Drying characteristics, functional properties and in vitro digestion of purple potato slices dried by different methods

The drying characteristics,physico-chemical and functional properties,as well as starch digestibility,of purple potato slices dried using different methods(such as,vacuum freeze-drying,VFD;hot-air drying,HAD;air-impingement jet drying,AIJD;and far-infrared assisted heat-pump drying,FIHPD)were investigated.Drying rate was the highest(3.0 g 100 g^-1 min^-1)using AIJD,followed by FIHPD and HAD,and the rate of VFD was the lowest one(0.3 g 100 g^-1 min^-1).Drying data were fitted to 12 thin-layer drying models,with the Midilli model giving the best predictions.Moreover,AIJD showed higher diffusivity(5.5×10^-10 m^2 s^–1)and energy efficiency(55 J g^-1)than any other drying method used in this study.With reference to the samples dried by VFD,the starch granules of the samples obtained by HAD,FIHPD,and AIJD exhibited different extent of disruption,which significantly increased their water absorption capacity,swelling power,and in vitro digestibility,but decreased the peak viscosity.The sample resulting from AIJD had the greatest water absorption capacity(7.9 g g^-1)and solubility(21.6%),but the smallest syneresis rate(48%).Good correlation coefficients(R^2>0.98)implied that the pseudofirst order kinetic model adequately described the rate and extent of starch digestion of dried potato flours.Samples from AIJD and FIHPD showed the highest digestibility percentages,reaching to 72.4 and 72.5%.Based on the drying rate,specific energy consumption,functional properties and digestibility,AIJD appeared to be quite effective and suitable to be transferred on the industry scale.

Using Stochastic Colored Petri nets for Designing Multi-Purpose Plants

Designing of a multi-purpose plant as one of the well-known manufacturing systems is more challenging than other manufacturing systems. This paper applies a stochastic colored Petri net (CPN) to design and analyze multi-purpose plants. A simple approach is proposed to determine the utilization of shared resources and to reduce the equipment’s idle times. Three scenarios are presented to describe the proposed model. Generally, according to desire of a decision maker, different scenarios can be considered in the model to achieve to the expected design or plant configuration. The main characteristics of the proposed model are flexibility, the easiness of practical application and the simulation of the model in an easy way.

Water Quality Assessment of the Owena Multi-Purpose Dam, Ondo State, Southwestern Nigeria

Composite water samples taken from Owena Multi-purpose Dam in six sampling campaigns covering the wet and dry seasons were analyzed for physico-chemical and microbial characteristics using standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater jointly published by the American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association and Water Pollution Control Federation. Results showed significant (p < 0.05) seasonal variations in most measured parameters with few showing significant spatial variation. The characteristics of the water from the dam lake revealed an acceptable quality for most measured parameters with low chemical pollutants burden when compared with drinking water standards and water quality for aquaculture. However, high values of turbidity, colour, iron, manganese and microbial load were recorded compared with drinking water standards, which call for proper treatment of the water before distribution for public consumption.

Impacts of different drying strategies on drying characteristics,the retention of bio-active ingredient and colour changes of dried Roselle

The drying kinetics of Roselle （Hibiscus sabdariffa L） of variety Terengganu （UMKL-1） and the quality attribution of Roselle were studied. The experiments were conducted using four different drying methods, including solar greenhouse drying （SD）, solar greenhouse with intermittent heat pump drying （SIHP）, hot air drying （HA） and heat pump drying （HP）. Among the four drying methods, HP achieved the highest drying rate at a range from 0.054 g H20-（g DM）-1. rain-1 to 0.212 g H20-（g DM）-1. rain 1 while SD had the lowest drying rate, measured at 0.042 g H2O. （g DM） 1.min- 1. The analysis on colour kinetics revealed that there is no significant colour loss （p 〉 0.05） observed from HP＇s dried Roselle. Greater amount of flavonoid compounds i.e. protocatechuic acid was found in SD and SIHP dried finished product whereas HP＇s dried Roselle contains higher percentage of catechin as compared to other drying methods.

