Electrolysis Processes
Renewable energies such as solar, hydro or wind power are abundant in principle but subject to strong fluctuations. Therefore, development of new technologies for storage of these renewable energies is of special interest. Electrochemical technologies are ideal candidates for the use of excess current; consequently, an increased electrification of chemical processes is expected. In this respect, there are different pathways to utilize excess current electrochemically. Perhaps the most accepted and discussed solutions involve intermediate energy storage in either chemical energy carriers (such as hydrogen via water electrolysis) or electrochemical energy storage devices (like batteries). Additionally, excess current can put to other uses, such for solutions to environmental issues or for construction purposes, rather than being stored for later use.
Research on Solar Collector
The use of concentrated solar technologies has grown significantly worldwide in the last decade but the research and development of this renewable energy technology still needs to be advanced to guarantee its competitiveness with other energy sources. Challenges remain with reducing costs, optimizing the systems design, and increasing the performance and durability of the systems.This Special Issue on research on solar collectors presents some recent developments and studies on tracking-solar collectors for medium- to high-temperature applications, both line- and point-focus systems, conceived for the supply of heat in industrial processes, to provide thermal energy to a power block for electricity production, or even to combine heat and electricity generation in a solar collector unit (CPV/T). The articles included in this Special Issue cover theoretical or practical issues on geometrics optics, thermal-hydraulic modelling, and performance analysis, focusing on the following topics: - Solar towers: heliostat fields analysis and optimization- Solar towers: heat transfer media studies- Parabolic troughs: evacuated solar receivers analysis and thermal-hydraulic modelling- Fresnel reflectors: geometrics optics and manufacturing issues- Fresnel lens in CPV- Energy losses in solar collectors systems
3D Printing for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
Three-dimensional (3D) printing enables the fabrication of tissue-engineered constructs and devices from a patient's own medical data, leading to the creation of anatomically matched and patient-specific constructs. There is a growing interest in applying 3D printing technologies in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The main printing methods include extrusion-based, vat photopolymerization, droplet-based, and powder-based printing. A variety of materials have been used for printing, from metal alloys and ceramics to polymers and elastomers as well as from hydrogels to extracellular matrix proteins. More recently, bioprinting, a subcategory of 3D printing, has enabled the precise assembly of cell-laden biomaterials (i.e., bioinks) for the construction of complex 3D functional living tissues or artificial organs. In this Special Issue, we aim to capture state-of-the-art research papers and the most current review papers focusing on 3D printing for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In particular, we seek novel studies on the development of 3D printing and bioprinting approaches, developing printable materials (inks and bioinks), and utilizing 3D-printed scaffolds for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. These applications are not limited to but include scaffolds for in vivo tissue regeneration and tissue analogues for in vitro disease modeling and/or drug screening.
Seismic Performance Evaluation of Reinforced Concrete Framed Buildings with Shear Walls
Master's Thesis from the year 2014 in the subject Engineering - Civil Engineering, grade: 8.37, Andhra University, course: Master's Degree, language: English, abstract: The study mainly aims to determine a solution for shear wall location in a multi-storey building based on the response spectrum method using ETABS. In this study, two multi-storied buildings, one of six and other of thirteen stories have been modeled for an earthquake zone V in India using the response spectrum method as per IS: 1893 (Part 1) -2002. Five different models of the varying position of shear walls are considered for studying their effectiveness in resisting lateral forces. The work also deals with the effect of the variation of the building height on the structural response of the shear wall. Lateral displacements, storey shear, storey bending moment and storey drift were computed in all the cases and location of the shear wall was established based upon the above computations. Right from the evolution of the earth, earthquakes have been a cause of great disasters in the form of destruction of property, injury, and loss of life to the population. The effective design and construction of earthquake-resistant structures has much greater importance in this country due to the rapid industrial development and concentration of the population in cities. Recently there has been a considerable increase in the construction of tall buildings both residential and commercial and the modern trend is towards more tall and slender structures. Thus, the effect of lateral loads like wind loads, earthquake loads and blast forces is attaining increasing importance and almost every designer is facing the problems of providing adequate strength and stability against lateral loads. Now the situation is quite different and a clear understanding of the effect of the lateral loads on the building and the behavior of various components under these loads is essential. Shear wall systems are one of the most used la
Sovereign Skies
A pathbreaking history of the regulatory foundations of America's twentieth-century aerial preeminence.Today, the federal government possesses unparalleled authority over the atmosphere of the United States. Yet when the Wright Brothers inaugurated the air age on December 17, 1903, the sky was an unregulated frontier. As increasing numbers of aircraft threatened public safety in subsequent decades and World War I accentuated national security concerns about aviation, the need for government intervention became increasingly apparent. But where did authority over the airplane reside within America's federalist system? And what should US policy look like for a device that could readily travel over physical barriers and political borders?In Sovereign Skies, Sean Seyer provides a radically new understanding of the origins of American aviation policy in the first decades of the twentieth century. Drawing on the concept of mental models from cognitive science, regime theory from political science, and extensive archival sources, Seyer situates the development, spread, and institutionalization of a distinct American regulatory idea within its proper international context. He illustrates how a relatively small group of bureaucrats, military officers, industry leaders, and engineers drew upon previous regulatory schemes and international principles in their struggle to define government's relationship to the airplane. In so doing, he challenges the current domestic-centered narrative within the literature and delineates the central role of the airplane in the reinterpretation of federal power under the commerce clause. By placing the origins of aviation policy within a broader transnational context, Sovereign Skies highlights the influence of global regimes on US policy and demonstrates the need for continued engagement in world affairs. Filling a major gap in the historiography of aviation, it will be of interest to readers of aviation, diplomatic, and legal history, as well as regulatory policy and American political development.
