Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Alberta, 2010. / Title from PDF file main screen (viewed on July 9, 2010). A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Land Reclamation and Remediation, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta. Includes bibliographical references.

Submitted by UILIAN GABALDI YONEZAWA null (uilian_yonezawa@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-05-16T21:16:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertação Final.pdf: 3612402 bytes, checksum: b582b0fd2450b9deae8e2a4e625add5a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-05-17T18:33:33Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 yonezawa_ug_me_ilha.pdf: 3612402 bytes, checksum: b582b0fd2450b9deae8e2a4e625add5a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-17T18:33:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 yonezawa_ug_me_ilha.pdf: 3612402 bytes, checksum: b582b0fd2450b9deae8e2a4e625add5a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-04 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Os hidrogéis são polímeros hidrorretentores reticulados, que são capazes de reter e absorver grande quantidade de água. A combinação de polissacarídeos e nanoargila na matriz polimérica otimiza o desenvolvimento de materiais biodegradáveis e nanoestruturados que podem ser utilizados na agricultura. Nesta dissertação foram preparados e caracterizados hidrogéis nanoestruturados biodegradáveis, afim de aplicá-lo como um acelerador no crescimento de mudas de hortaliça. Os hidrogéis foram preparados fixando as concentrações de acrilamida (AAm) em 6% m/v e carboximetilcelulose (CMC) em 1% m/v, e incorporando diferentes concentrações de nanoargila cloisita-Na+. Diferentes quantidades de hidrogéis foram incorporadas ao substrato e investigado a sua eficiência no cultivo de alface. Foram analisadas as propriedades hidrofílicas e cinéticas em água destilada e em soluções salinas. Os hidrogéis demonstraram excelentes resultados de intumescimento. A incorporação de nanoargila na matriz do polímero aumentou a velocidade de absorção de água (indicada pelo aumento da constante cinética k) quando intumescido em água destilada. A formação das redes poliméricas foi confirmada pela análise de espectroscopia no infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR). A difração do raios-x (DRX) e a espectroscopia de energia dispersiva de Raios-X (EDX) permitiu avaliar a conformação das plaquetas de nanoargila e os elementos químicos presente nos nanocompósitos, respectivamente. A microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) demonstrou uma morfologia de estruturas porosas, com formas bem definidas e tamanhos de poros heterogêneos. A análise térmica evidenciou uma estabilidade térmica abaixo de 200 ºC para todas as amostras analisadas. A aplicação do hidrogel como condicionador de solo demonstrou ser eficiente no cultivo de alface, se aplicado na dose ideal. A presença de nanoargila na matriz polimérica melhorou a germinação, o desenvolvimento e a qualidade das mudas testadas. Os resultados demonstram que os nanocompósitos são produtos promissores em meio de cultura que precisam de liberação controlada e de condicionadores de solo. / Hydrogels are water-retainer crosslinked polymers which are able to retain and absorb large quantities of water. The combination of polysaccharides and nanoclay in the polymeric matrix enhanced the development of nanostructured and biodegradable materials and it can be used in agriculture. In this work, nanostructured biodegradable hydrogels was prepared in order to improve germination and seedling quality of lettuce cultivation. The hydrogels were prepared by fixing the concentrations of acrylamide (AAm) in 6% w/v carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) in 1% w/v, containing different nanoclay Cloisite-Na+ concentrations. Different amounts of hydrogel were incorporated to the substrate and investigated their efficiency in lettuce cultivation. Hydrophilic and kinetic properties were investigated in distilled water and in saline solutions. The hydrogels showed excellent swelling degree results. Also, the incorporation of nanoclay in the polymer matrix increased the water absorption speed (indicated by an increase in kinetic constant k) when swollen in distilled water. The formation of polymer networks was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The x-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy X-ray (EDX) corfimed the conformation of the nanoclay platelets and chemical elements present in the nanocomposite, respectively. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed porous structures morphology with well-defined shapes, but with heterogeneity in the size. Thermal analysis showed thermal stability for all samples below 200 °C. The application of hydrogel as a soil conditioner confirmed the efficiency in lettuce cultivation if applied in an optimal dose. The presence of nanoclay in the polymeric matrix enhanced the germination, the development and the quality of the tested seedlings. The results showed that nanocomposites are promising products in a culture medium that need controlled release and soil conditioners.

