Nonterrestrial utilization of materials: Automated space manufacturing facility

Four areas related to the nonterrestrial use of materials are included: (1) material resources needed for feedstock in an orbital manufacturing facility, (2) required initial components of a nonterrestrial manufacturing facility, (3) growth and productive capability of such a facility, and (4) automation and robotics requirements of the facility

Integrated grain storage - technology transfer for organic farming

The attached document is the final report of the Defra Project OF0176. Demand for organic grain continues to grow and currently in the UK much has to be imported to satisfy the market. Expansion of UK production, together with continued imports, will see an increase in the need for effective grain storage using organic methods to preserve the quality of this valuable commodity. The objectives of this project were to conduct a desk study review to: 1) Highlight the main grain storage problems experienced by organic growers in the UK. 2) Bring together in a more convenient form technical information already available that will enable growers to tackle these problems more successfully. 3) Identify areas of current storage technology requiring a minimum of modification to ensure a smooth transfer from the conventional to the organic sector. 4) Identify areas where appropriate organic alternatives to conventional storage procedures do not exist that will require further research and development to find replacements. The following have been identified as areas requiring further research and development that are likely to provide important opportunities for improving the storage of organic grain: • Store structure cleaning, including the effectiveness of vacuum cleaning and steam treatments, and the feasibility of using diatomaceous earths to control invertebrate pests. • Energy efficient drying and cooling systems, and consider the use of renewable energy sources including solar and wind power or the processing of waste products and energy crops. • More effective invertebrate pest monitoring through improvements in sampling strategies, together with enhanced trap design and the incorporation of lures. • Disinfestation using grain cleaners and hot air driers. • Biological control for store structure treatments. This will require work to assess the effectiveness of naturally occurring biological control agents to treat residual infestations hidden in empty grain store structures. Strategies will need to be developed to encourage the development and conservation of beneficial invertebrates in stores, including the possible use of natural semiochemicals to manipulate their behaviour. • Biological control for surface infestations of grain. As well as looking at the practicality of using top-dressing or bait trap application techniques to control grain surface infestations in cooled bins, there is a need to develop effective methods for the removal of beneficial invertebrates from the grain immediately before it is marketed. A more detailed Executive Summary can be found at the top of the main report

Simulation of site-specific irrigation control strategies with sparse input data

Crop and irrigation water use efficiencies may be improved by managing irrigation application timing and volumes using physical and agronomic principles. However, the crop water requirement may be spatially variable due to different soil properties and genetic variations in the crop across the field. Adaptive control strategies can be used to locally control water applications in response to in-field temporal and spatial variability with the aim of maximising both crop development and water use efficiency. A simulation framework ‘VARIwise’ has been created to aid the development, evaluation and management of spatially and temporally varied adaptive irrigation control strategies (McCarthy et al., 2010). VARIwise enables alternative control strategies to be simulated with different crop and environmental conditions and at a range of spatial resolutions. An iterative learning controller and model predictive controller have been implemented in VARIwise to improve the irrigation of cotton. The iterative learning control strategy involves using the soil moisture response to the previous irrigation volume to adjust the applied irrigation volume applied at the next irrigation event. For field implementation this controller has low data requirements as only soil moisture data is required after each irrigation event. In contrast, a model predictive controller has high data requirements as measured soil and plant data are required at a high spatial resolution in a field implementation. Model predictive control involves using a calibrated model to determine the irrigation application and/or timing which results in the highest predicted yield or water use efficiency. The implementation of these strategies is described and a case study is presented to demonstrate the operation of the strategies with various levels of data availability. It is concluded that in situations of sparse data, the iterative learning controller performs significantly better than a model predictive controller

Characterization of contaminated sites and monitoring of processes accompanying bioremediation using spectral induced polarization imaging

