Influence of a lipid phase on steam jet agglomeration of maltodextrin powders

The contribution of an oil phase to the agglomeration mechanisms of food powders was evaluated. Maltodextrin (DE 10), palm oil stearin and two palm oil oleins (up to 25% dry mass) were used as food models. Granulation runs were carried out in a pilot plant steam jet agglomerator. The powders containing oleins were more cohesive than those with stearin and the presence of oil changed the agglomeration mechanisms. The size increase mechanism of pure maltodextrin powder was controlled by surface plasticization and agglomerates with suitable instant properties were obtained. Small amount of oil degenerated drastically the rate of dispersion in water of the powders and their agglomerates but the average size and the mechanical resistance of the agglomerates increased when the oil content of the powders increased. SEM micrographs of agglomerates indicated that higher lipid content in the powders produced compact granules, favoring sinkability but hindering their disintegration. Agglomeration enhanced considerably the flowability of the particles containing oil. The dispersion behavior of the powders with higher lipid content could be correlated with the Hausner Number. A pre-agglomeration step favored the blend of the more cohesive powders producing larger and more resistant agglomerates.     

New Engineered Particles from Spray Dryers: Research Needs in Spray Drying

This article reviews developments in the simulations of spray dryer behavior, including the challenges in modeling the complex flow patterns inside the equipment, which are often highly transient and three-dimensional in nature. There appears to be considerable scope for using CFD simulations for investigating methods to reduce the rates of wall deposition and of thermal degradation for particles by modifying the air flow patterns in the chamber through small changes in the air inlet geometry. Challenges include building particle drying kinetics and reaction processes, as well as agglomeration behavior, into these simulations. The numerical simulations should be valuable supplements to pilot-scale testing, enabling more extensive and accurate optimization to be carried out than hitherto possible. New understanding of reaction processes and materials science, in combination with recent knowledge of the application of CFD to these problems, may enable new engineered powder products to be developed from the one-step spray-drying process.     

Stickiness, Functionality, and Microstructure of Food Powders

Three major aspects of food powder are described and discussed. Stickiness is one issue that can cause production and product handling difficulties. Stickiness has been interpreted in a number of ways and thus measured differently. Functionality of the primary (single) particles or agglomerated powders is of practical interest to the consumers. The desired quality will have to be matched or exceeded by the powder manufacturers. Finally, microstructure provides a key linkage between the production and the functionality. Its formation has impacts on both the stickiness and functionality.     

An investigation of carbon nanotube jet grinding

Since their observation in 1976 and 1991, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have generated much interest due to their properties and potential applications. CNTs are tubular carbon molecules with remarkable mechanical, electrical, chemical and thermal properties, which make them useful in various applications. Industries producing CNTs via the fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition technique face challenges related to the size of CNT bundles. The two main challenges are agglomeration and agglomerate size distribution control. A solution to these challenges involves the use of jet mills to grind the CNT agglomerates. The goal of this study was to determine whether the nanotubes could be ground with air jets using a commercial jet mill and apply a two-parameter model to describe the grinding process. The present study has indicated that air-jet grinding of CNTs is feasible with a typical commercial jet mill. This paper presents the effect of operational parameters on the arithmetic mean diameter of the ground product. Sonic velocity through the grinding nozzles was required to obtain reasonable grinding rates and relatively narrow particle size distributions. This occurs at high air to solids feedrate ratios. Additionally, a simple attrition model can describe the grinding process in the spiral jet mill.     

