Papers by Bruno D’Alessandro
Antibiotics offer an efficient means for managing diseases caused by bacterial pathogens. However... more Antibiotics offer an efficient means for managing diseases caused by bacterial pathogens. However, antibiotics are typically broad spectrum and they can indiscriminately kill beneficial microbes in body habitats such as the gut, deleteriously affecting the commensal gut microbiota. In addition, many bacteria have developed or are developing resistance to antibiotics, which complicates treatment and creates significant challenges in clinical medicine. Therefore, there is a real and urgent medical need to develop alternative antimicrobial approaches that will kill specific problemcausing bacteria without disturbing a normal, and often beneficial, gut microbiota. One such potential alternative approach is the use of lytic bacteriophages for managing bacterial infections, including those caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens. In the present study, we comparatively analysed the efficacy of a bacteriophage cocktail targeting Escherichia coli with that of a broadspectrum antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) using an in vitro model of the small intestine. The parameters examined included (i) the impact on a specific, pre-chosen targeted E. coli strain, and (ii) the impact on a selected non-targeted bacterial population, which was chosen to represent a defined microbial consortium typical of a healthy small intestine. During these studies, we also examined stability of bacteriophages against various pH and bile concentrations commonly found in the intestinal tract of humans. The bacteriophage cocktail was slightly more stable in the simulated duodenum conditions compared to the simulated ileum (0.12 vs. 0.58 log decrease in phage titers, respectively). It was equally effective as ciprofloxacin in reducing E. coli in the simulated gut conditions (2-3 log reduction), but had much milder (none) impact on the commensal, nontargeted bacteria compared to the antibiotic.
Fuel, 2016
Abstract Biomass to energy conversion is an important action to reach sustainability, particularl... more Abstract Biomass to energy conversion is an important action to reach sustainability, particularly on the small scale. Among different biomasses, however, vegetable oils can fire directly a compression ignited internal combustion engine with minimal pre-treatment of the fuel and adaptation of the engine. Energy production from waste cooking oils is even more interesting because it allows energy production while disposing of a residue. Data available in the Literature are rarely referring to commercially available engines therefore additional information is required on overall performance, emissions, and maintenance requirements. This paper presents the results of tests carried out by fuelling a commercially available 33 kW direct injection Diesel engine with different fuels, such as: Diesel (used as benchmark), biodiesel, linseed oil, RBDPO (Refined, Bleached and Deodorized Palm Oil), corn oil, soy oil, peanuts oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, waste frying sunflower oil and waste frying palm oil. Tests were performed at three different loads (10, 20, 30 kW) measuring fuel consumption, electricity production and exhaust gases temperature and composition. Fuel injectors were checked following each test to evaluate the fouling caused by different fuels. Results show that when increasing load fuel consumption shows a general decreasing trend while CO emissions decrease and NO X increase. All fuels show a higher consumption than diesel, due to a lower calorific value. Biodiesel CO emissions decrease with power increasing with a lower slope than diesel, therefore are lower at the lowest power and higher at the highest power. Biodiesel NO emissions are always 15–20% higher than diesel. Vegetable oil CO emissions are higher or lower than diesel ones depending on the power and on the fuel, while NO emissions are often higher than diesel ones. Specific fuel consumption, CO and NO emissions of waste frying vegetable oil are generally comparable to those of pure oils.
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2015
The contribution of the European food sector to the total amount of greenhouse gases emissions is... more The contribution of the European food sector to the total amount of greenhouse gases emissions is equal to 15%. The main environmental impact is due to the cultivation phase while the transformation has limited consequences. The sustainability of the food sector can be traced using an important indicator: Product Carbon Footprint. In this framework this paper presents the case of a traditional product: truffle sauce, which is a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and truffle. Its carbon footprint has been calculated based on ISO 14067, through the use of specific Product Category Rules, able to describe theoretical prerequisites and practical rules to be followed during the analysis in order to make results comparable with other studies. Different allocation techniques have been analyzed: system expansion has been compared with allocation based on mass and economical value. It was shown that 3% variation in the mass yield of olive oil implies 2% variation in the final carbon footprint. Different harvesting techniques were considered and their energy consumption was measured on site. Final carbon footprint for truffle sauce, assuming allocation based on system expansion, is equal to 1.93 kg CO 2 eq/kg. Truffle sauce has a lower impact compared to other similar commodities (extra virgin olive oil for example). The final result of the Product Carbon Footprint is not the only scientific value added by this paper, because Product Category Rules can be used by other researchers to calculate emissions released during truffle sauce or olive oil life cycle in other particular environments. Knowing the value of these emissions, reduction measures can be designed. The limits of this study are represented by the fact that these values are deeply influenced by seasonal variability, so this aspect should be evaluated by further studies.
