Thermal efficiency improvement in high output diesel engines a comparison of a Rankine cycle with turbo-compounding

Thermal management, in particular, heat recovery and utilisation in internal combustion engines result in improved fuel economy, reduced emissions, fast warm up and optimized cylinder head temperatures. turbo-compounding is a heat recovery technique that has been successfully used in medium and large scale engines. Heat recovery to a secondary fluid and expansion is used in large scale engines, such as in power plants in the form of heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) [1]. The present paper presents a thermodynamic analysis of turbo-compounding and heat recovery and utilisation through a fluid power cycle, a technique that is also applicable to medium and small scale engines. In a fluid power cycle, the working fluid is stored in a reservoir and expanded subsequently. The reservoir acts as an energy buffer that improves the overall efficiency, significantly. This paper highlights the relative advantage of exhaust heat secondary power cycles over turbo-compounding with the aid of MATLAB based QSS Toolbox [2] simulation results. Steam has been selected as the working fluid in this work for its superior heat capacity over organic fluids and gases.     

Characterization of n-Type and p-Type ZnS Thin Layers Grown by an Electrochemical Method

Electrodeposition of n-type and p-type thin-film layers of ZnS was carried out using a simple two-electrode system and aqueous solutions of ZnCl₂ and (NH₄)₂S₂O₃ with different Zn²⁺ concentrations. X-ray diffraction measurements show that the ZnS layers deposited from both solutions are amorphous. Optical absorption measurements show low absorbance of the layers with energy bandgap in the range of 3.68 eV to 3.78 eV after postdeposition annealing. Photoelectrochemical cell measurements show that both n-type and p-type ZnS thin layers can be electrodeposited by simply changing the concentrations of the deposition solutions. With higher Zn²⁺ concentration in the bath, n-type ZnS films were deposited, while p-type ZnS films were deposited with lower Zn²⁺ concentration. The estimated resistivity of layers from both solutions using I–V measurements were 3.0 × 10⁴ Ω cm and 2.0 × 10⁴ Ω cm, respectively, for n-ZnS and p-ZnS. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the deposited films consist of particles with good surface coverage of the glass/fluorine-doped tin oxide substrate.     

Design of high-efficiency solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells using coupled dye mixtures

A solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell comprising dye mixtures of [Ru(2,2-bpy-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid)(NCS)₂] and [Ru(4,4′,4″-tricarboxy-2,2;6,2″-terpy)(NCS)₃] on TiO₂ thin film was fabricated. The different optical properties of dyes results in increased photocurrent and incident photon to photocurrent efficiency (IPCE). The multiple dye system showed the short circuit current (I_sc) of 10.2 mA/cm² and a cell efficiency (η) of 2.8 while broadening the spectral sensitivity of the cell. When a single dye is used, I_sc of 6 and 5 mA/cm² and cell efficiency of 1.7 and 1.2 were observed for [Ru(4,4-bis(carboxy)-bpy)₂(NCS)₂] (dye 1) and [Ru(2,2′,2″-(COOH)₃-terpy)(NCS)₃] (dye 2), respectively. Additionally, the resulting IPCE for the solar cell consisting of dye mixture was 50% at wide wavelength range from 530 to 650 nm while for the dye 1, 32% IPCE was observed at 535 nm while for the dye 2, highest IPCE value observed was 20% at 620 nm.     

Space-Code CS-CDMA Systems over MISO Frequency-Selective Rayleigh Fading Channels

We propose a transmit diversity CDMA scheme which is a combination of convolutional spreading (CS) and space-time spreading (STS) over multiple-input single-output (MISO) multipath Rayleigh fading channels. With our scheme, multiuser detection over an MISO multipath channel is transformed to single-user detection over a single-input single-output (SISO) multipath channel as the scheme by Petre et al. Because of its simple configuration, it is immediate to see that our scheme realizes full transmit- and path-diversity for two transmit antennas. We extend the system to four transmit antennas employing quasi-orthogonal construction and show a necessary and sufficient condition for full transmit- and path-diversity to be realized. The proposed scheme requires less hardware complexity and less latency than the one by Petre et al.     

Type of starter culture influences on structural and sensorial properties of low protein fermented gels

Organoleptic properties of skimmed milk fermented gels are progressively demanding to produce optimal quality yogurts. Chr‐Hansen trademark registered cultures were used to produce low‐protein (3.4%) gels to assess the ability to redesign the sensorial and textural properties with the choice of starter culture. Resulting gels were assessed for sensorial, textural, rheological, and microstructural properties and compared with a commercial control (4.5% protein). Mouth thickness, syneresis, firmness, elasticity, and consistency values were lower for polysaccharides‐producing cultures. Such cultures contributed to the higher creaminess and tended to give higher ropiness. Observed differences among microstructures of the gel were minute. Microstructural and rheological data corresponded and reflected the instrumental and sensory interpretations. Strong correlations were observed between sensory and instrumental data. Nonprobiotics cultures resulted in promising overall gel properties compared with probiotic cultures according to the principal component analysis. Yet probiotic cultures resulted in lower syneresis than nonprobiotic cultures. Thus, the choice of bacterial culture modifies the sensorial and textural properties of fermented gel with strong correlations, as a result of altered gel network formation with the production of polysaccharides. Inferior textural and sensorial quality aspects, particularly at low protein levels, have negative impact on consumer demand of low protein yogurts. Thus, we attempted to gain required gel textural and sensorial properties with a choice of starter culture with a low protein level. Resulting gel properties at lowered protein content with different starter cultures are not fully known. The present study compares the effect of probiotic and nonprobiotic starter cultures on gel properties, as gel texture and sensory properties are of great interest and thus not willing to be compromised. In addition, we examined the overall texture profile of studied cultures and correlate with sensory properties. Therefore, reducing protein level in milk and achieving required gel properties with the choice of appropriate starter culture is of great commercial interest as a cost‐cutting strategy to produce low‐cost optimum quality yogurt.     

