scholarly journals Optimization of thermal efficiency of a parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) based on new materials application for the absorber tube selective coating and glass cover

Author(s):  
Hamzeh Jamali

This article aims to demonstrate a solution in order for an optimization of PTSCs thermal efficiency. The solution focuses on the radiative heat transfers occurring within the absorber tube of a PTSC unit of a solar power plant situated in Shiraz, Iran as the paper case study. Since the existing heat transfers procedure all comes down to the optical properties of the materials used in the absorber tube of a PTSC unit, an ideal material selection can directly influence the heat transfers and consequently improve the thermal efficiency of a PTSC unit to a great extent. This paper comes up with new materials selection in which graphene nanostructure and BOROFLOAT 33 are respectively used as absorber tube coating and absorber tube glass cover for their exceptional optical and mechanical properties. Meanwhile, a numerical and analytical comparison is made between the thermal efficiencies of a PTSC unit in different states.

Author(s):  
Nabil Mohareb ◽  
Sara Maassarani

Current architecture studios are missing an important phase in the education process, which is constructing the students’ conceptual ideas on a real physical scale. The design-build approach enables the students to test their ideas, theories, material selection, construction methods, environmental constraints, simulation results, level of space functionality and other important aspects when used by real target clients in an existing context. This paper aims to highlight the importance of using the design-build method through discussing a design project case study carried out by the Masters of Architecture design programme students at Beirut Arab University, who have built prototype units for refugees on a 1:1 scale.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvestro Antonio Ruffolo ◽  
Natalia Rovella ◽  
Anna Arcudi ◽  
Vincenza Crupi ◽  
Domenico Majolino ◽  
...  

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 276
Author(s):  
Nisar Ali Khan ◽  
Giorgio Monti ◽  
Camillo Nuti ◽  
Marco Vailati

Infilled reinforced concrete (IRC) frames are a very common construction typology, not only in developing countries such as Pakistan but also in southern Europe and Western countries, due to their ease of construction and less technical skills required for the construction. Their performance during past earthquakes has been in some cases satisfactory and in other cases inadequate. Significant effort has been made among researchers to improve such performance, but few have highlighted the influence of construction materials used in the infill walls. In some building codes, infills are still considered as non-structural elements, both in the design of new buildings and, sometimes, in the assessment of existing buildings. This is mainly due to some difficulties in modeling their mechanical behavior and also the large variety of typologies, which are difficult to categorize. Some building codes, for example, Eurocode, already address the influence of infill walls in design, but there is still a lack of homogeneity among different codes. For example, the Pakistan building code (PBC) does not address infills, despite being a common construction technique in the country. Past earthquake survey records show that construction materials and infill types significantly affect the seismic response of buildings, thus highlighting the importance of investigating such parameters. This is the object of this work, where a numerical model for infill walls is introduced, which aims at predicting their failure mode, as a function of some essential parameters, such as the friction coefficient between mortar and brick surface and mortar strength, usually disregarded in previous models. A comprehensive case study is presented of a three-story IRC frame located in the city of Mirpur, Pakistan, hit by an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 on 24 September 2019. The results obtained from the numerical model show good agreement with the damage patterns observed in situ, thus highlighting the importance of correctly modeling the infill walls when seismically designing or assessing Pakistani buildings that make use of this technology.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 10686
Author(s):  
Mona Abouhamad ◽  
Metwally Abu-Hamd

The objective of this paper is to apply the life cycle assessment methodology to assess the environmental impacts of light steel framed buildings fabricated from cold formed steel (CFS) sections. The assessment covers all phases over the life span of the building from material production, construction, use, and the end of building life, in addition to loads and benefits from reuse/recycling after building disposal. The life cycle inventory and environmental impact indicators are estimated using the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings. The input data related to the building materials used are extracted from a building information model of the building while the operating energy in the use phase is calculated using an energy simulation software. The Athena Impact Estimator calculates the following mid-point environmental measures: global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential, human health potential, ozone depletion potential, smog potential, eutrophication potential, primary and non-renewable energy (PE) consumption, and fossil fuel consumption. The LCA assessment was applied to a case study of a university building. Results of the case study related to GWP and PE were as follows. The building foundations were responsible for 29% of the embodied GWP and 20% of the embodied PE, while the CFS skeleton was responsible for 30% of the embodied GWP and 49% of the embodied PE. The production stage was responsible for 90% of the embodied GWP and embodied PE. When benefits associated with recycling/reuse were included in the analysis according to Module D of EN 15978, the embodied GWP was reduced by 15.4% while the embodied PE was reduced by 6.22%. Compared with conventional construction systems, the CFS framing systems had much lower embodied GWP and PE.


