Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Oxidation technologies for destruction of volatile organic compounds

Ever tightening EU regulations and standards for the reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions, are putting heavy demands on industry sectors, including chemicals.
Coupled with the drive to reduce energy consumption, any air pollution control system must offer high performance in VOC destruction and energy efficiency.
Oxidation is an effective technology for the destruction of VOCs. Essential combustion with minimal energy consumption can be achieved through use of the three Ts of oxidation: time, turbulence and temperature, together with the correct design systems and sufficient quantities of oxygen.
Technologies capable of achieving these objectives include; direct-fired, recuperative, regenerative and catalytic oxidisers along with combination concentrator/oxidiser systems for the most dilute streams.
The flow and concentration variability of the different types of process emissions further complicates the selection of abatement technology and necessitates a thorough understanding and evaluation of all possible controls.

Optimising power plant efficiency by measuring silica

Among many contaminants in the steam/water circuit, silica plays an important role in process monitoring, mainly because it is highly soluble in steam and extremely difficult to remove from steam/water. It is a contaminant that appears in many potential external and internal entry points.
External contamination could arise from: raw water ingress (demine plant) or drain line mix-up (wearing of seal or incorrect installation); use of silicon based lubricants and oils (result from leaky seals in the water system or turbine oil leaks or by silicon-based coatings on tubes used in replacement activity); feed water system (eg, un-reacted silicon) or chemical dosing of reagent problems (eg, caustic addition after resin bed regeneration).
Internal contamination is caused by: the condenser dust (a build-up of paint, quartz and grease; overhaul materials such as gasket materials, silicone sealants and kitty litter are potential sources of the condenser dust); oil spill absorbent materials (kitty litter, diatomaceous earth); in case of required replacement an open boiler tube could cause fly ash contamination or refractory material; blasting material (need to clean the LP turbine of scale from the process); accidental misplacement of materials (caused by work practices and poor housekeeping).
Altered steam velocities
If silica is not removed from the boiler feed water, it will concentrate itself on the drum and is carried over in steam to form adherent deposits in the steam passage way distorting the original shape of turbine nozzles and blades. This alters steam velocities and the pressure drops reducing the capacity and efficiency of the turbine.
Severe conditions can cause excessive rotor thrust while uneven deposition can unbalance the turbine rotor causing vibration problems. Turbine deposits can accumulate in a very short time when steam purity is poor and can only be removed by external service cleaning and blasting aluminium oxide on the surface.
Experience has enabled the power industry to specify allowable concentrations of SiO2 in steam to avoid turbine damage.
For a 180 bar operating pressure, in order to get a maximum of 5 ppb of SiO2 in the steam, the boiler water should not contain more than 100ppb of SiO2 if ideal boiler conditions are met.
Any minor deviation of silica concentration on a power plant can have serious and expensive consequences in relation to performance, reliability, efficiency and safety, it is logical that this parameter should be monitored closely.
Silica concentration can be measured at the following process steps (which may vary from one plant to another depending on plant architecture and management methods):
- Boiler blow down (drum boilers only).
- Economiser outlet.
- Steam.
- Make-up water.
- Condensate polishing.
- Demineralisation plant.
Increase in steam production
Today, power plant processes have changed and steam usage has increased. The steam cycle is now more complex, it has to go through a higher number of application steps, such as heat transfer, cleaning and pressurising vessels to finally maintaining steam purity to recover heat in the main steam/water cycle.
The production of huge quantities of steam in the energy conversion process is also universal. For example, a typical fossil-fuel power station converts around 650tons of water into steam per hour, in each of four 160MW boilers.
This represents around two million tons of water usage per month. With such a large output of water in the steam process, the chemical quality of the water is critical.
A beneficial practice that should be considered when measuring silica in power plants is during the performance of anion exchangers and mixed-beds. Both the resin efficiency and exhaustion (break-through) can be monitored with high sensitivity and reliability here.
This practice allows operators to:
- Follow-up on the demineralisation process performance
- Make better use of resin capacity.
- And optimises regeneration cycles.
So, measuring silica in steam/water processes today is 'a must' for sustaining and increasing power plant process efficiency.
Paying attention to the so-called utility plant can also yield attractive returns. Improving water treatment programmes by preventing the formation of insulating boiler scale, namely silica, could save a typical power plant facility 10-12 per cent in steam-realted costs.
Measuring silica easily
Hach Lange, a supplier and producer of water analysis technology, recently launched the POLYMETRON 9210 Silica analyser. This analyser provides operators' the right means to measure silica in power plants.
It detects early stages of resin saturation due to its low 0.5 ppb detection limit which in turn reduces resin generation costs. The analyser's built-in sequencer (1 to 6 channels) optimises plant investments and favours the implementation of resin monitoring 'best practices'.
The innovative 'zero method' operation determines potential Silica deposits on turbine segments; it is performed automatically without the need of calibration solutions or resin cartridges - eliminating any potential human error. The unique grab sample feature ensures on the spot checking with reliable calibrations.
To maintain measurement accuracy an air bubble elimination in the photometric cell has been integrated and for smaller power stations that are not constantly running, to return on-line with the sample after interruptions is also an option now.
In order to reduce operating and maintenance costs to a minimum, this analyser has been designed to allow reagents to be made locally and only needs replenishment every 55 days (10 minutes cycle) or 84 days (15 minutes cycle).
Today, Hach Lange has 3500 POLYMETRON Silica analysers installed. Power plant operators are interested in analysers that can measure silica and run by themselves, having them be reliable and optimise plant process performance.
Operator feedback
The POLYMTERON 9210 Silica analyser meets all these criteria. Direct operator feedback confirms that many users appreciate the following advantages this analyser has to offer: zero method, using less reagents; built-in sequencer of one to six channels which optimises plant investments; unique grab sample feature allowing on the spot checking; easy to navigate menu structure; measurements are accurate and reliable.
The POLYMTERON 9210 can now easily be integrated into a nuclear or fossil power plant and will measure silica accurately, reduce demineralisation water plant costs and optimise overall plant process efficiency.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

