Search results for: new developed silica material

Authors: Md. Z. Alam, Devi R. Asih, Md. N. Salleh

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Immobilization of lipase enzyme produced from palm oil mill effluent (POME) by the activated carbon (AC) among the low cost support materials was optimized. The results indicated that immobilization of 94% was achieved by AC as the most suitable support material. A sequential optimization strategy based on a statistical experimental design, including one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) method was used to determine the equilibrium time. Three components influencing lipase immobilization were optimized by the response surface methodology (RSM) based on the face-centered central composite design (FCCCD). On the statistical analysis of the results, the optimum enzyme concentration loading, agitation rate and carbon active dosage were found to be 30 U/ml, 300 rpm and 8 g/L respectively, with a maximum immobilization activity of 3732.9 U/g-AC after 2 hrs of immobilization. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a high regression coefficient (R2) of 0.999, which indicated a satisfactory fit of the model with the experimental data. The parameters were statistically significant at p<0.05.

Keywords: activated carbon, POME based lipase, immobilization, adsorption

Procedia PDF Downloads 241

Authors: Hemad Zareiforoush, Saeed Minaei, Ahmad Banakar, Mohammad Reza Alizadeh

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The quality inspection of rice (Oryza sativa L.) during its various processing stages is very important. In this research, an artificial intelligence-based model coupled with computer vision techniques was developed as a decision support system for qualitative grading of rice grains. For conducting the experiments, first, 25 samples of rice grains with different levels of percentage of broken kernels (PBK) and degree of milling (DOM) were prepared and their qualitative grade was assessed by experienced experts. Then, the quality parameters of the same samples examined by experts were determined using a machine vision system. A grading model was developed based on fuzzy logic theory in MATLAB software for making a relationship between the qualitative characteristics of the product and its quality. Totally, 25 rules were used for qualitative grading based on AND operator and Mamdani inference system. The fuzzy inference system was consisted of two input linguistic variables namely, DOM and PBK, which were obtained by the machine vision system, and one output variable (quality of the product). The model output was finally defuzzified using Center of Maximum (COM) method. In order to evaluate the developed model, the output of the fuzzy system was compared with experts’ assessments. It was revealed that the developed model can estimate the qualitative grade of the product with an accuracy of 95.74%.

Keywords: machine vision, fuzzy logic, rice, quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 418

Authors: Juan C. Torrado, Javier Gomez, Guadalupe Montero, German Montoro, M. Dolores Villalba

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One of the most challenging aspects of the executive dysfunction of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders is the behavior control. This is related to a deficit in their ability to regulate, recognize and manage their own emotions. Some researchers have developed applications for tablets and smartphones to practice strategies of relaxation and emotion recognition. However, they cannot be applied to the very moment of temper outbursts, anger episodes or anxiety, since they require to carry the device, start the application and be helped by caretakers. Also, some of these systems are developed for either obsolete technologies (old versions of tablet devices, PDAs, outdated operative systems of smartphones) or specific devices (self-developed or proprietary ones) that create differentiation between the users and the rest of the individuals in their context. For this project we selected smartwatches. Focusing on emergent technologies ensures a wide lifespan of the developed products, because the derived products are intended to be available in the same moment the very technology gets popularized, not later. We also focused our research in commercial versions of smartwatches, since this way differentiation is easily avoided, so the users’ abandonment rate lowers. We have developed a smartwatch system along with a smartphone authoring tool to display self-regulation strategies. These micro-prompting strategies are conformed of pictograms, animations and temporizers, and they are designed by means of the authoring tool: When both devices synchronize their data, the smartwatch holds the self-regulation strategies, which are triggered when the smartwatch sensors detect a remarkable rise of heart rate and movement. The system is being currently tested in an educational center of people with ASD of Madrid, Spain.

Keywords: assistive technologies, emotion regulation, human-computer interaction, smartwatches

Procedia PDF Downloads 296

Authors: Veronika Přivřelová

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Well-designed composite steel and concrete structures highlight the good material properties and lower the deficiencies of steel and concrete, in particular they make use of high tensile strength of steel and high stiffness of concrete. The most common composite steel and concrete structure is a simply supported beam, which concrete slab transferring the slab load to a beam is connected to the steel cross-section. The aim of this paper is to find the most adequate numerical model of a simply supported composite beam with the cross-sectional and material parameters based on the results of a processed parametric study and numerical analysis. The paper also evaluates the suitability of using compact concrete with the lightweight aggregates for composite steel and concrete beams. The most adequate numerical model will be used in the resent future to compare the results of laboratory tests.

