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The iron and steel sector is one of the hardest-to-abate sectors from an emission point of view, emitting 3.74 Gt CO2 annually and contributing to 10% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Hydrogen-based direct reduced iron is one of the options to achieve deep decarbonization of the sector. This study proposes an innovative hydrogen-DRI process integrating a high-temperature solid oxide electrolyzer cell. The main idea is to produce the reducing stream by means of the electrolyzer, while using natural gas only in the bottom part of the furnace to increase the carbon content and cool down the direct reduced iron. Three cases featuring different integration degrees between iron and hydrogen production units are assessed. The high integration level reduces the direct carbon dioxide emission by 96% compared to the reference natural gas fed process. Finally, an off-design analysis is performed to assess the mass and energy balances of the system operating at different loads in response to variable availability of renewable electricity. The results show that the plant can be efficiently used in several off-design configurations, maintaining good product quality while managing the electric consumption and hydrogen production rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing low-carbon systems for the steel industry is increasingly considered necessary for contributing to the targets of CO 2 emission reduction requested by modern environmental policies. This work focuses on a process for decarbonizing primary steel production by integrating an MCFC system in a DRI production plant based on the Energiron ZR process configuration. An MCFC system can be used to remove CO 2 from the flue gases while producing electricity and reducing the net electric consumption of the DRI plant. The reference scenario, the carbon capture case, and an additional hydrogen-based H-DRI system using high temperature electrolysis are simulated using Aspen Plus to evaluate and compare their energy and environmental performance. The results show that even considering the additional power consumption of the complete carbon capture and separation system, the overall electrical consumption of the carbon capture case is decreased by 78 % and the direct CO 2 emissions by up to 95 %. Furthermore, reduced electricity consumption reduces scope 2 emissions, increasing the sustainability of the process in the steel industry. On the other hand, the H-DRI case decreases primary energy consumption by 24 % but significantly increase electricity requirement; thus, it represents a better future solution when cheap low-CO 2 electricity is available. The plant configurations are compared economically by retrieving investment and operational costs from the open literature to estimate the levelized cost of DRI and the cost of CO 2 avoided. The results show that installing the MCFC and the anode purification system increases the investment costs by 38 % compared to a conventional plant. However, the lower electricity consumption and carbon tax expenditure lead to a comparable final DRI product cost. Contrarily, due to the electrolyzer high investment and operational costs, the additional marginal DRI cost of the H-DRI case is 31 % higher. Finally, the sensitivity analysis on the main variable costs shows that, independently from the electricity and natural gas price, the carbon capture case is economically competitive to the reference scenario, considering a carbon tax of 60 €/t CO2 or higher. At the same time, the H-DRI solution requires low electricity prices to be competitive. In conclusion, even if, in the long term, the objective is to completely replace the use of fossil fuels with renewable energy, in the short term, the implementation of MCFC in the DRI plant can significantly reduce the environmental impact of primary steel production without significant economic penalization. • A novel system for the decarbonization of the steel industry featuring a MCFC is presented. • A techno-economic comparison of the decarbonization system with a reference case and future HDRI scenario is carried out. • The decarbonization system allows a reduction of 78 % of the electric consumption and 95 % of the direct CO2 emissions. • The proposed decarbonization system is competitive with the reference case from an economic point of view. • A sensitivity analysis shows how the economic performance of the cases are affected by different economic frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a techno-economic comparison among five alternative process configurations for bio-methanol production from the gasification of residual forestry biomass. Process design and simulations are performed in Aspen Plus for mass and energy balance calculation, followed by preliminary sizing and economic analysis. Process schemes include a gasification island (state-of-the-art low-pressure gasification compared against a high-pressure gasifier) with syngas conditioning and compression, heat recovery, syngas composition adjustment (by CO 2 capture or addition of hydrogen produced by electrolysis), methanol synthesis and purification and a heat recovery cycle for power generation. CO 2 capture is performed with conventional chemical absorption in the benchmark cases, while low-temperature partial condensation of CO 2 is modeled in the advanced scenario. Methanol output is 14–15 kt/y in the CO 2 capture cases and 36 kt/y in the H 2 addition option. Configurations with a pressurized gasifier and phase-change-based CO 2 separation are the most efficient ones, with a primary energy efficiency of 50 % and a Levelized Cost of Methanol (LCOM) of 700 €/t MeOH. In comparison, LCOM increases to 730 €/t MeOH in the case with conventional capture or between 792 €/t MeOH and 831 €/t MeOH (depending on the CCS technology) if the gasification pressure is conservatively reduced to 2.5 bar. In the H 2 addition scenario, LCOM increases to 821 €/t MeOH due to the significant impact of the electricity consumption for H 2 production, (only partly compensated by the increased methanol production). Scenarios with CO 2 capture feature negative CO 2 emissions, in the range −1.64 to −1.84 t CO2eq /t MeOH , as a result of the capture and storage of biogenic CO 2 (BECCS approach). • Study of 5 bio-methanol configurations with CO 2 Capture and Storage or H 2 addition. • Process design and simulation of high- and low-P biomass gasification to methanol. • Partial liquefaction CO 2 capture and benchmarking against chemical absorption. • Minimum Levelized Cost of MeOH (700 €/t) for high-P gasifier and low-T CO 2 removal. • Negative net fossil CO 2 emissions of biomass-to-MeOH process due to BECCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space is one of the most avant-garde sectors for additive manufacturing as the inherent characteristics of this technology allow the creation of complex and lightweight 3D structures. Using this brand-new design tool, it was possible to design the pumping system holder of the MicroMED instrument, a particle analyser developed for ExoMars 2022 mission. The geometry of the holder was optimized using a finite element approach. The effectiveness of the proposed solution was evaluated by comparing the performance of two different designs using the AlSi9Cu3 alloy. One solution was based on micro-milling and the other on Selective Laser Melting. In order to validate the designed SLMed holder, a mockup was produced and successfully tested in the mission's mechanical environment. • Structural support based on honeycomb structure has been designed for AM and a mock-up has been realized in AlSi9Cu3. • AM designed structural support provides mass saving and improved dynamic performance compared to micro-milled design. • The breadboard has been tested in a representative mechanical environment for ExoMars 2020 mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios, composite materials are today essential building blocks for a wide range of industrial applications. However, their complex microstructures make it difficult to predict their failure mechanisms and residual lives under varying external loads. In situ health monitoring systems have received much attention in recent years as promising solutions for the above-mentioned limitations of composite materials. Here, we suggest a coupled health monitoring system in which infrared thermography and electrical resistance measurements are simultaneously applied for diagnosing the damage state of composite samples during tensile testing. In addition, we build a multiphysics simulation framework to model the interplay between the physical phenomena occurring in the three damage stages, involving crack propagation, variation in the temperature profile, and electrical resistance. The coupled electro-thermal monitoring system allows the estimation of the "damage stress (σ D)", which represents the onset of a micro-damage and may be correlated to the fatigue strength of the material and the assessment of the damage evolution process in glass fiber-reinforced polymer composites under quasi-static tensile loading. The proposed simulation framework enables the simultaneous understanding of the multiple physical phenomena occurring in the composite at the instance of crack nucleation and propagation. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Tail-end and integrated Calcium looping configurations assessed. • All CaL configurations involve significant fuel consumption, especially tail-end CaL. • Heat recovery steam cycle compensates the electric absorption of ASU and CPU. • Cost of cement increase: +67% and +74% for tail-end and integrated cases respectively. • Cost of CO 2 avoided: 52 €/t and 58.6 €/t for tail-end and integrated cases respectively. Abstract The scope of this work is to perform a techno-economic analysis of two Calcium Looping processes (CaL) for CO 2 capture in cement plants. Both tail-end CaL system with fluidized bed reactors and integrated CaL system with entrained flow reactors have been considered in the analysis. The calculation of the heat and mass balances and the economic analysis are consistent with the methodology defined in the framework of the H2020 Cemcap project. The analysis shows that the assessed CaL systems (especially the tail-end configuration) involve a significant increase of fuel consumption compared to a reference cement kiln without carbon capture. However, a large part of this additional energy input is exploited in a heat recovery steam cycle, which generates the electric power required to satisfy the consumption of the CO 2 capture auxiliaries (i.e. the power absorbed by the air separation and CO 2 compression and purification units). The integrated CaL process features a lower rise of equivalent fuel consumption (+59% compared to the reference) and a larger reduction of direct CO 2 emission (-93% compared to the reference). The specific primary energy consumption for CO 2 avoided (SPECCA), which takes into account also the indirect fuel consumption/savings and indirect emissions/avoided emissions due to electricity exchange (import/export) with the grid, ranges between 3.17–3.27 MJ LHV /kg CO2 for the integrated system vs. 3.76–4.42 MJ LHV /kg CO2 for tail-end cases, depending on the scenario considered for the grid electricity mix. The economic analysis highlights that CaL processes are capital intensive, which involve, roughly, a doubling of the Capex of the whole cement plant with CCS compared to a greenfield conventional cement plant. However, the obtained cost of CO 2 avoided is competitive with alternative technologies and ranges between about 52 €/t CO2 of the tail-end configuration and 58.6 €/t CO2 of the integrated one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the optimal working fluid selection for organic Rankine cycle recovering heat from heavy-duty internal combustion engines. Four cases are considered featuring two different engine exhaust temperatures (245 °C vs 354 °C) and two scenarios (maximum recovery of mechanical power vs. cogeneration of low-temperature heat). The analysis includes both pure fluids, including recently synthesized refrigerants, and binary mixtures. To perform a fair comparison between the different fluids, a computationally efficient cycle optimization approach, able to determine the maximum achievable efficiency for each working fluid, is adopted. The approach combines the evolutionary optimization algorithm PGS-COM with a rigorous heat integration methodology. The most efficient fluids are HCFO-1233zde, HFE-245fa2, HFO-1336mzz, HFE-347mcc, HFE-245cb2 and Novec 649 for the engine with lower temperature exhausts (reaching an ORC mechanical efficiency of 18.6–19.9%), and cyclopentane, ammonia, HCFO-1233zde, HFE-245fa2, HFO-1366mzz for the engine with higher temperature (reaching 23.76–22.70% efficiency). Compared to pure fluids, the use of optimized binary mixtures does not appear to lead a considerable efficiency gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne dust monitoring is crucial to characterize Martian atmosphere’ thermal structure, balance and dynamics. In order to achieve this objective, the MicroMED instrument has been selected to join the Dust Suite payload within the ExoMars 2020 mission. The particle analyzer is mainly developed to characterize the dust on Mars but, the instrument is suitable to be mounted on different landers or rovers thanks to the limited mass and size. In this study, the design of the instrument has been reported as long as preliminary testing in representative environment of a mockup of the pumping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a method for the uncertainty-based combination of signal processing techniques for the identification of rotor imbalance. The main idea of the proposed method is to compute the imbalance with different algorithms and to average the different algorithms’ results. The method is based on the data fusion at feature level and uses the measurement uncertainty of the imbalance as a figure of merit for the weight computation. A static, a dynamic, and a hybrid implementation are presented. In the static one, the weights are computed in a dedicated training phase, in which four algorithms (Fourier transform and quasi-harmonic fitting of signal denoised with Hilbert-Huang Transform, Hilbert Vibration decomposition, and Wavelet Packet decomposition) have been used to estimate the known imbalance of car wheels. In the dynamic one, the weights are computed at runtime by estimating the difference between each predictor and the actual signal. The hybrid approach is the combination of the two algorithms. Results of simulations and experiments evidenced the validity of the data fusion, with uncertainty reductions between 10 and 40%, with larger benefits in presence of non-stationary disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the integration of Calcium looping (CaL) process into a cement plant for post-combustion CO 2 capture is assessed via process simulations. In the proposed scheme, the carbonator of the CaL process is used as an end-of-pipe unit to capture the CO 2 from the cement kiln gas. From the results obtained, it is demonstrated that CO 2 capture efficiencies of the order of 90% are achievable, with CaL reactors operating in conditions not far from those demonstrated for application in power plants. The integration of the tail-end CaL process results in a significant increase of the total fuel consumption (about two to three times higher) compared to the benchmark cement plant without CO 2 capture. On the other hand, the heat from the CaL process can be recovered by a steam cycle producing decarbonized electric power that may exceed the needs of the plant auxiliaries (including the ASU and the CO 2 compression and purification unit), exporting in this way electricity to the grid and so resulting in CO 2 emission credits from a life cycle perspective. The resulting specific primary energy consumption for CO 2 avoided (SPECCA) highly depends on the reference power generation technology considered, and it ranges between 2.7 and 3.7 MJ LHV /kg CO2 in a coal-fired power generation scenario. As for the retrofittability of existing cement plants, the operation of the suspension preheating tower after the implementation of the CaL unit, as well as the position of the CaL carbonator with respect to the raw mill, have been assessed. Based on the results obtained, no critical issues have been found from a technical point of view in the adoption of the tail-end CaL process in existing cement kilns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the optimization of ORCs for heat recovery from heavy duty Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs), with particular attention to the optimal fluid selection. We considered two different ICEs featuring same power (10 MW) but different architectures: a two-stroke engine with exhaust temperature 250°C and a four-stroke engine with 350°C exhaust temperature. The analysis tackles the optimization of the heat integration between heat sources and ORC, the optimization of the cycle variables as well as the selection of the working fluid. In addition to conventional pure substances, such as hydrocarbons, refrigerants, and siloxanes, and recently synthesized refrigerants, (i.e., HFOs, HCFOs, and HFEs), also binary zeotropic mixtures have been considered. The optimization algorithm combines the evolutionary optimization algorithm PGS-COM with a systematic heat integration methodology which maximizes the heat recovered from the available heat sources. The methodology allows optimizing also the mixture composition. In total 36 pure fluids and 36 mixtures have been evaluated. HCFO-1233zde turns out to be the best or second best fluid for most cases. Cyclopentane is the best fluid for the engine with high exhaust temperature. Another promising fluid is Novec TM 649. The optimal cycles are supercritical with T-s diagrams resembling the ideal triangular cycle. The use of the mixtures leads to an increase of the exergy efficiency of around 2.5 percentage points (about 3.5 percentage point increase in net power output). Since the optimal cycle is supercritical, the temperature glide can be exploited only in condensation and, as a result, the advantage of mixtures compared to pure fluids is lower than the values reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca-Looping (CaL) has been demonstrated as a promising technology for CO 2 capture in coal-fired power plants. A promising application is also in cement plants, where the CaO-rich material purged from the CaL process can replace part or all of the raw material used for clinker production. The aim of this work is to investigate two process integration options of the CaL system based on fluidized bed and entrained flow reactors in a clinker burning process. The main advantages, constrains and research questions of the two configurations are discussed, and the mass and energy balances of the whole processes are detailed and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high cost of CO 2 capture using amine solvents from combustion sources such as natural gas-fired power plants remains a barrier to the adoption of CO 2 Capture and Storage (CCS) as a climate change mitigation measure. The objective of the work reported in this paper was to carry out a preliminary assessment of the potential of five alternative technologies suitable for post-combustion CO 2 capture from natural gas derived exhaust gases: • CO 2 permeable membranes • Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells • High-pressure solvent absorption from high-pressure exhaust gas from pressurised combustion / power generation • High-pressure solvent absorption supported by exhaust gas compression • Supersonic flow driven CO 2 deposition The results of the performance and cost evaluation for each technology are explained and the prospects for significant cost reduction compared to a state-of-the-art CO 2 capture process are discussed. Recommendations for further technology development activity are summarised in the conclusion of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper performs the thermodynamic optimization and part-load analysis of the NET Power cycle (also called Allam cycle), a natural-gas-fired oxy-combustion cycle featuring 100% CO 2 capture level, very high net electric efficiency, and potentially near-zero emissions level. To determine the maximum achievable cycle efficiency and optimal cycle variables, an Aspen Plus flowsheet including accurate first-principle models of the main equipment units has been developed and combined with a black-box optimization algorithm. The corresponding maximum cycle efficiency is equal to 55.35% (with 100% CO 2 capture). Optimization-based sensitivity analyses are performed to explore the neighborhood of the maximum efficiency cycle design with the aim of finding combinations of the cycle variables which lead to reduced costs and thermo-mechanical stress of the most critical components. Finally, the part-load performance of the optimized NET Power cycle has been analyzed. Results indicate that in the load range 100-40% the cycle (excluding the ASU) features a considerably lower efficiency decrease compared to a standard combined cycle. This result, showing the possibility of efficiently operating the cycle also at part-loads, further increases the attractiveness of the NET Power cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The neotropical Vanilla hartii is pollinated by a range of Euglossa species. • Euglossa bees enter the labellum to search for nectar rewards. • Pollen removal is achieved in case of a morphological fit between flower and bee. • Nectar-rewarding V. hartii has higher fruit set than food-deceptive vanilla species. • Overview with insights on evolution of reproductive strategies in vanilla genus. Little is known about the pollination mechanisms of species belonging to the genus Vanilla (Orchidaceae). Both autonomous self-pollination and animal-mediated pollination mechanisms seem to exist amongst the Vanilla species, yet few studies provided real evidence on pollination events. The aim of this study was to better understand the pollination mechanism of Vanilla hartii. Four V. hartii populations were selected within our study area in southern Costa Rica to observe pollination events and identify the natural pollinators of this Neotropical Vanilla species. We tested for nectar presence, analysed nectar composition, and examined floral fragrances. Furthermore, we identified floral visitors and documented their behaviour, quantified fruit set during two years, and compared morphological traits of flowers and their visitors. Sampled flowers contained 1.85 ± 1.07 µL nectar that averaged 34.79% sugar, dominated by sucrose. We observed orchid bees belonging to the genus Euglossa entering the tube formed by the labellum to search for nectar, indicated by their extended proboscis and prolonged visits, some of which exited the labellar tube with pollen masses attached to their scutellum. Combining our behavioural and phytochemical data, we demonstrate the presence of a nectar-rewarding pollination mechanism in the genus Vanilla that shows a higher natural fruit set compared to deceptive Vanilla species. An overview of the pollination mechanisms known so far provides insights into the potential evolution of reproductive strategies within this commercially important orchid genus. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a thorough thermodynamic analysis and optimization of the NET Power cycle (also called Allam cycle), a natural-gas-fired oxy-combustion cycle featuring nearly 100% CO 2 capture level, very high net electric efficiency, and potentially near-zero emissions level. The main goals of this study are the systematic optimization of the cycle for the maximum efficiency, and the quantification of the effects of the modelling assumptions and equipment performance on the optimal cycle variables and efficiency. An Aspen Plus flow-sheet featuring accurate first-principle models of the main equipment units (including cooled turbine) and fluid properties (equation of state) has been developed. The influence of the cycle variables on the thermodynamic performance of the cycle is first assessed by means of sensitivity analyses. Then, the cycle variables, which maximize the net electric efficiency, are determined with PGS-COM, a black-box numerical optimization algorithm, linked to the simulation software. The corresponding maximum cycle efficiency is equal to 54.80% (with 100% CO 2 capture), confirming the outstanding performance of the NET Power cycle. Moreover, the optimization indicates the existence of promising combinations of the cycle variables which lead to reduced component costs (due to the lower operating pressures and temperatures) of the most critical components, without considerably affecting the net electric efficiency. The analysis also indicates that the cooling medium temperature, the power consumption of the air separation unit, the effectiveness of the regenerator and the effectiveness of the turbine cooling system are the main factors influencing the cycle efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typical device architectures in polymer-based optoelectronic devices, such as field effect transistors organic light emitting diodes and photovoltaic cells include sub-100 nm semiconducting polymer thin-film active layers, whose microstructure is likely to be subject to finite-size effects. The aim of this study was to investigate effect of the two-dimensional spatial confinement on the internal structure of the semiconducting polymer poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO). PFO