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“Uncoupling the solids retention times of flocs and granules in mainstream deammonification : a screen as effective out-selection tool for nitrite oxidizing bacteria”. Han M, Vlaeminck SE, Al-Omari A, Wett B, Bott C, Murthy S, De Clippeleir H, Bioresource technology 221, 195 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2016.08.115
Abstract: This study focused on a physical separator in the form of a screen to out-select nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) for mainstream sewage treatment. This separation relied on the principle that the NOB prefer to grow in flocs, while anammox bacteria (AnAOB) reside in granules. Two types of screens (vacuum and vibrating) were tested for separating these fractions. The vibrating screen was preferred due to more moderate normal forces and additional tangential forces, better balancing retention efficiency of AnAOB granules (41% of the AnAOB activity) and washout of NOB (92% activity washout). This operation resulted in increased NOB out-selection (AerAOB/NOB ratio of 2.3) and a total nitrogen removal efficiency of 70% at influent COD/N ratio of 1.4. An effluent total nitrogen concentration <10 mg N/L was achieved using this novel approach combining biological selection with physical separation, opening up the path towards energy positive sewage treatment. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2016.08.115
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“13C incorporation as a tool to estimate biomass yields in thermophilic and mesophilic nitrifying communities”. Vandekerckhove TGL, Bodé, S, De Mulder C, Vlaeminck SE, Boon N, Frontiers in microbiology 10, 192 (2019). http://doi.org/10.3389/FMICB.2019.00192
Abstract: Current methods determining biomass yield require sophisticated sensors for in situ measurements or multiple steady-state reactor runs. Determining the yield of specific groups of organisms in mixed cultures in a fast and easy manner remains challenging. This study describes a fast method to estimate the maximum biomass yield (Ymax), based on 13C incorporation during activity measurements. It was applied to mixed cultures containing ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) or archaea (AOA) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), grown under mesophilic (1528∘C) and thermophilic (50∘C) conditions. Using this method, no distinction could be made between AOB and AOA co-existing in a community. A slight overestimation of the nitrifier biomass due to 13C redirection via SMP to heterotrophs could occur, meaning that this method determines the carbon fixation activity of the autotrophic microorganisms rather than the actual nitrifier biomass yield. Thermophilic AOA yields exceeded mesophilic AOB yields (0.22 vs. 0.060.11 g VSS g-1 N), possibly linked to a more efficient pathway for CO2 incorporation. NOB thermophilically produced less biomass (0.0250.028 vs. 0.0480.051 g VSS g-1 N), conceivably attributed to higher maintenance requirement, rendering less energy available for biomass synthesis. Interestingly, thermophilic nitrification yield was higher than its mesophilic counterpart, due to the dominance of AOA over AOB at higher temperatures. An instant temperature increase impacted the mesophilic AOB yield, corroborating the effect of maintenance requirement on production capacity. Model simulations of two realistic nitrification/denitrification plants were robust toward changing nitrifier yield in predicting effluent ammonium concentrations, whereas sludge composition was impacted. Summarized, a fast, precise and easily executable method was developed determining Ymax of ammonia and nitrite oxidizers in mixed communities.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.3389/FMICB.2019.00192
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Nikolova I (2012) Modeling emission, formation and dispersion of ultrafine particles in an urban environment. 191 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“Modeling in mathematics : proceedings of the second Tbilisi-Salerno workshop on modeling in mathematics”. Gielis J, Ricci PE, Tavkhelidze I page 185 p. (2017).