Solar panels and trackers
The purpose of this project is the technical-energetic study of the different technologies that can be found today, regarding solar panels (polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin film) and trackers (fixed, one axis from south to north, one axis from east to west and double axis), to obtain the best use of the energy source of these systems, the sun. In a first phase, the characteristics of each one of them are detailed, and then, in a second stage, the combinations of the equipment are proposed, forming 12 hypotheses. On the basis of these hypotheses, we will proceed to the technical study where different considerations of the installations are presented. Once the above mentioned hypotheses are raised, we model the equipment in the PVSIST software, carrying out the corresponding simulations and obtaining from each of these, the values of energy generated annually. It is at this point that a more global analysis can be made by comparing the results of each hypothesis and determining the suitability of each system depending on the type of renewable project to be implemented.
Enhanced Machine Learning Algorithm
We are living in a big data world where enormous data as a flood is brimming from all around to spawn Data Ocean. These data are fascinating if handled appropriately or else it is nothing more than trash. An ordinary algorithm is not competent in dealing out this mammoth dataset, as they are programmed to work based on the instruction. At present machine learning and data mining is gaining esteem as it is consists of a wide range of robust algorithms, which is capable of dispensation big data. The main aspiration of this work is to recognize the performances hurdle of machine learning classification algorithm due to complexity added by imbalance dataset for training purpose. The main contribution of this work is to generate a hybridization pre-processing and resampling technique which will able to reduce the complexity due to an imbalance big datasets and thus enhances performances of ML classification algorithms during assembling a precise predictive model. The algorithm proposed in this book, Hybridization Preprocessing and Resampling Technique (HPRT) is an enhanced technique, designed to reduce the complexity of dataset.
Fundamental Fashion Design
Designers conduct research on fashion trends and interpret them for their audience. Their specific designs are used by manufacturers. This is the essence of a designer's role; however, there is variation within this that is determined by the buying and merchandising approach, and product quality; for example, budget retailers will use inexpensive fabrics to interpret trends, but high-end retailers will ensure that the best available fabrics are used.
Private House Electric Lighting - A Popular Handbook of Modern Methods in Wiring and Fitting as Applied to Private Houses, Including a Chapter on Gene
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
Les aventures et m矇saventures de Titine, un cabriolet pas comme les autres_Tome 3
Ce troisi癡me tome des "aventures et m矇saventures de Titine, un cabriolet pas comme les autres", retrace toutes les sorties, les rassemblements, les pannes et leur r矇paration, survenus au cours du second semestre 2017. Le personnage principal est un petit cabriolet Peugeot 304 de 1973 surnomm矇 affectueusement Titine. La narration est toujours r矇alis矇e sous forme humoristique et en autod矇rision de l'auteur. Tout est rigoureusement exacte (dates et heures comprises), et les personnes nomm矇es dans ce r矇cit, comme dans les deux tomes pr矇c矇dents, sont toutes bien r矇elles. Certains se reconna簾tront donc ...
