Conceptual Design of Solid-State Li-Battery for Urban Air Mobility

The negative impact of internal combustion engines on the environment is a major concern in metropolitan areas due to the continued rapid growth and high overall level in the number of vehicles, population, and traffic congestion. Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft promises a new era for urban regional transportation and air mobility to address the challenges mentioned above. Nonetheless, providing electrical energy storage systems, like batteries, is one of the key issues with such aircraft. Here, the non-flammable technology of all-solid-state Li batteries with high theoretical gravimetric energy is an attractive option. Modelling allows for a knowledge-driven assessment of the potential of this technology. We here used a combination of a pseudo-2-dimensional cell model with a microstructure surrogate model approach to acquire a better understanding of the effect of the cathode microstructure on the internal process limitations. This model is incorporated into a global optimisation algorithm to predict optimum battery size with respect to the dynamic load demand of eVTOL. When carbon black and active materials are premixed, the battery performs better than when solid electrolyte and active materials are premixed, particularly for low amounts of carbon black in the cathode combination, i.e., 5%. Further, results indicate that future electrification of transportation powertrains would necessitate optimising the composition and distribution of electrode components to fulfil the high demands for power and energy density. By enhancing transport through the microstructure and improving the material\u27s intrinsic conductivity, it is possible to significantly increase the effective diffusivity and conductivity of ASSB, and hence the mission range

A mono-component microbial protease improves performance, net energy, and digestibility of amino acids and starch, and upregulates jejunal expression of genes responsible for peptide transport in broilers fed corn/wheat-based diets supplemented with xylanase and phytase

A total of 90 male Ross 308 broiler chicks were used in a digestibility and performance bioassay to explore the effect of reduction in dietary protein and digestible amino acids and inclusion of an exogenous mono-component protease on amino acid digestibility, net energy, jejunal gene expression, and bird performance. Four dietary treatments were created by the supplementation, or not, of 2 control diets with a mono-component exogenous protease. The control diets were corn/wheat/soybean meal-based and were formulated to be either nutritionally adequate or reduced in protein and amino acids (around 3%). The 2 control diets were supplemented with xylanase and phytase (2000 FYT). Treatments were therefore arranged as a 2 × 2 factorial design. The reduction in diet nutrient density had no significant effect on various experimental outcomes (including bird performance, amino acid digestibility, and net energy [NE]) that were measured with the exception of a reduction in the expression of aminopeptidase N and glucose transporter 2. However, the addition of exogenous protease resulted in an increase in weight gain and a reduction in feed conversion ratio (around 4%; PPP= 0.06). Protease addition also resulted in an increase in both apparent metabolizable energy (AME) (+73 kcal/kg; PPP= 0.06). These results confirm the efficacy of exogenous protease in broiler diets that contain both xylanase and phytase and suggest substantial beneficial effects that extend beyond protein and amino acid nutrition. The effect of exogenous protease on energy partitioning, starch digestibility and the efficiency of nitrogen cycling is an area for further study

Model-predicted ammonia emission from two broiler houses with different rearing systems

Ammonia (NH3) emissions from broiler production can affect human and animal health and may cause acidification and eutrophication of the surrounding environment. This study aimed to estimate ammonia emissions from broiler litter in two systems of forced ventilation, the tunnel ventilation (TV) and the dark house (DH). The experiment was carried out on eight commercial broiler houses, and the age of the birds (day, d), pH and litter temperature were recorded. Broilers were reared on built-up wood shaving litter using an average flock density of 14 bird m–2. Temperature and relative humidity inside the broiler houses were recorded in the morning during the grow-out period. A factorial experimental design was adopted, with two types of houses, four replicates and two flocks with two replicates each. A deterministic model was used to predict ammonia emissions using the litter pH and temperature, and the day of grow-out. The highest litter temperature and pH were found at 42 d of growth in both housing systems. Mean ambient air temperature and relative humidity did not differ in either system. Mean model predicted ammonia emission was higher in the DH rearing system (5200 mg NH3 m−2h−1 at 42 d) than in the TV system (2700 mg NH3m−2 h−1 at 42 d). TV presented the lowest mean litter temperature and pH at 42 d of growth. In the last week of the broilers’ grow-out cycle, estimated ammonia emissions inside DH reached 5700 mg m−2h−1 in one of the flocks. Ammonia emissions were higher inside DH, and they did not differ between flocks. Assuming a broiler market weight in Brazil of close to 2 kg, ammonia emissions were equivalent to 12 g NH3 bird-marketed−1. Model-predicted ammonia emissions provided comprehensible estimations and might be used in abatement strategies for NH3 emission

