|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Chen, Y.; Wu, Y.; Wang, D.; Li, H.; Wang, Q.; Liu, Y.; Peng, L.; Yang, Q.; Li, X.; Zeng, G.; Chen, Y.
Title Understanding the mechanisms of how poly aluminium chloride inhibits short-chain fatty acids production from anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 334 Issue Pages 1351-1360
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Poly aluminum chloride (PAC) is accumulated in waste activated sludge at high levels. However, details of how PAC affects short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production from anaerobic sludge fermentation has not been documented. This work therefore aims to fill this knowledge gap by analyzing the impact of PAC on the aggregate of sludge flocs, disruption of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and the bio-processes of hydrolysis, acid-ogenesis, and methanogenesis. The relationship between SCFA production and different aluminum species (i.e., Ala, Alb, and Alc) was also identified by controlling different OH/Al ratio and pH in different fermentation systems. Experimental results showed that with the increase of PAC addition from 0 to 40 mg Al per gram of total suspended solids, SCFA yield decreased from 212.2 to 138.4 mg COD/g volatile suspended solids. Mechanism exploration revealed that PAC benefited the aggregates of sludge flocs and caused more loosely-and tightly-bound extracellular polymeric substances remained in sludge cells. Besides, it was found that the hydrolysis, acidiogenesis, and methanogenesis processes were all inhibited by PAC. Although three types of Al species, i.e., Ala (Al monomers, dimer, and trimer), Alb (Al-13(AlO4Al12(OH)(24)(H2O) 7+ 12), and Alc (Al polymer molecular weight normally larger than 3000 Da), were co-existed in fermentation systems, their impacts on SCFA production were different. No correlation was found between SCFA and Ala, whereas SCFA production decreased with the contents of Alb and Alc. Compared with Alb, Alc was the major contributor to the decreased SCFA production ( R-2 = 0.5132 vs R-2 = 0.98). This is the first report revealing the underlying mechanism of how PAC affects SCFA production and identifying the contribution of different Al species to SCFA inhibition.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000418533400135 Publication Date 2017-11-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1385-8947; 1873-3212 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:148413 Serial 8708
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Li, Y.; Quinn, B.K.; Niinemets, Ü.; Schrader, J.; Gielis, J.; Liu, M.; Shi, P.
Title Ellipticalness index : a simple measure of the complexity of oval leaf shape Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Pakistan journal of botany : An official publication of pakistan botanical society Abbreviated Journal Pak J Bot
Volume 54 Issue 6 Pages 1-8
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Plants have diverse leaf shapes that have evolved to adapt to the environments they have experienced over their evolutionary history. Leaf shape and leaf size can greatly influence the growth rate, competitive ability, and productivity of plants. However, researchers have long struggled to decide how to properly quantify the complexity of leaf shape. Prior studies recommended the leaf roundness index (RI = 4πA/P2) or dissection index (DI = ), where P is leaf perimeter and A is leaf area. However, these two indices merely measure the extent of the deviation of leaf shape from a circle, which is usually invalid as leaves are seldom circular. In this study, we proposed a simple measure, named the ellipticalness index (EI), for quantifying the complexity of leaf shape based on the hypothesis that the shape of any oval leaf can be regarded as a variation from a standard ellipse. 2220 leaves from nine species of Magnoliaceae were sampled to check the validity of the EI. We also tested the validity of the Montgomery equation (ME), which assumes a proportional relationship between leaf area and the product of leaf length and width, because the EI actually comes from the proportionality coefficient of the ME. We also compared the ME with five other models of leaf area. The ME was found to be the best model for calculating leaf area based on consideration of the trade-off between model fit vs. complexity, which strongly supported the robustness of the EI for describing oval leaf shape. The new index can account for both leaf shape and size, and we conclude that it is a promising method for quantifying and comparing oval leaf shapes across species in future studies.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000814279700028 Publication Date 2022-05-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0556-3321 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 1.2 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.2
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188469 Serial 7153
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Shi, P.; Ratkowsky, D.A.; Li, Y.; Zhang, L.; Lin, S.; Gielis, J.
Title A general leaf area geometric formula exists for plants evidence from the simplified Gielis equation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Forests (19994907) Abbreviated Journal
Volume 9 Issue 11 Pages 714
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Plant leaves exhibit diverse shapes that enable them to utilize a light resource maximally. If there were a general parametric model that could be used to calculate leaf area for different leaf shapes, it would help to elucidate the adaptive evolutional link among plants with the same or similar leaf shapes. We propose a simplified version of the original Gielis equation (SGE), which was developed to describe a variety of object shapes ranging from a droplet to an arbitrary polygon. We used this equation to fit the leaf profiles of 53 species (among which, 48 bamboo plants, 5 woody plants, and 10 geographical populations of a woody plant), totaling 3310 leaves. A third parameter (namely, the floating ratio c in leaf length) was introduced to account for the case when the theoretical leaf length deviates from the observed leaf length. For most datasets, the estimates of c were greater than zero but less than 10%, indicating that the leaf length predicted by the SGE was usually smaller than the actual length. However, the predicted leaf areas approximated their actual values after considering the floating ratios in leaf length. For most datasets, the mean percent errors of leaf areas were lower than 6%, except for a pooled dataset with 42 bamboo species. For the elliptical, lanceolate, linear, obovate, and ovate shapes, although the SGE did not fit the leaf edge perfectly, after adjusting the parameter c, there were small deviations of the predicted leaf areas from the actual values. This illustrates that leaves with different shapes might have similar functional features for photosynthesis, since the leaf areas can be described by the same equation. The anisotropy expressed as a difference in leaf shape for some plants might be an adaptive response to enable them to adapt to different habitats.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000451310300054 Publication Date 2018-11-21
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1999-4907 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:156324 Serial 7389
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Smits, M.; Ling, Y.; Lenaerts, S.; Van Doorslaer, S.
Title Photocatalytic removal of soot : unravelling of the reaction mechanism by EPR and in situ FTIR spectroscopy Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication ChemPhysChem : a European journal of chemical physics and physical chemistry Abbreviated Journal Chemphyschem
Volume 13 Issue 18 Pages 4251-4257
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Photocatalytic soot oxidation is studied on P25 TiO2 as an important model reaction for self-cleaning processes by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Contacting of carbon black with P25 leads on the one hand to a reduction of the local dioxygen concentration in the powder. On the other hand, the weakly adsorbed radicals on the carbon particles are likely to act as alternative traps for the photogenerated conduction-band electrons. We find furthermore that the presence of dioxygen and oxygen-related radicals is vital for the photocatalytic soot degradation. The complete oxidation of soot to CO2 is evidenced by in situ FTIR spectroscopy, no intermediate CO is detected during the photocatalytic process.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000313692600026 Publication Date 2012-11-13
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1439-4235 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.075 Times cited 9 Open Access
Notes ; This work was supported by the University of Antwerp (PhD grants of M. S. and Y.L.). We would like to thank Birger Hauchecorne for the scientific discussion. ; Approved Most recent IF: 3.075; 2012 IF: 3.349
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:104568 Serial 5980
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Blommaerts, N.; Asapu, R.; Claes, N.; Bals, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Verbruggen, S.W.
