| 1. |
- Cossio Grageda, Claudia, 1974, et al.
(författare)
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Wastewater management in small towns - understanding the failure of small treatment plants in Bolivia
- 2018
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Ingår i: Environmental Technology (United Kingdom). - : Informa UK Limited. - 1479-487X .- 0959-3330. ; 39:11, s. 1393-1403
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Wastewater management in developing countries is a challenge, especially in small towns with rapid population growth. This study aims at assessing the performance and management of five treatment plants (TPs) in rural areas of Cochabamba, Bolivia. Pollutants’ concentrations, wastewater flows, hydraulic and organic loads and hydraulic retention times were determined in three small treatment plants (2000–10,000 population equivalent [p.e.]; flow > 432 m3/d) and two very small treatment plants (<2000 p.e.; flow < 432 m3/d). The performance assessment was based on operational parameters, treatment efficiency and effluent quality. Management data were collected through semi-structured interviews with managers of local water associations. The results support that the poor performance of the TPs is due to lack of operational expertise and financial resources for adequate operation and maintenance (O&M). Additionally, effective treatment was affected by the type of technology used and whether the plant design included plans for O&M with available resources. This study contributes to a better understanding of actual operating conditions of wastewater TPs in small towns, thus providing needed information regarding technology selection, design, implementation and operation.
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| 2. |
- Lindberg, Siv M, et al.
(författare)
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A product semantic study of the influence of the sense of touch on the evaluation of wood-based materials
- 2013
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Ingår i: Materials & design. - : Elsevier BV. - 0264-1275 .- 1873-4197 .- 0261-3069. ; 52, s. 300-307
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Based on product semantics, this study investigated how the tactile attributes of wood and wood-based composites are perceived and interpreted semantically. The wood-based samples included ash, birch, elm, oak, pine, OSB (oriented strand board), two wood pulp-reinforced polylactide composites, Comp A and B and one wood-fiber reinforced polypropene composite, Comp C. The subjects rated the samples by the descriptive words natural, exclusive, eco-. friendly, rough, inexpensive, reliable, warm, modern, snug and solid. The most significant differences between the samples were found for roughness and for the descriptors, reliable, natural and solid. A principal component analysis yielded three attributes based on the tactile perceptions: reliable, old-. fashioned and smooth. The solid wood pieces were perceived as natural and oak was perceived as being exclusive. The composite materials presented a greater variation in terms of perceived attributes than the wood specimens.
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| 3. |
- Cho, Sung-Woo, et al.
(författare)
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Injection-molded nanocomposites and materials based on wheat gluten
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. - : Elsevier BV. - 0141-8130 .- 1879-0003. ; 48:1, s. 146-152
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is, to our knowledge, the first study of the injection molding of materials where wheat gluten (WG) is the main component. In addition to a plasticizer (glycerol), 5 wt.% natural montmorillonite clay was added. X-ray indicated intercalated clay and transmission electron microscopy indicated locally good clay platelet dispersion. Prior to feeding into the injection molder, the material was first compression molded into plates and pelletized. The filling of the circular mold via the central gate was characterized by a divergent flow yielding, in general, a stronger and stiffer material in the circumferential direction. It was observed that 20–30 wt.% glycerol yielded the best combination of processability and mechanical properties. The clay yielded improved processability, plate homogeneity and tensile stiffness. IR spectroscopy and protein solubility indicated that the injection molding process yielded a highly aggregated structure. The overall conclusion was that injection molding is a very promising method for producing WG objects.
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| 4. |
- Grimm, Alejandro, et al.
(författare)
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Slagging and fouling characteristics during co-combustion of Scots pine bark with low-temperature dried pulp and paper mill chemical sludge
- 2019
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Ingår i: Fuel processing technology. - : Elsevier. - 0378-3820 .- 1873-7188. ; 193, s. 282-294
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper shows how chemical sludge (CS) generated during wastewater treatment at a paperboard mill can be quickly dried at low-temperature and employed in bark-fired boilers to reduce slagging and corrosion problems. By using a cyclone-dryer operated at an inlet-air velocity of 110 m/s and a temperature of 90 degrees C, the dry-matter content of CS was increased from approximately 19 to 82%. The residence time of CS inside the cyclone was approximately 2 s when using the inlet-air velocity mentioned above. Disaggregation of the feedstock caused by collisions with the cyclone wall and between particles played a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of heat and mass transfer. Three co-pelletized mixtures of Scots pine bark (SPB) and dried-CS were combusted in a 40 kW fixed-bed burner. Flue gas analysis was performed with a gas analyser. Coarse and fine ash were analysed by SEM-EDS and XRD. NOx, and SO2 emissions increased with increasing amount of CS in the mixtures. Mono combustion of SPB resulted in a large quantity of slag (i.e., molten ash) with a high degree of sintering (i.e., hardness of the slag), and ash deposits formed on heat transfer surfaces were rich in K2SO4 and KCI. Mixtures of SPB and CS were less prone to slagging, and the amount of alkali chloride in the deposits was reduced in favour of alkali sulphate formation.
