Abstract: The implementation of Super-Ultra Low Emission
Vehicle standards requires more efficient exhaust gas purification. To
increase the efficiency of exhaust gas purification, an the adsorbent
capable of holding hydrocarbons up to 250-300 ОС should be
developed. The possibility to design such adsorbents by modification
of zeolites of mordenite type, ZSM-5 and NaY, using different
metals cations has been studied.
It has been shown that introducing Cr, Cs, Zn, Ni, Co, Li, Mn in
zeolites results in modification of the toluene TPD and toluene
sorption capacity.
5%LiZSM-5 zeolite exhibits the most attractive TPD curve, with
toluene desorption temperature ranging from 250 to 350ОС. The
sorption capacity of 5%Li-ZSM-5 is 0.4 mmol/g. NaY zeolite has the
highest sorption capacity, up to 2 mmol/g, and holds toluene up to
350ОС, but at 120ОС toluene desorption starts, which is not desirable,
since the adsorbent of cold start hydrocarbons should retain them
until 250-300ОС. Therefore 5%LiZSM-5 zeolite was found to be the
most promising to control the cold-start hydrocarbon emissions
among the samples studied.
Abstract: Atmospheric stability plays the most important role in
the transport and dispersion of air pollutants. Different methods are
used for stability determination with varying degrees of complexity.
Most of these methods are based on the relative magnitude of
convective and mechanical turbulence in atmospheric motions.
Richardson number, Monin-Obukhov length, Pasquill-Gifford
stability classification and Pasquill–Turner stability classification, are
the most common parameters and methods. The Pasquill–Turner
Method (PTM), which is employed in this study, makes use of
observations of wind speed, insolation and the time of day to classify
atmospheric stability with distinguishable indices. In this study, a
model is presented to determination of atmospheric stability
conditions using PTM. As a case study, meteorological data of
Mehrabad station in Tehran from 2000 to 2005 is applied to model.
Here, three different categories are considered to deduce the pattern
of stability conditions. First, the total pattern of stability classification
is obtained and results show that atmosphere is 38.77%, 27.26%,
33.97%, at stable, neutral and unstable condition, respectively. It is
also observed that days are mostly unstable (66.50%) while nights are
mostly stable (72.55%). Second, monthly and seasonal patterns are
derived and results indicate that relative frequency of stable
conditions decrease during January to June and increase during June
to December, while results for unstable conditions are exactly in
opposite manner. Autumn is the most stable season with relative
frequency of 50.69% for stable condition, whilst, it is 42.79%,
34.38% and 27.08% for winter, summer and spring, respectively.
Hourly stability pattern is the third category that points out that
unstable condition is dominant from approximately 03-15 GTM and
04-12 GTM for warm and cold seasons, respectively. Finally,
correlation between atmospheric stability and CO concentration is
achieved.
Abstract: Fatigue behaviors of Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT)
ceramics under different amplitude of bipolar electrical loads have
been investigated. Fatigue behavior is represented by the change of
hysteresis loops and remnant polarization. Three levels of electrical
load amplitudes (1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 kV /mm) were applied in this
experimental. It was found that the remnant polarization decreased
significantly with the number of loading cycles. The degree of fatigue
degradation depends on the amplitude of electric field. The higher
amplitude exhibits the greater fatigue degradation.
Abstract: A game animals – elk (Alces alces), deer (Cervus
elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) or wild boar (Sus scrofa
scrofa) - every autumn and winter period provide an excellent
investment, diversification of many consumer meals. In last years
consumption and assortiment of game meat products significantly
increase. Investigations about biochemical composition of game meat
are not very much. The meat of wild animals is more favourable for
human health because it has lower saturated fatty acids content, but
higher content of protein. Therefore the aim of investigations was to
compare biochemical composition of ungulates obtained in
Latvia.Investigations were carried out in wild animals different
regions of Latvia. In the studied samples protein, intramuscular fat,
fatty acids and cholesterol were determined. The biochemical
analysis of 54 samples were done. Results of analysis showed that
protein content 22.36 – 22.92% of all types of meat samples is not
different statistically, significantly lower fat content 1.33 ± 0.88%
had elk meat samples and 1.59 ± 0.59% roe deer samples. Content of
cholesterol was various 64.41 – 95.07% in the ruminant meat
samples of different species. From the dietetic point of view the best
composition of fatty acids has meat samples of roe deer.
