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The energy efficiency of two novel process designs for the production of ultra-pure hydrogen with simultaneous capture of CO2 using CH4 as the feedstock, namely membrane-assisted chemical looping reforming (MA-CLR) and membrane-assisted sorption-enhanced reforming (MA-SER) has been compared. The modelling of the integrated network for mass and heat balances has been carried out using the ASPEN® Plus V10 process simulation tool to quantify the benefits and disadvantages of integrating hydrogen perm-selective membranes with either chemical looping or sorption-enhanced reforming. The evaluation of the MA-CLR process is carried out for a range of the following operating conditions: 10 < pR < 60 bar, 500 < TR < 900°C, and 1.5 < H2O/CH4 < 3.0. On the other hand, for the MA-SER process the operation ranges of 1.0 < pR < 10 bar, 400 < TR < 900°C, and 2.5 < H2O/CH4 < 4.0 were considered. Within the operation window of the MA-SER process, no carbon formation is observed, as any carbon present in the system reacts with CaO in the form of CO2. However, in the case of the MA-CLR process, carbon formation can occur during the pre-reforming stage, particularly at low H2O/CH4 ratios. In terms of hydrogen yield, energy utilization and carbon capture, the MA-CLR outperforms the MA-SER plant. However, the MA-SER plant offers certain advantages over the MA-CLR system, such as a pure CO2 product stream and lower reactor design temperatures. In the MA-CLR system, a carbon capture rate of 99.8% and a hydrogen product yield of 74.4% are achieved, whereas the MA-SER plant achieves a carbon capture rate of 98.5% and a hydrogen product yield of 69.7%.

Hydrotalcite-based adsorbents have demonstrated their potential for CO2 capture, particularly in the sorption-enhanced water-gas shift (SEWGS) process. This study aims to investigate the long-term stability of a potassium-promoted hydrotalcite-based adsorbent (KMG30) over many repetitive cycles under various operating conditions. The stability of the adsorbent, both in terms of its structure and sorption capacity, is examined through multiple consecutive adsorption and desorption cycles. However, it is observed that the capacity for CO2 adsorption decreases when subjected to many repeated cycles of CO2 adsorption followed by N2 flushing, or to many repeated cycles of H2O adsorption followed by N2 flushing. In-depth investigations employing various techniques such as thermogravimetric experiments, XRD, BET, and SEM-EDX analyses were conducted to elucidate the underlying phenomena that can explain this observed behavior. The former can be attributed to aggregation of K2CO3 from the sorbent during the CO2 adsorption and N2 flushing cycles (which can be reversed by re-dispersing the K2CO3 either by exposure to air or by processing the sorbent with cycles of CO2/H2O adsorption followed by N2 flushing), whereas the latter is ascribed to the only partial regeneration of the reactive site (referred to site C in earlier work), most likely associated with K2CO3 modification on MG30. In this case, morphological changes were found to be insignificant. Remarkable stability of KMG30, as known from SEWGS process studies, was confirmed during cycles of CO2 adsorption/steam purge. These findings significantly enhance our understanding of the stability of potassium-promoted hydrotalcite-based adsorbents and provide valuable insights for the design of diverse sorption processes.

Shaping of catalytic material by 3D printing allows for greater design freedom, which can be used to optimize reactor operating windows. A promising concept in this regard is the use of structures with porous baffles, which induce a cross-flow regime that offers enhanced heat transfer at relatively low pressure drop. In this work, eighteen novel cylindrical 3D printed baffled logpile structures were designed and their heat transfer — pressure drop trade-off was quantified experimentally. It was found that the performance of these full-scale structures could be estimated from previous pseudo-2D computational fluid dynamics simulations for variations in configuration and baffle gap spacing. Moreover, the structures with 50 µm baffle gap spacing demonstrated superior heat transfer performance over a packed bed of pellets, as hypothesized. The number of baffles per unit length was introduced as a novel design variable. Remarkably, a reduction of this parameter led to comparable heat transfer performance while achieving a significant decrease in pressure drop. Finally, positioning of consecutive baffles under an angle was demonstrated to have a favorable effect. The results were correlated to facilitate reactor design considerations. Overall, this work sheds light on the process intensification potential of 3D printed baffled logpile structures as novel structured catalysts, enabled by offering enhanced heat transfer characteristics at relatively low pressure drop, both of which can be tailored to meet specific process requirements.

