Towards new indicators for the prediction of solid waste anaerobic digestion properties.

The biochemical composition can be seen as a good indicator of both the biodegradability and the methane potential of a given waste. The work presented here is an attempt to elaborate a typology of wastes and to compare it to the anaerobic degradation characteristics. The first data indicate that there is a link between the ligno-cellulosic content of the waste and the biodegradability. When dealing with application to anaerobic digestion processes, having a tool to predict the ability of the waste to be degraded could be of the greatest interest for preventing failures, estimating biogas production, methane content, or for the management of co-digestion processes.     

An integrated system to remote monitor and control anaerobic wastewater treatment plants through the internet.

The TELEMAC project brings new methodologies from the Information and Science Technologies field to the world of water treatment. TELEMAC offers an advanced remote management system which adapts to most of the anaerobic wastewater treatment plants that do not benefit from a local expert in wastewater treatment. The TELEMAC system takes advantage of new sensors to better monitor the process dynamics and to run automatic controllers that stabilise the treatment plant, meet the depollution requirements and provide a biogas quality suitable for cogeneration. If the automatic system detects a failure which cannot be solved automatically or locally by a technician, then an expert from the TELEMAC Control Centre is contacted via the internet and manages the problem.     

Cationic ring-opening polymerization of hexamethylcyclodisilazane: General aspects and tentative mechanisms

The ring-opening polymerization of hexamethylcyclodisilazane (D_2NMe), initiated by methyl triflate in 1,2-dichloroethane, forms in the first, fast kinetic step both linear polymer and cyclic dimer (D_4NMe). Subsequently a slow depolymerization process occurs leading to exclusively cyclotrisilazane (D_3NMe). On the basis of kinetic measurements carried out using an adiabatic calorimetric technique and complementary experiments, mechanisms of both propagation, cyclization and back-biting reactions are proposed. The influence of the reaction temperature was also studied; it is demonstrated that, at low temperature, polymerization does not lead to cyclic oligomer formation. In such conditions, the polymerization presents a ‘living’ character.     

Magnetization transfer with echo planar imaging

The aim of magnetization transfer is to saturate the protons of the macromolecule pool with a radiofrequency (RF) pulse leading to differences in free water pool signal. Magnetization transfer (MT) contrast is difficult to achieve with the echo planar imaging (EPI) technique, although its short acquisition time would be most beneficial. Indeed, the RF saturation pulses can only be applied once before sampling the whole k-space in a single-short sequence. A possible solution to improve the sensitivity of EPI to magnetization transfer consists in applying a train of several saturation RF pulses before image acquisition. The different parameters of a RF pulse train and their influence on the MT rate have been tested to optimize an EPI clinical sequence. Our experimental procedure makes it possible to obtain a MT map in about 1 second. The technique is evaluated by multiple sclerosis lesion characterization. Supported by grants from the French research ministry and Siemens medical France.     

Enhanced surface-excitonic emission in ZnO/Al(2)O(3) core-shell nanowires

We report the influence of an Al(2)O(3) shell on the photoluminescence emission of ZnO nanowires. At room temperature, the spectrum of the core-shell nanowires shows a strong reduction of the relative intensity of the green defect emission with respect to the near-band-edge emission. At 5?K an increase of the relative intensity of the surface exciton band with respect to the donor-bound exciton emission is observed. Annealing the core-shell nanowires at 500?°C does not increase the green defect luminescence at 5?K. We propose a model explaining the spectral changes.     

Application of Combined Ozone–Hydrogen Peroxide for the Removal of Aromatic Compounds from a Groundwater

Nitro and chlorobenzene compounds, which are widely used in dye industries, have been associated recently with groundwater contamination. Because of their potential toxicity and for taste and odor considerations, three main actions were undertaken to solve the problem. First, to follow the advance of pollution toward the wells, samples were collected automatically and analyzed using GC-MS. Results indicate that o-chloronitrobenzene was the main pollutant in concentrations ranging from 10 to 2000μg/L. Second, to monitor the drinking water quality, an on-line spectrophotometer was used to measure the optical density at 254 nm at the inlet and outlet of the plant. Third, the feasibility of using the O₃/H₂O₉ combination was determined at a 450 L/h pilot plant. Reduction of concentrations of chloronitrobenzenes from 1900 μ/L to less than 20 μg/L could be reached by the application of 8 mg O3/L and 3 mg H2O9/L with a 20-minute contact time. To avoid an eventual bacterial egrowfn in the network due to biodegradability of the oxidation by-products, sand and GAC filtration were tested after oxidation. An evaluation of the costs of these different treatments is also presented.     

