Evolutionary computing methodology for small wind turbine supporting structures

The paper presents a comprehensive, complex, numerical, optimization methodology (computational framework) dedicated for supporting structures of small-scale wind turbines. The small wind turbine (SWT) supporting structure is one of the key components determining the cost of such a device. Therefore, the supporting structure optimization will allow cost reduction and, hence, popularization of these devices around the world. The presented methodology is based on the following: single-objective (aggregation-approach to multi-objective problem) evolutionary algorithm driven optimization, finite-element structural analyses, estimation of wind energy capture efficiency (coupled aero-servo-elastic numerical simulations), and economic evaluation (based on real meteorological data). Then, the methodology is proposed for a guy-wired mast structure of an arbitrary chosen SWT model. The optimization of chosen design features of the structure is performed and as a result the optimal solution for given assumptions is presented and scaling factor for that case is identified (total mass of the foundations). The successful use of combined numerical methods (genetic algorithms, FE method analyses, coupled aero-servo-elastic numerical simulations, pre-/post-processing scripts, and economic evaluation models) is the main novelty of this work

Small Wind Turbines: Specification, Design, and Economic Evaluation

In this work, we consider various aspects of small wind turbines’ (SWTs) design and operation. First, an extensive literature study is presented by considering SWTs specification, market statistics, the smart grid, and the prosumer concepts as well as the most important parameters affecting the efficiency of wind turbines. Then, both the literature review and series of coupled numerical simulations investigating impact of the chosen design solutions on small wind turbine operation are performed. It allowed objective evaluation of different design approaches, which in turn enabled the systematic identification of actual limitations as well as the opportunities for specific design solutions of SWTs: horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) and vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs); the rotor position in relation to the tower (upwind vs. downwind); and diffusor-augmented wind turbine (DAWT). Additionally, an economic evaluation is carried with the use of an advanced numerical Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) model. It is shown that auxiliary power generation using privately owned SWTs can be an economically viable option. Finally, a set of design goals for future SWTs is formulated based on the performed numerical analyses

Gut microbiota activity in chickens from two genetic lines and with outdoor-preferring, moderate-preferring, and indoor-preferring ranging profiles

Despite the existing research into the gut microbiome of meat chickens, the associations between gut microbiome composition, its activity and chicken outdoor ranging frequency remain unexplored. The aim of this study was to determine the gut microbiota composition, activity and metabolic products in chickens of 2 different lines and 3 ranging profiles. Sixty non-beak trimmed birds, either Sasso or Green-legged Partridge were housed with access to outdoor ranges from wk. 5 to 10 of age. Outdoor ranges were video recorded to obtain frequencies of the birds’ range use. The information about relative abundance of selected bacterial groups in the ceca including Lactobacillus spp., E. coli, Bifidobacterium spp., and Clostridium spp. was obtained with the PCR method. Gut microbiota activity was assessed based on the glycolytic activity of bacterial enzymes including, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, and β-glucuronidase as well as based on the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the caecal digesta. Statistical analysis was conducted by generalized linear mixed models, applying the breed and ranging profile as fixed effects and pen as a random factor. The lowest relative abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. was found in the cecal content of indoor-preferring Sasso birds (0.01 ± 0.001), as compared to all other birds in the experiment (ranging from 0.03 ± 0.01 to 0.11 ± 0.07; P = 0.0002). The lowest relative abundance of E. coli was identified for all outdoor-preferring birds and indoor- preferring Sasso birds (0.01 ± 0.001; P = 0.0087). Cecal activity of: α-glucosidase, β-glucuronidase and β-galactosidase was higher in Green-legged Partridges, as compared to Sasso (P = 0.013; P = 0.008; P = 0.004). Valeric acid concentrations were higher in moderate Green-legged Partridges than in Sasso of the same ranging profile (2.03 ± 0.16 vs. 1.5 ± 0.17; 0.016). The majority of the current results confirmed an effect of genotype and ranging profile on the various analyzed parameters. In outdoor-preferring birds, the consumption of pasture originating feed sources as a supplement to the indoor accessible cereal-based diet likely caused the positive effects on the birds’ microbial profile

Associations between welfare and ranging profile in free-range commercial and heritage meat-purpose chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus)