Drying Temperature Effect on Kernel Damage and Viability of Maize Dried in a Solar Biomass Hybrid Dryer

Though several maize varieties have been developed and introduced over the years in Ghana, farmers still face challenges of access to quality seed maize. Among the major constraint is lack of proper drying systems to guarantee quality of seed produced. As in most parts of Africa, drying of maize in the open, on bare ground along shoulders of roads is still a common practice in Ghana. In this study, a 5-tonne capacity hybrid solar biomass dryer was developed for drying maize for seed and food/feed in Ghana. Effect of air temperature in the dryer on the physiological quality and germination of maize kernels was investigated. Maize grains were dried in the open sun simulating farmers practice and using the dryer at 4 varying levels (L1, L2, L3 and L4) with corresponding heights (0.6 m, 1.2 m, 1.8 m and 2.4 m, respectively) from the ground. Harvested maize at 22.8% moisture content was dried at the varying levels until reaching the final desired moisture content of 12.8% ± 0.2% (wb). Results showed that, air temperatures in the dryer increased in accordance with height with lowest mean temperature of 44.4&degC ± 4.6&degC recorded at L1 and mean maximum of 52.8&degC ± 5.4&degC at L4. Drying temperatures recorded at L1 - L3 and ambient had no significant effect (p < 0.05) on kernel damage and viability. Drying conditions at L1-L3 were considered optimum (<50&degC) for kernel drying compared to the topmost tray, L4. Kernel stress crack index (multiple and checked) was therefore reduced on average by 14% while kernel germination increased by 33%. This satisfies the dryer’s potential to be used for commercial drying of maize grains for seed production for smallholder farmers in Ghana.

Bias Effects on the Reynolds Stress Using the Multi-Purpose Probe in IR-T1 Tokamak

The effect of the positive bias on Reynolds stress （RS） and its effect on the radial turbulent transport at the edge plasma （r/a =0.9） and scrape-off layer （SOL） region of plasma in tokamak are investigated. The radial and poloidal electric fields （Sr, Ep） and ion saturation current （Is） are measured by multi-purpose probe （MPP）. This probe is fabricated and constructed for the first time in the IR-T1 tokamak. The most advantage of this probe is that the variations of Er and Ep can be measured in different radii at the single shot. Thus the information of different radii can be compared with high precision. The bias voltage is fixed at Vbias = 200 V and it has been applied with the limiter bias that is fixed in r/a = 0.9. Moreover, the phase difference between radial and poloidal electric fields, and temporal evolution of the RS .spectrum detected by MPP are calculated. RS magnitude on the edge （r/a = 0.9） is more than its value in the SOL （r/a = 1.02）. With the applied bias 200 V, ItS and the magnitude of the phase difference between Er and Ep are increased, while the radial turbulent transport is decreased simultaneously. Thus it can be concluded that RS affects radial turbulence. Temporal evolution of the RS spectrum shows that the frequency of RS is increased and reaches its highest value at r/a=0.9 in the presence of bias.

Asymmetric Drying and Wetting Trends in Eastern and Western China

As an important factor that directly affects agricultural production, the social economy, and policy implementation,observed changes in dry/wet conditions have become a matter of widespread concern. However, previous research has mainly focused on the long-term linear changes of dry/wet conditions, while the detection and evolution of the non-linear trends related to dry/wet changes have received less attention. The non-linear trends of the annual aridity index, obtained by the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition(EEMD) method, reveal that changes in dry/wet conditions in China are asymmetric and can be characterized by contrasting features in both time and space in China. Spatially, most areas in western China have experienced transitions from drying to wetting, while opposite changes have occurred in most areas of eastern China. Temporally, the transitions occurred earlier in western China compared to eastern China. Research into the asymmetric spatial characteristics of dry/wet conditions compensates for the inadequacies of previous studies, which focused solely on temporal evolution;at the same time, it remedies the inadequacies of traditional research on linear trends over centennial timescales. Analyzing the non-linear trend also provides for a more comprehensive understanding of the drying/wetting changes in China.

Effect of different drying methods on the amino acids,α-dicarbonyls and volatile compounds of rape bee pollen

The significant demand for high quality food has motivated us to adopt appropriate processing methods to improve the food nutritional quality and flavors.In this study,the effects of five drying methods,namely,pulsed vacuum drying(PVD),freeze drying(FD),infrared drying(IRD),hot-air drying(HAD)and sun drying(SD)on free amino acids(FAAs),α-dicarbonyl compounds(α-DCs)and volatile compounds(VOCs)in rape bee pollen(RBP)were determined.The results showed that FD significantly released the essential amino acids(EAAs)compared with fresh samples while SD caused the highest loss.Glucosone was the dominantα-DCs in RBP and the highest loss was observed after PVD.Aldehydes were the dominant volatiles of RBP and SD samples contained more new volatile substances(especially aldehydes)than the other four drying methods.Comprehensively,FD and PVD would be potential methods to effectively reduce the quality deterioration of RBP in the drying process.

