Dyne Testing is a technology, a method to measure surface wettability. The low surface wettability of polymer-based substrates is the sign of poor adhesion of inks, glues and coatings. Thus, to obtain the optimum amount of adhesive it is necessary to increase the surface energy of the substrate which can be done by surface treatment with either Corona or Plasma. It will result in good wetting of the material over the surface of the substrate and hence, it improves adhesion.
For the optimum adhesion, while printing, gluing, or coating the various substrates, it is necessary to obtain high surface energy which can be obtained by Dyne Testing Markers. The fluid that is present in the Dyne Testing markers is based on ISO 8296 method for measuring the surface energy of polythene film.
When the Dyne Testing Pens are being applied to the surface, the liquid will form a continues film or will form a small trail of droplets. If it is being stretched as a film for at least 3 seconds, the substrate will have a minimum surface energy of that ink value which will be expressed in mN/m (Dynes).
The exact surface energy (Dyne level) can be determined by applying a range of increasing or decreasing values of Dyne test pens thereby taking the steps to improve its condition.
The Dyne Test Pen may lose its accuracy for which there are 3 reasons:
It could get contaminated with the foreign substance
It could evaporate quicker than it is expected to be
And the third reason is ageing, during which chemical reactions take place among the constituents.
The experts have also faced the problem with the ageing of Dyne Testing Equipment. If their hue or color density are almost past their expiration date, it is advisable to replace them as stated by experts. The lower Dyne value states that the value stated on the bottle does not match true surface tension. You must be sure that retains the substrate used for the measurements are to be kept well sealed, free from contamination, and stored under laboratory conditions.
The ideal Dyne Testing Pen should be:
easy to handle,
perfect for the quick spot checks on the production floor,
very easy to read,
no subjectivity for this type of test,
no wiping off necessary,
lasting display of result, and
very striking coloring.
Conclusion
The Dyne Testing Kit is based on valve tip applicator and not the magic marker type. The quick test 38 pen is our most popular product amongst all and it is available in a bright red ink. This is the quick test pen which serves to check the surface treatment of all plastic substrates.
It has a shown an effect onto the material such that a stroke of the pens leaves a full line on the material if the material’s surface energy is below 38 Dynes/cm. Also, as mentioned above if the materials surface energy is below 38 Dynes/cm, the fluid will form small drops on the surface. The fluid applied to the surface will dry within seconds; it does not need to be wiped off anymore.
The growing urgency around climate change and energy consumption has prompted a significant response from the rail industry over the past decade. It has responded with major initiatives around the globe. For example, in Germany, national rail company Deutsche Bahn has replaced tens of thousands of incandescent lights with LEDs. In the United Kingdom, rail managers have upgraded existing lines, like the HS1, to run entirely on renewable energy.
Another major change is that train stations themselves are becoming more eco-friendly and energy-efficient. These are some of the most significant changes transit authorities have made to reduce the environmental impact of train stations and cut down on emissions caused by rail travel and freight.
Green Innovations at a New Bay Area Rapid Transit Station
In 2017, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officially opened a new station in Fremont, in California’s East Bay. The new Warm Springs/South Fremont Station was billed as BART’s most sustainable station yet, built with several eco-friendly features “baked in” to the station design.
Among other features, the new Fremont station includes solar panels on the station’s roof, charging stations for electric vehicles and biological water filtration systems called “bioswales.”
Bioswales are stormwater runoff management systems made out of native grasses, pebbles, shrubs, swan hill oak trees and similar landscaping elements. These systems pull in and filter rainwater that would typically run off roofs and paved surfaces, carrying pollutants with them to local waterways.
At the new station, rainwater is captured in an underground surge basin after being filtered through the bioswale system. The water there can then be used in the station itself or slowly released in a way that won’t overwhelm local drainage areas.
The station isn’t the only BART initiative that aims to improve the eco-friendliness of Bay Area transit. In 2013, the system announced that it would use more than 1,300 tons of recycled waste tires to reduce vibration on an extension project near Fremont.
The project, which used shredded tires in place of gravel, is one recent example of how used car parts can be recycled and put to use.
Hong Kong Rail Station Features Garden Roof
Other, more recent projects have also used landscaping and natural design elements to improve sustainability.
For example, the new Hong Kong West Kowloon railway station, which opened in September 2018, features a curved “green roof” dotted with more than 700 trees.
