The technical and economical feasibility study of offshore wind farms in Turkey

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - A large part of the electricity generation is from imported fossil fuels, which makes Turkey heavily dependent on fossil fuels. For this reason, Turkey...     

Impacts of wind turbines on vegetation and soil cover: a case study of Urla,Cesme, and Karaburun Peninsulas,Turkey

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - The study presents a GIS- and RS-based diagnostic model to determine the changes in the existing vegetation in the Urla, Çeşme, and Karaburun...     

Additive Manufacturing of Engineered Living Materials with Bio-Augmented Mechanical Properties and Resistance to Degradation

Engineered living materials (ELMs) combine living cells with polymeric matrices to yield unique materials with programmable functions. While the cellular platform and the polymer network determine the material properties and applications, there are still gaps in the ability to seamlessly integrate the biotic (cellular) and abiotic (polymer) components into singular materials, then assemble them into devices and machines. Herein, the additive-manufacturing of ELMs wherein bioproduction of metabolites from the encapsulated cells enhanced the properties of the surrounding matrix is demonstrated. First, aqueous resins are developed comprising bovine serum albumin (BSA) and poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) with engineered microbes for vat photopolymerization to create objects with a wide array of 3D form factors. The BSA-PEGDA matrix afforded hydrogels that are mechanically stiff and tough for use in load-bearing applications. Second, the continuous in situ production of l -DOPA, naringenin, and betaxanthins from the engineered cells encapsulated within the BSA-PEGDA matrix is demonstrated. These microbial metabolites bioaugmented the properties of the BSA-PEGDA matrix by enhancing the stiffness (l -DOPA) or resistance to enzymatic degradation (betaxanthin). Finally, the assembly of the 3D printed ELM components into mechanically functional bolts and gears to showcase the potential to create functional ELMs for synthetic living machines is demonstrated.     

Effect of Ti-metal addition on hot-isostatically pressed (HIPed) Synroc-C

Synroc, a candidate nuclear wasteform and Synroc technology, a waste treatment solution utilizing hot-isostatic pressing (HIPing) have significant potential for the immobilisation of challenging nuclear wastes from both current and innovative reactors and fuel cycles. Hot isostatic press (HIP) consolidation is undertaken within sealed metal HIP canisters, where metal buffers (e.g., Ti, Fe and Ni) can be incorporated to control the redox environment within the canister. This study, for the first time, reports the effect of varying Ti-metal addition (0, 2, 4, and 8 wt.%) on phase formation, microstructural characteristics, and wasteform performance for HIP consolidated Synroc-C containing 20 wt.% simulated PUREX type (PW-4b) high level waste. Quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy-EDS analyses were undertaken for analytical investigations. The chemical durability of the samples was assessed using ASTM C1220-21 standard test. Hot-isostatically pressed (HIPed) samples with 0 and 8 wt.% Ti added for redox control produced unfavourable phase formation. However, the HIPed samples with Ti additions of 2 and 4 wt.% as a redox buffer showed the desired phase formation of Synroc-C without any significant change to the partitioning of waste elements among the phases along with compatible durability results, when compared to previous literature for hot uniaxial pressing (HUPed) or sintered materials.     

Electro-oxidation of pistachio processing wastewater using Ti/Pt mesh-type anodes in batch system

In this study, the treatment of pistachio processing wastewater (PPW) by electro-oxidation method was investigated. Ti/Pt-plated electrodes were used for the anode material, and stainless steel electrodes were used for cathode material. Experimental studies were carried out in batch mode. Stirring speed, supporting electrolyte species and concentration, initial pH value, current density, temperature and dilution ratio were selected as experimental parameters effecting removal efficiency. In Ti/Pt electrode experimental studies on the optimum conditions, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC) and total phenols (TP) removal efficiencies were obtained, respectively, as 99.98%, 70.74% and 100%, and energy consumption value was obtained as 297.5 kW-h/m³ (12.39 kW-h/kg COD, 51.29 kW-h/kg TOC and 64.68 kW-h/kg TP). As a result of the experimental studies, the PPW can be treated by electro-oxidation. Given the results of removal efficiency and energy consumption values, it was concluded the electro-oxidation using Ti/Pt anode very appropriate treatment of PPW.