Search results for: mathematical proportions
957 Influence Study of the Molar Ratio between Solvent and Initiator on the Reaction Rate of Polyether Polyols Synthesis
Authors: María José Carrero, Ana M. Borreguero, Juan F. Rodríguez, María M. Velencoso, Ángel Serrano, María Jesús Ramos
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Flame-retardants are incorporated in different materials in order to reduce the risk of fire, either by providing increased resistance to ignition, or by acting to slow down combustion and thereby delay the spread of flames. In this work, polyether polyols with fire retardant properties were synthesized due to their wide application in the polyurethanes formulation. The combustion of polyurethanes is primarily dependent on the thermal properties of the polymer, the presence of impurities and formulation residue in the polymer as well as the supply of oxygen. There are many types of flame retardants, most of them are phosphorous compounds of different nature and functionality. The addition of these compounds is the most common method for the incorporation of flame retardant properties. The employment of glycerol phosphate sodium salt as initiator for the polyol synthesis allows obtaining polyols with phosphate groups in their structure. However, some of the critical points of the use of glycerol phosphate salt are: the lower reactivity of the salt and the necessity of a solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO). Thus, the main aim in the present work was to determine the amount of the solvent needed to get a good solubility of the initiator salt. Although the anionic polymerization mechanism of polyether formation is well known, it seems convenient to clarify the role that DMSO plays at the starting point of the polymerization process. Regarding the fact that the catalyst deprotonizes the hydroxyl groups of the initiator and as a result of this, two water molecules and glycerol phosphate alkoxide are formed. This alkoxide, together with DMSO, has to form a homogeneous mixture where the initiator (solid) and the propylene oxide (PO) are soluble enough to mutually interact. The addition rate of PO increased when the solvent/initiator ratios studied were increased, observing that it also made the initiation step shorter. Furthermore, the molecular weight of the polyol decreased when higher solvent/initiator ratios were used, what revealed that more amount of salt was activated, initiating more chains of lower length but allowing to react more phosphate molecules and to increase the percentage of phosphorous in the final polyol. However, the final phosphorous content was lower than the theoretical one because only a percentage of salt was activated. On the other hand, glycerol phosphate disodium salt was still partially insoluble in DMSO studied proportions, thus, the recovery and reuse of this part of the salt for the synthesis of new flame retardant polyols was evaluated. In the recovered salt case, the rate of addition of PO remained the same than in the commercial salt but a shorter induction period was observed, this is because the recovered salt presents a higher amount of deprotonated hydroxyl groups. Besides, according to molecular weight, polydispersity index, FT-IR spectrum and thermal stability, there were no differences between both synthesized polyols. Thus, it is possible to use the recovered glycerol phosphate disodium salt in the same way that the commercial one.Keywords: DMSO, fire retardants, glycerol phosphate disodium salt, recovered initiator, solvent
Procedia PDF Downloads 278956 Enhancing Students’ Academic Engagement in Mathematics through a “Concept+Language Mapping” Approach
Authors: Jodie Lee, Lorena Chan, Esther Tong
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Hong Kong students face a unique learning environment. Starting from the 2010/2011 school year, The Education Bureau (EDB) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region implemented the fine-tuned Medium of Instruction (MOI) arrangements for secondary schools. Since then, secondary schools in Hong Kong have been given the flexibility to decide the most appropriate MOI arrangements for their schools and under the new academic structure for senior secondary education, particularly on the compulsory part of the mathematics curriculum. In 2019, Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE), over 40% of school day candidates attempted the Mathematics Compulsory Part examination in the Chinese version while the rest took the English version. Moreover, only 14.38% of candidates sat for one of the extended Mathematics modules. This results in a serious of intricate issues to students’ learning in post-secondary education programmes. It is worth to note that when students further pursue to an higher education in Hong Kong or even oversea, they may facing substantial difficulties in transiting learning from learning mathematics in their mother tongue in Chinese-medium instruction (CMI) secondary schools to an English-medium learning environment. Some students understood the mathematics concepts were found to fail to fulfill the course requirements at college or university due to their learning experience in secondary study at CMI. They are particularly weak in comprehending the mathematics questions when they are doing their assessment or attempting the test/examination. A government funded project was conducted with the aims of providing integrated learning context and language support to students with a lower level of numeracy and/or with CMI learning experience. By introducing this “integrated concept + language mapping approach”, students can cope with the learning challenges in the compulsory English-medium mathematics and statistics subjects in their tertiary education. Ultimately, in the hope that students can enhance their mathematical ability, analytical skills, and numerical sense for their lifelong learning. The “Concept + Language Mapping “(CLM) approach was adopted and tried out in the bridging courses for students with a lower level of numeracy and/or with CMI learning experiences. At the beginning of each class, a pre-test was conducted, and class time was then devoted to introducing the concepts by CLM approach. For each concept, the key thematic items and their different semantic relations are presented using graphics and animations via the CLM approach. At the end of each class, a post-test was conducted. Quantitative data analysis was performed to study the effect on students’ learning via the CLM approach. Stakeholders' feedbacks were collected to estimate the effectiveness of the CLM approach in facilitating both content and language learning. The results based on both students’ and lecturers’ feedback indicated positive outcomes on adopting the CLM approach to enhance the mathematical ability and analytical skills of CMI students.Keywords: mathematics, Concept+Language Mapping, level of numeracy, medium of instruction
Procedia PDF Downloads 81955 Reactivity Study on South African Calcium Based Material Using a pH-Stat and Citric Acid: A Statistical Approach
Authors: Hilary Rutto, Mbali Chiliza, Tumisang Seodigeng
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The study on reactivity of calcined calcium-based material is very important in dry flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) process, so as to produce absorbent with high sulphur dioxide capture capacity during the hydration process. The effect of calcining temperature and time on the reactivity of calcined limestone material were investigated. In this study, the reactivity was measured using a pH stat apparatus and also confirming the result by performing citric acid reactivity test. The reactivity was calculated using the shrinking core model. Based on the experiments, a mathematical model is developed to correlate the effect of time and temperature to the reactivity of absorbent. The calcination process variables were temperature (700 -1000°C) and time (1-6 hrs). It was found that reactivity increases with an increase in time and temperature.Keywords: reactivity, citric acid, calcination, time
Procedia PDF Downloads 220954 Model Order Reduction Using Hybrid Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing
Authors: Khaled Salah
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Model order reduction has been one of the most challenging topics in the past years. In this paper, a hybrid solution of genetic algorithm (GA) and simulated annealing algorithm (SA) are used to approximate high-order transfer functions (TFs) to lower-order TFs. In this approach, hybrid algorithm is applied to model order reduction putting in consideration improving accuracy and preserving the properties of the original model which are two important issues for improving the performance of simulation and computation and maintaining the behavior of the original complex models being reduced. Compared to conventional mathematical methods that have been used to obtain a reduced order model of high order complex models, our proposed method provides better results in terms of reducing run-time. Thus, the proposed technique could be used in electronic design automation (EDA) tools.Keywords: genetic algorithm, simulated annealing, model reduction, transfer function
Procedia PDF Downloads 143953 Optimization Of Biogas Production Using Co-digestion Feedstocks Via Anaerobic Technologhy
Authors: E Tolufase
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The demand, high costs and health implications of using energy derived from hydrocarbon compound have necessitated the continuous search for alternative source of energy. The World energy market is facing some challenges viz: depletion of fossil fuel reserves, population explosion, lack of energy security, economic and urbanization growth and also, in Nigeria some rural areas still depend largely on wood, charcoal, kerosene, petrol among others, as the sources of their energy. To overcome these short falls in energy supply and demand, as well as taking into consideration the risks from global climate change due to effect of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants from fossil fuels’ combustion, brought a lot of attention on efficiently harnessing the renewable energy sources. A very promising among the renewable energy resources for a clean energy technology for power production, vehicle and domestic usage is biogas. Therefore, optimization of biogas yield and quality is imperative. Hence, this study investigated yield and quality of biogas using low cost bio-digester and combination of various feed stocks referred to as co-digestion. Batch/Discontinuous Bio-digester type was used because it was cheap, easy, plausible and appropriate for different substrates used to get the desired results. Three substrates were used; cow dung, chicken droppings and lemon grass digested in five separate 21 litre digesters, A, B, C, D, and E and the gas collection system was designed using locally available materials. For single digestion we had; cow dung, chicken droppings, lemon grass, in Bio-digesters A, B, and C respectively, the co-digested three substrates in different mixed ratio 7:1:2 in digester D and E in ratio 5:3:2. The respective feed-stocks materials were collected locally, digested and analyzed in accordance with standard procedures. They were pre-fermented for a period of 10 days before being introduced into the digesters. They were digested for a retention period of 28 days, the physiochemical parameters namely; pressure, temperature, pH, volume of the gas collector system and volume of biogas produced were all closely monitored and recorded daily. The values of pH and temperature ranged 6.0 - 8.0, and 220C- 350C respectively. For the single substrate, bio-digester A(Cow dung only) produced biogas of total volume 0.1607m3(average volume of 0.0054m3 daily),while B (Chicken droppings ) produced 0.1722m3 (average of 0.0057m3 daily) and C (lemon grass) produced 0.1035m3 (average of 0.0035m3 daily). For the co-digested substrates in bio-digester D the total biogas produced was 0.2007m³ (average volume of 0.0067m³ daily) and bio-digester E produced 0.1991m³ (average volume of 0.0066m³ daily) It’s obvious from the results, that combining different substrates gave higher yields than when a singular feed stock was used and also mixing ratio played some roles in the yield improvement. Bio-digesters D and E contained the same substrates but mixed with different ratios, but higher yield was noticed in D with mixing ratio of 7:1:2 than in E with ratio 5:3:2.Therefore, co-digestion of substrates and mixing proportions are important factors for biogas production optimization.Keywords: anaerobic, batch, biogas, biodigester, digestion, fermentation, optimization
Procedia PDF Downloads 27952 Estimation of Leachate Generation from Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in Selangor
Authors: Tengku Nilam Baizura, Noor Zalina Mahmood
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In Malaysia, landfilling is the most preferred method and most of it does not have the proper leachate treatment system which can cause environmental problems. Leachate is the major factor to river water pollution since most landfills are located near the river which is the main water resource for the country. The study aimed to estimate leachate production from landfills in Selangor. A simple mathematical modelling was used for the calculation of annual leachate volume. The estimate of identified landfill area (A) using Google Earth was multiplied by the annual rainfall (R). The product is expressed as volume (V). The data indicate that the leachate production is high even it is fully closed. It is important to design the efficient landfill and proper leachate treatment processes especially for the old/closed landfill. Extensive monitoring will be required to predict future impact.Keywords: landfill, leachate, municipal solid waste management, waste disposal
Procedia PDF Downloads 370951 Sustainable Pavements with Reflective and Photoluminescent Properties
Authors: A.H. Martínez, T. López-Montero, R. Miró, R. Puig, R. Villar
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An alternative to mitigate the heat island effect is to pave streets and sidewalks with pavements that reflect incident solar energy, keeping their surface temperature lower than conventional pavements. The “Heat island mitigation to prevent global warming by designing sustainable pavements with reflective and photoluminescent properties (RELUM) Project” has been carried out with this intention in mind. Its objective has been to develop bituminous mixtures for urban pavements that help in the fight against global warming and climate change, while improving the quality of life of citizens. The technology employed has focused on the use of reflective pavements, using bituminous mixes made with synthetic bitumens and light pigments that provide high solar reflectance. In addition to this advantage, the light surface colour achieved with these mixes can improve visibility, especially at night. In parallel and following the latter approach, an appropriate type of treatment has also been developed on bituminous mixtures to make them capable of illuminating at night, giving rise to photoluminescent applications, which can reduce energy consumption and increase road safety due to improved night-time visibility. The work carried out consisted of designing different bituminous mixtures in which the nature of the aggregate was varied (porphyry, granite and limestone) and also the colour of the mixture, which was lightened by adding pigments (titanium dioxide and iron oxide). The reflectance of each of these mixtures was measured, as well as the temperatures recorded throughout the day, at different times of the year. The results obtained make it possible to propose bituminous mixtures whose characteristics can contribute to the reduction of urban heat islands. Among the most outstanding results is the mixture made with synthetic bitumen, white limestone aggregate and a small percentage of titanium dioxide, which would be the most suitable for urban surfaces without road traffic, given its high reflectance and the greater temperature reduction it offers. With this solution, a surface temperature reduction of 9.7°C is achieved at the beginning of the night in the summer season with the highest radiation. As for luminescent pavements, paints with different contents of strontium aluminate and glass microspheres have been applied to asphalt mixtures, and the luminance of all the applications designed has been measured by exciting them with electric bulbs that simulate the effect of sunlight. The results obtained at this stage confirm the ability of all the designed dosages to emit light for a certain time, varying according to the proportions used. Not only the effect of the strontium aluminate and microsphere content has been observed, but also the influence of the colour of the base on which the paint is applied; the lighter the base, the higher the luminance. Ongoing studies are focusing on the evaluation of the durability of the designed solutions in order to determine their lifetime.Keywords: heat island, luminescent paints, reflective pavement, temperature reduction
Procedia PDF Downloads 30950 Forced Convection Boundary Layer Flow of a Casson Fluid over a Moving Permeable Flat Plate beneath a Uniform Free Stream
Authors: N. M. Arifin, S. P. M. Isa, R. Nazar, N. Bachok, F. M. Ali, I. Pop
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In this paper, the steady forced convection boundary layer flow of a Casson fluid past a moving permeable semi-infinite flat plate beneath a uniform free stream is investigated. The mathematical problem reduces to a pair of noncoupled ordinary differential equations by similarity transformation, which is then solved numerically using the shooting method. Both the cases when the plate moves into or out of the origin are considered. Effects of the non-Newtonian (Casson) parameter, moving parameter, suction or injection parameter and Eckert number on the flow and heat transfer characteristics are thoroughly examined. Dual solutions are found to exist for each value of the governing parameters.Keywords: forced convection, Casson fluids, moving flat plate, boundary layer
Procedia PDF Downloads 466949 Fault-Tolerant Fuzzy Gain-Adaptive PID Control for a 2 DOF Helicopter, TRMS System
Authors: Abderrahmen Bouguerra, Kamel Kara, Djamel Saigaa, Samir Zeghlache, Keltoum Loukal
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In this paper, a Fault-Tolerant control of 2 DOF Helicopter (TRMS System) Based on Fuzzy Gain-Adaptive PID is presented. In particular, the introduction part of the paper presents a Fault-Tolerant Control (FTC), the first part of this paper presents a description of the mathematical model of TRMS, an adaptive PID controller is proposed for fault-tolerant control of a TRMS helicopter system in the presence of actuator faults, A fuzzy inference scheme is used to tune in real-time the controller gains, The proposed adaptive PID controller is compared with the conventional PID. The obtained results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.Keywords: fuzzy control, gain-adaptive PID, helicopter model, PID control, TRMS system
Procedia PDF Downloads 485948 Renewable Energy System Eolic-Photovoltaic for the Touristic Center La Tranca-Chordeleg in Ecuador
Authors: Christian Castro Samaniego, Daniel Icaza Alvarez, Juan Portoviejo Brito
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For this research work, hybrid wind-photovoltaic (SHEF) systems were considered as renewable energy sources that take advantage of wind energy and solar radiation to transform into electrical energy. In the present research work, the feasibility of a wind-photovoltaic hybrid generation system was analyzed for the La Tranca tourist viewpoint of the Chordeleg canton in Ecuador. The research process consisted of the collection of data on solar radiation, temperature, wind speed among others by means of a meteorological station. Simulations were carried out in MATLAB/Simulink based on a mathematical model. In the end, we compared the theoretical radiation-power curves and the measurements made at the site.Keywords: hybrid system, wind turbine, modeling, simulation, validation, experimental data, panel, Ecuador
