scholarly journals Advancing Plastic Recycling by Wet-Mechanical Processing of Mixed Waste Fractions

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 493
Author(s):  
Daniel Schwabl ◽  
Markus Bauer ◽  
Markus Lehner
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Plant ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Chemical Conversion ◽  
Throughput Capacity ◽  
Chemical Recycling ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Plastic Recycling ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Mixed Waste

In this paper, an arc was drawn over ten years of research activities from three chairs of the Montanuniversitaet Leoben, as well as industrial partners. The superior objective of this research effort was to develop a wet-mechanical process for the recovery of polyolefin concentrates (90 wt% polyolefins) from mixed waste fraction for use in chemical recycling and to advance this new technology to commercial maturity. As a bridge technology, it would close the gap between state-of-the-art dry processing of mixed plastic waste materials and chemical plastic recycling via thermo-chemical conversion. The methods used were mainly tested in a lab-scale plant with a throughput capacity of 50 to 200 kg/h depending on the bulk density of the used feedstock. Further studies for the treatment and usage of the main products and by-products, as well as chemical analyses of them, were completed during the investigation. Within these series of tests, polyolefin concentrates, which satisfied the requirements for chemical recycling, could be recovered. With these data, a concept for an industrial pilot plant was developed and evaluated from an economic point of view. According to this evaluation, the realization of such an industrial pilot plant can be recommended.

Virtual Assembly Design Environment

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugh I. Connacher ◽  
Sankar Jayaram ◽  
Kevin Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Natural Extension ◽  
Virtual Assembly ◽  
Software Systems ◽  
Design Environment ◽  
Cad System ◽  
Assembly Design ◽  
Design And Manufacturing

Abstract Virtual reality is a technology which is often regarded as a natural extension to 3D computer graphics with advanced input and output devices. This technology has only recently matured enough to warrant serious engineering applications. The integration of this new technology with software systems for engineering, design and manufacturing will provide a new boost to the field of computer-aided engineering. One aspect of design and manufacturing which may be significantly affected by virtual reality is design for assembly. This paper presents the ideas behind a current research effort aimed at creating a virtual assembly design environment and integrating that environment with a commercial, parametric CAD system.

Robots in recycling and disassembly

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bogue
Keyword(s):  
Research Effort ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Electronic Waste Recycling ◽  
Product Disassembly ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose This paper aims to illustrate the growing role robots are playing in recycling and product disassembly and provide an insight into recent research activities. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, this first considers robotic waste sorting systems and then describes two systems for the disassembly of electronic products. It then provides details of some recent research activities. Finally, brief conclusions are drawn. Findings Robotic systems exploiting artificial intelligence combined with various sensing and machine vision technologies are playing a growing role in the sorting of municipal and industrial waste, prior to recycling. These are mostly based on delta robots and can achieve pick rates of 60-70 items/min and be configured to recognise and select a wide range of different materials and items from moving conveyors. Electronic waste recycling is yet to benefit significantly from robotics although a limited number of systems have been developed for product disassembly. Disassembly techniques are the topic of a concerted research effort which often involves robots and humans collaborating and sharing disassembly tasks. Originality/value This provides an insight into the present-day uses and potential future role of robots in recycling which has traditionally been a highly labour-intensive industry.

scholarly journals Mission-driven research for stratospheric aerosol geoengineering

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (4) ◽  
pp. 1089-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas G. MacMartin ◽  
Ben Kravitz
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Stratospheric Aerosol ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Climate Risks ◽  
Research Activities

The last decade has seen broad exploratory research into stratospheric aerosol (SA) geoengineering, motivated by concern that reducing greenhouse gas emissions may be insufficient to avoid significant impacts from climate change. Based on this research, it is plausible that a limited deployment of SA geoengineering, provided it is used in addition to cutting emissions, could reduce many climate risks for most people. However, “plausible” is an insufficient basis on which to support future decisions. Developing the necessary knowledge requires a transition toward mission-driven research that has the explicit goal of supporting informed decisions. We highlight two important observations that follow from considering such a comprehensive, prioritized natural-science research effort. First, while field experiments may eventually be needed to reduce some of the uncertainties, we expect that the next phase of research will continue to be primarily model-based, with one outcome being to assess and prioritize which uncertainties need to be reduced (and, as a corollary, which field experiments can reduce those uncertainties). Second, we anticipate a clear separation in scale and character between small-scale experimental research to resolve specific process uncertainties and global-scale activities. We argue that the latter, even if the radiative forcing is negligible, should more appropriately be considered after a decision regarding whether and how to deploy SA geoengineering, rather than within the scope of “research” activities.