Kill probability modeling of multi-purpose guided missile against gunship and its application

Aimed at current deficiencies of multi-purpose guided missile kill probability model against gunship, the concept of the important coefficient of vulnerability blade unit is proposed in this paper. Laser fuze actuation model and warhead condition kill probability model of rotor blades are established by Monte Carlo method and kinetics theory with new ideas. Based on limited data, armor thickness of gunship is estimated, and a complete multi-purpose guided missile kill probability mathematical model is established, which provides necessary mathematical tool for the accurate and objective analysis of multi-purpose guided missile kill probability against gunship. Based on the establishment of the model, sensitivity analysis and optimal design of the main factors of multi-purpose guided missile kill probability are conducted, and the results show that the single multi-purpose guided missile lethality performance can be improved significantly by sensitivity analysis and optimization.

Hydric Properties Evolution of <i>Spirulina platensis</i>during Drying: Experimental Analysis and Modeling

Hydric properties evolution during drying differs from one product to another and has been the subject of various studies due to its crucial importance in modeling the drying process. The variation of these parameters in the solid matrix and in time during the drying of Spirulina platensis has not known an advanced understanding. The objective of this study was to evaluate the evolution of the water content profile, the mass flow, the concentration gradient and the diffusion coefficient during the drying of Spirulina platensis taking into account the shrinkage. Modeling and experimental analysis (at 50°C and HR = 6%) by the cutting method a cylinder 20 mm in diameter and 40 mm thick were carried. The water content profiles of two different products grown in semi-industrial farms from Burkina Faso and France with initial water contents respectively of the range from 2.73 kgw/kgdb and 3.12 kgw/kgdb were determined. These profiles have been adjusted by a polynomial function. Identical water behavior is observed regardless of the origin of the samples. Water distribution is heterogeneous. Mass flow and concentration gradient are greater at the edge than inside the product. The water transport coefficient, ranging from 1.70 × 10?10 to 94 × 10?10 m2/s, is determined from a linear approach.

Influence of Temperature and Water Vapour Pressure on Drying Kinetics and Colloidal Microstructure of Dried Sodium Water Glass

Industrially produced sodium water glasses were dried in climates with controlled temperature and humidity to transparent amorphous water containing sodium silicate materials. The water glasses had molar SiO2:Na2O ratios of 2.2, 3.3 and 3.9 and were dried up to 84 days at temperatures between 40&degC and 95&degC and water vapour pressures between 5 and 40 kPa. The materials approached final water concentrations which are equilibrium values and are controlled by the water vapour pressure of the atmosphere and the microstructure of the solids. The microstructure of the dried water glasses was characterized by atomic force microscopy. It has a nanosized substructure built up by the silicate colloids of the educts but deformed by capillary forces. In the final drying equilibrium, the water vapour pressure of the atmosphere in the drying cabinet is equal to the reduced vapour pressure of the capillary system built up by the silicate colloids. Their size scale can be explained by the deformation of colloidal aggregates due to capillary forces.

Improving Semi-Dried Brown Rice Noodle Quality via Mixed Fermentation of Lactobacillus and Yeast

To address the coarse texture and poor cooking quality of brown rice flour,we employed fermentation using lactobacillus and yeast in varying proportions.The fermented flour from early indica rice Pear 13 was then processed into semi-dried brown rice noodles.

Validation of a Characteristics Dimensions for Transfers during Convective Drying of Sweet Potato Cubic, Cylindrical and Spherical Shapes

This present work solves the problem of initial shape influence on transfer during convective drying. A characteristic dimension is found for the cubic, cylindrical and spherical-shaped samples of the sweet potato. This characteristic dimension corresponds to the diameter D for the sphere, to the edge a for the cube and the diameter = height D = H for the cylinder. Unlike the sphere where this characteristic dimension is perfect, the cubic and cylindrical shapes have space factors which are, among other things, angles and borders. By fixing the same characteristic dimensions, we end up with overlapping curves, showing identical and uniform transfers.

