Mathematical Modeling of Drying Processes of Selected Fruits and Vegetables

This study investigates the behavior of fruit and vegetable samples during drying. The experimental data are fitted to several different thin-layer drying models. Regression analysis is used to determine model parameters, while statistical indicators serve to evaluate the goodness of fit. The power function model gives the best fit for all examined samples. Based on this model, different drying and heat storage technologies can be combined to ensure that the required residual moisture content of an agricultural product is reached. It is demonstrated on the case of a specific Togolese processing plant that under favorable conditions, fossil fuel consumption can be decreased by 33 %.     

Influence of α′‐/α‐crystal polymorphism on properties of poly(l‐lactic acid)

Poly(l ‐lactic acid) (PLLA) is a biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastic polyester produced from renewable sources, widely used for biomedical devices, in food packaging and in agriculture. It is a semicrystalline polymer, and as such its properties are strongly affected by the developed semicrystalline morphology. As a function of the crystallization temperature, PLLA can form different crystal modifications, namely α′‐crystals below about 120 °C and α‐crystals at higher temperatures. The α′ modification is therefore of special importance as it may be the preferred polymorph developing at processing‐relevant conditions. It is a metastable modification which typically transforms into the more stable α‐crystals on annealing at elevated temperature. The structure, kinetics of formation and thermodynamics of α′‐ and α‐crystals of PLLA are reviewed in this contribution, together with the effect of α′‐/α‐crystal polymorphism on the properties of PLLA. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

Defect-free drying of large fine-particle zirconia compacts prepared by gelcasting method

In this work, drying of bodies prepared by gelcasting fine submicrometre-sized zirconia particles was studied and a drying process for defect-free bodies with large cross-sections was proposed. It was found that the cracking of large bodies could be prevented by reducing the monomer content and using appropriate non-volatile cosolvents. Glycerol and polyethylene glycols with different molecular weights were used as non-volatile cosolvents in aqueous ceramic suspensions. The complex effects of the individual cosolvents on the gelcasting process and, in particular, on the drying step were investigated and explained. The applicability of individual cosolvents for the gelcasting process were discussed and their optimal use was indicated.     

Hydrophobic Cross-Linked Poly(dimethylsiloxane)-Based Sorbents for Oil Spill Applications

With the increase of industrialization and urbanization, humankind faces massive oil-based pollution due to tanker accidents, human error, and natural disasters. For this, hydrophobic sorbents are fabricated and their applications for the removal of oil from polluted water sources are investigated. These hydrophobic sorbents are prepared by the condensation reaction of poly(dimethylsiloxane) and tris[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]isocyanurate cross-linker via bulk polymerization. The obtained sorbents exhibit high oil sorption capacity, fast absorption–desorption kinetics, and great reusability. Moreover, they can selectively absorb oil from the water surface, thus making them practical for water clean-up applications.     

急性炎性疾病患者乳酸林格氏液液体动力学

目的:探索炎性疾病患者的乳酸林格氏液（Ringer's lactate,RL）液体动力学特征以及炎性生物标记物是否可以作为协变量影响RL分布和排泄。方法:本研究为前瞻性队列研究。选择40例美国麻醉医师分级（ASA）I-II级，腹腔镜下择期胆囊切除术（胆囊炎组，n=20）或者腹腔镜下急诊阑尾切除术（阑尾炎组，n=20）。所有患者麻醉诱导前开始输注RL，按15 mL/kg，35 min内输毕。采用酶联免疫（enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA）方法测定血浆炎症（TNF-α,IL-10和CRP）或者内皮损伤生物标记物（syndecan-1,SDC-1）；利用血红蛋白（Hb）稀释-时间曲线和尿量，使用Phoenix软件，采用非线性混合效应模型分析计算RL液体动力学参数和协变量的影响。结果:与胆囊炎组相比，阑尾炎组RL从组织间隙到血浆的转运速率常数（k21）显著降低（14×10-3min-1 versus 35×10-3min-1;P=0.012）。阑尾炎组C反应蛋白（CRP）升高［中位数38.1(1.8-143.6) μg/mL versus 1.3(0.1-159.0) μg/mL;P<0.001］；与清醒状态相比，麻醉期间（输液开始后30～45 min），液体从中央室中到外周室的转运速率常数（k12）显著增加（57×10-3min-1 versus 32×10-3min-1；P<0.01）。清除速率常数（k10）降低90%（0.6×10-3min-1 versus 5.3×10-3min-1;P<0.001）。无论在清醒状态还是麻醉状态下低血压均能降低液体清除；炎症或者内膜损伤的生物标记物不能作为显著影响RL液体动力学参数的协变量。结论:阑尾炎或者胆囊炎患者术前输入液体后“炎症反应的生物标记物”不是RL的液体动力学的协变量，但是两组患者中，全身麻醉期间输入液体的清除率下降。     

