Delivering zero carbon buildings: the role of innovative business models

Energy Efficiency and Net Zero Design/Green Building: no. O3.15published_or_final_versio

In-Vivo Skin Capacitive Image Classification Using AlexNet Convolution Neural Network

© 2018 IEEE. Skin water content is very important for its cosmetic properties and its barrier functions, however, to measure it is very difficult. We have recently developed a novel hand-held probe for in-vivo skin hydration imaging based on the capacitance measurement principle. It is more repeatable, reproducible and easier to calibrate than the existing commercial devices. Our latest research is to assess the performance of deep learning in in-vivo skin capacitive image analysis using AlexNet model. As we know the AlexNet model can be used for image classification and recognition with high accuracy. Our object is to design a model to classify more than one specific features, i.e. not just the one with highest probability. We trained the image classifier using the pretrained model to implement the specific feature extraction, prediction and classification specifically for the skin hydration level, skin damage level and gender. There are over 1000 skin images which are measured by two experiments: repeatability of different instruments in in-vivo skin measurement; and skin damage measurements by different instruments. The objective of the research has been divided into three parts: feature extraction implementation using the pretrained model AlexNet; accuracy assessment of the model; further improve the system for multiple features classification. The image classification programme shows a good result which has accuracy 0.98, and the test images were classified correctly comparing with the experimental results of skin hydration, skin damaged level and the gender of the volunteers

Magnification relations of quad lenses and applications on Einstein crosses

In this work, we mainly study the magnification relations of quad lens models for cusp, fold and cross configurations. By dividing and ray-tracing in different image regions, we numerically derive the positions and magnifications of the four images for a point source lying inside of the astroid caustic. Then, based on the magnifications, we calculate the signed cusp and fold relations for the singular isothermal elliptical lenses. The signed fold relation map has positive and negative regions, and the positive region is usually larger than the negative region as has been confirmed before. It can also explain that for many observed fold image pairs, the fluxes of the Fermat minimum images are apt to be larger than those of the saddle images. We define a new quantity cross relation which describes the magnification discrepancy between two minimum images and two saddle images. Distance ratio is also defined as the ratio of the distance of two saddle images to that of two minimum images. We calculate the cross relations and distance ratios for nine observed Einstein crosses. In theory, for most of the quad lens models, the cross relations decrease as the distance ratios increase. In observation, the cross relations of the nine samples do not agree with the quad lens models very well, nevertheless, the cross relations of the nine samples do not give obvious evidence for anomalous flux ratio as the cusp and fold types do. Then, we discuss several reasons for the disagreement, and expect good consistencies for more precise observations and better lens models in the future.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Delivering zero carbon homes in the UK

The conference paper can be viewed at: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/ar2012-1445-1454_Heffernan_Pan_Liang.pdfIn the UK and internationally, a plethora of voluntary and mandatory energy efficiency standards for new buildings exist, with the common aim of mitigating the impact of new buildings on climate change. However, the take-up of voluntary schemes has been limited and, as a result, many governments have seen the need to introduce mandatory schemes through legislation; from 2016 all new build homes in England and Wales will be required to achieve zero carbon in regulated energy consumption. The international context of voluntary and mandatory building energy efficiency standards is examined through a review of the literature. The review is expanded by a series of semi-structured interviews with construction professionals involved in the delivery of low and zero carbon homes in the UK. In order to establish why zero carbon homes are not being developed, themes of drivers and barriers and challenges in relation to the delivery of zero carbon homes are explored. The drivers which emerged are categorized into four groups: legislative; economic; social responsibility and individual; and the barriers and challenges into a further four groups: skills and knowledge; legislative and governmental; economic and industry. Skills shortages and knowledge gaps for all involved in the delivery of zero carbon homes were seen as the primary barriers and a gap in the literature also exists in this area. Gaining a greater understanding of the skills and knowledge required for the delivery of zero carbon homes is therefore confirmed as the focus for further research

Critical Current Density and Resistivity of MgB2 Films

The high resistivity of many bulk and film samples of MgB2 is most readily explained by the suggestion that only a fraction of the cross-sectional area of the samples is effectively carrying current. Hence the supercurrent (Jc) in such samples will be limited by the same area factor, arising for example from porosity or from insulating oxides present at the grain boundaries. We suggest that a correlation should exist, Jc ~ 1/{Rho(300K) - Rho(50K)}, where Rho(300K) - Rho(50K) is the change in the apparent resistivity from 300 K to 50 K. We report measurements of Rho(T) and Jc for a number of films made by hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition which demonstrate this correlation, although the "reduced effective area" argument alone is not sufficient. We suggest that this argument can also apply to many polycrystalline bulk and wire samples of MgB2.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

The characterization and effects of stoichiometric reductants in ferrochromium production from 1200oC to 1550oC

Abstract: Ferrochrome alloy is mainly produced in submerged-arc furnaces. The reductants used in ferrochrome production include coke, anthracite and char. During ferrochrome production reductants are primarily added for reduction to take place. However it is still questionable as to what happens during times when the carbon charged is not enough, is stoichiometric or excess than the required amount. This work investigated phase formation and phase changes at different reducing temperatures with stoichiometric amount of reductants with stoichiometric amount of reductant. Experiments were conducted at 1200oC, 1300oC and 1550oC. Anthracite and coke were used in this investigation. A comparison of reaction steps, the extent of reactions as well as the mechanisms at the same temperature and soaking time, when coke and anthracite were used are discussed. The characterization was conducted using different analytical techniques to identify the changes in morphologies of the raw materials against the temperature as well as the phases that formed

Nodeless superconductivity in Ca3Ir4Sn13: evidence from quasiparticle heat transport

We report resistivity $\rho$ and thermal conductivity $\kappa$ measurements on Ca$_3$Ir$_4$Sn$_{13}$ single crystals, in which superconductivity with $T_c \approx 7$ K was claimed to coexist with ferromagnetic spin-fluctuations. Among three crystals, only one crystal shows a small hump in resistivity near 20 K, which was previously attributed to the ferromagnetic spin-fluctuations. Other two crystals show the $\rho \sim T^2$ Fermi-liquid behavior at low temperature. For both single crystals with and without the resistivity anomaly, the residual linear term $\kappa_0/T$ is negligible in zero magnetic field. In low fields, $\kappa_0(H)/T$ shows a slow field dependence. These results demonstrate that the superconducting gap of Ca$_3$Ir$_4$Sn$_{13}$ is nodeless, thus rule out nodal gap caused by ferromagnetic spin-fluctuations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure