Synthetic ammonia produced from fossil fuels is essential for agriculture. However, the emissions-intensive nature of the Haber⁻Bosch process, as well as a depleting supply of these fossil fuels have motivated the production of ammonia using renewable sources of energy. Small-scale, distributed processes may better enable the use of renewables, but also result in a loss of economies of scale, so the high capital cost of the Haber⁻Bosch process may inhibit this paradigm shift. A process that operates at lower pressure and uses absorption rather than condensation to remove ammonia from unreacted nitrogen and hydrogen has been proposed as an alternative. In this work, a dynamic model of this absorbent-enhanced process is proposed and implemented in gPROMS ModelBuilder. This dynamic model is used to determine optimal designs of this process that minimize the 20-year net present cost at small scales of 100 kg/h to 10,000 kg/h when powered by wind energy. The capital cost of this process sca... [more]

Embedded devices are gaining popularity day by day due to the expanded use of Internet of Things applications. However, these embedded devices have limited capabilities concerning power and memory. Thus, the applications need to be tailored in such a way to perform the specified tasks within the constrained resources with the same accuracy. In Real-Time task scheduling, one of the challenging factors is the intelligent modelling of input tasks in such a way that it produces not only logically correct output within the deadline but also consumes minimum CPU power. Algorithms like Rate Monotonic and Earliest Deadline First compute hyper-period of input tasks for periodic repetition of the same set of tasks on CPU. However, at times when the tasks are not adequately modelled, they lead to an enormously high value of hyper-period which result in more CPU cycles and power consumption. Many state-of-the-art solutions are presented in this regard, but the main problem is that they limit tasks... [more]

The myogenic response is a key autoregulatory mechanism in the mammalian kidney. Triggered by blood pressure perturbations, it is well established that the myogenic response is initiated in the renal afferent arteriole and mediated by alterations in muscle tone and vascular diameter that counterbalance hemodynamic perturbations. The entire process involves several subcellular, cellular, and vascular mechanisms whose interactions remain poorly understood. Here, we model and investigate the myogenic response of a multicellular segment of an afferent arteriole. Extending existing work, we focus on providing an accurate—but still computationally tractable—representation of the coupling among the involved levels. For individual muscle cells, we include detailed Ca2+ signaling, transmembrane transport of ions, kinetics of myosin light chain phosphorylation, and contraction mechanics. Intercellular interactions are mediated by gap junctions between muscle or endothelial cells. Additional inte... [more]

A new direction of the 4th industrial revolution in manufacturing and IT industries is presented in this study, wherein the manufacturing sector will be able to survive in this period by achieving rapid and flexible change through effective convergence between both industries. Under such an environment, manufacturing IT requires speedy development and a new distribution form, as well as a new method of IT project development which is adequate for that form. Thus, this study compares and analyzes the waterfall method which is being used in general manufacturing System Integration (SI) projects and the proposed DevOps method, which requires faster distribution and improvement. This study confirms that the required human resources are less than the existing SI projects when system improvement is made using the DevOps method. At the same time, this method provides much-improved quality for the same price. Therefore, future manufacturing IT projects would achieve a faster and more efficient... [more]

The issue of “safe working„ has received increasing concern in recent years worldwide, especially in Europe. Several European countries developed specific strategies to ensure the safety of operators and the awareness on the potential risks that can emerge from a vast set of activities, including field activity in agriculture. Earlier investigations have lately investigated this topic, proposing quali-quantitative analysis applied to specific economic sectors. The present study focused on the working accidents occurred in agriculture over the last 6 years (2012⁻2017) in Italy. By exploring where and when injuries occurred, the socio-demographic profile of involved persons (including age, gender, nationality) and correlating these episodes to agricultural practices, the present paper reveals intrinsic patterns of safe (or unsafe) working conditions at a quite detailed spatial scale (administrative provinces) in Italy. Based on these results, training/educational programs should be plann... [more]

This work presents a mathematical model for the simultaneous optimisation of water and energy usage in hydraulic fracturing using a continuous time scheduling formulation. The recycling/reuse of fracturing water is achieved through the purification of flowback wastewater using thermally driven membrane distillation (MD). A detailed design model for this technology is incorporated within the water network superstructure in order to allow for the simultaneous optimisation of water, operation, capital cost, and energy used. The study also examines the feasibility of utilising the co-produced gas that is traditionally flared as a potential source of energy for MD. The application of the model results in a 22.42% reduction in freshwater consumption and 23.24% savings in the total cost of freshwater. The membrane thermal energy consumption is in the order of 244 × 10³ kJ/m³ of water, which is found to be less than the range of thermal consumption values reported for membrane distillation in... [more]

