Search results for: particle removal efficiency

Authors: M. A. Deyab

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The effect of zwitterionic surfactant (ZS) on erosion-corrosion of API X52 steel in oil sands slurry was studied using Tafel polarization and anodic polarization measurements. The surface morphology of API X52 steel was examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). ZS inhibited the erosion-corrosion of API X52 steel in oil sands' slurry, and the inhibition efficiency increased with increasing ZS concentration but decreased with increasing temperature. Polarization curves indicate that ZS act as a mixed type of inhibitor. Inhibition efficiencies of ZS in the dynamic condition are not as effective as that obtained in the static condition.

Keywords: corrosion, surfactant, oil sands slurry, erosion-corrosion

Procedia PDF Downloads 161

Authors: M. K. Hossain, J. Keidel, O. Hensel, M. Diakite

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Fat reduced dairy products are holding a potential market due to health reason. Due to less creamy, and pleasantness, reduced and/or low-fat dairy products are getting less consumer acceptance whereas the fat molecule provides smooth, creamy and a pleasant mouthfeel in dairy products especially yogurt & ice cream. This study was aimed to investigate whether the application of microparticulated whey proteins (MWPs) processed by extrusion cooking, the reduced fat yogurt can achieve similar or higher creaminess compared to whole milk (3.8% fat) and skimmed milk (0.5% fat) yogurt. Full cream and skimmed milk were used to prepare natural stirred yogurt, as well as the dry matter content, also adjusted up to 16% with skimmed milk powder. Whey protein concentrates (WPC80) were used to produce MWPs in particle size of d50 > 5 µm, d50 3<5 µm and d50 < 3 µm through the hot-extrusion process with a screw speed of 400, 600 and 1000 rpm respectively. Furthermore, the commercially available microparticulated whey protein called Simplesse® was also applied in order to compare with extruded MWPs. The rheological and sensory properties of yogurt were assessed, and data were analyzed statistically. The applications of extruded MWPs with 600 and 1000 rpm were achieved significantly (p < 0.05) higher creaminess and preference compared to the whole and skimmed milk yogurt whereas, 400 rpm got lower preference. On the other hand, Simplesse® obtained the lowest creaminess and preference compared to other yogurts, although the contribution of dry matter in yogurt was same as extruded MWPs. The creaminess and viscosities were strongly (r = 0.62) correlated, furthermore, the viscosity from sensory evaluation and the dynamic viscosity of yogurt was also significantly (r = 0.72) correlated which clarifies that the performance of sensory panelists as well as the quality of the products.

Keywords: microparticulation, hot-extrusion, reduced-fat yogurt, whey protein concentrate

Procedia PDF Downloads 125

Authors: Lilia Belkacem, Zahra Rouabah, Assia Allaoui, Karina Bachtarzi, Souhila Belkadi, Boubakeur Safsaf, Madjid Tlidjane

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The Damascus breed, known for its prolificacy and milking ability, is recently imported in Algeria. Farmers tend to improve the local native herds by crossbreeding with Damascus bucks. The aim of the current investigation was to study the effects of physiological status on blood progesterone and some biochemical parameters in Shami goats and their crosses with local breed in arid conditions of Algeria. Ten does with an age range of 1.5- 3 years and BSC between 2.5 and 3.5 were used. Female goats were divided into two groups of five animals each: Damascus, and crossbred (Damascus x Arbia). All females were estrus synchronized and naturally mated. Blood samples were collected before intravaginal sponge insertion (non- pregnant), in early (30 days after sponge removal), mid (90 days), late pregnancy (130 days) and after kidding (30 days post-partum). Results demonstrate a significant effect of the reproductive stage on progesterone (P4) levels in both groups, on glycemia and cholesterolemia in crossbred does (p<0.05) and on albuminemia and uremia in Damascus ones. Concentrations of triglycerides, total proteins, globulin and creatinine revealed no significant difference between physiological phases in both groups (p>0.05). Breed effect was detected in early and mid-pregnancy for P4, in early pregnancy and lactation for total proteins and in lactation for globulin with lower concentrations in Damascus compared to crossbred does. Changes in P4 and biochemical profiles of both groups reflect the female goat’s adaptation to increased requirement of gestation and lactation in arid conditions of Algeria.

Keywords: damascus goat, crossbred, reproductive status, progesterone, biochemical metabolites

Procedia PDF Downloads 48

Authors: Getalem E. Haylia

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The Ribb dam is one of the irrigation projects in the Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia, to irrigate the Fogera plain. Reservoir sedimentation is a major problem because it reduces the useful reservoir capacity by the accumulation of sediments coming from the watersheds. Estimates of sediment yield are needed for studies of reservoir sedimentation and planning of soil and water conservation measures. The objective of this study was to simulate the Ribb dam catchment sediment yield using SWAT model and to estimate Ribb reservoir effective life according to trap efficiency methods. The Ribb dam catchment is found in North Western part of Ethiopia highlands, and it belongs to the upper Blue Nile and Lake Tana basins. Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was selected to simulate flow and sediment yield in the Ribb dam catchment. The model sensitivity, calibration, and validation analysis at Ambo Bahir site were performed with Sequential Uncertainty Fitting (SUFI-2). The flow data at this site was obtained by transforming the Lower Ribb gauge station (2002-2013) flow data using Area Ratio Method. The sediment load was derived based on the sediment concentration yield curve of Ambo site. Stream flow results showed that the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) was 0.81 and the coefficient of determination (R²) was 0.86 in calibration period (2004-2010) and, 0.74 and 0.77 in validation period (2011-2013), respectively. Using the same periods, the NS and R² for the sediment load calibration were 0.85 and 0.79 and, for the validation, it became 0.83 and 0.78, respectively. The simulated average daily flow rate and sediment yield generated from Ribb dam watershed were 3.38 m³/s and 1772.96 tons/km²/yr, respectively. The effective life of Ribb reservoir was estimated using the developed empirical methods of the Brune (1953), Churchill (1948) and Brown (1958) methods and found to be 30, 38 and 29 years respectively. To conclude, massive sediment comes from the steep slope agricultural areas, and approximately 98-100% of this incoming annual sediment loads have been trapped by the Ribb reservoir. In Ribb catchment, as well as reservoir systematic and thorough consideration of technical, social, environmental, and catchment managements and practices should be made to lengthen the useful life of Ribb reservoir.

Keywords: catchment, reservoir effective life, reservoir sedimentation, Ribb, sediment yield, SWAT model

Procedia PDF Downloads 180

Authors: Md. Belal Uudin Rabbi, Sakib Al Montasir, Saifur Rahman, Niger Nahid, Esmail Hossain Emon

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The practice of radiation shielding protects against the detrimental effects of ionizing radiation. Radiation shielding depletes radiation by inserting a shield of absorbing material between any radioactive source. It is a primary concern when building several industrial fields, so using potent (high activity) radioisotopes in food preservation, cancer treatment, and particle accelerator facilities is significant. Radiation shielding is essential for radiation-emitting equipment users to reduce or mitigate radiation damage. Polymer composites (especially epoxy based) with high atomic number fillers can replace toxic Lead in ionizing radiation shielding applications because of their excellent mechanical properties, superior solvent and chemical resistance, good dimensional stability, adhesive, and less toxic. Due to being lightweight, good neutron shielding ability in almost the same order as concrete, epoxy-based radiation shielding can be the next big thing. Micro and nano-particles for the epoxy resin increase the epoxy matrix's radiation shielding property. Shielding is required to protect users of such facilities from ionizing radiation as recently, and considerable attention has been paid to polymeric composites as a radiation shielding material. This research will examine the radiation shielding performance of epoxy-based nano-WO3 reinforced composites, exploring the performance of epoxy-based nano-WO3 reinforced composites. The samples will be prepared using the direct pouring method to block radiation. The practice of radiation shielding protects against the detrimental effects of ionizing radiation.

Keywords: radiation shielding materials, ionizing radiation, epoxy resin, Tungsten oxide, polymer composites

Procedia PDF Downloads 104

Authors: Yen-Mei Lee

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The concept of a knowledge-behavior gap has been discussed for several years. It is addressed that an individual’s knowledge does not sufficiently transfer to his or her actual actions. This concept is mostly focused on fields related to medicine or applied to health care issues to explain how people or patients connect their personal knowledge to actual health care behaviors. To our knowledge, seldomly has this research been applied to discuss people’s online information seeking behavior. In the current study, the main purpose is to investigate the relationship between web users’ personal values and their actual performances when seeking information on the Internet. The total number of twenty-eight participants, divided into one experienced group (n=14) and one novice group (n=14), were recruited and asked to complete a self-report questionnaire of fifty items related to information seeking actions and behaviors. During the execution, participants needed to rate the importance level (how important each item is) and the performance level (how often they actually do each item) from 1 to 10 points on each item. In this paper, the mean scores of the importance and the performance level are analyzed and discussed. The results show that there is a gap between web user’s knowledge and their actual online seeking behaviors. Both experienced group and novice group have higher average scores of the importance level (experienced group = 7.57, novice group = 6.01) than the actual performance level (experienced group = 6.89, novice group = 5.00) in terms of the fifty online information seeking actions. On the other hand, the experienced group perceives more importance of the fifty online seeking actions and performs actual behaviors better than the novice group. Moreover, experienced participants express a consistent result between their concept knowledge and actual behaviors. For instance, they feel extending a seeking strategy is important and frequently perform this action when seeking online. However, novice participants do not have a consistency between their knowledge and behaviors. For example, though they perceive browsing and judging information are less important than they get lost in the online information seeking process. However, in the actual behavior rating, the scores show that novices do browsing and judge information more often than they get lost when seeking information online. These results, therefore, help scholars and educators have a better understanding of the difference between experienced and novice web users regarding their concept knowledge and actual behaviors. In future study, figuring out how to narrow down the knowledge-behavior gap and create practical guidance for novice users to increase their online seeking efficiency is crucial. Not only could it help experienced users be aware of their actual information seeking behaviors, but also help the novice become mastery to concisely obtain information on the Internet.

Keywords: experienced web user, information seeking behavior, knowledge-behavior gap, novice, online seeking efficiency

Procedia PDF Downloads 117

Authors: S. Bae, J. Shin, S. Lee

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As the development of smart devices such as Smart TV, Smartphone, Tablet PC, Laptop, the interest in N-Screen Services that can be cross-linked with heterogeneous devices is increasing. N-Screen means User-centric services that can share and constantly watch multimedia contents anytime and anywhere. However, the existing N-Screen system has the limitation that N-Screen system has to implement the application for each platform and device to provide multimedia service. To overcome this limitation, Multimedia N-Screen Service System is proposed through the web, and it is independent of different environments. The combination of Web and cloud computing technologies from this study results in increasing efficiency and reduction in costs.

Keywords: N-screen, web, cloud, multimedia

Procedia PDF Downloads 294

Authors: Yawen Dai, Ping Cheng, Jian Ru Gong

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Photoelctrochemical (PEC) water splitting using semiconductors (SCs) provides a convenient way to convert sustainable but intermittent solar energy into clean hydrogen energy, and it has been regarded as one of most promising technology to solve the energy crisis and environmental pollution in modern society. However, the record energy conversion efficiency of a PEC cell (~3%) is still far lower than the commercialization requirement (~10%). The sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) half reaction on photoanodes is a significant limiting factor of the PEC device efficiency, and electrocatalysts (ECs) are always deposited on SCs to accelerate the hole injection for OER. However, an active EC cannot guarantee enhanced PEC performance, since the newly emerged SC-EC interface complicates the interfacial charge behavior. Herein, α-Fe2O3 photoanodes coated with Co3O4 and CoO ECs are taken as the model system to glean fundamental understanding on the EC-dependent interfacial charge behavior. Intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to investigate the competition between interfacial charge transfer and recombination, which was found to be dominated by the charge storage capacities of ECs. The combined results indicate that both ECs can store holes and increase the hole density on photoanode surface. It is like a double-edged sword that benefit the multi-hole participated OER, as well as aggravate the SC-EC interfacial charge recombination due to the Coulomb attraction, thus leading to a nonmonotonic PEC performance variation trend with the increasing surface hole density. Co3O4 has low hole storage capacity which brings limited interfacial charge recombination, and thus the increased surface holes can be efficiently utilized for OER to generate enhanced photocurrent. In contrast, CoO has overlarge hole storage capacity that causes severe interfacial charge recombination, which hinders hole transfer to electrolyte for OER. Therefore, the PEC performance of α-Fe2O3 is improved by Co3O4 but decreased by CoO despite the similar electrocatalytic activity of the two ECs. First-principle calculation was conducted to further reveal how the charge storage capacity depends on the EC’s intrinsic property, demonstrating that the larger hole storage capacity of CoO than that of Co3O4 is determined by their Co valence states and original Fermi levels. This study raises up a new strategy to manipulate interfacial charge behavior and the resultant PEC performance by the charge storage capacity of ECs, providing insightful guidance for the interface design in PEC devices.

Keywords: charge storage capacity, electrocatalyst, interfacial charge behavior, photoelectrochemistry, water-splitting

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Authors: Helga Martins, Idália Matias

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Background:Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune demyelinating disease that affects young adults. Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease in which the patient needs to self-manage the disease and the therapeutic regimen. Consequently, the promotion of health literacy assumes a relevant role for the accessibility, understanding, and use of information in order to promote and maintain the health of patients with multiple sclerosis. Aim: To determine the impact of lower health literacy in the self-management of patients with a multiple sclerosis. Methods: Literature review based on a search on the following electronic databases: CINAHLand MEDLINE; comprising all results published between September 2016 and September 2021. The search strategy was: (“Self-management [MeSH]” AND “Multiple sclerosis[MeSH]”AND “Health literacy[MeSH]”). The inclusion criteria were: original papers reporting about multiple sclerosis patients; participants with age above 18 years old, written in English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese. Two independent reviewers have done the screening and analysis of the results. 38 citations were identified, and after duplicates removal, a total of 25 results were screened; 14 were included after the application of the inclusion criteria. Results: The lower health literacy in the self-management of patients with a multiple sclerosis is related toless healthy choices, riskier health behavior, poor health outcomes, decreased of adhering to the therapeutic regimen after discharge, less self-management of chronic illness, and increased the time of hospitalization. Conclusion: Inadequate levels of health literacy contribute to poor health outcomes, unsuccessful self-management of chronic illness, and inadequate adherence to the therapeutic regimen. Therefore, health literacy is important for health policy and the healthcare services, as it can be understood as a mediator of self-management of multiple sclerosis disease.

Keywords: health literacy, multiple sclerosis, review, self-management

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Authors: Loreta Kaklauskiene, Arturas Kaklauskas

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The Integrated Human Resources and Work Environment Management (HOWE) System optimises employee productivity, improves the work environment, and, at the same time, meets the employer’s strategic goals. The HOWE system has been designed to ensure an organisation can successfully compete in the global market, thanks to the high performance of its employees. The HOWE system focuses on raising workforce productivity and improving work conditions to boost employee performance and motivation. The methods used in our research are linear correlation, INVAR multiple criteria analysis, digital twin, and affective computing. The HOWE system is based on two patents issued in Lithuania (LT 6866, LT 6841) and one European Patent application (No: EP 4 020 134 A1). Our research analyses ways to make human resource management more efficient and boost labour productivity by improving and adapting a personalised work environment. The efficiency of human capital and labour productivity can be increased by applying personalised workplace improvement systems that can optimise lighting colours and intensity, scents, data, information, knowledge, activities, media, games, videos, music, air pollution, humidity, temperature, vibrations, and other workplace aspects. HOWE generates and maintains a personalised workspace for an employee, taking into account the person’s affective, physiological and emotional (APSE) states. The purpose of this project was to create a HOWE for the customisation of quality control in smart workspaces taking into account the user’s APSE states in an integrated manner as a single unit. This customised management of quality control covers the levels of lighting and colour intensities, scents, media, information, activities, learning materials, games, music, videos, temperature, energy efficiency, the carbon footprint of a workspace, humidity, air pollution, vibrations and other aspects of smart spaces. The system is based on Digital Twins technology, seen as a logical extension of BIM.

Keywords: human resource management, health economics, work environment, organizational behaviour and employee productivity, prosperity in work, smart system

Procedia PDF Downloads 68

Authors: Anelise Leal Vieira Cubas, Marina de Medeiros Machado, Marília de Medeiros Machado

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The volatile organic compounds - BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene) petroleum derivatives, have high rates of toxicity, which may carry consequences for human health, biota and environment. In this direction, this paper proposes a method of treatment of these compounds by using corona discharge plasma technology. The efficiency of the method was tested by analyzing samples of BTEX after going through a plasma reactor by gas chromatography method. The results show that the optimal residence time of the sample in the reactor was 8 minutes.

Keywords: BTEX, degradation, cold plasma, ecological sciences

Procedia PDF Downloads 309

Authors: Samar Mousa, Rebecca Shirley

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Injuries to the hand account for 20% of all emergency department attendances, with an estimated annual treatment cost of over £100 million in the UK. Functional impairments as a result of hand injuries often necessitate absence from employment, resulting in reduced productivity estimated to incur an additional £600m loss to the UK economy. Appropriate and early management is vital to preserve anatomy, prevent stiffness and allow function. The initial assessment and management of hand injuries are usually undertaken by junior staff, many of whom have little or no training or experience in splinting hand fractures. In our plastic surgery department at Stoke Mandeville hospital Buckinghamshire trust, we carried out an audit project to detect errors in hand splinting in the period between April 2022 and July 2022 and find out measures to support junior doctors, nurses and hand therapists in providing the best possible care for hand trauma patients. Our standards were The British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH) standard of care in hand trauma, AO surgery reference and Stoke Mandeville hospital hand therapy mini protocol Feb 2022 During the period of 4 months, 5 cases were identified. Two cases of wrong splint choice, two cases of early removal of the splint and one tight splint that required change. In order to avoid those mistakes, a training program was given to junior doctors and nurses in collaboration with the hand therapy team regarding ways of splinting the hand in different injuries like fractures, tendons injuries, muscle injuries and ligamentous injuries. In addition to, a poster hung in the examination rooms and theatres to help junior doctors reach the correct decision.

Keywords: splinting, hand trauma, plastic surgery, tendon injury, hand fracrture

Procedia PDF Downloads 76

Authors: Hamid Reza Nikkhah, Abbas Toloei Eshlaghi, Hossein Ali Momeni

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One of the most important services of Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) is collaboration service which plays a decisive role in organization efficiency. Cloud computing as one of the latest IT technologies has brought a new paradigm in delivering services and communications. In this research, we evaluate the impact of cloud computing on the collaboration service of KMS and for doing so, four variables of cloud computing and three variables of the collaboration service were detected to be assessed.It was found that cloud computing has a far-fetching direct impact on the collaboration service.

Keywords: cloud computing, collaboration service, knowledge management systems, cloud computing

Procedia PDF Downloads 511

Authors: K. Maliki, A. Ajayi, O. M. Makanjuola, O. J. Adebowale

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Cocoyam is herbaceous perennial plant which belongs to the family Araceae and genus xanthosoma or cococasia is mostly cultivated as food crop. It is very rich in Vitamin B6, Magnesium and also in dietary fiber. Matured cocoyam is eaten boiled, Fried or roasted in Nigeria. It can also be dried and used to make flour. Food drying is a method of food preservation in which food is dried, thus inhibit the growth of bacteria yeast and mold through the removal of water. Drying effect on the proximate composition and functional properties of cocoyam flour were investigated. Freshly harvested cocoyam cultivars at matured level were washed with portable water, peeled, sliced into 0.3mm thickness blanch in boiling water at 100°C for 15 minutes and dried using sun drying oven and cabinet dryers. The blanched slices were divided into three lots and were subjected to different drying methods. The dried cocoyam slices were milled into flour using Apex mill and packed into Low Density Polyethylene Film (LDPE) 75 Micron 4 thickness and kept for four months under ambient temperature before analysis. The results showed that the moisture content, ash, crude fiber, fat, protein and carbohydrate ranged from 7.35% to 13.89%, 1.45% to 3.3%, 1.2% to 3.41%, 2.1% to 3.1%, 6.30% to 9.1% and 66% to 82% respectively. The functional properties of the cocoyam flour ranged from 1. 65ml/g to 4.24ml/g water absorption capacity, 0.85ml/g to 2.11ml/g oil absorption capacity 0.56ml/g and 0.78ml/g bulk density and 4.91% to 6.80% swelling capacity. The result showed that there was not significant difference (P ≥ 0.5) across the various drying methods used. Cabinet drying method was found to have the best quality characteristic values than the other drying methods. In conclusion, drying of cocoyam could be used for value addition and provide extension to shelf-life.

Keywords: cocoyam flour, drying, cabinet dryer, oven dryer

Procedia PDF Downloads 236

Authors: Jiankang Wang, Hongyang Yu

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This paper proposes a portable online 3D modeling method. The method first utilizes a depth camera to collect data and compresses the depth data using a frame-by-frame lossless data compression method. The color image is encoded using the H.264 encoding format. After the cloud obtains the color image and depth image, a 3D modeling method based on bundlefusion is used to complete the 3D modeling. The results of this study indicate that this method has the characteristics of portability, online, and high efficiency and has a wide range of application prospects.

Keywords: 3D reconstruction, bundlefusion, lossless compression, depth image

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Authors: A. Kianifar, M. Afzali, I. Pishbin

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In this paper, design details, theoretical analysis and thermal performance analysis of a solar energy concentrator suited to combined heat and thermoelectric power generation are presented. The thermoelectric device is attached to the absorber plate to convert concentrated solar energy directly into electric energy at the focus of the concentrator. A cooling channel (water cooled heat sink) is fitted to the cold side of the thermoelectric device to remove the waste heat and maintain a high temperature gradient across the device to improve conversion efficiency.

Keywords: concentrator thermoelectric generator, CTEG, solar energy, thermoelectric cells

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Authors: Dorota Galeza

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This paper argues that networks, such as the ECN and the American network, are affected by certain small events which are inherent to path dependence and preclude the full evolution towards efficiency. It is advocated that the American network is superior to the ECN in many respects due to its greater flexibility and longer history. This stems in particular from the creation of the American network, which was based on a small number of cases. Such a structure encourages further changes and modifications which are not necessarily radical. The ECN, by contrast, was established by legislative action, which explains its rigid structure and resistance to change. This paper is an attempt to transpose the superiority of the American network on to the ECN. It looks at concepts such as judicial cooperation, harmonisation of procedure, peer review and regulatory impact assessments (RIAs), and dispute resolution procedures.

Keywords: antitrust, competition, networks, path dependence

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Authors: Sohail Imran, Tariq Mahmood

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In complex healthcare diagnostic investigation process, medical practitioners have to focus on ways to standardize their processes to perform high quality care and optimize the time and costs. Process mining techniques can be applied to extract process related knowledge from data without considering causal and dynamic dependencies in business domain and processes. The application of process mining is effective in diagnostic investigation. It is very helpful where a treatment gives no dispositive evidence favoring it. In this paper, we applied process mining to discover important process flow of diagnostic investigation for hepatitis patients. This approach has some benefits which can enhance the quality and efficiency of diagnostic investigation processes.

Keywords: process mining, healthcare, diagnostic investigation process, process flow

Procedia PDF Downloads 515

Authors: G. Karunakaran, M. Jagathambal, N. Van Minh, E. Kolesnikov, A. Gusev, O. V. Zakharova, E. V. Scripnikova, E. D. Vishnyakova, D. Kuznetsov

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Iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃NPs) are widely used in different applications due to its ecofriendly nature and biocompatibility. Hence, in this investigation, biosynthesized Fe₂O₃NPs influence on flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) plant was examined. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were found to be cubic phase which is confirmed by XRD analysis. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of functional groups corresponding to the iron oxide nanoparticle. The elemental analysis also confirmed that the obtained nanoparticle is iron oxide nanoparticle. The scanning electron microscopy and the transmission electron microscopy confirm that the average particle size was around 56 nm. The effect of Fe₂O₃NPs on seed germination followed by biochemical analysis was carried out using standard methods. The results obtained after four days and 11 days of seed vigor studies showed that the seedling length (cm), average number of seedling with leaves, increase in root length (cm) was found to be enhanced on treatment with iron oxide nanoparticles when compared to control. A positive correlation was noticed with the dose of the nanoparticle and plant growth, which may be due to changes in metabolic activity. Hence, to evaluate the change in metabolic activity, peroxidase and catalase activities were estimated. It was clear from the observation that higher concentration of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃NPs 1000 mg/L) has enhanced peroxidase and catalase activities and in turn plant growth. Thus, this study clearly showed that biosynthesized iron oxide nanoparticles will be an effective nano-nutrient for agriculture applications.

Keywords: catalase, fertilizer, iron oxide nanoparticles, Linum usitatissimum L., nano-nutrient, peroxidase

Procedia PDF Downloads 378

Authors: Nazanin Sheibanian, Raffaella Sesana, Sedat Ozbilen

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In recent years, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have attracted considerable attention due to their unique properties and potential applications. In this study, novel HEA coatings were prepared on Mg substrates using mechanically alloyed HEA powder feedstocks based on Al_(0.1-0.5)CoCrCuFeNi and MnCoCrCuFeNi multi-material systems. The coatings were deposited by the Cold Spray (CS) process using three different temperatures of the process gas (N2) (650°C, 750°C, and 850°C) to examine the effect of gas temperature on coating properties. In this study, Infrared Thermography (non-destructive) was examined as a possible quality control technique for HEA coatings applied to magnesium substrates. Active Thermography was employed to characterize coating properties using the thermal response of the coating. Various HEA chemical compositions and deposition temperatures have been investigated. As a part of this study, a comprehensive macro and microstructural analysis of Cold Spray (CS) HEA coatings has been conducted using macrophotography, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM+EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), microhardness tests, roughness measurements, and porosity assessments. These analyses provided insight into phase identification, microstructure characterization, deposition, particle deformation behavior, bonding mechanisms, and identifying a possible relationship between physical properties and thermal responses. Based on the figures and tables, it is evident that the Maximum Relative Radiance (∆RMax) of each sample differs depending on both the chemical composition of HEA and the temperature at which Cold Spray is applied.

Keywords: active thermography, coating, cold spray, high- entropy alloy, material characterization

Procedia PDF Downloads 67

Authors: Chin-Yu Lin, Kun-Chi Wang, Shih-Hsu Wang, Wei-Chih Wang

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A construction superintendent needs to know not only the amount of quantities of cost items or materials completed to develop a daily report or calculate the daily progress (earned value) in each day, but also the amount of quantities of materials (e.g., reinforced steel and concrete) to be ordered (or moved into the jobsite) for performing the in-progress or ready-to-start construction activities (e.g., erection of reinforced steel and concrete pouring). These daily construction management tasks require great effort in extracting accurate quantities in a short time (usually must be completed right before getting off work every day). As a result, most superintendents can only provide these quantity data based on either what they see on the site (high inaccuracy) or the extraction of quantities from two-dimension (2D) construction drawings (high time consumption). Hence, the current practice of providing the amount of quantity data completed in each day needs improvement in terms of more accuracy and efficiency. Recently, a three-dimension (3D)-based building information model (BIM) technique has been widely applied to support construction quantity takeoffs (QTO) process. The capability of virtual reality (VR) allows to view a building from the first person's viewpoint. Thus, this study proposes an innovative system by integrating VR (using 'Unity') and BIM (using 'Revit') to extract quantities to support the above daily construction management tasks. The use of VR allows a system user to be present in a virtual building to more objectively assess the construction progress in the office. This VR- and BIM-based system is also facilitated by an integrated database (consisting of the information and data associated with the BIM model, QTO, and costs). In each day, a superintendent can work through a BIM-based virtual building to quickly identify (via a developed VR shooting function) the building components (or objects) that are in-progress or finished in the jobsite. And he then specifies a percentage (e.g., 20%, 50% or 100%) of completion of each identified building object based on his observation on the jobsite. Next, the system will generate the completed quantities that day by multiplying the specified percentage by the full quantities of the cost items (or materials) associated with the identified object. A building construction project located in northern Taiwan is used as a case study to test the benefits (i.e., accuracy and efficiency) of the proposed system in quantity extraction for supporting the development of daily reports and the orders of construction materials.

Keywords: building information model, construction management, quantity takeoffs, virtual reality

Procedia PDF Downloads 128

Authors: G. Dottavio, M. F. Andrade, F. Renard, V. Cheutet, A.-L. Ladier, S. Vercraene, P. Hoang, S. Briet, R. Dachicourt, Y. Baizet

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An important number of technological equipment and high-skilled workers over long periods of time have to be mobilized during nuclear decommissioning processes. The related operations generate complex flows of waste and high inventory levels, associated to information flows of heterogeneous types. Taking into account that more than 10 decommissioning operations are on-going in France and about 50 are expected toward 2025: A big challenge is addressed today. The management of decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear installations represents an important part of the nuclear-based energy lifecycle, since it has an environmental impact as well as an important influence on the electricity cost and therefore the price for end-users. Bringing new technologies and new solutions into decommissioning methodologies is thus mandatory to improve the quality, cost and delay efficiency of these operations. The purpose of our project is to improve decommissioning management efficiency by developing a decision-support framework dedicated to plan nuclear facility decommissioning operations and to optimize waste evacuation by means of a logistic approach. The target is to create an easy-to-handle tool capable of i) predicting waste flows and proposing the best decommissioning logistics scenario and ii) managing information during all the steps of the process and following the progress: planning, resources, delays, authorizations, saturation zones, waste volume, etc. In this article we present our results from waste nuclear flows simulation during decommissioning process, including discrete-event simulation supported by FLEXSIM 3-D software. This approach was successfully tested and our works confirms its ability to improve this type of industrial process by identifying the critical points of the chain and optimizing it by identifying improvement actions. This type of simulation, executed before the start of the process operations on the basis of a first conception, allow ‘what-if’ process evaluation and help to ensure quality of the process in an uncertain context. The simulation of nuclear waste flows before evacuation from the site will help reducing the cost and duration of the decommissioning process by optimizing the planning and the use of resources, transitional storage and expensive radioactive waste containers. Additional benefits are expected for the governance system of the waste evacuation since it will enable a shared responsibility of the waste flows.

Keywords: nuclear decommissioning, logistical optimization, decision-support framework, waste management

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Authors: Annur Suhadi, Haris B. Harahap, Zaim Arrosyidi, Epan, Darmapala

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Oilfields under waterflood often face the problem of plugging injectors either by internal filtration or external filter cake built up inside pore throats. The content of suspended solids shall be reduced to required level of filtration since corrective action of plugging is costly expensive. The performance of nutshell filters, where filtration takes place, is good using pecan and walnut shells. Candlenut shells were used instead of pecan and walnut shells since they were abundant in Indonesia, Malaysia, and East Africa. Physical and chemical properties of walnut, pecan, and candlenut shells were tested and the results were compared. Testing, using full-scale nutshell filters, was conducted to determine the oil content, turbidity, and suspended solid removal, which was based on designed flux rate. The performance of candlenut shells, which were deeply bedded in nutshell filters for filtration process, was monitored. Cleaned water outgoing nutshell filters had total suspended solids of 17 ppm, while oil content could be reduced to 15.1 ppm. Turbidity, using candlenut shells, was below the specification for injection water, which was less than 10 Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU). Turbidity of water, outgoing nutshell filter, was ranged from 1.7-5.0 NTU at various dates of operation. Walnut, pecan, and candlenut shells had moisture content of 8.98 wt%, 10.95 wt%, and 9.95 wt%, respectively. The porosity of walnut, pecan, and candlenut shells was significantly affected by moisture content. Candlenut shells had property of toluene solubility of 7.68 wt%, which was much higher than walnut shells, reflecting more crude oil adsorption. The hardness of candlenut shells was 2.5-3 Mohs, which was close to walnut shells’ hardness. It was advantage to guarantee the cleaning filter cake by fluidization process during backwashing.

Keywords: candlenut shells, filtration, nutshell filter, pecan shells, walnut shells

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Authors: Mudawi M. Nour

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Background: Now a days, the multidisciplinary scientific research conception in the field of nanotechnology has witnessed development with regard to the numerous applications and synthesis of nanomaterials. Objective: The current investigation has been conducted with the main focus on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from the leaves of Salvadora persica and its antibacterial activity against MDR pathogens E. coli and S. aureus. Methodology: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared after addition of aqueous extract of Salvadora persica leaves. The UV-Vis spectrophotometer, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), zeta potential and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were employed to detect the particle size and morphology, besides Fourier transform infra-red spectrometer (FTIR) analysis was performed to determine the capping and stabilizing agents in the extract. Antibacterial assay for the biogenic AgNPs was conducted against E. coli and S. aureus. Results: Color change of the mixture from yellow to dark brown is the first indication to AgNPs formation. Furthermore, 420 nm was the peak value for UV-Vis spectroscopy absorption of the mixture. Besides, TEM and SEM micrographs showed wide variability in the diameter of smaller NPs aggregated together with spherical shapes, and zeta sizer showed about 153.3 nm as an average size of nanoparticles. Microbial suppression was noticed for the tested microorganisms. Furthermore, with the help of FTIR analysis, the biomolecules that act as capping and stabilizing agents of AgNPs are proteins and phenols present in the plant extract. Conclusion: Salvadora persica leaves extract act as a reducing and stabilizing agent for the synthesis of AgNPs, keeping its ability to suppress the MDR pathogen.

Keywords: green synthesis, FTIR, MDR pathogen, salvadora persica

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Authors: Zhang Haitao

Abstract:

The different size of nanoparticle mordenite zeolites were prepared by adding different soft template during hydrothermal process for carbonylation of dimethyl ether (DME) to methyl acetate (MA). The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Ar adsorption-desorption, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, NH3-temperature programmed desorption, scanning electron microscopy and Thermogravimetric. The characterization results confirmed that mordenite zeolites with small nanoparticle showed more strong acid sites which was the active site for carbonylation thus promoting conversion of DME and MA selectivity. Furthermore, the nanoparticle mordenite had increased the mass transfer efficiency which could suppress the formation of coke.

Keywords: nanoparticle mordenite, carbonylation, dimethyl ether, methyl acetate

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Authors: Natalia Fijol, Aji P. Mathew

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We present the processing and characterisation of three-dimensional (3D) monolith filters based on polylactic acid (PLA) reinforced with various nature-derived nanospecies such as hydroxyapatite, modified cellulose fibers and chitin fibers. The nanospecies of choice were dispersed in PLA through Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) method. The biocomposites were developed via solvent-assisted blending and the obtained pellets were further single-screw extruded into 3D-printing filaments and processed into various geometries using Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technique. The printed prototypes included cubic, cylindrical and hour-glass shapes with diverse patterns of printing infill as well as varying pore structure including uniform and multiple level gradual pore structure. The pores and channel structure as well as overall shape of the prototypes were designed in attempt to optimize the flux and maximize the adsorption-active time. FDM is a cost and energy-efficient method, which does not require expensive tools and elaborated post-processing maintenance. Therefore, FDM offers the possibility to produce customized, highly functional water purification filters with tuned porous structures suitable for removal of wide range of common water pollutants. Moreover, as 3D printing becomes more and more available worldwide, it allows producing portable filters at the place and time where they are most needed. The study demonstrates preparation route for the PLA-based, fully biobased composite and their processing via FDM technique into water purification filters, addressing water treatment challenges on an industrial scale.

Keywords: fused deposition modelling, water treatment, biomaterials, 3D printing, nanocellulose, nanochitin, polylactic acid

Procedia PDF Downloads 111

Authors: Mehrnaz Mostafavi

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Perovskite nanocrystals and quantum dots have emerged as leaders in the field of photovoltaic technologies, demonstrating exceptional light-harvesting abilities and stability. This study investigates the substantial progress and potential of these nano-sized materials in transforming solar energy conversion. The research delves into the foundational characteristics and production methods of perovskite nanocrystals and quantum dots, elucidating their distinct optical and electronic properties that render them well-suited for photovoltaic applications. Specifically, it examines their outstanding light absorption capabilities, enabling more effective utilization of a wider solar spectrum compared to traditional silicon-based solar cells. Furthermore, this paper explores the improved durability achieved in perovskite nanocrystals and quantum dots, overcoming previous challenges related to degradation and inconsistent performance. Recent advancements in material engineering and techniques for surface passivation have significantly contributed to enhancing the long-term stability of these nanomaterials, making them more commercially feasible for solar cell usage. The study also delves into the advancements in device designs that incorporate perovskite nanocrystals and quantum dots. Innovative strategies, such as tandem solar cells and hybrid structures integrating these nanomaterials with conventional photovoltaic technologies, are discussed. These approaches highlight synergistic effects that boost efficiency and performance. Additionally, this paper addresses ongoing challenges and research endeavors aimed at further improving the efficiency, stability, and scalability of perovskite nanocrystals and quantum dots in photovoltaics. Efforts to mitigate concerns related to material degradation, toxicity, and large-scale production are actively pursued, paving the way for broader commercial application. In conclusion, this paper emphasizes the significant role played by perovskite nanocrystals and quantum dots in advancing photovoltaic technologies. Their exceptional light-harvesting capabilities, combined with increased stability, promise a bright future for next-generation solar cells, ushering in an era of highly efficient and cost-effective solar energy conversion systems.

Keywords: perovskite nanocrystals, quantum dots, photovoltaic technologies, light-harvesting, solar energy conversion, stability, device designs

Procedia PDF Downloads 79

Authors: Hongkui Li, Tongli Lu , Jianwu Zhang

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This paper focuses on developing an estimation method of clutch drag torque in wet DCT. The modelling of clutch drag torque is investigated. As the main factor affecting the clutch drag torque, dynamic viscosity of oil is discussed. The paper proposes an estimation method of clutch drag torque based on recursive least squares by utilizing the dynamic equations of gear shifting synchronization process. The results demonstrate that the estimation method has good accuracy and efficiency.

Keywords: clutch drag torque, wet DCT, dynamic viscosity, recursive least squares

Procedia PDF Downloads 314

Authors: Dylan Shiting Lu, Samson Okello, Anita Chunyan Wei, Daniel Xiao Li

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Mammotome vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (MVB) introduced in 1995 can be used for the removal of benign breast lesions. Whether or not MVB is a better option compared to conventional open surgery is inconclusive. We aim to compare the clinical and patient-related outcomes between MVB and open surgery to remove benign breast tumors less than 5 cm in women. We searched English and Chinese electronic databases with the keywords of Mammotome, clinical trial (CT), vacuum-assisted breast biopsy for studies comparing MVB and open surgery until May 2021. We performed a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis to compare incision size, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, healing time, scar length, patient satisfaction, postoperative hematoma rate, wound infection rate, postoperative ecchymosis, and postoperative sunken skin among those who have Mammotome and those who have surgery. Our analysis included nine randomized CTs with 1155 total patients (575 Mammotome, 580 surgery) and mean age 40.32 years (standard deviation 3.69). We found statistically significant favorable outcomes for Mammotome including blood loss (ml) [standardized mean difference SMD -5.03, 95%CI (-7.30, -2.76)], incision size (cm) [SMD -12.22, 95%CI (-17.40, -7.04)], operation time (min) [SMD -6.66, 95%CI (-9.01, -4.31)], scar length (cm) [SMD -7.06, 95%CI (-10.76, -3.36)], healing time (days) [SMD -6.57, 95%CI (-10.18, -2.95)], and patient satisfaction [relative risk RR 0.38, 95%CI (0.13, 1.08)]. In conclusion, Mammotome vacuum-assisted breast biopsy compared to open surgery shows better clinical and patient-related outcomes. Further studies should be done on whether or not MVB is a better option for benign breast tumors excision.

Keywords: clinical and patient outcomes, open surgery, Mammotome vacuum-assisted breast biopsy, meta-analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 206

Authors: Wa`d Odeh, Alon Tal, Alfred Abed Rabbo, Nader Al Khatib, Shai Arnon

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The presence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in raw sewage and effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has been increasingly studied in the last few decades. Higher risks are said to characterize situations where raw sewage streams are found to be flowing, or where partial and inadequate wastewater treatment exists. Such conditions are prevalent in the West Bank area of Palestine. To our knowledge, no previous data concerning the occurrence and fate of EDCs in the aquatic environment has ever been systematically evaluated in the region. Hence, the main objective of this study was to identify the occurrence and concentrations of major EDCs in raw sewage, wastewater effluents produced by treatment plants and in the receiving environments, including streams and groundwater in the West Bank, Palestine. Water samples were collected and analyzed for four times during the years of 2013 and 2014. Two large-scale conventional activated sludge WWTPs, two wastewater watercourses, one naturally perennial stream, and five groundwater locations close to wastewater sources were sampled and analyzed by GC/MS following EPA methods (525.2). Five EDCs (estriol, estrone, testosterone, bisphenol A, and octylphenol) were detected in trace concentrations (ng/l) in wastewater streams and at inputs to WWTPs. WWTPs were not able to achieve complete removal of all EDCs, and EDCs were still found in the effluents. In this regard, the most significant environmental estrogenic impact was due to estrone concentrations. Nevertheless, no EDCs were detected in groundwater. Yet, in order for effluents to be reused, significant improvement in treatment infrastructure should be a top priority for environmental managers in the region.

Keywords: endocrine disrupting compounds, raw sewage streams, conventional activated sludge WWTPs, WWTPs effluents

Procedia PDF Downloads 395