Search results for: improve efficiency

Authors: A. Ghanami, M.Heydari

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Heat pipe is simple heat transfer device which combines the conduction and phase change phenomena to control the heat transfer without any need for external power source. At hot surface of heat pipe, the liquid phase absorbs heat and changes to vapor phase. The vapor phase flows to condenser region and with the loss of heat changes to liquid phase. Due to gravitational force the liquid phase flows to evaporator section. In HVAC systems the working fluid is chosen based on the operating temperature. The heat pipe has significant capability to reduce the humidity in HVAC systems. Each HVAC system which uses heater, humidifier or dryer is a suitable nominate for the utilization of heat pipes. Generally heat pipes have three main sections: condenser, adiabatic region and evaporator. Performance investigation and optimization of heat pipes operation in order to increase their efficiency is crucial. In present article, a parametric study is performed to improve the heat pipe performance. Therefore, the heat capacity of heat pipe with respect to geometrical and confining parameters is investigated. For the better observation of heat pipe operation in HVAC systems, a CFD simulation in Eulerian- Eulerian multiphase approach is also performed. The results show that heat pipe heat transfer capacity is higher for water as working fluid with the operating temperature of 340 K. It is also showed that the vertical orientation of heat pipe enhances it’s heat transfer capacity.used in the abstract.

Keywords: Heat pipe, HVAC system, Grooved Heat pipe, Heat pipe limits.

Procedia PDF Downloads 482

Authors: A. O. Boyo, A. T. Akinwunmi

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The effect of extracting solvent and adjustment of pHs on the stability of Terminalia catappa L. dye-sensitized solar cell was investigated. We introduced ZnO as an alternative to TiO2 in the dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) due to its band gap similar to TiO2, higher electron mobility, and flexible procedures of preparations. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on Terminalia catappa L. was extracted in water (A), ethanol (B) and the mixture of ethanol and water in the ratio 1:1by volume (C). The best performance Solar cells sensitized was from extracts A and achieved up to Jsc 1.51 mAcm−2, Voc 0.75V, FF 0.88 and η 0.63%. We notice that as pHs decreases there is the increase in DSSC efficiency. There is Long period stability in efficiency of the cells prepared using A than in C and a fair stability in efficiency of B cell. The results obtained with extracts B and C confirmed that Ethanol with water could not be considered as a suitable solvent for the extraction of natural dye.

Keywords: zinc oxide, dye-sensitized solar cell, terminalia catappa L., TiO2

Procedia PDF Downloads 402

Authors: Anteneh Wodaje Bayeh, Daniel Manaye Kabtamu, Chen-Hao Wang

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As one of the most promising electrochemical energy storage systems, vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) have received increasing attention owing to their attractive features for largescale storage applications. However, their high production cost and relatively low energy efficiency still limit their feasibility. For practical implementation, it is of great interest to improve their efficiency and reduce their cost. One of the key components of VRFBs that can greatly influence the efficiency and final cost is the electrode, which provide the reactions sites for redox couples (VO²⁺/VO₂ + and V²⁺/V³⁺). Carbon-based materials are considered to be the most feasible electrode materials in the VRFB because of their excellent potential in terms of operation range, good permeability, large surface area, and reasonable cost. However, owing to limited electrochemical activity and reversibility and poor wettability due to its hydrophobic properties, the performance of the cell employing carbon-based electrodes remained limited. To address the challenges, we synthesized heteroatom-doped bimetallic oxide grown on the surface of carbon through the one-step approach. When applied to VRFBs, the prepared electrode exhibits significant electrocatalytic effect toward the VO²⁺/VO₂ + and V³⁺/V²⁺ redox reaction compared with that of pristine carbon. It is found that the presence of heteroatom on metal oxide promotes the absorption of vanadium ions. The controlled morphology of bimetallic metal oxide also exposes more active sites for the redox reaction of vanadium ions. Hence, the prepared electrode displays the best electrochemical performance with energy and voltage efficiencies of 74.8% and 78.9%, respectively, which is much higher than those of 59.8% and 63.2% obtained from the pristine carbon at high current density. Moreover, the electrode exhibit durability and stability in an acidic electrolyte during long-term operation for 1000 cycles at the higher current density.

