Search results for: heat pipe limits
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 4286

Search results for: heat pipe limits

1766 Analysis of Solar Thermal Power Plant in Algeria

Authors: M. Laissaoui

Abstract:

The present work has for objective the simulation of a hybrid solar combined cycle power plant, compared with combined cycle conventional (gas turbine and steam turbine), this type of power plants disposed an solar tour (heliostat field and volumetric receiver) insurant a part of the thermal energy necessary for the functioning of the gas turbine. This solar energy serves to feed with heat the combustion air of the gas turbine when he out of the compressor and the front entered the combustion chamber. The simulation of even central and made for three zones deferential to know the zone of Hassi R' mel, Bechare, and the zone of Messaad wilaya of El djelfa. The radiometric and meteorological data arise directly from the software meteonorme 7. The simulation of the energy performances is made by the software TRNSYS 16.1.

Keywords: concentrating solar power, heliostat, thermal, Algeria

Procedia PDF Downloads 453
1765 Epicardial Fat Necrosis in a Young Female: A Case Report

Authors: Tayyibah Shah Alam, Joe Thomas, Nayantara Shenoy

Abstract:

Presenting a case that we would like to share, the answer is straight forward but the path taken to get to the diagnosis is where it gets interesting. A 31-year-old lady presented to the Rheumatology Outpatient department with left-sided chest pain associated with left-sided elbow joint pain intensifying over the last 2 days. She had been having a prolonged history of chest pain with minimal intensity since 2016. The pain is intermittent in nature. Aggravated while exerting, lifting heavy weights and lying down. Relieved while sitting. Her physical examination and laboratory tests were within normal limits. An electrocardiogram (ECG) showed normal sinus rhythm and a chest X-ray with no significant abnormality was noted. The primary suspicion was recurrent costochondritis. Cardiac blood inflammatory markers and Echo were normal, ruling out ACS. CT chest and MRI Thorax contrast showed small ill-defined STIR hyperintensity with thin peripheral enhancement in the anterior mediastinum in the left side posterior to the 5th costal cartilage and anterior to the pericardium suggestive of changes in the fat-focal panniculitis. Confirming the diagnosis as Epicardial fat necrosis. She was started on Colchicine and Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for 2-3 weeks, following which a repeat CT showed resolution of the lesion and improvement in her. It is often under-recognized or misdiagnosed. CT scan was collectively used to establish the diagnosis. Making the correct diagnosis prospectively alleviates unnecessary testing in favor of conservative management.

Keywords: EFN, panniculitis, unknown etiology, recurrent chest pain

Procedia PDF Downloads 83
1764 Vitrification and Devitrification of Chromium Containing Tannery Ash

Authors: Savvas Varitis, Panagiotis Kavouras, George Kaimakamis, Eleni Pavlidou, George Vourlias, Konstantinos Chrysafis, Philomela Komninou, Theodoros Karakostas

Abstract:

Tannery industry produces high quantities of chromium containing waste which also have high organic content. Processing of this waste is important since the organic content is above the disposal limits and the containing trivalent chromium could be potentially oxidized to hexavalent in the environment. This work aims to fabricate new vitreous and glass ceramic materials which could incorporate the tannery waste in stabilized form either for safe disposal or for the production of useful materials. Tannery waste was incinerated at 500oC in anoxic conditions so most of the organic content would be removed and the chromium remained trivalent. Glass forming agents SiO2, Na2O and CaO were mixed with the resulting ash in different proportions with decreasing ash content. Considering the low solubility of Cr in silicate melts, the mixtures were melted at 1400oC and/or 1500oC for 2h and then casted on a refractory steel plate. The resulting vitreous products were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM and TEM). XRD reveals the existence of Cr2O3 (eskolaite) crystallites embedded in a glassy amorphous matrix. Such crystallites are not formed under a certain proportion of the waste in the ash-vitrified material. Reduction of the ash proportion increases chromium content in the silicate matrix. From these glassy products, glass-ceramics were produced via different regimes of thermal treatment.

Keywords: chromium containing tannery ash, glass ceramic materials, thermal processing, vitrification

Procedia PDF Downloads 349
1763 Computational Fluid Dynamics of a Bubbling Fluidized Bed in Wood Pellets

Authors: Opeyemi Fadipe, Seong Lee, Guangming Chen, Steve Efe

Abstract:

In comparison to conventional combustion technologies, fluidized bed combustion has several advantages, such as superior heat transfer characteristics due to homogeneous particle mixing, lower temperature needs, nearly isothermal process conditions, and the ability to operate continuously. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can help anticipate the intricate combustion process and the hydrodynamics of a fluidized bed thoroughly by using CFD techniques. Bubbling Fluidized bed was model using the Eulerian-Eulerian model, including the kinetic theory of the flow. The model was validated by comparing it with other simulation of the fluidized bed. The effects of operational gas velocity, volume fraction, and feed rate were also investigated numerically. A higher gas velocity and feed rate cause an increase in fluidization of the bed.