Desempenho e rendimento de carcaça de frangos de corte alimentados com mistura de aditivos fitogênicos na dieta

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de misturas de aditivos fitogênicos na dieta de frangos de corte, sobre seu desempenho zootécnico e rendimento de carcaça. Foram avaliados 660 pintos de sexo misto, entre 1 e 42 dias de idade, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos e seis repetições de 22 aves (11 machos e 11 fêmeas). Além do controle, foram avaliados tratamentos com antibiótico (10 ppm de virginiamicina) ou com misturas de aditivos fitogênicos: mistura A, 150 ppm de óleos essenciais de alecrim, cravo, gengibre e orégano; mistura B, 150 ppm de óleos essenciais de canela, sálvia, tomilho branco e óleo-resina de copaíba; e mistura A+B, 50% da mistura A e 50% da B. A mistura B proporcionou maior ganho de peso e melhor conversão alimentar das aves, no período de 36 a 42 dias de idade. No período total do experimento, o antibiótico e a mistura B proporcionaram maior ganho de peso das aves. O consumo de ração foi maior com o antibiótico do que com o controle. A mistura A+B e o tratamento controle proporcionaram maior rendimento de coxa+sobrecoxa e maior peso relativo do baço. As mistura B e A+B apresentam potencial como melhoradores de desempenho para frangos de corte

Optimum inclusion rate of barley in diets of meat chickens: an incremental and practical program

Context. Barley can be included in poultry diets as a cost-effective energy-contributing ingredient. However, its inclusion in meat chicken diets is limited because it is considered a viscous grain due to high crude fibre and soluble non-starch polysaccharide contents. Aims. The study quantified the optimum inclusion rate of barley in meat chicken diets during different growing phases, using an incremental program. Methods. Eight dietary treatments followed a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, with three levels of barley inclusion to a wheat-based diet, and a nil-barley control, with or without β-glucanase supplementation. Barley was initially included at 0% (low), 7.5% (medium) and 15% (high) in starter diets (Days 1–9), scaling up by 7.5% for each level in grower (Days 9–21), finisher (Days 23–35) and withdrawal (Days 35–42) diets. Each diet was fed ad libitum to six replicate pens of 18 chicks. On Day 42, four birds per replicate pen were euthanised to determine carcass yield and collect digesta. Key results. During the starter period, a significant (P < 0.05) barley × β-glucanase interaction resulted in lower bodyweight gain (8%) and higher feed conversion ratio (8.5 points) at 15% barley inclusion without β-glucanase, whereas performance was restored with β-glucanase supplementation. No treatment interaction was apparent on growth performance assessed over the entire production period (Days 1–42). Barley inclusion at medium and high levels increased bodyweight gain, and at all levels improved feed efficiency (P < 0.01) compared with the control. β-Glucanase improved (P < 0.05) feed efficiency. Highest (P < 0.01) breast meat yield was measured for diets with medium barley inclusion. There were no interactive or main effects on duodenal digesta viscosity. Barley inclusion increased distal ileal digesta water content by ~8–10% (P < 0.05). Conclusions. Incremental inclusion of barley from 15% in a starter diet, scaling up to 37.5% in a withdrawal diet, does not compromise growth performance or carcass yields in broiler chickens. β-Glucanase supplementation favours both bodyweight gain and feed efficiency. Medium level of barley inclusion favours breast meat yield. Implications. Barley can be considered an economical grain to formulate cost-effective diets for broiler chickens. An incremental program is a practical approach to optimise barley inclusion rate