3130 Genetic Analyzer


Description

The Applied Biosystems® 3130 Genetic Analyzer is the latest generation of 4-capillary electrophoresis instruments for the low to medium throughput laboratories. The system offers industry-leading performance, plus sophisticated automation capabilities allowing you to save time, reduce costs and increase productivity.

With the Applied Biosystems® 3130 Genetic Analyzer, you get the sophisticated automation and superior performance of the 3130 system, at acquisition and operating costs tailored to a growing research lab.
• Run a wide variety of sequencing and fragment analysis applications including microsatellite analysis, AFLP, LOH, SNP validation, and SNP screening.
• Reduce maintenance time by eliminating manual syringe washing and filling with automated polymer delivery.
• Increase your data quality for sequencing and fragment analysis applications – longer read length, and higher resolution with shorter run times.
• Increase laboratory productivity and turn around time by processing 96- or 384-well plates with a four-capillary array.

Perform a Wide Range of Applications
The Applied Biosystems 3130 Genetic Analyzer is more than just a DNA sequencer. You can run a wide variety of sequencing and fragment analysis applications including microsatellite analysis, AFLP, LOH, SNP validation, and SNP screening – as well as de novo sequencing and resequencing (mutational profiling). The full range of applications can be run on a single polymer and capillary array meaning you can run mixed applications on one plate. The software even includes tools to assist with regulatory and compliance requirements (In the United States, this assists with FDA 21CFR part 11).

Easy to Use
Reduce maintenance time by eliminating manual syringe washing and filling with the new automated polymer delivery system. No more handling of polymer syringes for set up and maintenance. Samples are automatically injected into the four-capillary arrays, and – unlike slab-gel systems – only minimal amounts of DNA are required for accurate analysis. Seamlessly switch between sequencing and fragment analysis runs, even in the same plate with the expanded one-polymer, one-array functionality for both sequencing and fragment analysis applications.

Superior Data Quality
Simply set up your sample and then sit back and watch as the analyzer's ultra-rapid sequencing gives you high-quality data (with Length of Read longer than 500 bp) in less than 35 minutes. Achieve accurate read lengths of 1,000 base pairs (bp) or longer in a single sequencing reaction using the 80 cm capillary array and the 3130 POP-7™ polymer.

Ideal for Growing Labs
The flexible, four-capillary 3130 system gives you all the advanced automation and superior performance of Applied Biosystems 3130xl platform, at acquisition and operating costs tailored to a growing research lab. And as your throughput needs increase, you can easily upgrade the system to 16 capillaries. It is the perfect way to get the capacity and savings you need today – without limiting your growth options. Researchers who own an ABI PRISM® 3100-Avant or 3100 Genetic Analyzer can upgrade to the new Applied Biosystems® 3130 or 3130xl Genetic Analyzer.

