Biogas Production From Various Fruit Peels Environmental Sciences Essay

Biogas Production From Various Fruit Peels Environmental Sciences Essay Analysis of the various process conditions for the production of biogas (bio-methanation)from mango peel, papaya peel and banana peel were done. Based on the analysis the process conditions were varied accordingly and the comparative study of biogas production from mangopeel, papaya peel and banana peel in terms of pH, inoculum to substrate ratio and temperature was carried out. The major problem in the bio-methanation process was blockage and scum formation. Temperature and pH fluctuations also affect the production of biogas. High temperature(55à Ã‚ ¦ C) causes accumulation of fatty acids which affects the process stability and influences the pH ( Nagamany and K Ramasamy, Biogas production technology: An Indian perspective). If cow dung is used as the inoculum the stability of the digester is monitored. The pH at 5 the population of microbes is lowered and the activity is reduced ( Sahota and Ajit Singh).The ratios of cow dung to peels (1:2, 1:5, 1:10) were used in different setups and the production of biogas was observed. Peels of various fruits were used in the same ratio and their production rate was measured.The C/N ratio varies for different peels and was adjusted by addition of nitrogen sources for optimization of production . The measurement of volume of biogas produced was done using the downward displacement technique of water. Different parameters that were considered to affect the rate of production were observed for different setups. The comparison of production from different peels aims at identifying the ideal raw material source and the optimization of the process parameters for the maximum production of the gas. Keywords: Bio-methanation, process parameters, process stability, downward displacement of water Introduction The realization that the existing fuel resources are getting exhausted faster than expected and with the current developmental activities being at its high ,the situation demands more conservative action. The demand for the conventional fuel is on an all-time high and the demand can be controlled using alternative fuel sources. The extensive use of conventional sources over all these years has led to degradation in the environment. Since the global climatic stability is at stake the usage of renewable and cleaner fuel sources is being recommended. The usage of renewable fuel sources helps to conserve the existing conventional fuel and protect the environment. Renewable sources can be direct (such as solar energy) and indirect (such as biomass): energy of the wood and the other biomass obtained from plants has solar energy fixed by the process of photosynthesis (Chang, 2003). Anaerobic digestion is a process of biodegradation which uses bacteria to convert biomass into energy. Energy is in the form of biogas which is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide which is used for generation of power. Fruit peels are biodegradable in nature and are a potential source for the production of biogas. The fruit peels mainly consist of cellulose, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, moisture etc these acts as a source of carbon and energy for the microorganisms taking part in the bioconversion and by enzymatic hydrolysis converts the polymeric components of the peels into monomers. The monomers are converted to soluble organic acids mainly acetic acid, (methanogenic bacteria) converts it to methane and carbon-dioxide and various by products. Maishanu and Seekimpi (1988) and Anonymous(1992) observed that microbes require neutral or mild alkaline condition for optimal biogas production. Various parameters such as pH, ratio of substrate: inoculum , temperature affects the production. Materials and Methods The peels of mango, papaya and banana were collected from VIT, were cut into smaller fragments and dried. The moisture content of the various peels was determined by standard method. The peels were grinded, the pulp was prepared and the slurry was prepared in the ratio in accordance to the respective moisture content of the peels. Sieve was done to obtain desired particle size and stored at room temperature. 2litre anaerobic bio-reactor was used to perform the experiment. BMP Test Lab Digester: Experiment was performed in 2 litre anaerobic bioreactor capped with rubber stoppers. Nine reactors were set up and each one was seeded with 20ml of inoculum. For each reactor different cow-dung to peel ratio of (1:2, 1:5, 1:10) were added. The pH was maintained by using alkali. Based on the C/N weight ratio of the peel urea was added to optimize the microbial activity. Nutrients (FeCl3 1g) were added for optimum growth of microbes. Water was added to the reactors after addition of substrates. Reactors were kept at 33-37à Ã‚ ¦C under incubation and the production of gas in each reactor was measured by water displacement method. Analysis The moisture content of the peels, solid content, volatile content and pH were determined by Standard method. Total volume of gas production from various peels was measured at fixed time in each day by water displacement method. Result and Discussion Improper preparation of solids leads to blockage and scum formation: proper milling and dilution ratio of solid is necessary to prevent scum formation and stratification. The C/N ratio (i.e. carbon and nitrogen sources for micro-organisms) should be 25-30:1and the loading rate is varied based on it. The gas production depends on the pH, as a pH of 5 reduced the bacterial population and the activity. Optimum pH for methanogenic microbes was slightly acidic (7-7.2 range). pH can be maintained by removing the carbon-dioxide produced during methanation. Higher temperature increased production but the process becomesunstable due to accumulation of fatty acids. Concentration of the volatile fatty acid in terms of acetic acid should not exceed 2000-3000 mg/l. Stability of the digester depends on carbon-dioxide reduction (either by microbes or artificially) and the accumulation of hydrogen takes place due to the higher production rate of hydrogen than carbon-dioxide reduction rate, it inhibits methanogenesis. Retention time of slurry depends on the dilution ratio, loading rate and digestion temperature. Carbon-dioxide reduces the calorific value of biogas produced hence the gas is passed through lime water to remove carbon-dioxide. Table 1. Various parameters and biogas production rate Sno: Fruit peel used for production Ratio of inoculum to substrate Loading rate of the substrate Volume of flammable gas (stp) in litre. Flammable gas production rate (litre/day). 1. Mango 1:2 1:5 1:10 2. Papaya 1:2 1:5 1:10 3. Banana 1:2 1:5 1:10 Conclusion The analysis of the production rate of biogas from three different fruit peels (mango, papaya, and banana) was done. The process conditions that affect the production of biogas in bioreactor were analysed. The effect of parameters such as pH, temperature, inoculum to substrate ratio, slurry ratio was studied and the problems that occur due to the fluctuation of these parameters during the process of bio-methanation were identified. The solutions for these problems were identified and the implementation of optimized process conditionsand the production rate of biogas from various fruit peels are to be measured and compared.

