On the critical or geometrical nature of the observed scaling laws associated with the fracture and faulting processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potirakis, Stelios M.; Kopanas, John; Antonopoulos, George; Nomicos, Constantinos; Eftaxias, Konstantinos

2015-04-01

One of the largest controversial issues of the materials science community is the interpretation of scaling laws associated with the fracture and faulting processes. Especially, an important open question is whether the spatial and temporal complexity of earthquakes and fault structures, above all the interpretation of the observed scaling laws, emerge from geometrical and material built-in heterogeneities or from the critical behavior inherent to the nonlinear equations governing the earthquake dynamics. Crack propagation is the basic mechanism of material's failure. A number of laboratory studies carried out on a wide range of materials have revealed the existence of EMEs during fracture experiments, while these emissions are ranging in a wide frequency spectrum, i.e., from the kHz to the MHz bands. A crucial feature observed on the laboratory scale is that the MHz EME systematically precedes the corresponding kHz one. The aforementioned crucial feature is observed in geophysical scale, as well. The remarkable asynchronous appearance of these two EMEs both on the laboratory and the geophysical scale implies that they refer to different final stages of faulting process. Accumulated laboratory, theoretical and numerical evidence supports the hypothesis that the MHz EME is emitted during the fracture of process of heterogeneous medium surrounding the family of strong entities (asperities) distributed along the fault sustaining the system. The kHz EME is attributed to the family of asperities themselves. We argue in terms of the fracture induced pre-seismic MHz-kHz EMEs that the scaling laws associated with the fracture of heterogeneous materials emerge from the critical behavior inherent to the nonlinear equations governing their dynamics (second-order phase transition), while the scaling laws associated with the fracture of family of asperities have geometric nature, namely, are rooted in the fractal nature of the population of asperities.

Building laboratory capacity to support HIV care in Nigeria: Harvard/APIN PEPFAR, 2004-2012.

PubMed

Hamel, Donald J; Sankalé, Jean-Louis; Samuels, Jay Osi; Sarr, Abdoulaye D; Chaplin, Beth; Ofuche, Eke; Meloni, Seema T; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J

From 2004-2012, the Harvard/AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, funded through the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme, scaled up HIV care and treatment services in Nigeria. We describe the methodologies and collaborative processes developed to improve laboratory capacity significantly in a resource-limited setting. These methods were implemented at 35 clinic and laboratory locations. Systems were established and modified to optimise numerous laboratory processes. These included strategies for clinic selection and management, equipment and reagent procurement, supply chains, laboratory renovations, equipment maintenance, electronic data management, quality development programmes and trainings. Over the eight-year programme, laboratories supported 160 000 patients receiving HIV care in Nigeria, delivering over 2.5 million test results, including regular viral load quantitation. External quality assurance systems were established for CD4+ cell count enumeration, blood chemistries and viral load monitoring. Laboratory equipment platforms were improved and standardised and use of point-of-care analysers was expanded. Laboratory training workshops supported laboratories toward increasing staff skills and improving overall quality. Participation in a World Health Organisation-led African laboratory quality improvement system resulted in significant gains in quality measures at five laboratories. Targeted implementation of laboratory development processes, during simultaneous scale-up of HIV treatment programmes in a resource-limited setting, can elicit meaningful gains in laboratory quality and capacity. Systems to improve the physical laboratory environment, develop laboratory staff, create improvements to reduce costs and increase quality are available for future health and laboratory strengthening programmes. We hope that the strategies employed may inform and encourage the development of other laboratories in resource-limited settings.

The Tanzania experience: clinical laboratory testing harmonization and equipment standardization at different levels of a tiered health laboratory system.

PubMed

Massambu, Charles; Mwangi, Christina

2009-06-01

The rapid scale-up of the care and treatment programs in Tanzania during the preceding 4 years has greatly increased the demand for quality laboratory services for diagnosis of HIV and monitoring patients during antiretroviral therapy. Laboratory services were not in a position to cope with this demand owing to poor infrastructure, lack of human resources, erratic and/or lack of reagent supply and commodities, and slow manual technologies. With the limited human resources in the laboratory and the need for scaling up the care and treatment program, it became necessary to install automated equipment and train personnel for the increased volume of testing and new tests across all laboratory levels. With the numerous partners procuring equipment, the possibility of a multitude of equipment platforms with attendant challenges for procurement of reagents, maintenance of equipment, and quality assurance arose. Tanzania, therefore, had to harmonize laboratory tests and standardize laboratory equipment at different levels of the laboratory network. The process of harmonization of tests and standardization of equipment included assessment of laboratories, review of guidelines, development of a national laboratory operational plan, and stakeholder advocacy. This document outlines this process.

Bench-scale synthesis of nanoscale materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buehler, M. F.; Darab, J. G.; Matson, D. W.; Linehan, J. C.

1994-01-01

A novel flow-through hydrothermal method used to synthesize nanoscale powders is introduced by Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The process, Rapid Thermal Decomposition of precursors in Solution (RTDS), uniquely combines high-pressure and high-temperature conditions to rapidly form nanoscale particles. The RTDS process was initially demonstrated on a laboratory scale and was subsequently scaled up to accommodate production rates attractive to industry. The process is able to produce a wide variety of metal oxides and oxyhydroxides. The powders are characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopic methods, surface-area measurements, and x-ray diffraction. Typical crystallite sizes are less than 20 nanometers, with BET surface areas ranging from 100 to 400 sq m/g. A description of the RTDS process is presented along with powder characterization results. In addition, data on the sintering of nanoscale ZrO2 produced by RTDS are included.

Demonstration-scale evaluation of a novel high-solids anaerobic digestion process for converting organic wastes to fuel gas and compost.

PubMed

Rivard, C J; Duff, B W; Dickow, J H; Wiles, C C; Nagle, N J; Gaddy, J L; Clausen, E C

1998-01-01

Early evaluations of the bioconversion potential for combined wastes such as tuna sludge and sorted municipal solid waste (MSW) were conducted at laboratory scale and compared conventional low-solids, stirred-tank anaerobic systems with the novel, high-solids anaerobic digester (HSAD) design. Enhanced feedstock conversion rates and yields were determined for the HSAD system. In addition, the HSAD system demonstrated superior resiliency to process failure. Utilizing relatively dry feedstocks, the HSAD system is approximately one-tenth the size of conventional low-solids systems. In addition, the HSAD system is capable of organic loading rates (OLRs) on the order of 20-25 g volatile solids per liter digester volume per d (gVS/L/d), roughly 4-5 times those of conventional systems. Current efforts involve developing a demonstration-scale (pilot-scale) HSAD system. A two-ton/d plant has been constructed in Stanton, CA and is currently in the commissioning/startup phase. The purposes of the project are to verify laboratory- and intermediate-scale process performance; test the performance of large-scale prototype mechanical systems; demonstrate the long-term reliability of the process; and generate the process and economic data required for the design, financing, and construction of full-scale commercial systems. This study presents conformational fermentation data obtained at intermediate-scale and a snapshot of the pilot-scale project.

EPOS-WP16: A Platform for European Multi-scale Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiers, Chris; Drury, Martyn; Kan-Parker, Mirjam; Lange, Otto; Willingshofer, Ernst; Funiciello, Francesca; Rosenau, Matthias; Scarlato, Piergiorgio; Sagnotti, Leonardo; W16 Participants

2016-04-01

The participant countries in EPOS embody a wide range of world-class laboratory infrastructures ranging from high temperature and pressure experimental facilities, to electron microscopy, micro-beam analysis, analogue modeling and paleomagnetic laboratories. Most data produced by the various laboratory centres and networks are presently available only in limited "final form" in publications. As such many data remain inaccessible and/or poorly preserved. However, the data produced at the participating laboratories are crucial to serving society's need for geo-resources exploration and for protection against geo-hazards. Indeed, to model resource formation and system behaviour during exploitation, we need an understanding from the molecular to the continental scale, based on experimental data. This contribution will describe the work plans that the laboratories community in Europe is making, in the context of EPOS. The main objectives are: - To collect and harmonize available and emerging laboratory data on the properties and processes controlling rock system behaviour at multiple scales, in order to generate products accessible and interoperable through services for supporting research activities. - To co-ordinate the development, integration and trans-national usage of the major solid Earth Science laboratory centres and specialist networks. The length scales encompassed by the infrastructures included range from the nano- and micrometer levels (electron microscopy and micro-beam analysis) to the scale of experiments on centimetre sized samples, and to analogue model experiments simulating the reservoir scale, the basin scale and the plate scale. - To provide products and services supporting research into Geo-resources and Geo-storage, Geo-hazards and Earth System Evolution.

Laboratory Scale Electrodeposition. Practice and Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruno, Thomas J.

1986-01-01

Discusses some aspects of electrodeposition and electroplating. Emphasizes the materials, techniques, and safety precautions necessary to make electrodeposition work reliably in the chemistry laboratory. Describes some problem-solving applications of this process. (TW)

An investigation into the effectiveness of problem-based learning in a physical chemistry laboratory course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gürses, Ahmet; Açıkyıldız, Metin; Doğar, Çetin; Sözbilir, Mustafa

2007-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a problem-based learning (PBL) approach in a physical chemistry laboratory course. The parameters investigated were students’ attitudes towards a chemistry laboratory course, scientific process skills of students and their academic achievement. The design of the study was one group pre-test post-test. Four experiments, covering the topics adsorption, viscosity, surface tension and conductivity were performed using a PBL approach in the fall semester of the 2003/04 academic year at Kazim Karabekir Education Faculty of Atatürk University. Each experiment was done over a three week period. A total of 40 students, 18 male and 22 female, participated in the study. Students took the Physical Chemistry Laboratory Concept Test (PCLCT), Attitudes towards Chemistry Laboratory (ATCL) questionnaire and Science Process Skills Test (SPST) as pre and post-tests. In addition, the effectiveness of the PBL approach was also determined through four different scales; Scales Specific to Students’ Views of PBL. A statistically significant difference between the students’ academic achievement and scientific process skills at p

Building laboratory capacity to support HIV care in Nigeria: Harvard/APIN PEPFAR, 2004–2012

PubMed Central

Hamel, Donald J.; Sankalé, Jean-Louis; Samuels, Jay Osi; Sarr, Abdoulaye D.; Chaplin, Beth; Ofuche, Eke; Meloni, Seema T.; Okonkwo, Prosper; Kanki, Phyllis J.

2015-01-01

Introduction From 2004–2012, the Harvard/AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, funded through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief programme, scaled up HIV care and treatment services in Nigeria. We describe the methodologies and collaborative processes developed to improve laboratory capacity significantly in a resource-limited setting. These methods were implemented at 35 clinic and laboratory locations. Methods Systems were established and modified to optimise numerous laboratory processes. These included strategies for clinic selection and management, equipment and reagent procurement, supply chains, laboratory renovations, equipment maintenance, electronic data management, quality development programmes and trainings. Results Over the eight-year programme, laboratories supported 160 000 patients receiving HIV care in Nigeria, delivering over 2.5 million test results, including regular viral load quantitation. External quality assurance systems were established for CD4+ cell count enumeration, blood chemistries and viral load monitoring. Laboratory equipment platforms were improved and standardised and use of point-of-care analysers was expanded. Laboratory training workshops supported laboratories toward increasing staff skills and improving overall quality. Participation in a World Health Organisation-led African laboratory quality improvement system resulted in significant gains in quality measures at five laboratories. Conclusions Targeted implementation of laboratory development processes, during simultaneous scale-up of HIV treatment programmes in a resource-limited setting, can elicit meaningful gains in laboratory quality and capacity. Systems to improve the physical laboratory environment, develop laboratory staff, create improvements to reduce costs and increase quality are available for future health and laboratory strengthening programmes. We hope that the strategies employed may inform and encourage the development of other laboratories in resource-limited settings. PMID:26900573

Computational analysis of fluid dynamics in pharmaceutical freeze-drying.

PubMed

Alexeenko, Alina A; Ganguly, Arnab; Nail, Steven L

2009-09-01

Analysis of water vapor flows encountered in pharmaceutical freeze-drying systems, laboratory-scale and industrial, is presented based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. The flows under continuum gas conditions are analyzed using the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations whereas the rarefied flow solutions are obtained by the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method for the Boltzmann equation. Examples of application of CFD techniques to laboratory-scale and industrial scale freeze-drying processes are discussed with an emphasis on the utility of CFD for improvement of design and experimental characterization of pharmaceutical freeze-drying hardware and processes. The current article presents a two-dimensional simulation of a laboratory scale dryer with an emphasis on the importance of drying conditions and hardware design on process control and a three-dimensional simulation of an industrial dryer containing a comparison of the obtained results with analytical viscous flow solutions. It was found that the presence of clean in place (CIP)/sterilize in place (SIP) piping in the duct lead to significant changes in the flow field characteristics. The simulation results for vapor flow rates in an industrial freeze-dryer have been compared to tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) and gravimetric measurements.

Pharmaceutical process chemistry: evolution of a contemporary data-rich laboratory environment.

PubMed

Caron, Stéphane; Thomson, Nicholas M

2015-03-20

Over the past 20 years, the industrial laboratory environment has gone through a major transformation in the industrial process chemistry setting. In order to discover and develop robust and efficient syntheses and processes for a pharmaceutical portfolio with growing synthetic complexity and increased regulatory expectations, the round-bottom flask and other conventional equipment familiar to a traditional organic chemistry laboratory are being replaced. The new process chemistry laboratory fosters multidisciplinary collaborations by providing a suite of tools capable of delivering deeper process understanding through mechanistic insights and detailed kinetics translating to greater predictability at scale. This transformation is essential to the field of organic synthesis in order to promote excellence in quality, safety, speed, and cost efficiency in synthesis.

Conversion of municipal solid waste to hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, J. H.; Rogers, R. S.; Thorsness, C. B.

1995-04-01

LLNL and Texaco are cooperatively developing a physical and chemical treatment method for the conversion of municipal solid waste (MSW) to hydrogen via the steps of hydrothermal pretreatment, gasification and purification. LLNL's focus has been on hydrothermal pretreatment of MSW in order to prepare a slurry of suitable viscosity and heating value to allow efficient and economical gasification and hydrogen production. The project has evolved along 3 parallel paths: laboratory scale experiments, pilot scale processing, and process modeling. Initial laboratory-scale MSW treatment results (e.g., viscosity, slurry solids content) over a range of temperatures and times with newspaper and plastics will be presented. Viscosity measurements have been correlated with results obtained at MRL. A hydrothermal treatment pilot facility has been rented from Texaco and is being reconfigured at LLNL; the status of that facility and plans for initial runs will be described. Several different operational scenarios have been modeled. Steady state processes have been modeled with ASPEN PLUS; consideration of steam injection in a batch mode was handled using continuous process modules. A transient model derived from a general purpose packed bed model is being developed which can examine the aspects of steam heating inside the hydrothermal reactor vessel. These models have been applied to pilot and commercial scale scenarios as a function of MSW input parameters and have been used to outline initial overall economic trends. Part of the modeling, an overview of the MSW gasification process and the modeling of the MSW as a process material, was completed by a DOE SERS (Science and Engineering Research Semester) student. The ultimate programmatic goal is the technical demonstration of the gasification of MSW to hydrogen at the laboratory and pilot scale and the economic analysis of the commercial feasibility of such a process.

The generation and amplification of intergalactic magnetic fields in analogue laboratory experiments with high power lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregori, G.; Reville, B.; Miniati, F.

2015-11-01

The advent of high-power laser facilities has, in the past two decades, opened a new field of research where astrophysical environments can be scaled down to laboratory dimensions, while preserving the essential physics. This is due to the invariance of the equations of magneto-hydrodynamics to a class of similarity transformations. Here we review the relevant scaling relations and their application in laboratory astrophysics experiments with a focus on the generation and amplification of magnetic fields in cosmic environment. The standard model for the origin of magnetic fields is a multi stage process whereby a vanishing magnetic seed is first generated by a rotational electric field and is then amplified by turbulent dynamo action to the characteristic values observed in astronomical bodies. We thus discuss the relevant seed generation mechanisms in cosmic environment including resistive mechanism, collision-less and fluid instabilities, as well as novel laboratory experiments using high power laser systems aimed at investigating the amplification of magnetic energy by magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. Future directions, including efforts to model in the laboratory the process of diffusive shock acceleration are also discussed, with an emphasis on the potential of laboratory experiments to further our understanding of plasma physics on cosmic scales.

Experimental Replication of an Aeroengine Combustion Instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, J. M.; Hibshman, J. R.; Proscia, W.; Rosfjord, T. J.; Wake, B. E.; McVey, J. B.; Lovett, J.; Ondas, M.; DeLaat, J.; Breisacher, K.

2000-01-01

Combustion instabilities in gas turbine engines are most frequently encountered during the late phases of engine development, at which point they are difficult and expensive to fix. The ability to replicate an engine-traceable combustion instability in a laboratory-scale experiment offers the opportunity to economically diagnose the problem (to determine the root cause), and to investigate solutions to the problem, such as active control. The development and validation of active combustion instability control requires that the causal dynamic processes be reproduced in experimental test facilities which can be used as a test bed for control system evaluation. This paper discusses the process through which a laboratory-scale experiment was designed to replicate an instability observed in a developmental engine. The scaling process used physically-based analyses to preserve the relevant geometric, acoustic and thermo-fluid features. The process increases the probability that results achieved in the single-nozzle experiment will be scalable to the engine.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE BASE CATALYZED DECOMPOSITION (BCD) PROCESS

EPA Science Inventory

This report summarizes laboratory-scale, pilot-scale, and field performance data on BCD (Base Catalyzed Decomposition) and technology, collected to date by various governmental, academic, and private organizations.

Cell Migration Analysis: A Low-Cost Laboratory Experiment for Cell and Developmental Biology Courses Using Keratocytes from Fish Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prieto, Daniel; Aparicio, Gonzalo; Sotelo-Silveira, Jose R.

2017-01-01

Cell and developmental processes are complex, and profoundly dependent on spatial relationships that change over time. Innovative educational or teaching strategies are always needed to foster deep comprehension of these processes and their dynamic features. However, laboratory exercises in cell and developmental biology at the undergraduate level…

A Study of the Relative Effectiveness of Content and Process Centered Biology Laboratories for College Freshmen.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Glenn Wayne

The relative effectiveness of "content-centered" and "process-centered" biology laboratory courses in a freshman general biology course was investigated by administering the Nelson Biology Test, Science Attitude Scale, EPS II (a problem solving test), and an Interest Inventory at the beginning and end of the one quarter course. Course examination…

Rapid start-up of one-stage deammonification MBBR without addition of external inoculum.

PubMed

Kanders, Linda; Ling, Daniel; Nehrenheim, Emma

2016-12-01

In recent years, the anammox process has emerged as a useful method for robust and efficient nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This paper evaluates a one-stage deammonification (nitritation and anammox) start-up using carrier material without using anammox inoculum. A continuous laboratory-scale process was followed by full-scale operation with reject water from the digesters at Bekkelaget WWTP in Oslo, Norway. A third laboratory reactor was run in operational mode to verify the suitability of reject water from thermophilic digestion for the deammonification process. The two start-ups presented were run with indigenous bacterial populations, intermittent aeration and dilution, to favour growth of the anammox bacterial branches. Evaluation was done by chemical and fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses. The results demonstrate that anammox culture can be set up in a one-stage process only using indigenous anammox bacteria and that a full-scale start-up process can be completed in less than 120 days.

A process for creating multimetric indices for large-scale aquatic surveys

EPA Science Inventory

Differences in sampling and laboratory protocols, differences in techniques used to evaluate metrics, and differing scales of calibration and application prohibit the use of many existing multimetric indices (MMIs) in large-scale bioassessments. We describe an approach to develop...

The Subsurface Flow and Transport Laboratory: A New Department of Energy User's Facility for Intermediate-Scale Experimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wietsma, T. W.; Oostrom, M.; Foster, N. S.

2003-12-01

Intermediate-scale experiments (ISEs) for flow and transport are a valuable tool for simulating subsurface features and conditions encountered in the field at government and private sites. ISEs offer the ability to study, under controlled laboratory conditions, complicated processes characteristic of mixed wastes and heterogeneous subsurface environments, in multiple dimensions and at different scales. ISEs may, therefore, result in major cost savings if employed prior to field studies. A distinct advantage of ISEs is that researchers can design physical and/or chemical heterogeneities in the porous media matrix that better approximate natural field conditions and therefore address research questions that contain the additional complexity of processes often encountered in the natural environment. A new Subsurface Flow and Transport Laboratory (SFTL) has been developed for ISE users in the Environmental Spectroscopy & Biogeochemistry Facility in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The SFTL offers a variety of columns and flow cells, a new state-of-the-art dual-energy gamma system, a fully automated saturation-pressure apparatus, and analytical equipment for sample processing. The new facility, including qualified staff, is available for scientists interested in collaboration on conducting high-quality flow and transport experiments, including contaminant remediation. Close linkages exist between the SFTL and numerical modelers to aid in experimental design and interpretation. This presentation will discuss the facility and outline the procedures required to submit a proposal to use this unique facility for research purposes. The W. R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a national scientific user facility, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Photocatalytic destruction of chlorinated solvents with solar energy

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

Pacheco, J.; Prairie, M.; Yellowhorse, L.

1990-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories and the Solar Energy Research Institute are developing a photocatalytic process to destroy organic contaminants in water. Tests with common water pollutants are being conducted at Sandia's Solar Thermal Test Facility using a near commercial-scale single-axis tracking parabolic trough system with glass pipe mounted at its focus. Experiments at this scale provide verification of laboratory studies and allow examination of design and operation issues at a real-life scale. The catalyst, titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}), is a harmless material found in paint, cosmetics and toothpaste. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of key process parameters on destructionmore » rates of two chlorinated organic compounds which are common water pollutants: trichloroethylene and trichloroethane. In this paper, we summarize the engineering-scale results of these experiments and analyses. 21 refs., 8 figs.« less

Multiscale Laboratory Infrastructure and Services to users: Plans within EPOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiers, Chris; Willingshofer, Ernst; Drury, Martyn; Funiciello, Francesca; Rosenau, Matthias; Scarlato, Piergiorgio; Sagnotti, Leonardo; EPOS WG6, Corrado Cimarelli

2015-04-01

The participant countries in EPOS embody a wide range of world-class laboratory infrastructures ranging from high temperature and pressure experimental facilities, to electron microscopy, micro-beam analysis, analogue modeling and paleomagnetic laboratories. Most data produced by the various laboratory centres and networks are presently available only in limited "final form" in publications. Many data remain inaccessible and/or poorly preserved. However, the data produced at the participating laboratories are crucial to serving society's need for geo-resources exploration and for protection against geo-hazards. Indeed, to model resource formation and system behaviour during exploitation, we need an understanding from the molecular to the continental scale, based on experimental data. This contribution will describe the plans that the laboratories community in Europe is making, in the context of EPOS. The main objectives are: • To collect and harmonize available and emerging laboratory data on the properties and processes controlling rock system behaviour at multiple scales, in order to generate products accessible and interoperable through services for supporting research activities. • To co-ordinate the development, integration and trans-national usage of the major solid Earth Science laboratory centres and specialist networks. The length scales encompassed by the infrastructures included range from the nano- and micrometer levels (electron microscopy and micro-beam analysis) to the scale of experiments on centimetre sized samples, and to analogue model experiments simulating the reservoir scale, the basin scale and the plate scale. • To provide products and services supporting research into Geo-resources and Geo-storage, Geo-hazards and Earth System Evolution. If the EPOS Implementation Phase proposal presently under construction is successful, then a range of services and transnational activities will be put in place to realize these objectives.

Predictive models of lyophilization process for development, scale-up/tech transfer and manufacturing.

PubMed

Zhu, Tong; Moussa, Ehab M; Witting, Madeleine; Zhou, Deliang; Sinha, Kushal; Hirth, Mario; Gastens, Martin; Shang, Sherwin; Nere, Nandkishor; Somashekar, Shubha Chetan; Alexeenko, Alina; Jameel, Feroz

2018-07-01

Scale-up and technology transfer of lyophilization processes remains a challenge that requires thorough characterization of the laboratory and larger scale lyophilizers. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was employed to develop computer-based models of both laboratory and manufacturing scale lyophilizers in order to understand the differences in equipment performance arising from distinct designs. CFD coupled with steady state heat and mass transfer modeling of the vial were then utilized to study and predict independent variables such as shelf temperature and chamber pressure, and response variables such as product resistance, product temperature and primary drying time for a given formulation. The models were then verified experimentally for the different lyophilizers. Additionally, the models were applied to create and evaluate a design space for a lyophilized product in order to provide justification for the flexibility to operate within a certain range of process parameters without the need for validation. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Role of Hydrodynamic and Mineralogical Heterogeneities on Reactive Transport Processes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luquot, L.; Garcia-Rios, M.; soler Sagarra, J.; Gouze, P.; Martinez-Perez, L.; Carrera, J.

2017-12-01

Predicting reactive transport at large scale, i.e., Darcy- and field- scale, is still challenging considering the number of heterogeneities that may be present from nm- to pore-scale. It is well documented that conventional continuum-scale approaches oversimplify and/or ignore many important aspects of rock structure, chemical reactions, fluid displacement and transport, which, as a consequence, results in uncertainties when applied to field-scale operations. The changes in flow and reactive transport across the different spatial and temporal scales are of central concern in many geological applications such as groundwater systems, geo-energy, rock building heritage and geological storage... In this presentation, we will discuss some laboratory and numerical results on how local heterogeneities (structural, hydrodynamic and mineralogical) can affect the localization and the rate of the reaction processes. Different flow through laboratory experiments using various rock samples will be presented, from simple monomineral rocks such as limestone samples, and more complex rocks composed of different minerals with a large range of kinetic reactions. A new numerical approach based on multirate water mixing approach will be presented and applied to one of the laboratory experiment in order to analyze and distinguish the effect of the mineralogy distribution and the hydrodynamic heterogeneity on the total reaction rate.

A review of the processes and lab-scale techniques for the treatment of spent rechargeable NiMH batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Innocenzi, Valentina; Ippolito, Nicolò Maria; De Michelis, Ida; Prisciandaro, Marina; Medici, Franco; Vegliò, Francesco

2017-09-01

The purpose of this work is to describe and review the current status of the recycling technologies of spent NiMH batteries. In the first part of the work, the structure and characterization of NiMH accumulators are introduced followed by the description of the main scientific studies and the industrial processes. Various recycling routes including physical, pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical ones are discussed. The hydrometallurgical methods for the recovery of base metals and rare earths are mainly developed on the laboratory and pilot scale. The operating industrial methods are pyrometallurgical ones and are efficient only on the recovery of certain components of spent batteries. In particular fraction rich in nickel and other materials are recovered; instead the rare earths are lost in the slag and must be further refined by hydrometallurgical process to recover them. Considering the actual legislation regarding the disposal of spent batteries and the preservation of raw materials issues, implementations on laboratory scale and plant optimization studies should be conducted in order to overcome the industrial problems of the scale up for the hydrometallurgical processes.

DATA QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR SELECTING WASTE SAMPLES FOR BENCH-SCALE REFORMER TREATABILITY STUDIES

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

BANNING DL

2011-02-11

This document describes the data quality objectives to select archived samples located at the 222-S Laboratory for Bench-Scale Reforming testing. The type, quantity, and quality of the data required to select the samples for Fluid Bed Steam Reformer testing are discussed. In order to maximize the efficiency and minimize the time to treat Hanford tank waste in the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant, additional treatment processes may be required. One of the potential treatment processes is the fluidized bed steam reformer. A determination of the adequacy of the fluidized bed steam reformer process to treat Hanford tank waste is required.more » The initial step in determining the adequacy of the fluidized bed steam reformer process is to select archived waste samples from the 222-S Laboratory that will be used in a bench scale tests. Analyses of the selected samples will be required to confirm the samples meet the shipping requirements and for comparison to the bench scale reformer (BSR) test sample selection requirements.« less

Mathematical Modeling of the Effect of Roll Diameter on the Thermo-Mechanical Behavior of Twin Roll Cast AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Strips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadadzadeh, Amir; Wells, Mary

Although the Twin Roll Casting (TRC) process has been used in the aluminum sheet production industry for more than 60 years, the usage of this process to fabricate magnesium sheets is still at its early stages. Similar to other manufacturing processes, the development of the TRC process for magnesium alloys has followed a typical route of preliminary studies using a laboratory-scale facility, followed by pilot-scale testing and most recently attempting to use an industrial-scale twin roll caster. A powerful tool to understand and quantify the trends of the processing conditions and effects of scaling up from a laboratory size TRC machine to an industrial scale one is develop a mathematical model of the process. This can elucidate the coupled fluid-thermo-mechanical behavior of the cast strip during the solidification and then deformation stages of the process. In the present study a Thermal-Fluid-Stress model has been developed for TRC of AZ31 magnesium alloy for three roll diameters by employing the FEM commercial package ALSIM. The roll diameters were chosen as 355mm, 600mm and 1150mm. The effect of casting speed for each diameter was studied in terms of fluid flow, thermal history and stress-strain evolution in the cast strip in the roll bite region.

Adsorption of Organics from Domestic Water Supplies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuire, Michael J.; Suffet, Irwin H.

1978-01-01

This article discusses the current state of the art of organics removal by adsorption. Various theoretical explanations of the adsorption process are given, along with practical results from laboratory, pilot-scale, and full-scale applications. (CS)

Development of Solvent Extraction Approach to Recycle Enriched Molybdenum Material

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

Tkac, Peter; Brown, M. Alex; Sen, Sujat

2016-06-01

Argonne National Laboratory, in cooperation with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and NorthStar Medical Technologies, LLC, is developing a recycling process for a solution containing valuable Mo-100 or Mo-98 enriched material. Previously, Argonne had developed a recycle process using a precipitation technique. However, this process is labor intensive and can lead to production of large volumes of highly corrosive waste. This report discusses an alternative process to recover enriched Mo in the form of ammonium heptamolybdate by using solvent extraction. Small-scale experiments determined the optimal conditions for effective extraction of high Mo concentrations. Methods were developed for removal of ammonium chloridemore » from the molybdenum product of the solvent extraction process. In large-scale experiments, very good purification from potassium and other elements was observed with very high recovery yields (~98%).« less

Influence of voltage input to heavy metal removal from electroplating wastewater using electrocoagulation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulan, D. R.; Cahyaningsih, S.; Djaenudin

2017-03-01

In medium capacity, electroplating industry usually treats wastewater until 5 m3 per day. Heavy metal content becomes concern that should be reduced. Previous studies performed electrocoagulation method on laboratory scale, either batch or continuous. This study was aimed to compare the influence of voltage input variation into heavy metal removal in electroplating wastewater treatment using electrocoagulation process on laboratory-scale in order to determine the optimum condition for scaling up the reactor into pilot-scale. The laboratory study was performed in 1.5 L glass reactor in batch system using wastewater from electroplating industry, the voltage input varied at 20, 30 and 40 volt. The electrode consisted of aluminium 32 cm2 as sacrifice anode and copper 32 cm2 as cathode. During 120 min electrocoagulation process, the pH value was measured using pH meter, whereas the heavy metal of chromium, copper, iron, and zinc concentration were analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Result showed that removal of heavy metals from wastewater increased due to the increasing of voltage input. Different initial concentration of heavy metals on wastewater, resulted the different detention time. At pilot-scale reactor with 30 V voltage input, chromium, iron, and zinc reached removal efficiency until 89-98%, when copper reached 79% efficiency. At 40V, removal efficiencies increased on same detention time, i.e. chromium, iron, and zinc reached 89-99%, whereas copper reached 85%. These removal efficiencies have complied the government standard except for copper that had higher initial concentration in wastewater. Kinetic rate also calculated in this study as the basic factor for scaling up the process.

The use of ethanol to remove sulfur from coal. Final report, September 1991--December 1992; Revision

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

Savage, R.L.; Lazarov, L.K.; Prudich, M.E.

1994-03-10

The initial technical goal in the project was to develop a chemical method for the cost effective removal of both inorganic and organic sulfur from Ohio coals. Verifying and using a process of reacting ethanol vapors with coal under conditions disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,888,029, the immediate technical objectives were to convert a small scale laborative batch process to a larger scale continuous process which can serve as the basis for commercial development of the technology. This involved getting as much information as possible from small scale batch autoclave or fluid bed laboratory reactors for use in pilot plant studies.more » The laboratory data included material balances on the coal and sulfur, temperature and pressure ranges for the reaction, minimum reaction times at different conditions, the effectiveness of different activators such as oxygen and nitric oxide, the amount and nature of by-products such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and acetaldehyde, the effect of coal particle size on the speed and completeness of the reaction, and the effectiveness of the reaction on different Ohio coals. Because the laboratory experiments using the method disclosed in U.S. 4,888,029 were not successful, the objective for the project was changed to develop a new laboratory process to use ethanol to remove sulfur from coal. Using copper as a catalyst and as an H{sub 2}S scavenger, a new laboratory procedure to use ethanol to remove sulfur from coal has been developed at Ohio University and a patent application covering this process was filed in March, 1993. The process is based on the use of copper as a catalyst for the dehydrogenation of ethanol to produce nascent hydrogen to remove sulfur from the coal and the use of copper as a scavenger to capture the hydrogen sulfide formed from the sulfur removed from coal.« less

Validating the Equilibrium Stage Model for an Azeotropic System in a Laboratorial Distillation Column

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duarte, B. P. M.; Coelho Pinheiro, M. N.; Silva, D. C. M.; Moura, M. J.

2006-01-01

The experiment described is an excellent opportunity to apply theoretical concepts of distillation, thermodynamics of mixtures and process simulation at laboratory scale, and simultaneously enhance the ability of students to operate, control and monitor complex units.

Characteristics of coking coal burnout

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

Nakamura, M.; Bailey, J.G.

An attempt was made to clarify the characteristics of coking coal burnout by the morphological analysis of char and fly ash samples. Laboratory-scale combustion testing, simulating an ignition process, was carried out for three kinds of coal (two coking coals and one non-coking coal for reference), and sampled chars were analyzed for size, shape and type by image analysis. The full combustion process was examined in industrial-scale combustion testing for the same kinds of coal. Char sampled at the burner outlet and fly ash at the furnace exit were also analyzed. The difference between the char type, swelling properties, agglomeration,more » anisotropy and carbon burnout were compared at laboratory scale and at industrial scale. As a result, it was found that coking coals produced chars with relatively thicker walls, which mainly impeded char burnout, especially for low volatile coals.« less

Development of a parallel FE simulator for modeling the whole trans-scale failure process of rock from meso- to engineering-scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gen; Tang, Chun-An; Liang, Zheng-Zhao

2017-01-01

Multi-scale high-resolution modeling of rock failure process is a powerful means in modern rock mechanics studies to reveal the complex failure mechanism and to evaluate engineering risks. However, multi-scale continuous modeling of rock, from deformation, damage to failure, has raised high requirements on the design, implementation scheme and computation capacity of the numerical software system. This study is aimed at developing the parallel finite element procedure, a parallel rock failure process analysis (RFPA) simulator that is capable of modeling the whole trans-scale failure process of rock. Based on the statistical meso-damage mechanical method, the RFPA simulator is able to construct heterogeneous rock models with multiple mechanical properties, deal with and represent the trans-scale propagation of cracks, in which the stress and strain fields are solved for the damage evolution analysis of representative volume element by the parallel finite element method (FEM) solver. This paper describes the theoretical basis of the approach and provides the details of the parallel implementation on a Windows - Linux interactive platform. A numerical model is built to test the parallel performance of FEM solver. Numerical simulations are then carried out on a laboratory-scale uniaxial compression test, and field-scale net fracture spacing and engineering-scale rock slope examples, respectively. The simulation results indicate that relatively high speedup and computation efficiency can be achieved by the parallel FEM solver with a reasonable boot process. In laboratory-scale simulation, the well-known physical phenomena, such as the macroscopic fracture pattern and stress-strain responses, can be reproduced. In field-scale simulation, the formation process of net fracture spacing from initiation, propagation to saturation can be revealed completely. In engineering-scale simulation, the whole progressive failure process of the rock slope can be well modeled. It is shown that the parallel FE simulator developed in this study is an efficient tool for modeling the whole trans-scale failure process of rock from meso- to engineering-scale.

Hydrodynamic Scalings: from Astrophysics to Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryutov, D. D.; Remington, B. A.

2000-05-01

A surprisingly general hydrodynamic similarity has been recently described in Refs. [1,2]. One can call it the Euler similarity because it works for the Euler equations (with MHD effects included). Although the dissipation processes are assumed to be negligible, the presence of shocks is allowed. For the polytropic medium (i.e., the medium where the energy density is proportional to the pressure), an evolution of an arbitrarily chosen 3D initial state can be scaled to another system, if a single dimensionless parameter (the Euler number) is the same for both initial states. The Euler similarity allows one to properly design laboratory experiments modeling astrophysical phenomena. We discuss several examples of such experiments related to the physics of supernovae [3]. For the problems with a single spatial scale, the condition of the smallness of dissipative processes can be adequately described in terms of the Reynolds, Peclet, and magnetic Reynolds numbers related to this scale (all three numbers must be large). However, if the system develops small-scale turbulence, dissipation may become important at these smaller scales, thereby affecting the gross behavior of the system. We analyze the corresponding constraints. We discuss also constraints imposed by the presence of interfaces between the substances with different polytropic index. Another set of similarities governs evolution of photoevaporation fronts in astrophysics. Convenient scaling laws exist in situations where the density of the ablated material is very low compared to the bulk density. We conclude that a number of hydrodynamical problems related to such objects as the Eagle Nebula can be adequately simulated in the laboratory. We discuss also possible scalings for radiative astrophysical jets (see Ref. [3] and references therein). This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract W-7405-Eng-48. 1. D.D. Ryutov, R.P. Drake, J. Kane, E. Liang, B. A. Remington, and W.M. Wood-Vasey. "Similarity criteria for the laboratory simulation of supernova hydrodynamics." Astrophysical Journal, v. 518, p. 821 (1999). 2. D.D. Ryutov, R.P. Drake, B.A. Remington. "Criteria for scaled laboratory simulations of astrophysical MHD phenomena." To appear in Astrophysical Journal - Supplement, April 2000. 3. Remington, B.A., Phys. Plasmas, 7, # 5 (2000).

Error identification in a high-volume clinical chemistry laboratory: Five-year experience.

PubMed

Jafri, Lena; Khan, Aysha Habib; Ghani, Farooq; Shakeel, Shahid; Raheem, Ahmed; Siddiqui, Imran

2015-07-01

Quality indicators for assessing the performance of a laboratory require a systematic and continuous approach in collecting and analyzing data. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of errors utilizing the quality indicators in a clinical chemistry laboratory and to convert errors to the Sigma scale. Five-year quality indicator data of a clinical chemistry laboratory was evaluated to describe the frequency of errors. An 'error' was defined as a defect during the entire testing process from the time requisition was raised and phlebotomy was done until the result dispatch. An indicator with a Sigma value of 4 was considered good but a process for which the Sigma value was 5 (i.e. 99.977% error-free) was considered well controlled. In the five-year period, a total of 6,792,020 specimens were received in the laboratory. Among a total of 17,631,834 analyses, 15.5% were from within hospital. Total error rate was 0.45% and of all the quality indicators used in this study the average Sigma level was 5.2. Three indicators - visible hemolysis, failure of proficiency testing and delay in stat tests - were below 5 on the Sigma scale and highlight the need to rigorously monitor these processes. Using Six Sigma metrics quality in a clinical laboratory can be monitored more effectively and it can set benchmarks for improving efficiency.

LABORATORY AND FIELD RESULTS LINKING HIGH CONDUCTIVITIES TO THE MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS

EPA Science Inventory

The results of a l6-month field and l6-month meso-scale laboratory investigation of unconsolidated sandy environments contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons that are undergoing natural biodegradation is presented. The purpose was to understand the processes responsible for causin...

Chlor-Alkali Industry: A Laboratory Scale Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez-Sanchez, C. M.; Exposito, E.; Frias-Ferrer, A.; Gonzalez-Garaia, J.; Monthiel, V.; Aldaz, A.

2004-01-01

A laboratory experiment for students in the last year of degree program in chemical engineering, chemistry, or industrial chemistry is presented. It models the chlor-alkali process, one of the most important industrial applications of electrochemical technology and the second largest industrial consumer of electricity after aluminium industry.

Linking the Grain Scale to Experimental Measurements and Other Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogler, Tracy

2017-06-01

A number of physical processes occur at the scale of grains that can have a profound influence on the behavior of materials under shock loading. Examples include inelastic deformation, pore collapse, fracture, friction, and internal wave reflections. In some cases such as the initiation of energetics and brittle fracture, these processes can have first order effects on the behavior of materials: the emergent behavior from the grain scale is the dominant one. In other cases, many aspects of the bulk behavior can be described by a continuum description, but some details of the behavior are missed by continuum descriptions. The multi-scale model paradigm envisions flow of information from smaller scales (atomic, dislocation, etc.) to the grain or mesoscale and the up to the continuum scale. A significant challenge in this approach is the need to validate each step. For the grain scale, diagnosing behavior is challenging because of the small spatial and temporal scales involved. Spatially resolved diagnostics have begun to shed light on these processes, and, more recently, advanced light sources have started to be used to probe behavior at the grain scale. In this talk, I will discuss some interesting phenomena that occur at the grain scale in shock loading, experimental approaches to probe the grain scale, and efforts to link the grain scale to smaller and larger scales. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE.

REDUCING WASTEWATER FROM CUCUMBER PICKLING PROCESS BY CONTROLLED CULTURE FERMENTATION

EPA Science Inventory

On a demonstration scale, the controlled culture fermentation process (CCF) developed by the U.S. Food Fermentation Laboratory was compared with the conventional natural fermentation process (NF) in regard to product quality and yield and volume and concentration of wastewaters. ...

Transitioning glass-ceramic scintillators for diagnostic x-ray imaging from the laboratory to commercial scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beckert, M. Brooke; Gallego, Sabrina; Elder, Eric; Nadler, Jason

2016-10-01

This study sought to mitigate risk in transitioning newly developed glass-ceramic scintillator technology from a laboratory concept to commercial product by identifying the most significant hurdles to increased scale. These included selection of cost effective raw material sources, investigation of process parameters with the most significant impact on performance, and synthesis steps that could see the greatest benefit from participation of an industry partner that specializes in glass or optical component manufacturing. Efforts focused on enhancing the performance of glass-ceramic nanocomposite scintillators developed specifically for medical imaging via composition and process modifications that ensured efficient capture of incident X-ray energy and emission of scintillation light. The use of cost effective raw materials and existing manufacturing methods demonstrated proof-of-concept for economical viable alternatives to existing benchmark materials, as well as possible disruptive applications afforded by novel geometries and comparatively lower cost per volume. The authors now seek the expertise of industry to effectively navigate the transition from laboratory demonstrations to pilot scale production and testing to evince the industry of the viability and usefulness of composite-based scintillators.

Improved Strength and Damage Modeling of Geologic Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Sarah; Senft, Laurel

2007-06-01

Collisions and impact cratering events are important processes in the evolution of planetary bodies. The time and length scales of planetary collisions, however, are inaccessible in the laboratory and require the use of shock physics codes. We present the results from a new rheological model for geological materials implemented in the CTH code [1]. The `ROCK' model includes pressure, temperature, and damage effects on strength, as well as acoustic fluidization during impact crater collapse. We demonstrate that the model accurately reproduces final crater shapes, tensile cracking, and damaged zones from laboratory to planetary scales. The strength model requires basic material properties; hence, the input parameters may be benchmarked to laboratory results and extended to planetary collision events. We show the effects of varying material strength parameters, which are dependent on both scale and strain rate, and discuss choosing appropriate parameters for laboratory and planetary situations. The results are a significant improvement in models of continuum rock deformation during large scale impact events. [1] Senft, L. E., Stewart, S. T. Modeling Impact Cratering in Layered Surfaces, J. Geophys. Res., submitted.

Pilot-scale production of fuel ethanol from concentrated food waste hydrolysates using Saccharomyces cerevisiae H058.

PubMed

Yan, Shoubao; Chen, Xiangsong; Wu, Jingyong; Wang, Pingchao

2013-07-01

The aim of this study was to develop a bioprocess to produce ethanol from food waste at laboratory, semipilot and pilot scales. Laboratory tests demonstrated that ethanol fermentation with reducing sugar concentration of 200 g/L, inoculum size of 2 % (Initial cell number was 2 × 10⁶ CFU/mL) and addition of YEP (3 g/L of yeast extract and 5 g/L of peptone) was the best choice. The maximum ethanol concentration in laboratory scale (93.86 ± 1.15 g/L) was in satisfactory with semipilot scale (93.79 ± 1.11 g/L), but lower than that (96.46 ± 1.12 g/L) of pilot-scale. Similar ethanol yield and volumetric ethanol productivity of 0.47 ± 0.02 g/g, 1.56 ± 0.03 g/L/h and 0.47 ± 0.03 g/g, 1.56 ± 0.03 g/L/h after 60 h of fermentation in laboratory and semipilot fermentors, respectively, however, both were lower than that (0.48 ± 0.02 g/g, 1.79 ± 0.03 g/L/h) of pilot reactor. In addition, simple models were developed to predict the fermentation kinetics during the scale-up process and they were successfully applied to simulate experimental results.

Predicting the performance uncertainty of a 1-MW pilot-scale carbon capture system after hierarchical laboratory-scale calibration and validation

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

Xu, Zhijie; Lai, Canhai; Marcy, Peter William

2017-05-01

A challenging problem in designing pilot-scale carbon capture systems is to predict, with uncertainty, the adsorber performance and capture efficiency under various operating conditions where no direct experimental data exist. Motivated by this challenge, we previously proposed a hierarchical framework in which relevant parameters of physical models were sequentially calibrated from different laboratory-scale carbon capture unit (C2U) experiments. Specifically, three models of increasing complexity were identified based on the fundamental physical and chemical processes of the sorbent-based carbon capture technology. Results from the corresponding laboratory experiments were used to statistically calibrate the physical model parameters while quantifying some of theirmore » inherent uncertainty. The parameter distributions obtained from laboratory-scale C2U calibration runs are used in this study to facilitate prediction at a larger scale where no corresponding experimental results are available. In this paper, we first describe the multiphase reactive flow model for a sorbent-based 1-MW carbon capture system then analyze results from an ensemble of simulations with the upscaled model. The simulation results are used to quantify uncertainty regarding the design’s predicted efficiency in carbon capture. In particular, we determine the minimum gas flow rate necessary to achieve 90% capture efficiency with 95% confidence.« less

Scaling of coupled dilatancy-diffusion processes in space and time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Main, I. G.; Bell, A. F.; Meredith, P. G.; Brantut, N.; Heap, M.

2012-04-01

Coupled dilatancy-diffusion processes resulting from microscopically brittle damage due to precursory cracking have been observed in the laboratory and suggested as a mechanism for earthquake precursors. One reason precursors have proven elusive may be the scaling in space: recent geodetic and seismic data placing strong limits on the spatial extent of the nucleation zone for recent earthquakes. Another may be the scaling in time: recent laboratory results on axi-symmetric samples show both a systematic decrease in circumferential extensional strain at failure and a delayed and a sharper acceleration of acoustic emission event rate as strain rate is decreased. Here we examine the scaling of such processes in time from laboratory to field conditions using brittle creep (constant stress loading) to failure tests, in an attempt to bridge part of the strain rate gap to natural conditions, and discuss the implications for forecasting the failure time. Dilatancy rate is strongly correlated to strain rate, and decreases to zero in the steady-rate creep phase at strain rates around 10-9 s-1 for a basalt from Mount Etna. The data are well described by a creep model based on the linear superposition of transient (decelerating) and accelerating micro-crack growth due to stress corrosion. The model produces good fits to the failure time in retrospect using the accelerating acoustic emission event rate, but in prospective tests on synthetic data with the same properties we find failure-time forecasting is subject to systematic epistemic and aleatory uncertainties that degrade predictability. The next stage is to use the technology developed to attempt failure forecasting in real time, using live streamed data and a public web-based portal to quantify the prospective forecast quality under such controlled laboratory conditions.

High-EPA Biomass from Nannochloropsis salina Cultivated in a Flat-Panel Photo-Bioreactor on a Process Water-Enriched Growth Medium

PubMed Central

Safafar, Hamed; Hass, Michael Z.; Møller, Per; Holdt, Susan L.; Jacobsen, Charlotte

2016-01-01

Nannochloropsis salina was grown on a mixture of standard growth media and pre-gasified industrial process water representing effluent from a local biogas plant. The study aimed to investigate the effects of enriched growth media and cultivation time on nutritional composition of Nannochloropsis salina biomass, with a focus on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Variations in fatty acid composition, lipids, protein, amino acids, tocopherols and pigments were studied and results compared to algae cultivated on F/2 media as reference. Mixed growth media and process water enhanced the nutritional quality of Nannochloropsis salina in laboratory scale when compared to algae cultivated in standard F/2 medium. Data from laboratory scale translated to the large scale using a 4000 L flat panel photo-bioreactor system. The algae growth rate in winter conditions in Denmark was slow, but results revealed that large-scale cultivation of Nannochloropsis salina at these conditions could improve the nutritional properties such as EPA, tocopherol, protein and carotenoids compared to laboratory-scale cultivated microalgae. EPA reached 44.2% ± 2.30% of total fatty acids, and α-tocopherol reached 431 ± 28 µg/g of biomass dry weight after 21 days of cultivation. Variations in chemical compositions of Nannochloropsis salina were studied during the course of cultivation. Nannochloropsis salina can be presented as a good candidate for winter time cultivation in Denmark. The resulting biomass is a rich source of EPA and also a good source of protein (amino acids), tocopherols and carotenoids for potential use in aquaculture feed industry. PMID:27483291

High-EPA Biomass from Nannochloropsis salina Cultivated in a Flat-Panel Photo-Bioreactor on a Process Water-Enriched Growth Medium.

PubMed

Safafar, Hamed; Hass, Michael Z; Møller, Per; Holdt, Susan L; Jacobsen, Charlotte

2016-07-29

Nannochloropsis salina was grown on a mixture of standard growth media and pre-gasified industrial process water representing effluent from a local biogas plant. The study aimed to investigate the effects of enriched growth media and cultivation time on nutritional composition of Nannochloropsis salina biomass, with a focus on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Variations in fatty acid composition, lipids, protein, amino acids, tocopherols and pigments were studied and results compared to algae cultivated on F/2 media as reference. Mixed growth media and process water enhanced the nutritional quality of Nannochloropsis salina in laboratory scale when compared to algae cultivated in standard F/2 medium. Data from laboratory scale translated to the large scale using a 4000 L flat panel photo-bioreactor system. The algae growth rate in winter conditions in Denmark was slow, but results revealed that large-scale cultivation of Nannochloropsis salina at these conditions could improve the nutritional properties such as EPA, tocopherol, protein and carotenoids compared to laboratory-scale cultivated microalgae. EPA reached 44.2% ± 2.30% of total fatty acids, and α-tocopherol reached 431 ± 28 µg/g of biomass dry weight after 21 days of cultivation. Variations in chemical compositions of Nannochloropsis salina were studied during the course of cultivation. Nannochloropsis salina can be presented as a good candidate for winter time cultivation in Denmark. The resulting biomass is a rich source of EPA and also a good source of protein (amino acids), tocopherols and carotenoids for potential use in aquaculture feed industry.

Plasmid fermentation process for DNA immunization applications.

PubMed

Carnes, Aaron E; Williams, James A

2014-01-01

Plasmid DNA for immunization applications must be of the highest purity and quality. The ability of downstream purification to efficiently produce a pure final product is directly influenced by the performance of the upstream fermentation process. While several clinical manufacturing facilities already have validated fermentation processes in place to manufacture plasmid DNA for use in humans, a simple and inexpensive laboratory-scale fermentation process can be valuable for in-house production of plasmid DNA for use in animal efficacy studies. This chapter describes a simple fed-batch fermentation process for producing bacterial cell paste enriched with high-quality plasmid DNA. A constant feeding strategy results in a medium cell density culture with continuously increasing plasmid amplification towards the end of the process. Cell banking and seed culture preparation protocols, which can dramatically influence final product yield and quality, are also described. These protocols are suitable for production of research-grade plasmid DNA at the 100 mg-to-1.5 g scale from a typical 10 L laboratory benchtop fermentor.

Goethite Bench-scale and Large-scale Preparation Tests

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

Josephson, Gary B.; Westsik, Joseph H.

2011-10-23

The Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is the keystone for cleanup of high-level radioactive waste from our nation's nuclear defense program. The WTP will process high-level waste from the Hanford tanks and produce immobilized high-level waste glass for disposal at a national repository, low activity waste (LAW) glass, and liquid effluent from the vitrification off-gas scrubbers. The liquid effluent will be stabilized into a secondary waste form (e.g. grout-like material) and disposed on the Hanford site in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) along with the low-activity waste glass. The major long-term environmental impact at Hanford results from technetiummore » that volatilizes from the WTP melters and finally resides in the secondary waste. Laboratory studies have indicated that pertechnetate ({sup 99}TcO{sub 4}{sup -}) can be reduced and captured into a solid solution of {alpha}-FeOOH, goethite (Um 2010). Goethite is a stable mineral and can significantly retard the release of technetium to the environment from the IDF. The laboratory studies were conducted using reaction times of many days, which is typical of environmental subsurface reactions that were the genesis of this new process. This study was the first step in considering adaptation of the slow laboratory steps to a larger-scale and faster process that could be conducted either within the WTP or within the effluent treatment facility (ETF). Two levels of scale-up tests were conducted (25x and 400x). The largest scale-up produced slurries of Fe-rich precipitates that contained rhenium as a nonradioactive surrogate for {sup 99}Tc. The slurries were used in melter tests at Vitreous State Laboratory (VSL) to determine whether captured rhenium was less volatile in the vitrification process than rhenium in an unmodified feed. A critical step in the technetium immobilization process is to chemically reduce Tc(VII) in the pertechnetate (TcO{sub 4}{sup -}) to Tc(Iv)by reaction with the ferrous ion, Fe{sup 2+}-Fe{sup 2+} is oxidized to Fe{sup 3+} - in the presence of goethite seed particles. Rhenium does not mimic that process; it is not a strong enough reducing agent to duplicate the TcO{sub 4}{sup -}/Fe{sup 2+} redox reactions. Laboratory tests conducted in parallel with these scaled tests identified modifications to the liquid chemistry necessary to reduce ReO{sub 4}{sup -} and capture rhenium in the solids at levels similar to those achieved by Um (2010) for inclusion of Tc into goethite. By implementing these changes, Re was incorporated into Fe-rich solids for testing at VSL. The changes also changed the phase of iron that was in the slurry product: rather than forming goethite ({alpha}-FeOOH), the process produced magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}). Magnetite was considered by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and VSL to probably be a better product to improve Re retention in the melter because it decomposes at a higher temperature than goethite (1538 C vs. 136 C). The feasibility tests at VSL were conducted using Re-rich magnetite. The tests did not indicate an improved retention of Re in the glass during vitrification, but they did indicate an improved melting rate (+60%), which could have significant impact on HLW processing. It is still to be shown whether the Re is a solid solution in the magnetite as {sup 99}Tc was determined to be in goethite.« less

Laboratory formation of a scaled protostellar jet by coaligned poloidal magnetic field.

PubMed

Albertazzi, B; Ciardi, A; Nakatsutsumi, M; Vinci, T; Béard, J; Bonito, R; Billette, J; Borghesi, M; Burkley, Z; Chen, S N; Cowan, T E; Herrmannsdörfer, T; Higginson, D P; Kroll, F; Pikuz, S A; Naughton, K; Romagnani, L; Riconda, C; Revet, G; Riquier, R; Schlenvoigt, H-P; Skobelev, I Yu; Faenov, A Ya; Soloviev, A; Huarte-Espinosa, M; Frank, A; Portugall, O; Pépin, H; Fuchs, J

2014-10-17

Although bipolar jets are seen emerging from a wide variety of astrophysical systems, the issue of their formation and morphology beyond their launching is still under study. Our scaled laboratory experiments, representative of young stellar object outflows, reveal that stable and narrow collimation of the entire flow can result from the presence of a poloidal magnetic field whose strength is consistent with observations. The laboratory plasma becomes focused with an interior cavity. This gives rise to a standing conical shock from which the jet emerges. Following simulations of the process at the full astrophysical scale, we conclude that it can also explain recently discovered x-ray emission features observed in low-density regions at the base of protostellar jets, such as the well-studied jet HH 154. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Coal Technology Program progress report, March 1976

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

Not Available

Shakedown tests of the bench-scale hydrocarbonization system were successfully completed. Wyodak coal was fed to the reactor at a rate of 9.9 lb/hr where it was hydrocarbonized at 1050/sup 0/F under 20-atm hydrogen pressure. Laboratory results including settling tests, bench-scale settling tests, and sample ageing tests were continued. Two of ten compounds tested with the laboratory-scale apparatus were effective in increasing settling rates of solids in Solvent Refined Coal unfiltered oil, but bench-scale tests failed to show any improvements in the settling rate over the untreated SRC-UFO. Analytical chemistry efforts involved the removal and concentration of organic components in by-productmore » waters from fossil fuel conversion processes. A sephadex gel is being used to achieve hydrophilic-lipophilic separations in organic mixtures as a step in the analysis of fossil fuel related materials. Engineering Evaluations of the Synthiol and Hydrocarbonization Processes continued with the Synthiol process flow diagrams, heat and material balances, and utilities requirements being completed. Inspection techniques were developed for wear- and process-resistant coatings. Orders were placed for the Incoloy 800 tubing and a smaller quantity of Inconel 600 tubing for the tube matrix in the coal-fueled MIUS fluidized bed. An engineering feasibility review of General Atomic's proposal to ERDA for a bench-scale test program on thermochemical water splitting for hydrogen production was completed. (auth)« less

Process and Learning Outcomes from Remotely-Operated, Simulated, and Hands-on Student Laboratories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corter, James E.; Esche, Sven K.; Chassapis, Constantin; Ma, Jing; Nickerson, Jeffrey V.

2011-01-01

A large-scale, multi-year, randomized study compared learning activities and outcomes for hands-on, remotely-operated, and simulation-based educational laboratories in an undergraduate engineering course. Students (N = 458) worked in small-group lab teams to perform two experiments involving stress on a cantilever beam. Each team conducted the…

A Comparison of Crater-Size Scaling and Ejection-Speed Scaling During Experimental Impacts in Sand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, J. L. B.; Cintala, M. J.; Johnson, M. K.

2014-01-01

Non-dimensional scaling relationships are used to understand various cratering processes including final crater sizes and the excavation of material from a growing crater. The principal assumption behind these scaling relationships is that these processes depend on a combination of the projectile's characteristics, namely its diameter, density, and impact speed. This simplifies the impact event into a single point-source. So long as the process of interest is beyond a few projectile radii from the impact point, the point-source assumption holds. These assumptions can be tested through laboratory experiments in which the initial conditions of the impact are controlled and resulting processes measured directly. In this contribution, we continue our exploration of the congruence between crater-size scaling and ejection-speed scaling relationships. In particular, we examine a series of experimental suites in which the projectile diameter and average grain size of the target are varied.

Fuel alcohol production from agricultural lignocellulosic feedstocks

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

Farina, G.E.; Barrier, J.W.; Forsythe, M.L.

1988-01-01

A two-stage, low-temperature, ambient pressure, acid hydrolysis process that utilizes separate unit operations to convert hemicellulose and cellulose in agricultural residues and crops to fermentable sugars is being developed and tested. Based on the results of the bench-scale tests, an acid hydrolysis experimental plant to demonstrate the concepts of low-temperature acid hydrolysis on a much larger scale was built. Plant tests using corn stover have been conducted for more that a year and conversion efficiences have equaled those achieved in the laboratory. Laboratory tests to determine the potential for low-temperature acid hydrolysis of other feedstocks - including red clover, alfalfa,more » kobe lespedeza, winter rape, and rye grass - are being conducted. Where applicable, process modifications to include extraction before or after hydrolysis also are being studied. This paper describes the experimental plant and process, results obtained in the plant, results of alternative feedstocks testing in the laboratory, and a plan for an integrated system that will produce other fuels, feed, and food from crops grown on marginal land.« less

EPOS-WP16: A coherent and collaborative network of Solid Earth Multi-scale laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calignano, Elisa; Rosenau, Matthias; Lange, Otto; Spiers, Chris; Willingshofer, Ernst; Drury, Martyn; van Kan-Parker, Mirjam; Elger, Kirsten; Ulbricht, Damian; Funiciello, Francesca; Trippanera, Daniele; Sagnotti, Leonardo; Scarlato, Piergiorgio; Tesei, Telemaco; Winkler, Aldo

2017-04-01

Laboratory facilities are an integral part of Earth Science research. The diversity of methods employed in such infrastructures reflects the multi-scale nature of the Earth system and is essential for the understanding of its evolution, for the assessment of geo-hazards and for the sustainable exploitation of geo-resources. In the frame of EPOS (European Plate Observing System), the Working Package 16 represents a developing community of European Geoscience Multi-scale laboratories. The participant and collaborating institutions (Utrecht University, GFZ, RomaTre University, INGV, NERC, CSIC-ICTJA, CNRS, LMU, C4G-UBI, ETH, CNR*) embody several types of laboratory infrastructures, engaged in different fields of interest of Earth Science: from high temperature and pressure experimental facilities, to electron microscopy, micro-beam analysis, analogue tectonic and geodynamic modelling and paleomagnetic laboratories. The length scales encompassed by these infrastructures range from the nano- and micrometre levels (electron microscopy and micro-beam analysis) to the scale of experiments on centimetres-sized samples, and to analogue model experiments simulating the reservoir scale, the basin scale and the plate scale. The aim of WP16 is to provide two services by the year 2019: first, providing virtual access to data from laboratories (data service) and, second, providing physical access to laboratories (transnational access, TNA). Regarding the development of a data service, the current status is such that most data produced by the various laboratory centres and networks are available only in limited "final form" in publications, many data remain inaccessible and/or poorly preserved. Within EPOS the TCS Multi-scale laboratories is collecting and harmonizing available and emerging laboratory data on the properties and process controlling rock system behaviour at all relevant scales, in order to generate products accessible and interoperable through services for supporting research activities into Geo-resources and Geo-storage, Geo-hazards and Earth System Evolution. Regarding the provision of physical access to laboratories the current situation is such that access to WP16's laboratories is often based on professional relations, available budgets, shared interests and other constraints. In WP16 we aim at reducing the present diversity and non-transparency of access rules and replace ad-hoc procedures for access by a streamlined mechanisms, objective rules and a transparent policy. We work on procedures and mechanisms regulating application, negotiation, evaluation, feedback, selection, admission, approval, feasibility check, setting-up, use, monitoring and dismantling. In the end laboratories should each have a single point providing clear and transparent information on the facility itself, its services, access policy, data management policy and the legal terms and conditions for use of equipment. Through its role as an intermediary and information broker, EPOS will acquire a wealth of information from Research Infrastructures and users on the establishment of efficient collaboration agreements.

Fluidized bed coal desulfurization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravindram, M.

1983-01-01

Laboratory scale experiments were conducted on two high volatile bituminous coals in a bench scale batch fluidized bed reactor. Chemical pretreatment and posttreatment of coals were tried as a means of enhancing desulfurization. Sequential chlorination and dechlorination cum hydrodesulfurization under modest conditions relative to the water slurry process were found to result in substantial sulfur reductions of about 80%. Sulfur forms as well as proximate and ultimate analyses of the processed coals are included. These studies indicate that a fluidized bed reactor process has considerable potential for being developed into a simple and economic process for coal desulfurization.

The value of the Semantic Web in the laboratory.

PubMed

Frey, Jeremy G

2009-06-01

The Semantic Web is beginning to impact on the wider chemical and physical sciences, beyond the earlier adopted bio-informatics. While useful in large-scale data driven science with automated processing, these technologies can also help integrate the work of smaller scale laboratories producing diverse data. The semantics aid the discovery, reliable re-use of data, provide improved provenance and facilitate automated processing by increased resilience to changes in presentation and reduced ambiguity. The Semantic Web, its tools and collections are not yet competitive with well-established solutions to current problems. It is in the reduced cost of instituting solutions to new problems that the versatility of Semantic Web-enabled data and resources will make their mark once the more general-purpose tools are more available.

Fully coupled approach to modeling shallow water flow, sediment transport, and bed evolution in rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuangcai; Duffy, Christopher J.

2011-03-01

Our ability to predict complex environmental fluid flow and transport hinges on accurate and efficient simulations of multiple physical phenomenon operating simultaneously over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, including overbank floods, coastal storm surge events, drying and wetting bed conditions, and simultaneous bed form evolution. This research implements a fully coupled strategy for solving shallow water hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphological bed evolution in rivers and floodplains (PIHM_Hydro) and applies the model to field and laboratory experiments that cover a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The model uses a standard upwind finite volume method and Roe's approximate Riemann solver for unstructured grids. A multidimensional linear reconstruction and slope limiter are implemented, achieving second-order spatial accuracy. Model efficiency and stability are treated using an explicit-implicit method for temporal discretization with operator splitting. Laboratory-and field-scale experiments were compiled where coupled processes across a range of scales were observed and where higher-order spatial and temporal accuracy might be needed for accurate and efficient solutions. These experiments demonstrate the ability of the fully coupled strategy in capturing dynamics of field-scale flood waves and small-scale drying-wetting processes.

A simple scaled down system to mimic the industrial production of first generation fuel ethanol in Brazil.

PubMed

Raghavendran, Vijayendran; Basso, Thalita Peixoto; da Silva, Juliana Bueno; Basso, Luiz Carlos; Gombert, Andreas Karoly

2017-07-01

Although first-generation fuel ethanol is produced in Brazil from sugarcane-based raw materials with high efficiency, there is still little knowledge about the microbiology, the biochemistry and the molecular mechanisms prevalent in the non-aseptic fermentation environment. Learning-by-doing has hitherto been the strategy to improve the process so far, with further improvements requiring breakthrough technologies. Performing experiments at an industrial scale are often expensive, complicated to set up and difficult to reproduce. Thus, developing an appropriate scaled down system for this process has become a necessity. In this paper, we present the design and demonstration of a simple and effective laboratory-scale system mimicking the industrial process used for first generation (1G) fuel ethanol production in the Brazilian sugarcane mills. We benchmarked this system via the superior phenotype of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae PE-2 strain, compared to other strains from the same species: S288c, baker's yeast, and CEN.PK113-7D. We trust that such a system can be easily implemented in different laboratories worldwide, and will allow a better understanding of the S. cerevisiae strains that can persist and dominate in this industrial, non-aseptic and peculiar environment.

GEOMORPHOLOGY. Experimental evidence for hillslope control of landscape scale.

PubMed

Sweeney, K E; Roering, J J; Ellis, C

2015-07-03

Landscape evolution theory suggests that climate sets the scale of landscape dissection by modulating the competition between diffusive processes that sculpt convex hillslopes and advective processes that carve concave valleys. However, the link between the relative dominance of hillslope and valley transport processes and landscape scale is difficult to demonstrate in natural landscapes due to the episodic nature of erosion. Here, we report results from laboratory experiments combining diffusive and advective processes in an eroding landscape. We demonstrate that rainsplash-driven disturbances in our experiments are a robust proxy for hillslope transport, such that increasing hillslope transport efficiency decreases drainage density. Our experimental results demonstrate how the coupling of climate-driven hillslope- and valley-forming processes, such as bioturbation and runoff, dictates the scale of eroding landscapes. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The Role of Laboratory-Based Studies of the Physical and Biological Properties of Sea Ice in Supporting the Observation and Modeling of Ice Covered Seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Light, B.; Krembs, C.

2003-12-01

Laboratory-based studies of the physical and biological properties of sea ice are an essential link between high latitude field observations and existing numerical models. Such studies promote improved understanding of climatic variability and its impact on sea ice and the structure of ice-dependent marine ecosystems. Controlled laboratory experiments can help identify feedback mechanisms between physical and biological processes and their response to climate fluctuations. Climatically sensitive processes occurring between sea ice and the atmosphere and sea ice and the ocean determine surface radiative energy fluxes and the transfer of nutrients and mass across these boundaries. High temporally and spatially resolved analyses of sea ice under controlled environmental conditions lend insight to the physics that drive these transfer processes. Techniques such as optical probing, thin section photography, and microscopy can be used to conduct experiments on natural sea ice core samples and laboratory-grown ice. Such experiments yield insight on small scale processes from the microscopic to the meter scale and can be powerful interdisciplinary tools for education and model parameterization development. Examples of laboratory investigations by the authors include observation of the response of sea ice microstructure to changes in temperature, assessment of the relationships between ice structure and the partitioning of solar radiation by first-year sea ice covers, observation of pore evolution and interfacial structure, and quantification of the production and impact of microbial metabolic products on the mechanical, optical, and textural characteristics of sea ice.

Pilot-scale laboratory waste treatment by supercritical water oxidation.

PubMed

Oshima, Yoshito; Hayashi, Rumiko; Yamamoto, Kazuo

2006-01-01

Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) is a reaction in which organics in an aqueous solution can be oxidized by O2 to CO2 and H2O at a very high reaction rate. In 2003, The University of Tokyo constructed a facility for the SCWO process, the capacity of which is approximately 20 kl/year, for the purpose of treating organic laboratory waste. Through the operation of this facility, we have demonstrated that most of the organics in laboratory waste including halogenated organic compounds can be successfully treated without the formation of dioxines, suggesting that SCWO is useful as an alternative technology to the conventional incineration process.

Fast laboratory-based micro-computed tomography for pore-scale research: Illustrative experiments and perspectives on the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bultreys, Tom; Boone, Marijn A.; Boone, Matthieu N.; De Schryver, Thomas; Masschaele, Bert; Van Hoorebeke, Luc; Cnudde, Veerle

2016-09-01

Over the past decade, the wide-spread implementation of laboratory-based X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanners has revolutionized both the experimental and numerical research on pore-scale transport in geological materials. The availability of these scanners has opened up the possibility to image a rock's pore space in 3D almost routinely to many researchers. While challenges do persist in this field, we treat the next frontier in laboratory-based micro-CT scanning: in-situ, time-resolved imaging of dynamic processes. Extremely fast (even sub-second) micro-CT imaging has become possible at synchrotron facilities over the last few years, however, the restricted accessibility of synchrotrons limits the amount of experiments which can be performed. The much smaller X-ray flux in laboratory-based systems bounds the time resolution which can be attained at these facilities. Nevertheless, progress is being made to improve the quality of measurements performed on the sub-minute time scale. We illustrate this by presenting cutting-edge pore scale experiments visualizing two-phase flow and solute transport in real-time with a lab-based environmental micro-CT set-up. To outline the current state of this young field and its relevance to pore-scale transport research, we critically examine its current bottlenecks and their possible solutions, both on the hardware and the software level. Further developments in laboratory-based, time-resolved imaging could prove greatly beneficial to our understanding of transport behavior in geological materials and to the improvement of pore-scale modeling by providing valuable validation.

Electrohydraulic Forming of Near-Net Shape Automotive Panels

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

Golovaschenko, Sergey F.

2013-09-26

The objective of this project was to develop the electrohydraulic forming (EHF) process as a near-net shape automotive panel manufacturing technology that simultaneously reduces the energy embedded in vehicles and the energy consumed while producing automotive structures. Pulsed pressure is created via a shockwave generated by the discharge of high voltage capacitors through a pair of electrodes in a liquid-filled chamber. The shockwave in the liquid initiated by the expansion of the plasma channel formed between two electrodes propagates towards the blank and causes the blank to be deformed into a one-sided die cavity. The numerical model of the EHFmore » process was validated experimentally and was successfully applied to the design of the electrode system and to a multi-electrode EHF chamber for full scale validation of the process. The numerical model was able to predict stresses in the dies during pulsed forming and was validated by the experimental study of the die insert failure mode for corner filling operations. The electrohydraulic forming process and its major subsystems, including durable electrodes, an EHF chamber, a water/air management system, a pulse generator and integrated process controls, were validated to be capable to operate in a fully automated, computer controlled mode for forming of a portion of a full-scale sheet metal component in laboratory conditions. Additionally, the novel processes of electrohydraulic trimming and electrohydraulic calibration were demonstrated at a reduced-scale component level. Furthermore, a hybrid process combining conventional stamping with EHF was demonstrated as a laboratory process for a full-scale automotive panel formed out of AHSS material. The economic feasibility of the developed EHF processes was defined by developing a cost model of the EHF process in comparison to the conventional stamping process.« less

An overview of Laser-Produced Relativistic Positrons in the Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edghill, Brandon; Williams, Gerald; Chen, Hui; Beg, Farhat

2017-10-01

The production of relativistic positrons using ultraintense lasers can facilitate studies of fundamental pair plasma science in the relativistic regime and laboratory studies of scaled energetic astrophysical mechanisms such as gamma ray bursts. The positron densities and spatial scales required for these applications, however, are larger than current capabilities. Here, we present an overview of the experimental laser-produced positron results and their respective modeling for both the direct laser-irradiated process and the indirect process (laser wakefield accelerated electrons irradiating a high-Z converter). Conversion efficiency into positrons and positron beam characteristics are compared, including total pair yield, mean energy, angular divergence, and inferred pair density for various laser and target conditions. Prospects towards increasing positron densities and beam repetition rates will also be discussed. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344, and funded by LDRD (#17-ERD-010).

Strain localization in models and nature: bridging the gaps.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burov, E.; Francois, T.; Leguille, J.

2012-04-01

Mechanisms of strain localization and their role in tectonic evolution are still largely debated. Indeed, the laboratory data on strain localization processes are not abundant, they do not cover the entire range of possible mechanisms and have to be extrapolated, sometimes with greatest uncertainties, to geological scales while the observations of localization processes at outcrop scale are scarce, not always representative, and usually are difficult to quantify. Numerical thermo-mechanical models allow us to investigate the relative importance of some of the localization processes whether they are hypothesized or observed at laboratory or outcrop scale. The numerical models can test different observationally or analytically derived laws in terms of their applicability to natural scales and tectonic processes. The models are limited, however, in their capacity of reproduction of physical mechanisms, and necessary simplify the softening laws leading to "numerical" localization. Numerical strain localization is also limited by grid resolution and the ability of specific numerical codes to handle large strains and the complexity of the associated physical phenomena. Hence, multiple iterations between observations and models are needed to elucidate the causes of strain localization in nature. We here investigate the relative impact of different weakening laws on localization of deformation using large-strain thermo-mechanical models. We test using several "generic" rifting and collision settings, the implications of structural softening, tectonic heritage, shear heating, friction angle and cohesion softening, ductile softening (mimicking grain-size reduction) as well as of a number of other mechanisms such as fluid-assisted phase changes. The results suggest that different mechanisms of strain localization may interfere in nature, yet it most cases it is not evident to establish quantifiable links between the laboratory data and the best-fitting parameters of the effective softening laws that allow to reproduce large scale tectonic evolution. For example, one of most effective and widely used mechanisms of "numerical" strain localization is friction angle softening. Yet, namely this law appears to be most difficult to justify from physical and observational grounds.

Production Process for Strong, Light Ceramic Tiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmquist, G. R.; Cordia, E. R.; Tomer, R. S.

1985-01-01

Proportions of ingredients and sintering time/temperature schedule changed. Production process for lightweight, high-strength ceramic insulating tiles for Space Shuttle more than just scaled-up version of laboratory process for making small tiles. Boron in aluminum borosilicate fibers allows fusion at points where fibers contact each other during sintering, thereby greatly strengthening tiles structure.