Built to function as both a public space and transit hub, the station is also remarkably sustainable. The green roofscape, in addition to being aesthetically pleasing, also captures and filters rainwater, much like the Fremont station in California.
Deutsche Bahn’s “Green Station” Initiative
Germany has been a world leader in the adoption of green tech and transportation practices. One of the best examples of this has been the “Green Station” initiative led by Deutsche Bahn, the private railway company owned by the German federal government.
The project made headlines in the mid-2010s when the company produced the world’s first zero-carbon train station in Kerpen-Horrem, in western Germany.
This was an early example of how modern stations are compatible with eco-friendly design decisions. For example, the station in Kerpen-Horrem has an energy-efficient lighting system that uses a combination of LEDs, natural light and light-reflecting architecture to provide consistent illumination to the station with minimal energy consumption.
Entlang eines Solarparks in Baiersdorf – ein Zug der Baureihe ET 442 unterwegs als S-Bahn
Since then, Deutsche Bahn has continued to make major strides in sustainable railway management and design, powering 33 of the company’s stations with entirely renewable energy and aiming for a companywide target of 100% carbon neutrality by 2050.
Reinventing Train Stations to Improve Sustainability
These new train stations show how transit providers are rethinking design to improve sustainability. Innovations like solar power arrays, electric charging stations and biofilters can all make a structure significantly more sustainable — and they’re becoming more common in station design.
Agricultural practices are increasingly leaning towards committing to a sustainable environment. In light of this, organic farming has become acceptable to many farmers. Many are practicing environmental- friendly practices such as using organic liquid fertilizer instead of the synthetic alternative.
The misuse and abuse of synthetic fertilizers is responsible for many of the health problems that humans experience today. It has also contributed to a large extent to the deterioration of the environment.
Organic agriculture has experienced fast growth globally. Organic systems involve the natural management of soil through the following practices:
These nourish the soil by steadily releasing nutrients to the crops as the organic matter that has been added to the soil breaks down. The chemical and physical properties of the soil are improved by the exogenous organic matter applied to the soil. This also improves the biological functions of the soil which results in a healthy and wholesome crop free of dangerous disease causing chemicals.
Why Organic Liquid Fertilizer is Sustainable?
Organic liquid fertilizer is derived from naturally existing products such as plants and animal manure. This makes it a sustainable product. Waste from animals such as cows, rabbits, fish and chicken is used to make organic fertilizer that provides much-needed nutrition to plants and soil as well.
Naturally occurring vegetation and waste will always be available as it renews itself. Besides, plants can be reused to make fertilizer for the next batch once harvesting is done. Since organic farming takes care of the environment, it is safe to say that vegetation is safe for the long run. Organic liquid fertilizer is also made from human waste such as urine and that is definitely sustainable.
Organic gardeners love to have a bottle of organic fish fertilizer on hand for feed young seedlings. This fertilizer also works well on plants in containers and any crop that may be suffering from ‘malnutrition’.
Why and When to Use Liquid Fertilizers
Seeing as liquid manures act faster than solid organic ones, they are the best option in the following circumstance:
For seedlings that have exhausted the nutrients provided by newly sprouted seed. It is especially crucial if the fertilizer you are using is a soil-free seed starting mix. While it helps in damping off, it fails to provide adequate nutrients.
When seedlings show signs of not having had enough nutrients. If the color fails to darken after a fertilizer has been added, it is an indication that they have not had a fair share of nutrients.
If you have container-grown plants, liquid fertilizers are what your plants yearn for. Container-grown plants depend entirely on the grower for nutrients and moisture. They need to be fed frequently with an organic liquid fertilizer in order to thrive.
When you are growing cold-tolerant crops which begin their journey of growth in low soil temperatures. Liquid fertilizers are great for boosting nutrients for such plants since it is difficult to absorb nutrients such as nitrogen in wintry temperatures.
Organic liquid fertilizers are short-acting. Consequently, they are easier to regulate that dry organic ones which are longer-acting. The ease with which liquid fertilizers can be used makes them quite popular and therefore sustainable.
Important Tip
Do not mix too much nitrogen-rich fertilizer into the soil. This is not reversible. The release of nitrogen into the soil increases as the temperature rises. You may consequently end up with huge plants but no production. The best time to apply a short-acting fertilizer is just when it is needed by the crop. Then you have less chances of overdoing the application.
When your plants are well into the season, you can feed them an organic liquid fertilizer to rejuvenate crops such as tomatoes which live long in the ground. Tomatoes are known to awaken with gusto once you give them two feeds of a good organic liquid fertilizer.
Today´s “eco wave” is a response – a good response – to the climatic crisis the planet is going through. The youth is the one leading this eco-conscious change, and the message is that its time we all get on the same page. Here’s the information on how to conserve energy that every student needs, in order to paint a little green into their dorm rooms.
Ways to save energy in dorm room
One of the most common wastes of energy is through “phantom energy”. So, it’s recommendable to keep your chargers and any dorm room electronics unplugged when you’re not using them. Also, try to switch to LEDs or CFLs light bulbs, which consume less energy and are cheaper. And, during the day, use natural sunlight, keep the light bulbs off until they’re really needed. If you want to keep it green during summer, instead of AC use fans, these consume much less energy.
As well, you should reduce the time you spend with your electronic devices, such as smartphones and laptops. When you need to complete any of your assignments, you can visit the public library to use one of their computers. This is a great way to reduce energy consumption in your dorm room, moreover, you will have quick access to all useful materials. There is also another way to lower the time spent before the computer. You can try to find online and use custom research paper writing service. As a rule, they are cheap, so if you want to be sure of the service’s quality, check the reviews from other clients.
You could also try is to study in shared spaces; a couple of hours studying in the library equals a couple of hours of lights out in your dorm room. Do your research using books instead of reading on your computer. And, if you can’t hire a professional writer service, or need to write the assignment yourself, consider using a typewriter instead of a computer.
Tips to reduce energy consumption on a daily basis
You might feel that actions, like keeping your lights out during the day and hiring professional paper writers to reduce the usage of your devices, aren’t enough. If that’s the case keep reading and learn some measurements that will help you on a daily basis.
Avoid using automobiles. Instead, choose to ride a bike or take a walk to class. If you are too far from school to walk, use public transportation or carpooling.
Avoid printing out papers. A soft copy of your assignment is a great solution.
Purchase a solar charger. You will have to save for a couple of months to buy it, but you will be using renewable energy, so its a great tool and one of the best ways to save energy.
Use rechargeable batteries. These are versatile and will last for years.
Wash clothes with cold water. Heating the water consumes lots of energy and warm water doesn’t really make that much of a difference.
Keep your door closed. If you have a heating or cooling system in your room it’s important to always close the door. To leave the door open with one of those systems working produces a big waste of energy.
Why do it? Some advantages of saving energy
We all know that saving energy is good, but it’s always helpful to know clearly how good it is. So, here are some of the benefits you will obtain from following some ways to save energy.
You will reduce your bills. Electricity is one of the most expensive services in the majority of countries around the world. So, keeping your consumption down will also help you keep your bills low. We all know: any measure that can give our pockets some relief is good for us.
You will reduce your climate print. To produce electricity, its necessary to use fossil fuels, which have an enormous environmental footprint. The less energy we use, the less pollution we are responsible for. Reducing your energy consumption seems like a small step, but it makes a huge difference your our planet.
Less pollution also translates into fewer health risks. Air contamination is not only bad for plants and other species of animals, it´s also harmful to humans. So, a cleaner air, without high concentrations of CO2 and other dangerous gases, represents better health for you.
Starting first and foremost, we know that the technological advancements of this modern society have completely revolutionized the whole world and have turned it into a global village. The technological wonders have completely transformed life from each and every perspective. People have been continuously trying to adapt themselves to the new ways of living as their lives have constantly been molded by the different ongoing trends. So, to keep pace with this fast-growing world, people have been striving to understand the generic and basic concepts of the technological revolution.
The primary reason behind this is that technological application has brought a drastic degree of ease to our lives. Even the slightest, most minor and monotonous routine tasks started to include the usage of different technological wonders. The most common example could be smart devices. Some of the most common facilities brought by technological advancement include the online shopping experience, online banking transactions, online bill payments and many more.
All of these have made life significantly more accessible than the way it was before, which evidently and concretely explains how technology embedded its roots into this world.
Common Types of Electrical Wire
Now sticking to the main course that revolves around our houses and common types of electrical wires used in our houses, although nowadays artificial intelligence is making further ways into our lives as some people prefer to install the electronic door and windows that tend to open with a voice command. Besides that, google security system is also quite a common thing nowadays.
