Studies on slag deposit formation in pulverized coal combustors. 1. Results on the wetting and adherence of synthetic coal ash drops on steel

As part of a study of slag deposit formation in pulverized-coal-fired boilers, apparent contact angles and adhesion strengths of molten mineral drops contacted with cooler oxidized steel substrates have been investigated. High-speed photography indicated that freezing of the interface between the molten drop and metal surface occurred in milliseconds. Adherence occurred between an oxide film on the metal and the drop, adherence was weak on stainless steels, and particles of oxide film were broken away from the substrate when the drops were sheared off. Higher substrate temperatures gave increased adhesion, with a larger area of strong interaction between the oxide and the drop interface and less area of weak interaction. Addition of compounds to lower the liquidus temperature of the drop gave increased adherence. Pyrite drops were converted to mainly pyrrhotite on melting and showed a high degree of wetting and adherence to the oxidized steel even at low temperatures.     

Analysis of pulverized coal particles (10–100 μm) for Fe, S, Ca, Si and Al on a particle-by-particle basis

A computer controlled scanning electron microscope fitted with soft X-ray fluorescence analysed thousands of pulverized coal particles in the size range 10 to 100 μm for amounts of Al, Si, Ca, S and Fe in each of the particles. Two coals were used, namely, subbituminous C, Comanche-Wyoming and subbituminous B, Rosebud-Montana. In pulverized coal combustion Rosebud coal has a bad slagging record not predictable from conventional slagging indices based on the elemental analyses of the total coal ash. The coal particles were placed into one of four groups: little mineral matter; low melting point inorganic composition; high melting point compositions; and large amounts of iron or pyrite. On this basis, Rosebud coal had 47% of its mineral matter in groups likely to cause slagging compared with 12% for Comanche coal, in agreement with the slagging record. It is concluded that although the particle-by-particle analysis technique used here is in a crude state of development, it can give a correct indication of the possible slagging behaviour of a pulverized coal in cases where conventional slagging indices based on the analysis of the total mean coal ash fail to give the correct indication.     

Investigation of Efficiency Deterioration Causes in Process Centrifugal Compressor Operation

The high operating efficiency of centrifugal compressor is a basic requirement to maintain the gas productivity and machine availability. However, there are several factors influencing the stage efficiency in the operating environment leading to a deterioration in the compressor performance in addition to its impact on the mechanical integrity of the internal components. These variables can be classified into three main groups which are suction parameters variation, flow profile distortion, and compressor component damage. The determination of the root cause will help for a proper maintenance plan and to reduce the machine downtime. Hence, this paper will introduce a new approach to identify the inefficient compressor operation causes based on the available operation data. The investigated case is a three-stage gas transport centrifugal compressor driven by 2.9 MW two-shaft gas turbine. The outcomes from the conducted optimisation are compared with the measured discharge parameters and the findings from the internal inspection observation to emphasize the outcomes from the derived approach.     

Concentration and Exposure Assessment of Mercury in Commercial Fish and Other Seafood Marketed in Oman

The results of this study present analytical data of the mercury levels in several fish and shellfish species to create awareness among individuals of the risks associated with consuming fish contaminated with mercury. Mercury concentrations varied from a mean of 0.02 mg/kg in Indian mackerel to 0.19 mg/kg in shark in both fresh and frozen fish, from 0.02 mg/kg in sardines to 0.18 mg/kg in skipjack tuna in canned fish, and from 0.02 mg/kg in Indian mackerel to 0.79 mg/kg in shark in dried fish. Shellfish contained a slightly higher amount of mercury than fresh or frozen fish with a mean of 0.09 mg/kg. Trophic position, followed by habitat, was the most important factors for variability in mercury concentrations in fish and shellfish. The maximum safe weekly intake (MSWI) values of mercury were significantly higher for herbivores than for carnivores. The MSWI value for total mercury in the case of consuming most (72%) fish species was more than 5 kg; however, the MSWI value was never more than 5 kg in most (66%) shellfish species. Risks were identified upon consumption of 120 g of dried shark when exceeding the provisional tolerable weekly intake threshold (1.6 μg/kg) for methylmercury. Therefore, fish‐eating populations should reduce the quantity of dried shark to efficiently diminish the exposure to mercury.     

Survival of bacteria in less than thorough cooked,brine-injected steaks

Bacteria that may include enteric pathogens are introduced into muscle tissues when they are injected with brine. Consequently, steaks of such non-intact, non-comminuted tissues should be cooked to temperatures sufficient to render them microbiologically safe. Studies were conducted to identify the minimum safe temperature for cooking those meats. Suspensions of Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua at numbers about 8 log cfu/ml, in broth or in brines containing 2% or 5% of each of NaCl and sodium tripolyphosphate that were not supplemented or were supplemented with 2% soy protein or 2% emulsified sunflower oil were injected into the centres of 3 cm thick steaks. Groups of four steaks injected with each type of suspension were cooked to temperatures at the centres of 50, 55, 60, 65 or 70 °C. Bacteria were recovered from samples from the centres of steaks, on agars that did or did not allow resuscitation of injured cells of each organism. The results indicated that E. coli but not L. innocua was injured by the brines; that supplementing brines with protein or oil did not protect the organisms from injury or inactivation by heating; and that cooking to a central temperature > 60 ? 65 °C was sufficient to inactivate all bacteria in the meat. The centres of steaks were subsequently injected with 0.1 ml portions of five strain cocktails of E. coli O157:H7 or Listeria monocytogenes in broth containing a dye and the bacteria at numbers >8 log cfu/ml. Steaks were cooked to temperatures of 63, 64 or 65 °C, with holding for 0, 1 or 2 min after cooking before excision of all the dyed tissue from each steak and enumeration of bacteria from the tissue on resuscitating media. The results indicated that cooking to 65 °C without holding would be sufficient to reduce numbers of E. coli O157:H7 or L. monocytogenes in non-intact, non-comminuted steaks by ?7 log units.     

