Search results for: software solution
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 9877

Search results for: software solution

4777 Parametrical Simulation of Sheet Metal Forming Process to Control the Localized Thinning

Authors: Hatem Mrad, Alban Notin, Mohamed Bouazara

Abstract:

Sheet metal forming process has a multiple successive steps starting from sheets fixation to sheets evacuation. Often after forming operation, the sheet has defects requiring additional corrections steps. For example, in the drawing process, the formed sheet may have several defects such as springback, localized thinning and bends. All these defects are directly dependent on process, geometric and material parameters. The prediction and elimination of these defects requires the control of most sensitive parameters. The present study is concerned with a reliable parametric study of deep forming process in order to control the localized thinning. The proposed approach will be based on stochastic finite element method. Especially, the polynomial Chaos development will be used to establish a reliable relationship between input (process, geometric and material parameters) and output variables (sheet thickness). The commercial software Abaqus is used to conduct numerical finite elements simulations. The automatized parametrical modification is provided by coupling a FORTRAN routine, a PYTHON script and input Abaqus files.

Keywords: sheet metal forming, reliability, localized thinning, parametric simulation

Procedia PDF Downloads 404
4776 Efficient Deep Neural Networks for Real-Time Strawberry Freshness Monitoring: A Transfer Learning Approach

Authors: Mst. Tuhin Akter, Sharun Akter Khushbu, S. M. Shaqib

Abstract:

A real-time system architecture is highly effective for monitoring and detecting various damaged products or fruits that may deteriorate over time or become infected with diseases. Deep learning models have proven to be effective in building such architectures. However, building a deep learning model from scratch is a time-consuming and costly process. A more efficient solution is to utilize deep neural network (DNN) based transfer learning models in the real-time monitoring architecture. This study focuses on using a novel strawberry dataset to develop effective transfer learning models for the proposed real-time monitoring system architecture, specifically for evaluating and detecting strawberry freshness. Several state-of-the-art transfer learning models were employed, and the best performing model was found to be Xception, demonstrating higher performance across evaluation metrics such as accuracy, recall, precision, and F1-score.

Keywords: strawberry freshness evaluation, deep neural network, transfer learning, image augmentation

Procedia PDF Downloads 69
4775 Simulation for Squat Exercise of an Active Controlled Vibration Isolation and Stabilization System for Astronaut’s Exercise Platform

Authors: Ziraguen O. Williams, Shield B. Lin, Fouad N. Matari, Leslie J. Quiocho

Abstract:

In a task to assist NASA in analyzing the dynamic forces caused by operational countermeasures of an astronaut’s exercise platform impacting the spacecraft, feedback delay, and signal noise were added to a simulation model of an active-controlled vibration isolation system to regulate the movement of the exercise platform. Previous simulation work was conducted primarily via MATLAB/Simulink. Two additional simulation tools used in this study were Trick and MBDyn, NASA co-developed software simulation environments. Simulation results obtained from these three tools were very similar. All simulation results support the hypothesis that an active-controlled vibration isolation system outperforms a passive-controlled system even with the addition of feedback delay and signal noise to the active-controlled system. In this paper, squat exercise was used in creating excited force to the simulation model. The exciter force from a squat exercise was calculated from the motion capture of an exerciser. The simulation results demonstrate much greater transmitted force reduction in the active-controlled system than the passive-controlled system.

Keywords: control, counterweight, isolation, vibration

Procedia PDF Downloads 92
4774 Effect of Thinning Practice on Carbon Storage in Soil Forest Northern Tunisia

Authors: Zouhaier Nasr, Mohamed Nouri

Abstract:

The increase in greenhouse gases since the pre-industrial period is a real threat to disrupting the balance of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Along with the oceans, forest soils are considered to be the planet's second-largest carbon sink. North African forests have been subject to alarming degradation for several decades. The objective of this investigation is to determine and quantify the effect of thinning practiced in pine forests in northern Tunisia on the storage of organic carbon in the trees and in the soil. The plot planted in 1989 underwent thinning in 2005 on to plots; the density is therefore 1600 trees/ha in control and 400 trees/ha in thinning. Direct dendrometric measurements (diameter, height, branches, stem) were taken. In the soil part, six profiles of 1m / 1m / 1m were used for soil and root samples and biomass and organic matter measurements. The measurements obtained were statistically processed by appropriate software. The results clearly indicate that thinning improves tree growth, so the diameter increased from 24.3 cm to 30.1 cm. Carbon storage in the trunks was 35% more and 25% for the whole tree. At ground level, the thinned plot shows a slight increase in soil organic matter and quantity of carbon per tree, exceeding the control by 10 to 25%.