Modeling microbiological and chemical processes in municipal solid waste bioreactor, Part II: Application of numerical model BIOKEMOD-3P.

PubMed

Gawande, Nitin A; Reinhart, Debra R; Yeh, Gour-Tsyh

2010-02-01

Biodegradation process modeling of municipal solid waste (MSW) bioreactor landfills requires the knowledge of various process reactions and corresponding kinetic parameters. Mechanistic models available to date are able to simulate biodegradation processes with the help of pre-defined species and reactions. Some of these models consider the effect of critical parameters such as moisture content, pH, and temperature. Biomass concentration is a vital parameter for any biomass growth model and often not compared with field and laboratory results. A more complex biodegradation model includes a large number of chemical and microbiological species. Increasing the number of species and user defined process reactions in the simulation requires a robust numerical tool. A generalized microbiological and chemical model, BIOKEMOD-3P, was developed to simulate biodegradation processes in three-phases (Gawande et al. 2009). This paper presents the application of this model to simulate laboratory-scale MSW bioreactors under anaerobic conditions. BIOKEMOD-3P was able to closely simulate the experimental data. The results from this study may help in application of this model to full-scale landfill operation.

A finite difference model used to predict the consolidation of a ceramic waste form produced from the electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel.

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

Bateman, K. J.; Capson, D. D.

2004-03-29

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has developed a process to immobilize waste salt containing fission products, uranium, and transuranic elements as chlorides in a glass-bonded ceramic waste form. This salt was generated in the electrorefining operation used in the electrometallurgical treatment of spent Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) fuel. The ceramic waste process culminates with an elevated temperature operation. The processing conditions used by the furnace, for demonstration scale and production scale operations, are to be developed at Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-West). To assist in selecting the processing conditions of the furnace and to reduce the number of costly experiments, a finitemore » difference model was developed to predict the consolidation of the ceramic waste. The model accurately predicted the heating as well as the bulk density of the ceramic waste form. The methodology used to develop the computer model and a comparison of the analysis to experimental data is presented.« less

Development and operation of innovative scum to biodiesel pilot-system for the treatment of floatable wastewater scum.

PubMed

Anderson, Erik; Addy, Min; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2018-02-01

A novel process was developed for the biorefining of floatable wastewater scum and other waste oils from water treatment facilities into biodiesel and other value-added bio-products. To test the scalability and commercial potential of the technology, a 7000 l/year pilot-scale system was designed and built. Scum from a wastewater treatment facility, located in St. Paul, Mn, was collected and converted into methyl esters (biodiesel) according to the process chemistry. All of the incoming and outgoing process streams were sampled, tested, weighed and recorded to calculate both the process efficiency and product quality. Data from the pilot-scale system operation was compared to laboratory results and the theoretically expected values for each individual unit operation. The biodiesel was tested using a third party laboratory and confirmed it met all of the US EPA's test requirements for commercial-grade biodiesel. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gas analysis reveals novel aerobic deammonification in thermophilic aerobic digestion.

PubMed

Yi, Y S; Kim, S; An, S; Choi, S I; Choi, E; Yun, Z

2003-01-01

A laboratory-scale thermophilic aerobic digester was operated with piggery wastewater. The operating temperature varied from 50-70 degrees C. It has been found that excessive nitrogen removal occurred in the laboratory-scale thermophilic system at various HRTs. Nitrite and nitrate were not observed in the effluent. Gas measurement reveals the presence of significant amount of N2O along with NH3 gas. The rational production of N2O gas in accordance with temperature and HRT suggests that biologically mediated deammonification processes significantly contribute to the N removal. Although further microbiological investigation is required to clarify the exact nitrogen removal mechanism, the large production of N2O gas seems to be a result of the existence of a rapid growing heterotrophic deammonification process in the thermophilic system.

Microbiological community analysis of vermicompost tea and its influence on the growth of vegetables and cereals.

PubMed

Fritz, J I; Franke-Whittle, I H; Haindl, S; Insam, H; Braun, R

2012-07-01

Vermicompost, the digestion product of organic material by earthworms, has been widely reported to have a more positive effect on plant growth and plant health than conventional compost. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of different vermicompost elutriates (aerated compost teas) on soils and plant growth. The teas were analyzed by chemical, microbiological, and molecular methods accompanied by plant growth tests at laboratory and field scale. The number of microorganisms in the teas increased during the extraction process and was affected by substrate addition. The vermicompost tea found to increase plant growth best under laboratory tests was applied to cereals (wheat and barley) and vegetables (Raphanus sativus, Rucola selvatica, and Pisum sativum) in a field study. The results revealed no effects of tea application on plant yield; however, sensoric tests indicated an improvement in crop quality. The soils from laboratory and field studies were investigated to detect possible microbial or chemical changes. The results indicated that minor changes to the soil microbial community occurred following tea application by foliar spray in both the laboratory-scale and field-scale experiments.

Numerical Investigation of Earthquake Nucleation on a Laboratory-Scale Heterogeneous Fault with Rate-and-State Friction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgins, N.; Lapusta, N.

2014-12-01

Many large earthquakes on natural faults are preceded by smaller events, often termed foreshocks, that occur close in time and space to the larger event that follows. Understanding the origin of such events is important for understanding earthquake physics. Unique laboratory experiments of earthquake nucleation in a meter-scale slab of granite (McLaskey and Kilgore, 2013; McLaskey et al., 2014) demonstrate that sample-scale nucleation processes are also accompanied by much smaller seismic events. One potential explanation for these foreshocks is that they occur on small asperities - or bumps - on the fault interface, which may also be the locations of smaller critical nucleation size. We explore this possibility through 3D numerical simulations of a heterogeneous 2D fault embedded in a homogeneous elastic half-space, in an attempt to qualitatively reproduce the laboratory observations of foreshocks. In our model, the simulated fault interface is governed by rate-and-state friction with laboratory-relevant frictional properties, fault loading, and fault size. To create favorable locations for foreshocks, the fault surface heterogeneity is represented as patches of increased normal stress, decreased characteristic slip distance L, or both. Our simulation results indicate that one can create a rate-and-state model of the experimental observations. Models with a combination of higher normal stress and lower L at the patches are closest to matching the laboratory observations of foreshocks in moment magnitude, source size, and stress drop. In particular, we find that, when the local compression is increased, foreshocks can occur on patches that are smaller than theoretical critical nucleation size estimates. The additional inclusion of lower L for these patches helps to keep stress drops within the range observed in experiments, and is compatible with the asperity model of foreshock sources, since one would expect more compressed spots to be smoother (and hence have lower L). In this heterogeneous rate-and-state fault model, the foreshocks interact with each other and with the overall nucleation process through their postseismic slip. The interplay amongst foreshocks, and between foreshocks and the larger-scale nucleation process, is a topic of our future work.

Numerical assessment of bureau of mines electric arc melter

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

Paik, S.; Hawkes, G.; Nguyen, H.D.

1994-12-31

An electric arc melter used for the waste treatment process at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) has been numerically studied. The arc melter is being used for vitrification of thermally oxidized, buried, transuranic (TRU) contaminated wastes by INEL in conjunction with the USBM as a part of the Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration project. The purpose of this study is to numerically investigate the performance of the laboratory-scale arc melter simulating the USBM arc melter. Initial results of modeling the full-scale USBM arc melter are also reported in this paper.

SLIPTA e-Tool improves laboratory audit process in Vietnam and Cambodia.

PubMed

Nguyen, Thuong T; McKinney, Barbara; Pierson, Antoine; Luong, Khue N; Hoang, Quynh T; Meharwal, Sandeep; Carvalho, Humberto M; Nguyen, Cuong Q; Nguyen, Kim T; Bond, Kyle B

2014-01-01

The Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist is used worldwide to drive quality improvement in laboratories in developing countries and to assess the effectiveness of interventions such as the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme. However, the paper-based format of the checklist makes administration cumbersome and limits timely analysis and communication of results. In early 2012, the SLMTA team in Vietnam developed an electronic SLIPTA checklist tool. The e-Tool was pilot tested in Vietnam in mid-2012 and revised. It was used during SLMTA implementation in Vietnam and Cambodia in 2012 and 2013 and further revised based on auditors' feedback about usability. The SLIPTA e-Tool enabled rapid turn-around of audit results, reduced workload and language barriers and facilitated analysis of national results. Benefits of the e-Tool will be magnified with in-country scale-up of laboratory quality improvement efforts and potential expansion to other countries.

Microbiological, Geochemical and Hydrologic Processes Controlling Uranium Mobility: An Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge Site at Rifle, Colorado, Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is cleaning up and/or monitoring large, dilute plumes contaminated by metals, such as uranium and chromium, whose mobility and solubility change with redox status. Field-scale experiments with acetate as the electron donor have stimulated metal-reducing bacteria to effectively remove uranium [U(VI)] from groundwater at the Uranium Mill Tailings Site in Rifle, Colorado. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a multidisciplinary team of national laboratory and academic collaborators has embarked on a research proposed for the Rifle site, the object of which is to gain a comprehensive and mechanistic understanding of the microbial factors andmore » associated geochemistry controlling uranium mobility so that DOE can confidently remediate uranium plumes as well as support stewardship of uranium-contaminated sites. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the Rifle Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge Project.« less

Photonically enabled Ka-band radar and infrared sensor subscale testbed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohr, Michele B.; Sova, Raymond M.; Funk, Kevin B.; Airola, Marc B.; Dennis, Michael L.; Pavek, Richard E.; Hollenbeck, Jennifer S.; Garrison, Sean K.; Conard, Steven J.; Terry, David H.

2014-10-01

A subscale radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) testbed using novel RF-photonics techniques for generating radar waveforms is currently under development at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) to study target scenarios in a laboratory setting. The linearity of Maxwell's equations allows the use of millimeter wavelengths and scaled-down target models to emulate full-scale RF scene effects. Coupled with passive IR and visible sensors, target motions and heating, and a processing and algorithm development environment, this testbed provides a means to flexibly and cost-effectively generate and analyze multi-modal data for a variety of applications, including verification of digital model hypotheses, investigation of correlated phenomenology, and aiding system capabilities assessment. In this work, concept feasibility is demonstrated for simultaneous RF, IR, and visible sensor measurements of heated, precessing, conical targets and of a calibration cylinder. Initial proof-of-principle results are shown of the Ka-band subscale radar, which models S-band for 1/10th scale targets, using stretch processing and Xpatch models.

Biological treatment of whey by Tetrahymena pyriformis and impact study on laboratory-scale wastewater lagoon process.

PubMed

Bonnet, J L; Bogaerts, P; Bohatier, J

1999-06-01

A procedure based on a biological treatment of whey was tested as part of research on waste treatment at the scale of small cheesemaking units. We studied the potential biodegradation of whey by a protozoan ciliate, Tetrahymena pyriformis, and evaluated the functional, microbiological and physiological disturbances caused by crude whey and the biodegraded whey in laboratory-scale pilots mimicking a natural lagoon treatment. The results show that T. pyriformis can strongly reduce the pollutant load of whey. In the lagoon pilots serving as example of receptor media, crude whey gradually but completely arrested operation, whereas with the biodegraded whey adverse effects were only temporary, and normal operation versus a control was gradually recovered in a few days.

A method for the purification of bacterial flagellin that allows simple upscaling.

PubMed

Hiriart, Yanina; Errea, Agustina; González Maciel, Dolores; Lopez, Juan Carlos; Rumbo, Martin

2012-01-01

There is a growing interest in enterobacterial flagellins that may result in a demand to produce flagellin on an industrial scale for possible applications as an adjuvant, immunomodulatory agent or vaccine antigen. Traditionally, small-scale production of flagellin has occurred in the laboratory by flagellar shearing of bacterial surfaces and subsequent ultracentrifugation. The main drawback of this method is the need to use low-agitation cultures to avoid the loss of flagella due to shearing during culture. In the present work, we describe a scalable protocol for the production of flagellin with higher yields than traditional laboratory-scale protocols. The use of cross-flow filtration to concentrate bacterial cultures combines extensive shearing of flagella with a reduction in volume, greatly simplifying downstream processing. This technique also allows the use of highly-agitated culture conditions because any sheared flagella are retained in the bacterial concentrate. Flagella obtained with this procedure showed in vivo and in vitro innate activating capacities similar to those of flagella produced at laboratory scale. This procedure is flexible, allowing an increase in production scale, an enhancement of flagellin yield and no requirement for expensive equipment.

FLARE (Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments): A Major Next-Step for Laboratory Studies of Magnetic Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Hantao; Bhattacharjee, A.; Prager, S.; Daughton, W.; Bale, Stuart D.; Carter, T.; Crocker, N.; Drake, J.; Egedal, J.; Sarff, J.; Fox, W.; Jara-Almonte, J.; Myers, C.; Ren, Y.; Yamada, M.; Yoo, J.

2015-04-01

A new intermediate-scale plasma experiment, called the Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments or FLARE (flare.pppl.gov), is under construction at Princeton as a joint project by five universities and two national labs to study magnetic reconnection in regimes directly relevant to heliophysical and astrophysical plasmas. The currently existing small-scale experiments have been focusing on the single X-line reconnection process in plasmas either with small effective sizes or at low Lundquist numbers, both of which are typically very large in natural plasmas. These new regimes involve multiple X-lines as guided by a reconnection "phase diagram", in which different coupling mechanisms from the global system scale to the local dissipation scale are classified into different reconnection phases [H. Ji & W. Daughton, Phys. Plasmas 18, 111207 (2011)]. The design of the FLARE device is based on the existing Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) (mrx.pppl.gov) and is to provide experimental access to the new phases involving multiple X-lines at large effective sizes and high Lundquist numbers, directly relevant to magnetospheric, solar wind, and solar coronal plasmas. After a brief summary of recent laboratory results on the topic of magnetic reconnection, the motivating major physics questions, the construction status, and the planned collaborative research especially with heliophysics communities will be discussed.

The Use of Experiments and Modeling to Evaluate ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Symposium Paper This paper reports on a study to examine the thermal decomposition of surrogate CWAs (in this case, Malathion) in a laboratory reactor, analysis of the results using reactor design theory, and subsequent scale-up of the results to a computersimulation of a full-scale commercial hazardous waste incinerator processing ceiling tile contaminated with residual Malathion.

Integrated Graduate and Continuing Education in Protein Chromatography for Bioprocess Development and Scale-Up

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carta, Jungbauer

2011-01-01

We describe an intensive course that integrates graduate and continuing education focused on the development and scale-up of chromatography processes used for the recovery and purification of proteins with special emphasis on biotherapeutics. The course includes lectures, laboratories, teamwork, and a design exercise and offers a complete view of…

Formulation and development of tablets based on Ludipress and scale-up from laboratory to production scale.

PubMed

Heinz, R; Wolf, H; Schuchmann, H; End, L; Kolter, K

2000-05-01

In spite of the wealth of experience available in the pharmaceutical industry, tablet formulations are still largely developed on an empirical basis, and the scale-up from laboratory to production is a time-consuming and costly process. Using Ludipress greatly simplifies formulation development and the manufacturing process because only the active ingredient Ludipress and a lubricant need to be mixed briefly before being compressed into tablets. The studies described here were designed to investigate the scale-up of Ludipress-based formulations from laboratory to production scale, and to predict changes in tablet properties due to changes in format, compaction pressure, and the use of different tablet presses. It was found that the tensile strength of tablets made of Ludipress increased linearly with compaction pressures up to 300 MPa. It was also independent of the geometry of the tablets (diameter, thickness, shape). It is therefore possible to give an equation with which the compaction pressure required to achieve a given hardness can be calculated for a given tablet form. The equation has to be modified slightly to convert from a single-punch press to a rotary tableting machine. Tablets produced in the rotary machine at the same pressure have a slightly higher tensile strength. The rate of increase in pressure, and therefore the throughput, has no effect on the tensile strength of Ludipress tablets. It is thought that a certain minimum dwell time is responsible for this difference. The production of tablets based on Ludipress can be scaled up from one rotary press to another without problem if the powder mixtures are prepared with the same mixing energy. The tensile strength curve determined for tablets made with Ludipress alone can also be applied to tablets with a small quantity (< 10%) of an active ingredient.

A Cryogenic Detector Characterization Facility in the Shallow Underground Laboratory at the Technical University of Munich

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langenkämper, A.; Defay, X.; Ferreiro Iachellini, N.; Kinast, A.; Lanfranchi, J.-C.; Lindner, E.; Mancuso, M.; Mondragón, E.; Münster, A.; Ortmann, T.; Potzel, W.; Schönert, S.; Strauss, R.; Ulrich, A.; Wawoczny, S.; Willers, M.

2018-04-01

The Physics Department of the Technical University of Munich operates a shallow underground detector laboratory in Garching, Germany. It provides ˜ 160 {m^2} of laboratory space which is shielded from cosmic radiation by ˜ 6 m of gravel and soil, corresponding to a shielding of ˜ 15 {m.w.e.} . The laboratory also houses a cleanroom equipped with work- and wetbenches, a chemical fumehood as well as a spin-coater and a mask-aligner for photolithographic processing of semiconductor detectors. Furthermore, the shallow underground laboratory runs two high-purity germanium detector screening stations, a liquid argon cryostat and a ^3 He-^4 He dilution refrigerator with a base temperature of ≤ 12-14 mK . The infrastructure provided by the shallow laboratory is particularly relevant for the characterization of CaWO_4 target crystals for the CRESST-III experiment, detector fabrication and assembly for rare event searches. Future applications of the laboratory include detector development in the framework of coherent neutrino nucleus scattering experiments (ν -cleus) and studying its potential as a site to search for MeV-scale dark matter with gram-scale cryogenic detectors.

Descriptor Fingerprints and Their Application to WhiteWine Clustering and Discrimination.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bangov, I. P.; Moskovkina, M.; Stojanov, B. P.

2018-03-01

This study continues the attempt to use the statistical process for a large-scale analytical data. A group of 3898 white wines, each with 11 analytical laboratory benchmarks was analyzed by a fingerprint similarity search in order to be grouped into separate clusters. A characterization of the wine's quality in each individual cluster was carried out according to individual laboratory parameters.

The seismo-hydromechanical behavior during deep geothermal reservoir stimulations: open questions tackled in a decameter-scale in situ stimulation experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amann, Florian; Gischig, Valentin; Evans, Keith; Doetsch, Joseph; Jalali, Reza; Valley, Benoît; Krietsch, Hannes; Dutler, Nathan; Villiger, Linus; Brixel, Bernard; Klepikova, Maria; Kittilä, Anniina; Madonna, Claudio; Wiemer, Stefan; Saar, Martin O.; Loew, Simon; Driesner, Thomas; Maurer, Hansruedi; Giardini, Domenico

2018-02-01

In this contribution, we present a review of scientific research results that address seismo-hydromechanically coupled processes relevant for the development of a sustainable heat exchanger in low-permeability crystalline rock and introduce the design of the In situ Stimulation and Circulation (ISC) experiment at the Grimsel Test Site dedicated to studying such processes under controlled conditions. The review shows that research on reservoir stimulation for deep geothermal energy exploitation has been largely based on laboratory observations, large-scale projects and numerical models. Observations of full-scale reservoir stimulations have yielded important results. However, the limited access to the reservoir and limitations in the control on the experimental conditions during deep reservoir stimulations is insufficient to resolve the details of the hydromechanical processes that would enhance process understanding in a way that aids future stimulation design. Small-scale laboratory experiments provide fundamental insights into various processes relevant for enhanced geothermal energy, but suffer from (1) difficulties and uncertainties in upscaling the results to the field scale and (2) relatively homogeneous material and stress conditions that lead to an oversimplistic fracture flow and/or hydraulic fracture propagation behavior that is not representative of a heterogeneous reservoir. Thus, there is a need for intermediate-scale hydraulic stimulation experiments with high experimental control that bridge the various scales and for which access to the target rock mass with a comprehensive monitoring system is possible. The ISC experiment is designed to address open research questions in a naturally fractured and faulted crystalline rock mass at the Grimsel Test Site (Switzerland). Two hydraulic injection phases were executed to enhance the permeability of the rock mass. During the injection phases the rock mass deformation across fractures and within intact rock, the pore pressure distribution and propagation, and the microseismic response were monitored at a high spatial and temporal resolution.

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

Glosser, D.; Kutchko, B.; Benge, G.

Foamed cement is a critical component for wellbore stability. The mechanical performance of a foamed cement depends on its microstructure, which in turn depends on the preparation method and attendant operational variables. Determination of cement stability for field use is based on laboratory testing protocols governed by API Recommended Practice 10B-4 (API RP 10B-4, 2015). However, laboratory and field operational variables contrast considerably in terms of scale, as well as slurry mixing and foaming processes. Here in this paper, laboratory and field operational processes are characterized within a physics-based framework. It is shown that the “atomization energy” imparted by themore » high pressure injection of nitrogen gas into the field mixed foamed cement slurry is – by a significant margin – the highest energy process, and has a major impact on the void system in the cement slurry. There is no analog for this high energy exchange in current laboratory cement preparation and testing protocols. Quantifying the energy exchanges across the laboratory and field processes provides a basis for understanding relative impacts of these variables on cement structure, and can ultimately lead to the development of practices to improve cement testing and performance.« less

Measuring ignitability for in situ burning of oil spills weathered under Arctic conditions: from laboratory studies to large-scale field experiments.

PubMed

Fritt-Rasmussen, Janne; Brandvik, Per Johan

2011-08-01

This paper compares the ignitability of Troll B crude oil weathered under simulated Arctic conditions (0%, 50% and 90% ice cover). The experiments were performed in different scales at SINTEF's laboratories in Trondheim, field research station on Svalbard and in broken ice (70-90% ice cover) in the Barents Sea. Samples from the weathering experiments were tested for ignitability using the same laboratory burning cell. The measured ignitability from the experiments in these different scales showed a good agreement for samples with similar weathering. The ice conditions clearly affected the weathering process, and 70% ice or more reduces the weathering and allows a longer time window for in situ burning. The results from the Barents Sea revealed that weathering and ignitability can vary within an oil slick. This field use of the burning cell demonstrated that it can be used as an operational tool to monitor the ignitability of oil spills. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Catalytic multi-stage liquefaction of coal at HTI: Bench-scale studies in coal/waste plastics coprocessing

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

Pradhan, V.R.; Lee, L.K.; Stalzer, R.H.

1995-12-31

The development of Catalytic Multi-Stage Liquefaction (CMSL) at HTI has focused on both bituminous and sub-bituminous coals using laboratory, bench and PDU scale operations. The crude oil equivalent cost of liquid fuels from coal has been curtailed to about $30 per barrel, thus achieving over 30% reduction in the price that was evaluated for the liquefaction technologies demonstrated in the late seventies and early eighties. Contrary to the common belief, the new generation of catalytic multistage coal liquefaction process is environmentally very benign and can produce clean, premium distillates with a very low (<10ppm) heteroatoms content. The HTI Staff hasmore » been involved over the years in process development and has made significant improvements in the CMSL processing of coals. A 24 month program (extended to September 30, 1995) to study novel concepts, using a continuous bench scale Catalytic Multi-Stage unit (30kg coal/day), has been initiated since December, 1992. This program consists of ten bench-scale operations supported by Laboratory Studies, Modelling, Process Simulation and Economic Assessments. The Catalytic Multi-Stage Liquefaction is a continuation of the second generation yields using a low/high temperature approach. This paper covers work performed between October 1994- August 1995, especially results obtained from the microautoclave support activities and the bench-scale operations for runs CMSL-08 and CMSL-09, during which, coal and the plastic components for municipal solid wastes (MSW) such as high density polyethylene (HDPE)m, polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polythylene terphthlate (PET) were coprocessed.« less

MHD scaling: from astrophysics to the laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryutov, Dmitri

2000-10-01

During the last few years, considerable progress has been made in simulating astrophysical phenomena in laboratory experiments with high power lasers [1]. Astrophysical phenomena that have drawn particular interest include supernovae explosions; young supernova remnants; galactic jets; the formation of fine structures in late supernova remnants by instabilities; and the ablation driven evolution of molecular clouds illuminated by nearby bright stars, which may affect star formation. A question may arise as to what extent the laser experiments, which deal with targets of a spatial scale 0.01 cm and occur at a time scale of a few nanoseconds, can reproduce phenomena occurring at spatial scales of a million or more kilometers and time scales from hours to many years. Quite remarkably, if dissipative processes (like, e.g., viscosity, Joule dissipation, etc.) are subdominant in both systems, and the matter behaves as a polytropic gas, there exists a broad hydrodynamic similarity (the ``Euler similarity" of Ref. [2]) that allows a direct scaling of laboratory results to astrophysical phenomena. Following a review of relevant earlier work (in particular, [3]-[5]), discussion is presented of the details of the Euler similarity related to the presence of shocks and to a special case of a strong drive. After that, constraints stemming from possible development of small-scale turbulence are analyzed. Generalization of the Euler similarity to the case of a gas with spatially varying polytropic index is presented. A possibility of scaled simulations of ablation front dynamics is one more topic covered in this paper. It is shown that, with some additional constraints, a simple similarity exists. This, in particular, opens up the possibility of scaled laboratory simulation of the aforementioned ablation (photoevaporation) fronts. A nonlinear transformation [6] that establishes a duality between implosion and explosion processes is also discussed in the paper. 1. B.A. Remington et al., Phys. Plasmas, v.7, p. 1641 (2000); Science, v. 284, p. 1488 (1999). 2. D.D. Ryutov et al., Ap. J, v. 518, 821 (1999). 3. B.B. Kadomtsev. Sov. J. Plasma Phys., v. 1, p. 296 (1975). 4. J.W. Connor, J.B. Taylor. Nucl. Fus., v. 17, p. 377 (1977). 5. Q. Zhiang, M.J. Graham. Phys. Rev. Lett., v. 79, p. 2674 (1997). 6. L. O'C. Drury, J.T. Mendonca. Paper at 3rd Intern. Conf. on Laser. Astrophys., Rice Univ., Houston, 2000.

Bioprocessing Data for the Production of Marine Enzymes

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Sreyashi; Pramanik, Arnab; Mitra, Anindita; Mukherjee, Joydeep

2010-01-01

This review is a synopsis of different bioprocess engineering approaches adopted for the production of marine enzymes. Three major modes of operation: batch, fed-batch and continuous have been used for production of enzymes (such as protease, chitinase, agarase, peroxidase) mainly from marine bacteria and fungi on a laboratory bioreactor and pilot plant scales. Submerged, immobilized and solid-state processes in batch mode were widely employed. The fed-batch process was also applied in several bioprocesses. Continuous processes with suspended cells as well as with immobilized cells have been used. Investigations in shake flasks were conducted with the prospect of large-scale processing in reactors. PMID:20479981

Assessing technical performance in differential gene expression experiments with external spike-in RNA control ratio mixtures.

PubMed

Munro, Sarah A; Lund, Steven P; Pine, P Scott; Binder, Hans; Clevert, Djork-Arné; Conesa, Ana; Dopazo, Joaquin; Fasold, Mario; Hochreiter, Sepp; Hong, Huixiao; Jafari, Nadereh; Kreil, David P; Łabaj, Paweł P; Li, Sheng; Liao, Yang; Lin, Simon M; Meehan, Joseph; Mason, Christopher E; Santoyo-Lopez, Javier; Setterquist, Robert A; Shi, Leming; Shi, Wei; Smyth, Gordon K; Stralis-Pavese, Nancy; Su, Zhenqiang; Tong, Weida; Wang, Charles; Wang, Jian; Xu, Joshua; Ye, Zhan; Yang, Yong; Yu, Ying; Salit, Marc

2014-09-25

There is a critical need for standard approaches to assess, report and compare the technical performance of genome-scale differential gene expression experiments. Here we assess technical performance with a proposed standard 'dashboard' of metrics derived from analysis of external spike-in RNA control ratio mixtures. These control ratio mixtures with defined abundance ratios enable assessment of diagnostic performance of differentially expressed transcript lists, limit of detection of ratio (LODR) estimates and expression ratio variability and measurement bias. The performance metrics suite is applicable to analysis of a typical experiment, and here we also apply these metrics to evaluate technical performance among laboratories. An interlaboratory study using identical samples shared among 12 laboratories with three different measurement processes demonstrates generally consistent diagnostic power across 11 laboratories. Ratio measurement variability and bias are also comparable among laboratories for the same measurement process. We observe different biases for measurement processes using different mRNA-enrichment protocols.

Experimental methods for the simulation of supercritical CO2 injection at laboratory scale aimed to investigate capillary trapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trevisan, L.; Illangasekare, T. H.; Rodriguez, D.; Sakaki, T.; Cihan, A.; Birkholzer, J. T.; Zhou, Q.

2011-12-01

Geological storage of carbon dioxide in deep geologic formations is being considered as a technical option to reduce greenhouse gas loading to the atmosphere. The processes associated with the movement and stable trapping are complex in deep naturally heterogeneous formations. Three primary mechanisms contribute to trapping; capillary entrapment due to immobilization of the supercritical fluid CO2 within soil pores, liquid CO2 dissolving in the formation water and mineralization. Natural heterogeneity in the formation is expected to affect all three mechanisms. A research project is in progress with the primary goal to improve our understanding of capillary and dissolution trapping during injection and post-injection process, focusing on formation heterogeneity. It is expected that this improved knowledge will help to develop site characterization methods targeting on obtaining the most critical parameters that capture the heterogeneity to design strategies and schemes to maximize trapping. This research combines experiments at the laboratory scale with multiphase modeling to upscale relevant trapping processes to the field scale. This paper presents the results from a set of experiments that were conducted in an intermediate scale test tanks. Intermediate scale testing provides an attractive alternative to investigate these processes under controlled conditions in the laboratory. Conducting these types of experiments is highly challenging as methods have to be developed to extrapolate the data from experiments that are conducted under ambient laboratory conditions to high temperatures and pressures settings in deep geologic formations. We explored the use of a combination of surrogate fluids that have similar density, viscosity contrasts and analogous solubility and interfacial tension as supercritical CO2-brine in deep formations. The extrapolation approach involves the use of dimensionless numbers such as Capillary number (Ca) and the Bond number (Bo). A set of experiments that captures some of the complexities of the geologic heterogeneity and injection scenarios are planned in a 4.8 m long tank. To test the experimental methods and instrumentation, a set of preliminary experiments were conducted in a smaller tank with dimensions 90 cm x 60 cm. The tank was packed to represent both homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions. Using the surrogate fluids, different injection scenarios were tested. Images of the migration plume showed the critical role that heterogeneity plays in stable entrapment. Destructive sampling done at the end of the experiments provided data on the final saturation distributions. Preliminary analysis suggests the entrapment configuration is controlled by the large-scale heterogeneities as well as the pore-scale entrapment mechanisms. The data was used in modeling analysis that is presented in a companion abstract.

Coupled hydrological and geochemical process evolution at the Landscape Evolution Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troch, P. A. A.

2015-12-01

Predictions of hydrologic and biogeochemical responses to natural and anthropogenic forcing at the landscape scale are highly uncertain due to the effects of heterogeneity on the scaling of reaction, flow and transport phenomena. The physical, chemical and biological structures and processes controlling reaction, flow and transport in natural landscapes interact at multiple space and time scales and are difficult to quantify. The current paradigm of hydrological and geochemical theory is that process descriptions derived from observations at small scales in controlled systems can be applied to predict system response at much larger scales, as long as some 'equivalent' or 'effective' values of the scale-dependent parameters can be identified. Furthermore, natural systems evolve in time in a way that is hard to observe in short-run laboratory experiments or in natural landscapes with unknown initial conditions and time-variant forcing. The spatial structure of flow pathways along hillslopes determines the rate, extent and distribution of geochemical reactions (and biological colonization) that drive weathering, the transport and precipitation of solutes and sediments, and the further evolution of soil structure. The resulting evolution of structures and processes, in turn, produces spatiotemporal variability of hydrological states and flow pathways. There is thus a need for experimental research to improve our understanding of hydrology-biogeochemistry interactions and feedbacks at appropriate spatial scales larger than laboratory soil column experiments. Such research is complicated in real-world settings because of poorly constrained impacts of initial conditions, climate variability, ecosystems dynamics, and geomorphic evolution. The Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO) at Biosphere 2 offers a unique research facility that allows real-time observations of incipient hydrologic and biogeochemical response under well-constrained initial conditions and climate forcing. The LEO allows to close the water, carbon and energy budgets at hillslope scales, thereby enabling elucidation of the tight coupling between the time water spends along subsurface flow paths and geochemical weathering reactions, including the feedbacks between flow and pedogenesis.

Technologies for Extracting Valuable Metals and Compounds from Geothermal Fluids

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

Harrison, Stephen

2014-04-30

Executive Summary Simbol Materials studied various methods of extracting valuable minerals from geothermal brines in the Imperial Valley of California, focusing on the extraction of lithium, manganese, zinc and potassium. New methods were explored for managing the potential impact of silica fouling on mineral extraction equipment, and for converting silica management by-products into commercial products.` Studies at the laboratory and bench scale focused on manganese, zinc and potassium extraction and the conversion of silica management by-products into valuable commercial products. The processes for extracting lithium and producing lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide products were developed at the laboratory scale andmore » scaled up to pilot-scale. Several sorbents designed to extract lithium as lithium chloride from geothermal brine were developed at the laboratory scale and subsequently scaled-up for testing in the lithium extraction pilot plant. Lithium The results of the lithium studies generated the confidence for Simbol to scale its process to commercial operation. The key steps of the process were demonstrated during its development at pilot scale: 1. Silica management. 2. Lithium extraction. 3. Purification. 4. Concentration. 5. Conversion into lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate products. Results show that greater than 95% of the lithium can be extracted from geothermal brine as lithium chloride, and that the chemical yield in converting lithium chloride to lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate products is greater than 90%. The product purity produced from the process is consistent with battery grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide. Manganese and zinc Processes for the extraction of zinc and manganese from geothermal brine were developed. It was shown that they could be converted into zinc metal and electrolytic manganese dioxide after purification. These processes were evaluated for their economic potential, and at the present time Simbol Materials is evaluating other products with greater commercial value. Potassium Silicotitanates, zeolites and other sorbents were evaluated as potential reagents for the extraction of potassium from geothermal brines and production of potassium chloride (potash). It was found that zeolites were effective at removing potassium but the capacity of the zeolites and the form that the potassium is in does not have economic potential. Iron-silica by-product The conversion of iron-silica by-product produced during silica management operations into more valuable materials was studied at the laboratory scale. Results indicate that it is technically feasible to convert the iron-silica by-product into ferric chloride and ferric sulfate solutions which are precursors to a ferric phosphate product. However, additional work to purify the solutions is required to determine the commercial viability of this process. Conclusion Simbol Materials is in the process of designing its first commercial plant based on the technology developed to the pilot scale during this project. The investment in the commercial plant is hundreds of millions of dollars, and construction of the commercial plant will generate hundreds of jobs. Plant construction will be completed in 2016 and the first lithium products will be shipped in 2017. The plant will have a lithium carbonate equivalent production capacity of 15,000 tonnes per year. The gross revenues from the project are expected to be approximately $ 80 to 100 million annually. During this development program Simbol grew from a company of about 10 people to over 60 people today. Simbol is expected to employ more than 100 people once the plant is constructed. Simbol Materials’ business is scalable in the Imperial Valley region because there are eleven geothermal power plants already in operation, which allows Simbol to expand its business from one plant to multiple plants. Additionally, the scope of the resource is vast in terms of potential products such as lithium, manganese and zinc and potentially potassium.« less

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

Bigeleisen, J.

In tribute to Harold Urey, the author cites Urey's accomplishments as a scientist and public servant and gives insight of the man. Some of his accomplishments in science are: discovered deuterium for which he received the Nobel prize in 1934; worked with Rittenberg and Greiff on the theory and calculation of the differences in the thermodynamic properties of isotopic compounds; with Thode, Hutchison and others, separated the isotopes of the light elements by chemical methods on a laboratory scale; during World War II headed the Substitute Alloy Materials Laboratories of Columbia University where his group developed industrial scale processes formore » the separation of /sup 2/H, /sup 10/B, and /sup 235/U; with his associates developed the /sup 18/O paleotemperature scale; made fundamental contributions to a widely accepted theory of the origin of the earth. (ATT)« less

Conditions and processes affecting radionuclide transport

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simmons, Ardyth M.; Neymark, Leonid A.

2012-01-01

Understanding of unsaturated-zone transport is based on laboratory and field-scale experiments. Fractures provide advective transport pathways. Sorption and matrix diffusion may contribute to retardation of radionuclides. Conversely, sorption onto mobile colloids may enhance radionuclide transport.

Pilot scale system for the production of palm-based Monoester-OH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ngah, Muhammad Syukri; Badri, Khairiah Haji

2016-11-01

A mechanically agitate reactor vessel in a moderate scale size of 500 L has been developed. This vessel was constructed to produce palm-based polyurethane polyol with a capacity of maximum 400 L. This is to accomodate the demand required for marketing trial run as part of the commercialization intention. The chemistry background of the process design was thoroughly studied. The esterification and condensation in batch process was maintained from the laboratory scale. Only RBD palm kernel oil was used in this study. This paper will describe the engineering design for the reactor vessel development beginning at the stoichiometric equations for the production process to the detail engineering including the equipment selection and fabrication in order to meet the design and objective specifications.

Development of a New Punch Head Shape to Replicate Scale-Up Issues on a Laboratory Tablet Press III: Replicating sticking phenomenon using the SAS punch and evaluation by checking the tablet surface using 3D laser scanning microscope.

PubMed

Ito, Manabu; Aoki, Shigeru; Uchiyama, Jumpei; Yamato, Keisuke

2018-04-20

Sticking is a common observation in the scale-up stage on the punch tip using a commercial tableting machine. The difference in the total compression time between a laboratory and a commercial tableting machine is considered one of the main root causes of scale up issues in the tableting processes. The proposed Size Adjusted for Scale-up (SAS) punch can be used to adjust the consolidation and dwell times for commercial tableting machine. As a result, the sticking phenomenon is able to be replicated at the pilot scale stage. As reported in this paper, the quantification of sticking was measured using a 3D laser scanning microscope to check the tablet surface. It was shown that the sticking area decreased with the addition of magnesium stearate in the formulation, but the sticking depth was not affected by the additional amount of magnesium stearate. It is proposed that use of a 3D laser scanning microscope can be applied to evaluate sticking as a process analytical technology (PAT) tool and so sticking can be monitored continuously without stopping the machine. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Coulombic faulting from the grain scale to the geophysical scale: lessons from ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiss, Jérôme; Schulson, Erland M.

2009-11-01

Coulombic faulting, a concept formulated more than two centuries ago, still remains pertinent in describing the brittle compressive failure of various materials, including rocks and ice. Many questions remain, however, about the physical processes underlying this macroscopic phenomenology. This paper reviews the progress made in these directions during the past few years through the study of ice and its mechanical behaviour in both the laboratory and the field. Fault triggering is associated with the formation of specific features called comb-cracks and involves frictional sliding at the micro(grain)-scale. Similar mechanisms are observed at geophysical scales within the sea ice cover. This scale-independent physics is expressed by the same Coulombic phenomenology from laboratory to geophysical scales, with a very similar internal friction coefficient (μ ≈ 0.8). On the other hand, the cohesion strongly decreases with increasing spatial scale, reflecting the role of stress concentrators on fault initiation. Strong similarities also exist between ice and other brittle materials such as rocks and minerals and between faulting of the sea ice cover and Earth's crust, arguing for the ubiquitous nature of the underlying physics.

Grid Scale Energy Storage (Symposium EE8)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

27709-2211 Grid-Scale Energy Storage, electrolytes, systems ntegration, Lithium - ion chemistry, Redox flow batteries REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE 11... Lithium - Ion Chemistry (4) Redox Flow Batteries Christopher J. Orendorff from Sandia National Laboratories kicked off the symposium on Tuesday...for redox flow batteries . SEI formation is a well-known process in standard lithium - ion battery operation; however, using aqueous electrolytes does

Tablet Velocity Measurement and Prediction in the Pharmaceutical Film Coating Process.

PubMed

Suzuki, Yasuhiro; Yokohama, Chihiro; Minami, Hidemi; Terada, Katsuhide

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure the tablet velocity in pan coating machines during the film coating process in order to understand the impact of the batch size (laboratory to commercial scale), coating machine type (DRIACOATER, HICOATER® and AQUA COATER®) and manufacturing conditions on tablet velocity. We used a high speed camera and particle image velocimetry to measure the tablet velocity in the coating pans. It was observed that increasing batch sizes resulted in increased tablet velocities under the same rotation number because of the differences in circumferential rotation speeds. We also observed the tendency that increase in the filling ratio of tablets resulted in an increased tablet velocity for all coating machines. Statistical analysis was used to make a tablet velocity predictive equation by employing the filling ratio and rotation speed as the parameters from these measured values. The correlation coefficients of predicted value and experimental value were more than 0.959 in each machine. Using the predictive equation to determine tablet velocities, the manufacturing conditions of previous products were reviewed, and it was found that the tablet velocities of commercial scales, in which tablet chipping and breakage problems had occurred, were higher than those of pilot scales or laboratory scales.

Microseismicity of an Unstable Rock Mass: From Field Monitoring to Laboratory Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombero, C.; Comina, C.; Vinciguerra, S.; Benson, P. M.

2018-02-01

The field-scale microseismic (MS) activity of an unstable rock mass is known to be an important tool to assess damage and cracking processes eventually leading to macroscopic failures. However, MS-event rates alone may not be enough for a complete understanding of the trigger mechanisms of mechanical instabilities. Acoustic Emission (AE) techniques at the laboratory scale can be used to provide complementary information. In this study, we report a MS/AE comparison to assess the stability of a granitic rock mass in the northwestern Italian Alps (Madonna del Sasso). An attempt to bridge the gap between the two different scales of observation, and the different site and laboratory conditions, is undertaken to gain insights on the rock mass behavior as a function of external governing factors. Time- and frequency-domain parameters of the MS/AE waveforms are compared and discussed with this aim. At the field scale, special attention is devoted to the correlation of the MS-event rate with meteorological parameters (air temperature and rainfalls). At the laboratory scale, AE rates, waveforms, and spectral content, recorded under controlled temperature and fluid conditions, are analyzed in order to better constrain the physical mechanisms responsible for the observed field patterns. The factors potentially governing the mechanical instability at the site were retrieved from the integration of the results. Abrupt thermal variations were identified as the main cause of the site microsesimicity, without highlighting irreversible acceleration in the MS-event rate potentially anticipating the rock mass collapse.

EDITORIAL: Interrelationship between plasma phenomena in the laboratory and in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koepke, Mark

2008-07-01

The premise of investigating basic plasma phenomena relevant to space is that an alliance exists between both basic plasma physicists, using theory, computer modelling and laboratory experiments, and space science experimenters, using different instruments, either flown on different spacecraft in various orbits or stationed on the ground. The intent of this special issue on interrelated phenomena in laboratory and space plasmas is to promote the interpretation of scientific results in a broader context by sharing data, methods, knowledge, perspectives, and reasoning within this alliance. The desired outcomes are practical theories, predictive models, and credible interpretations based on the findings and expertise available. Laboratory-experiment papers that explicitly address a specific space mission or a specific manifestation of a space-plasma phenomenon, space-observation papers that explicitly address a specific laboratory experiment or a specific laboratory result, and theory or modelling papers that explicitly address a connection between both laboratory and space investigations were encouraged. Attention was given to the utility of the references for readers who seek further background, examples, and details. With the advent of instrumented spacecraft, the observation of waves (fluctuations), wind (flows), and weather (dynamics) in space plasmas was approached within the framework provided by theory with intuition provided by the laboratory experiments. Ideas on parallel electric field, magnetic topology, inhomogeneity, and anisotropy have been refined substantially by laboratory experiments. Satellite and rocket observations, theory and simulations, and laboratory experiments have contributed to the revelation of a complex set of processes affecting the accelerations of electrons and ions in the geospace plasma. The processes range from meso-scale of several thousands of kilometers to micro-scale of a few meters to kilometers. Papers included in this special issue serve to synthesise our current understanding of processes related to the coupling and feedback at disparate scales. Categories of topics included here are (1) ionospheric physics and (2) Alfvén-wave physics, both of which are related to the particle acceleration responsible for auroral displays, (3) whistler-mode triggering mechanism, which is relevant to radiation-belt dynamics, (4) plasmoid encountering a barrier, which has applications throughout the realm of space and astrophysical plasmas, and (5) laboratory investigations of the entire magnetosphere or the plasma surrounding the magnetosphere. The papers are ordered from processes that take place nearest the Earth to processes that take place at increasing distances from Earth. Many advances in understanding space plasma phenomena have been linked to insight derived from theoretical modeling and/or laboratory experiments. Observations from space-borne instruments are typically interpreted using theoretical models developed to predict the properties and dynamics of space and astrophysical plasmas. The usefulness of customized laboratory experiments for providing confirmation of theory by identifying, isolating, and studying physical phenomena efficiently, quickly, and economically has been demonstrated in the past. The benefits of laboratory experiments to investigating space-plasma physics are their reproducibility, controllability, diagnosability, reconfigurability, and affordability compared to a satellite mission or rocket campaign. Certainly, the plasma being investigated in a laboratory device is quite different from that being measured by a spaceborne instrument; nevertheless, laboratory experiments discover unexpected phenomena, benchmark theoretical models, develop physical insight, establish observational signatures, and pioneer diagnostic techniques. Explicit reference to such beneficial laboratory contributions is occasionally left out of the citations in the space-physics literature in favor of theory-paper counterparts and, thus, the scientific support that laboratory results can provide to the development of space-relevant theoretical models is often under-recognized. It is unrealistic to expect the dimensional parameters corresponding to space plasma to be matchable in the laboratory. However, a laboratory experiment is considered well designed if the subset of parameters relevant to a specific process shares the same phenomenological regime as the subset of analogous space parameters, even if less important parameters are mismatched. Regime boundaries are assigned by normalizing a dimensional parameter to an appropriate reference or scale value to make it dimensionless and noting the values at which transitions occur in the physical behavior or approximations. An example of matching regimes for cold-plasma waves is finding a 45° diagonal line on the log--log CMA diagram along which lie both a laboratory-observed wave and a space-observed wave. In such a circumstance, a space plasma and a lab plasma will support the same kind of modes if the dimensionless parameters are scaled properly (Bellan 2006 Fundamentals of Plasma Physics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p 227). The plasma source, configuration geometry, and boundary conditions associated with a specific laboratory experiment are characteristic elements that affect the plasma and plasma processes that are being investigated. Space plasma is not exempt from an analogous set of constraining factors that likewise influence the phenomena that occur. Typically, each morphologically distinct region of space has associated with it plasma that is unique by virtue of the various mechanisms responsible for the plasma's presence there, as if the plasma were produced by a unique source. Boundary effects that typically constrain the possible parameter values to lie within one or more restricted ranges are inescapable in laboratory plasma. The goal of a laboratory experiment is to examine the relevant physics within these ranges and extrapolate the results to space conditions that may or may not be subject to any restrictions on the values of the plasma parameters. The interrelationship between laboratory and space plasma experiments has been cultivated at a low level and the potential scientific benefit in this area has yet to be realized. The few but excellent examples of joint papers, joint experiments, and directly relevant cross-disciplinary citations are a direct result of the emphasis placed on this interrelationship two decades ago. Building on this special issue Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion plans to create a dedicated webpage to highlight papers directly relevant to this field published either in the recent past or in the future. It is hoped that this resource will appeal to the readership in the laboratory-experiment and space-plasma communities and improve the cross-fertilization between them.

Nanocoatings for High-Efficiency Industrial and Tooling Systems

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

Blau, P; Qu, J.; Higdon, C.

This industry-driven project was the result of a successful response by Eaton Corporation to a DOE/ITP Program industry call. It consisted of three phases in which ORNL participated. In addition to Eaton Corporation and ORNL (CRADA), the project team included Ames Laboratory, who developed the underlying concept for aluminum-magnesium-boron based nanocomposite coatings [1], and Greenleaf, a small tooling manufacturer in western Pennsylvania. This report focuses on the portion of this work that was conducted by ORNL in a CRADA with Eaton Corporation. A comprehensive final report for the entire effort, which ended in September 2010, has been prepared by Eatonmore » Corporation. Phase I, “Proof of Concept” ran for one year (September 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007) during which the applicability of AlMgB14 single-phase and nanocomposite coatings on hydraulic material coupons and components as well as on tool inserts was demonstrated.. The coating processes used either plasma laser deposition (PLD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD). During Phase I, ORNL conducted laboratory-scale pin-on-disk and reciprocating pin-on-flat tests of coatings produced by PLD and PVD. Non-coated M2 tool steel was used as a baseline for comparison, and the material for the sliding counterface was Type 52100 bearing steel since it simulated the pump materials. Initial tests were run mainly in a commercial hydraulic fluid named Mobil DTE-24, but some tests were later run in a water-glycol mixture as well. A tribosystem analysis was conducted to define the operating conditions of pump components and to help develop simulative tests in Phase II. Phase II, “Coating Process Scale-up” was intended to use scaled-up process to generate prototype parts. This involved both PLD practices at Ames Lab, and a PVD scale-up study at Eaton using its production capable equipment. There was also a limited scale-up study at Greenleaf for the tooling application. ORNL continued to conduct friction and wear tests on process variants and developed tests to better simulate the applications of interest. ORNL also employed existing lubrication models to better understand hydraulic pump frictional behavior and test results. Phase III, “Functional Testing” focused on finalizing the strategy for commercialization of AlMgB14 coatings for both hydraulic and tooling systems. ORNL continued to provide tribology testing and analysis support for hydraulic pump applications. It included both laboratory-scale coupon testing and the analysis of friction and wear data from full component-level tests performed at Eaton Corp. Laboratory-scale tribology test methods are used to characterize the behavior of nanocomposite coatings prior to running them in full-sized hydraulic pumps. This task also includes developing tribosystems analyses, both to provide a better understanding of the performance of coated surfaces in alternate hydraulic fluids, and to help design useful laboratory protocols. Analysis also includes modeling the lubrication conditions and identifying the physical processes by which wear and friction of the contact interface changes over time. This final report summarizes ORNL’s portion of the nanocomposite coatings development effort and presents both generated data and the analyses that were used in the course of this effort.« less

Sigma Metrics Across the Total Testing Process.

PubMed

Charuruks, Navapun

2017-03-01

Laboratory quality control has been developed for several decades to ensure patients' safety, from a statistical quality control focus on the analytical phase to total laboratory processes. The sigma concept provides a convenient way to quantify the number of errors in extra-analytical and analytical phases through the defect per million and sigma metric equation. Participation in a sigma verification program can be a convenient way to monitor analytical performance continuous quality improvement. Improvement of sigma-scale performance has been shown from our data. New tools and techniques for integration are needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bioreactor Scalability: Laboratory-Scale Bioreactor Design Influences Performance, Ecology, and Community Physiology in Expanded Granular Sludge Bed Bioreactors

PubMed Central

Connelly, Stephanie; Shin, Seung G.; Dillon, Robert J.; Ijaz, Umer Z.; Quince, Christopher; Sloan, William T.; Collins, Gavin

2017-01-01

Studies investigating the feasibility of new, or improved, biotechnologies, such as wastewater treatment digesters, inevitably start with laboratory-scale trials. However, it is rarely determined whether laboratory-scale results reflect full-scale performance or microbial ecology. The Expanded Granular Sludge Bed (EGSB) bioreactor, which is a high-rate anaerobic digester configuration, was used as a model to address that knowledge gap in this study. Two laboratory-scale idealizations of the EGSB—a one-dimensional and a three- dimensional scale-down of a full-scale design—were built and operated in triplicate under near-identical conditions to a full-scale EGSB. The laboratory-scale bioreactors were seeded using biomass obtained from the full-scale bioreactor, and, spent water from the distillation of whisky from maize was applied as substrate at both scales. Over 70 days, bioreactor performance, microbial ecology, and microbial community physiology were monitored at various depths in the sludge-beds using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V4 region), specific methanogenic activity (SMA) assays, and a range of physical and chemical monitoring methods. SMA assays indicated dominance of the hydrogenotrophic pathway at full-scale whilst a more balanced activity profile developed during the laboratory-scale trials. At each scale, Methanobacterium was the dominant methanogenic genus present. Bioreactor performance overall was better at laboratory-scale than full-scale. We observed that bioreactor design at laboratory-scale significantly influenced spatial distribution of microbial community physiology and taxonomy in the bioreactor sludge-bed, with 1-D bioreactor types promoting stratification of each. In the 1-D laboratory bioreactors, increased abundance of Firmicutes was associated with both granule position in the sludge bed and increased activity against acetate and ethanol as substrates. We further observed that stratification in the sludge-bed in 1-D laboratory-scale bioreactors was associated with increased richness in the underlying microbial community at species (OTU) level and improved overall performance. PMID:28507535

Development of flame resistant treatment for Nomex fibrous structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toy, M. S.

1977-01-01

Flame resistant fibrous materials for space shuttle application were developed through chemical modification of commercially available aromatic polyamide fibrous products. The new surface treatment was achieved in the laboratory by ultraviolet activation of the fabric in the presence of fluoroolefin monomers and a diluent gas. The monomers grafted under these conditions provide the improved properties of the fabric in flame resistance, chemical inertness, and nonwettability without the sacrifice of color or physical properties. The laboratory reaction vessel was scaled-up to a batch continuous process, which treats ten yards of the commercial width textiles. The treated commercial width Nomex (HT-10-41) from the scaled-up reactor is self-extinguishing in an oxygen-enriched environment, water-repellent, soft, silky, and improved in chemical resistance. Unlike most textile processes, the grafting unit operates under dry conditions and no chemical by-products have to be washed out of the finished product.

SLIPTA e-Tool improves laboratory audit process in Vietnam and Cambodia

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thuong T.; McKinney, Barbara; Pierson, Antoine; Luong, Khue N.; Hoang, Quynh T.; Meharwal, Sandeep; Carvalho, Humberto M.; Nguyen, Cuong Q.; Nguyen, Kim T.

2014-01-01

Background The Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist is used worldwide to drive quality improvement in laboratories in developing countries and to assess the effectiveness of interventions such as the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme. However, the paper-based format of the checklist makes administration cumbersome and limits timely analysis and communication of results. Development of e-Tool In early 2012, the SLMTA team in Vietnam developed an electronic SLIPTA checklist tool. The e-Tool was pilot tested in Vietnam in mid-2012 and revised. It was used during SLMTA implementation in Vietnam and Cambodia in 2012 and 2013 and further revised based on auditors’ feedback about usability. Outcomes The SLIPTA e-Tool enabled rapid turn-around of audit results, reduced workload and language barriers and facilitated analysis of national results. Benefits of the e-Tool will be magnified with in-country scale-up of laboratory quality improvement efforts and potential expansion to other countries. PMID:29043190

Intermediate Scale Laboratory Testing to Understand Mechanisms of Capillary and Dissolution Trapping during Injection and Post-Injection of CO 2 in Heterogeneous Geological Formations

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

Illangasekare, Tissa; Trevisan, Luca; Agartan, Elif

2015-03-31

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) represents a technology aimed to reduce atmospheric loading of CO 2 from power plants and heavy industries by injecting it into deep geological formations, such as saline aquifers. A number of trapping mechanisms contribute to effective and secure storage of the injected CO 2 in supercritical fluid phase (scCO 2) in the formation over the long term. The primary trapping mechanisms are structural, residual, dissolution and mineralization. Knowledge gaps exist on how the heterogeneity of the formation manifested at all scales from the pore to the site scales affects trapping and parameterization of contributing mechanismsmore » in models. An experimental and modeling study was conducted to fill these knowledge gaps. Experimental investigation of fundamental processes and mechanisms in field settings is not possible as it is not feasible to fully characterize the geologic heterogeneity at all relevant scales and gathering data on migration, trapping and dissolution of scCO 2. Laboratory experiments using scCO 2 under ambient conditions are also not feasible as it is technically challenging and cost prohibitive to develop large, two- or three-dimensional test systems with controlled high pressures to keep the scCO 2 as a liquid. Hence, an innovative approach that used surrogate fluids in place of scCO 2 and formation brine in multi-scale, synthetic aquifers test systems ranging in scales from centimeter to meter scale developed used. New modeling algorithms were developed to capture the processes controlled by the formation heterogeneity, and they were tested using the data from the laboratory test systems. The results and findings are expected to contribute toward better conceptual models, future improvements to DOE numerical codes, more accurate assessment of storage capacities, and optimized placement strategies. This report presents the experimental and modeling methods and research results.« less

Effects of pore-scale physics on uranium geochemistry in Hanford sediments

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

Hu, Qinhong; Ewing, Robert P.

Overall, this work examines a key scientific issue, mass transfer limitations at the pore-scale, using both new instruments with high spatial resolution, and new conceptual and modeling paradigms. The complementary laboratory and numerical approaches connect pore-scale physics to macroscopic measurements, providing a previously elusive scale integration. This Exploratory research project produced five peer-reviewed journal publications and eleven scientific presentations. This work provides new scientific understanding, allowing the DOE to better incorporate coupled physical and chemical processes into decision making for environmental remediation and long-term stewardship.

Laboratory-Scale Solidification of Basin F Concentrate, Rocky Mountain Arsenal

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-01

follows: ," a. Cement-based processes b. Pozzolanic processes (silicate processes that do not use cement) c. Thermoplastic techniques d. Organic polymer ...ARSENAL 6. AUTHOR(S) MYERST.; THOMPSON.D. 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER ARMY ENG!NEER...SWLP Leachates Organics in EP and SWLP Leachates Leachable Contaminant Densities Qualitative Assessments of Ammonia Gas Release by Solidification

Integrated process development-a robust, rapid method for inclusion body harvesting and processing at the microscale level.

PubMed

Walther, Cornelia; Kellner, Martin; Berkemeyer, Matthias; Brocard, Cécile; Dürauer, Astrid

2017-10-21

Escherichia coli stores large amounts of highly pure product within inclusion bodies (IBs). To take advantage of this beneficial feature, after cell disintegration, the first step to optimal product recovery is efficient IB preparation. This step is also important in evaluating upstream optimization and process development, due to the potential impact of bioprocessing conditions on product quality and on the nanoscale properties of IBs. Proper IB preparation is often neglected, due to laboratory-scale methods requiring large amounts of materials and labor. Miniaturization and parallelization can accelerate analyses of individual processing steps and provide a deeper understanding of up- and downstream processing interdependencies. Consequently, reproducible, predictive microscale methods are in demand. In the present study, we complemented a recently established high-throughput cell disruption method with a microscale method for preparing purified IBs. This preparation provided results comparable to laboratory-scale IB processing, regarding impurity depletion, and product loss. Furthermore, with this method, we performed a "design of experiments" study to demonstrate the influence of fermentation conditions on the performance of subsequent downstream steps and product quality. We showed that this approach provided a 300-fold reduction in material consumption for each fermentation condition and a 24-fold reduction in processing time for 24 samples.

Defense Waste Processing Facility Simulant Chemical Processing Cell Studies for Sludge Batch 9

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

Smith, Tara E.; Newell, J. David; Woodham, Wesley H.

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) received a technical task request from Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) and Saltstone Engineering to perform simulant tests to support the qualification of Sludge Batch 9 (SB9) and to develop the flowsheet for SB9 in the DWPF. These efforts pertained to the DWPF Chemical Process Cell (CPC). CPC experiments were performed using SB9 simulant (SB9A) to qualify SB9 for sludge-only and coupled processing using the nitric-formic flowsheet in the DWPF. Two simulant batches were prepared, one representing SB8 Tank 40H and another representing SB9 Tank 51H. The simulant used for SB9 qualification testing wasmore » prepared by blending the SB8 Tank 40H and SB9 Tank 51H simulants. The blended simulant is referred to as SB9A. Eleven CPC experiments were run with an acid stoichiometry ranging between 105% and 145% of the Koopman minimum acid equation (KMA), which is equivalent to 109.7% and 151.5% of the Hsu minimum acid factor. Three runs were performed in the 1L laboratory scale setup, whereas the remainder were in the 4L laboratory scale setup. Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) and Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) cycles were performed on nine of the eleven. The other two were SRAT cycles only. One coupled flowsheet and one extended run were performed for SRAT and SME processing. Samples of the condensate, sludge, and off-gas were taken to monitor the chemistry of the CPC experiments.« less

Engineered yeast for enhanced CO2 mineralization†

PubMed Central

Barbero, Roberto; Carnelli, Lino; Simon, Anna; Kao, Albert; Monforte, Alessandra d’Arminio; Riccò, Moreno; Bianchi, Daniele; Belcher, Angela

2014-01-01

In this work, a biologically catalyzed CO2 mineralization process for the capture of CO2 from point sources was designed, constructed at a laboratory scale, and, using standard chemical process scale-up protocols, was modeled and evaluated at an industrial scale. A yeast display system in Saccharomyces cerevisae was used to screen several carbonic anhydrase isoforms and mineralization peptides for their impact on CO2 hydration, CaCO3 mineralization, and particle settling rate. Enhanced rates for each of these steps in the CaCO3 mineralization process were confirmed using quantitative techniques in lab-scale measurements. The effect of these enhanced rates on the CO2 capture cost in an industrial scale CO2 mineralization process using coal fly ash as the CaO source was evaluated. The model predicts a process using bCA2- yeast and fly ash is ~10% more cost effective per ton of CO2 captured than a process with no biological molecules, a savings not realized by wild-type yeast and high-temperature stable recombinant CA2 alone or in combination. The levelized cost of electricity for a power plant using this process was calculated and scenarios in which this process compares favorably to CO2 capture by MEA absorption process are presented. PMID:25289021

Anaerobic treatment of animal byproducts from slaughterhouses at laboratory and pilot scale.

PubMed

Edström, Mats; Nordberg, Ake; Thyselius, Lennart

2003-01-01

Different mixtures of animal byproducts, other slaughterhouse waste (i.e., rumen, stomach and intestinal content), food waste, and liquid manure were codigested at mesophilic conditions (37 degrees C) at laboratory and pilot scale. Animal byproducts, including blood, represent 70-80% of the total biogas potential from waste generated during slaughter of animals. The total biogas potential from waste generated during slaughter is about 1300 MJ/cattle and about 140 MJ/pig. Fed-batch digestion of pasteurized (70 degrees C, 1 h) animal byproducts resulted in a fourfold increase in biogas yield (1.14 L/g of volatile solids [VS]) compared with nonpasteurized animal byproducts (0.31 L/g of VS). Mixtures with animal byproducts representing 19-38% of the total dry matter were digested in continuous-flow stirred tank reactors at laboratory and pilot scale. Stable processes at organic loading rates (OLRs) exceeding 2.5 g of VS/(L.d) and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) less than 40 d could be obtained with total ammonia nitrogen concentrations (NH4-N + NH3-N) in the range of 4.0-5.0 g/L. After operating one process for more than 1.5 yr at total ammonia nitrogen concentrations >4 g/L, an increase in OLR to 5 g of VS/(L.d) and a decrease in HRT to 22 d was possible without accumulation of volatile fatty acids.

Relationship between operational variables, fundamental physics and foamed cement properties in lab and field generated foamed cement slurries

DOE PAGES

Glosser, D.; Kutchko, B.; Benge, G.; ...

2016-03-21

Foamed cement is a critical component for wellbore stability. The mechanical performance of a foamed cement depends on its microstructure, which in turn depends on the preparation method and attendant operational variables. Determination of cement stability for field use is based on laboratory testing protocols governed by API Recommended Practice 10B-4 (API RP 10B-4, 2015). However, laboratory and field operational variables contrast considerably in terms of scale, as well as slurry mixing and foaming processes. Here in this paper, laboratory and field operational processes are characterized within a physics-based framework. It is shown that the “atomization energy” imparted by themore » high pressure injection of nitrogen gas into the field mixed foamed cement slurry is – by a significant margin – the highest energy process, and has a major impact on the void system in the cement slurry. There is no analog for this high energy exchange in current laboratory cement preparation and testing protocols. Quantifying the energy exchanges across the laboratory and field processes provides a basis for understanding relative impacts of these variables on cement structure, and can ultimately lead to the development of practices to improve cement testing and performance.« less

Students' Pilot Laboratory for Homogeneous Chemical Reactor Analysis and Design in Olive Mill Wastewater Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ochando-Pulido, J. M.

2017-01-01

The Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Granada have endeavored to make a number of high quality experiments to familiarize our students with our latest research and also scale-up of processes. A pilot-scale wastewater treatment plant was set-up to give students a close practical view of the treatments of effluents by-produced in…

Advanced core-analyses for subsurface characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pini, R.

2017-12-01

The heterogeneity of geological formations varies over a wide range of length scales and represents a major challenge for predicting the movement of fluids in the subsurface. Although they are inherently limited in the accessible length-scale, laboratory measurements on reservoir core samples still represent the only way to make direct observations on key transport properties. Yet, properties derived on these samples are of limited use and should be regarded as sample-specific (or `pseudos'), if the presence of sub-core scale heterogeneities is not accounted for in data processing and interpretation. The advent of imaging technology has significantly reshaped the landscape of so-called Special Core Analysis (SCAL) by providing unprecedented insight on rock structure and processes down to the scale of a single pore throat (i.e. the scale at which all reservoir processes operate). Accordingly, improved laboratory workflows are needed that make use of such wealth of information by e.g., referring to the internal structure of the sample and in-situ observations, to obtain accurate parameterisation of both rock- and flow-properties that can be used to populate numerical models. We report here on the development of such workflow for the study of solute mixing and dispersion during single- and multi-phase flows in heterogeneous porous systems through a unique combination of two complementary imaging techniques, namely X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The experimental protocol is applied to both synthetic and natural porous media, and it integrates (i) macroscopic observations (tracer effluent curves), (ii) sub-core scale parameterisation of rock heterogeneities (e.g., porosity, permeability and capillary pressure), and direct 3D observation of (iii) fluid saturation distribution and (iv) the dynamic spreading of the solute plumes. Suitable mathematical models are applied to reproduce experimental observations, including both 1D and 3D numerical schemes populated with the parameterisation above. While it validates the core-flooding experiments themselves, the calibrated mathematical model represents a key element for extending them to conditions prevalent in the subsurface, which would be otherwise not attainable in the laboratory.

Recycled fiber quality from a laboratory-scale blade separator/blend

Treesearch

Bei-Hong Liang; Stephen M. Shaler; Laurence Mott; Leslie Groom

1994-01-01

A simple and inexpensive fiber separator/blender was developed to generate useful secondary fibers from hydropulped waste paper. Processing wet hydropulped fiber resulted in a furnish with no change in average fiber length in three out of four types of recycled fibers tested. In all cases, the Canadian Standard freeness increased after processing compared to...

Recycled fiber quality from a laboratory-scale blade separator/blender

Treesearch

Bei-Hong Liang; Stephen M. Shaler; Laurence Mott; Leslie Groom

1994-01-01

A simple and inexpensive fiber separator/blender was developed to generate useful secondary fibers from hydropulped waste paper. Processing wet hydropulped fiber resulted in a furnish with no change in average fiber length in three out of four types of recycled fibers tested. In all cases, the canadian standard freeness increased after processing compared to...

Sediment Scaling for Mud Mountain Fish Barrier Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-28

2nd Int. Conf. on the Application of Physical Modeling to Port and Coastal Protection – Coastlab ’08, International Association for Hydro...Structure by Jeremy A. Sharp, Gary L. Brown, and Gary L. Bell PURPOSE: This Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory technical note describes the process of... Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory. Questions about this technical note can be addressed to Mr. Sharp at 601-634-4212 or Jeremy.A.Sharp@usace.army.mil

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

SAMS TL; GUILLOT S

Scoping laboratory scale tests were performed at the Chemical Engineering Department of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and the Hanford 222-S Laboratory, involving double-shell tank (DST) and single-shell tank (SST) Hanford waste simulants. These tests established the viability of the Lithium Hydrotalcite precipitation process as a solution to remove aluminum and recycle sodium hydroxide from the Hanford tank waste, and set the basis of a validation test campaign to demonstrate a Technology Readiness Level of 3.

A Large Scale, High Resolution Agent-Based Insurgency Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

CUDA) is NVIDIA Corporation’s software development model for General Purpose Programming on Graphics Processing Units (GPGPU) ( NVIDIA Corporation ...Conference. Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL, October, 2005. NVIDIA Corporation . NVIDIA CUDA Programming Guide 2.0 [Online]. NVIDIA Corporation

Scale-up and economic analysis of biodiesel production from municipal primary sewage sludge.

PubMed

Olkiewicz, Magdalena; Torres, Carmen M; Jiménez, Laureano; Font, Josep; Bengoa, Christophe

2016-08-01

Municipal wastewater sludge is a promising lipid feedstock for biodiesel production, but the need to eliminate the high water content before lipid extraction is the main limitation for scaling up. This study evaluates the economic feasibility of biodiesel production directly from liquid primary sludge based on experimental data at laboratory scale. Computational tools were used for the modelling of the process scale-up and the different configurations of lipid extraction to optimise this step, as it is the most expensive. The operational variables with a major influence in the cost were the extraction time and the amount of solvent. The optimised extraction process had a break-even price of biodiesel of 1232 $/t, being economically competitive with the current cost of fossil diesel. The proposed biodiesel production process from waste sludge eliminates the expensive step of sludge drying, lowering the biodiesel price. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design and fabrication of a glovebox for the Plasma Hearth Process radioactive bench-scale system

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

Wahlquist, D.R.

This paper presents some of the design considerations and fabrication techniques for building a glovebox for the Plasma Hearth Process (PHP) radioactive bench-scale system. The PHP radioactive bench-scale system uses a plasma torch to process a variety of radioactive materials into a final vitrified waste form. The processed waste will contain plutonium and trace amounts of other radioactive materials. The glovebox used in this system is located directly below the plasma chamber and is called the Hearth Handling Enclosure (HHE). The HHE is designed to maintain a confinement boundary between the processed waste and the operator. Operations that take placemore » inside the HHE include raising and lowering the hearth using a hydraulic lift table, transporting the hearth within the HHE using an overhead monorail and hoist system, sampling and disassembly of the processed waste and hearth, weighing the hearth, rebuilding a hearth, and sampling HEPA filters. The PHP radioactive bench-scale system is located at the TREAT facility at Argonne National Laboratory-West in Idaho Falls, Idaho.« less

Astromaterials Research Office (KR) Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Draper, David S.

2014-01-01

The fundamental goal of our research is to understand the origin and evolution of the solar system, particularly the terrestrial, "rocky" bodies. Our research involves analysis of, and experiments on, astromaterials in order to understand their nature, sources, and processes of formation. Our state-of-the-art analytical laboratories include four electron microbeam laboratories for mineral analysis, four spectroscopy laboratories for chemical and mineralogical analysis, and four mass spectrometry laboratories for isotopic analysis. Other facilities include the experimental impact laboratory and both 1-atm gas mixing and high-pressure experimental petrology laboratories. Recent research has emphasized a diverse range of topics, including: Study of the solar system's primitive materials, such as carbonaceous chondrites and interplanetary dust; Study of early solar system chronology using short-lived radioisotopes and early nebular processes through detailed geochemical and isotopic characterizations; Study of large-scale planetary differentiation and evolution via siderophile and incompatible trace element partitioning, magma ocean crystallization simulations, and isotopic systematics; Study of the petrogenesis of Martian meteorites through petrographic, isotopic, chemical, and experimental melting and crystallization studies; Interpretation of remote sensing data, especially from current robotic lunar and Mars missions, and study of terrestrial analog materials; Study of the role of organic geochemical processes in the evolution of astromaterials and the extent to which they constrain the potential for habitability and the origin of life.

A qualitative exploration of the human resource policy implications of voluntary counselling and testing scale-up in Kenya: applying a model for policy analysis

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Kenya experienced rapid scale up of HIV testing and counselling services in government health services from 2001. We set out to examine the human resource policy implications of scaling up HIV testing and counselling in Kenya and to analyse the resultant policy against a recognised theoretical framework of health policy reform (policy analysis triangle). Methods Qualitative methods were used to gain in-depth insights from policy makers who shaped scale up. This included 22 in-depth interviews with Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) task force members, critical analysis of 53 sets of minutes and diary notes. We explore points of consensus and conflict amongst policymakers in Kenya and analyse this content to assess who favoured and resisted new policies, how scale up was achieved and the importance of the local context in which scale up occurred. Results The scale up of VCT in Kenya had a number of human resource policy implications resulting from the introduction of lay counsellors and their authorisation to conduct rapid HIV testing using newly introduced rapid testing technologies. Our findings indicate that three key groups of actors were critical: laboratory professionals, counselling associations and the Ministry of Health. Strategic alliances between donors, NGOs and these three key groups underpinned the process. The process of reaching consensus required compromise and time commitment but was critical to a unified nationwide approach. Policies around quality assurance were integral in ensuring standardisation of content and approach. Conclusion The introduction and scale up of new health service initiatives such as HIV voluntary counselling and testing necessitates changes to existing health systems and modification of entrenched interests around professional counselling and laboratory testing. Our methodological approach enabled exploration of complexities of scale up of HIV testing and counselling in Kenya. We argue that a better understanding of the diverse actors, the context and the process, is required to mitigate risks and maximise impact. PMID:22008721

A review of analogue modelling of geodynamic processes: Approaches, scaling, materials and quantification, with an application to subduction experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schellart, Wouter P.; Strak, Vincent

2016-10-01

We present a review of the analogue modelling method, which has been used for 200 years, and continues to be used, to investigate geological phenomena and geodynamic processes. We particularly focus on the following four components: (1) the different fundamental modelling approaches that exist in analogue modelling; (2) the scaling theory and scaling of topography; (3) the different materials and rheologies that are used to simulate the complex behaviour of rocks; and (4) a range of recording techniques that are used for qualitative and quantitative analyses and interpretations of analogue models. Furthermore, we apply these four components to laboratory-based subduction models and describe some of the issues at hand with modelling such systems. Over the last 200 years, a wide variety of analogue materials have been used with different rheologies, including viscous materials (e.g. syrups, silicones, water), brittle materials (e.g. granular materials such as sand, microspheres and sugar), plastic materials (e.g. plasticine), visco-plastic materials (e.g. paraffin, waxes, petrolatum) and visco-elasto-plastic materials (e.g. hydrocarbon compounds and gelatins). These materials have been used in many different set-ups to study processes from the microscale, such as porphyroclast rotation, to the mantle scale, such as subduction and mantle convection. Despite the wide variety of modelling materials and great diversity in model set-ups and processes investigated, all laboratory experiments can be classified into one of three different categories based on three fundamental modelling approaches that have been used in analogue modelling: (1) The external approach, (2) the combined (external + internal) approach, and (3) the internal approach. In the external approach and combined approach, energy is added to the experimental system through the external application of a velocity, temperature gradient or a material influx (or a combination thereof), and so the system is open. In the external approach, all deformation in the system is driven by the externally imposed condition, while in the combined approach, part of the deformation is driven by buoyancy forces internal to the system. In the internal approach, all deformation is driven by buoyancy forces internal to the system and so the system is closed and no energy is added during an experimental run. In the combined approach, the externally imposed force or added energy is generally not quantified nor compared to the internal buoyancy force or potential energy of the system, and so it is not known if these experiments are properly scaled with respect to nature. The scaling theory requires that analogue models are geometrically, kinematically and dynamically similar to the natural prototype. Direct scaling of topography in laboratory models indicates that it is often significantly exaggerated. This can be ascribed to (1) The lack of isostatic compensation, which causes topography to be too high. (2) The lack of erosion, which causes topography to be too high. (3) The incorrect scaling of topography when density contrasts are scaled (rather than densities); In isostatically supported models, scaling of density contrasts requires an adjustment of the scaled topography by applying a topographic correction factor. (4) The incorrect scaling of externally imposed boundary conditions in isostatically supported experiments using the combined approach; When externally imposed forces are too high, this creates topography that is too high. Other processes that also affect surface topography in laboratory models but not in nature (or only in a negligible way) include surface tension (for models using fluids) and shear zone dilatation (for models using granular material), but these will generally only affect the model surface topography on relatively short horizontal length scales of the order of several mm across material boundaries and shear zones, respectively.

