Evolution of acid phosphatase activity of honeys from different climates

Acid phosphatase is an enzyme of honey whose values have been related to honey’s fermentation. In this work, we have studied the evolution, throughout thirty months, of acid phosphatase activity on honey samples originating in continental and oceanic areas. We have also researched the influence of induced granulation and pH on acid phosphatase activity evolution. Acid phosphatase activity has been determined by measuring, at 400 nm, 4-nitrophenol formed after the hydrolysis, at acid pH, of 4-nitrophenylphosphate in the presence of acid phosphatase. From the start, acid phosphatase activities have been higher in honeys from oceanic climate. Similar trends of evolution of acid phosphatase activity have been found in both honeys from continental and oceanic climates. In the end of the study, 100% samples showed a decrease of acid phosphatase activity. Induced granulation does not modify the trend of acid phosphatase activity evolution, although this technological process has an influence on the time at which changes within the evolution occurs. pH of samples has demonstrated to have a strong influence on the activity of acid phosphatase, so that the higher the pH, the lower the decrease of acid phosphatase activity. In honeys originated from continental climate area, pH and acid phosphatase activity have been correlated throughout the study.     

Kinetics of fluidised bed melt granulation III: Tracer studies

Previous work (Proceedings of World Congress on Particle Technology, Sydney 2002, 629-636.) has shown that granule breakage occurs during fluidised bed melt granulation (FBMG) and should not be neglected when it comes to addressing granulation kinetics. In the current work, we have developed and verified tracer experiments in FBMG, in an attempt to decouple the influence of granule size and age on breakage kinetics. The tracer data during granulation shows that granule breakage is occurring at a much slower rate than aggregation, while the breakage-only tracer experiments reveal the breakage selection rate to be independent of size at an approximate value of . The observations allow us to deduce that the aggregation rate for smaller granules is actually faster than larger ones during granulation.     

NiZn铁氧体粉料生产中喷雾造粒用料浆的研究

通过控制料浆中粉料的粒度及料浆固含量,制成喷雾颗粒料。研究了在此条件下制成的喷雾颗粒料特性。结果表明:当粉料的粒度(D50,下同)控制在1.5μm时,颗粒料中聚乙烯醇的质量分数可从0.73%增加到1.33%,从而使喷雾颗粒料的粘结性得到加强;当料浆固含量(质量分数)由64.52%增加到68.97%时,喷雾颗粒料的表观密度由1.30g/cm3提高到1.40g/cm3以上。     

An investigation of drum granulation of post-pyrolysis washed biochar

Biochar, unwashed and washed with a solution of Triton and hydrogen peroxide, was wet drum granulated using molasses binder solutions. Unwashed biochar was very hydrophobic and granulation proceeded through forming liquid marbles and layering. Washing reduced the hydrophobicity of the biochar. The effectiveness of the wash depended on the biochar source; it significantly reduced the hydrophobicity of biochar from woodchips and moderately reduced the hydrophobicity of biochar from flower digestate. Therefore, washed biochar from woodchips was granulated using a hydrophilic mechanism, while washed biochar from digestate was granulated according to a combination mechanism of liquid marbles collapsing and then coalescing. The change in granulation mechanism produced stronger and denser granules with higher yields of granules in the 1–4 mm optimal size range. Washing and then granulating biochar created a product that could be further tailored for optimal soil amendment.     

硫磺造粒工艺综述

由于硫磺颗粒具有特性稳定、流动性能优越、无粉尘及无环境污染等明显优势,硫磺造粒已成为液硫处理的方向.介绍了几种国内外常用的硫磺造粒工艺,并分析了其特点,综合考虑技术、经济、生产管理与调度、市场波动和要求、能耗与运行成本等多方面的因素,并结合我国国情,对硫磺造粒工艺路线的选择提出了具体的原则意见和建议.     

Binder liquid distribution during granulation process and its relationship to granule size distribution

The aim of this study is to characterize the impact of binder liquid distribution on granule properties during the wet granulation process. A new parameter, namely the binder liquid transfer coefficient, is used to characterize binder liquid distribution. The relationships between binder liquid distribution coefficient and granule size distribution are discussed. Granules are made of lactose alpha-monohydrate (97.5% w/w, d₅₀ = 31 μm) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (2.5% w/w, d₅₀ = 89 μm) and are manufactured in a Mi-Pro high shear mixer (Pro-C-epT, Belgium). Nigrosine is incorporated as a tracer in the binder liquid in order to detect its distribution in the granules during the process. The results show that the binder liquid is heterogeneously distributed at the beginning of the process whereas it tends to be evenly distributed in the powder during the process. The binder liquid transfer in granule classes obeys a first-order law and the binder liquid transfer coefficient appears to be related to operating conditions: high rotation speed, low liquid flow rate and low liquid viscosity favour the achievement of high liquid transfer coefficient. In addition, the higher the coefficient, the earlier the homogenization and the wider the granule mean diameters. Thus, granule size distribution can be controlled by the binder liquid distribution process. A binder liquid distribution mechanism is proposed, which makes it possible to discuss the influence of the operating parameters on the granule construction process.     

A narrow size distribution on a high shear mixer by applying a flux number approach

High shear granulation is a common technology for particle size enlargement, but generally the product properties are badly affected by the broad size distribution generated in the process. A recently published approach by Michaels et al. [J.N. Michaels, G. Wang, L. Farber, K.P. Hapgood, J.H. Chou, S. Heidel, and G.I. Tardos, 2006, One-dimensional scale-up of high-shear granulators, Paper 243c, World Congress Particle Technology 5, Orlando (FL)] employs low binder solution spray rates and long granulation times, whilst the solids are kept in roping flow, to avoid coarse formation. The present work applies this approach to a two-component binder system with a dry powder gum and water spray as activation agent. Similarities with fluidised bed granulation and coating processes are explored. The work shows that indeed narrow size distributions of fine granules can be achieved with ease. Dimensionless numbers for spray fluxes are useful to identify operating regimes and to steer optimisation efforts. Comparison of flux numbers for different systems shows that they are not useful (yet) for detailed product and process design. Further work on material-specific quantities controlling nucleation and growth, e.g. particle wetting, is recommended.     

Granulation of hydrophobic powders

Granulation of hydrophobic powders is frequently required in the pharmaceutical industry. The structural complexity of new drug molecules mean that is increasingly common for entire classes of drug compounds to be highly hydrophobic. This creates considerable difficulty in understanding, controlling and trouble-shooting these industrial granulation processes.There have been many recent advances in granulation theory. Essential to this theory is that wetting and spreading of the fluid through the powder particles is a prerequisite for good granulation. The possibility of a fine, hydrophobic powder spreading over the surface of the liquid during nucleation has been identified theoretically based on surface chemistry and as a potential nucleation mechanism. Recently, investigation confirmed that nucleation can occur by spreading of the sub-micron particles around the template drop to form a “liquid marble”. The hollow granule structure formed by the “solid-spreading” nucleation mechanism suggests the possibility of using the controlled, open granule structure to manufacture designer structured agglomerates with advantageous properties, including controlled granule structure and size and excellent ideal flow and handling properties. This paper describes single drop solid-spreading nucleation experiments where single fluid droplets are placed onto loosely packed powder beds of hydrophobic powders and the formation of the powder shell observed. Experimental results and observations for some model systems are presented, together with a preliminary framework for liquid marble formation.     

Granulation of activated sludge in a pilot-scale sequencing batch reactor for the treatment of low-strength municipal wastewater

Aerobic granulation of activated sludge was achieved in a pilot-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for the treatment of low-strength municipal wastewater (<200 mg L⁻¹ of COD, chemical oxygen demand). The volume exchange ratio and settling time of an SBR were found to be two key factors in the granulation of activated sludge grown on the low-strength municipal wastewater. After operation of 300 days, the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentration in the SBR reached 9.5 g L⁻¹ and consisted of approximate 85% granular sludge. The average total COD removal efficiency kept at 90% and NH₄⁺-N was almost completely depleted (∼95%) after the formation of aerobic granules. The granules (with a diameter over 0.212 mm) had a diameter ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 mm and had good settling ability with a settling velocity of 18-40 m h⁻¹. Three bacterial morphologies of rod, coccus and filament coexisted in the granules. Mathematical modeling was performed to get insight into this pilot-scale granule-based reactor. The modified IWA activated sludge model No 3 (ASM3) was able to adequately describe the pilot-scale SBR dynamics during its cyclic operation.     

橡胶硫化促进剂N-环己基-2-苯并噻唑次磺酰胺的团粒法造粒技术

采用团粒(聚)法制备了橡胶硫化促进剂N-环己基-2-苯并噻唑次磺酰胺(CBS)粒状产品,确定了团粒造粒工艺的最佳条件,并在此条件下进行了稳定运行实验.结果表明,用脱水后含水率为20%的CBS湿粉料为造粒原料,采用团粒法制备CBS粒状成品的最佳工艺条件:黏结剂乙烯-乙酸乙烯酯共聚物质量分数为CBS干基料的8%、湿粒含水率为34.77%,造粒盘倾角为35～45°、造粒盘转速为65 r/min,黏结剂乳液喷加时间约为10 min,造粒周期为50～60 min,烘箱干燥温度为(55±2) ℃,烘干时间为210 min;在最佳工艺条件下制得的粒状CBS性能均达到指标要求:初熔点不小于96.0 ℃,粒径为2.0～4.5 mm,粒子的平均强度在2.0～8.0 N,加热减量不大于1.00%,灰分不大于0.40%,成粒率超过60%.该粒状CBS能完全取代粉状产品,对橡胶的硫化性能无不良影响.