3130 and 3130xl instruments are CE marked and compliant with the specifications and requirements as set in the EMC directive 89⁄336⁄EEC and the Low Voltage directive 73⁄23⁄EEC.

pecifications

General Specifications

Number of Capillaries:
4 Capillaries 
Throughput:
5,760 genotypes/24hr (5-dye DNA sizing), 
4,320 genotypes/24hr (4-dye DNA Sizing), 
30,400 bases/24hr (Long Read Sequencing), 
82,000 bases/24hr (Ultra Rapid Sequencing) 
Performance:
98.5% basecalling accuracy 
Read Length:
Up to 950bp 
Capillary Length:
36cm, 
22cm, 
80cm, 
50 cm 
Compatible Polymers:
POP-7, 
POP-4, 
POP-6 
Polymer Consumption:
Up to 960 samples per 7000µl Bottle 
Platform:
3130 Genetic Analyzer 
Format:
96-well plate, 
384-well plate 
Dimensions:
Width (open): 149cm, 
Height: 81cm, 
Depth: 55cm 
Weight:
130 kg 
Product Size:
1 instrument 
Sample Volume:
> 10µl 
Operating System:
Windows XP Pro 
Current Limit:
15 A 
Plan Duration:
1 Year Warranty 
Voltage Limit:
200-220V or 230-240V 
Analysis Software:
SeqScape® Software, 
Sequencing Analysis Software, 
GeneMapper® Software v4.0, 
Sequence Scanner Software 
Compatible Products:
dRhodamine Dye Terminator Kit, 
BigDye®Terminator Kits 
Regulatory Statement:
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. 
Operating Environment:
Humidity: 20%-80%, 
Temperature: 15°C-30°C 

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Miami Heat Eastern Champion

6-3-dwyane-wade-heat-pacers-game-7-gamer-2MIAMI — Dwyane Wade will pay no attention to any criticism of his game as the Miami Heat get ready to play the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals beginning Thursday.
That's because he ignored it going into Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals and had his best game of the series. It is a big reason the Heat are in their third consecutive Finals.
"Everything that happened in first six games didn't matter to us," Wade said. "It was all about Game 7."
In that Game 7, Wade had 21 points and nine rebounds, was active defensively and looked like his old self as the Heat destroyed the Indiana Pacers 99-76 in an anticlimactic conclusion to what had been a captivating and competitive series.
"We'll enjoy this," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, "for a short period of time."

Miami knew what it would get from LeBron James, who finished with what is standard fare for him: 32 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
The question was, what would the Heat get from Wade and Chris Bosh, who had struggled offensively against the defensive-minded Pacers. Bosh didn't have a great scoring game (nine points) but he grabbed eight rebounds, his series high against a team that rendered him ineffective for a majority of the series.
Miami pressured the Pacers at both ends of the court and took control of the game with a 33-16 second quarter and led 52-37 at halftime. James and Wade combined for 16 points and nine rebounds in the third quarter as the Heat extended their lead to 76-55.
"They taught us a lesson," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "This team has been there before. They have been to the championship. They've won it all. And they know how to ratchet up their defense at a level that just imposes their will on a basketball game."
James set the tone, first with words to his teammates at shootaround Monday morning and then on the court. As usual, he looked to get others involved. James didn't take one of Miami's first 14 shots,
"The first play of the game I called a play for D-Wade," James said. "Even though he didn't shoot the ball, he got a good touch in the paint. Just to make him feel like he was a part of the offense, make him feel in a good rhythm. I called a couple of sets for him early in the game, just to get a feel for it. And it showed throughout the whole game that he was in the rhythm. He started to make lay-ups, he started to attack, he started to make his free throws. So it was big time."

James' first attempt came with 4:45 left in the first quarter. He then scored 18 points in the final 16 minutes, 18 seconds of the first half.
James attacked the basket and made 15-for-16 free throws and finished with another big Game 7. In four career Game 7s, James is averaging 33.8 points and 8.3 rebounds.
"This is what it's all about," James said. "I've dreamed about opportunities like this as a kid to have a Game 7, no matter at home or on the road. And that game allows you to advance to the Finals.I have had multiple dreams about it."

Pacers forward Paul George emerged as a player with superstar potential, but Miami held him to seven points on 2-for-9 shooting. George fouled out with 7:43 left in the game.
"The great thing is we're a young team and we are past the building stage," George said. "This is really our first year tasting success. The rate we are going, we see championships soon."
The Heat also neutralized the dominance that center Roy Hibbert exhibited at times throughout the series, although he still had 18 points and eight rebounds.
"By any means necessary ... we took care of business," James said. "We just focused on every possession, trying to get stops, play Miami Heat defense, create havoc. I thought we did that tonight."

