Search results for: entropy generation analyze

Authors: Papai Barman, Harihar Sahoo

Abstract:

With increasing life expectancy, urbanization, and adult out migration, elder people live without adult child and most of time responsible for grandchild caring while the care is needed for them. On this line, the current study examined the association between grandchild caring (GCC) with different household structures and depression among elderly (60+) grandparents (GP) living in India using Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI), 2017-18. HH structure was defined as the skipped-generation household (SGH) where GP and GC lived together without middle generation and the multi-generation household (MGH) where more than two generations lived together. GCC was defined by two categories, compulsive and non-compulsive caring. CES-D depression scale was utilized to measure GP’s mental health. Socio-economic characteristics, chronic diseases, and health behavior were controlled to get the effect of HH structure and GCC considered key explanatory variables. Bivariate analyses showed that the prevalence of elderly lived in SGH in India (2.5%). Prevalence of compulsive caring was found 16.3% in MGH and 51.1% in SGH. Prevalence of depressions was found nearly 37.1 and 49.5% among the GPs responsible for GCC in MGH and SGH, respectively. Using Biprobit and margins results, GPs lived in SGH were 0.40 times (dy/dx=0.40, p<0.001) more likely to report depression than GPs lived in MGH, given the condition on compulsive caring. Ensuring SDG goal-3, health aging, and giving more social security to the elder people responsible for caring while they are needed care at later life, the current study may improve the existing knowledge and help policy makers to make an intervention on this most vulnerable people, especially for the elderly people living in SGH and responsible for caring.

Keywords: household structure, grandchild caring, skipped-generation household, multi-generation household, depression, mental health, India

Procedia PDF Downloads 53

Authors: Abdelkader T. Ahmed, Ayed E. Alluqmani

Abstract:

The population growth in the KSA beside the increase in the urbanization level and standard of living improvement have resulted in the rapid growth of the country’s Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation. Municipalities are managing the MSW system in the KSA by collecting and getting rid of it by dumping it in nearest open landfill sites. Solid waste management is one of the main critical issues considered worldwide due to its significant impact on the environment and the public health. In this study, municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, composition and collection of Madinah city, as one of largest cities in KSA, were examined to provide an overview of current state of MSW management, an analysis of existing problem in MSW management, and recommendations for improving the waste treatment and management system in this area. These recommendations would be not specific to Madinah region, but also would be applied to other cities in KSA or any other regions with similar features. The trend of waste generation showed that current waste generation would be increased as much as two to three folds in 2030. Approximately 25% of total generated waste is disposed to a sanitary landfill, while 75% is sent to normal dumpsites. This study also investigated the environmental impacts of MSW through the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of waste generations and related processes. LCA results revealed that among the seven scenarios, recycling and composting are the best scenario for the solid waste management in Madinah and similar regions.

Keywords: municipal solid waste, waste recycling and land-filling, waste management, life cycle assessment

Procedia PDF Downloads 432

Authors: Pedro Esteban

Abstract:

Today’s electrical networks, including microgrids, are evolving into smart grids. The smart grid concept brings the idea that the power comes from various sources (continuous or intermittent), in various forms (AC or DC, high, medium or low voltage, etc.), and it must be integrated into the electric power system in a smart way to guarantee a continuous and reliable supply that complies with power quality and energy efficiency standards and grid code requirements. This idea brings questions for the different players like how the required power will be generated, what kind of power will be more suitable, how to store exceeding levels for short or long-term usage, and how to combine and distribute all the different generation power sources in an efficient way. To address these issues, there has been lots of development in recent years on the field of on-grid and off-grid hybrid power systems (HPS). These systems usually combine one or more modes of electricity generation together with energy storage to ensure optimal supply reliability and high level of energy security. Hybrid power systems combine power generation and energy storage technologies together with real-time energy management and innovative power quality and energy efficiency improvement functionalities. These systems help customers achieve targets for clean energy generation, they add flexibility to the electrical grid, and they optimize the installation by improving its power quality and energy efficiency.

Keywords: microgrids, hybrid power systems, energy storage, power quality improvement

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: Man Young Kim

Abstract:

Catalytic combustion is generally accepted as an environmentally preferred alternative for the generation of heat and power from fossil fuels mainly due to its advantages related to the stable combustion under very lean conditions with low emissions of NOx, CO, and UHC at temperatures lower than those occurred in conventional flame combustion. Despite these advantages, the commercial application of catalytic combustion has been delayed because of complicated reaction processes and the difficulty in developing appropriate catalysts with the required stability and durability. To develop the catalytic combustors, detailed studies on the combustion characteristics of catalytic combustion should be conducted. To the end, in current research, quantitative studies on the combustion characteristics of the catalytic combustors, with a Pd-based catalyst for MCFC power generation systems, relying on numerical simulations have been conducted. In addition, data from experimental studies of variations in outlet temperatures and fuel conversion, taken after operating conditions have been used to validate the present numerical approach. After introducing the governing equations for mass, momentum, and energy equations as well as a description of catalytic combustion kinetics, the effects of the excess air ratio, space velocity, and inlet gas temperature on the catalytic combustion characteristics are extensively investigated. Quantitative comparisons are also conducted with previous experimental data. Finally, some concluding remarks are presented.

Keywords: catalytic combustion, methane, BOP, MCFC power generation system, inlet temperature, excess air ratio, space velocity

Procedia PDF Downloads 250

Authors: Zehai Yu, Hui Zhu, Linglong Lin, Huawei Liang, Biao Yu, Weixin Huang

Abstract:

With the development of intelligent vehicle systems, a high-precision road map is increasingly needed in many aspects. The automatic lane lines extraction and modeling are the most essential steps for the generation of a precise lane-level road map. In this paper, an automatic lane-level road map generation system is proposed. To extract the road markings on the ground, the multi-region Otsu thresholding method is applied, which calculates the intensity value of laser data that maximizes the variance between background and road markings. The extracted road marking points are then projected to the raster image and clustered using a two-stage clustering algorithm. Lane lines are subsequently recognized from these clusters by the shape features of their minimum bounding rectangle. To ensure the storage efficiency of the map, the lane lines are approximated to cubic polynomial curves using a Bayesian estimation approach. The proposed lane-level road map generation system has been tested on urban and expressway conditions in Hefei, China. The experimental results on the datasets show that our method can achieve excellent extraction and clustering effect, and the fitted lines can reach a high position accuracy with an error of less than 10 cm.

Keywords: curve fitting, lane-level road map, line recognition, multi-thresholding, two-stage clustering

Procedia PDF Downloads 111

Authors: Hussain Ali Bekhet, Nor Hamisham Harun

Abstract:

The main objective of this paper is to give a comprehensive review of non-renewable energy and renewable energy utilization in Malaysia, including hydropower, solar photovoltaic, biomass and biogas technologies. Malaysia mainly depends on non-renewable energy (natural gas, coal and crude oil) for electricity generation. Therefore, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the energy sector and discusses diversification of electricity generation as a strategy for providing sustainable energy in Malaysia. Energy policies and strategies to protect the non-renewable energy utilization also are highlighted, focusing in the different sources of energy available for high and sustained economic growth. Emphasis is also placed on a discussion of the role of renewable energy as an alternative source for the increase of electricity supply security. It is now evident that to achieve sustainable development through renewable energy, energy policies and strategies have to be well designed and supported by the government, industries (firms), and individual or community participation. The hope is to create a positive impact on sustainable development through renewable sources for current and future generations.

Keywords: Malaysia, non-renewable energy, renewable energy, sustainable energy

Procedia PDF Downloads 370

Authors: Dheeraj Sharma, Santosh Kumar Vishvakarma

Abstract:

We present a detailed analysis of analog and radiofrequency (RF) performance with different gate lengths for nanowire cylindrical gate (CylG) gate-all-around (GAA) MOSFET. CylG GAA MOSFET not only suppresses the short channel effects (SCEs), it is also a good candidate for analog/RF device due to its high transconductance (gm) and high cutoff frequency (fT ). The presented work would be beneficial for a new generation of RF circuits and systems in a broad range of applications and operating frequency covering the RF spectrum. For this purpose, the analog/RF figures of merit for CylG GAA MOSFET is analyzed in terms of gate to source capacitance (Cgs), gate to drain capacitance (Cgd), transconductance generation factor gm = Id (where Id represents drain current), intrinsic gain, output resistance, fT, maximum frequency of oscillation (fmax) and gain bandwidth (GBW) product.

Keywords: Gate-All-Around MOSFET, GAA, output resistance, transconductance generation factor, intrinsic gain, cutoff frequency, fT

Procedia PDF Downloads 369

Authors: Sangchul Kim, Dosaeng Park

Abstract:

It is one of the important design issues to provide various levels of difficulty in order to suit the skillfulness of an individual. In this paper we propose an integer programming-based method for selecting a mixture of challenges for a racing game that meet a given degree of difficulty. The proposed method can also be used to dynamically adjust the difficulty of the game during the progression of playing. By experiments, it is shown that our method performs well enough to generate games with various degrees of difficulty that match the perception of players.

Keywords: level generation, level adjustment, racing game, ip

Procedia PDF Downloads 347

Authors: E. Kempen, M. J. Labuschagne, M. P. Jama

Abstract:

There is evidence that any learning experience should happen in a safe learning environment as students then will interact, experiment, and construct new knowledge. However, little is known about the specific elements required to create a safe learning environment for the millennial generation, especially in optometry education. This study aimed to identify the specific elements that will contribute to a safe learning environment for the millennial generation of optometry students. Methods: An intrinsic qualitative case study was undertaken with undergraduate students from the Department of Optometry at the University of the Free State, South Africa. An open-ended questionnaire survey was completed after the application of nine different teaching-learning methods based on the experiential learning cycle. A total number of 307 questionnaires were analyzed. Two focus group interviews were also conducted to provide additional data to supplement the data and ensure the triangulation of data. Results: Important elements based on the opinions, feelings, and perceptions of student respondents were analyzed. Students feel safe in an environment with which they are familiar, and when they are familiar with each other, the educators, and the surroundings. Small-group learning also creates a safe and familiar environment. Both these elements create an environment where they feel safe to ask questions. Students value an environment where they are able to learn without influencing their marks or disadvantaging the patients. They enjoy learning from their peers, but also need personal contact with educators. Elements such as consistency and an achievable objective also were also analyzed. Conclusion: The findings suggest that to respond to the real need of this generation of students, insight must be gained in students’ perceptions to identify their needs and the learning environment to optimize learning pedagogies. With the implementation of these personalized elements, optometry students will be able to take responsibility and accountability for their learning.

Keywords: experiences and perceptions, safe learning environment, millennial generation, recommendation for optometry education

Procedia PDF Downloads 117

Authors: Dawit Abay Tesfamariam

Abstract:

Ethiopia’s Climate- Resilient Green Economy strategy focuses mainly on generating and utilization of Renewable Energy (RE). The data collected in 2016 by Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) indicates that the intermittent RE sources on the grid from solar and wind energy were only 8 % of the total energy produced. On the other hand, the EEP electricity generation plan in 2030 indicates that 36 % of the energy generation share will be covered by solar and wind sources. Thus, a case study was initiated to model and compute the balance and consumption of electricity in three different scenarios: 2016, 2025, and 2030 using the Energy PLAN Model (EPM). Initially, the model was validated using the 2016 annual power-generated data to conduct the EPM analysis for two predictive scenarios. The EPM simulation analysis using EPM for 2016 showed that there was no significant excess power generated. Hence, the model’s results are in line with the actual 2016 output. Thus, the EPM was applied to analyze the role of energy storage in RE in Ethiopian grid systems. The results of the EPM simulation analysis showed there will be excess production of 402 /7963 MW average and maximum, respectively, in 2025. The excess power was dominant in all months except in the three rainy months of the year (June, July, and August). Consequently, based on the validated outcomes of EPM indicates, there is a good reason to think about other alternatives for the utilization of excess energy and storage of RE. Thus, from the scenarios and model results obtained, it is realistic to infer that; if the excess power is utilized with a storage mechanism that can stabilize the grid system; as a result, the extra RE generated can be exported to support the economy. Therefore, researchers must continue to upgrade the current and upcoming energy storage system to synchronize with RE potentials that can be generated from RE.

Keywords: renewable energy, storage, wind, energyplan

Procedia PDF Downloads 52

Authors: Efrain Rodriguez, Sergio Pertuz, Cristhian Riano

Abstract:

Tool-path generation is an essential step in the FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication)-based Additive Manufacturing (AM) process planning. In the manufacture of a mechanical part by using additive processes, high resource consumption and prolonged production times are inherent drawbacks of these processes mainly due to non-optimized tool-path generation. In this work, we propose a heuristic-search intelligent algorithm-based approach for optimized tool-path generation for FFF-based AM. The main benefit of this approach is a significant reduction of travels without material deposition when the AM machine performs moves without any extrusion. The optimization method used reduces the number of travels without extrusion in comparison with commercial software as Slic3r or Cura Engine, which means a reduction of production time.

Keywords: additive manufacturing, tool-path optimization, fused filament fabrication, process planning

Procedia PDF Downloads 421

Authors: Binyam Teferi

Abstract:

Numerical and theoretical analysis of mixed convection flow of magneto- hydrodynamics micropolar fluid with stretching capillary in the presence of thermal radiation, chemical reaction, viscous dissipation, and heat generation/ absorption have been studied. The non-linear partial differential equations of momentum, angular velocity, energy, and concentration are converted into ordinary differential equations using similarity transformations which can be solved numerically. The dimensionless governing equations are solved by using Runge Kutta fourth and fifth order along with the shooting method. The effect of physical parameters viz., micropolar parameter, unsteadiness parameter, thermal buoyancy parameter, concentration buoyancy parameter, Hartmann number, spin gradient viscosity parameter, microinertial density parameter, thermal radiation parameter, Prandtl number, Eckert number, heat generation or absorption parameter, Schmidt number and chemical reaction parameter on flow variables viz., the velocity of the micropolar fluid, microrotation, temperature, and concentration has been analyzed and discussed graphically. MATLAB code is used to analyze numerical and theoretical facts. From the simulation study, it can be concluded that an increment of micropolar parameter, Hartmann number, unsteadiness parameter, thermal and concentration buoyancy parameter results in decrement of velocity flow of micropolar fluid; microrotation of micropolar fluid decreases with an increment of micropolar parameter, unsteadiness parameter, microinertial density parameter, and spin gradient viscosity parameter; temperature profile of micropolar fluid decreases with an increment of thermal radiation parameter, Prandtl number, micropolar parameter, unsteadiness parameter, heat absorption, and viscous dissipation parameter; concentration of micropolar fluid decreases as unsteadiness parameter, Schmidt number and chemical reaction parameter increases. Furthermore, computational values of local skin friction coefficient, local wall coupled coefficient, local Nusselt number, and local Sherwood number for different values of parameters have been investigated. In this paper, the following important results are obtained; An increment of micropolar parameter and Hartmann number results in a decrement of velocity flow of micropolar fluid. Microrotation decreases with an increment of the microinertial density parameter. Temperature decreases with an increasing value of the thermal radiation parameter and viscous dissipation parameter. Concentration decreases as the values of Schmidt number and chemical reaction parameter increases. The coefficient of local skin friction is enhanced with an increase in values of both the unsteadiness parameter and micropolar parameter. Increasing values of unsteadiness parameter and micropolar parameter results in an increment of the local couple stress. An increment of values of unsteadiness parameter and thermal radiation parameter results in an increment of the rate of heat transfer. As the values of Schmidt number and unsteadiness parameter increases, Sherwood number decreases.

Keywords: thermal radiation, chemical reaction, viscous dissipation, heat absorption/ generation, similarity transformation

Procedia PDF Downloads 94

Authors: Mabrouka Algherinai, Fatma Karkouri

Abstract:

Today, Short Message Service (SMS) is an important means of communication. SMS is not only used in informal environment for communication and transaction, but it is also used in formal environments such as institutions, organizations, companies, and business world as a tool for communication and transactions. Therefore, there is a need to secure the information that is being transmitted through this medium to ensure security of information both in transit and at rest. But, encryption has been identified as a means to provide security to SMS messages in transit and at rest. Several past researches have proposed and developed several encryption algorithms for SMS and Information Security. This research aims at comparing the performance of common Asymmetric encryption algorithms on SMS security. The research employs the use of three algorithms, namely RSA, McEliece, and RABIN. Several experiments were performed on SMS of various sizes on android mobile device. The experimental results show that each of the three techniques has different key generation, encryption, and decryption times. The efficiency of an algorithm is determined by the time that it takes for encryption, decryption, and key generation. The best algorithm can be chosen based on the least time required for encryption. The obtained results show the least time when McEliece size 4096 is used. RABIN size 4096 gives most time for encryption and so it is the least effective algorithm when considering encryption. Also, the research shows that McEliece size 2048 has the least time for key generation, and hence, it is the best algorithm as relating to key generation. The result of the algorithms also shows that RSA size 1024 is the most preferable algorithm in terms of decryption as it gives the least time for decryption.

Keywords: SMS, RSA, McEliece, RABIN

Procedia PDF Downloads 136

Authors: Proficiency Munsaka, Peter Baricholo, Erich Rohwer

Abstract:

Pulse evolutions along the 5 cm long, 6.0 ×4.2 μm² cross-section silicon germanium (SiGe) photonic waveguides were simulated and compared with experiments. Simulations were carried out by solving a generalized nonlinear Schrodinger equation (GNLSE) for an optical pulse evolution along the length of the SiGe photonic waveguides by the split-step Fourier method (SSFM). The solution obtained from the SSFM gave the pulse envelope in both time and spectral domain calculated at each distance step along the propagation direction. The SiGe photonic waveguides were pumped in an anomalous group velocity dispersion (GVD) regime using a 4.7 μm, 210 fs femtosecond laser to produce a significant supercontinuum (SC). The simulated propagation of ultrafast pulse along the SiGe photonic waveguides produced an SC covering the atmospheric window (2.5-8.5 μm) containing the molecular fingerprints for important gases. Thus, the mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in SiGe photonic waveguides system can be commercialized for gas spectroscopy for detecting gases that include CO₂, CH₄, H₂O, SO₂, SO₃, NO₂, H₂S, CO, and NO at trace level using absorption spectroscopy technique. The simulated profile evolutions are spectrally and temporally similar to those obtained by other researchers. Obtained evolution profiles are characterized by pulse compression, Soliton fission, dispersive wave generation, stimulated Raman Scattering, and Four Wave mixing.

Keywords: silicon germanium photonic waveguide, supercontinuum generation, spectroscopy, mid infrared

Procedia PDF Downloads 104

Authors: Bryan Jefry Sabillon, Arlex Molina Cedillo

Abstract:

Currently, the raise in the demand of electrical energy as a consequence of the development of technology and population growth, as well as some projections made by ‘La Agencia Internacional de la Energía’ (AIE) and research institutes, reveal alarming data about the expected raise of it in the next few decades. Because of this, something should be made to raise the awareness of the rational and efficient usage of this resource. Because of the global concern of providing electrical energy to isolated areas, projects consisting of energy generation using renewable resources are commonly carried out. On a socioeconomically and cultural point of view, it can be foreseen a positive impact that would result for the society to have this resource. This article is focused on the great potential that Honduras shows, as a country that is looking forward to produce renewable energy due to the crisis that it’s living nowadays. Because of this, we present a detailed research that exhibits the main necessities that the rural communities are facing today, to allay the negative aspects due to the scarcity of electrical energy. We also discuss which should be the type of electrical generation method to be used, according to the disposition, geography, climate, and of course the accessibility of each area. Honduras is actually in the process of developing new methods for the generation of energy; therefore, it is of our concern to talk about renewable energy, the exploitation of which is a global trend. Right now the countries’ main energetic generation methods are: hydrological, thermic, wind, biomass and photovoltaic (this is one of the main sources of clean electrical generation). The use of these resources was possible partially due to the studies made by the organizations that focus on electrical energy and its demand, such as ‘La Cooperación Alemana’ (GIZ), ‘La Secretaria de Energía y Recursos Naturales’ (SERNA), and ‘El Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica’ (BCIE), which eased the complete guide that is to be used in the protocol to be followed to carry out the three stages of this type of projects: 1) Licences and Permitions, 2) Fincancial Aspects and 3) The inscription for the Protocol in Kyoto. This article pretends to take the reader through the necessary information (according to the difficult accessibility that each zone might present), about the best option of electrical generation in zones that are totally isolated from the net, pretending to use renewable resources to generate electrical energy. We finally conclude that the usage of hybrid systems of generation of energy for small remote communities brings about a positive impact, not only because of the fact of providing electrical energy but also because of the improvements in education, health, sustainable agriculture and livestock, and of course the advances in the generation of energy which is the main concern of this whole article.

Keywords: energy, isolated, renewable, accessibility

Procedia PDF Downloads 209

Authors: Nour Wehbe

Abstract:

The Lebanese electricity sector is at the heart of a deep crisis. Electricity in Lebanon is supplied by Électricité du Liban (EdL) which has to suffer from technical and financial deficiencies for decades and proved to be insufficient and deficient as the demand still exceeds the supply. As a result, backup generation is widespread throughout Lebanon. The sector costs massive government resources and, on top of it, consumers pay massive additional amounts for satisfying their electrical needs. While the developed countries have been investing in renewable energy for the past two decades, the Lebanese government realizes the importance of adopting such energy sourcing strategies for the upgrade of the electricity sector in the country. The diversification of the national electricity generation mix has increased considerably in Lebanon's energy planning agenda, especially that a detailed review of the energy potential in Lebanon has revealed a great potential of solar and wind energy resources, a considerable potential of biomass resource, and an important hydraulic potential in Lebanon. This paper presents a review of the energy status of Lebanon, and illustrates a detailed review of the EDL structure with the existing problems and recommended solutions. In addition, scenarios reflecting implementation of policy projects are presented, and conclusions are drawn on the usefulness of a proposed evaluation methodology and the effectiveness of the adopted new energy policy for the electrical sector in Lebanon.

Keywords: EdL Electricite du Liban, portfolio optimization, electricity generation mix, mean-variance approach

Procedia PDF Downloads 225

Authors: Abdulrahman M. Alajlan, Saichao Dang, Qiaoqiang Gan

Abstract:

Photovoltaic (PV) cells, while pivotal for solar energy harnessing, confront a challenge due to the presence of persistent residual heat. This thermal energy poses significant obstacles to the performance and longevity of PV cells. Mitigating this thermal issue is imperative, particularly in tropical regions where solar abundance coexists with elevated ambient temperatures. In response, a sustainable and economically viable solution has been devised, incorporating water-passive cooling within a Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric (PV-TEG) hybrid system to address PV cell overheating. The implemented system has significantly reduced the operating temperatures of PV cells, achieving a notable reduction of up to 15 °C below the temperature observed in standalone PV systems. In addition, a thermoelectric generator (TEG) integrated into the system significantly enhances power generation, particularly during nighttime operation. The developed hybrid system demonstrates its capability to generate power at a density of 0.5 Wm⁻² during nighttime, which is sufficient to concurrently power multiple light-emitting diodes, demonstrating practical applications for nighttime power generation. Key findings from this research include a consistent temperature reduction exceeding 10 °C for PV cells, translating to a 5% average enhancement in PV output power compared to standalone PV systems. Experimental demonstrations underscore nighttime power generation of 0.5 Wm⁻², with the potential to achieve 0.8 Wm⁻² through simple geometric optimizations. The optimal cooling of PV cells is determined by the volume of water in the heat storage unit, exhibiting an inverse relationship with the optimal performance for nighttime power generation. Furthermore, the TEG output effectively powers a lighting system with up to 5 LEDs during the night. This research not only proposes a practical solution for maximizing solar radiation utilization but also charts a course for future advancements in energy harvesting technologies.

Keywords: photovoltaic-thermoelectric systems, nighttime power generation, PV thermal management, PV cooling

Procedia PDF Downloads 52

Authors: Burçak Boztemur, Yue Xu, Laima Luo, M. Lütfi Öveçoğlu, Duygu Ağaoğulları

Abstract:

Tungsten (W) is used chiefly as plasma-facing material. However, it has some problems, such as brittleness after plasma exposure. High-entropy alloys (RHEAs) are a new opportunity for this deficiency. So, the neutron shielding behavior of WNbMoVTa and WNbMoVTaCr₀.₅Al compositions were examined against He⁺ irradiation in this study. The mechanical and irradiation properties of the WNbMoVTa base composition were investigated by adding the Al and Cr elements. The mechanical alloying (MA) for 6 hours was applied to obtain RHEA powders. According to the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method, the body-centered cubic (BCC) phase and NbTa phase with a small amount of WC impurity that comes from vials and balls were determined after 6 h MA. Also, RHEA powders were consolidated with the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method (1500 ºC, 30 MPa, and 10 min). After the SPS method, (Nb,Ta)C and W₂C₀.₈₅ phases were obtained with the decomposition of WC and stearic acid that is added during MA based on XRD results. Also, the BCC phase was obtained for both samples. While the Al₂O₃ phase with a small intensity was seen for the WNbMoVTaCr₀.₅Al sample, the Ta₂VO₆ phase was determined for the base sample. These phases were observed as three different regions according to scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All elements were distributed homogeneously on the white region by measuring an electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) coupled with a wavelength dispersive spectroscope (WDS). Also, the grey region of the WNbMoVTa sample was rich in Ta, V, and O elements. However, the amount of Al and O elements was higher for the grey region of the WNbMoVTaCr₀.₅Al sample. The high amount of Nb, Ta, and C elements were determined for both samples. Archimedes’ densities that were measured with alcohol media were closer to the theoretical densities of RHEAs. These values were important for the microhardness and irradiation resistance of compositions. While the Vickers microhardness value of the WNbMoVTa sample was measured as ~11 GPa, this value increased to nearly 13 GPa with the WNbMoVTaCr₀.₅Al sample. These values were compatible with the wear behavior. The wear volume loss was decreased to 0.16×10⁻⁴ from 1.25×10⁻⁴ mm³ by the addition of Al and Cr elements to the WNbMoVTa. The He⁺ irradiation was conducted on the samples to observe surface damage. After irradiation, the XRD patterns were shifted to the left because of defects and dislocations. He⁺ ions were infused under the surface, so they created the lattice expansion. The peak shifting of the WNbMoVTaCr₀.₅Al sample was less than the WNbMoVTa base sample, thanks to less impact. A small amount of fuzz was observed for the base sample. This structure was removed and transformed into a wavy structure with the addition of Cr and Al elements. Also, the deformation hardening was actualized after irradiation. A lower amount of hardening was obtained with the WNbMoVTaCr₀.₅Al sample based on the changing microhardness values. The surface deformation was decreased in the WNbMoVTaCr₀.₅Al sample.

Keywords: refractory high entropy alloy, microhardness, wear resistance, He⁺ irradiation

Procedia PDF Downloads 48

Authors: Malay K. Pramanik

Abstract:

Climate change is continuously affecting the ecosystem, species distribution as well as global biodiversity. The assessment of the species potential distribution and the spatial changes under various climate change scenarios is a significant step towards the conservation and mitigation of habitat shifts, and species' loss and vulnerability. In this context, the present study aimed to predict the influence of current and future climate on an ecologically vulnerable medicinal species, Garcinia gummi-gutta, of the southern Western Ghats using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modeling. The future projections were made for the period of 2050 and 2070 with RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways) scenario of 4.5 and 8.5 using 84 species occurrence data, and climatic variables from three different models of Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) fifth assessment. Climatic variables contributions were assessed using jackknife test and AOC value 0.888 indicates the model perform with high accuracy. The major influencing variables will be annual precipitation, precipitation of coldest quarter, precipitation seasonality, and precipitation of driest quarter. The model result shows that the current high potential distribution of the species is around 1.90% of the study area, 7.78% is good potential; about 90.32% is moderate to very low potential for species suitability. Finally, the results of all model represented that there will be a drastic decline in the suitable habitat distribution by 2050 and 2070 for all the RCP scenarios. The study signifies that MaxEnt model might be an efficient tool for ecosystem management, biodiversity protection, and species re-habitation planning under climate change.

Keywords: Garcinia gummi gutta, maximum entropy modeling, medicinal plants, climate change, western ghats, MaxEnt

Procedia PDF Downloads 359

Authors: Karima Qayumi, Alex Norta

Abstract:

The rapid generation of high volume and a broad variety of data from the application of new technologies pose challenges for the generation of business-intelligence. Most organizations and business owners need to extract data from multiple sources and apply analytical methods for the purposes of developing their business. Therefore, the recently decentralized data management environment is relying on a distributed computing paradigm. While data are stored in highly distributed systems, the implementation of distributed data-mining techniques is a challenge. The aim of this technique is to gather knowledge from every domain and all the datasets stemming from distributed resources. As agent technologies offer significant contributions for managing the complexity of distributed systems, we consider this for next-generation data-mining processes. To demonstrate agent-based business intelligence operations, we use agent-oriented modeling techniques to develop a new artifact for mining massive datasets.

Keywords: agent-oriented modeling (AOM), business intelligence model (BIM), distributed data mining (DDM), multi-agent system (MAS)

Procedia PDF Downloads 400

Authors: Kakali Bhadra

Abstract:

Binding of small molecules to DNA and recently to RNA, continues to attract considerable attention for developing effective therapeutic agents for control of gene expression. This work focuses towards understanding interaction of harmalol, a dihydro beta-carboline alkaloid, with different nucleic acid motifs viz. double stranded CT DNA, single stranded A-form poly(A), double-stranded A-form of poly(C)·poly(G) and clover leaf tRNAphe by different spectroscopic, calorimetric and molecular modeling techniques. Results of this study converge to suggest that (i) binding constant varied in the order of CT DNA > poly(C)·poly(G) > tRNAphe > poly(A), (ii) non-cooperative binding of harmalol to poly(C)·poly(G) and poly(A) and cooperative binding with CT DNA and tRNAphe, (iii) significant structural changes of CT DNA, poly(C)·poly(G) and tRNAphe with concomitant induction of optical activity in the bound achiral alkaloid molecules, while with poly(A) no intrinsic CD perturbation was observed, (iv) the binding was predominantly exothermic, enthalpy driven, entropy favoured with CT DNA and poly(C)·poly(G) while it was entropy driven with tRNAphe and poly(A), (v) a hydrophobic contribution and comparatively large role of non-polyelectrolytic forces to Gibbs energy changes with CT DNA, poly(C)·poly(G) and tRNAphe, and (vi) intercalated state of harmalol with CT DNA and poly(C)·poly(G) structure as revealed from molecular docking and supported by the viscometric data. Furthermore, with competition dialysis assay it was shown that harmalol prefers hetero GC sequences. All these findings unequivocally pointed out that harmalol prefers binding with ds CT DNA followed by ds poly(C)·poly(G), clover leaf tRNAphe and least with ss poly(A). The results highlight the importance of structural elements in these natural beta-carboline alkaloids in stabilizing different DNA and RNA of various motifs for developing nucleic acid based better therapeutic agents.

Keywords: calorimetry, docking, DNA/RNA-alkaloid interaction, harmalol, spectroscopy

Procedia PDF Downloads 210

Authors: Moncef Balghouthi, Mahmoud Ben Amara, Abdessalem Ben Hadj Ali, Amenallah Guizani

Abstract:

Concentrated solar power technology constitutes an interesting option to meet a part of future energy demand, especially when considering the high levels of solar radiation and clearness index that are available particularly in Tunisia. In this work, we present three experimental prototypes of solar concentrators installed in the research center of energy CRTEn in Tunisia. Two are medium temperature parabolic trough solar collector used to drive a cooling installation and for steam generation. The third is a parabolic dish concentrator used for hybrid generation of thermal and electric power. Optical and thermal evaluations were presented. Solutions and possibilities to construct locally the mirrors of the concentrator were discussed. In addition, the enhancement of the performances of the receivers by nano selective absorption coatings was studied. The improvement of heat transfer between the receiver and the heat transfer fluid was discussed for each application.

Keywords: solar concentrators, optical and thermal evaluations, cooling and process heat, hybrid thermal and electric generation

Procedia PDF Downloads 231

Authors: Tamseela Habib, Muhammad Amjad, Muhammad Edokali, Masome Moeni, Olivia Pickup, Ali Hassanpour

Abstract:

Nanofluid-assisted steam generation is rapidly attracting attention amongst the scientific community since it can be applied in a wide range of industrial processes. Because of its high absorption rate of solar energy, nanoparticle-based solar steam generation could be a major contributor to many applications, including water desalination, sterilization and power generation. Lithium bromide-based iron oxide nanofluids have been previously studied in steam generation, which showed promising results. However, the efficiency of the system could be improved if a more heat-conductive nanofluid system could be utilised. In the current paper, we report on an experimental investigation of the photothermal conversion properties of functionalised Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles used in Lithium Bromide salt solutions. CuO binary nanofluid was prepared by chemical functionalization with polyethyleneimine (PEI). Long-term stability evaluation of prepared binary nanofluid was done by a high-speed centrifuge analyser which showed a 0.06 Instability index suggesting low agglomeration and sedimentation tendencies. This stability is also supported by the measurements from dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. The fluid rheology is also characterised, which suggests the system exhibits a Newtonian fluid behavior. The photothermal conversion efficiency of different concentrations of CuO was experimentally investigated under a solar simulator. Experimental results reveal that the binary nanofluid in this study can remarkably increase the solar energy trapping efficiency and evaporation rate as compared to conventional fluids due to localized solar energy harvesting by the surface of the nanofluid. It was found that 0.1wt% CuO NP is the optimum nanofluid concentration for enhanced sensible and latent heat efficiencies.

Keywords: nanofluids, vapor absorption refrigeration system, steam generation, high salinity

Procedia PDF Downloads 58

Authors: Junjie Liu, David Selby, Mark Obermajer, Andy Mort

Abstract:

The inaugural application of Re-Os dating, which is based on the beta decay of 187Re to 187Os with a long half-life of 41.577 ± 0.12 Byr and initially used for sulphide minerals and organic rich rocks, to petroleum systems was performed on bitumen of the Polaris Mississippi Valley Type Pb-Zn deposit, Canada. To further our understanding of the Re-Os system and its application to petroleum systems, here we present a study on Duvernay Petroleum System, Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. The Late Devonian Duvernay Formation organic-rich shales are the only source of the petroleum system. The Duvernay shales reached maturation only during the Laramide Orogeny (80 – 35 Ma) and the generated oil migrated short distances into the interfingering Leduc reefs and overlying Nisku carbonates with no or little secondary alteration post oil-generation. Although very low in Re and Os, the asphaltenes of Duvernay-sourced Leduc and Nisku oils define a Laramide Re-Os age. In addition, the initial Os isotope compositions of the oil samples are similar to that of the Os isotope composition of the Duvernay Formation at the time of oil generation, but are very different to other oil-prone intervals of the basin, showing the ability of the Os isotope composition as an inorganic oil-source correlation tool. In summary, the ability of the Re-Os geochronometer to record the timing of oil generation and trace the source of an oil is confirmed in the Re-Os study of Duvernay Petroleum System.

Keywords: Duvernay petroleum system, oil generation, oil-source correlation, Re-Os

Procedia PDF Downloads 288

Authors: Syed Bilawal Ali Shah

Abstract:

The investigation of the hydrocarbon source rock potential of Eocene-Paleocene formations of Potwar Basin, part of Upper Indus Basin Pakistan, was done using geochemical and petrological techniques. Analysis was performed on forty-five core-cutting samples from two wells. The sequences analysed are Sakesar, Lockhart and Patala formations of Potwar Basin. Patala Formation is one of Potwar Basin's major petroleum-bearing source rocks. The Lockhart Formation samples VR (%Ro) and Tmax data indicate that the formation is early mature to immature for petroleum generation for hydrocarbon generation; samples from the Patala and Sakesar formations, however, have a peak oil generation window and an early maturity (oil window). With 3.37 weight percent mean TOC and HI levels up to 498 mg HC/g TOC, the source rock characteristics of the Sakesar and Patala formations generally exhibit good to very strong petroleum generative potential. The majority of sediments representing Lockhart Formation have 1.5 wt.% mean TOC having fair to good potential with HI values ranging between 203-498 mg HC/g TOC. 1. The analysed sediments of all formations possess primarily mixed Type II/III and Type III kerogen. Analysed sediments indicate that both the Sakesar and Patala formations can possess good oil-generation potential and may act as an oil source rock in the Potwar Basin.

Keywords: Potwar Basin, Patala Shale, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, Indus Basin, VR %Ro

Procedia PDF Downloads 42

Authors: G. V. Siva Krishna Rao, B. Srinivasa Rao

Abstract:

Electrical energy is vital in every aspect of day-to-day life. Keen interest is taken on all possible sources of energy from which it can be generated and this led to the encouragement of generating electrical power using renewable energy resources such as solar, tidal waves and wind energy. Due to the increasing interest on renewable sources in recent times, the studies on integration of distributed generation to the power grid have rapidly increased. Distributed Generation (DG) is a promising solution to many power system problems such as voltage regulation, power loss and reduction in operational cost, etc. To reduce production cost, it is important to minimize the losses by determining the location and size of local generators to be placed in the radial distribution systems. In this paper, reduction of production cost by optimal size of DG unit operated at optimal power factor is dealt. The optimal size of the DG unit is calculated analytically using approximate reasoning suitable nodes and DG placement to minimize production cost with minimum loss is determined by fuzzy technique. Total Cost of Power generation is compared with and without DG unit for 1 year duration. The suggested method is programmed under MATLAB software and is tested on IEEE 33 bus system and the results are presented.

Keywords: distributed generation, operational cost, exact loss formula, optimum size, optimum location

Procedia PDF Downloads 462

Authors: Achmad Muchadam Fahham, Sony Hendra Permana

Abstract:

Millennial Muslims are a generation of young people between 20-30 years. They will play an important role in various aspects of life for the next 10 to 20 years. In Indonesia, the population of this generation is quite large and in the next ten to twenty years they will occupy strategic position in various fields of social, economic and political life. One of the characteristics of the millenials generation are always connected to the internet and independence to learn anything from the internet. In terms of religion, the majority of millennial are Muslim. In digital era, the generation of millenial Muslim is vulnerable to the influence of radical Islamic thinking because of their easy access to that thought on social media, new media, and the books they read. This study seeks to examine the religious views of millennial Muslim women in four main focuses, namely religious identity, religious leaders, the role of the state on religious issues, and religious radicalism. This study was conducted with a qualitative approach, the data collection was carried out by the interview method. The study was conducted in Jakarta, mainly in religious study groups located in several mosques and shopping center in Jakarta. This study is expected to portray the religious views of millennial Muslim women, especially their commitment to Islamic identity, their views on the authority of religious leaders, the role of the state in various religious problems, and religious radicalism.

Keywords: millenial Muslims, radicalism, muslim mowen, religious identity

Procedia PDF Downloads 130

Authors: R. K. D. G. Kaluarachchi

Abstract:

The generation of solid waste and its effective management are debated topics in Sri Lanka as well as in the global environment. It was estimated that the most of the waste generated in global was originated from construction and demolition of buildings. Thus, the proportion of construction waste in solid waste generation cannot be underestimated. The construction waste, which is the by-product generated and removed from work sites is collected in direct and indirect processes. Hence, the objectives of this research are to identify the proportion of construction waste which can be reused and identify the methods to reduce the waste generation without reducing the quality of the process. A 6-storey building construction site was selected for this research. The site was divided into six zones depending on the process. Ten waste materials were identified by considering the adverse effects on safety and health of people and the economic value of them. The generated construction waste in each zone was recorded per week for a period of five months. The data revealed that sand, cement, wood used for form work and rusted steel rods were the generated waste which has higher economic value in all zones. Structured interviews were conducted to gather information on how the materials are categorized as waste and the capability of reducing, reusing and recycling the waste. It was identified that waste is generated in following processes; ineffective storage of material for a longer time and improper handling of material during the work process. Further, the alteration of scheduled activities of construction work also yielded more waste. Finally, a proper management of construction waste is suggested to reduce and reuse waste.

Keywords: construction-waste, effective management, reduce, reuse

Procedia PDF Downloads 179

Authors: Deng Tingting

Abstract:

The coordinated and integrated development of regions is an inevitable requirement for China to move towards high-quality, sustainable development. As one of the regions with the best economic foundation and the strongest economic strength in western China, it is a typical area with national importance and strong network connection characteristics in terms of the comprehensive effect of linking the inland hinterland and connecting the western and national urban networks. The integrated development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle is of great strategic significance for the rapid and high-quality development of the western region. In the context of new urbanization, this paper takes 16 urban units within the economic circle as the research object, based on the 5-year panel data of population, regional economy, and spatial construction and development from 2016 to 2020, using the entropy method and Theil index to analyze the three target layers, and cause analysis. The research shows that there are temporal and spatial differences in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, and there are significant differences between the core city and the surrounding cities. Therefore, by reforming and innovating the regional coordinated development mechanism, breaking administrative barriers, and strengthening the "polar nucleus" radiation function to release the driving force for economic development, especially in the gully areas of economic development belts, not only promote the coordinated development of internal regions but also promote the coordinated and sustainable development of the western region and take a high-quality development path.

Keywords: Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, new urbanization, coordinated regional development, Theil Index

Procedia PDF Downloads 91

Authors: M. Nageswara Rao, V. S. N. K. Chaitanya, K. Amarendranath

Abstract:

This paper presents an optimal allocation and sizing of Distributed Generation (DG) in Radial Distribution Network (RDN) for total power loss minimization and enhances the voltage profile of the system. The two main important part of this study first is to find optimal allocation and second is optimum size of DG. The locations of DGs are identified by Analytical expressions and crow search algorithm has been employed to determine the optimum size of DG. In this study, the DG has been placed on single and multiple allocations.CSA is a meta-heuristic algorithm inspired by the intelligent behavior of the crows. Crows stores their excess food in different locations and memorizes those locations to retrieve it when it is needed. They follow each other to do thievery to obtain better food source. This analysis is tested on IEEE 33 bus and IEEE 69 bus under MATLAB environment and the results are compared with existing methods.

Keywords: analytical expression, distributed generation, crow search algorithm, power loss, voltage profile

Procedia PDF Downloads 208