As atividades agrícolas no Estado de São Paulo, foram responsáveis pela supressão da cobertura vegetal original do solo e, sua conseqüente degradação. A vegetação nativa foi gradativamente substituída por culturas como café, pastagem, citros e cana-de-açúcar, durante séculos de ocupação e uso da terra. A recomposição da cobertura florestal auxilia na prevenção da erosão do solo e na redução dos impactos causados. A floresta ripária retém os sedimentos resultantes do desprendimento do solo à montante e transportados pela enxurrada. A deposição de sedimentos na zona ripária está relacionada à pluviosidade, às feições geomorfológicas, ao material de origem e manejo da área à montante. O padrão de distribuição de sedimentos na zona ripária reflete a dinâmica da deposição e os prováveis processos ocorridos. Para inferir sobre os processos de deposição ocorridos, foram realizadas análises macro e micromorfológicas e, também análises granulométricas apoiadas na interpretação estatística dos parâmetros de Folk & Ward (1957). As amostras de solo foram dispersas em Hexametafosfato de Sódio e também em água, para simular as condições de campo, seguindo a metodologia de Camargo (1986). Os resultados obtidos através da análise granulométrica, foram reforçados pelas análises de imagens e porosidade em amostras indeformadas. Os atributos do solo enterrado e dos sedimentos depositados, evidenciam um padrão de deposição irregular e desuniforme, que sugere a ocorrência de eventos erosivos de grande intensidade (fluxo turbulento). Essa irregularidade e desuniformidade da deposição está relacionada à alteração do uso da terra. A implantação do reflorestamento na zona ripária de Iracema B deslocou a deposição de sedimentos, 25m à montante na encosta. / Agricultural pratices in the state of São Paulo - Brazil, are directly responsible for the suppression of the natural vegetation cover and soil degradation. The natural vegetation was substituted by coffee, pastures, citrus and sugar-cane crops, over centuries of occupation and land use. The native forest recuperation prevents soil erosion and reduces environmental impacts. Riparian forest traps sediments transported by \"splash\" and runoff. Sediments deposition in riparian zone depends on rainfall, geomorphology, original soil characteristics and management. Sediment distribution paths in riparian zones reflect the deposition dynamics and the type of deposition event. In order to study the deposition processes in a riparian forest located in the county of Iracemapolis-state of São Paulo, macro and micromorphological analyses, as well as particle size distribution using Folk & Ward (1957) parameters, were done. Soil samples were dispersed with sodium hexametaphosphate and water. This last technique was done to simulate field transport conditions. The particle size distribution results together with the field and laboratory morphological analyses showed an irregular and non-uniform sediment deposition. This deposition process suggests the occurrence of high intensity erosive events that produce high amount of sediments and runoff characterized by a turbulent flow. Land use changes significantly affect this type of deposition. The recuperation of the natural forest dislocated sediment deposition inside the riparian forest 25 m upslope.

As atividades agrícolas no Estado de São Paulo, foram responsáveis pela supressão da cobertura vegetal original do solo e, sua conseqüente degradação. A vegetação nativa foi gradativamente substituída por culturas como café, pastagem, citros e cana-de-açúcar, durante séculos de ocupação e uso da terra. A recomposição da cobertura florestal auxilia na prevenção da erosão do solo e na redução dos impactos causados. A floresta ripária retém os sedimentos resultantes do desprendimento do solo à montante e transportados pela enxurrada. A deposição de sedimentos na zona ripária está relacionada à pluviosidade, às feições geomorfológicas, ao material de origem e manejo da área à montante. O padrão de distribuição de sedimentos na zona ripária reflete a dinâmica da deposição e os prováveis processos ocorridos. Para inferir sobre os processos de deposição ocorridos, foram realizadas análises macro e micromorfológicas e, também análises granulométricas apoiadas na interpretação estatística dos parâmetros de Folk & Ward (1957). As amostras de solo foram dispersas em Hexametafosfato de Sódio e também em água, para simular as condições de campo, seguindo a metodologia de Camargo (1986). Os resultados obtidos através da análise granulométrica, foram reforçados pelas análises de imagens e porosidade em amostras indeformadas. Os atributos do solo enterrado e dos sedimentos depositados, evidenciam um padrão de deposição irregular e desuniforme, que sugere a ocorrência de eventos erosivos de grande intensidade (fluxo turbulento). Essa irregularidade e desuniformidade da deposição está relacionada à alteração do uso da terra. A implantação do reflorestamento na zona ripária de Iracema B deslocou a deposição de sedimentos, 25m à montante na encosta. / Agricultural pratices in the state of São Paulo - Brazil, are directly responsible for the suppression of the natural vegetation cover and soil degradation. The natural vegetation was substituted by coffee, pastures, citrus and sugar-cane crops, over centuries of occupation and land use. The native forest recuperation prevents soil erosion and reduces environmental impacts. Riparian forest traps sediments transported by \"splash\" and runoff. Sediments deposition in riparian zone depends on rainfall, geomorphology, original soil characteristics and management. Sediment distribution paths in riparian zones reflect the deposition dynamics and the type of deposition event. In order to study the deposition processes in a riparian forest located in the county of Iracemapolis-state of São Paulo, macro and micromorphological analyses, as well as particle size distribution using Folk & Ward (1957) parameters, were done. Soil samples were dispersed with sodium hexametaphosphate and water. This last technique was done to simulate field transport conditions. The particle size distribution results together with the field and laboratory morphological analyses showed an irregular and non-uniform sediment deposition. This deposition process suggests the occurrence of high intensity erosive events that produce high amount of sediments and runoff characterized by a turbulent flow. Land use changes significantly affect this type of deposition. The recuperation of the natural forest dislocated sediment deposition inside the riparian forest 25 m upslope.

