Robustness and resilience of different solid-liquid separation technologies for tertiary phosphorus removal to low levels by coagulation

In this study, three tertiary solid separation technologies were assessed on their robustness and resilience against an effluent phosphorus target of <0.3 mg P/L at steady state and dynamic conditions. The ballasted flocculation system was found to be very robust at delivering the low P target. Alternatively, cloth filtration provided a more sustainable option for less strict consents of sub 0.5 mg P/L. The effluent from the membrane system was more variable but it was shown to meet the low consents even with increased phosphorus and solids content in the feed. A molar ratio of 1.37 Fe: P was shown to be sufficient to meet the P target at short contact times as with the ballasted flocculation process. It was highlighted that optimisation of up-stream flocculation can be a considerable factor for consistent performance. Overall, the study determined key attributes of the different technologies tested providing valuable insights for technology selection at full scale.Funding for this study was gratefully received by Severn Trent Water.Science of The Total Environmen

Development of the hydrogen market and local green hydrogen offtake in Africa

Creating a hydrogen market in Africa is a great opportunity to assist in the promotion of sustainable energy solutions and economic growth. This article addresses the legislation and regulations that need to be developed to facilitate growth in the hydrogen market and allow local green hydrogen offtake across the continent. By reviewing current policy and strategy within particular African countries and best practices globally from key hydrogen economies, the review establishes compelling issues, challenges, and opportunities unique to Africa. The study identifies the immense potential in Africa for renewable energy, and, in particular, for solar and wind, as the foundation for the production of green hydrogen. It examines how effective policy frameworks can establish a vibrant hydrogen economy by bridging infrastructural gaps, cost hurdles, and regulatory barriers. The paper also addresses how local offtake contracts for green hydrogen can be used to stimulate economic diversification, energy security, and sustainable development. Policy advice is provided to assist African authorities and stakeholders in the deployment of enabling regulatory frameworks and the mobilization of funds. The paper contributes to global hydrogen energy discussions by introducing Africa as an eligible stakeholder in the emerging hydrogen economy and outlining prospects for its inclusion into regional and global energy supply chains.Hydroge

Fireside corrosion behavior of thermally sprayed coatings for waste-to-energy power plant applications

This study investigates the fireside corrosion behavior of four (Ni-22Cr, Ni-25Cr, Co-25Cr, and NiCo-25Cr) coatings, which were applied using twin wire arc spray technique and subjected to simulated waste-burning environments (a gas composition containing HCl, SO2, CO2, N2, H2O, balance N2, plus a salt deposit of 50wt.% KCl + 50wt.% K2SO4). The coatings deposited on a conventional base steel alloy (E−250) were tested under these conditions at 550 °C for 500 h in a laboratory-scale atmosphere controlled furnace. After the fireside exposure, the samples were studied using optical microscopy, SEM-EDX, and XRD to deduce coatings performance and possible corrosion mechanisms. The results indicated that all coatings, except Ni-22Cr, outperformed the E−250 steel. The Ni-22Cr and NiCo-25Cr coatings showed similar pitting corrosion behavior with more prominent corrosion pits on Ni-22Cr coating’s surface. The Co-25Cr coating showed slightly improved performance to the above two coatings, which can be attributed to the ability of Co to resist corrosion attack under these conditions. Overall, the Ni-25Cr coating composition was conclusively found to be most effective.Journal of Materials Engineering and Performanc

Quantitative microbial risk assessment of bioaerosol emissions from squat and bidet toilets during flushing

