Sonic Energy Research Articles

Performance and environmental impact evaluations of a novel multigeneration system with sonic hydrogen production and energy storage options

This article designs and develops a unique system integrated with hydrogen production and energy storage effectively to meet the variable energy demands of residential communities by harnessing both solar and geothermal energies. The system features a synergy of technologies, including a steam Rankine cycle, an ammonia-water-based double-effect absorption system, two organic Rankine cycles, a thermal energy storage, battery and hydrogen storage options, and a sonohydrogen production device. In order to develop a new system for producing cooling, electricity, heat and hydrogen, the present study dives deep into an analysis based on energy and exergy approaches using balance equations. The present system has the ability to generate 0.0016 kg/s of hydrogen, creates a net output of 2177 kW, supplies 4337 kW for heating purposes, and offers 903.8 kW of cooling capacity. In addition, the system's performance was rigorously evaluated, revealing an energy efficiency of 83.28 % and an exergy efficiency of 58.71 %, with energetic and exergetic coefficients of performance (COP) of 1.646 and 0.6215, respectively. Additionally, an environmental impact assessment was conducted, focusing on CO2 emissions to gauge the system's sustainability. This assessment further indicates that the system could potentially avoid the release of 3.351 kg of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour into the atmosphere which might have come from conventional systems.

First Human Use of Shockwave L6 Intravascular Lithotripsy Catheter in Severely Calcified Large Vessel Stenoses.

Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) modifies superficial and deep vascular calcium by delivering pulsatile sonic pressure energy that fractures calcium in situ with the consequent enhancement of transmural vessel compliance, limitation of fibroelastic recoil, and optimization of stent implantation. To date, the use of IVL as an adjunct to facilitate stent implantation has been limited by large target vessel size and eccentricity of calcium distribution. The Shockwave L6 IVL balloon delivery system includes 6 sonic energy emitters mounted on the shaft of a 30.0-mm long balloon with diameters ranging from 8.0 to 12.0 mm. The balloon nominal pressure is 4 atm. We describe first human use of this novel IVL delivery system to facilitate covered stent implantation in severely calcified stenoses involving the distal abdominal aorta and bilateral iliac arteries. Full IVL balloon expansion was achieved at low pressures (3 atm), despite the severity of calcification, with subsequent safe and effective covered stent implantation. The Shockwave L6 balloon seems to expand the application of IVL to the treatment of severely calcified large vessels, such as the abdominal aorta and iliac arteries.

Augmentation in polyhydroxybutyrate and biogas production from waste activated sludge through mild sonication induced thermo-fenton disintegration

In this study, an innovative approach was developed to enhance the hydrolysis through phase-separated pretreatment by removing exopolymeric substances via mild sonication followed by thermo-Fenton disintegration. The exopolymeric substances fragmentation was enhanced at the sonic specific energy input of 2.58 kJ/kg total solids. After exopolymeric substance removal, the disintegration of biomass by thermo-Fenton yield the solubilization of 29.8 % at Fe2+:H2O2 dosage and temperature of 0.009:0.036 g/g suspended solids and 80 °C as compared to thermo-Fenton alone disintegration. The polyhydroxybutyrate content of 93.1 % was accumulated by Bacillus aryabhattai at the optimum time of 42 h, while providing 70 % (v/v) pre-treated supernatant as a carbon source under nutrient-limiting condition. Moreover, the biogas generation of 0.187 L/g chemical oxygen demand was achieved using settled pretreated sludge. The pretreated sludge sample thus served as a carbon source for polyhydroxybutyrate producers as well as substrate for biogas production.