1001 Mechanical Facts Made Easy - A Handbook of Simple Mechanical Knowledge for Everyone Interested in the Work of the Engineer
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
The Centrifugal Pump, Turbines, and Water Motors - Including the Theory and Practice of Hydraulics
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
Steigerung der Energieeffizienz bei Beleuchtungsanlagen im Industriebereich. Das Beispiel Ferrybridge 2 in Leeds
Technischer Bericht aus dem Jahr 2019 im Fachbereich Ingenieurwissenschaften - Anlagenbau, Note: 1.2, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Im Zusammenhang mit der Diskussion um die globale Klimaerw瓣rmung tritt oft die Tatsache in den Hintergrund, dass sich die Schweiz in den n瓣chsten Jahren nicht nur mit dem Problem von zu hohen Treibhausgasemissionen, sondern auch mit einer Verknappung der verf羹gbaren Energie auseinandersetzen muss. In diesem Sinne hilft eine Senkung des Energieverbrauchs in der Schweiz nicht nur im Kampf gegen die globale Klimaerw瓣rmung, sondern verringert auch die Energieknappheit in der Schweiz und senkt die Auslandsabh瓣ngigkeit unserer Energieversorgung. Eine solide Basis besteht, nun gilt es lediglich diese g羹nstige Ausgangslage weiterzuentwickeln, die technischen Errungenschaften und Erfahrungen welche in den letzten Jahren gemacht wurden, zu nutzen und in die Tat umzusetzen. Diesem Sinne folgend, wurde die vorliegende Arbeit als m繹gliches Beispiel f羹r die Umsetzung genau dieser Ideen ausgew瓣hlt. Das Projekt "Ferrybridge 2" welches explizit in dieser Arbeit analysiert wird, ist eine Kehrichtverbrennungsanlage, welche ca. 25km au?erhalb von Leeds liegt. Nach einer detaillierten Ist-Aufnahme der Anlage, inkl. aller dazugeh繹rigen Beleuchtungsk繹rpern sowie Steuerungsoptionen und deren vertraglich geregelten Anforderungen im jeweiligen Einsatzbereich, wurden die j瓣hrlich anlaufenden Betriebskosten berechnet. Hohe Betriebsstunden f羹hren zu hohen Betriebskosten was 羹berwiegend auf einen "Betrieb ohne Nutzen" zur羹ckzuf羹hren ist. Als ma?gebliches Problem und somit als Treiber f羹r die hohen Betriebskosten wurde somit der sogenannte "Betrieb ohne Nutzen" - kurz BoN - erkannt. Der wichtigste Teil der Untersuchung - die empirische Untersuchung - befasst sich mit den vertraglichen Anforderungen bez羹glich Beleuchtungsanlagen, welche f羹r die hohen Betriebsstunden und folglich auch f羹r die hohen Betriebskosten verantwortlich sind. Eine Gruppe auserw瓣hlten Experte
Pitman's Motorists Library - The Book of the Austin Seven - A Complete Guide for Owners of All Models with Details of Changes in Design and Equipment
This early work by Gordon G. Goodwin is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. It contains a wealth of information on the history and designs of the Austin Seven and includes chapters on maintenance, the electrical system, specifications, all accompanied with quality photographs and illustrations. This fascinating work is thoroughly recommended for inclusion on the bookshelf of all car enthusiasts, especially those with an interest in the British car industry. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
The Origins of Modern Science
The Origins of Modern Science is the first synthetic account of the history of science from antiquity through the Scientific Revolution in many decades. Providing readers of all backgrounds and students of all disciplines with the tools to study science like a historian, Ofer Gal covers everything from Pythagorean mathematics to Newton's Principia, through Islamic medicine, medieval architecture, global commerce and magic. Richly illustrated throughout, scientific reasoning and practices are introduced in accessible and engaging ways with an emphasis on the complex relationships between institutions, beliefs and political structures and practices. Readers gain valuable new insights into the role that science plays both in history and in the world today, placing the crucial challenges to science and technology of our time within their historical and cultural context.
The Snowdon Mountain Railway
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
Hydraulic Motors, with Related Subjects; Including Centrifugal Pumps, Pipes and Open Channels, Designed as a Text-Book for Engineering Schools
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
The Origins of Modern Science
The Origins of Modern Science is the first synthetic account of the history of science from antiquity through the Scientific Revolution in many decades. Providing readers of all backgrounds and students of all disciplines with the tools to study science like a historian, Ofer Gal covers everything from Pythagorean mathematics to Newton's Principia, through Islamic medicine, medieval architecture, global commerce and magic. Richly illustrated throughout, scientific reasoning and practices are introduced in accessible and engaging ways with an emphasis on the complex relationships between institutions, beliefs and political structures and practices. Readers gain valuable new insights into the role that science plays both in history and in the world today, placing the crucial challenges to science and technology of our time within their historical and cultural context.
The Care and Propagation of Ornamental Waterfowl
This antique text contains a guide to the care and maintenance of waterfowl as ornamental birds in personal ponds and lakes. 'The Care and Propagation of Ornamental Waterfowl' deals mainly with the waterfowl that are the most suitable for ornamental waters, and attempts to show how easy they are to manage when adult, rear when young, how inexpensive to feed, and delightful to watch. The perfect guide for existing or prospective waterfowl owners, this informative text makes a great addition to any collection of ornithological literature. Chapters contained herein include: Flamingo, Swans, Whooper Swan, Whistling Swan, Trumpeter Swan, Mute Swan, Black-Necked Swan, Black Swan, Coscoroba Swan, Semi-Palmated of Pied Goose, Spur-Winged Goose, Indian comb Duck or Black-backed Goose, Muscovy, White-Winged Wood Duck, and many more. This book was originally published in 1933, and we are proud to republish it here with a new introduction to aviculture.
