Academic literature on the topic 'Conventional process'

Sheet metal spinning is one of the metal forming processes, where a flat metal blank is rotated at a high speed and formed into an axisymmetric part by a roller which gradually forces the blank onto a mandrel, bearing the final shape of the spun part. Over the last few decades, sheet metal spinning has developed significantly and spun products have been widely used in various industries. Although the spinning process has already been known for centuries, the process design still highly relies on experienced spinners using trial-and-error. Challenges remain to achieve high product dimensional accuracy and prevent material failures. This PhD project aims to gain insight into the material deformation and wrinkling failure mechanics in the conventional spinning process by employing experimental and numerical methods. In this study, a tool compensation technique has been proposed and used to develop CNC multiple roller path (passes). 3-D elastic-plastic Finite Element (FE) models have been developed to analyse the material deformation and wrinkling failure of the spinning process. By combining these two techniques in the process design, the time and materials wasted by using the trial-and-error could be decreased significantly. In addition, it may provide a practical approach of standardised operation for the spinning industry and thus improve the product quality, process repeatability and production efficiency. Furthermore, effects of process parameters, e.g. roller path profiles, feed rate and spindle speed, on the variations of tool forces, stresses, strains, wall thickness and wrinkling failures have also been investigated. Using a concave roller path produces high tool forces, stresses and reduction of wall thickness. Conversely, low tool forces, stresses and wall thinning have been obtained in the FE model which uses the convex roller path. High feed ratios help to maintain original blank thickness but also lead to material failures and rough surface finish. Thus it is necessary to find a “trade off” feed ratio for a spinning process design.

Process water is used for cooling and for transporting material in all kinds of industries. To clean the water for reuse, various types of filters can be used. Many conventional process water treatment plants incorporate sand filters, which readily clean the water from suspended matters. However, at some circumstances the sand filters do not remove high enough concentrations of metals. This master thesis compares the water treatment abilities of activated cork, produced by Spikes & Cogs AB, to those of the sand filters used at steel making company Ovako Hofors AB in Hofors. As an on-site pilot study, the thesis investigates the cleaning capacity of three types of activated cork filters: Fats, Oils and Solvents (FOSS) filter, Fast Acting Digesting Enzymes (FADE) filter, and Metal Adsorption and Concentration (MAAC) filter. The cork filters were compared to the sand filters during normal operation and, because of previous problems with the stability of the sand filter performance, during stress tests. The results show that the cleaning capacity of the sand filters is higher than the cleaning capacity of the cork filters at normal operation. At the conditions of the stress tests, at which the sand filters do not function, the cleaning capacity of the cork filters was somewhat lowered but was still well within acceptable limits. An important result from the experiments is that the cork filters neutralize the pH. The sand filters are sensitive to changes in the pH, meaning that the cork filters could function as a buffering unit prior to the sand filters.

Pattern is a familiar concept ever present in our daily lives, existing in many material forms, observable in varied states, and able to be created from a diverse range of processes and events. Natural pattern forms, such as biological and chemical patterns, have been extensively studied, often within the digital environment because of its capacity to process large amounts of data which aids investigation of not only their characteristics but their potentiality. However, human designed physical patterns, while having been investigated extensively in terms of their historical, geographic and cultural significance and their aesthetic and/or mathematical characteristics, have not been fully investigated in terms of their evolutionary potential. This project explores one example of human designed physical patterns, crochet lace patterns ??? which have remained largely stable and consistent throughout various technological transformations such as the industrial revolution ??? in order to explore pattern as a process and investigate the potential for these patterns to become emergent. This exploration translated the patterns into the digital environment where, as data, the patterns become available for manipulation using a generative art practice approach. By translating the patterns into a digital environment and engaging with the pattern forms at their systematic core, where crochet pattern instructions and software programming scripts operate similarly as ???code???, this research provided a deeper understanding of the patterns and allowed exploration of whether a pattern???s developmental path can be altered to create new emergent patterns. This research draws on systems theory and systems aesthetics and their application within contemporary generative art practice and informs visual arts in several areas including showing how aesthetic values shift as work becomes cross-disciplinary and enters the digital environment, and how the introduction and location of innovation affects the relationship between the original and its copy.

The work of this dissertation is centered on two non-conventional synthetic approaches to ferromagnetic nanomaterials: high-throughput experimentation (HTE) (polyol process) and continuous flow (CF) synthesis (aqueous reduction and the polyol process). HTE was performed to investigate phase control between FexCo1-x and Co3-xFexOy. Exploration of synthesis limitations based on magnetic properties was achieved by reproducing Ms=210 emu/g. Morphological control of FexCo1-x alloy was achieved by formation of linear chains using an Hext. The final study of the FexCo1-x chains used DoE to determine factors to control FexCo1-x, diameter, crystallite size and morphology. [Ag] with [Metal] provide statistically significant control of crystallite size. [OH]/[Metal] predict 100 % FexCo1-x at > 30. To conclude section 1, a morphological study was performed on synthesis of Co3-xFexOy using the polyol process. Co3-xFexOy micropillars were synthesized at various sizes. The close proximity of the particles in the nanostructure produced an optical anisotropy and was magnetically induced which is evidence for the magneto-birefringence effect. The second non-conventional synthetic approach involves continuous flow (CF) chemistry. Co nanoparticles (Ms=125 emu/g) were newly synthesized by aqueous reduction in a microreactor and had 30 ±10 nm diameter and were produced at >1g/hr, a marker of industrial-scale up viability. The final work was the CF synthesis of FexCo1-x. The FexCo1-x was synthesized with limitation to the composition. The maximum FexCo1-x phase composition at 20 % resulted from the aqueous carrier solvent triggering oxide formation over FexCo1-x.

Purpose: The purpose of this research study is to investigate the extent to which banks are using risk management practices in dealing with various risks and to compare risk management practices between Islamic and Conventional banks operating in Pakistan. Methodology: This is an empirical research study which has employed quantitative research methods. This study has used two sources of data, i.e. primary and secondary data. Secondary data is collected by using content analysis through annual reports of five Islamic and conventional banks for the six year time period from 2008 to 2013. The content analysis was performed by using frequency analysis and un-weighted index scoring. And primary data was collected through questionnaire from the senior managers, risk managers and CRO of Islamic and conventional banks. The sample size was consisting of 150 respondents from banks. The data was analysed by using descriptive statistics, regression analysis and Mann-Whitney U test. Findings: Islamic banks are found to be significantly different from their conventional counterparts in risk identification, risk management practices, liquidity risk analysis and risk governance. Moreover, risk identification, risk assessment and analysis, credit risk analysis and risk governance are most influencing and contributing variables in risk management practices of banks operating in Pakistan. Also, credit, liquidity, market and operational risk are found to be the most important risks faced by both conventional and Islamic banks. Practical Implication: Considering the importance of risk management practices in Islamic and conventional banks; Bankers, investors, regulators, and policymakers are likely to benefit from the results of the study as a guide, when developing and reforming the existing risk management practices. Originality: This study has extended the risk management practices model of banks by incorporating two more variables, i.e. liquidity risk analysis and risk governance into the model. Also, it is adding value methodologically, as data triangulation is used to draw a valid inference. So, this study will add value to literature and will be useful for Islamic banks, conventional banks, practitioners as well as for academic point of view.