Enhanced biohydrogen generation through calcium peroxide engendered efficient ultrasonic disintegration of waste activated sludge in low temperature environment

Waste activated sludge is a renewable source for biohydrogen production, whereas the presence of complex biopolymers limits the hydrolysis step during this process, and thus pretreatment is required to disintegrate the sludge biomass. In this study, the feasibility of utilizing waste activated sludge to produce biohydrogen by improving the solubilization by means of thermo CaO2 engendered sonication disintegration (TCP-US) was studied. The optimized condition for extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) dissociation was obtained at the CaO2 dosage of 0.05 g/g SS at 70 °C. The maximum disintegration after EPS removal was achieved at the sonic specific energy input of 1612.8 kJ/kg TS with the maximum solubilization and SS reduction of 23.7% and 18.14%, respectively, which was higher than the US alone pretreatment. Thus, this solubilization yields higher biohydrogen production of 114.3 mLH2/gCOD in TCP-US sample.

Energy Direction in Ultrasonic Impregnation of Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastics

As a new and innovative processing method for fabrication for fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTs), the feasibility of ultrasonic welding technology was proven in several studies. This method offers potential for the direct manufacturing of CFRT–metal structures via embedded pin structures. Despite the previous studies, a deeper understanding of the process of energy input and whether fibers work as energy directors and consequently can, in combination with chosen processing parameters, influence the consolidation quality of the CFRTs, is still unknown. Consequently, the aim of this work is to establish a deeper process understanding of the ultrasonic direct impregnation of fiber-reinforced thermoplastics with an emphasis on the fiber’s function as energy directors. Based on the generated insights, a better assessment of the feasibility of direct, hybrid part manufacturing is possible. The produced samples were primarily evaluated by optical and mechanical test methods. It is demonstrated that with higher welding time and amplitude, a better consolidation quality can be achieved and that independent of the process parameters chosen in this study, no significant fiber breakage occurs. This is interpreted as a sign of a gentle impregnation process. Furthermore, based on the examination of single roving and 5-layer set-ups, it is shown that the glass fibers function as energy directors and can influence the transformation of sonic energy into thermal energy. In comparison to industrially available CFRT material, the mechanical properties are weaker, but materials and processes offer potential for significant improvement. Based on these findings, proposals for a direct impregnation and joining process are made.

Cube Fest 2022

Cube Fest 2022

MoS2-Cysteine Nanofiltration Membrane for Lead Removal

To overcome the limitations of polymers, such as the trade-off relationship between water permeance and solute rejection, as well as the difficulty of functionalization, research on nanomaterials is being actively conducted. One of the representative nanomaterials is graphene, which has a two-dimensional shape and chemical tunability. Graphene is usually used in the form of graphene oxide in the water treatment field because it has advantages such as high water permeance and functionality on its surface. However, there is a problem in that it lacks physical stability under water-contacted conditions due to the high hydrophilicity. To overcome this problem, MoS2, which has a similar shape to graphene and hydrophobicity, can be a new option. In this study, bulk MoS2 was dispersed in a mixed solvent of acetone/isopropyl alcohol, and MoS2 nanosheet was obtained by applying sonic energy to exfoliate. In addition, Cysteine was functionalized in MoS2 with a mild reaction. When the nanofiltration (NF) performance of the membrane was compared under various conditions, the composite membrane incorporated by Cysteine 10 wt % (vs. MoS2) showed the best NF performances.

Impact of high-intensity ultrasound on the chemical and physical stability of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by almond protein isolate

Lipid and protein oxidation always causes the deterioration of foods and their shortened shelf lives. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of high-intensity ultrasound on the chemical and physical stabilities of oil-in-water emulsions comprising a plant-based oil (walnut oil) and protein (almond protein isolate). Emulsions were produced using a three-step procedure: high-shear mixing, sonication, and homogenization. The sonication step was carried out for 30 min at three different energy densities: 0, 200, or 400 J/cm3. Increasing sonic energy densities resulted in much smaller particle size and more droplet charge of the freshly made emulsions. The sonication step also improved the physical stability of emulsified lipids during storage by suppressing the changes in the droplet size and charge. Meanwhile, sonication also inhibited the oxidation of emulsified lipids by decreasing the generation of lipid hydroperoxides and 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances as well as protein by reducing the gain of carbonyls, the loss of free sulfhydryl groups and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence, and the modification of molecular weights. The highest sonication energy density (400 J/cm3) gave the best results. This study is expected to broaden the application of high-intensity ultrasound in protein emulsion production to improve their quality and acceptability.

