The Potential of Hybrid Mechanistic/Data-Driven Approaches for Reduced Dynamic Modeling: Application to Distillation Columns

Extensive literature has considered reduced, but still highly accurate, nonlinear dynamic process models, particularly for distillation columns. Nevertheless, there is a need for continuing research in this field. Herein, opportunities from the integration of machine learning into existing reduction approaches are discussed. First, key concepts for dynamic model reduction and their limitations are briefly reviewed. Afterwards, promising model structures for reduced hybrid mechanistic/data-driven models are outlined. Finally, crucial future challenges as well as promising research perspectives are presented.     

Transparent Ceramics at 50: Progress Made and Further Prospects

Fifty years have elapsed from the moment the first light transmitting ceramic‐based commercial item—a sodium vapor‐based street lamp component—reached the market. This paper intends to be a brief chronicle (albeit not a chronology) of this first half century of translucent and transparent ceramic history. The main ceramic materials now available in a transparent state are presented and their main applications are described. Applications range from aerospace and relativistic optics to medical care, supermarket shopping, and modern warfare. Light transmitting ceramics usable as laser gain‐media, armor windows, IR domes, phosphors, scintillators, and electro‐optical components have been developed. The principal achievements this research produced are discussed. Processing strategies for full densification have been devised and quantitative relationships were established between different microstructural features such as amount and size distribution of porosity or level of birefringence, and the level of electromagnetic radiation attenuation they cause. Future prospects list ends the paper.     

Ostariophysan Alarm Pheromones: Laboratory and Field Tests of the Functional Significance of Nitrogen Oxides

In laboratory and field-trapping studies, we exposed fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and finescale dace (Chrosomus neogaeus) to hypoxanthine-3-N-oxide and a suite of structurally and functionally similar compounds in order to determine if: (1) hypoxanthine-3-N-oxide functions as a chemical alarm signal in ostariophysan fishes and (2) the purine skeleton, a structural component, or the nitrogen oxide, a functional component, or both act as the molecular trigger in this chemical alarm signaling system. Minnows and dace exhibited significant antipredator responses when exposed to conspecific skin extract or hypoxanthine-3-N-oxide (increased shoaling and decreased area use) and the functionally similar pyridine-N-oxide (increased shoaling) but not to structurally similar molecules lacking a nitrogen oxide functional group or to a swordtail skin extract control. Field-trapping studies revealed similar results. Traps labeled with fathead minnows skin extract, hypoxanthine-3-N-oxide, or pyridine-N-oxide caught significantly fewer fish than did those labeled with distilled water. These data strongly suggest that the nitrogen oxide functional group acts as the chief molecular trigger in the Ostariophysan alarm pheromone system and that, contrary to previous research, hypoxanthine-3-N-oxide may be one of several possible molecules that function as a chemical alarm signal. Here we report the first example of a single functional group capable of eliciting a suite of behavioral responses.     

The effect of high pressure treatment and cryotexturization on odorant mixture binding by corn,sorghum and amaranth starch

The binding extent of odorant mixtures from aqueous suspensions by native, high pressure-treated starches and starch cryotexturizates was studied using capillary gas chromatography. The materials were corn, sorghum and amaranth starches. The native and high pressure-treated (650 MPa/9 min) starches were mixed with odorants and incubated (24 h) at room temperature. To obtain the cryotexturizate-odorant product, starch gels were frozen with odorants (−24 °C), stored (48 h) and thawed. Terpene hydrocarbons were strongly bound from the mixture by all the starches analyzed. The nonpolar molecules of terpene hydrocarbons modified the nature of hydrophobic binding sites in starch which in turn affected binding affinity of alcohols, ketones and phenols to the preparations. The competition effect between odorants for the binding sites was found. The varied ability of starch preparations to bind odorants was also related to the granule morphology and alteration in their structure upon treatment used.     

Towards a hydrogen economy in Romania: Statistics,technical and scientific general aspects

The present work features an analysis of the current state of Romania's current policy in the context of hydrogen economy. The possibilities and limitations concerning the transition towards the hydrogen economy in Romania are discussed taking into account a number of aspects, including: the degree of development of the electric power infrastructure, aspects from petrochemical and agrochemical industry, transport infrastructure, socioeconomic development indicators, activity and dynamics of the scientific community and attitude of central authorities. All these are important aspects that contribute to technology deployment. The article presents both advantages and disadvantages from Romania, provides concrete examples, gives information, makes comparisons and provides recommendations, taking into account national aspects. Key areas of promise for hydrogen technologies in Romania are identified. The paper concludes with recommendations for actions in order to begin the process of transition towards a hydrogen economy.     