Recently, the energy demand and supply situation in the Republic of Korea (ROK) has been largely affected by the fluctuations in the energy markets around the world. Such a situation has provided a basis for requiring improvements to power plant facilities. The automatic generator voltage control systems in large-scale power plants are adopting a rapid-response static excitation method to improve the transient stability. A domestic commercially developed large-scale triple-redundant excitation system is currently operated by the 1000 MW-class nuclear power plant and its efficiency has been verified at the same site. However, such a system is too costly for smaller power plants so that a reliable and low-cost redundant digital excitation control system was developed and introduced in this study to resolve the cost problem. The system has improved its stability and reliability at the same time through double (redundant) configuration. Additionally, the system’s performance was put to the... [more]

Biofilms have a profound impact on the environment, human health and industrial systems. In order to manage and control them, it is important to measure their mechanical properties intact. Therefore, it has been proposed to grow the biofilms on the atomic force microscope prior to nanoindentation tests with the same probe. However, for nanoindentation of biofilm grown on spherical indenter itself, the existing nanoindentation models become invalid. Therefore, modified models have been proposed to describe the nanoindentation response of biofilm grown on a sphere based on finite element modelling. It was found that the applicability of the models depends on the biofilm thickness and constitutive mechanical models adopted for biofilms. The models developed here would enable more reliable determination of viscoelastic properties of biofilms that grow intact on the indenter itself.

This paper addresses the issues related to the favorable operating conditions for the small-scale production of synthesis gas from the catalytic partial oxidation of methane over rhodium. Numerical simulations were performed by means of computational fluid dynamics to explore the key factors influencing the yield of synthesis gas. The effect of mixture composition, pressure, preheating temperature, and reactor dimension was evaluated to identify conditions that favor a high yield of synthesis gas. The relative importance of heterogeneous and homogenous reaction pathways in determining the distribution of reaction products was investigated. The results indicated that there is competition between the partial and total oxidation reactions occurring in the system, which is responsible for the distribution of reaction products. The contribution of heterogeneous and homogeneous reaction pathways depends upon process conditions. The temperature and pressure play an important role in determini... [more]

Industrialization of bioreactors has been achieved by applying several core concepts of science and engineering. Modeling has deepened the understanding of biological and physical phenomena. In this paper, the state of existing cell culture models is summarized. A framework for development of dynamic and computationally feasible models that capture the interactions of hydrodynamics and cellular activities is proposed. Operating conditions are described by impeller rotation speed, gas sparging flowrate, and liquid fill level. A set of admissible operating states is defined over discretized process parameters. The burden on a dynamic solver is reduced by assuming hydrodynamics at its fully developed state and implementation of compartmental modeling. A change in the conditions of operation is followed by hydrodynamics switching instantaneously to the steady state that would be reached under new conditions. Finally, coupling the model with optimization solvers leads to improvements in ope... [more]

A plasma-induced ozone colour-fading treatment was used for treating a blue sulphur-dyed knitted cotton fabric. Since the process parameters of plasma-induced ozone colour-fading treatment are inter-related with one other, the final colour-fading results are affected. An orthogonal array testing strategy (OATS) method was used for determining the optimum conditions of the plasma-induced ozone colour-fading treatment in this study. Three process parameters used in the plasma-induced ozone colour-fading treatment, i.e., oxygen gas concentration (%), water content in fabric (%), and treatment time (minutes), were used in the optimization process. Experimental results reveal the optimum conditions for fading the colour by plasma-induced ozone colour-fading treatment are: (1) oxygen gas concentration = 70%; (2) water content in fabric = 35%; and (3) treatment time = 30 min. The order of importance of these parameters is: oxygen gas concentration > water content in fabric > treatment time. I... [more]

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes have been used widely in petroleum refineries. FCC regenerators play important roles for maintaining catalyst activity and supply the reaction heat. The regenerator efficiency is mainly connected to the hydrodynamics of the fluidized bed, because the gas and solid behaviors are very important factors in mass and heat transfer. The void properties, such as chord length, rising velocity, frequency, and fraction, have been determined in a large cold flow model (0.48 m-ID × 6.4 m-high) of the FCC regenerator, which was geometrically scaled down from a commercial FCC unit. The local void chord length, rising velocity, frequency, and fraction exhibit their maximum value along the radial direction of the bed. The cross-sectional mean void chord length, rising velocity, and fraction increase and the cross-sectional mean void frequency decreases with height in the bed. The variation of void properties in the FCC regenerator with turbulent fluidized bed e... [more]