胡萝卜丁中维生素C在热风辅助射频干燥过程中降解的动力学模型

目的研究热风辅助射频(hot air-assisted radio frequency,HA-RF)干燥过程中维生素C随温度变化的降解动力学模型。方法在6.5 cm极板间距和60℃热风系统条件下进行HA-RF干燥,重点研究胡萝卜丁中维生素C在干燥过程中的降解动力学,包括脱氢抗坏血酸(dehydroascorbic acid,DHAA)和抗坏血酸(ascorbic acid,AA)。总维生素C含量采用2,4-硝基苯肼分光光度法测定,AA采用2,6-二氯吲哚酚滴定法测定。结果HA-RF干燥过程中维生素C的降解规律符合一级可逆模型,其降解活化能为40.54 kJ/mol。DHAA活化能为35.83 kJ/mol,表明DHAA的稳定性低于AA。结论本研究使用的干燥温度为62.5~77.5℃,较高的干燥温度下维生素C降解速率较高,较低处理温度下的降解过程具有更好的模型适应度(R2>0.98)。     

Rate equation theory for the hydrogenation kinetics of Mg-based materials

A uniform solid product layer normally assumed in the shrinking-core model cannot predict the kinetic transition behavior of the H₂ adsorption reactions. In this study, the concept of a uniform solid product layer has been replaced by that of the inward growth of solid products on the solid surface. A rate equation is established to calculate the inward growth of the solid product and was implemented into the shrinking-core model to calculate the H₂ adsorption kinetics for various shapes of Mg-based materials. The prediction accuracy of the developed model is verified from the detailed experimental data. To account for the external gas diffusion around the particle and the intraparticle gas diffusion, an analytical equation is derived using the Thiele modulus method. This model can be used to analyze various kinetic aspects and to analyze the effect of change in the particle microstructure on intraparticle diffusion.     

锂辉石-氧化钙烧结法提锂的物相重构与动力学

对锂辉石-氧化钙烧结过程进行热力学分析，绘制了各反应Gibbs自由能与温度的关系图。结果表明，Al₂O₃会优先和Na₂O、Li₂O、K₂O反应，然后与CaO反应生成CaO·Al₂O₃，而且烧结温度需高于1060℃以保证LiAlSi₂O₆能够完成晶形转变。并探讨了锂辉石-氧化钙烧结法提锂的反应机理。考察了不同烧结条件对锂浸出率的影响并对熟料进行X射线衍射（XRD）分析表征。实验结果表明，在配料比为1∶1.25、烧结温度1150℃、烧结时间60min时，锂的浸出率达到92.14%，熟料中的主要物相为Ca₂SiO₄与LiAlO₂。利用XRD和扫描电镜-能谱联用仪（SEM-EDS）对熟料与浸出渣的物相、显微形貌及元素分布情况进行了分析表征。为了确定烧结反应的控制性步骤，在最优烧结条件的基础上对烧结过程进行动力学分析，结果表明，锂辉石-氧化钙烧结体系属于球形颗粒三维界面化学反应控制，烧结过程的动力学拟合方程为\mathrm{1}-{(\mathrm{1}-x)}^{\mathrm{1}/\mathrm{3}}=\mathrm{0.00677}t。     

基于OH-PLIF的狭长受限空间油气爆炸中间基团浓度分布研究

为了精确测量狭长受限空间油气爆炸过程中的关键自由基团，从而实现对其爆炸流场、火焰传播的精确分析，基于先进的平面激光诱导荧光测量技术（PLIF），设计构建了油气爆炸PLIF测量系统，开展了不同工况下狭长受限空间汽油-空气混合气爆炸实验研究，获得了该爆炸中间基团OH基的浓度分布。实验结果表明，1.1%~2.4%（体积分数）油气浓度之间，OH基浓度先增大后减小；随火焰的传播发展，OH基浓度不断变大，表明爆炸不断强化；爆燃不同时期OH基分布情况不同，表明不同爆燃阶段的燃烧反应区域有较大差异；爆燃前期火焰与壁面之间有“隔离带”，是由未燃气浓度增大导致火焰传播变慢的结果。主要创新点在于通过设计时序控制子系统，解决了非稳态预混燃烧中自由基分布瞬态测量。