The Prevention of Factory Accidents
This book is a practical guide to preventing accidents in a factory setting. From safety regulations to hazard management, the author provides practical tips and advice for ensuring a safe work environment. A must-read for anyone in the manufacturing or industrial sector.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
The Story of the Atlantic Telegraph
This book tells the story of the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable in the mid-19th century. The author provides a detailed account of the technical, logistical, and financial challenges faced by the project, as well as the social and political implications of this groundbreaking technology. This book is a fascinating account of a momentous event in the history of communications.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Innovative Materials and Processes for Removal of Biopersistent Pollutants
Hazardous artificial contaminants are molecules of inorganic and organic nature (pharmaceuticals, food sources, heavy metals, dyes, personal care products, detergents, flame retardants, cosmetics, and pesticides) with potential toxicological effects on human health and the environment (air, water, and soil) due to their ubiquity at trace levels. These products could be bio-persistent during conventional treatment processes; accordingly, the adoption of proper and innovative technologies is necessary for the removal of these hazardous, persistent chemicals before their release into the environment. The aim of this reprint, entitled "Innovative Materials and Processes for the Removal of Biopersistent Pollutants", was to collect studies devoted to the recent progress and new perspectives in the treatment and removal of hazardous artificial contaminants in the air, soil, and water supply.
Extraction and Purification of Bioactive Compounds
Bioactive compounds, which are abundant in flora, fauna, and microorganisms, can potentially be used by various industries, including pharmaceuticals, functional foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. Their extraction and purification, however, pose significant challenges due to the presence of impurities, interference from other compounds, and the need to maintain their stability as well as activity. It delves into the complexities of these processes, presenting one review paper and eleven original research articles that explore the enrichment, identification, and various aspects of bioactive compounds. A comprehensive review of the current methodologies used for obtaining bioactive products from microalgae was presented. Conventional and green extraction techniques were compared for natural antioxidants from Saudi date fruit. The carotenoid extraction protocol using yeast fermentation technology was explored. The utilization of resins for the adsorption of bioactive compounds was addressed. The ion exchange strategy with Dowex(R) HCR-S resin was discussed for the isolation and purification of ectoine. The constituents of acidic compounds in the particulate and gaseous phases of mainstream cigarette smoke were analyzed. The composition of bioactive compounds in organically produced cereals, dried sea cucumber viscera, and the medicinal plant Clinacanthus nutans were also investigated. This Special Issue covers other aspects of bioactive compounds, such as optimizing the operating parameters of enzymatic transesterification for producing biodiesel from salmon oil. This Special Issue may inspire future research and innovation in this exciting field.
Radar Remote Sensing for Applications in Intelligent Transportation
The emergence of driverless vehicles has generated greater demands and complexities for the automotive radar industry. In the past half-decade, millimeter wave radar technology has made significant strides in large-scale virtual array technology, enabling the acquisition of highly accurate range, velocity, azimuth, and elevation information.This reprint is a comprehensive compilation of the latest cutting-edge methods in radar remote sensing, and their practical applications in intelligent transportation. The articles featured in this reprint delve into a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from fundamental theoretical analyses to pragmatic experiments aimed at solving real-world issues such as interference reduction, communication, and radar sensing specifically tailored for intelligent transportation systems.
Thermal Energy Storage and Energy Conversion Technologies
Thermal energy storage (TES), also known as heat storage systems, is a technology that accumulates energy when production exceeds demand so that the stored energy can be used later. The stored energy can be used at the user's request for heating and cooling applications or for power generation. TES systems are commonly seen in buildings and industrial processes. On the other hand, conversion and storage, such as solar and wind energy, help to further increase the share of renewables in the energy mix. TES is becoming crucial for electricity storage in combination with solar power, whereby solar heat can be stored for electricity production when sunlight is absent. This is a Special Issue dedicated to recent advances in thermal energy storage and energy conversion technologies. All types of research approaches are compiled in this Special Issue: experimental, theoretical, computational, and their mixtures; papers are both of fundamental and applied nature, including industrial case studies.
Advance in Digital Signal, Image and Video Processing
This reprint discussed Coding and compression; Content storing and management; Electronic media; Internet technology; Image and video signals; Multimedia processing; Quality of experience (QoE); Quality of service (QoS); Signal processing; Streaming services; Subjective and objective metrics; User experience (UX).
Experimental, Theoretical, Numerical and Big-Data-Based Investigations on Characterizations for Geomaterials
Rock and rock-like materials such as concrete, soil, and underground backfilling materials are considered to be geomaterials. Geomaterials are essential for life due to human construct extraction, mining, storage, and transport areas in the Earth's crust for raw material. Drilling and excavations of underground openings in the Earth's crust are requirements for the exploitation and utilization of mineral resources, energy resources, and underground spaces. The deepest drilling depth has exceeded 12 km, and the deepest underground excavation now operates mines with depths exceeding 4 to 5 km. Drilling, excavation, and rock support processes largely rely on the physical and mechanical properties of geomaterials. Rock excavations are faced with some instability phenomena, such as caving, rock bursts, slabbing, large deformation, and zonal disintegration, posing a serious threat to the safety of mining and tunneling operations. Rock drilling also encounters many challenges deep underground. Deformation, fracture, failure, and fragmentation are the different stages of geomaterials, the monitoring and control of which are essential for ensuring drilling and excavation safety. Therefore, understanding the response processes of geomaterials during drilling and excavation activities depends on the precise characterizations of geomaterials.
