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Fred S Canno - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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anthracite briquettes with plant byproducts as an ecofriendly fuel for foundries
Fuel, 2016Co-Authors: Young Dong Noh, Sridha Komarneni, Fred S Canno, Hiroaki KatsukiAbstract:Abstract Anthracite briquettes were developed using mainly waste anthracite fines, plant byproducts of rice hulls and rice hull ash and silicon metal powder as an ecofriendly fuel and as an alternative to conventional coke used in a Cupola furnace. Si metal powder reacts with anthracite to form SiC, which provides high mechanical strength to an anthracite briquette when it is exposed to a high temperature in the Cupola furnace. Rice hull and rice hull ash, which are agricultural byproducts with high SiO2 content were investigated as partial substitutes for silicon as the former are inexpensive relative to silicon metal. The formation of SiC was investigated under different conditions using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, unconfined compressive strength of the briquettes was measured when the rice hull or ash substituted Si powder partially or completely. When anthracite briquettes prepared with elemental Si powder and either rice hull ash or rice hull powder were pyrolyzed at 1400 °C for 2 h, SiC formed and the briquettes showed high mechanical strength in the range of 2000–4000 kPa, which is enough to keep their structural integrity in a Cupola furnace.
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bindered anthracite briquettes as fuel alternative to metallurgical coke full scale performance in Cupola furnaces
Fuel, 2014Co-Authors: Cesa Nietodelgado, Fred S Canno, Paul David Paulse, James C Furness, Robe C Voig, James PagnottiAbstract:Abstract The authors have developed bindered anthracite briquettes that can replace conventional coke as a fuel in foundry Cupolas. The anthracite briquettes included fine anthracite grains that were bindered together with collagen, lignin and silicon. These binders gave the briquettes high mechanical strength through the full spectrum of temperatures encountered in a foundry Cupola furnace – from ambient temperature up to 1550 °C. The bindered anthracite briquettes offered the same structural strength and fuel content as has conventional foundry grade coke. The conventional coking process involves pyrolyzing coal at 1000 °C for a day; and this consumes about 15% of the raw coal’s energy, while releasing volatile organic air pollutants. In contrast, the briquetting process consumes scant energy, without releasing pollutants. During two full-scale demonstrations that each employed 4 tons of these briquettes, the anthracite briquettes performed similarly to the foundry grade coke, while the briquettes replaced up to 25% of the coke. During briquette replacements, the Cupola temperatures, off-gas CO/CO 2 proportions, tuyere back-pressures, and metal-to-fuel ratios were maintained or improved. The iron castings produced during this briquette replacement were of the same high quality and composition as when mere coke was used; and these iron castings were sold. Observations through the tuyere windows – where oxygen-enriched air was lanced into the bottom of the Cupola – showed that these anthracite briquettes reached the Cupola’s melting zone while maintaining their physical integrity. Once these briquettes reached the level of the tuyere windows, they exhibited faster burning in the oxygen-enriched air than did conventional coke.
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lignin as both fuel and fusing binder in briquetted anthracite fines for foundry coke substitute
Fuel, 2012Co-Authors: Matthew R Lumadue, Fred S CannoAbstract:Abstract Lignin that had been extracted from Kraft black liquor was investigated as a fusing binder in briquetted anthracite fines for a foundry coke substitute. Cupola “heat zone” pyrolytic temperatures of 300–1550 °C were appraised, with the focus on 900 °C. Briquettes with favorable strength were made with 86–92% anthracite fines, 2.3–8.6% lignin, 4.5% silicon metal powder, and 0.9% hydrolyzed collagen (denatured collagen) by mass. Briquettes were pyrolyzed under a nitrogen atmosphere or a starved air condition to simulate a Cupola pyrolytic heat zone, and then crushed after this pyrolysis so as to discern their unconfined compressive (UC) strength. These tests mimicked key features of the crushing load that coke endures in a Cupola. After 30 min of 900 °C pyrolysis, UC strength reached 2200–3000 kPa (320–440 psi), when these briquettes contained 4.5% softwood lignin or 2.3% hardwood lignin. With ⩾6.5% hardwood lignin, the UC strength after 900 °C pyrolysis reached 6000–6500 kPa. When no lignin was incorporated into the briquette, the UC strength after 900 °C pyrolysis was a mere 200 kPa. Denatured collagen quantity affected lignin heat zone strength, despite by itself losing strength around 300 °C: with 4.5% lignin present, 1.8% denatured collagen doubled the strength of 0.45% denatured collagen briquettes. Adding tannic acid to the briquettes greatly increased the UC strength as well. Lignin provided strength up to 1400 °C. Moreover above 1100 °C, silicon carbide nanowires greatly enhanced UC strength relative to lignin alone. Briquettes with lignin gained UC strength very quickly when flash pyrolyzed to 900 °C, which is important in the Cupola. The results herein showed that the bindered briquettes burned at an equal rate as did coke when these were burned at 1100 °C in air. The briquettes also contained an energy density that was 38% higher by volume than that of coke. Harnessing these high temperature pyrolytic lignin fusing reactions creates a valuable foundry coke substitute for the future, as well as large scale applications for otherwise underutilized industrial streams of lignin.