Wetting alternating with partial drying during grain filling increases lysine biosynthesis in inferior rice grain

Lysine content is a criterion of the nutritional quality of rice.Understanding the process of lysine biosynthesis in early-flowering superior grain(SG)and late-flowering inferior grain(IG)of rice would advance breeding and cultivation to improve nutritional quality.However,little information is available on differences in lysine anabolism between SG and IG and the underlying mechanism,and whether and how irrigation regimes affect lysine anabolism in these grains.A japonica rice cultivar was grown in the field and two irrigation regimes,continuous flooding(CF)and wetting alternating with partial drying(WAPD),were imposed from heading to the mature stage.Lysine content and activities of key enzymes of lysine biosynthesis,and levels of brassinosteroids(BRs)were lower in the IG than in the SG at the early grainfilling stage but higher at middle and late grain-filling stages.WAPD increased activities of these key enzymes,BR levels,and contents of lysine and total amino acids in IG,but not SG relative to CF.Application of 2,4-epibrassinolide to rice panicles in CF during early grain filling reproduced the effects of WAPD,but neither treatment altered the activities of enzymes responsible for lysine catabolism in either SG or IG.WAPD and elevated BR levels during grain filling increased lysine biosynthesis in IG.Improvement in lysine biosynthesis in rice should focus on IG.

Machine learning-driven optimization of plasma-catalytic dry reforming of methane

This study investigates the dry reformation of methane(DRM)over Ni/Al_(2)O_(3)catalysts in a dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)non-thermal plasma reactor.A novel hybrid machine learning(ML)model is developed to optimize the plasma-catalytic DRM reaction with limited experimental data.To address the non-linear and complex nature of the plasma-catalytic DRM process,the hybrid ML model integrates three well-established algorithms:regression trees,support vector regression,and artificial neural networks.A genetic algorithm(GA)is then used to optimize the hyperparameters of each algorithm within the hybrid ML model.The ML model achieved excellent agreement with the experimental data,demonstrating its efficacy in accurately predicting and optimizing the DRM process.The model was subsequently used to investigate the impact of various operating parameters on the plasma-catalytic DRM performance.We found that the optimal discharge power(20 W),CO_(2)/CH_(4)molar ratio(1.5),and Ni loading(7.8 wt%)resulted in the maximum energy yield at a total flow rate of∼51 mL/min.Furthermore,we investigated the relative significance of each operating parameter on the performance of the plasma-catalytic DRM process.The results show that the total flow rate had the greatest influence on the conversion,with a significance exceeding 35%for each output,while the Ni loading had the least impact on the overall reaction performance.This hybrid model demonstrates a remarkable ability to extract valuable insights from limited datasets,enabling the development and optimization of more efficient and selective plasma-catalytic chemical processes.

Solvent transport dynamics and its effect on evolution of mechanical properties of nitrocellulose(NC)-based propellants under hot-air drying process

Appropriate drying process with optimized controlling of drying parameters plays a vital role in the improvement of the quality and performance of propellant products.However,few research on solvent transport dynamics within NC-based propellants was reported,and its effect on the evolution of mechanical properties was not interpreted yet.This study is conducted to gain a comprehensive understanding of hot-air drying for NC-based propellants and clarify the effect of temperature on solvent transport behavior and further the change of mechanical properties during drying.The drying kinetic curves show the drying time required is decreased but the steady solvent content is increased and the drying rate is obviously increased with the increase of hot-air temperatures,indicating hot-air temperatures have a significant effect on drying kinetics.A modified drying model was established,and results show it is more appropriate to describe solvent transport behavior within NC-based propellants.Moreover,two linear equations were established to exhibit the relationship between solvent content and its effect on the change of tensile properties,and the decrease of residual solvent content causes an obvious increase of tensile strength and tensile modulus of propellant products,indicating its mechanical properties can be partly improved by adjustment of residual solvent content.The outcomes can be used to clarify solvent transport mechanisms and optimize drying process parameters of double-based gun propellants.