Surface Engineering & Coating Technologies for Corrosion and Tribocorrosion Resistance
This reprint is a collection of the peer-reviewed papers published in the Special Issue "Surface engineering & coatings technologies for corrosion and tribocorrosion resistance" in the Materials journal. The Special Issue reprint aims to bring together the latest developments in this technologically, economically, and environmentally important area. It provides a forum for researchers to share their original work or insight reviews in this field.
Near Vertical Incidence Skywave Communication
Revised, third edition of Fiedler and Famer's classical handbook of High Frequency (HF) radio communications by the Near Vertical Incidence Skywave mode, enabling region-wide communication at lower HF frequencies. It is of particular interest to radio amateurs and emergency communicators, documenting years of military experience.
The Story Behind
Discover the Surprising History of Ordinary Things"Emily magically weaves a vibrant history of simple everyday objects we often take for granted. The Story Behind will surprise and delight..." ─Deana Marie, Creator & Host of the Twisted Philly podcast#1 Best Seller in Trivia & Fun Facts, Art History, Design History & Criticism, Reference, Decorative Arts & Design, and History of TechnologyLearn the fascinating history and trivia you never knew about things we use daily, from the host of The Story Behind podcast.Everyday objects and major events in history. Every single thing that surrounds us has a story behind it. Many of us learn the history of humans and the major inventions that shaped our world. But what you may not have learned is the history of objects we surround ourselves with every day. You might not even know how the major events in history (World Wars, ancient civilizations, revolutions, etc.) influenced the inventions of things we use today.The history and science behind the ordinary. From the creator of The Story Behind podcast comes one of the coolest coffee table books ever written. The Story Behind provides insight into everyday objects we don't think much about as we use them. Topics covered in Emily's podcast are examined in more detail along with new fascinating topics. Learn how lollipops got started in Ancient Egypt, how podcasts were invented, and why Comic Sans was created. Learn the torture device origins of certain exercise equipment and the espionage beginnings of certain musical instruments. Ordinary things from science to art, food to sports, customs to fashion, and more are explored.Inside: Learn obscure history and fun facts and change the way you see the worldDiscover how major historic events still affect us todayBecome a formidable trivia masterIf you have enjoyed books such as Now I Know, What If?, Ever Wonder Why?, The Greatest Stories Never Told, or Atlas Obscura; you will be entertained by The Story Behind.
Investigation of Microstructural and Corrosion Properties of Steels and Light Alloys
According to the latest NACE estimation (2013), the global cost of corrosion is equivalent to approximately 3.4% of the global GDP (2.5 trillion US dollars), not considering environmental consequences or safety issues. A reduction between 15% and 35% could be realized if prevention techniques and proper precaution are used, which means savings between 375 and 875 billion US dollars. Corrosion involves different sectors such as industry, military, civilian, services, etc., in particular energy production, transport, chemical and petrochemical industries, the mechanical industry, and drink and beverage. Among these sectors, most of the constituents are made out of steel, which is the most produced metal in the world (1808 million tons in 2018), or light alloys, mainly aluminum (60.1 million tons of consumption in 2018).A proper alloy design in terms of composition, heat treatments, microstructural features, etc. is mandatory in order to obtain the best combination of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance during operation, reducing maintenance costs and the overall impact on the global economy. In fact, microstructural features can affect both the corrosion of the material itself and the eventual production of protective layers on its surfaces.The purpose of this Special Issue was to correlate the key role of the microstructure of steels and light alloys to their corrosion properties.
Polymer Materials for Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering
This reprint, devoted to the topic of "Polymer Materials for Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering", gathers a multidisciplinary collection of articles that merge the knowledge and expertise of worldwide researchers who present their latest research in the field of polymer-based materials. This reprint brings together articles that report original research on the design and synthesis of novel drug delivery systems and scaffolds or highlight insights into polymer interactions.
Heat and Mass Transfer in Porous Materials
Porous media play an important role in a wide range of scientific and engineering problems. Therefore, the problems of their application are associated with the solution of multiscale processes that combine the transfer of mass, momentum, and energy.This Special Issue is devoted to the actual scientific problem of studying the processes of interconnected heat and mass transfer in porous media. This problem is one of the most complex and important fundamental areas of modern science and is of great applied importance. The results of heat and mass transfer studies in porous materials can be used to intensify heat transfer at various power plants in order to increase their energy efficiency. The purpose of this Special Issue is to showcase the latest developments in PM heat transfer and mass transfer technologies that contribute to sustainable development. Despite the fact that considerable attention has been paid to these issues, there is constant demand for innovative solutions to solve a wide range of problems in this area. Therefore, this Special Issue attempts to highlight and propose new solutions to these problems. These works develop a basic understanding of the scientific problems of heat and mass transfer in porous materials. Thematically, it is possible to distinguish three areas covered by the studies within this Special Issue: mass transfer in porous media, methods for the formation of a porous medium, and conjugate heat and mass transfer.
Between Humanities and the Digital
Scholars from a range of disciplines offer an expansive vision of the intersections between new information technologies and the humanities. Between Humanities and the Digital offers an expansive vision of how the humanities engage with digital and information technology, providing a range of perspectives on a quickly evolving, contested, and exciting field. It documents the multiplicity of ways that humanities scholars have turned increasingly to digital and information technology as both a scholarly tool and a cultural object in need of analysis. The contributors explore the state of the art in digital humanities from varied disciplinary perspectives, offer a sample of digitally inflected work that ranges from an analysis of computational literature to the collaborative development of a "Global Middle Ages" humanities platform, and examine new models for knowledge production and infrastructure. Their contributions show not only that the digital has prompted the humanities to move beyond traditional scholarly horizons, but also that the humanities have pushed the digital to become more than a narrowly technical application. ContributorsIan Bogost, Anne Cong-Huyen, Mats Dahlstr繹m, Cathy N. Davidson, Johanna Drucker, Amy E. Earhart, Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Maurizio Forte, Zephyr Frank, David Theo Goldberg, Jennifer Gonz獺lez, Jo Guldi, N. Katherine Hayles, Geraldine Heng, Larissa Hjorth, Tim Hutchings, Henry Jenkins, Matthew Kirschenbaum, Cecilia Lindh矇, Alan Liu, Elizabeth Losh, Tara McPherson, Chandra Mukerji, Nick Montfort, Jenna Ng, Bethany Nowviskie, Jennie Olofsson, Lisa Parks, Natalie Phillips, Todd Presner, Stephen Rachman, Patricia Seed, Nishant Shah, Ray Siemens, Jentery Sayers, Jonathan Sterne, Patrik Svensson, William G. Thomas III, Whitney Anne Trettien, Michael Widner
Waste Is Information
The relationship between infrastructure governance and the ways we read and represent waste systems, examined through three waste tracking and participatory sensing projects. Waste is material information. Landfills are detailed records of everyday consumption and behavior; much of what we know about the distant past we know from discarded objects unearthed by archaeologists and interpreted by historians. And yet the systems and infrastructures that process our waste often remain opaque. In this book, Dietmar Offenhuber examines waste from the perspective of information, considering emerging practices and technologies for making waste systems legible and how the resulting datasets and visualizations shape infrastructure governance. He does so by looking at three waste tracking and participatory sensing projects in Seattle, S瓊o Paulo, and Boston. Offenhuber expands the notion of urban legibility--the idea that the city can be read like a text--to introduce the concept of infrastructure legibility. He argues that infrastructure governance is enacted through representations of the infrastructural system, and that these representations stem from the different stakeholders' interests, which drive their efforts to make the system legible. The Trash Track project in Seattle used sensor technology to map discarded items through the waste and recycling systems; the Forager project looked at the informal organization processes of waste pickers working for Brazilian recycling cooperatives; and mobile systems designed by the city of Boston allowed residents to report such infrastructure failures as potholes and garbage spills. Through these case studies, Offenhuber outlines an emerging paradigm of infrastructure governance based on a complex negotiation among users, technology, and the city.
Impact of Agricultural Technology in Boricha, Ethiopia
Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2023 in the subject Agrarian Studies, grade: 3.73, Hawassa University (Colloge of business and economics), course: Community development, language: English, abstract: The study was carried out in Boricha woreda in Sidama region, Ethiopia, with the objectives of identifying the effect of agricultural technology on livelihood improvement and to analyse the effect of agricultural technology on farmer's livelihood improvement in Boricha woreda. The study had the following specific objectives: to identify the types of agricultural technology adopted by the farmers, to examine the livelihood status of the farmer improvement, and to analyse the effect of agricultural technology on livelihood improvement. Central research questions are: What are the types of agricultural technologies adopted by farmers? What is the livelihood status of the farmers? What are the sources of livelihood for the farmers? Boricha was characterized by high incidence of poverty, low rural incomes, low agricultural productivity, and food insecurity. A total of 150 households from agricultural technology adopter farmers were selected randomly. Education levels observed from survey were 36.7% illiterate, 56% join elementary level and 7.3% up to high school level. Family size of the respondents were less than 4 people were 5.3% and 4-6 person were 72.7% and above 6 people were 22%. Land size of the respondents, 26% were in 0.25-0.5 hectare owner and 74% were in more than 0.5 hectare owner.
