Degree Of Dilution Research Articles

Unload control - efficiency strategy and rainfall control in urban wastewater systems

Controlling the influx of rainwater to domestic wastewater transport and treatment systems, aims to reduce its economic impact on energy and the interference in the treatment process, taking into account the technical and legal issues associated with its upstream rejection of such infrastructure. In order to guarantee safety in the flow thinning, we will have to monitor the quality of the effluent, basically in terms of COD, which directly indicates the degree of dilution and consequent influx of rainwater, and the flow rates upstream and to be discharged. This pilot project intends to implement the digitization of the process with automatic monitoring and control equipment with information sent to SCADA and availability of information to the Portuguese Environment Agency.

Цветометрическая система мониторинга роста микроводоросли Dunaliella salina в лабораторных условиях

The brackish microalgae Dunaliella salina, being an extremophilic halophyte, is a promising object for biotechnological production. The aim of this work is to develop a methodology for non-destructive control of the development of a microalgae culture under conditions of balanced growth during periodic cultivation on plates. Before the start of the experiment, the microalgae culture was synchronized. The quantitative content of chlorophylls a and b, as well as carotenoids, was determined spectrophotometrically in alcohol extracts. During cultivation, time-lapse images were recorded on a smartphone camera. The basis of the colorimetric evaluation is the analysis of the time series of images in the RGB color model. It is shown that the ratio of colors correlates to a high degree with the content of the determined main plant pigments – chlorophylls and carotenoids, and with the data of spectrophotometric measurements of live suspensions. The changes in the blue channel are the most pronounced, the least being in the green channel. The logarithm of color intensity is linearly dependent on the degree of dilution of the culture. The developed method for real-time monitoring of the development dynamics of the D. salina microalgae culture makes it possible to build growth curves and solve multiparametric problems to optimize the cultivation of microalgae, including when working with large arrays of samples.

Entrainment rates in the cloud zones of continental shallow cumulus

Entrainment rates from in situ measurements and Large Eddy simulations (LES) of shallow clouds over the Indian peninsula are presented in this study. It is noted that the coherent motions of counter-rotating vortices originate from the updraft zones within clouds, and they subside around shallow clouds. Clouds with stronger updrafts gain depth and have high liquid water content near the cloud top. A three-parameter clustering algorithm (K means) identifies the subregions of the cloud from its core to the surrounding subsiding region. The extreme core region has the highest liquid water content, droplet number concentration, updrafts, and minimum entrainment rates. The varying degree of dilution in the cloud zones is identified here, featuring the dynamics associated with the moist adiabat. Parametric relationships between the entrainment rate and buoyancy in the different cloud zones are illustrated, which could be useful in large-scale models.

Effect of Changing Interfacial Tension on Fragmentation Kinetics of Block Copolymer Micelles

Micelle fragmentation, one of the key mechanisms responsible for equilibration of kinetically trapped micelles, is investigated for block copolymer micelles in ionic liquids (ILs). In particular, the role of driving force for micelle fragmentation is studied by altering the solvent quality after micelle preparation, amounting to a jump in interfacial tension γ between solvent and the micelle core. Direct dissolution of a 1,2-polybutadiene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PB-b-PEO) copolymer (Mn = 17.5 kDa and fPEO = 0.38) in the ionic liquid [C2mim][TFSI] results in large micelles with average size ⟨Rh⟩o ≈ 68 nm and dispersity Đ ≈ 1.27. The solution of the as-prepared micelles is then diluted by the careful addition of a second ionic liquid [C10mim][TFSI] having lower γ with the micelle core, such that the micelles remain unaffected. The γ and hence the quality of the solvent mixture were controlled by the degree of dilution. The choice of the second solvent is based on the measurement of γ for a series of [Cxmim][TFSI] ILs with 1-2-polybutadiene homopolymer, carried out using a pendant drop test. Diluting the micelles by adding another ionic liquid with lower γ tends to decrease the equilibrium micelle size, which, in turn, enhances the driving force for fragmentation of the bigger as-prepared micelles, represented by increase in the ratio of aggregation numbers Q/Qeq. Subjecting the diluted micellar solution to temperature-jump to 170 °C followed by thermal annealing leads to fragmentation of the as-prepared micelles to attain a near-equilibrium state. The micelles are characterized using an in situ dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique to observe the time evolution of average micelle size, from which the relaxation time is obtained. Additionally, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements were carried out to obtain the micelle core size and distribution in the micellar solutions before and after fragmentation. The enhancement in the driving force achieved by controlling the amount of low γ solvent resulted in faster fragmentation; the characteristic fragmentation time decreases monotonically on increasing the size ratio Q/Qeq from 1.2 to 5.

Multiple Episodes of Rock-Melt Reaction at the Slab-Mantle Interface: Formation of High Silica Primary Magmas in Intermediate to Hot Subduction Zones

AbstractSiliceous slab-derived partial melts infiltrate the sub-arc mantle and cause rock-melt reactions, which govern the formation of diverse primary arc magmas and lithological heterogeneities. The effect of bulk water content, composition of reactants, and nature of melt infiltration (porous versus channelized) on the rock-melt reactions at sub-arc conditions have been investigated by previous studies. However, the effect of multiple episodes of rock-melt reactions in such scenarios has not been investigated before. Here, we explore mantle wedge modifications through serial additions of hydrous-silicic slab partial melts and whether such a process may ultimately explain the origin of high-Mg# andesites found in arcs worldwide. A series of piston-cylinder experiments simulate a serial addition of silicic slab melts in up to three stages (I through III) at 3 GPa and 800–1050°C, using rock-melt proportions of 75–25 and 50–50. A synthetic KLB-1 and a natural rhyolite (JR-1) represented the mantle and the slab components, respectively. Right from the first rock-melt interaction, the peridotite mantle transforms into olivine-free mica-rich pyroxenites ± amphibole ± quartz/coesite in equilibrium with rhyolitic-hydrous melts (72–80 wt% SiO2 and 40–90 Mg#). The formation of olivine-free pyroxenite seems to be controlled by complex functions of T, P, rock-melt ratio, wedge composition, and silica activity of the slab-melt. Remarkably, the pyroxenites approach a melt-buffered state with progressive stages of rock-melt reactions, where those rhyolitic melts inherit and preserve the major (alkalis, Fe, Mg, Ca) and trace element slab-signature. Our results demonstrate that lithological heterogeneities such as pyroxenites formed as products of rock-melt reactions in the sub-arc mantle may function as melt ‘enablers,’ implying that they may act as pathways that enable the infiltrating melt to retain their slab signature without undergoing modification. Moreover, the density contrast between the products of rock-melt reaction (melts and residues) and the average mantle wedge (~150 to 400 kg/m3) may help forming instabilities and diapiric rise of the slab components into the mantle wedge. However, the fate of the primitive slab-melts seems to be associated with the length of the pathway of mantle interaction which explains the evident wide magma spectrum as well as their degree of slab garnet-signature dilution. This work and the existence of high-Mg# Mexican-trondhjemites indicates that almost pristine slab-melts can make their way up to crustal levels and contribute to the arc magma diversity.

Self-Enrichment in Globular Clusters: The Crucial Role Played by Oxygen

Results from photometry and high-resolution spectroscopy have demonstrated the existence of multiple populations in globular clusters, where one or more stellar generations of stars coexist with the original population. We study the possibility that the new generation(s) of stars formed from the gas lost by intermediate mass (4–8 M⊙) stars during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) evolution, possibly after dilution with residual pristine gas in the cluster. To this aim, we confront the chemistry of the AGB ejecta with the distribution of the chemical composition of stars in NGC 6402. We find that a satisfactory consistency between the observational evidence and the self-enrichment by AGBs hypothesis is reached if the mass-loss rates experienced for the latter stars is ∼10 times smaller than found for the solar metallicity counterparts of the same mass. We also comment on the importance of the knowledge of the oxygen abundance as a key indicator of the extent of the nucleosynthesis at which the gas from which the stars belonging to the second generation of the clusters formed, and the degree of dilution with pristine gas.

Spectroscopy-based smart optical monitoring system in the applications of laser additive manufacturing

The potential defects during the additive manufacturing (AM) process greatly deteriorate the mechanical properties of the fabricated structures and, as a result, increase the risks of part fatigue failure and even disasters. As laser additive manufacturing is such a complex process, many different physical phenomena such as electromagnetic radiation, optical and acoustic emission, and plasma generation will occur. Unlike vision and acoustic methods, the spectroscopy based smart optical monitoring system (SOMS) provides atomic level information revealing mechanical and chemical condition of the product. By monitoring plasma, multiple information such as line intensity, standard deviation, plasma temperature, or electron density, and by using different signal processing algorithms such as vector machine training or wavelet transforming, AM defects have been detected and classified. Utilizing two fiber optic components, a bifurcated fiber and a split fiber, the experimental results were performed to improve SOMS signal-to-noise ratio. Defects, including subsurface pores and sudden changes of process parameters including shielding gas shut-off and foreign substance, were identified by the spectroscopy based SOMS. For chemical composition characterization, a degree of dilution in terms of chemical element variation is identified by a spectral peak intensity ratio through the SOMS. It turned out that the information on the Cr/Fe ratio of deposit at a certain layer is vital to design the mechanical property in the IN625 deposition on the mild steel case. The SOMS has also demonstrated that the chemistry ratio can be determined from the calibration curve method based on the known alloy samples and that the ratio of the maximum intensities of multiple species provides more information about the quality of the alloy.

Реологические свойства пшеничного теста с добавлением муки из кизиловых косточек

The rheological properties of dough made from a mixture of wheat flour and flour made from dogwood seeds are investigated. For the production of flour, dogwood seeds were crushed on a disintegrator to a size of less than 100 nm. The objects of study were a control sample without the addition of cornel seed flour (sample no. 1) and samples with the addition of cornel seed flour in the amount of 2,5%; 5,0%, and 7,5% instead of wheat flour (samples no. 2, 3, and 4, respectively). The rheological properties of the test were studied using alveograph (Chopin) and farinograph (Brabender) devices. It was found that the partial replacement of wheat flour with cornel seed flour led to changes in the properties of the dough, namely, the water absorption capacity of the flour mixture decreased slightly, the time of dough formation increased, the dough resistance to kneading increased, and the degree of dough dilution decreased. An increase in the generalized index of rheological properties of the dough indicates that the introduction of cornel seed flour in the amount of 2,5%; 5,0%, and 7,5% improves the quality of the dough. An increase in the elastic-deformation properties of the dough leads to an increase in gas-retaining properties, which positively affects the quality of the finished bakery product and gives it a uniform porosity.

Comparative Analysis of Two Enoxaparin Sodium Drugs by Heptest.

The optimal conditions for analysis of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) drugs by the Heptest and the metrological characteristics of the Heptest method were determined. The effects of two LMWH preparations of enoxaparin sodium, the domestic drug Enoxaparin sodium (Technologiya Lekarstv, Russia) and the original drug Clexane (Sanofi, France), on the clotting time of human plasma in the Heptest were comparatively analyzed. The mean blood clotting times were calculated for each dilution of each series of Enoxaparin sodium and Clexane based on the results of the Heptest. Graphs of the dependence of the plasma clotting time on the degree of dilution of these drugs were plotted. The shapes of the curves of the dependence of the blood plasma clotting time on the activity of enoxaparin sodium were shown to be similar for both Enoxaparin sodium and Clexane. The Heptest method showed that Enoxaparin sodium (Technologiya Lekarstv, Russia) was comparable to the original drug Clexane (Sanofi, France).

Экспериментально-аналитические исследования критических условий факельного горения газов и паров криогенных топлив

The need to organize emissions of a large amount of gas arises in a number of technological operations related to the transportation, storage and processing of combustible gases, preparation and purging of containers, etc. The largest emissions occur during emergencies. For a correct assessment of the level of fire hazard and the choice of efficient ways to prevent fires, it is required to study in detail many defining parameters. First of all these are the limiting conditions for stabilization and extinguishing of diffusion flame of the torch. An analysis was made of the formation and stabilization conditions of a diffusion torch formed during the outflow of combustible gas from various gas discharge devices. On the basis of theoretical studies based on a single physical model, analytical expressions are derived. They describe the limiting conditions for the stabilization of turbulent diffusion torches in a wide range of changes in gas outflow conditions and parameters of the surrounding atmosphere. The proposed dependences allow to evaluate the complex effect of various factors (gas composition, gas discharge velocity and direction, size and shape of vents, wind speed, oxygen concentration in the surrounding space) on the parameters of turbulent diffusion torches. Within the framework of the study, the experimental regularities of stabilization and gas-dynamic extinguishing of turbulent diffusion torches are determined. These regularities make it possible to evaluate the influence of various factors (the degree of dilution of the combustible gas with an inert gas, the size and shape of the discharge hole, wind speed and oxygen concentration in the surrounding space) on the limiting conditions for stabilization of diffusion torches.

STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY COLLOIDAL SOLUTIONS OF IRON SYNTHESIZED ON THE BASIS OF AQUEOUS CUFF EXTRACT

Background. Anthropogenic impact on agricultural areas leads to pollution of environmental objects, as well as to an increase in the resistance of pathogens to modern means of protection. One of the ways to solve these problems is the development of new drugs based on colloidal solutions of metals synthesized by the “green synthesis” method using aqueous extracts of medicinal plants from central Russia. The biological activity of metal nanoparticles obtained using plant extracts is currently being actively studied in relation to various biological objects. It is advisable to study the effect of iron colloids obtained with the help of an aqueous extract of the common mantle on the growth and development of wheat plants, as well as on phytopathogen fungi, the causative agents of the main diseases of agricultural plants.
 Purpose. To study the biological activity of iron colloids synthesized on the basis of aqueous extracts of the common cuff. To establish the effect of iron nanoparticles on the growth and development of wheat plants, and to study the fungicidal effect of colloids on pathogenic fungi.
 Materials and methods. Iron colloids were obtained from plant extracts of various dilutions and iron salt solution.
 The content of sugars, tannins and dyes, photosynthetic pigments, vegetable protein, flavonoids and ascorbic acid was determined in the composition of the common cuff.
 The influence of iron colloids on the growth and development of agricultural plants was studied by analyzing the seed germination energy and biometric parameters of wheat germs treated with initial extracts and synthesized colloids.
 The fungicidal activity of common mantle extracts and iron colloids synthesized on their basis was studied in vitro on the following fungi – phytopathogens: F. moniliforme and F. oxysporum, V. inaequalis, R. solani, B. sorokiniana, P. ostreatus and A. alternata.
 Results. Growth-stimulating activity is exhibited by aqueous extracts of the common cuff of an average degree of dilution and iron colloids synthesized on their basis. Only extracts of the common cuff have fungistatic properties in relation to the fungus B. sorokiniana.
 Conclusion. Biological activity is shown by extracts of medium dilution and colloids synthesized on their basis. In further research on this topic, it is advisable to study the effect of various variations in salt and extract concentrations on the manifestation of fungicidal and growth-stimulating activity.

Toward low-salinity waterflooding predictive capability development in carbonates for fast screening of oil-brine-rock candidates