But let us explore the very common types of electrical wires used in homes. All of them still hold significant importance because of their iconic and exquisite functionalities in the wiring of homes and buildings. So, the following are the most common types of electrical wires used in homes:
Armored Cable
Feeder Cable
Low voltage cables
Phone and data wire
NM cable
To have a good concept regarding each of their respective roles, let us shed some light on the different and versatile aspects of these common types of electrical wire used in homes one by one. This will help us understand even the underlying minor details, ultimately yielding a better understanding of the overall concepts, ideas, roles and last but not the most minor basic functionalities of these electric cables.
1. Armoured Cable
Whenever the topic of discussion revolves around the common wires to be used in the house wiring systems, armoured cables tend to pop up in one’s mind immediately. Typically, armoured cables tend to contain an earthed metal sheet that enables them to act as an excellent protective conductor. They are commonly used for underground installation procedures.
Armoured cables also play a role in different exceptional situations where the wiring has to be done in tight underground spaces or through a tunnel-like structure. They are highly cost-effective as after using them, there is no need to install anything to protect the system. Along with that, their installation comprises simple procedures and is also time-efficient.
2. Feeder Cable
Feeder cable is specifically designed for some particular functionalities that tend to involve the installation in wet places or different areas with a higher possibility of rain. These cables are buried directly underground. They can also be used to wiring the primary circuits as they contain plastic sheathing and a grey sheathing at the outer surface.
3. Low Voltage Cable
The name clearly indicates that these cables are designed explicitly for circuits with a typically low voltage limit of up to 50 V. They are mainly used for the wirings in thermostats, doorbells and sprinkler systems which do not require much electricity.
4. Phone and Data Wire
The phones and data that refer to the internet connection have become the utter necessity of our lives. As highlighted in the introduction, our lives have become dependent on technology. So, these wires are used for the phone and data connection. Although these wires contain low voltage, it is specifically recommended to be precautious while operating them. One should not be negligent in touching a bare wire.
5. NM Cable
This cable is generically used at dry places specifically for indoor home wirings, primarily including various appliances, switches, etc. This cable has a flexible plastic jacket referred to as a wrapped sheathing possessing three individual conductors inside it.
So, these are the most commonly used types of electric wire. When it comes to manufacturing them, zwcables.com have been remarkable excellent in providing their customers with high quality and a wide variety of electric wires. They have been living up to their reputation as they are considered brilliant when it comes to manufacturing these common types of electrical wire used in homes and many others.
The Eddy Current Conductivity Meter measures the conductivity of a solution. It measures the flow of ions in a solution. It works by measuring the change in the amount of electric current flowing through the liquid when a voltage is applied to the electrodes. The meter works by having a conductive liquid and a reference electrode.
The reference electrode is placed in contact with a pure water source. Then, when a specific solution is tested, the electrodes are connected to the liquid, and the liquid is between the two electrodes. This creates an electric field, which attracts ions from the liquid to the electrode. The liquid’s conductivity is the amount of current flowing through it.
This article will tell everything you need to know about the Eddy Current Conductivity Meter.
What is Eddy Current Conductivity Meter?
The eddy current conductivity meter measures the conductivity of a solution by measuring the alternating magnetic field generated by the solution. As a solution flows through the meter, it generates an alternating magnetic field measured by the meter.
The meter readings are directly proportional to the conductivity of the solution. This makes it an accurate method of determining the conductivity of a solution.
Emitting an alternating magnetic field is the simplest way of measuring the electric current concentration in a solution. The current induces a change in the sensor’s magnetic field, which is measured and recorded.
Eddy current conductivity meters use electric current to determine the concentration of a mineral, solution, or another conductive material in the solution.
These devices are also helpful in automobiles to test the transmission of signals, resulting in a checked engine. In the electrical safety analysis, these trackers help in verifying the wearing connections on the primary power supply.
Eddy current meter is vastly used for fundamental research like in mass spectrometry, magnetic fields, and impedance spectrometry and to measure rare earth elements which happen to be observed in very dilute quantities within the water.
The meter can give readings between 0 and 600 micro siemens per centimeter (μS/cm) depending on the solution. It is used in mining, drilling, oil and gas, and chemical and food processing industries.
