The characteristics of a test liquid formulation for use in evaluating the performance of handling and metering systems

Injection metering systems are an important option for the development of pesticide application equipment, with advantages relating to minimising the need for disposal of unused pesticide, improving the ease of cleaning and optimising the accuracy of chemical application. For all injection systems, characteristics such as the steady-state accuracy of delivered dose, dose stability and the time response for dose step changes are related to the ability of the system to operate with different chemical formulations. A system designed to inject liquids should be able to accommodate changes in viscosity and density. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology for testing chemical injection systems using liquids with different viscosities. The experimental arrangement simulating applications with injection metering systems used dye and salt solutions as tracers. Tests were conducted to analyse the influence of salt on the characteristics of the water and a viscous solution. Results showed that the salt interfered with the dye stability in the water solution. In tests with a viscous test liquid, the salt was introduced at different steps during the mixing process, providing four different liquids to be analysed in terms of viscosity, density and pH. Some differences in liquid characteristics were found which could influence the performance of the injection systems.

Hardness and elastic modulus of carbon-germanium alloys

This work reports on the mechanical properties of germanium-rich amorphous carbon-germanium alloys prepared by RF sputtering of a germanium/graphite target under an argon/hydrogen atmosphere. Nano-hardness, elastic modulus and stress were investigated as a function of the carbon content. The stress, which is reduced by the incorporation of carbon, was related to the film structure and to the difference in the Ge-Ge and Ge-C bond length. Contrary to what was expected, the hardness and elastic modulus of the alloys are lower than the corresponding values for pure amorphous hydrogenated germanium film, which in turn has both properties also smaller than those of crystalline germanium. These properties are analyzed in terms of the structural properties of the films. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. B.V All rights reserved.

Application of compression test in analysis of mechanical and color changes in grapefruit juice powder as related to glass transition and water activity

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Alternatives Panels from Waste Plastics Reinforced With Fibers of Pupunha Palm for Use in Civil Construction and Furniture Industry

In order to cooperate in minimizing the problems of the current and growing volume of waste, this work aims at the production of panels made from industrial waste -thermoplastic (Polypropylene - PP; Polyethylene - PE and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene - ABS) reinforced with agro-industrial waste - pupunha palm waste (shells and sheaths). The properties of the panels were evaluated: density, thickness swelling, water absorption and moisture content. It was used the ASTM D1037; EN 317; and ANSI A208.1 standards regarding particle boards. The best results in physical tests were treatments 1 (100% waste plastic), 6 (60% plastic waste and 40% waste of pupunha) and 7 (70% waste plastic and 30% waste of pupunha). The best results in the mechanical tests were treatments 3 (30% de residuos plasticos e 70% de residuos da pupunha), 4 (40% de residuos plasticos c 60% de residuos da pupunha) and 5 (50% de residuos plasticos e 50% de residuos da pupunha). For mechanical tests it was concluded that the results of modulus of rupture and of modulus of elasticity the best treatments were those with more fibers. In the tensile tests perpendicular to the surface, it is clear that using more waste plastics leads to the best results. It was concluded that the waste can be used as raw material for the production of alternative materials mainly in civil construction and furniture industries, and it can be employed in urban or rural environment, given the concept of eco-efficient products.

Influence of Wood Moisture Content on the Modulus of Elasticity in Compression Parallel to the Grain

Brazilian Standard ABNT NBR7190:1997 for timber structures design, adopts a first degree equation to describe the influence of wood moisture content. Periodically, when necessary, the referred standard is revised in order to analyze inconsistencies and to adopt considerations according new realities verified. So, the present paper aims to examine the adequacy of its equation which corrects to 12% of moisture the values of rigidity properties obtained on experimental tests. To quantify the moisture influence on modulus of elasticity, it was applied tests of compression parallel to the grain for six specimens of different strength classes, considering nominal moisture of 12; 20; 25; 30%. As results, modulus of elasticity in the moisture range 25-30% showed statistically equivalents, and was obtained a first degree equation to correlate the studied variables which leads to statically equivalent estimations when compared with results by ABNT NBR7190:1997 equation. However, it was indicated to maintain the current expression for the next text of the referred document review, without prejudice to statistical significance of the estimates.

Application of micronucleus test and comet assay to evaluate BTEX biodegradation

The BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) mixture is an environmental pollutant that has a high potential to contaminate water resources, especially groundwater. The bioremediation process by microorganisms has often been used as a tool for removing BTEX from contaminated sites. The application of biological assays is useful in evaluating the efficiency of bioremediation processes, besides identifying the toxicity of the original contaminants. It also allows identifying the effects of possible metabolites formed during the biodegradation process on test organisms. In this study, we evaluated the genotoxic and mutagenic potential of five different BTEX concentrations in rat hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells, using comet and micronucleus assays, before and after biodegradation. A mutagenic effect was observed for the highest concentration tested and for its respective non-biodegraded concentration. Genotoxicity was significant for all non-biodegraded concentrations and not significant for the biodegraded ones. According to our results, we can state that BTEX is mutagenic at concentrations close to its water solubility, and genotoxic even at lower concentrations, differing from some described results reported for the mixture components, when tested individually. Our results suggest a synergistic effect for the mixture and that the biodegradation process is a safe and efficient methodology to be applied at BTEX-contaminated sites. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Produção de painéis a partir de resíduos sólidos para uso como elemento arquitetônico

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Hot turning of a difficult-to-machine steel (sae xev-f) aided by infrared radiation

A possible way for increasing the cutting tool life can be achieved by heating the workpiece in order to diminish the shear stress of material and thus decrease the machining forces. In this study, quartz electrical resistances were set around the workpiece for heating it during the turning. In the tests, heat-resistant austenitic alloy steel was used, hardenable by precipitation, mainly used in combustion engine exhaustion valves, among other special applications for industry. The results showed that in the hot machining the cutting tool life can be increased by 340% for the highest cutting speed tested and had a reduction of 205% on workpiece surface roughness, accompanied by a force decrease in relation to conventional turning. In addition, the chips formed in hot turning exhibited a stronger tendency to continuous chip formation indicating less energy spent in material removal process. Microhardness tests performed in the workpieces subsurface layers at 5 m depth revealed slightly higher values in the hot machining than in conventional, showing a tendency toward the formation of compressive residual stress into plastically deformed layer. The hot turning also showed better performance than machining using cutting fluid. Since it is possible to avoid the use of cutting fluid, this machining method can be considered better for the environment and for the human health.

Effect of colloidal silica on the mechanical properties of fiber-cement reinforced with cellulosic fibers

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Painel particulado composto por casca de eucalipto na camada intermediária

This work was developed to evalute the physical and mechanical properties of a panel of three particle layers from the test specification of NBR 14810-3 (2006), using wood of Eucalyptus sp. and Eucalyptus saligna and Eucalyptus urograndis bark. The mechanical properties were evaluated to obtain the bending modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) and Internal bond. The physical properties were obtained thickness sweeling, water absorption, moisture content and board density. Were evaluated four different compositions of panels containing 5, 10, 15 and 20% in the inner layer of bark. The results were compared with the Brazilian standard NBR 14810-2 (2006) and also with studies in the literature. The panels produced were adequate to all the optimal values suggested by the standard only in the composition with 5% skin in the inner layer. The other treatments showed satisfactory results in all tests except for moisture content

Análise das propriedades físico-mecânicas de painel particulado de eucalipto composto por três camadas com duas variações de pressão

The research aimed to produce sheets of particles with waste processing of Eucalyptus sp bonded with urea-formaldehyde and evaluate the effect of pressure variation in the quality of the boards produced. To do so, the Boards made were divided into two treatments depending on the pressing pressure of 30 to 40 kgf / cm². Once pressings, climatized, the particleboards have been sectioned in test samples, and underwent physical-mechanical tests for determining density, swelling and water absorption, modulus of rupture and elasticity in static bending and internal linking. The particleboards pressed at 40 kgf / cm ² showed the best results

Caracterização físico-mecânica de elementos estruturais roliços perfilados de Amaru

The study of physical and mechanical properties of wood is essential for its structural use and it is of great importance to the construction industry. Thus, this study aimed to determine the physical and mechanical properties of the wood Amaru - a hybrid of Eucalyptus, developed by Plantar Projects and Forest Products Ltda. In order to determine the properties of Amaru, round samples were used, which were provided to the Laboratory of Wood and Wooden Structures of the School of Engineering of São Carlos, University of São Paulo - LaMEM / EESC / USP. For the characterization of the physical properties, the apparent specific gravity and moisture content of the samples were determined. To the mechanical characterization, the following properties were evaluated: strength and stiffness in compression, strength and stiffness in bending, shear and tension. The procedures of the tests performed in this study were done according to the recommendations of the Brazilian Wood Standard ABNT NBR 7190:1997. The specimen used were confectioned in actual dimensions, according to as those used in the construction system proposed by Plantar. The results obtained from the tests performed showed that the mechanical properties approached the values proposed by the Wood Standard NBR 7190. The visual grading was important to provide a primary idea about the failure modes to be obtained from the tests performed. The bending test showed the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and Modulus of Rupture (MOR), which resulted in 15822 MPa and 101,7 MPa, respectively. The compression test resulted in values Ec0,m and fc0, 15698 MPa and 50,7 MPa. The tensile strength (ft0) of this hybrid was calculated and its value obtained was 60,8 MPa. The shear strength (fv0) was 8,2 MPa. The results obtained from the tests are the basis for engineers and architects to design structures using wood species Amaru

Effect of adding a gonadotropin-releasing-hormone treatment at the beginning and a second prostaglandin F-2 alpha treatment at the end of an estradiol-based protocol for timed artificial insemination in lactating dairy cows during cool or hot seasons of the year

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)