Procedia PDF Downloads 244947 Learners’ Reactions to Writing Activities in an Elementary Algebra Classroom
Authors: Early Sol A. Gadong, Lourdes C. Zamora, Jonny B. Pornel, Aurora Fe C. Bautista
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Various research has shown that writing allows students to engage in metacognition and provides them with a venue to communicate their disposition towards what they are learning. However, few studies have explored students’ feelings about the incorporation of such writing activities in their mathematics classes. Through reflection sheets, group discussions, and interviews, this mixed-methods study explored students’ perceptions and insights on supplementary writing activities in their Elementary Algebra class. Findings revealed that while students generally have a positive regard for writing activities, they have conflicting views about how writing activities can help them in their learning. A big majority contend that writing activities can enhance the learning of mathematical content and attitudes towards mathematics if they allow students to explore and synthesize what they have learned and reflected on their emotional disposition towards mathematics. Also, gender does not appear to play a significant role in students’ reactions to writing activities.Keywords: writing in math, metacognition, affective factors in learning, elementary algebra classroom
Procedia PDF Downloads 443946 A Petri Net Model to Obtain the Throughput of Unreliable Production Lines in the Buffer Allocation Problem
Authors: Joselito Medina-Marin, Alexandr Karelin, Ana Tarasenko, Juan Carlos Seck-Tuoh-Mora, Norberto Hernandez-Romero, Eva Selene Hernandez-Gress
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A production line designer faces with several challenges in manufacturing system design. One of them is the assignment of buffer slots in between every machine of the production line in order to maximize the throughput of the whole line, which is known as the Buffer Allocation Problem (BAP). The BAP is a combinatorial problem that depends on the number of machines and the total number of slots to be distributed on the production line. In this paper, we are proposing a Petri Net (PN) Model to obtain the throughput in unreliable production lines, based on PN mathematical tools and the decomposition method. The results obtained by this methodology are similar to those presented in previous works, and the number of machines is not a hard restriction.Keywords: buffer allocation problem, Petri Nets, throughput, production lines
Procedia PDF Downloads 307945 Multidrug Therapies For HIV: Hybrid On-Off, Hysteresis On-Off Control and Simple STI
Authors: Magno Enrique Mendoza Meza
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This paper deals with the comparison of three control techniques: the hysteresis on-off control (HyOOC), the hybrid on-off control (HOOC) and the simple Structured Treatment Interruptions (sSTI). These techniques are applied to the mathematical model developed by Kirschner and Webb. To compare these techniques we use a cost functional that minimize the wild-type virus population and the mutant virus population, but the main objective is to minimize the systemic cost of treatment and maximize levels of healthy CD4+ T cells. HyOOC, HOOC, and sSTI are applied to the drug therapies using a reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors; simulations show that these controls maintain the uninfected cells in a small, bounded neighborhood of a pre-specified level. The controller HyOOC and HOOC are designed by appropriate choice of virtual equilibrium points.Keywords: virus dynamics, on-off control, hysteresis, multi-drug therapies
Procedia PDF Downloads 394944 Covariate-Adjusted Response-Adaptive Designs for Semi-Parametric Survival Responses
Authors: Ayon Mukherjee
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Covariate-adjusted response-adaptive (CARA) designs use the available responses to skew the treatment allocation in a clinical trial in towards treatment found at an interim stage to be best for a given patient's covariate profile. Extensive research has been done on various aspects of CARA designs with the patient responses assumed to follow a parametric model. However, ranges of application for such designs are limited in real-life clinical trials where the responses infrequently fit a certain parametric form. On the other hand, robust estimates for the covariate-adjusted treatment effects are obtained from the parametric assumption. To balance these two requirements, designs are developed which are free from distributional assumptions about the survival responses, relying only on the assumption of proportional hazards for the two treatment arms. The proposed designs are developed by deriving two types of optimum allocation designs, and also by using a distribution function to link the past allocation, covariate and response histories to the present allocation. The optimal designs are based on biased coin procedures, with a bias towards the better treatment arm. These are the doubly-adaptive biased coin design (DBCD) and the efficient randomized adaptive design (ERADE). The treatment allocation proportions for these designs converge to the expected target values, which are functions of the Cox regression coefficients that are estimated sequentially. These expected target values are derived based on constrained optimization problems and are updated as information accrues with sequential arrival of patients. The design based on the link function is derived using the distribution function of a probit model whose parameters are adjusted based on the covariate profile of the incoming patient. To apply such designs, the treatment allocation probabilities are sequentially modified based on the treatment allocation history, response history, previous patients’ covariates and also the covariates of the incoming patient. Given these information, an expression is obtained for the conditional probability of a patient allocation to a treatment arm. Based on simulation studies, it is found that the ERADE is preferable to the DBCD when the main aim is to minimize the variance of the observed allocation proportion and to maximize the power of the Wald test for a treatment difference. However, the former procedure being discrete tends to be slower in converging towards the expected target allocation proportion. The link function based design achieves the highest skewness of patient allocation to the best treatment arm and thus ethically is the best design. Other comparative merits of the proposed designs have been highlighted and their preferred areas of application are discussed. It is concluded that the proposed CARA designs can be considered as suitable alternatives to the traditional balanced randomization designs in survival trials in terms of the power of the Wald test, provided that response data are available during the recruitment phase of the trial to enable adaptations to the designs. Moreover, the proposed designs enable more patients to get treated with the better treatment during the trial thus making the designs more ethically attractive to the patients. An existing clinical trial has been redesigned using these methods.Keywords: censored response, Cox regression, efficiency, ethics, optimal allocation, power, variability