3D printed baffled logpile structures were recently identified as promising structured catalyst geometries for intensified heat transfer in chemical reactors. In this work, the potential of these structures for intensification of the mass transfer is studied by addressing concentration polarization in membrane-assisted steam methane reforming in a packed bed membrane reactor. Through pseudo-2D OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics simulations, the performance was assessed using the hydrogen recovery and the conversion of methane as performance indicators. The results show that the integration of baffles into the logpile structure significantly reduces the degree of concentration polarization over a range of operating conditions, thanks to the convection-driven radial mass transport. Furthermore, it was found that the cross-flow regime characteristic of the baffled logpile structures scales effectively with the reactor diameter, demonstrating potential for scalability. Combined with the demonstrated heat transfer intensification, these findings lay the foundation for value-added application of 3D printed catalyst structures.

Close to the continuum limit, lattice QCD with mass-degenerate Wilson quarks can be described by Symanzik's effective continuum action, which contains the dimension 5 operator, $m\,{\rm tr}(F_{\mu\nu}F_{\mu\nu})$. Its effect can be eliminated by an O($am_{\rm q}$) rescaling of the bare lattice coupling constant. Until recently, the corresponding improvement coefficient, $b_{\rm g}$, was only known perturbatively to 1-loop order and an estimate of the remaining uncertainty is the dominant systematic error in the ALPHA collaboration's recent determination of $\alpha_s(m_Z)$ with the decoupling method. To remove this error we have determined $b_{\rm g}$ non-perturbatively for the corresponding parameter range. We here briefly review improvement conditions for $b_{\rm g}$, perform a perturbative test and report on our non-perturbative results for $b_{\rm g}$., Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, contribution to "The 40th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory (Lattice 2023)", CERN-TH-2024-004

Recently introduced 3D printed baffled logpile catalyst structures provide increased fluid-phase convective heat transfer thanks to a cross-flow regime, leading to a favorable trade-off between heat transfer and pressure drop in fixed bed reactors. The role of the solid-phase heat transfer was not yet addressed, which is the purpose of the current work. Specifically, 3D computational fluid dynamics simulations were used to map the heat transfer — pressure drop trade-off for nine different structures as a function of the superficial velocity and the solid-phase thermal conductivity. It was found that for structures without baffles, the solid-phase heat transfer dominates even at low solid-phase thermal conductivity (0.25 W m−1 K−1). As the baffle gap spacing decreases, the fluid-phase contribution becomes increasingly more relevant for the baffled structures, underlining the added value of the baffles. The performance parameters were correlated to facilitate design considerations for reactors with 3D printed catalyst internals (in the range 3

The Lambda parameter of three flavor QCD is obtained by computing the running of a renormalized finite volume coupling from hadronic to very high energies where connection with perturbation theory can safely be made. The theory of decoupling allows us to perform the bulk of the computation in pure gauge theory. The missing piece is then an accurate matching of a massive three flavor coupling with the pure gauge one, in the continuum limit of both theories. A big challenge is to control the simultaneous continuum and decoupling limits, especially when chiral symmetry is broken by the discretization.

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

This work investigates the direct production of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from CO2 by sorption-enhanced DMC (SEDMC) synthesis, employing modelling techniques. SEDMC synthesis is shown to be an exemplary case for reactive separation, as it enhances the reaction and simplifies downstream processing through in-situ separation. By incorporating in-situ water adsorption, SEDMC achieves significantly higher methanol conversions compared to other direct synthesis routes. Simultaneously, the formation of two azeotropes can be avoided, leading to a drastic simplification of downstream separation, requiring only one-step conventional distillation. By increasing the methanol conversion to 45%, the formation of a DMC-methanol azeotrope is prevented, and the in-situ water adsorption effectively avoids the DMC-water azeotrope. Based on these findings, further research should focus on identifying suitable materials and (reactive) adsorbents, while also incorporating a more detailed process layout and cycle design. These efforts will unlock the full potential of SEDMC synthesis in the production of renewable materials.

With Wilson quarks, on-shell O($a$) improvement of the lattice QCD action is achieved by including the Sheikholeslami-Wohlert term and two further operators of mass dimension 5, which amount to a mass-dependent rescaling of the bare parameters. We here focus on the rescaled bare coupling, $\tilde{g}_0^2 = g_0^2(1 + b_{\rm g} am_{\rm q})$, and the determination of $b_{\rm g}(g_0^2)$, which is currently only known to 1-loop order of perturbation theory. We derive suitable improvement conditions in the chiral limit and in a finite space-time volume and evaluate these for different gluonic observables, both with and without the gradient flow. The choice of $\beta$-values and the line of constant physics are motivated by the ALPHA collaboration's decoupling strategy to determine $\alpha_s(m_Z)$. However, the improvement conditions and some insight into systematic effects may prove useful in other contexts, too., Comment: 26 pages, 5 figures. Included additional references and fixed some typos. Matches published version

Additive manufacturing has the potential to unlock a large degree of geometric freedom in the shaping of catalytic material, thereby providing new possibilities to optimize catalyst holdup, pressure drop and heat and mass transfer characteristics. In this modelling study, baffled logpile structures are proposed as a promising candidate to exploit this potential, by shaping the catalytic material as a static mixer, generating cross-flow. An OpenFOAM Computational Fluid Dynamics study was performed on various 2D structure designs to map the trade-off between heat transfer, pressure drop and residence time distribution as a function of the design, length and gap spacing of the baffle. It is observed that structures with the longest baffles provide optimal heat transfer performance, and that the baffle gap spacing can be used to tailor the trade-off between heat transfer and pressure drop. In comparison to a packed bed filled with spherical particles, the novel structures offer a heat transfer rate four to six times as high at the same pressure drop. Whilst full 3D simulations, validated by experiments, remain to complete the analysis, the current work illustrates the potential of this novel class of structured catalyst materials for intensified chemical reactors.

In this work the continuous production of dimethyl ether (DME) by sorption-enhanced DME synthesis (SEDMES) technology has been demonstrated for the first time with a multi-column test-rig. A continuous single-pass carbon yield up to 95%, higher than ever reported before, has been achieved. The multi-column experiments have also shown that SEDMES can be operated at lower temperatures (220°C) than previously reported. This allows a higher temperature rise, making higher conversions possible while allowing even larger reactor tube diameters. Whereas the anticipated multi-tubular reactor concept is complex and costly, larger reactors could facilitate the economic valorisation. The SEDMES reactor model cannot only describe the transient behaviour of the process during the cyclic steady-state well, but also the dynamic approach towards the cyclic steady-state is adequately captured. Capturing the dynamic operation is of large interest with respect to process flexibility, especially for Power-to-X systems.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been identified as promising solvents for CO2 capture because of their low volatility and tunable properties. Detailed information on solute solubility and diffusivity is crucial for the design and operation of processes involving mixtures composed of DESs and dissolved gases. The infinite-dilution diffusion coefficients of CO2 in 33 DESs (both hydrophilic and hydrophobic) were gravimetrically determined with a magnetic suspension balance at 298.15 and 313.15 K along with the Henry's constants of CO2 in these DESs. Interestingly, the diffusion coefficients of CO2 at infinite dilution in hydrophobic DESs were found to be much higher than those in hydrophilic DESs. In order to better understand this phenomenon, CO2 diffusion coefficients under infinite dilution conditions in traditional solvents and ionic liquids (ILs) were summarized from literature, which revealed that the CO2 diffusivity is often approximately inversely proportional to the square root of the viscosity. However, the hydrophilic DESs and some ILs/hydrophobic DESs with large molar volumes displayed a significantly different behavior. The [sbnd]OH group seems to hinder CO2 diffusion, while the presence of multiple long flexible alkyl chains in the DES constituents can facilitate the diffusion. Modified Wilke–Chang correlations were successfully developed to describe the infinite-dilution diffusion coefficients in the measured DESs. Tetraoctylammonium bromide - decanoic acid (1:2) was found promising for further investigation for application in CO2 capture processes with supported liquid membranes or physical absorption.

Online discussion forums offer Internet users a medium for discussions about current political debates. The debate is a system of claims regarding interactivity and representation. Users make claims in an online discussion with superior content to support their position. Factual accuracy and emotional appeal are critical attributes used to convince readers. A key challenge in debate forums is to identify the participants’ stance, each of which is inter-dependent and inter-connected. This research work aims to construct a classifier that takes the linguistic features of the posts as input and outputs predictions for the stance label of each post. Three types of features which include Lexical, Dependency, and Morphology are used to detect the stance of the posts. Lexical features such as cue words are employed as surface features, and deep features include dependency and morphology features. Multinomial Naïve Bayes classifier is used to build a model for classifying stance and the Chi-Square method is used to select the good feature set. The performance of the stance classification system is evaluated in terms of accuracy. The result of stance labels for this proposed research represents as for and against by analyzing the surface and deep features that capture the content of a post.

