Sheep Fat Research Articles

Thermo-economic performance improvement of hemispherical solar still using wick material with V-corrugated basin and two different energy storage materials

Solar still is a developing solar desalination method that has been introduced to face the shortage of freshwater with low energy consumption. However, this method is challenged by its low productivity. Therefore, the following work aimed to improve the freshwater productivity and reduce the produced water price. Herein, the performance of a hemispheric solar still equipped with four alternative combinations was experimentally studied; and its thermo-economic performance was assessed. The experimental work had four stages, firstly the distiller’s flat basin was replaced by a V-corrugated basin. Secondly, the corrugated basin was covered with a black cotton wick material. Thirdly, paraffin wax, as a phase change material (PCM), was contained under the wick-coated corrugated basin for latent thermal storage purpose. Finally, paraffin was replaced with sheep fat PCM. Each modified distiller was compared to a conventional one from 8 A.M. until 9 P.M. under the climate conditions of Suez City, Egypt lies at (29. 5825 °N, 32.5734°E) in terms of the thermal performance, daily productivity, and freshwater price. The four cases showed increasing in the daily productivity by ratios of 11 %, 25.7 %, 34.1 %, and 39.6 % respectively. The fourth case showed the best water productivity and thermal performance. It had daily productivity of 4737.5 mL/m2 and 45 % thermal efficiency. Furthermore, the thermal performance in terms of the thermal and exergy efficiencies improved by 39.75 % and 44.04 %, whereas the average total heat transfer coefficient increased by 5.5 %. Moreover, the freshwater price was 0.0137 $/L, likewise, 17.5 % cost reduction.

EFFECT OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF FENNEL SEEDS (FOENICULUM VULGARE) ON IMPROVING EGG QUALITY IN LAYING HENS

The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of adding Fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare L.) into the diets of laying hens on egg quality. This study was conducted in poultry fields belonging to Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture, and University of Anbar for 12 weeks. A total of 72 laying hens (Lohman Brown) were used in this experiment, at age 43 weeks. Hens were randomly distributed to six treatments groups and with four replicates per treatment (3 hens/replicate). The treatments were T1: (positive control) based diet containing 1% hydrogenated vegetable fat, T2: (negative control) based diet containing 1% Sheep fat, T3, T4, T5 and T6 The based diet contained 1% Sheep fat + supplementation of 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1% Fennel seeds powder sequentially. The results showed significant (P≤0.05) differences for the supplementation treatments on the qualitative characteristics of egg quality, as treatment T6 was significantly (P≤0.05) superior to the rest of the experimental treatments in shell weight, yolk weight, yolk index, percentage of Albumen weight %, Albumen weight (g) and Haugh Unit. Treatments T5 and T6 were significantly (P≤0.05) superior to the rest of the experimental treatments in shell thickness, percentage of yolk weight%, and Albumen index, while there was no significant effect (P≤0.05) of the supplementation treatments on (percentage of shell weight%) compared to the two control treatments T1 and T2. It was concluded adding 0.75 and 1% Fennel seeds powder to laying hens' diets improved quality of eggshell, yolk, and egg white.

MicroRNA and circular RNA profiling in the deposited fat tissue of Sunite sheep.

As the most typical deposited fat, tail fat is an important energy reservoir for sheep adapted to harsh environments and plays an important role as a raw material in daily life. However, the regulatory mechanisms of microRNA (miRNA) and circular RNA (circRNA) in tail fat development remain unclear. In this study, we characterized the miRNA and circRNA expression profiles in the tail fat of sheep at the ages of 6, 18, and 30 months. We identified 219 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs (including 12 novel miRNAs), which exhibited a major tendency to be downregulated, and 198 DE circRNAs, which exhibited a tendency to be upregulated. Target gene prediction analysis was performed for the DE miRNAs. Functional analysis revealed that their target genes were mainly involved in cellular interactions, while the host genes of DE circRNAs were implicated in lipid and fatty acid metabolism. Subsequently, we established a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network based on the negative regulatory relationship between miRNAs and target genes. The network revealed that upregulated miRNAs play a leading role in the development of tail fat. Finally, the ceRNA relationship network with oar-miR-27a_R-1 and oar-miR-29a as the core was validated, suggesting possible involvement of these interactions in tail fat development. In summary, DE miRNAs were negatively correlated with DE circRNAs during sheep tail fat development. The multiple ceRNA regulatory network dominated by upregulated DE miRNAs may play a key role in this developmental process.

10 Utilizing1H NMR Spectroscopy to Quantify and Identify Biomarkers in Finishing Sheep

Abstract Backfat and carcass fatness is an important quality attribute in meat animals. A substantial economic gain in the livestock industry may result from the discovery of metabolites, which can improve methods for predicting desirable livestock traits before harvest. Complex phenotypes can be identified for genetic selection or precision management using metabolic and genetic biomarkers. An analysis of ovine samples collected before harvest from wethers with different degrees of back fat was conducted using serum samples obtained from 15 sheep (5 from each back fat class), 60 d, 30 d, and just before harvest. This study quantified 55 serum metabolites that play important roles in ovine metabolism by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. An RNAseq dataset was generated from each sheep's muscle and adipose tissue at harvest. A statistical analysis of the data was performed using MetaboAnalyst Version 5.0 software in R. The results of multiple analyses showed that three metabolites, betaine, choline, and dimethylamine, are associated with sheep's fat class at a significance of (P < 0.01). Integration with gene expression datasets is still underway due to the limitations of annotating sheep genes. In addition, these metabolites are novel and have never been shown to modulate fat class in sheep. To elucidate methods of predicting which livestock produce ideal carcasses, further research is needed to investigate how betaine and choline impact fatness in sheep.

Transcriptome study digs out BMP2 involved in adipogenesis in sheep tails

BackgroundHu sheep and Tibetan sheep in China are characterized by fat tails and thin tails, respectively. Several transcriptomes have been conducted in different sheep breeds to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) underlying this trait. However, these studies identified different DEGs in different sheep breeds.ResultsHence, RNA sequencing was performed on Hu sheep and Tibetan sheep. We obtained a total of 45.57 and 43.82 million sequencing reads, respectively. Two libraries mapped reads from 36.93 and 38.55 million reads after alignment to the reference sequences. 2108 DEGs were identified, including 1247 downregulated and 861 upregulated DEGs. GO and KEGG analyses of all DEGs demonstrated that pathways were enriched in the regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes and terms related to the chemokine signalling pathway, lysosomes, and glycosaminoglycan degradation. Eight genes were selected for validation by RT–qPCR. In addition, the transfection of BMP2 overexpression into preadipocytes resulted in increased PPAR-γ expression and expression. BMP2 potentially induces adipogenesis through LOX in preadipocytes. The number of lipid drops in BMP2 overexpression detected by oil red O staining was also greater than that in the negative control.ConclusionIn summary, these results showed that significant genes (BMP2, HOXA11, PPP1CC and LPIN1) are involved in the regulation of adipogenesis metabolism and suggested novel insights into metabolic molecules in sheep fat tails.

Development of UPLC-MS/MS method for determining hainanmycin in foods of animal origin

Hainanmycin is a polyether antibiotic. Toxicological studies have shown the adverse effects of hainanmycin on animals and humans. At present, no study is available on the detection of hainanmycin in edible tissues of animals. Hence, a fast and accurate detection method for hainanmycin is essential. This study aimed to develop a new analytical method based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to detect hainanmycin in 10 matrices, including milk, eggs, fat, kidney, muscles and livers of chicken, beef and sheep. The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation of the 10 matrices were 0.1–0.4 μg/kg and 0.25–1 μg/kg, respectively, and were far below the maximum residue limits of other polyether anticoccidial drugs (1–150 μg/kg). The recoveries of hainanmycin ranged from 79% to 105%, and the relative standard deviation ranged from 2.8% to 12.0%. The research results prove that the proposed method is operational and simple in detecting hainanmycin, and has high precision and accuracy in a variety of matrices.

Distribution and Difference of Gastrointestinal Flora in Sheep with Different Body Mass Index.

