Energy-consuming Method Research Articles

Achieving sustainability in heat drying processing: Leveraging artificial intelligence to maintain food quality and minimize carbon footprint.

The food industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, impacting carbon footprint (CF), specifically during the heat drying process. Conventional heat drying processes need high energy and diminish the nutritional value and sensory quality of food. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in food processing to enhance quality and reduce CF, with a focus on heat drying, a high energy-consuming method, and offer a promising avenue for the industry to be consistent with sustainable development goals. Our finding shows that AI can maintain food quality, including nutritional and sensory properties of dried products. It determines the optimal drying temperature for improving energy efficiency, yield, and life cycle cost. In addition, dataset training is one of the key challenges in AI applications for food drying. AI needs a vast and high-quality dataset that directly impacts the performance and capabilities of AI models to optimize and automate food drying.

Tuning Oxygen Evolving Catalytic Activity of a Precious Metal-Free Nickel Boride by a Cost-Effective Method

The production of hydrogen (H2) by electrochemical water splitting [Green Hydrogen (Green H2)], if driven by green electricity, has attracted considerable interest as an alternative sustainable energy carrier, e.g., in fuel cells for electricity or power and heat generation [1]. However, the lack of satisfactory and cheap electrocatalysts (ECs) to drive the vital electrochemical reactions of hydrogen evolution (HER) and oxygen evolution (OER) in water splitting is the biggest challenge for this technology.Currently, the most advanced electrocatalysts for the two half-reactions of water electrolysis (HER and OER) are noble metal-based materials [2]. Despite the excellent catalytic properties of these noble metal catalysts, their high cost, and scarcity make their commercial use both uneconomical and impractical in low temperature water electrolysis (LT-WE) systems at industrial scale for green H2 as a clean energy alternative to cheaper fossil fuels[3]. In addition to addressing this issue by the development of precious-material-based with a low-loading of precious metal elements, the development of desirable and high-efficiency electrocatalysts (ECs) based on earth-abundant metal elements materials is paramount. However, their catalytic activity is often limited by poor electron transfer, low conductivity, low stability, and small surface area of these materials. Thus, it is crucial to develop earth-abundant metal elements-based materials that are more cost-effective to reduce the high cost of active catalysts for water electrolysis. Although several low-cost materials have already been designed, the potential required for the practical application of water splitting is still very high compared to the theoretical potential (1.23 V), which means that much energy is consumed, which theoretically could be reduced. Due to their remarkable advanced charge transfer and durability for water oxidation in alkaline media, electrocatalysts derived from metal borides-based materials have received a lot of attention as new high-performance catalysts for water oxidation.[4] These properties stem from the multi-dimensional covalent bonding of the metalloid with the surrounding metal atoms.We present here an approach to tune the OER of transition metal borides (TMBs) using the cost-effective and less energy-consuming method that is nevertheless a highly efficient material for OER (Fig. 1). We have developed a low-cost, rational and easily scalable method to enhance the catalytic activity of nickel boride (Ni–B), which requires an annealing process to optimize the catalytic activity. However, this method may have limited applicability on a large scale as it requires a highly inert environment and high-temperature treatment of Ni–B catalysts. We also elucidate a structure-activity relationship using scale-bridging techniques such as TEM and electrochemical characterization. The developed based on non-noble electrocatalysts are prepared by a simple method of chemical reduction of transition metal elements with boron in aqueous solution. The production is a one-step process and the material does not require any further treatment, yet this material shows comparable activity to the state of the art (precious metal-based materials) for OER in alkaline solution at a selected current density. This improved catalytic performance is further corroborated by the microstructural investigations in the TEM. The nanoparticles obtained have an improved porous structure compared to Ni–B and thus provide more available sites for the surface reactions and hence for the catalytic performance of the material. Furthermore, it is shown that activation enables the morphological and structural changes, while some transition metal elements act as sacrificial elements to provide more accessible and stable sites for oxygen-forming centers. This paves the way for a better understanding of metal boride-derived electrocatalysts for water oxidation, a crucial chemical reaction in water electrolysis and other electrochemical energy technologies. Acknowledgements: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 945422. We acknowledge the use of the DFG-funded Micro-and Nanoanalytics Facility (MNaF) at the University of Siegen (INST 221/131-1).

THE ROLE OF QUANTUM CHEMICAL CALCULATIONS IN CATALYSIS: A REVIEW

The article talks about the high role of quantum chemical research methods in such a promising direction as the catalytic oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons, especially in the study of transition states of molecules. Theoretical analysis is based on research in catalysis and computational chemistry. Computational chemistry is an effective tool that allows one to calculate the structure and physical properties of catalysts, as well as the structure and energy of the activated complex. In this review, special attention is paid to identifying a sufficiently accurate and, at the same time, less energy-consuming method for determining the structure of the transition state. The most popular methods of quantum chemical calculations are presented, among which a special role is given to density functional theory (DFT), functionals B3LYP, OLYP, PBE and basis sets 6-31G, LANL2DZ. The use of machine learning by some authors, along with quantum chemical computing, to identify catalysts for activation and functionalization of C-H bonds has been mentioned. The advantages and disadvantages of computational chemistry for heterogeneous catalysis are discussed. The results of studies of catalysts predicated on transition metal complexes are summarized. It is underlined that nanocomposites based on transition metals attract the attention of researchers due to their d-orbitals, which are responsible for the reactivity when activating C-H bonds. The review also indicates plans for conducting quantum chemical calculations to study the catalytic processes of selective oxidation of n-alkanes using tran-sition metal nanocomposites as catalysts. This review will be useful for future applications of computational chemistry methods for the development of new catalysts and the study of chemical reaction mechanisms

Mitigating membrane fouling in an internal loop airlift membrane photobioreactor containing Spirulina platensis: effects of riser cross-sectional area and hydrophilic baffles

Membrane photobioreactors (MPBRs) have gained significant attention due to their ability to support microalgae activities such as cultivation, harvesting, and production of beneficial products. Despite various efforts to mitigate membrane fouling, a fundamental issue in membrane processes, in these systems, a cost-effective and less energy-consuming method is still needed. This study examines the impact of the cross-sectional area of the riser and the baffle material on membrane fouling in an internal loop airlift MPBR. The use of hydrophilic polyester-polypropylene (PES–PP) baffles proves to be more effective than plexiglass baffles. Specifically, in configurations with d = 0.7 cm and d = 1.4 cm, R C/R T decreased by approximately 20% and 13%, respectively, compared to plexiglass baffles. As for the values of R P/R T at a distance of d = 0.7, nearly a 5% increase was observed, and at a distance of d = 1.4, an increase of approximately 11% was observed. This is due to the development of the cake layer on the matrix structure of the PES–PP baffles instead of the membrane itself. The most optimal outcomes were reached while working with PES–PP at a distance of 0.7 cm, as it prolonged the membrane fouling time to 46 h.

Shape optimization of the exhaust hood in machining workshops by a discrete adjoint method

Local exhaust system is an effective but energy-consuming method for capturing oil mist particles in machining workshops. To reduce the flow resistance of an exhaust system for minimal fan energy consumption, the method of applying individually shape-optimized exhaust hoods, namely mass-production design, is feasible. However, the combined effect of multiple exhaust hoods in an exhaust system may not be optimal in reducing the flow resistance. This investigation thus firstly validated the shape optimization of an individual exhaust hood by a discrete adjoint method. The discrete adjoint method could adjust the shape of an exhaust hood automatically in the direction of reducing the flow resistance. The design variables were the coordinates of wall boundaries of the exhaust hood. The validation used measured data from a small-scale experiment. This study then applied the validated discrete adjoint method to conduct customized design through the shape optimization of multiple exhaust hoods simultaneously in the exhaust system. The flow resistance under customized design was compared with the method of mass-production design. The results revealed that the customized design led to different shapes of individual exhaust hoods and they were different from the shape of the individually optimized exhaust hood. The flow resistance of the exhaust system under customized design was reduced by 57%. However, only 36.5% reduction in flow resistance was achieved when the mass-production design method was employed. The customized design method was more effective in reducing flow resistance of the exhaust system.