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| 5. |
- Almgren, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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Role of fibre-fibre and fibre-matrix adhesion in stress transfer in composites made from resin-impregnated paper sheets.
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives. - : Elsevier BV. - 0143-7496 .- 1879-0127. ; 29:5, s. 551-557
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Paper-reinforced plastics are gaining increased interest as packaging materials, where mechanical properties are of great importance. Strength and stress transfer in paper sheets are controlled by fibre-fibre bonds. In paper-reinforced plastics, where the sheet is impregnated with a polymer resin, other stress-transfer mechanisms may be more important. The influence of fibre-fibre bonds on the strength of paper-reinforced plastics was therefore investigated. Paper sheets with different degrees of fibre-fibre bonding were manufactured and used as reinforcement in a polymeric matrix. Image analysis tools were used to verify that the difference in the degree of fibre-fibre bonding had been preserved in the composite materials. Strength and stiffness of the composites were experimentally determined and showed no correlation to the degree of fibre-fibre bonding, in contrast to the behaviour of unimpregnated paper sheets. The degree of fibre-fibre bonding is therefore believed to have little importance in this type of material, where stress is mainly transferred through the fibre-matrix interface.
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| 6. |
- Borén, Eleonora, et al.
(författare)
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VOC off-gassing from pelletized steam exploded softwood bark : emissions at different industrial process steps
- 2018
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Ingår i: Fuel processing technology. - : Elsevier. - 0378-3820 .- 1873-7188. ; 171, s. 70-77
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Formation of hazardous gases during transport and storage of biomass for large-scale bioenergy production is an important safety concern. While off-gassing has been addressed in numerous studies for raw woody biomass, very few describe it in the context of biomass for bioenergy production pre-treated by thermal technologies such as steam explosion. Volatile Organic Components (VOCs) are expected to be altered by the treatment, but until now there is no research published on VOC profiles of steam exploded materials in industrial scale. In the present study, VOCs emitted from the products were evaluated by sampling from different production steps from steam explosion of softwood bark, and following the production chain including also pelletization. Off-gasses were actively sampled using Tenax TA absorbent and analyzed by GC-MS. The VOC formation dependency of operation and storage conditions at different process steps was evaluated by multivariate statistical analysis. We showed that the different process steps along the production line was the main influencing factor for VOC off-gassing amounts, with highest VOC levels directly after the steam explosion process. Treatment severity mainly altered the relative composition of VOC profiles with more terpenes emitted from milder treatment, whereas more severe treatment shifted VOCs composition to contain more furans, e.g. furfural. In summary, treatment by steam explosion leads to potentially problematic VOC off-gassing profiles from the material, and levels vary considerable along the production line. The findings are important from a fuel handling and working environment perspective.
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| 7. |
- Edwards, Ylva, et al.
(författare)
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Quality-assured solutions for green roof gardens on concrete deck with zero tolerance for leaks
- 2016
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Ingår i: WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment. - : WIT Press. ; 204, s. 363-372
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eco-neighborhoods with gardens on concrete decks are for several reasons increasingly being prescribed today in major Swedish cities. However, there is a lack of knowledge, experience, standards and guidelines as well as collaboration between parties and stakeholders when installing such systems. It is incredibly important to avoid any leakage during the lifetime of a green roof garden but this cannot be completely guaranteed with today’s installation practice and project management. At Sustainable City 2014 in Siena, we presented a paper about a new project aiming at bringing together researchers, government and industry to collaborative development of new and attractive solutions for green roof gardens with consideration to the environment and high requirements for durability, materials, construction and energy efficiency. This paper is a continuation of the paper presented in Siena and reports on the most recent results from the collaborative project which will finalize in November 2016. After that, the project will be further evaluated in a proposed continuation project for another couple of years.
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| 8. |
- Eriksson, Gunnar, et al.