Title Gas phase photocatalytic spiral reactor for fast and efficient pollutant degradation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Chemical engineering journal Abbreviated Journal Chem Eng J
Volume 316 Issue 316 Pages 850-856
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Electron microscopy for materials research (EMAT); Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Photocatalytic reactors for the degradation of gaseous organic pollutants often suffer from major limitations such as small reaction area, sub-optimal irradiation conditions and thus limited reaction rate. In this work, an alternative solution is presented that involves a glass tube coated on the inside with (silvermodified) TiO2 and spiraled around a UVA lamp. First, the spiral reactor is coated from the inside with TiO2 using an experimentally verified procedure that is optimized toward UV light transmission. This procedure is kept as simple as possible and involves a single casting step of a 1 wt% suspension of TiO2 in ethanol through the spiral. This results in a coated tube that absorbs nearly all incident UV light under the experimental conditions used. The optimized coated spiral reactor is then benchmarked to a conventional annular photoreactor of the same outer dimensions and total catalyst loading over a broad range of experimental conditions. Although residence time distribution experiments indicate slightly longer dwelling of molecules in the spiral reactor, no significant difference in by-passing of gas between the spiral reactor and the annular reactor can be claimed. Acetaldehyde degradation efficiency of 100% is obtained with the spiral reactor for a residence time as low as 60 s, whereas the annular reactor could not achieve full degradation even at 1000 s residence time. In a final case study, addition of long-term stable silver nanoparticles, protected by an ultra-thin polymer shell applied via the layer-by-layer (LbL) method, to the spiral reactor coating is shown to double the degradation efficiency and provides an interesting strategy to cope with higher pollutant concentrations without changing the overall dimensions.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000398985200089 Publication Date 2017-02-08
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1385-8947 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.216 Times cited 30 Open Access OpenAccess
Notes N.B. wishes to thank the University of Antwerp – Belgium for financial support. N.C. and S.B. acknowledge financial support from European Research Council (ERC Starting Grant #335078- COLOURATOM). S.W.V. acknowledges the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) for a postdoctoral fellowship. (ROMEO:green; preprint:; postprint:can ; pdfversion:cannot); ecas_sara Approved Most recent IF: 6.216
Call Number EMAT @ emat @ c:irua:140925UA @ admin @ c:irua:140925 Serial 4481
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Tytgat, T.; Hauchecorne, B.; Smits, M.; Verbruggen, S.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Concept and validation of a fully automated photocatalytic test setup Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication Journal of laboratory automation Abbreviated Journal Jala-J Lab Autom
Volume 17 Issue 2 Pages 134-143
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Photocatalytic activity can be studied by several methods, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. To study photocatalytic activity in an easy, user-friendly, and realistic way, a completely new setup has been built. The setup is modularly constructed around Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy at the heart of it, resulting in great versatility. Complementary software has been written for automatic control of the setup and for processing the generated data. Two pollutants, oil and n-octane, are tested to validate the performance of the setup. These validation experiments confirm the usefulness and added value of the setup in general and of the FTIR detection methodology as well. It becomes clear that a system of online measurements with good repeatability, accuracy, and user-friendliness has been created.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000304775300006 Publication Date 2014-07-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2211-0682 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.85 Times cited 15 Open Access
Notes ; The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article: This work was supported by a Ph.D. grant (T. Tytgat) funded by the Institute of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT) and by a Ph.D. grant (S. Verbruggen) from the Research Foundation of Flanders (FWO). Other funding was made possible by the University of Antwerp. ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.85; 2012 IF: 1.457
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:96649 Serial 5935
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author van Walsem, J.
Title Design and optimization of a photocatalytic reactor for air purification in ventilation systems Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2019 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 158 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Photocatalysis has been labeled for decades as a promising technique for air purification. The principle seems straightforward and requires a photocatalyst that is immobilized on a substrate, and one or more UV sources to activate the photocatalyst. No waste products are produced, the reactions occur in mild conditions and the supplies are relatively cheap. Yet it seems that the commercialization of photocatalytic systems does not break through on the global market. The aim of this thesis is to identify and tackle the bottlenecks that impede commercialization from an application-oriented approach. The problem of indoor air pollution is enhanced by the fact that people spend more and more time indoors and that ventilation is kept to a minimum as an energy-saving measure. This inevitably leads to an accumulation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are emitted by e.g. building materials, paint and furniture. Human exposure to VOCs is directly related to the sick building syndrome leading to complaints such as headache, fatigue, dizziness and lack of concentration. In addition, exposure to VOCs is related to serious long-term health effects such as cancer or respiratory diseases. Therefore, significant research efforts are focused on advanced indoor air purification methods. Integration or retrofitting of a photocatalytic (PCO) air purifying unit into heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment has been chosen as an interesting approach. As a starting point of this thesis, the operational conditions of a ventilation system were mapped. These systems are characterized by high flow rates and the necessity of minimal pressure losses. Pressure losses increase the energy demand and can lead to failure of the ventilation fan and thereby undermine the proper functioning of the ventilation system. A suitable substrate must allow the contaminated air to pass through with a minimal pressure drop, allow sufficient contact time between VOC and photocatalyst, have a large surface area available for coating with excellent adhesion, and be transparent to UV light. Therefore, the permeability and the available exposed surface were selected as main selection criteria. After a thorough quantitative analysis of potential substrates, borosilicate glass tubes were selected. Glass tubes can easily be stacked to constitute a transparent monolithic multi-tube reactor, with their length parallel to the air flow in order to minimize the pressure drop. Moreover, borosilicate glass is relatively inexpensive and has excellent UV-A light transmitting properties. Based on a literature study, a sol-gel coating procedure was selected that is extremely suitable for coating glass substrates. The next step was to optimize the amount of P25 (commercial titanium dioxide) in the photocatalytic sol-gel coating for its application. More P25 in the sol-gel coating results in a higher adsorption capacity and consequently a higher photocatalytic activity, but greatly reduces the transparency of the coating. After an in-depth study, the concentration of 10 g L-1 P25 was selected as the most feasible for multi-tube reactors. Since the operation of photocatalytic reactors is based on a complex interaction of physical and chemical processes, mathematical models were developed, supported by experimental data, that include all these phenomena as a tool for reactor design and optimization. By making use of such models, time-consuming and expensive experimental research can be minimized. However, the experimental validation of models is of utmost importance to prove its reliability and accuracy. Intrinsic kinetic parameters provide the fundamentals for these models as they describe the photocatalytic reaction rate, independent of fluid dynamics, reactor geometry and radiation field. In this work they were estimated by means of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study, based on FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) experiments with a lab scale multi-tube reactor. The kinetic parameters were validated by an alternative analytic approach, emphasizing the accuracy and reliability of the simulations. Finally, the aforementioned CFD approach, based on the simultaneously modelling of airflow, mass transfer, UV light irradiation and photocatalytic reactions, was used to obtain insights for the light source configuration in upscaled multi-tube reactors. After taking all these insights and some practical implications into account, a final upscaled multi-tube reactor design was proposed and converted into a first built prototype. Subsequently, it was evaluated according the CEN-EN-16486-1 standard for VOC removal by the external scientific research center ‘CERTECH’. The scientific results, regarding the mineralization of the VOCs and photocatalytic efficiency of the reactor, demonstrated the feasibility for indoor air purification by the upscaled multi-tube reactor and the possible implementation in ventilation systems.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:160205 Serial 7763
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Liao, L.; Heylen, S.; Sree, S.P.; Vallaey, B.; Keulemans, M.; Lenaerts, S.; Roeffaers, M.B.J.; Martens, J.A.
Title Photocatalysis assisted simultaneous carbon oxidation and NOx reduction Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Applied catalysis : B : environmental Abbreviated Journal Appl Catal B-Environ
Volume 202 Issue Pages 381-387
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Photocatalysis assisted oxidation of carbon black was performed using TiO2 photocatalyst under UV illumination in an atmosphere with NO, O-2 and water vapor at 150 degrees C. Carbon is oxidized mainly to CO2 while NO is selectively converted to N-2. Enhanced O-2 and NO concentrations have a positive effect on the carbon oxidation rate. At a concentration of 3000 ppm NO and 13.3% O-2 in the gas phase the carbon oxidation rate reaches 2.3 mu g(carbon)/mg(TiO2) h, at a formal electron/photon quantum efficiency of 0.019. HR SEM images reveal uniform gradual reduction of the carbon particle size irrespective of the distance to TiO2 photocatalyst particles in the presence of NO, O-2 and H2O. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000388052100038 Publication Date 2016-09-23
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0926-3373 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 9.446 Times cited 11 Open Access
Notes ; This work was supported by long-term structural funding by the Flemish government (Methusalem). M. Keulemans acknowledges the agency for Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT) for financial support (PhD. Grant). M. Roeffaers thanks the ERC for financial support (ERC Starting Grant No. 307523). ; Approved Most recent IF: 9.446
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:139156 Serial 5976
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Spanoghe, J.; Ost, K.J.; Van Beeck, W.; Vermeir, P.; Lebeer, S.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Purple bacteria screening for photoautohydrogenotrophic food production : are new H₂-fed isolates faster and nutritionally better than photoheterotrophically obtained reference species? Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication New biotechnology Abbreviated Journal New Biotechnol
Volume 72 Issue Pages 38-47
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Photoautohydrogenotrophic enrichments of wastewater treatment microbiomes were performed to obtain hypothetically high-potential specialist species for biotechnological applications. From these enrichment cultures, ten photoautohydrogenotrophic species were isolated: six Rhodopseudomonas species, three Rubrivivax members and Rhodobacter blasticus. The performance of these isolates was compared to three commonly studied, and originally photoheterotrophically enriched species (Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodobacter sphaeroides), designated as reference species. Repeated subcultivations were applied to improve the initial poor performance of the isolates (acclimation effect), which resulted in increases in both maximum growth rate and protein productivity. However, the maximum growth rate of the reference species remained 3–7 times higher compared to the isolates (0.42–0.84 d−1 at 28 °C), while protein productivities remained 1.5–1.7 times higher. This indicated that H2-based enrichment did not result in photoautohydrogenotrophic specialists, suggesting that the reference species are more suitable for intensified biomass and protein production. On the other hand, the isolates were able to provide equally high protein quality profiles as the references species, providing full dietary essential amino acid matches for human food. Lastly, the effect of metabolic carbon/electron switching (back and forth between auto- to heterotrophic conditions) initially boosted µmax when returning to photoautohydrogenotrophic conditions. However, the switch negatively impacted lag phase, protein productivities and pigment contents. In the case of protein productivity, the acquired acclimation was partially lost with decreases of up to 44 % and 40 % respectively for isolates and reference species. Finally, the three reference species, and specifically Rh. capsulatus, remained the most suitable candidate(s) for further biotechnological development.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000861078800005 Publication Date 2022-08-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1871-6784; 1876-4347 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 5.4 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 5.4
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:190188 Serial 7199
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Borah, R.
Title Photoactive nanostructures : from single plasmonic nanoparticles to self-assembled films Type Doctoral thesis
Year 2022 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages xxxiv, 220 p.
Keywords Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Photoactive nanoparticles and their light-driven applications have gained tremendous scientific attention towards remediation of the global environmental problems, meeting alternative energy demands, and other new technological discoveries. The research work presented in this dissertation includes a fundamental investigation of such nanoparticles to gain deeper insights that will ultimately benefit their application. In particular, the study of plasmonic metal nanoparticles and metal oxide nanoparticles for light driven applications is the major theme of this work. The investigation begins with isolated plasmonic Au and Ag nanoparticles, followed by a natural extension to nanoparticle clusters, and then further to nanoparticle films. Next, the application of such plasmonic nanoparticle films for gaseous phase sensing of volatile organic compounds is explored. Finally, the film formation of metal-oxide nanoparticles by self-assembly is investigated for the fabrication of photoactive functional interfaces. The fundamental theoretical investigation of the isolated plasmonic nanoparticles encompasses alloy and core-shell nanostructures of Au-Ag bimetallic compositions. First, the optical properties of bimetallic alloy and core-shell nanoparticles are compared for different structures such as nanospheres, nanotriangles and nanorods. Based on the optical properties, the photothermal properties of these nanostructures are also evaluated for relevant light-driven applications. Further, to bridge the gap between the theoretical and experimental optical properties of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles, the effect of different statistical parameters pertaining to the particle size distribution is studied. Going from isolated nanoparticles to nanoparticle clusters, the changes in the optical properties of plasmonic nanoparticles when they form finite clusters is investigated. A strong effect of clustering on the absorption intensities of the nanoparticles and hence, on the photothermal properties is found. Next, for the study of plasmonic nanoparticle infinite arrays, Au and Ag nanoparticles films are experimentally obtained by the self-assembly at the air-ethylene glycol interface. Upon further validation of the computational models with the experimental optical properties of these films, the near-field and far-field optical response of the plasmonic nanoparticle arrays is investigated. An application of the self-assembled Au nanoparticle film is then demonstrated in the sensing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Finally, the focus is shifted from plasmonic nanoparticles to metal oxide nanoparticles for their self-assembly at the air-water interface to obtain self-assembled films. For this, the hydrophobic functionalization of four metal oxides nanoparticles namely, TiO2, ZnO, WO3 and CuO is investigated. The insights from this work is useful for the design and fabrication of functional nanoparticles and interfaces for light driven applications.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:189155 Serial 7188
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Liu, J.-W.; Wu, S.-M.; Wang, L.-Y.; Tian, G.; Qin, Y.; Wu, J.-X.; Zhao, X.-F.; Zhang, Y.-X.; Chang, G.-G.; Wu, L.; Zhang, Y.-X.; Li, Z.-F.; Guo, C.-Y.; Janiak, C.; Lenaerts, S.; Yang, X.-Y.