Online discussion forums offer Internet users a medium for discussions about current political debates. The debate is a system of claims regarding interactivity and representation. Users make claims in an online discussion with superior content to support their position. Factual accuracy and emotional appeal are critical attributes used to convince readers. A key challenge in debate forums is to identify the participants’ stance, each of which is inter-dependent and inter-connected. This research work aims to construct a classifier that takes the linguistic features of the posts as input and outputs predictions for the stance label of each post. Three types of features which include Lexical, Dependency, and Morphology are used to detect the stance of the posts. Lexical features such as cue words are employed as surface features, and deep features include dependency and morphology features. Multinomial Naïve Bayes classifier is used to build a model for classifying stance and the Chi-Square method is used to select the good feature set. The performance of the stance classification system is evaluated in terms of accuracy. The result of stance labels for this proposed research represents as for and against by analyzing the surface and deep features that capture the content of a post.

Online discussion forums offer Internet users a medium for discussions about current political debates. The debate is a system of claims regarding interactivity and representation. Users make claims in an online discussion with superior content to support their position. Factual accuracy and emotional appeal are critical attributes used to convince readers. A key challenge in debate forums is to identify the participants’ stance, each of which is inter-dependent and inter-connected. This research work aims to construct a classifier that takes the linguistic features of the posts as input and outputs predictions for the stance label of each post. Three types of features which include Lexical, Dependency, and Morphology are used to detect the stance of the posts. Lexical features such as cue words are employed as surface features, and deep features include dependency and morphology features. Multinomial Naïve Bayes classifier is used to build a model for classifying stance and the Chi-Square method is used to select the good feature set. The performance of the stance classification system is evaluated in terms of accuracy. The result of stance labels for this proposed research represents as for and against by analyzing the surface and deep features that capture the content of a post.

Abstrac : Pandemi covid-19 mengakibatkan terjadinya pembatasan hampir kesemua pelayanan kesehatan, termasuk maternal dan neonatal. kondisi ini juga berdampak pada kunjungan ibu hamil ke fasilitas kesehatan khusus nya puskesmas johar baru. dari survey yang dilakukan terjadi penurunan kunjungan dipoli KIA yang secara tidak langsung juga berdampak pada pengetahuan ibu hamil yang dapat mengakibatkan penurunan kesehatan yang dapat berpengaruh terhadap perkembangan janin. kehamilan adalah suatu kejadian yang dinantikan dan diharapkan, akan tetapi perjalanan selama kehamilan dapat menimbulkan kekhawatiran karena adanya perubahan baik fisik maupun psikososial. Tujuan pelaksanaan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan ibu hamil terkait pentingnya pemenuhan gizi, aktivitas fisik, pola istirahat, personal hygiene, dan komunikasi sejak dini pada janin sehingga ibu dan keluarga dapat menjalani kehamilan dengan sehat dan bahagia. Metode yang digunakan adalah dengan membagikan pertanyaan secara pre test yang kemudian dilanjutkan dengan penyampaian informasi secara daring dengan media dan gambar yang menarik dan di evaluasi dengan post test. Hasil dari pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah terjadi peningkatnya pengetahuan pada ibu-ibu hamil. dapat disimpulkan bahwa informasi terakit kesehatan selama kehamilan sangat penting dilakukan karena efektif dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan selama kehamilan sehingga proses kehamilan dan persalinan yang lancar.