Characterization of Natural Water for Potential to Oxidize Organic Pollutants with Ozone

A laboratory study has been designed to investigate the decomposition of ozone in natural water and to determine its potential to produce hydroxyl free radicals for the oxidation of micropollutants during the ozonation process of drinking water. This report describes the first data obtained using a continuous flow reactor capable of observing reactions with relatively short time scales (Q = 34 mL/min; 1.4 < t_c < 27 sec). Rates of ozone decay were studied in fulvic acid solution in the presence, or in the absence of radical scavenger (tert-butyl alcohol) or of promoter of ozone decomposition (formic acid), and a micropollutant of interest (tetrachloroethylene). Also, three natural waters were studied, illustrating that OH radical formation depends on chemical composition of the waters.     

Vacuum Drying of Oak Wood

ABSTRACT

Vacuum drying, j,e drying under absolute gas pressure of about 10? Pa. is an efficient means of reducing the process period and of producing good quality wood. We will examine here continuous vacuum drying where the plank surfaces are kept at a constant temperature, which remains above the boiling point, and moisture flowing to the surface is extracted from the kiln.

We have carried out an experimental study of oak drying under such conditions. The drying rate and moisture content profile of the sample (40 mm thick) are recorded during the whole drying period.

A model of continuous drying is established from general conservation equations with the main approximation that the air is rapidly extracted. The two constitutive equations of the model which describe temperature and water content fields are of a diffusive type and coupled through coefficients. The adequate boundary equation is not a convective one, but expresses a hygroscopic equilibrium between the vapour in the chamber and the wood surface. The mass diffusive coefficient can be adjusted to the drying rates through capillary pressure and bound water diffusion functions. The wood heterogeneity (seasonal growth) is the main factor of discrepancy in these functions. The simulated drying rates correspond with the experimental ones.     

Mathematical Modeling of Theoretical Cryptosporidium Inactivation in Full-Scale Ozonation Reactors

Conditions for theoretical inactivation of Cryptosporidium by ozone could be achieved at full-scale facilities if their design is appropriate. To perform this task correctly the chemical engineer's approach for process design must be applied. This paper discusses the basic equations the estimation of the disinfection efficiency of different ozone reacting systems. Available kinetic data have been integrated in a global model accounting for the hydrodynamics and mass transfer performances of the ozonation reactor. Thus the proposed method allows one to predict Cryptosporidium inactivation level in a given ozonation system. However, if a specified disinfection goal is to be achieved for Cryptosporidium with the developed model it is also possible to choose and optimize the design of the ozone reactor.     

A calibration protocol of a one-dimensional moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) dynamic model for nitrogen removal

This work suggests a procedure to correctly calibrate the parameters of a one-dimensional MBBR dynamic model in nitrification treatment. The study deals with the MBBR configuration with two reactors in series, one for carbon treatment and the other for nitrogen treatment. Because of the influence of the first reactor on the second one, the approach needs a specific calibration strategy. Firstly, a comparison between measured values and simulated ones obtained with default parameters has been carried out. Simulated values of filtered COD, NH(4)-N and dissolved oxygen are underestimated and nitrates are overestimated compared with observed data. Thus, nitrifying rate and oxygen transfer into the biofilm are overvalued. Secondly, a sensitivity analysis was carried out for parameters and for COD fractionation. It revealed three classes of sensitive parameters: physical, diffusional and kinetic. Then a calibration protocol of the MBBR dynamic model was proposed. It was successfully tested on data recorded at a pilot-scale plant and a calibrated set of values was obtained for four parameters: the maximum biofilm thickness, the detachment rate, the maximum autotrophic growth rate and the oxygen transfer rate.