Keywords: ME3 Book as editor; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.2991/978-94-6239-261-8
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“A new method for the evaluation of the reversible and irreversible fouling propensity of MBR mixed liquor”. Huyskens C, Brauns E, van Hoof E, de Wever H, Journal of membrane science 323, 185 (2008). http://doi.org/10.1016/J.MEMSCI.2008.06.021
Abstract: In this paper, a new fouling measurement method is presented as a pragmatic approach to determine a mixed liquor's fouling propensity. The MBR-VFM (VITO Fouling Measurement) uses a specific measurement protocol consisting of alternating filtration and physical cleaning steps, which enables the calculation of both the reversible and the irreversible fouling resistances. The MBR-VFM principle, set-up and measurement protocol are described as well as the evaluation of the fouling measurement method. Finally, the MBR-VFM was validated by comparing the fouling propensity measured on-line by the MBR-VFM in a lab-scale MBR with the fouling of the MBR membranes themselves. Our experiments indicated that the MBR-VFM can accurately measure fouling and that it can even be detected earlier than can be seen from the on-line filtration data of the lab-scale system itself. Furthermore, the differences measured in reversible and irreversible fouling seemed to be related to the observed impact of physical and chemical cleaning respectively. Therefore, the application of the MBR-VFM as an on-line sensor in an advanced control system, enabling the deployment of the measured fouling data for the control of membrane cleaning, seems feasible and will be tested in the near future.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEMSCI.2008.06.021
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“Leaf functional traits : ecological and evolutionary implications”. Shi P, Gielis J, Niklas KJ, Niinemets Ü, Schrader J page 185 p. (2023).
Keywords: ME3 Book as editor; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.3389/978-2-83252-086-4
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Van Eynde E (2015) Biotemplate silica-titania diatoms for gas phase photocatalysis. 184 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“Photosynthetic oxygenation for urine nitrification”. Muys M, Coppens J, Boon N, Vlaeminck SE, Water science and technology 78, 183 (2018). http://doi.org/10.2166/WST.2018.200
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2018.200
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Fenu A (2016) Modelling and operations of municipal membrane bioreactors : from conventional to novel applications. 180 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“Solubilization of struvite as a sustainable nutrient source for single cell protein production”. Muys M, Derese S, Verliefde A, Vlaeminck SE, Communications in agricultural and applied biological sciences 81, 179 (2016)
Abstract: By 2050, the world population will have considerably expanded and the life standard of many will increase, yielding a 50% higher demand in protein (FAO, 2011), and even increases of 82 and 102% for diary and meat products, respectively (Boland et al., 2013). To provide in this increasing demand we are highly dependent on our classical fertilizer to food chain which has a high environmental impact and lacks efficiency. Nutrient losses cause eutrophication and biodiversity loss and the input of resources is already beyond the boundaries of environmental sustainability (Steffen et al., 2015). Phosphate fertilizers are made from phosphate rock (apatite), of which the reserves are predicted to be depleted within 50 100 years if we continue business as usual (Cordell et al., 2009). Next to problems related to the unbalanced geopolitical distribution with dominance in China and Morocco, the decreasing quality of the remaining apatite will result in an increasing environmental impact of fertilizer production. Finally, our traditional food production model requires 30% of all ice-free land, 70% of all available freshwater and produces up to one third of the global greenhouse gas emission, of which 80 to 86% is linked to agricultural production (Vermeulen et al., 2012). To ensure food security, nutrient recovery from waste streams can provide an important strategy. In this context, struvite ( ) crystallisation may be applied to recover phosphorus, along with some nitrogen. Reusing these nutrients as agricultural fertilizer on the field will lead to considerable losses to the environment. In contrast, their use to cultivate micro-organisms, e.g. for single cell protein (SCP), offers to potential of a near perfect conversion efficiency (Moed et al., 2015). At this moment, microalgae represent the most developed type of SCP, and are a promising protein source due to their growth rate, high nutritional quality and extremely high nutrient usage efficiency (Becker, 2007). Reliable solubilisation data are essential to design a technological strategy for struvite dosage in bioreactors for SCP production. The effect on solubility and solubilisation rate of relevant physicochemical parameters was studied experimentally in aqueous solutions. Because pH and temperature greatly affect solubilisation kinetics they were set at a constant value of 7 and 20°C respectively. The effect of some parameters on struvite solubility was already studied (Bhuiyan et al., 2007; Ariyanto et al., 2014; Roncal-Herrero and Oelkers, 2011), but solubilisation rates were not yet considered and pH was not controlled at a constant value. The chemical parameters considered in this study include the concentration of different common ions ( and ), foreign ions ( and the chelating agent ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA) present in micro-algal cultivation media as well as ionic strength (as set by NaCl). The main physical parameter included was contact surface, through variation in initial particle size and as well as in struvite dosage concentration.
Keywords: A2 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“Proportional relationship between leaf area and the product of leaf length and width of four types of special leaf shapes”. Shi P, Liu M, Yu X, Gielis J, Ratkowsky DA, Forests (19994907) 10, 178 (2019). http://doi.org/10.3390/F10020178
Abstract: The leaf area, as an important leaf functional trait, is thought to be related to leaf length and width. Our recent study showed that the Montgomery equation, which assumes that leaf area is proportional to the product of leaf length and width, applied to different leaf shapes, and the coefficient of proportionality (namely the Montgomery parameter) range from 1/2 to π/4. However, no relevant geometrical evidence has previously been provided to support the above findings. Here, four types of representative leaf shapes (the elliptical, sectorial, linear, and triangular shapes) were studied. We derived the range of the estimate of the Montgomery parameter for every type. For the elliptical and triangular leaf shapes, the estimates are π/4 and 1/2, respectively; for the linear leaf shape, especially for the plants of Poaceae that can be described by the simplified Gielis equation, the estimate ranges from 0.6795 to π/4; for the sectorial leaf shape, the estimate ranges from 1/2 to π/4. The estimates based on the observations of actual leaves support the above theoretical results. The results obtained here show that the coefficient of proportionality of leaf area versus the product of leaf length and width only varies in a small range, maintaining the allometric relationship for leaf area and thereby suggesting that the proportional relationship between leaf area and the product of leaf length and width broadly remains stable during leaf evolution.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.3390/F10020178
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“Gielis transformations for the audiovisual geometry database”. Chapman D, Gielis J, Symmetry : culture and science 32, 177 (2021). http://doi.org/10.26830/SYMMETRY_2021_2_177
Abstract: This publication introduces the audiovisual geometry database with Gielis transformations as initial records for a prototype of the database. A concise overview is given of the rationale behind the database and studying wave phenomena with Gielis transformations. First results on a form of timbral polyphony observed in Gielis curves and future work are briefly discussed.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.26830/SYMMETRY_2021_2_177
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“Assessment of corrosion resistance, material properties, and weldability of alloyed steel for ballast tanks”. De Baere K, Verstraelen H, Willemen R, Smet J-P, Tchuindjang JT, Lecomte-Beckers J, Lenaerts S, Meskens R, Jung HG, Potters G, Journal of marine science and technology 22, 176 (2017). http://doi.org/10.1007/S00773-016-0402-1
Abstract: Ballast tanks are of great importance in the lifetime of modern merchant ships. Making a ballast tank less susceptible to corrosion can, therefore, prolong the useful life of a ship and, thereby, lower its operational cost. An option to reinforce a ballast tank is to construct it out of a corrosion-resistant steel type. Such steel was recently produced by POSCO Ltd., South Korea. After 6 months of permanent immersion, the average corrosion rate of A and AH steel (31 samples) was 535 g m(-2) year(-1), while the Korean CRS was corroding with 378 g m(-2) year(-1). This entails a gain of 29 %. Follow-up measurements after 10, 20, and 24 months confirmed this. The results after 6 months exposure to alternating wet/dry conditions are even more explicit. Furthermore, the physical and metallurgical properties of this steel show a density of 7.646 t/m(3), the elasticity modulus 209.3 GPa, the tensile strength 572 MPa, and the hardness 169HV10. Microscopically, the metal consists of equiaxed and recrystallized grains (ferrite and pearlite), with an average size of between 20 and 30 A mu m (ASTM E 112-12 grain size number between 7 and 8) with a few elongated pearlitic grains. The structure is banded ferrite/pearlite. On the basis of a series of energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer measurements the lower corrosion rate of the steel can be attributed to the interplay of Al, Cr, their oxides, and the corroding steel. In addition, the role of each element in the formation of oxide layers and the mechanisms contributing to the corrosion resistance are discussed.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Impact Factor: 0.838
Times cited: 3
DOI: 10.1007/S00773-016-0402-1
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“Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Square Bamboos and the Geometree (ISSBG 2022)”. Gielis J, Brasili S page xi, 175 p. (2023).
Keywords: ME3 Book as editor; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.55060/s.atmps.231115.000
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Verbruggen S (2014) TiO2 gas phase photocatalysis from morphological design to plasmonic enhancement. 173 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“Fabrication of perovskite capillary membranes for high temperature gas separation”. Van Noyen J, Middelkoop V, Buysse C, Kovalevsky A, Snijkers F, Buekenhoudt A, Mullens S, Luyten J, Kretzschmar J, Lenaerts S, Catalysis today 193, 172 (2012). http://doi.org/10.1016/J.CATTOD.2012.03.005
Abstract: 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.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
Impact Factor: 4.636
Times cited: 9
DOI: 10.1016/J.CATTOD.2012.03.005
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Verstraelen H (2013) Corrosion in ballast tanks on board of merchant vessels : study of the relation between steel quality and corrosion. 172 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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Van Wesenbeeck K (2016) Plasma catalysis as an efficient and sustainable air purification technology. 171 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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Keulemans M (2017) Study of electron transfer processes in plasmonic photocatalysis. 170 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“Design of irregularly shaped lens antennas including supershaped feed”. Mescia L, Lamacchia CM, Chiapperino MA, Bia P, Gielis J, Caratelli D, Progress in Electromagnetic Research Symposium (PIERS)
T2 –, 2019 PhotonIcs &, Electromagnetics Research Symposium –, Spring (PIERS-Spring), 17-20 June, 2019, Rome, Italy , 169 (2019). http://doi.org/10.1109/PIERS-SPRING46901.2019.9017900
Abstract: A new class of irregularly shaped dielectric lens antennas with a supershaped microstrip antenna feeder is presented and detailed in this work. The surface of the lens antenna and the feeder shape have been modelled by using the three and two-dimensional Gielis formula, respectively. The antenna design has been carried out by integrating an home-made software tool with the CST Microwave Studio®. The radiation properties of the whole antenna system have been evaluated using a dedicated high-frequency technique based on the tube tracing approximation. Moreover, the effects due to the multiple internal reflections have been properly modeled. The proposed model was applied to study unusual and complex lens antenna systems with the aim to design special radiation characteristics.
Keywords: P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.1109/PIERS-SPRING46901.2019.9017900
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“Bulky knots and links generated by cutting generalized Mobius-Listing bodies and applications in the natural sciences”. Gielis J, Caratelli D, Tavkelidze I, Fougerolle Y, Ricci PE, Gerats T page 167 (2013).
Keywords: H2 Book chapter; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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Van Putte N (2023) Improving groundwater dynamics : a key factor for successful tidal marsh restoration. 166 p
Abstract: Tidal marshes take up and release certain elements from and to the river water. Hence, they act as a filter, improving the estuarine water quality. This filtering function depends on the interaction between the marsh soil and water that infiltrates into the marsh platform at high tide and seeps out of the creek banks at low tide. In the past centuries, many tidal marshes disappeared due to large scale land reclamations, together with their associated ecosystem services. Nowadays, tidal marshes are increasingly restored on formerly embanked agricultural areas to regain these ecosystem services. Here, we studied the effect of historical agricultural land use on the contribution of restored tidal marshes to water quality improvement, and we investigated several solutions to stimulate the water quality improving function in newly restored tidal marshes. In restored tidal marshes, the soil is often compacted due to the historical agricultural land use, leading to a reduced organic matter content and micro- and macroporosity. In this compacted soil, groundwater flow is hindered, leading to a more waterlogged soil and reduced groundwater dynamics in the restored marsh as compared to a natural marsh. The depth of groundwater drainage and the groundwater flow velocity have important implications for the processes that contribute to water quality improvement, e.g. removal of nitrogen, phosphorus retention and silica cycling. Where groundwater drains deeper, i.e. in the vicinity of tidal creeks and in a more porous soil, these processes are promoted. We suggest that, in newly restored tidal marshes, the soil porosity can be increased by amending the soil (e.g. with organic matter), and the distance to the nearest tidal creek can be reduced by creek excavation. Numerical modelling showed that the largest gain in groundwater dynamics and seepage was attained when both measures were applied together. The effect of organic soil amendments on groundwater dynamics and nutrient cycling was further explored in a large scale in situ mesocosm experiment. Where the soil was amended, groundwater drained deeper and nitrogen removal increased. For new tidal marsh restoration projects, we advise to conduct an explorative soil study. When the soil is heavily compacted, design measures, such as creek initiation and organic soil amendments can be applied to jumpstart the contribution to water quality improvement of newly restored tidal marshes.
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL); Ecosphere
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“Production of carboxylates from high rate activated sludge through fermentation”. Cagnetta C, Coma M, Vlaeminck SE, Rabaey K, Bioresource technology 217, 165 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2016.03.053
Abstract: The aim of this work was to study the key parameters affecting fermentation of high rate activated A-sludge to carboxylates, including pH, temperature, inoculum, sludge composition and iron content. The maximum volatile fatty acids production was 141 mg C g−1 VSSfed, at pH 7. Subsequently the potential for carboxylate and methane production for A-sludge from four different plants at pH 7 and 35 °C were compared. Initial BOD of the sludge appeared to be key determining carboxylate yield from A-sludge. Whereas methanogenesis could be correlated linearly to the quantity of ferric used for coagulation, fermentation did not show a dependency on iron presence. This difference may enable a strategy whereby A-stage sludge is separated to achieve fermentation, and iron dosing for phosphate removal is only implemented at the B-stage.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2016.03.053
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Tytgat T (2012) Research and development of self-supporting TiO2 foams for removal of VOCs from ambient air. 164 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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Smits M (2013) Photocatalytic degradation of diesel soot : from application to reaction mechanism. 160 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“Lab-scale physical model experiments to understand the effect of particle bed on tapping flow rates”. Loomba V, Pourfallah H, Olsen JE, Einarsrud KE, , 159 (2022). http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92544-4_13
Keywords: P1 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-92544-4_13
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van Walsem J (2019) Design and optimization of a photocatalytic reactor for air purification in ventilation systems. 158 p
Abstract: 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.
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“The apeirogon and dual numbers”. Gielis J, Brasili S, Symmetry : culture and science 32, 157 (2021). http://doi.org/10.26830/SYMMETRY_2021_2_157
Abstract: The richness, diversity, connection, depth and pleasure of studying symmetry continue to open doors. Here we report a connection between Coxeter's Apeirogon and the geometry associated with pictorial space, parabolic rotation and dual numbers.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.26830/SYMMETRY_2021_2_157
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Hauchecorne B (2011) Development of an FTIR in situ reactor for real time study of surface reactions in photocatalysis. 155 p
Keywords: Doctoral thesis; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
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“Simon Stevin as a central figure in the development of abstract algebra and generic programming”. Gielis J, Symmetry : culture and science 34, 155 (2023). http://doi.org/10.26830/SYMMETRY_2023_2_155
Abstract: Simon Stevin (1548-1620) is mainly known for the decimal system and his Clootkrans proof. His influence is also profound in infinitesimal calculus, mechanics, and even in abstract algebra and today’s conception of polynomials, algorithms, and generic programming. Here we review his influence as assessed in generic programming. According to Dr. Stepanov, one of the most influential researchers in generic programming, Stevin’s work on polynomials can be regarded as the essence of generic programming: an algorithm from one domain can be applied in another similar domain.
Keywords: A1 Journal article; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)
DOI: 10.26830/SYMMETRY_2023_2_155
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