Horse Breeds - With Information on French, Belgian, Clydesdale, the Suffolk and Other Notable Breeds
This antique volume comprises a comprehensive treatise on the various breeds of horse, with information on French, Belgian, Clydesdale, Suffolk, and other notable breeds. Complete with detailed descriptions and fascinating information on each breed, as well as including a plethora of authentic photographs and detailed illustrations, this text constitutes a wonderful guide to the different horse breeds. It will be of much interest to the discerning equestrian. The chapters of this book include: 'The Breeds', 'The Draft Breeds', 'The French Group', 'The Percheron', 'Other French Breeds', 'The Beldian', 'The British Group', 'The Clydesdale', 'The Shire', 'The Suffolk', 'The Thoroughbred', 'The Standard-Bred', 'The Coachers', 'The French Coacher', etcetera. We are proud to republish this antique book, now complete with a new introduction on the care and maintenance of horses.
Pitman's Motorists Library - The Book Of The Wolseley - A Complete Guide To All 9 H.P, 10 H.P, 12 H.P Models From 1932 To 1937 - Including The 1937 10/40 H.P And 12/48 H.P And The Hornet, Wasp, And 'N
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
Bearbeitung des Papers Coastal Morphodynamic Evolution Techniques von J.A. Roelvink
Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2012 im Fachbereich Ingenieurwissenschaften - Bauingenieurwesen, Note: 1,7, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universit瓣t Hannover (Ludwig-Franzius-Institut f羹r Wasserbau, ?stuar- und K羹steningenieurwesen), Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: In dieser Arbeit wird das Paper "Coastal morphodynamic evolution techniques", das im Jahre 2006 von Dano Roelvink ver繹ffentlicht wurde, zusammenfassend erl瓣utert. Der Autor stellt verschiedene Methoden zur Modellierung morphodynamischer Vorg瓣nge beziehungsweise zur Aktualisierung bathymetrischer Ver瓣nderungen vor. Beginnend mit dem tidegemittelten Ansatz weist Roelvink auf zwei wesentliche Einschr瓣nkungen hin, denen diese Herangehensweise unterliegt. Aufgrund dessen erfolgt eine Erweiterung dieser Methode um eine Kontinuit瓣tskorrektur mithilfe derer Auswirkungen der Bathymetrie瓣nderung auf die Hydrodynamik sowie auf Transportprozesse ber羹cksichtigt werden. Anschlie?end wird der RAM Ansatz, der auf der Annahme basiert, dass die Transportfunktion bei einem gegebenen Str繹mungs- und Wellenprofil lediglich von der Wassertiefe abh瓣ngig ist, vorgestellt. Ein wesentlicher Vorteil dieser Methode ist der parallele Ablauf der Wellen-, Str繹mungs- und Transportfeldaktualisierungen. Weiterhin wird die online Methode erl瓣utert. Im Gegensatz zu den bis dahin vorgestellten Ans瓣tzen, werden hier Str繹mungsprozesse, der Sedimenttransport sowie ?nderungen der Bathymetrie mit gleichen, kurzen Zeitschritten aktualisiert. Schlie?lich wird der parallel online Ansatz behandelt, der eine Kombination des parallelen Charakters der RAM Methode und der Genauigkeit sowie der numerischen Stabilit瓣t des online Ansatzes darstellt. Danach nimmt der Autor einen Vergleich der einzelnen Methoden bez羹glich ihrer Genauigkeit und Effizienz vor und stellt diesen in Form eines hypothetischen Beispiels dar. Schlussfolgernd wird darauf hingewiesen, dass sich zuk羹nftige wissenschaftliche Studien, die auf der parallel online Methode basieren, mit Langzeitverha
Starting a Farm - An Historical Account of the Various Aspects of Establishing a Farm. Including Information on Finances and Farming Organisations
This antiquarian volume contains a detailed guide to starting your own farm, being a historical account of the various aspects of establishing a farm with information on finances and general farm organisation. Complete with simple instructions, handy tips, and helpful illustrations and diagrams, this text contains much in the way of timeless information and will be of considerable value to the novice or prospective farmer. Many antique books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are proudly republishing this book now, in an affordable modern edition.
Growing Cotton and Tobacco - With Information on Methods of Growing and Marketing
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
Everybody's Watches - The Design, Manufacture and Adjustment of Usual and Unusual Watches Described in a Non-Technical Way for the Information of the Wearer
This book contains a fascinating discussion on the design, manufacture, and adjustment of usual and unusual watches described in non-technical language for the information of the wearer. Written in clear, simple language and full of interesting historical information and detailed descriptions, this text will be of special interest to those with a keen interest in the history and development of watches, and it is not to be missed by collectors of vintage literatureof this ilk. The chapters of this volume include: The Watch and its Well-Being, The Design, The Frame and Jewels, Winding and Setting, The Power Unit, The Gear Train, The Motion Work, The Escapement, The Balance Spring and Regulation, ''Shockproof'' Escapements and Magnetism, et cetera. This antiquarian work is being republished now complete with a new introduction on the history of clocks and watches.
The Coupling of Safety and SecurityTheCoupling of Safety and SecurityExploring Interrelati
This open access book explores the synergies and tensions between safety and security management from a variety of perspectives and by combining input from numerous disciplines. It defines the concepts of safety and security, and discusses the methodological, organizational and institutional implications that accompany approaching them as separate entities and combining them, respectively.The book explores the coupling of safety and security from different perspectives, especially: the concepts and methods of risk, safety and security; the managerial aspects; user experiences in connection with safety and security. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to researchers and practitioners in the fields of safety and security, and to anyone working at a business or in an industry concerned with how safety and security should be managed.
Technological advances, smart city policies, and environmental managementA case study of S
Big data analytics helps to examine recent trends in the implementation of new technologies. More importantly, it unpacks the cognitive relationship between the recent wave of the technological revolution and the environmental soundness. One part of this research scrutinizes the trend of the Fourth Industrial revolution in association with the environment, and provides implications for a more desirable future environmental policy in South Korea. Results show that the Industrial Revolution has been generally perceived as negative to the environment before the 2010s, but as positive after the period. It is highly expected that the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be capable of functioning as a new alternative to enhance the quality of the biophysical and social environments. The positive linkage between the new technological development and the environment from this study clearly indicates that the environmental industry and environmental technologies will be the key success factors for the next-generation society. The other part of the study introduces the smart city initiatives of South Korea, and explores the recent history of smart city policies and their limitations. We found that (ⅰ) Korean smart city development initiatives are actively and swiftly implemented, (ⅱ) public consensus suggests that what matters are the application of advanced technologies and the active role of the government, (ⅲ) a comprehensive and strategic approach with the integration and application of advanced technologies is required as well, and (ⅳ) investments from both private and public sectors are necessary in order to achieve social improvements.
Smart Cities for Dummies
Become empowered to build and maintain smarter cities At its core, a smart city is a collection of technological responses to the growing demands, challenges, and complexities of improving the quality of life for billions of people now living in urban centers across the world. The movement to create smarter cities is still in its infancy, but ambitious and creative projects in all types of cities--big and small--around the globe are beginning to make a big difference. New ideas, powered by technology, are positively changing how we move humans and products from one place to another; create and distribute energy; manage waste; combat the climate crisis; build more energy efficient buildings; and improve basic city services through digitalization and the smart use of data. Inside this book you'll find out: What it really means to create smarter cities How our urban environments are being transformed Big ideas for improving the quality of life for communities Guidance on how to create a smart city strategy The essential role of data in building better cities The major new technologies ready to make a difference in every community Smart Cities For Dummies will give you the knowledge to understand this important topic in depth and be ready to be an agent of change in your community.
RF and Microwave Engineering - With 100 Keysight (ADS) Workspaces
The RF and Microwave Engineering textbook wit 100 Keysight (ADS) Workspaces teaches the theory and application of RF and microwave circuit design to college students and practicing engineers. The basic topics include RF and microwave Concepts and Components, Transmission Lines, Network Parameters, Smith Chart, Resonance Circuits, Lumped and Distributed Filters, Power Transfers, Discrete and Distributed impedance Matching Networks, Single-Stage and Multi-Stage Amplifier Designs, and Physical Amplifier Design.
Systematic Industrial Maintenance to Boost the Quality Management Programs
This book discusses the main quality management (QM) programs and their possible integration into systematic industrial maintenance (SIM). Unlike traditional engineering maintenance books, it not only explains the theory but also provides practical examples of the integration of QM and SIM programs. It also includes reference sources, making it useful for readers wanting to explore specific areas in more depth.Chapter 1 introduces various aspects of the main quality management (QM) programs, including total quality management (TQM), just-in-time (JIT) and lean manufacturing (Lean). Subsequently, it examines the relation of quality and maintenance. Chapter 2 reviews the concepts of systematic industrial maintenance (SIM) and the application of quality control (QC) tools. Chapter 3 offers an overview, historical perspective and trends in industrial maintenance techniques. Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 focus on topics related to schedule-based maintenance, condition-based maintenance, reliability-based maintenance, computerized-based maintenance, risk-based maintenance and total productive maintenance. Covering the theory of each of these types of SIM, the chapters also explain their real-world application in QM and highlight their merits and weaknesses in the context of supporting QM.
Tactile Sensing Technology and Systems
Tactile sensors are basically distributed sensors which translate mechanical and physical variables and pain stimuli into electrical variables. Contact information is further processed and conveyed to a supervising system. Tactile arrays ought to be mechanically flexible (i.e., conformable to the object it is applied to) and stretchable and tactile information decoding must be implemented in real time. The development of artificial tactile sensing is a big challenge as it involves numerous research areas. Application domains include humanoid and industrial robotics, prosthetics, biomedical instrumentation, health care, cyber physical systems, virtual reality, arts, to name but a few. Recent and relevant achievements in materials and transducers have not yet successfully boosted system developments due to the challenging gaps which still need to be filled at many levels, e.g. data decoding and processing, miniaturization, mechanical compliance, robustness, among others. Tactile sensing has developed rapidly over the past three decades, but has yet to achieve high impact breakthroughs in application domains. In this Special Issue, we focus on both insights and advancements in tactile sensing with the goal of bridging different research areas, e.g., material science, electronics, robotics, neuroscience, mechanics, sensors, MEMS/NEMS, addictive and 3D manufacturing, bio and neuro-engineering.
