Pyrolysis shaker reactor for the production of biochar

Intermediate pyrolysis reactors are preferred for processes focused on the production of high-quality biochar. The main types are rotary drums, augers, and moving beds agitated with either grates or paddles. These reactors are usually operated in continuous mode, and are designed to provide a pure, homogeneous biochar product by ensuring near plug flow of the reacting particles. There is a need for laboratory reactors that can provide enough biochar for testing in applications such as soil amendment, fillers for concrete or polymers, coke substitution, or pollutant capture. The pyrolysis shaker reactor (PSR) is a new laboratory reactor that is inexpensive, provides good mixing and temperature control, is easy to operate and allows for rapid turnaround between runs. It provides a homogeneous biochar product. Its use was demonstrated with digestate from the anaerobic digestion of food waste. The rapid and thorough testing program made possible with the PSR indicated that this digestate should be pyrolyzed at 250°C to maximize the release of mineral from the biochar to water, and at 400°C to minimize the release of minerals. Its biochar would require post-treatment to be applied as a substitute for activated carbon.     

Needle and needleless electrospinning for nanofibers

A metallic needle is most often used in conventional electrospinning, where a point‐plate electric field with nonuniform distribution is formed in single‐needle electrospinning (SNE). Low flow rate in SNE has restricted the application of electrospinning on an industrial scale. Multiple needles have been introduced to enhance the flow rate. However, multiple needles make the electric field distribution much more complex. To resolve this problem, alternative electrospinning setups with more uniform electric field have to be developed. Flat spinnerets have been demonstrated to replace the needle in SNE setups. The operating diagrams for flat spinneret electrospinning (FSE) were determined and differed significantly from those for SNE. Nanofibers produced by FSE were more uniform than those from SNE. These differences were explained by the differences in electric fields simulated using finite element analysis (FEA). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Reduction of Within-cycle Tension Variations in Warp-knitting

Tension variations within a knitting cycle of compound- and bearded-needle warp-knitting machines are shown to be large. A new tensioning system designed to reduce these tension variations is described. Results show that this tensioning system reduces the peak yarn tension to one-third of what it was with the conventional tensioning system. Various further advantages of the new system are discussed.     

Assessment of human stratum corneum thickness and its barrier properties by in-vivo confocal Raman spectroscopy

IFSCC Magazine , 12 (2009) (1) 9–15
Measurement of water concentration profiles across living human skin by confocal Raman spectroscopy has developed into a powerful tool for a better understanding of distribution and function of water in the epidermis. From the water profile across the epidermis the border between stratum corneum and stratum granulosum can be estimated. This is due to the steep drop in water concentration from the inner to the outer side of the stratum corneum. Water content drops from approximately 70% at the inner stratum corneum to only 30% at the skin surface. This slope of the curve becomes clearly flatter in the stratum granulosum. A second parameter is usually taken from confocal Raman spectroscopy to define the stratum corneum border. This is the content of natural moisturization factor (NMF), which should be present only in the stratum corneum. Located at the depth at which the NMF content levels off and the slope of the water profile curve changes is the stratum corneum border. The goal of this work was to develop stratum corneum thickness detection into a robust and semi-automated measurement relying only on the water profile. Further, the aim was to base the empirical findings of water distribution in the epidermis on a well established theory, Fick's law of diffusion. A mathematical model was developed to fit the water profile curve for a robust and automated detection of the stratum corneum border. In addition, the new model automatically resulted in an accurately determined slope of the water concentration curve in the stratum corneum. This slope, or more exactly the gradient, is one of two parameters directly related to transepidermal water transport across the stratum corneum.
Keywords:  Barrier function, Fick's law, Raman spectroscopy, stratum corneum, transepidermal water loss     

Factors Affected by Machine Settings and Fabric Properties in Knitwear Production. Part I: Seam Shrinkage and Thread Consumption

This paper investigates the combined effects of machine variables and compressional parameters of knitted fabrics on seam shrinkage and thread consumption during chain-stitch sewing. The approach is based on the analysis of energies and the formation of dimensionless groups. It also briefly discusses the factors which affect the dynamic peak, average thread tension and the movements of the pressure bar as an appendix.     

The Objective Assessment of Fabric Pilling. Part I: Methodology

The paper describes the application of laser triangulation to the grading of fabric pilling. Part II goes further to compare the experimental results with the corresponding gradings as assessed by a panel of experts.     

