Hydrogen production from polymeric organic solids via atmospheric pressure nonthermal Plasma

The potential of using hydrogen as a sustainable energy carrier is attributed to its high energy density and its utilization without CO$_2$ emissions. Existing technologies mainly produce hydrogen thermochemically via natural gas reforming or electrochemically through water splitting. Organic solid feedstocks rich in hydrogen, such as biomass and plastic waste, are under-utilized for this purpose. Approaches based on low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma powered by renewable electricity could lead to the production of green hydrogen more viably than current approaches, leading to sustainable alternatives for upcycling plastic and biomass waste. This doctoral research dissertation focuses on the production of hydrogen from solids via atmospheric nonthermal plasma. First, two low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma reactors, based on transferred arc (transarc) and gliding arc (glidarc) discharges and depicting complementary operational characteristics, are designed, built, and characterized to produce hydrogen from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) as a model plastic waste. Experimental results show that hydrogen production rate and efficiency increase monotonically with increasing voltage level in both reactors. Despite the reactors' markedly different modes of operation, their hydrogen production performance metrics are comparable.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2210.1136

Conceptualising Home-Based Child Care: A Study of Home-Based Settings and Practices in Japan and England

Home-based child care or childminding as it is commonly known in the United Kingdom (UK) is a service often used by parents and families in many countries. However, despite its prevalence, there is a paucity of research on the subject. Addressing this gap, this study presents new empirical data to better understand this type of provision in supporting children’s learning and development. The paper presents the findings of a qualitative study of home-based child care undertaken in five settings in Japan and England. The study examined caregivers’ activities and their interactions with the children aged 4 months to 4 years. The methods included practitioner interviews, narrative observations, document analysis of activity records, and documentations of the structural and process features of the settings. The study is significant for advancing the international knowledge base of home-based child care in highlighting the service as a form of distinct, specialised care and pedagogy, as well as family support

Post-certification: an innovative post-project sustainability approach to maintain WASH rural services

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the sub-Saharan African countries that have not reached the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in water and sanitation despite massive efforts undertaken over the last fifteen years. To accelerate access to WASH services, UNICEF and government partners have been implementing the National ‘Healthy Villages and Schools’ Programme since 2008. It underwent a major reshaping in 2013 following a sustainability study that demonstrated that only 2% of villages had maintained their healthy status. A new post-certification support and monitoring component was put in place, including ‘catch up’ activities, which would allow the programme to re-certify villages and schools where the healthy status has been lost. This innovative approach continuously monitors WASH status, assuring the long-term sustainability of outcomes. Lessons learned, both in terms of results and methodology, can be identified from this critical sustainability measure and shared with the WASH community

Effect of maize intercrop plant densities on yield and beta-carotene contents of orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes

Despite efforts to demonstrate the value of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) (Ipomoea batatas L.) and quality protein maize (Zea mays L.) in combating vitamin A and protein malnutrition, small land holdings by rural poor farmers still limit the crops’ overall production in Africa. As such, intercropping and optimum plant density in cropping systems will help farmers to improve productivity of the crop, and hence, improve household food and nutrition security. This study determined the effect of maize plant population, in a sweetpotato-maize intercrop, on yields and β-carotene content of two popular OFSP cultivars, Ejumula and NASPOT 9 O (Kabode). Each variety was intercropped with maize variety Longe 5, at three plant densities (i.e. 41,666, 55,555 and 88,888 plants ha-1), at Ngetta Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Uganda. While 55,555 plants of each OFSP cultivar were used for both sole and intercrops, the sole maize plot was 44,444 plants ha-1. Maize and sweetpotato were harvested at 120 and 135 days after planting, respectively. β-carotene content and yield in sweetpotato roots were significantly (P<0.05) reduced by high maize density. Irrespective of maize density, NASPOT 9 O produced more root yields than Ejumula. Land Equivalent Ratios of >1.2 were obtained at maize intercrop densities of 41,666 and 55,555 plants ha-1.Keywords: Ipomoea batatas, land equivalent ratio, Zea may

Thermal Performance of Selected Oils in Uganda for Indirect Solar Domestic Cooking Applications

This study experimentally evaluated the thermal performance of selected oils in Uganda for indirect solar domestic cooking applications. The oil samples used were refined sunflower oil, refined palm oil and thermia B. These oils are locally available in Uganda. Thermal stratification, energy and exergy analysis were performed for each oil to determine their suitability for Thermal Energy Storage (TES) using a thermosiphon principle. The results showed that thermal stratification of refined sunflower oil was higher as compared to refined palm oil and thermia B during the first one hour. The stored energy and exergy for refined sunflower oil was generally higher than that of refined palm oil and thermia B. The thermal performance of refined sunflower oil was comparable to that of refined palm oil which was better than that of thermia B.Keywords: Thermosiphon; thermal stratification; energy; exergy; oi

Online article management system

Applied project submitted to the Department of Computer Science, Ashesi University College, in partial fulfillment of Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, 2010This is an applied group project done by Joshua Tabu Shehe and Ernest Musyoki Museve. This report looks at the processes by which the web-based article management system called WriteWell is developed and implemented for the userside (front-end). This application will allow Eldoret Writers Centre writers to manage their own articles in an efficient way than what they are using currently. This report will look at the background information about Eldoret Writers Centre based in Eldoret which will assist in looking at the methodologies, system design, implementation and testing involved. Lastly, we will look at the experiences gained while working on this project.Ashesi University Colleg

Analisis pengaruh stock split terhadap harga saham Dan volume perdagangan saham pada perusahaan go Public di bursa efek indonesia

Stock prices are too high, will cause the demand for the purchase of shares are experiencing a decline that will also have implications for trading volume. Where the fewer price requests the volume of shares distributed will also be less. To avoid these conditions, then what is done by the company is to reduce the stock price so that the stock price is cheaper to attract investors to buy these shares. One of the company's actions to lower prices is with Stock Split. Basically research on stock split is often done. But the problem in this research is the existence of different research results - different, then further research is needed. This study was conducted on 30 companies listed on the BEI measuring on the know 2008 - 2016. This study used different average difference analysis with the observation period (event study) is 10 days ie 5 days before the stock split and 5 days after the stock split . The method of determining the sample using purposive sampling. Based on the result of research that at first hypothesis there is significant difference before and after company do stock split. While the second hypothesis also shows that there are significant differences in trading volume before and after the company do stock split. Sources of income and volume of stock trading from the market. Keywords: Stock Split, Stock Price, Trading Volume Activit

Fusarium wilt of oil palm: studies on resistance and pathogenicity

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN004507 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Ménages et pratiques de la solidarité à Lubumbashi. Transfert des parents, stratégies de cohésion et vie conjugale

L’hébergement des parents est un phénomène courant dans le système familial africain. Il est l’expression de la solidarité dite africaine. Au-delà de cette essentialisation apparente de cette dernière, il faut chercher à comprendre les logiques qui sous-tendent le choix des parents à héberger, les problèmes des interactions sociales dans la sphère domestique où les liens de parenté sont hétérogènes, les stratégies qu’érigent les hébergeurs pour maintenir la cohésion, etc. Ces réalités de coul..