The growth kinetics and the lipid and protein content of the microalgal species Chlorella sorokiniana (CS) grown heterotrophically in growth media containing glycerol and increasing amounts of anaerobic digestate (AD) equal to 0%, 15%, 30%, and 50% was studied. The effect of the AD on the fatty acid (FA) distribution of the bio-oil extracted from the CS, as well as on the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) properties such as the saponification number (SN), the iodine value (IV), the cetane number (CN), and the higher heating value (HHV) was also estimated. The percentage of AD in the growth medium affects the rate of carbon uptake. The maximum carbon uptake rate occurs at about 30% AD. Protein and lipid content ranged from 32.3–38.4% and 18.1–23.1%, respectively. Fatty acid distribution ranged from C10 to C26. In all AD percentages the predominant fatty acids were the medium chain FA C16 to C18 constituting up to about 89% of the total FA at 0% AD and 15% AD and up to about 54% of the total FA at 30% AD and 50% AD. With respect to unsaturation, monounsaturated FA (MUFA) were predominant, up to 56%, while significant percentages, up to about 38%, of saturated FA (SFA) were also produced. The SN, IV, CN, and HHV ranged from 198.5–208.3 mg KOH/g FA, 74.5–93.1 g I/100 g FAME, 52.7–56.1, and 39.7–40.0 MJ/kg, respectively. The results showed that with increasing AD percentage, the CN values tend to increase, while decrease in IV leads to biofuel with better ignition quality.

In the quest for worldwide economic development, the principles of sustainable development that involve social justice and efficient environmental protection are sometimes forgotten

A number of recent studies strongly suggest that nanostructured materials, such as carbon nanotubes, nanoporous graphene, and zeolites, can form the basis for the fabrication of next generation membranes for reverse osmosis desalination. In the present work, we investigate the influence of the wall roughness and external driving force on the flow pattern and energy losses in nano and microchannel flow through the estimation of the effective velocity slip at solid walls and other macroscopic quantities such as density, velocity, and pressure. The investigation is based on the dissipative particle dynamics simulation method and the flow studies concern flows between parallel plates with the protrusions located at the upper wall. Roughness is modeled by periodically spaced rectangular protruding elements. When compared to the smooth channel case, lower flow velocities are observed in the central part of the channel for all cases studied. This reduction of velocities becomes more pronounced as the protrusion height increases. For the microchannel, density, pressure, and temperature remain almost constant in the central part of the channel and their pattern near and inside the cavities depends on the protrusion shape. The results show that the slip velocity, both for the nano and microchannel flow, is reduced as the protrusion length is reduced and the protrusion height is increased for both the upper rough and the lower flat wall. As far as the external driving force is concerned, it seems that the slip velocity increases as the external driving force increases for constant protrusion size. The study of these parameters is of particular importance for the design of filters and membranes based on nanomaterials employed in the desalination process as well as contaminant removal from water.

Among the wastes produced in a refinery are solids containing water, in particular: (i) bottom sludge accumulated in storage tanks and (ii) sludge agglomerated during the processing of crude oil. Potentially useful industrial secondary resources, co-processed with clays lead to the manufacturing of novel ceramic building products. Among the expected advantages, resulting to industrial symbiosis, is the inclusion of ashes and residual metals from the wastes within the ceramic structure, leading to the inertization of inorganic ingredients, through the thermal processing of clay to building ceramic products.