A novel method for determining effects of fire damage on the safety of the Type I pressure hydrogen storage tanks

Consumption of the fossil fuels causes greenhouse gas effect and environmental pollution, which are two basic problems of our age. As a result of this problem, clean and renewable alternative energy sources are beginning to replace fossil fuels. Nowadays, the use of hydrogen energy, which is one of the clean energy, is increasing in transportation and industrial areas. Increasing of hydrogen energy usage, scientists are attempting to solve the many safety problems (such as fire, burst, impact and hydrogen embrittlement) that can occur during the storage and consumption of hydrogen energy. In this study, during the event of fire, the safety of metallic Type I pressure hydrogen storage tanks is investigated by using a novel approach. In this new approach, the mechanical strength drops of the tank materials that is related with temperature rising are added to the safety calculations. In the study, 6061 T6 aluminum and SS 316L stainless steel alloys were used as hydrogen tank material. The safety of hydrogen tanks modelled using these alloys was investigated under different temperature conditions (22, 100, 200 and 300 °C) and internal pressure (15, 20 and 25 MPa).     

Novel glazing technologies to mitigate energy consumption in low‐carbon buildings: a comparative experimental investigation

Buildings play a key role in total world energy consumption as a consequence of poor thermal insulation characteristics of facade materials. Among the elements of a typical building envelope, windows are responsible for the greatest energy loss because of their notably high overall heat transfer coefficients. About 60% of heat loss through the building fabric can be attributed to the glazed areas. In this respect, novel cost‐effective glazing technologies are needed to mitigate energy consumption, and thus to achieve the latest targets toward low/zero carbon buildings. Therefore in this study, three unique glazing products called vacuum tube window, heat insulation solar glass and solar pond window which have recently been developed at the University of Nottingham are introduced, and thermal performance analysis of each glazing technology is done through a comparative experimental investigation for the first time in literature. Standardized co‐heating test methodology is performed, and overall heat transfer coefficient (U‐value) is determined for each glazing product following the tests carried out in a calibrated environmental chamber. The research essentially aims at developing cost‐effective solutions to mitigate energy consumption because of windows. The results indicate that each glazing technology provides very promising U‐values which are incomparable with conventional commercial glazing products. Among the samples tested, the lowest U‐value is obtained from the vacuum tube window by 0.40 W/m²K, which corresponds to five times better thermal insulation ability compared to standard air filled double glazed windows. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of performance and emissions of diesel fuel,rapeseed and soybean oil methyl esters injected at different pressures

Fuel properties of rapeseed oil and soybean oil methyl esters (e.g. density, cetane number and viscosity etc.) are similar to those of the diesel fuel. These methyl esters can be used as diesel engine fuel by mixing withy diesel fuel. In this study a comparison of diesel fuel, the rapeseed oil methyl ester and the soybean oil methyl ester was made from the engine performance and emissions point of view. The tests were carried out with a four-cylinder diesel engine for tree different injection pressures such as 250, 300 and 350 bar with each of these fuels. For the purpose of comparison, tests were also conducted at full load conditions with diesel fuel. As the result, the performance and emission values of rapeseed oil (R) and soybean oil (S) methyl esters were found to be nearly the same with those of diesel fuels (D) when injection pressure was increased to 300 bar.     

Liquefaction/Solubilization of Low-Rank Turkish Coals by White-Rot Fungus (Phanerochaete chrysosporium)

Microbial coal liquefaction/solubilization of three low-rank Turkish coals (Bursa-Kestelek, Kütahya-Seyitömer and Mu?la-Yata?an lignite) was attempted by using a white-rot fungus (Phanerochaete chrysosporium DSM No. 6909); chemical compositions of the products were investigated. The lignite samples were oxidized by nitric acid under moderate conditions and then oxidized samples were placed on the agar medium of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. FTIR spectra of raw lignites, oxidized lignites and liquid products were recorded, and the acetone-soluble fractions of these samples were identified by GC-MS technique. Results show that the fungus affects the nitro and carboxyl/carbonyl groups in oxidized lignite sample, the liquid products obtained by microbial effects are the mixture of water-soluble compounds, and show limited organic solubility.     

Fixed-Bed Pyrolysis of Hazelnut (Corylus Avellana L.) Bagasse: Influence of Pyrolysis Parameters on Product Yields

Fixed-bed slow pyrolysis experiments have been conducted on a sample of hazelnut bagasse to determine particularly the effects of pyrolysis temperature, heating rate, particle size and sweep gas flow rate on the pyrolysis product yields. The temperature of pyrolysis, heating rate, particle size and sweep gas flow rate were varied in the ranges 350–550° C, 10 and 50° C/min, 0.224–1.800 mm and 50–200 cm³/min, respectively. Under the various pyrolysis conditions applied in the experimental studies, the obtained char, liquid, and gas yield values ranged between 26 and 35 wt%, 23 and 34.40 wt%, and 25 and 32 wt%, respectively. The maximum biooil yield of 34.40% was obtained at the final pyrolysis temperature of 500°C, with a heating rate of 10° C/min, particle size range of 0.425–0.600 mm and a sweep gas flow rate of 150 cm³/min.     

Structural Analysis of Pyrolysis Products From Pyrolysis of Hazelnut (Corylus Avellana L.) Bagasse

Fixed-bed pyrolysis biooils of hazelnut (Corylus Avellana L.) bagasse have been identified for their structures. The condensed biooils were analyzed for their properties as fuels and compared with petroleum-derived products. The biooil was analyzed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and ¹H-NMR spectra. The biooils were fractionated into pentane solubles and insolubles. Pentane solubles were then solvent fractionated into pentane, toluene and methanol subfractions by fractionated column chromatograpy. The aliphatic subfractions of the biooils were then analyzed by capillary column gas-liquid chromatography (GC). In addition, the physical properties, higher heating value and elemental analysis of the biooil were determined. The empirical formula of biooil that has a heating value of 34.57 MJ/kg was established as CH_1.45O_0.33N_0.127. Chromatographic and spectroscopic studies on the biooil showed that the oil obtained from hazelnut bagasse could be used as a renewable fuel and chemical feedstock.     

CO2 emissions of Turkish manufacturing industry: A decomposition analysis

In this study, CO₂ emissions of Turkish manufacturing industry are calculated by using the fuel consumption data at ISIC revision 2, four digit level. Study covers 57 industries, for the 1995–2001 period. Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method is used to decompose the changes in the CO₂ emissions of manufacturing industry into five components; changes in activity, activity structure, sectoral energy intensity, sectoral energy mix and emission factors. Mainly, it is found that changes in total industrial activity and energy intensity are the primary factors determining the changes in CO₂ emissions during the study period. It is also indicated that among the fuels used, coal is the main determining factor and among the sectors, 3710 (iron and steel basic industries) is the dirtiest sector dominating the industrial CO₂ emissions in the Turkish manufacturing industry.     

A complementary study on novel PdAuCo catalysts: Synthesis,characterization, direct formic acid fuel cell application,and exergy analysis

At present, Pd containing (10–40 wt%) multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) supported Pd monometallic, Pd:Au bimetallic, and PdAuCo trimetallic catalysts are prepared via NaBH₄ reduction method to examine their formic acid electrooxidation activities and direct formic acid fuel cell performances (DFAFCs) when used as anode catalysts. These catalysts are characterized by advanced analytical techniques as N₂ adsorption and desorption, XRD, SAXS, SEM-EDX, and TEM. Electronic state of Pd changes by the addition of Au and Co. Moreover, formic acid electrooxidation activities of these catalysts measured by CV indicates that particle size changes in wide range play a major role in the formic acid electrochemical oxidation activity, ascribed the strong structure sensitivity of formic acid electrooxidation reaction. PdAuCo (80:10:10)/MWCNT catalyst displays the most significant current density increase. On the other hand, lower CO stripping peak potential obtained for PdAuCo (80:10:10)/MWCNT catalyst, attributed to the awakening of the Pd-adsorbate bond strength down to its optimum value, which favors higher electrochemical activity. DFAFCs performance tests and exergy analysis reveal that fuel cell performances increase with the addition of Au and Co which can be attributed to synergetic effect. Furthermore, temperature strongly influences the performance of formic acid fuel cell.     

Synthesis and characterization of phosphorus-containing methacrylate-based difunctional crosslinkers and their use in UV-curable resin systems

Two new phosphorus-containing methacrylate-based difunctional crosslinking agents [bis(4-(2-methacryloyloxy)ethyl carboxyl)phenyl phosphine oxide (BEPPPO) and bis(4-(2-methacryloyloxy)ethylcarbonylaminophenyl)phenyl phosphine oxide (BUPPPO)], which can be good candidates for UV-curable coating applications, were synthesized by reacting either a phosphorus-containing diisocyanate [bis(4-isocyanatophenyl)phenyl phosphine oxide] or a phosphorus-containing diacid chloride [bis(4-chloroformylphenyl)phenyl phosphine oxide] with hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The structures of the monomers thus obtained were characterized by FTIR, mass, and ¹H-NMR spectroscopies. The contents of the new crosslinking agents in the UV-cured polymeric films were varied between 10 and 30% by weight. Mechanical, physical, and thermal characterizations of the UV-cured films were investigated. An increase in crosslinking agent content caused an increse in mechanical properties. Films containing BUPPPO had higher tensile strength values compared to the films containing BEPPPO. Thermogravimetric analysis of phosphorus-containing crosslinking agents revealed that incorporating phosphorus into the structure resulted in a high char yield up to 24.5% at 600°C. Water absorption values of UV-cured films were also affected by the amount and type of crosslinking agent. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 2575–2585, 1999     

Anaerobic digestion of Aegean olive mill effluents with and without pretreatment

BACKGROUND: Olive oil production is an important economical activity in the Aegean region of Turkey. However, the effluents of the olive oil producing mills with their high organic loads and toxic compounds are causing serious environmental problems. The anaerobic biological treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) using the treatment plants of the regional industries could be a method of choice and within the scope of this study floccular and granular sludges were investigated in batch mode for their success in the treatment of OMWW while producing biogas. The major limitation of this treatment is the inhibition of methanogenic bacteria by the phenolic compounds in OMWW. Thus an integrated solution was suggested in which a pre‐treatment step (dephenolization) was also introduced before biological step. RESULTS: The effluents of 27 olive mills out of 47 were found to have total phenolics (TP) less than 3 g L^?1 and could be treated anaerobically after simple dilution. The biogas production for the untreated OMWW was higher for floccular sludge than for the granular sludge (68.5 mL and 45.7 mL respectively). Combined pre‐treatment experiments, first coagulation with polyaluminum chloride, followed by flocculation with cationic polyelectrolyte and finally Fenton's oxidation, could remove 80% of TP and 95% of the total suspended solids. CONCLUSION: OMWW having TP values less than 3 g L^?1 can be treated anaerobically using floccular sludge after simple dilution and biogas can be produced. For OMWW samples having higher TP values pre‐treatment is necessary and the pre‐treatment given in this study may be used effectively. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry