Bunnies as BTU? Some Swedes have chased biofuel down the rabbit hole

We've been pleased to get into biomass coverage this year, and more is on the way in December. One of the things about heating with biomass is that it's not right for every locale; often, proximity to a locally abundant fuel source is required. Now, one area in central Sweden has turned to a unique and somewhat controversial source: bunnies. (Yes, Googling "Sweden bunnies" will yield a few full articles about this.)

In a nutshell: Stockholm has a rabbit problem, as the result of too many pet rabbits released (or escaped) into the wild and subsequently breeding, well, like rabbits. The overflow of this non-native species has posed various problems for a number of the city's green spaces. The local government had already resorted to a sanctioned annual thinning of the population with the help of animal control and hunters; this reportedly reduces the bunny count by the thousands (yes, thousands).

Eventually, someone figured out a process (with the help of EU biofuel research funding) wherein the dead rabbits could be frozen and then used as fuel at a nearby plant for residential heating. It's a win/ win, right?

Not according to a local journalist, who provides my favorite quote in Helena Merriman's piece for BBC News:

"'In the town where they are burning them, the reaction of the residents is quite relaxed,' Mr. Savage told the BBC World Service. 'But in Stockholm, there's the big city attitude of the rabbits being cute.'"

I think some communities in America might have a problem with it, too. But it does get pretty chilly in Sweden, and from the sound of things, the rabbits' destiny is already a fait accompli thanks to the city's irresponsible pet owners. So, how would you feel about turning bunnies into BTUs?

BUGS ON A PLANE

No, I'm not talking about the entomological sequel to Snakes On A Plane. This headline refers to the kind of illnesses you can catch while cooped up in a "tin box," five miles above the ground, with a couple hundred other people for an hour or three of close-quarters travel.

Specifically, I'm referring to a recent article on the London Times website that reported on a "revolutionary new air filter" developed by a small English company named Quest International in conjunction with BAE Systems (an aerospace company).

Robert Beverly "Bunnies as BTU? Some Swedes have chased biofuel down the rabbit hole". Engineered Systems. FindArticles.com. 24 Jan, 2010. http://findarticles.com

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Teknology SMS untuk Kemudahan Pekerjaan Kita

• Anda mempunyai Bisnis / komunitas tertentu?


• Anda sedang mencari cara promosi yang lebih hemat namun lebih efektif?


• Ingin informasi Bisnis/Komunitas Anda bisa diakses lebih luas, lebih cepat, lebih mudah dan lebih murah oleh pelanggan/member Anda?


• Ingin mempunyai mesin penjawab SMS otomatis? Yang mampu menjawab setiap SMS masuk dengan jawaban yang tepat?


• Anda ingin membuat pelanggan/member Anda tetap setia dan semakin Loyal?


• Sedang mencari cara agar produk atau jasa Anda bisa dipesan melalui SMS (secara otomatis dan mudah)?



• Ingin melakukan jajak pendapat melalui SMS dengan biaya hemat?


• Ingin melakukan Quick Count via SMS?


• Ingin mempunyai layanan SMS konten khusus member Anda?


• Pendaftaran member via SMS?

Jika salah satu alasan diatas cocok dengan permasalahan Anda, mysmscenter adalah solusinya

Mysmscenter adalah Software desktop manajemen SMS via PC/Laptop. Bisa digunakan untuk berbagai keperluan mulai dari bisnis, sekolah, LBB, organisasi/komunitas, kampanye Parpol, sampai dengan jajak pendapat via SMS.

Bagi Anda yang ingin menerapkan teknologi SMS pada bidang usaha Anda, dapatkan informasi lengkapnya gratis di HP Anda. Caranya:

Ketik : MSC125{spasi}NAMA 
Kirim ke 0888 3799 165

Dalam 1x24 jam salah satu staf kami akan menelepon Anda untuk memberikan pelayanan secara langsung.

Kelebihan Mysmscenter

• Biaya SMS normal sesuai operator GSM yang digunakan (sangat murah)


• Teknologi SMS yang Fleksibel, bisa digunakan untuk berbagai macam keperluan (silahkan konsultasikan dengan tim kami)


• Tidak butuh koneksi internet. Sangat hemat, karena biaya operasional yang Anda tanggung hanya biaya SMS.


• Software bisa didownload dan dicoba Gratis sebelum Anda membeli (jangan beli kucing dalam karung)


• Teknologi yang terus dikembangkan dan menerima Fitur tambahan Custom sesuai permintaan Anda.

Beberapa Fitur pada software ini adalah:

• SMS Order Produk: memungkinkan member Anda untuk melakukan pemesanan produk via SMS dengan sistem deposit. Setiap pemesanan produk akan memotong saldo deposit member tsb.


• SMS info sistem CS: pelanggan maupun calon pelanggan Anda bisa mengakses informasi tentang bisnis Anda melalui ponsel. Informasi apapun bisa Anda setting. termasuk stok produk, harga member, harga non member, info diskon, SMS Hikmah, Info absensi SIswa, dll (untuk keperluan apapun)


• SMS Jajak Pendapat: Quick Count, Polling, Voting, Quik Report (lengkap beserta Grafik/Chart dan prosentase pemilih)


• SMS Konten: Anda bisa membebankan tarif SMS sesuai keinginan Anda kepada member yang mengakses SMS info. Tarif langsung dipotongkan pada Saldo member.


• SMS Auto Forwarder: Admin Kirim SMS melalui HP pribadinya dan langsung di sebar ke seluruh member dalam suatu Grup tertentu.


• Dan banyak lagi Fitur yang tidak cukup untuk dituliskan di sini.

Bagi Anda yang ingin menerapkan teknologi SMS pada bidang usaha Anda, dapatkan informasi lengkapnya gratis di HP Anda.

Ketik : MSC125{spasi}NAMA
Kirim ke 0888 3799 165

Dalam 1x24 jam salah satu staf kami akan menelepon Anda untuk memberikan pelayanan secara langsung.

KUPON DISKON 10%: MSC12581578557373
 
Simpan dan gunakan kupon diskon pada saat pembelian software dan dapatkan potongan harga 10% dari harga software. Kupon diskon berlaku selamanya.

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Vegetable fats and oils

Vegetable fats and oils are lipid materials derived from plants. Physically, oils are liquid at room temperature, and fats are solid. Chemically, both fats and oils are composed of triglycerides, as contrasted with waxes which lack glycerin in their structure. Although many different parts of plants may yield oil,[1] in commercial practice, oil is extracted primarily from seeds.

The melting temperature distinction between oils and fats is imprecise, since definitions of room temperature vary, and typically natural oils have a melting range instead of a single melting point.

Vegetable fats and oils may be edible or inedible. Examples of inedible vegetable fats and oils include processed linseed oil, tung oil, and castor oil used in lubricants, paints, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial purposes. Although thought of as esters of glycerin and a varying blend of fatty acids, fats and oils also typically contain free fatty acids, monoglycerides, and diglycerides.

source : www.wikipedia.org

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Asam Lemak

Asam lemak, bersama-sama dengan gliserol, merupakan penyusun utama minyak nabati atau lemak dan merupakan bahan baku untuk semua lipida pada makhluk hidup. Asam ini mudah dijumpai dalam minyak masak (goreng), margarin, atau lemak hewan dan menentukan nilai gizinya. Secara alami, asam lemak bisa berbentuk bebas (karena lemak yang terhidrolisis) maupun terikat sebagai gliserida.

Karakteristik Asam Lemak

Asam lemak tidak lain adalah asam alkanoat atau asam karboksilat berderajat tinggi (rantai C lebih dari 6). Karena berguna dalam mengenal ciri-cirinya, asam lemak dibedakan menjadi asam lemak jenuh dan asam lemak tak jenuh. Asam lemak jenuh hanya memiliki ikatan tunggal di antara atom-atom karbon penyusunnya, sementara asam lemak tak jenuh memiliki paling sedikit satu ikatan ganda di antara atom-atom karbon penyusunnya.

Asam lemak merupakan asam lemah, dan dalam air terdisosiasi sebagian. Umumnya berfase cair atau padat pada suhu ruang (27° Celsius). Semakin panjang rantai C penyusunnya, semakin mudah membeku dan juga semakin sukar larut.

Asam lemak jenuh bersifat lebih stabil (tidak mudah bereaksi) daripada asam lemak tak jenuh. Ikatan ganda pada asam lemak tak jenuh mudah bereaksi dengan oksigen (mudah teroksidasi). Karena itu, dikenal istilah bilangan oksidasi bagi asam lemak.

