Reduction Of Specific Energy Consumption Research Articles

Towards artificial intelligence empowered performance enhancement of EDM process using nano-graphene mixed bio-dielectric supporting the carbon neutrality and sustainable development

The growing population with every passing day sets an alarming situation with respect to the conservation climate protocols. The increasing needs of society also demand a significant enhancement in the manufacturing capacity to augment the situation. However, it's a stringent requirement of the hour to propose sustainable and clean manufacturing processes to realize the goal of carbon neutrality to support a healthy life on the earth. Specifically, the processes that are energy intensive like electric discharge machining (EDM) are of serious concern regarding sustainability viewpoint. The role of the said process cannot be essentially eliminated as advent of new materials of superior characteristics demand the application of EDM for accurate cutting of intricate profiles. Nevertheless, the commonly used oil-based dielectric (kerosene) in EDM releases aerosol, deposit particles, oxides of carbon (CO2 & CO), thus contributing to the environmental contamination. It is pertinent to mention that industries are compelled to tune their processes to achieve the goals of Net-Zero. Therefore, this study thoroughly investigates the potential of nano-graphene mixed rice bran oil to make the EDM process cleaner and sustainable which has never been investigated so far. Moreover, the process has been successfully modeled using artificial neural network (ANN) and optimized by non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) which is another novel aspect of this study as it eradicates the need of extensive experimentation. Experimentation has been performed via Taguchi's experimental strategy followed by a detailed explanation of the findings based on process physics. In comparison to the traditional dielectric an improvement of 98.8% in material removal rate (MRR) and 93.9% reduction in specific energy consumption (SEC) are realized if the said novel combination is applied without compromising the quality. CO2 emissions determined for both rice bran oil and kerosene oil have revealed that rice bran oil provides 99.96% lesser CO2 emission in comparison to its counterpart.

Sustainable reuse of waste ceramic tiles powder and waste brick powder as a replacement for cement on green high strength concrete properties

Nowadays, reducing construction waste has grabbed the attention. As bricks and ceramic tiles represent more than 50% of the ceramic waste in many European countries. Thus, the recycling of this waste type is one of the most significant challenges within the paradigm of the circular economy. This paper investigated the impact of substitution levels of cement by waste ceramic powder (WCP) and waste brick powder (WBP) at 0%, 5%, 10% and 15%, on the HSC characteristics. The WBP and WCP materials were characterized in detail by laser granulometry, XRF and XRD measurements, followed by standard mixing, production, and curing of concrete samples. The experiments on dry density, modulus of elasticity, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, compressive strength, resistance to sulfate attack, water absorption and ultrasonic pulse velocity were conducted to evaluate the hardened properties of concrete. It was demonstrated that the durability and strength of concrete containing WBP and WCP as partial replacements for cement are marginally inferior to those of the control sample. On the other hand, samples containing WBP had a lesser negative effect on HSC properties in comparison with samples containing WCP. However, employing a 5% WBP with 10% WCP mixture enhanced the characteristics of the HSC in comparison to samples containing various percentages of WCP individually. In addition, the microstructure analyses revealed that the addition of 10% WCP and 5%WBP to HSC specimens resulted in higher hydration products and a slightly denser concrete matrix compared to samples containing various percentages of WCP individually. Research findings indicate that a 15% substitution of cement with WCP or WBP illustrated an environmental benefit in concrete production due to a 13.1% reduction in specific energy consumption.

Justification of the air distribution system of a down-the-hole hammer with an efficient operating cycle

One method for conserving energy in the mining industry and ensuring the required pressure of compressed air in underground mining networks is to decrease the specific energy carrier consumption, particularly in the case of down-the-hole hammers. The objective of this study is to substantiate the air distribution system of an air hammer, aimed at reducing the specific consumption of compressed air. We propose a system consisting of two chambers with a constant supply of compressed air, two controllable chambers, two elastic valves on the hammer, and a valve for cutting off the supply of compressed air to the forward stroke chamber, which is controlled by the hammer’s position. This proposed configuration was employed to create two different designs for the air hammer. The operational cycle of the designed device has been numerically examined using SimulationX software and validated through experimental testing on a laboratory bench. Our calculations reveal that the suggested air distribution system, featuring controlled inlet to the backward stroke chamber, successfully achieves the stated objective. In comparison to the standard M29T hammer with nearly identical dimensions, striking power, and compressed air consumption for cleaning the borehole, the designed hammer exhibits a 53% reduction in specific energy consumption, and its electrical power usage for compressed air supply is halved. These design specifications align with both experimental results and data derived from the existing literature, confirming the accuracy of our calculation.

