Sugarcane silage production treated with additives at different times post burning

Objetivou-se estudar a ação do tempo após a queima do canavial e o uso de aditivos sobre as características fermentativas, as perdas e a composição química de silagens de cana-de-açúcar. A cultivar utilizada foi a IAC 86-2480 colhida em cinco tempos (1, 4, 7, 10 e 14 dias) pós-queima. Os aditivos utilizados foram controle, sem aditivos, Lactobacillus buchneri, cal virgem micropulverizada e Lactobacillus buchneri + cal virgem micropulverizada. Antes da ensilagem em cada tempo, foram determinadas as populações de leveduras presentes na cana-de-açúcar. Decorridos 56 dias após a ensilagem, os silos experimentais foram abertos. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial, considerando os fatores aditivos e tempo pós-queima. Houve recontaminação da cana-de-açúcar pelas leveduras, elevando a população de 5,04 para 6,48 log ufc/g de forragem. Os teores de matéria seca (MS) após a abertura do silo reduziram em média 7,6 unidades percentuais em comparação aos observados na ensilagem. As silagens controle e com Lactobacillus buchneri tiveram menores recuperações da matéria seca (613 e 631 g/kg, respectivamente), em comparação às observadas nas silagens com cal e com a combinação Lactobacillus buchneri + cal (807 g/kg e 832 g/kg, respectivamente), fato que pode ser justificado pelo controle de levedura pela cal. Após a queima, as maiores variações foram na produção de gás e na recuperação de matéria seca: a produção de gás foi maior nos primeiros dias e diminuiu com o tempo após a queima, consequentemente, a recuperação de MS foi menor nos primeiros dias e aumentou com o tempo após a queima. O tempo após a queima altera o valor nutritivo da cana-de-açúcar fresca e das suas silagens, assim como a magnitude das perdas no processo de ensilagem.

Improved sugar cane juice clarification by understanding calcium oxide-phosphate-sucrose systems

It is accepted that the efficiency of sugar cane clarification is closely linked with sugar juice composition (including suspended or insoluble impurities), the inorganic phosphate content, the liming condition and type, and the interactions between the juice components. These interactions are not well understood, particularly those between calcium, phosphate, and sucrose in sugar cane juice. Studies have been conducted on calcium oxide (CaO)/phosphate/sucrose systems in both synthetic and factory juices to provide further information on the defecation process (i.e., simple liming to effect impurity removal) and to identify an effective clarification process that would result in reduced scaling of sugar factory evaporators, pans, and centrifugals. Results have shown that a two-stage process involving the addition of lime saccharate to a set juice pH followed by the addition of sodium hydroxide to a final juice pH or a similar two-stage process where the order of addition of the alkalis is reversed prior to clarification reduces the impurity loading of the clarified juice compared to that of the clarified juice obtained by the conventional defecation process. The treatment process showed reductions in CaO (27% to 50%) and MgO (up to 20%) in clarified juices with no apparent loss in juice clarity or increase in residence time of the mud particles compared to those in the conventional process. There was also a reduction in the SiO2 content. However, the disadvantage of this process is the significant increase in the Na2O content.

Physical chemistry of the reduction of calcium oxide with aluminium in vacuum

The physical chemistry of "aluminothermic" reduction of calcium oxide in vacuum is analyzed. Basic thermodynamic data required for the analysis have been generated by a variety of experiments. These include activity measurements in liquid AI-Ca alloys and determination of the Gibbs energies of formation of calcium aluminates. These data have been correlated with phase relations in the Ca-AI-0 system at 1373 K. The various stages of reduction, the end products and the corresponding equilibrium partial pressures of calcium have been established from thermodynamic considerations. In principle, the recovery of calcium can be improved by reducing the pressure in the reactor. However,, the cost of a high vacuum system and the enhanced time for reduction needed to achieve higher yields makes such a practice uneconomic. Aluminum contamination of calcium also increases at low pressures. The best compromise is to carry the reduction up to the stage where 3CaO-Al,O, is formed as the product. This corresponds to an equilibrium calcium partial pressure of 31.3 Pa at 1373 K and 91.6 Pa at 1460 K. Calcium can be extracted at this pressure using mechanical pumps in approximately 8 to 15 hr, depending on the size and the fill ratio of the retort and porosity of the charge briquettes.

Influence of addition of calcium oxide on physicochemical properties of Portland cement with zirconium or niobium oxide

Context: Calcium oxide (CaO) may be added to mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) or Portland cement (PC) to improve physicochemical and biological properties. Aims: To evaluate the physicochemical properties of PC associated with radiopacifiers and CaO. Materials and Methods: MTA Angelus, PC + 30% zirconium oxide (Zr), or 30% niobium oxide (Nb) associated with 10 or 20% of CaO were evaluated. Gilmore needles were used to evaluate initial and final setting time. Compressive strength was evaluated after the periods of 24 hours and 21 days. pH was analyzed after 3, 12, 24 hours, 7, 14, 21 days. Solubility and flow tests were performed based on the ISO 6876. The data obtained were submitted to analysis of variance and Tukey tests (P ≤ 0.05). Results: The associations with 10% CaO showed greater strength that the associations with 20% CaO. The shortest initial setting time was observed for the association PC + Zr + 20% CaO and MTA. All the cements presented alkaline pH. The flow of all cements was similar. The highest solubility was found in the associations with 20% CaO. Conclusion: The addition of CaO to PC favored the alkaline property and the PC + Zr + 20% CaO presented setting time similar to MTA.

