Solvent-Resistant Polymeric Sensors for Adulteration Detection in Liquid Fuels

Polymeric sensors with improved resistance to organic solvents were produced via the layer-by-layer thin film deposition followed by chemical cross-linking. According to UV-vis spectroscopy, the mass loss of polyaniline/poly(vinyl alcohol) and polyaniline/novolac-type resin based films deposited onto glass slides was less than 20% when they were submitted to successive immersions (up to 3,000 immersion cycles) into commercially available ethanol and gasoline fuel samples. Polyallylamine hydrochloride/nickel tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine films presented similar stability. The electrical responses assessed by impedance spectroscopy of films deposited onto Au-interdigitated microelectrodes were relatively unaffected after continuous or cyclic immersions into both fuels. After these studies, an array including these polymeric sensors was employed to detect adulteration in ethanol and gasoline samples. After principal component analysis, it was possible to conclude that the proposed sensor array is capable to discriminate with remarkable reproducibility ethanol samples containing different amounts of water or else gasoline samples containing different amounts of ethanol. In both examples, more than 90% of data variance was retained in the first principal component. For each type of sample, ethanol and gasoline, it was found a linear correlation between one of the principal components and the sample's composition. These findings allow one to conclude that these films present great potential for the development of reliable and low-cost sensors for fuel analysis in liquid phase.

Direito Penal Econômico e o Compliance como forma de prevenção da adulteração de combustível

Esse trabalho apresenta como tema o Direito Penal Econômico e a importância do compliance como critério de prevenção no crime de adulteração de combustível, que encontra previsão na Lei 8.176, de 08 de fevereiro de 1991. Os objetivos centrais do estudo, portanto, orientam-se no sentido de demonstrar a importância do cumprimento de efetivas normas de conduta no âmbito empresarial, de forma a se desenvolver uma postura ética suficiente a evitar a prática de condutas delituosas, sobretudo aquelas relacionadas à adulteração de combustível. Trata-se de refletir acerca de critérios preventivos, de forma a se evitar a futura incidência do Direito Penal e por consequência, da aplicação da pena. Busca-se apresentar o campo de incidência do Direito Penal Econômico, dentro do qual se situa o tratamento da conduta delitiva de adulteração de combustível. Aborda-se o conceito e normas de fiscalização ligadas ao crime de adulteração de combustível, para em seguida demonstrar o desenvolvimento e incidência de compliance como critério de prevenção criminal.

A alteração do tipo penal de adulteração de combustíveis: reflexo da constitucionalização do direito penal no mercado de combustíveis

The neoconstitutionalism led to a process of ethical revaluation of the normative systems and the process of constitutionalization of the many fields of law. This study examines the consequences of this process in criminal law, so important a Law field for the protection of the most valuable assets by the society, including the fundamental guarantees, thus emphasizing the necessity of protection of the collective and individual rights, which are guided by the observance of the defendants individual rights in the course of criminal proceedings and the search for the best efficiency of penal protection, according to the corollaries of defense against the state (prohibition of the excess or Übermassverbot) and the provision of rights by the state (prohibition of insufficient protection or Untermassverbot). The offense of fuel adulteration is taken as an object of study, since it is a vital market to a nation dependent of people and good s movement for their living, driven by fossil and biofuels. Such a crime affects essential legal interests to the development of society, interests such as the environment, consumer relations and economic order, particularly the principle of free competition. This paper seeks to analyze the need of a greater efficiency of this particular criminal protection, once concluded the conduct harm and social fear as a consequence by it as growing, and therefore having its former crime type, engraved in Article 1 of Law No. 8.176/1991, rewritten in compliance with the criminal law s principle of legality. Thus, the reformation proposals and legislative creation involving this crime were observed, with emphasis on the bill No. 2498/2003, which keeps it as blank heterogeneous criminal norm, kind of penal normative whose constitutionality is raised, including the forethought of criminal responsibility in the perpetrating of the offense as culpable and subsequently increasing the applicable minimum penalty, as well as the inclusion of new activities in the typical nucleus