Strategic management of energy consumption and reduction of specific energy consumption using modern methods of artificial intelligence in an industrial plant

Given the importance of energy and its role in sustainable gas production, paying special attention to its consumption indicators in all industries, especially oil & gas is very important. The energy consumption index parameter, which equals the ratio of energy consumption to gas production, is one of the most significant indicators of the gas refinery. Artificial intelligence can be used to evaluate the effects of different parameters and find the factors influencing energy performance. Important variables such as inlet gas from various sources, the energy consumption of each part, and the amount of waste refinery gas are collected on different days of the year, then using the least square support vector machine method and networking and sensitivity analysis of the impact of each variable separately. The role of each in this parameter is determined so that it can be used to provide appropriate solutions to reduce energy consumption and the energy consumption index parameter for sustainable gas production. According to the results of this study, the steam unit has a 14 % impact on the energy consumption index, and the gas sweetening unit has an 18 % impact on gas consumption. So, more research on the optimization of these two units is necessary.

Theoretical and experimental research on the use of hydrogen in the automotive spark ignition engine

Reducing the level of pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines requires the adaptation of solutions that improve the combustion process in the cylinder but those solutions may increase their constructive complexity. For this reason, the use of hydrogen is an effective solution, both for replacing fossil fuels and for reducing the concentration of pollutant emissions. The use of hydrogen as an additional fuel for the automotive spark ignition engines offers the possibility of obtaining increased energy performance, decreased pollutant emissions level and decreased concentration of greenhouse gas emissions. The paper presents the results of the some theoretical and experimental investigations carried on an automotive spark ignition engine, analysing the influence of the hydrogen on combustion and implicitly on energy performance and pollution. The simulation of thermo-gas-dynamic processes in the cylinder of the engine fed successively with gasoline/gasoline and hydrogen, allowed the authors to develop a specific and efficient procedure for conducting experimental investigations. The results of the theoretical and experimental research obtained and presented in the paper highlight the advantages of using hydrogen as an additive to gasoline fuelling in the automobile spark ignition engine: the improvement of combustion (reduction of combustion duration, increase of indicated thermal efficiency, reduction of specific energy consumption) and reduction of the level of polluting emissions and of the emission of greenhouse gases. An engine adjustment strategy for the sharp reduction of the concentration of nitrogen oxides is also presented.

Pulse cyclone electrowinning of gallium recovery for higher current efficiency and lower energy consumption

Traditional gallium electrowinning suffers from low current efficiency and high specific energy consumption due to the inevitable hydrogen evolution reaction. In order to inhibit hydrogen evolution reaction and alleviate the concentration polarization, the pulse cyclone electrowinning process was proposed and developed to enhance diffusion and convection. During the pulse current off time, the ion concentration in the cathode diffusion layer can be effectively restored, while forced convection accelerates this process. Electrochemical experiments using a rotating disk electrode have preliminarily confirmed that pulsed electrodeposition can accelerate nucleation and improve current efficiency. Pilot experiments were conducted using an industrial gallium electrolyte to further validate the feasibility of the pulse cyclone electrowinning process. Under the following conditions: current density of 2000 A/m2, duty ratio of 50%, frequency of 10 Hz, and circulation flow of 400 L/h, the current efficiency and specific energy consumption were determined to be 69.21% and 7836 kWh/t, respectively. Compared to the traditional electrowinning process at the same average current density, pulse cyclone electrowinning exhibited a significant increase in current efficiency and a reduction in specific energy consumption by 52.28% and 31.57%, respectively. Overall, this study confirmed the feasibility of pulse cyclone electrowinning coupling pulse current and forced convection, which can also be applied to other electrodeposition processes to achieve higher current efficiency and lower energy consumption.