A new multiscale approach for monitoring vegetation using remote sensing-based indicators in laboratory, field, and landscape.

PubMed

Lausch, Angela; Pause, Marion; Merbach, Ines; Zacharias, Steffen; Doktor, Daniel; Volk, Martin; Seppelt, Ralf

2013-02-01

Remote sensing is an important tool for studying patterns in surface processes on different spatiotemporal scales. However, differences in the spatiospectral and temporal resolution of remote sensing data as well as sensor-specific surveying characteristics very often hinder comparative analyses and effective up- and downscaling analyses. This paper presents a new methodical framework for combining hyperspectral remote sensing data on different spatial and temporal scales. We demonstrate the potential of using the "One Sensor at Different Scales" (OSADIS) approach for the laboratory (plot), field (local), and landscape (regional) scales. By implementing the OSADIS approach, we are able (1) to develop suitable stress-controlled vegetation indices for selected variables such as the Leaf Area Index (LAI), chlorophyll, photosynthesis, water content, nutrient content, etc. over a whole vegetation period. Focused laboratory monitoring can help to document additive and counteractive factors and processes of the vegetation and to correctly interpret their spectral response; (2) to transfer the models obtained to the landscape level; (3) to record imaging hyperspectral information on different spatial scales, achieving a true comparison of the structure and process results; (4) to minimize existing errors from geometrical, spectral, and temporal effects due to sensor- and time-specific differences; and (5) to carry out a realistic top- and downscaling by determining scale-dependent correction factors and transfer functions. The first results of OSADIS experiments are provided by controlled whole vegetation experiments on barley under water stress on the plot scale to model LAI using the vegetation indices Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and green NDVI (GNDVI). The regression model ascertained from imaging hyperspectral AISA-EAGLE/HAWK (DUAL) data was used to model LAI. This was done by using the vegetation index GNDVI with an R (2) of 0.83, which was transferred to airborne hyperspectral data on the local and regional scales. For this purpose, hyperspectral imagery was collected at three altitudes over a land cover gradient of 25 km within a timeframe of a few minutes, yielding a spatial resolution from 1 to 3 m. For all recorded spatial scales, both the LAI and the NDVI were determined. The spatial properties of LAI and NDVI of all recorded hyperspectral images were compared using semivariance metrics derived from the variogram. The first results show spatial differences in the heterogeneity of LAI and NDVI from 1 to 3 m with the recorded hyperspectral data. That means that differently recorded data on different scales might not sufficiently maintain the spatial properties of high spatial resolution hyperspectral images.

Identification of ozonation by-products of 4- and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole during the treatment of surface water to drinking water.

PubMed

Müller, Alexander; Weiss, Stefan C; Beisswenger, Judith; Leukhardt, H Georg; Schulz, Wolfgang; Seitz, Wolfram; Ruck, Wolfgang K L; Weber, Walter H

2012-03-01

During the treatment of surface water to drinking water, ozonation is often used for disinfection and to remove organic trace substances, whereby oxidation by-products can be formed. Here we use the example of tolyltriazole to describe an approach for identifying relevant oxidation by-products in the laboratory and subsequently detecting them in an industrial-scale process. The identification process involves ozonation experiments with pure substances at laboratory level (concentration range mg L(-1)). The reaction solutions from different ozone contact times were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography - quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS) in full scan mode. Various approaches were used to detect the oxidation by-products: (i) target searches of postulated oxidation by-products, (ii) comparisons of chromatograms (e.g., UV/VIS) of the different samples, and (iii) color-coded abundance time courses (kinetic) of all detected compounds were illustrated in a kind of a heat map. MS/MS, H/D exchange, and derivatization experiments were used for structure elucidation for the detected by-product. Due to the low contaminant concentrations (ng L(-1)-range) of contaminants in the untreated water, the conversion of results from laboratory experiments to an industrial-scale required the use of HPLC-MS/MS with sample enrichment (e.g., solid phase extraction.) In cases where reference substances were not available or oxidation by-products without clear structures were detected, reaction solutions from laboratory experiments were used to optimize the analytical method to detect ng L(-1) in the samples of the industrial processes. We exemplarily demonstrated the effectiveness of the methodology with the industrial chemicals 4- and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (4- and 5-MBT) as an example. Moreover, not only did we identify several oxidation by-products in the laboratory experiments tentatively, but also detected three of the eleven reaction products in the outlet of the full-scale ozonation unit. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The 300 Area Integrated Field Research Challenge Quality Assurance Project Plan

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

Fix, N. J.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a group of expert collaborators are using the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site 300 Area uranium plume within the footprint of the 300-FF-5 groundwater operable unit as a site for an Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (IFRC). The IFRC is entitled Multi-Scale Mass Transfer Processes Controlling Natural Attenuation and Engineered Remediation: An IFRC Focused on the Hanford Site 300 Area Uranium Plume Project. The theme is investigation of multi-scale mass transfer processes. A series of forefront science questions on mass transfer are posed for research that relate to the effect of spatial heterogeneities; themore » importance of scale; coupled interactions between biogeochemical, hydrologic, and mass transfer processes; and measurements/approaches needed to characterize and model a mass transfer-dominated system. This Quality Assurance Project Plan provides the quality assurance requirements and processes that will be followed by the 300 Area IFRC Project. This plan is designed to be used exclusively by project staff.« less

Influence of biofilm formation on corrosion and scaling in geothermal plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleyböcker, Anne; Lerm, Stephanie; Monika, Kasina; Tobias, Lienen; Florian, Eichinger; Andrea, Seibt; Markus, Wolfgramm; Hilke, Würdemann

2017-04-01

Process failures may occur due to corrosion and scaling processes in open loop geothermal systems. Especially after heat extraction, sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) contribute to corrosion processes due to a more favorable temperature for their growth. In biofilms containing FeS scales, corrosion processes are enhanced. Furthermore, scales can lead to reduced pipe profiles, to a diminished heat transfer and a decrease in the wellbore injectivity. Inhibitors are frequently applied to minimize scaling in technical systems. A prerequisite for the application of inhibitors in geothermal plants located in the Molasse basin is their degradability under reservoir conditions, e. g. in a reduced environment. In order to determine the effects of scale-inhibitors on the subsurface and microbial processes, laboratory experiments were performed focusing on the microbial inhibitor degradation. First results indicate that the inhibitor degradation under anaerobic conditions is possible. Besides the inhibitor application also other techniques are investigated to economically reduce corrosion and scaling in geothermal plants. In a mobile bypass system, the influence of biofilm formation on corrosion and scaling was investigated. The bypass system was tested at a geothermal heat store in the North German Basin. The plant is operated with highly saline fluid (salinity 130 g/L) and known to be affected by SRB. The SRB contributed to corrosion damages especially at the pump in the well on the cold side. Heat shocks were successfully used in the bypass system to reduce biofilm formation as well as corrosion and scaling processes.

Capture and isotopic exchange method for water and hydrogen isotopes on zeolite catalysts up to technical scale for pre-study of processing highly tritiated water

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

Michling, R.; Braun, A.; Cristescu, I.

2015-03-15

Highly tritiated water (HTW) may be generated at ITER by various processes and, due to the excessive radio toxicity, the self-radiolysis and the exceedingly corrosive property of HTW, a potential hazard is associated with its storage and process. Therefore, the capture and exchange method for HTW utilizing Molecular Sieve Beds (MSB) was investigated in view of adsorption capacity, isotopic exchange performance and process parameters. For the MSB, different types of zeolite were selected. All zeolite materials were additionally coated with platinum. The following work comprised the selection of the most efficient zeolite candidate based on detailed parametric studies during themore » H{sub 2}/D{sub 2}O laboratory scale exchange experiments (about 25 g zeolite per bed) at the Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe (TLK). For the zeolite, characterization analytical techniques such as Infrared Spectroscopy, Thermogravimetry and online mass spectrometry were implemented. Followed by further investigation of the selected zeolite catalyst under full technical operation, a MSB (about 22 kg zeolite) was processed with hydrogen flow rates up to 60 mol*h{sup -1} and deuterated water loads up to 1.6 kg in view of later ITER processing of arising HTW. (authors)« less

On-field study of anaerobic digestion full-scale plants (part I): an on-field methodology to determine mass, carbon and nutrients balance.

PubMed

Schievano, Andrea; D'Imporzano, Giuliana; Salati, Silvia; Adani, Fabrizio

2011-09-01

The mass balance (input/output mass flows) of full-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) processes should be known for a series of purposes, e.g. to understand carbon and nutrients balances, to evaluate the contribution of AD processes to elemental cycles, especially when digestates are applied to agricultural land and to measure the biodegradation yields and the process efficiency. In this paper, three alternative methods were studied, to determine the mass balance in full-scale processes, discussing their reliability and applicability. Through a 1-year survey on three full-scale AD plants and through 38 laboratory-scale batch digesters, the congruency of the considered methods was demonstrated and a linear equation was provided that allows calculating the wet weight losses (WL) from the methane produced (MP) by the plant (WL=41.949*MP+20.853, R(2)=0.950, p<0.01). Additionally, this new tool was used to calculate carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium balances of the three observed AD plants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Control of autoclave scaling during acid pressure leaching of nickeliferous laterite ore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queneau, P. B.; Doane, R. E.; Cooperrider, M. W.; Berggren, M. H.; Rey, P.

1984-09-01

An operating problem encountered at the Moa Bay operation in Cuba, where nickeliferous laterite ore is processed by sulfuric acid pressure leaching, is the formation of alunite and hematite deposits on the autoclave walls. The AMAX Extractive Research & Development, Inc., metallurgical laboratory (Golden, Colorado) has made substantial improvements in the Moa Bay process in the area of metal recovery, energy consumption, and feed versatility. One of the advantages of AMAX's process is its ability to treat substantial portions of nickel-and magnesium-rich serpentine while maintaining acid utilization efficiency. Scale formation is minimized by combining staged acid addition with vigorous agitation and 270 °C operation. This paper describes how advantage can be taken of MgSO4· XH2O precipitation both to inhibit alunite scaling and to disperse hematite scale within the MgSO4 · XH2O matrix. Cooling the autoclave from its 270 ·C operating temperature down to 180 ·C takes advantage of the reverse solubility of magnesium sulfate. The magnesium dissolves, liberating entrained hematite, thus providing a means for control of autoclave scale with minimum process disruption.

Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS): A case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crandall, Karen S.; Auping, Judith V.; Megargle, Robert G.

1987-01-01

In the late 70's, a refurbishment of the analytical laboratories serving the Materials Division at NASA Lewis Research Center was undertaken. As part of the modernization efforts, a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) was to be included. Preliminary studies indicated a custom-designed system as the best choice in order to satisfy all of the requirements. A scaled down version of the original design has been in operation since 1984. The LIMS, a combination of computer hardware, provides the chemical characterization laboratory with an information data base, a report generator, a user interface, and networking capabilities. This paper is an account of the processes involved in designing and implementing that LIMS.

Ultrasonic pilot-scale reactor for enzymatic bleaching of cotton fabrics.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Idalina; Herrero-Yniesta, Victor; Perales Arce, Iratxe; Escrigas Castañeda, Monica; Cavaco-Paulo, Artur; Silva, Carla

2014-07-01

The potential of ultrasound-assisted technology has been demonstrated by several laboratory scale studies. However, their successful industrial scaling-up is still a challenge due to the limited pilot and commercial sonochemical reactors. In this work, a pilot reactor for laccase-hydrogen peroxide cotton bleaching assisted by ultrasound was scaled-up. For this purpose, an existing dyeing machine was transformed and adapted by including piezoelectric ultrasonic devices. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that both low frequency, high power (22 kHz, 2100 W) and high frequency, low power ultrasounds (850 kHz, 400 W) were required to achieve satisfactory results. Standard half (4 g/L H2O2 at 90 °C for 60 min) and optical (8 g/L H2O2 at 103 °C for 40 min) cotton bleaching processes were used as references. Two sequential stages were established for cotton bleaching: (1) laccase pretreatment assisted by high frequency ultrasound (850 kHz, 400 W) and (2) bleaching using high power ultrasound (22 kHz, 2100 W). When compared with conventional methods, combined laccase-hydrogen peroxide cotton bleaching with ultrasound energy improved the whitening effectiveness. Subsequently, less energy (temperature) and chemicals (hydrogen peroxide) were needed for cotton bleaching thus resulting in costs reduction. This technology allowed the combination of enzyme and hydrogen peroxide treatment in a continuous process. The developed pilot-scale reactor offers an enhancement of the cotton bleaching process with lower environmental impact as well as a better performance of further finishing operations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hanford’s Supplemental Treatment Project: Full-Scale Integrated Testing of In-Container-Vitrification and a 10,000-Liter Dryer

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

Witwer, Keith S.; Dysland, Eric J.; Garfield, J. S.

2008-02-22

The GeoMelt® In-Container Vitrification™ (ICV™) process was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2004 for further evaluation as the supplemental treatment technology for Hanford’s low-activity waste (LAW). Also referred to as “bulk vitrification,” this process combines glass forming minerals, LAW, and chemical amendments; dries the mixture; and then vitrifies the material in a refractory-lined steel container. AMEC Nuclear Ltd. (AMEC) is adapting its GeoMelt ICV™ technology for this application with technical and analytical support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The DVBS project is funded by the DOE Office of River Protection and administered by CH2M HILLmore » Hanford Group, Inc. The Demonstration Bulk Vitrification Project (DBVS) was initiated to engineer, construct, and operate a full-scale bulk vitrification pilot-plant to treat up to 750,000 liters of LAW from Waste Tank 241-S-109 at the DOE Hanford Site. Since the beginning of the DBVS project in 2004, testing has used laboratory, crucible-scale, and engineering-scale equipment to help establish process limitations of selected glass formulations and identify operational issues. Full-scale testing has provided critical design verification of the ICV™ process before operating the Hanford pilot-plant. In 2007, the project’s fifth full-scale test, called FS-38D, (also known as the Integrated Dryer Melter Test, or IDMT,) was performed. This test had three primary objectives: 1) Demonstrate the simultaneous and integrated operation of the ICV™ melter with a 10,000-liter dryer, 2) Demonstrate the effectiveness of a new feed reformulation and change in process methodology towards reducing the production and migration of molten ionic salts (MIS), and, 3) Demonstrate that an acceptable glass product is produced under these conditions. Testing was performed from August 8 to 17, 2007. Process and analytical results demonstrated that the primary test objectives, along with a dozen supporting objectives, were successfully met. Glass performance exceeded all disposal performance criteria. A previous issue with MIS containment was successfully resolved in FS-38D, and the ICV™ melter was integrated with a full-scale, 10,000-liter dryer. This paper describes the rationale for performing the test, the purpose and outcome of scale-up tests preceding it, and the performance and outcome of FS-38D.« less

What Fermenter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terry, John

1987-01-01

Discusses the feasibility of using fermenters in secondary school laboratories. Includes discussions of equipment, safety, and computer interfacing. Describes how a simple fermenter could be used to simulate large-scale processes. Concludes that, although teachers and technicians will require additional training, the prospects for biotechnology in…

Laboratory plant study on the melting process of asbestos waste

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

Sakai, Shinichi; Terazono, Atsushi; Takatsuki, Hiroshi

The melting process was studied as a method of changing asbestos into non-hazardous waste and recovering it as a reusable resource. In an initial effort, the thermal behaviors of asbestos waste in terms of physical and chemical structure have been studied. Then, 10 kg/h-scale laboratory plant experiments were carried out. By X-ray diffraction analysis, the thermal behaviors of sprayed-on asbestos waste revealed that chrysotile asbestos waste change in crystal structure at around 800 C, and becomes melted slag, mainly composed of magnesium silicate, at around 1,500 C. Laboratory plant experiments on the melting process of sprayed-on asbestos have shown thatmore » melted slag can be obtained. X-ray diffraction analysis of the melted slag revealed crystal structure change, and SEM analysis showed the slag to have a non-fibrous form. And more, TEM analysis proved the very high treatment efficiency of the process, that is, reduction of the asbestos content to 1/10{sup 6} as a weight basis. These analytical results indicate the effectiveness of the melting process for asbestos waste treatment.« less

Multiscale Porosity and Mechanical Properties of Mancos Shale: Evaluation of REV and Scale Separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heath, J. E.; Dewers, T. A.; Yoon, H.; Mozley, P.

2016-12-01

Heterogeneity from the nanometer to core and larger length scales is a major challenge to understanding coupled processes in shale. To develop methods to address this challenge, we present application of high throughput multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (mSEM) and nano-to-micro-scale mechanics to the Mancos Shale. We use a 61-beam mSEM to collect 6 nm resolution SEM images at the scale of several square millimeters. These images are analyzed for pore size and shape characteristics including spatial correlation and structure. Nano-indentation, micropillar compression, and axisymmetric testing at multiple length scales allows for examining the influence of sampling size on mechanical response. The combined data set is used to: investigate representative elementary volumes (and areas for the 2D images) for the Mancos Shale; determine if scale separation occurs; and determine if transport and mechanical properties at a given length scale can be statistically defined. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

A laboratory nanoseismological study on deep-focus earthquake micromechanics

PubMed Central

Wang, Yanbin; Zhu, Lupei; Shi, Feng; Schubnel, Alexandre; Hilairet, Nadege; Yu, Tony; Rivers, Mark; Gasc, Julien; Addad, Ahmed; Deldicque, Damien; Li, Ziyu; Brunet, Fabrice

2017-01-01

Global earthquake occurring rate displays an exponential decay down to ~300 km and then peaks around 550 to 600 km before terminating abruptly near 700 km. How fractures initiate, nucleate, and propagate at these depths remains one of the greatest puzzles in earth science, as increasing pressure inhibits fracture propagation. We report nanoseismological analysis on high-resolution acoustic emission (AE) records obtained during ruptures triggered by partial transformation from olivine to spinel in Mg2GeO4, an analog to the dominant mineral (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 olivine in the upper mantle, using state-of-the-art seismological techniques, in the laboratory. AEs’ focal mechanisms, as well as their distribution in both space and time during deformation, are carefully analyzed. Microstructure analysis shows that AEs are produced by the dynamic propagation of shear bands consisting of nanograined spinel. These nanoshear bands have a near constant thickness (~100 nm) but varying lengths and self-organize during deformation. This precursory seismic process leads to ultimate macroscopic failure of the samples. Several source parameters of AE events were extracted from the recorded waveforms, allowing close tracking of event initiation, clustering, and propagation throughout the deformation/transformation process. AEs follow the Gutenberg-Richter statistics with a well-defined b value of 1.5 over three orders of moment magnitudes, suggesting that laboratory failure processes are self-affine. The seismic relation between magnitude and rupture area correctly predicts AE magnitude at millimeter scales. A rupture propagation model based on strain localization theory is proposed. Future numerical analyses may help resolve scaling issues between laboratory AE events and deep-focus earthquakes. PMID:28776024

Development and in-line validation of a Process Analytical Technology to facilitate the scale up of coating processes.

PubMed

Wirges, M; Funke, A; Serno, P; Knop, K; Kleinebudde, P

2013-05-05

Incorporation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) into the coating layer of film-coated tablets is a method mainly used to formulate fixed-dose combinations. Uniform and precise spray-coating of an API represents a substantial challenge, which could be overcome by applying Raman spectroscopy as process analytical tool. In pharmaceutical industry, Raman spectroscopy is still mainly used as a bench top laboratory analytical method and usually not implemented in the production process. Concerning the application in the production process, a lot of scientific approaches stop at the level of feasibility studies and do not manage the step to production scale and process applications. The present work puts the scale up of an active coating process into focus, which is a step of highest importance during the pharmaceutical development. Active coating experiments were performed at lab and production scale. Using partial least squares (PLS), a multivariate model was constructed by correlating in-line measured Raman spectral data with the coated amount of API. By transferring this model, being implemented for a lab scale process, to a production scale process, the robustness of this analytical method and thus its applicability as a Process Analytical Technology (PAT) tool for the correct endpoint determination in pharmaceutical manufacturing could be shown. Finally, this method was validated according to the European Medicine Agency (EMA) guideline with respect to the special requirements of the applied in-line model development strategy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding Geomorphological Processes on the Earth's Surface from Laboratory Experiments and the Role of Communities of Practice in Generating Reusable Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, L.

2016-12-01

Geomorphological processes move masses of sediment across the face of the Earth, from mountain tops to hillslopes, rivers, flood plains, and coastlines, on a range of temporal and spatial scales that span many orders of magnitude. These processes, sometimes spanning millennia and sometimes occurring catastrophically, affect human communities that live on and near these surface landforms. Experiments conveniently scale these processes to time and space that can be observed and measured in the laboratory. As a result, the research community has produced remarkable experimental datasets for processes such as particle transport, hillslope erosion, channel migration, and coastline evolution. These datasets build a collection that quantifies a wide range of environmental processes and contributes to hazards mitigation and the understanding of long-term effects of climate and tectonics on landscape evolution. However, technology and data acquisition rates are outgrowing capabilities for storing, maintaining, and serving the data. Solutions that improve preservation, reuse, and attribution of geomorphological data from unique experimental set-ups are germinating at different research centers. These solutions allow the cross-disciplinary data integration that is often necessary to achieving a mechanistic and holistic understanding of the processes that shape the Earth's surface. Communities of practice such as the Sediment Experimentalist Network (SEN) and the U.S. Geological Survey's Community for Data Integration (USGS CDI) play a critical role in effectively facilitating information exchange about tools, methods, and results that accelerate experimental success. Through community interactions and a culture change to generate data more fit for reuse, broad challenges in reproducibility, scaling, and integration may be addressed, leading to more rapid progress in Earth surface process research.

Challenges and opportunities in the manufacture and expansion of cells for therapy.

PubMed

Maartens, Joachim H; De-Juan-Pardo, Elena; Wunner, Felix M; Simula, Antonio; Voelcker, Nicolas H; Barry, Simon C; Hutmacher, Dietmar W

2017-10-01

Laboratory-based ex vivo cell culture methods are largely manual in their manufacturing processes. This makes it extremely difficult to meet regulatory requirements for process validation, quality control and reproducibility. Cell culture concepts with a translational focus need to embrace a more automated approach where cell yields are able to meet the quantitative production demands, the correct cell lineage and phenotype is readily confirmed and reagent usage has been optimized. Areas covered: This article discusses the obstacles inherent in classical laboratory-based methods, their concomitant impact on cost-of-goods and that a technology step change is required to facilitate translation from bed-to-bedside. Expert opinion: While traditional bioreactors have demonstrated limited success where adherent cells are used in combination with microcarriers, further process optimization will be required to find solutions for commercial-scale therapies. New cell culture technologies based on 3D-printed cell culture lattices with favourable surface to volume ratios have the potential to change the paradigm in industry. An integrated Quality-by-Design /System engineering approach will be essential to facilitate the scaled-up translation from proof-of-principle to clinical validation.

Systems Engineering Provides Successful High Temperature Steam Electrolysis Project

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

Charles V. Park; Emmanuel Ohene Opare, Jr.

2011-06-01

This paper describes two Systems Engineering Studies completed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to support development of the High Temperature Stream Electrolysis (HTSE) process. HTSE produces hydrogen from water using nuclear power and was selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) for integration with the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). The first study was a reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) analysis to identify critical areas for technology development based on available information regarding expected component performance. An HTSE process baseline flowsheet at commercial scale was used as a basis. The NGNP project also established a process and capability tomore » perform future RAM analyses. The analysis identified which components had the greatest impact on HTSE process availability and indicated that the HTSE process could achieve over 90% availability. The second study developed a series of life-cycle cost estimates for the various scale-ups required to demonstrate the HTSE process. Both studies were useful in identifying near- and long-term efforts necessary for successful HTSE process deployment. The size of demonstrations to support scale-up was refined, which is essential to estimate near- and long-term cost and schedule. The life-cycle funding profile, with high-level allocations, was identified as the program transitions from experiment scale R&D to engineering scale demonstration.« less

Detector Based Realisation of Illuminance Scale at NML-SIRIM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Mohd Nizam; Abidin, Mohd Nasir Zainal; Abidin, Abdul Rashid Zainal; Shaari, Sahbudin

2009-07-01

Illuminance scale is one of the fundamentals in the realisation of candela in optical radiation. The en route of the realisation is based on the fundamental process from the unbroken chain of traceability which includes from the primary standard disseminated to working standard and lastly the end user. There are many variations towards this realisation even though some of the national metrology institutes (NMI) does not have the primary standard but their traceability still valid. The realisation of National Metrology Laboratory SIRIM (NML-SIRIM), Malaysia illuminance scale is based on detector. The scale is traceable to National Physical Labortaory (NPL), United Kingdom (UK) by annually calibrating photometers and luminous intensity lamp. This paper describes measurement method and the system set-up was previously crosschecked with Korea Research Institute Standards and Science (KRISS), Republic of Korea. The agreement between both laboratories is within 0.5% the uncertainty maintained at NML-SIRIM. Furthermore, the basic measurement equation for illuminance realisation is also derived.

Evaluation of Vitrification Processing Step for Rocky Flats Incinerator Ash

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

Wigent, W.L.; Luey, J.K.; Scheele, R.D.

In 1997, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) staff developed a processing option for incinerator ash at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Sites (RFETS). This work was performed with support from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Safe Sites of Colorado (SSOC). A description of the remediation needs for the RFETS incinerator ash is provided in a report summarizing the recommended processing option for treatment of the ash (Lucy et al. 1998). The recommended process flowsheet involves a calcination pretreatment step to remove carbonaceous material followed by a vitrification processing step for a mixture of glass tit and calcined incinerator ash.more » Using the calcination pretreatment step to remove carbonaceous material reduced process upsets for the vitrification step, allowed for increased waste loading in the final product, and improved the quality of the final product. Figure 1.1 illustrates the flow sheet for the recommended processing option for treatment of RFETS incinerator ash. In 1998, work at PNNL further developed the recommended flow sheet through a series of studies to better define the vitrification operating parameters and to address secondary processing issues (such as characterizing the offgas species from the calcination process). Because a prototypical rotary calciner was not available for use, studies to evaluate the offgas from the calcination process were performed using a benchtop rotary calciner and laboratory-scale equipment (Lucy et al. 1998). This report focuses on the vitrification process step after ash has been calcined. Testing with full-scale containers was performed using ash surrogates and a muffle furnace similar to that planned for use at RFETS. Small-scale testing was performed using plutonium-bearing incinerator ash to verify performance of the waste form. Ash was not obtained from RFETS because of transportation requirements to calcine the incinerator ash prior to shipment of the material. Because part of PNNL's work was to characterize the ash prior to calcination and to investigate the effect of calcination on product quality, representative material was obtained from LANL. Ash obtained from LANL was selected based on its similarity to that currently stored at RFETS. The plutonium-bearing ashes obtained from LANL are likely from a RFETS incinerator, but the exact origin was not identified.« less

Design and process aspects of laboratory scale SCF particle formation systems.

PubMed

Vemavarapu, Chandra; Mollan, Matthew J; Lodaya, Mayur; Needham, Thomas E

2005-03-23

Consistent production of solid drug materials of desired particle and crystallographic morphologies under cGMP conditions is a frequent challenge to pharmaceutical researchers. Supercritical fluid (SCF) technology gained significant attention in pharmaceutical research by not only showing a promise in this regard but also accommodating the principles of green chemistry. Given that this technology attained commercialization in coffee decaffeination and in the extraction of hops and other essential oils, a majority of the off-the-shelf SCF instrumentation is designed for extraction purposes. Only a selective few vendors appear to be in the early stages of manufacturing equipment designed for particle formation. The scarcity of information on the design and process engineering of laboratory scale equipment is recognized as a significant shortcoming to the technological progress. The purpose of this article is therefore to provide the information and resources necessary for startup research involving particle formation using supercritical fluids. The various stages of particle formation by supercritical fluid processing can be broadly classified into delivery, reaction, pre-expansion, expansion and collection. The importance of each of these processes in tailoring the particle morphology is discussed in this article along with presenting various alternatives to perform these operations.

Ensuring the reliability of stable isotope ratio data--beyond the principle of identical treatment.

PubMed

Carter, J F; Fry, B

2013-03-01

The need for inter-laboratory comparability is crucial to facilitate the globalisation of scientific networks and the development of international databases to support scientific and criminal investigations. This article considers what lessons can be learned from a series of inter-laboratory comparison exercises organised by the Forensic Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (FIRMS) network in terms of reference materials (RMs), the management of data quality, and technical limitations. The results showed that within-laboratory precision (repeatability) was generally good but between-laboratory accuracy (reproducibility) called for improvements. This review considers how stable isotope laboratories can establish a system of quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA), emphasising issues of repeatability and reproducibility. For results to be comparable between laboratories, measurements must be traceable to the international δ-scales and, because isotope ratio measurements are reported relative to standards, a key aspect is the correct selection, calibration, and use of international and in-house RMs. The authors identify four principles which promote good laboratory practice. The principle of identical treatment by which samples and RMs are processed in an identical manner and which incorporates three further principles; the principle of identical correction (by which necessary corrections are identified and evenly applied), the principle of identical scaling (by which data are shifted and stretched to the international δ-scales), and the principle of error detection by which QC and QA results are monitored and acted upon. To achieve both good repeatability and good reproducibility it is essential to obtain RMs with internationally agreed δ-values. These RMs will act as the basis for QC and can be used to calibrate further in-house QC RMs tailored to the activities of specific laboratories. In-house QA standards must also be developed to ensure that QC-based calibrations and corrections lead to accurate results for samples. The δ-values assigned to RMs must be recorded and reported with all data. Reference materials must be used to determine what corrections are necessary for measured data. Each analytical sequence of samples must include both QC and QA materials which are subject to identical treatment during measurement and data processing. Results for these materials must be plotted, monitored, and acted upon. Periodically international RMs should be analysed as an in-house proficiency test to demonstrate results are accurate.

Preparing Laboratory and Real-World EEG Data for Large-Scale Analysis: A Containerized Approach

PubMed Central

Bigdely-Shamlo, Nima; Makeig, Scott; Robbins, Kay A.

2016-01-01

Large-scale analysis of EEG and other physiological measures promises new insights into brain processes and more accurate and robust brain–computer interface models. However, the absence of standardized vocabularies for annotating events in a machine understandable manner, the welter of collection-specific data organizations, the difficulty in moving data across processing platforms, and the unavailability of agreed-upon standards for preprocessing have prevented large-scale analyses of EEG. Here we describe a “containerized” approach and freely available tools we have developed to facilitate the process of annotating, packaging, and preprocessing EEG data collections to enable data sharing, archiving, large-scale machine learning/data mining and (meta-)analysis. The EEG Study Schema (ESS) comprises three data “Levels,” each with its own XML-document schema and file/folder convention, plus a standardized (PREP) pipeline to move raw (Data Level 1) data to a basic preprocessed state (Data Level 2) suitable for application of a large class of EEG analysis methods. Researchers can ship a study as a single unit and operate on its data using a standardized interface. ESS does not require a central database and provides all the metadata data necessary to execute a wide variety of EEG processing pipelines. The primary focus of ESS is automated in-depth analysis and meta-analysis EEG studies. However, ESS can also encapsulate meta-information for the other modalities such as eye tracking, that are increasingly used in both laboratory and real-world neuroimaging. ESS schema and tools are freely available at www.eegstudy.org and a central catalog of over 850 GB of existing data in ESS format is available at studycatalog.org. These tools and resources are part of a larger effort to enable data sharing at sufficient scale for researchers to engage in truly large-scale EEG analysis and data mining (BigEEG.org). PMID:27014048

Development of ITM oxygen technology for integration in IGCC and other advanced power generation

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

Armstrong, Phillip A.

2015-03-31

Ion Transport Membrane (ITM) technology is based on the oxygen-ion-conducting properties of certain mixed-metal oxide ceramic materials that can separate oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas, such as air, under a suitable driving force. The “ITM Oxygen” air separation system that results from the use of such ceramic membranes produces a hot, pure oxygen stream and a hot, pressurized, oxygen-depleted stream from which significant amounts of energy can be extracted. Accordingly, the technology integrates well with other high-temperature processes, including power generation. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., the Recipient, in conjunction with a dozen subcontractors, developed ITM Oxygen technology under thismore » five-phase Cooperative Agreement from the laboratory bench scale to implementation in a pilot plant capable of producing power and 100 tons per day (TPD) of purified oxygen. A commercial-scale membrane module manufacturing facility (the “CerFab”), sized to support a conceptual 2000 TPD ITM Oxygen Development Facility (ODF), was also established and operated under this Agreement. In the course of this work, the team developed prototype ceramic production processes and a robust planar ceramic membrane architecture based on a novel ceramic compound capable of high oxygen fluxes. The concept and feasibility of the technology was thoroughly established through laboratory pilot-scale operations testing commercial-scale membrane modules run under industrial operating conditions with compelling lifetime and reliability performance that supported further scale-up. Auxiliary systems, including contaminant mitigation, process controls, heat exchange, turbo-machinery, combustion, and membrane pressure vessels were extensively investigated and developed. The Recipient and subcontractors developed efficient process cycles that co-produce oxygen and power based on compact, low-cost ITMs. Process economics assessments show significant benefits relative to state-of-the-art cryogenic air separation technology in energy-intensive applications such as IGCC with and without carbon capture.« less

Vadose Zone Flow and Transport of Dissolved Organic Carbon at Multiple Scales in Humid Regimes

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

Jardine, Philip M; Mayes, Melanie; Mulholland, Patrick J

2006-06-01

Scientists must embrace the necessity to offset global CO{sub 2} emissions regardless of politics. Efforts to enhance terrestrial organic carbon sequestration have traditionally focused on aboveground biomass and surface soils. An unexplored potential exists in thick lower horizons of widespread, mature soils such as Alfisols, Ultisols, and Oxisols. We present a case study of fate and transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in a highly weathered Ultisol, involving spatial scales from the laboratory to the landscape. Our objectives were to interpret processes observed at various scales and provide an improved understanding of coupled hydrogeochemical mechanisms that control DOC mobility andmore » sequestration in deep subsoils within humid climatic regimes. Our approach is multiscale, using laboratory-scale batch and soil columns (0.2 by 1.0 m), an in situ pedon (2 by 2 by 3 m), a well-instrumented subsurface facility on a subwatershed (0.47 ha), and ephemeral and perennial stream discharge at the landscape scale (38.4 ha). Laboratory-scale experiments confirmed that lower horizons have the propensity to accumulate DOC, but that preferential fracture flow tends to limit sequestration. Intermediate-scale experiments demonstrated the beneficial effects of C diffusion into soil micropores. Field- and landscape-scale studies demonstrated coupled hydrological, geochemical, and microbiological mechanisms that limit DOC sequestration, and their sensitivity to local environmental conditions. Our results suggest a multi-scale approach is necessary to assess the propensity of deep subsoils to sequester organic C in situ. By unraveling fundamental organic C sequestration mechanisms, we improve the conceptual and quantitative understanding needed to predict and alter organic C budgets in soil systems.« less

Results and harmonization guidelines from two large-scale international Elispot proficiency panels conducted by the Cancer Vaccine Consortium (CVC/SVI).

PubMed

Janetzki, Sylvia; Panageas, Katherine S; Ben-Porat, Leah; Boyer, Jean; Britten, Cedrik M; Clay, Timothy M; Kalos, Michael; Maecker, Holden T; Romero, Pedro; Yuan, Jianda; Kast, W Martin; Hoos, Axel

2008-03-01

The Cancer Vaccine Consortium of the Sabin Vaccine Institute (CVC/SVI) is conducting an ongoing large-scale immune monitoring harmonization program through its members and affiliated associations. This effort was brought to life as an external validation program by conducting an international Elispot proficiency panel with 36 laboratories in 2005, and was followed by a second panel with 29 participating laboratories in 2006 allowing for application of learnings from the first panel. Critical protocol choices, as well as standardization and validation practices among laboratories were assessed through detailed surveys. Although panel participants had to follow general guidelines in order to allow comparison of results, each laboratory was able to use its own protocols, materials and reagents. The second panel recorded an overall significantly improved performance, as measured by the ability to detect all predefined responses correctly. Protocol choices and laboratory practices, which can have a dramatic effect on the overall assay outcome, were identified and lead to the following recommendations: (A) Establish a laboratory SOP for Elispot testing procedures including (A1) a counting method for apoptotic cells for determining adequate cell dilution for plating, and (A2) overnight rest of cells prior to plating and incubation, (B) Use only pre-tested serum optimized for low background: high signal ratio, (C) Establish a laboratory SOP for plate reading including (C1) human auditing during the reading process and (C2) adequate adjustments for technical artifacts, and (D) Only allow trained personnel, which is certified per laboratory SOPs to conduct assays. Recommendations described under (A) were found to make a statistically significant difference in assay performance, while the remaining recommendations are based on practical experiences confirmed by the panel results, which could not be statistically tested. These results provide initial harmonization guidelines to optimize Elispot assay performance to the immunotherapy community. Further optimization is in process with ongoing panels.

The Relationships between University Students' Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety, Attitudes, and Self-Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurbanoglu, N. Izzet; Akin, Ahmet

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between chemistry laboratory anxiety, chemistry attitudes, and self-efficacy. Participants were 395 university students. Participants completed the Chemistry Laboratory Anxiety Scale, the Chemistry Attitudes Scale, and the Self-efficacy Scale. Results showed that chemistry laboratory anxiety…

BENCH-SCALE EVALUATION OF AMMONIA REMOVAL FROM WASTEWATER BY STEAM STRIPPING

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the study was to generate laboratory data to support the development of wastewater discharge standards for ammonia in nonferrous metal winning processes. The objective was accomplished by studying ammonia removal from synthetically compounded 'wastewater' samples u...

The Rat Grimace Scale: A partially automated method for quantifying pain in the laboratory rat via facial expressions

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

We recently demonstrated the utility of quantifying spontaneous pain in mice via the blinded coding of facial expressions. As the majority of preclinical pain research is in fact performed in the laboratory rat, we attempted to modify the scale for use in this species. We present herein the Rat Grimace Scale, and show its reliability, accuracy, and ability to quantify the time course of spontaneous pain in the intraplantar complete Freund's adjuvant, intraarticular kaolin-carrageenan, and laparotomy (post-operative pain) assays. The scale's ability to demonstrate the dose-dependent analgesic efficacy of morphine is also shown. In addition, we have developed software, Rodent Face Finder®, which successfully automates the most labor-intensive step in the process. Given the known mechanistic dissociations between spontaneous and evoked pain, and the primacy of the former as a clinical problem, we believe that widespread adoption of spontaneous pain measures such as the Rat Grimace Scale might lead to more successful translation of basic science findings into clinical application. PMID:21801409

Development and demonstration of a lignite-pelletizing process. Phase II report

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

Not Available

1980-01-01

The current work began with scale-up of laboratory equipment to commercial size equipment. For this purpose, BCI used an existing pilot plant that had been assembled to pelletize and indurate taconite ore. BCI determined therewith that lignite pellets can be produced continuously on a pilot scale using the basic process developed in the laboratory. The resulting pellets were found to be similar to the laboratory pellets at equivalent binder compositions. Tests of product made during a 5-ton test run are reported. A 50-ton demonstration test run was made with the pilot plant. Pellet production was sustained for a two-week period.more » The lignite pelletizing process has, therefore, been developed to the point of demonstration in a 50-ton test. BCI has completed and cost estimated a conceptually designed 4000 TPD facility. BCI believes it has demonstrated a technically feasible process to agglomerate lignite by using an asphalt emulsion binder. Product quality is promising. Capital and operating costs appear acceptable to justify continuing support and development. The next step should focus on three areas: production development, process refinement, and cost reduction. For further development, BCI recommends consideration of a 5 to 10 ton/h pilot plant or a 20 to 40 ton/h module of a full sized plant, the lower first cost of the former being offset by the ability to incorporate the latter into a future production unit. Other specific recommendations are made for future study that could lead to process and cost improvements: Binder Formulation, disc Sizing, Drier Bed Depth, and Mixing Approach. Pellet use other than power plant fuel is considered.« less

FLARE (Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments): A Major Next-Step for Laboratory Studies of Magnetic Reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, H.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Prager, S.; Daughton, W. S.; Bale, S. D.; Carter, T. A.; Crocker, N.; Drake, J. F.; Egedal, J.; Sarff, J.; Wallace, J.; Belova, E.; Ellis, R.; Fox, W. R., II; Heitzenroeder, P.; Kalish, M.; Jara-Almonte, J.; Myers, C. E.; Que, W.; Ren, Y.; Titus, P.; Yamada, M.; Yoo, J.

2014-12-01

A new intermediate-scale plasma experiment, called the Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments or FLARE, is under construction at Princeton as a joint project by five universities and two national labs to study magnetic reconnection in regimes directly relevant to space, solar and astrophysical plasmas. The currently existing small-scale experiments have been focusing on the single X-line reconnection process in plasmas either with small effective sizes or at low Lundquist numbers, both of which are typically very large in natural plasmas. These new regimes involve multiple X-lines as guided by a reconnection "phase diagram", in which different coupling mechanisms from the global system scale to the local dissipation scale are classified into different reconnection phases [H. Ji & W. Daughton, Phys. Plasmas 18, 111207 (2011)]. The design of the FLARE device is based on the existing Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) at Princeton (http://mrx.pppl.gov) and is to provide experimental access to the new phases involving multiple X-lines at large effective sizes and high Lundquist numbers, directly relevant to space and solar plasmas. The motivating major physics questions, the construction status, and the planned collaborative research especially with space and solar research communities will be discussed.

AMMONIUM DIURANATE PRECIPITATION WITH ANHYDROUS AMMONIA

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

Farrell, L.C.; Grill, L.F.

1959-03-01

Ammonium diuranate has been precipitated from nitric acid solutions by the addition of anhydrpus ammonia on both laboratory and production scales. This process produced more dense and morc rapidly filtered precipitates than those formed by the addition of aqueous amonia or slurried calcium hydroxide. Thc filtrates from the anhydrous ammonia process were lower in uranium content than those obtained by the addition of the other reagents. Processing equipment and precipitate characteristics are discussed. (auth)

The Virtual Geophysics Laboratory (VGL): Scientific Workflows Operating Across Organizations and Across Infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, S. J.; Wyborn, L. A.; Fraser, R.; Rankine, T.; Woodcock, R.; Vote, J.; Evans, B.

2012-12-01

The Virtual Geophysics Laboratory (VGL) is web portal that provides geoscientists with an integrated online environment that: seamlessly accesses geophysical and geoscience data services from the AuScope national geoscience information infrastructure; loosely couples these data to a variety of gesocience software tools; and provides large scale processing facilities via cloud computing. VGL is a collaboration between CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, National Computational Infrastructure, Monash University, Australian National University and the University of Queensland. The VGL provides a distributed system whereby a user can enter an online virtual laboratory to seamlessly connect to OGC web services for geoscience data. The data is supplied in open standards formats using international standards like GeoSciML. A VGL user uses a web mapping interface to discover and filter the data sources using spatial and attribute filters to define a subset. Once the data is selected the user is not required to download the data. VGL collates the service query information for later in the processing workflow where it will be staged directly to the computing facilities. The combination of deferring data download and access to Cloud computing enables VGL users to access their data at higher resolutions and to undertake larger scale inversions, more complex models and simulations than their own local computing facilities might allow. Inside the Virtual Geophysics Laboratory, the user has access to a library of existing models, complete with exemplar workflows for specific scientific problems based on those models. For example, the user can load a geological model published by Geoscience Australia, apply a basic deformation workflow provided by a CSIRO scientist, and have it run in a scientific code from Monash. Finally the user can publish these results to share with a colleague or cite in a paper. This opens new opportunities for access and collaboration as all the resources (models, code, data, processing) are shared in the one virtual laboratory. VGL provides end users with access to an intuitive, user-centered interface that leverages cloud storage and cloud and cluster processing from both the research communities and commercial suppliers (e.g. Amazon). As the underlying data and information services are agnostic of the scientific domain, they can support many other data types. This fundamental characteristic results in a highly reusable virtual laboratory infrastructure that could also be used for example natural hazards, satellite processing, soil geochemistry, climate modeling, agriculture crop modeling.

Unirradiated testing of the demonstration-scale ceramic waste form at ANL-West

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

Goff, K.M.; Simpson, M.F.; Bateman, K.J.

1997-12-01

The ceramic waste form is being developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) as part of the demonstration of the electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel for disposal. The alkali, alkaline earth, halide, and rare earth fission products are stabilized in zeolite, which is combined with glass and processed in a hot isostatic press (HIP) to form a ceramic composite. The transuranics, including plutonium, are also stabilized in this high-level waste. Most of the laboratory-scale development work is performed in the Chemical Technology Division of ANL in Illinois. At ANL-West in Idaho, this technology is being demonstrated on an engineering scalemore » before implementation with irradiated materials in a remote environment.« less

Cold-Cap Temperature Profile Comparison between the Laboratory and Mathematical Model

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

Dixon, Derek R.; Schweiger, Michael J.; Riley, Brian J.

2015-06-01

The rate of waste vitrification in an electric melter is connected to the feed-to-glass conversion process, which occurs in the cold cap, a layer of reacting feed on top of molten glass. The cold cap consists of two layers: a low temperature (~100°C – ~800°C) region of unconnected feed and a high temperature (~800°C – ~1100°C) region of foam with gas bubbles and cavities mixed in the connected glass melt. A recently developed mathematical model describes the effect of the cold cap on glass production. For verification of the mathematical model, a laboratory-scale melter was used to produce a coldmore » cap that could be cross-sectioned and polished in order to determine the temperature profile related to position in the cold cap. The cold cap from the laboratory-scale melter exhibited an accumulation of feed ~400°C due to radiant heat from the molten glass creating dry feed conditions in the melter, which was not the case in the mathematical model where wet feed conditions were calculated. Through the temperature range from ~500°C – ~1100°C, there was good agreement between the model and the laboratory cold cap. Differences were observed between the two temperature profiles due to the temperature of the glass melts and the lack of secondary foam, large cavities, and shrinkage of the primary foam bubbles upon the cooling of the laboratory-scale cold cap.« less

Students' motivation toward laboratory work in physiology teaching.

PubMed

Dohn, Niels Bonderup; Fago, Angela; Overgaard, Johannes; Madsen, Peter Teglberg; Malte, Hans

2016-09-01

The laboratory has been given a central role in physiology education, and teachers report that it is motivating for students to undertake experimental work on live animals or measuring physiological responses on the students themselves. Since motivation is a critical variable for academic learning and achievement, then we must concern ourselves with questions that examine how students engage in laboratory work and persist at such activities. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how laboratory work influences student motivation in physiology. We administered the Lab Motivation Scale to assess our students' levels of interest, willingness to engage (effort), and confidence in understanding (self-efficacy). We also asked students about the role of laboratory work for their own learning and their experience in the physiology laboratory. Our results documented high levels of interest, effort, and self-efficacy among the students. Correlation analyses were performed on the three motivation scales and exam results, yet a significant correlation was only found between self-efficacy in laboratory work and academic performance at the final exam. However, almost all students reported that laboratory work was very important for learning difficult concepts and physiological processes (e.g., action potential), as the hands-on experiences gave a more concrete idea of the learning content and made the content easier to remember. These results have implications for classroom practice as biology students find laboratory exercises highly motivating, despite their different personal interests and subject preferences. This highlights the importance of not replacing laboratory work by other nonpractical approaches, for example, video demonstrations or computer simulations. Copyright © 2016 The American Physiological Society.

Effects of process parameters on solid self-microemulsifying particles in a laboratory scale fluid bed.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Tusharmouli; Plakogiannis, Fotios M

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to select the critical process parameters of the fluid bed processes impacting the quality attribute of a solid self-microemulsifying (SME) system of albendazole (ABZ). A fractional factorial design (2(4-1)) with four parameters (spray rate, inlet air temperature, inlet air flow, and atomization air pressure) was created by MINITAB software. Batches were manufactured in a laboratory top-spray fluid bed at 625-g scale. Loss on drying (LOD) samples were taken throughout each batch to build the entire moisture profiles. All dried granulation were sieved using mesh 20 and analyzed for particle size distribution (PSD), morphology, density, and flow. It was found that as spray rate increased, sauter-mean diameter (D(s)) also increased. The effect of inlet air temperature on the peak moisture which is directly related to the mean particle size was found to be significant. There were two-way interactions between studied process parameters. The main effects of inlet air flow rate and atomization air pressure could not be found as the data were inconclusive. The partial least square (PLS) regression model was found significant (P < 0.01) and predictive for optimization. This study established a design space for the parameters for solid SME manufacturing process.

Large-Scale Variability of Inpatient Tacrolimus Therapeutic Drug Monitoring at an Academic Transplant Center: a Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Strohbehn, Garth W; Pan, Warren W; Petrilli, Christopher M; Heidemann, Lauren; Larson, Sophia; Aaronson, Keith D; Johnson, Matt; Ellies, Tammy; Heung, Michael

2018-04-30

Inpatient tacrolimus therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) lacks standardized guidelines. In this study, the authors analyzed variability in the pre-analytical phase of the inpatient tacrolimus TDM process at their institution. Patients receiving tacrolimus (twice-daily formulation) and tacrolimus laboratory analysis were included in the study. Times of tacrolimus administration and laboratory study collection were extracted and time distribution plots for each step in the inpatient TDM process were generated. Trough levels were drawn appropriately in 25.9% of the cases. Timing between doses was consistent, with 91.9% of the following dose administrations occurring 12 +/- 2 hours after the previous dose. Only 38.1% of the drug administrations occurred within one hour of laboratory study collection. Tacrolimus-related patient safety events were reported at a rate of 1.9 events per month while incorrect timing of TDM sample collection occurred approximately 200 times per month. Root cause analysis identified a TDM process marked by a lack of communication and coordination of drug administration and TDM sample collection. Extrapolating findings nationwide, we estimate $22 million in laboratory costs wasted annually. Based on this large single-center study, the authors concluded that the inpatient TDM process is prone to timing errors, thus is financially wasteful, and at its worst harmful to patients due to clinical decisions being made on the basis of unreliable data. Further work is needed on systems solutions to better align the laboratory study collection and drug administration processes.

Improved sugar yields from biomass sorghum feedstocks: comparing low-lignin mutants and pretreatment chemistries.

PubMed

Godin, Bruno; Nagle, Nick; Sattler, Scott; Agneessens, Richard; Delcarte, Jérôme; Wolfrum, Edward

2016-01-01

For biofuel production processes to be economically efficient, it is essential to maximize the production of monomeric carbohydrates from the structural carbohydrates of feedstocks. One strategy for maximizing carbohydrate production is to identify less recalcitrant feedstock cultivars by performing some type of experimental screening on a large and diverse set of candidate materials, or by identifying genetic modifications (random or directed mutations or transgenic plants) that provide decreased recalcitrance. Economic efficiency can also be increased using additional pretreatment processes such as deacetylation, which uses dilute NaOH to remove the acetyl groups of hemicellulose prior to dilute acid pretreatment. In this work, we used a laboratory-scale screening tool that mimics relevant thermochemical pretreatment conditions to compare the total sugar yield of three near-isogenic brown midrib ( bmr ) mutant lines and the wild-type (WT) sorghum cultivar. We then compared results obtained from the laboratory-scale screening pretreatment assay to a large-scale pretreatment system. After pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, the bmr mutants had higher total sugar yields than the WT sorghum cultivar. Increased pretreatment temperatures increased reactivity for all sorghum samples reducing the differences observed at lower reaction temperatures. Deacetylation prior to dilute acid pretreatment increased the total sugar yield for all four sorghum samples, and reduced the differences in total sugar yields among them, but solubilized a sizable fraction of the non-structural carbohydrates. The general trends of increased total sugar yield in the bmr mutant compared to the WT seen at the laboratory scale were observed at the large-scale system. However, in the larger reactor system, the measured total sugar yields were lower and the difference in total sugar yield between the WT and bmr sorghum was larger. Sorghum bmr mutants, which have a reduced lignin content showed higher total sugar yields than the WT cultivar after dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. Deacetylation prior to dilute acid pretreatment increased the total sugar yield for all four sorghum samples. However, since deacetylation also solubilizes a large fraction of the non-structural carbohydrates, the ability to derive value from these solubilized sugars will depend greatly on the proposed conversion process.

Improved sugar yields from biomass sorghum feedstocks: comparing low-lignin mutants and pretreatment chemistries

DOE PAGES

Godin, Bruno; Nagle, Nick; Sattler, Scott; ...

2016-11-21

For biofuel production processes to be economically efficient, it is essential to maximize the production of monomeric carbohydrates from the structural carbohydrates of feedstocks. One strategy for maximizing carbohydrate production is to identify less recalcitrant feedstock cultivars by performing some type of experimental screening on a large and diverse set of candidate materials, or by identifying genetic modifications (random or directed mutations or transgenic plants) that provide decreased recalcitrance. Economic efficiency can also be increased using additional pretreatment processes such as deacetylation, which uses dilute NaOH to remove the acetyl groups of hemicellulose prior to dilute acid pretreatment. In thismore » work, we used a laboratory-scale screening tool that mimics relevant thermochemical pretreatment conditions to compare the total sugar yield of three near-isogenic brown midrib (bmr) mutant lines and the wild-type (WT) sorghum cultivar. We then compared results obtained from the laboratory-scale screening pretreatment assay to a large-scale pretreatment system. After pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, the bmr mutants had higher total sugar yields than the WT sorghum cultivar. Increased pretreatment temperatures increased reactivity for all sorghum samples reducing the differences observed at lower reaction temperatures. Deacetylation prior to dilute acid pretreatment increased the total sugar yield for all four sorghum samples, and reduced the differences in total sugar yields among them, but solubilized a sizable fraction of the non-structural carbohydrates. The general trends of increased total sugar yield in the bmr mutant compared to the WT seen at the laboratory scale were observed at the large-scale system. However, in the larger reactor system, the measured total sugar yields were lower and the difference in total sugar yield between the WT and bmr sorghum was larger. Sorghum bmr mutants, which have a reduced lignin content showed higher total sugar yields than the WT cultivar after dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. In conclusion, deacetylation prior to dilute acid pretreatment increased the total sugar yield for all four sorghum samples. However, since deacetylation also solubilizes a large fraction of the non-structural carbohydrates, the ability to derive value from these solubilized sugars will depend greatly on the proposed conversion process.« less

Benefits of supplementing an industrial waste anaerobic digester with energy crops for increased biogas production

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

Nges, Ivo Achu, E-mail: Nges.Ivo_Achu@biotek.lu.se; Escobar, Federico; Fu Xinmei

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This study demonstrates the feasibility of co-digestion food industrial waste with energy crops. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Laboratory batch co-digestion led to improved methane yield and carbon to nitrogen ratio as compared to mono-digestion of industrial waste. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Co-digestion was also seen as a means of degrading energy crops with nutrients addition as crops are poor in nutrients. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It was concluded that co-digestion led an over all economically viable process and ensured a constant supply of feedstock. - Abstract: Currently, there is increasing competitionmore » for waste as feedstock for the growing number of biogas plants. This has led to fluctuation in feedstock supply and biogas plants being operated below maximum capacity. The feasibility of supplementing a protein/lipid-rich industrial waste (pig manure, slaughterhouse waste, food processing and poultry waste) mesophilic anaerobic digester with carbohydrate-rich energy crops (hemp, maize and triticale) was therefore studied in laboratory scale batch and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) with a view to scale-up to a commercial biogas process. Co-digesting industrial waste and crops led to significant improvement in methane yield per ton of feedstock and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio as compared to digestion of the industrial waste alone. Biogas production from crops in combination with industrial waste also avoids the need for micronutrients normally required in crop digestion. The batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. This was done based on the ratio of methane yields observed for laboratory batch and CSTR experiments compared to full scale CSTR digestion of industrial waste. The economy of crop-based biogas production is limited under Swedish conditions; therefore, adding crops to existing industrial waste digestion could be a viable alternative to ensure a constant/reliable supply of feedstock to the anaerobic digester.« less

Improved sugar yields from biomass sorghum feedstocks: comparing low-lignin mutants and pretreatment chemistries

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

Godin, Bruno; Nagle, Nick; Sattler, Scott

For biofuel production processes to be economically efficient, it is essential to maximize the production of monomeric carbohydrates from the structural carbohydrates of feedstocks. One strategy for maximizing carbohydrate production is to identify less recalcitrant feedstock cultivars by performing some type of experimental screening on a large and diverse set of candidate materials, or by identifying genetic modifications (random or directed mutations or transgenic plants) that provide decreased recalcitrance. Economic efficiency can also be increased using additional pretreatment processes such as deacetylation, which uses dilute NaOH to remove the acetyl groups of hemicellulose prior to dilute acid pretreatment. In thismore » work, we used a laboratory-scale screening tool that mimics relevant thermochemical pretreatment conditions to compare the total sugar yield of three near-isogenic brown midrib (bmr) mutant lines and the wild-type (WT) sorghum cultivar. We then compared results obtained from the laboratory-scale screening pretreatment assay to a large-scale pretreatment system. After pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, the bmr mutants had higher total sugar yields than the WT sorghum cultivar. Increased pretreatment temperatures increased reactivity for all sorghum samples reducing the differences observed at lower reaction temperatures. Deacetylation prior to dilute acid pretreatment increased the total sugar yield for all four sorghum samples, and reduced the differences in total sugar yields among them, but solubilized a sizable fraction of the non-structural carbohydrates. The general trends of increased total sugar yield in the bmr mutant compared to the WT seen at the laboratory scale were observed at the large-scale system. However, in the larger reactor system, the measured total sugar yields were lower and the difference in total sugar yield between the WT and bmr sorghum was larger. Sorghum bmr mutants, which have a reduced lignin content showed higher total sugar yields than the WT cultivar after dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. In conclusion, deacetylation prior to dilute acid pretreatment increased the total sugar yield for all four sorghum samples. However, since deacetylation also solubilizes a large fraction of the non-structural carbohydrates, the ability to derive value from these solubilized sugars will depend greatly on the proposed conversion process.« less

Subsurface Hydrology: Data Integration for Properties and Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyndman, David W.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Singha, Kamini

Groundwater is a critical resource and the PrinciPal source of drinking water for over 1.5 billion people. In 2001, the National Research Council cited as a "grand challenge" our need to understand the processes that control water movement in the subsurface. This volume faces that challenge in terms of data integration between complex, multi-scale hydrologie processes, and their links to other physical, chemical, and biological processes at multiple scales. Subsurface Hydrology: Data Integration for Properties and Processes presents the current state of the science in four aspects: • Approaches to hydrologie data integration • Data integration for characterization of hydrologie properties • Data integration for understanding hydrologie processes • Meta-analysis of current interpretations Scientists and researchers in the field, the laboratory, and the classroom will find this work an important resource in advancing our understanding of subsurface water movement.

SCALE UP OF CERAMIC WASTE FORMS FOR THE EBR-II SPENT FUEL TREATMENT PROCESS

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

Matthew C. Morrison; Kenneth J. Bateman; Michael F. Simpson

2010-11-01

ABSTRACT SCALE UP OF CERAMIC WASTE FORMS FOR THE EBR-II SPENT FUEL TREATMENT PROCESS Matthew C. Morrison, Kenneth J. Bateman, Michael F. Simpson Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 The ceramic waste process is the intended method for disposing of waste salt electrolyte, which contains fission products from the fuel-processing electrorefiners (ER) at the INL. When mixed and processed with other materials, the waste salt can be stored in a durable ceramic waste form (CWF). The development of the CWF has recently progressed from small-scale testing and characterization to full-scale implementation and experimentation using surrogate materialsmore » in lieu of the ER electrolyte. Two full-scale (378 kg and 383 kg) CWF test runs have been successfully completed with final densities of 2.2 g/cm3 and 2.1 g/cm3, respectively. The purpose of the first CWF was to establish material preparation parameters. The emphasis of the second pre-qualification test run was to evaluate a preliminary multi-section CWF container design. Other considerations were to finalize material preparation parameters, measure the material height as it consolidates in the furnace, and identify when cracking occurs during the CWF cooldown process.« less

Use of Alum for Odor Reduction in Sludge and Biosolids from Different Wastewater Treatment Processes.

PubMed

Gruchlik, Yolanta; Fouché, Lise; Joll, Cynthia A; Heitz, Anna

2017-12-01

  Applicability of alum addition to wastewater sludge and biosolids produced from different treatment processes was evaluated as a means of odor reduction. Four water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) were chosen for this study: two used mesophilic anaerobic digestion and two used oxidation ditch processes. The experiments were conducted on a laboratory scale and in all cases the alum was added prior to dewatering. This is the first report of the application of alum for odor reduction in oxidation ditch processes. Alum addition was effective in reducing odors in anaerobically digested biosolids. Addition of 4% alum to anaerobically digested liquid biosolids prior to dewatering resulted in a 60% reduction in the peak odor concentration in the laboratory dewatered cake, relative to the control sample. Alum addition did not reduce odors in dewatered sludge from oxidation ditch processes.

PEP Run Report for Integrated Test A, Caustic Leaching in UFP-VSL-T01A, Oxidative Leaching in UFP-VSL-T02A

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

Guzman-Leong, Consuelo E.; Bredt, Ofelia P.; Burns, Carolyn A.

2009-12-04

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) was tasked by Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) on the River Protection Project-Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (RPP-WTP) project to perform research and development activities to resolve technical issues identified for the Pretreatment Facility (PTF). The Pretreatment Engineering Platform (PEP) was designed and constructed and operated as part of a plan to respond to issue M12, “Undemonstrated Leaching Processes.”(a) The PEP, located in the Process Engineering Laboratory-West (PDLW) located in Richland, Washington, is a 1/4.5-scale test platform designed to simulate the WTP pretreatment caustic leaching, oxidative leaching, ultrafiltration solids concentration, and slurry washing processes.more » The PEP replicates the WTP leaching processes using prototypic equipment and control strategies. The PEP also includes non-prototypic ancillary equipment to support the core processing.« less

Engineering PFLOTRAN for Scalable Performance on Cray XT and IBM BlueGene Architectures

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

Mills, Richard T; Sripathi, Vamsi K; Mahinthakumar, Gnanamanika

We describe PFLOTRAN - a code for simulation of coupled hydro-thermal-chemical processes in variably saturated, non-isothermal, porous media - and the approaches we have employed to obtain scalable performance on some of the largest scale supercomputers in the world. We present detailed analyses of I/O and solver performance on Jaguar, the Cray XT5 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Intrepid, the IBM BlueGene/P at Argonne National Laboratory, that have guided our choice of algorithms.

Biogeochemistry of hypersaline microbial mats illustrates the dynamics of modern microbial ecosystems and the early evolution of the biosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Des Marais, David J.

2003-01-01

Photosynthetic microbial mats are remarkably complete self-sustaining ecosystems at the millimeter scale, yet they have substantially affected environmental processes on a planetary scale. These mats may be direct descendents of the most ancient biological communities in which even oxygenic photosynthesis might have developed. Photosynthetic mats are excellent natural laboratories to help us to learn how microbial populations associate to control dynamic biogeochemical gradients.

Source Code Analysis Laboratory (SCALe) for Energy Delivery Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

the software for reevaluation. Once the ree- valuation process is completed, CERT provides the client a report detailing the software’s con - formance...Flagged Nonconformities (FNC) Software System TP/FNC Ratio Mozilla Firefox version 2.0 6/12 50% Linux kernel version 2.6.15 10/126 8% Wine...inappropriately tuned for analysis of the Linux kernel, which has anomalous results. Customizing SCALe to work with energy system software will help

Best Practices: DOD Can Achieve Better Outcomes by Standardizing the Way Manufacturing Risks are Managed

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

scale needed can be proven. As an example, GE Healthcare’s Gemstone scintillator underwent years of laboratory development on a small scale until GE...GE Healthcare provides another example of proving out manufacturing processes prior to production in their development of the Gemstone scintillator...including the development and manufacturing of their Gemstone scintillator for use on advanced CT scanners. • Honeywell Aerospace, a global provider

Evaluation of Surface Runoff Generation Processes Using a Rainfall Simulator: A Small Scale Laboratory Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danáčová, Michaela; Valent, Peter; Výleta, Roman

2017-12-01

Nowadays, rainfall simulators are being used by many researchers in field or laboratory experiments. The main objective of most of these experiments is to better understand the underlying runoff generation processes, and to use the results in the process of calibration and validation of hydrological models. Many research groups have assembled their own rainfall simulators, which comply with their understanding of rainfall processes, and the requirements of their experiments. Most often, the existing rainfall simulators differ mainly in the size of the irrigated area, and the way they generate rain drops. They can be characterized by the accuracy, with which they produce a rainfall of a given intensity, the size of the irrigated area, and the rain drop generating mechanism. Rainfall simulation experiments can provide valuable information about the genesis of surface runoff, infiltration of water into soil and rainfall erodibility. Apart from the impact of physical properties of soil, its moisture and compaction on the generation of surface runoff and the amount of eroded particles, some studies also investigate the impact of vegetation cover of the whole area of interest. In this study, the rainfall simulator was used to simulate the impact of the slope gradient of the irrigated area on the amount of generated runoff and sediment yield. In order to eliminate the impact of external factors and to improve the reproducibility of the initial conditions, the experiments were conducted in laboratory conditions. The laboratory experiments were carried out using a commercial rainfall simulator, which was connected to an external peristaltic pump. The pump maintained a constant and adjustable inflow of water, which enabled to overcome the maximum volume of simulated precipitation of 2.3 l, given by the construction of the rainfall simulator, while maintaining constant characteristics of the simulated precipitation. In this study a 12-minute rainfall with a constant intensity of 5 mm/min was used to irrigate a corrupted soil sample. The experiment was undertaken for several different slopes, under the condition of no vegetation cover. The results of the rainfall simulation experiment complied with the expectations of a strong relationship between the slope gradient, and the amount of surface runoff generated. The experiments with higher slope gradients were characterised by larger volumes of surface runoff generated, and by shorter times after which it occurred. The experiments with rainfall simulators in both laboratory and field conditions play an important role in better understanding of runoff generation processes. The results of such small scale experiments could be used to estimate some of the parameters of complex hydrological models, which are used to model rainfall-runoff and erosion processes at catchment scale.

Simulation of the 3-D Evolution of Electron Scale Magnetic Reconnection - Motivated by Laboratory Experiments Predictions for MMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buechner, J.; Jain, N.; Sharma, A.

2013-12-01

The four s/c of the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, to be launched in 2014, will use the Earth's magnetosphere as a laboratory to study the microphysics of three fundamental plasma processes. One of them is magnetic reconnection, an essentially multi-scale process. While laboratory experiments and past theoretical investigations have shown that important processes necessary to understand magnetic reconnection take place at electron scales the MMS mission for the first time will be able to resolve these scales by in space observations. For the measurement strategy of MMS it is important to make specific predictions of the behavior of current sheets with a thickness of the order of the electron skin depth which play an important role in the evolution of collisionless magnetic reconnection. Since these processes are highly nonlinear and non-local numerical simulation is needed to specify the current sheet evolution. Here we present new results about the nonlinear evolution of electron-scale current sheets starting from the linear stage and using 3-D electron-magnetohydrodynamic (EMHD) simulations. The growth rates of the simulated instabilities compared well with the growth rates obtained from linear theory. Mechanisms and conditions of the formation of flux ropes and of current filamentation will be discussed in comparison with the results of fully kinetic simulations. In 3D the X- and O-point configurations of the magnetic field formed in reconnection planes alternate along the out-of-reconnection-plane direction with the wavelength of the unstable mode. In the presence of multiple reconnection sites, the out-of-plane magnetic field can develop nested structure of quadrupoles in reconnection planes, similar to the 2-D case, but now with variations in the out-of-plane direction. The structures of the electron flow and magnetic field in 3-D simulations will be compared with those in 2-D simulations to discriminate the essentially 3D features. We also discuss the influence of guide fields, as in the magnetopause case and show how the 3-D evolution of an electron current sheet is influenced the strength of the guide field. This is unlike the 2-D case where reconnection takes place only in a plane. This work was partially funded by the Max-Planck/Princeton Center for Plasma Physics and the National Science Foundation.

Optimization of the extraction and purification of the compatible solute ectoine from Halomonas elongate in the laboratory experiment of a commercial production project.

PubMed

Chen, Ruifeng; Zhu, Lijun; Lv, Lihuo; Yao, Su; Li, Bin; Qian, Junqing

2017-06-01

Optimization of compatible solutes (ectoine) extraction and purification from Halomonas elongata cell fermentation had been investigated in the laboratory tests of a large scale commercial production project. After culturing H. elongata cells in developed medium at 28 °C for 23-30 h, we obtained an average yield and biomass of ectoine for 15.9 g/L and 92.9 (OD 600 ), respectively. Cell lysis was performed with acid treatment at moderate high temperature (60-70 °C). The downstream processing operations were designed to be as follows: filtration, desalination, cation exchange, extraction of crude product and three times of refining. Among which the cation exchange and extraction of crude product acquired a high average recovery rate of 95 and 96%; whereas a great loss rate of 19 and 15% was observed during the filtration and desalination, respectively. Combined with the recovering of ectoine from the mother liquor of the three times refining, the average of overall yield (referring to the amount of ectoine synthesized in cells) and purity of final product obtained were 43% and over 98%, respectively. However, key factors that affected the production efficiency were not yields but the time used in the extraction of crude product, involving the crystallization step from water, which spended 24-72 h according to the production scale. Although regarding to the productivity and simplicity on laboratory scale, the method described here can not compete with other investigations, in this study we acquired higher purity of ectoine and provided downstream processes that are capable of operating on industrial scale.

STRATEGIES AND TECHNOLOGY FOR MANAGING HIGH-CARBON ASH

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

Robert Hurt; Eric Suuberg; John Veranth

2004-02-13

The overall objective of the present project was to identify and assess strategies and solutions for the management of industry problems related to carbon in ash. Specific issues addressed included: (1) the effect of parent fuel selection on ash properties and adsorptivity, including a first ever examination of the air entrainment behavior of ashes from alternative (non-coal) fuels; (2) the effect of various low-NOx firing modes on ash properties and adsorptivity based on pilot-plant studies; and (3) the kinetics and mechanism of ash ozonation. This laboratory data has provided scientific and engineering support and underpinning for parallel process development activities.more » The development work on the ash ozonation process has now transitioned into a scale-up and commercialization project involving a multi-industry team and scheduled to begin in 2004. This report describes and documents the laboratory and pilot-scale work in the above three areas done at Brown University and the University of Utah during this three-year project.« less

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

McGrath, M.S.; Nieuwland, J.C.; Lith, C. van

Holzindustie Bruchsal (HIB) was required to treat moderate levels of styrene emissions from their plastic dashboard manufacturing process. After evaluating many types of control technologies, HIB decided to install a Bioton biofiltration system from Monsanto Enviro-Chem Systems Inc. (MEC). After the installation of the Bioton biofilter, HIB and MEC learned that large amounts of butylacetate were also present in the off-gas stream. The presence of butylacetate was found to have inhibitory effects on the removal of styrene. Therefore, MEC performed a series of pilot and laboratory studies to determine if a bacteria strain could be identified that would be capablemore » of removing styrene in the presence of butylacetate. It was found that a specific bacteria strain was capable of achieving high levels of styrene removal without inhibition from butylacetate in laboratory and pilot testing. This strain was inoculated into the full scale system. After acclimation, the full scale inoculation produced a consortium of bacteria that biologically removed the styrene from the dashboard manufacturing process in the presence of butylacetate.« less

Comparative study of pulsed electric field and thermal processing of apple juice with particular consideration of juice quality and enzyme deactivation.

PubMed

Schilling, Susanne; Schmid, Sandra; Jäger, Henry; Ludwig, Michael; Dietrich, Helmut; Toepfl, Stefan; Knorr, Dietrich; Neidhart, Sybille; Schieber, Andreas; Carle, Reinhold

2008-06-25

As an alternative to thermal pasteurization, pulsed electric fields (PEF) were applied to apple juices on laboratory and pilot plant scale, investigating the effects on juice quality. PEF application still falls under the EU Novel Food Regulation. Consequently, extensive investigation of quality parameters is a prerequisite to prove substantial equivalence of juices resulting from the novel process and conventional production, respectively. Juice composition was not affected by PEF treatment. However, browning of the juices provided evidence of residual enzyme activities. On laboratory scale, complete deactivation of peroxidase (POD) and polyphenoloxidase (PPO) was achieved when PEF treatment and preheating of the juices to 60 degrees C were combined. Under these conditions, a synergistic effect of heat and PEF was observed. On pilot plant scale, maximum PPO deactivation of 48% was achieved when the juices were preheated to 40 degrees C and PEF-treated at 30 kV/cm (100 kJ/kg). Thus, minimally processed juices resulted from PEF processing, when applied without additional conventional thermal preservation. Since this product type was characterized by residual native enzyme activities and nondetectable levels of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, also when preheating up to 40 degrees C was included, it ranged between fresh and pasteurized juices regarding consumers' expectation of freshness and shelf life. Consistent with comparable iron contents among all juice samples, no electrode corrosion was observed under the PEF conditions applied.

Manufacturing of High-Concentration Monoclonal Antibody Formulations via Spray Drying-the Road to Manufacturing Scale.

PubMed

Gikanga, Benson; Turok, Robert; Hui, Ada; Bowen, Mayumi; Stauch, Oliver B; Maa, Yuh-Fun

2015-01-01

Spray-dried monoclonal antibody (mAb) powders may offer applications more versatile than the freeze-dried cake, including preparing high-concentration formulations for subcutaneous administration. Published studies on this topic, however, are generally scarce. This study evaluates a pilot-scale spray dryer against a laboratory-scale dryer to spray-dry multiple mAbs in consideration of scale-up, impact on mAb stability, and feasibility of a high-concentration preparation. Under similar conditions, both dryers produced powders of similar properties-for example, water content, particle size and morphology, and mAb stability profile-despite a 4-fold faster output by the pilot-scale unit. All formulations containing arginine salt or a combination of arginine salt and trehalose were able to be spray-dried with high powder collection efficiency (>95%), but yield was adversely affected in formulations with high trehalose content due to powder sticking to the drying chamber. Spray-drying production output was dictated by the size of the dryer operated at an optimal liquid feed rate. Spray-dried powders could be reconstituted to high-viscosity liquids, >300 cP, substantially beyond what an ultrafiltration process can achieve. The molar ratio of trehalose to mAb needed to be reduced to 50:1 in consideration of isotonicity of the formulation with mAb concentration at 250 mg/mL. Even with this low level of sugar protection, long-term stability of spray-dried formulations remained superior to their liquid counterparts based on size variant and potency data. This study offers a commercially viable spray-drying process for biological bulk storage and an option for high-concentration mAb manufacturing. This study evaluates a pilot-scale spray dryer against a laboratory-scale dryer to spray-dry multiple monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from the perspective of scale-up, impact on mAb stability, and feasibility of a high-concentration preparation. The data demonstrated that there is no process limitation in solution viscosity when high-concentration mAb formulations are prepared from spray-dried powder reconstitution compared with concentration via the conventional ultrafiltration process. This study offers a commercially viable spray-drying process for biological bulk storage and a high-concentration mAb manufacturing option for subcutaneous administration. The outcomes of this study will benefit scientists and engineers who develop high-concentration mAb products by providing a viable manufacturing alternative. © PDA, Inc. 2015.