Title Pd/Lewis acid synergy in macroporous Pd@Na-ZSM-5 for enhancing selective conversion of biomass Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Chemcatchem Abbreviated Journal Chemcatchem
Volume Issue Pages 1-6
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Pd nanometal particles encapsulated in macroporous Na-ZSM-5 with only Lewis acid sites have been successfully synthesized by a steam-thermal approach. The synergistic effect of Pd and Lewis acid sites have been investigated for significant enhancement of the catalytic selectivity towards furfural alcohol in furfural hydroconversion.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000554645800001 Publication Date 2020-07-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1867-3880; 1867-3899 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.5 Times cited 1 Open Access
Notes ; We acknowledge a joint DFG-NSFC project (DFG JA466/39-1, NSFC grant 51861135313). This work was also supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFC1103800), NSFC (U1662134, 21711530705), Jilin Province Science and Technology Development Plan (20180101208JC), HPNSF (2016CFA033), FRFCU (19lgzd16) and ISTCP (2015DFE52870). ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.5; 2020 IF: 4.803
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:171178 Serial 6579
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Buysse, C.; Kovalevsky, A.; Snijkers, F.; Buekenhoudt, A.; Mullens, S.; Luyten, J.; Kretzschmar, J.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Fabrication and oxygen permeability of gastight, macrovoid-free Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-\delta capillaries for high temperature gas separation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2010 Publication Journal of membrane science Abbreviated Journal J Membrane Sci
Volume 359 Issue 1-2 Pages 86-92
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Oxygen-permeable perovskites with mixed ionic-electronic conducting properties can play an important role in the separation of oxygen from air which is needed in the oxy-fuel and pre-combustion technologies for the removal and capture of CO2. In this work, gastight, macrovoid-free Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ (BSCF) capillaries were successfully shaped by a phase-inversion spinning technique, followed by calcination and sintering. It was found that both the rheology of the ceramic suspension and the composition of bore liquid and coagulation bath are key factors for making macrovoid-free green capillaries. Gastight BSCF capillaries were obtained by sintering for 5 h at 1100 °C. The sintered BSCF capillaries contained a significant amount of BaSO4 due to a reaction with the polysulfone binder during calcination. The oxygen permeation flux through the BSCF capillaries was measured and compared to literature data on BSCF disk and hollow fiber membranes measured in similar conditions.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000279953300010 Publication Date 2009-10-30
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0376-7388 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 6.035 Times cited 38 Open Access
Notes ; The authors want to express their thanks to the VITO personnel for their continuous support, especially B. Molenberghs, W. Doyen, H. Beckers (Separation and Conversion Technology, VITO), R. Kemps, M. Mertens, I. Thijs, M. Schoeters, W. Bouwen and J. Cooymans (Materials Department, VITO). C. Buysse thankfully acknowledges a PhD scholarship provided by VITO and the University of Antwerp. This work is performed in the framework of the German Helmholtz Alliance Project “MEM-BRAIN”, aiming at the development of gas separation membranes for zero-emission fossil fuel power plants. ; Approved Most recent IF: 6.035; 2010 IF: 3.673
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:82008 Serial 5950
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Van Noyen, J.; Middelkoop, V.; Buysse, C.; Kovalevsky, A.; Snijkers, F.; Buekenhoudt, A.; Mullens, S.; Luyten, J.; Kretzschmar, J.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Fabrication of perovskite capillary membranes for high temperature gas separation Type A1 Journal article
Year 2012 Publication Catalysis today Abbreviated Journal Catal Today
Volume 193 Issue 1 Pages 172-178
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Oxygen-permeable perovskites with mixed ionic-electronic conducting properties can play an important role in carbon capture and storage techniques. Their ability to separate oxygen from air is needed, more specifically, in oxy-fuel and pre-combustion technologies. In this work, the first detailed comparative analysis and new results are reported on four types of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta (BSCF) capillary membranes: non-coated sulphur-containing; catalyst-coated sulphur-containing; non-coated sulphur-free and catalyst-coated sulphur-free. The fabrication of BSCF capillaries by a spinning technique based on phase inversion is further discussed and their oxygen separation performances are interpreted. The comparison of the performance of these different generations of BSCF capillaries of similar dimensions demonstrates a significant impact of the sulphur contamination on both the oxygen flux through the membrane and the activation energy of the overall oxygen transport mechanism. Careful attention is paid to the effect of activation layers on both sulphur-free and sulphur-containing types of capillaries. Additional long-term testing of the sulphur-free BSCF capillaries is presented, where partial decomposition of the membrane surface was observed due to kinetic demixing. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000308675900025 Publication Date 2012-04-15
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0920-5861 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 4.636 Times cited 9 Open Access
Notes ; The authors want to express their thanks to the VITO personnel for their continuous support, especially B. Molenberghs, W. Doyen (Separation and Conversion Technology, VITO), R. Kemps, M. Mertens, I. Thijs, M. Schoeters, W. Bouwen and J. Cooymans (Materials Department, VITO). C. Buysse thankfully acknowledges a Ph.D. scholarship provided by VITO and the University of Antwerp. This work is performed in the framework of the German Helmholtz Alliance Project “MEM-BRAIN”, aiming at the development of gas separation membranes for zero-emission fossil fuel power plants. ; Approved Most recent IF: 4.636; 2012 IF: 2.980
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:101797 Serial 5951
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Seuntjens, D.; Carvajal-Arroyo, J.M.; Ruopp, M.; Bunse, P.; De Mulder, C.P.; Lochmatter, S.; Agrawal, S.; Boon, N.; Lackner, S.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title High-resolution mapping and modeling of anammox recovery from recurrent oxygen exposure Type A1 Journal article
Year 2018 Publication Water research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 144 Issue Pages 522-531
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Oxygen inhibits anammox, a bioconversion executed by anoxic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB). Nonetheless, oxygen is mostly found in the proximity of AnAOB in nitrogen removal applications, being a substrate for nitritation. The experiments performed to date were mostly limited to batch activity tests where AnAOB activity is estimated during oxygen exposure. However, little attention has been paid to the recovery and reversibility of activity following aerobic conditions, of direct relevance for bioreactor operation. In this work, anoxic and autotrophic reactor cultivation at 20 degrees C yielded an enriched microbial community in AnAOB, consisting for 75% of a member of the genus Brocadia. High-resolution kinetic data were obtained with online ammonium measurements and further processed with a newly developed Python data pipeline. The experimentally obtained AnAOB response showed complete inhibition until micro-aerobic conditions were reached again (<0.02 mg O-2 L-1). After oxygen inhibition, AnAOB recovered gradually, with recovery times of 5-37 h to reach a steady-state activity, dependent on the perceived inhibition. The recovery immediately after inhibition was lowest when exposed to higher oxygen concentrations (range: 0.5-8 mg O-2 L-1) with long contact times (range: 9-24 h). The experimental data did not fit well with a conventional 'instant recovery' Monod-type inhibition model. Yet, the fit greatly improved by incorporating a dynamic growth rate formula accurately describing gradual activity recovery. With the upgraded model, long-term kinetic simulations for partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) with intermittent aeration showed a decrease in growth rate compared to the instant recovery mode. These results indicate that recovery of AnAOB after oxygen exposure was previously overlooked. It is recommended to account for this effect in the intensification of partial nitritation/anammox. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000447569300051 Publication Date 2018-07-11
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1354; 1879-2448 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:152910 Serial 8037
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Buysse, C.; Michielsen, B.; Middelkoop, V.; Snijkers, F.; Buekenhondt, A.; Kretzschmar, J.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Modeling of the performance of BSCF capillary membranes in four-end and three-end integration mode Type A1 Journal article
Year 2013 Publication Ceramics international Abbreviated Journal Ceram Int
Volume 39 Issue 4 Pages 4113-4123
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Owing to their high surface-to-volume ratio, there has been an increasing research interest in mixed ionic electronic conducting (MIEC) capillary membranes for large-scale high temperature oxygen separation applications. They offer an energy-efficient solution for high temperature combustion processes in oxy-fuel and pre-combustion CO2 capture technologies used in fossil fuel power plants. In order to assess the effectiveness of these membranes in power plant applications, the impact of the geometry of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta (BSCF) capillaries on their performance in the three-end and four-end integration modes has been investigated and thoroughly discussed. The model's parameters were derived from four-end mode lab-scale experiments using gas-tight, macrovoid free and sulfur-free BSCF capillary membranes that were prepared by a phase-inversion spinning technique. The results of this modeling study revealed that in the four-end mode higher average oxygen fluxes and smaller total membrane areas can be obtained than in the three-end mode. This is due to the higher pO(2) gradient across the membrane wall. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000318129100084 Publication Date 2012-11-09
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0272-8842 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.986 Times cited 4 Open Access
Notes ; The authors wish to thank all the VITO staff involved in the project for their continued support, and in particular B. Molenberghs, W. Doyen, H. Beckers and S. Mullens. C. Buysse would like to acknowledge funding from VITO and the University of Antwerp for a Ph.D. studentship. This work has been performed in the framework of the German Helmholtz Alliance Project “MEM-BRAIN”, aiming at the development of gas separation membranes for zero-emission fossil fuel power plants. ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.986; 2013 IF: 2.086
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:109020 Serial 5971
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gielis, J.
Title Conquering Mount Improbable Type P1 Proceeding
Year 2023 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 153-173 T2 - Proceedings of the 1st International
Keywords P1 Proceeding; Economics; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Our scientific and technological worldviews are largely dominated by the concepts of entropy and complexity. Originating in 19th-century thermodynamics, the concept of entropy merged with information in the last century, leading to definitions of entropy and complexity by Kolmogorov, Shannon and others. In its simplest form, this worldview is an application of the normal rules of arithmetic. In this worldview, when tossing a coin, a million heads or tails in a row is theoretically possible, but impossible in practice and in real life. On this basis, the impossible (in the binary case, the outermost entries of Pascal's triangle xn and yn for large values of n) can be safely neglected, and one can concentrate fully on what is common and what conforms to the law of large numbers, in fields ranging from physics to sociology and everything in between. However, in recent decades it has been shown that what is most improbable tends to be the rule in nature. Indeed, if one combines the outermost entries xn and yn with the normal rules of arithmetic, either addition or multiplication, one obtains Lamé curves and power laws respectively. In this article, some of these correspondences are highlighted, leading to a double conclusion. First, Gabriel Lamé's geometric footprint in mathematics and the sciences is enormous. Second, conic sections are at the core once more. Whereas mathematics so far has been exclusively the language of patterns in the sciences, the door is opened for mathematics to also become the language of the individual. The probabilistic worldview and Lamé's footprint can be seen as dual methods. In this context, it is to be expected that the notions of information, complexity, simplicity and redundancy benefit from this different viewpoint.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos Publication Date 2023-11-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 978-90-833839-0-3 ISBN Additional Links UA library record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:201045 Serial 9014
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Spiller, M.; Moretti, M.; De Paepe, J.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Environmental and economic sustainability of the nitrogen recovery paradigm : evidence from a structured literature review Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication Resources, conservation and recycling Abbreviated Journal Resour Conserv Recy
Volume 184 Issue Pages 106406-106413
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Our economy drives on reactive nitrogen (Nr); while Nr emissions to the environment surpass the planetary boundary. Increasingly, it is advocated to recover Nr contained in waste streams and to reuse it ‘directly’ in the agri-food chain. Alternatively, Nr in waste streams may be removed as N2 and refixed via the Haber-Bosch process in an ‘indirect’ reuse loop. As a systematic sustainability analysis of ‘direct’ Nr reuse and its comparison to the ‘indirect’ reuse loop is lacking, this structured review aimed to analyze literature determining the environmental and economic sustainability of Nr recovery technologies. Bibliometric records were queried from 2000 to 2020 using Boolean search strings, and manual text coding. In total, 63 studies were selected for the review. Results suggest that ‘direct’ Nr reuse using Nr recovery technologies is the preferred paradigm as the majority of studies concluded that it is sustainable or that it can be sustainable depending on technological assumptions and other scenario variables. Only 17 studies compared the ‘direct’ with the ‘indirect’ Nr reuse route, therefore a system perspective in Nr recovery sustainability assessments should be more widely adopted. Furthermore, Nr reuse should also be analyzed in the context of a ‘new Nr economy’ that relies on decentralized Nr production from renewable energy. It is also recommended that on-par technology readiness level comparisons should be carried out, making use of technology development and technology learning methodologies. Finally, by-products of Nr recovery are important to be accounted for as they are reducing the environmental burdens through avoided impacts.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000804938100001 Publication Date 2022-05-18
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0921-3449 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 13.2 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 13.2
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:188873 Serial 7156
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Wambacq, E.; Alloul, A.; Grunert, O.; Carrette, J.; Vermeir, P.; Spanoghe, J.; Sakarika, M.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Haesaert, G.
Title Aerobes and phototrophs as microbial organic fertilizers : exploring mineralization, fertilization and plant protection features Type A1 Journal article
Year 2022 Publication PLoS ONE Abbreviated Journal Plos One
Volume 17 Issue 2 Pages e0262497-15
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Organic fertilizers and especially microbial biomass, also known as microbial fertilizer, can enable a paradigm shift to the conventional fertilizer-to-food chain, particularly when produced on secondary resources. Microbial fertilizers are already common practice (e.g. Bloom® and Synagro); yet microbial fertilizer blends to align the nutrient release profile to the plant’s needs are, thus far, unexplored. Moreover, most research only focuses on direct fertilization effects without considering added value properties, such as disease prevention. This study has explored three promising types of microbial fertilizers, namely dried biomass from a consortium of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, a microalga (Arthrospira platensis) and a purple non-sulfur bacterium (Rhodobacter sphaeroides). Mineralization and nitrification experiments showed that the nitrogen mineralization profile can be tuned to the plant’s needs by blending microbial fertilizers, without having toxic ammonium peaks. In a pot trial with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), the performance of microbial fertilizers was similar to the reference organic fertilizer, with cumulative dry matter yields of 5.6–6.7 g per pot. This was confirmed in a pot trial with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), showing an average total plant length of 90–99 cm after a growing period of 62 days for the reference organic fertilizer and the microbial fertilizers. Moreover, tomato plants artificially infected with powdery mildew (Oidium neolycopersici), a devastating disease for the horticultural industry, showed reduced disease symptoms when A. platensis was present in the growing medium. These findings strengthen the application potential of this novel class of organic fertilizers in the bioeconomy, with a promising match between nutrient mineralization and plant requirements as well as added value in crop protection.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000775890100025 Publication Date 2022-02-02
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1932-6203 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 3.7 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 3.7
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:185568 Serial 7122
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Satyawali, Y.; Seuntjens, P.; Van Roy, S.; Joris, I.; Vangeel, S.; Dejonghe, W.; Vanbroekhoven, K.
