Optimizing Bucket Elevator Performance through a Blend of Discrete Element Method, Response Surface Methodology, and Firefly Algorithm Approaches

This research introduces a novel approach to enhancing bucket elevator design and operation through the integration of discrete element method(DEM)simulation,design of experiments(DOE),and metaheuristic optimization algorithms.Specifically,the study employs the firefly algorithm(FA),a metaheuristic optimization technique,to optimize bucket elevator parameters for maximizing transport mass and mass flow rate discharge of granular materials under specified working conditions.The experimental methodology involves several key steps:screening experiments to identify significant factors affecting bucket elevator operation,central composite design(CCD)experiments to further explore these factors,and response surface methodology(RSM)to create predictive models for transport mass and mass flow rate discharge.The FA algorithm is then applied to optimize these models,and the results are validated through simulation and empirical experiments.The study validates the optimized parameters through simulation and empirical experiments,comparing results with DEM simulation.The outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of the FA algorithm in identifying optimal bucket parameters,showcasing less than 10%and 15%deviation for transport mass and mass flow rate discharge,respectively,between predicted and actual values.Overall,this research provides insights into the critical factors influencing bucket elevator operation and offers a systematic methodology for optimizing bucket parameters,contributing to more efficient material handling in various industrial applications.

The Influence of Tartaric Acid in the Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis Using Response Surface Methodology

Silver nanoparticles(AgNPs)synthesized using tartaric acid as a capping agent have a great impact on the reaction kinetics and contribute significantly to the stability of AgNPs.The protective layer formed by tartaric acid is an important factor that protects the silver surface and reduces potential cytotoxicity problems.These attributes are critical for assessing the compatibility of AgNPs with biological systems and making them suitable for drug delivery applications.The aim of this research is to conduct a comprehensive study of the effect of tartaric acid concentration,sonication time and temperature on the formation of silver nanoparticles.Using Response Surface Methodology(RSM)with Face-Centered Central Composite Design(FCCD),the optimization process identifies the most favorable synthesis conditions.UV-Vis spectrum regression analysis shows that AgNPs stabilized with tartaric acid are more stable than AgNPs without tartaric acid.This highlights the increased stability that tartaric acid provides in AgNP ssssynthesis.Particle size distribution analysis showed a multimodal distribution for AgNPs with tartaric acid and showed the smallest size peak with an average size of 20.53 nm.The second peak with increasing intensity shows a dominant average size of 108.8 nm accompanied by one standard deviation of 4.225 nm and a zeta potential of−11.08 mV.In contrast,AgNPs synthesized with polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP)showed a unimodal particle distribution with an average particle size of 81.62 nm and a zeta potential of−2.96 mV.The more negative zeta potential of AgNP-tartaric acid indicates its increased stability.Evaluation of antibacterial activity showed that AgNPs stabilized with tartaric acid showed better performance against E.coli and B.subtilis bacteria compared with AgNPs-PVP.In summary,this study highlights the potential of tartaric acid in AgNP synthesis and suggests an avenue for the development of stable AgNPs with versatile applications.

Optimization of Preparation of Oregano Oil Microspheres by Box-Behnken Response Surface Methodology

[Objectives]To optimize the formulation and preparation of oregano oil microspheres by Box-Behnken response surface methodology.[Methods]Chitosan was used as the carrier material to prepare oregano oil microspheres by emulsion crosslinking method.The encapsulation efficiency,drug loading and ID 50 were used as the evaluation indicators,and the comprehensive score(OD)obtained by"coefficient of variation-AHP comprehensive weighting method"was used as the final evaluation indicator.The formulation design and preparation process were optimized by single factor experiment and Box-Behnken response surface methodology,and the optimal process parameters were determined.[Results]The optimal formulation and preparation process parameters of oregano oil microspheres were as follows:the ratio of oregano oil to chitosan was 2∶1,the emulsifying speed of double emulsion was 200 r/min,the amount of emulsifier in the colostrum was 4%,and the volume of curing agent was 1.0 mL.The average encapsulation efficiency was 45.33%±1.32%,the average drug loading was 30.59%±2.45%,and the median diameter(ID 50)was 52.596μm±0.023%.[Conclusions]The encapsulation efficiency,drug loading and ID 50 of oregano oil chitosan microspheres prepared by emulsion crosslinking method met the requirements.The drug-loaded microsphere not only can be used as a preparation finished product for direct application,but also be used as a product intermediate to lay a foundation for the research and development of subsequent dosage forms.

Optimization and Characterization of Cellulose Extraction from Grevillea robusta (Silky Oak) Leaves by Soda-Anthraquinone Pulping Using Response Surface Methodology

Response surface methodology (RSM) using the central composite design (CCD) was applied to examine the impact of soda-anthraquinone pulping conditions on Grevillea robusta fall leaves. The pulping factors studied were: NaOH charge 5% to 20% w/v, pulping time 30 to 180 minutes, and the anthraquinone charge 0.1 to 0.5% w/w based on the oven-dried leaves. The responses evaluated were the pulp yield, cellulose content, and the degree of delignification. Various regression models were used to evaluate the effects of varying the pulping conditions. The optimum conditions attained were;NaOH charge of 14.63%, 0.1% anthraquinone, and a pulping period of 154 minutes, corresponding to 20.68% pulp yield, 80.56% cellulose content, and 70.34% lignin removal. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), was used to determine the most important variables that improve the extraction process of cellulose. The experiment outcomes matched those predicted by the model (Predicted R2 = 0.9980, Adjusted R2 = 0.9994), demonstrating the adequacy of the model used. FTIR analysis confirmed the elimination of the non-cellulosic fiber constituents. The lignin and hemicellulose-related bands (around 1514 cm−1, 1604 cm−1, 1239 cm−1, and 1734 cm−1) decreased with chemical treatment, indicating effective cellulose extraction by the soda-anthraquinone method. Similar results were obtained by XRD, SEM and thermogravimetric analysis of the extracted cellulose. Therefore, Grevillea robusta fall leaves are suitable renewable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly non-wood biomass for cellulose extraction.

Optimization of Methylene Blue Dye Adsorption onto Coconut Husk Cellulose Using Response Surface Methodology: Adsorption Kinetics, Isotherms and Reusability Studies

In this study, coconut husk cellulose was employed as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly adsorbent to eliminate methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. The successful development of response surface methodology paired with a central composite design (RSM-CCD) enabled the optimization and modelling of the adsorption process. The study investigated the individual and combined effects of three variables (pH, contact time, and initial MB dye concentration) on the adsorption of MB dye onto coconut husk cellulose. The developed RSM-CCD model exhibited a remarkable degree of precision in predicting the removal efficiency of MB dye within the specified experimental parameters. This was demonstrated by the strong regression parameters, with an R2 value of 99.79% and an adjusted R2 value of 99.6%. The study depicted that the optimal parameters for attaining a 98.8827% removal of MB dye using coconut husk cellulose were as follows: an initial MB dye concentration of 30 mg∙L−1, contact time of 120 minutes, and pH 7 at a fixed adsorbent dose of 0.5 g. The Freundlich isotherm model provided the most satisfactory description of the equilibrium adsorption isotherms, suggesting that MB dye adsorption onto coconut husk cellulose occurs on a heterogeneous surface. The experimental results demonstrated a strong agreement with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model, indicating that the number of active sites present on the cellulose adsorbent predominantly influences the adsorption process of MB dye. Additionally, the adsorbent made from coconut husk cellulose exhibited the potential to be reused, as it retained its efficiency for a maximum of three cycles of adsorption of MB dye. The results of this study show that coconut husk cellulose has the potential to be an effective and sustainable adsorbent for removing MB dye from aqueous solutions.

Optimization of Cellulose Nanocrystal Isolation from Ayous Sawdust Using Response Surface Methodology

This study focuses on the extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), derived from Ayous sawdust. The process involves multiple steps and a large amount of chemical products. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of factors that impact the isolation process and to identify the optimal conditions for CNC isolation by using the response surface methodology. The factors that varied during the process were the quantity of MCC, the concentration of sulfuric acid, the hydrolysis time and temperature, and the ultrasonic treatment time. The response measured was the yield. The study found that with 5.80 g of microcrystalline cellulose, a sulfuric acid concentration of 63.50% (w/w), a hydrolysis time of 53 minutes, a hydrolysis temperature of 69˚C, and a sonication time of 19 minutes are the ideal conditions for isolation. The experimental yield achieved was (37.84 ± 0.99) %. The main factors influencing the process were the sulfuric acid concentration, hydrolysis time and temperature, with a significant influence (p < 0.05). Infrared characterization results showed that nanocrystals were indeed isolated. With a crystallinity of 35.23 and 79.74, respectively, for Ayous wood fiber and nanocrystalline cellulose were observed by X-ray diffraction, with the formation of type II cellulose, thermodynamically more stable than native cellulose type I.

Application of response surface methodology(RSM) for optimization of leaching parameters for ash reduction from low-grade coal

Coal is the world＇s most abundant energy source because of its abundance and relatively low cost. Due to the scarcity in the supply of high-grade coal, it is necessary to use low-.grade coal for fulfilling energy demands of modern civilization. However, due to ItS high ash and moisture content, low-grade coal exerts the substantial impact on their consumption like pyrolysis, liquefaction, gasification and combus- tion process. The present research aimed to develop the efficient technique for the production of clean coal by optimizing the operating parameters with the help of response surface methodology. The effect of three independent variables such as hydrofluoric acid （HF） concentration （10-20% by vo!ume ）,. temper- ature （60-100 ~C）, and time （90-180 min）, for ash reduction from the low-grade coal was Investigated.. A quadratic model was proposed to correlate the independent variables for maximum ash reduction at the optimum process condition by using central composite design （CC.D）method. The study reveals that HF concentration was the most effective parameter for ash reduction in comparison with time and temper- ature. It may be due to the higher F-statistics value for HF concentration, which effects to large extent of ash reduction. The characterization of coal was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR） analysis and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray （FESEM- EDX） analysis for confirmation of the ash reduction.

Optimisation of beef tenderisation treated with bromelain using response surface methodology (RSM)

The purpose of this study is to determine the optimum condition for the tenderization of beef by bromelain using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Initially, bromelain powder was produced from pineapple crown of variety N36. Production of the bromelain powder involves several process steps such as extraction, purification, desalting and freeze drying. The cube size beef of round part was treated with bromelain at different pHs of beef, immersion temperatures, bromelain solution concentrations, and immersion times according to the experimental design which was recommended by RSM of MINITAB software version 15. Beef tenderness was then measured by Texture Analyser. The MINITAB software Version 15 was used to optimise the tenderisation of beef by bromelain. The determination coefficient R2 was 99.97% meaning that the experimental data were acceptable. It was found that beef could be optimize tenderised 89.907% at the optimum condition at pH of beef of 5.4, immersion temperature of60℃, bromelain solution concentration of 0.1682% and immersion time of 10 minutes. The verification value of beef ten-derisation at the feasible optimum condition which was determined by experiment was 89.571%. Since the difference between the veri- fication and predicted values was less than 5%, therefore, the optimum condition for the tenderisation of beef predicted by MINITAB software Version 15 could be accepted.

Optimization of medium components using response surface methodology (RSM) for mycelium biomass and exopolysaccharide production by <i>Lentinus squarrosulus</i>

The interaction between sucrose, yeast extract and initial pH was investigated to optimize critical medium components for mycelium biomass and production of exopolysaccharide (EPS) of Lentinus squarrosulus using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A central composite design (CCD) was applied and a polynomial regression model with quadratic term was used to analyse the experimental data using analysis of variance (ANOVA). ANOVA analysis showed that the model was very significant (p Lentinus squarrosulus are as follows: sucrose concentration 114.61 g/L, yeast extract 1.62 g/L and initial pH of 5.81;sucrose concentration 115.8 g/L, yeast extract of 3.39 g/L and initial pH of 6.44 respectively.

Optimization of preparing V_2O_5 by calcination from ammonium metavanadate using response surface methodology

Parameters of technique to prepare vanadium pentoxide by calcination from ammonium metavanadate were optimized using central composite design of response surface methodology. A quadratic equation model for decomposition rate was built and effects of main factors and their corresponding relationships were obtained. The results of the statistical analysis show that the decomposition rate of ammonium metavanadate is significantly affected by calcination temperature and calcination time. The optimized calcination conditions are as follows： calcination temperature 669.71 K, calcination time 35.9 min and sample mass 4.25 g. The decomposition rate of ammonium metavanadate is 99.71%,which coincides well with experimental value of 99.27% under the optimized conditions, suggesting that regressive equation fits the decomposition rates perfectly. XRD reveals that it is feasible to prepare the V2O5 by calcination from ammonium metavanadate using response surface methodology.

Cr(Ⅲ) removal from simulated solution using hydrous magnesium oxide coated fly ash： Optimization by response surface methodology (RSM)

Hydrous magnesium oxide coated fly ash （MFA） has environmental remediation potential by providing a sub- strate for the adsorption of aqueous Cr（Ⅲ）. Aqueous Cr（Ⅲ） adsorption onto MFA was examined as a function of MFA dosage, pH and initial Cr（Ⅲ） concentration with the Box-Behnken approach used for experimental design and optimization using response surface methodology （RSM）. pH and dosage （dosage and concentration） have significant interactive effects on Cr（Ⅲ） adsorption efficiency. Analysis of variance shows that the response surface quadratic model is highly significant and can effectively predict the experimental outcomes. Cr（Ⅲ） removal effi- ciency of 98% was obtained using optimized conditions of MFA dosage, pH and initial Cr（Ⅲ） concentration of 1,5 7 g. L- 1, 4.11 and 126 mg. L- 1, respectively. Cr（Ⅲ） adsorption onto MFA is mainly attributed to the interaction between Or（Ⅲ） and the functional group --OH of the hydrous magnesium oxide, in all probability caused by chemisorptions. The results of this study can conduce to reveal the interactions between Cr（Ⅲ） pollutant and MFA characteristics, posing important implications for the cost-effective alternative adsorption technology in the treatment of heavy metal containing wastewater.

Method for the determination of polonium-210 in tea samples using response surface methodology(RSM)

The method based on solvent parameters(mass,cycle of acidification, and autodeposition time), combined with response surface methodology(RSM) modeling and optimization, has been developed for maximizing ^(210)Po activity in tea samples, as observed by an alpha spectrometer. RSM based on 3-factor and 5-level composite center design was used to obtain the optimal combination of solvent conditions. As solvent parameters for ^(210)Po activity, different masses(0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, and 2 g), different cycles of acidification(2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 times), and different autodeposition times(2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 h) were studied. The 3D response surface plot and the contour plot derived from the mathematical models were used to determine the optimal conditions. According to the obtained results, the experimental value of ^(210)Po activity was in good agreement(R^2=0.96) with the value predicted by the model. We found a favorable effect of mass on the ^(210)Po activity(p\0.05).

Optimization of Ultrasonic Extraction Conditions of Polyphenols from the Needles of Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Ultrasonic extraction conditions of polyphenols from the needles of black pine(Pinus thunbergii) were optimized by single factors analysis and Box-Behnken experiment design. The results showed that both of ethanol concentration and ultrasonic time had a significant effect on polyphenol extraction, and there was significant interaction between any two variables in the three parameters of ethanol concentration, ultrasonic temperature and ultrasonic time. The optimal parameters for polyphenol extraction were the ethanol concentration of 52.67%, ultrasonic temperature at 49.21 ℃and ultrasonic time of 30.76 min. Under these conditions, the actual content of polyphenols was close to the predicted value. Therefore, the process can be used to extract polyphenols from black pine needles.

Optimization of a continuous ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization(UAOD) process of diesel using response surface methodology(RSM) considering operating cost

A continuous-flow ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization(UAOD)of partially hydro-treated diesel has been investigated using hydrogen peroxide-formic acid as simple and easy to apply oxidation system.The effects of different operating parameters of oxidation stage including residence time(2–24 min),formic acid to sulfur molar ratio(10–150),and oxidant to sulfur molar ratio(5–35)on the sulfur removal have been studied using response surface methodology(RSM)based on Box–Behnken design.Considering the operating costs of the continuous-flow oxidation stage including chemical and electrical energy consumption,the appropriate values of operating parameters were selected as follows:residence time of 16 min,the formic acid to sulfur molar ratio of 54.47,and the oxidant to sulfur molar ratio of 8.24.In these conditions,the sulfur removal and the volume ratio of the hydrocarbon phase to the aqueous phase were 86.90%and 4.34,respectively.By drastic reduction in the chemical consumption in the oxidation stage,the volume ratio of the hydrocarbon phase to the aqueous phase was increased up to 10.Therefore,the formic acid to sulfur molar ratio and the oxidant to sulfur molar ratio were obtained 23.64 and 3.58,respectively,which lead to sulfur removal of 84.38%with considerable improvements on the operating cost of oxidation stage in comparison with the previous works.

Identification of processing window for extrusion of large thick-walled Inconel 625 alloy pipes using response surface methodology

Identifying suitable processing window is necessary but difficult for achieving favorable microstructure and performance in extrusion of large thick-walled pipe with difficult-to-deform Inconel 625 alloy. In this work, a method was established for identifying the extrusion process window considering temperature control using response surface methodology. Firstly, the response surface models, which correlate temperature rise and peak temperature to key extrusion parameters, have been developed by orthogonal regression based on finite element calculated data. Secondly, the coupled effects of the key extrusion parameters on the temperature rise and peak temperature have been disclosed based on the regression models. Lastly, suitable extrusion processing windows, which are described by contour map of peak temperature in the space of extrusion speed and initial billet temperature, have been established for different extrusion ratios. Using the identified process window, a suitable combination of the key extrusion parameters can be determined conveniently and quickly.

One-step process for production of biodiesel from Jatropha curcas L. seeds： Optimization using Response Surface Methodology （RSM）

Jatropha curcas L. （JCL） seeds were extracted and transesterified in-situ using supercritical methanol extraction in the absence of catalyst at different temperatures （200-280℃） and pressures （8-12 MPa）, and at a fixed reaction time of 30 min with seeds-to-methanol ratio of 1：40 w/v. Design of experiment approach using five-level-two-factors design of Response Surface Methodology （RSM） was used to observe the effect of two independent variables i.e. temperature and pressure and the percent of biodiesel yield which required 13 runs. For optimization of the variables, Central Composite Rotatable Design （CCRD） was used for regression analysis and analysis of variance （ANOVA）. The optimize conditions suggested by RSM were at T = 280℃ and P = 12.04 MPa. The predicted and experimental biodicsel yields were found to be 56.8% and 59.9%, respectively, with relatively small deviation errors of 1.59%.

