Abstract: Lightning strikes can cause severe negative impacts to the electrical sector causing direct damage to equipment as well as shutdowns, especially when occurring in power substations. In order to mitigate this problem, a meticulous planning of the power substation protection system is of vital importance. A critical part of this is the distribution of shielding wires through the substation, which creates a 3D imaginary protection mesh similar to a circus tarpaulin. Equipment enclosed in the volume defined by that 3D mesh is considered protected against lightning strikes. The use of traditional methods of longitudinal cutting analysis based on 2D CAD tools makes the process laborious and the results obtained may not guarantee satisfactory protection of electrical equipment. This work describes the application of a Game Engine to the problem of lightning protection of power substations providing the visualization of the 3D protection mesh, the amount of protected components and the highlight of equipment which remain unprotected. In addition, aspects regarding the implementation and the advantages of approaching the problem using Unreal® Engine 4 are described. In order to validate results, a comparison with traditional 2D methods is applied to the same case study to which the proposed technique has been applied. Finally, a comparative study involving different levels of protection using the technique developed in this work is presented, showing that modern game engines can be a powerful accessory for simulations in several areas of engineering.
Abstract: Large-scale swing has been used in entertainment and performance, especially in circus, for a very long time. To increase the safety of this type of structure, a thorough analysis for displacement and bearing stress was performed for an extreme condition where a full cycle swing occurs. Different masses, ranging from 40 kg to 220 kg, and velocities were applied on the swing. Then, based on the solution of differential dynamics equation, swing velocity response to harmonic force was obtained. Moreover, the resistance capacity was estimated based on ACI steel structure design guide. Subsequently, numerical analysis was performed in ABAQUS to obtain the stress on each frame of the swing. Finally, the analysis shows that the expansion of swing structure frame section was required for mass bigger than 150kg.
Abstract: The most common domestic birds live in Turkey are: crows (Corvus corone), pigeons (Columba livia), sparrows (Passer domesticus), starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and blackbirds (Turdus merula). These birds give damage to the agricultural areas and make dirty the human life areas. In order to send away these birds, some different materials and methods such as chemicals, treatments, colored lights, flash and audible scarers are used. It is possible to see many studies about chemical methods in the literatures. However there is not enough works regarding audible bird scarers are reported in the literature. Therefore, a solar powered bird scarer was designed, manufactured and tested in this experimental investigation. Firstly, to understand the sensitive level of these domestic birds against to the audible scarer, many series preliminary studies were conducted. These studies showed that crows are the most resistant against to the audible bird scarer when compared with pigeons, sparrows, starlings and blackbirds. Therefore the solar powered audible bird scarer was tested on crows. The scarer was tested about one month during April- May, 2007. 18 different common known predators- sounds (voices or calls) of domestic birds from Falcon (Falco eleonorae), Falcon (Buteo lagopus), Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Montagu-s harrier (Circus pygargus) and Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) were selected for test of the scarer. It was seen from the results that the reaction of the birds was changed depending on the predators- sound type, camouflage of the scarer, sound quality and volume, loudspeaker play and pause periods in one application. In addition, it was also seen that the sound from Falcon (Buteo lagopus) was most effective on crows and the scarer was enough efficient.
Abstract: Aquatic and semi aquatic birds as a group are suited to
feed and breed in environments in which water forms a fundamental
part. These birds are biological indicator in aquatic environment,
because these birds belong to the top level of food chain in aquatic
ecosystems. There are 61 species in 14 families of aquatic and semi
aquatic birds in Iran. The birds of the Sattarkhan Lake belong to 16
species in 8 families which include 26.2 percent of total Aquatic and
semi aquatic bird species and 57% of Aquatic and semi aquatic bird's
family of Iran. Study was carried out monthly at Sattarkhan Lake
show the existence of Phalacrocorax carbo, Ardea cinerea, Egretta
alba, Egretta garzetta, Bubulcus ibis, Botaurus stellaris, Sterna
hirundo, Chlidonias leucopterus, Larus minutus, Larus argentatus,
Larus ridibunbus, Alcedo atthis, Ciconia ciconia, Plegadis
falcinellus, Circus aeruginosus, Corvus frugilegus
Abstract: Dew harvesting needs only weak investment and
exploits a free, clean and inexhaustible energy. This study aims to
measure the relative contributions of dew and rain water in the
Mediterranean Dalmatian coast and islands of Croatia and determine
whether dew water is potable. Two sites were chosen, an open site on
the coast favourable to dew formation (Zadar) and a less favourable
site in a circus of mountains in Komiža (Vis Island). Between July
1st, 2003 and October 31st, 2006, dew hasbeen daily collected on a 1
m2 tilted (30°) test dew condenser together with ordinary
meteorological data (air temperature and relative humidity, cloud
coverage, windspeed and direction). The mean yearly cumulative
dew yields were found to be 20 mm (Zadar) and 9.3 mm (Komiža ).
During the dry season (May to October), monthly cumulative dew
water yield can represent up to 38% of water collected by rain fall. In
July 2003 and 2006, dew water represented about 120% of the
monthly cumulative rain water. Dew and rain water were analyzed in
Zadar. The corresponding parameters were measured: pH, electrical
conductivity, major anions (HCO3
-, Cl-, SO4
2-
, NO3
-
, ,) and major
cations (NH4
+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+. Both dew and rain water are in
conformity with the WHO directives for potability except Mg2+.
Using existing roofs and refurbishing the abandoned impluviums to
permit dew collection could then provide a useful supplementary
amount of water, especially during the dry season.
Abstract: This article is a piece of the doctoral thesis
"Syncretism of traditional Kazakh culture in the light of the
innovation direction of circus and choreographic art of Kazakhstan
and its integration into the world civilization", and reveals the
features of the creative personalities of the traditional culture of
shamans, sals, seris, paluans in the comparative characteristic of the
European histriones and Russian skomorokhs.