Optical fibre sensors and their applications in the industrial weighing and aerospace industries

This thesis presents the design, fabrication and testing of novel grating based Optical Fibre Sensor (OFS) systems being interrogated using “off the shelf” interrogation systems, with the eventual development of marketable commercial systems at the forefront of the research. Both in the industrial weighing and aerospace industries, there has been a drive to investigate the feasibility of using optical fibre sensors being deployed where traditionally their electrical or mechanical counterparts would traditionally have been. Already, in the industrial weighing industry, commercial operators are deploying OFS-based Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) systems. Likewise, in the aerospace industry, OFS have been deployed to monitor such parameters as load history, impact detection, structural damage, overload detection, centre of gravity and the determination of blade shape. Based on the intrinsic properties of fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) and Long Period Fibre Gratings (LPFGs), a number of novel OFS-based systems have been realised. Experimental work has shown that in the case of static industrial weighing, FBGs can be integrated with current commercial products and used to detect applied loads. The work has also shown that embedding FBGs in e-glass, to form a sensing patch, can result in said patches being bonded to rail track, forming the basis of an FBG-based WIM system. The results obtained have been sufficiently encouraging to the industrial partner that this work will be progressed beyond the scope of the work presented in this thesis. Likewise, and to the best of the author’s knowledge, a novel Bragg grating based systems for aircraft fuel parameter sensing has been presented. FBG-based pressure sensors have been shown to demonstrate good sensitivity, linearity and repeatability, whilst LPFG-based systems have demonstrated a far greater sensitivity when compared to FBGs, as well the advantage of being potentially able to detect causes of fuel adulteration based on their sensitivity to refractive index (RI). In the case of the LPFG-based system, considerable work remains to be done on the mechanical strengthening to improve its survivability in a live aircraft fuel tank environment. The FBG system has already been developed to an aerospace compliant prototype and is due to be tested at the fuel testing facility based at Airbus, Filton, UK. It is envisaged by the author that in both application areas, continued research in this area will lead to the eventual development of marketable commercial products.

The impact of sulphur content of diesel fuel on ultrafine particle formation

Early this year the Australian Department of Environment and Heritage commissioned a desktop literature review with a focus on ultrafine particles including analysis of health impacts of the particles as well as the impact of sulphur content of diesel fuel on ultrafine particle emission. This paper summarizes the findings of the report on the link between the sulphur content of diesel fuels and the number of ultrafine particles in diesel emissions. The literature search on this topic resulted in over 150 publications. The majority of these publications, although investigating different aspects of the influence of fuel sulphur level on diesel vehicle emissions, were not directly concerned with ultrafine particle emissions. A specific focus of the paper is on: ----- ----- summary of state of knowledge established by the review, and ----- ----- summary of recommendations on the research priorities for Australia to address the information gaps for this issue, and on the appropriate management responses.

A comparative study of the number and mass of fine particles emitted with diesel fuel and marine gas oil (MGO)

The current investigation reports on diesel particulate matter emissions, with special interest in fine particles from the combustion of two base fuels. The base fuels selected were diesel fuel and marine gas oil (MGO). The experiments were conducted with a four-stroke, six-cylinder, direct injection diesel engine. The results showed that the fine particle number emissions measured by both SMPS and ELPI were higher with MGO compared to diesel fuel. It was observed that the fine particle number emissions with the two base fuels were quantitatively different but qualitatively similar. The gravimetric (mass basis) measurement also showed higher total particulate matter (TPM) emissions with the MGO. The smoke emissions, which were part of TPM, were also higher for the MGO. No significant changes in the mass flow rate of fuel and the brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) were observed between the two base fuels.

