Solar Potential in Saudi Arabia for Southward-Inclined Flat-Plate Surfaces

The major objective of the present work is to investigate into the appropriate tilt angles of south-oriented solar panels in Saudi Arabia for maximum performance. This is done with the estimation of the annual energy sums received on surfaces with tilt angles in the range 15°–55° inclined to south at 82 locations covering all Saudi Arabia. The analysis shows that tilt angles of 20°, 25° and 30° towards south are the optimum ones depending on site. These optimum tilt angles define three distinct solar energy zones in Saudi Arabia. The variation of the energy sums in each energy zone on annual, seasonal and monthly basis is given; the analysis provides regression equations for the energy sums as function of time in each case. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the annual global inclined solar energy in Saudi Arabia is shown in a solar map specially derived. The annual energy sums are found to vary between 1612 kWhm−2year−1 and 2977 kWhm−2year−1 across the country. Finally, the notion of a correction factor is introduced, defined, and employed. This factor can be used to correct energy values estimated by a reference ground albedo to those based on near-real ground albedo.

Remote Ecological Monitoring with Smartphones and Tasker

Researchers have increasingly used Autonomous Monitoring Units (AMUs) to record animal sounds, to track phenology with timed photographs, and snap images when triggered by motion. We piloted the use of smartphones to monitor wildlife in the Riverside East Solar Energy Zone (California, USA) and at Indiana Dunes National Park (Indiana, USA). Both efforts involved establishing remote autonomous monitoring stations in which an Android smartphone was housed in a weather-proof box mounted to a pole, with stations powered by solar panels. Each smartphone was connected to a Google account, and received its recording/photo schedule daily via a Google calendar connection when in data transmission mode. Phones were automated by Tasker, an Android application for automating cell phone tasks. The simple approach described could be adopted by others who wish to use non-proprietary methods of data collection and analysis.

Modelling the Combined Heat and Power Plants with Steam Turbines in the Study of Energy Security Problems

The paper considers the development of mathematical models of combined heat and power plants that are to be used while modelling the fuel and energy complex. Consideration is given to three methods of combined heat and power plant (CHP) modelling: The first method provides for the simplified modelling based on CHP aggregation in one energy zone; the second method is based on modelling the individual CHP using the accurate parameters of their equipment operation; the third method is based on the use of standard regime diagrams for modelling individual CHP. Analysis of the presented methods of CHP modelling revealed that the third method out of the three methods proposed is most appropriate for mathematical models of fuel and energy complex for studying the fuel and power supply reliability. The experimental part of the paper describes the process of deriving the analytical dependencies of electricity and heat generation versus fuel used by CHP that is obtained by the third method proposed.

Petrochemical waste characterization and management at Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in the south of Iran

Industrial waste management generated by different petrochemical complexes at Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, located in the south of Iran, was investigated. All 10 active petrochemical complexes were visited and generated wastes were identified by a checklist. Petrochemical plants were classified regarding feeds, process, and products and nine representative wastes were sampled. Physicochemical characteristics were analyzed and appropriate management approaches were proposed according to the literature review and the results of waste characterization. The generated wastes were classified as hazardous and non-hazardous according to the Basel Convention and Environmental Protection Agency lists of waste classification. Also, the concentrations of organic compounds and heavy metals were measured to classify wastes characteristically. Comparing concentrations of the most important heavy metals in sampled wastes illustrated that sandblast with Cu concentration of 4295 mg kg–1, spent activated carbon with Hg concentration of 127 mg kg–1, and spent catalyst with 25% Ni content can be categorized as hazardous wastes, due to the exceeding Total Threshold Limit Concentration levels. Based on laboratory results, all industrial waste generated in the petrochemical complexes were categorized into three groups, namely Organic Waste with High Calorific Value, Non-organic Recyclable Waste, and Non-organic Non-recyclable Waste. Finally, management approaches, including material recycling, energy recovery (through incineration), and landfilling, were proposed and a conceptual model was suggested in order to show different routes and final destination for each kind of waste generated in all similar petrochemical complexes.

A Novel Method for Ocean Wind Speed Detection Based on Energy Distribution of Beidou Reflections

The Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) technique exploits the characteristics of reflected GNSS signals to estimate the geophysical parameters of the earth’s surface. This paper focuses on investigating the wind speed retrieval method using ocean scattered signals from a Beidou Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite. Two new observables are proposed by computing the ratio of the low energy zone and the high energy zone of the delay waveform. Coastal experimental raw data from a Beidou GEO satellite are processed to establish the relationship between the energy-related observables and the sea surface wind. When the delay waveform normalized amplitude (this will be referred to as “threshold” in what follows) is 0.3, fitting results show that the coefficient of determination is more than 0.76 in the gentle wind scenario (<10 m/s), with a root mean square error (RMSE) of less than 1.0 m/s. In the Typhoon UTOR scenario (12.7 m/s~37.3 m/s), the correlation level exceeds 0.82 when the threshold is 0.25, with a RMSE of less than 3.10 m/s. Finally, the impact of the threshold and coherent integration time on wind speed retrieval is discussed to obtain an optimal result. When the coherent integration time is 50 milliseconds and the threshold is 0.15, the best wind speed retrieval error of 2.63 m/s and a correlation level of 0.871 are obtained in the UTOR scenario.

The physical activity level and aerobic capacity estimation (VO2max) among the administrative staff of the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (Assaluyeh, Iran) with different BMIs

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to examine the level of physical activity (PA) and maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) among office workers of the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in Iran with different body mass indexes (BMIs).Materials and methodsThis research was descriptive, and a correlation of variables was applied as its execution method. Administrative staff of two centers were randomly selected from 20 to 30 administrative centers of the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, Assaluyeh, Iran, and included 294 male employees who were willing to participate in this research and who met the inclusion criteria (being in the age range of 20–60 years, lacking specific diseases, and who had enough physical fitness to do PA) who were purposefully selected.ResultsThe age-adjusted means for the PA score (7.93 ± 1.12) and VO2max(48.66 ± 6.95) mL/min/kg were calculated. After adjusting for other variables, significant difference was found between BMI and age (β = 0.20; p = 0.005), BMI and VO2max(β = 0.302; p = 0.001), as well as BMI and the total PA score (β = −0.304; p = 0.045).ConclusionsThe results of this study showed low levels of PA (work, exercise and leisure) and respiratory capacity in the administrative staff of the oil and gas industry, which is associated with overweight and obesity.