The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the use of chlorine or ozone as sanitizing agents in the water of chicken immersion chilling, using the residual levels usually applied in Brazil (1.5 ppm), comparing the effects of these treatments on the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of carcasses. Chicken carcasses were chilled in water (4°C) with similar residual levels of ozone and chlorine until reaching temperatures below 7°C (around 45 min). The stability of carcasses was assessed during 15 days of storage at 2 ± 1°C. Microbiological, surface color (L*, a*, b* parameters), pH value, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances index), and sensory evaluation (on a 9-point hedonic scale for odor and appearance) analyses were carried out. The presence of Salmonella was not detected, coagulase-positive staphylococci counts were below 10(2) CFU/ml of rinse fluid, and Escherichia coli and total coliform counts were below 10(5) CFU/ml of rinse fluid until the end of the storage period for both treatments. Psychrotrophic microorganism counts did not differ (P > 0.05) between chlorine and ozone treatments, and both values were near 10(9) CFU/ml of rinse fluid after 15 days at 4 ± 1°C. pH values did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05) or during the storage period (P > 0.05). In addition, neither chlorine nor ozone treatment showed differences (P > 0.05) in the lipid oxidation of carcasses; however, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances index of both treatments increased (P ≤ 0.05) during the storage period, reaching values of approximately 0.68 mg of malonaldehyde per kg. Samples from both treatments did not differ (P > 0.05) in their acceptance scores for odor and overall appearance, but in the evaluation of color, ozone showed an acceptance score significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) than that for the chlorine treatment. In general, under the conditions tested, ozone showed results similar to the results for chlorine in the disinfection of chicken carcasses in the immersion chilling, which may indicate its use as a substitute for chlorine in poultry slaughterhouses.
Considering the potential of using concentrating solar power systems to supply the heat required for the allothermal gasification process, this study analyzes hydrogen production in such a system by assuming typical radiative heat flux profiles for a receiver of a central tower concentrated solar power (CSP) plant. A detailed model for allothermal gasification in a downdraft fixed bed tubular reactor is proposed. This considers solid and gas phases traveling in parallel flow along the reactor. Results for temperature and gas profile show a reasonable quantitative agreement with experimental works carried out under similar conditions. Aiming to maximize H2 yield, eight Gaussian flux distributions, similar to those typical of CSP systems, each with a total power of 8 kW (average heat flux 20 kW/m2), but with varying peak locations, were analyzed. The results show a maximum producer gas yield and a chemical efficiency of 134.1 kmol/h and 45.9% respectively, with a molar concentration of 47.2% CO, 46.9% H2, 3.3% CH4, and 2.6% CO2 for a distribution peak at z = 1.4 m, thus relatively close to the flue gas outlet. Hydrogen production and gas yield using this configuration were 4% and 2.9% higher than the achieved using the same power but homogeneously distributed. Solar to chemical efficiencies ranged from 38.9% to 45.9%, with a minimum when distribution peak was at the reactor center. These results are due to high temperatures during the latter stage of the process favoring char gasification reactions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.