Hydrometallurgical Extraction of Vanadium from Mechanically Milled Oil-Fired Fly Ash: Analytical Process Optimization by Using Taguchi Design Method

In this study, the Taguchi design method was employed to determine the optimum experimental parameters in extraction of vanadium by NaOH leaching of oil-fired fly. Prior to designed experiments, the raw precipitates were mechanicallly milled using a high-energy planetary ball mill. Experimental parameters were investigated as follows: mechanical milling (MM) times (2 and 5?hours), NaOH (1 and 2 molar concentration) as reaction solution (RS), powder to solution (P/S) ratios (100/400 and 100/600?mg/mL), temperature (T) of reaction system (303 K and 333?K [30?°C and 60?°C]), stirring times (ST) of reaction media (4 and 12?hours), stirring speed (SS) being adjusted to 400 and 600?rpm, and rinsing times (RT) of remained filtrates (1 and 3?hours). Statistical analysis of signal-to-noise ratio followed by analysis of variance was performed in order to estimate the optimum levels and their relative contributions. Data analysis is carried out using L₈ orthogonal array consisting of seven parameters each with two levels. The optimum conditions were MM1 (3?hours), RS2 (2 molar NaOH), P/S2 (100/600?mg/mL), T2 (333?K [60?°C]), ST2 (12?hours), SS1 (400?rpm), and RT1 (1?hour). Finally, from environmental and economical points of view, the process is faster and better organized by employing this analytical design method.     

Transmission pricing and recovery of investment costs in the deregulated power system based on optimal circuit prices

Transmission pricing has become a major issue in the discussions about the deregulated electricity markets.Conse-quently,open access to the transmission system is one of the basic topics to allow compe...     

Evaluation of Centrifugal Casting Process Parameters for In Situ Fabricated Functionally Gradient Fe-TiC Composite

A gradient Fe-TiC composite was successfully produced via combination of in situ reaction with centrifugal casting techniques. Additionally, some of the effective parameters of the centrifugal casting process have been studied. Cast iron and ferrotitanium, which were used as raw materials, were melted using a high-frequency induction furnace coupled with centrifugal equipment. The microstructure and phase characterization of the fabricated composite was studied by scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The results show that the production of a pearlite matrix composite reinforced by TiC particles is feasible. The distribution of TiC in the pearlitic matrix is completely uneven as a result of density difference between molten medium and TiC in the centrifugal casting process.     

Cavity Control of Prefoldin Nano Actuator (PNA) by Temperature and pH

Nano-Micro Letters - A molecular dynamics study to investigate the cavity control of Prefoldin based bio nano actuator is presented in this paper. Prefoldin is a molecular chaperone with a...     

Proximity effects of a layered periodic structure on miniaturization of patch antennas

A miniaturized microstrip antenna on a planar layered periodic structure is proposed, designed and fabricated. The proposed structure miniaturizes patch antennas in the microwave band. With varying the parameters of the proposed structure, the achieved miniaturization factor can be adjusted in the range 2.6–4.2. Numerical and experimental results are presented. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2013.     

Lattice-based certificateless public-key encryption in the standard model

The notion of certificateless public-key encryption (CL-PKE) was introduced by Al-Riyami and Paterson in 2003 that avoids the drawbacks of both traditional PKI-based public-key encryption (i.e., establishing public-key infrastructure) and identity-based encryption (i.e., key escrow). So CL-PKE like identity-based encryption is certificate-free, and unlike identity-based encryption is key escrow-free. In this paper, we introduce simple and efficient CCA-secure CL-PKE based on (hierarchical) identity-based encryption. Our construction has both theoretical and practical interests. First, our generic transformation gives a new way of constructing CCA-secure CL-PKE. Second, instantiating our transformation using lattice-based primitives results in a more efficient CCA-secure CL-PKE than its counterpart introduced by Dent in 2008.     

Mitigation of Crystallization Fouling in a Single Heated Tube Using Projectiles of Different Sizes and Hardness

Fouling of heat exchangers is a prevalent operating drawback in many process industries. Efficient chemical inhibitors have predominantly been used for many years to combat deposit formation. Nevertheless, new stringent environmental legislations limit their utilization. On-line mitigation techniques, such as propulsion of projectiles at different injection rates, can also be utilized, which can, in turn, minimize the need for chemical inhibitors. Nevertheless, the experimental data are scarce and nonconclusive. In this experimental study, two spherical-type projectiles of different sizes and hardness have been used to clean the inner surface of a single heated tube that was subjected to the deposition of calcium sulfate. Projectiles were then introduced at different injection rate of every 2, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min. The experimental results show that (i) the projectiles would expedite initial nucleation of crystals even if they are soft and easy to propel inside the tube; (ii) fouling can only be mitigated if the projectiles exert a shear force such that the corresponding removal rate is greater than the net rate of the deposition; and finally (iii) harder projectiles with larger surface contact area are more efficient in cleaning the surface compared to those that are softer.     

Synthesis of nano-structured La0.8Ba0.2MnO3 perovskite via a mechano-thermal route

In this study, barium-doped lanthanum manganite, La_0.8Ba_0.2MnO₃, was synthesized via a mechano-thermal route employing high energy ball milling and subsequent heat treatment. The structural evolution, morphology and thermal behaviour of the powders were evaluated using XRD, FESEM, and DTA/TGA, respectively. DTA/TGA results showed that the calcination temperature of the carbonates significantly decreased by increasing the milling time. The results revealed that single phase perovskite was formed at 900 °C in a milled sample for 2 h and this temperature decreased to 600 °C by increasing the milling time to 30 h. The mean crystallite size also decreased from 32 to 20 nm by increasing the milling time from 2 to 30 h. The reaction sequence of La_0.8Ba_0.2MnO₃ formation via the mechano-thermal route is proposed using XRD and DTA/TGA results. FESEM micrographs showed that the mean particle size of the perovskite phase is increased slightly from 30 to 40 nm by increasing the heat treatment temperature from 600 to 900 °C.