Search results for: mass loss
4362 The Analysis of TRACE/FRAPTRAN in the Fuel Rods of Maanshan PWR for LBLOCA
Authors: J. R. Wang, W. Y. Li, H. T. Lin, J. H. Yang, C. Shih, S. W. Chen
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Fuel rod analysis program transient (FRAPTRAN) code was used to study the fuel rod performance during a postulated large break loss of coolant accident (LBLOCA) in Maanshan nuclear power plant (NPP). Previous transient results from thermal hydraulic code, TRACE, with the same LBLOCA scenario, were used as input boundary conditions for FRAPTRAN. The simulation results showed that the peak cladding temperatures and the fuel center line temperatures were all below the 10CFR50.46 LOCA criteria. In addition, the maximum hoop stress was 18 MPa and the oxide thickness was 0.003 mm for the present simulation cases, which are all within the safety operation ranges. The present study confirms that this analysis method, the FRAPTRAN code combined with TRACE, is an appropriate approach to predict the fuel integrity under LBLOCA with operational ECCS.Keywords: FRAPTRAN, TRACE, LOCA, PWR
Procedia PDF Downloads 5114361 On-Screen Disability Delineation and Social Representation: An Evaluation
Authors: Chetna Jaswal, Nishi Srivastava, Ahammedul Kabeer AP, Puja Prasad
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We are a culture of mass media consumers and cinema as its integral part has high visibility and potential influence on public attitude towards disability which maintains no sociocultural boundaries but experiences substantial social marginalization. Given the lack of awareness and direct experience with disability, on-screen or film representations can give powerful and memorable definitions for the public that can contribute to framing the perception and attitude change. Social representation refers to common ways of thinking, conceiving about and evaluating social reality. It is a product of collective cognition, common sense and thought system. This study aims at analyzing the representations and narratives of disability in Indian cinema and Hollywood with the help of a conceptual understanding of social representation and its theoretical framework.Keywords: disability, social representation, mainstream cinema, diversity
Procedia PDF Downloads 1704360 Learning to Recommend with Negative Ratings Based on Factorization Machine
Authors: Caihong Sun, Xizi Zhang
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Rating prediction is an important problem for recommender systems. The task is to predict the rating for an item that a user would give. Most of the existing algorithms for the task ignore the effect of negative ratings rated by users on items, but the negative ratings have a significant impact on users’ purchasing decisions in practice. In this paper, we present a rating prediction algorithm based on factorization machines that consider the effect of negative ratings inspired by Loss Aversion theory. The aim of this paper is to develop a concave and a convex negative disgust function to evaluate the negative ratings respectively. Experiments are conducted on MovieLens dataset. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods by comparing with other four the state-of-the-art approaches. The negative ratings showed much importance in the accuracy of ratings predictions.Keywords: factorization machines, feature engineering, negative ratings, recommendation systems
Procedia PDF Downloads 2424359 Fabrication of Aluminum Nitride Thick Layers by Modified Reactive Plasma Spraying
Authors: Cécile Dufloux, Klaus Böttcher, Heike Oppermann, Jürgen Wollweber
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Hexagonal aluminum nitride (AlN) is a promising candidate for several wide band gap semiconductor compound applications such as deep UV light emitting diodes (UVC LED) and fast power transistors (HEMTs). To date, bulk AlN single crystals are still commonly grown from the physical vapor transport (PVT). Single crystalline AlN wafers obtained from this process could offer suitable substrates for a defect-free growth of ultimately active AlGaN layers, however, these wafers still lack from small sizes, limited delivery quantities and high prices so far.Although there is already an increasing interest in the commercial availability of AlN wafers, comparatively cheap Si, SiC or sapphire are still predominantly used as substrate material for the deposition of active AlGaN layers. Nevertheless, due to a lattice mismatch up to 20%, the obtained material shows high defect densities and is, therefore, less suitable for high power devices as described above. Therefore, the use of AlN with specially adapted properties for optical and sensor applications could be promising for mass market products which seem to fulfill fewer requirements. To respond to the demand of suitable AlN target material for the growth of AlGaN layers, we have designed an innovative technology based on reactive plasma spraying. The goal is to produce coarse grained AlN boules with N-terminated columnar structure and high purity. In this process, aluminum is injected into a microwave stimulated nitrogen plasma. AlN, as the product of the reaction between aluminum powder and the plasma activated N2, is deposited onto the target. We used an aluminum filament as the initial material to minimize oxygen contamination during the process. The material was guided through the nitrogen plasma so that the mass turnover was 10g/h. To avoid any impurity contamination by an erosion of the electrodes, an electrode-less discharge was used for the plasma ignition. The pressure was maintained at 600-700 mbar, so the plasma reached a temperature high enough to vaporize the aluminum which subsequently was reacting with the surrounding plasma. The obtained products consist of thick polycrystalline AlN layers with a diameter of 2-3 cm. The crystallinity was determined by X-ray crystallography. The grain structure was systematically investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, we performed a Raman spectroscopy to provide evidence of stress in the layers. This paper will discuss the effects of process parameters such as microwave power and deposition geometry (specimen holder, radiation shields, ...) on the topography, crystallinity, and stress distribution of AlN.Keywords: aluminum nitride, polycrystal, reactive plasma spraying, semiconductor
