × 10-10 - 1.45 × 10-7 m/s2 with activation energy of 27.82 kJ/mol and 20 W/g for oven and microwave respectively. Flavonoide was the least stable at high temperature among the screend compound.

Tropical Drosophila ananassae of wet-dry seasons show cross resistance to heat, drought and starvation

PubMed Central

Lambhod, Chanderkala; Pathak, Ankita; Munjal, Ashok K.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Plastic responses to multiple environmental stressors in wet or dry seasonal populations of tropical Drosophila species have received less attention. We tested plastic effects of heat hardening, acclimation to drought or starvation, and changes in trehalose, proline and body lipids in Drosophila ananassae flies reared under wet or dry season-specific conditions. Wet season flies revealed significant increase in heat knockdown, starvation resistance and body lipids after heat hardening. However, accumulation of proline was observed only after desiccation acclimation of dry season flies while wet season flies elicited no proline but trehalose only. Therefore, drought-induced proline can be a marker metabolite for dry-season flies. Further, partial utilization of proline and trehalose under heat hardening reflects their possible thermoprotective effects. Heat hardening elicited cross-protection to starvation stress. Stressor-specific accumulation or utilization as well as rates of metabolic change for each energy metabolite were significantly higher in wet-season flies than dry-season flies. Energy metabolite changes due to inter-related stressors (heat versus desiccation or starvation) resulted in possible maintenance of energetic homeostasis in wet- or dry-season flies. Thus, low or high humidity-induced plastic changes in energy metabolites can provide cross-protection to seasonally varying climatic stressors. PMID:29141954

Radio-frequency dielectric drying of short lengths of northern red oak

Treesearch

William T. Simpson

1980-01-01

For most uses hardwoods are dried as entire boards that include all defective portions discarded after drying. The United States has a large resource of low-quality hardwoods and the potential exists for significant savings in energy and in dryer capacity by cutting out defects before drying. One approach could use radio frequency drying. In this investigation short...

FINAL REPORT: Transformational electrode drying process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Claus Daniel, C.; Wixom, M.

2013-12-19

This report includes major findings and outlook from the transformational electrode drying project performance period from January 6, 2012 to August 1, 2012. Electrode drying before cell assembly is an operational bottleneck in battery manufacturing due to long drying times and batch processing. Water taken up during shipment and other manufacturing steps needs to be removed before final battery assembly. Conventional vacuum ovens are limited in drying speed due to a temperature threshold needed to avoid damaging polymer components in the composite electrode. Roll to roll operation and alternative treatments can increase the water desorption and removal rate without overheatingmore » and damaging other components in the composite electrode, thus considerably reducing drying time and energy use. The objective of this project was the development of an electrode drying procedure, and the demonstration of processes with no decrease in battery performance. The benchmark for all drying data was an 80°C vacuum furnace treatment with a residence time of 18 – 22 hours. This report demonstrates an alternative roll to roll drying process with a 500-fold improvement in drying time down to 2 minutes and consumption of only 30% of the energy compared to vacuum furnace treatment.« less

Effects of spray-dried whole egg and biotin in calf milk replacer.

PubMed

Quigley, J D

2002-01-01

Holstein bull calves (n = 120) were fed milk replacers containing 0, 10, or 20% of the formulation (0, 22, or 44% of crude protein) as spray-dried whole egg powder in a 56-d feeding trial. Milk replacer was medicated with oxytetracycline and neomycin and was fed from d 1 to 42 of the study in a phase-fed program. All experimental milk replacers were supplemented with B vitamins, except biotin. One half of all calves were supplemented with 1 mg/kg of supplemental biotin to determine whether avidin in the egg protein product inhibited growth. Increasing spray-dried whole egg caused a linear reduction in body weight, body weight gain at 28 and 56 d of the study, calf starter intake, and feed efficiency. Calves fed milk replacers containing 0, 10, and 20% spray-dried whole egg gained an average of 486, 369, and 302 g/d, respectively, during the 56-d trial. Efficiency of feed utilization was 446, 318, and 231 g of body weight gain per kilogram of dry matter intake. Improvement in body weight and feed efficiency occurred when calves began consuming calf starter on d 29. Digestibility of protein or fat from egg may have been reduced during the trial; however, the addition of biotin to the milk replacer did not influence animal performance, suggesting that avidin in spray-dried whole egg was not responsible for impaired performance. The spray-dried whole egg product used in this study did not provide nutrients to support adequate growth of milk-fed calves.

New Ultrasonic Controller and Characterization System for Low Temperature Drying Process Intensification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrés, R. R.; Blanco, A.; Acosta, V. M.; Riera, E.; Martínez, I.; Pinto, A.

Process intensification constitutes a high interesting and promising industrial area. It aims to modify conventional processes or develop new technologies in order to reduce energy needs, increase yields and improve product quality. It has been demonstrated by this research group (CSIC) that power ultrasound have a great potential in food drying processes. The effects associated with the application of power ultrasound can enhance heat and mass transfer and may constitute a way for process intensification. The objective of this work has been the design and development of a new ultrasonic system for the power characterization of piezoelectric plate-transducers, as excitation, monitoring, analysis, control and characterization of their nonlinear response. For this purpose, the system proposes a new, efficient and economic approach that separates the effect of different parameters of the process like excitation, medium and transducer parameters and variables (voltage, current, frequency, impedance, vibration velocity, acoustic pressure and temperature) by observing the electrical, mechanical, acoustical and thermal behavior, and controlling the vibrational state.

Biodiesel production from Spirulina microalgae feedstock using direct transesterification near supercritical methanol condition.

PubMed

Mohamadzadeh Shirazi, Hamed; Karimi-Sabet, Javad; Ghotbi, Cyrus

2017-09-01

Microalgae as a candidate for production of biodiesel, possesses a hard cell wall that prevents intracellular lipids leaving out from the cells. Direct or in situ supercritical transesterification has the potential for destruction of microalgae hard cell wall and conversion of extracted lipids to biodiesel that consequently reduces the total energy consumption. Response surface methodology combined with central composite design was applied to investigate process parameters including: Temperature, Time, Methanol-to-dry algae, Hexane-to-dry algae, and Moisture content. Thirty-two experiments were designed and performed in a batch reactor, and biodiesel efficiency between 0.44% and 99.32% was obtained. According to fatty acid methyl ester yields, a quadratic experimental model was adjusted and the significance of parameters was evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Effects of single and interaction parameters were also interpreted. In addition, the effect of supercritical process on the ultrastructure of microalgae cell wall using scanning electron spectrometry (SEM) was surveyed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishment and assessment of a novel cleaner production process of corn grain fuel ethanol.

PubMed

Wang, Ke; Zhang, Jianhua; Tang, Lei; Zhang, Hongjian; Zhang, Guiying; Yang, Xizhao; Liu, Pei; Mao, Zhonggui

2013-11-01

An integrated corn ethanol-methane fermentation system was proposed to solve the problem of stillage handling, where thin stillage was treated by anaerobic digestion and then reused to make mash for the following ethanol fermentation. This system was evaluated at laboratory and pilot scale. Anaerobic digestion of thin stillage ran steadily with total chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 98% at laboratory scale and 97% at pilot scale. Ethanol production was not influenced by recycling anaerobic digestion effluent at laboratory and pilot scale. Compared with dried distillers' grains with solubles produced in conventional process, dried distillers' grains in the proposed system exhibited higher quality because of increased protein concentration and decreased salts concentration. Energetic assessment indicated that application of this novel process enhanced the net energy balance ratio from 1.26 (conventional process) to 1.76. In conclusion, the proposed system possessed technical advantage over the conventional process for corn fuel ethanol production. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent Developments in Superheated Steam Processing of Foods-A Review.

PubMed

Alfy, Anto; Kiran, B V; Jeevitha, G C; Hebbar, H Umesh

2016-10-02

Although the use of superheated steam has been known for quite a long time, only in the recent past has it emerged as a viable technology for food processing. Superheated steam, having higher enthalpy, can quickly transfer heat to the material being processed, resulting in its rapid heating. The major advantages of using superheated steam for food processing are better product quality (color, shrinkage, and rehydration characteristics), reduced oxidation losses, and higher energy efficiency. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent studies on the application of superheated steam for food-processing operations such as drying, decontamination and microbial load reduction, parboiling, and enzyme inactivation. The review encompasses aspects such as the effect of superheated steam processing on product quality, mathematical models reported for superheated steam drying, and the future scope of application in food processing. Recent studies on process improvisation, wherein superheated steam is used at low pressure, in fluidized bed mode, sequential processing with hot air/infrared, and in combination with micro droplets of water have also been discussed.

Photoprotection related to xanthophyll cycle pigments in epiphytic orchids acclimated at different light microenvironments in two tropical dry forests of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

PubMed

de la Rosa-Manzano, Edilia; Andrade, José Luis; García-Mendoza, Ernesto; Zotz, Gerhard; Reyes-García, Casandra

2015-12-01

Epiphytic orchids from dry forests of Yucatán show considerable photoprotective plasticity during the dry season, which depends on leaf morphology and host tree deciduousness. Nocturnal retention of antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin was detected for the first time in epiphytic orchids. In tropical dry forests, epiphytes experience dramatic changes in light intensity: photosynthetic photon flux density may be up to an order of magnitude higher in the dry season compared to the wet season. To address the seasonal changes of xanthophyll cycle (XC) pigments and photosynthesis that occur throughout the year, leaves of five epiphytic orchid species were studied during the early dry, dry and wet seasons in a deciduous and a semi-deciduous tropical forests at two vertical strata on the host trees (3.5 and 1.5 m height). Differences in XC pigment concentrations and photosynthesis (maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II; F v/F m) were larger among seasons than between vertical strata in both forests. Antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin retention reflected the stressful conditions of the epiphytic microhabitat, and it is described here in epiphytes for the first time. During the dry season, both XC pigment concentrations and photosystem II heat dissipation of absorbed energy increased in orchids in the deciduous forest, while F v/F m and nocturnal acidification (ΔH(+)) decreased, clearly as a response to excessive light and drought. Concentrations of XC pigments were higher than those in orchids with similar leaf shape in semi-deciduous forest. There, only Encyclia nematocaulon and Lophiaris oerstedii showed somewhat reduced F v/F m. No changes in ΔH(+) and F v/F m were detected in Cohniella ascendens throughout the year. This species, which commonly grows in forests with less open canopies, showed leaf tilting that diminished light interception. Light conditions in the uppermost parts of the canopy probably limit the distribution of epiphytic orchids and the retention of zeaxanthin can help to cope with light and drought stress in these forests during the dry season.

Effect of operational factors on bioregeneration of binary phenol and 4-chlorophenol-loaded granular activated carbon using PVA-immobilized biomass cryogels.

PubMed

Leong, Kwok-Yii; Adnan, Rohana; Lim, Poh-Eng; Ng, Si-Ling; Seng, Chye-Eng

2017-09-01

The effects of dry biomass density in cryogel beads, shaking speed and initial concentration ratio of phenol to 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) on the bioregeneration efficiencies of binary phenol and 4-CP-loaded granular activated carbon (GAC) for phenol and 4-CP, respectively, were investigated under the simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation approach. The results revealed higher bioregeneration efficiencies of binary-loaded GAC for phenol and 4-CP at higher dry biomass density but moderate shaking speed. The optimum dry biomass density in cryogel beads and shaking speed for use in bioregeneration were found to be 0.01 g/mL and 250 rpm, respectively. With respect to the initial phenol to 4-CP concentration ratio, the bioregeneration efficiencies were lower under increasing phenol and 4-CP initial concentrations, respectively, with the effect being more conspicuous under increasing 4-CP concentration. Higher bioregeneration efficiencies were achieved with the use of immobilized rather than suspended biomasses.

Dry period plane of energy: Effects on feed intake, energy balance, milk production, and composition in transition dairy cows.

PubMed

Mann, S; Yepes, F A Leal; Overton, T R; Wakshlag, J J; Lock, A L; Ryan, C M; Nydam, D V

2015-05-01

The objective was to investigate the effect of different dry cow feeding strategies on the degree of ketonemia postpartum. Epidemiologic studies provide evidence of an association between elevated β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations in postpartum dairy cows and a decreased risk for reproductive success as well as increased risk for several diseases in early lactation, such as displacement of the abomasum and metritis. The plane of energy fed to cows in the prepartum period has been shown to influence ketogenesis and the degree of negative energy balance postpartum. Our hypothesis was that a high-fiber, controlled-energy diet (C) fed during the dry period would lead to a lower degree of hyperketonemia in the first weeks postpartum compared with either a high-energy diet (H), or a diet where an intermediate level of energy would only be fed in the close-up period (starting at 28d before expected parturition), following the same controlled-energy diet in the far-off period. Hyperketonemia in this study was defined as a blood BHBA concentration of ≥1.2mmol/L. Holstein cows (n=84) entering parity 2 or greater were enrolled using a randomized block design and housed in individual tiestalls. All treatment diets were fed for ad libitum intake and contained monensin. Cows received the same fresh cow ration after calving. Blood samples were obtained 3 times weekly before and after calving and analyzed for BHBA and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA). Milk components, production, and dry matter intake were recorded and energy balance was calculated. Repeated measures ANOVA was conducted for the outcomes dry matter intake, energy balance, BHBA and NEFA concentrations, milk and energy-corrected milk yield, as well as milk composition. Predicted energy balance tended to be less negative postpartum in group C and cows in this group had fewer episodes of hyperketonemia compared with both the intermediate group and group H in the first 3 wk after calving. Postpartum BHBA and NEFA concentrations over time were highest in group H and lowest in group C, whereas milk production was not affected by prepartum plane of energy. Analysis of milk fatty acid composition showed a higher yield of preformed fatty acids in group H compared with group C, suggesting higher lipid mobilization for cows fed H. In this study, a 1-group, controlled-energy dry period approach decreased the degree of negative energy balance as well as the number of episodes and degree of hyperketonemia postpartum. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sorting in-shell walnuts using near infrared spectroscopy for improved drying efficiency and product quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the current walnut drying practice, dryers comingle nuts with varying moisture contents (MC) which results in over drying of nuts with low MC and thereby decrease product quality. The objectives of this research were to investigate correlations among near infrared (NIR) spectral data and MC of fr...

Freeze-Drying of Plant Tissue Containing HBV Surface Antigen for the Oral Vaccine against Hepatitis B

PubMed Central

Milczarek, Magdalena; Pajtasz-Piasecka, Elżbieta; Wietrzyk, Joanna

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop a freeze-drying protocol facilitating successful processing of plant material containing the small surface antigen of hepatitis B virus (S-HBsAg) while preserving its VLP structure and immunogenicity. Freeze-drying of the antigen in lettuce leaf tissue, without any isolation or purification step, was investigated. Each process step was consecutively evaluated and the best parameters were applied. Several drying profiles and excipients were tested. The profile of 20°C for 20 h for primary and 22°C for 2 h for secondary drying as well as sucrose expressed efficient stabilisation of S-HBsAg during freeze-drying. Freezing rate and postprocess residual moisture were also analysed as important factors affecting S-HBsAg preservation. The process was reproducible and provided a product with VLP content up to 200 µg/g DW. Assays for VLPs and total antigen together with animal immunisation trials confirmed preservation of antigenicity and immunogenicity of S-HBsAg in freeze-dried powder. Long-term stability tests revealed that the stored freeze-dried product was stable at 4°C for one year, but degraded at elevated temperatures. As a result, a basis for an efficient freeze-drying process has been established and a suitable semiproduct for oral plant-derived vaccine against HBV was obtained. PMID:25371900

Characteristics and model of sludge adhesion during thermal drying.

PubMed

Li, Huan; Zou, Shuxin; Li, Yangyang; Jin, Yiying

2013-01-01

During sludge thermal drying, the sludge adhered on the heated surface of drying equipments may affect drying efficiency. Sludge thermal drying experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of different drying conditions on sludge adhesion. The mass of sludge adhered on the heated surface (dryer wall) reached the maximum when sludge water content was about 60%. A high drying temperature would result in more sludge adhered on the heated surface in the temperature range of 80-160 degrees C. The convection heating and rougher surface would also lead to more sludge adhered on the heated surface. The relation between the maximum mass of adherent sludge and drying temperatures could be described by an exponential equation.

Review of the harvesting and extraction program within the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts

DOE PAGES

Marrone, Babetta L.; Lacey, Ronald E.; Anderson, Daniel B.; ...

2017-08-07

Energy-efficient and scalable harvesting and lipid extraction processes must be developed in order for the algal biofuels and bioproducts industry to thrive. The major challenge for harvesting is the handling of large volumes of cultivation water to concentrate low amounts of biomass. For lipid extraction, the major energy and cost drivers are associated with disrupting the algae cell wall and drying the biomass before solvent extraction of the lipids. Here we review the research and development conducted by the Harvesting and Extraction Team during the 3-year National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) algal consortium project. The harvesting andmore » extraction team investigated five harvesting and three wet extraction technologies at lab bench scale for effectiveness, and conducted a techoeconomic study to evaluate their costs and energy efficiency compared to available baseline technologies. Based on this study, three harvesting technologies were selected for further study at larger scale. We evaluated the selected harvesting technologies: electrocoagulation, membrane filtration, and ultrasonic harvesting, in a field study at minimum scale of 100 L/h. None of the extraction technologies were determined to be ready for scale-up; therefore, an emerging extraction technology (wet solvent extraction) was selected from industry to provide scale-up data and capabilities to produce lipid and lipid-extracted materials for the NAABB program. One specialized extraction/adsorption technology was developed that showed promise for recovering high value co-products from lipid extracts. Overall, the NAABB Harvesting and Extraction Team improved the readiness level of several innovative, energy efficient technologies to integrate with algae production processes and captured valuable lessons learned about scale-up challenges.« less

Review of the harvesting and extraction program within the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marrone, Babetta L.; Lacey, Ronald E.; Anderson, Daniel B.

Energy-efficient and scalable harvesting and lipid extraction processes must be developed in order for the algal biofuels and bioproducts industry to thrive. The major challenge for harvesting is the handling of large volumes of cultivation water to concentrate low amounts of biomass. For lipid extraction, the major energy and cost drivers are associated with disrupting the algae cell wall and drying the biomass before solvent extraction of the lipids. Here we review the research and development conducted by the Harvesting and Extraction Team during the 3-year National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) algal consortium project. The harvesting andmore » extraction team investigated five harvesting and three wet extraction technologies at lab bench scale for effectiveness, and conducted a techoeconomic study to evaluate their costs and energy efficiency compared to available baseline technologies. Based on this study, three harvesting technologies were selected for further study at larger scale. We evaluated the selected harvesting technologies: electrocoagulation, membrane filtration, and ultrasonic harvesting, in a field study at minimum scale of 100 L/h. None of the extraction technologies were determined to be ready for scale-up; therefore, an emerging extraction technology (wet solvent extraction) was selected from industry to provide scale-up data and capabilities to produce lipid and lipid-extracted materials for the NAABB program. One specialized extraction/adsorption technology was developed that showed promise for recovering high value co-products from lipid extracts. Overall, the NAABB Harvesting and Extraction Team improved the readiness level of several innovative, energy efficient technologies to integrate with algae production processes and captured valuable lessons learned about scale-up challenges.« less

Effects of cellulose levels on the apparent digestibility of feeds eaten by mule deer

Treesearch

Henry L. Short

1966-01-01

Three artificial diets that varied in cellulose content but were similar in protein and energy levels were fed to three mule deer according to a latin square design. Food intake for each deer, on each diet, during each feeding period was similar. Energy and dry matter digestion varied between diets (P < 0.05) and both digestible energy and digestible dry matter...