Abstrac : Pandemi covid-19 mengakibatkan terjadinya pembatasan hampir kesemua pelayanan kesehatan, termasuk maternal dan neonatal. kondisi ini juga berdampak pada kunjungan ibu hamil ke fasilitas kesehatan khusus nya puskesmas johar baru. dari survey yang dilakukan terjadi penurunan kunjungan dipoli KIA yang secara tidak langsung juga berdampak pada pengetahuan ibu hamil yang dapat mengakibatkan penurunan kesehatan yang dapat berpengaruh terhadap perkembangan janin. kehamilan adalah suatu kejadian yang dinantikan dan diharapkan, akan tetapi perjalanan selama kehamilan dapat menimbulkan kekhawatiran karena adanya perubahan baik fisik maupun psikososial. Tujuan pelaksanaan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan ibu hamil terkait pentingnya pemenuhan gizi, aktivitas fisik, pola istirahat, personal hygiene, dan komunikasi sejak dini pada janin sehingga ibu dan keluarga dapat menjalani kehamilan dengan sehat dan bahagia. Metode yang digunakan adalah dengan membagikan pertanyaan secara pre test yang kemudian dilanjutkan dengan penyampaian informasi secara daring dengan media dan gambar yang menarik dan di evaluasi dengan post test. Hasil dari pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah terjadi peningkatnya pengetahuan pada ibu-ibu hamil. dapat disimpulkan bahwa informasi terakit kesehatan selama kehamilan sangat penting dilakukan karena efektif dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan selama kehamilan sehingga proses kehamilan dan persalinan yang lancar.

This document provides a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-art, challenges, and prospects in the experimental and theoretical study of the strong coupling $\alpha_s$. The current status of the seven methods presently used to determine $\alpha_s$ based on: (i) lattice QCD, (ii) hadronic $\tau$ decays, (iii) deep-inelastic scattering and parton distribution functions fits, (iv) electroweak boson decays, hadronic final-states in (v) e+e-, (vi) e-p, and (vii) p-p collisions, and (viii) quarkonia decays and masses, are reviewed. Novel $\alpha_s$ determinations are discussed, as well as the averaging method used to obtain the PDG world-average value at the reference Z boson mass scale, $\alpha_s(m^2_Z)$. Each of the extraction methods proposed provides a "wish list" of experimental and theoretical developments required in order to achieve an ideal permille precision on $\alpha_s(m^2_Z)$ within the next 10 years., Comment: 130 pages, 82 figures. White paper submitted to the Energy Frontier "Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics" (Snowmass 2021)

The concept of liquid metal membranes for hydrogen separation, based on gallium or indium, was recently introduced as an alternative to conventional palladium-based membranes. The potential of this class of gas separation materials was mainly attributed to the promise of higher hydrogen diffusivity. The postulated improvements are only beneficial to the flux if diffusion through the membrane is the rate-determining step in the permeation sequence. Whilst this is a valid assumption for hydrogen transport through palladium-based membranes, the relatively low adsorption energy of hydrogen on both liquid metals suggests that other phenomena may be relevant. In the current study, a microkinetic modeling approach is used to enable simulations based on a five-step permeation mechanism. The calculation results show that for the liquid metal membranes, the flux is limited by the dissociative adsorption over a large temperature range, and that the membrane flux is expected to be orders of magnitude lower compared to the membrane flux through pure palladium membranes. Even when accounting for the lower cost of the liquid metals compared to palladium, the latter still outperforms both gallium and indium in all realistic scenarios, in part due to the practical difficulties associated with making liquid metal thin films.

Additive manufacturing of catalyst and sorbent materials promises to unlock large design freedom in the structuring of these materials, and could be used to locally tune porosity, shape and resulting parameters throughout the reactor along both the axial and transverse coordinates. This contrasts catalyst structuring by conventional methods, which yields either very dense randomly packed beds or very open cellular structures. Different 3D-printing processes for catalytic and sorbent materials exist, and the selection of an appropriate process, taking into account compatible materials, porosity and resolution, may indeed enable unbounded options for geometries. In this review, recent efforts in the field of 3D-printing of catalyst and sorbent materials are discussed. It will be argued that these efforts, whilst promising, do not yet exploit the full potential of the technology, since most studies considered small structures that are very similar to structures that can be produced through conventional methods. In addition, these studies are mostly motivated by chemical and material considerations within the printing process, without explicitly striving for process intensification. To enable value-added application of 3D-printing in the chemical process industries, three crucial requirements for increased process intensification potential will be set out: i) the production of mechanically stable structures without binders; ii) the introduction of local variations throughout the structure; and iii) the use of multiple materials within one printed structure.