Keywords: fluidized bed, operational gas velocity, volume fraction, computational fluid dynamics

Procedia PDF Downloads 66
1762 Thermal Performance of Hybrid PVT Collector with Natural Circulation

Authors: K. Touafek, A. Khelifa, I. Tabet, H. Haloui, H. Bencheikh El Houcine, M. Adouane

Abstract:

Hybrid photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors allow simultaneous production of electrical energy thus heat energy. There are several configurations of hybrid collectors (to produce water or air). For hybrids water collectors, there are several configurations that differ by the nature of the absorber (serpentine, tubes...). In this paper, an absorber tank is studied. The circulation of the coolant is natural (we do not use the pump). We present the obtained results in our experimental study and we analyzed the data, and then we compare the results with the theory practices. The electrical performances of the hybrid collector are compared with those of conventional photovoltaic module mounted on the same structure and measured under the same conditions. We conducted experiments with natural circulation of the coolant (Thermosyphon), for a flow rate of 0.025kg/m².

Keywords: experimental, photovoltaic, solar, temperature, tank

Procedia PDF Downloads 305
1761 Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into National and Sectoral Policies in Nepal

Authors: Bishwa Nath Oli

Abstract:

Nepal is highly impacted by climate change and adaptation has been a major focus. This paper investigates the gaps and coherence in national policies across water, forestry, local development and agriculture sectors, identifies their links to climate change adaptation and national development plans and analyzes the effectiveness of climate change policy on adaptation. The study was based on a content analysis of relevant policy documents on the level of attention given to adaptation and key informant interviews. Findings show that sectoral policies have differing degrees of cross thematic coherence, often with mismatched priorities and differing the paths towards achieving climate change goal. They are somewhat coherent in addressing immediate disaster management issues rather than in climate adaptation. In some cases, they are too broad and complicated and the implementation suffers from barriers and limits due to lack of capacity, investment, research and knowledge needed for evidence-based policy process. They do not adequately provide operational guidance in supporting communities in adapting to climate change. The study recommends to a) embrace longer-term cross-sectoral planning within government structures to foster greater policy coherence and integrated adaptation planning, b) increase awareness and flow of information on the potential role of communities in climate change, c) review the existing development sectors from the climate change perspectives, and d) formulate a comprehensive climate change legislation based on the need to implement the new Constitution.

Keywords: agriculture, climate change adaptation, forestry, policies

Procedia PDF Downloads 196
1760 A Study on Implementation of Optimal Soldering Temperature Profile through Deformation Analysisin Infrared Lamp Soldering of Photovoltaic Cells

Authors: Taejung Lho, Jonghwan Lee

Abstract:

Most of the photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturers have recently interested in reducing the manufacturing cost. One of available solution is the use of the thin photovoltaic cell because of reducing of raw material cost. Thin PV cells, however, are damaged large deformation which causes possible microcracks inside PV cell, leading to failure problem. In this paper, deformation characteristics by heat conduction in soldering process of PV cells are analyzed through ANSYS software tool. They have been tested for different PV cell thickness and soldering temperature profile. Accordingly optimal soldering process to minimize the deformation of PV cell has been suggested.

Keywords: photovoltaic (PV) cell, infrared(IR) lamp soldering, optimal soldering temperature profile, deformation, temperature distribution, 3D scanner, ANSYS

Procedia PDF Downloads 386
1759 Effects of Drying and Extraction Techniques on the Profile of Volatile Compounds in Banana Pseudostem

Authors: Pantea Salehizadeh, Martin P. Bucknall, Robert Driscoll, Jayashree Arcot, George Srzednicki

Abstract:

Banana is one of the most important crops produced in large quantities in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Of the total plant material grown, approximately 40% is considered waste and left in the field to decay. This practice allows fungal diseases such as Sigatoka Leaf Spot to develop, limiting plant growth and spreading spores in the air that can cause respiratory problems in the surrounding population. The pseudostem is considered a waste residue of production (60 to 80 tonnes/ha/year), although it is a good source of dietary fiber and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Strategies to process banana pseudostem into palatable, nutritious and marketable food materials could provide significant social and economic benefits. Extraction of VOC’s with desirable odor from dried and fresh pseudostem could improve the smell of products from the confectionary and bakery industries. Incorporation of banana pseudostem flour into bakery products could provide cost savings and improve nutritional value. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of drying methods and different banana species on the profile of volatile aroma compounds in dried banana pseudostem. The banana species analyzed were Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Fresh banana pseudostem samples were processed by either freeze-drying (FD) or heat pump drying (HPD). The extraction of VOC’s was performed at ambient temperature using vacuum distillation and the resulting, mostly aqueous, distillates were analyzed using headspace solid phase microextraction (SPME) gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Optimal SPME adsorption conditions were 50 °C for 60 min using a Supelco 65 μm PDMS/DVB Stableflex fiber1. Compounds were identified by comparison of their electron impact mass spectra with those from the Wiley 9 / NIST 2011 combined mass spectral library. The results showed that the two species have notably different VOC profiles. Both species contained VOC’s that have been established in literature to have pleasant appetizing aromas. These included l-Menthone, D-Limonene, trans-linlool oxide, 1-Nonanol, CIS 6 Nonen-1ol, 2,6 Nonadien-1-ol, Benzenemethanol, 4-methyl, 1-Butanol, 3-methyl, hexanal, 1-Propanol, 2-methyl- acid، 2-Methyl-2-butanol. Results show banana pseudostem VOC’s are better preserved by FD than by HPD. This study is still in progress and should lead to the optimization of processing techniques that would promote the utilization of banana pseudostem in the food industry.