Wellbore Completion Systems Containment Breach Solution Experiments at a Large Scale Underground Research Laboratory : Sealant placement & scale-up from Lab to Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodman, H.

2017-12-01

This investigation seeks to develop sealant technology that can restore containment to completed wells that suffer CO2 gas leakages currently untreatable using conventional technologies. Experimentation is performed at the Mont Terri Underground Research Laboratory (MT-URL) located in NW Switzerland. The laboratory affords investigators an intermediate-scale test site that bridges the gap between the laboratory bench and full field-scale conditions. Project focus is the development of CO2 leakage remediation capability using sealant technology. The experimental concept includes design and installation of a field scale completion package designed to mimic well systems heating-cooling conditions that may result in the development of micro-annuli detachments between the casing-cement-formation boundaries (Figure 1). Of particular interest is to test novel sealants that can be injected in to relatively narrow micro-annuli flow-paths of less than 120 microns aperture. Per a special report on CO2 storage submitted to the IPCC[1], active injection wells, along with inactive wells that have been abandoned, are identified as one of the most probable sources of leakage pathways for CO2 escape to the surface. Origins of pressure leakage common to injection well and completions architecture often occur due to tensile cracking from temperature cycles, micro-annulus by casing contraction (differential casing to cement sheath movement) and cement sheath channel development. This discussion summarizes the experiment capability and sealant testing results. The experiment concludes with overcoring of the entire mock-completion test site to assess sealant performance in 2018. [1] IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (September 2005), section 5.7.2 Processes and pathways for release of CO2 from geological storage sites, page 244

Fabrication process scale-up and optimization for a boron-aluminum composite radiator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okelly, K. P.

1973-01-01

Design approaches to a practical utilization of a boron-aluminum radiator for the space shuttle orbiter are presented. The program includes studies of laboratory composite material processes to determine the feasibility of a structural and functional composite radiator panel, and to estimate the cost of its fabrication. The objective is the incorporation of boron-aluminum modulator radiator on the space shuttle.

Professional behaviors, sense of belonging, and professional socialization of early career clinical laboratory scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schill, Janna Marie

Professional socialization is a process that individuals experience as members of a profession and consists of the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences that influence and shape their professional identity. The process of professional socialization has not been studied in the clinical laboratory science profession. Clinical laboratory science is an allied health profession that is faced by a workforce shortage that has been caused by a decrease in new graduates, decreased retention of qualified professionals, and increased retirements. Other allied health professions such as nursing, athletic training, and pharmacy have studied professional socialization as a way to identify factors that may influence the retention of early career professionals. This mixed method study, which quantitatively used Hall's Professionalism Scale (1968) in addition to qualitative focus group interviews, sought to identify the professional attitudes and behaviors, sense of belonging, and professional socialization of early career clinical laboratory scientists. Early career clinical laboratory scientists were divided into two groups based upon the amount of work experience they had; new clinical laboratory science graduates have had less than one year of work experience and novice clinical laboratory scientists had between one and three years of work experience. This study found that early career clinical laboratory scientists have established professional identities and view themselves as members of the clinical laboratory science field within four proposed stages of professional socialization consisting of pre-arrival, encounter, adaptation, and commitment. New CLS graduates and novice clinical laboratory scientists were found to be at different stages of the professional stage process. New CLS graduates, who had less than one year of work experience, were found to be in the encounter stage. Novice clinical laboratory scientists, with one to three years of work experience, were found to be in the adaptation stage. In order for early career clinical laboratory scientists to successfully transition from student to committed professional, increased support from more experienced colleagues needs to be provided for this group of laboratory professionals. This study provided an initial examination of the professional socialization process in the CLS profession and adds to existing professional socialization studies in allied health.

Advances in Field Deployable Instrumented Particles for the Study of Alluvial Transport Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dillon, B.; Strom, K.

2017-12-01

Advances in microelectromechanical systems (MEMs) in the past decade have lead to the development of various instrumented or "smart" particles for use in the study of alluvial transport. The goal of many of these devices is to collect data on the interaction between hydrodynamic turbulence and individual sediment particles. Studying this interaction provides a basis to better understand entrainment and deposition processes which leads to better predictive morphologic and transport models. In collecting data on these processes, researchers seek to capture the time history of the forces incident on the particle and the particle's reaction. Many methods have been employed to capture this data - miniaturized pressure traps, accelerometers, gyroscopes, MEMs pressure transducers, and cantilevered load cells. However no system to date has been able to capture the pressure forces incident on the particle and its reaction while remaining mobile and of a size and density comparable to most gravels. Advances in the development, deployment, and use of waterproofed laboratory instrumentation have led our research group to develop such a particle. This particle has been used in both laboratory settings and large-scale fluvial environments (coupled with a field-deployable PIV system) to capture data on turbulent erosion processes. This system advances the practice in several ways: 1) It is, at present, the smallest (⌀ 19mm) instrumented erodible particle reported in the literature. 2) It contains novel developments in pressure sensing technology which allow the inclusion of six pressure ports, a 3-axis accelerometer, and a 1-axis gyroscope - all of which can be recorded simultaneously. 3) It expands the researcher's abilities to gather data on phenomena that, previously, have mandated the use of a laboratory scale model. The use of this system has generated observations of the so-called very large scale motions (VLSMs) in a reach of the Virginia section of the New River. Their effects on erosional processes are presented.

Wetland-based passive treatment systems for gold ore processing effluents containing residual cyanide, metals and nitrogen species.

PubMed

Alvarez, R; Ordóñez, A; Loredo, J; Younger, P L

2013-10-01

Gold extraction operations generate a variety of wastes requiring responsible disposal in compliance with current environmental regulations. During recent decades, increased emphasis has been placed on effluent control and treatment, in order to avoid the threat to the environment posed by toxic constituents. In many modern gold mining and ore processing operations, cyanide species are of most immediate concern. Given that natural degradation processes are known to reduce the toxicity of cyanide over time, trials have been made at laboratory and field scales into the feasibility of using wetland-based passive systems as low-cost and environmentally friendly methods for long-term treatment of leachates from closed gold mine tailing disposal facilities. Laboratory experiments on discrete aerobic and anaerobic treatment units supported the development of design parameters for the construction of a field-scale passive system at a gold mine site in northern Spain. An in situ pilot-scale wetland treatment system was designed, constructed and monitored over a nine-month period. Overall, the results suggest that compost-based constructed wetlands are capable of detoxifying cyanidation effluents, removing about 21.6% of dissolved cyanide and 98% of Cu, as well as nitrite and nitrate. Wetland-based passive systems can therefore be considered as a viable technology for removal of residual concentrations of cyanide from leachates emanating from closed gold mine tailing disposal facilities.

Laboratory Needs for Interstellar Ice Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boogert, Abraham C. A.

2012-05-01

A large fraction of the molecules in dense interstellar and circumstellar environments is stored in icy grain mantles. The mantles are formed by a complex interplay between chemical and physical processes. Key questions on the accretion and desorption processes and the chemistry on the grain surfaces and within the icy mantles can only be answered by laboratory experiments. Recent infrared (2-30 micron) spectroscopic surveys of large samples of Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) and background stars tracing quiescent cloud material have shown that the ice band profiles and depths vary considerably as a function of environment. Using laboratory spectra in the identification process, it is clear that a rather complex mixture of simple species (CH3OH, CO2, H2O, CO) exists even in the quiescent cloud phase. Variations of the local physical conditions (CO freeze out) and time scales (CH3OH formation) appear to be key factors in the observed variations. Sublimation and thermal processing dominate as YSOs heat their environments. The identification of several ice absorption features is still disputed. I will outline laboratory work (e.g., on salts, PAHs, and aliphatic hydrocarbons) needed to further constrain the ice band identification as well as the thermal and chemical history of the carriers. Such experiments will also be essential to interpret future high spectral resolution SOFIA and JWST observations.

Treatment of Copper Contaminated Municipal Wastewater by Using UASB Reactor and Sand-Chemically Carbonized Rubber Wood Sawdust Column

PubMed Central

Biswas, Swarup; Mishra, Umesh

2016-01-01

The performance of a laboratory scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and its posttreatment unit of sand-chemically carbonized rubber wood sawdust (CCRWSD) column system for the treatment of a metal contaminated municipal wastewater was investigated. Copper ion contaminated municipal wastewater was introduced to a laboratory scale UASB reactor and the effluent from UASB reactor was then followed by treatment with sand-CCRWSD column system. The laboratory scale UASB reactor and column system were observed for a period of 121 days. After the posttreatment column the average removal of monitoring parameters such as copper ion concentration (91.37%), biochemical oxygen demand (BODT) (93.98%), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (95.59%), total suspended solid (TSS) (95.98%), ammonia (80.68%), nitrite (79.71%), nitrate (71.16%), phosphorous (44.77%), total coliform (TC) (99.9%), and fecal coliform (FC) (99.9%) was measured. The characterization of the chemically carbonized rubber wood sawdust was done by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray fluorescence spectrum (XRF), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Overall the system was found to be an efficient and economical process for the treatment of copper contaminated municipal wastewater. PMID:26904681

Treatment of Copper Contaminated Municipal Wastewater by Using UASB Reactor and Sand-Chemically Carbonized Rubber Wood Sawdust Column.

PubMed

Biswas, Swarup; Mishra, Umesh

2016-01-01

The performance of a laboratory scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and its posttreatment unit of sand-chemically carbonized rubber wood sawdust (CCRWSD) column system for the treatment of a metal contaminated municipal wastewater was investigated. Copper ion contaminated municipal wastewater was introduced to a laboratory scale UASB reactor and the effluent from UASB reactor was then followed by treatment with sand-CCRWSD column system. The laboratory scale UASB reactor and column system were observed for a period of 121 days. After the posttreatment column the average removal of monitoring parameters such as copper ion concentration (91.37%), biochemical oxygen demand (BODT) (93.98%), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (95.59%), total suspended solid (TSS) (95.98%), ammonia (80.68%), nitrite (79.71%), nitrate (71.16%), phosphorous (44.77%), total coliform (TC) (99.9%), and fecal coliform (FC) (99.9%) was measured. The characterization of the chemically carbonized rubber wood sawdust was done by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray fluorescence spectrum (XRF), and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Overall the system was found to be an efficient and economical process for the treatment of copper contaminated municipal wastewater.

ELECTROCHEMICAL CHROMIC ACID REGENERATION PROCESS: FITTING OF MEMBRANE TRANSPORT PROPERTIES. (R827125)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

A mathematical model was developed to predict changes in contaminant concentrations with time, and to estimate contaminant fluxes due to migration, diffusion, and convection in a laboratory-scale batch electrolysis cell for the regeneration of contaminated har...

Ash characterization in laboratory-scale oxy-coal combustor

EPA Science Inventory

Oxygen enriched coal (oxy-coal) combustion is a developing technology. During oxy-coal combustion, combustion air is separated and the coal is burned in a mixture of oxygen and recycled flue gas. The resulting effluent must be further processed before the C02 can be compressed, t...

A COMPLETE DISPOSAL-RECYCLE SCHEME FOR AGRICULTURAL SOLID WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

This investigation applied the anaerobic process to the production of methane gas and a stabilized sludge from cow manure and farm clippings in laboratory pilot plants as well as a full-scale (2,000 gal.) digester system. The quantity and quality of gas produced, the biochemical ...

Preozonation of primary-treated municipal wastewater for reuse in biofuel feedstock generation

EPA Science Inventory

The results of a laboratory scale investigation on ozone pretreatment of primary treated municipal wastewater for potential reuse in fermentation processes for the production of biofuels and bio-based feedstock chemicals were presented. Semi-batch preozonation with 3.0 % (w/w) oz...

REMOVAL OF HEPATITIS A VIRUS AND ROTAVIRUS BY DRINKING WATER TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The paper presents quantitative data from a two year study on the removability of rotavirus SA11 and hepatitis A virus added exogenously to Lake Houston raw water during treatment. Processes studied on laboratory and pilot scale included coagulation, filtration, softening and dis...

A laboratory nanoseismological study on deep-focus earthquake micromechanics

DOE PAGES

Wang, Yanbin; Zhu, Lupei; Shi, Feng; ...

2017-07-21

Global earthquake occurring rate displays an exponential decay down to ~300 km and then peaks around 550 to 600 km before terminating abruptly near 700 km. How fractures initiate, nucleate, and propagate at these depths remains one of the greatest puzzles in earth science, as increasing pressure inhibits fracture propagation. We report nanoseismological analysis on high-resolution acoustic emission (AE) records obtained during ruptures triggered by partial transformation from olivine to spinel in Mg 2GeO 4, an analog to the dominant mineral (Mg,Fe) 2SiO 4 olivine in the upper mantle, using state-of-the-art seismological techniques, in the laboratory. AEs’ focal mechanisms, asmore » well as their distribution in both space and time during deformation, are carefully analyzed. Microstructure analysis shows that AEs are produced by the dynamic propagation of shear bands consisting of nanograined spinel. These nanoshear bands have a near constant thickness (~100 nm) but varying lengths and self-organize during deformation. This precursory seismic process leads to ultimate macroscopic failure of the samples. Several source parameters of AE events were extracted from the recorded waveforms, allowing close tracking of event initiation, clustering, and propagation throughout the deformation/transformation process. AEs follow the Gutenberg-Richter statistics with a well-defined b value of 1.5 over three orders of moment magnitudes, suggesting that laboratory failure processes are self-affine. The seismic relation between magnitude and rupture area correctly predicts AE magnitude at millimeter scales. A rupture propagation model based on strain localization theory is proposed. Future numerical analyses may help resolve scaling issues between laboratory AE events and deep-focus earthquakes.« less

Report of the Fermilab ILC Citizens' Task Force

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

None

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory convened the ILC Citizens' Task Force to provide guidance and advice to the laboratory to ensure that community concerns and ideas are included in all public aspects of planning and design for a proposed future accelerator, the International Linear Collider. In this report, the members of the Task Force describe the process they used to gather and analyze information on all aspects of the proposed accelerator and its potential location at Fermilab in northern Illinois. They present the conclusions and recommendations they reached as a result of the learning process and their subsequent discussions and deliberations.more » While the Task Force was charged to provide guidance on the ILC, it became clear during the process that the high cost of the proposed accelerator made a near-term start for the project at Fermilab unlikely. Nevertheless, based on a year of extensive learning and dialogue, the Task Force developed a series of recommendations for Fermilab to consider as the laboratory develops all successor projects to the Tevatron. The Task Force recognizes that bringing a next-generation particle physics project to Fermilab will require both a large international effort and the support of the local community. While the Task Force developed its recommendations in response to the parameters of a future ILC, the principles they set forth apply directly to any large project that may be conceived at Fermilab, or at other laboratories, in the future. With this report, the Task Force fulfills its task of guiding Fermilab from the perspective of the local community on how to move forward with a large-scale project while building positive relationships with surrounding communities. The report summarizes the benefits, concerns and potential impacts of bringing a large-scale scientific project to northern Illinois.« less

A laboratory nanoseismological study on deep-focus earthquake micromechanics

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

Wang, Yanbin; Zhu, Lupei; Shi, Feng

Global earthquake occurring rate displays an exponential decay down to ~300 km and then peaks around 550 to 600 km before terminating abruptly near 700 km. How fractures initiate, nucleate, and propagate at these depths remains one of the greatest puzzles in earth science, as increasing pressure inhibits fracture propagation. We report nanoseismological analysis on high-resolution acoustic emission (AE) records obtained during ruptures triggered by partial transformation from olivine to spinel in Mg2GeO4, an analog to the dominant mineral (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 olivine in the upper mantle, using state-of-the-art seismological techniques, in the laboratory. AEs’ focal mechanisms, as well as their distributionmore » in both space and time during deformation, are carefully analyzed. Microstructure analysis shows that AEs are produced by the dynamic propagation of shear bands consisting of nanograined spinel. These nanoshear bands have a near constant thickness (~100 nm) but varying lengths and self-organize during deformation. This precursory seismic process leads to ultimate macroscopic failure of the samples. Several source parameters of AE events were extracted from the recorded waveforms, allowing close tracking of event initiation, clustering, and propagation throughout the deformation/transformation process. AEs follow the Gutenberg-Richter statistics with a well-defined b value of 1.5 over three orders of moment magnitudes, suggesting that laboratory failure processes are self-affine. The seismic relation between magnitude and rupture area correctly predicts AE magnitude at millimeter scales. A rupture propagation model based on strain localization theory is proposed. Future numerical analyses may help resolve scaling issues between laboratory AE events and deep-focus earthquakes.« less

A laboratory nanoseismological study on deep-focus earthquake micromechanics

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

Wang, Yanbin; Zhu, Lupei; Shi, Feng

Global earthquake occurring rate displays an exponential decay down to ~300 km and then peaks around 550 to 600 km before terminating abruptly near 700 km. How fractures initiate, nucleate, and propagate at these depths remains one of the greatest puzzles in earth science, as increasing pressure inhibits fracture propagation. We report nanoseismological analysis on high-resolution acoustic emission (AE) records obtained during ruptures triggered by partial transformation from olivine to spinel in Mg 2GeO 4, an analog to the dominant mineral (Mg,Fe) 2SiO 4 olivine in the upper mantle, using state-of-the-art seismological techniques, in the laboratory. AEs’ focal mechanisms, asmore » well as their distribution in both space and time during deformation, are carefully analyzed. Microstructure analysis shows that AEs are produced by the dynamic propagation of shear bands consisting of nanograined spinel. These nanoshear bands have a near constant thickness (~100 nm) but varying lengths and self-organize during deformation. This precursory seismic process leads to ultimate macroscopic failure of the samples. Several source parameters of AE events were extracted from the recorded waveforms, allowing close tracking of event initiation, clustering, and propagation throughout the deformation/transformation process. AEs follow the Gutenberg-Richter statistics with a well-defined b value of 1.5 over three orders of moment magnitudes, suggesting that laboratory failure processes are self-affine. The seismic relation between magnitude and rupture area correctly predicts AE magnitude at millimeter scales. A rupture propagation model based on strain localization theory is proposed. Future numerical analyses may help resolve scaling issues between laboratory AE events and deep-focus earthquakes.« less

Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Coal and Coal Byproducts via a Closed Loop Leaching Process: Final Report

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

Peterson, Richard; Heinrichs, Michael; Argumedo, Darwin

Objectives: Through this grant, Battelle proposes to address Area of Interest (AOI) 1 to develop a bench-scale technology to economically separate, extract, and concentrate mixed REEs from coal ash. U.S. coal and coal byproducts provide the opportunity for a domestic source of REEs. The DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has characterized various coal and coal byproducts samples and has found varying concentrations of REE ranging up to 1,000 parts per million by weight. The primary project objective is to validate the economic viability of recovering REEs from the coal byproduct coal ash using Battelle’s patented closed-loop Acid Digestion Processmore » (ADP). This will be accomplished by selecting coal sources with the potential to provide REE concentrations above 300 parts per million by weight, collecting characterization data for coal ash samples generated via three different methods, and performing a Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) for the proposed process. The regional availability of REE-laden coal ash, the regional market for rare earth concentrates, and the system capital and operating costs for rare earth recovery using the ADP technology will be accounted for in the TEA. Limited laboratory testing will be conducted to generate the parameters needed for the design of a bench scale system for REE recovery. The ultimate project outcome will be the design for an optimized, closed loop process to economically recovery REEs such that the process may be demonstrated at the bench scale in a Phase 2 project. Project Description: The project will encompass evaluation of the ADP technology for the economic recovery of REEs from coal and coal ash. The ADP was originally designed and demonstrated for the U.S. Army to facilitate demilitarization of cast-cured munitions via acid digestion in a closed-loop process. Proof of concept testing has been conducted on a sample of Ohio-based Middle Kittanning coal and has demonstrated the feasibility of recovering REEs using the ADP technology. In AOI 1, Ohio coal sources with the potential to provide a consistent source of rare earth element concentrations above 300 parts per million will be identified. Coal sample inventories from West Virginia and Pennsylvania will also be assessed for purposes of comparison. Three methods of preparing the coal ash will be evaluated for their potential to enhance the technical feasibility and economics of REE recovery. Three sources of coal ash are targeted for evaluation of the economics of REE recovery in this project: (1) coal ash from power generation stations, to include fly ash and/or bottom ash, (2) ash generated in a lower temperature ashing process, and (3) ash residual from Battelle’s coal liquefaction process. Making use of residual ash from coal liquefaction processes directly leverages work currently being conducted by Battelle for DOE NETL in response to DE-FOA-0000981 entitled “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions Research and Development Leading to Cost-Competitive Coal-to-Liquids Based Jet Fuel Production.” Using the sample characterization results and regional information regarding REE concentration, availability and cost, a TEA will be developed. The previously generated laboratory testing results for leaching and REE recovery via the ADP will be used to perform the TEA, along with common engineering assumptions for scale up of equipment and labor costs. Finally, upon validation of the economic feasibility of the process by the TEA, limited laboratory testing will be performed to support the design of a bench scale system. In a future project phase, it is envisioned that the bench scale system will be constructed and operated to prove the process on a continuous basis.« less

Consolidated fuel reprocessing program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1985-02-01

Improved processes and components for the Breeder Reprocessing Engineering Test (BRET) were identified and developed as well as the design, procurement and development of prototypic equipment. The integrated testing of process equipment and flowsheets prototypical of a pilot scale full reprocessing plant, and also for testing prototypical remote features of specific complex components in the system are provided. Information to guide the long range activities of the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CERP), a focal point for foreign exchange activities, and support in specialized technical areas are described. Research and development activities in HTGR fuel treatment technology are being conducted. Head-end process and laboratory scale development efforts, as well as studies specific to HTGR fuel, are reported. The development of off-gas treatment processes has generic application to fuel reprocessing, progress in this work is also reported.

Experimental Study on Hot Metal Desulfurization Using Sintered Red Mud-Based Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fengshan; Zhang, Yanling; Guo, Zhancheng

2017-09-01

This research presents the results of laboratory and pilot-scale tests conducted on the use of sintered red mud (RM)-based flux in the hot metal desulfurization (HMD) process. Al2O3/Na2O in RM can decrease the melting point of lime-based slag and can work as a flux in the HMD process. Good slag fluidity was observed throughout the process, and high desulfurization rates ( 80%) with a low final S content (<0.02%) were experimentally obtained when the RM:CaO ratio was between 1.2:1 and 2.4:1. The pilot-scale test results indicated that a desulfurization rate as high as 91% and a S content <0.0099% could be acquired when RM:lime = 1:1, verifying the feasibility of using sintered RM-based flux in HMD. The data obtained provide important information for promoting the large-scale application of sintered RM in steelmaking.

Sub-scale Inverse Wind Turbine Blade Design Using Bound Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, Christopher; Berg, Jonathan

2014-11-01

A goal of the National Rotor Testbed project at Sandia is to design a sub-scale wind turbine blade that has similitude to a modern, commercial size blade. However, a smaller diameter wind turbine operating at the same tip-speed-ratio exhibits a different range of operating Reynolds numbers across the blade span, thus changing the local lift and drag coefficients. Differences to load distribution also affect the wake dynamics and stability. An inverse wind turbine blade design tool has been implemented which uses a target, dimensionless circulation distribution from a full-scale blade to find the chord and twist along a sub-scale blade. In addition, airfoil polar data are interpolated from a few specified span stations leading to a smooth, manufacturable blade. The iterative process perturbs chord and twist, after running a blade element momentum theory code, to reduce the residual sum of the squares between the modeled sub-scale circulation and the target full-scale circulation. It is shown that the converged sub-scale design also leads to performance similarity in thrust and power coefficients. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Electrochemical probing of high-level radioactive waste tanks containing washed sludge and precipitates

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

Bickford, D.F.; Congdon, J.W.; Oblath, S.B.

1987-01-01

At the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Plant, corrosion of carbon steel storage tanks containing alkaline, high-level radioactive waste is controlled by specification of limits on waste composition and temperature. Processes for the preparation of waste for final disposal will result in waste with low corrosion inhibitor concentrations and, in some cases, high aromatic organic concentrations, neither of which are characteristic of previous operations. Laboratory tests, conducted to determine minimum corrosion inhibitor levels indicated pitting of carbon steel near the waterline for proposed storage conditions. In situ electrochemical measurements of full-scale radioactive process demonstrations have been conducted to assessmore » the validity of laboratory tests. Probes included pH, Eh (potential relative to a standard hydrogen electrode), tank potential, and alloy coupons. In situ results are compared to those of the laboratory tests, with particular regard given to simulated solution composition.« less

Production of Self-Purifying Proteins in a Variety of Expression Hosts with Focus on Organophosphorus Hydrolase

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-17

cell-density fermentation at laboratory scale, and have provided evidence of their effectiveness. Our most recent work has been on the optimization...of the fermentation process itself, as well as a more biochemical optimization of the expression system. Overall, the ARO support on this project...large scale in high-density fermentation in microbial hosts, which is a critical gap in its appeal. The overall goals of our first renewal proposal

Transcriptomics as a tool for assessing the scalability of mammalian cell perfusion systems.

PubMed

Jayapal, Karthik P; Goudar, Chetan T

2014-01-01

DNA microarray-based transcriptomics have been used to determine the time course of laboratory and manufacturing-scale perfusion bioreactors in an attempt to characterize cell physiological state at these two bioreactor scales. Given the limited availability of genomic data for baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells, a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-based microarray was used following a feasibility assessment of cross-species hybridization. A heat shock experiment was performed using both BHK and CHO cells and resulting DNA microarray data were analyzed using a filtering criteria of perfect match (PM)/single base mismatch (MM) > 1.5 and PM-MM > 50 to exclude probes with low specificity or sensitivity for cross-species hybridizations. For BHK cells, 8910 probe sets (39 %) passed the cutoff criteria, whereas 12,961 probe sets (56 %) passed the cutoff criteria for CHO cells. Yet, the data from BHK cells allowed distinct clustering of heat shock and control samples as well as identification of biologically relevant genes as being differentially expressed, indicating the utility of cross-species hybridization. Subsequently, DNA microarray analysis was performed on time course samples from laboratory- and manufacturing-scale perfusion bioreactors that were operated under the same conditions. A majority of the variability (37 %) was associated with the first principal component (PC-1). Although PC-1 changed monotonically with culture duration, the trends were very similar in both the laboratory and manufacturing-scale bioreactors. Therefore, despite time-related changes to the cell physiological state, transcriptomic fingerprints were similar across the two bioreactor scales at any given instance in culture. Multiple genes were identified with time-course expression profiles that were very highly correlated (> 0.9) with bioprocess variables of interest. Although the current incomplete annotation limits the biological interpretation of these observations, their full potential may be realized in due course when richer genomic data become available. By taking a pragmatic approach of transcriptome fingerprinting, we have demonstrated the utility of systems biology to support the comparability of laboratory and manufacturing-scale perfusion systems. Scale-down model qualification is the first step in process characterization and hence is an integral component of robust regulatory filings. Augmenting the current paradigm, which relies primarily on cell culture and product quality information, with gene expression data can help make a substantially stronger case for similarity. With continued advances in systems biology approaches, we expect them to be seamlessly integrated into bioprocess development, which can translate into more robust and high yielding processes that can ultimately reduce cost of care for patients.

Benefits of supplementing an industrial waste anaerobic digester with energy crops for increased biogas production.

PubMed

Nges, Ivo Achu; Escobar, Federico; Fu, Xinmei; Björnsson, Lovisa

2012-01-01

Currently, there is increasing competition for waste as feedstock for the growing number of biogas plants. This has led to fluctuation in feedstock supply and biogas plants being operated below maximum capacity. The feasibility of supplementing a protein/lipid-rich industrial waste (pig manure, slaughterhouse waste, food processing and poultry waste) mesophilic anaerobic digester with carbohydrate-rich energy crops (hemp, maize and triticale) was therefore studied in laboratory scale batch and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) with a view to scale-up to a commercial biogas process. Co-digesting industrial waste and crops led to significant improvement in methane yield per ton of feedstock and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio as compared to digestion of the industrial waste alone. Biogas production from crops in combination with industrial waste also avoids the need for micronutrients normally required in crop digestion. The batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. This was done based on the ratio of methane yields observed for laboratory batch and CSTR experiments compared to full scale CSTR digestion of industrial waste. The economy of crop-based biogas production is limited under Swedish conditions; therefore, adding crops to existing industrial waste digestion could be a viable alternative to ensure a constant/reliable supply of feedstock to the anaerobic digester. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving catchment scale water quality modelling with continuous high resolution monitoring of metals in runoff

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saari, Markus; Rossi, Pekka; Blomberg von der Geest, Kalle; Mäkinen, Ari; Postila, Heini; Marttila, Hannu

2017-04-01

High metal concentrations in natural waters is one of the key environmental and health problems globally. Continuous in-situ analysis of metals from runoff water is technically challenging but essential for the better understanding of processes which lead to pollutant transport. Currently, typical analytical methods for monitoring elements in liquids are off-line laboratory methods such as ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy) and ICP-MS (ICP combined with a mass spectrometer). Disadvantage of the both techniques is time consuming sample collection, preparation, and off-line analysis at laboratory conditions. Thus use of these techniques lack possibility for real-time monitoring of element transport. We combined a novel high resolution on-line metal concentration monitoring with catchment scale physical hydrological modelling in Mustijoki river in Southern Finland in order to study dynamics of processes and form a predictive warning system for leaching of metals. A novel on-line measurement technique based on micro plasma emission spectroscopy (MPES) is tested for on-line detection of selected elements (e.g. Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Fe, Ni, Cu, Cd and Pb) in runoff waters. The preliminary results indicate that MPES can sufficiently detect and monitor metal concentrations from river water. Water and Soil Assessment Tool (SWAT) catchment scale model was further calibrated with high resolution metal concentration data. We show that by combining high resolution monitoring and catchment scale physical based modelling, further process studies and creation of early warning systems, for example to optimization of drinking water uptake from rivers, can be achieved.

Detecting the transition to failure: wavelet analysis of multi-scale crack patterns at different confining pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizzo, R. E.; Healy, D.; Farrell, N. J.

2017-12-01

Numerous laboratory brittle deformation experiments have shown that a rapid transition exists in the behaviour of porous materials under stress: at a certain point, early formed tensile cracks interact and coalesce into a `single' narrow zone, the shear plane, rather than remaining distributed throughout the material. In this work, we present and apply a novel image processing tool which is able to quantify this transition between distributed (`stable') damage accumulation and localised (`unstable') deformation, in terms of size, density, and orientation of cracks at the point of failure. Our technique, based on a two-dimensional (2D) continuous Morlet wavelet analysis, can recognise, extract and visually separate the multi-scale changes occurring in the fracture network during the deformation process. We have analysed high-resolution SEM-BSE images of thin sections of Hopeman Sandstone (Scotland, UK) taken from core plugs deformed under triaxial conditions, with increasing confining pressure. Through this analysis, we can determine the relationship between the initial orientation of tensile microcracks and the final geometry of the through-going shear fault, exploiting the total areal coverage of the analysed image. In addition, by comparing patterns of fractures in thin sections derived from triaxial (σ1>σ2=σ3=Pc) laboratory experiments conducted at different confining pressures (Pc), we can quantitatively explore the relationship between the observed geometry and the inferred mechanical processes. The methodology presented here can have important implications for larger-scale mechanical problems related to major fault propagation. Just as a core plug scale fault localises through extension and coalescence of microcracks, larger faults also grow by extension and coalescence of segments in a multi-scale process by which microscopic cracks can ultimately lead to macroscopic faulting. Consequently, wavelet analysis represents a useful tool for fracture pattern recognition, applicable to the detection of the transitions occurring at the time of catastrophic rupture.

Hanford's Supplemental Treatment Project: Full-Scale Integrated Testing of In-Container-Vitrification and a 10,000-Liter Dryer

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

Witwer, K.S.; Dysland, E.J.; Garfield, J.S.

2008-07-01

The GeoMelt{sup R} In-Container Vitrification{sup TM} (ICV{sup TM}) process was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2004 for further evaluation as the supplemental treatment technology for Hanford's low-activity waste (LAW). Also referred to as 'bulk vitrification', this process combines glass forming minerals, LAW, and chemical amendments; dries the mixture; and then vitrifies the material in a refractory-lined steel container. AMEC Nuclear Ltd. (AMEC) is adapting its GeoMelt ICV{sup TM} technology for this application with technical and analytical support from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The DVBS project is funded by the DOE Office of River Protection andmore » administered by CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. The Demonstration Bulk Vitrification Project (DBVS) was initiated to engineer, construct, and operate a full-scale bulk vitrification pilot-plant to treat up to 750,000 liters of LAW from Waste Tank 241-S-109 at the DOE Hanford Site. Since the beginning of the DBVS project in 2004, testing has used laboratory, crucible-scale, and engineering-scale equipment to help establish process limitations of selected glass formulations and identify operational issues. Full-scale testing has provided critical design verification of the ICV{sup TM} process before operating the Hanford pilot-plant. In 2007, the project's fifth full-scale test, called FS-38D, (also known as the Integrated Dryer Melter Test, or IDMT,) was performed. This test had three primary objectives: 1) Demonstrate the simultaneous and integrated operation of the ICV{sup TM} melter with a 10,000- liter dryer, 2) Demonstrate the effectiveness of a new feed reformulation and change in process methodology towards reducing the production and migration of molten ionic salts (MIS), and, 3) Demonstrate that an acceptable glass product is produced under these conditions. Testing was performed from August 8 to 17, 2007. Process and analytical results demonstrated that the primary test objectives, along with a dozen supporting objectives, were successfully met. Glass performance exceeded all disposal performance criteria. A previous issue with MIS containment was successfully resolved in FS-38D, and the ICV{sup TM} melter was integrated with a full-scale, 10,000-liter dryer. This paper describes the rationale for performing the test, the purpose and outcome of scale-up tests preceding it, and the performance and outcome of FS-38D. (authors)« less

Ultra scale-down device to predict dewatering levels of solids recovered in a continuous scroll decanter centrifuge.

PubMed

Lopes, A G; Keshavarz-Moore, E

2013-01-01

During centrifugation operation, the major challenge in the recovery of extracellular proteins is the removal of the maximum liquid entrapped within the spaces between the settled solids-dewatering level. The ability of the scroll decanter centrifuge (SDC) to process continuously large amounts of feed material with high concentration of solids without the need for resuspension of feeds, and also to achieve relatively high dewatering, could be of great benefit for future use in the biopharmaceutical industry. However, for reliable prediction of dewatering in such a centrifuge, tests using the same kind of equipment at pilot-scale are required, which are time consuming and costly. To alleviate the need of pilot-scale trials, a novel USD device, with reduced amounts of feed (2 mL) and to be used in the laboratory, was developed to predict the dewatering levels of a SDC. To verify USD device, dewatering levels achieved were plotted against equivalent compression (Gtcomp ) and decanting (Gtdec ) times, obtained from scroll rates and feed flow rates operated at pilot-scale, respectively. The USD device was able to successfully match dewatering trends of the pilot-scale as a function of both Gtcomp and Gtdec , particularly for high cell density feeds, hence accounting for all key variables that influenced dewatering in a SDC. In addition, it accurately mimicked the maximum dewatering performance of the pilot-scale equipment. Therefore the USD device has the potential to be a useful tool at early stages of process development to gather performance data in the laboratory thus minimizing lengthy and costly runs with pilot-scale SDC. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Persistence in soil of Miscanthus biochar in laboratory and field conditions

PubMed Central

Budai, Alice; O’Toole, Adam; Ma, Xingzhu; Rumpel, Cornelia; Abiven, Samuel

2017-01-01

Evaluating biochars for their persistence in soil under field conditions is an important step towards their implementation for carbon sequestration. Current evaluations might be biased because the vast majority of studies are short-term laboratory incubations of biochars produced in laboratory-scale pyrolyzers. Here our objective was to investigate the stability of a biochar produced with a medium-scale pyrolyzer, first through laboratory characterization and stability tests and then through field experiment. We also aimed at relating properties of this medium-scale biochar to that of a laboratory-made biochar with the same feedstock. Biochars were made of Miscanthus biomass for isotopic C-tracing purposes and produced at temperatures between 600 and 700°C. The aromaticity and degree of condensation of aromatic rings of the medium-scale biochar was high, as was its resistance to chemical oxidation. In a 90-day laboratory incubation, cumulative mineralization was 0.1% for the medium-scale biochar vs. 45% for the Miscanthus feedstock, pointing to the absence of labile C pool in the biochar. These stability results were very close to those obtained for biochar produced at laboratory-scale, suggesting that upscaling from laboratory to medium-scale pyrolyzers had little effect on biochar stability. In the field, the medium-scale biochar applied at up to 25 t C ha-1 decomposed at an estimated 0.8% per year. In conclusion, our biochar scored high on stability indices in the laboratory and displayed a mean residence time > 100 years in the field, which is the threshold for permanent removal in C sequestration projects. PMID:28873471

Preliminary report of the discovery of a new pharmaceutical granulation process using foamed aqueous binders.

PubMed

Keary, Colin M; Sheskey, Paul J

2004-09-01

Spray granulation is commonly used to improve the flow of drug formulation powders by adding liquid binders. We have discovered a new granulation process whereby liquid binders are added as aqueous foam. Initial experiments indicate that foam granulations require less binder than spray granulations, less water is added to the powder mass, rates of addition of foam can be greater than rates of addition of sprayed liquids, and foam can be added in a single batch to the surface of the powder mass for incorporation at some later stage in the process. This new process appears to have no detrimental effects on granulate, tablet, or in vitro drug dissolution properties. In addition, the elimination of spray addition reduces the complexity of the process and avoids the plugging problems associated with spray nozzles. Several formulations were successfully scaled up from laboratory scale (1.5 kg) to pilot scale (15 kg). Process control was good and there was no detrimental effect on tablet and drug dissolution properties. This paper also proposes a working hypothesis of the mechanism by which foam granulation operates.

A perspective on modeling the multiscale response of energetic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rice, Betsy M.

2017-01-01

The response of an energetic material to insult is perhaps one of the most difficult processes to model due to concurrent chemical and physical phenomena occurring over scales ranging from atomistic to continuum. Unraveling the interdependencies of these complex processes across the scales through modeling can only be done within a multiscale framework. In this paper, I will describe progress in the development of a predictive, experimentally validated multiscale reactive modeling capability for energetic materials at the Army Research Laboratory. I will also describe new challenges and research opportunities that have arisen in the course of our development which should be pursued in the future.

Utility-Scale Photovoltaic Deployment Scenarios of the Western United States: Implications for Solar Energy Zones in Nevada

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

Frew, Bethany; Mai, Trieu; Krishnan, Venkat

2016-12-01

In this study, we use the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) capacity expansion model to estimate utility-scale photovoltaic (UPV) deployment trends from present day through 2030. The analysis seeks to inform the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's (BLM's) planning activities related to UPV development on federal lands in Nevada as part of the Resource Management Plan (RMP) revision for the Las Vegas and Pahrump field offices. These planning activities include assessing the demand for new or expanded additional Solar Energy Zones (SEZ), per the process outlined in BLM's Western Solar Plan process.

Highly efficient enzymatic synthesis of 2-monoacylglycerides and structured lipids and their production on a technical scale.

PubMed

Pfeffer, Jan; Freund, Andreas; Bel-Rhlid, Rachid; Hansen, Carl-Erik; Reuss, Matthias; Schmid, Rolf D; Maurer, Steffen C

2007-10-01

We report here a two-step process for the high-yield enzymatic synthesis of 2-monoacylglycerides (2-MAG) of saturated as well as unsaturated fatty acids with different chain lengths. The process consists of two steps: first the unselective esterification of fatty acids and glycerol leading to a triacylglyceride followed by an sn1,3-selective alcoholysis reaction yielding 2-monoacylglycerides. Remarkably, both steps can be catalyzed by lipase B from Candida antarctica (CalB). The whole process including esterification and alcoholysis was scaled up in a miniplant to a total volume of 10 l. With this volume, a two-step process catalyzed by CalB for the synthesis of 1,3-oleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO) using tripalmitate as starting material was established. On a laboratory scale, we obtained gram quantities of the synthesized 2-monoacylglycerides of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic-, docosahexaenoic- and eicosapentaenoic acids and up to 96.4% of the theoretically possible yield with 95% purity. On a technical scale (>100 g of product, >5 l of reaction volume), 97% yield was reached in the esterification and 73% in the alcoholysis and a new promising process for the enzymatic synthesis of OPO was established.

Free-space microwave-power transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, W. C.

1976-01-01

Laboratory-scale wireless transmission of microwave power approaches fifty-four percent efficiency. DC is converted to a 2.45-GHz signal and is transmitted through horn antenna array; microwave signal is received at rectenna and is simultaneously collected and rectified back to dc at receiving sites; dc is then processed for wired distribution.

1. VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST AT BUILDING 701. BUILDING 701 WAS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST AT BUILDING 701. BUILDING 701 WAS USED TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND EVALUATE BENCH-SCALE TECHNOLOGIES USED IN ROCKY FLATS WASTE TREATMENT PROCESSES. (1/98) - Rocky Flats Plant, Design Laboratory, Northwest quadrant of Plant, between buildings 776-777 & 771, Golden, Jefferson County, CO

Biomechanical pulping : a mill-scale evaluation

Treesearch

Masood Akhtar; Gary M. Scott; Ross E. Swaney; Mike J. Lentz; Eric G. Horn; Marguerite S. Sykes; Gary C. Myers

1999-01-01

Mechanical pulping process is electrical energy intensive and results in low paper strength. Biomechanical pulping, defined as the fungal treatment of lignocellulosic materials prior to mechanical pulping, has shown at least 30% savings in electrical energy consumption, and significant improvements in paper strength properties compared to the control at a laboratory...

An Exponential Luminous Efficiency Model for Hypervelocity Impact into Regolith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swift, Wesley R.; Moser, D.E.; Suggs, Robb M.; Cooke, W.J.

2010-01-01

The flash of thermal radiation produced as part of the impact-crater forming process can be used to determine the energy of the impact if the luminous efficiency is known. From this energy the mass and, ultimately, the mass flux of similar impactors can be deduced. The luminous efficiency, Eta is a unique function of velocity with an extremely large variation in the laboratory range of under 8 km/s but a necessarily small variation with velocity in the meteoric range of 20 to 70 km/s. Impacts into granular or powdery regolith, such as that on the moon, differ from impacts into solid materials in that the energy is deposited via a serial impact process which affects the rate of deposition of internal (thermal) energy. An exponential model of the process is developed which differs from the usual polynomial models of crater formation. The model is valid for the early time portion of the process and focuses on the deposition of internal energy into the regolith. The model is successfully compared with experimental luminous efficiency data from laboratory impacts and from astronomical determinations and scaling factors are estimated. Further work is proposed to clarify the effects of mass and density upon the luminous efficiency scaling factors

Systems metabolic engineering of microorganisms to achieve large-scale production of flavonoid scaffolds.

PubMed

Wu, Junjun; Du, Guocheng; Zhou, Jingwen; Chen, Jian

2014-10-20

Flavonoids possess pharmaceutical potential due to their health-promoting activities. The complex structures of these products make extraction from plants difficult, and chemical synthesis is limited because of the use of many toxic solvents. Microbial production offers an alternate way to produce these compounds on an industrial scale in a more economical and environment-friendly manner. However, at present microbial production has been achieved only on a laboratory scale and improvements and scale-up of these processes remain challenging. Naringenin and pinocembrin, which are flavonoid scaffolds and precursors for most of the flavonoids, are the model molecules that are key to solving the current issues restricting industrial production of these chemicals. The emergence of systems metabolic engineering, which combines systems biology with synthetic biology and evolutionary engineering at the systems level, offers new perspectives on strain and process optimization. In this review, current challenges in large-scale fermentation processes involving flavonoid scaffolds and the strategies and tools of systems metabolic engineering used to overcome these challenges are summarized. This will offer insights into overcoming the limitations and challenges of large-scale microbial production of these important pharmaceutical compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SCALE: A modular code system for performing Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation. Volume 1, Part 2: Control modules S1--H1; Revision 5

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

NONE

SCALE--a modular code system for Standardized Computer Analyses Licensing Evaluation--has been developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the request of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The SCALE system utilizes well-established computer codes and methods within standard analysis sequences that (1) allow an input format designed for the occasional user and/or novice, (2) automated the data processing and coupling between modules, and (3) provide accurate and reliable results. System development has been directed at problem-dependent cross-section processing and analysis of criticality safety, shielding, heat transfer, and depletion/decay problems. Since the initial release of SCALE in 1980, the code system hasmore » been heavily used for evaluation of nuclear fuel facility and package designs. This revision documents Version 4.3 of the system.« less

New mechanistically based model for predicting reduction of biosolids waste by ozonation of return activated sludge.

PubMed

Isazadeh, Siavash; Feng, Min; Urbina Rivas, Luis Enrique; Frigon, Dominic

2014-04-15

Two pilot-scale activated sludge reactors were operated for 98 days to provide the necessary data to develop and validate a new mathematical model predicting the reduction of biosolids production by ozonation of the return activated sludge (RAS). Three ozone doses were tested during the study. In addition to the pilot-scale study, laboratory-scale experiments were conducted with mixed liquor suspended solids and with pure cultures to parameterize the biomass inactivation process during exposure to ozone. The experiments revealed that biomass inactivation occurred even at the lowest doses, but that it was not associated with extensive COD solubilization. For validation, the model was used to simulate the temporal dynamics of the pilot-scale operational data. Increasing the description accuracy of the inactivation process improved the precision of the model in predicting the operational data. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

National Alliance for Advance Biofuels and Bio-Products Final Technical Report Addendum Hydrothermal Processing Pilot System

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

Oyler, James R.

2015-12-21

The main objective of the NAABB was to combine science, technology, and engineering expertise from across the nation to break down critical technical barriers to commercialization of algae-based biofuels. As a part of the consortium, Genifuel’s NAABB goals was to fabricate and demonstrate a pilot-scale system to convert algae into fuels. The purpose of this pilot system was to show that processes developed in the laboratory at bench-scale during the program could be successfully scaled up to a pre-commercial level, and thereby provide visibility into the ultimate viability and cost of algae biofuels. The pilot system has now been completedmore » and tested, and this report documents what has been achieved.« less

In situ Raman spectroscopy for simultaneous monitoring of multiple process parameters in mammalian cell culture bioreactors.

PubMed

Whelan, Jessica; Craven, Stephen; Glennon, Brian

2012-01-01

In this study, the application of Raman spectroscopy to the simultaneous quantitative determination of glucose, glutamine, lactate, ammonia, glutamate, total cell density (TCD), and viable cell density (VCD) in a CHO fed-batch process was demonstrated in situ in 3 L and 15 L bioreactors. Spectral preprocessing and partial least squares (PLS) regression were used to correlate spectral data with off-line reference data. Separate PLS calibration models were developed for each analyte at the 3 L laboratory bioreactor scale before assessing its transferability to the same bioprocess conducted at the 15 L pilot scale. PLS calibration models were successfully developed for all analytes bar VCD and transferred to the 15 L scale. Copyright © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Bench-Scale Filtration Testing in Support of the Pretreatment Engineering Platform (PEP)

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

Billing, Justin M.; Daniel, Richard C.; Kurath, Dean E.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been tasked by Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) on the River Protection Project-Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (RPP-WTP) project to perform research and development activities to resolve technical issues identified for the Pretreatment Facility (PTF). The Pretreatment Engineering Platform (PEP) was designed, constructed and operated as part of a plan to respond to issue M12, “Undemonstrated Leaching Processes.” The PEP is a 1/4.5-scale test platform designed to simulate the WTP pretreatment caustic leaching, oxidative leaching, ultrafiltration solids concentration, and slurry washing processes. The PEP testing program specifies that bench-scale testing is to bemore » performed in support of specific operations, including filtration, caustic leaching, and oxidative leaching.« less

LANDSAT M. S. S. IMAGE MOSAIC OF TUNISIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boswell-Thomas, J. C.; ,

1984-01-01

The Landsat mosaic of Tunisia funded by USAID for the Remote Sensing Laboratory, Soils Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Tunisia, was completed by the USGS in September 1983. It is a mixed mosaic associating digital corrections and enhancements to manual mosaicking and corresponding to the Tunisian request for high resolution and the limited available funds. The scenes were processed by the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, resampling the data geodesically corrected to fit the Universal Transverse Mercator projection using control points from topographic maps at 1:50,000 and 1:100,000 scales available in the U. S. The mosaicking was done in the Eastern Mapping Center under the supervision of the Graphic Arts System Section. The three black and white mosaics were made at the 1:1,000,000 scale and various products generated. They included color film positives at 1:2,000,000 and 1:4,000,000 scales reproducible in the Remote Sensing Laboratory in Tunis and corresponding color prints as well as tricolor prints at various scales from 1:500,000 to 1:2,000,000.

Letter report on PCT/Monolith glass ceramic corrosion tests

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

Crawford, Charles L.

2015-09-24

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is collaborating with personnel from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to study advanced waste form glass ceramics for immobilization of waste from Used Nuclear Fuel (UNF) separations processes. The glass ceramic waste forms take advantage of both crystalline and glassy phases where ‘troublesome’ elements (e.g., low solubility in glass or very long-lived) partition to highly durable ceramic phases with the remainder of elements residing in the glassy phase. The ceramic phases are tailored to create certain minerals or unique crystalline structures that can host the radionuclides by binding them in their specific crystalline networkmore » while not adversely impacting the residual glass network (Crum et al., 2011). Glass ceramics have been demonstrated using a scaled melter test performed in a pilot scale (1/4 scale) cold crucible induction melter (CCIM) (Crum et al., 2014; Maio et al., 2015). This report summarizes recent results from both Phase I and Phase II bench scale tests involving crucible fabrication and corrosion testing of glass ceramics using the Product Consistency Test (PCT). Preliminary results from both Phase I and Phase II bench scale tests involving statistically designed matrices have previously been reported (Crawford, 2013; Crawford, 2014).« less

Continuous Severe Plastic Deformation Processing of Aluminum Alloys

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

Raghavan Srinivasan; Prabir K. Chaudhury; Balakrishna Cherukuri

2006-06-30

Metals with grain sizes smaller than 1-micrometer have received much attention in the past decade. These materials have been classified as ultra fine grain (UFG) materials (grain sizes in the range of 100 to 1000-nm) and nano-materials (grain size <100-nm) depending on the grain size. This report addresses the production of bulk UFG metals through the use of severe plastic deformation processing, and their subsequent use as stock material for further thermomechanical processing, such as forging. A number of severe plastic deformation (SPD) methods for producing bulk UFG metals have been developed since the early 1990s. The most promising ofmore » these processes for producing large size stock that is suitable for forging is the equal channel angular extrusion or pressing (ECAE/P) process. This process involves introducing large shear strain in the work-piece by pushing it through a die that consists of two channels with the same cross-sectional shape that meet at an angle to each other. Since the cross-sections of the two channels are the same, the extruded product can be re-inserted into the entrance channel and pushed again through the die. Repeated extrusion through the ECAE/P die accumulates sufficient strain to breakdown the microstructure and produce ultra fine grain size. It is well known that metals with very fine grain sizes (< 10-micrometer) have higher strain rate sensitivity and greater elongation to failure at elevated temperature, exhibiting superplastic behavior. However, this superplastic behavior is usually manifest at high temperature (> half the melting temperature on the absolute scale) and very low strain rates (< 0.0001/s). UFG metals have been shown to exhibit superplastic characteristics at lower temperature and higher strain rates, making this phenomenon more practical for manufacturing. This enables part unitization and forging more complex and net shape parts. Laboratory studies have shown that this is particularly true for UFG metals produced by SPD techniques. This combination of properties makes UFG metals produced by SPD very attractive as machining, forging or extrusion stock, both from the point of view of formability as well as energy and cost saving. However, prior to this work there had been no attempt to transfer these potential benefits observed in the laboratory scale to industrial shop floor. The primary reason for this was that the laboratory scale studies had been conducted to develop a scientific understanding of the processes that result in grain refinement during SPD. Samples that had been prepared in the laboratory scale were typically only about 10-mm diameter and 50-mm long (about 0.5-inch diameter and 2-inches long). The thrust of this project was three-fold: (i) to show that the ECAE/P process can be scaled up to produce long samples, i.e., a continuous severe plastic deformation (CSPD) process, (ii) show the process can be scaled up to produce large cross section samples that could be used as forging stock, and (iii) use the large cross-section samples to produce industrial size forgings and demonstrate the potential energy and cost savings that can be realized if SPD processed stock is adopted by the forging industry. Aluminum alloy AA-6061 was chosen to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach used. The CSPD process developed using the principles of chamber-less extrusion and drawing, and was demonstrated using rolling and wire drawing equipment that was available at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In a parallel effort, ECAE/P dies were developed for producing 100-mm square cross section SPD billets for subsequent forging. This work was carried out at Intercontinental Manufacturing Co. (IMCO), Garland TX. Forging studies conducted with the ECAE/P billets showed that many of the potential benefits of using UFG material can be realized. In particular, the material yield can be increased, and the amount of material that is lost as scrap can be reduced by as much as 50%. Forging temperatures can also be reduced by over 150ºC, resulting in energy savings in the operation of billet heating furnaces. Looking at only the energy required to make forgings from stock materials, estimated energy savings associated with reduced scrap and lower furnace operating temperatures were greater than 40% if ECAE/P stock material was used instead of conventionally extruded stock. Subsequent heat treatment of the forged materials to the T6 condition showed that the mechanical properties of parts made from the ECAE/P stock material were the same as of those made from conventional extruded stock material. Therefore, the energy and cost savings benefits can be realized by the use SPD processed material as forging stock without sacrificing properties in the final part.« less

Impact Flash Physics: Modeling and Comparisons With Experimental Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rainey, E.; Stickle, A. M.; Ernst, C. M.; Schultz, P. H.; Mehta, N. L.; Brown, R. C.; Swaminathan, P. K.; Michaelis, C. H.; Erlandson, R. E.

2015-12-01

Hypervelocity impacts frequently generate an observable "flash" of light with two components: a short-duration spike due to emissions from vaporized material, and a long-duration peak due to thermal emissions from expanding hot debris. The intensity and duration of these peaks depend on the impact velocity, angle, and the target and projectile mass and composition. Thus remote sensing measurements of planetary impact flashes have the potential to constrain the properties of impacting meteors and improve our understanding of impact flux and cratering processes. Interpreting impact flash measurements requires a thorough understanding of how flash characteristics correlate with impact conditions. Because planetary-scale impacts cannot be replicated in the laboratory, numerical simulations are needed to provide this insight for the solar system. Computational hydrocodes can produce detailed simulations of the impact process, but they lack the radiation physics required to model the optical flash. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) developed a model to calculate the optical signature from the hot debris cloud produced by an impact. While the phenomenology of the optical signature is understood, the details required to accurately model it are complicated by uncertainties in material and optical properties and the simplifications required to numerically model radiation from large-scale impacts. Comparisons with laboratory impact experiments allow us to validate our approach and to draw insight regarding processes that occur at all scales in impact events, such as melt generation. We used Sandia National Lab's CTH shock physics hydrocode along with the optical signature model developed at APL to compare with a series of laboratory experiments conducted at the NASA Ames Vertical Gun Range. The experiments used Pyrex projectiles to impact pumice powder targets with velocities ranging from 1 to 6 km/s at angles of 30 and 90 degrees with respect to horizontal. High-speed radiometer measurements were made of the time-dependent impact flash at wavelengths of 350-1100 nm. We will present comparisons between these measurements and the output of APL's model. The results of this validation allow us to determine basic relationships between observed optical signatures and impact conditions.

From Oxygen Generation to Metals Production: In Situ Resource Utilization by Molten Oxide Electrolysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khetpal, Deepak; Ducret, Andrew C.; Sadoway, Donald R.

2003-01-01

For the exploration of other bodies in the solar system, electrochemical processing is arguably the most versatile technology for conversion of local resources into usable commodities: by electrolysis one can, in principle, produce (1) breathable oxygen, (2) silicon for the fabrication of solar cells, (3) various reactive metals for use as electrodes in advanced storage batteries, and (4) structural metals such as steel and aluminum. Even so, to date there has been no sustained effort to develop such processes, in part due to the inadequacy of the database. The objective here is to identify chemistries capable of sustaining molten oxide electrolysis in the cited applications and to examine the behavior of laboratory-scale cells designed to generate oxygen and to produce metal. The basic research includes the study of the underlying high-temperature physical chemistry of oxide melts representative of lunar regolith and of Martian soil. To move beyond empirical approaches to process development, the thermodynamic and transport properties of oxide melts are being studied to help set the limits of composition and temperature for the processing trials conducted in laboratory-scale electrolysis cells. The goal of this investigation is to deliver a working prototype cell that can use lunar regolith and Martian soil to produce breathable oxygen along with metal by-product. Additionally, the process can be generalized to permit adaptation to accommodate different feedstock chemistries, such as those that will be encountered on other bodies in the solar system. The expected results of this research include: (1) the identification of appropriate electrolyte chemistries; (2) the selection of candidate anode and cathode materials compatible with electrolytes named above; and (3) performance data from a laboratory-scale cell producing oxygen and metal. On the strength of these results it should be possible to assess the technical viability of molten oxide electrolysis for in situ resource utilization on the Moon and Mars. In parallel, there may be commercial applications here on earth, such as new green technologies for metals extraction and for treatment of hazardous waste, e.g., fixing heavy metals.

Strategies for laboratory cost containment and for pathologist shortage: centralised pathology laboratories with microwave-stimulated histoprocessing and telepathology.

PubMed

Leong, Anthony S Y; Leong, F Joel W M

2005-02-01

The imposition of laboratory cost containment, often from external forces, dictates the necessity to develop strategies to meet laboratory cost savings. In addition, the national and worldwide shortage of anatomical pathologists makes it imperative to examine our current practice and laboratory set-ups. Some of the strategies employed in other areas of pathology and laboratory medicine include improvements in staff productivity and the adoption of technological developments that reduce manual intervention. However, such opportunities in anatomical pathology are few and far between. Centralisation has been an effective approach in bringing economies of scale, the adoption of 'best practices' and the consolidation of pathologists, but this has not been possible in anatomical pathology because conventional histoprocessing takes a minimum of 14 hours and clinical turnaround time requirements necessitate that the laboratory and pathologist be in proximity and on site. While centralisation of laboratories for clinical chemistry, haematology and even microbiology has been successful in Australia and other countries, the essential requirements for anatomical pathology laboratories are different. In addition to efficient synchronised courier networks, a method of ultra-rapid tissue processing and some expedient system of returning the prepared tissue sections to the remote laboratory are essential to maintain the turnaround times mandatory for optimal clinical management. The advent of microwave-stimulated tissue processing that can be completed in 30-60 minutes and the immediate availability of compressed digital images of entire tissue sections via telepathology completes the final components of the equation necessary for making centralised anatomical pathology laboratories a reality.

30 CFR 14.21 - Laboratory-scale flame test apparatus.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Laboratory-scale flame test apparatus. 14.21 Section 14.21 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TESTING... Technical Requirements § 14.21 Laboratory-scale flame test apparatus. The principal parts of the apparatus...

30 CFR 14.21 - Laboratory-scale flame test apparatus.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Laboratory-scale flame test apparatus. 14.21 Section 14.21 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TESTING... Technical Requirements § 14.21 Laboratory-scale flame test apparatus. The principal parts of the apparatus...

Recovery of energy and nutrient resources from cattle paunch waste using temperature phased anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Jensen, Paul D; Mehta, Chirag M; Carney, Chris; Batstone, D J

2016-05-01

Cattle paunch is comprised of partially digested cattle feed, containing mainly grass and grain and is a major waste produced at cattle slaughterhouses contributing 20-30% of organic matter and 40-50% of P waste produced on-site. In this work, Temperature Phased Anaerobic Digestion (TPAD) and struvite crystallization processes were developed at pilot-scale to recover methane energy and nutrients from paunch solid waste. The TPAD plant achieved a maximum sustainable organic loading rate of 1-1.5kgCODm(-3)day(-1) using a feed solids concentration of approximately 3%; this loading rate was limited by plant engineering and not the biology of the process. Organic solids destruction (60%) and methane production (230LCH4kg(-1) VSfed) achieved in the plant were similar to levels predicted from laboratory biochemical methane potential (BMP) testing. Model based analysis identified no significant difference in batch laboratory parameters vs pilot-scale continuous parameters, and no change in speed or extent of degradation. However the TPAD process did result in a degree of process intensification with a high level of solids destruction at an average treatment time of 21days. Results from the pilot plant show that an integrated process enabled resource recovery at 7.8GJ/dry tonne paunch, 1.8kgP/dry tonne paunch and 1.0kgN/dry tonne paunch. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of laboratory-scale thermophilic biofilm and activated sludge processes integrated with a mesophilic activated sludge process.

PubMed

Suvilampi, J; Lehtomäki, A; Rintala, J

2003-07-01

A combined thermophilic-mesophilic wastewater treatment was studied using a laboratory-scale thermophilic activated sludge process (ASP) followed by mesophilic ASP or a thermophilic suspended carrier biofilm process (SCBP) followed by mesophilic ASP, both systems treating diluted molasses (dilution factor 1:500 corresponding GF/A-filtered COD (COD(filt)) of 1900+/-190 mgl(-1)). With hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 12-18 h the thermophilic ASP and thermophilic SCBP removed 60+/-13% and 62+/-7% of COD(filt), respectively, with HRT of 8 h the removals were 48+/-1% and 69+/-4%. The sludge volume index (SVI) was notably lower in the thermophilic SCBP (measured from suspended sludge) than in the thermophilic ASP. Under the lowest HRT the mesophilic ASP gave better performance (as SVI, COD(filt), and COD(tot) removals) after the thermophilic SCBP than after the thermophilic ASP. Measured sludge yields were low (less than 0.1 kg suspended solids (SS) kg COD(filt removed)(-1)) in all processes. Both thermophilic treatments removed 80-85% of soluble COD (COD(sol)) whereas suspended COD (COD(susp)) and colloidal COD (COD(col)) were increased. Both mesophilic post-treatments removed all COD(col) and most of the COD(susp) from the thermophilic effluents. In conclusion, combined thermophilic-mesophilic treatment appeared to be easily operable and produced high effluent quality.

Multitemporal Three Dimensional Imaging of Volcanic Products on the Macro- and Micro- Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, A. J.; Ramsey, M. S.; Durant, A. J.; Skilling, I. P.

2006-12-01

Satellite data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) can be processed using a nadir- and backward-viewing band at the same wavelength to generate a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) at a maximum spatial resolution of 15 metres. Bezymianny Volcano (Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia) was chosen as a test target for multitemporal DEM generation. DEMs were used to generate a layer stack and calculate coarse topographic changes from 2000 to 2006, the most significant of which was a new crater that formed in spring 2005. The eruption that occurred on 11 January 2005 produced a pyroclastic deposit on the east flank, which was mapped and from which samples were collected in August 2005. A comparison was made between field-based observations of the deposit and micron-scale roughness (analogous to vesicularity) derived from ASTER thermal infrared data following the model described in Ramsey and Fink (1999) on lava domes. In order to investigate applying this technique to the pyroclastic deposits, 18 small samples from Bezymianny were selected for Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micron-scale analysis. The SEM image data were processed using software capable of calculating surface roughness and vesicle volume from stereo pairs: a statistical analysis of samples is presented using a high resolution grid of surface profiles. The results allow for a direct comparison to field, laboratory, and satellite-based estimates of micron-scale roughness. Prior to SEM processing, laboratory thermal emission spectra of the microsamples were collected and modelled to estimate vesicularity. Each data set was compared and assessed for coherence within the limitations of each technique. This study outlines the value of initially imaging at the macro-scale to assess major topographic changes over time at the volcano. This is followed by an example of the application of micro-scale SEM imaging and spectral deconvolution, highlighting the advantages of using multiple resolutions to analyse frequently overlapping products at Bezymianny.

Development and evaluation of an interactive electronic laboratory manual for cooperative learning of medical histology.

PubMed

Khalil, Mohammed K; Kirkley, Debbie L; Kibble, Jonathan D

2013-01-01

This article describes the development of an interactive computer-based laboratory manual, created to facilitate the teaching and learning of medical histology. The overarching goal of developing the manual is to facilitate self-directed group interactivities that actively engage students during laboratory sessions. The design of the manual includes guided instruction for students to navigate virtual slides, exercises for students to monitor learning, and cases to provide clinical relevance. At the end of the laboratory activities, student groups can generate a laboratory report that may be used to provide formative feedback. The instructional value of the manual was evaluated by a questionnaire containing both closed-ended and open-ended items. Closed-ended items using a five-point Likert-scale assessed the format and navigation, instructional contents, group process, and learning process. Open-ended items assessed student's perception on the effectiveness of the manual in facilitating their learning. After implementation for two consecutive years, student evaluation of the manual was highly positive and indicated that it facilitated their learning by reinforcing and clarifying classroom sessions, improved their understanding, facilitated active and cooperative learning, and supported self-monitoring of their learning. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.

High-Frequency, Crosswell Radar Data Collected in a Laboratory Tank

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, Bas; Moulton, Craig W.; Ellefsen, Karl J.; Horton, Robert J.; McKenna, Jason R.

2010-01-01

Crosswell radar data were collected among three wells in a laboratory tank filled with dry sand. Embedded within the sand was a long plastic box, which was the target for the data collection. Two datasets were collected between each pair of wells, making a total of six datasets. The frequencies in the data ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 gigahertz, and the peak frequency was 0.9 gigahertz. The data are well suited for evaluating various processing algorithms, and the data linearly scale to typical field conditions.

Crystallization of Calcium Carbonate in a Large Scale Field Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueckert, Martina; Wismeth, Carina; Baumann, Thomas

2017-04-01

The long term efficiency of geothermal facilities and aquifer thermal energy storage in the carbonaceous Malm aquifer in the Bavarian Molasse Basin is seriously affected by precipitations of carbonates. This is mainly caused by pressure and temperature changes leading to oversaturation during production. Crystallization starts with polymorphic nuclei of calcium carbonate and is often described as diffusion-reaction controlled. Here, calcite crystallization is favoured by high concentration gradients while aragonite crystallization is occurring at high reaction rates. The factors affecting the crystallization processes have been described for simplified, well controlled laboratory experiments, the knowledge about the behaviour in more complex natural systems is still limited. The crystallization process of the polymorphic forms of calcium carbonate were investigated during a heat storage test at our test site in the eastern part of the Bavarian Molasse Basin. Complementary laboratory experiments in an autoclave were run. Both, field and laboratory experiments were conducted with carbonaceous tap water. Within the laboratory experiments additionally ultra pure water was used. To avoid precipitations of the tap water, a calculated amount of {CO_2} was added prior to heating the water from 45 - 110°C (laboratory) resp. 65 - 110°C (field). A total water volume of 0.5 L (laboratory) resp. 1 L (field) was immediately sampled and filtrated through 10 - 0.1

Strong and Consistently Synergistic Inactivation of Spores of Spoilage-Associated Bacillus and Geobacillus spp. by High Pressure and Heat Compared with Inactivation by Heat Alone ▿ †

PubMed Central

Olivier, S. A.; Bull, M. K.; Stone, G.; van Diepenbeek, R. J.; Kormelink, F.; Jacops, L.; Chapman, B.

2011-01-01

The inactivation of spores of four low-acid food spoilage organisms by high pressure thermal (HPT) and thermal-only processing was compared on the basis of equivalent thermal lethality calculated at a reference temperature of 121.1°C (Fz121.1°C, 0.1 MPa or 600 MPa) and characterized as synergistic, not different or protective. In addition, the relative resistances of spores of the different spoilage microorganisms to HPT processing were compared. Processing was performed and inactivation was compared in both laboratory and pilot scale systems and in model (diluted) and actual food products. Where statistical comparisons could be made, at least 4 times and up to around 190 times more inactivation (log10 reduction/minute at FTz121.1°C) of spores of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus sporothermodurans, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus was achieved using HPT, indicating a strong synergistic effect of high pressure and heat. Bacillus coagulans spores were also synergistically inactivated in diluted and undiluted Bolognese sauce but were protected by pressure against thermal inactivation in undiluted cream sauce. Irrespective of the response characterization, B. coagulans and B. sporothermodurans were identified as the most HPT-resistant isolates in the pilot scale and laboratory scale studies, respectively, and G. stearothermophilus as the least in both studies and all products. This is the first study to comprehensively quantitatively characterize the responses of a range of spores of spoilage microorganisms as synergistic (or otherwise) using an integrated thermal-lethality approach (FTz). The use of the FTz approach is ultimately important for the translation of commercial minimum microbiologically safe and stable thermal processes to HPT processes. PMID:21278265

Strong and consistently synergistic inactivation of spores of spoilage-associated Bacillus and Geobacillus spp. by high pressure and heat compared with inactivation by heat alone.

PubMed

Olivier, S A; Bull, M K; Stone, G; van Diepenbeek, R J; Kormelink, F; Jacops, L; Chapman, B

2011-04-01

The inactivation of spores of four low-acid food spoilage organisms by high pressure thermal (HPT) and thermal-only processing was compared on the basis of equivalent thermal lethality calculated at a reference temperature of 121.1°C (F(z)(121.1)(°)(C, 0.1 MPa or 600 MPa)) and characterized as synergistic, not different or protective. In addition, the relative resistances of spores of the different spoilage microorganisms to HPT processing were compared. Processing was performed and inactivation was compared in both laboratory and pilot scale systems and in model (diluted) and actual food products. Where statistical comparisons could be made, at least 4 times and up to around 190 times more inactivation (log(10) reduction/minute at F(T)(z)(121.1)(°)(C)) of spores of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus sporothermodurans, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus was achieved using HPT, indicating a strong synergistic effect of high pressure and heat. Bacillus coagulans spores were also synergistically inactivated in diluted and undiluted Bolognese sauce but were protected by pressure against thermal inactivation in undiluted cream sauce. Irrespective of the response characterization, B. coagulans and B. sporothermodurans were identified as the most HPT-resistant isolates in the pilot scale and laboratory scale studies, respectively, and G. stearothermophilus as the least in both studies and all products. This is the first study to comprehensively quantitatively characterize the responses of a range of spores of spoilage microorganisms as synergistic (or otherwise) using an integrated thermal-lethality approach (F(T)(z)). The use of the F(T)(z) approach is ultimately important for the translation of commercial minimum microbiologically safe and stable thermal processes to HPT processes.

NoScale - Characterisation of thermal deep groundwater for the prevention of scaling and corrosion in geothermal plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haslinger, Edith; Goldbrunner, Johann; Dietzel, Martin; Leis, Albrecht; Boch, Ronny; Knauss, Ralf; Hippler, Dorothee; Shirbaz, Andrea; Fröschl, Heinz; Wyhlidal, Stefan; Plank, Otmar; Gold, Marlies; Elster, Daniel

2017-04-01

During the exploitation of thermal water for the use in a geothermal plant a series of hydrochemical reactions such as solution and precipitation processes (scaling) or corrosion processes can be caused by pressure and temperature changes and degassing of the thermal water. Operators of hydrogeothermal plants are often confronted with precipitations in water-bearing parts of their plant, such as heat exchangers and pipes, which result in considerable costs for cleaning or remediation or the use of inhibitors. In the worst case, scaling and corrosion can lead to the abandonment of the system. The effects of the fluids on the technical facilities of hydrogeothermal plants are usually difficult to predict. This applies in particular to the long-term effects in the exploitation and use as well as the aspect of the reinjection of the fluids. In publications and guides for thermal water use in Austria, it is emphasized that the hydrochemical conditions have to be checked during the operation of geothermal plants, but precise directives and thus guidance for operators as well as a scientific investigations on this topic are almost completely missing today. The aim of the research project NoScale was the assessment of deep thermal water bodies in different geological reservoirs in Austria and Bavaria and therefore different hydrochemical compositions with regard to their scaling and corrosion potential in geothermal use. In the course of parallel chemical and mineralogical laboratory investigations, conclusions were drawn about the effects of thermal water on different technical components of hydrogeothermal plants and on the other hand a data basis for the model simulation of the relevant hydrochemical processes was developed. Subsequently, on the basis of detailed hydrochemical model calculations, possible effects of the use of the thermal waters on the technical components of the geothermal plants were shown. This approach of complex process modeling, detailed laboratory studies and experimental approaches has not been followed in Austria so far. The research results contribute significantly to the increased visibility of potential risks of the exploitation and use of thermal water. Thus, the project NoScale supports the operators of hydrogeothermal plants to assess risks of scaling in corrosion already in the pre-drilling phase, which leads to a much more energy and cost efficient operation.

Rational development of solid dispersions via hot-melt extrusion using screening, material characterization, and numeric simulation tools.

PubMed

Zecevic, Damir E; Wagner, Karl G

2013-07-01

Effective and predictive small-scale selection tools are inevitable during the development of a solubility enhanced drug product. For hot-melt extrusion, this selection process can start with a microscale performance evaluation on a hot-stage microscope (HSM). A batch size of 400 mg can provide sufficient materials to assess the drug product attributes such as solid-state properties, solubility enhancement, and physical stability as well as process related attributes such as processing temperature in a twin-screw extruder (TSE). Prototype formulations will then be fed into a 5 mm TSE (~1-2 g) to confirm performance from the HSM under additional shear stress. Small stress stability testing might be performed with these samples or a larger batch (20-40 g) made by 9 or 12 mm TSE. Simultaneously, numeric process simulations are performed using process data as well as rheological and thermal properties of the formulations. Further scale up work to 16 and 18 mm TSE confirmed and refined the simulation model. Thus, at the end of the laboratory-scale development, not only the clinical trial supply could be manufactured, but also one can form a sound risk assessment to support further scale up even without decades of process experience. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Application of Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry in laboratory flumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, Jacob A.; Brogan, Daniel J.; Nelson, Peter A.

2017-01-01

Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry has become widely used for topographic data collection in field and laboratory studies. However, the relative performance of SfM against other methods of topographic measurement in a laboratory flume environment has not been systematically evaluated, and there is a general lack of guidelines for SfM application in flume settings. As the use of SfM in laboratory flume settings becomes more widespread, it is increasingly critical to develop an understanding of how to acquire and process SfM data for a given flume size and sediment characteristics. In this study, we: (1) compare the resolution and accuracy of SfM topographic measurements to terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) measurements in laboratory flumes of varying physical dimensions containing sediments of varying grain sizes; (2) explore the effects of different image acquisition protocols and data processing methods on the resolution and accuracy of topographic data derived from SfM techniques; and (3) provide general guidance for image acquisition and processing for SfM applications in laboratory flumes. To investigate the effects of flume size, sediment size, and photo overlap on the density and accuracy of SfM data, we collected topographic data using both TLS and SfM in five flumes with widths ranging from 0.22 to 6.71 m, lengths ranging from 9.14 to 30.48 m, and median sediment sizes ranging from 0.2 to 31 mm. Acquisition time, image overlap, point density, elevation data, and computed roughness parameters were compared to evaluate the performance of SfM against TLS. We also collected images of a pan of gravel where we varied the distance and angle between the camera and sediment in order to explore how photo acquisition affects the ability to capture grain-scale microtopographic features in SfM-derived point clouds. A variety of image combinations and SfM software package settings were also investigated to determine optimal processing techniques. Results from this study suggest that SfM provides topographic data of similar accuracy to TLS, at higher resolution and lower cost. We found that about 100pixels per grain are required to resolve grain-scale topography. We suggest protocols for image acquisition and SfM software settings to achieve best results when using SfM in laboratory settings. In general, convergent imagery, taken from a higher angle, with at least several overlapping images for each desired point in the flume will result in an acceptable point cloud.