Title The addition of organic carbon and nitrate affects reactive transport of heavy metals in sandy aquifers Type A1 Journal article
Year 2011 Publication Journal of contaminant hydrology Abbreviated Journal
Volume 123 Issue 3/4 Pages 83-93
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Organic carbon introduction in the soil to initiate remedial measures, nitrate infiltration due to agricultural practices or sulphate intrusion owing to industrial usage can influence the redox conditions and pH, thus affecting the mobility of heavy metals in soil and groundwater. This study reports the fate of Zn and Cd in sandy aquifers under a variety of plausible in-situ redox conditions that were induced by introduction of carbon and various electron acceptors in column experiments. Up to 100% Zn and Cd removal (from the liquid phase) was observed in all the four columns, however the mechanisms were different. Metal removal in column K1 (containing sulphate), was attributed to biological sulphate reduction and subsequent metal precipitation (as sulphides). In the presence of both nitrate and sulphate (K2), the former dominated the process, precipitating the heavy metals as hydroxides and/or carbonates. In the presence of sulphate, nitrate and supplemental iron (Fe(OH)(3)) (K3), metal removal was also due to precipitation as hydroxides and/or carbonates. In abiotic column, K4, (with supplemental iron (Fe(OH)(3)), but no nitrate), cation exchange with soil led to metal removal. The results obtained were modeled using the reactive transport model PHREEQC-2 to elucidate governing processes and to evaluate scenarios of organic carbon, sulphate and nitrate inputs. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000288979100001 Publication Date 2010-12-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0169-7722 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:105591 Serial 7419
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Baere, K.; Verstraelen, H.; Rigo, P.; Van Passel, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Potters, G.
Title Study on alternative approaches to corrosion protection of ballast tanks using an economic model Type A1 Journal article
Year 2013 Publication Marine structures Abbreviated Journal Mar Struct
Volume 32 Issue Pages 1-17
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) One of the most relevant problems in ship construction and maintenance nowadays is corrosion in ballast tanks of modern merchant vessels. On the one hand, there is a general consensus that the economic lifespan of such a vessel depends, to a large degree, upon the corrosion state of its ballast tanks, while on the other hand these ballast tanks, located between the outer hull and the cargo tanks, makes routine inspection and maintenance a difficult task. Today, ship's ballast tanks are usually constructed in steel and protected with an epoxy coating backed up by sacrificial zinc anodes. Such a construction has been applied without significant alterations for many years. The objective of this economic study is to compare this construction method with some potential alternatives. The considered alternatives are: (1) an increase in structural scantlings, eliminating the necessity to replace corroded at a cost of real cargo carrying capacity of the ship, (2) application of the novel and more durable TSCF25 coating (3), the use of corrosion resistant steel in ship construction and (4) a standard PSPC15 coating combined with lifetime lasting aluminum sacrificial anodes. A cost model was used to evaluate these alternative options together with sensitivity analysis. It is concluded that the durable coating and the use of lifetime lasting aluminum anodes are bound to improve the actual basic tank concept. Corrosion resistant steel becomes attractive when the steel price becomes competitive.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000319643500001 Publication Date 2013-03-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0951-8339 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.052 Times cited 15 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.052; 2013 IF: 1.242
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:109346 Serial 6253
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author De Baere, K.; Verstraelen, H.; Rigo, P.; Van Passel, S.; Lenaerts, S.; Potters, G.
Title Reducing the cost of ballast tank corrosion : an economic modeling approach Type A1 Journal article
Year 2013 Publication Marine structures Abbreviated Journal Mar Struct
Volume 32 Issue Pages 136-152
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) One of the most relevant problems in ship construction and maintenance nowadays concerns the corrosion in the double hull space ballast tanks of modern merchant vessels. On the one hand, there is a general consensus that the economic life span of such a vessel depends primarily upon the corrosion state of its ballast tanks, while on the other hand, the position of these tanks, squeezed between the outer hull and the loading tanks, makes routine inspection and maintenance almost impossible. Today, ship's ballast tanks are usually constructed in grade A steel and protected with a standard epoxy coating, backed up with sacrificial zinc anodes. Such a construction has been applied without significant alterations for many years. However, the objective of this economic study is to compare this construction method with some feasible alternatives. The considered alternatives are: (1) an increase of the scantlings, eliminating the necessity to replace corroded steel but diminishing the cargo carrying capacity of the ship, (2) application of the novel and more durable TSCF25 coating (3), the use of corrosion resistant steel in ship construction or (4) a standard PSPC15 coating combined with lifetime lasting aluminum sacrificial anodes. After running each alternative through a cost model including an extensive sensitivity analysis, it is concluded that the durable coating and the use of lifetime lasting aluminum anodes are bound to improve the actual basic tank concept. Corrosion resistant steel becomes attractive depending upon the evolution of the international steel market.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000319643500007 Publication Date 2013-05-01
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0951-8339 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 2.052 Times cited 9 Open Access
Notes ; ; Approved Most recent IF: 2.052; 2013 IF: 1.242
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:109347 Serial 6240
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Alloul, A.; Wuyts, S.; Lebeer, S.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Volatile fatty acids impacting phototrophic growth kinetics of purple bacteria : paving the way for protein production on fermented wastewater Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Water research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 152 Issue Pages 138-147
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Nutrient losses in our food chain severely surpass our planetary boundaries. Resource recovery can contribute to mitigation, for instance through converting wastewater resources to microbial protein for animal feed. Wastewater typically holds a complex mixture of organics, posing a challenge to selectively produce heterotrophic biomass. Ensuring the product's quality could be achieved by anaerobic generation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) followed by photoheterotrophic production of purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) with infrared light. This study aimed to determine the most suitable PNSB culture for VFA conversion and map the effect of acetate, propionate, butyrate and a VFA mixture on growth and biomass yield. Six cultures were screened in batch: (i) Rhodopseudomonas palustris, (ii) Rhodobacter sphaeroides, (iii) Rhodospirillum rubrum, (iv) a 3-species synthetic community (i+ii+iii), (v) a community enriched on VFA holding Rb. capsulatus, and (vi) Rb. capsulatus (isolate v). The VFA mixture elevated growth rates with a factor 1.32.5 compared to individual VFA. Rb. capsulatus showed the highest growth rates: 1.82.2 d−1 (enriched) and 2.33.8 d−1 (isolated). In a photobioreactor (PBR) inoculated with the Rb. capsulatus enrichment, decreasing sludge retention time (SRT) yielded lower biomass concentrations, yet increased productivities, reaching 1.7 g dry weight (DW) L−1 d−1, the highest phototrophic rate reported thus far, and a growth rate of up to 5 d−1. PNSB represented 2657% of the community and the diversity index was low (37), with a dominance of Rhodopseudomonas at long SRT and Rhodobacter at short SRT. The biomass yield for all cultures, in batch and reactor cultivation, approached 1 g CODBiomass g−1 CODRemoved. An economic estimation for a two-stage approach on brewery wastewater (load 2427 kg COD d−1) showed that 0.5 d SRT allowed for the lowest production cost ( 10 kg−1 DW; equal shares for capex and opex). The findings strengthen the potential for a novel two-stage approach for resource recovery from industrial wastewater, enabling high-rate PNSB production.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000458223900013 Publication Date 2018-12-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1354; 1879-2448 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:156462 Serial 8739
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Smets, W.; Moretti, S.; Denys, S.; Lebeer, S.