Evaluate Is Acceptance Model Essay

There are many models have been developed to understand the factors affecting the acceptance of computer technology such as Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975, Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1985, 1991), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989), Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB) (Taylor & Todd, 1995), and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et al., 2003). TRA proposes that individual beliefs influence attitudes which will create intentions that will generate behavior. There are two major factors that determine behavioral intentions which are the person’s attitude toward the behavior and subjective norms. Attitude toward the behavior refers to the person’s judgment that performing the behavior is good or bad according to his or her belief. While the subjective norms are a function of normative beliefs that reflect the person’s perception of social pressures put on him or her to perform or not to perform the behavior in question. TRA model TPB is an expansion of the TRA. TPB includes the construct, perceived behavioral control to measure and account for the extent to which users have complete controls over their behavior. Perceived behavioral control relates to the extent to which the person believes that she or he has control over personal or external factors that may facilitate or constrain the behavioral performance. TPB model TAM pioneered by Davis advances the TRA by postulating that perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) are key determinants that lead to the actual usage of a particular technology or system. Perceived usefulness is the degree to which an individual believes that using a particular system would enhance his or her productivity while perceived ease of use is the degree an individual believes that using a particular system would be free of effort. TAM model DTPB was formulated through combination of both TAM and TPB, which was intended for providing better understanding of behavioral intention by concentrating on the factors that are likely to impact systems use. This model explores dimensions of subjective norms and perceived behavior control through decomposing them into particular belief perception whilst constructs from the innovation characteristics has also been regarded as the basis of DTPM formulation. DTPB also offer a clearer understanding of behavior and behavioral intention by giving detailed information about impacts of normative and control beliefs over system usage. DTPM model UTAUT had synthesized the eight prominent user acceptance models including the TRA, TAM, the motivational model (MM), TPB, a model combining the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior (C-TAM-TPB), the model of PC utilization (MPCU) (Ronald et al., 1994; Thompson & Higgins, 1991), the innovation diffusion theory, and the social cognitive theory (SCT) (Compeau et al., 1999 and Compeau & Higgins, 1995). This model was formulated with four core determinants of intention and usage including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence and facilitating conditions and also with up to four moderators of key counting gender, experience, age and voluntariness of use. However, the authors argue that in order to strengthen this model, the culture also need to take consideration since different culture can affect the acceptance behavior among user towards the computer technology. UTAUT model There are more theories that had been developed and many variables had used to evaluate the IS/IT acceptance rate. For example, the interactive model of technology acceptance and satisfaction (IMTAS) which integrate the user satisfaction with and user acceptance of IT. This model expands user satisfaction and user acceptance into SME sector simultaneously as two basic constructs of system usage behavior (as the key measure of IT success) while addresses specific characteristics of SMEs such as resource constraints, management method and direct interaction of SME users with external environments. Base on this model, user satisfaction can be influenced by user involvement, system quality, and information quality. High quality of information and system enable the user to produce good decision making, hence, increase the user satisfaction. However, user involvement is the key determinant of user satisfaction since high user involvement allow the user  involve in major area of the system which this give the user opportunity to enjoy most of the benefits of the system. User satisfaction will increase the usage of the system and the usage will be even higher if the system has high user friendliness. Another key determinant that influence the system usage in SMEs is user computer competence. User computer competence can be enhance through providing training by assuming that assistance of SMEs’ external environment have a crucial impact on the success of newly implemented IS by increasing SME user acceptance and satisfaction since SMEs are typically suffering from lack of resources such as internal expertise, knowledge and user skills. The training can influence the perceived ease of use and perceived of usefulness among user, hence, influence the user attitude and intention which than influence the actual usage of a system in SMEs.