The Pacers faced a huge task to start. They had to beat the Heat in two consecutive games, including the final game on the road, and the Heat haven't lost consecutive games since January. As confident as coach Frank Vogel was in his team, that's asking a lot.
"Everybody in this country knows who the Indiana Pacers are now," Vogel said. "And we represent all the right things: class, character, hard work, old-school basketball, playing the game the right way. We represented our franchise, our city and our state extremely, extremely well, and we have a lot to be proud of."
Vogel's biggest concern — turnovers — unfurled in the first half: 15 turnovers, including nine in the first quarter.
"We knew that 15 turnovers in a game was probably going to equal a loss tonight. So to do it in a half was dispiriting," Vogel said.

The Heat took advantage of turnovers and missed shots. Miami pushed the ball at every opportunity, beating the Pacers down the court for open shots. Guard Ray Allen, who entered the game shooting 29.2% on three-pointers in the series, made 3-for-4 in the first half.
Miami pressured the Pacers at both ends of the court and took control of the game with a 33-16 second quarter and led 52-37 at halftime. Vogel coached an outstanding series, but there was only so much he could do with the Heat charging.
James and Wade, still bothered by a bruised right knee, combined for 16 points and nine rebounds in the third quarter as the Heat extended their lead to 76-55.
"I'm going to play through pain because this is my job," Wade said. "My team depends on me. Like I said a couple of series ago, I would love to be one of the players who never has to deal with these conversations, never have to deal with these injuries. But that's not my path.
"I've been through so much away from the game and in the game that I'll find a way. I'll figure it out. Some way, some how, you give me enough time, I'll figure it out. That's what I was able to do tonight. That's what I'll hopefully do next season."
The Pacers proved themselves more than a worthy opponent for the Heat. But Miami knew what was stake. Indiana is just learning.
"They just had that killer instinct, that look in their eye that they weren't going to be denied," Vogel said. "Their ball movement was spectacular. That's what really led to a lot of the chain reactions of our defense and allowed enough driving lanes. But they were also relentless in crashing the glass at all positions. Not just their big guys, but they were all coming.
"Look, they just had greater experience and greater know-how, and they were able to reach a higher level than we were."

Saturday, June 1, 2013

IT’S SHOWTIME’S FIRST ULTIMATE KALOKALIKE is christopher de leon

Christopher de leon Kalokalike



Christopher de leon


For his striking resemblance to actor Christopher de Leon, impersonator Jonathan Garcia was named as the Ultimate Kalokalike Saturday (June 1) in ABS-CBN’s noontime show “It’s Showtime’s” look-alike contest grand finals.

 Aside from bearing a close physical resemblance to the veteran actor for which he also won the special Picture Frame Award, Jonathan ultimately clinched the title after showing off his acting chops in the competition’s talent portion.
As the Ultimate Kalokalike, Jonathan will bring home P300,000 and a special celebrity treatment package. He was also awarded the BFF Award, the contest’s equivalent for Mr. Congeniality, for being voted by his co-finalists as the friendliest in the bunch.
Sherylene Castor, Kalokalike of Jinkee Pacquaio, was declared the first runner-up and won P200,000, while Learsi Gomez, Kalokalike of Julia Montes, was named the second runner-up with P100,000.
The Top Five Kalokalikes’ Bottom Two placers were international recording artist Adele and Kapuso host-actor Joey de Leon, who both won P50,000.
Aside from proclaiming the Top Five Kalokalikes that were selected by the panel of judges composed of masterimpersonator Willie Nepumoceno, Jason “Tito Bhoy” Gainza, comedian Pooh, and host Jhong Hilario, “It’s Showtime” also handed out special awards to finalists who made a lasting impact on the madlang people.
The Kalokalike of Justin Bieber was given the Trending Award for generating the wildest buzz on social networking sites, as proven by the Twitter-trending hashtag #CliffHoganAsTheUltimateKalokalike, while Jay Failanga, the Kalokalike of Vice Ganda, clinched the Texters’ Choice Award for garnering the highest number of text votes from the viewers. 
Meanwhile, the Kalokalike of Julia Montes received the Kumarir Award for being the most improved contender in terms of impersonation, wardrobe, and overall look.
The look-alike contest’s grand finals was widely discussed online as the hashtag #UltimateKalokalike topped the list of worldwide trending topics on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Stay tuned to “It’s Showtime,” hosted by Anne Curtis, Vice Ganda, Vhong Navarro, Billy Crawford, Karylle, Kuya Kim Atienza, Teddy Corpuz, Jugs Jugueta, Jhong Hilario, Ryan Bang, Coleen Garcia.




