Structural and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 nanopowders,prepared using a modified Pechini method

Cobalt ferrite nanopowders were synthesized by means of the sol-gel method, using citric acid as a chelating agent, and various alcohols as gelling agent: ethanol (ET), ethylene glycol (EG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), 1,3 propanediol (PD) and a mixture of PVA and EG. The simultaneous TG/DTA analysis revealed different thermal behaviours of the synthesized gels, depending on the gelling agent. The powders obtained at 500 °C and annealed at 700 °C and 1000 °C contain a single CoFe₂O₄ phase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the influence of the gelling agent on the morphology of cobalt ferrite particles. The coercivity and the saturation magnetization of the powders obtained at 500 °C showed a strong dependence on the crystallite size, determined by the nature of the gelling agent.     

A comparative experimental and computational study of methanol, ethanol, and n-butanol flames

Laminar flame speeds and extinction strain rates of premixed methanol, ethanol, and n-butanol flames were determined experimentally in the counterflow configuration at atmospheric pressure and elevated unburned mixture temperatures. Additional measurements were conducted also to determine the laminar flame speeds of their n-alkane/air counterparts, namely methane, ethane, and n-butane in order to compare the effect of alkane and alcohol molecular structures on high-temperature flame kinetics. For both propagation and extinction experiments the flow velocities were determined using the digital particle image velocimetry method. Laminar flame speeds were derived through a non-linear extrapolation approach based on direct numerical simulations of the experiments. Two recently developed detailed kinetics models of n-butanol oxidation were used to simulate the experiments. The experimental results revealed that laminar flame speeds of ethanol/air and n-butanol/air flames are similar to those of their n-alkane/air counterparts, and that methane/air flames have consistently lower laminar flame speeds than methanol/air flames. The laminar flame speeds of methanol/air flames are considerably higher compared to both ethanol/air and n-butanol/air flames under fuel-rich conditions. Numerical simulations of n-butanol/air freely propagating flames, revealed discrepancies between the two kinetic models regarding the consumption pathways of n-butanol and its intermediates.     

The effect of frother blends on the flotation performance of selected PGM bearing ores

Concentrators processing PGM bearing ores make use of polysaccharide depressants to reduce the recovery of the undesired naturally floatable gangue minerals, mainly silicates, present in the ore. Recent work has shown that high depressant dosages can completely depress naturally floatable gangue and thus prevent it from reporting to the concentrate. These high depressant dosages can, however, have a negative effect on the recovery of valuable minerals present in the ore by reducing the stability of the froth. In order to counterbalance the effects of depressant addition, frothers are added. It is, however, preferable to maintain independent control over bubble size and froth stability which is difficult to achieve with only one frother. An alternative strategy is to use a blend of frothers, e.g. a weaker frother in combination with a stronger frother. Such a system allows an additional degree of freedom: changing the ratio of the two frothers provides more independent control of bubble size and froth stability. This study demonstrates through the use of batch flotation tests how blending low molecular weight alcohols with commercially available frothers impacts the solids and water recovery, as well as the valuable mineral recovery and concentrate grade in different PGM ores. Higher water and solids recoveries together with higher valuable mineral recoveries (>90% copper and >70% nickel) were obtained from tests using frother blends.     

Pervaporation for Drying and Dewatering

Dewatering denotes moisture removal from materials and it is a more general term than drying. In dehydration and drying technology, a growing role of modern techniques used either separately or in hybrid solutions is observed. Membrane techniques find many industrial applications in this field. Based on available literature, examples of dehydration on membranes, important from the viewpoint of energy saving, environmental protection, and recoverable energy sources, are presented in this study. Special attention is given to the process of pervaporation as the most modern and promising technique for azeotropic mixture separation to be used in dehydration of solvents, including alcohols, and removal of volatile organic compounds from sewage, concentration of aromas, and separation of multicomponent systems.     

Kinetic Analysis On The Effects Of Dissolved Inorganic And Organic Substances In Raw Water On The Ozonation Of Geosmin And 2–MIB

The kinetics of geosmin and 2–MIB decomposition by ozonation in the presence of dissolved inorganic and organic substances were studied. As a first approximation, the decomposition rate of geosmin and 2–MIB were analyzed as a first–order reaction with respect to their concentration. The first–order rate constants decreased significantly with increase in the concentration of carbonate ion, free chlorine, alcohols and volatile fatty acids. Small amounts of humic acids or fulvic acids, however, enhanced the rate of decomposition. It was also demonstrated that the decomposition rates in natural waters were influenced mainly by the concentrations of carbonate and humic substances.     

Formation of oxygenated compounds from isooctane flames

The formation of three families of oxygenated compounds is studied in the case of isooctane combustion. Stoichiometric, lean and rich conditions are studied at different distances from a flat burner. Nine carbonyl compounds, five alcohols and three organic acids are found in detectable concentrations in the combustion products. These oxygenated compounds are formed very quickly, their concentrations increase or remain constant for about 2-3 mm and then they fall to zero. Generally, in accordance with the results of a spark ignition engine, the oxygenated compounds have a maximum concentration at stoichiometry or under lean conditions. Some combustion products are well correlated, indicating that they are formed in parallel, or one is the precursor of the other.     

Pervaporation for Drying and Dewatering

Dewatering denotes moisture removal from materials and it is a more general term than drying. In dehydration and drying technology, a growing role of modern techniques used either separately or in hybrid solutions is observed. Membrane techniques find many industrial applications in this field. Based on available literature, examples of dehydration on membranes, important from the viewpoint of energy saving, environmental protection, and recoverable energy sources, are presented in this study. Special attention is given to the process of pervaporation as the most modern and promising technique for azeotropic mixture separation to be used in dehydration of solvents, including alcohols, and removal of volatile organic compounds from sewage, concentration of aromas, and separation of multicomponent systems.     

Catalytic combustion of alcohols for microburner applications

The combustion of energy dense liquid fuels in a catalytic micro-combustor, whose temperatures can be used in energy conversion devices, is an attractive alternative to cumbersome batteries. To miniaturize the reactor, an evaporation model was developed to calculate the minimum distance required for complete droplet vaporization. By increasing the ambient temperature from 298 to 350 K, the distance required for complete evaporation of a 6.5 μm droplet decreases from 3.5 to 0.15 cm. A platinum mesh acted as a preliminary measurement and demonstrated 75% conversion of ethanol. We then selected a more active rhodium-coated alumina foam with a larger surface area and attained 100% conversion of ethanol and 95% conversion of 1-butanol under fuel lean conditions. Effluent post-combustion gas analysis showed that varying the equivalence ratio results in three possible modes of operation. A regime of high carbon selectivity for CO₂ occurs at low equivalence ratios and corresponds to complete combustion with a typical temperature of 775 K that is ideal for PbTe thermoelectric energy conversion devices. Conversely for equivalence ratios greater than 1, carbon selectivity for CO₂ decreases as hydrogen, olefin and paraffin production increases. By tuning the equivalence ratio, we have shown that a single device can combust completely for thermoelectric applications, operate as a fuel reformer to produce hydrogen gas for fuel cells or perform as a bio-refinery for paraffin and olefin synthesis.     

Influence of SO<Subscript>2</Subscript> on the evolution of volatile compounds through alcoholic fermentation of must stabilized by pulsed electric fields

The aim of this work was to study the influence of sulphur dioxide (SO₂) on the formation of volatile compounds by yeast through wine alcoholic fermentation. Thus Parellada must was microbiologically stabilized using a pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment and inoculated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Na33 strain. Fermentation was carried out with or without SO₂ and the results showed that the evolution of the volatile compounds profile throughout the process was similar. The content of volatile acids in wine obtained by using sulphur dioxide was not significantly different from that fermented without adding the compound. However, the final content of total alcohols and esters was significantly different even thought the differences were small. Consequently, when grape must is treated by PEF the sulphur dioxide concentration usually used in winemaking could be reduced to safer levels or even eliminated without an important effect on the volatile compounds content of the final product. Therefore, the absence of sulphur dioxide should not have a negative impact on the sensory characteristics of wine.