CFAR detection in heterogeneous K-distributed sea-clutter background

Detection of targets at sea is challenging due to unwanted echo returns from the sea surface, i.e. sea clutter returns. To account for the undesired effects due to sea clutter at the receiver, and to control the probability of detection and false alarm, the K-distribution has often been used to provide a promising statistical fit to real clutter data. However, controlling the performance of the receiver becomes very complicated in heterogeneous clutter, that is when there is a sudden transition from one clutter region to another with a change in shape and/or scale distribution parameters. A possible solution to this is to use some prior information on the sea clutter characteristics to generate clutter maps that inform adaptive detection solutions. This prior information can be obtained by the radar in real time (or close to real time) using oceanographic models, statistical clustering, or potentially Artificial Intelligence.This paper presents our first step in this direction by investigating detection in heterogeneous fully correlated K-distributed sea clutter. A transition line between homogeneous clutter regions is estimated using the statistical parameters of the K-distribution, to avoid polluting the training windows of a Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR) detector with non-representative data. The transition cells assist to resolve the heterogeneous clutter into small homogeneous clutter regions and for every homogeneous region a CFAR detector is designed according to the K-distribution shape parameter. Results are obtained and presented for simulated data as well as for real sea clutter data provided by Hensoldt UK.The authors thank Hensoldt UK and Cranfield University for jointly funding this PhD programme under the Cranfield Industrial Partnership PhD Scholarships Scheme (CIPPS)2024 International Radar Conference (RADAR

The use of chemiluminescence nitrogen oxides analysis for the study of the decomposition of nitrocellulose

Understanding the decomposition of nitrocellulose (NC) and other nitrate esters within storage and usage temperature ranges is essential for managing the service life and safety of (NC)‐containing formulations. High‐temperature decomposition studies often fail to reflect typical storage conditions due to temperature‐dependent mechanisms. This study uses chemiluminescence nitrogen oxides (NOx) analysers to examine NC decomposition, measuring NOx evolution across a wide temperature range. From 20°C to 135°C, decomposition modes include thermolysis, hydrolysis, and physical desorption. Results show NOx can desorb from NC at ambient temperatures, potentially misleading traditional stability tests. The quantity of NOx generated depends on material history and can be reduced by pre‐test procedures. While thermolysis dominates at higher temperatures with an activation energy of 140 kJ.mol−1, hydrolysis is predominant at lower temperatures with an activation energy of 46 kJ.mol−1. This low activation energy should be considered in any life assessment predictions. In this lower temperature regime, moisture significantly affects decomposition rates, especially below 50°C. Whilst the rate increases in the presence of moisture, the activation energy for the hydrolysis process is unaffected. Chemiluminescence NOx analysis has proven to be a powerful tool for studying the low‐temperature decomposition behaviours of NC and NC‐containing formulations. This innovative approach not only enhances the understanding of NC decomposition but also offers a more efficient and accurate method for assessing the stability of NC‐containing formulations.Propellants, Explosives, Pyrotechnic

Calcium looping for pulp and paper industry decarbonisation and hydrogen production from biomass and waste

Manovic, Vasilije - Associate SupervisorGlobal CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels have been rising for more than a century. Nevertheless, to meet the ambitious targets set by the Paris Agreement, greenhouse gas emissions must be substantially reduced. The improvement of energy efficiency, implementation of carbon capture and reduction of fossil fuel dependency can play an important role. Of the CO₂ capture technologies, amine scrubbing is the most mature technology; however, calcium looping has shown to be a promising one. Thus, this research aimed to assess the techno-economic feasibility of calcium lopping as a carbon capture technology for combined heat, power and hydrogen production from biomass and/or waste. First, a new concept for the conversion of the pulp and paper industry to carbon-negative that relies on the inherent CO₂ capture capability of the Kraft process was proposed. This concept has shown that a pulp and paper plant can turn from importer to electricity exporter with the cost of CO₂ avoided of 39.0 €/tсо₂ . Second, in the pulp and paper industry, two carbon capture and storage routes were compared, calcium looping retrofitted to the pulp and paper plant and calcium looping coupled with black liquor gasification. The latter was assessed for H₂ production and for electricity generation with a gas turbine combined cycle or solid-oxide fuel cell. The last alternative has shown that the pulp and paper plant can also become a net electricity export asset at the expense of the cost of CO₂ avoided, 50.8 €/tсо₂ . On the contrary, the alternative for H₂ production presented the highest energy penalty but the lowest cost of CO₂ avoided (48.8 €/tсо₂ ). Third, the feasibility of calcium looping for H₂ production and in-situ CO₂ capture was assessed for waste-to-energy conversion in a greenfield scenario. However, this resulted in a significantly higher levelised cost of hydrogen (5.0 €/kgн₂ ) compared to that estimated for conventional gasification (2.7 €/kgн₂ ). Although calcium looping is more cost-efficient for carbon capture in a retrofitted scenario, this technology can become a competitive technology for hydrogen production in a greenfield scenario.PhD in Energy and Powe

Comparative sampling methodologies for detecting and quantifying 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene post-blast traces in water

This study addresses the analytical challenges associated with recovering explosive residues, focusing on the identification of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in water samples. It evaluates the practicality, efficiency, and representativeness of three sampling methodologies: traditional grab sampling (GS), composite sampling (CS), and 3-D multi-increment sampling (3D-MIS). High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was employed for explosive identification. Post-blast sampling of TNT residues from high-order and low-order deflagrations was conducted to assess each method's efficacy and limitations in detecting trace and bulk contaminations. The experiments were conducted at the Alford Technologies Group range in Broadmead, UK, with analysis performed at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, UK. Key findings highlight the varying effectiveness of each sampling method, with implications for enhancing detection sensitivity and accuracy in post-blast scenarios. This study underscores the importance of selecting appropriate sampling strategies tailored to different contamination scenarios, thereby informing more effective response protocols in CBRNe incidents involving water environments.AVT-394-RSM on Water sampling, monitoring and control/remediation for live-fire military range

Forming rate dependence of novel austenitising bending process for a high-strength quenched micro-alloyed steel: experiments and simulation

This article belongs to the Special Issue Processing, Manufacturing and Properties of Metal and AlloysThis austenitising bending investigation was carried out in a vacuum environment with the forming rates of 1, 10, and 100 mm/min under a certain bending temperature of 900 °C by a thermomechanical simulator. The enhanced strength at the accelerated forming rate and on the compression/tension zones throughout the thickness of the bent plates was discussed in detail in terms of dislocation pile-up, smaller prior austenite grain size, dynamic recrystallisation, smaller martensite packet, and stress-neutral layer. Since the simulation results were validated to match the experimental trend, this investigation could be applied as a valuable reference to simulate the practical manufacturing process of railway fasteners.Processe

Circular economy in post consumption network: the role of re-commerce groups in social media platforms

The success of the circular economy transition depends on the involvement of all stakeholders. However, research on consumer participation in the circular economy is limited. This study identifies the micro-level dynamics of the circular economy within the post-consumption network, mainly focusing on re-commerce operations. Through exploring re-commerce networks in 20 countries and a statistical analysis of factors influencing sales performances on Facebook, this research aims to identify the primary elements influencing re-commerce activities on Facebook and their role in promoting circular economy. This study uses grounded theory and a mixed-methods approach, combining literature reviews and interviews, to explore the impact of re-commerce on the circular economy. Based on the research findings, this research develops four propositions to promote future research on post-consumption networks in the circular economy context.Electronic Commerce Research and Application

Printing powerful powders: evaluating static and dynamic behaviour

Additive Manufacturing (AM), commonly referred to as 3D printing, is a promising manufacturing technique, enabling near full control of the final product’s properties. With its unique approach to complex objects manufacturing, AM is investigated for its suitability of manufacturing with a wider range of materials. Despite the global research on AM of Energetic Materials that has already been conducted, final energetic devices often offer poorer product performance, compared to traditional manufacturing techniques. Reasoning for poorer outcomes could be attributed to the need for adapting and modifying Energetic Materials for AM purposes. To make the materials suitable for AM, there is a need for material modification, such as mixing energetic ingredient with solvent or binder, both of which often result in reducing the desirable outcome: the use of solvent can lead to uneven drying and shrinkage (and therefore producing voids within the product); too much binder is often responsible for low energetic density, therefore causing high burn rates and detonation velocities to be inaccessible. To overcome that, it would be beneficial to use raw, unmodified Energetic Materials – in their powdered form. Research conducted at Cranfield University, using Dry Powder Additive Manufacturing has proven, that energetic devices can be successfully printed using energetic powders. However, working with powders is often challenging: a lack of continuous flow, powder caking or powder-dispensing nozzle blockages are often experienced. To maximise the final product performance and avoid above issues, it is necessary to understand powder behaviour: its dynamic flow, bulk, shear and process properties. A deep understanding of those properties and their effect on manufacturing process is a crucial step to further developing this AM technique. Current methods of powder characterisation are typically limited to determination of 3 parameters: Angle of Repose, Carr (Compressibility) Index and Hausner Ratio. Scientific community have, however, proven these methods to be unreliable, proposing more thorough ways of powder studies: powder rheometers. Despite their growing popularity, analysis and interpretation of test results can still pose some challenges. Current research focuses on gaining better understanding of powder rheology and recognising how investigated powders’ properties translate to their behaviour during the printing process.Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S)Defence and Security Doctoral Symposia 2024 (DSDS24