Simple Synthesis and Characterization of Ball Milled SiOx for Use as a Negative Electrode Material

SiOxis an attractive anode material given its high specific capacity and its increased lifetime due to its supporting matrix of lithium silicates irreversibly formed during its first lithiation. While SiOxis normally created by simultaneous evaporation and vapor deposition of Si and SiO2powders, this can be very difficult and energy consuming method. It is shown here that SiOxwith controlled oxygen content can be made by ball milling crystalline silicon powder in an oxidizing medium using two different milling techniques. To characterize the SiOxpowders, oxygen content is quantified using a KOH-based method and BET surface area is measured. Electrochemical testing using coin cells is completed and the results are compared to commercially available SiO samples. The results show that SiOxwith competitive properties can be made by ball milling. Further work is required to reduce the specific surface area of the material made by ball milling.

Pulsed electric field (PEF) application on wheat malting process: Effect on hydration kinetics, germination and amylase expression

Wheat malt has been widely used in food industry as an important source of endogenous enzymes, such as amylases. However, malting is a time-consuming process. Thus, this work proposed pulsed electric field (PEF) application to enhance wheat hydration, germination and amylase expression. Two-step hydration of Hendrix wheat variety was studied. PEF treatments (3 kV·cm−1; total energy applied of 9.9 and 19.8 kJ·kg−1) were applied with wheat in the water at the beginning or after the first hydration cycle. Hydration curves were accurately described by the Weibull exponential model (R2adj > 0.98). The more intense PEF treatments enhanced hydration rate (25%), water holding capacity (15%) and germination parameters when applied before the first hydration cycle. PEF enhanced α- and β-amylase activity by up to 104% and 25%, respectively, compared to control. Therefore, PEF can be used as a clean emerging technology to improve the malting process and malt quality. Industrial relevanceGrowing concerns have gained attention regarding the use of synthetic enzymes or higher amounts of natural resources to perform enzymatic process to food applications. Malting cereals represents a clean technology to provide natural enzymes from natural resources, even though it is still considered a time- and energy-consuming method. In this sense, the use of pulsed electric fields (PEF) demonstrated to be a green and efficient technique to enhance the overall wheat malting process. Besides improving the process kinetics, the enzymatic activity and, thus, the quality of the final malt can be also improved. Because of that, malting producers can process wheat more rapidly to obtain more efficient ingredients when incorporating PEF to their processes. On the other hand, brewery and baking sector can use wheat malt stimulated by PEF as raw material with comparable technological effects as conventional malts, but in lower amounts instead.

Recovery of silica-free tantalum from epoxy-coated tantalum capacitors using hydrometallurgical routes

Scarcity of natural resources along with rising demand for tantalum from the capacitor and superalloy sector has made it a critical metal. Increasing pressure on consistent supply is a growing concern for user industries. Waste tantalum capacitors as a secondary resource, may help to conserve the natural resources and minimize the waste generation if processed efficiently. Recycling tantalum from capacitor is extremely difficult due to its complex design and uneconomic recovery methods. In this article, recovery of tantalum was undertaken following two different hydrometallurgical routes. In each of the process, epoxy coated tantalum capacitor is first subjected to the pre-processing stage to liberate tantalum-rich concentrate, followed by acidic/alkaline leaching and subsequent purification (if needed) of the resultant product to generate high purity tantalum product. Performance of both processes is evaluated and compared on the basis of percentage recovery of tantalum and the number of steps involved to yield the desired final product. Moreover, there are processes marred by the presence of silica in the encapsulating material of capacitor, however, in here we have completely separated silica with the organic matter in the pre-processing stage to produce silica-free tantalum-rich concentrate, without any need of costly and energy-consuming method. Both processes can recover high-purity tantalum from capacitors. However, the recovery in the two-stage acidic leaching route was near to 98%—much higher than the alkaline one (70%)—due to the formation of insoluble tantalum concentrate in the alkaline process.

К ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ ТРЕХМЕРНОЙ ПЕЧАТИ СИЛИКАТНЫМИ МАССАМИ С ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕМ КЕРАМИЧЕСКИХ И ГИДРАТАЦИОННЫХ СВЯЗУЮЩИХ

The 3D printing technologies have appeared for a long time and are successfully used in a number of industries. The activities of many leading companies in the creation of layouts, models and prototypes of units, assemblies, products are practically not carried out without the use of 3D printing. The following are batch production technologies with high productivity combined with low cost, comparable to traditional methods of manufacturing products. The production of various products from silicate masses in an additive manner is seriously constrained by a number of issues due to the specifics of the material itself. One of them - achieving high physical and mechanical characteristics is possible only after hydration (for cements) or heat treatment (ceramic masses) of the product. Significant influence is exerted by the method of manufacturing the product. The most convenient and least energy-consuming method (in comparison with the powder 3D printing methods using laser sintering) is layer-by-layer slip casting or plastic extrusion, however, there are some unresolved problems. This paper highlights the key problems of using the additive method of manufacturing structural products on ceramic and hydration bonds using plastic and rigid masses in combination with vibration effects.

Effects of Combined Mental and Physical Practices on Walking and Daily Living Activities in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

Objectives: Mental practice, as a neuropsychological factor effective in motor recovery, is a cognitive rehearsal of a physical skill without muscular activity. Considering the high level of fatigue in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), we hypothesized that using mental practice as a low-level energy-consuming method added to physical practice could be a useful therapeutic strategy. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the effects of combined mental and physical practices on walking and daily living activities in patients with MS. Methods: A randomized double-blind controlled trial was applied in the present research. In total, 22 subjects with MS were randomly allocated into the occupational therapy and mental practice groups; all study subjects received equal occupational therapy interventions 3 days a week for 6 weeks. However, in addition to occupational therapy services, the study group received mental exercises. Such practices included the visual and kinesthetic imagery of walking activity in the presence of external cues. Walking ability and daily living activities were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 2 weeks after the treatment (follow-up). Gait parameters (distance and speed) were measured by the functional scales of the 6-Minute Walk Test and the Timed 25-Foot Walk Test. The Barthel Index was used to test individuals’ performance in daily living activities. Results: The presented combined mental and physical practice significantly improved walking distance and walking speed in post-treatment (P=0.047, P<0.001) and follow-up (P=0.044, P=0.001) assessments, respectively. The Barthel Index scores significantly changed per group; however, no significant differences were found between the control and test groups in this regard (P=0.386). Discussion: The present study data revealed that performing mental practice along with occupational therapy interventions are more effective than regular interventions alone in the gait rehabilitation of patients with MS. These significant differences in walking performance in the intervention group remained obvious till the follow-up stage.

Solar Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Activity of Porous Indium-Doped TiO2 Nanostructure

Indium-doped titanium oxide (In-TiO2) anatase nanostructure with macro- and microporosity was synthesized by green method using aqueous plant waste extract as bio-template and ultrasonic waves instead of hazardous chemicals and solvents and energy consuming method. The efficiency of the as-synthesized green nanoparticles has been tested for degradation of organic pollutants and against gram-negative Escherichia Coli Bacteria (E-Coli). Upon indium doping, the photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue (MB), phenol and Pb2+ reduction was improved compared with pure TiO2. The improvement of photocatalytic activity of In-doped samples is attributed to combined effect of doping for charge carrier separation as well as due to macro-/microporosity for effective charge transfer. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of In-TiO2 nanoparticles against E-Coli reached 100% as compared to 99.1% for pure TiO2. The enhancement of the antibacterial activity is associated with increasing negative zeta potential of In-doped samples (up to − 29.3 mV) compared with less negative value of the undoped TiO2 nanoparticles (− 9.85 mV). This effect is mainly due to increasing surface hydroxyl group. This work represents eco-friendly method to produce efficient photocatalyst and antimicrobial agent for water treatment.