Keberadaan ikatan ganda pada asam lemak tak jenuh menjadikannya memiliki dua bentuk: cis dan trans. Semua asam lemak nabati alami hanya memiliki bentuk cis (dilambangkan dengan "Z", singkatan dari bahasa Jerman zusammen). Asam lemak bentuk trans (trans fatty acid, dilambangkan dengan "E", singkatan dari bahasa Jerman entgegen) hanya diproduksi oleh sisa metabolisme hewan atau dibuat secara sintetis. Akibat polarisasi atom H, asam lemak cis memiliki rantai yang melengkung. Asam lemak trans karena atom H-nya berseberangan tidak mengalami efek polarisasi yang kuat dan rantainya tetap relatif lurus.

Ketengikan (Ingg. rancidity) terjadi karena asam lemak pada suhu ruang dirombak akibat hidrolisis atau oksidasi menjadi hidrokarbon, alkanal, atau keton, serta sedikit epoksi dan alkohol (alkanol). Bau yang kurang sedap muncul akibat campuran dari berbagai produk ini.

article source :www.wikipedia.org

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Rose Oils

Rose oil, meaning either rose otto (attar of rose, attar of roses) or rose absolute, is the essential oil extracted from the petals of various types of rose. Rose ottos are extracted through steam distillation, while rose absolutes are obtained through solvent extraction or supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, with the absolute being used more commonly in perfumery. Even with their high price and the advent of organic synthesis, rose oils are still perhaps the most widely used essential oil in perfumery.

The most common chemicals compounds present in rose oil are: citronellol, geraniol, nerol, linalool, phenyl ethyl alcohol, farnesol, stearoptene, α-pinene, β-pinene, α-terpinene, limonene, p-cymene, camphene, β-caryophyllene, neral, citronellyl acetate, geranyl acetate, neryl acetate, eugenol, methyl eugenol, rose oxide, α-damascenone, β-damascenone, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, rhodinyl acetate, phenyl ethyl formate

The key flavor compounds that contribute to the distinctive scent of rose oil, however, are beta-damascenone, beta-damascone, beta-ionone, and rose oxide. Beta-damascenone presence and quantity is considered as the marker for the quality of rose oil. Even though these compounds exist in less than 1% quantity of rose oil, they make up for slightly more than 90% of the odor content due to their low odor detection thresholds

Due to the labor-intensive production process and the low content of oil in the rose blooms, rose oil commands a very high price. Harvesting of flowers is done by hand in the morning before sunrise and material is distilled the same day.

There are three main methods of extracting the oil from the plant material:

1. Steam distillation, which produces an oil called rose otto or attar of roses.
2. Solvent extraction, which results in an oil called rose absolute.
3. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, yielding an essential oil that may be marketed as either an absolute or as a CO2 extract.

Distillation

In the process of distillation, large stills, traditionally of copper, are filled with roses and water. The still is fired for 60–105 minutes. The vaporized water and rose oil exit the still and enter a condensing apparatus and are then collected in a flask. This distillation yields a very concentrated oil, direct oil, which makes up about 20% of the final product. The water which condenses along with the oil is drained off and redistilled, cohobation, in order to obtain the water-soluble fractions of the rose oil such as phenyl ethyl alcohol which are a vital component of the aroma and which make up the large bulk, 80%, of the oil. The two oils are combined and make the final rose otto.

Rose otto is usually dark olive-green in color and will form white crystals at normal room temperature which disappear when the oil is gently warmed. It will tend to become more viscous at lower temperatures due to this crystallization of some of its components.

The essence has a very strong odor, but is pleasant when diluted and used for perfume. Attar of roses was once made in India, Persia, Syria, and the Ottoman Empire. The Rose Valley in Bulgaria, near the town of Kazanlak, is among the major producers of attar of roses in the world.[2]

Due to the heat required for distillation, some of the compounds extracted from the rose undergo denaturing or chemical breakdown. As such, rose otto does not smell very similar to "fresh" roses.

The hydrosol portion of the distillate is known as rosewater. This inexpensive by-product is used widely as a food flavoring as well as in skin care.

Solvent extraction

In the solvent extraction method, the flowers are agitated in a vat with a solvent such as hexane, which draws out the aromatic compounds as well as other soluble substances such as wax and pigments. The extract is subjected to vacuum processing which removes the solvent for re-use. The remaining waxy mass is known as a concrete. The concrete is then mixed with alcohol which dissolves the aromatic constituents, leaving behind the wax and other substances. The alcohol is low-pressure evaporated, leaving behind the finished absolute. The absolute may be further processed to remove any impurities that are still present from the solvent extraction.

Rose absolute is a deep reddish brown with no crystals. Due to the low temperatures in this process, the absolute may be more faithful to the scent of the fresh rose than the otto.

Carbon dioxide extraction

A third process, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, combines the best aspects of the other two methods. When carbon dioxide is put under at least 72.9 atm of pressure and at a temperature of at least 31.1°C (the critical point), it becomes a supercritical fluid with the permeation properties of a gas and the solvation properties of a liquid. (Under normal pressure CO2 changes directly from a solid to a gas in a process known as sublimation.) The supercritical fluid CO2 extracts the aromatics from the plant material.

Like solvent extraction, the CO2 extraction takes place at a low temperature, extracts a wide range of compounds rendering an essence more faithful to the original, and leaves the aromatics unaltered by heat. Because CO2 is gas at normal atmospheric pressure, it leaves no trace of itself in the final product. The equipment for CO2 extraction is expensive, which is reflected in the price of the essential oils obtained from the process.
source : wikipedia

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How and Why to Make Bioethanol

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol), also known as grain alcohol, is the same 'alcohol' found in all alcoholic drinks. Bioethanol is simply ethanol that has been produced using biological materials (biomass) for feedstocks. Since it relies on sunlight and photosynthesis to contribute to the growth of that biomass (plants, grasses, corn, wheat, etc), bioethanol is a renewable fuel. Bioethanol is made when biomass is converted to sugars, which are then fermented into ethanol. The process of hydrolysis seperates most of the water from ethanol, leaving an end product that is generally about 95% ethanol and 5% water. Bioethanol can be blended with conventional gasoline at any ratio, but the most common blend is E10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline, sometimes called Gasohol), which can be used in existing gasoline engines without modifications and without affecting vehicle warranty. Higher blends, such as E85, require a Flexible fuel vehicle (FFV).


The energy economy needs alternatives to fossil fuels, as demand rockets skyward and concern mounts over the effects of fossil fuels on climate. One possibility is bioethanol, a renewable, carbon-neutral fuel that can be used as a direct replacement for liquid petroleum gas (LPG) in internal combustion engines. Samir Bhatt gave a talk at the New Cavendish Laboratory on 26 July to describe the production of bioethanol and its possible future uses. Bhatt’s work in this area began with a project he conducted in 2004 at the University of Bath to design a bioethanol facility

from scratch, taking into account everything from material requirements, through detailed process design, to economic viability and environmental impacts. He now works as a bioinformatician at the Sanger Institute. The production of bioethanol can be broken down into five stages: feedstock growth, milling, hydrolysis, fermentation and purification. The raw material for bioethanol production is carbohydrate from plants. Any carbohydrate source can in principle be used as a feedstock. Sugar beet is the most common crop grown in the UK for this purpose. In Brazil, the world’s biggest bioethanol producer, sugar cane is the crop of choice, while the USA and Canada rely heavily on maize.
These feedstocks are processed and ground into homogeneous feed (milling) toincrease the accessible surface area of carbohydrates for hydrolysis. The hydrolysis stage breaks down the chains of complex carbohydrates such as starch into
simple sugars such as glucose. These sugars are then digested in large steel containers called fermenters by microorganisms such as yeast, which produces ethanol as a by-product of its normal metabolism. Ethanol is toxic to yeast at concentrations above about 15%, so it must be continually siphoned from the fermenter in order to maintain production. The ethanol is normally siphoned off at about 6% and must then be purified to greater than 99% to be fuel-grade for internal combustion engines. Because the profit margin for bioethanol production is small, every aspect must be optimised in order to achieve a financial return. Teams of engineers work to refine every detail of production, from recycling undigested starch to choosing the thickness of fermenter rotor blades.

With such precise optimisation, bioethanol production can and has been a success around the world. Brazil has lead the way since the creation of its 'ProAlcool' program in 1975. By 1988 a third of all Brazil’s cars were fuelled solely by
bioethanol. Ethanol/LPG blends are now widely available in the USA, where the bioethanol market is growing by around 15% per year. The USA is close to overtaking Brazil as the largest bioethanol producer.

In the UK, Tesco now sells LPG containing 5% bioethanol as standard at hundreds of petrol stations across the country, while in March Morrisons opened the nation’s first 'E85' pump, delivering a mixture of 85% bioethanol and 15% petrol. Advances in technology have improved production efficiency dramatically over the past three decades. Modern plants now take advantage of enzyme hydrolysis that improves glucose yield from complex carbohydrates, newly developed strains of yeast and bacteria that can take advantage of otherwise indigestible 5-carbon sugars such as xylose, and new
membrane technologies are making ethanol purification to fuel grade 99% quicker and cheaper. Improved efficiency,combined with expected increases in demand as fossil fuel sources become unreliable leading to higher prices, may make bioethanol an even more lucrative business in the coming years.

Indeed, the market is already growing: world production of bioethanol jumped from the energy equivalent of just over 10 million tonnes of crude oil (tonnes of oil equivalent' or 'toe') in 2002 to over 16 million toe in 2005. This is, however, still
dwarfed by total global crude oil production, which was around 4.3 billion toe for 2005. According to Futura Petroleum Ltd, bioethanol has the potential to provide 1.3 billion toe, equivalent to 30% of world crude oil consumption in 2005. Other biofuels also show great promise. Biobutanol can be produced in much the same way as bioethanol, has an energy density closer to petroleum gas and can be used in standard engines at higher concentrations than bioethanol.

No one energy source will meet the world’s needs, especially given that demand is set to grow still further. Although it is unclear how the energy market will play out over the next half-century, it seems that biofuels could play an increasingly
prominent part. David Mackay's homepage, including 'You Figure it Out', a new book on the sustainable energy crisis.

Contributed by Peter Davenport From Source http://www.bluesci.org

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Pneumatic Actuator

A pneumatic actuator converts energy (in the form of compressed air, typically) into motion. The motion can be rotary or linear, depending on the type of actuator. Some types of pneumatic actuators include:

* Tie rod cylinders
* Rotary actuators
* Grippers
* Rodless actuators with magnetic linkage or rotary cylinders
* Rodless actuators with mechanical linkage
* Pneumatic artificial muscles

* Speciality actuators that combine rotary and linear motion—frequently used for clamping operations
* Vacuum generators

A Pneumatic actuator mainly consists of a piston, a cylinder, and valves or ports. The piston is covered by a diaphragm, or seal, which keeps the air in the upper portion of the cylinder, allowing air pressure to force the diaphragm downward, moving the piston underneath, which in turn moves the valve stem, which is linked to the internal parts of the actuator. Pneumatic actuators may only have one spot for a signal input, top or bottom, depending on action required. Valves require little pressure to operate and usually double or triple the input force. The larger the size of the piston, the larger the output pressure can be. Having a larger piston can also be good if air supply is low, allowing the same forces with less input. These pressures are large enough to crush object in the pipe. On 100 kPa input, you could lift a small car (upwards 1,000 lbs) easily, and this is only a basic, small pneumatic valve. However, the resulting forces required of the stem would be too great and cause the valve stem to fail.

This pressure is transferred to the valve stem, which is hooked up to either the valve plug (see plug valve), butterfly valve etc. Larger forces are required in high pressure or high flow pipelines to allow the valve to overcome these forces, and allow it to move the valves moving parts to control the material flowing inside.

Valves input pressure is the "control signal." This can come from a variety of measuring devices, and each different pressure is a different set point for a valve. A typical standard signal is 20–100 kPa. For example, a valve could be controlling the pressure in a vessel which has a constant out-flow, and a varied in-flow (varied by the actuator and valve). A pressure transmitter will monitor the pressure in the vessel and transmit a signal from 20–100 kPa. 20 kPa means there is no pressure, 100 kPa means there is full range pressure (can be varied by the transmiters calibration points). As the pressure rises in the vessel, the output of the transmitter rises, this increase in pressure is sent to the valve, which causes the valve to stroke downard, and start closing the valve, decreasing flow into the vessel, reducing the pressure in the vessel as excess pressure is evacuated through the out flow. This is called a direct acting process.
sumber : www.wikipedia.org

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Pneumatic

Pneumatics is the use of pressurized gas to affect mechanical motion.
Pneumatics is that branch of technology, which deals with the study and application of use of pressurized gas to affect mechanical motion.
Pneumatic power is used in industry, where factory machines are commonly plumbed for compressed air; other compressed inert gases can also be used. Pneumatics also has applications in dentistry, construction, mining, and other areas.

Examples of pneumatic systems and components

* Air brakes on buses and trucks
* Air brakes, on trains
* Air compressors
* Air engines for pneumatically powered vehicles
* Barostat systems used in Neurogastroenterology and for researching electricity
* Cable jetting, a way to install cables in ducts
* Compressed-air engine and compressed-air vehicles
* Gas-operated reloading
* Holman Projector, a pneumatic anti-aircraft weapon
* Lego pneumatics can be used to build pneumatic models

* Pipe organs:
o Electro-pneumatic action
o Tubular-pneumatic action

* Pneumatic actuator
* Pneumatic air guns
* Pneumatic cylinder
* Pneumatic Launchers, a type of spud gun
* Pneumatic mail systems
* Pneumatic motor
* Pneumatic tire

* Pneumatic tools:
o Pneumatic drill (jackhammer) used by road workers
o Pneumatic nailgun

* Pressure regulator
* Pressure sensor
* Pressure switch
* Switch
* Vacuum pump
article source : www.wikipedia.org

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Pneumatic Tube

Pneumatic tubes (or capsule pipelines; Lamson tubes) are systems in which cylindrical containers are propelled through a network of tubes by compressed air or by vacuum. They are used for transporting solid objects, as opposed to more generic pipelines, which transport gases or fluids.

Pneumatic tube networks gained great prominence in the late 19th and early 20th century for businesses or administrations that needed to transport small but urgent packages (such as mail or money) over relatively short distances (within a building, or, at most, within a city). Some of these systems grew to great complexity, but they were eventually superseded by more modern methods of communication and courier transport, and are now much rarer than before.

A small number of pneumatic transportation systems were also built for larger cargo, to compete with more standard train and subway systems. However, these never gained as much popularity as practical systems.
sumber : www.wikipedia.org

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How to Make VCO (Virgin Cococnout Oil)

Virgin Coconut oil is everywhere these days. From cosmetics to medicines to food supplements, it is definitely a phenomenon that is here to stay. It therefore pays to gain knowledge and be familiar with virgin coconut oil.

Definition: Virgin Coconut oil is oil extracted from fresh coconut (not copra) meat by mechanical or natural means. It can be obtained with or without using heat. To protect the oil’s essential properties, the production of virgin coconut oil does not undergo chemical refining, bleaching, or deodorizing. Said to be high in vitamins and minerals, it is fit for consumption without the need for further processing.

Physical Characteristics: Pale yellow to colorless oil with a distinct taste and scent. Depending on the method used in the drying and processing, some virgin coconut oil may have a smoky flavor and slight yellowish in color. High quality virgin coconut oil should be colorless and residue free.

According to the standards set by Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Product Standards of the Philippines (the worlds largest exporter of coconuts), virgin coconut oil must be colorless, sediment free with natural fresh coconut scent and free from rancid odors or tastes. It is required to have a maximum of .20% moisture and volatile content to prevent rancidity and should not contain food additives. -PNS/BAFPS 22:2004 with Amendment 1:2005.

Methods Used in the Manufacture of Virgin Coconut Oil

1. Drying-Fresh coconut meat is dried to produce the oil. Low heat is used to quick dry the coconut meat.

2. Wet-milling- In this method, fresh coconut meat is not dried. The coconut meat is squeezed out to produce the milk first. The oil produced is separated from the water and solid components (which is mostly protein). It is difficult to remove the oil and various methods like boiling, fermentation, refrigeration, enzymes and mechanical centrifuge are used.

3. Fermentation- This is the traditional method. Coconut milk extracted from the fresh coconuts is fermented for 1-3 days for the oil to separate from the water and solid contents (which are mostly protein). The oil is slightly heated to reduce moisture content and be filtered.

Making Coconout Oil

1.Select only fresh and mature quality coconuts.

2.Split coconuts and collect coconut water.

3.Grate coconuts and collect coconut meat.

4.Bag the coconut meat. Use white nylon mesh bag.

5.Place bag in a Cold Press* machine. At home, you can hand press using gloves. Collect coconut milk.

6.Soak the pressed bag in coconut water and press for a second time. Collect more coconut milk.

7.Allow the coconut milk to settle undisturbed in a cabinet at 32degC for 10-17 hours.
Coconut oil will naturally separate from water and proteins.

8.Carefully collect and filter the oil and avoid mixing with the bottom water layer. The oil is colorless.

Few Tips from Cris: To filter your oil, use filter paper from the drug store. Place it on top of a funnel so that the oil will drain to your chosen container. Filter at least 2 times. Cover well and keep away from light.

article source : http://www.thevirgincoconutoil.com

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How to make biodiesel fuel from used cooking oil

Biodiesel is a fuel that can be used directly in any diesel engine generally without modification. It's viscosity is twice that of regular diesel fuel which means it is better at lubricating your diesel engine than regular diesel. And... emissions are cut dramatically vs using standard diesel fuel. You can buy Biodiesel already made. Your other option is to make it yourself using your own homemade equipment or by purchasing something like a Fuelmeister biodiesel processor. It costs $2995, but it comes with everything you need to make many, many gallons of biodiesel fuel. One other option is to burn straight vegetable oil (SVO) in your diesel engine.

To do this, you must do three things: 1) You must pre-heat your vegetable oil including the storage tank and all feed lines, 2) You must start your engine using regular diesel or biodiesel, and 3) You must clean your system by burning only regular diesel or biodiesel before shutting the engine off. I don't recommend the SVO method because there is the possibility of carbon buildup in the long run and that may damage your engine. Here are the instructions on making your own biodiesel.

WARNING!!!! - Methanol is flammable and toxic. Do not let it touch your skin or get in your eyes. Wear proper protective gloves, clothing, and eyewear at all times. Same thing with ethanol. Lye is also very caustic - do not allow it to touch your skin or clothing. When you mix the lye with the alcohol, it creates an even more toxic substance and toxic fumes which you should be very careful with - do not come into contact with it in any way. Always be in a well ventilated area. Also... you are 100% responsible for your own safety. The author is not responsible in any way whatsoever for personal injury or damage to your engine.

Here is a general description of how to make biodiesel fuel using methanol, lye, and used cooking oil. This process is called transesterification.You can buy methanol from your local racetrack or chemical supply store. You can buy granulated lye (sodium hydroxide) from your local grocery store or hardware store. Make sure you filter the used cooking oil before using. Fry oil filters can be purchased in any good restaurant supply store. The oil also must be warmed up so it is not solid or lumpy or thick. You can use the sun to heat the oil or some kind of water heating element or a electric or gas burner of some sort. The ideal temperature is 120° F. If you are using flames, remember that the methanol is extremely flammable and you should turn your burner off before getting the methanol mixture anywhere near it. Of course, this should all be done in a well ventilated area too.

Hint: to determine the amount of lye needed to start the transesterification process to make biodiesel, do a small test batch first. You don't want to mix up a large batch only to find out that you did not use enough lye. Some used cooking oils may contain different amounts of animal fats. The more animal fat in the vegetable oil, the more lye you need to start the process. Start with just 1 liter of oil and 200 milliliters (1/5th of a liter) of methanol and 4.5 grams of lye. First, mix the lye in with the methanol until dissolved (this creates sodium methoxide - very, very caustic - be careful). Then mix the sodium methoxide with the vegetable oil and mix for 1 hour. After mixing, let it settle for an hour or two and it should form two distinct layers of biodiesel (top) and glycerin (bottom). If there are not two distinct layers, repeat the whole process with 5.5 grams of lye.

You can also perform what is called a titration... Dissolve 1 gram of lye into one liter of distilled water and dissolve 1 milliliter of vegetable oil into 10 ml of isopropyl alcohol. Then drop the diluted lye into the diluted vegetable oil one ml at a time. After each ml, measure the pH of the diluted vegetable oil with litmus paper or a pH meter. When the pH rises significantly, the free fatty acids will be neutralized. The ideal pH is between 8 and 9. The number of ml used will equal the number of extra grams of lye to use per liter of vegetable oil (starting from 3.5 grams of lye).

So, let's assume 5.5 grams of lye produced the desired distinct two layers. We now want to scale it up to a 10 liter batch. So we need 10 liters of used cooking oil, heated. 2 liters of methanol and 55 grams of lye. Mix the lye with the methanol until dissolved and then pour the sodium methoxide mixture into the vegetable oil. Stir for one hour. The mixer can be a sump pump setup or some sort of mechanical electric mixer like a paint stirring setup. After mixing, let it settle for 8 hours. After settling, you can siphon or pump the biodiesel from the top or drain the glycerin from the bottom if you have a mixing container with a valve at the bottom. After washing, run it through a Racor fuel filter before burning it in your engine. The bottom part after settling is glycerin. If you allow it to sit in the sun for a week to evaporate all the methanol, you can use it as a degreaser or to clean your hands. To learn how to make liquid and hard soap from the glycerin, get the best book ever written on biodiesel.... "From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank". This book gives you everything you ever wanted to know about how to make biodiesel including how to build your own processor.

Washing your biodiesel... after the above process is completed, you should "wash" your biodiesel fuel to remove any residual soaps suspended in your fuel. The easiest way to get rid of the unwanted soap is to simply add water. The water will emulsify with the glycerin soap and settle to the bottom. So to perform the wash, simply spray an equal amount of water on top of your biodiesel and let it settle to the bottom for 12 hours. Drain the water off the bottom of your container with a valve and then repeat the process 2-3 times until the water drained off is clear. Heat your biodiesel up to 130° F for 20 minutes to evaporate any residual water and you are literally ready to go! Remember to filter it in a 5-10 micron filter before burning it in your engine.

Other ingredients - Instead of using methanol, you can use ethanol to make biodiesel. Ethanol is less toxic than methanol and is considered a "greener" fuel than methanol. Ethanol is "grain alcohol" and is usually made from corn which makes it a renewable fuel. Methanol is highly toxic and is made from fossil fuels or it can be distilled from fermented wood. That's why it's often called "wood alcohol". Also... you can use potassium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide. I believe you'll have to use 1.4 times as much potassium hydroxide as sodium hydroxide though. Make sure you do your "test batch" first!
Two more things....

1) You might be wondering... what kind of engine I need to use biodiesel... basically, biodiesel will run in any diesel engine unmodified. Biodiesel is a solvent, so if you put it in an old tank or use it with a diesel engine that has been running regular diesel, it may clean and dissolve some "residues" and then the residues will clog your fuel filter. Changing the filter often when you first start using biodiesel usually fixes this problem. Usually, manufacturers warranties are not voided when biodiesel is used, but check with your manufacturer to make sure. Sometimes a blend like B20 is required (20% biodiesel). If you are running straight vegetable oil (SVO), then you need to make modifications to pre-heat the oil to increase it's viscosity.

2) The only other problem you might have is with natural rubber gaskets and hoses in vehicles made prior to 1992. The biodiesel may degrade these types of rubber and they may need replacing after a while. Newer engines have been modified (synthetic rubber) to stand up to the newer blends of diesel fuel that have been in use since 1992 and these engines will work fine with biodiesel

Article From http://www.biodieselmake.com/

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Personal Networking

A Personal Network is a set of human contacts known to an individual, with whom that individual would expect to interact at intervals to support a given set of activities.
Personal networks are intended to be mutually beneficial--extending the concept of teamwork beyond the immediate peer group. The term is usually encountered in the workplace, though it could apply equally to other pursuits outside work.
Personal networking is the practice of developing and maintaining a personal network, which is usually undertaken over an extended period.

Networking has undergone a complete transformation. From a time when it had distatesful connotations with power-hungry megalomaniacs, who would develop social relationships to turn to their business advantage, it has become an essential but altruistic tool for those wishing to be the best they can be.
Relationships are critical to success; so often, knowing the right person to ask is as valuable as knowing the answer yourself, if not more so. Being well-connected is the ultimate source of personal effectivess and advantage. And it's now a case of shared success - with what you can give being as important as what you get out of your networking success.

So many networking books either focus on the social 'meeting people and making friends' or the overly formal 'influencing and connecting' sides to networking. Personal Networking provides a straightforward approach to building and working within networks. It delivers a practical guide to creating the kind of network that you need, and becoming a natural and effective networked communicator.

