An experimental evaluation of a residential-sized evaporatively cooled condenser

In this paper, the performance of an innovative evaporatively cooled condenser is compared with that of a conventional air-cooled condenser for a split heat pump system. The system was tested in an environmentally controlled test chamber that was able to simulate test conditions as specified by ASHRAE Standard 116. Tests to optimize refrigerant charge and short tube restrictor size were conducted using refrigerant HCFC-22. The wheel rotation speed of the evaporative condenser was also optimized experimentally to maximize the coefficient of performance. Using these optimum parameters, steady state and cyclic performance tests were conducted. The experimental results showed that the evaporative condenser has a higher capacity than the air-cooled condenser by 1.8 to 8.1%, a higher COP by 11.1 to 21.6%, and a higher SEER by 14.5%.     

Quantitative phase evaluation of converter slags

The slags formed in the LD vessel during the refining process turn out with different chemical compositions, mineralogical structures and physical properties, in dependence on the charging and processing conditions. Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) combined with a data processing method for mineralogical analysis was used to characterize the mineralogical phases in LD slags and moreover to determine their volume fractions. By this method some correlations between the phase contents and the chemical composition of LD slags were established. The diagrams gained from this work have proven to be a valuable aid for understanding the interrelationships between the chemical composition, the mineralogical structure and some physical properties of LD slags.     

Efficiency and effectiveness of promotion systems for electricity generation from renewable energy sources - Lessons from EU countries

Currently, a wide range of strategies is implemented in different countries to increase the share of electricity from renewable energy sources (RES-E). A still controversial discussion is whether quantity-driven (like Tradable Green Certificates (TGCs) based on quotas) or price-driven (like feed-in-tariffs (FIT)) instruments lead to preferable solutions for society. The core objective of this paper is to compare the perspectives of quota-based certificate trading systems for an efficient and effective increase of RES-E with FIT. The major results of this analysis are: (i) The success stories of growth in RES-E in EU member states in recent years has been triggered by FIT implemented in a technology-specific manner at modest costs for European citizens; (ii) At present, TGC systems in most countries applied show a low effectiveness with respect to RES-E deployment of less mature technologies such as solar PV (with improving tendencies in e.g. the UK or Italy with respect to certain technologies); (iii) Compared to short term trading in TGC markets the intrinsic stability of FIT systems appears to be a key element for success; (iv) Hence, currently a well-designed (dynamic) FIT system provides a certain deployment of RES-E in the shortest time and at lowest costs for society.     

A note on stability in three-phase-lag heat conduction

In this note we consider two cases in the theory of the heat conduction models with three-phase-lag. For each one we propose a suitable Lyapunov function. These functions are relevant tools which allow to study several qualitative properties. We obtain conditions on the material parameters to guarantee the exponential stability of solutions. The spectral analysis complements the results and we show that if the conditions obtained to prove the exponential stability are not satisfied, then we can obtain the instability of solutions for suitable domains. We believe that this kind of results is fundamental to clarify the applicability of the models.     

Naßmahlung in Rührwerksmühlen

Wet grinding in agitated ball mills. To ensure certain product qualities it is necessary to have very fine particles or a narrow particle size distribution. For this process agitated ball mill grinding can be used as well as crystallisation and precipitation. Cost effective grinding of very fine products to a narrow particle size distribution requires that the effects of variation of strain intensity, frequency of impacts, residence time distribution, size of grinding media, viscosity of liquid and concentration of feed material should be known. The most important parameters and their effects on the grinding result are demonstrated, as well as explained by a model, and the consequences for the operating conditions of agitated ball mills are presented. By using small grinding media in agitated ball mills the production rate can be increased, or at the same energy level smaller particles can be obtained by grinding or deagglomeration. At high flow rates and a narrow residence time distribution the feed material becomes more homogeneous. These facts require the development of new or modified types of agitated ball mills.     

Room-Temperature Solubility Behavior of Barium Titanate in Aqueous Media

In the present study, the incongruent dissolution of barium from barium titanate (BaTiO₃) has been studied as a function of dispersion pH and powder volume fraction for two different BaTiO₃ powders. In alkaline dispersions, the barium solubility strongly increases as the pH increases, as suggested by thermodynamic considerations. At pH <7, the barium solubility reaches a plateau, the height of which is dependent on the surface area of the powder and the solids loading of the slip. The BaTiO₃ surface is completely depleted of barium in this region.     

Effect of Surface-Active Substances on the Rheological Properties of Silicon Carbide Suspensions in Paraffin

In this paper, the possibility of stabilization of SiC suspensions in paraffin (hot-molding slips) was investigated from the colloid science point of view. By considering the surface properties of finely dispersed silicon carbide, surface-active agents (fatty amine and alkylsuccinimide) which are suitable for surface modification by chemical adsorption on SiC were selected. Adsorption of fatty amines and alkylsuccinimide was carried out in model experiments in chloroform. Increasing the length of the carbon–hydrogen chain caused the adsorption to decrease, and the adsorption area of one molecule in the saturated adsorption layer to increase. The stabilizing effect of surface-active agents resulted in improved flow behavior of hot-molding slips. The efficiency of surface-active agents increased with increased adsorption layer thickness. In highly concentrated SiC hot-molding slips, a combination of alkylsuccinimide and fatty amine proved to be very efficient. This synergistic effect of long- and short-chained surface-active agents is discussed in terms of an adsorption layer model.     

Composition and quality attributes of conventionally and organically farmed Pangasius fillets (Pangasius hypophthalmus) on the German market

A range of conventionally and organically farmed Pangasius or sutchi catfish fillets available on the German market were analysed to compare both composition and quality. Differentiation of Pangasius hypophthalmus from Pangasius bocourti was achieved by RFLP-SSCP analysis. The protein content of conventionally farmed fillets ranged between 13.3 and 15.7%, whereas organically produced fillets had significantly higher protein contents of between 17.0 and 17.4%. No difference in the fat content between farming methods was observed, which varied between 1.4 and 3.2%. Polyunsaturated fatty acids represented about 24% of the total fatty acids with a high level of linoleic acid. The comparison of the proximate composition indicated that water was added to most of the conventionally farmed products, in different amounts, as well as water-binding capacity enhancing additives. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to demonstrate the presence of polyphosphate on muscle proteins. Differences in texture, water-binding capacity and colour are discussed.     

Fabrication of alumina ceramics from powders made by sol–gel type hydrolysis in microemulsions

The engineering aspects of the preparation of nanostructured alumina ceramic precursors by alcoholate hydrolysis using microemulsions as reaction media are investigated here. The precipitate was subjected to several treatment steps. Although the properties of the primary precipitated powders are independent of the chemical or reaction engineering parameters of the precipitation procedure, the structure of treated powders and sintered, dense ceramics strongly depends on thermal and mechanical handling like crystallization or grinding of the alumina ceramic precursor. Strong differences are manifested in relative densities and sintering kinetics and can be observed by SEM analysis.