Study on mass concentration and morphology of SMAW fume particles with a new covered electrode using nano-CaTiO3 as an arc stabilizer

Advances in manufacturing emphasize on the development of sustainable and green manufacturing processes. Welding is a popular manufacturing process practiced worldwide. The paper presented here describes a new covered electrode for a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process wherein nano-sized calcium titanate (CaTiO3) powder was used as an arc stabilizer, replacing the conventional micro sized CaTiO3 in the flux. The effect of this flux modification on the mass concentration and morphology of welding fume particulates was systematically investigated. The mass concentration of coarse, fine and sub-micron sized fume particulates was measured by segregating the fumes in a four-stage personal cascade impactor. The particle mass distribution was estimated from the mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) of the fume particulates. The morphology of fumes at each impactor stage was analysed using scanning electron microscopy and its count median diameter (CMD) was determined. The results indicated as much as 48 % reduction in total fumes and 54 % reduction in the breathing zone concentration of fumes when the entire CaTiO3 in the electrode flux was substituted with nano-CaTiO3. Morphological analysis indicated that a large fraction of the fumes from the conventional electrode were polydispersed particles, while the new electrodes predominantly contained monodispersed particles which have a relatively faster rate of removal from the lungs. Overall, the present work indicated that introducing nano sized CaTiO3 as an arc stabilizer to the flux covering of SMAW electrode could not only reduce the hazardous fume emissions but also reduce its biological activity and toxicity, thus making the process more sustainable and environment friendly.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ergonomic Risk Assessment and Fatigue Analysis During Manual Lifting Tasks in Farming Activities

Introduction: Farming is a physically demanding occupation that puts farmers at risk of musculoskeletal disorders, particularly when frequently performing activities like heavy lifting, which strains the lower back muscles. The present study aimed to assess the ergonomic risk and fatigue during manual lifting tasks pertaining to farming activities. Methods: A study was performed on 20 farmers to analyze the ergonomic risks associated with load lifting through the estimation of the Recommended Weight Limit and Lifting Index using the revised NIOSH lifting equation. The low back compression forces of the participants were estimated using the 3DSSPP software. Surface electromyography was employed to analyze the onset of muscle fatigue during the lifting activity. Results: The results of the study showed a 111.12% increase in the recommended weight limit, a 52.77% reduction in lifting index, and a 28.15% reduction in the low back compression forces for the redesigned lifting technique. The average low-back compression force for the redesigned technique was observed to be well below the back compression design limit of 770 lb. A reduction in the slope of the RMS voltage regression line by 60% and a reduction of 50.23% in the peak spectral power of the sEMG signal, accompanied by a shift in the peak spectral power towards higher frequency region indicated delayed onset of fatigue for the redesigned technique. Conclusion: The outcomes of the study indicated that the ergonomic redesign of the lifting task could significantly reduce the lifting index and alleviate the spinal compression forces well within the back-compression design limit. The redesign was also found to delay the onset of fatigue in the erector spinae muscles

ASPEN plus modelling of air–steam gasification of biomass with sorbent enabled CO2 capture

AbstractThe work deals with the modelling and simulation of carbon dioxide capture in air–steam gasification of saw dust using ASPEN Plus process simulator. The proposed quasi-steady state model incorporates pyrolysis, tar cracking and char conversion using existing experimental data. Prediction accuracy of the developed model is validated by comparing with available experimental results. Effects of CaO addition in air–steam gasification are analysed through key operating parameters such as gasification temperature, equivalence ratio, steam to biomass ratio and gasification efficiency. Maximum H2 mole fraction of 31.17% is obtained at a temperature of 900 K, equivalence ratio of 0.25, and steam to biomass ratio and sorbent to biomass ratio of unity. The H2 and CO2 mole fractions are found to be increased and decreased by 28.10% and 42.6%, respectively, when compared with the corresponding non- sorbent case

Nations within a nation: variations in epidemiological transition across the states of India, 1990–2016 in the Global Burden of Disease Study

18% of the world's population lives in India, and many states of India have populations similar to those of large countries. Action to effectively improve population health in India requires availability of reliable and comprehensive state-level estimates of disease burden and risk factors over time. Such comprehensive estimates have not been available so far for all major diseases and risk factors. Thus, we aimed to estimate the disease burden and risk factors in every state of India as part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2016

Carbon footprints of the Indian AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use) sector: a review

Stabilizing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from croplands as agricultural demand grows is a critical climate change mitigation strategy. Depending on management, the Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector can be both a source as well as a net sink for carbon. Currently, it contributes 25% of the global anthropogenic carbon emissions. Although India’s emissions from this sector are around 8% of the total national GHG emissions, it can contribute significantly to the country’s aspirations of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. In this review, we explain the carbon footprints of the AFOLU sector in India, focusing on enteric fermentation, fertilizer and manure management, rice paddies, burning of crop residues, forest fires, shifting cultivation, and food wastage. Furthermore, using the standard autoregressive integrated moving average method, we project India’s AFOLU sector emission routes for 2070 under four scenarios: business as usual (BAU) and three emission reduction levels, viz., 10%, 20%, and 40% below BAU. The article focuses on how the AFOLU sector can be leveraged proactively to reach the net-zero emission goals. Increasing forest cover, agroforestry, and other tree-based land-use systems; improving soil health through soil management, better crop residue, and livestock feed management; emission avoidance from rice ecosystems; and reducing food waste are all important strategies for lowering India’s AFOLU sector carbon footprints

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(±)-trans-6,6′-Diethoxy-2,2′-[cyclohexane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilomethanylylidene)]diphenol monohydrate

In the title hydrate, C24H30N2O4·H2O, the organic molecule adopts an E conformation with respect to the azomethine double bonds. The cyclohexane ring is in a chair conformation. The dihedral angle between benzene rings is 79.6 (2)°. Two intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bonds are present. In the crystal, the components are linked by O–H...O hydrogen bonds and weak C—H...π interactions, generating a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture