Relationship between proximate analysis parameters and combustion behaviour of high ash Indian coal

This work presents the analysis of combustion characteristics of high ash Indian coal(28%-40%)collected from different mines of Singaurali coalfield,India.All the coal samples were characterized by proximate and gross calorific value analysis.Combustion performance of the coals were characterised using thermo-gravimetric analysis to identify the burning profile of individual coals.Various combustion kinetic parameters such as ignition temperature,peak temperature and burnout temperature,ignition index and burnout index,combustion performance index plus rate and intensity index of combustion process,activation energy were determined to analyse the combustion behaviour of coal.Further all these combustion properties were compared with the volatile matter,ash,fixed carbon and fuel ratio of each coal.Theoretical analysis shows that with increase in ash content,combustion performance initially increases and later descends.Further,coal with(25±1.75)%volatile matter,20%-35%ash and fuel ratio 1.4-1.5 were found to be optimum for coal combustion.

APPLICATION OF THERMAL ANALYSIS TO THE QUICK DETERMINATION OF THE PROXIMATE ANALYSIS ITEMS AND CALORIC VALUE FOR COAL

A research on the application of a TG-DTA(thermal gravimetry aifferential thermal analysis)to the quick determination of moisture,organic volatile fixed carbon,ash and caloric value for coal is described.

Proximate Analysis of Alternatives Cooking Solides Fuels in Sub Saharan by Using Astm Standards

A number of persistent problems have been associated with the supply of traditional domestic fuels in developing countries and particularly in rural areas, including deforestation, scarcity of fuel wood and the high cost of fossil fuels. The use of biomass fuels derived from agricultural waste biomass, generally available in large quantities, has been advocated. This article, therefore, presents some bio-fuels in use or in acceptability test phase in some countries of West Africa and particularly in Senegal but also their characteristics, compared to those of wood or wood charcoal. Samples were prepared and analyzed for moisture content, ash content, volatiles mater, fixed carbon and calorific value. The results indicate that charcoal and bio-charcoal (not mixed with clay) have the best calorific value, while pellets and typha briquettes have the best results in volatile matter and fixed carbon. The results of moisture are generally satisfactory against the use of clay as a binder detrimental to fuel performance. These results suggest that pellets and bio-fuels are used as an energy source for domestic purposes;that the binder is changed in others;pelletizing and briquetting transformations are expanded in other residues such as rice husks, peanut shells.

Proximate Composition of Leaves of the African Rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus)

Plants have always been exploited worldwide for food, medicines, shelter, and other purposes because they are readily available, affordable and acceptable to a large populace of the world. The study was conducted to gather information on the proximate composition of fresh and dry leaves of Pterocarpus erinaceus. The proximate composition of the leaf samples was determined using the standard methods of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). Proximate analysis of the fresh leaf samples of the plant shows a higher moisture content compared to the dry leaf samples. The total fat and total ash contents of the fresh leaf samples were however lower compared to values recorded for the dry leaf samples. The dry matter content of fresh leaf samples was also lower compared to that of the dry leaf samples. Fresh leaf samples again recorded the least crude protein content compared to dry leaf samples. Carbohydrates content in fresh leaf samples was higher compared to dry leaf samples. Generally, higher proximate values were recorded for dry leaf samples than for fresh leaves. Dry matter and moisture contents were detected in high quantities in both fresh and dry leaf samples of P. erinaceus. These results could be a justification for the multiple uses of the plant leaves across Sub-Saharan Africa. Further research should be carried out on the mineral, phytochemical and vitamin composition between the fresh and dry leaves of the plant.