Simple SummaryFat deposition capacity greatly impacts the production capacity of sheep. The production of high amounts of fat affects the economic benefits of animals. Gastrointestinal microorganisms play an important role in the characteristics of host fat deposition. This study compares differences in gastrointestinal microorganisms in sheep with different body mass indices. Results showed that there were different microflora compositions among different groups. This provides a new idea for the regulation of fat deposition traits in sheep.Fat deposition is the key factor affecting the efficiency of animal husbandry production. There are many factors affecting fat deposition, in which the gastrointestinal microbiota plays an important role. Therefore, the body mass index (BMI) was introduced into the evaluation of sheep fat deposition, and the different microbiota and functional pathways of the sheep gastrointestinal tract in different BMI groups were analyzed. We selected 5% of individuals with the highest and lowest BMI from a feed test population (357 in whole group). Microorganisms in 10 sites of the gastrointestinal tract in 36 individuals (18 in each group) were evaluated by 16S rRNA V3–V4 region sequencing. There were differences (p < 0.05) in fat deposition traits between different BMI groups. In the 10 parts of the gastrointestinal tract, the diversity and richness of cecal microflora in the high-BMI group were higher than those in low-BMI Hu sheep (p < 0.05). Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that there was separation of the cecum between groups, and there were differences in the cecal microbial community. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) showed that most biomarkers were in the cecum. On the basis of an indepth study of cecal microorganisms, 26 different bacterial genera were obtained (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis between them and the characteristics of fat deposition in sheep showed that Colidextribacter, Alloprevotella, and Succenivibrio were positively correlated with fat deposition, while Lachnospiraceae_ND3007_Group was negatively correlated (p < 0.05). The above results show that the cecum may be an important part leading to the difference of BMI in sheep, and its microorganisms may affect the level of fat deposition.

Comparative analysis of aroma compounds in Chinese traditional dry-rendered fat by HS/GC-IMS, SPME/GC-MS, and SPME/GC-O

Aroma compositions of Chinese traditional dry-rendered subcutaneous chicken, pork, beef, and sheep fats were analyzed by HS/GC–IMS, SPME/GC–MS, and SPME/GC–O. HS/GC–IMS and SPME/GC–MS identified 53 and 86 volatile compounds, respectively. SPME/GC–O analysis identified 35 odor-active compounds. The identifications included fatty aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, acids, and esters from lipid degradation and compounds from the Maillard reaction (e.g., trimethylpyrazine) or other sources (e.g., p-cresol from animal feeds). PCA analysis showed all three approaches could discriminate aroma compositions of the four fats. PCA loading plot suggested the aroma compounds related to each of the four fats and PLS-DA model analysis screened the marker compounds differentiating aroma of the four fats. Notably, SPME/GC–O approach behaved the best in differing aromas of the four fats by PCA. The HS/GC–IMS analysis was biased for the chicken fat and pork fat, and the SPME/GC–MS analysis was biased towards the beef fat and sheep fat in differing the aroma compositions by PCA. PLS–DA model analysis showed that for the SPME/GC–O analysis, the marker compounds (VIP scores >1) discriminating aromas of the four fats were hexanal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, 2-butanone, 4,5-epoxy-2(E)-decenal, γ-octalactone, γ-undecalactone, heptanal, octanal, 4-ethyloctanoic acid, etc.

Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance sheep fat.

The conclusions of EFSA following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authorities of the rapporteur Member State the Czech Republic (CZ) and co‐rapporteur Member State France (FR) for the pesticide active substance sheep fat and the considerations as regards the inclusion of the substance in Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2018/1659. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of sheep fat as a repellent on deciduous and coniferous trees in forestry. The reliable end points, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed.

Preparation and research of cosmetic products based on domestic raw materials

Emulsions of vegetable oil/water were obtained and the effect of nonionic surfactants on their stability was studied. Triton X-100 and Twin-80 were used as nonionic surfactants. The “lifetime” of oil/water emulsions was determined at various phase ratios such as 7:3, 6:4, 5:5, 4:6, 3:7 and it was revealed that the most stable emulsion is at a ratio of 6:4, which was used for further research. The influence of surfactants on the stability of the selected emulsion is investigated. While the lifetime of the emulsion is about 45–50 min, the mentioned nonionic surfactants increased the lifetime of Twin-80 to 250–350 min, and Triton X-100 to 300–350 min. Concentrations of 10-1 and 10-2 mol/l of surfactants Twin-80, Triton X-100 showed very good results.On the basis of domestic raw materials, a hand cream was obtained with the replacement of the oil phase of the cosmetic emulsion with sheep fat. The resulted hand cream showed that it complies with the normative indicators of cosmetic creams.

