Search results for: bond ball mill
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 1026

Search results for: bond ball mill

606 The Friction and Wear Behaviour of Ti2AlC MAX Phase

Authors: M. Hadji, A. Haddad, Y. Hadji

Abstract:

The effects of boronizing treatment on the friction coefficient and wear behavior of Ti2AlC were investigated. In order to modify the surface properties of Ti2AlC, boronizing treatment was carried out through powder pack cementation in the 1150-1350 °C temperature range. After boronizing treatment, one mixture layer, composed of TiB2 and SiC, forms on the surface of Ti2AlC. The growth of the coating is processed by inward diffusion of Boron and obeys a linear rule. The Boronizing treatment increases the hardness of Ti2AlC from 6 GPa to 13GPa. In the pin-on-disc test, it was found that the material undergoes a steady-state coefficient of friction of around 0.8 and 0.45 in case of Ti2AlC/Al2O3 tribocouple under 7N load for the non treated and the boronized samples, respectively. The wear resistance of Ti2AlC under Al2O3 ball sliding has been significantly improved, which indicated that the boronizing treatment is a promising surface modification way of Ti2AlC.

Keywords: MAX phase, wear, hardness, boronizing

Procedia PDF Downloads 289
605 Exploitation of the Solvent Effect and the Mechanism of the Cycloaddition Reaction Between 2-Chlorobenzimidazole and Benzonitrile N-Oxide

Authors: M. Abdoul-Hakim, A. Zeroual, H. Garmes

Abstract:

2-Chlorobenzimidazoles are amphoteric compounds and versatile intermediates for the construction of polycyclic heterocycles. In this theoretical study performed by DFT at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level, we showed that the most likely route to obtain benzimidazo[1,2-d]oxadiazole from the reaction of 2-Chlorobenzimidazole with benzonitrile N-oxide involves the presence of anionic species, a concerted mechanism is not possible. The inclusion of the effect of the polar protic solvent (MeOH) favors the course of the reaction. The key interactions causing bond formation and breakage were identified by ELF topological analysis.

Keywords: benzimidazo[1, 2-d]oxadiazole, benzonitrile N-oxide, DFT, ELF, polycyclic heterocycles

Procedia PDF Downloads 77
604 Explosive Clad Metals for Geothermal Energy Recovery

Authors: Heather Mroz

Abstract:

Geothermal fluids can provide a nearly unlimited source of renewable energy but are often highly corrosive due to dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), Ammonia (NH3) and chloride ions. The corrosive environment drives material selection for many components, including piping, heat exchangers and pressure vessels, to higher alloys of stainless steel, nickel-based alloys and titanium. The use of these alloys is cost-prohibitive and does not offer the pressure rating of carbon steel. One solution, explosion cladding, has been proven to reduce the capital cost of the geothermal equipment while retaining the mechanical and corrosion properties of both the base metal and the cladded surface metal. Explosion cladding is a solid-state welding process that uses precision explosions to bond two dissimilar metals while retaining the mechanical, electrical and corrosion properties. The process is commonly used to clad steel with a thin layer of corrosion-resistant alloy metal, such as stainless steel, brass, nickel, silver, titanium, or zirconium. Additionally, explosion welding can join a wider array of compatible and non-compatible metals with more than 260 metal combinations possible. The explosion weld is achieved in milliseconds; therefore, no bulk heating occurs, and the metals experience no dilution. By adhering to a strict set of manufacturing requirements, both the shear strength and tensile strength of the bond will exceed the strength of the weaker metal, ensuring the reliability of the bond. For over 50 years, explosion cladding has been used in the oil and gas and chemical processing industries and has provided significant economic benefit in reduced maintenance and lower capital costs over solid construction. The focus of this paper will be on the many benefits of the use of explosion clad in process equipment instead of more expensive solid alloy construction. The method of clad-plate production with explosion welding as well as the methods employed to ensure sound bonding of the metals. It will also include the origins of explosion cladding as well as recent technological developments. Traditionally explosion clad plate was formed into vessels, tube sheets and heads but recent advances include explosion welded piping. The final portion of the paper will give examples of the use of explosion-clad metals in geothermal energy recovery. The classes of materials used for geothermal brine will be discussed, including stainless steels, nickel alloys and titanium. These examples will include heat exchangers (tube sheets), high pressure and horizontal separators, standard pressure crystallizers, piping and well casings. It is important to educate engineers and designers on material options as they develop equipment for geothermal resources. Explosion cladding is a niche technology that can be successful in many situations, like geothermal energy recovery, where high temperature, high pressure and corrosive environments are typical. Applications for explosion clad metals include vessel and heat exchanger components as well as piping.

Keywords: clad metal, explosion welding, separator material, well casing material, piping material

Procedia PDF Downloads 138
603 Physicochemical Investigation of Caffeic Acid and Caffeinates with Chosen Metals (Na, Mg, Al, Fe, Ru, Os)

Authors: Włodzimierz Lewandowski, Renata Świsłocka, Aleksandra Golonko, Grzegorz Świderski, Monika Kalinowska

Abstract:

Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic) is distributed in a free form or as ester conjugates in many fruits, vegetables and seasonings including plants used for medical purpose. Caffeic acid is present in propolis – a substance with exceptional healing properties used in natural medicine since ancient times. The antioxidant, antibacterial, antiinflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties of caffeic acid are widely described in the literature. The biological activity of chemical compounds can be modified by the synthesis of their derivatives or metal complexes. The structure of the compounds determines their biological properties. This work is a continuation of the broader topic concerning the investigation of the correlation between the electronic charge distribution and biological (anticancer and antioxidant) activity of the chosen phenolic acids and their metal complexes. In the framework of this study the synthesis of new metal complexes of sodium, magnesium, aluminium, iron (III) ruthenium (III) and osmium (III) with caffeic acid was performed. The spectroscopic properties of these compounds were studied by means of FT-IR, FT-Raman, UV-Vis, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The quantum-chemical calculations (at B3LYP/LAN L2DZ level) of caffeic acid and selected complexes were done. Moreover the antioxidant properties of synthesized complexes were studied in relation to selected stable radicals (method of reduction of DPPH and method of reduction of ABTS). On the basis of the differences in the number, intensity and locations of the bands from the IR, Raman, UV/Vis and NMR spectra of caffeic acid and its metal complexes the effect of metal cations on the electronic system of ligand was discussed. The geometry, theoretical spectra and electronic charge distribution were calculated by the use of Gaussian 09 programme. The geometric aromaticity indices (Aj – normalized function of the variance in bond lengths; BAC - bond alternation coefficient; HOMA – harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity and I₆ – Bird’s index) were calculated and the changes in the aromaticity of caffeic acid and its complexes was discussed. This work was financially supported by National Science Centre, Poland, under the research project number 2014/13/B/NZ7/02-352.

Keywords: antioxidant properties, caffeic acid, metal complexes, spectroscopic methods

Procedia PDF Downloads 189
602 Investigating the Viability of Ultra-Low Parameter Count Networks for Real-Time Football Detection

Authors: Tim Farrelly

Abstract:

In recent years, AI-powered object detection systems have opened the doors for innovative new applications and products, especially those operating in the real world or ‘on edge’ – namely, in sport. This paper investigates the viability of an ultra-low parameter convolutional neural network specially designed for the detection of footballs on ‘on the edge’ devices. The main contribution of this paper is the exploration of integrating new design features (depth-wise separable convolutional blocks and squeezed and excitation modules) into an ultra-low parameter network and demonstrating subsequent improvements in performance. The results show that tracking the ball from Full HD images with negligibly high accu-racy is possible in real-time.

Keywords: deep learning, object detection, machine vision applications, sport, network design

Procedia PDF Downloads 122
601 Turbulent Boundary Layer over 3D Sinusoidal Roughness

Authors: Misarah Abdelaziz, L Djenidi, Mergen H. Ghayesh, Rey Chin

Abstract:

Measurements of a turbulent boundary layer over 3D sinusoidal roughness are performed for friction Reynolds numbers ranging from 650 < Reτ < 2700. This surface was fabricated by a Multicam CNC Router machine of an acrylic sheet to have an amplitude of k/2 = 0.8 mm and an equal wavelength of 8k in both streamwise and spanwise directions, a 0.6 mm stepover and 12 mm ball nose cutter was used. Single hotwire anemometry measurements are done at one location x=1.5 m downstream at different freestream velocities under zero-pressure gradient conditions. As expected, the roughness causes a downward shift on the wall-unit normalised streamwise mean velocity profile when compared to the smooth wall profile. The shift is increasing with increasing Reτ, 1.8 < ∆U+ < 6.2. The coefficient of friction is almost constant at all cases Cf = 0.0042 ± 0.0002. The results show a gradual reduction in the inner peak of profiles with increasing Reτ until fully destruction at Reτ of 2700.

Keywords: hotwire, roughness, TBL, ZPG

Procedia PDF Downloads 191
600 The Comparison of Physical Fitness across Age and Gender in the Lithuanian Primary School Students: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Authors: Arunas Emeljanovas, Brigita Mieziene, Vida Cesnaitiene, Ingunn Fjortoft, Lise Kjonniksen

Abstract:

Background: Gender differences in physical fitness were tracked in many studies with lower effect in preschool children and increasing difference among genders across age. In Lithuania, on a population level, secular trends in physical fitness were regularly observed each ten years for the last two decades for 11-18 years old students. However, there is apparently a lack of such epidemiological studies among primary school students. Assessing and monitoring physical fitness from an early age is of particular importance seeking to develop and strengthen physical abilities of youths for future health benefits. The goal of the current study was to indicate age and gender differences in anthropometric measures, musculoskeletal, motor and cardiorespiratory fitness in Lithuanian primary school children. Methods: The study included 3456 1-4th grade students from 6 to 10 years. The data reliably represents the population of primary school children in Lithuania. Among them, 1721 (49.8 percent) were boys. Physical fitness was measured by the 9-item test battery, developed by Fjørtoft and colleagues (2011). Height and weight were measured and body mass index was calculated. Student t test evaluated differences in physical fitness between boys and girls, ANOVA was performed to indicate differences across age. Results: All anthropometric and fitness means that were identified as significantly different were better in boys than in girls and in older than younger students (p < .05). Among anthropometric measures, height was higher in boys aged 7 through 9 years. Weight and BMI differed among boys and girls only at 8 years old. Means of height and weight increased significantly across all ages. Among musculoskeletal fitness tests, means of standing broad jump, throwing a tennis ball and pushing a medicine ball were different between genders within each age group and across all ages. Differences between genders were less likely in motor fitness than in musculoskeletal or cardiorespiratory fitness. Differences in means of shuttle run 10 x 5 test between genders occurred at age 6, 9 and 10 years; running 20 m at age 6 and 9 years, and climbing wall bars at age 9 and 10. Means of Reduced Cooper test representing cardiorespiratory fitness were different between genders within each age group but did not differ among age 6 and 8 as well as 7 and 8 years in boys, and among age 7 and 8 years in girls. Conclusion: In general, the current study confirms gender differences in musculoskeletal, motor and cardiorespiratory fitness found in other studies across the world in primary school and older children. Observed gender differences might be explained by higher physical activity in boys rather than girls. As it is explained by previous literature, older boys and girls had better performances than younger ones, because of the components of fitness change as a function of growth, maturation, development, and interactions among the three processes.

Keywords: primary school children, motor fitness, musculoskeletal fitness, cardiovascular fitness

Procedia PDF Downloads 183
599 Democracy as a Curve: A Study on How Democratization Impacts Economic Growth

Authors: Henrique Alpalhão

Abstract:

This paper attempts to model the widely studied relationship between a country's economic growth and its level of democracy, with an emphasis on possible non-linearities. We adopt the concept of 'political capital' as a measure of democracy, which is extremely uncommon in the literature and brings considerable advantages both in terms of dynamic considerations and plausibility. While the literature is not consensual on this matter, we obtain, via panel Arellano-Bond regression analysis on a database of more than 60 countries over 50 years, significant and robust results that indicate that the impact of democratization on economic growth varies according to the stage of democratic development each country is in.

Keywords: democracy, economic growth, political capital, political economy

Procedia PDF Downloads 291
598 Thermal Analysis Of Vertical Kiln Dryer For Drying Sunflower Seeds In The Oil Mill "Banat" Ad, Nova Crnja

Authors: Duško Salemović, Aleksandar Dedić, Matilda Lazić, Dragan Halas

Abstract:

The aim of the paper was the thermal balance control of vertical kiln dryer indirect type (VSU-36) for drying sunflower seed, produced by "Cer" - Čačak, capacity 39 [t/h]. The balance control was executed because the dryer damaged by NATO bombing in 1999, and it was planned its reconstruction. The structural and geometric characteristics of the dryer were known, and it was necessary to determine the parameters of: wet air as a drying agent and the sunflower seeds. The thermal balance control was the basis for replacement of damaged parts of dryer during its reconstruction. After that, it was necessary to perform the subsequent calculation of strength. Therefore, since its accuracy was largely dependent on cost-effectiveness and safety of a single drying chamber. Also, the work provides guidelines for the regimes of drying of grain crops with the explanation of specificity of drying sunflowers.

Keywords: sunflower seeds, regimes of drying, vertical kiln dryer, thermal analysis

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597 Asymmetric Synthesis of β- and γ-Borylated Amines via Rh-Catalyzed Hydroboration of Allylamine Derivatives

Authors: Rukshani Wickrama-Arachchi, Tanner Metz, James M. Takacs

Abstract:

Amines bearing γ-stereocenters are important structural motifs found in many biologically active compounds. Regioselective Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydroboration of acyclic allylamines is used to synthesize amines bearing chiral β- and γ-boronic esters yields up to 70% with 98:2 enantioselectivity. The major enantiomeric outcome can be independent of starting alkene geometry, revealing that cis/trans-isomerization of alkene can occur before hydroboration. Stereospecific transformations of the newly generated C-B bond illustrates the utility of these chiral synthons.

Keywords: allylamines, borylated amines, chiral amines, hydroboration, rhodium-catalysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 161
596 The Friction and Wear Behavior of 0.35 VfTiC-Ti3SiC2 Composite

Authors: M. Hadji, A. Haddad, Y. Hadji

Abstract:

The effects of boronizing treatment on the friction coefficient and wear behavior of 0.35 Vf TiC- Ti3 SiC2 composite were investigated. In order to modify the surface properties of Ti3SiC2, boronizing treatment was carried out through powder pack cementation in the 1150-1350 °C temperature range. After boronizing treatment, one mixture layer, composed of TiB2 and SiC, forms on the surface of Ti3SiC2. The growth of the coating is processed by inward diffusion of Boron and obeys a linear rule. The Boronizing treatment increases the hardness of Ti3SiC2 from 6 GPa to 13 GPa. In the pin-on-disc test, i twas found that the material undergoes a steady-state coefficient of friction of around 0.8 and 0.45 in case of Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 tribocouple under 7 N load for the non treated and the boronized samples, respectively. The wear resistance of Ti3SiC2 under Al2O3 ball sliding has been significantly improved, which indicated that the boronizing treatment is a promising surface modification way of Ti3SiC2.

Keywords: MAX phase, boronizing, hardness, wear

Procedia PDF Downloads 325
595 Development of Ferrous-Aluminum Alloys from Recyclable Material by High Energy Milling

Authors: Arnold S. Freitas Neto, Rodrigo E. Coelho, Erick S. Mendonça

Abstract:

This study aimed to obtain an alloy of Iron and Aluminum in the proportion of 50% of atomicity for each constituent. Alloys were obtained by processing recycled aluminum and chips of 1200 series carbon steel in a high-energy mill. For the experiment, raw materials were processed thorough high energy milling before mixing the substances. Subsequently, the mixture of 1200 series carbon steel and Aluminum powder was carried out a milling process. Thereafter, hot compression was performed in a closed die in order to obtain the samples. The pieces underwent heat treatments, sintering and aging. Lastly, the composition and the mechanical properties of their hardness were analyzed. In this paper, results are compared with previous studies, which used iron powder of high purity instead of Carbon steel in the composition.

Keywords: Fe-Al alloys, high energy milling, metallography characterization, powder metallurgy

Procedia PDF Downloads 283
594 Political Alienation and Corruption in Libya

Authors: Mabroka B. Al-Werfalli

Abstract:

This paper looks at some aspects of Libya’s political culture relating to corruption and tries to map the links that bond political alienation to corruption. The subject was approached by surveying opinion. The study, of which culture of corruption was part, concerned the phenomena of political alienation in Libya. It was based on a survey conducted in winter 2001 and targeted a sample of 877 participants from the city of Benghazi. The questions were designed to determine the extent to which corruption is seen, by the Libyans, as a national problem. It also describes perceptions about levels, types and causes of corruption; trust in governmental institutions and senior officials of the State and assessments of anti-corruption regulations and actions taken by the regime.

Keywords: anti-corruption, corruption, culture of corruption, participating in corruption, political alienation, political culture

Procedia PDF Downloads 350
593 The Effects of Boronizing Treatment on the Friction and Wear Behavior of 0.35 VfTiC- Ti3SiC2 Composite

Authors: M. Hadji, A. Haddad, Y. Hadji

Abstract:

The effects of boronizing treatment on the friction coefficient and wear behavior of 0.35 Vf TiC- Ti3 SiC2 composite were investigated. In order to modity the surface properties of Ti3SiC2, boronizing treatment was carried out through powder pack cementation in the 1150-1350 °C temperature range. After boronizing treatment, one mixture layer, composed of TiB2 and SiC, forms on the surface of Ti3SiC2. The growth of the coating is processed by inward diffusion of Boron and obeys a linear rule. The Boronizing treatment increases the hardness of Ti3SiC2 from 6 GPa to 13 GPa. In the pin-on-disc test, i twas found that the material undergoes a steady-state coefficient of friction of around 0.8 and 0.45 in case of Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 tribocouple under 7N load for the non treated and the boronized samples, respectively. The wear resistance of Ti3SiC2 underAl2O3 ball sliding has been significantly improved, which indicated that the boronizing treatment is a promising surface modification way of Ti3SiC2.

Keywords: MAX phase, wearing, friction, boronizing

Procedia PDF Downloads 430
592 Effects of Macro and Micro Nutrients on Growth and Yield Performances of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum MILL.)

Authors: K. M. S. Weerasinghe, A. H. K. Balasooriya, S. L. Ransingha, G. D. Krishantha, R. S. Brhakamanagae, L. C. Wijethilke

Abstract:

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is a major horticultural crop with an estimated global production of over 120 million metric tons and ranks first as a processing crop. The average tomato productivity in Sri Lanka (11 metric tons/ha) is much lower than the world average (24 metric tons/ha).To meet the tomato demand for the increasing population the productivity has to be intensified through the agronomic-techniques. Nutrition is one of the main factors which govern the growth and yield of tomato and the main nutrient source soil affect the plant growth and quality of the produce. Continuous cropping, improper fertilizer usage etc., cause widespread nutrient deficiencies. Therefore synthetic fertilizers and organic manures were introduced to enhance plant growth and maximize the crop yields. In this study, effects of macro and micronutrient supplementations on improvement of growth and yield of tomato were investigated. Selected tomato variety is Maheshi and plants were grown in Regional Agricultural and Research Centre Makadura under the Department of Agriculture recommended (DOA) macro nutrients and various combination of Ontario recommended dosages of secondary and micro fertilizer supplementations. There were six treatments in this experiment and each treatment was replicated in three times and each replicate consisted of six plants. Other than the DOA recommendation, five combinations of Ontario recommended dosage of secondary and micronutrients for tomato were also used as treatments. The treatments were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design. All cultural practices were carried out according to the DOA recommendations. The mean data was subjected to the statistical analysis using SAS package and mean separation (Duncan’s Multiple Range test at 5% probability level) procedures. Secondary and micronutrients containing treatments significantly increased most of the growth parameters. Plant height, plant girth, number of leaves, leaf area index etc. Fruits harvested from pots amended with macro, secondary and micronutrients performed best in terms of total yield; yield quality; to pots amended with DOA recommended dosage of fertilizer for tomato. It could be due to the application of all essential macro and micro nutrients that rise in photosynthetic activity, efficient translocation and utilization of photosynthates causing rapid cell elongation and cell division in actively growing region of the plant leading to stimulation of growth and yield were caused. The experiment revealed and highlighted the requirements of essential macro, secondary and micro nutrient fertilizer supplementations for tomato farming. The study indicated that, macro and micro nutrient supplementation practices can influence growth and yield performances of tomato fruits and it is a promising approach to get potential tomato yields.

Keywords: macro and micronutrients, tomato, SAS package, photosynthates

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591 Measurement of Coal Fineness, Air Fuel Ratio, and Fuel Weight Distribution in a Vertical Spindle Mill’s Pulverized Fuel Pipes at Classifier Vane 40%

Authors: Jayasiler Kunasagaram

Abstract:

In power generation, coal fineness is crucial to maintain flame stability, ensure combustion efficiency, and lower emissions to the environment. In order for the pulverized coal to react effectively in the boiler furnace, the size of coal particles needs to be at least 70% finer than 74 μm. This paper presents the experiment results of coal fineness, air fuel ratio and fuel weight distribution in pulverized fuel pipes at classifier vane 40%. The aim of this experiment is to extract the pulverized coal is kinetically and investigate the data accordingly. Dirty air velocity, coal sample extraction, and coal sieving experiments were performed to measure coal fineness. The experiment results show that required coal fineness can be achieved at 40 % classifier vane. However, this does not surpass the desired value by a great margin.

Keywords: coal power, emissions, isokinetic sampling, power generation

Procedia PDF Downloads 580
590 Effect of Particle Size Variations on the Tribological Properties of Porcelain Waste Added Epoxy Composites

Authors: B. Yaman, G. Acikbas, N. Calis Acikbas

Abstract:

Epoxy based materials have advantages in tribological applications due to their unique properties such as light weight, self-lubrication capacity and wear resistance. On the other hand, their usage is often limited by their low load bearing capacity and low thermal conductivity values. In this study, it is aimed to improve tribological and also mechanical properties of epoxy by reinforcing with ceramic based porcelain waste. It is well-known that the reuse or recycling of waste materials leads to reduction in production costs, ease of manufacturing, saving energy, etc. From this perspective, epoxy and epoxy matrix composites containing 60wt% porcelain waste with different particle size in the range of below 90µm and 150-250µm were fabricated, and the effect of filler particle size on the mechanical and tribological properties was investigated. The microstructural characterization was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and phase analysis was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Archimedes principle was used to measure the density and porosity of the samples. The hardness values were measured using Shore-D hardness, and bending tests were performed. Microstructural investigations indicated that porcelain particles were homogeneously distributed and no agglomerations were encountered in the epoxy resin. Mechanical test results showed that the hardness and bending strength were increased with increasing particle size related to low porosity content and well embedding to the matrix. Tribological behavior of these composites was evaluated in terms of friction, wear rates and wear mechanisms by ball-on-disk contact with dry and rotational sliding at room temperature against WC ball with a diameter of 3mm. Wear tests were carried out at room temperature (23–25°C) with a humidity of 40 ± 5% under dry-sliding conditions. The contact radius of cycles was set to 5 mm at linear speed of 30 cm/s for the geometry used in this study. In all the experiments, 3N of constant test load was applied at a frequency of 8 Hz and prolonged to 400m wear distance. The friction coefficient of samples was recorded online by the variation in the tangential force. The steady-state CoFs were changed in between 0,29-0,32. The dimensions of the wear tracks (depth and width) were measured as two-dimensional profiles by a stylus profilometer. The wear volumes were calculated by integrating these 2D surface areas over the diameter. Specific wear rates were computed by dividing the wear volume by the applied load and sliding distance. According to the experimental results, the use of porcelain waste in the fabrication of epoxy resin composites can be suggested to be potential materials due to allowing improved mechanical and tribological properties and also providing reduction in production cost.

Keywords: epoxy composites, mechanical properties, porcelain waste, tribological properties

Procedia PDF Downloads 179
589 The Challenges of Irrigated Tomato Production in Kano State, Nigeria

Authors: I. K. Adamu, J. O. Adefila

Abstract:

The paper examines the challenges of irrigated tomato growers in Kano State. Materials used for the study are sourced from newspapers, books, internet and field surveys. Questionnaires were also used to sample the opinion of the tomato farmers in the state. The purposive and snow ball sampling techniques were used to select knowledgeable individual farmers in the study areas. The sample size was based on a five percent (0.05) of the identified members of tomato farmers. Data analysis was achieved using cross-tabulation, percentage, and SWOT analysis. The study reveals that irrigated tomato farmers in Kano State faces a lot of challenges. The study offers some recommendations such as establishment of storage facilities on ground, establishment of processing industries in the state, and introduction of high yield varieties of tomato seeds instead of the outdated UC82B.

Keywords: SWOT, irrigated tomato production, tomato farmers, Nigeria

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588 Supply Chain Management Practices in Thailand Palm Oil Industry

Authors: Athirat Intajorn

Abstract:

According to the ASEAN free trade areas (AFTA), Thailand has applied the AFTA agreement for reducing tariffs and reflecting changes in business processes. The reflection of changes in agribusiness processes, in particular, has accumulated as production costs for producers. Palm Oil industry has become an important industry to Thailand economic. Thailand currently ranks the 3rd in the world for Crude Palm Oil CPO. Therefore, the scope of this paper presents a research framework to investigate the supply chain management practices in Thailand palm oil industry. This research is limit to literature review. And the proposed framework identifies the criteria of supply chain management for Thailand palm oil industry in order for linkage among entities within logistics management involving plantation, mill, collection port, refinery and cookie from the data utilization. The Supply Chain Management Practices in Thailand Palm Oil Industry framework has a somewhat different view due to the high complexity of agribusiness logistics management.

Keywords: supply chain management, practice, palm oil industry, Thailand palm oil industry

Procedia PDF Downloads 279
587 A Family of Distributions on Learnable Problems without Uniform Convergence

Authors: César Garza

Abstract:

In supervised binary classification and regression problems, it is well-known that learnability is equivalent to a uniform convergence of the hypothesis class, and if a problem is learnable, it is learnable by empirical risk minimization. For the general learning setting of unsupervised learning tasks, there are non-trivial learning problems where uniform convergence does not hold. We present here the task of learning centers of mass with an extra feature that “activates” some of the coordinates over the unit ball in a Hilbert space. We show that the learning problem is learnable under a stable RLM rule. We introduce a family of distributions over the domain space with some mild restrictions for which the sample complexity of uniform convergence for these problems must grow logarithmically with the dimension of the Hilbert space. If we take this dimension to infinity, we obtain a learnable problem for which the uniform convergence property fails for a vast family of distributions.

Keywords: statistical learning theory, learnability, uniform convergence, stability, regularized loss minimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 100
586 Initial Resistance Training Status Influences Upper Body Strength and Power Development

Authors: Stacey Herzog, Mitchell McCleary, Istvan Kovacs

Abstract:

Purpose: Maximal strength and maximal power are key athletic abilities in many sports disciplines. In recent years, velocity-based training (VBT) with a relatively high 75-85% 1RM resistance has been popularized in preparation for powerlifting and various other sports. The purpose of this study was to discover differences between beginner/intermediate and advanced lifters’ push/press performances after a heavy resistance-based BP training program. Methods: A six-week, three-workouts per week program was administered to 52 young, physically active adults (age: 22.4±5.1; 12 female). The majority of the participants (84.6%) had prior experience in bench pressing. Typical workouts began with BP using 75-95% 1RM in the 1-5 repetition range. The sets in the lower part of the range (75-80% 1RM) were performed with velocity-focus as well. The BP sets were followed by seated dumbbell presses and six additional upper-body assistance exercises. Pre- and post-tests were conducted on five test exercises: one-repetition maximum BP (1RM), calculated relative strength index: BP/BW (RSI), four-repetition maximal-effort dynamic BP for peak concentric velocity with 80% 1RM (4RV), 4-repetition ballistic pushups (BPU) for height (4PU), and seated medicine ball toss for distance (MBT). For analytic purposes, the participant group was divided into two subgroups: self-indicated beginner or intermediate initial resistance training status (BITS) [n=21, age: 21.9±3.6; 10 female] and advanced initial resistance training status (ATS) [n=31, age: 22.7±5.9; 2 female]. Pre- and post-test results were compared within subgroups. Results: Paired-sample t-tests indicated significant within-group improvements in all five test exercises in both groups (p < 0.05). BITS improved 18.1 lbs. (13.0%) in 1RM, 0.099 (12.8%) in RSI, 0.133 m/s (23.3%) in 4RV, 1.55 in. (27.1%) in BPU, and 1.00 ft. (5.8%) in MBT, while the ATS group improved 13.2 lbs. (5.7%) in 1RM, 0.071 (5.8%) in RSI, 0.051 m/s (9.1%) in 4RV, 1.20 in. (13.7%) in BPU, and 1.15 ft. (5.5%) in MBT. Conclusion: While the two training groups had different initial resistance training backgrounds, both showed significant improvements in all test exercises. As expected, the beginner/intermediate group displayed better relative improvements in four of the five test exercises. However, the medicine ball toss, which had the lightest resistance among the tests, showed similar relative improvements between the two groups. These findings relate to two important training principles: specificity and transfer. The ATS group had more specific experiences with heavy-resistance BP. Therefore, fewer improvements were detected in their test performances with heavy resistances. On the other hand, while the heavy resistance-based training transferred to increased power outcomes in light-resistance power exercises, the difference in the rate of improvement between the two groups disappeared. Practical applications: Based on initial training status, S&C coaches should expect different performance gains in maximal strength training-specific test exercises. However, the transfer from maximal strength to a non-training-specific performance category along the F-v curve continuum (i.e., light resistance and high velocity) might not depend on initial training status.

Keywords: exercise, power, resistance training, strength

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585 Distribution of Epiphytic Lichen Biodiversity and Comparision with Their Preferred Tree Species around the Şeker Canyon, Karabük, Turkey

Authors: Hatice Esra Akgül, Celaleddin Öztürk

Abstract:

Lichen biodiversity in forests is controlled by environmental conditions. Epiphytic lichens have some degree of substrate specificity. Diversity and distribution of epiphytic lichens are affected by humidity, light, altitude, temperature, bark pH of the trees.This study describes the epiphytic lichen communities with comparing their preferred tree species. 34 epiphytic lichen taxa are reported on Pinus sp. L., Quercus sp. L., Fagus sp. L., Carpinus sp. L., Abies sp. Mill., Fraxinus sp. Tourn. ex L. from different altitudes around the Şeker Canyon (Karabük, Turkey). 11 of these taxa are growing on Quercus sp., 10 of them are growing on Fagus sp., 7 of them are growing on Pinus sp., 4 of them are on Carpinus sp., 2 of them are on Abies sp. and one of them is on Fraxinus sp. Evernia prunastri (L.) Ach. is growing on both of Fagus sp. and Quercus sp. Lecanora pulicaris (Pers.) Ach. is growing on both of Abies sp. and Quercus sp.

Keywords: biodiversity, epiphytic lichen, forest, Turkey

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584 Characterization of Inkjet-Printed Carbon Nanotube Electrode Patterns on Cotton Fabric

Authors: N. Najafi, Laleh Maleknia , M. E. Olya

Abstract:

An aqueous conductive ink of single-walled carbon nanotubes for inkjet printing was formulated. To prepare the homogeneous SWCNT ink in a size small enough not to block a commercial inkjet printer nozzle, we used a kinetic ball-milling process to disperse the SWCNTs in an aqueous suspension. When a patterned electrode was overlaid by repeated inkjet printings of the ink on various types of fabric, the fabric resistance decreased rapidly following a power law, reaching approximately 760 X/sq, which is the lowest value ever for a dozen printings. The Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed that the oxidation of the SWCNTs was the source of the doped impurities. This study proved also that the droplet ejection velocity can have an impact on the CNT distribution and consequently on the electrical performances of the ink.

Keywords: ink-jet printing, carbon nanotube, fabric ink, cotton fabric, raman spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dozen printings

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583 In silico Model of Transamination Reaction Mechanism

Authors: Sang-Woo Han, Jong-Shik Shin

Abstract:

w-Transaminase (w-TA) is broadly used for synthesizing chiral amines with a high enantiopurity. However, the reaction mechanism of w-TA has been not well studied, contrary to a-transaminase (a-TA) such as AspTA. Here, we propose in silico model on the reaction mechanism of w-TA. Based on the modeling results which showed large free energy gaps between external aldimine and quinonoid on deamination (or ketimine and quinonoid on amination), withdrawal of Ca-H seemed as a critical step which determines the reaction rate on both amination and deamination reactions, which is consistent with previous researches. Hyperconjugation was also observed in both external aldimine and ketimine which weakens Ca-H bond to elevate Ca-H abstraction.

Keywords: computational modeling, reaction intermediates, w-transaminase, in silico model

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582 Sustainable Textiles: Innovation through Waste

Authors: Ananya Mitra Pramanik, Anjali Agrawal

Abstract:

This paper traces the waste produced by the textile industry and evaluates the need for this waste to be reused or repurposed. From ancient times the textile industry has been a prominent part of all the economies of the world. It is famous for traditional as well as mill made fabrics. However the beauty and utility radiated by the textiles are juxtaposed by the piling amount of waste that the whole life cycle of a textile production and disposal entails. Waste happens in stages in a textile life cycle. It can be broadly categorised as pre-consumer and post-consumer waste. This research suggests suitable processes and techniques for channelizing post-industrial waste. It explores the scope of textile waste as a raw material for innovation and design. It discusses the role of designers in using waste to create useful and appealing designs. The paper examines the need of designers to create novel ideas to reuse textiles. This paper is based on secondary research. Most of the information used is taken from books and journals. The DEFRA report 2009 is also consulted for comprehensive data on textile waste percentage.

Keywords: designers, repurposing, textiles, waste

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581 Elaboration and Characterization of in-situ CrC- Ni(Al, Cr) Composites Elaborated from Ni and Cr₂AlC Precursors

Authors: A. Chiker, A. Benamor, A. Haddad, Y. Hadji, M. Hadji

Abstract:

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) have been of big interest for a few decades. Their major drawback lies in their enhanced mechanical performance over unreinforced alloys. They found ground in many engineering fields, such as aeronautics, aerospace, automotive, and other structural applications. One of the most used alloys as a matrix is nickel alloys, which meet the need for high-temperature mechanical properties; some attempts have been made to develop nickel base composites reinforced by high melt point and high modulus particulates. Among the carbides used as reinforcing particulates, chromium carbide is interesting for wear applications; it is widely used as a tribological coating material in high-temperature applications requiring high wear resistance and hardness. Moreover, a set of properties make it suitable for use in MMCs, such as toughness, the good corrosion and oxidation resistance of its three polymorphs -the cubic (Cr23C6), the hexagonal (Cr7C3), and the orthorhombic (Cr3C2)-, and it’s coefficient of thermal expansion that is almost equal to that of metals. The in-situ synthesis of CrC-reinforced Ni matrix composites could be achieved by the powder metallurgy route. To ensure the in-situ reactions during the sintering process, the use of phase precursors is necessary. Recently, new precursor materials have been proposed; these materials are called MAX phases. The MAX phases are thermodynamically stable nano-laminated materials displaying unusual and sometimes unique properties. These novel phases possess Mn+1AXn chemistry, where n is 1, 2, or 3, M is an early transition metal element, A is an A-group element, and X is C or N. Herein, the pressureless sintering method is used to elaborate Ni/Cr2AlC composites. Four composites were elaborated from 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% of Cr2AlC MAX phase precursor which fully reacted with Ni-matrix at 1100 °C sintering temperature for 4 h in argon atmosphere. XRD results showed that Cr2AlC MAX phase was totally decomposed forming chromium carbide Cr7C3, and the released Al and Cr atoms diffused in Ni matrix giving rise to γ-Ni(Al,Cr) solid solution and γ’-Ni3(Al,Cr) intermetallic. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the elaborated samples showed the presence of nanosized Cr7C3 reinforcing particles embedded in the Ni metal matrix, which have a direct impact on the tribological properties of the composites and their hardness. All the composites exhibited higher hardness than pure Ni; whereas adding 15 wt% of Cr2AlC gives the highest hardness (1.85 GPa). Using a ball-on-disc tribometer, dry sliding tests for the elaborated composites against 100Cr6 steel ball were studied under different applied loads. The microstructures and worn surface characteristics were then analyzed using SEM and Raman spectroscopy. The results show that all the composites exhibited better wear resistance compared to pure Ni, which could be explained by the formation of a lubricious tribo-layer during sliding and the good bonding between the Ni matrix and the reinforcing phases.

Keywords: composites, microscopy, sintering, wear

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580 Immobilization of Lipase Enzyme by Low Cost Material: A Statistical Approach

Authors: Md. Z. Alam, Devi R. Asih, Md. N. Salleh

Abstract:

Immobilization of lipase enzyme produced from palm oil mill effluent (POME) by the activated carbon (AC) among the low cost support materials was optimized. The results indicated that immobilization of 94% was achieved by AC as the most suitable support material. A sequential optimization strategy based on a statistical experimental design, including one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) method was used to determine the equilibrium time. Three components influencing lipase immobilization were optimized by the response surface methodology (RSM) based on the face-centered central composite design (FCCCD). On the statistical analysis of the results, the optimum enzyme concentration loading, agitation rate and carbon active dosage were found to be 30 U/ml, 300 rpm and 8 g/L respectively, with a maximum immobilization activity of 3732.9 U/g-AC after 2 hrs of immobilization. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a high regression coefficient (R2) of 0.999, which indicated a satisfactory fit of the model with the experimental data. The parameters were statistically significant at p<0.05.

Keywords: activated carbon, POME based lipase, immobilization, adsorption

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579 Pioneer Synthesis and Characterization of Boron Containing Hard Materials

Authors: Gülşah Çelik Gül, Figen Kurtuluş

Abstract:

The first laboratory synthesis of hard materials such as diamond proceeded to attack of developing materials with high hardness to compete diamond. Boron rich solids are good candidates owing to their short interatomic bond lengths and strong covalent character. Boron containing hard material was synthesized by modified-microwave method under nitrogen atmosphere by using a fuel (glycine or urea), amorphous boron and/or boric acid in appropriate molar ratio. Characterizations were done by x-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive analyze (SEM/EDS), thermo gravimetric/differantial thermal analysis (TG/DTA).

Keywords: boron containing materials, hard materials, microwave synthesis, powder X-ray diffraction

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578 A Unique Exact Approach to Handle a Time-Delayed State-Space System: The Extraction of Juice Process

Authors: Mohamed T. Faheem Saidahmed, Ahmed M. Attiya Ibrahim, Basma GH. Elkilany

Abstract:

This paper discusses the application of Time Delay Control (TDC) compensation technique in the juice extraction process in a sugar mill. The objective is to improve the control performance of the process and increase extraction efficiency. The paper presents the mathematical model of the juice extraction process and the design of the TDC compensation controller. Simulation results show that the TDC compensation technique can effectively suppress the time delay effect in the process and improve control performance. The extraction efficiency is also significantly increased with the application of the TDC compensation technique. The proposed approach provides a practical solution for improving the juice extraction process in sugar mills using MATLAB Processes.

Keywords: time delay control (TDC), exact and unique state space model, delay compensation, Smith predictor.

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577 Analysis of Electromechanical Torsional Vibration in Large-Power AC Drive System Based on Virtual Inertia Control

Authors: Jin Wang, Chunyi Zhu, Chongjian Li, Dapeng Zheng

Abstract:

A method based on virtual inertia for suppressing electromechanical torsional vibration of a large-power AC drive system is presented in this paper. The main drive system of the rolling mill is the research object, and a two-inertia elastic model is established to study the mechanism of electromechanical torsional vibration. The improvement is made based on the control of the load observer. The virtual inertia control ratio K is added to the speed forward channel, and the feedback loop adds 1-K to design virtual inertia control. The control method combines the advantages of the positive and negative feedback control of the load observer, can achieve the purpose of controlling the moment of inertia of the motor from the perspective of electrical control, and effectively suppress oscillation.

Keywords: electromechanical torsional vibration, large-power AC drive system, load observer, simulation design

Procedia PDF Downloads 103