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Conventional, advanced and fractionation pretreatment technologies were employed to recover and/or enhance the efficacy of the main constituents present in lignocellulosic biomass. Bamboo and triticale bran are novel feedstocks and hence their response towards treatment is unknown. Thus, to assist with the characterisation of these feedstock, in terms of the amount of sugar released during acid and enzymatic hydrolysis, use were made of conventional pretreatment technologies. Pretreatment involved the use of either the conventional single-stage dilute-acid or the conventional acid-catalysed steam-explosion process at times, temperatures and acid concentration ranging between 5 to 40 min, 120 to 214°C, and 0.002 to 0.055 (H3O+) gmol/L, respectively. For additional comparison, results were also obtained from an established feedstock namely sugarcane bagasse, by subjecting it to the single-stage dilute-acid process, at similar pretreatment conditions employed during the treatment of the other feedstocks. Sugarcane bagasse and bamboo, upon pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, both yielded a similar combined sugar recovery yield of 78.0% and 81.2%, respectively. Alternatively, only 55.3% (w/w) of the total sugar content in triticale bran could be recovered. Triticale bran consists predominantly of hemicellulose which, compared to cellulose, the main constituent in sugarcane bagasse and bamboo, is more susceptible to degradation. Thus, to enhance the combined sugar recovery yield, it is recommended that triticale bran be treated at less severe pretreatment conditions, in order to preserve the hemicellulose. To further enhance the amount of sugar (i.e. cellulose and hemicellulose) that can be recovered from sugarcane bagasse, the use of a two- rather than one-stage dilute acid process was proposed. The single-stage dilute acid process, despite being the subject of many research efforts, failed to recover more than 83% (w/w) of the total sugar content in sugarcane bagasse. Following an extensive literature study, it was concluded that sugarcane bagasse comprises a hemicellulose and cellulose fraction which dictates the use of different pretreatment conditions in order to ensure their effective recovery. The use of a more advance two-step dilute acid process was therefore proposed as it allows for multiple-sets of pretreatment conditions which accommodate the requirements set forth by each of the polysaccharides present in sugarcane bagasse. With the assistance of response surface methodology, a 4.8% (w/w) improvement over the single-stage method was calculated for the two-stage process, by assuming both pretreatment technologies operated at optimum pretreatment conditions. This improvement, which is similar to the 7.7% (w/w) obtained with substrates other than sugarcane bagasse, was accredited to the use of multiple-sets of pretreatment conditions. Both low and high severity pretreatment conditions were applied to maximise the recovery of hemicellulose and cellulose, respectively. In the case of bamboo however, little can be gained by using the two- in lieu of the one-stage method, as similar pretreatment conditions are required to maximise both hemicellulose and cellulose recovery. Alternatively, a three- rather than a two-stage process needs to be applied, when treating triticale bran, to accommodate for an additional set of pretreatment conditions required to recover arabinan, a third polysaccharide. In order to realise the full potential of sugarcane bagasse, use was made of a fractionation method, which in addition to the recovery of polysaccharide (i.e. cellulose and hemicellulose), also allowed for the recovery of the polyphenolic content (i.e. lignin) thereof. Limited by the complexity of the fractionation process, sugarcane bagasse was selected as the preferred substrate to be subjected to fractionation, mainly because of its availability in the South African (established sugar milling industry), and ease of treatment using both conventional (e.g. single-stage) and advanced (e.g. two-stage) pretreatment technologies. A novel fractionation technology, involving the use of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3- mehylimidazolium methyl sulphate ([BMiM]MeSO4), was devised to separate the main constituents of sugarcane bagasse. Although other ionic liquid fractionation examples also exist in literature, processes used caused production of multi-component product streams with 34% (w/w) of the original lignin and hemicellulose being recovered in the same product stream. Tests conducted during the present study confirmed these results and further indicated that the production