Abstract: Fuzzy random variables have been introduced as an imprecise concept of numeric values for characterizing the imprecise knowledge. The descriptive parameters can be used to describe the primary features of a set of fuzzy random observations. In fuzzy environments, the expected values are usually represented as fuzzy-valued, interval-valued or numeric-valued descriptive parameters using various metrics. Instead of the concept of area metric that is usually adopted in the relevant studies, the numeric expected value is proposed by the concept of distance metric in this study based on two characters (fuzziness and randomness) of FRVs. Comparing with the existing measures, although the results show that the proposed numeric expected value is same with those using the different metric, if only triangular membership functions are used. However, the proposed approach has the advantages of intuitiveness and computational efficiency, when the membership functions are not triangular types. An example with three datasets is provided for verifying the proposed approach.
Abstract: This paper analyzes different techniques of the fine grained security of relational databases for the two variables-data accessibility and inference. Data accessibility measures the amount of data available to the users after applying a security technique on a table. Inference is the proportion of information leakage after suppressing a cell containing secret data. A row containing a secret cell which is suppressed can become a security threat if an intruder generates useful information from the related visible information of the same row. This paper measures data accessibility and inference associated with row, cell, and column level security techniques. Cell level security offers greatest data accessibility as it suppresses secret data only. But on the other hand, there is a high probability of inference in cell level security. Row and column level security techniques have least data accessibility and inference. This paper introduces cell plus innocent security technique that utilizes the cell level security method but suppresses some innocent data to dodge an intruder that a suppressed cell may not necessarily contain secret data. Four variations of the technique namely cell plus innocent 1/4, cell plus innocent 2/4, cell plus innocent 3/4, and cell plus innocent 4/4 respectively have been introduced to suppress innocent data equal to 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 percent of the true secret data inside the database. Results show that the new technique offers better control over data accessibility and inference as compared to the state-of-theart security techniques. This paper further discusses the combination of techniques together to be used. The paper shows that cell plus innocent 1/4, 2/4, and 3/4 techniques can be used as a replacement for the cell level security.
Abstract: Two cultivars ('Rutuliai', 'Saint Perrie') and five
hybrids ('Tolstoi', 'Brooklyn', 'Tocayo', 'Benito', 'Tourist') of edible
tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were investigated at the
LRCAF Institute of Horticulture. The following fruit quality
parameters were evaluated: the amount of lycopene, β-carotene,
ascorbic acid, total and inverted sugar, sucrose, dry matter soluble
solids in fresh tomato matter, also were determined fruit skin and
flesh firmness, color indexes (CIE L*a*b*) and calculated hue angle
(h°) with chroma (C).
Abstract: This paper highlights the importance of the selection
of the building-s wall material,and the shortcomings of the most
commonly used framed structures with masonry infills .The
objective of this study is investigating the behavior of infill walls as
structural components in existing structures.Structural infill walls are
very important in structural behavior under earthquake effects.
Structural capacity under the effect of earthquake,displacement and
relative story displacement are affected by the structural irregularities
.The presence of nonstructural masonry infill walls can modify
extensively the global seismic behavior of framed buildings .The
stability and integrity of reinforced concrete frames are enhanced by
masonry infill walls. Masonry infill walls alter displacement and
base shear of the frame as well. Short columns have great
importance during earthquakes,because their failure may lead to
additional structural failures and result in total building collapse.
Consequently the effects of short columns are considered in this
study.
Abstract: Most buildings have been using anchor bolts
commonly for installing outdoor advertising structures. Anchor bolts
of common carbon steel are widely used and often installed
indiscriminately by inadequate installation standards. In the area
where strong winds frequently blow, falling accidents of outdoor
advertising structures can occur and cause a serious disaster, which is
very dangerous and to be prevented. In this regard, the development of
high-performance anchor bolts is urgently required. In the present
study, 25Cr-8Ni-1.5Si-1Mn-0.4C alloy was produced by traditional
vacuum induction melting (VIM) for the application of anchor bolt.
The alloy composition is revealed as a duplex microstructure from
thermodynamic phase analysis by FactSage® and confirmed by
metallographic experiment. Addition of Nitrogen to the alloy was
found to reduce the ferritic phase domain and significantly increase the
hardness and the tensile strength. Microstructure observation revealed
mixed structure of austenite and ferrite with fine carbide distributed
along the grain and phase boundaries.
