The use of electric vehicles (EVs) has recently increased in a smart city environment. With this, the optimal location of the charging station is a great challenge and, hence, the energy efficiency performance (EEP) of an electrical system is important. Ideally, the EEP is realized through passive energy boosters (PEBs) and active energy boosters (AEBs). PEBs require no external resources, and EEP is achieved through altering the network topology and loading patterns, whereas, in AEBs, integrating external energy resources is a must. The EEP has also become dynamic with the integration of an energy storage system (ESS) in a deregulated environment. Customer energy requirement varies daily, weekly, and seasonally. In this scenario, the frequent change in network topology requires modifying the size and location of AEBs. It alters the customers’ voltage profile, loadability margin, and supply reliability when the EV works differently as a load or source. Therefore, a comprehensive EEP an... [more]

Antimony is classified as a critical/strategic metal. Its primary production is predominated by China via pyrometallurgical routes such as volatilization roasting—reduction smelting or direct reduction smelting. The performance of most of the pyro-processes is very sensitive to concentrate type and grade. Therefore, technology selection for a greenfield plant is a significant and delicate task to maximize the recovery rate of antimony and subsequently precious metals (PMs), mainly gold, from the concentrates. The current paper reviews the conventional pyrometallurgical processes and technologies that have been practiced for the treatment of antimony concentrates. The blast furnace is the most commonly used technology, mainly because of its adaptability to different feeds and grades and a high recovery rate. In addition, several other more environmentally friendly pyrometallurgical routes, that were recently developed, are reviewed but these are still at laboratory- or pilot-scales. For... [more]

On account of its small size and poor sedimentation performance, microalgae harvesting is restricted from a wider application. Air flotation is an efficient and fast solid−liquid separation technology, which has the potential to overcome the impediments of microalgae harvesting. In this study, factors influencing microalgae harvesting by air flotation were investigated. The results illustrated that bound extracellular organic matter (bEOM) had a greater effect on microalgae harvesting by air flotation, compared with dissolved extracellular organic matter (dEOM). Microalgae harvesting by air flotation in different growth stages proceeded, and the effect of air flotation in the heterotrophic stage was better than the autotrophic stage. The molecular weight distributions demonstrated that after air flotation, the proportion of high MW substance increased, while the proportion of low MW substance decreased, regardless of whether dEOM or bEOM. Membrane filtration was carried out for the alg... [more]

Landfill leachate membrane concentrate (LLMC) poses risks to the environment and is commonly treated by evaporation. As the main component of the dissolved organic matter in LLMC, fulvic acid (FA) was selected as a representative to investigate its effect on evaporation and the removal efficiency by pretreatment in this study. According to the water quality indexes and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra of LLMC samples collected from five landfills in China, the concentration of total organic carbon in LLMC was 700−2500 mg·L−1, in which FA accounted for 50−85%. The boiling point and viscosity of the configured FA-NaCl-Na2SO4 solution both increased significantly when FA was concentrated 20 times (approximately 30,000 mg·L−1). Due to the presence of FA, the violent frothing phenomenon appeared at above 70 °C in evaporation, and the solubility of CaSO4·2H2O in FA-NaCl-Na2SO4 solution was significantly lower than that without FA. All these results indicated that the high FA concentrat... [more]

The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of pretreatments and drying temperature on the freeze-drying (FD) kinetics, ascorbic acid content, color changes, and antioxidant activity (AA) of strawberries. Experiments were performed at 20 °C, 40 °C, and 60 °C, with a constant pressure of 63 Pa in the FD chamber. The strawberry samples were cut into slices (CS) and pulped (PS) before drying. The drying kinetics was best described using the Midilli or logistic model depending on the strawberry grinding method used and the FD temperature. The FD of strawberries significantly increased the lightness, redness, and yellowness of the dried fruit. The FD temperature and pretreatment methods had little influence on the total phenolic content (TPC) and AA. The lowest TPC was found in strawberry pulps after dehydration at 60 °C, and the highest TPC was observed in strawberry slices dehydrated at the same temperature (18.54 and 22.04 mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry mass, respective... [more]

The interoperability of wireless charging for electric vehicles refers to the radio energy transmission that meets the performance and function requirements of different manufacturers and different models of electric vehicles on the premise of meeting the relevant requirements. If it fails to meet the requirements, the wireless charging system of electric vehicles has difficulty to realize interconnection and low charging efficiency, Therefore, how to evaluate the interoperability is a key issue in the promotion of electric vehicle wireless charging. In this paper, an interoperability evaluation method based on two parameters is proposed. The interoperability impedance plane is constructed by the system detuning coefficient A. The comprehensive evaluation of different compensation networks and coupling coils is realized; the power characteristic impedance ε is obtained by analyzing and calculating the relationship between the transmission power of the system while the system impedance,... [more]

