Energy Analysis of Impact-Shear Interaction of Counter Flows of Ground Loose Material in Centrifugal Disintegrator

The distribution of power consumption of centrifugal two-shaft disintegrator for impact and shear destruction of material as functions of its technological and structural parameters, as well as parameters of material being ground, has been substantiated. An analytical apparatus has been developed to determine the degree of influence of each factor. Factors affecting the absolute value of the consumed power of the disintegrator have also been established. The results of the work make it possible to optimize the technological process in order to reduce the yield of bream fragments of destruction, which is observed when the share of energy of shear deformations increases, in order to obtain cuboid fractions of disintegration products. They allow to create a methodology for determining the rational parameters of a centrifugal double-shaft disintegrator.

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A SMALL SCALE COCOPEAT COMPACTION MACHINE

Coconut is one of the major crops grown by small-scale farmers in Kenya coast. This crop has a great potential to contribute to the economy of the region, owing to the wide applications of its products. Virtually all parts of the crop including its leaves, fruit, stem and roots are useful for many products, such as food, beverages, cosmetics, medicine, furniture, textiles and cocopeat. Cocopeat is a by-product in fibre production from coconut husks. The cocopeat is used as a planting medium in soilless culture in agricultural production and as a soil substitute in containerized crop production. Recently, these soilless media have received much interest especially in commercial applications in Kenya, especially in horticultural farms. Since the cocopeat is a loose material, its transportation poses a challenge due to its bulkiness. Therefore a need for compacting it for ease of transportation. For this purpose, an automated cocopeat block making machine was developed to compact the loose cocopeat into uniform blocks to facilitate stacking and ease of transportation from source to agricultural farms across the country. The machine was automated.

INDICATORS OF THE CONDITION OF NATURAL COMPLEXES UNDER RECREATIONAL LOAD (ON THE EXAMPLE OF CARPATHIAN AND NATIONAL NATURE PARK “SKOLIVSKI BESKYDY”)

Several methods of studying the impact of recreational load on the landscape complexes are analyzed. It is shown that the main indicator of the recreational load is the condition of soil and vegetation. The condition and reaction to external influences serve as diagnostic signs of stages of recreational digression. There are five stages of recreational digression, in which various researchers (Kazanskaya et al., 1977; Rysin, 1983; Marfenina et al., 1987; Gensiruk et al., 1987; Prędki, 1999, Shlapak, 2003; Methodical recommendations…, 2003; Rysin L. & Rysin S., 2008) suggest using the following indicators of the state of natural complexes: 1) quantitative and qualitative changes in vegetation in meadows or the presence / absence of forest litter in forest complexes, 2) soil compaction, 3) the width of the trail, the presence of additional or parallel trails, 4) the growth of erosion processes and the microrelief of the trail. For the IV and V stages of recreational digression, it is proposed (Brusak, 2018) to use the indicator "degree of recreational digression" to reflect qualitative changes in the microrelief of trails, which includes trail width, erosion, amount of loose material in general and from 1 m² of the trail. Full-scale studies of tourist routes conducted in Carpathian NNP and Skolivski Beskydy NNP attest to the possibility of using different qualitative and quantitative characteristics of these indicators with a purpose to distinguish different stages of recreational digression. In general, the following time series of changes in the state of components of natural complexes are distinguished: vegetation (meadow) or forest litter (forest) → soils → relief → geological substrate. In the initial stages of recreational degression the forest litter is damaged, crushed and trampled into the upper humus-accumulative horizon. The stocks of forest litter on the trails are more than 1 kg•m⁻², and their water holding capacity is much higher than that of forest litter in the control area. With increasing recreational load, heavily shredded forest litter is washed away by rain and melt water, forming on both sides of the so-called "rollers". As follows forest litter reserves are less than 1 kg•m⁻², or complete absence. A significant reduction in forest litter reserves on trails leads to overcompaction of the upper soil horizons. Their density increases almost twice compared to the control. Erosion processes occur on a highly compacted surface, which causes the removal of a significant amount of loose material from 1 m² of the trail. So, indicators of the state of natural complexes in conditions of recreational activity are quantitative and qualitative changes in vegetation within meadow ecosystems or the presence / absence of forest litter in forest ecosystems, soil compaction, trail width, the presence of additional / parallel trails, depth of erosion cut and the amount of loose material from 1 m² of the trail. Key words: recreational load, stage of recreational digression, tourist routes, forest litter, soil structure density, depth of erosion cut.

A possible serpulid tube worm of the genus Filograna from the upper Permian Cadeby Formation of South Yorkshire, UK

Simple, tubular clusters from a single boundstone hand specimen, collected from loose material in the Permian (Lopingian) Cadeby Formation at Hazel Lane Quarry, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough, are tentatively identified as the serpulid worm, Filograna sp. A. The tubes are calcareous, found in vertical clusters, with some short sections growing horizontally, and with external diameters between 0.6 mm and 1 mm. Recent work on the Permian Tethyan deposits of Italy have identified occurrences of the genus Filograna from before the Permian-Triassic extinction, but the importance of this example is its provenance in the Zechstein English Shelf biota, where reported occurrences of Serpulidae have been rare.

The Nature of the Technosols on the Waste from Nickel Production

The aim of the study was to investigate the properties of the metallurgical sludge—waste from nickel production—on the landfill of a former nickel plant in Sereď, Slovakia, in relation to the technosols soil group. The sludge is a loose material which is a toxic industrial technological anthropogenic sediment of an unnatural black colour which originated from the crushing, washing, and leaching of poor iron–nickel lateritic ore in ammoniac solution and other caustics substances. The terrain reconnaissance enabled us to identify the points for the location of the probes. Here we dug seven probes and took 17 samples. In the samples the pH levels, the content of heavy metal and iron TOC, IC, C, and N, and the C:N ratio were determined. This study provides substantial empirical data on the properties of the metallurgical sludge. The results of the analyses clearly demonstrate that the sludge is a strongly alkaline material and contains toxic amounts of heavy metals (Cr, Ni). It is an artefact whose properties are unfavourable to living organisms and their communities. On the basis of the results of the probes analysis we identified the nature of the technosols on the given locality.

COAST GEOMORPHOSYSTEMS OF THE RIGHT BANK OF THE VOTKINSK RESERVOIR

Methods and results of field studies of the complex of coastal processes on the right Bank of the Votkinsk reservoir are presented. They include observations of the rate of destruction and retreat of the walls of landslide-scree slopes, cut by abrasion, and processes that develop on the emerging shallows. For the first time, the processes of slow mass displacement of material entering the shallows due to the destruction of the banks were established and quantified within the shallow coastal waters. The main morphological types of coastal geomorphosystems are identified and the rates of re-formation are determined for their surface and underwater parts. It is noted that the most productive processes in relation to the flow of loose material into the reservoir bowl are the processes of shedding. Accordingly, weathering, as a source of loose material formation, acquires the importance of the most important shore-forming factor in the surface part of coastal geomorphosystems in the reservoir conditions. Among the most important lithodynamic flows of underwater sections of the coastal zone, the underwater "creep" is singled out. It was found that the layer of loose sediment lining the bench with a layer of 20-25 cm by the beginning of ice formation completely slides in the drying zone at a distance of 15-20 meters by the beginning of spring water discharge. Mass displacement of fine-grained earth occurs in the summer, but the slid material is actively replenished with abrasive products in the summer. Banks are destroyed by parallel retreat of the underwater and surface parts of the coast. At present, the rate of coastal destruction often increases rather than decreases, which makes it necessary to review some theoretical provisions concerning the laws of coastal development and forecast estimates. The results obtained can be used to estimate the rate of siltation of the reservoir basin.

Forensic Investigation of Suicidal Hanging in Lavatory of Custody Cell and Some Remedial Steps-A Case Study

Custodial death refers to the death of a person in the police custody/ lockup or in the prison. Death in custody is usually associated with apprehension and community concern, and raises the suspicion of violation of human rights. Studies conducted in few countries have shown that people in custody have increased rate of morbidity and mortality than those not in custody. In the present study, a person had committed suicide by hanging in the lavatory while kept in police station cell. In this case, the blanket available in the cell is used as ligature material for hanging. This incidence highlights the need to prevent any loose material present in the cell that may be a possible means of suicide. The present custodial death is presented with a view to provide information which will help for effective remedial steps and the establishment of better preventive strategies to prevent such incidence in the custody in future.