The objective of this study was to improve the operation of the classical semiautogenous and ball milling circuit also known as the SABC circuit. In order to achieve this goal, the challenges around this circuit were identified as the formation of critical sized material in a SAG mill. The size class considered for the critical sized material also known as pebbles was -100+23 mm. The attainable region (AR) method was used as an optimisation technique for the generated results using a computer simulation programme. MODSIM® demo version 3.6.22 is ore processing simulator that was used. The research was divided into two sections, the first being the variation of feed flow rate ranging from 50 – 150 tph and ore feed size ranging between 100 and 600 mm. The second section compared the variation of the operating parameters of the SAG mill, which were mill filling, ball filling, ball size and mill speed. The AR technique graphically presented the results which indicated the best operating conditions to minimise pebble formation. The effects of mill filling on a SAG mill indicate that a higher filling produces lower pebbles. Lower pebble generation also was observed at a higher ball filling. The influence of ball size indicated that the larger ball size was more effective in the reduction of pebbles. For mill speed the media displayed two common mode operations namely cascading at a low speed of 65% and cataracting at higher speed of 75%. The higher speed generated the least pebbles. / College of Engineering, Science and Technology / M. Tech. (Chemical Engineering)

A cultura do abacateiro vem ganhando expressividade, contudo, a abscisão natural de frutos representa um entrave, pois o desprendimento dos mesmos, pelo aumento dos níveis de etileno e diminuição de auxinas ocorre intensamente nas cultivares \"Quintal\" e \"Margarida\". Em 2014 e 2015 foi conduzido um experimento nas fazendas Santa Cecilia e Santa Elisa, nos municípios de Bernardino de Campos e Timburi-SP com o objetivo de avaliar em condições de sequeiro, o efeito de diferentes fitorreguladores na abscisão, produção, alternância produtiva, tamanho, formato e qualidade pós-colheita de frutos de abacateiros \"Quintal\" e \"Margarida\". Os tratamentos foram: T1: Água e espalhante; T2: 25 mg.L-1 de Ester isopropílico de ácido 2,4-D diclorofenoxiacético; T3: 45 mg.L-1 de AVG aplicados em novembro de 2013 e de 2014; e T4: Fosfito de potássio na dose de 400 ml.100 litros-1 de água aplicado entre dezembro de 2013 e janeiro de 2014 e dezembro de 2014 e janeiro de 2015, em intervalos de 15 dias. O ensaio foi conduzido em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com 4 tratamentos, 4 repetições de duas árvores cada, totalizando 32 plantas em avaliação para cada cultivar. Os dados foram submetidos à análise da variância pelo teste de Fisher a 5% de significância e as variáveis que não atenderam os supostos desta, foram submetidas a análises não paramétricas pelo teste de Friedman e Kruskal-Wallis. A aplicação de aminoethoxivinilglicina (AVG), um mês antes da segunda queda fisiológica dos frutos, reduz a abscisão e altera o formato de abacates \'Quintal\'. Na cultivar \'Margarida\', o uso de fosfito de potássio aumenta a fixação de frutos e o de 2,4-D altera o formato dos mesmos. Nenhum efeito da aplicação dos fitorreguladores foi observado para as variáveis de qualidade pós-colheita em ambas as cultivares. / Avocado cultivation is becoming very important in Brazil, although the abundant natural fruit drop represents a serious constraint in some cultivars such as \'Quintal\' and \'Margarida\', which exhibit high fruit drop rates due to increased ethylene synthesis and a reduction of internal auxin levels. In the 2014- 2015 period this experiment were conducted at Santa Elisa and Santa Cecilia farm placed at Bernardino de Campos and Timburi city, in São Paulo state, with the propose to value the effects of different plant growth regulators (PGRs) at fruit drop, at the production, at the on/off production phenomenon, at the form and at the size, and also, at the post-harvest quality of \'Quintal\' and \'Margarida\' cultivars planted in dry field. The following treatments were applied in December, before the second natural fruit drop: T1: water (control); T2: 25 mg.L-1 of isopropilic ester of 2,4-D diclorofenoxiacetic acid; T3: 45 mg.L-1 of AVG, and T4: 3 sprayings of 400 ml.100 L-1 potassium phosphite in biweekly intervals from mid-December thru mid-January, in each year. The trial was conducted following a randomized complete block design, with four replications and two plants per plot, with a total of 32 trees under evaluation for each cultivar. Data analyses were performed by parametric (Fisher) and by nonparametric (Friedman and Kruskal Wallis) for variables that did not fit the normal distribution. AVG application about one month after the second natural fruit fall set this occurrence but modified the form of \'Quintal\' avocados. In the \'Margarida\' cultivar, sprayings with 2,4-D modified the form of the fruits and the application of potassium phosphite grow the flower fixation. No effect on postharvest quality attributes were observed among the treatments.