The effect of “energy of scale” on the energy consumption in different industrial sectors

This study investigates the concept of “energy of scale“ in industrial energy systems, focusing on the reduction of specific energy consumption as production capacity increases. Using data from more than 25 000 industrial plants in Europe and the United States (U.S.), we develop fit functions for different industrial subsectors to validate the “energy of scale” effect. Our findings confirm that “energy of scale” exists in industrial energy systems and varies across subsectors. The effect is consistent between Europe and the U.S. We identify that energy-consuming units involved in value creation within production chains have the most significant influence on the scaling effect. This discovery has important implications for policy makers, facility managers, and energy researchers, providing new avenues for promoting energy efficiency and supporting the transition to cleaner energy sources.

Experimental investigation of ethanol diesel dual fuel DI diesel engine

This paper investigates the combustion and performance characteristics of an ethanol – diesel dual fuel direct injection diesel engine. An air-cooled constant speed single cylinder diesel engine was operated with dual fuel mode in which ethanol was injected in the inlet manifold and diesel was injected inside the cylinder. An electronic fuel injection system operated by LabView software was used to inject the ethanol. Virtual instrumentation principle was used to generate output pulses for triggering ethanol injection. Diesel fuel was injected by conventional mechanical fuel injection system. The engine was loaded by an eddy current dynamometer. A piezoelectric pressure pickup with charge amplifier connected to PC based data acquistion system recorded cylinder pressure data at every crank angle interval. A crank angle degree marker measures the crank angle position for every crank angle. Tests were conducted on the engine in diesel and ethanol – diesel dual fuel mode. The cylinder pressure traces were used to calculate the heat release rates and combustion parameters. Optimum ethanol quantity was injected at every operating point. An AVL five-gas analyzer was used to measure the different exhaust pollutants. The smoke emission was measured by an AVL smoke meter in Hatridge equivalent percentage. Experimental results show that 40% of diesel can be replaced by ethanol at full load and there was 5.5% reduction in specific energy consumption. Also it was found that 32% reduction in smoke level (Opacity) and 25% reduction in NOx emissions at full load operating condition. It was also observed that the engine was running smoothly without knocking.

Simultaneous recovery of nutrients and water from human urine by a novel thermally activated peroxydisulfate and membrane distillation integrated system

Membrane distillation (MD) has been applied to urine recovery with growing interest and demand for resource recovery from waste. However, MD application to urine is limited by obstacles, including the inability to recover nutrients and water simultaneously, low separation efficiency due to ammonia permeation, and membrane fouling. Herein, a novel system integrating thermally activated peroxydisulfate with MD (TAP-MD) was developed to overcome the above obstacles. The synergy effects were found between TAP pretreatment and MD process. With TAP pretreatment, membrane fouling was alleviated by organics degradation and mineral precipitation reduction, resulting in significant improvements in MD performance. Water flux of pretreated urine decreased from 25 L/m2/h to 15 L/m2/h after 80 % of water recovery, but that of unpretreated urine decreased to near zero after 38 % of water recovery. Meanwhile, MD process revealed further enhancement in urine stability by activating residual peroxydisulfate, reducing nutrient losses due to ammonia volatilization during storage and utilization of concentrated fertilizer. As a result, nearly 92.95 % of N-urea, 97.35 % of P, and 99.77 % of K was recovered as concentrated liquid fertilizer, meanwhile, 80 % of water was recovered as high-quality reclaimed water. The energy efficiency was improved by reusing waste heat from pretreatment. The TAP-MD system achieved a 45.63 % increase in thermal efficiency and a 38.25 % reduction in specific energy consumption compared to no pretreatment. This study developed an energy-efficient and high-performance separation treatment for complete resource recovery from urine.

Оптимизация настроечных параметров пассивного измельчителя при приготовлении ржаной патоки

Grain molasses can compensate the deficiency of easily digestible carbohydrates in a cow’s ration. The best raw material to produce molasses is rye. Molasses can be produced on farms directly before feeding. Today it is highly promising to improve the technology and technical devices for the production of grain molasses. The research was conducted to determine optimum values of adjustment parameters of a passive shredder (the grate angle and the diameter of grate apertures) by estimating their influence on the optimization criterion – specific energy consumption. The author determined quality indicators: the number of whole grains and the residue amount on the sieve with a mesh side size of 3 mm. Whole grains (the “Grafinya” winter rye variety) were crushed with a passive shredder. According to its design, the grate angle is changed from 30 to 90° and the grates have different hole diameters (3, 6, and 9 mm). The author made a matrix of complete factor experiment 32 and obtained an adequate response function. They also evaluated the desirability profile and Pareto plot for the studied factors. At the first stage of the research, it was found that the reduction of specific energy consumption is greatly influenced by increasing the value of the grate aperture diameter. The response surface was plotted and the antigradient of the function was determined. At the second stage, a pitch towards increasing the hole diameter to 9 mm was selected and the planning matrix of the fractional factor experiment was made. An extremum point with the minimum value of the function was defined for the resulting response function. In the natural form, the specific energy cost is 55.56 Wh/kg with a grate angle of 60.6° and a grate hole diameter of 6.57 mm. The values of 60° and 6 mm with specific power inputs being in the area of minimum and amounting to 56.4 Wt-h/kg are recommended as adjustment parameters, which is 1.3 per cent higher than the calculated values.

Energy efficient technologies for the mining industry

The cavitation generator of fluid pressure oscillations is a promising device for productivity and efficiency improvement in the mining industry (hereinafter referred to as the generator). Due to the periodic growth, separation and collapse of cavitation cavities into generator volume, shock pressure oscillations are realized with a frequency range from 1 to 20 kHz. Oscillatory pressure peak values are up by 4 times higher than the steady-state pressure at the generator inlet. The destroyed rock takes on a fatigue character under repeated alternating effects of force impulses. Due to the development of a network of microcracks in the rock, the discontinuity of the rock mass occurs at stresses lower than the rock ultimate strength. This leads to an increase in the rate of penetration, high-quality disintegration of well productive zones and an increase in their production rate, as well as to effective loosening and degassing of outburst-prone coal seams. Purpose. To conduct a systematic analysis of the use of a cavitation generator in the mining industry and evaluate its effectiveness. To develop a simplified method for calculating the maximum values of the range of fluid pressure oscillations by the generator. Methodology. The techniques are based on the study of recent research and publications on the use of the generator as a means of impulse action, and on the processing of on its dynamic parameters experimental data. Findings. The results are given in the form of the main parameters that determine the efficiency of technological processes with hydro pulse exposure. The calculation dependences of values are presented of the cavitation parameter for which of the maximum levels of the fluid oscillation are implemented on the injection pressure and those of the maximum values of the range of fluctuations on the cavitation parameter. Originality. It has been established that the use of the generator as a means of impulse action intensifies the mining industrys technological processes and leads to a significant reduction in specific energy consumption. A new simplified method for calculating the maximum level of the oscillation range has been developed, which makes it possible to determine the rational operation modes of the generator. Practical value. At the stage of designing new equipment or upgrading existing equipment, this simplified method allows determining the effective mode of operation of the generator by engineering methods to reduce the specific energy consumption of the technological process.

Numerical analysis of the Gas − Solid heat transfer characteristics of a lightly calcined MgO Fluidized-bed roaster

The fluidized bed roaster is a novel energy-efficient calcination device for lightly calcined magnesia production. However, the gas − solid heat transfer process in the roaster, the key which can significantly impact energy consumption and product quality, has not an in-depth study yet. In the present work, for the determination of the optimal operating parameters of the roaster, the Euler-Lagrange model of ANSYS Fluent software was employed to simulate the influence of inlet temperature and flow rate of flue gas and feed amount of magnesite on the temperature distribution, production capacity and decomposition rate. The results show that the specific energy consumption is reduced by approximately 6.45 % under the optimal operating conditions with production capacity of 5 × 104 t/a. Furthermore, the maximum production capacity reaches 5.5 × 104 t/a with 9.2 % reduction of specific energy consumption when the feed amount, flue gas flow rate and flue gas temperature are optimized as 14.5 t/h, 21,000 Nm3/h and 1660 K, respectively.