2017 ◽  
Vol 907 ◽  
pp. 104-118
Author(s):  
Maria Stoicănescu ◽  
Eliza Buzamet ◽  
Dragos Vladimir Budei ◽  
Valentin Craciun ◽  
Roxana Budei ◽  
...  

Dental implants are becoming increasingly used in current dental practice. This increased demand has motivated manufacturers to develop varieties of product through design, but also looking for new materials used to improve surface characteristics in order to obtain a better osseointegration. But the increase in the use of implants goes to a consequent increase in the number of failures. These failures are caused either by treatment complications (peri-implantitis), by fatigue breakage under mechanical over-stress, by defective raw material, or due to errors during the insertion procedures. Although they are rare, these complications are serious in dentistry. Before to market a dental implant to clinical practitioners, the product is validated among other determinations in number of biocompatibility research. Raw material issues, details about its structure and properties are less published by the scientific literature, but all this are subject of a carefully analysis of the producers. Breaking of dental implants during surgical procedures, during the prosthetic procedures or during use (chewing, bruxism, accidents, etc.), is the second most common cause of loss of an implant after consecutive peri-implantitis rejection. Although the frequency of this type of failure for a dental implant is much smaller than those caused by the peri-implantitis, a detailed study of broken implants can explain possible causes. The use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in the study of the cleave areas explain the production mechanism of cleavages, starting from micro-fissures in the alloy used for the production of dental implants. These micro-fissures in weak areas of the implant (anti-rotational corners of the polygons, etc.) could generate a serious risk of cleavage first time when a higher force is applied.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Rodriguez ◽  
Susana Gómez ◽  
Ngoc Tran Dinh ◽  
Giovanni Ortuño ◽  
Narendra Borole

Abstract The paper presents the application of a holistic approach to corrosion prediction that overcomes classical pitfalls in corrosion testing and modelling at high pressure, high temperature and high CO2 conditions. Thermodynamic modelling of field and lab conditions allows for more accurate predictions by a novel CO2/H2S general corrosion model validated by laboratory tests. In the proposed workflow, autoclave tests at high pressure and temperature are designed after modeling corrosion in a rigorous thermodynamic framework including fluid-dynamic modelling; the modeled steps include preparation, gas loading and heating of fluid samples at high CO2 concentration, and high flow velocities. An autoclave setup is proposed and validated to simultaneously test different conditions. Corrosion rates are extrapolated to compute service life of the materials and guide material selection. The results from the model and tests extend the application of selected stainless steel grade beyond the threshold conditions calculated by simplistic models and guidelines. Consideration of fugacities and true aqueous compositions allows for accurate thermodynamic representation of field conditions. Computation by rigorous fluid dynamics of shear stress, multiphase flow and heat transfer effects inside completion geometry lead to a proper interpretation of corrosion mechanisms and models to apply. In the case study used to showcase the workflow, conventional stainless steel is validated for most of the tubing. It is observed that some sections of the system in static condition are not exposed to liquid water, allowing for safe use of carbon steel, while as for other critical parts, more noble materials are deemed necessary. Harsh environments pose a challenge to the application of conventional steel materials. The workflow applied to the case study allows accurate representation and application of materials in its application limit region, allowing for safe use of carbon steel or less noble stainless steels in those areas of the completion where corrosion is limited by multiphase fluid-dynamics, heat transfer or the both. The approximation is validated for real case study under high CO2 content, and is considered also valid in the transportation of higher amounts of CO2, for example, in CCUS activities.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Simó-Pinatella ◽  
Marisa Carvalho

Purpose School-wide positive behaviour support (SWPBS) is a proactive behavioural support system that fosters behaviour change in individuals in a school setting. This article aims to present a case example of teaching and reinforcing behavioural expectations in a special school. Design/methodology/approach This case study reflects different steps and materials used before and during the intervention in a special education school with 61 secondary students with intellectual disabilities. An AB design (A – baseline; B – intervention) was used to collect and analyze data. Findings Results suggest that teaching behavioural expectations as a universal measure may be feasible and positively impact school climate. Suggestions and recommendations for implementing SWPBS within a school are provided. Originality/value This case study provides a step-by-step guide illustrating the process of teaching and reinforcing behavioural playground expectations to young adults with intellectual disabilities attending a special school.


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