Estimation of some nutritional values and mineral elements in some oil extracts from medicinal plants

The study included evaluating the following bio-chemical evidence (Moisture, the percentage of the total Solid materials, the percentage of the extracted Oil, Acid Value, Iodine Value, Saponifing Value, Ester Value and Peroxide Value). The extracted oil of poupied had the higher ratio of the acid Value (27) whereas the ginger is recorded the lowest ratio of the acid Value (0.08). The extracted oil of the radish Seed is registered the highest (201.1) Concentration of the Saponifing Value whereas the extracted oil of the frozen fish (71.8) had Contained the lowest degree of the Saponifing Value. For the Ester value ,the free fat of sheep is given the higher(199.8) ratio whereas the extracted oil of frozen fish is indicated the lesser ratio(70.6) .For Iodine value the extracted oil of linseed is reached to highest (170.7) ratio while the butter is granted the lesser(31.7) ratio .As regard to the Peroxide value in the almond(21.4) oil while the lower value was in the free fat sheep (31.7). the study focused on assessing some of the mineral elements (Calcium, Potassium, Zinc, Iron and Magnesium). The sunflower oil had the highest concentration in Ca (2.1), K (9.0), Fe (0.9) and Mg (1.05) where the olive oil is registered the highest concentration in Zinc (0.3)

Transcriptome profiling of LncRNAs in sheep tail fat deposition

LncRNAs have recently received special attention due to their critical role in many important biological processes. There are few reports on its regulatory function in sheep fat deposition. In this study, two sheep populations with different tail types in Xinjiang, Bashibai sheep (fat-tailed) and the hybrid population of Bashibai sheep and wild argali (small-tailed) were selected for whole transcriptome sequencing from their tail tissues. First, 728 differentially expressed LncRNAs of tail fat between Bashibai and F2 sheep were identified by RNA-seq. Second, the tissue expression profile and relative expression difference between Bashibai and F2 sheep of 2 of 728 DE LncRNAs were analyzed by RT-PCR. LncRNA-MSTRG.24995 was highly expressed in tail fat, while lncRNA-MSTRG.36913 was highly expressed in subcutaneous fat. In addition, the expressions of LncRNA-MSTRG.24995 and LncRNA-MSTRG.36913 in tail fat of F2 sheep were significantly lower than that of Bashibai sheep, while those patterns in longissimus dorsi, quadriceps femoris and rumen were reversed. Third, the expression pattern of target genes FASN and THRSP in each tissue was similar with that of corresponding LncRNAs. The LncRNA-MSTRG.24995 directly affects tail fat deposition by FASN gene, while the LncRNA-MSTRG.36913 indirectly affects that by THRSP gene. This will help us to understand molecular mechanism of fat tail deposition from transcriptomic perspectives.

Integrative analysis of Iso-Seq and RNA-seq data reveals transcriptome complexity and differentially expressed transcripts in sheep tail fat.

BackgroundNowadays, both customers and producers prefer thin-tailed fat sheep. To effectively breed for this phenotype, it is important to identify candidate genes and uncover the genetic mechanism related to tail fat deposition in sheep. Accumulating evidence suggesting that post-transcriptional modification events of precursor-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA), including alternative splicing (AS) and alternative polyadenylation (APA), may regulate tail fat deposition in sheep. Differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) analysis is a way to identify candidate genes related to tail fat deposition. However, due to the technological limitation, post-transcriptional modification events in the tail fat of sheep and DETs between thin-tailed and fat-tailed sheep remains unclear.MethodsIn the present study, we applied pooled PacBio isoform sequencing (Iso-Seq) to generate transcriptomic data of tail fat tissue from six sheep (three thin-tailed sheep and three fat-tailed sheep). By comparing with reference genome, potential gene loci and novel transcripts were identified. Post-transcriptional modification events, including AS and APA, and lncRNA in sheep tail fat were uncovered using pooled Iso-Seq data. Combining Iso-Seq data with six RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) data, DETs between thin- and fat-tailed sheep were identified. Protein protein interaction (PPI) network, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were implemented to investigate the potential functions of DETs.ResultsIn the present study, we revealed the transcriptomic complexity of the tail fat of sheep, result in 9,001 potential novel gene loci, 17,834 AS events, 5,791 APA events, and 3,764 lncRNAs. Combining Iso-Seq data with RNA-Seq data, we identified hundreds of DETs between thin- and fat-tailed sheep. Among them, 21 differentially expressed lncRNAs, such as ENSOART00020036299, ENSOART00020033641, ENSOART00020024562, ENSOART00020003848 and 9.53.1 may regulate tail fat deposition. Many novel transcripts were identified as DETs, including 15.527.13 (DGAT2), 13.624.23 (ACSS2), 11.689.28 (ACLY), 11.689.18 (ACLY), 11.689.14 (ACLY), 11.660.12 (ACLY), 22.289.6 (SCD), 22.289.3 (SCD) and 22.289.14 (SCD). Most of the identified DETs have been enriched in GO and KEGG pathways related to extracellular matrix (ECM). Our result revealed the transcriptome complexity and identified many candidate transcripts in tail fat, which could enhance the understanding of molecular mechanisms behind tail fat deposition.