Contents
Turn Personal Capital into Personal Success This book is the third in a trilogy of books that define how we need to be successful in the new world. Bye bye steady job, safe office and soft landing options, hello free agent working, free market operation, and open network business architecture. The three books deal with the critical success factors of Personal Leadership, Personal Value, and Personal Networking. Although you might act on one of these areas in isolation, only by tackling all three will you really optimize your personal capital in the market. The important point about the networking book is that doing 1 and 2 will lead to immediate success but only by taking what we know and do to market through a social network can we have to create synergistic success.
Chapter 1 – Amplify your Personal Capital into Social Capital
Chapter 2 – What me network? Everyone networks, but we don’t always realise it. Your network – just think about those people who you call when you need a hand with moving the furniture, writing a report or fixing up a blind date, these people are your network. The trick is to use the same process, but in this case to enhance the positing of your personal capital in the market. Specifically to not to just let it happen but to be conscious of the process. Networks network – think about the growth or mergers and acquisitions that run riot across industry. Although many of them seek to achieve cost reductions and economies of scale, a large element are designed to exploit the synergies of bringing diverse networks of people together.
Chapter 3 - Networking as social capital
Chapter 4 – Making your net-work

The 6 factors that will help you to make your net-work are:
Activate the abundance – Good networking is a process grounded in integrity, working within areas of shared interest where all players benefit.
Build a bridge – You can easily categorize your different relationships in the form of a relationship bridge, to quickly gauge your level of interaction. This bridge will indicate the strength of the relationship s- ranging from inactive to interactive.
Chart the connections – Take the time to explore the richness of your network. Your value will be more extensively realized when your network is mapped, measured and managed
Dare to be Different – A key action within any networking process is stickiness. How can you keep to the front of your colleagues mind? Once way to do this is to help them understand how you are different form everyone else in their network.
Entrust each other – the level of trust in your network is directly proportional to the quality and quantity of value that it will create. By creating a network link with someone, you are entrusting that persona with your brand, market value and personal reputation. This is not something to be given lightly.
Fuel the flow – people will always be part of more than one network, so you need to seek to refresh and re-energize your network such that is stays attractive to others. Any system in this universe has a natural tendency to entropy, and networks need maintenance work! You fuel the flow not just to maintain the network but to maintain and grow the level and value of human connectivity.
Chapter 5 – Activate abundance
Chapter 6 – Build bridges
Chapter 7 – Chart the connections
Chapter 8 – Dare to be different
Chapter 9 –Entrust others Chapter
10 - Fuel the flow

Author Mick Cope is founder of WizOz – a network based organisation that seeks to help people and businesses optimise their potential. WizOz offers a range of different products and services, all of which are based around the ideas outlined his books. As an author he has published seven books; Leading the Organisation to Learn; Seven Cs of Consulting; Know your value? Value what you know; Lead Yourself , Float-You, Personal Networking, and 7Cs of Coaching. He has a number of goals in life, the simple one is to live a life of personal freedom where he is able to think, feel and behave according to his values and not succumb to the demands of others. The more challenging one is to help 1000 people achieve the same in their life.

aricle resources : www.wikipedia.org www.businesstitles.com

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Making Ice Cream Without Machine, Why Not ?

People have been making ice cream far longer than the invention of electricity so there's no reason you can't make ice cream and sorbets at home without a machine.
The advantage to using an electric or hand-cranked machine is that the final result will be smoother and creamier. Freezing anything from liquid-to-solid means you're creating hard ice crystals, so if you're making it by hand, as your ice cream or sorbet mixture freezes, you want to break up those ice crystals as much as possible so your final results are as smooth and creamy as possible.




Machines are relatively inexpensive nowadays with models costing less than $50, and yes, I've seen the ball, but if I started tossing one of those around the streets here in Paris, I'd probably get even more strange looks than I normally get. (Plus you'll need to lug some rock salt home as well.)
But not everyone has the space or the budget for a machine, so here's how you can do your own ice cream at home without a churner. I recommend starting with an ice cream recipe that is custard-based for the smoothest texture possible. You can use my Vanilla Ice Cream or another favorite, or even this Strawberry Frozen Yogurt recipe using Greek-style or drained yogurt. The richer the recipe, the creamier and smoother the results are going to be.
Ice cream made this way is best eaten soon after it's made—which shouldn't be a problem.
Making Ice Cream Without A Machine
1. Prepare your ice cream mixture, then chill it over an ice bath.
2. Put a deep baking dish, or bowl made of plastic, stainless steel or something durable in the freezer, and pour your custard mixture into it.
3. After forty-five minutes, open the door and check it.
As it starts to freeze near the edges, remove it from the freezer and stir it vigorously with a spatula or whisk. Really beat it up and break up any frozen sections. Return to freezer.
4. Continue to check the mixture every 30 minutes, stirring vigorously as it's freezing. If you have one, you can use a hand-held mixer for best results, or use a stick-blender or hand-held mixer.
But since we're going low-tech here, you can also use just a spatula or a sturdy whisk along with some modest physical effort.
5. Keep checking periodically and stirring while it freezes (by hand or with the electric mixer) until the ice cream is frozen. It will likely take 2-3 hours to be ready.
You can easily make Stracciatella ice cream with Italian-style chocolate chips:
Drizzle pure melted dark or milk chocolate (about 5 ounces, 140 g) over the almost-frozen mixture, then stir, breaking up the ribbons of chocolate as they start to freeze, to create little 'chips'.
Transfer the ice cream to a covered storage container until ready to serve.

article source :http://www.davidlebovitz.com

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Definition about Biomaterials

While a definition for the term 'biomaterial' has been difficult to formulate, more widely accepted working definitions include:
"A biomaterial is any material, natural or man-made, that comprises whole or part of a living structure or biomedical device which performs, augments, or replaces a natural function".
" A biomaterial is a nonviable material used in medical device,so it's intended to interact with a biological systems".
A biomaterial is essentially a material that is used and adapted for a medical application. Biomaterials may have a benign function, such as being used for a heart valve, or may be bioactive with a more interactive functionality such as hydroxy-apatite coated hip implants.




Biomaterials are also used every day in dental applications, surgery, and drug delivery (a construct with impregnated pharmaceutical products can be placed into the body, which permits the prolonged release of a drug over an extended period of time).
The definition of a biomaterial does not just include man-made materials which are constructed of metals or ceramics. A biomaterial may also be an autograft, allograft or xenograft used as a transplant material

Biomaterials are used in:
1. Joint replacements
2. Bone plates
3. Bone cement
4. Artificial ligaments and tendons
5. Dental implants for tooth fixation
6. Blood vessel prostheses
7. Heart valves
8. Skin repair devices
9. Cochlear replacements
10. Contact lenses
11. Breast implants

Biomaterials must be compatible with the body, and there are often issues of biocompatibility which must be resolved before a product can be placed on the market and used in a clinical setting. Because of this, biomaterials are usually subjected to the same requirements of those undergone by new drug therapies. All manufacturing companies are also required to ensure traceability of all of their products so that if a defective product is discovered, others in the same batch may be traced.

articel source : www.wikipedia.com

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Industri Emping Melinjo dan Kendala yang Dihadapinya

Tanaman melinjo dapat tumbuh pada ketinggian tempat 0-1.200 m dpl. Dengan demikian, tanaman melinjo dapat tumbuh di pegunungan berhawa lembab, bisa juga didataran rendah yang relatif kering. Namun agar dapat berproduksi secara maksimal, melinjo sebaiknya ditanam di dataran rendah yang ketinggiannya tidak lebih dari 400 m dpl dan dengan curah hujan sekitar 3.000-5.000 mm/tahun merata sepanjang tahun.

Pohon melinjo sudah dapat dipanen setelah berumur 5-6 tahun. Panen dilakukan dua kali setahun. Panen besar sekitar bulan Mei-Juli, sedangkan panen kecil sekitar bulan Oktober-Desember. Sedangkan pemungutan bunga dan daun muda dapat dilakukan kapan saja. Hasil melinjo per pohon untuk tanaman melinjo yang sudah dewasa bervariasi antara 15.000-20.000 biji. Menurut petani, tanaman melinjo umur 15 tahun hasil produksi buahnya mencapai 50 kg klatak (buah yang telah dikupas kulitnya) sekali panen, berarti produksi yang diperoleh klatak 100 kg/pohon/tahun. Berbagai bagian dari pohon melinjo dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai bahan makanan. Diantaranya, daun, biji melinjo dan kulit biji melinjo sering dimanfaatkan sebagai bahan untuk sayur. Selain itu, bijinya juga dapat diolah menjadi emping.

