Prediction of new optically pumped submillimeter-wave laser lines in deuterated fluoroform

Over 300 new submillimeter-wave laser emission lines are predicted for the ν5band of deuterated fluoroform (CDF3) when isotopic CO2and N2O infrared pump lasers are used. These lines are calculated by using recently derived molecular constants that were determined by fitting known infrared, microwave, and submillimeter-wave transitions in CDF3. The calculated emissions (estimated accuracy generally within ± 1 MHz) should be useful to those with specific wavelength requirements. The molecule provides a rich choice of frequencies at approximately 20 GHz intervals extending from about 40 GHz to beyond 1 THz. This approach eliminates much of the usual trial-and-error technique of finding new submillimeter-wave emission lines.     

Submillimeter-wave emission assignments for 1,1-difluoroethylene

Many of the known submillimeter wave emissions of 1,1-difluoroethylene are assigned by using new data from infrared diode laser heterodyne spectroscopy. Six new submillimeter lines are also reported and assigned.     

Models for organics removal from vinasse from ethanol production

Global ethanol production generates almost 100 billion liters per year of a high-strength liquid waste called vinasse. One sustainable method of treating vinasse using environmental biotechnology is anaerobic digestion, which generates biogas that can be used as a renewable energy resource. Although a number of models have been developed for predicting biogas generation rates, no previous study has modeled liquid organic removal rates for vinasse treatment. The goal of this research was thus to develop models for predicting liquid-phase organic removal rates for anaerobic treatment of vinasse. 6-L laboratory-scale batch reactors were filled with vinasse of six different compositions and operated at three different mesophilic temperatures (30, 35, 40 °C). Biochemical and chemical oxygen demand (BOD and COD) were measured over time using Standard Methods 5210B and 5220C. Based on data collected, multiple linear regression equations (R² = 0.79 and 0.94) were developed to predict first-order rate constants k_BOD and k_COD as functions of temperature and vinasse composition (initial values of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, and sulfur). The first-order models developed require a small number of readily available input parameters. They apply to treatment of vinasse from ethanol produced from corn and milo; future work can test their applicability to ethanol produced from other feedstocks. The models can be used for sizing/design of reactors for anaerobic treatment of vinasse.     

Solar power tower as heat and electricity source for a solid oxide electrolyzer: a case study

High‐temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) consists of the splitting of steam into hydrogen and oxygen at high temperature in solid oxide electrolyzers. Performing the electrolysis process at high temperatures offers the advantage of achieving higher efficiencies as compared to the conventional water electrolysis. Furthermore, this allows the direct use of process heat to generate steam. This paper is related to the FCH JU (Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking) project ADEL (ADvanced ELectrolyser For hydrogen Production with Renewable Energy Sources), which investigates different carbon‐free energy sources to be coupled to the HTSE process. Renewable energy sources are able to provide the high‐temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) process with heat and power. This paper investigates the capability of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technologies to provide the HTSE process with the necessary energy demand. The layout of the plant is shown in the following figure. The design of commercial‐scale high‐temperature steam electrolysis has been carried out. The HTSE plant is coupled to an air cooled solar tower. The configuration and the operating parameters of the solar tower are based on those of the solar tower of Jülich (Germany), which is operated by DLR. This paper presents the results of process analysis performed to evaluate the hydrogen production from a HTSE plant coupled to an 80MWth air solar tower. Additionally, the dynamic behavior of the system during energy fluctuations has been analyzed. The receiver‐to‐hydrogen efficiency (based on the Higher Heating Value of hydrogen) is 26% at a hydrogen production rate of 680 kg/h in steady‐state operation. The overall solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency is calculated to be at 18%. Moreover, the analysis under transient conditions shows that a steady‐state operation of the plant is only possible for 8 h. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sulphur based thermochemical cycles: Development and assessment of key components of the process

HycycleS was a cooperation of nine European partners and further non-European partners and aimed at the qualification and enhancement of materials and components for key steps of solar and nuclear powered thermochemical cycles for hydrogen generation from water. The focus of HycycleS was the decomposition of sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) which is the central step of the sulphur-based family of those processes. Emphasis was put on materials and components for H₂SO₄ evaporation, decomposition, and sulphur dioxide separation. The suitability of materials and components was demonstrated by decomposing H₂SO₄ and separating its decomposition products in scalable prototypes.     

Binding of multidimensional context information as a distinctive characteristic of remember judgments.

This research investigated the cognitive processes underlying remember-know judgments in terms of contextual binding in multidimensional source memory. Stochastic dependence between the retrieval of different context attributes, which formed the empirical criterion of binding, was observed for remembered items but not for known items. Experiment 1 showed that the qualitative difference in the stochastic relation holds even if quantitative source-memory performance is equated for items with remember and know judgments. Experiment 2 generalized the findings to context information from different modalities, and Experiment 3 ruled out a spurious stochastic dependence due to interindividual differences. Supporting recent dual-process models of remember-know judgments, the findings show that remember and know judgments differ with respect to binding processes that correspond to episodic recollection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recent progress towards solar energy integration into low-pressure green ammonia production technologies

Large progress has been made in the last decades to reduce the carbon footprint of ammonia, which is an essential commodity of the food, chemical and energy industry. Apart from alternative routes for green feedstock production, such as hydrogen via electrolysis and nitrogen via solar thermochemical methods, alternatives are explored to replace the Haber-Bosch process. The present article reviews four promising mild condition ammonia production methods: solid state synthesis, molten salt synthesis, thermochemical looping and photocatalytic routes. Contrary to the Haber-Bosch method, which requires high pressures of 200–400 bar, they operate at low-pressures, furthermore such routes open the possibility for direct ammonia production from H₂O and N₂ without the intermediate hydrogen production step. These advantages allow easier renewable energy integration; however, R&D activities are needed for scaling-up. An analysis is given on renewable energy integration with focus on solar resources both in the form of electricity and heat.