Despite numerous studies on the low-salinity waterflooding (LSWF) technique, a robust predictive capability has not yet been established. Predictive capability development is essential to reduce costs and time during the early screening or prioritization of candidate fields for LSWF in the opportunity realization process (ORP). This study aims at proposing a set of screening methods that offer the best LSWF predictive capability for various crude oil-brine-carbonate rock systems. In this regard, the robustness of different methods for predicting oil recovery factor (RF) from core-scale spontaneous imbibition (SI) experiments in carbonate rocks was investigated here. The relevant small-scale screening methods were divided into two distinct categories. The first category includes methods based on rock/fluid interactions: wettability assessment based on flotation and contact angle measurement, and geochemical assessment to identify mineral dissolution (and pH change). The second group includes methods based on probing fluid/fluid interactions: oil-brine interfacial tension (IFT) and viscoelasticity, and micro-dispersion formation. The most common types of carbonate rocks, including dolomite, limestone, and chalk, were used to comprehensively evaluate the response of each carbonate rock type to brines of different salinities. Each rock type could be distinguished with its particular microscopic texture, pore-size, grain type, and carbonate mineral structure. According to the SI results, oil recovery strongly depends not only on brine salinity but also on the rock type. The oil RF for Indiana limestone was found to be higher than that for other rock types but showed less sensitivity to the degree of dilution. Additionally, RF from dolomite and chalk plugs showed the most and the least sensitivity to the degree of brine dilution, respectively. We introduced a brine efficiency index based on the SI results to compare the results for different rock types and salinities. The results of the systematic tests performed here showed that variation of IFT and viscoelasticity (expressed as phase angle) with brine salinity reduction was neither significant nor monotonic, and did not correlate with the brine efficiency index. Also, minor/negligible mineral dissolution was observed upon brine-rock contact. On the other hand, wettability results based on contact angle measurement and flotation, as well as microdispersion results strongly correlated with the brine efficiency index over a wide range of brine salinities, which indicates these techniques can quickly predict the potency of a system toward low salinity effect (LSE). It is hypothesized, therefore, that the techniques which involve rock explicitly would be more robust because they capture the rock-type dependency of LSE too. The findings from this study can be used for quick screening of the candidate formations for LSWF, before performing the costly and time-intensive special core analysis (SCAL) experiments. The data provided by this research can also enrich the SCAL data bank toward developing robust data-driven predictive models.

Assessing the impact of synoptic weather systems on air quality in Sydney using Radon 222

The state of the atmosphere can affect the degree of dilution of emitted pollutants, and similar local and diurnal meteorological conditions can be grouped according to prevailing synoptic scale weather systems. Traditionally, various methods have been used to classify atmospheric conditions. Here we investigate the use of Radon-222 (radon) for the classification of weather systems and determine the degree of dilution under different synoptic conditions.Air quality data was analyzed in Richmond Australia over a 13-year period. Radon was used to determine 5 nocturnal stability categories numbered 0 to 4, with 0 capturing times of fast-changing fetch influences, and 1–4 representing increasing conditions of nocturnal stability (1: near neutral, to 4: strongly stable). These categories were then related to prevailing synoptic weather systems. It was found that increasing radon-derived stability categories were associated with reducing intensity of frontal systems traversing southern Australia and extending into the Southern Ocean, with stability category 4 associated with blocking high pressure systems located to the east of the site.The median nocturnal wind speeds and mixing layer heights decreased as we moved from stability category 0 to 4, indicating that the mixing volumes for pollutants released into the atmosphere from surface sources was progressively getting smaller. This decreasing dilution from stability category 0 to 4 resulted in strongly increasing median pollutant concentrations. However, on diurnal and seasonal time scales, differences were observed which could be attributed to changes in emission rates.Our results show that when investigating the impact of air quality mitigation strategies, any variations in meteorological conditions during the comparison periods needs to be considered in addition to changes in pollution emission rates, and that near-surface radon observations and the ventilation coefficient are a convenient and effective tool for this purpose.

Process simulation for technical and economic evaluation of acrolein and glycerol carbonate production from glycerol

The objective of this work is the technical and economic evaluation of acrolein and glycerol carbonate production from glycerol, byproduct of biodiesel production. The processes were simulated in Aspen HYSYS® v8.8 and the capital and production costs were estimated. Among the two analyzed processes, only glycerol carbonate production was economically viable in the base scenario, due to the high reactivity of the selected catalyst and the simplicity of the reaction and separation steps. In addition to requiring a more complex separation system, the high degree of dilution of the inlet stream of the acrolein production process entails high costs for some equipment, as well as significant expenditure on utilities and effluent disposal. Such characteristics raise both the total investment and the production cost to a degree which makes the process economically unfeasible. However, it was shown that crude glycerol processing and further reaction development could make it also possible.

Peculiarities of the local structure in new medium- and high-entropy, low-symmetry tungstates

New monoclinic (P2/c) tungstates – a medium-entropy tungstate, (MnNiCuZn)WO4, and a high-entropy tungstate, (MnCoNiCuZn)WO4 – were synthesized and characterized. Their phase purity and solid solution nature were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. X-ray absorption spectroscopy was used to probe the local structure around metal cations. The atomic structures based on the ideal solid solution model were optimized by a simultaneous analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectra at multiple metal absorption edges – five for (MnNiCuZn)WO4 and six for (MnCoNiCuZn)WO4 – by means of reverse Monte Carlo simulations. In both compounds, Ni2+ ions have the strongest tendency to organize their local environment and form slightly distorted [NiO6] octahedra, whereas Mn2+, Co2+, and Zn2+ ions have a strongly distorted octahedral coordination. The most intriguing result is that the shape of [CuO6] octahedra in (MnNiCuZn)WO4 and (MnCoNiCuZn)WO4 differs from that found in pure CuWO4, where a strong Jahn–Teller distortion is present: [CuO6] octahedra become more regular with increasing degree of dilution.

Depositional Paleo-Environments of Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation in the Western Middle Yangtze Block and Its Controlling Effect on the Organic Matter Enrichment

No systematic comparative study has been conducted on the factors controlling organic matter enrichment in the different depositional environments of the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation in the western Middle Yangtze Block, leading to a large discrepancy in our understanding. Based on organic geochemical and elemental analyses of core, outcrop, rock, and mineral samples from the slope, deep-water shelf, and shallow-water shelf, in this study, comparative analysis of the organic matter content, sedimentological characteristics, and depositional paleoenvironments of the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation in the western Middle Yangtze Block was conducted, and the main controlling factors and models of the organic matter enrichment were investigated. The results revealed that the organic matter enrichment in the Qiongzhusi Formation was jointly controlled by redox conditions, water restriction, upwelling currents, terrigenous inputs, and paleo-productivity, but the main factors controlling the enrichment during the different periods were significantly different. (1) During the deposition of the Qiong 1 Member, the extensional rifting was strong, and the sea level was always high. The low degree of terrigenous dilution and anoxic conditions favored organic matter preservation. In this period, the upwelling currents were the main factor controlling organic matter enrichment. The paleo-productivity decreased as the intensity of the upwelling currents gradually weakened from the slope to the shelf, leading to a decrease in the total organic carbon (TOC) content and thereby a gradual decrease in the biogenic silica content of the shale. (2) During the deposition of the Qiong 2 Member, the extensional rifting weakened, and the sea level continued to drop. The upwelling currents, terrigenous input, and redox conditions were all important factors controlling the organic matter enrichment in the region. From the slope to the shelves, the conditions favorable for organic matter enrichment gradually worsened, and the TOC content gradually decreased, with the lithofacies gradually transitioning from biogenic siliceous shale to clayey shale or clayey-calcareous shale. (3) During the deposition of the Qiong 3 Member, the Yangzi Platform underwent a filling and leveling-up process, and the redox conditions played a major role in controlling the organic matter enrichment. The entire region was dominated by an oxygen-rich environment, and the conditions were no longer favorable for organic matter preservation, leading to a low average TOC content. Overall, the spatial variability of the TOC content was closely associated with changes in the depositional paleoenvironment caused by sea-level changes.