Grasslands cover around 25% of the global ice-free land surface, they are used predominantly for forage and livestock production and are considered to contribute significantly to soil carbon (C) sequestration. Recent investigations into using ‘nature-based solutions’ to limit warming to <2 °C suggest up to 25% of GHG mitigation might be achieved through changes to grassland management. In this study we evaluate pasture management interventions at the Rothamsted Research North Wyke Farm Platform, under commercial farming conditions, over two years and consider their impacts on net CO2 exchange. We investigate if our permanent pasture system (PP) is, in the short-term, a net sink for CO2 and whether reseeding this with deep-rooting, high-sugar grass (HS) or a mix of high-sugar grass and clover (HSC) might increase the net removal of atmospheric CO2. In general CO2 fluxes were less variable in 2018 than in 2017 while overall we found that net CO2 fluxes for the PP treatment changed from a sink in 2017 (−5.40 t CO2 ha−1 y−1) to a source in 2018 (6.17 t CO2 ha−1 y−1), resulting in an overall small source of 0.76 t CO2 ha−1 over the two years for this treatment. HS showed a similar trend, changing from a net sink in 2017 (−4.82 t CO2 ha−1 y−1) to a net source in 2018 (3.91 t CO2 ha−1 y−1) whilst the HSC field was a net source in both years (3.92 and 4.10 t CO2 ha−1 y−1, respectively). These results suggested that pasture type has an influence in the atmospheric CO2 balance and our regression modelling supported this conclusion, with pasture type and time of the year (and their interaction) being significant factors in predicting fluxes.

This document provides a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-art, challenges, and prospects in the experimental and theoretical study of the strong coupling $\alpha_s$. The current status of the seven methods presently used to determine $\alpha_s$ based on: (i) lattice QCD, (ii) hadronic $\tau$ decays, (iii) deep-inelastic scattering and parton distribution functions fits, (iv) electroweak boson decays, hadronic final-states in (v) e+e-, (vi) e-p, and (vii) p-p collisions, and (viii) quarkonia decays and masses, are reviewed. Novel $\alpha_s$ determinations are discussed, as well as the averaging method used to obtain the PDG world-average value at the reference Z boson mass scale, $\alpha_s(m^2_Z)$. Each of the extraction methods proposed provides a "wish list" of experimental and theoretical developments required in order to achieve an ideal permille precision on $\alpha_s(m^2_Z)$ within the next 10 years., Comment: 130 pages, 82 figures. White paper submitted to the Energy Frontier "Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics" (Snowmass 2021)

3D-printed catalyst structures have the potential to broaden reactor operating windows. However, the hydrodynamic aspects associated with these novel catalyst structures have not yet been quantified in detail. This work applies a recently introduced noninvasive, instantaneous, whole-field concentration measurement technique based on infrared transmission to quantify the rate of transverse gas dispersion in 3D-printed logpile structures. Twenty-two structural variations have been investigated at various operating conditions, and the measured transverse gas dispersion has been correlated to the Péclet number and the structures’ porosity and feature size. It is shown that staggered configurations of these logpile structures offer significantly more tunability of the dispersion behavior compared to straight structures. The proposed correlations can be used to facilitate considerations of reactor design and operating windows.

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This document provides a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-art, challenges, and prospects in the experimental and theoretical study of the strong coupling $\alpha_s$. The current status of the seven methods presently used to determine $\alpha_s$ based on: (i) lattice QCD, (ii) hadronic $\tau$ decays, (iii) deep-inelastic scattering and parton distribution functions fits, (iv) electroweak boson decays, hadronic final-states in (v) e+e-, (vi) e-p, and (vii) p-p collisions, and (viii) quarkonia decays and masses, are reviewed. Novel $\alpha_s$ determinations are discussed, as well as the averaging method used to obtain the PDG world-average value at the reference Z boson mass scale, $\alpha_s(m^2_Z)$. Each of the extraction methods proposed provides a "wish list" of experimental and theoretical developments required in order to achieve an ideal permille precision on $\alpha_s(m^2_Z)$ within the next 10 years., Comment: 130 pages, 82 figures. White paper submitted to the Energy Frontier "Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics" (Snowmass 2021)

We present the details and first results of a new strategy for the determination of $\alpha_s(m_Z)$. By simultaneously decoupling 3 fictitious heavy quarks we establish a relation between the $\Lambda$-parameters of three-flavor QCD and pure gauge theory. Very precise recent results in the pure gauge theory can thus be leveraged to obtain the three-flavour $\Lambda$-parameter in units of a common decoupling scale. Connecting this scale to hadronic physics in 3-flavour QCD leads to our result in physical units, $\Lambda^{(3)}_{\bar{\rm MS}} = 336(12)\, {\rm MeV}$, which translates to $\alpha_s(m_Z) = 0.11823(84)$. This is compatible with both the FLAG average and the previous ALPHA result, with a comparable, yet still statistics dominated, error. This constitutes a highly non-trivial check, as the decoupling strategy is conceptually very different from the 3-flavour QCD step-scaling method, and so are their systematic errors. These include the uncertainties of the combined decoupling and continuum limits, which we discuss in some detail. We also quantify the correlation between both results, due to some common elements, such as the scale determination in physical units and the definition of the energy scale where we apply decoupling., Comment: 62 pages, 10 figures, LaTeX

