The transition towards a CO2 neutral industry is currently spurring many new developments regarding processes for the conversion of CO2, or CO2-rich streams, into platform molecules such as methanol and dimethyl ether (DME). New processes give rise to new separation challenges, as well as novel opportunities for joint optimization of reaction and separation. In this context, the separation of CO2 and DME can be performed very efficiently using the newly developed concept of Stripping Enhanced Distillation (SED). SED is a distillation process that utilizes an additional stripping component (clearing gas) to promote the separation in the column. SED benefits from the utilization of the feedstock components as a clearing gas that can afterwards be recycled back to the conversion unit with the vapor distillate. Strongly improving the separation performance in the column, this approach also removes the need for external stripping mediums and in addition this recycle approach may significantly reduce the demand on the conversion unit upstream of SED. The benefits of using SED are demonstrated for two different processes for DME synthesis: (i) CO2 – DME separation after the Sorption Enhanced DME Synthesis (SEDMES) process, using hydrogen as clearing gas, and (ii) CO2 – DME separation after direct DME synthesis via dry reforming (DIDR), using methane as clearing gas. For the different cases, it is shown that, with minimal adaptations, the energy consumption for distillation is reduced by 20-30%, while product losses are minimized at the same time.

Natural gas is an important energy source among various fossil fuels. However, natural gas typically contains a significant amount of water vapor, which can pose challenges in its usage. Therefore, the process of removing water vapor from natural gas, known as gas dehydration, is crucial in the gas industry. The presence of water vapor in the gas supply can lead to the formation of hydrates, which can cause issues such as blockages in pipelines. To tackle this problem effectively, gas dehydration makes use of Tri ethylene glycol (TEG) as a drying agent. TEG works by selectively absorbing water vapor from the natural gas flow, thereby significantly reducing its moisture content.In the gas dehydration process, wet gas is treated by using lean glycol in an absorber, where the water vapor is removed. The resulting rich glycol is then recovered and recycled for further use. In this study, we explore the possibility of replacing nitrogen with dry natural gas in the re-generator of the glycol dehydration system. The aim is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of this alternative approach. To assess the performance of both techniques, we employed HYSYS modeling and simulation. Through this analysis, we compared the capital and utility expenses associated with each method while ensuring that the glycol purity requirements remained unchanged. By examining the results obtained from the simulations, we can gain insights into the economic viability and efficiency of utilizing dry natural gas in the re-generator stage of the glycol dehydration process.In addition to the primary purpose of removing water vapor, the wet gas obtained from the stripping mechanisms in the glycol dehydration process can serve additional functions. It can be utilized to power steam pumps and compressors, thereby maximizing energy efficiency within the system. Alternatively, the wet gas can be recycled back into the process for further treatment. To develop a comprehensive understanding of the entire mechanism, we constructed a model based on the actual flow diagram. This model takes into account the various components and processes involved in the glycol dehydration system, including the stripping mechanisms and their connection to other equipment. By analyzing the data and outcomes generated by this model, we can derive valuable insights. These findings can be utilized to optimize the heat and material balance within the plant, ensuring efficient operation and potentially leading to the design of an improved system in terms of energy consumption and overall performance

Among other fossil fuels, natural gas is a major energy source. It is generally created saturated with water vapor. Dehydration of natural gas is vital in the gas business to remove water vapor from the gas supply, which may cause hydrate development in pipes. Gas dehydration employs Tri ethylene glycol (TEG) to remove water vapor from natural gas flow. The wet gas is dehydrated with lean glycol in an absorber, and the rich glycol is recovered and reused. This work investigates the use of dry natural gas instead of nitrogen in the glycol dehydration re-generator, and compares the results using HYSYS modeling and simulation. The two techniques were compared for capital and utility expenses, while maintaining the identical glycol purity criteria. The wet gas from the stripping mechanisms may also be utilized to run steam pumps and compressors or recycled. The model is based on the real mechanism flow diagram. Finally, the findings of this model might be used to design a new heat and material balance for the plant.