The Role of Livestock in Developing Countries
Academic Paper from the year 2022 in the subject Agrarian Studies, grade: 5, Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (Agribusiness and Value Chain Management), course: Livestock importance, language: English, abstract: Livestock play a significant role in rural livelihoods and the economies of developing countries. They are providers of income and employment for producers and others working in, sometimes complex, value chains. They are a crucial asset and safety net for the poor, especially for women and pastoralist groups, and they provide an important source of nourishment for billions of rural and urban households. These socio-economic roles and others are increasing in importance as the sector grows because of increasing human populations, incomes and urbanisation rates. To provide these benefits, the sector uses a significant amount of land, water, biomass and other resources and emits a considerable quantity of greenhouse gases. There is concern on how to manage the sector's growth, so that these benefits can be attained at a lower environmental cost. Livestock and environment interactions in developing countries in are both positive and negative. Livestock production in the developing world occurs in a wide range of heterogeneous production systems. These can range from pastoral/grassland-based systems, which occupy most of the land area and have low human population densities, through mixed crop-livestock systems, usually in areas suitable both for arable and livestock production and where the bulk of rural human population lives, and intensive systems usually in peri-urban/urban areas. New diversification options and improved safety nets will also be essential when intensification is not the primary avenue for developing the livestock sector. These processes will need to be supported by agile and effective public and private institutions.
Reliability of Mechatronic Systems and Machine Elements
This reprint focuses on fundamental and applied research in the validation and testing of mechatronic systems and machine elements. It presents test strategies, reliability methods, and special insights into the systems under investigation. The focus is on advanced and complex mechatronic systems up to intelligent mechatronic systems with integrated sensor systems. The reliability of mechatronic systems and their machine elements is a key aspect of engineering design, which will become even more important in the future due to the complexity of mechatronic systems and systems control, especially in human-machine systems. Advances in mechatronic design require systematic testing and validation methods, test environments such as test benches, and modeling approaches. Effective test and validation methods are still a challenging topic for validating the system reliability of mechatronic systems and their machine elements, especially for human-machine interaction and mechatronic machine elements. This reprint covers a wide range of topics, from reliability strategies and design for reliability, to machine elements for intelligent mechatronic systems, to the role of testing and validation in the product development of these systems.
Advances in Mechanical Testing of Engineering Materials
Modern technical facilities are constructions that are sophisticated in terms of functionality and in terms of the material technologies used. Therefore, it becomes necessary to obtain reliable information about the material and its current state. This is not easy task considering the variety of materials present and their applications. Therefore, this reprint brings together publications focused on two areas: new diagnostic methods adapted to new materials; and the procurement of new information about conventional materials used in innovative technical solutions. The solutions to the above are seen in the use of modern sensory systems, enabling and seeking information in new physical relationships, i.e., analyzing cross effects. In this collection, we can read about research on intelligent materials based, for example, on microgranules or rubber-ferritic conglomerate, which, in addition to fulfilling functional tasks, can provide valuable information about the operation of the object. Innovative ways of obtaining information about composites, steel, concrete and even printed plastic elements are discussed. Additionally, a review is provided, covering topics from miniature steel samples to the elements of a construction crane. This reprint is a necessary supplement and provides an exchange of experience and achievements in acquiring new information on both classic and modern materials used currently in mechanical engineering. By accessing new information on materials and their condition, it will be possible to maintain the safety and reliability of mechanical engineering facilities at an appropriate level.
Magnetocaloric Heat Pumps
There are a number of ways in which magnetocaloric heat pumps (MCHPs) improve upon conventional vapor compression heat pumps (VCHPs) that are currently used for space heating. More energy is saved by using MCHPs, and they don't produce greenhouse gases or deplete the ozone layer.Magnetocaloric heat pumps (MCHPs) rely on the phenomenon of reversible temperature change caused by an applied magnetic field. Magnetocaloric materials experience this effect when the magnetic field strength around them is varied. As the field is increased, the temperature of the substance rises. When the field is reduced, the temperature of the substance decreases.By pumping a coolant fluid through a regenerator made of magnetocaloric material, MCHPs employ this phenomenon to simultaneously heat and cool a building. When the magnetic field is increased, the coolant fluid runs through the regenerator and is heated. The warm coolant fluid is subsequently distributed throughout the building's central heating system. The coolant fluid is cooled when the magnetic field is weakened, and then it is pushed through the cooling system of the building.The heating and cooling industries could see a dramatic shift in the direction of MCHPs, which are now in the research and development stages. Homeowners and businesses can benefit from the lower energy costs associated with these systems because they are more energy efficient than VCHPs. Also, unlike VCHPs, they don't release any harmful substances into the atmosphere or deplete the ozone layer.
HVAC & R Hands on Troubleshooting
By the time I decided to start writing this book, I had worked in the HVAC & R industry for more than forty-five years. In this span of time, I had worked as a service technician in an NYC service company and as a trade instructor in several schools (see profile). I had written books and works; among them are RAC & E test-books, preparation for the EPAs certification, and the RMO's License for the NYC Fire Department, which had been used in the schools in which I worked. Regardless of the years that had passed, the refrigeration system used in Air Conditioning, systems as well as in Commercial Refrigeration, Domestic Refrigeration, etc., and in the equipment in general used today contains the same mechanical-electrical components as then.
