Secagem do resíduo industrial da acerola em leito de jorro: estudos fluidodinâmicos e análise do desempenho do secador

In this research, the drying process of acerola waste was investigated by using a spouted bed drier. The process was conducted using high density polyethylene inert particles with the objective of producing an ascorbic acid-rich final product. The fruit waste was ground and used to prepare different water-maltodextrin suspensions. Initially, fluidynamical experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the feeding effect on the spouted bed drier fluidynamics behavior. The experimental planning 23 + 3 was used to investigate the effect of the following variables: solids concentration, drying air temperature, intermittence time, production efficiency, solids retention and product losses by elutriation of fine particles on drier walls. The effect of selected independent variables on the drier stability was also evaluated based on a parameter defined as the ratio between the feed suspension volume and the total inert particles volume. Finally, the powder quality was verified in experiments with fixed feed flow and varying air drying temperature, drying air velocity and intermittence time. It was observed that the suspension interferes in the spouted bed drier fluidynamics behavior, and higher air flow is necessary to stabilize the drier. The suspension also promotes the expansion of the spouted bed diameter, decreases the solid circulation and favors the air distribution at the flush area. All variables interfere in the spouted bed performance, and the solids concentration has a major effect on the material retention and losses. The intermittence time also has great effect on the stability and material retention. When it comes to production efficiency, the main effect observed was the drying air temperature. First order models were well adjusted to retention and losses data. The acerola powder presented ascorbic acid levels around 600 to 700 mg/100g. Similar moisture and ascorbic acid levels were obtained for powders obtained by spouted bed and spray drier. However, the powder production efficiency of the spray drier was lower when compared to spouted bed drier. When it comes to energetic analysis, the spray drier process was superior. The results obtained for spouted bed drier are promising and highly dependent on the operational parameters chosen, but in general, it is inferred that this drying process is adequate for paste and suspension drying

Obtenção e caracterização de um compósito de matriz polimérica com carga de resíduos vegetal proveniente do sabugo de milho

The feasibility of using the corn cob to obtain a polymer matrix composite was studied. To obtain the bran, corncob passed the drying process in a solar dryer, and was subsequently triturated in forage and to obtain the different particle sizes, by sieving. Three different grain sizes were used: fine particles (FP) size between 0,10 and 2mm; sized particles (PM) with sizes between 2,10 and 3,35 mm; large particles (PG) sizes between 3,45 and 4,10 mm. Using 20% of residue relative to the resin, the test samples were constructed for characterization of the composite, taking into account thermal and mechanical parameters. The main advantage of the proposed composite is that it has a low density, below the relative resin, about 1.06 kg / m³ for the PG. The composite showed a mechanical behavior less than of the resin to the grain sizes and for all formulations studied. Showed better results for the bending, reaching 25.3 MPa for the PG. The composite also showed be feasible for thermal applications, with thermal conductivity less than 0.21 W / m, ranking as insulation. In terms of homogeneity of the mixture, the most viable grain size is the PF, which also showed improved aesthetics and better processability. This composite can be used to make structures that do not require significant mechanical strength, such as tables, chairs, planks, and solar and wind prototypes, such as ovens and cookers and turbines blades.

Obtenção e caracterização de um compósito de matriz polimérica com carga de resíduos vegetal proveniente do sabugo de milho

The feasibility of using the corn cob to obtain a polymer matrix composite was studied. To obtain the bran, corncob passed the drying process in a solar dryer, and was subsequently triturated in forage and to obtain the different particle sizes, by sieving. Three different grain sizes were used: fine particles (FP) size between 0,10 and 2mm; sized particles (PM) with sizes between 2,10 and 3,35 mm; large particles (PG) sizes between 3,45 and 4,10 mm. Using 20% of residue relative to the resin, the test samples were constructed for characterization of the composite, taking into account thermal and mechanical parameters. The main advantage of the proposed composite is that it has a low density, below the relative resin, about 1.06 kg / m³ for the PG. The composite showed a mechanical behavior less than of the resin to the grain sizes and for all formulations studied. Showed better results for the bending, reaching 25.3 MPa for the PG. The composite also showed be feasible for thermal applications, with thermal conductivity less than 0.21 W / m, ranking as insulation. In terms of homogeneity of the mixture, the most viable grain size is the PF, which also showed improved aesthetics and better processability. This composite can be used to make structures that do not require significant mechanical strength, such as tables, chairs, planks, and solar and wind prototypes, such as ovens and cookers and turbines blades.

