Control strategies for reactive batch distillation

A batch reactor may be combined directly with a distillation column by distilling off the light component product in order to increase the reactor temperature or to improve the product yield of an equilibrium reaction. The same amount of the light product should be removed as the amount being formed by the reaction at any time. A linearized model has been developed which describes the process behaviour satisfactorily for control analysis purposes. The controllability of a combined batch reactor/batch distillation column is found to depend strongly on the operating conditions and on the time during the run. In general, controlling only the reactor temperature (one-point bottom control) is difficult since the set-point has to be specified below a maximum value in order to avoid break-through of an intermediate component in the ditillate. This maximum value may be difficult to know a priori. For the example considered in this study, control of both reactor temperature and distillate composition (two-point control) is also found to be difficult due to large interactions in the column. As with one-point bottom control, the reactor temperature has to be specified below a maximum value. However, energy can be saved since the heat duty can be decreased with time. Controlling the temperature on a tray in the column (one-point column control) is found to give good performance for the given process with no loss of reactant and a high reactor temperature, although no direct control of the reactor temperature is obtained.     

Recovering spectral data from natural scenes with an RGB digital camera and colored filters

Many spectral‐recovery methods using RGB digital cameras assume the underlying smoothness of illuminant and reflectance spectra, and apply low‐dimensional linear models. The aim of the present work was to test whether a direct‐mapping method could be used instead of a linear‐models approach to recover spectral radiances and reflectances from natural scenes with an RGB digital camera and colored filters. In computer simulations, a conventional RGB digital camera with up to three colored filters was used to image scenes drawn from a hyperspectral image database. Three measures were used to evaluate recovery with the direct‐mapping method: goodness‐of‐fit, root‐mean‐square error, and a color‐difference metric. It was found that with two and three filters both spectral radiances and reflectances could be recovered sufficiently accurately for many practical applications. With little increase in computational complexity, an RGB camera and a few colored filters can provide significantly better recovery of natural scenes than an RGB camera alone. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 352–360, 2007     

Hearing loss after spinal anesthesia. An audiological controlled trial

Audiological tests were conducted on 34 patients before and after undergoing an operation in spinal anaesthesia. One of these patients developed a considerable unilateral hearing loss in the low-frequency range, which persisted until an epidural blood-patch was given. Unexpectedly, we also found a general small but significant threshold shift at 500 Hz, which has never before been described in the literature. The biological mechanism is discussed, and the results suggest that the explanation of the hearing loss could be a condition similar to endolymphatic hydrops, resulting from perilymphatic hypotension due to loss of liquor during and after the spinal anaesthesia.     

Positive and Negative Emotional Feelings and Behaviors in Mother-Daughter Ties in Late Life.

Behaviors and emotions during specific visits may reveal the interpersonal processes of mother-daughter ties, yet most research uses global assessments of these ties. Forty-eight mother-daughter pairs participated in audiotaped conversations and completed surveys. All mothers were over age 70 and in good health. Daughters tended to take a central role in structuring the conversations. Conversations were characterized by high levels of felt and expressed positive emotions and behaviors for mothers and daughters. Nevertheless, mothers reported more positive and fewer negative emotions, whereas daughters expressed more positive behaviors than did mothers. Mothers' positive feelings and behaviors were associated with daughters'. Finally, mothers' and daughters' emotions and behaviors were associated with their destructive responses to being upset with each other, providing support for the ambivalence perspective of parent-offspring relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance evaluation of a biotrickling filter degrading mixtures of hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds

The removal of a mixture of painting solvents from waste air using a biofiltration process was evaluated in this project. The pollutants removed included hydrophobic (aromatic hydrocarbons) and hydrophilic (water soluble ketones and esters) compounds. A trickle bed reactor with a defined immobilized mixed culture on polyethylene Pall rings was utilized in this biodegradation study. The removal efficiencies (RE) of the individual groups of pollutants during loading experiments were determined. An increase of the aromatic hydrocarbons loading resulted in a drop of their RE_AROM with no effect on the RE value of ketones. The overloading of ketones caused a rapid drop in RE_AROM and a small drop in RE_KET. To achieve a restoration of the biocatalyst degradation properties after the increase in loading, an addition of phosphate to the aqueous medium was implemented which successfully restored the removal efficiency.     

