Analysis of Combined Systems of Two Endoreversible Engines

A single endoreversible engine can operate as a cooler, a true heat engine, a heat pump, or a refrigerator. We investigate how many different modes of operation a combined system of two endoreversible engines may display. Special attention is paid to the independent combined system which neither consumes nor supplies power.     

Fast dynamic casting

We describe a scheme for implementing dynamic casts suitable for systems where the performance and predictability of performance is essential. A dynamic cast from a base class to a derived class in an object‐oriented language can be performed quickly by having the linker assign an integer type ID to each class. A simple integer arithmetic operation verifies whether the cast is legal at run time. The type ID scheme presented uses the modulo function to check that one class derives from another. A 64‐bit type ID is sufficient to handle class hierarchies of large size at least nine levels of derivation deep. We also discuss the pointer adjustments required for a C++ dynamic_cast. All examples will be drawn from the C++ language. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Prediction of fire classification for wood based products. A multivariate statistical approach based on the cone calorimeter

Wood has long traditions as a building material, and is often used in construction elements, and as interior and exterior surfaces in the Nordic countries. In most applications, there are reaction to fire requirements to products used as surfaces, e.g. in escape routes and larger public spaces. Most wood products will therefore have to be treated with fire retardant (FR) agents to fulfil the strict requirements to properties connected to heat release and flame spread. Unfortunately, FR agents usually also increase the smoke production, as they cause a more incomplete combustion of the wood. The wood product manufacturers seek to find the optimal amount of FR additives where both heat release and smoke production in the classifying test are within the requirements given in the building regulations. This paper describes models for prediction of the European reaction to fire classes of wood products. The models are based on multivariate statistical analysis, and use test results from the cone calorimeter test as input. The presented models are, with very good precision, able to predict which Euroclass and additional smoke class a wood based product would obtain if it were to be tested in the single burning item test. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetic modeling of hemicellulose hydrolysis in the presence of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts

Kinetic models were developed for the hydrolysis of O‐acetyl‐galactoglucomannan (GGM), a hemicellulose appearing in coniferous trees. Homogeneous and heterogeneous acid catalysts hydrolyze GGM at about 90°C to the monomeric sugars galactose, glucose, and mannose. In the presence of homogeneous catalysts, such as HCl, H₂SO₄, oxalic acid, and trifluoroacetic acid, the hydrolysis process shows a regular kinetic behavior, while a prominent autocatalytic effect was observed in the presence of heterogeneous cation‐exchange catalysts, Amberlyst 15 and Smopex 101. The kinetic models proposed were based on the reactivities of the nonhydrolyzed sugar units and the increase of the rate constant (for heterogeneous catalysts) as the reaction progresses and the degree of polymerization decreases. General kinetic models were derived and special cases of them were considered in detail, by deriving analytical solutions for product distributions. The kinetic parameters, describing the autocatalytic effect were determined by nonlinear regression analysis. The kinetic model described very well the overall kinetics, as well as the product distribution in the hydrolysis of water soluble GGM by homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. The modelling principles developed in the work can be in principle applied to hydrolysis of similar hemicelluloses as well as starch and cellulose. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 1066–1077, 2014     

Lipophilic Extractives in Populus × euramericana “Guariento” Stemwood and Bark

Abstract

The lipophilic extractives in stemwood and bark from three different heights of Populus × euramericana “Guariento” were analyzed. The bark samples, especially from 4 and 8 meters height, contained much more extractives than the stemwood samples. The lipophilic extractives identified by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) were composed of five component groups (i.e. triglycerides, steryl esters, free fatty acids, sterols, and free fatty alcohols both in the stemwood and bark). Besides ferulic acid esters, α-amyrin and its esters, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid esters of fatty alcohols were also identified in the stemwood and bark. Small amounts of alkanes and oligomeric or polymeric material with higher molar mass than triglycerides were present only in the bark. Glycerides, mainly triglycerides, were the largest component group of the lipophilic extractives. The high proportion of short-chain fatty acids released after alkaline hydrolysis are beneficial when removing pitch particles or fatty acid soaps by dispersing and washing during pulping and papermaking.     

Lignin and Other Aromatic Substances Released from Spruce Wood During Pressurized Hot-Water Extraction,Part 2: Structural Characterization

Extraction of ground spruce sapwood with pressurized hot water in an accelerated solvent extractor (ASE) at 170°C during 20, 60, and 100 min resulted in isolation of galactoglucomannans and aromatic substances, including lignin. The isolated lignin preparations were characterized by spectrometric (UV, FT-IR, ¹H NMR, liquid and solid-state ¹³C NMR), chromatographic (RP-HPLC, HP-SEC, GC-FID, and GC-MS), conventional pyrolysis, thermally assisted hydrolysis, and methylation techniques in tandem with GC-MS, and classical wet chemistry (methoxyl groups, total and phenolic hydroxyl groups, derivatization followed by reductive cleavage—DFRC). The content of β-O-4 bonds in isolated lignins was similar to that in MWL and their proportion decreased with extraction time. The oxidation of isolated lignins and content of total hydroxyl groups were significantly increased with extraction time. The lignin structure underwent condensation and demethylation reactions during hot-water extraction. The induction of new phenylcoumaran substructures was proposed in isolated lignins.     

