PWM effect on MPPT for hybrid PV solar and wind turbine generating systems at various loading conditions

Hybrid systems employing different kinds of renewable energy sources, like wind and solar energy conversion systems, are used to reduce generation costs and the pollution of traditional fossil fuel-based electrical generation methods. The current paper presents the design of an off-grid hybrid connection of an 852 W photovoltaic (PV) panel with a 1 kW small-scale wind turbine. This work is based on a study of the effect of the changes in the pulse width modulation (PWM) of a DC/DC converter that was connected to each renewable energy source at various loads. The pulse width can be varied by changing its duty cycle value (D). In this paper, the D value is changed manually for each renewable energy source and automatically using an incremental conductance (IC) and Perturb and Observe (P&O) maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms. The IC algorithm is used for the PV system whereas the P&O algorithm with a smaller step size is used for the PMSG wind turbine. The hybrid system is exposed to different environmental conditions to test the validity of the MPPT algorithm for both renewable energy sources. The results of manual and automatic changes of D values are compared for different loads. The AC output voltage is regulated to obtain a constant RMS voltage at different loads. The hybrid system is tested and simulated using MATLAB SIMULINK R2017a software

Removal of Nickel and Cadmium Ions from Wastewater by Sorptive Flotation: Single and Binary systems

The removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater by sorptive flotation using Amberlite IR120 as a resin, and flotation column, was investigated. A combined two-stage process is proposed as an alternative of the heavy metals removal from aqueous solutions. The first stage is the sorption of heavy metals onto Amberlite IR120 followed by dispersed-air flotation. The sorption of metal ions on the resin, depending on contact time, pH, resin dosage, and initial metal concentration was studied in batch method .Various parameters such as pH, air flow rate, and surfactant concentration were investigated in the flotation stage. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and Hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB) were used as anionic and cationic surfactant respectively. The sorption process, which is PH dependent, shows maximum removal of metal ions at pH 7. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm expressions were found to give both a good fit to the experimental data. Kinetic data correlated well with Lagergren second order kinetic model, and flotation step enhanced the removal efficiency of nickel and cadmium from wastewater from about 75% to 94% and reduce turbidity so it can dispense with the filtering process, which is expensive technology. It is believed that flotation separation has great potential as a clean water and wastewater treatment technology

An Investigating of the Impact of Bed Flume Discordance on the Weir-Gate Hydraulic Structure

Discordance and concordance play a significant role in the hydraulic response for the flume, open channel, hydraulic structure, and flow field measurement. Bed discordance and bed concordance are regarded as common problems in open channels. Discordance is the dominant one, which could have an effect on the hydraulic structure that is constructed inside the channel. This paper deals with the impact of bed flume discordance on hydraulic flow characteristics at the weir-gate downstream hydraulic regime. Four configurations with different lengths and heights of the bed flume discordance are adopted here to investigate the impact of these configurations on the hydraulic characteristics. In addition, one configuration of the bed flume concordance is adopted to compare with the other four configurations. At downstream, the average water depth becomes dimensionless by dividing by upstream water depth, vertical distance between weir and gate, length of downstream, length of concordance, and length of discordance in order to evaluate the inequality in the distribution of Froude number. On one hand, certain results appear strongly between Reynolds number and Froude number at downstream, actual discharge and flow velocity at downstream, flow area past the gate and Froude number at downstream. On the other hand, there was a complex dramatic relation between the weir-gate discharge coefficient and Froude number at downstream. Overall, the study shows that there is a good relationship between specific energy, water depth, and flow speed. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2022-03-03-09 Full Text: PD

Smart manufacturing for industry 4.0 using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) presents a unique challenge of efficiently transforming traditional manufacturing to smart and autonomous systems.Integrating manufacturing systems, materials, machinery, operators, products and consumers, improve interconnectivity and traceability across the entire product life cycle in order to ensure the horizontal and vertical integration of networked Smart Manufacturing (SM) systems. Manufacturing functions of Material Handling (MH)-control, storage, protection and transport of raw materials, work in process (WIP) and finished products- throughout a manufacturing and distribution process will need a revamp in ways they are currently being carried in order to transition them into the SM era. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), an Automated Identification Data Capture (AIDC) technology increasingly being used to enhance MH functions in the (SM) industry, due to opportunities it presents for item tracking, out of sight data capturing, navigation and space mapping abilities. The technology readiness level of RFID has presented many implementation challenges as progress is being made to fully integrate the technology into the preexisting MH functions. Recently, many researchers in academia and industry have described various methods of using RFID for improving and efficiently carrying out MH functions as a gradual transition is being made into I4.0 era. This paper reviews and categorize research finding regarding RFID application developments according to various MH functions in SM, tabulates how various I4.0 enablers are needed to transform various traditional manufacturing functions into SM. It aims to let more experts know the current research status of RFID technology and provide some guidance for future research

Urban Optimization of Transit Oriented Development in Baghdad City

Meeting the demands of the postmodern metropolis requires innovative urban planning approaches to promote a livable and resilient urban fabric. Transit-oriented development (TOD) is one such approach, and promises to add value to all public and private stakeholders. The concept maximizes transit usage, create a sense of place and community, and provide a vibrant mix of land uses that cater to existing and future residents. In general, TOD aims to create vibrant communities which promote walkability and provide attractive choices in employment, housing, and transportation choices. In its theoretical background, the paper attempts to outline the benefits and principles of TOD, and to highlight a number of case studies of cities that have implemented the concept successfully. An overview is presented of the cumulative results achieved by these cities to enhance both the quality of life, and the local economy.This research also tackles the applicability of TOD to the proposed future vision of the city of Baghdad. With its 6.5 million inhabitants, and a forecasted population of 11 million by 2030, the city has a number of shortcomings in providing a livable and efficient urban landscape. Transit, sprawl, excessive use of private cars, inappropriate land use mix and densities, and lack of well-designed urban spaces around transit hubs are among the pressing issues. The hypothesis of this research stresses the need to explore TOD as an urgent planning alternative to address such quandaries. The paper presents an overview of the pending “Baghdad Urban Development Plan 2030”, and submits a multi-parameter evaluation of the vision outlined in the plan with regard to transit and circulation problems, and solutions. The preliminary outcomes of the evaluation process indicate an evident deficiency in the utilization of TOD to optimize future urban movement proposals. Keywords: TOD, urban design, socio-economic growth, urban planning, comprehensive development

Useing the Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and Fuzzy Cluster Analysis Methods for Classification of Some Hospitals in Basra

تكمن اهمية اسلوب التحليل العنقودي بشكل عام في البحث عن تعنقد البيانات المتعددة والمتجانسة لغرض تجميع العناصر في مجاميع متجانسة فيما بينها (داخل المجموعة الواحدة) ومختلفة عن المجاميع الاخرى اعتماداً على العديد من المتغيرات ويستعمل في تقليص حجم البيانات وتوليد الفرضيات واختبارها وفي التنبؤ و مطابقة النماذج. وان البحث يهدف الى معرفة التحليل العنقودي المضبب وهو حالة خاصة من التحليل العنقودي فضلاً عن المفاضلة بين الاسلوبين ، ونظراً للدور الهام للمستشفيات وما له من علاقة وثيقة بصحة الانسان فقد تم تخصيص موضوع البحث لعنقدة المستشفيات الحكومية والاهلية لعينة من 288 مريض من المرضى الراقدين في 10 مستشفيات بناءاً على مدى تماثلها في تقديم الخدمات الصحية للمرضى الراقدين فيها حسب معايير جودة الخدمات الصحية في ظل ظروف مضببة ( حالة عدم التأكد لآراء المرضى الراقدين في تقييم الخدمات الصحية المقدمة لهم والتي مثلت بمجموعة من المعايير و قيست على شكل مقياس ليكرت الخماسي)  وتلك المعايير نظمت في استمارة استبانة تضمنت 31 فقرة. وقد توصل البحث الى مجموعة من الاستنتاجات اهمها ان كلا اسلوبي التحليل العنقودي الهرمي والتحليل العنقودي المضبب صنف مستشفيات عينة البحث الى عنقودين كل عنقود يضم مجموعة من المستشفيات وان التحليل العنقودي المضبب اكثر ملائمة لتصنيف عينة البحث من التحليل العنقودي الهرمي نتيجة افتراضه ان المستشفى تنتمي لكلا العنقودين بدرجات انتماء متفاوتة في تطبيقها لمعايير جودة الخدمات الصحية بينما التحليل العنقودي الهرمي قد صنف المستشفيات اما تنتمي او لا تنتمي للعنقود اي افترض ان تلك المستشفيات في العنقود الاول مختلفة كليا" عن مستشفيات العنقود الثاني في تطبيقها لمعايير جودة الخدمات الصحية وهذا غير ممكنIn general, the importance of cluster analysis is that one can evaluate elements by clustering multiple homogeneous data; the main objective of this analysis is to collect the elements of a single, homogeneous group into different divisions, depending on many variables. This method of analysis is used to reduce data, generate hypotheses and test them, as well as predict and match models. The research aims to evaluate the fuzzy cluster analysis, which is a special case of cluster analysis, as well as to compare the two methods—classical and fuzzy cluster analysis. The research topic has been allocated to the government and private hospitals. The sampling for this research was comprised of 288 patients being treated in 10 hospitals. As the similarity between hospitals of the study sample was measured according to the standards of quality of health services under fuzzy conditions (a case of uncertainty of the opinions of patients who were in the evaluation of health services provided to them, which was represented by a set of criteria and was measured in the form of a Likert five-point scale). Moreover, those criteria were organized into a questionnaire containing 31 items. The research found a number of conclusions, the most important is that both methods of hierarchical cluster analysis and fuzzy cluster analysis, classify the hospitals of the research sample into two clusters, each cluster comprises a group of hospitals that depend on applying health quality service standards. The second important conclusion is that the fuzzy cluster analysis is more suitable for the classification of the research sample compared to hierarchical cluster analysis