Wastewater disinfection is one of the most critical issues in protecting human health against exposure to waterborne pathogenies. Chlorine is among the most commonly used disinfectants in many wastewaters’ treatment plants. Nevertheless, disquiets regarding chlorine’s disinfection by-products (DBPs) have grown recently. One of the most effective ways to reduce DBPs generation is to reduce chlorine dosage by increasing disinfectant efficiency. Using magnetic field (MF) in wastewater treatment is one of the promising research topics with significant progression. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of using a magnetic field and/or sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) disinfection on secondary slaughterhouse wastewater effluent quality and by-products. Three groups of secondary slaughterhouse wastewater effluents were used: G1 was treated with NaClO only at 0, 2, 4, and 6 mg/L; G2 was treated with exposure to MF at 14,500 gausses, and G3 was pretreated with MF, then NaClO at the exact chlor... [more]

In the present industry revolution, operations management teams emphasize implementing an efficient process optimization approach with a suitable strategy for achieving operational excellence on the shop floor. Process optimization is used to enhance productivity by eliminating idle activities and non-value-added activities within limited constraints. Various process optimization approaches are used in operations management on the shop floor, including lean manufacturing, smart manufacturing, kaizen, six sigma, total quality management, and computational intelligence. The present study investigates strategies used to implement the process optimization approach provided in the previous research to eliminate problems encountered in shop floor management. Furthermore, the authors suggest an idea to industry individuals, which is to understand the operational conditions faced in shop floor management. The novelty of the present study lies in the fact that a methodology for implementing a p... [more]

The reaction process, mechanism, and kinetics of the desulfurization of high-sulfur bauxite during calcination were investigated using thermal analysis−infrared analysis. A conveyor-bed calcination system was used to study the variations in the physical phase, desulfurization rate, and alumina dissipation rate of high-sulfur bauxite in the range of 500 °C−650 °C. The results show that sclerite monohydrate, kaolinite, rhodochrosite, pyrite, and dolomite mainly decompose during the calcination of high-sulfur bauxite, generating H2O(g), CO2, and SO2 as gaseous products. The decomposition of sclerite monohydrate and kaolinite and the dehydroxylation reactions of rhodochrosite and pyrite occur at <650 °C, with inseparable temperature overlap. High-sulfur bauxite desulfurization follows a three-dimensional spherical diffusion mechanism, with an activation energy of 181.16 kJ/mol, controlled by the diffusion rate of O2 or SO2 through the solid product layer. High-sulfur bauxite was calcine... [more]

The paper aims to capitalize on the new features that are offered by the Microsoft Excel calculation program for reliability modeling, using the Median Ranks estimator that is calculated directly with the BETA.INV function, not estimated by various algebraic estimators, as is generally the case. Starting from this first step, a method of modeling reliability is elaborated through the three-parametric Weibull model that is based exclusively on this software, which is accessible to anyone and can be used even in the case of online learning, which is widespread in recent years due to the pandemic situation. The probability plotting method is applied, using the Median Ranks estimator that is calculated directly with the BETA.INV function for a probability equal to 0.5. A flowchart is made for the proposed method, which could be easily translated into a calculation program. By representing in logarithmic coordinates, we determined the Weibull models for different values that were initially... [more]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sous vide technology on the chemical properties of fruit jams produced with medlar fruit (Mespilus germanica L.). The fruit jams were produced using sous vide technology at different temperatures: 60 °C, 70 °C, and 80 °C. The fruit jams were also produced at 100 °C using the traditional cooking method. Experimentally produced samples were evaluated by the following methods: total polyphenols content, ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and organic acid determination. Among sous vide-processed samples, the samples with the highest (p < 0.05) antioxidant activity were processed at 80 °C, containing pectin; the results were the following: phenols content 0.56 ± 0.01 mg gallic acid/kg; FRAP antioxidant activity 0.32 ± 0.01 µmol Trolox/g; DPPH antioxidant activity 21.39 ± 0.33%. The obtained results showed that fruit jam production with the use of sous vide technology can affect antio... [more]

Attached microalgal growth of Chlorella vulgaris on palm decanter cake (PDC) under irradiation with various visible monochromatic and polychromatic spectra to produce biodiesel was studied in this work. The results demonstrated that the white spectrum cultivation exhibited the highest microalgal density of 1.13 g/g along with 1.213 g/L day of microalgal productivity. Correspondingly, the biodiesel obtained was comprised mainly of C16 and C18 fatty acids, possessing a high cetane number and oxidation stability from the high saturated fatty acid content (70.38%), which was appealing in terms of most biodiesel production requirements. Nevertheless, the highest lipid content (14.341%) and lipid productivity (93.428 mg/L per day) were discovered with green spectrum cultivation. Blue and white spectra led to similar protein contents (34%) as well as carbohydrate contents (61%), corroborating PDC as a feasible carbon and nutrient source for growing microalgae. Lastly, the energy feasibilities... [more]