Keywords: VRFB, VO²⁺/VO₂ + and V³⁺/V²⁺ redox couples, graphite felt, heteroatom-doping

Procedia PDF Downloads 97

Authors: O. Fatemi

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Considering growing building construction industry in developing countries and sustainable development concept, as well as the importance of taking care of the future generations, codifying buildings scoring system based on environmental criteria, has always been a subject for discussion. The existing systems cannot be used for all the regions due to several reasons, including but not limited to variety in regional variables. In this article, the most important common LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) common and Global environmental scoring systems, used in UK, USA, and Japan, respectively, have been discussed and compared with a special focus on CASBEE (Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency), to credit assigning field (weighing and scores systems) as well as sustainable development criteria in each system. Then, converging and distinct fields of the foregoing systems are examined considering National Iranian Building Code. Furthermore, the common credits in the said systems not mentioned in National Iranian Building Code have been identified. These credits, which are generally included in well-known fundamental principles in sustainable development, may be considered as offered options for the Iranian building environmental scoring system. It is suggested that one of the globally and commonly accepted systems is chosen considering national priorities in order to offer an effective method for buildings environmental scoring, and then, a part of credits is added and/or removed, or a certain credit score is changed, and eventually, a new scoring system with a new title is developed for the country. Evidently, building construction industry highly affects the environment, economy, efficiency, and health of the relevant occupants. Considering the growing trend of cities and construction, achieving building scoring systems based on environmental criteria has always been a matter of discussion. The existing systems cannot be used for all the regions due to several reasons, including but not limited to variety in regional variables.

Keywords: scoring system, sustainability assessment, water efficiency, national Iranian building code

Procedia PDF Downloads 181

Authors: Abdi Ismail, Zain Amarta, Riza Rifaldy Argaputra

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The Helical Turbine has the highest efficiency in comparison with the other hydrokinetic turbines. However, the potential of the Helical Turbine efficiency can be further improved so that the kinetic energy of a water current can be converted into mechanical energy as much as possible. This paper explains the effects by adding a Movable Airfoil Arm (MAA) and ducting on a Helical Turbine. The first research conducted an analysis of the efficiency comparison between a Plate Arm Helical Turbine (PAHT) versus a Movable Arm Helical Turbine Airfoil (MAAHT) at various water current velocities. The first step is manufacturing a PAHT and MAAHT. The PAHT and MAAHT has these specifications (as a fixed variable): 80 cm in diameter, a height of 88 cm, 3 blades, NACA 0018 blade profile, a 10 cm blade chord and a 60o inclination angle. The MAAHT uses a NACA 0012 airfoil arm that can move downward 20o, the PAHT uses a 5 mm plate arm. At the current velocity of 0.8, 0.85 and 0.9 m/s, the PAHT respectively generates a mechanical power of 92, 117 and 91 watts (a consecutive efficiency of 16%, 17% and 11%). At the same current velocity variation, the MAAHT respectively generates 74, 60 and 43 watts (a consecutive efficiency of 13%, 9% and 5%). Therefore, PAHT has a better performance than the MAAHT. Using analysis from CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), the drag force of MAA is greater than the one generated by the plate arm. By using CFD analysis, the drag force that occurs on the MAA is more dominant than the lift force, therefore the MAA can be called a drag device, whereas the lift force that occurs on the helical blade is more dominant than the drag force, therefore it can be called a lift device. Thus, the lift device cannot be combined with the drag device, because the drag device will become a hindrance to the lift device rotation. The second research conducted an analysis of the efficiency comparison between a Ducted Helical Turbine (DHT) versus a Helical Turbine (HT) through experimental studies. The first step is manufacturing the DHT and HT. The Helical turbine specifications (as a fixed variable) are: 40 cm in diameter, a height of 88 cm, 3 blades, NACA 0018 blade profile, 10 cm blade chord and a 60o inclination angle. At the current speed of 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 and 1.1 m/s, the HT respectively generates a mechanical power of 72, 85, 93 and 98 watts (a consecutive efficiency of 38%, 30%, 23% and 13%). At the same current speed variation, the DHT generates a mechanical power of 82, 98, 110 and 134 watts (a consecutive efficiency of 43%, 34%, 27% and 18%), respectively. The usage of ducting causes the water current speed around the turbine to increase.

Keywords: hydrokinetic turbine, helical turbine, movable airfoil arm, ducting

Procedia PDF Downloads 371

Authors: Gabriela Kloudova, Miloslav Stehlik, Peter Sos

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The quality of sleep can affect combat performance where the vigilance, accuracy and reaction time are a decisive factor. In the present study, airborne and special units are measured on duty using actigraphy fingerprint scoring algorithm and QEEG (quantitative EEG). Actigraphic variables of interest will be: mean nightly sleep duration, mean napping duration, mean 24-h sleep duration, mean sleep latency, mean sleep maintenance efficiency, mean sleep fragmentation index, mean sleep onset time, mean sleep offset time and mean midpoint time. In an attempt to determine the individual somnotype of each subject, the data like sleep pattern, chronotype (morning and evening lateness), biological need for sleep (daytime and anytime sleepability) and trototype (daytime and anytime wakeability) will be extracted. Subsequently, a series of recommendations will be included in the training plan based on daily routine, timing of the day and night activities, duration of sleep and the number of sleeping blocks in a defined time. The aim of these modifications in the training plan is to reduce day-time sleepiness, improve vigilance, attention, accuracy, speed of the conducted tasks and to optimize energy supplies. Regular improvement of the training supposed to have long-term neurobiological consequences including neuronal activity changes measured by QEEG. Subsequently, that should enhance cognitive functioning in subjects assessed by the digital cognitive test batteries and improve their overall performance.