Radiopacity and cytotoxicity of Portland cement associated with niobium oxide micro and nanoparticles

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of fresh sugarcane hydrolysed with calcium oxide (CaO)

The objective was to evaluate the chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of sugarcane hydrolysed with increasing doses of calcium oxide and varying air exposure times. A completely randomised, split plot design was used; the doses were allocated to the plots, and the air exposure times were allocated to the subplots, with four repetitions. The data underwent analysis of variance and were laid out according to the effect of the treatment on the components of polynomial regressions, and evaluated at the 5% probability. The increase in the dosage negatively affected the quantities of neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), acid-detergent fibre (ADF), lignin (LIG), total carbohydrates (TC), cellulose (CEL), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE); and positively affected the quantities of non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) and mineral matter (MM). The addition of calcium oxide improved the in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDMD) coefficients and was able to keep up to 72 hours. The in vitro digestibility of the neutral-detergent fibre (IVDNDF) and of the acid-detergent fibre (IVDADF) coefficients decreased when calcium oxide was added. Calcium oxide has the ability to hydrolyse the fibrous fraction and conserve chopped sugarcane. Doses of 0.5 and 1.0% lime exhibited similar results to those achieved at higher doses; therefore, higher doses are not required in the hydrolyses of sugarcane. Over time, the sugarcane deteriorates, but this deterioration is reduced by the addition of calcium oxide.

Characterization of calcium oxide in root perforation sealer materials

Root perforation represents an undesirable complication that may lead to an unfavorable prognosis. The aims of this study were to characterize and to compare the presence of calcium oxide (CaO) on the chemical composition of materials used for root perforation therapy: gray and white mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Portland cement (PC), gray MTA+5%CaO and gray MTA+10%CaO. The last two materials were analyzed to evaluate the increase of CaO in the final sample. CaO alone was used as a standard. Eighteen polyethylene tubes with an internal diameter of 3 mm and 3 mm in length were prepared, filled and then transferred to a chamber with 95% relative humidity and a temperature of 37ºC. The chemical compounds (particularly CaO) and the main components were analyzed by energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). EDX revealed the following concentrations of CaO: gray MTA: 59.28%, white MTA: 63.09%; PC: 72.51%; gray MTA+5%CaO: 63.48% and gray MTA+10%CaO: 67.55%. The tested materials presented different concentrations of CaO. Even with an increase of 5 and 10% CaO in gray MTA, the CaO levels found in the MTA samples were lower than those found in PC.

Overcoming the problem of loss-in-capacity of calcium oxide in CO2 capture

Calcium oxide has been identified to be one of the best candidates for CO2 capture in zero-emission power-generation systems. However, it suffers a well-known problem of loss-in-capacity (i.e., its capacity of CO2 capture decreases after it undergoes cycles of carbonation/decarbonation). This problem is a potential obstacle to the adoption of the new technologies. This paper proposes a method of fabricating a CaO-based adsorbent without the problem of loss-in-capacity. An adsorbent was fabricated using the method and tested on a thermogravimetric analyzer. It was shown that the sorbent attained a utilization efficiency of more than 90% after 9 cycles of carbonation/decarbonation.

Chemical composition and elemental oxide ratios to AI2O3 of bulk solids at DSDP Leg 64 Holes

Analyses of sediments from Leg 64 sites reveal a diverse and in one case unique geochemistry. Sites are characterized by high heat flow along an active, divergent plate boundary, or rapid accumulation of diatom muds, or both. The geochemical trends of Sites 474-476 at the tip of Baja California reflect changes4n the percentages of sedimentary components - particularly biogenous matter and mineralogy - that support interpretations of sedimentary environments inferred to be present since the commencement of subsidence along this young, passive continental margin. The sediments below dolerite sills in Holes 477, 477A, 478, and 481 show major mineralogic and chemical deviations from "average" hemipelagic sediments. The sills appear to have two functions: (1) they allow hydrothermal circulation and metamorphism in a partially closed system by trapping heat and fluids emanating from below, and (2) they expel heated interstitial fluids at the moment of intrusion and mobilize elements, most likely leading to the formation of metalliferous deposits along the surface traces of normal faults in the basin. The hydrothermal system as a whole appears to be localized and ephemeral, as is indicated by the lack of similar geochemical trends and high heat flow at Sites 478 and 481. Site 479 illustrates sedimentation in an oxygen-minimum zone with anoxic sediments and concomitant geochemical trends, especially for MnO. With few exceptions, geochemical trends are remarkably constant with depth, suggesting that Site 479 can serve as an "internal" standard or average sediment against which the magnitude of hydrothermal alteration at the basinal Sites 477, 478, and 481 can be measured.