If you have a background in chemistry and have always wanted to learn more about the practical applications of chemistry, this article is for you.
How Does The Eddy Current Conductivity Meter Works?
The Eddy Current Conductivity Meter works by using the principle of eddy currents. The EDC conductivity meter uses a probe to measure the material’s conductivity upon contact.
The user must insert the probe into the material. Low-conductive materials and non-metallic such as glass, ceramics, rubber, and galvanized metal can not be measured by this device. The instrument’s dual-frequency inverter upsets the sample underneath by ionizing water molecules. In some materials, there are fewer ions than in other materials.
These minimal accumulations will result in measuring inconsistency concerning metals. Glass jar would not respond appropriately in this regard, thereby making it unknown as to its conductivity above all else.
The instrument has several pre-programmed tested combinations that effectively readout of the material’s response fused with internal current sensors.
Differential amplification between those two controllers leads to differences in measured properties within those conditions where similar-sized cuvettes were used for eddy current determination against each other.
To attain accurate results, spectrum analyzers should be used and correlated with data before discarding as erroneous measurements have been made in either system errors or instrumental contamination.
Conclusion
Through this piece, you could read up on the eddy current conductivity meter. The benefits are that it’s easy to read, it cuts down on the labor of doing things by hand, and how to use of the test area could be impaired in working conditions where there is limited light due to dust or poor ventilation.
A career in waste recycling can not only be profitable but can seriously do some good to the earth’s environment. It’s not a surprise to most people that our environment is deteriorating. The majority of the largest companies have not opted out to use alternative resources that are less destructive to the planet. That’s why a career in waste recycling, particularly plastics recycling, is very rewarding because you take care of not only yourself but also our environment.
Recently, scientists have even rallied to protest their findings of environmental catastrophes that for the most part have been shushed by large conglomerates. The environment needs our help, and a career in recycling can genuinely kill two birds with one stone.
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Moving on, here’s a solid guide on starting out in the recycling field:
1. Choose Which Material To Recycle
For those who want to jump-start a career in recycling, then they need to start with the first step. Think about which material your career/business will be recycling. There are many options to consider, and researching the profitability and usefulness of the material will be key driving factors for your career to succeed. Here are some examples:
Find out which material in your proximity is easily found, or stick to a choice and expand on it. A good factor to always consider is whether the recyclable material is profitable or not.
On a side note, professionals jumpstarting any career always need a CV at their disposal. Skillhub can help you connect with a career advice expert if you’ve ever wondered, “Can anyone help me write my cv?” since we know it can be overwhelming to take care of everything.
Moving on, it’s not as if professionals aren’t allowed to recycle more than one material. If that’s the goal then it’s possible but it will prove more complicated than sticking to one material.
2. Executing A Market Survey
Growth and success in a career field require devotion to understanding it. By conducting a market survey, professionals can collect data for the present and the future of their company. They need to do this in order to avoid unnecessary failure and gain beneficial experience.
If your dream job is to be a successful waste recycling business, then don’t skip this step. Apply yourself to the career, and through time and effort, results can be found.
A market survey is essentially the research and analysis of the market of a specific field/product. The research, of course, includes customer preferences. Market surveys can let businesses find out the buying potential of products, and so on.
3. Identify, Extract, Strategize
Now it’s time to identify a niche in your market, extract it, and strategize from there (business plan). Individuals can shine through the art of business creation, so if a career in a business such as waste recycling is your forte, it will start showing by this stage.
A successful career in waste recycling can be achieved through the identification of a certain niche in the market that needs to be filled. Once that niche is identified, the professional can extract it and start strategizing.
For example, viral influencers and business owners Ms. Trautman and Mr. Max Steitz founded their company ‘A Glass Half Full’ in college. They went viral thanks to their documentation of their business and idea, and now they’re using recycled glass to turn it into fake sand. They want to combat coast erosion, but this also gives them an opportunity to sell fake sand to businesses that need it.
In fact, sand is a commodity with such a high demand that it caused ’Sand Wars’ where companies were fighting to own sand that was to be exported. If you don’t believe us, just search up ‘Sand Wars’ on any search engine and read up on this ridiculous story.
4. Acquire Capital
Depending on your own financial status, capital will be needed to get the resources, equipment, and money to pay employees. Your duties as a business owner will be to acquire enough capital so that the waste recycling business will stay afloat and expand.