Spectroscopic characterization of energy transfer and thermal conditions of the flame kernel in a spark ignition engine fueled with methane and hydrogen

In the context of stringent exhaust gas emission regulations and requirements of increased efficiency, spark ignition (SI) engine research is looking at ever more detailed approaches, that cover a large number of processes. Ignition is one of the determining factors for repeatable combustion and its study is associated with extensive difficulties due to the turbulent nature of fluid motion. In order to provide data on the energy transfer and thermal conditions of the flame kernel in its initial stages, vibrational and rotational temperatures were evaluated using UV emission spectra detected in a SI engine. Stoichiometric operation with methane and hydrogen–methane blends was employed, so as to identify any influence of the fuel's molecular structure on these processes. The consolidated methodology for temperature estimation using the ratio between the emission bands of CN and OH, was implemented considering the effects of collisional broadening. Vibrational temperatures evaluation showed and evolution from 8000 K to 4000 K during the arc and glow phase specific for SI. The evolution of CN emission intensity confirmed its formation only in the initial stages of ignition, for which kernel temperature is high enough. Simulations of chemical equilibrium showed that the evaluation of temperatures based on spectroscopic measurements is in line with the decreasing trend correlated with the electrical current evolution, measured in the secondary circuit.     

Decentralized generation of electricity from biomass with proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Biomass can be applied as the primary source for the production of hydrogen in the future. The biomass is converted in an atmospheric fluidized bed gasification process using steam as the gasifying agent. The producer gas needs further cleaning and processing before the hydrogen can be converted in a fuel cell; it is assumed that the gas cleaning processes are able to meet the requirements for a PEM-FC. The compressed hydrogen is supplied to a hydrogen grid and can be used in small-scale decentralized CHP units. In this study it is assumed that the CHP units are based on low temperature PEM fuel cells. For the evaluation of alternative technologies the whole chain of centralized hydrogen production from biomass up to and including decentralized electricity production in PEM fuel cells is considered.Two models for the production of hydrogen from biomass and three models for the combined production of electricity and heat with PEM fuel cells are built using the computer program Cycle-Tempo. Two different levels of hydrogen purity are considered in this evaluation: 60% and 99.99% pure hydrogen. The purity of the hydrogen affects both the efficiencies of the hydrogen production as well as the PEM-FC systems. The electrical exergy efficiency of the PEM-FC system without additional heat production is calculated to be 27.66% in the case of 60% hydrogen and 29.06% in the case of 99.99% pure hydrogen. The electrical exergy efficiencies of the whole conversion chain appear to be 21.68% and 18.74%, respectively. The high losses during purification of the hydrogen gas result in a higher efficiency for the case with low purity hydrogen. The removal of the last impurities strongly increases the overall exergy losses of the conversion chain.     

Hydrogen underground storage in Romania,potential directions of development,stakeholders and general aspects

Romania is a country with relatively good opportunities to manage the transition from the dependence on fossil energy to an energy industry based on renewable energy sources (RES), supported by hydrogen as an energy carrier. In order to ensure Romania's energy security in the next decades, it will be necessary to consider a fresh approach incorporating a global long-term perspective based on the latest trends in energy systems. The present article focuses on an analysis of the potential use of salt caverns for hydrogen underground storage in Romania. Romanian industry has a long technical and geological tradition in salt exploitation and therefore is believed to have the potential to use the salt structures also in the future for gas and specifically hydrogen underground storage. This paper indicates that more analysis works needs to be undertaken in order to value this potential, based on which macroeconomic decisions then can be taken. The present work examines the structures of today's energy system in Romania and features an analysis of Romania's current potential of hydrogen underground storage as well as, reports on the potential use of this hydrogen in chemical industry, the transport sector and salt industry in Romania and highlighting issues implied by a possible introduction and use of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.     

Determination of lignin in herbaceous plants by an improved acetyl bromide procedure

A modified acetyl bromide procedure is proposed for the spectrophotometric determination of lignin in herbaceous plants. The digestion with 25 % acetyl bromide (AcBr) in acetic acid at 70°C is improved by including 4 % perchloric acid in the digesting solutions. This allows for more rapid, complete digestion and the use of coarser samples. On the basis of infrared spectra and nitrobenzene oxidation data for milled sample lignins, the value of 20.0 g^?1 litre cm^?1 for the specific absorption coeficient of AcBr-treated lignins of herbaceous plant samples gave lignin values which were consistent with nitrobenzene oxidation data, but were higher than those obtained by the acid detergent lignin method and the earlier AcBr method proposed for grasses. The lower lignin values obtained in the latter methods are considered to be due to partial lignin solubilisation in the sulphuric acid digestion.     

Sunil de Silva-A Scientist and a Visionary

The objective of this work was to analyze the behavior of good conducting granules in a newly designed plate-type electrostatic separator. Commercial software was employed for the numerical analysis of the electric field generated by an original electrode configuration. This enabled the evaluation of the electric charge and forces on conducting particles. The trajectory of a single particle was calculated over a set of 1300 points. The simulated results show that the trajectories depend on the applied voltage, the radius, and the mass density of the granules. They were found in good agreement with the experiments carried out on a laboratory electrostatic separator.