Keywords: heat pump drying, freeze drying, SPME, vacuum distillation, VOC analysis

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1758 Research on Structural Changes in Plastic Deformation during Rolling and Crimping of Tubes

Authors: Hein Win Zaw

Abstract:

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

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

Procedia PDF Downloads 315
1757 Accessibility Centres in Higher Education Institutions: Inclusiveness and Peer Tutoring Programmes

Authors: Vassilis Argyropoulos, Magda Nikolaraizi, Maria Papazafiri

Abstract:

A growing number of students with disabilities attend institutions of higher education, and according to evidenced-based data, it seems that they face many obstacles regarding their academic access and inclusion. The fact that more and more students decide to actively participate in higher education, on the one hand, empowers and strengthens inclusiveness in tertiary education, but on the other hand, it brings new challenges to their access to scientific content as well as to their interactions with other students and faculty members. For this, accessibility centres have come to the fore in many higher education institutions, in order to respond to the needs of students with disabilities. In this paper, we present a study regarding the peer tutoring program, which is a service delivered by the Accessibility Centre at the University of Thessaly in Greece. Specifically, the current paper aims to describe the experiences of tutees and tutors regarding their relationships developed throughout the peer tutoring program. Twelve tutors and eight tutees with disabilities participated in the study, whose experiences were explored through interviews and were analyzed in a qualitative way. In our study, all tutees and most of the tutors described their relationship as friendly, while a few tutors preferred a more formal relationship. Also, both tutors and tutees described some of the challenges, such as setting limits or arranging an appointment. Finally, peer tutoring programs seem very promising, but in order to be effective, there is a need for training and supporting students regarding their role as well as monitoring the progress of the peer tutoring program, ensuring its smooth operation and success for both tutors and tutees.

Keywords: disability, higher education institutions, interviews, peer tutoring, inclusiveness

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1756 The Influence of the Moving Speeds of DNA Droplet on Polymerase Chain Reaction

Authors: Jyh Jyh Chen, Fu H. Yang, Chen W. Wang, Yu M. Lin

Abstract:

In this work, a reaction chamber is reciprocated among three temperature regions by using an oscillatory thermal cycling machine. Three cartridge heaters are collocated to heat three aluminum blocks in order to achieve PCR requirements in the reaction chamber. The effects of various chamber moving speeds among different temperature regions on the chamber temperature profiles are presented. To solve the evaporation effect of the sample in the PCR experiment, the mineral oil and the cover lid are used. The influences of various extension times on DNA amplification are also demonstrated. The target fragments of the amplification are 385-bp and 420-bp. The results show when the forward speed is set at 6 mm/s and the backward speed is 2.4 mm/s, the temperature required for the experiment can be achieved. It is successful to perform the amplification of DNA fragments in our device.

Keywords: oscillatory, polymerase chain reaction, reaction chamber, thermal cycling machine

Procedia PDF Downloads 505
1755 Automated Monitoring System to Support Investigation of Contributing Factors of Work-Related Disorders and Accidents

Authors: Erika R. Chambriard, Sandro C. Izidoro, Davidson P. Mendes, Douglas E. V. Pires

Abstract:

Work-related illnesses and disorders have been a constant aspect of work. Although their nature has changed over time, from musculoskeletal disorders to illnesses related to psychosocial aspects of work, its impact on the life of workers remains significant. Despite significant efforts worldwide to protect workers, the disparity between changes in work legislation and actual benefit for workers’ health has been creating a significant economic burden for social security and health systems around the world. In this context, this study aims to propose, test and validate a modular prototype that allows for work environmental aspects to be assessed, monitored and better controlled. The main focus is also to provide a historical record of working conditions and the means for workers to obtain comprehensible and useful information regarding their work environment and legal limits of occupational exposure to different types of environmental variables, as means to improve prevention of work-related accidents and disorders. We show the developed prototype provides useful and accurate information regarding the work environmental conditions, validating them with standard occupational hygiene equipment. We believe the proposed prototype is a cost-effective and adequate approach to work environment monitoring that could help elucidate the links between work and occupational illnesses, and that different industry sectors, as well as developing countries, could benefit from its capabilities.

Keywords: Arduino prototyping, occupational health and hygiene, work environment, work-related disorders prevention

Procedia PDF Downloads 109
1754 Characterization of Printed Reflectarray Elements on Variable Substrate Thicknesses

Authors: M. Y. Ismail, Arslan Kiyani

Abstract:

Narrow bandwidth and high loss performance limits the use of reflectarray antennas in some applications. This article reports on the feasibility of employing strategic reflectarray resonant elements to characterize the reflectivity performance of reflectarrays in X-band frequency range. Strategic reflectarray resonant elements incorporating variable substrate thicknesses ranging from 0.016λ to 0.052λ have been analyzed in terms of reflection loss and reflection phase performance. The effect of substrate thickness has been validated by using waveguide scattering parameter technique. It has been demonstrated that as the substrate thickness is increased from 0.508mm to 1.57mm the measured reflection loss of dipole element decreased from 5.66dB to 3.70dB with increment in 10% bandwidth of 39MHz to 64MHz. Similarly the measured reflection loss of triangular loop element is decreased from 20.25dB to 7.02dB with an increment in 10% bandwidth of 12MHz to 23MHz. The results also show a significant decrease in the slope of reflection phase curve as well. A Figure of Merit (FoM) has also been defined for the comparison of static phase range of resonant elements under consideration. Moreover, a novel numerical model based on analytical equations has been established incorporating the material properties of dielectric substrate and electrical properties of different reflectarray resonant elements to obtain the progressive phase distribution for each individual reflectarray resonant element.

Keywords: numerical model, reflectarray resonant elements, scattering parameter measurements, variable substrate thickness

Procedia PDF Downloads 261
1753 Designing an Automatic Mechanical System to Prevent Cancers Caused by Drinks

Authors: Ghasem Yazadani, Hamidreza Ahmadi, Masoud Ahmadi, Sajad Rezazadeh

Abstract:

In this paper with designing and proposing a compound of a heating and cooling system has been tried to show effect of this system on preventing esophagus cancer that can be caused by hot and cold drinks such as tea, coffee and ice water. This system has been simulated mechanically by fluent software and also has been validated by experimental way and a comprehensive result has been presented. Both of solution ways show that this system can reduce or increase temperature of drink to safe very dramatically and it can be a huge step toward consuming drinks safely and also it can be efficient about time issues. The system consists of a temperature sensor and an electronic controller that has a computer program to act automatically this task. Also this system has been presented after many different simulations and has been tried to find the best one in the point view of velocity of heating and cooling.

Keywords: fluent, heat transfer, controller, esophagus cancer

Procedia PDF Downloads 367
1752 Engineered Reactor Components for Durable Iron Flow Battery

Authors: Anna Ivanovskaya, Alexandra E. L. Overland, Swetha Chandrasekaran, Buddhinie S. Jayathilake

Abstract:

Iron-based redox flow batteries (IRFB) are promising for grid-scale storage because of their low-cost and environmental safety. Earth-abundant iron can enable affordable grid-storage to meet DOE’s target material cost <$20/kWh and levelized cost for storage $0.05/kWh. In conventional redox flow batteries, energy is stored in external electrolyte tanks and electrolytes are circulated through the cell units to achieve electrochemical energy conversions. However, IRFBs are hybrid battery systems where metallic iron deposition at the negative side of the battery controls the storage capacity. This adds complexity to the design of a porous structure of 3D-electrodes to achieve a desired high storage capacity. In addition, there is a need to control parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction which accompanies the metal deposition process, increases the pH, lowers the energy efficiency, and limits the durability. To achieve sustainable operation of IRFBs, electrolyte pH, which affects the solubility of reactants and the rate of parasitic reactions, needs to be dynamically readjusted. In the present study we explore the impact of complexing agents on maintaining solubility of the reactants and find the optimal electrolyte conditions and battery operating regime, which are specific for IRFBs with additives, and demonstrate the robust operation.

Keywords: flow battery, iron-based redox flow battery, IRFB, energy storage, electrochemistry

Procedia PDF Downloads 62
1751 Radionuclide Contents and Exhalation Studies in Soil Samples from Sub-Mountainous Region of Jammu and Kashmir

Authors: Manpreet Kaur

Abstract:

The effect of external and internal exposure in outdoor and indoor environment can be significantly gauged by natural radionuclides. Therefore, it is a consequential to approximate the level of radionuclide contents in soil samples of any area and the risks associated with it. Rate of radon emerging from soil is also one of the prominent parameters for the assessment of radon levels in environmental. In present study, natural radionuclide contents viz. ²³²Th, ²³⁸U and ⁴⁰K and radon/thoron exhalation rates were evaluated operating thallium doped sodium iodide gamma radiation detector and advanced Smart Rn Duo technique in the soil samples from 30 villages of Jammu district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Radon flux rate was also measured by using surface chamber technique. Results obtained with two different methods were compared to investigate the cause of emanation factor in the soil profile. The radon mass exhalation rate in the soil samples has been found varying from 15 ± 0.4 to 38 ± 0.8 mBq kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ while thoron surface exhalation rate has been found varying from 90 ± 22 to 4880 ± 280 Bq m⁻² h⁻¹. The mean value of radium equivalent activity (99 ± 27 Bq kg⁻¹) was appeared to be well within the admissible limit of 370 Bq kg⁻¹ suggested by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2009) report. The values of various parameters related to radiological hazards were also calculated and all parameters have been found to be well below the safe limits given by various organizations. The outcomes pointed out that region was protected from danger as per health risks effects associated with these radionuclide contents is concerned.

Keywords: absorbed dose rate, exhalation rate, human health, radionuclide

Procedia PDF Downloads 123
1750 Effect of Magnetic Field on Unsteady MHD Poiseuille Flow of a Third Grade Fluid Under Exponential Decaying Pressure Gradient with Ohmic Heating

Authors: O. W. Lawal, L. O. Ahmed, Y. K. Ali

Abstract:

The unsteady MHD Poiseuille flow of a third grade fluid between two parallel horizontal nonconducting porous plates is studied with heat transfer. The two plates are fixed but maintained at different constant temperature with the Joule and viscous dissipation taken into consideration. The fluid motion is produced by a sudden uniform exponential decaying pressure gradient and external uniform magnetic field that is perpendicular to the plates. The momentum and energy equations governing the flow are solved numerically using Maple program. The effects of magnetic field and third grade fluid parameters on velocity and temperature profile are examined through several graphs.

Keywords: exponential decaying pressure gradient, MHD flow, Poiseuille flow, third grade fluid

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1749 Agriculture Water Quality Evaluation in Minig Basin

Authors: Ben Salah Nahla

Abstract:

The problem of water in Tunisia affects the quality and quantity. Tunisia is in a situation of water shortage. It was estimated that 4.6 Mm3/an. Moreover, the quality of water in Tunisia is also mediocre. In fact, 50% of the water has a high salinity (> 1.5g/l). There are several parameters which affect water quality such as sodium, fluoride. An excess of this parameter may induce some human health. Furthermore, the mining basin area has a problem of industrial waste. This problem may affect the water quality of the groundwater. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to assess the water quality in Basin Mining and the impact of fluorine. For this research, some water samples were done in the field and specific water analysis was implemented in the laboratory. Sampling is carried out on eight drilling in the area of the mining region. In the following, we will look at water view composition, physical and chemical quality. A physical-chemical analysis of water from a survey of the Mining area of Tunisia was performed and showed an excess for the following items: fluorine, sodium, sulfate. So many chemicals may be present in water. However, only a small number of them immediately concern in terms of health in all circumstances. Fluorine (F) is one particular chemical that is considered both necessary for the human body, but an excess of the rate of this chemical causes serious diseases. Sodium fluoride and sodium silicofluoride are more soluble and may spread in animals and plants where their toxicity largest organizations. The more complex particles such as cryolite and fluorite, almost insoluble, are more stable and less toxic. Thereafter, we will study the problem of excess fluorine in the water. The latter intended for human consumption must always comply with the limits for microbiological quality parameters and physical-chemical parameters defined by European standards (1.5 mg/l) and Tunisian (2 mg/l).

Keywords: water, minier basin, fluorine, silicofluoride

Procedia PDF Downloads 563
1748 Quantifying the Effects of Canopy Cover and Cover Crop Species on Water Use Partitioning in Micro-Sprinkler Irrigated Orchards in South Africa

Authors: Zanele Ntshidi, Sebinasi Dzikiti, Dominic Mazvimavi

Abstract:

South Africa is a dry country and yet it is ranked as the 8th largest exporter of fresh apples (Malus Domestica) globally. Prime apple producing regions are in the Eastern and Western Cape Provinces of the country where all the fruit is grown under irrigation. Climate change models predict increasingly drier future conditions in these regions and the frequency and severity of droughts is expected to increase. For the sustainability and growth of the fruit industry it is important to minimize non-beneficial water losses from the orchard floor. The aims of this study were firstly to compare the water use of cover crop species used in South African orchards for which there is currently no information. The second aim was to investigate how orchard water use (evapotranspiration) was partitioned into beneficial (tree transpiration) and non-beneficial (orchard floor evaporation) water uses for micro-sprinkler irrigated orchards with different canopy covers. This information is important in order to explore opportunities to minimize non-beneficial water losses. Six cover crop species (four exotic and two indigenous) were grown in 2 L pots in a greenhouse. Cover crop transpiration was measured using the gravimetric method on clear days. To establish how water use was partitioned in orchards, evapotranspiration (ET) was measured using an open path eddy covariance system, while tree transpiration was measured hourly throughout the season (October to June) on six trees per orchard using the heat ratio sap flow method. On selected clear days, soil evaporation was measured hourly from sunrise to sunset using six micro-lysimeters situated at different wet/dry and sun/shade positions on the orchard floor. Transpiration of cover crops was measured using miniature (2 mm Ø) stem heat balance sap flow gauges. The greenhouse study showed that exotic cover crops had significantly higher (p < 0.01) average transpiration rates (~3.7 L/m2/d) than the indigenous species (~ 2.2 L/m²/d). In young non-bearing orchards, orchard floor evaporative fluxes accounted for more than 60% of orchard ET while this ranged from 10 to 30% in mature orchards with a high canopy cover. While exotic cover crops are preferred by most farmers, this study shows that they use larger quantities of water than indigenous species. This in turn contributes to a larger orchard floor evaporation flux. In young orchards non-beneficial losses can be minimized by adopting drip or short range micro-sprinkler methods that reduce the wetted soil fraction thereby conserving water.

Keywords: evapotranspiration, sap flow, soil evaporation, transpiration

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1747 Coordinated Interference Canceling Algorithm for Uplink Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output Systems

Authors: Messaoud Eljamai, Sami Hidouri

Abstract:

Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is an emerging technology for new cellular networks such as 5G systems. Its principle is to use many antennas per cell in order to maximize the network's spectral efficiency. Inter-cellular interference remains a fundamental problem. The use of massive MIMO will not derogate from the rule. It improves performances only when the number of antennas is significantly greater than the number of users. This, considerably, limits the networks spectral efficiency. In this paper, a coordinated detector for an uplink massive MIMO system is proposed in order to mitigate the inter-cellular interference. The proposed scheme combines the coordinated multipoint technique with an interference-cancelling algorithm. It requires the serving cell to send their received symbols, after processing, decision and error detection, to the interfered cells via a backhaul link. Each interfered cell is capable of eliminating intercellular interferences by generating and subtracting the user’s contribution from the received signal. The resulting signal is more reliable than the original received signal. This allows the uplink massive MIMO system to improve their performances dramatically. Simulation results show that the proposed detector improves system spectral efficiency compared to classical linear detectors.

Keywords: massive MIMO, COMP, interference canceling algorithm, spectral efficiency

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1746 Gas Chromatography Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry Qualitative Determination of Pesticides Found in Tea Infusions

Authors: Mihai-Alexandru Florea, Veronica Drumea, Roxana Nita, Cerasela Gird, Laura Olariu

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the residues of pesticide found in tea water infusions. A multi-residues method to determine 147 pesticides has been developed using the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe) procedure and dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) for the cleanup the pesticides from complex matrices such as plants and tea. Sample preparation was carefully optimized for the efficient removal of coextracted matrix components by testing more solvent systems. Determination of pesticides was performed using GC-MS/MS (100 of pesticides) and LC-MS/MS (47 of pesticides). The selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode was chosen to achieve low detection limits and high compounds selectivity and sensitivity. Overall performance was evaluated and validated according to DG-SANTE Guidelines. To assess the pesticide residue transfer rate (qualitative) from dried tea in infusions the samples (tea) were spiked with a mixture of pesticides at the maximum residues level accepted for teas and herbal infusions. In order to investigate the release of the pesticides in tea preparations, the medicinal plants were prepared in four ways by variation of water temperature and the infusion time. The pesticides from infusions were extracted using two methods: QuEChERS versus solid-phase extraction (SPE). More that 90 % of the pesticides studied was identified in infusion.

Keywords: tea, solid-phase extraction (SPE), selected reaction monitoring (SRM), QuEChERS

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1745 Sustainable Rehabilitation of Concrete Buildings in Iran: Harnessing Sunlight and Navigating Limited Water Resources

Authors: Amin Khamoosh, Hamed Faramarzifar

Abstract:

In the capital of Iran, Tehran, numerous buildings constructed when extreme climates were not prevalent now face the need for rehabilitation, typically within their first decade. Our data delves into the performance metrics and economic advantages of sustainable rehabilitation practices compared to traditional methods. With a focus on the scarcity of water resources, we specifically scrutinize water-efficient techniques throughout construction, rehabilitation, and usage. Examining design elements that optimize natural light while efficiently managing heat transmission is crucial, given the reliance on water for cooling devices in this region. The data aims to present a comprehensive strategy, addressing immediate structural concerns while harmonizing with Iran's unique environmental conditions.

