A new proposal of cellulosic ethanol to boost sugarcane biorefineries: techno-economic evaluation

Commercial simulator Aspen Plus was used to simulate a biorefinery producing ethanol from sugarcane juice and second generation ethanol production using bagasse fine fraction composed of parenchyma cells (P-fraction). Liquid hot water and steam explosion pretreatment technologies were evaluated. The processes were thermal and water integrated and compared to a biorefinery producing ethanol from juice and sugarcane bagasse. The results indicated that after thermal and water integration, the evaluated processes were self-sufficient in energy demand, being able to sell the surplus electricity to the grid, and presented water intake inside the environmental limit for São Paulo State, Brazil. The processes that evaluated the use of the bagasse fine fraction presented higher economic results compared with the use of the entire bagasse. Even though, due to the high enzyme costs, the payback calculated for the biorefineries were higher than 8 years for all cases that considered second generation ethanol and the net present value for the investment was negative. The reduction on the enzyme load, in a way that the conversion rates could be maintained, is the limiting factor to make second generation ethanol competitive with the most immediate uses of bagasse: fuel for the cogeneration system to surplus electricity production2014sem informaçãosem informaçãoThe authors acknowledge the financial support granted by the Agreement Unicamp-Brazil Shell Petroleum Lt

A New Proposal of Cellulosic Ethanol to Boost Sugarcane Biorefineries: Techno-Economic Evaluation

Commercial simulator Aspen Plus was used to simulate a biorefinery producing ethanol from sugarcane juice and second generation ethanol production using bagasse fine fraction composed of parenchyma cells (P-fraction). Liquid hot water and steam explosion pretreatment technologies were evaluated. The processes were thermal and water integrated and compared to a biorefinery producing ethanol from juice and sugarcane bagasse. The results indicated that after thermal and water integration, the evaluated processes were self-sufficient in energy demand, being able to sell the surplus electricity to the grid, and presented water intake inside the environmental limit for São Paulo State, Brazil. The processes that evaluated the use of the bagasse fine fraction presented higher economic results compared with the use of the entire bagasse. Even though, due to the high enzyme costs, the payback calculated for the biorefineries were higher than 8 years for all cases that considered second generation ethanol and the net present value for the investment was negative. The reduction on the enzyme load, in a way that the conversion rates could be maintained, is the limiting factor to make second generation ethanol competitive with the most immediate uses of bagasse: fuel for the cogeneration system to surplus electricity production

ESTUDO DA INFLUÊNCIA DO RAIO DE ADOÇAMENTO NA OBTENÇÃO DA PRESSÃO DE FALHA VIA MEF PARA DUTOS COM DEFEITOS DE CORROSÃO

Neste trabalho é apresentado um estudo da influência do raio de adoçamento, mantendose fixo o raio de concordância, em modelos idealizados de defeitos de corrosão em dutos que são usados para o cálculo da pressão de falha com análises via o método dos elementos finitos. Para avaliar a influência deste parâmetro, um conjunto de realizações de perfis complexos de corrosão é gerado. Para cada realização são gerados vários modelos paramétricos de corrosão de geometria idealizada alterando entre eles o parâmetro raio de adoçamento, mantendo-se os parâmetros profundidade, largura, raio de concordância e comprimento do defeito constantes. Após essas idealizações, modelos de elementos finitos são gerados e uma análise estrutural não linear é conduzida em cada um deles. Um modelo de elementos finitos com o perfil de corrosão complexo também é gerado para cada caso e sua análise é realizada obtendo-se assim a pressão de falha de todos os casos. Todos os modelos de elementos finitos empregados nas análises são gerados utilizando o sistema PIPEFLAW, um sistema de modelagem escrito com a linguagem PCL (PATRAN command language). O sistema PIPEFLAW gera um modelo completo para a análise não linear via MEF de um duto com um defeito para cada perfil. A análise é realizada pelo ANSYS, sendo as análises não lineares gerenciadas por um módulo específico do sistema PIPEFLAW. O módulo de gerenciamento de análises não lineares foi escrito em Python e utiliza critérios de incremento de carga e de convergência definidos pelo CENPES/PETROBRAS. O resultado da pressão de falha para cada realização de geometria complexa é comparado com os resultados das pressões de falha dos perfis idealizados gerados a partir daquela realização. Assim podemos avaliar como os parâmetro raio de adoçamento influencia nos resultados da pressão de falha em comparação ao modelo complexo. Com esta investigação experimental exaustiva buscou-se determinar faixas de variação para o parâmetro de interesse que garanta que a geometria dos modelos idealizados não resultem em resultados enviesados