Caracterização do material particulado e avaliação do risco ocupacional e mecanismos moleculares associados à queima artesanal da castanha de caju

Brazil is among the largest cashew nut producers of the world. However, the roasting process is still carried out artisanally, especially in the Brazilian semiarid region. In face of this occupational problem, the aim of this study was to perform a physical-chemical characterization of the particulate matter (PM) emitted by the roasting of cashew nuts, as well as to determine the occupational risk and molecular mechanisms associated. The most evident PM characteristics were the prevalence of fine particles, typical biomass burning morphologies such as tar ball and the presence of the elements K, Cl, S, Ca and Fe. In addition, atmospheric modeling analyses suggest that these particles can reach neighboring regions of the emission source. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with carcinogenic potential, such as benzo[a]pyrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene and benzo[j]fluoranthene were the most abundant PAHs found in the two air monitoring campaigns. Among the identified oxy-PAH the benzanthrone (7H-benz[d,e]anthracen-7-one) had the highest concentration and the evaluation of lifetime cancer risk showed an increase of 12 to 37 cases of cancer for every 10,000 exposed people. Chemical analysis of roasted cashew nuts identified the PAHs: phenanthrene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene, besides the 3-pentadecilfenol allergen (urushiol analogue) as prevalent. Occupational exposure to PAHs was confirmed by the increase of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels and genotoxic effects were evidenced by the increase on micronuclei and nuclear bud frequency in exfoliated buccal mucosa cells among the exposed workers. Other biomarkers of effects such as karyorrhexis, pyknotic, karyolytic, condensed chromatin and binucleated cells also have their frequencies increased when compared to an unexposed control group. The investigation of the molecular mechanisms associated with the PM organic extract showed cytotoxicity in human lung cell lines (A549) at concentrations ≥ 4 nM BaPeq. Using non-cytotoxic doses the extract was able to activate proteins involved in the DNA damage response pathway (Chk1 and p53). Moreover, the specific contribution of the four most representative PAHs in the cashew nut roasting sample showed that benzo[a]pyrene was the most efficient to activate Chk1 and p53. Finally, the organic extract was able to increase persistently the mRNA expression involved in the PAHs metabolism (CYP1A1 and CYP1B1), inflammatory response (IL-8 and TNF-α) and cell cycle arrest (CDKN1A) for DNA repair (DDB2). The high PM concentrations and its biological effects associated warn of the serious harmful effects of artisanal cashew nut roasting and urgent actions should be taken to the sustainable development of this activity.

Caracterização do material particulado e avaliação do risco ocupacional e mecanismos moleculares associados à queima artesanal da castanha de caju

Brazil is among the largest cashew nut producers of the world. However, the roasting process is still carried out artisanally, especially in the Brazilian semiarid region. In face of this occupational problem, the aim of this study was to perform a physical-chemical characterization of the particulate matter (PM) emitted by the roasting of cashew nuts, as well as to determine the occupational risk and molecular mechanisms associated. The most evident PM characteristics were the prevalence of fine particles, typical biomass burning morphologies such as tar ball and the presence of the elements K, Cl, S, Ca and Fe. In addition, atmospheric modeling analyses suggest that these particles can reach neighboring regions of the emission source. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with carcinogenic potential, such as benzo[a]pyrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene and benzo[j]fluoranthene were the most abundant PAHs found in the two air monitoring campaigns. Among the identified oxy-PAH the benzanthrone (7H-benz[d,e]anthracen-7-one) had the highest concentration and the evaluation of lifetime cancer risk showed an increase of 12 to 37 cases of cancer for every 10,000 exposed people. Chemical analysis of roasted cashew nuts identified the PAHs: phenanthrene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene, besides the 3-pentadecilfenol allergen (urushiol analogue) as prevalent. Occupational exposure to PAHs was confirmed by the increase of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels and genotoxic effects were evidenced by the increase on micronuclei and nuclear bud frequency in exfoliated buccal mucosa cells among the exposed workers. Other biomarkers of effects such as karyorrhexis, pyknotic, karyolytic, condensed chromatin and binucleated cells also have their frequencies increased when compared to an unexposed control group. The investigation of the molecular mechanisms associated with the PM organic extract showed cytotoxicity in human lung cell lines (A549) at concentrations ≥ 4 nM BaPeq. Using non-cytotoxic doses the extract was able to activate proteins involved in the DNA damage response pathway (Chk1 and p53). Moreover, the specific contribution of the four most representative PAHs in the cashew nut roasting sample showed that benzo[a]pyrene was the most efficient to activate Chk1 and p53. Finally, the organic extract was able to increase persistently the mRNA expression involved in the PAHs metabolism (CYP1A1 and CYP1B1), inflammatory response (IL-8 and TNF-α) and cell cycle arrest (CDKN1A) for DNA repair (DDB2). The high PM concentrations and its biological effects associated warn of the serious harmful effects of artisanal cashew nut roasting and urgent actions should be taken to the sustainable development of this activity.