Keywords: composite beams, high-performance concrete, high-strength steel, lightweight concrete slab, modeling

Procedia PDF Downloads 406

Authors: Ahmed Hariri

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E-Learning has become a necessity in the advanced education. It is easier for the student and teacher communication also it speed up the process with less time and less effort. With the progress and the enormous development of distance education must keep up with this age of making a website that allows students and teachers to take all the advantages of advanced education. In this regards, we developed University Short courses web application which is specially designed for Faculty of computing and information technology, Rabigh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After an elaborate review of the current state-of-the-art methods of teaching and learning, we found that instructors deliver extra short courses and workshop to students to enhance the knowledge of students. Moreover, this process is completely manual. The prevailing methods of teaching and learning consume a lot of time; therefore in this context, University Short courses web application will help to make process easy and user friendly. The site allows for students can view and register short courses online conducted by instructor also they can see courses starting dates, finishing date and locations. It also allows the instructor to put things on his courses on the site and see the students enrolled in the study material. Finally, student can print the certificate after finished the course online. ASP.NET, SQLSERVER, JavaScript SQL SERVER Database will use to develop the University Short Courses web application.

Keywords: e-learning, short courses, ASP.NET, SQL SERVER

Procedia PDF Downloads 132

Authors: Marcela Ondova, Adriana Estokova

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Rapid industrialization results in increased use of natural resources bring along serious ecological and environmental imbalance due to the dumping of industrial wastes. Principles of sustainable construction have to be accepted with regard to the consumption of natural resources and the production of harmful emissions. Cement is a great importance raw material in the building industry and today is its large amount used in the construction of concrete pavements. Concerning raw materials cost and producing CO2 emission the replacing of cement in concrete mixtures with more sustainable materials is necessary. To reduce this environmental impact people all over the world are looking for a solution. Over a period of last ten years, the image of fly ash has completely been changed from a polluting waste to resource material and it can solve the major problems of cement use. Fly ash concretes are proposed as a potential approach for achieving substantial reductions in cement. It is known that it improves the workability of concrete, extends the life cycle of concrete roads, and reduces energy use and greenhouse gas as well as amount of coal combustion products that must be disposed in landfills. Life cycle assessment also proved that a concrete pavement with fly ash cement replacement is considerably more environmentally friendly compared to standard concrete roads. In addition, fly ash is cheap raw material, and the costs saving are guaranteed. The strength properties, resistance to a frost or de-icing salts, which are important characteristics in the construction of concrete pavements, have reached the required standards as well. In terms of human health it can´t be stated that a concrete cover with fly ash could be dangerous compared with a cover without fly ash. Final Multi-criteria analysis also pointed that a concrete with fly ash is a clearly proper solution.

Keywords: life cycle assessment, fly ash, waste, concrete pavements

Procedia PDF Downloads 402

Authors: Sirine Sayed, Mahrez Ait Mohammed, Mourad Nachtane, Abdelwahed Barkaoui, Khalid Bouziane, Mostapha Tarfaoui

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This study addresses a critical challenge in transitioning to a hydrogen-based economy by introducing and validating a one-dimensional (1D) tool for modelling hydrogen permeability through hybrid materials, focusing on tank applications. The model developed integrates rigorous experimental validation, published data, and advanced computational modelling using the PanDiffusion framework, significantly enhancing its validity and applicability. By elucidating complex interactions between material properties, storage system configurations, and operational parameters, the tool demonstrates its capability to optimize design and operational parameters in real-world scenarios, as illustrated through a case study of hydrogen leakage. This comprehensive approach to assessing hydrogen permeability contributes significantly to overcoming key barriers in hydrogen infrastructure development, potentially accelerating the widespread adoption of hydrogen technology across various industrial sectors and marking a crucial step towards a more sustainable energy future.

Keywords: hydrogen storage, composite tank, permeability modelling, PanDiffusion, energy carrier, transportation technology

Procedia PDF Downloads 12

Authors: M. Hossain, A. Abdkader, C. Cherif, A. Berger, M. Sparing, R. Hühne, L. Schultz, K. Nielsch

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Due to the best quality of yarn and the flexibility of the machine, the ring spinning process is the most widely used spinning method for short staple yarn production. However, the productivity of these machines is still much lower in comparison to other spinning systems such as rotor or air-jet spinning process. The main reason for this limitation lies on the twisting mechanism of the ring spinning process. In the ring/traveler twisting system, each rotation of the traveler along with the ring inserts twist in the yarn. The rotation of the traveler at higher speed includes strong frictional forces, which in turn generates heat. Different ring/traveler systems concerning with its geometries, material combinations and coatings have already been implemented to solve the frictional problem. However, such developments can neither completely solve the frictional problem nor increase the productivity. The friction free superconducting magnetic bearing (SMB) system can be a right alternative replacing the existing ring/traveler system. The unique concept of SMB bearings is that they possess a self-stabilizing behavior, i.e. they remain fully passive without any necessity for expensive position sensing and control. Within the framework of a research project funded by German research foundation (DFG), suitable concepts of the SMB-system have been designed, developed, and integrated as a twisting device of ring spinning replacing the existing ring/traveler system. With the help of the developed mathematical model and experimental investigation, the physical limitations of this innovative twisting device in the spinning process have been determined. The interaction among the parameters of the spinning process and the superconducting twisting element has been further evaluated, which derives the concrete information regarding the new spinning process. Moreover, the influence of the implemented SMB twisting system on the yarn quality has been analyzed with respect to different process parameters. The presented work reveals the enormous potential of the innovative twisting mechanism, so that the productivity of the ring spinning process especially in case of thermoplastic materials can be at least doubled for the first time in a hundred years. The SMB ring spinning tester has also been presented in the international fair “International Textile Machinery Association (ITMA) 2015”.