This study focuses on the analysis of atmospheric particles sampled from two different field campaigns: the field study at a cattle feeding facility in the summer from 2005 to 2008 and the Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC) in 2008. A ground site field study at a representative large cattle feeding facility in the Texas Panhandle was conducted to characterize the particle size distributions, hygroscopicity, and chemical composition of agricultural aerosols. Here, a first comprehensive dataset is reported for these physical and chemical properties of agricultural aerosols appropriate for use in a site-specific emission inventory. The emission rate and transport of the aerosols are also discussed. In addition, mixing ratios of total and gaseous ammonia were measured at the same field in 2007 and 2008. Measurements such as these provide a means to determine whether the fugitive dust emitted from a typical large feedlot represents a health concern for employees of the feeding operation and the nearby community. Detailed chemical composition of aircraft-sampled particles collected during ISDAC was studied. Filter samples were collected under a variety of conditions in and out of mixed phase and ice clouds in the Arctic. Specifically, particles were sampled from a mixed-phase cloud during a period of observed high concentrations of ice nuclei (IN), a biomass plume, and under relatively clean ambient conditions. Composition of particles was studied on a particle-by-particle basis using several microspectroscopy techniques. Based on the elemental composition analysis, more magnesium was found in Arctic cloud residues relative to ambient air. Likewise, based on the carbon speciation analysis, high IN samples contained coated inorganics, carbonate, and black or brown carbon particles. In the samples collected during a flight through a biomass burning plume, water-soluble organic carbon was the dominant overall composition. Due to their hygroscopic nature, these organics may preferably act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) rather than IN. Other ambient samples contained relatively higher fractions of organic and inorganic mixtures and less purely water-soluble organics than found in the biomass particles. The most likely source of inorganics would be sea salt. When present, sea salt may further enhance ice nucleation.

Volcanogenic lightning has a long documented history in the scientific field, though its origins are still poorly understood. The interactions leading to electrification of ash plumes is essentially a function of the microphysics controlling and affecting ash particle collisions. This thesis presents measurements made on charged particle interactions in a fluidized bed, with large-scale applications to the phenomenon of volcanogenic lightning and charged particle dynamics in volcanic plumes. Using a fluidized bed of ash samples taken from Ecuador's Volcán Tungurahua, particles are introduced to a collisional environment, where they acquire an associated polarity. A charged copper plate is used to collect particles of a given polarity, and particle size distributions are obtained for different weight fractions of the ash. It is observed that relatively smaller particles acquire a net negative charge, while larger particles in the sample charge positively. This is a well-documented occurrence with perfectly spherical, chemically identical samples, but this work represents one of the first applications of the principle to volcanic ash. Image analysis is preformed to determine the size distribution associated with specific polarities, and the associated minimum charge on each particle is calculated based on the plate collection height and particle size. We also present results that demonstrate the relationship between particle collisions and the amount of charge exchanged. Using techniques developed to examine the collision rate within a flow, combined with the charging rates determined from this experiment, we determine a maximum charge exchange rate of 1.28±0.23 electrons transferred per collision.