Of course, not everybody has the money to just start a business like that. For the most part, we’re all living on a very limited monthly salary, so acquiring capital will need you to be resourceful. Here are some ideas on where small business owners can get capital:
Bank loans
Business And Industry Guaranteed Loan Program
Startup companies can take advantage of ‘The Small Business Administration’ for capital resources in the US.
The Sustainable Jobs Fund
Environmental Protection Agency
State loans, grants, and subsidies
5. Take Care Of Legal Obligations
A career in any field requires the tackling of tedious tasks such as legal obligations and dogmatic bureaucracy. It is what it is, and although this might be one of the most tedious parts, it is a necessary evil. So, take care of the demands in this area to avoid any nasty surprises. Here are some pivotal points to take care of:
Choosing a business structure
Registering with the IRS
Getting a business license or permit
Get counsel from a lawyer friend who knows the specific field of law pertaining to business to help clear any confusion, but at some point, most professionals will probably have to consult and pay a good lawyer to help them progress.
6. Finding The Workspace
This is pretty self-explanatory. By this point, we congratulate you on your progress. It’s time to hunt down the recycling space to rent/buy it. Remember, recycling equipment needs a pretty big operational area, so a big workspace in an isolated area would be optimal. You don’t want to bother any people living nearby with noise.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has helped our aspiring readers clear some confusion as to how they can jump-start a career in this specific field. Remember, devotion and consistency come first when pursuing big business ventures, and there’s a lot to consider. It will take a lot of commitment on your part but if you stick to it, everything can be worth it.
Essentially a process operating by living organisms, the biogas industry is a natural target for synthetic biology. Synthetic biology combines biology and engineering to design and construct biological devices. Contrary to traditional genetic engineering that only alters an already existing DNA sequence, synthetic biology allows us to build entirely new sequences of DNA and put them to work in cells. This allows us to build novel biological devices that would never exist in nature.
Constructions and operations of devices that do not exist in nature, such as tools, vehicles, computers and the internet, have crafted modern civilization. Now, it is synthetic biology that is challenging nature’s limitations and advancing civilization to a higher level.
Generating biogas via anaerobic digestion of biomass and organic waste is one of the few proven, cost-effective, scalable biomass energy strategies. Biogas consists of mainly methane and carbon dioxide, and combustion of methane with air generates energy which can be used for many purposes such as cooking, heating, producing electricity and vehicle fuel. As a result, countless biogas plants are operating around the globe helping to clean up waste and generate energy. With more plants being built, they come in all sizes ranging from household to factory scales.
Anaerobic digestion is a process where extremely complex microbial communities degrade organic matter, such as sugars, fats and proteins, resulting in biogas as the primary end-product. Such inherent complexity makes this process very difficult to optimize. Mechanical engineers have made tremendous progress to optimize this process, but in many places it still requires government subsidies to be profitable.
Synthetic Biology and Biogas Industry
Essentially a process operating by living organisms, the biogas industry is a natural target for synthetic biology. In terms of their genetic content, organisms are classified into three natural groups, Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. Most microbes are Archaea and Bacteria, while humans are Eukarya.
In an anaerobic digester, many different types of Bacteria convert the complex organic matter in waste or biomass to hydrogen gas, carbon dioxide, formate and acetate. A unique group of methanogenic Archaea then produces the invaluable part of biogas, methane, by eating hydrogen and carbon dioxide, formate or acetate.
One can imagine creating a super microbe to convert the complex organic matter directly into biogas, thus making anaerobic digestion faster, more efficient and easier-to-manipulate. Making a synthetic microbial community by reprogramming key microbes may also help them work together when a tough job (i.e., eating extremely complex waste) needs to be done.
Among numerous microbes in anaerobic digester, methanogenic Archaea are one of a few microbial groups that have been extensively studied, and a number of genetic tools are available for engineering via synthetic biology. Therefore, scientists have begun to reprogram methanogenic archaea, allowing them to eat organic matter such as sugars and directly produce methane. If they succeed, they may engineer a super microbe that never existed in nature and revolutionize the biogas industry by making anaerobic digestion much simpler and more efficient.
There is also the possibility of more applications downstream. For instance, upgrading biogas by removal of carbon dioxide improves its combustibility. A super microbe could be made to upgrade biogas using hydrogen gas or even electricity to form more methane from carbon dioxide.