Effect of a supplement containing trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid on the performance of dairy ewes fed 2 levels of metabolizable protein and at a restricted energy intake

Trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) inhibits milk fat synthesis in dairy ewes, but the effects under varying dietary metabolizable protein (MP) levels when energy-limited diets are fed have not been examined. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the response of lactating dairy ewes to CLA supplementation when fed diets limited in metabolizable energy (ME) and with either a low or high MP content. Twelve multiparous ewes in early lactation were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: a high MP (110% of daily MP requirement) or low MP (93% of daily MP requirement) diet unsupplemented or supplemented with a lipid-encapsulated CLA to provide 2.4 g/d of trans-10,cis-12 CLA, in each of 4 periods of 25 d each in a 4×4 Latin square design. All diets were restricted to supply each ewe with 4.6 Mcal of ME/d (equivalent to 75% of ME requirement). Supplementation with CLA decreased milk fat percentage and yield by 33% and 24%, respectively, and increased milk, milk protein, and lactose yields by 16, 13, and 17%, respectively. Feeding the high MP diet increased the yields of milk, fat, protein, and lactose by 18, 15, 19, and 16%, respectively. Milk fat content of trans-10,cis-12 CLA (g/100g) was 0.09 and <0.01 for the CLA-supplemented and unsupplemented ewes, respectively. Ewes supplemented with CLA had a reduced yield (mmol/d) of fatty acids of C16, although the effect was greatest for C16. Plasma urea concentrations were lowest in ewes supplemented with CLA compared with those unsupplemented (6.5 vs. 7.4 mmol/L, respectively) and receiving low compared with high MP diets (5.6 vs. 8.3 mmol/L, respectively). In conclusion, dairy ewes fed energy-limited diets and supplemented with CLA repartitioned nutrients to increase yields of milk, protein, and lactose, with the response to CLA supplementation and additional MP intake being additive.     

Cold isostatic pressing technique for producing highly efficient flexible dye‐sensitised solar cells on plastic substrates

One of the biggest challenges for making dye‐sensitised solar cells (DSCs) on plastic substrates is the difficulty in making good quality nanoporous TiO₂ films with both good mechanical stability and high electrical conductivity. Cold isostatic pressing (CIP) is a powder compaction technique that applies an isostatic pressure to a powder sample in all directions. It is particularly suitable for making thin films on plastic substrates, including non‐flat surfaces. Cold isostatically pressed nanocrystalline TiO₂ electrodes with excellent mechanical robustness were prepared on indium tin oxide (ITO)‐coated polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrates in the absence of organic binders and without heat treatment. The morphology and the physical properties of the TiO₂ films prepared by the CIP method were found to be very compatible with requirements for flexible DSCs on plastics. This room‐temperature processing technique has led to an important technical breakthrough in producing high efficiency flexible DSCs. Devices fabricated on ITO/PEN films by this method using standard P‐25 TiO₂ films with a Ru‐complex sensitiser yielded a maximum incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency of 72% at the wavelength of 530 nm and showed high conversion efficiencies of 6.3% and 7.4% for incident light intensities of 100 and 15 mW cm⁻², respectively, which are the highest power conversion efficiencies achieved so far for any DSC on a polymer substrate using the widely used, commercially available P‐25 TiO₂ powder. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fully Roll-to-Roll Processed Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells via Precise Control on the Morphology of PbI2∶CsI Layer

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have attracted tremendous attention as a promising alternative candidate for clean energy genera-tion.Many attempts have been made w...     

Composition and properties of bovine milk: A study from dairy farms in northern Sweden; Part II. Effect of monthly variation

This study investigated the influence of monthly variation on the composition and properties of raw farm milk collected as part of a full-scale cheese-making trial in a region in northern Sweden. In our companion paper, the contribution of on-farm factors to the variation in milk quality attributes is described. In total, 42 dairy farms were recruited for the study, and farm milk samples were collected monthly over 1 yr and characterized for quality attributes of importance for cheese making. Principal component analysis suggested that milk samples collected during the outdoor period (June–September) were different from milk samples collected during the indoor period. Despite the interaction with the milking system, the results showed that fat and protein concentrations were lower in milk collected during May through August, and lactose concentration was higher in milk collected during April through July than for the other months. Concentrations of free fatty acids were generally low, with the highest value (0.86 mmol/100 g of fat) observed in February and the lowest (0.70 mmol/100 g of fat) observed in June. Plasmin and plasminogen-derived activities varied with sampling month without a clear seasonal pattern. The pH of farm tank milk ranged from 6.60 to 6.82, with the lowest and highest values in September and February, respectively. The highest somatic cell count was observed in August (201 × 10³ cells/mL) and the lowest in April (143 × 10³ cells/mL). The highest value of gel strength, was recorded in December (88 Pa) and the lowest in July (64 Pa). Rennet coagulation time and gel strength were inversely correlated, with the lowest rennet coagulation time value observed in December. Orthogonal projections to latent structures (OPLS) and discriminant analysis adaptation of OPLS identified casein micelle size and total proteolysis as the milk quality attributes with major responses to sampling month, with smaller casein micelle size and higher total proteolysis associated with the outdoor months. Using discriminant analysis adaptation of OPLS to further investigate causes behind the variation in milk traits revealed that there were factors in addition to feeding on pasture that differed between outdoor and indoor months. Because fresh grass was seldom the primary feed in the region during the outdoor period, grazing was not considered the sole reason for the observed difference between outdoor and indoor periods in raw milk quality attributes.