Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an attractive process for bioenergy production and is considered to be an alternative way to reduce landfills. AD improves municipal solid waste (MSW) management, representing a profitable application of the circular economy and could reduce environmental impact. The methane (CH4) potential of four different organic fractions of MSW—paper (PFW), garden (GFW), food (FFW), and a mixture of these three (OFMSW)—via AD was used to investigate the energy potential and the economic and environmental impact of Campinas. Theoretical and experimental biochemical methane potential (BMP) and substrate biodegradability were determined using the Buswell and Müller equation and the VDI 4630 method. The Gompertz model was used to predict the kinetics of the biochemical processes. The highest experimental BMP (410.7 NmLCH4 gVS−1) and biodegradability (86.6%) were reached with OFMSW. OFMSW can avail an energetic potential of approximately 119 GWh year−1, with a biomethane pro... [more]

The development of active packaging for food storage containers is possible through impregnation of natural extracts by supercritical CO2-assisted impregnation processes. The challenge of scCO2-impregnation of natural extracts is to control the total loading and to ensure that the composition of the loaded extract may preserve the properties of the crude extract. This study aimed at investigating the scCO2-impregnation of clove extract (CE) in polycarbonate (PC) to develop antibacterial packaging. A design of experiments was applied to evaluate the influences of temperature (35−60 °C) and pressure (10−30 MPa) on the clove loading (CL%) and on the composition of the loaded extract. The CL% ranged from 6.8 to 18.5%, and the highest CL% was reached at 60 °C and 10 MPa. The composition of the impregnated extract was dependent on the impregnation conditions, and it differed from the crude extract, being richer in eugenol (81.31−86.28% compared to 70.06 in the crude extract). Differential sc... [more]

Biosensors can be used for high-throughput screening, real-time monitoring of metabolites, and dynamic regulation of metabolic processes, which have been a popular research direction in recent years. Here, five promoters from Saccharomyces cerevisiae were selected to construct Malonyl-CoA sensors with the fapO/fapR system derived from Bacillus subtilis, and pCCW12 was finally selected for further optimization. Based on pCCW12, a series of sensors with different response sensitivities were obtained by selecting different fapO insertion sites and combining the best two or three of them. Then, through a combination of promoter hybrid, intron insertion, and transcription factor modification strategies, we obtained sensors with different effects, one of which, the H-pCCW12(TFBS)-Cti6~fapR sensor, had the lowest background noise, doubled response range and higher response sensitivity compared to the original sensor. Sensors with different characteristics constructed in this study, can be app... [more]

Mutual information (MI) has been widely used for association mining in complex chemical processes, but how to precisely estimate MI between variables of different numerical types, discriminate their association relationships with targets and finally achieve compact and interpretable prediction has not been discussed in detail, which may limit MI in more complicated industrial applications. Therefore, this paper first reviews the existing information-based association measures and proposes a general framework, GIEF, to consistently detect associations and independence between different types of variables. Then, the study defines four mutually exclusive association relations of variables from an information-theoretic perspective to guide feature selection and compact prediction in high-dimensional processes. Based on GIEF and conditional mutual information maximization (CMIM), a new algorithm, CMIM-GIEF, is proposed and tested on a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) process with 217 vari... [more]

Polytungstate melts are used for the electrodeposition of oxide tungsten bronzes (OTBs). The scarce information on the ionic composition and properties of these electrolytes hinders effective control of the electrochemical synthesis of OTBs with desired electrical and optical properties. In this work, a comprehensive study of Na2WO4−WO3 melts that contained up to 55 mol% of tungsten trioxide was performed in the temperature range from 983 to 1073 K. Melt densities were measured using the Archimedes method. DFT calculations were carried out for various tungsten-containing compounds, including WxO3x−12+, WxO3x+12−, NaWxO3x+1−, and Na2WxO3x+1. The calculated values of the W−O bond energy indicate that the tested compounds are stable in the specified temperature range, and the  WO22+ cation is the most stable. The experimental dependences of the redox potential on the mole fraction of tungsten trioxide in the Na2WO4−WO3 melt were obtained using the EMF method. A model that considers t... [more]