Keywords: sustainable rehabilitation, concrete buildings, iran, solar energy, water-efficient techniques

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1744 A Dual Channel Optical Sensor for Norepinephrine via Situ Generated Silver Nanoparticles

Authors: Shalini Menon, K. Girish Kumar

Abstract:

Norepinephrine (NE) is one of the naturally occurring catecholamines which act both as a neurotransmitter and a hormone. Catecholamine levels are used for the diagnosis and regulation of phaeochromocytoma, a neuroendocrine tumor of the adrenal medulla. The development of simple, rapid and cost-effective sensors for NE still remains a great challenge. Herein, a dual-channel sensor has been developed for the determination of NE. A mixture of AgNO₃, NaOH, NH₃.H₂O and cetrimonium bromide in appropriate concentrations was taken as the working solution. To the thoroughly vortexed mixture, an appropriate volume of NE solution was added. After a particular time, the fluorescence and absorbance were measured. Fluorescence measurements were made by exciting at a wavelength of 400 nm. A dual-channel optical sensor has been developed for the colorimetric as well as the fluorimetric determination of NE. Metal enhanced fluorescence property of nanoparticles forms the basis of the fluorimetric detection of this assay, whereas the appearance of brown color in the presence of NE leads to colorimetric detection. Wide linear ranges and sub-micromolar detection limits were obtained using both the techniques. Moreover, the colorimetric approach was applied for the determination of NE in synthetic blood serum and the results obtained were compared with the classic high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Recoveries between 97% and 104% were obtained using the proposed method. Based on five replicate measurements, relative standard deviation (RSD) for NE determination in the examined synthetic blood serum was found to be 2.3%. This indicates the reliability of the proposed sensor for real sample analysis.

Keywords: norepinephrine, colorimetry, fluorescence, silver nanoparticles

Procedia PDF Downloads 95
1743 Investigation of Soot Regeneration Behavior in the DPF Cleaning Device

Authors: Won Jun Jo, Man Young Kim

Abstract:

To meet stringent diesel particulate matter regulations, DPF system is essential after treatment technology providing exceptional reliability and filtration performance. At low load driving conditions, the passive type of DPF system is ineffective for regeneration method due to the inadequate of engine exhaust heat in removing accumulated soot from the filter. Therefore, DPF cleaning device is necessary to remove the soot particles. In this work, the numerical analysis on the active regeneration of DPF in DPF cleaning device is performed to find the optimum operating conditions. In order to find the DPF regeneration characteristics during active regeneration, 5 different initial soot loading condition are investigated. As the initial soot mass increases, the maximum temperature of DPF and regeneration rate also increase.

Keywords: active regeneration, DPF cleaning device, pressure drop, Diesel Particulate Filter, particulate matters, computational fluid dynamics

Procedia PDF Downloads 280
1742 Physical Characterization of a Watershed for Correlation with Parameters of Thomas Hydrological Model and Its Application in Iber Hidrodinamic Model

Authors: Carlos Caro, Ernest Blade, Nestor Rojas

Abstract:

This study determined the relationship between basic geo-technical parameters and parameters of the hydro logical model Thomas for water balance of rural watersheds, as a methodological calibration application, applicable in distributed models as IBER model, which represents a distributed system simulation models for unsteady flow numerical free surface. There was an exploration in 25 points (on 15 sub) basin of Rio Piedras (Boy.) obtaining soil samples, to which geo-technical characterization was performed by laboratory tests. Thomas model has a physical characterization of the input area by only four parameters (a, b, c, d). Achieve measurable relationship between geo technical parameters and 4 values of hydro logical parameters helps to determine subsurface, underground and surface flow more agile manner. It is intended in this way to reach some solutions regarding limits initial model parameters on the basis of Thomas geo-technical characterization. In hydro geological models of rural watersheds, calibration is an important process in the characterization of the study area. This step can require a significant computational cost and time, especially if the initial values or parameters before calibration are outside of the geo-technical reality. A better approach in these initial values means optimization of these process through a geo-technical materials area, where is obtained an important approach to the study as in the starting range of variation for the calibration parameters.

Keywords: distributed hydrology, hydrological and geotechnical characterization, Iber model

Procedia PDF Downloads 502
1741 Evaluation of Biomass Introduction Methods in Coal Co-Gasification

Authors: Ruwaida Abdul Rasid, Kevin J. Hughes, Peter J. Henggs, Mohamed Pourkashanian

Abstract:

Heightened concerns over the amount of carbon emitted from coal-related processes are generating shifts to the application of biomass. In co-gasification, where coal is gasified along with biomass, the biomass may be fed together with coal (co-feeding) or an independent biomass gasifier needs to be integrated with the coal gasifier. The main aim of this work is to evaluate the biomass introduction methods in coal co-gasification. This includes the evaluation of biomass concentration input (B0 to B100) and its gasification performance. A process model is developed and simulated in Aspen HYSYS, where both coal and biomass are modeled according to its ultimate analysis. It was found that the syngas produced increased with increasing biomass content for both co-feeding and independent schemes. However, the heating values and heat duties decreases with biomass concentration as more CO2 are produced from complete combustion.

