Search results for: wood consumption

Authors: Isah Wada

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The current research investigates the role of financial development in an environmental sustainability-energy consumption nexus for OPEC-1 member countries. The empirical findings suggest that financial development increases environmental sustainability but energy consumption and real output expansion diminishes environmental sustainability, generally. Thus, whilst real output and financial development accelerates energy consumption, environmental sustainability quality diminishes clean energy initiatives. Even more so, energy consumption and financial development stimulates real output growth. The result empirically demonstrates that policy advocates must address broader issues relating to financial development whilst seeking to achieve environmental sustainability due largely to energy consumption.

Keywords: energy consumption, environmental sustainability, financial development, OPEC, real output

Procedia PDF Downloads 152

Authors: Subhasisa Nath, David Waugh, Graham Ormondroyd, Morwenna Spear, Andy Pitman, Paul Mason

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Wood is one of the most sustainable and environmentally favourable materials and is chemically treated in timber industries to maximise durability. To increase the chemical preservative uptake and retention by the wood, current limiting incision technologies are commonly used. This work reports the effects of single pulse CO2 laser-incision and frequency tripled Nd:YAG percussion laser-incision on the characteristics of laser-incised holes in the Radiata Pine. The laser-incision studies were based on changing laser wavelengths, energies and focal planes to conclude on an optimised combination for the laser-incision of Radiata Pine. The laser pulse duration had a dominant effect over laser power in controlling hole aspect ratio in CO2 laser-incision. A maximum depth of ~ 30 mm was measured with a laser power output of 170 W and a pulse duration of 80 ms. However, increased laser power led to increased carbonisation of holes. The carbonisation effect was reduced during laser-incision in the ultra-violet (UV) regime. Deposition of a foamy phase on the laser-incised hole wall was evident irrespective of laser radiation wavelength and energy. A maximum hole depth of ~20 mm was measured in the percussion laser-incision in the UV regime (355 nm) with a pulse energy of 320 mJ. The radial and tangential faces had a significant effect on laser-incision efficiency for all laser wavelengths. The laser-incised hole shapes and circularities were affected by the wood anatomy (earlywoods and latewoods in the structure). Subsequently, the mechanism of laser-incision is proposed by analysing the internal structure of laser-incised holes.

Keywords: CO2 Laser, Nd: YAG laser, incision, drilling, wood, hole characteristics

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Authors: Tichaona Nharingo, Hope Tauya, Mambo Moyo

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Wood ash has been demonstrated to have favourable adsorption capacity for heavy metal ions but suffers the application problem of difficult to separate/isolate from the batch adsorption systems. Fabrication of wood ash beads using multifunctional group and non-toxic carbohydrate, alginate, may improve the applicability of wood ash in environmental pollutant remediation. In this work, alginate-wood ash beads (AWAB) were fabricated and applied to the removal of cadmium ions from aqueous systems. The beads were characterized by FTIR, TGA/DSC, SEM-EDX and their pHZPC before and after the adsorption of Cd(II) ions. Important adsorption parameters i.e. pH, AWAB dosage, contact time and ionic strength were optimized and the effect of initial concentration of Cd(II) ions to the adsorption process was established. Adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms, adsorption mechanism and application of AWAB to real water samples spiked with Cd(II) ions were ascertained. The composite adsorbent was characterized by a heterogeneous macro pore surface comprising of metal oxides, multiple hydroxyl groups and carbonyl groups that were involved in electrostatic interaction and Lewis acid-base interactions with the Cd(II) ions. The pseudo second order and the Freundlich isotherm models best fitted the adsorption kinetics and isotherm data respectively suggesting chemical sorption process and surface heterogeneity. The presence of Pb(II) ions inhibited the adsorption of Cd(II) ions (reduced by 40 %) attributed to the competition for the adsorption sites. The Cd(II) loaded beads could be regenerated using 0.1 M HCl and could be applied to four sorption-desorption cycles without significant loss in its initial adsorption capacity. The high maximum adsorption capacity, stability, selectivity and reusability of AWAB make the adsorbent ideal for application in the removal of Cd(II) ions from real water samples. Column type adsorption experiments need to be explored to establish the potential of the adsorbent in removing Cd(II) ions using continuous flow systems.

Keywords: adsorption, Cd(II) ions, regeneration, wastewater, wood ash-alginate beads

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Authors: Marwa H. Salah

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Modern consumption culture represents a widespread phenomenon that affects young people, as it affects all age groups in both urban and rural societies. It has been helped by globalization, specifically cultural globalization, also internal and external migration, and the immense development in information technology as well, these factors have led to the appearance of the conspicuous consumption pattern among young people. This research firstly interested in identifying the nature of this pattern of consumption among young people in the countryside, which represents a society with a special nature, was characterized by the pattern of traditional consumption. Secondly to find out whether the rural character has an impact on the conspicuous consumption of youth. Finally to identify the reasons for the rural youth's tendency to such type of consumption and if it contributes in satisfying certain social needs. The research used the anthropological method. Observation and open-ended interviews were used as tools to collect data and an interview guide was applied on a selective youth sample (40:20 male and 20 female) aged between 17to 34 in an Egyptian village located in Dakahlia governorate. The research showed that rural youth has impacted with the modern consumption culture and not isolated from it despite the lack of financial abilities. The conspicuous consumption is a dominant pattern of consumption among the Egyptian rural youth and it has been practicing by rural youth regardless of their educational & financial levels. Also, the wish to show the social and economic status, bragging and show off is the main reason for the rural youth to adopt the conspicuous consumption, moreover to face the inferior view from their counterparts’ urban youth.