This study undertakes the line balancing problem while allocating reconfigurable machines to different workstations. A multi-objective model is used to analyze the position of workstations, assignment of configurations to workstations, and operation scheduling in a reconfigurable manufacturing environment. A model is presented that comprises the objectives of the Total Time (TT), the Line Efficiency Index (LEI), and the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). The objective is to minimize the completion time and maximize the efficiency of a production line. The proposed model combines the Simple Line Balancing Problems Type 2 and Type E in the form of SLBP-2E. The presented problems are addressed by using a heuristic solution approach due to non-polynomial hard formulation. The heuristic approach is designed to assess different solutions based on no repositioning, separate repositioning of workstations and configuration, and simultaneous repositioning of workstations and configurations. A de... [more]

To improve semiconductor productivity, efficient operation of the overhead hoist transport (OHT) system, which is an automatic wafer transfer device in a semiconductor fabrication plant (“fab”), is very important. A large amount of data is being generated in real time on the production line through the recent production plan of a smart factory. This data can be used to increase productivity, which in turn enables companies to increase their production efficiency. In this study, for the efficient operation of the OHT, the problem of OHT congestion prediction in the fab is addressed. In particular, the prediction of the OHT transport time was performed by training the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) using the layout image. The data obtained from the simulation of the fab and the actual logistics schedule data of a Korean semiconductor factory were used. The data obtained for each time unit included statistics on volume and speed. In the experiment, a layout image was created and... [more]

The capacity fading and thermal safety issues caused by the volume effect of Si-based anodes and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) films during long-term cycling limit its large-scale application. In this study, silane polymer compound (2-cyanoethyl) triethoxysilane (TCN) was selected as an electrolyte additive to improve the reversibility and thermal safety of Si-based anode lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). TCN prevented the thermal interaction between the vitiated anode and electrolyte, and the onset temperature of the thermal reaction increased from 122.22 to 127.07 °C, as demonstrated by the results of thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The thermal stability of lithiated anodes containing various electrolytes was then assessed using a range of thermo-kinetic models. The results revealed that the activation energy of Si-based lithiated anodes increased from 68.46 to 91.32 kJ/mol, while the thermal hazard greatly decreased. Additionally, the elec... [more]

Multiscale fractal analysis of the pore system for coal is necessary to obtain more inner information. The techniques of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) are combined to characterize the pore structure of natural coal. A total of eight coal samples, of a different rank and coalification degree, are prepared for experiments. Methods of SEM image processing, piecewise curve-fitting and correction of intrusion data are adopted to obtain more useful results. According to the pore size range of the MIP probe, pores in coal are classified as seepage pore (pore size ≥ 1000 nm), transition pore (pore size ≥ 50 nm and <1000 nm) and mesopore (pore size < 50 nm). Variations of multi-scale fractal dimensions are studied from the perspective of coalification degree or coal rank. Fractal dimension from SEM data (D1) and fractal dimensions of seepage pore, transition pore and mesopore (D2, D′2 and D″2) from MIP data are calculated by fitting curves, and... [more]

Traditional power systems usually rely on synchronous generators to provide inertia and maintain grid stability. However, with the continuous development of new energy power generation technologies, more and more converter power supplies provide voltage and frequency support for the power grid. The synchronizing instability issue of a converter-dominated power system becomes increasingly relevant, which exists in both grid-following (GFL) and grid-forming (GFM) converters. In this paper, the transient synchronizing stability of grid-forming (GFM) converters with droop-control during a grid fault is studied, with the influence of current saturation limitation considered especially. The current saturation limitation applied to limit overcurrent during grid faults brings transient voltage-source/current-source switched mode of the converter, which significantly influences the transient behavior. Considering the influence, an equivalent motion model similar to the rotor motion of a synchro... [more]

The plastics business has grown rapidly in recent years, with annual growth rates ranging from 16% to 18% each year (second only to the telecommunications and textile industries). The plastic industry is regarded as a dynamic industry in the Vietnamese economy due to its rapid development rate. Its high growth stems from a big market with significant expansion potential, since Vietnam’s plastic sector is still in its early stages in comparison to the rest of the globe and plastic goods are pushed and utilized in many aspects of life. In order to ensure sustainable development and comply with the provisions of the Law on Environment Protection, plastic manufactures and importers must ensure to fulfill two responsibilities: (1) proper product and packaging recycling—applicable to products and packaging with recyclable value; and (2) the collection and treatment of waste—applicable to products and packaging containing hazardous substances, difficult to recycle, causing difficulties for wa... [more]

