Numerical Simulations of a High-Resolution RANS-FVDM Scheme for the Design of a Gas Turbine Centrifugal Compressor

The aero-thermodynamic design and performance of a compressor need to conquer many vital challenges like it is a gas-driven turbo-machinery component, involvement of extensive iterative process for the convergence of the design, enormous design complexity due to three-dimensional flow phenomena, and multiflow physics embedded within a dynamic state-of-the-art. In this chapter, a strong attempt is made to address the above-cited technical issues to achieve an optimized design and performance of a centrifugal compressor with backward swept blade profile producing total pressure ratio of 5.4 with an ingested mass flow rate of 5.73 kg/s. A mean-line design methodology was implemented to configure sizing of the compressor. An optimum grid size was well validated by carrying out computational analysis with three different mesh sizes within the same framework. Finally, a detailed three-dimensional numerical simulation was performed using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations based on finite volume discretization method (RANS-FVDM) scheme. Consequently, the polytropic efficiency, total-to-total efficiency, stagnation pressure ratio at a fixed rotational speed, and the overall design and aero-thermodynamic performance of the centrifugal compressor are validated

Enhancement of the Power Output of Photogalvanic Cells

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Tropical convective cloud characterization using ground-based microwave radiometric observations

Characterization of the microphysical and thermodynamical properties of convective events over the tropical coastal station Thiruvananthapuram (TVM) has been carried out based on multiyear microwave radiometer profiler observations. The analyses have been extended to develop a methodology to identify convective events, which is based on the radiometric brightness temperature (Tb) difference threshold, at 30 and 22.23 GHz channels, and the results are compared with reflectivity and rainfall intensity deduced from concurrent and collocated disdrometer measurements. Eighty-four of such convections were identified using the aforementioned methodology over the station during 2010-2013, i.e., both for pre- and post-Indian summer monsoon months, and further evaluated by computing their stability indexes. The occurrence of convective systems peaks in the afternoon and early-morning hours with genesis, respectively, over the land and the sea

Using Barkhausen Noise to Measure Coating Depth of Coated High-Speed Steel

Coated high-speed steel tools are widely used in machining processes as they offer an excellent tool life to cost ratio, but they quickly need replacing once the coated layer is worn away. It would be therefore useful to be able to measure the tool life remaining non-destructively and cheaply. To achieve this, the work presented here aims to measure the thickness of the coated layer of high-speed cutting tools by using Barkhausen noise (BHN) techniques. Coated high-speed steel specimens coated with two different materials (chromium nitride (CrN), titanium nitride (TiN)) were tested using a cost-effective measuring system developed for this study. Sensory features were extracted from the signal received from a pick-up coil and the signal features, Root mean square, peak count, and signal energy, were successfully correlated with the thickness of the coating layer on high-speed steel (HSS) specimens. The results suggest that the Barkhausen noise measuring system developed in this study can successfully indicate the different thickness of the coating layer on CrN/TiN coated HSS specimens

Feasibility of implementation and the impact of a digital prehabilitation service in patients undergoing treatment for oesophago-gastric cancer

Background: Home-based and supervised prehabilitation programmes are shown to have a positive impact on outcomes in patients with oesophago-gastric (OG) cancer. The primary aim of this study was to establish the feasibility of delivering a digital prehabilitation service. Methods: Patients undergoing treatment for OG cancer with curative intent were recruited into the study. During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients were offered a digital prehabilitation service. Following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, patients were also offered both a hybrid clinic-based in-person service and a digital service. Implementation and clinical metrics from the two prehabilitation models were compared. Results: 31 of 41 patients accepted the digital service (75%). Of the people who started the digital programme, 3 dropped out (10%). Compliance with the weekly touchpoints was 86%, and the median length of programme was 12 weeks. Twenty-six patients enrolled in the in-person service. Two patients dropped out (10%). Average compliance to weekly touchpoints was 71%, and the median length of programme was 10 weeks. In the digital group, sit to stand (STS) increased from 14.5 (IQR 10.5–15.5) to 16 (IQR 16–22); p = 0.02. Median heart rate recovery (HRR) increased from 10.5 (IQR 7.5–14) to 15.5 (IQR 11–20) bpm; p = 0.24. There was a significant drop in distress (median 3 (IQR 0–5) to 1 (IQR 0–2); p = 0.04) and a small drop in anxiety (median 3 (0–5) to 2 (0–3); p = 0.22). There was no difference in the postoperative complication rate and length of hospital stay between the two groups. Discussion: This study has shown that digital prehabilitation can be delivered effectively to patients with OG cancer, with high engagement and retention rates. We observed improvements in some physical and psychological parameters with the digital service, with comparable clinical outcomes to the in-person service