Procedia PDF Downloads 2814358 Conceptual Design of Unmanned Aerial Targets
Authors: M. Adamski, J. Cwiklak
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The contemporary battlefield creates a demand for more costly and highly advanced munitions. Training personnel responsible for operations, as well as an immediate execution of combat tasks, which engage real assets, is unrealistic and economically not feasible. Owing to a wide array of exploited simulators and various types of imitators, it is possible to reduce the costs. One of the effective elements of training, which can be applied in the training of all service branches, are imitators of aerial targets. This research serves as an introduction to the commencement of design analysis over a real aerial target imitator. Within the project, the basic aerodynamic calculations were made, which enabled to determine its geometry, design layout, performance, as well as the mass balance of individual components. The conducted calculations of the parameters of flight characteristics come closer to the real performance of such unmanned aerial vehicles.Keywords: aerial target, aerodynamics, imitator, performance
Procedia PDF Downloads 3984357 Modern State of the Universal Modeling for Centrifugal Compressors
Authors: Y. Galerkin, K. Soldatova, A. Drozdov
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The 6th version of Universal modeling method for centrifugal compressor stage calculation is described. Identification of the new mathematical model was made. As a result of identification the uniform set of empirical coefficients is received. The efficiency definition error is 0,86 % at a design point. The efficiency definition error at five flow rate points (except a point of the maximum flow rate) is 1,22 %. Several variants of the stage with 3D impellers designed by 6th version program and quasi three-dimensional calculation programs were compared by their gas dynamic performances CFD (NUMECA FINE TURBO). Performance comparison demonstrated general principles of design validity and leads to some design recommendations.Keywords: compressor design, loss model, performance prediction, test data, model stages, flow rate coefficient, work coefficient
Procedia PDF Downloads 4124356 The Influence of an Occupation as a Calling on the Value of Job Security and Its Connection with Wage Levels
Authors: Malul Miki, Rafi Bar-El, Eithan Hourie
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In this article, we test the influence of an occupation as a calling on the value of job security and its connection with wage levels. Our sample consists of 495 workers in Israel from 10 occupations in the public sector, who are assumed to have a relatively high level of job security, and the private sector, who are assumed to have less job security or none at all. These 10 occupations are social workers, lecturers, lawyers, administration workers, accountants, high school teachers, bank workers, high-tech worker, nurses and psychologists. Using regression analysis, we find that those who have occupations that the literature has defined as a calling value job security less than those in ordinary employment. In addition, salary level has no effect on this relationship. Finally, those who work in occupations that are regarded as a calling have less status quo bias than those in ordinary employment.Keywords: calling, loss aversion, job security, status quo bias
Procedia PDF Downloads 1044355 Evaluation of Toxicity of Some Fungicides Against the Pathogen Fusarium sp.
Authors: M. Djekoun, H. Berrebah, M. R. Djebar
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Fusarium wilt attacks the plants of major economic interest including wheat. This disease causes many problems for farmers and economic loss resulting are often very heavy. Chemical control is currently one of the most effective ways to fight against these diseases. In this study, the efficacy of three fungicides (tebuconazole, thiram and fludioxonil - difenoconazole mixture) was tested, in vitro, on the phytopathogenic Fusarium sp. isolated from seeds of wheat. The active ingredients were tested at different concentrations: 0.06, 1.39, 2.79, 5.58, and 11.16 mg/l for tebuconazole, 0.035, 0.052, 0.105, 0.21, and 0.42 mg/l for thiram and finally, for the mixture fludioxonil- difenoconazole 4 concentrations were tested : 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 mg/l. Toxicity responses were expressed as the effective concentration, which inhibits mycelial growth by 50%, (EC50). Of the three selected fungicides, thirame proved to be the most effective with EC50 value of the order of 0,15 mg/l followed by the mixture of fludioxonil- difenoconazole with 0,27 mg/l and finally tebuconazole with a value of 3.79 mg/l.Keywords: Fusarium sp, thiram, tebuconazole, fludioxonil, difenoconazole, EC50
Procedia PDF Downloads 5444354 Binary Programming for Manufacturing Material and Manufacturing Process Selection Using Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Saleem Z. Ramadan
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The material selection problem is concerned with the determination of the right material for a certain product to optimize certain performance indices in that product such as mass, energy density, and power-to-weight ratio. This paper is concerned about optimizing the selection of the manufacturing process along with the material used in the product under performance indices and availability constraints. In this paper, the material selection problem is formulated using binary programming and solved by genetic algorithm. The objective function of the model is to minimize the total manufacturing cost under performance indices and material and manufacturing process availability constraints.Keywords: optimization, material selection, process selection, genetic algorithm
Procedia PDF Downloads 4204353 A Versatile Data Processing Package for Ground-Based Synthetic Aperture Radar Deformation Monitoring
Authors: Zheng Wang, Zhenhong Li, Jon Mills
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Ground-based synthetic aperture radar (GBSAR) represents a powerful remote sensing tool for deformation monitoring towards various geohazards, e.g. landslides, mudflows, avalanches, infrastructure failures, and the subsidence of residential areas. Unlike spaceborne SAR with a fixed revisit period, GBSAR data can be acquired with an adjustable temporal resolution through either continuous or discontinuous operation. However, challenges arise from processing high temporal-resolution continuous GBSAR data, including the extreme cost of computational random-access-memory (RAM), the delay of displacement maps, and the loss of temporal evolution. Moreover, repositioning errors between discontinuous campaigns impede the accurate measurement of surface displacements. Therefore, a versatile package with two complete chains is developed in this study in order to process both continuous and discontinuous GBSAR data and address the aforementioned issues. The first chain is based on a small-baseline subset concept and it processes continuous GBSAR images unit by unit. Images within a window form a basic unit. By taking this strategy, the RAM requirement is reduced to only one unit of images and the chain can theoretically process an infinite number of images. The evolution of surface displacements can be detected as it keeps temporarily-coherent pixels which are present only in some certain units but not in the whole observation period. The chain supports real-time processing of the continuous data and the delay of creating displacement maps can be shortened without waiting for the entire dataset. The other chain aims to measure deformation between discontinuous campaigns. Temporal averaging is carried out on a stack of images in a single campaign in order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of discontinuous data and minimise the loss of coherence. The temporal-averaged images are then processed by a particular interferometry procedure integrated with advanced interferometric SAR algorithms such as robust coherence estimation, non-local filtering, and selection of partially-coherent pixels. Experiments are conducted using both synthetic and real-world GBSAR data. Displacement time series at the level of a few sub-millimetres are achieved in several applications (e.g. a coastal cliff, a sand dune, a bridge, and a residential area), indicating the feasibility of the developed GBSAR data processing package for deformation monitoring of a wide range of scientific and practical applications.Keywords: ground-based synthetic aperture radar, interferometry, small baseline subset algorithm, deformation monitoring
Procedia PDF Downloads 1614352 Chatter Suppression in Boring Process Using Passive Damper
Authors: V. Prasannavenkadesan, A. Elango, S. Chockalingam
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During machining process, chatter is an unavoidable phenomenon. Boring bars possess the cantilever shape and due to this, it is subjected to chatter. The adverse effect of chatter includes the increase in temperature which will leads to excess tool wear. To overcome these problems, in this investigation, Cartridge brass (Cu – 70% and Zn – 30%) is passively fixed on the boring bar and also clearance is provided in order to reduce the displacement, tool wear and cutting temperature. A conventional all geared lathe is attached with vibrometer and pyrometer is used to measure the displacement and temperature. The influence of input parameters such as cutting speed, depth of cut and clearance on temperature, tool wear and displacement are investigated for various cutting conditions. From the result, the optimum conditions to obtain better damping in boring process for chatter reduction is identified.Keywords: boring, chatter, mass damping, passive damping
Procedia PDF Downloads 3504351 Characteristics of Asphalt Mixtures with Cocoa Shell Ash as Filler
Authors: Muhammad Nur Hidayat, Muksalmina, Chairul Fajar
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An alternative to improve the quality of asphalt as a pavement material is to use modified asphalt with the addition of cocoa shell ash as a filler. This research aims to determine the effect of asphalt mixture and cocoa shell ash after testing the physical properties of asphalt. The method used was experimental by testing the physical properties of asphalt. The results showed that the optimum asphalt content of the cocoa husk ash mixture was 2%, with an asphalt penetration value of 60.03 mm. The result of the asphalt softening point test was 51.0°C. Asphalt ductility test results in 144 cm. Asphalt specific gravity test result 1.076 gr/ml. Asphalt weight loss test results in 0.0183%. In conclusion, cocoa shell ash has an effect on asphalt characteristics, namely increasing stability, flexibility and fatigue resistance.Keywords: cocoa husk ash, asphalt characteristics, physical properties testing, filler
Procedia PDF Downloads 374350 Effects of Endurance Training and Thyme Consumption on Neuropeptide Y in Untrained Men
Authors: M. Ghasemi, S.Fazelifar
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Abstract Aim: Over-weight is not desirable and has implications for health and in the case of athletes affects performance. Exercise is a strategy used to counteract overweight owing to create a negative energy balance by increasing energy expenditure and influencing appetite regulating hormones. Interestingly, recent studies have revealed inhibitory effects of exercise on the hunger associated with these hormones in healthy subjects Neuropeptide Y(NPY) is a 36 amino acid protein that is a powerful stimulant appetite. NPY is an important central orexigenic hormone predominantly produced by the hypothalamus, and recently found to be secreted in adipose tissue. This neurotransmitter is secreted in the brain and autonomic nervous system. On the other hand, research has shown that thyme in addition to various properties, also affects the appetite. The purpose of this study was to determine Effects of eight weeks endurance training and thyme consumption on neuropeptide Y in untrained men. Methodology: 36 Healthy untrained men (mean body weight 78.25±3.2 kg, height 176±6.8 cm, age 34.32±4.54 years and BMI 29.1±4.3 kg/m2) voluntarily participated in this study . Subjects were randomly divided into four groups: 1. control, 2. Endurance training, 3. Thyme 4. Endurance training + Thyme. Amount of 10cc Blood sampling were obtained pre-test and post-test (after 8 weeks). The taken blood samples were centrifuged at 1500 × g for 15 min then plasma was stored at -20 °C until analysis. Endurance training consisted three session per week with 60% -75% of reserve heart rate for eight weeks. Exclusion criteria were history of gastrointestinal, endocrine, cardiovascular or psychological disease, and consuming any supplementation, alcohol and tobacco products. Descriptive statistics including means, standard deviations, and ranges were calculated for all measures. K-S test to determine the normality of the data and analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to analyze the data. A significant difference in the p<0/05 accepted. Results: Results showed that aerobic training significantly reduced body weight, body mass index, percent body fat, but significant increase observed in maximal oxygen consumption level (p ≤ 0/05). The neuropeptide Y levels were significantly increased after exercise. Analysis of data determined that there was no significant difference between the four groups. Conclusion: Appetite control plays a critical role in the competition between energy consumption and energy expenditure. The results of this study showed that endurance training and thyme consumption can be cause improvement in physiological parameters such as increasing aerobic capacity, reduction of fat mass and improve body composition in untrained men.Keywords: Endurance training, neuropeptide Y, thyme, untrained men
Procedia PDF Downloads 3104349 Complications of Contact Lens-Associated Keratitis: A Refresher for Emergency Departments
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Microbial keratitis is a serious complication of contact lens wear that can be vision and eye-threatening. Diverse presentations relating to contact lens wear include dry corneal surface, corneal infiltrate, ulceration, scarring, and complete corneal melt leading to perforation. Contact lens wear is a major risk factor and, as such, is an important consideration in any patient presenting with a red eye in the primary care setting. This paper aims to provide an overview of the risk factors, common organisms, and spectrum of contact lens-associated keratitis (CLAK) complications. It will highlight some of the salient points relevant to the assessment and workup of patients suspected of CLAK in the emergency department based on the recent literature and therapeutic guidelines. An overview of the management principles will also be provided.Keywords: microbial keratitis, corneal pathology, contact lens-associated complications, painful vision loss
Procedia PDF Downloads 1104348 Optimization of Slider Crank Mechanism Using Design of Experiments and Multi-Linear Regression
Authors: Galal Elkobrosy, Amr M. Abdelrazek, Bassuny M. Elsouhily, Mohamed E. Khidr
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Crank shaft length, connecting rod length, crank angle, engine rpm, cylinder bore, mass of piston and compression ratio are the inputs that can control the performance of the slider crank mechanism and then its efficiency. Several combinations of these seven inputs are used and compared. The throughput engine torque predicted by the simulation is analyzed through two different regression models, with and without interaction terms, developed according to multi-linear regression using LU decomposition to solve system of algebraic equations. These models are validated. A regression model in seven inputs including their interaction terms lowered the polynomial degree from 3rd degree to 1st degree and suggested valid predictions and stable explanations.Keywords: design of experiments, regression analysis, SI engine, statistical modeling
Procedia PDF Downloads 1864347 Characterization of Fine Particles Emitted by the Inland and Maritime Shipping
Authors: Malika Souada, Juanita Rausch, Benjamin Guinot, Christine Bugajny
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The increase of global commerce and tourism makes the shipping sector an important contributor of atmospheric pollution. Both, airborne particles and gaseous pollutants have negative impact on health and climate. This is especially the case in port cities, due to the proximity of the exposed population to the shipping emissions in addition to other multiple sources of pollution linked to the surrounding urban activity. The objective of this study is to determine the concentrations of fine particles (immission), specifically PM2.5, PM1, PM0.3, BC and sulphates, in a context where maritime passenger traffic plays an important role (port area of Bordeaux centre). The methodology is based on high temporal resolution measurements of pollutants, correlated with meteorological and ship movements data. Particles and gaseous pollutants from seven maritime passenger ships were sampled and analysed during the docking, manoeuvring and berthing phases. The particle mass measurements were supplemented by measurements of the number concentration of ultrafine particles (<300 nm diameter). The different measurement points were chosen by taking into account the local meteorological conditions and by pre-modelling the dispersion of the smoke plumes. The results of the measurement campaign carried out during the summer of 2021 in the port of Bordeaux show that the detection of concentrations of particles emitted by ships proved to be punctual and stealthy. Punctual peaks of ultrafine particle concentration in number (P#/m3) and BC (ng/m3) were measured during the docking phases of the ships, but the concentrations returned to their background level within minutes. However, it appears that the influence of the docking phases does not significantly affect the air quality of Bordeaux centre in terms of mass concentration. Additionally, no clear differences in PM2.5 concentrations between the periods with and without ships at berth were observed. The urban background pollution seems to be mainly dominated by exhaust and non-exhaust road traffic emissions. However, temporal high-resolution measurements suggest a probable emission of gaseous precursors responsible for the formation of secondary aerosols related to the ship activities. This was evidenced by the high values of the PM1/BC and PN/BC ratios, tracers of non-primary particle formation, during periods of ship berthing vs. periods without ships at berth. The research findings from this study provide robust support for port area air quality assessment and source apportionment.Keywords: characterization, fine particulate matter, harbour air quality, shipping impacts
Procedia PDF Downloads 1044346 Skull Extraction for Quantification of Brain Volume in Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Marcela De Oliveira, Marina P. Da Silva, Fernando C. G. Da Rocha, Jorge M. Santos, Jaime S. Cardoso, Paulo N. Lisboa-Filho
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Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system characterized by neurodegeneration, inflammation, demyelination, and axonal loss. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), due to the richness in the information details provided, is the gold standard exam for diagnosis and follow-up of neurodegenerative diseases, such as MS. Brain atrophy, the gradual loss of brain volume, is quite extensive in multiple sclerosis, nearly 0.5-1.35% per year, far off the limits of normal aging. Thus, the brain volume quantification becomes an essential task for future analysis of the occurrence atrophy. The analysis of MRI has become a tedious and complex task for clinicians, who have to manually extract important information. This manual analysis is prone to errors and is time consuming due to various intra- and inter-operator variability. Nowadays, computerized methods for MRI segmentation have been extensively used to assist doctors in quantitative analyzes for disease diagnosis and monitoring. Thus, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the brain volume in MRI of MS patients. We used MRI scans with 30 slices of the five patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis according to the McDonald criteria. The computational methods for the analysis of images were carried out in two steps: segmentation of the brain and brain volume quantification. The first image processing step was to perform brain extraction by skull stripping from the original image. In the skull stripper for MRI images of the brain, the algorithm registers a grayscale atlas image to the grayscale patient image. The associated brain mask is propagated using the registration transformation. Then this mask is eroded and used for a refined brain extraction based on level-sets (edge of the brain-skull border with dedicated expansion, curvature, and advection terms). In the second step, the brain volume quantification was performed by counting the voxels belonging to the segmentation mask and converted in cc. We observed an average brain volume of 1469.5 cc. We concluded that the automatic method applied in this work can be used for the brain extraction process and brain volume quantification in MRI. The development and use of computer programs can contribute to assist health professionals in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. In future works, we expect to implement more automated methods for the assessment of cerebral atrophy and brain lesions quantification, including machine-learning approaches. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by a grant from Brazilian agency Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (number 2019/16362-5).Keywords: brain volume, magnetic resonance imaging, multiple sclerosis, skull stripper
Procedia PDF Downloads 1464345 Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Methanolic Extract of Spilanthes acmella Murr.
Authors: Wanthani Paengsri, Thanyarat Chuesaard, Napapha Promsawan
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Spilanthes acmella Murr. was extracted with methanol, yielding methanol crude extract 5.86 %w/w. This study aimed to examine the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of methanolic crude extract. The chemical composition of methanolic crude extract was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The predominant components were found to be palmitic acid (40.08%), 2-hexadecanoyl glycerol (6.96%) and octadecanoic acid (4.06%). Antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, for evaluating free radicle scavenging activity. The methanolic extract at 150 µg/mL showed an antioxidant activity with high of radical scavenging activity (75.23%).Keywords: antioxidant activity, GC-MS analysis, Spilanthes, Phak-Kratt Hauwaen
Procedia PDF Downloads 5314344 The Effectiveness of the Repositioning Campaign of PKO BP Brand on the Basis of Questionnaire Research
Authors: Danuta Szwajca
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Image is a very important intangible asset of a contemporary enterprise, especially, in case of a bank as a public trust institution. A positive, demanded image may effectively distinguish the bank among the competition and build the customer confidence and loyalty. PKO BP is the biggest and largest bank functioning on the Polish financial market. Within the years not a very nice image of the bank has been embedded in the customers’ minds as an old-fashioned, stagnant, resistant to changes institution, what result in the customer loss, and ageing. For this reason, in 2010, the bank launched a campaign of radical image change along with a strategy of branches modernization and improvement of the product offer. The objective of the article is to make an attempt of effectiveness assessment of the brand repositioning campaign that lasted three years. The foundations of the assessment are the results of the questionnaire research concerning the way of bank’s perception before and after the campaign.Keywords: advertising campaign, brand repositioning, image of the bank, repositioning
Procedia PDF Downloads 4234343 Physico-Chemical Characterization of an Algerian Biomass: Application in the Adsorption of an Organic Pollutant
Authors: Djelloul Addad, Fatiha Belkhadem Mokhtari
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The objective of this work is to study the retention of methylene blue (MB) by biomass. The Biomass is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared absorption (IRTF). Results show that the biomass contains organic and mineral substances. The effect of certain physicochemical parameters on the adsorption of MB is studied (effect of the pH). This study shows that the increase in the initial concentration of MB leads to an increase in the adsorbed quantity. The adsorption efficiency of MB decreases with increasing biomass mass. The adsorption kinetics show that the adsorption is rapid, and the maximum amount is reached after 120 min of contact time. It is noted that the pH has no great influence on the adsorption. The isotherms are best modelled by the Langmuir model. The adsorption kinetics follow the pseudo-second-order model. The thermodynamic study of adsorption shows that the adsorption is spontaneous and exothermic.Keywords: dyes, adsorption, biomass, methylene blue, langmuir
Procedia PDF Downloads 674342 Analysis of Cooperative Hybrid ARQ with Adaptive Modulation and Coding on a Correlated Fading Channel Environment
Authors: Ibrahim Ozkan
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In this study, a cross-layer design which combines adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) techniques for a cooperative wireless network is investigated analytically. Previous analyses of such systems in the literature are confined to the case where the fading channel is independent at each retransmission, which can be unrealistic unless the channel is varying very fast. On the other hand, temporal channel correlation can have a significant impact on the performance of HARQ systems. In this study, utilizing a Markov channel model which accounts for the temporal correlation, the performance of non-cooperative and cooperative networks are investigated in terms of packet loss rate and throughput metrics for Chase combining HARQ strategy.Keywords: cooperative network, adaptive modulation and coding, hybrid ARQ, correlated fading
Procedia PDF Downloads 1444341 Corrosion Investigation of Superalloys, Molybdenum and TZM in Chloride Molten Salts
Authors: Craig Jantzen, Tim Abram, Dirk Engelberg, Hugues Lambert, Daniel Cooper
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Molten salts are of high interest for use as coolants in nuclear reactors due to favourable high temperature and thermodynamic properties. The corrosive behaviour of molten salts however pose a materials integrity challenge. Three Ni / Ni-Fe based and two Mo based alloys have been exposed to molten eutectics (LiCl-KCl at 59.5:40.5 mol% and KCl-MgCl2 at 68:32 mol%) at 600°C and 800°C for durations up to 500hrs. Corrosion was observed to preferentially attack alloy constituents in order of their reactivity, with chromium the most vulnerable and depleted element. Alloy weight-loss per unit area was calculated to give linear corrosion rates, discounting any initial rapid corrosion of impurities. Further analysis was carried out using ICP-MS, SEM and EDX techniques to give a more detailed view of the corrosion mechanisms.Keywords: molten salt, salt, corrosion, high temperature, licl, KCL, MgCl, molybdenum, nickel, superalloys
Procedia PDF Downloads 4504340 Processing, Nutritional Assessment and Sensory Evaluation of Bakery Products Prepared from Orange Fleshed Sweet Potatoes (OFSP) and Wheat Composite Flours
Authors: Hategekimana Jean Paul, Irakoze Josiane, Ishimweyizerwe Valentin, Iradukunda Dieudonne, Uwanyirigira Jeannette
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Orange fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) are highly grown and are available plenty in rural and urban local markets and its contribution in reduction of food insecurity in Rwanda is considerable. But the postharvest loss of this commodity is a critical challenge due to its high perishability. Several research activities have been conducted on how fresh food commodities can be transformed into extended shelf life food products for prevention of post-harvest losses. However, such activity was not yet well studied in Rwanda. The aim of the present study was the processing of backed products from (OFSP)combined with wheat composite flour and assess the nutritional content and consumer acceptability of new developed products. The perishability of OFSP and their related lack during off season can be eradicated by producing cake, doughnut and bread with OFSP puree or flour. The processing for doughnut and bread were made by making OFSP puree and other ingredients then a dough was made followed by frying and baking while for cake OFSP was dried through solar dryer to have a flour together with wheat flour and other ingredients to make dough cake and baking. For each product, one control and three experimental samples, (three products in three different ratios (30,40 and50%) of OFSP and the remaining percentage of wheat flour) were prepared. All samples including the control were analyzed for the consumer acceptability (sensory attributes). Most preferred samples (One sample for each product with its control sample and for each OFSP variety) were analyzed for nutritional composition along with control sample. The Cake from Terimbere variety and Bread from Gihingumukungu supplemented with 50% OFSP flour or Puree respectively were most acceptable except Doughnut from Vita variety which was highly accepted at 50% of OFSP supplementation. The moisture, ash, protein, fat, fiber, Total carbohydrate, Vitamin C, reducing sugar and minerals (Sodium, Potassium and Phosphorus.) content was different among products. Cake was rich in fibers (14.71%), protein (6.590%), and vitamin c(19.988mg/100g) compared to other samples while bread found to be rich in reducing sugar with 12.71mg/100g compared to cake and doughnut. Also doughnut was found to be rich in fat content with 6.89% compared to other samples. For sensory analysis, doughnut was highly accepted in ratio of 60:40 compared to other products while cake was least accepted at ratio of 50:50. The Proximate composition and minerals content of all the OFSP products were significantly higher as compared to the control samples.Keywords: post-harvest loss, OFSP products, wheat flour, sensory evaluation, proximate composition
Procedia PDF Downloads 624339 Separation of Mercury(Ii) from Petroleum Produced Water via Hollow Fiber Supported Liquid Membrane and Mass Transfer Modeling
Authors: Srestha Chaturabul, Wanchalerm Srirachat, Thanaporn Wannachod, Prakorn Ramakul, Ura Pancharoen, Soorathep Kheawhom
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The separation of mercury(II) from petroleum-produced water from the Gulf of Thailand was carried out using a hollow fiber supported liquid membrane system (HFSLM). Optimum parameters for feed pretreatment were 0.2 M HCl, 4% (v/v) Aliquat 336 for extractant and 0.1 M thiourea for stripping solution. The best percentage obtained for extraction was 99.73% and for recovery 90.11%, respectively. The overall separation efficiency noted was 94.92% taking account of both extraction and recovery prospects. The model for this separation developed along a combined flux principle i.e. convection–diffusion–kinetic. The results showed excellent agreement with theoretical data at an average standard deviation of 1.5% and 1.8%, respectively.Keywords: separation, mercury(ii), petroleum produced water, hollow fiber, liquid membrane
Procedia PDF Downloads 2984338 Geomechanics Properties of Tuzluca (Eastern. Turkey) Bedded Rock Salt and Geotechnical Safety
Authors: Mehmet Salih Bayraktutan
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Geomechanical properties of Rock Salt Deposits in Tuzluca Salt Mine Area (Eastern Turkey) are studied for modeling the operation- excavation strategy. The purpose of this research focused on calculating the critical value of span height- which will meet the safety requirements. The Mine Site Tuzluca Hills consist of alternating parallel bedding of Salt ( NaCl ) and Gypsum ( CaS04 + 2 H20) rocks. Rock Salt beds are more resistant than narrow Gypsum interlayers. Rock Salt beds formed almost 97 percent of the total height of the Hill. Therefore, the geotechnical safety of Galleries depends on the mechanical criteria of Rock Salt Cores. General deposition of Tuzluca Basin was finally completed by Tuzluca Evaporites, as for the uppermost stratigraphic unit. They are currently running mining operations performed by classic mechanical excavation, room and pillar method. Rooms and Pillars are currently experiencing an initial stage of fracturing in places. Geotechnical safety of the whole mining area evaluated by Rock Mass Rating (RMR), Rock Quality Designation (RQD) spacing of joints, and the interaction of groundwater and fracture system. In general, bedded rock salt Show large lateral deformation capacity (while deformation modulus stays in relative small values, here E= 9.86 GPa). In such litho-stratigraphic environments, creep is a critical mechanism in failure. Rock Salt creep rate in steady-state is greater than interbedding layers. Under long-lasted compressive stresses, creep may cause shear displacements, partly using bedding planes. Eventually, steady-state creep in time returns to accelerated stages. Uniaxial compression creep tests on specimens were performed to have an idea of rock salt strength. To give an idea, on Rock Salt cores, average axial strength and strain are found as 18 - 24 MPa and 0.43-0.45 %, respectively. Uniaxial Compressive strength of 26- 32 MPa, from bedded rock salt cores. Elastic modulus is comparatively low, but lateral deformation of the rock salt is high under the uniaxial compression stress state. Poisson ratio = 0.44, break load = 156 kN, cohesion c= 12.8 kg/cm2, specific gravity SG=2.17 gr/cm3. Fracture System; spacing of fractures, joints, faults, offsets are evaluated under acting geodynamic mechanism. Two sand beds, each 4-6 m thick, exist near to upper level and at the top of the evaporating sequence. They act as aquifers and keep infiltrated water on top for a long duration, which may result in the failure of roofs or pillars. Two major active seismic ( N30W and N70E ) striking Fault Planes and parallel fracture strands have seismically triggered moderate risk of structural deformation of rock salt bedding sequence. Earthquakes and Floods are two prevailing sources of geohazards in this region—the seismotectonic activity of the Mine Site based on the crossing framework of Kagizman Faults and Igdir Faults. Dominant Hazard Risk sources include; a) Weak mechanical properties of rock salt, gypsum, anhydrite beds-creep. b) Physical discontinuities cutting across the thick parallel layers of Evaporite Mass, c) Intercalated beds of weak cemented or loose sand, clayey sandy sediments. On the other hand, absorbing the effects of salt-gyps parallel bedded deposits on seismic wave amplitudes has a reducing effect on the Rock Mass.Keywords: bedded rock salt, creep, failure mechanism, geotechnical safety
Procedia PDF Downloads 1904337 Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) Fiber via Simultaneous Ultrasonic and Alkali Treatment
Authors: Ridzuan Ramli, Norhafzan Junadi, Mohammad D.H. Beg, Rosli M. Yunus
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In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was extracted from oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) cellulose which was earlier isolated from oil palm EFB fibre. In order to isolate the cellulose, the chlorination method was carried out. Then, the MCC was prepared by simultaneous ultrasonic and alkali treatment from the isolated α-cellulose. Based on mass balance calculation, the yields for MCC obtained from EFB was 44%. For fiber characterization, it is observed that the chemical composition of the hemicellulose and lignin for all samples decreased while composition for cellulose increased. The structural property of the MCC was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method and the result shows that the MCC produced is a cellulose-I polymorph, with 73% crystallinity.Keywords: oil palm empty fruit bunch, microcrystalline cellulose, ultrasonic, alkali treatment, x-ray diffraction
Procedia PDF Downloads 4144336 Investigation on Dry Sliding Wear for Laser Cladding of Stellite 6 Produced on a P91 Steel Substrate
Authors: Alain Kusmoko, Druce Dunne, Huijun Li
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Stellite 6 was deposited by laser cladding on a chromium bearing substrate (P91) with energy inputs of 1 kW (P91-1) and 1.8 kW (P91-1.8). The chemical compositions and microstructures of these coatings were characterized by atomic absorption spectroscopy, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The microhardness of the coatings was measured and the wear mechanism of the coatings was assessed using a pin-on-plate (reciprocating) wear testing machine. The results showed less cracking and pore development for Stellite 6 coatings applied to the P91 steel substrate with the lower heat input (P91-1). Further, the Stellite coating for P91-1 was significantly harder than that obtained for P91-1.8. The wear test results indicated that the weight loss for P91-1 was much lower than for P91-1.8. It is concluded that the lower hardness of the coating for P91-1.8, together with the softer underlying substrate structure, markedly reduced the wear resistance of the Stellite 6 coating.Keywords: friction and wear, laser cladding, P91 steel, Stellite 6 coating
Procedia PDF Downloads 4414335 Optimum Design of Attenuator of Spun-Bond Production System
Authors: Nasser Ghassembaglou, Abdullah Bolek, Oktay Yilmaz, Ertan Oznergiz, Hikmet Kocabas, Safak Yilmaz
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Nanofibers are effective material which have frequently been investigated to produce high quality air filters. As an environmental approach our aim is to achieve nanofibers by melting. In spun-bond systems extruder, spin-pump, nozzle package and attenuator are used. Molten polymer which flows from extruder is made steady by spin-pump. Regular melt passes through nozzle holes and forms fibers under high pressure. The fibers pulled from nozzle are shrunk to micron size by an attenuator, after solidification they are collected on a conveyor. In this research different designs of attenuator system have been studied and also CFD analysis have been done on them. Afterwards, one of these designs tested and finally some optimizations have been done to reduce pressure loss and increase air velocity.Keywords: attenuator, nanofiber, spun-bond, extruder
Procedia PDF Downloads 4134334 Characterization of Plunging Water Jets in Crossflows: Experimental and Numerical Studies
Authors: Mina Esmi Jahromi, Mehdi Khiadani
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Plunging water jets discharging into turbulent crossflows are capable of providing efficient air water interfacial area, which is desirable for the process of mass transfer. Although several studies have been dedicated to the air entrainment by water jets impinging into stagnant water, very few studies have focused on the water jets in crossflows. This study investigates development of the two-phase flow as a result of the jet impingements into crossflows by means of image processing technique and CFD simulations. Investigations are also conducted on the oxygen transfer and a correlation is established between the aeration properties and the oxygenation capacity of water jets in crossflows. This study helps the optimal design and the effective operation of the industrial and the environmental equipment incorporating water jets in crossflows.Keywords: air entrainment, CFD simulation, image processing, jet in crossflow, oxygen transfer, two-phase flow
Procedia PDF Downloads 2384333 Scintigraphic Image Coding of Region of Interest Based on SPIHT Algorithm Using Global Thresholding and Huffman Coding
Authors: A. Seddiki, M. Djebbouri, D. Guerchi
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Medical imaging produces human body pictures in digital form. Since these imaging techniques produce prohibitive amounts of data, compression is necessary for storage and communication purposes. Many current compression schemes provide a very high compression rate but with considerable loss of quality. On the other hand, in some areas in medicine, it may be sufficient to maintain high image quality only in region of interest (ROI). This paper discusses a contribution to the lossless compression in the region of interest of Scintigraphic images based on SPIHT algorithm and global transform thresholding using Huffman coding.Keywords: global thresholding transform, huffman coding, region of interest, SPIHT coding, scintigraphic images
Procedia PDF Downloads 367