Environmental impact assessment of manufacturing of SiC/SiC composites

SiC/SiC composites have attracted increasing attention in various applications such as turbine blades, exhaust nozzles, and combustor chambers, due to their exceptional mechanical and thermal properties. However, the environmental impact of these composites across their life cycle is an important aspect that needs to be evaluated to support their responsible development and use. In this study, a life cycle assessment of SiC/SiC woven laminate ceramic matrix composites to quantify their environmental impacts from cradle-to-gate was conducted. Three different manufacturing methods to produce SiC/SiC woven laminates were researched: chemical vapour infiltration (CVI), pyrolysis of a preceramic polymer (PIP), and melt infiltration (MI). The Life Cycle Assessment approach was utilized to identify the effect outcomes for each process, analysing the raw material extraction, raw material processing, and final product manufacturing phases to develop the environmental impact assessment. The study's outcome showed that CVI had the lowest average environmental impact between the two methods.This project has received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 886840.19th Conference on Sustainable ManufacturingSustainable Manufacturing as a Driver for Growth (GCSM 2023

Safety evaluation of fermented and nonfermented Moringa oleifera seeds in healthy albino rats: biochemical, haematological, and histological studies

Fermentation preserves and enhances food properties, but consuming locally fermented foods can cause health issues like flatulence, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney stones, and sometimes death. This study evaluated the biochemical, haematological, and histological effects of supplementing diets with fermented Moringa oleifera seed (FMS) and nonfermented Moringa oleifera seed (NFMS) in healthy albino rats. Male rats were fed diets containing 10%, 20%, and 30% FMS and NFMS for 14 days. No significant changes were observed in body weight or organ/body weight ratios. However, platelet count increased significantly (p < 0.05) at higher supplementation levels, suggesting enhanced haemostatic activity. While haematological parameters remained stable, NFMS at 20% and 30% increased urea and creatinine levels, indicating potential renal stress. Histological analysis showed mild alterations at higher supplementation levels, more pronounced in NFMS‐fed rats. Fermentation mitigated antinutrient effects, enhancing safety. FMS and NFMS are safe up to 20% inclusion, with potential applications in human nutrition and functional food development.International Journal of Food Scienc

Revolutionizing seafood packaging: advancements in biopolymer smart nano-packaging for extended shelf-life and quality assurance

Food packaging is one of the most important strategies to prevent food damage or spoilage during storage and the supply chain. Among various food types, seafood, a high-value product, is particularly vulnerable to post-harvest quality loss and microbial contamination during storage. Although current plastic-based packaging materials are durable, they pose a serious threat to the environment. Therefore, research on natural biopolymers for packaging is a top priority for scientists, industries, and government bodies. Additionally, nanoengineering concepts enhance the physicochemical and functional properties of biopolymers, thereby revolutionizing the packaging industry. This review provides a comprehensive discussion on smart nano-packaging for seafood products. It focuses on advancements in biopolymer smart nano-packaging as a transformative solution for extending the shelf life and ensuring the quality of seafood products. Existing knowledge highlights the functionality of biopolymers and nanotechnology, but gaps remain in addressing practical applications, such as scalability, cost-efficiency, and consumer safety. This review bridges these gaps by providing a detailed analysis of biopolymer-based active and intelligent packaging systems, which integrate antioxidant, antimicrobial, and freshness-indicating properties. It emphasizes the unique contributions of nanoengineering to enhance biopolymer properties, offering innovative solutions to the seafood packaging industry while promoting environmental sustainability.European CommissionThis research has received funding support from the NSRF via the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research, and Innovation, Thailand, Grant number B48G660106.This research was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Faisal University under project no. GRANT A512.Sandeep Jagtap acknowledges the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme RISE under grant agreement no. 823759 (REMESH).Food Research Internationa