Measurements of spectral induced polarization (SIP) provide information about the electrical conduction and polarization properties of the subsurface, and their frequency dependence. Several laboratory studies in the last decade have highlighted the advantages of the SIP method for environmental applications. Nevertheless, to date only a few studies have been conducted at the field scale. This work demonstrates the application of SIP imaging at the field scale for the characterization of contaminants as well as for the monitoring of processes associated with the microbial remediation of contaminated sites. The first part of this work presents a series of well-controlled measurements collected in the laboratory in order to investigate the distribution of data error in SIP tomographic measurements. Based on a thorough analysis of discrepancies between normal and reciprocal measurements, a power-law error model is proposed to quantify the error present in phase measurements. Implementation of the proposed error model in the inversion algorithm demonstrates an improvement in the resolution of the SIP images. Based on the methodology proposed for the data analysis, the second part of this work investigates the potential of SIP images to discriminate between the source zone and the plume of dissolved contaminants in a BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) contaminated site. For dissolved BTEX (concentrations below 1.7 g/l), imaging results reveal an increase in the polarization values with increasing BTEX concentrations. An abrupt decrease to low polarization values is observed at higher BTEX concentrations (> 1.7 g/l) associated with the occurrence of free-phase products. Moreover, for BTEX concentrations below saturation concentration, the spectral response in the low frequencies ( The application of SIP imaging for the monitoring of a bioremediation technique is presented in the third part of this work. The studied remediation technique involves the stimulation of iron and sulfate reducing bacteria through acetate injection to remove aqueous uranium from groundwater. SIP monitoring images collected over a two-year period reveal spatiotemporal changes in the polarization of aquifer sediments. These changes correlate with variations in the concentrations of aqueous iron (Fe(II)) in groundwater and precipitation of metallic minerals (e.g., FeS) following the iterative stimulation of iron and sulfate reducing microorganism. However, poor reciprocity in the raw-data was observed for measurements collected at frequencies higher than 4 Hz, most probably as a result of electromagnetic coupling. To overcome electromagnetic coupling at high frequencies, field procedures were improved permitting the collection of time-lapse SIP data sets with a good reciprocity in the frequency bandwidth between 0.06 and 256 Hz, as presented in the fourth part of this work. Cole-Cole model fitted to pixel values extracted from the computed SIP images permitted the determination of the chargeability and time constant. The determination of such parameters is critical for the application of existing petropyhsical models required for the hydrogeological characterization of the site. Results presented here reveal changes in time constant and chargeability values consistent with variations in groundwater geochemistry and pore-space geometry (due the accumulation of metallic particles) resulting from the stimulation of subsurface microbial activity. Based on the results presented in this study, SIP imaging appears to be a suitable technique (i) to discriminate between source zone and plume of non-aqueous-phase contaminants, like BTEX; (ii) to monitor remediation techniques in order to maintain favorable conditions for the efficient remediation of contaminants; and (iii) to infer hydrogeological information of the shallow subsurface based on existing petro-physical models, for the assessment of contaminated sites and the evaluation of remediation techniques.Charakterisierung von Schadstoffen im Untergrund und Prozessen im Zusammenhang mit mikrobiellem Abbau an kontaminierten Standorten mittels der Spektrale Induzierte Polarization (SIP)-Bildgebung Die Methode der spektralen induzierten Polarisation (SIP) liefert Informationen über elektrische Leitfähigkeits- und Polarisationseigenschaften des Untergrundes und deren Frequenzabhängigkeit. Im vergangenen Jahrzehnt haben verschiedene Laborstudien die Vorteile des Einsatzes von SIP im Umweltbereich aufgezeigt. Dennoch wurden bis heute nur wenige Untersuchungen auf Feldskala durchgeführt. Diese Arbeit veranschaulicht die Anwendung der SIP-Bildgebung zur Charakterisierung von Schadstoffen im Untergrund und Prozessen im Zusammenhang mit mikrobiellem Abbau an kontaminierten Standorten. Die erste Studie beschäftigt sich mit Labormessungen, die an einem Tank durchgeführt wurden, um die Verteilung des Datenfehlers bei SIP-Messungen zu charakterisieren. Mittels einer statistischen Auswertung der Differenzen von normal und reziprok gemessenen Rohdaten wurde ein exponentielles Phase-Fehlermodell formuliert. Die Implementierung dieses Fehlermodells in einen Inversionsalgorithmus zeigt eine Verbesserung in der Auflösung der invertierten SIP-Tomogramme. In der zweiten Studie wird das Potential der SIP-Bildgebung zur Differenzierung von Quell- und Transportzonen von BTEXen (Benzol, Toluol, Ethylbenzol und Xylol) geprüft. Die Messungen wurden auf dem Gelände eines ehemaligen Hydrierwerkes durchgeführt. Die SIP- Antworten zeigen einen Anstieg der Polarisation bei BTEX-Konzentrationen unterhalb der Sättigungskonzentration (~1.7 g/l). Eine deutliche Abnahmeder Polarisation ist bei höheren BTEX-Konzentrationen und dem Auftreten von freie-Phase Produkten zu verzeichnen. Außerdem weist das spektrale Antwortsignal bei BTEX-Konzentrationen bis zu 1.7 g/l einen charakteristischen Höchstwert in der Frequenz auf, wohingegen höhere BTEX- Konzentrationen und das Auftreten von freie-Phase Produkten am Schadstoffherd eher ein flaches Spektrum und einen geringen Polarisationseffekt für Frequenzen bis 40 Hz zeigen. Die SIP-Antworten wurden mittels Debye-Zerlegung modelliert, um die Korrelation zwischen den spektralen Parametern und den BTEX-Schadstoffen zu ermitteln. Der dritte Teil der vorliegenden Arbeit behandelt die Anwendung der SIP-Bildgebung als Beobachtungsverfahren der Langzeiteffizienz einer Bio-Remediationstechnik. Diese benutzt Acetat-Injektionen zur Stimulierung von eisen(Fe)- und sulfatreduzierenden Bakterien, die gelöstes Uran aus dem Grundwasser entfernen können. Das Monitoring über einen Zeitraum von zwei Jahren zeigt sowohl räumliche als auch zeitliche Änderungen des Polarisationseffekts im Aquifer. Diese Änderungen korrelieren mit dem Anstieg des gelösten Eisens (Fe(II)) sowie mit der Ausfällung metallischer Minerale (z.B. FeS) nach der iterativen Stimulierung eisen- und sulfatreduzierender Mikroorganismen. Eine geringe Reziprozität in den Rohdaten wurde auf Grund elektromagnetischer Kopplung bei Frequenzen von mehr als 4 Hz festgestellt. Um diese elektromagnetische Kopplung zu minimieren, wird im letzten Kapitel dieser Studie eine Methode zur Feldmessung vorgestellt, die das Aufzeichnen von SIP-Daten zu verschiedenen Zeiten mit einer guten Reziprozität im Frequenzbereich von 0,06 bis 256 Hz erlaubt. Die Tomogramme ermöglichen für unterschiedliche Zeiten die Bestimmung der charakteristischen Zeitkonstante, die für die Anwendung von petrophysikalischen Modellen aus Labormessungen notwendig ist. Die gemessenen Änderungen von Zeitkonstante und Aufladbarkeit stimmen dabei mit Änderungen in der Geochemie des Grundwassers und der Porenraumgeometrie überein, die durch die unterirdische Stimulierung der mikrobakteriellen Aktivität erzeugt wurden. Basierend auf den beobachteten Korrelationen erweist sich die SIP-Bildgebung als eine geeignete Technik, um (i) zwischen Quell- und Transport-Bereichen von nicht oder schwer wasserlöslichen organischen Schadstoffen, wie BTEXen, zu unterscheiden und (ii) über den Einsatz von Sanierungsmaßnahmen zur Entscheidungsunterstützung über den effizienten Einsatz der Remediationstechnik zu überwachen und (iii) hydrogeologische Informationen des nahen Untergrundes unter Zuhilfenahme petrophysikalischer Modelle zur Beurteilung kontaminierter Standorte und Evaluation geeigneter Sanierungsmaßnahmen abzuleiten.Mediciones de inducci6n polarizada espectral (SIP por sus siglas en ingles) penniten obtener informaci6n acerca de las propiedades de conducci6n y polarizaci6n electrica del subsuelo, y su dependencia a diferentes frecuencias. Comunmente utilizada para la prospecci6n de yacimientos metalicos, en los ultimos a:fi.os varios estudios en el laboratorio han demostrado las ventajas de la aplicaci6n del metodo de SIP en el area ambiental. Sin embargo, a la fecha, muy pocas investigaciones han sido llevados acabo en el campo. A traves de cuatro estudios, este trabajo intenta demostrar las aplicaci6n de la tecnica de imagenes de SIP para la caracterizaci6n de contaminantes y el monitoreo de procesos asociados con tecnicas bioremediaci6n para sitios contaminados. La primera parte de este estudio presenta una serie de mediciones tomadas en un tanque en el laboratorio, con el fi.n de investigar la distribuci6n y caracteiisticas del error presente en m ediciones tomografi.cas de S IP. Por medio de un detallado analisis estadistico de las discrepancias entre mediciones nonnales y reciprocas, se propone modelo matematico para cuantificar el error presente en mediciones de SIP. La implementaci6n de este modelo, en el algoritmo de inversi6n, penniti6 la obtenci6n de imagenes de SIP con una mayor resoluci6n. La segunda parte de este trabajo investiga la posibilidad de distinguir zonas fuente y pluma de dispersi6n, para sitios contaminados con BTEX (benceno, tolueno, ethybenceno y xileno ). Las imagenes de SIP, revelaron un incremento en los valores de polarizaci6n inducida relacionado con el incremento en las concentraciones de BTEX, para concentraciones de BTEX menores a 1.7 g/1. Un abrupto cambio a valores muy bajos de polarizaci6n inducida se reporta para concentraciones de BTEX mayores a 1.7 g/1 y la presencia de fase libre del contaminante. Ademas, la respuesta espectral revelo un modelo tipico de Cole-Cole en las bajas frecuencias ( La tercera parte de este trabajo presenta la aplicaci6n de imagenes de SIP para el monitoreo de una tecnica de bioremediaci6n. Dicha remediaci6n consiste en la inyecci6n de acetato para estimular el crecimiento y actividad de bacterias reductoras de hierro y sulfatos. Dichas bacterias son capaces de disinuir las concentraciones de uranio presente en agua subterranea de un sitio contaminado. El monitoreo a lo largo de mas de dos afios demostr6 un decremento en las concentraciones de uranio en el agua subterranea, asi como cambios en la polarizaci6n de los sedimentos del subsuelo. Estos cambios estan estrechamente relacionados con variaciones en las concentraciones de hierro disuelto en agua subteminea (Fe(II)) y la precipitaci6n de rninerales rnetalicos (por ejernplo FeS) causados por la estirnulaci6n de actividad de los rnicroorganisrnos. Sin ernbargo, rnediciones de SIP en frecuencias rnayores a 4 Hz revelaron una alta contarninaci6n de los datos por campos electrornagneticos parasitos, provocando una rnala correlaci6n entre rnediciones normales y reciprocas. Para poder incrernentar la calidad de rnediciones a frecuencias rnayores a 4 Hz, en este trabajo se propone una rnejora en las tecnicas de campo. Con base en estos nuevos procedirnientos, se obtuvieron datos confiables en un ancho de banda de 0.06 a 256 Hz, corno se desc1i.be en el cuarto estudio de este trabajo. Irnagenes de SIP para dichos datos perrnitieron deterrninar los valores de cargabilidad (asociada con la rnagnitud del efecto de polarizaci6n espectral) y la constante de tiernpo (inversamente proporcional a la frecuencia en el que se registr6 el mayor efecto de polarizaci6n inducida). La obtenci6n de dichos parametros es critica para poder aplicarlos modelos petro-fisicos existentes. Cambios en cargabilidad y la constante de tiernpo observados son consistentes con variaciones en la quirnica de agua subterranea y en la geometria del espacio poroso del acuifero causado por la estirnulaci6n de microorganismos en el subsuelo. Con base en los resultatlos presentados en este estudio, la tecnica de imagenes de SIP demuestra ser una herramienta util para (i) la caracterizaci6n de la zona fuente y pluma de contaminantes, como BTEX; (ii) para el monitoreo de procesos durante la rernediaci6n de contarninantes (por ejemplo cambios en el agua subterranea), de forma que se puedan rnantener condiciones que fuvorecen la remediaci6n de contaminantes; y (iii) para estimar informaci6n hidrogeol6gica del subsuelo (tal corno conductividad hidraulica) con base en modelos petro-fisicos existentes, tal que se pueda predecir el transporte de contaminantes o la perdida en la eficacia en las tecnicas de remediaci6n