Development of a Laboratory Cement Quality Analysis Apparatus Based on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Determination of the chemical composition of cement and ratio values of clinker plays an important role in cement plants as part of the optimal process control and product quality evaluation. In the present paper, a laboratory laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy （LIBS） apparatus mainly comprising a sealed optical module and an analysis chamber has been designed for possible application in cement plants for on-site quality analysis of cement. Emphasis is placed on the structure and operation of the LIBS apparatus, the sealed optical path, the temperature controlled spectrometer, the sample holder, the proper calibration model established for minimizing the matrix effects, and a correction method proposed for overcoming the ＇drift＇ obstacle. Good agreement has been found between the laboratory measurement results from the LIBS method and those from the traditional method. The absolute measurement errors presented here for oxides analysis are within 0.5%, while those of ratio values are in the range of 0.02 to 0.05. According to the obtained results, this laboratory LIBS apparatus is capable of performing reliable and accurate, composition and proximate analysis of cement and is suitable for application in cement plants.

Predictions of elemental composition of coal and biomass from their proximate analyses using ANFIS, ANN and MLR

The elemental composition of coal and biomass provides significant parameters used in the design of almost all energy conversion systems and projects.The laboratory tests to determine the elemental composition of coal and biomass is time-consuming and costly.However,limited research has suggested that there is a correlation between parameters obtained from elemental and proximate analyses of these materials.In this study,some predictive models of the elemental composition of coal and biomass using soft computing and regression analyses have been developed.Thirty-one samples including parameters of elemental and proximate analyses were used during the analyses to develop multiple prediction models.Dependent variables for multiple prediction models were selected as carbon,hydrogen,and oxygen.Using volatile matter,fixed carbon,moisture and ash contents as independent variables,three different prediction models were developed for each dependent parameter using ANFIS,ANN,and MLR.In addition,a routine for selecting the best predictive model was suggested in the study.The reliability of the established models was tested by using various prediction performance indices and the models were found to be satisfactory.Therefore,the developed models can be used to determine the elemental composition of coal and biomass for practical purposes.

Proximate, Chemical and Functional Properties of Wheat, Soy and Moringa Leaf Composite Flours

The study presents the effect of utilizing wheat, soy and moringa leaf flour and quality analysis of the flour. The composite flour was prepared using refined wheat flour, soy flour and moringa leaf flour. Four composite flour, compositions were formulated such as 100% wheat flour (control) designated as sample A. Sample B consisted of 75% wheat, 20% soybean and 5% moringa leaf. Sample C consisted of 70% wheat, 20% soybean and 10% moringa leaf. Sample D was 65% wheat, 20% soybean and 15% moringa leaf. Sample E was 60% wheat, 20% soybean and 20% moringa leaf, respectively. Proximate, chemical, and functional properties of wheat, soy and moringa leaf flours were studied in composite flour variation and preparations. The present study highlighted the nutrients enrichment of flour on incorporation of soy and moringa leaf. Relevant statistical tests were done to analyse the significance of means for all tested parameters. Composite flour composition with 20% soybean was identified to produce optimal nutrient, mineral quality and yield. The addition of soybean and moringa flour in baked products has been shown in this study to improve the nutrition and health benefits of the body. It also serves as a good cut on the cost of wheat importation in communities with supply challenges.

Phytochemical Analysis,Estimation of Quercetin,and in Vitro Anti-Diabetic Potential of Stevia Leaves Samples Procured from Two Geographical Origins

The current study used RP-HPLC to compare phytochemicals and estimate the bioactive constituents found in Stevia rebaudiana Bert.(SRB)leaves collected from two different geographical sources.SRB leaves were collected from Bangalore,Karnataka,India,and Reduit,Mauritius.Extracts were prepared using ethanol and aqueous solvents.Proximate analysis was used to evaluate moisture content,ash values,crude fibers,and extractive values.Following that,preliminary phytochemical screening was done on both ethanol leaves extracts,and subsequently total flavonoid content was determined.In addition,TLC chromatograms and RP-HPLC studies were performed on both plant extracts to determine the presence of flavonoid components in both leaves extracts,followed by in vitro anti-diabetic activity was performed with alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase enzymes against Acarbose as standard.Results revealed that both the extracts from two different geographical sources varied significantly with the yield,content of chemicals,and presence of quercetin(flavonoid)content when estimated through the RP-HPLC standardized method.Glycosides,flavonoids,proteins,steroids,saponins,terpenoids,and phenols were found in various concentrations during phytochemical screening.Among both zones,the ethanol leaves extract of SRB taken from Mauritius had a greater content of phytochemicals and a higher yield than other extracts due to the soil nature.The Mauritius sample had greater total flavonoid levels as well as more quercetin(0.92±0.011)than the other extracts.Following that,ethanol extract inhibited enzymes(alpha amylase,alpha glucosidases)more than aqueous extract,and this inhibition was dose dependent.Among them,the Mauritius ethanol sample showed higher anti-diabetic efficacy than the Indian sample,but this difference was not significant.Overall,SRB ethanol leaves extracts outperformed other leaves extracts in terms of yield,phytoconstituents,and total flavonoids.Overall,both SRB samples had high quercetin levels and possessed anti-diabetic potential,but they were greater in the Mauritius sample,demonstrating that plant traits are influenced by geographic location.

Analysis and Evaluation of Nutrient Composition in Different Tissues of the Wild Spot-fin Porcupine Fish(Diodon hystrix)

Nutrient compositions including proximate, fatty acids, amino acids, minerals and vitamins in tissues of the wild spot-fin porcupinefish(Diodon hystrix) were analyzed in detail to assess their nutrient value and to further explore the dietary requirements of this species farmed. Diodon hystrix individuals with similar body weight(284.6-358.5 g) and body length(15.9-21.8 cm) were collected from the South China Sea from Aug., 2015 to Aug., 2016. In general, skin and muscle possessed negligible fat contents(0.3-0.4 g/100 g wet weight) and low energy value(317.4-497.3 k J/100 g), while proteins(17.8-25.4 g/100 g wet weight) were found to be the richest component. The dominant amino acids in both muscle and skin of D. hystrix included histidine, cysteine, tyrosine, isoleucine, leucine and lysine, while the major mineral elements were calcium, magnesium, potassium,sodium, and phosphorus. It was apparent that D. hystrix had high content of amino acids, and the rate of essentia amino acids was accorded with FAO/WHO standard. This study illustrated that the wild D. hystrix would be a valuable natural source of protein, with high commercial potential, and especially, skin and muscle were more valuable. Moreover, the basic data from the present study would supply the fundamental reference for formulated diet and culture of this species.

Intervarietal Variation in Proximate Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Dry Peas （Pisum sativum L）

The present research work was carried out to investigate the proximate composition and antioxidant capacities of newly invented varieties of dry peas. The proximate composition in terms of moisture （7.00-8.50%）, ash （3.85-4.97%）, fiber （3.8-12.3%） and protein （17.3-18.8%） contents varied significantly with respect to various cultivars. Total phenolic contents （TPC）, total flavonoids contents （TFC）, percentage inhibition of peroxidation of linoleic acid system, reducing power and DPPH free radical scavenging capacity of different dry peas extracts were found in range of 0.651-0.684 g/100g of GAE, 0.021-0.041 g/100g of CE, 0.713-0.895, 40.051-84.608%, 18.097-24.591 mg/mL, respectively. The amount of TFC, and percent inhibition of per oxidation in linoleic system of different dry peas extracts varied significantly among various cultivars and solvents. From the results of present investigations it is reasonable to say that 80% methanolic extracts of dry peas have exhibited varying degree of antioxidant activity.