The world population is growing exponentially. At the same time, the availability of natural resources decreases dramatically – an alarming trend which demands for a sustainable use of our resources in a circular economic framework and hence, for the valorization of wastes and by-products. Owing to its high annual abundance, lignocellulosic biomass has a promising potential as renewable resource for the development of high-value products, covering fuels, platform chemicals, and specialty polymers. Besides, lignocelluloses offer an attractive basis for material applications, considering their peculiarity as natural composites and their inherent modifiability. Therefore, targeted chemical modifications have been widely used to exploit this potential and to further increase their spectrum of characteristics and application prospects. The objective of this study was to fabricate lignocellulose-based hydrogels, with the prospect to be used as soil conditioners in agriculture. Considering this application, this study was striving for the development of a simple synthetic pathway that ideally guarantees non-toxic and biodegradable products. Besides, two key factors were involved in the development of the synthetic route and constitute the center of this study: the accessibility of lignocelluloses towards chemical modifications – in view of their inherent recalcitrance – and the envisaged properties of the hydrogel, including high swelling rates and structural stability. To comply with both key factors, three basic processing steps were carried out: (1) feedstock activation by chemical or mechanical pretreatments, (2) introduction of ionic groups to induce swelling properties and (3) gel network formation via chemical crosslinking. Furthermore, to elucidate the behavior of different biomass types, wheat straw and beech sawdust were exemplarily surveyed. In the first step, different chemical (ozonolysis, alkaline and sulfite pulping) or mechanical (short-time ball milling) pretreatment approaches were used to activate the feedstocks by inducing compositional and/or structural alterations. In the second processing step, two modification reactions – carboxymethylation and phosphorylation (with phosphoric acid/molten urea) – were examined with emphasis on their ability to access lignocellulosic matrices and to realize high contents of ionic groups. In the final step, covalently crosslinked gel networks were formed using either citric acid or electron beam irradiation. Both crosslinking approaches were evaluated in detail with respect to yield and properties of the resulting hydrogels. In view of the two key factors proposed for this study – the accessibility of lignocelluloses and the final hydrogel properties – and amongst the approaches examined, the following synthetic pathway delivered the most promising results: ball milling ⟶ carboxymethylation ⟶ citric acid crosslinking. In this process, the promoting effect of ball milling can be attributed to particle size reduction, a breakdown of plant cell structures, and a decline of the cellulose crystallinity. The effectivity of carboxymethylation was particularly based on its alcoholic-alkaline media. Therefore, the uptake of alkali induced a partial disintegration of the lignocellulosic matrix, facilitating both the introduction of ionic groups and high swelling rates of the final gels. Overall, this path delivered promising results for straw-based gels, whereas beech sawdust was hardly accessible.

abstract: Voltage stability is always a major concern in power system operation. Recently Fault Induced Delayed Voltage Recovery (FIDVR) has gained increased attention. It is widely believed that the motor-driven loads of high efficiency, low inertia air conditioners are one of the main causes of FIDVR events. Simulation tools that assist power system operation and planning have been found insufficient to reproduce FIDVR events. This is because of their inaccurate load modeling of single-phase motor loads. Conventionally three-phase motor models have been used to represent the aggregation effect of single-phase motor load. However researchers have found that this modeling method is far from an accurate representation of single-phase induction motors. In this work a simulation method is proposed to study the precise influence of single-phase motor load in context of FIDVR. The load, as seen the transmission bus, is replaced with a detailed distribution system. Each single-phase motor in the distribution system is represented by an equipment-level model for best accuracy. This is to enable the simulation to capture stalling effects of air conditioner compressor motors as they are related to FIDVR events. The single phase motor models are compared against the traditional three phase aggregate approximation. Also different percentages of single-phase motor load are compared and analyzed. Simulation result shows that proposed method is able to reproduce FIDVR events. This method also provides a reasonable estimation of the power system voltage stability under the contingencies. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Electrical Engineering 2012

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:48:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Michele_Pasqualotto.pdf: 1033333 bytes, checksum: 74dd4a169bab4794a14ac5626c6548a3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The present study aimed to evaluate the intensity of conditioning of plants Tifton 85 with use of Mower Conditioner with free swinging flail fingers and storage times on the curve of dehydration, occurring fungus, nutritional value and in vitro digestibility of dry matter of hay Tifton 85. During the dehydration of the plants was also evaluated gas exchange. The dehydration curve was determined in the whole plant in ten times to the baling. The zero time corresponded to the plant before the cut, held 11h00 hour and other collects were made 8h00, 10h00, 14h00 and 16h00 hours. The experimental design was randomized blocks with two intensity of conditioning (high and low) and tem times of sampling, with five replicates. For the determination of gas exchange during the dehydration Tifton85 Evaluations were performed on mature leaves, situated in the upper middle third of each branch before the cutting and were performed each hour, for 4 hours. We used a portable meter infrared gas analyzer IRGA (6400 at). The variables analyzed were (A) photosynthesis, (gs) stomata conductance, (C) internal CO2 concentration, (E) sweating, (EUA) efficiency of water use, (EUAi) intrinsic efficiency to the water use. Subsequently the determination of fungi present in green plants and hay, where the grass samples were collected at the time of cutting , baling in, 30, 60 and 90 days of storage was made. It was observed that the dehydration of Tifton 85 was held in 49 hours, who is considered an ideal time for drying hay and differences between intensities of conditioning about on dry matter were taken during dehydration, but equaled the end of process. Gas exchanges were more intense before the cut, and, after cutting were decreasing to cease within 4 hours. The dry matter (DM) is smaller on the time when cutting when compared to other storage times. The crude protein did not differ between the intensity of conditioning or storage times staying on average 121.65 g kg-1. The lowest values of acid detergent insoluble protein (PIDA) were obtained with low intensity of conditioning after 30 days of storage, 64.8 g kg -1 DM. The contente of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), didn´t result no difference both to the time before the cut as to intensity of conditioning of Tifton 85. The in vitro digestibility of dry matter (DM) of Tifton 85 did not differ on the times of storage evaluated or difference on the intensities of conditioning. In samples collected during the storage period up to 90 days after dehydration was not detected the presence of fungi, with less than 30 colony forming units (CFU) per plate count. The use of mowers Conditioners in diferente intensities of injury does not accelerate the time of dehydration plants Tifton 85. Proper drying and storage under favorable conditions do not favor the growth of fungi in Tifton 85 / O presente estudo objetivou avaliar a intensidade de condicionamento de plantas de capim Tifton 85 com uso de segadeira condicionadora com batedores de dedos livres e tempos de armazenamento sobre a curva de desidratação, ocorrência de fungos, valor nutricional e digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca de feno Tifton 85. Também avaliou-se as trocas gasosas durante a desidratação das plantas. A curva de desidratação foi determinada na planta inteira em dez tempos até o enfardamento. O tempo zero correspondeu à planta antes do corte, realizado as 11h00 horas e as demais coletas foram realizadas as 8h00, 10h00, 14h00 e 16h00 horas. O delineamento experimental adotado foi em blocos casualizado com duas intensidades de condicionamento (alta e baixa) e dez tempos de amostragem, com cinco repetições. Para a determinação de trocas gasosas durante a desidratação do Tifton 85, foram realizadas avaliações em folhas maduras, situadas no terço médio superior de cada ramo antes do corte e a cada hora, por 4 horas. Utilizou-se um medidor portátil de trocas gasosas por infravermelho IRGA (6400 xt). As variáveis analisadas foram (A) fotossíntese, (gs) condutância estomática, (Ci) concentração interna de CO 2 , (E) transpiração, (EUA) eficiência do uso de água, (EUAi) eficiência intrínseca do uso de água. Em uma segunda etapa do presente trabalho avaliou-se o valor nutricional do feno de Tifton 85 e para isto adotou-se o delineamento em blocos casualizado em esquema de parcelas subdivididas no tempo, com dois tratamentos