Experimental investigation of soil and groundwater impacts caused by vinasse disposal

The problems caused by the residual effluents of wine distilleries for alcohol production are well known. The effluent effects in soil and groundwater are being researched in an area with sugar cane culture which receives, yearly, vinasse by dispersion. Samples are being collected from the soil, the groundwater and the existing creeks in the area. Four sub-areas are being monitored separately with a vinasse application of 300 m 3/ha year. Experimentation periods in each area have been 0, 5, 10 and 15 years. In the unsaturated zone, samples are being collected at depths of 25, 75 and 150 cm. The chemical analyses include macro and micro nutrients, organic matter and pH. Physical analyses give the soil water retention, hydraulic conductivity and soil particle distribution. These measurements permit the evaluation of nitrogen absorption and fertility changes of the soil. A tendency for the maintenance of soil fertility can be observed but with an elevation of nitrate concentration in groundwater.

Desenvolvimento de nova embalagem para comercialização, transporte e liberação do parasitoide Cotesia flavipes (Cameron, 1891) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Entomologia Agrícola) - FCAV

Utilization of Spirillum volutans for monitoring the toxicity of effluents of a cellulose and paper industry

The motility of Spirillum volutans was used for monitoring the toxicity of effluents of a cellulose and paper industry. Results indicated that there was no correlation between organic content and the toxic effects of the residues in the effluents. The effluents from the chlorination step and from the sludge ponds presented the highest toxicity. on the other hand, the final effluent from the biological treatment basin had no toxic agent. This bioassay showed to be a simple and reliable technique that can be used for adequately monitoring the toxicity of effluents.

Alternative procedure for the cold test for soybean seeds

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Biodegradation of Coir and Sisal Applied in the Automotive Industry

This paper discusses the results of biodegradability tests of natural fibers used by the automotive industry, namely: coir, coir with latex, and sisal. The biodegradation of coir, coir with latex, and of sisal fibers was determined by monitoring the production of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) (IBAMA-E.1.1.2, 1988) and fungal growth (DIN 53739, 1984). The contents of total extractives, lignin, holocellulose, ashes, carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen of the fibers under study were determined in order to ascertain their actual content and to understand the results of the biodegradation tests. The production of CO(2) indicated low biodegradation, i.e., about 10% in mass, for all the materials after 45 days of testing; in other words, no material inhibited glucose degradation. However, the percentage of sisal fiber degradation was fourfold higher than that of coir with latex in the same period of aging. The fungal growth test showed a higher growth rate on sisal fibers, followed by coir without latex. In the case of coir with latex, we believe the fungal growth was not intense, because natural latex produces a bactericide or fungicide for its preservation during bleeding [1]. An evaluation of the materials after 90 days of aging tests revealed breaking of the fibers, particularly sisal and coir without latex, indicating fungal attack and biodegradation processes.

Hydrogen embrittlement in an AISI 1045 steel component of the sugarcane industry

This paper will present a failure analysis of a chain component, manufactured with AISI 1045 steel and used for sugarcane transport. During the fabrication process, this component is submitted to induction hardening, just on one surface, before the galvanizing process. The occurrence of surface cracks, during storage, disables the usage of these components. Chemical and metallographic analyses, tensile, fracture toughness, and hardness tests, and fractography were conducted in order to determine the causes of failure. The steel chemical composition was in accordance with AISI 1045. The metallographic analyses and fractography did not exhibit the presence of zinc into the cracks; this is an indication that the cracks occurred after the galvanizing process. Tensile and fracture toughness test results are as expected. The crack surface and the fracture toughness specimen surfaces showed two different fracture micromechanisms: dimples and intergranular. The delayed fracture associated with the predominance of intergranular fracture micromechanism at the induction hardened layer and the high hardness level is a clear indication of the hydrogen embrittlement. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Degradation of Acid Blue 40 dye solution and dye house wastewater from textile industry by photo-assisted electrochemical process

In this paper, electrochemical and photo-assisted electrochemical processes are used for color, total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) degradation of one of the most abundant and strongly colored industrial wastewaters, which results from the dyeing of fibers and fabrics in the textile industry. The experiments were carried out in an 18L pilot-scale tubular low reactor with 70% TiO2/30% RuO2 DSA. A synthetic acid blue 40 solution and real dye house wastewater, containing the same dye, were used for the experiments. By using current density of 80 mA cm(-2) electrochemical process has the capability to remove 80% of color, 46% of TOC and 69% of COD. When used the photochemical process with 4.6 mW cm(-2) of 254nm UV-C radiation to assist the electrolysis, has been obtained 90% of color, 64% of TOC and 60% of COD removal in 90 minutes of processing; furthermore, 70% of initial color was degraded within the first 15 minutes. Experimental runs using dye house wastewater resulted in 78% of color, 26% of TOC and 49% of COD in electrolysis at 80 mA cm(-2) and 90 min; additionally, when photo-assisted, electrolysis resulted in removals of 85% of color, 42% of TOC and 58% of COD. For the operational conditions used in this study, color, TOC and COD showed pseudo-first-order decaying profiles. Apparent rate constants for degradation of TOC and COD were improved by one order of magnitude when the photo-electrochemical process was used.

Comparative study of cogeneration systems in a chemical industry

With the large penetration of the natural gas into the Brazilian energy structure, industries such as paper mills and chemical plants are analyzing the feasibility of implementing cogeneration schemes appropriate to this fuel. The analysis of the energy demand patterns of a chemical company from the photographic sector revealed the possibility of using combined cycles or diesel engine cogeneration schemes keeping the existing compression refrigeration units and steam or gas cycle cogeneration systems with absorption refrigeration units. In terms of economic attractiveness, an analysis based on the method of the internal rate of return was performed. The results indicated that the schemes composed by reciprocating engines and combined cycle with compression chillers, as well as the gas cycle scheme with absorption chiller, present return periods of up to 3 years, showing that the investment in cogeneration could be of interest for this plant. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of fuel cell co-generation systems applied to a dairy industry

This paper presents a methodology for the study of a molten carbonate fuel cell co-generation system. This system is applied to a dairy industry of medium size that typically demands 2100 kW of electricity, 8500 kg/h of saturated steam (P = 1.08 MPa) and 2725 kW of cold water production. Depending on the associated recuperation equipment, the co-generation system permits the recovery of waste heat, which can be used for the production of steam, hot and cold water, hot and cold air. In this study, a comparison is made between two configurations of fuel cell co-generation systems (FCCS). The plant performance has been evaluated on the basis of fuel utilisation efficiency and each system component evaluated on the basis of second law efficiency. The energy analysis presented shows a fuel utilisation efficiency of about 87% and exergy analysis shows that the irreversibilities in the combustion chamber of the plant are significant. Further, the payback period estimated for the fuel cell investment between US$ 1000 and US$ 1500/k-W is about 3 and 6 years, respectively. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring the efficiency of outsourcing: An illustrative case study from the aerospace industry

Outsourcing is related to the action which an organization deals with its suppliers through a kind of business contract where a specific activity or service has been hired to be made. The outsourcing of some activities has become a common practice in the industry, nowadays. It reduces costs, significantly, in the production process and, at the same time, adds some values to the business organization. However it is necessary to measure the performance of these activities. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a non-parametric method useful to measure comparative performance. It has a wide range of applications measuring comparative efficiency. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a multiple criteria decision-making method that uses hierarchic structures to represent a decision problem and then develops priorities for the alternatives based on the decision-maker's judgments. This paper presents an integrated application based on DEA and AHP to evaluate the efficiency of subcontracted companies in a Brazilian aerospace factory. © 2007 Springer-Verlag London Limited.

A methodology and a tool to design of mixed-signal technology

This paper presents a tool box developed to read files describing a SIMULINK® model and translates it into a structural VHDL-AMS description. In translation process, all files and directory structures to simulate the translated model on SystemVision™ environment is generate. The tool box named MS2SV was tested by three models of commercially available digital-to-analogue converters. All models use the R2R ladder network to conversion, but the functionality of these three components is different. The methodology of conversion of the model is presents together with sort theory about R-2R ladder network. In the evaluation of the translated models, we used a sine waveform input signal and the waveform generated by D/A conversion process was compared by FFT analysis. The results show the viability of this type of approach. This work considers some of challenges set by the electronic industry for the further development of simulation methodologies and tools in the field of mixed-signal technology. © 2007 IEEE.

Application of Design of experiments on the simulation of a process in an automotive industry

The objective of this article is to apply the Design of experiments technique along with the Discrete Events Simulation technique in an automotive process. The benefits of the design of experiments in simulation include the possibility to improve the performance in the simulation process, avoiding trial and error to seek solutions. The methodology of the conjoint use of Design of Experiments and Computer Simulation is presented to assess the effects of the variables and its interactions involved in the process. In this paper, the efficacy of the use of process mapping and design of experiments on the phases of conception and analysis are confirmed. © 2007 IEEE.

Meta-heuristic approaches for a soft drink industry problem

The present paper evaluates meta-heuristic approaches to solve a soft drink industry problem. This problem is motivated by a real situation found in soft drink companies, where the lot sizing and scheduling of raw materials in tanks and products in lines must be simultaneously determined. Tabu search, threshold accepting and genetic algorithms are used as procedures to solve the problem at hand. The methods are evaluated with a set of instance already available for this problem. This paper also proposes a new set of complex instances. The computational results comparing these approaches are reported. © 2008 IEEE.

A case study of concurrent engineering application on the development of parts for the white goods industry in Brazil

This classical way to manage product development processes for massive production seems to be changing: high pressure for cost reduction, higher quality standards, markets reaching for innovation lead to the necessity of new tools for development control. Into this, and learning from the automotive and aerospace industries factories from other segments are starting to understand and apply manufacturing and assembly oriented projects to ease the task of generate goods and from this obtain at least a part of the expected results. This paper is intended to demonstrate the applicability of the concepts of Concurrent Engineering and DFM/DFA (Design for Manufacturing and Assembly) in the development of products and parts for the White Goods industry in Brazil (major appliances as refrigerators, cookers and washing machines), showing one case concerning the development and releasing of a component. Finally is demonstrated in a short term how was reached a solution that could provide cost savings and reduction on the time to delivery using those techniques.

The infuence of production systems in postponement make-to-stock compagny in the graphic industry

The supply chain management, postponement and demand management operations are of strategic importance to the economic success of organizations because they directly influence the production process. The aim of this paper is to analyze the influence of the postponement in an enterprise production system with make-to-stock and with seasonal demand. The research method used was a case study, the instruments of data collection were semi-structured interviews, document analysis and site visits. The research is based on the following issues: Demand Management which can be understood as a practice that allows you to manage and coordinate the supply chain in reverse, in which consumers trigger actions for the delivery of products. The Supply Chain Management is able to allow the addition of value, exceeding the expectations of consumers, developing a relationship with suppliers and customer's win-win. The Postponement strategy must fit the characteristics of markets that require variety of customized products and services, lower cost and higher quality, aiming to support decision making. The production system make-to-stock shows enough interest to organizations that are operating in markets with high demand variability. © 2011 IEEE.