Glycerol in Energy Transportation: A State-of-the-art Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianjian Zhang ◽  
Changhui Liu ◽  
Yanlong Gu ◽  
Francois Jerome

Glycerol, which bears green, low-cost, and good miscibility features, provides a variety of solvent portfolios to satisfy the complex market demands. Owing to its abundant feedstock and unique properties, glycerol...

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1977
Author(s):  
Ricardo Oliveira ◽  
Liliana M. Sousa ◽  
Ana M. Rocha ◽  
Rogério Nogueira ◽  
Lúcia Bilro

In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the capability to inscribe long-period gratings (LPGs) with UV radiation using simple and low cost amplitude masks fabricated with a consumer grade 3D printer. The spectrum obtained for a grating with 690 µm period and 38 mm length presented good quality, showing sharp resonances (i.e., 3 dB bandwidth < 3 nm), low out-of-band loss (~0.2 dB), and dip losses up to 18 dB. Furthermore, the capability to select the resonance wavelength has been demonstrated using different amplitude mask periods. The customization of the masks makes it possible to fabricate gratings with complex structures. Additionally, the simplicity in 3D printing an amplitude mask solves the problem of the lack of amplitude masks on the market and avoids the use of high resolution motorized stages, as is the case of the point-by-point technique. Finally, the 3D printed masks were also used to induce LPGs using the mechanical pressing method. Due to the better resolution of these masks compared to ones described on the state of the art, we were able to induce gratings with higher quality, such as low out-of-band loss (0.6 dB), reduced spectral ripples, and narrow bandwidths (~3 nm).


Robotica ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Majid Yekkehfallah ◽  
Ming Yang ◽  
Zhiao Cai ◽  
Liang Li ◽  
Chuanxiang Wang

SUMMARY Localization based on visual natural landmarks is one of the state-of-the-art localization methods for automated vehicles that is, however, limited in fast motion and low-texture environments, which can lead to failure. This paper proposes an approach to solve these limitations with an extended Kalman filter (EKF) based on a state estimation algorithm that fuses information from a low-cost MEMS Inertial Measurement Unit and a Time-of-Flight camera. We demonstrate our results in an indoor environment. We show that the proposed approach does not require any global reflective landmark for localization and is fast, accurate, and easy to use with mobile robots.


Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Roberto Vincenti Gatti ◽  
Riccardo Rossi ◽  
Marco Dionigi

In this work, the issue of limited bandwidth typical of microstrip antennas realized on a single thin substrate is addressed. A simple yet effective design approach is proposed based on the combination of traditional single-resonance patch geometries. Two novel shaped microstrip patch antenna elements with an inset feed are presented. Despite being printed on a single-layer substrate with reduced thickness, both radiators are characterized by a broadband behavior. The antennas are prototyped with a low-cost and fast manufacturing process, and measured results validate the simulations. State-of-the-art performance is obtained when compared to the existing literature, with measured fractional bandwidths of 3.71% and 6.12% around 10 GHz on a 0.508-mm-thick Teflon-based substrate. The small feeding line width could be an appealing feature whenever such radiating elements are to be used in array configurations.


Author(s):  
Jonas Austerjost ◽  
Robert Söldner ◽  
Christoffer Edlund ◽  
Johan Trygg ◽  
David Pollard ◽  
...  

Machine vision is a powerful technology that has become increasingly popular and accurate during the last decade due to rapid advances in the field of machine learning. The majority of machine vision applications are currently found in consumer electronics, automotive applications, and quality control, yet the potential for bioprocessing applications is tremendous. For instance, detecting and controlling foam emergence is important for all upstream bioprocesses, but the lack of robust foam sensing often leads to batch failures from foam-outs or overaddition of antifoam agents. Here, we report a new low-cost, flexible, and reliable foam sensor concept for bioreactor applications. The concept applies convolutional neural networks (CNNs), a state-of-the-art machine learning system for image processing. The implemented method shows high accuracy for both binary foam detection (foam/no foam) and fine-grained classification of foam levels.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueqiao Li ◽  
Na Sun ◽  
Zhanfeng Li ◽  
Jinbo Chen ◽  
Qinjun Sun ◽  
...  

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have reached their highest efficiency with the state-of-the-art hole-transporting material (HTM) spiro-OMeTAD.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 5031-5057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhanghong Wang ◽  
Dekui Shen ◽  
Chunfei Wu ◽  
Sai Gu

Biomass serves as a green and low-cost source of carbon, catalysts and catalyst supports for the preparation of carbon nanomaterials.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajasekhar Chokkareddy ◽  
Suvardhan Kanchi ◽  
Inamuddin

Background: While significant strides have been made to avoid mortality during the treatment of chronic diseases, it is still one of the biggest health-care challenges that have a profound effect on humanity. The development of specific, sensitive, accurate, quick, low-cost, and easy-to-use diagnostic tools is therefore still in urgent demand. Nanodiagnostics is defined as the application of nanotechnology to medical diagnostics that can offer many unique opportunities for more successful and efficient diagnosis and treatment for infectious diseases. Methods: In this review we provide an overview of infectious disease using nanodiagnostics platforms based on nanoparticles, nanodevices for point-of-care (POC) applications. Results: Current state-of-the-art and most promising nanodiagnostics POC technologies, including miniaturized diagnostic tools, nanorobotics and drug delivery systems have been fully examined for the diagnosis of diseases. It also addresses the drawbacks, problems and potential developments of nanodiagnostics in POC applications for chronic diseases. Conclusions: While progress is gaining momentum in this field and many researchers have dedicated their time in developing new smart nanodevices for POC applications for various chronic diseases, the ultimate aim of achieving longterm, reliable and continuous patient monitoring has not yet been achieved. Moreover, the applicability of the manufactured nanodevices to rural patients for on-site diagnosis, cost, and usability are the crucial aspects that require more research, improvements, and potential testing stations. Therefore, more research is needed to develop the demonstrated smart nanodevices and upgrade their applicability to hospitals away from the laboratories.


Author(s):  
Rajeev K Bali ◽  
Nilmini Wickramasinghe

Rapid Application Development (RAD) is promising to bring many benefits and state-of-the-art uses to the discipline of software engineering. The plethora of low cost RAD tools, together with the claims made by advocates of this methodology, has lead to an explosion in the use of this technique across the field. Unfortunately, however, there has been comparatively little regard in context to the project management issues of adopting RAD methodologies on which this paper will focus.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 175682931987005
Author(s):  
Jose Polo ◽  
Lluís Hontecillas ◽  
Ignacio Izquierdo ◽  
Oscar Casas

The aim of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility use of an Micro air vehicles (MAV) in order to power wirelessly an electric system, for example, a sensor network, using low-cost and open-source elements. To achieve this objective, an inductive system has been modelled and validated to power wirelessly a sensor node using a Crazyflie 2.0 as MAV. The design of the inductive system must be small and light enough to fulfil the requirements of the Crazyflie. An inductive model based on two resonant coils is presented. Several coils are defined to be tested using the most suitable resonant configuration. Measurements are performed to validate the model and to select the most suitable coil. While attempting to minimize the weight at transmitter’s side, on the receiver side it is intended to efficiently acquire and manage the power obtained from the transmitter. In order to prove its feasibility, a temperature sensor node is used as demonstrator. The experiment results show successfully energy transportation by MAV, and wireless power transfer for the resonant configuration, being able to completely charge the node battery and to power the temperature sensor.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (20) ◽  
pp. 9735-9740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tran Ngoc Huan ◽  
Daniel Alves Dalla Corte ◽  
Sarah Lamaison ◽  
Dilan Karapinar ◽  
Lukas Lutz ◽  
...  

Conversion of carbon dioxide into hydrocarbons using solar energy is an attractive strategy for storing such a renewable source of energy into the form of chemical energy (a fuel). This can be achieved in a system coupling a photovoltaic (PV) cell to an electrochemical cell (EC) for CO2 reduction. To be beneficial and applicable, such a system should use low-cost and easily processable photovoltaic cells and display minimal energy losses associated with the catalysts at the anode and cathode and with the electrolyzer device. In this work, we have considered all of these parameters altogether to set up a reference PV–EC system for CO2 reduction to hydrocarbons. By using the same original and efficient Cu-based catalysts at both electrodes of the electrolyzer, and by minimizing all possible energy losses associated with the electrolyzer device, we have achieved CO2 reduction to ethylene and ethane with a 21% energy efficiency. Coupled with a state-of-the-art, low-cost perovskite photovoltaic minimodule, this system reaches a 2.3% solar-to-hydrocarbon efficiency, setting a benchmark for an inexpensive all–earth-abundant PV–EC system.


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