Utilization of pyrolytic oil and hydrogen enriched syngas from single feedstock (delonix regia) through pyrolysis process and its influence on performance and emission characteristics in CI engine

The main objective of the present investigation is to conduct the performance, combustion and emission analysis of CI engine operated using hydrogen enriched syngas (pyrolytic gas) and biodiesel (pyrolytic oil) as dual fuel mode condition. Both the pyrolytic oil and syngas is obtained from single feedstock delonix regia fruit pod through pyrolysis process and then pyrolytic oil is converted into biodiesel through esterification. Initially biomass is subjected to thermal degradation at various pyrolysis temperature ranges like 350–600 °C. During the pyrolysis process syngas, pyrolytic oil and char are produced. The syngas is directly used in the CI engine and pyrolytic oil is converted into biodiesel and then used in the CI engine. The pyrolytic oil and syngas is subjected to FTIR and GC/TCD analysis respectively. The syngas analysis confirms the presence of various gases like H₂, CH₄, CO₂, CO and C₂H₄ in different proportions. The various proportions of the syngas is mainly depending upon the reactor temperature and moisture content in the biomass. The syngas composition varies with increase in the temperature and at 400 °C, higher amount of hydrogen is present and its composition are H₂ 28.2%, CO is 21.9%, CH₄ is 39.1% and other gases in smaller amounts. The biodiesel of B20 and syngas of 8lpm produced from the same feedstock are considered as test sample fuels in the CI engine under dual fuel mode operation to study the performance and emission characteristics. The study reveals that BTE has slight increase than diesel of 1.5% at maximum load. On the another hand emission like CO, HC and smoke are reduced by 15%,25% and 32% respectively at full load condition, whereas NO_x emission is increased at all loads in the range of 10–15%. Therefore B20+syngas of 8lpm can be used as an alternative fuel in CI engine without any modification and major products from pyrolysis process with waste biomass is fully used as fuel in the CI engine.     

Annual and regional variations of aflatoxin B1 levels seen in grains and feed coming from Croatian dairy farms over a 5-year period

The aim of the study was to investigate annual and regional differences in the level of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) in grains and dairy cattle feed. Maize (n = 972), wheat (n = 201), barley (n = 147), oat (n = 136), grain mixtures (n = 168), and dairy cattle feed (n = 325) were sampled from 2009 to 2013 on different farms and in different farm factories situated in four Croatian regions. The samples were analysed for AFB₁ using the validated ELISA immunoassay. AFB₁ was determined in 16.4% of all investigated samples, among which maize was proven to be the most contaminated, with 21.7% of the samples recovered during 2013 harbouring AFB₁ in concentrations over the permissible ones. Levels higher than permitted were observed in 17.9% and 12.3% of grain mixtures and dairy cattle feed, respectively, whereas concentrations of AFB₁ determined in other crops throughout the investigated period met the stipulated requirements. The results revealed the AFB₁ occurrence to be significantly (p < 0.05) dependent on the cultivation region, with the highest levels generally found in maize harvested in 2013 and consequently in grain mixtures and cattle feed that can most likely be associated with climatic conditions as the most critical factor for mould formation, and thus also AFB₁ production.     

Simplified anode architecture for PEMFC systems based on alternative fuel feeding: Experimental characterization and optimization for automotive applications

The need to reduce PEMFC systems cost as well as to increase their durability is crucial for their integration in various applications and especially for transport applications. A new simplified architecture of the anode circuit called Alternating Fuel Feeding (AFF) offers to reduce the development costs. Requiring a new stack concept, it combines the simplicity of Dead-End Anode (DEA) with the operation advantages of the hydrogen recirculation. The three architectures (DEA, recirculation and AFF) are compared in terms of performance on a 5-kW test bench in automotive conditions, through a sensitivity analysis. A gain of 17% on the system efficiency is observed when switching from DEA to AFF. Moreover, similar performances are obtained both for AFF and for recirculation after an accurate optimization of the AFF tuning parameters. Based on DoE data, a gain of 25% on the weight of the anodic line has been identified compared to pulsed ejector architecture and 43% with the classic recirculation architecture with blower only (Miraï).     

An experimental approach towards increasing mechanical durability of extruded fish feed in the drying process

Mechanical durability of extruded fish feed must be optimized to lower economic losses as well as emission of organic matter to aquatic environments. The glass transition hypothesis for viscoelastic biopolymers is demonstrated and confirmed experimentally to be valid for extruded fish feed pellets. It is proposed and demonstrated that it is important to avoid early glass transition onset, to optimize the obtained mechanical durability. From the proposed glass transition hypothesis, immediate process relevance to the pre-drying transport mechanism is demonstrated. Furthermore, measured mechanical durability is found to range from 1.5 to 5.0% loss, for different combinations of drying parameters.     

