scholarly journals Experimental Evidence of the Viability of Thermoelectric Generators to Power Volcanic Monitoring Stations

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (17) ◽  
pp. 4839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leyre Catalan ◽  
Amaia Garacochea ◽  
Alvaro Casi ◽  
Miguel Araiz ◽  
Patricia Aranguren ◽  
...  

Although there is an important lack of commercial thermoelectric applications mainly due to their low efficiency, there exist some cases in which thermoelectric generators are the best option thanks to their well-known advantages, such as reliability, lack of maintenance and scalability. In this sense, the present paper develops a novel thermoelectric application in order to supply power to volcanic monitoring stations, making them completely autonomous. These stations become indispensable in any volcano since they are able to predict eruptions. Nevertheless, they present energy supply difficulties due to the absence of power grid, the remote access, and the climatology. As a solution, this work has designed a new integral system composed of thermoelectric generators with high efficiency heat exchangers, and its associated electronics, developed thanks to Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Thus, the heat emitted from volcanic fumaroles is transformed directly into electricity with thermoelectric generators with passive heat exchangers based on phase change, leading to a continuous generation without moving parts that powers different sensors, the information of which is emitted via LoRa. The viability of the solution has been demonstrated both at the laboratory and at a real volcano, Teide (Canary Islands, Spain), where a compact prototype has been installed in an 82 °C fumarole. The results obtained during more than eight months of operation prove the robustness and durability of the developed generator, which has been in operation without maintenance and under several kinds of meteorological conditions, leading to an average generation of 0.49 W and a continuous emission over more than 14 km.

Metals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 574
Author(s):  
Ana Vafadar ◽  
Ferdinando Guzzomi ◽  
Kevin Hayward

Air heat exchangers (HXs) are applicable in many industrial sectors because they offer a simple, reliable, and cost-effective cooling system. Additive manufacturing (AM) systems have significant potential in the construction of high-efficiency, lightweight HXs; however, HXs still mainly rely on conventional manufacturing (CM) systems such as milling, and brazing. This is due to the fact that little is known regarding the effects of AM on the performance of AM fabricated HXs. In this research, three air HXs comprising of a single fin fabricated from stainless steel 316 L using AM and CM methods—i.e., the HXs were fabricated by both direct metal printing and milling. To evaluate the fabricated HXs, microstructure images of the HXs were investigated, and the surface roughness of the samples was measured. Furthermore, an experimental test rig was designed and manufactured to conduct the experimental studies, and the thermal performance was investigated using four characteristics: heat transfer coefficient, Nusselt number, thermal fluid dynamic performance, and friction factor. The results showed that the manufacturing method has a considerable effect on the HX thermal performance. Furthermore, the surface roughness and distribution, and quantity of internal voids, which might be created during and after the printing process, affect the performance of HXs.


Genetics ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 667-678
Author(s):  
Mary Lee S Ledbetter ◽  
Rollin D Hotchkiss

ABSTRACT A sulfonamide-resistant mutant of pneumococcus, sulr-c, displays a genetic instability, regularly segregating to wild type. DNA extracts of derivatives of the strain possess transforming activities for both the mutant and wild-type alleles, establishing that the strain is a partial diploid. The linkage of sulr-c to strr-61, a stable chromosomal marker, was established, thus defining a chromosomal locus for sulr-c. DNA isolated from sulr-c cells transforms two mutant recipient strains at the same low efficiency as it does a wild-type recipient, although the mutant property of these strains makes them capable of integrating classical "low-efficiency" donor markers equally as efficiently as "high efficiency" markers. Hence sulr-c must have a different basis for its low efficiency than do classical low efficiency point mutations. We suggest that the DNA in the region of the sulr-c mutation has a structural abnormality which leads both to its frequent segregation during growth and its difficulty in efficiently mediating genetic transformation.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 788
Author(s):  
Jinlin Mei ◽  
Aijun Duan ◽  
Xilong Wang

The traditional hydrothermal method to prepare zeolite will inevitably use a large amount of water as a solvent, which will lead to higher autogenous pressure, low efficiency, and wastewater pollution. The solvent-free method can be used to synthesize various types of zeolites by mechanical mixing, grinding, and heating of solid raw materials, which exhibits the apparent advantages of high yield, low pollution, and high efficiency. This review mainly introduces the development process of solvent-free synthesis, preparation of hierarchical zeolite, morphology control, synthesis mechanism and applications of solvent-free methods. It can be believed that solvent-free methods will become a research focus and have enormous industrial application potential.


Author(s):  
Zhaozhi Wang ◽  
Edwin R Galea ◽  
Angus Grandison ◽  
John Ewer ◽  
Fuchen Jia

Abstract Background An issue of concern to the travelling public is the possibility of in-flight transmission of COVID-19 during long- and short-haul flights. The aviation industry maintains that the probability of contracting the illness is small based on reported cases, modelling and data from aerosol dispersion experiments conducted on-board aircraft. Methods Using experimentally derived aerosol dispersion data for a B777–200 aircraft and a modified version of the Wells-Riley equation we estimate inflight infection probability for a range of scenarios involving quanta generation rate and face mask efficiency. Quanta generation rates were selected based on COVID-19 events reported in the literature while mask efficiency was determined from the aerosol dispersion experiments. Results The MID-AFT cabin exhibits the highest infection probability. The calculated maximum individual infection probability (without masks) for a 2-hour flight in this section varies from 4.5% for the ‘Mild Scenario’ to 60.2% for the ‘Severe Scenario’ although the corresponding average infection probability varies from 0.1% to 2.5%. For a 12-hour flight, the corresponding maximum individual infection probability varies from 24.1% to 99.6% and the average infection probability varies from 0.8% to 10.8%. If all passengers wear face masks throughout the 12-hour flight, the average infection probability can be reduced by approximately 73%/32% for high/low efficiency masks. If face masks are worn by all passengers except during a one-hour meal service, the average infection probability is increased by 59%/8% compared to the situation where the mask is not removed. Conclusions This analysis has demonstrated that while there is a significant reduction in aerosol concentration due to the nature of the cabin ventilation and filtration system, this does not necessarily mean that there is a low probability or risk of in-flight infection. However, mask wearing, particularly high-efficiency ones, significantly reduces this risk.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Burhan Khurshid ◽  
Roohie Naaz Mir

Generalized parallel counters (GPCs) are used in constructing high speed compressor trees. Prior work has focused on utilizing the fast carry chain and mapping the logic onto Look-Up Tables (LUTs). This mapping is not optimal in the sense that the LUT fabric is not fully utilized. This results in low efficiency GPCs. In this work, we present a heuristic that efficiently maps the GPC logic onto the LUT fabric. We have used our heuristic on various GPCs and have achieved an improvement in efficiency ranging from 33% to 100% in most of the cases. Experimental results using Xilinx 5th-, 6th-, and 7th-generation FPGAs and Stratix IV and V devices from Altera show a considerable reduction in resources utilization and dynamic power dissipation, for almost the same critical path delay. We have also implemented GPC-based FIR filters on 7th-generation Xilinx FPGAs using our proposed heuristic and compared their performance against conventional implementations. Implementations based on our heuristic show improved performance. Comparisons are also made against filters based on integrated DSP blocks and inherent IP cores from Xilinx. The results show that the proposed heuristic provides performance that is comparable to the structures based on these specialized resources.


2014 ◽  
Vol 889-890 ◽  
pp. 1262-1265
Author(s):  
Chun Fang Shi

Printing system of college educational administration has been managed by artificial, which result in low efficiency and high human cost. So we build a system by docking the software and hardware system of background database based on IC card to realize self-service printing for teachers and students of college, which provide a high-efficiency, convenient and humanized service mode, and enhane the economical sense of teachers and students for creating a green campus.


Author(s):  
Tong Xing ◽  
Qingfeng Song ◽  
Pengfei Qiu ◽  
Qihao Zhang ◽  
Ming Gu ◽  
...  

GeTe-based materials have a great potential to be used in thermoelectric generators for waste heat recovery due to their excellent thermoelectric performance, but their module research is greatly lagging behind...


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankit Patel ◽  
Kenneth B Christopher

Renal replacement therapy (RRT) can be used to support patient’s kidney function in cases of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, timing, modality, and dosing of RRT continue to remain in question. Recent studies have begun to provide data to help guide clinicians on when to initiate RRT, what form of RRT to use ranging from continuous venovenous hemofiltration (VVH) to intermittent hemodialysis, and the impact of high versus low-intensity dosing. Additionally, the risks associated with temporary vascular access with regard to thrombosis and infection, the impact of high efficiency and flux versus low efficiency and flux membranes, and options for anticoagulation in RRT for AKI are also discussed. This review contains 75 references.  Key words: acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, continuous venovenous hemofiltration, continuous venovenous hemodialysis, renal replacement therapy, venovenous hemofiltration, 


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 534
Author(s):  
Laura Felício ◽  
Sofia T. Henriques ◽  
André Serrenho ◽  
Tiago Domingos ◽  
Tânia Sousa

We use the societal exergy analysis to identify periods and factors controlling efficiency dilution and carbon deepening of electricity in Portugal from 1900 to 2014. Besides estimating the carbon intensity of electricity production, we propose a new indicator, the carbon intensity of electricity use, which quantifies CO2/kWh of electricity derived useful exergy. Results show final to useful efficiency dilution until World War I (50% to 30%) due to a decrease in share of the high-efficiency transport sector and from mid-1940s to 1960 and mid-1990s onwards (58% to 47% and 47% to 40%) due to an increase in share of the low efficiency commercial and residential sector. Decarbonization from 1900 to mid-1960s, with carbon intensities of electricity production and use dropping respectively from 12.8 to 0.2 and from 33.6 to 0.4 kg CO2/kWh due to an increase in thermoelectricity efficiencies and an increase in share of hydro. Then, a period of carbon deepening until 1990 with carbon intensities tripling due to a shift in shares from hydro to thermoelectricity and more recently a period of decarbonization with carbon intensities decreasing to 0.35 and 0.9 kg CO2/kWh, due to the increase in renewable electricity despite a dilution in final to useful efficiency.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2747
Author(s):  
Thomas Armand ◽  
Luâna Korn ◽  
Elodie Pichon ◽  
Marlène Souquet ◽  
Mélissandre Barbet ◽  
...  

Neonicotinoids are widely used to protect fields against aphid-borne viral diseases. The recent ban of these chemical compounds in the European Union has strongly impacted rapeseed and sugar beet growing practices. The poor sustainability of other insecticide families and the low efficiency of prophylactic methods to control aphid populations and pathogen introduction strengthen the need to characterize the efficiency of new plant protection products targeting aphids. In this study, the impact of Movento® (Bayer S.A.S., Leverkusen, Germany), a tetrameric acid derivative of spirotetramat, on Myzus persicae and on viral transmission was analyzed under different growing temperatures. The results show (i) the high efficiency of Movento® to protect rapeseed and sugar beet plants against the establishment of aphid colonies, (ii) the impact of temperature on the persistence of the Movento® aphicid properties and (iii) a decrease of approximately 10% of the viral transmission on treated plants. These observations suggest a beneficial effect of Movento® on the sanitary quality of treated crops by directly reducing primary infections and indirectly altering, through aphid mortality, secondary infections on which the spread of disease within field depends. These data constitute important elements for the future development of management strategies to protect crops against aphid-transmitted viruses.


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