Search results for: sustainable design
7029 Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for Biodiesel Production via Transesterification
Authors: Juliette Harper, Yu Yang
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Biofuels have gained significant attention recently due to the new regulations and agreements regarding fossil fuels and greenhouse gases being made by countries around the globe. One of the most common types of biofuels is biodiesel, primarily made via the transesterification reaction. We model this nonlinear process in MATLAB using the standard kinetic equations. Then, a nonlinear Model predictive control (NMPC) was developed to regulate this process due to its capability to handle process constraints. The feeding flow uncertainty and kinetic disturbances are further incorporated in the model to capture the real-world operating conditions. The simulation results will show that the proposed NMPC can guarantee the final composition of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) above the target threshold with a high chance by adjusting the process temperature and flowrate. This research will allow further understanding of NMPC under uncertainties and how to design the computational strategy for larger process with more variables.Keywords: NMPC, biodiesel, uncertainties, nonlinear, MATLAB
Procedia PDF Downloads 1017028 Preliminary Proposal to Use Adaptive Computer Games in the Virtual Rehabilitation Therapy
Authors: Mamoun S. Ideis, Zein Salah
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Virtual Rehabilitation (VR) refers to using Virtual Reality’s hardware and simulations as means of exercising tools to rehabilitate patients in need. These patients will undergo their treatment exercises while playing different computer games, which helps achieve greater motivation for patients undergoing their therapeutic exercises. Virtual Rehabilitation systems adopt computer games as part of the treatment therapy. In this paper, we present a preliminary proposal to using adaptive computer games in Virtual Rehabilitation therapy. We also present some tips in designing those adaptive computer games by using different machine learning algorithms in order to create a personalized experience for each patient, which in turn, increases the potential benefits of the treatment that each patient receives. Furthermore, we propose a method of comparing the results of treatment using the adaptive computer games with the results of using static and classical computer games.Keywords: virtual rehabilitation, physiotherapy, adaptive computer games, post-stroke, game design
Procedia PDF Downloads 3017027 Relationship between Dynamic Balance and Explosive Leg Power in Young Female Gymnasts
Authors: A. Aleksic-Veljkovic, K. Herodek, M. Bratic, M. Mitic
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The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between variables of dynamic balance and countermovement jump in young, female gymnasts. A single-group design was used. Forty-seven young, female gymnasts (Mean±SD; age: 8-12 years, height: 42.88±10.38 cm, mass: 35.59±8.15 kg; body mass index: 17.18±1.62 kg/m2; training hours per week: 15-18 h/week) performed measurements of dynamic balance and countermovement jump with and without arm swing. Significant, but small to medium associations were observed between variables of balance and height of the jump in both protocols of the countermovement jump ranging from r = +0.313 to +0.426. No significant associations were observed between variables of dynamic balance and relative power and peak power of countermovement jump with or without arm swings. The data indicate that dynamic balance and leg power imply that balance and power are independent of each other and may have to be tested and trained complementarily in young gymnasts.Keywords: artistic gymnastics, countermovement jump, jump height, testing
Procedia PDF Downloads 3977026 Advancing Power Network Maintenance: The Development and Implementation of a Robotic Cable Splicing Machine
Authors: Ali Asmari, Alex Symington, Htaik Than, Austin Caradonna, John Senft
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This paper presents the collaborative effort between ULC Technologies and Con Edison in developing a groundbreaking robotic cable splicing machine. The focus is on the machine's design, which integrates advanced robotics and automation to enhance safety and efficiency in power network maintenance. The paper details the operational steps of the machine, including cable grounding, cutting, and removal of different insulation layers, and discusses its novel technological approach. The significant benefits over traditional methods, such as improved worker safety and reduced outage times, are highlighted based on the field data collected during the validation phase of the project. The paper also explores the future potential and scalability of this technology, emphasizing its role in transforming the landscape of power network maintenance.Keywords: cable splicing machine, power network maintenance, electric distribution, electric transmission, medium voltage cable
Procedia PDF Downloads 697025 Social Integration of Visually Impaired Persons in Georgia
Authors: Vakhtang Nozadze, Luiza Arutinova, Khatuna Martskvishvili
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The social empowerment of most needed individuals is a challenging issue, especially for developing countries. The current study explores the effects of visual impairment on individuals’ satisfaction with different aspects of life (i.e. education, job, income, family) and coping strategies. Furthermore, the difference between groups according to health status is revealed. Other demographic variables (education, employment, and marital status) is also considered. The cross-sectional design and self-reported questionnaires were adopted. Seventy-two visually impaired males and females (age range 13-66) and seventy healthy individuals participated in the study. The results reveal the importance of health status on the accessibility of social amenities, individuals’ satisfaction with life, and a diversity of coping strategies, irrespective of the age. The research has an important implication for social integration research and policy.Keywords: coping strategies, life satisfaction, social integration, visual impairment