Deception Point Page 50

With calm bred from the performance of countless executions, Delta-One dialed a ten-second delay into the grenade's screw-dial, slid out the pin, and threw the grenade down into the chasm. The bomb plummeted into the darkness and disappeared. Then Delta-One and his partner cleared back up onto the top of the berm and waited. This would be a sight to behold. Even in her delirious state of mind, Rachel Sexton had a very good idea what the attackers had just dropped into the crevasse. Whether Michael Tolland also knew or whether he was reading the fear in her eyes was unclear, but she saw him go pale, shooting a horrified glance down at the mammoth slab of ice on which they were stranded, clearly realizing the inevitable. Like a storm cloud lit by an internal flash of lightning, the ice beneath Rachel illuminated from within. The eerie white translucence shot out in all directions. For a hundred yards around them, the glacier flashed white. The concussion came next. Not a rumble like an earthquake, but a deafening shock wave of gut-churning force. Rachel felt the impact tearing up through the ice into her body. Instantly, as if a wedge had been driven between the ice shelf and the block of ice supporting them, the cliff began to shear off with a sickening crack. Rachel's eyes locked with Tolland's in a freeze-frame of terror. Corky let out a scream nearby. The bottom dropped out. Rachel felt weightless for an instant, hovering over the multimillion-pound block of ice. Then they were riding the iceberg down-plummeting into the frigid sea. 56 The deafening grating of ice against ice assaulted Rachel's ears as the massive slab slid down the face of the Milne Ice Shelf, sending towering plumes of spray into the air. As the slab splashed downward, it slowed, and Rachel's previously weightless body crashed down onto the top of the ice. Tolland and Corky landed hard nearby. As the block's downward momentum plunged it deeper into the sea, Rachel could see the foaming surface of the ocean racing upward with a kind of taunting deceleration, like the ground beneath a bungee-jumper whose cord was a few feet too long. Rising†¦ rising†¦ and then it was there. Her childhood nightmare was back. The ice†¦ the water†¦ the darkness. The dread was almost primal. The top of the slab slipped below the waterline, and the frigid Arctic Ocean poured over the edges in a torrent. As the ocean rushed in all around her, Rachel felt herself sucked under. The bare skin on her face tightened and burned as the saltwater hit. The flooring of ice disappeared beneath her, and Rachel fought her way back to the surface, buoyed by the gel in her suit. She took in a mouthful of saltwater, sputtering to the surface. She could see the others floundering nearby, all of them tangled in tethers. Just as Rachel righted herself, Tolland yelled out. â€Å"It's coming back up!† As his words echoed above the tumult, Rachel felt an eerie upwelling in the water beneath her. Like a massive locomotive straining to reverse direction, the slab of ice had groaned to a stop underwater and was now beginning its ascent directly beneath them. Fathoms below, a sickening low frequency rumble resonated upward through the water as the gigantic submerged sheet began scraping its way back up the face of the glacier. The slab rose fast, accelerating as it came, swooping up from the darkness. Rachel felt herself rising. The ocean roiled all around as the ice met her body. She scrambled in vain, trying to find her balance as the ice propelled her skyward along with millions of gallons of seawater. Buoying upward, the giant sheet bobbed above the surface, heaving and teetering, looking for its center of gravity. Rachel found herself scrambling in waist-deep water across the enormous, flat expanse. As the water began pouring off the surface, the current swallowed Rachel and dragged her toward the edge. Sliding, splayed flat on her stomach, Rachel could see the edge looming fast. Hold on! Rachel's mother's voice was calling the same way it had when Rachel was just a child floundering beneath the icy pond. Hold on! Don't go under! The wrenching yank on her harness expelled what little air Rachel had left in her lungs. She jerked to a dead stop only yards from the edge. The motion spun her in place. Ten yards away, she could see Corky's limp body, still tethered to her, also jolting to a stop. They had been flowing off the sheet in opposite directions and his momentum had stopped her. As the water ran off and grew more shallow, another dark form appeared over near Corky. He was on his hands and knees, grasping Corky's tether and vomiting