Fertilizer consumption and energy input for 16 crops in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Amenumey, Sheila E.; Capel, Paul D.

2014-01-01

Fertilizer use by U.S. agriculture has increased over the past few decades. The production and transportation of fertilizers (nitrogen, N; phosphorus, P; potassium, K) are energy intensive. In general, about a third of the total energy input to crop production goes to the production of fertilizers, one-third to mechanization, and one-third to other inputs including labor, transportation, pesticides, and electricity. For some crops, fertilizer is the largest proportion of total energy inputs. Energy required for the production and transportation of fertilizers, as a percentage of total energy input, was determined for 16 crops in the U.S. to be: 19–60% for seven grains, 10–41% for two oilseeds, 25% for potatoes, 12–30% for three vegetables, 2–23% for two fruits, and 3% for dry beans. The harvested-area weighted-average of the fraction of crop fertilizer energy to the total input energy was 28%. The current sources of fertilizers for U.S. agriculture are dependent on imports, availability of natural gas, or limited mineral resources. Given these dependencies plus the high energy costs for fertilizers, an integrated approach for their efficient and sustainable use is needed that will simultaneously maintain or increase crop yields and food quality while decreasing adverse impacts on the environment.

40 CFR Table 6 to Subpart Cccc of... - Emission Limitations for Energy Recovery Units That Commenced Construction After June 4, 2010, or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Biomass—6.2 parts per million dry volumeCoal—650 parts per million dry volume 3-run average (1 hour... Biomass—290 parts per million dry volumeCoal—340 parts per million dry volume 3-run average (1 hour... volume Biomass—240 parts per million dry volumeCoal—95 parts per million dry volume 3-run average (1 hour...

The chemical and oxidation characteristics of semi-dry flue gas desulfurization ash from a steel factory.

PubMed

Liu, Ren-ping; Guo, Bin; Ren, Ailing; Bian, Jing-feng

2010-10-01

Some samples of semi-dry flue gas desulfurization (FGD) ash were taken from sinter gas of a steel factory. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were employed to identify the samples in order to investigate their physical and chemical characteristics. The results show that semi-dry FGD ash from a steel factory is stable under atmospheric conditions. It has irregular shape, a smooth surface and loose construction. The size of FGD ash particles is around 0.5-25 µm, the average size is about 5 µm and the median diameter is 4.18 µm. Semi-dry FGD ash from a steel factory consists of CaSO₃, CaSO₄, CaCO₃, some amorphous vitreous material and unburned carbon. An experimental method was found to study the oxidation characteristics of ash. A prediction model of the oxidation efficiency was obtained based on response surface methodology. The results show that not only the temperature, but also gas:solid ratio, play an important role in influencing the oxidation efficiency. The interactions of the gas:solid ratio with temperature play an essential role. An improved response surface model was obtained which can be helpful to describe the degree of oxidation efficiency of semi-dry FGD ash.

Microencapsulation of soybean oil by spray drying using oleosomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurer, S.; Ghebremedhin, M.; Zielbauer, B. I.; Knorr, D.; Vilgis, T. A.

2016-02-01

The food industry has discovered that oleosomes are beneficial as carriers of bioactive ingredients. Oleosomes are subcellular oil droplets typically found in plant seeds. Within seeds, they exist as pre-emulsified oil high in unsaturated fatty acids, stabilised by a monolayer of phospholipids and proteins, called oleosins. Oleosins are anchored into the oil core with a hydrophobic domain, while the hydrophilic domains remain on the oleosome surface. To preserve the nutritional value of the oil and the function of oleosomes, microencapsulation by means of spray drying is a promising technique. For the microencapsulation of oleosomes, maltodextrin was used. To achieve a high oil encapsulation efficiency, optimal process parameters needed to be established. In order to better understand the mechanisms of drying behind powder formation and the associated powder properties, the findings obtained using different microscopic and spectroscopic measurements were correlated with each other. By doing this, it was found that spray drying of pure oleosome emulsions resulted in excessive component segregation and thus in a poor encapsulation efficiency. With the addition of maltodextrin, the oil encapsulation efficiency was significantly improved.

Uncertainty analysis as essential step in the establishment of the dynamic Design Space of primary drying during freeze-drying.

PubMed

Mortier, Séverine Thérèse F C; Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; Corver, Jos; Nopens, Ingmar; Gernaey, Krist V; De Beer, Thomas

2016-06-01

Large molecules, such as biopharmaceuticals, are considered the key driver of growth for the pharmaceutical industry. Freeze-drying is the preferred way to stabilise these products when needed. However, it is an expensive, inefficient, time- and energy-consuming process. During freeze-drying, there are only two main process variables to be set, i.e. the shelf temperature and the chamber pressure, however preferably in a dynamic way. This manuscript focuses on the essential use of uncertainty analysis for the determination and experimental verification of the dynamic primary drying Design Space for pharmaceutical freeze-drying. Traditionally, the chamber pressure and shelf temperature are kept constant during primary drying, leading to less optimal process conditions. In this paper it is demonstrated how a mechanistic model of the primary drying step gives the opportunity to determine the optimal dynamic values for both process variables during processing, resulting in a dynamic Design Space with a well-known risk of failure. This allows running the primary drying process step as time efficient as possible, hereby guaranteeing that the temperature at the sublimation front does not exceed the collapse temperature. The Design Space is the multidimensional combination and interaction of input variables and process parameters leading to the expected product specifications with a controlled (i.e., high) probability. Therefore, inclusion of parameter uncertainty is an essential part in the definition of the Design Space, although it is often neglected. To quantitatively assess the inherent uncertainty on the parameters of the mechanistic model, an uncertainty analysis was performed to establish the borders of the dynamic Design Space, i.e. a time-varying shelf temperature and chamber pressure, associated with a specific risk of failure. A risk of failure acceptance level of 0.01%, i.e. a 'zero-failure' situation, results in an increased primary drying process time compared to the deterministic dynamic Design Space; however, the risk of failure is under control. Experimental verification revealed that only a risk of failure acceptance level of 0.01% yielded a guaranteed zero-defect quality end-product. The computed process settings with a risk of failure acceptance level of 0.01% resulted in a decrease of more than half of the primary drying time in comparison with a regular, conservative cycle with fixed settings. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Recent developments in high-quality drying of vegetables, fruits, and aquatic products.

PubMed

Zhang, Min; Chen, Huizhi; Mujumdar, Arun S; Tang, Juming; Miao, Song; Wang, Yuchuan

2017-04-13

Fresh foods like vegetables, fruits, and aquatic products have high water activity and they are highly heat-sensitive and easily degradable. Dehydration is one of the most common methods used to improve food shelf-life. However, drying methods used for food dehydration must not only be efficient and economic but also yield high-quality products based on flavor, nutrients, color, rehydration, uniformity, appearance, and texture. This paper reviews some new drying technologies developed for dehydration of vegetables, fruits, and aquatic products. These include: infrared drying, microwave drying, radio frequency drying, electrohydrodynamic drying, etc., as well as hybrid drying methods combining two or more different drying techniques. A comprehensive review of recent developments in high-quality drying of vegetables, fruits and aquatic products is presented and recommendations are made for future research.

Influence of soil moisture on sunflower oil extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from a manufactured gas plant soil.

PubMed

Gong, Zongqiang; Wilke, B-M; Alef, Kassem; Li, Peijun

2005-05-01

The influence of soil moisture on efficiency of sunflower oil extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from contaminated soil was investigated. The PAH-contaminated soil was collected from a manufactured gas plant (MGP) site in Berlin, Germany. Half of the soil was air-dried, and the other half was kept as field-moist soil. Batch experiments were performed using air-dried and field-moist soils, and sunflower oil was used as extractant at oil/soil ratios of 2:1 and 1:1 (v/m). The experimental data were fitted to a first-order empirical model to describe mass-transfer profiles of the PAHs. Column extraction experiments were also conducted. Field-moist and air-dried soils in the column were extracted using sunflower oil at an oil/soil ratio of 2:1. In the batch experiments, PAHs were more rapidly extracted from air-dried soil than from field-moist soil. Removal rate of total PAH increased 23% at oil/soil ratio of 1:1 and 15.5% at oil/soil ratio of 2:1 after the soil was air dried. The most favorable conditions for batch extraction were air-dried soil, with an oil/soil ratio of 2:1. In the column experiments, the removal rate of total PAH from air-dried soil was 30.7% higher than that from field-moist soil. For field-moist soil, extraction efficiencies of the batch extraction (67.2% and 81.5%) were better than that for column extraction (65.6%). However, this difference between the two methods became less significant for the air-dried soil, with a total removal rate of 96.3% for column extraction and 90.2% and 97% for batch extractions. A mass-balance test was carried out for analytical quality assurance. The results of both batch and column experiments indicated that drying the soil increased efficiency of extraction of PAHs from the MGP soil.

Energy economy of salmon aquaculture in the Baltic sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folke, Carl

1988-07-01

Resource utilization in Atlantic salmon aquaculture in the Baltic Sea was investigated by means of an energy analysis. A comparison was made between cage farming and sea ranching enterprises each with yearly yields of 40 t of Atlantic salmon. A variety of sea ranching options were evaluated, including (a) conventional ranching, (b) ranching employing a delayed release to the sea of young smolts, (c) harvesting salmon both by offshore fishing fleets and as they return to coastal areas, and (d) when offshore fishing is banned, harvesting salmon only as they return to coastal areas where released. Inputs both from natural ecosystems (i.e., fish consumed by ranched salmon while in the sea and raw materials used for producing dry food pellets) and from the economy (i.e., fossil fuels and energy embodied in economic goods and services) were quantified in tonnes for food energy and as direct plus indirect energy cost (embodied energy). The fixed solar energy (estimated as primary production) and the direct and indirect auxiliary energy requirements per unit of fish output were expressed in similar units. Similar quantities of living resources in tonnes per unit of salmon biomass output are required whether the salmon are feeding in the sea or are caged farmed. Cage farming is about 10 times more dependent on auxiliary energies than sea ranching. Sea ranching applying delayed release of smolts is 35 45% more efficient in the use of auxiliary energies than conventional sea ranching and cage farming. Restriction of offshore fishing would make sea ranching 3 to 6.5 times more efficient than cage farming. The fixed solar energy input to Atlantic salmon aquaculture is 4 to 63 times larger than the inputs of auxiliary energy. Thus, cage farming and sea ranching are both heavily dependent on the productivity of natural ecosystems. It is concluded that sustainable development of the aquaculture industry must be founded on ecologically integrated technologies which utilize the free production in marine ecosystems without exhausting or damaging the marine environment.

Alcohol-induced drying of carbon nanotubes and its implications for alcohol/water separation: a molecular dynamics study.

PubMed

Tian, Xingling; Yang, Zaixing; Zhou, Bo; Xiu, Peng; Tu, Yusong

2013-05-28

Alcohols are important products in chemical industry, but separating them from their aqueous solutions is very difficult due to the hydrophilic nature of alcohols. Based on molecular dynamics simulations, we observe a striking nanoscale drying phenomenon and suggest an energy-saving and efficient approach toward alcohol∕water separation by using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). We use various common linear alcohols including C1-C6 1-alcohols and glycerol for demonstration (the phenol is also used as comparison). Our simulations show that when SWNTs are immersed in aqueous alcohols solutions, although the alcohols concentration is low (1 M), all kinds of alcohols can induce dehydration (drying) of nanotubes and accumulate inside wide [(13, 13)] and narrow [(6, 6) or (7, 7)] SWNTs. In particular, most kinds of alcohols inside the narrow SWNTs form nearly uniform 1D molecular wires. Detailed energetic analyses reveal that the preferential adsorption of alcohols over water inside nanotubes is attributed to the stronger dispersion interactions of alcohols with SWNTs than water. Interestingly, we find that for the wide SWNT, the selectivity for 1-alcohols increases with the number of alcohol's carbon atoms (Ncarbon) and exhibits an exponential law with respect to Ncarbon for C1-C5 1-alcohols; for narrow SWNTs, the selectivity for 1-alcohols is very high for methanol, ethanol, and propanol, and reaches a maximum when Ncarbon = 3. The underlying physical mechanisms and the implications of these observations for alcohol∕water separation are discussed. Our findings provide the possibility for efficient dehydration of aqueous alcohols (and other hydrophilic organic molecules) by using SWNT bundles∕membranes.

Alcohol-induced drying of carbon nanotubes and its implications for alcohol/water separation: A molecular dynamics study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Xingling; Yang, Zaixing; Zhou, Bo; Xiu, Peng; Tu, Yusong

2013-05-01

Alcohols are important products in chemical industry, but separating them from their aqueous solutions is very difficult due to the hydrophilic nature of alcohols. Based on molecular dynamics simulations, we observe a striking nanoscale drying phenomenon and suggest an energy-saving and efficient approach toward alcohol/water separation by using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). We use various common linear alcohols including C1-C6 1-alcohols and glycerol for demonstration (the phenol is also used as comparison). Our simulations show that when SWNTs are immersed in aqueous alcohols solutions, although the alcohols concentration is low (1 M), all kinds of alcohols can induce dehydration (drying) of nanotubes and accumulate inside wide [(13, 13)] and narrow [(6, 6) or (7, 7)] SWNTs. In particular, most kinds of alcohols inside the narrow SWNTs form nearly uniform 1D molecular wires. Detailed energetic analyses reveal that the preferential adsorption of alcohols over water inside nanotubes is attributed to the stronger dispersion interactions of alcohols with SWNTs than water. Interestingly, we find that for the wide SWNT, the selectivity for 1-alcohols increases with the number of alcohol's carbon atoms (Ncarbon) and exhibits an exponential law with respect to Ncarbon for C1-C5 1-alcohols; for narrow SWNTs, the selectivity for 1-alcohols is very high for methanol, ethanol, and propanol, and reaches a maximum when Ncarbon = 3. The underlying physical mechanisms and the implications of these observations for alcohol/water separation are discussed. Our findings provide the possibility for efficient dehydration of aqueous alcohols (and other hydrophilic organic molecules) by using SWNT bundles/membranes.

Effect of dry period dietary energy level in dairy cattle on volume, concentrations of immunoglobulin G, insulin, and fatty acid composition of colostrum.

PubMed

Mann, S; Leal Yepes, F A; Overton, T R; Lock, A L; Lamb, S V; Wakshlag, J J; Nydam, D V

2016-02-01

The objective was to investigate the effect of different dry cow feeding strategies on the volume, concentration of IgG and insulin, as well as fatty acid composition of colostrum. Our hypothesis was that different dry period diets formulated to resemble current feeding practices on commercial dairy farms and differing in plane of energy would have an effect on IgG and insulin concentration, as well as composition of fatty acid of colostrum. Animals (n=84) entering parity 2 or greater were dried off 57 d before expected parturition and fed either a diet formulated to meet, but not greatly exceed energy requirements throughout the dry period (CON), or a higher energy density diet, supplying approximately 150% of energy requirements (HI). A third group received the same diet as group CON from dry-off until 29 d before expected parturition. After this time point, from 28 d before expected parturition until calving, they received a diet formulated to supply approximately 125% of energy requirements (I-med). Concentration of IgG and insulin in colostrum were measured by radial immunodiffusion and RIA, respectively. Composition of fatty acids was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The IgG concentration was highest in colostrum of cows in group CON [96.1 (95% CI: 83.3-108.9) g/L] and lowest in group HI [72.4 (60.3-84.5) g/L], whereas insulin concentration was highest in group HI [1,105 (960-1,250) μU/mL] and lowest in group CON [853 (700-1,007) μU/mL]. Colostrum yield did not differ between treatments and was 5.9 (4.5-7.4), 7.0 (5.6-8.4), and 7.3 (5.9-8.7) kg in groups CON, I-med, and HI, respectively. A multivariable linear regression model showed the effect of dietary treatment group on IgG concentration was independent of the effect of dry matter. Cows in groups CON, I-med, and HI had an average colostral fat percentage of 5.0 (4.1-5.9), 5.6 (4.8-6.4), and 6.0 (5.2-6.8) and an average fat yield of 289 (196-380), 406 (318-495), and 384 (295-473) g, respectively. Colostrum of cows fed to exceed predicted energy requirements during the last 4 wk of the dry period (groups I-med and HI) exhibited a higher concentration and yield of de novo fatty acid and lower concentrations but similar yield of preformed fatty acid compared with cows in group CON. Feeding a controlled energy diet during the dry period increased colostral IgG concentration in this study, whereas overall colostrum yield was not affected. Exceeding energy requirements during the period of colostrogenesis led to higher concentrations of insulin and de novo fatty acid in colostrum. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Riverside East Solar Energy Zone (SEZ) - California

Science.gov Websites

Los Mogotes East Nevada Amargosa Valley Dry Lake Dry Lake Valley North Gold Point Millers New Mexico Pavement Cultural Gravel Bench I 10 Wiley Well Road South Wiley Well Rest Stop Ford Dry Lake Get Adobe there are also dry lake beds, sandy areas, and dry washes with ironwood and other trees. Some areas are

Biomass drying in a pulsed fluidized bed without inert bed particles

DOE PAGES

Jia, Dening; Bi, Xiaotao; Lim, C. Jim; ...

2016-08-29

Batch drying was performed in the pulsed fluidized bed with various species of biomass particles as an indicator of gas–solid contact efficiency and mass transfer rate under different operating conditions including pulsation duty cycle and particle size distribution. The fluidization of cohesive biomass particles benefited from the shorter opening time of pulsed gas flow and increased peak pressure drop. The presence of fines enhanced gas–solid contact of large and irregular biomass particles, as well as the mass transfer efficiency. A drying model based on two-phase theory was proposed, from which effective diffusivity was calculated for various gas flow rates, temperaturemore » and pulsation frequency. Intricate relationship was discovered between pulsation frequency and effective diffusivity, as mass transfer was deeply connected with the hydrodynamics. Effective diffusivity was also found to be proportional to gas flow rate and drying temperature. In conclusion, operating near the natural frequency of the system also favored drying and mass transfer.« less

Effect of moisture of municipal biowaste on start-up and efficiency of mesophilic and thermophilic dry anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Li, Chaoran; Mörtelmaier, Christoph; Winter, Josef; Gallert, Claudia

2014-09-01

Methane production from biowaste with 20-30% dry matter (DM) by box-type dry anaerobic digestion and contributing bacteria were determined for incubation at 20, 37 and 55 °C. The same digestion efficiency as for wet anaerobic digestion of biowaste was obtained for dry anaerobic digestion with 20% DM content at 20, 37 and 55 °C and with 25% DM content at 37 and 55 °C. No or only little methane was produced in dry anaerobic reactors with 30% DM at 20, 37 or 55 °C. Population densities in the 20-30% DM-containing biowaste reactors were similar although in mesophilic and thermophilic biowaste reactors with 30% DM content significantly less but phylogenetically more diverse archaea existed. Biogas production in the 20% and 25% DM assays was catalyzed by Methanosarcinales and Methanomicrobiales. In all assays Pelotomaculum and Syntrophobacter species were dominant propionate degraders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Particle Engineering Via Mechanical Dry Coating in the Design of Pharmaceutical Solid Dosage Forms.

PubMed

Qu, Li; Morton, David A V; Zhou, Qi Tony

2015-01-01

Cohesive powders are problematic in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms because they exhibit poor flowability, fluidization and aerosolization. These undesirable bulk properties of cohesive powders represent a fundamental challenge in the design of efficient pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Recently, mechanical dry coating has attracted increasing attention as it can improve the bulk properties of cohesive powders in a cheaper, simpler, safer and more environment-friendly way than the existing solvent-based counterparts. In this review, mechanical dry coating techniques are outlined and their potential applications in formulation and manufacturing of pharmaceutical solid dosage forms are discussed. Reported data from the literature have shown that mechanical dry coating holds promise for the design of superior pharmaceutical solid formulations or manufacturing processes by engineering the interfaces of cohesive powders in an efficient and economical way.