Practical, transparent prospective risk analysis for the clinical laboratory.

PubMed

Janssens, Pim Mw

2014-11-01

Prospective risk analysis (PRA) is an essential element in quality assurance for clinical laboratories. Practical approaches to conducting PRA in laboratories, however, are scarce. On the basis of the classical Failure Mode and Effect Analysis method, an approach to PRA was developed for application to key laboratory processes. First, the separate, major steps of the process under investigation are identified. Scores are then given for the Probability (P) and Consequence (C) of predefined types of failures and the chances of Detecting (D) these failures. Based on the P and C scores (on a 10-point scale), an overall Risk score (R) is calculated. The scores for each process were recorded in a matrix table. Based on predetermined criteria for R and D, it was determined whether a more detailed analysis was required for potential failures and, ultimately, where risk-reducing measures were necessary, if any. As an illustration, this paper presents the results of the application of PRA to our pre-analytical and analytical activities. The highest R scores were obtained in the stat processes, the most common failure type in the collective process steps was 'delayed processing or analysis', the failure type with the highest mean R score was 'inappropriate analysis' and the failure type most frequently rated as suboptimal was 'identification error'. The PRA designed is a useful semi-objective tool to identify process steps with potential failures rated as risky. Its systematic design and convenient output in matrix tables makes it easy to perform, practical and transparent. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Outlook and Challenges of Perovskite Solar Cells toward Terawatt-Scale Photovoltaic Module Technology

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

Zhu, Kai; Kim, Donghoe; Whitaker, James B

Rapid development of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) during the past several years has made this photovoltaic (PV) technology a serious contender for potential large-scale deployment on the terawatt scale in the PV market. To successfully transition PSC technology from the laboratory to industry scale, substantial efforts need to focus on scalable fabrication of high-performance perovskite modules with minimum negative environmental impact. Here, we provide an overview of the current research and our perspective regarding PSC technology toward future large-scale manufacturing and deployment. Several key challenges discussed are (1) a scalable process for large-area perovskite module fabrication; (2) less hazardous chemicalmore » routes for PSC fabrication; and (3) suitable perovskite module designs for different applications.« less

Simulation and flavor compound analysis of dealcoholized beer via one-step vacuum distillation.

PubMed

Andrés-Iglesias, Cristina; García-Serna, Juan; Montero, Olimpio; Blanco, Carlos A

2015-10-01

The coupled operation of vacuum distillation process to produce alcohol free beer at laboratory scale and Aspen HYSYS simulation software was studied to define the chemical changes during the dealcoholization process in the aroma profiles of 2 different lager beers. At the lab-scale process, 2 different parameters were chosen to dealcoholize beer samples, 102mbar at 50°C and 200mbar at 67°C. Samples taken at different steps of the process were analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS focusing on the concentration of 7 flavor compounds, 5 alcohols and 2 esters. For simulation process, the EoS parameters of the Wilson-2 property package were adjusted to the experimental data and one more pressure was tested (60mbar). Simulation methods represent a viable alternative to predict results of the volatile compound composition of a final dealcoholized beer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Industrial wastewater re-use: closure of water cycle in the main water consuming industries--the example of paper mills.

PubMed

Mauchauffee, S; Denieul, M-P; Coste, M

2012-01-01

Paper mill, chemistry, textile and food processing industries are high water consumers. Within the framework of the European project Aquafit4Use, the possibility to close the on-site water loop is studied. The aim is to find new technologies or innovative treatment trains to produce water that is 'fit for use' in the industrial process; an example of a paper mill is given. Laboratory-scale tests on nine technologies were carried out to determine the best suitable treatment train: anaerobic process (already on site) --> aerobic process (already on site) --> Flexible Fibre Filter Module --> softening --> nanofiltration --> evapoconcentration or ozonation on nanofiltration (NF) concentrate. This treatment train is currently compared on site at pilot scale to another treatment train including some modifications on the existing on-site biological treatment: anaerobic process --> softening --> membrane bioreactor --> nanofiltration --> evapoconcentration or ozonation of NF concentrate.

Hybrid nanosensor for colorimetric and ultrasensitive detection of nuclease contaminations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecere, Paola; Valentini, Paola; Pompa, Pier Paolo

2016-04-01

Nucleases are ubiquitous enzymes that degrade DNA or RNA, thus they can prejudice the good outcome of molecular biology experiments involving nucleic acids. We propose a colorimetric test for the naked-eye detection of nuclease contaminations. The system uses an hybrid nanosensor, based on gold nanoparticles functionalized with DNA probes. Our assay is rapid, instrument-free, simple and low-cost. Moreover, it reaches sensitivity equal or better than those of commercial kits, and presents a lot of advantageous aspects. Therefore, it is very competitive, with a real market potential. This test will be relevant in routine process monitoring in scientific laboratories, and in quality control in clinical laboratories and industrial processes, allowing the simultaneous detection of nucleases with different substrate specificities and large-scale screening.

Messiah College Biodiesel Fuel Generation Project Final Technical Report

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

Zummo, Michael M; Munson, J; Derr, A

Many obvious and significant concerns arise when considering the concept of small-scale biodiesel production. Does the fuel produced meet the stringent requirements set by the commercial biodiesel industry? Is the process safe? How are small-scale producers collecting and transporting waste vegetable oil? How is waste from the biodiesel production process handled by small-scale producers? These concerns and many others were the focus of the research preformed in the Messiah College Biodiesel Fuel Generation project over the last three years. This project was a unique research program in which undergraduate engineering students at Messiah College set out to research the feasibilitymore » of small-biodiesel production for application on a campus of approximately 3000 students. This Department of Energy (DOE) funded research program developed out of almost a decade of small-scale biodiesel research and development work performed by students at Messiah College. Over the course of the last three years the research team focused on four key areas related to small-scale biodiesel production: Quality Testing and Assurance, Process and Processor Research, Process and Processor Development, and Community Education. The objectives for the Messiah College Biodiesel Fuel Generation Project included the following: 1. Preparing a laboratory facility for the development and optimization of processors and processes, ASTM quality assurance, and performance testing of biodiesel fuels. 2. Developing scalable processor and process designs suitable for ASTM certifiable small-scale biodiesel production, with the goals of cost reduction and increased quality. 3. Conduct research into biodiesel process improvement and cost optimization using various biodiesel feedstocks and production ingredients.« less

Comparing field investigations with laboratory models to predict landfill leachate emissions

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

Fellner, Johann; Doeberl, Gernot; Allgaier, Gerhard

2009-06-15

Investigations into laboratory reactors and landfills are used for simulating and predicting emissions from municipal solid waste landfills. We examined water flow and solute transport through the same waste body for different volumetric scales (laboratory experiment: 0.08 m{sup 3}, landfill: 80,000 m{sup 3}), and assessed the differences in water flow and leachate emissions of chloride, total organic carbon and Kjeldahl nitrogen. The results indicate that, due to preferential pathways, the flow of water in field-scale landfills is less uniform than in laboratory reactors. Based on tracer experiments, it can be discerned that in laboratory-scale experiments around 40% of pore watermore » participates in advective solute transport, whereas this fraction amounts to less than 0.2% in the investigated full-scale landfill. Consequences of the difference in water flow and moisture distribution are: (1) leachate emissions from full-scale landfills decrease faster than predicted by laboratory experiments, and (2) the stock of materials remaining in the landfill body, and thus the long-term emission potential, is likely to be underestimated by laboratory landfill simulations.« less

Risk-based Prioritization of Facility Decommissioning and Environmental Restoration Projects in the National Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program at the Chalk River Laboratory - 13564

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

Nelson, Jerel G.; Kruzic, Michael; Castillo, Carlos

2013-07-01

Chalk River Laboratory (CRL), located in Ontario Canada, has a large number of remediation projects currently in the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program (NLLP), including hundreds of facility decommissioning projects and over one hundred environmental remediation projects, all to be executed over the next 70 years. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) utilized WorleyParsons to prioritize the NLLP projects at the CRL through a risk-based prioritization and ranking process, using the WorleyParsons Sequencing Unit Prioritization and Estimating Risk Model (SUPERmodel). The prioritization project made use of the SUPERmodel which has been previously used for other large-scale site prioritization and sequencing ofmore » facilities at nuclear laboratories in the United States. The process included development and vetting of risk parameter matrices as well as confirmation/validation of project risks. Detailed sensitivity studies were also conducted to understand the impacts that risk parameter weighting and scoring had on prioritization. The repeatable prioritization process yielded an objective, risk-based and technically defendable process for prioritization that gained concurrence from all stakeholders, including Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) who is responsible for the oversight of the NLLP. (authors)« less

Quantifying the scale- and process- dependent reorganization of landscape under climatic change: inferences from an experimental landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, A.; Tejedor, A.; Grimaud, J. L.; Zaliapin, I. V.; Foufoula-Georgiou, E.

2016-12-01

Knowledge of the dynamics of evolving landscapes in terms of their geomorphic and topologic re-organization in response to changing climatic or tectonic forcing is of scientific and practical interest. Although several studies have addressed the large-scale response (e.g., change in mean relief), studies on the smaller-scale drainage pattern re-organization and quantification of landscape vulnerability to the timing, magnitude, and frequency of changing forcing are lacking. The reason is the absence of data for such an analysis. To that goal, a series of controlled laboratory experiments were conducted at the St. Anthony Falls laboratory of the University of Minnesota to study the effect of changing precipitation patterns on landscape evolution at the short and long-time scales. High resolution digital elevation (DEM) both in space and time were measured for a range of rainfall patterns and uplift rates. Results from our study show a distinct signature of the precipitation increase on the probabilistic and geometrical structure of landscape features, evident in widening and deepening of channels and valleys, change in drainage patterns within sub-basins and change in the space-time structure of erosional and depositional events. A spatially explicit analysis of the locus of these erosional and depositional events suggests a regime shift, during the onset of the transient state, from supply-limited to transport-limited fluvial channels. We document a characteristic scale-dependent signature of erosion at steady state (which we term the "E50-area curve") and show that during reorganization, its evolving shape reflects process and scales of geomorphic change. Finally, we document changes in the longitudinal river profiles, in response to increased precipitation rate, with the formation of abrupt gradient (knickpoints) that migrate upstream as time proceeds.

Biogasification products of water hyacinth wastewater reclamation

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

Chynoweth, D.P.; Biljetina, R.; Srivastava, V.J.

1984-01-01

This paper describes the results of research in progress to evaluate the use of water hyacinth for wastewater treatment and subsequent conversion of hyacinth and sludge to methane by anaerobic digestion. Laboratory studies have been directed toward evaluating advanced biogasification concepts and establishing a data base for the design and operation of an experimental test unit (ETU) located at the water hyacinth wastewater treatment facility at Walt Disney World (WDW) located in Kissimmee, Florida. Laboratory-scale kinetic experiments have been conducted using continuously-stirred tank reactors (CSTR) and a novel non-mixed upflow solids reactor (USR) receiving a hyacinth/sludge blend at retention timesmore » of 15 down to 2.1 days. The data suggest that best performance is achieved in the USR which has longer solids and organism retention. A larger-scale ETU (160 cu ft) was designed and installed at WDW in 1983 and started up in 1984. The purpose of this unit is to validate laboratory experiments and to evaluate larger-scale equipment used for chopping, slurry preparation, mixing, and effluent dewatering. The ETU includes a front end designed for multiple feed processing and storage, a fully instrumented USR digester, and tanks for effluent and gas storage. The ETU is currently being operated on a 2:1 blend (dry wt basis) of water hyacinth and primary sludge. Performance is good without major operational problems. Results of laboratory studies and start-up and operation of the ETU will be presented. 7 references, 4 figures, 1 table.« less

Laboratory to commercial scale - Correlation in the physical properties of biofiber-polymer composites.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bio-fiber polymer composites have been the focus of automotive and building products industries for the last several years. Significant research has been done to improve the processing and performance characteristics of the bio-fiber composite. Most of the initial research is conducted on a small sc...

Coupled effects of solution chemistry and hydrodynamics on the mobility and transport of quantum dot nanomaterials in the Vadose Zone

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To investigate the coupled effects of solution chemistry and vadose zone processes on the mobility of quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles, laboratory scale transport experiments were performed. The complex coupled effects of ionic strength, size of QD aggregates, surface tension, contact angle, infiltrat...

Pasta production: complexity in defining processing conditions for reference trials and quality assessment models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pasta is a simple food made from water and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) semolina. As pasta increases in popularity, studies have endeavored to analyze the attributes that contribute to high quality pasta. Despite being a simple food, the laboratory scale analysis of pasta quality is ...

Perturbations and gradients as fundamental tests for modeling the soil carbon cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond-Lamberty, B. P.; Bailey, V. L.; Becker, K.; Fansler, S.; Hinkle, C.; Liu, C.

2013-12-01

An important step in matching process-level knowledge to larger-scale measurements and model results is to challenge those models with site-specific perturbations and/or changing environmental conditions. Here we subject modified versions of an ecosystem process model to two stringent tests: replicating a long-term climate change dryland experiment (Rattlesnake Mountain) and partitioning the carbon fluxes of a soil drainage gradient in the northern Everglades (Disney Wilderness Preserve). For both sites, on-site measurements were supplemented by laboratory incubations of soil columns. We used a parameter-space search algorithm to optimize, within observational limits, the model's influential inputs, so that the spun-up carbon stocks and fluxes matched observed values. Modeled carbon fluxes (net primary production and net ecosystem exchange) agreed with measured values, within observational error limits, but the model's partitioning of soil fluxes (autotrophic versus heterotrophic), did not match laboratory measurements from either site. Accounting for site heterogeneity at DWP, modeled carbon exchange was reasonably consistent with values from eddy covariance. We discuss the implications of this work for ecosystem- to global scale modeling of ecosystems in a changing climate.

SUPPLEMENTARY COMPARISON: Final report of the bilateral comparison APMP.M.H-S2 of hardness measurement for Rockwell scales A and B between PTB and NIMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanponpute, Tassanai; Meesaplak, Apichaya; Herrmann, Konrad; Menelao, Febo

2009-01-01

The bilateral comparison APMP.M.H-S2 of hardness measurement for Rockwell scales A and B was arranged by the National Institute of Metrology of Thailand, NIMT, as the pilot laboratory, comparing with Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt of Germany, PTB. The objective of this comparison was to confirm the calibration and measurement capabilities of NIMT in hardness measurement. The period of measurement covered March to August 2009. There were two sets of artefacts: scale A artefact set and scale B artefact set. The scale A artefact set consisted of seven hardness blocks: 35 HRA, 40 HRA, 55 HRA, 60 HRA, 70 HRA, 80 HRA, 85 HRA. The artefact set for scale B consisted of nine hardness blocks: 25 HRB, 30 HRB, 40 HRB, 50 HRB, 60 HRB, 70 HRB, 80 HRB, 90 HRB, 100 HRB. Laboratories had to ensure that the primary Rockwell hardness machines passed the verification process according to ISO 6508-3. Then participants measured the hardness value by making ten indentations in a designated area of each artefact block. Hardness measurement results and uncertainty budget were then reported to the pilot laboratory and were used to compute the degrees of equivalence in terms of the Comparison Reference Value (CRV) and En ratio. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by APMP, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

A Unified Multi-scale Model for Cross-Scale Evaluation and Integration of Hydrological and Biogeochemical Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, C.; Yang, X.; Bailey, V. L.; Bond-Lamberty, B. P.; Hinkle, C.

2013-12-01

Mathematical representations of hydrological and biogeochemical processes in soil, plant, aquatic, and atmospheric systems vary with scale. Process-rich models are typically used to describe hydrological and biogeochemical processes at the pore and small scales, while empirical, correlation approaches are often used at the watershed and regional scales. A major challenge for multi-scale modeling is that water flow, biogeochemical processes, and reactive transport are described using different physical laws and/or expressions at the different scales. For example, the flow is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations at the pore-scale in soils, by the Darcy law in soil columns and aquifer, and by the Navier-Stokes equations again in open water bodies (ponds, lake, river) and atmosphere surface layer. This research explores whether the physical laws at the different scales and in different physical domains can be unified to form a unified multi-scale model (UMSM) to systematically investigate the cross-scale, cross-domain behavior of fundamental processes at different scales. This presentation will discuss our research on the concept, mathematical equations, and numerical execution of the UMSM. Three-dimensional, multi-scale hydrological processes at the Disney Wilderness Preservation (DWP) site, Florida will be used as an example for demonstrating the application of the UMSM. In this research, the UMSM was used to simulate hydrological processes in rooting zones at the pore and small scales including water migration in soils under saturated and unsaturated conditions, root-induced hydrological redistribution, and role of rooting zone biogeochemical properties (e.g., root exudates and microbial mucilage) on water storage and wetting/draining. The small scale simulation results were used to estimate effective water retention properties in soil columns that were superimposed on the bulk soil water retention properties at the DWP site. The UMSM parameterized from smaller scale simulations were then used to simulate coupled flow and moisture migration in soils in saturated and unsaturated zones, surface and groundwater exchange, and surface water flow in streams and lakes at the DWP site under dynamic precipitation conditions. Laboratory measurements of soil hydrological and biogeochemical properties are used to parameterize the UMSM at the small scales, and field measurements are used to evaluate the UMSM.

PREFACE Turbulent Mixing and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abarzhi, Snezhana I.; Gauthier, Serge; Niemela, Joseph J.

2010-12-01

The goals of the International Conference 'Turbulent Mixing and Beyond', TMB-2009, are to expose the generic problem of non-equilibrium turbulent processes to a broad scientific community, to promote the development of new ideas in tackling the fundamental aspects of the problem, to assist in the application of novel approaches in a broad range of phenomena, where the turbulent processes occur, and to have a potential impact on technology. The Conference provides the opportunity to bring together researchers from different areas, which include but are not limited to fluid dynamics, plasmas, high energy density physics, astrophysics, material science, combustion, atmospheric and Earth sciences, nonlinear and statistical physics, applied mathematics, probability and statistics, data processing and computations, optics and telecommunications, and to have their attention focused on the long-standing formidable task of non-equilibrium processes. Non-equilibrium turbulent processes play a key role in a broad variety of phenomena spanning astrophysical to atomistic scales and high or low energy density regimes. Inertial confinement and magnetic fusion, light-matter interaction and non-equilibrium heat transfer, strong shocks and explosions, material transformation under high strain rate, supernovae and accretion disks, stellar non-Boussinesq and magneto-convection, planetary interiors and mantle-lithosphere tectonics, premixed and non-premixed combustion, non-canonical wall-bounded flows, hypersonic and supersonic boundary layers, dynamics of atmosphere and oceanography, are just a few examples. A grip on non-equilibrium turbulent processes is crucial for cutting-edge technology such as laser micro-machining, nano-electronics, free-space optical telecommunications, and for industrial applications in the areas of aeronautics and aerodynamics. Non-equilibrium turbulent processes are anisotropic, non-local, multi-scale and multi-phase, and often are driven by shocks or acceleration. Their scaling, spectral and invariant properties differ substantially from those of classical Kolmogorov turbulence. At atomistic and meso-scales, the non-equilibrium dynamics depart dramatically from a standard scenario given by the Gibbs statistic ensemble average and quasi-static Boltzmann equation. The singular aspect and the similarity of the non-equilibrium dynamics at macroscopic scales are interplayed with the fundamental properties of the Euler and compressible Navier-Stokes equations and with the problem sensitivity to the boundary conditions at discontinuities. The state-of-the-art numerical simulations of multi-phase flows suggest new methods for predictive modeling of the multi-scale non-equilibrium dynamics in fluids and plasmas, up to peta-scale level, for error estimate and uncertainty quantification, as well as for novel data assimilation techniques. The Second International Conference and Advanced School 'Turbulent Mixing and Beyond', TMB-2009, was held on 27 July-7 August 2009 at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy. This was a highly informative and exciting meeting, and it strengthened and reaffirmed the success of TMB-2007. TMB-2009 brought together over 180 participants from five continents, ranging from students to members of National Academies of Sciences and Engineering and including researchers at experienced and early stages of their carriers from leading scientific institutions in academia, national laboratories, corporations and industry, from developed and developing countries. The success of TMB-2009 came from the successful work of all the participants, who were responsible professionals caring for the quality of their research and sharing their scientific vision. The level of presentations was high; about 170 presentations included over 60 invited lectures and 15 tutorials (4500 minutes of talks in total), about 40 posters and two Round Tables. TMB-2009 covered 17 different topics, maintaining the scope and the interdisciplinary character of the meeting while keeping the focus on a fundamental scientific problem of non-equilibrium processes and on the Conference objectives. The abstracts of the 194 accepted presentations of more than 400 authors were published in the Book of Abstracts of the Second International Conference and Advanced School 'Turbulent Mixing and Beyond', 27 July-7 August 2009 , Copyright © 2009, the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy (ISBN 92095003-41-1). This Topical Issue consists of 70 articles accepted for publication in the Conference Proceedings and represents a substantial part of the Conference contributions. The articles are in a broad variety of TMB-2009 themes and are sorted alphabetically by the last name of the first author within each of the following topics: Canonical turbulence and turbulent mixing: invariant, scaling, spectral properties, scalar transports, convection; Wall-bounded flows: structure and fundamentals, non-canonical turbulent boundary layers, including unsteady and transitional flows, supersonic and hypersonic flows, shock-boundary layer interactions; Non-equilibrium processes: unsteady, multiphase and shock-driven turbulent flows, anisotropic non-local dynamics, connection of continuous description at macro-scales to kinetic processes at atomistic scales; Interfacial dynamics: instabilities of Rayleigh-Taylor, Kelvin-Helmholtz, Richtmyer-Meshkov, Landau-Darrieus, Saffman-Taylor High energy density physics: inertial confinement and heavy-ion fusion, Z-pinches, light-matter and laser-plasma interactions, non-equilibrium heat transfer; Material science: material transformation under high strain rates, equation of state, impact dynamics, mixing at nano- and micro-scales; Astrophysics: supernovae, interstellar medium, star formation, stellar interiors, early Universe, cosmic-microwave background, accretion disks; Magneto-hydrodynamics: magnetic fusion and magnetically confined plasmas, magneto-convection, magneto-rotational instability, dynamo; Canonical plasmas: coupled plasmas, anomalous resistance, ionosphere; Physics of atmosphere: environmental fluid dynamics, weather forecasting, turbulent flows in stratified media and atmosphere, non-Boussinesq convection; Geophysics and Earth science: mantle-lithosphere tectonics, oceanography, turbulent convection under rotation, planetary interiors; Combustion: dynamics of flames and fires, deflagration-to-detonation transition, blast waves and explosions, flows with chemical reactions, flows in jet engines; Mathematical aspects of non-equilibrium dynamics: vortex dynamics, singularities, discontinuities, asymptotic dynamics, weak solutions, well- and ill-posedness, continuous transports out of thermodynamic equilibrium; Stochastic processes and probabilistic description: long-tail distributions and anomalous diffusion, data assimilation and processing methodologies, error estimate and uncertainty quantification, statistically unsteady processes; Advanced numerical simulations: continuous DNS/LES/RANS, molecular dynamics, Monte-Carlo, predictive modeling, validation and verification of numerical models; Experimental diagnostics: model experiments in high energy density and low energy density regimes, plasma diagnostics, fluid flow visualizations and control, opto-fluidics, novel optical methods, holography, advanced technologies. TMB-2009 was organized by the following members of the Organizing Committee: Snezhana I Abarzhi (chairperson, Chicago, USA) Malcolm J Andrews (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) Sergei I Anisimov (Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russia) Hiroshi Azechi (Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka, Japan) Serge Gauthier (Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, France) Christopher J Keane (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA) Robert Rosner (Argonne National Laboratory, USA) Katepalli R Sreenivasan (International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy) Alexander L Velikovich (Naval Research Laboratory, USA) and the Local Organizing Committee at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy Joseph J Niemela Katepalli R Sreenivasan with the assistance of Suzie Radosic (administrator and assistant, ICTP) Daniil Ilyin (web-master, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Chicago, USA) The Conference and the School were sponsored by several Agencies and Institutions in the USA, Europe and Japan. The Organizing Committee of TMB-2009 gratefully acknowledges the support of International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Italy National Science Foundation (NSF), USA Programs: Plasma Physics; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Computational Mathematics; Applied Mathematics; Fluid Dynamics; Combustion, Fire and Plasma Systems; Cyber-Physical Systems; Computer and Network Systems Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), US Programs: Hypersonics and Turbulence; Flow Control and Aeroelasticity European Office of Aerospace Research and Development (EOARD) of the AFOSR, UK Programs: Aeronautical Sciences Department of Energy (DOE), USA, DOE Office of Science US Department of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), USA Programs: National Ignition Facility; Fusion Energy US Department of Energy Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), USA US Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), USA Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), France Institute for Laser Engineering (ILE), Japan The University of Chicago, USA ASC Alliance Center for Astrophysical Thermonuclear Flashes, USA Photron (Europe) Ltd, UK and thank them for making this event possible. We express our gratitude for the help with the Conference Program to the members of the Scientific Advisory Committee: S I Abarzhi (University of Chicago, USA) Y Aglitskiy (Science Applications International Corporation, USA) H Azechi (Institute for Laser Engineering, Osaka, Japan) M J Andrews (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) S I Anisimov (Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russia) E Bodenschatz (Max Plank Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Germany) F Cattaneo (University of Chicago, USA) P Cvitanović (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA) S Cowley (Imperial College, UK) S Dalziel (DAMTP, University of Cambridge, UK) W S Don (Brown University, USA) R Ecke (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) H J Fernando (Arizona State University, USA) I Foster (University of Chicago, USA) S Gauthier (Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, France) G A Glatzmaier (University of California at Santa Cruz, USA) J Glimm (State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA) W A Goddard III (California Institute of Technology, USA) J Jimenez (Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain) L P Kadanoff (The University of Chicago, USA) D Q Lamb (The University of Chicago, USA) D P Lathrop (University of Maryland, USA) S Lebedev (Imperial College, UK) P Manneville (École Polytechnique, France) D I Meiron (California Institute of Technology, USA) P Moin (Stanford University, USA) A Nepomnyashchy (Technion, Israel) J Niemela (International Center for Theoretical Physics, Italy) K Nishihara (Institute for Laser Engineering, Osaka, Japan) S S Orlov (Stanford University, USA) S A Orszag (Yale University, USA) E Ott (University of Maryland, USA) N Peters (RWTH Aachen University, Germany) S B Pope (Cornell, USA) A Pouquet (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, USA) B A Remington (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA) R Rosner (Argonne National Laboratory and University of Chicago, USA) A J Schmitt (Naval Research Laboratory, USA) C -W Shu (Brown University, USA) K R Sreenivasan (International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy) E Tadmor (University of Maryland, USA) Y C F Thio (US Department of Energy) A L Velikovich (Naval Research Laboratory, USA) V Yakhot (Boston University, USA) P K Yeung (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA) F A Williams (University of California at San Diego, USA) E Zweibel (University of Wisconsin, USA). We deeply appreciate the work of the Selection Committee for applications for the Advanced School: S Gauthier (Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, France) C J Keane (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA) J Niemela (International Center for Theoretical Physics, Italy) S S Orlov (Stanford University, USA) A L Velikovich (Naval Research Laboratory, USA) and thank the members of the Committee for the award 'Turbulent Mixing and Beyond for Youth': S I Abarzhi (University of Chicago, USA) M J Andrews (Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA) P Cvitanović (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA) S Gauthier (Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, France) C J Keane (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA) S Lebedev (Imperial College, UK) J Niemela (International Center for Theoretical Physics, Italy) S S Orlov (Stanford University, USA) A Pouquet (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, USA) K R Sreenivasan (International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Italy) A L Velikovich (Naval Research Laboratory, USA) We would like to thank all the authors and the referees for their contributions to this Topical Issue and for offering their expertise, time and effort. The readers are cordially invited to take a look at this Topical Issue for information on the frontiers of theoretical, numerical and experimental research, and state-of-the-art technology. The Organizing Committee hopes the TMB Conference will serve to advance the state-of-the-art in understanding of fundamental physical properties of non-equilibrium turbulent processes and will have an impact on predictive modeling capabilities, physical description and, ultimately, control of these complex processes. Welcome to the Topical Issue 'Turbulent Mixing and Beyond', TMB-2009.

Novel two stage bio-oxidation and chlorination process for high strength hazardous coal carbonization effluent.

PubMed

Manekar, Pravin; Biswas, Rima; Karthik, Manikavasagam; Nandy, Tapas

2011-05-15

Effluent generated from coal carbonization to coke was characterized with high organic content, phenols, ammonium nitrogen, and cyanides. A full scale effluent treatment plant (ETP) working on the principle of single stage carbon-nitrogen bio-oxidation process (SSCNBP) revealed competition between heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria in the bio-degradation and nitrification process. The effluent was pretreated in a stripper and further combined with other streams to treat in the SSCNBP. Laboratory studies were carried on process and stripped effluents in a bench scale model of ammonia stripper and a two stage bio-oxidation process. The free ammonia removal efficiency of stripper was in the range 70-89%. Bench scale studies of the two stage bio-oxidation process achieved a carbon-nitrogen reduction at 6 days hydraulic retention time (HRT) operating in an extended aeration mode. This paper addresses the studies on selection of a treatment process for removal of organic matter, phenols, cyanide and ammonia nitrogen. The treatment scheme comprising ammonia stripping (pretreatment) followed by the two stage bio-oxidation and chlorination process met the Indian Standards for discharge into Inland Surface Waters. This treatment process package offers a techno-economically viable treatment scheme to neuter hazardous effluent generated from coal carbonization process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emulsified systems based on glyceryl monostearate and potassium cetyl phosphate: scale-up and characterization of physical properties.

PubMed

Baby, André Rolim; Santoro, Diego Monegatto; Velasco, Maria Valéria Robles; Dos Reis Serra, Cristina Helena

2008-09-01

Introducing a pharmaceutical product on the market involves several stages of research. The scale-up stage comprises the integration of previous phases of development and their integration. This phase is extremely important since many process limitations which do not appear on the small scale become significant on the transposition to a large one. Since scientific literature presents only a few reports about the characterization of emulsified systems involving their scaling-up, this research work aimed at evaluating physical properties of non-ionic and anionic emulsions during their manufacturing phases: laboratory stage and scale-up. Prototype non-ionic (glyceryl monostearate) and anionic (potassium cetyl phosphate) emulsified systems had the physical properties by the determination of the droplet size (D[4,3], mum) and rheology profile. Transposition occurred from a batch of 500-50,000g. Semi-industrial manufacturing involved distinct conditions: intensity of agitation and homogenization. Comparing the non-ionic and anionic systems, it was observed that anionic emulsifiers generated systems with smaller droplet size and higher viscosity in laboratory scale. Besides that, for the concentrations tested, augmentation of the glyceryl monostearate emulsifier content provided formulations with better physical characteristics. For systems with potassium cetyl phosphate, droplet size increased with the elevation of the emulsifier concentration, suggesting inadequate stability. The scale-up provoked more significant alterations on the rheological profile and droplet size on the anionic systems than the non-ionic.

Heat and mass transfer scale-up issues during freeze-drying, III: control and characterization of dryer differences via operational qualification tests.

PubMed

Rambhatla, S; Tchessalov, S; Pikal, Michael J

2006-04-21

The objective of this research was to estimate differences in heat and mass transfer between freeze dryers due to inherent design characteristics using data obtained from sublimation tests. This study also aimed to provide guidelines for convenient scale-up of the freeze-drying process. Data obtained from sublimation tests performed on laboratory-scale, pilot, and production freeze dryers were used to evaluate various heat and mass transfer parameters: nonuniformity in shelf surface temperatures, resistance of pipe, refrigeration system, and condenser. Emissivity measurements of relevant surfaces such as the chamber wall and the freeze dryer door were taken to evaluate the impact of atypical radiation heat transfer during scale-up. "Hot" and "cold" spots were identified on the shelf surface of different freeze dryers, and the impact of variation in shelf surface temperatures on the primary drying time and the product temperature during primary drying was studied. Calculations performed using emissivity measurements on different freeze dryers suggest that a front vial in the laboratory lyophilizer received 1.8 times more heat than a front vial in a manufacturing freeze dryer operating at a shelf temperature of -25 degrees C and a chamber pressure of 150 mTorr during primary drying. Therefore, front vials in the laboratory are much more atypical than front vials in manufacturing. Steady-state heat and mass transfer equations were used to study a combination of different scale-up issues pertinent during lyophilization cycles commonly used for the freeze-drying of pharmaceuticals.

Study of the Influence of Key Process Parameters on Furfural Production.

PubMed

Fele Žilnik, Ljudmila; Grilc, Viktor; Mirt, Ivan; Cerovečki, Željko

2016-01-01

The present work reports the influence of key process variables on the furfural formation from leached chestnut-wood chips in a pressurized reactor. Effect of temperature, pressure, type and concentration of the catalyst solution, the steam flow rate or stripping module, the moisture content of the wood particles and geometric characteristics such as size and type of the reactor, particle size and bed height were considered systematically. One stage process was only taken into consideration. Lab-scale and pilot-scale studies were performed. The results of the non-catalysed laboratory experiments were compared with an actual non-catalysed (auto-catalysed) industrial process and with experiments on the pilot scale, the latter with 28% higher furfural yield compared to the others. Application of sulphuric acid as catalyst, in an amount of 0.03-0.05 g (H2SO4 100%)/g d.m. (dry material), enables a higher production of furfural at lower temperature and pressure of steam in a shorter reaction time. Pilot scale catalysed experiments have revealed very good performance for furfural formation under less severe operating conditions, with a maximum furfural yield as much as 88% of the theoretical value.

SEPARATION OF Cs$sup 137$ FROM HIGH-ACTIVITY RADIOACTIVE WASTE (in Dutch)

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

None

1963-01-01

A process was developed on a laboratory scale to separate Cs/sup 137/ from waste fuels of atomic reactors. The recovery of this powerful and industrially important gamma emitter of 30 years half life is said to be so simple as to make it possible on an industrial scale. It is based on the preferential absorption of Cs by ammonium phosphor-molybdate from the nitric acid solution of the waste material and the subsequent extraction of Cs from its absorber. This method is more practical than other processes which are based upon precipitation and recrystallization of cesium salts. It was successfully testedmore » on waste solutions of very different compositions. (OID)« less

Fabrication and evaluation of advanced titanium structural panels for supersonic cruise aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Payne, L.

1977-01-01

Flightworthy primary structural panels were designed, fabricated, and tested to investigate two advanced fabrication methods for titanium alloys. Skin-stringer panels fabricated using the weldbraze process, and honeycomb-core sandwich panels fabricated using a diffusion bonding process, were designed to replace an existing integrally stiffened shear panel on the upper wing surface of the NASA YF-12 research aircraft. The investigation included ground testing and Mach 3 flight testing of full-scale panels, and laboratory testing of representative structural element specimens. Test results obtained on full-scale panels and structural element specimens indicate that both of the fabrication methods investigated are suitable for primary structural applications on future civil and military supersonic cruise aircraft.

URANIUM RECOVERY FROM COMPOSITE UF$sub 4$ REDUCTION BOMB WASTES

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

Johnson, E R; Doyle, R L; Coleman, J R

1954-01-28

A number of techniques have been investigated on a laboratory-scale for separating uranium from fluorides during the recovery of uranium from UF4 reduction bomb wastes (C-oxide) by an HCl leach - NH4OH precipitation process. Among these are included adsorption of fluorides from filtered leach liquors, fractional precipitation of fluorides and uranium, complexing of fluorides into forms soluble in slightly acid solutions, and fluoride volatilization from the uranium concentrate. Solubility studies of CaF2 and MgF2 in aqueous hydrochloric acid at various acidities and temperatures were also conducted. A description of the production-scale processing of C-oxide in the FMPC scrap plant hasmore » been included.« less

Passive seismic monitoring of natural and induced earthquakes: case studies, future directions and socio-economic relevance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bohnhoff, Marco; Dresen, Georg; Ellsworth, William L.; Ito, Hisao; Cloetingh, Sierd; Negendank, Jörg

2010-01-01

An important discovery in crustal mechanics has been that the Earth’s crust is commonly stressed close to failure, even in tectonically quiet areas. As a result, small natural or man-made perturbations to the local stress field may trigger earthquakes. To understand these processes, Passive Seismic Monitoring (PSM) with seismometer arrays is a widely used technique that has been successfully applied to study seismicity at different magnitude levels ranging from acoustic emissions generated in the laboratory under controlled conditions, to seismicity induced by hydraulic stimulations in geological reservoirs, and up to great earthquakes occurring along plate boundaries. In all these environments the appropriate deployment of seismic sensors, i.e., directly on the rock sample, at the earth’s surface or in boreholes close to the seismic sources allows for the detection and location of brittle failure processes at sufficiently low magnitude-detection threshold and with adequate spatial resolution for further analysis. One principal aim is to develop an improved understanding of the physical processes occurring at the seismic source and their relationship to the host geologic environment. In this paper we review selected case studies and future directions of PSM efforts across a wide range of scales and environments. These include induced failure within small rock samples, hydrocarbon reservoirs, and natural seismicity at convergent and transform plate boundaries. Each example represents a milestone with regard to bridging the gap between laboratory-scale experiments under controlled boundary conditions and large-scale field studies. The common motivation for all studies is to refine the understanding of how earthquakes nucleate, how they proceed and how they interact in space and time. This is of special relevance at the larger end of the magnitude scale, i.e., for large devastating earthquakes due to their severe socio-economic impact.

EFFECTS OF LARVAL STOCKING DENSITY ON LABORATORY-SCALE AND COMMERICAL-SCALE PRODUCTION OF SUMMER FLOUNDER, PARALICHTHYS DENTATUS

EPA Science Inventory

Three experiments investigating larval stocking densities of summer flounder from hatch to metamorphosis, Paralichthys dentatus, were conducted at laboratory-scale (75-L aquaria) and at commercial scale (1,000-L tanks). Experiments 1 and 2 at commercial scale tested the densities...

Preparation, characterization, and scale-up of ketoconazole with enhanced dissolution and bioavailability.

PubMed

Elder, Edmund J; Evans, Jonathan C; Scherzer, Brian D; Hitt, James E; Kupperblatt, Gary B; Saghir, Shakil A; Markham, Dan A

2007-07-01

Many new molecular entities targeted for pharmaceutical applications face serious development challenges because of poor water solubility. Although particle engineering technologies such as controlled precipitation have been shown to enhance aqueous dissolution and bioavailability of poorly water soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients, the data available are the results of laboratory-scale experiments. These technologies must be evaluated at larger scale to ensure that the property enhancement is scalable and that the modified drugs can be processed on conventional equipment. In experiments using ketoconazole as the model drug, the controlled precipitation process was shown to produce kg-scale modified drug powder with enhanced dissolution comparable to that of lab-scale powder. Ketoconazole was demonstrated to be stable throughout the controlled precipitation process, with a residual methanol level below the ICH limit. The modified crystalline powder can be formulated, and then compressed using conventional high-speed tableting equipment, and the resulting tablets showed bioavailability more than double that of commercial tablets. When appropriately protected from moisture, both the modified powder and tablets prepared from the modified powder showed no change in dissolution performance for at least 6 months following storage at accelerated conditions and for at least 18 months following storage at room temperature.

Analogue modeling for science outreach: glacier flows at Antarctic National Museum, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeoli, A.; Corti, G.; Folco, L.; Ossola, C.

2012-12-01

Comprehension of internal deformation and of ice flow in the Antarctic ice sheet in relation with the bedrock topography and with the thickness variation induced by climatic variations represent an important target for the scientific community. Analogue modelling technique aims to analyze geological or geomorphological processes through physical models built at a reduced geometrical scale in laboratory and deformed at reasonable scale of times. Corti et al. (2003 and 2008) have shown that this technique could also be used successfully for ice flow dynamic. Moreover, this technique gives a three-dimensional view of the processes. The models, that obviously simplify the geometry and rheology of natural processes, represent a geometrically, cinematically, dynamically and rheologically scaled analogue of the natural glacial environment. Following a procedure described in previous papers, proper materials have been selected to simulate the rheological behaviour of ice. In particular, during the experiments a Polydimethilsyloxane (PDMS) has been used to simulate glacial flow. PDMS is a transparent Newtonian silicone with a viscosity of 1.4 104 Pa s and a density of 965 kg m-3 (see material properties in Weijermars, 1986). The scaling of the model to natural conditions let to obtain reliable results for a correct comparison with the glacial processes under investigation. Models have been built with a with a geometrical scaling ratio of ~1.5 10-5, such that 1 cm in the model represents ~700 m in nature. The physical models have been deformed in terrestrial gravity field by allowing the PDMS to flow inside a Plexiglas box. In particular, the silicone has been poured inside the Plexiglas box and allowed to settle in order to obtain a flat free surface; the box has been then inclined of some degrees in order to allow the silicone to flow. Several boxes illustrating different glacial processes have been realized; each of them could be easily performed in short time and in standard laboratories. One of the main aims of the Antarctic National Museum in Siena (Italy) is to establish a strategy to deliver results to a broader scientific community. Time and spatial small scale of the experiments lead the analogue modeling technique easy to be shown to non-technical audiences through direct participation during Museum visits. All these experiments engage both teachers and students from primary and secondary schools and the general public.

Effect of ambient light on monoclonal antibody product quality during small-scale mammalian cell culture process in clear glass bioreactors.

PubMed

Mallaney, Mary; Wang, Szu-Han; Sreedhara, Alavattam

2014-01-01

During a small-scale cell culture process producing a monoclonal antibody, a larger than expected difference was observed in the charge variants profile of the harvested cell culture fluid (HCCF) between the 2 L and larger scales (e.g., 400 L and 12 kL). Small-scale studies performed at the 2 L scale consistently showed an increase in acidic species when compared with the material made at larger scale. Since the 2 L bioreactors were made of clear transparent glass while the larger scale reactors are made of stainless steel, the effect of ambient laboratory light on cell culture process in 2 L bioreactors as well as handling the HCCF was carefully evaluated. Photoreactions in the 2 L glass bioreactors including light mediated increase in acidic variants in HCCF and formulation buffers were identified and carefully analyzed. While the acidic variants comprised of a mixture of sialylated, reduced disulfide, crosslinked (nonreducible), glycated, and deamidated forms, an increase in the nonreducible forms, deamidation and Met oxidation was predominantly observed under light stress. The monoclonal antibody produced in glass bioreactors that were protected from light behaved similar to the one produced in the larger scale. Our data clearly indicate that care should be taken when glass bioreactors are used in cell culture studies during monoclonal antibody production. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Advanced, Energy-Efficient Hybrid Membrane System for Industrial Water Reuse

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

Toy, Lora; Choi, Young Chul; Hendren, Zachary

In the U.S. manufacturing sector, current industrial water use practices are energy-intensive and utilize and discharge high volumes of waters, rendering them not sustainable especially in light of the growing scarcity of suitable water supplies. To help address this problem, the goal of this project was to develop an advanced, cost-effective, hybrid membrane-based water treatment system that can improve the energy efficiency of industrial wastewater treatment while allowing at least 50% water reuse efficiency. This hybrid process would combine emerging Forward Osmosis (FO) and Membrane Distillation (MD) technology components into an integrated FO-MD system that can beneficially utilize low-grade wastemore » heat (i.e., T < 450 °F) in industrial facilities to produce distilled-quality product water for reuse. In this project, laboratory-, bench-, and pilot-scale experiments on the hybrid FO-MD system were conducted for industrial wastewater treatment. It was demonstrated at laboratory, bench, and pilot scales that FO-MD membrane technology can concentrate brine to very high total dissolved solids (TDS) levels (>200,000 ppm) that are at least 2.5 times higher than the TDS level to which RO can achieve. In laboratory testing, currently available FO and MD membranes were tested to select for high-performing membranes with high salt rejection and high water flux. Multiple FO membrane/draw-salt solution combinations that gave high water flux with higher than 98% salt rejection were also identified. Reverse draw-salt fluxes were observed to be much lower for divalent salts than for monovalent salts. MD membranes were identified that had 99.9+% salt rejection and water flux as high as 50-90 L/(m 2·h) for flat-sheet membranes and >20 L/(m 2·h) for hollow fibers. In bench-scale testing, a single unit of commercially available FO and MD membrane modules were evaluated for continuous, integrated operation. Using the laboratory- and bench-scale test data, numerical modeling was performed on the FO and MD processes to estimate engineering parameters for a larger-scale pilot unit. Based on the experimental studies and modeling results, a pilot-scale, integrated FO-MD prototype unit was designed and built for trailer-mounted operation. This prototype system was fed real industrial wastewater, which could not be further treated by conventional technologies, from an oil production facility and was successfully operated for over 15 weeks without major stoppage. About 90% water recovery was possible, while concentrating the TDS from 12,000 ppm up to 190,500 ppm. The FO-MD prototype rejected most wastewater contaminants while producing water with <300 ppm TDS, even when the feed TDS was higher than 150,000 ppm. No chemical cleaning was necessary during the pilot testing period. Flushing the system with dechlorinated tap water was sufficient to reset the membranes for the next set of test conditions. Pilot performance and membrane autopsy showed that, even though the feed was concentrated more than 10 times, membrane fouling was unnoticeable and no defects were detected on the FO and MD membrane surfaces. This project demonstrated the technical feasibility of the hybrid FO-MD process by taking water already treated to the limit with the highest level of current technologies and further concentrating it 10-fold by using mostly low-cost materials. Because no membranes suitable for full-scale plant applications are available at present, economical feasibility of the hybrid technology is still uncertain, but it is expected that broader industry participation can further reduce FO-MD process costs.« less

Magnetic resonance imaging in laboratory petrophysical core analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, J.; Chandrasekera, T. C.; Holland, D. J.; Gladden, L. F.; Fordham, E. J.

2013-05-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a well-known technique in medical diagnosis and materials science. In the more specialized arena of laboratory-scale petrophysical rock core analysis, the role of MRI has undergone a substantial change in focus over the last three decades. Initially, alongside the continual drive to exploit higher magnetic field strengths in MRI applications for medicine and chemistry, the same trend was followed in core analysis. However, the spatial resolution achievable in heterogeneous porous media is inherently limited due to the magnetic susceptibility contrast between solid and fluid. As a result, imaging resolution at the length-scale of typical pore diameters is not practical and so MRI of core-plugs has often been viewed as an inappropriate use of expensive magnetic resonance facilities. Recently, there has been a paradigm shift in the use of MRI in laboratory-scale core analysis. The focus is now on acquiring data in the laboratory that are directly comparable to data obtained from magnetic resonance well-logging tools (i.e., a common physics of measurement). To maintain consistency with well-logging instrumentation, it is desirable to measure distributions of transverse (T2) relaxation time-the industry-standard metric in well-logging-at the laboratory-scale. These T2 distributions can be spatially resolved over the length of a core-plug. The use of low-field magnets in the laboratory environment is optimal for core analysis not only because the magnetic field strength is closer to that of well-logging tools, but also because the magnetic susceptibility contrast is minimized, allowing the acquisition of quantitative image voxel (or pixel) intensities that are directly scalable to liquid volume. Beyond simple determination of macroscopic rock heterogeneity, it is possible to utilize the spatial resolution for monitoring forced displacement of oil by water or chemical agents, determining capillary pressure curves, and estimating wettability. The history of MRI in petrophysics is reviewed and future directions considered, including advanced data processing techniques such as compressed sensing reconstruction and Bayesian inference analysis of under-sampled data. Although this review focuses on rock core analysis, the techniques described are applicable in a wider context to porous media in general, such as cements, soils, ceramics, and catalytic materials.

Fate of Methane Emitted from Dissociating Marine Hydrates: Modeling, Laboratory, and Field Constraints

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

Juanes, Ruben

The overall goals of this research are: (1) to determine the physical fate of single and multiple methane bubbles emitted to the water column by dissociating gas hydrates at seep sites deep within the hydrate stability zone or at the updip limit of gas hydrate stability, and (2) to quantitatively link theoretical and laboratory findings on methane transport to the analysis of real-world field-scale methane plume data placed within the context of the degrading methane hydrate province on the US Atlantic margin. The project is arranged to advance on three interrelated fronts (numerical modeling, laboratory experiments, and analysis of field-basedmore » plume data) simultaneously. The fundamental objectives of each component are the following: Numerical modeling: Constraining the conditions under which rising bubbles become armored with hydrate, the impact of hydrate armoring on the eventual fate of a bubble’s methane, and the role of multiple bubble interactions in survival of methane plumes to very shallow depths in the water column. Laboratory experiments: Exploring the parameter space (e.g., bubble size, gas saturation in the liquid phase, “proximity” to the stability boundary) for formation of a hydrate shell around a free bubble in water, the rise rate of such bubbles, and the bubble’s acoustic characteristics using field-scale frequencies. Field component: Extending the results of numerical modeling and laboratory experiments to the field-scale using brand new, existing, public-domain, state-of-the-art real world data on US Atlantic margin methane seeps, without acquiring new field data in the course of this particular project. This component quantitatively analyzes data on Atlantic margin methane plumes and place those new plumes and their corresponding seeps within the context of gas hydrate degradation processes on this margin.« less

An efficient laboratory workflow for environmental risk assessment of organic chemicals.

PubMed

Zhu, Linyan; Santiago-Schübel, Beatrix; Xiao, Hongxia; Thiele, Björn; Zhu, Zhiliang; Qiu, Yanling; Hollert, Henner; Küppers, Stephan

2015-07-01

In this study, we demonstrate a fast and efficient workflow to investigate the transformation mechanism of organic chemicals and evaluate the toxicity of their transformation products (TPs) in laboratory scale. The transformation process of organic chemicals was first simulated by electrochemistry coupled online to mass spectrometry (EC-MS). The simulated reactions were scaled up in a batch EC reactor to receive larger amounts of a reaction mixture. The mixture sample was purified and concentrated by solid phase extraction (SPE) for the further ecotoxicological testing. The combined toxicity of the reaction mixture was evaluated in fish egg test (FET) (Danio rerio) compared to the parent compound. The workflow was verified with carbamazepine (CBZ). By using EC-MS seven primary TPs of CBZ were identified; the degradation mechanism was elucidated and confirmed by comparison to literature. The reaction mixture and one primary product (acridine) showed higher ecotoxicity in fish egg assay with 96 h EC50 values of 1.6 and 1.0 mg L(-1) than CBZ with the value of 60.8 mg L(-1). The results highlight the importance of transformation mechanism study and toxicological effect evaluation for organic chemicals brought into the environment since transformation of them may increase the toxicity. The developed process contributes a fast and efficient laboratory method for the risk assessment of organic chemicals and their TPs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coupled numerical modeling of gas hydrates bearing sediments from laboratory to field-scale conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, M. J.; Santamarina, C.; Gai, X., Sr.; Teymouri, M., Sr.

2017-12-01

Stability and behavior of Hydrate Bearing Sediments (HBS) are characterized by the metastable character of the gas hydrate structure which strongly depends on thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical (THCM) actions. Hydrate formation, dissociation and methane production from hydrate bearing sediments are coupled THCM processes that involve, amongst other, exothermic formation and endothermic dissociation of hydrate and ice phases, mixed fluid flow and large changes in fluid pressure. The analysis of available data from past field and laboratory experiments, and the optimization of future field production studies require a formal and robust numerical framework able to capture the very complex behavior of this type of soil. A comprehensive fully coupled THCM formulation has been developed and implemented into a finite element code to tackle problems involving gas hydrates sediments. Special attention is paid to the geomechanical behavior of HBS, and particularly to their response upon hydrate dissociation under loading. The numerical framework has been validated against recent experiments conducted under controlled conditions in the laboratory that challenge the proposed approach and highlight the complex interaction among THCM processes in HBS. The performance of the models in these case studies is highly satisfactory. Finally, the numerical code is applied to analyze the behavior of gas hydrate soils under field-scale conditions exploring different features of material behavior under possible reservoir conditions.

Properties of small-scale interfacial turbulence from a novel thermography based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnieders, Jana; Garbe, Christoph

2013-04-01

Oceans cover nearly two thirds of the earth's surface and exchange processes between the Atmosphere and the Ocean are of fundamental environmental importance. At the air-sea interface, complex interaction processes take place on a multitude of scales. Turbulence plays a key role in the coupling of momentum, heat and mass transfer [2]. Here we use high resolution infrared imagery to visualize near surface aqueous turbulence. Thermographic data is analized from a range of laboratory facilities and experimental conditions with wind speeds ranging from 1ms-1 to 7ms-1 and various surface conditions. The surface heat pattern is formed by distinct structures on two scales - small-scale short lived structures termed fish scales and larger scale cold streaks that are consistent with the footprints of Langmuir Circulations. There are two key characteristics of the observed surface heat patterns: (1) The surface heat patterns show characteristic features of scales. (2) The structure of these patterns change with increasing wind stress and surface conditions. We present a new image processing based approach to the analysis of the spacing of cold streaks based on a machine learning approach [4, 1] to classify the thermal footprints of near surface turbulence. Our random forest classifier is based on classical features in image processing such as gray value gradients and edge detecting features. The result is a pixel-wise classification of the surface heat pattern with a subsequent analysis of the streak spacing. This approach has been presented in [3] and can be applied to a wide range of experimental data. In spite of entirely different boundary conditions, the spacing of turbulent cells near the air-water interface seems to match the expected turbulent cell size for flow near a no-slip wall. The analysis of the spacing of cold streaks shows consistent behavior in a range of laboratory facilities when expressed as a function of water sided friction velocity, u*. The scales systematically decrease until a point of saturation at u* = 0.7 cm/s. Results suggest a saturation in the tangential stress, anticipating that similar behavior will be observed in the open ocean. A comparison with studies of small-scale Langmuir circulations and Langmuir numbers shows that thermal footprints in infrared images are consistent with Langmuir circulations and depend strongly on wind wave conditions. Our approach is not limited to laboratory measurments. In the near future, we will deploy it on in-situ measurements and verify our findings in these more challenging conditions. References [1] L. Breimann. Random forests. Machine Learning, 45:5-32, 2001. [2] S. P. McKenna and W. R. McGillis. The role of free-surface turbulence and surfactants in air-water gas transfer. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 47:539-553, 2004. [3] J Schnieders, C. S. Garbe, W.L. Peirson, and C. J. Zappa. Analyzing the footprints of near surface aqueous turbulence - an image processing based approach. Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans, 2013. [4] Christoph Sommer, Christoph Straehle, Ullrich Koethe, and Fred A. Hamprecht. ilastik: Interactive learning and segmentation toolkit. In 8th IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging (ISBI 2011), 2011. [5] W.-T. Tsai, S.-M. Chen, and C.-H. Moeng. A numerical study on the evolution and structure of a stress-driven free-surface turbulent shear flow. J. Fluid Mech., 545:163-192, 2005.

Proposal of a framework for scale-up life cycle inventory: A case of nanofibers for lithium iron phosphate cathode applications.

PubMed

Simon, Bálint; Bachtin, Krystyna; Kiliç, Ali; Amor, Ben; Weil, Marcel

2016-07-01

Environmental assessments are crucial for the management of the environmental impacts of a product in a rapidly developing world. The design phase creates opportunities for acting on the environmental issues of products using life cycle assessment (LCA). However, the LCA is hampered by a lack of information originating from distinct scales along the product or technology value chain. Many studies have been undertaken to handle similar problems, but these studies are case-specific and do not analyze the development options in the initial design phase. Thus, systematic studies are needed to determine the possible scaling. Knowledge from such screening studies would open the door for developing new methods that can tackle a given scaling problem. The present article proposes a scale-up procedure that aims to generate a new life cycle inventory (LCI) on a theoretical industrial scale, based on information from laboratory experiments. Three techniques are described to obtain the new LCI. Investigation of a laboratory-scale procedure is discussed to find similar industrial processes as a benchmark for describing a theoretical large-scale production process. Furthermore, LCA was performed on a model system of nanofiber electrospinning for Li-ion battery cathode applications. The LCA results support material developers in identifying promising development pathways. For example, the present study pointed out the significant impacts of dimethylformamide on suspension preparation and the power requirements of distinct electrospinning subprocesses. Nanofiber-containing battery cells had greater environmental impacts than did the reference cell, although they had better electrochemical performance, such as better wettability of the electrode, improving the electrode's electrosorption capacity, and longer expected lifetime. Furthermore, material and energy recovery throughout the production chain could decrease the environmental impacts by 40% to 70%, making the nanofiber a promising battery cathode. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:465-477. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Upscaling of reaction rates in reactive transport using pore-scale reactive transport model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, H.; Dewers, T. A.; Arnold, B. W.; Major, J. R.; Eichhubl, P.; Srinivasan, S.

2013-12-01

Dissolved CO2 during geological CO2 storage may react with minerals in fractured rocks, confined aquifers, or faults, resulting in mineral precipitation and dissolution. The overall rate of reaction can be affected by coupled processes among hydrodynamics, transport, and reactions at the (sub) pore-scale. In this research pore-scale modeling of coupled fluid flow, reactive transport, and heterogeneous reaction at the mineral surface is applied to account for permeability alterations caused by precipitation-induced pore-blocking. This work is motivated by the observed CO2 seeps from a natural analog to geologic CO2 sequestration at Crystal Geyser, Utah. A key observation is the lateral migration of CO2 seep sites at a scale of ~ 100 meters over time. A pore-scale model provides fundamental mechanistic explanations of how calcite precipitation alters flow paths by pore plugging under different geochemical compositions and pore configurations. In addition, response function of reaction rates will be constructed from pore-scale simulations which account for a range of reaction regimes characterized by the Damkohler and Peclet numbers. Newly developed response functions will be used in a continuum scale model that may account for large-scale phenomena mimicking lateral migration of surface CO2 seeps. Comparison of field observations and simulations results will provide mechanistic explanations of the lateral migration and enhance our understanding of subsurface processes associated with the CO2 injection. This work is supported as part of the Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0001114. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Technical Proposal for Loading 3000 Gallon Crude Oil Samples from Field Terminal to Sandia Pressurized Tanker to Support US DOE/DOT Crude Oil Characterization Research Study

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

Lord, David L.; Allen, Raymond

Sandia National Laboratories is seeking access to crude oil samples for a research project evaluating crude oil combustion properties in large-scale tests at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM. Samples must be collected from a source location and transported to Albuquerque in a tanker that complies with all applicable regulations for transportation of crude oil over public roadways. Moreover, the samples must not gain or lose any components, to include dissolved gases, from the point of loading through the time of combustion at the Sandia testing facility. In order to achieve this, Sandia designed and is currently procuring a custommore » tanker that utilizes water displacement in order to achieve these performance requirements. The water displacement procedure is modeled after the GPA 2174 standard “Obtaining Liquid Hydrocarbons Samples for Analysis by Gas Chromatography” (GPA 2014) that is used routinely by crude oil analytical laboratories for capturing and testing condensates and “live” crude oils, though it is practiced at the liter scale in most applications. The Sandia testing requires 3,000 gallons of crude. As such, the water displacement method will be upscaled and implemented in a custom tanker. This report describes the loading process for acquiring a ~3,000 gallon crude oil sample from commercial process piping containing single phase liquid crude oil at nominally 50-100 psig. This document contains a general description of the process (Section 2), detailed loading procedure (Section 3) and associated oil testing protocols (Section 4).« less

Novel process windows for enabling, accelerating, and uplifting flow chemistry.

PubMed

Hessel, Volker; Kralisch, Dana; Kockmann, Norbert; Noël, Timothy; Wang, Qi

2013-05-01

Novel Process Windows make use of process conditions that are far from conventional practices. This involves the use of high temperatures, high pressures, high concentrations (solvent-free), new chemical transformations, explosive conditions, and process simplification and integration to boost synthetic chemistry on both the laboratory and production scale. Such harsh reaction conditions can be safely reached in microstructured reactors due to their excellent transport intensification properties. This Review discusses the different routes towards Novel Process Windows and provides several examples for each route grouped into different classes of chemical and process-design intensification. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Probing the Reproducibility of Leaf Growth and Molecular Phenotypes: A Comparison of Three Arabidopsis Accessions Cultivated in Ten Laboratories1[W

PubMed Central

Massonnet, Catherine; Vile, Denis; Fabre, Juliette; Hannah, Matthew A.; Caldana, Camila; Lisec, Jan; Beemster, Gerrit T.S.; Meyer, Rhonda C.; Messerli, Gaëlle; Gronlund, Jesper T.; Perkovic, Josip; Wigmore, Emma; May, Sean; Bevan, Michael W.; Meyer, Christian; Rubio-Díaz, Silvia; Weigel, Detlef; Micol, José Luis; Buchanan-Wollaston, Vicky; Fiorani, Fabio; Walsh, Sean; Rinn, Bernd; Gruissem, Wilhelm; Hilson, Pierre; Hennig, Lars; Willmitzer, Lothar; Granier, Christine

2010-01-01

A major goal of the life sciences is to understand how molecular processes control phenotypes. Because understanding biological systems relies on the work of multiple laboratories, biologists implicitly assume that organisms with the same genotype will display similar phenotypes when grown in comparable conditions. We investigated to what extent this holds true for leaf growth variables and metabolite and transcriptome profiles of three Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genotypes grown in 10 laboratories using a standardized and detailed protocol. A core group of four laboratories generated similar leaf growth phenotypes, demonstrating that standardization is possible. But some laboratories presented significant differences in some leaf growth variables, sometimes changing the genotype ranking. Metabolite profiles derived from the same leaf displayed a strong genotype × environment (laboratory) component. Genotypes could be separated on the basis of their metabolic signature, but only when the analysis was limited to samples derived from one laboratory. Transcriptome data revealed considerable plant-to-plant variation, but the standardization ensured that interlaboratory variation was not considerably larger than intralaboratory variation. The different impacts of the standardization on phenotypes and molecular profiles could result from differences of temporal scale between processes involved at these organizational levels. Our findings underscore the challenge of describing, monitoring, and precisely controlling environmental conditions but also demonstrate that dedicated efforts can result in reproducible data across multiple laboratories. Finally, our comparative analysis revealed that small variations in growing conditions (light quality principally) and handling of plants can account for significant differences in phenotypes and molecular profiles obtained in independent laboratories. PMID:20200072

Technology demonstration of space intravehicular automation and robotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, A. Terry; Barker, L. Keith

1994-01-01

Automation and robotic technologies are being developed and capabilities demonstrated which would increase the productivity of microgravity science and materials processing in the space station laboratory module, especially when the crew is not present. The Automation Technology Branch at NASA Langley has been working in the area of intravehicular automation and robotics (IVAR) to provide a user-friendly development facility, to determine customer requirements for automated laboratory systems, and to improve the quality and efficiency of commercial production and scientific experimentation in space. This paper will describe the IVAR facility and present the results of a demonstration using a simulated protein crystal growth experiment inside a full-scale mockup of the space station laboratory module using a unique seven-degree-of-freedom robot.

On the physical properties of volcanic rock masses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heap, M. J.; Villeneuve, M.; Ball, J. L.; Got, J. L.

2017-12-01

The physical properties (e.g., elastic properties, porosity, permeability, cohesion, strength, amongst others) of volcanic rocks are crucial input parameters for modelling volcanic processes. These parameters, however, are often poorly constrained and there is an apparent disconnect between modellers and those who measure/determine rock and rock mass properties. Although it is well known that laboratory measurements are scale dependent, experimentalists, field volcanologists, and modellers should work together to provide the most appropriate model input parameters. Our pluridisciplinary approach consists of (1) discussing with modellers to better understand their needs, (2) using experimental know-how to build an extensive database of volcanic rock properties, and (3) using geotechnical and field-based volcanological know-how to address scaling issues. For instance, increasing the lengthscale of interest from the laboratory-scale to the volcano-scale will reduce the elastic modulus and strength and increase permeability, but to what extent? How variable are the physical properties of volcanic rocks, and is it appropriate to assume constant, isotropic, and/or homogeneous values for volcanoes? How do alteration, depth, and temperature influence rock physical and mechanical properties? Is rock type important, or do rock properties such as porosity exert a greater control on such parameters? How do we upscale these laboratory-measured properties to rock mass properties using the "fracturedness" of a volcano or volcanic outcrop, and how do we quantify fracturedness? We hope to discuss and, where possible, address some of these issues through active discussion between two (or more) scientific communities.

Network design and quality checks in automatic orientation of close-range photogrammetric blocks.

PubMed

Dall'Asta, Elisa; Thoeni, Klaus; Santise, Marina; Forlani, Gianfranco; Giacomini, Anna; Roncella, Riccardo

2015-04-03

Due to the recent improvements of automatic measurement procedures in photogrammetry, multi-view 3D reconstruction technologies are becoming a favourite survey tool. Rapidly widening structure-from-motion (SfM) software packages offer significantly easier image processing workflows than traditional photogrammetry packages. However, while most orientation and surface reconstruction strategies will almost always succeed in any given task, estimating the quality of the result is, to some extent, still an open issue. An assessment of the precision and reliability of block orientation is necessary and should be included in every processing pipeline. Such a need was clearly felt from the results of close-range photogrammetric surveys of in situ full-scale and laboratory-scale experiments. In order to study the impact of the block control and the camera network design on the block orientation accuracy, a series of Monte Carlo simulations was performed. Two image block configurations were investigated: a single pseudo-normal strip and a circular highly-convergent block. The influence of surveying and data processing choices, such as the number and accuracy of the ground control points, autofocus and camera calibration was investigated. The research highlights the most significant aspects and processes to be taken into account for adequate in situ and laboratory surveys, when modern SfM software packages are used, and evaluates their effect on the quality of the results of the surface reconstruction.

Numerical modelling of hydro-morphological processes dominated by fine suspended sediment in a stormwater pond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Mingfu; Ahilan, Sangaralingam; Yu, Dapeng; Peng, Yong; Wright, Nigel

2018-01-01

Fine sediment plays crucial and multiple roles in the hydrological, ecological and geomorphological functioning of river systems. This study employs a two-dimensional (2D) numerical model to track the hydro-morphological processes dominated by fine suspended sediment, including the prediction of sediment concentration in flow bodies, and erosion and deposition caused by sediment transport. The model is governed by 2D full shallow water equations with which an advection-diffusion equation for fine sediment is coupled. Bed erosion and sedimentation are updated by a bed deformation model based on local sediment entrainment and settling flux in flow bodies. The model is initially validated with the three laboratory-scale experimental events where suspended load plays a dominant role. Satisfactory simulation results confirm the model's capability in capturing hydro-morphodynamic processes dominated by fine suspended sediment at laboratory-scale. Applications to sedimentation in a stormwater pond are conducted to develop the process-based understanding of fine sediment dynamics over a variety of flow conditions. Urban flows with 5-year, 30-year and 100-year return period and the extreme flood event in 2012 are simulated. The modelled results deliver a step change in understanding fine sediment dynamics in stormwater ponds. The model is capable of quantitatively simulating and qualitatively assessing the performance of a stormwater pond in managing urban water quantity and quality.

Scale-Up Information for Gas-Phase Ammonia Treatment of Uranium in the Vadose Zone at the Hanford Site Central Plateau

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

Truex, Michael J.; Szecsody, James E.; Zhong, Lirong

Uranium is present in the vadose zone at the Hanford Central Plateau and is of concern for protection of groundwater. The Deep Vadose Zone Treatability Test Plan for the Hanford Central Plateau identified gas-phase treatment and geochemical manipulation as potentially effective treatment approaches for uranium and technetium in the Hanford Central Plateau vadose zone. Based on laboratory evaluation, use of ammonia vapor was selected as the most promising uranium treatment candidate for further development and field testing. While laboratory tests have shown that ammonia treatment effectively reduces the mobility of uranium, additional information is needed to enable deployment of thismore » technology for remediation. Of importance for field applications are aspects of the technology associated with effective distribution of ammonia to a targeted treatment zone, understanding the fate of injected ammonia and its impact on subsurface conditions, and identifying effective monitoring approaches. In addition, information is needed to select equipment and operational parameters for a field design. As part of development efforts for the ammonia technology for remediation of vadose zone uranium contamination, field scale-up issues were identified and have been addressed through a series of laboratory and modeling efforts. This report presents a conceptual description for field application of the ammonia treatment process, engineering calculations to support treatment design, ammonia transport information, field application monitoring approaches, and a discussion of processes affecting the fate of ammonia in the subsurface. The report compiles this information from previous publications and from recent research and development activities. The intent of this report is to provide technical information about these scale-up elements to support the design and operation of a field test for the ammonia treatment technology.« less

Nanogeochemistry: Size-dependent mineral-fluid interface chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.

2012-12-01

Nanostructures and nanometer mineral phases, both widely present in geologic materials, can potentially affect many geochemical processes. It is known that at nanometer scales a material tends to exhibit chemical properties distinct from the corresponding bulk phase. Understanding of this size-dependent property change will help us to bridge the existing knowledge gap between the molecular level understanding and the macro-scale laboratory/field observations of a geochemical process. In this presentation, I will review of the recent progresses in nanoscience and provide a perspective on how these progresses can potentially impact geochemical studies. My presentation will be focused the following areas: (1) the characterization of nanostructures in natural systems, (2) the study of fluids and chemical species in nanoconfinement, (3) the effects of nanopores on geochemical reaction and mass transfers, and (4) the use nanostructured materials for environmental management. I will demonstrate that the nanopore confinement can significantly modify geochemical reactions in porous geologic media. As the pore size is reduced to a few nanometers, the difference between surface acidity constants of a mineral (pK2 - pK1) decreases, giving rise to a higher surface charge density on a nanopore surface than that on an unconfined mineral-water interface. The change in surface acidity constants results in a shift of ion sorption edges and enhances ion sorption on nanopore surfaces. This effect causes preferential enrichment of trace elements in nanopores. I will then discuss the implications of this emergent nanometer-scale property to radionuclide transport and carbon dioxide storage in geologic media. This work was performed at Sandia National Laboratories, which is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed-Martin Company, for the DOE under contract DE-AC04-94AL8500.

Optimal design of upstream processes in biotransformation technologies.

PubMed

Dheskali, Endrit; Michailidi, Katerina; de Castro, Aline Machado; Koutinas, Apostolis A; Kookos, Ioannis K

2017-01-01

In this work a mathematical programming model for the optimal design of the bioreaction section of biotechnological processes is presented. Equations for the estimation of the equipment cost derived from a recent publication by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are also summarized. The cost-optimal design of process units and the optimal scheduling of their operation can be obtained using the proposed formulation that has been implemented in software available from the journal web page or the corresponding author. The proposed optimization model can be used to quantify the effects of decisions taken at a lab scale on the industrial scale process economics. It is of paramount important to note that this can be achieved at the early stage of the development of a biotechnological project. Two case studies are presented that demonstrate the usefulness and potential of the proposed methodology. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Biochar: from laboratory mechanisms through the greenhouse to field trials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masiello, C. A.; Gao, X.; Dugan, B.; Silberg, J. J.; Zygourakis, K.; Alvarez, P. J. J.

2014-12-01

The biochar community is excellent at pointing to individual cases where biochar amendment has changed soil properties, with some studies showing significant improvements in crop yields, reduction in nutrient export, and remediation of pollutants. However, many studies exist which do not show improvements, and in some cases, studies clearly show detrimental outcomes. The next, crucial step in biochar science and engineering research will be to develop a process-based understanding of how biochar acts to improve soil properties. In particular, we need a better mechanistic understanding of how biochar sorbs and desorbs contaminants, how it interacts with soil water, and how it interacts with the soil microbial community. These mechanistic studies need to encompass processes that range from the nanometer to the kilometer scale. At the nanometer scale, we need a predictive model of how biochar will sorb and desorb hydrocarbons, nutrients, and toxic metals. At the micrometer scale we need models that explain biochar's effects on soil water, especially the plant-available fraction of soil water. The micrometer scale is also where mechanistic information is neeed about microbial processes. At the macroscale we need physical models to describe the landscape mobility of biochar, because biochar that washes away from fields can no longer provide crop benefits. To be most informative, biochar research should occur along a lab-greenhouse-field trial trajectory. Laboratory experiments should aim determine what mechanisms may act to control biochar-soil processes, and then greenhouse experiments can be used to test the significance of lab-derived mechanisms in short, highly replicated, controlled experiments. Once evidence of effect is determined from greenhouse experiments, field trials are merited. Field trials are the gold standard needed prior to full deployment, but results from field trials cannot be extrapolated to other field sites without the mechanistic backup provided by greenhouse and lab trials.

A refuge for inorganic chemistry: Bunsen's Heidelberg laboratory.

PubMed

Nawa, Christine

2014-05-01

Immediately after its opening in 1855, Bunsen's Heidelberg laboratory became iconic as the most modern and best equipped laboratory in Europe. Although comparatively modest in size, the laboratory's progressive equipment made it a role model for new construction projects in Germany and beyond. In retrospect, it represents an intermediate stage of development between early teaching facilities, such as Liebig's laboratory in Giessen, and the new 'chemistry palaces' that came into existence with Wöhler's Göttingen laboratory of 1860. As a 'transition laboratory,' Bunsen's Heidelberg edifice is of particular historical interest. This paper explores the allocation of spaces to specific procedures and audiences within the laboratory, and the hierarchies and professional rites of passage embedded within it. On this basis, it argues that the laboratory in Heidelberg was tailored to Bunsen's needs in inorganic and physical chemistry and never aimed at a broad-scale representation of chemistry as a whole. On the contrary, it is an example of early specialisation within a chemical laboratory preceding the process of differentiation into chemical sub-disciplines. Finally, it is shown that the relatively small size of this laboratory, and the fact that after ca. 1860 no significant changes were made within the building, are inseparably connected to Bunsen's views on chemistry teaching.

Modeling and Analysis of the Water Cycle: Seasonal and Event Variability at the Walnut River Research Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, M. A.; Miller, N. L.; Sale, M. J.; Springer, E. P.; Wesely, M. L.; Bashford, K. E.; Conrad, M. E.; Costigan, K. R.; Kemball-Cook, S.; King, A. W.; Klazura, G. E.; Lesht, B. M.; Machavaram, M. V.; Sultan, M.; Song, J.; Washington-Allen, R.

2001-12-01

A multi-laboratory Department of Energy (DOE) team (Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory) has begun an investigation of hydrometeorological processes at the Whitewater subbasin of the Walnut River Watershed in Kansas. The Whitewater sub-basin is viewed as a DOE long-term hydrologic research watershed and resides within the well-instrumented Atmospheric Radiation Measurement/Cloud Radiation Atmosphere Testbed (ARM/CART) and the proposed Arkansas-Red River regional hydrologic testbed. The focus of this study is the development and evaluation of coupled regional to watershed scale models that simulate atmospheric, land surface, and hydrologic processes as systems with linkages and feedback mechanisms. This pilot is the precursor to the proposed DOE Water Cycle Dynamics Prediction Program. An important new element is the introduction of water isotope budget equations into mesoscale and hydrologic modeling. Two overarching hypotheses are part of this pilot study: (1) Can the predictability of the regional water balance be improved using high-resolution model simulations that are constrained and validated using new water isotope and hydrospheric water measurements? (2) Can water isotopic tracers be used to segregate different pathways through the water cycle and predict a change in regional climate patterns? Initial results of the pilot will be presented along with a description and copies of the proposed DOE Water Cycle Dynamics Prediction Program.

NREL Research Team Wins R&D 100 Award | News | NREL

Science.gov Websites

performance PV modules for large-scale solar power plants, commercial and residential buildings, and off-grid Laboratory (NREL) and First Solar have been selected to receive a 2003 R&D 100 award from R&D Magazine for developing a new process for depositing semiconductor layers onto photovoltaic (PV) modules

Low power signal processing research at Stanford

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burr, J.; Williamson, P. R.; Peterson, A.

1991-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the research being conducted at Stanford University's Space, Telecommunications, and Radioscience Laboratory in the area of low energy computation. It discusses the work we are doing in large scale digital VLSI neural networks, interleaved processor and pipelined memory architectures, energy estimation and optimization, multichip module packaging, and low voltage digital logic.

Analysis of a Digital Technique for Frequency Transposition of Speech.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

scaled excitation function drives the vocal tract model. In a phone interview with James Kaiser of Bell Laboratories, he mentioned that current thinking...is processed using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and then low pass filtered if desired. mAbe (Pb) FFT LPF- nih ~a s5ee.. S. 4Nrf#Nr Flow Chart for

Installation to Production of a Large-Scale General Purpose Graphics Processing Unit (GPGPU) Cluster at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory: Thufir

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

semiempirical and ray-optical models. For example, the semiempirical COST-Walfisch- Ikegami model (3) estimates the received power predominantly on the...Books: Philadelphia, PA, 1965. 2. Rick, T .; Mathur, R. Fast Edge-Diffraction-Based Radio Wave Propagation Model for Graphics Hardware. Proceedings of

Using the Moon as a Tool for Discovery-Oriented Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummins, Robert Hays; Ritger, Scott David; Myers, Christopher Adam

1992-01-01

Students test the hypothesis that the moon revolves east to west around the earth, determine by observation approximately how many degrees the moon revolves per night, and develop a scale model of the earth-sun-moon system in this laboratory exercise. Students are actively involved in the scientific process and are introduced to the importance of…

Suspect/foil identification in actual crimes and in the laboratory: a reality monitoring analysis.

PubMed

Behrman, Bruce W; Richards, Regina E

2005-06-01

Four reality monitoring variables were used to discriminate suspect from foil identifications in 183 actual criminal cases. Four hundred sixty-one identification attempts based on five and six-person lineups were analyzed. These identification attempts resulted in 238 suspect identifications and 68 foil identifications. Confidence, automatic processing, eliminative processing and feature use comprised the set of reality monitoring variables. Thirty-five verbal confidence phrases taken from police reports were assigned numerical values on a 10-point confidence scale. Automatic processing identifications were those that occurred "immediately" or "without hesitation." Eliminative processing identifications occurred when witnesses compared or eliminated persons in the lineups. Confidence, automatic processing and eliminative processing were significant predictors, but feature use was not. Confidence was the most effective discriminator. In cases that involved substantial evidence extrinsic to the identification 43% of the suspect identifications were made with high confidence, whereas only 10% of the foil identifications were made with high confidence. The results of a laboratory study using the same predictors generally paralleled the archival results. Forensic implications are discussed.

Multiclass pesticide determination in olives and their processing factors in olive oil: comparison of different olive oil extraction systems.

PubMed

Amvrazi, Elpiniki G; Albanis, Triantafyllos A

2008-07-23

The processing factors (pesticide concentration found in olive oil/pesticide concentration found in olives) of azinphos methyl, chlorpyrifos, lambda-cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, diazinon, dimethoate, endosulfan, and fenthion were determined in olive oil production process in various laboratory-scale olive oil extractions based on three- or two-phase centrifugation systems in comparison with samples collected during olive oil extractions in conventional olive mills located at different olive oil production areas in Greece. Pesticide analyses were performed using a multiresidue method developed in our laboratory for the determination of different insecticides and herbicides in olive oil by solid-phase extraction techniques coupled to gas chromatography detection (electron capture detection and nitrogen phosphorus detection), optimized, and validated for olive fruits sample preparation. Processing factors were found to vary among the different pesticides studied. Water addition in the oil extraction procedure (as in a three-phase centrifugation system) was found to decrease the processing factors of dimethoate, alpha-endosulfan, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos, whereas those of fenthion, azinphos methyl, beta-endosulfan, lambda-cyhalothrin, and deltamethrin residues were not affected. The water content of olives processed was found to proportionally affect pesticide processing factors. Fenthion sulfoxide and endosulfan sulfate were the major metabolites of fenthion and endosulfan, respectively, that were detected in laboratory-produced olive oils, but only the concentration of fenthion sulfoxide was found to increase with the increase of water addition in the olive oil extraction process.

Classification of wetlands vegetation using small scale color infrared imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williamson, F. S. L.

1975-01-01

A classification system for Chesapeake Bay wetlands was derived from the correlation of film density classes and actual vegetation classes. The data processing programs used were developed by the Laboratory for the Applications of Remote Sensing. These programs were tested for their value in classifying natural vegetation, using digitized data from small scale aerial photography. Existing imagery and the vegetation map of Farm Creek Marsh were used to determine the optimal number of classes, and to aid in determining if the computer maps were a believable product.

Erosion waves: Transverse instabilities and fingering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malloggi, F.; Lanuza, J.; Andreotti, B.; Clément, E.

2006-09-01

Two laboratory scale experiments of dry and underwater avalanches of non-cohesive granular materials are investigated. We trigger solitary waves and study the conditions under which the front is transversally stable. We show the existence of a linear instability followed by a coarsening dynamics and finally the onset of a fingering pattern. Due to the different operating conditions, both experiments strongly differ by the spatial and time scales involved. Nevertheless, the quantitative agreement between the stability diagram, the wavelengths selected and the avalanche morphology suggest a common scenario for an erosion/deposition process.

Chemical process research and development in the 21st century: challenges, strategies, and solutions from a pharmaceutical industry perspective.

PubMed

Federsel, Hans-Jürgen

2009-05-19

In process research and development (PR&D), the generation and manipulation of small-molecule drugs ranges from bench-scale (laboratory) chemistry to pilot plant manufacture to commercial production. A broad range of disciplines, including process chemistry (organic synthesis), analytical chemistry, process engineering (mass and heat transfer, unit operations), process safety (chemical risk assessment), regulatory compliance, and plant operation, must be effectively applied. In the critical handover between medicinal chemistry and PR&D, compound production is typically scaled up from a few hundred grams to several kilograms. Can the methodologies applied to the former also satisfy the technical, safety, and scalability aspects that come into play in the latter? Occasionally, the transition might occur smoothly, but more often the situation is the opposite: much work and resources must be invested to design a process that is feasible for manufacturing on pilot scale and, eventually, for commercial production. Authentic examples provide enlightening illustrations of dos and don'ts for developing syntheses designed for round-flask operation into production-scale processes. Factors that are easily underestimated or even neglected in the laboratory, such as method robustness, chemical hazards, safety concerns, environmental impact, availability of starting materials and building blocks in bulk quantities, intellectual property (IP) issues, and the final cost of the product, will come into play and need to be addressed appropriately. The decision on which route will be the best for further development is a crucial event and should come into focus early on the R&D timeline. In addition to scientific and technical concerns, the parameter of speed has come to the forefront in the pharmaceutical arena. Although historically the drug industry has tolerated a total time investment of far more than 10 years from idea to market, the current worldwide paradigm requires a reduction to under 10 years for the specific segment covering preclinical development through launch. This change puts enormous pressure on the entire organization, and the implication for PR&D is that the time allowed for conducting route design and scale-up has shrunk accordingly. Furthermore, molecular complexity has become extremely challenging in many instances, and demand steadily grows for process understanding and knowledge generation about low-level byproduct, which often must be controlled even at trace concentrations to meet regulatory specifications (especially in the case of potentially genotoxic impurities). In this Account, we paint a broad picture of the technical challenges the PR&D community is grappling with today, focusing on what measures have been taken over the years to create more efficiency and effectiveness.

Freeze-Drying Process Development and Scale-Up: Scale-Up of Edge Vial Versus Center Vial Heat Transfer Coefficients, Kv.

PubMed

Pikal, Michael J; Bogner, Robin; Mudhivarthi, Vamsi; Sharma, Puneet; Sane, Pooja

2016-11-01

This report presents calculations of the difference between the vial heat transfer coefficient of the "edge vial" and the "center vial" at all scales. The only scale-up adjustment for center vials is for the contribution of radiation from the shelf upon which the vial sits by replacing the emissivity of the laboratory dryer shelf with the emissivity of the production dryer shelf. With edge vials, scales-up adjustments are more complex. While convection is not important, heat transfer from the wall to the bands (surrounding the vial array) by radiation and directly from the band to the vials by both radiation and conduction is important; this radiation heat transfer depends on the emissivity of the vial and the bands and is nearly independent of the emissivity of the dryer walls. Differences in wall temperatures do impact the edge vial effect and scale-up, and estimates for wall temperatures are needed for both laboratory and manufacturing dryers. Auto-loading systems (no bands) may give different edge vial heat transfer coefficients than when operating with bands. Satisfactory agreement between theoretical predictions and experimental values of the edge vial effect indicate that results calculated from the theory are of useful accuracy. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scale up, optimization and stability analysis of Curcumin C3 complex-loaded nanoparticles for cancer therapy

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Nanoparticle based delivery of anticancer drugs have been widely investigated. However, a very important process for Research & Development in any pharmaceutical industry is scaling nanoparticle formulation techniques so as to produce large batches for preclinical and clinical trials. This process is not only critical but also difficult as it involves various formulation parameters to be modulated all in the same process. Methods In our present study, we formulated curcumin loaded poly (lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA-CURC). This improved the bioavailability of curcumin, a potent natural anticancer drug, making it suitable for cancer therapy. Post formulation, we optimized our process by Reponse Surface Methodology (RSM) using Central Composite Design (CCD) and scaled up the formulation process in four stages with final scale-up process yielding 5 g of curcumin loaded nanoparticles within the laboratory setup. The nanoparticles formed after scale-up process were characterized for particle size, drug loading and encapsulation efficiency, surface morphology, in vitro release kinetics and pharmacokinetics. Stability analysis and gamma sterilization were also carried out. Results Results revealed that that process scale-up is being mastered for elaboration to 5 g level. The mean nanoparticle size of the scaled up batch was found to be 158.5 ± 9.8 nm and the drug loading was determined to be 10.32 ± 1.4%. The in vitro release study illustrated a slow sustained release corresponding to 75% drug over a period of 10 days. The pharmacokinetic profile of PLGA-CURC in rats following i.v. administration showed two compartmental model with the area under the curve (AUC0-∞) being 6.139 mg/L h. Gamma sterilization showed no significant change in the particle size or drug loading of the nanoparticles. Stability analysis revealed long term physiochemical stability of the PLGA-CURC formulation. Conclusions A successful effort towards formulating, optimizing and scaling up PLGA-CURC by using Solid-Oil/Water emulsion technique was demonstrated. The process used CCD-RSM for optimization and further scaled up to produce 5 g of PLGA-CURC with almost similar physicochemical characteristics as that of the primary formulated batch. PMID:22937885

Scale up, optimization and stability analysis of Curcumin C3 complex-loaded nanoparticles for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Ranjan, Amalendu P; Mukerjee, Anindita; Helson, Lawrence; Vishwanatha, Jamboor K

2012-08-31

Nanoparticle based delivery of anticancer drugs have been widely investigated. However, a very important process for Research & Development in any pharmaceutical industry is scaling nanoparticle formulation techniques so as to produce large batches for preclinical and clinical trials. This process is not only critical but also difficult as it involves various formulation parameters to be modulated all in the same process. In our present study, we formulated curcumin loaded poly (lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA-CURC). This improved the bioavailability of curcumin, a potent natural anticancer drug, making it suitable for cancer therapy. Post formulation, we optimized our process by Reponse Surface Methodology (RSM) using Central Composite Design (CCD) and scaled up the formulation process in four stages with final scale-up process yielding 5 g of curcumin loaded nanoparticles within the laboratory setup. The nanoparticles formed after scale-up process were characterized for particle size, drug loading and encapsulation efficiency, surface morphology, in vitro release kinetics and pharmacokinetics. Stability analysis and gamma sterilization were also carried out. Results revealed that that process scale-up is being mastered for elaboration to 5 g level. The mean nanoparticle size of the scaled up batch was found to be 158.5±9.8 nm and the drug loading was determined to be 10.32±1.4%. The in vitro release study illustrated a slow sustained release corresponding to 75% drug over a period of 10 days. The pharmacokinetic profile of PLGA-CURC in rats following i.v. administration showed two compartmental model with the area under the curve (AUC0-∞) being 6.139 mg/L h. Gamma sterilization showed no significant change in the particle size or drug loading of the nanoparticles. Stability analysis revealed long term physiochemical stability of the PLGA-CURC formulation. A successful effort towards formulating, optimizing and scaling up PLGA-CURC by using Solid-Oil/Water emulsion technique was demonstrated. The process used CCD-RSM for optimization and further scaled up to produce 5 g of PLGA-CURC with almost similar physicochemical characteristics as that of the primary formulated batch.

Biological Conversion of Sugars to Hydrocarbons Technology Pathway

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

Davis, Ryan; Biddy, Mary J.; Tan, Eric

2013-03-31

In support of the Bioenergy Technologies Office, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are undertaking studies of biomass conversion technologies to identify barriers and target research toward reducing conversion costs. Process designs and preliminary economic estimates for each of these pathway cases were developed using rigorous modeling tools (Aspen Plus and Chemcad). These analyses incorporated the best information available at the time of development, including data from recent pilot and bench-scale demonstrations, collaborative industrial and academic partners, and published literature and patents. This technology pathway case investigates the biological conversion of biomass derivedmore » sugars to hydrocarbon biofuels, utilizing data from recent literature references and information consistent with recent pilot scale demonstrations at NREL. Technical barriers and key research needs have been identified that should be pursued for the pathway to become competitive with petroleum-derived gasoline, diesel and jet range hydrocarbon blendstocks.« less

Development of an advanced anaerobic digester design and a kinetic model for biogasification of water hyacinth/sludge blends

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

Srivastava, V.; Fannin, K.F.; Biljetina, R.

1986-07-01

The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) conducted a comprehensive laboratory-scale research program to develop and optimize the anaerobic digestion process for producing methane from water hyacinth and sludge blends. This study focused on digester design and operating techniques, which gave improved methane yields and production rates over those observed using conventional digesters. The final digester concept and the operating experience was utilized to design and operate a large-scale experimentla test unit (ETU) at Walt Disney World, Florida. This paper describes the novel digester design, operating techniques, and the results obtained in the laboratory. The paper also discusses a kinetic modelmore » which predicts methane yield, methane production rate, and digester effluent solids as a function of retention time. This model was successfully utilized to predict the performance of the ETU. 15 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Extension of Gutenberg-Richter distribution to MW -1.3, no lower limit in sight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boettcher, Margaret S.; McGarr, A.; Johnston, Malcolm

2009-05-01

With twelve years of seismic data from TauTona Gold Mine, South Africa, we show that mining-induced earthquakes follow the Gutenberg-Richter relation with no scale break down to the completeness level of the catalog, at moment magnitude M W -1.3. Events recorded during relatively quiet hours in 2006 indicate that catalog detection limitations, not earthquake source physics, controlled the previously reported minimum magnitude in this mine. Within the Natural Earthquake Laboratory in South African Mines (NELSAM) experiment's dense seismic array, earthquakes that exhibit shear failure at magnitudes as small as M W -3.9 are observed, but we find no evidence that M W -3.9 represents the minimum magnitude. In contrast to previous work, our results imply small nucleation zones and that earthquake processes in the mine can readily be scaled to those in either laboratory experiments or natural faults.

Vermicomposting of winery wastes: a laboratory study.

PubMed

Nogales, Rogelio; Cifuentes, Celia; Benítez, Emilio

2005-01-01

In Mediterranean countries, millions of tons of wastes from viticulture and winery industries are produced every year. This study describes the ability of the earthworm Eisenia andrei to compost different winery wastes (spent grape marc, vinasse biosolids, lees cakes, and vine shoots) into valuable agricultural products. The evolution of earthworm biomass and enzyme activities was tracked for 16 weeks of vermicomposting, on a laboratory scale. Increases in earthworm biomass for all winery wastes proved lower than in manure. Changes in hydrolytic enzymes and overall microbial activities during the vermicomposting process indicated the biodegradation of the winery wastes. Vermicomposting improved the agronomic value of the winery wastes by reducing the C:N ratio, conductivity and phytotoxicity, while increasing the humic materials, nutrient contents, and pH in all cases. Thus, winery wastes show potential as raw substrates in vermicomposting, although further research is needed to evaluate the feasibility of such wastes in large-scale vermicomposting systems.

Extension of Gutenberg-Richter distribution to Mw -1.3, no lower limit in sight

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boettcher, M.S.; McGarr, A.; Johnston, M.

2009-01-01

[1] With twelve years of seismic data from TauTona Gold Mine, South Africa, we show that mining-induced earthquakes follow the Gutenberg-Richter relation with no scale break down to the completeness level of the catalog, at moment magnitude Mw -1.3. Events recorded during relatively quiet hours in 2006 indicate that catalog detection limitations, not earthquake source physics, controlled the previously reported minimum magnitude in this mine. Within the Natural Earthquake Laboratory in South African Mines (NELSAM) experiment's dense seismic array, earthquakes that exhibit shear failure at magnitudes as small as Mw -3.9 are observed, but we find no evidence that Mw -3.9 represents the minimum magnitude. In contrast to previous work, our results imply small nucleation zones and that earthquake processes in the mine can readily be scaled to those in either laboratory experiments or natural faults.

Non-Potential Magnetic Fields and Magnetic Reconnection In Low Collisional Plasmas-Discovery of Solar EUV Mini-Sigmoids and Development of Novel In-Space Propulsion Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesny, David

Magnetic reconnection is the source of many of the most powerful explosions of astrophysical plasmas in the universe. Blazars, magnetars, stellar atmospheres, and planetary magnetic fields have all been shown to be primary sites of strong reconnection events. For studying the fundamental physics behind this process, the solar atmosphere is our most accessible laboratory setting. Magnetic reconnection resulting from non-potential fields leads to plasma heating and particle acceleration, often in the form of explosive activity, contributing to coronal heating and the solar wind. Large-scale non-potential (sigmoid) fields in the solar atmosphere are poorly understood due to their crowded neighborhoods. For the first time, small-scale, non-potential loop structures have been observed in quiet Sun EUV observations. Fourteen unique mini-sigmoid events and three diffuse non-potential loops have been discovered, suggesting a multi-scaled self-similarity in the sigmoid formation process. These events are on the order of 10 arcseconds in length and do not appear in X-ray emissions, where large-scale sigmoids are well documented. We have discovered the first evidence of sigmoidal structuring in EUV bright point phenomena, which are prolific events in the solar atmosphere. Observations of these mini-sigmoids suggest that they are being formed via tether-cutting reconnection, a process observed to occur at active region scales. Thus, tether-cutting is suggested to be ubiquitous throughout the solar atmosphere. These dynamics are shown to be a function of the free magnetic energy in the quiet Sun network. Recently, the reconnection process has been reproduced in Earth-based laboratory tokamaks. Easily achievable magnetic field configurations can induce reconnection and result in ion acceleration. Here, magnetic reconnection is utilized as the plasma acceleration mechanism for a theoretical propulsion system. The theory of torsional spine reconnection is shown to result in ion velocities of > 3000 km s-1 and thrusts on the order of 3-15 N. As current in-use ion propulsion technology can only achieve ˜ 30 km s-1, the proposed design can substantially increase thrust on a spacecraft and provide for fast manned interplanetary travel.

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

Honghong Shan; Jianfang Zhang; Guohe Que

The physical-chemical properties and catalytic cracking behaviors of Gudao VR and Gudao VRDS VR were studied. The properties are structural parameters show that the C/H, Mw, R{sub A}, f{sub A} values and nitrogen, sulfur, nickel, resin contents of the Gudao VRDS VR are obviously lower than those of Gudao VR, and that the content of saturates of Gudao VRDS VR are considerably higher than that of Gudao VR. The catalytic cracking experiments of Gudao VRDS VR in laboratory scale show that VRDS VR has good cracking behaviour. The research and industry scale results indicate that the VRDS process using Gudaomore » VR as feedstock is a kind of high efficiency hydrotreating process, and that VRDS-FCC complex technology can realize the deep processing of the crude, increase the light oil yields and enhance the economical profit of the enterprise.« less

Baking sunflower hulls within an aluminum envelope in a common laboratory oven yields charcoal.

PubMed

Arnal, Pablo Maximiliano

2015-01-01

Charcoals have been widely used by scientist to research the removal of contaminants from water and air. One key feature of charcoal is that it keeps macropores from the parent material - though anisotropically contracted - and can even develop meso- and micropores. However, the controlled thermochemical conversion of biomass into charcoal at laboratory scale normally requires special setups which involve either vacuum or inert gas. Those setups may not be affordable in research groups or educational institutions where the research of charcoals would be highly welcome. In this work, I propose a simple and effective method to steer the thermochemical process that converts sunflower hulls (SFH) into charcoal with basic laboratory resources. The carbonization method: •Place SFH in an airtight aluminum envelope.•Thermally treat SFH within the envelope in a common laboratory oven.•Open the envelope to obtain the carbonized sunflower hulls.

Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory, Switzerland-Research Program And Key Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nussbaum, C. O.; Bossart, P. J.

2012-12-01

Argillaceous formations generally act as aquitards because of their low hydraulic conductivities. This property, together with the large retention capacity of clays for cationic contaminants and the potential for self-sealing, has brought clay formations into focus as potential host rocks for the geological disposal of radioactive waste. Excavated in the Opalinus Clay formation, the Mont Terri underground rock laboratory in the Jura Mountains of NW Switzerland is an important international test site for researching clay formations. Research is carried out in the underground facility, which is located adjacent to the security gallery of the Mont Terri motorway tunnel. Fifteen partners from European countries, USA, Canada and Japan participate in the project. The objectives of the research program are to analyze the hydrogeological, geochemical and rock mechanical properties of the Opalinus Clay, to determine the changes induced by the excavation of galleries and by heating of the rock formation, to test sealing and container emplacement techniques and to evaluate and improve suitable investigation techniques. For the safety of deep geological disposal, it is of key importance to understand the processes occurring in the undisturbed argillaceous environment, as well as the processes in a disturbed system, during the operation of the repository. The objectives are related to: 1. Understanding processes and mechanisms in undisturbed clays and 2. Experiments related to repository-induced perturbations. Experiments of the first group are dedicated to: i) Improvement of drilling and excavation technologies and sampling methods; ii) Estimation of hydrogeological, rock mechanical and geochemical parameters of the undisturbed Opalinus Clay. Upscaling of parameters from laboratory to in situ scale; iii) Geochemistry of porewater and natural gases; evolution of porewater over time scales; iv) Assessment of long-term hydraulic transients associated with erosion and thermal scenarios and v) Evaluation of diffusion and retention parameters for long-lived radionuclides. Experiments related to repository-induced perturbations are focused on: i) Influence of rock liner on the disposal system and the buffering potential of the host rock; ii) Self-sealing processes in the excavation damaged zone; iii) Hydro-mechanical coupled processes (e.g. stress redistributions and pore pressure evolution during excavation); iv) Thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical coupled processes (e.g. heating of bentonite and host rock) and v) Gas-induced transport of radionuclides in porewater and along interfaces in the engineered barrier system. A third research direction is to demonstrate the feasibility of repository construction and long-term safety after repository closure. Demonstration experiments can contribute to improving the reliability of the scientific basis for the safety assessment of future geological repositories, particularly if they are performed on a large scale and with a long duration. These experiments include the construction and installation of engineered barriers on a 1:1 scale: i) Horizontal emplacement of canisters; ii) Evaluation of the corrosion of container materials; repository re-saturation; iii) Sealing of boreholes and repository access tunnels and iv) Long-term monitoring of the repository. References Bossart, P. & Thury, M. (2008): Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. Project, Programme 1996 to 2007 and Results. - Rep. Swiss Geol. Surv. 3.

Pilot scale evaluation of the BABIU process--upgrading of landfill gas or biogas with the use of MSWI bottom ash.

PubMed

Mostbauer, P; Lombardi, L; Olivieri, T; Lenz, S

2014-01-01

Biogas or landfill gas can be converted to a high-grade gas rich in methane with the use of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash as a reactant for fixation of CO2 and H2S. In order to verify results previously obtained at a laboratory scale with 65-90 kg of bottom ash (BA), several test runs were performed at a pilot scale, using 500-1000 kg of bottom ash and up to 9.2 Nm(3)/h real landfill gas from a landfill in the Tuscany region (Italy). The input flow rate was altered. The best process performance was observed at a input flow rate of 3.7 Nm(3)/(htBA). At this flow rate, the removal efficiencies for H2S were approximately 99.5-99%. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determining the Influence of Groundwater Composition on the Performance of Arsenic Adsorption Columns Using Rapid Small-Scale Column Tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aragon, A. R.; Siegel, M.

2004-12-01

The USEPA has established a more stringent drinking water standard for arsenic, reducing the maximum contaminant level (MCL) from 50 μ g/L to 10 μ g/L. This will affect many small communities in the US that lack the appropriate treatment infrastructure and funding to reduce arsenic to such levels. For such communities, adsorption systems are the preferred technology based on ease of operation and relatively lower costs. The performance of adsorption media for the removal of arsenic from drinking water is dependent on site-specific water quality. At certain concentrations, co-occurring solutes will compete effectively with arsenic for sorption sites, potentially reducing the sorption capacity of the media. Due to the site-specific nature of water quality and variations in media properties, pilot scale studies are typically carried out to ensure that a proposed treatment technique is cost effective before installation of a full-scale system. Sandia National Laboratories is currently developing an approach to utilize rapid small-scale columns in lieu of pilot columns to test innovative technologies that could significantly reduce the cost of treatment in small communities. Rapid small-scale column tests (RSSCTs) were developed to predict full-scale treatment of organic contaminants by adsorption onto granular activated carbon (GAC). This process greatly reduced the time and costs required to verify performance of GAC adsorption columns. In this study, the RSSCT methodology is used to predict the removal of inorganic arsenic using mixed metal oxyhydroxide adsorption media. The media are engineered and synthesized from materials that control arsenic behavior in natural and disturbed systems. We describe the underlying theory and application of RSSCTs for the performance evaluation of novel media in several groundwater compositions. Results of small-scale laboratory columns are being used to predict the performance of pilot-scale systems and ultimately to design full-scale systems. RSSCTs will be performed on a suite of water compositions representing the variety of water supplies in the United States that are affected by the new drinking water standard. Ultimately, this approach will be used to carry out inexpensive short-term pilot studies at a large number of sites where large-scale pilots are not economically feasible. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin company, for the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

A comparison of refuse attenuation in laboratory and field scale lysimeters.

PubMed

Youcai, Zhao; Luochun, Wang; Renhua, Hua; Dimin, Xu; Guowei, Gu

2002-01-01

For this study, small and middle scale laboratory lysimeters, and a large scale field lysimeter in situ in Shanghai Refuse Landfill, with refuse weights of 187,600 and 10,800,000 kg, respectively, were created. These lysimeters are compared in terms of leachate quality (pH, concentrations of COD, BOD and NH3-N), refuse composition (biodegradable matter and volatile solid) and surface settlement for a monitoring period of 0-300 days. The objectives of this study were to explore both the similarities and disparities between laboratory and field scale lysimeters, and to compare degradation behaviors of refuse at the intensive reaction phase in the different scale lysimeters. Quantitative relationships of leachate quality and refuse composition with placement time show that degradation behaviors of refuse seem to depend heavily on the scales of the lysimeters and the parameters of concern, especially in the starting period of 0-6 months. However, some similarities exist between laboratory and field lysimeters after 4-6 months of placement because COD and BOD concentrations in leachate in the field lysimeter decrease regularly in a parallel pattern with those in the laboratory lysimeters. NH3-N, volatile solid (VS) and biodegradable matter (BDM) also gradually decrease in parallel in this intensive reaction phase for all scale lysimeters as refuse ages. Though the concrete data are different among the different scale lysimeters, it may be considered that laboratory lysimeters with sufficient scale are basically applicable for a rough simulation of a real landfill, especially for illustrating the degradation pattern and mechanism. Settlement of refuse surface is roughly proportional to the initial refuse height.

Quantitative experimental monitoring of molecular diffusion in clay with positron emission tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulenkampff, Johannes; Zakhnini, Abdelhamid; Gründig, Marion; Lippmann-Pipke, Johanna

2016-08-01

Clay plays a prominent role as barrier material in the geosphere. The small particle sizes cause extremely small pore sizes and induce low permeability and high sorption capacity. Transport of dissolved species by molecular diffusion, driven only by a concentration gradient, is less sensitive to the pore size. Heterogeneous structures on the centimetre scale could cause heterogeneous effects, like preferential transport zones, which are difficult to assess. Laboratory measurements with diffusion cells yield limited information on heterogeneity, and pore space imaging methods have to consider scale effects. We established positron emission tomography (PET), applying a high-resolution PET scanner as a spatially resolved quantitative method for direct laboratory observation of the molecular diffusion process of a PET tracer on the prominent scale of 1-100 mm. Although PET is rather insensitive to bulk effects, quantification required significant improvements of the image reconstruction procedure with respect to Compton scatter and attenuation. The experiments were conducted with 22Na and 124I over periods of 100 and 25 days, respectively. From the images we derived trustable anisotropic diffusion coefficients and, in addition, we identified indications of preferential transport zones. We thus demonstrated the unique potential of the PET imaging modality for geoscientific process monitoring under conditions where other methods fail, taking advantage of the extremely high detection sensitivity that is typical of radiotracer applications.

Spatial structure and scaling of macropores in hydrological process at small catchment scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silasari, Rasmiaditya; Broer, Martine; Blöschl, Günter

2013-04-01

During rainfall events, the formation of overland flow can occur under the circumstances of saturation excess and/or infiltration excess. These conditions are affected by the soil moisture state which represents the soil water content in micropores and macropores. Macropores act as pathway for the preferential flows and have been widely studied locally. However, very little is known about their spatial structure and conductivity of macropores and other flow characteristic at the catchment scale. This study will analyze these characteristics to better understand its importance in hydrological processes. The research will be conducted in Petzenkirchen Hydrological Open Air Laboratory (HOAL), a 64 ha catchment located 100 km west of Vienna. The land use is divided between arable land (87%), pasture (5%), forest (6%) and paved surfaces (2%). Video cameras will be installed on an agricultural field to monitor the overland flow pattern during rainfall events. A wireless soil moisture network is also installed within the monitored area. These field data will be combined to analyze the soil moisture state and the responding surface runoff occurrence. The variability of the macropores spatial structure of the observed area (field scale) then will be assessed based on the topography and soil data. Soil characteristics will be supported with laboratory experiments on soil matrix flow to obtain proper definitions of the spatial structure of macropores and its variability. A coupled physically based distributed model of surface and subsurface flow will be used to simulate the variability of macropores spatial structure and its effect on the flow behaviour. This model will be validated by simulating the observed rainfall events. Upscaling from field scale to catchment scale will be done to understand the effect of macropores variability on larger scales by applying spatial stochastic methods. The first phase in this study is the installation and monitoring configuration of video cameras and soil moisture monitoring equipment to obtain the initial data of overland flow occurrence and soil moisture state relationships.

Control of Infectious Diseases in the Era of European Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Consolidation: New Challenges and Opportunities for the Patient and for Public Health Surveillance.

PubMed

Vandenberg, Olivier; Kozlakidis, Zisis; Schrenzel, Jacques; Struelens, Marc Jean; Breuer, Judith

2018-01-01

Many new innovative diagnostic approaches have been made available during the last 10 years with major impact on patient care and public health surveillance. In parallel, to enhance the cost-effectiveness of the clinical microbiology laboratories (CMLs), European laboratory professionals have streamlined their organization leading to amalgamation of activities and restructuring of their professional relationships with clinicians and public health specialists. Through this consolidation process, an operational model has emerged that combines large centralized clinical laboratories performing most tests on one high-throughput analytical platform connected to several distal laboratories dealing locally with urgent analyses at near point of care. The centralization of diagnostic services over a large geographical region has given rise to the concept of regional-scale "microbiology laboratories network." Although the volume-driven cost savings associated with such laboratory networks seem self-evident, the consequence(s) for the quality of patient care and infectious disease surveillance and control remain less obvious. In this article, we describe the range of opportunities that the changing landscape of CMLs in Europe can contribute toward improving the quality of patient care but also the early detection and enhanced surveillance of public health threats caused by infectious diseases. The success of this transformation of health services is reliant on the appropriate preparation in terms of staff, skills, and processes that would be inclusive of stakeholders. In addition, rigorous metrics are needed to set out more concrete laboratory service performance objectives and assess the expected benefits to society in terms of saving lives and preventing diseases.

System for Informatics in the Molecular Pathology Laboratory: An Open-Source End-to-End Solution for Next-Generation Sequencing Clinical Data Management.

PubMed

Kang, Wenjun; Kadri, Sabah; Puranik, Rutika; Wurst, Michelle N; Patil, Sushant A; Mujacic, Ibro; Benhamed, Sonia; Niu, Nifang; Zhen, Chao Jie; Ameti, Bekim; Long, Bradley C; Galbo, Filipo; Montes, David; Iracheta, Crystal; Gamboa, Venessa L; Lopez, Daisy; Yourshaw, Michael; Lawrence, Carolyn A; Aisner, Dara L; Fitzpatrick, Carrie; McNerney, Megan E; Wang, Y Lynn; Andrade, Jorge; Volchenboum, Samuel L; Furtado, Larissa V; Ritterhouse, Lauren L; Segal, Jeremy P

2018-04-24

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) diagnostic assays increasingly are becoming the standard of care in oncology practice. As the scale of an NGS laboratory grows, management of these assays requires organizing large amounts of information, including patient data, laboratory processes, genomic data, as well as variant interpretation and reporting. Although several Laboratory Information Systems and/or Laboratory Information Management Systems are commercially available, they may not meet all of the needs of a given laboratory, in addition to being frequently cost-prohibitive. Herein, we present the System for Informatics in the Molecular Pathology Laboratory, a free and open-source Laboratory Information System/Laboratory Information Management System for academic and nonprofit molecular pathology NGS laboratories, developed at the Genomic and Molecular Pathology Division at the University of Chicago Medicine. The System for Informatics in the Molecular Pathology Laboratory was designed as a modular end-to-end information system to handle all stages of the NGS laboratory workload from test order to reporting. We describe the features of the system, its clinical validation at the Genomic and Molecular Pathology Division at the University of Chicago Medicine, and its installation and testing within a different academic center laboratory (University of Colorado), and we propose a platform for future community co-development and interlaboratory data sharing. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

New Bedford Harbor Superfund Project, Acushnet River Estuary Engineering Feasibility Study of Dredging and Dredged Material Disposal Alternatives. Report 9. Laboratory-Scale Application of Solidification/Stabilization Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-01

force) per square inch to kilopascals, multiply by 6.894757. ** Flue - gas desulfurization . 27 1.0 sediment process, UCS measurements for solidified...Dredging Control Technoloqies 11 Evaluation of Conceptual Dredging and Disposal Alternatives 12 Executive Summary Destroy this report when no longer needed...solubility of metals by controlling the pH and alkalinity. Additional metal immobilization can be obtained by modify- ing the process to include

Beyond-laboratory-scale prediction for channeling flows through subsurface rock fractures with heterogeneous aperture distributions revealed by laboratory evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishibashi, Takuya; Watanabe, Noriaki; Hirano, Nobuo; Okamoto, Atsushi; Tsuchiya, Noriyoshi

2015-01-01

The present study evaluates aperture distributions and fluid flow characteristics for variously sized laboratory-scale granite fractures under confining stress. As a significant result of the laboratory investigation, the contact area in fracture plane was found to be virtually independent of scale. By combining this characteristic with the self-affine fractal nature of fracture surfaces, a novel method for predicting fracture aperture distributions beyond laboratory scale is developed. Validity of this method is revealed through reproduction of the results of laboratory investigation and the maximum aperture-fracture length relations, which are reported in the literature, for natural fractures. The present study finally predicts conceivable scale dependencies of fluid flows through joints (fractures without shear displacement) and faults (fractures with shear displacement). Both joint and fault aperture distributions are characterized by a scale-independent contact area, a scale-dependent geometric mean, and a scale-independent geometric standard deviation of aperture. The contact areas for joints and faults are approximately 60% and 40%. Changes in the geometric means of joint and fault apertures (µm), em, joint and em, fault, with fracture length (m), l, are approximated by em, joint = 1 × 102 l0.1 and em, fault = 1 × 103 l0.7, whereas the geometric standard deviations of both joint and fault apertures are approximately 3. Fluid flows through both joints and faults are characterized by formations of preferential flow paths (i.e., channeling flows) with scale-independent flow areas of approximately 10%, whereas the joint and fault permeabilities (m2), kjoint and kfault, are scale dependent and are approximated as kjoint = 1 × 10-12 l0.2 and kfault = 1 × 10-8 l1.1.

Cell migration analysis: A low-cost laboratory experiment for cell and developmental biology courses using keratocytes from fish scales.

PubMed

Prieto, Daniel; Aparicio, Gonzalo; Sotelo-Silveira, Jose R

2017-11-01

Cell and developmental processes are complex, and profoundly dependent on spatial relationships that change over time. Innovative educational or teaching strategies are always needed to foster deep comprehension of these processes and their dynamic features. However, laboratory exercises in cell and developmental biology at the undergraduate level do not often take into account the time dimension. In this article, we provide a laboratory exercise focused in cell migration, aiming to stimulate thinking in time and space dimensions through a simplification of more complex processes occurring in cell or developmental biology. The use of open-source tools for the analysis, as well as the whole package of raw results (available at http://github.com/danielprieto/keratocyte) make it suitable for its implementation in courses with very diverse budgets. Aiming to facilitate the student's transition from science-students to science-practitioners we propose an exercise of scientific thinking, and an evaluation method. This in turn is communicated here to facilitate the finding of common caveats and weaknesses in the process of producing simple scientific communications describing the results achieved. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(6):475-482, 2017. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Process for vitrification of contaminated sodium oxide

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

Blair, H.T.; Mellinger, G.B.

1983-03-01

A glass composition was developed to accommodate 30 wt % sodium oxide and resist devitrification and leaching. An in-can melting process that is compatible with a comtaminated sodium calciner developed by Argonne National Laboratory was tested both on a laboratory and on an engineering scale and found to be viable. The Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor experimental program continues to produce elemental sodium contaminated with radionuclides. This material is presently in temporary storage facilities because the current criterion will not permit alkali metals to be disposed of in shallow land burials. As a first step in treatment, Argonne National Laboratorymore » (ANL) has developed a calciner that will convert the sodium metal to an oxide. In work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is developing and demonstrating a process that is compatible with the calciner and facilities at ANL-West for incorporating sodium oxide into a glass. Glass, which normally contains sodium oxide, was chosen as the waste form because it is chemically durable and nondispersible. It is simple to produce, and the technology for incorporating nuclear wastes into glass is well developed.« less

BER-Myriant Succinic Acid Biorefinery

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

Shmorhun, Mark

Myriant Corporation (Myriant) has successfully produced the bioproduct succinic acid by the fermentation of glucose at a commercial scale operation in Lake Providence, Louisiana. The MySAB facility (Myriant Succinic Acid Biorefinery) came on stream in May 2013 and has been producing product since then. The MySAB facility is a demonstration-scale plant, capable of utilizing sorghum grits and commercially available dextrose, to ferment glucose into succinic acid. A downstream processing train has demonstrated the ability to produce an industrial, a standard and a polymer grade product. It consists of cell separation, membrane filtration, continuous chromatography, polishing to remove ionic and colormore » bodies impurities, and final evaporation and crystallization. A by-product of the process is ammonium sulfate which is sold as a liquid fertilizer product. Since 2007 when development work began in the Woburn, Massachusetts R&D laboratories, the succinic acid bio-process has evolved through: Process development (microbiology, fermentation, and downstream) – R&D development laboratories; Piloting efforts at Fermic S.A. de C.V., Mexico City, Mexico – upstream and downstream processes; Design, construction, commissioning, and commercial production operations at the MySAB facility Additionally, Myriant became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the PTT Global Chemical Plc., Thailand, in late 2015, their investment into and support of Myriant goes back to 2011. The support of PTT Global Chemical Plc. helped to improve the upstream and downstream processes, and produce significant metric ton quantities of high quality bio-based succinic acid. The product has gone into a number of commercial markets worldwide for customer applications, development and production. The experience base gained via operations at the MySAB facility since May 2013, along with continued R&D development efforts involving Microbiology, Fermentation, and Downstream processes, at both the Woburn, Massachusetts and PTT Global Chemical Plc. Thailand laboratories, positions the company well for future production at the plant and commercialization of new bio-based products. This will be especially important and valuable as the green chemistry business climate continues to take root and flourish.« less

Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes: today and tomorrow. A review.

PubMed

Sirés, Ignasi; Brillas, Enric; Oturan, Mehmet A; Rodrigo, Manuel A; Panizza, Marco

2014-01-01

In recent years, new advanced oxidation processes based on the electrochemical technology, the so-called electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs), have been developed for the prevention and remediation of environmental pollution, especially focusing on water streams. These methods are based on the electrochemical generation of a very powerful oxidizing agent, such as the hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) in solution, which is then able to destroy organics up to their mineralization. EAOPs include heterogeneous processes like anodic oxidation and photoelectrocatalysis methods, in which (•)OH are generated at the anode surface either electrochemically or photochemically, and homogeneous processes like electro-Fenton, photoelectro-Fenton, and sonoelectrolysis, in which (•)OH are produced in the bulk solution. This paper presents a general overview of the application of EAOPs on the removal of aqueous organic pollutants, first reviewing the most recent works and then looking to the future. A global perspective on the fundamentals and experimental setups is offered, and laboratory-scale and pilot-scale experiments are examined and discussed.

Economic analysis and environmental impact assessment of three different fermentation processes for fructooligosaccharides production.

PubMed

Mussatto, Solange I; Aguiar, Luís M; Marinha, Mariana I; Jorge, Rita C; Ferreira, Eugénio C

2015-12-01

Three different fermentation processes for the production of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) were evaluated and compared in terms of economic aspects and environmental impact. The processes included: submerged fermentation of sucrose solution by Aspergillus japonicus using free cells or using the cells immobilized in corn cobs, and solid-state fermentation (SSF) using coffee silverskin as support material and nutrient source. The scale-up was designed using data obtained at laboratory scale and considering an annual productivity goal of 200 t. SSF was the most attractive process in both economic and environmental aspects since it is able to generate FOS with higher annual productivity (232.6 t) and purity (98.6%) than the other processes; reaches the highest annual profit (6.55 M€); presents the lowest payback time (2.27 years); and is more favourable environmentally causing a lower carbon footprint (0.728 kg/kg, expressed in mass of CO2 equivalent per mass of FOS) and the lowest wastewater generation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric Research 2016 Technical Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Platnick, Steven

2017-01-01

Atmospheric research in the Earth Sciences Division (610) consists of research and technology development programs dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding of the atmosphere and its interaction with the climate of Earth. The Divisions goals are to improve understanding of the dynamics and physical properties of precipitation, clouds, and aerosols; atmospheric chemistry, including the role of natural and anthropogenic trace species on the ozone balance in the stratosphere and the troposphere; and radiative properties of Earth's atmosphere and the influence of solar variability on the Earth's climate. Major research activities are carried out in the Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Laboratory, the Climate and Radiation Laboratory, the Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, and the Wallops Field Support Office. The overall scope of the research covers an end-to-end process, starting with the identification of scientific problems, leading to observation requirements for remote-sensing platforms, technology and retrieval algorithm development; followed by flight projects and satellite missions; and eventually, resulting in data processing, analyses of measurements, and dissemination from flight projects and missions. Instrument scientists conceive, design, develop, and implement ultraviolet, infrared, optical, radar, laser, and lidar technology to remotely sense the atmosphere. Members of the various laboratories conduct field measurements for satellite sensor calibration and data validation, and carry out numerous modeling activities. These modeling activities include climate model simulations, modeling the chemistry and transport of trace species on regional-to-global scales, cloud resolving models, and developing the next-generation Earth system models. Satellite missions, field campaigns, peer-reviewed publications, and successful proposals are essential at every stage of the research process to meeting our goals and maintaining leadership of the Earth Sciences Division in atmospheric science research. Figure 1.1 shows the 22-year record of peer-reviewed publications and proposals among the various laboratories.

Multiscale Multiphysics Caprock Seal Analysis: A Case Study of the Farnsworth Unit, Texas, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heath, J. E.; Dewers, T. A.; Mozley, P.

2015-12-01

Caprock sealing behavior depends on coupled processes that operate over a variety of length and time scales. Capillary sealing behavior depends on nanoscale pore throats and interfacial fluid properties. Larger-scale sedimentary architecture, fractures, and faults may govern properties of potential "seal-bypass" systems. We present the multiscale multiphysics investigation of sealing integrity of the caprock system that overlies the Morrow Sandstone reservoir, Farnsworth Unit, Texas. The Morrow Sandstone is the target injection unit for an on-going combined enhanced oil recovery-CO2 storage project by the Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP). Methods include small-to-large scale measurement techniques, including: focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy; laser scanning confocal microscopy; electron and optical petrography; core examinations of sedimentary architecture and fractures; geomechanical testing; and a noble gas profile through sealing lithologies into the reservoir, as preserved from fresh core. The combined data set is used as part of a performance assessment methodology. The authors gratefully acknowledge the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory for sponsoring this project through the SWP under Award No. DE-FC26-05NT42591. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

3D chemical imaging in the laboratory by hyperspectral X-ray computed tomography

PubMed Central

Egan, C. K.; Jacques, S. D. M.; Wilson, M. D.; Veale, M. C.; Seller, P.; Beale, A. M.; Pattrick, R. A. D.; Withers, P. J.; Cernik, R. J.

2015-01-01

We report the development of laboratory based hyperspectral X-ray computed tomography which allows the internal elemental chemistry of an object to be reconstructed and visualised in three dimensions. The method employs a spectroscopic X-ray imaging detector with sufficient energy resolution to distinguish individual elemental absorption edges. Elemental distributions can then be made by K-edge subtraction, or alternatively by voxel-wise spectral fitting to give relative atomic concentrations. We demonstrate its application to two material systems: studying the distribution of catalyst material on porous substrates for industrial scale chemical processing; and mapping of minerals and inclusion phases inside a mineralised ore sample. The method makes use of a standard laboratory X-ray source with measurement times similar to that required for conventional computed tomography. PMID:26514938

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

Lu, Ping

Controlling metallic nanoparticle (NP) interactions plays a vital role in the development of new joining techniques (nanosolder) that bond at lower processing temperatures but remain viable at higher temperatures. The pr imary objective of this project is t o develop a fundamental understanding of the actual reaction processes, associated atomic mechanisms, and the resulting microstructure that occur during thermally - driven bond formation concerning metal - metal nano - scale (%3C50nm) interfaces. In this LDRD pr oject, we have studied metallic NPs interaction at the elevated temperatures by combining in - situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM ) using an aberrationmore » - corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (AC - STEM) and atomic - scale modeling such as m olecular dynamic (MD) simulations. Various metallic NPs such as Ag, Cu and Au are synthesized by chemical routines. Numerous in - situ e xperiments were carried out with focus of the research on study of Ag - Cu system. For the first time, using in - situ STEM he ating experiments , we directly observed t he formation of a 3 - dimensional (3 - D) epitaxial Cu - Ag core - shell nanoparticle during the thermal interaction of Cu and Ag NPs at elevated temperatures (150 - 300 o C). The reaction takes place at temperatures as low as 150 o C and was only observed when care was taken to circumvent the effects of electron beam irradiation during STEM imaging. Atomic - scale modeling verified that the Cu - Ag core - shell structure is energetically favored, and indicated that this phenomenon is a nano - scale effect related to the large surface - to - volume ratio of the NPs. The observation potentially can be used for developing new nanosolder technology that uses Ag shell as the "glue" that stic ks the particles of Cu together. The LDRD has led to several journal publications and numerous conference presentations, and a TA. In addition, we have developed new TEM characterization techniques and phase - field modeling tools that can be used for future materials research at Sandia. Acknowledgeme nts This work was supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program of Sandia National Laboratories. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi - program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidia ry of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE - AC04 - 94AL85000.« less

Development of a Scale-up Tool for Pervaporation Processes

PubMed Central

Thiess, Holger; Strube, Jochen

2018-01-01

In this study, an engineering tool for the design and optimization of pervaporation processes is developed based on physico-chemical modelling coupled with laboratory/mini-plant experiments. The model incorporates the solution-diffusion-mechanism, polarization effects (concentration and temperature), axial dispersion, pressure drop and the temperature drop in the feed channel due to vaporization of the permeating components. The permeance, being the key model parameter, was determined via dehydration experiments on a mini-plant scale for the binary mixtures ethanol/water and ethyl acetate/water. A second set of experimental data was utilized for the validation of the model for two chemical systems. The industrially relevant ternary mixture, ethanol/ethyl acetate/water, was investigated close to its azeotropic point and compared to a simulation conducted with the determined binary permeance data. Experimental and simulation data proved to agree very well for the investigated process conditions. In order to test the scalability of the developed engineering tool, large-scale data from an industrial pervaporation plant used for the dehydration of ethanol was compared to a process simulation conducted with the validated physico-chemical model. Since the membranes employed in both mini-plant and industrial scale were of the same type, the permeance data could be transferred. The comparison of the measured and simulated data proved the scalability of the derived model. PMID:29342956

Low-Cost alpha Alane for Hydrogen Storage

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

Fabian, Tibor; Petrie, Mark; Crouch-Baker, Steven

This project was directed towards the further development of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) lab-scale electrochemical synthesis of the hydrogen storage material alpha-alane and Ardica Technologies-SRI International (SRI) chemical downstream processes that are necessary to meet DoE cost metrics and transition alpha-alane synthesis to an industrial scale. Ardica has demonstrated the use of alpha-alane in a fuel-cell system for the U.S. Army WFC20 20W soldier power system that has successfully passed initial field trials with individual soldiers. While alpha-alane has been clearly identified as a desirable hydrogen storage material, cost-effective means for its production and regeneration on a scalemore » of use applicable to the industry have yet to be established. We focused on three, principal development areas: 1. The construction of a comprehensive engineering techno-economic model to establish the production costs of alpha-alane by both electrochemical and chemical routes at scale. 2. The identification of critical, cost-saving design elements of the electrochemical cell and the quantification of the product yields of the primary electrochemical process. A moving particle-bed reactor design was constructed and operated. 3. The experimental quantification of the product yields of candidate downstream chemical processes necessary to produce alpha-alane to complete the most cost-effective overall manufacturing process. Our techno-economic model shows that under key assumptions most 2015 and 2020 DOE hydrogen storage system cost targets for low and medium power can be achieved using the electrochemical alane synthesis process. To meet the most aggressive 2020 storage system cost target, $1/g, our model indicates that 420 metric tons per year (MT/y) production of alpha-alane is required. Laboratory-scale experimental work demonstrated that the yields of two of the three critical component steps within the overall “electrochemical process” were sufficiently high to meet this production target. In the case of the yield of the third step, the crystallization of alpha-alane from the primary alane-related product of the electrochemical reaction, further development is required.« less

Practices for Identifying and Rejecting Hemolyzed Specimens Are Highly Variable in Clinical Laboratories.

PubMed

Howanitz, Peter J; Lehman, Christopher M; Jones, Bruce A; Meier, Frederick A; Horowitz, Gary L

2015-08-01

Hemolysis is an important clinical laboratory quality attribute that influences result reliability. To determine hemolysis identification and rejection practices occurring in clinical laboratories. We used the College of American Pathologists Survey program to distribute a Q-Probes-type questionnaire about hemolysis practices to Chemistry Survey participants. Of 3495 participants sent the questionnaire, 846 (24%) responded. In 71% of 772 laboratories, the hemolysis rate was less than 3.0%, whereas in 5%, it was 6.0% or greater. A visual scale, an instrument scale, and combination of visual and instrument scales were used to identify hemolysis in 48%, 11%, and 41% of laboratories, respectively. A picture of the hemolysis level was used as an aid to technologists' visual interpretation of hemolysis levels in 40% of laboratories. In 7.0% of laboratories, all hemolyzed specimens were rejected; in 4% of laboratories, no hemolyzed specimens were rejected; and in 88% of laboratories, some specimens were rejected depending on hemolysis levels. Participants used 69 different terms to describe hemolysis scales, with 21 terms used in more than 10 laboratories. Slight and moderate were the terms used most commonly. Of 16 different cutoffs used to reject hemolyzed specimens, moderate was the most common, occurring in 30% of laboratories. For whole blood electrolyte measurements performed in 86 laboratories, 57% did not evaluate the presence of hemolysis, but for those that did, the most common practice in 21 laboratories (24%) was centrifuging and visually determining the presence of hemolysis in all specimens. Hemolysis practices vary widely. Standard assessment and consistent reporting are the first steps in reducing interlaboratory variability among results.

The Impact of Frictional Healing on Stick-Slip Recurrence Interval and Stress Drop: Implications for Earthquake Scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, Kyungjae; Elsworth, Derek; Marone, Chris; Leeman, John

2017-12-01

Interseismic frictional healing is an essential process in the seismic cycle. Observations of both natural and laboratory earthquakes demonstrate that the magnitude of stress drop scales with the logarithm of recurrence time, which is a cornerstone of the rate and state friction (RSF) laws. However, the origin of this log linear behavior and short time "cutoff" for small recurrence intervals remains poorly understood. Here we use RSF laws to demonstrate that the back-projected time of null-healing intrinsically scales with the initial frictional state θi. We explore this behavior and its implications for (1) the short-term cutoff time of frictional healing and (2) the connection between healing rates derived from stick-slip sliding versus slide-hold-slide tests. We use a novel, continuous solution of RSF for a one-dimensional spring-slider system with inertia. The numerical solution continuously traces frictional state evolution (and healing) and shows that stick-slip cutoff time also scales with frictional state at the conclusion of the dynamic slip process θi (=Dc/Vpeak). This numerical investigation on the origins of stick-slip response is verified by comparing laboratory data for a range of peak slip velocities. Slower slip motions yield lesser magnitude of friction drop at a given time due to higher frictional state at the end of each slip event. Our results provide insight on the origin of log linear stick-slip evolution and suggest an approach to estimating the critical slip distance on faults that exhibit gradual accelerations, such as for slow earthquakes.

A comparison of relative toxicity rankings by some small-scale laboratory tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilado, C. J.; Cumming, H. J.

1977-01-01

Small-scale laboratory tests for fire toxicity, suitable for use in the average laboratory hood, are needed for screening and ranking materials on the basis of relative toxicity. The performance of wool, cotton, and aromatic polyamide under several test procedures is presented.

AQMEII3: the EU and NA regional scale program of the ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The presentation builds on the work presented last year at the 14th CMAS meeting and it is applied to the work performed in the context of the AQMEII-HTAP collaboration. The analysis is conducted within the framework of the third phase of AQMEII (Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative) and encompasses the gauging of model performance through measurement-to-model comparison, error decomposition and time series analysis of the models biases. Through the comparison of several regional-scale chemistry transport modelling systems applied to simulate meteorology and air quality over two continental areas, this study aims at i) apportioning the error to the responsible processes through time-scale analysis, and ii) help detecting causes of models error, and iii) identify the processes and scales most urgently requiring dedicated investigations. The operational metrics (magnitude of the error, sign of the bias, associativity) provide an overall sense of model strengths and deficiencies, while the apportioning of the error into its constituent parts (bias, variance and covariance) can help assess the nature and quality of the error. Each of the error components is analysed independently and apportioned to specific processes based on the corresponding timescale (long scale, synoptic, diurnal, and intra-day) using the error apportionment technique devised in the previous phases of AQMEII. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Computational Exposur

Achieving across-laboratory replicability in psychophysical scaling

PubMed Central

Ward, Lawrence M.; Baumann, Michael; Moffat, Graeme; Roberts, Larry E.; Mori, Shuji; Rutledge-Taylor, Matthew; West, Robert L.

2015-01-01

It is well known that, although psychophysical scaling produces good qualitative agreement between experiments, precise quantitative agreement between experimental results, such as that routinely achieved in physics or biology, is rarely or never attained. A particularly galling example of this is the fact that power function exponents for the same psychological continuum, measured in different laboratories but ostensibly using the same scaling method, magnitude estimation, can vary by a factor of three. Constrained scaling (CS), in which observers first learn a standardized meaning for a set of numerical responses relative to a standard sensory continuum and then make magnitude judgments of other sensations using the learned response scale, has produced excellent quantitative agreement between individual observers’ psychophysical functions. Theoretically it could do the same for across-laboratory comparisons, although this needs to be tested directly. We compared nine different experiments from four different laboratories as an example of the level of across experiment and across-laboratory agreement achievable using CS. In general, we found across experiment and across-laboratory agreement using CS to be significantly superior to that typically obtained with conventional magnitude estimation techniques, although some of its potential remains to be realized. PMID:26191019

Design and application of a mobile ground-based observatory for continuous measurements of atmospheric trace-gas and criteria pollutant species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bush, S. E.; Hopkins, F. M.; Randerson, J. T.; Lai, C.-T.; Ehleringer, J. R.

2015-01-01

Ground-based measurements of atmospheric trace gas species and criteria pollutants are essential for understanding emissions dynamics across space and time. Gas composition in the surface 50 m has the greatest direct impacts on human health as well as ecosystem processes, hence data at this level is necessary for addressing carbon cycle and public health related questions. However, such surface data are generally associated with stationary measurement towers, where spatial representation is limited due to the high cost of establishing and maintaining an extensive network of measurement stations. We describe here a compact mobile laboratory equipped to provide high-precision, high-frequency, continuous, on-road synchronous measurements of CO2, CO, CH4, H2O, NOx, O3, aerosol, meteorological, and geospatial position data. The mobile laboratory has been deployed across the western USA. In addition to describing the vehicle and its capacity, we present data that illustrate the use of the laboratory as a powerful tool for investigating the spatial structure of urban trace gas emissions and criteria pollutants at spatial scales ranging from single streets to whole ecosystem and regional scales. We identify fugitive urban CH4 emissions and assess the magnitude of CH4 emissions from known point sources. We illustrate how such a mobile laboratory can be used to better understand emissions dynamics and quantify emissions ratios associated with trace gas emissions from wildfire incidents. Lastly, we discuss additional mobile laboratory applications in health and urban metabolism.

2011 Annual Report (National Defense Center for Energy and Environment)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

scale or laboratory testing. Green Automated Munitions Evaluation and Recovery System (GAMERS) Cadmium and Hexavalent Chromium Free Electrical...internal cavities and enhancing oxidation removal and prevention. While sustainable alternatives to cadmium and chromium continue to be evaluated...Letterkenny Army Depot (LEAD) teamed with the NDCEE to reduce cadmium levels in process wastewater and ensure compliance with the depot’s discharge

A study of flame spread in engineered cardboard fuelbeds: Part I: Correlations and observations

Treesearch

Mark A. Finney; Jason Forthofer; Isaac C. Grenfell; Brittany A. Adam; Nelson K. Akafuah; Kozo Saito

2013-01-01

Wind tunnel laboratory fires spreading through laser-cut cardboard fuel beds were instrumented and analyzed for physical processes associated with spread. Flames in the span-wise direction appeared as a regular series of peaks-and-troughs that scaled directly with flame length. Flame structure in the stream-wise direction fluctuated with the forward advection of...

From drug to protein: using yeast genetics for high-throughput target discovery.

PubMed

Armour, Christopher D; Lum, Pek Yee

2005-02-01

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has long been an effective eukaryotic model system for understanding basic cellular processes. The genetic tractability and ease of manipulation in the laboratory make yeast well suited for large-scale chemical and genetic screens. Several recent studies describing the use of yeast genetics for high-throughput drug target identification are discussed in this review.

The Sun at high spatial resolution: The physics of small spatial structures in a magnetized medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosner, R. T.

1986-01-01

An attempt is made to provide a perspective on the problem of spatial structuring on scales smaller than can presently be directly and regularly observed from the ground or with which current space-based instrumentation can be anticipated. There is abundant evidence from both observations and theory that such spatial structuring of the solar outer atmosphere is ubiquitous not only on the observed scales, but also on spatial scales down to (at least) the subarcsecond range. This is not to say that the results to be obtained from observations on these small scales can be anticipated: quite the opposite. What is clear instead is that many of the classic problems of coronal and chromospheric activity - involving the basic dissipative nature of magnetized plasmas - will be seen from a novel perspective at these scales, and that there are reasons for believing that dynamical processes of importance to activity on presently-resolved scales will themselves begin to be resolved on the sub-arcsecond level. Since the Sun is the only astrophysical laboratory for which there is any hope of studying these processes in any detail, this observatioinal opportunity is an exciting prospect for any student of magnetic activity in astrophysics.

Startup of reactors for anoxic ammonium oxidation: experiences from the first full-scale anammox reactor in Rotterdam.

PubMed

van der Star, Wouter R L; Abma, Wiebe R; Blommers, Dennis; Mulder, Jan-Willem; Tokutomi, Takaaki; Strous, Marc; Picioreanu, Cristian; van Loosdrecht, Mark C M

2007-10-01

The first full-scale anammox reactor in the world was started in Rotterdam (NL). The reactor was scaled-up directly from laboratory-scale to full-scale and treats up to 750 kg-N/d. In the initial phase of the startup, anammox conversions could not be identified by traditional methods, but quantitative PCR proved to be a reliable indicator for growth of the anammox population, indicating an anammox doubling time of 10-12 days. The experience gained during this first startup in combination with the availability of seed sludge from this reactor, will lead to a faster startup of anammox reactors in the future. The anammox reactor type employed in Rotterdam was compared to other reactor types for the anammox process. Reactors with a high specific surface area like the granular sludge reactor employed in Rotterdam provide the highest volumetric loading rates. Mass transfer of nitrite into the biofilm is limiting the conversion of those reactor types that have a lower specific surface area. Now the first full-scale commercial anammox reactor is in operation, a consistent and descriptive nomenclature is suggested for reactors in which the anammox process is employed.

Diffuse pollution of soil and water: Long term trends at large scales?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grathwohl, P.

2012-04-01

Industrialization and urbanization, which consequently increased pressure on the environment to cause degradation of soil and water quality over more than a century, is still ongoing. The number of potential environmental contaminants detected in surface and groundwater is continuously increasing; from classical industrial and agricultural chemicals, to flame retardants, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. While point sources of pollution can be managed in principle, diffuse pollution is only reversible at very long time scales if at all. Compounds which were phased out many decades ago such as PCBs or DDT are still abundant in soils, sediments and biota. How diffuse pollution is processed at large scales in space (e.g. catchments) and time (centuries) is unknown. The relevance to the field of processes well investigated at the laboratory scale (e.g. sorption/desorption and (bio)degradation kinetics) is not clear. Transport of compounds is often coupled to the water cycle and in order to assess trends in diffuse pollution, detailed knowledge about the hydrology and the solute fluxes at the catchment scale is required (e.g. input/output fluxes, transformation rates at the field scale). This is also a prerequisite in assessing management options for reversal of adverse trends.

Evaluation of validation of a fully instrumented Hüttlin HKC 05-TJ laboratory-scale fluidized bed granulator.

PubMed

Wöstheinrich, K; Schmidt, P C

2000-06-01

The instrumentation and validation of a laboratory-scale fluidized bed apparatus is described. For continuous control of the process, the apparatus is instrumented with sensors for temperature, relative humidity (RH), and air velocity. Conditions of inlet air, fluidizing air, product, and exhaust air were determined. The temperature sensors were calibrated at temperatures of 0.0 degree C and 99.9 degrees C. The calibration of the humidity sensors covered the range from 12% RH to 98% RH using saturated electrolyte solutions. The calibration of the anemometer took place in a wind tunnel at defined air velocities. The calibrations led to satisfying results concerning sensitivity and precision. To evaluate the reproducibility of the process, 15 granules were prepared under identical conditions. The influence of the type of pump used for delivering the granulating liquid was investigated. Particle size distribution, bulk density, and tapped density were determined. Granules were tableted on a rotary press at four different compression force levels, followed by determination of tablet properties such as weight, crushing strength, and disintegration time. The apparatus was found to produce granules with good reproducibility concerning the granule and tablet properties.

New Experimental Technique for Nodularity and Mg Fading Control in Compacted Graphite Iron Production on Laboratory Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernando, Juan Carlos; Domeij, Björn; González, Daniel; Amieva, José Manuel; Diószegi, Attila

2017-11-01

The narrow production window for compacted graphite iron material (CGI) drastically reduces the possibilities to produce it in small batches outside an industrial environment. This fact hinders laboratory-scale investigations on CGI solidification. This work presents a solution to that issue by introducing an experimental technique to produce graphitic cast iron of the main three families. Samples of a base hypereutectic spheroidal graphite iron (SGI) were re-melted in a resistance furnace under Ar atmosphere. Varying the holding time at 1723 K (1450 °C), graphitic irons ranging from spheroidal to lamellar were produced. Characterization of the graphite morphology evolution, in terms of nodularity as a function of holding time, is presented. The nodularity decay for the SGI region suggests a linear correlation with the holding time. In the CGI region, nodularity deterioration shows a slower rate, concluding with the sudden appearance of lamellar graphite. The fading process of magnesium, showing agreement with previous researchers, is described by means of empirical relations as a function of holding time and nodularity. The results on nodularity fade and number of nodules per unit area fade suggest that both phenomena occur simultaneously during the fading process of magnesium.

Robofurnace: A semi-automated laboratory chemical vapor deposition system for high-throughput nanomaterial synthesis and process discovery

PubMed Central

Oliver, C. Ryan; Westrick, William; Koehler, Jeremy; Brieland-Shoultz, Anna; Anagnostopoulos-Politis, Ilias; Cruz-Gonzalez, Tizoc; Hart, A. John

2013-01-01

Laboratory research and development on new materials, such as nanostructured thin films, often utilizes manual equipment such as tube furnaces due to its relatively low cost and ease of setup. However, these systems can be prone to inconsistent outcomes due to variations in standard operating procedures and limitations in performance such as heating and cooling rates restrict the parameter space that can be explored. Perhaps more importantly, maximization of research throughput and the successful and efficient translation of materials processing knowledge to production-scale systems, relies on the attainment of consistent outcomes. In response to this need, we present a semi-automated lab-scale chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace system, called “Robofurnace.” Robofurnace is an automated CVD system built around a standard tube furnace, which automates sample insertion and removal and uses motion of the furnace to achieve rapid heating and cooling. The system has a 10-sample magazine and motorized transfer arm, which isolates the samples from the lab atmosphere and enables highly repeatable placement of the sample within the tube. The system is designed to enable continuous operation of the CVD reactor, with asynchronous loading/unloading of samples. To demonstrate its performance, Robofurnace is used to develop a rapid CVD recipe for carbon nanotube (CNT) forest growth, achieving a 10-fold improvement in CNT forest mass density compared to a benchmark recipe using a manual tube furnace. In the long run, multiple systems like Robofurnace may be linked to share data among laboratories by methods such as Twitter. Our hope is Robofurnace and like automation will enable machine learning to optimize and discover relationships in complex material synthesis processes. PMID:24289435

Institutional practices and policies in acid-base testing: a self reported Croatian survey study on behalf of the Croatian society of medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine Working Group for acid-base balance.

PubMed

Dukić, Lora; Simundić, Ana-Maria

2014-01-01

The aim of this survey study was to assess the current practices and policies in use related to the various steps in the blood gas testing process, across hospital laboratories in Croatia. First questionnaire was sent by email to all medical biochemistry laboratories (N = 104) within general, specialized and clinical hospitals and university hospital centres to identify laboratories which perform blood gas analysis. Second questionnaire with detailed questions about sample collection, analysis and quality control procedures, was sent only to 47 laboratories identified by the first survey. Questionnaire was designed as combination of questions and statements with Likert scale. Third questionnaire was sent to all participating laboratories (N=47) for additional clarification for either indeterminate or unclear answers. Blood gas analysis is performed in 47/104 hospital laboratories in Croatia. In 25/41 (0.61) of the laboratories capillary blood gas sampling is the preferred sample type for adult patient population, whereas arterial blood sample is preferentially used in only 5/44 laboratories (0.11). Blood sampling and sample processing for capillary samples is done almost always by laboratory technicians (36/41 and 37/44, respectively), whereas arterial blood sampling is almost always done by the physician (24/29) and only rarely by a nurse (5/28). Sample acceptance criteria and sample analysis are in accordance with international recommendations for majority of laboratories. 43/44 laboratories participate in the national EQA program. POCT analyzers are installed outside of the laboratory in 20/47 (0.43) institutions. Laboratory staff is responsible for education and training of ward personnel, quality control and instrument maintenance in only 12/22, 11/20 and 9/20 institutions, respectively. Practices related to collection and analysis for blood gases in Croatia are not standardised and vary substantially between laboratories. POCT analyzers are not under the direct supervision by laboratory personnel in a large proportion of surveyed institutions. Collective efforts should be made to harmonize and improve policies and procedures related to blood gas testing in Croatian laboratories.

Predictive modelling of flow in a two-dimensional intermediate-scale, heterogeneous porous media

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barth, Gilbert R.; Hill, M.C.; Illangasekare, T.H.; Rajaram, H.

2000-01-01

To better understand the role of sedimentary structures in flow through porous media, and to determine how small-scale laboratory-measured values of hydraulic conductivity relate to in situ values this work deterministically examines flow through simple, artificial structures constructed for a series of intermediate-scale (10 m long), two-dimensional, heterogeneous, laboratory experiments. Nonlinear regression was used to determine optimal values of in situ hydraulic conductivity, which were compared to laboratory-measured values. Despite explicit numerical representation of the heterogeneity, the optimized values were generally greater than the laboratory-measured values. Discrepancies between measured and optimal values varied depending on the sand sieve size, but their contribution to error in the predicted flow was fairly consistent for all sands. Results indicate that, even under these controlled circumstances, laboratory-measured values of hydraulic conductivity need to be applied to models cautiously.To better understand the role of sedimentary structures in flow through porous media, and to determine how small-scale laboratory-measured values of hydraulic conductivity relate to in situ values this work deterministically examines flow through simple, artificial structures constructed for a series of intermediate-scale (10 m long), two-dimensional, heterogeneous, laboratory experiments. Nonlinear regression was used to determine optimal values of in situ hydraulic conductivity, which were compared to laboratory-measured values. Despite explicit numerical representation of the heterogeneity, the optimized values were generally greater than the laboratory-measured values. Discrepancies between measured and optimal values varied depending on the sand sieve size, but their contribution to error in the predicted flow was fairly consistent for all sands. Results indicate that, even under these controlled circumstances, laboratory-measured values of hydraulic conductivity need to be applied to models cautiously.

Methyl chloride via oxyhydrochlorination of methane: A building block for chemicals and fuels from natural gas

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

Benson, R.L.; Brown, S.S.D.; Ferguson, S.P.

1995-12-31

The objectives of this program are to (a) develop a process for converting natural gas to methyl chloride via an oxyhydrochlorination route using highly selective, stable catalysts in a fixed-bed, (b) design a reactor capable of removing the large amount of heat generated in the process so as to control the reaction, (c) develop a recovery system capable of removing the methyl chloride from the product stream and (d) determine the economics and commercial viability of the process. The general approach has been as follows: (a) design and build a laboratory scale reactor, (b) define and synthesize suitable OHC catalystsmore » for evaluation, (c) select first generation OHC catalyst for Process Development Unit (PDU) trials, (d) design, construct and startup PDU, (e) evaluate packed bed reactor design, (f) optimize process, in particular, product recovery operations, (g) determine economics of process, (h) complete preliminary engineering design for Phase II and (i) make scale-up decision and formulate business plan for Phase II. Conclusions regarding process development and catalyst development are presented.« less

Review and Assessment of Commercial Vendors/Options for Feeding and Pumping Biomass Slurries for Hydrothermal Liquefaction

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

Berglin, Eric J.; Enderlin, Carl W.; Schmidt, Andrew J.

2012-11-01

The National Advanced Biofuels Consortium is working to develop improved methods for producing high-value hydrocarbon fuels. The development of one such method, the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) process, is being led by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The HTL process uses a wet biomass slurry at elevated temperatures (i.e., 300 to 360°C [570 to 680°F]) and pressures above the vapor pressure of water (i.e., 15 to 20 MPa [2200 to 3000 psi] at these temperatures) to facilitate a condensed-phase reaction medium. The process has been successfully tested at bench-scale and development and testing at a larger scale is required tomore » prove the viability of the process at production levels. Near-term development plans include a pilot-scale system on the order of 0.5 to 40 gpm, followed by a larger production-scale system on the order of 2000 dry metric tons per day (DMTPD). A significant challenge to the scale-up of the HTL process is feeding a highly viscous fibrous biomass wood/corn stover feedstock into a pump system that provides the required 3000 psi of pressure for downstream processing. In October 2011, PNNL began investigating commercial feed and pumping options that would meet these HTL process requirements. Initial efforts focused on generating a HTL feed and pump specification and then providing the specification to prospective vendors to determine the suitability of their pumps for the pilot-scale and production-scale plants. Six vendors were identified that could provide viable equipment to meet HTL feed and/or pump needs. Those six vendors provided options consisting three types of positive displacement pumps (i.e., diaphragm, piston, and lobe pumps). Vendors provided capabilities and equipment related to HTL application. This information was collected, assessed, and summarized and is provided as appendices to this report.« less

Quantitative analysis of nano-pore geomaterials and representative sampling for digital rock physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, H.; Dewers, T. A.

2014-12-01

Geomaterials containing nano-pores (e.g., shales and carbonate rocks) have become increasingly important for emerging problems such as unconventional gas and oil resources, enhanced oil recovery, and geologic storage of CO2. Accurate prediction of coupled geophysical and chemical processes at the pore scale requires realistic representation of pore structure and topology. This is especially true for chalk materials, where pore networks are small and complex, and require characterization at sub-micron scale. In this work, we apply laser scanning confocal microscopy to characterize pore structures and microlithofacies at micron- and greater scales and dual focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) for 3D imaging of nanometer-to-micron scale microcracks and pore distributions. With imaging techniques advanced for nano-pore characterization, a problem of scale with FIB-SEM images is how to take nanometer scale information and apply it to the thin-section or larger scale. In this work, several texture characterization techniques including graph-based spectral segmentation, support vector machine, and principal component analysis are applied for segmentation clusters represented by 1-2 FIB-SEM samples per each cluster. Geometric and topological properties are analyzed and lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) is used to obtain permeability at several different scales. Upscaling of permeability to the Darcy scale (e.g., the thin-section scale) with image dataset will be discussed with emphasis on understanding microfracture-matrix interaction, representative volume for FIB-SEM sampling, and multiphase flow and reactive transport. Funding from the DOE Basic Energy Sciences Geosciences Program is gratefully acknowledged. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Imaging the Subsurface of the Thuringian Basin (Germany) on Different Spatial Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goepel, A.; Krause, M.; Methe, P.; Kukowski, N.

