Experimental investigation on CO2methanation process for solar energy storage compared to CO2-based methanol synthesis

The utilization of the captured CO2 as a carbon source for the production of energy storage media offers a technological solution for overcoming crucial issues in current energy systems. Solar energy production generally does not match with energy demand because of its intermittent and non-programmable nature, entailing the adoption of storage technologies. Hydrogen constitutes a chemical storage for renewable electricity if it is produced by water electrolysis and is also the key reactant for CO2 methanation (Sabatier reaction). The utilization of CO2 as a feedstock for producing methane contributes to alleviate global climate changes and sequestration related problems. The produced methane is a carbon neutral gas that fits into existing infrastructure and allows issues related to the aforementioned intermittency and non-programmability of solar energy to be overcome. In this paper, an experimental apparatus, composed of an electrolyzer and a tubular fixed bed reactor, is built and used to produce methane via Sabatier reaction. The objective of the experimental campaign is the evaluation of the process performance and a comparison with other CO2 valorization paths such as methanol production. The investigated pressure range was 2–20 bar, obtaining a methane volume fraction in outlet gaseous mixture of 64.75% at 8 bar and 97.24% at 20 bar, with conversion efficiencies of, respectively, 84.64% and 99.06%. The methanol and methane processes were compared on the basis of an energy parameter defined as the spent energy/stored energy. It is higher for the methanol process (0.45), with respect to the methane production process (0.41–0.43), which has a higher energy storage capability

Severe Milk-Alkali Syndrome in a Patient with Hypoparathyroidism Associated with 1,25(OH)2D, Hydrochlorothiazide and Anthranoid Laxative Consumption

Background: Milk-alkali syndrome is a life-threatening condition defined by the triad of hypercalcaemia, metabolic alkalosis and acute renal failure, and is associated with consumption of calcium and absorbable alkali. Methods: We report the case of a patient admitted to a step-down unit of a large hospital in Italy. Results: The patient was a 59-year-old woman with hypoparathyroidism and mild chronic kidney insufficiency, treated for a preceding episode of hypocalcaemia with high doses of calcitriol and calcium carbonate, who was also taking hydrochlorothiazide and unreported herbal anthranoid laxatives. The patient was admitted to hospital with severe hypercalcaemia, severe metabolic alkalosis and acute renal insufficiency. The patient was successfully treated with urgent dialysis, loop diuretics and calcitonin administration. Conclusions: This case underlines the need for caution when treating patients with impaired calcium metabolism regulation, and suggests that herbal anthranoid laxatives might act as triggers for milk-alkali syndrome.

Come aprire un nido pirata nel quartiere

Piccolo manuale di cura collettiva a partire dall’esperienza specifica di SopraSotto. - “Come aprire un nido pirata nel quartiere” è un piccolo manuale che racconta, partendo da un’esperienza specifica, come si costruisce uno spazio per la cura collettiva di bambini e bambine in età da nido. Autogestito da genitori e insegnanti, il laboratorio SopraSotto nasce a Milano nel 2013 come risposta attiva all’insufficienza di posti nei nidi pubblici – problema diffuso principalmente nelle grandi metropoli. Senza pretesa di completezza, questo manuale racconta come una comunità di oltre una cinquantina di famiglie, accomunate da forme lavorative “atipiche”, ha costruito attraverso l’organizzazione, la partecipazione e alcuni dispositivi digitali, un’alternativa che sembra funzionare: un luogo sensibile alle trasformazioni in corso dei tempi vita/lavoro, e una comunità che contrasta la solitudine come condizione diffusa di molti giovani genitori. INDICE Introduzione / Maddalena Fragnito Chi siamo Organizzazione 1. Mappa Auto-organizzazione 1. Mappa Strumenti offline 1. Mappa Strumenti online 1. Mappa Soggetto Legale Sostenibilità 2. Mappa sostenibilità 2. Mappa strumenti amministrativi Relazioni istituzionali 3. Mappa servizi infanzia attivati in regione lombardia 3. Mappa come abbiamo fatto noi Autocostruzione 4. Kit Modelli formativi 5. Interdipendenza, quartiere, cerchio / Leva, Sprocatti, Ubía Díaz 5. Pensieri sparsi / Genitori e maestre 5. Guida Veloce alla verdura e frutta di stagione / Stefania Aledi Approfondimenti 6. Appunti sulla cura pirata / Valeria Graziano 6. Uno sguardo ai dati / Alberto Cossu 6. Open-source / Zoe Romano 6. Dialogo / a cura di Cristina Morini Esperienze simili 7. Eltern-initiativen 7. Grupos de Crianza Compartida 7. L’asilo nel bosco Conclusioni Riferiment

A smart village model for the Italian coastal territory

Small municipalities, if taken individually, have difficulty in implementing energy policy and sustainable projects (economic, environmental and social), because they do not have sufficient financial and human resources. The idea is to regenerate a territorial area following the principles of innovation and sustainable development, that is the applicability of the concept of Smart Villages on an entire \u201csmall\u201d territory with homogenous characteristics (similar morphology, coastal village or bordering the coast, tourism as the main business, ect.) and with several villages with less of 3000 habitants; this is the \u201cGolfo dell\u2019Isola\u201d in Liguria

Plasma Exchange for the Treatment of Transient Extreme Hypertriglyceridemia Associated with Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Acute Pancreatitis

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can quite frequently present in association with acute pancreatitis (AP) caused by transient severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). Here we report the case of a patient presenting with DKA, severe HTG and AP who received urgent plasma exchange for HTG control, and who reached adequate serum triglyceride levels only after appropriate DKA management. The treatment of patients presenting with DKA and coexistent AP associated with severe HTG should focus first on appropriate DKA management. Plasma exchange as a treatment for severe HTG in patients with DKA and AP should be evaluated carefully

Solidification microstructure of centrifugally cast Inconel 625

Centrifugal casting is a foundry process allowing the production of near net-shaped axially symmetrical components. The present study focuses on the microstructural characterization of centrifugally cast alloys featuring different chemical compositions for the construction of spheres applied in valves made of alloy IN625 for operation at high pressure. Control of the solidification microstructure is needed to assure the reliability of the castings. Actually, a Ni-base superalloy such as this one should have an outstanding combination of mechanical properties, high temperature stability and corrosion resistance. Alloys such as IN625 are characterised by a large amount of alloying elements and a wide solidification range, so they can be affected by micro-porosity defects, related to the shrinkage difference between the matrix and the secondary reinforcing phases (Nb-rich carbides and Laves phase). In this study, the microstructure characterization was performed as a function of the applied heat treatments and it was coupled with a calorimetric analysis in order to understand the mechanism ruling the formation of micro-porosities that can assure alloy soundness. The obtained results show that the presence of micro-porosities is governed by morphology and by the size of the secondary phases, and the presence of the observed secondary phases is detrimental to corrosion resistance