Eco-friendly Production Process Research Articles

HP Brazil: Journey Towards Industrial Internet of Things Within Industry 4.0 Context

This paper features a case study of Hewlett Packard Brazil’s deployment of radio frequency identification-enabled Exceler8 platform to support its product assembly using Flextronics in Sorocaba, Sao Paulo and distribution by DHL. The study also identifies the stage HP Brazil belongs to in its journey to being a full smart factory using the framework of Odwazny et al. (2018). The case study and content analysis methods are used in analyzing the concepts prescribed by the Industry 4.0, smart factory, and Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) frameworks to HP Brazil’s RFID system. The Odwazny et al. (2018) framework identifies HP Brazil as being in the maturity stage, with selected attributes of the “smart factory” stage since its Exceler8 platform supports vertical integration in its assembly, distribution, and recycling sites. Hopefully, empirical work will be pursued with vigor in the future to gain an understanding of the actual conditions that support the successful deployment of both Industry 4.0 and IIOT initiatives. Firms interested in applying Industry 4.0 and IIOT concepts within their production environments would be guided by this study. Applying the German Industry 4.0 model, their Industry 4.0 initiative would seek to (1) enable collaboration between humans and machines; (2) produce customized products in small batches; (3) optimize high automation; and (4) deploy devices in flexible and eco-friendly production processes to meet customization requirements.

Plasma activated water and airborne ultrasound treatments for enhanced germination and growth of soybean

Abstract The effect of two novel technologies, also in combination, on germination and growth of soybeans has been investigated. On one side, ultrasound treatment of the seeds increased water uptake without altering the morphology and the wettability of the seed coat, but also induced slight chemical modifications of the outer part of the seed. Plasma-activated water (PAW), obtained from treating water with non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma in air, increased the rate of germination and subsequent plant growth. Different combinations of these two technologies were tested in order to study their interaction and to identify an optimum treatment process. Industrial relevance A great urgency in crop management is to enhance sustainability. The aim is to achieve a cheap and eco-friendly production process reducing the wide current use of energy, irrigation water, chemicals and pesticides. Soybeans is a legume whose worldwide production is increasing in the last years therefore a higher efficiency and sustainability in its cultivation is obviously very appealing. Cold plasma and Ultrasound technologies are well-known in the industrial scenario and their applications in crop production are recently drawing attention; the potential of combining these two powerful techniques is clearly very promising.

Development of low temperature lightweight geopolymer aggregate, from industrial Waste, in comparison with high temperature processed aggregates

Abstract The purpose of this study is the development of new aggregates based on geopolymer formulations in order to replace commercial lightweight aggregates (LWAs), which require high energy consumption due to its industrial sintering process. Geopolymers are innovative materials which are synthesized at low temperature and which exhibit efficient mechanical and thermal properties. Thus, the feasibility of producing geopolymer aggregates was investigated. Numerous metakaolins and by products of bricks production were applied in a porous geopolymer formulation using sodium silicate solution, and silica fume as pore forming agent. Among 30 compositions, four mixtures exhibit suitable water resistance properties to replace LWAs. Then, these mixtures were investigated by in situ Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy study. Thermal and mechanical properties of the synthesized samples were also determined by Laser Flash method and compressive test (crushing tests for the aggregates). Next, the microstructure of the porous aggregates was evaluated through image analysis, SEM observations. Finally, various critical environments such as fire and freeze-thaw test were applied on the aggregates. Geopolymer aggregates reveal thermal properties, density values, water absorption rate and also a crushing behavior similar to the commercial aggregates. They remained constant after a freeze-thaw test and fire test. Consequently, this work has demonstrated the great potential of geopolymer aggregates to replace LWAs, since they exhibit similar properties and more eco-friendly production process.

The Benefit of Decision Support System as Sustainable Environment Technology to Utilize Coastal Abundant Resources in Indonesia

Being the largest archipelagic state in the world (± 81 000 km of coastline), Indonesia has a great potential for developing the aquaculture industry. But, the accomplishment of sustainable practices and management systems are still in its infancy. Therefore, it is vital to improve aquaculture technology and develop management tools that address the need for an eco-friendly production process. In this manuscript, the Decision Support System software is applied for the management of sustainable floating net cage finfish cultures. This software integrates physical, chemical, biological properties and information on coastal uses to determine site selection, production carrying capacity, ecological carrying capacity and socio-economic assessment of 18 cases, focusing on the economic viability of Tiger grouper [Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (Forsskål, 1775)], Humpback grouper [Cromoliptes altivelis (Valenciennes, 1828)] and Leopard Coral grouper [Plectropomeus leopardus (Lacepède, 1802)] at three remote areas in Indonesia, including: Ekas Bay, Talise and Galang Island. The outcomes demonstrate that only Galang Island provides a suitable area of 12 940 ha with the estimated production carrying capacity of (0.5 to 366) t/annual per fish farm along with ecological carrying capacity are limited of (18 393 to 21 727) t/annual and economic evaluation highlighted that all cultures development are economically viable.

Process design for green and selective production of bio-based surfactant with heterogeneous resin catalyst

The aim of this study was to construct an environmentally and eco-friendly production process of a bio-based surfactant, namely a sugar fatty acid ester (SE), using a heterogeneous catalyst. A strongly basic resin was found to show a fairly high catalytic activity in the transesterification of sucrose and a fatty acid methyl ester to produce an SE under mild conditions, i.e., 60 °C and atmospheric pressure, especially when sufficient sucrose was adsorbed on the resin active sites. In a continuous process using a flow reactor packed with the resin, an appropriate combination of sucrose adsorption and sucrose supply during the reaction enabled to maintain the sucrose concentration at high levels. As a result, continuous SE production succeeded in a short residence time of 1.5 h without saponification to form soap for the first time. In this process, the downstream operations to separate the soap and the catalyst from the product were unnecessary. This heterogeneous resin catalyst enables simple, efficient, and environmentally friendly SE production and this process has potential commercial applications.

Novel photoconductive polyfluorophenol synthesized by an enzyme

► Novel enzyme-mediated synthesis of a thermally resistant photoconductive fluoropolymer. ► The novel fluoropolymer has been synthesized in ionic liquid buffer mixtures in mild and eco-friendly conditions. ► The photocurrency obtained under 532 nm light intensity is about 0.82 W/cm 2 and it increases with the intensity of the applied light. Poly(4-fluoro-2-methoxyphenol) has been synthesized using horseradish peroxidase biocatalyst in a buffer/1-butyl-3-methylimidazoliumtetrafluoroborate solvent mixture. Experimental observations indicate that the enzymatically synthesized polyfluorophenol is a suitable photoconductive material. The photocurrency obtained under 532 nm light intensity is about 0.82 W/cm 2 . The work is relevant to the use of enzymes to produce polymeric materials with potential uses as components in photoelectronic devices owing to polymer characteristics in its mild and eco-friendly production process.

Trends bei der Technik für die Zuchtschweine- und Ferkelhaltung

The recent development in sow keeping and piglet rearing is shaped by three tendencies, which are equally important and should simultaneously be achieved methodically: ·increasing physiological and monetary rearing efficiency per sow and year, simultaneously reducing production costs ·animal-friendly keeping ·eco-friendly production processes, i.e. increasing substance and energy efficiency, lowering emissions