saltwater. Michael Tolland. As the last of the wake drained past her and flowed off the iceberg, Rachel lay in terrified silence, listening to the sounds of the ocean. Then, feeling the onset of deadly cold, she dragged herself onto her hands and knees. The ‘berg was still bobbing back and forth, like a giant ice cube. Delirious and in pain, she crawled back toward the others. High above on the glacier, Delta-One peered through his night-vision goggles at the water churning around the Arctic Ocean's newest tabular iceberg. Although he saw no bodies in the water, he was not surprised. The ocean was dark, and his quarry's weather suits and skullcaps were black. As he passed his gaze across the surface of the enormous floating sheet of ice, he had a hard time keeping it in focus. It was receding quickly, already heading out to sea in the strong offshore currents. He was about to turn his gaze back to the sea when he saw something unexpected. Three specks of black on the ice. Are those bodies? Delta-One tried to bring them into focus. â€Å"See something?† Delta-Two asked. Delta-One said nothing, focusing in with his magnifier. In the pale tint of the iceberg, he was stunned to see three human forms huddled motionless on the island of ice. Whether they were alive or dead, Delta-One had no idea. It hardly mattered. If they were alive, even in weather suits, they'd be dead within the hour; they were wet, a storm was coming in, and they were drifting seaward into one of the most deadly oceans on the planet. Their bodies would never be found. â€Å"Just shadows,† Delta-One said, turning from the cliff. â€Å"Let's get back to base.† 57 Senator Sedgewick Sexton set his snifter of Courvoisier on the mantelpiece of his Westbrook apartment and stoked the fire for several moments, gathering his thoughts. The six men in the den with him sat in silence now†¦ waiting. The small talk was over. It was time for Senator Sexton to make his pitch. They knew it. He knew it. Politics was sales. Establish trust. Let them know you understand their problems. â€Å"As you may know,† Sexton said, turning toward them, â€Å"over the past months, I have met with many men in your same position.† He smiled and sat down, joining them on their level. â€Å"You are the only ones I have ever brought into my home. You are extraordinary men, and I am honored to meet you.† Sexton folded his hands and let his eyes circle the room, making personal contact with each of his guests. Then he focused in on his first mark-the heavyset man in the cowboy hat. â€Å"Space Industries of Houston,† Sexton said. â€Å"I'm glad you came.† The Texan grunted. â€Å"I hate this town.† â€Å"I don't blame you. Washington has been unfair to you.† The Texan stared out from beneath the rim of his hat but said nothing. â€Å"Twelve years back,† Sexton began, â€Å"you made an offer to the U.S. government. You proposed to build them a U.S. space station for a mere five billion dollars.† â€Å"Yeah, I did. I still have the blueprints.† â€Å"And yet NASA convinced the government that a U.S. space station should be a NASA project.† â€Å"Right. NASA started building almost a decade ago.†

Music Therapy During Post Operative Abdominal And Thoracic...

Music Therapy in Post-operative Abdominal and Thoracic Patients Kelsey Milam Azusa Pacific University Music Therapy in Post-operative Abdominal and Thoracic Patients The purpose of this paper is to determine if music therapy is an effective intervention on decreasing the perceived response to pain in post-operative abdominal and thoracic hospitalized patients as compared with those who received pharmaceutical interventions alone. A literature review of eight articles will be evaluated and compared in order to ultimately give an overview of the applicability of this intervention to nursing practice. In this paper, the literature will be reviewed based upon applicability to the proposed research question. Background A major intervention executed by the medical surgical nurse is the pain management of post-operative patients. Often, this pain is not adequately treated by medications alone (Vaajoki et al, 2011). For post-operative patients, perceived pain can be measured with the use of a Visual Analog Scale. Overall, music therapy is a relatively new area of adjunct pain therapy and is therefore best researched in the generalized area of acute and neuropathic pain and anxiety. A potential area of further research lies in applying the use of music therapy to specific patient diagnosis as well as procedures, such as patient turning and bone marrow aspirations. This intervention is low-cost, is easily implemented and has no adverse