Keywords: ring spinning, superconducting magnetic bearing, yarn properties, productivity

Procedia PDF Downloads 235

Authors: Stefanie Rukavina, Sascha Gruss, Steffen Walter, Holger Hoffmann, Harald C. Traue

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OPEN-EmoRecII is an open multimodal corpus with experimentally induced emotions. In the first half of the experiment, emotions were induced with standardized picture material and in the second half during a human-computer interaction (HCI), realized with a wizard-of-oz design. The induced emotions are based on the dimensional theory of emotions (valence, arousal and dominance). These emotional sequences - recorded with multimodal data (mimic reactions, speech, audio and physiological reactions) during a naturalistic-like HCI-environment one can improve classification methods on a multimodal level. This database is the result of an HCI-experiment, for which 30 subjects in total agreed to a publication of their data including the video material for research purposes. The now available open corpus contains sensory signal of: video, audio, physiology (SCL, respiration, BVP, EMG Corrugator supercilii, EMG Zygomaticus Major) and mimic annotations.

Keywords: open multimodal emotion corpus, annotated labels, intelligent interaction

Procedia PDF Downloads 414

Authors: Birtukan Atinkut Asmare, Bernhard Freyer, Jim Bingen

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Though it is possible to transform the farming system towards a healthy, sustainable, and toxic-free food system by reducing pesticide use both in the field and postharvest, pesticides, including those that have been banned or severely restricted from use in developed countries, are indiscriminately used in African agriculture. Drawing on social practice theory, this study is about pesticide use practices in smallholder farms and its adverse impacts on women’s health and the environment, with reference to Africa, with an empirical focus on Ethiopia. Data have been collected via integrating diverse quantitative and qualitative approaches such as household surveys (n= 318), focus group discussions (n=6), field observations (n=30), and key informant interviews (n=18), with people along the pesticide value chain, including sellers and extension workers up to women farmers. A binary logistic regression model was used to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of personal protective equipment among female headed households. The findings show that Female-headed households carried out risky and unsafe practices from pesticide purchasing up to disposal, largely motivated by material elements (such as labor, income, time, and the provisioning system) but were notably shaped by competences (skills and knowledge), and meanings (norms, values, rules, and shared ideas). The main meaning or material aspect for pesticide purchasing were the perceptions of efficacy on pests, diseases, and weeds (65%), cost and availability in smaller quantities (60.7%), and a woman’s available time and mobility (58.9%). Pesticide hazards to human health or the environment seem not to be relevant for most female headed households. Unsafe practices of pesticide use among women led to the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem degradation, let alone their and family’s health. As the regression results show, the significant factors that influenced PPE adoption among female headed households were age and retailer information (p < 0.05). In line with the empirical finding, in addition to changing individual competences through advisory services and training, a foundational shift is needed in the sociocultural environment (e.g., policy, advisory), or a change in the meanings (social norms), where women are living and working.

Keywords: biodiversity, competences, ecosystems, ethiopia, female headed households, materials, meanings, pesticide purchasing, pesticide using, social practice theory

Procedia PDF Downloads 75

Authors: Anatoly A. Kuznetsov, Pavel G. Berezhko, Sergey M. Kunavin, Eugeny V. Zhilkin, Maxim V. Tsarev, Vyacheslav V. Yaroshenko, Valery V. Mokrushin, Olga Y. Yunchina, Sergey A. Mityashin

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The acoustic emission is caused by short-time propagation of elastic waves that are generated as a result of quick energy release from sources localized inside some material. In particular, the acoustic emission phenomenon lies in the generation of acoustic waves resulted from the reconstruction of material internal structures. This phenomenon is observed at various physicochemical transformations, in particular, at those accompanying hydrogenation processes of metals or intermetallic compounds that make it possible to study parameters of these transformations through recording and analyzing the acoustic signals. It has been known that at the interaction between metals or inter metallides with hydrogen the most intensive acoustic signals are generated as a result of cracking or crumbling of an initial compact powder sample as a result of the change of material crystal structure under hydrogenation. This work is dedicated to the study into changes occurring in metallic titanium samples at their interaction with hydrogen and followed by acoustic emission signals. In this work the subjects for investigation were specimens of metallic titanium in two various initial forms: titanium sponge and fine titanium powder made of this sponge. The kinetic of the interaction of these materials with hydrogen, the acoustic emission signals accompanying hydrogenation processes and the structure of the materials before and after hydrogenation were investigated. It was determined that in both cases interaction of metallic titanium and hydrogen is followed by acoustic emission signals of high amplitude generated on reaching some certain value of the atomic ratio [H]/[Ti] in a solid phase because of metal cracking at a macrolevel. The typical sizes of the cracks are comparable with particle sizes of hydrogenated specimens. The reasons for cracking are internal stresses initiated in a sample due to the increasing volume of a solid phase as a result of changes in a material crystal lattice under hydrogenation. When the titanium powder is used, the atomic ratio [H]/[Ti] in a solid phase corresponding to the maximum amplitude of an acoustic emission signal are, as a rule, higher than when titanium sponge is used.

Keywords: acoustic emission signal, cracking, hydrogenation, titanium specimen

Procedia PDF Downloads 385

Authors: Elmo Thiao Lins Cöuras Ford, Valentina Alessandra Carvalho do Vale, R. M. Nascimento, J. U. L. Mendes

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Now the great majority of the applications of thermal isolation in the strip of drops and averages temperatures (up to 200ºC), it is made being used from aggressive materials to the nature such an as: glass wool, rock wool, polystyrene, EPS among others. Such materials, in spite of the effectiveness in the retention of the flow of heat, possess considerable cost and when discarded they are long years to be to decompose. In that context, trying to adapt the world politics the about of the preservation of the environment, a study began with intention of developing a material composite, with properties of thermal, originating from insulating industrial residues. In this research, the behavior of the composite was analyzed, as submitted the fire. For this, the reaction rehearsals were accomplished to the fire for the composites 2:1; 1:1; 1:2 and for the latex, based in the "con" experiment in agreement with the norm ASTM–E 1334-90. As consequence, in function of the answers of the system, was possible to observe to the acting of each mixture proportion.

Keywords: composite, Latex, reacion to the fire, thermal isolation

Procedia PDF Downloads 435

Authors: N. H. S. Mustafa, N. M. Yatim

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Thermoelectric materials arrange in segmented design could increase the conversion of heat to electricity performance. This is due to the properties of materials that perform peak at narrow temperature range. Performance of the materials determines by dimensionless figure-of-merit, ZT which consist of thermoelectric properties namely Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity. Since different materials were arrange in segmented, determination of ZT cannot be measured using the conventional approach. Therefore, this research used 'open-short circuit' technique to measure the segmented performance. Segmented thermoelectric materials consist of bismuth telluride, and lead telluride was segmented together under cold press technique. The results show thermoelectric properties measured is comparable with calculated based on commercially available of individual material. Performances of segmented sample under different polarity also indicate dependability of material with position and temperature. Segmented materials successfully measured under real condition and optimization of the segmented can be designed from the study of polarity change.

Keywords: thermoelectric, segmented, ZT, polarity, performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 201

Authors: D. S. Vardar, A. S. Kipcak, F. T. Senberber, E. M. Derun, S. Piskin, N. Tugrul

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Zinc borate is an important inorganic hydrate borate material, which can be use as a flame retardant agent and corrosion resistance material. This compound can loss its structural water content at higher than 290°C. Due to thermal stability; Zinc Borate can be used as flame reterdant at high temperature process of plastic and gum. In this study, the ultrasonic reaction of zinc borates were studied using hydrozincite (Zn5(CO3)2•(OH)6) and boric acid (H3BO3) raw materials. Before the synthesis raw materials were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Ultrasonic method is a new application on the zinc borate synthesis. The synthesis parameters were set to 90°C reaction temperature and 55 minutes of reaction time, with 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5 molar ratio of starting materials (Zn5(CO3)2•(OH)6 : H3BO3). After the zinc borate synthesis, the products analyzed by XRD and FT-IR. As a result, optimum molar ratio of 1:5 (Zn5(CO3)2•(OH)6:H3BO3) is determined for the synthesis of zinc borates with ultrasonic method.

Keywords: borate, ultrasonic method, zinc borate, zinc borate synthesis

Procedia PDF Downloads 405

Authors: Amar Sabih, James Nemes

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The occurrence of internal ductile failure within the Adiabatic Shear Band (ASB) in cold-headed products presents a significant barrier in the fast-expanding cold-heading (CH) industry. The presence of internal ductile failure in cold-headed products may lead to catastrophic fracture under tensile loads despite the ductile nature of the material causing expensive industrial recalls. Therefore, this paper presents a new workability criterion that uses stress instability as an indicator to accurately reveal the locus of initiation of internal ductile failures. The concept of the instability criterion is to use the stress ratio at failure as a weighting function to indicate the initiation of ductile failure inside the ASBs. This paper presents a comprehensive experimental, metallurgical, and finite element simulation study to calculate the material constants used in this criterion.

Keywords: adiabatic sher band, ductile failure, stress instability, workability criterion

Procedia PDF Downloads 90

Authors: Florian Gschösser, Walter Purrer

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The paper shows examples for the (environmental) optimization of production processes for asphalt mixtures applied for typical road pavements in Austria and Switzerland. The conducted “from-cradle-to-gate” LCA firstly analyzes the production one cubic meter of asphalt and secondly all material production processes for exemplary highway pavements applied in Austria and Switzerland. It is shown that environmental impacts can be reduced by the application of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and by the optimization of specific production characteristics, e.g. the reduction of the initial moisture of the mineral aggregate and the reduction of the mixing temperature by the application of low-viscosity and foam bitumen. The results of the LCA study demonstrate reduction potentials per cubic meter asphalt of up to 57 % (Global Warming Potential–GWP) and 77 % (Ozone depletion–ODP). The analysis per square meter of asphalt pavement determined environmental potentials of up to 40 % (GWP) and 56 % (ODP).

Keywords: asphalt mixtures, environmental potentials, life cycle assessment, material production

Procedia PDF Downloads 529

Authors: Hein Win Zaw

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Today, the advanced strategies for aircraft production technology potentially need the higher performance, and on the other hand, those strategies and engineering technologies should meet considerable process and reduce of production costs. Thus, professionals who are working in these scopes are attempting to develop new materials to improve the manufacturability of designs, the creation of new technological processes, tools and equipment. This paper discusses about the research on structural changes in plastic deformation during rotary expansion and crimp of pipes. Pipelines are experiencing high pressure and pulsating load. That is why, it is high demands on the mechanical properties of the material, the quality of the external and internal surfaces, preserve cross-sectional shape and the minimum thickness of the pipe wall are taking into counts. In the manufacture of pipes, various operations: distribution, crimping, bending, etc. are used. The most widely used at various semi-products, connecting elements found the process of rotary expansion and crimp of pipes. In connection with the use of high strength materials and less-plastic, these conventional techniques do not allow obtaining high-quality parts, and also have a low economic efficiency. Therefore, research in this field is relevantly considerable to develop in advanced. Rotary expansion and crimp of pipes are accompanied by inhomogeneous plastic deformation, which leads to structural changes in the material, causes its deformation hardening, by this result changes the operational reliability of the product. Parts of the tube obtained by rotary expansion and crimp differ by multiplicity of form and characterized by various diameter in the various section, which formed in the result of inhomogeneous plastic deformation. The reliability of the coupling, obtained by rotary expansion and crimp, is determined by the structural arrangement of material formed by the formation process; there is maximum value of deformation, the excess of which is unacceptable. The structural state of material in this condition is determined by technological mode of formation in the rotary expansion and crimp. Considering the above, objective of the present study is to investigate the structural changes at different levels of plastic deformation, accompanying rotary expansion and crimp, and the analysis of stress concentrators of different scale levels, responsible for the formation of the primary zone of destruction.

Keywords: plastic deformation, rolling of tubes, crimping of tubes, structural changes

Procedia PDF Downloads 330

Authors: Doaa H. Elgohary, Dina M. Hamoda, S. Yahia

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Technical textiles refer to textile materials that are engineered and designed to have specific functionalities and performance characteristics beyond their traditional use as apparel or upholstery fabrics. These textiles are usually developed for their unique properties such as strength, durability, flame retardancy, chemical resistance, waterproofing, insulation and other special properties. The development and use of technical textiles are constantly evolving, driven by advances in materials science, manufacturing technologies and the demand for innovative solutions in various industries. Kevlar 29 is a type of aramid fiber developed by DuPont. It is a high-performance material known for its exceptional strength and resistance to impact, abrasion, and heat. Kevlar 29 belongs to the Kevlar family, which includes different types of aramid fibers. Kevlar 29 is primarily used in applications that require strength and durability, such as ballistic protection, body armor, and body armor for military and law enforcement personnel. It is also used in the aerospace and automotive industries to reinforce composite materials, as well as in various industrial applications. Two different Kevlar samples were used coated with cooper lithium silicate (CLS); ten different mechanical and physical properties (weight, thickness, tensile strength, elongation, stiffness, air permeability, puncture resistance, thermal conductivity, stiffness, and spray test) were conducted to approve its functional performance efficiency. The influence of different mechanical properties was statistically analyzed using an independent t-test with a significant difference at P-value = 0.05. The radar plot was calculated and evaluated to determine the best-performing samples. The results of the independent t-test observed that all variables were significantly affected by yarn counts except water permeability, which has no significant effect. All properties were evaluated for samples 1 and 2, a radar chart was used to determine the best attitude for samples. The radar chart area was calculated, which shows that sample 1 recorded the best performance, followed by sample 2. The surface morphology of all samples and the coating materials was determined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), also Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Measurement for the two samples.

Keywords: cooper lithium silicate, independent t-test, kevlar, technical textiles.

Procedia PDF Downloads 78

Authors: Pasan Dunuwila, V. H. L. Rodrigo, Naohiro Goto

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Sri Lanka is one the largest natural rubber (NR) producers of the world, where the NR industry is a major foreign exchange earner. Among the locally manufactured NR products, concentrated latex (CL) and ribbed smoked sheets (RSS) hold a significant position. Furthermore, these products become the foundation for many products utilized by the people all over the world (e.g. gloves, condoms, tires, etc.). Processing of CL and RSS costs a significant amount of material, energy, and workforce. With this background, both manufacturing lines have immensely challenged by waste, low productivity, lack of cost efficiency, rising cost of production, and many environmental issues. To face the above challenges, the adaptation of sustainable manufacturing measures that use less energy, water, materials, and produce less waste is imperative. However, these sectors lack comprehensive studies that shed light on such measures and thoroughly discuss their improvement potentials from both environmental and economic points of view. Therefore, based on a study of three CL and three RSS mills in Sri Lanka, this study deploys sustainable manufacturing techniques and tools to uncover the underlying potentials to improve performances in CL and RSS processing sectors. This study is comprised of three steps: 1. quantification of average material waste, economic losses, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions via material flow analysis (MFA), material flow cost accounting (MFCA), and life cycle assessment (LCA) in each manufacturing process, 2. identification of improvement options with the help of Pareto and What-if analyses, field interviews, and the existing literature; and 3. validation of the identified improvement options via the re-execution of MFA, MFCA, and LCA. With the help of this methodology, the economic and environmental hotspots, and the degrees of improvement in both systems could be identified. Results highlighted that each process could be improved to have less waste, monetary losses, manufacturing costs, and GHG emissions. Conclusively, study`s methodology and findings are believed to be beneficial for assuring the sustainable growth not only in Sri Lankan NR processing sector itself but also in NR or any other industry rooted in other developing countries.

Keywords: concentrated latex, natural rubber, ribbed smoked sheets, Sri Lanka

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Authors: Syukri Himran, Rustan Taraka, Anto Duma

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The aim of the study is to improve the understanding of latent and sensible thermal energy storage within a paraffin wax media by an array of cylindrical tubes arranged both in in-line and staggered layouts. An analytical and experimental study was carried out in a horizontal shell-and-tube type system during the melting process. Pertamina paraffin-wax was used as a phase change material (PCM), where as the tubes are embedded in the PCM. From analytical study we can obtain the useful information in designing a thermal energy storage such as : the motion of interface, amount of material melted at any time in the process, and the heat storage characteristic during melting. The use of staggered tubes is proposed as superior to in-line layout for thermal storage. The experimental study was used to verify the validity of the analytical predictions. From the comparisons, the analytical and experimental data are in a good agreement.

Keywords: latent, sensible, paraffin-wax, thermal energy storage, conduction, natural convection

Procedia PDF Downloads 566

Authors: Waheed Gul, Muhammad Zeeshan, Ahmad Raza Khan, Muhammad Khurram

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Wireless Sensor Nodes (WSNs) have developed significantly over the years and have significant potential in diverse applications in the fields of science and technology. The inadequate energy accompanying WSNs is a key constraint of WSN skills. To overcome this main restraint, the development and expansion of effective and reliable energy harvesting systems for WSN atmospheres are being discovered. In this research, low-power acoustic energy harvesters are designed and developed by applying different techniques of energy transduction from the sound available in the surroundings. Three acoustic energy harvesters were developed based on the piezoelectric phenomenon, electromagnetic transduction, and hybrid, respectively. The CAD modelling, lumped modelling and Finite Element Analysis of the harvesters were carried out. The voltages were obtained using FEA for each Acoustic Harvester. Characterization of all three harvesters was carried out and the power generated by the piezoelectric harvester, electromagnetic harvester and Hybrid Acoustic Energy harvester are 2.25x10-9W, 0.0533W and 0.0232W, respectively.

Keywords: energy harvesting, WSNs, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, power

Procedia PDF Downloads 68

Authors: Ivana Loncarevic, Biljana Pajin, Ivana Vasiljevic, Milana Lazovic, Danica Mrkajic, Aleksandar Fises, Strahinja Kovacevic

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Biscuits belong to a group of flour-confectionery products that are considerably consumed worldwide. The basic raw material for their production is wheat flour or integral flour as a nutritionally highly valuable component. However, this raw material is also a potential source of contamination since it may contain the residues of biochemical compounds originating from plant and soil protection agents. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the health safety of both raw materials and final products. The aim of this research was to examine the content of undesirable residues of pesticides (mostly organochlorine pesticides, organophosphorus pesticides, carbamate pesticides, triazine pesticides, and pyrethroid pesticides) in 30 different biscuit samples of domestic origin present on the Vojvodina market using Gas Chromatograph Thermo ISQ/Trace 1300. The results showed that all tested samples had the limit of detection of pesticide content below 0.01 mg/kg, indicating that this type of confectionary products is not contaminated with pesticides.

Keywords: biscuits, pesticides, contamination, quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 182

Authors: Saad Mohamed Elsaid, Nabil Anwar, Mahmoud Rushdi

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One of the reasons for the intensive use of pesticides is to protect agricultural crops and orchards from pests or agricultural worms. The period of time that pesticides stay inside the soil is estimated at about (2) to (12) weeks. Perhaps the most important reason that led to groundwater pollution is the easy leakage of these harmful pesticides from the soil into the aquifers. This research aims to find the best ways to use traded activated charcoal with gold nitrate solution; for removing the deadly pesticides from the aqueous solution by adsorption phenomenon. The most used pesticides in Egypt were selected, such as Malathion, Methomyl Abamectin and, Thiamethoxam. Activated charcoal doped with gold ions was prepared by applying chemical and thermal treatments to activated charcoal using gold nitrate solution. Adsorption of studied pesticide onto activated carbon /Au was mainly by chemical adsorption, forming a complex with the gold metal immobilized on activated carbon surfaces. In addition, the gold atom was considered as a catalyst to cracking the pesticide molecule. Gold activated charcoal is a low cost material due to the use of very low concentrations of gold nitrate solution. its notice the great ability of activated charcoal in removing selected pesticides due to the presence of the positive charge of the gold ion, in addition to other active groups such as functional oxygen and lignin cellulose. The presence of pores of different sizes on the surface of activated charcoal is the driving force for the good adsorption efficiency for the removal of the pesticides under study The surface area of the prepared char as well as the active groups, were determined using infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Some factors affecting the ability of activated charcoal were applied in order to reach the highest adsorption capacity of activated charcoal, such as the weight of the charcoal, the concentration of the pesticide solution, the time of the experiment, and the pH. Experiments showed that the maximum limit revealed by the batch adsorption study for the adsorption of selected insecticides was in contact time (80) minutes at pH (7.70). These promising results were confirmed, and by establishing the practical application of the developed system, the effect of various operating factors with equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies is evident, using the Langmuir application on the effectiveness of the absorbent material with absorption capacities higher than most other adsorbents.

Keywords: waste water, pesticides pollution, adsorption, activated carbon

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Authors: Jeff Letcher, Dennis Tierney, Haider Raad

Abstract:

Antennas are devices for transmitting and/or receiving signals which make them a necessary component of any wireless system. In this paper, a thermal deposition technique is utilized as a method to fabricate antenna structures on substrates. Thin-film deposition is achieved by evaporating a source material (metals in our case) in a vacuum which allows vapor particles to travel directly to the target substrate which is encased with a mask that outlines the desired structure. The material then condenses back to solid state. This method is used in comparison to screen printing, chemical etching, and ink jet printing to indicate advantages and disadvantages to the method. The antenna created undergoes various testing of frequency ranges, conductivity, and a series of flexing to indicate the effectiveness of the thermal deposition technique. A single band antenna that is operated at 2.45 GHz intended for wearable and flexible applications was successfully fabricated through this method and tested. It is concluded that thermal deposition presents a feasible technique of producing such antennas.

Keywords: thermal deposition, wearable antennas, bluetooth technology, flexible electronics

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Authors: Guerich Mohamed, Assaf Samir

Abstract:

The application of viscoelastic materials in the form of constrained layers in mechanical structures is an efficient and cost-effective technique for solving noise and vibration problems. This technique requires a design tool to select the best location, type, and thickness of the damping treatment. This paper presents a finite element model for the vibration of beams partially or fully covered with a constrained viscoelastic damping material. The model is based on Bernoulli-Euler theory for the faces and Timoshenko beam theory for the core. It uses four variables: the through-thickness constant deflection, the axial displacements of the faces, and the bending rotation of the beam. The sandwich beam finite element is compatible with the conventional C1 finite element for homogenous beams. To validate the proposed model, several free vibration analyses of fully or partially covered beams, with different locations of the damping patches and different percent coverage, are studied. The results show that the proposed approach can be used as an effective tool to study the influence of the location and treatment size on the natural frequencies and the associated modal loss factors. Then, a parametric study regarding the variation in the damping characteristics of partially covered beams has been conducted. In these studies, the effect of core shear modulus value, the effect of patch size variation, the thickness of constraining layer, and the core and the locations of the patches are considered. In partial coverage, the spatial distribution of additive damping by using viscoelastic material is as important as the thickness and material properties of the viscoelastic layer and the constraining layer. Indeed, to limit added mass and to attain maximum damping, the damping patches should be placed at optimum locations. These locations are often selected using the modal strain energy indicator. Following this approach, the damping patches are applied over regions of the base structure with the highest modal strain energy to target specific modes of vibration. In the present study, a more efficient indicator is proposed, which consists of placing the damping patches over regions of high energy dissipation through the viscoelastic layer of the fully covered sandwich beam. The presented approach is used in an optimization method to select the best location for the damping patches as well as the material thicknesses and material properties of the layers that will yield optimal damping with the minimum area of coverage.

Keywords: finite element model, damping treatment, viscoelastic materials, sandwich beam

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Authors: A. Ouargui, N. Belouaggadia, M. Ezzine

Abstract:

In Morocco, the building sector is largely responsible for the evolution of energy consumption. The control of energy in this sector remains a major issue despite the rise of renewable energies. The design of an environmentally friendly building requires mastery and knowledge of energy and bioclimatic aspects. This implies taking into consideration of all the elements making up the building and the way in which energy exchanges take place between these elements. In this context, thermal insulation seems to be an ideal starting point for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, thermal insulation seems to be an ideal starting point for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this work is to provide some solutions to reduce energy consumption while maintaining thermal comfort in the building. The objective of our work is to present an experimental study on the characterization of local materials used in the thermal insulation of buildings. These are paper recycling stabilized with cement and clay. The thermal conductivity of these materials, which were constituted based on sand, clay, cement; water, as well as treated paper, was determined by the guarded-hot-plate method. It involves the design of two materials that will subsequently be subjected to thermal and mechanical tests to determine their thermophysical properties. The results show that the thermal conductivity decreases as well in the case of the paper-cement mixture as that of the paper-clay and seems to stabilize around 40%. Measurements of mechanical properties such as flexural strength have shown that the enrichment of the studied material with paper makes it possible to reduce the flexural strength by 20% while optimizing the conductivity.

Keywords: building, composite material, insulation, thermal conductivity, paper residue

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Authors: Helida T. G. Soares, Antonio J. P. da Silva

Abstract:

As the society develops, the accumulation of solid waste in landfills, in the environment, and the depletion of the raw material increases. In this way, there is relevance in researching the interaction between the environmental management and civil construction; therefore, this project has for scope the analysis and the effects of the rubber microparticles use as a small aggregate added to the sand, producing an ecological mortar for the pavement constitution, from the mixture of a paste, composed of Portland cement and water, and its application in sports courts. It was used the detailed reutilization of micro rubber in its most primordial, micro form, highlighting the powder pattern as the additional balancing of the mortar, analyzing the evolution of the mechanical properties. Percentages of 5, 10 and 15% rubber were used based on the total mass of the trace, where there is no removal of aggregates or cement, only increment of the rubber. The results obtained through the mechanical test of simple compression showed that the rubber, added to the mortar, presents low mechanical resistance compared to the reference trait, the study of this subject is vast of possibilities to be explored. In this sense, we seek sustainability and innovation from the use of an ecological material, thus adding value and reducing the impact of this material on the environment. The manufacturing process takes place from the direct mixing of cement paste and rubber, whether manually, mechanically or industrially. It results in the production of a low-cost mortar, through the use of recycled rubber, with high efficiency in general properties, such as compressive strength and friction coefficient, allowing its use for the construction of floors for sports courts with high durability. Thus, it is possible to reuse this micro rubber residue in other applications in simple concrete artifacts.

Keywords: civil construction, ecological mortar, high efficiency, rubber

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: Saeed Asiri, Yousuf Z. AL-Zahrani

Abstract:

A new class of support structures, called periodic structures, is introduced in this paper as a viable means for isolating the vibration transmitted from the sea waves to offshore platform structures through its legs. A passive approach to reduce transmitted vibration generated by waves is presented. The approach utilizes the property of periodic structural components that creates stop and pass bands. The stop band regions can be tailored to correspond to regions of the frequency spectra that contain harmonics of the wave frequency, attenuating the response in those regions. A periodic structural component is comprised of a repeating array of cells, which are themselves an assembly of elements. The elements may have differing material properties as well as geometric variations. For the purpose of this research, only geometric and material variations are considered and each cell is assumed to be identical. A periodic leg is designed in order to reduce transmitted vibration of sea waves. The effectiveness of the periodicity on the vibration levels of platform will be demonstrated theoretically. The theory governing the operation of this class of periodic structures is introduced using the transfer matrix method. The unique filtering characteristics of periodic structures are demonstrated as functions of their design parameters for structures with geometrical and material discontinuities; and determine the propagation factor by using the spectral finite element analysis and the effectiveness of design on the leg structure by changing the ratio of step length and area interface between the materials is demonstrated in order to find the propagation factor and frequency response.

Keywords: vibrations, periodic structures, offshore, platforms, transfer matrix method

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Authors: Kunal Ahluwalia, Ampara Aramcharoen, Chan Wai Luen, Swee Hock Yeo

Abstract:

The different process engineering applications of vibratory finishing technology have led to its versatile use in the development of aviation components. The most noteworthy applications of vibratory finishing include deburring and imparting the required surface finish. In this paper, vibratory finishing has been used to study its effectiveness in removal of laser shock peened (LSP) layers from Titanium workpieces. A vibratory trough operating at a frequency of 25 Hz, amplitude 3.5 mm and titanium specimens (Ti-6Al-4V, Grade 5) of dimensions 50 x 50 x 10 mm³ were utilized for the experiments. A vibrating fixture operating at 200 Hz was used to provide vibration to the test piece and was immersed in the vibratory trough. It was evident that there is an increase in efficiency of removal of the complex featured layer and smoother surface finish with the introduction of the vibrating fixture in the vibratory finishing setup as compared to the conventional vibratory finishing setup wherein the fixture is not vibrating.

Keywords: laser shock peening, material removal, surface roughness, vibrating fixture, vibratory finishing

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Authors: Ruedee Niyomrath, Somboon Sarasit, Chaisri Tharaswatpipat

Abstract:

This research aims to study the potential of local waste material in quantity and quality. The potential for such local forms of waste material used as renewable energy for the production of processed agricultural products. The results of this study are useful to producers of agricultural products to use fuel that in local, reduce production costs, and conservation. The results showed that Samut Songkhram is a small province located in the central Thailand, sea area, and subdivided into 3 districts. This province has a population of 80 percent of farmers and agriculture with 50 percent of the area planted to coconut growing. Productivity of coconut help create value for the primacy of the province. Waste materials from coconut have quantity and quality potentials for processing biomass into charcoal as the renewable energy for the production of processed agricultural products.

Keywords: waste, renewable energy, producing of product, processed agricultural products

Procedia PDF Downloads 439