Materials and Component Development for Advanced Turbine Systems

In order to meet the 2010-2020 DOE Fossil Energy goals for Advanced Power Systems, future oxy-fuel and hydrogen-fired turbines will need to be operated at higher temperatures for extended periods of time, in environments that contain substantially higher moisture concentrations in comparison to current commercial natural gas-fired turbines. Development of modified or advanced material systems, combined with aerothermal concepts are currently being addressed in order to achieve successful operation of these land-based engines. To support the advanced turbine technology development, the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has initiated a research program effort in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh (UPitt), and West Virginia University (WVU), working in conjunction with commercial material and coating suppliers as Howmet International and Coatings for Industry (CFI), and test facilities as Westinghouse Plasma Corporation (WPC) and Praxair, to develop advanced material and aerothermal technologies for use in future oxy-fuel and hydrogen-fired turbine applications. Our program efforts and recent results are presented

Research approvals iceberg: how a 'low-key' study in England needed 89 professionals to approve it and how we can do better.

BACKGROUND: The red tape and delays around research ethics and governance approvals frequently frustrate researchers yet, as the lesser of two evils, are largely accepted as unavoidable. Here we quantify aspects of the research ethics and governance approvals for one interview- and questionnaire-based study conducted in England which used the National Health Service (NHS) procedures and the electronic Integrated Research Application System (IRAS). We demonstrate the enormous impact of existing approvals processes on costs of studies, including opportunity costs to focus on the substantive research, and suggest directions for radical system change. MAIN TEXT: We have recorded 491 exchanges with 89 individuals involved in research ethics and governance approvals, generating 193 pages of email text excluding attachments. These are conservative estimates (e.g. only records of the research associate were used). The exchanges were conducted outside IRAS, expected to be the platform where all necessary documents are provided and questions addressed. Importantly, the figures exclude the actual work of preparing the ethics documentation (such as the ethics application, information sheets and consent forms). We propose six areas of work to enable system change: 1. Support the development of a broad range of customised research ethics and governance templates to complement generic, typically clinical trials orientated, ones; 2. Develop more sophisticated and flexible frameworks for study classification; 3. Link with associated processes for assessment, feedback, monitoring and reporting, such as ones involving funders and patient and public involvement groups; 4. Invest in a new generation IT infrastructure; 5. Enhance system capacity through increasing online reviewer participation and training; and 6. Encourage researchers to quantify the approvals processes for their studies. CONCLUSION: Ethics and governance approvals are burdensome for historical reasons and not because of the nature of the task. There are many opportunities to improve their efficiency and analytic depth in an age of innovation, increased connectivity and distributed working. If we continue to work under current systems, we are perpetuating, paradoxically, an unethical system of research approvals by virtue of its wastefulness and impoverished ethical debate

Materials and Component Development for Advanced Turbine Systems

Hydrogen-fired and oxy-fueled land-based gas turbines currently target inlet operating temperatures of ∼1425-1760°C (∼2600-3200°F). In view of natural gas or syngas-fired engines, advancements in both materials, as well as aerothermal cooling configurations are anticipated prior to commercial operation. This paper reviews recent technical accomplishments resulting from NETL’s collaborative research efforts with the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University for future land-based gas turbine applications

Control of powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) on tomato by foliar sprays of liquid potassium silicate (K2SiO3)

A foliar application of soluble silicon (liquid potassium silicate) was tested for the control of powdery mildew of tomato for 2 years in the field conditions on susceptible cultivar Alida F1. Powdery mildew in field-grown staked tomato, caused by Leveillula taurica was significantly controlled by a foliar spray of either K2SiO3 or Bayleton + sulfur. Potassium silicate applied on a 12 day schedule was highly protective against natural infection by the mildew fungus in the field conditions. The disease severity indexes (DSI) were 77.5 and 74.7% in control plots in 2006 and 2007, respectively, and were significantly different (P < 0.05) from those in the K2SiO3 plots with 5.8 and 4.6% in 2006 and 2007, respectively. Potassium silicate concentration (1 g/1 L water) used in the present study were not phytotoxic to plant foliage. The inhibitory effectiveness of potassium silicate makes it a useful biocompatible fungicide and possibly ideal foliar fertilizer for disease control in the field.Key words: Powdery mildew, potassium silicate, fungicide, tomato

Nematicidal Activity of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. against Root-Knot Nematodes on Tomato Grown under Natural Conditions

WOS: 000400123900016Plant parasitic nematodes such as root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are a major threat to vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants which cause yield loss. One of the best alternative methods of nematode control is using the entomopathogenic fungi (EPF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two Turkish isolates of entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. (F-56 and F-63), against naturally infected mixed populations of Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne javanica on tomatoes under natural conditions. The experiment contained 3 conidial suspensions (10(6), 10(7) and 10(8) cfu ml(-1)) with 4 replicates of each treatment. A total of 32 plants were arranged in a randomized block. EPF were applied 4 times (15 days before planting, planting, 15, and 30 days after planting). Nematicide [Paecilomyces lilacinus strain 251 (BioAct (R))] was used as a positive control. At the end of the growing season, the efficiency of the applications was determined according to the root gall index (I) and yields of tomatoes (II). The fungi concentration of 10(8) cfu ml(-1) was significantly greater than in the others. This concentration from both isolates [F-56 (4.59 +/- 0.54) and F-63 (2.77 +/- 0.59)] controlled M. incognita and M. javanica and increased the yield of tomatoes. The results demonstrated the suitability of using B. bassiana isolate F-56 and F-63 for reducing RKNs on tomatoes under greenhouse conditions

Physicochemical characterization of chitosan extracted from Metapenaeus stebbingi shells

In this study, chitosan was extracted from Metapenaeus stebbingi shells. In order to determine physicochemical characteristics of the extracted chitosan, the yield, moisture and ash contents, degree of deacetylation, molecular weight, water and fat binding capacities, apparent viscosity and colour properties were measured using a variety of techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. In addition, the physicochemical characteristics of the chitosan extracted from M. stebbingi shells were compared to commercial chitosan. The degree of deacetylation was calculated by the titration method and elemental analysis. The molecular weight was determined by viscosimetric methods. The results of the study indicate that shrimp shells are a rich source of chitosan as 17.48% of the shell's dry weight is consisted of this material. Extracted chitosan exhibited a lower molecular weight, higher degree of deacetylation, higher viscosity and higher water and fat binding capacities compared to the commercial chitosan. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This study was supported by the Cukurova University Research Fund . The authors would like to thank Izmir Institute of Technology for its contribution during analyses