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in situ growth of silicon carbide nanowires from anthracite surfaces
Ceramics International, 2011Co-Authors: He Huang, Fred S Canno, Sridha KomarneniAbstract:Abstract Silicon carbide nanowires (SCNWs) were grown from anthracite fine surfaces through a simple one-step carbothermal process with silicon powder as the Si precursor. This straightforward and fast formation of SCNWs made it possible to maintain the binding of briquetted waste anthracite fines at very high temperatures as an alternative fuel in foundry Cupola furnaces. This SCNW mechanism could thus provide the crucial hot crushing strength in the Cupola heat zone and melt zone. Progressive thermal tests exhibited that the formation of the SCNWs started from 1100 C, and was favored at 1400 C. No extra metal catalyst was needed for the growth of the SCNWs. Characterizations were performed by XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, and SAED. The SCNWs were 30–60 nm in diameter and were typically grown by stacking the (1 1 1) lattice plane of 3C-SiC along the [1 1 1] direction. Many non-epitaxial branches of the nanowires were also formed through this one-step process as observed by TEM. The results suggest that the SCNWs were most likely grown through the vapor–solid mechanism.
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binding waste anthracite fines with si containing materials as an alternative fuel for foundry Cupola furnaces
Environmental Science & Technology, 2011Co-Authors: He Huang, Sridha Komarneni, Joseph Kulik, Fred S Canno, Jim FurnessAbstract:An alternative fuel to replace foundry coke in Cupolas was developed from waste anthracite fines. Waste anthracite fines were briquetted with Si-containing materials and treated in carbothermal (combination of heat and carbon) conditions that simulated the Cupola preheat zone to form silicon carbide nanowires (SCNWs). SCNWs can provide hot crushing strengths, which are important in Cupola operations. Lab-scale experiments confirmed that the redox level of the Si-source significantly affected the formation of SiC. With zerovalent silicon, SCNWs were formed within the anthracite pellets. Although amorphous Si (+4) plus anthracite formed SiC, these conditions did not transform the SiC into nanowires. Moreover, under the test conditions, SiC was not formed between crystallized Si (+4) and anthracite. In a full-scale demonstration, bricks made from anthracite fines and zerovalent silicon successfully replaced a part of the foundry coke in a full-scale Cupola. In addition to saving in fuel cost, replacing coke ...
K L Moore - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Experimental control of a Cupola furnace
Proceedings of the 1998 American Control Conference. ACC (IEEE Cat. No.98CH36207), 1998Co-Authors: K L Moore, M.a. Abdelrahman, D. Clark, E. Larsen, P. KingAbstract:We present some final results from a research project focused on introducing automatic control to the operation of Cupola iron furnaces. The main aim of this research is to improve the operational efficiency and performance of the Cupola furnace. Experimental data are used to calibrate the model, which is taken as a first-order multivariable system with time delay. Then relative gain analysis is used to select loop pairings to be used in a multiloop controller. The resulting controller pairs melt-rate with blast volume, iron temperature with oxygen addition, and carbon composition with metal-to-coke ratio. Special (nonlinear) filters are used to compute the melt-rate from actual scale readings of the amount of iron produced and to smooth the temperature measurement. The temperature and melt-rate loops use single-loop PI control. The composition loop uses a Smith predictor to discount the deadtime associated with mass transport through the furnace. Experiments results validate the conceptual controller design.
