SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF SCIENCES

Biomass is the term attributed to any renewable resource derived from organic matter that can be used in energy production. Agricultural production generates residues that are of great importance for their energy use, of which sugar cane, eucalyptus, and rice. Various residues are generated from rice cultivation, among which the rice husk and rice straw are the most important. Several thermal conversion technologies have been developed for the use of biomass in industry. Pyrolysis has been notable for its ability to produce biofuels at different stages of aggregation. The slow pyrolysis of biomass has been proposed as a pretreatment method to improve the physical-chemical characteristics of rice straw. In this process is produced, mainly, a solid called biochar, which has a higher energy content when compared to the biomass of origin. This study investigated the slow pyrolysis of rice straw at 300 - 700°C for the purpose of obtaining biochar, bio-oil, and gases for energy purposes. The experimental results show that pyrolysis temperature has important roles in yield product. The highest biochar yield was observed at a temperature of 300°C with 49.91 wt%. This represents 47% more when compared to yield at 700°C (33.87 wt.%). This behavior is linked to the proximate analysis results for fixed carbon 26.01 wt.% at 300°C. The high pH of the biochar was attributed to the presence of alkali metals, according to XRF. Thermal decomposition of the biomass resulting in a gradual increase of bio-oil (16.81 - 34.70 wt.%) and gas (6.53 - 18.05 wt.%) on a wet basis. Thus, in the dry base parameter, the bio-oil increases from 19.22 - 30.6 wt.% and the gases at 9.42-20.19 wt.%. Drying of the raw material showed, by the results, a significant increase in the co-products.

Throughout this article, a study on the characteristics of the compaction test by the Proctor Method, regulated by ABNT NBR-7182, which is used to verify the degree of soil compaction, will be approached in order to broaden the discussion and raise points that demonstrate the urgent need to make it more accurate, efficient and safe. Through qualitative and quantitative research carried out by the authors of this article, it sought to collect data through a questionnaire for professionals in the field of geotechnics in the “Quadrilátero Ferrífero” region in Minas Gerais. In addition to other relevant data for the topic, it was raised that of the 22 professionals from the participating region, 72.7% of the total belief that the manual compaction test can be manipulated by an operator during the test execution, failing to generate results reliable, thus showing the importance of the proposed theme. In this way, we initially sought to correlate the Compaction Energy formula idealized by Ralph Proctor with Isaac Newton’s Gravitational Potential Energy formula and, through it, present the resizing, which may enable the construction of manual, semi-automatic human propulsion machines (not or making the automated ones that depend on electricity available to the market. In conclusion, from the mathematical calculations, it was possible to evidence the use of Newton’s Gravitational Potential Energy to constructnew equipment to carry out this test.

Background: MQ-series gas sensors belong to the metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) family of sensors that can sense the presence of many gases. These sensors find their application in gas alarm systems as key components. While necessary sensor circuit output voltage value for alarm point in a stand-alone gas alarm system is desirable, but what exact combination of the sensor circuit parameters is required? Hitherto, the determination of these circuit parameters has not been given much attention in the research community. Aim: the purpose of this work is to explore a structured graphical approach of determination of MQ series gas sensor circuit parameters for a stand-alone gas alarm system that yields desired sensor circuit output voltage value for the alarm point; the main objective of the study was to develop mathematical model equations that relate the: (i) sensor resistance (RS) with the gas concentration (x) and the sensor resistance at standard calibration concentration of the sensor base gas in the clean air (Ro) and (ii) sensor circuit output voltage (VRL), load resistance (RL) and sensor resistance (RS). It is expected from the model equations developed that graphical correlations of the sensor circuits parameters will be generated. Using these graphs for a particular case of an MQ-4 gas sensor under the influence of LPG, the parameters that yield desired sensor circuit output voltage of 2V for 1000 ppm of LPG alarm point will be determined. Methods: Model equations were developed for the sensor dynamics, and based on these model equations, graphs for the determination of required sensor parameters were plotted for a case of MQ-4 gas sensor response to LPG. Results and Discussion: The results yielded optimal values for R_O,R_S and R_L of 20 kΩ, 30 kΩ and 20 kΩ respectively, for alarm settings of 1000 ppm and a desired sensor circuit output voltage of 2 V. Based on determined parameters, the calibration equation for determination of best concentration value for a given value of emulated LPG concentration was developed. Using the method proposed in this study makes the process of determining the MQ-series gas sensor circuit parameters less cumbersome as their value can easily be obtained from the resulting graphs. Conclusions: a structured graphical approach for determination of MQ-series gas sensor circuit parameters for alarm points in a stand-alone gas alarm system showed that using MQ-4 gas sensor and LPG as the target gas, and for a sensor circuit output voltage of 2 V for alarm point at 1000 ppm of LPG, the corresponding value of R_O, R_S and R_L obtained were 20 kΩ, 30 kΩ, and 20 kΩ respectively. Hence, a structured graphical approach is suitable for determining MQ series gas sensor circuit parameters for a stand-alone gas alarm system under the influence of its associated gases.