This study evaluated the microbial conversion of coconut oil waste, a major agro-residue in tropical countries, into single cell oil (SCO) feedstock for biodiesel production. Copra cake was used as a low-cost renewable substrate without any prior chemical or enzymatic pretreatment for submerged growth of an oleaginous tropical mangrove fungus, Aspergillus terreus IBB M1. The SCO extracted from ...

Moving away from conventional solid oxide electrolytes, hybrid fuel cells based on composite electrolytes (a solid oxide electrolyte and a molten alkaline carbonate phase) exhibit promising performance due to the high electrolyte conductivity within the so-called intermediate temperature ranges (400-600 C). These electrolytes are a blend of those traditionally used in Solid Oxide and Molten Car...

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are one of the leading candidates in alternative energy conversion devices for transportation, stationary, and portable power generation applications. PEMFC systems with their own fuel conversion unit typically consist of several subsystems: a fuel processing subsystem, a fuel cell stack subsystem, a work recovery-air supply subsystem, and a power el...

Trajectory optimization is a crucial process during the planning phase of a spacecraft landing mission. Once a trajectory is determined, guidance algorithms are created to guide the vehicle along the given trajectory. Because fuel mass is a major driver of the total vehicle mass, and thus mission cost, the objective of most guidance algorithms is to minimize the required fuel consumption. Most ...

Title of Document: IN SITU PROCESSING OF PtSn ELECTROCATALYSTS FOR CO TOLERANCE IN PEM FUEL CELLS Robert Utz, Master of Science, 2011 Directed By: Professor Greg Jackson Department of Mechanical Engineering Improved anode CO tolerance is a promising approach for integrating lowtemperature PEM fuel cells with hydrocarbon fuel processors in cost-effective systems for portable and stationary power...

This work focuses on the modeling and feedback control of the high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray processing of WC–Co coatings. A first-principles-based process model is proposed to explore the fluid dynamics and particle inflight behavior in the HVOF flow field. Rule-based stochastic simulation, which encapsulates the main features involved in the deposition process, is used to capt...

Diesel engines are widely used to power trucks, buses, passenger cars, locomotives, and ships. These engines power the heavy equipment that plants and harvests crops, tills soil, clears and reshapes land for roads and buildings, and hauls ores from mines to processing centers. Diesel engines generate electricity as portable power sources, peaking units, and emergency backups when line power is ...

The objective of this paper was to provide a preliminary analysis of energy utilization from biological wastewater treatment sludge (biosludge) in Taiwan, a densely populated country (estimate 640 persons/km) with a high dependence (over 99%) on imported energy. The discussion focused on the status of biosludge generation and its management in the years 2004–2010. Findings showed that the main ...