A Produção mais Limpa como ferramenta em busca da sustentabilidade empresarial: um estudo de múltiplos casos em empresas do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

This study aimed to assess the Cleaner Production CP as corporate sustainable tool, through the multiple case studies within companies from Rio Grande do Norte State. In order to achieve this goal a research methodology approach was set. The initial stage of the research methodology was based on a literature review on which it was observed that the CP can be linked with corporate sustainable once it prevents pollution and reduces the operational risks among employees, community and environment. In addition, CP can useful for companies position within competitive position as well as being applied to process, products and services. In order to observe these factors, CP was used within food industry (Company 1), textile industry (Company 2) and in a car dealer (Company 3). Regarding the results, Company 1 changed its raw material as well as implementing housekeeping (control use of water, energy and condensed milk). In Company 2, it was observed the three levels of CP. In other words, housekeeping (e.g. cutting process and manipulation of chemical products), changing technology (high pressure washing machine) and internal and external recycling. In addition, Company 3 considered only level 3 external recycling. As consequence, it was observed that can be applied either within industry as well as service sector. Unfortunately, it was not possible to observe any social gains on a monetary basis. This is due to limitations of the CP methodology and study complexity. Therefore, it was observed improvements regarding to social, environmental and economic areas. Nevertheless, it is necessary more commitment from top level management in order to consider CP like effective sustainable tool

Utilização de microemulsões como agentes modificadores de superfícies para remoção de íons metálicos

The heavy metals are used in many industrial processes and when discharged to the environment can cause harmful effects to human, plants and animals. The adsorption technology has been used as an effective methodology to remove metallic ions. The search for new adsorbents motivated the development of this research, accomplished with the purpose of removing Cr (III) from aqueous solutions. Diatomite, chitosan, Filtrol 24TM and active carbon were used as adsorbents. To modify the adsorbent surface was used a bicontinuous microemulsion composed by water (25%), kerosene (25%), saponified coconut oil (10%) and as co-surfactant isoamyl or butyl alcohols (40%). With the objective of developing the best operational conditions the research started with the surfactant synthesis and after that the pseudo-ternary diagrams were plotted. It was decided to use the system composed with isoamyl alcohol as co-surfactant due its smallest solubility in water. The methodology to impregnate the microemulsion on the adsorbents was developed and to prepare each sample was used 10 g of adsorbent and 20 mL of microemulsion. The effect of drying time and temperature was evaluated and the best results were obtained with T = 65 ºC and t = 48 h. After evaluating the efficiency of the tested adsorbents it was decided to use chitosan and diatomite. The influence of the agitation speed, granule size, heavy metal synthetic solution concentration, pH, contact time between adsorbent and metal solution, presence or not of NaCl and others metallic ions in the solution (copper and nickel) were evaluated. The adsorption isotherms were obtained and Freundlich and Langmuir models were tested. The last one correlated better the data. With the purpose to evaluate if using a surfactant solution would supply similar results, the adsorbent surface was modified with this solution. It was verified that the adsorbent impregnated with a microemulsion was more effective than the one with a surfactant solution, showing that the organic phase (kerosene) was important in the heavy metal removal process. It was studied the desorption process and verified that the concentrated minerals acids removed the chromium from the adsorbent surface better than others tested solutions. The treatment showed to be effective, being obtained an increase of approximately 10% in the chitosan s adsorption capacity (132 mg of Cr3+ / g adsorbent), that was already quite efficient, and for diatomite, that was not capable to remove the metal without the microemulsion treatment, it was obtained a capacity of 10 mg of Cr3+ / g adsorbent, checking the applied treatment effectiveness

Remoção de metais utilizando o hexadecanoato de sódio

Industrial activities like mining, electroplating and the oil extraction process, are increasing the levels of heavy metals such as Cu, Fe, Mg and Cd in aquatic ecosystems. This increase is related to the discharge of effluents containing trace of this elements above the maximum allowed by law. Methods such as ion exchange, membrane filtration and chemical precipitation have been studied as a means of treatment of these metals contamination. The precipitation of metals using anionic surfactants derived from carboxylic acids emerged as an alternative for the removal of metals from industrial effluents. The reaction between bivalent ions and these types of surfactants in aqueous solution leads to the formation of metal carboxylates, which can precipitate in the form of flakes and are subsequently removed by a process of decantation or simple filtration. In this work the metals extraction is performed by using the surfactant sodium hexadecanoate as extracting agent. The main purpose was to study the effect of temperature, solution pH, and concentration of surfactant in the metal removal process. The statistical design of the process showed that the process is directly dependent to changes in pH and concentration of surfactant, but inversely proportional and somewhat dependent to temperature variation, with the latter effect being considered negligible in most cases. The individual study of the effect of temperature showed a strong dependence of the process with the Kraft point, both for the surfactant used as extracting agent, as for the surfactant obtained after the reaction of this surfactant with the metal. From data of temperatures and concentrations of the surfactant was possible to calculate the equilibrium constant for the reaction between sodium hexadecanoate and copper ions. Later, thermodynamic parameters were determined, showing that the process is exothermic and spontaneous.