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Robust control of Cupola iron furnaces
Proceedings of the 1997 American Control Conference (Cat. No.97CH36041), 1997Co-Authors: Maha A. A. Abdelrahman, K L MooreAbstract:We present the results of a continuing effort towards the\nintroduction of automatic control to the operation of Cupola iron\nfurnaces. The Cupola furnace has played an important role in the foundry\nindustry since its invention in 1794. The main aim of this research is\nto improve the operational efficiency and performance of the Cupola\nfurnace. A lumped model for the Cupola is used for the controller\ndesign. The controller is divided into three parts. A feedforward\ncontroller is used to decouple the model into delayed and undelayed\ndynamics. A robust controller is designed for the delayed dynamics of\nthe model based upon a combination of H∞ control and a\nSmith predictor. The controller for the undelayed portion of the model\nis designed using an LQR procedure
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A multivariable Smith predictor for intelligent control of a Cupola furnace
Proceedings of 1995 American Control Conference - ACC'95, 1995Co-Authors: K L Moore, D. Clark, E. Larsen, M. Abdelrahaman, H. Smartt, C. EinersonAbstract:A Cupola is a furnace used for melting pig iron, scrap steel, cast iron scrap, foundry return scrap, and ferroalloys to a specified tapping temperature and chemical composition. Automatic control of the process is introduced to help improve the role of the Cupola in the foundry industry by producing lower material and processing costs and improved product quality. A multivariable Smith predictor is used as part of an intelligent control scheme we have developed to control the Cupola. A description of the Cupola process is given from a control perspective. Then the multivariable Smith predictor is presented. Preliminary simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the controller for set-point tracking.
Meghali Bora - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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fish inspired self powered microelectromechanical flow sensor with biomimetic hydrogel cupula
APL Materials, 2017Co-Authors: Meghali Bora, Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli, Jianmin Miao, Michael S. TriantafyllouAbstract:Flow sensors inspired from lateral line neuromasts of cavefish have been widely investigated over decades to develop artificial sensors. The design and function of these natural sensors have been mimicked using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based sensors. However, there is more to the overall function and performance of these natural sensors. Mimicking the morphology and material properties of specialized structures like a cupula would significantly help to improve the existing designs. Toward this goal, the paper reports development of a canal neuromast inspired piezoelectric sensor and investigates the role of a biomimetic cupula in influencing the performance of the sensor. The sensor was developed using microfabrication technology and tested for the detection of the steady-state and oscillatory flows. An artificial cupula was synthesized using a soft hydrogel material and characterized for morphology and mechanical properties. Results show that the artificial cupula had a porous structure and ...
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Fish-inspired self-powered microelectromechanical flow sensor with biomimetic hydrogel cupula
AIP Publishing LLC, 2017Co-Authors: Meghali Bora, Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli, J. M. Miao, Michael S. TriantafyllouAbstract:Flow sensors inspired from lateral line neuromasts of cavefish have been widely investigated over decades to develop artificial sensors. The design and function of these natural sensors have been mimicked using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based sensors. However, there is more to the overall function and performance of these natural sensors. Mimicking the morphology and material properties of specialized structures like a cupula would significantly help to improve the existing designs. Toward this goal, the paper reports development of a canal neuromast inspired piezoelectric sensor and investigates the role of a biomimetic cupula in influencing the performance of the sensor. The sensor was developed using microfabrication technology and tested for the detection of the steady-state and oscillatory flows. An artificial cupula was synthesized using a soft hydrogel material and characterized for morphology and mechanical properties. Results show that the artificial cupula had a porous structure and high mechanical strength similar to the biological canal neuromast. Experimental results show the ability of these sensors to measure the steady-state flows accurately, and for oscillatory flows, an increase in the sensor output was detected in the presence of the cupula structure. This is the first time a MEMS based piezoelectric sensor is demonstrated to detect steady-state flows using the principle of vortex-induced vibrations. The bioinspired sensor developed in this work would be investigated further to understand the role of the cupula structure in biological flow sensing mechanisms, thus contributing toward the design of highly sensitive and efficient sensors for various applications such as underwater robotics, microfluidics, and biomedical devices
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Nanofibril scaffold assisted MEMS artificial hydrogel neuromasts for enhanced sensitivity flow sensing
Scientific Reports, 2016Co-Authors: Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli, Meghali Bora, Jianmin Miao, M. Asadnia, Subbu S. Venkatraman, Michael TriantafyllouAbstract:We present the development and testing of superficial neuromast-inspired flow sensors that also attain high sensitivity and resolution through a biomimetic hyaulronic acid-based hydrogel cupula dressing. The inspiration comes from the spatially distributed neuromasts of the blind cavefish that live in completely dark undersea caves; the sensors enable the fish to form three-dimensional flow and object maps, enabling them to maneuver efficiently in cluttered environments. A canopy shaped electrospun nanofibril scaffold, inspired by the cupular fibrils, assists the drop-casting process allowing the formation of a prolate spheroid-shaped artificial cupula. Rheological and nanoindentation characterizations showed that the Young’s modulus of the artificial cupula closely matches the biological cupula (10–100 Pa). A comparative experimental study conducted to evaluate the sensitivities of the naked hair cell sensor and the cupula-dressed sensor in sensing steady-state flows demonstrated a sensitivity enhancement by 3.5–5 times due to the presence of hydrogel cupula. The novel strategies of sensor development presented in this report are applicable to the design and fabrication of other biomimetic sensors as well. The developed sensors can be used in the navigation and maneuvering of underwater robots, but can also find applications in biomedical and microfluidic devices.