Low Power Dissipation in VLSI Circuits. A Study of Low Power VLSI Design Techniques
Seminar paper from the year 2023 in the subject Engineering - Computer Engineering, grade: A, language: English, abstract: This book will discuss contemporary optimization techniques that aims low power dissipation in VLSI circuits. Since CMOS technology consumes less power it is a key technology for VLSI circuit design. With technologies reaching the scale of 10 nm, static and dynamic power dissipation in CMOS VLSI circuits are major issues. Dynamic power dissipation is increased due to requirement of high speed and static power dissipation is at much higher side now a days even compared to dynamic power dissipation due to very high gate leakage current and subthreshold leakage. Low power consumption is equally important as speed in many applications since it leads to a reduction in the package cost and extended battery life.
Electrical Power Engineering and Renewable Energy Technologies
Due to the decreasing availability of fossil fuel resources and rising environmental awareness, innovative methods of renewable energy generation and utilization are rapidly becoming of interest to researchers. Electrical drives and power electronics are one of the most critical components of modern renewable energy systems. The robustness of machines and the increased efficiency of power semiconductor devices enable the improvement of many types of power conversion and generation systems. Thus, this reprint presents and disseminates recent advances regarding theory, modeling, design, application, control, and analysis related to the advancement of electrical engineering in renewable energy. It clarifies the junction of two interesting areas that serve to link information derived from electrical engineering and renewable energy, including recent techniques used to design and model various renewable energy systems, and demonstrates different ways to use power electronics in renewable systems. The reprint also discusses the best ways to identify, design, integrate, and operate the most appropriate technologies through key problems. And it offers some applications related to electrical power engineering and renewable energy technologies, including photovoltaic systems, solar water pumping systems, electric vehicles, microgrid systems, battery energy storage, etc.
Blast and Impact Engineering on Structures and Materials
This Special Issue aimed to collect and present all breakthrough research on all intentional or unintentional explosions and impact problems. During the last decade, the investigation of these phenomena has been an active area of research in different fields (i.e., civil, defense, mining, aeronautical, naval, etc.), including experimental studies, analytical models, or numerical simulations; and this Special Issue is a faithful reflection of this trend.A total of twenty-six papers (twenty-five research papers and one review paper) in various fields of blast and impact engineering including blast loading issues over structures, beams, walls; penetration and impact; explosives safety and security; blasting effects on rocks and tunnels; are presented in this Special Issue.
Energy-Efficient Communication Networks and Systems
The reprint "Energy-efficient communication networks and systems" gives insights into the range of problems in the field of obtaining more energy-efficient communication networks and systems. The reprint contains the outcomes of the "Special Issue on energy-efficient communication networks and systems" organized for the Sensors journal published by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI). The 12 high-quality papers published in the frame of the Sensors journal Special Issue have been collected and reproduced in this book, demonstrating significant achievements in the field to which this reprint is dedicated.Published papers consolidated in this reprint are self-contained peer-reviewed scientific works. Among published papers, one paper is editorial, one paper is a review type of paper, and the remaining ten articles are research articles. The papers are authored by 40 authors coming from academia and industry. The published articles target the improvement of energy efficiency in the fields of fiber-wireless, vehicle-to-vehicle/infrastructure, sensors, satellites, 5G, virtual elements, and cognitive radio networks. The contributions of published papers provide valuable insights into the latest research and technologies for improving the energy efficiency of communication networks and systems.This reprint can serve the readers as a source of information when needed in their industrial, teaching and/or research and development activities since it presents the recent advances in different fields related to improving the energy efficiency of communication networks and systems.
Application of Advanced Quantum Dots Films in Optoelectronics
From single-element detectors to array-format imagers, quantum dots and other thin optoelectronic films have played important roles in various fields including autonomous driving, industry inspection, remote sensing and biological imaging. This reprint focuses on fundamental and applied research on colloidal quantum dots and other thin-film optoelectronic materials including perovskites, lead chalcogenides, mercury chalcogenides and two-dimensional materials. The sensing spectrum covers X-ray, visible and infrared wavelengths. A diverse range of device configurations have been investigated such as photoconductors, photovoltaics and phototransistors.
NOx, PM and CO₂ Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes
Nowadays, fossil fuels are still the main source of primary energy in power generation, transport, and industry in general. Therefore, issues regarding environmental protection, and in particular, air protection, are of great importance. Hence, they have become a key part of the global policies of most developed countries. This Special Issue of Energies, entitled "NOx, PM, and CO2 Emission Reduction in Fuel Combustion Processes", deals with various methods and reduction technologies targeting pollutant emissions, especially NOx, CO2, and particulate matter, associated with different fuel combustion processes. This topic is focused mainly on conventional hydrocarbon fuels; however, we consider biofuels as well.
Ordering Colours in 18th and Early 19th Century Europe
This book describes the international effort to give order to colours and thus facilitate communication about it, two topics deemed essential to a modernising world that were also recognizably complex. Expert essays will enhance readers' understanding of the struggle to coordinate nature with art at a time when approaches to both were undergoing rapid change. Ordering Colours shows how such seemingly trivial concerns as identifying the basic colours and disseminating appropriate colour diagrams had to meet philosophical, scientific and professional needs across Europe. Contributors detail the many schemes for colour systematization and their real-world applications; questions of concern to both academic- and manufacturing-focused investigators throughout the long 18th century. They bring together original research and new thinking about landmark early modern studies to address important developments as well as neglected historical contributions of European arts, sciences, andeconomies. This collection is an important addition to the libraries of all who are interested in public culture and manufacturing developments in the early modern period and is aimed at historians of art, technology, philosophy and physics.
Here Be Monsters
Technology is developing fast - so fast that it threatens to overwhelm the very species whose genius lies in its technological cunning: us. From the metaverse to genetic engineering and mood-altering pharmaceuticals, to cybersex and cyberwar and the widespread automation of work, new technologies are rewriting the terms of our existence, not in a neutral spirit of 'progress' but in line with the priorities of power and profit, and in ways that often work against the grain of our fundamental being.In this timely, provocative book, Richard King argues that we need to evolve a more critical attitude to new technologies if we are to avoid a world in which humans are no different in kind from algorithmic machines. The stakes could not be higher. As science, technology and capitalism fuse into a single system, and activists and entrepreneurs talk of a 'post-human' future in which individuals will transform themselves using powerful computers and biotechnologies, we are entering unchartered territory - a territory marked with the mapmaker's warning, Here Be Dragons ... Here Be Monsters.
Construction Waste Management in the City of Manaus
The generation of waste from the construction industry, a reflection of population growth, changing habits and intense consumption, has been a cause of great concern to the world, since natural resources are finite and nature cannot absorb the exorbitant production of waste generated by society. In the city of Manaus, environmental problems, especially those related to construction, are no different from the rest of Brazil. The rubber boom at the end of the 19th century and the establishment of the Free Trade Zone in the 1960s were responsible for the growing population migration to the capital, thus boosting the growth of the construction industry and the generation of its waste. The aim of this book is to demonstrate the current scenario of construction waste management in the city of Manaus, from the perspective of sustainability, based on data collected from the Secretariats and public administration bodies, through bibliographies, as well as on construction sites, verifying the current situation of the final destination of construction waste, and what sustainability practices have been adopted.
Smart Energy Management for Smart Grid
This reprint focuses on the fundamentals of smart grids control, with a special emphasis on solutions for electrical distribution grids with decentralized and local production, high renewable energy penetration and load and weather forecasts with uncertainties. Special attention is given to the power quality of smart grids. Techniques like blockchain, IoT and machine learning are analysed and discussed in order to carry out this task for smart grids.
AI for Smart Home Automation
In recent years, the growth of the IoT has made an increasing amount of data available to be analyzed and exploited for the creation of intelligent models and solutions. In the Smart Home domain, new application scenarios have opened up, facilitated by the emergence of new techniques and paradigms that enable the development of smart devices. The application of Artificial Intelligence in this context aims to simplify and automate activities, increase security, reduce energy consumption, and generally optimize home-related processes.This Special Issue discusses the application of Artificial Intelligence to smart home automation through the use of various techniques, ranging from speech recognition, human behavior recognition, automatic home temperature control, electricity consumption monitoring, and the development of intelligent agents for building knowledge representations of unknown environments.
Intelligent and Computer Technologies Application in Construction
The construction industry has long been a driving force behind global economic growth; however, despite its boom, it still faces a host of challenges, including lagging productivity, labor, and environmental sustainability. It is therefore crucial for the industry to undergo industrial transformation and upgrade to ensure its continued and healthy development. Intelligent construction provides a promising solution to these challenges. Over the past two decades, intelligent and computer technologies have revolutionized the construction industry, improving sustainability, safety, and productivity. These technologies have become indispensable tools for construction professionals, enabling them to collaborate, communicate, and perform tasks more efficiently. As these technologies continue to advance, there is still much scope for researchers and industry practitioners to promote digital and intelligent transformation in this field. This Special Issue aims to provide a platform to explore state-of-the-art knowledge, practical implementations, and cutting-edge innovations in the area of intelligent and computer technologies and their applications in construction. Intelligent construction is a complex topic that encompasses the entire project life cycle. The papers in this Special Issue provide excellent examples of the development and application of Building Information Modeling (BIM), blockchain, and deep learning to improve safety, quality, and sustainability in construction projects.