Bio-optimized energy transfer in densely packed fluorescent protein enables near-maximal luminescence and solid-state lasers.

PubMed

Gather, Malte C; Yun, Seok Hyun

2014-12-08

Bioluminescent organisms are likely to have an evolutionary drive towards high radiance. As such, bio-optimized materials derived from them hold great promise for photonic applications. Here, we show that biologically produced fluorescent proteins retain their high brightness even at the maximum density in solid state through a special molecular structure that provides optimal balance between high protein concentration and low resonance energy transfer self-quenching. Dried films of green fluorescent protein show low fluorescence quenching (-7 dB) and support strong optical amplification (gnet=22 cm(-1); 96 dB cm(-1)). Using these properties, we demonstrate vertical cavity surface emitting micro-lasers with low threshold (<100 pJ, outperforming organic semiconductor lasers) and self-assembled all-protein ring lasers. Moreover, solid-state blends of different proteins support efficient Förster resonance energy transfer, with sensitivity to intermolecular distance thus allowing all-optical sensing. The design of fluorescent proteins may be exploited for bio-inspired solid-state luminescent molecules or nanoparticles.

Bio-optimized energy transfer in densely packed fluorescent protein enables near-maximal luminescence and solid-state lasers

PubMed Central

Gather, Malte C.; Yun, Seok Hyun

2015-01-01

Bioluminescent organisms are likely to have an evolutionary drive towards high radiance. As such, bio-optimized materials derived from them hold great promise for photonic applications. Here we show that biologically produced fluorescent proteins retain their high brightness even at the maximum density in solid state through a special molecular structure that provides optimal balance between high protein concentration and low resonance energy transfer self-quenching. Dried films of green fluorescent protein show low fluorescence quenching (−7 dB) and support strong optical amplification (gnet = 22 cm−1; 96 dB cm−1). Using these properties, we demonstrate vertical cavity surface emitting micro-lasers with low threshold (<100 pJ, outperforming organic semiconductor lasers) and self-assembled all-protein ring lasers. Moreover, solid-state blends of different proteins support efficient Förster resonance energy transfer, with sensitivity to intermolecular distance thus allowing all-optical sensing. The design of fluorescent proteins may be exploited for bio-inspired solid-state luminescent molecules or nanoparticles. PMID:25483850

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bell, L.; Castaldi, A.; Jones, C.

The ultimate goal of the project is to develop procedures, techniques, data and other information that will aid in the design of cost effective and energy efficient drying processes that produce high quality foods. This objective has been sought by performing studies to determine the pertinent properties of food products, by developing models to describe the fundamental phenomena of food drying and by testing the models at laboratory scale. Finally, this information is used to develop recommendations and strategies for improved dryer design and control. This volume emphasizes a detailed literature review and several extensive experimental studies. Since the basicmore » principle of food dehydration is the removal of water from food, the process of removing water causes quality changes which can be categorized as physical, chemical, and nutritional. These changes often have adverse effects on the quality of the resulting dehydrated food. In this work, the types of physical and chemical changes common in food drying and the important factors for them were reviewed. Pertinent kinetic models and kinetic data reported in literature were also collected and compiled as the results of review study. The overall objectives of this study were to identify major quality change in foods caused by drying process and to get the knowledge of the relationship between the quality change and factors known to affect them. The quality parameters reviewed included: browning, lipid oxidation, color loss, shrinkage, solubility, texture, aroma and flavor, vitamin and protein loss and microbiological concerns. 54 refs., 74 figs., 49 tabs.« less

The Effect of Operating Conditions on Drying Characteristics and Quality of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe) Using Combination of Solar Energy-Molecular Sieve Drying System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasibuan, R.; Zamzami, M. A.

2017-03-01

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is an agricultural product that can be used as beverages and snacks, and especially for traditional medicines. One of the important stages in the processing of ginger is drying. The drying process intended to reduce the water content of 85-90% to 8-10%, making it safe from the influence of fungi or insecticide. During the drying takes place, the main ingredient contained in ginger is homologous ketone phenolic known as gingerol are chemically unstable at high temperatures, for the drying technology is an important factor in maintaining the active ingredient (gingerol) which is in ginger. The combination of solar energy and molecular sieve dryer that are used in the research is capable of operating 24 hours. The purpose of this research is to study the effect of operating conditions (in this case the air velocity) toward the drying characteristics and the quality of dried ginger using the combination of solar energy and molecular sieve dryer. Drying system consist of three main parts which is: desiccator, solar collector, and the drying chamber. To record data changes in the mass of the sample, a load cell mounted in the drying chamber, and then connected to the automated data recording system using a USB data cable. All data of temperature and RH inside the dryer box and the change of samples mass recorded during the drying process takes place and the result is stored in the form of Microsoft Excel. The results obtained, shows that the air velocity is influencing the moisture content and ginger drying rate, where the moisture content equilibrium of ginger for the air velocity of 1.3 m/s was obtained on drying time of 360 minutes and moisture content of 2.8%, at 1.0 m/s was obtained on drying time of 300 minutes and moisture content of 1.4%, at 0, 8 m/s was obtained at 420 minutes drying time and the moisture content is 2.0%. The drying characteristics shows that there are two drying periods, which is: the increasing drying rate, and the falling drying rate, while the constant drying rate is not visible. The result of ginger quality shows that there are no significant changes in the organoleptic analysis, the ash content is about 7.52-7.94% and the oil content is 0.79-0.83%.

Characterization of Dietary Energy in Swine Feed and Feed Ingredients: A Review of Recent Research Results

PubMed Central

Velayudhan, D. E.; Kim, I. H.; Nyachoti, C. M.

2015-01-01

Feed is single most expensive input in commercial pork production representing more than 50% of the total cost of production. The greatest proportion of this cost is associated with the energy component, thus making energy the most important dietary in terms of cost. For efficient pork production, it is imperative that diets are formulated to accurately match dietary energy supply to requirements for maintenance and productive functions. To achieve this goal, it is critical that the energy value of feeds is precisely determined and that the energy system that best meets the energy needs of a pig is used. Therefore, the present review focuses on dietary supply and needs for pigs and the available energy systems for formulating swine diets with particular emphasis on the net energy system. In addition to providing a more accurate estimate of the energy available to the animal in an ingredient and the subsequent diet, diets formulated using the this system are typically lower in crude protein, which leads to additional benefits in terms of reduced nitrogen excretion and consequent environmental pollution. Furthermore, using the net energy system may reduce diet cost as it allows for increased use of feedstuffs containing fibre in place of feedstuffs containing starch. A brief review of the use of distiller dried grains with solubles in swine diets as an energy source is included. PMID:25557670

Characterization of dietary energy in Swine feed and feed ingredients: a review of recent research results.

PubMed

Velayudhan, D E; Kim, I H; Nyachoti, C M

2015-01-01

Feed is single most expensive input in commercial pork production representing more than 50% of the total cost of production. The greatest proportion of this cost is associated with the energy component, thus making energy the most important dietary in terms of cost. For efficient pork production, it is imperative that diets are formulated to accurately match dietary energy supply to requirements for maintenance and productive functions. To achieve this goal, it is critical that the energy value of feeds is precisely determined and that the energy system that best meets the energy needs of a pig is used. Therefore, the present review focuses on dietary supply and needs for pigs and the available energy systems for formulating swine diets with particular emphasis on the net energy system. In addition to providing a more accurate estimate of the energy available to the animal in an ingredient and the subsequent diet, diets formulated using the this system are typically lower in crude protein, which leads to additional benefits in terms of reduced nitrogen excretion and consequent environmental pollution. Furthermore, using the net energy system may reduce diet cost as it allows for increased use of feedstuffs containing fibre in place of feedstuffs containing starch. A brief review of the use of distiller dried grains with solubles in swine diets as an energy source is included.

Computer simulations show that Neanderthal facial morphology represents adaptation to cold and high energy demands, but not heavy biting.

PubMed

Wroe, Stephen; Parr, William C H; Ledogar, Justin A; Bourke, Jason; Evans, Samuel P; Fiorenza, Luca; Benazzi, Stefano; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Stringer, Chris; Kullmer, Ottmar; Curry, Michael; Rae, Todd C; Yokley, Todd R

2018-04-11

Three adaptive hypotheses have been forwarded to explain the distinctive Neanderthal face: (i) an improved ability to accommodate high anterior bite forces, (ii) more effective conditioning of cold and/or dry air and, (iii) adaptation to facilitate greater ventilatory demands. We test these hypotheses using three-dimensional models of Neanderthals, modern humans, and a close outgroup ( Homo heidelbergensis ), applying finite-element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This is the most comprehensive application of either approach applied to date and the first to include both. FEA reveals few differences between H. heidelbergensis , modern humans, and Neanderthals in their capacities to sustain high anterior tooth loadings. CFD shows that the nasal cavities of Neanderthals and especially modern humans condition air more efficiently than does that of H. heidelbergensis , suggesting that both evolved to better withstand cold and/or dry climates than less derived Homo We further find that Neanderthals could move considerably more air through the nasal pathway than could H. heidelbergensis or modern humans, consistent with the propositions that, relative to our outgroup Homo , Neanderthal facial morphology evolved to reflect improved capacities to better condition cold, dry air, and, to move greater air volumes in response to higher energetic requirements. © 2018 The Author(s).

Correlation between production performance and feeding behavior of steers on pasture during the rainy-dry transition period.

PubMed

Brandão, Rita K C; de Carvalho, Gleidson G P; Silva, Robério R; Dias, Daniel L S; Mendes, Fabrício B L; Lins, Túlio O J D'A; Pereira, Maria M S; Guimarães, Joanderson O; Tosto, Manuela S L; Rufino, Luana M de A; de Araujo, Maria L G M L

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between production performance and feeding behavior of steers reared on pasture during the rainy-dry transition period. Twenty-two ½ Holstein-Zebu crossbred steers at an average age of 10 months and with an average initial body weight of 234.5 ± 16.0 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with two types of supplementation and eleven replications. Pearson's linear correlation analysis was performed between behavioral variables and weight gain and feed conversion. Correlation coefficients were tested by the t test. The time expended feeding at the trough was positively correlated (P < 0.05) with average daily gain (ADG) and with the number of periods of permanence at the trough. Bite rate and the number of bites per day were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with ADG and negatively (P < 0.05) with feed conversion, unlike the number of bites per swallow, which was negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with ADG. There was a positive correlation (P < 0.05) between feed efficiency in dry matter and neutral detergent fiber and ADG. Feeding behavior characteristics have little association with the production performance of cattle on pasture receiving mineral or energy-protein supplementation.

Improvement of seawater salt quality by hydro-extraction and re-crystallization methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumada, K.; Dewati, R.; Suprihatin

2018-01-01

Indonesia is one of the salt producing countries that use sea water as a source of raw materials, the quality of salt produced is influenced by the quality of sea water. The resulting average salt quality contains 85-90% NaCl. The Indonesian National Standard (SNI) for human salt’s consumption sodium chloride content is 94.7 % (dry base) and for industrial salt 98,5 %. In this study developed the re-crystallization without chemical and hydro-extraction method. The objective of this research to choose the best methods based on efficiency. The results showed that re-crystallization method can produce salt with NaCl content 99,21%, while hydro-extraction method content 99,34 % NaCl. The salt produced through both methods can be used as a consumption and industrial salt, Hydro-extraction method is more efficient than re-crystallization method because re-crystallization method requires heat energy.

Process for CO.sub.2 capture using zeolites from high pressure and moderate temperature gas streams

DOEpatents

Siriwardane, Ranjani V [Morgantown, WV; Stevens, Robert W [Morgantown, WV

2012-03-06

A method for separating CO.sub.2 from a gas stream comprised of CO.sub.2 and other gaseous constituents using a zeolite sorbent in a swing-adsorption process, producing a high temperature CO.sub.2 stream at a higher CO.sub.2 pressure than the input gas stream. The method utilizes CO.sub.2 desorption in a CO.sub.2 atmosphere and effectively integrates heat transfers for optimizes overall efficiency. H.sub.2O adsorption does not preclude effective operation of the sorbent. The cycle may be incorporated in an IGCC for efficient pre-combustion CO.sub.2 capture. A particular application operates on shifted syngas at a temperature exceeding 200.degree. C. and produces a dry CO.sub.2 stream at low temperature and high CO.sub.2 pressure, greatly reducing any compression energy requirements which may be subsequently required.

Waste heat recovery systems in the sugar industry: An Indian perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Madnaik, S.D.; Jadhav, M.G.

1996-04-01

This article identifies the key role of the sugar industry in the rural development of developing countries. The Indian sugar industry, already second largest among the country`s processing industries, shows even greater potential, according to the Plan Documents (shown in a table). The potential of waste heat in sugar processing plants, which produce white crystal sugar using the double sulphitation clarification process, is estimated at 5757.9 KJ/kg of sugar. Efficient waste heat recovery (WHR) systems could help arrest the trend of increasing production costs. This would help the sugar industry not only in India, but in many other countries asmore » well. The innovative methods suggested and discussed briefly in this article include dehydration of prepared cane, bagasse drying, and juice heating using waste heat. These methods can reduce the cost of energy in sugar production by at least 10% and improve efficiency and productivity.« less

Ultrasound enhanced glucose release from corn in ethanol plants.

PubMed

Khanal, Samir Kumar; Montalbo, Melissa; van Leeuwen, J; Srinivasan, Gowrishankar; Grewell, David

2007-12-01

This work evaluated the use of high power ultrasonic energy to treat corn slurry in dry corn milling ethanol plants to enhance liquefaction and saccharification for ethanol production. Corn slurry samples obtained before and after jet cooking were subjected to ultrasonic pretreatment for 20 and 40 s at amplitudes of vibration ranging from 180 to 299 microm(pp) (peak to peak amplitude in microm). The resulting samples were then exposed to enzymes (alpha-amylase and glucoamylase) to convert cornstarch into glucose. A comparison of scanning electron micrographs of raw and sonicated samples showed the development of micropores and the disruption of cell walls in corn mash. The corn particle size declined nearly 20-fold following ultrasonic treatment at high power settings. The glucose release rate from sonicated samples increased as much as threefold compared to the control group. The efficiency of ultrasound exceeded 100% in terms of energy gain from the sugar released over the ultrasonic energy supplied. Enzymatic activity was enhanced when the corn slurry was sonicated with simultaneous addition of enzymes. This finding suggests that the ultrasonic energy did not degrade or denature the enzymes during the pretreatment.

Comparison of liquid hot water and alkaline pretreatments of giant reed for improved enzymatic digestibility and biogas energy production.

PubMed

Jiang, Danping; Ge, Xumeng; Zhang, Quanguo; Li, Yebo

2016-09-01

Liquid hot water (LHW) and alkaline pretreatments of giant reed biomass were compared in terms of digestibility, methane production, and cost-benefit efficiency for electricity generation via anaerobic digestion with a combined heat and power system. Compared to LHW pretreatment, alkaline pretreatment retained more of the dry matter in giant reed biomass solids due to less severe conditions. Under their optimal conditions, LHW pretreatment (190°C, 15min) and alkaline pretreatment (20g/L of NaOH, 24h) improved glucose yield from giant reed by more than 2-fold, while only the alkaline pretreatment significantly (p<0.05) increased cumulative methane yield (by 63%) over that of untreated biomass (217L/kgVS). LHW pretreatment obtained negative net electrical energy production due to high energy input. Alkaline pretreatment achieved 27% higher net electrical energy production than that of non-pretreatment (3859kJ/kg initial total solids), but alkaline liquor reuse is needed for improved net benefit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High energy neutron transmission analysis of dry cask storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greulich, Christopher; Hughes, Christopher; Gao, Yuan; Enqvist, Andreas; Baciak, James

2017-12-01

Since the U.S. currently only approves of storing used nuclear fuel in pools or dry casks, the demand for dry cask storage is on the rise due to the continuous operation of currently existing nuclear plants which are reaching or have reached the capacity of their used fuel pools. With the rising demand comes additional pressure to ensure the integrity of dry cask systems. Visual inspection is costly and man-power intensive, so alternative nondestructive testing techniques are desired to insure the continued safe and effective storage of fuel. One such approach being investigated by the University of Florida is neutron based computed tomography. Simulations in MCNP are preformed where D-T energy neutrons are transmitted through the dry cask and measured on the opposite side. If the transmitted signal is clear enough, the interior of the cask can be reconstructed from the measurement of the alterations of neutron signal intensity using standard mathematical techniques developed for medical imaging. Preliminary efforts show a correlation between energy and number of scatters (which is an indication of retention of position information). Work is ongoing to quantify if the correlation is strong enough that an energy discriminator may be used as a filter in future image reconstruction. The calculated transmission probability suggests that an image could be reconstructed with a week of scanning.

40 CFR Table 7 to Subpart Dddd of... - Model Rule-Emission Limitations That Apply to Energy Recovery Units After May 20, 2011

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 parts per million dry volume Biomass—490 parts per million dry volumeCoal—59 parts per million dry... boilers. Use a span gas with a concentration of 1000 ppm or less for biomass-fed boilers. Dioxins/furans... nitrogen 76 parts per million dry volume Biomass—290 parts per million dry volumeCoal—340 parts per million...

Recent developments in drying of food products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valarmathi, T. N.; Sekar, S.; Purushothaman, M.; Sekar, S. D.; Rama Sharath Reddy, Maddela; Reddy, Kancham Reddy Naveen Kumar

2017-05-01

Drying is a dehydration process to preserve agricultural products for long period usage. The most common and cheapest method is open sun drying in which the products are simply laid on ground, road, mats, roof, etc. But the open sun drying has some disadvantages like dependent on good weather, contamination by dust, birds and animals consume a considerable quantity, slow drying rate and damages due to strong winds and rain. To overcome these difficulties solar dryers are developed with closed environment for drying agricultural products effectively. To obtain good quality food with reduced energy consumption, selection of appropriate drying process and proper input parameters is essential. In recent years several researchers across the world have developed new drying systems for improving the product quality, increasing the drying rate, decreasing the energy consumption, etc. Some of the new systems are fluidized bed, vibrated fluidized bed, desiccant, microwave, vacuum, freeze, infrared, intermittent, electro hydrodynamic and hybrid dryers. In this review the most recent progress in the field of drying of agricultural food products such as new methods, new products and modeling and optimization techniques has been presented. Challenges and future directions are also highlighted. The review will be useful for new researchers entering into this ever needed and ever growing field of engineering.

Overall Quality of Fruits and Vegetables Products Affected by the Drying Processes with the Assistance of Vacuum-Microwaves.

PubMed

Figiel, Adam; Michalska, Anna

2016-12-30

The seasonality of fruits and vegetables makes it impossible to consume and use them throughout the year, thus numerous processing efforts have been made to offer an alternative to their fresh consumption and application. To prolong their availability on the market, drying has received special attention as currently this method is considered one of the most common ways for obtaining food and pharmaceutical products from natural sources. This paper demonstrates the weakness of common drying methods applied for fruits and vegetables and the possible ways to improve the quality using different drying techniques or their combination with an emphasis on the microwave energy. Particular attention has been drawn to the combined drying with the assistance of vacuum-microwaves. The quality of the dried products was ascribed by chemical properties including the content of polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and volatiles as well as physical parameters such as color, shrinkage, porosity and texture. Both these fields of quality classification were considered taking into account sensory attributes and energy aspects in the perspective of possible industrial applications. In conclusion, the most promising way for improving the quality of dried fruit and vegetable products is hybrid drying consisting of osmotic dehydration in concentrated fruit juices followed by heat pump drying and vacuum-microwave finish drying.

