Sulphur is one of the most widely used chemical elements inthe industrialized world.  In the petrochemical industry, sulphur is considered to be a waste product and needs to be recycled.

There has been no optimal solution for the recycling of sulphur for a long period of time. But, in the 1970s in the USA and later in the former USSR, industry began using sulphur as a binding agent while producing concrete.

The advantages of the “Sulphur Concrete” are as follows:

(1) Expensive portland cement may be substituted with cheap waste sulphur;

(2) The waste products of mineral additives may be substituted for materials with the specified fractional composition; and

(3) The expensive polymer additives may be replaced by polymer-modified sulphur.

As we can see, three expensive components can be easily replaced by cheap ones.  But, why hasn’t sulphur concrete gained a widespread acceptance in the construction industry?  It is due to such reasons as:

1. The amount of polymeric sulphur in sulphur concrete is decreasing as the years go by;
2. The polymeric sulphur may take a monoclinic form therefore, chemical stabilization is needed; and
3. Sulphur concrete is not as heat-resistant since the fusion temperature of sulphur is 120ºС/248ºF.  Therefore, some thermal stabilizers are required.

Biophil Sulfur Characteristics

If there is moisture in the mixture, some types of bacteria can eat sulfur as if it were sugar.  Microbiological corrosion inhibitors are necessary to exclude such  phenomena.  Sulfur is a low-toxicity substance, but it can be sublimated even while being solid.  Sulphur concrete therefore, must contain a special insulation layer.  The above listed disadvantages affect the cost of sulfur concrete and reduce to zero all the economic benefits as described above.

It is therefore, very relevant to start using waste products or cheap components instead of inhibitors and stabilizers without involving expensive chemical equipment.

GlоbeCоre offers AVS ‘Vortex Layer’ units to companes involved in construction material manufacturing and building companies.

The AVS ‘Vortex layer’ units allow for processing such substances as:

(1) Heavy fuel oil.  Being processed in the vortex layer units, heavy fuel oil is considered to be a good stabilizer for polymeric sulphur;

(2) Metal-based wastes, that subsequently act as thermal stabilizers of solid sulphur;

(3) Halogenated wastes.  They serve as microbiological corrosion inhibitors;

(4) Sand (serve as antipyrogen); and

(5) waste oils.

Being a part of sulphur concrete, waste oil improves its insulation characteristics.  The molecules of sulphur are strengthened if liquid sulphur is processed together with heavy fuel oil in the ‘Vortex Layer’ units.   As a result, there is the poly sulphur binding substance based on copolymer sulphur.  The reactive surface resulted from the sand being grinded down and reacting to poly sulphur binding substances thereby increasing the durability of the product.

The sulphur concrete is saturated with sulfides and polysulfides as a result of grinding the mineral components based on metal oxides.

The waste oil processing in the ‘Vortex layer’ units results in drying oil used to cover the surface of the sulfur concrete products.

The quality of the grain seeds can be defined by some external factors as well as by its biological characteristics.  It is very difficult to control all the factors that affect the grain seed during its time of germination.  But there is however, a defined set of methods in the agriculture industry that reduce the negative effects of the undesirable factors and intensify the effects of the factors that benefit an increased harvest yield.

The pre-sowing stimulation and disinfection can be defined as the seed-preparation procedures that are considered to be essential.

The methods of the pre-sowing treatment can be divided into the following groups: (1) biological; (2) chemical; and (3) physical.

The biological methods consist in the seeds being soaked in different extracts that include desirable vitamins and enzymes.  But, these methods have some disadvantages such as:

(1) the promotoring agents are difficult to obtain;

(2) multiple tests are needed to meter desirable doses; and

(3) the seeds may react to one substance in different ways.

The chemical methods consist in the seeds being processed by special chemical inputs such as:

(1) inhibitors; and

(2) major mineral elements and their salts.

The main disadvantage of the chemical methods is that the substances being used are very toxic. Additionally,  they can have a negative impact on human health while decomposing.

The physical methods of the treatment of grain can be divided into such groups as (1) physical and mechanical methods; (2) thermal methods; and radiation methods.

The physical and chemical methods include bubbling, ultrasonic water treatment, and scarification.   Their disadvantages are as follows:

(1) long processing time;

(2) the seeds need to be pre-dried; and

(3) considerable labor resources are required.

The stratification, steam treatment, and variable temperature exposure are considered to be the thermal methods.  But, these methods also have disadvantages such as:

(1) long processing time; and

(2) a set temperature needs to be constantly maintained.

The radiation methods involve processing of grain by ionizing radiation.

The electro physical methods of pre-sowing treatments are of special interest nowadays. They include: (1) exposure to magnetic fields with different frequencies; or (2) exposure to electromagnetic energy of infrared (IR) or ultraviolet (UV) spectra.

The pre-sowing treatment of grain by electromagnetic fields with microwave frequencies is considered to have gained widespread acceptance as among of all electro-physical methods.

GlobeCore has developed the “Vortex layer” machine type AVS-100 to solve a wide spectrum of problems that the agricultural industry has faced for many years.  This machine is shaped like a cylinder and is made from non-magnetic materials. On the outside of the cylinder there is a mounted inductor with windings that create the electromagnetic field.  It should be noted that this machine ensures not only the pre-sowing treatment of grain, but also its disinsection and disinfection.

The pre-sowing stimulation causes the seeds react to an external irritant that is more intensive than the threshold value.  The energy of the microwave frequencies, supplied to the seeds, initiate the reactions.  The reactions take place  in the seed cells due to their own energy resources.

The microwave frequencies result in the increased amount of free radicals (unpaired electrons) that benefit such processes as: (1) the permeability of the cell membrane changes; (2) speeding up the oxidative reactions; (3) the enzymes are activated; and (4) nucleic acids are synthesized. The processes, described above contribute to dormancy breaking and growth activation.