Procedia PDF Downloads 3347024 A Hybrid Distributed Algorithm for Multi-Objective Dynamic Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Problem
Authors: Aydin Teymourifar, Gurkan Ozturk
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In this paper, a hybrid distributed algorithm has been suggested for multi-objective dynamic flexible job shop scheduling problem. The proposed algorithm is high level, in which several algorithms search the space on different machines simultaneously also it is a hybrid algorithm that takes advantages of the artificial intelligence, evolutionary and optimization methods. Distribution is done at different levels and new approaches are used for design of the algorithm. Apache spark and Hadoop frameworks have been used for the distribution of the algorithm. The Pareto optimality approach is used for solving the multi-objective benchmarks. The suggested algorithm that is able to solve large-size problems in short times has been compared with the successful algorithms of the literature. The results prove high speed and efficiency of the algorithm.Keywords: distributed algorithms, apache-spark, Hadoop, flexible dynamic job shop scheduling, multi-objective optimization
Procedia PDF Downloads 3587023 Flexible Development and Calculation of Contract Logistics Services
Authors: T. Spiegel, J. Siegmann, C. F. Durach
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Challenges resulting from an international and dynamic business environment are increasingly being passed on from manufacturing companies to external service providers. Especially providers of complex, customer-specific industry services have to cope with continuously changing requirements. This is particularly true for contract logistics service providers. They are forced to develop efficient and highly flexible structures and strategies to meet their customer’s needs. One core element they have to focus on is the reorganization of their service development and sales process. Based on an action research approach, this study develops and tests a concept to streamline tender management for contract logistics service providers. The concept of modularized service architecture is deployed in order to derive a practice-oriented approach for the modularization of complex service portfolios and the design of customized quotes. These findings are evaluated regarding their applicability in other service sectors and practical recommendations are given.Keywords: contract logistics, modularization, service development, tender management
Procedia PDF Downloads 4127022 Enhancing Archaeological Sites: Interconnecting Physically and Digitally
Authors: Eleni Maistrou, D. Kosmopoulos, Carolina Moretti, Amalia Konidi, Katerina Boulougoura
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InterArch is an ongoing research project that has been running since September 2020. It aims to propose the design of a site-based digital application for archaeological sites and outdoor guided tours, supporting virtual and augmented reality technology. The research project is co‐financed by the European Union and Greek national funds, through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, under the call RESEARCH - CREATE – INNOVATE (project code: Τ2ΕΔΚ-01659). It involves mutual collaboration between academic and cultural institutions and the contribution of an IT applications development company. The research will be completed by July 2023 and will run as a pilot project for the city of Ancient Messene, a place of outstanding natural beauty in the west of Peloponnese, which is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. The applied research project integrates an interactive approach to the natural environment, aiming at a manifold sensory experience. It combines the physical space of the archaeological site with the digital space of archaeological and cultural data while at the same time, it embraces storytelling processes by engaging an interdisciplinary approach that familiarizes the user with multiple semantic interpretations. The mingling of the real-world environment with its digital and cultural components by using augmented reality techniques could potentially transform the visit on-site into an immersive multimodal sensory experience. To this purpose, an extensive spatial analysis along with a detailed evaluation of the existing digital and non-digital archives is proposed in our project, intending to correlate natural landscape morphology (including archaeological material remains and environmental characteristics) with the extensive historical records and cultural digital data. On-site research was carried out, during which visitors’ itineraries were monitored and tracked throughout the archaeological visit using GPS locators. The results provide our project with useful insight concerning the way visitors engage and interact with their surroundings, depending on the sequence of their itineraries and the duration of stay at each location. InterArch aims to propose the design of a site-based digital application for archaeological sites and outdoor guided tours, supporting virtual and augmented reality technology. Extensive spatial analysis, along with a detailed evaluation of the existing digital and non-digital archives, is used in our project, intending to correlate natural landscape morphology with the extensive historical records and cultural digital data. The results of the on-site research provide our project with useful insight concerning the way visitors engage and interact with their surroundings, depending on the sequence of their itineraries and the duration of stay at each location.Keywords: archaeological site, digital space, semantic interpretations, cultural heritage
Procedia PDF Downloads 747021 An Improvement of Flow Forming Process for Pressure Vessels by Four Rollers Machine
Authors: P. Sawitri, S. Cdr. Sittha, T. Kritsana
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Flow forming is widely used in many industries, especially in defence technology industries. Pressure vessels requirements are high precision, light weight, seamless and optimum strength. For large pressure vessels, flow forming by 3 rollers machine were used. In case of long range rocket motor case flow forming and welding of pressure vessels have been used for manufacturing. Due to complication of welding process, researchers had developed 4 meters length pressure vessels without weldment by 4 rollers flow forming machine. Design and preparation of preform work pieces are performed. The optimization of flow forming parameter such as feed rate, spindle speed and depth of cut will be discussed. The experimental result shown relation of flow forming parameters to quality of flow formed tube and prototype pressure vessels have been made.Keywords: flow forming, pressure vessel, four rollers, feed rate, spindle speed, cold work
Procedia PDF Downloads 3337020 Analysis of Tools for Revitalization and Rehabilitation of Brownfields
Authors: Jiří Kugl
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Typology and specific opportunities of brownfield revitalization are already largely described. Challenges and opportunities that brownfields represent have been adequately studied and presented, as well as specific ways in which these areas can be used or how they are used abroad. In other words, the questions why (revitalize brownfields) and what (we should do with them) are satisfactorily answered, but the question how (we can work with them) is not. This work will focus on answering this question, which will deal with tools that enable the revitalization and rehabilitation projects in the area. Tools can be divided, for example in terms of spatial planning and urban design, from an environmental perspective, from the perspective of cultural heritage protection and from the perspective of investment opportunities. The result is that the issue of brownfields is handled by numerous institutions and instruments. The aim of this paper is to identify, classify and analyze these instruments. Paper will study instruments from other countries with long-term experience with this issue (eg. France, Great Britain, USA, Germany, Denmark, Czech Republic) and analyse their contribution and the feasibility of their implementation in other countries.Keywords: brownfields, revitalization, rehabilitation, tools, urban planning
Procedia PDF Downloads 2467019 Forecasting Direct Normal Irradiation at Djibouti Using Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Ahmed Kayad Abdourazak, Abderafi Souad, Zejli Driss, Idriss Abdoulkader Ibrahim
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In this paper Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is used to predict the solar irradiation in Djibouti for the first Time that is useful to the integration of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) and sites selections for new or future solar plants as part of solar energy development. An ANN algorithm was developed to establish a forward/reverse correspondence between the latitude, longitude, altitude and monthly solar irradiation. For this purpose the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) data of eight Djibouti sites were used as training and testing in a standard three layers network with the back propagation algorithm of Lavenber-Marquardt. Results have shown a very good agreement for the solar irradiation prediction in Djibouti and proves that the proposed approach can be well used as an efficient tool for prediction of solar irradiation by providing so helpful information concerning sites selection, design and planning of solar plants.Keywords: artificial neural network, solar irradiation, concentrated solar power, Lavenberg-Marquardt
Procedia PDF Downloads 3577018 Qualitative Review of Seismic Response of Vertically Irregular Building Frames
Authors: Abdelhammid Chibane
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This study summarizes state-of-the-art knowledge in the seismic response of vertically irregular building frames. Criteria defining vertical irregularity as per the current building codes have been discussed. A review of studies on the seismic behaviour of vertically irregular structures along with their findings has been presented. It is observed that building codes provide criteria to classify the vertically irregular structures and suggest dynamic analysis to arrive at design lateral forces. Most of the studies agree on the increase in drift demand in the tower portion of set-back structures and on the increase in seismic demand for buildings with discontinuous distributions in mass, stiffness, and strength. The largest seismic demand is found for the combined-stiffness-and-strength irregularity.Keywords: mass irregularity, set-back structure, stiffness irregularity, strength irregularity, vertical irregularity
Procedia PDF Downloads 2717017 Evaporative Air Coolers Optimization for Energy Consumption Reduction and Energy Efficiency Ratio Increment
Authors: Leila Torkaman, Nasser Ghassembaglou
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Significant quota of Municipal Electrical Energy consumption is related to Decentralized Air Conditioning which is mostly provided by evaporative coolers. So the aim is to optimize design of air conditioners to increase their efficiencies. To achieve this goal, results of practical standardized tests for 40 evaporative coolers in different types collected and simultaneously results for same coolers based on one of EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) modeling styles are figured out. By comparing experimental results of different coolers standardized tests with modeling results, preciseness of used model is assessed and after comparing gained preciseness with international standards based on EER for cooling capacity, aeration and also electrical energy consumption, energy label from A (most effective) to G (less effective) is classified. finally needed methods to optimize energy consumption and cooler's classification are provided.Keywords: cooler, EER, energy label, optimization
Procedia PDF Downloads 3467016 Transit Facility Planning in Fringe Areas of Kolkata Metropolitan Region
Authors: Soumen Mitra, Aparna Saha
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The perceived link between the city and the countryside is evolving rapidly and is getting shifted away from the assumptions of mainstream paradigms to new conceptual networks where rural-urban links are being redefined. In this conceptual field, the fringe interface is still considered as a transitional zone between city and countryside, and is defined as a diffused area rather than a discrete territory. In developing countries fringe areas are said to have both rural and urban characteristics but are devoid of basic municipal facilities. Again, when the urban core areas envelopes the fringe areas along with it the character of fringe changes but services are not well facilitated which in turn results to uneven growth, rapid and haphazard development. One of the major services present in fringe areas is inter-linkages in terms of transit corridors. Planning for the appropriate and sustainable future of fringe areas requires a sheer focus on these corridors pertaining to transit facility, for better accessibility and mobility. Inducing a transit facility plan enhances the various facilities and also increases their proximity for user groups. The study focuses on the western fringe region of Kolkata metropolis which is a major source of industrial hub and housing sector, thus converting the agricultural lands into non-agricultural use. The study emphasizes on providing transit facilities both physical (stops, sheds, terminals, etc.) and operational (ticketing system, route prioritization, integration of transit modes, etc.), to facilitate the region as well as accelerate the growth pattern systematically. Hence, the scope of this work is on the basis of prevailing conditions in fringe areas and attempts for an effective transit facility plan. The strategies and recommendations are in terms of road widening, service coverage, feeder route prioritization, bus stops facilitation, pedestrian facilities, etc, which in turn enhances the region’s growth pattern. Thus, this context of transit facility planning acts as a catalytic agent to avoid the future unplanned growth and accelerates it towards an integrated development.Keywords: feeder route, fringe, municipal planning, transit facility
Procedia PDF Downloads 1807015 Modelling of Recovery and Application of Low-Grade Thermal Resources in the Mining and Mineral Processing Industry
Authors: S. McLean, J. A. Scott
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The research topic is focusing on improving sustainable operation through recovery and reuse of waste heat in process water streams, an area in the mining industry that is often overlooked. There are significant advantages to the application of this topic, including economic and environmental benefits. The smelting process in the mining industry presents an opportunity to recover waste heat and apply it to alternative uses, thereby enhancing the overall process. This applied research has been conducted at the Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations smelter site, in particular on the water cooling towers. The aim was to determine and optimize methods for appropriate recovery and subsequent upgrading of thermally low-grade heat lost from the water cooling towers in a manner that makes it useful for repurposing in applications, such as within an acid plant. This would be valuable to mining companies as it would be an opportunity to reduce the cost of the process, as well as decrease environmental impact and primary fuel usage. The waste heat from the cooling towers needs to be upgraded before it can be beneficially applied, as lower temperatures result in a decrease of the number of potential applications. Temperature and flow rate data were collected from the water cooling towers at an acid plant over two years. The research includes process control strategies and the development of a model capable of determining if the proposed heat recovery technique is economically viable, as well as assessing any environmental impact with the reduction in net energy consumption by the process. Therefore, comprehensive cost and impact analyses are carried out to determine the best area of application for the recovered waste heat. This method will allow engineers to easily identify the value of thermal resources available to them and determine if a full feasibility study should be carried out. The rapid scoping model developed will be applicable to any site that generates large amounts of waste heat. Results show that heat pumps are an economically viable solution for this application, allowing for reduced cost and CO₂ emissions.Keywords: environment, heat recovery, mining engineering, sustainability
Procedia PDF Downloads 1147014 Solar Architecture of Low-Energy Buildings for Industrial Applications
Authors: P. Brinks, O. Kornadt, R. Oly
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This research focuses on the optimization of glazed surfaces and the assessment of possible solar gains in industrial buildings. Existing window rating methods for single windows were evaluated and a new method for a simple analysis of energy gains and losses by single windows was introduced. Furthermore extensive transient building simulations were carried out to appraise the performance of low cost polycarbonate multi-cell sheets in interaction with typical buildings for industrial applications. Mainly, energy-saving potential was determined by optimizing the orientation and area of such glazing systems in dependency on their thermal qualities. Moreover the impact on critical aspects such as summer overheating and daylight illumination was considered to ensure the user comfort and avoid additional energy demand for lighting or cooling. Hereby the simulated heating demand could be reduced by up to 1/3 compared to traditional architecture of industrial halls using mainly skylights.Keywords: solar architecture, Passive Solar Building Design, glazing, Low-Energy Buildings, industrial buildings