alocados nas parcelas: alta e baixa intensidade de corte e cinco tempos nas subparcelas: corte (tratamento adicional), enfardamento, e 30, 60 e 90 dias de armazenamento. Posteriormente foi realizada a determinação dos fungos presentes nas plantas verdes e no feno, onde coletaram-se amostras do capim no momento do corte, no enfardamento, 30, 60 e 90 dias de armazenamento. Observou-se que a desidratação do Tifton 85 realizou-se em 49 horas, sendo considerado um tempo ideal para secagem do feno e as diferenças entre intensidades de condicionamento sobre os teores de matéria seca se deram durante a desidratação, mas se igualaram no final do processo. As trocas gasosas foram mais intensas antes do corte e após o corte foram diminuindo até cessar nas 4 horas seguintes. Os teores de matéria seca (MS) apresentam-se menores no momento do corte quando comparados aos demais tempos de armazenamento. A proteína bruta não diferiu entre intensidade de condicionamento nem tempos de armazenamento ficando em média 121,65 g kg -1 . Os menores valores de proteína insolúvel em detergente ácido (PIDA) foram obtidos com baixa intensidade de condicionamento aos 30 dias de armazenamento, 64.8 g kg 1 de MS. O teor de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN), não apresentou diferença tanto para o tempo antes do corte quanto para intensidade de condicionamento do Tifton 85. A digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS) do capim Tifton 85 não diferiu entre os tempos de armazenamento avaliados e nem entre as intensidades de condicionamento. Nas amostras coletadas durante o período de armazenamento, até 90 dias após a desidratação não foi constatada a presença de fungos, apresentando contagem inferior a 30 unidades formadoras de colônia (UFC) por placa. O uso de segadeiras condicionadoras em diferentes intensidades de injúria não acelera o tempo de desidratação das plantas de capim Tifton 85. A secagem adequada e o armazenamento em condições favoráveis não propiciam o crescimento de fungos em feno de Tifton 85

Este trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar um estudo de viabilidade técnica da utilização de módulos termoelétricos para condicionamento de ar automotivo, com ênfase ao sistema de resfriamento. O sistema termoelétrico de refrigeração baseiase no efeito descoberto por Jean Charles Athanase Peltier em 1834, onde uma corrente elétrica flui na junção de dois materiais semicondutores de propriedades diferentes fazendo com que haja um gradiente de temperatura na junção dos materiais. Os módulos termoelétricos são fabricados por materiais semicondutores selados entre duas placas e, conforme o sentido que a corrente flui, uma superfície da placa torna-se aquecida e a outra resfriada. A refrigeração proveniente dos fenômenos termoelétricos surgiu como uma alternativa aos meios convencionais de refrigeração, pois não gera impactos ambientais, não produz barulho, não possui partes móveis, podendo ser montando em variadas posições de acordo com a necessidade, além de ocupar um volume pequeno em comparação com os outros sistemas. Os efeitos termoelétricos e suas aplicações são apresentados neste estudo, assim como o modelo matemático do sistema de refrigeração, que permite determinar o desempenho do sistema. Dissipadores de calor comercialmente disponíveis são analisados para a determinação da melhor troca térmica para o sistema e protótipos são montados para a obtenção de resultados experimentais de um refrigerador, a fim de verificar sua viabilidade e funcionalidade. / This paper aims to present a technical feasibility study of the use of thermoelectric modules for automotive air conditioning, with emphasis on the cooling system. The thermoelectric cooling system is based on the effect discovered by Jean Charles Athanase Peltier in 1834, where an electric current flows at the junction of two semiconductor materials of different properties so that there is a temperature gradient at the junction of the materials. The thermoelectric modules are manufactured by semiconductor material sealed between two sheets and, as the current flows, a plate surface becomes heated and the other cooled. Thermoelectric cooling from phenomena like Peltier effect has emerged as an alternative to conventional cooling systems, it does not generate environmental impact, do not produce noise, has no moving parts, the system can be mounted in various positions according to the need, and occupies a small volume in comparison with other systems. Thermoelectric effects and their applications are presented in this study, as well as the mathematical modeling of the cooling system, which determines system performance. Heat sinks commercially available are analyzed for determining the best heat transfer to the system and prototypes are assembled to obtain the experimental results for a refrigerator in order to verify its feasibility and functionality.