Emping melinjo adalah sejenis keripik yang dibuat dari biji melinjo yang telah tua. Proses pembuatan emping tidak sulit dan dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan alat-alat sederhana. Emping melinjo merupakan salah satu komoditi pengolahan hasil pertanian yang memiliki nilai tinggi, baik karena harga jual yang relatif tinggi maupun sebagai komoditi ekspor yang dapat mendatangkan devisa. Sejauh ini, emping diekspor ke negara-negara tetangga di antaranya ke Singapura, Malaysia dan Brunei. Bahkan, pasar ekspor yang potensial menjangkau Jepang, Eropa dan Amerika.

Dalam sebuah presentsi potensi agroindustri emping melinjo di suatu kabupaten, beberapa orang peserta menampakkan kegusarannya. “Emping? Wah, asam urat itu!” Tampaknya persepsi bahwa emping identik dengan asam urat sudah demikian merasuk dan menyebar ke masrakarat luas. Seorang dokter lalu mencoba meluruskannya. “Pak, asam urat itu tidak ada hubungannya dengan emping atau jeroan dan lain-lain. Asam urat itu penyebabnya metabolisme tubuh tidak sempurna. Kalori yang seharusnya dibakar oleh oksigen menjadi tenaga dan urine; karena oksigen yang masuk kurang, proses pembakarannya tidak sempurna. Akibatnya limbah tubuh yang seharusnya berupa urine dan keringat, jadinya uric acid berupa kristal yang berujung runcing. Kalau kristal ini mengendap di ginjal, jadilah batu ginjal. Kalau mengendap di tulang rawan atau otot, jadilah nyeri tulang atau otot.” Terpaksalah acara presentasi agroindustri di kabupaten itu sedikit dibelokkan ke asam urat, sekadar meluruskan presepsi bahwa emping tidak ada urusan dengan sakit seseorang. Itulah kendala pertama pengembangan agroindustri emping melinjo. Yang pertamakali akan menentang upaya demikian, justru boss-boss para pengambil keputusan yang biasanya kurang olahraga, banyak stres, pikirannya tidak bersih hingga terkena gangguan asam urat. Kalau mereka diajak berbicara tentang emping, pasti dengan segera akan menolaknya.

Melinjo (Gnetum gnemon), adalah tanaman asli Asia Tenggara, khususnya Indonesia. Habitat tumbuhan ini tersebar dari Assam (India) sampai ke Fiji (Pasifik). Tanaman ini bisa tumbuh mulai dari dataran rendah sampai tinggi (0 sd. 1.200 m. dpl.) Bentuk tanaman berupa pohon setinggi 20 m. dan berbatang lurus. Produk melinjo yang bernilai ekonomis adalah biji buah tuanya untuk emping; buah muda, bunga dan daun muda untuk sayur asam dan lodeh. Kulit buah tua pun di Jateng dan DIY memiliki nilai komersial cukupbaik untuk dikonsumsi sebagai bahan sayur. Satu pohon melinjo yang sudah berumur di atas 5 tahun dan terawat baik, mampu menghasilkan biji melinjo sebanyak 50 kg. per pohon per tahun. Dengan harga Rp 5.000,- per kg. maka dari satu pohon melinjo dpat diperoleh pendapatan Rp 250.000,- Kalau populasi tanaman dalam satu hektar 400 pohon (jarak dalam 5 X 5 m.), maka hasil dari tiap hektar kebun melinjo adalah 20 ton melinjo senilai Rp 100.000.000,- Pendapatan ini masih akan bertambah kalau kita memanen daun muda dan bunga jantannya. Sebab tanaman melinjo memang ada yang berumah satu (bunga jantan dan betina ada dalam satu pohon), ada juga yang berumah dua (bunga jantan dan betina terpisah dalam dua pohon). Jenis melinjo unggul yang selama ini banyak dikembangkan masyarakat secara komersial adalah melinjo medan yang bunga jantan serta betinanya terpisah pada pohon yang berbeda.

Kendala utama pengembangan agroindustri emping melinjo adalah kurangnya pasokan bahan baku. Dua sentra industri emping besar di Indonesia adalah Kec. Limpung di Kab. Batang, Jateng; dan Kec. Menes, Kab. Pandeglang, Banten. Irinisnya, di Kec. Limpung boleh dikatakan tidak ada tanaman melinjo. Di Menes dan Kab. Pandeglang pada umumnya, populasi tanaman melinjo masih cukup banyak. Meskipun bukan termasuk jenis melinjo unggul. Sentra-sentra emping lain yang tersebar di Jateng, DIY dan Jatim, relatif kecil jika dibandingkan dengan Limpung dan Menes. Namun kalau kita bicara populasi tanaman melinjo terbanyak, justru ada di Lampung. Sebenarnya bukan hanya lampung, melainkan seluruh pulau Sumatera. Karena pintu keluar melinjo sumatera ini adalah Provinsi Lampung, maka dikenallah melinjo sumatera ini sebagai melinjo lampung. Dari pelabuhan penyeberangan Bakauhuni ke Merak, melinjo lampung ini akan didistribusikan ke sentra-sentra emping yang tersebar di Jawa. Terutama ke Menes dan Limpung. Sebab meskipun populasi tanaman melinjo di Pandeglang bahkan Banten pada umumnya masih tinggi, namun populasi tersebut tetap tidak dapat mengimbangi permintaan industri emping. Karena suplai dari Lampung tetam sangat diandalkan oleh Menes. Hingga kadang-kadang ada hal yang tidak masuk akal. Melinjo sumatera itu sudah diangkut ke Batang di Jawa Tengah. tetapi karena ada informasi bahwa harga di Pandeglang jauh lebih tinggi, maka melinjo lampung yang sudah terlanjur masuk Jateng itu kembali dibawa ke Banten.

Sentra industri emping di Menes memang cukup besar. Ekspor ke Timur Tengah dan Eropa tersendat bukan karena kurangnya permintaan, tetapi justru karena pasokan melinjo segar yang selalu tertinggal. Para produsen dan padagang emping sendiri memang kurang begitu bergairah untuk melayani permintaan ekspor. Sebab, “main di pasar lokal pun masih sangat longgar, menguntungkan dan tidak repot.” Selain itu memang ada perbedaan jenis emping antara pasar lokal dengan ekspor. Pasar lokal lebih menghendaki emping tipis berukuran kecil (@ 2 – 3 biji melinjo). Sementara pasar ekspor menginginkan emping setengah utuh yang hanya terdiri dari satu biji melinjo dan dalam kondisi siap konsumsi. Kerepotan untuk melayani pasar ekspor memang sangat beralasan. Eksportir dari Menes yang mengirim ke Timur Tengah dan Eropa, sebenarnya masih dalam volume yang sangat kecil berupa emping tipis. Yang akan mengkonsumsi emping demikian hanyalah bangsa kita sendiri yang sedang merantau menjadi TKI atau para mahasiswa kita yang sedang belajar di Eropa sana. Karenanya persyaratan standar mutu produk lalu menjadi kurang penting. Kalau kita serius melayani permintaan emping setengah utuh tersebut, maka persyaratan standar mutu produk (Codex) dan standar Sanitary serta Pythosanitary (SPS) menjadi sangat penting. Adanya persyaratan yang ketat inilah antara lain yang juga menjadi alasan keengganan pelaku emping kita untuk melakukan ekspor.
Kendala psikologis dari para penentu keijakan (soal asam urat); kendala pasokan bahan mentah dan kendala persyaratan mutu (teknik produksi emping); adalah tiga permasalahan yang telah menghambat pertumbuhan agroindustri emping di Indonesia. Tentu ada pertanyaan, seberapa strategiskah komoditas ini bagi bangsa kita? Kita tahu bahwa masing-masing bangsa pasti memiliki komoditas unggulan yang menjadi semacam “trade mark” bagi bangsa tersebut. Misalnya saja Perancis unggul pada komoditas wine (anggur), parfum dan bumbu. Belanda dikenal melalui bunganya, dengan tulip sebagai bunga nasional mereka. Thailand dikenal oleh dunia luar karena durian monthongnya. Padahal anggur yang dibanggakan oleh Perancis sebenarnya berasal dari lembah sungai Tigris dan Euphrat. Bahan baku parfum dan bumbu Perancis kebanyakan dari Italia, India, dan Indonesia. Durian monthong yang dibanggakan Thailand sebenarnya berasal dari Kalbar. Lalu apa produk agroindustri kebanggaan Indonesia? Jambu air kita telah lolos hingga sekarang bisa dibudidayakan dengan sangat baik oleh Taiwan. Belimbing kita justru berkembang di Malaysia. Melinjo adalah komoditas yang saat ini hanya berkambang baik di Indonesia. Tidak di India dan Srilanka, tidak pula di negara Asean lainnya. Kalau kita menyia-nyiakannya, bisa saja suatu ketika justru Vietnam yang diam-diam mengembangkannya lalu tahu-tahu mereka sudah bisa memproduksi emping berkualitas tinggi untuk ekspor.