of multi-constituent product streams could not be avoided by using acetone, an acetone-water mixture or a sodium hydroxide solution as the solvent in a subsequent solvent extraction step. Hence, to avoid the production of multi-component product streams, a hemicellulose pre-extraction step, comprising the single-stage dilute acid process, was introduced to extract and recover 75% (w/w) of the hemicellulose content. The remaining solid was subjected to ionic liquid treatment whereafter it was effectively separated into cellulose and lignin enriched product streams through solvent extraction. Up to 73% (w/w) of the original lignin and cellulose content was recovered using optimum operating conditions (120 min; 125°C). Comparison of the novel ionic liquid ([BMiM]MeSO4) with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, an established ionic liquid, identified the former to be the superior delignification solvent whereas the latter contributed more towards the digestibility of the residual solids. In conclusion, methods for the effective recovery of polysaccharides and polyphenol units from established (i.e. sugarcane bagasse) and novel (i.e. bamboo, triticale bran) lignocellulosic feedstocks have been demonstrated through the application of conventional (single-stage), advanced (two-stage) and fractionation pretreatment technologies. Economic improvement is promised through the application of these constituents as they may serve as precursor chemicals for the production of value-added products that may replace the fuel and chemicals currently derived from fossil carbon resources.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Konvensionele, gevorderde en fraksionering voorafbehandeling tegnologieë is gebruik om die herwinning en gebruiksaamheid van die hoofbestanddele wat in lignosellulose biomassa aanwesig is, te verbeter. Bamboes en tritikale semels is nuwe rou materiale en dus is hul reaksie op behandeling onbekend. Ten einde die karaktereienskappe van hierdie rou materiale, in terme van die hoeveelheid suiker wat gedurende die suur- en suiker ensimatiese-hidrolise vrygestel word, te bepaal, is gebruik gemaak van konvensionele voorbehandeling tegnologieë. Voorbehandeling behels die gebruik van óf die konvensionele enkelstadium vedunde-suur óf die konvensionele suur-gekataliseerde stoomontploffingsproses; by tye, temperature en suurladings wat wissel tusen 5 en 40 minute, 120 tot 214°C, en 0.002 tot 0.055 (H3O+)gmol/L, onderskeidelik. Vir verdere vergelykings is resultate vanaf ’n gevestigde rou materiaal, naamlik suikerriet reste, verkry, deur dit te onderwerp aan ’n enkelstadium verdunde suur proses met dieselfde voorbehandeling toestande wat gegeld het gedurende die behandeling van die ander roumateriale. Tydens voorbehandeling en ensimaties-hidrolise het suikerriet reste en bamboes ’n gelyke gekombineerde terugwinnings opbrengs van 78.0% en 81.2% suiker, onderskeidelik, gelewer. Daar kon egter net 55.3% (w/w) van die totale suikerinhoud van tritikale semels herwin word. Tritikale semels bestaan hoofsaaklik uit hemisellulose, wat meer vatbaar is vir degradasie ten opsigte van sellulose, die hoof bestanddeel van suikerriet reste en bamboes. Om dus die gekombineerde suikerherwinnings-opbrengs te verbeter, word daar voorgestel dat tritikale semels aan minder strawwe toestande onderwerp word, om sodoende die hemisellulose te bewaar. Om verder die hoeveelheid suiker (d.w.s glukose en xilose) wat vanuit suikerriet reste herwin kan word, te verbeter, is die gebruik van ’n twee- in plaas van ’n eenstadium verdunde suur proses, voorgestel. Die enkelstadium verdunde suur proses het, ten spyte daarvan dat dit al die onderwerp van verskillende navorsing projekte was, nie daarin geslaag om meer as 83% (w/w) van die totale suikerinhoud vanuit die suikerriet reste te herwin nie. Na ’n uitgebreide literatuurstudie is daar tot die slotsom gekom dat suikerriet reste bestaan uit ’n hemisellulose deel en ’n sellulose deel wat die gebruik van verskillende voorbehandeling toestande noodsaak, om sodoende effektiewe herwinning daarvan te verseker. Die aanwending van ’n meer gevorderde twee-stap verdunde suur proses is dus voorgestel, aangesien dit van veelvoudige-stelle voorbehandelings toestande, soos vereis deur die polisakkariedes in suikerriet reste, gebruik