Keywords: consumption culture, youth, conspicuous consumption, rural society

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Authors: Majid Azizi, Payam Ghorbannezhad, Mostafa Amiri, Mohammad Ghofrani

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Environmental issues in the furniture industry are of great importance due to the use of natural materials such as wood and chemical substances like adhesives and paints. These issues encompass environmental conservation and managing pollution and waste generated. Improper use of wood resources, along with the use of chemicals and their release, leads to the depletion of natural resources, damage to forests, and the emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, identifying influential indicators in the life cycle assessment of classic furniture and proposing solutions to reduce environmental impacts becomes crucial. In this study, the life cycle of classic furniture was evaluated using a hierarchical analytical process from cradle to grave. The life cycle assessment was employed to assess the environmental impacts of the furniture industry, ranging from raw material extraction to waste disposal and recycling. The most significant indicators in the furniture industry's production chain were also identified. The results indicated that the wood quality indicator is the most essential factor in the life cycle of classic furniture. Furthermore, the relative contribution of each type of traditional furniture was proposed concerning impact categories in the life cycle assessment. The results showed that among the three proposed types, the design and production of furniture with prefabricated parts had the most negligible impact in categories such as global warming potential and ozone layer depletion compared to furniture design with solid wood and furniture design with recycled components. Among the three suggested types of furniture to reduce environmental impacts, producing furniture with solid wood or other woods was chosen as the most crucial solution.

Keywords: life cycle assessment, analytic hierarchy process, environmental issues, furniture

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Authors: Reza Bahboodian

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One of the most important factors in the use of construction machinery is the fuel consumption cost of this equipment. The use of diesel engines in off-road vehicles is an important source of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter 10 in off-road vehicles (construction and mining) may be high. Due to the high cost of fuel, it is necessary to minimize fuel consumption. Factors affecting the fuel consumption of these cars are very diverse. Climate changes such as changes in pressure, temperature, humidity, fuel type selection, type of gearbox used in the car are effective in fuel consumption and pollution, and engine efficiency. In this paper, methods for reducing fuel consumption and pollutants by considering valid European and European standards are examined based on new methods such as hybridization, optimal gear change, adding hydrogen to diesel fuel, determining optimal working fluids, and using oxidation catalysts.

Keywords: improve fuel consumption, construction machinery, pollutant reduction, determining the optimal working cycle

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Authors: Rudra P. Pradhan

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This paper examines the Granger causal nexus between financial development and energy consumption in the group of 35 Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Countries over the period 1988-2012. The study uses two financial development indicators such as private sector credit and stock market capitalization and seven energy consumption indicators such as coal, oil, gas, electricity, hydro-electrical, nuclear and biomass. Using panel cointegration tests, the study finds that financial development and energy consumption are cointegrated, indicating the presence of a long-run relationship between the two. Using a panel vector error correction model (VECM), the study detects both bidirectional and unidirectional causality between financial development and energy consumption. The variation of this causality is due to the use of different proxies for both financial development and energy consumption. The policy implication of this study is that economic policies should recognize the differences in the financial development-energy consumption nexus in order to maintain sustainable development in the selected 35 FATF countries.

Keywords: energy consumption, financial development, FATF countries, Panel VECM

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Authors: K. Almi, S. Lakel, A. Benchabane, A. Kriker

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The fiber–matrix compatibility can be improved if suitable enforcements are chosen. Whenever the reinforcements have more thermal stability, they can resist to the main processes for wood–thermoplastic composites. Several researches are focused on natural resources for the production of biomaterials intended for technical applications. Date palm wood present one of the world’s most important natural resource. Its use as insulating materials will help to solve the severe environmental and recycling problems which other artificial insulating materials caused. This paper reports the results of an experimental investigation on the thermal proprieties of date palm wood from Algeria. A study of physical, chemical and mechanical properties is also carried out. The goal is to use this natural material in the manufacture of thermal insulation materials for buildings. The local natural resources used in this study are the date palm fibers from Biskra oasis in Algeria. The results have shown that there is no significant difference in the morphological proprieties of the four types of residues. Their chemical composition differed slightly; with the lowest amounts of cellulose and lignin content belong to Petiole. Water absorption study proved that Rachis has a low value of sorption whereas Petiole and Fibrillium have a high value of sorption what influenced their mechanical properties. It is seen that the Rachis and leaflets exhibit a high tensile strength values compared to the other residue. On the other hand the low value of bulk density of Petiole and Fibrillium leads to high value of specific tensile strength and young modulus. It was found that the specific young modulus of Petiole and Fibrillium was higher than that of Rachis and Leaflets and that of other natural fibers or even artificial fibers. Compared to the other materials date palm wood provide a good thermal proprieties thus, date palm wood will be a good candidate for the manufacturing efficient and safe insulating materials.

Keywords: composite materials, date palm fiber, natural fibers, tensile tests, thermal proprieties

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Authors: Hong Nguyen Thi Hai, Ryota Konda, Dat Kieu Tuan, Cao Tran Thanh, Khang Phung Van, Hau Tran Tin, Harry Wu

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Melaleuca cajuputi is a moderately fast-growing species and considered as a multi-purpose tree as it provides fuelwood, piles and frame poles in construction, leaf essential oil and honey. It occurs in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and South-East Asia. M. cajuputi plantation can be harvested on 6-7 year rotations for wood products. Its timber can also be used for pulp and paper, fiber and particle board, producing quality charcoal and potentially sawn timber. However, most reported M. cajuputi breeding programs have been focused on oil production rather than wood production. In this study, breeding program of M. cajuputi aimed to improve wood production was examined by estimating genetic parameters for growth (tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and volume), stem form, stiffness (modulus of elasticity (MOE)), bark thickness and bark ratio in a half-sib family progeny trial including 80 families in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. MOE is one of the key wood properties of interest to the wood industry. Non-destructive wood stiffness was measured indirectly by acoustic velocity using FAKOPP Microsecond Timer and especially unaffected by bark mass. Narrow-sense heritability for the seven traits ranged from 0.13 to 0.27 at age 7 years. MOE and stem form had positive genetic correlations with growth while the negative correlation between bark ratio and growth was also favorable. Breeding for simultaneous improvement of multiple traits, faster growth with higher MOE and reduction of bark ratio should be possible in M. cajuputi. Index selection based on volume and MOE showed genetic gains of 31 % in volume, 6 % in MOE and 13 % in stem form. In addition, heritability and age-age genetic correlations for growth traits increased with time and optimal early selection age for growth of M. cajuputi based on DBH alone was 4 years. Selected thinning resulted in an increase of heritability due to considerable reduction of phenotypic variation but little effect on genetic variation.

Keywords: acoustic velocity, age-age correlation, bark thickness, heritability, Melaleuca cajuputi, stiffness, thinning effect

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Authors: Ratchanon Boonachathong, Bordin Kaewnok, Suksun Amornraksa

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Rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) used for imitation wood is typically prepared by using 1-Dichloro-1-fluoroethane (HCFC-141b) as a blowing agent. However, this chemical is a hydrofluorocarbon which severely causes ozone depletion to the atmosphere. In this work, a more environmental-friendly RPUF was prepared by using distilled water and cyclopentane (CP) as alternative blowing agent. Several properties of the prepared RPUF were investigated and measured such as density (kg/m³), surface hardness (shore D), and glass transition temperature (°C). It was found that when the amount of the blowing agents decreased, the foam density is increased as well as the surface hardness and glass transition temperature. The results showed that the proper amount of water and cylopentane blowing agent is around 0.3–1.2% and 0.5-1.3% respectively. And the new RPUF produced has a good potential to substitute for a conventional RPUF.

Keywords: blowing agent, cyclopentane co-blown, imitation wood, rigid polyurethane foam, surface hardness

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: K. Almi, S. Lakel, A. Benchabane, A. Kriker

Abstract:

Several researches are focused on natural resources for the production of biomaterials intended for technical applications. Date palm wood present one of the world’s most important natural resource. Its use as insulating materials will help to solve the severe environmental and recycling problems which other artificial insulating materials caused. This paper reports the results of an experimental investigation on the thermal proprieties of date palm wood from Algeria. A study of physical, chemical, and mechanical properties is also carried out. The goal is to use this natural material in the manufacture of thermal insulation materials for buildings. The local natural resources used in this study are the date palm fibers from Biskra oasis in Algeria. The results have shown that there is no significant difference in the morphological proprieties of the four types of residues. Their chemical composition differed slightly; with the lowest amounts of cellulose and lignin content belong to Petiole. Water absorption study proved that Rachis has a low value of sorption whereas Petiole and Fibrillium have a high value of sorption what influenced their mechanical properties. It is seen that the Rachis and leaflets exhibit high tensile strength values compared to the other residue. On the other hand, the low value of the bulk density of Petiole and Fibrillium leads to a high value of specific tensile strength and young modulus. It was found that the specific young modulus of Petiole and Fibrillium was higher than that of Rachis and Leaflets and that of other natural fibers or even artificial fibers. Compared to the other materials date palm wood provide a good thermal proprieties thus, date palm wood will be a good candidate for the manufacturing efficient and safe insulating materials.

Keywords: composite materials, date palm fiber, natural fibers, tensile tests, thermal proprieties

Procedia PDF Downloads 266

Authors: G. Sava, I. Popa, T. Sava, A. Ion, M. Ilie, C. Manailescu, A. Robu

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At the RoAMS laboratory in Bucharest we have looked for a head-to-head meeting between AMS radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology dating, aiming to point out and explain any differences or similarities that might appear between their output results. As a subject of this investigation, we have fixed our attention on a sequence of tree rings spanning on a period of 700 years, starting with 1000 AD. The samples were collected from the northern Romanian territory within Moldavia region, and were provided by the ‘Marin Dracea - National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry’. All the 23 single ring wood samples were radiocarbon dated using alpha-cellulose extraction, followed by graphitization in an AGE3 installation. A wiggle matching procedure was applied to reduce the radiocarbon uncertainties for the calibrated ages. The results showed a good agreement on 3 out of 4 wood cores, the age-shifting of one of the wood cores being interpreted as an uncertain dendrochronology matching, which was further corrected.

Keywords: wiggle matching, tree-ring radiocarbon dating, dendrochronology, AMS radiocarbon dating, radiocarbon dating in Romania

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Authors: Aswitha Bachala

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Energy shortage became a worldwide major problem since the 1970s, due to high energy consumption. Buildings are the primary energy users which consume 40% of global energy consumption, in which, 40%-50% of building’s energy usage is consumed due to its envelope. In hot and dry climates, 40% of energy is consumed only for cooling purpose, which implies major portion of energy savings can be worked through the envelopes. Biomimicry can be one solution for extracting efficient thermoregulation strategies found in nature. This paper aims to identify different biomimetic building envelopes which shall offer a higher potential to reduce energy consumption in hot and dry climates. It focuses on investigating the scope for reducing energy consumption through biomimetic approach in terms of envelopes. An in-depth research on different biomimetic building envelopes will be presented and analyzed in terms of heat absorption, in addition to, the impact it had on reducing the buildings energy consumption. This helps to understand feasible biomimetic building envelopes to mitigate heat absorption in hot and dry climates.

Keywords: biomimicry, building envelopes, energy consumption, hot and dry climate

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Authors: Vitoldas Vidikas, Algirdas Augonis

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Different ecological binders have been used to minimize the negative effects of cement production and use on the environment. Wood ash is one of these alternative binders, and there has been increasing research related to this topic recently. The incineration process in power plants produces numerous amounts of residues, the potential applications of which remain incompletely understood. However, it is established that wood ash improves concrete properties, serves as a fertilizer, and substitutes natural aggregates in artificial aggregate production. This study presents the production and properties of wood ash artificial aggregate, their integration into concrete, and the assessment of their strength. Due to the aforementioned large amount of incineration waste accumulating in landfills, the recovery of this waste is important, and reuse and recycling of this waste is necessary. Artificial aggregates stand out as a significant innovation in this effort. In this study, the artificial aggregate was carbonized using wood waste incineration ash and alkali activators, with the alkaline activator consisting of Ca(OH)2. Various mixtures were formulated, incorporating different materials and compositions of activators. Initially, fillers were created using wood ash, followed by formulations subsequently supplemented with wood ash. A series of tests, including XRD, SEM, and compression tests, were conducted. The artificial aggregate exhibits minimal water absorption and holds potential as a substitute for natural materials. Its prospective applications extend to agriculture, where it could function as a fertilizer, and construction, where it could serve as an artificial aggregate. Concrete incorporating the artificial aggregate demonstrates stability, stiffness, and relatively low density. In our research, a test was developed and applied to determine the compressive strength of a manufactured artificial aggregate, not by direct loading, but by subjecting a cementitious test specimen containing the aggregate under test to a load. In this way, the test not only determines the effect of the aggregate on the compressive behavior of such a specimen but also the characteristics of the fracture, which shows how these artificial aggregates adhere to the cement matrix. This testing methodology holds promise for evaluating the suitability of artificial aggregates in construction materials, not only in terms of their load-bearing capacity but also of their adhesion to the mineral binder. The results showed that the mechanical properties of granular artificial aggregates vary significantly with the amount of binder (lime), i.e. an increase of ~15% in the amount of binder resulted in an increase in the crushing strength of the carbonized aggregate by ~15-20%, while the compressive strength of the cementitious specimen with this aggregate increased by ~18%.

Keywords: wood ash, artificial aggregate, carbonization, compressive strength

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Authors: Junjira Mahaboon, Anongnard Boonpak, Nattakarn Worrasan, Busma Kama, Mujalin Saikliang, Siripor Dankachatarn