Homoeopathic Medicines of Virginian Witch Hazel: Dosage Forms and Standardisation

According to the authors’ analysis of regulatory documents for homoeopathic medicines of Virginian witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana L.), there is a need to transform quality assessment approaches and to unify analytical procedures for identification and assay tests.The aim of the study was to determine approaches to identification and assay of homoeopathic mother tinctures of Virginian witch hazel leaves and bark and medicinal products based on the tinctures.Materials and methods: in order to select quality evaluation procedures, the authors analysed scientific literature, Russian and foreign pharmacopoeias and regulatory documentation regarding homoeopathic medicines of Witch hazel. The authors performed practical evaluation of the selected procedures based on thin-layer chromatography, spectrophotometry, qualitative reactions, and titrimetry, using samples of homoeopathic mother tinctures of Witch hazel leaves and bark, as well as corresponding homoeopathic medicinal products in various dosage forms.Results: the authors proposed identification and assay procedures for the studied active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and homoeopathic medicinal products and prepared the drafts of pharmacopoeial monographs Hamamelis virginiana e foliis (Hamamelis, Folium) homoeopathic mother tincture and Hamamelis virginiana (Hamamelis) homoeopathic mother tincture. The unified procedures were included in the draft monographs for homoeopathic medicinal products Hamamelis, homoeopathic drops; Hamamelis D1, homoeopathic ointment; Hamamelis, folium D1, homoeopathic ointment; Hamamelis virginiana e foliis D1, rectal homoeopathic suppositories.Conclusions: the developed procedures are compatible with the principle of holistic, end-to-end standardisation, as they make it possible to carry out identification tests and assays using the same class of biologically active compounds throughout the whole range of homoeopathic medicines from APIs to finished products. The authors proposed the methodology for assessing homoeopathic medicinal products’ quality, taking into account the degree of dilution of the homoeopathic tinctures used.

Influence of welding parameters on grain size, HAZ and degree of dilution of 6063-T5 alloy: optimization through the Taguchi method of the GMAW process

The aim of this work is to design experiments using Taguchi’s method that determine the influence of welding parameters on the grain size, heat-affected zone and degree of dilution of the 6063-T5 alloy. The welding process used is GMAW, and the welding parameters are the power, welding speed and bevel spacing. The study of the influence of these welding parameters on the measurements made during welding (which are the size of the heat-affected zone, the degree of dilution and the grain size) allows one to determine the quality of the joint. In addition, the welding parameter that most influences the minimisation of these three measurements will be determined.

Analysis of the dispersed composition of milk using photon correlation spectroscopy

The dispersed composition of milk and the properties of its dispersed phases significantly affect the quality of dairy products and its processing. Therefore, the problem of research and control of the dispersed composition of milk is quite important. The article describes the applicability of photon correlation spectroscopy for the analysis and diagnosis of milk dispersion composition. The dispersed composition of milk was studied by photon correlation spectroscopy on the Photocor complex spectrometer. Histograms of the distribution of the hydrodynamic radius of the particles of dispersed phase of milk with different fat content and different manufacturers are obtained. Limitations of this method were also found in the analysis of complex colloidal systems containing more than two different dispersed phases with a significant predominance of quantity of particles. It was found that the reliability of measurement results is significantly affected by the degree of dilution of the studied samples and spectroscopy modes: number of units, duration of unit and the measuring angle. As a result of the experiment the optimal parameters for measuring the dispersed phase of milk with different fat content were determined, which were: dilution ratio-2 times, the angle of the photodetector position – 120−150 °, number of units-100, duration of unit – 20 s. The obtained results are planned to be used for the development of guidelines for the introduction of photon correlation spectroscopy in the dairy industry as an express method of analysis in the concept of complete traceability of the quality and safety of dairy products

Mathematical Modelling to predict dilution in MIG welded aluminium 8011 plates

During MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding, mixing of the base metal with the filler metal deposited onto the weld causes a change in the composition of the weld metal called as dilution which generally is undesirable. The degree of dilution depends on the type of joint and joint edge preparation, the welding process, process parameters, and the technique used. The purpose of this study is to look at the effects of different input parameters on dilution in MIG welding. 5 mm thick 8011 grade aluminum plates were used for this experiment and using the statistical technique of design of experiments, a mathematical model to relate dilution to various input factors is built. The dilution is calculated by taking the ratio of penetration area to the total area of the weld bead. To create the design matrix for the trials, the central composite rotatable design (CCRD) is employed. With the help of Response Surface Methodology (RSM), the findings are graphically examined. The developed model is employed to optimize the input parameters in order to achieve the lowest possible dilution.