Kasus “tercurinya” komoditas unggulan ini, bukan hanya monopoli Indonesia. Timur Tengah (negara-negara Arab) selama dikenal sebagai penghasil produk-produk dari unta. Mulai dari karpet (bulu unta), daging unta dan minyak samin (dari susu unta). Selan itu Timur Tengah juga identik dengan minyak zaitun (olive oil) dan kurma. Namun mereka tidak mengembangkannya dengan serius karena tiba-tiba ada rejeki minyak dan sibuk perang. Tahu-tahu sekarang ini mereka harus mengimpor daging dan susu unta dari Australia. Karena di negeri ini unta bukan hanya sudah bisa diternak dengan sangat intensif, tetapi juga sudah menjadi liar dan hidup bebas di padang gurun. Australia juga sudah mampu mengembangkan kurma unggul yang dalam waktu 2,5 tahun bisa mulai berbuah. Zaitun pun, sudah bisa ditanam di Australia dalam skala yang untuk ukuran Eropa Selatan sudah sangat besar. Namun Australia sendiri juga kecurian makadamia. “Nut” asli Australia ini telah dikembangkan dan diproses serta dikemas dengan cukup baik oleh Afrika Selatan dan Hawaii. Dan buah kiwi, sebenarnya milik RRC. Kiwi adalah buah hutan yang tombuh liar di Cina timur laut. Namun tahu-tahu buah eksotis ini bisa menjadi “trade mark” nya New Zaeland. Meskipun Indonesia sendiri sebenarnya telah “mencuri” karet dan sawit yang sebenarnya milik negara-negara Afrika dan Amerika tropis.

Kembali ke masalah melinjo, pertama-tama yang harus dilakukan adalah memutus hambatan psikologis dari para penentu kebijakan. Kalau beliau anti emping karena menderita sakit asam urat, bukan berarti penanaman melinjo harus dilarang dan industri emping berhenti. Kedua, pengembangan areal malinjo secara besar-besaran layak untuk dilakukan oleh Pemkab dan Pemprov. Para penangkar benih di Pekalongan, Lampung Tengah, siap dengan melinjo medannya yang unggul dalam jumlah jutaan batang per tahun. Balai Besar Industri Hasil Pertanian (BBIHP) di Bogor telah siap untuk mendisain mesin-mesin sederhana yang bisa memproduksi emping setengah utuh. Pasar sejak dulu sudah siap untuk menampungnya. Namun istilah “pasar yang sudah sejak dulu siap untuk menampungnya” ini jangan diartikan secara sederhana. Kenmudian pertanyaan yang muncul adalah, siapa yang memerlukan, berapa volumenya, mana teleponnya dan sebagainya. Sebab pengertian pasar dalam konteks ini adalah adanya peluang kebutuhan emping. Tetapi siapa yang akan menjadi importir di Belanda, di Timur Tengah, di Hongkong dan lain-lain, masih perlu penggarapan yang akan makan waktu, biaya dan juga tenaga. Yang disebut sebagai “pasar” di sini bukan sesuatu yang sudah ready stock hingga kita tinggal telepon, kirim barang dan uang ditransfer.

Agroindustri emping adalah bisnis yang sangat-sangat padat karya. Mulai dari panen, pengupasan kulit buah, proses pembuatan emping, pemasakan (oven) dan pengemasan, semuanya memerlukan tenaga kerja dalam jumlah yang sangat banyak. Memang agroindustri ini juga memerlukan modal besar. Namun nilai investasi tersebut relatif kecil jika dibanding dengan jumlahtenaga kerja yang bakal bisa diserap olehnya. Lain dengan aroindustri udang yang sangat padat modal. Dalam kondisi ekonomi Indonesia yang masih sangat susah dewasa ini, kita tidak perlu harus menunggu uluran tangan IMF atau World Bank sambil tidur-tiduran atau sibuk saling menyalahkan. Melinjo adalah komoditas yang sangat strategis bukan hanya untuk menghidupkan perekonomian rakyat, melainkan juga untuk prestise bangsa.

sumber : www.bi.go.id
http://foragri.blogsome.com

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Potensi Minyak Atsiri dari Bunga Mawar (Rose)

Mawar adalah tanaman semak dari genus Rosa sekaligus nama bunga yang dihasilkan tanaman ini. Mawar liar yang terdiri lebih dari 100 spesies kebanyakan tumbuh di belahan bumi utara yang berudara sejuk. Spesies mawar umumnya merupakan tanaman semak yang berduri atau tanaman memanjat yang tingginya bisa mencapai 2 sampai 5 meter. Walaupun jarang ditemui, tinggi tanaman mawar yang merambat di tanaman lain bisa mencapai 20 meter.

Sebagian besar spesies mempunyai daun yang panjangnya antara 5-15 cm, dua-dua berlawanan (pinnate). Daun majemuk yang tiap tangkai daun terdiri dari paling sedikit 3 atau 5 hingga 9 atau 13 anak daun dan daun penumpu (stipula) berbentuk lonjong, pertulangan menyirip, tepi tepi beringgit, meruncing pada ujung daun dan berduri pada batang yang dekat ke tanah. Mawar sebetulnya bukan tanaman tropis, sebagian besar spesies merontokkan seluruh daunnya dan hanya beberapa spesies yang ada di Asia Tenggara yang selalu berdaun hijau sepanjang tahun.
Bunga terdiri dari 5 helai daun mahkota dengan perkecualian Rosa sericea yang hanya memiliki 4 helai daun mahkota. Warna bunga biasanya putih dan merah jambu atau kuning dan merah pada beberapa spesies. Ovari berada di bagian bawah daun mahkota dan daun kelopak.
Bunga menghasilkan buah agregat (berkembang dari satu bunga dengan banyak putik) yang disebut rose hips. Masing-masing putik berkembang menjadi satu buah tunggal (achene), sedangkan kumpulan buah tunggal dibungkus daging buah pada bagian luar. Spesies dengan bunga yang terbuka lebar lebih mengundang kedatangan lebah atau serangga lain yang membantu penyerbukan sehingga cenderung menghasilkan lebih banyak buah. Mawar hasil pemuliaan menghasilkan bunga yang daun mahkotanya menutup rapat sehingga menyulitkan penyerbukan. Sebagian buah mawar berwarna merah dengan beberapa perkecualian seperti Rosa pimpinellifolia yang menghasilkan buah berwarna ungu gelap hingga hitam.
Pada beberapa spesies seperti Rosa canina dan Rosa rugosa menghasilkan buah rose hips yang sangat kaya dengan vitamin C bahkan termasuk di antara sumber vitamin C alami yang paling kaya. Buah rose hips disukai burung pemakan buah yang membantu penyebaran biji mawar bersama kotoran yang dikeluarkan. Beberapa jenis burung seperti burung Finch juga memakan biji-biji mawar.
Pada umumnya mawar memiliki duri berbentuk seperti pengait yang berfungsi sebagai pegangan sewaktu memanjat tumbuhan lain. Beberapa spesies yang tumbuh liar di tanah berpasir di daerah pantai seperti Rosa rugosa dan Rosa pimpinellifolia beradaptasi dengan duri lurus seperti jarum yang mungkin berfungsi untuk mengurangi kerusakan akibat dimakan binatang, menahan pasir yang diterbangkan angin dan melindungi akar dari erosi. Walaupun sudah dilindungi duri, rusa kelihatannya tidak takut dan sering merusak tanaman mawar. Beberapa spesies mawar mempunyai duri yang tidak berkembang dan tidak tajam.
Mawar dapat dijangkiti beberapa penyakit seperti karat daun yang merupakan penyakit paling serius. Penyebabnya adalah cendawan Phragmidium mucronatum yang menyebabkan kerontokan daun. Penyakit yang tidak begitu berbahaya seperti Tepung Mildew disebabkan cendawan Sphaerotheca pannosa, sedangkan penyakit Bercak Hitam yang ditandai timbulnya bercak-bercak hitam pada daun disebabkan oleh cendawan Diplocarpon rosae. Mawar juga merupakan makanan bagi larva beberapa spesies Lepidoptera.

Perkembangan Industri Parfum dari Minyak Mawar

Parfum (minyak wangi) dibuat dari minyak mawar yang merupakan salah satu jenis minyak atsiri yang diperoleh dari proses penyulingan dan penguapan lumatan daun-daun mahkota. Teknik penyulingan mawar berasal dari Persia yang menyebar ke Arab dan India.
Pada saat ini, kebutuhan minyak mawar dunia sebanyak 70%-80% dipenuhi oleh pusat penyulingan mawar di Bulgaria sedangkan sisanya dipenuhi oleh Iran dan Jerman. Penyulingan minyak mawar di Bulgaria, Iran, dan Jerman menggunakan mawar damaskus Rosa damascena 'Trigintipetala,' sedangkan penyulingan di Perancis menggunakan jenis Rosa centifolia. Minyak mawar berwarna kuning pucat atau kuning keabu-abuan juga disebut minyak 'Rose Absolute' untuk membedakannya dengan minyak mawar yang sudah diencerkan. Penyulingan menghasilkan minyak mawar dengan perbandingan 1/3.000 sampai 1/6.000 dari berat bunga, sehingga dibutuhkan 2.000 bunga mawar untuk menghasilkan minyak mawar sebanyak 1 gram.
Minyak mawar terdiri dari geraniol beraroma wangi yang mempunyai rumus kimia C10H18O dengan rumus bangun CH3.C[CH3]:CH.CH2.CH2.C[CH3]:CH.CH2OH dan l-sitronelol; serta rose camphor (parafin tanpa bau).

sumber : wikipedia

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How to Choose Microcontroller

It used to be that the number of different microcontroller chips available to the hobbyist was pretty limited. You got to use whatever you could manage to buy from the mail-order chip dealer, and that narrowed down the choice to a small number of chips.

But times have changed. Digikey lists over 16000 different line items under a "microcontroller" search. Which one should a hobbyist with no particular prior experience choose?

Here are some hints. These are particularly aimed at someone trying to pick a microcontroller to use for the first time at least partially as a learning experience, rather than someone who wants to accomplish a particular task.

Update 2009-01-28: This Instructable was recently mentioned in some popular blogs, and is getting a bunch of new readers. Be sure to read the "comments" made by other readers and the responses to them; there's a lot of value in those comments...

step 1What IS a "Microcontroller" ?
If you ever took a very introductory computer course, you probably learned about the major components of ANY computer:A Central Processing Unit or CPU. The part that actually performs logic and mathMemory. Where the computer stores data and instructionsInput and Output or I/O. How the computer…

step 2Show Stoppers
There are a number design considerations that might immediately reduce your number of choices a great deal. Programability and Reprogramability: At this point in time, I would say that a hobbyist should only consider microcontrollers that have internal flash or eeprom program memory and can be …

step 3Thoughts about Architectures
The "architecture" of a microcontroller refers to the philosophy of the internal implementation, sort of. It includes details like how many "registers" there are, and how "general purpose" those registers are, whether code can execute out of data memory, whether the peripherals are treated like …

step 4Thoughts about Hardware Tools
Minimally, you'll need some sort of programmer to load the program into the microcontroller. These vary wildly in cost. It's pretty common for manufacturers to offer some low-cost programmer so that people can "evaluate" their microcontrollers without risking too much cash (or requiring director…

step 5Thoughts about Software Tools
All of the microcontrollers mentioned here have some level of standard tools (at least an assembler) provided by the manufacturer. Most have "Integrated Development Environments" (IDE) that allow integrated use of an editor (that you won't like) with the assmebler, some compilers, and a simulato…

step 6The $100 Paradox
If your budget extends as far as $100 for the computing hardware, it's worth noting that you have bought your way into an interesting realm of "bang for buck." "About" $100 will buy: - Relatively fancy development board for most micros; covering a wide range of processors and performances (incl…

step 7Microchip PIC Microcontrollers
The Microchip PIC microcontrollers were perhaps the first that were marketed to the hobbyist and student community, one of the first microcontrollers to be offered in a relatively small package (18 pin DIP) and one of the first to implement flash or eeprom program memory (in the PIC16C84 in 1993)…

step 8Resources for Microchip PIC
Microchip the ManufacturerPICList mailing list repository of knowlege[http://techtrain.microchip.com/masters2004/(kgmnvafutocq2355egt11231)/downloads/classlist.htm Microchip Masters Conference 2004 Downloads] Tutorials and presentations[http://techtrain.microchip.com/masters2005/(kgmnvafutocq235…

step 9Atmel AVR
As near as I can tell, Atmel came along and decided to steal some of Microchip's business by offering "similar but better" chips. Some things they did right, some things they didn't do so well. But the Atmel AVR chips have also gained a lot of popularity amoung hobbyists, and we get to cash in o…

step 10Resources for Atmel AVR
Atmel the ManufacturerAVR Freaks Despite the amateurish name, this is a REALLY good site.PIC vs. AVR smackdown A comparison between PIC and AVRAVR Butterfly The AVR "Butterfly" evaluation board is a phenomenal value at the current price of $20.Another Butterfly vendorGCC supports all but th…

step 11Intel 8051 and variants
Intel invented the 8051 architecture a long time ago, and garnered some hobbyist interest with the 8052BASIC chip, which contained a basic interpretter in masked ROM and allowed one to build a very small BASIC based computer. Since then the architecture has been licensed and/or stolen by MANY v…

step 12Resources for 8051
8052.com site Massive amounts of info.Atmel 8051s Atmel does 8051s as well as AVR and ARMNXP (Philips) 8051 89LPC controllers.RAMTron micros 8051s with FRAM non-volatile memorySilicon Labs Neat 8051s including high performance ADCs. Also the smallest 8051; 11pins in a 3x3mm QFN. Cheap US…

step 13Freescale (Motorola) 68HC908, HCS08
Motorola (well, now Freescale) has several lines of popular microcontrollers, the most accessible of which seems to be the flash-based 68HC908 and/or HCS08 or RS08 (all the same or very similar architectures, with some renaming and assorted minor differences) series. Traditionally, Motorola chip…

step 14Texas Instrument MSP430 micropower Microcontrollers
Texas Instruments garnered some interest when they introduced (bought?) their MSP430 series of extemely low-power microcontrollers. Until recently, most of the MSP430s were only available in assorted hobbyist-unfriendly SMT packages, but a couple of recent chips have been introduced in DIP pac…

step 15ARM microcontrollers
ARM is a company that designs microprocessor architetcures, and licenses them to manufacturers who build actual chips. The ARM is a 32bit true RISC architecture, and scales upwards to CPUs with floating point hardware and clocks speeds of several hundred MHz. If you have a palmtop, it probably …

step 16Other Interesting Microcontrollers
- Cypress PSOC - Renesas (Hitachi) H8, M6

step 17Modules, bootloaders, and "hidden" microcontrollers
A number of companies have made a business of selling "modules" , usually incorporating some sort of microcontroller and some of its support components with a high-level-lanaguge development environment, some sort of chip-programming capability, and communications. This gets rid of the need for …

step 18Zilog Z8 and Z80 chips
Zilog (inventor of the famous Z80 microprocessor chip) has updated versions of the Z80 in microcontroller form, and also updated versions of the even older Z8 architecture. Both have flash memory and some interesting peripherals , and inexpensive "evaluation boards" that include a C compiler. A…

step 19Win Valuable Prizes
Periodically, many of the manufacturers of microcontrollers will sponsor "Design Contests" where engineers all over will be challenged to come up with a particularly clever design using a particular microcontroller. The idea is to entice engineers into looking at THEIR chips even if they're alre…

step 20Try it Online: Virtual Labs
Tech Online is a pretty good website for technical News in general, and they've apparently implemented something they call "Virtual Labs" that will allow you to try out a vendor's development system over the internet with nothing but a browser on your end. I used this for the first time as part …

step 21Free Stuff!
In the old days, companies would mail datasheets and databooks to just about anyone who asked. The web has done away with the need for most of that, and many vendors seem to have taken the money they saved on postage and used it to make their sample program more accessible.The way "free samples"…

sumber : http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-choose-a-MicroController/

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