New empirical correlation for estimation of vaporization enthalpy of algerian saharan blend petroleum fractions

A Real-coded Genetic Algorithm has been used to develop a new correlation to estimate the enthalpy of vaporization for pure compounds and petroleum fractions as a function of the normal boiling point and specific gravity. In developing the correlation 80% of the data was used and the remaining are used for validation. The results of the proposed correlations are compared to others in literature. The comparison indicates that the proposed model is simple to use and more accurate than the most common correlations for predicting the enthalpy of vaporization of pure compounds and petroleum fractions.     

Integrated standalone hybrid solar PV,fuel cell and diesel generator power system for battery or supercapacitor storage systems in Khorfakkan,United Arab Emirates

Renewable energy resources play a very important rule these days to assist the conventional energy systems for doing its function in the UAE due to high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy demand. In this paper, the analysis and performance of integrated standalone hybrid solar PV, fuel cell and diesel generator power system with battery energy storage system (BESS) or supercapacitor energy storage system (SCESS) in Khorfakkan city, Sharjah were presented. HOMER Pro software was used to model and simulate the hybrid energy system (HES) based on the daily energy consumption for Khorfakkan city. The simulation results show that using SCESS as an energy storage system will help the performance of HES based on the Levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The HES with SCESS has renewable fraction (68.1%) and 0.346 $/kWh LCOE. The HES meets the annual AC primary load of the city (13.6 GWh) with negligible electricity excess and with an unmet electrical load of 1.38%. The reduction in GHG emissions for HES with SCESS was 83.2%, equivalent to saving 814,428 gallons of diesel.     

Towards occupant-centric simulation-aided building design: a case study

ABSTRACT

This paper aims at illustrating the importance of occupant modelling for decision-making during the building design process. It identifies the energy implications of conventional ways of modelling occupants for the design of office buildings. Furthermore, it presents a step towards bridging the gap between the research efforts and conventional practices within the field of building performance simulation (BPS) aided design. The paper first describes occupant-related assumptions that were made during the design process of a case study office building, obtained via stakeholder interviews. Then, the impact of these assumptions on the design decisions is examined through a simulation-based investigation. The stakeholder interviews revealed that professionals from each design discipline made significantly different assumptions about occupants. The simulation results showed that assumptions about occupants and their behaviour impacted predicted energy savings of some design decisions by a factor of five or more.     

Thermoelectric Properties of Two-Phase PbTe with Indium Inclusions

The thermoelectric figure of merit (zT) can be increased by introduction of additional interfaces in the bulk to reduce the thermal conductivity. In this work, PbTe with a dispersed indium (In) phase was synthesized by a matrix encapsulation technique for different In concentrations. x-Ray diffraction analysis showed single-phase PbTe with In secondary phase. Rietveld analysis did not show In substitution at either the Pb or Te site, and this was further confirmed by room-temperature Raman data. Low-magnification (~1500×) scanning electron microscopy images showed micrometer-sized In dispersed throughout the PbTe matrix, while at high magnification (150,000×) an agglomeration of PbTe particles in the hot-pressed samples could be seen. The electrical resistivity (ρ) and Seebeck coefficient (S) were measured from 300 K to 723 K. Negative Seebeck values showed all the samples to be n-type. A systematic increase in resistivity and higher Seebeck coefficient values with increasing In content indicated the role of PbTe-In interfaces in the scattering of electrons. This was further confirmed by the thermal conductivity (κ), measured from 423 K to 723 K, where a greater reduction in the electronic as compared with the lattice contribution was found for In-added samples. It was found that, despite the high lattice mismatch at the PbTe-In interface, phonons were not scattered as effectively as electrons. The highest zT obtained was 0.78 at 723 K for the sample with the lowest In content.     

Caffeic Acid Enhances the Anti-Leukemic Effect of Imatinib on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells and Triggers Apoptosis in Cells Sensitive and Resistant to Imatinib

Among the phenolic acids tested on the K562 cell line, a model of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), caffeic acid (CA) was biologically active on sensitive and imatinib (IM)-resistant cells at micro-molar concentration, either in terms of reduction of cell proliferation or triggering of apoptosis. The CA treatment provoked mitochondrial membrane depolarization, genomic DNA fragmentation and phosphatidylserine exposure, hallmarks of apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis following the treatment with comparable cytotoxic concentrations of IM or CA showed marked differences in the distribution profiles. The reduction of cell proliferation by CA administration was associated with increased expression of two cell cycle repressor genes, CDKN1A and CHES1, while IM at a cytotoxic concentration increased the CHES1 but not the CDKN1A expression. In addition, CA treatment affected the proliferation and triggered the apoptosis in IM-resistant cells. Taken together, these data suggested that CA induced the anti-proliferative effect and triggered apoptosis of CML cells by a different mechanism than IM. Finally, the combined administration of IM and CA at suboptimal concentrations evidenced a synergy of action in determining the anti-proliferative effect and triggering apoptosis. The ability of CA to potentiate the anti-leukemic effect of IM highlighted the nutraceutical potential of CA in CML.     