We present the details and first results of a new strategy for the determination of $\alpha_s(m_Z)$. By simultaneously decoupling 3 fictitious heavy quarks we establish a relation between the $\Lambda$-parameters of three-flavor QCD and pure gauge theory. Very precise recent results in the pure gauge theory can thus be leveraged to obtain the three-flavour $\Lambda$-parameter in units of a common decoupling scale. Connecting this scale to hadronic physics in 3-flavour QCD leads to our result in physical units, $\Lambda^{(3)}_{\bar{\rm MS}} = 336(12)\, {\rm MeV}$, which translates to $\alpha_s(m_Z) = 0.11823(84)$. This is compatible with both the FLAG average and the previous ALPHA result, with a comparable, yet still statistics dominated, error. This constitutes a highly non-trivial check, as the decoupling strategy is conceptually very different from the 3-flavour QCD step-scaling method, and so are their systematic errors. These include the uncertainties of the combined decoupling and continuum limits, which we discuss in some detail. We also quantify the correlation between both results, due to some common elements, such as the scale determination in physical units and the definition of the energy scale where we apply decoupling., Comment: 62 pages, 10 figures, LaTeX

This document provides a comprehensive summary of the state-of-the-art, challenges, and prospects in the experimental and theoretical study of the strong coupling $\alpha_s$. The current status of the seven methods presently used to determine $\alpha_s$ based on: (i) lattice QCD, (ii) hadronic $\tau$ decays, (iii) deep-inelastic scattering and parton distribution functions fits, (iv) electroweak boson decays, hadronic final-states in (v) e+e-, (vi) e-p, and (vii) p-p collisions, and (viii) quarkonia decays and masses, are reviewed. Novel $\alpha_s$ determinations are discussed, as well as the averaging method used to obtain the PDG world-average value at the reference Z boson mass scale, $\alpha_s(m^2_Z)$. Each of the extraction methods proposed provides a "wish list" of experimental and theoretical developments required in order to achieve an ideal permille precision on $\alpha_s(m^2_Z)$ within the next 10 years., Comment: 130 pages, 82 figures. White paper submitted to the Energy Frontier "Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics" (Snowmass 2021)

Catalyst structuring is a key technology in the chemical process intensification toolbox. By changing the catalyst geometry and packing, the catalyst holdup, pressure drop and heat and mass transfer properties of the reactor can be tailored and this, in turn, influences the performance, operating costs and safety aspects. In recent years, Additive Manufacturing (AM), or 3D-printing, of catalyst has been developed as a novel means of structuring catalytic material. This technology is promised to unlock large design freedom in the structuring of catalytic materials, and this can open up new operating windows. Whilst the technology itself is maturing, the actual structures and process intensification potential are not investigated thoroughly yet. In this poster, we will introduce our novel concept of 3D-printed baffled logpile structures. The production of these structures, or any structure with local variations, via AM is relatively straightforward whilst it is complex to achieve within conventional shaped bodies. By local densification of the structure to form baffle-like structures, the fluid flow can be steered and this can be used to intensify the heat and mass transfer properties of the reactor. Flexible operating characteristics can be achieved by varying both the porosity of these baffles as well as their location within the reactor. The operating windows have been mapped through simulations, and these conclusions allow for the design of full-scale cylindrical modules. In this poster we will present both our simulation approach and the experimental setups that are used to characterize the novel catalyst structures. In addition to this, future perspectives for value-added application of the structures are sketched.

