Biodiesel synthesis from Acacia concinna seed oil: A comprehensive study

In the present investigation, biodiesel (BD) production from Acacia concinna nonedible seed oil using physical pretreatment (turbulent agitation method) and transesterification process has been optimized and modeled using neural network Artificial neural network- Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANN-ANFIS), Grey relational analysis? and desirability function approach? approach considering both quantity (production yield) and quality (fuel properties) responses. Different process parameters were examined for their relative significance on output responses. At optimized process variables, methanol/oil (8.3:1), catalyst KOH (0.95 wt%), and reaction temperature and time (65°C and 37.5 min), augment the yield and calorific value by 17.2 and 5.77% and reduce the viscosity and free fatty acid? valueby 18.26 and 57.30%, respectively, with global desirability of D= 0.664. The produced BD was characterized by ¹H NMR, fatty esters (GC analysis), and fuel properties. The developed model equations for output responses help in accurate prediction of results. A. concinna feedstock proved to be a viable source for biodiesel production.     

Establishing methodology to predict fracture behaviour of piping components by numerically predicting specimen fracture data using tensile specimen test

Using large deformation FEM analyses in SA333Gr.6 carbon steel material, the present study demonstrated the assessment of SZWc value that leads to J_SZWc and finally compares with the respective experimental results. It also includes numerical prediction of specimen J-R curve using Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman parameters obtain from tensile specimen tests. Using numerically predicted results, the crack initiation and instability stages in circumferentially through-wall cracked elbows is finally predicted and compares with experimental results. The present study gives evidence that the non-linear FEM analysis supported with proper tensile test data can be helpful in assessing the safety of bend pipes with through-wall crack.     

Determination of stretch zone width using fem

The study addresses numerical determination of stretch zone width and its critical value. The proposed method is based on the highly deformed stretch zone that is defined as stretch zone width, expected to be better than the half of the crack tip opening distance which inturn determined using 45° line method. The investigation essentially comprises a number of finite element analyses of compact tension test, using tensile test data. The proposed methodology also provides insight into the mechanism involved in the creation of stretch zone.     

Recycling hazardous jarosite waste using coal combustion residues

Increase in environmental concern due to improper management of both hazardous and non hazardous wastes released from different industrial process prioritized the necessity for the innovation research. In this context, this paper deals with the immobilization of jarosite waste released from the zinc industry and converting it into a value added product using coal combustion residues (CCRs) through solidification/stabilization (s/s) and sintering process. Experiments were conducted using different ratio of jarosite waste and clay soil with varying concentration of CCRs. The optimized experimental results (using jarosite waste and clay soil ratio of one with 15% CCRs) showed that it is possible to make a composite having desirable mechanical properties such as compressive strength (50–81 kg/cm²); water absorption (13–17%); shrinkage (11–32%); and density (1.6–1.8 gm cm^?3) to use as a construction material. Under solid state sintering process, with the application of CCRs, the mineral phases such as X Fe₃ (SO₄)₂(OH)₆ [where X = K and NH₄], 2Fe₂O₃SO₃.5H₂O, PbSO₄, CaSO₄ in jarosite waste were transformed into a silicate matrices. The leachate studies confirmed that the toxic elements such as Cd, Pb, etc. were immobilized in the jarosite waste composite and meeting the USEPA TCLP toxicity norms for safe utility. The composite product thus developed has showed potential for recycling jarosite waste in construction sector leading to cross sector waste recycling.     

Mechanical study of metallized polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films

Mechanical properties such as Young's modulus (Y), storage modulus (E′), glass transition temperature (T_g), tensile strength (σ), and yield strength (σ_y) of metallized polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films have been measured using Dynamic Mechanical Analyser (DMA). Commercially available PET film thickness of 20 μm has been used for metallization. Aluminium (Al) and lead (Pb) have been coated separately on PET films by vacuum thermal evaporation method to form metallized PET films. The T_g of Al-PET and Pb-PET films has been found to be 112.3 °C and 111.2 °C respectively whereas T_g of commercial PET film is 89.7 °C. The stress–strain curves of metallized PET films at room temperature and at different elevated temperatures have been taken which show significant temperature dependence. In particular, the yield strength shows a decrement with increasing temperature.     

Inhibition of mild steel corrosion in presence of fatty acid imidazolines in hydrochloric acid

The corrosive behavior of mild steel in 1M HCl solutions containing selected imidazolines of fatty acids with C₇-C₁₇ was investigated using weight-loss method, potentiodynamic polarization technique and scanning elecron microscopy. The results obtained revealed that all the studied imidazolines are effective in reducing corrosion of mild steel in HCl media. The adsorption of the inhibitors on the mild steel surface obeys Langmuir’s adsorption isotherm. The thermodynamic parameters of adsorption deduced reveal a strong interaction and spontaneous adsorption of inhibitors on the mild steel surface. The influence of inhibitor concentration, solution temperature, immersion time and acid concentration on the corrosion of mild steel has also been investigated. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) of mild steels samples is performed to show adsorption of inhibitors on metal surface. Potentiodynamic polarization data showed that the compounds studied are mixed type inhibitors in the acid solution. Original Russian Text ? M.A. Quaraishi, M.Z.A. Rafiquee, Nidhi Saxena, Sadaf Khan, 2008, published in Zashchita Metallov, 2008, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 99–106.     

Acquired biliary atresia

Three infants are described in whom acquired biliary atresia developed during the perinatal period. In two cases this was related to a spontaneous perforation of the bile duct, and in the other it probably was related to previous surgery for duodenal and ileal atresias. Clinically, the symptoms in these patients differed from the congenital forms of biliary atresia; two of the infants had dilated intrahepatic ducts on ultrasonography, and all had restriction of disease to the extrahepatic bile ducts and an excellent response to surgery.     

Shear properties of articular cartilage of a bovine knee joint subjected to moderate and high loads: an experimental study.

Freshly excised bovine knee joints were subjected to oscillation under constant load on a specially designed knee joint articulating machine with the joints subjected to moderate and high loadings of 1471.5 and 2943 N respectively. Instantaneous and equilibrium shear moduli of the articular cartilage obtained from the experimental knee joints were measured on a mechanical indentor (DuPont 943 TMA) and compared with the corresponding values of the shear moduli of the cartilage obtained from the control knee joints. At moderate load, both the instantaneous and the equilibrium shear moduli exhibit significant increase in their values. However, at high load the constant shear moduli showed a decrease in its value whereas the value of the equilibrium shear modulus was observed to increase slightly.     

Analysis of polymer membrane formation through spinodal decomposition. Part 4: Computer simulation of early-stage coarsening

In a previous work, an early-stage coarsening mechanism was proposed, whereby continued growth of structure (via spinodal decomposition) in a polymer-solvent system will occur because some of the polymer-rich domains are being depleted. Such a mechanism was explained based on the situation wherein portions of the solvent-rich domains have already reached their binodal composition while the polymer-rich domains are still on their way to their corresponding binodal composition. In this work. we have simulated the nonlinear version of the Cahn-Hilliard theory to verify this phenomenon. Moreover, we have observed that the depleted polymer-rich domains seem to be uniformly distributed in space. Finally, as a validation of the proposed mechanism, we did not observe this uniform depletion of the domains when portions of the solvent-rich and polymer-rich domains reach their respective binodal compositions almost simultaneously.