abstract: Lithium ion batteries prepared with a ceramic separator, have proven to possess improved safety, reliability as well as performance characteristics when compared to those with polymer separators which are prone to thermal runaway. Purely inorganic separators are highly brittle and expensive. The electrode-supported ceramic separator permits thinner separators which are a lot more flexible in comparison. In this work, it was observed that not any α-alumina could be used by the blade coating process to get a good quality separator on Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) electrode. In this work specifically, the effect of particle size of α-alumina, on processability of slurry was investigated. The effect of the particle size variations on quality of separator formation was also studied. Most importantly, the effect of alumina particle size and its distribution on the performance of LTO/Li half cells is examined in detail. Large-sized particles were found to severely limit the ability to fabricate such separators. The α-alumina slurry was coated onto electrode substrate, leading to possible interaction between α-alumina and LTO substrate. The interaction between submicron sized particles of α-alumina with the substrate electrode pores, was found to affect the performance and the stability of the separator. Utilizing a bimodal distribution of submicron sized particles with micron sized particles of α-alumina to prepare the separator, improved cell performance was observed. Yet only a specific ratio of bimodal distribution achieved good results both in terms of separator formation and resulting cell performance. The interaction of α-alumina and binder in the separator, and its effect on the performance of substrate electrode was investigated, to understand the need for bimodal distribution of powder forming the separator. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Chemical Engineering 2017

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) can produce complex parts that were once considered impossible or too costly to fabricate using conventional machining techniques, making AM machines an exceptional tool for rapid prototyping, one-off parts, and labor-intensive geometries. Due to the growing popularity of this technology, especially in the defense and medical industries, more researchers are looking into the physics and mechanics behind the AM process. Many factors and parameters contribute to the overall quality of a part, one of them being the powder bed itself. So far, little investigation has been dedicated to the behavior of the powder in the powder bed during the lasering process. A powder spreading machine that simulates the powder bed fusion process without the laser was designed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and was built as a platform to observe powder characteristics. The focus for this project was surface roughness and particle size distribution (PSD), and how dose rate and coating speed affect the results. Images of the 316L stainless steel powder on the spreading device at multiple layers were taken and processed and analyzed in MATLAB to access surface quality of each region. Powder from nine regions of the build plate were also sampled and counted to determine regional particle size distribution. As a comparison, a simulation was developed to mimic the adhesive behavior of the powder, and to observe how powder distributes powder when spread.

The master´s thesis deals with the volume changes of concrete during its concrete glow. These volume changes are generally more susceptible to high-strength concretes – HSC, which contain a bigger dose of binder. The theoretical section describes the possible reduction volume change especially in HSC, which are focused on the composition of concrete, especially on the type and particle size distribution of aggregate. Then attention is also paid to the different types of cements and their possible substitution. The part of the theoretical work describes the types of volume changes that may occur. In the experimental part are suggested the HSC by to secure informations. Different kinds of aggregates are used and a continuous or discontinuous grain curve and a different maximum grain size. Part of the sample was made only from CEM I 42,5 R and the second part of the sample from CEM I 42,5 R with the addition of very finely ground limestone. In terms of the part of the work were monitored volume changes of concrete with different composition and also their mechanical properties after 7, 28 and 90 days. Specifically, compressive strength, tensile strength, strength of the surface layers of concrete, water absorption and water-permeability test concrete. In conclusion, are listed all the results of tests.

No description available.