Automation of membrane capacitive deionization process using reinforcement learning

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an alternative desalination technology that uses electrochemical ion separation. Although several attempts have been made to maximize the energy efficiency and productivity of CDI with conventional control methods, it is difficult to optimize the CDI processes because of the complex correlation between the operational conditions and the composition of feed water. To address these challenges, we applied deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to automatically control the membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) process, which is one of the representative CDI processes, to accomplish high energy efficiency while desalinating water. In the DRL model, the numerical model is combined as the environment that provides states according to the actions. The feed water conditions, that is, the input state of the DRL, were assumed to have a random salt concentration and constant foulant concentration. The model was constructed to minimize energy consumption and maximize desalted water volume per cycle. After training of 1,000 episodes, the DRL model achieved a 22.07% reduction in specific energy consumption (from 0.054 to 0.042 kWh m−3) and 11.60% increase in water desalted water volume per cycle (from 1.96×10−5 to 2.19×10−5 m3), achieving the desired degree of desalination, compared to the first episode. This improved performance was because the trained model selected the optimized operating conditions of current, voltage, and the number and intensity of flushing. Furthermore, it was possible to train the model depending on demand by modifying the reward function of the DRL model. The fundamental principle described in this study for applying the DRL model in MCDI operations can be the cornerstone of a fully automated water desalination process.

REFRIGERATION MACHINES IN THE SYSTEM OF CONSISTENT MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRIC ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF THE COMPLEX ENTERPRISE-INDUSTRIAL REFRIGERATOR

The strategy of the coordinated management of electric consumption of the industrial refrigerator of the enterprise of a food complex on production of foodstuff is offered. The structure of the integrated intelligent power management system of the refrigerator enterprise has been developed, in which the systems of automated control of electricity metering and control of the refrigeration trajectory of refrigeration chambers are built-in. The system uses a situation center, industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital platform “FOOD” with software (freezing of food products). According to the ASUE-ACS command, the upper level of the industrial refrigerator and its software fulfill the set parameters of the portfolio of orders for active and reactive capacities of the food complex enterprises. An algorithm for controlling an industrial refrigerator during periods of power system power limitations has been developed. It is proved that the reduction of specific energy consumption for the production of one ton of frozen food during the period of power system power limitations and fan outages is possible only by optimizing the technological and energy parameters of refrigeration machines. Technologies for reducing energy consumption by controlling the reactive and active power of synchronous motors of reciprocating compressors and frequency control of asynchronous motors of screw compressors and asynchronous motors of evaporating condensers are presented. Simulation of the geometry of the in-chamber loading of the refrigerating chambers of an industrial refrigerator is performed. New approaches to the choice of adaptive regulators of synchronous motor exciters have been developed, which are coordinated in real time with the energy modes of operation of refrigeration machines and the geometry of refrigeration chamber loading. The possibility of improving the efficiency of power management regimes of food industry enterprises through coordinated automated control of cooling and freezing of meat products, poultry, fish, dairy products, fruits and the use of automated power management systems by building expert and human-machine decision making systems. The developed systems will allow to meet the requirements of energy generating companies for active and reactive loads, reduce costs in the power grid and maintain the voltage in the nodes of electrical receivers within the established norms.

Reduction in Specific Energy Consumption of Overall Biogas Upgrading and Biomethane Liquefaction Process: Energy and Exergy Analysis

