New graphical tools for process changes via load shifting for hybrid power systems based on Power Pinch Analysis

A hybrid power system (HPS) generates electrical power by a combination of several renewable energy and fossil fuel generators. The Power Pinch Analysis concept has been recently implemented for the optimal design of a HPS. This work introduces a new graphical tool known as the ‘outsourced and storage electricity curves’ (OSEC) to visualise the required minimum outsourced electricity and the current storage capacity at each time interval during HPS startup and continuous operation. Heuristics for load shifting for the integrated HPS system that can lead to further reductions of the maximum storage capacity and the maximum power demand (MPD) have also been introduced in this work. Note that the routine load shifting strategies in energy management cannot be used without the knowledge on how the integrated HPS components interact with one another. Application of the new approach on case studies demonstrates that the OSEC can provide vital insights for designers to perform the correct load shifting. The results show that up to 50 % reduction in the maximum storage capacity and the MPD is achieved.     

Quantum Statistics of Stimulated Raman and Hyper-Raman Scattering of Squeezed Light with Pump Depletion

Abstract

Using the approximation of small fluctuations around a stationary solution, photon statistics and quadrature variances are derived in stimulated Raman and hyper-Raman scattering including the coupling of pumping, Stokes, anti-Stokes and phonon modes. The depletion of pump light is included. Compared to Raman scattering, additional regimes to generate anti-bunched, sub-Poisson and squeezed light were found caused by self-interaction of the pump mode. It was possible to include effects of nonlinear dynamics, initial squeezing of radiation and phonon system, external noise and losses.     

Novel carbonaceous coupling products containing sulphur

Summary The coupling of alkali ethynides with CSCl₂, SOCl₂, or SO₂Cl₂ results in new carbonaceous polymeric products; their structures were studied by FTIR and XPS spectra, and the assumptions on reaction mechanism were made with respect to the found elemental composition and model calculations. These macromolecular products, obtained in the yields of 80–92%, contain chlorine in the chain terminals, and alkyne sequences along with inserted C=S, S=O or SO₂ groups. These inserted sulphur groups contribute to the stability of alkyne sequences as evidenced by FTIR spectra. Soluble thioketone iPr₃SiC≡C–CS–C≡CSiiPr₃ (2) prepared by similar coupling of iPr₃SiC≡CLi (1) with CSCl₂ in the yield of 72%, was considered as a support of the suggested coupling mechanism. Similarly monomolecular sulfoxide iPr₃SiC≡C–SO–C≡CSiiPr₃ (3) was prepared by coupling of iPr₃SiC≡CLi (1) with SOCl₂ in the yield 75%.     

Polysulfone‐based anion exchange polymers for catalyst binders in alkaline electrolyzers

The preparation of quaternized bisphenol A polysulfone (PSf) by chloromethylation and quaternization with trimethylamine (TMA), 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), 1‐methylimidazole (MI), or 1,2‐dimethylimidazole (DMI) is described. While the ion‐exchange capacities (IECs) of MI or DMI quaternized PSf significantly decrease in concentrated KOH solutions at 60°C, the IECs of TMA or DABCO quaternized PSf are not much affected, but the membranes of these polymers become brittle. TMA quaternized PSf (IEC = 1.21 meq/g; IC = 2.45 S/m) and DABCO quaternized PSf (IEC = 1.09 meq/g; IC = 2.49 S/m) were used to bind a NiCo₂O₄ spinel electrocatalyst on the anode of Ni foam. Both the quaternized PSfs were quite effective in water electrolysis when used as binders, but not more effective than PTFE when rear sides of electrodes were fed with 10 wt % aqueous KOH solution. For long‐term electrolysis, binders based on more stable anion‐conductive polymers should be developed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42581.     

Influence of Technological Processes on Biologically Active Compounds of Produced Grapes Juices

Grape juice quality can be substantially influenced by different processing methods and their parameters. This study deals with the influence of thermomaceration temperature and its holding time on important juice quality parameters such as the content of trans-resveratrol, trans-piceid, trans-ε-viniferin, and 2,4,6-trihydroxyphenantrene-2-O-glucoside. All the aforementioned compounds together with antioxidative capacity, total polyphenols, and antimutagenic activity were measured. This study used the following grapes: Blaufränkisch, Blaufränkisch bio, Saint Laurent, Grüner Veltliner, Grüner Veltliner bio, and Müller-Thurgau. For all tested grape varieties, the most important processing parameters were temperature and thermomaceration holding time. There were no significant differences in the content of the studied compounds. Three preservation technologies, freezing, bottle pasteurization, and high-pressure treatment, were also studied regarding the content of abovementioned biologically active compounds. Results of this study can be immediately applied to grape juice production.     

Silk fibers and silk‐producing organs of Harpactea rubicunda (C. L. Koch 1838) (Araneae,Dysderidae)

Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to study the silk spinning apparatus and silks of Harpactea rubicunda spiders. Three types of silk secretions that are produced by three kinds of silk spinning glands (ampullate, piriform, and pseudaciniform) and released through three types of spigots, were confirmed for both adult and juvenile spiders. Silk secretions for the construction of spider webs for shelter or retreat are produced by the pseudaciniform silk glands. Silk secretions that are released from spigots in the course of web construction are not processed by the legs during the subsequent process of hardening. Pairs of nanofibril bundles seemed to be part of the basic microarchitecture of the web silk fibers as revealed by AFM. These fiber bundles frequently not only overlap one another, but occasionally also interweave. This structural variability may strengthen the spider web. High‐resolution AFM scans of individual nanofibrils show a distinctly segmented nanostructure. Each globular segment is ～30–40 nm long along the longitudinal axis of the fiber, and resembles a nanosegment of artificial fibroin described by Perez‐Rigueiro et al. (2007). Microsc. Res. Tech., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Economic assessment system towards sustainable composting quality in the developing countries

Reduction of landfills and dealing with the waste are among the key elements of the cleaner production and advanced environment policy. Composting represents one of the cleaner technologies in diverting organic waste from landfill. However, it has not been commonly practised in the developing countries due to low economic feasibility and environmental issues that arise from the abuse of compost quality. There are a lack of product standards and an indication of compost quality to govern its market and application. In order to foster public confidence in compost utilisation and as much as possible offset the operating cost, an economic assessment system is needed to benchmark the quality of the compost at a reasonable cost. In this study, a set of composting parameters and their analysis have been reviewed and ranked following their total scores in terms of relation to the agronomic value, technical complexity and analysis cost. The parameters were selected based on different assessment criteria. An assessment system developed on the base of the decision analysis comprises minimal analyses needed to assess the compost quality. The cost savings results from the presented work are illustrated by four scenarios: Scenario 1 served as the baseline to include all the necessary analyses and the remaining three (Scenarios 2, 3 and 4) had been evaluated by the developed assessment system. It is shown that the cost to assess the compost quality was reduced from 17 to 84 % depending on the type of input material and composting performance. The highest cost saving based on the analysis of compost quality reaching 84 % was achieved by Scenario 4 where composting was carried out using the segregated food and landscape waste. The assessment system could be very useful for improving the compost utilisation towards sustainable composting in the developing countries.