Search results for "Scientific method"
showing 10 items of 138 documents
Analysis of research ideas: combining metaphors for research
2009
This paper presents a framework – idea puzzle – for scientific analysis of research ideas. Analysis of research ideas is included in research planning ahead of research implementation and reporting. Research planning is traditionally based on the project metaphor for research which specifies linear tasks, deliverables and deadlines. Such a metaphor does not make explicit, however, decisions which are implicit in research tasks. This gap is fulfilled by the jigsaw puzzle metaphor which specifies interdependent and iterative decisions instead. Idea puzzle framework illustrates the jigsaw puzzle metaphor since it is a synthesis of scientific method in twenty one decisions. Such decisions speci…
A Proposal for Agent Simulation of Peer Review
2010
Peer review lies at the core of current scientific research. It is composed of a set of social norms, practices and processes that connect the abstract scientific method with the society of people that apply the method. As a social construct, peer review should be understood by building theory-informed models and comparing them with data collection. Both these activities are evolving in the era of automated computation and communication: new modeling tools and large bodies of data become available to the interested researcher. In this paper, starting from abstract principles, we develop and present a model of the peer review process. We also propose a working implementation of a subset of t…
Photocatalytic process intensification by coupling with pervaporation
2011
The integration of photocatalysis with a membrane separation process, in particular pervaporation, permits the recovery of valuable intermediate compounds (aromatic aldehydes) while they are produced avoiding their further degradation in the reactive ambient. In this way the yield and the conversion are enhanced. The coupling of the two processes is straightforward and the integration is complete even maintaining pervaporation and photocatalysis in two separate apparatuses provided that the process stream is continuously recycled at a sufficiently high flow rate. Additional advantages are: higher degree of purification of the aldehyde in the powder-free product stream, semicontinuous produc…
CHARACTERIZATION OF HYDROPHOBIC POLYMERIC MEMBRANES FOR MEMBRANE DISTILLATION PROCESS
2010
Hydrophobic microporous membranes are utilized in membrane distillation (MD) processes, e.g. seawater desalination at moderate temperatures. The vapour permeability of commercial hydrophobic membranes with different pore sizes (0.2-1 micron) was characterized through a simple apparatus designed-on-purpose. A cylindrical vessel had a face closed by the membrane and the other connected to a thin graduate tube. The water level variation in the tube is recorded and related to the vapour flux across the membrane. Measurements were taken in the temperature range 20-80°C. A fan tangential to membrane surface was employed to maintain a constant driving force for vapour transport. Vapour flux did no…
Design of a novel membrane-integrated waste acid recovery process from pickling solution
2019
Abstract Hydrochloric acid pickling is a common practice in steel manufacturing industry. During the process, acid is consumed to dissolve surface oxides and metals ions are accumulated in the solution, which becomes less effective with time. In addition, the costly and risky waste acid disposal is another issue affecting the hot-dip galvanizing industry. In this work, a novel sustainable waste acid recovery process from pickling solutions based on circular approach is proposed to tackle these issues. The innovative system allows (i) the continuous regeneration of pickling solutions to enhance process rate and performance and (ii) minimise the highly expensive and environmentally risky wast…
Performance of a RED system with ammonium hydrogen carbonate solutions
2016
The use of closed-loop salinity gradient power (SGP) technologies has been recently presented as a viable option to generate power using low-grade heat, by coupling a SGP unit with a thermally-driven regeneration process in a closed loop where artificial solutions can be adopted for the conversion of heat into power. Among these, the closed-loop reverse electrodialysis (RED) process presents a number of advantages such as the direct production of electricity, the extreme flexibility in operating conditions and the recently demonstrated large potentials for industrial scale-up. Ammonium hydrogen carbonate (NH4HCO3) is a salt suitable for such closed-loop RED process thanks to its particular …
Reactive crystallisation process for magnesium recovery from concentrated brines
2014
Seawater brines, generated either by natural or anthropic processes, often cause significant environmental issues related to their disposal. A clear example is the case of brines from desalination plants, which can have severe environmental impacts on the receiving water body. On the other side, brines can represent a rich and appealing source of raw materials, especially when they are very concentrated, as it happens with bitterns (i.e. exhausted brines) produced in saltworks. In particular, magnesium concentration can reach values up to 30-40 kg/m3 of brine, which is 20-30 times that of typical seawater. An experimental campaign has been carried out in the present work for assessing the p…
Cover Picture: Solvent-Adaptive Behavior of Oligospirobifluorenes at the Surface of Quartz Crystal Microbalances-A Conformational Process (ChemPlusCh…
2017
An infrared spectroscopic tool for process monitoring: sugar contents during the production of a depilatory formulation.
2012
Abstract A fast, reliable and economical methodology has been developed to control the production process of sugar-based depilatories. The method is based on the use of attenuated total reflectance—Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy in combination with multivariate data analysis. A very simple sample preparation process involving the dissolution of samples in water was applied. Employing a multivariate calibration model established from data of 15 well characterized samples, prediction errors equal or below 3.04 mg mL−1 for the quantitative determination of fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose and maltotriose were obtained. Results found in this preliminary study indicate a g…
Experimental research regarding the study of surface quality of aluminum alloys processed through milling
2017
The aim of this paper is to present the necessary steps to conduct a design of experiment with application on the aluminum alloy surface quality obtained by end-milling process. The machined surface quality is influenced by the cutting process parameters, and especially by their variation. The research methods used in this paper are the Taguchi method - to determine the cutting parameters influence, on the surface quality, and the full factorial design of experiment to confirm the results obtained by Taguchi’s method and to determine the percentage of the parameters influence involved in the process.