We show that the accelerating expansion phase of the universe can emerge from the group field theory formalism, a candidate theory of quantum gravity. The cosmological evolution can be extracted from condensate states using mean field approximation, in a form of modified FLRW equations. By introducing an effective equation of state w, we can reveal the relevant features of the evolution, and show that with proper choice of parameters, w will approach to −1, corresponds to the behaviour of cosmological constant, results in a late time acceleration and leads to de Sitter spacetime asymptotically.

This paper shows the proposal of the use of linked data for smart metering systems. The aim of linked data in smart grid applications such as smart metering systems is to give semantic knowledge of the energy transactions between all participators in the power markets. In combination with other technologies like blockchain, the linked data could improve decentralization and security in the world's energetic future.

Zinc is a highly abundant cation in the brain, where it is essential for cellular function, including transcription, enzymatic activity, and cell signaling. However, zinc can also trigger injurious cascades in neurons, contributing to the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondria, critical for meeting the high energy demands of the central nervous system (CNS), are a principal target of the deleterious actions of zinc. An increasing body of work suggests that intracellular zinc, can, under certain circumstances, contribute to neuronal damage by inhibiting mitochondrial energy processes, including dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential, leading to ATP depletion. Additional consequences of zinc-mediated mitochondrial damage include reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial permeability transition, and calcium deregulation. Zinc can also induce mitochondrial fission, resulting in mitochondrial fragmentation, as well as inhibition of mitochondrial motility. Here, we review the known mechanisms responsible for the deleterious actions of zinc on the organelle, within the context of neuronal injury associated with neurodegenerative processes. Elucidating the critical contributions of zinc-induced mitochondrial defects to neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration may provide insight into novel therapeutic targets in the clinical setting.

The integration of Industry 4.0 technologies in photovoltaic (PV) installations offers significant potential to enhance efficiency, reliability, and economic viability. This study evaluates the technical and economic impacts of implementing the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced data analytics in PV systems within the residential and industrial sectors in the Region of Murcia. Real-time monitoring technologies based on IoT sensors were analyzed to collect data on the operational performance of pilot PV installations. Advanced data analysis techniques, including machine learning, were analyzed to process the collected data, enabling predictive maintenance, performance optimization, and future production estimation. The study also explored the use of drones and computer vision for automated inspection of solar panels, identifying issues such as hotspots and dirt accumulation. The results demonstrate significant improvements in energy efficiency, system availability, and reduction of failures and downtime. Economic analyses indicate cost savings in operation and maintenance and increased overall system reliability. This research identifies key barriers and opportunities for adopting 4.0 technologies in the PV sector and proposes strategies to overcome challenges and leverage benefits. The findings contribute to the advancement of knowledge and the promotion of sustainable and efficient energy systems in the solar industry.

Fracture and failure performance of foamed concrete materials were conducted using three methods, i.e., inverse analysis, digital image correlation (DIC) and finite element modelling (FEM) from tested normalized notched beams under three-point bending. From this study, several characteristics both experimental and FEM are discussed. However inverse analysis is only well applicable for series GF-30. The bilinear softening of the testing beam was estimated to identify fracture energy (GF), critical crack length (ac) and elastic modulus (E) with values of 0.015 N/mm, 54.5 mm, and 13 GPa, respectively. Additionally, fracture toughness was calculated by adopting double-K (initiation fracture of 6.907 MPa.mm0.5, unstable fracture of 23.186 MPa.mm0.5 and cohesive fracture of 16.278 MPa.mm0.5). Two-dimensional FEA Modelling of fracture was carried out using a Traction Separation Law (TSL), incorporating extended finite element method (XFEM) and cohesive zone (CZM) techniques. A sensitivity study was carried out, global mesh size of two and damage stabilization cohesive with the value of 1 × 10-5 showed good convergence and were used in other models. Furthermore, by comparing experimental observation using DIC, reliability FEM was validated and showed good acceptance to simulating the crack propagation.

We propose a toy model of a spherical universe made up of an exotic dark gas with temperature $T$ in thermal equilibrium with a black-body. Each particle of this exotic gas mimics a kind of particle of dark energy. So, each dark particle occupies a very small area of space so-called Planck area $L_p^{2}$, which represents the minimum area of the whole space-time given by the spherical surface with area $4\pi R_H^2$, where $R_H$ is the Hubble radius. We realize that such spherical surface is the surface of the black-body for representing the dark universe as if it were the surface of an expanding balloon. Thus, we are able to derive the law of universal gravitation, thus leading us to understand the cosmological anti-gravity. We estimate the tiny order of magnitude of the cosmological constant and the acceleration of expansion of the dark sphere. In this toy model, as the dark universe can be thought of as a large black body, when we obtain its power and frequency of emission of radiation, we find very low values. We conclude that such radiation and frequency of the black body made up of dark energy is a background gravitational wave with very low frequency in the order of $\sim 10^{-17}$Hz due to the slight stretching of the fabric of space-time.