The removal of harmful arsenic(V) from aqueous solutions using Cyanex 923 (solvation extractant) was investigated under various experimental variables: equilibration time, acidity of the aqueous phase, temperature, extractant and arsenic concentrations, and O/A ratio. Cyanex 923 extracted As(V) (and sulphuric acid) from acidic solutions, thus, its use to remove the metal from slightly acid or neutral solutions it is not possible. Extraction of arsenic is exothermic, and responded to the formation of H3AsO4·nL species in the organic phase (L represented the extractant and the stoichiometric factor n: 1 or 2, depends on the acidity of the aqueous phase). Extraction isotherms are derived from experimental results. Both arsenic and sulphuric acid loaded onto the organic phase can be stripped with water, and stripping isotherms are also derived from the experimental results. The selectivity of the system against the presence of other metals (Cu(II), Ni(II), Bi(III), Sb(III)) are investigated, and also it is investigated the ability of Cyanex 923 to extract As(V) and sulphuric acid against the use of other P=O based solvation reagents, such dibutyl butylphosphonate (DBBP) and tri-butyl phosphate (TBP).

Bark stripping by the Bennett’s wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus rufogriseus) from the lower stems of 3–6-year-old radiata pine (Pinus radiata) causes significant damage in Tasmanian plantations. The usual diet of this generalist herbivore is mainly grasses and broadleaved forbs. As the factors that attract wallabies to supplement its diet by eating the bark of plantation pine trees are currently not elucidated, the present study aimed to determine how the incidence and severity of bark damage in 12 Tasmanian radiata pine plantations was influenced by various inter-site factors such as the floristic composition of the surrounding forest and by various intra-site factors such as the height and circumference of individual trees, the number of branches in the first two whorls at the base of the tree, and their internode lengths. Site differences in the observed percentage of bark stripping were found to be related to ‘ease of access’ variables such as bare ground, bracken, and moss, ‘hindrance to access’ variables such as rock and woody debris, and the percentage of grass, the wallaby’s main food source, present in the five plots at each site. The difference between the mean minimum soil and air temperatures in spring, a driving force for carbohydrate production that occurs with tree growth in spring or early summer, was the only meteorological observation at the sites that was found to be statistically significant. Nevertheless, there was no direct evidence that it was the movement of sugars in the phloem tissue accompanying tree growth which provided wallabies with a supplementary food source.

We investigate the impact of incoming nuclear data on the predictions of the neutron star (NS) stripping model for short gamma-ray bursts. The main area to which we pay attention is the NS crust. We show that the uncertain properties of the NS equation of state can significantly influence the stripping time tstr, the main dynamical parameter of the model. Based on the known time delay (tstr≈1.7s) between the peak of the gravitational wave signal GW170817 and the detection of gamma photons from GRB170817A, we obtain new restrictions on the nuclear matter parameters, in particular, the symmetry energy slope parameter: L<114.5MeV. In addition, we study the process of nucleosynthesis in the outer and inner crusts of a low-mass NS. We show that the nucleosynthesis is strongly influenced by both the incoming nuclear data and the equation of state of the NS matter.

In recent years, the use of solid waste fillers to partially replace natural fillers in asphalt mixtures to produce high-performance asphalt mixtures has received widespread attention. However, differences in the material properties of solid waste fillers remain a problem for this recycling method. To address this issue, limestone powder in asphalt mixtures was replaced by three solid waste fillers (steel slag powder, tailings powder and calcium carbide slag powder) in this study. The chemical composition of the fillers was first characterized to assess the homogeneity of the material. Then, AC and SMA asphalt mixtures were designed and produced and characterized for wet stability. The results showed that asphalt mixtures with solid waste fillers were superior to LP asphalt mixtures in terms of resistance to water damage, and steel slag powder showed the best improvement in moisture stability of asphalt mixtures. The optimum substitution of solid waste filler for limestone filler was 25%. In addition, the moisture stability of asphalt mixture with limestone filler was significantly improved with the addition of anti-stripping agents. In contrast, the moisture stability of asphalt mixtures with solid waste filler was slightly improved. Solid waste fillers could be used in asphalt mixtures and have a similar function as the anti-stripping agent. In summary, the use of solid waste fillers to replace mineral fillers in asphalt mixtures is a reliable, value-added, recycling option.

Although carbon (C) efflux from soils treated with organic wastes was widely covered in temperate and cold regions, still such data is not sufficient from arid and semi-arid regions. Saudi Arabia produces more than 335,000 tons/year of cow manure (CM), this CM either left as raw manure or being composted. The application of high C/N amendments is expected to increase soil organic carbon and reduce CO₂ fluxes. A 90-day incubation experiment was conducted to study CO₂ efflux, organic C microbial biomass C, available NH₄+and NO₃-when added to agricultural soil. Six manure types were added: cow manure, cow manure compost, cow manure biochar, cow manure stripped ammonia at pH 12 with a temperature of 95oC, cow manure stripped ammonia at pH 9 with a temperature of 95oC and control. The application of CM resulted in a considerable increase in soil available nitrogen, CO₂ efflux compared to other treatments. Cow manure biochar showed the lowest CO₂ efflux. Cumulative CO₂ effluxes of cow manure effluents were lower than CM this possibly due to the relatively high C:N ratio of manure effluent. The content of, P, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn were decreased as incubation time increased. microbial biomass C of cow manure stripped ammonia at pH 12 with a temperature of 95oC were increased at 7 and 60 days illustrating to temperature effect on the decomposing of manure materials.

