Thermochemical stability: A comparison between experimental and predicted data

The first step to be performed during the development of a new industrial process should be the assessment of all hazards associated to the involved compounds. Particularly, the knowledge of all substances thermochemical parameters is a primary feature for such a hazard evaluation. CHETAH (CHEmical Thermodynamic And Hazard evaluation) is a prediction software suitable for calculating potential hazards of chemicals, mixtures or a single reaction that, using only the structure of the involved molecules and Benson's group contribution method, is able to calculate heats of formation, entropies, Gibbs free energies and reaction enthalpies. Because of its ability to predict the potential hazards of a material or mixture, CHETAH is part of the so-called \u201cdesktop methods\u201d for early stage chemical safety analysis. In this work, CHETAH software has been used to compile a complete risk database reporting heats of decomposition and Energy Release Potential (ERP) for 342 common use chemicals. These compounds have been gathered into classes depending on their functional groups and similarities in their thermal behavior. Calculated decomposition enthalpies for each of the compounds have also been compared with experimental data obtained with either thermoanalytic or calorimetric techniques (Differential Scanning Calorimeter \u2013 DSC \u2013 and Accelerating Rate Calorimeter \u2013 ARC)

Coevolution of Synchronization and Cooperation in Costly Networked Interactions

Despite the large number of studies on synchronization, the hypothesis that interactions bear a cost for involved individuals has seldom been considered. The introduction of costly interactions leads, instead, to the formulation of a dichotomous scenario in which an individual may decide to cooperate and pay the cost in order to get synchronized with the rest of the population. Alternatively, the same individual can decide to free ride, without incurring any cost, waiting for others to get synchronized to his or her state. Thus, the emergence of synchronization may be seen as the byproduct of an evolutionary game in which individuals decide their behavior according to the benefit-to-cost ratio they accrued in the past. We study the onset of cooperation and synchronization in networked populations of Kuramoto oscillators and report how topology is essential in order for cooperation to thrive. We also display how different classes of topology foster synchronization differently both at microscopic and macroscopic levels

Discovery of the supernova remnant G351.0-5.4

Context. While searching the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) for diffuse radio emission, we have serendipitously discovered extended radio emission close to the Galactic plane. The radio morphology suggests the presence of a previously unknown Galactic supernova remnant. An unclassified {\gamma}-ray source detected by EGRET (3EG J1744-3934) is present in the same location and may stem from the interaction between high-speed particles escaping the remnant and the surrounding interstellar medium. Aims. Our aim is to confirm the presence of a previously unknown supernova remnant and to determine a possible association with the {\gamma}-ray emission 3EG J1744-3934. Methods. We have conducted optical and radio follow-ups of the target using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) on the Blanco telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) and the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT). We then combined these data with archival radio and {\gamma}-ray observations. Results. While we detected the extended emission in four different radio bands (325, 1400, 2417, and 4850 MHz), no optical counterpart has been identified. Given its morphology and brightness, it is likely that the radio emission is caused by an old supernova remnant no longer visible in the optical band. Although an unclassified EGRET source is co-located with the supernova remnant, Fermi-LAT data do not show a significant {\gamma}-ray excess that is correlated with the radio emission. However, in the radial distribution of the {\gamma}-ray events, a spatially extended feature is related with SNR at a confidence level $\sim 1.5$ {\sigma}. Conclusions. We classify the newly discovered extended emission in the radio band as the old remnant of a previously unknown Galactic supernova: SNR G351.0-5.4.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, accepted A&

The Supernova Remnant W44: confirmations and challenges for cosmic-ray acceleration

The middle-aged supernova remnant (SNR) W44 has recently attracted attention because of its relevance regarding the origin of Galactic cosmic-rays. The gamma-ray missions AGILE and Fermi have established, for the first time for a SNR, the spectral continuum below 200 MeV which can be attributed to neutral pion emission. Confirming the hadronic origin of the gamma-ray emission near 100 MeV is then of the greatest importance. Our paper is focused on a global re-assessment of all available data and models of particle acceleration in W44, with the goal of determining on a firm ground the hadronic and leptonic contributions to the overall spectrum. We also present new gamma-ray and CO NANTEN2 data on W44, and compare them with recently published AGILE and Fermi data. Our analysis strengthens previous studies and observations of the W44 complex environment and provides new information for a more detailed modeling. In particular, we determine that the average gas density of the regions emitting 100 MeV - 10 GeV gamma-rays is relatively high (n= 250 - 300 cm^-3). The hadronic interpretation of the gamma-ray spectrum of W44 is viable, and supported by strong evidence. It implies a relatively large value for the average magnetic field (B > 10^2 microG) in the SNR surroundings, sign of field amplification by shock-driven turbulence. Our new analysis establishes that the spectral index of the proton energy distribution function is p1 = 2.2 +/- 0.1 at low energies and p2 = 3.2 +/- 0.1 at high energies. We critically discuss hadronic versus leptonic-only models of emission taking into account simultaneously radio and gamma-ray data. We find that the leptonic models are disfavored by the combination of radio and gamma-ray data. Having determined the hadronic nature of the gamma-ray emission on firm ground, a number of theoretical challenges remains to be addressed.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted by A&

Systematizing new value proposition through a TRIZ-based classification of functional features

AbstractIn recent years, several TRIZ practitioners have focused their attention on the application of TRIZ concepts for new business strategy definition. Among the others, the Blue Ocean Strategy has attracted the largest consensus. Nevertheless, this methodological approach proves to be very elegant to describe past business innovation successes, while it provides just general directions if a new profile of “values” is requested for a given product or service. The present paper analyzes with a TRIZ perspective 32 case studies from the BOS literature and shows that more prescriptive guidelines can be identified from these experiences

Development of an Equilibrium-based Model of Gasification of Biomass by Aspen Plus

Abstract Agricultural and forestry residues are usually processed as wastes; otherwise, they can be recovered to produce electrical and thermal energy through processes of thermochemical conversion, such us torrefaction, pyrolysis and gasification. Currently, the gasification of residual biomass for producing neutral CO 2 fuel for energy production is in development stage. In this context, this study proposes anequilibrium-based model, developed by the commercial software Aspen Plus, of a co-current gasifier fueled with agriculture residual, which allows estimating the chemical composition and theheating value of the syngas produced. The prediction of such model includes the main gaseous species, the yields of char and tar and describes the gasification process through the mass and energy balances, the water-gas shift (WGS) and the methanation reaction. The model validation was carried out through the comparison with experimental data, concerning two biomass with different moisture content and different gasification conditions, for sixteen cases compared. Overall, the comparison between the results of the simulations and the experimental data have shown a good agreement