Estudo da moagem de alta energia e sinterização de pós compósitos W-Cu

The Tungsten/copper composites are commonly used for electrical and thermal objectives like heat sinks and lectrical conductors, propitiating an excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. These properties are dependents of the composition, crystallite size and production process. The high energy milling of the powder of W-Cu produces an dispersion high and homogenization levels with crystallite size of W very small in the ductile Cu phase. This work discusses the effect of the HEM in preparation of the W-25Cu composite powders. Three techniques of powder preparation were utilized: milling the dry with powder of thick Cu, milling the dry with powder of fine Cu and milling the wet with powder of thick Cu. The form, size and composition of the particles of the powders milled were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to analyse the phases, lattice parameters, size and microstrain of the crystallite. The analyse of the crystalline structure of the W-25Cu powders milled made by Rietveld Method suggests the partial solid solubility of the constituent elements of the Cu in lattice of the W. This analyse shows too that the HEM produces the reduction high on the crystallite size and the increase in the lattice strain of both phases, this is more intense in the phase W

Caracterização de compósitos Nb-20%cu obtidos por moagem de alta energia e sinterizados por fase líquida

In this work, was studied the formation of a composite of the refractory metal niobium with copper, through the process of high-energy milling and liquid phase sintering. The HEM can be used to synthesize composite powders with high homogeneity and fine size particle distribution. It may also produce the solid solubility in immiscible systems such as Nb-Cu, or extend the solubility of systems with limited solubility. Therefore, in the immiscible system Cu-Nb, the high-energy milling was successfully used to obtain the composite powder particles. Initially, the formation of composite particles during the HEM and the effect of preparation technique on the microstructure of the material was evaluated. Four loads of Nb and Cu powders containing 20%wt Cu were synthesized by MAE in a planetary type ball mill under different periods of grinding. The influence of grinding time on the metal particles is evaluated during the process by the withdrawal of samples at intermediate times of milling. After compaction under different forces, the samples were sintered in a vacuum furnace. The liquid phase sintering of these samples prepared by HEM produced a homogeneous and fine grained. The composite particles forming the sintered samples are the addition of a hard phase (Nb) with a high melting point, and a ductile phase (Cu) with low melting point and high thermal and electrical conductivities. Based on these properties, the Nb-Cu system is a potential material for many applications, such as electrical contacts, welding electrodes, coils for generating high magnetic fields, heat sinks and microwave absorbers, which are coupled to electronic devices. The characterization techniques used in this study, were laser granulometry, used to evaluate the homogeneity and particle size, and the X-ray diffraction, in the phase identification and to analyze the crystalline structure of the powders during milling. The morphology and dispersion of the phases in the composite powder particles, as well the microstructures of the sintered samples, were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Subsequently, the sintered samples are evaluated for density and densification. And finally, they were characterized by techniques of measuring the electrical conductivity and microhardness, whose properties are analyzed as a function of the parameters for obtaining the composite

Desenvolvimento e caracterização de um compósito matriz metálica (CMM): aço EUROFER97 reforçado com Carbeto de Tântalo - TaC

Steel is an alloy EUROFER promising for use in nuclear reactors, or in applications where the material is subjected to temperatures up to 550 ° C due to their lower creep resistance under. One way to increase this property, so that the steel work at higher temperatures it is necessary to prevent sliding of its grain boundaries. Factors that influence this slip contours are the morphology of the grains, the angle and speed of the grain boundaries. This speed can be decreased in the presence of a dispersed phase in the material, provided it is fine and homogeneously distributed. In this context, this paper presents the development of a new material metal matrix composite (MMC) which has as starting materials as stainless steel EUROFER 97, and two different kinds of tantalum carbide - TaC, one with average crystallite sizes 13.78 nm synthesized in UFRN and another with 40.66 nm supplied by Aldrich. In order to improve the mechanical properties of metal matrix was added by powder metallurgy, nano-sized particles of the two types of TaC. This paper discusses the effect of dispersion of carbides in the microstructure of sintered parts. Pure steel powders with the addition of 3% TaC UFRN and 3% TaC commercial respectively, were ground in grinding times following: a) 5 hours in the planetary mill for all post b) 8 hours of grinding in the mill Planetary only for steel TaC powders of commercial and c) 24 hours in the conventional ball mill mixing the pure steel milled for 5 hours in the planetary mill with 3% TaC commercial. Each of the resulting particulate samples were cold compacted under a uniaxial pressure of 600MPa, on a cylindrical matrix of 5 mm diameter. Subsequently, the compressed were sintered in a vacuum furnace at temperatures of 1150 to 1250 ° C with an increment of 20 ° C and 10 ° C per minute and maintained at these isotherms for 30, 60 and 120 minutes and cooled to room temperature. The distribution, size and dispersion of steel and composite particles were determined by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy followed by chemical analysis (EDS). The structures of the sintered bodies were observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron accompanied by EDS beyond the x-ray diffraction. Initial studies sintering the obtained steel EUROFER 97 a positive reply in relation to improvement of the mechanical properties independent of the processing, because it is obtained with sintered microhardness values close to and even greater than 100% of the value obtained for the HV 333.2 pure steel as received in the form of a bar

