Mathematical modeling of the heat treatment and combustion of a coal particle. III. Volatile escape stage

The present paper is a continuation of previous publications of the authors in this journal in which two phases of the multistage process of combustion of a coal particle were considered in detail with the help of mathematical modeling: its radiation-convection heating and drying. In the present work, the escape dynamics of volatiles is investigated. The physico-mathematical model of the thermodestruction of an individual coal particle with a dominant influence of endothermal effects has been formulated. Approximate-analytical solutions of this model that are of paramount importance for detailed analysis of the influence of the physical and regime parameters on the escape dynamics of volatiles have been found. The results obtained form the basis for engineering calculations of the volatile escape stage and can be used successfully in the search for effective regimes of burning of various solid fuels, in particular, Shivé-Ovoos coal of Mongolia.     

Quality of bread supplemented with mushroom mycelia

Mushroom mycelia of Antrodia camphorata, Agaricus blazei, Hericium erinaceus and Phellinus linteus were used to substitute 5% of wheat flour to make bread. Bread quality, including specific volume, colour property, equivalent umami concentration (EUC), texture profile analysis, sensory evaluation and functional components, was analysed. Mycelium-supplemented bread was smaller in loaf volume and coloured, and had lower lightness and white index values. White bread contained the lowest amounts of free umami amino acids and umami 5′-nucleotides and showed the lowest EUC value. Incorporating 5% mushroom mycelia into the bread formula did not adversely affect the texture profile of the bread. However, incorporating 5% mushroom mycelia into the bread formula did lower bread’s acceptability. After baking, mycelium-supplemented bread still contained substantial amounts of γ-aminobutyric acid and ergothioneine (0.23–0.86 and 0.79–2.10 mg/g dry matter, respectively). Overall, mushroom mycelium could be incorporated into bread to provide its beneficial health effects.     

Commercial lignosulfonates from different sulfite processes as partial phenol replacement in PF resole resins

Four commercial spruce lignosulfonates representing the most common acidic, neutral, and alkaline sulfite pulping processes and varying significantly in molecular weight characteristics were tested as partial (40 wt %) phenol substitute materials for the manufacture of lignosulfonate‐phenol‐formaldehyde (LPF) resole resins. Similar as recently reported for technical lignins from nonsulfite pulping processes (kraft, soda, organosolv), all lignosulfonates of this study effectuated a faster viscosity gain during resole cooking compared to the lignin‐free reference resin (1000 mPa s after 120 min vs. 250 min to reach 1000 mPa s). Sodium lignosulfonate featuring the lowest weight average molecular weight (M_w 5780 g mol^?1) and dispersity (Ð 6.1) turned out to be superior to the other lignosulfonates with regard to curing rate (B‐time; 3:37 min vs. 6:41–9:08 min) and tensile shear strength development under hot pressing (120 °C; T_S,max = 5.64 N mm^?2 after 8 min) for beech veneer strips glued together with the respective LPF resins. Calcium and magnesium lignosulfonates are less suited with regard to phenol replacement due to the poor performance of the respective LPF adhesives in terms of tensile shear strength (T_S,max = 3.29–3.49 N mm^?2 after 12 min) most likely caused by considerable amounts of side products formed in the course of formose‐type reactions. Phenolation of the two promising lignosulfonates, that is, sodium and ammonium lignosulfonate, did neither considerably increase the rate of PF network formation during resin cooking and curing nor improve tensile strength development during hot pressing. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45893.     

Mercury exposure in female artisanal small-scale gold miners (ASGM) in Mongolia: An analysis of human biomonitoring (HBM) data from 2008

Background

Many poor in developing countries have turned to artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in an attempt to improve their situation. However, the mercury used to extract gold from ore is discharged in vaporized form into the environment, where it poses a hazard for human health.

Methods

As part of an environmental epidemiological study in Mongolia—to evaluate the burden of environmental mercury contamination—urine, blood and hair samples were collected from residents of areas with or without mercury contamination. A total of 200 blood, urine and hair samples were analyzed for mercury and divided into three subgroups according to mercury content: (1) occupational exposure (high/medium); (2) environmental exposure (low); and (3) no exposure. Internal mercury distributions of the subgroups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-test. The Chi-square test and likelihood ratio proportion were used to compare the findings with threshold limits.

Results

The highest values and greatest differences were seen in the urine samples (p < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis). The occupational group showing the highest exposure with a median mercury level of 4.36 μg/l (control group: 0.10 μg/l, p < 0.001), 7.18 μg/g creatinine and 12 results above the threshold limit HBM I (Human Biomonitoring I). Even participants from the low-exposure subgroup showed elevated mercury levels (median 2.88 μg/l urine and 2.98 μg/g creatinine, p < 0.001), with 10 individuals above the HBM I threshold limits.

Discussion

The body burden resulting from the use of mercury in artisanal gold mining is high not only in the miners themselves, an increased mercury hazard was also found for inhabitants of mining areas who were not actively involved in mining. Public health support measures are urgently needed to alleviate the situation.     

Mathematical modeling of the heat treatment and combustion of a coal particle. V. Burn-up stage

The present material is a sequel of the previous publications of the authors in this journal under a common title in which by means of mathematical modeling the sequential stages of the process of combustion of coal fuels have been obtained: heating, drying, escape of volatiles, and ignition. Mathematical models of the final stage of combustion of an individual particle — the burn-up stage — have been formulated. On the basis of the solution methods for nonlinear boundary-value problems developed by us, approximate-analytic formulas for two characteristic regimes, burn-up simultaneously with the evaporation of the remaining moisture and burn-up of the completely dried coke residue, have been obtained. The previous history of the physical and chemical phenomena in the general burning pattern is taken into account. The influence of the ash shell on the duration of combustion has been extimated. Comparison of calculations by the obtained dependences with the results of other authors has been made. It showed an accuracy sufficient for engineering applications.     

Mathematical modeling of the heat treatment and combustion of a coal particle. IV. Ignition stage

The present paper is the continuation of the previous publications of the present authors in the Journal of Engineering Physics under the general title in which three sequential stages of the thermal preparation of a carbon particle for combustion are considered: heating, drying, and the yield of volatiles. The present paper is devoted to a detailed investigation of the stage of ignition of a carbon particle under the conditions of external radiative-convective supply that most adequately reflects the furnace medium. The characteristics of thermal ignition of a carbon matrix were studied with the aid of the adiabatic method. Such parameters as time and the heating temperature, the time of induction, the total time and the temperature of ignition of a carbon particle, the scale temperature, etc. have been found. The degree of dependence of the time of ignition on the initial temperature of the particle, the temperature of the external medium, heat transfer coefficient, and other inlet data has been analyzed.