Search results for: local thermal non-equilibrium

Authors: Chanpen Meenakorn

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The purpose of this study are (1) development plan and management strategy of Virachey Natioanl Park, (2) to study stakeholders’ perception on tourism development for sustainable tourism planning and management. The data was collected through 28 sets of questionnaires with the total population of international visitors who were interested in Ecotourism in northeast Cambodia and traveled to Virachey National Park. The SPSS programme was used to analyze the level of visitors’ satisfaction and perception on tourism development. The results of the study indicated that moderate potentiality to be developed as tourist attraction for sustainable tourism development in the park. The components with moderate potential are physical condition, management, activities and process of natural and cultural tourism, and organization and participation of the local community. The study also found that most local communities satisfy with tourism development in the park as well as in their community.

Keywords: Kingdom of Cambodia, stakeholders’ perception, tourism management, Virachey National Park

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Authors: Wang Haining, Zhang Hong

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In China, rapid urbanization needs more and more buildings constructed for the growing population in cities. With the help of the methodology which contains investigation, contrastive analysis, design based on component with BIM and experiment before real construction, this research based on mobile light structure system, trying to the sustainable problems partly in present China by systematic study. The system cannot replace the permanent heavy structure completely. So the goal is the improvement of the whole building system by the addition of light structure. This house system uses modularized envelopes and standardized connections, which are pre-fabricated and assembled in factories and transported like containers. Aluminum is used as the structural material in this system, and inorganic thermal insulation material used in the envelope, which have high fireproof properties. The relationship between manufactory and construction of the system is progressive hierarchy. They exist as First Industrial, Second Industrial, Third Industrial and Site Assembly Stage. It could maximize the land usage capacity by fully exploit the area where normal permanent architecture can't take advantage of. Not only the building system itself especially the thermal isolated materials used and active solar photovoltaic system equipped can save energy, but also the way of product development is sustainable.

Keywords: aluminum house, light Structure, rapid assembly, repeat construction

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Authors: Esmaeil Asadzadeh, Mehtab Alam

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Well documented records of the past failures of the structures reveals that the progressive collapse of structures is one of the major reasons for dramatic human loss and economical consequences. Progressive collapse is the failure mechanism in which the structure fails gradually due to the sudden removal of the structural elements. The sudden removal of some structural elements results in the excessive redistributed loads on the others. This sudden removal may be caused by any sudden loading resulted from local explosion, impact loading and terrorist attacks. Hyperbolic thin walled concrete shell structures being an important part of nuclear and thermal power plants are always prone to such terrorist attacks. In concrete structures, the gradual failure would take place by generation of initial cracks and its propagation in the supporting columns along with the tower shell leading to the collapse of the entire structure. In this study the mechanism of progressive collapse for such high raised towers would be simulated employing the finite element method. The aim of this study would be providing clear conceptual step-by-step descriptions of various procedures for progressive collapse analysis using commercially available finite element structural analysis software’s, with the aim that the explanations would be clear enough that they will be readily understandable and will be used by practicing engineers. The study would be carried out in the following procedures: 1. Provide explanations of modeling, simulation and analysis procedures including input screen snapshots; 2. Interpretation of the results and discussions; 3. Conclusions and recommendations.

Keywords: progressive collapse, cooling towers, finite element analysis, crack generation, reinforced concrete

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Authors: Jixiang Zhang

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A dynamic of Bertrand duopoly game is analyzed, where players use different production methods and choose their prices with bounded rationality. The equilibriums of the corresponding discrete dynamical systems are investigated. The stability conditions of Nash equilibrium under a local adjustment process are studied. The stability conditions of Nash equilibrium under a local adjustment process are studied. The stability of Nash equilibrium, as some parameters of the model are varied, gives rise to complex dynamics such as cycles of higher order and chaos. On this basis, we discover that an increase of adjustment speed of bounded rational player can make Bertrand market sink into the chaotic state. Finally, the complex dynamics, bifurcations and chaos are displayed by numerical simulation.

Keywords: Bertrand duopoly model, discrete dynamical system, heterogeneous expectations, nash equilibrium

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Authors: Omid Khabiri, Maryam Ghavami

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Buildings designed and built as high performance, sustainable or green are the vanguard in a movement to make buildings more energy efficient and less environmentally harmful. Although Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems offer many opportunities for recovery and re-use of thermal energy; however, the amount of energy used annually by these systems typically ranges from 40 to 60 percent of the overall energy consumption in a building, depending on the building design, function, condition, climate, and the use of renewable energy strategies. HVAC systems may also damage the environment by unnecessary use of non-renewable energy sources, which contribute to environmental pollution, and by creating noise and discharge of contaminated water and air containing chemicals, lubricating oils, refrigerants, heat transfer fluids, and particulate (gases matter). In fact, HVAC systems will significantly impact how “green” a building is, where an efficient HVAC system design can result in considerable energy, emissions and cost savings as well as providing increased user thermal comfort. This paper presents the basic concepts of green building design and discusses the role of efficient HVAC system and practical strategies for ensuring high performance sustainable buildings in design and operation.

Keywords: green building, hvac system, design strategies, high-performance equipment, efficient technologies

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Authors: Stephanie Wall, Guido Wimmers

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The construction and operation of buildings greatly contribute to environmental degradation through resource and energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The design of the envelope system affects the environmental impact of a building in two major ways; 1) high thermal performance and air tightness can significantly reduce the operational energy of the building and 2) the material selection for the envelope largely impacts the embodied energy of the building. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a scientific methodology that is used to systematically analyze the environmental load of processes or products, such as buildings, over their life. The paper will discuss the results of a comparative LCA of different envelope designs and the long-term monitoring of the Wood Innovation Research Lab (WIRL); a Passive House (PH), industrial building under construction in Prince George, Canada. The WIRL has a footprint of 30m x 30m on a concrete raft slab foundation and consists of shop space as well as a portion of the building that includes a two-story office/classroom space. The lab building goes beyond what was previously thought possible in regards to energy efficiency of industrial buildings in cold climates due to their large volume to surface ratio, small floor area, and high air change rate, and will be the first PH certified industrial building in Canada. These challenges were mitigated through the envelope design which utilizes solar gains while minimizing overheating, reduces thermal bridges with thick (570mm) prefabricated truss walls filled with blown in mineral wool insulation and a concrete slab and roof insulated with EPS rigid insulation. The envelope design results in lower operational and embodied energy when compared to buildings built to local codes or with steel. The LCA conducted using Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings identifies project specific hot spots as well illustrates that for high-efficiency buildings where the operational energy is relatively low; the embodied energy of the material selection becomes a significant design decision as it greatly impacts the overall environmental footprint of the building. The results of the LCA will be reinforced by long-term monitoring of the buildings envelope performance through the installation of temperature and humidity sensors throughout the floor slab, wall and roof panels and through detailed metering of the energy consumption. The data collected from the sensors will also be used to reinforce the results of hygrothermal analysis using WUFI®, a program used to verify the durability of the wall and roof panels. The WIRL provides an opportunity to showcase the use of wood in a high performance envelope of an industrial building and to emphasize the importance of considering the embodied energy of a material in the early stages of design. The results of the LCA will be of interest to leading researchers and scientists committed to finding sustainable solutions for new construction and high-performance buildings.

Keywords: high performance envelope, life cycle assessment, long term monitoring, passive house, prefabricated panels

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Authors: Syed Amer Mahmood, Rao Mansor Ali Khan

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This study deals with the remote sensing analysis of tectonic deformation and its implications to understand the regional uplift conditions in the lower Jhelum and eastern Potwar. Identification and mapping of active structures is an important issue in order to assess seismic hazards and to understand the Quaternary deformation of the region. Digital elevation models (DEMs) provide an opportunity to quantify land surface geometry in terms of elevation and its derivatives. Tectonic movement along the faults is often reflected by characteristic geomorphological features such as elevation, stream offsets, slope breaks and the contributing drainage area. The river profile analysis in this region using SRTM digital elevation model gives information about the tectonic influence on the local drainage network. The steepness and concavity indices have been calculated by power law of scaling relations under steady state conditions. An uplift rate map is prepared after carefully analysing the local drainage network showing uplift rates in mm/year. The active faults in the region control local drainages and the deflection of stream channels is a further evidence of the recent fault activity. The results show variable relative uplift conditions along MBT and Riasi and represent a wonderful example of the recency of uplift, as well as the influence of active tectonics on the evolution of young orogens.

Keywords: quaternary deformation, SRTM DEM, geomorphometric indices, active tectonics and MBT

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Authors: G. A. Asciak, C. Camilleri, A. Rizzo

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The waste management in Malta is a national challenge. Coupled with Malta’s recent economic boom, which has seen massive growth in several sectors, especially the construction industry, drastic actions need to be taken. Wood waste, currently being dumped in landfills, is one type of waste which has increased astronomically. This research study aims to carry out a thorough examination on the possibility of using this waste as a biomass resource and adopting a waste-to-energy technology in order to generate electrical energy. This study is composed of three distinct yet interdependent phases, namely, data collection from the local SMEs, thermal analysis using the bomb calorimeter, and generation of energy from wood waste using a micro biomass plant. Data collection from SMEs specializing in wood works was carried out to obtain information regarding the available types of wood waste, the annual weight of imported wood, and to analyse the manner in which wood shavings are used after wood is manufactured. From this analysis, it resulted that five most common types of wood available in Malta which would suitable for generating energy are Oak (hardwood), Beech (hardwood), Red Beech (softwood), African Walnut (softwood) and Iroko (hardwood). Subsequently, based on the information collected, a thermal analysis using a 6200 Isoperibol calorimeter on the five most common types of wood was performed. This analysis was done so as to give a clear indication with regards to the burning potential, which will be valuable when testing the wood in the biomass plant. The experiments carried out in this phase provided a clear indication that the African Walnut generated the highest gross calorific value. This means that this type of wood released the highest amount of heat during the combustion in the calorimeter. This is due to the high presence of extractives and lignin, which accounts for a slightly higher gross calorific value. This is followed by Red Beech and Oak. Moreover, based on the findings of the first phase, both the African Walnut and Red Beech are highly imported in the Maltese Islands for use in various purposes. Oak, which has the third highest gross calorific value is the most imported and common wood used. From the five types of wood, three were chosen for use in the power plant on the basis of their popularity and their heating values. The PP20 biomass plant was used to burn the three types of shavings in order to compare results related to the estimated feedstock consumed by the plant, the high temperatures generated, the time taken by the plant to produce gasification temperatures, and the projected electrical power attributed to each wood type. From the experiments, it emerged that whilst all three types reached the required gasification temperature and thus, are feasible for electrical energy generation. African Walnut was deemed to be the most suitable fast-burning fuel. This is followed by Red-beech and Oak, which required a longer period of time to reach the required gasification temperatures. The results obtained provide a clear indication that wood waste can not only be treated instead of being dumped in dumped in landfill but coupled.

Keywords: biomass, isoperibol calorimeter, waste-to-energy technology, wood

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Authors: Xiaozhou Liu, Guangyu Zhu, Yu Zhang, Hongwei Wu

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The wind-box is one of the important components of a Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) boiler. The uniformity of air flow in the wind-box of is very important for highly efficient operation of the CFB boiler. Non-uniform air flow distribution within the wind-box can reduce the boiler's thermal efficiency, leading to higher energy consumptions. An effective measure to solve this problem is to install an air flow distributing device in the wind-box. In order to validate the effectiveness of the air flow distributing device, visual and velocity distribution uniformity experiments have been carried out under five different test conditions by using a 1:64 scale model of a 220t/hr CFB boiler. It has been shown that the z component of flow velocity remains almost the same at control cross-sections of the wind-box, with a maximum variation of less than 10%. Moreover, the same methodology has been carried out to a full-scale 220t/hr CFB boiler. The hot test results depict that the thermal efficiency of the boiler has increased from 85.71% to 88.34% when tested with an air flow distributing device in place, which is equivalent to a saving of 5,000 tons of coal per year. The economic benefits of this energy-saving technology have been shown to be very significant, which clearly demonstrates that the technology is worth applying and popularizing.

Keywords: circulating fluidized bed, CFB, wind-box, air flow distributing device, visual experiment, velocity distribution uniformity experiment, hot test

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Authors: S. K. Thind, Aparjot Kaur

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Heat stress is one of the major environmental factors drastically reducing wheat production. Crop heat tolerance can be enhanced by preconditioning of plants by exogenous application of osmoprotectants. Presently, the effect of trehalose pretreatment (at 1 mM, and 1.5 nM) under heat stress of 35±2˚C (moderate) and 40±2˚ (severe) for four and eight hour was conducted in wheat (Tricticum aestivum L.) genotypes viz. HD2967, PBW 175, PBW 343, PBW 621, and PBW 590. Heat stress affects wide spectrum of physiological processes within plants that are irreversibly damaged by stress. Membrane thermal stability (MTS) and cell viability was significantly decreased under heat stress for eight hours. Pretreatment with trehalose improved MTS and cell viability under stress and this effect was more promotory with higher concentration. Thermal stability of photosynthetic apparatus differed markedly between genotypes and Hill reaction activity was recorded more in PBW621 followed by C306 as compared with others. In all genotypes photolysis of water showed decline with increase in temperature stress. Trehalose pretreatment helped in sustaining Hill reaction activity probably by stabilizing the photosynthetic apparatus against heat-induced photo inhibition. Both plant growth and development were affected by temperature in both shoot and root under heat stress. The reduction was compensated partially by trehalose (1.5 mM) application. Adaption to heat stress is associated with the metabolic adjustment which led to accumulation of soluble sugars including non-reducing and reducing for their role in adaptive mechanism. Higher acid invertase activity in shoot of tolerant genotypes appeared to be a characteristic for stress tolerance. As sucrose synthase play central role in sink strength and in studied wheat genotype was positively related to dry matter accumulation. The duration of heat stress for eight hours had more severe effect on these parameters and trehalose application at 1.5 mM ameliorated it to certain extent.

Keywords: heat stress, Triticum aestivum, trehalose, membrane thermal stability, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride, reduction test, growth, sugar metabolism

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Authors: Alexander Aurell

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One of the latest trends in the modeling of human crowds is the mean-field game approach. In the mean-field game approach, the motion of a human crowd is described by a nonstandard stochastic optimal control problem. It is nonstandard since congestion is considered, introduced through a dependence in the performance functional on the distribution of the crowd. This study extends the class of mean-field pedestrian crowd models to allow for non-local congestion and arbitrary, but finitely, many interacting crowds. The new congestion feature grants pedestrians a 'personal space' where crowding is undesirable. The model is treated as a mean-field type game which is derived from a particle picture. This, in contrast to a mean-field game, better describes a situation where the crowd can be controlled by a central planner. The latter is suitable for decentralized situations. Solutions to the mean-field type game are characterized via a Pontryagin-type Maximum Principle.

Keywords: congestion, crowd dynamics, interacting populations, mean-field approximation, optimal control

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Authors: Nordila Ahmad, Thamer Mohammad, Bruce W. Melville, Zuliziana Suif

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Current methods for predicting local scour at wide bridge piers, were developed on the basis of laboratory studies and very limited scour prediction were tested with field data. Laboratory wide pier scour equation from previous findings with field data were presented. A wide range of field data were used and it consists of both live-bed and clear-water scour. A method for assessing the quality of the data was developed and applied to the data set. Three other wide pier-scour equations from the literature were used to compare the performance of each predictive method. The best-performing scour equation were analyzed using statistical analysis. Comparisons of computed and observed scour depths indicate that the equation from the previous publication produced the smallest discrepancy ratio and RMSE value when compared with the large amount of laboratory and field data.

Keywords: field data, local scour, scour equation, wide piers

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Authors: Pallavi Gajjar, Vinayak Malhotra

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Rockets have been known to have played a predominant role in spacecraft propulsion. The quintessential aspect of combustion-related requirements of a rocket engine is the minimization of the surrounding risks/hazards. Over time, it has become imperative to understand the combustion rate variation in presence of external energy source(s). Rocket propulsion represents a special domain of chemical propulsion assisted by high speed flows in presence of acoustics and thermal source(s). Jet noise leads to a significant loss of resources and every year a huge amount of financial aid is spent to prevent it. External heat source(s) induce high possibility of fire risk/hazards which can sufficiently endanger the operation of a space vehicle. Appreciable work had been done with justifiable simplification and emphasis on the linear variation of external energy source(s), which yields good physical insight but does not cater to accurate predictions. Present work experimentally attempts to understand the correlation between inter-energy conversions with the non-linear placement of external energy source(s). The work is motivated by the need to have better fire safety and enhanced combustion. The specific objectives of the work are a) To interpret the related energy transfer for combustion in presence of alternate external energy source(s) viz., thermal and acoustic, b) To fundamentally understand the role of key controlling parameters viz., separation distance, the number of the source(s), selected configurations and their non-linear variation to resemble real-life cases. An experimental setup was prepared using incense sticks as potential fuel and paraffin wax candles as the external energy source(s). The acoustics was generated using frequency generator, and source(s) were placed at selected locations. Non-equidistant parametric experimentation was carried out, and the effects were noted on regression rate changes. The results are expected to be very helpful in offering a new perspective into futuristic rocket designs and safety.

Keywords: combustion, acoustic energy, external energy sources, regression rate

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Authors: Youssef Mazloum, Haytham Sayah, Maroun Nemer

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The penetration of renewable energy sources into the electric grid is significantly increasing. However, the intermittence of these sources breaks the balance between supply and demand for electricity. Hence, the importance of the energy storage technologies, they permit restoring the balance and reducing the drawbacks of intermittence of the renewable energies. This paper discusses the modeling and the cost-effectiveness of an isobaric adiabatic compressed air energy storage (IA-CAES) system. The proposed system is a combination among a compressed air energy storage (CAES) system with pumped hydro storage system and thermal energy storage system. The aim of this combination is to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional CAES system such as the losses due to the storage pressure variation, the loss of the compression heat and the use of fossil fuel sources. A steady state model is developed to perform an energy and exergy analyses of the IA-CAES system and calculate the distribution of the exergy losses in the latter system. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out to estimate the effects of some key parameters on the system’s efficiency, such as the pinch of the heat exchangers, the isentropic efficiency of the rotating machinery and the pressure losses. The conducted sensitivity analysis is a local analysis since the sensibility of each parameter changes with the variation of the other parameters. Therefore, an exergoeconomic study is achieved as well as a cost optimization in order to reduce the electricity cost produced during the production phase. The optimizer used is OmOptim which is a genetic algorithms based optimizer.

Keywords: cost-effectiveness, Exergoeconomic analysis, isobaric adiabatic compressed air energy storage (IA-CAES) system, thermodynamic modeling

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Authors: Nino Pailodze, Malkhaz Sulashvili, Vladimer Kekenadze, Tea Khutsishvili, Irma Makharashvili, Aleksandre Kekenadze

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In the nearest future among the important problems which Georgia has solve the most important is economic stability, that bases on fiscal policy and the proper definition of the its directions. The main source of the Budget revenue is the national income. The State uses taxes, loans and emission in order to create national income, were the principal weapon are taxes. As well as fiscal function of the fulfillment of the budget, tax systems successfully implement economic and social development and the regulatory functions of foreign economic relations. A tax is a mandatory, unconditional monetary payment to the budget made by a taxpayer in accordance with this Code, based on the necessary, nonequivalent and gratuitous character of the payment. Taxes shall be national and local. National taxes shall be the taxes provided for under this Code, the payment of which is mandatory across the whole territory of Georgia. Local taxes shall be the taxes provided for under this Code, introduced by normative acts of local self-government representative authorities (within marginal rates), the payment of which is mandatory within the territory of the relevant self-governing unit. National taxes have the leading role in tax systems, but also the local taxes have an importance role in tax systems. Exactly in the means of local taxes, the most part of the budget is formatted. National taxes shall be: income tax, profit tax, value added tax (VAT), excise tax, import duty, property tax shall be a local tax The property tax is one of the significant taxes in Georgia. The paper deals with the taxation mechanism that has been operated in Georgia. The above mention has the great influence in financial accounting. While comparing foreign legislation towards Georgian legislation we discuss the opportunity of using their experience. Also, we suggested recommendations in order to improve the tax system in financial accounting. In addition to accounting, which is regulated according the International Accounting Standards we have tax accounting, which is regulated by the Tax Code, various legal orders / regulations of the Minister of Finance. The rules are controlled by the tax authority, Revenue Service. The tax burden from the tax values are directly related to expenditures of the state from the emergence of the first day. Fiscal policy of the state is as well as expenditure of the state and decisions of taxation. In order to get the best and the most effective mobilization of funds, Government’s primary task is to decide the kind of taxation rules. Tax function is to reveal the substance of the act. Taxes have the following functions: distribution or the fiscal function; Control and regulatory functions. Foreign tax systems evolved in the different economic, political and social conditions influence. The tax systems differ greatly from each other: taxes, their structure, typing means, rates, the different levels of fiscal authority, the tax base, the tax sphere of action, the tax breaks.

Keywords: international accounting standards, financial accounting, tax systems, financial obligations

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Authors: Sanusi Abubakar Sadiq

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Despite the significance of tourism as a key revenue earner and employment generator, it is still being disregarded in many areas. The prospects of existing resources could boost development in communities; region, etc. are less used. This study is carried out with the view of developing Pandi-Tekki in Tanglang in Billiri Local Government Area as a Tourism Destination. It was primarily aimed at identifying features of Pandi-Tekki that could be developed into tourism attraction and suggest ways of developing the prospective site into a tourism destination, as well as exploring its possible contribution to tourism sector in Gombe State. Literature was reviewed based on relevant published materials. Data was collected through the use of qualitative and quantitative methods which include personal observation and structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software. Result based on the data collected shows that Pandi-Tekki has potentials that can be developed as an attraction. The result also shows that the local community perceives tourism as a good development that will open them up to the entire world and also generate revenue to stimulate their economy. Conclusions were drawn based on the findings with regard to the analysis carried out in this research. It was discovered that Pandi-Tekki can be developed as a tourism destination, and there will be a great success towards achieving the aim and objectives of the development. Therefore, recommendations were made on creating awareness on the need to develop Pandi-Tekki as a Tourism Destination and the need for government to provide tourism facilities at the destination since it is a public outfit.

Keywords: attraction, destination, developing, features

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Authors: B. B. van Schalkwyk, C. B. Schoeman, E. J. Cilliers

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High levels of urbanisation and the lingering effects of Apartheid have caused South African municipalities to experience difficulties in planning for sustainability and, more specifically, sustainable community development. Sustainable community development is needed in order to achieve more integrated and sustainable towns and cities with an improved living environment and a higher quality of life. Due to this, sustainable community development is of particular relevance to South Africa. Although policies and legislation exist at international, national and local level, there is a lack of suitable planning instruments to guide sustainable community development. Tlokwe Local Municipality is researched in this paper as study area to test and develop planning instruments for sustainable community development. A comparative assessment matrix of sustainability indicators is linked to Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) and applied to identify the themes and sub-themes applicable to sustainability in which intervention is required to improve the sustainability rating of the municipality. The result of the comparative sustainability assessment is that the Tlokwe Local Municipality is considered to be relatively sustainable, performing overall better than the three spheres of government against which it was measured. It is recommended that municipalities use the comparative assessment matrix method to determine its level of sustainability when developing respective sectorial plans (SDFs, ITPs, EMFs and IDPs). Areas in which there is a lack of sustainability are highlighted and can consequently be addressed through intervention strategies. The comparative assessment matrix method is a valuable planning instrument with which to achieve sustainable community development.

Keywords: sustainable community development, sustainability indicators, comparative sustainability, urbanisation, development planning, urban management

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Authors: Rupa Jeena, Pankaj Chetry, Pradeep Sarin

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The study of fundamental particles and the forces governing them has always remained an attractive field of theoretical study to pursue. With the advancement and development of new technologies and instruments, it is possible now to perform particle physics experiments on a large scale for the validation of theoretical predictions. These experiments are generally carried out in a highly intense beam environment. This, in turn, requires the development of a detector prototype possessing properties like radiation tolerance, thermal stability, and fast timing response. Semiconductors like Silicon, Germanium, Diamond, and Gallium Nitride (GaN) have been widely used for particle detection applications. Silicon and germanium being narrow bandgap semiconductors, require pre-cooling to suppress the effect of noise by thermally generated intrinsic charge carriers. The application of diamond in large-scale experiments is rare owing to its high cost of fabrication, while GaN is one of the most extensively explored potential candidates. But we are aiming to introduce another wide bandgap semiconductor in this active area of research by considering all the requirements. We have made an attempt by utilizing the wide bandgap of rutile Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and other properties to use it for particle detection purposes. The thermal evaporation-oxidation (in PID furnace) technique is used for the deposition of the film, and the Metal Semiconductor Metal (MSM) electrical contacts are made using Titanium+Gold (Ti+Au) (20/80nm). The characterization comprising X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Ultraviolet (UV)-Visible spectroscopy, and Laser Raman Spectroscopy (LRS) has been performed on the film to get detailed information about surface morphology. On the other hand, electrical characterizations like Current Voltage (IV) measurement in dark and light and test with laser are performed to have a better understanding of the working of the detector prototype. All these preliminary tests of the detector will be presented.

Keywords: particle detector, rutile titanium dioxide, thermal evaporation, wide bandgap semiconductors

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Authors: M. A. Karakassides, M. Baikousi, A. Kouloumpis, D. Gournis

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Nanocomposites of Carbon Nanorods (CNRs) with Polystyrene (PS), have been synthesized successfully by means of in situ polymerization process and characterized. Firstly, carbon nanorods with graphitic structure were prepared by the standard synthetic procedure of CMK-3 using MCM-41 as template, instead of SBA-15, and sucrose as carbon source. In order to create an organophilic surface on CNRs, two parts of modification were realized: surface chemical oxidation (CNRs-ox) according to the Staudenmaier’s method and the attachment of octadecylamine molecules on the functional groups of CNRs-ox (CNRs-ODA The nanocomposite materials of polystyrene with CNRs-ODA, were prepared by a solution-precipitation method at three nanoadditive to polymer loadings (1, 3 and 5 wt. %). The as derived nanocomposites were studied with a combination of characterization and analytical techniques. Especially, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopies were used for the chemical and structural characterization of the pristine materials and the derived nanocomposites while the morphology of nanocomposites and the dispersion of the carbon nanorods were analyzed by atomic force and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Tensile testing and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) along with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were also used to examine the mechanical properties and thermal stability -glass transition temperature of PS after the incorporation of CNRs-ODA nanorods. The results showed that the thermal and mechanical properties of the PS/ CNRs-ODA nanocomposites gradually improved with increasing of CNRs-ODA loading.

Keywords: nanocomposites, polystyrene, carbon, nanorods

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Authors: G. Raviraja Shetty, K. G. Poojitha, Pranay Kumar

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Biodiversity refers to the numbers, variety and variability of living organisms and ecosystem. The climatic and altitudinal variations, coupled with varied ecological habitats of this country, have contributed to the development of immensely rich vegetation with a unique diversity in medicinal plants which provides an important source of medicinal raw materials for traditional medicine systems as well as for pharmaceutical industries in the country and abroad. World Health Organization has listed over 21000 plant species used around the world for medicinal purpose. In India, about 2500 plant species are being used in indigenous system of medicine. The red data book lists 427 Indian Medicinal plant entries on endangered species, of which 28 are considered extinct, 124 endangered, 81 rare, and 34 insufficiently known. It is abundantly clear from the experience of all govt agencies that on their own they cannot efficiently conserve the biodiversity. Participatory Approach with the involvement of local people in conservation is found to be more effective these days. Involvement of local people reduces the cost involved in conservation. Local communities have long tradition of resource use in particular area, hold in depth knowledge and experience of plant which can be invaluable for conservation efforts.Medicinal plants occupy a vital sector of health care system in India and represent a major national resource.There is an immense need for conservation of diversity of medicinal plant wealth for the present and fore coming generations, by adapting the suitable strategy with most appropriate method of conservation.

Keywords: conservation, biodiversity, participatory, medicinal plants

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Authors: Ghulam Muhammad Ali

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Unveiling of genes involved in drought and root architecture using transcriptomic analyses remained fragmented for further improvement of wheat through genome editing. The purpose of this research endeavor was to unveil the variations in different genes implicated in drought tolerance and root architecture in wheat through RNA-seq data analysis. In this study seedlings of 8 days old, 6 cultivars of wheat namely, Batis, Blue Silver, Local White, UZ888, Chakwal 50 and Synthetic wheat S22 were subjected to transcriptomic analysis for root and shoot genes. Total of 12 RNA samples was sequenced by Illumina. Using updated wheat transcripts from Ensembl and IWGC references with 54,175 gene models, we found that 49,621 out of 54,175 (91.5%) genes are expressed at an RPKM of 0.1 or more (in at least 1 sample). The number of genes expressed was higher in Local White than Batis. Differentially expressed genes (DEG) were higher in Chakwal 50. Expression-based clustering indicated conserved function of DRO1and RPK1 between Arabidopsis and wheat. Dendrogram showed that Local White is sister to Chakwal 50 while Batis is closely related to Blue Silver. This study flaunts transcriptomic sequence variations in different cultivars that showed mutations in genes associated with drought that may directly contribute to drought tolerance. DRO1 and RPK1 genes were fetched/isolated for genome editing. These genes are being edited in wheat through CRISPR-Cas9 for yield enhancement.

Keywords: transcriptomic, wheat, genome editing, drought, CRISPR-Cas9, yield enhancement

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Authors: Aisling Eves, Andrew Pieri, Ross McLean, Nerys Forester

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Background: The breast unit local guideline recommends that 12 cores should be used in a stereotactic-guided biopsy to diagnose DCIS. Twelve cores are regarded to provide good diagnostic value without removing more breast tissue than necessary. This study aimed to determine compliance with guidelines and investigated how the number of cores impacted upon the re-excision rate and size discrepancies. Methods: This single-centre retrospective cohort study of 72 consecutive breast screened patients with <15mm DCIS on radiological report underwent stereotactic-guided core biopsy and subsequent surgical excision. Clinical, radiological, and histological data were collected over 5 years, and ASCO guidelines for margin involvement of <2mm was used to guide the need for re-excision. Results: Forty-six (63.9%) patients had <12 cores taken, and 26 (36.1%) patients had ≥12 cores taken. Only six (8.3%) patients had 12 cores taken in their stereotactic biopsy. Incomplete surgical excision was seen in 17 patients overall (23.6%), and of these patients, twelve (70.6%) had fewer than 12 cores taken (p=0.55 for the difference between groups). Mammogram and biopsy underestimated the size of the DCIS in this subgroup by a median of 15mm (range: 6-135mm). Re-excision was required in 9 patients (12.5%), and five patients (6.9%) were found to have invasive ductal carcinoma on excision (80% had <12 cores, p=0.43). Discussion: There is poor compliance with the breast unit local guidelines and higher rates of re-excision in patients who did not have ≥12 cores taken. Taking ≥12 cores resulted in fewer missed invasive cancers lower incomplete excision and re-excision rates.

Keywords: stereotactic core biopsy, DCIS, breast screening, Re-excision rates, core biopsy

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Authors: César M. Moreira, Marco A. Pazmiño-Hernández, Marco A. Pazmiño-Barreno, Kyle Griffin, Pratap Pullammanappallil

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An anaerobic digestion system that was completely operated on solar power (both photovoltaic and solar thermal energy), and mounted on a trailer to make it mobile, was designed and constructed. A 55-gallon batch digester was placed within a chamber that was heated by hot water pumped through a radiator. Hot water was produced by a solar thermal collector and photovoltaic panels charged a battery which operated pumps for recirculating water. It was found that the temperature in the heating chamber was maintained above ambient temperature but it follows the same trend as ambient temperature. The temperature difference between the chamber and ambient values was not constant but varied with time of day. Advantageously, the temperature difference was highest during night and early morning and lowest near noon. In winter, when ambient temperature dipped to 2 °C during early morning hours, the chamber temperature did not drop below 10 °C. Model simulations showed that even if the digester is subjected to diurnal variations of temperature (as observed in winter of a subtropical region), about 63 % of the waste that would have been processed under constant digester temperature of 38 °C, can still be processed. The cost of the digester system without the trailer was $1,800.

Keywords: anaerobic digestion, solar-mobile, rural communities, solar, hybrid

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Authors: A. Sezai Sarac

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Acrylonitrile (AN) copolymers with typical comonomers of vinyl acetate (VAc) or methyl acrylate (MA) exhibit better mechanical behaviors than its homopolymer. To increase processability of conjugated polymer, and to obtain a hybrid nano-structure multi-stepped emulsion polymerization was applied. Such products could be used in, i.e., drug-delivery systems, biosensors, gas-sensors, electronic compounds, etc. Incorporation of a number of flexible comonomers weakens the dipolar interactions among CN and thereby decreases melting point or increases decomposition temperatures of the PAN based copolymers. Hence, it is important to consider the effect of comonomer on the properties of PAN-based copolymers. Acrylonitrile vinylacetate (AN–VAc ) copolymers have the significant effect to their thermal behavior and are also of interest as precursors in the production of high strength carbon fibers. AN is copolymerized with one or two comonomers, particularly with vinyl acetate The copolymer of AN and VAc can be used either as a plastic (VAc > 15 wt %) or as microfibers (VAc < 15 wt %). AN provides the copolymer with good processability, electrochemical and thermal stability; VAc provides the mechanical stability. The free radical copolymerization of AN and VAc copolymer and core Shell structure of polyprrole composites,and nanofibers of poly(m-anthranilic acid)/polyacrylonitrile blends were recently studied. Free radical copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) – with different comonomers, i.e. acrylates, and styrene was realized using ammonium persulfate (APS) in the presence of a surfactant and in-situ polymerization of conjugated polymers was performed in this reaction medium to obtain core-shell nano particles. Nanofibers of such nanoparticles were obtained by electrospinning. Morphological properties of nanofibers are investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force spectroscopy (AFM). Nanofibers are characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared - Attenuated Total Reflectance spectrometer (FTIR-ATR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-NMR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. The electrochemical Impedance results of the nanofibers were fitted to an equivalent curcuit by modelling (ECM).

Keywords: core shell nanoparticles, nanofibers, ascrylonitile copolymers, hybrid nanostructures

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Authors: Gargi Phadke, Mugdha Joshi, Shamal Salunkhe

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Facial sketches are used as a crucial clue by criminal investigators for identification of suspects when the description of eyewitness or victims are only available as evidence. A forensic artist develops a sketch as per the verbal description is given by an eyewitness that shows the facial look of the culprit. In this paper, the fusion of Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and multiscale local binary patterns (MLBP) are proposed as a feature to recognize a forensic face sketch images from a gallery of mugshot photos. This work focuses on comparative analysis of proposed scheme with existing algorithms in different challenges like illumination change and rotation condition. Experimental results show that proposed scheme can lead to better performance for the defined problem.

Keywords: SIFT feature, MLBP, PCA, face sketch

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Authors: Mayandi Ramanathan

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Gas turbine blades see the most aggressive thermal stress conditions within the engine, due to Turbine Entry Temperatures in the range of 1500 to 1600°C, but in synchronization with other functional components, they must readily deliver efficient performance, whilst incurring minimal overhaul and repair costs during its service life up to 5 million flying miles. The blades rotate at very high rotation rates and remove significant amount of thermal power from the gas stream. At high temperatures the major component failure mechanism is creep. During its service over time under high temperatures and loads, the blade will deform, lengthen and rupture. High strength and stiffness in the longitudinal direction up to elevated service temperatures are certainly the most needed properties of turbine blades. The proposed advanced Ti alloy material needs a process that provides strategic orientation of metallic ordering, uniformity in composition and high metallic strength. 25% Ta/(Al+Ta) ratio ensures TaAl3 phase formation, where as 51% Al/(Al+Ti) ratio ensures formation of α-Ti3Al and γ-TiAl mixed phases fand the three phase combination ensures minimal Al excess (~1.4% Al excess), unlike Ti-47Al-2Cr-2Nb which has significant excess Al (~5% Al excess) that could affect the service life of turbine blades. This presentation will involve the summary of additive manufacturing and heat treatment process conditions to fabricate turbine blade with Ti-43Al matrix alloyed with optimized amount of refractory Ta metal. Summary of thermo-mechanical test results such as high temperature tensile strength, creep strain rate, thermal expansion coefficient and fracture toughness will be presented. Improvement in service temperature of the turbine blades and corrosion resistance dependence on coercivity of the alloy material will be reported. Phase compositions will be quantified, and a summary of its correlation with creep strain rate will be presented.

Keywords: gas turbine, aerospace, specific strength, creep, high temperature materials, alloys, phase optimization

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Authors: Fang Tang

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A major Confucian masterpiece and the earliest-known poetry anthology (composed approximately 1046-771 BCE), The Classic of Poetry, reflects different cultures in ancient China. It is regarded as a Chinese classic and one of the world’s most significant written works, an essential part of our global cultural heritage. This paper explores how the ancient Chinese classic became transformed into part of popular culture, found in folk songs circulated in Fangxian county, a mountainous location in Hubei province in central mainland China. It is the hometown of one of the most well-known authors of The Classic of Poetry, whose name is Yin Jifu. Local villagers process, refine, and recreate these poems into popular folk songs, which have been handed down from generation to generation. The folk songs based on The Classic of Poetry vividly reflect local customs, life styles, and various cultural activities. After thousands of years of singing these traditional songs, the region has become an important area to maintain part of Chinese cultural heritages; here, the original high culture is converted into a popular culture that is absorbed into people’s daily life. Based on a year’s field research and many interviews with local singers, this paper explores the ways in which locals have transformed the contents of The Classic of Poetry. It examines how today these popular folk songs become part of much-treasured culture heritage, illustrating the transformation of traditional high culture into popular culture. The paper argues that the modern adaptations of the traditional poems of The Classic of Poetry combine both oral and written cultural heritage and reflects the interaction between ancient Chinese official literature and folk literature. The paper also explores the reasons why the folk songs of The Classic of Poetry are so popular in the area, including the influences of its author Yin Jifu, the impact of ancient diasporic culture from the political centre to remote rural areas, and the interactions of local cultures (famous as Chu culture) and Chinese mainstream cultural policies.

Keywords: high/low culture, The Classic of Poetry, the functions of media, cultural policy

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Authors: Laura Bravo-García, Gotzone Barandika, Begoña Bazán, M. Karmele Urtiaga, Luis M. Lezama, María I. Arriortua

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Solid coordination networks (SCNs) are materials consisting of metal ions or clusters that are linked by polyfunctional organic ligands and can be designed to form tridimensional frameworks. Their structural features, as for example high surface areas, thermal stability, and in other cases large cavities, have opened a wide range of applications in fields like drug delivery, host-guest chemistry, biomedical imaging, chemical sensing, heterogeneous catalysis and others referred to greenhouse gases storage or even separation. In this sense, the use of polycarboxylate anions and dipyridyl ligands is an effective strategy to produce extended structures with the needed characteristics for these applications. In this context, a novel compound, [Cu4(m-BDC)4(bpa)2DMF]•DMF has been obtained by microwave synthesis, where m-BDC is 1,3-benzenedicarboxylate and bpa 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane. The crystal structure can be described as a three dimensional framework formed by two equal, interpenetrated networks. Each network consists of two different CuII dimers. Dimer 1 have two coppers with a square pyramidal coordination, and dimer 2 have one with a square pyramidal coordination and other with octahedral one, the last dimer is unique in literature. Therefore, the combination of both type of dimers is unprecedented. Thus, benzenedicarboxylate ligands form sinusoidal chains between the same type of dimers, and also connect both chains forming these layers in the (100) plane. These layers are connected along the [100] direction through the bpa ligand, giving rise to a 3D network with 10 Å2 voids in average. However, the fact that there are two interpenetrated networks results in a significant reduction of the available volume. Structural analysis was carried out by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. Thermal and magnetic properties have been measured by means of thermogravimetry (TG), X-ray thermodiffractometry (TDX), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Additionally, CO2 and CH4 high pressure adsorption measurements have been carried out for this compound.

Keywords: gas adsorption, interpenetrated networks, magnetic measurements, solid coordination network (SCN), thermal stability

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Authors: Wan-Hsin Hsieh, Chieh-Fu Chang, Ming-Seng Kao

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In this paper, a novel method termed the Phase Coherence Acquisition (PCA) is proposed for pseudo-random (PN) sequence acquisition. By employing complex phasors, the PCA requires only complex additions in the order of N, the length of the sequence, whereas the conventional method utilizing fast Fourier transform (FFT) requires complex multiplications and additions both in the order of Nlog2N . In order to combat noise, the input and local sequences are partitioned and mapped into complex phasors in PCA. The phase differences between pairs of input and local phasors are utilized for acquisition, and thus complex multiplications are avoided. For more noise-robustness capability, the multi-layer PCA is developed to extract the code phase step by step. The significant reduction of computational loads makes the PCA an attractive method, especially when the sequence length of is extremely large which becomes intractable for the FFT-based acquisition.

Keywords: FFT, PCA, PN sequence, convolution theory

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Authors: Irina Mizeva, Elena Potapova, Viktor Dremin, Mikhail Mezentsev, Valeri Shupletsov

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The local tissue perfusion is regulated by the microvascular tone which is under the control of a number of physiological mechanisms. Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) together with wavelet analyses is the most commonly used technique to study the regulatory mechanisms of cutaneous microcirculation. External factors such as temperature, local pressure of the probe on the skin, etc. influence on the blood flow characteristics and are used as physiological tests to evaluate microvascular regulatory mechanisms. Local probe pressure influences on the microcirculation parameters measured by optical methods: diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and LDF. Therefore, further study of probe pressure effects can be useful to improve the reliability of optical measurement. During pressure tests variation of the mean perfusion measured by means of LDF usually is estimated. An additional information concerning the physiological mechanisms of the vascular tone regulation system in response to local pressure can be obtained using spectral analyses of LDF samples. The aim of the present work was to develop protocol and algorithm of data processing appropriate for study physiological response to the local pressure test. Involving 6 subjects (20±2 years) and providing 5 measurements for every subject we estimated intersubject and-inter group variability of response of both averaged and oscillating parts of the LDF sample on external surface pressure. The final purpose of the work was to find special features which further can be used in wider clinic studies. The cutaneous perfusion measurements were carried out by LAKK-02 (SPE LAZMA Ltd., Russia), the skin loading was provided by the originally designed device which allows one to distribute the pressure around the LDF probe. The probe was installed on the dorsal part of the distal finger of the index figure. We collected measurements continuously for one hour and varied loading from 0 to 180mmHg stepwise with a step duration of 10 minutes. Further, we post-processed the samples using the wavelet transform and traced the energy of oscillations in five frequency bands over time. Weak loading leads to pressure-induced vasodilation, so one should take into account that the perfusion measured under pressure conditions will be overestimated. On the other hand, we revealed a decrease in endothelial associated fluctuations. Further loading (88 mmHg) induces amplification of pulsations in all frequency bands. We assume that such loading leads to a higher number of closed capillaries, higher input of arterioles in the LDF signal and as a consequence more vivid oscillations which mainly are formed in arterioles. External pressure higher than 144 mmHg leads to the decrease of oscillating components, after removing the loading very rapid restore of the tissue perfusion takes place. In this work, we have demonstrated that local skin loading influence on the microcirculation parameters measured by optic technique; this should be taken into account while developing portable electronic devices. The proposed protocol of local loading allows one to evaluate PIV as far as to trace dynamic of blood flow oscillations. This study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation under project N 18-15-00201.

Keywords: blood microcirculation, laser Doppler flowmetry, pressure-induced vasodilation, wavelet analyses blood

Procedia PDF Downloads 140