Bioaerosol emissions during toilet flushing are an often‐overlooked source of potential health risks in shared public facilities. This study systematically investigated the emission characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bioaerosols in washrooms with squat and bidet toilets under varying flushing conditions and ventilation scenarios. Using Monte Carlo simulation–based quantitative microbial risk assessment and sensitivity analysis, the study estimated the disease burden and identified key factors influencing risk. The results showed that squat toilets generated 1.7–2.6 times higher concentrations of S. aureus bioaerosols and 1.2–1.4 times higher concentrations of E. coli bioaerosols compared to bidet toilets. After the first flush, bioaerosol concentrations were 1.3–1.8 times (S. aureus) and 1.2–1.4 times (E. coli) lower than those observed after the second flush. The second flush released a higher proportion of fine bioaerosol particles (<4.7 µm), increasing inhalation risks. The disease health risk burden was consistently one order of magnitude lower after the first flush than the second one. Ventilation with a turned‐on exhaust fan further reduced the risk by one order of magnitude. Sensitivity analysis identified exposure concentration as the most influential parameter, contributing up to 50% of the overall risk. This study highlights the importance of optimizing toilet design and ventilation systems to mitigate bioaerosol emissions and associated health risks. It provides actionable insights for improving public washroom hygiene and minimizing bioaerosol exposure.F.C., Z.A.N., and C.Y. gratefully acknowledge the support of the Environmental Microbiology and Human Health Programme (Grant Reference NE/M010961/1) and the SPF Clean Air Programme (Grant NE/V002171/1) in facilitating this collaborative study.Risk Analysi

Methodology for exploring SOFC system layouts in a highly integrated hybrid propulsion system

This paper presents a methodology to compare different layouts of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system, focusing on component integration and constraints for low-emission aircraft propulsion. The SOFC system is a subsystem of an Integrated Power and Propulsion System (IPPS) fueled by hydrogen and tightly coupled with a micro gas turbine (mGT). The methodology presented here is applied to the case study of a mGT-SOFC and will later help to define the SOFC system layout for the 1MW+ IPPS of the FlyECO project. Due to the low power density of current SOFCs designed for stationary applications, technology projections are used to explore a scenario of entry into service in 2050. Parametric analyses have been performed to consider possible future developments and performance opportunities on the basis of anticipated increases in SOFC power density, which so far could only be implemented on a laboratory scale. Different SOFC system layouts are defined by assuming different aircraft operating conditions (take-off and cruise) as design point, due to the important impact of ambient pressure and temperature in-flight variation on the SOFC system, the related components and the overall performance. To maximize the synergy between SOFC and mGT, all layouts are based on a pressurized SOFC and include a heat exchanger for heat recovery and flow pre-heating. The system performance exploration is carried out with the W-TEMP software, varying the hybridization factor of the mGT-SOFC system between 5% and 20%, and comparing its performance to a baseline H2-fueled mGT. The results obtained for this performance exploration report details on the coupling aspects between the micro gas turbine and the SOFC system and show clearly the advantages of mGT-SOFC integration in terms of net efficiency and production of water, which can be used in the combustion chamber of the mGT to limit the formation of NOx. In conclusion, a procedure to preliminary estimate the mass of the main components in each layout is also presented, to assess how different choices in the design of the mGT-SOFC can affect its weight.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101138488 and by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding guarantee under the project reference 10106893.ASME Turbo Expo 2025: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Expositio

Critical success factors for ICT integration in agri-food sector: pathways for decarbonization and sustainability

A decarbonized agri-food sector may provide consumers with nutritious, secure, and reasonably priced food with a lower carbon impact. Decarbonizing the agri-food sector is intricate and necessitates a holistic strategy. Technological advancements, like Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), might be the solution. This study analyses the critical success factors (CSFs) for ICT integration in the agri-food sector in the Western and North Western States of India based on empirical data collected and analyzed. The study proposes a framework that determines and ranks the significant factors for ICT integration in the agri-food sector to achieve the decarbonization goals by utilizing the fuzzy evidential reasoning approach (FERA) and the evidential reasoning approach (EFA). The factors are examined based on the Technological, Organization, and Environmental (TOE) criteria. The results show that the most significant factors contributing to the effective implementation of ICT in the agri-food sector are continuous innovation and R&D, supportive policies and regulations, and cost-effectiveness. The results will assist managers and decision-makers in creating effective policies and making knowledgeable choices that will support sustainable growth in the agri-food industry by lowering carbon emissions through effective ICT integration.Cleaner Engineering and Technolog