Pyrolysis decomposition of mahogony seeds (Swietenia macrophylla) for alternative fuel oil

A fixed bed pyrolysis has been designed and fabricated for obtaining liquid fuel from Mahogany seeds. The major components of the system are fixed bed pyrolysis reactor, liquid condenser and liquid collectors. The Mahogany seed in particle form is pyrolysed in an externally heated 10 cm diameter and 36 cm high fixed bed reactor with nitrogen as the carrier gas. The reactor is heated by means of a biomass source cylindrical heater from 450oC to 600oC. The products are oil, char and gas. The reactor bed temperature, running time and feed particle size are considered as process parameters. A maximum liquid yield of 54wt% of biomass feed is obtained with particle size of 1.18 mm at a reactor bed temperature of 5500C with a running time of 90 minutes. The oil is found to possess favorable flash point and reasonable density and viscosity. The higher calorific value is found to be 39.9 MJ/kg which is higher than other biomass derived pyrolysis oils.

Production of liquid fuel and activated carbon from mahogany seed by using pyrolysis technology

The renovation of biomass waste in the form of Mahogany seed waste into bio-fuel as well as activated carbon by fixed bed pyrolysis reactor has been taken into consideration in this study. The mahogany seed in particle form is pyrolyzed in an enormously heated fixed bed reactor with nitrogen as the carrier gas. The reactor is heated from 4000C to 6000C using a external heater in which rice husk and charcoal are used as the heater biomass fuel. Reactor bed temperature, running time and feed particle size have been varied to get the optimum operating conditions of the system. The parameters are found to influence the product yields to a large extent. A maximum liquid and char yield are 49 wt. % and 35 wt. % respectively obtained at a reactor bed temperature 5000C when the running time is 90 minutes. Acquired pyrolyzed oil at these optimal process conditions were analyzed for some of their properties as an alternative fuel. The oil possesses comparable flame temperature, favorable flash point and reasonable viscosity along with somewhat higher density. The kinematic viscosity of the derived fuel is 3.8 cSt and density is 1525 kg/m3. The higher calorific value is found 32.4 MJ/kg which is significantly higher than other biomass derived fuel. Moderate adsorption capacity of the prepared activated carbon in case of methyl blue & tea water was also revealed.

Influence of fatty acid structure on fuel properties of algae derived biodiesel

Physical and chemical properties of biofuel are influenced by structural features of fatty acid such as chain length, degree of unsaturation and branching of the chain. A simple and reliable calculation method to estimate fuel property is therefore needed to avoid experimental testing which is difficult, costly and time consuming. Typically in commercial biodiesel production such testing is done for every batch of fuel produced. In this study 9 different algae species were selected that were likely to be suitable for subtropical climates. The fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) of all algae species were analysed and the fuel properties like cetane number (CN), cold filter plugging point (CFPP), kinematic viscosity (KV), density and higher heating value (HHV) were determined. The relation of each fatty acid with particular fuel property is analysed using multivariate and multi-criteria decision method (MCDM) software. They showed that some fatty acids have major influences on the fuel properties whereas others have minimal influence. Based on the fuel properties and amounts of lipid content rank order is drawn by PROMETHEE-GAIA which helped to select the best algae species for biodiesel production in subtropical climates. Three species had fatty acid profiles that gave the best fuel properties although only one of these (Nannochloropsis oculata) is considered the best choice because of its higher lipid content.

Improved earthwork allocation planning for fuel consumption and emissions reduction in linear infrastructure construction – case study data

This document provides data for the case study presented in our recent earthwork planning papers. Some results are also provided in a graphical format using Excel.

A parametric analysis technique for design of fuel cell and hybrid-electric vehicles

This paper presents a new simplified parametric analysis technique for the design of fuel cell and hybrid-electric vehicles. The technique utilizes a comprehensive set of ∼30 parameters to fully characterize the vehicle platform, powertrain components, vehicle performance requirements and driving conditions. It is best applied to the sizing of powertrain components and prediction of energy consumption in a vehicle. This new parametric technique makes a good complement to existing vehicle simulation software packages and therefore represents a potentially valuable tool for the hybrid vehicle designer.