Submitted by Michele Mologni (mologni@unoeste.br) on 2018-08-02T14:10:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Valter Alves Pradela.pdf: 805718 bytes, checksum: a1e7be8282642614c408dd3af31ccf75 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-02T14:10:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Valter Alves Pradela.pdf: 805718 bytes, checksum: a1e7be8282642614c408dd3af31ccf75 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-11-09 / The objective of the project was to verify the use of synthetic hydro-seed polymers as soil conditioners together with the formation of pre-sprouted seedlings (MPB) of sugarcane. The research was conducted in the greenhouse of FATEC of Presidente Prudente - SP. The material studied was cultivar RB 86 7515. The substrate used was Bioplant®. The treatments consisted of eight doses (0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 8; 20; 40 g L-1) of a superabsorbent polymer (Hidrogel®), added to the substrate prior to filling the tubes. The sugarcane minirrebolos were heat treated and planted in trays, inside the greenhouse along with the substrate, being irrigated daily (15 mm per day). At 10 days, each pre-budded seedling was removed from the tray and placed in tubes (290 mL). At 31 days, the seedlings were transferred to full sun condition and submitted to three different daily irrigation slides (5, 10 and 15 mm), remaining in these conditions until the end of the experiment, totaling 60 days. It was considered the Factorial design, with eight treatments (dosages), three irrigation slides (5, 10, and 15 mm) and five replicates (seedlings in tubes), the means being compared by the Scott-Knott test (p <0, 05). Multiple regressions were performed using Microcal Origin software, with only those that presented significant "F" at 5%. Two types of analysis were carried out, one being destructive, where plants were sampled and conducted to the laboratory, and another one of non-destructive nature, in which the variables were obtained through surveys. It was found that the use of different doses of the polymer negatively affects the mass of the roots. The fresh mass of the aerial part was positively affected with the use of polymers, whereas the dry mass presented an inverse relation. The doses of 8 g L-1 and 20 g L-1 with irrigation of 15 mm presented better results for shoot production. The values of photosynthetic rate, CO2 concentration and stomatal conductance were affected by the treatments, and the dose of 4 g L-1, with the lowest irrigation level (5 mm), already presented differences. In relation to the water flow, it was observed that the irrigation slides and the polymer doses positively affected this parameter. The aerial parts and roots were positively affected by irrigation and negatively affected by the polymer. / O objetivo do projeto foi verificar a utilização de polímeros sintéticos hidroretentores como condicionadores de solo junto a formação de mudas pré-brotadas (MPB) de cana-de-açúcar. A pesquisa foi conduzida na casa de vegetação da FATEC de Presidente Prudente - SP. O material estudado foi o cultivar RB 86 7515. O substrato utilizado foi o Bioplant®. Os tratamentos consistiram de oito doses (0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 8; 20; 40 g L-1) de um polímero superabsorvente (Hidrogel®), adicionados ao substrato antes do enchimento dos tubetes. Os minirrebolos de cana-de-açúcar foram tratados termicamente e plantados em bandejas, dentro da casa de vegetação juntamente com o substrato, sendo irrigados diariamente (15mm por dia). Aos 10 dias, cada muda pré-brotada foi removida da bandeja e colocada em tubetes (290 mL). Aos 31 dias, as mudas foram transferidas para condição de pleno sol e submetidas a três diferentes lâminas de irrigação diária (5, 10 e 15 mm), permanecendo nessas condições até o final do experimento, totalizando 60 dias. Foi considerado o delineamento Fatorial, com oito tratamentos (dosagens), três lâminas de irrigação (5, 10, e 15 mm) e cinco repetições (mudas em tubetes), sendo as médias comparadas pelo teste de Scott-Knott (p<0,05). As regressões múltiplas foram realizadas utilizando software Microcal Origin, sendo utilizadas apenas as que apresentaram “F” significativo à 5%. Realizaram-se dois tipos de análise, sendo uma destrutiva, onde plantas foram amostradas e conduzidas ao laboratório, e outra de natureza não destrutiva, na qual as variáveis foram obtidas através de levantamentos. Constatou-se que a utilização de diferentes doses do polímero afeta negativamente a massa das raízes. A massa fresca da parte aérea foi positivamente afetada com a utilização de polímeros, já a massa seca apresentou uma relação inversa. As doses de 8 g L-1 e 20 g L-1 com irrigação de 15 mm apresentou melhores resultados para produção de parte aérea. Os valores de taxa fotossintética, concentração de CO2 e condutância estomática foram afetados pelos tratamentos, sendo a dose de 4 g L-1, com o menor nível de irrigação (5 mm), já apresentava diferenças. Com relação ao fluxo de água, tem-se que as lâminas de irrigação e as doses de polímero afetaram positivamente este parâmetro. As partes aéreas e raízes foram afetadas positivamente pela irrigação e negativamente pelo polímero.

This thesis deals with the analysis and design OF self-propelled mower on the grass. The machine is designed for cutting fodder, and their subsequent treatment. Focusing on the vast scope and great hourly output. The design emphasis is on compliance ergonomic rules, easy maintenance and functionality of the machine. For a very innovative features can be seen ejecting the cab, crop spacing on the sides, drive hydraulic cutter bars. In particular, the location of the cabin and boarding colors and folding machine cutter bars during transport. The machine was created to perfect performance, operator comfort, performance focused on large cysts and fluid design.