Many problems exist in the layout of working surfaces in high-gas mines, such as the low efficiency of roadway excavation, difficulties in maintenance after excavation, and serious resource wastes due to difficulties in recovering coal pillars between roadways. Taking the project profile in the west wing mining area of Sihe Coal Mine as the background, this work proposed an optimization plan for the staggered-layer arrangement of roadways. The minimum retained size of the coal pillar was calculated through theoretical analysis, and the plastic failure and deformations of surrounding rocks under different coal pillar sizes and roadway layouts were compared based on finite difference numerical simulations. The reasonable retained size of the coal pillar was determined to be 45 m, and the roadway layout was determined according to the distribution of coal and rock strata in the mining field. The technical measures of base angle pressure relief blasting and strengthening support were propo... [more]

The food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries have strong demands for lycopene, the carotenoid with the highest antioxidant activity. Usually, this carotenoid is extracted from tomatoes using various extraction methods. This work aims to improve the quantity and quality of extracts from tomato slices by enhancing the recovery of the carotenoids from the solid matrix to the solvent using 20 w/w% seeds as modifiers and supercritical CO2 extraction with optimal parameters as the method. Tomato (TSM), camelina (CSM) and hemp (HSM) seeds were used as modifiers due to their quality (polyunsaturated fatty acids content of 53−72%). A solubility of ~10 mg carotenoids/100 g of oil was obtained for CSM and HSM, while, for TSM, the solubility was 28% higher (due to different compositions of long carbon chains). An increase in the extraction yield from 66.00 to 108.65 g extract/kg dried sample was obtained in the following order: TSM < HSM < CSM. Two products, an oil rich in carotenoids (2... [more]

In industrial smelters, sulfuric acid is manufactured using the elemental sulfur in a series of three-unit operations: elemental sulfur oxidation, sulfur dioxide catalytic conversion, and sulfur trioxide absorption. The sulfur oxidation, which is the basic step in this process, is generally performed under a sulfur combustion furnace that ensures the production of the process gas stream, which will be the main supply stream to the other unit operations. In this paper, a dynamic model is developed based on the fundamental mass and energy balance, including the sulfur oxidation and the dynamic flow behavior aspects within the furnace. The obtained model is simulated in the Matlab/Simulink environment and data from an industrial plant were used to validate the model. The simulation results and the plant measurement comparison showed an accuracy of 96%, with a mean absolute error of 16.12 °C and a root mean square error of 23.27 °C. Afterwards, the effect of different operating conditions... [more]

With the rapid development of industry, the demand for lithium resources is increasing. Traditional methods such as precipitation usually take 1−2 years, and depend on weather conditions. In addition, electrochemical lithium recovery (ELR) as a green chemical method has attracted a great deal of attention. Herein, we summarize the systems of electrochemical lithium extraction and the electrode materials of the Li-ion battery from brine/seawater. Some representative work on electrochemical lithium extraction is then introduced. Finally, we prospect the future opportunities and challenges of electrochemical lithium extraction. In all, this review explores electrochemical lithium extraction from brine/seawater in depth, with special attention to the systems and electrode of electrochemical lithium extraction, which could provide a useful guidance for reasonable electrochemical-lithium-extraction.

The glass industry is highly energy-intensive, consuming approximately 500−700 million GJ each year. Replacing inefficient equipment with better-performing equipment is a good strategy to reduce the energy consumption of a glass plant. Since there are many alternative solutions, the choice of which technological improvement to implement is usually difficult. Therefore, a review of solutions to reduce energy consumption in a glass plant is pivotal. The literature offers similar studies, but they are not sufficiently up-to-date and do not represent the actual state of the art, which should be updated. Thus, this paper aims to provide an updated list of alternative solutions, clustering them into different categories (e.g., the process stage). Moreover, this paper investigates the current applicability of energy-saving solutions in Italy. Specifically, a sample of 103 Italian companies is considered and the type of interventions that the companies recently implemented or that they intend... [more]