Overall Quality of Fruits and Vegetables Products Affected by the Drying Processes with the Assistance of Vacuum-Microwaves

PubMed Central

Figiel, Adam; Michalska, Anna

2016-01-01

The seasonality of fruits and vegetables makes it impossible to consume and use them throughout the year, thus numerous processing efforts have been made to offer an alternative to their fresh consumption and application. To prolong their availability on the market, drying has received special attention as currently this method is considered one of the most common ways for obtaining food and pharmaceutical products from natural sources. This paper demonstrates the weakness of common drying methods applied for fruits and vegetables and the possible ways to improve the quality using different drying techniques or their combination with an emphasis on the microwave energy. Particular attention has been drawn to the combined drying with the assistance of vacuum-microwaves. The quality of the dried products was ascribed by chemical properties including the content of polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and volatiles as well as physical parameters such as color, shrinkage, porosity and texture. Both these fields of quality classification were considered taking into account sensory attributes and energy aspects in the perspective of possible industrial applications. In conclusion, the most promising way for improving the quality of dried fruit and vegetable products is hybrid drying consisting of osmotic dehydration in concentrated fruit juices followed by heat pump drying and vacuum-microwave finish drying. PMID:28042845

Role of mono- and oligosaccharides from FOS as stabilizing agents during freeze-drying and storage of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus.

PubMed

Romano, Nelson; Schebor, Carolina; Mobili, Pablo; Gómez-Zavaglia, Andrea

2016-12-01

The aim of this work was to assess the role of mono- and oligosaccharides present in fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) mixtures as protective agents during freeze-drying and storage of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus CIDCA 333. Different FOS mixtures were enzymatically obtained from sucrose and further purified by removing the monosaccharides produced as secondary products. Their glass transition temperatures (T g ) were determined at 11, 22 and 33% relative humidity (RH). Bacterial cultures were freeze-dried in the presence of 20% w/v solutions of the studied FOS. Their protective effect during freeze-drying was assessed by bacterial plate counting, and by determining the lag time from growth kinetics and the uptake of propidium iodide (PI). Plate counting during bacterial storage at 4°C, and 11, 22 and 33% RH for 80days completed this rational analysis of the protective effect of FOS. Purification of FOS led to an increase of T g in all the conditions assayed. Microorganisms freeze-dried in the presence of non-purified FOS were those with the shortest lag times. Bacteria freeze-dried with pure or commercial FOS (92% of total FOS) showed larger lag times (8.9-12.6h). The cultivability of microorganisms freeze-dried with non-purified FOS and with sucrose was not significantly different from that of bacteria before freeze-drying (8.74±0.14logCFU/mL). Pure or commercial FOS were less efficient in protecting bacteria during freeze-drying. All the protectants prevented membrane damage. The cultivability of bacteria freeze-dried with FOS decayed <1logarithmicunit after 80days of storage at 11% RH. When storing at 22 and 33% RH, pure and commercial FOS were those that best protected bacteria, and FOS containing monosaccharides were less efficient. The effect of FOS on bacterial protection is the result of a balance between monosaccharides, sucrose and larger FOS in the mixtures: the smallest sugars are more efficient in protecting lipid membranes, and the larger ones favor the formation of vitreous states. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Collection and conversion of algal lipid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Ching-Chieh

Sustainable economic activities mandate a significant replacement of fossil energy by renewable forms. Algae-derived biofuels are increasingly seen as an alternative source of energy with potential to supplement the world's ever increasing demand. Our primary objective is, once the algae were cultivated, to eliminate or make more efficient energy-intensive processing steps of collection, drying, grinding, and solvent extraction prior to conversion. To overcome the processing barrier, we propose to streamline from cultivated algae to biodiesel via algal biomass collection by sand filtration, cell rupturing with ozone, and immediate transesterification. To collect the algal biomass, the specific Chlorococcum aquaticum suspension was acidified to pH 3.3 to promote agglomeration prior to sand filtration. The algae-loaded filter bed was drained of free water and added with methanol and ozonated for 2 min to rupture cell membrane to accelerate release of the cellular contents. The methanol solution now containing the dissolved lipid product was collected by draining, while the filter bed was regenerated by further ozonation when needed. The results showed 95% collection of the algal biomass from the suspension and a 16% yield of lipid from the algae, as well as restoration of filtration velocity of the sand bed via ozonation. The results further showed increased lipid yield upon cell rupturing and transesterified products composed entirely of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) compounds, demonstrating that the rupture and transesterification processes could proceed consecutively in the same medium, requiring no separate steps of drying, extraction, and conversion. The FAME products from algae without exposure to ozone were mainly of 16 to 18 carbons containing up to 3 double bonds, while those from algae having been ozonated were smaller, highly saturated hydrocarbons. The new technique streamlines individual steps from cultivated algal lipid to transesterified products and represents an improvement over existing energy-intensive steps.

Accelerating the kiln drying of oak

Treesearch

William T. Simpson

1980-01-01

Reducing kiln-drying time for oak lumber can reduce energy requirements as well as reduce lumber inventories. In this work, l-inch northern red oak and white oak were kiln dried from green by a combination of individual accelerating techniques– presurfacing, presteaming, accelerated and smooth schedule, and high-temperature drying below 18 percent moisture content....

Dry coolers and air-condensing units (Review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milman, O. O.; Anan'ev, P. A.

2016-03-01

The analysis of factors affecting the growth of shortage of freshwater is performed. The state and dynamics of the global market of dry coolers used at electric power plants are investigated. Substantial increase in number and maximum capacity of air-cooled condensers, which have been put into operation in the world in recent years, are noted. The key reasons facilitating the choice of developers of the dry coolers, in particular the independence of the location of thermal power plant from water sources, are enumerated. The main steam turbine heat removal schemes using air cooling are considered, their comparison of thermal efficiency is assessed, and the change of three important parameters, such as surface area of heat transfer, condensate pump flow, and pressure losses in the steam exhaust system, are estimated. It is shown that the most effective is the scheme of direct steam condensation in the heat-exchange tubes, but other schemes also have certain advantages. The air-cooling efficiency may be enhanced much more by using an air-cooling hybrid system: a combination of dry and wet cooling. The basic applied constructive solutions are shown: the arrangement of heat-exchange modules and the types of fans. The optimal mounting design of a fully shopassembled cooling system for heat-exchange modules is represented. Different types of heat-exchange tubes ribbing that take into account the operational features of cooling systems are shown. Heat transfer coefficients of the plants from different manufacturers are compared, and the main reasons for its decline are named. When using evaporative air cooling, it is possible to improve the efficiency of air-cooling units. The factors affecting the faultless performance of dry coolers (DC) and air-condensing units (ACU) and the ways of their elimination are described. A high velocity wind forcing reduces the efficiency of cooling systems and creates preconditions for the development of wind-driven devices. It is noted that global trends have a significant influence on the application of dry coolers in Russia, in view of the fact that some TPP have a surface condensers arrangement. The reasons that these systems are currently less efficient than the direct steam condensation in an air-cooled condenser are explained. It is shown that, in some cases, it is more reasonable to use mixing-type condensers in combination with a dry cooler. Measures for a full import substitution of steam exhaust heat removal systems are mentioned.

Improvement of water transport mechanisms during potato drying by applying ultrasound.

PubMed

Ozuna, César; Cárcel, Juan A; García-Pérez, José V; Mulet, Antonio

2011-11-01

The drying rate of vegetables is limited by internal moisture diffusion and convective transport mechanisms. The increase of drying air temperature leads to faster water mobility; however, it provokes quality loss in the product and presents a higher energy demand. Therefore, the search for new strategies to improve water mobility during convective drying constitutes a topic of relevant research. The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of power ultrasound to improve convective drying of potato and quantify the influence of the applied power in the water transport mechanisms. Drying kinetics of potato cubes were increased by the ultrasonic application. The influence of power ultrasound was dependent on the ultrasonic power (from 0 to 37 kW m(-3) ), the higher the applied power, the faster the drying kinetic. The diffusion model considering external resistance to mass transfer provided a good fit of drying kinetics. From modelling, it was observed a proportional and significant (P < 0.05) influence of the applied ultrasonic power on the identified kinetic parameters: effective moisture diffusivity and mass transfer coefficient. The ultrasonic application during drying represents an interesting alternative to traditional convective drying by shortening drying time, which may involve an energy saving concerning industrial applications. In addition, the ultrasonic effect in the water transport is based on mechanical phenomena with a low heating capacity, which is highly relevant for drying heat sensitive materials and also for obtaining high-quality dry products. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dietary supplementation with flaxseed mucilage alone or in combination with calcium in dogs: effects on apparent digestibility of fat and energy and fecal characteristics.

PubMed

Nybroe, S; Astrup, A; Bjørnvad, C R

2016-12-01

In humans, dietary supplementation with flaxseed mucilage and calcium decrease apparent digestibility of fat and energy. These supplements could prove useful for weight management in dogs. To examine dry matter, energy and fat apparent digestibility, and fecal characteristics following dietary flaxseed mucilage supplementation alone or in combination with calcium. A single-blinded crossover feeding trial was conducted on 11 privately owned dogs. During three consecutive 14-day periods, dogs where fed commercial dog food supplemented with potato starch (control diet), flaxseed mucilage or flaxseed mucilage and calcium. Feces from the past 2 days of each period were collected for analysis. Owners recorded fecal score (1-7: 1=very hard/dry feces, 2-3=ideal and 7=diarrhea). Apparent digestibility of fat was lower in both flaxseed mucilage diet (94.5±0.8%), and flaxseed mucilage and calcium diet (92.9±0.9%) compared with control diet (96.9±0.2%, P<0.0001) with fat digestibility in flaxseed mucilage and calcium diet being significantly lower than the diet supplemented with only flaxseed mucilage. Dry matter and energy digestibility was not significantly affected by diet. Fecal wet weight, dry weight and dry matter percentage was not affected by diet despite a higher fecal score for test diets (3.7±0.3) compared with control (2.8±0.2, P<0.007). In dogs, flaxseed mucilage decreased fat apparent digestibility and this effect was enhanced when combined with calcium. Dry matter and energy apparent digestibility was not affected. Decreased fecal quality may limit the acceptable level of supplementation. Further studies on incorporating flaxseed mucilage in pet food products for weight management are needed.

Vertical Stratification Engineering for Organic Bulk-Heterojunction Devices.

PubMed

Huang, Liqiang; Wang, Gang; Zhou, Weihua; Fu, Boyi; Cheng, Xiaofang; Zhang, Lifu; Yuan, Zhibo; Xiong, Sixing; Zhang, Lin; Xie, Yuanpeng; Zhang, Andong; Zhang, Youdi; Ma, Wei; Li, Weiwei; Zhou, Yinhua; Reichmanis, Elsa; Chen, Yiwang

2018-05-22

High-efficiency organic solar cells (OSCs) can be produced through optimization of component molecular design, coupled with interfacial engineering and control of active layer morphology. However, vertical stratification of the bulk-heterojunction (BHJ), a spontaneous activity that occurs during the drying process, remains an intricate problem yet to be solved. Routes toward regulating the vertical separation profile and evaluating the effects on the final device should be explored to further enhance the performance of OSCs. Herein, we establish a connection between the material surface energy, absorption, and vertical stratification, which can then be linked to photovoltaic conversion characteristics. Through assessing the performance of temporary, artificial vertically stratified layers created by the sequential casting of the individual components to form a multilayered structure, optimal vertical stratification can be achieved. Adjusting the surface energy offset between the substrate results in donor and acceptor stabilization of that stratified layer. Further, a trade-off between the photocurrent generated in the visible region and the amount of donor or acceptor in close proximity to the electrode was observed. Modification of the substrate surface energy was achieved using self-assembled small molecules (SASM), which, in turn, directly impacted the polymer donor to acceptor ratio at the interface. Using three different donor polymers in conjunction with two alternative acceptors in an inverted organic solar cell architecture, the concentration of polymer donor molecules at the ITO (indium tin oxide)/BHJ interface could be increased relative to the acceptor. Appropriate selection of SASM facilitated a synchronized enhancement in external quantum efficiency and power conversion efficiencies over 10.5%.

Pooled HIV-1 viral load testing using dried blood spots to reduce the cost of monitoring antiretroviral treatment in a resource-limited setting.

PubMed

Pannus, Pieter; Fajardo, Emmanuel; Metcalf, Carol; Coulborn, Rebecca M; Durán, Laura T; Bygrave, Helen; Ellman, Tom; Garone, Daniela; Murowa, Michael; Mwenda, Reuben; Reid, Tony; Preiser, Wolfgang

2013-10-01

Rollout of routine HIV-1 viral load monitoring is hampered by high costs and logistical difficulties associated with sample collection and transport. New strategies are needed to overcome these constraints. Dried blood spots from finger pricks have been shown to be more practical than the use of plasma specimens, and pooling strategies using plasma specimens have been demonstrated to be an efficient method to reduce costs. This study found that combination of finger-prick dried blood spots and a pooling strategy is a feasible and efficient option to reduce costs, while maintaining accuracy in the context of a district hospital in Malawi.

Combined alkaline and ultrasonic pretreatment of sludge before aerobic digestion.

PubMed

Jin, Yiying; Li, Huan; Mahar, Rasool Bux; Wang, Zhiyu; Nie, Yongfeng

2009-01-01

Alkaline and ultrasonic sludge disintegration can be used as the pretreatment of waste activated sludge (WAS) to promote the subsequent anaerobic or aerobic digestion. In this study, different combinations of these two methods were investigated. The evaluation was based on the quantity of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) in the pretreated sludge as well as the degradation of organic matter in the subsequent aerobic digestion. For WAS samples with combined pretreatment, the released COD levels were higher than those with ultrasonic or alkaline pretreatment alone. When combined with the ultrasonic treatment, NaOH treatment was more efficient than Ca(OH)2 for WAS solubilization. The COD levels released in various sequential options of combined NaOH and ultrasonic treatments were in the the following descending order: simultaneous treatment > NaOH treatment followed by ultrasonic treatment > ultrasonic treatment followed by NaOH treatment. For simultaneous treatment, low NaOH dosage (100 g/kg dry solid), short duration (30 min) of NaOH treatment, and low ultrasonic specific energy (7500 kJ/kg dry solid) were suitable for sludge disintegration. Using combined NaOH and ultrasonic pretreatment with optimal parameters, the degradation efficiency of organic matter was increased from 38.0% to 50.7%, which is much higher than that with ultrasonic (42.5%) or with NaOH pretreatment (43.5%) in the subsequent aerobic digestion at the same retention time.

A dynamic model to predict fat and protein fluxes and dry matter intake associated with body reserve changes in cattle.

PubMed

Tedeschi, Luis O; Fox, Danny G; Kononoff, Paul J

2013-04-01

The objective of this paper was to develop the structure and concepts of a dynamic model to simulate dry matter intake (DMI) pattern and the fluxes of fat and protein in the body reserves of cattle associated with changes in body condition score (BCS) for application within the structure of applied nutrition models. This model was developed to add the capability of evaluating the effects of factors affecting pre- and postcalving DMI, daily energy and protein balances, and changes in BCS over a reproductive cycle. Input variables are average DMI, diet metabolizable energy, and animal information (body weight, BCS, milk production, and calf birth body weight) from each diet fed over the reproductive cycle. Because the depletion and repletion of body reserves in cattle is a complex system of coordinated metabolic processes that reflect hormonal and physiological changes caused by negative or positive energy balances, the system dynamics modeling methodology was used to develop this model. The model was used to evaluate the effect of the dynamic interactions between dietary supply and animal requirements for energy and protein on the fluxes of body fat and body protein of dairy cows over the reproductive cycle and Monte Carlo simulations were used to assess the sensitivity of the parameters. The main long-term factor affecting DMI pattern was the growth of the gravid uterus causing an increase in the volume of abdominal organs and a compression of the rumen, consequentially reducing feed intake. Changes in body reserves (fat and protein) were computed based on metabolizable energy balance, assuming different efficiency of utilization coefficients for fat and protein during repletion and mobilization. The model was evaluated with data from 37 dairy cows individually fed 3 different diets over the lactation and dry periods. The model was successful in simulating the observed pattern of DMI (mean square error was 3.59, 3.97, and 3.66 for diets A, B, and C, respectively), but it tended to underpredict DMI during late lactation [around 200 to 285 d in milk (DIM)] for all diets, suggesting changes in the model structure might be needed. The predicted BCS pattern had a trend similar to the observed values. Assuming that observed BCS represents actual body fat, the model tended to overpredict observed BCS during early lactation (0.125 BCS for 0 to 120 DIM) and underpredict it during late lactation (0.06 BCS for 180 to 270 DIM). A long-term simulation (5 lactations and 4 dry periods) with diet A indicated that the cows on this diet would have a net loss of body fat if all conditions were constant. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A facile approach for the fabrication of 3D flower-like Cu2S nanostructures on brass mesh with temperature-induced wetting transition for efficient oil-water separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Lei; Kang, Zhixin

2017-11-01

3D flower-like Cu2S nanostructures on brass meshes have been fabricated for the first time, with a reversible wetting transition and excellent durability. In the present work, we demonstrated a simple and environmentally-benign method to fabricate the nanostructures utilizing an electrolyte containing CuSO4·5H2O, EDTA-2Na and CH3CSNH2. The superhydrophobicity was achieved by drying thoroughly at 200 °C, instead of using low surface energy materials. After annealing at 300 °C for 6 min, the superhydrophobic surface was oxidized and became superhydrophilic. However, the superhydrophobicity can be restored by heating at 200 °C for several hours. In simpler terms, the reversible wetting transition is responded to the temperature. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to characterize the surfaces and analyze the wetting transition mechanism. Furthermore, different kinds of oily sewages were separated by as-prepared mesh with high separation efficiency. It is believed that this method should have a promising future in expanding the applications of copper alloys.

Life cycle analysis on fossil energy ratio of algal biodiesel: effects of nitrogen deficiency and oil extraction technology.

PubMed

Jian, Hou; Jing, Yang; Peidong, Zhang

2015-01-01

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been widely used to analyze various pathways of biofuel preparation from "cradle to grave." Effects of nitrogen supply for algae cultivation and technology of algal oil extraction on life cycle fossil energy ratio of biodiesel are assessed in this study. Life cycle fossil energy ratio of Chlorella vulgaris based biodiesel is improved by growing algae under nitrogen-limited conditions, while the life cycle fossil energy ratio of biodiesel production from Phaeodactylum tricornutum grown with nitrogen deprivation decreases. Compared to extraction of oil from dried algae, extraction of lipid from wet algae with subcritical cosolvents achieves a 43.83% improvement in fossil energy ratio of algal biodiesel when oilcake drying is not considered. The outcome for sensitivity analysis indicates that the algal oil conversion rate and energy content of algae are found to have the greatest effects on the LCA results of algal biodiesel production, followed by utilization ratio of algal residue, energy demand for algae drying, capacity of water mixing, and productivity of algae.