Nutritional Analysis of Fast Food in Streets of Patna Town, Bihar

Mushroom growth of street fast food is a boon for changing lifestyle of urban people. However, its nutritional aspect is also a matter of concern. The objective of the present study was hence to assess the nutrient components of fast food sold in streets of Patna town. A total of 30 fast food samples from streets were collected from different locations of Patna town in aseptic containers and immediately transferred to the laboratory for proximate analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the collected data. In terms of nutrient contribution, the highest energy content was found in Hot potato chips （536 ~ 85.2 kcal /I00 g） followed by Chicken chawmin （527 ~ 253.08 kcal/plat）, Chilli chicken （464 ~ 91.8 kcal/plat） and Pav bhaji （425 -4- 164 kcal/plat）. Highest level of protein was detected in Chilli chicken at 27.3 ~ 5.01 g per serving. Protein of Chilli chicken supplied approximately 29% of the total energy content per serving. Maximum amount of fat was also found in Chilli ckicken （35.5 ~ 31.89 g/plat）. Total fat contribution of Chilli ckicken to the total energy per serving found to be approximately 67%. Highest level of carbohydrate was detected in Idli at 15.0 ~ 9.18 g per serving of sample which contributed approximately 91% of the total energy content per serving. From this study it was concluded that street fast foods provide an appreciable amount of recommended nutrient composition. It could be observed in this study that street fast foods supply appreciable amount of nutrients and calories to the people of Patna.

Distribution of mineral species in different coal seams of Talcher coalfield and its transformation behavior at varying temperatures

Mineral phase characterization and thorough understanding of its transformation behavior during combustion are imperative to know the potential utilization of coal in the thermal industries. The primary objective of this work is to analyze the quality of Indian Coals and obtain their mineral species-specific information at different depths. The samples were obtained from Talcher Coalfield, Odisha, India. Coal from four seam sections in the Talcher coalfield, India are mainly high ash coal （〉50 %） and volatile matter deceases along with the seam depth. XRD results show that the major mineral phases present in the coal are quartz and kaolinite. Siderite, illite, and anatase were found in minor quantities. It has been observed that the clay minerals （kaolinite, silimanite, illite） decompose at higher temperature and traces of dolomite, mullite, hematite etc. are formed during the process of combustion. Among the four seams （M2, M12, M24 and M43） studied, ash of M43 has high A1203%, TIO2% and K20% content and low SIO2%, CaO% and MgO% content. High acid- to-base ratios contributed to high ash fusion temperatures （IDT 〉 1500 ℃） and low slagging potential of the coals studied. Relatively low fouling index （〈0.3） was estimated for all the coal seams studied. Furthermore, thermodynamic modeling software, FactSage, have been used to envision the mineral phase transformations that take place between 800 and 1500℃ during coal combustion.

Nutritional evaluation of Kedrostis africana (L.) Cogn:An edible wild plant of South Africa

Objective:To evaluate the nutritional composition and elemental constituents of Kedrostis africana and their safety aspect.Methods:Proximate parameters(moisture,ash,crude fibre,crude fat,proteins,and carbohydrate and energy) were evaluated using ALASA methods,and elemental analysis by ICP-OES technique.Results:The results from nutritional analysis showed that the tuber used for this study had a low content of crude fat and high content of ash,crude protein,crude fibre,carbohydrate and energy having the recommended dietary allowances.The tuber was rich in major minerals Na,K,Ca and Mg,there was sufficient amount of trace elements Fe,Cu,and Zn while the anti-nutrients oxalate,phytate,alkaloids,and saponins were detected in amounts that are not harmful according to Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization.Conclusions:The outcome of this study suggests that this wild plant has very good nutritional potentials to meet the recommended dietary allowance and it could be a cheap source of essential nutrients that may ameliorate most nutritional challenges and can contribute remarkably to the amount of nutrient intake in human and animal diet.