Research on the Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Anti-drug Properties of Plant Ingredients
Natural extracts, particularly essential oils (EOs), represent a fascinating research topic due to the recognized biologically active properties (e.g., antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, etc.) of their volatile compounds. These properties have gradually led EOs to become widespread in the food, pharmaceutical, and beauty/cosmetic industries. Taking into account the current trend of "green consumerism," which involves substituting synthetic additives with new additives of natural origin (which mainly involves EOs), along with the interests of the researchers whose research can be found in this Special Issue, not only is the current topic of significant interest, it also holds great potential as a future research direction.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
This reprint focuses on fundamental and applied research on lithium-ion batteries, aiming to present state-of-the-art knowledge and technology. It covers research on new energy materials, modeling, and testing. This reprint delves into emerging areas such as all-solid-state lithium batteries, which offer enhanced safety and energy density. Additionally, it highlights the importance of battery recycling and remanufacturing, addressing growing concerns regarding sustainable practices and the environmental impact of battery technologies.
Advances in Sheet Metal Forming Processes of Lightweight Alloys
With the continuously growing need for more fuel-efficient and sustainable vehicles, the characterisation and modelling of metal forming processes has been indispensable in the development of new products. In the automotive and aviation sector, low-strength structural components are commonly produced from aluminium alloys, and higher-strength structural components are made from ultrahigh-strength steels (UHSS) and titanium alloys. The main issue experienced during the hot forming of complex-shaped components from difficult to form alloys is that they are time-, energy- and cost-intensive. The aircraft industry currently uses methods such as superplastic forming (SPF), superplastic forming with diffusion bonding (SPF-DB), hot stretch forming, hot gas pressure forming and isothermal hot forming. Moreover, novel techniques have been developed to produce complex-shaped structural components including the solution heat treatment, forming and in-die quenching (HFQ), quick-plastic forming, hot stamping using rapid heating and fast light alloy stamping technology (FAST). This Special Issue focuses on the characterisation techniques and advanced predictive models developed for such processes.
Sustainable Polymer Technologies for a Circular Economy
We live in a defining moment in history, a moment when the scientific community has come together to agree on an ambitious framework to resolve environmental issues associated with plastic waste. Plastics are the "workhorse" materials of the modern economy, with multiple functions that help to tackle a number of challenges facing our society. Plastic production has increased from 15 million tons in the 1960s to 311 million tons in 2014 and is expected to triple by 2050, as plastics come to serve increasingly more applications. Plastic packaging is and will remain the dominant sectoral use of plastics globally, representing nearly 40% of the plastic market. However, after a first short-use cycle, most of the economic value of plastics is lost. Furthermore, hundreds of millions of tons of plastics escape collection systems, ending up in the environment whether as microscopic particles or surviving in a recognizable form for hundreds of years. Therefore, it is high time to implement the principles of circular economy in the plastic sector. The game-changing strategy is to promote sustainable polymer technologies that decouple plastics from fossil feedstocks, drastically reduce the leakage of plastics into natural systems, and increase the quality and uptake of plastic recycling, where only biopolymers can really "close the loop". This reprint compiles recent research studies devoted to achieving a circular economy in the plastic packaging industry.
Kinematics and Robot Design V, KaRD2022
This reprint collects the papers published on the special issue "Kinematics and Robot Design V, KaRD2022", which is the fifth edition of the KaRD special-issue series, hosted by the open-access journal "MDPI Robotics".KaRD series is an open environment where researchers can present their works and discuss all the topics focused on the many aspects that involve kinematics in the design of robotic/automatic systems. Kinematics is so intimately related to the design of robotic/automatic systems that the admitted topics of the KaRD series practically cover all the subjects normally present in well-established international conferences on "mechanisms and robotics".KaRD2022, after the peer-review process, accepted 13 papers. The accepted papers cover some theoretical and many design/applicative aspects.
Laser Processing and Multi-Energy Field Manufacturing of High-Performance Materials
The scope of "Laser Processing and Multi-Energy Field Manufacturing of High-Performance Materials" is the processing mechanism, machining quality, material property evolution, and material preparation of lasers and other energy fields. This reprint summarizes recent advances in the fields of laser processing and multi-energy field composite manufacturing. It covers a variety of topics, including laser cladding, laser coating, laser-based directed energy deposition, laser cutting, laser grooving, laser drilling, electric discharge machining, ultrasonic burnishing, and ultrasonic-vibration-assisted pressing process methods. The effects of lasers, vibrations, electricity, and other energies on the properties and processing techniques of various high-performance materials, such as medium-entropy alloys, refractory high-entropy alloys, high-temperature alloy Inconel 718, carbon-fiber-reinforced composites, ceramic-based composites, diamond materials, aluminum alloys, and hard alloys, are fully analyzed and discussed.This reprint aims to showcase the latest achievements in the fields of laser processing and multi-energy field composite manufacturing; solicit the most important discoveries; highlight the challenges of processing mechanisms, theories, and technologies; and provide a basis for researchers to anticipate future development trends.
Risk, Resilience and Reliability Analysis for Sustainable Management
Due to the increasing importance of considering the socio-environmental issues in recent decades, most of today's critical systems should pursue sustainability-related objectives while meeting operational goals. Furthermore, sociotechnical systems working with complex operations represent dynamic complexity, relative ignorance, and intractability, which entail interactive and dependent social elements and organizational and human activities. Considering the influence of and the relationship between operational concerns such as risk, reliability, and resilience and strategic concerns such as sustainability helps managers and policy-makers make more reliable and efficient decisions in a wide range of engineering and management systems. This reprint tries to extend the available knowledge on the extent and quality of such interactions and discusses how one can ensure that reliability and resilience are maintained over dynamic conditions to achieve a sustainable operation. Under these conditions, most existing engineering and management systems in various industries (e.g., food, mining, and construction) should be required to undergo adaptive improvements to become more resilient to potential future typical or extraordinary circumstances. This reprint also sheds light on the challenges and future directions which the research community should focus on and introduces various approaches and applications to develop more sustainable and resilient solutions in both engineering and management systems.
Applications Enabled by FPGA-Based Technology
Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology represents a potential alternative to classical CPUs and GPUs in the post-Moore era from edge computing to data centers. FPGAs offer performance improvements when compared with traditional processing architectures due to their spatial computation capability and energy efficiency. In recent years, FPGA technologies have evolved in the form of tools, design methodologies, and architectural features. These technologies have enabled or boosted novel application domains. This reprint aims to present how advances in FPGA-based technologies have made it possible for multiple application domain. As the number of applications requiring high performance and flexibility continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more and more applications in the future.
New Frontiers in Production Engineering
This reprint focused on solutions that aim to increase the economic, environmental and social sustainability of companies or institutions that base their activity on processes. Processes are particularly affected by lapses in task sequencing, logistical problems between posts, operations or agents involved, lack of efficiency, problems that may affect work performance in the short, medium or long term, etc. These are essentially constant concerns of Industrial Management, for which it is urgent to find solutions capable not of solving a specific problem, but models that can be applied in a broader way in situations that are proven to be similar.
Magneto-Rheological Fluids
This collection of papers presents a systematic and representative vision of the current status of the art on magneto-rheological fluids (MRFs), including their classical and novel applications. Each topic is presented with a rich and updated bibliography, helping readers to further deepen their knowledge of the matter. This reprint presents international contributions from researchers in many countries in Europe and Asia. The Editors are senior researchers at the Italian Aerospace Research Centre and the University of Naples Federico II in Italy, and at the Polymer Competence Center in Leoben, Austria.
Sliding Mode Control in Dynamic Systems
Sliding mode is a robust nonlinear control technique which has applications in various dynamical systems. The publications in this reprint show the application of sliding mode control in the fields of robotics, electric drives, power converters and energy conversion systems.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are recognized as very useful tools to replace, help, or assist humans in various tasks, such as inspection and monitoring, surveillance, search and rescue, exploration, logistics and transportation, etc. Practical uses for such missions in both civilian and defense contexts have experienced a significant growth as a result of recent technological progresses. Nevertheless, some challenges and open issues regarding ensuring a full operational use of UAVs remain unanswered.This reprint aims to present recent advances in technologies and algorithms to improve the levels of autonomy, reliability, and safety of UAVs. Different topics are addressed, covering vehicle design and characterization (aerodynamics, flight dynamics, design optimization, communications), algorithms for autonomy (guidance and control, path planning, machine learning, computer vision, perception), traffic and risk management (unmanned traffic management, reliability, risk assessment). Open issues related to new missions such as precision agriculture or telecommunication relays are also considered.
Intelligent Coordination of UAV Swarm Systems
The reprint delves into the fascinating world of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarm systems and their intelligent coordination. This comprehensive collection of research papers explores advancements in UAV swarm systems, such as intelligent perception and cognition, swarm navigation and localization, autonomous decision and planning, cooperative guidance and control, and swarm intelligence. UAV swarm systems have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential for revolutionizing various domains, including surveillance, search and rescue, environmental monitoring, and disaster response. Intelligent perception and cognition play a crucial role in enabling UAV swarm systems to perceive and understand their environment. Swarm navigation and localization techniques ensure precise positioning and effective movement coordination within the swarm. Autonomous decision and planning algorithms empower UAV swarm systems to make intelligent choices in real-time. Cooperative guidance and control strategies facilitate seamless collaboration among individual UAVs within the swarm. Swarm intelligence, inspired by the collective behavior of social insects, offers valuable insights into designing robust and scalable UAV swarm systems.
Precise Positioning with Smartphones
Over the last few years, many smartphones have been equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology, allowing people to use their own devices for positioning and location services. After the release of the Android Nougat (version 7) operating system, raw GNSS measurements (i.e., pseudorange, carrier-phase, Doppler shift, and carrier-to-noise density ratio (C/N0) observations) from smartphones and tablets became accessible, which opened the door to precise positioning capabilities in consumer devices. Many studies have since been conducted, as precise location information will lead to many new smartphone applications in the near future. While the progress has been encouraging, a number of limiting factors must be overcome in order to support real-world applications, including poor antenna quality, the difficulty of carrier phase ambiguity resolution, and low availability and integrity in operational environments. The contributions from academia and industry included in this reprint discuss innovative ideas and algorithms and present experimental results for precise positioning with Android smartphones.
