Industrial sugar beets to biofuel: Field to fuel production system and cost estimates

Specialized varieties of sugar beets (Beta vulgaris L.) may be an eligible feedstock for advanced biofuel designation under the USA Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. These non-food industrial beets could double ethanol production per hectare compared to alternative feedstocks. A mixed-integer mathematical programming model was constructed to determine the breakeven price of ethanol produced from industrial beets, and to determine the optimal size and biorefinery location. The model, based on limited field data, evaluates Southern Plains beet production in a 3-year crop rotation, and beet harvest, transportation, and processing. The optimal strategy depends critically on several assumptions including a just-in-time harvest and delivery system that remains to be tested in field trials. Based on a wet beet to ethanol conversion rate of 110 dm³ Mg⁻¹ and capital cost of 128 M$ for a 152 dam³ y⁻¹ biorefinery, the estimated breakeven ethanol price was 507 $ m⁻³. The average breakeven production cost of corn (Zea mays L.) grain ethanol ranged from 430 to 552 $ m⁻³ based on average net corn feedstock cost of 254 and 396 $ m⁻³ in 2014 and 2013, respectively. The estimated net beet ethanol delivered cost of 207 $ m⁻³ was lower than the average net corn feedstock cost of 254–396$ m⁻³ in 2013 and 2014. If for a mature industry, the cost to process beets was equal to the cost to process corn, the beet breakeven ethanol price would be $387 m^-3 (587 $ m⁻³ gasoline equivalent).     

Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured magnetoresistive Ni doped ZnO films

We report a method to produce magnetic nanostructured semiconductor films based in ZnO doped with Nickel to control their magnetic properties. The method is based on a combined diffusion–oxidation process within a controlled atmosphere chamber to produce a uniform distribution of Ni ions in the ZnO films (ZnO:Ni). The synthesis of ZnO:Ni films is reported as well as the magnetoresistive characteristics, the used method yields films with reproducible and homogeneous properties. The films were also characterized structurally by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy, and by Hall–van der Pauw measurements. The XRD measurements confirm the nanocrystalline films character. The films resulted of n-type conductivity with electron concentrations of ~10²⁰ cm⁻³ in average and carrier mobilities of 5 cm²/V s. The Magnetoresistance (MR) behavior of the films at 300 K shows negative changes of ΔR~0.5% in accordance with the usual literature reports on samples produced by other methods.     

The electrochemistry of zirconium in aqueous solutions at elevated temperatures and pressures

The electrochemistry of zirconium has been explored in borate buffer solution of pH = 6.94 at 250 °C with and without hydrogen by measuring the current, impedance, and capacitance as a function of potential. Data are interpreted in terms of modified point defect models (PDM) that recognize the existence of a thick oxide outer layer over a thin barrier layer. From thermodynamic analysis, it is postulated that a hydride barrier layer forms under PWR coolant conditions whereas an oxide barrier layer forms under BWR primary coolant conditions. Thus, the introduction of hydrogen into the solution lowers the corrosion potential of zirconium to the extent that the formation of ZrH₂ is predicted to be spontaneous rather than the ZrO₂. Mott–Schottky analysis shows that the passive film formed on zirconium is n-type, which is consistent with the PDM, corresponding to a preponderance of oxygen/hydrogen vacancies and/or zirconium interstitials in the barrier layer.     

A study on the thermal contact conductance in fin–tube heat exchangers with 7 mm tube

The thermal contact resistance has been frequently neglected in the process of design of heat exchangers because of the difficulty of measurement and the lack of accurate data. However, the thermal contact resistance is one of principal parameters in heat transfer mechanism of fin–tube heat exchangers. The objective of the present study is to investigate new factors such as fin types and manufacturing types of the tube affecting the thermal contact conductance and to find a correlation between the thermal contact conductance and the effective factors in fin–tube heat exchangers with 7 mm tube. The thermal contact conductances in the 22 heat exchangers with 7 mm tube have been investigated through the experimental–numerical method. A numerical scheme has been employed to calculate the thermal contact conductance and the portion of thermal resistances using the experimental data. As a result, the thermal contact conductance has been evaluated quantitatively, and a new correlation including the influence of new factors such as fin types and manufacturing types of the tube has been developed in the fin–tube heat exchanger with 7 mm tube. Also, the portion of each thermal resistance has been evaluated in each case.     

Development of a small DMFC bipolar plate stack for portable applications

The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is regarded as a promising candidate in portable electronic power applications. Bipolar plate stacks were systematically studied by controlling the operating conditions, and by adjusting the stack structure design parameters, to develop more commercial DMFCs. The findings indicate that the peak power of the stack is influenced more strongly by the flow rate of air than by that of the methanol solution. Notably, the stack performance remains constant even as the channel depth is decreased from 1.0 to 0.6 mm, without loss of the performance in each cell. Furthermore, the specific power density of the stack was increased greatly from ∼60 to ∼100 W l⁻¹ for stacks of 10 and 18 cells, respectively. The current status of the work indicates that the power output of an 18-cell short stack reaches 33 W in air at 70 °C. The outer dimensions of this 18-cell short stack are only 80 mm × 80 mm × 51 mm, which are suitable for practical applications in 10–20 W DMFC portable systems.     

Molecular imprinting strategy for solvent molecules and its application for QCM-based VOC vapor sensing

Cross-linked polymers made of methyl methacrylate (MMA) as a monomer and divinylbenzene (DVB) as a cross-linking agent were prepared in the presence of toluene or p-xylene as a solvent. The cross-linked polymer prepared in toluene tended to sorb toluene vapor preferably, while the cross-linked polymer prepared in p-xylene sorbed p-xylene vapor preferably. The observed molecular recognition ability can be explained on the bases of an imprinting effect by solvent molecules. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) powders were blended with PMMA, and the blended films were coated on a piezoelectric quartz crystal with a view to preparing QCM-based VOC sensors. The imprint effect was clearly observed, even in these blended films. The response of the sensor towards toluene or p-xylene vapor was reversible; however, the response time was slow due to the existence of the matrix polymer around the MIP particles.     

Correlating microstructural features with wear resistance of dual phase steel

In order to explore the tribological potential of the dual phase (DP) steel as a wear resistant material, the wear characteristics of the dual phase (DP) steel have been investigated with varying amounts of martensite from 43 to 81 vol pct, developed by varying holding time at the intercritical annealing temperature of 780 °C. Dry sliding wear tests have been conducted on DP steels using a pin-on-disk machine under different normal loads of 61.3, 68.5, 75.7 and 82.6 N and at a constant sliding speed of 1.20 m/s. At these loads, the mechanism of wear is mainly delamination, which has been confirmed by SEM micrographs of the subsurface and wear debris of the samples. Wear and friction properties have been found to be improved with increasing martensite volume fraction in dual phase steels.     

溶剂处理对烟梗梗丝内在质量的影响

为比较溶剂处理梗丝和常规工艺生产的梗丝的差别,采用溶剂处理烟梗梗条后在烟梗制丝线上制备梗丝,研究溶剂处理对梗丝内在质量的影响.通过仪器分析与感官质量对比,结果表明:与传统制备工艺相比,溶剂处理对烟梗的持水性、耐加工性和梗丝结构的影响较小,梗丝的填充值增加11.4%;其主要化学成分及致香成分含量有较大变化,对梗丝内在质量有一定程度的改善.     

工业硅炉外吹气精炼除硼研究进展

冶金法太阳能级多晶硅技术具有能耗低、成本低和环境友好等特点,正逐步取代投资大、成本高的化学法而成为全球研究的热点.硼是工业硅中最难去除的非金属杂质之一,本文阐述了工业硅的生产过程和吹气炉外精炼除硼的原理,综述了国内外工业硅炉外氧气、湿氢、湿氧、湿二氧化碳以及吹气-熔渣联合精炼等工艺技术,并对本课题组湿氧精炼除硼的研究进行了重点介绍,分析了吹气精炼过程硅的损失问题,最后指出吹气-熔渣联合法是冶金法炉外精炼的发展方向.     

由二元合金相图提取无限稀活度系数（英文）

提出了由二元相图提取定温下无限稀活度系数的方法,分别在正规溶液和Richardson假设条件下,计算了31个二元液态合金体系两组元无限稀活度系数,并与相应的实验值比较,所获得的平均相对误差为:共晶体系为23.2%和20.7%;含固溶体体系为19.4%和18.3%;含化合物体系为39.5%和46.1%;分层体系为25.8%和14.3%.结果表明:由共晶相图、含固溶体相图提取无限稀活度系数,有效性较好,由含化合物相图提取无限稀活度系数有效性较差.引入Richardson假设后,对计算值的精度有所提高.研究表明,运用二元相图提取无限稀活度系数方法提取二元合金体系无限稀活度系数是可行的.