maak. Deur die toepassing van reaksie oppervlakte metodologie, is ’n 4.2% verbetering op die enkel-stadium metode vir die twee-stadium proses behaal deur aan te neem dat beide van hierdie prosesse, by optimum kondisies vir maksimale suiker herwinning, uitgevoer is. Hierdie verbetering is soortgelyk aan die 7.7% (w/w) verbetering wat voorheen met andersoortige substrate (uitgesonder suikerriet reste) verkry is. Sodanige verhoging word toegeskryf aan die gebruik van veelvoudige stelle van voorbehandeling toestande, wat beide meer en minder strawwe toestande insluit, om sodoende die herwinning van xilose en glukose onderskeidelik te maksimeer. In die geval van bamboes, is die twee-stadium metode nie superieur tot die een-stadium metode nie, aangesien soortgelyke voorbehandeling-toestande benodig word om beide die herwinning van xilose en glukose te maksimeer. Alternatiewelik moet ’n drie-stadium in plaas van ’n twee-stadium proses gebruik word wanneer tritikale semels behandel word aangesien ’n bykomende stel voorbehandeling toestande benodig word om arabinan, ’n derde polisakkaried, te herwin. Om sodoende die volle potensiaal van suikerriet reste te ontgin, is gebruik gemaak van ʼn fraksioneringstegnologie. Waar konvensionele voorbehandeling metodes slegs fokus op die herwinning van polisakkariedes (naamlik sellulose en hemisellulose), kan die fraksioneringsproses ook die poli-fenoliese inhoud (naamlik lignien) in lignosellulose, herwin. Weens die ingewikkeldheid van die fraksioneringsproses, is suikerriet reste gekies as die mees geskikte substraat vir fraksionering, hoofsaaklik omdat dit veral in die Suid- Afrikaanse konteks, maklik beskikbaar is en omdat dit ook maklik is om met beide die konvensionele (bv. die enkel-stadium) en die gevorderde (bv. die twee-stadium) voorbehandeling proses behandel te word. ʼn Nuut ontwikkelde fraksionering tegnologie wat gebruik maak van die ioniese vloeistof 1-butiel-3-metielimidazolium metielsulfaat ([BMiM]MeSO4) is ontwikkel, om die hoofbestanddele in suikerriet reste van mekaar te skei. Literatuur bevat verskeie voorbeelde waar ioniese vloeistowe gebruik word vir fraksionering. Die doeltreffendheid van hierdie prosesse is egter deur die produksie van multi-komponent produkstrome, waartydens tot en met ekwivalente hoeveelhede hemisellulose en lignien in dieselfde produkstrome herwin is, beperk. Hierdie resultate is tydens die studie deur middel van toetse bevestig. Sodanige toetse het ook aangedui dat die produksie van multi-komponent produkstrome nie deur die gebruikmaking van asetoon, ʼn asetoon-water mengsel of ʼn natrium hidroksied oplosmiddel, wat deel maak van ʼn opvolgende oplossing-ekstraksie-stap, vermy kon word nie. Om gevolglik die vervaardiging van multi-komponent produkstrome te vermy, is ʼn hemisellulose vooraf-ekstraksie stap, bestaande uit die enkel-stap verdunde suur proses, gebruik, om sodoende 75% (w/w) van die hemisellulose inhoud in suikerriet reste, te herwin. Die oorblywende vastestof was onderwerp aan ioniese vloeistof behandeling waarna dit effektiewelik geskei is in onderskeidelik, sellulose en lignien verrykte produkstrome, verkry deur gebruikmaking van ʼn oplossing-ekstraksie-stap. Tot en met 73% (w/w) van die oorspronklike lignien en sellulose inhoud was herwin deur gebruik te maak van optimale behandelingskondisies (120 min, 125°C). ʼn Vergelyking tussen die nuut-geïdentifiseerde ioniese vloeistof ([BMiM]MeSO4) en 1-etiel-3-metielimidazolium asetaat, ʼn gevestigde ioniese vloeistof, het aangetoon dat eersgenoemde ʼn superieure delignifikasie oplosmiddel is terwyl laasgenoemde ʼn groter bydra tot die verteerbarheid van die oorblywende reste lewer. Ten slotte het hierdie studie, metodes vir die effektiewe herwinning van polisakkariedes en poli-fenoliese eenhede, vanaf gevestigde (bv. Suikerriet reste) en nuwe (bv. bamboes en tritikale semels) lignosellulose rou materiale, gedemonstreer, deur telkens van konvensionele (enkel-stadium), gevorderde (twee-stadium) en fraksionerings voorbehandeling tegnologieë gebruik te maak. Ekonomiese verbetering kan dus verwag word indien hierdie bestanddele as voorloper chemikalieë vir die produksie van waarde toegevoegde produkte aangewend word, aangesien sodanige produkte die plek kan inneem van brandstof en chemikalieë wat tans vanuit fossielbronne vervaardig word.