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Biomimetic hydrogel cupula for canal neuromasts inspired sensors
2016 IEEE SENSORS, 2016Co-Authors: Meghali Bora, Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli, J. M. Miao, M. Asadnia, Michael S. TriantafyllouAbstract:This paper presents development of a biomimetic hydrogel for encapsulation of self-powered MEMS sensors, inspired from canal neuromasts of blind cave fish. A hyaluronic acid hydrogel mimics cupula, a specialized structure involved in sensing mechanism of neuromasts. Upon hydrogel encapsulation, the sensor retains its sensitivity towards oscillatory flow stimulus and functions similar to biological neuromasts. The biomimetic artificial cupula, developed using polymeric hydrogel, demonstrated close similarity in material and mechanical properties to that of the biological cupula of neuromasts.
Conrad Gregoire - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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petrology and mass balance constraints on major trace and rare earth element mobility in porphyry greisen alteration associated with the epizonal true hill granite southwestern new brunswick canada
Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 1995Co-Authors: David R Lentz, Conrad GregoireAbstract:Abstract Endogreisen and exogreisen weakly mineralized with Bi, Sn, and Mo are associated with two of three granite porphyry (granite) Cupolas hosted in Silurian metasedimentary rocks at True Hill, southwestern New Brunswick. The epizonal, weakly peraluminous and compositionally evolved True Hill granite is quartz and K-feldspar porphyritic; groundmass textures, such as granophyric patches, miarolitic cavities, and pegmatite pods, are indicative of rapid cooling and vapor saturation. The greisen mineralization in Cupolas B and C is overprinted by various types of alteration, reflecting multi-stage devolatilization of the magma. The most intense topaz-bearing greisen is confined mainly to the apical parts of the granite. In places, fluorite is associated with silicification, sericitization, and chloritization, which is common to greisen-type alteration. The alteration types reflect the physical and chemical changes in the hydrothermal fluid that was derived principally by second boiling of the magma. Al-normalized, mass-balanced geochemical data supported by petrographic observations show that in the greisenized True Hill granite, Fe, Mn and Mg enrichment corresponds to chlorite and/or Fe-muscovite alteration and are coincident with leaching of Na and K and deposition of SiO 2 . Ca was remobilized in the greisen environment, but erratically deposited as fluorite. Minor P and LREE enrichment are reflected by the presence of monazite in the greisen. The HFSE are mobile to a minor degree, based on correlations with elements known to be hydrothermally mobile. The base metals correlate with S and other ore-forming elements. The distribution of many of the trace elements is related to alteration, including the leaching of alkalis, which leads to the stabilization of aluminosilicates, principally muscovite and topaz. The distribution of trace elements reflects their relative mobility during greisenization, with high-field-strength elements (Zr and Ti) the most immobile and the lithophile and chalcophile elements the most mobile. Breccias and greisen alteration in Cupola C at True Hill are similar to those at the base of the W-Mo-Bi porphyry-greisen in the Fire Tower zone above the Mount Pleasant fine-grained granite.
Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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fish inspired self powered microelectromechanical flow sensor with biomimetic hydrogel cupula
APL Materials, 2017Co-Authors: Meghali Bora, Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli, Jianmin Miao, Michael S. TriantafyllouAbstract:Flow sensors inspired from lateral line neuromasts of cavefish have been widely investigated over decades to develop artificial sensors. The design and function of these natural sensors have been mimicked using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based sensors. However, there is more to the overall function and performance of these natural sensors. Mimicking the morphology and material properties of specialized structures like a cupula would significantly help to improve the existing designs. Toward this goal, the paper reports development of a canal neuromast inspired piezoelectric sensor and investigates the role of a biomimetic cupula in influencing the performance of the sensor. The sensor was developed using microfabrication technology and tested for the detection of the steady-state and oscillatory flows. An artificial cupula was synthesized using a soft hydrogel material and characterized for morphology and mechanical properties. Results show that the artificial cupula had a porous structure and ...
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Fish-inspired self-powered microelectromechanical flow sensor with biomimetic hydrogel cupula
AIP Publishing LLC, 2017Co-Authors: Meghali Bora, Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli, J. M. Miao, Michael S. TriantafyllouAbstract:Flow sensors inspired from lateral line neuromasts of cavefish have been widely investigated over decades to develop artificial sensors. The design and function of these natural sensors have been mimicked using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based sensors. However, there is more to the overall function and performance of these natural sensors. Mimicking the morphology and material properties of specialized structures like a cupula would significantly help to improve the existing designs. Toward this goal, the paper reports development of a canal neuromast inspired piezoelectric sensor and investigates the role of a biomimetic cupula in influencing the performance of the sensor. The sensor was developed using microfabrication technology and tested for the detection of the steady-state and oscillatory flows. An artificial cupula was synthesized using a soft hydrogel material and characterized for morphology and mechanical properties. Results show that the artificial cupula had a porous structure and high mechanical strength similar to the biological canal neuromast. Experimental results show the ability of these sensors to measure the steady-state flows accurately, and for oscillatory flows, an increase in the sensor output was detected in the presence of the cupula structure. This is the first time a MEMS based piezoelectric sensor is demonstrated to detect steady-state flows using the principle of vortex-induced vibrations. The bioinspired sensor developed in this work would be investigated further to understand the role of the cupula structure in biological flow sensing mechanisms, thus contributing toward the design of highly sensitive and efficient sensors for various applications such as underwater robotics, microfluidics, and biomedical devices
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Nanofibril scaffold assisted MEMS artificial hydrogel neuromasts for enhanced sensitivity flow sensing
Scientific Reports, 2016Co-Authors: Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli, Meghali Bora, Jianmin Miao, M. Asadnia, Subbu S. Venkatraman, Michael TriantafyllouAbstract:We present the development and testing of superficial neuromast-inspired flow sensors that also attain high sensitivity and resolution through a biomimetic hyaulronic acid-based hydrogel cupula dressing. The inspiration comes from the spatially distributed neuromasts of the blind cavefish that live in completely dark undersea caves; the sensors enable the fish to form three-dimensional flow and object maps, enabling them to maneuver efficiently in cluttered environments. A canopy shaped electrospun nanofibril scaffold, inspired by the cupular fibrils, assists the drop-casting process allowing the formation of a prolate spheroid-shaped artificial cupula. Rheological and nanoindentation characterizations showed that the Young’s modulus of the artificial cupula closely matches the biological cupula (10–100 Pa). A comparative experimental study conducted to evaluate the sensitivities of the naked hair cell sensor and the cupula-dressed sensor in sensing steady-state flows demonstrated a sensitivity enhancement by 3.5–5 times due to the presence of hydrogel cupula. The novel strategies of sensor development presented in this report are applicable to the design and fabrication of other biomimetic sensors as well. The developed sensors can be used in the navigation and maneuvering of underwater robots, but can also find applications in biomedical and microfluidic devices.
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Biomimetic hydrogel cupula for canal neuromasts inspired sensors
2016 IEEE SENSORS, 2016Co-Authors: Meghali Bora, Ajay Giri Prakash Kottapalli, J. M. Miao, M. Asadnia, Michael S. TriantafyllouAbstract:This paper presents development of a biomimetic hydrogel for encapsulation of self-powered MEMS sensors, inspired from canal neuromasts of blind cave fish. A hyaluronic acid hydrogel mimics cupula, a specialized structure involved in sensing mechanism of neuromasts. Upon hydrogel encapsulation, the sensor retains its sensitivity towards oscillatory flow stimulus and functions similar to biological neuromasts. The biomimetic artificial cupula, developed using polymeric hydrogel, demonstrated close similarity in material and mechanical properties to that of the biological cupula of neuromasts.