Phase change materials with Fe3O4/GO three-dimensional network structure for acoustic-thermal energy conversion and management

Sonic energy can be converted into thermal energy by ultrasonic thermal effect, which has significant application value in the fields of denoising and minimally invasive thermotherapy. Acoustic thermal conversion and thermal energy management capacities need to effectively improved during the process of acoustic-thermal utilization. Herein, we report novel PEG/Fe3O4-GO form-stable phase change materials (PCMs) with efficient sound wave absorption, acoustic-thermal conversion and thermal management capability. The PCMs are prepared by in-situ encapsulating polyethylene glycol (PEG) into graphene oxide (GO) network functionalized with Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The unique construction of three-dimensional (3D) network structure not only improve thermal conductive performance but also enhance sound absorption ability effectively. Moreover, the acoustic-thermal conversion is further enhanced through the vibration heat production of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. As a result, the form-stable composites exhibit superior energy storage density (173.7 J/g) and acoustic-thermal conversion performance. Thereby opening up a broad application prospect in the field of acoustic to heat energy conversion and storage.

Effect of dispensing rate on internal void formation in restorations built with sonically activated resin composite

AbstractInternal void formation in sonically activated resin composite (SonicFill 2, Kavo Kerr, Orange, CA, USA) applied at three different extrusion force magnitudes was evaluated. Forty SonicFill 2 composite compules were divided into four groups according to dispensing method and magnitude of extrusion force as follows: No sonic energy/manual dispensing (FM) (control), sonic energy with low extrusion force (F1), sonic energy with medium extrusion force (F3), and sonic energy with high extrusion force (F5) (n = 10). For F1, F3, and F5, sonic energy was delivered using a SonicFill handpiece. For the control, no sonic energy was applied. Composites were placed into the molds and polymerized. Micro‐computed tomography scanning for intrarestoration void assessment was performed and intrarestoration void rates (%) were calculated. Data were statistically analyzed (α = 0.05). Sonic energy yielded lower intrarestoration void rates than that of the control (10.58% ± 1.74%) (p < 0.05). Intrarestoration void rates between F1 (8.11% ± 0.99%) and F3 (7.00% ± 0.95%) were similar (p > 0.05), whereas F5 (5.14 ± 0.91%) led to significantly lower void rates compared to F1 and F3 (p < 0.05). The highest extrusion force (F5) setting of the SonicFill handpiece caused the lowest internal void rates in SonicFill 2 resin composite restorations compared to those of the medium (F3) and lowest (F1) settings.

Študija zvočne resonance stegneničnega dela kolčne proteze

Mechanical resonance is the property of a mechanical system that responds to the oscillations coming from the outside of theobserved system. The response amplitude of the system is the highest when the frequency of the oscillations matches the system’snatural frequency (its resonance frequency). It is known that resonance can cause swaying motions and even catastrophicfailure in improperly constructed structures. The phenomenon is known as resonance disaster. Sonic energy enters the systemthrough excitation and is dissipated through damping. Damping can be internal (within the material) or external (mounting of anobject). Six retrieved stems of hip endoprostheses were studied. For each of them sonograms were made, showing very distinctiveand narrow resonance curves with one major resonance peak followed by several higher harmonic peaks. Simulation ofendoprostheses standing waves was also performed resulting in the demonstration of various standing wave modes depending onthe observed frequency. Results clearly show that, due to the geometry and the used material, the observed endoprostheses havevery distinctive sonic resonance characteristics. The resonance is excited by the sound coming from outside (or inside) of thehuman body. The energy of resonance movement of the endoprosthesis is dissipated through the endoprosthesis–bone interface.A long-term exposure to the resonance oscillations might contribute to other causes of aseptic loosening of endoprostheses.