Qualitative composition of purebred and crossbred lamb fat

The physical and chemical properties and structure of lamb fat are derived from the qualitative composition and content of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Higher levels of saturated fatty acid in sheep fat increase the melting point and yield a solid lard. Characteristic fat deposition in the carcass of young sheep is closely related to meat productivity and nutritional value of mutton. The paper presents the results to prove the influence of the genotype of purebred Tsigai rams and their crosses from the Romanov, Texel and Edilbay rams. Crossbred young animals of all genotypes are proved to have an increased content of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The amount of lipids in intramuscular fat in crossbred Romanov rams is 1.68% more, Texel – 13.97% and Edilbay – 21.79%, while the cholesterol content is lower by 1.47%, 6.35% and 5.21%, respectively.

Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Lipid Oxidative Stability of Zebra (Equus Burchelli) Droëwors Made Using Different Levels of Sheep Fat.

The physico-chemical properties (proximate, salt content, water activity (aw), pH) and lipid oxidation of droëwors (dried salted/spiced meat sausages) produced with zebra meat and different sheep fat levels (10, 15, and 20% by weight) measured at day 0 (before drying), day 2 (after drying at 30 °C and 40% relative humidity), and over a 90 day storage (day 17, 32, 47, 62, 77, and 92) under vacuum at 25 °C were investigated. The use of lower fat levels (10 and 15%) in the formulation resulted in higher weight loss during drying and droëwors with higher protein, ash, and salt content and lower aw and pH compared to the droëwors made with 20% fat. The pH increased (p < 0.001) during storage for all the fat levels, while the moisture content and the aw were stable as expected. TBARS values were the highest in droëwors made with 20% of fat after drying (day 2), but droëwors made with 10% of fat reached similar maximal values on day 17. Formulations containing 15% sheep fat displayed the lowest TBARS values after drying and along storage, and thus had the best characteristics in relation to oxidative stability.

Application and characterization of crude fungal lipases used to degrade fat and oil wastes

Aspergillus niger MH078571.1 and A. niger MH079049.1 were identified previously as the two highest Aspergillus niger strains producing lipase. Biochemical characterizations of lipase activity and stability for these two strains were examined and revealed that the optimal temperature is 45 °C at pH 8for A. niger MH078571.1 and 55 °C for MH079049.1. The lipase production of both strains was studied on medium contains waste oil, as a cheap source to reduce the industrial cost, showed that the optimal incubation period for the enzyme production is 3 days. Moreover, an experiment on lipase activates in organic solvents demonstrated that 50% of acetone is the best solvent for the two strains. In the presence of surfactants, 0.1% of tween 80 surfactant showed the best lipase activities. Furthermore, Mg2+ and Zn2+ ions enhanced the lipase activity of A. niger MH078571.1, while Na2+ and Cu2+ enhanced the enzyme activity of A. niger MH079049.1. Lipase activity was also tested for industrial applications such as integrating it with different detergents. Maximum lipase activity was obtained with 1% of Omo as a powder detergent for both strains. In liquid detergent, 0.1% of Fairy showed maximum lipase activity in A. niger MH078571.1, while the lipase in A. niger MH079049.1 was more effective in 1% of Lux. Moreover, the degradation of natural animal fat with crude enzyme was tested using chicken and sheep fats. The results showed that more than 90% of fats degraded after 5 days of the incubation period.

Development of Solar Powered Biodiesel Reactor for Kuwait Sheep Tallow

Biodiesel is one of the more recent green fuel products in the world. It can be produced from several raw materials such as straight vegetable oils, animal fats, tallow, and waste cooking oils, and blended with diesel. Properties of biodiesel are different compared to fossil diesel in terms of production methods and emission levels released after combustion in an internal combustion engine. Kuwait consumes a huge amount of energy which is almost 8% to meet the increasing demand for electricity and water. Moreover, the use of electricity in the production of biodiesel increases energy use and cost of production. Kuwait is receiving an amount of solar irradiation ranging from 2050 kWh/m2 to 2100 kWh/m2. The present study is concerned with the evaluation of the potential to use solar energy to produce biodiesel from sheep fat waste as a raw material. An experimental test rig was set up for a single cylinder diesel engine in the laboratory, where a solar power system was used to assist the production process of biodiesel from tallow waste. The biodiesel is then blended with diesel at different volume percentages, such as graded as B20, B50, B75 and B100, respectively. The exhaust gases such as oxygen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide and nitric dioxide where also analyzed. An optimum decrease in values of nitric oxide levels was observed at the load of 51%, 68%, 85% and 93% during the operation at blend of biodiesel B20, B50, B75 and B100, respectively. Nitric dioxide was decreased at the load of 51%, 68% and 85% during the operation using B20, B50 and B75, respectively. Optimum SFC was achieved at B20, B50 and B75 during high loads of 85% and 93%. It can be concluded that sheep tallow biodiesel shows a promising result in terms of fuel consumption and environmental emissions of greenhouse gases.

Transcriptome analysis of messenger RNA and long noncoding RNA related to different developmental stages of tail adipose tissues of sunite sheep.

The tail fat of sheep is the most typical deposited fat, and it can be widely used in human daily life, such as diet, cosmetics, and industrial raw materials. To understand the potential regulatory mechanism of different growth stages of tail fat in Sunite sheep, we performed high‐throughput RNA sequencing to characterize the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles of the sheep tail fat at the age of 6, 18, and 30 months. A total of 223 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 148 differentially expressed lncRNAs were found in the tail fat of 6‐, 18‐, and 30‐month‐old sheep. Based on functional analysis, we found that fat‐related DEGs were mainly expressed at 6 months of age and gradually decreased at 18 and 30 months of age. The target gene prediction analysis shows that most of the lncRNAs target more than 20 mRNAs as their transregulators. Further, we obtained several fat‐related differentially expressed target genes; these target genes interact with different differentially expressed lncRNAs at various ages and play an important role in the development of tail fat. Based on the DEGs and differentially expressed lncRNAs, we established three co‐expression networks for each comparison group. Finally, we concluded that the development of the sheep tail fat is more active during the early stage of growth and gradually decreases with the increase in age. The mutual regulation of lncRNAs and mRNAs may play a key role in this complex biological process.

Combustion and emissions aspects of a diesel engine working with sheep fat oil biodiesel-diesel blends

In this article, biodiesel is prepared from the Egyptian sheep fat oil applying the transesterification process, which is detrimental to the ecosystem and paid for its elimination. Then its physicochemical properties are measured according to the ASTM standard. Also, the produced biodiesel is assessed utilizing Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The two blending ratios of diesel and sheep biodiesel are mixed in volume proportions of 10% and 20%, and they are denoted as B10 and B20. The combustion and emissions parameters are evaluated utilizing a CI engine fueled with pure diesel fuel, B10, and B20 combinations under variable loads. The burning findings demonstrate that the peak pressure and maximum HRR are lower for B10 in contrast with base fuel, while the B20 combination indicates an improvement in the cylinder pressure and HRR. A related tendency is remarked for pressure rise rate and mean cylinder temperature. There is a sizeable drop in the HC, CO, and smoke levels for B10 and B20 mixtures compared to base fuel, while the NOx emission is marginally enlarged. It can be inferred that the mixture of B20 gives a substantial improvement in engine performance and emissions.

Modified selective non-catalytic reduction system to reduce NOx gas emission in biodiesel powered engines

Biodiesel fuels releases higher NOx emissions than fossil diesel. The Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technique used in the OEM industry is not suitable for application in small engines due to back pressure and clogging problems. Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) is used in relatively large combustion operations. This study introduces a new design by combining SCR and SNCR systems, for use in low power density diesel engines. The system composed of injection-expansion pipe and swirl chamber. The working principle is maximum mixing of the injected fluid and exhaust gas in the expansion chamber, then creating a maximum turbulence in the swirl chamber. This way NOx emission can be reduced at relatively lower exhaust temperatures without using any catalyst. The CFD models of three design candidates were examined in terms of velocity magnitudes, turbulence intensity and particle residence time. The selected design was manufactured and tested. Distilled water and urea-water solution were injected separately at the same flow rate of 375 ml/min. Exhaust emissions of fossil diesel, sheep fat biodiesel – waste cooking oil biodiesel blend and chicken fat – cottonseed biodiesel blend were tested. No significant changes in CO2 and HC gases were observed. Distilled water injection reduced CO and NO emissions by about 10% and 6% for fossil diesel; and by about 9% and 7% for biodiesels operation respectively. The urea-water injection led to reductions in CO and NO emissions by about 60% and 13% for fossil diesel; and by about 45% and 15% for biodiesels respectively.