Despite consumers' belief that access to an outdoor range improves chicken welfare, still little is known about whether this is true and whether individual ranging profiles relate to the birds' welfare. The aim of the present study was to identify and compare welfare issues of the traditional broiler hybrid Sasso and the Polish heritage chicken Green-legged Partridge, having outdoor access, and examine if the birds' welfare status was associated with the ranging profile: outdoor-preferring, moderate-outdoor, and indoor-preferring. In August 2018, 60 non-beak trimmed birds per genetic strain were housed in groups of 10 from weeks 5 to 10, under conditions exceeding EU requirements of organic meat chicken production. Each pen had access to an individual outdoor range that was video-recorded continuously to obtain frequencies of individual birds' use of the ranges. Plumage condition, comb pecking wounds, skin injuries, dirtiness, toe damage, eye pathologies, footpad dermatitis, hock burns, respiratory infections, diarrhea, and walking difficulties were assessed at the end of the experiment. Statistical analysis was conducted applying generalized linear mixed models, with binomial distribution and logit link using SAS software, applying breed and ranging profile as fixed factors and their interaction, with pen as random factor. A tendency for more respiratory infections was observed in Sasso birds from each ranging profile, as compared to matching ranging profiles presented by Green-legged Partridges (outdoor-preferring: P = 0.0012; moderate-outdoor: P < 0.0001; and indoor-preferring: P = 0.0247). Indoor-preferring Green-legged Partridges tended to present more respiratory infections, as compared to the 2 other ranging profiles within the breed (outdoor-preferring: P = 0.0291; moderate-outdoor: P = 0.0448). Regardless of the breed, toe damages were more frequent in indoor-preferring birds, as compared to other ranging profiles (P = 0.017). It remains unknown whether the use of outdoor areas prevents development of welfare issues or if birds with a suboptimal welfare condition become indoor-preferring individuals

Comparsion of production performance of two genetic groups of turkeys reared in the Semi-intensive system

Production results were compared for two groups of turkeys reared in semi-intensive system. The material included 40 primitive turkeys of the light type and 40 heavy hybrids of the Big-6 line (commercial flock). Females was raised to 14 and males to 22 weeks of life. During the rearing, body weight (g) was controlled individually and feed intake (g) was monitored in groups, in weekly intervals. Significantly higher body weight values (P ≤ 0.01) were reported in both females (8806 g) and males Big-6 (23593 g), compared to primitive turkeys (2418 g and 6589 g, respectively). Big-6 turkeys were also characterized by a faster growth rate. This group compared to primitive turkeys showed also a higher feed intake and lower FCR values. Losses control of the turkeys throughout the rearing period showed a 17.5% increase in the survival rate in the group of primitive turkeys

An Energy Efficiency Estimation Procedure for Small Wind Turbines at Chosen Locations in Poland

Contrary to the extensive amount of research on large wind turbines, substantial analyses of small wind turbines are still rare. In the present study, the wind energy potential of three locations in Poland is analyzed using real wind data from a five-year period and the parameters of the selected turbine model. Appropriate simulations are performed to assess the energy efficiency of the analyzed investments at a coastal, foothill, or lowland site. According to the results, the most favorable location for a small wind turbine is the coastal site (wind zone I). The payback time at this location is approximately 13 years, whereas the payback times at the other two analyzed are more than 3 times longer. The payback periods for the latter locations significantly exceed the estimated lifetime of the wind turbine, ruling out their economic viability. The cost of electricity generation varies greatly, from 0.16 EUR/kWh at the coastal location to 0.71 EUR/kWh at the lowland location. These results provide a reference for developing more efficient solutions, such as the use of a turbine with a shielded rotor, which can increase the power of the turbine by approximately 2.5 times

Comparsion of production performance of two genetic groups of turkeys reared in the Semi-intensive system

Production results were compared for two groups of turkeys reared in semi-intensive system. The material included 40 primitive turkeys of the light type and 40 heavy hybrids of the Big-6 line (commercial flock). Females was raised to 14 and males to 22 weeks of life. During the rearing, body weight (g) was controlled individually and feed intake (g) was monitored in groups, in weekly intervals. Significantly higher body weight values (P ≤ 0.01) were reported in both females (8806 g) and males Big-6 (23593 g), compared to primitive turkeys (2418 g and 6589 g, respectively). Big-6 turkeys were also characterized by a faster growth rate. This group compared to primitive turkeys showed also a higher feed intake and lower FCR values. Losses control of the turkeys throughout the rearing period showed a 17.5% increase in the survival rate in the group of primitive turkeys