Conceptualized super cell that converts idealized organic matter (2CH2O) directly into biogas.
Grand Challenges
However promising, grand challenges remain when it comes to the use of synthetic biology in biogas industry. About 10,000 moving parts are needed to make an automobile, millions of parts for an airplane, and all the parts are standardized.
Similar to those engineering sectors, synthetic biology also needs many standardized genetic parts and modules to be able to create biological devices that can really revolutionize an industry. Sophisticated genetic tools are needed as well to assemble these parts and put them to work. However, few such parts, modules and tools are at disposal for engineering microbes in an anaerobic digester.
Take methanogenic Archaea for example, only three parts are available in the iGEM registry, the world largest collection of biological parts for synthetic biology. Another challenge is an apparent neglect of synthetic biology by the biogas industry. Symposiums bringing professionals from biogas industry and synthetic biology together for discussions are rare, as are major investments for promoting synthetic biology.
As a result, few research groups are developing synthetic tools and parts for the biogas industry. For example, the aforementioned three iGEM parts were all contributed by only one group, the UGA-iGEM team at the University of Georgia.
Future Perspectives
Synthetic biology is developing faster than ever, and its cost continues to fall. Thanks to prompt actions of many industrial pioneers in embracing and supporting synthetic biology, it is already starting to revolutionize a few fields.
Synthetic biology holds great potentials to revolutionize the biogas industry. To achieve this goal, joint efforts between the biogas industry and academia must be made. The former side needs to understand what synthetic biology can achieve, while the latter side should identify which parts of the process in the biogas industry can be re-designed and optimized by synthetic biology.
Once the two sides start to work together, novel synthetic parts and tools are bound to be invented, and they will make anaerobic digestion a better process for the biogas industry.
The palm kernel shells used to be initially dumped in the open thereby impacting the environment negatively without any economic benefit. However, over time, palm oil mills in Southeast Asia and elsewhere realized their brilliant properties as a fuel and that they can easily replace coal as an industrial fuel for generating heat and steam.
Palm kernel shells is an abundant biomass resource in Southeast Asia
Major Applications
Nowadays, the primary use of palm kernel shells is as a boiler fuel supplementing the fibre which is used as primary fuel. In recent years kernel shells are extensively sold as alternative fuel around the world. Besides selling shells in bulk, there are companies that produce fuel briquettes from shells which may include partial carbonisation of the material to improve the combustion characteristics.
Palm kernel shells have a high dry matter content (>80% dry matter). Therefore the shells are generally considered a good fuel for the boilers as it generates low ash amounts and the low K and Cl content will lead to less ash agglomeration. These properties are also ideal for production of biomass for export.
As a raw material for fuel briquettes, palm shells are reported to have the same calorific characteristics as coconut shells. The relatively smaller size makes it easier to carbonise for mass production, and its resulting palm shell charcoal can be pressed into a heat efficient biomass briquette.
Although the literature on using oil palm shells (and fibres) is not as extensive as EFB, common research directions of using shells, besides energy, are to use it as raw material for light-weight concrete, fillers, activated carbon, and other materials. However, none of the applications are currently done on a large-scale. Since shells are dry and suitable for thermal conversion, technologies that further improve the combustion characteristics and increase the energy density, such as torrefaction, could be relevant for oil palm shells.
Torrefaction is a pretreatment process which serves to improve the properties of biomass in relation to the thermochemical conversion technologies for more efficient energy generation. High lignin content for shells affects torrefaction characteristics positively (as the material is not easily degraded compared to EFB and fibres).
Furthermore, palm oil shells are studied as feedstock for fast pyrolysis. To what extent shells are a source of fermentable sugars is still not known, however the high lignin content in palm kernel shells indicates that shells are less suitable as raw material for fermentation.
Future Outlook
The leading palm oil producers in the world should consider limiting the export of palm kernel shells (PKS) to ensure supplies of the biomass material for renewable energy projects, in order to decrease dependency on fossil fuels. For example, many developers in Indonesia have expressed an interest in building palm kernel shell-fired power plants.
However, they have their concerns over supplies, as many producers prefer to sell their shells overseas currently. Many existing plants are facing problems on account of inconsistent fuel quality and increasing competition from overseas PKS buyers. PKS market is well-established in provinces like Sumatra and export volumes to Europe and North Asia as a primary fuel for biomass power plants is steadily increasing.