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Rubber wood processing is one of the most important industries in southern Thailand. The process has several safety hazards for example unsafe wood cutting machine guarding, wood dust, noise, and heavy lifting. However, workers’ occupational health and safety measures to promote their behaviors are still limited. This quasi-experimental research was to determine factors affecting workers’ safety behaviors using theory of planned behavior after implementing job safety intervention program. The purposes were to (1) determine factors affecting workers’ behaviors and (2) to evaluate effectiveness of the intervention program. The sample of study was 66 workers from a rubber wood processing factory. Factors in the Theory of Planned Behavior model (TPB) were measured before and after the intervention. The factors of TPB included attitude towards behavior, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, intention, and behavior. Firstly, Job Safety Analysis (JSA) was conducted and Safety Standard Operation Procedures (SSOP) were established. The questionnaire was also used to collect workers’ characteristics and TPB factors. Then, job safety intervention program to promote workers’ behavior according to SSOP were implemented for a four month period. The program included SSOP training, personal protective equipment use, and safety promotional campaign. After that, the TPB factors were again collected. Paired sample t-test and independent t-test were used to analyze the data. The result revealed that attitude towards behavior and intention increased significantly after the intervention at p<0.05. These factors also significantly determined the workers’ safety behavior according to SSOP at p<0.05. However, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were not significantly changed nor related to safety behaviors. In conclusion, attitude towards behavior and workers’ intention should be promoted to encourage workers’ safety behaviors. SSOP intervention program e.g. short meeting, safety training, and promotional campaign should be continuously implemented in a routine basis to improve workers’ behavior.

Keywords: job safety analysis, rubber wood processing workers, safety standard operation procedure, theory of planned behavior

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Authors: Isaiah Phillip Smith

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It is reported that alcohol consumption accounts for 3 million annual deaths globally, thus, it is a significant public health challenge internationally. The excessive consumption of alcohol is argued in literature to be related to problematic behaviors like crime, accident, fighting, violence, and unprotected sex, among others. Alcohol consumption among university students in South Africa particularly is considered endemic – with a prevalence rate of 25.27%, 32.34%, and 23.34% across universities, colleges, and high schools. Adopting the tenets of social learning and ecological theories, the culture of drinking amongst male university students is critically explored. This study found that age, gender, early exposure to alcohol, and peer pressure are significant factors contributing to alcohol consumption amongst university students. While participants acknowledged that moderate and responsible consumption of alcohol is necessary, they agree that it does not translate to responsible drinking behaviours.

Keywords: alcohol, drinking, university, students

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Authors: Ahmed Abdrabou, Medhat Abdalla

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The studied stele dates back to Third Intermediate Period (1075-664) B.C in an ancient Egypt. It is made of wood and covered with painted gesso layers. This study aims to use a combination of multi spectral imaging {visible, infrared (IR), Visible-induced infrared luminescence (VIL), Visible-induced ultraviolet luminescence (UVL) and ultraviolet reflected (UVR)}, along with portable x-ray fluorescence in order to map and identify the pigments as well as to provide a deeper understanding of the painting techniques. Moreover; the authors were significantly interested in the identification of wood species. Multispectral imaging acquired in 3 spectral bands, ultraviolet (360-400 nm), visible (400-780 nm) and infrared (780-1100 nm) using (UV Ultraviolet-induced luminescence (UVL), UV Reflected (UVR), Visible (VIS), Visible-induced infrared luminescence (VIL) and Infrared photography. False color images are made by digitally editing the VIS with IR or UV images using Adobe Photoshop. Optical Microscopy (OM), potable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (p-XRF) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used in this study. Mapping and imaging techniques provided useful information about the spatial distribution of pigments, in particular visible-induced luminescence (VIL) which allowed the spatial distribution of Egyptian blue pigment to be mapped and every region containing Egyptian blue, even down to single crystals in some instances, is clearly visible as a bright white area; however complete characterization of the pigments requires the use of p. XRF spectroscopy. Based on the elemental analysis found by P.XRF, we conclude that the artists used mixtures of the basic mineral pigments to achieve a wider palette of hues. Identification of wood species Microscopic identification indicated that the wood used was Sycamore Fig (Ficus sycomorus L.) which is recorded as being native to Egypt and was used to make wooden artifacts since at least the Fifth Dynasty.

Keywords: polychrome wooden stele, multispectral imaging, IR luminescence, Wood identification, Sycamore Fig, p-XRF

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Authors: Jawad Ul Haq, Evan Mazur, Ahmed Qureshi, Mohamed Al-Hussein

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The uses of wood in furniture, building, bridges and aluminum in transportation and construction, make aluminum and forest economy a prominent matter in North America. Machines available to date to cut the aforementioned materials are mostly industry oriented with complex structure and operations which require special training and skill. Furthermore, requirements such as pneumatics, 3-phase supply are associated with cost, maintenance, and safety hazards. Power saws are very useful tools used to cut and shape materials; however, they can cause serious hand injuries. Operator’s hands in table saw are vulnerable as they are used to guide pieces into the saw. Apart from hands, saw operator is also prone to material being kicked back out of the saw or sustain eye or respiratory injuries due to rapidly flying sawdust and other debris. In this paper, design of an automatic saw cutting machine has been proposed to ensure safety, portability, usage at domestic level and capability to cut both aluminum and wood. This paper demonstrates detailed Mechanical design in SOLIDWORKS and Control Systems using Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), based on the aforementioned design objectives.

Keywords: programmable logic controller, saw cutting, control, automation

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Authors: Katsumi Hirano, Yusuke Kakuta, Koji Yoshida, Shozo Itagaki, Masahiko Kajioka, Toshihiko Okada

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A conversion technology of cellulosic biomass and waste plastics to liquid fuel at low pressure and low temperature has been investigated. This study aims at the production of the liquefied fuel (CPLF) of substituting diesel oil by mixing cellulosic biomass and waste plastics in the presence of solvent. Co-liquefaction of cellulosic biomass (Japan cedar) and polypropylene (PP) using wood tar or mineral oil as solvent at 673K with an autoclave was carried out. It was confirmed that the co-liquefaction gave CPLF in a high yield among the cases of wood or of polypropylene Which was ascribed the acceleration of decomposition of plastics by radicals derived from the decomposition of wood. The co-liquefaction was also conducted by a small twin screw extruder. It was found that CPLF was obtained in the co-liquefaction, And the acceleration of decomposition of plastics in the presence of cellulosic biomass. The engine test of CPLF showed that the engine performances, Compression ignition and combustion　characteristics were almost similar to those of diesel fuel at any mixing ratio of CPLF and any load, Therefore, CPLF could be practically used as alternative fuel for diesel engines.

Keywords: Cellulosic Biomass, Co-liquefaction, Solvent, Waste Plastics

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Authors: Aliyu Mohammed Lawal

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The problems placed on the environment as a result of energy generation and usage in Nigeria is: potential damage to the environment health by CO, CO2, SOx, and NOx, effluent gas emissions and global warming. For instance in the year 2004 in Nigeria energy consumption was 58% oil and 34% natural gas but about 94 million metric tons of CO2 was emitted out of which 64% came from fossil fuels while about 35% came from fuel wood. The findings from this research on how to alleviate these problems are that long term sustainable development solutions should be enhanced globally; energy should be used more rationally renewable energy resources should be exploited and the existing emissions should be controlled to tolerate limits because the increase in energy demand in Nigeria places enormous strain on current energy facilities.

Keywords: effluent gas, emissions, NOx, SOx

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Authors: Bernhard Widhalm, Cornelia Rieder-Gradinger, Ewald Srebotnik

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Pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.) is the basic raw material for the production of Oriented Strand Boards (OSB) and the major source of volatile organic compounds, especially terpenes (like α- and β-pinene). To lower the total emission level of OSB, terpene metabolising microorganisms were therefore applied onto pine wood strands for the production of emission-reduced boards. Suitable microorganisms were identified during preliminary tests under laboratory conditions. At first, their terpene degrading potential was investigated in liquid culture, followed by laboratory tests using unsterile pine wood particles and strands. The main focus was laid on an adoptable terpene reduction in a short incubation time. An optimised bacterial mixture of Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas fluorescens showed the best results and was therefore used for further experiments on a larger scale. In an industry-compatible testing procedure, pine wood strands were incubated with the bacterial mixture for a period of 2 to 4 days. Incubation time was stopped by drying the strands. OSB were then manufactured from the pre-treated strands and emissions were measured by means of SPME/GC-MS analysis. Bacterial pre-treatment of strands resulted in a reduction of α-pinene- and β-pinene-emissions from OSB by 40% and 70%, respectively, even after only 2 days of incubation. The results of the investigation provide a basis for the application of microbial treatment within the industrial OSB production line, where shortest possible incubation times are required. For this purpose, the performance of the bacterial mixture will have to be further optimised.

Keywords: GC-MS, OSB, Pseudomonas sp., terpene degradation

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Authors: Usman A. Usman

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Undeniably, unlike the Classical side, the Keynesian perspective of the aggregate demand side indeed has a significant position in the policy, growth, and welfare of Nigeria due to government involvement and ineffective demand of the population living with poor per capita income. This study seeks to investigate the effect of Government Final Consumption Expenditure, Financial Deepening on Households, and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure using data on Nigeria from 1981 to 2019. This study employed the ADF stationarity test, Johansen Cointegration test, and Vector Error Correction Model. The results of the study revealed that the coefficient of Government final consumption expenditure has a positive effect on household consumption expenditure in the long run. There is a long-run and short-run relationship between gross fixed capital formation and household consumption expenditure. The coefficients cpsgdp (financial deepening and gross fixed capital formation posit a negative impact on household final consumption expenditure. The coefficients money supply lm2gdp, which is another proxy for financial deepening, and the coefficient FDI have a positive effect on household final consumption expenditure in the long run. Therefore, this study recommends that Gross fixed capital formation stimulates household consumption expenditure; a legal framework to support investment is a panacea to increasing hoodmold income and consumption and reducing poverty in Nigeria. Therefore, this should be a key central component of policy.

Keywords: government final consumption expenditure, household consumption expenditure, vector error correction model, cointegration

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Authors: Jul Endawati

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The composite element of 20 mm in thickness were manufactured using high volume fly ash, silica fume as alternative hydraulic binders and Portland cement Type II. Pine wood shavel as by product of local small wood working industries were used as the composite filler. The elements were given in situ wet and dry treatment for 9 months. Visually there is no fiber degradation as a result of the interaction of the environment. The assessment were done to the elements bending strength and dimensional properties. Increase in MoR after 180 days of exposure shown that mechanically this degradation is not seen yet. The increment of MoR (213%) compare to that of 28 days might be affected by the formation of calcium hydroxide (CH) or ettringite in the transition zone. The use of pozzolan showed also a delay or minimize degradation of composites while improving the pore structure, and minimize the mineralization of the fiber bond with the cement matrix. The water absorption is 4,22% at 180 days, 7,94% at 120 days and 12,38% at 28 days, in line with the 68% decrease in Thickness Swelling (TS). This unoccured degradation could also be affected by the presence of silica fume in the binder matrix. After 270 days of exposure under tropical condition, the flexural strength started to decrease.

Keywords: durability, fly ash, natural fibre, silica fume

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Authors: Sauradipta Ganguly, Akhato Sumi, Sanjeet Kumar Hom, Ajan T. Lotha

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Populus deltoides is a hardwood used predominantly for the manufacturing of plywood, matchsticks, and paper in India and hence has a higher economical significance. Wood-decaying fungi cause serious damage to Populus deltoides products, as the wood itself is perishable and vulnerable to decaying agents, decreasing their aesthetical value which in return results in significant monetary loss for the wood industries concerned. The aim of the study was to determine the antifungal activity of Cedrus deodara oil against three primary wood-decaying fungi namely white-rot fungi (Trametes versicolor), brown-rot fungi (Oligoporus placentus) and soft-rot fungi (Xylaria acuminata) on Populus deltoides samples under optimum laboratory conditions. The susceptibility of Populus deltoides samples on the fungal attack and the ability of deodar oil to control colonization of the wood rotting fungi on the samples were assessed. Three concentrations of deodar oil were considered for the study as treating solutions, i.e., 4%, 5%, and 6%. The Populus deltoides samples were treated with treating solutions, and the ability of the same to prevent a fungal attack on the samples were assessed using accelerated test in the laboratory at Biochemical Oxygen Demand incubator at temperature (25 ± 2°C) and relative humidity 70 ± 4%. Efficacy test and statistical analysis of deodar oil against Trametes versicolor, Oligoporus placentus, and Xylariaacuminataon P. deltoides samples exhibited light, minor and negligible mycelia growth at 4 %, 5% and 6% concentrations of deodar oil, respectively. Whereas, moderate to heavy attack was observed on the surface of the control samples. Statistical analysis further established that the treatments were statistically significant and had significantly inhibited fungal growth of all the three fungus spp by almost 3 to 5 times.

Keywords: populus deltoides, Trametes versicolor, Oligoporus placentus, Xylaria acuminata, Deodar oil, treatment

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Authors: Pau Rausell-Koster, Jordi Sanjuan-Belda

Abstract:

The economic crisis of 2008 had a special impact on cultural consumption in Spain. It fell by almost 30% in a few years, and its share of total family spending decreased from 3.19% in 2007 to 2.38% in 2015. In 2017, unlike other indicators, cultural consumption levels were still far from recovering their pre-crisis values. In times of economic difficulties, the satisfaction of primary subsistence needs takes priority over that of social, cultural and experiential needs, among which cultural consumption would mostly be framed. However, its evolution cannot be attributed exclusively to macroeconomic trends. In parallel to these, technological advances mainly related to the Internet have been disseminated in recent years, which have a very marked impact on the consumption patterns of some cultural sectors. Thus, the aim of this study is to define the causes of the decline in cultural consumption in Spain in recent years, and analyse what type of products, territories and population profiles suffered it especially. From the data analysis of the Family Budget Survey, the study seeks to improve the understanding of the determinants of cultural consumption and their behaviour in the face of macroeconomic trends, as well as identify and extract some policy implications regarding to the upcoming crisis caused by COVID-19.

Keywords: consume patterns, cultural consumption, economic crisis, economic trends

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Authors: Ubani Onyedikachi, Atagana Harrison Ifeanyichukwu, Thantsha Mapitsi Silvester

Abstract:

Components of oil sludge (PAHs) are known cytotoxic, mutagenic and potentially carcinogenic compounds also bacteria and fungi have been found to degrade PAHs to innocuous compounds. This study is aimed at measuring the effect of pig, cow, horse and poultry manures on the degradation in selected PAHs present in oil sludge. Soil spiked with oil sludge was co-composted differently with each manure in a ratio of 2:1 (w/w) spiked soil: manure and wood-chips in a ratio of 2:1 (w/v) spiked soil: wood-chips. Control was set up similar as the one above but without manure. The mixtures were incubated for 10 months at room temperature. Compost piles were turned weekly and moisture level was maintained at between 50% and 70%. Moisture level, pH, temperature, CO2 evolution and oxygen consumption were measured monthly and the ash content at the end of experimentation. Highest temperature reached was 27.5 °C in all compost heaps, pH ranged from 5.5 to 7.8 and CO2 evolution was highest in poultry manure at 18.78μg/dwt/day. Microbial growth and activities were enhanced; bacteria identified were Bacillus, Arthrobacter and Staphylococcus species. Percentage reduction in PAHs was measured using automated soxhlet extractor with Dichloromethane coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Results from PAH measurements showed reduction between 77% and 99%. Co-composting of spiked soils with animal manures enhanced the reduction in PAHs.