Integration of AC/DC Microgrids into Power Grids
AC/DC Microgrids are a small part of low voltage distribution networks that are located far from power substations, and are interconnected through the point of common coupling to power grids. These systems are important keys for the flexible, techno-economic, and environmental-friendly generation of units for the reliable operation and cost-effective planning of smart electricity grids. Although AC/DC microgrids, with the integration of renewable energy resources and other energy systems, such as power-to-gas, combined heat and power, combined cooling heat and power, power-to-heat, power-to-vehicle, pump and compressed air storage, have several advantages, there are some technical aspects that must be addressed. This Special Issue aims to study the configuration, impacts, and prospects of AC/DC microgrids that enable enhanced solutions for intelligent and optimized electricity systems, energy storage systems, and demand-side management in power grids with an increasing share of distributed energy resources. It includes AC/DC microgrid modeling, simulation, control, operation, protection, dynamics, planning, reliability and security, as well as considering power quality improvement, load forecasting, market operations, energy conversion, cyber/physical security, supervisory and monitoring, diagnostics and prognostics systems.
Recent Technical Developments in Energy-Efficient 5G Mobile Cells
This book addresses the true innovation in engineering design that may be promoted by blending together models and methodologies from different disciplines, and, in this book, the target was exactly to follow this approach to deliver a new disruptive architecture to deliver these next-generation mobile small cell technologies. According to this design philosophy, the work within this book resides in the intersection of engineering paradigms that includes "cooperation", "network coding", and "smart energy-aware frontends". These technologies will not only be considered as individual building blocks, but re-engineered according to an inter-design approach resulting in the enabler for energy efficient femtocell-like services on the move. The book aims to narrow the gap between the current networking technologies and the foreseen requirements that are targeted at the future development of the 5G mobile and wireless communications networks in terms of the higher networking capacity, the ability to support more users, the lower cost per bit, the enhanced energy efficiency, and adaptability to new services and devices (for example, smart cities, and the Internet of things (IoT)).
Polymer Biointerfaces
Dear Colleagues, Polymer biointerfaces are considered a suitable alternative to the improvement and development of numerous applications. The optimization of polymer surface properties can control several biological processes, such as cell adhesion, proliferation, viability, and enhanced extracellular matrix secretion functions at biointerfaces. This printed Special Issue on Polymer Biointerfaces is focused on fundamental and applied research on polymers and systems with biological origin. Submissions contain both polymer material background and descriptions of interacting biological phenomena or relevance to prospective applications in biomedical, biochemical, biophysical, biotechnological, food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetic fields. Special attention has been given to polymer bio-surface modification, bio-coatings, cell-polymer surface interactions, self-assembling monolayers on polymers, in-vivo and in-vitro systems, protein-polymer surface interaction, polysaccharide-polymer interactions, biotribology, bio chip, biosensors, nano-bio interfaces, coatings, biofilms, adhesion phenomena, and molecular recognition, among others. Assoc. Prof. Mari獺n Lehock羸Assoc. Prof. Petr Humpol穩čekGuest Editors
Recent Numerical Advances in Fluid Mechanics
In recent decades, the field of computational fluid dynamics has made significant advances in enabling advanced computing architectures to understand many phenomena in biological, geophysical, and engineering fluid flows. Almost all research areas in fluids use numerical methods at various complexities: from molecular to continuum descriptions; from laminar to turbulent regimes; from low speed to hypersonic, from stencil-based computations to meshless approaches; from local basis functions to global expansions, as well as from first-order approximation to high-order with spectral accuracy. Many successful efforts have been put forth in dynamic adaptation strategies, e.g., adaptive mesh refinement and multiresolution representation approaches. Furthermore, with recent advances in artificial intelligence and heterogeneous computing, the broader fluids community has gained the momentum to revisit and investigate such practices. This Special Issue, containing a collection of 13 papers, brings together researchers to address recent numerical advances in fluid mechanics.
Low Binder Concrete and Mortars
This book is the result of a Special Issue published in Applied Sciences entitled "Low Binder Concrete and Mortars". The main aim of this work is to highlight practical approaches that facilitate the production of low binder content concrete and mortar with an acceptable level of technical performance (e.g., mechanical and durability) and environmental impacts (e.g., ecotoxicological and global warming). Its contents are organized in the following sections: Developing Zero-Cement Binder; Ecotoxicological and Chemical Characteristics of the Non-conventional Materials Used to Replace Cement and Natural Aggregates; Reduce the Environmental Impacts and Resources Use of Binders; Modify the Characteristics of the Cement-Based Materials; Low Binder Concrete On-Site Application; Sustainable Cement-Based Materials in Road Engineering.
Numerical Simulations of Turbulent Combustion
Turbulent burning of gaseous fuels is widely used for energy conversion in stationary power generation, e.g., gas turbines, land transportation, piston engines, and aviation, and aero-engine afterburners. Nevertheless, our fundamental understanding of turbulent combustion is still limited, because it is a highly non-linear and multiscale process that involves various local phenomena and thousands (e.g., for gasoline-air mixtures) of chemical reactions between hundreds of species, including several reactions that control emissions from flames. Therefore, there is a strong need for elaborating high fidelity, advanced numerical models, and methods that will catch the governing physical mechanisms of flame-turbulence interaction and, consequently, will make turbulent combustion computations an efficient predictive tool for applied research and, in particular, for development of a new generation of ultra-clean and highly efficient internal combustion engines that will allow society to properly respond to current environmental and efficiency challenges. Accordingly, papers published in this Special Issue (i) contribute to our fundamental understanding of flame-turbulence interaction by analyzing results of unsteady multi-dimensional numerical simulations and (ii) develop and validate high-fidelity models and efficient numerical methods for computational fluid Dynamics research into turbulent combustion in laboratory burners and engines.
Conductive PolymersMaterials and Applications
The pioneering work by Nobel Prize Laureates Heeger, MacDiarmid, and Shirakawa marked the birth of conductive polymers, a new family of revolutionary organic materials at the boundaries between classic plastics, metals, and semiconductors. Since then, a host of chemically diverse conducting polymeric structures has been devised with fascinating optical, electrical, magnetic, and redox properties that can be tuned using easy chemical/electrochemical doping. In recent decades, the combination and blend of conductive polymers with other materials families (e.g., carbon nanomaterials, metal nanoparticles or oxide nanostructures, common polymers, and resins) fostered the advent of a new generation of hybrid multifunctional composites with enhanced properties and high potential for present and near-future everyday life applications, ranging from photovoltaics, OLEDs, smart windows and garments, plastic batteries for sensors, and intelligent actuators. In this book, we compile some of the latest advances in the field, covering both old issues and new examples emphasizing emerging applications in biomedical science, healthcare, separation science, and water pollution abatement.
Flow-Based Optimization of Products or Devices
Flow-based optimization of products and devices is an immature field compared to the corresponding topology optimization based on solid mechanics. However, it is an essential part of component development with both internal and/or external flow.The aim of this book is two-fold: (i) to provide state-of-the-art examples of flow-based optimization and (ii) to present a review of topology optimization for fluid-based problems.
Designer BiopolymersSelf-Assembling Proteins and Nucleic Acids
Nature has evolved sequence-controlled polymers, such as DNA and proteins, over its long history. The recent progress of synthetic chemistry, DNA recombinant technology, and computational science, as well as the elucidation of molecular mechanisms in biological processes, drive us to design ingenious polymers that are inspired by naturally occurring polymers, but surpass them in specialized functions. The term "designer biopolymers" refers to polymers which consist of biological building units, such as nucleotides, amino acids, and monosaccharides, in a sequence-controlled manner. This book particularly focuses on the self-assembling aspect of designer biopolymers. Self-assembly is one common feature in biopolymers that is used to realize their dynamic biological activities and is strictly controlled by the sequence of biopolymers. In a broad sense, the self-assembly of biopolymers includes a double-helix formation of DNA, protein folding, and higher-order protein assembly (e.g., viral capsids). Designer biopolymers are now going beyond what nature evolved: researchers have generated DNA origami, protein cages, peptide nanofibers, and gels. This book illustrates the latest interdisciplinary work on self-assembling designer biopolymers. As shown by this book, the self-assembly of biopolymers has a great impact on a variety of research fields, including molecular biology, neurodegenerative diseases, drug delivery, gene therapy, regenerative medicine, and biomineralization. Designer biopolymers will help researchers to better understand biological processes, as well as to create innovative molecular systems. We believe that this book will provide readers with new ideas for their molecular design strategies for frontier research.
Rainfall Infiltration Modeling
Rainfall infiltration is an important component of the hydrologic cycle and plays a crucial role in the formation of surface runoff, providing subsurface water that governs the water supply for agriculture, the transport of pollutants through the vadose zone, and the recharge of aquifers. The spatiotemporal evolution of the infiltration rate under natural conditions cannot currently be deduced by direct measurements at any scale of interest. Therefore, the use of infiltration modeling is of fundamental importance in applied hydrology and allows this process to be described through measurable quantities. In spite of the continuous development of infiltration modeling in recent decades, the estimation of infiltration at different spatial scales, i.e., from the local to watershed scales, remains a complex problem because of the natural spatial variability of both soil hydraulic characteristics and rainfall. For many years, research activity has been limited to the development of local or point infiltration models for vertically homogeneous soils with flat surfaces. Recent scientific literature has extended infiltration modeling to many other involved elements whose representation, however, still represents an open problem. In this context, this volume attempts to make a contribution to the modeling of point infiltration into vertically non-uniform soils or soils modified by human activities, infiltration over horizontal heterogeneous areas, infiltration into soil surfaces with significant slopes, interaction between the infiltration process and the groundwater system, and infiltration due to irrigation and the surface water-groundwater dynamics.