Effects of isolated fungal pretreatment on bio-methane production through the co-digestion of rice straw and buffalo dung

Fungal pretreatment is one of the most eco-friendly and less energy consuming method. Abundant species of fungus are accountable for degrading the roots. This study examined the influence of pretreatment of isolated fungal strains for methane production through co-digestion. Three different strains (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus sojae, and Aspergillus terrerus) were identified from the rice plant roots after isolation. Strains were applied on same rice straw (RS) prior to use in anaerobic digestion at 7 d, 15 d and 30 d, named as group A, B and C respectively. Pretreated and untreated RS mixed with buffalo dung (BD) in a ratio of 30:70. Results indicated that pretreatment with A. terreus was most optimal in group B as compared with A. niger and A. sojae, whereas the methane production of 204.7, 181.3 and 167.6 mL CH4g-1VS was observed. While, maximum biodegradability (about 16.6%) was analyzed in the group C respectively. The Gompertz model show best fitted to experimental methane and the process even under biological conditions was statistically analyzed (p < 0.05). Thus, isolated fungus appears as a good potential strategy for increasing methane generation.

A Study of Phytodesalination Rate of Water Hyacinth (Eichornia Crassipes) in Brackish Water

Salinization of freshwater is increasing globally and desalination plants are expensive and energy consuming method to run. Theresearcher of this paper studied the use of water hyacinth for phytodesalination of brackish water. Ten (10) litres of brackish water (salinity 7.69 ppt) in a plastic trough were placed in three replicates, each containing about 100 g water hyacinth andstudied daily for 6 days. The experiment was conducted to measure the treatment parameters of electrical conductivity (EC), pH,total dissolved solids (TDS) and salinity, thereafter, the treatment means were calculated. Results showed that maximum reductions of most of the water parameter were observed after 3 days of the research and a phytodesalination rates of +0.083ppt/g/day for EC, +55.8 ppt/g/day for TDS and +0.075 ppt/g/day for salinity were recorded. The water hyacinth started showingsigns of nutrient starvation and a reduced rate of desalination after 3 days. This can be addressed by continuously removing spent water hyacinth and re-introducing fresh ones in 3 days intervals until desalination is complete. Anova shows that there wassignificant difference between control and water hyacinth treatment means at 95 percent confidence level for EC, TDS and salinity. This suggests efficacy of water hyacinth in the desalination of brackish surface water for industrial and other agricultural purposes.

Microwave Assisted Exfoliation of Graphene and its Application in Enzyme Immobilization

Background: Few layer graphene oxide was prepared by microwave irradiation which is convenient and less energy-consuming method. The enzyme immobilized graphene can be used for various applications including in the field of industrial, biomedical, waste-water treatment etc. Keywords: Graphene oxide, microwave irradiation, enzyme, immobilization, energy saving, urease enzyme.

Wall Insulation Effect on Building Energy Efficiency with the Intermittent and Compartmental Energy Consuming Method

Based on the intermittent and compartmental energy consuming method of residential buildings in Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone, a two-dimensional heat transfer model of one household flat is built for a transient study of the wall insulation effect on building energy efficiency. With the mode of compartmental energy consuming, the energy consumption of interior walls accounts for nearly 45% of the total amount, thus insulation for interior walls should be taken into more consideration as well as for exterior walls. With the intermittent energy consuming mode, exterior wall external insulation can decrease air-conditioner heating load. However, when cooling in summer nights, the temperature of wall is higher than both indoor and outdoor. External insulation hinders heat in walls from dissipating to outside, and thus there is an “anti-insulation” effect existing here. Interior insulation can effectively decrease both heating and cooling loads of air-conditioner.

Poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) nanocomposites containing nanocrystalline cellulose: a green approach to thermoresponsive hydrogels

In this work, we report on the synthesis and characterization of thermoresponsive poly(N-vinylcaprolactam), PNVCL, nanocomposite hydrogels containing nanocrystalline cellulose (CNC) by the use of frontal polymerization technique, which is a convenient, easy and low energy-consuming method of macromolecular synthesis. CNC was obtained by acid hydrolysis of commercial microcrystalline cellulose and dispersed in dimethylsulfoxide. The dispersion was characterized by TEM analysis and mixed with suitable amounts of N-vinylcaprolactam for the synthesis of PNVCL nanocomposite hydrogels having a CNC concentration ranging between 0.20 and 2.0 wt%. The nanocomposite hydrogels were analyzed by SEM and their swelling and rheological features were investigated. It was found that CNC decreases the swelling ratio even at small concentration. The rheological properties of the hydrogels indicated that CNC strongly influenced the viscoelastic modulus, even at concentrations as low as 0.1 wt%: both G′ and G″, and the viscosity increase with CNC content, indicating that the nanocellulose has a great potential to reinforce PNVCL polymer hydrogels.

