Laboratory Characterization Equipment

Equipment needed for the characterization of an experimental catalyst and polyethylene is listed in Table 7.2. This subject has also been discussed by Ser van der Ven [7]. 

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The acceptance of the laboratory characterization of tests will be based on the kinds of information usually included in a methods development paper. FSIS suggests that supporting data be submitted in a publication format or, as a reprint, if the information has already been published. The information should include the purpose of the test, the analyte and matrix (including the species), a summary of the technique, its unique features, and performance characteristics such as limit of detection, limit of reliable measurement, and precision. The performance near regulatory decision points is of particular importance. As would be expected of a method development paper, the reagents, equipment, and the details of the method must be thoroughly described. 

Preliminary work completed in this project includes laboratory and equipment setup and installation, and preliminary rounds of material optimization and process development. Full size bipolar plate prototypes have been produced with full double-sided flow patterns, demonstrating the potential of the manufacturing process. Process and material development has resulted in the characterization of material properties under a variety of composition levels. Material properties meeting or exceeding DOE targets have been measured, and bipolar plates, both machined and pattern-embossed, have been submitted to UTC Fuel Cells for in and out of cell testing. Phase I work will... 

The above technique can of course be applied quite easily to characterize mixing conditions in laboratory scale equipment, but can also in principle be applied to characterize the mixing performance of full scale equipment. 

More than sixty plants of the Amaryllidaceae have been examined for alkaloids in the past 6 years. Major contributions in isolation have been made by research groups in Germany, Sweden, Russia, Egypt, South Africa, and China. Exchange of alkaloid samples has not been frequent, and undoubtedly many of the alkaloids cited in Section IX will prove to be duplications. Typically a new alkaloid found in the family occurs in exceptionally minute amounts. Thus in laboratories not equipped with modern NMR- and mass spectrometers characterization often has been limited to simple physical constants, combustion analyses, and general comments about the IR- and UV-spectra. 

Activated carbons and CMS were characterized by measuring the adsorption isotherms of N2 at 77 K and of CO2 at 298 K. A low temperature, N2 adsorption apparatus (Quantasorb, by Quantachrome) was used for the determination of N2 adsorption isotherms. CO2 adsorption data were obtained with a laboratory volumetric equipment. Surface areas were estimated from N2 isotherms by using the BET multiple point equation and from CO2 isotherms by using the Dubinin-Radushkevich equation. Prior to the measurement of N2 adsorption, samples were outgassed at 383 K for 12 hours under helium flow. For CO2 adsorption measurements, samples were first oven - dried at 383 K for 24 hours, and then outgassed overnight at 383 K, at a pressure of about 1 Pa. 

Although particle characterization is not an ordinary instrumentation issue, some supporting laboratory scale equipment helps even the commercial operation by defining the realistic nature of the particles in each occasion. Thus it is recommended to have a small, say 5 cm in diameter, cold test unit with a flowmeter and pressure sensors. 

Since X-ray tomography keeps the sample intact, it is suitable not only for the characterization of the dried product, but also to follow the evolution of gel characteristics during the drying process. Up to now, this requires an interruption of the process to scan the sample being dried, but, in principle, the tomograph can be built around laboratory drying equipment. For such dynamic measurement, the time for a full scan of the sample is a crucial parameter it depends on the sample size and the desired resolution and may vary from a few minutes, if500 voxels are sufficient, to several hours, for 2000 voxels. 

Characterizing an FCC feedstock involves determining both its chemical and physical properties. Because sophisticated analytical techniques, such as mass spectrometry, are not practical on a daily basis, physical properties are used. They provide qualitative measurement of the feed s composition. The refinery laboratory is usually equipped to carry out these physical property tests on a routine basis. The most widely used properties are ... 

Integer programming has been applied by De Vries [3] (a short English-language description can be found in [2]) for the determination of the optimal configuration of equipment in a clinical laboratory and by De Clercq et al. [4] for the selection of optimal probes for GLC. From a data set with retention indices for 68 substances on 25 columns, sets ofp probes (substances) (p= i,2,..., 20) were selected, such that the probes allow to obtain the best characterization of the columns. This type of application would nowadays probably be carried out with genetic algorithms (see Chapter 27). 

In those cases where there are any doubts about the feasibility of producing a sufficiently homogeneous and stable reference material, a feasibility study might be needed. For this study, an extra amount of material is needed. Questions regarding the best way of preparing the sample, the stability of the material, or the fitness for purpose might justify the inclusion of a feasibility study in the project. In the BCR projects, it is common practice to have a feasibility study, which usually has as the sole purpose of assessing the performance of the laboratories in the collaborative study in relation to the certification of the reference material. The feasibility study allows the participants to fine-tune their equipment, their methods, and their procedures in view of the characterization measurements. In each of these cases, a considerable extra number of samples is needed. 

A panel of experts from academia and industry (Table 12.4-2) was assembled to provide the students with professional advice. The HKUST central facilities for Material Characterization and Preparation Facility (MCPF) and Advanced Engineering Material Facility (AEMF) and the laboratories of Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Technology Center play a pivotal role in the success of the project. Table 12.4-3 lists the equipment used by the students in this project. 

BSL 1 Biosafety Level 1 is suitable for work involving well-characterized microorganisms not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adults, and of minimal potential hazard to laboratory personnel and the environment. Safety equipment none required. Microorganisms include Bacillus subtilis, Naegleria gruberi, and infectious canine hepatitis virus. 

Two series of narrow MWD polystyrene standards were used to calibrate a SN-01A GPC equipment, one of which (TSK) was supplied by Toyo Soda Co. and the other (NFS) was prepared and characterized in this laboratory. The column (3x1 M) were packed with NDG porous silica beads. Tetrahydrofurane was used as eluent. The elution volume was counted by a 2.60 ml. siphone tube. 

A laboratory study has been undertaken to characterize the aerosol produced during pulverized coal combustion. The emphasis in this work has been on the particulate matter present in the flue gases at the inlet to the gas cleaning equipment rather than that leaving the stack. Coal is burned at conditions which simulate the combustion region of coal-fired utility boilers. 

There is considerable current interest in development of state-of-the-art methodology for characterization of PAHs in various matrices (.l). Gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry are two techniques widely used for PAH analysis because the necessary equipment is available in most laboratories. The development of high resolution glass capillary columns has significantly advanced the compound-characterizing capability of these techniques. 

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