Greenhouse gas balances of transportation biofuels,electricity and heat generation in Finland—Dealing with the uncertainties

One way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector is to replace fossil fuels by biofuels. However, production of biofuels also generates greenhouse gas emissions. Energy and greenhouse gas balances of transportation biofuels suitable for large-scale production in Finland have been assessed in this paper. In addition, the use of raw materials in electricity and/or heat production has been considered. The overall auxiliary energy input per energy content of fuel in biofuel production was 3–5-fold compared to that of fossil fuels. The results indicated that greenhouse gas emissions from the production and use of barley-based ethanol or biodiesel from turnip rape are very probably higher compared to fossil fuels. Second generation biofuels produced using forestry residues or reed canary grass as raw materials seem to be more favourable in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the use of raw materials in electricity and/or heat production is even more favourable. Significant uncertainties are involved in the results mainly due to the uncertainty of N₂O emissions from fertilisation and emissions from the production of the electricity consumed or replaced.     

Effect of Shot Peening Parameters to Residual Stress Profiles and Barkhausen Noise

The production of gear components includes numerous manufacturing operations which are carried out to ensure proper surface characteristics of components to deal with wear and fatigue. Surface shot peening is one way to increase the compressive residual stresses on the surface and thus ensure better wear and fatigue resistance. An experimental plan for shot peening was conducted to produce samples with varying surface characteristics. Residual stress profile and Barkhausen noise measurements were carried out for the samples. The objective of the study was to evaluate the interactions between the shot peening parameters studied, the residual stress profiles and the Barkhausen noise measurements. A multivariable regression analysis was applied for the task. Some remarkable correlations were found between the shot peening parameters, residual stress profile and Barkhausen noise features. The most important finding was that when the shot peening intensity was high enough, over 0.5 mmA, it dominated the shot peening coverage density parameter and thus no correlations could be gained. On the other hand, if the intensity parameter was lower than the limit of 0.5 mmA, the correlation between residual stress and Barkhausen noise measurements was remarkable. This means that the surface Barkhausen noise measurements could be used for the evaluation of the stress gradient in the shot peening process.     

Comparing double-step and penalty-based semirecursive formulations for hydraulically actuated multibody systems in a monolithic approach

The simulation of mechanical systems often requires modeling of systems of other physical nature, such as hydraulics. In such systems, the numerical stiffness introduced by the hydraulics can become a significant aspect to consider in the modeling, as it can negatively effect to the computational efficiency. The hydraulic system can be described by using the lumped fluid theory. In this approach, a pressure can be integrated from a differential equation in which effective bulk modulus is divided by a volume size. This representation can lead to numerical stiffness as a consequence of which time integration of a hydraulically driven system becomes cumbersome. In this regard, the used multibody formulation plays an important role, as there are many different procedures for the constraint enforcement and different sets of coordinates to choose from. This paper introduces the double-step semirecursive approach and compares it with a penalty-based semirecursive approach in case of coupled multibody and hydraulic dynamics within the monolithic framework. To this end, hydraulically actuated four-bar and quick-return mechanisms are analyzed as case studies. The two approaches are compared in terms of the work cycle, energy balance, constraint violation, and numerical efficiency of the mechanisms. It is concluded that the penalty-based semirecursive approach has a number of advantages compared with the double-step semirecursive approach, which is in accordance with the literature.

     

High strain rate deformation of Mo and Mo-33re by shock loading: Part I. Substructure development

The details of substructure development in Mo and Mo-33Re deformed at ultrahigh strain rates by shock loading have been studied quantitatively with optical, electron optical, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The finite rates of dislocation generation, apparently limited to rates of the order of 10 21 m⁻² s⁻¹, cause shock-induced dislocation densities to decrease at short shock pulse durations for a constant shock pulse amplitude. Similarly, the volume fraction of deformation twins in Mo-33Re also decreases at short pulse durations. Twin thicknesses were found to be 32 nm and 200 nm for Mo-33Re and Mo, respectively, with these thicknesses independent of pulse duration. Measurements of the dislocation loop densities support the concept of loop formation by a dislocation mechanism, rather than through the agglomeration of shock-induced excess point defects.     

On the reaction mechanism of L-lactate oxidase: quantitative structure-activity analysis of the reaction with para-substituted L-mandelates

The rate constants for reduction of the flavoenzyme, L-lactate oxidase, and a mutant (in which alanine 95 is replaced by glycine), by a series of para-substituted mandelates, in both the 2-1H- and 2-2H- forms, have been measured by rapid reaction spectrophotometry. In all cases, significant isotope effects (1H/2H = 3-7) on the rate constants of flavin reduction were found, indicating that flavin reduction is a direct measure of alpha-C-H bond breakage. The rate constants show only a small influence of the electronic characteristics of the substituents, but show a good correlation when combined with some substituent volume parameters. A surprisingly good correlation is found with the molecular mass of the substrate. The results are compatible with any mechanism in which there is little development of charge in the transition state. This could be a transfer of hydride to the flavin N(5) position or a synchronous mechanism in which the alpha-C-H is formally abstracted as a H+ while the resulting charge is simultaneously neutralized by another event.     

Effects of KW-3902, a selective and potent adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, on renal hemodynamics and urine formation in anesthetized dogs

Smyth line (SL) chickens develop a spontaneous, autoimmune, posthatch loss of pigment cells (vitiligo) in regenerating feather tissue. Smyth line vitiligo (SLV) is associated with lymphocyte infiltrations prior to and throughout the development of the disorder. It was the purpose of this study to determine the type, relative amounts, and proportions of pulp-infiltrating lymphocytes at various times throughout the growth of regenerating feathers. Feathers were plucked from 8-week-old chickens with and without SLV. Feather pulp cell suspensions were prepared when the regenerating feathers were 2, 3, 4, and 6 weeks of age. Cells were fluorescently labeled using a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies specific for chicken lymphocytes. Both T and B cells infiltrated the feather pulp of chickens with SLV. T cell levels remained elevated throughout the 6 weeks of feather growth, while B cell levels steadily declined to control levels over the same time. The pulp-infiltrating cells were primarily T cells with an alphabeta T cell receptor expressing the Vbeta1 gene (TCR2+). The ratio between CD4+ and CD8+ cells was 1.42 and 0.75 in 2- and 6-week-old regenerating feathers from chickens with autoimmune SLV, respectively. In non-vitiliginous chickens this ratio was always near 1. These data suggest that TCR2+ T cells play an important role in SLV. CD4+ cells may play a recruiting/activating role, whereas CD8+ cells may have cytotoxic activity specifically directed against melanocytes. Additionally, this is the first report demonstrating the infiltration of B cells into the feather pulp of vitiliginous chickens. These B cells may directly/indirectly contribute to melanocyte destruction in SLV.     

On the cosimulation of multibody systems and hydraulic dynamics

Multibody System Dynamics - The simulation of mechanical devices using multibody system dynamics (MBS) algorithms frequently requires the consideration of their interaction with components of a...     

Effect of ambient conditions on performance and current distribution of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

The performance and current distribution of a free-breathing polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) was studied experimentally in a climate chamber, in which temperature and relative humidity were controlled. The performance was studied by simulating ambient conditions in the temperature range 10 to 40 °C. The current distribution was measured with a segmented current collector. The results indicated that the operating conditions have a significant effect on the performance of the fuel cell. It was observed that a temperature gradient between the fuel cell and air is needed to achieve efficient oxygen transport to the electrode. Furthermore, varying the air humidity resulted in major changes in the mass diffusion overpotential at higher temperatures.     

Structured but not over-structured: Woven active carbon fibre matt catalyst

Catalytic hydrogenation of citral was studied on a Pt on active carbon cloth (ACC) catalyst, with a Pd in ionic liquid on ACC and a commercial Pt on active carbon powder catalysts. The metal was supported on active carbon either by direct impregnation or utilizing the ionic liquid as the intermediate phase on the carbon. The influence on selectivity and activity, of the most important variables, such as temperature and pressure, was investigated in a batch reactor. Four consecutive experiments were carried out with each catalyst. The aim with the reuse of catalysts in the batch reactor was to elucidate eventual catalyst deactivation. The decrease in activity was very notable in the case of traditional impregnated catalysts, whereas the novel SSIL-TM (structured supported ionic liquid-transition metal) or Pd in ionic liquid on active carbon essentially maintained its activity in four consecutive batches. The catalysts were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, N₂ physisorption, and inductively coupled plasma analysis combined with mass spectroscopy. With the Pt on active carbon fibre catalyst, 80–100% selectivity of carbonyl group hydrogenation was achieved at 15% conversion, whereas the Pd in ionic liquid on ACC catalyst displayed an impressive metal efficiency (citral-to-Pd ratio of 156, mol:mol), selectivity (45%) and activity (92% conversion at 140 min) as well as tolerance towards catalyst deactivation. Supported ionic liquids provide a new reaction environment for catalytic transformations.     

Towards children's creative museum engagement and collaborative sense-making

Abstract

In this article, we elucidate a socio-culturally framed approach to supporting children's creative museum engagement. Specifically, we focus on social activities and socio-cultural resources that can act as boundary-permeating objects in mediating children's creative engagement and collaborative sense-making regarding cultural content within, across and beyond the spatio-material context of the museum. We contend that designing and organising children's creative engagement and collaborative sense-making in ways that cultivate boundary-crossing broadens opportunities for engagement and leverages children's creative potential and expansive learning. We build our argument by starting with a theoretical introduction to the design principles that constitute the Kids, Museums, and Technology Programme. We will illuminate the design principles of the programme with empirical examples and consider how the design principles and their situated construction can help us re-imagine museum exhibitions as hybrid, boundary-permeating spaces that afford novel transformative interactions, as well as new roles and identities for both children and museums.