(författare)
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Combustion and fuel characterisation of wheat distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS) and possible combustion applications
- 2012
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Ingår i: Fuel. - : Elsevier. - 0016-2361 .- 1873-7153. ; 102, s. 208-220
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present transition to a sustainable global energy system requires that biomass is increasingly combusted for heat and power production. Agricultural fuels considered include alkali-rich fuels with high phosphorus content. One such fuel is wheat distiller’s dried grain with solubles (wheat DDGS) from wheat-based ethanol production. Further increases in ethanol production may saturate the current market for wheat DDGS as livestock feed, and fuel uses are therefore considered. Fuel properties of wheat DDGS have been determined. The ash content (5.4 ± 1.6 %wt d.s.) is similar to many agricultural fuels. In comparison to most other biomass fuels the sulphur content is high (0.538 ± 0.232 %wt d.s.), and so are the contents of nitrogen (5.1 ± 0.6 %wt d.s.), phosphorus (0.960. ± 0.073 %wt d.s.) and potassium (1.30 ± 0.35 %wt d.s.). To determine fuel-specific combustion properties, wheat DDGS and mixes between wheat DDGS and logging residues (LR 60 %wt d.s. and DDGS 40 %wt d.s.), and wheat straw (wheat straw 50 %wt d.s., DDGS 50 %wt d.s.) were pelletized and combusted in a bubbling fluidised bed combustor (5 kW) and in a pellets burner combustor (20 kW). Pure wheat DDGS powder was also combusted in a powder burner (150 kW). Wheat DDGS had a high bed agglomeration and slagging tendency compared to other biomass fuels, although these tendencies were significantly lower for the mixture with the Ca-rich LR, probably reflecting the higher first melting temperatures of K–Ca/Mg-phosphates compared to K-phosphates. Combustion and co-combustion of wheat DDGS resulted in relatively large emissions of fine particles (<1 μm) for all combustion appliances. For powder combustion PMtot was sixteen times higher than from softwood stem wood. While the Cl concentrations of the fine particles from the the mixture of LR and wheat DDGS in fluidised bed combustion were lower than from combustion of pure LR, the Cl- and P-concentrations were considerably higher from the wheat DDGS mixtures combusted in the other appliances at higher fuel particle temperature. The particles from powder combustion of wheat DDGS contained mainly K, P, Cl, Na and S, and as KPO3 (i.e. the main phase identified with XRD) is known to have a low melting temperature, this suggests that powder combustion of wheat DDGS should be used with caution. The high slagging and bed agglomeration tendency of wheat DDGS, and the high emissions of fine particles rich in K, P and Cl from combustion at high temperature, mean that it is best used mixed with other fuels, preferably with high Ca and Mg contents, and in equipment where fuel particle temperatures during combustion are moderate, i.e. fluidised beds and possibly grate combustors rather than powder combustors.
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| 9. |
- Jansson, Ronnie, et al.
(författare)
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Functionalized silk assembled from a recombinant spider silk fusion protein (Z-4RepCT) produced in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris
- 2016
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Ingår i: Biotechnology Journal. - : Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft. - 1860-6768 .- 1860-7314. ; 11:5, s. 687-699
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Functional biological materials are a growing research area with potential applicability in medicine and biotechnology. Using genetic engineering, the possibility to introduce additional functions into spider silk-based materials has been realized. Recently, a recombinant spider silk fusion protein, Z-4RepCT, was produced intracellularly in Escherichia coli and could after purification self-assemble into silk-like fibers with ability to bind antibodies via the IgG-binding Z domain. In this study, the use of the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris for production of Z-4RepCT has been investigated. Temperature, pH and production time were influencing the amount of soluble Z-4RepCT retrieved from the extracellular fraction. Purification of secreted Z-4RepCT resulted in a mixture of full-length and degraded silk proteins that failed to self-assemble into fibers. A position in the C-terminal domain of 4RepCT was identified as being subjected to proteolytic cleavage by proteases in the Pichia culture supernatant. Moreover, the C-terminal domain was subjected to glycosylation during production in P. pastoris. These observed alterations of the CT domain are suggested to contribute to the failure in fiber assembly. As alternative approach, Z-4RepCT retrieved from the intracellular fraction, which was less degraded, was used and shown to retain ability to assemble into silk-like fibers after enzymatic deglycosylation.
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| 10. |
- Mc Conville, Jennifer R, 1978, et al.
(författare)
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Source separation : Challenges & opportunities for transition in the Swedish wastewater sector
- 2017
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Ingår i: Resources, Conservation and Recycling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0921-3449 .- 1879-0658. ; 120, s. 144-156
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A paradigm shift to waste reuse has started in the wastewater sector with many experts calling for greater resource recovery, often facilitated by alternative solutions such as source separation. Source separation has been shown to be advantageous for improving treatment capacity, food security, and efficiency; yet these systems are still immature, considered risky by professionals and scarcely implemented. This study attempts to answer the question of why source separation is still marginalized by examining the Swedish experience with source separated wastewater from the perspective of Technology Innovation Systems (TIS) in order to identify obstacles and policy recommendations. Considering that source-separation is still in a development phase, the study found that source separation works moderately well within the on-site niche and that blackwater systems in general perform better than urine diversion. Knowledge development is found to be the weakest function. A major blocking mechanism is the weakness of interchange between knowledge development and entrepreneurial activity. Policy recommendations include: increased R&D; building networks and communication platforms; and establishing guidelines for technologies, legislation interpretation and organizational models.
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