Biogas is considered one of the most promising alternative renewable fuels, but raw biogas needs to be upgraded before its use in vehicles or injection into the natural gas grid, and the resulting biomethane be liquified to be transported to distant areas. Both, absorption for upgrading, and compression for liquefaction are energy-intensive processes that require performance enhancement in terms of reduction of specific energy consumption. For the commissioning of biogas upgrading and biomethane liquefaction at a single plant, it is indispensable to optimize the overall process of biogas upgrading and biomethane liquefaction. According to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the overall process has not yet been optimized for minimum specific energy consumption. This study proposes a fast-converging teaching learning self-study optimization approach to the overall process with a careful selection of decision variables and their bounds without breaching the process constraints. The results of optimization are compared with the base case in terms of parametric and composite curves analysis. The parametric analysis shows that teaching–learning self-study optimization has reduced the specific energy consumption of the overall process by 15.4 % as compared to the base case that optimized the upgrading and liquefaction processes independently. The individual-specific energy consumption of upgrading and liquefaction sections is reduced by 20.4 % and 5.8 %, respectively. The composite curves analysis reveals that the gap between hot and cold composite curves is reduced as compared to the base case that depicts the reduction in specific energy consumption. Moreover, the detailed thermodynamic evaluation revealed that the exergetic efficiency of the upgrading process compared to the base case significantly increased from 51.43 % to 92.98 % while the exergetic efficiency of the liquefaction section slightly increased from 80.23 % to 80.83 %, thus, resulting in an increase in exergetic efficiency of the overall process by 20.9 % compared to the base case. Additionally, the overall sustainability index of the upgrading and liquefaction processes has increased from 3.78 to 9.04. This study would be significantly helpful for the process engineers to overcome the challenges related to the reduction in specific energy consumption in the biogas upgrading and liquefaction industry.

An integrated approach to investigate the energy consumption for manufacturing and surface finishing 3D printed Inconel 718 parts

Current scenarios show the need of making manufacturing more sustainable as it plays a crucial role in global sustainability. For this reason, sustainability should be included among the objectives driving the selection of process parameters. As-built parts manufactured by additive manufacturing techniques always require post-processing to meet industrial quality requirements, and machining is one of the solutions often adopted to improve their surface finishing. However, inevitably an additional manufacturing process requires some supplementary both energy and resource consumption by also impact unavoidably on the environment. This experimental study includes both additive manufacturing and post-process machining to evaluate the global specific energy consumption required to manufacture and then finish Inconel 718 parts. This paper aims at understanding how to obtain Inconel 718 parts manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM) and machined by turning by saving energy without sacrificing roughness and density. The printing process parameters of SLM process have been varied in a wide range: 27 different samples have been produced to evaluate the specific energy consumption (SEC) and to highlight the influence of the process parameters on the energy consumption. Density and roughness measurements have been chosen as measured outputs to prove the effectiveness of the process and to attempt a correlation among process parameters, properties of the printed parts and energy consumption. All the as-built samples were post-treated by turning process under the same conditions to achieve a surface finishing with a Ra value close to 4 μm; the energy consumption of this process has been also recorded and analyzed. Finally, the energy consumption of the whole processing path, including both printing and turning, has been discussed and a correlation between processing parameters and energy consumption has been attempted. Results showed that a proper choice of the process parameters leads up to a 54% reduction in specific energy consumption to obtain SLMelted Inconel 718 parts having low surface roughness and high density.

Extractive distillation of ethyl acetate-ethanol-water ternary system using deep eutectic solvent (DES): A techno economic and energy assessment

The extractive distillation (ED) process has been established as a commercially viable process that can be used to break the azeotropic systems. The present study investigates the performance and feasibility of conventional solvent (glycerol) and choline chloride-glycerol based deep eutectic solvent (DES) as entrainers for the separation of ethyl acetate-ethanol-water ternary mixture through ED. A comprehensive approach is proposed with phase-equilibrium measurements and process simulation through Aspen Plus for different entrainer to feed ratio (E/F). Optimization of the process is based on performance indicators such as Total Annual Cost, CO2 emissions, and Specific Energy Consumption. A sequential iterative algorithm was used to find the optimum E/F in distillation trains. The performance analysis has shown a reduction of 45.89% in global TAC with DES as an entrainer. The combined entrainer requirement for the dehydration was 268.3 kmol/h and 118.86 kmol/h with glycerol and DES respectively. The process sees a 58.21% total energy saving with a 15% and 44.5% reduction in Specific Energy Consumption and CO2 emissions respectively as compared to glycerol as an entrainer. The study provides a comparison and proves that DES is an effective entrainer to break the azeotropic point as a low-cost and eco-friendly alternative to conventional solvents.