Procedia PDF Downloads 165943 Contrast Enhancement of Masses in Mammograms Using Multiscale Morphology
Authors: Amit Kamra, V. K. Jain, Pragya
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Mammography is widely used technique for breast cancer screening. There are various other techniques for breast cancer screening but mammography is the most reliable and effective technique. The images obtained through mammography are of low contrast which causes problem for the radiologists to interpret. Hence, a high quality image is mandatory for the processing of the image for extracting any kind of information from it. Many contrast enhancement algorithms have been developed over the years. In the present work, an efficient morphology based technique is proposed for contrast enhancement of masses in mammographic images. The proposed method is based on Multiscale Morphology and it takes into consideration the scale of the structuring element. The proposed method is compared with other state-of-the-art techniques. The experimental results show that the proposed method is better both qualitatively and quantitatively than the other standard contrast enhancement techniques.Keywords: enhancement, mammography, multi-scale, mathematical morphology
Procedia PDF Downloads 424942 Function of Fractals: Application of Non-Linear Geometry in Continental Architecture
Authors: Mohammadsadegh Zanganehfar
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Since the introduction of fractal geometry in 1970, numerous efforts have been made by architects and researchers to transfer this area of mathematical knowledge in the discipline of architecture and postmodernist discourse. The discourse of complexity and architecture is one of the most significant ongoing discourses in the discipline of architecture from the '70s until today and has generated significant styles such as deconstructivism and parametrism in architecture. During these years, several projects were designed and presented by designers and architects using fractal geometry, but due to the lack of sufficient knowledge and appropriate comprehension of the features and characteristics of this nonlinear geometry, none of the fractal-based designs have been successful and satisfying. Fractal geometry as a geometric technology has a long presence in the history of architecture. The current research attempts to identify and discover the characteristics, features, potentials, and functionality of fractals despite their aesthetic aspect by examining case studies of pre-modern architecture in Asia and investigating the function of fractals.Keywords: Asian architecture, fractal geometry, fractal technique, geometric properties
Procedia PDF Downloads 257941 Soft Exoskeleton Elastomer Pre-Tension Drive Control System
Authors: Andrey Yatsun, Andrei Malchikov
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Exoskeletons are used to support and compensate for the load on the human musculoskeletal system. Elastomers are an important component of exoskeletons, providing additional support and compensating for the load. The algorithm of the active elastomer tension system provides the required auxiliary force depending on the angle of rotation and the tilt speed of the operator's torso. Feedback for the drive is provided by a force sensor integrated into the attachment of the exoskeleton vest. The use of direct force measurement ensures the required accuracy in all settings of the man-machine system. Non-adjustable elastic elements make it difficult to move without load, tilt forward and walk. A strategy for the organization of the auxiliary forces management system is proposed based on the allocation of 4 operating modes of the human-machine system.Keywords: soft exoskeleton, mathematical modeling, pre-tension elastomer, human-machine interaction
Procedia PDF Downloads 66940 Logistics Hub Location and Scheduling Model for Urban Last-Mile Deliveries
Authors: Anastasios Charisis, Evangelos Kaisar, Steven Spana, Lili Du
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Logistics play a vital role in the prosperity of today’s cities, but current urban logistics practices are proving problematic, causing negative effects such as traffic congestion and environmental impacts. This paper proposes an alternative urban logistics system, leasing hubs inside cities for designated time intervals, and using handcarts for last-mile deliveries. A mathematical model for selecting the locations of hubs and allocating customers, while also scheduling the optimal times during the day for leasing hubs is developed. The proposed model is compared to current delivery methods requiring door-to-door truck deliveries. It is shown that truck traveled distances decrease by more than 60%. In addition, analysis shows that in certain conditions the approach can be economically competitive and successfully applied to address real problems.Keywords: hub location, last-mile, logistics, optimization
Procedia PDF Downloads 194939 Controlled Chemotherapy Strategy Applied to HIV Model
Authors: Shohel Ahmed, Md. Abdul Alim, Sumaiya Rahman
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Optimal control can be helpful to test and compare different vaccination strategies of a certain disease. The mathematical model of HIV we consider here is a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) describing the interactions of CD4+T cells of the immune system with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As an early treatment setting, we investigate an optimal chemotherapy strategy where control represents the percentage of effect the chemotherapy has on the system. The aim is to obtain a new optimal chemotherapeutic strategy where an isoperimetric constraint on the chemotherapy supply plays a crucial role. We outline the steps in formulating an optimal control problem, derive optimality conditions and demonstrate numerical results of an optimal control for the model. Numerical results illustrate how such a constraint alters the optimal vaccination schedule and its effect on cell-virus interactions.Keywords: chemotherapy of HIV, optimal control involving ODEs, optimality conditions, Pontryagin’s maximum principle
Procedia PDF Downloads 330938 Modelling for Temperature Non-Isothermal Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor Using Fuzzy Logic
Authors: Nasser Mohamed Ramli, Mohamad Syafiq Mohamad
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Many types of controllers were applied on the continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) unit to control the temperature. In this research paper, Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller are compared with Fuzzy Logic controller for temperature control of CSTR. The control system for temperature non-isothermal of a CSTR will produce a stable response curve to its set point temperature. A mathematical model of a CSTR using the most general operating condition was developed through a set of differential equations into S-function using MATLAB. The reactor model and S-function are developed using m.file. After developing the S-function of CSTR model, User-Defined functions are used to link to SIMULINK file. Results that are obtained from simulation and temperature control were better when using Fuzzy logic control compared to PID control.Keywords: CSTR, temperature, PID, fuzzy logic
Procedia PDF Downloads 457937 Influence of the Use of Fruits Byproducts on the Lipid Profile of Hermetia illucens, Tenebrio molitor and Zophoba morio Larvae
Authors: Rebeca P Ramos-Bueno, Maria Jose Gonzalez-Fernandez, Rosa M. Moreno-Zamora, Antonia Barros Heras, Yolanda Serrano Alonso, Carolina Sanchez Barranco
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Insects are a new source of fatty acids (FA), so they are considered a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative for both animal feed and the human diet, and furthermore, their harvesting/rearing require a low-tech and low capital investment. For that reason, lipids obtained by insect breeding open interesting possibilities with alimentary and industrial purposes, i.e., the production of biodiesel. Particularly, certain insect species, especially during the larval stage, contain high proportions of fat which is highly dependent on their feed and stage of development. Among them, Hermetia illucens larvae can be bred on food wastes to produce fat- and protein-rich raw materials for food by-product management. So, insects can act as excellent bioconverters of organic waste to nutrient-rich materials. In this regard, the aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of fruit byproducts on the FA compositions of Tenebrio molitor, Zophoba morio, and H. illucens larvae. Firstly, oil was extracted with the green solvent ethyl acetate, and FA methyl ester was obtained and analyzed by GC to show the FA profile. In addition, the triacylglycerol (TAG) profile was obtained by HPLC. Dehydrated watermelon, tomato, and papaya by-products, as well as wheat-based control feed, were assayed. High FA content was reached by Z. morio larvae fed with all fruits; however, no differences were shown in lipid profile with any change. It is worth highlighting that both Z. morio and H. illucens could be selected as the best candidates for biodiesel production due to their high content of saturated FA. On the other hand, T. molitor larvae showed a higher content of monounsaturated FA than control larvae, whereas the n-6 polyunsaturated FA content decreased in larvae fed with fruits. This result indicates that the improvement of the FA profile of Tenebrio can depend on both the type of feeding and the intended use. The lipid profile of H. illucens larvae fed with papaya and tomato showed a slight increase in the content of α-linoleic acid (ALA, 18:3n3). This FA is the precursor of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n3), which plays an important role as a component of structural lipids in cell membranes as well as in the synthesis of eicosanoids, protecting and resolving. Also, it was evaluated the TAG profile of Z. morio larvae due to their highest oil content. The results showed a high oleic acid (OA, 18:1n9) content, which displays modulatory effects in a wide range of physiological functions, having anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic properties. In conclusion, this study clearly shows that Z. morio and H. illucens larvae constitute an alternative source of OA- and ALA-rich oils, respectively, which can be devoted for food use, as well as for using in the food and pharmaceutical industries, with agronomic implications. Finally, although the profile of Z. morio was not improved with fruit feeding, this kind of feeding could be used due to its low environmental impact.Keywords: fatty acids, fruit byproducts, Hermetia illucens, Zophoba morio, Tenebrio molitor, insect rearing
Procedia PDF Downloads 147936 Designing of a Micromechanical Gyroscope with Enhanced Bandwidth
Authors: Bator Shagdyrov, Elena Zorina, Tamara Nesterenko
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The aim of the research was to develop a design of micromechanical gyroscope, which will be used in the automotive industry, safety systems and anti-lock braking system. The research resulted in improvement of one of the technical parameters – bandwidth. In the process of mass production of micromechanical sensors, problems occurred with their use. One of the problems was a narrow bandwidth typical for the gyroscopes with a high-quality factor. A constructive way of increasing bandwidth is to use multimass systems via secondary oscillations axis. When constructing, the main task was to choose the frequency - phases and antiphases as close to each other as possible, and set the frequency of the primary oscillation evenly between them. Investigations are carried out using the T-Flex CAD finite element program and T-Flex ANALYSIS support package. The results obtained are planned to use in the future for the production of an experimental model of development and testing in practice of characteristics derived by theoretical means.Keywords: bandwidth, inertial mass, mathematical model, micromechanical gyroscope, micromechanics
Procedia PDF Downloads 260935 Application of the Experimental Planning Design to the Notched Precracked Tensile Fracture of Composite
Authors: N. Mahmoudi, B. Guedim
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Composite materials have important assets compared to traditional materials. They bring many functional advantages: lightness, mechanical resistance and chemical, etc. In the present study we examine the effect of a circular central notch and a precrack on the tensile fracture of two woven composite materials. The tensile tests were applied to a standardized specimen, notched and a precracked (orientation of the crack 0°, 45°, and 90°). These tensile tests were elaborated according to an experimental planning design of the type 23.31 requiring 24 experiments with three repetitions. By the analysis of regression, we obtained a mathematical model describing the maximum load according to the influential parameters (hole diameter, precrack length, angle of a precrack orientation). The specimens precracked at 90° have a better behavior than those having a precrack at 45° and still better than those having of the precracks oriented at 0°. In addition the maximum load is inversely proportional to the notch size.Keywords: polymer matrix, glasses, fracture, precracks
Procedia PDF Downloads 342934 Controller Design for Active Suspension System of 1/4 Car with Unknown Mass and Time-Delay
Authors: Ali Al-Zughaibi
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The purpose of this paper is to present a modeling and control of the quarter car active suspension system with unknown mass, unknown time-delay and road disturbance. The objective of designing the controller by deriving a control law to achieve stability of the system and convergence that can considerably improve the ride comfort and road disturbance handling. Thus is accomplished by using Routh-Herwitz criterion and based on some assumptions. A mathematical proof is given to show the ability of the designed controller to ensure stability and convergence of the active suspension system and dispersion oscillation of system with unknown mass, time-delay and road disturbances. Simulations were also performed for controlling quarter car suspension, where the results obtained from these simulations verify the validity of the proposed design.Keywords: active suspension system, time-delay, disturbance rejection, dynamic uncertainty
Procedia PDF Downloads 319933 Evaluation Metrics for Machine Learning Techniques: A Comprehensive Review and Comparative Analysis of Performance Measurement Approaches
Authors: Seyed-Ali Sadegh-Zadeh, Kaveh Kavianpour, Hamed Atashbar, Elham Heidari, Saeed Shiry Ghidary, Amir M. Hajiyavand
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Evaluation metrics play a critical role in assessing the performance of machine learning models. In this review paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of performance measurement approaches for machine learning models. For each category, we discuss the most widely used metrics, including their mathematical formulations and interpretation. Additionally, we provide a comparative analysis of performance measurement approaches for metric combinations. Our review paper aims to provide researchers and practitioners with a better understanding of performance measurement approaches and to aid in the selection of appropriate evaluation metrics for their specific applications.Keywords: evaluation metrics, performance measurement, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, model robustness and stability, comparative analysis
Procedia PDF Downloads 73932 Heat Transfer Augmentation in Solar Air Heater Using Fins and Twisted Tape Inserts
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 256931 Virtual Reality Applications for Building Indoor Engineering: Circulation Way-Finding
Authors: Atefeh Omidkhah Kharashtomi, Rasoul Hedayat Nejad, Saeed Bakhtiyari
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Circulation paths and indoor connection network of the building play an important role both in the daily operation of the building and during evacuation in emergency situations. The degree of legibility of the paths for navigation inside the building has a deep connection with the perceptive and cognitive system of human, and the way the surrounding environment is being perceived. Human perception of the space is based on the sensory systems in a three-dimensional environment, and non-linearly, so it is necessary to avoid reducing its representations in architectural design as a two-dimensional and linear issue. Today, the advances in the field of virtual reality (VR) technology have led to various applications, and architecture and building science can benefit greatly from these capabilities. Especially in cases where the design solution requires a detailed and complete understanding of the human perception of the environment and the behavioral response, special attention to VR technologies could be a priority. Way-finding in the indoor circulation network is a proper example for such application. Success in way-finding could be achieved if human perception of the route and the behavioral reaction have been considered in advance and reflected in the architectural design. This paper discusses the VR technology applications for the way-finding improvements in indoor engineering of the building. In a systematic review, with a database consisting of numerous studies, firstly, four categories for VR applications for circulation way-finding have been identified: 1) data collection of key parameters, 2) comparison of the effect of each parameter in virtual environment versus real world (in order to improve the design), 3) comparing experiment results in the application of different VR devices/ methods with each other or with the results of building simulation, and 4) training and planning. Since the costs of technical equipment and knowledge required to use VR tools lead to the limitation of its use for all design projects, priority buildings for the use of VR during design are introduced based on case-studies analysis. The results indicate that VR technology provides opportunities for designers to solve complex buildings design challenges in an effective and efficient manner. Then environmental parameters and the architecture of the circulation routes (indicators such as route configuration, topology, signs, structural and non-structural components, etc.) and the characteristics of each (metrics such as dimensions, proportions, color, transparency, texture, etc.) are classified for the VR way-finding experiments. Then, according to human behavior and reaction in the movement-related issues, the necessity of scenario-based and experiment design for using VR technology to improve the design and receive feedback from the test participants has been described. The parameters related to the scenario design are presented in a flowchart in the form of test design, data determination and interpretation, recording results, analysis, errors, validation and reporting. Also, the experiment environment design is discussed for equipment selection according to the scenario, parameters under study as well as creating the sense of illusion in the terms of place illusion, plausibility and illusion of body ownership.Keywords: virtual reality (VR), way-finding, indoor, circulation, design
Procedia PDF Downloads 74930 Implementation of Hybrid Curriculum in Canadian Dental Schools to Manage Child Abuse and Neglect
Authors: Priyajeet Kaur Kaleka
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Introduction: A dentist is often the first responder in the battle for a patient’s healthy body and maybe the first health professional to observe signs of child abuse, be it physical, emotional, and/or sexual mistreatment. Therefore, it is an ethical responsibility for the dental clinician to detect and report suspected cases of child abuse and neglect (CAN). The main reasons for not reporting suspected cases of CAN, with special emphasis on the third: 1) Uncertainty of the diagnosis, 2) Lack of knowledge of the reporting procedure, and 3) Child abuse and neglect somewhat remained the subject of ignorance among dental professionals because of a lack of advance clinical training. Given these epidemic proportions, there is a scope of further research about dental school curriculum design. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of dentists in Canada regarding signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect (CAN), reporting procedures, and whether educational strategies followed by dental schools address this sensitive issue. In pursuit of that aim, this abstract summarizes the evidence related to this question. Materials and Methods: Data was collected through a specially designed questionnaire adapted and modified from the author’s previous cross-sectional study on (CAN), which was conducted in Pune, India, in 2016 and is available on the database of PubMed. Design: A random sample was drawn from the targeted population of registered dentists and dental students in Canada regarding their knowledge, professional responsibilities, and behavior concerning child abuse. Questionnaire data were distributed to 200 members. Out of which, a total number of 157 subjects were in the final sample for statistical analysis, yielding response of 78.5%. Results: Despite having theoretical information on signs and symptoms, 55% of the participants indicated they are not confident to detect child physical abuse cases. 90% of respondents believed that recognition and handling the CAN cases should be a part of undergraduate training. Only 4.5% of the participants have correctly identified all signs of abuse due to inadequate formal training in dental schools and workplaces. Although nearly 96.3% agreed that it is a dentist’s legal responsibility to report CAN, only a small percentage of the participants reported an abuse case in the past. While 72% stated that the most common factor that might prevent a dentist from reporting a case was doubt over the diagnosis. Conclusion: The goal is to motivate dental schools to deal with this critical issue and provide their students with consummate training to strengthen their capability to care for and protect children. The educational institutions should make efforts to spread awareness among dental students regarding the management and tackling of CAN. Clinical Significance: There should be modifications in the dental school curriculum focusing on problem-based learning models to assist graduates to fulfill their legal and professional responsibilities. CAN literacy should be incorporated into the dental curriculum, which will eventually benefit future dentists to break this intergenerational cycle of violence.Keywords: abuse, child abuse and neglect, dentist knowledge, dental school curriculum, problem-based learning
Procedia PDF Downloads 200929 Investigation on The Feasibility of a Solar Desiccant Cooling System in Libya
Authors: A. S. Zgalei, B. T. Al-Mabrouk
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With a particularly significant growth rate observed in the Libyan commercial and residential buildings coupled with a growth in energy demand, solar desiccant evaporative cooling offers energy savings and promises a good sharing for sustainable buildings where the availability of solar radiation matches with the cooling load demand. The paper presents a short introduction for the desiccant systems. A mathematical model of a selected system has been developed and a simulation has been performed in order to investigate the system performance at different working conditions and an optimum design of the system structure is established. The results showed a technical feasibility of the system working under the Libyan climatic conditions with a reasonable COP at temperatures that can be obtained through the solar reactivation system. Discussion of the results and the recommendations for future work are proposed.Keywords: computer program, solar desiccant wheel cooling, system modelling, simulation, technical feasibility
Procedia PDF Downloads 540928 Quantification of Uncertainties Related to the Implementation of Reverse Logistics Process
Authors: Dnaya Soukaina
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It’s over six decades that Reverse logistics had appeared as a research area, and it is emerging again and again in the scientific fields. As reverse logistics presents real potential for value recovery and environmental impacts decrease, it’s still necessary to extend this concept more in the industrial and commercial field especially in developing countries. The process of reverse logistics is a progression of steps beginning with the customer and finishing with the organization or even the customer, however the issue is that this cycle must be adjustable to the organization concerned, in addition of legislative, operational, financial and social obstacles. Literature had demonstrated that there are many other uncertainties while the implementation of this process that vary in function of the sector concerned and the kind of activity. Besides, even if literature is developing this topic over the last years, reseraches about uncertainties quantification in reverse logistics process still being few. the paper has the objective to fill this gap, and carry out a study to identify sustainable strategies that can be adapted to different industrial or commercial sectors to facilitate the implementation of reverse logistics.Keywords: reverse logistics, implementation, unceratinties quantification, mathematical model
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