The aim of this thesis is the proposal of a coal mill system and a combustion chamber for the boiler PK 4S situated in Košice CHP station with regard to transition to the new fuel. This proposal is focused on the elimination of NOx emissions. The calculation is based on required parameters of the boiler and declared characteristic of the new fuel. The proposal of the coal mill system includes three roller mills working in closed circuit with direct blowing. One of the mills serves as a reserve in case of failure. Dimensions of the dry bottom combustion chamber are proposed considering the applied primary measures to reduce NOx emissions so that the temperature at the end of the furnace would not be higher than maximal allowed temperature 1200 °C.

Sweden’s drug policy still invokes the ideas of zero-tolerance and prohibition despite the high reported number of drug-related deaths and arrest rates for using drugs in Sweden in the latest years. To reach knowledge about why prohibition of illegal drugs has remained such a strong staple of Swedish politics for the latest 60 years, this study asks questions about which ideas and arguments constituting the Swedish drug policy, examines the logical coherence of these, and proposes an alternative policy route which aims to mitigate the shortcomings of the current policy. The drug policy field is extensive and studies from different nations show that drug policies that move away from prohibitionist ideas have succeeded in both reducing drug-related mortality rates and reducing the stigma that is attached to either using or abusing psychoactive drugs. Because of an identified unclarity of why the prohibitionary ideas in Sweden have remained despite recent developments, this study aims to fill a gap in existing research by normatively analyzing the ideas in the policy. Since these ideas have great importance in restrictions of individual liberty and public health considerations, knowledge about them is essential to create because liberty and public health are fundamental aspects in any democratic society. The research endeavor performs an internal validity check as the methodological approach to check the internal logic and arguments of the policy and uses a theory of liberty to shed light on the trade-offs between liberty and public health. What is discovered is that the Swedish drug policy builds on inconsistent arguments and incoherent logic and has a moralizing intent that allows for restrictions on individual liberty to reach a utopian vision of a drug-free society. Also, this study shows that it is possible to create a policy that can mitigate the harms caused by the current by adhering to the principle that individual liberty should stretch as far as possible when no harm is caused to another. The implications of this are that it will be harder to justify the zero-tolerance approach in the future and that future policy must look to other policy approaches rather than build policy on assumptions based on outdated moralism.