Influence of ion assisted deposition on interface broadening in Fe/Al multilayers investigated by medium energy ion scattering

Trilayers of Al/Fe/Al and Al/Fe multilayers produced by magnetron sputtering both with and without ion assistance have been depth profiled using Auger electron spectroscopy and medium energy ion scattering. Important differences are observed in the layer structure, with ion assisted deposition giving the narrowest Al/Fe interfaces and so maintaining the most clearly defined layer structure. Both types of sputtering result in some oxygen contamination, particularly at the surface that modeling shows to be associated with the Al layers.     

Fatty Acid Profile and Selected Chemical Contaminants in Yellowfin Tuna From the Arabian Sea

Fresh yellowfin tuna (n = 110) collected for a period of one year was analyzed for chemical composition, fatty acids, nutrients, and toxic metals. The mean values of investigated minerals were 892, 2834, 0.81, 6.61, 0.38, 11.0, 0.94, 0.59, 0.71, 0.53, and 0.29 mg kg^–1 for Na, K, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cr, Sr, and V, respectively. Average Cd, Pb and Hg levels were 0.016, 0.029 and 0.137 mg kg^?1, respectively. The average concentrations of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids were 196.56, 84.8, and 218 mg 100g^–1, respectively. Yellowfin tuna contained higher DHA (148.2 mg 100g^–1) than EPA (29.3 mg 100 g^–1). A meal with 100 g of this species provides 48.6 and 71.05% of the required daily level of protein and EPA+DHA, respectively. Yellowfin tuna showed low thrombogenic (0.27) and atherogenic (0.43) potential and the value obtained for h/H index (1.97) indicates that regular intake of yellowfin tuna may bring hypocholesterolemic effect. All contaminants in the studied fish were either undetectable or present at very low levels when compared to the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO), and European Union regulatory standards and yellowfin tuna would be one of the best options for people who frequently consume tuna fish to get sufficient EPA+DHA and essential elements.     

Histamine levels in commercially important fresh and processed fish of Oman with reference to international standards

Histamine was investigated in fresh (378), frozen (441), canned (290) and dried (24) fish samples of scombroid and non-scombroid species of Oman using a high performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector. Of the 1133 fish samples tested, histamine was detected in 551 samples with a detection rate of about 41.8% among fresh fish, 61.0% of frozen fish, 78.9% of canned fish and 91.6% of dried fish samples and the mean histamine levels were 2.6, 5.8, 3.1 and 104 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. A total of 3.7% and 0.79% of the total samples exceeded the FDA and EU regulatory limits for histamine. Imported dried anchovies contained high histamine levels. The study confirms that post catching and commercialisation practices of seafood are adequate, warranting good quality fish and may not cause histamine risk to consumer in terms of human diet. While necessary monitoring may be done for imported dried fish products.     

The Use of Drag Reduction Agent and a Detergent for Drag Reduction in Circulatory Vertical Pipe Flow

This paper describes the results of an experimental study of drag reduction in a circulatory vertical pipe system for both upward and downward flows using a drag reduction agent, corrosion inhibitor, and a cheap detergent (washing-up liquid) with various concentrations for different flow rates.

It was found that the corrosion inhibitor did not produce any drag reduction effect for both upward and downward flows while the drag reduction agent was effective for both flows; whereas, the detergent was effective only for upward flow. A comparison of the effectiveness of the drag reduction agent against the detergent showed that the effectiveness of the drag reduction agent is much higher than that of the detergent. The effect of liquid detergent is only noticeable if a large concentration is used. A 1000-ppm of detergent produces the same results as 25 ppm of drag reduction agent, which undermined the lower cost of the detergent. Over the range of Reynolds numbers tested the maximum drag reduction for upward flow is 35% while for the downward flow is 42%.     

The effects on the microbiological condition of product of carcass dressing, cooling, and portioning processes at a poultry packing plant

The log mean numbers of aerobes, coliforms, Escherichia coli and presumptive staphylococci plus listerias on chicken carcasses and carcass portions at various stages of processing at a poultry packing plant were estimated from the numbers of those bacteria recovered from groups of 25 randomly selected product units. The fractions of listerias in the presumptive staphylococci plus listerias groups of organisms were also estimated. Samples were obtained from carcasses by excising a strip of skin measuring approximately 5 x 2 cm(2) from a randomly selected site on each selected carcass, or by rinsing each selected carcass portion. The log mean numbers of aerobes, coliforms, E. coli and presumptive staphylococci plus listerias on carcasses after scalding at 58 degrees C and plucking were about 4.4, 2.5, 2.2 and 1.4 log cfu/cm(2), respectively. The numbers of bacteria on eviscerated carcasses were similar. After the series of operations for removing the crop, lungs, kidneys and neck, the numbers of aerobes were about 1 log unit less than on eviscerated carcasses, but the numbers of the other bacteria were not substantially reduced. After cooling in water, the numbers of coliforms and E. coli were about 1 log unit less and the numbers of presumptive staphylococci plus listerias were about 0.5 log unit less than the numbers on dressed carcasses, but the numbers of aerobes were not reduced. The numbers of aerobes were 1 log unit more on boneless breasts, and 0.5 log units more on skin-on thighs and breasts that had been tumbled with brine than on cooled carcasses; and presumptive staphylococci plus listerias were 0.5 log unit more on thighs than on cooled carcasses. Otherwise the numbers of bacteria on the product were not substantially affected by processing. Listerias were <20% of the presumptive staphylococci plus listerias group of organisms recovered from product at each point in the process except after breasts were tumbled with brine, when >40% of the organisms were listerias.