Keywords: sleep quality, combat performance, actigraph, somnotype

Procedia PDF Downloads 166

Authors: Tien-Hui Chiang

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The code theory, proposed by Basil Bernstein, indicates that framing can be viewed as the core element in constituting the phenomenon of cultural reproduction because it is able to regulate the transmission of pedagogical information. Strong framing increases the social relation boundary between a teacher and pupils, which obstructs information transmission, so that in order to improve underachieving students’ academic performances, teachers need to reduce to strength of framing. Weak framing enables them to transform academic knowledge into commonsense knowledge in daily life language. This study posits that most teachers would deliver strong framing due to their belief mainly confined within the aspect of instrumental rationality that deprives their critical minds. This situation could make them view the normal distribution bell curve of students’ academic performances as a natural outcome. In order to examine the interplay between framing, instrumental rationality and pedagogical action, questionnaires were completed by over 5,000 primary school teachers in Henan province, China, who were stratified sample. The statistical results show that most teachers employed psychological concepts to measure students’ academic performances and, in turn, educational inequity was legitimatized as a natural outcome in the efficiency-led approach. Such efficiency-led minds made them perform as the agent practicing the mechanism of social control and in turn sustaining the phenomenon of cultural reproduction.

Keywords: code, cultural reproduction, framing, instrumental rationality, social relation and interaction

Procedia PDF Downloads 151

Authors: Essam Amerian

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The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of improving waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and visceral fat components on the health of shift workers in an offshore petrochemical company. A total of 100 male shift workers participated in the study, with an average age of 40.5 years and an average BMI of 28.2 kg/m². The study employed a randomized controlled trial design, with participants assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received a 12-week program that included dietary counseling, physical activity recommendations, and stress management techniques. The control group received no intervention. The outcomes measured were changes in WHR, visceral fat components, blood pressure, and lipid profile. The results showed that the intervention group had a statistically significant improvement in WHR (p<0.001) and visceral fat components (p<0.001) compared to the control group. Furthermore, there were statistically significant improvements in systolic blood pressure (p=0.015) and total cholesterol (p=0.034) in the intervention group compared to the control group. These findings suggest that implementing a 12-week program that includes dietary counseling, physical activity recommendations, and stress management techniques can effectively improve WHR, visceral fat components, and cardiovascular health among shift workers in an offshore petrochemical company.

Keywords: body composition, waist-hip-ratio, visceral fat, shift worker, work efficiency

Procedia PDF Downloads 79

Authors: Shara Toibayeva, Irbulat Utepbergenov, Lyazzat Issabekova, Aidana Bodesova

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The article discusses the importance of quality assessment as a strategic tool in business and emphasizes the significance of the effectiveness of quality management systems (QMS) for enterprises. The evaluation of these systems takes into account the specificity of quality indicators, the multilevel nature of the system, and the need for optimal selection of the number of indicators and evaluation of the system state, which is critical for making rational management decisions. Methods and models of automated enterprise quality management are proposed, including an intelligent automated quality management system integrated with the Management Information and Control System. These systems make it possible to automate the implementation and support of QMS, increasing the validity, efficiency, and effectiveness of management decisions by automating the functions performed by decision makers and personnel. The paper also emphasizes the use of recurrent neural networks to improve automated quality management. Recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are used to analyze and process sequences of data, which is particularly useful in the context of document quality assessment and non-conformance detection in quality management systems. These networks are able to account for temporal dependencies and complex relationships between different data elements, which improves the accuracy and efficiency of automated decisions. The project was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the Zhas Galym project No. AR 13268939, dedicated to research and development of digital technologies to ensure consistency of QMS regulatory documents.

Keywords: automated control system, quality management, document structure, formal language

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Authors: Mohamed Razi Nalim, Shahrzad Ghadiri

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With current concerns regarding global warming, demand for a society with greater environmental awareness significantly increases. With gradual development in hybrid and electric vehicles and the availability of renewable energy resources, increasing efficiency in fossil fuel and combustion engines seems a faster solution toward sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of recent progress in wave rotor combustor, one of the combustion concepts with considerable potential to improve power output and emission standards. A wave rotor is an oscillatory flow device that uses the unsteady gas dynamic concept to transfer energy by generating pressure waves. From a thermodynamic point of view, unlike conventional positive-displacement piston engines which follow the Brayton cycle, wave rotors offer higher cycle efficiency due to pressure gain during the combustion process based on the Humphrey cycle. First, the paper covers all recent and ongoing computational and experimental studies around the world with a quick look at the milestones in the history of wave rotor development. Second, the main similarity and differences in the ignition system of the wave rotor with piston engines are considered. Also, the comparison is made with another pressure gain device, rotating detonation engines. Next, the main challenges and research needs for wave rotor combustor commercialization are discussed.