Ongoing research protocols for the pharmacological treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
M. Canevelli ◽  
G. Remoli ◽  
M. Toccaceli Blasi ◽  
L. Tariciotti ◽  
G. Sarli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Effort ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Dementia Research ◽  
Ongoing Phase

The implementation of effective interventions for neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) is perceived as one of the most pressing research priorities in the field of dementia and one of the main unmet needs from the perspective of affected individuals and their caregivers and relatives. Nevertheless, to date, only a relatively marginal part of dementia research has focused on NPS. This study aimed to describe and discuss the state of the art concerning the identification and development of new pharmacological treatments for NPS in dementia. A review of 320 ongoing phase 1, 2, 3, and 4 protocols registered in the clinicaltrials.gov database was performed. All the trials enrolling patients with dementia were selected. Only studies adopting clinical measures of NPS frequency and/or severity as primary outcome were retained and analyzed. Overall, only a minority of ongoing phase 1, 2, 3 and 4 protocols on dementia (i.e., 9.0%) is primarily targeting NPS. Most of these studies are adopting a placebo-controlled parallel assignment design, testing oral compounds, and targeting specific NPS (mostly agitation and/or aggression). A total of 3,445 subjects with dementia will tentatively be recruited in these trials. The methodologies adopted in these studies, the characteristics of the tested interventions, the eligibility criteria, and the operational definitions of NPS are presented and discussed. The relevance of NPS is not yet matched by an adequate research effort. The current tendency at privileging disease-modifying approaches and other symptoms of dementia and the methodological complexity of studying NPS are still substantially contributing to the gap between research activities and clinical needs.

Simulation of Cumene Synthesis by Suspension Catalytic Distillation

2012 ◽  
Vol 557-559 ◽  
pp. 2243-2248
Author(s):  
Er Qiang Wang ◽  
Cheng Yue Li ◽  
Lang You Wen ◽  
Ze Xue Du ◽  
Yong Qiang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Plant ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Process Intensification ◽  
Alkylation Reaction ◽  
Catalytic Distillation ◽  
Operation Conditions ◽  
Alkylation Of Benzene ◽  
Plant Experiment ◽  
Catalyst Pellets ◽  
Equilibrium Stage Model

This paper deals with alkylation of benzene with propylene to produce cumene by Suspension Catalytic Distillation (SCD) which, as a new technology of process intensification, has been developed from traditional catalytic distillation. In this SCD process, the supported heteropolyacid catalysts are suspended inside the liquid phase on the column tray and flow with them, while in traditional catalytic distillation the catalyst pellets are generally fixed somewhere inside the column. SCD processes have been investigated for alkylation reaction of benzene with olefins in laboratorial scale. A pilot plant of SCD process for cumene synthesis had been run for several months. It has shown more advantageous characteristics for cumene synthesis compared with conventional process consisting of a reactor followed by distillation train. Based on experimental data and the reactive kinetic parameters of cumene synthesis using the supported heteropolyacid catalysts, numerical simulation of SCD process of the pilot plant was performed by an equilibrium stage model to study the effects of operation conditions on the process performance. The simulation results could agree, to a great extent, with the data acquired from the pilot plant experiment.

scholarly journals Increasing Polychaete diversity as a consequence of increasing research effort in Greek waters: new records and exotic species

2005 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. SIMBOURA ◽  
A. ZENETOS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
New Records ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Increasing Trend ◽  
Lessepsian Migrants ◽  
First Time

The increasing diversity of the Greek Polychaete fauna over the last seven decades, as illustrated graphically, shows an increasing trend which is proportionately related to the research effort exerted. Ongoing research activities mainly in the depths of the N. Aegean Sea, as a result of which 13 new records have been added to the Greek Polychaete fauna, confirming the above statement. The new species records are presented along with their geographical distribution and habitat. According to the latest checklist of the Greek Polychaeta, 753 species of Polychaetes have been recorded in Greek waters. Finally, it should be noted that 6 Lessepsian migrants and 16 species have been recorded in the Mediterranean for the first time. Their distribution within Greece and worldwide is given and their presence in Greek waters is discussed.