2014-12-01

Understanding the coupled dynamics of near surface and deep fluid flow patterns is essential to characterize the properties of sedimentary basins, to identify the processes of compaction, diagenesis, and transport of mass and energy. The multidisciplinary project INFLUINS (Integrated FLUid dynamics IN Sedimentary basins) aims for investigating the behavior of fluids in the Thuringian Basin, a small intra-continental sedimentary basin in Germany, at different spatial scales, ranging from the pore scale to the extent of the entire basin. As hydraulic properties often significantly vary with spatial scales, e.g. seismic data using different frequencies are required to gain information about the spatial variability of elastic and hydraulic subsurface properties. For the Thuringian Basin, we use seismic and borehole data acquired in the framework of INFLUINS. Basin-wide structural imaging data are available from 2D reflection seismic profiles as well as 2.5D and 3D seismic travel time tomography. Further, core material from a 1,179 m deep drill hole completed in 2013 is available for laboratory seismic experiments on mm- to cm-scale. The data are complemented with logging data along the entire drill hole. This campaign yielded e.g. sonic and density logs allowing the estimation of in-situ P-velocity and acoustic impedance with a spatial resolution on the cm-scale and provides improved information about petrologic and stratigraphic variability at different scales. Joint interpretation of basin scale structural and elastic properties data with laboratory scale data from ultrasound experiments using core samples enables a detailed and realistic imaging of the subsurface properties on different spatial scales. Combining seismic travel time tomography with stratigraphic interpretation provides useful information of variations in the elastic properties for certain geological units and therefore gives indications for changes in hydraulic properties.

Testing the Merger Paradigm: X-ray Observations of Radio-Selected Sub-Galactic-Scale Binary AGNs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Hai

2016-09-01

Interactions play an important role in galaxy evolution. Strong gas inflows are expected in the process of gas-rich mergers, which may fuel intense black hole accretion and star formation. Sub-galactic-scale binary/dual AGNs thus offer elegant laboratories to study the merger-driven co-evolution phase. However, previous samples of kpc-scale binaries are small and heterogeneous. We have identified a flux-limited sample of kpc-scale binary AGNs uniformly from a wide-area high-resolution radio survey conducted by the VLA. Here we propose Chandra X-ray characterization of a subset of four radio-confirmed binary AGNs at z 0.1. Our goal is to compare their X-ray properties with those of matched control samples to test the merger-driven co-evolution paradigm.

Application of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) from viscosity reducing of raw sweet potato for bioethanol production at laboratory, pilot and industrial scales.

PubMed

Zhang, Liang; Zhao, Hai; Gan, Mingzhe; Jin, Yanlin; Gao, Xiaofeng; Chen, Qian; Guan, Jiafa; Wang, Zhongyan

2011-03-01

The aim of this work was to research a bioprocess for bioethanol production from raw sweet potato by Saccharomyces cerevisiae at laboratory, pilot and industrial scales. The fermentation mode, inoculum size and pressure from different gases were determined in laboratory. The maximum ethanol concentration, average ethanol productivity rate and yield of ethanol after fermentation in laboratory scale (128.51 g/L, 4.76 g/L/h and 91.4%) were satisfactory with small decrease at pilot scale (109.06 g/L, 4.89 g/L/h and 91.24%) and industrial scale (97.94 g/L, 4.19 g/L/h and 91.27%). When scaled up, the viscosity caused resistance to fermentation parameters, 1.56 AUG/g (sweet potato mash) of xylanase decreased the viscosity from approximately 30000 to 500 cp. Overall, sweet potato is a attractive feedstock for be bioethanol production from both the economic standpoints and environmentally friendly. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel laboratory simulations of astrophysical jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brady, Parrish Clawson

This thesis was motivated by the promise that some physical aspects of astrophysical jets and collimation processes can be scaled to laboratory parameters through hydrodynamic scaling laws. The simulation of astrophysical jet phenomena with laser-produced plasmas was attractive because the laser- target interaction can inject energetic, repeatable plasma into an external environment. Novel laboratory simulations of astrophysical jets involved constructing and using the YOGA laser, giving a 1064 nm, 8 ns pulse laser with energies up to 3.7 + 0.2 J . Laser-produced plasmas were characterized using Schlieren, interferometry and ICCD photography for their use in simulating jet and magnetosphere physics. The evolution of the laser-produced plasma in various conditions was compared with self-similar solutions and HYADES computer simulations. Millimeter-scale magnetized collimated outflows were produced by a centimeter scale cylindrically symmetric electrode configuration triggered by a laser-produced plasma. A cavity with a flared nozzle surrounded the center electrode and the electrode ablation created supersonic uncollimated flows. This flow became collimated when the center electrode changed from an anodeto a cathode. The plasma jets were in axially directed permanent magnetic fields with strengths up to 5000 Gauss. The collimated magnetized jets were 0.1-0. 3 cm wide, up to 2.0 cm long, and had velocities of ~4.0 × 10 6 cm/s. The dynamics of the evolution of the jet were compared qualitatively and quantitatively with fluxtube simulations from Bellan's formulation [6] giving a calculated estimate of ~2.6 × 10 6 cm/s for jet evolution velocity and evidence for jet rotation. The density measured with interferometry was 1.9 ± 0.2 × 10 17 cm -3 compared with 2.1 × 10 16 cm -3 calculated with Bellan's pressure balance formulation. Kinks in the jet column were produced consistent with the Kruskal-Shafranov condition which allowed stable and symmetric jets to form with the background magnetic fields. The Euler number for the laboratory jet was 9 compared with an estimate of 40 for young stellar object jets [135] which demonstrated adequate scaling between the two frames. A second experiment was performed concerning laboratory simulations of magnetospheres with plasma winds impinging on permanent magnetic dipoles. The ratio of the magnetopause measured with ICCD photography to the calculated magnetopause standoff distance was ~2.

SHynergie: Development of a virtual project laboratory for monitoring hydraulic stimulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renner, Jörg; Friederich, Wolfgang; Meschke, Günther; Müller, Thomas; Steeb, Holger

2016-04-01

Hydraulic stimulations are the primary means of developing subsurface reservoirs regarding the extent of fluid transport in them. The associated creation or conditioning of a system of hydraulic conduits involves a range of hydraulic and mechanical processes but also chemical reactions, such as dissolution and precipitation, may affect the stimulation result on time scales as short as hours. In the light of the extent and complexity of these processes, the steering potential for the operator of a stimulation critically depends on the ability to integrate the maximum amount of site-specific information with profound process understanding and a large spectrum of experience. We report on the development of a virtual project laboratory for monitoring hydraulic stimulations within the project SHynergie (http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/shynergie/). The concept of the laboratory envisioned product that constitutes a preparing and accompanying rather than post-processing instrument ultimately accessible to persons responsible for a project over a web-repository. The virtual laboratory consists of a data base, a toolbox, and a model-building environment. Entries in the data base are of two categories. On the one hand, selected mineral and rock properties are provided from the literature. On the other hand, project-specific entries of any format can be made that are assigned attributes regarding their use in a stimulation problem at hand. The toolbox is interactive and allows the user to perform calculations of effective properties and simulations of different types (e.g., wave propagation in a reservoir, hydraulic test). The model component is also hybrid. The laboratory provides a library of models reflecting a range of scenarios but also allows the user to develop a site-specific model constituting the basis for simulations. The laboratory offers the option to use its components following the typical workflow of a stimulation project. The toolbox incorporates simulation instruments developed in the course of the SHynergie project that account for the experimental and modeling results of the various sub-projects.

Space processing experimental apparatus - A survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siebel, M. P.

1977-01-01

The processing of materials in a low-g environment was started approximately 10 years ago. This article surveys the apparatus developed during that period. A low-g environment occurs naturally in a free-flying spacecraft (e.g., in manned flights such as Apollo, Skylab, and ASTP); low-g conditions also occur in other free-falling bodies such as sounding rockets and drop tower capsules. Apparatus has been developed for all these craft. Most of the apparatus described serves to melt and resolidify materials in low g; the material may be contained or, by virtue of the environment, freely floating. Other apparatus for separation of intimately mixed components or species is also described. A general conclusion is drawn that the apparatus addresses only a few of the possibilities available, is still at the experimental stage, and is of laboratory scale. It is predicted that processes showing promise will be scaled up to derive economic advantages in the Shuttle era of space flight.

Coal desulfurization by low temperature chlorinolysis, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalvinskas, J. J.; Rohatgi, N. K.; Ernest, J.

1981-01-01

Laboratory scale, bench scale batch reactor, and minipilot plant tests were conducted on 22 bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite coals. Chemical pretreatment and post treatment of coals relative to the chlorination were tried as a means of enhancing desulfurization by the chlorinolysis process. Elevated temperature (500-700 C) hydrogen treatment of chlorinolysis-processed coal at atmospheric pressure was found to substantially increase coal desulfurization up to 90 percent. Sulfur forms, proximate and ultimate analyses of the processed coal are included. Minipilot plant operation indicates that the continuous flow reactor provides coal desulfurization results comparable to those obtained in the batch reactor. Seven runs were conducted at coal feed rates of 1.5 to 8.8 kg per hour using water and methylchloroform solvents, gaseous chlorine feed of 3 to 31.4 SCFH at 21 to 70 C, and atmospheric pressure for retention times of 20 to 120 minutes.

Rain events and their effect on effluent quality studied at a full scale activated sludge treatment plant.

PubMed

Wilén, B M; Lumley, D; Mattsson, A; Mino, T

2006-01-01

The effect of rain events on effluent quality dynamics was studied at a full scale activated sludge wastewater treatment plant which has a process solution incorporating pre-denitrification in activated sludge with post-nitrification in trickling filters. The incoming wastewater flow varies significantly due to a combined sewer system. Changed flow conditions have an impact on the whole treatment process since the recirculation to the trickling filters is set by the hydraulic limitations of the secondary settlers. Apart from causing different hydraulic conditions in the plant, increased flow due to rain or snow-melting, changes the properties of the incoming wastewater which affects process performance and effluent quality, especially the particle removal efficiency. A comprehensive set of on-line and laboratory data were collected and analysed to assess the impact of rain events on the plant performance.

Cost Effective Bioethanol via Acid Pretreatment of Corn Stover, Saccharification, and Conversion via a Novel Fermentation Organism: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number: CRD-12-485

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

Dowe, N.

2014-05-01

This research program will convert acid pretreated corn stover to sugars at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and then transfer these sugars to Honda R&D and its partner the Green Earth Institute (GEI) for conversion to ethanol via a novel fermentation organism. In phase one, NREL will adapt its pretreatment and saccharification process to the unique attributes of this organism, and Honda R&D/GEI will increase the sugar conversion rate as well as the yield and titer of the resulting ethanol. In later phases, NREL, Honda R&D, and GEI will work together at NREL to optimize and scale-up to pilot-scalemore » the Honda R&D/GEI bioethanol production process. The final stage will be to undertake a pilot-scale test at NREL of the optimized bioethanol conversion process.« less

Annual Report: Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI) (30 September 2012)

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

Miller, David C.; Syamlal, Madhava; Cottrell, Roger

2012-09-30

The Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI) is a partnership among national laboratories, industry and academic institutions that is developing and deploying state-of-the-art computational modeling and simulation tools to accelerate the commercialization of carbon capture technologies from discovery to development, demonstration, and ultimately the widespread deployment to hundreds of power plants. The CCSI Toolset will provide end users in industry with a comprehensive, integrated suite of scientifically validated models, with uncertainty quantification (UQ), optimization, risk analysis and decision making capabilities. The CCSI Toolset incorporates commercial and open-source software currently in use by industry and is also developing new software tools asmore » necessary to fill technology gaps identified during execution of the project. Ultimately, the CCSI Toolset will (1) enable promising concepts to be more quickly identified through rapid computational screening of devices and processes; (2) reduce the time to design and troubleshoot new devices and processes; (3) quantify the technical risk in taking technology from laboratory-scale to commercial-scale; and (4) stabilize deployment costs more quickly by replacing some of the physical operational tests with virtual power plant simulations. CCSI is organized into 8 technical elements that fall under two focus areas. The first focus area (Physicochemical Models and Data) addresses the steps necessary to model and simulate the various technologies and processes needed to bring a new Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology into production. The second focus area (Analysis & Software) is developing the software infrastructure to integrate the various components and implement the tools that are needed to make quantifiable decisions regarding the viability of new CCS technologies. CCSI also has an Industry Advisory Board (IAB). By working closely with industry from the inception of the project to identify industrial challenge problems, CCSI ensures that the simulation tools are developed for the carbon capture technologies of most relevance to industry. CCSI is led by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and leverages the Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories' core strengths in modeling and simulation, bringing together the best capabilities at NETL, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The CCSI's industrial partners provide representation from the power generation industry, equipment manufacturers, technology providers and engineering and construction firms. The CCSI's academic participants (Carnegie Mellon University, Princeton University, West Virginia University, and Boston University) bring unparalleled expertise in multiphase flow reactors, combustion, process synthesis and optimization, planning and scheduling, and process control techniques for energy processes. During Fiscal Year (FY) 12, CCSI released its first set of computational tools and models. This pre-release, a year ahead of the originally planned first release, is the result of intense industry interest in getting early access to the tools and the phenomenal progress of the CCSI technical team. These initial components of the CCSI Toolset provide new models and computational capabilities that will accelerate the commercial development of carbon capture technologies as well as related technologies, such as those found in the power, refining, chemicals, and gas production industries. The release consists of new tools for process synthesis and optimization to help identify promising concepts more quickly, new physics-based models of potential capture equipment and processes that will reduce the time to design and troubleshoot new systems, a framework to quantify the uncertainty of model predictions, and various enabling tools that provide new capabilities such as creating reduced order models (ROMs) from reacting multiphase flow simulations and running thousands of process simulations concurrently for optimization and UQ.« less

Potential for improved radiation thermometry measurement uncertainty through implementing a primary scale in an industrial laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willmott, Jon R.; Lowe, David; Broughton, Mick; White, Ben S.; Machin, Graham

2016-09-01

A primary temperature scale requires realising a unit in terms of its definition. For high temperature radiation thermometry in terms of the International Temperature Scale of 1990 this means extrapolating from the signal measured at the freezing temperature of gold, silver or copper using Planck’s radiation law. The difficulty in doing this means that primary scales above 1000 °C require specialist equipment and careful characterisation in order to achieve the extrapolation with sufficient accuracy. As such, maintenance of the scale at high temperatures is usually only practicable for National Metrology Institutes, and calibration laboratories have to rely on a scale calibrated against transfer standards. At lower temperatures it is practicable for an industrial calibration laboratory to have its own primary temperature scale, which reduces the number of steps between the primary scale and end user. Proposed changes to the SI that will introduce internationally accepted high temperature reference standards might make it practicable to have a primary high temperature scale in a calibration laboratory. In this study such a scale was established by calibrating radiation thermometers directly to high temperature reference standards. The possible reduction in uncertainty to an end user as a result of the reduced calibration chain was evaluated.

Iron Phosphate Glass-Containing Hanford Waste Simulant

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

Sevigny, Gary J.; Kimura, Marcia L.; Fischer, Christopher M.

2012-01-18

Resolution of the nation's high-level tank waste legacy requires the design, construction, and operation of large and technically complex one-of-a-kind processing waste treatment and vitrification facilities. While the ultimate limits for waste loading and melter efficiency have yet to be defined or realized, significant reductions in glass volumes for disposal and mission life may be possible with advancements in melter technologies and/or glass formulations. This test report describes the experimental results from a small-scale test using the research-scale melter (RSM) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to demonstrate the viability of iron-phosphate-based glass with a selected waste composition that ismore » high in sulfate (4.37 wt% SO3). The primary objective of the test was to develop data to support a cost-benefit analysis related to the implementation of phosphate-based glasses for Hanford low-activity waste (LAW) and/or other high-level waste streams within the U.S. Department of Energy complex. The testing was performed by PNNL and supported by Idaho National Laboratory, Savannah River National Laboratory, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Mo-Sci Corporation.« less

Role of Laboratory Plasma Experiments in exploring the Physics of Solar Eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathi, S.

2017-12-01

Solar eruptive events are triggered over a broad range of spatio-temporal scales by a variety of fundamental processes (e.g., force-imbalance, magnetic-reconnection, electrical-current driven instabilities) associated with arched magnetoplasma structures in the solar atmosphere. Contemporary research on solar eruptive events is at the forefront of solar and heliospheric physics due to its relevance to space weather. Details on the formation of magnetized plasma structures on the Sun, storage of magnetic energy in such structures over a long period (several Alfven transit times), and their impulsive eruptions have been recorded in numerous observations and simulated in computer models. Inherent limitations of space observations and uncontrolled nature of solar eruptions pose significant challenges in testing theoretical models and developing the predictive capability for space-weather. The pace of scientific progress in this area can be significantly boosted by tapping the potential of appropriately scaled laboratory plasma experiments to compliment solar observations, theoretical models, and computer simulations. To give an example, recent results from a laboratory plasma experiment on arched magnetic flux ropes will be presented and future challenges will be discussed. (Work supported by National Science Foundation, USA under award number 1619551)

Biofuels from food processing wastes.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhanying; O'Hara, Ian M; Mundree, Sagadevan; Gao, Baoyu; Ball, Andrew S; Zhu, Nanwen; Bai, Zhihui; Jin, Bo

2016-04-01

Food processing industry generates substantial high organic wastes along with high energy uses. The recovery of food processing wastes as renewable energy sources represents a sustainable option for the substitution of fossil energy, contributing to the transition of food sector towards a low-carbon economy. This article reviews the latest research progress on biofuel production using food processing wastes. While extensive work on laboratory and pilot-scale biosystems for energy production has been reported, this work presents a review of advances in metabolic pathways, key technical issues and bioengineering outcomes in biofuel production from food processing wastes. Research challenges and further prospects associated with the knowledge advances and technology development of biofuel production are discussed. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Meteorology, Macrophysics, Microphysics, Microwaves, and Mesoscale Modeling of Mediterranean Mountain Storms: The M8 Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starr, David O. (Technical Monitor); Smith, Eric A.

2002-01-01

Comprehensive understanding of the microphysical nature of Mediterranean storms can be accomplished by a combination of in situ meteorological data analysis and radar-passive microwave data analysis, effectively integrated with numerical modeling studies at various scales, from synoptic scale down through the mesoscale, the cloud macrophysical scale, and ultimately the cloud microphysical scale. The microphysical properties of and their controls on severe storms are intrinsically related to meteorological processes under which storms have evolved, processes which eventually select and control the dominant microphysical properties themselves. This involves intense convective development, stratiform decay, orographic lifting, and sloped frontal lifting processes, as well as the associated vertical motions and thermodynamical instabilities governing physical processes that affect details of the size distributions and fall rates of the various types of hydrometeors found within the storm environment. Insofar as hazardous Mediterranean storms, highlighted in this study by three mountain storms producing damaging floods in northern Italy between 1992 and 2000, developing a comprehensive microphysical interpretation requires an understanding of the multiple phases of storm evolution and the heterogeneous nature of precipitation fields within a storm domain. This involves convective development, stratiform transition and decay, orographic lifting, and sloped frontal lifting processes. This also involves vertical motions and thermodynamical instabilities governing physical processes that determine details of the liquid/ice water contents, size disi:ributions, and fall rates of the various modes of hydrometeors found within hazardous storm environments.

Scaling considerations related to interactions of hydrologic, pedologic and geomorphic processes (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidle, R. C.

2013-12-01

Hydrologic, pedologic, and geomorphic processes are strongly interrelated and affected by scale. These interactions exert important controls on runoff generation, preferential flow, contaminant transport, surface erosion, and mass wasting. Measurement of hydraulic conductivity (K) and infiltration capacity at small scales generally underestimates these values for application at larger field, hillslope, or catchment scales. Both vertical and slope-parallel saturated flow and related contaminant transport are often influenced by interconnected networks of preferential flow paths, which are not captured in K measurements derived from soil cores. Using such K values in models may underestimate water and contaminant fluxes and runoff peaks. As shown in small-scale runoff plot studies, infiltration rates are typically lower than integrated infiltration across a hillslope or in headwater catchments. The resultant greater infiltration-excess overland flow in small plots compared to larger landscapes is attributed to the lack of preferential flow continuity; plot border effects; greater homogeneity of rainfall inputs, topography and soil physical properties; and magnified effects of hydrophobicity in small plots. At the hillslope scale, isolated areas with high infiltration capacity can greatly reduce surface runoff and surface erosion at the hillslope scale. These hydropedologic and hydrogeomorphic processes are also relevant to both occurrence and timing of landslides. The focus of many landslide studies has typically been either on small-scale vadose zone process and how these affect soil mechanical properties or on larger scale, more descriptive geomorphic studies. One of the issues in translating laboratory-based investigations on geotechnical behavior of soils to field scales where landslides occur is the characterization of large-scale hydrological processes and flow paths that occur in heterogeneous and anisotropic porous media. These processes are not only affected by the spatial distribution of soil physical properties and bioturbations, but also by geomorphic attributes. Interactions among preferential flow paths can induce rapid pore water pressure response within soil mantles and trigger landslides during storm peaks. Alternatively, in poorly developed and unstructured soils, infiltration occurs mainly through the soil matrix and a lag time exists between the rainfall peak and development of pore water pressures at depth. Deep, slow-moving mass failures are also strongly controlled by secondary porosity within the regolith with the timing of activation linked to recharge dynamics. As such, understanding both small and larger scale processes is needed to estimate geomorphic impacts, as well as streamflow generation and contaminant migration.

Syntrophic acetate oxidation in two-phase (acid-methane) anaerobic digesters.

PubMed

Shimada, T; Morgenroth, E; Tandukar, M; Pavlostathis, S G; Smith, A; Raskin, L; Kilian, R E

2011-01-01

The microbial processes involved in two-phase anaerobic digestion were investigated by operating a laboratory-scale acid-phase (AP) reactor and analyzing two full-scale, two-phase anaerobic digesters operated under mesophilic (35 °C) conditions. The digesters received a blend of primary sludge and waste activated sludge (WAS). Methane levels of 20% in the laboratory-scale reactor indicated the presence of methanogenic activity in the AP. A phylogenetic analysis of an archaeal 16S rRNA gene clone library of one of the full-scale AP digesters showed that 82% and 5% of the clones were affiliated with the orders Methanobacteriales and Methanosarcinales, respectively. These results indicate that substantial levels of aceticlastic methanogens (order Methanosarcinales) were not maintained at the low solids retention times and acidic conditions (pH 5.2-5.5) of the AP, and that methanogenesis was carried out by hydrogen-utilizing methanogens of the order Methanobacteriales. Approximately 43, 31, and 9% of the archaeal clones from the methanogenic phase (MP) digester were affiliated with the orders Methanosarcinales, Methanomicrobiales, and Methanobacteriales, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis of a bacterial 16S rRNA gene clone library suggested the presence of acetate-oxidizing bacteria (close relatives of Thermacetogenium phaeum, 'Syntrophaceticus schinkii,' and Clostridium ultunense). The high abundance of hydrogen consuming methanogens and the presence of known acetate-oxidizing bacteria suggest that acetate utilization by acetate oxidizing bacteria in syntrophic interaction with hydrogen-utilizing methanogens was an important pathway in the second-stage of the two-phase digestion, which was operated at high ammonium-N concentrations (1.0 and 1.4 g/L). A modified version of the IWA Anaerobic Digestion Model No. 1 (ADM1) with extensions for syntrophic acetate oxidation and weak-acid inhibition adequately described the dynamic profiles of volatile acid production/degradation and methane generation observed in the laboratory-scale AP reactor. The model was validated with historical data from the full-scale digesters.

Innovative strategies for a successful SLMTA country programme: The Rwanda story

PubMed Central

Sebasirimu, Sabin; Gatabazi, John B.; Ruzindana, Emmanuel; Kayobotsi, Claver; Linde, Mary K.; Mazarati, Jean B.; Ntagwabira, Edouard; Serumondo, Janvier; Dahourou, Georges A.; Gatei, Wangeci; Muvunyi, Claude M.

2014-01-01

Background In 2009, to improve the performance of laboratories and strengthen healthcare systems, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) and partners launched two initiatives: a laboratory quality improvement programme called Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA), and what is now called the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA). Objectives This study describes the achievements of Rwandan laboratories four years after the introduction of SLMTA in the country, using the SLIPTA scoring system to measure laboratory progress. Methods Three cohorts of five laboratories each were enrolled in the SLMTA programme in 2010, 2011 and 2013. The cohorts used SLMTA workshops, improvement projects, mentorship and quarterly performance-based financing incentives to accelerate laboratory quality improvement. Baseline, exit and follow-up audits were conducted over a two-year period from the time of enrolment. Audit scores were used to categorise laboratory quality on a scale of zero (< 55%) to five (95% – 100%) stars. Results At baseline, 14 of the 15 laboratories received zero stars with the remaining laboratory receiving a two-star rating. At exit, five laboratories received one star, six received two stars and four received three stars. At the follow-up audit conducted in the first two cohorts approximately one year after exit, one laboratory scored two stars, five laboratories earned three stars and four laboratories, including the National Reference Laboratory, achieved four stars. Conclusion Rwandan laboratories enrolled in SLMTA showed improvement in quality management systems. Sustaining the gains and further expansion of the SLMTA programme to meet country targets will require continued programme strengthening. PMID:29043189

Biotechnological Processes in Microbial Amylase Production

PubMed Central

Arshad, M. K. Md; Lakshmipriya, Thangavel; Hashim, Uda; Chinni, Suresh V.

2017-01-01

Amylase is an important and indispensable enzyme that plays a pivotal role in the field of biotechnology. It is produced mainly from microbial sources and is used in many industries. Industrial sectors with top-down and bottom-up approaches are currently focusing on improving microbial amylase production levels by implementing bioengineering technologies. The further support of energy consumption studies, such as those on thermodynamics, pinch technology, and environment-friendly technologies, has hastened the large-scale production of the enzyme. Herein, the importance of microbial (bacteria and fungi) amylase is discussed along with its production methods from the laboratory to industrial scales. PMID:28280725

Biotechnological Processes in Microbial Amylase Production.

PubMed

Gopinath, Subash C B; Anbu, Periasamy; Arshad, M K Md; Lakshmipriya, Thangavel; Voon, Chun Hong; Hashim, Uda; Chinni, Suresh V

2017-01-01

Amylase is an important and indispensable enzyme that plays a pivotal role in the field of biotechnology. It is produced mainly from microbial sources and is used in many industries. Industrial sectors with top-down and bottom-up approaches are currently focusing on improving microbial amylase production levels by implementing bioengineering technologies. The further support of energy consumption studies, such as those on thermodynamics, pinch technology, and environment-friendly technologies, has hastened the large-scale production of the enzyme. Herein, the importance of microbial (bacteria and fungi) amylase is discussed along with its production methods from the laboratory to industrial scales.

Plasma nitriding monitoring reactor: A model reactor for studying plasma nitriding processes using an active screen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamann, S.; Börner, K.; Burlacov, I.; Spies, H.-J.; Strämke, M.; Strämke, S.; Röpcke, J.

2015-12-01

A laboratory scale plasma nitriding monitoring reactor (PLANIMOR) has been designed to study the basics of active screen plasma nitriding (ASPN) processes. PLANIMOR consists of a tube reactor vessel, made of borosilicate glass, enabling optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The linear setup of the electrode system of the reactor has the advantages to apply the diagnostic approaches on each part of the plasma process, separately. Furthermore, possible changes of the electrical field and of the heat generation, as they could appear in down-scaled cylindrical ASPN reactors, are avoided. PLANIMOR has been used for the nitriding of steel samples, achieving similar results as in an industrial scale ASPN reactor. A compact spectrometer using an external cavity quantum cascade laser combined with an optical multi-pass cell has been applied for the detection of molecular reaction products. This allowed the determination of the concentrations of four stable molecular species (CH4, C2H2, HCN, and NH3). With the help of OES, the rotational temperature of the screen plasma could be determined.

Particle Energization via Tearing Instability with Global Self-Organization Constraints

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

Sarff, John; Guo, Fan

The presentation reviews how tearing magnetic reconnection leads to powerful ion energization in reversed field pinch (RFP) plasmas. A mature MHD model for tearing instability has been developed that captures key nonlinear dynamics from the global to intermediate spatial scales. A turbulent cascade is also present that extends to at least the ion gyroradius scale, within which important particle energization mechanisms are anticipated. In summary, Ion heating and acceleration associated with magnetic reconnection from tearing instability is a powerful process in the RFP laboratory plasma (gyro-resonant and stochastic processes are likely candidates to support the observed rapid heating and othermore » features, reconnection-driven electron heating appears weaker or even absent, energetic tail formation for ions and electrons). Global self-organization strongly impacts particle energization (tearing interactions that span to core to edge, global magnetic flux change produces a larger electric field and runaway, correlations in electric and magnetic field fluctuations needed for dynamo feedback, impact of transport processes (which can be quite different for ions and electrons), inhomogeneity on the system scale, e.g., strong edge gradients).« less

Scale-up synthesis of zinc borate from the reaction of zinc oxide and boric acid in aqueous medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kılınç, Mert; Çakal, Gaye Ö.; Yeşil, Sertan; Bayram, Göknur; Eroğlu, İnci; Özkar, Saim

2010-11-01

Synthesis of zinc borate was conducted in a laboratory and a pilot scale batch reactor to see the influence of process variables on the reaction parameters and the final product, 2ZnO·3B 2O 3·3.5H 2O. Effects of stirring speed, presence of baffles, amount of seed, particle size and purity of zinc oxide, and mole ratio of H 3BO 3:ZnO on the zinc borate formation reaction were examined at a constant temperature of 85 °C in a laboratory (4 L) and a pilot scale (85 L) reactor. Products obtained from the reaction in both reactors were characterized by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, particle size distribution analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The kinetic data for the zinc borate production reaction was fit by using the logistic model. The results revealed that the specific reaction rate, a model parameter, decreases with increase in particle size of zinc oxide and the presence of baffles, but increases with increase in stirring speed and purity of zinc oxide; however, it is unaffected with the changes in the amount of seed and reactants ratio. The reaction completion time is unaffected by scaling-up.

Monitoring Local Changes in Granite Rock Under Biaxial Test: A Spatiotemporal Imaging Application With Diffuse Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Fan; Ren, Yaqiong; Zhou, Yongsheng; Larose, Eric; Baillet, Laurent

2018-03-01

Diffuse acoustic or seismic waves are highly sensitive to detect changes of mechanical properties in heterogeneous geological materials. In particular, thanks to acoustoelasticity, we can quantify stress changes by tracking acoustic or seismic relative velocity changes in the material at test. In this paper, we report on a small-scale laboratory application of an innovative time-lapse tomography technique named Locadiff to image spatiotemporal mechanical changes on a granite sample under biaxial loading, using diffuse waves at ultrasonic frequencies (300 kHz to 900 kHz). We demonstrate the ability of the method to image reversible stress evolution and deformation process, together with the development of reversible and irreversible localized microdamage in the specimen at an early stage. Using full-field infrared thermography, we visualize stress-induced temperature changes and validate stress images obtained from diffuse ultrasound. We demonstrate that the inversion with a good resolution can be achieved with only a limited number of receivers distributed around a single source, all located at the free surface of the specimen. This small-scale experiment is a proof of concept for frictional earthquake-like failure (e.g., stick-slip) research at laboratory scale as well as large-scale seismic applications, potentially including active fault monitoring.

Let us keep observing and play in sand boxes (Henry Darcy Medal Lecture)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Illangasekare, T. H.

2012-04-01

Henry Darcy was a civil engineer recognized for a number of technical achievements and scientific discoveries. The sand column experiments for which he is known revealed the linear relationship that exists between fluid motion and driving forces at low velocities. Freeze and Back (1983) stated, ''The experiments carried out by Darcy with the help of his assistant, Ritter, in Dijon, France in 1855 and 1856 represent the beginning of groundwater hydrology as a quantitative science." Because of the prominence given to this experiment, two important facts behind Darcy's contributions to subsurface hydrology have not received much attention. First, Darcy was not only a good engineer, but he was also a highly respected scientist whose knowledge of both the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and the natural world of geology led to better conceptualizing and quantifying of groundwater processes at relevant scales to solve practical problems. The experiments for which he is known may have already been conceived, based on his theoretical understanding, and the results were anticipated (Brown 2002). Second, Darcy, through his contributions with Dupuit, showed that they understood hydrologeology at a regional scale and developed methods for quantification at the scale of geologic stratum (Ritz and Bobek, 2008). The primary thesis of this talk is that scientific contributions such as the one Darcy made require appreciation and a thorough understanding of fundamental theory coupled with observation and recording of phenomena both in nature and in the laboratory. Along with all of the significant theoretical, mathematical modeling, and computational advances we have made in the last several decades, laboratory experiments designed to observe phenomena and processes for better insight, accurate data generation, and hypothesis development are critically important to make scientific and engineering advances to address some of the emerging and societally important problems in hydrology and water resources engineering. Kleinhans et al. (2010) convincingly argued the same point, noting, "Many major issues of hydrology are open to experimental investigation." Current and emerging problems with water supply and their hydrologic implications are associated with sustainability of water as a resource for global food production, clean water for potable use, protection of human health, and impacts and implications of global warming and climate change on water resources. This talk will address the subsurface hydrologic science issues that are central to these problems and the role laboratory experimentation can play in helping to advance the basic knowledge. Improved understanding of fundamental flow, transport, reactive, and biological processes that occur at the pore-scale and their manifestation at different modeling and observational scales will continue to advance the subsurface science. Challenges also come from the need to integrate porous media systems with bio-geochemical and atmospheric systems, requiring observing and quantifying complex phenomena across interfaces (e.g., fluid/fluid in pores to land/atmospheric in the field). This talk will discuss how carefully designed and theory driven experiments at various test scales can play a central role in providing answers to critical scientific questions and how they will help to fill knowledge gaps. It will also be shown that careful observations will lead to the refinement of existing theories or the development of new ones. Focusing on the subsurface, the need to keep observing through controlled laboratory experimentation in various test scales from small cells to large sand boxes will be emphasized. How the insights obtained from such experiments will complement modeling and field investigations are highlighted through examples.

50 Years of ``Scaling'' Jack Kilby's Invention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doering, Robert

2008-03-01

This year is the 50th anniversary of Jack Kilby's 1958 invention of the integrated circuit (IC), for which he won the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics. Since that invention in a laboratory at Texas Instruments, IC components have been continuously miniaturized, which has resulted in exponential improvement trends in their performance, energy efficiency, and cost per function. These improvements have created a semiconductor industry that has grown to over 250B in annual sales. The process of reducing integrated-circuit component size and associated parameters in a coordinated fashion is traditionally called ``feature-size scaling.'' Kilby's original circuit had active (transistor) and passive (resistor, capacitor) components with dimensions of a few millimeters. Today, the minimum feature sizes on integrated circuits are less than 30 nanometers for patterned line widths and down to about one nanometer for film thicknesses. Thus, we have achieved about five orders of magnitude in linear-dimension scaling over the past fifty years, which has resulted in about ten orders of magnitude increase in the density of IC components, a representation of ``Moore's Law.'' As IC features are approaching atomic dimensions, increasing emphasis is now being given to the parallel effort of further diversifying the types of components in integrated circuits. This is called ``functional scaling'' and ``more then Moore.'' Of course, the enablers for both types of scaling have been developed at many laboratories around the world. This talk will review a few of the highlights in scaling and its applications from R&D projects at Texas Instruments.

Control of Infectious Diseases in the Era of European Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Consolidation: New Challenges and Opportunities for the Patient and for Public Health Surveillance

PubMed Central

Vandenberg, Olivier; Kozlakidis, Zisis; Schrenzel, Jacques; Struelens, Marc Jean; Breuer, Judith

2018-01-01

Many new innovative diagnostic approaches have been made available during the last 10 years with major impact on patient care and public health surveillance. In parallel, to enhance the cost-effectiveness of the clinical microbiology laboratories (CMLs), European laboratory professionals have streamlined their organization leading to amalgamation of activities and restructuring of their professional relationships with clinicians and public health specialists. Through this consolidation process, an operational model has emerged that combines large centralized clinical laboratories performing most tests on one high-throughput analytical platform connected to several distal laboratories dealing locally with urgent analyses at near point of care. The centralization of diagnostic services over a large geographical region has given rise to the concept of regional-scale “microbiology laboratories network.” Although the volume-driven cost savings associated with such laboratory networks seem self-evident, the consequence(s) for the quality of patient care and infectious disease surveillance and control remain less obvious. In this article, we describe the range of opportunities that the changing landscape of CMLs in Europe can contribute toward improving the quality of patient care but also the early detection and enhanced surveillance of public health threats caused by infectious diseases. The success of this transformation of health services is reliant on the appropriate preparation in terms of staff, skills, and processes that would be inclusive of stakeholders. In addition, rigorous metrics are needed to set out more concrete laboratory service performance objectives and assess the expected benefits to society in terms of saving lives and preventing diseases. PMID:29457001

Biohazards Assessment in Large-Scale Zonal Centrifugation

PubMed Central

Baldwin, C. L.; Lemp, J. F.; Barbeito, M. S.

1975-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the biohazards associated with use of the large-scale zonal centrifuge for purification of moderate risk oncogenic viruses. To safely and conveniently assess the hazard, coliphage T3 was substituted for the virus in a typical processing procedure performed in a National Cancer Institute contract laboratory. Risk of personnel exposure was found to be minimal during optimal operation but definite potential for virus release from a number of centrifuge components during mechanical malfunction was shown by assay of surface, liquid, and air samples collected during the processing. High concentration of phage was detected in the turbine air exhaust and the seal coolant system when faulty seals were employed. The simulant virus was also found on both centrifuge chamber interior and rotor surfaces. Images PMID:1124921

Financing biotechnology projects: lender due diligence requirements and the role of independent technical consultants.

PubMed

Keller, J B; Plath, P B

1999-01-01

An increasing number of biotechnology projects are being brought to commercialization using conventional structured finance sources, which have traditionally only been available to proven technologies and primary industries. Attracting and securing competitive cost financing from mainstream lenders, however, will require the sponsor of a new technology or process to undergo a greater level of due diligence. The specific areas and intensity of investigation, which are typically required by lenders in order to secure long-term financing for biotechnology-based manufacturing systems, is reviewed. The processes for evaluating the adequacy of prior laboratory testing and pilot plant demonstrations is discussed. Particular emphasis is given to scale-up considerations and the ability of the proposed facility design to accommodate significant modifications, in the event that scale-up problems are encountered.

Conceptual design of Dipole Research Experiment (DREX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Qingmei; Wang, Zhibin; Wang, Xiaogang; Xiao, Chijie; Yang, Xiaoyi; Zheng, Jinxing

2017-03-01

A new terrella-like device for laboratory simulation of inner magnetosphere plasmas, Dipole Research Experiment, is scheduled to be built at the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China, as a major state scientific research facility for space physics studies. It is designed to provide a ground experimental platform to reproduce the inner magnetosphere to simulate the processes of trapping, acceleration, and transport of energetic charged particles restrained in a dipole magnetic field configuration. The scaling relation of hydromagnetism between the laboratory plasma of the device and the geomagnetosphere plasma is applied to resemble geospace processes in the Dipole Research Experiment plasma. Multiple plasma sources, different kinds of coils with specific functions, and advanced diagnostics are designed to be equipped in the facility for multi-functions. The motivation, design criteria for the Dipole Research Experiment experiments and the means applied to generate the plasma of desired parameters in the laboratory are also described. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11505040, 11261140326 and 11405038), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Nos. 2016M591518, 2015M570283) and Project Supported by Natural Scientific Research Innovation Foundation in Harbin Institute of Technology (No. 2017008).

The pilot plant for electron beam food processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migdal, W.; Walis, L.; Chmielewski, A. G.

1993-07-01

In the frames of the national programme on the application of irradiation for food preservation and hygienization an experimental plant for electron beam processing has been established in INCT. The pilot plant has been constructed inside an old fort what decreases significantly the cost of the investment. The pilot plant is equipped with a small research accelerator Pilot (10 MeV, 1 kW) and an industrial unit Elektronika (10 MeV, 10 kW). This allows both laboratory and full technological scale testing of the elaborated process to be conducted. The industrial unit is being equipped with e-/X conversion target, for high density products irradiation. On the basis of the research there were performed at different scientific institutions in Poland, health authorities have issued permissions for permanent treatment of spices, garlic, onions and temporary permissions for mushrooms, and potatoes. Dosimetric methods have been elaborated for the routine use at the plant. In the INCT laboratory methods for the control of e-/X treated food have been established.

A new phosphate-selective sorbent for the Rem Nut process. Laboratory investigation and field experience at a medium size wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Petruzzelli, D; De Florio, L; Dell'Erba, A; Liberti, L; Notarnicola, M; Sengupta, A K

2003-01-01

P-control technologies for municipal wastewater are essentially based on "destructive" methods, that lead to formation of concentrated solid-phases (sludge), usually disposed-off in controlled landfills. Ion exchange, as a "non-destructive" technology, allows for selective removal and simultaneous recovery of pollutants, which can be recycled to the same and/or related productive lines. In this context, the REM NUT process removes nutrient species (HPO4 = , NH4+, K+) present in biologically oxidised municipal effluents and recovers them in the form of struvites (MgNH4PO4; MgKPO4), premium quality slow release fertilisers. The main limitation to the extensive application of this ion exchange based process is the non-availability of selective exchangers for specific removal of nutrient species. This paper illustrates laboratory investigation and pilot scale development of a so-called "P-driven" modified REM NUT scheme based on a new phosphate-selective sorbent developed at Lehigh University, PA, USA.

Space Laboratory on a Table Top: A Next Generative ECLSS design and diagnostic tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramachandran, N.

2005-01-01

This paper describes the development plan for a comprehensive research and diagnostic tool for aspects of advanced life support systems in space-based laboratories. Specifically it aims to build a high fidelity tabletop model that can be used for the purpose of risk mitigation, failure mode analysis, contamination tracking, and testing reliability. We envision a comprehensive approach involving experimental work coupled with numerical simulation to develop this diagnostic tool. It envisions a 10% scale transparent model of a space platform such as the International Space Station that operates with water or a specific matched index of refraction liquid as the working fluid. This allows the scaling of a 10 ft x 10 ft x 10 ft room with air flow to 1 ft x 1 ft x 1 ft tabletop model with water/liquid flow. Dynamic similitude for this length scale dictates model velocities to be 67% of full-scale and thereby the time scale of the model to represent 15% of the full- scale system; meaning identical processes in the model are completed in 15% of the full- scale-time. The use of an index matching fluid (fluid that matches the refractive index of cast acrylic, the model material) allows making the entire model (with complex internal geometry) transparent and hence conducive to non-intrusive optical diagnostics. So using such a system one can test environment control parameters such as core flows (axial flows), cross flows (from registers and diffusers), potential problem areas such as flow short circuits, inadequate oxygen content, build up of other gases beyond desirable levels, test mixing processes within the system at local nodes or compartments and assess the overall system performance. The system allows quantitative measurements of contaminants introduced in the system and allows testing and optimizing the tracking process and removal of contaminants. The envisaged system will be modular and hence flexible for quick configuration change and subsequent testing. The data and inferences from the tests will allow for improvements in the development and design of next generation life support systems and configurations. Preliminary experimental and modeling work in this area will be presented. This involves testing of a single inlet-exit model with detailed 3-D flow visualization and quantitative diagnostics and computational modeling of the system.

Techno-economic analysis of ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse using a Liquefaction plus Simultaneous Saccharification and co-Fermentation process.

PubMed

Gubicza, Krisztina; Nieves, Ismael U; Sagues, William J; Barta, Zsolt; Shanmugam, K T; Ingram, Lonnie O

2016-05-01

A techno-economic analysis was conducted for a simplified lignocellulosic ethanol production process developed and proven by the University of Florida at laboratory, pilot, and demonstration scales. Data obtained from all three scales of development were used with Aspen Plus to create models for an experimentally-proven base-case and 5 hypothetical scenarios. The model input parameters that differed among the hypothetical scenarios were fermentation time, enzyme loading, enzymatic conversion, solids loading, and overall process yield. The minimum ethanol selling price (MESP) varied between 50.38 and 62.72 US cents/L. The feedstock and the capital cost were the main contributors to the production cost, comprising between 23-28% and 40-49% of the MESP, respectively. A sensitivity analysis showed that overall ethanol yield had the greatest effect on the MESP. These findings suggest that future efforts to increase the economic feasibility of a cellulosic ethanol process should focus on optimization for highest ethanol yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbothermal Production of Magnesium: Csiro's Magsonic™ Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prentice, Leon H.; Nagle, Michael W.; Barton, Timothy R. D.; Tassios, Steven; Kuan, Benny T.; Witt, Peter J.; Constanti-Carey, Keri K.

Carbothermal production has been recognized as conceptually the simplest and cleanest route to magnesium metal, but has suffered from technical challenges of development and scale-up. Work by CSIRO has now successfully demonstrated the technology using supersonic quenching of magnesium vapor (the MagSonic™ Process). Key barriers to process development have been overcome: the experimental program has achieved sustained operation, no nozzle blockage, minimal reversion, and safe handling of pyrophoric powders. The laboratory equipment has been operated at industrially relevant magnesium vapor concentrations (>25% Mg) for multiple runs with no blockage. Novel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of the shock quenching and metal vapor condensation has informed nozzle design and is supported by experimental data. Reversion below 10% has been demonstrated, and magnesium successfully purified (>99.9%) from the collected powder. Safe operating procedures have been developed and demonstrated, minimizing the risk of powder explosion. The MagSonic™ Process is now ready to progress to significantly larger scale and continuous operation.

The (mis)use of subjective process measures in software engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Valett, Jon D.; Condon, Steven E.

1993-01-01

A variety of measures are used in software engineering research to develop an understanding of the software process and product. These measures fall into three broad categories: quantitative, characteristics, and subjective. Quantitative measures are those to which a numerical value can be assigned, for example effort or lines of code (LOC). Characteristics describe the software process or product; they might include programming language or the type of application. While such factors do not provide a quantitative measurement of a process or product, they do help characterize them. Subjective measures (as defined in this study) are those that are based on the opinion or opinions of individuals; they are somewhat unique and difficult to quantify. Capturing of subjective measure data typically involves development of some type of scale. For example, 'team experience' is one of the subjective measures that were collected and studied by the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL). Certainly, team experience could have an impact on the software process or product; actually measuring a team's experience, however, is not a strictly mathematical exercise. Simply adding up each team member's years of experience appears inadequate. In fact, most researchers would agree that 'years' do not directly translate into 'experience.' Team experience must be defined subjectively and then a scale must be developed e.g., high experience versus low experience; or high, medium, low experience; or a different or more granular scale. Using this type of scale, a particular team's overall experience can be compared with that of other teams in the development environment. Defining, collecting, and scaling subjective measures is difficult. First, precise definitions of the measures must be established. Next, choices must be made about whose opinions will be solicited to constitute the data. Finally, care must be given to defining the right scale and level of granularity for measurement.

CESIUM REMOVAL FROM TANKS 241-AN-103 & 241-SX-105 & 241-AZ-101/102 COMPOSITE FOR TESTING IN BENCH SCALE STEAM REFORMER

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

DUNCAN JB; HUBER HJ

2011-06-08

This report documents the preparation of three actual Hanford tank waste samples for shipment to the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). Two of the samples were dissolved saltcakes from tank 241-AN-103 (hereafter AN-103) and tank 241-SX-105 (hereafter SX-105); one sample was a supernate composite from tanks 241-AZ-101 and 241-AZ-102 (hereafter AZ-101/102). The preparation of the samples was executed following the test plans LAB-PLAN-10-00006, Test Plan for the Preparation of Samples from Hanford Tanks 241-SX-105, 241-AN-103, 241-AN-107, and LAB-PLN-10-00014, Test Plan for the Preparation of a Composite Sample from Hanford Tanks 241-AZ-101 and 241-AZ-102 for Steam Reformer Testing at the Savannahmore » River National Laboratory. All procedural steps were recorded in laboratory notebook HNF-N-274 3. Sample breakdown diagrams for AN-103 and SX-105 are presented in Appendix A. The tank samples were prepared in support of a series of treatability studies of the Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) process using a Bench-Scale Reformer (BSR) at SRNL. Tests with simulants have shown that the FBSR mineralized waste form is comparable to low-activity waste glass with respect to environmental durability (WSRC-STI-2008-00268, Mineralization of Radioactive Wastes by Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR): Comparisons to Vitreous Waste Forms and Pertinent Durability Testing). However, a rigorous assessment requires long-term performance data from FB SR product formed from actual Hanford tank waste. Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has initiated a Waste Form Qualification Program (WP-S.2.1-20 1 0-00 1, Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer Low-level Waste Form Qualification) to gather the data required to demonstrate that an adequate FBSR mineralized waste form can be produced. The documentation of the selection process of the three tank samples has been separately reported in RPP-48824, 'Sample Selection Process for Bench-Scale Steam Reforming Treatability Studies Using Hanford Waste Samples.'« less

CESIUM REMOVAL FROM TANKS 241-AN-103 & 241-SX-105 & 241-AZ-101 & 241AZ-102 COMPOSITE FOR TESTING IN BENCH SCALE STEAM REFORMER

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

DUNCAN JB; HUBER HJ

2011-04-21

This report documents the preparation of three actual Hanford tank waste samples for shipment to the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). Two of the samples were dissolved saltcakes from tank 241-AN-103 (hereafter AN-103) and tank 241-SX-105 (hereafter SX-105); one sample was a supernate composite from tanks 241-AZ-101 and 241-AZ-102 (hereafter AZ-101/102). The preparation of the samples was executed following the test plans LAB-PLAN-10-00006, Test Plan for the Preparation of Samples from Hanford Tanks 241-SX-105, 241-AN-103, 241-AN-107, and LAB-PLN-l0-00014, Test Plan for the Preparation of a Composite Sample from Hanford Tanks 241-AZ-101 and 241-AZ-102 for Steam Reformer Testing at the Savannahmore » River National Laboratory. All procedural steps were recorded in laboratory notebook HNF-N-274 3. Sample breakdown diagrams for AN-103 and SX-105 are presented in Appendix A. The tank samples were prepared in support of a series of treatability studies of the Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) process using a Bench-Scale Reformer (BSR) at SRNL. Tests with simulants have shown that the FBSR mineralized waste form is comparable to low-activity waste glass with respect to environmental durability (WSRC-STI-2008-00268, Mineralization of Radioactive Wastes by Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR): Comparisons to Vitreous Waste Forms and Pertinent Durability Testing). However, a rigorous assessment requires long-term performance data from FBSR product formed from actual Hanford tank waste. Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has initiated a Waste Form Qualification Program (WP-5.2.1-2010-001, Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer Low-level Waste Form Qualification) to gather the data required to demonstrate that an adequate FBSR mineralized waste form can be produced. The documentation of the selection process of the three tank samples has been separately reported in RPP-48824, Sample Selection Process for Bench-Scale Steam Reforming Treatability Studies Using Hanford Waste Samples.« less

On the use of a laser ablation as a laboratory seismic source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Chengyi; Brito, Daniel; Diaz, Julien; Zhang, Deyuan; Poydenot, Valier; Bordes, Clarisse; Garambois, Stéphane

2017-04-01

Mimic near-surface seismic imaging conducted in well-controlled laboratory conditions is potentially a powerful tool to study large scale wave propagations in geological media by means of upscaling. Laboratory measurements are indeed particularly suited for tests of theoretical modellings and comparisons with numerical approaches. We have developed an automated Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) platform, which is able to detect and register broadband nano-scale displacements on the surface of various materials. This laboratory equipment has already been validated in experiments where piezoelectric transducers were used as seismic sources. We are currently exploring a new seismic source in our experiments, a laser ablation, in order to compensate some drawbacks encountered with piezoelectric sources. The laser ablation source is considered to be an interesting ultrasound wave generator since the 1960s. It was believed to have numerous potential applications such as the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and the measurements of velocities and attenuations in solid samples. We aim at adapting and developing this technique into geophysical experimental investigations in order to produce and explore complete micro-seismic data sets in the laboratory. We will first present the laser characteristics including its mechanism, stability, reproducibility, and will evaluate in particular the directivity patterns of such a seismic source. We have started by applying the laser ablation source on the surfaces of multi-scale homogeneous aluminum samples and are now testing it on heterogeneous and fractured limestone cores. Some other results of data processing will also be shown, especially the 2D-slice V P and V S tomographic images obtained in limestone samples. Apart from the experimental records, numerical simulations will be carried out for both the laser source modelling and the wave propagation in different media. First attempts will be done to compare quantitatively the experimental data with simulations. Meanwhile, CT-scan X-ray images of these limestone cores will be used to check the relative pertinences of velocity tomography images produced by this newly developed laser ablation seismic source.

Corrosion of radioactive waste tanks containing washed sludge and precipitates

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

Bickford, D.F.; Congdon, J.W.; Oblath, S.B.

1988-05-01

At the US Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Plant, the corrosion of carbon steel storage tanks containing alkaline, high-level radioactive waste is controlled by specification of limits on waste composition and temperature. Laboratory tests, conducted to determine minimum corrosion inhibitor levels, indicated pitting of carbon steel near the waterline for proposed storage conditions. In situ electrochemical measurements of full-scale radioactive process demonstrations were conducted to assess the validity of laboratory tests. The in situ results are compared to those of laboratory tests, with particular regard given to simulated solution composition. Transition metal hydroxide sludge contains strong passivating species formore » carbon steel. Washed precipitate contains organic species that lower solution pH and tend to reduce passivating films, requiring higher inhibitor concentrations than the 0.01 M nitrite required for reactor fuel reprocessing wastes.« less

International Collaboration Activities on Engineered Barrier Systems

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

Jove-Colon, Carlos F.

The Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) within the DOE Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) program has been engaging in international collaborations between repository R&D programs for high-level waste (HLW) disposal to leverage on gathered knowledge and laboratory/field data of near- and far-field processes from experiments at underground research laboratories (URL). Heater test experiments at URLs provide a unique opportunity to mimetically study the thermal effects of heat-generating nuclear waste in subsurface repository environments. Various configurations of these experiments have been carried out at various URLs according to the disposal design concepts of the hosting country repository program. The FEBEX (Full-scale Engineeredmore » Barrier Experiment in Crystalline Host Rock) project is a large-scale heater test experiment originated by the Spanish radioactive waste management agency (Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos S.A. – ENRESA) at the Grimsel Test Site (GTS) URL in Switzerland. The project was subsequently managed by CIEMAT. FEBEX-DP is a concerted effort of various international partners working on the evaluation of sensor data and characterization of samples obtained during the course of this field test and subsequent dismantling. The main purpose of these field-scale experiments is to evaluate feasibility for creation of an engineered barrier system (EBS) with a horizontal configuration according to the Spanish concept of deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste in crystalline rock. Another key aspect of this project is to improve the knowledge of coupled processes such as thermal-hydro-mechanical (THM) and thermal-hydro-chemical (THC) operating in the near-field environment. The focus of these is on model development and validation of predictions through model implementation in computational tools to simulate coupled THM and THC processes.« less

Scale-up of recombinant Opc protein production in Escherichia coli for a meningococcal vaccine.

PubMed

Pérez, Raúl Espinosa; Lasa, Alexis Musacchio; Rodríguez, Ricardo Silva; Menéndez, Evelin Caballero; Suárez, José García; Balaguer, Héctor Díaz

2006-12-15

Opc is an outer membrane protein from Neisseria meningitidis present in meningococcal vaccine preparations. The opc gene, codifying for this protein, was cloned in to Escherichia coli and the Opc protein was expressed under the control of a tryptophan promoter. The recombinant strain was grown in batch cultures. Opc was expressed as inclusion bodies at about 32% of the total cellular protein. We examined the scale-up culture conditions for the production of the recombinant Opc. The scale-up process was performed from 1.5 l to 50 l culture, using first, the constant power per unit of volume (P/V) as main scaling criteria, and then the oxygen mass transfer coefficient (K(L)a) scaling criteria to adjust the optimal aeration conditions. A final productivity of 52 mgl(-1)h(-1) was obtained at the 50l culture scale compared with the 49 mgl(-1)h(-1) productivity at 1.5l laboratory scale.

Coal-oil coprocessing at HTI - development and improvement of the technology

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

Stalzer, R.H.; Lee, L.K.; Hu, J.

1995-12-31

Co-Processing refers to the combined processing of coal and petroleum-derived heavy oil feedstocks. The coal feedstocks used are those typically utilized in direct coal liquefaction: bituminous, subbituminous, and lignites. Petroleum-derived oil, is typically a petroleum residuum, containing at least 70 W% material boiling above 525{degrees}C. The combined coal and oil feedstocks are processed simultaneously with the dual objective of liquefying the coal and upgrading the petroleum-derived residuum to lower boiling (<525{degrees}C) premium products. HTI`s investigation of the Co-Processing technology has included work performed in laboratory, bench and PDU scale operations. The concept of co-processing technology is quite simple and amore » natural outgrowth of the work done with direct coal liquefaction. A 36 month program to evaluate new process concepts in coal-oil coprocessing at the bench-scale was begun in September 1994 and runs until September 1997. Included in this continuous bench-scale program are provisions to examine new improvements in areas such as: interstage product separation, feedstock concentrations (coal/oil), improved supported/dispersed catalysts, optimization of reactor temperature sequencing, and in-line hydrotreating. This does not preclude other ideas from DOE contracts and other sources that can lead to improved product quality and economics. This research work has led to important findings which significantly increased liquid yields, improved product quality, and improved process economics.« less

A Quality Assurance Initiative for Commercial-Scale Production in High-Throughput Cryopreservation of Blue Catfish Sperm

PubMed Central

Hu, E; Liao, T. W.; Tiersch, T. R.

2013-01-01

Cryopreservation of fish sperm has been studied for decades at a laboratory (research) scale. However, high-throughput cryopreservation of fish sperm has recently been developed to enable industrial-scale production. This study treated blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) sperm high-throughput cryopreservation as a manufacturing production line and initiated quality assurance plan development. The main objectives were to identify: 1) the main production quality characteristics; 2) the process features for quality assurance; 3) the internal quality characteristics and their specification designs; 4) the quality control and process capability evaluation methods, and 5) the directions for further improvements and applications. The essential product quality characteristics were identified as fertility-related characteristics. Specification design which established the tolerance levels according to demand and process constraints was performed based on these quality characteristics. Meanwhile, to ensure integrity throughout the process, internal quality characteristics (characteristics at each quality control point within process) that could affect fertility-related quality characteristics were defined with specifications. Due to the process feature of 100% inspection (quality inspection of every fish), a specific calculation method, use of cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts, was applied to monitor each quality characteristic. An index of overall process evaluation, process capacity, was analyzed based on in-control process and the designed specifications, which further integrates the quality assurance plan. With the established quality assurance plan, the process could operate stably and quality of products would be reliable. PMID:23872356

[Automatic tracing of conversion scales from conventional units to the SI system of units].

PubMed

Besozzi, M; Bianchi, P; Agrifoglio, L

1988-01-01

American medical journals, as the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and the American Journal of Clinical Pathology (AJCP), the Journal of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP), are shifting to selected SI (Système International d'Unités) units for reporting measurements. Further discussion by the AMA, the ASCP and other organizations is required before consensus in the US medical community can be reached as to the extent of and time frame for conversion to SI for reporting clinical laboratory measurements: however this decision will certainly greatly speed up the process of conversion in European countries too. Transition to SI units will require the use of different reference ranges, and there will be a potential for serious misinterpretation of laboratory data unless well-planned educational programs are instituted before the change. A simple program written in Microsoft Basic for automatically tracing on one's personal computer (PC) monitor a dual scale, in the conventional and in the SI system of units, is presented here. The program may be easily implemented and run on every PC operating under MS-DOS, equipped with a CGA or an AT&T6300 graphic card: through the operating system the scales may also be printed on a dot-matrix graphic printer. We believe that this, and other tools of this kind, will be useful in the thorough educational process of those reading the reports, and will be an important factor in the success of conversion to SI reporting.

[Yield of starch extraction from plantain (Musa paradisiaca). Pilot plant study].

PubMed

Flores-Gorosquera, Emigdia; García-Suárez, Francisco J; Flores-Huicochea, Emmanuel; Núñez-Santiago, María C; González-Soto, Rosalia A; Bello-Pérez, Luis A

2004-01-01

In México, the banana (Musa paradisiaca) is cooked (boiling or deep frying) before being eaten, but the consumption is not very popular and a big quantity of the product is lost after harvesting. The unripe plantain has a high level of starch and due to this the use of banana can be diversified as raw material for starch isolation. The objective of this work was to study the starch yield at pilot plant scale. Experiments at laboratory scale were carried out using the pulp with citric acid to 0,3 % (antioxidant), in order to evaluate the different unitary operations of the process. The starch yield, based on starch presence in the pulp that can be isolated, were between 76 and 86 %, and the values at pilot plant scale were between 63 and 71 %, in different lots of banana fruit. Starch yield values were similar among the diverse lots, showing that the process is reproducible. The lower values of starch recovery at pilot plant scale are due to the loss during sieving operations; however, the amount of starch recovery is good.

SCALE: A modular code system for performing standardized computer analyses for licensing evaluation. Functional modules F1--F8 -- Volume 2, Part 1, Revision 4

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

Greene, N.M.; Petrie, L.M.; Westfall, R.M.

SCALE--a modular code system for Standardized Computer Analyses Licensing Evaluation--has been developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the request of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The SCALE system utilizes well-established computer codes and methods within standard analysis sequences that (1) allow an input format designed for the occasional user and/or novice, (2) automate the data processing and coupling between modules, and (3) provide accurate and reliable results. System development has been directed at problem-dependent cross-section processing and analysis of criticality safety, shielding, heat transfer, and depletion/decay problems. Since the initial release of SCALE in 1980, the code system hasmore » been heavily used for evaluation of nuclear fuel facility and package designs. This revision documents Version 4.2 of the system. The manual is divided into three volumes: Volume 1--for the control module documentation; Volume 2--for functional module documentation; and Volume 3--for documentation of the data libraries and subroutine libraries.« less

Pre-Analytical Components of Risk in Four Branches of Clinical Laboratory in Romania--Prospective Study.

PubMed

David, Remona E; Dobreanu, Minodora

2016-01-01

Development of quality measurement principles is a strategic point for each clinical laboratory. Preexamination process is the most critical and the most difficult to be managed. The aim of this study is to identify, quantify, and monitor the nonconformities of the pre-analytical process using quality indicators that can affect the patient's health safety in four different locations of a Romanian private clinical laboratory. The study group consisted of all the analysis requests received by the departments of biochemistry, hematology, and coagulation from January through March 2015. In order to collect the pre-analytical nonconformities, we created a "Risk Budget", using the entries from the "Evidence notebook--non-conform samples" from the above mentioned departments. The laboratory established the quality indicators by means of the risk management technique in order to identify and control the sources of errors, FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analyses), which had been implemented and monitored for its purposes and special needs. For the assessment of the control level over the processes, the results were transformed on the Six Sigma scale, using the Westgard calculation method and being obtained in this way the frequency with which an error may occur. (https://www.westgard. com/six-sigma-calculators.htm). The obtained results prove that the quantification and monitoring of the indicators can be a control instrument for the pre-analytic activities. The calculation of the Six Sigma value adds extra information to the study because it allows the detection of the processes which need improvement (Sigma value higher than 4 represents a well controlled process). The highest rates were observed for the hemolyzed and the lipemic samples, in the department of biochemistry and hemolyzed, insufficient sample volume, or clotted samples for the department of hematology and coagulation. Significant statistical differences between laboratories participating in the study have been recorded for these indicators. The elaborated study between the four branches of a Romanian private clinical laboratory was a challenge, and it helped in choosing strategic decisions regarding the improvement of the patient's health safety in the institution, corresponding to the accreditation requirements in accordance with ISO 15189:2013.

Optimised anaerobic treatment of house-sorted biodegradable waste and slaughterhouse waste in a high loaded half technical scale digester.

PubMed

Resch, C; Grasmug, M; Smeets, W; Braun, R; Kirchmayr, R

2006-01-01

Anaerobic co-digestion of organic wastes from households, slaughterhouses and meat processing industries was optimised in a half technical scale plant. The plant was operated for 130 days using two different substrates under organic loading rates of 10 and 12 kgCOD.m(-3).d(-1). Since the substrates were rich in fat and protein components (TKN: 12 g.kg(-1) the treatment was challenging. The process was monitored on-line and in the laboratory. It was demonstrated that an intensive and stable co-digestion of partly hydrolysed organic waste and protein rich slaughterhouse waste can be achieved in the balance of inconsistent pH and buffering NH4-N. In the first experimental period the reduction of the substrate COD was almost complete in an overall stable process (COD reduction >82%). In the second period methane productivity increased, but certain intermediate products accumulated constantly. Process design options for a second digestion phase for advanced degradation were investigated. Potential causes for slow and reduced propionic and valeric acid degradation were assessed. Recommendations for full-scale process implementation can be made from the experimental results reported. The highly loaded and stable codigestion of these substrates may be a good technical and economic treatment alternative.

COTHERM: Geophysical Modeling of High Enthalpy Geothermal Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grab, Melchior; Maurer, Hansruedi; Greenhalgh, Stewart

2014-05-01

In recent years geothermal heating and electricity generation have become an attractive alternative energy resource, especially natural high enthalpy geothermal systems such as in Iceland. However, the financial risk of installing and operating geothermal power plants is still high and more needs to be known about the geothermal processes and state of the reservoir in the subsurface. A powerful tool for probing the underground system structure is provided by geophysical techniques, which are able to detect flow paths and fracture systems without drilling. It has been amply demonstrated that small-scale features can be well imaged at shallow depths, but only gross structures can be delineated for depths of several kilometers, where most high enthalpy systems are located. Therefore a major goal of our study is to improve geophysical mapping strategies by multi-method geophysical simulations and synthetic data inversions, to better resolve structures at greater depth, characterize the reservoir and monitor any changes within it. The investigation forms part of project COTHERM - COmbined hydrological, geochemical and geophysical modeling of geoTHERMal systems - in which a holistic and synergistic approach is being adopted to achieve multidisciplinary cooperation and mutual benefit. The geophysical simulations are being performed in combination with hydrothermal fluid flow modeling and chemical fluid rock interaction modeling, to provide realistic constraints on lithology, pressure, temperature and fluid conditions of the subsurface. Two sites in Iceland have been selected for the study, Krafla and Reykjanes. As a starting point for the geophysical modeling, we seek to establish petrophysical relations, connecting rock properties and reservoir conditions with geophysical parameters such as seismic wave speed, attenuation, electrical conductivity and magnetic susceptibility with a main focus on seismic properties. Therefore, we follow a comprehensive approach involving three components: (1) A literature study to find relevant, existing theoretical models, (2) laboratory determinations to confirm their validity for Icelandic rocks of interest and (3) a field campaign to obtain in-situ, shallow rock properties from seismic and resistivity tomography surveys over a fossilized and exhumed geothermal system. Theoretical models describing physical behavior for rocks with strong inhomogeneities, complex pore structure and complicated fluid-rock interaction mechanisms are often poorly constrained and require the knowledge about a wide range of parameters that are difficult to quantify. Therefore we calibrate the theoretical models by laboratory measurements on samples of rocks, forming magmatic geothermal reservoirs. Since the samples used in the laboratory are limited in size, and laboratory equipment operates at much higher frequency than the instruments used in the field, the results need to be up-scaled from the laboratory scale to field scale. This is not a simple process and entails many uncertainties.

A carbon dioxide stripping model for mammalian cell culture in manufacturing scale bioreactors.

PubMed

Xing, Zizhuo; Lewis, Amanda M; Borys, Michael C; Li, Zheng Jian

2017-06-01

Control of carbon dioxide within the optimum range is important in mammalian bioprocesses at the manufacturing scale in order to ensure robust cell growth, high protein yields, and consistent quality attributes. The majority of bioprocess development work is done in laboratory bioreactors, in which carbon dioxide levels are more easily controlled. Some challenges in carbon dioxide control can present themselves when cell culture processes are scaled up, because carbon dioxide accumulation is a common feature due to longer gas-residence time of mammalian cell culture in large scale bioreactors. A carbon dioxide stripping model can be used to better understand and optimize parameters that are critical to cell culture processes at the manufacturing scale. The prevailing carbon dioxide stripping models in literature depend on mass transfer coefficients and were applicable to cell culture processes with low cell density or at stationary/cell death phase. However, it was reported that gas bubbles are saturated with carbon dioxide before leaving the culture, which makes carbon dioxide stripping no longer depend on a mass transfer coefficient in the new generation cell culture processes characterized by longer exponential growth phase, higher peak viable cell densities, and higher specific production rate. Here, we present a new carbon dioxide stripping model for manufacturing scale bioreactors, which is independent of carbon dioxide mass transfer coefficient, but takes into account the gas-residence time and gas CO 2 saturation time. The model was verified by CHO cell culture processes with different peak viable cell densities (7 to 12 × 10 6  cells mL -1 ) for two products in 5,000-L and 25,000-L bioreactors. The model was also applied to a next generation cell culture process to optimize cell culture conditions and reduce carbon dioxide levels at manufacturing scale. The model provides a useful tool to understand and better control cell culture carbon dioxide profiles for process development, scale up, and characterization. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1184-1194. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

HalX: an open-source LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) for small- to large-scale laboratories.

PubMed

Prilusky, Jaime; Oueillet, Eric; Ulryck, Nathalie; Pajon, Anne; Bernauer, Julie; Krimm, Isabelle; Quevillon-Cheruel, Sophie; Leulliot, Nicolas; Graille, Marc; Liger, Dominique; Trésaugues, Lionel; Sussman, Joel L; Janin, Joël; van Tilbeurgh, Herman; Poupon, Anne

2005-06-01

Structural genomics aims at the establishment of a universal protein-fold dictionary through systematic structure determination either by NMR or X-ray crystallography. In order to catch up with the explosive amount of protein sequence data, the structural biology laboratories are spurred to increase the speed of the structure-determination process. To achieve this goal, high-throughput robotic approaches are increasingly used in all the steps leading from cloning to data collection and even structure interpretation is becoming more and more automatic. The progress made in these areas has begun to have a significant impact on the more 'classical' structural biology laboratories, dramatically increasing the number of individual experiments. This automation creates the need for efficient data management. Here, a new piece of software, HalX, designed as an 'electronic lab book' that aims at (i) storage and (ii) easy access and use of all experimental data is presented. This should lead to much improved management and tracking of structural genomics experimental data.

Overview and challenges of molecular technologies in the veterinary microbiology laboratory.

PubMed

Cunha, Mónica V; Inácio, João

2015-01-01

Terrestrial, aquatic, and aerial animals, either domestic or wild, humans, and plants all face similar health threats caused by infectious agents. Multifaceted anthropic pressure caused by an increasingly growing and resource-demanding human population has affected biodiversity at all scales, from the DNA molecule to the pathogen, to the ecosystem level, leading to species declines and extinctions and, also, to host-pathogen coevolution processes. Technological developments over the last century have also led to quantic jumps in laboratorial testing that have highly impacted animal health and welfare, ameliorated animal management and animal trade, safeguarded public health, and ultimately helped to "secure" biodiversity. In particular, the field of molecular diagnostics experienced tremendous technical progresses over the last two decades that significantly have contributed to our ability to study microbial pathogens in the clinical and research laboratories. This chapter highlights the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (or challenges) of molecular technologies in the framework of a veterinary microbiology laboratory, in view of the latest advances.

Non-destructive evaluation of laboratory scale hydraulic fracturing using acoustic emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hampton, Jesse Clay

The primary objective of this research is to develop techniques to characterize hydraulic fractures and fracturing processes using acoustic emission monitoring based on laboratory scale hydraulic fracturing experiments. Individual microcrack AE source characterization is performed to understand the failure mechanisms associated with small failures along pre-existing discontinuities and grain boundaries. Individual microcrack analysis methods include moment tensor inversion techniques to elucidate the mode of failure, crack slip and crack normal direction vectors, and relative volumetric deformation of an individual microcrack. Differentiation between individual microcrack analysis and AE cloud based techniques is studied in efforts to refine discrete fracture network (DFN) creation and regional damage quantification of densely fractured media. Regional damage estimations from combinations of individual microcrack analyses and AE cloud density plotting are used to investigate the usefulness of weighting cloud based AE analysis techniques with microcrack source data. Two granite types were used in several sample configurations including multi-block systems. Laboratory hydraulic fracturing was performed with sample sizes ranging from 15 x 15 x 25 cm3 to 30 x 30 x 25 cm 3 in both unconfined and true-triaxially confined stress states using different types of materials. Hydraulic fracture testing in rock block systems containing a large natural fracture was investigated in terms of AE response throughout fracture interactions. Investigations of differing scale analyses showed the usefulness of individual microcrack characterization as well as DFN and cloud based techniques. Individual microcrack characterization weighting cloud based techniques correlated well with post-test damage evaluations.

Design and application of a mobile ground-based observatory for continuous measurements of atmospheric trace gas and criteria pollutant species

DOE PAGES

Bush, S. E.; Hopkins, F. M.; Randerson, J. T.; ...

2015-08-26

Ground-based measurements of atmospheric trace gas species and criteria pollutants are essential for understanding emissions dynamics across space and time. Gas composition in the lower 50 m of the atmosphere has the greatest direct impacts on human health as well as ecosystem processes; hence data at this level are necessary for addressing carbon-cycle- and public-health-related questions. However, such surface data are generally associated with stationary measurement towers, where spatial representation is limited due to the high cost of establishing and maintaining an extensive network of measurement stations. We describe here a compact mobile laboratory equipped to provide high-precision, high-frequency, continuous,more » on-road synchronous measurements of CO 2, CO, CH 4, H 2O, NO x, O 3, aerosol, meteorological, and geospatial position data. The mobile laboratory has been deployed across the western USA. In addition to describing the vehicle and its capacity, we present data that illustrate the use of the laboratory as a powerful tool for investigating the spatial structure of urban trace gas emissions and criteria pollutants at spatial scales ranging from single streets to whole ecosystem and regional scales. We assess the magnitude of known point sources of CH 4 and also identify fugitive urban CH 4 emissions. We illustrate how such a mobile laboratory can be used to better understand emissions dynamics and quantify emissions ratios associated with trace gas emissions from wildfire incidents. Lastly, we discuss additional mobile laboratory applications in health and urban metabolism.« less

Design and application of a mobile ground-based observatory for continuous measurements of atmospheric trace gas and criteria pollutant species

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

Bush, S. E.; Hopkins, F. M.; Randerson, J. T.

Ground-based measurements of atmospheric trace gas species and criteria pollutants are essential for understanding emissions dynamics across space and time. Gas composition in the lower 50 m of the atmosphere has the greatest direct impacts on human health as well as ecosystem processes; hence data at this level are necessary for addressing carbon-cycle- and public-health-related questions. However, such surface data are generally associated with stationary measurement towers, where spatial representation is limited due to the high cost of establishing and maintaining an extensive network of measurement stations. We describe here a compact mobile laboratory equipped to provide high-precision, high-frequency, continuous,more » on-road synchronous measurements of CO 2, CO, CH 4, H 2O, NO x, O 3, aerosol, meteorological, and geospatial position data. The mobile laboratory has been deployed across the western USA. In addition to describing the vehicle and its capacity, we present data that illustrate the use of the laboratory as a powerful tool for investigating the spatial structure of urban trace gas emissions and criteria pollutants at spatial scales ranging from single streets to whole ecosystem and regional scales. We assess the magnitude of known point sources of CH 4 and also identify fugitive urban CH 4 emissions. We illustrate how such a mobile laboratory can be used to better understand emissions dynamics and quantify emissions ratios associated with trace gas emissions from wildfire incidents. Lastly, we discuss additional mobile laboratory applications in health and urban metabolism.« less

Design and application of a mobile ground-based observatory for continuous measurements of atmospheric trace gas and criteria pollutant species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bush, S. E.; Hopkins, F. M.; Randerson, J. T.; Lai, C.-T.; Ehleringer, J. R.

