The text was created on the basis of interviews with Caltech scholars (Pasadena, USA) in 2018. The talks concerned various contemporary theories of biogenesis and the role of their philosophical premises. The researchers also addressed the issue of popularizing science. The worldview is shaped (and established) by popularizing publications. They also answered the questions how their personal beliefs influenced on research.
This article presents the results of scientific investigations on the thermal regeneration process of a sorbent of mineral origin sorbent using a retort burner. Diesel oil, a petroleum liquid, most often pervades the environment during different catastrophes. The investigated sorbent of mineral origin was used in the standard way that the Fire Service removes such petroleum liquids from the environment during disasters. For research purposes, a regeneration chamber with a retort burner was constructed. The first phase of the investigation was aimed at defining the physico-chemical features of the sorbent after subsequent cycles of the regeneration process. The second phase involved an analysis of the energy and ecological effects of the regeneration process. The results showed that the first three cycles of the regeneration process occurred under low emission conditions. The proposed regeneration method achieved a positive energetic effect with a functional heat stream with an average value of 12.4 kW (average efficiency of the regeneration chamber was 68 %). The method is very efficient, with regeneration rates between 7.2 kg/h and 8.4 kg/h. It requires only a short amount of time for the start-up and extinction of the regeneration chamber, and it is also flexible to changes in the process conditions.
Minimum energy control problem for the fractional positive electrical circuits is formulated and solved. Sufficient conditions for the existence of solution to the problem are established. A procedure for solving of the problem is proposed and illustrated by an example of fractional positive electrical circuit.