Title Airborne bacteria in the atmosphere : presence, purpose, and potential Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Atmospheric environment : an international journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 139 Issue Pages 214-221
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Numerous recent studies have highlighted that the types of bacteria present in the atmosphere often show predictable patterns across space and time. These patterns can be driven by differences in bacterial sources of the atmosphere and a wide range of environmental factors, including UV intensity, precipitation events, and humidity. The abundance of certain bacterial taxa is of interest, not only for their ability to mediate a range of chemical and physical processes in the atmosphere, such as cloud formation and ice nucleation, but also for their implications -both beneficial and detrimental-for human health. Consequently, the widespread importance of airborne bacteria has stimulated the search for their applicability. Improving air quality, modelling the dispersal of airborne bacteria (e.g. pathogens) and biotechnological purposes are already being explored. Nevertheless, many technological challenges still need to be overcome to fully understand the roles of airborne bacteria in our health and global ecosystems.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000379093900021 Publication Date 2016-05-24
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1352-2310 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:133711 Serial 7432
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Maes, R.R.; Potters, G.; Fransen, E.; Cayetano, F.C.; Van Schaeren, R.; Lenaerts, S.
Title Finding the optimal fatty acid composition for biodiesel improving the emissions of a one-cylinder diesel generator Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Sustainability Abbreviated Journal Sustainability-Basel
Volume 13 Issue 21 Pages 12089
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) currently are the main pollutants emitted by diesel engines. While there is a start in using hybrid and electric cars, ships will still be fueled by mineral oil products. In the quest to achieve zero-pollution and carbon-free shipping, alternative forms of energy carriers must be found to replace the commonly used mineral oil products. One of the possible alternative fuels is biodiesel. This paper explores the optimization of the composition of biodiesel in order to reduce the concentration of particulate matter and NOx in exhaust gases of a one-cylinder diesel generator.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000719122800001 Publication Date 2021-11-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2071-1050 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor 1.789 Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: 1.789
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:184041 Serial 7969
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Peng, L.; Xie, Y.; Van Beeck, W.; Zhu, W.; Van Tendeloo, M.; Tytgat, T.; Lebeer, S.; Vlaeminck, S.E.
Title Return-sludge treatment with endogenous free nitrous acid limits nitrate production and N₂O emission for mainstream partial nitritation/anammox Type A1 Journal article
Year 2020 Publication Environmental Science & Technology Abbreviated Journal Environ Sci Technol
Volume 54 Issue 9 Pages 5822-5831
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and nitrous oxide (N2O) hinder the development of mainstream partial nitritation/anammox. To overcome these, endogenous free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA), which can be produced in the sidestream, were used for return-sludge treatment for two integrated-film activated sludge reactors containing biomass in flocs and on carriers. The repeated exposure of biomass from one reactor to FA shocks had a limited impact on NOB suppression but inhibited anammox bacteria (AnAOB). In the other reactor, repeated FNA shocks to the separated flocs failed to limit the system’s nitrate production since NOB activity was still high on the biofilms attached to the unexposed carriers. In contrast, the repeated FNA treatment of flocs and carriers favored aerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AerAOB) over NOB activity with AnAOB negligibly affected. It was further revealed that return-sludge treatment with higher FNA levels led to lower N2O emissions under similar effluent nitrite concentrations. On this basis, weekly 4 h FNA shocks of 2.0 mg of HNO2-N/L were identified as an optimal and realistic treatment, which not only enabled nitrogen removal efficiencies of ∼65% at nitrogen removal rates of ∼130 mg of N/L/d (20 °C) but also yielded the lowest cost and carbon footprint.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000530651900057 Publication Date 2020-03-27
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0013-936x; 1520-5851 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor 11.4 Times cited 1 Open Access
Notes ; This study was supported by the European Commission Horizon 2020 Program through Marie Curie Individual Fellowship (N2OPNA-708592). W. V.B. and S. L. were supported by grants from the Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship Agency [IWT-SBO ProCure project (IWT/50052) by IWT-SBO ProCure and internal Uantwerpen funding]. The authors are grateful to the research collaboration. The authors declare no conflict of interest. ; Approved Most recent IF: 11.4; 2020 IF: 6.198
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:168829 Serial 6596
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Faust, V.; Boon, N.; Ganigué, R.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Udert, K.M.
Title Optimizing control strategies for urine nitrification : narrow pH control band enhances process stability and reduces nitrous oxide emissions Type A1 Journal article
Year 2023 Publication Frontiers in environmental science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 11 Issue Pages 1275152-14
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Nitrification is well-suited for urine stabilization. No base dosage is required if the pH is controlled within an appropriate operating range by urine feeding, producing an ammonium-nitrate fertilizer. However, the process is highly dependent on the selected pH set-points and is susceptible to process failures such as nitrite accumulation or the growth of acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. To address the need for a robust and reliable process in decentralized applications, two different strategies were tested: operating a two-position pH controller (inflow on/off) with a narrow pH control band at 6.20/6.25 (∆pH = 0.05, narrow-pH) vs. a wider pH control band at 6.00/6.50 (∆pH = 0.50, wide-pH). These variations in pH also cause variations in the chemical speciation of ammonia and nitrite and, as shown, the microbial production of nitrite. It was hypothesized that the higher fluctuations would result in greater microbial diversity and, thus, a more robust process. The diversity of nitrifiers was higher in the wide-pH reactor, while the diversity of the entire microbiome was similar in both systems. However, the wide-pH reactor was more susceptible to tested process disturbances caused by increasing pH or temperature, decreasing dissolved oxygen, or an influent stop. In addition, with an emission factor of 0.47%, the nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the wide-pH reactor were twice as high as the N2O emissions from the narrow-pH reactor, most likely due to the nitrite fluctuations. Based on these results, a narrow control band is recommended for pH control in urine nitrification.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 001087861500001 Publication Date 2023-10-10
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2296-665x ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:199585 Serial 8909
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Vanderkerckhove, T.G.L.; Kerckhof, F.-M.; De Mulder, C.; Vlaeminck, S.E.; Boon, N.
