Fernando Cruz-Peragón

Olive cake improvement for bioenergy: the drying kinetics.

The main solid waste generated in the olive oil production process is the olive cake (OC). However, one main drawback of using this waste product as biomass source is the cost of transport which is close related with its water content. Thus, the drying process contributes to a cleaner production with a significant reduction in the cost of transport and consequently it will be possible to improve the use of this waste product as bioenergy. The drying rate is one of the most relevant variables when performing an accurate modelling of rotary driers. To obtain the drying rate experimental, an accurate fitting of this variable as a function of parameters, such as gas temperature and speed, layer sample thickness and moisture content is required. In this sense, this work starts describing in detail the drying kinetics in OCs. Subsequently, several parametric approaches based on linear and non-linear functions have been assessed. With this contribution, it has been highlight that artificial neural networks (ANN) with automatic regularization are the best method to perform a mathematical fitting function of this variable. Consequently, drying kinetics for OCs open up new perspectives for the use of this waste product as bioenergy.

Spreadsheet for teaching reciprocating engine cycles

In an advanced heat engine course, we propose using a spreadsheet application to assist in the study of a reciprocating engine model, where the fluid composition changes and the parameters depend on the temperature. This application performs the fluid cycle analysis of different engines and also provides experience to students about computational procedures in heat engines.

Using wikis for collaborative work assessment in an electronic instrumentation course

This work shows how wikis provide an adequate frame for collaborative work, and help to evaluate it. Using the wiki tools available in the educational web platform Ilias, the students of an Electronic Instrumentation course work in teams to accomplish different tasks. After the activity due date, professors use wiki tools such as contributions index, submission history, and changes list, to assess, in an objective way, group and individual progress. The experience demonstrates to motivate student participation.