Keywords: animal manures, bioremediation, co-composting, oil refinery sludge, PAHs

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Authors: Simiksha Balkissoon, Jerome Andrew, Bruce Sithole

Abstract:

Approximately half of the wood processed in the Forestry, Timber, Pulp and Paper (FTPP) sector is accumulated as waste. The concept of a “green economy” encourages industries to employ revolutionary, transformative technologies to eliminate waste generation by exploring the development of new value chains. The transition towards an almost paperless world driven by the rise of digital media has resulted in a decline in traditional paper markets, prompting the FTTP sector to reposition itself and expand its product offerings by unlocking the potential of value-adding opportunities from renewable resources such as wood to generate revenue and mitigate its environmental impact. The production of valuable products from wood waste such as sawdust has been extensively explored in recent years. Wood components such as lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses, which can be extracted selectively by chemical processing, are suitable candidates for producing numerous high-value products. In this study, a novel approach to produce high-value cellulose products, such as dissolving wood pulp (DWP), from sawdust was developed. DWP is a high purity cellulose product used in several applications such as pharmaceutical, textile, food, paint and coatings industries. The proposed approach demonstrates the potential to eliminate several complex processing stages, such as pulping and bleaching, which are associated with traditional commercial processes to produce high purity cellulose products such as DWP, making it less chemically energy and water-intensive. The developed process followed the path of experimentally designed lab tests evaluating typical processing conditions such as residence time, chemical concentrations, liquid-to-solid ratios and temperature, followed by the application of suitable purification steps. Characterization of the product from the initial stage was conducted using commercially available DWP grades as reference materials. The chemical characteristics of the products thus far have shown similar properties to commercial products, making the proposed process a promising and viable option for the production of DWP from sawdust.

Keywords: biomass, cellulose, chemical treatment, dissolving wood pulp

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Authors: Sadaf Karkoodi, Hassan Karampour

Abstract:

There is a growing interest in the construction industry towards hybrid systems. The hybrid systems use construction materials such as timber, steel, and concrete smartly, can be prefabricated, and are cost-effective and sustainable solutions to an industry targeting reduced carbon footprint. Moreover, in case of periodical shortage in timber resources, reusable and waste wood such as fibres can be used in the hybrid modules, which facilitates the circular economy. In this research, a hybrid frame is proposed and experimentally validated by introducing dried wood fibre products inside cold-formed steel square hollow sections without using any adhesives. As such, fibre-filled steel tubular (FFST) columns, beams, and 2D frames are manufactured and tested. The results show that the FFST columns have stiffness and strength 44% and 55% higher than cold-formed steel columns, respectively. The bearing strength of the FFST beams shows an increase of 39.5% compared to steel only. The flexural stiffness and strength of the FFST beams are 8.5% and 28% higher than the bare steel beams, respectively. The FFST frame depicted an 18.4% higher ultimate load capacity than the steel-only frame under a mid-point concentrated load. Moreover, the FFST beam-to-column bolted connection showed high ductile performance. The initial results and the proposed simple manufacturing process suggest that the proposed FFST concept can be upscaled and used in real structures.

Keywords: wood fibre, reusing wood, fibre-filled steel, hybrid construction

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Authors: Khaled Sellami, Lynda Sellami, Pierre F. Tiako

Abstract:

Ubiquitous computing helps make data and services available to users anytime and anywhere. This makes the cooperation of devices a crucial need. In return, such cooperation causes an overload of the devices and/or networks, resulting in network malfunction and suspension of its activities. Our goal in this paper is to propose an approach of devices reconfiguration in order to help to reduce the energy consumption in ubiquitous environments. The idea is that when high-energy consumption is detected, we proceed to a change in component distribution on the devices to reduce and/or balance the energy consumption. We also investigate the possibility to detect high-energy consumption of devices/network based on devices abilities. As a result, our idea realizes a reconfiguration of devices aimed at reducing the consumption of energy and/or load balancing in ubiquitous environments.

Keywords: ubiquitous computing, load balancing, device energy consumption, reconfiguration

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Authors: Zhiqiang Zhu, Khalegh Barati, Xuesong Shen

Abstract:

Due to the energy consumption caused by the construction industry, the public is paying more and more attention to the sustainability of the buildings. With the advancement of research on recycled aggregates, it has become possible to replace natural aggregates with recycled aggregates and to achieve a reduction in energy consumption of materials during construction. The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively compare the emergy consumption of natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). To do so, the emergy analysis method is adopted. Using this technique, it can effectively analyze different forms of energy and substance. The main analysis object is the direct and indirect emergy consumption of the stages in concrete production. Therefore, for indirect energy, consumption of production machinery and transportation vehicle also need to be considered. Finally, the emergy values required to produce the two concrete types are compared to analyze whether the RAC can reduce emergy consumption.

Keywords: sustainable construction, NAC, RAC, emergy, concrete

Procedia PDF Downloads 119