Experimental Study on the Thermal Effect according to the Distance around a Hydrogen Jet Flame

In this study, the safe distance in the case of a hydrogen vehicle fire was analyzed according to the temperature distribution around a hydrogen gas jet flame formed by the thermally activated pressure relief device operation of a hydrogen storage container. The experiment was conducted while 70 MPa hydrogen gas was released from a 1.8-mm-diameter nozzle to a 1.8- × 1.8 m fire-resistant structure wall for distances of 2 and 4 m between the nozzle output and the wall. To analyze the temperature around the hydrogen gas jet flame, five fire-fighting heat-protective hood test samples, certified by the Korea Fire Institute, and temperature sensors were installed every 1 m from the center of the jet flame in the vertical direction to the direction of the flame. In the experiment, the temperature around the jet flame was measured to observe the safe distance for firefighters. The results show that the safe distances at 70°C or less, which is harmless to firefighters, were 5 m without a heat-protective hood and 3 m with a heat-protective hood. In addition, it was confirmed that the direction of the jet flame and blocking by obstacles affect the safe distance during fire-fighting and rescue activities by firefighters.

Assessing Storage Insect Pest infestations and Faecal dropping of Rodent in Stored Grains from two districts of Southwestern Ethiopia

This study was designed to assess the occurrence of major insects and rodent pest infestations in stored grain from two districts of Southwestern Ethiopia. Omo Nada and Bako Tibe districts were purposively selected because they are potential maize and sorghum growing regions with high postharvest losses. A total of 160 farmers’ stores from both the districts were randomly selected. The grain samples used in the present study were stored for five different time periods, ranging from 1 to 5 months and from the same farmers’ stores, to identify storage insect pest, determine grain weight loss and insect damage. The results showed that the dominant insect species in maize and sorghum grains were weevils (Sitophilus spp.) followed by the Angoumois gelechiid (Sitotroga cerealella Olivier) and flour beetles (Tribolium spp.). High number of insects were recorded from both plastered and un-plastered gombisa and polypropylene bags. Additionally, the amount of every insect pest in each storage container recorded per 100 g grain increased because the duration of grain storage increased. There have been 0.33-1.29g and 0.44-1g of rodent droppings per 100g sample of maize and sorghum grains, respectively. This showed that faecal dropping per 100 g grain increased along with increase in storage period. Grain damage showed significant (P<0.05) differences over the storage periods across the studied districts. A similar trend was observed for weight loss in each of the grains all districts. These results indicated that farmers are incurring a substantial grain loss to insects and rodent pests. Hence, there is an urgent need to devise appropriate tactics for protecting the losses in farm-stored maize and sorghum in Ethiopia.

A low-energy storage container for food and agriculture products

In 2018, the food, beverages, and tobacco sectors within the EU-27 consumed approximately 27,500 ktoe of energy. The food facilities and the food production plants are responsible for a large part of this energy consumption. Current global strategies focus on energy conservation and natural environmental protection, ascribing a lot of importance to building-related analyses. Areas for food storage are essential within the food production chain, as the indoor thermal parameters determine the characteristics of the final products. In this paper, a low-energy storage container is proposed. The envelope of the container is made from sandwich panels with a polyurethane layer paired with two phase change material (PCM) layers. The container is designed to store perishable materials, such as extra virgin olive oil. A storage container prototype, equipped with a mini-split heating, ventilation, and air conditioning electric system, was built to analyse and assess the energy spent during its use. Moreover, the achievable yearly energy savings with respect to a container without the PCM layers was calculated. The results showed that the PCM layers improve the energy performance of the container at an indoor temperature of 20°C with an energy saving of about 27%, and at an indoor temperature of 17°C with an energy saving of over 22%.

Adapting a safe water storage container to improve household stored water quality in rural Burkina Faso: a cluster randomized trial

Safe water storage protects household drinking water from microbial contamination, maintaining water quality and preventing diarrhea and other water-borne diseases. However, achieving high adoption and sustained use of safe storage is challenging. Systematic adaptation can address these challenges by improving contextual fit while retaining core functionality to protect water quality. We applied Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to systematically adapt a safe water storage container (SWSC) intervention for implementation in rural Burkina Faso. This study describes the adaptation process and the impacts of the SWSC on Escherichia coli contamination in household stored water in a cluster-randomized trial with 49 intervention villages (274 households) and 50 no-intervention control villages (290 households). SWSC adoption among intervention households was high (88.9%). The intervention achieved approximately a 0.4 log reduction in E. coli contamination. Intervention impact was likely moderated by differential changes in improved source use across intervention and control households. Safe storage improves water quality when used consistently. PDSA frameworks can guide the adaptation of safe storage interventions to optimize adoption and sustained use in new contexts while preserving core functions that protect water quality.

Assessing Storage Insect Pests and Faecal dropping of Rodent in Stored Grains in two districts of Southwestern Ethiopia

This study was designed to assess major insects and occurrence of rodent infestation in stored grain in two districts of south western Ethiopia. Omo Neda and Bako Tibe districts were purposively selected supported their potential growing of maize and sorghum grain, and high postharvest losses in these selected areas. A total of 160 farmers’ stores from both districts were randomly selected. The grain samples used in the present study were stored for 5 different time periods, ranging from 1 to 5 months and from the same farmers’ stores, to identify storage insect pest and to determine grain weight loss and insect damage. The results showed that the dominant insect species in maize and sorghum grains were weevils (Sitophilus spp.) followed by the Angoumois gelechiid (Sitotroga cerealella Olivier) and flour beetles (Tribolium spp.). High numbers of insects were recorded from both plastered and un-plastered gombisa and polypropylene bags. Additionally, the amount of every insect pest in each storage container recorded per 100 g grain increased because the duration of grain storage increased. There have been 0.33–1.29 and 0.44-1g droppings per 100-g sample of maize and sorghum grain, respectively. Grain damage showed significant differences over the storage periods across the study districts. A similar trend was observed for weight loss for each of the grains in all districts. These results indicated that farmers are incurring a substantial grain loss to insects and rodent pests. Hence, there is an urgent need to devise appropriate tactics for protecting the losses in farm-stored maize and sorghum in Ethiopia.

Assessing Storage Insect Pests and Faecal dropping of Rodent in Stored Grains in two districts of Southwestern Ethiopia

This study was designed to assess major insects and occurrence of rodent infestation in stored grain in two districts of south western Ethiopia. Omo Neda and Bako Tibe districts were purposively selected supported their potential growing of maize and sorghum grain, and high postharvest losses in these selected areas. A total of 160 farmers’ stores from both districts were randomly selected. The grain samples used in the present study were stored for 5 different time periods, ranging from 1 to 5 months and from the same farmers’ stores, to identify storage insect pest and to determine grain weight loss and insect damage. The results showed that the dominant insect species in maize and sorghum grains were weevils (Sitophilus spp.) followed by the Angoumois gelechiid (Sitotroga cerealella Olivier) and flour beetles (Tribolium spp.). High numbers of insects were recorded from both plastered and un-plastered gombisa and polypropylene bags. Additionally, the amount of every insect pest in each storage container recorded per 100 g grain increased because the duration of grain storage increased. There have been 0.33–1.29 and 0.44-1g droppings per 100-g sample of maize and sorghum grain, respectively. Grain damage showed significant differences over the storage periods across the study districts. A similar trend was observed for weight loss for each of the grains in all districts. These results indicated that farmers are incurring a substantial grain loss to insects and rodent pests. Hence, there is an urgent need to devise appropriate tactics for protecting the losses in farm-stored maize and sorghum in Ethiopia.