Energy Procedia, 2015
A gasification plant was designed and built to test syngas production from biomass for electricit... more A gasification plant was designed and built to test syngas production from biomass for electricity generation on microscale. The plant is mainly composed by a downdraft reactor, a gas cleaning section with a cyclone and a wet scrubber, a blower for syngas extraction and an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine, Lombardini LGA 340), equipped with an alternator. A small quantity of producer was also eventually sent to a button cell SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) for preliminary characterization. The plant was tested in a preliminary experimental campaign to evaluate mass and energy balances and process efficiency. Woody biomass was used and the producer gas firstly passed through impingers bottles, to condense and measure tar concentration (according to CEN/TS 15439), and then the remaining uncondensed gas was analyzed with a micro-GC (Gas Chromatograph). The paper presents and discusses the results of the preliminary tests carried out.
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A: Journal of Power and Energy, 2003
Sustainability is one of the main goals to achieve in order to guarantee a future for future gene... more Sustainability is one of the main goals to achieve in order to guarantee a future for future generations and requires, among other issues, the recourse to renewable energy sources and the minimization of waste production. These two issues are contemporarily achieved when converting waste and residual biomass into energy. This paper presents an innovative concept for energy conversion of the abovementioned residual fuels; it combines a rotary-kiln pyrolyser, where the residual energy sources are converted into a medium lower heating value (LHV) syngas, with a gas turbine that produces energy, and also provides waste heat to maintain the endothermic pyrolysis reaction. Byproducts of the reaction include char and tars that have an interesting energetic content and may also be used to provide supplementary heat to the process. Through software modelling the paper analyses the influence on performance of main thermodynamic parameters, showing the possibilities of reaching an optimum for ...
Biomass and Bioenergy, 2014
ABSTRACT Greece and Italy are facing serious energy challenges concerning sustainability and gree... more ABSTRACT Greece and Italy are facing serious energy challenges concerning sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions as well as security of supply and the competitiveness of the internal energy market. These challenges require investments by the public sector, while the countries have seen in the last years their debts rising. A solution to promote bioenergy business, without rising public debt, could be the use of PPP (Public Private Partnership). This paper presents a methodology to develop agro-energy business using PPP in two rural areas: the municipality of Evropos (in Greece) and the municipality of Montefalco (in Italy). At first biomass availability is studied, then the optimal technology is selected. Once technological issues have been analyzed PPP value for money has to be assessed. Conventional methods to evaluate economic viability of a project are not enough and a Public-Sector Comparator (PSC) has to be calculated. Typical risks of bioenergy projects are identified, estimating their probabilities and consequences. This will lead to associate a monetary value to each risk. Then the identified risks are allocated among private and public partners, establishing synergies. The allocation of risks will have consequences on the preparation of PPP contract and on partner selection procedure. (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Biomass and wastes are distributed and renewable energy sources that may contribute effectively t... more Biomass and wastes are distributed and renewable energy sources that may contribute effectively to sustainability. Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant (IPRP) concept is based on a Gas Turbine (GT) fuelled by pyrogas produced in a rotary kiln slow pyrolysis reactor; waste heat from GT is used to sustain the pyrolysis process. The IPRP plant provides a unique solution for microscale (below 500 kW) power plants, opening a new and competitive possibility for distributed biomass or waste to energy conversion systems. To this aim a IPRP pilot plant, provided with a 80 kW micro-gas turbine, was designed and built, at the Terni facility of the University of Perugia. When used for 6,000 hours per year, electricity production is 400 MWh/year with a biomass consumption of 730 tonnes; the plant would avoid 290 t/year of CO2 in atmosphere. Data obtained with experimental activity will be used to tune simulation models which are fundamental for process optimization being the key issue for the ...
In the context of the recent decision of the European Commission to incorporate a minimum of 10% ... more In the context of the recent decision of the European Commission to incorporate a minimum of 10% biofuel by 2020 in total transport fuel use, the production of bioethanol and biodiesel will be boosted. When compared to fossil fuels this two biofuels have numerous advantages i.e. they are renewable, they run in conventional vehicles, they are not toxic, they are biodegradable, they show low particulate emissions and they are CO2 neutral. However they show some disadvantages such as the high energy demand of their production and the high yield of byproducts (i.e. glycerin for biodiesel and distiller's waste for bioethanol), that require a dedicated marketing effort and supply chain. The energy demand required for the production of both biodiesel, through transesterification of vegetal oils, and bioethanol, through fermentation followed by distillation, is thermal and mechanical and can be satisfied by means of a CHP plant integrated in the production line fueled by its own byproducts. The paper analyzes the energy balances of two CHP plants fed with the above mentioned wastes (glycerin and wheat straw residues) and integrated in the biofuels (respectively biodiesel and bioethanol) production plants. The CHP plant considered are based on the IPRP (Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant) technology, meaning a gas turbine fed with syngas obtained from slow pyrolysis of the residues. Results show that in the case of biodiesel the production of glycerine is sufficient to satisfy the electricity demand of the plant that is lower than the heat demand, while the last cannot be completely covered because glycerine production is reduced respect to the input mass of vegetable oil and equal to 10 % w/w. Concerning bioethanol, wheat straw residues are enough to cover heat demand that is the most important energy input of the process but they are not able to cover electricity input that is linked with the milling of the raw material. This is because of the reduced syngas yields and its lower energy content if compared with that obtained using glycerine.
Volume 3: Coal, Biomass and Alternative Fuels; Cycle Innovations; Electric Power; Industrial and Cogeneration, 2015
Volume 3A: Coal, Biomass and Alternative Fuels; Cycle Innovations; Electric Power; Industrial and Cogeneration, 2014
Volume 3: Turbo Expo 2003, 2003
ABSTRACT Conference code: 62074, Export Date: 7 May 2012, Source: Scopus, CODEN: AMGIE, Language ... more ABSTRACT Conference code: 62074, Export Date: 7 May 2012, Source: Scopus, CODEN: AMGIE, Language of Original Document: English, Correspondence Address: Fantozzi, F.; Università di Perugia, Dipto. di Ingegneria Industriale, Via G. Duranti 1A/4, 06125 Perugia, Italy; email: [email protected], References: (1997) Report of the Conference of the Parties on Its Third Session, Held at Kyoto from 1 to 11 December 1997, , FCCC/CP/1997/7/Add. 1;, Sponsors: International Gas Turbine Institute, ASME
Volume 7: Turbo Expo 2004, 2004
Chicken manure used as a natural fertilizer, given its high Nitrogen content, requires key action... more Chicken manure used as a natural fertilizer, given its high Nitrogen content, requires key actions in odor control that are often difficult to carry out resulting in an image loss for the company. Manure land-filling however is costly as well as incineration and this latter does still require odor control.
Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, 2011
In the context of the recent decision of the European Commission to incorporate a minimum of 10% ... more In the context of the recent decision of the European Commission to incorporate a minimum of 10% biofuel by 2020 in total transport fuel use, the production of bioethanol and biodiesel will be boosted. When compared to fossil fuels this two biofuels have numerous advantages i.e. they are renewable, they run in conventional vehicles, they are not toxic, they are biodegradable, they show low particulate emissions and they are CO2 neutral. However they show some disadvantages such as the high energy demand of their production and the high yield of byproducts (i.e. glycerin for biodiesel and distiller's waste for bioethanol), that require a dedicated marketing effort and supply chain. The energy demand required for the production of both biodiesel, through transesterification of vegetal oils, and bioethanol, through fermentation followed by distillation, is thermal and mechanical and can be satisfied by means of a CHP plant integrated in the production line fueled by its own byproducts. The paper analyzes the energy balances of two CHP plants fed with the above mentioned wastes (glycerin and wheat straw residues) and integrated in the biofuels (respectively biodiesel and bioethanol) production plants. The CHP plant considered are based on the IPRP (Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant) technology, meaning a gas turbine fed with syngas obtained from slow pyrolysis of the residues. Results show that in the case of biodiesel the production of glycerine is sufficient to satisfy the electricity demand of the plant that is lower than the heat demand, while the last cannot be completely covered because glycerine production is reduced respect to the input mass of vegetable oil and equal to 10 % w/w. Concerning bioethanol, wheat straw residues are enough to cover heat demand that is the most important energy input of the process but they are not able to cover electricity input that is linked with the milling of the raw material. This is because of the reduced syngas yields and its lower energy content if compared with that obtained using glycerine.
Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, 2007
The Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant (IPRP) concept is based on a Gas Turbine (GT) fuelled ... more The Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant (IPRP) concept is based on a Gas Turbine (GT) fuelled by pyrogas produced in a rotary kiln slow pyrolysis reactor; pyrolysis process by-product, char, is used to provide the thermal energy required for pyrolysis. An IPRP ...
Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, 2009
ABSTRACT The Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant (IPRP) concept is based on a rotary kiln pyro... more ABSTRACT The Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant (IPRP) concept is based on a rotary kiln pyrolyzer that converts biomass or wastes (B&W) in a rich gas used to fuel a gas turbine (GT); the combustion of pyrolysis by-products (char or tar), is used to provide heat to the ...
Proceedings of the ASME Turbo Expo, 2010
ABSTRACT Crude vegetable oil energy conversion is addressed as an important issue for the electri... more ABSTRACT Crude vegetable oil energy conversion is addressed as an important issue for the electric energy production without changing the CO2 concentration in atmosphere. The oil is obtained by grinding oily fruits while a high amount of energy rich residues is ...
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Papers by Bruno D’Alessandro