Dynamics of the Terra-firme primary forest in Manaus-AM region using the Markov probabilistic transition matrix

To combine protection and utilization of forest resources in the tropics, the understanding of forest dynamics is essential. It is also important in the definition of strategies for rehabilitation of degraded areas. In Forestry, forest dynamics could be translated as the understanding of recruitment, mortality and biomass increment rates over time. For this study, these rates were estimated based on measurements carried out in 2000 and 2004 over two transects measuring 20 by 2500 m (5 hectares) each, in Manaus region. This paper deals with forest dynamics of a pristine forest based on the probabilistic transition matrix (the first-order Markov Chain) approach. The main objective is to report 4-year (2000 to 2004) changes in the forest structure. Diameter distribution and tree mortality will be projected ahead to 2008 (t+2), based upon a 4-year period of observations completed in 2004 (t+1) and its immediate past in 2000 (t). In terms of fresh aboveground biomass, this site accumulated 8.34 t.ha-1.ano-1. The chi ² test has shown no statistical difference (p = 0.01) between observed diameter frequency and the expected projected by Markov Chain. This result indicates that the Markov Chain approach is a reliable tool to project the forest dynamics on a short-term basis. In 2008, the total number of individuals will have a decrease of 2.7%, and the mortality rate will 15% higher than in 2004.Os fatores que envolvem os processos da dinâmica da floresta influenciam a sua biodiversidade e, portanto, a qualidade da floresta. A definição de estratégias que envolve a proteção e o uso adequado da floresta manejada e a recuperação de áreas já degradadas tornam-se possível com o estudo da estrutura e dinâmica da floresta primária por meio de informações como a mortalidade, o recrutamento e a permanência das árvores no sistema florestal. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a dinâmica de uma floresta não perturbada e fazer projeções da dinâmica florestal usando a matriz de transição probabilística (Cadeia de Markov). As taxas de recrutamento, mortalidade e incremento foram determinadas a partir de inventários florestais realizados em dois transectos, nos sentidos Norte-Sul e Leste-Oeste (20 x 2500 m cada, totalizando 10 ha), localizados no km 50 da BR 174, na estrada vicinal ZF-2, Manaus/AM, nos anos de 2000 e 2004. A floresta acumulou 8,34 t.ha-1.ano-1 de biomassa fresca acima do solo. De acordo com projeção para 2008, o número total de árvores diminuirá em 2,67% (de 5987 indivíduos (2004) para 5827 (2008)) e a mortalidade será 15% maior (de 264 (2004) para 311 (2008)). O teste Qui-quadrado mostrou que não há diferença significativa (1% de probabilidade) entre as informações coletadas e projetadas. Esses resultados permitem concluir que a Cadeia de Markov é um eficiente instrumento para projetar a dinâmica da floresta natural, contribuindo para o planejamento em curto prazo das atividades que utilizam os recursos florestais

Long-term thermal sensitivity of Earth’s tropical forests

The sensitivity of tropical forest carbon to climate is a key uncertainty in predicting global climate change. Although short-term drying and warming are known to affect forests, it is unknown if such effects translate into long-term responses. Here, we analyze 590 permanent plots measured across the tropics to derive the equilibrium climate controls on forest carbon. Maximum temperature is the most important predictor of aboveground biomass (−9.1 megagrams of carbon per hectare per degree Celsius), primarily by reducing woody productivity, and has a greater impact per °C in the hottest forests (>32.2°C). Our results nevertheless reveal greater thermal resilience than observations of short-term variation imply. To realize the long-term climate adaptation potential of tropical forests requires both protecting them and stabilizing Earth’s climate

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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