Procedia PDF Downloads 2407013 Creating Energy Sustainability in an Enterprise
Authors: John Lamb, Robert Epstein, Vasundhara L. Bhupathi, Sanjeev Kumar Marimekala
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As we enter the new era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cloud Computing, we mostly rely on the Machine and Natural Language Processing capabilities of AI, and Energy Efficient Hardware and Software Devices in almost every industry sector. In these industry sectors, much emphasis is on developing new and innovative methods for producing and conserving energy and sustaining the depletion of natural resources. The core pillars of sustainability are economic, environmental, and social, which is also informally referred to as the 3 P's (People, Planet and Profits). The 3 P's play a vital role in creating a core Sustainability Model in the Enterprise. Natural resources are continually being depleted, so there is more focus and growing demand for renewable energy. With this growing demand, there is also a growing concern in many industries on how to reduce carbon emissions and conserve natural resources while adopting sustainability in corporate business models and policies. In our paper, we would like to discuss the driving forces such as Climate changes, Natural Disasters, Pandemic, Disruptive Technologies, Corporate Policies, Scaled Business Models and Emerging social media and AI platforms that influence the 3 main pillars of Sustainability (3P’s). Through this paper, we would like to bring an overall perspective on enterprise strategies and the primary focus on bringing cultural shifts in adapting energy-efficient operational models. Overall, many industries across the globe are incorporating core sustainability principles such as reducing energy costs, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reducing waste and increasing recycling, adopting advanced monitoring and metering infrastructure, reducing server footprint and compute resources (Shared IT services, Cloud computing, and Application Modernization) with the vision for a sustainable environment.Keywords: climate change, pandemic, disruptive technology, government policies, business model, machine learning and natural language processing, AI, social media platform, cloud computing, advanced monitoring, metering infrastructure
Procedia PDF Downloads 1177012 Airfield Pavements Made of Reinforced Concrete: Dimensioning According to the Theory of Limit States and Eurocode
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In the previous airfield construction industry, pavements made of reinforced concrete have been used very rarely; however, the necessity to use this type of pavements in an emergency situations justifies the need reference to this issue. The paper concerns the problem of airfield pavement dimensioning made of reinforced concrete and the evaluation of selected dimensioning methods of reinforced concrete slabs intended for airfield pavements. Analysis of slabs dimensioning, according to classical method of limit states has been performed and it has been compared to results obtained in case of methods complying with Eurocode 2 guidelines. Basis of an analysis was a concrete slab of class C35/45 with reinforcement, located in tension zone. Steel bars of 16.0 mm have been used as slab reinforcement. According to comparative analysis of obtained results, conclusions were reached regarding application legitimacy of the discussed methods and their design advantages.Keywords: rainforced concrete, cement concrete, airport pavements, dimensioning
Procedia PDF Downloads 2597011 Green Aviation System: The Way Forward for Better Environment
Authors: Ramana Reddy, Vijay Kothari
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Aircraft provide a fast, reliable mode of transport with no comparable alternative for long distance travel. Throughout the years, technology improvements have been made to aircraft and engines to make them more fuel efficient. Air traffic continues to grow around the world and needs more aircrafts to accommodate such rapid growth. This has direct consequences on two of the most important environmental factors i.e. emissions and noise. Aviation contributes about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Aviation emits a number of pollutants that alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere, changing its radiative balance and hence influencing the climate. In order to reduce or if possible eliminate potential harm to the environment and also make air travel efficient and economical, an environmentally beneficial concept called “Green Aviation System” is required. This is a structured frame work with elements like innovative technologies/tools in engineering design, manufacturing, airport and fleet operations.Keywords: air traffic, environment, emissions, noise, green aviation system
Procedia PDF Downloads 4597010 The Veil of Virtuality: Anonymity and Trust in the Metaverse's New Frontier
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Utilizing a preregistered randomized experiment, this study explores the effects of anonymity and curated identity on trust within the Metaverse. Participants were randomly assigned to different conditions of anonymity and identity curation and engaged in a series of tasks designed to mirror the complexities of trust in real-world social interactions. Trust was measured using the classical trust game, allowing for a nuanced understanding of how these factors interact and influence trust. The findings reveal that higher levels of anonymity negatively impact trust, while identity curation can moderate this effect. Mechanism analysis uncovers how anonymity influences perceived reciprocity and group cohesion, and how curation can moderate these relationships. The results demonstrate a nuanced interaction between anonymity and trust, with variations across different curation levels. These insights provide a multifaceted understanding of trust within virtual environments, contributing valuable knowledge to the design, policy-making, and ethical considerations of the MetaverseKeywords: metaverse, anonymity, curated identity, social behavior, trust
Procedia PDF Downloads 1447009 Evaluating Radiative Feedback Mechanisms in Coastal West Africa Using Regional Climate Models
Authors: Akinnubi Rufus Temidayo
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Coastal West Africa is highly sensitive to climate variability, driven by complex ocean-atmosphere interactions that shape temperature, precipitation, and extreme weather. Radiative feedback mechanisms—such as water vapor feedback, cloud-radiation interactions, and surface albedo—play a critical role in modulating these patterns. Yet, limited research addresses these feedbacks in climate models specific to West Africa’s coastal zones, creating challenges for accurate climate projections and adaptive planning. This study aims to evaluate the influence of radiative feedbacks on the coastal climate of West Africa by quantifying the effects of water vapor, cloud cover, and sea surface temperature (SST) on the region’s radiative balance. The study uses a regional climate model (RCM) to simulate feedbacks over a 20-year period (2005-2025) with high-resolution data from CORDEX and satellite observations. Key mechanisms investigated include (1) Water Vapor Feedback—the amplifying effect of humidity on warming, (2) Cloud-Radiation Interactions—the impact of cloud cover on radiation balance, especially during the West African Monsoon, and (3) Surface Albedo and Land-Use Changes—effects of urbanization and vegetation on the radiation budget. Preliminary results indicate that radiative feedbacks strongly influence seasonal climate variability in coastal West Africa. Water vapor feedback amplifies dry-season warming, cloud-radiation interactions moderate surface temperatures during monsoon seasons, and SST variations in the Atlantic affect the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events. The findings suggest that incorporating these feedbacks into climate planning can strengthen resilience to climate impacts in West African coastal communities. Further research should refine regional models to capture anthropogenic influences like greenhouse gas emissions, guiding sustainable urban and resource planning to mitigate climate risks.Keywords: west africa, radiative, climate, resilence, anthropogenic
Procedia PDF Downloads 187008 Estimation of Rare and Clustered Population Mean Using Two Auxiliary Variables in Adaptive Cluster Sampling
Authors: Muhammad Nouman Qureshi, Muhammad Hanif
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Adaptive cluster sampling (ACS) is specifically developed for the estimation of highly clumped populations and applied to a wide range of situations like animals of rare and endangered species, uneven minerals, HIV patients and drug users. In this paper, we proposed a generalized semi-exponential estimator with two auxiliary variables under the framework of ACS design. The expressions of approximate bias and mean square error (MSE) of the proposed estimator are derived. Theoretical comparisons of the proposed estimator have been made with existing estimators. A numerical study is conducted on real and artificial populations to demonstrate and compare the efficiencies of the proposed estimator. The results indicate that the proposed generalized semi-exponential estimator performed considerably better than all the adaptive and non-adaptive estimators considered in this paper.Keywords: auxiliary information, adaptive cluster sampling, clustered populations, Hansen-Hurwitz estimation
Procedia PDF Downloads 2427007 Techno-Functional Characteristics, Mineral Composition and Antioxidant Potential of Dietary Fiber Extracted by Sonication from Different Oat Cultivars (Avena sativa)
Authors: Muhammad Suhail Ibrahim, Muhammad Nadeem, Muhammad Sultan, Uzair Sajjad, Khalid Hamid, Tahir Mahmood Qureshi, Sadaf Javaria
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Metabolic disorders, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease etc., are major threats to public health and economy. Management and prevention of alarmingly increasing disorders have attracted researchers to explore natural barriers against these disorders. The objective of this study was to explore oats as a potential source of dietary fiber. Extraction of dietary was optimized by response surface methodology, and five indigenous oat cultivars, including SGD2011, Avon, SGD81, PD2LV65, and S2000, were also characterized for techno-functional characteristics, mineral composition and phytochemical quantification. These cultivars varied significantly (p < 0.05) for oil holding capacity, water saturation, and water holding capacity, respectively. SGD81 showed the highest oil-holding capacity, water-holding capacity, and water saturation due to the highest fraction of dietary fiber. The highest values of total phenolic contents, total flavonoid contents, total flavonol contents, 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, and anthocyanin were shown by SGD81, and SGD2011, respectively. All cultivars varied significantly (P<0.05) with respect to phytochemical quantification. Oat cultivars SGD81 and SGD2011 showed the best phenolic acid profile and can be effectively used as a source of nutraceuticals. Beyond the nutritional properties of oats, these also contribute and emerged as potential sources of dietary fiber and have gained attention as nutraceutical cereal crops. This approach offers oats as a natural means of dietary fiber to protect humans from alarmingly increasing metabolic disorders, and its extraction by sonication has made it a sustainable and eco-friendly strategy.Keywords: oat cultivars, dietary fibers, mineral profile, antioxidant activity, color properties
Procedia PDF Downloads 497006 Building on Local People Capacities as Key Resources in Making Livable Environments
Authors: Ouassim Chemrouk, Naima Chabbi-Chemrouk
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Contemporary settlements and urban places are becoming increasingly complex involving technologically advanced building materials, and mechanical systems for controlling environmental quality such as thermal comfort, lighting, acoustics and other building performances. These systems, which rely exclusively on the utilization of nonrenewable energy are often expensive and environment pollutants. The proposed paper illustrates the important role of traditional knowledge and practice and what is sometimes called intangible cultural heritage assume in the design of the built environment. It shows that some traditional “ways of doing” that are transmitted at local scales from generation to generation could be built upon to become key resources for more livable urban places. Based on evidence from documentary sources and field surveys, it also shows how different attempts were made to translate some traditional practices and local know-how in the proposal of new urban schemes.Keywords: key resource, know-how, local people, capacity building, liveable built environments
Procedia PDF Downloads 2127005 Effects of Application of Rice Husk Charcoal-Coated Urea and Rice Straw Compost on Growth, Yield, and Soil Properties of Rice
Authors: D. A. S. Gamage, B. F. A Basnayake, W. A. J. M. de Costa
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Rice is one of the world’s most important cereals. Increasing food production both to meet in-country requirements and to help overcome food crises is one of the major issues facing Sri Lanka today. However, productive land is limited and has mostly been utilized either for food crop production or other uses. Agriculture plays an important and strategic role in the performance of Sri Lankan national economy. A variety of modern agricultural inputs have been introduced, namely ploughs and harvesters, pesticides, fertilizers and lime. Besides, there are several agricultural institutions developing and updating the management of agricultural sector. Modern agricultural inputs cooperate as a catalyst in raising the productivity. However, in the eagerness of gaining profits from the efficient and productive techniques, this modern agricultural input has affected the environment and living things especially those which have been blended from various chemical substance. The increased pressure to maintain a high level of rice output for consumption has resulted in increased use of pesticides and inorganic fertilizer on rice fields in Sri Lanka. The application of inorganic fertilizer has become a burdened to the country in many ways. The excessive reuse of the ground water resources with a considerable application of organic and chemical fertilizers will lead to a deterioration of the quality and quantity of water. Biochar is a form of charcoal produced through the heating of natural organic materials. It has received significant attention recently for its potential as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer and as a means of storing carbon in a sustainable manner. It is the best solution for managing the agricultural wastes while providing a useful product for increasing agricultural productivity and protecting the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate rice husk charcoal coated urea as a slow releasing fertilizer and compare the total N, P, K, organic matter in soil and yield of rice production.Keywords: biochar, paddy husk, soil conditioner, rice straw compost
Procedia PDF Downloads 3577004 Behavior Adoption on Marine Habitat Conservation in Indonesia
Authors: Muhammad Yayat Afianto, Darmawan, Agung Putra Utama, Hari Kushardanto
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Fish Forever, Rare’s innovative coastal fisheries program, combined community-based conservation management approach with spatial management to restore and protect Indonesia’s small-scale fisheries by establishing Fishing Managed Access Area. A ‘TURF-Reserve’ is a fishery management approach that positions fishers at the center of fisheries management, empowering them to take care of and make decisions about the future of their fishery. After two years of the program, social marketing campaigns succeeded in changing their behavior by adopting the new conservation behavior. The Pride-TURF-R campaigns developed an overarching hypothesis of impact that captured the knowledge, attitude and behavior changes needed to reduce threats and achieve conservation results. Rare help Batu Belah fishers to develop their group, developed with their roles, sustainable fisheries plan, and the budget plan. On 12th February 2017, the Head of Loka Kawasan Konservasi Perairan Nasional (LKKPN) which is a Technical Implementation Unit for National Marine Conservation Areas directly responsible to the Directorate General for Marine Spatial Management in the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries had signed a Partnership Agreement with the Head of Batu Belah Village to manage a TURF+Reserve area as wide as 909 hectares. The fishers group have been collecting the catch and submitting the report monthly, initiated the installation of the buoy markers for the No Take Zone, and formed the Pokmaswas (community-based surveillance group). Prior to this behavior adoption, they don’t have any fisheries data, no group of fishers, and they have still fishing inside the No Take Zone. This is really a new behavior adoption for them. This paper will show the process and success story of the social marketing campaign to conserve marine habitat in Anambas through Pride-TURF-R program.Keywords: behavior adoption, community participation, no take zone, pride-TURF-R
Procedia PDF Downloads 2767003 Effectiveness of Geogebra Training Activities through Teams for Junior High School Teachers
Authors: Idha Novianti, Suci Nurhayati, Puryati, Elang Krisnadi
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Community service activities are activities of the academic community in practicing and cultivating science, knowledge, and technology to advance the general welfare and educate the nation's life as described in the Higher Education Law. Training activities on the use of GeoGebra software are an option because GeoGebra software is software that is easy to operate and complete in the presentation of graphic design. The training activity was held for 3 hours online via teams and 3 hours offline. Involving 15 junior high school mathematics teachers located around south Tangerang. As a result, all teachers were satisfied with the activity, and they had additional new knowledge and skills to teach mathematics in the topic of geometry and algebra. The existence of new knowledge made the participants increase their confidence in developing mathematical science for students at school.Keywords: geogebra, Ms. teams, junior high school teacher, mathematics
Procedia PDF Downloads 1207002 Semi-Transparent Dye-Sensitized Solar Panels for Energy Autonomous Greenhouses
Authors: A. Mourtzikou, D. Sygkridou, T. Georgakopoulos, G. Katsagounos, E. Stathatos
Abstract:
Over 60% highly transparent quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with dimension of 50x50 cm2 were fabricated via inkjet printing process using nanocomposite inks as raw materials and tested under outdoor illumination conditions. The cells were electrically characterized, and their possible application to the shell of greenhouses was also examined. The panel design was in Z-interconnection, where the working electrode was inkjet printed on one conductive glass and the counter electrode on a second glass in a sandwich configuration. Silver current collective fingers were printed on the glasses to make the internal electrical connections. In that case, the adjacent cells were connected in series via silver fingers and finally insulated using a UV curing resin to protect them from the corrosive (I-/I3-) redox couple of the electrolyte.Keywords: Dye-sensitized solar panels, inkjet printing, quasi-solid state electrolyte, semi-transparency, scale up
Procedia PDF Downloads 1467001 Augmented and Virtual Reality Experiences in Plant and Agriculture Science Education
Authors: Sandra Arango-Caro, Kristine Callis-Duehl
Abstract:
The Education Research and Outreach Lab at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center established the Plant and Agriculture Augmented and Virtual Reality Learning Laboratory (PAVRLL) to promote science education through professional development, school programs, internships, and outreach events. Professional development is offered to high school and college science and agriculture educators on the use and applications of zSpace and Oculus platforms. Educators learn to use, edit, or create lesson plans in the zSpace platform that are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. They also learn to use virtual reality experiences created by the PAVRLL available in Oculus (e.g. The Soybean Saga). Using a cost-free loan rotation system, educators can bring the AVR units to the classroom and offer AVR activities to their students. Each activity has user guides and activity protocols for both teachers and students. The PAVRLL also offers activities for 3D plant modeling. High school students work in teams of art-, science-, and technology-oriented students to design and create 3D models of plant species that are under research at the Danforth Center and present their projects at scientific events. Those 3D models are open access through the zSpace platform and are used by PAVRLL for professional development and the creation of VR activities. Both teachers and students acquire knowledge of plant and agriculture content and real-world problems, gain skills in AVR technology, 3D modeling, and science communication, and become more aware and interested in plant science. Students that participate in the PAVRLL activities complete pre- and post-surveys and reflection questions that evaluate interests in STEM and STEM careers, students’ perceptions of three design features of biology lab courses (collaboration, discovery/relevance, and iteration/productive failure), plant awareness, and engagement and learning in AVR environments. The PAVRLL was established in the fall of 2019, and since then, it has trained 15 educators, three of which will implement the AVR programs in the fall of 2021. Seven students have worked in the 3D plant modeling activity through a virtual internship. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of teachers trained, and classroom implementations have been very limited. It is expected that in the fall of 2021, students will come back to the schools in person, and by the spring of 2022, the PAVRLL activities will be fully implemented. This will allow the collection of enough data on student assessments that will provide insights on benefits and best practices for the use of AVR technologies in the classrooms. The PAVRLL uses cutting-edge educational technologies to promote science education and assess their benefits and will continue its expansion. Currently, the PAVRLL is applying for grants to create its own virtual labs where students can experience authentic research experiences using real Danforth research data based on programs the Education Lab already used in classrooms.Keywords: assessment, augmented reality, education, plant science, virtual reality
Procedia PDF Downloads 1797000 Dimensions of Guest Experience in Themed Hotels
Authors: Katalin Juhasz-Dora
Abstract:
Several studies have shown that physical environments, milieu, atmosphere and service space play a significant role in the consumer experience. In the case of themed servicescapes, different tangible assets (design, decoration, facilities, amenities), intangible assets (service, activities) contribute to the luxury guest experience. This current study summarizes the literature related to the guest experience in the case of luxury hotels. Based on the results of a case study, additional dimensions of guest experience are explored. The research findings contribute to the extension of literature by providing a conceptual framework in specific themed luxury hotels. Understanding the elements of themed servicescape and dimensions of guest experience play a significant role in consumer behavior. Implications for management and future research directions are presented.Keywords: atmosphere, guest experience, luxury service, themed hotel
Procedia PDF Downloads 169