Improvement in the bonding strength of laminated composites by using air‐textured core‐and‐effect glass yarns

Delamination is the most common failure mode in laminated composites due to the reduced strength in the through‐the‐thickness direction. Air‐jet texturing was used to produce bulk and loops in the yarn, which provides more surface contact between the fibers and the resin. The development of core‐and‐effect textured glass yarns and the effect of texturing parameters were presented in the previous article. This article describes the effect of texturing on the mechanical properties including tensile properties, flexure properties, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and fracture toughness (Mode I) of glass laminated composites. The composites of plain and twill weave fabrics were developed from both the textured and nontextured yarns. It was observed that the tensile properties decreased and the flexure properties remained unchanged after texturing. However, significant improvement was observed in ILSS and the Mode I fracture toughness of the composites after texturing. The bulkier, loopy structure of the textured yarn provided more surface contact between the fiber and the resin and significantly improved the bonding strength. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Improving the bonding strength of laminated composites by optimizing fabric composition

Delamination is the most common failure mode in laminated composites due to the weaker strength in the through‐the‐thickness direction. Air‐jet texturing is used to produce bulk and loops in the yarn which provides more contact surface between fibers and resin. The development and characterization of core‐and‐effect textured glass yarns and the effect of texturing on the mechanical properties of laminated composites were presented in previous papers. This article describes the optimization of textured composites by varying the type and combination of constituent yarns for improving the mechanical properties. Composites with combinations of various textured yarns and non‐textured yarns were made. It was observed that the composites made from fabrics having non‐textured yarn in the warp and core‐and‐effect textured yarn in the weft had the best combination of mechanical properties. They maintained the tensile and flexure properties of composites with non‐textured yarns but had significantly higher interlaminar shear strength. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effects of additives and growth environment on preservation and digestibility of wheat silage fed to Holstein heifers

Wheat grown in two separate years under different environmental conditions was fed as silage to investigate effects of additives on forage preservation and digestibility. Direct-cut wheat was harvested in an early head stage of maturity. Wheat was drought stressed in yr 1 and averaged 41.6% DM, and yr 2 averaged 23.0% DM at harvest. Forage was ensiled in 10 900-kg concrete stave silos; 2 per year were assigned to one of five treatments consisting of control, treatment with an enzyme-chemical product, or treatment with one of three different types of lactic acid bacterial inoculants. Each year, during two 12-d periods, forage from five different silos was fed individually for ad libitum intake, separate from concentrate (1.1% of BW) to 15 Holstein heifers (average BW 228 +/- 32 kg). Wheat forage and silage from yr 1 was lower in CP but higher in NDF, ADF, lignin, and starch than that harvested in yr 2. Silage additives decreased DM and NDF recovery in yr 1 and increased DM, NDF, and neutral detergent solubles recovery in yr 2. Additives increased the ratio of lactic to acetic acid and decreased ammonia in silage both years. Additives increased DM and fiber digestibilities of wheat silage-based rations fed to Holstein heifers in yr 2. In vitro digestibility indicated that these improvements were associated with a reduction in the lag phase of forage digestion. The rate of in vitro DM digestibility was positively correlated with silage DM recovery, suggesting an association with nutrient preservation. Wheat preservation and digestibility both were improved by silage additives when wheat was grown under normal environmental conditions, but losses were greater with additives in drought-stressed forage.     

Major advances in extension education programs in dairy production

The dairy industry has seen structural changes in the last 25 yr that have an impact on extension programming. The number of cows in the United States has decreased by 17%, whereas the number of dairy farms has decreased by 74%. The average milk production per cow has increased from 5,394 to 8,599 kg/lactation. Even though there are fewer farms, dairy farm managers are asking for more specific and targeted information. The extension resources available have also decreased during this period. Because of these changes, shifts have taken place in extension programming and staffing. A key change has been a shift to subject matter-targeted programs and workshops. Extension has also incorporated and expanded use of the Internet. Discussion groups, subject matter courses, and searchable databases are examples of Internet use. There will be continuing shifts in the demographics of the US dairy industry that will influence future extension efforts. It is also probable that fewer extension professionals will be available to provide programming due to changes in funding sources at national, state, and local levels. Future shifts in extension programming will be needed to provide the information needs of the industry with a smaller number of extension workers.