Monday, May 27, 2013

Pilipinas Got Talent (season 4)



























'The Voice PH' wraps up 'blind auditions'

The Voice of the Philippines is a Philippine reality singing competition. It is part of the The Voice franchise and is based on a similar competition format in the NetherlandsThe Voice of Holland.[1] The first season will premier in June 2013 on ABS-CBN.[2] The show will be hosted by Toni GonzagaRobi Domingo, and Alex Gonzaga.[3][4] Bamboo MañalacSarah Geronimo,Lea Salonga, and Apl.de.Ap will serve as the four coaches and the judging panel of the show.[5][6][7][8]
According to a podcast published by ABS-CBN through a press release, though not yet finalized, the winner is expected to win more than 2 million pesos, and a recording contract from MCA Music Philippines.[9]

Development [edit]

ABS-CBN acquired the rights of the franchise back in 2011 after the success of its US counterpart. The Philippines was then listed as one of the countries who bought the rights for the franchise as posted in the website of Talpa.[10] The show was later confirmed by Laurenti Dyogi, a Filipino director who has had a notable success with reality shows like Pinoy Big BrotherPinoy Dream Academy, and Junior MasterChef Pinoy Edition.[11]
A teaser was shown during the commercial break of Sarah G. Live and Gandang Gabi Vice last December 30, 2012. A teaser, showing the recorded snippets of the blind auditions, was aired on May 15, 2013.[12] Another trailer was posted in the show's official Facebook fan page on May 24, 2013, showing the coaches' bantering, rapport, and eagerness to fight over an auditionee.[13]

Hosts and coaches [edit]

The coaches of the first season of The Voice of the Philippines
Bamboo Mañalac
Sarah Geronimo
Lea Salonga
Apl.de.Ap
Rumors had been circulating that Toni Gonzaga and Robi Domingo, and even Lea Salonga are said to host the show.[14] Also, Zsa Zsa Padillais rumored as one of the coaches. However, all of these rumors are debunked as the production team stated that there were still no confirmed hosts or coaches for the reality show.[15][16]
After months of speculations, Toni Gonzaga was confirmed to host the franchise. It was announced on Gonzaga's talk show, The Buzz.[17]Gonzaga later confirmed that she will be joined by Robi Domingo as the show's media correspondent. Incidentally, this marks Gonzaga and Domingo's third time to work together after Pinoy Big Brother: Unlimited and Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition 4 which were also under the unit of Director Lauren Dyogi.[3]
On February 6, 2013, it was announced that Sarah Geronimo will be one of the four coaches.[18][19] During the last episode of Sarah G. Live on February 10, 2013, Bamboo Mañalac revealed that he was proud that he will be collaborating with Geronimo on a new big project, which will beThe Voice of the Philippines. On February 14, 2012, ABS-CBN aired a promotional plug during the airtime of Kahit Konting Pagtingin, a pre-primetime television drama, confirming Bamboo Mañalac's stint in the show as coach and judge.[20] On the night of February 19, 2013, Lea Salonga confirmed her stint as an official coach in the show via her official Twitter account.[21] In the same night, ABS-CBN later confirmed Salonga's role on the show.[7] It was announced in early March 2013 that Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eye Peas was being negotiated to join the said reality show.[22][23] On March 7, 2013, it was announced through ABS-CBN's entertainment website, Push, that Apl.de.Ap will sit as the fourth coach.[8] On an article posted in the network's official website dated March 20, 2013, Apl.de.Ap is slated to do the initial promotional plug with TFC London and is scheduled to arrive in Manila by April to meet and work with the three other coaches and the rest of the show's team.[24]
On April 16, 2013, Alex Gonzaga was revealed to join the show as a host. She is set to join her eldest sister, Toni Gonzaga, and Robi Domingo.[4]

Auditions [edit]

Auditions started on September 2012. Open Call Auditions were held on September 15, 2012 at Island Pacific Supermarket in Panorama City, Los AngelesCalifornia and on September 16, 2012 at California's Great America Parkway in Santa Clara, California. The auditions were only open to people with Filipino ancestry in Southern California.[25][26][27][28]
Radio screenings were also held on January 7 – 11, 2013 at various ABS-CBN Radio stations in key cities such as Metro ManilaNagaLegazpi CityBaguioTaclobanCebu CityDavao CityGeneral Santos CityZamboanga CityCagayan de Oro CityBacolodIloilo City, and Dagupan. Radio screenings were called The Voice ng Radyo (The Voice of Radio), were daily and weekly winners have the chance to directly go to the Blind auditions.[29]
Auditions in key cities throughout the Philippines were announced on the last episode of Sarah G. LiveSarah Geronimo's night variety show, on February 10, 2013. On the same night, the online auditions were also introduced which will run from February 9 to 19, 2013.[30]