Design of a microwave based mobile thermo-chemical unit for biomedical waste treatment

Biomedical waste (BMW) contains pathogenic microorganisms that may severely harm the community and environment. Due to the Covid pandemic-2019, isolated wards at health care units and even due to the home treated patients; vast quantities of BMW are generated. Covid-19 converts even ordinary waste such as gloves, testing kits, and personal protective equipment into high-risk BMW. The appropriate disposal of such waste involves safety, affordability, and efficacy; hence can be considered a complex issue. A solution proposed in this article is an OSBMWTU (on-site biomedical waste treatment unit) by using microwave radiation. The possibility of enhancing the thermal effect of microwave radiation by using chemical additives was tested. The proposed machine reduces waste volume, inactivates microorganisms, and disposes BMW on-site. Findings suggest that adding butter spray to microwave radiation enhances thermal effectiveness by 43%, increasing treatment temperature while minimizing time, power, and running costs. The proposed machine will work automatically after filling the BMW, thus, minimizing the human involvement. It prevents bio-hazardous waste accumulation and decreases its volume by up to 80%. The designed machine is characterized by safety, low cost, and small dimensions. A machine that can handle 72 kg BMW/day can be set up on-site in an area of 1.5 m2. The suggestion of the proposed machine as a BMW management and treatment system will reduce environmental pollution due to BMW during COVID-19 and even after the pandemic

Evaluation of a low-cost inkjet printed slot antenna for energy harvesting applications

A circularly polarized patch antenna fabricated using commercially available, low-cost, printers is described. Two additive processes are combined for the fabrication: stereolithography (SLA) and inkjet printing of silver inks. A widely available SLA 3D printer is employed to fabricate the substrate of the antenna. Inkjet printing is used to deposit the metallic layers of the radiating element on the substrate. The two machines employed are very low-cost in comparison to those used in previously reported work. Good adhesion of the metallic patterns to the substrates is observed. Furthermore, the resistance of the added metallic patch is relatively low. The aim is to demonstrate the use of alternative, inexpensive machines, for the prototyping and manufacturing of antennas on 3D printed substrates. In this work, the antenna operates at the 1.575GHz GPS frequency band. Finite-difference-time-domain simulations compare well with the practical experiments

Effects of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement on Mechanical Characteristics of Asphaltic Mixtures for Surface Layer

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is considered one of the valuable alternatives to raw materials due to reducing the need to use raw materials, which are less in some world regions. It additionally reduces the highly-priced new bitumen required inside the asphaltic mixture manufacturing and contributes to the preservation of natural resources. To achieve maximum benefit from the integration RAP in asphaltic mixture, it is necessary to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of the recycling process on the properties of asphalt pavement. This study examines the effect of adding reclaimed asphalt pavement by different percentages on the mechanical properties of asphaltic mixture for the surface layer in terms of Marshall's stability, Retained Marshall stability, indirect tensile strength, and compressive strength. Two types of asphalt grade (40-50) and (60-70) were used in addition to one type of aggregate gradation of the wearing course to prepare the asphaltic mixture. The Superpave system was applied to select the best aggregate gradation and optimum asphalt content using Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC) and to prepare compacted asphaltic specimens of 100 mm diameter for simulating Marshall’s molds. PAP is added by four different percentages of (7, 13, 19, and 25) % by the weight of the total asphalt mixture, and samples are prepared to compare the mechanical properties with conditional ones. The results show that adding RAP to the asphalt mixture improved the measured properties. In contrast, the mix containing RAP showed lower loss of stability, lower loss in indirect tensile strength, higher stripping resistance, and better durability than the mixture without RAP

Cloud Computing Delivery and Delivery Models: Opportunity and Challenges

The rapid growth of Internet and computing field results in several technological advantages. In the meanwhile, security challenges that emerge along with the growth complicate the aspects of cloud based computing. Security is by now one of the most pressing concerns in Internet business where cloud computing lies in. Cloud-based services are evolving each day introducing new business trends. Since cloud computing entails storage of information in remote servers, unauthorized access to such sensitive information becomes a looming concern. The advantages offered by cloud computing, without robust security measures and flexibility, could lead to lose its credibility. This paper reviews various aspects of cloud computing and issues inherent within its contexts. This paper has identified the gap within the topic of study through the creation of the conceptual framework, which is designed as the way of attempting to connect the different concepts. The intention of the theoretical framework is to determine the potential gaps in the research and link the gaps by the present study and its results. The delivery of both, the cloud computing as well as its models is a relatively new phenomenon within the academic libraries where the study is at the stages of nascent. The conceptual framework could not be comprehensive. Instead, it was a progressive work. Thus, this new topic could be added to form the branch within the theoretical framework. This article tries to look at different concepts of cloud computing as well as the issues, which are inherent within its contexts. It analyzes this part due to the advent and growth in the sector of cloud computing, which is developing the platform for the computing in the future