Materials processing is challenging because the final structure and properties often depend on the process conditions as well as the composition. Past research reported in the archival literature provides a valuable source of information for designing a process to optimize material properties. Typically, the issue is not having too much data (i.e., big data), but rather having a limited amount of data that is sparse, relative to a large number of design variables. The full utilization of this information via a structured database can be challenging, because of inconsistent and incorrect reporting of information. Here, we present a classification approach specifically tailored to the task of identifying a promising design region from a literature database. This design region includes all high performing points, as well as some points having poor performance, for the purpose of focusing future experiments. The classification method is demonstrated on two case studies in polymeric materia... [more]

Pervious concrete is a kind of porous and permeable material for pavements and slope protection projects, etc. In this paper, a kind of pervious concrete was prepared with Portland cement, silica fume (SF), polycarboxylate superplasticizer (SP), and limestone aggregates. The performance of concrete, such as its porosity, pore distribution, permeability coefficients, and mechanical properties, were studied through laboratory tests. The volumetric porosity was measured by the water displacement method, and the planar porosity and pore size distribution were determined using image processing technology. A permeameter with a transparent sidewall and an exact sidewall sealing method were used to measure the permeability coefficients accurately. The results show that the segregation index and flow values of pastes increased with the increase of SP and water cement ratio (W/C). The measured porosity (volumetric porosity and planar porosity) of pervious concrete with a single-size aggregate wa... [more]

To solve the technical problem of supporting a water-dripping roadway below contiguous seams at the Tuanbai coal mine, the deformation law of surrounding rocks for the roadway was studied using Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua in Three Dimensions (FLAC3D) numerical simulation. Then, a mechanical model of water-dripping rock using a bolt support was established, and further, technical countermeasures to control the deformation of the roadway with a bolt and cable support are proposed. The results show that the erosion of the water dripping on the roadway was substantial and showed notable changes over time during roadway excavation and mining work. These effects caused the road to heave slightly, but it tended to be stable during roadway excavation. Moreover, the erosion of the roof and two ribs increased exponentially, and the floor heave increased with significant displacement oscillation during mining. The anchoring length of bolts and the rock weakening from water dripping had n... [more]

A dynamic model of a concentrating solar thermal array and thermal energy storage system is presented that is differentiable in the design decision variables: solar aperture area and thermal energy storage capacity. The model takes as input the geographic location of the system of interest and the corresponding discrete hourly solar insolation data, and calculates the annual thermal and economic performance of a particular design. The model is formulated for use in determining optimal hybridization strategies for industrial process heat applications using deterministic gradient-based optimization algorithms. Both convex and nonconvex problem formulations are presented. To demonstrate the practicability of the models, they were applied to four different case studies for three disparate geographic locations in the US. The corresponding optimal design problems were solved to global optimality using deterministic gradient-based optimization algorithms. The model and optimization-based anal... [more]

Fracture grouting has been a mitigation measure widely used against seepage in the Yellow River Embankment. However, there is currently a lack of systematic investigations studying the anti-seepage effect of the fracture grouting employed in this longest river embankment in China. Therefore, in this work, laboratory and in situ experiments are carried out to investigate the reinforcement effect of fracture grouting in the Jinan section of the Yellow River Embankment. In particular, laboratory tests concentrate on studying the optimum strength improvement for cement⁻silicate grout by varying the content of backfilled fly ash and bentonite as admixtures. Mechanical strength and Scanning Electron Microscope photographs are investigated for assessing the strength and compactness improvement. Subsequently, based on the obtained optimum admixtures content, in situ grouting tests are carried out in the Jinan section of the Yellow River Embankment to evaluate the reinforcement and lapping effe... [more]

The naphtha recovery unit (NRU) is an integral part of the processes used in the oil sands industry for bitumen extraction. The principle role of the NRU is to recover naphtha from the tailings for reuse in this process. This process is energy-intensive, and environmental guidelines for naphtha recovery must be met. Steady-state models for the NRU system are developed in this paper using two different approaches. The first approach is a statistical, data-based modelling approach where linear regression models have been developed using Minitab® from plant data collected during a performance test. The second approach involves the development of a first-principles model in Aspen Plus® based on the NRU process flow diagram. A novel refinement to this latter model, called “withdraw and remix„, is proposed based on comparing actual plant data to model predictions around the two units used to separate water and naphtha. The models developed in this paper suggest some interesting ideas for the... [more]

Traditionally used herbal medicines are deep in the consciousness of patients for the treatment of only minor diseases by self-medication. However, manufacturers of herbal medicinal products suffer from major problems such as increasing market pressure by e.g., the food supplement sector, increasing regulations, and costs of production. Moreover, due to more stringent regulation and approval processes, innovation is hardly observed, and the methods used in process development are outdated. Therefore, this study aims to provide an approach based on modern process engineering concepts and including predictive process modelling and simulation for the extraction of traditional herbal medicines as complex extracts. The commonly used solvent-based percolation is critically assessed and compared to the so-called pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) as a new possible alternative to replace organic solvents. In the study a systematic process design for the extraction of hawthorn (Crataegus m... [more]

Considering the issue caused by the tail gas of viscous oil fire flooding, which carries a large amount of jeopardizing liquid, the Liaohe Oilfield No. 56 desulfurization station applies the vertical processing separator as the main dehumidification equipment for moisture elimination. However, the lack of study on the separator’s gas⁻liquid separation mechanism leads to unclear recognition of the equipment’s processing capability, which easily causes the desulfurization tower to water out, and the tail gas gathering network system to get frozen and blocked. To result in a solution to the problems above, numerical simulation software is applied in this paper based on the oil field’s actual operation data to establish a mathematical model for calculation, which may assist in simulating the gas⁻liquid separating process, in analyzing the flow field distribution within the separator, and in studying the dehumidification mechanism in terms of influencing factors and laws of equipment dehumi... [more]

A low-temperature drying with fluidized bed dryer (FBD) for wheat germ (WG) stabilization could prevent the loss of nutrients during processing. However, both evaporation and condensation behaviors occurred in sequence during FBD drying of WG. The objective of this study was to develop a theoretical thin-layer model coupling with the macro-heat transfer model and the bubble model for simulating both the dehydration and condensation behaviors of WG during low-temperature drying in the FBD. The experimental data were also collected for the model modification. Changes in the moisture content of WG, the air temperature of FBD chamber, and the temperature of WG during drying with different heating approaches were significantly different. The thermal input of WG drying with short heating time approach was one-third of that of WG drying with a traditional heating approach. The mathematical model developed in this study could predict the changes of the moisture content of WG and provide a good... [more]

Grinding is a staple size-reduction process to produce food powders in which the powdered form is chemically and microbiologically stable and convenient to use as end products or intermediate products. The moisture content of food materials before grinding is a particularly important factor, since it determines the materials’ physical properties and the powder properties, such as flowability after grinding. Generally, the moisture content of food materials is closely related to its energy requirement for grinding, because the energy expenditure required to create new surfaces varies. Grinding models used to analyze and predict the grinding characteristics, including energy, have been developed in many studies. The moisture content also influences powder flow properties. The inter-particle liquid bridges among the particles are due to the moisture in powders; therefore, the flowability of powders is interrupted because of the increase of the cohesiveness of the powder. Understanding the... [more]

NaA zeolite membrane is an ideal hydrophilic candidate for organic dehydrations; however, its instability in salt solutions limits its application in industries as the membrane intactness was greatly affected due to the replacement of cation ions. In order to explore the relationship between the structural variation and the cation types, the obtained NaA zeolite membranes were treated by various monovalent and divalent cations like Ag⁺, K⁺, Li⁺, NH₄⁺, Zn2+, Mg2+, Ba2+ and Ca2+. The obtained membranes were subsequently characterized by contact angle, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pervaporation (PV), and vapor permeation (VP). The results showed that all of the hydrophilicities of the exchanged membrane were reduced, and the membrane performance varied with cation charges and sizes. For the monovalent cations, the membrane performance was largely determined by the cation sizes, where the membrane remained intact. On the contrary, for the divalent cation treatments, the membrane sep... [more]

The increasing demands for water and the dwindling resources of fresh water create a critical need for continually enhancing desalination capacities. This poses a challenge in distressed desalination network, with incessant water demand growth as the conventional approach of undertaking large expansion projects can lead to low utilization and, hence, low capital productivity. In addition to the option of retrofitting existing desalination units or installing additional grassroots units, there is an opportunity to include emerging modular desalination technologies. This paper develops the optimization framework for the capacity planning in distressed desalination networks considering the integration of conventional plants and emerging modular technologies, such as membrane distillation (MD), as a viable option for capacity expansion. The developed framework addresses the multiscale nature of the synthesis problem, as unit-specific decision variables are subject to optimization, as well... [more]

For the shipbuilding industry worldwide, work-related accidents at the construction site have been a major concern. Workers at the shipyards are consistently exposed to dangerous environments and their intensity of work is quite high. Considering the complexity of the shipbuilding process, efficient communications between workers are essential in the workplace, but current communication methods, which mostly use wireless technologies, are sometimes limited by the structural blocks, creating shadow areas where the radio bands cannot reach. As a countermeasure, SUNCOM Co., Ltd in the Republic of Korea has developed the PLC-based communication system followed by establishing a test-bed facility in cooperation with SK Telecom Co., Ltd and the Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. This system and applied technologies are expected to reduce accidents in the field and be applied for other industries having the same problem, providing an uninterrupted communication environment and safer working c... [more]