Sonic Health Attacks by Pulsed Microwaves in Havana Revisited [Health Matters

Presents the results of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report, “An Assessment of Illness in U.S. Government Employees and Their Families at Overseas Embassies. it is almost exactly three years since the publication of my article “Strange Reports of Weaponized Sound in Cuba” [2]. There, it was first hypothesized that “[a]ssuming that the reported events are reliable, there is actually a scientific explanation for the source of sonic energy. It could well be from a targeted beam of high-power microwave pulse radiation” [2]. In examining plausible causes of the described illnesses, the NASEM report makes that point that, among the mechanisms the study committee considered, the most plausible mechanism to explain these cases, especially in individuals with distinct early symptoms, appears to be directed, pulsed RF (microwave) energy.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction and modification of plant-based proteins: Impact on physicochemical, functional, and nutritional properties.

Ultrasonication is a green technology that has recently received an enormous research attention for extraction of plant-based proteins and tailoring the functionalities of these ingredients. Ultrasonication is generally used as a pretreatment method in the conventional protein solubilization protocols because it can break the cell matrix to improve the extractability. The rate of protein extraction and increase in the extraction yields depend on operating conditions such as sonic energy density, time of sonication, the substrate to slurry ratio, agitation, and so on. Ultrasonication is also applied to modify the physical, structural, and functional properties of protein-based ingredients, besides simultaneous extraction and modifications. Significant changes that occur in protein physical properties due to sonication include size reduction, rheology, electrical conductivity, and zeta (ζ) potential. These changes are due to cavitation-induced shear leading to changes in secondary and tertiary structures, including protein aggregation and cross-linking due to oxidation. Physical and structural changes affect the resulting ingredient functionality and nutritional quality of protein. Changes in the functional properties, especially hydrophobicity, solubility, emulsion, and foaming, depend on the extent of ultrasound energy applied to the protein. This study aims to review major ultrasound process parameters and conditions for extraction and modification of plant proteins and their impact on protein structural changes and resulting physicochemical, functional, and nutritional properties.

Probing the hierarchy of evidence to identify the best strategy for placing class II dental composite restorations using current materials.

The objective of this review is to present a synopsis of the existing clinical and in vitro evidence regarding placement of direct class II restorations with dental composites of varying viscosities, focusing on the marginal integrity achievable. The literature on class II composites placed with various techniques was searched through PubMed, Scopus, and the citations of identified articles, focusing on aspects related to adaptation and clinical performance. Studies comparing layering of conventional composite to layering with a flowable liner, including the "snow plow technique," use of warmed composite, flowable bulk-fill liners with a conventional composite capping layer, and bulk-fill restorative in a single or incremental fill (including placement with sonic energy and dual-curing) CONCLUSIONS: In vitro and clinical evidence does not support any one specific method or material type for achieving optimal performance when restoring class II cavity preparations with current dental composites. Although there are many available placement methods and types of composite materials on the market for use in class II restorations, the reasonable success presented in the clinical and laboratory literature for the various approaches suggests that the most important factor for achieving success is likely careful and proper placement and light-curing technique, independent of the approach.

Effect of equivalence ratio fluctuations on planar detonation discontinuities

Abstract

Non-chemical signatures of biological materials: Radio signals from Covid19?

ABSTRACT All therapeutic methods dealing with coronavirus (past and present) are based on chemicals. We test for it (positive or negative) chemically and hope to cure it with a future vaccine (some complicated chemical preparation). If and when the virus mutates, another set of chemical protocols for its testing and a hunt for new chemicals as a vaccine shall begin again and again. But the history of modern (western) medicine tells us that our biotechnology is not so limited. Copious scientific evidence for sonic and low energy electromagnetic signals produced by all biological elements (DNA, cells, bacteria, parasites, virus) exists; in turn, the biological elements are affected by these non-chemical signals as well. A careful analysis and a catalogue of the spectrum of these non-chemical signals are proposed here as a unique biophysical signature.