In this work, unmodified screen-printed electrode (bare SPE) and Sb-film modified SPE (SbFSPE) sensors were employed for the analysis of trace amounts of Pb(II) in non-deaerated water solutions. The modified electrode was performed in situ in 0.5 mg/L Sb(III) and 0.01 M HCl. The methodology was validated for an accumulation potential of –1.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl and an accumulation time of 60 s. A comparative analysis of bare SPE and SbFSPE showed that the detection and quantification limits decrease for the bare SPE. The method with the bare SPE showed a linear response in the 69.8–368.4 µg/L concentration range, whereas linearity for the SbFSPE was in the 24.0–319.1 µg/L concentration range. This work also reports the reason why the multiple standard addition method instead of a linear calibration curve for Pb(II) analysis should be employed. Furthermore, the analytical method employing SbFSPE was found to be more accurate and precise compared to the use of bare SPE when sensors were employed for the first time, however this performance changed significantly when these sensors were reused in the same manner. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used for the first time to analyse the electrochemical response of sensors after being used for multiple successive analyses. Surface characterisation before and after multiple successive uses of bare SPE and SbFSPE sensors, with atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy, showed sensor degradation. The interference effect of Cd(II), Zn(II), As(III), Fe(II), Na(I), K(I), Ca(II), Mg(II), NO₃^– Bi(III), Cu(II), Sn(II), and Hg(II) on the Pb(II) stripping signal was also studied. Finally, the application of SbFSPE was tested on a real water sample (from a local river), which showed high precision (RSD = 8.1%, n = 5) and accurate results.

The foraging behavior of ruminating ungulates significantly impacts forest ecosystems due to their nutritional requirements. This study focuses on inter-specific comparisons of bark browsing (stripping) between Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). Field measurements were conducted at the previously established research-demonstration site "Husárik" in the Javorníky Mountains, north-western Slovakia. We didn’t only measure the sizes of wounds on stems but also assessed the dimensions of unrecovered parts of wounds, subsequently calculating areas of recovered bark patches. Then, the total areas of wounds, recovered patches, and unrecovered parts were determined. Additionally, the percentages of wound areas, recovered areas, and unrecovered areas were expressed as their proportions to the total bark surface. Influencing factors such as the position of wounds along the vertical stem profile and stem diameter class were analyzed using two- and three-way ANOVA followed by Fisher's LSD test. The results demonstrate the susceptibility of both tree species to bark browsing by ruminating ungulates, primarily red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) in our study site. Douglas fir exhibited slightly less intense browsing compared to silver fir, while silver fir had a slightly higher recovery rate. Specifically, 17.0% of the bark surface in Douglas fir and 21.5% in silver fir were browsed. The proportions of recovered areas on wounds were 62.5% and 69.6% in Douglas fir and silver fir, respectively. Regarding the vertical stem profile, the most intense browsing occurred at a height of 101-125 cm from the ground level, with rates of 40.7% in Douglas fir and 47.0% in silver fir. Browsing intensity showed negligible variation among diameter classes, which were classified as up to 35 mm, 35-50 mm, and over 50 mm. Our findings suggest that, as an introduced species, Douglas fir is not any suitable substitute for other commercially significant tree species in European countries where ruminating ungulates are overabundant.

Techniques of stripping voltammetry (SV) determination of silver and gold in pyrites and carbonaceous matter were developed. The problem of quantitative transfer of the sample into the solution was solved. For this purpose, the ore matrix of carbonaceous shales was decomposed by mineral acids in autoclaves at high pressures. The element to be determined from the sample matrix was separated by extraction. Ag(I) ions from the solutions were extracted in the form of dithizonate complex in CCl₄. Au(III) ions were extracted by diethyl ether. The extracts were decomposed thermally. The dry residue was dissolved in the background electrolyte, and the element was determined by the SV method. The graphite electrode (GE) impregnated with polyethylene was used as a working electrode in SV–determination of silver. SV–determination of gold was carried out using GE modified by bismuth. The limits of detection (LOD) of Ag(I) and Au(III) contents were equal to 0.016 mg L^-1 and 0.0086 mg L^-1, respectively. The results of SV-determination of gold and silver in standard samples, pyrites and carbonaceous shales were presented. The silver content in the pyrite was 13.6 g t^-1, in carbon shale—0.34 g t^-1. The concentration of gold in the pyrite ore zone "Kirovsko–Kryklinskaya" was 1.15 g t^-1; in carbonaceous shales—2.66 g t^-1. The obtained data were consistent with the data of atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP—MS). The error of determination of elements by stripping voltammetry was calculated when determining the silver content of 10...6 g t^-1 in pyrite and carbonaceous material, which was less than 12%, and when determining the gold content of 1...3 g t^{- 1} in pyrite and carbonaceous matter, which was less than 23%.

