Lead-Free LiNbO3 Thick Film MEMS Kinetic Cantilever Beam Sensor/Energy Harvester

In this paper, we present integrated lead-free energy converters based on a suitable MEMS fabrication process with an embedded layer of LiNbO3. The fabrication technology has been developed to realize micromachined self-generating transducers to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy. The process proposed presents several interesting features with the possibility of realizing smaller scale devices, integrated systems, miniaturized mechanical and electromechanical sensors, and transducers with an active layer used as the main conversion element. When the system is fabricated in the typical cantilever configuration, it can produce a peak-to-peak open-circuit output voltage of 0.208 V, due to flexural deformation, and a power density of 1.9 nW·mm−3·g−2 at resonance, with values of acceleration and frequency of 2.4 g and 4096 Hz, respectively. The electromechanical transduction capability is exploited for sensing and power generation/energy harvesting applications. Theoretical considerations, simulations, numerical analyses, and experiments are presented to show the proposed LiNbO3-based MEMS fabrication process suitability. This paper presents substantial contributions to the state-of-the-art, proposing an integral solution regarding the design, modelling, simulation, realization, and characterization of a novel transducer.

Modelling, Simulation, and Implementation of Effective Controller for KY Stepping Up Converter

This paper studies on a new Hybrid Posicast Control (HPC) for Fundamental KY Boost Converter (FKYBC) worked in Continuous Current Mode (CCM). Posicast is a feed-forward compensator. It reduces the overshoot in the step result of the flippantly damped plant. But the conventional controller approach is sensitive owing to the changes in the natural frequency. So, as to reduce this undesirable sensitivity and load potential control of FKYBC, a HPC is designed in this article. Structure of HPC is posicast with feedback loop. The independent computational time delay is the main design function of the posicast. The enactment of the FKYBC with HPC is confirmed at various operating regions by making the MATLAB/Simulink and experimental model. The posicast function values are implemented in Arduino Uno-ATmega328P microcontroller. The results of new HPC have produced minimal noise in control signal in comparison with traditional PID control.

FLOATING TANK FOR TRANSPORTING OIL AND HYDROCARBONS FOLLOWING A MARITIME DISASTER

Storage of recovered oil and oily water is an important issue when it comes to maritime disasters, being a significant factor of the overall operation. Using large storage vessels is not always an option especially when the vessel is close to the shore. Currently, floating or non-inflatable tanks made of composite textile materials are used worldwide for the storage of the water/hydrocarbon mixture, regardless of the area of action (maritime or fluvial). The research carried out so far by INCDTP specialists, which consists in modelling, simulation and numerical analysis of various constructive forms and devices, led to the conclusion that for the making of a floating tank for storing water/hydrocarbon/oil mixtures, the best solution for its construction is represented by textile materials woven from high-tech yarns (p-aramid and polyamide 6.6) covered with polyurethane. The experimental model of the floating tank for the transport of oils and hydrocarbons in case of disaster was designed by INCDTP specialists and consists of five experimental models of floating materials (made of five variants of covered textile structures) and assembled in collaboration with specialists from SC CONDOR SA, in the form of a floating storage tank. The storage tank that has been created will be tested on the ground first, in order to perform all gravimetric and quality measurements

Study of the effect of climate variation on irrigated and rainfed rice productivity based on aquacrop crop modelling simulation (Case Study of Java Island)

Aquacrop is free-licensed Food and Agricultural Organization’s crop modelling that requires minimum inputs of climate variables namely rainfall, maximum temperature, minimum temperature variables and geographic information of the area to be simulated (longitude, latitude, altitude). This study aims to measure the difference in irrigated and rainfed rice productivity from the Aquacrop crop modelling simulation to the influence of climate pattern variations in Java Island, Indonesia. The k-means clustering method applied to the rainfall, maximum, and minimum temperature variables from the bias-corrected MERRA2 data resulted in two climate regions. The principal component analysis result showed that the maximum and minimum temperature variables are the variables that most contribute to the determination of the clustering area using the k-means method compared to the rainfall variable. This study has calculated the probability of the irrigated and rainfed rice productivity resulting from the Aquacrop simulation in those climate regions during La Nina [El Nino] years that will be higher [smaller] than the mean value of rice productivity during neutral years. However, the validation between the actual irrigated and rainfed rice productivity with the Aquacrop simulation results from 2001-2014 showed low correlation values that vary between negative and positive values in all climate regions. Meanwhile, the validation on the El Nino composite years generally showed positive correlation values. In addition, the neutral and La Nina composite years resulted in varying correlation values between negative and positive correlation.