Biomass-based gasifiers for internal combustion (IC) engines—A review

The world is facing severe problems of energy crisis and environmental problem. This situation makes people to focus their attention on sustainable energy resources for their survival. Biomass is recognized to be the major potential source for energy production. There are ranges of biomass utilization technologies that produce useful energy from biomass. Gasification is one of the important techniques out of direct combustion, anaerobic digestion – Biogas, ethanol production. Gasification enables conversion of these materials into combustible gas (producer gas), mechanical and electrical power, synthetic fuels, and chemical. The gasification of biomass into useful fuel enhances its potential as a renewable energy resource. This paper gives a comprehensive review of the techniques used for utilizing biomass, experimental investigation on biomass fuels, characterization, merits, demerits and challenges faced by biomass fuels.     

The isolation of salt-tolerant lactic acid bacteria from ovine and bovine milks for use in the production of nabulsi cheese

Nabulsi cheese is one of the most popular white brined cheeses produced in Jordan and, traditionally, no starter cultures are employed for ripening. However, the resultant high pH means that spoilage problems arise in cheeses stored at ambient temperatures. Direct acidification or the use of commercial starter cultures have an adverse effect on flavour, but cultures derived from lactic acid bacteria isolated from local milks gave rise to cheeses that were as acceptable as the traditional products. In addition, the pHs of the cheese brines were in the range associated with stability during storage (pH 5.1–5.3), and hence it is suggested that these locally derived cultures could be employed by the industry to manufacture a nabulsi cheese from pasteurized milk that should: (a) be free from pathogens; (b) not deteriorate in-store at ambient temperature; and (c) have a flavour profile similar to traditional nabulsi cheese.     

Combining virtual simulation and physical vehicle test data to optimize durability testing

This paper describes an ongoing project to model a vehicle on a computer with a multibody dynamics simulation software package and to merge that work with physical proving ground and laboratory tests in order to shorten vehicle development time. The intention is to mirror as closely as possible the behaviour of a physical vehicle in order to assist in determining its durability characteristics under varying road conditions. This modelling work is important because, if done with sufficient fidelity, it can be used in order to assess vehicle responses by using different suspension components or payloads. Also, potential issues associated with vehicle structure, suspension components or payload positioning can be observed on a computer prior to performing physical tests. The process has the potential to reduce vehicle development cost and time. The virtual dynamic vehicle model has been created by using Automatic dynamic analysis of mechanical systems (ADAMS) software package. The calculated outputs from the model are being compared to force and displacement data collected from actual vehicle on‐road testing or a servo‐hydraulic road test simulator (RTS). The virtual model can be adjusted until the calculated responses are in close agreement with those of the physical vehicle, thus linking the virtual and real‐world results.     

POWER GENERATION CONTROL USING DUAL-MODE CONTROL

Abstract

Dual-mode control is applied to the problem of power generation control. The proposed controller is simple in structure and easily implementable. The effect of changes in some important system parameters like self-regulation parameter, turbine time constant and generation rate constraints, on the dynamic performance of the system for reheat and non-reheat type steam turbines is also studied     

A MICROPROCESSOR-BASED FAULT MONITOR FOR ROTATING RECTIFIERS OF BRUSHLESS AC EXCITERS USING A PATTERN-RECOGNITION APPROACH

ABSTRACT

A microprocessor-based fault monitor for rotating rectifiers of brushless ac exciters using a pattern-recognition approach is presented in this paper. The features of the frequency spectrum of the voltage waveform induced in a search coil placed in the stator slots of the brushless ac exciter are used in pattern recognition. Based on these features a classifier is designed using the nearest-neighbour rules. A prototype of the microprocessor-based fault monitor has been built. Studies show that the fault monitor can accurately recognize the various classes of faults of the rotating rectifier of the brushless ac exciter.     

