The moisture content of biomass affects its processing for applications such as electricity or steam. In this study, the effects of variation in moisture content of banagrass and energycane was evaluated using techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessments. A 25% loss of moisture was assumed as a variation that was achieved by field drying the biomass. Techno-economic analysis revealed tha...

Loss of large areas of Amazonian forest, through either direct human impact or climate change, could exert a number of influences on the regional and global climates. In the Met Office Hadley Centre coupled climate-carbon cycle model, a severe drying of this region initiates forest loss that exerts a number of feedbacks on global and regional climates, which magnify the drying and the forest de...

Studies were made to determine how long Douglas-fir pollen remains viable after suspension in cool water from 0 to 34 days. Linear regression analysis of in vivo and in vitro tests indicated that filled seed efficiency and pollen viability, respectively, decreased about 3 percent per day. The relation may have been nonlinear the first 6 days, as little decrease occurred during that time. An in ...

Samples of the activated microporous aluminophosphate Co-APO-5, featuring ca. 20% of Co(3+) cations, when immersed in water evolve molecular oxygen at room temperature in an endothermic process, without the need for either light or a sacrificial reactant. Successive drying of the sample at temperatures around 520 K releases molecular hydrogen, with recovery of the initial conditions. Several hy...

Vacuum drying of Salicornia herbacea L. was performed at different drying temperatures (50, 60, 70, and 80°C) to evaluate the drying characteristics and the effect of drying temperatures on the quality of Salicornia. As the drying temperature increased, the drying time decreased significantly (P< 0.05). The drying rate decreased with decrease in moisture content and increase in drying time. On ...

Small particles typical of liquid swine manure often clog sand filter beds and fine filters. We evaluated the effectiveness of polymer flocculants to improve drainage and filtration performance of sand filter beds by increasing the particle size of manure. A pilot separation unit was evaluated at the Swine Unit of the NCSU Lake Wheeler Road Laboratory in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 40 consecuti...