The LandSense Innovation Challenge

The LandSense project aims to build an innovative citizen observatory for Land Use & Land Cover (LULC) monitoring, by connecting citizens with Earth Observation (EO) data to transform current approaches to environmental decision making. Through EO-driven mobile and web applications, LandSense promotes citizens to not only play a key role in environmental monitoring, but also to be directly involved in the co-creation of such applications. Currently within the EU’s EO monitoring framework, especially in the domain of LULC dynamics, there is a need for low-cost methods for acquiring high quality in-situ data to create timely, accurate and well-validated data products. LandSense aims to disrupt the EO data economy by creating marketable solutions that can provide a step-change in LULC monitoring activities both within and beyond Europe. In order to promote and stimulate the fast adoption of the project outcomes, the consortium proposes organization of the LandSense Innovation Challenge: Finals at the ECSA Conference 2020. This interactive session would facilitate collaboration and innovation among stakeholders within the value chain related to land mapping and citizen science. As such, the LandSense Innovation Challenge targets individuals, web-entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs coming from all participating Horizon 2020 countries, to present innovative IT solutions addressing one of the three LandSense domains: Urban Landscape Dynamics, Agricultural Land Use, and Forest & Habitat Monitoring. The challenge focuses on exploiting data streams coming from the LandSense Citizen Observatory, which consist of a diverse set of data including land cover change detection, threats to natural habitats, greenspace monitoring, etc., to design novel LULC solutions targeted at the citizen science community. In addition, participants will be encouraged to access data from the Sentinel Hub Service or other relevant EO data sources as well as the LandSense Quality Assurance Service in their solution. The process for the LandSense Innovation Challenge will be divided into two stages. First, there will be public call for ideas (Feb/March 2020) to which teams can submit proposals. After a review of the applications, a select number of shortlisted teams (5 to 10) will be invited to join the finals in Trieste to pitch their ideas to a jury of experts. Teams attending the finals will have the opportunity to discover more about LandSense, get coaching/mentoring to improve their pitches and network with the vibrant EO and citizen science communities. The winning team will not only receive a grand prize but also continue collaboration with the LandSense consortium to further advance their solution

'IISR Thevam', 'IISR Malabar Excel' and 'IISR Girimunda'- three new black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) clones

Based on 7 years' performance at Valparai (Tamil Nadu) (3000 ft MSL), and 2 years' performance at Peruvannamuzhi (Kerala) and quality evaluation, three black pepper lines namely, Call. 1041, HP-813 and HP-I05 were superior and proposed for release as 'IISR Thevam', 'IISR Malabar Excel' and 'IISR Girimunda', respectively. These lines were superior to at least one of the controls for more than one character at one or both the locations. Trials laid out at farmers' fields in four northern districts of Kerala also indicated the superiority of these lines. Call. 1041 besides out-yielding control, exhibited a high degree of field tolerance to foot rot disease, whereas HP-813 had oleoresin content as high as 12%. &nbsp

Innovating together for just and green urban transitions: Stories from Urban ReLeaf Cities

Nature-based solutions in urban environments can provide cooling effects, decrease air pollution, and improve mental health, amongst others important ecosystem services and health-related benefits. Ambitious plans, such as the pledge to plant 3 billion trees in the EU, the European Green Deal, or the Green City Accord support this direction. Their implementation, however, requires transformative changes on the ground to overcome business as usual approaches. The Urban ReLeaf project delivers change by bringing public authorities and citizen groups together to shape green infrastructure actions in their cities. Six pilot cities co-create citizen-centric innovations for the democratisation of urban greenspace monitoring and the wider policy making process in pursuit of urban climate resilience. This poster showcases the stories of the six cities and their approaches to participatory, and data-driven decision making. Athens is undergoing a greening transformation with a new, citizen-powered tree registry providing critical data for better management of greenspaces. Cascais engages citizens in sharing perceptions and thermal comfort levels while using greenspaces to validate the effectiveness of its parks. Meanwhile in Dundee, a city facing increasing grey infrastructure in deprived areas, actions to enhance the accessibility of greenspaces are co-developed with citizens and stakeholders. Mannheim has a heat action plan to safeguard its most vulnerable residents but has identified critical data gaps. Citizen observations of trees and thermal comfort, when integrated with official data streams, will aid the delivery of climate adaptation measures. Riga engages diverse audiences to address concerns about air pollution and greenspace usage, to ensure better informed policies. Finally, in Utrecht, data on temperature, humidity and heat stress, collected by and for citizens, will help them reduce the urban heat island effect and shape effective mitigation strategies

Managing Product Returns Within the Customer Value Framework

Customers can create value to the firm by purchasing products, not returning these products, recommending products to other potential customers, influencing other customers, and providing feedback to the company. In this chapter, we first discuss how product returns and engagement behaviors can be included in the customer value framework. Second, we discuss the antecedents of a customer’s product return decision, namely, return policies, information at the moment of purchase, and customer and product characteristics. Third, we focus on the consequences of product returns: the effects on future purchase and product return behavior, as well as on customer engagement behaviors. Thus, this chapter provides a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on antecedents and consequences of product returns and how this relates to measuring and managing customer value