Hydrogenolysis of Hydroxymatairesinol Over Carbon-Supported Palladium Catalysts

The natural lignan hydroxymatairesinol was hydrogenolysed to a potential anticarcinogenic substance matairesinol over different carbon-supported palladium catalysts. The reaction was conducted in 2-propanol at 70 °C under hydrogen flow in a stirred glass reactor. The catalysts were characterised by N₂-physisorption, CO pulse chemisorption and pH measurement of aqueous catalyst slurries. The most active catalyst (Degussa-Hüls) gave yields of matairesinol over 90% in 4 h. It was concluded that the acidity of the catalyst had a profound influence on the reaction rate.     

Solar radiation and cooling load calculation for radiant systems: Definition and evaluation of the Direct Solar Load

The study of the influence of solar radiation on the built environment is a basic issue in building physics and currently it is extremely important because glazed envelopes are widely used in contemporary architecture.In the present study, the removal of solar heat gains by radiant cooling systems is investigated. Particular attention is given to the portion of solar radiation converted to cooling load, without taking part in thermal absorption phenomena due to the thermal mass of the room. This specific component of the cooling load is defined as the Direct Solar Load.A simplified procedure to correctly calculate the magnitude of the Direct Solar Load in cooling load calculations is proposed and it is implemented with the Heat Balance method and the Radiant Time Series method.The F ratio of the solar heat gains directly converted to cooling load, in the case of a low thermal mass radiant ceiling, is calculated for different kinds of office rooms with a large glazed external surface. An example of cooling load calculation developed with the proposed procedure is given.     

Distribution of Anionic Groups in TMP Suspensions

Abstract

The distribution of anionic groups in fibres, fines, the colloidal fraction, and the dissolved fraction of thermomechanical pulp (TMP) suspensions was determined. The influence of extraction, alkaline treatment, and peroxide bleaching of spruce TMP were also studied.

Spruce TMP was extracted with hexane, treated with alkali, or bleached with peroxide. Suspensions were made at pH 5.5 or 8, and fractionated into long fibres, large fines, small fines, a colloidal fraction, and a dissolved fraction. The surface and total charge of the fractions were determined separately by polyelectrolyte titration. To determine the origin of the charges, the contents of fatty acids, resin acids, and acidic units in polysaccharides in the different fractions were determined by gas chromatography.

Extraction of TMP with hexane prior to fractionation increased the measured total and surface charge of the fibres. The removal of wood resin probably uncovered some anionic groups on the fibre surface, or improved the penetration of the polymers into the pores of the fibres. The total charge, determined with polybrene titration, of the fines and the colloidal fraction was lower when the resin had been removed, while the surface charge, determined with poly-DADMAC, was not greatly affected.

Alkaline treatment of the TMP increased both the total charge and the surface charge of the fibres and fines, mainly because of demethylation of pectins. Alkaline treatment also increased the total and surface charge of the dissolved substances, due to the release of pectic acids into the water phase. Alkaline peroxide bleaching further increased the total and surface charge of fibres and dissolved substances, most likely due to oxidation of lignin. The total charge and the surface charge of the colloidal substances, consisting mainly of wood resin, were only slightly affected by alkaline treatment and peroxide bleaching.

The anionic charge in TMP suspensions originated mainly from free uronic acids in the xylans, arabinogalactans, and pectic acids. The contribution from the fatty and resin acids was substantial only for the colloidal fraction.     

People''s clothing behaviour according to external weather and indoor environment

In prehistoric times man wore furs of animals to protect himself from the cold. Successively over the centuries clothing has become also a tool to distinguish ourselves in society. Clothing has in addition an important impact on people's perception of the indoor environment.

Clothing behaviour has been analysed by investigating the external and indoor parameters that motivate people's choice of clothing. Based on two existing databases, two types of buildings have been investigated: air-conditioned and naturally ventilated (NV) buildings. The impact of outdoor temperature on people's clothing selection has been considered. The outdoor temperature at 6 a.m. seems to affect people's choice of clothes the most. Gender does not significantly affect the selection of clothing insulation.

Latitude has also been investigated and a good correlation has been found between clothing insulation and external temperature in the ranges 20°–40° and −20° to −40° for NV buildings.

Indoor air temperature does not seem to influence the clothing choice early in the morning but it does seem to influence the change of clothing during the day, if this is authorized, in workplaces in NV buildings. Such action can be termed “clothing adjustment” during the day.

Some computer simulations on a test reference year have been carried out for a typical air-conditioned office to analyse a person's comfort when wearing different clothes. It is possible to see that in air-conditioned buildings a variation of 0.1 clo is sufficient to change totally the comfort evaluation. It is evident that further studies are needed in this field.