The world population is growing exponentially. At the same time, the availability of natural resources decreases dramatically – an alarming trend which demands for a sustainable use of our resources in a circular economic framework and hence, for the valorization of wastes and by-products. Owing to its high annual abundance, lignocellulosic biomass has a promising potential as renewable resource for the development of high-value products, covering fuels, platform chemicals, and specialty polymers. Besides, lignocelluloses offer an attractive basis for material applications, considering their peculiarity as natural composites and their inherent modifiability. Therefore, targeted chemical modifications have been widely used to exploit this potential and to further increase their spectrum of characteristics and application prospects. The objective of this study was to fabricate lignocellulose-based hydrogels, with the prospect to be used as soil conditioners in agriculture. Considering this application, this study was striving for the development of a simple synthetic pathway that ideally guarantees non-toxic and biodegradable products. Besides, two key factors were involved in the development of the synthetic route and constitute the center of this study: the accessibility of lignocelluloses towards chemical modifications – in view of their inherent recalcitrance – and the envisaged properties of the hydrogel, including high swelling rates and structural stability. To comply with both key factors, three basic processing steps were carried out: (1) feedstock activation by chemical or mechanical pretreatments, (2) introduction of ionic groups to induce swelling properties and (3) gel network formation via chemical crosslinking. Furthermore, to elucidate the behavior of different biomass types, wheat straw and beech sawdust were exemplarily surveyed. In the first step, different chemical (ozonolysis, alkaline and sulfite pulping) or mechanical (short-time ball milling) pretreatment approaches were used to activate the feedstocks by inducing compositional and/or structural alterations. In the second processing step, two modification reactions – carboxymethylation and phosphorylation (with phosphoric acid/molten urea) – were examined with emphasis on their ability to access lignocellulosic matrices and to realize high contents of ionic groups. In the final step, covalently crosslinked gel networks were formed using either citric acid or electron beam irradiation. Both crosslinking approaches were evaluated in detail with respect to yield and properties of the resulting hydrogels. In view of the two key factors proposed for this study – the accessibility of lignocelluloses and the final hydrogel properties – and amongst the approaches examined, the following synthetic pathway delivered the most promising results: ball milling ⟶ carboxymethylation ⟶ citric acid crosslinking. In this process, the promoting effect of ball milling can be attributed to particle size reduction, a breakdown of plant cell structures, and a decline of the cellulose crystallinity. The effectivity of carboxymethylation was particularly based on its alcoholic-alkaline media. Therefore, the uptake of alkali induced a partial disintegration of the lignocellulosic matrix, facilitating both the introduction of ionic groups and high swelling rates of the final gels. Overall, this path delivered promising results for straw-based gels, whereas beech sawdust was hardly accessible.

<div>In the U.S., unitary residential air conditioners are rated using standard AHRI 210/240 that is inadequate to credit equipment with advanced controls and variable-speed components since the ratings are based on results of steady-state laboratory tests. Contrarily, a load-based testing and rating approach is presented in this work that can capture equipment performance with its integrated controls and thermostat responses that is more representative of the field. In this approach, representative building sensible and latent loads are emulated in a psychrometric test facility at different indoor and outdoor test conditions utilizing a virtual building model. The indoor test room conditions are continuously adjusted to emulate the dynamic response of the virtual building to the test equipment sensible and latent cooling rates and the equipment dynamic response is measured. Meanwhile, the inlet temperatures to the test equipment thermostat are independently controlled to track the same virtual building response using a thermostat environment emulator that encloses the test thermostat, that provides typical flow conditions and of which the design and control are presented in this work. Climate-specific cooling seasonal performance ratings can be determined by propagating load-based test results through a temperature-bin method to estimate a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP). In addition, a next-generation rating approach is developed that extends load-based testing for performance mapping, such that the SCOP can be obtained using building simulations that incorporate specific building types, climates and an equipment-specific performance map. </div><div> </div><div>In this work, the proposed approaches were implemented to test and rate a variable-speed residential heat pump operating in cooling mode. Trained with results from only 12 load-based test intervals carried out using the test equipment, a quasi-steady-state mapping model was able to map the equipment performance across almost the entire operating envelope within $\pm10\%$ errors and the $R^2$ values were very close to 1. Using the identified performance map, the next-generation SCOP was obtained based on an annual simulation deployed in EnergyPlus, where the map was coupled to a typical single-family building in Albuquerque,NM. Compared to the temperature-bin-based rating, this simulation-based rating is able to comprehensively and appropriately reflect equipment annual field performance associated with a specific building type and climate, as the rating is extended from automated laboratory load-based testing and performance mapping.</div>