Carnot Cycle and Heat Engine Fundamentals and Applications
This book results from a Special Issue related to the latest progress in the thermodynamics of machines systems and processes since the premonitory work of Carnot. Carnot invented his famous cycle and generalized the efficiency concept for thermo-mechanical engines. Since that time, research progressed from the equilibrium approach to the irreversible situation that represents the general case. This book illustrates the present state-of-the-art advances after one or two centuries of consideration regarding applications and fundamental aspects. The research is moving fast in the direction of economic and environmental aspects. This will probably continue during the coming years. This book mainly highlights the recent focus on the maximum power of engines, as well as the corresponding first law efficiency upper bounds.
Lifetime Prediction and Simulation Models of Different Energy Storage Devices
Energy storage is one of the most important enablers for the transformation to a sustainable energy supply with greater mobility. For vehicles, but also for many stationary applications, the batteries used for energy storage are very flexible but also have a rather limited lifetime compared to other storage principles. This Special Issue is a collection of articles that collectively address the following questions: What are the factors influencing the aging of different energy storage technologies?How can we extend the lifetime of storage systems? How can the aging of an energy storage be detected and predicted? When do we have to exchange the storage device?The articles cover lithium-ion batteries, supercaps, and flywheels.
Failure Analysis of Biometals
Metallic biomaterials (biometals) are widely used for the manufacture of medical implants, ranging from load-bearing orthopaedic prostheses to dental and cardiovascular implants, because of their favourable combination of properties, including high strength, fracture toughness, biocompatibility, and wear and corrosion resistance. Owing to the significant consequences of implant material failure/degradation, in terms of both personal and financial burden, failure analysis of biometals has always been of paramount importance in order to understand the failure mechanisms and implement suitable solutions with the aim to improve the longevity of implants in the body. Failure Analysis of Biometals presents some of the latest developments and findings in this area. This includes a great range of common metallic biomaterials (Ti alloys, CoCrMo alloys, Mg alloys, and NiTi alloys) and their associated failure mechanisms (corrosion, fatigue, fracture, and fretting wear) that commonly occur in medical implants and surgical instruments.
International Project Management for Technical Professionals
This book is intended to be a practical tool rather than purely theoretical as one might find in many management books released today. Much of the book is based on practical experience, strategies and techniques attempted with various experience levels from interns and students to managing Ph.D. level engineers and scientists. Many of the experiences are special to me because of the situations that had to be overcome. As you read, you may identify situations that you connect with and say "yes, that has happened to me". International project management is bound to grow as the digital world permits more and more individuals onto the superhighway. As I'm editing this second edition, we're in the middle of quarantine for the COVID-19 situation. Recognizing the benefits of lower cost labor or improved productivity in another nation is old news. For centuries individuals have made their entire life substance by trading internationally via wagon, boat or train. Today the transportation mechanisms and communication tools are far more advanced, but the principles are the same. We can use digital media to advance the causes of project management. For an individual in engineering, presumably in mechanical engineering for many interested in this book, the first piece of advice is to recognize that you will be challenged to balance engineering and project management. Step back from the product, equipment or service that you are in charge of and realize that it is the end-result of a project. Focusing on the project will help the product, but just as important, the time and budget delivery.
Mobile Oriented Future Internet (MOFI)Architectural Designs and Experimentations
This Special Issue consists of seven papers that discuss how to enhance mobility management and its associated performance in the mobile-oriented future Internet (MOFI) environment. The first two papers deal with the architectural design and experimentation of mobility management schemes, in which new schemes are proposed and real-world testbed experimentations are performed. The subsequent three papers focus on the use of software-defined networks (SDN) for effective service provisioning in the MOFI environment, together with real-world practices and testbed experimentations. The remaining two papers discuss the network engineering issues in newly emerging mobile networks, such as flying ad-hoc networks (FANET) and connected vehicular networks.
Mobile Robots Navigation
The presence of mobile robots in diverse scenarios is considerably increasing to perform a variety of tasks. Among them, many developments have occurred in the fields of ground, underwater, and flying robotics. Independent of the environment where they move, navigation is a fundamental ability of mobile robots so that they can autonomously complete high-level tasks. This problem can be efficiently addressed through the following actions: First, it is necessary to perceive the environment in which the robot has to move, and extract some relevant information (mapping problem). Second, the robot must be able to estimate its position and orientation within this environment (localization problem). With this information, a trajectory toward the target points must be planned (path planning), and the vehicle must be reactively guided along this trajectory considering either possible changes or interactions with the environment or with the user (control). Given this information, this book introduces current frameworks in these fields (mapping, localization, path planning, and control) and, in general, approaches to any problem related to the navigation of mobile robots, such as odometry, exploration, obstacle avoidance, and simulation.
Quality Assurance of Welded Construction
Since the first edition of this book was published, most developments in welding construction have been within the quality assurance element of the process rather than in welding technology itself.