Keywords: aspen HYSYS, biomass, coal, co-gasification modelling, simulation

Procedia PDF Downloads 388
1740 Case Study: Optimization of Contractor’s Financing through Allocation of Subcontractors

Authors: Helen S. Ghali, Engy Serag, A. Samer Ezeldin

Abstract:

In many countries, the construction industry relies heavily on outsourcing models in executing their projects and expanding their businesses to fit in the diverse market. Such extensive integration of subcontractors is becoming an influential factor in contractor’s cash flow management. Accordingly, subcontractors’ financial terms are important phenomena and pivotal components for the well-being of the contractor’s cash flow. The aim of this research is to study the contractor’s cash flow with respect to the owner and subcontractor’s payment management plans, considering variable advance payment, payment frequency, and lag and retention policies. The model is developed to provide contractors with a decision support tool that can assist in selecting the optimum subcontracting plan to minimize the contractor’s financing limits and optimize the profit values. The model is built using Microsoft Excel VBA coding, and the genetic algorithm is utilized as the optimization tool. Three objective functions are investigated, which are minimizing the highest negative overdraft value, minimizing the net present worth of overdraft, and maximizing the project net profit. The model is validated on a full-scale project which includes both self-performed and subcontracted work packages. The results show potential outputs in optimizing the contractor’s negative cash flow values and, in the meantime, assisting contractors in selecting suitable subcontractors to achieve the objective function.

Keywords: cash flow optimization, payment plan, procurement management, subcontracting plan

Procedia PDF Downloads 103
1739 Current Practices of Permitted Daily Exposure (PDE) Calculation and Selection

Authors: Annie Ramanbhai Mecwan

Abstract:

Cleaning validation in a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility is documented evidence that a cleaning process has effectively removed contaminants, residues from previous drug products and cleaning agents below a pre-defined threshold from the reusable tools and parts of equipment. In shared manufacturing facilities more than one drug product is prepared. After cleaning of reusable tools and parts of equipment after one drug product manufacturing, there are chances that some residues of drug substance from previously manufactured drug products may be retained on the equipment and can carried forward to the next drug product and thus cause cross-contamination. Health-based limits through the derivation of a safe threshold value called permitted daily exposure (PDE) for the residues of drug substances should be employed to identify the risks posed at these manufacturing facilities. The PDE represents a substance-specific dose that is unlikely to cause an adverse effect if an individual is exposed to or below this dose every day for a lifetime. There are different practices to calculate PDE. Data for all APIs in the public domain are considered to calculate PDE value though, company to company may vary the final PDE value based on different toxicologist’s perspective or their subjective evaluation. Hence, Regulatory agencies should take responsibility for publishing PDE values for all APIs as it is done for elemental PDEs. This will harmonize the PDE values all over the world and prevent the unnecessary load on manufacturers for cleaning validation

Keywords: active pharmaceutical ingredient, good manufacturing practice, NOAEL, no observed adverse effect level, permitted daily exposure

Procedia PDF Downloads 61
1738 Biogas Control: Methane Production Monitoring Using Arduino

Authors: W. Ait Ahmed, M. Aggour, M. Naciri

Abstract:

Extracting energy from biomass is an important alternative to produce different types of energy (heat, electricity, or both) assuring low pollution and better efficiency. It is a new yet reliable approach to reduce green gas emission by extracting methane from industry effluents and use it to power machinery. We focused in our project on using paper and mill effluents, treated in a UASB reactor. The methane produced is used in the factory’s power supply. The aim of this work is to develop an electronic system using Arduino platform connected to a gas sensor, to measure and display the curve of daily methane production on processing. The sensor will send the gas values in ppm to the Arduino board so that the later sends the RS232 hardware protocol. The code developed with processing will transform the values into a curve and display it on the computer screen.

Keywords: biogas, Arduino, processing, code, methane, gas sensor, program

Procedia PDF Downloads 291
1737 Ballast Water Management Triad: Administration, Ship Owner and the Seafarer

Authors: Rajoo Balaji, Omar Yaakob

Abstract:

The Ballast Water Convention requires less than 5% of the world tonnage for ratification. Consequently, ships will have to comply with the requirements. Compliance evaluation and enforcement will become mandatory. Ship owners have to invest in treatment systems and shipboard personnel have to operate them and ensure compliance. The monitoring and enforcement will be the responsibilities of the Administrations. Herein, a review of the current status of the Ballast Water Management and the issues faced by these are projected. Issues range from efficacy and economics of the treatment systems to sampling and testing. Health issues of chemical systems, paucity of data for decision support etc., are other issues. It is emphasized that management of ballast water must be extended to ashore and sustainable solutions must be researched upon. An exemplar treatment system based on ship’s waste heat is also suggested.

Keywords: Ballast Water Management, compliance evaluation, compliance enforcement, sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 417