Keywords: forest, soil, carbon, climate change, Tunisia

Procedia PDF Downloads 114
4773 Identifying Metabolic Pathways Associated with Neuroprotection Mediated by Tibolone in Human Astrocytes under an Induced Inflammatory Model

Authors: Daniel Osorio, Janneth Gonzalez, Andres Pinzon

Abstract:

In this work, proteins and metabolic pathways associated with the neuroprotective response mediated by the synthetic neurosteroid tibolone under a palmitate-induced inflammatory model were identified by flux balance analysis (FBA). Three different metabolic scenarios (‘healthy’, ‘inflamed’ and ‘medicated’) were modeled over a gene expression data-driven constructed tissue-specific metabolic reconstruction of mature astrocytes. Astrocyte reconstruction was built, validated and constrained using three open source software packages (‘minval’, ‘g2f’ and ‘exp2flux’) released through the Comprehensive R Archive Network repositories during the development of this work. From our analysis, we predict that tibolone executes their neuroprotective effects through a reduction of neurotoxicity mediated by L-glutamate in astrocytes, inducing the activation several metabolic pathways with neuroprotective actions associated such as taurine metabolism, gluconeogenesis, calcium and the Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor signaling pathways. Also, we found a tibolone associated increase in growth rate probably in concordance with previously reported side effects of steroid compounds in other human cell types.

Keywords: astrocytes, flux balance analysis, genome scale metabolic reconstruction, inflammation, neuroprotection, tibolone

Procedia PDF Downloads 212
4772 A Real-World Roadmap and Exploration of Quantum Computers Capacity to Trivialise Internet Security

Authors: James Andrew Fitzjohn

Abstract:

This paper intends to discuss and explore the practical aspects of cracking encrypted messages with quantum computers. The theory of this process has been shown and well described both in academic papers and headline-grabbing news articles, but with all theory and hyperbole, we must be careful to assess the practicalities of these claims. Therefore, we will use real-world devices and proof of concept code to prove or disprove the notion that quantum computers will render the encryption technologies used by many websites unfit for purpose. It is time to discuss and implement the practical aspects of the process as many advances in quantum computing hardware/software have recently been made. This paper will set expectations regarding the useful lifespan of RSA and cipher lengths and propose alternative encryption technologies. We will set out comprehensive roadmaps describing when and how encryption schemes can be used, including when they can no longer be trusted. The cost will also be factored into our investigation; for example, it would make little financial sense to spend millions of dollars on a quantum computer to factor a private key in seconds when a commodity GPU could perform the same task in hours. It is hoped that the real-world results depicted in this paper will help influence the owners of websites who can take appropriate actions to improve the security of their provisions.

Keywords: quantum computing, encryption, RSA, roadmap, real world

Procedia PDF Downloads 112
4771 Applying ASHRAE Standards on the Hospital Buildings of UAE

Authors: Hanan M. Taleb

Abstract:

Energy consumption associated with buildings has a significant impact on the environment. To that end, and as a transaction between the inside and outside and between the building and urban space, the building skin plays an especially important role. It provides protection from the elements; demarcates private property and creates privacy. More importantly, it controls the admission of solar radiation. Therefore, designing the building skin sustainably will help to achieve optimal performance in terms of both energy consumption and thermal comfort. Unfortunately, with accelerating construction expansion, many recent buildings do not pay attention to the importance of the envelope design. This piece of research will highlight the importance of this part of the creation of buildings by providing evidence of a significant reduction in energy consumption if the envelopes are redesigned. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to enhance the performance of the hospital envelope in order to achieve sustainable performance. A hospital building sited in Abu Dhabi, in the UAE, has been chosen to act as a case study. A detailed analysis of the annual energy performance of the case study will be performed with the use of a computerised simulation; this is in order to explore their energy performance shortcomings. The energy consumption of the base case will then be compared with that resulting from the new proposed building skin. The results will inform architects and designers of the savings potential from various strategies.

Keywords: ASHREA, building skin, building envelopes, hospitals, Abu Dhabi, UAE, IES software

Procedia PDF Downloads 348
4770 Flood-Induced River Disruption: Geomorphic Imprints and Topographic Effects in Kelantan River Catchment from Kemubu to Kuala Besar, Kelantan, Malaysia

Authors: Mohamad Muqtada Ali Khan, Nor Ashikin Shaari, Donny Adriansyah bin Nazaruddin, Hafzan Eva Bt Mansoor

Abstract:

Floods play a key role in landform evolution of an area. This process is likely to alter the topography of the earth’s surface. The present study area, Kota Bharu is very prone to floods extends from upstream of Kelantan River near Kemubu to the downstream area near Kuala Besar. These flood events which occur every year in the study area exhibit a strong bearing on river morphological set-up. In the present study, three satellite imageries of different time periods have been used to manifest the post-flood landform changes. The pre-processing of the images such as subset, geometric corrections and atmospheric corrections were carried-out using ENVI 4.5 followed by the analysis processes. Twenty sets of cross sections were plotted using software Erdas 9.2, ERDAS and ArcGis 10 for the all three images. The results show a significant change in the length of the cross section which suggest that the geomorphological processes play a key role in carving and shaping the river banks during the floods.

Keywords: flood induced, geomorphic imprints, Kelantan river, Malaysia

Procedia PDF Downloads 530
4769 Evaluation of Features Extraction Algorithms for a Real-Time Isolated Word Recognition System

Authors: Tomyslav Sledevič, Artūras Serackis, Gintautas Tamulevičius, Dalius Navakauskas

Abstract:

This paper presents a comparative evaluation of features extraction algorithm for a real-time isolated word recognition system based on FPGA. The Mel-frequency cepstral, linear frequency cepstral, linear predictive and their cepstral coefficients were implemented in hardware/software design. The proposed system was investigated in the speaker-dependent mode for 100 different Lithuanian words. The robustness of features extraction algorithms was tested recognizing the speech records at different signals to noise rates. The experiments on clean records show highest accuracy for Mel-frequency cepstral and linear frequency cepstral coefficients. For records with 15 dB signal to noise rate the linear predictive cepstral coefficients give best result. The hard and soft part of the system is clocked on 50 MHz and 100 MHz accordingly. For the classification purpose, the pipelined dynamic time warping core was implemented. The proposed word recognition system satisfies the real-time requirements and is suitable for applications in embedded systems.

Keywords: isolated word recognition, features extraction, MFCC, LFCC, LPCC, LPC, FPGA, DTW

Procedia PDF Downloads 477
4768 A Novel Design in the Use of Planar Transformers for LDMOS Based Amplifiers in Bands II, III, DRM+, DVB-T and DAB+

Authors: Antonis Constantinides, Christos Yiallouras, Christakis Damianou

Abstract:

The coaxial transformer-coupled push-pull circuitry has been used widely in HF and VHF amplifiers for many decades without significant changes in the topology of the transformers. Basic changes over the years concerned the construction and turns ratio of the transformers as has been imposed upon the newer technologies active devices demands. The balun transmission line transformers applied in push-pull amplifiers enable input/output impedance transformation, but are mainly used to convert the balanced output into unbalanced and the input unbalanced into balanced. A simple and affordable alternative solution over the traditional coaxial transformer is the coreless planar balun. A key advantage over the traditional approach lies in the high specifications repeatability; simplifying the amplifier construction requirements as the planar balun constitutes an integrated part of the PCB copper layout. This paper presents the performance analysis of a planar LDMOS MRFE6VP5600 Push-Pull amplifier that enables robust operation in Band III, DVB-T, DVB-T2 standards but functions equally well in Band II, for DRM+ new generation transmitters.

Keywords: amplifier, balun, complex impedance, LDMOS, planar-transformers

Procedia PDF Downloads 428
4767 Using the Simple Fixed Rate Approach to Solve Economic Lot Scheduling Problem under the Basic Period Approach

Authors: Yu-Jen Chang, Yun Chen, Hei-Lam Wong

Abstract:

The Economic Lot Scheduling Problem (ELSP) is a valuable mathematical model that can support decision-makers to make scheduling decisions. The basic period approach is effective for solving the ELSP. The assumption for applying the basic period approach is that a product must use its maximum production rate to be produced. However, a product can lower its production rate to reduce the average total cost when a facility has extra idle time. The past researches discussed how a product adjusts its production rate under the common cycle approach. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have addressed how a product lowers its production rate under the basic period approach. This research is the first paper to discuss this topic. The research develops a simple fixed rate approach that adjusts the production rate of a product under the basic period approach to solve the ELSP. Our numerical example shows our approach can find a better solution than the traditional basic period approach. Our mathematical model that applies the fixed rate approach under the basic period approach can serve as a reference for other related researches.

Keywords: economic lot, basic period, genetic algorithm, fixed rate

Procedia PDF Downloads 548
4766 The Local Centers' Development of Berlin: Analyzing Different Cultural Influences with Impact on Urban Changes

Authors: Monika Moggert

Abstract:

The aim of the research evaluates the local centers' development of Berlin, the capital of Germany. There are included studies of their potential, considers the possibility of applying different cultural influences and the issue of the current demographic transformation of Europe. The solution utilizes the analysis of historical, cultural, political and sociological changes after 2nd World War; the exploration of historical as well as strategic maps and personal evaluation of the current condition of selected boroughs – Berlin Neuköln, Kreuzberg and Wedding, where more than 30% of the inhabitants have a migration background. The research provides an example of the likely development of centers in urban agglomerations. It examines the issue of local centers with an inhumane scale in contrast to small-scale centering sites, mostly located in areas largely with immigrant communities. The research results enable a better understanding of the influence of different cultures and lifestyles on the appearance of the city and its local centers. We can use it as an inspiration for the new design of the Berlin centers. The results will be used for further research on urban space development in the cultural environment of Europe and the Middle East as well.

Keywords: Berlin, cultural environment, life in the city, public and urban space, the urban city centers development, town and society

Procedia PDF Downloads 183
4765 An Approach of Computer Modalities for Exploration of Hieroglyphics Substantial in an Investigation

Authors: Aditi Chauhan, Neethu S. Mohan

Abstract:

In the modern era, the advancement and digitalization in technology have taken place during an investigation of crime scene. The rapid enhancement and investigative techniques have changed the mean of identification of suspect. Identification of the person is one of the significant aspects, and personal authentication is the key of security and reliability in society. Since early 90 s, people have relied on comparing handwriting through its class and individual characteristics. But in today’s 21st century we need more reliable means to identify individual through handwriting. An approach employing computer modalities have lately proved itself auspicious enough in exploration of hieroglyphics substantial in investigating the case. Various software’s such as FISH, WRITEON, and PIKASO, CEDAR-FOX SYSTEM identify and verify the associated quantitative measure of the similarity between two samples. The research till date has been confined to identify the authorship of the concerned samples. But prospects associated with the use of computational modalities might help to identify disguised writing, forged handwriting or say altered or modified writing. Considering the applications of such modal, similar work is sure to attract plethora of research in immediate future. It has a promising role in national security too. Documents exchanged among terrorist can also be brought under the radar of surveillance, bringing forth their source of existence.

Keywords: documents, identity, computational system, suspect

Procedia PDF Downloads 162
4764 Effect of Temperature and Time on the Yield of Silica from Rice Husk Ash

Authors: Mohammed Adamu Musa, Shehu Saminu Babba

Abstract:

The technological trend towards waste utilization and cost reduction in industrial processing has attracted use of Rice Husk as a value added material. Both rice husk (RH) and Rice Husk Ash (RHA) has been found suitable for wide range of domestic as well as industrial applications. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to produce high grade sodium silicate from rice husk ash by considering the effect of temperature and time of heating as the process variables. The experiment was performed by heating the rice husk at temperatures 500 °C, 600 °C, 700 °C and 800 °C and time 60min, 90min, 120min and 150min were used to obtain the ash. 1.0M of aqueous sodium hydroxide solution was used to dissolve the silicate from the ash, which contained crude sodium silicate. In addition, the ash was neutralized by adding 5M of HCL until the pH reached 3.5 to give silica gel. At 6000C and 120mins, 94.23% silica was obtained from the RHA. At higher temperatures (700 °C and 800 °C) the percentage yield of silica reduced due to surface melting and carbon fixation in the lattice caused by presence of potassium. For this research, 600 °C is considered to be the optimum temperature for silica production from RHA. Silica produced from RHA can generate aggregate value and can be used in areas such as pulp and paper, plastic and rubber reinforcement industries.

Keywords: burning, rice husk, rice husk ash, silica, silica gel, temperature

Procedia PDF Downloads 221
4763 Set-point Performance Evaluation of Robust ‎Back-Stepping Control Design for a Nonlinear ‎Electro-‎Hydraulic Servo System

Authors: Maria Ahmadnezhad, Seyedgharani Ghoreishi ‎

Abstract:

Electrohydraulic servo system have been used in industry in a wide ‎number of applications. Its ‎dynamics are highly nonlinear and also ‎have large extent of model uncertainties and external ‎disturbances. ‎In this thesis, a robust back-stepping control (RBSC) scheme is ‎proposed to overcome ‎the problem of disturbances and system ‎uncertainties effectively and to improve the set-point ‎performance ‎of EHS systems. In order to implement the proposed control ‎scheme, the system ‎uncertainties in EHS systems are considered as ‎total leakage coefficient and effective oil volume. In ‎addition, in ‎order to obtain the virtual controls for stabilizing system, the ‎update rule for the ‎system uncertainty term is induced by the ‎Lyapunov control function (LCF). To verify the ‎performance and ‎robustness of the proposed control system, computer simulation of ‎the ‎proposed control system using Matlab/Simulink Software is ‎executed. From the computer ‎simulation, it was found that the ‎RBSC system produces the desired set-point performance and ‎has ‎robustness to the disturbances and system uncertainties of ‎EHS systems.‎

Keywords: electro hydraulic servo system, back-stepping control, robust back-‎stepping control, Lyapunov redesign‎

Procedia PDF Downloads 984
4762 Model Based Design of Fly-by-Wire Flight Controls System of a Fighter Aircraft

Authors: Nauman Idrees

Abstract:

Modeling and simulation during the conceptual design phase are the most effective means of system testing resulting in time and cost savings as compared to the testing of hardware prototypes, which are mostly not available during the conceptual design phase. This paper uses the model-based design (MBD) method in designing the fly-by-wire flight controls system of a fighter aircraft using Simulink. The process begins with system definition and layout where modeling requirements and system components were identified, followed by hierarchical system layout to identify the sequence of operation and interfaces of system with external environment as well as the internal interface between the components. In the second step, each component within the system architecture was modeled along with its physical and functional behavior. Finally, all modeled components were combined to form the fly-by-wire flight controls system of a fighter aircraft as per system architecture developed. The system model developed using this method can be simulated using any simulation software to ensure that desired requirements are met even without the development of a physical prototype resulting in time and cost savings.

Keywords: fly-by-wire, flight controls system, model based design, Simulink

Procedia PDF Downloads 104
4761 Application of Hybrid Honey Bees Mating Optimization Algorithm in Multiuser Detection of Wireless Communication Systems

Authors: N. Larbi, F. Debbat

Abstract:

Wireless communication systems have changed dramatically and shown spectacular evolution over the past two decades. These radio technologies are engaged in a quest endless high-speed transmission coupled to a constant need to improve transmission quality. Various radio communication systems being developed use code division multiple access (CDMA) technique. This work analyses a hybrid honey bees mating optimization algorithm (HBMO) applied to multiuser detection (MuD) in CDMA communication systems. The HBMO is a swarm-based optimization algorithm, which simulates the mating process of real honey bees. We apply a hybridization of HBMO with simulated annealing (SA) in order to improve the solution generated by the HBMO. Simulation results show that the detection based on Hybrid HBMO, in term of bit error rate (BER), is viable option when compared with the classic detectors from literature under Rayleigh flat fading channel.

Keywords: BER, DS-CDMA multiuser detection, genetic algorithm, hybrid HBMO, simulated annealing

Procedia PDF Downloads 415
4760 Hydroinformatics of Smart Cities: Real-Time Water Quality Prediction Model Using a Hybrid Approach

Authors: Elisa Coraggio, Dawei Han, Weiru Liu, Theo Tryfonas

Abstract:

Water is one of the most important resources for human society. The world is currently undergoing a wave of urban growth, and pollution problems are of a great impact. Monitoring water quality is a key task for the future of the environment and human species. In recent times, researchers, using Smart Cities technologies are trying to mitigate the problems generated by the population growth in urban areas. The availability of huge amounts of data collected by a pervasive urban IoT can increase the transparency of decision making. Several services have already been implemented in Smart Cities, but more and more services will be involved in the future. Water quality monitoring can successfully be implemented in the urban IoT. The combination of water quality sensors, cloud computing, smart city infrastructure, and IoT technology can lead to a bright future for environmental monitoring. In the past decades, lots of effort has been put on monitoring and predicting water quality using traditional approaches based on manual collection and laboratory-based analysis, which are slow and laborious. The present study proposes a methodology for implementing a water quality prediction model using artificial intelligence techniques and comparing the results obtained with different algorithms. Furthermore, a 3D numerical model will be created using the software D-Water Quality, and simulation results will be used as a training dataset for the artificial intelligence algorithm. This study derives the methodology and demonstrates its implementation based on information and data collected at the floating harbour in the city of Bristol (UK). The city of Bristol is blessed with the Bristol-Is-Open infrastructure that includes Wi-Fi network and virtual machines. It was also named the UK ’s smartest city in 2017.In recent times, researchers, using Smart Cities technologies are trying to mitigate the problems generated by the population growth in urban areas. The availability of huge amounts of data collected by a pervasive urban IoT can increase the transparency of decision making. Several services have already been implemented in Smart Cities, but more and more services will be involved in the future. Water quality monitoring can successfully be implemented in the urban IoT. The combination of water quality sensors, cloud computing, smart city infrastructure, and IoT technology can lead to a bright future for the environment monitoring. In the past decades, lots of effort has been put on monitoring and predicting water quality using traditional approaches based on manual collection and laboratory-based analysis, which are slow and laborious. The present study proposes a new methodology for implementing a water quality prediction model using artificial intelligence techniques and comparing the results obtained with different algorithms. Furthermore, a 3D numerical model will be created using the software D-Water Quality, and simulation results will be used as a training dataset for the Artificial Intelligence algorithm. This study derives the methodology and demonstrate its implementation based on information and data collected at the floating harbour in the city of Bristol (UK). The city of Bristol is blessed with the Bristol-Is-Open infrastructure that includes Wi-Fi network and virtual machines. It was also named the UK ’s smartest city in 2017.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, hydroinformatics, numerical modelling, smart cities, water quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 164
4759 Intrusion Detection System Using Linear Discriminant Analysis

Authors: Zyad Elkhadir, Khalid Chougdali, Mohammed Benattou

Abstract:

Most of the existing intrusion detection systems works on quantitative network traffic data with many irrelevant and redundant features, which makes detection process more time’s consuming and inaccurate. A several feature extraction methods, such as linear discriminant analysis (LDA), have been proposed. However, LDA suffers from the small sample size (SSS) problem which occurs when the number of the training samples is small compared with the samples dimension. Hence, classical LDA cannot be applied directly for high dimensional data such as network traffic data. In this paper, we propose two solutions to solve SSS problem for LDA and apply them to a network IDS. The first method, reduce the original dimension data using principal component analysis (PCA) and then apply LDA. In the second solution, we propose to use the pseudo inverse to avoid singularity of within-class scatter matrix due to SSS problem. After that, the KNN algorithm is used for classification process. We have chosen two known datasets KDDcup99 and NSLKDD for testing the proposed approaches. Results showed that the classification accuracy of (PCA+LDA) method outperforms clearly the pseudo inverse LDA method when we have large training data.

Keywords: LDA, Pseudoinverse, PCA, IDS, NSL-KDD, KDDcup99

Procedia PDF Downloads 216
4758 Ceramic Membrane Filtration Technologies for Oilfield Produced Water Treatment

Authors: Mehrdad Ebrahimi, Oliver Schmitz, Axel Schmidt, Peter Czermak

Abstract:

“Produced water” (PW) is any fossil water that is brought to the surface along with crude oil or natural gas. By far, PW is the largest waste stream by volume associated with oil and gas production operations. Due to the increasing volume of waste all over the world in the current decade, the outcome and effect of discharging PW on the environment has lately become a significant issue of environmental concerns. Therefore, there is a need for new technologies for PW treatment due to increase focus on water conservation and environmental regulation. The use of membrane processes for treatment of PW has several advantages over many of the traditional separation techniques. In oilfield produced water treatment with ceramic membranes, process efficiency is characterized by the specific permeate flux and by the oil separation performance. Apart from the membrane properties, the permeate flux during filtration of oily wastewaters is known to be strongly dependent on the constituents of the feed solution, as well as on process conditions, e.g. trans-membrane pressure (TMP) and cross-flow velocity (CFV). The research project presented in these report describes the application of different ceramic membrane filtration technologies for the efficient treatment of oil-field produced water and different model oily solutions.

Keywords: ceramic membrane, membrane fouling, oil rejection, produced water treatment

Procedia PDF Downloads 168
4757 Genome-Wide Association Study Identify COL2A1 as a Susceptibility Gene for the Hand Development Failure of Kashin-Beck Disease

Authors: Feng Zhang

Abstract:

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is a chronic osteochondropathy. The mechanism of hand growth and development failure of KBD remains elusive now. In this study, we conducted a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) of palmar length-width ratio (LWR) of KBD, totally involving 493 Chinese Han KBD patients. Affymetrix Genome Wide Human SNP Array 6.0 was applied for SNP genotyping. Association analysis was conducted by PLINK software. Imputation analysis was performed by IMPUTE against the reference panel of the 1000 genome project. In the GWAS, the most significant association was observed between palmar LWR and rs2071358 of COL2A1 gene (P value = 4.68×10-8). Imputation analysis identified 3 SNPs surrounding rs2071358 with significant or suggestive association signals. Replication study observed additional significant association signals at both rs2071358 (P value = 0.017) and rs4760608 (P value = 0.002) of COL2A1 gene after Bonferroni correction. Our results suggest that COL2A1 gene was a novel susceptibility gene involved in the growth and development failure of hand of KBD.

Keywords: Kashin-Beck disease, genome-wide association study, COL2A1, hand

Procedia PDF Downloads 202
4756 Proximate Analysis of Muscle of Helix aspersa Living in Konya, Turkey

Authors: Ozcan Baris Citil

Abstract:

The aim of the present study is the determination of the effects of variations in the proximate analysis, cholesterol content and fatty acid compositions of Helix aspersa. Garden snails (Helix aspersa) were picked up by hand from the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, in autumn (November) in 2015. Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) and cholesterol analysis were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC). The protein contents of snail muscle were determined with Kjeldahl distillation units. Statistical comparisons were made by using SPSS Software (version 16.0). Thirty different fatty acids of different saturation levels were detected. As the predominant fatty acids, stearic acid (C18:0), oleic acid (C18:1ω9), linoleic acid (C18:2ω6), palmitic acid (C16:0), arachidonic acid (C20:4ω6), eicosadienoic acid (C20:2) and linolenic acid (C18:3ω3) were found in Helix aspersa. Palmitic acid (C16:0) was identified as the major SFA in autumn. Linoleic acid (C18:2ω6), eicosadienoic acid (C20:2) and arachidonic acid (C20:4ω6) have the highest levels among the PUFAs. In the present study, ω3 were found 5.48% in autumn. Linolenic acid and omega-3 fatty acid amounts in the autumn decreased significantly but cholesterol content was not affected in Helix aspersa in autumn (November) in 2015.

Keywords: Helix aspersa, fatty acid, SFA, PUFA, cholesterol

Procedia PDF Downloads 327
4755 Multifield Problems in 3D Structural Analysis of Advanced Composite Plates and Shells

Authors: Salvatore Brischetto, Domenico Cesare

Abstract:

Major improvements in future aircraft and spacecraft could be those dependent on an increasing use of conventional and unconventional multilayered structures embedding composite materials, functionally graded materials, piezoelectric or piezomagnetic materials, and soft foam or honeycomb cores. Layers made of such materials can be combined in different ways to obtain structures that are able to fulfill several structural requirements. The next generation of aircraft and spacecraft will be manufactured as multilayered structures under the action of a combination of two or more physical fields. In multifield problems for multilayered structures, several physical fields (thermal, hygroscopic, electric and magnetic ones) interact each other with different levels of influence and importance. An exact 3D shell model is here proposed for these types of analyses. This model is based on a coupled system including 3D equilibrium equations, 3D Fourier heat conduction equation, 3D Fick diffusion equation and electric and magnetic divergence equations. The set of partial differential equations of second order in z is written using a mixed curvilinear orthogonal reference system valid for spherical and cylindrical shell panels, cylinders and plates. The order of partial differential equations is reduced to the first one thanks to the redoubling of the number of variables. The solution in the thickness z direction is obtained by means of the exponential matrix method and the correct imposition of interlaminar continuity conditions in terms of displacements, transverse stresses, electric and magnetic potentials, temperature, moisture content and transverse normal multifield fluxes. The investigated structures have simply supported sides in order to obtain a closed form solution in the in-plane directions. Moreover, a layerwise approach is proposed which allows a 3D correct description of multilayered anisotropic structures subjected to field loads. Several results will be proposed in tabular and graphical formto evaluate displacements, stresses and strains when mechanical loads, temperature gradients, moisture content gradients, electric potentials and magnetic potentials are applied at the external surfaces of the structures in steady-state conditions. In the case of inclusions of piezoelectric and piezomagnetic layers in the multilayered structures, so called smart structures are obtained. In this case, a free vibration analysis in open and closed circuit configurations and a static analysis for sensor and actuator applications will be proposed. The proposed results will be useful to better understand the physical and structural behaviour of multilayered advanced composite structures in the case of multifield interactions. Moreover, these analytical results could be used as reference solutions for those scientists interested in the development of 3D and 2D numerical shell/plate models based, for example, on the finite element approach or on the differential quadrature methodology. The correct impositions of boundary geometrical and load conditions, interlaminar continuity conditions and the zigzag behaviour description due to transverse anisotropy will be also discussed and verified.

Keywords: composite structures, 3D shell model, stress analysis, multifield loads, exponential matrix method, layer wise approach

Procedia PDF Downloads 55
4754 Waste Identification Diagrams Effectiveness: A Case Study in the Manaus Industrial Pole

Authors: José Dinis-Carvalho, Levi Guimarães, Celina Leão, Rui Sousa, Rosa Eliza Vieira, Larissa Thomaz, Kelliane Guerreiro

Abstract:

This research paper investigates the efficacy of waste identification diagrams (WIDs) as a tool for waste reduction and management within the Manaus Industrial Pole. The study focuses on assessing the practical application and effectiveness of WIDs in identifying, categorizing, and mitigating various forms of waste generated across industrial processes. Employing a mixed-methods approach, including a qualitative questionnaire applied to 5 companies and quantitative data analysis with SPSS statistical software, the research evaluates the implementation and impact of WIDs on waste reduction practices in select industries within the Manaus Industrial Pole. The findings contribute to understanding the utility of WIDs as a proactive strategy for waste management, offering insights into their potential for fostering sustainable practices and promoting environmental stewardship in industrial settings. The study also discusses challenges, best practices, and recommendations for optimizing the utilization of WIDs in industrial waste management, thereby addressing the broader implications for sustainable industrial development.

Keywords: waste identification diagram, value stream mapping, overall equipment effectiveness, lean manufacturing

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4753 Cylindrical Spacer Shape Optimization for Enhanced Inhalation Therapy

Authors: Shahab Azimi, Siamak Arzanpour, Anahita Sayyar

Abstract:

Asthma and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common lung diseases that have a significant global impact. Pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) are widely used for treatment, but they can have limitations such as high medication release speed resulting in drug deposition in the mouth or oral cavity and difficulty achieving proper synchronization with inhalation by users. Spacers are add-on devices that improve the efficiency of pMDIs by reducing the release speed and providing space for aerosol particle breakup to have finer and medically effective medication. The aim of this study is to optimize the size and cylindrical shape of spacers to enhance their drug delivery performance. The study was based on fluid dynamics theory and employed Ansys software for simulation and optimization. Results showed that optimization of the spacer's geometry greatly influenced its performance and improved drug delivery. This study provides a foundation for future research on enhancing the efficiency of inhalation therapy for lung diseases.

Keywords: asthma, COPD, pressurized metered dose inhalers, spacers, CFD, shape optimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 71
4752 Optimization of Laser Doping Selective Emitter for Silicon Solar Cells

Authors: Meziani Samir, Moussi Abderrahmane, Chaouchi Sofiane, Guendouzi Awatif, Djema Oussama

Abstract:

Laser doping has a large potential for integration into silicon solar cell technologies. The ability to process local, heavily diffused regions in a self-aligned manner can greatly simplify processing sequences for the fabrication of selective emitter. The choice of laser parameters for a laser doping process with 532nm is investigated. Solid state lasers with different power and speed were used for laser doping. In this work, the aim is the formation of selective emitter solar cells with a reduced number of technological steps. In order to have a highly doped localized emitter region, we used a 532 nm laser doping. Note that this region will receive the metallization of the Ag grid by screen printing. For this, we use SOLIDWORKS software to design a single type of pattern for square silicon cells. Sheet resistances, phosphorus doping concentration and silicon bulk lifetimes of irradiated samples are presented. Additionally, secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) profiles of the laser processed samples were acquired. Scanning electron microscope and optical microscope images of laser processed surfaces at different parameters are shown and compared.

Keywords: laser doping, selective emitter, silicon, solar cells

Procedia PDF Downloads 81
4751 Monitoring System for Electronic Procurement Systems

Authors: Abdulah Fajar

Abstract:

Electronic Procurement System has been implemented at government institution in Indonesia. This system has been developed centrally at Institution of National Procurement Policy (LKPP) and implemented autonomously at either local or national government institution. The lack of competency at many institution on Information Technology Management arise several major problems. The main concern of LKPP to local administrator is assured that the system is running normally and always be able to serve the needs of its users. Monitoring system has been identified as the one of solution to prevent the problems appeared. Monitoring system is developed using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and implemented at LKPP. There are two modules; Main Dashboard and Local Agent. Main Dashboard is intended for LKPP and Local Agent is intended to implement at local autonomous e-procurement system (LPSE). There are several resources that must be monitored such as computation, memory and network traffic. Agile paradigm is applied to this project to assure user and system requirement is met. The length of project is the one of reason why agile paradigm has been chosen. The system has been successfully delivered to LKPP.

Keywords: procurement system, SNMP, LKPP, LPSE

Procedia PDF Downloads 410
4750 Orthodontic Treatment Using CAD/CAM System

Authors: Cristiane C. B. Alves, Livia Eisler, Gustavo Mota, Kurt Faltin Jr., Cristina L. F. Ortolani

Abstract:

The correct positioning of the brackets is essential for the success of orthodontic treatment. Indirect bracket placing technique has the main objective of eliminating the positioning errors, which commonly occur in the technique of direct system of brackets. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that the exact positioning of the brackets is of extreme relevance for the success of the treatment. The present work shows a case report of an adult female patient who attended the clinic with the complaint of being in orthodontic treatment for more than 5 years without noticing any progress. As a result of the intra-oral clinical examination and documentation analysis, a class III malocclusion, an anterior open bite, and absence of all third molars and first upper and lower bilateral premolars were observed. For the treatment, the indirect bonding technique with self-ligating ceramic braces was applied. The preparation of the trays was done after the intraoral digital scanning and printing of models with a 3D printer. Brackets were positioned virtually, using a specialized software. After twelve months of treatment, correction of the malocclusion was observed, as well as the closing of the anterior open bite. It is concluded that the adequate and precise positioning of brackets is necessary for a successful treatment.

Keywords: anterior open-bite, CAD/CAM, orthodontics, malocclusion, angle class III

Procedia PDF Downloads 165
4749 Effects of Closed-Caption Programs on EFL Learners' Listening Comprehension and Vocabulary Learning

Authors: Bahman Gorjian

Abstract:

This study investigated the effects of closed-captioning on vocabulary learning and listening comprehension of English-language movies. Captioning is thus an effective language-learning tool for persons learning English as a second language. Because students may learn a foreign language "passively," utilizing subtitles on television could make learning English enjoyable for them. Closed captioning is an electrical technique that converts spoken words from a television program's audio into written text that mimics subtitles in another language. The findings of this study showed the importance of using closed-captioning software when learning a foreign language. As a result, these must be considered when teaching EFL/ESL. The influence of watching movies with closed captions on vocabulary and hearing is compared in this study. This goal can be reached by employing a closed-captioned movie as a teaching tool in the classroom. This research was critical because it demonstrates the advantages of closed-captioning programs in EFL classrooms for both teachers and students. The study's findings assisted teachers in better understanding how to employ closed captioning as a teaching tool in the classroom. The effects will be seen as even more significant for language learners who use the method.

Keywords: closed-captions, listening, comprehension, vcabulary

Procedia PDF Downloads 70
4748 An Improved Particle Swarm Optimization Technique for Combined Economic and Environmental Power Dispatch Including Valve Point Loading Effects

Authors: Badr M. Alshammari, T. Guesmi

Abstract:

In recent years, the combined economic and emission power dispatch is one of the main problems of electrical power system. It aims to schedule the power generation of generators in order to minimize cost production and emission of harmful gases caused by fossil-fueled thermal units such as CO, CO2, NOx, and SO2. To solve this complicated multi-objective problem, an improved version of the particle swarm optimization technique that includes non-dominated sorting concept has been proposed. Valve point loading effects and system losses have been considered. The three-unit and ten-unit benchmark systems have been used to show the effectiveness of the suggested optimization technique for solving this kind of nonconvex problem. The simulation results have been compared with those obtained using genetic algorithm based method. Comparison results show that the proposed approach can provide a higher quality solution with better performance.

Keywords: power dispatch, valve point loading effects, multiobjective optimization, Pareto solutions

Procedia PDF Downloads 259