Search results for: industrial solid waste
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 7226

Search results for: industrial solid waste

3236 Optimization of the Flexural Strength of Biocomposites Samples Reinforced with Resin for Engineering Applications

Authors: Stephen Akong Takim

Abstract:

This study focused on the optimization of the flexural strength of bio-composite samples of palm kernel, whelks, clams, periwinkles shells and bamboo fiber reinforced with resin for engineering applications. The aim of the study was to formulate different samples of bio-composite reinforced with resin for engineering applications and to evaluate the flexural strength of the fabricated composite. The hand lay-up technique was used for the composites produced by incorporating different percentage compositions of the shells/fiber (10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%) into varied proportions of epoxy resin and catalyst. The cured samples, after 24 hours, were subjected to tensile, impact, flexural and water absorption tests. The experiments were conducted using the Taguchi optimization method L25 (5x5) with five design parameters and five level combinations in Minitab 18 statistical software. The results showed that the average value of flexural was 114.87MPa when compared to the unreinforced 72.33MPa bio-composite. The study recommended that agricultural waste, like palm kernel shells, whelk shells, clams, periwinkle shells and bamboo fiber, should be converted into important engineering applications.

Keywords: bio-composite, resin, palm kernel shells, welk shells, periwinkle shells, bamboo fiber, Taguchi techniques and engineering application

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3235 Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of a Nanofluid-Based Annular Solar Collector with Different Metallic Nano-Particles

Authors: Sireetorn Kuharat, Anwar Beg

Abstract:

Motivation- Solar energy constitutes the most promising renewable energy source on earth. Nanofluids are a very successful family of engineered fluids, which contain well-dispersed nanoparticles suspended in a stable base fluid. The presence of metallic nanoparticles (e.g. gold, silver, copper, aluminum etc) significantly improves the thermo-physical properties of the host fluid and generally results in a considerable boost in thermal conductivity, density, and viscosity of nanofluid compared with the original base (host) fluid. This modification in fundamental thermal properties has profound implications in influencing the convective heat transfer process in solar collectors. The potential for improving solar collector direct absorber efficiency is immense and to gain a deeper insight into the impact of different metallic nanoparticles on efficiency and temperature enhancement, in the present work, we describe recent computational fluid dynamics simulations of an annular solar collector system. The present work studies several different metallic nano-particles and compares their performance. Methodologies- A numerical study of convective heat transfer in an annular pipe solar collector system is conducted. The inner tube contains pure water and the annular region contains nanofluid. Three-dimensional steady-state incompressible laminar flow comprising water- (and other) based nanofluid containing a variety of metallic nanoparticles (copper oxide, aluminum oxide, and titanium oxide nanoparticles) is examined. The Tiwari-Das model is deployed for which thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity and viscosity of the nanofluid suspensions is evaluated as a function of solid nano-particle volume fraction. Radiative heat transfer is also incorporated using the ANSYS solar flux and Rosseland radiative models. The ANSYS FLUENT finite volume code (version 18.1) is employed to simulate the thermo-fluid characteristics via the SIMPLE algorithm. Mesh-independence tests are conducted. Validation of the simulations is also performed with a computational Harlow-Welch MAC (Marker and Cell) finite difference method and excellent correlation achieved. The influence of volume fraction on temperature, velocity, pressure contours is computed and visualized. Main findings- The best overall performance is achieved with copper oxide nanoparticles. Thermal enhancement is generally maximized when water is utilized as the base fluid, although in certain cases ethylene glycol also performs very efficiently. Increasing nanoparticle solid volume fraction elevates temperatures although the effects are less prominent in aluminum and titanium oxide nanofluids. Significant improvement in temperature distributions is achieved with copper oxide nanofluid and this is attributed to the superior thermal conductivity of copper compared to other metallic nano-particles studied. Important fluid dynamic characteristics are also visualized including circulation and temperature shoots near the upper region of the annulus. Radiative flux is observed to enhance temperatures significantly via energization of the nanofluid although again the best elevation in performance is attained consistently with copper oxide. Conclusions-The current study generalizes previous investigations by considering multiple metallic nano-particles and furthermore provides a good benchmark against which to calibrate experimental tests on a new solar collector configuration currently being designed at Salford University. Important insights into the thermal conductivity and viscosity with metallic nano-particles is also provided in detail. The analysis is also extendable to other metallic nano-particles including gold and zinc.

Keywords: heat transfer, annular nanofluid solar collector, ANSYS FLUENT, metallic nanoparticles

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3234 Investigating the Environmental Impact of Tourists Activities on Yankari Resort and Safari

Authors: Eldah Ephraim Buba, Sanusi Abubakar Sadiq

Abstract:

Habitat can be degraded by tourism leisure activities for example wildlife viewing can bring abrupt stress for animals and alter their natural behaviors when tourist come too close and wildlife watching have degradation effects on the habitats as they often are accompanied by the noise and commotion created by tourist as they chase wild animals. It is observed that Jos Wild Life Park is usually congested during on-peak periods which causes littering and contamination of the environment by tourist which may lead to changes in the soil nutrient. The issue of unauthorized feeding of animals by a tourist in which the food might be dangerous and harmful to their health and making them be so aggressive is also observed. The aim of the study is to investigate the environmental impact of tourists’ activities in Jos Wild Life Park, Nigeria. The study used survey questionnaires to both tourists and the staff of the wildlife park. One hundred questionnaires were self-administered to randomly selected tourists as the visit the park and some staff. The average mean score of the response was used to show agreement or disagreement. Major findings show the negative impact of tourist’s activities to the environment as air pollution, overcrowding, and congestion, solid littering of the environment, distress to animals and alteration of the ecosystem. Furthermore, the study found the positive impact of tourists activities on the environment to be income generation through tourists activities and infrastructural development. It is recommended that the impact of tourism should be minimized through admitting the right carrying capacity and impact assessment.