Forward osmosis dewatering of seawater and pesticide contaminated effluents using the commercial fertilizers and zinc-nitrate blend draw solutions

Fertilizer driven forward osmosis (FDFO) process would be feasible due to the possible prevention of the drainage of dewatered and concentrated pesticide effluent from agricultural pesticide industries to the environment. Instead, it would be possible to return the concentrated pesticide solution to the processing cycle, and on the other hand, employ directly the obtained diluted fertilizer draw solution for irrigation. This study investigated the performance of zinc-nitrate/amino-acids blends as fertilizer type draw solution, and distilled water, saline water (seawater), and synthetic wastewater containing pesticides as feed. The results indicated that the synergetic effect of blended type fertilizer presented significantly higher osmotic pressure and water flux than the sum of their individual ones, especially when the amount of amino acid increased. Conversely, an ignorable reverse flux of blended fertilizer draw solute was observed. The fertilizer blend with a molar ratio of 1:6 zinc-nitrate/amino-acid achieved the higher average fluxes of 34.7 and 23.92 L/m2h from distilled and saline waters compared to common draw solutions such as metal salts. Furthermore, the FDFO exhibited a high rejection (over 99%) of bentazon and imidacloprid in feed solutions compared to other agricultural pesticides due to their larger molecular weight and molecular size. The applied FDFO represented a significant reduction in specific energy consumption (from 0.17 to 0.049 kWh/m3) in a bench-scale setup as compared to the RO process almost at the same water permeation flux and the rejection of bentazon.

РАЗРАБОТКА КОМБИНИРОВАННОГО РАБОЧЕГО ОРГАНА ДЛЯ ВВОДА ЗАЛЕЖНЫХ ЗЕМЕЛЬ В СЕВООБОРОТ

Constantly increasing requirements to reduce the energy efficiency of technological processes in crop production call for designing new mechanization means capable of cutting and performing surface tillage in one pass of a unit. The study of modern scientific and patent literature has revealed that the existing individual models of such machines are not used in agricultural production. The work aims to theoretically justify a new hybrid unit designed for simultaneous cutting and soil rotatilling based on the system approach. Theoretical studies showed that the initial requirements for removing low-value and weedy vegetation with simultaneous soil surface rotatilling. The authors considered a model of combining these technological processes, taking into account the requirements for fodder harvesting technology. A provision was made that during soil preparation it is necessary to undercut the vegetation completely with the least energy inputs without reducing its quality for further impacts. In mathematical designing of the working unit, rheological properties of cultivation objects – soil layer and vegetative material – were taken into account. Based on these research outcomes, the authors developed the effective design of a working unit combining cutting with soil rotatilling. Comparative analyses of the agro-energy intensity of the combined operation showed a reduction of specific energy consumption by 10…12% on average.

Reduction of specific heat consumption by modification of reversal cycle period of coke oven battery

In this research, we were able to reduce this time to 18 min while maintaining the coke quality required by blast furnaces. In the batteries, we were able to reduce the specific heat consumption of coke oven gas from 660 kcal/kg to 640 kcal/kg of coal. The adoption of this concept in coke oven batteries, which will produce coke in a more energy-efficient manner while incurring no additional costs. Steel industry plays an important role in India's long-term economic growth, which may be further increased by developing and demonstrating innovative energy-efficient technology, as well as adopting world-class energy-efficient practices. Energy consumption and economic growth are inextricably intertwined, and the degree of energy intensity always indicates energy growth. The Coke oven department is critical to the production of steel. Coke is used as a reducing agent and for burden management in blast furnaces. Also Coke oven department plays a very vital role in the energy aspect in integrated steel plants where coke oven gas is recovered during the carbonization process which is used as fuel in coke making as well as in other departments. The Coke oven department is a very energy intensive department. Therefore, reduction in specific energy consumption at coke ovens will reduce manufacturing cost of steel. The areas were identified where some energy conservation study can be done. It was found that the heating reversal period is 20 min; the regenerator is not utilizing the entire heat of the combustion product for 20 min, as it is reaching its maximum temperature before. So different studies were conducted and the cycle period can be reduced. So different studies were conducted and the cycle period can be reduced.