Life Cycle Analysis on Fossil Energy Ratio of Algal Biodiesel: Effects of Nitrogen Deficiency and Oil Extraction Technology

PubMed Central

Jian, Hou; Jing, Yang; Peidong, Zhang

2015-01-01

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has been widely used to analyze various pathways of biofuel preparation from “cradle to grave.” Effects of nitrogen supply for algae cultivation and technology of algal oil extraction on life cycle fossil energy ratio of biodiesel are assessed in this study. Life cycle fossil energy ratio of Chlorella vulgaris based biodiesel is improved by growing algae under nitrogen-limited conditions, while the life cycle fossil energy ratio of biodiesel production from Phaeodactylum tricornutum grown with nitrogen deprivation decreases. Compared to extraction of oil from dried algae, extraction of lipid from wet algae with subcritical cosolvents achieves a 43.83% improvement in fossil energy ratio of algal biodiesel when oilcake drying is not considered. The outcome for sensitivity analysis indicates that the algal oil conversion rate and energy content of algae are found to have the greatest effects on the LCA results of algal biodiesel production, followed by utilization ratio of algal residue, energy demand for algae drying, capacity of water mixing, and productivity of algae. PMID:26000338

Dry kiln operator's manual

Treesearch

William T. Simpson

1991-01-01

The modern dry kiln is a unique product of research, development, and experience. It is the only practical means now in wide use for rapid, high- volume drying of lumber to conditions necessary for maximum serviceability in housing, furniture, millwork, and many other wood products. As part of our charge to help further the efficient utilization of our nation’s timber...

Transient effects of drying creep in nanoporous solids: understanding the effects of nanoscale energy barriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinko, Robert; Vandamme, Matthieu; Bažant, Zdeněk P.; Keten, Sinan

2016-07-01

The Pickett effect is the phenomenon of creep enhancement during transient drying. It has been observed for many nanoporous solids, including concrete, wood and Kevlar. While the existing micromechanical models can partially explain this effect, they have yet to consider nanoscale dynamic effects of water in nanopores, which are believed to be of paramount importance. Here, we examine how creep deformations in a slit pore are accelerated by the motion of water due to drying forces using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the drying that drives water flow in the nanopores lowers both the activation energy of pore walls sliding past one another and the apparent viscosity of confined water molecules. This lowering can be captured with an analytical Arrhenius relationship accounting for the role of water flow in overcoming the energy barriers. Notably, we use this model and simulation results to demonstrate that the drying creep strain is not linearly dependent on the applied creep stress at the nanopore level. Our findings establish the scaling relationships that explain how the creep driving force, drying force and fluid properties are related. Thus, we establish the nanoscale origins of the Pickett effect and provide strategies for minimizing the additional displacements arising from this effect.

Transient effects of drying creep in nanoporous solids: understanding the effects of nanoscale energy barriers

PubMed Central

Sinko, Robert; Vandamme, Matthieu; Keten, Sinan

2016-01-01

The Pickett effect is the phenomenon of creep enhancement during transient drying. It has been observed for many nanoporous solids, including concrete, wood and Kevlar. While the existing micromechanical models can partially explain this effect, they have yet to consider nanoscale dynamic effects of water in nanopores, which are believed to be of paramount importance. Here, we examine how creep deformations in a slit pore are accelerated by the motion of water due to drying forces using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the drying that drives water flow in the nanopores lowers both the activation energy of pore walls sliding past one another and the apparent viscosity of confined water molecules. This lowering can be captured with an analytical Arrhenius relationship accounting for the role of water flow in overcoming the energy barriers. Notably, we use this model and simulation results to demonstrate that the drying creep strain is not linearly dependent on the applied creep stress at the nanopore level. Our findings establish the scaling relationships that explain how the creep driving force, drying force and fluid properties are related. Thus, we establish the nanoscale origins of the Pickett effect and provide strategies for minimizing the additional displacements arising from this effect. PMID:27493584

Transient effects of drying creep in nanoporous solids: understanding the effects of nanoscale energy barriers.

PubMed

Sinko, Robert; Vandamme, Matthieu; Bažant, Zdeněk P; Keten, Sinan

2016-07-01

The Pickett effect is the phenomenon of creep enhancement during transient drying. It has been observed for many nanoporous solids, including concrete, wood and Kevlar. While the existing micromechanical models can partially explain this effect, they have yet to consider nanoscale dynamic effects of water in nanopores, which are believed to be of paramount importance. Here, we examine how creep deformations in a slit pore are accelerated by the motion of water due to drying forces using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the drying that drives water flow in the nanopores lowers both the activation energy of pore walls sliding past one another and the apparent viscosity of confined water molecules. This lowering can be captured with an analytical Arrhenius relationship accounting for the role of water flow in overcoming the energy barriers. Notably, we use this model and simulation results to demonstrate that the drying creep strain is not linearly dependent on the applied creep stress at the nanopore level. Our findings establish the scaling relationships that explain how the creep driving force, drying force and fluid properties are related. Thus, we establish the nanoscale origins of the Pickett effect and provide strategies for minimizing the additional displacements arising from this effect.

40 CFR Table 7 to Subpart Dddd of... - Model Rule-Emission Limitations That Apply to Energy Recovery Units After May 20, 2011

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... volume Biomass—490 parts per million dry volumeCoal—59 parts per million dry volume 3-run average (1 hour... with a concentration of 1000 ppm or less for biomass-fed boilers. Dioxins/furans (total mass basis) 2.9... million dry volume Biomass—290 parts per million dry volumeCoal—340 parts per million dry volume 3-run...

Improvement of dry matter digestibility of water hyacinth by solid state fermentation using white rot fungi.

PubMed

Mukherjee, R; Ghosh, M; Nandi, B

2004-08-01

Feeding value of water hyacinth biomass colonized by three species of white rot fungi during solid-state fermentation was investigated. All three organisms proved to be efficient degraders and enhanced dry matter digestibility. Loss of organic matter was maximum (23.6+/-0.1% dry wt) after 48 days by P. ostreatus. C. indica showed maximum cellulose degradation (18.5+/-0.1% dry wt) than other two fungi after 48 days of incubation. In all cases, an extensive removal of hemicellulose at the initial growth period and a delayed degradation of lignin were observed. Hemicellulolysis was maximum (46.3+/-0.1% dry wt) by C. indica, but delignification (14.2+/-0.2% dry wt) by P. sajor-caju after 48 days. The amount of reducing sugar in the degraded biomass decreased at early stages, but increased as degradation progressed in all three cases (maximum 1.1+/-0.05% dry wt after 48 days by C. indica). Soluble nitrogen content increased only during 16-32 days of incubation (highest 1.1+/-0.1% dry wt after 32 days by P. sajor-caju). Crude protein of the bioconverted biomass increased gradually up to 32 days but decreased thereafter (maximum 10.3+/-0.1% dry wt after 32 days by P. sajor - caju). Per cent change in in vitro dry matter digestibility of degraded substrates enhanced gradually after 8 days and reached maximum after 32 days but thereafter decreased (highest + 20.4+/-0.3% dry wt by P. sajor-caju). The results demonstrated the efficient degrading capacity of the test fungi and their potential use in conversion of water hyacinth biomass into mycoprotein-rich ruminant feed, more so by P. sajor-caju.

Nanoporous mannitol carrier prepared by non-organic solvent spray drying technique to enhance the aerosolization performance for dry powder inhalation

PubMed Central

Peng, Tingting; Zhang, Xuejuan; Huang, Ying; Zhao, Ziyu; Liao, Qiuying; Xu, Jing; Huang, Zhengwei; Zhang, Jiwen; Wu, Chuan-yu; Pan, Xin; Wu, Chuanbin

2017-01-01

An optimum carrier rugosity is essential to achieve a satisfying drug deposition efficiency for the carrier based dry powder inhalation (DPI). Therefore, a non-organic spray drying technique was firstly used to prepare nanoporous mannitol with small asperities to enhance the DPI aerosolization performance. Ammonium carbonate was used as a pore-forming agent since it decomposed with volatile during preparation. It was found that only the porous structure, and hence the specific surface area and carrier density were changed at different ammonium carbonate concentration. Furthermore, the carrier density was used as an indication of porosity to correlate with drug aerosolization. A good correlation between the carrier density and fine particle fraction (FPF) (r2 = 0.9579) was established, suggesting that the deposition efficiency increased with the decreased carrier density. Nanoporous mannitol with a mean pore size of about 6 nm exhibited 0.24-fold carrier density while 2.16-fold FPF value of the non-porous mannitol. The enhanced deposition efficiency was further confirmed from the pharmacokinetic studies since the nanoporous mannitol exhibited a significantly higher AUC0-8h value than the non-porous mannitol and commercial product Pulmicort. Therefore, surface modification by preparing nanoporous carrier through non-organic spray drying showed to be a facile approach to enhance the DPI aerosolization performance. PMID:28462948

Effect of filter media thickness on the performance of sand drying beds used for faecal sludge management.

PubMed

Manga, M; Evans, B E; Camargo-Valero, M A; Horan, N J

2016-12-01

The effect of sand filter media thickness on the performance of faecal sludge (FS) drying beds was determined in terms of: dewatering time, contaminant load removal efficiency, solids generation rate, nutrient content and helminth eggs viability in the dried sludge. A mixture of ventilated improved pit latrine sludge and septage in the ratio 1:2 was dewatered using three pilot-scale sludge drying beds with sand media thicknesses of 150, 250 and 350 mm. Five dewatering cycles were conducted and monitored for each drying bed. Although the 150 mm filter had the shortest average dewatering time of 3.65 days followed by 250 mm and 350 mm filters with 3.83 and 4.02 days, respectively, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) attributable to filter media thickness configurations. However, there was a significant difference for the percolate contaminant loads in the removal and recovery efficiency of suspended solids, total solids, total volatile solids, nitrogen species, total phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand, with the highest removal efficiency for each parameter achieved by the 350 mm filter. There were also significant differences in the nutrient content (NPK) and helminth eggs viability of the solids generated by the tested filters. Filtering media configurations similar to 350 mm have the greatest potential for optimising nutrient recovery from FS.

Prepartum and postpartum nutritional management to optimize fertility in high-yielding dairy cows in confined TMR systems.

PubMed

Drackley, J K; Cardoso, F C

2014-05-01

The 6 to 8-week period centered on parturition, known as the transition or periparturient period, is critical to welfare and profitability of individual cows. Fertility of high-producing cows is compromised by difficult transitions. Deficiencies in either nutritional or non-nutritional management increase risk for periparturient metabolic disorders and infectious diseases, which decrease subsequent fertility. A primary factor impeding fertility is the extent of negative energy balance (NEB) early postpartum, which may inhibit timing of first ovulation, return to cyclicity, and oocyte quality. In particular, pronounced NEB during the first 10 days to 2 weeks (the time of greatest occurrence of health problems) is critical for later reproductive efficiency. Avoiding over-conditioning and preventing cows from over-consuming energy relative to their requirements in late gestation result in higher dry matter intake (DMI) and less NEB after calving. A pooled statistical analysis of previous studies in our group showed that days to pregnancy are decreased (by 10 days) by controlling energy intake to near requirements of cows before calving compared with allowing cows to over-consume energy. To control energy intake, total mixed rations (TMR) must be well balanced for metabolizable protein, minerals and vitamins yet limit total DM consumed, and cows must uniformly consume the TMR without sorting. Dietary management to maintain blood calcium and rumen health around and after calving also are important. Opportunities may exist to further improve energy status in fresh cows. Recent research to manipulate the glucogenic to lipogenic balance and the essential fatty acid content of tissues are intriguing. High-producing cows that adapt successfully to lactation can have high reproductive efficiency, and nutritional management of the transition period both pre- and post-calving must facilitate that adaptation.

Effects of enzyme supplementation on the nutrient, amino acid, and energy utilization efficiency of citrus pulp and hawthorn pulp in Linwu ducks.

PubMed

Zhang, Xu; Li, Haobang; Jiang, Guitao; Wang, Xiangrong; Huang, Xuan; Li, Chuang; Wu, Duanqin; Dai, Qiuzhong

2018-04-11

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of enzyme supplementation on the nutrient, amino acid, and energy utilization efficiency of citrus pulp and hawthorn pulp as unusual feedstuffs in Linwu ducks. Forty ducks were assigned to each treatment group and fed diets with or without complex enzyme supplementation. All birds received the same quantity of raw material (60 g) via the force-feeding procedure. With the exception of leucine and phenylalanine, amino acid concentrations in hawthorn pulp were twice those in citrus pulp. Enzyme supplementation significantly increased apparent dry matter digestibility (ADM) of citrus pulp (P < 0.05), but had no significant effects (P > 0.05) on the apparent and true utilization rates of other nutrients, apparent metabolizable energy (AME), or true metabolizable energy (TME), from citrus pulp and hawthorn pulp by Linwu ducks. However, enzyme supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) apparent gross energy, true gross energy, AME, and TME of hawthorn pulp for Linwu ducks. There were no differences in the apparent and true utilization rates of amino acids from citrus pulp (P > 0.56) between the groups, with the exception of arginine (P < 0.05). There was an increasing trend in the apparent and true utilization rates of alanine (P = 0.06) and tyrosine (P = 0.074) from citrus pulp with enzyme supplementation. The apparent and true utilization rates of threonine in hawthorn pulp were increased significantly (P < 0.05) following enzyme supplementation. The addition of exogenous enzymes improved the forage quality of citrus pulp and hawthorn pulp, which represent potential feed resources for husbandry production.

Carbonized mix kerosene and water with cavitation method as an alternative energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casnan, Irzaman

2017-03-01

The world's population continuously grows at a quarter million people per day. This fast-growing population had raised the world energy consumption up to 474 × 1018 J per year with 80 to 90 percent derived from the combustion of fossil fuels. It is estimated that the fossil energy will be lasted in 42 years. Rice husk is an alternative of non-fossil energy that may be utilized in traditional way of cooking (burning it in a traditional stove). However, burning the husk produces some carbon gasses that may pollute the air. In order to reduce the gas pollution, the gas may be mixed with kerosene and water using sonochemical technique to produce dry steam. This steam is a good fuel for a traditional stove. It is confirmed that 1 liter of water can be boiled in 11 minutes when the temperature of the water is 95°C while the stove is 264°C. the sonochemical technique had successfully increased the efficiency of the energy consumption of the stove up to 17%. The carbonized fuel is also not expensive since its cost is only around 6 C (IDR 570) for boiling 1 liter of water.

Dehydration of seabird prey during transport to the colony: Effects on wet weight energy densities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Montevecchi, W.A.; Piatt, John F.

1987-01-01

We present evidence to indicate that dehydration of prey transported by seabirds from capture sites at sea to chicks at colonies inflates estimates of wet weight energy densities. These findings and a comparison of wet and dry weight energy densities reported in the literature emphasize the importance of (i) accurate measurement of the fresh weight and water content of prey, (ii) use of dry weight energy densities in comparisons among species, seasons, and regions, and (iii) cautious interpretation and extrapolation of existing data sets.

Hydrovolcanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheridan, M. F.; Wohletz, K. H.

1985-01-01

Hydrovolcanism is a common phenomena produced by the interaction of magma or magmatic heat with an external source of water, such as a surface body, an aquifer, or a glacier. The effects include hydrofracture of existing rock units in the subsurface and the formation of hyaloclastites in a subaqueous environment. Hydroexplosions originate within a few kilometers of the surface. They may be relatively small, phreatic events or devastating complex blasts. Large-scale experiments determined that the optimal mixing ratio of water to basaltic melt (thermite plus silicates) for efficient conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy is in the range of 0.1 to 0.3. Based on experimental results, eruptions can be classified as dominantly magmatic if the ratio of external water to magma is less than 0.2. Eruptions with water/melt ratios in the range of 0.2 to 1.0 are highly explosive and carry tephra in a hot vapor that contains dominantly superheated (dry) steam.

Flue gas desulfurization method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Madden, Deborah A.; Farthing, George A.

1998-08-18

A combined furnace limestone injection and dry scrubber flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system collects solids from the flue gas stream in first particulate collection device located downstream of an outlet of a convection pass of the furnace and upstream of the dry scrubber. The collected solids are diverted to the dry scrubber feed slurry preparation system to increase sulfur oxide species removal efficiency and sorbent utilization. The level of lime in the feed slurry provided to the dry scrubber is thus increased, which enhances removal of sulfur oxide species in the dry scrubber. The decreased particulate loading to the dry scrubber helps maintain a desired degree of free moisture in the flue gas stream entering the dry scrubber, which enhances sulfur oxide species removal both in the dry scrubber and downstream particulate collector, normally a baghouse.

Flue gas desulfurization method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Madden, Deborah A.; Farthing, George A.

1998-09-29

A combined furnace limestone injection and dry scrubber flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system collects solids from the flue gas stream in first particulate collection device located downstream of an outlet of a convection pass of the furnace and upstream of the dry scrubber. The collected solids are diverted to the dry scrubber feed slurry preparation system to increase sulfur oxide species removal efficiency and sorbent utilization. The level of lime in the feed slurry provided to the dry scrubber is thus increased, which enhances removal of sulfur oxide species in the dry scrubber. The decreased particulate loading to the dry scrubber helps maintain a desired degree of free moisture in the flue gas stream entering the dry scrubber, which enhances sulfur oxide species removal both in the dry scrubber and downstream particulate collector, normally a baghouse.

Effect of decompression drying treatment on physical properties of solid foods.

PubMed

Morikawa, Takuya; Takada, Norihisa; Miura, Makoto

2017-04-01

This study used a decompression drying instrument to investigate the effects of a drying treatment on the physical properties of solid foods. Commercial tofu was used as a model food and was treated at different temperature and pressure conditions in a drying chamber. Overall, high temperatures resulted in better drying. Additionally, pressure in the chamber influenced the drying conditions of samples. Differences in physical properties, such as food texture, shrinkage, and color were observed among some samples, even with similar moisture content. This was caused by differences in moisture distribution in the food, which seems to have manifested as a thin, dried film on the surfaces of samples. It caused inefficient drying and changes in physical properties. Control of the drying conditions (i.e. pressure and heat supply) has relations with not only physical properties, but also the drying efficiency of solid foods.

Study of a dry room in a battery manufacturing plant using a process model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Shabbir; Nelson, Paul A.; Dees, Dennis W.

2016-09-01

The manufacture of lithium ion batteries requires some processing steps to be carried out in a dry room, where the moisture content should remain below 100 parts per million. The design and operation of such a dry room adds to the cost of the battery. This paper studied the humidity management of the air to and from the dry room to understand the impact of design and operating parameters on the energy demand and the cost contribution towards the battery manufacturing cost. The study was conducted with the help of a process model for a dry room with a volume of 16,000 cubic meters. For a defined base case scenario it was found that the dry room operation has an energy demand of approximately 400 kW. The paper explores some tradeoffs in design and operating parameters by looking at the humidity reduction by quenching the make-up air vs. at the desiccant wheel, and the impact of the heat recovery from the desiccant regeneration cycle.

Organic Scintillator Detector Response Simulations with DRiFT

DOE PAGES

Andrews, Madison Theresa; Bates, Cameron Russell; Mckigney, Edward Allen; ...

2016-06-11

Here, this work presents the organic scintillation simulation capabilities of DRiFT, a post-processing Detector Response Function Toolkit for MCNPR output. DRiFT is used to create realistic scintillation detector response functions to incident neutron and gamma mixed- field radiation. As a post-processing tool, DRiFT leverages the extensively validated radiation transport capabilities of MCNPR ®6, which also provides the ability to simulate complex sources and geometries. DRiFT is designed to be flexible, it allows the user to specify scintillator material, PMT type, applied PMT voltage, and quenching data used in simulations. The toolkit's capabilities, which include the generation of pulse shape discriminationmore » plots and full-energy detector spectra, are demonstrated in a comparison of measured and simulated neutron contributions from 252Cf and PuBe, and photon spectra from 22Na and 228Th sources. DRiFT reproduced energy resolution effects observed in EJ-301 measurements through the inclusion of scintillation yield variances, photon transport noise, and PMT photocathode and multiplication noise.« less

Organic scintillator detector response simulations with DRiFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrews, M. T.; Bates, C. R.; McKigney, E. A.; Solomon, C. J.; Sood, A.