Quality evaluation of mozzarella cheese made from buffalo milk by using paneer booti (Withania coagulans) and calf rennet

This systematic research was conducted to assess the suitability of Withania coagulans for the preparation of mozzarella cheese from buffalo milk. The extract of dried berries of paneer booti (W. coagulans) was prepared in three buffers separately viz. Tris‐HCl, phosphate, NaCl and appropriate concentration of crude extracts were tested for their milk coagulating activity. NaCl solution with 0.85% strength was found to be suitable for milk coagulation without any objectionable taste and flavour. The results revealed that 15 μL crude enzyme extract per mL of milk was the optimum concentration for coagulation while 4.25 and 37 °C were the best levels of pH and incubation temperature for coagulation respectively. Mozzarella cheese prepared from crude enzyme extract was compared with the cheese prepared by calf rennet using acidification process. There was a nonsignificant difference among all tested parameters of both the coagulants. These findings support the suitability of an aqueous extract of W. coagulans for the commercial preparation of different types of mozzarella cheeses.     

Genetic variability in the kappa‐casein gene in Sahiwal,Cholistani and Red Sindhi cattle breeds

Polymorphism of kappa‐casein (κ‐CN) gene in three Bos indicus cattle breeds was investigated using a polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) technique. Only genotypes AA and AB were observed, and no BB, AE, BE, EE, AC or BC genotypes were detected in the three cattle breeds. In the Sahiwal, Cholistani and Red Sindhi breeds, the frequencies of the allele A were 0.69, 0.90 and 0.86, and the frequencies of the allele B were 0.31, 0.10 and 0.14, respectively. The Sahiwal breed was found to have a higher frequency of the AB genotype as compared to the Cholistani and Red Sindhi breeds. The frequency of the κ‐CN alleles noted in the three cattle breeds was similar to those observed in other cattle breeds of B. indicus origin.     

Characterization of milk coagulating properties from the extract of Withania coagulans

Plant aspartic proteinases (APs) from Withania coagulans were extracted by using NaCl (0.85%) and were characterized by pH, temperature stability, rennet strength and CaCl₂ supplementation. Additionally, the milk-clotting enzyme was partially purified by fractional precipitation with ammonium sulphate and acetone followed by column chromatography of the most active fraction, giving specific activity of 12 307.6 U/mg. The maximum enzyme activity was observed at 4.25 pH and 37°C, which suggested its use in making cheese requiring moderate temperatures (Mozerella, Cheddar). The enzymatic activity increases as the concentration of CaCl₂ increases and decreases with the increase of temperature. SDS analysis showed the presence of a single unique band having a molecular weight of 66 KDa.     

Comparison of Vapor and Liquid Isotherms for Casein and Casein-Sucrose Mixture

Hydration by vapor sorption and liquid water addition for the effect on sorption isotherms of casein and a casein-sucrose mixture was compared. Both isotherm data and NMR relaxation rates were obtained from the same samples. Data showed biphasic linear plots with breaks at the same water activity (a_w). At a given moisture content, liquid hydration of casein showed a lower a_w and a lower NMR mobility than the vapor sorbed samples. The casein-sucrose mixture showed the opposite. As a_w was increased above 0.90, casein alone showed decreasing difference between vapor and liquid hydration while the mixture showed rapidly diverging lines. These isotherm differences between vapor and liquid hydration were corroborated by NMR.     

IMPLEMENTING MULTIPLE BOUNDARY CONDITIONS IN THE DQ SOLUTION OF HIGHER-ORDER PDEs: APPLICATION TO FREE VIBRATION OF PLATES

In the context of the free vibration problem of rectangular plates, this paper develops a detailed methodology for implementing multiple boundary conditions in the differential quadrature solutions of higher-order differential equations. It is explained that a certain type of boundary conditions can be built into the differential quadrature weighting coefficients themselves. This simplifies the programming of the differential quadrature solution algorithms. More importantly, however, as shown by the results of fundamental frequencies of a wide spectrum of rectangular plate configurations, the methodology results in strikingly accurate differential quadrature solutions.