The imbalance in the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and lysyl oxidases (LOXs) in synovial fibroblasts (SFs) caused by mechanical injury and inflammatory response prevents injured anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) from self-healing. However, research on the effect of growth factors on SFs on regulating the microenvironment is limited. In this study, mechanical injury and exogenous transform growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were employed to mimic a joint-cavity microenvironment with ACL trauma. The function of the NF-κB transcription factor was further studied. The study found that the gene expression of LOXs (except LOXL-1), MMP-1, -2, and -3 in SFs was promoted by the combination of injurious mechanical stretching and TGF-β1 and that the upregulation of MMPs was higher than that of LOXs. In addition, MMP-2 activity induced by the combination of injurious stretch and TGF-β1 was inhibited by NF-κB inhibitors such as Bay11-7082 and Bay11-7085. The findings concluded that the syn... [more]

Currently, reducing energy consumption and fossil fuel emissions are key factors placed in the first position on the European agenda. District heating technology is an attractive solution, able to satisfy the energy and environmental goals of policymakers and designers. In line with this, a different approach to planning a district heating grid based on the optimization of building clusters is presented. The case study is Wilhelmsburg, a district of Hamburg city. This approach also investigates the usage of industrial waste heat as the grid’s heat source, which is CO2-neutral. First, the data acquisition regarding the buildings’ location and heat demand are described in detail. Based on the derived data and the source of the industrial waste heat, the district heating grid is created by clustering the buildings and connecting the obtained nodes. Furthermore, the grid’s efficiency is improved by eliminating nodes, which are too distant from the heat source, or have lower heat demand. Fi... [more]

Ni-rich layered cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries have received widespread attention due to their large capacity and low cost; however, the structural stability of the material needs to be improved. Herein, F-doped and undoped cathode materials prepared with an advanced co-precipitation method were used to measure the effect of F doping on the material. Compared to the undoped sample, the F-doped cathode materials exhibited an improved rate performance, because the porous structure of F-doped cathode materials is favorable for the infiltration of the electrolyte and the material, and the F-doped cathode material has a larger (003) crystal plane and a smaller Li+ migration barrier energy. This simple F-doping treatment strategy provides a promising way to improve the performance of Ni-rich layered cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

The consumption of functional beverages is rapidly increasing. The improvement in the functional properties of whey after the application of ultrasound is due to the release of bioactive peptides that have antioxidant properties, among others. Bioactive peptides with antioxidant activity have also been found in oats, stimulating the study of whey beverages formulated with oats to obtain functional products. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of ultrasound (24 kHz) at 20 °C for 15 min at 23 W and 154 W on the quality and functional properties of whey−oat (50:50 v/v) beverages and compare it with pasteurization at 65 °C for 30 min (LTLT). Non-significant effect (p > 0.05) of ultrasound intensity (23 W and 154 W) was observed on the physicochemical characteristics and the proximal composition of the whey−oat beverages. The sonicated beverages showed a greater tendency to green and yellow color (p < 0.05), higher fat content (p < 0.05), and less ash and carbohydrate... [more]

Numerical modeling is a widely used method in geotechnical engineering to understand the interactive responses of infrastructures with soils or/and rocks in both civil and mining engineering [...]

The structural fracture of the compressor blade is the main cause of fatigue failure. The novelty of this paper is the creative application of bent swept-back modeling to the blade of the turbocharger impeller. This paper is based on a compressor impeller satisfying the k-ε turbulence model. A simulation model was established in ANSYS software, the fluid−structure interaction was calculated in the three models before and after improvement, and the results were compared and analyzed. The optimized blade could improve the blade structure, reduce stress and deformation, and improve the pressurization ratio. In this paper, the optimization scheme of different parameters was discussed in line with the optimal solution. Based on the combination of fuzzy and grey correlation theory, it was concluded that the correlation between pressure and total deformation was higher than that of equivalent stress, and these two values reached 0.8596 and 0.8001, respectively. The results showed that the pre... [more]

This article presents the synthesis and sorption characteristics of novel microspheres based on 4-vinylbenzene chloride (VBCl) with divinylbenzene (DVB) or ethylene glycol dimethylacrylate (EGDMA). To confirm the chemical structure of the homo- and co-polymers attenuated total reflectance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was used. The presence of characteristic functional groups (−OH, −CH, −CH2, C−O, C=O and C−O−C) in obtained microspheres was confirmed. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis confirms the good thermal resistance of the polymers. The decomposition of microspheres is closely related to the chemical structure of the monomers used. DVB-derived materials decompose in one step, whereas the decomposition of EGDMA derivatives is multi-stage. Obtained polymeric microspheres were applied for auramine O (AO) basic dye removal form aqueous solutions. Equilibrium studies confirmed that the Freundlich model described the system better than Langmuir or Te... [more]