The suitability of ultrasonic and megasonic cleaning of nanoscale patterns in ammonia hydroxide solutions for particle removal and feature damage

In this study, usually, arrays of square or rectangular piezo devices bonded to a substrate and spaced as close together as possible for transduction for efficient megasonic cleaning, megasonic cleaning is applied to removing sidewall particles during post-silicon etch cleaning. A system was developed containing different measures of ultrasonic and megasonic processes, generated by adjusting the power in NH4OH. Megasonic waves in the gap between the wafer and the megasonic transducer ensure uniform sonic energy across the whole wafer. The generation of radicals is promoted by megasonic energy, such that residue removal occurs in dilute solution. The feature damage for the megasonic cleaning decreased in the NH4OH solution compared to ultrasonic. Moreover, the mechanical force of the bubble cavitation generated by megasonic cleaning also improves residue removal and enhances the mass transfer rate. Extreme cavitation is beneficial for removing particles but can damage wafer features. The damage caused by ultrasonic cleaning is significantly larger than megasonic cleaning. Compared with typical methods of silicon oxide residues removal, this megasonic process has a low material loss and a high residue removal efficiency for via, with a high aspect ratio. In addition, it minimizes defects to structures. These results suggest that megasonic cleaning can be applied to the nanoparticle cleaning process. Megasonic cleaning is quickly becoming an efficient method for post process cleaning in IC fabrication processes.

Treatment of Simulated Carwash Wastewater by Electrocoagulation with Sonic Energy

Oily carwash wastewater is a high organic and chemical wastewater. This paper targeted to investigate a treatment to decrease the water consumption and contaminants in car-washing stations. Electrocoagulation combined with ultrasonic energy (Sono-Electrocoagulation) was suggested so that the carwash wastewater is treated to be reused. The effect of both the voltage and time of treatment on the removal of COD, turbidity, conductivity, and total dissolved solids (TDS) were studied at constant initial pH 7 and electrode distance 2 cm. The results showed the best results of removal COD, turbidity, TDS, and reduce electrical conductivity is when the voltage was 30 V and a treatment time of 90 minutes.

Effect of temperature and use of regenerated surfactants on the removal of oil from water using colloidal gas aphrons

Discharge of industrial wastewater polluted with oil into surrounding water bodies significantly affects groundwater resources, aquatic life, and crop production. To minimize the harmful effects, it is essential to develop efficient methods to remove oil from wastewater before it has been discharged to the environment. This work aims at utilizing colloidal gas aphrons (CGAs) generated from anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS) for the removal of oil from water. The effect of operating parameters such as initial oil concentration (25–150 mg/L), pH of SDBS solution (3–11), pH of oil solution (3–11), the volume of solution (300–500 mL), ion concentration as sodium sulfate (50–500 mg/L), and CGAs temperature (23–50 °C) were investigated. About 91% oil removal was achieved at a CGAs temperature of 50 °C, initial oil concentration of 100 mg/L, solution volume of 500 mL, pH of SDBS 5.6, and at pH of oily water 3.0. With the application of sonic energy, oil removal increased from 66% to 81%. After the first batch of flotation experiment, graphene was used to adsorb oil from foamate, thereby allowing the reuse of the treated surfactant solution for the further generation of CGAs. The total oil carrying capacity of CGAs was predicted using a simple mathematical model in which the oil packing factor followed power-law correlations as used in minerals flotation with non-dimensional parameters such as concentration, volume, pH, and temperature of the solutions.

Stabilizing a C-H bond on graphene with sound.

The formation of carbon-hydrogen bonds on graphene is aided by sonic energy loss