Keywords: wave rotor combustor, unsteady gas dynamic, pre-chamber jet ignition, pressure gain combustion, constant-volume combustion

Procedia PDF Downloads 84

Authors: Fangyuan Shao, Wei Liu, Deli Gao

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With the increasing speed of oil and gas exploration, development and production at home and abroad, the demand for drilling speed up technology is becoming more and more critical to reduce the development cost. Highly efficient and personalized PDC bit is important equipment in the bottom hole assembly (BHA). Therefore, improving the rock-breaking efficiency of PDC bits will help reduce drilling time and drilling cost. Advances in PDC bit technology have resulted in a leapfrogging improvement in the rate of penetration (ROP) of PDC bits over roller cone bits in soft to medium-hard formations. Recently, with the development of PDC technology, the diameter of the PDC tooth can be further expanded. The maximum diameter of the PDC cutter used in this paper is 22 mm. According to the theoretical calculation, under the same depth of cut (DOC), the 22mm-PDC cutter increases the exposure of the cutter, and the increase of PDC cutter diameter helps to increase the cutting area of the PDC cutter. In order to evaluate the cutting performance of the 22 mm-PDC cutter and the existing commonly used cutters, the 16 mm, 19 mm and 22 mm PDC cutter was selected put on a vertical turret lathe (VTL) in the laboratory for cutting tests under different DOCs. The DOCs were 0.5mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm and 3 mm, respectively. The rock sample used in the experiment was limestone. Results of laboratory tests have shown the new 22 mm-PDC cutter technology greatly improved cutting efficiency. On the one hand, as the DOC increases, the mechanical specific energy (MSE) of all cutters decreases, which means that the cutting efficiency increases. On the other hand, under the same DOC condition, the larger the cutter diameter is, the larger the working area of the cutter is, which leads to higher the cutting efficiency. In view of the high performance of the 22 mm-PDC cutters, which was applied to carry out full-scale bit field experiments. The result shows that the bit with 22mm-PDC cutters achieves a breakthrough improvement of ROP than that with conventional 16mm and 19mm cutters in offset well drilling.

Keywords: polycrystalline diamond compact, 22 mm-PDC cutters, cutting efficiency, mechanical specific energy

Procedia PDF Downloads 204

Authors: Seongsoo Lee

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Motion estimation occupies the heaviest computation in HEVC (high efficiency video coding). Many fast algorithms such as TZS (test zone search) have been proposed to reduce the computation. Still the huge computation of the motion estimation is a critical issue in the implementation of HEVC video codec. In this paper, motion estimator architecture with optimized number of PEs (processing element) is presented by exploiting early termination. It also reduces hardware size by exploiting parallel processing. The presented motion estimator architecture has 8 PEs, and it can efficiently perform TZS with very high utilization of PEs.

Keywords: motion estimation, test zone search, high efficiency video coding, processing element, optimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 363

Authors: Dimitrios Kafetzopoulos

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Nowadays, companies are more concerned with adopting their own strategies for increased efficiency and sustainability. Dynamic environments are fertile fields for developing operational changes. For this purpose, organizations need to implement an advanced management philosophy that boosts changes to companies’ operation. Changes refer to new applications of knowledge, ideas, methods, and skills that can generate unique capabilities and leverage an organization’s competitiveness. So, in order to survive and compete in the global and niche markets, companies should incorporate the adoption of operational changes into their strategy with regard to their products and their processes. Creating the appropriate culture for changes in terms of products and processes helps companies to gain a sustainable competitive advantage in the market. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the role of both incremental and radical changes into operations of a company, taking into consideration not only product changes but also process changes, and continues by measuring the impact of these two types of changes on business efficiency and sustainability of Greek manufacturing companies. The above discussion leads to the following hypotheses: H1: Radical operational changes have a positive impact on firm efficiency. H2: Incremental operational changes have a positive impact on firm efficiency. H3: Radical operational changes have a positive impact on firm sustainability. H4: Incremental operational changes have a positive impact on firm sustainability. In order to achieve the objectives of the present study, a research study was carried out in Greek manufacturing firms. A total of 380 valid questionnaires were received while a seven-point Likert scale was used to measure all the questionnaire items of the constructs (radical changes, incremental changes, efficiency and sustainability). The constructs of radical and incremental operational changes, each one as one variable, has been subdivided into product and process changes. Non-response bias, common method variance, multicollinearity, multivariate normal distribution and outliers have been checked. Moreover, the unidimensionality, reliability and validity of the latent factors were assessed. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were applied to check the factorial structure of the constructs and the factor loadings of the items. In order to test the research hypotheses, the SEM technique was applied (maximum likelihood method). The goodness of fit of the basic structural model indicates an acceptable fit of the proposed model. According to the present study findings, radical operational changes and incremental operational changes significantly influence both efficiency and sustainability of Greek manufacturing firms. However, it is in the dimension of radical operational changes, meaning those in process and product, that the most significant contributors to firm efficiency are to be found, while its influence on sustainability is low albeit statistically significant. On the contrary, incremental operational changes influence sustainability more than firms’ efficiency. From the above, it is apparent that the embodiment of the concept of the changes into the products and processes operational practices of a firm has direct and positive consequences for what it achieves from efficiency and sustainability perspective.

Keywords: incremental operational changes, radical operational changes, efficiency, sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 136

Authors: Lily Farris, Chantel E. Canessa, Rena Heathcote, Susan Shumay, Suzanna V. McRae, Alissa Collingridge, Minna K. Miller

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Objective: To describe how the Lean approach can be applied to improve access, quality and safety of care in an ambulatory pediatric primary care setting. Background: Lean was originally developed by Toyota manufacturing in Japan, and subsequently adapted for use in the healthcare sector. Lean is a systematic approach, focused on identifying and reducing waste within organizational processes, improving patient-centered care and efficiency. Limited literature is available on the implementation of the Lean methodologies in a pediatric ambulatory care setting. Methods: A strategic continuous improvement event or Rapid Process Improvement Workshop (RPIW) was launched with the aim evaluating and structurally supporting clinic workflow, capacity building, sustainability, and ultimately improving access to care and enhancing the patient experience. The Lean process consists of five specific activities: Current state/process assessment (value stream map); development of a future state map (value stream map after waste reduction); identification, quantification and prioritization of the process improvement opportunities; implementation and evaluation of process changes; and audits to sustain the gains. Staff engagement is a critical component of the Lean process. Results: Through the implementation of the RPIW and shifting workload among the administrative team, four hours of wasted time moving between desks and doing work was eliminated from the Administrative Clerks role. To streamline clinic flow, the Nursing Assistants completed patient measurements and vitals for Nurse Practitioners, reducing patient wait times and adding value to the patients visit with the Nurse Practitioners. Additionally, through the Nurse Practitioners engagement in the Lean processes a need was recognized to articulate clinic vision, mission and the alignment of NP role and scope of practice with the agency and Ministry of Health strategic plan. Conclusions: Continuous improvement work in the Pediatric Primary Care NP Clinic has provided a unique opportunity to improve the quality of care delivered and has facilitated further alignment of the daily continuous improvement work with the strategic priorities of the Ministry of Health.

Keywords: ambulatory care, lean, pediatric primary care, system efficiency

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Authors: Margarida Plana

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End-users behavior has become one of the main aspects to be solved on energy efficiency projects. Especially on the residential sector, the end-users have a direct impact that affects the achievement of energy saving’s targets. This paper is focused on presenting and quantify the impact of end-users behavior on basis of the analysis of real projects’ data. The analysis study which is the role of buiding’s occupants and how their behavior can change the success of energy efficiency projects how to limit their impact. The results obtained show two main conclusions. The first one is easiest to solve: we need to control and limit the end-users interaction with the equipment operation to be able to reach the targets fixed. The second one: as the plugged equipment are increasing exponentially on the residential sector, big efforts of disseminations are needed in order to explain to citizens the impact of their day by day actions through dissemination campaigns.

Keywords: end-users impacts, energy efficiency, energy savings, impact limitations

Procedia PDF Downloads 361

Authors: Rajesh Kumar, Prabha Chand

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Fins and twisted tape inserts are widely used passive elements to enhance heat transfer rate in various engineering applications. The present paper describes the theoretical analysis of solar air heater fitted with fins and twisted tape inserts. Mathematical model is develop for this novel design of solar air heater and a MATLAB code is generated for the solution of the model. The effect of twist ratio, mass flow rate and inlet temperature on the thermal efficiency and exit air temperature has been investigated. The results are compared with the results of plane solar air heater. Results show a substantial enhancement in heat transfer rate, efficiency and exit air temperature.

Keywords: solar air heater, thermal efficiency, twisted tape, twist ratio

Procedia PDF Downloads 256

Authors: Babak H. Tabrizi, Seyed Farid Ghaderi

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Concurrent planning of project scheduling and material ordering has been increasingly addressed within last decades as an approach to improve the project execution costs. Therefore, we have taken the problem into consideration in this paper, aiming to maximize schedules quality robustness, in addition to minimize the relevant costs. In this regard, a bi-objective mathematical model is developed to formulate the problem. Moreover, it is possible to utilize the all-unit discount for materials purchasing. The problem is then solved by the constraint method, and the Pareto front is obtained for a variety of robustness values. The applicability and efficiency of the proposed model is tested by different numerical instances, finally.

Keywords: e-constraint method, material ordering, project management, project scheduling

Procedia PDF Downloads 295

Authors: Xiyang Li, Qi Yu, Lun Zhang

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In the face of natural disasters and other emergency situations, determining the optimal location of rescue centers is crucial for improving rescue efficiency and minimizing impact on affected populations. This paper proposes a method that integrates genetic algorithms (GA) and backpropagation neural networks (BPNN) to address the site selection optimization problem for emergency rescue centers. We utilize BPNN to accurately estimate the cost of delivering supplies from rescue centers to each temporary camp. Moreover, a genetic algorithm with a special partially matched crossover (PMX) strategy is employed to ensure that the number of temporary camps assigned to each rescue center adheres to predetermined limits. Using the population distribution data during the 2022 epidemic in Jiading District, Shanghai, as an experimental case, this paper verifies the effectiveness of the proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that the BPNN-GA method proposed in this study outperforms existing algorithms in terms of computational efficiency and optimization performance. Especially considering the requirements for computational resources and response time in emergency situations, the proposed method shows its ability to achieve rapid convergence and optimal performance in the early and mid-stages. Future research could explore incorporating more real-world conditions and variables into the model to further improve its accuracy and applicability.

Keywords: emergency rescue centers, genetic algorithms, back-propagation neural networks, site selection optimization

Procedia PDF Downloads 85

Authors: Junjie Wu, Hongjuan Hou, Eric Hu, Yongping Yang

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Solar aided power generation (SAPG) technology has been proven as an efficient way to make use of solar energy for power generation purpose. In an SAPG plant, a solar field consisting of parabolic solar collectors is normally used to supply the solar heat in order to displace the high pressure/temperature extraction steam. To understand the performance of such a SAPG plant, a new simulation model was developed by the authors recently, in which the boiler was treated, as a series of heat exchangers unlike other previous models. Through the simulations using the new model, it was found the outlet properties of reheated steam, e.g. temperature, would decrease due to the introduction of the solar heat. The changes make the (lower stage) turbines work under off-design condition. As a result, the whole plant’s performance may not be optimal. In this paper, the second solar filed was proposed to increase the inlet temperature of steam to be reheated, in order to bring the outlet temperature of reheated steam back to the designed condition. A 600MW SAPG plant was simulated as a case study using the new model to understand the impact of the second solar field on the plant performance. It was found in the study, the 2nd solar field would improve the plant’s performance in terms of cycle efficiency and solar-to-electricity efficiency by 1.91% and 6.01%. The solar-generated electricity produced by per aperture area under the design condition was 187.96W/m2, which was 26.14% higher than the previous design.

Keywords: solar-aided power generation system, off-design performance, coal-saving performance, boiler modelling, integration schemes

Procedia PDF Downloads 290

Authors: Meriam Khelifa

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In recent years, many studies have focused on the harvesting of the vibrations energy to produce electrical energy using contact separation (CS) triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). The simplest design for a TENG consists of a capacitor comprising a single moving electrode. The conversion efficiency of vibration energy into electrical energy can, in principle, reach 100%. But to actually achieve this objective, it is necessary to optimize the parameters of the TENG, such as the dielectric constant and the thickness of the insulator, the load resistance, etc. In particular, the use of a switch which is actioned at optimal times within the TENG cycle is essential. Using numerical modeling and experimental design, we applied a methodology to find the TENG parameters which optimize the energy transfer efficiency (ETE) to almost 100% for any vibration frequency and amplitude. The rather simple design of a TENG is promising as an environment friendly device. It opens the doors for harvesting acoustic vibrations from the environment and to design effective protection against environmental noise.

Keywords: vibrations, CS TENG, efficiency, design of experiments

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Authors: Prateek Singh, Arun Kumar Pandey, C. Raghu Kumar, M. R. Rath, A. S. Reddy

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Drum scrubber is widely used equipment in the washing of Iron ore. The purpose of the scrubber is to release the adhered fine clayey particles from the iron-bearing particles. Presently, the iron ore wash plants in the Eastern region of India consist of the scrubber, double deck screen followed by screw classifier as the main unit operations. Hence, scrubber performance efficiency has a huge impact on the downstream product quality. This paper illustrates the effect of scrubber feed % solids on scrubber performance and alumina distribution on downstream equipment. Further, it was established that scrubber performance efficiency could be defined as the ratio of the adhered particles (-0.15mm) released from scrubber feed during scrubbing operation with respect to the maximum possible release of -0.15mm (%) particles.

Keywords: scrubber, adhered particles, feed % solids, efficiency

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: Nachtane Mourad, Tarfaoui Mostapha, Saifaoui Dennoun, El Moumen Ahmed

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The current energy policy recommends the subject of energy efficiency and to phase out fossil energy as a master question for the prospective years. The kingdom requires restructuring its power equipment by improving the percentage of renewable energy supply and optimizing power systems and storage. Developing energy efficiency, therefore, obliges as a consubstantial objection to reducing energy consumption. The objective of this work is to show the energy transition in Morocco towards renewable energies, in particular, to show the great potential of renewable marine energies in Morocco, This goes back to the advantages of cost and non-pollution in addition to that of the independence of fossil energies. Bearing in mind the necessity of the balance of the Moroccan energy mix, hydraulic and thermal power plants have also been installed which will be added to the power stations already established as a prospect for a balanced network that is flexible to fluctuate demand.

Keywords: renewable marine energy, energy transition, efficiency energy, renewable energy

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Authors: Namfon Samsalee, Rungsinee Sothornvit

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Turmeric is a natural plant herb and generally extracted as essential oil and widely used in food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical products including insect repellent. However, turmeric oil is a volatile essential oil which is easy to be lost during storage or exposure to light. Therefore, biopolymers such as protein and polysaccharide can be used as wall materials to encapsulate the essential oil which will solve this drawback. Approximately 60% plasma from porcine blood contains 6-7% of protein content mainly albumin and globulin which can be a good source of animal protein at the low-cost biopolymer from by-product. Microencapsulation is a useful technique to entrap volatile compounds in the biopolymer matrix and protect them to degrade. The objective of this research was to investigate the different ratios of two biopolymers (PPP and maltodextrin; MD) as wall materials at 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 at a fixed ratio of wall material: core material (turmeric oil) at 3:1 (oil in water) on the qualities of microencapsulated powder using freeze drying. It was found that the combination of PPP and MD showed higher solubility of microencapsules compared to the use of PPP alone (P < 0.05). Moreover, the different ratios of wall materials also affected on color (L*, a* and b*) of microencapsulated powder. Morphology of microencapsulated powder using a scanning electron microscope showed holes on the surface reflecting on free oil content and encapsulation efficiency of microencapsules. At least 50% of MD was needed to increase encapsulation efficiency of microencapsulates rather than using only PPP as the wall material (P < 0.05). Microencapsulated turmeric oil powder can be useful as food additives to improve food texture, as a biopolymer material for edible film and coating to maintain quality of food products.

Keywords: microencapsulation, turmeric oil, porcine plasma protein, maltodextrin

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Authors: F. Amin, S. Feizi

Abstract:

Big data has the potential to improve the quality of services; enable infrastructure that businesses depend on to adapt continually and efficiently; improve the performance of employees; help organizations better understand customers; and reduce liability risks. Analytics and marketing models of fixed and mobile operators are falling short in combating churn and declining revenue per user. Big Data presents new method to reverse the way and improve profitability. The benefits of Big Data and next-generation network, however, are more exorbitant than improved customer relationship management. Next generation of networks are in a prime position to monetize rich supplies of customer information—while being mindful of legal and privacy issues. As data assets are transformed into new revenue streams will become integral to high performance.

Keywords: big data, next generation networks, network transformation, strategy

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Authors: Harish K. Chandrawanshi, Mithun S. Rajput, Neelima Choure, Purnima Dey Sarkar, Shailesh Jain

Abstract:

The present research study aimed to fabricate and evaluate biodegradable nanoparticles of aromatase inhibitor letrozole, intended for breast cancer therapy. Letrozole loaded poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide acid) nanoparticles were prepared by solvent evaporation method using dichlorometane as solvent (oil phase) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as aqueous phase. Prepared nanoparticles were characterized by particle size, infrared spectra, drug loading efficiency, drug entrapment efficiency and in vitro release and also evaluated for in vivo anticancer activity. The high speed homogenizer was used to produce stable nanoparticles of mean size range 198.35 ± 0.04 nm with high entrapment efficiency (69.86 ± 2.78%). Percentage of drug and homogenization speed significantly influenced the particle size, entrapment efficiency and release (p<0.05). The nanoparticles show significant in vivo anticancer activity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice. The significant system sustained the release of letrozole drug effectively and further investigation could exhibit its potential usefulness in breast cancer therapy.

Keywords: breast cancer/therapy, letrozole, nanoparticles, PLGA

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Authors: Ibrahim Rabiu Darazo

Abstract:

The research has been conducted on the impact of E-banking on the operational efficiency of Banks in Nigeria, A case of some selected banks (Diamond Bank Plc, GTBankPlc, and Fidelity Bank Plc) in Nigeria. The research is a quantitative research which uses both primary and secondary sources of data collection. Questionnaire were used to obtained accurate data, where 150 Questionnaire were distributed among staff and customers of the three Banks , and the data collected where analysed using chi-square, whereas the secondary data where obtained from relevant text books, journals and relevant web sites. It is clear from the findings that, the use of e-banking by the banks has improved the efficiency of these banks, in terms of providing efficient services to customers electronically, using Internet Banking, Telephone Banking ATMs, reducing time taking to serve customers, e-banking allow new customers to open an account online, customers have access to their account at all the time 24/7.E-banking provide access to customers information from the data base and cost of check and postage were eliminated using e-banking. The recommendation at the end of the research include; the Banks should try to update their electronic gadgets, e-fraud(internal & external) should also be controlled, Banks shall employ qualified man power, Biometric ATMs shall be introduce to reduce fraud using ATM Cards, as it is use in other countries like USA.

Keywords: banks, electronic banking, operational efficiency of banks, biometric ATMs

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Authors: Thamer Mahmmoud Muhammad Al Jbarat

Abstract:

Building Performance Simulation plays a crucial role in optimizing energy efficiency, comfort, and sustainability in buildings. This paper explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence techniques into Building Performance Simulation to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and adaptability. The synthesis of Artificial Intelligence and Building Performance Simulation offers promising avenues for addressing complex building dynamics, optimizing energy consumption, and improving occupants' comfort. This paper examines various Artificial Intelligence methodologies and their applications in Building Performance Simulation, highlighting their potential benefits and challenges. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and case studies, this paper presents insights into the current state, future directions, and implications of Artificial Intelligence driven Building Performance Simulation on the built environment

Keywords: artificial intelligence, building performance, energy efficiency, building performance simulation, buildings sustainability, built environment.

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Authors: Rodrigo A. Schiller, Rubens C. Da Silva, Kazuo Nishimoto, Claudio M. P. Sampaio

Abstract:

The need to reduce fossil fuels consumption due to the current scenario of trying to restrain global warming effects and reduce air pollution is dictating a series of transformations in shipping. This study introduces, at first, the changes of the regulatory framework concerning gas emissions control and fuel consumption efficiency on merchant ships. Secondly, the main operational procedures with high potential reduction of fuel consumption are discussed, with focus on existing vessels, using ship speed reduction procedure. This procedure shows the positive impacts on both operating costs reduction and also on energy efficiency increase if correctly applied. Finally, a numerical analysis of the fuel consumption variation with the speed was carried out for a Suezmax class oil tanker, which has been adapted to oil offloading operations for FPSOs in Brazilian offshore oil production systems. In this analysis, the discussions about the variations of vessel energy efficiency from small speed rate reductions and the possible applications of this improvement, taking into account the typical operating profile of the vessel in such a way to have significant economic impacts on the operation. This analysis also evaluated the application of two different numerical methods: one based only on regression equations produced by existing data, semi-empirical method, and another using a CFD simulations for estimating the hull shape parameters that are most relevant for determining fuel consumption, analyzing inaccuracies and impact on the final results.

Keywords: energy efficiency, offloading operations, speed reduction, Suezmax oil tanker

Procedia PDF Downloads 528

Authors: Naseer M. A.

Abstract:

Buildings are major consumers of energy in both their construction and operation. They account for 40% of World’s energy use. It is estimated that 40-60% of this goes for conditioning the indoor environment. In India, like many other countries, the residential buildings have a major share (more than 50%) in the building sector. Of these, single-family units take a mammoth share. The single-family dwelling units in the urban and fringe areas are built in two stories to minimize the building foot print on small land parcels. And quite often, the bedrooms are located in the first floors. The modern buildings are provided with reinforced concrete (RC) roofs that absorb heat throughout the day and radiate the heat into the interiors during the night. The rooms that are occupied in the night, like bedrooms, are having their indoors uncomfortable. This has resulted in the use of active systems like air-conditioners and air coolers, thereby increasing the energy use. An investigation conducted by monitoring the thermal comfort condition in the residential building with RC roofs have proved that the indoors are really uncomfortable in the night hours. A sustainable solution to improve the thermal performance of the RC roofs was developed by an experimental study by continuously monitoring the thermal comfort parameters during summer (the period that is most uncomfortable in temperate climate). The study conducted in the southern peninsular India, prove that retrofitting of existing residential building can give a sustainable solution in abating the ever increasing energy demand especially when it is a fact that these residential buildings that are built for a normal life span of 40 years would continue to consume the energy for the rest of its useful life.

Keywords: energy efficiency, thermal comfort, retrofitting, residential buildings

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Authors: Muhammad Shujaat Saleem, Imamuddin

Abstract:

In reply to the argument made by the non-believers of Makkah “Sale is similar to riba”, Almighty Allah ordered “Sale is permissible while riba is impermissible”. The main intent of the study was to clarify the fallacy prevailing among the Muslims that in practical terms the product of Murabaha which is being offered by the Islamic banks is similar to that of conventional interest based business loan. However, specific objective was to ascertain the degree of financial efficiency on the basis of fund/loan utilization for intended purpose of Murabaha financing vis-à-vis conventional interest based business loan. The study employed survey strategy to collect primary data through structured close ended questionnaires from the sample of 98 Murabaha officers and 178 loan officers out of the whole population of 5 Islamic and 10 conventional banks respectively. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were used to analyze the data and the same is tabulated by use of frequency tables. The study found that the financial efficiency of Murabaha financing is more than that of conventional interest based business loan by 28% as Murabaha funds of Islamic banks are utilized for its intended purpose to the extent of 97% on average, compared to 69% of business loan offered by conventional banks.

Keywords: financial efficiency, murabaha funds, loan amount, intended purpose

Procedia PDF Downloads 338