Abstract: Decision support based upon risk analysis into
comparison of the electricity generation from different renewable
energy technologies can provide information about their effects on
the environment and society. The aim of this paper is to develop the
assessment framework regarding risks to health and environment,
and the society-s benefits of the electric power plant generation from
different renewable sources. The multicriteria framework to
multiattribute risk analysis technique and the decision analysis
interview technique are applied in order to support the decisionmaking
process for the implementing renewable energy projects to
the Bangkok case study. Having analyses the local conditions and
appropriate technologies, five renewable power plants are postulated
as options. As this work demonstrates, the analysis can provide a tool
to aid decision-makers for achieving targets related to promote
sustainable energy system.
Abstract: Product Lead Time (PLT) is the period of time from
receiving a customer's order to delivering the final product. PLT is an
indicator of the manufacturing controllability, efficiency and
performance. Due to the explosion in the rate of technological
innovations and the rapid changes in the nature of manufacturing
processes, manufacturing firms can bring the new products to market
quicker only if they can reduce their PLT and speed up the rate at
which they can design, plan, control, and manufacture. Although
there is a substantial body of research on manufacturing relating to
cost and quality issues, there is no much specific research conducted
in relation to the formulation of PLT, despite its significance and
importance. This paper analyzes and formulates PLT which can be
used as a guideline for achieving the shorter PLT. Further more this
paper identifies the causes of delay and factors that contributes to the
increased product lead-time.
Abstract: Interior brick-infill partitions are usually considered as
non-structural components and only their weight is accounted for in
practical structural design. In this study, their effect on the progressive
collapse resistance of an RC building subjected to sudden column loss
is investigated. Three notional column loss conditions with four
different brick-infill locations are considered. Column-loss response
analyses of the RC building with and without brick infills are carried
out. Analysis results indicate that the collapse resistance is only
slightly influenced by the brick infills due to their brittle failure
characteristic. Even so, they may help to reduce the inelastic
displacement response under column loss. For practical engineering, it
is reasonably conservative to only consider the weight of brick-infill
partitions in the structural analysis.
Abstract: The presence of toxic heavy metals in industrial
effluents is one of the serious threats to the environment. Heavy
metals such as Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Nickel, Zinc, Mercury,
Copper, Arsenic are found in the effluents of industries such as
foundries, electroplating, petrochemical, battery manufacturing,
tanneries, fertilizer, dying, textiles, metallurgical and metal finishing.
Tremendous increase of industrial copper usage and its presence in
industrial effluents has lead to a growing concern about the fate and
effects of Copper in the environment. Percolation of industrial
effluents through soils leads to contamination of ground water and
soils. The transport of heavy metals and their diffusion into the soils
has therefore, drawn the attention of the researchers.
In this study, an attempt has been made to delineate the
mechanisms of transport and fate of copper in terrestrial
environment. Column studies were conducted using perplex glass
square column of dimension side 15 cm and 1.35 m long. The soil
samples were collected from a natural drain near Mohali (India). The
soil was characterized to be poorly graded sandy loam. The soil was
compacted to the field dry density level of about 1.6 g/cm3. Break
through curves for different depths of the column were plotted. The
results of the column study indicated that the copper has high
tendency to flow in the soils and fewer tendencies to get absorbed on
the soil particles. The t1/2 estimates obtained from the studies can be
used for design copper laden wastewater disposal systems.
Abstract: We study how the outcome of evolutionary dynamics on
graphs depends on a randomness on the graph structure. We gradually
change the underlying graph from completely regular (e.g. a square lattice) to completely random. We find that the fixation probability increases as the randomness increases; nevertheless, the increase is
not significant and thus the fixation probability could be estimated by the known formulas for underlying regular graphs.
Abstract: We succeeded to produce a high performance and flexible graphene/Manganese dioxide (G/MnO2) electrode coated on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The graphene film is initially synthesized by drop-casting the graphene oxide (GO) solution on the PET substrate, followed by simultaneous reduction and patterning of the dried film using carbon dioxide (CO2) laser beam with power of 1.8 W. Potentiostatic Anodic Deposition method was used to deposit thin film of MnO2 with different loading mass 10 – 50 and 100 μg.cm-2 on the pre-prepared graphene film. The electrodes were fully characterized in terms of structure, morphology, and electrochemical performance. A maximum specific capacitance of 973 F.g-1 was attributed when depositing 50μg.cm-2 MnO2 on the laser reduced graphene oxide rGO (or G/50MnO2) and over 92% of its initial capacitance was retained after 1000 cycles. The good electrochemical performance and long-term cycling stability make our proposed approach a promising candidate in the supercapacitor applications.