Regulating crystal phase of TiO_(2) to enhance catalytic activity of Ni/TiO_(2) for solar-driven dry reforming of methane

Ni/TiO_(2) catalyst is widely employed for photo-driven DRM reaction while the influence of crystal structure of TiO_(2) remains unclear.In this work,the rutile/anatase ratio in supports was successfully controlled by varying the calcination temperature of anatase-TiO_(2).Structural characterizations revealed that a distinct TiO_(x) coating on the Ni nanoparticles(NPs)was evident for Ni/TiO_(2)-700 catalyst due to strong metal-support interaction.It is observed that the TiOx overlayer gradually disappeared as the ratio of rutile/anatase increased,thereby enhancing the exposure of Ni active sites.The exposed Ni sites enhanced visible light absorption and boosted the dissociation capability of CH4,which led to the much elevated catalytic activity for Ni/TiO_(2)-950 in which rutile dominated.Therefore,the catalytic activity of solar-driven DRM reaction was significantly influenced by the rutile/anatase ratio.Ni/TiO_(2)-950,characterized by a predominant rutile phase,exhibited the highest DRM reactivity,with remarkable H_(2) and CO production rates reaching as high as 87.4 and 220.2 mmol/(g·h),respectively.These rates were approximately 257 and 130 times higher,respectively,compared to those obtained on Ni/TiO_(2)-700 with anatase.This study suggests that the optimization of crystal structure of TiO_(2) support can effectively enhance the performance of photothermal DRM reaction.

Effect of drying cracks on swelling and self-healing of bentonite-sand blocks used as engineered barriers for radioactive waste disposal

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the healing of drying cracks in air-dried bentonite-sand blocks after hydration and swelling in groundwater,providing justifications to simplify the protection of blocks prior to installation in a high-level radioactive waste repository.Synthetic groundwater was prepared to represent the geochemistry of Beishan groundwater,and was used to hydrate the blocks during the swelling pressure and swelling strain measurements,as Beishan is the most promising site for China's repository.Healing of the surface cracks was recorded by photography,and healing of the internal cracks was visualized by CT images and hydraulic conductivity of air-dried blocks.The results indicate that the maximum swelling pressure and swelling strain are primarily affected by the geochemistry of Beishan groundwater,but not affected by the drying cracks.The maximum swelling pressure and swelling strain of air-dried blocks are comparable to or even higher than the pressure and strain of fresh blocks.The maximum swelling pressure measured in strong(i.e.high ion strength)Beishan groundwater was 44%of the pressure measured in deionized(DI)water,and the maximum swelling strain was reduced to 23%of the strain measured in DI water.Nevertheless,the remained swelling of the blocks hydrated in strong Beishan groundwater was sufficient to heal the surface and internal drying cracks,as demonstrated by the pictures of surface cracks and CT images.The hydraulic conductivity of the air-dried block permeated with strong groundwater was comparable(3.7×higher)to the hydraulic conductivity of the fresh block,indicating the self-healing of drying cracks after hydration and swelling in groundwater.A simplified method of protecting the block with plastic wraps before installation is recommended,since the remained swelling of the block hydrated in Beishan groundwater is sufficient to heal the drying cracks.

Short Communication: Enhancing the Drying Process of Microbial-Based Products with a Dehumidifier

The development of microbial-based products requires certain criteria for them to be successfully commercialized. The product must meet the following desirable criteria: effectiveness, contamination free, stability, cost-effectiveness, and a prolonged shelf life. Controlling the drying process is crucial for ensuring the stability and durability of the product. The traditional approach, which involved mechanical and natural drying, led to decreased productivity and quality. The objective of this research endeavour was to achieve a dry process enhancement while preserving the microbial quality of Trichoderma asperellum (M103). The temperature and relative humidity during the drying period were monitored under two conditions: with and without a dehumidifier. The results demonstrate that the dehumidifier increases drying period efficiency by up to 63%.

Investigation on Effect of Composition on the Drying of Castables with Cement Binder

Monolithic refractory castables comprising a hydraulic bond are still used in a vast majority of cases because of their flexibility and robustness,despite many developments for chemical as well as non-cement castable binders.The drying can however be a challenge,in particular for deflocculated dense castables of the low cement castable range.Many publications have been released on this topic for the last ten years,but they often focused on the drying mechanisms or on the addition of drying aids.This paper presents some experimental results on the effect of the composition on the drying properties,especially on the effect of silicon carbide,used for its high thermal conductivity,and on the matrix system.It also introduces two laboratory tests to study and iteratively improve the drying schedule of a given castable lining.The results show that the spalling resistance and the vapor pressure build-up are significantly influenced by the formulation.It is also shown that the castable properties after drying can be altered if the heating rate is very high.