2015-08-01

Ground-based measurements of atmospheric trace gas species and criteria pollutants are essential for understanding emissions dynamics across space and time. Gas composition in the lower 50 m of the atmosphere has the greatest direct impacts on human health as well as ecosystem processes; hence data at this level are necessary for addressing carbon-cycle- and public-health-related questions. However, such surface data are generally associated with stationary measurement towers, where spatial representation is limited due to the high cost of establishing and maintaining an extensive network of measurement stations. We describe here a compact mobile laboratory equipped to provide high-precision, high-frequency, continuous, on-road synchronous measurements of CO2, CO, CH4, H2O, NOx, O3, aerosol, meteorological, and geospatial position data. The mobile laboratory has been deployed across the western USA. In addition to describing the vehicle and its capacity, we present data that illustrate the use of the laboratory as a powerful tool for investigating the spatial structure of urban trace gas emissions and criteria pollutants at spatial scales ranging from single streets to whole ecosystem and regional scales. We assess the magnitude of known point sources of CH4 and also identify fugitive urban CH4 emissions. We illustrate how such a mobile laboratory can be used to better understand emissions dynamics and quantify emissions ratios associated with trace gas emissions from wildfire incidents. Lastly, we discuss additional mobile laboratory applications in health and urban metabolism.

Effects of cadmium on the performance and microbiology of laboratory-scale lagoons treating domestic sewage.

PubMed

Bonnet, J L; Bohatier, J; Pépin, D

1999-06-01

Two experiments were performed to assess the impact of cadmium on the sewage lagoon wastewater treatment process. For each one, three laboratory-scale pilot plants with one tank receiving the same raw effluent were used; one plant served as control and the other two were contaminated once only with cadmium. In the first study, the effects of a shock load of two concentrations of cadmium chloride (60 and 300 micrograms/l) on the plant performance, microbial populations (protists and bacteria) and enzyme activities were determined. Initially, most of the performance parameters were affected concentration-dependently. A reduction in the protist population density and some influence on the total bacterial population were observed, and the potential enzymatic activities were also modified. A second experiment with a lower cadmium concentration (30 micrograms/l), supplied as chloride or sulphate, still perturbed most of the parameters studied, and the effects of the two cadmium salts were identical.

Constructing constitutive relationships for seismic and aseismic fault slip

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beeler, N.M.

2009-01-01

For the purpose of modeling natural fault slip, a useful result from an experimental fault mechanics study would be a physically-based constitutive relation that well characterizes all the relevant observations. This report describes an approach for constructing such equations. Where possible the construction intends to identify or, at least, attribute physical processes and contact scale physics to the observations such that the resulting relations can be extrapolated in conditions and scale between the laboratory and the Earth. The approach is developed as an alternative but is based on Ruina (1983) and is illustrated initially by constructing a couple of relations from that study. In addition, two example constitutive relationships are constructed; these describe laboratory observations not well-modeled by Ruina's equations: the unexpected shear-induced weakening of silica-rich rocks at high slip speed (Goldsby and Tullis, 2002) and fault strength in the brittle ductile transition zone (Shimamoto, 1986). The examples, provided as illustration, may also be useful for quantitative modeling.

Remarkable magnitude of the self-disproportionation of enantiomers (SDE) via achiral chromatography: application to the practical-scale enantiopurification of β-amino acid esters.

PubMed

Wzorek, Alicja; Sato, Azusa; Drabowicz, Józef; Soloshonok, Vadim A; Klika, Karel D

2016-02-01

We report the best performance yet for the self-disproportionation of enantiomers (SDE) via achiral chromatography as typically used in laboratories for the isolated yield of the excess enantiomer using N-acetyl β-amino acid ethyl esters. The results are the most convincing ever demonstration of the capability of the SDE for practical-scale enantiopurification as comparable, or even superior for some systems, to that of recrystallization. For example, from a sample of 94.4 % ee, a yield of 71 % of enantiopure material was isolated in a single chromatographic run. Moreover, the lack of an esoteric structural entity, e.g. strongly polarizing groups, such as, for instance CF3, highlights the fact that the phenomenon is not dependent on the presence of such and thus the process is relevant to any usual-type structure. In contrast to recrystallization, the procedure is predictable, general, and dependable, boding well for its widespread application in routine laboratory settings.

Soil mixing of stratified contaminated sands.

PubMed

Al-Tabba, A; Ayotamuno, M J; Martin, R J

2000-02-01

Validation of soil mixing for the treatment of contaminated ground is needed in a wide range of site conditions to widen the application of the technology and to understand the mechanisms involved. Since very limited work has been carried out in heterogeneous ground conditions, this paper investigates the effectiveness of soil mixing in stratified sands using laboratory-scale augers. This enabled a low cost investigation of factors such as grout type and form, auger design, installation procedure, mixing mode, curing period, thickness of soil layers and natural moisture content on the unconfined compressive strength, leachability and leachate pH of the soil-grout mixes. The results showed that the auger design plays a very important part in the mixing process in heterogeneous sands. The variability of the properties measured in the stratified soils and the measurable variations caused by the various factors considered, highlighted the importance of duplicating appropriate in situ conditions, the usefulness of laboratory-scale modelling of in situ conditions and the importance of modelling soil and contaminant heterogeneities at the treatability study stage.

Experimental investigation on gaseous emissions from the combustion of date palm residues in laboratory scale furnace.

PubMed

El may, Yassine; Jeguirim, Mejdi; Dorge, Sophie; Trouvé, Gwenaelle; Said, Rachid

2013-03-01

Emissions characteristics from the combustion of five date palm residues, DPR, (Date Palm Leaflets, Date Palm Rachis, Date Palm Trunk, Date Stones and fruitstalk prunings) in a laboratory scale furnace were investigated. Release of gaseous products such as CO2, CO, VOC, NOx and SO2 were measured at 600-800°C. The main goal was to analyze thermal behaviors and gaseous emissions in order to select the most convenient biofuel for an application in domestic boiler installations. Regards to biofuel characteristics, date stone have the highest energy density (11.4GJ/m(3)) and the lowest ash content (close to 1.2%). Combustion tests show that among the tested date palm residues, date stone may be the promising biofuel for the design of combustion processing system. However, a special attention to the design of the secondary air supply should be given to prevent high emissions of CO and volatile matters. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consecutive anaerobic-aerobic treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and lignocellulosic materials in laboratory-scale landfill-bioreactors.

PubMed

Pellera, Frantseska-Maria; Pasparakis, Emmanouil; Gidarakos, Evangelos

2016-10-01

The scope of this study is to evaluate the use of laboratory-scale landfill-bioreactors, operated consecutively under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, for the combined treatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) with two different co-substrates of lignocellulosic nature, namely green waste (GW) and dried olive pomace (DOP). According to the results such a system would represent a promising option for eventual larger scale applications. Similar variation patterns among bioreactors indicate a relatively defined sequence of processes. Initially operating the systems under anaerobic conditions would allow energetic exploitation of the substrates, while the implementation of a leachate treatment system ultimately aiming at nutrient recovery, especially during the anaerobic phase, could be a profitable option for the whole system, due to the high organic load that characterizes this effluent. In order to improve the overall effectiveness of such a system, measures towards enhancing methane contents of produced biogas, such as substrate pretreatment, should be investigated. Moreover, the subsequent aerobic phase should have the goal of stabilizing the residual materials and finally obtain an end material eventually suitable for other purposes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fermentative lactic acid production from coffee pulp hydrolysate using Bacillus coagulans at laboratory and pilot scales.

PubMed

Pleissner, Daniel; Neu, Anna-Katrin; Mehlmann, Kerstin; Schneider, Roland; Puerta-Quintero, Gloria Inés; Venus, Joachim

2016-10-01

In this study, the lignocellulosic residue coffee pulp was used as carbon source in fermentative l(+)-lactic acid production using Bacillus coagulans. After thermo-chemical treatment at 121°C for 30min in presence of 0.18molL(-1) H2SO4 and following an enzymatic digestion using Accellerase 1500 carbon-rich hydrolysates were obtained. Two different coffee pulp materials with comparable biomass composition were used, but sugar concentrations in hydrolysates showed variations. The primary sugars were (gL(-1)) glucose (20-30), xylose (15-25), sucrose (5-11) and arabinose (0.7-10). Fermentations were carried out at laboratory (2L) and pilot (50L) scales in presence of 10gL(-1) yeast extract. At pilot scale carbon utilization and lactic acid yield per gram of sugar consumed were 94.65% and 0.78gg(-1), respectively. The productivity was 4.02gL(-1)h(-1). Downstream processing resulted in a pure formulation containing 937gL(-1)l(+)-lactic acid with an optical purity of 99.7%. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Anaerobic Digestion of Laminaria japonica Waste from Industrial Production Residues in Laboratory- and Pilot-Scale.

PubMed

Barbot, Yann Nicolas; Thomsen, Claudia; Thomsen, Laurenz; Benz, Roland

2015-09-18

The cultivation of macroalgae to supply the biofuel, pharmaceutical or food industries generates a considerable amount of organic residue, which represents a potential substrate for biomethanation. Its use optimizes the total resource exploitation by the simultaneous disposal of waste biomaterials. In this study, we explored the biochemical methane potential (BMP) and biomethane recovery of industrial Laminaria japonica waste (LJW) in batch, continuous laboratory and pilot-scale trials. Thermo-acidic pretreatment with industry-grade HCl or industrial flue gas condensate (FGC), as well as a co-digestion approach with maize silage (MS) did not improve the biomethane recovery. BMPs between 172 mL and 214 mL g(-1) volatile solids (VS) were recorded. We proved the feasibility of long-term continuous anaerobic digestion with LJW as sole feedstock showing a steady biomethane production rate of 173 mL g(-1) VS. The quality of fermentation residue was sufficient to serve as biofertilizer, with enriched amounts of potassium, sulfur and iron. We further demonstrated the upscaling feasibility of the process in a pilot-scale system where a CH₄ recovery of 189 L kg(-1) VS was achieved and a biogas composition of 55% CH₄ and 38% CO₂ was recorded.

Nonlinear plasma wave models in 3D fluid simulations of laser-plasma interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, Thomas; Berger, Richard; Arrighi, Bill; Langer, Steve; Banks, Jeffrey; Brunner, Stephan

2017-10-01

Simulations of laser-plasma interaction (LPI) in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) conditions require multi-mm spatial scales due to the typical laser beam size and durations of order 100 ps in order for numerical laser reflectivities to converge. To be computationally achievable, these scales necessitate a fluid-like treatment of light and plasma waves with a spatial grid size on the order of the light wave length. Plasma waves experience many nonlinear phenomena not naturally described by a fluid treatment, such as frequency shifts induced by trapping, a nonlinear (typically suppressed) Landau damping, and mode couplings leading to instabilities that can cause the plasma wave to decay rapidly. These processes affect the onset and saturation of stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering, and are of direct interest to the modeling and prediction of deleterious LPI in ICF. It is not currently computationally feasible to simulate these Debye length-scale phenomena in 3D across experimental scales. Analytically-derived and/or numerically benchmarked models of processes occurring at scales finer than the fluid simulation grid offer a path forward. We demonstrate the impact of a range of kinetic processes on plasma reflectivity via models included in the LPI simulation code pF3D. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Techno-economic feasibility and life cycle assessment of dairy effluent to renewable diesel via hydrothermal liquefaction.

PubMed

Summers, Hailey M; Ledbetter, Rhesa N; McCurdy, Alex T; Morgan, Michael R; Seefeldt, Lance C; Jena, Umakanta; Hoekman, S Kent; Quinn, Jason C

2015-11-01

The economic feasibility and environmental impact is investigated for the conversion of agricultural waste, delactosed whey permeate, through yeast fermentation to a renewable diesel via hydrothermal liquefaction. Process feasibility was demonstrated at laboratory-scale with data leveraged to validate systems models used to perform industrial-scale economic and environmental impact analyses. Results show a minimum fuel selling price of $4.78 per gallon of renewable diesel, a net energy ratio of 0.81, and greenhouse gas emissions of 30.0g-CO2-eqMJ(-1). High production costs and greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to operational temperatures and durations of both fermentation and hydrothermal liquefaction. However, high lipid yields of the yeast counter these operational demands, resulting in a favorable net energy ratio. Results are presented on the optimization of the process based on economy of scale and a sensitivity analysis highlights improvements in conversion efficiency, yeast biomass productivity and hydrotreating efficiency can dramatically improve commercial feasibility. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Three Dimensional Picture of Galactic Center Mass Flows From Kiloparsec to Subparsec Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, Elisabeth A.

2018-06-01

The centers of galaxies host extreme and energetic phenomena, from the amassing of incredibly dense reservoirs of gas to nuclear starbursts producing tens to hundreds of solar masses per year to accreting supermassive black holes launching jets. All of these are found on compact scales from hundreds of parsecs to less than a microparsec. The nearest laboratory for examining these processes is the center of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Although the black hole is not currently active and the star formation rate is relatively low, it is still our best opportunity for detailed insight into the processes that regulate the growth of the central supermassive black hole. By providing access to mid and far infrared wavelengths, SOFIA plays a unique role in connecting large and small scales in the Galactic center and studying the cycling of gas through this region. In this talk I will highlight several key open questions and outline the role that SOFIA continues to play in answering them.

Narrow Angle movie

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This brief three-frame movie of the Moon was made from three Cassini narrow-angle images as the spacecraft passed by the Moon on the way to its closest approach with Earth on August 17, 1999. The purpose of this particular set of images was to calibrate the spectral response of the narrow-angle camera and to test its 'on-chip summing mode' data compression technique in flight. From left to right, they show the Moon in the green, blue and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum in 40, 60 and 80 millisecond exposures, respectively. All three images have been scaled so that the brightness of Crisium basin, the dark circular region in the upper right, is the same in each image. The spatial scale in the blue and ultraviolet images is 1.4 miles per pixel (2.3 kilometers). The original scale in the green image (which was captured in the usual manner and then reduced in size by 2x2 pixel summing within the camera system) was 2.8 miles per pixel (4.6 kilometers). It has been enlarged for display to the same scale as the other two. The imaging data were processed and released by the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations (CICLOPS) at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ.

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL/Cassini Imaging Team/University of Arizona

Cassini, launched in 1997, is a joint mission of NASA, the European Space Agency and Italian Space Agency. The mission is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.

Multiple-Scale Physics During Magnetic Reconnection

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

Jara-Almonte, Jonathan

Magnetic reconnection is a key fundamental process in magnetized plasmas wherein the global magnetic topology is modified and stored energy is transferred from fields to particles. Reconnection is an inherently local process, and mechanisms to couple global-scale dynamics are not well understood. This dissertation explores two different mechanisms for cross-scale coupling during magnetic reconnection. As one example, we theoretically examine reconnection in a collisionless plasma using particle-in-cell simulations and demonstrate that large scale reconnection physics can couple to and drive microscopic instabilities, even in two-dimensional systems if significant scale separation exists between the Debye length and the electron skin depth.more » The physics underlying these instabilities is explained using simple theoretical models, and their potential connection to existing discrepancies between laboratory experiments and numerical simulations is explored. In three-dimensional systems, these instabilities are shown to generate anomalous resistivity that balances a substantial fraction of the electric field. In contrast, we also use experiments to investigate cross-scale couplings during reconnection in a collisional plasma. A leading candidate for coupling global and local scales is the hierarchical breakdown of elongated, reconnecting current sheets into numerous smaller current sheets -– the plasmoid instability. In the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX), recent hardware improvements have extended the accessible parameter space allowing for the study of long-lived, elongated current sheets. Moreover, by using Argon, reproducible and collisional plasmas are produced, which allow for a detailed statistical study of collisional reconnection. As a result, we have conclusively measured the onset of sub-ion-scale plasmoids during resistive, anti-parallel reconnection for the first time. The current sheet thickness is intermediate between ion and electron kinetic scales such that the plasma is in the Hall-MHD regime. Surprisingly, plasmoids are observed at Lundquist numbers < 100 well below theoretical predictions (> 10,000). The number of plasmoids scales with both Lundquist number and current sheet aspect ratio. The Hall quadrupolar fields are shown to suppress plasmoids. Finally, plasmoids are shown to couple local and global physics by enhancing the reconnection rate. These results are compared with prior studies of tearing and plasmoid instability, and implications for astrophysical plasmas, laboratory experiments, and theoretical studies of reconnection are discussed.« less

The innovative osmotic membrane bioreactor (OMBR) for reuse of wastewater.

PubMed

Cornelissen, E R; Harmsen, D; Beerendonk, E F; Qin, J J; Oo, H; de Korte, K F; Kappelhof, J W M N

2011-01-01

An innovative osmotic membrane bioreactor (OMBR) is currently under development for the reclamation of wastewater, which combines activated sludge treatment and forward osmosis (FO) membrane separation with a RO post-treatment. The research focus is FO membrane fouling and performance using different activated sludge investigated both at laboratory scale (membrane area of 112cm2) and at on-site bench scale (flat sheet membrane area of 0.1 m2). FO performance on laboratory-scale (i) increased with temperature due to a decrease in viscosity and (ii) was independent of the type of activated sludge. Draw solution leakage increased with temperature and varied for different activated sludge. FO performance on bench-scale (i) increased with osmotic driving force, (ii) depended on the membrane orientation due to internal concentration polarization and (iii) was invariant to feed flow decrease and air injection at the feed and draw side. Draw solution leakage could not be evaluated on bench-scale due to experimental limitation. Membrane fouling was not found on laboratory scale and bench-scale, however, partially reversible fouling was found on laboratory scale for FO membranes facing the draw solution. Economic assessment indicated a minimum flux of 15L.m-2 h-1 at 0.5M NaCl for OMBR-RO to be cost effective, depending on the FO membrane price.

Process of infection of armored scale insects (Diaspididae) by an entomopathogenic Cosmospora sp.

PubMed

Mauchline, Nicola; Hallett, Ian; Hill, Garry; Casonato, Seona

2011-09-01

Several species in the fungal genus Cosmospora (synonym Nectria) (anamorph Fusarium) are specialist entomopathogens of armored scale insects (Diaspididae), known to cause periodic epizootics in host populations. Inconsistent mortality rates recorded under laboratory conditions prompted a study into the process of infection of armored scale insects by this fungus. Scale insect mortality following exposure to a Cosmospora sp. (Culture Collection Number: CC89) from New Zealand was related to insect age, with reproductively mature insects having a significantly higher infection rate than immature insects. Examination using scanning electron microscopy found no evidence that the fungus penetrated directly through the wax test (cap) of the scale insect or through the un-lifted interface between the test and the substrate on which the insect resided. However, fungal hyphae were observed growing beneath the test when the test of the reproductively mature insect lifted away from the substrate for the purpose of releasing crawlers, the mobile pre-settled juveniles. Once the hyphae of CC89 advanced under the test, germ-tubes readily penetrated the insect body through a number of natural openings (e.g. spiracles, vulva, stylet), with mycosis observed within seven days after inoculation. Direct penetration through the cuticle of the scale insect was not observed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermal hazard assessment of AN and AN-based explosives.

PubMed

Turcotte, R; Lightfoot, P D; Fouchard, R; Jones, D E G

2003-07-04

Ammonium nitrate (AN) is an essential ingredient in most fertilizers. It is also widely used in the commercial explosives industry. In this latter application, it is mostly mixed with fuel oil to form the most popular commercial explosive: ANFO. In both the fertilizer and the explosive industry, aqueous AN solutions (ANS) of various concentrations are processed. These solutions also form the basis of ammonium nitrate emulsion explosives (also called ammonium nitrate emulsions or ANE), which are produced either in bulk or in packaged form. For all these AN-based products, quantities of the order of 20,000kg are being manufactured, transported, stored, and processed at elevated temperatures and/or elevated pressures. Correspondingly, major accidents involving overheating of large quantities of these products have happened in several of these operations. In comparison, convenient laboratory quantities to investigate thermal decomposition properties are generally less than 1kg. As a result, in order to provide information applicable to real-life situations, any laboratory study must use techniques that minimize heat losses from the samples to their environment. In the present study, two laboratory-scale calorimeters providing an adiabatic environment were used: an accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) and an adiabatic Dewar calorimeter (ADC). Experiments were performed on pure AN, ANFO, various ANS systems, and typical bulk and packaged ANE systems. The effects of sample mass, atmosphere, and formulation on the resulting onset temperatures were studied. A comparison of the results from the two techniques is provided and a proposed method to extrapolate these results to large-scale inventories is examined.

Large-Scale Reactive Atomistic Simulation of Shock-induced Initiation Processes in Energetic Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Aidan

2013-06-01

Initiation in energetic materials is fundamentally dependent on the interaction between a host of complex chemical and mechanical processes, occurring on scales ranging from intramolecular vibrations through molecular crystal plasticity up to hydrodynamic phenomena at the mesoscale. A variety of methods (e.g. quantum electronic structure methods (QM), non-reactive classical molecular dynamics (MD), mesoscopic continuum mechanics) exist to study processes occurring on each of these scales in isolation, but cannot describe how these processes interact with each other. In contrast, the ReaxFF reactive force field, implemented in the LAMMPS parallel MD code, allows us to routinely perform multimillion-atom reactive MD simulations of shock-induced initiation in a variety of energetic materials. This is done either by explicitly driving a shock-wave through the structure (NEMD) or by imposing thermodynamic constraints on the collective dynamics of the simulation cell e.g. using the Multiscale Shock Technique (MSST). These MD simulations allow us to directly observe how energy is transferred from the shockwave into other processes, including intramolecular vibrational modes, plastic deformation of the crystal, and hydrodynamic jetting at interfaces. These processes in turn cause thermal excitation of chemical bonds leading to initial chemical reactions, and ultimately to exothermic formation of product species. Results will be presented on the application of this approach to several important energetic materials, including pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) and ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO). In both cases, we validate the ReaxFF parameterizations against QM and experimental data. For PETN, we observe initiation occurring via different chemical pathways, depending on the shock direction. For PETN containing spherical voids, we observe enhanced sensitivity due to jetting, void collapse, and hotspot formation, with sensitivity increasing with void size. For ANFO, we examine the effect of reaction rates on shock direction, fuel oil fraction, and crystal/fuel oil/void microstructural arrangement. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Dept. of Energy's National Nuclear Security Admin. under contract DEAC0494AL85000.

Towards a manufacturing ecosystem for integrated photonic sensors (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Benjamin L.

2017-03-01

Laboratory-scale demonstrations of optical biosensing employing structures compatible with CMOS fabrication, including waveguides, Mach-Zehnder interferometers, ring resonators, and photonic crystals, have provided ample validation of the promise of these technologies. However, to date there are relatively few examples of integrated photonic biosensors in the commercial sphere. The lack of successful translation from the laboratory to the marketplace is due in part to a lack of robust manufacturing processes for integrated photonics overall. This talk will describe efforts within the American Institute for Manufacturing Photonics (AIM Photonics), a public-private consortium funded by the Department of Defense, State governments, Universities, and Corporate partners to accelerate manufacturing of integrated photonic sensors.

Investigating Brittle Rock Failure and Associated Seismicity Using Laboratory Experiments and Numerical Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Qi

Rock failure process is a complex phenomenon that involves elastic and plastic deformation, microscopic cracking, macroscopic fracturing, and frictional slipping of fractures. Understanding this complex behaviour has been the focus of a significant amount of research. In this work, the combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) was first employed to study (1) the influence of rock discontinuities on hydraulic fracturing and associated seismicity and (2) the influence of in-situ stress on seismic behaviour. Simulated seismic events were analyzed using post-processing tools including frequency-magnitude distribution (b-value), spatial fractal dimension (D-value), seismic rate, and fracture clustering. These simulations demonstrated that at the local scale, fractures tended to propagate following the rock mass discontinuities; while at reservoir scale, they developed in the direction parallel to the maximum in-situ stress. Moreover, seismic signature (i.e., b-value, D-value, and seismic rate) can help to distinguish different phases of the failure process. The FDEM modelling technique and developed analysis tools were then coupled with laboratory experiments to further investigate the different phases of the progressive rock failure process. Firstly, a uniaxial compression experiment, monitored using a time-lapse ultrasonic tomography method, was carried out and reproduced by the numerical model. Using this combination of technologies, the entire deformation and failure processes were studied at macroscopic and microscopic scales. The results not only illustrated the rock failure and seismic behaviours at different stress levels, but also suggested several precursory behaviours indicating the catastrophic failure of the rock. Secondly, rotary shear experiments were conducted using a newly developed rock physics experimental apparatus ERDmu-T) that was paired with X-ray micro-computed tomography (muCT). This combination of technologies has significant advantages over conventional rotary shear experiments since it allowed for the direct observation of how two rough surfaces interact and deform without perturbing the experimental conditions. Some intriguing observations were made pertaining to key areas of the study of fault evolution, making possible for a more comprehensive interpretation of the frictional sliding behaviour. Lastly, a carefully calibrated FDEM model that was built based on the rotary experiment was utilized to investigate facets that the experiment was not able to resolve, for example, the time-continuous stress condition and the seismic activity on the shear surface. The model reproduced the mechanical behaviour observed in the laboratory experiment, shedding light on the understanding of fault evolution.

Spatial variation in microbial processes controlling carbon mineralization within soils and sediments

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

Fendorf, Scott; Kleber, Markus; Nico, Peter

Soils have a defining role in global carbon cycling, having one of the largest dynamic stocks of C on earth—3300 Pg of C are stored in soils, which is three-times the amount stored in the atmosphere and more than the terrestrial land plants. An important control on soil organic matter (SOM) quantities is the mineralization rate. It is well recognized that the rate and extent of SOM mineralization is affected by climatic factors and mineral-organic matter associations. What remained elusive is to what extent constraints on microbial metabolism induced by the respiratory pathway, and specifically the electron acceptor in respiration,more » control overall rates of carbon mineralization in soils. Therefore, physical factors limiting oxygen diffusion such as soil texture and aggregate size (soil structure) may therefore be central controls on C mineralization rates. The goal of our research was therefore to determine if variations in microbial metabolic rates induced by anaerobic microsites in soils are a major control on SOM mineralization rates and thus storage. We performed a combination of laboratory experiments and field investigations will be performed to fulfill our research objectives. We used laboratory studies to examine fundamental factors of respiratory constraints (i.e., electron acceptor) on organic matter mineralization rates. We ground our laboratory studies with both manipulation of field samples and in-field measurements. Selection of the field sites is guided by variation in soil texture and structure while having (other environmental/soil factors constant. Our laboratory studies defined redox gradients and variations in microbial metabolism operating at the aggregate-scale (cm-scale) within soils using a novel constructed diffusion reactor. We further examined micro-scale variation in terminal electron accepting processes and resulting C mineralization rates within re-packed soils. A major outcome of our research is the ability to quantitatively place the importance of aggregate-based heterogeneity in microbial redox processes and the resulting lack of oxygen on the rate of carbon mineralization. Collectively, our research shows that anaerobic microsites are prevalent in soils and are important regulators of soil carbon persistence, shifting microbial metabolism to less efficient anaerobic respiration and selectively protecting otherwise bioavailable, reduced organic compounds such as lipids and waxes from decomposition. Further, shifting from anaerobic to aerobic conditions leads to a 10-fold increase in volume-specific mineralization rate, illustrating the sensitivity of anaerobically protected carbon to disturbance. Vulnerability of anaerobically protected carbon to future climate or land use change thus constitutes a yet unrecognized soil carbon-climate feedback that should be incorporated into terrestrial ecosystem models.« less

LABORATORY SCALE STEAM INJECTION TREATABILITY STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

Laboratory scale steam injection treatability studies were first developed at The University of California-Berkeley. A comparable testing facility has been developed at USEPA's Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center. Experience has already shown that many volatile organic...

Validation of laboratory-scale recycling test method of paper PSA label products

Treesearch

Carl Houtman; Karen Scallon; Richard Oldack

2008-01-01

Starting with test methods and a specification developed by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Environmentally Benign Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Postage Stamp Program, a laboratory-scale test method and a specification were developed and validated for pressure-sensitive adhesive labels, By comparing results from this new test method and pilot-scale tests, which have been...

Genetic structure among coastal tailed frog populations of Mount St. Helens is moderated by post-disturbance management

Treesearch

Stephen F. Spear; Charles M. Crisafulli; Andrew Storfer

2012-01-01

Catastrophic disturbances often provide “natural laboratories” that allow for greater understanding of ecological processes and response of natural populations. The 1980 eruption of the Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington, USA, provided a unique opportunity to test biotic effects of a large-scale stochastic disturbance, as well as the influence of post-disturbance...

Observations of the boiling process from a downward-facing torispherical surface: Confirmatory testing of the heavy water new production reactor flooded cavity design

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

Chu, T.Y.; Bentz, J.H.; Simpson, R.B.

1995-06-01

Reactor-scale ex-vessel boiling experiments were performed in the CYBL facility at Sandia National Laboratories. The boiling flow pattern outside the RPV bottom head shows a center pulsating region and an outer steady two-phase boundary layer region. The local heat transfer data can be correlated in terms of a modified Rohsenow correlation.

Oceanic Chemistry and Biology Group (ONR Code 422CB) Program Science Report, FY 81,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

instruments to provide the tools needed by the marine chemical conmunity to address small scale length features and rapidly f evolving phenomena. Underway...Through a combined application of field and laboratory studies an attempt is being made to identify the marine abiotic processes which are potentially...Biodeterioration Dissolved Organics Particulate Matter Bioluminescence HEBBLE Sediment Traps Bioturbation Marine Biology STIE Boring Organisms Marine Chemistry

High Temperature Electrolysis for Hydrogen Production from Nuclear Energy – TechnologySummary

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

J. E. O'Brien; C. M. Stoots; J. S. Herring

2010-02-01

The Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, has requested that a Hydrogen Technology Down-Selection be performed to identify the hydrogen production technology that has the best potential for timely commercial demonstration and for ultimate deployment with the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). An Independent Review Team has been assembled to execute the down-selection. This report has been prepared to provide the members of the Independent Review Team with detailed background information on the High Temperature Electrolysis (HTE) process, hardware, and state of the art. The Idaho National Laboratory has been serving as the lead lab for HTE research andmore » development under the Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative. The INL HTE program has included small-scale experiments, detailed computational modeling, system modeling, and technology demonstration. Aspects of all of these activities are included in this report. In terms of technology demonstration, the INL successfully completed a 1000-hour test of the HTE Integrated Laboratory Scale (ILS) technology demonstration experiment during the fall of 2008. The HTE ILS achieved a hydrogen production rate in excess of 5.7 Nm3/hr, with a power consumption of 18 kW. This hydrogen production rate is far larger than has been demonstrated by any of the thermochemical or hybrid processes to date.« less

Steam atmosphere dryer project: System development and field test. Final report

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

NONE

1999-02-01

The objective of this project was to develop and demonstrate the use of a superheated steam atmosphere dryer as a highly improved alternative to conventional hot air-drying systems, the present industrial standard method for drying various wet feedstocks. The development program plan consisted of three major activities. The first was engineering analysis and testing of a small-scale laboratory superheated steam dryer. This dryer provided the basic engineering heat transfer data necessary to design a large-scale system. The second major activity consisted of the design, fabrication, and laboratory checkout testing of the field-site prototype superheated steam dryer system. The third majormore » activity consisted of the installation and testing of the complete 250-lb/hr evaporation rate dryer and a 30-kW cogeneration system in conjunction with an anaerobic digester facility at the Village of Bergen, NY. Feedstock for the digester facility at the Village of Bergen, NY. Feedstock for the digester was waste residue from a nearby commercial food processing plant. The superheated steam dryer system was placed into operation in August 1996 and operated successfully through March 1997. During this period, the dryer processed all the material from the digester to a powdered consistency usable as a high-nitrogen-based fertilizer.« less

Chloroplast 2010: A Database for Large-Scale Phenotypic Screening of Arabidopsis Mutants1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Lu, Yan; Savage, Linda J.; Larson, Matthew D.; Wilkerson, Curtis G.; Last, Robert L.

2011-01-01

Large-scale phenotypic screening presents challenges and opportunities not encountered in typical forward or reverse genetics projects. We describe a modular database and laboratory information management system that was implemented in support of the Chloroplast 2010 Project, an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) reverse genetics phenotypic screen of more than 5,000 mutants (http://bioinfo.bch.msu.edu/2010_LIMS; www.plastid.msu.edu). The software and laboratory work environment were designed to minimize operator error and detect systematic process errors. The database uses Ruby on Rails and Flash technologies to present complex quantitative and qualitative data and pedigree information in a flexible user interface. Examples are presented where the database was used to find opportunities for process changes that improved data quality. We also describe the use of the data-analysis tools to discover mutants defective in enzymes of leucine catabolism (heteromeric mitochondrial 3-methylcrotonyl-coenzyme A carboxylase [At1g03090 and At4g34030] and putative hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A lyase [At2g26800]) based upon a syndrome of pleiotropic seed amino acid phenotypes that resembles previously described isovaleryl coenzyme A dehydrogenase (At3g45300) mutants. In vitro assay results support the computational annotation of At2g26800 as hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A lyase. PMID:21224340

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

Shull, H.E.

The objective of the project was to investigate the economic feasibility of converting potato waste to fuel alcohol. The source of potato starch was Troyer Farms Potato Chips. Experimental work was carried out at both the laboratory scale and the larger pilot scale batch operation at a decommissioned waste water treatment building on campus. The laboratory scale work was considerably more extensive than originally planned, resulting in a much improved scientific work. The pilot scale facility has been completed and operated successfully. In contrast, the analysis of the economic feasibility of commercial production has not yet been completed. The projectmore » was brought to a close with the successful demonstration of the fermentation and distillation using the large scale facilities described previously. Two batches of mash were cooked using the procedures established in support of the laboratory scale work. One of the batches was fermented using the optimum values of the seven controlled factors as predicted by the laboratory scale application of the Box-Wilson design. The other batch was fermented under conditions derived out of Mr. Rouse's interpretation of his long sequence of laboratory results. He was gratified to find that his commitment to the Box-Wilson experiments was justified. The productivity of the Box-Wilson design was greater. The difference between the performance of the two fermentors (one stirred, one not) has not been established yet. Both batches were then distilled together, demonstrating the satisfactory performance of the column still. 4 references.« less

Scaling of an information system in a public healthcare market--infrastructuring from the vendor's perspective.

PubMed

Johannessen, Liv Karen; Obstfelder, Aud; Lotherington, Ann Therese

2013-05-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore the making and scaling of information infrastructures, as well as how the conditions for scaling a component may change for the vendor. The first research question is how the making and scaling of a healthcare information infrastructure can be done and by whom. The second question is what scope for manoeuvre there might be for vendors aiming to expand their market. This case study is based on an interpretive approach, whereby data is gathered through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. A case study of the making and scaling of an electronic system for general practitioners ordering laboratory services from hospitals is described as comprising two distinct phases. The first may be characterized as an evolving phase, when development, integration and implementation were achieved in small steps, and the vendor, together with end users, had considerable freedom to create the solution according to the users' needs. The second phase was characterized by a large-scale procurement process over which regional healthcare authorities exercised much more control and the needs of groups other than the end users influenced the design. The making and scaling of healthcare information infrastructures is not simply a process of evolution, in which the end users use and change the technology. It also consists of large steps, during which different actors, including vendors and healthcare authorities, may make substantial contributions. This process requires work, negotiation and strategies. The conditions for the vendor may change dramatically, from considerable freedom and close relationships with users and customers in the small-scale development, to losing control of the product and being required to engage in more formal relations with customers in the wider public healthcare market. Onerous procurement processes may be one of the reasons why large-scale implementation of information projects in healthcare is difficult and slow. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the constituent counting rule for hard exclusive processes involving multi-quark states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Feng-Kun; Meißner, Ulf-G.; Wang, Wei

2017-05-01

At high energy, the cross section at finite scattering angle of a hard exclusive process falls off as a power of the Manderstam variable s. If all involved quark-gluon compositions undergo hard momentum transfers, the fall-off scaling is determined by the underlying valence structures of the initial and final hadrons, known as the constituent counting rule. In spite of the complication due to helicity conservation, it has been argued that when applied to exclusive process with exotic multiquark states, the counting rule is a powerful way to determine the valence degrees of freedom inside hadron exotics. In this work, we demonstrate that for hadrons with hidden flavors, the naive application of the constituent counting rule to exclusive process with hadron exotic multiquark states is problematic, since it is not mandatory for all components to participate in hard scattering at the scale . We illustrate the problems in the viewpoint based on effective field theory. We clarify the misleading results that may be obtained from the constituent counting rule in exclusive processes with exotic candidates such as , , X(3872), etc. Supported in part by DFG and NSFC through funds provided to the Sino-German CRC 110 “Symmetries and the Emergence of Structure in QCD” (NSFC Grant No. 11261130311), Thousand Talents Plan for Young Professionals, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI) (2015VMA076), National Natural Science Foundation of China (11575110, 11655002), Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (15DZ2272100, 15ZR1423100), Open Project Program of State Key Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (Y5KF111CJ1), and by Key Laboratory for Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Ministry of Education.

Synthetic spider silk production on a laboratory scale.

PubMed

Hsia, Yang; Gnesa, Eric; Pacheco, Ryan; Kohler, Kristin; Jeffery, Felicia; Vierra, Craig

2012-07-18

As society progresses and resources become scarcer, it is becoming increasingly important to cultivate new technologies that engineer next generation biomaterials with high performance properties. The development of these new structural materials must be rapid, cost-efficient and involve processing methodologies and products that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Spiders spin a multitude of different fiber types with diverse mechanical properties, offering a rich source of next generation engineering materials for biomimicry that rival the best manmade and natural materials. Since the collection of large quantities of natural spider silk is impractical, synthetic silk production has the ability to provide scientists with access to an unlimited supply of threads. Therefore, if the spinning process can be streamlined and perfected, artificial spider fibers have the potential use for a broad range of applications ranging from body armor, surgical sutures, ropes and cables, tires, strings for musical instruments, and composites for aviation and aerospace technology. In order to advance the synthetic silk production process and to yield fibers that display low variance in their material properties from spin to spin, we developed a wet-spinning protocol that integrates expression of recombinant spider silk proteins in bacteria, purification and concentration of the proteins, followed by fiber extrusion and a mechanical post-spin treatment. This is the first visual representation that reveals a step-by-step process to spin and analyze artificial silk fibers on a laboratory scale. It also provides details to minimize the introduction of variability among fibers spun from the same spinning dope. Collectively, these methods will propel the process of artificial silk production, leading to higher quality fibers that surpass natural spider silks.

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale

PubMed Central

Hsia, Yang; Gnesa, Eric; Pacheco, Ryan; Kohler, Kristin; Jeffery, Felicia; Vierra, Craig

2012-01-01

As society progresses and resources become scarcer, it is becoming increasingly important to cultivate new technologies that engineer next generation biomaterials with high performance properties. The development of these new structural materials must be rapid, cost-efficient and involve processing methodologies and products that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Spiders spin a multitude of different fiber types with diverse mechanical properties, offering a rich source of next generation engineering materials for biomimicry that rival the best manmade and natural materials. Since the collection of large quantities of natural spider silk is impractical, synthetic silk production has the ability to provide scientists with access to an unlimited supply of threads. Therefore, if the spinning process can be streamlined and perfected, artificial spider fibers have the potential use for a broad range of applications ranging from body armor, surgical sutures, ropes and cables, tires, strings for musical instruments, and composites for aviation and aerospace technology. In order to advance the synthetic silk production process and to yield fibers that display low variance in their material properties from spin to spin, we developed a wet-spinning protocol that integrates expression of recombinant spider silk proteins in bacteria, purification and concentration of the proteins, followed by fiber extrusion and a mechanical post-spin treatment. This is the first visual representation that reveals a step-by-step process to spin and analyze artificial silk fibers on a laboratory scale. It also provides details to minimize the introduction of variability among fibers spun from the same spinning dope. Collectively, these methods will propel the process of artificial silk production, leading to higher quality fibers that surpass natural spider silks. PMID:22847722

Investigating the feasibility of scale up and automation of human induced pluripotent stem cells cultured in aggregates in feeder free conditions☆

PubMed Central

Soares, Filipa A.C.; Chandra, Amit; Thomas, Robert J.; Pedersen, Roger A.; Vallier, Ludovic; Williams, David J.

2014-01-01

The transfer of a laboratory process into a manufacturing facility is one of the most critical steps required for the large scale production of cell-based therapy products. This study describes the first published protocol for scalable automated expansion of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines growing in aggregates in feeder-free and chemically defined medium. Cells were successfully transferred between different sites representative of research and manufacturing settings; and passaged manually and using the CompacT SelecT automation platform. Modified protocols were developed for the automated system and the management of cells aggregates (clumps) was identified as the critical step. Cellular morphology, pluripotency gene expression and differentiation into the three germ layers have been used compare the outcomes of manual and automated processes. PMID:24440272

Waste management technology development and demonstration programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1991-01-01

Two thermoplastic processes for improved treatment of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes were developed from bench scale through technology demonstration: polyethylene encapsulation and modified sulfur cement encapsulation. The steps required to bring technologies from the research and development stage through full scale implementation are described. Both systems result in durable waste forms that meet current Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Environmental Protection Agency regulatory criteria and provide significant improvements over conventional solidification systems such as hydraulic cement. For example, the polyethylene process can encapsulate up to 70 wt pct. nitrate salt, compared with a maximum of about 20 wt pct. for the best hydraulic cement formulation. Modified sulfur cement waste forms containing as much as 43 wt pct. incinerator fly ash were formulated, whereas the maximum quantity of this waste in hydraulic cement is 16 wt pct.

Settling and survival profile of enteric pathogens in the swine effluent for water reuse purpose.

PubMed

Fongaro, G; Kunz, A; Magri, M E; Schissi, C D; Viancelli, A; Philippi, L S; Barardi, C R M

2016-11-01

The present study evaluated the pathogens persistence and settling profile in swine effluent. We determined the enteric pathogens settling characteristics, their survival and inactivation profile in swine effluent (for water reuse purpose) and in sludge (generated after aerobic treatment - during secondary settling process). The study was performed in laboratorial-scale and in full-scale (manure treatment plant). Enteric viruses and enteric bacteria were used as biomarkers. Results showed that these enteric pathogens were significantly reduced from swine effluent during secondary settling process, and enteric viruses removal was correlated with the suspended solids decantation. The design of secondary settlers can be adapted to improve pathogens removal, by diminishing the solids loading rate per area and time, ending in higher hydraulic retention times. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Ionic Liquids and Relative Process Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S.; Lu, X.; Zhang, Y.; Zhou, Q.; Sun, J.; Han, L.; Yue, G.; Liu, X.; Cheng, W.; Li, S.

Ionic liquids have gained increasing attention in recent years due to their significant advantages, not only as alternative solvents but also as new materials and catalysts. Until now, most research work on ionic liquids has been at the laboratory or pilot scale. In view of the multifarious applications of ionic liquids, more new knowledge is needed and more systematic work on ionic liquids should be carried out deeply and broadly in order to meet the future needs of process design. For example, knowledge of the physicochemical properties is indispensable for the design of new ionic liquids and for the development of novel processes. The synthesis and application of ionic liquids are fundamental parts of engineering science, and the toxicity and environmental assessment of ionic liquids is critical importance for their large scale applications, especially for process design. These research aspects are closely correlated to the industrial applications of ionic liquids and to sustainable processes. However, material process design in the industrial applications of ionic liquids has hardly been implemented. Therefore, this chapter reviews several essential issues that are closely related to process design, such as the synthesis, structure-property relationships, important applications, and toxicity of ionic liquids.

Analytical considerations and dimensionless analysis for a description of particle interactions in high pressure processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauh, Cornelia; Delgado, Antonio

2010-12-01

High pressures of up to several hundreds of MPa are utilized in a wide range of applications in chemical, bio-, and food engineering, aiming at selective control of (bio-)chemical reactions. Non-uniformity of process conditions may threaten the safety and quality of the resulting products because processing conditions such as pressure, temperature, and treatment history are crucial for the course of (bio-)chemical reactions. Therefore, thermofluid-dynamical phenomena during the high pressure process have to be examined, and numerical tools to predict process uniformity and to optimize the processes have to be developed. Recently applied mathematical models and numerical simulations of laboratory and industrial scale high pressure processes investigating the mentioned crucial phenomena are based on continuum balancing models of thermofluid dynamics. Nevertheless, biological systems are complex fluids containing the relevant (bio-)chemical compounds (enzymes and microorganisms). These compounds are particles that interact with the surrounding medium and between each other. This contribution deals with thermofluid-dynamical interactions of the relevant particulate (bio-)chemical compounds (enzymes and microorganisms) with the surrounding fluid. By consideration of characteristic time and length scales and particle forces, the motion of the (bio-)chemical compounds is characterized.

Updated RICE Bounds on Ultrahigh Energy Neutrino fluxes and interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Shahid; McKay, Douglas

2006-04-01

We explore limits on low scale gravity models set by results from the Radio Ice Cherenkov Experiment's (RICE) ongoing search for cosmic ray neutrinos in the cosmogenic, or GZK, energy range. The bound on, MD, the fundamental scale of gravity, depends upon cosmogenic flux model, black hole formation and decay treatments, inclusion of graviton mediated elastic neutrino processes, and the number of large extra dimensions, d. We find bounds in the interval 0.9 TeV < MD < 10 TeV. Values d = 5, 6 and 7, for which laboratory and astrophysical bounds on LSG models are less restrictive, lead to essentially the same limits on MD.

Penetration of Solar Radiation into Solid Carbon Dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinnery, H. E.; Hagermann, A.; Kaufmann, E.; Lewis, S. R.; Grady, M. M.

2017-09-01

Carbon dioxide ice exists naturally on the surface of Mars. This is a unique environment, with no Earth analogues, and so determining the properties of such a surface is important to further our understanding of the Martian environment. Laboratory experiments have determined the e-folding scale, or absorption scale length, for carbon dioxide slab ice, granular ice and snow. This is a universal measure of how transparent a material is to visible light, and so has implications for the radiative budget of carbon dioxide ice covered surfaces, as well as physical processes, such as the so-called spider formations in the cryptic region near the Martian south pole.

Using a Large Scale Computational Model to Study the Effect of Longitudinal and Radial Electrical Coupling in the Cochlea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mistrík, Pavel; Ashmore, Jonathan

2009-02-01

We describe a large scale computational model of electrical current flow in the cochlea which is constructed by a flexible Modified Nodal Analysis algorithm to incorporate electrical components representing hair cells and the intercellular radial and longitudinal current flow. The model is used as a laboratory to study the effects of changing longitudinal gap junctional coupling, and shows the way in which cochlear microphonic spreads and tuning is affected. The process for incorporating mechanical longitudinal coupling and feedback is described. We find a difference in tuning and attenuation depending on whether longitudinal or radial couplings are altered.

Enabling UAS Research at the NASA EAV Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ippolito, Corey A.

2015-01-01

The Exploration Aerial Vehicles (EAV) Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center leads research into intelligent autonomy and advanced control systems, bridging the gap between simulation and full-scale technology through flight test experimentation on unmanned sub-scale test vehicles.

TREATMENT OF INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS USING PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS

EPA Science Inventory

Permeable reactive barriers are an emerging alternative to traditional pump and treat systems for groundwater remediation. This technique has progressed rapidly over the past decade from laboratory bench-scale studies to full-scale implementation. Laboratory studies indicate the ...

Chemometrics applications in biotechnology processes: predicting column integrity and impurity clearance during reuse of chromatography resin.

PubMed

Rathore, Anurag S; Mittal, Shachi; Lute, Scott; Brorson, Kurt

2012-01-01

Separation media, in particular chromatography media, is typically one of the major contributors to the cost of goods for production of a biotechnology therapeutic. To be cost-effective, it is industry practice that media be reused over several cycles before being discarded. The traditional approach for estimating the number of cycles a particular media can be reused for involves performing laboratory scale experiments that monitor column performance and carryover. This dataset is then used to predict the number of cycles the media can be used at manufacturing scale (concurrent validation). Although, well accepted and widely practiced, there are challenges associated with extrapolating the laboratory scale data to manufacturing scale due to differences that may exist across scales. Factors that may be different include: level of impurities in the feed material, lot to lot variability in feedstock impurities, design of the column housing unit with respect to cleanability, and homogeneity of the column packing. In view of these challenges, there is a need for approaches that may be able to predict column underperformance at the manufacturing scale over the product lifecycle. In case such an underperformance is predicted, the operators can unpack and repack the chromatography column beforehand and thus avoid batch loss. Chemometrics offers one such solution. In this article, we present an application of chemometrics toward the analysis of a set of chromatography profiles with the intention of predicting the various events of column underperformance including the backpressure buildup and inefficient deoxyribonucleic acid clearance. Copyright © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Sigma metrics as a tool for evaluating the performance of internal quality control in a clinical chemistry laboratory.

PubMed

Kumar, B Vinodh; Mohan, Thuthi

2018-01-01

Six Sigma is one of the most popular quality management system tools employed for process improvement. The Six Sigma methods are usually applied when the outcome of the process can be measured. This study was done to assess the performance of individual biochemical parameters on a Sigma Scale by calculating the sigma metrics for individual parameters and to follow the Westgard guidelines for appropriate Westgard rules and levels of internal quality control (IQC) that needs to be processed to improve target analyte performance based on the sigma metrics. This is a retrospective study, and data required for the study were extracted between July 2015 and June 2016 from a Secondary Care Government Hospital, Chennai. The data obtained for the study are IQC - coefficient of variation percentage and External Quality Assurance Scheme (EQAS) - Bias% for 16 biochemical parameters. For the level 1 IQC, four analytes (alkaline phosphatase, magnesium, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol) showed an ideal performance of ≥6 sigma level, five analytes (urea, total bilirubin, albumin, cholesterol, and potassium) showed an average performance of <3 sigma level and for level 2 IQCs, same four analytes of level 1 showed a performance of ≥6 sigma level, and four analytes (urea, albumin, cholesterol, and potassium) showed an average performance of <3 sigma level. For all analytes <6 sigma level, the quality goal index (QGI) was <0.8 indicating the area requiring improvement to be imprecision except cholesterol whose QGI >1.2 indicated inaccuracy. This study shows that sigma metrics is a good quality tool to assess the analytical performance of a clinical chemistry laboratory. Thus, sigma metric analysis provides a benchmark for the laboratory to design a protocol for IQC, address poor assay performance, and assess the efficiency of existing laboratory processes.

Membrane processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staszak, Katarzyna

2017-11-01

The membrane processes have played important role in the industrial separation process. These technologies can be found in all industrial areas such as food, beverages, metallurgy, pulp and paper, textile, pharmaceutical, automotive, biotechnology and chemical industry, as well as in water treatment for domestic and industrial application. Although these processes are known since twentieth century, there are still many studies that focus on the testing of new membranes' materials and determining of conditions for optimal selectivity, i. e. the optimum transmembrane pressure (TMP) or permeate flux to minimize fouling. Moreover the researchers proposed some calculation methods to predict the membrane processes properties. In this article, the laboratory scale experiments of membrane separation techniques, as well their validation by calculation methods are presented. Because membrane is the "heart" of the process, experimental and computational methods for its characterization are also described.

Engineering Design and Automation in the Applied Engineering Technologies (AET) Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

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

Wantuck, P. J.; Hollen, R. M.

2002-01-01

This paper provides an overview of some design and automation-related projects ongoing within the Applied Engineering Technologies (AET) Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory. AET uses a diverse set of technical capabilities to develop and apply processes and technologies to applications for a variety of customers both internal and external to the Laboratory. The Advanced Recovery and Integrated Extraction System (ARIES) represents a new paradigm for the processing of nuclear material from retired weapon systems in an environment that seeks to minimize the radiation dose to workers. To achieve this goal, ARIES relies upon automation-based features to handle and processmore » the nuclear material. Our Chemical Process Development Team specializes in fuzzy logic and intelligent control systems. Neural network technology has been utilized in some advanced control systems developed by team members. Genetic algorithms and neural networks have often been applied for data analysis. Enterprise modeling, or discrete event simulation, as well as chemical process simulation has been employed for chemical process plant design. Fuel cell research and development has historically been an active effort within the AET organization. Under the principal sponsorship of the Department of Energy, the Fuel Cell Team is now focusing on technologies required to produce fuel cell compatible feed gas from reformation of a variety of conventional fuels (e.g., gasoline, natural gas), principally for automotive applications. This effort involves chemical reactor design and analysis, process modeling, catalyst analysis, as well as full scale system characterization and testing. The group's Automation and Robotics team has at its foundation many years of experience delivering automated and robotic systems for nuclear, analytical chemistry, and bioengineering applications. As an integrator of commercial systems and a developer of unique custom-made systems, the team currently supports the automation needs of many Laboratory programs.« less

Formation of Glycidyl Fatty Acid Esters Both in Real Edible Oils during Laboratory-Scale Refining and in Chemical Model during High Temperature Exposure.

PubMed

Cheng, Weiwei; Liu, Guoqin; Liu, Xinqi

2016-07-27

In the present study, the formation mechanisms of glycidyl fatty acid esters (GEs) were investigated both in real edible oils (soybean oil, camellia oil, and palm oil) during laboratory-scale preparation and refining and in chemical model (1,2-dipalmitin (DPG) and 1-monopalmitin (MPG)) during high temperature exposure (160-260 °C under nitrogen). The formation process of GEs in the chemical model was monitored using attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The results showed that the roasting and pressing process could produce certain amounts of GEs that were much lower than that produced in the deodorization process. GE contents in edible oils increased continuously and significantly with increasing deodorization time below 200 °C. However, when the temperature exceeded 200 °C, GE contents sharply increased in 1-2 h followed by a gradual decrease, which could verify a simultaneous formation and degradation of GEs at high temperature. In addition, it was also found that the presence of acylglycerol (DAGs and MAGs) could significantly increase the formation yield of GEs both in real edible oils and in chemical model. Compared with DAGs, moreover, MAGs displayed a higher formation capacity but substantially lower contribution to GE formation due to their low contents in edible oils. In situ ATR-FTIR spectroscopic evidence showed that cyclic acyloxonium ion intermediate was formed during GE formation derived from DPG and MPG in chemical model heated at 200 °C.

Acoustic Treatment Design Scaling Methods. Volume 3; Test Plans, Hardware, Results, and Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yu, J.; Kwan, H. W.; Echternach, D. K.; Kraft, R. E.; Syed, A. A.

1999-01-01

The ability to design, build, and test miniaturized acoustic treatment panels on scale-model fan rigs representative of the full-scale engine provides not only a cost-savings, but an opportunity to optimize the treatment by allowing tests of different designs. To be able to use scale model treatment as a full-scale design tool, it is necessary that the designer be able to reliably translate the scale model design and performance to an equivalent full-scale design. The primary objective of the study presented in this volume of the final report was to conduct laboratory tests to evaluate liner acoustic properties and validate advanced treatment impedance models. These laboratory tests include DC flow resistance measurements, normal incidence impedance measurements, DC flow and impedance measurements in the presence of grazing flow, and in-duct liner attenuation as well as modal measurements. Test panels were fabricated at three different scale factors (i.e., full-scale, half-scale, and one-fifth scale) to support laboratory acoustic testing. The panel configurations include single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) perforated sandwich panels, SDOF linear (wire mesh) liners, and double-degree-of-freedom (DDOF) linear acoustic panels.

Multi-Scale Mass Transfer Processes Controlling Natural Attenuation and Engineered Remediation: An IFRC Focused on Hanford’s 300 Area Uranium Plume

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

Zachara, John M.; Bjornstad, Bruce N.; Christensen, John N.

2010-02-01

The Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (IFRC) at the Hanford Site 300 Area uranium (U) plume addresses multi-scale mass transfer processes in a complex hydrogeologic setting where groundwater and riverwater interact. A series of forefront science questions on mass transfer are posed for research which relate to the effect of spatial heterogeneities; the importance of scale; coupled interactions between biogeochemical, hydrologic, and mass transfer processes; and measurements and approaches needed to characterize and model a mass-transfer dominated system. The project was initiated in February 2007, with CY 2007 and CY 2008 progress summarized in preceding reports. The site has 35more » instrumented wells, and an extensive monitoring system. It includes a deep borehole for microbiologic and biogeochemical research that sampled the entire thickness of the unconfined 300 A aquifer. Significant, impactful progress has been made in CY 2009 with completion of extensive laboratory measurements on field sediments, field hydrologic and geophysical characterization, four field experiments, and modeling. The laboratory characterization results are being subjected to geostatistical analyses to develop spatial heterogeneity models of U concentration and chemical, physical, and hydrologic properties needed for reactive transport modeling. The field experiments focused on: (1) physical characterization of the groundwater flow field during a period of stable hydrologic conditions in early spring, (2) comprehensive groundwater monitoring during spring to characterize the release of U(VI) from the lower vadose zone to the aquifer during water table rise and fall, (3) dynamic geophysical monitoring of salt-plume migration during summer, and (4) a U reactive tracer experiment (desorption) during the fall. Geophysical characterization of the well field was completed using the down-well Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) array, with results subjected to robust, geostatistically constrained inversion analyses. These measurements along with hydrologic characterization have yielded 3D distributions of hydraulic properties that have been incorporated into an updated and increasingly robust hydrologic model. Based on significant findings from the microbiologic characterization of deep borehole sediments in CY 2008, down-hole biogeochemistry studies were initiated where colonization substrates and spatially discrete water and gas samplers were deployed to select wells. The increasingly comprehensive field experimental results, along with the field and laboratory characterization, are leading to a new conceptual model of U(VI) flow and transport in the IFRC footprint and the 300 Area in general, and insights on the microbiological community and associated biogeochemical processes. A significant issue related to vertical flow in the IFRC wells was identified and evaluated during the spring and fall field experimental campaigns. Both upward and downward flows were observed in response to dynamic Columbia River stage. The vertical flows are caused by the interaction of pressure gradients with our heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity field. These impacts are being evaluated with additional modeling and field activities to facilitate interpretation and mitigation. The project moves into CY 2010 with ambitious plans for a drilling additional wells for the IFRC well field, additional experiments, and modeling. This research is part of the ERSP Hanford IFRC at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.« less

The impact of SLMTA in improving laboratory quality systems in the Caribbean Region.

PubMed

Guevara, Giselle; Gordon, Floris; Irving, Yvette; Whyms, Ismae; Parris, Keith; Beckles, Songee; Maruta, Talkmore; Ndlovu, Nqobile; Albalak, Rachel; Alemnji, George

Past efforts to improve laboratory quality systems and to achieve accreditation for better patient care in the Caribbean Region have been slow. To describe the impact of the Strengthening of Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) training programme and mentorship amongst five clinical laboratories in the Caribbean after 18 months. Five national reference laboratories from four countries participated in the SLMTA programme that incorporated classroom teaching and implementation of improvement projects. Mentors were assigned to the laboratories to guide trainees on their improvement projects and to assist in the development of Quality Management Systems (QMS). Audits were conducted at baseline, six months, exit (at 12 months) and post-SLMTA (at 18 months) using the Stepwise Laboratory Quality Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA) checklist to measure changes in implementation of the QMS during the period. At the end of each audit, a comprehensive implementation plan was developed in order to address gaps. Baseline audit scores ranged from 19% to 52%, corresponding to 0 stars on the SLIPTA five-star scale. After 18 months, one laboratory reached four stars, two reached three stars and two reached two stars. There was a corresponding decrease in nonconformities and development of over 100 management and technical standard operating procedures in each of the five laboratories. The tremendous improvement in these five Caribbean laboratories shows that SLMTA coupled with mentorship is an effective, user-friendly, flexible and customisable approach to the implementation of laboratory QMS. It is recommended that other laboratories in the region consider using the SLMTA training programme as they engage in quality systems improvement and preparation for accreditation.

Vinegar production from post-distillation slurry deriving from rice shochu production with the addition of caproic acid-producing bacteria consortium and lactic acid bacterium.

PubMed

Yuan, Hua-Wei; Tan, Li; Chen, Hao; Sun, Zhao-Yong; Tang, Yue-Qin; Kida, Kenji

2017-12-01

To establish a zero emission process, the post-distillation slurry of a new type of rice shochu (NTRS) was used for the production of health promoting vinegar. Since the NTRS post-distillation slurry contained caproic acid and lactic acid, the effect of these two organic acids on acetic acid fermentation was first evaluated. Based on these results, Acetobacter aceti CICC 21684 was selected as a suitable strain for subsequent production of vinegar. At the laboratory scale, acetic acid fermentation of the NTRS post-distillation slurry in batch mode resulted in an acetic acid concentration of 41.9 g/L, with an initial ethanol concentration of 40 g/L, and the acetic acid concentration was improved to 44.5 g/L in fed-batch mode. Compared to the NTRS post-distillation slurry, the vinegar product had higher concentrations of free amino acids and inhibition of angiotensin I converting enzyme activity. By controlling the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient to be similar to that of the laboratory scale production, 45 g/L of acetic acid was obtained at the pilot scale, using a 75-L fermentor with a working volume of 40 L, indicating that vinegar production can be successfully scaled up. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Recombination Landscape in Wild House Mice Inferred Using Population Genomic Data.

PubMed

Booker, Tom R; Ness, Rob W; Keightley, Peter D

2017-09-01

Characterizing variation in the rate of recombination across the genome is important for understanding several evolutionary processes. Previous analysis of the recombination landscape in laboratory mice has revealed that the different subspecies have different suites of recombination hotspots. It is unknown, however, whether hotspots identified in laboratory strains reflect the hotspot diversity of natural populations or whether broad-scale variation in the rate of recombination is conserved between subspecies. In this study, we constructed fine-scale recombination rate maps for a natural population of the Eastern house mouse, Mus musculus castaneus We performed simulations to assess the accuracy of recombination rate inference in the presence of phase errors, and we used a novel approach to quantify phase error. The spatial distribution of recombination events is strongly positively correlated between our castaneus map, and a map constructed using inbred lines derived predominantly from M. m. domesticus Recombination hotspots in wild castaneus show little overlap, however, with the locations of double-strand breaks in wild-derived house mouse strains. Finally, we also find that genetic diversity in M. m. castaneus is positively correlated with the rate of recombination, consistent with pervasive natural selection operating in the genome. Our study suggests that recombination rate variation is conserved at broad scales between house mouse subspecies, but it is not strongly conserved at fine scales. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

Understanding and Controlling Sialylation in a CHO Fc-Fusion Process

PubMed Central

Lewis, Amanda M.; Croughan, William D.; Aranibar, Nelly; Lee, Alison G.; Warrack, Bethanne; Abu-Absi, Nicholas R.; Patel, Rutva; Drew, Barry; Borys, Michael C.; Reily, Michael D.; Li, Zheng Jian

2016-01-01

A Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) bioprocess, where the product is a sialylated Fc-fusion protein, was operated at pilot and manufacturing scale and significant variation of sialylation level was observed. In order to more tightly control glycosylation profiles, we sought to identify the cause of variability. Untargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics methods were applied to select samples from the large scale runs. Lower sialylation was correlated with elevated mannose levels, a shift in glucose metabolism, and increased oxidative stress response. Using a 5-L scale model operated with a reduced dissolved oxygen set point, we were able to reproduce the phenotypic profiles observed at manufacturing scale including lower sialylation, higher lactate and lower ammonia levels. Targeted transcriptomics and metabolomics confirmed that reduced oxygen levels resulted in increased mannose levels, a shift towards glycolysis, and increased oxidative stress response similar to the manufacturing scale. Finally, we propose a biological mechanism linking large scale operation and sialylation variation. Oxidative stress results from gas transfer limitations at large scale and the presence of oxygen dead-zones inducing upregulation of glycolysis and mannose biosynthesis, and downregulation of hexosamine biosynthesis and acetyl-CoA formation. The lower flux through the hexosamine pathway and reduced intracellular pools of acetyl-CoA led to reduced formation of N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid, both key building blocks of N-glycan structures. This study reports for the first time a link between oxidative stress and mammalian protein sialyation. In this study, process, analytical, metabolomic, and transcriptomic data at manufacturing, pilot, and laboratory scales were taken together to develop a systems level understanding of the process and identify oxygen limitation as the root cause of glycosylation variability. PMID:27310468

Advances in polycrystalline thin-film photovoltaics for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lanning, Bruce R.; Armstrong, Joseph H.; Misra, Mohan S.

1994-01-01

Polycrystalline, thin-film photovoltaics represent one of the few (if not the only) renewable power sources which has the potential to satisfy the demanding technical requirements for future space applications. The demand in space is for deployable, flexible arrays with high power-to-weight ratios and long-term stability (15-20 years). In addition, there is also the demand that these arrays be produced by scalable, low-cost, high yield, processes. An approach to significantly reduce costs and increase reliability is to interconnect individual cells series via monolithic integration. Both CIS and CdTe semiconductor films are optimum absorber materials for thin-film n-p heterojunction solar cells, having band gaps between 0.9-1.5 ev and demonstrated small area efficiencies, with cadmium sulfide window layers, above 16.5 percent. Both CIS and CdTe polycrystalline thin-film cells have been produced on a laboratory scale by a variety of physical and chemical deposition methods, including evaporation, sputtering, and electrodeposition. Translating laboratory processes which yield these high efficiency, small area cells into the design of a manufacturing process capable of producing 1-sq ft modules, however, requires a quantitative understanding of each individual step in the process and its (each step) effect on overall module performance. With a proper quantification and understanding of material transport and reactivity for each individual step, manufacturing process can be designed that is not 'reactor-specific' and can be controlled intelligently with the design parameters of the process. The objective of this paper is to present an overview of the current efforts at MMC to develop large-scale manufacturing processes for both CIS and CdTe thin-film polycrystalline modules. CIS cells/modules are fabricated in a 'substrate configuration' by physical vapor deposition techniques and CdTe cells/modules are fabricated in a 'superstrate configuration' by wet chemical methods. Both laser and mechanical scribing operations are used to monolithically integrate (series interconnect) the individual cells into modules. Results will be presented at the cell and module development levels with a brief description of the test methods used to qualify these devices for space applications. The approach and development efforts are directed towards large-scale manufacturability of established thin-film, polycrystalline processing methods for large area modules with less emphasis on maximizing small area efficiencies.

Form and function in hillslope hydrology: in situ imaging and characterization of flow-relevant structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackisch, Conrad; Angermann, Lisa; Allroggen, Niklas; Sprenger, Matthias; Blume, Theresa; Tronicke, Jens; Zehe, Erwin

2017-07-01

The study deals with the identification and characterization of rapid subsurface flow structures through pedo- and geo-physical measurements and irrigation experiments at the point, plot and hillslope scale. Our investigation of flow-relevant structures and hydrological responses refers to the general interplay of form and function, respectively. To obtain a holistic picture of the subsurface, a large set of different laboratory, exploratory and experimental methods was used at the different scales. For exploration these methods included drilled soil core profiles, in situ measurements of infiltration capacity and saturated hydraulic conductivity, and laboratory analyses of soil water retention and saturated hydraulic conductivity. The irrigation experiments at the plot scale were monitored through a combination of dye tracer, salt tracer, soil moisture dynamics, and 3-D time-lapse ground penetrating radar (GPR) methods. At the hillslope scale the subsurface was explored by a 3-D GPR survey. A natural storm event and an irrigation experiment were monitored by a dense network of soil moisture observations and a cascade of 2-D time-lapse GPR trenches. We show that the shift between activated and non-activated state of the flow paths is needed to distinguish structures from overall heterogeneity. Pedo-physical analyses of point-scale samples are the basis for sub-scale structure inference. At the plot and hillslope scale 3-D and 2-D time-lapse GPR applications are successfully employed as non-invasive means to image subsurface response patterns and to identify flow-relevant paths. Tracer recovery and soil water responses from irrigation experiments deliver a consistent estimate of response velocities. The combined observation of form and function under active conditions provides the means to localize and characterize the structures (this study) and the hydrological processes (companion study Angermann et al., 2017, this issue).

EPOS Multi-Scale Laboratory platform: a long-term reference tool for experimental Earth Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trippanera, Daniele; Tesei, Telemaco; Funiciello, Francesca; Sagnotti, Leonardo; Scarlato, Piergiorgio; Rosenau, Matthias; Elger, Kirsten; Ulbricht, Damian; Lange, Otto; Calignano, Elisa; Spiers, Chris; Drury, Martin; Willingshofer, Ernst; Winkler, Aldo

2017-04-01

With continuous progress on scientific research, a large amount of datasets has been and will be produced. The data access and sharing along with their storage and homogenization within a unique and coherent framework is a new challenge for the whole scientific community. This is particularly emphasized for geo-scientific laboratories, encompassing the most diverse Earth Science disciplines and typology of data. To this aim the "Multiscale Laboratories" Work Package (WP16), operating in the framework of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS), is developing a virtual platform of geo-scientific data and services for the worldwide community of laboratories. This long-term project aims at merging the top class multidisciplinary laboratories in Geoscience into a coherent and collaborative network, facilitating the standardization of virtual access to data, data products and software. This will help our community to evolve beyond the stage in which most of data produced by the different laboratories are available only within the related scholarly publications (often as print-version only) or they remain unpublished and inaccessible on local devices. The EPOS multi-scale laboratory platform will provide the possibility to easily share and discover data by means of open access, DOI-referenced, online data publication including long-term storage, managing and curation services and to set up a cohesive community of laboratories. The WP16 is starting with three pilot cases laboratories: (1) rock physics, (2) palaeomagnetic, and (3) analogue modelling. As a proof of concept, first analogue modelling datasets have been published via GFZ Data Services (http://doidb.wdc-terra.org/search/public/ui?&sort=updated+desc&q=epos). The datasets include rock analogue material properties (e.g. friction data, rheology data, SEM imagery), as well as supplementary figures, images and movies from experiments on tectonic processes. A metadata catalogue tailored to the specific communities will link the growing number of datasets to a centralized EPOS hub. Acknowledging the fact that we are dealing with a variety in levels of maturity regarding available data infrastructures within the different labs, we have set up an architecture that provides different scenarios for participation. Thus, research groups which do not have access to localized repositories and catalogues for sustainable storage of data and metadata can rely on shared services within the Multi-scale Laboratories community. As an example of the usage of data retrieved through the community, an experimentalist willing to decide which material is suitable for his experimental setup can get "virtual lab access" to retrieve information about material parameters with a minimum effort and then may decide to move in a specific laboratory equipped with the instruments needed. The currently participating and collaborating laboratories (Utrecht University, GFZ, Roma Tre University, INGV, NERC, CSIC-ICTJA, CNRS, LMU, UBI, ETH, CNR) warmly welcome everyone who is interested in participating at the development of this project.

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

Durham, M.D.

The purpose of this research program is to identify and evaluate a variety of additives capable of increasing particle cohesion which could be used for improving collection efficiency in an ESP. A three-phase screening process will be used to provide the, evaluation of many additives in a logical and cost-effective manner. The three step approach involves the following experimental setups: 1. Provide a preliminary screening in the laboratory by measuring the effects of various conditioning agents on reentrainment of flyash particles in an electric field operating at simulated flue gas conditions. 2. Evaluate the successful additives using a 100 acfmmore » bench-scale ESP operating on actual flue gas. 3. Obtain the data required for scaling up the technology by testing the two or three most promising conditioning agents at the pilot scale.« less

Technical Basis of Scaling Relationships for the Pretreatment Engineering Platform

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

Kuhn, William L.; Arm, Stuart T.; Huckaby, James L.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been tasked by Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) on the River Protection Project-Waste Treatment Plant (RPP-WTP) project to perform research and development activities. The Pretreatment Engineering Platform (PEP) is being designed and constructed as part of a plan to respond to an issue raised by the WTP External Flowsheet Review Team (EFRT) entitled “Undemonstrated Leaching Processes” and numbered M12. The PEP replicates the WTP leaching process using prototypic equipment and control strategies. The approach for scaling PEP performance data to predict WTP performance is critical to the successful resolution of the EFRT issue. This report describesmore » the recommended PEP scaling approach, PEP data interpretation and provides recommendations on test conduct and data requirements.« less

FLARE: A New User Facility for Laboratory Studies of Multiple-Scale Physics of Magnetic Reconnection and Related Phenomena in Heliophysics and Astrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, H.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Goodman, A.; Prager, S.; Daughton, W.; Cutler, R.; Fox, W.; Hoffmann, F.; Kalish, M.; Kozub, T.; Jara-Almonte, J.; Myers, C.; Ren, Y.; Sloboda, P.; Yamada, M.; Yoo, J.; Bale, S. D.; Carter, T.; Dorfman, S.; Drake, J.; Egedal, J.; Sarff, J.; Wallace, J.

2017-10-01

The FLARE device (Facility for Laboratory Reconnection Experiments; flare.pppl.gov) is a new laboratory experiment under construction at Princeton with first plasmas expected in the fall of 2017, based on the design of Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX; mrx.pppl.gov) with much extended parameter ranges. Its main objective is to provide an experimental platform for the studies of magnetic reconnection and related phenomena in the multiple X-line regimes directly relevant to space, solar, astrophysical and fusion plasmas. The main diagnostics is an extensive set of magnetic probe arrays, simultaneously covering multiple scales from local electron scales ( 2 mm), to intermediate ion scales ( 10 cm), and global MHD scales ( 1 m). Specific example space physics topics which can be studied on FLARE will be discussed.

Impact vaporization: Late time phenomena from experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, P. H.; Gault, D. E.

1987-01-01

While simple airflow produced by the outward movement of the ejecta curtain can be scaled to large dimensions, the interaction between an impact-vaporized component and the ejecta curtain is more complicated. The goal of these experiments was to examine such interaction in a real system involving crater growth, ejection of material, two phased mixtures of gas and dust, and strong pressure gradients. The results will be complemented by theoretical studies at laboratory scales in order to separate the various parameters for planetary scale processes. These experiments prompt, however, the following conclusions that may have relevance at broader scales. First, under near vacuum or low atmospheric pressures, an expanding vapor cloud scours the surrounding surface in advance of arriving ejecta. Second, the effect of early-time vaporization is relatively unimportant at late-times. Third, the overpressure created within the crater cavity by significant vaporization results in increased cratering efficiency and larger aspect ratios.

Large-scale modular biofiltration system for effective odor removal in a composting facility.

PubMed

Lin, Yueh-Hsien; Chen, Yu-Pei; Ho, Kuo-Ling; Lee, Tsung-Yih; Tseng, Ching-Ping

2013-01-01

Several different foul odors such as nitrogen-containing groups, sulfur-containing groups, and short-chain fatty-acids commonly emitted from composting facilities. In this study, an experimental laboratory-scale bioreactor was scaled up to build a large-scale modular biofiltration system that can process 34 m(3)min(-1)waste gases. This modular reactor system was proven effective in eliminating odors, with a 97% removal efficiency for 96 ppm ammonia, a 98% removal efficiency for 220 ppm amines, and a 100% removal efficiency of other odorous substances. The results of operational parameters indicate that this modular biofiltration system offers long-term operational stability. Specifically, a low pressure drop (<45 mmH2O m(-1)) was observed, indicating that the packing carrier in bioreactor units does not require frequent replacement. Thus, this modular biofiltration system can be used in field applications to eliminate various odors with compact working volume.