Air pollution and livestock production

The air in a livestock farming environment contains high concentrations of dust particles and gaseous pollutants. The total inhalable dust can enter the nose and mouth during normal breathing and the thoracic dust can reach into the lungs. However, it is the respirable dust particles that can penetrate further into the gas-exchange region, making it the most hazardous dust component. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of dust particles can lead to respiratory health issues for both livestock and farming staff. Ammonia, an example of a gaseous pollutant, is derived from the decomposition of nitrous compounds. Increased exposure to ammonia may also have an effect on the health of humans and livestock. There are a number of technologies available to ensure exposure to these pollutants is minimised. Through proactive means, (the optimal design and management of livestock buildings) air quality can be improved to reduce the likelihood of risks associated with sub-optimal air quality. Once air problems have taken hold, other reduction methods need to be applied utilising a more reactive approach. A key requirement for the control of concentration and exposure of airborne pollutants to an acceptable level is to be able to conduct real-time measurements of these pollutants. This paper provides a review of airborne pollution including methods to both measure and control the concentration of pollutants in livestock buildings

Engine performance characteristics and evaluation of variation in the length of intake plenum

In the engine with multipoint fuel injection system using electronically controlled fuel injectors has an intake manifold in which only the air flows and, the fuel is injected into the intake valve. Since the intake manifolds transport mainly air, the supercharging effects of the variable length intake plenum will be different from carbureted engine. Engine tests have been carried out with the aim of constituting a base study to design a new variable length intake manifold plenum. The objective in this research is to study the engine performance characteristics and to evaluate the effects of the variation in the length of intake plenum. The engine test bed used for experimental work consists of a control panel, a hydraulic dynamometer and measurement instruments to measure the parameters of engine performance characteristics. The control panel is being used to perform administrative and management operating system. Besides that, the hydraulic dynamometer was used to measure the power of an engine by using a cell filled with liquid to increase its load. Thus, measurement instrument is provided in this test to measure the as brake torque, brake power, thermal efficiency and specific fuel consumption. The results showed that the variation in the plenum length causes an improvement on the engine performance characteristics especially on the fuel consumption at high load and low engine speeds which are put forward the system using for urban roads. From this experiment, it will show the behavior of engine performance

Розробка технології збагачення розсипних титанових руд в умовах ТОВ ВКФ «Велта»

Об’єктом дослідження є технологія збагачення розсипних ільменітових руд. Предметом досліджень є ільменітові руди розсипного родовища. Метою дипломної роботи є зменшення втрат ільменіту з відходами магнітного збагачення розсипних руд Берзулівського родовища в умовах ТОВ ВКФ «Велта». В дипломній роботі запропоновано оригінальне рішення, яке полягає у застосуванні високоградієнтної магнітної сепарації з попереднім розділенням їх живлення на класи крупності -0,8+0,25 та -0,25 мм. Перший клас збагачується на роликовому сепараторі зі стрічкою, а другий – на сепараторі відхиляючого типу. Таке рішення дозволило підвищити ефективність схеми збагачення в цілому

Disinfestation of rusty grain beetle (Cryptolestes ferrungineus) in stored wheat grain using 50-ohm radio frequency (RF) heating system

Non-chemical methods were proposed as alternatives for disinfestation of stored grains using fumigants and pesticides. Therefore, this thesis investigated the disinfestation of rusty grain beetle (Cryptolestes ferrungineus) in stored wheat grain using electromagnetic energy from 50-ohm radio frequency (RF) heating system. The objectives of this current study were to update the research outcomes of disinfestation using electromagnetic energy; investigate the installation process of the 50-ohm RF heating system; design and fabricate the parallel plate applicator; determine the mortality of rusty grain beetle; estimate parameters of thermal death kinetics during the RF heating of insects in stored grain; compare the quality of wheat grain before and after RF heating; and determine the heating uniformity in the designed applicator. The review showed that using electromagnetic energy for disinfestation might be possible without degrading the quality of the host materials. RF energy for disinfestation, however, was being preferred over microwave energy for its higher selective heating characteristics. The 100% mortality rates of adult rusty grain beetle were found at all moisture contents of the bulk wheat grain at the end temperatures of 70°C and 80°C. It was observed also that the complete mortalities at all life stages of the insects were achieved at 80°C target temperature at three moisture contents (12%, 15%, and 18%) of the bulk wheat samples. The simulated mortalities based on the model were in good agreement with the experimental mortalities. The determined thermal death kinetic parameters, Ea, K0, and n were 97,490 J/mol, 〖6.74 x 10〗^13 1/s, and 1, respectively. The results showed that disinfestation of insect pests in wheat grain using 50-ohm RF heating did not degrade the quality of the host material significantly. Nevertheless, the RF heating in the applicator was not uniform at all moisture contents and power levels. The temperature differences between the hottest and coldest spots at different MCs and power levels were 38.6°C at 3 kW, 38.7°C at 5 kW, and 39.1°C at 7 kW (12% MC) and 43°C at 3 kW, 43.6°C at 5 kW, and 41.9°C at 7 kW (18% MC). Non-uniform heating in the RF applicator has been a challenge in disinfestation using electromagnetic energy. Thus, suggestions for future studies were provided to solve the problem of heating uniformity in the applicator and the guidelines for a successful installation of 50-ohm RF heating system for disinfestation of insects in stored agricultural materials