The PhD dissertation is divided into two sections. The first section includes an overview of low temperature geothermal resources and the consumption of geothermal energy in Slovenia. A mathematical model is developed of a simple,cheap and rapid implementation of temperature measurements in geothermal wells, which serves as an assessment of geothermal energy and reserves, as well as for defining mechanisms of the fluids dynamic in the well. In the second section the heating system with geothermal energy is described on the basis of the provisions of the Mining Law (Official Journal RS, No. 98/2001-UPB1 and 68/2008). Mineral raw material-geothermal energy resource can be exploited under the provision of the Mining Law in such a way that after the heat is extracted the resource is returned into the layer. We searched for a solution on how to utilize the potential of geothermal water after removal of heat in heat exchangers. For classic radiator heating, this energy potential is not suitable because in the area of the Lendava district heating system we could not find a corresponding large client with floor heating. The only option available was to develop an innovative high temperature pump with large capabilities ()250 kW) which up until this moment did not exist world wide. Because of this we have together with the company Nafta-Geoterm d.o.o. Lendava and the researchers FKKT acquired the project EUREKA titled HTH Pump (High Temperature Heat Pump), which answered the question of how to directly use the waste geothermal water with a temperaturehigher than 40 oC to heat water in the radiator system up to 80 oC.
F.09 Development of a new technological process or technology
COBISS.SI-ID: 265025280The invention relates to a cell lysis method for biogenic, suspended starting materials by way of a combination of pressure exertion, spraying and decompression and subsequent selective extraction and separation of valuable cellular materials. At least one storage container is used to provide therein a suspension of a biogenic starting material and at least one further storage container is used to provide a solvent therein. A cell extract is produced in a cell lysis unit and a gas is led through the cell extract in an extraction stage and the gas loaded with the valuable cellular materials is separated from the valuable cellular materials in a separation stage while reducing the pressure.
F.32 International patent
COBISS.SI-ID: 15777046The purpose of the research project was an innovative way to tap geothermal heat from the layers of the soil around non-productive wells in which a geothermal gravitational heat pipe is installed with R717 refrigerant as heat carrier.
D.06 Final report on a foreign/international project
COBISS.SI-ID: 16626966Grapes and wine production residuals, containing grape skins, seeds and stems,represent important sources of phenolic compounds. Red wines are rich inphenolic antioxidants while white wines generally show lower (poly)phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The main difference in the production of white and red wines is the fermentation step. The fermentation of red grapes includes maceration, i.e. it takes place in both liquid and solid parts of thegrape. In the case of white wines, the must is clarified before the fermentation starts, cultured yeasts are added to convert the must to wine andantioxidant sulfur dioxide is inserted to protect the wine. The objective of the PhD research was to study antioxidant potential of white grape phenolics both in raw material and fermentation products. First, the standardsof phenolic compounds commonly found in white grapes and wines were tested for their antioxidant and antiradical activity. All tested compounds except apigenin showed strong antioxidant and antiradical properties. Afterwards, conventional solid-liquid extraction (CE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) of phenolic compounds from grape seeds were performed. The optimal extraction conditions were investigated and extracts were analyzed in order to determine their total phenolic content, individual phenolic compoundsand antiradical potential. Two different drying methods (hot air and freeze drying) were applied to the seeds. Solvent efficiencies of water, ethanol and water-ethanol mixtures were compared at different temperatures. Inaddition, supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with CO2 was investigated as the technique for the recovery of phenolic compounds and for the pretreatment of white grape seed samples. Both CE and PLE gave extracts rich in phenolic compounds with good antiradical properties and, generally, the best results were obtained with PLE at 130°C. At the end, the influence of maceration process on the content and the activity of grape phenolic antioxidants in white wines was studied. For such a purpose, six commercially available macerated white wines from Italy and Croatia were analyzed. In addition, eightnon-macerated wines from the same region and variety were studied and compared to macerated wines. The experiments have shown that the maceration process increases the total phenolic content and antiradical activity of the wine. It enables the production of white wines rich in phenolic compounds and with strong antiradical properties in completely natural way using only the grapes and without addition of any chemical agents.
F.09 Development of a new technological process or technology
COBISS.SI-ID: 15929110Within genus Wallemia three species has been recognized, Wallemia sebi, Wallemia ichthyophaga and Wallemia muriae. W. sebi is a xerotolerant, ubiquitous, food-borne, mycotoxigenic fungus and till 2005 it was the only known species of the genus Wallemia. Since very limited data about biological activity of mycotoxins produced by W. sebi exist, research work aimed to explore in more details effect of isolated fungal metabolites obtained from Wallemia species onto red blood cells, the affinity towards artificial lipid vesicles and finally to identify their chemical structure. A chlorophorm, supercritical CO2 and ethanol extract of W. sebi mycelium demonstrated a strong hemolytic activity, which was in most cases enhanced at lower water activity of the growth medium. The lytic activity of the ethanol extract showed a concentration-dependent hemolysis and preferential activity towards lipid membranes with greater fluidity. Characterization of the ethanol extract and extract obtained using supercritical CO2 by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed a mixture of sterols and unsaturated fatty acids. Latter were confirmed to be responsible for the hemolytic activity in the biological assay. The W. sebi lytic activity on mammalian erythrocytes shows its potential involvement in the formation of lesions in subcutaneous infections, in farmer's lung disease, and in consumption of contaminated food and feed with W. sebi. For the first time the production of biologically active metabolites by two other strains within genus Wallemia has been revealed.
F.09 Development of a new technological process or technology
COBISS.SI-ID: 261873920