Beyond the traditional virgin olive oil extraction systems: Searching innovative and sustainable plant engineering solutions

The entire virgin olive oil (VOO) process has changed very little over the last 20years. One of the essential challenges of VOO industrial plant manufacturing is to design and build advanced machines in order to improve the working capacity of the industrial plants and create more sustainable engineering solutions. Ultrasound (US) and microwave (MW) are emerging technologies that have already found application in the food industry. Yet, application in the VOO sector has been scarcely investigated. In order to ascertain if the mentioned emerging technologies are able to increase the environmental sustainability improving VOO extraction yields, two different treatments (US and MW) of olive paste were adopted in the VOO extraction process on a pilot scale plant. In these experimental conditions, the main parameters legally established (acidity, peroxide value, and specific extinction coefficients (K232 and K270)) to evaluate VOO quality were not affected by the US and MW treatments. Moreover US and MW processes reduced significantly the length of the malaxation and improved the extraction yield as compared with the control when the oils were extracted from the paste without malaxation. Results also prove that US technology was more sustainable than MW which appears as an energy consuming method in a pilot scale plant. Therefore the industrial application of these technologies could represent the first step toward the development of continuous new devices.

Novel magnetically induced membrane vibration (MMV) for fouling control in membrane bioreactors

Conventional submerged membrane bioreactors (MBRs) rely on the coarse bubbles aeration to generate shear at the liquid–membrane interface to limit membrane fouling. Unfortunately, it is a very energy consuming method, still often resulting in a rapid decrease of membrane permeability and consequently in higher expenses. In this paper, the feasibility of a novel magnetically induced membrane vibration (MMV) system was studied in a lab-scale MBR treating synthetic wastewater. The effects on membrane fouling of applied electrical power of different operation strategies, of membrane flux and of the presence of multiple membranes on one vibrating engine on membrane fouling were investigated. The filtration performance was evaluated by determining the filtration resistance profiles and critical flux. The results showed clear advantages of the vibrating system over conventional MBR processes by ensuring higher fluxes at lower fouling rates. Intermittent vibration was found a promising strategy for both efficient fouling control and significant energy saving. The optimised MMV system is presumed to lead to significant energy and cost reduction in up-scaled MBR operations.

Sustainability of silicon feedstock for a low-carbon society

We need to ensure the sustainable management of advanced materials, such as purified silicon, that contribute to a low-carbon society. Because a drastic increase in the demand for photovoltaic (PV) systems is tightening the supply of silicon for PV cells, the sustainability of silicon feedstock needs to be explored. For this purpose, a material flow analysis of silicon in Japan from 1996 to 2006 is presented in this paper. Our analysis finds that rapid growth in demand for polycrystalline silicon (pc-silicon) and single crystalline silicon (sc-silicon) has changed the structure of the purified silicon supply. The strong demand for purified silicon for solar cells is responsible for this change. While off-grade silicon obtained as a by-product of electronic-grade silicon (EG-Si) covered the demand for solar sells before 2000, pc-silicon is currently produced independently for solar cells via an energy-intensive process. Analysis of the resource effective-use index (REI), which indicates how effectively purified silicon is used, shows progress in the effective use of pc- and sc-silicon. REI analysis indicates that the effective use of pc-silicon is reaching a maximum, while the effective use of sc-silicon is advancing, with a corresponding increase in price. To ensure a sustainable supply of silicon feedstock, this paper proposes four solutions: (1) production of solar-grade pc-silicon by a less costly and less energy-consuming method; (2) reduction in the amount of crystalline silicon per watt in solar cells; (3) acceleration of the development and deployment of other solar cell types; and (4) reuse and recycling of solar cells in the future.