3D Micro-PIXE at atmospheric pressure: A new tool for the investigation of art and archaeological objects

The paper describes a novel experiment characterized by the development of a confocal geometry in an external Micro-PIXE set-up. The position of X-ray optics in front of the X-ray detector and its proper alignment with respect to the proton micro-beam focus provided the possibility of carrying out 3D Micro-PIXE analysis. As a first application, depth intensity profiles of the major elements that compose the patina layer of a quaternary bronze alloy were measured. A simulation approach of the 3D Micro-PIXE data deduced elemental concentration profiles in rather good agreement with corresponding results obtained by electron probe micro-analysis from a cross-sectioned patina sample. With its non-destructive and depth-resolving properties, as well as its feasibility in atmospheric pressure, 3D Micro-PIXE seems especially suited for investigations in the field of cultural heritage.     

FE3 EPR investigation of PLZT 1/65/35 and 8/65/35

X-band EPR spectra of PLZT 1/65/35 and PLZT 8/65/35 doped with 1% FE³⁺ were recorded at temperature range -175°C to 200°C. Three types of paramagnetic centers were found. Two of them are in strong axial and rhombic crystal field due to neighboring oxygen and lead vacancies. The other center has symmetry determined by polarization and oxygen octahedra tilt. EPR spectra of PLZT 8/65/35 are in agreement with its glassy behavior.     

Bone growth and bone development in the presence of implants or after induced leg-lengthening studied using the Oxford Scanning Proton Microprobe

To respond to varying environmental demands the bone tissue in the body is under continual reconstruction throughout life. It is known that metallic elements are important for maintaining normal bone structure, but their roles are not well understood. More information about the effects of metal excess or deficiency is needed to help in the development of metallic bone implants and to improve the treatment of bone fractures and defects. The Oxford Scanning Proton Microprobe (SPM) is being applied in two studies involving metal ions in bone: (1) bone regrowth and bonding to titanium bone implants may be influenced by diffusion of Ti ions into the bone. We are using microPIXE to determine the metal ion content of bone developing in contact with implants of pure Nb, Ti and Ti alloys. (2) Bone lengthening as a surgical procedure is induced by fracturing the bone and allowing it to heal with a small gap between the fractured ends created by the use of external fixators. The gap can be slowly increased during the healing process to stimulate the production of new bone. The enzymes and other constituents of the developing bone need certain metals for their function. Using experimental animals we have studied the concentrations of the metals and whether a deficiency of trace metals limits the optimum rate of bone lengthening.     

Limited evidence of zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) consumption by freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) in Lake Winnipeg

Freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) may be a predator of the invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), which established in Lake Winnipeg in 2013. In this study, the diets, trophic position, and growth of 51 freshwater drum collected in 2019 (six years post-zebra mussel invasion) were compared to 64 freshwater drum sampled in 2000. Benthic insect larvae were the dominant food items in both years. Although mollusks occur in high densities in Lake Winnipeg, they were only consumed by a few freshwater drum in either sample year. Zebra mussels were not a frequent prey item in 2019 as they were only consumed by four of the sampled freshwater drum. Stable isotope analysis of white muscle tissue yielded similar δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values in both years and were consistent with a benthic, insectivorous diet. Length-at-age data derived from otoliths revealed that the 2019 population had at least an equal growth rate to the 2000 population. Weight-at-length data suggested that fish condition was greater in 2019 than in 2000, which coincided with increased benthic macroinvertebrate density in Lake Winnipeg. Based on these findings, Lake Winnipeg freshwater drum continue to feed predominantly on insect larvae and not zebra mussels.     

Spatial ecology of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Lake Winnipeg and its potential for management actions

Common carp feeding and spawning behaviours negatively impact the functioning of marsh ecosystems. In the Netley-Libau Marsh, situated on the southern end of Lake Winnipeg, water level regulations, nonpoint source nutrient pollution, and the non-native common carp are thought to be the main contributors to the degradation of the marsh habitat. Using acoustic telemetry, we analysed the movement rate, frequency and timing of suspected spawning migrations, spatial ecology, and aggregation of common carp in the Lake Winnipeg drainage over a three year time period. Common carp moved the farthest during the open water period when water temperature was >5 °C. Their annual migration into Netley-Libau Marsh was correlated to ordinal date. Common carp left the marsh in late spring/early summer, presumably feeding in Lake Winnipeg, before moving to overwintering sites situated in Traverse Bay and Lake Winnipeg, where they arrived typically by October and formed aggregations. These findings will inform habitat and fisheries managers in the effort to undertake evidence-based management actions. The predictability of the movements and the tendency for common carp to aggregate indicates that exclusion techniques and commercial fishing may represent viable management solutions.