Nowadays, hydropower is the principal renewable; however, climate change increases extreme events such as floods, droughts, erosion, and sedimentation of rivers that produce uncertainty in hydroelectric generation. Thus, this document aims to analyze the climate change projections in the hydropower systems of Ecuador based on data from 14 projects studying the scenarios ac-cording to the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The study period starts from 2010 to 2020 with historical data, collects the tendency, defines a database year, and then projects the scenarios to 2050. The quantitative methodology uses a statistic on Ecuador's hydropower obtained inflow time series to calculate the deviation over the last years and develop a model to simulate future generation. The results show that the hydropower in Ecuador is expected to decrease considerably through 2050 due to meteorological changes. In this calculation of the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways, the selected scenarios show a reduction in SSP5 of 11.5%, SP2 of 16.2%, and SSP4 of 18.2% to 2050, concluding that the oppor-tunities for hydroelectric production facing climate change are variable, but the challenges are broad. In Ecuador, the projections of hydropower plants represent a sensitive issue of their re-ductions, especially knowing that the country had an energy grid in 2020 that depended on 87% of hydroelectric production.

Heating films were prepared by using poly(methyl methacrylate) and polybutadiene composites containing graphite. The heating film was prepared by casting the as-made polymer composite on PET film. Copper electrodes were attached to both ends of the as-prepared film, and the heating characteristics of the film was analyzed while applying DC voltage. The electrical conductivity and the heating temperature of the heating films depended on the size, the structure, the content and the dispersion characteristics of the graphite in the composite. The electrical resistance of the heating film was controlled to adjust the heating temperature of the film. The relationship between the physical/chemical structure and the heating characteristics of the composite film was studied by measuring the heating temperature as functions of film thickness and resistance by using an infrared thermal imaging camera. The lower the film resistance, the higher the heating temperature of the film. The surface temperature was uniform throughout the film.

Rural electrification is a crucial step for the socio-economic development of isolated communities. Decentralized power generation, typically more favorable for renewable energies, requires an accurate analysis of the different electrification options, whose convenience depends on multiple factors. The application of Geographical Information System (GIS) to energy planning allows the assessment at a local level, considering spatial resources variability and demand distribution. This work introduces IntiGIS-local, a GIS-based model implemented in ArcGIS environment, designed to calculate the Levelized Energy Cost (LEC) for different electrification options. The model allows the comparison between three power generation alternatives: solar system, diesel generator set and solar-diesel hybrid system. Configurations are adjustable through input variables, with a special focus on the confrontation between individual systems and microgrids. The objective is to provide an adequate groundwork for developing a decision-making tool to assess diverse rural electrification options in future studies. The model IntiGIS-local is tested in the case study of Guasasa community (Cuba).

Three polyimides and six inorganic fillers in a form of nanometer-sized particles were studied as thick film solution cast mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for transport of CO₂, CH₄ and H₂O. Gas transport properties and electron microscopy images indicate good polymer-filler compatibility for all membranes. The only filler type which demonstrated good distribution throughout the membrane thickness at 10 wt. % loading was BaCe_0.2Zr_0.7Y_0.1O₃ (BCZY). The influence of this filler on MMM gas transport properties was studied in detail for 6FDA-6FpDA in a filler content range from 1 to 20 wt.% and for Matrimid^® and P84^® at 10 wt. % loading. The most promising result was obtained for Matrimid^® - 10wt% BCZY MMM, which showed improvement in CO₂ and H₂O permeabilities accompanied by increased CO₂/CH₄ selectivity and high water selective membrane at elevated temperatures without H₂O/permanent gas selectivity loss.

We study in detail the influence of different chemical potentials (baryon, charged, strange, and neutrino) on how and how fast a free gas of quarks in the zero-temperature limit reaches the conformal limit. We discuss the influence of non-zero masses, the inclusion of leptons, and different constraints, such as charge neutrality, zero-net strangeness, and fixed lepton fraction. We also investigate for the first time how the symmetry energy of the system under some of these conditions approaches the conformal limit. Finally, we briefly discuss what kind of corrections are expected from perturbative QCD as one goes away from the conformal limit.