Effect of supercritical CO2 extraction process parameters on oil yield and pigment content from by‐product hemp cake

This research gives an insight into the possibility of exploiting the one of the food industry's by‐products – pressed hemp cake. The complete recovery of oil from pressed hemp cake was achieved. Residual oil that remained in cake after pressing was extracted with supercritical CO₂ by applying different process parameters. Optimal extraction conditions were determined using response surface methodology. Total pigment contents of the oils obtained were determined. Extraction pressure had the most significant influence on yield and pigment content of extracted hemp cake oil. Depending on the pressure, the chlorophyll a content ranged from 101.11 to 378.28 mg kg^?1 and chlorophyll b from 65.14 to 189.78 mg kg^?1, while total carotene content was in the range from 33.58 to 132.67 mg kg^?1. The remaining oil in pressed hemp cake after supercritical CO₂ extraction was determined to be 0.56 ± 0.08% and the defatted cake was rich in proteins and fibre.     

Effect of the treatment of wood shavings on the physico-mechanical characteristics of wood sand concretes

This study investigates the effect of a wood shaving treatment on the physico-mechanical characteristics of wood sand concretes. The two main objectives of this work are to improve a lightweight sand concrete and to valorise local materials and industrial wastes. Three wood shaving contents, two types of sand concretes (dune and river sand concrete) and a preliminary wood shaving treatment have been used. Sand, cement, filler, admixture and water composed the sand concrete matrix. The shaving treatment appreciably increases the mechanical strength of the studied composites without a large influence on thermal conductivity. The shrinkage of the composite is considerably reduced and the wood–matrix adherence is improved. At low wood contents, the dune sand concrete remains always slightly more insulating and less strong than the river sand concrete. At higher wood contents, the two concretes present almost similar properties.     

Numerical study of mixed convective heat transfer in a lid‐driven enclosure with rotating cylinders

A numerical simulation is performed to characterize the mixed convective transport in a three‐dimensional square lid‐driven enclosure with two rotating cylinders. The top wall is moving in the positive x‐direction, and the bottom wall is at a higher fixed temperature compared with all other isothermal walls. Both cylinders are rotating in its own plane about their centroidal axis. On the basis of rotation of both cylinders in clockwise or counter‐clockwise directions, four rotational models are studied. Various controlling parameters considered in the present study are Grashof number (10 ³ < Gr < 10 ⁵), rotating speed of the cylinder (5 < ω < 50), and the Reynolds number based on top wall movement is fixed to 100. The effect of cylinder rotation on the heat transfer of bottom wall is reported with the help of streamlines, contour plots of z‐component of vorticity, averaged and local Nusselt number, ratios of secondary flow and drag coefficient. It is observed that the heat transfer at the bottom wall is substantially dependent on the rotational model and rotational speed of the cylinder.     

Emergence of Antibiotic Resistance in Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Food Products: A Comprehensive Review

Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic pathogen that has been involved in several deadly illness outbreaks. Future outbreaks may be more difficult to manage because of the emergence of antibiotic resistance among L. monocytogenes strains isolated from food products. The present review summarizes the available evidence on the emergence of antibiotic resistance among L. monocytogenes strains isolated from food products and the possible ways this resistance has developed. Furthermore, the resistance of food L. monocytogenes isolates to antibiotics currently used in the treatment of human listeriosis such as penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, and gentamicin, has been documented. Acquisition of movable genetic elements is considered the major mechanism of antibiotic resistance development in L. monocytogenes. Efflux pumps have also been linked with resistance of L. monocytogenes to some antibiotics including fluoroquinolones. Some L. monocytogenes strains isolated from food products are intrinsically resistant to several antibiotics. However, factors in food processing chains and environments (from farm to table) including extensive or sub‐inhibitory antibiotics use, horizontal gene transfer, exposure to environmental stresses, biofilm formation, and presence of persister cells play crucial roles in the development of antibiotic resistance by L. monocytogenes.