Increased Sediment Loads in Alpine Streams: An Integrated Field Study

The ecological impact of fine sediments is one of the major causes of ecological degradation affecting lotic systems. Interestingly, many studies have investigated the impact of increased sediment loads on specific compartments of the lotic system, but little or no information is available about the overall impact of sedimentation. Aim of this paper was to analyse the influence of fine sedimentation on allochthonous and autochthonous energy inputs and on the structural and functional characteristics of diatom and macroinvertebrate communities. Data were collected in two Alpine streams in NW Italy, one interested by the presence of an intense mining area and the other pristine, used as a control. The two rivers greatly differed in terms of suspended solids and bed load characteristics. From 10 stations, we analysed main physico‐chemical characteristics, fine sediment indicators (using 60 sediment traps), coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) and photosynthetic pigments amounts, taxonomic and functional characteristics of macroinvertebrate communities. We tested several causal models via path analysis. Functional traits seem to better reflect the integrated impact originating from quarries in the river basin than traditional community metrics like total abundance and specific richness. This outcome was enforced through the co‐inertia analysis, which took in consideration also metrics based on diatom communities. Our study yielded quantitative relations between sediment loads induced by quarrying activities and the degree of biological impairment and suggests which metrics are more suitable to assess this specific impact. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lactose hydrolyzed milk powder: Thermodynamic characterization of the drying process

Industrial production of lactose hydrolyzed milk powder (LHMP) remains challenging. Due to the presence of the monosaccharides glucose and galactose, lactose-free powders tend to suffer stickiness, caking, and browning during drying and storage. We sought to find ideal conditions spray dryer inlet air temperature (θ_air,in) and concentrated milk flow rate (m_CM) for LHMP production. We tested θ_air,in settings of 115–160°C and m_CM of 0.3–1.5?kg?·?h^?1, and also applied mass and energetic balances. LHMP generally exhibited higher mass and energetic losses than the control (milk powder containing lactose), as a consequence of the relatively low dryability of LHMP. For a lab scale spray dryer, the ideal conditions settings for LHMP production were θ_air,in?=?145?±?2°C and m_CM?=?1.0?kg?·?h^?1, taking into account the mass yield and energetic cost (kJ?·?kg^?1 of powder) of the process. These ideal conditions are a potential tool for the industrial development of lactose-free dairy powders.     

烯烃催化裂解反应器局部颗粒堆积结构的颗粒解析模拟

烯烃催化裂解固定床工艺中的反应过程对压力敏感,深入研究催化剂堆积颗粒结构中的流动及压力分布对优化固定床结构及操作参数有重要意义。颗粒解析模拟方法广泛用于固定床内堆积结构的模拟,可以准确描述堆积结构中的流体力学行为,但对于复杂堆积结构网格生成困难。采用基于多孔介质模型的浸入边界法(PMM-IBM)结合网格自适应,实现了对固定床堆积结构的颗粒解析模拟,既解决了网格划分困难的问题,又节省了计算资源。采用网格自适应技术后,与均匀网格相比,堆积结构的网格总数减少大约80%。通过与贴体网格法的单颗粒表面受力分析对比,确定了此浸入边界法的关键模拟参数。随后模拟预测了三种床层与颗粒直径比值条件下堆积结构的空隙率及其内部的压力及流动分布。研究表明,堆积结构空隙中的局部轴向速度的最大值可以达到入口速度的10倍以上,轴向平均速度的径向分布与轴向平均空隙率分布一致,均成震荡衰减趋势。除此之外,预测的床层压降与Reichelt经验关联式结果较为吻合。在此基础上,耦合单颗粒内扩散和烯烃裂解的主反应,预测了反应物随孔径和孔隙率的变化,为进一步考虑外流场的变化奠定了方法基础。     

流态化模拟:基于介尺度结构的多尺度CFD

介尺度结构是研究气固流态化多尺度行为的关键。传统的基于平均化处理方式的双流体模拟不能准确描述流化床中的多尺度流动和传递行为。相较而言,基于能量最小多尺度(EMMS)方法的结构多流体模型(SFM)基于局部空间(网格)内的非均匀介尺度结构流动特征,其宏观预测结果与网格分辨率基本无关,因而可以大幅降低模拟计算量。基于SFM模拟得到的流动结构,EMMS多尺度传质模型进一步成功解释了传统传质文献中的数据差异。集成上述模型,形成了一整套模拟流化床流动-传递-反应耦合过程的多尺度计算流体力学(CFD)方法,并将其应用于预测循环流化床中典型的S型轴向分布、揭示噎塞转变的机理以及流化床放大困难的原因。多尺度CFD使工业规模循环床的三维、全系统、动态流动-反应耦合过程的准确模拟成为可能,并为实现从模拟向实时虚拟过程转变的目标打下基础。     