Plastics to fertilizers: chemical recycling of a bio-based polycarbonate as a fertilizer source

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takumi Abe ◽  
Rikito Takashima ◽  
Takehiro Kamiya ◽  
Choon Pin Foong ◽  
Keiji Numata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Recycling ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Plastic Recycling ◽  
Recycling Systems

A polymer is used as a source of fertilizer. To demonstrate the viability of this concept, the chemical recycling of poly(isosorbide carbonate) (PIC) is presented as a model for the next generation of plastic-recycling systems.

Continuous thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion of sludge. Energy integration study

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (10) ◽  
pp. 1839-1846 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. I. Pérez-Elvira ◽  
F. Fdz-Polanco
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Residence Time ◽  
Pilot Plant ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Thermal Hydrolysis ◽  
Economic Point ◽  
Gas Engine ◽  
Secondary Sludge

Experimental data obtained from the operation in a pilot plant are used to perform mass and energy balances to a global process combining units of thermal hydrolysis (TH) of secondary sludge, anaerobic digestion (AD) of hydrolysed secondary sludge together with fresh primary sludge, and cogeneration from biogas by using a gas engine in which the biogas produces electricity and heat from the exhaust gases. Three scenarios were compared, corresponding to the three digesters operated: C (conventional AD, 17 days residence time), B (combined TH + AD, same time), and A (TH + AD at half residence time). The biogas production of digesters B and A was 33 and 24% better, respectively when compared with C. In the case of the combined TH + AD process (scenarios A and B), the key factors in the energy balance were the recovery of heat from hot streams, and the concentration of sludge. The results of the balances showed that for 8% DS concentration of the secondary sludge tested in the pilot plant, the process can be energetically self-sufficient, but a fraction of the biogas must by-pass the gas engine to be directly burned. From an economic point of view, scenario B is more profitable in terms of green energy and higher waste removal, while scenario A reduces the digester volume required by a half. Considering a population of 100,000 inhabitants, the economic benefit is 87,600 €/yr for scenario A and 132,373 €/yr for B. This value can be increased to 223,867 €/yr by increasing the sludge concentration of the feeding to the TH unit to a minimum value that allows use of all the biogas to produce green energy. This concentration is 13% DS, which is still possible from a practical point of view. Additional benefits gained with the combined TH + AD process are the enhancement of the digesters rheology and the possibility of getting Class A biosolids. The integration study presented here set the basis for the scale-up to a demonstration plant.

Climbing robots: recent research and emerging applications

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 721-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bogue
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Climbing Robot ◽  
Wind Turbine Blades ◽  
Climbing Robots ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Maintenance And Repair ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Potential Applications

Purpose This paper aims to provide details of recent research into robots capable of ascending vertical or near-vertical surfaces and to illustrate how the ability to climb is set to resolve a critical industrial need arising from the growth in renewable energy. Design/methodology/approach Following a short introduction, the first parts of this paper describe a selection of recent research activities that involve innovative concepts and designs. The second part discusses climbing robot developments aimed at the automated inspection, maintenance and repair of wind turbine blades. Brief concluding comments are drawn. Findings Robots that can ascend vertical or near-vertical surfaces are the topic of an extensive and technologically innovative research effort. Many developments take their inspiration from the climbing abilities of living creatures. Drones with the ability to adhere to and climb vertical surfaces are also being developed. Potential applications include inspection, surveillance and search and rescue. Climbing robots are poised to provide a solution to the need to de-man and reduce the cost of inspecting and maintaining composite wind turbine blades. Originality/value This provides an insight into recent innovations in climbing robot concepts and designs and shows how the ability to ascend vertical surfaces is being exploited in the robotic inspection, maintenance and repair of wind turbine blades.

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