Optimization on Ultrasonic Extraction Method of Total Flavonoids for Liriodendron chinense Sarg.×L.tulipifera L. by Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

With the leaves,bark and roots of Liriodendron chinense Sarg.× L.tulipifera L.as experiment materials,the ultrasonic-assisted extraction conditions of total flavonoids were optimized by response surface Box-Behnken test design.Ultrasonic time and liquid-to-solid ratio had significant effects on the extraction amount of flavonoids from the leaves of L.chinense Sarg.× L.tulipifera L.;ultrasonic temperature and liquid-to-solid ratio had an interaction on the extraction amount of flavonoids;and the optimum ultrasonic time,temperature and liquid-to-solid ratio for the extraction of flavonoids from leaves of L.chinense Sarg.× L.tulipifera L.were 19.82 min,28.60 ℃ and 9.48 ml/g,respectively.Ultrasonic time,temperature and liquid-to-solid ratio had significant effects on the extraction amount of flavonoids from L.chinense Sarg.× L.tulipifera L.;there was a significant interaction between any two of the factors,which had a significant effect on the extraction of flavonoids;and the optimum extraction parameters for flavonoids in the bark were the ultrasonic time of 33.66 min,the ultrasonic temperature at 32.85 ℃ and the liquid-to-solid ratio of 11.39 ml/g.Ultrasonic time and liquid-to-solid ratio had significant effects on the extraction of flavonoids from roots;there was a significant interaction between ultrasonic time and liquid-to-solid ratio and between ultrasonic temperature and liquid-to-solid ratio;and the optimum extraction parameters for flavonoids from the roots of L.chinense Sarg.× L.tulipifera L.were the ultrasonic time of 32.38 min,the ultrasonic temperature at 25.0 ℃ and the liquid-to-solid ratio of 8.00 ml/g.The results of the three models were stable.The models are feasible and have good application value.

Removal of Fluoride from Water Using Mesoporous MCM-41: An Optimization Approach Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Fluoride above 1.5 mg·L-1 is injurious to health. Removal of fluoride from water using mesoporous MCM-41 as a strong adsorbent material has been attempted. Characterization using transmission electron microscopic study of calcined MCM-41 showed the regular hexagonal array of mesoporous channels with an average size of 20 nm and the surface area (BET study) of 1306.96 m2·g-1. The average pore size of the particles was found to be 14.21 nm. A study on the effect of contact time on the removal of fluoride revealed that more than 85% uptake of fluoride onto MCM-41 was achieved at a contact time of 120 min. From the Langmuir adsorption study, the maximum sorption capacity of fluoride was found to be 63.05 mg/g at 301 K. From the thermodynamic study, the +ΔHo value of 2.29 kJ·mol-1 indicated the endothermic nature of the removal process. Application of Response Surface Model suggested that 77.88% of fluoride removal can be achieved at fluoride concentration of 10 mg·L-1, pH (6.3), and contact time of 120 min.

SCRAMJET INLET MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION BASED ON RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

The uniform design and response surface methodology （RSM） are applied to the multi-objective optimization of a 2-D mixed compression scramjet inlet. The set of experimental design points on the design space is selected by the uniform design, and the inlet performance is analyzed by computational fluid dynamics （CFD）. Then complete quadratic polynomial response surface approximation models are constructed based on the performance analysis results and then used to replace theoriginal complex inlet performance model. The optimization is conducted using a multi-objective genetic algorithm NSGA-Ⅱ, and the Pareto optimal solution set is obtained. Results show that the uniform design and RSM can reduce the computational complexity of numerical simulation and improve the optimization efficiency.

Overview on Application of Response Surface Methodology （RSM） in Treatment of Palm Oil Mill Effluent （POME）

There are many factors affecting the performance of a treatment system especially in the treatment of palm oil mill effluent （POME） as its contains high amounts of suspended solid, low pH, high salt content and high chemical oxygen demand （COD）. However, one factor at a time approach is complicated method in establishing relationship between multiple parameters. Response surface methodology （RSM） is a recommended approach as it is widely used to analyze and study the interactions between multiple parameters and provides optimum output as well as minimizing the defects which result in good treatment system. This paper overviews the recent and current research in the application of RSM in optimizing the treatment development of POME.