This paper proposes a novel non-isolated high voltage gain dc−dc converter with a boost2 (B2) technique. The derived single-switch hybrid voltage-lift topology generates a higher voltage conversion ratio with less component counts than traditional voltage-lift converters. Furthermore, to show its superiority, the proposed topology is compared with other recent non-isolated dc−dc converters in terms of the number of power components such as inductors, capacitors, diodes, and switches. Moreover, the voltage stress across the power switch is less than the output voltage, which results in using low-rated components and reducing the converter cost. The steady-state analysis of the proposed topology is carried out with the operating modes in continuous and discontinuous conduction modes. The critical inductance for the proposed converter is derived for design considerations. Compared to the other traditional step-up converters, the stresses across the power diodes are highly reduced. The ana... [more]

Giving priority to the development of public transit is an important way to achieve efficient, convenient, safe, comfortable, economic, reliable, green and low-carbon sustainable development. In view of the highly dispersed and regular passenger flow, demand responsive transit is an important complementary means for traditional public transport to improve passenger satisfaction. However, high operating costs and low load factor will have a bad impact on the operation of public transport and reduce passenger satisfaction. In this work, firstly, by analyzing the demand frequency of historical travel stations, the stations with high demand are extracted by time periods as high probability travel points; On this basis, a dynamic vehicle dispatching optimization model is established, and the static vehicle dispatching is carried out with the goal of minimizing the running mileage of the bus system; Finally, based on the initial static route and the later real-time travel demand, the accurat... [more]

This article discusses the flow of a non-Newtonian Carreau nanoliquid across a stretching radiative nonlinear sheet that is exposed to a variable heat flux. Analysis is done with changing thermal conductivity since it affects how heat and mass transfer occur. Nanoparticles are modelled using the Brownian motion and the thermophoresis phenomenon. The introduction of a similar solution to our challenge, as obtained by our paper, received significant attention. To create a dimensionless system, the governing partial differential equations are subjected to the mathematical model’s convenient similarity transformations after it has been developed. The numerical solution of the coupled highly nonlinear ordinary differential equations characterizing velocity, temperature and nanoparticles concentration is shown using an effective shooting approach. Additionally, all factors affecting the situation that could increase the effectiveness of cooling operations will be looked into. Results for vel... [more]

Solar-driven hydrothermal pretreatment is an efficient approach for the pretreatment of microalgae biomass for biofuel production. In order to enhance the heat transfer, the magnetic fields effects on flow and heat transfer of nanofluids were investigated in a three-dimensional circular pipe. The magnetic fields were applied in different directions and magnetic field intensities to the flow. In this paper, Finite Volume Method was used to simulate flow and heat transfer of nanofluids under a magnetic field, and the Discrete Phase Model was selected to calculate two-phase flow, which was water mixed with metal nanoparticles. The research was also carried out with the various physical properties of nanoparticles, including the volume share of nanoparticles, particle diameter, and particle types. When the magnetic fields were applied along the X, Y, and Z directions and the intensity of magnetic fields was 0.5 T, the heat transfer coefficients of Cu-H2O nanofluids flow were increased even... [more]

Due to the combined effects of the natural environment, climate change and human activities, profound changes have occurred in terms of the eco-environmental effects of land use/cover change (LUCC) in the Baiyangdian basin. Therefore, based on land remote sensing monitoring data from 2000 to 2020, the Eco-environmental Quality Index (EQI) was introduced in this study to measure the eco-environmental effects of land use change in the Baiyangdian basin. Subsequently, the GeoDetector model was applied to detect the formation mechanism of the eco-environmental effects in the Baiyangdian basin from 2000 to 2020. The results of the study showed that cropland, woodland and grassland were the most widely distributed land use types in the Baiyangdian basin. The area of cropland declined the most and was mostly converted to construction land. The EQI increased slightly during the study period. The eco-environment of the mountainous areas in the western part of the basin and in Baiyangdian Lake w... [more]