Keywords: environmental, impact, investigation, tourists, activities

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3233 Sustainable Composites for Aircraft Cabin Interior Applications

Authors: Fiorenzo Lenzi, Doris Abt, Besnik Bytyqi

Abstract:

Recent developments in composite materials for the interior cabin market provide more sustainable solutions for industrial applications. One contribution comes from epoxy-based prepregs recently developed to substitute phenolic prepregs in order to reduce the environmental impact of their production process and to eliminate health and safety issues related to their handling. Another example is the use of Mica-based products for improving the fire protection of interior cabin parts. Minerals, such as Mica, can be used as reinforcement in composites to reduce the heat release rate or, more traditionally, to improve the burn-through performance of fuselage and cargo lining components.

Keywords: prepreg, epoxy, Mica, battery protection

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3232 A Dynamical Approach for Relating Energy Consumption to Hybrid Inventory Level in the Supply Chain

Authors: Benga Ebouele, Thomas Tengen

Abstract:

Due to long lead time, work in process (WIP) inventory can manifest within the supply chain of most manufacturing system. It implies that there are lesser finished good on hand and more in the process because the work remains in the factory too long and cannot be sold to either customers The supply chain of most manufacturing system is then considered as inefficient as it take so much time to produce the finished good. Time consumed in each operation of the supply chain has an associated energy costs. Such phenomena can be harmful for a hybrid inventory system because a lot of space to store these semi-finished goods may be needed and one is not sure about the final energy cost of producing, holding and delivering the good to customers. The principle that reduces waste of energy within the supply chain of most manufacturing firms should therefore be available to all inventory managers in pursuit of profitability. Decision making by inventory managers in this condition is a modeling process, whereby a dynamical approach is used to depict, examine, specify and even operationalize the relationship between energy consumption and hybrid inventory level. The relationship between energy consumption and inventory level is established, which indicates a poor level of control and hence a potential for energy savings.

Keywords: dynamic modelling, energy used, hybrid inventory, supply chain

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3231 Development of Low-Cost Vibro-Acoustic, and Fire-Resistant, Insulation Material from Natural and Sustainable Sources

Authors: K. Nasir, S. Ahmad, A. Khan, H. Benkreira

Abstract:

The topic of the research is to develop sustainable fire-resistant materials for vibration and acoustic damping of structure and airborne noises from sustainable recycled materials and biodegradable binders. The paper reports, methods and techniques of enhancing fire resistive, vibration and acoustic properties of building insulation materials made from natural resources like wood and recycled materials like rubber and textile waste. The structures are designed to optimize the number, size and stratification of closed (heat insulating) and open (noise insulating) pores. The samples produced are tested for their heat and noise insulating properties, including vibration damping and their structural properties (airflow resistivity, porosity, tortuosity and elastic modulus). The structural properties are then used in theoretical models to check the acoustic insulation measurements. Initial data indicate that one layer of such material can yield as much as 18 times more damping, increasing the loss factor by 18%.

Keywords: fire resistant, vibration damping, acoustic material, vibro-acoustic, thermal insulation, sustainable material, low cost materials, recycled materials, construction material

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3230 Assessment of Agricultural Land Use Land Cover, Land Surface Temperature and Population Changes Using Remote Sensing and GIS: Southwest Part of Marmara Sea, Turkey

Authors: Melis Inalpulat, Levent Genc

Abstract:

Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes due to human activities and natural causes have become a major environmental concern. Assessment of temporal remote sensing data provides information about LULC impacts on environment. Land Surface Temperature (LST) is one of the important components for modeling environmental changes in climatological, hydrological, and agricultural studies. In this study, LULC changes (September 7, 1984 and July 8, 2014) especially in agricultural lands together with population changes (1985-2014) and LST status were investigated using remotely sensed and census data in South Marmara Watershed, Turkey. LULC changes were determined using Landsat TM and Landsat OLI data acquired in 1984 and 2014 summers. Six-band TM and OLI images were classified using supervised classification method to prepare LULC map including five classes including Forest (F), Grazing Land (G), Agricultural Land (A), Water Surface (W), and Residential Area-Bare Soil (R-B) classes. The LST image was also derived from thermal bands of the same dates. LULC classification results showed that forest areas, agricultural lands, water surfaces and residential area-bare soils were increased as 65751 ha, 20163 ha, 1924 ha and 20462 ha respectively. In comparison, a dramatic decrement occurred in grazing land (107985 ha) within three decades. The population increased % 29 between years 1984-2014 in whole study area. Along with the natural causes, migration also caused this increase since the study area has an important employment potential. LULC was transformed among the classes due to the expansion in residential, commercial and industrial areas as well as political decisions. In the study, results showed that agricultural lands around the settlement areas transformed to residential areas in 30 years. The LST images showed that mean temperatures were ranged between 26-32 °C in 1984 and 27-33 °C in 2014. Minimum temperature of agricultural lands was increased 3 °C and reached to 23 °C. In contrast, maximum temperature of A class decreased to 41 °C from 44 °C. Considering temperatures of the 2014 R-B class and 1984 status of same areas, it was seen that mean, min and max temperatures increased by 2 °C. As a result, the dynamism of population, LULC and LST resulted in increasing mean and maximum surface temperatures, living spaces/industrial areas and agricultural lands.

Keywords: census data, landsat, land surface temperature (LST), land use land cover (LULC)

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3229 AutoML: Comprehensive Review and Application to Engineering Datasets

Authors: Parsa Mahdavi, M. Amin Hariri-Ardebili

Abstract:

The development of accurate machine learning and deep learning models traditionally demands hands-on expertise and a solid background to fine-tune hyperparameters. With the continuous expansion of datasets in various scientific and engineering domains, researchers increasingly turn to machine learning methods to unveil hidden insights that may elude classic regression techniques. This surge in adoption raises concerns about the adequacy of the resultant meta-models and, consequently, the interpretation of the findings. In response to these challenges, automated machine learning (AutoML) emerges as a promising solution, aiming to construct machine learning models with minimal intervention or guidance from human experts. AutoML encompasses crucial stages such as data preparation, feature engineering, hyperparameter optimization, and neural architecture search. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the principles underpinning AutoML, surveying several widely-used AutoML platforms. Additionally, the paper offers a glimpse into the application of AutoML on various engineering datasets. By comparing these results with those obtained through classical machine learning methods, the paper quantifies the uncertainties inherent in the application of a single ML model versus the holistic approach provided by AutoML. These examples showcase the efficacy of AutoML in extracting meaningful patterns and insights, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize the way we approach and analyze complex datasets.

Keywords: automated machine learning, uncertainty, engineering dataset, regression

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3228 Assessing Building Rooftop Potential for Solar Photovoltaic Energy and Rainwater Harvesting: A Sustainable Urban Plan for Atlantis, Western Cape

Authors: Adedayo Adeleke, Dineo Pule

Abstract:

The ongoing load-shedding in most parts of South Africa, combined with climate change causing severe drought conditions in Cape Town, has left electricity consumers seeking alternative sources of power and water. Solar energy, which is abundant in most parts of South Africa and is regarded as a clean and renewable source of energy, allows for the generation of electricity via solar photovoltaic systems. Rainwater harvesting is the collection and storage of rainwater from building rooftops, allowing people without access to water to collect it. The lack of dependable energy and water source must be addressed by shifting to solar energy via solar photovoltaic systems and rainwater harvesting. Before this can be done, the potential of building rooftops must be assessed to determine whether solar energy and rainwater harvesting will be able to meet or significantly contribute to Atlantis industrial areas' electricity and water demands. This research project presents methods and approaches for automatically extracting building rooftops in Atlantis industrial areas and evaluating their potential for solar photovoltaics and rainwater harvesting systems using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data and aerial imagery. The four objectives were to: (1) identify an optimal method of extracting building rooftops from aerial imagery and LiDAR data; (2) identify a suitable solar radiation model that can provide a global solar radiation estimate of the study area; (3) estimate solar photovoltaic potential overbuilding rooftop; and (4) estimate the amount of rainwater that can be harvested from the building rooftop in the study area. Mapflow, a plugin found in Quantum Geographic Information System(GIS) was used to automatically extract building rooftops using aerial imagery. The mean annual rainfall in Cape Town was obtained from a 29-year rainfall period (1991- 2020) and used to calculate the amount of rainwater that can be harvested from building rooftops. The potential for rainwater harvesting and solar photovoltaic systems was assessed, and it can be concluded that there is potential for these systems but only to supplement the existing resource supply and offer relief in times of drought and load-shedding.

Keywords: roof potential, rainwater harvesting, urban plan, roof extraction

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3227 Modelling and Simulation of a Commercial Thermophilic Biogas Plant

Authors: Jeremiah L. Chukwuneke, Obiora E. Anisiji, Chinonso H. Achebe, Paul C. Okolie

Abstract:

This paper developed a mathematical model of a commercial biogas plant for urban area clean energy requirement. It identified biodegradable waste materials like domestic/city refuse as economically viable alternative source of energy. The mathematical formulation of the proposed gas plant follows the fundamental principles of thermodynamics, and further analyses were accomplished to develop an algorithm for evaluating the plant performance preferably in terms of daily production capacity. In addition, the capacity of the plant is equally estimated for a given cycle of operation and presented in time histories. A nominal 1500 m3 power gas plant was studied characteristically and its performance efficiency evaluated. It was observed that the rate of bio gas production is essentially a function of the reactor temperature, pH, substrate concentration, rate of degradation of the biomass, and the accumulation of matter in the system due to bacteria growth. The results of this study conform to a very large extent with reported empirical data of some existing plant and further model validations were conducted in line with classical records found in literature.

Keywords: energy and mass conservation, specific growth rate, thermophilic bacteria, temperature, rate of bio gas production

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3226 Implementing Building Information Modelling to Attain Lean and Green Benefits

Authors: Ritu Ahuja

Abstract:

Globally the built environment sector is striving to be highly efficient, quality-centred and socially-responsible. Built environment sector is an integral part of the economy and plays an important role in urbanization, industrialization and improved quality of living. The inherent challenges such as excessive material and process waste, over reliance on resources, energy usage, and carbon footprint need to be addressed in order to meet the needs of the economy. It is envisioned that these challenges can be resolved by integration of Lean-Green-Building Information Modelling (BIM) paradigms. Ipso facto, with BIM as a catalyst, this research identifies the operational and tactical connections of lean and green philosophies by providing a conceptual integration framework and underpinning theories. The research has developed a framework for BIM-based organizational capabilities for enhanced adoption and effective use of BIM within architectural organizations. The study was conducted through a sequential mixed method approach focusing on collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data. The framework developed as part of this study will enable architectural organizations to successfully embrace BIM on projects and gain lean and green benefits.

Keywords: BIM, lean, green, AEC organizations

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3225 Developing Metaverse Initiatives: Insights from a University Case Study

Authors: Jiongbin Liu, William Yeoh, Shang Gao, Xiaoliang Meng, Yuhan Zhu

Abstract:

The metaverse concept has sparked significant interest in both academic and industrial spheres. As educational institutions increasingly adopt this technology, understanding its implementation becomes crucial. In response, we conducted a comprehensive case study at a large university, systematically analyzing the nine stages of metaverse development initiatives. Our study unveiled critical insights into the planning, assessment, and execution processes, offering invaluable guidance for stakeholders. The findings highlight both the opportunities for enhanced learning experiences and the challenges related to technological integration and social interaction in higher education.

Keywords: metaverse, metaverse development framework, higher education, case study

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3224 The Impact of β Nucleating Agents and Carbon-Based Nanomaterials on Water Vapor Permeability of Polypropylene Composite Films

Authors: Glykeria A. Visvini, George Ν. Mathioudakis, Amaia Soto Beobide, George A. Voyiatzis

Abstract:

Polymer nanocomposites are materials in which a polymer matrix is reinforced with nanoscale inclusions, such as nanoparticles, nanoplates, or nanofibers. These nanoscale inclusions can significantly enhance the mechanical, thermal, electrical, and other properties of the polymer matrix, making them attractive for a wide range of industrial applications. These properties can be tailored by adjusting the type and the concentration of the nanoinclusions, which provides a high degree of flexibility in their design and development. An important property that polymeric membranes can exhibit is water vapor permeability (WVP). This can be accomplished by various methods, including the incorporation of micro/nano-fillers into the polymer matrix. In this way, a micro/nano-pore network can be formed, allowing water vapor to permeate through the membrane. At the same time, the membrane can be stretched uni- or bi-axially, creating aligned or cross-linked micropores in the composite, respectively, which can also increase the WVP. Nowadays, in industry, stretched films reinforced with CaCO3 develop micro-porosity sufficient to give them breathability characteristics. Carbon-based nanomaterials, such as graphene oxide (GO), are tentatively expected to be able to effectively improve the WVP of corresponding composite polymer films. The presence in the GO structure of various functional oxidizing groups enhances its ability to attract and channel water molecules, exploiting the unique large surface area of graphene that allows the rapid transport of water molecules. Polypropylene (PP) is widely used in various industrial applications due to its desirable properties, including good chemical resistance, excellent thermal stability, low cost, and easy processability. The specific properties of PP are highly influenced by its crystalline behavior, which is determined by its processing conditions. The development of the β-crystalline phase in PP, in combination with stretching, is anticipating improving the microporosity of the polymer matrix, thereby enhancing its WVP. The aim of present study is to create breathable PP composite membranes using carbon-based nanomaterials, such as graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). Unlike traditional methods that rely on the drawing process to enhance the WVP of PP, this study intents to develop a low-cost approach using melt mixing with β-nucleating agents and carbon fillers to create highly breathable PP composite membranes. The study aims to investigate how the concentration of these additives affects the water vapor transport properties of the resulting PP films/membranes. The presence of β-nucleating agents and carbon fillers is expected to enhance β-phase growth in PP, while an alternation between β- and α-phase is expected to lead to improved microporosity and WVP. Our ambition is to develop highly breathable PP composite films with superior performance and at a lower cost compared to the benchmark. Acknowledgment: This research has been co‐financed by the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, under the call «Special Actions "AQUACULTURE"-"INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS"-"OPEN INNOVATION IN CULTURE"» (project code: Τ6YBP-00337)

Keywords: carbon based nanomaterials, nanocomposites, nucleating agent, polypropylene, water vapor permeability

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3223 X-Ray Dosimetry by a Low-Cost Current Mode Ion Chamber

Authors: Ava Zarif Sanayei, Mustafa Farjad-Fard, Mohammad-Reza Mohammadian-Behbahani, Leyli Ebrahimi, Sedigheh Sina

Abstract:

The fabrication and testing of a low-cost air-filled ion chamber for X-ray dosimetry is studied. The chamber is made of a metal cylinder, a central wire, a BC517 Darlington transistor, a 9V DC battery, and a voltmeter in order to have a cost-effective means to measure the dose. The output current of the dosimeter is amplified by the transistor and then fed to the large internal resistance of the voltmeter, producing a readable voltage signal. The dose-response linearity of the ion chamber is evaluated for different exposure scenarios by the X-ray tube. kVp values 70, 90, and 120, and mAs up to 20 are considered. In all experiments, a solid-state dosimeter (Solidose 400, Elimpex Medizintechnik) is used as a reference device for chamber calibration. Each case of exposure is repeated three times, the voltmeter and Solidose readings are recorded, and the mean and standard deviation values are calculated. Then, the calibration curve, derived by plotting voltmeter readings against Solidose readings, provided a linear fit result for all tube kVps of 70, 90, and 120. A 99, 98, and 100% linear relationship, respectively, for kVp values 70, 90, and 120 are demonstrated. The study shows the feasibility of achieving acceptable dose measurements with a simplified setup. Further enhancements to the proposed setup include solutions for limiting the leakage current, optimizing chamber dimensions, utilizing electronic microcontrollers for dedicated data readout, and minimizing the impact of stray electromagnetic fields on the system.

Keywords: dosimetry, ion chamber, radiation detection, X-ray

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3222 A Review of Geotextile Tube with the Evaluation of Dewatering of High Water Content Sludge

Authors: Rajul Dwivedi, Mahesh Patel

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Due to the scarcity of natural resources, common rivers and coastal structures are too expensive to build and maintain. One such method is to use geotextile tube technology to build marine protected structures, such as dams, canals, jetties, free breakwaters, etc. Geotextile tube technology has evolved from other construction technologies and improved into a more efficient solution. The coastal erosion problems have been exacerbated by the development of infrastructure associated with the expansion of urban and industrial activities. Resources and harbours and the removal of sea sand for use in this erosion event will accelerate the erosion of the sea. but in the coastal areas, due to depletion of sand or beach sand

Keywords: geotextile tubes, slurry, dewatering, response surface

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3221 Assigning Moral Positions Caused by Environmental Degradation in San Buenaventura Public Housing Complex in Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico, Mexico

Authors: Ángel O. Aldape, José M. Bustos, José G. Guízar

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Building companies providing public housing in Mexico, such as INFONAVIT, Casas GEO, Casas ARA, among others, provide low-interest home loans for thousands of Mexican families and individuals to buy a home. However, once this goal is achieved, these companies are not responsible for the care and maintenance of green areas and waste collection services because, technically, it is the local municipalities’ responsibility to provide these services to the community. However, this does not always occur with local municipalities. To study this problem, the San Buenaventura public housing complex was selected. This housing complex is located in the municipality of Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico (Estado de Mexico), Mexico. To our best knowledge, there are currently no formal studies about San Buenaventura that can offer effective options and/or better ways of sorting and disposing households’ wastes, as well as improving local green areas (community gardens and parks). Only a few web-blogs and periodical reports have addressed these serious problems that directly affect the social and psychological well-being of residents. The main goal of this research project aims to improve our understanding towards the existing ontological elements that emerge from residents’ discourses (in the form of informal talks and gossip) and discover the socio-physical elements that they use to assign moral positions onto others or onto themselves. The theoretical framework used in this study is based on two constructionist theories: positioning theory and site ontology. The first theory offered the opportunity to explore the rights, duties, and obligations assigned to a social role (or moral position) of the participants. The second theory provided a constructionist philosophical base that includes various socio-physical elements that are considered to assign personal or community meanings to particular contexts. Both theories contributed to defining personal dispositions and/or attitudes to carry out concrete social action or practice. The theoretical framework was guided by a relativistic ontology that allowed the researcher to better interpret the reality of the participants of this study. A descriptive-interpretative methodology was used, and two qualitative methods were arranged based on the theoretical framework proposed as follows: a semi-structured focus group interview, and direct observations. The semi-structured focus group was carried out with four residents of San Buenaventura and covert observations of public spaces and houses were carried out. These were analysed and interpreted by the researcher and assisted by NVivo software. The results suggest that the participants assigned moral traits of responsibility to other residents regarding the problem of the neglect of the green areas and waste pollution. The results suggest that all participants agreed to assign moral traits to other residents making them liable for the environmental degradation and the decay of green areas. They neither assigned any moral duty nor responsible moral traits onto themselves towards environmental protection or destruction. Overall, the participants in this study pointed out that external ontological elements such as the local government, infrastructure or cleaning services were not main cause of these environmental problems but rather the general lack of moral duty and disposition of other residents.

Keywords: conversation, environment, housing, moral, ontology, position, public, site, talks

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3220 Private Technology Parks–The New Engine for Innovation Development in Russia

Authors: K. Volkonitskaya, S. Lyapina

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According to the National Monitoring Centre of innovation infrastructure, scientific and technical activities and regional innovation systems by December 2014. 166 technology parks were established in Russia. Comparative analysis of technological parks performance in Russia, the USA, Israel and the European Union countries revealed significant reduction of key performance indicators in Russian innovation infrastructure institutes. The largest deviations were determined in the following indicators: new products and services launched, number of companies and jobs, amount of venture capital invested. Lower performance indicators of Russian technology parks can be partly explained by slack demand for national high-tech products and services, lack of qualified specialists in the sphere of innovation management and insufficient cooperation between different innovation infrastructure institutes. In spite of all constraints in innovation segment of Russian economy in 2010-2012 private investors for the first time proceeded to finance building of technological parks. The general purpose of the research is to answer two questions: why despite the significant investment risks private investors continue to implement such comprehensive infrastructure projects in Russia and is business model of private technological park more efficient than strategies of state innovation infrastructure institutes? The goal of the research was achieved by analyzing business models of private technological parks in Moscow, Kaliningrad, Astrakhan and Kazan. The research was conducted in two stages: the on-line survey of key performance indicators of private and state Russian technological parks and in-depth interviews with top managers and investors, who have already build private technological parks in by 2014 or are going to complete investment stage in 2014-2016. The results anticipated are intended to identify the reasons of efficient and inefficient technological parks performance. Furthermore, recommendations for improving the efficiency of state technological and industrial parks were formulated. Particularly, the recommendations affect the following issues: networking with other infrastructural institutes, services and infrastructure provided, mechanisms of public-private partnership and investment attraction. In general intensive study of private technological parks performance and development of effective mechanisms of state support can have a positive impact on the growth rates of the number of Russian technological, industrial and science parks.

Keywords: innovation development, innovation infrastructure, private technology park, public-private partnership

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3219 The Universal Theory: Role of Imaginary Pressure on Different Relative Motions

Authors: Sahib Dino Naseerani

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The presented scientific text discusses the concept of imaginary pressure and its role in different relative motions. It explores how imaginary pressure, which is the combined effect of external atmospheric pressure and real pressure, affects various substances and their physical properties. The study aims to understand the impact of imaginary pressure and its potential applications in different contexts, such as spaceflight. The main objective of this study is to investigate the role of imaginary pressure on different relative motions. Specifically, the researchers aim to examine how imaginary pressure affects the contraction and mass variation of a body when it is in motion at the speed of light. The study seeks to provide insights into the behavior and consequences of imaginary pressure in various scenarios. The data was collected using three research papers. This research contributes to a better understanding of the theoretical implications of imaginary pressure. It elucidates how imaginary pressure is responsible for the contraction and mass variation of a body in motion, particularly at the speed of light. The findings shed light on the behavior of substances under the influence of imaginary pressure, providing valuable insights for future scientific studies. The study addresses the question of how imaginary pressure influences various relative motions and their associated physical properties. It aims to understand the role of imaginary pressure in the contraction and mass variation of a body, particularly at high speeds. By examining different substances in liquid and solid forms, the research explores the consequences of imaginary pressure on their volume, length, and mass.

Keywords: imaginary pressure, contraction, variation, relative motion

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3218 Modeling and Experimental Verification of Crystal Growth Kinetics in Glass Forming Alloys

Authors: Peter K. Galenko, Stefanie Koch, Markus Rettenmayr, Robert Wonneberger, Evgeny V. Kharanzhevskiy, Maria Zamoryanskaya, Vladimir Ankudinov

Abstract:

We analyze the structure of undercooled melts, crystal growth kinetics and amorphous/crystalline microstructure of rapidly solidifying glass-forming Pd-based and CuZr-based alloys. A dendrite growth model is developed using a combination of the kinetic phase-field model and mesoscopic sharp interface model. The model predicts features of crystallization kinetics in alloys from thermodynamically controlled growth (governed by the Gibbs free energy change on solidification) to the kinetically limited regime (governed by atomic attachment-detachment processes at the solid/liquid interface). Comparing critical undercoolings observed in the crystallization kinetics with experimental data on melt viscosity, atomistic simulation's data on liquid microstructure and theoretically predicted dendrite growth velocity allows us to conclude that the dendrite growth kinetics strongly depends on the cluster structure changes of the melt. The obtained data of theoretical and experimental investigations are used for interpretation of microstructure of samples processed in electro-magnetic levitator on board International Space Station in the frame of the project "MULTIPHAS" (European Space Agency and German Aerospace Center, 50WM1941) and "KINETIKA" (ROSKOSMOS).

Keywords: dendrite, kinetics, model, solidification

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3217 Statistical Manufacturing Cell/Process Qualification Sample Size Optimization

Authors: Angad Arora

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In production operations/manufacturing, a cell or line is typically a bunch of similar machines (computer numerical control (CNCs), advanced cutting, 3D printing or special purpose machines. For qualifying a typical manufacturing line /cell / new process, Ideally, we need a sample of parts that can be flown through the process and then we make a judgment on the health of the line/cell. However, with huge volumes and mass production scope, such as in the mobile phone industry, for example, the actual cells or lines can go in thousands and to qualify each one of them with statistical confidence means utilizing samples that are very large and eventually add to product /manufacturing cost + huge waste if the parts are not intended to be customer shipped. To solve this, we come up with 2 steps statistical approach. We start with a small sample size and then objectively evaluate whether the process needs additional samples or not. For example, if a process is producing bad parts and we saw those samples early, then there is a high chance that the process will not meet the desired yield and there is no point in keeping adding more samples. We used this hypothesis and came up with 2 steps binomial testing approach. Further, we also prove through results that we can achieve an 18-25% reduction in samples while keeping the same statistical confidence.

Keywords: statistics, data science, manufacturing process qualification, production planning

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3216 Characteristic Study of Polymer Sand as a Potential Substitute for Natural River Sand in Construction Industry

Authors: Abhishek Khupsare, Ajay Parmar, Ajay Agarwal, Swapnil Wanjari

Abstract:

The extreme demand for aggregate leads to the exploitation of river-bed for fine aggregates, affecting the environment adversely. Therefore, a suitable alternative to natural river sand is essentially required. This study focuses on preventing environmental impact by developing polymer sand to replace natural river sand (NRS). Development of polymer sand by mixing high volume fly ash, bottom ash, cement, natural river sand, and locally purchased high solid content polycarboxylate ether-based superplasticizer (HS-PCE). All the physical and chemical properties of polymer sand (P-Sand) were observed and satisfied the requirement of the Indian Standard code. P-Sand yields good specific gravity of 2.31 and is classified as zone-I sand with a satisfactory friction angle (37˚) compared to natural river sand (NRS) and Geopolymer fly ash sand (GFS). Though the water absorption (6.83%) and pH (12.18) are slightly more than those of GFS and NRS, the alkali silica reaction and soundness are well within the permissible limit as per Indian Standards. The chemical analysis by X-Ray fluorescence showed the presence of high amounts of SiO2 and Al2O3 with magnitudes of 58.879% 325 and 26.77%, respectively. Finally, the compressive strength of M-25 grade concrete using P-sand and Geopolymer sand (GFS) was observed to be 87.51% and 83.82% with respect to natural river sand (NRS) after 28 days, respectively. The results of this study indicate that P-sand can be a good alternative to NRS for construction work as it not only reduces the environmental effect due to sand mining but also focuses on utilising fly ash and bottom ash.

Keywords: polymer sand, fly ash, bottom ash, HSPCE plasticizer, river sand mining

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3215 Thiosulfate Leaching of the Auriferous Ore from Castromil Deposit: A Case Study

Authors: Rui Sousa, Aurora Futuro, António Fiúza

Abstract:

The exploitation of gold ore deposits is highly dependent on efficient mineral processing methods, although actual perspectives based on life-cycle assessment introduce difficulties that were unforeseen in a very recent past. Cyanidation is the most applied gold processing method, but the potential environmental problems derived from the usage of cyanide as leaching reagent led to a demand for alternative methods. Ammoniacal thiosulfate leaching is one of the most important alternatives to cyanidation. In this article, some experimental studies carried out in order to assess the feasibility of thiosulfate as a leaching agent for the ore from the unexploited Portuguese gold mine of Castromil. It became clear that the process depends on the concentrations of ammonia, thiosulfate and copper. Based on this fact, a few leaching tests were performed in order to assess the best reagent prescription, and also the effects of different combination of these concentrations. Higher thiosulfate concentrations cause the decrease of gold dissolution. Lower concentrations of ammonia require higher thiosulfate concentrations, and higher ammonia concentrations require lower thiosulfate concentrations. The addition of copper increases the gold dissolution ratio. Subsequently, some alternative operatory conditions were tested such as variations in temperature and in the solid/liquid ratio as well as the application of a pre-treatment before the leaching stage. Finally, thiosulfate leaching was compared to cyanidation. Thiosulfate leaching showed to be an important alternative, although a pre-treatment is required to increase the yield of the gold dissolution.

Keywords: gold, leaching, pre-treatment, thiosulfate

Procedia PDF Downloads 313
3214 Enhancing the Performance of Bug Reporting System by Handling Duplicate Reporting Reports: Artificial Intelligence Based Mantis

Authors: Afshan Saad, Muhammad Saad, Shah Muhammad Emaduddin

Abstract:

Bug reporting systems are most important tool that guides regarding different maintenance activities in software engineering. Duplicate bug reports which describe the bugs and issues in bug reporting system repository increases processing time of bug triage that monitors all such activities and software programmers who are working and spending time on reports which were assigned by triage. These reports can reveal imperfections and degrade software quality. As there is a number of the potential duplicate bug reports increases, the number of bug reports in bug repository increases. Identifying duplicate bug reports help in decreasing development work load in fixing defects. However, it is difficult to manually identify all possible duplicates because of the huge number of already reported bug reports. In this paper, an artificial intelligence based system using Mantis is proposed to automatically detect duplicate bug reports. When new bugs are submitted to repository triages will mark it with a tag. It will investigate that whether it is a duplicate of an existing bug report by matching or not. Reports with duplicate tags will be eliminated from the repository which not only will improve the performance of the system but can also save cost and effort waste on bug triage and finding the duplicate bug.

Keywords: bug tracking, triager, tool, quality assurance

Procedia PDF Downloads 198
3213 Gloria Naylor's Linden Hills: A Fine Description of Burdens and Misguided Notions of the Middle Black Community

Authors: Kalluru Maheswaramma, Putta Padma

Abstract:

This study makes an attempt to demonstrate the wondrous world of the upwardly middle black community in Gloria Naylor’s Linden Hills. Gloria Naylor’s first novel The Women of Brewster Place is about the working class and Linden Hills about middle-class Black America. Naylor believes their serenity that is lost in the middle or working class black people as they move into the upper patriarchal society. Naylor challenges the different forms of superiority, homophobia, and chauvinism, interracial bias, and the like, which plague a community so significantly trying to be acceptable in the larger white community. In an ironic twist, Naylor creates characters that recognize their desire for a solid black community but who in reality ignore blackness and negate any emergent sign of its development. Linden Hills is an expose of the wealthy and spiritually dissolute upper class. Linden Hills is an examination of an upper-middle-class African American community in which women are largely exploited or invisible and in which men have, in the course of upward mobility, sacrificed their racial identity and their essence. Linden Hills is a social world, which includes firm stratification, false values, and an immobilizing impact on its residents. Touching a brief note upon the origin and development of African American Literature as well a note on the chosen writer and her works, the paper proceeds to depict the middle-class black community of Linden Hills.

Keywords: gloria naylor, linden hills, African American community, the middle black community

Procedia PDF Downloads 565
3212 Sustainable Design of Coastal Bridge Networks in the Presence of Multiple Flood and Earthquake Risks

Authors: Riyadh Alsultani, Ali Majdi

Abstract:

It is necessary to develop a design methodology that includes the possibility of seismic events occurring in a region, the vulnerability of the civil hydraulic structure, and the effects of the occurrence hazard on society, environment, and economy in order to evaluate the flood and earthquake risks of coastal bridge networks. This paper presents a design approach for the assessment of the risk and sustainability of coastal bridge networks under time-variant flood-earthquake conditions. The social, environmental, and economic indicators of the network are used to measure its sustainability. These consist of anticipated loss, downtime, energy waste, and carbon dioxide emissions. The design process takes into account the possibility of happening in a set of flood and earthquake scenarios that represent the local seismic activity. Based on the performance of each bridge as determined by fragility assessments, network linkages are measured. The network's connections and bridges' damage statuses after an earthquake scenario determine the network's sustainability and danger. The sustainability measures' temporal volatility and the danger of structural degradation are both highlighted. The method is shown using a transportation network in Baghdad, Iraq.

Keywords: sustainability, Coastal bridge networks, flood-earthquake risk, structural design

Procedia PDF Downloads 98
3211 The Impact of Perceived Banking Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction

Authors: Muhammad Waqas

Abstract:

In this competitive environment, organizations in the service sector and industrial sector are trying their best to win the loyalty of their customers by providing superior quality services and innovative products to remain competitive in the market. The objective of this study is to focus on the concept that public dealing and tripping of electricity have a significant impact on customer satisfaction. This study is focused on the banking sector. It is concluded that quality in service sectors strongly depends on employees' commitment to the organization for providing superior services to the customers to enhance customers' satisfaction.

Keywords: customer complaints, banking sector, customer satisfaction, Islamic banking

Procedia PDF Downloads 89
3210 Processes and Application of Casting Simulation and Its Software’s

Authors: Surinder Pal, Ajay Gupta, Johny Khajuria

Abstract:

Casting simulation helps visualize mold filling and casting solidification; predict related defects like cold shut, shrinkage porosity and hard spots; and optimize the casting design to achieve the desired quality with high yield. Flow and solidification of molten metals are, however, a very complex phenomenon that is difficult to simulate correctly by conventional computational techniques, especially when the part geometry is intricate and the required inputs (like thermo-physical properties and heat transfer coefficients) are not available. Simulation software is based on the process of modeling a real phenomenon with a set of mathematical formulas. It is, essentially, a program that allows the user to observe an operation through simulation without actually performing that operation. Simulation software is used widely to design equipment so that the final product will be as close to design specs as possible without expensive in process modification. Simulation software with real-time response is often used in gaming, but it also has important industrial applications. When the penalty for improper operation is costly, such as airplane pilots, nuclear power plant operators, or chemical plant operators, a mockup of the actual control panel is connected to a real-time simulation of the physical response, giving valuable training experience without fear of a disastrous outcome. The all casting simulation software has own requirements, like magma cast has only best for crack simulation. The latest generation software Auto CAST developed at IIT Bombay provides a host of functions to support method engineers, including part thickness visualization, core design, multi-cavity mold design with common gating and feeding, application of various feed aids (feeder sleeves, chills, padding, etc.), simulation of mold filling and casting solidification, automatic optimization of feeders and gating driven by the desired quality level, and what-if cost analysis. IIT Bombay has developed a set of applications for the foundry industry to improve casting yield and quality. Casting simulation is a fast and efficient solution for process for advanced tool which is the result of more than 20 years of collaboration with major industrial partners and academic institutions around the world. In this paper the process of casting simulation is studied.

Keywords: casting simulation software’s, simulation technique’s, casting simulation, processes

Procedia PDF Downloads 478
3209 Smart Energy Storage: W₁₈O₄₉ NW/Ti₃C₂Tₓ Composite-Enabled All Solid State Flexible Electrochromic Supercapacitors

Authors: Muhammad Hassan, Kemal Celebi

Abstract:

Developing a highly efficient electrochromic energy storage device with sufficient color fluctuation and significant electrochemical performance is highly desirable for practical energy-saving applications. Here, to achieve a highly stable material with a large electrochemical storage capacity, a W₁₈O₄₉ NW/Ti₃C₂Tₓ composite has been fabricated and deposited on a pre-assembled Ag and W₁₈O₄₉ NW conductive network by Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The resulting hybrid electrode composed of 15 layers of W₁₈O₄₉ NW/Ti₃C₂Tₓ exhibits an areal capacitance of 125 mF/cm², with a fast and reversible switching response. An optical modulation of 98.2% can be maintained at a current density of 5 mAcm⁻². Using this electrode, we fabricated a bifunctional symmetric electrochromic supercapacitor device having an energy density of 10.26 μWh/cm² and a power density of 0.605 mW/cm², with high capacity retention and full columbic efficiency over 4000 charge-discharge cycles. Meanwhile, the device displays remarkable electrochromic characteristics, including fast switching time (5 s for coloring and 7 s for bleaching) and a significant coloration efficiency of 116 cm²/C with good optical modulation stability. In addition, the device exhibits remarkable mechanical flexibility and fast switching while being stable over 100 bending cycles, which is promising for real-world applications.

Keywords: MXene, nanowires, supercapacitor, ion diffusion, electrochromic, coloration efficiency

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3208 Optimizing Machine Vision System Setup Accuracy by Six-Sigma DMAIC Approach

Authors: Joseph C. Chen

Abstract:

Machine vision system provides automatic inspection to reduce manufacturing costs considerably. However, only a few principles have been found to optimize machine vision system and help it function more accurately in industrial practice. Mostly, there were complicated and impractical design techniques to improve the accuracy of machine vision system. This paper discusses implementing the Six Sigma Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) approach to optimize the setup parameters of machine vision system when it is used as a direct measurement technique. This research follows a case study showing how Six Sigma DMAIC methodology has been put into use.

Keywords: DMAIC, machine vision system, process capability, Taguchi Parameter Design

Procedia PDF Downloads 441
3207 Scanning Electron Microscopy of Cement Clinkers Produced Using Alternative Fuels

Authors: Sorour Semsari Parapari, Mehmet Ali Gülgün, Melih Papila

Abstract:

Cement production is one of the most energy-intensive processes consuming a high amount of thermal energy. Nowadays, alternative fuels are being used in cement manufacturing in a large scale as a help to provide the necessary energy. The alternative fuels could consist of any disposal like waste plastics, used tires and biomass. It has been suggested that the clinker properties might be affected by using these fuels because of foreign elements incorporation to the composition. Studying the distribution of clinker phases and their chemical composition is possible with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this study, clinker samples were produced using different alternative fuels in cement firing kilns. The microstructural observations by back-scattered electrons (BSE) mode in SEM (JEOL JSM-6010LV) showed that the clinker phase distribution was dissimilar in samples prepared with different alternative fuels. The alite to belite (a/b) phase content of samples was quantified by image analysis. The results showed that the a/b varied between 5.2 and 1.5 among samples as the average value for six clinker nodules. The elemental analysis by energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mounted on SEM indicated the variation in chemical composition among samples. Higher amounts of sulfur and alkalis seemed to reduce the alite phase formation in clinkers.

Keywords: alternative fuels, cement clinker, microstructure, SEM

Procedia PDF Downloads 368