The musculoskeletal system (or MSS) is essential for the performance of day-to-day functional tasks and thus leading a quality life. MSS pathologies can therefore have a significant impact on our daily life. The MSS is also involved in central nervous conditions (e.g. brain stroke, cerebral palsy, spinal cord damages, etc.) and is sensitive to cardiovascular disorders. Such conditions can lead to severe impairments of the MSS normal physiology, leading to severe disabilities. It is therefore not surprising to find MSS-related health problems at the top of global statistics on professional absenteeism or societal health costs (see The Burden of Musculoskeletal Diseases in the United States, AAOS). Recently, a couple of papers by Lozano et al. and Murray et al. published in The Lancet reported results from a large comprehensive study about the worldwide impact of all major diseases and risk factors on disability and mortality; this study found “that musculoskeletal conditions affect more than 1.7 billion people worldwide and have the fourth greatest impact on the overall health of the world population, considering both death and disability (DALYs).” The same study also stated that musculoskeletal-related disorders have increased by 45% over the past 20 years and will continue to increase unless appropriate preventive action is taken. Despite the widely recognized important role of MSS in our daily functions and in maintaining quality of life, the current fundamental knowledge related to the individual components of the MSS architecture remains relatively limited. This limited knowledge with a lack of standardized data representation often proves insufficient in systems engineering and modeling applications. This limitation is a major obstacle in the progress of fundamental and applied research today. Efforts in bioengineering and biomechanics are needed to improve current simulation methods through a better integration of functional anatomy knowledge with improved and, SCOPUS: ch.b, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Grasslands cover around 25% of the global ice-free land surface, they are used predominantly for forage and livestock production and are considered to contribute significantly to soil carbon (C) sequestration. Recent investigations into using ‘nature-based solutions’ to limit warming to <2 °C suggest up to 25% of GHG mitigation might be achieved through changes to grassland management. In this study we evaluate pasture management interventions at the Rothamsted Research North Wyke Farm Platform, under commercial farming conditions, over two years and consider their impacts on net CO2 exchange. We investigate if our permanent pasture system (PP) is, in the short-term, a net sink for CO2 and whether reseeding this with deep-rooting, high-sugar grass (HS) or a mix of high-sugar grass and clover (HSC) might increase the net removal of atmospheric CO2. In general CO2 fluxes were less variable in 2018 than in 2017 while overall we found that net CO2 fluxes for the PP treatment changed from a sink in 2017 (−5.40 t CO2 ha−1 y−1) to a source in 2018 (6.17 t CO2 ha−1 y−1), resulting in an overall small source of 0.76 t CO2 ha−1 over the two years for this treatment. HS showed a similar trend, changing from a net sink in 2017 (−4.82 t CO2 ha−1 y−1) to a net source in 2018 (3.91 t CO2 ha−1 y−1) whilst the HSC field was a net source in both years (3.92 and 4.10 t CO2 ha−1 y−1, respectively). These results suggested that pasture type has an influence in the atmospheric CO2 balance and our regression modelling supported this conclusion, with pasture type and time of the year (and their interaction) being significant factors in predicting fluxes.

Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been designed as effective solvents for precombustion CO2capture by using a conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS). Reliable CO2solubilities in various compounds and binary solvents were estimated. We have developed new DESs from 38 selected, nature-derived, hydrophobic, and CO2affinitive compounds. The possibilities of any two of these substances to form DESs were assessed from predicted activity coefficients, followed by an estimation of the CO2solubilities of the theoretically feasible DESs. 58 promising hypothetical DESs were screened out. Subsequently, eight DESs were successfully prepared and characterized. Most of these DESs have a density larger than 1.0 g/mL at 298.15 K. The DESs have a similarly low volatility as decanoic acid-menthol (1:2) and are thermally stable below 420 K. Vanillin-4-oxoisophorone (1:3) and methyl salicylate-4-oxoisophorone (1:1) have been identified to be very promising for precombustion capture, showing comparable CO2solubility and viscosity to the well-known, conventionally used Selexol solvent.

Bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPMED) could allow for the complete electrification of direct air capture (DAC) technologies. In this work, we have modeled and optimized two DAC processes based on different electrodialysis cell designs. The technical assessment has been complemented by a detailed economic analysis, showing the advantages but also the current shortcomings of this technology and pathways for advancement. A minimum energy demand of 24 MJ kgCO2-1has been estimated for the base-case scenario, a result comparable to what has been reported for other liquid-scrubbing DAC technologies. Several solutions to further abate power consumption have been reviewed, with the most promising case providing a 29% reduction. Membrane cost and performance are currently the main limiting factors. In a scenario where cheaper membranes with better performance are assumed to be available, total costs below $250 tonCO2-1may be feasible, making BPMED a viable fully electrified alternative to other technologies requiring natural gas.