Since they are more environmentally acceptable than their chemically synthesized counterparts, biosurfactants are used in a wide range of environmental applications. However, less research has been done on biosurfactants within the context of the circular economy, despite their theoretical potential to fulfill a number of circular economy ambitions, including closing the consumption loop, regenerating natural systems, and maintaining resource value within the system. Hence, the main objective of this review is to identify and analyze the contributions of biosurfactants to the implementation of the circular economy. A final sample of 30 papers from the Web of Science database was examined. We identified five broad categories of contributions: waste stream-derived production, combating food waste, strengthening soil health, and improving the efficiency of water resources. We concluded that, while manufacturing biosurfactants from waste streams can reduce production costs, optimizing yiel... [more]

To study the influence of control parameters under cold-start and low-load conditions on the performance of a heavy-oil, two-stroke, direct-injection, ignition engine for use in aviation, the operation of a two-stroke, direct-injection engine was studied in a bench test. The results were as follows: ① When the ambient temperature is 15 °C, the battery voltage is 12.4 V, and the peak speed of the starting motor is 1200 r/min. As the concentration factor increases, the cold-start speed increases, and the fuel consumption increases. The influence on the cold start is reduced after reaching a certain concentration. The cold-start time decreases with the increasing magnetization pulse width. The cold-start time is the shortest at an oil−gas interval of 6 ms. ② Under small-load conditions of 3000 r/min and 14% to 16% throttle, a higher ignition energy increases the engine power. Pollutant emissions are the lowest when the fuel injection is 7.5 mg and the excess air coefficient is approximate... [more]

Due to the increase in the impact of different manufacturing processes on the environment, green manufacturing processes are the prime focus of many current pieces of research. In the current article, a green machining process for stainless steel and SS304 and AISI1045 steel has been optimized using newly developed Fuzzy Measurement Alternatives and Ranking according to the COmpromise Solution (F-MARCOS) method in the form of two case studies. In the first case study, nose radius, cutting speed, depth of cut, and feed rate are selected as the process parameters whereas surface roughness, consumption of electrical energy, and power factor are the outputs. In the second case study width of cut, depth of cut, feed rate, and cutting speed were the process parameters and material removal rate (MRR), active energy consumption (ACE), and surface roughness (Ra) are the response variables. The MARCOS method ranks the alternatives based on the ideal and anti-ideal solutions for the different cri... [more]

The original schedule may not be optimal or feasible due to delivery delay caused by disruption. To solve the vehicle rescheduling problem with delivery delay based on loss aversion in prospect theory and customer heterogeneity, a mathematical model is established to minimize the sum of distance cost and penalty cost. Next, an improved compressed annealing algorithm with heterogeneous pressure is proposed to solve the model. Finally, numerical experiments are executed on the basis of 30 classic Solomon benchmarks to test the performance of the proposed solution approach. Sensitivity tests are carried out for the customer waiting sensitivity parameter, the length of delay time, and the time when the delivery delay occurs. The computational results show that, compared to the traditional rescheduling method, the higher the degree of customer heterogeneity, the longer the length of delay time, and, the earlier the distribution delay occurs, the stronger the validity and practicability of t... [more]

As a high-quality secondary energy, hydrogen energy has great potential in energy storage and utilization. The development of power-to-hydrogen (P2H) technology has alleviated the problem of wind curtailment and improved the coupling between the power grid and the natural gas grid. Under the premise of ensuring safety, using P2H technology to mix the produced hydrogen into the natural gas network for long-distance transmission and power generation can not only promote the development of hydrogen energy but also reduce carbon emissions. This paper presents a new model for incorporating hydrogen into natural gas pipelines. To minimize the sum of wind curtailment cost, operation cost and carbon emission cost, an electric−gas integrated energy system (EGIES) model of hydrogen-compressed natural gas (HCNG) containing P2H for power generation is constructed. Aiming at the problem of global warming caused by a lot of abandoned wind and carbon emissions, the economy and environmental protectio... [more]

Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization, significantly improves the storage, stability, shelf life, and clinical translation of biopharmaceuticals. On the downside, this process faces complex challenges, i.e., the presence of freezing and drying stresses for the active compounds, the uniformity and consistency of the final products, and the efficiency and safety of the reconstituted lyophilized formulations. All these requirements can be addressed by adding specific excipients that can protect and stabilize the active ingredient during lyophilization, assisting in the formation of solid structures without interfering with the biological and/or pharmaceutical action of the reconstituted products. However, these excipients, generally considered safe and inert, could play an active role in the formulation interacting with the biological cellular machinery and promoting toxicity. Any side effects should be carefully identified and characterized to better tune any treatments in terms of... [more]

The Changbei gas field is dominated by wells with large horizontal displacement, which have exhibited high gas production performance at an early stage of development. With the decrease in reservoir pressure, the liquid loading in the gas well is relatively high and gas production rapidly decreases. Therefore, suitable drainage measures are required to maintain stable gas production. Based on the characteristics of the unconnected oil jacket of gas wells in Changbei, a velocity string was used for drainage. A critical liquid-carrying model was established to determine the location of liquid loading in horizontal gas wells in Changbei. First, the coefficients of the liquid-carrying model were determined through theoretical analysis of the characteristics of the gas well formation. Then, the depth setting of the velocity string was analyzed. The critical liquid-carrying model was employed to calculate the liquid-carrying flow rate of each section; the calculated flow rates were compared... [more]

The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of the use of boron nitride (BN) and other conventional nanoparticles (Al2O3, CuO and TiO2) on pressure drop and heat transfer in a microchannel. The governing equations for forced fluid flow and heat transfer were worked out by using fluent computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Computational results collected from fluent CFD code for Al2O3 as the nano-particle were compared with numerical values used in the literature for validation. The basis of a water-cooled (pure water, Al2O3/Water, CuO/Water, TiO2/Water and BN/Water) smooth microchannel was outlined, and then the corresponding laminar flow and heat transfer were evaluated numerically. The results from the numerical tests (NT) express good agreement with the values found in the literature. These results also indicate, through the comparison which was performed by taking the heat transfer and pressure loss parameters between BN and other widely used conventional nanoparticles (Al... [more]

With the accelerated urbanization and rapid development of the industrial and agricultural sectors, concern about the pollution of water environments is becoming more widespread. Algal blooms of varying sizes are becoming increasingly frequent in lakes and reservoirs; temperatures, nutrients, heavy metals, and dissolved oxygen are the factors that influence algal bloom occurrence. However, knowledge of the combined effect of heavy metals and temperature on algal growth remains limited. Thus, this study investigated how specific concentrations of heavy metals affect algal growth at different temperatures; to this end, two heavy metals were used (0.01 mg/L Pb2+ and 0.05 mg/L Cr6+) at three incubation temperatures (15, 25, and 30 °C) with the alga Chlorella sp. A higher incubation temperature contributed to a rise in soluble proteins, which promoted algal growth. The density of algal cells increased with temperature, and catalase (CAT) decreased with increasing temperature. Chlorella sp.... [more]

Sinapic acid (SA) is a poorly water-soluble substance which could result in poor bioavailability. The aim of this study was to determine the “hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD)” solubilization of SA in the presence of the auxiliary substance hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and to evaluate the ternary inclusion complex prepared by microwave technology. Phase-solubility profiles showed that HPβCD exhibited the greatest solubilizing effect on SA in the presence of HPMC. The enhanced rate of SA dissolution was exhibited by a ternary complex. Outcomes of analyses such as “DSC, FTIR, NMR, and SEM” confirmed the embedding of SA into the cavity of the HPβCD and the formation of a ternary inclusion complex. The outcomes of antioxidant activity (ABTS and nitric oxide scavenging activity) demonstrated that SA ternary inclusion complex (TIC) presented strong antioxidant activity, which might be a result of the enhanced solubility of SA in the TIC prepared by microwave technology. Hence, SA-... [more]