Cette étude porte sur le broyage en voie humide (nanobroyage) de produits organiques à usage pharmaceutique dans un broyeur à billes agité. L'objectif des travaux réalisés était d'analyser la faisabilité de l'opération de nanobroyage et d'améliorer la compréhension des processus de réduction de taille dans le cas de produits organiques cristallins. Dans un premier temps, des expériences préliminaires ont été menées pour le choix d'agents mouillants et dispersants adéquats pour les matériaux choisis (ciclopirox, ibuprofène) et pour la mise au point du mode de fonctionnement du procédé de broyage. Nous avons également testé différentes techniques comme la spectroscopie acoustique et la diffusion dynamique de la lumière pour caractériser la distribution de taille des particules broyées, en se basant sur une étude expérimentale conduite sur la calcite, utilisée dans cette étude comme matériau de référence. La seconde partie a été consacrée au broyage par microbilles appliqué aux différents matériaux choisis. Nous avons étudié l'influence des paramètres opératoires tels que le débit de suspension, la vitesse de rotation de l'agitateur, la taille des billes de broyage et la concentration en solide sur l'efficacité énergétique du procédé et la qualité des produits broyés. Les critères de qualité pris en compte dans cette étude sont la distribution de taille des particules, la stabilité et le comportement rhéologique des suspensions broyées ainsi que les propriétés structurales du produit. L'effet du broyage sur les changements microstructuraux des différents produits a enfin été analysé. Une attention particulière a également été portée sur l'effet de la température sur le procédé de réduction de taille et les propriétés de l'ibuprofène broyé. / This work focuses on wet grinding (nanogrinding) of organic materials for pharmaceuticals using a stirred media mill. The aim of the work was to examine the feasibility of nanogrinding process and to improve the understanding of size reduction processes applied on crystalline organic products. Firstly, preliminary investigations were conducted to make a choice of appropriate wetting agents and dispersants for the selected materials (ciclopirox, ibuprofen), and for the development of the operation mode of the grinding process. We also tested different techniques such as acoustic attenuation spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering to characterize the ground particle size distribution, based on an experimental study conducted on calcite, used in this study as reference material. The second part was devoted to the milling process by grinding beads applied to the selected materials. The influence of operating parameters such as suspension flow rate, stirrer tip speed, grinding media diameter and solid mass concentration on grinding process efficiency and ground products quality were investigated. The quality criteria considered in this study are particle size distribution, stability and rheological behaviour of the products, as well as their structural properties. The effect of grinding process on the microstructural change of different materials was finally analysed. Particular attention was also focused on the effect of temperature on size reduction process and ground ibuprofen properties.