A gold nanostructured film modified glassy carbon electrode (Au_film/GCE) was developed for the determination of chromium (VI) in water sample. GCE was immersed into HAuCl₄ solution (10^-3M) and electrodeposition of thin gold layer was conducted at –0.4 V (vs Ag/AgCl) for 10 min. The strong affinity between Au and Cr species resulted with increasing of Cr (VI) signal, compared with the bare glassy carbon electrode. The electrodepositing time, type of supporting electrolyte, pH, the scan rate, modulation amplitude, and modulation time were optimized using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DP-ASV). The calibration graph using accumulation time of 120 s was linear from 10 to 120 µgL^-1 with a sensitivity 1.3 x 10^-2 µA/µgL^-1. Under optimum experimental conditions, a good correlation coefficient R²=0.9971, and a low detection limit 5.5 µg/L Cr (VI) was obtained. The signal was reproducible with a relative standard deviation ±4.5 %. The developed Au_film/GCE sensor was applied for the Cr (VI) determination of in sewage water samples.

The current study assessed the influence of Anti Stripping Agents (ASA), Ground Tire Rubber (GTR) and waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) on performance behavior of binder and Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) mixtures. Through this paper, the 85/100 penetration grade bitumen was utilized as original bitumen. Also, three liquid ASA’s (ASA (A), ASA (B), ASA (C)) were used as a mixture modifier. For this purpose, softening point, penetration, rotational viscosity, Dynamic Shear Rheometer, Multi Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR) and Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) tests were implemented to investigate the rheological properties of modified bitumen. For evaluating the behavior of modified mixtures several tests such as; Resilient Modulus, Tensile Strength, dynamic creep, wheel track and four-point beam fatigue tests were implemented. Based on MSCR test results, utilization of mentioned polymers enhanced the elasticity of bitumens and therefore the permanent deformation resistance of binders increases. Also by the addition of PET percentage, the rutting resistance improves. Results indicated that utilization of ASAs, PET and Crumb Rubber (CR) enhance the Resilient Modulus (Mr), Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS), rutting resistance, fatigue life and Fracture Energy (FE) of asphalt mixtures. Also based on results, modification of binder by PET/CR with a ratio of 50%/50% and ASA (B) have the highest fatigue life which indicates that this mixture has highest resistance against fatigue cracking.

The screen-printed carbon nanofibers electrodes (SPCNFE) represent an alternative with great acceptance due to their results, as well as their low impact for the environment. In order to improve their performance, in the present work they were modified with silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and electrochemically characterized by using anodic stripping voltammetry. From the Ag-NPs synthesis, silver seeds (Ag-NS) and silver nanoprisms (Ag-NPr) were obtained. The Ag-NPs formation was confirmed by micrographs where Ag-NPs with diameters of 12.20±0.04 nm for Ag-NS, and 20.40±0.09 nm for Ag-NPr were observed. The electrodes were modified by using three different deposition methods: drop-casting, spin-coating and in-situ approaches. It was observed that the last methodology showed a low amount of Ag-NS deposited on the electrode surface and a deep alteration of this surface. Those facts suggested that the in situ synthesis methodology were not appropriate for the determination of heavy metals and it was discarded. The incorporation of the nanoparticles by spin-coating and drop-casting strategies showed different spatial distribution on the electrode surface as proved by scanning electron microscopy. The electrodes modified by these strategies, were evaluated for the cadmium(II) and lead(II) detection using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, obtaining detection limit values of 2.1 and 2.8 µg L^-1, respectively. The overall results showed that the incorporation route does not change directly the electrocatalytic effect of the nanoparticles, but the shape of these nanoparticles (spherical for seeds and triangular for prisms) has a preferential electrocatalytical enhancement over Cd(II) or Pb(II).