Title Determining stoichiometry and kinetics of two thermophilic nitrifying communities as a crucial step in the development of thermophilic nitrogen removal Type A1 Journal article
Year 2019 Publication Water research Abbreviated Journal
Volume 156 Issue Pages 34-45
Keywords A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Nitrification and denitrification, the key biological processes for thermophilic nitrogen removal, have separately been established in bioreactors at 50 °C. A well-characterized set of kinetic parameters is essential to integrate these processes while safeguarding the autotrophs performing nitrification. Knowledge on thermophilic nitrifying kinetics is restricted to isolated or highly enriched batch cultures, which do not represent bioreactor conditions. This study characterized the stoichiometry and kinetics of two thermophilic (50 °C) nitrifying communities. The most abundant ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) were related to the Nitrososphaera genus, clustering relatively far from known species Nitrososphaera gargensis (95.5% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity). The most abundant nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were related to Nitrospira calida (97% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity). The nitrification biomass yield was 0.200.24 g VSS g−1 N, resulting mainly from a high AOA yield (0.160.20 g VSS g−1 N), which was reflected in a high AOA abundance in the community (5776%) compared to NOB (511%). Batch-wise determination of decay rates (AOA: 0.230.29 d−1; NOB: 0.320.43 d−1) rendered an overestimation compared to in situ estimations of overall decay rate (0.0260.078 d−1). Possibly, the inactivation rate rather than the actual decay rate was determined in batch experiments. Maximum growth rates of AOA and NOB were 0.120.15 d−1 and 0.130.33 d−1 respectively. NOB were susceptible to nitrite, opening up opportunities for shortcut nitrogen removal. However, NOB had a similar growth rate and oxygen affinity (0.150.55 mg O2 L−1) as AOA and were resilient towards free ammonia (IC50 > 16 mg NH3-N L−1). This might complicate NOB outselection using common practices to establish shortcut nitrogen removal (SRT control; aeration control; free ammonia shocks). Overall, the obtained insights can assist in integrating thermophilic conversions and facilitate single-sludge nitrification/denitrification.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000466618400004 Publication Date 2019-03-14
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0043-1354; 1879-2448 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:158226 Serial 7798
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Liu, Y.; Ngo, H.H.; Guo, W.; Zhou, J.; Peng, L.; Wang, D.; Chen, X.; Sun, J.; Ni, B.-J.
Title Optimizing sulfur-driven mixotrophic denitrification process : system performance and nitrous oxide emission Type A1 Journal article
Year 2017 Publication Chemical engineering science Abbreviated Journal
Volume 172 Issue Pages 414-422
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Nitrate contamination of groundwater has been recognized as a significant environmental problem world widely. Sulfur-driven mixotrophic denitrification has been demonstrated as a promising groundwater treatment process, which though plays an important role in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, significantly contributing to the overall carbon footprint of the system. However, the current process optimizations only focus on nitrate removal and excess sulfate control, with the N2O emission being ignored. In this work, an integrated mathematical model was proposed to evaluate the N2O emission as well as the excess sulfate production and carbon source utilization in sulfur-driven mixotrophic denitrification process. In this model, autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrifiers use their corresponding electron donors (sulfur and organic matter, respectively) to reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas, with each modeled as three-step denitrification (NO3 to N-2 via NO2 and N2O) driven by sulfur or organic matter to describe all potential N2O accumulation steps. The developed model, employing model parameters previously reported in literature, was successfully validated using N2O and sulfate data from two mixotrophic denitrification systems with different initial conditions. Modeling results revealed substantial N2O accumulation due to the relatively low autotrophic N2O reduction activity as compared to heterotrophic N2O reduction activity, explaining the observation that higher carbon source addition resulted in lower N2O accumulation in sulfur-driven mixotrophic denitrifying system. Based on the validated model, optimizations of the overall system performance were carried out. Application of the model to simulate long-term operations of sulfur-driven mixotrophic denitrification process indicates that longer sludge retention time reduces N2O emission due to better retention of active biomass. High-level total nitrogen removal with significant N2O emission mitigation, appropriate excess sulfate control and maximized COD utilization can be achieved simultaneously through controlling the influent nitrate and COD concentrations. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000410833900034 Publication Date 2017-07-03
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0009-2509 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:146634 Serial 8344
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Rezaei, M.; Seuntjens, P.; Joris, I.; Boenne, W.; Van Hoey, S.; Campling, P.; Cornelis, W.M.
Title Sensitivity of water stress in a two-layered sandy grassland soil to variations in groundwater depth and soil hydraulic parameters Type A1 Journal article
Year 2016 Publication Hydrology and earth system sciences Abbreviated Journal
Volume 20 Issue 1 Pages 487-503
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Monitoring and modelling tools may improve irrigation strategies in precision agriculture. We used non-invasive soil moisture monitoring, a crop growth and a soil hydrological model to predict soil water content fluctuations and crop yield in a heterogeneous sandy grassland soil under supplementary irrigation. The sensitivity of the soil hydrological model to hydraulic parameters, water stress, crop yield and lower boundary conditions was assessed after integrating models. Free drainage and incremental constant head conditions were implemented in a lower boundary sensitivity analysis. A time-dependent sensitivity analysis of the hydraulic parameters showed that changes in soil water content are mainly affected by the soil saturated hydraulic conductivity K-s and the Mualem-van Genuchten retention curve shape parameters n and alpha. Results further showed that different parameter optimization strategies (two-, three-, four- or six-parameter optimizations) did not affect the calculated water stress and water content as significantly as does the bottom boundary. In this case, a two-parameter scenario, where K-s was optimized for each layer under the condition of a constant groundwater depth at 135-140 cm, performed best. A larger yield reduction, and a larger number and longer duration of stress conditions occurred in the free drainage condition as compared to constant boundary conditions. Numerical results showed that optimal irrigation scheduling using the aforementioned water stress calculations can save up to 12-22 % irrigation water as compared to the current irrigation regime. This resulted in a yield increase of 4.5-6.5 %, simulated by the crop growth model.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000369668400028 Publication Date 2016-01-29
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1027-5606; 1607-7938 ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access
Notes Approved no
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:132259 Serial 8514
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gielis, J.; Ricci, P.E.; Tavkhelidze, I.
Title The Möbius phenomenon in Generalized Möbius-Listing surfaces and bodies, and Arnold's Cat phenomenon Type A1 Journal article
Year 2021 Publication Advanced Studies : Euro-Tbilisi Mathematical Journal Abbreviated Journal
Volume 14 Issue 4 Pages 17-35
Keywords A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Abstract (down) Möbius bands have been studied extensively, mainly in topology. Generalized Möbius-Listing surfaces and bodies providing a full geometrical generalization, is a quite new field, motivated originally by solutions of boundary value problems. Analogous to cutting of the original Möbius band, for this class of surfaces and bodies, results have been obtained when cutting such bodies or surfaces. In general, cutting leads to interlinked and intertwined different surfaces or bodies, resulting in very complex systems. However, under certain conditions, the result of cutting can be a single surface or body, which reduces complexity considerably. Our research is motivated by this reduction of complexity. In the study of cutting Generalized Möbius-Listing bodies with polygons as cross section, the conditions under which a single body results, displaying the Möbius phenomenon of a one-sided body, have been determined for even and odd polygons. These conditions are based on congruence and rotational symmetry of the resulting cross sections after cutting, and on the knife cutting the origin. The Möbius phenomenon is important, since the process of cutting (or separation of zones in a GML body in general) then results in a single body, not in different, intertwined domains. In all previous works it was assumed that the cross section of the GML bodies is constant, but the main result of this paper is that it is sufficient that only one cross section on the whole GML structure meets the conditions for the Möbius phenomenon to occur. Several examples are given to illustrate this.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Wos 000774655100002 Publication Date
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Additional Links UA library record; WoS full record
Impact Factor Times cited Open Access OpenAccess
Notes Approved Most recent IF: NA
Call Number UA @ admin @ c:irua:183081 Serial 8258
Permanent link to this record