Comparsion of production performance of two genetic groups of turkeys reared in the Semi-intensive system

Production results were compared for two groups of turkeys reared in semi-intensive system. The material included 40 primitive turkeys of the light type and 40 heavy hybrids of the Big-6 line (commercial flock). Females was raised to 14 and males to 22 weeks of life. During the rearing, body weight (g) was controlled individually and feed intake (g) was monitored in groups, in weekly intervals. Significantly higher body weight values (P ≤ 0.01) were reported in both females (8806 g) and males Big-6 (23593 g), compared to primitive turkeys (2418 g and 6589 g, respectively). Big-6 turkeys were also characterized by a faster growth rate. This group compared to primitive turkeys showed also a higher feed intake and lower FCR values. Losses control of the turkeys throughout the rearing period showed a 17.5% increase in the survival rate in the group of primitive turkeys

Characterization of structure and protein of vitelline membranes of precocial (ring-necked pheasant, gray partridge) and superaltricial (cockatiel parrot, domestic pigeon) birds.

Of all the known oviparous taxa, female birds lay the most diverse types of eggs that differ in terms of shape, shell pigmentation, and shell structure. The pigmentation of the shell, the weight of the egg, and the composition of the yolk correlate with environmental conditions and the needs of the developing embryos. In this study, we analyzed the structure and protein composition of the vitelline membrane (VM) of ring-necked pheasant, gray partridge, cockatiel parrot, and domestic pigeon eggs. We found that the VM structure is characteristic of each species and varies depending on whether the species is precocial (ring-necked pheasant and gray partridge) or superaltrical (cockatiel parrot and domestic pigeon). We hypothesize that a multilayer structure of VM is necessary to counteract the aging process of the egg. The multilayer structure of VM is only found in species with a large number of eggs in one clutch and is characterized by a long incubation period. An interesting discovery of this study is the three-layered VM of pheasant and partridge eggs. This shows that the formation of individual layers of VM in specific sections of the hen's reproductive system is not confirmed in other species. The number of protein fractions varied between 19 and 23, with a molecular weight ranging from 15 to 250 kDa, depending on the species. The number of proteins identified in the VM of the study birds' eggs is as follows: chicken-14, ring-necked pheasant-7, gray partridge-10, cockatiel parrot-6, and domestic pigeon-23. The highest number of species-specific proteins (21) was detected in the VM of domestic pigeon. This study is the first to present the structure and protein composition in the VM of ring-necked pheasant, gray partridge, cockatiel parrot, and domestic pigeon eggs. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between the hatching specification of birds and the structure of the VM

Performance Assessment in a “Lane Departure” Scenario of Impending Collision for an ADAS Logic Based on Injury Risk Minimisation

The current prioritisation of road safety enhancement in the automotive sector is leading toward the near future implementation of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs), aiming at the simultaneous intervention of braking and steering for impact avoidance in case of an impending collision. However, it is partially unclear how new technologies for controlling the steering will actually behave in the case of inevitable collision states; the need consequently emerges to propose and tune efficient ADAS strategies to handle the complexity of critical road scenarios. An adaptive intervention logic on braking and steering for highly automated vehicles is applied in the context of a “lane departure”, two-vehicle critical road scenario; the ADAS implementing the logic activates to minimise the injury risk for the ego vehicle’s occupants at each time step, adapting to the eventual scenario evolution consequent to actions by other road users. The performance of the adaptive logic is investigated by a software-in-the-loop approach, varying the mutual position of the involved vehicles at the beginning of the criticality and comparing the injury risk outcomes of the eventual impacts with those connected to the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). The results highlight a twofold benefit from the adaptive logic application in terms of road safety: (1) it decreases the frequency of impacts compared to the AEB function; (2) in inevitable collision states, it decreases injury risk for the vehicles’ occupants down to 40% compared to the AEB. This latter condition is achieved thanks to the possibility of reaching highly eccentric impact conditions (low impact forces and occupants’ injury risk as a consequence). The obtained highlights expand the literature regarding the adaptive logic by considering a diverse critical road scenario and investigating how fine variations on the vehicles’ mutual position at the beginning of the criticality reflect on the injury outcomes for different types of intervention logic