Maneuverability modeling and trajectory tracking for fish robot

This study develops a 6-DOF mathematical model for a robotic fish that considers surge, sway, heave, roll, pitch, and yaw. The model considers the conditions of a fish swimming in ocean current perturbations similar to the ocean current perturbations of the slender-body autonomous underwater vehicles. For swimming and turning behaviors, a nonlinear, dynamic, carangiform locomotion model is derived by using a planar four-link model. A 2-DOF barycenter mechanism is proposed to provide body stabilization and to serve as an actuating device for active control design. A barycenter control scheme is developed to change the center of gravity of the robot fish body by moving balancing masses along two axes. The projected torque on x and y axes propel pitch and roll angles to the desired settings. A Stabilizing controller, fish-tail mechanism, rigid body dynamics, and kinematics are incorporated to enable the fish robot to move in three dimensional space. Simulation results have demonstrated maneuverability and control system performance of the developed controller which is proposed to conduct path tracking of the robot fish as it swims under current perturbations.     

Kinetic,thermodynamic parameters and in vitro digestion of tannase from Aspergillus tamarii URM 7115

Tannase is an enzyme used in various industries and produced by a large number of microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate tannase production to determine the biochemical, kinetic, and thermodynamic properties and to simulate tannase in vitro digestion. The tannase-producing fungal strain was isolated from “jamun” leaves and identified as Aspergillus tamarii. Temperature at 26°C for 67?h was the best combination for maximum tannase activity (6.35-fold; initial activity in Plackett–Burman design—15.53?U/mL and average final activity in Doehlert design—98.68?U/mL). The crude extract of tannase was optimally active at 40°C, pH 5.5 and 6.5. Moreover, tannase was stimulated by Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺. The half-life at 40°C lasted 247.55?min. The free energy of Gibbs, enthalpy, and entropy, at 40°C, was 81.47, 16.85, and ?0.21?kJ/mol?·?K, respectively. After total digestion, 123.95% of the original activity was retained. Results suggested that tannase from A. tamarii URM 7115 is an enzyme of interest for industrial applications, such as gallic acid production, additive for feed industry, and for beverage manufacturing, due to its catalytic and thermodynamic properties.     

给水管网计算中的数据转换方法

在给水管网计算中,通过建立环-管段矩阵、环-节点矩阵以及输入节点流量、节点坐标等少量数据,通过计算和数据转换,便可求得经济管径、管段设计流量、节点水压值、水厂供水量、管网造价、年费用折算值等。采用该方法进行管网计算,可以减少40%～70%的计算时间。     

给水泵密封水系统对机组真空的影响

介绍了银川热电厂二期工程投运一年以后,多次出现凝汽器真空缓慢下降的现象。在机组系统严密性试验合格的前提下,经多次观察,发现是给水泵密封水系统漏空气造成的。在采取了一些相应措施后,解决了这个问题。     

The determination of the shelf-life of pasteurized and non-pasteurized sardine (Sardina pilchardus) marinades stored at 4 °C

In this study the shelf‐life of sardine marinades was investigated. After the marination process, sardine fillets were packed into glass jars with 2% citric acid, 4% sodium chloride and spices. The effect of pasteurization at 70 °C for 20 min on the shelf‐life of the sardine marinades was determined. At the end of 6 months storage the differences between thiobarbituric acid, free formaldehyde (FA(ex)), free and bound formaldehyde (FA(dest)) and peroxide value of pasteurized and non‐pasteurizated marinades were not significantly (P > 0.05) different, while the difference between total volatile basic nitrogen, trimethylamine, pH, total plate count and lactic acid bacteria count of pasteurized and non‐pasteurized marinades were. The shelf‐life of both pasteurized and non‐pasteurized sardine marinades was found to be 5 months at 4 °C.     

An Experimental Investigation into the Feed Rate Capacity of Rotary Valve and Blow Tank Feeders

Industry widely uses rotary valves and blow tanks for the pneumatic conveying of products, each having their pros and cons depending on the specific application. This article shows the differing results obtained when low-velocity conveying a product through a common pipeline using both a drop-through rotary valve and a bottom-discharge blow tank feeder. A number of issues arise in the rotary valve system, the main one being rotary valve air leakage. A blow tank system, on the other hand, does not leak, as it is an enclosed system. The experimental results show dramatic differences in product throughput. Further exploration leads to a novel modification being made to the rotary valve system in an attempt to increase its capacity. The result of this modification shows a slight increase in output tonnage, but still significantly less than that obtained from the blow tank.