melts were confined inside the cylindrical nanopores of anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) templates and crystallized via two crystallization strategies, namely, in the presence or in the absence of a surface bulk reservoir located at the template surface. We show that highly textured semiconducting nanowires with tuneable crystal orientation can be thus produced. The results presented here demonstrate the simple fabrication and crystal engineering of ordered arrays of PFO nanowires; a system with potential applications in devices where anisotropic optical properties are required, such as polarized electroluminescence, waveguiding, optical switching and lasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the design of two contactless thermometers based respectively on a total radiance and two-color pyrometry scheme, developed to measure the temperature of a small brass coated steel wire during wire drawing. In this critical condition, wire oscillation and relevant insertion errors do not allow using commercial contact or contactless sensors. Thus, ad hoc pyrometers optical layouts have been designed in order to minimize sensitivity to the wire oscillations and emissivity changes. Moreover, performances associated to different infrared detectors have been compared using as figure of merit the achieved measurement uncertainty simulating typical disturbances, i.e. the background temperature variation, the slope of the wire’s emissivity and the effect of the atmosphere transmittance. Finally, the uncertainty budgets were drawn, evidencing the limitations of the proposed methods and identifying the best configuration for both developed instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat consumption is becoming one of the most relevant sectors in terms of environmental impacts globally. In the Brazilian Amazon the effects of this process are seen in the ongoing deforestation and land-use change (about 65% of deforestation can be linked to cattle ranching). One of the main causes of this trend is the increased efficiency of the transport infrastructure: along both sides of the Brazilian Inter-Oceanic highway, about 50 km of rainforest have been converted to cattle ranching. In 2011 the Inter-Oceanic highway was finalized also on the Peruvian side: the region of Madre de Dios is neighboring the Brazilian Amazon, therefore the risk is that this area will undergo the same kind of development. The objective of this analysis is to highlight the contribution of global meat demand trend as cause of land use change and deforestation in the Madre de Dios region. This focus has been chosen since, nowadays, the magnitude of cattle ranching activities is hidden by more evident and damaging activities (e.g., gold mining), and its near-future effects risk to be underestimated. By starting with investigating the preliminary signals of cattle ranching contribution to the local deforestation process, this analysis will serve as basis for more comprehensive future works on local data, including monitoring campaigns of local biodiversity and GHG emissions. Land-use change is, thus, analyzed through FAO data and also through data acquired with remote sensing carried out within other projects. Meat consumption and production outcomes are obtained from the FAOSTAT database. By integrating trends in the regional meat consumption with the emerging trading effects, which are incremented by the new highway, it is possible to highlight the risk that the global convergence in meat consumption trends can locally influence the deforestation in Madre de Dios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the thermo-mechanical design of the microbalance used for the VISTA (Volatile In Situ Thermogravimetry Analyzer) sensor. VISTA has been designed to operate in situ in different space environments (asteroids, Mars, icy satellites). In this paper we focus on its application on Mars, where the expected environmental conditions are the most challenging for the thermo-mechanical design. The microbalance holding system has been designed to ensure piezoelectric crystal integrity against the high vibration levels during launch and landing and to cope with the unavoidable thermo-elastic differential displacements due to CTE and temperature differences between the microbalance elements. The crystal holding system, based on three symmetrical titanium supports, provides also the electrical connections needed for crystal actuation, microbalance heating and temperature measurement on the electrode area. On the microbalance crystal surfaces the electrodes, a micro film heater (optimized to perform thermo-gravimetric analysis up to 400 °C) and a resistive thermometer are deposited through a vacuum sputtering process. A mockup of the system has been manufactured and tested at the expected vibration levels and the thermal control effectiveness has been verified in thermo-vacuum environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work describes the design and testing of a shutter mechanism for a miniaturized infrared spectrometer developed for the ESA ExoMars Pasteur mission. Unlike most usual cover mechanisms, the conceived one provides a roto-translational motion. This feature allows the sealing of the interferometer main entrance window from dust contamination, in addition to the usual function of shuttering the instrument field of view. Although this characteristic is strongly desired because it avoids dust deposition and optics contamination while the instrument is not operating, it makes the mechanism design significantly more complex. Moreover, challenging design constraints were faced: the mass budget allowed for no more than 30g allocation, the expected working thermal range extended down to −80°C and high vibration levels with an acceleration peak of 670m/s2 were predicted during Mars landing. To complete the picture, the mechanism cover was required to provide also a calibration target for the 2–25μm spectral range of the spectrometer. The resulting system is made by a calibrating/shutter cover moved by a purposely designed out of plane cams system which provides the desired motion. A mechanism mockup was assembled and successfully tested in the predicted thermal and mechanical environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study was undertaken during an outbreak of clinical and subclinical mastitis in 14 dairy cows caused by Candida rugosa, in which high somatic cell counts were seen and cases did not respond to antibiotic treatment. Intramammary infection cured spontaneously in 10 cows, whereas 4 cows were culled as a result of persistent infections. Repeated sampling of these cows and biomolecular analysis of the isolates showed that the infections were caused by the same genotype, even over a period of 2 lactations. Random amplification of the genome of C. rugosa milk isolates gave 3 different DNA banding patterns (genotypes G1, G2, and G3). Viable cells of C. rugosa were also isolated from various environmental sources and were present in high concentrations in total mixed ration samples, which could be considered the primary source of diffusion of viable yeast cells in the environment, as demonstrated by genotyping. The proven capacity of these microorganisms to survive in the environment of the cow, such as the total mixed ration, bedding, water, and cow skin, and to cause persistent intramammary infections highlights the importance of mycotic spread in dairy herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite milk samples from 548 cows, and samples from feces, feed, bedding, water, liners (before and after milking), and the postdipping product were aseptically collected from 2 Italian dairy herds from February to November of 2006. Prototheca zopfii was isolated from 11.9% of milk samples, 15% of feces, and 33.3% of bedding samples. No viable cells of P. zopfii were observed in water before washing procedures, whereas 25 to 28.6% of samples from water used for washing both refrigeration tanks and milking equipment were contaminated with this yeast-like microalga. Analogously, the presence of P. zopfii was detected only on swabs collected from the liners after milking. Interestingly, in 1 of the 2 herds, water from the drinking trough was contaminated by viable cells of both P. zopfii and the related environmental species Prototheca stagnora. No viable cells were observed in cow feed. On the basis of the results presented herein, P. zopfii seemed to be widespread throughout the environments of dairy herds where outbreaks of bovine mastitis had occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SOS-CO 2 : hybrid cycle integrating a SOFC with oxy-fired semi-closed Brayton cycle. • Natural gas fired power plant with high efficiency, zero emissions and CO 2 Capture. • Cycle modelled in Aspen Plus and operative conditions optimized for max efficiency. • Optimal SOS-CO 2 with net electric efficiency up to 76% LHV and zero CO 2 emissions. • Efficiencies close to 70% even with uncooled expander, Uf = 0.75 and p MAX = 2.75 MPa. This paper presents a new hybrid cycle based on the integration between a pressurized solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a semi-closed regenerative intercooled Brayton cycle using a CO 2 -rich stream as the working fluid. Nearly pure oxygen is used as oxidant for both the Brayton cycle combustor and the fuel cell. The cycle is conceived to produce electricity while capturing 100% of the produced CO 2 using natural gas or other fuels suitable for SOFC fuel cells. If the maximum cycle pressure is above the CO 2 critical pressure, the semi-closed Brayton cycle becomes a supercritical CO 2 cycle with the related efficiency advantages. In this work, the cycle is modelled with Aspen Plus and its design variables are optimized to find the maximum electric efficiency using an ad-hoc optimization approach. In the case study assessed (natural gas thermal input of 500 MW), the optimized cycle, working at 40 MPa with a cooled expander, achieves an outstandingly high efficiency of 75.7% (LHV basis) with CO 2 capture. The sensitivity analysis shows that similar efficiency values can be achieved even with less challenging operating conditions for both the Brayton cycle and fuel cell (maximum cycle pressure of 27.5 bar, uncooled turbine and fuel utilization factor of the fuel cell equal to 0.75). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The system is compatible with very low environmental pressure, even high vacuum. • The amplification of noise due to the required numerical derivative is avoided thanks to the data interpolation, • The uncertainty has been analyzed and the critical sources identified. • Way for uncertainty reduction have been identified along with limitation. • The system has been successfully used. This paper presents the design and validation of a volume flow measurement system developed to measure volume flowrate of gas at pressures below 1 kPa. The system had to be developed because a suitable commercial transducer was not available for the unusual working environment, where outgassing and sublimation phenomena become relevant for many materials and the rarefied atmosphere changes dramatically its heat and mass exchange parameters. The development of a low-pressure compatible measurement system comes from the need of measuring the flow rate of a rotary vane pump working under an environmental absolute pressure in the range between 600 and 1000 Pa, mostly composed by CO 2 i.e. the average condition of the Martian atmosphere at the surface. The pump will be a key component of the MicroMED particle analyzer, an instrument of the ExoMars 2020 ESA-Roscosmos mission payload. The measurement system is based on a control volume, made by a stainless-steel bellow, which has been designed accounting for the environmental requirements and the expected flow rate. The measurement system has been calibrated at ambient condition and tests in low-pressure have been performed to validate the measurement system and to derive the flow rate characteristics of a pump mock-up at different environmental pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among neglected tropical diseases, leishmaniasis is one of the most relevant with an estimated 30,000 deaths annually. Existing therapies have serious drawbacks in safety, drug resistance, field-adapted application and cost; therefore, new safer and shorter treatments are needed for this disease. Here we report on the synthesis of novel 4-amino-7-chloroquinoline-based compounds with leishmanicidal activity, together with deeper insight into the mechanism of action of our previously published hit compound 1. New derivatives showed comparable activity to 1 against both promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of Leishmania infantum , with IC 50 < 1 μM. Furthermore, we have determined that compound 1 induced a decrease of intracellular ATP levels, as well as a mitochondrial depolarization, together with an alteration of plasma membrane permeability and a significant ROS production. The inhibition of the energy metabolism of Leishmania plays an important role in the leishmanicidal mechanism of this compound. In all, these results support the consideration of compound 1 for the future development of new leishmanicidal drugs. Image 1 • New aminoquinolines with antileishmanial activity were synthesized. • Aminoquinolines inhibit the energy metabolism of Leishmania. • Comp. 1 is very active against in promastigote and amastigote forms of several resistant clinical isolates of L. infantum.. • Strong synergism effect of compound 1 with paromomycin (P) and additivity effect with miltefosine (MTF) detected. • ROS generation upon treatment is a post-mitochondrial event that contributes to the leishmanicidal effect of our compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A measurement system for the internal and external preforms temperature profiles has been developed. • Cheap IR detectors can effectively be used for the purpose. • Measurement uncertainties lower than 2 °C can be achieved if the material emissivity is known. • Using average PET emissivity leads to uncertainties up to 6 °C. • The system allows implementing an in line closed loop temperature control system. Abstract This paper describes a system for the measurement of the internal and external temperature profiles of PET preforms used in the Injection Stretch Blow Moulding (ISBM) process. Many works in literature highlighted the importance of these quantities to improve the production quality of PET bottles, but none addressed the development of a measuring system suitable for this scope. A measuring system based on two thermopiles for the identification of the internal temperature profile and a thermal camera for the measurement of the external one has been designed. The adopted sensors were individually calibrated and the uncertainty budget, accounting for both instrumental uncertainties and the effect of multiple reflections, was derived. A prototype of the measuring system was tested on an industrial ISBM machine. The dependence of the preforms temperature profile on the settings of the ISBM machine was investigated. Results evidenced that the minimum variations of the machine settings induced temperature differences significantly larger than the measurement uncertainty, thus proving the effectiveness of the proposed system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]