The Estimation of the Higher Heating Value of Biochar by Data-Driven Modeling

Biomass is a carbon-neutral renewable energy resource.Biochar produced from biomass pyrolysis exhibits preferable characteristics and potential for fossil fuel substitution.For time-and cost-saving,it is vital to establish predictive models to predict biochar properties.However,limited studies focused on the accurate prediction of HHV of biochar by using proximate and ultimate analysis results of various biochar.Therefore,the multi-linear regression(MLR)and the machine learning(ML)models were developed to predict the measured HHV of biochar from the experiment data of this study.In detail,52 types of biochars were produced by pyrolysis from rice straw,pig manure,soybean straw,wood sawdust,sewage sludge,Chlorella Vulgaris,and their mixtures at the temperature ranging from 300 to 800℃.The results showed that the co-pyrolysis of the mixed biomass provided an alternative method to increase the yield of biochar production.The contents of ash,fixed carbon(FC),and C increased as the incremental pyrolysis temperature for most biochars.The Pearson correlation(r)and relative importance analysis between HHV values and the indicators derived from the proximate and ultimate analysis were carried out,and the measured HHV was used to train and test the MLR and the ML models.Besides,ML algorithms,including gradient boosted regression,random forest,and support vector machine,were also employed to develop more widely applicable models for predicting HHV of biochar from an expanded dataset(total 149 data points,including 97 data collected from the published literature).Results showed HHV had strong correlations(|r|>0.9,p<0.05)with ash,FC,and C.The MLR correlations based on either proximate or ultimate analysis showed acceptable prediction performance with test R2>0.90.The ML models showed better performance with test R^(2)around 0.95(random forest)and 0.97–0.98 before and after adding extra data for model construction,respectively.Feature importance analysis of the ML models showed that ash and C were the most important inputs to predict biochar HHV.

Fabrication of cost effective iron ore slime ceramic membrane for the recovery of organic solvent used in coke production

Improvement of coking properties of sub-bituminous coal （A） and bituminous coal （B） was done using blended organic solvents, namely, n-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone （NMP） and ethylenediamine （EDA）. Various solvent blends were employed for the coal extraction under the total reflux condition. A low-cost ceramic membrane was fabricated using industrial waste iron ore slime of M/s TATA steel R＆D, Jamshedpur （India） to separate out the dissolved coking fraction from the solvent-coal mixture. Membrane separations were carried out in a batch cell, and around 75 % recovered NMP was reused. The fractionated coal properties were determined using proximate and ultimate analyses. In the case of bituminous coal, the ash and sulfur contents were decreased by 99.3 % and 79.2 %, respectively, whereas, the carbon content was increased by 23.9 % in the separated coal fraction. Three different cleaning agents, namely deionized water, sodium dodecyl sulphate and NMP were used to regain the original membrane permeability for the reusing.

Aroma Properties of Selected Local Spices of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

Some famous local spices were selected to determine their potentials in terms of their aroma and utilization. They included Tea Bush （Ocimum basilicum）, Guinea Black Pepper （Piper guineense）, African Pepper （Xylopia aethiopica）, Alden Tree （Tetrapleura tetraptera） and the African Meg Nut or Onion Tree （Blighia unijugata）. Essential oils were extracted from the samples and used for aroma absorption test in a uv-visible spectrometer V2.03. The intensity of aroma was indicated at some peak values of absorption at particular wavelengths. The compounds responsible for the aroma at this peak values were identified by matching their wavelengths with those of known compounds at similar wavelengths of absorption. Thus, a compound such as Quinoline that has hot strong aroma and little bleaching effect was proved to be present in Guinea black pepper ;at the wavelength of 313.0 nm. Benzene with hot strong aroma and flammable effect was also indicated in this spice at the wavelength of 253.0 rim. Proximate analysis carried out showed that these spices have high nutritive values. Some of them such as Guinea black pepper, African Nutmeg and Ethiopian （African） pepper had high ether extract of 20.01, 25.97 and 31.25 respectively, and could be regarded as oil seeds, they contain much of essential oils.

Comparative Studies of the Biochemical Parameters of the Leaves and Seeds of Moringa oleifera

Comparative studies of the biochemical parameters of the leaves and seeds of Moringa oleifera was carried out to provide additional information on the nutritional status of the leaf and seed of M, oleifera. The vegetative and floral characters of the plants collected were examined, floral diagram and formular were recorded. Protein variation in the dry seed and leaf is an indication of protein polymorphism and this depicts the genetic divergence in the leaf and seed ofM. oleifera. Protein bands at 0.4, 1.1, 3.9 and 5.8 are taxonomically distinct, thus diagnostically separated the dry seed from other samples. Proximate analysis shows that the dry samples are more nutritious than the wet samples.

Effect of Freezing Rate and Freezing Method on Physical Properties of Fish Balls Made with Various Flour Contents

The objective was to investigate the major effect of freezing rate and freezing methods on physical properties of fish balls made with various flour contents. The fish balls were observed to be almost in temperature at -28℃ for air-blast freezer, at -100 ℃ in the liquid nitrogen and the standard house freezing were done at -18℃. The air-blast had the freezing rate of 11.82-20.84 cm h1 while those frozen by liquid nitrogen had the freezing rate of 13.36-22.38 cm/h and standard house freezer held lower freezing rate （7. ! 5-8.02 cm hl）. Texture profile analysis results showed that ubi badak＇s flour gel was harder, sticky, gummy and chewy than that of wheat and banana＇s flour gels. The proximate analysis revealed that wheat flour had higher protein and moisture content compared to banana and ubi badak flours.

Energetic Study on Jordanian Olive Cake and Woody Biomass Materials

In this work, the potential for energy production in Jordan was explored using four distinct types of biomass samples (olive cakes, woods). The proximate analysis, oil content, and higher heating value were all determined experimentally and compared to other biomass previously published in the literature. The findings appear to be similar to other biomass materials utilized as solid biofuel feed-stock materials. Olive cake and wood samples have lower calorific values than anthracite coal, ranging from 25% to 40% lower. According to the results of this study, olive cake samples had the highest oil extractive content (14.5 wt%), followed by pine and beech woody samples with 8.9 wt% and 3.1 wt%, respectively. The calorific values of the biomass samples tested ranged from 18 to 22 MJ/kg, making them suitable for use as fuel. Moreover, the high volatile matter content (78% to 93%) was appropriate for chemical energy conversion by gasification or combustion process. Jordan can create roughly 8000 tons of pomace oil per year from the waste solid olive cake, based on existing results. Furthermore, the olive cake’s energy potential in Jordan is estimated to be 38 MW based on the higher heating value of the tested samples and the annual quantity of this resource. In the meantime, due to limited annual production, Jordanian firewood has the modest energy potential (2.4 MW).

Assessing Consumer Acceptability of Composite Cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i>) Bread

Cassava has gained attention as a potential industrial crop. The roots are processed into cassava flour for bakery and confectioneries. With the ever increasingly expensive level of wheat flour import for bread production in developing countries like Ghana, the need for other highly nutritious yet readily available and less expensive source of composite flour is important. The aim of the study was to investigate consumer acceptability of bread developed from cassava flour and wheat flour. A 4 × 3 factorial design was used to develop bread samples (A = 100% wheat flour, control, B = 10% cassava flour + 90% wheat flour, C = 20% cassava flour + 80% wheat flour and D = 30% cassava flour + 70% wheat flour). Sensory evaluation was performed on the bread samples using the 9-point hedonic scale to evaluate sensory attributes like colour, gumminess, mouth-feel, taste, flavour, and overall acceptability. The proximate compositions of the products were also evaluated using the A. O. A. C (2005) official methods. Statistically, there was significant difference among the protein and carbohydrate of all flour products developed. However, the energy content of products with 30% cassava flour replacement was significantly higher than other replicates. The control had the lowest moisture content of 17.5% with product 20% cassava flour replacement having the highest moisture content of 18.2%. In terms of overall acceptability 10% cassava flour replaced bread was rated like extremely ahead of the control sample which was rated as like very much. These results showed that the 10 and 20% wheat/cassava composite flour bread recipe could be a viable alternative to achieve the desired economic, food security and health.