Fresamento com ar quente: uma proposta para minimizar a formação de trincas térmicas em ferramentas de metal duro

This work presents the results, analyses and conclusions about a study carried out with objective of minimizing the thermal cracks formation on cemented carbide inserts during face milling. The main focus of investigation was based on the observation that milling process is an interrupted machining process, which imposes cyclic thermal loads to the cutting tool, causing frequent stresses changes in its superficial and sub-superficial layers. These characteristics cause the formation of perpendicular cracks from cutting edge which aid the cutting tool wear, reducing its life. Several works on this subject emphasizing the thermal cyclic behavior imposed by the milling process as the main responsible for thermal cracks formation have been published. In these cases, the phenomenon appears as a consequence of the difference in temperature experienced by the cutting tool with each rotation of the cutter, usually defined as the difference between the temperatures in the cutting tool wedge at the end of the cutting and idle periods (T factor). Thus, a technique to minimize this cyclic behavior with objective of transforming the milling in an almost-continuous process in terms of temperature was proposed. In this case, a hot air stream was applied into the idle period, during the machining process. This procedure aimed to minimize the T factor. This technique was applied using three values of temperature from the hot air stream (100, 350 e 580 oC) with no cutting fluid (dry condition) and with cutting fluid mist (wet condition) using the hot air stream at 580oC. Besides, trials at room temperature were carried out. Afterwards the inserts were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope, where the quantity of thermal cracks generated in each condition, the wear and others damages was analyzed. In a general way, it was found that the heating of the idle period was positive for reducing the number of thermal cracks during face milling with cemented carbide inserts. Further, the cutting fluid mist application was effective in reducing the wear of the cutting tools.

Simulação computacional de medidas estereológicas em estruturas de metal duro (WC-Co)

This work focuses on the creation and applications of a dynamic simulation software in order to study the hard metal structure (WC-Co). The technological ground used to increase the GPU hardware capacity was Geforce 9600 GT along with the PhysX chip created to make games more realistic. The software simulates the three-dimensional carbide structure to the shape of a cubic box where tungsten carbide (WC) are modeled as triangular prisms and truncated triangular prisms. The program was proven effective regarding checking testes, ranging from calculations of parameter measures such as the capacity to increase the number of particles simulated dynamically. It was possible to make an investigation of both the mean parameters and distributions stereological parameters used to characterize the carbide structure through cutting plans. Grounded on the cutting plans concerning the analyzed structures, we have investigated the linear intercepts, the intercepts to the area, and the perimeter section of the intercepted grains as well as the binder phase to the structure by calculating the mean value and distribution of the free path. As literature shows almost consensually that the distribution of the linear intercepts is lognormal, this suggests that the grain distribution is also lognormal. Thus, a routine was developed regarding the program which made possible a more detailed research on this issue. We have observed that it is possible, under certain values for the parameters which define the shape and size of the Prismatic grain to find out the distribution to the linear intercepts that approach the lognormal shape. Regarding a number of developed simulations, we have observed that the distribution curves of the linear and area intercepts as well as the perimeter section are consistent with studies on static computer simulation to these parameters.

Estudo da molhabilidade de ligas de adição à base de prata sobre insertos cerâmicos para aplicação em brocas perfuração de poços de petróleo

Metal-ceramic interfaces are present in tricone drill bits with hard ceramic inserts for oil well drilling operations. The combination of actions of cutting, crushing and breaking up of rocks results in the degradation of tricone drill bits by wear, total or partial rupture of the drill bit body or the ceramic inserts, thermal shock and corrosion. Also the improper pressfitting of the ceramic inserts on the bit body may cause its total detachment, and promote serious damages to the drill bit. The improvement on the production process of metal-ceramic interfaces can eliminate or minimize some of above-mentioned failures presented in tricone drill bits, optimizing their lifetime and so reducing drilling metric cost. Brazing is a widely established technique to join metal-ceramic materials, and may be an excellent alternative to the common mechanical press fitting process of hard ceramic inserts on the steel bit body for tricone drill bit. Wetting phenomena plays an essential role in the production of metal/ceramic interfaces when a liquid phase is present in the process. In this work, 72Silver-28Copper eutectic based brazing alloys were melted onto zirconia, silicon nitride and tungsten carbide/Co substrates under high vacuum. Contact angle evolution was measured and graphically plotted, and the interfaces produced were analysed by SEM-EDX. The AgCu eutectic alloy did not wet any ceramic substrates, showing high contact angles, and so without chemical interaction between the materials. Better results were found for the systemns containing 3%wt of titanium in the AgCu alloy. The presence os titanium as a solute in the alloy produces wettable cand termodinamically stable compounds, increasing the ceramics wetting beahviour

Utilização do éster de soja como biolubrificante

The lubricants found in the market are of mineral or synthetic origin and harm to humans and the environment, mainly due to their improper discard. Therefore industries are seeking to develop products that cause less environmental impact, so to decrease mainly, operator aggression the Cutting Fluids became an emulsion of oil / water or water / oil. However, the emulsion was not considered the most suitable solution for environmental question, therefore the search for biodegradable lubricants and which no are toxic continues and so vegetable oils are seen, again, as a basis for the production of lubricants. The biggest problem with these oils is their oxidative instability that is intensified when working at high temperatures. The process transesterification decreases the oxidation, however changes some physical and chemical properties. Therefore soybean oil after the transesterification process was subjected to tests of density, dynamic viscosity, kinematic viscosity which is calculated from two parameters mentioned, flash point and acidity. Besides the physico-chemical test the soybean oil was subjected to a dynamic test in a tribometer adapted from a table vise, whose induced wear was the adhesive and ultimately was used as cutting fluid in a process of turning in two different materials, steel 1045 and cast iron. This latter test presented results below the mineral cutting fluid which it was compared in all tests, already in other experiments the result was satisfactory and other experiments not, so that chemical additives can be added to the oil analyzed to try equate all parameters and so formulate a biolubrificante not toxic to apply in machining processes of metalworking industry

Simulação computacional de medidas estereológicas em estruturas de metal duro (WC-Co)

This work focuses on the creation and applications of a dynamic simulation software in order to study the hard metal structure (WC-Co). The technological ground used to increase the GPU hardware capacity was Geforce 9600 GT along with the PhysX chip created to make games more realistic. The software simulates the three-dimensional carbide structure to the shape of a cubic box where tungsten carbide (WC) are modeled as triangular prisms and truncated triangular prisms. The program was proven effective regarding checking testes, ranging from calculations of parameter measures such as the capacity to increase the number of particles simulated dynamically. It was possible to make an investigation of both the mean parameters and distributions stereological parameters used to characterize the carbide structure through cutting plans. Grounded on the cutting plans concerning the analyzed structures, we have investigated the linear intercepts, the intercepts to the area, and the perimeter section of the intercepted grains as well as the binder phase to the structure by calculating the mean value and distribution of the free path. As literature shows almost consensually that the distribution of the linear intercepts is lognormal, this suggests that the grain distribution is also lognormal. Thus, a routine was developed regarding the program which made possible a more detailed research on this issue. We have observed that it is possible, under certain values for the parameters which define the shape and size of the Prismatic grain to find out the distribution to the linear intercepts that approach the lognormal shape. Regarding a number of developed simulations, we have observed that the distribution curves of the linear and area intercepts as well as the perimeter section are consistent with studies on static computer simulation to these parameters.

Estudo da molhabilidade de ligas de adição à base de prata sobre insertos cerâmicos para aplicação em brocas perfuração de poços de petróleo

Metal-ceramic interfaces are present in tricone drill bits with hard ceramic inserts for oil well drilling operations. The combination of actions of cutting, crushing and breaking up of rocks results in the degradation of tricone drill bits by wear, total or partial rupture of the drill bit body or the ceramic inserts, thermal shock and corrosion. Also the improper pressfitting of the ceramic inserts on the bit body may cause its total detachment, and promote serious damages to the drill bit. The improvement on the production process of metal-ceramic interfaces can eliminate or minimize some of above-mentioned failures presented in tricone drill bits, optimizing their lifetime and so reducing drilling metric cost. Brazing is a widely established technique to join metal-ceramic materials, and may be an excellent alternative to the common mechanical press fitting process of hard ceramic inserts on the steel bit body for tricone drill bit. Wetting phenomena plays an essential role in the production of metal/ceramic interfaces when a liquid phase is present in the process. In this work, 72Silver-28Copper eutectic based brazing alloys were melted onto zirconia, silicon nitride and tungsten carbide/Co substrates under high vacuum. Contact angle evolution was measured and graphically plotted, and the interfaces produced were analysed by SEM-EDX. The AgCu eutectic alloy did not wet any ceramic substrates, showing high contact angles, and so without chemical interaction between the materials. Better results were found for the systemns containing 3%wt of titanium in the AgCu alloy. The presence os titanium as a solute in the alloy produces wettable cand termodinamically stable compounds, increasing the ceramics wetting beahviour