Caracterização ambiental de bancos areno-lamosos nos campos petrolíferos de Macau e Serra (RN), como subsídio às medidas mitigadoras ao processo erosivo

On Rio Grande do Norte northern coast the process of sediment transport are intensely controlled by wind and sea (waves and currents) action, causing erosion and shoreline morphological instability. Due to the importance of such coastal zone it was realized the multi-spectral mapping and physical-chemical characterization of mudflats and mangroves aiming to support the mitigating actions related to the containment of the erosive process on the oil fields of Macau and Serra installed at the study area. The multi-spectral bands of 2000 and 2008 LANDSAT 5 TM images were submitted on the several digital processing steps and RGB color compositions integrating spectral bands and Principal Components. Such processing methodology was important to the mapping of different units on surface, together with field works. It was possible to make an analogy of the spectral characteristics of wetlands with vegetations areas (mangrove), showing the possibility to make a restoration of this area, contributing with the environmental monitoring of that ecosystem. The maps of several units were integrated in GIS environment at 1:60,000 scale, including the classification of features according to the presence or absence of vegetation cover. Thus, the strategy of methodology established that there are 10.13 km2 at least of sandy-muddy and of these approximately 0.89 km2 with the possibility to be used in a reforestation of typical flora of mangrove. The physical-chemical characterization showed areas with potential to introduce local species of mangrove and they had a pH above neutral with a mean of 8.4. The characteristic particle size is sand in the fine fractions, the high levels of carbonate, organic matter and major and trace element in general are concentrated where the sediment had the less particles size, showing the high correlation that those elements have with smaller particles of sediment. The application of that methodological strategy is relevant to the better understanding of features behavior and physical-chemical data of sediment samples collected on field allow the analysis of efficiency/capability of sandy-muddy to reforestation with local mangrove species for mitigation of the erosive action and coastal processes on the areas occupied by the oil industry

Análise do efeito do tempo da moagem de alta energia no tamanho de cristalito e microdeformação da rede cristalina do WC-Co

Hard metals are the composite developed in 1923 by Karl Schröter, with wide application because high hardness, wear resistance and toughness. It is compound by a brittle phase WC and a ductile phase Co. Mechanical properties of hardmetals are strongly dependent on the microstructure of the WC Co, and additionally affected by the microstructure of WC powders before sintering. An important feature is that the toughness and the hardness increase simultaneously with the refining of WC. Therefore, development of nanostructured WC Co hardmetal has been extensively studied. There are many methods to manufacture WC-Co hard metals, including spraying conversion process, co-precipitation, displacement reaction process, mechanochemical synthesis and high energy ball milling. High energy ball milling is a simple and efficient way of manufacturing the fine powder with nanostructure. In this process, the continuous impacts on the powders promote pronounced changes and the brittle phase is refined until nanometric scale, bring into ductile matrix, and this ductile phase is deformed, re-welded and hardened. The goal of this work was investigate the effects of highenergy milling time in the micro structural changes in the WC-Co particulate composite, particularly in the refinement of the crystallite size and lattice strain. The starting powders were WC (average particle size D50 0.87 μm) supplied by Wolfram, Berglau-u. Hutten - GMBH and Co (average particle size D50 0.93 μm) supplied by H.C.Starck. Mixing 90% WC and 10% Co in planetary ball milling at 2, 10, 20, 50, 70, 100 and 150 hours, BPR 15:1, 400 rpm. The starting powders and the milled particulate composite samples were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to identify phases and morphology. The crystallite size and lattice strain were measured by Rietveld s method. This procedure allowed obtaining more precise information about the influence of each one in the microstructure. The results show that high energy milling is efficient manufacturing process of WC-Co composite, and the milling time have great influence in the microstructure of the final particles, crushing and dispersing the finely WC nanometric order in the Co particles