Corrosion behaviour of experimental copper–antimony–molybdenum carbon steels in industrial and marine atmospheres and in a sulphuric acid aqueous solution

Low alloyed carbon steels are used in several applications as in automotive, home appliances and civil industries. Sb-bearing steels have been developed to withstand acid condensation, mainly to exhibit corrosion resistance to sulphuric acid aqueous solutions. This work is aimed at studying the corrosion resistance of three experimental low alloyed carbon steels with additions of copper, antimony and molybdenum using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a sulphuric acid aqueous solution, and field tests in industrial and marine atmospheres. The field tests showed the mass loss of antimony–molybdenum carbon steels was higher compared to that of other steels. The alloyed carbon steels with copper and antimony additions showed the highest atmospheric corrosion resistance evaluated by using field tests in industrial and marine environments. The molybdenum-bearing steels showed the highest corrosion resistance in a sulphuric acid solution, measured by using the EIS.     

Endotracheal tube biofilm and ventilator‐associated pneumonia with mechanical ventilation

Objective: To analyze biofilm on internal and external surfaces of endotracheal tubes after their use in critical care patients, and to produce evidence of association between use of the tube, presence of biofilm, and the occurrence of pneumonia. Methods: This was a clinical study performed at the Intensive Care Unit of an emergency hospital in the interior of São Paulo state, Brazil. Data collection involved 30 endotracheal tubes used on adult patients for a period of ≥48 h of mechanical ventilation for scanning electron microscopy. Results: Analysis of the biofilm on the 30 tubes by scanning electron microscopy showed various abiotic and biotic structures, predominately on the internal surface, such as: fibrin network, erythrocytes, leukocytes, cocci, bacilli, and molds, among others. The intubation period of the endotracheal tube for ≥8 days represented one of the risk factors for ventilator‐associated pneumonia (RR 7.41, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The presence of the endotracheal tube permits microbial colonization, overall contributing to the development of biofilm and the occurrence of pneumonia. Microsc. Res. Tech. 77:305–312, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Short communication: Pasteurization of milk abolishes bovine herpesvirus 4 infectivity

Bovine herpesvirus 4 (BoHV-4) is a gammaherpesvirus highly prevalent in the cattle population that has been isolated from the milk and the serum of healthy infected cows. Several studies reported the sensitivity and the permissiveness of some human cells to BoHV-4 infection. Moreover, our recent study demonstrated that some human cells sensitive but not permissive to BoHV-4 support a persistent infection protecting them from tumor necrosis factor-α-induced apoptosis. Together, these observations suggested that BoHV-4 could represent a danger for public health. To evaluate the risk of human infection by BoHV-4 through milk or serum derivatives, we investigated the resistance of BoHV-4 to the mildest thermal treatments usually applied to these products. The results demonstrated that milk pasteurization and thermal decomplementation of serum abolish BoHV-4 infectivity by inactivation of its property to enter permissive cells. Consequently, our results demonstrate that these treatments drastically reduce the risk of human infection by BoHV-4 through treated milk or serum derivatives.     

Failure analysis of a let-down valve at a petrochemical plant

The causes of recurrent failures of the stem of a cone valve in a 2100 bar internal pressure polymer reactor were analyzed. The valve generates fast but short drops of pressure within the reactor, as the stem is axially moved by a hydraulic control system. Most of the time the valve modulates pressure by positioning the stem at the 10% of its maximal displacement. Cracks in the quenched and tempered DIN 1.2343 valve stems propagated symmetrically from the outside, by alternative bending fatigue. Crack initiation was due to plastic deformation of the stem as supported against the cage, from a combined stress state caused by stem vibrations and fluid pressure. The plastic deformation and the failure mode point to flow induced vibrations on the stem. Modifications in valve design are proposed to diminish flow induced vibration in the stem.     

原料油汽化特性对催化裂化反应结焦过程影响的CFD模拟

为考察原料油汽化特性影响,在一套百万吨级工业FCC提升管中,基于多相欧拉模型耦合EMMS曳力和传质、油滴汽化和十二集总反应动力学模型,采用三维CFD模拟研究气液固三相流动、汽化、反应、结焦的复杂过程,新开发结焦预测模型定量预测结焦状况,对比研究不同原料油雾化液滴粒径和起始汽化温度下各相和反应组分浓度场、温度场分布和结焦程度。结果表明,模拟方法可较准确预测汽化、反应生焦和结焦过程,不同雾化液滴粒径和起始汽化温度通过流场分布和汽化快慢影响液相油滴汽化率和反应转化率;合适液滴粒径(60 μm)和起始汽化温度(654 K)可提升轻油、汽油、液化石油气目标产品收率并改善结焦程度。