2016-09-01

This work presents the organic scintillation simulation capabilities of DRiFT, a post-processing Detector Response Function Toolkit for MCNP® output. DRiFT is used to create realistic scintillation detector response functions to incident neutron and gamma mixed-field radiation. As a post-processing tool, DRiFT leverages the extensively validated radiation transport capabilities of MCNP® 6 , which also provides the ability to simulate complex sources and geometries. DRiFT is designed to be flexible, it allows the user to specify scintillator material, PMT type, applied PMT voltage, and quenching data used in simulations. The toolkit's capabilities, which include the generation of pulse shape discrimination plots and full-energy detector spectra, are demonstrated in a comparison of measured and simulated neutron contributions from 252Cf and PuBe, and photon spectra from 22Na and 228Th sources. DRiFT reproduced energy resolution effects observed in EJ-301 measurements through the inclusion of scintillation yield variances, photon transport noise, and PMT photocathode and multiplication noise.

Stem hydraulic traits and leaf water-stress tolerance are co-ordinated with the leaf phenology of angiosperm trees in an Asian tropical dry karst forest

PubMed Central

Fu, Pei-Li; Jiang, Yan-Juan; Wang, Ai-Ying; Brodribb, Tim J.; Zhang, Jiao-Lin; Zhu, Shi-Dan; Cao, Kun-Fang

2012-01-01

Background and Aims The co-occurring of evergreen and deciduous angiosperm trees in Asian tropical dry forests on karst substrates suggests the existence of different water-use strategies among species. In this study it is hypothesized that the co-occurring evergreen and deciduous trees differ in stem hydraulic traits and leaf water relationships, and there will be correlated evolution in drought tolerance between leaves and stems. Methods A comparison was made of stem hydraulic conductivity, vulnerability curves, wood anatomy, leaf life span, leaf pressure–volume characteristics and photosynthetic capacity of six evergreen and six deciduous tree species co-occurring in a tropical dry karst forest in south-west China. The correlated evolution of leaf and stem traits was examined using both traditional and phylogenetic independent contrasts correlations. Key Results It was found that the deciduous trees had higher stem hydraulic efficiency, greater hydraulically weighted vessel diameter (Dh) and higher mass-based photosynthetic rate (Am); while the evergreen species had greater xylem-cavitation resistance, lower leaf turgor-loss point water potential (π0) and higher bulk modulus of elasticity. There were evolutionary correlations between leaf life span and stem hydraulic efficiency, Am, and dry season π0. Xylem-cavitation resistance was evolutionarily correlated with stem hydraulic efficiency, Dh, as well as dry season π0. Both wood density and leaf density were closely correlated with leaf water-stress tolerance and Am. Conclusions The results reveal the clear distinctions in stem hydraulic traits and leaf water-stress tolerance between the co-occurring evergreen and deciduous angiosperm trees in an Asian dry karst forest. A novel pattern was demonstrated linking leaf longevity with stem hydraulic efficiency and leaf water-stress tolerance. The results show the correlated evolution in drought tolerance between stems and leaves. PMID:22585930

Modular solar food dryers for farm use

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wagner, C.J. Jr.; Coleman, R.L.; Berry, R.E.

1981-01-01

Several solar food dryer modules have been constructed. Their design has been based on a low-cost, small-scale solar dryer using a unique parabolic reflector construction to increase radiation on the drying surface. Each module has a drying surface of 1.1 M/sup 2/ and a parabolic reflector area of 3.3 M/sup 2/. Some modules are being used to dry mango slices (a potential new food product) for market testing, while others are used for experiments to improve drying efficiency. A description is given of the operating conditions of the modules drying mango slices and the most effective modifications.

The furnace in the basement: Part 1, The early days of the Hot Dry Rock Geothermal Energy Program, 1970--1973

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, M.C.

1995-09-01

This report presents the descriptions of the background information and formation of the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Geothermal Energy Group. It discusses the organizational, financial, political, public-relations,geologic, hydrologic, physical, and mechanical problems encountered by the group during the period 1970--1973. It reports the failures as well as the successes of this essential first stage in the development of hot dry rock geothermal energy systems.

Development of a dry actuation conducting polymer actuator for micro-optical zoom lenses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Baek-Chul; Kim, Hyunseok; Nguyen, H. C.; Cho, M. S.; Lee, Y.; Nam, Jae-Do; Choi, Hyouk Ryeol; Koo, J. C.; Jeong, H.-S.

2008-03-01

The objective of the present work is to demonstrate the efficiency and feasibility of NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) based conducting polymer actuator that is fabricated into a micro zoon lens driver. Unlike the traditional conducting polymer that normally operates in a liquid, the proposed actuator successfully provides fairly effective driving performance for the zoom lens system in a dry environment. And this paper is including the experiment results for an efficiency improvement. The result suggested by an experiment was efficient in micro optical zoom lens system. In addition, the developed design method of actuator was given consideration to design the system.

Inhibition of the de novo synthesis of PCDD/Fs on model fly ash by sludge drying gases.

PubMed

Chen, Tong; Zhan, Ming-Xiu; Lin, Xiao-Qing; Li, Xiao-Dong; Lu, Sheng-Yong; Yan, Jian-Hua; Buekens, Alfons; Cen, Ke-Fa

2014-11-01

Sludge drying gases (SDG), evolving from drying and mild thermal decomposition (<300°C) of raw sewage sludge contain NH3 and SO2 as well as other N- and S-compounds. All of these are potential PCDD/Fs suppressants. It is indeed observed that these SDG suppress 2,3,7,8-substitued PCDD/Fs formation on Model Fly Ash (MFA) with an efficiency up to 97.6% in wt. units and 96% in I-TEQ, respectively. This suppression is strong for (the bulk of) PCDD/Fs, adsorbed on the model fly ash; conversely, sludge drying gases enhance PCDD/Fs desorption from MFA. Moreover, TCDD/Fs are suppressed least, possibly following stepwise dechlorination of higher chlorinated PCDD/Fs. Characteristics, such as the type, origins and amount of sludge, its moisture-, nitrogen- and sulfur content and the nature of the thermal treatment applied are all expected to influence upon the suppression capabilities. In this study three types of dry sludge are tested and applied as suppressant in four different amounts or modes. The quality of the sludge drying gases is continuously monitored: the Gasmet results reveal that NH3 and SO2 are the most important components of SDG. The MFA reaction residue is scrutinized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) analysis. A large number of particles attaching to the surface of model fly ash are observed by SEM. Moreover, EDS analysis reveals that part of the chlorine in MFA is carried away with the SDG and replaced by sulfur, so that eliminating chlorine may be part of the inhibition mechanism. However, further research is still needed to establish the optimum operating modes and to confirm the role of both inorganic and organic nitrogen and sulfur compounds in the suppression of PCDD/Fs formation on model fly ash. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dry co-digestion of sewage sludge and rice straw under mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic conditions.

PubMed

Chu, Xiangqian; Wu, Guangxue; Wang, Jiaquan; Hu, Zhen-Hu

2015-12-01

Dry anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge can recover biogas as energy; however, its low C/N ratio limits it as a single substrate in the anaerobic digestion. Rice straw is an abundant agricultural residue in China, which is rich in carbon and can be used as carbon source. In the present study, the performance of dry co-digestion of sewage sludge and rice straw was investigated under mesophilic (35 °C) and thermophilic (55 °C) conditions. The operational factors impacting dry co-digestion of sewage sludge and rice straw such as C/N ratio, moisture content, and initial pH were explored under mesophilic conditions. The results show that low C/N ratios resulted in a higher biogas production rate, but a lower specific biogas yield; low moisture content of 65 % resulted in the instability of the digestion system and a low specific biogas yield. Initial pH ranging 7.0-9.0 did not affect the performance of the anaerobic digestion. The C/N ratio of 26-29:1, moisture content of 70-80 %, and pH 7.0-9.0 resulted in good performance in the dry mesophilic co-digestion of sewage sludge and rice straw. As compared with mesophilic digestion, thermophilic co-digestion of sewage sludge and rice straw significantly enhanced the degradation efficiency of the substrates and the specific biogas yield (p < 0.05) at the conditions of C/N ratio 26:1, moisture content 80 %, and natural initial pH. Although high concentrations of ammonia-nitrogen (NH4-N, 1500 mg/kg wet weight) were formed during thermophilic digestion, there was no obvious inhibition occurred. The results indicated that rice straw can be used as carbon source for the dry co-digestion of sewage sludge under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

Influence of the preparation method on the physicochemical properties of indomethacin and methyl-β-cyclodextrin complexes.

PubMed

Rudrangi, Shashi Ravi Suman; Bhomia, Ruchir; Trivedi, Vivek; Vine, George J; Mitchell, John C; Alexander, Bruce David; Wicks, Stephen Richard

2015-02-20

The main objective of this study was to investigate different manufacturing processes claimed to promote inclusion complexation between indomethacin and cyclodextrins in order to enhance the apparent solubility and dissolution properties of indomethacin. Especially, the effectiveness of supercritical carbon dioxide processing for preparing solid drug-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes was investigated and compared to other preparation methods. The complexes were prepared by physical mixing, co-evaporation, freeze drying from aqueous solution, spray drying and supercritical carbon dioxide processing methods. The prepared complexes were then evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction, solubility and dissolution studies. The method of preparation of the inclusion complexes was shown to influence the physicochemical properties of the formed complexes. Indomethacin exists in a highly crystalline solid form. Physical mixing of indomethacin and methyl-β-cyclodextrin appeared not to reduce the degree of crystallinity of the drug. The co-evaporated and freeze dried complexes had a lower degree of crystallinity than the physical mix; however the lowest degree of crystallinity was achieved in complexes prepared by spray drying and supercritical carbon dioxide processing methods. All systems based on methyl-β-cyclodextrin exhibited better dissolution properties than the drug alone. The greatest improvement in drug dissolution properties was obtained from complexes prepared using supercritical carbon dioxide processing, thereafter by spray drying, freeze drying, co-evaporation and finally by physical mixing. Supercritical carbon dioxide processing is well known as an energy efficient alternative to other pharmaceutical processes and may have application for the preparation of solid-state drug-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. It is an effective and economic method that allows the formation of solid complexes with a high yield, without the use of organic solvents and problems associated with their residues. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isoquinoline alkaloids supplementation on performance and carcass traits of feedlot bulls.

PubMed

Michels, Alex; Neumann, Mikael; Leão, Guilherme Fernando Mattos; Reck, Angela Maria; Bertagnon, Heloisa Godoi; Lopes, Leandro Sâmia; Souza, André Martins; Santos, Leslei Caroline Dos; Stadler Júnior, Edelmir Silvio

2018-03-02

Isoquinoline Alkaloids, derived from one plant (Macleaya cordata) can be an alternative when it is desired to increase performance in feedlot cattle. However, results on these nutritional additives in high energy diets in ruminants are still incipient in literature. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate performance and carcass traits of feedlot bulls supplemented with sanguinarine, the main alkaloid presents in Macleaya cordata in high energy density diets. Thirty-two crossbred Angus-Nelore bulls with mean initial body weight of 365 ± 10 kg and mean initial age of 11 ± 3 months were used. The experiment lasted 119 days, with 14 days of adaptation and 105 experimental days. Experimental diet consisted of 85% whole corn grains and 15% protein-vitamin-mineral nucleus, and supplied ad libitum. Treatments consisted of a control diet (CON) and a diet with sanguinarine supplementation (SAN) at a dosage of 4g of product sufficient to provide 6 mg of sanguinarine/ day. Experimental design was completely randomized. Dry matter intake, average daily gain and feed conversion were similar (p> 0.05) between treatments. However, SAN group animals had higher carcass yield (p = 0.045) and were more efficient in the transformation of dry matter consumed in carcass gain (p = 0.046) than CON. In addition, haptoglobin, increased throughout feedlot duration meaning high challenge for the animals due to the diet, but this behavior was similar (p> 0.05) between treatments. Sanguinarine produced positive results in relation to carcass yield, and could be used as an additive for bulls fed diets receiving high energy density diet.

Impact of dietary plane of energy during the dry period on lipoprotein parameters in the transition period in dairy cattle.

PubMed

Newman, A; Mann, S; Nydam, D V; Overton, T R; Behling-Kelly, E

2016-02-01

The high energy demands of dairy cows during the transition period from late gestation into early lactation can place them at an increased risk for the development of metabolic and infectious diseases. Modification of the dry period diet has been investigated as a preventive means to minimize the detrimental aspects of metabolic shifts during the transition period. Studies investigating the impact of dry period diet on lipid parameters during the transition period have largely focused on markers of lipolysis and ketogenesis. Total cholesterol declines during the periparturient period and increases in early lactation. The impact total energy in the dry period diet has on the ability of the cow to maintain total serum cholesterol, as well as its natural high-density lipoprotein-rich status, during this metabolically challenging window is not clear. The impact of lipoproteins on inflammation and immune function may have a clinical impact on the cow's ability to ward off production-related diseases. In this study, we hypothesized that the provision of adequate, but not excessive, total metabolizable energy, would better allow the cow to maintain total cholesterol and a higher relative proportion of HDL throughout the transition period. Cows were allocated to one of three dry period dietary treatment groups following a randomized block design. Total serum triglycerides, cholesterol and lipoprotein fractions were measured on a weekly basis from approximately 7 weeks pre-calving to 6 weeks post-calving. The cows on the high energy diet maintained total serum cholesterol as compared to the cows provided a lower energy diet, but there was no significant increase in the LDL fraction of lipoproteins between diet treatment groups. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Drying based on temperature-detection-assisted control in microwave-assisted pulse-spouted vacuum drying.

PubMed

Cao, Xiaohuang; Zhang, Min; Qian, He; Mujumdar, Arun S

2017-06-01

An online temperature-detection-assisted control system of microwave-assisted pulse-spouted vacuum drying was newly developed. By using this system, temperature control can be automatically and continuously adjusted based on the detection of drying temperature and preset temperature. Various strategies for constant temperature control, linear temperature control and three-step temperature control were applied to drying carrot cubes. Drying kinetics and the quality of various temperature-controlled strategies online are evaluated for the new drying technology as well as its suitability as an alternative drying method. Drying time in 70 °C mode 1 had the shortest drying time and lowest energy consumption in all modes. A suitable colour, highest re-hydration ratio and fracture-hardness, and longest drying time occurred in 30-40-50 °C mode 3. The number of hot spots was reduced in 40-50-60 °C mode 3. Acceptable carrot snacks were obtained in 50-60-70 °C mode 3 and 70 °C mode 2. All temperature curves showed that the actual temperatures followed the preset temperatures appropriately. With this system, a linear temperature-controlled strategy and a three-step temperature-controlled strategy can improve product quality and heating non-uniformity compared to constant temperature control, but need greater energy consumption and longer drying time. A temperature-detection-assisted control system was developed for providing various drying strategies as a suitable alternative in making a snack product. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhanced quantum yield of photoluminescent porous silicon prepared by supercritical drying

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joo, Jinmyoung; Biomedical Engineering Research Center, Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505; Defforge, Thomas

2016-04-11

The effect of supercritical drying (SCD) on the preparation of porous silicon (pSi) powders has been investigated in terms of photoluminescence (PL) efficiency. Since the pSi contains closely spaced and possibly interconnected Si nanocrystals (<5 nm), pore collapse and morphological changes within the nanocrystalline structure after common drying processes can affect PL efficiency. We report the highly beneficial effects of using SCD for preparation of photoluminescent pSi powders. Significantly higher surface areas and pore volumes have been realized by utilizing SCD (with CO{sub 2} solvent) instead of air-drying. Correspondingly, the pSi powders better retain the porous structure and the nano-sized siliconmore » grains, thus minimizing the formation of non-radiative defects during liquid evaporation (air drying). The SCD process also minimizes capillary-stress induced contact of neighboring nanocrystals, resulting in lower exciton migration levels within the network. A significant enhancement of the PL quantum yield (>32% at room temperature) has been achieved, prompting the need for further detailed studies to establish the dominant causes of such an improvement.« less

Influence of warm air-drying on enamel bond strength and surface free-energy of self-etch adhesives.

PubMed

Shiratsuchi, Koji; Tsujimoto, Akimasa; Takamizawa, Toshiki; Furuichi, Tetsuya; Tsubota, Keishi; Kurokawa, Hiroyasu; Miyazaki, Masashi

2013-08-01

We examined the effect of warm air-drying on the enamel bond strengths and the surface free-energy of three single-step self-etch adhesives. Bovine mandibular incisors were mounted in self-curing resin and then wet ground with #600 silicon carbide (SiC) paper. The adhesives were applied according to the instructions of the respective manufacturers and then dried in a stream of normal (23°C) or warm (37°C) air for 5, 10, and 20 s. After visible-light irradiation of the adhesives, resin composites were condensed into a mold and polymerized. Ten samples per test group were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 h and then the bond strengths were measured. The surface free-energies were determined by measuring the contact angles of three test liquids placed on the cured adhesives. The enamel bond strengths varied according to the air-drying time and ranged from 15.8 to 19.1 MPa. The trends for the bond strengths were different among the materials. The value of the γS⁺ component increased slightly when drying was performed with a stream of warm air, whereas that of the γS⁻ component decreased significantly. These data suggest that warm air-drying is essential to obtain adequate enamel bond strengths, although increasing the drying time did not significantly influence the bond strength. © 2013 Eur J Oral Sci.

Solar powered dehumidifier apparatus

DOEpatents

Jebens, Robert W.

1980-12-30

A thermally insulated light transmitting housing forms a chamber containing a desiccant and having a first gas port open to the ambient and a second gas port connected by a two way valve to a volume to be dried. Solar energy transmitted through the housing heats and dries the desiccant. The increased air pressure due to the heating of the volume to be dried causes the air from the volume to be expelled through the valve into the chamber. The desiccant is then cooled by shielding it from solar energy before the volume cools thereby increasing its moisture absorbing capacity. Then the volume is allowed to cool drawing dehumidified air through the desiccant and the valve into the volume to be dried. This cycle is then repeated.

Cotton gin drying systems–patterns in fuel energy use

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fuel cost increases and consumption variability threaten gin profitability. Twenty-three U.S. cotton gins were audited to elucidate drying system components, layouts and process control strategies that made better use of fuel. Seed cotton samples were obtained before and after each drying system a...

Genetic control of functional traits related to photosynthesis and water use efficiency in Pinus pinaster Ait. drought response: integration of genome annotation, allele association and QTL detection for candidate gene identification.

PubMed

de Miguel, Marina; Cabezas, José-Antonio; de María, Nuria; Sánchez-Gómez, David; Guevara, María-Ángeles; Vélez, María-Dolores; Sáez-Laguna, Enrique; Díaz, Luis-Manuel; Mancha, Jose-Antonio; Barbero, María-Carmen; Collada, Carmen; Díaz-Sala, Carmen; Aranda, Ismael; Cervera, María-Teresa

2014-06-12

Understanding molecular mechanisms that control photosynthesis and water use efficiency in response to drought is crucial for plant species from dry areas. This study aimed to identify QTL for these traits in a Mediterranean conifer and tested their stability under drought. High density linkage maps for Pinus pinaster were used in the detection of QTL for photosynthesis and water use efficiency at three water irrigation regimes. A total of 28 significant and 27 suggestive QTL were found. QTL detected for photochemical traits accounted for the higher percentage of phenotypic variance. Functional annotation of genes within the QTL suggested 58 candidate genes for the analyzed traits. Allele association analysis in selected candidate genes showed three SNPs located in a MYB transcription factor that were significantly associated with efficiency of energy capture by open PSII reaction centers and specific leaf area. The integration of QTL mapping of functional traits, genome annotation and allele association yielded several candidate genes involved with molecular control of photosynthesis and water use efficiency in response to drought in a conifer species. The results obtained highlight the importance of maintaining the integrity of the photochemical machinery in P. pinaster drought response.

Evaluation of hydrolysis-esterification biodiesel production from wet microalgae.

PubMed

Song, Chunfeng; Liu, Qingling; Ji, Na; Deng, Shuai; Zhao, Jun; Li, Shuhong; Kitamura, Yutaka

2016-08-01

Wet microalgae hydrolysis-esterification route has the advantage to avoid the energy-intensive units (e.g. drying and lipid extraction) in the biodiesel production process. In this study, techno-economic evaluation of hydrolysis-esterification biodiesel production process was carried out and compared with conventional (usually including drying, lipid extraction, esterification and transesterification) biodiesel production process. Energy and material balance of the conventional and hydrolysis-esterification processes was evaluated by Aspen Plus. The simulation results indicated that drying (2.36MJ/L biodiesel) and triolein transesterification (1.89MJ/L biodiesel) are the dominant energy-intensive stages in the conventional route (5.42MJ/L biodiesel). By contrast, the total energy consumption of hydrolysis-esterification route can be reduced to 1.81MJ/L biodiesel, and approximately 3.61MJ can be saved to produce per liter biodiesel. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Baseline performance of solar collectors for NASA Langley solar building test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knoll, R. H.; Johnson, S. M.

1977-01-01

The solar collector field contains seven collector designs. Before operation in the field, the experimental performances (thermal efficiencies) of the seven collector designs were measured in an indoor solar simulator. The resulting data provided a baseline for later comparison with actual field test data. The simulator test results are presented for the collectors as received, and after several weeks of outdoor exposure with no coolant (dry operation). Six of the seven collector designs tested showed substantial reductions in thermal efficiency after dry operation.

Recovering metal values hydrometallurgically from spent dry battery cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabah, M. A.; Barakat, M. A.; Mahrous, Y. Sh.

1999-12-01

A hydro-pyrometallurgical method was used to recover metal values from spent dry battery cells. Water-soluble ingredients were filtered, and solid residue was sorted by magnetic separation and water flotation. Parameters affecting the recovery efficiency were also studied. Results revealed that metallic parts, carbon rods, and paper were safely recovered; pure NH4Cl, MnO2, and ZnCl2 salts were obtained. Maximum recovery efficiencies reached 93 percent for manganese and 99.5 percent for zinc and NH4.

Current and future groundwater withdrawals: Effects, management and energy policy options for a semi-arid Indian watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sishodia, Rajendra P.; Shukla, Sanjay; Graham, Wendy D.; Wani, Suhas P.; Jones, James W.; Heaney, James

2017-12-01

Effects of future expansion/intensification of irrigated agriculture on groundwater and surface water levels and availability in a semi-arid watershed were evaluated using an integrated hydrologic model (MIKE SHE/MIKE 11) in conjunction with biophysical measurements. Improved water use efficiency, water storage, and energy policy options were evaluated for their ability to sustain the future (2035) increased groundwater withdrawals. Three future withdrawal scenarios (low = 20, medium = 30, high = 50 wells/100 km2/year) based on the historical rate of growth of irrigation wells were formulated. While well drying from falling groundwater levels was limited to drought and consecutive below average rainfall years, under the current (2015) withdrawals, significant increases in frequency and duration (17-97 days/year) of well drying along with 13-26% (19-37 mm) reductions in surface flows were predicted under the future withdrawals. Higher (27-108%) energy demands of existing irrigation pumps due to declining groundwater levels and reduced hydroelectric generation due to decreased surface flows would create a vicious water-food-energy nexus in the future. Crop failure, one of the main causes of farmers' emotional distress and death in the region, is predicted to exacerbate under the future withdrawal scenarios. Shift to negative net recharge (-63 mm) and early and prolonged drying of wells under the high scenario will reduce the groundwater availability and negatively affect crop production in more than 60% and 90% of cropped areas in the Rabi (November-February) and summer (March-May) seasons, respectively during a drought year. Individual and combined demand (drip irrigation and reduced farm electricity subsidy) and supply (water storage) management options improved groundwater levels and reduced well drying by 55-97 days/year compared to business-as-usual management under the high scenario. The combined management (50% drip conversion, 50% reduction in subsidy, and enhanced water storage) mitigated well drying even during drought and consecutive below average rainfall years under the high scenario. A conservative economic evaluation for management options under the high scenario showed increases in crop production and per farmer annual profits by 987-1397 during a drought year (average household income = 1520/year). A scale-up of results showed that diverting 50% state power subsidy (6 billion for 3-6 years) can almost entirely fund the conversion to drip irrigation (4.2 billion) and water storage structures (2.9 billion) and help meet the water supply demand of a 50% increase in irrigated area under the high scenario. Converting flood to drip irrigation in 50% of irrigated area under the high scenario can reduce the electric energy consumption (7 × 106Mwh/year) and carbon footprint (6000 Mt/year) of groundwater irrigation by 24% in the state. Management options considered can potentially create a sustainable water-food-energy nexus in the larger semi-arid hard rock region. Reducing the power subsidy will require a strong political will since it has been used as a tool to win the elections in India. Considering future agricultural intensification, timely interventions are needed to ensure the livelihood and well-being of millions of small- and medium-scale farmers that rely on low storage, hard rock aquifers in the semi-arid regions of the world.

Maximizing cellulosic ethanol potentials by minimizing wastewater generation and energy consumption: Competing with corn ethanol.

PubMed

Liu, Gang; Bao, Jie

2017-12-01

Energy consumption and wastewater generation in cellulosic ethanol production are among the determinant factors on overall cost and technology penetration into fuel ethanol industry. This study analyzed the energy consumption and wastewater generation by the new biorefining process technology, dry acid pretreatment and biodetoxification (DryPB), as well as by the current mainstream technologies. DryPB minimizes the steam consumption to 8.63GJ and wastewater generation to 7.71tons in the core steps of biorefining process for production of one metric ton of ethanol, close to 7.83GJ and 8.33tons in corn ethanol production, respectively. The relatively higher electricity consumption is compensated by large electricity surplus from lignin residue combustion. The minimum ethanol selling price (MESP) by DryPB is below $2/gal and falls into the range of corn ethanol production cost. The work indicates that the technical and economical gap between cellulosic ethanol and corn ethanol has been almost filled up. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart R of... - Uniform Test Method for the Measurement of Energy Consumption of the Components of Envelopes of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...—Temperature Conditions Internal Temperatures (cooled space within the envelope) Cooler Dry Bulb Temperature 35...) Freezer and Cooler Dry Bulb Temperatures 75 °F. Subfloor Temperatures Freezer and Cooler Dry Bulb...,int,dp = dry-bulb air temperature internal to the cooler or freezer, °F, as prescribed in Table A.1...

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart R of... - Uniform Test Method for the Measurement of Energy Consumption of the Components of Envelopes of...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...—Temperature Conditions Internal Temperatures (cooled space within the envelope) Cooler Dry Bulb Temperature 35...) Freezer and Cooler Dry Bulb Temperatures 75 °F. Subfloor Temperatures Freezer and Cooler Dry Bulb...,int,dp = dry-bulb air temperature internal to the cooler or freezer, °F, as prescribed in Table A.1...

[Preparation of freeze-dried powder of recombinate hirudin-2 nanoparticle for nasal delivery and permeability through nasal membrane in vitro].

PubMed

Chen, Ming-Xia; Zhang, Jian-Bao; Yu, Ji-Ping; Ye, Jing; Wei, Bao-Hong; Zhang, Yu-Jie

2013-06-01

To optimize the freeze-dried powder preparation technology of recombinate hirudin-2 (rHV2) nanoparticle which has bio-adhesive characteristic for nasal delivery, also to investigate its stability and permeability through nasal membrane in vitro. Taking the appearance, rediffusion of nanoparticle and rHV2 encapsulation efficiency as the evaluation indexes. Cryoprotector, the preparative technique and the effect of illumination and high temperature factors on its stability for rHV2 freeze-dried powder were investigated. Using Fraze diffusion cell technique, the permeability of rHV2 across rabbit nasal mucous membrane in chitosan solution, chitosan nanoparticle, and nanoparticle frozen-dried powder were compared with that in normal saline solution. The optimized preparation of rHV2 nanoparticle freeze-dried powder was as follows: 5% trehalose and glucose (1:1) was used as cryoprotector, nanoparticle solution was freezed for 24 h in vacuum frozen-dryer after being pre-freezed for 24 h. The content of rHV2 in the freeze-dried powder was 1.1 ug/mg. Illumination had little effect on the appearance, rediffusion and encapsulation efficiency of the rHV2 freeze-dried powder. High temperature could obviously influence the appearance of nanoparticle freeze-dried powder. The permeability coefficient (P) of nanoparticle was 5 times more than that in chictonson solution. It was indicated that chitosan nanoparticle has effect on increasing the permeability of rHV2. The freeze-dried powder of chitosan nanoparticle can be a good nasal preparation of rHV2.

Treatment of laboratory wastewater in a tropical constructed wetland comparing surface and subsurface flow.

PubMed

Meutia, A A

2001-01-01

Wastewater treatment by constructed wetland is an appropriate technology for tropical developing countries like Indonesia because it is inexpensive, easily maintained, and has environmentally friendly and sustainable characteristics. The aim of the research is to examine the capability of constructed wetlands for treating laboratory wastewater at our Center, to investigate the suitable flow for treatment, namely vertical subsurface or horizontal surface flow, and to study the effect of the seasons. The constructed wetland is composed of three chambered unplanted sedimentation tanks followed by the first and second beds, containing gravel and sand, planted with Typha sp.; the third bed planted with floating plant Lemna sp.; and a clarifier with two chambers. The results showed that the subsurface flow in the dry season removed 95% organic carbon (COD) and total phosphorus (T-P) respectively, and 82% total nitrogen (T-N). In the transition period from the dry season to the rainy season, COD removal efficiency decreased to 73%, T-N increased to 89%, and T-P was almost the same as that in the dry season. In the rainy season COD and T-N removal efficiencies increased again to 95% respectively, while T-P remained unchanged. In the dry season, COD and T-P concentrations in the surface flow showed that the removal efficiencies were a bit lower than those in the subsurface flow. Moreover, T-N removal efficiency was only half as much as that in the subsurface flow. However, in the transition period, COD removal efficiency decreased to 29%, while T-N increased to 74% and T-P was still constant, around 93%. In the rainy season, COD and T-N removal efficiencies increased again to almost 95%. On the other hand, T-P decreased to 76%. The results show that the constructed wetland is capable of treating the laboratory wastewater. The subsurface flow is more suitable for treatment than the surface flow, and the seasonal changes have effects on the removal efficiency.

Power ultrasound as a pretreatment to convective drying of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves: Impact on drying kinetics and selected quality properties.

PubMed

Tao, Yang; Wang, Ping; Wang, Yilin; Kadam, Shekhar U; Han, Yongbin; Wang, Jiandong; Zhou, Jianzhong

2016-07-01

The effect of ultrasound pretreatment prior to convective drying on drying kinetics and selected quality properties of mulberry leaves was investigated in this study. Ultrasound pretreatment was carried out at 25.2-117.6 W/L for 5-15 min in a continuous mode. After sonication, mulberry leaves were dried in a hot-air convective dryer at 60 °C. The results revealed that ultrasound pretreatment not only affected the weight of mulberry leaves, it also enhanced the convective drying kinetics and reduced total energy consumption. The drying kinetics was modeled using a diffusion model considering external resistance and effective diffusion coefficient De and mass transfer coefficient hm were identified. Both De and hm during convective drying increased with the increase of acoustic energy density (AED) and ultrasound duration. However, De and hm increased slowly at high AED levels. Furthermore, ultrasound pretreatment had a more profound influence on internal mass transfer resistance than on external mass transfer resistance during drying according to Sherwood numbers. Regarding the quality properties, the color, antioxidant activity and contents of several bioactive compounds of dried mulberry leaves pretreated by ultrasound at 63.0 W/L for 10 min were similar to that of mulberry leaves without any pretreatments. Overall, ultrasound pretreatment is effective to shorten the subsequent drying time of mulberry leaves without damaging the quality of final product. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Drying kinetics and characteristics of dried gambir leaves using solar heating and silica gel dessicant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasibuan, R.; Hidayati, J.; Sundari, R.; Wicaksono, A. S.

2018-02-01

A drying combination of solar heating and silica gel dessicant has been applied to dry gambir leaves. The solar energy is captured by a collector to heat the air and the hot air is used to dry gambir leaves in a drying chamber. An exhaust fan in drying chamber assists to draw water molecules from gambir leaves accelerated by silica gel dessicant. This study has investigated the drying kinetics and drying characteristics of gambir leaves drying. In drying operation the air velocity is tuned by a PWM (pulse width modulation) controller to adjust minimum and maximum level, which is based on the rotation speed of the exhaust fan. The results show that the air velocity influenced the drying kinetics and drying characteristics of gambir leaves using solar-dessicant drying at 40 cm distance between exhaust fan and silica gel dessicant.

Optical Analysis of Power Distribution in Top-Emitting Organic Light Emitting Diodes Integrated with Nanolens Array Using Finite Difference Time Domain.

PubMed

Han, Kyung-Hoon; Park, Young-Sam; Cho, Doo-Hee; Han, Yoonjay; Lee, Jonghee; Yu, Byounggon; Cho, Nam Sung; Lee, Jeong-Ik; Kim, Jang-Joo

2018-06-06

Recently, we have addressed that a formation mechanism of a nanolens array (NLA) fabricated by using a maskless vacuum deposition is explained as the increase in surface tension of organic molecules induced by their crystallization. Here, as another research using finite difference time domain simulations, not electric field intensities but transmitted energies of electromagnetic waves inside and outside top-emitting blue organic light-emitting diodes (TOLEDs), without and with NLAs, are obtained, to easily grasp the effect of NLA formation on the light extraction of TOLEDs. Interestingly, the calculations show that NLA acts as an efficient light extraction structure. With NLA, larger transmitted energies in the direction from emitting layer to air are observed, indicating that NLAs send more light to air otherwise trapped in the devices by reducing the losses by waveguide and absorption. This is more significant for higher refractive index of NLA. Simulation and measurement results are consistent. A successful increase in both light extraction efficiency and color stability of blue TOLEDs, rarely reported before, is accomplished by introducing the highly process-compatible NLA technology using the one-step dry process. Blue TOLEDs integrated with a N, N'-di(1-naphthyl)- N, N'-diphenyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine NLA with a refractive index of 1.8 show a 1.55-times-higher light extraction efficiency, compared to those without it. In addition, viewing angle characteristics are enhanced and image blurring is reduced, indicating that the manufacturer-adaptable technology satisfies the requirements of highly efficient and color-stable top-emission displays.

Effects of late-gestation heat stress on immunity and performance of calves.

PubMed

Dahl, G E; Tao, S; Monteiro, A P A

2016-04-01

Lactating cows that experience heat stress will have reduced dry matter intake and milk yield and shift metabolism, which ultimately reduces the efficiency of milk production. Dry cows that are heat stressed similarly experience lower intake, reduced mammary growth, and compromised immune function that ultimately results in a poorer transition into lactation and lower milk yield in the next lactation. A recent focus in our laboratory is on the effects of late gestation, in utero heat stress on calf survival and performance. We have completed a series of studies to examine preweaning growth and health, and later reproductive and productive responses, in an attempt to quantify acute and persistent effects of in utero heat strain. Late gestation heat stress results in calves with lower body weight at birth, shorter stature at weaning, and failure to achieve the same weight or height at 12 mo of age observed in calves from dams that are cooled when dry. A portion of the reduced growth may result from the lower immune status observed in calves heat stressed in utero, which begins with poorer apparent efficiency of immunoglobulin absorption and extends to lower survival rates through puberty. Heat-stressed calves, however, have permanent shifts in metabolism that are consistent with greater peripheral accumulation of energy and less lean growth relative to those from cooled dams. Comparing reproductive performance in calves heat stressed versus those cooled in utero, we observe that the cooled heifers require fewer services to attain pregnancy and become pregnant at an earlier age. Tracking the milk production in calves that were heat stressed in utero versus those cooled in late gestation revealed a significant reduction of yield in the first lactation, approximately 5 kg/d through 35 wk of lactation, despite similar body weight and condition score at calving. These observations indicate that a relatively brief period of heat stress in late gestation dramatically alters the health, growth, and ultimate performance of dairy calves. Thus, it is critical to effectively manage heat stress of dry cows to avoid negative effects on the calf. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

News Room | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov Websites

-friction dry lubricant that has hundreds of industrial applications and can be used virtually wherever two pieces of metal rub together in dry conditions. Left to right: Mathew Cherukara, Ali Erdemir, Badri dry lubricant Materials Today We need real scientific breakthroughs to build a clean energy economy

Effects of rainfall events on the occurrence and detection efficiency of viruses in river water impacted by combined sewer overflows.

PubMed

Hata, Akihiko; Katayama, Hiroyuki; Kojima, Keisuke; Sano, Shoichi; Kasuga, Ikuro; Kitajima, Masaaki; Furumai, Hiroaki

2014-01-15

Rainfall events can introduce large amount of microbial contaminants including human enteric viruses into surface water by intermittent discharges from combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The present study aimed to investigate the effect of rainfall events on viral loads in surface waters impacted by CSO and the reliability of molecular methods for detection of enteric viruses. The reliability of virus detection in the samples was assessed by using process controls for virus concentration, nucleic acid extraction and reverse transcription (RT)-quantitative PCR (qPCR) steps, which allowed accurate estimation of virus detection efficiencies. Recovery efficiencies of poliovirus in river water samples collected during rainfall events (<10%) were lower than those during dry weather conditions (>10%). The log10-transformed virus concentration efficiency was negatively correlated with suspended solid concentration (r(2)=0.86) that increased significantly during rainfall events. Efficiencies of DNA extraction and qPCR steps determined with adenovirus type 5 and a primer sharing control, respectively, were lower in dry weather. However, no clear relationship was observed between organic water quality parameters and efficiencies of these two steps. Observed concentrations of indigenous enteric adenoviruses, GII-noroviruses, enteroviruses, and Aichi viruses increased during rainfall events even though the virus concentration efficiency was presumed to be lower than in dry weather. The present study highlights the importance of using appropriate process controls to evaluate accurately the concentration of water borne enteric viruses in natural waters impacted by wastewater discharge, stormwater, and CSOs. © 2013.

Modeling and Control of Algae Harvesting, Dewatering and Drying (HDD) Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-01

The energy is storied in 5 the form of oils, proteins and the others. The algae oils can be made into biodiesel , and biodiesel is gaining public...tested. Results showed that the energy needed to dewater to 20% solids was 6.7 Whrs in 10 minutes based on motor current, while the energy needed to...dewater and dry to ɝ% moisture was 206 Whrs in 10 minutes based on motor /heater current. Furthermore, the AVS HDD Lab System running at 500 L/hr

Methodology for the Assessment of the Macroeconomic Impacts of Stricter CAFE Standards - Addendum

EIA Publications

2002-01-01

This assessment of the economic impacts of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards marks the first time the Energy Information Administration has used the new direct linkage of the DRI-WEFA Macroeconomic Model to the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) in a policy setting. This methodology assures an internally consistent solution between the energy market concepts forecast by NEMS and the aggregate economy as forecast by the DRI-WEFA Macroeconomic Model of the U.S. Economy.

Influence of Quaternary Benzophenantridine and Protopine Alkaloids on Growth Performance, Dietary Energy, Carcass Traits, Visceral Mass, and Rumen Health in Finishing Ewes under Conditions of Severe Temperature-humidity Index

PubMed Central

Estrada-Angulo, A.; Aguilar-Hernández, A.; Osuna-Pérez, M.; Núñez-Benítez, V. H.; Castro-Pérez, B. I.; Silva-Hidalgo, G.; Contreras-Pérez, G.; Barreras, A.; Plascencia, A.; Zinn, R. A.

2016-01-01

Twenty Pelibuey×Katahdin ewes (35±2.3 kg) were used to determine the effects of the consumption of standardized plant extract containing a mixture of quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids and protopine alkaloids (QBA+PA) on growth performance, dietary energetics, visceral mass, and ruminal epithelial health in heat-stressed ewes fed with a high-energy corn-based diet. The basal diet (13.9% crude protein and 2.09 Mcal of net energy [NE] of maintenance/kg of dry matter) contained 49.7% starch and 15.3% neutral detergent fiber. Source of QBA+PA was Sangrovit RS (SANG) which contains 3 g of quaternary benzophenathridine and protopine alkaloids per kg of product. Treatments consisted of a daily consumption of 0 or 0.5 g SANG/ewe. Ewes were grouped by weight and assigned to 10 pens (5 pens/treatment), with two ewes per pen. The experimental period lasted 70 days. The mean temperature humidity index during the course of this experiment was 81.7±1.0 (severe heat stress). There were no treatment effects on water intake. Dry matter intake was not affected (p = 0.70) by treatments, but the group fed SANG had a numerically (11.2%) higher gain in comparison to the control group, SANG improved gain efficiency (8.3%, p = 0.04), dietary NE (5.2%, p<0.01) and the observed-to-expected NE (5.9%, p<0.01). Supplemental SANG did not affect (p≥0.12) carcass characteristics, chemical composition of shoulder, and organ weights (g/kg empty body weight) of stomach complex, intestines, and heart/lung. Supplemental SANG decreased liver weight (10.3%, p = 0.02) and increased visceral fat (16.9%, p = 0.02). Rumen epithelium of ewes fed SANG had lower scores for cellular dropsical degeneration (2.08 vs 2.34, p = 0.02), parakeratosis (1.30 vs 1.82, p = 0.03) and neutrophil infiltration (2.08 vs 2.86, p = 0.05) than controls. It is concluded that SANG supplementation helped ameliorate the negative effects of severe heat on growth performance of feedlot ewes fed high-energy corn-based diets. Improvement in energetic efficiency may have been mediated, in part, by anti-inflammatory effects of supplemental SANG and corresponding enhancement of nutrient uptake. PMID:26954173

Influence of Quaternary Benzophenantridine and Protopine Alkaloids on Growth Performance, Dietary Energy, Carcass Traits, Visceral Mass, and Rumen Health in Finishing Ewes under Conditions of Severe Temperature-humidity Index.

PubMed

Estrada-Angulo, A; Aguilar-Hernández, A; Osuna-Pérez, M; Núñez-Benítez, V H; Castro-Pérez, B I; Silva-Hidalgo, G; Contreras-Pérez, G; Barreras, A; Plascencia, A; Zinn, R A

2016-05-01

Twenty Pelibuey×Katahdin ewes (35±2.3 kg) were used to determine the effects of the consumption of standardized plant extract containing a mixture of quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids and protopine alkaloids (QBA+PA) on growth performance, dietary energetics, visceral mass, and ruminal epithelial health in heat-stressed ewes fed with a high-energy corn-based diet. The basal diet (13.9% crude protein and 2.09 Mcal of net energy [NE] of maintenance/kg of dry matter) contained 49.7% starch and 15.3% neutral detergent fiber. Source of QBA+PA was Sangrovit RS (SANG) which contains 3 g of quaternary benzophenathridine and protopine alkaloids per kg of product. Treatments consisted of a daily consumption of 0 or 0.5 g SANG/ewe. Ewes were grouped by weight and assigned to 10 pens (5 pens/treatment), with two ewes per pen. The experimental period lasted 70 days. The mean temperature humidity index during the course of this experiment was 81.7±1.0 (severe heat stress). There were no treatment effects on water intake. Dry matter intake was not affected (p = 0.70) by treatments, but the group fed SANG had a numerically (11.2%) higher gain in comparison to the control group, SANG improved gain efficiency (8.3%, p = 0.04), dietary NE (5.2%, p<0.01) and the observed-to-expected NE (5.9%, p<0.01). Supplemental SANG did not affect (p≥0.12) carcass characteristics, chemical composition of shoulder, and organ weights (g/kg empty body weight) of stomach complex, intestines, and heart/lung. Supplemental SANG decreased liver weight (10.3%, p = 0.02) and increased visceral fat (16.9%, p = 0.02). Rumen epithelium of ewes fed SANG had lower scores for cellular dropsical degeneration (2.08 vs 2.34, p = 0.02), parakeratosis (1.30 vs 1.82, p = 0.03) and neutrophil infiltration (2.08 vs 2.86, p = 0.05) than controls. It is concluded that SANG supplementation helped ameliorate the negative effects of severe heat on growth performance of feedlot ewes fed high-energy corn-based diets. Improvement in energetic efficiency may have been mediated, in part, by anti-inflammatory effects of supplemental SANG and corresponding enhancement of nutrient uptake.

Flue gas desulfurization method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Madden, D.A.; Farthing, G.A.

1998-08-18

A combined furnace limestone injection and dry scrubber flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system collects solids from the flue gas stream in first particulate collection device located downstream of an outlet of a convection pass of the furnace and upstream of the dry scrubber. The collected solids are diverted to the dry scrubber feed slurry preparation system to increase sulfur oxide species removal efficiency and sorbent utilization. The level of lime in the feed slurry provided to the dry scrubber is thus increased, which enhances removal of sulfur oxide species in the dry scrubber. The decreased particulate loading to the dry scrubber helps maintain a desired degree of free moisture in the flue gas stream entering the dry scrubber, which enhances sulfur oxide species removal both in the dry scrubber and downstream particulate collector, normally a baghouse. 5 figs.

Flue gas desulfurization method and apparatus

DOEpatents

Madden, D.A.; Farthing, G.A.

1998-09-29

A combined furnace limestone injection and dry scrubber flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system collects solids from the flue gas stream in first particulate collection device located downstream of an outlet of a convection pass of the furnace and upstream of the dry scrubber. The collected solids are diverted to the dry scrubber feed slurry preparation system to increase sulfur oxide species removal efficiency and sorbent utilization. The level of lime in the feed slurry provided to the dry scrubber is thus increased, which enhances removal of sulfur oxide species in the dry scrubber. The decreased particulate loading to the dry scrubber helps maintain a desired degree of free moisture in the flue gas stream entering the dry scrubber, which enhances sulfur oxide species removal both in the dry scrubber and downstream particulate collector, normally a baghouse. 5 figs.

Drying characteristics of garlic ( Allium sativum L) slices in a convective hot air dryer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demiray, Engin; Tulek, Yahya

2014-06-01

The effects of drying temperatures on the drying kinetics of garlic slices were investigated using a cabinet-type dryer. The experimental drying data were fitted best to the Page and Modified Page models apart from other theoretical models to predict the drying kinetics. The effective moisture diffusivities varied from 4.214 × 10-10 to 2.221 × 10-10 m2 s-1 over the temperature range studied, and activation energy was 30.582 kJ mol-1.

Reduction of Biomass Moisture by Crushing/Splitting - A Concept

Treesearch

Paul E. Barnett; Donald L. Sirois; Colin Ashmore

1986-01-01

A biomass crusher/splitter concept is presented as a possible n&ant of tsafntainfng rights-of-way (ROW) or harvesting energy wood plantations. The conceptual system would cut, crush, and split small woody biomass leaving it in windrows for drying. A subsequent operation would bale and transport the dried material for use as an energy source. A survey of twenty...

Use of wood energy for lumber drying and community heating in southeast Alaska

Treesearch

David L. Nicholls; John I. Zerbe; Richard D. Bergman; Peter M. Crimp

2004-01-01

The inadequate transportation infrastructure and undeveloped markets for sawmill residues in southeast Alaska are among the factors that limit the use of this forest resource. This study considers the potential use of sawmill residues to supply two bioenergy systems that would produce thermal energy for (1) community heating and (2) a lumber dry kiln in Hoonah, Alaska...

Development of equations to predict dry matter intake of lactating cows using animal factors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Our objective was to model dry matter intake (DMI, kg) in Holstein dairy cows based on milk energy (MilkE, Mcal/d), energy required for maintenance, change in body weight (DeltaBW, kg/d), body condition score (BCS, scale 1 to 5), height (Htcm, cm), and parity. The database contained weekly DMI of 4,...

Plasma-assisted reduction of silver ions impregnated into a natural zeolite framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osonio, Airah P.; Vasquez, Magdaleno R.

2018-02-01

A green, dry, and energy-efficient method for the fabrication of silver-zeolite (AgZ) composite via 13.56 MHz radio-frequency plasma reduction is demonstrated. Impregnation by soaking and ion-exchange deposition were performed to load the silver ions (Ag+) into the sodium-zeolite samples. Characterization was performed by optical emission spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analyses. Results indicate the successful reduction of Ag+ to its metallic state on the surface of the zeolite with a mean diameter of 165 nm. This plasma-induced reduction technique opens possibilities in several areas including catalysis, adsorption, water treatment, and medicine.

To determine the end point of wet granulation by measuring powder energies and thermal properties.

PubMed

Dave, Rutesh H; Wu, Stephen H; Contractor, Labdhi D

2012-04-01

Wet granulation has been widely used in pharmaceutical industry as a tablet manufacturing process. However, end-point determination of wet granulation process has always remained a challenge. Many traditional methods are available for end-point determination, yet accuracy and reproducibility still remain a challenge. Microcrystalline cellulose, widely used as an excipient in pharmaceutical industry, was granulated using water. Wet mass was passed through sieve # 12 and dried till constant percentage loss on drying was obtained and dried granules were obtained. Wet and dried granules collected were subjected to basic flow energy, specific energy, bulk density, pressure drop, differential scanning calorimetry and effusivity measurements. Analysis of data revealed various stages of granule growth from initial seed formation by adding 200-400 g of water, granule growth was observed by adding 600-800 g of water and over wetting was observed at 1155 g of water. In this work, we have justified our work to properly identify and utilize this technique for practical purpose to correctly identify the end-point determination of microcrystalline cellulose and explain various principles underlying energies associated with powder and thermal measurements.

[Influence of an elevation of the temperature of water on the digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen and energy of food distributed to the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Rich)].

PubMed

Choubert, G; Fauconneau, B; Luquet, P

1982-01-01

Rainbow trout adapted to a water temperature of 10 degrees C were subjected to an abrupt rise in temperature (from 10 to 18 degrees C) in a 24-h period. Fish maintained in recirculated water were fed to satiation twice a day and their feed intakes were recorded. Changes in dry matter, nitrogen and energy digestibility were measured each day at 10 degrees C and during the course of acclimatation to 18 degrees C. Low water temperature (10 degrees C) was characterized by a feed intake of 1.84 g (DM)/fish/day; digestibility values were as follows: dry matter 62.15 p. 100, nitrogen 86.91 p. 100, energy 70.60 p. 100. High water temperature (18 degrees C) was characterized by a feed intake of 3.75 g (DM)/fish/day; digestibility values were as follows: dry matter 66.08 p. 100, nitrogen 89.57 p. 100, energy 73.52 p. 100. The daily patterns in digestibility were affected by the rise in temperature. The digestibility values were stabilized by day 7 after the positive thermal shock.

Design of wearable hybrid generator for harvesting heat energy from human body depending on physiological activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Myoung-Soo; Kim, Min-Ki; Kim, Kyongtae; Kim, Yong-Jun

2017-09-01

We developed a prototype of a wearable hybrid generator (WHG) that is used for harvesting the heat energy of the human body. This WHG is constructed by integrating a thermoelectric generator (TEG) in a circular mesh polyester knit fabric, circular-shaped pyroelectric generator (PEG), and quick sweat-pickup/dry-fabric. The fabric packaging enables the TEG part of the WHG to generate energy steadily while maintaining a temperature difference in extreme temperature environments. Moreover, when the body sweats, the evaporation heat of the sweat leads to thermal fluctuations in the WHG. This phenomenon further leads to an increase in the output power of the WHG. These characteristics of the WHG make it possible to produce electrical energy steadily without reduction in the conversion efficiency, as both TEG and PEG use the same energy source of the human skin and the ambient temperature. Under a temperature difference of ˜6.5 °C and temperature change rate of ˜0.62 °C s-1, the output power and output power density of the WHG, respectively, are ˜4.5 nW and ˜1.5 μW m-2. Our hybrid approach will provide a framework to enhance the output power of the wearable generators that harvest heat energy from human body in various environments.

Interface engineering of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and atomic layer deposited Zn(O,S) heterojunctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Sebastian S.; Merdes, Saoussen; Steigert, Alexander; Klenk, Reiner; Kaufmann, Christian A.; Simsek Sanli, Ekin; van Aken, Peter A.; Oertel, Mike; Schneikart, Anja; Dimmler, Bernhard; Schlatmann, Rutger

2017-08-01

Atomic layer deposition of Zn(O,S) is an attractive dry and Cd-free process for the preparation of buffer layers for chalcopyrite solar modules. As we previously reported, excellent cell and module efficiencies were achieved using absorbers from industrial pilot production. These absorbers were grown using a selenization/sulfurization process. In this contribution we report on the interface engineering required to adapt the process to sulfur-free multi source evaporated absorbers. Different approaches to a local sulfur enrichment at the heterojunction have been studied by using surface analysis (XPS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy. We correlate the microstructure and element distribution at the interface with device properties obtained by electronic characterization. The optimized completely dry process yields cell efficiencies >16% and 30 × 30 cm2 minimodule efficiencies of up to 13.9% on industrial substrates. Any degradation observed in the dry heat stress test is fully reversible after light soaking.

Control of PbI2 nucleation and crystallization: towards efficient perovskite solar cells based on vapor-assisted solution process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chongqiu; Peng, Yanke; Simon, Terrence; Cui, Tianhong

2018-04-01

Perovskite solar cells (PSC) have outstanding potential to be low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaic devices. The PSC can be fabricated by numerous techniques; however, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) for the two-step-processed PSC falls behind that of the one-step method. In this work, we investigate the effects of relative humidity (RH) and dry air flow on the lead iodide (PbI2) solution deposition process. We conclude that the quality of the PbI2 film is critical to the development of the perovskite film and the performance of the PSC device. Low RH and dry air flow used during the PbI2 spin coating procedure can increase supersaturation concentration to form denser PbI2 nuclei and a more suitable PbI2 film. Moreover, airflow-assisted PbI2 drying and thermal annealing steps can smooth transformation from the nucleation stage to the crystallization stage.

Numerical analysis on thermal energy storage device to improve the drying time of indirect type solar dryer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Satyapal; Lingayat, Abhay Bhanudas; Chandramohan, V. P.; Raju, V. R. K.

2018-05-01

Thermal energy storage (TES) device that uses phase change material (PCM) in the field of indirect solar drying is economical due to its energy storage characteristics. In this work, a low-temperature latent heat TES device has been numerically analyzed for the application of solar drying of agricultural products in an indirect type solar dryer. Paraffin wax is used as a PCM material. The study has been performed on a single set of concentric tubes which consist of an inner copper tube and an outer plastic tube. A 2D geometry is created and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are performed using ANSYS Fluent 2015. The hot air coming from solar collector enters the copper tube and then the drying chamber to dry the sample. PCM material is placed in the outer plastic tube. It was found that the drying process can be continued up to 10.00 pm without further source of heating. At a given time, the melting fraction is increased during the heating process and solidification factor is increased during the cooling process while increasing the air flow velocities from 1 to 4 m/s, but 1 m/s is good for maintaining outlet temperature of air (T oa ) for a long time. Heat lost and gained by air was estimated. It was found that air flow velocity influenced the heat lost and gain by air.

Hydrothermal liquefaction of harvested high-ash low-lipid algal biomass from Dianchi Lake: effects of operational parameters and relations of products.

PubMed

Tian, Chunyan; Liu, Zhidan; Zhang, Yuanhui; Li, Baoming; Cao, Wei; Lu, Haifeng; Duan, Na; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Tingting

2015-05-01

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) allows a direct conversion of algal biomass into biocrude oil, not only solving the environmental issues caused by the over-growing algae but also producing renewable energy. This study reports HTL of algae after separation from eutrophicated Dianchi Lake in China. Conversion efficiency was studied under different operational conditions via an orthogonal design, including holding temperature (HT) (260-340 °C), retention time (RT) (30-90 min) and total solid (TS) (10-20%). A highest biocrude oil yield (18.4%, dry ash-free basis, daf) was achieved at 300 °C, 60 min, and 20% (TS), due to the low contents of lipids (1.9%, daf) and proteins (24.8%, daf), and high contents of ash (41.6%, dry basis) and carbohydrates (71.8%, daf). Operational parameters significantly affected the biocrude yields, and chemical distribution of HTL products. The biocrude production also related to other HTL products, and involved chemical reactions, such as deoxygenation and/or denitrogenation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of respiratory muscle training on respiratory mechanics and energy cost.

PubMed

Held, Heather E; Pendergast, David R

2014-08-15

Resistance respiratory muscle training (RRMT) increases respiratory muscle strength and can increase swimming endurance time by as much as 85%. The purpose of this study was to examine potential mechanisms by which RRMT improves exercise endurance. Eight healthy adult male scuba divers underwent experiments in a hyperbaric chamber at sea level (1 atmosphere absolute (ATA)), 2.7 ATA and 4.6 ATA, both dry and fully submersed. Subjects rested, exercised, and rested while mimicking their own exercise breathing (ISEV). Airway resistance (R(aw)), exhaled nitric oxide output (V˙(NO)), and respiratory duty cycle (T(I)/T(Tot)) were determined before and after four weeks of RRMT. RRMT decreased T(I)/T(Tot) (-10% at rest at 1 ATA), V˙(O2) (-17% at 2.7 ATA during submersed exercise), V˙(E) (-6% at 2.7 ATA during submersed exercise), and R(aw) (-34% inspiratory at 4.6 ATA submersed, -38% expiratory at 2.7 ATA dry), independent of changes in V˙(NO). Most importantly, respiratory muscle efficiency increased (+83% at 2.7 ATA submersed). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Banana peel extract mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Bankar, Ashok; Joshi, Bhagyashree; Kumar, Ameeta Ravi; Zinjarde, Smita

2010-10-01

Gold nanoparticles were synthesized by using banana peel extract (BPE) as a simple, non-toxic, eco-friendly 'green material'. The boiled, crushed, acetone precipitated, air-dried peel powder was used to reduce chloroauric acid. A variety of nanoparticles were formed when the reaction conditions were altered with respect to pH, BPE content, chloroauric acid concentration and temperature of incubation. The reaction mixtures displayed vivid colors and UV-vis spectra characteristic of gold nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies revealed that the average size of the nanoparticles under standard synthetic conditions was around 300nm. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) confirmed these results. A coffee ring phenomenon, led to the aggregation of the nanoparticles into microcubes and microwire networks towards the periphery of the air-dried samples. X-ray diffraction studies of the samples revealed spectra that were characteristic for gold. Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated the involvement of carboxyl, amine and hydroxyl groups in the synthetic process. The BPE mediated nanoparticles displayed efficient antimicrobial activity towards most of the tested fungal and bacterial cultures.