Rate of ammonia oxidation in a synthetic saline wastewater by a nitrifying mixed‐culture

Most of the kinetic studies on nitrification have been performed in diluted salts medium. In this work, the ammonia oxidation rate (AOR) was determined by respirometry at different ammonia (0.01 and 33.5 mg N‐NH₃ L^?1), nitrite (0–450 mg N‐NO₂^? L^?1) and nitrate (0 and 275 mg N‐NO₃^? L^?1) concentrations in a saline medium at 30 °C and pH 7.5. Sodium azide was used to uncouple the ammonia and nitrite oxidation, so as to measure independently the AOR. It was determined that ammonia causes substrate inhibition and that nitrite and nitrate exhibit product inhibition upon the AOR. The effects of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate were represented by the Andrews equation (maximal ammonia oxidation rate, r_AOMAX, = 43.2 [mg N‐NH₃ (g VSS_AO h)^?1]; half saturation constant, K_SAO, = 0.11 mg N‐NH₃ L^?1; inhibition constant K_IAO, = 7.65 mg N‐NH₃ L^?1), by the non‐competitive inhibition model (inhibition constant, K_INI, = 176 mg N‐NO₂^? L^?1) and by the partially competitive inhibition model (inhibition constant, K_INA, = 3.3 mg N‐NO₃^? L^?1; α factor = 0.24), respectively. The r_AOMAX value is smaller, and the K_SAO value larger, than the values reported in diluted salts medium; the K_IAO value is comparable to those reported. Process simulations with the kinetic model in batch nitrifying reactors showed that the inhibitory effects of nitrite and nitrate are significant for initial ammonia concentrations larger than 100 mg N‐NH₄⁺ L^?1. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

The Effect of Reagents on Ultrafine Iron Ore Vacuum Filtration

Continuous vacuum filters normally carry out the final removal of water from iron ore products. The objective of this investigation is to check the possibility of enhancing the industrial performance of a horizontal belt filter by adding one flocculant and two surfactants to the filtration feed slurry. The mineral sample came from the Iron Quadrangle (State of Minas Gerais, Brazil). X-ray diffraction showed a predominance of hematite and small amounts of quartz and goethite. The filtration tests were performed at laboratory scale using a modified Büchner funnel apparatus, which was connected to a scale/computer system. The results indicated: a) the best filtration condition was achieved near the zero charge condition; b) cake moisture, cake porosity, cake formation time and the specific cake resistance were pronouncedly influenced by the flocculant addition; and c) surfactants tested were not able to significantly reduce the cake moisture.     

Development of a predictive model for polymer/solvent diffusion coefficient calculations

A new calculation procedure for free‐volume parameters is considered in this work by using viscosity prediction methods and the Levenberg‐Marquardt calculation scheme. All parameters used in the Vrentas–Duda free‐volume theory can be estimated from pure component properties. The prediction results are compared with experimental data for some polymer/solvent systems. The diffusion coefficient calculated by Vrentas–Duda theory can be used in the modeling of membrane separation processes. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Link quality estimation in wireless multi-hop networks using Kernel based methods

A new approach for link modelling in wireless multi-hop networks is described for portable devices, based on Kernel Regression Statistics. A non-parametric estimation of errors in the wireless medium provides an efficient and accurate model of link errors between any two nodes. This estimation results from the analysis of the inter-arrival time between any periodically sent packets. The obtained results prove that it is possible to infer on link quality without having unrealistic assumptions or additional overhead, by using Kernel Methods. Moreover, similar performances were achieved for different scenarios, without requiring model recalculations. The presented results show that the proposed link quality estimation can be used in order to improve wireless connectivity and ubiquity in future networks.     

Structure and catalytic activity of highly ordered AlMCM-48 materials with different Si/Al ratios on the degradation of high-density polyethylene

Journal of Porous Materials - Catalysts of AlMCM-48 with different Si/Al molar rations were synthesized by modified hydrothermal method with respect to previous works. As a consequence, the...     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON MIXING: POWER CONSUMPTION AND DEGREE OF SUSPENSION

An experimental study on mixing, degree of suspension and power consumption in solid-liquid suspensions was done. A system similar to those found in anaerobic fermentation processes of animal manures was used, and an existing mixing equipment was adapted for the study. Power consumption and degree of suspension for both mechanical mixing and mixing by gas was determined. The influence of variables such as geometry, solids concentration, stirrer velocity, and gas velocity was studied, discussed, and compared to data from the literature. Best results were obtained for gas mixing, the power consumption being about one fourth of that required by mechanical agitation. Finally, extended correlations relating Power and Reynolds numbers for mechanical mixing and mixing by gas are proposed.     

Effect of different surface treatments on polypropylene composites reinforced with yerba mate fibers: Physical,mechanical, chemical,and morphological properties

This study presents the preparation of post-consumer polypropylene (r-PP) composites filled with 30 wt% yerba mate (YM) stick particles. To improve the fiber–matrix adhesion, three surface treatments were performed: alkaline treatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and use of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) and maleic anhydride graft polypropylene copolymer (PP-g-MA) as coupling agents. Mechanical properties including tensile, flexural, and impact resistance were determined, and chemical (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy [FTIR]), physical (water absorption), and morphological analyses were performed. The main findings show that the treatments were efficient in improving the mechanical properties of the composites, with emphasis on the r-PP/YM30/APTS and r-PP/YM30/PP-g-MA composites, which proved to be superior in tensile, flexion and impact strength and absorption of water compared to the untreated composite. The morphological analysis showed a better interaction between the fiber and the polymeric matrix for the composites with YM/APTS and YM/PP-g-MA, which corroborates the results of tensile and flexural strength, as well as with the spectra of FTIR in which the chemical modification of the fibers is observed. However, the results show that these treatments are promising in obtaining composites with recycled matrix with better properties.