Abstract : Although concrete is a relatively green material, the astronomical volume of concrete produced worldwide annually places the concrete construction sector among the noticeable contributors to the global warming. The most polluting constituent of concrete is cement due to its production process which releases, on average, 0.83 kg CO[subscript 2] per kg of cement. Self-consolidating concrete (SCC), a type of concrete that can fill in the formwork without external vibration, is a technology that can offer a solution to the sustainability issues of concrete industry. However, all of the workability requirements of SCC originate from a higher powder content (compared to conventional concrete) which can increase both the cost of construction and the environmental impact of SCC for some applications. Ecological SCC, Eco-SCC, is a recent development combing the advantages of SCC and a significantly lower powder content. The maximum powder content of this concrete, intended for building and commercial construction, is limited to 315 kg/m[superscript 3]. Nevertheless, designing Eco-SCC can be challenging since a delicate balance between different ingredients of this concrete is required to secure a satisfactory mixture. In this Ph.D. program, the principal objective is to develop a systematic design method to produce Eco-SCC. Since the particle lattice effect (PLE) is a key parameter to design stable Eco-SCC mixtures and is not well understood, in the first phase of this research, this phenomenon is studied. The focus in this phase is on the effect of particle-size distribution (PSD) on the PLE and stability of model mixtures as well as SCC. In the second phase, the design protocol is developed, and the properties of obtained Eco-SCC mixtures in both fresh and hardened states are evaluated. Since the assessment of robustness is crucial for successful production of concrete on large-scale, in the final phase of this work, the robustness of one the best-performing mixtures of Phase II is examined. It was found that increasing the volume fraction of a stable size-class results in an increase in the stability of that class, which in turn contributes to a higher PLE of the granular skeleton and better stability of the system. It was shown that a continuous PSD in which the volume fraction of each size class is larger than the consecutive coarser class can increase the PLE. Using such PSD was shown to allow for a substantial increase in the fluidity of SCC mixture without compromising the segregation resistance. An index to predict the segregation potential of a suspension of particles in a yield stress fluid was proposed. In the second phase of the dissertation, a five-step design method for Eco-SCC was established. The design protocol started with the determination of powder and water contents followed by the optimization of sand and coarse aggregate volume fractions according to an ideal PSD model (Funk and Dinger). The powder composition was optimized in the third step to minimize the water demand while securing adequate performance in the hardened state. The superplasticizer (SP) content of the mixtures was determined in next step. The last step dealt with the assessment of the global warming potential of the formulated Eco-SCC mixtures. The optimized Eco-SCC mixtures met all the requirements of self-consolidation in the fresh state. The 28-day compressive strength of such mixtures complied with the target range of 25 to 35 MPa. In addition, the mixtures showed sufficient performance in terms of drying shrinkage, electrical resistivity, and frost durability for the intended applications. The eco-performance of the developed mixtures was satisfactory as well. It was demonstrated in the last phase that the robustness of Eco-SCC is generally good with regards to water content variations and coarse aggregate characteristics alterations. Special attention must be paid to the dosage of SP during batching. / Résumé : Même si le béton est un matériau relativement vert, le volume astronomique de béton produit à travers le monde chaque année met le secteur de la construction en béton parmi les contributeurs important au réchauffement climatique. Le constituant le plus polluant du béton est le ciment en raison de son processus de production qui dégage, en moyenne, 0,83 kg de CO[indice inférieur 2] par kg de ciment. Le béton autoplaçant (BAP), un type de béton qui peut remplir le coffrage sans vibration externe, est une technologie qui peut offrir une solution aux problèmes de développement durable de l'industrie du béton. Cependant, toutes les exigences de la maniabilité du BAP proviennent d'une teneur en poudre plus élevé (par rapport au béton conventionnel), ce qui peut augmenter le coût de la construction et de l'impact environnemental du BAP pour certaines applications. Le BAP écologique, Éco-BAP, est un développement récent combinant les avantages du BAP tout en ayant une teneur en poudre significativement plus faible. La teneur en poudre maximale de ce béton, destinée à la construction du bâtiment et aux applications commerciales, est limitée à 315 kg/m[indice supérieur 3]. Néanmoins, la conception de l’Éco-BAP peut être difficile, car un équilibre délicat entre les différents ingrédients de ce béton est nécessaire pour garantir un mélange satisfaisant. Dans ce programme de doctorat, l'objectif principal est de développer une méthode systématique pour la formulation de l’Éco-BAP. Puisque l'effet de groupe des particules (EGP) est un paramètre clé pour la conception des mélanges l’Éco-BAP stables, et que ce phénomène est peu connu, dans la première phase de cette recherche, l’EGP est étudié. Cette partie se concentre sur l'influence de la granulométrie sur l’EGP et la stabilité des mélanges de modèle ainsi que des BAPs. Dans la deuxième phase, le protocole de formulation est développé, et les propriétés des mélanges obtenus, à l’état frais ainsi que l’état durcis, sont évaluées. Étant donné que l'évaluation de la robustesse est cruciale pour la production du béton à grande échelle, dans la dernière phase de ce travail, la robustesse d'un des mélanges les plus performants de la Phase II est examinée. Basé sur les résultats obtenus, nous constatons que l'augmentation de la fraction volumique d'une classe mène à une meilleure stabilité de cette classe. Cela contribue également à une EGP supérieure du squelette granulaire et à une stabilité plus élevée du système. Il a été montré qu'une granulométrie continue dans lequel la fraction volumique de chaque classe est plus grande que la classe consécutive plus grossière peut augmenter l’EGP. En utilisant une telle granulométrie, la fluidité d’un mélange du BAP pourrait être augmentée sans compromettre la résistance à la ségrégation. Un indice de prédiction du potentiel de la ségrégation de particules suspendues dans un fluide à seuil a été proposé. Dans la deuxième phase de la thèse, une méthode de conception en cinq étapes pour l’Éco-BAP a été développée. Le protocole de formulation commence par la détermination des teneurs en poudre et de l'eau, suivie par l'optimisation des fractions volumiques du sable et des gros granulats selon un modèle idéal de granulométrie (Funk et Dinger). La composition de poudre est optimisée dans la troisième étape afin de minimiser la demande en eau tout en garantissant une performance adéquate à l'état durci. Le dosage du superplastifiant (SP) est déterminé dans l’étape suivante. La dernière étape s’agit d’évaluer le potentiel du réchauffement climatique des mélanges développés. Les mélanges de l’Éco-BAP optimisés répondent à toutes les exigences à l'état frais pour le BAP. La résistance à la compression à 28 jours de ces mélanges est dans la fourchette cible de 25 à 35 MPa. En outre, les mélanges montrent des performances suffisantes en termes de retrait de séchage, la résistivité électrique, et la résistance contre gel-dégel pour les applications visées. La performance écologique des Éco-BAPs produis a été satisfaisante. Il a été démontré dans la dernière phase que la robustesse de l'Éco-BAP est généralement bonne en ce qui concerne les variations de teneur en eau et les changements de propriétés des gros granulats. Une attention particulière doit être accordée au dosage du SP pendant le malaxage.