Characterisation of inter-particle forces within agglomerated metallurgical powders

The strength of agglomerates of nickel flash furnace concentrate and dust was determined from experimental observations of agglomerates forming under controlled conditions, combined with mathematical equations from the literature. It was found that the agglomerates had a tensile strength ranging from 0.01 Pa to 38.7 Pa, while inter-particle forces ranged from 2.2 × 10^− 12 N to 1.5 × 10^− 10 N. These values were compared to the expected magnitude of van der Waals, electrostatic, magnetic and capillary forces within the agglomerates, and it was found that both electrostatic and van der Waals forces are likely to contribute to the cohesion of agglomerates, although sub-micron particles and the presence of sufficiently large asperities on the surface of particles limit the magnitude of van der Waals forces. Magnetic forces are large enough to contribute to the cohesion of dust agglomerates, which is in keeping with the high magnetite content of the recycle dust. It is postulated that electrostatic forces, acting over a longer range than van der Waals forces, may be responsible for initially bringing particles together. The methodology for determining inter-particle forces can be applied to the computer modelling of flash smelting systems, as well as other gas/particle systems such as fluidized beds.     

Parameters determining the agglomeration behavior of anhydrous L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) crystals prepared by drowning out crystallization

Crystallization of L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) by drowning out was performed for the production of the anhydrous form of LOLA. The needle-like LOLA crystals were formed and spherically agglomerated during precipitation in a semibatch crystallizer. The primary crystal size in the agglomerate remains unchanged after completion of the crystallization. Therefore, the agglomeration process of primary crystals played an important role for controlling LOLA crystal size. The agglomeration of LOLA crystals was governed by not only the physico-chemical parameters such as the temperature and feed concentration, but also the hydrodynamic parameters such as agitation speed and feeding rate. The crystal size and the shape have been shown to be important factors in product impurity and flowability. Thus, the optimum condition of LOLA crystallization process by drowning-out could be obtained.     

半监督空间化竞争聚集算法及其在图像分割中的应用

经典竞争聚集( CA)算法在聚类时对于样本中的少量已知信息没有加以利用,但这些信息往往需要应用到整个聚类过程中。此外,在相似度度量函数的选择上CA算法使用常见的欧氏距离,然而欧氏距离仅适用于团状数据,制约了算法的应用范围。针对上述问题,通过引入具备半监督学习能力的半监督项对隶属度矩阵进行增强,利用聚类中心和中心邻近的点组成空间,把样本点与该空间的距离替代欧氏距离作为新的相似度度量标准,并给出判断聚类中心能否合并的阈值参数,最终得到半监督空间化CA算法。通过在人造图像和真实图像上的分割结果表明,该算法能够更准确地获取聚类类别数以及更好的聚类效果。     

Understanding the impact of High Speed Railway on urban innovation performance from the perspective of agglomeration externalities and network externalities

Transportation infrastructure and innovation play an important role in promoting regional economic growth. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the economic agglomeration by increased accessibility, but ignored the important on inter-city economic linkages and the network externalities it generated. Based on the externality perspective, this paper uses the propensity score matching model (PSM-DID) and spatial econometric model to analyze the heterogeneous impact of HSR opening on urban innovation performance and compare the differential effects of agglomeration externalities and network externalities on knowledge spillovers. The empirical results suggest the following: (1) The opening of HSR significantly improves urban innovation performance, but there is significant spatial heterogeneity. (2) The opening of HSR not only promotes the agglomeration of production factors to cities, but also strengthens inter-city economic connections, thus improving urban innovation performance through agglomeration externalities and network externalities. However, compared to agglomeration externalities, network externalities have a superior strength of impact on urban innovation performance. (3) From the dynamic effect perspective, the opening of HSR has a hysteresis effect on urban innovation of 2–3 years, and differences exist between cities.     

镀银纤维含量与分布对织物静电性能的影响

探讨镀银纤维含量及其在织物中的分布对织物静电性能的影响。通过测试和分析不同镀银纤维含量和分布的平纹织物电荷面密度,结果表明:随着镀银纤维含量的增加电荷面密度减小,但其变化趋势会受到间隔嵌织非功能性纱线的影响;非功能性纱线的织入会在织物中形成静电积聚区,织物的静电性能取决于静电积聚区的大小和功能纱线的防静电性能;非功能纱线的织入会恶化由于镀银纤维在纱线中分布的不均匀性造成的织物静电性能的不均匀性;与赛络菲尔纱织物和长丝交织织物相比,短纤混纺织物具有更好的防静电效果。