Geometric optimisation of volumetric solar receivers: a study of polygonal cavity configurations

Volumetric solar receivers integrated with reticulated porous ceramics (RPCs) are a key component in high-temperature concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, enabling efficient radiative absorption and convective heat transfer. While prior studies have largely focused on material properties and operating conditions, the influence of cavity geometry on thermal performance remains underexplored. This study presents a systematic computational investigation of four polygonal cavity configurations: hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, and nonagonal, using high-fidelity CFD simulations in ANSYS Fluent coupled with the Monte Carlo radiation model. All designs were evaluated under consistent geometric constraints and two solar heat flux inputs (4.1 kW and 4.9 kW), with varying air mass flow rates. The nonagonal receiver achieved the highest thermal efficiencies of 75 % and 73 % at the respective flux levels, outperforming conventional designs. This improvement is attributed to its compact internal structure and increased edge count, which enhance surface energy density and fluid–wall interaction. The findings demonstrate that geometric optimisation, particularly through polygonal cavity design, offers a viable pathway to enhance the thermal performance of volumetric receivers. This work provides new design insights for next-generation CSP applications requiring compact, high-efficiency thermal energy conversion.The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at Northern Border University, Arar, KSA for funding this research work through the project number “NBU-SAFIR-2024”.Results in Engineerin

A submersible power station: part B propulsion systems

This article belongs to the Section Ocean EngineeringNuclear power continues to be a great promise in the green revolution, as it is a cost-effective, low-emission, and safer alternative to fossil fuels that is capable of continuous operation. A preliminary design evaluation is presented for a submersible nuclear power station capable of operating under its own power during emergencies and routine maintenance. Because it is stationed at sea, it offers a resilient solution to natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis, giving it the capability to disengage and sail to deeper waters in less than a half of an hour. In the present evaluation, the hull dimensions of a very large existing submarine and the turbomachinery layout of a Pebble Bed Modular Reactor cycle were used as baselines. The conceptual design of the submersible nuclear power station includes reactor and turbomachinery integration, preliminary sizing (4 pressure hull design; total length of 57.74 m), and propulsion system analysis, demonstrating the technical viability of the proposed submersible power station.Journal of Marine Science and Engineerin

Dataset: Videos Driven By Sound

Drive By Wire control for Kia Niro, test results from controlling the test vehicles under various speed tests.The development of safe and reliable navigation platforms for automated vehicles remains a critical focus in autonomous driving research. At the forefront of this effort is the enhancement of perception systems that enable real-time environmental mapping and obstacle detection. Driven by Sound, a collaborative initiative led by Calyo, Benedex Robotics, and Cranfield University, aims to create a robust sensing platform that leverages 3D ultrasonic sensors and Lidar to perform effectively in challenging conditions. Cranfield University's contributions include the development of a state-ofInnovate U

Effect of salt deposition patterns on stress corrosion cracking

While substantial research has been devoted to understanding environmental degradation mechanisms in Ni-base superalloys, the influence of solid contamination morphology on cracking remains comparatively underexplored. This study combines computational modeling and experimental approaches to investigate cracking behavior in CMSX-4 single-crystal superalloys exposed to salt deposition patterns in sulfur-rich environments at moderate temperatures. Utilizing phase-field computational models, we develop a digital twin of the experimental setup to examine crack propagation under varying deposition configurations. The findings reveal that salt deposition patterns can inhibit crack shielding, leading to increased crack lengths and shorter fatigue lives. A novel experimental salt configuration resulted in crack lengths extending from 300 μm to over 2 mm under static loading conditions and decreased corrosion-fatigue life by as much as 83%. The results demonstrate that modeling is a valuable tool to mitigate experimental uncertainty.The authors are grateful for the support from EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership UK.npj Materials Degradatio