In-Situ, Real-Time Measurement of Melt Constituents in the Aluminum, Glass, and Steel Industries

Energy Research Company (ERCo), with support from DOE’s Industrial Technologies Program, Sensors and Automation has developed a Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) probe to measure, in real time and in-situ, the composition of an aluminum melt in a furnace at an industrial plant. The compositional data is provided to the operator continuously allowing the operator to adjust the melt composition, saving energy, increasing production, and maintaining tighter compositional tolerances than has been previously possible. The overall objectives of this project were to: -- design, develop, fabricate, test and project future costs of the LIBS probe on bench-size experiments; - test the unit in a pilot-scaled aluminum furnace under varying operating conditions of temperature and melt constituents; -- determine the instruments needed for use in industrial environment; -- compare LIBS Probe data to readings traditionally taken on the furnace; -- get full-scale data to resolve if, and how, the LIBS Probe design should be modified for operator acceptance. Extensive laboratory tests have proven the concept feasibility. Elemental concentrations below 0.1% wt. have been accurately measured. Further, the LIBS system has now been installed and is operating at a Commonwealth Aluminum plant in Ohio. The technology is crosscutting as it can be used in a wide variety of applications. In the Sensors and Automation Program the application was for the secondary aluminum industry. However, this project spawned a number of other applications, which are also reported here for completeness. The project was effective in that two commercial systems are now operating; one at Commonwealth Aluminum and another at a PPG fiberglass plant. Other commercial installations are being negotiated as of this writing. This project led to the following conclusions: 1. The LIBS System has been developed for industrial applications. This is the first time this has been accomplished. In addition, two commercial installations have been completed; one at Commonwealth and another at PPG. 2. The system is easy to operate and requires no operator training. Calibration is not required. It is certified as eye safe. 3. The system is crosscutting and ERCo is evaluating seven applications, as reported in this report, and other applications to be reported later. 4. A business plan is being completed for each of the near term markets. ERCo is committed to achieving continued commercial success with the LIBS System. 5. A world wide patent has been issued. 6. The energy savings is substantial. The annual energy savings, by 2010, for each industry is estimated as follows: o Secondary Aluminum – 1.44 trillion Btu’s o Glass – 17 to 45 trillion Btu’s o Steel – Up to 26 trillion Btu’

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

The Development of an Innovative Vertical Floatation Melter and Scrap Dryer for Use in the Aluminum Processing Industry

The project aimed at the development of a Vertical Floatation melter, for application to the aluminum industry. This is intended to improve both the energy efficiency and environmental performance of aluminum melting furnaces. Phase I of this project dealt primarily with the initial research effort. Phase II, dealt with pilot-scale testing

In-Situ Real Time Measurements of Molten Glass Properties, Final Report

Energy Research Company (ERCo) of Staten Island, NY has developed a sensor capable of measuring in situ and in real time, both the elemental composition and the temperature of molten glass. A prototype sensor has been designed, constructed and tested in ERCo's laboratory. The sensor was used to collect atomic emission spectra from molten fiberglass via Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). From these spectra, we were able to readily identify all elements of interest (B, Si, Ca, Fe, Mg, Na, Sr, Al). The high signal-to-background signals achieved suggest that data from the sensor can be used to determine elemental concentrations, either through calibration curves or using ERCo's calibrationless method. ERCo's technology fits in well with DOE's Glass Industry Technology Roadmap which emphasizes the need for accurate process and feedstock sensors. Listed first under technological barriers to increased production efficiency is the 'Inability to accurately measure and control the production process'. A large-scale glass melting furnace, developed by SenCer Inc. of Penn Yan, NY was installed in ERCo's laboratory to ensure that a large enough quantity of glass could be melted and held at temperature in the presence of the water-cooled laser sensor without solidifying the glass