Correlations for critical fluidization velocity and maximum bed pressure drop for heterogeneous binary mixture of irregular particles in gas–solid tapered fluidized beds

The tapered fluidized bed is a remedial measure for certain drawbacks of the gas–solid system, by the fact that a velocity gradient exists along the axial direction of the bed with increase in cross-sectional area. To study the dynamic characteristics of heterogeneous binary mixture of irregular particles, several experiments have been carried out with varying tapered angles and composition of the mixtures with various particles. The tapered angle of the bed has been found to affect the characteristics of the bed. Models based on dimensional analysis have been proposed to predict the critical fluidization velocity and maximum bed pressure drop for gas–solid tapered fluidized beds. Experimental values of critical fluidization velocity and maximum bed pressure drop compare well with that predicted by the proposed models and the average absolute errors are well within 15%.     

Integration of trigeneration system and thermal storage under demand uncertainties

In a commercial building, a large portion of electricity is usually consumed in air conditioning to control indoor-air temperature and humidity. Energy savings or efficient production in air conditioning system is, therefore, crucial. In recent years, trigeneration systems, which provide electricity, heating and cooling, and thermal storage systems, which temporarily store cooling energy to smooth its production pattern, are attracting more attentions. These systems with different operating principles are usually designed based on nominal or peak loadings. With altering seasonal or day/night cooling demands, the performance and overall economics of the design may deprive.     

Synthesis and characterization of Ni-Mo catalyst using pea pod (Pisum sativum L) as carbon support and its hydrotreating potential for gas oil,Jatropha oil,and their blends

Ni-Mo catalyst was prepared directly on pea pod using boric acid as a surface modifying agent. The BET surface area of the pea pod derived carbon based catalyst was found to be 380 m²/g. The activity of the inventive catalyst was tested in micro down flow reactor for hydrotreating of gas oil, 20% Jatropha oil in gas oil at the temperature range of 330–370°C, 90 bar H₂ pressure and space velocity of 1 h^?1 followed by Jatropha oil at 370°C, and keeping the other process parameters constant. The gas oil hydrotreating activity of the catalyst studied at temperatures below 370°C was found to be lower than that of the commercial alumina- and carbon-supported Ni-Mo catalysts; however, the activity was found to be comparable at 370°C.     

Hydrotreating of Gas Oil,Jatropha Oil,and Their Blends Using a Carbon Supported Cobalt-Molybdenum Catalyst

Hydrotreating of Jatropha oil and Jatropha oil blended gas oil feeds were studied under diesel hydrotreating conditions using Cobalt-Molybdenum catalyst on activated carbon. The experiments were carried out in pilot plant for more than 90 days first with gas oil, followed by 5%, 10%, and 20% Jatropha oil in gas oil and finally with Jatropha oil alone. Deactivation of the catalyst was not observed up to hydrotreating of 20 wt% Jatropha oil in gas oil, but, the reactor pressure shoots up after seven days of running neat Jatropha oil. The liquid products were characterized by GC-MS analysis, distillation, density, sulfur, nitrogen, and Cetane Index.     

Negative Regulation of Innate Immune Signaling by Components of the Button Mushroom Agaricus bisporus

Scope: Mushrooms are valued as an edible and medical resource for millennia. As macrofungi, they possess conserved molecular components recognized by innate immune cells like macrophages, yet unlike pathogenic fungi, they do not trigger the immune system in the same way. That these well-tolerated foods both avoid immuno-surveillance and have positive health benefits, highlights the dearth of information on the interactions of mushroom-derived products with the immune system. Methods and results: Using powders produced from the common white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, it is observed that pre-treatment of mouse and human macrophages with mushroom powders attenuates innate immune signaling triggered by microbial ligands like LPS and  β-glucans, including NFκB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. This effect of mushroom powders is observed at lower doses of TLR ligands, suggesting a model of competitive inhibition whereby mushroom compounds bind and occupy innate immune receptors, precluding activation by microbial stimuli. This effect is preserved following simulated digestion of the powders. Moreover, in vivo delivery of mushroom powders attenuates the development of colitis in a DSS-mouse model. Conclusion: This data highlights an important anti-inflammatory role for powdered A. bisporus mushrooms, which can be further utilized to develop complementary approaches to modulate chronic inflammation and disease.     

Prediction of critical fluidization velocity and maximum bed pressure drop for binary mixture of regular particles in gas–solid tapered fluidized beds

The problems associated with conventional (cylindrical) fluidized beds, viz., fluidization of wider size range of particles, entrainment of particles and limitation of fluidization velocity could be overcome by using tapered fluidized beds. Limited work has been carried out to study the hydrodynamics of single materials with uniform size particles in tapered beds. In the present work, an attempt has been made to study the hydrodynamic characteristics of binary mixtures of homogeneous and heterogeneous regular particles (glass bead and sago) in tapered fluidized beds having different tapered angles. Correlations have been developed for critical fluidization velocity and maximum bed pressure drop for gas–solid tapered fluidized beds for binary mixtures of regular particles. Model predictions were compared with experimental data, which were in good agreement.     

Lithium-polymer battery based on an ionic liquid-polymer electrolyte composite for room temperature applications

A lithium-polymer battery based on an ionic liquid-polymer electrolyte (IL-PE) composite membrane operating at room temperature is described. Utilizing a polypyrrole coated LiV₃O₈ cathode material, the cell delivers >200 mAh g⁻¹ with respect to the mass of the cathode material. Discharge capacity is slightly higher than those observed for this cathode material in standard aprotic electrolytes; it is thought that this is the result of a lower solubility of the LiV₃O₈ material in the IL-PE composite membrane.     

热处理工艺提高Al-17Si-5Cu合金的干滑动耐磨性（英文）

通过等温热处理调整铸态Al-17Si-5Cu (AR)合金中Si (尤其是共晶Si)颗粒的形貌以提高合金的耐磨性能。通过销-盘式摩擦机对比研究热处理后的合金(HT合金)和AR合金的磨损行为,并采用扫描电镜观察磨损表面。结果表明,HT合金的显微组织发生显著变化,相应地,HT合金较AR合金的硬度值增大。与AR合金相比,HF合金在所有载荷下总磨损率明显降低,耐磨性能明显改善。热处理后,共晶Si颗粒由针/棒状变为球形/等轴状(长径比接近1),与基体形成良好结合,在磨损过程中保持完整且更加坚硬,为材料提供良好的耐磨性。另外,HT合金硬度的增加进一步提高合金的耐磨性。因此,完整且较硬的Si颗粒对磨损表面的作用以及材料整体硬度的提高导致HT合金在所有载荷下的磨损行为均优于AR合金。     

Improvement in dry sliding wear resistance of Al-17Si-5Cu alloy after an enhanced heat treatment process

To improve the wear resistance of cast Al-17Si-5Cu alloy (AR alloy), isothermal heat treatment is employed to modify the morphology of Si particles (particularly eutectic Si particles). Furthermore, wear behaviour of heat-treated alloy (HT alloy) along with AR alloy is studied using a pin-on-disc tribometer. Worn surfaces are then characterised using scanning electron microscope. The result reveals considerable microstructural modifications after the heat treatment. Accordingly, higher hardness value in HT alloy is obtained compared with AR alloy. The overall wear rate for HT alloy is found to be significantly lower compared with AR alloy at all the applied loads, indicating remarkable improvement in wear resistance. Eutectic Si particles become from acicular/rod-like to spherical/equiaxed morphology (aspect ratio close to 1) on heat treatment, resulting in good bonding with the matrix. Thus, they remain intact during wear and being harder, providing resistance to wear. Moreover, the increased hardness on heat treatment causes further resistance to wear. Therefore, the combined effect of intact harder Si particles on the wearing surface and higher hardness results in superior wear behavior in HT alloy at all loads compared with AR alloy.     

Structural Insights into Conformation Differences between DNA/TNA and RNA/TNA Chimeric Duplexes

Threose nucleic acid (TNA) is an artificial genetic polymer capable of heredity and evolution, and is studied in the context of RNA chemical etiology. It has a four‐carbon threose backbone in place of the five‐carbon ribose of natural nucleic acids, yet forms stable antiparallel complementary Watson–Crick homoduplexes and heteroduplexes with DNA and RNA. TNA base‐pairs more favorably with RNA than with DNA but the reason is unknown. Here, we employed NMR, ITC, UV, and CD to probe the structural and dynamic properties of heteroduplexes of RNA/TNA and DNA/TNA. The results indicate that TNA templates the structure of heteroduplexes, thereby forcing an A‐like helical geometry. NMR measurement of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for individual base pair opening events reveal unexpected asymmetric “breathing” fluctuations of the DNA/TNA helix. The results suggest that DNA is unable to fully adapt to the conformational constraints of the rigid TNA backbone and that nucleic acid breathing dynamics are determined from both backbone and base contributions.