Abstract: Eight steel reinforced concrete beams (SRC), were
fabricated and tested under earthquake type cyclic loading. The
effectiveness of intermediate stiffeners, such as mid-span stiffener and
plastic hinge zone stiffeners, in enhancing composite action and
ductility of SRC beams was investigated. The effectiveness of
strengthened beam-to-column (SBC) and weakened beam-to-column
(WBC) connections in enhancing beam ductility was also studied. It
was found that: (1) All the specimens possessed fairly high flexural
ductility and were found adequate for structures in high seismic zones.
(2) WBC connections induced stress concentration which caused extra
damage to concrete near the flange tapering zone. This extra damage
inhibited the flexural strength development and the ductility of the
specimens with WBC connections to some extent. (3) Specimens with
SBC connections demonstrated higher flexural strength and ductility
compared to specimens with WBC connections. (4) The intermediate
stiffeners, especially combination of plastic hinge zone stiffener and
mid span stiffeners, have an obvious effect in enhancing the ductility
of the beams with SBC connection.
Abstract: The performance of modified Fenton (MF) treatment
to promote PAH oxidation in artificially contaminated soil was
investigated in packed soil column with a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)
delivery system simulating in situ injection. Soil samples were spiked
with phenanthrene (low molecular weight PAH) and fluoranthene
(high molecular weight PAH) to an initial concentration of 500
mg/kg dried soil each. The effectiveness of process parameters
H2O2/soil, iron/soil, chelating agent/soil weight ratios and reaction
time were studied using a 24 three level factorial design experiments.
Statistically significant quadratic models were developed using
Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for degrading PAHs from the
soil samples. Optimum operating condition was achieved at mild
range of H2O2/soil, iron/soil and chelating agent/soil weight ratios,
indicating cost efficient method for treating highly contaminated
lands.
Abstract: This research aimed to develop plasma system used in air conditioners. This developed plasma system could be installed in the air conditioners - all split type. The quality of air could be improved to be equal to present plasma system. Development processes were as follows: 1) to study the plasma system used in the air conditioners, 2) to design a plasma generator, 3) to develop the plasma generator, and 4) to test its performance in many types of the air conditioners. This plasma system was developed by AC high voltage – 14 kv with a frequency of 50 kHz. Carbon was a conductor to generate arc in air purifier system. The research was tested by installing the plasma generator in the air conditioners - wall type. Whereas, there were 3 types of installations: air flow out, air flow in, and room center. The result of the plasma generator installed in the air conditioners, split type, revealed that the air flow out installation provided the highest average of o-zone at 223 mg/h. This type of installation provided the highest efficiency of air quality improvement. Moreover, the air flow in installation and the room center installation provided the average of the o-zone at 163 mg/h and 64 mg/h, respectively.
Abstract: The work presented in this study is related to an
energy system analysis based on passive cooling system for
dwellings. It consists to solar chimney energy performances
determination versus geometrical and environmental considerations
as the size and inlet width conditions of the chimney. Adrar site
located in the southern region of Algeria is chosen for this study
according to ambient temperature and solar irradiance technical data
availability. Obtained results are related to the glazing temperature
distributions, the chimney air flow and internal wall temperatures.
The air room change per hour (ACH) parameter, the outlet air
velocity and mass air flow rate are also determined. It is shown that
the chimney width has a significant effect on energy performances
compared to its entry size. A good agreement is observed between
these results and those obtained by others from the literature.
Abstract: The present study examines the adsorption of phenol, 3-nitrophenol and dyes (methylene blue, alizarine yellow), from aqueous solutions onto a commercial activated carbon. Two different operations, semi-batch and continuous with reflux, were applied. The commercial activated carbon exhibits high adsorption abilities for phenol, 3-nitrophenol and dyes (methylene blue and alizarin yellow) from their aqueous solutions. The adsorption of all adsorbates after 1 h is higher by the continuous operation with reflux than by the semibatch operation. The adsorption of phenol is higher than that of 3-nitrophenol for both operations. Similarly, the adsorption of alizarin yellow is higher than that of methylene blue for both operations. The regenerated commercial activated carbon regains its adsorption ability due to the removal of the adsorbate from its pores during the regeneration.