ADSORPTION OF OBSOLETE SLUDGE, PEAT, BUCKWHEAT HUSKS AND COMPOSITIONS FROM THEM

The problem of accumulation of obsolete silt deposits at aeration stations is relevant for the whole territory of Ukraine. This can lead to environmental hazards. Therefore, the task of processing silt deposits with the creation of granules based on them with the addition of peat and buckwheat husks. Van Bamelen's tensometric (static) method was used to determine the equilibrium humidity of the experimental samples depending on the relative humidity . As a result of researches kinetic curves of adsorption over obsolete silt deposits, peat, buckwheat husk and the three-component composition created on their basis are received. Kinetic adsorption curves indicate a slow process. The adsorption curves of the three-component composition have the character of curves of obsolete sludge, which have a non-uniform character. The obtained equilibrium humidity does not exceed the standard humidity for fuel pellets. The adsorption isotrams of the three-component composition and its components are determined, from which the equations of experimental and linearized isotrams are obtained. The analysis of experimental isotherms allows to relate them relatively to the isotherms of adsorption IV, which are observed in inorganic oxides and in other porous bodies. For the first time, the adsorption properties of three-component compositions based on peat, sludge and buckwheat husk were studied. The obtained equilibrium humidity of the compositions does not exceed the standard humidity for fuel pellets (is 20%) and is 6 - 7%. Therefore, they can be used for combustion in biomass boilers. The resulting ash can be used for the production of bricks, cement and other building materials. During storage of composite granules in order to prevent loss of their technological properties, it is recommended to maintain humidity at the level of 60 - 70%.

Rice straw open burning: emissions, effects and multiple benefitsof non-burning alternatives

Rice is one of the most important staple foods not just to people in Asia, but around the world. To meet domestic and export demands, farmers in Southeast Asia (SEA) grow 2-3 crop cycles per year, which leaves only a short period for land preparation. Field open burning of rice straw has been widely practiced to quickly clear the surface biomass for the next crop planting. However, this uncontrolled open combustion of rice straw releases large amounts of toxic air pollutants including key conventional pollutants along with carcinogenic compounds like dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and benzene, as well as major climate forcing agents. Emissions from rice straw open burning (RSOB) have been shown to significantly elevate ambient levels of PM2.5 and surface ozone in adjacent urban areas. During the dry season, when stagnant meteorological conditions are prevalent, intensive open burning activities further intensify haze episodes. Rice straw, however, is a valuable resource that should be recovered and not disposed of by open burning. Indeed, several non-open burning alternatives are available that would bring in multiple benefits to air quality, climate, health, and economy. For example, the production of rice straw fuel pellets for cooking in clean gasifier cookstoves is one promising option. For the successful elimination of RSOB in SEA, technology development along with formulation and implementation of appropriate policies should be in place to mobilise active participation from all stakeholders.

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF MODIFIED XANTHAN GUM

Xanthan gum is widely used as a stabilizing, emulsifying, thickening agent in pharmacology, medicine, food, oil, paint, textile, perfume, mining and agriculture. For food purposes, potassium, sodium or calcium salts of xanthan formed by carboxyl groups of glucuronic acid and pyruvate group are used. Currently, xanthan gum is not produced on an industrial scale in Russia. There are repeated attempts to create industries in various regions of the country. The paper synthesizes hydrophobized acetylated xanthan gum derivatives with different degrees of substitution. Physical-chemical and colloidal-chemical properties of initial and modified gum are compared by methods of viscosimetry, tensiometry, IR spectroscopy. The point of zero charge of xanthan gum is determined.. Change of macromolecule conformation depending on pH of aqueous solution and preliminary dewatering is shown. Delamination temperatures of initial and modified forms of xanthan gum were determined. The critical micelle formation concentration of the modified gum is 0.2%. At this concentration, the surface activity of the gum is 6.1 and 7.9 mJ m/kg when replacing two and five hydroxo groups, respectively. The possibility of using modified xanthan gum as a binder for obtaining fuel pellets with improved operational properties and calorific value is shown.

Agricultural utilization of lignosulfonates

Lignosulfonates (LSs) are by-products of the pulp and paper industry from pulping of lignocellulosic biomass according to the sulfite process. This renewable material already plays a role in low-value applications, such as binding agents for fuel, pellets, as a feed additive, or as a dispersant. Another possible field of application of this technical lignin type is agriculture. It is known that this eco-friendly and cheap material can improve soil quality, fertilizer efficacy and replace or decrease the use of potentially (eco)toxic organic or inorganic substances. The use of LS in agriculture and five main strategies for the implementation of LS in soil are discussed in this review: LS as a complexing agent with micronutrients, co-pelleting of LS with (macro)nutrients, capsule formation with LS for coating of fertilizers or pesticides, LS as a biostimulant, and ammonoxidation of LS. All five ways can be beneficial in fertilizer-related applications, either to slow down the release of nutrients or pesticides, to substitute harmful chemicals, or to inhibit nitrification and modify fertilizer behaviour. Nevertheless, application and long-time studies are often missing, and more research is required for generating products that are economically competitive to commercial bulk products.

Iodine release from high-burnup fuel structures: Separate-effect tests and simulated fuel pellets for better understanding of iodine behaviour in nuclear fuels

Iodine release modelling of nuclear fuel pellets has major uncertainties that restrict applications in current fuel performance codes. The uncertainties origin from both the chemical behaviour of iodine in the fuel pellet and the release of different chemical species. The structure of nuclear fuel pellet evolves due to neutron and fission product irradiation, thermo-mechanical loads and fission product chemical interactions. This causes extra challenges for the fuel behaviour modelling. After sufficient amount of irradiation, a new type of structure starts forming at the cylindrical pellet outer edge. The porous structure is called high-burnup structure or rim structure. The effects of high-burnup structure on fuel behaviour become more pronounced with increasing burnup. As the phenomena in the nuclear fuel pellet are diverse, experiments with simulated fuel pellets can help in understanding and limiting the problem at hand. As fission gas or iodine release behaviour from high-burnup structure is not fully understood, the current preliminary study focuses on (i) sintering of porous fuel samples with Cs and I, (ii) measurements of released species during the annealing experiments and (iii) interpretation of the iodine release results with the scope of current fission gas release models. Graphical abstract

Research of pneumatic conveyor for overloading of fuel pellets

The constant development of the country's agricultural sector allows the production of biofuels, such as fuel pellets, from agricultural waste - straw, corn and sunflower husks. However, the transportation of fuel pellets is quite energy consuming. The process of loading and unloading, transportation over long distances requires complex mechanized equipment. The use of a pneumatic conveyor for grain reloading will allow to provide high-quality transportation of fuel pellets. The aim of the article was to investigate the operation of the pneumatic conveyor for overloading fuel pellets, to determine the optimal indicators that affect the productivity of the pneumatic conveyor. Since fuel pellets, as raw materials, are structurally similar to cereals, a study of the pneumatic grain conveyor PTZ-25 was conducted. The dependence of the productivity of the pneumatic conveyor on the lifting height h, m and the length of the pipelines L, m was obtained. The obtained results showed that by reducing the length of the pipelines by four times and the lifting height by half, the productivity of the pneumatic conveyor will increase by 1.15 times. Key words: fuel pellets, pneumatic conveyor, productivity