Då den nuvarande kunskapen om vilka träslag det är i de olika delarna av kvarnverken i gotländska väderkvarnar baserar sig på bristfälliga muntliga uppgifter, har författaren tagit totalt 59 träprov från sju väderkvarnar i Eksta socken, Gotland, och genom mikroskopanalys försökt identifiera träslagen. Resultaten gav fyra olika träslag (furu, ek, oxel och björk) till totalt nio olika delar. Författaren diskuterar sannolika skäl till varför just de träslagen har valts till just de delarna. Resultaten kan anses vara (mer eller mindre) representativa för hela ön. Resultaten har vidare jämförts med uppgifter från Gotland, Öland och Dagö (Estland). En intressant diskrepans uppmärksammades: de delar (kuggar och drevpinnar) som på Öland och Gotland är av oxel (med undantaget björk), är på Dagö av ask eller äppelträd. Övriga delar överensstämmer (mer eller mindre). Författaren sätter detta i samband med en tes som estländaren Dan Lukas har, som går ut på att den estländska kvarntypen tog sig dit söderifrån genom väg över Gotland. Om denna tes skulle stämma, finns det anledning att förvänta sig stora likheter öarna emellan när det gäller träslagsvalen. Anledningen till att kuggarna och drevpinnarna på Dagö, till skillnad från på Öland och Gotland, där de är tillverkade av oxel (och i enstaka fall av björk), tillverkades av ask eller äppelträd, kan bero på att endast enstaka fynd av oxel (eng. Swedish whitebeam) har påträffats där eller att oxel inte alls växte där på den tid då kvarnarna byggdes, medan oxel är allmänt förekommande på Gotland och mindre allmänt förekommande på Öland. Författarens förhoppning är att undersökningens resultat ska kunna fylla ett praktiskt syfte för lokala antikvarier och väderkvarnsägare på ön vid restaurering, ifall en önskan finns om att ersätta eller återskapa skadade delar på ett ”antikvariskt korrekt” sätt, vad gäller materialvalet. / The current knowledge of what types of woods there are in the different parts of the Gotland windmill machinery are based on unsatisfactory verbal information. The author has therefore himself taken in total 59 wood samples from seven windmills in the parish of Eksta, Gotland, and through microscope analysis tried to identify the types of woods. The results gave four different types of woods (pine, oak, Swedish whitebeam and birch) for in total nine parts. The author discusses probable reasons to why just those types of woods were chosen to just those parts. The results can be considered (more or less) representative for the whole island. The results have furthermore been compared with information from Gotland, Öland and Dagö (Estonia). One interesting discrepancy was observed: those parts (the cogs and the wallower’s staves) which on Öland and on Gotland are made from Swedish whitebeam (with the exception birch), are on Dagö made from ash or apple tree. Other parts accord (more or less). The author relates this with a theory of the Estonian Dan Lukas, and the drift of that theory is that the Estonian type of windmill came there from the south by way over Gotland. If this theory would be true, there is reason to expect great similarities between the islands when it comes to selection of types of woods. The reason why the cogs and the wallower’s staves on Dagö are made from ash or apple tree, unlike on Öland and on Gotland where they are made from Swedish whitebeam (and in a few cases from birch), can be that only isolated finds of Swedish whitebeam have been found there or that Swedish whitebeam didn’t grow there at all during the time when the windmills were built, while Swedish whitebeam is common on Gotland and less common on Öland. The author’s hope is that the results of the investigation will be able to serve a practical purpose for local antiquarians and windmill owners on the island during restauration work, in case a wish would be existent to replace or recreate damaged parts in an “antiquarian correct” way, with regards to the choice of the material.

Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Leland McKinney / Three experiments were conducted to evaluate value added uses for dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) and crude glycerol in swine and poultry diets. In Exp.1, crude glycerol from multiple biodiesel production facilities was evaluated for storage and variability characteristics. Part one reviewed the storage capabilities of crude glycerol at room temperature and excessive heat conditions on ferrous and stainless steel metal. There was no notable corrosion during the two-month experiment for either metal type under each condition. There was a slight discoloration observed on the ferrous metal stored under excessive heat conditions, but no pitting or sign of corrosion was noted. No changes were observed in the stainless steel under either environment condition. Part two evaluated the variability of crude glycerol from multiple biodiesel production facilities. Representative samples of the parent feedstock and resultant glycerol was collected an analyzed. There was considerable variation between samples, particularly when comparing glycerol from the different feedstocks (vegetable vs. animal). Exp. 2 and 3 took place in the Feed Processing Research Center in the Department of Grain Science at Kansas State University. Pellet quality and electrical energy consumption was evaluated by reviewing production rate, conditioning and hot pellet temperatures, motor load, and pellet durability index (PDI) as testing parameters. In Exp. 2, diets containing varying levels of crude glycerol were evaluated on pellet quality and pellet mill performance in a pilot mill and in a commercial facility. For part one, a corn-soy based swine grower diet was formulated to contain 0, 3, 6, and 9% crude glycerol. Each diet was steam conditioned to 150, 170 and 190 °F in an atmospheric conditioner and pelleted. An interaction existed between glycerol and conditioning temperature. For all diets containing glycerol, roll skid occurred and the pellet mill plugged as conditioning temperature approached 190°F. Pellet quality increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing levels of glycerol. Part two took place at Don’s Farm Supply in Newell, IA. A corn-soy based turkey grower diet was formulated to contain 3% glycerol and pelleted. Results from part two were consistent with part one, in that there was an interaction between conditioning temperature and the addition of glycerol. Exp. 3 evaluated DDGS on pellet quality and electrical consumption. A poultry diet was formulated to contain 0, 15, or 30% DDGS and steam conditioned to 140, 160, and 180°F. As conditioning temperature increased, pellet quality in diets containing DDGS significantly improved (P>.001). Electrical consumption in diets containing DDGS compared to the control showed no significance in reduction in energy usage (P>.001). In conclusion, the production of pelleted diets containing crude glycerol is a feasible option; however, conditioning temperatures should be kept minimal and storage and variation of the material should be considered. In addition, improved pellet quality in pelleted diets containing DDGS is in part by conditioning at higher temperatures, respectively. The data suggests that the addition of crude glycerol and DDGS in animal diets can serve as a beneficial feed additive.

Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Nuclear energy can be used to reliably generate large quantities of electricity while providing minimal lifetime CO2 emissions. Given the extreme importance of safety in the nuclear industry, it is necessary to have a fundamental understanding of the materials used throughout the nuclear fuel cycle. It is of particular to importance to develop an understanding of these materials at an atomic level. In this thesis, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), along with several other X-ray based techniques, has been used to study materials that are produced or proposed for use in the nuclear fuel cycle. Uranium mining and milling operations generate large quantities of waste, known as mine and mill tailings. At their McClean Facility in Northern Saskatchewan, AREVA Resources Canada disposes of the tailings waste using the JEB Tailings Management Facility (TMF). AREVA monitors the mineralization of elements of concern (i.e., Ni, As, Fe, Mo, Ra, and U) within the TMF as part of its on-going commitment towards managing the facility’s environmental impact. Molybdenum (Mo) is predicted to mineralize as insoluble powellite (CaMoO4) within the TMF. However, no experimental evidence confirmed the presence of powellite in the TMF. In Chapter 2, the presence of powellite, and other Mo-bearing minerals, was determined using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence imaging, and Mo K-edge XAS. The results of this study confirmed that powellite was present in the TMF and showed that Mo K-edge XAS was the only effective way to detect the Mo minerals within the TMF. New materials for use as nuclear fuels were also investigated in this thesis. Spent nuclear fuel must be securely stored for long periods of time due to the presence transuranic elements (TRU; i.e., Pu, Am, Np, Cm), and the use of inert matrix fuels (IMF), which consist of actinides embedded in a neutron transparent (inert) material, have been proposed for to “burn-up” or transmute these TRU species. Stabilized ZrO2 materials have been proposed for use in IMF applications, and in Chapter 3 the thermal stability of a series of NdxYyZr1-x-yO2-\delta materials made by a ceramic synthetic route have been studied using powder XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. (Nd was used as a surrogate for Am.) The results of this study showed that the fluorite structure of the NdxYyZr1-x-yO2- \delta materials was stabilized when y >= 0.05, and that the local environment around Zr was independent of composition or annealing temperature. The effect of synthetic method on the thermal stability of the NdxYyZr1-x-yO2-\delta materials was also determined, and this is the subject of Chapter 4. In this study a series of NdxY0.25-xZr0.75O1.88 materials were synthesized using a low-temperature co precipitation synthesis, and these then annealed at 1400 °C and 1500 °C. The as-synthesized and annealed materials were characterized by powder XRD, SEM, and XAS. This study confirmed that the thermal stability of the materials was dependent on synthetic method, and that materials made using a solid-state method were superior to those produced by a solution-based approach. Y-stabilized zirconia has a low thermal conductivity, which is not ideal for a nuclear fuel. The thermal conductivity could be increased if a lighter cation, such as Sc, was used to stabilize the fluorite structure. In Chapter 5, the thermal stability of a series of NdxScyZr1-x-yO2-\delta materials was investigated. The as-synthesized and annealed materials were studied by powder XRD, SEM, and XAS. These results showed that the fluorite structure was only stable in the annealed materials when x+y >= 0.15 and y >= 0.10. The results of this study provided insight into the possible use of scandia-stabilized zirconia for use as an inert matrix fuel. This studies presented in this thesis have used X-ray absorption spectroscopy and a number of other techniques to characterize materials important to the nuclear fuel cycle. The studies presented here were only possible because of the unique information that can be obtained using XAS. This thesis serves to highlight the importance of XAS as a technique and how it can be applied to solve problems related to the material science of the nuclear fuel cycle.

At first glance, the project of moral enhancement (making people more moral) may appear uncontroversial and obviously worth supporting; surely it is a good idea to make people better. However, as the recent literature on moral enhancement demonstrates, the situation is not so simple – there is significant disagreement over the content of moral norms as well as appropriate means by which to manipulate them. This disagreement seriously threatens many proposals to improve society via moral enhancement. In my dissertation, I develop an understanding of how, exactly, disagreement poses problems for moral enhancement. However, I also argue that there is a way forward. It is possible to bring about moral improvement without commitment to particular and controversial moral norms, but instead relying on relatively uncontroversial ideas concerning morally reliable processes. The upshot is that, while attempting to directly manipulate people’s moral ideas is objectionable, it is relatively unproblematic to focus on helping people reason better and avoid akrasia, with the justified expectation that this will generally lead to moral improvement. We should, therefore, focus not on how to bring people in line with what we take to be the right ideas, motives or behaviors. Rather, we should look to helping people determine for themselves what being moral consists in, as well as help ensure that they act on those judgments. Traditional, non-moral education, it turns out, is actually one of the best moral enhancers we have. In fact, the tools of philosophy (which is, in many aspects, concerned with proper reasoning) are central to the project of indirect moral enhancement. Ultimately, one of the best ways to make people morally better may well be to make them better philosophers.

The production of pulp and paper is associated with the generation of large quantities of wastewater that has to be purified to avoid severe pollution of the environment. Wastewater purification in pulp and paper mills combines sedimentation, biological treatment, chemical precipitation, flotation and anaerobic treatment, and the specific combination of techniques is determined by the local conditions. Wastewater treatment generates large volumes of sludge that after dewatering can be incinerated and thus used for bio-energy production. Sludge is currently viewed as biofuel of poor quality due to its high water content, and some mills treat it solely as a disposal problem. Two strategies have been identified as feasible options to improve the energy efficiency of sludge management. One is drying using multi-effect evaporation followed by incineration. The other is anaerobic digestion of the wet sludge to produce methane. This thesis explores the energy balances of sludge management strategies in pulp and paper mills with special focus on anaerobic digestion. The first part consists of a system analysis, used to evaluate some wastewater treatment processes and sludge management, and the second part of empirical studies of anaerobic digestion of pulp and paper mill sludge. It was shown that the use of energy for aeration in aerobic biological treatment should be kept to the minimum required for acceptable quality of the processed water. Additional aeration for reduction of the generated sludge will only result in reduced energy generation in a subsequent methane generation stage. In the second part of the thesis, it is shown that anaerobic digestion is a feasible option for sludge management as it leads to production of high value biogas. Co-digestion with grass silage, cow/pig manure or municipal sewage sludge should then be used to counteract the low nitrogen content of pulp and paper mill sludge.