The creation of a biomass supply chain in palm oil producing countries may be instrumental in discouraging palm mills to sell their PKS stocks to brokers for export to foreign countries. Establishment of a biomass exchange in leading countries, like Indonesia, Malaysia and Nigeria, will also be a deciding factor in tapping the unharnessed potential of palm kernel shells as biomass resource.
Becoming an entrepreneur steadily becomes a childhood dream for many young people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s, just like only about 30 or 40 years ago people have dreamt of becoming astronauts, policemen, or firefighters. Indeed, doing business today has become not only profitable but also challenging and overwhelmingly intriguing. At the same time, doing business internationally only spices things up. However, doing business just for the sake of it might easily become boring, especially with the younger people, which will not produce the desired results by any means.
To do business with passion, one must pursue a higher goal, which means something more than just making money. One such great goal is sustainability. Not only it looks cool, but it also serves a great deal to the community at large.
Doing the Right Things
When you serve not only yourself or your community but the whole planet, you might say that you’re doing something beyond great. Not only you look cool when you do a sustainable business, but you also manage to save your resources, costs, and, oftentimes, life force by following eco-friendly practices. At the same time, it is somewhat easier to start your business following the green trend. Your store or production facility, for example, might not look smooth but it might be sustainable by saving energy and water, recycling and reusing the office supplies, and being generally made out of different materials and objects available at hand.
Yet, at the same time, maintaining and raising a sustainable business might be quite a challenge. Despite the fact that green business is quite a popular thing today, you might observe this only as long as you stay local.
It’s truly hard to maintain the volumes of production viable for the greater audience and you might find yourself either sacrificing some of the green principles you craved or disproportionally increasing your costs as you grow bigger. Yet, one thing can still help with this problem and that is green marketing.
By following these green marketing strategies, you can at least pay off those massive costs that arise as you expand your green business.
Design your business green. You could have probably used the materials and objects you stumbled upon as you started creating your sign or building the workspace for your employees. Well, as you grow, you can use it effectively. Produce your packaging or even the whole facilities with recycled materials, reuse as much as possible. You can even rebuild the abandoned half-destroyed building into a smaller office for your crew or development team. Not only that will look cool but will also promote you as a 100% sustainable entrepreneur.
Increase online presence. Why even go outside when you can expand your business online. Create a blog if you haven’t done so yet or translate the one you already have. If you don’t have the time or knowledge to do this yourself, hire a digital marketing agency with experience in your industry niche as this will help the process go smoothly. Think about it, an automotive marketing agency would more than likely provide much better marketing results for an auto parts store than a real estate marketing agency. This way you will ensure that more than just one audience will see you. So, it’s worth the effort anyway. Just check out this best translation companies list and look for the one that suits your content the best. You’ll be surprised to find that you don’t have to pay a fortune for such services.
Communicate the green message. Sometimes, simply selling eco-friendly products or having a green design might be not enough, no matter how hard you try. This is where you have to learn to communicate right. And that’s not just about marketing campaigns and blogging like in the point above (yet, you can check out the necessary knowledge for translators to communicate your message in different languages through the best translation service).
Using webinar tools, make sure to let your clients know how they and the environment benefit from their purchase or service you provide. In many cases, one such benefit is financial, which may attract people even more.
Using sustainable web hosting. You might not know it but maintaining a data server is not that all clean and eco-friendly. In fact, running all of the U.S. web servers does as much environmental damage as 5 nuclear power plants. So, partnering with a sustainable data center is a good idea if you truly pursue a sustainable goal. Such a data center will use cutting-edge data science tech, more compact servers and might even be self-sufficient regarding the electricity powering itself with its own solar batteries.
Promote and follow the 3 Rs of sustainability. Those Rs are to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Reduce the number of resources and harmful materials used in your production and main activity. Reuse all materials you can. Recycle the materials that can’t be reused or reduced. This rule is very simple to follow, yet, it largely affects your green mentality and enables your customers to see what you do.
It’s Not Hard at All
Doing the right things and leading your sustainable business through international ventures might seem challenging upon first glance (because it actually is) but the greater the challenge the greater the reward. By letting your customers know that you truly care you get them closer to yourself and vice versa. The bottom line of your pain is that you at least feel better for doing the right thing and being a better person every day.
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