In computational neuroscience, spiking neurons are often analyzed as computing devices that register bits of information, with each action potential carrying at most one bit of Shannon entropy. Here, I question this interpretation by using Landauer's principle to estimate an upper limit for the quantity of thermodynamic information that can be dissipated by a single action potential in a typical mammalian neuron. I show that an action potential in a typical mammalian cortical pyramidal cell can carry up to approximately 3.4e11 natural units of thermodynamic information, or about 4.9e11 bits of Shannon entropy. This result suggests that an action potential can process much more information than a single bit of Shannon entropy.

A novel method proposed in the production of Calophyllum inophyllum biodiesel has been investigated experimentally. In this study, we report the results of biodiesel processing with electromagnetic induction technology. The method used is to compare the results of Calophyllum inophyllum biodiesel processing between conventional, microwave and electromagnetic induction. The degumming, transesterification, and esterification process of the 3 methods are measured by stopwatch to obtain time comparison data. Characteristics of viscosity, density, and Fatty Acid Metil Ester (FAME) were obtained from testing of a Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry (GCMS) at the Polytechnic Chemistry Laboratory of the State of Malang. The results show that the biodiesel produced by this method satisfies the biodiesel standards and their characteristics are better than the biodiesel produced by conventional and microwave methods. The electromagnetic induction method also offers a fast and easy route to produce biodiesel with the advantage of increasing the reaction rate and improving the separation process compared to other methods. This advanced technology has the potential to significantly increase biodiesel production with considerable potential to reduce production time and costs.

The global energy crisis has lead researchers explore other sources of energy like wind, resulting in a wide acceptance of wind turbines. Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) more suitable for small scale application in urban conditions than their horizontal-axis counterparts. A Helical bladed VAWT would reduce the ripple effect when compared to Straight bladed VAWT. The effect of the blade helix angle on the aerodynamic performance of VAWT using 3D numerical simulations is studied. Turbulence modelled using 4-Equation transition SST k-w model. Three different helix angles of 60, 90 and 120 of a 3 bladed VAWT operating across different tip speed ratios were studied. The 60 helical bladed VAWT was found to perform better than all other helical bladed and straight bladed VAWT. Standard deviation of the moment coefficient generated by a blade plotted against 360 of azimuth rotation revealed that the ripple effect on the shaft produced by cyclic loading of the straight blade is considerably reduced upon introduction of helix angle, with 120 helical blade giving lowest standard deviation. The analysis has been done for the percentage of power generated by each quartile of flow and the contribution of each section of the blade. A comparative study was also conducted between different helical bladed VAWT and straight bladed VAWT. Flow feature analysis also revealed the reasons behind secondary peaks and the performance improvement when tip speed ratio increases. Wake structure analysis and flow contours were also studied for a better understanding of the flow field.

Empirically based modeling is an essential aspect of design for a wave energy converter. These models are used in structural, mechanical and control design processes, as well as for performance prediction. The design of experiments and methods used to produce models from collected data have a strong impact on the quality of the model. This study considers the system identification and model validation process based on data collected from a wave tank test of a model-scale wave energy converter. Experimental design and data processing techniques based on general system identification procedures are discussed and compared with the practices often followed for wave tank testing. The general system identification processes are shown to have a number of advantages. The experimental data is then used to produce multiple models for the dynamics of the device. These models are validated and their performance is compared against one and other. While most models of wave energy converters use a formulation with wave elevation as an input, this study shows that a model using a hull pressure sensor to incorporate the wave excitation phenomenon has better accuracy.

Three typhoons (Rammasun, Kalmaegi, and Sarika) travelled through the deployed stations in the northern South China Sea from 2014–2016. During the passage of typhoons, strong winds and vigorous currents resulted in horizontal displacement of buoy over 2000 m, vertical displacement of ropes on buoys as much as 200 m. The rectification can correct the warm anomaly to cool anomaly of temperature. These movements lead to biases of raw data, with temperature bias as much as 4°C, salinity as much as 0.05 psu, velocity bias as much as 0.4 m/s. The crosscheck of current velocity from different instruments shows that the bias of overlapping velocity and correlation coefficient after depth rectification obviously enhances. The observation shows that temperature cools 1.5 °C, and 0.1 psu saltier in maximum, the near-inertial current increases to 0.4 m/s in the upper layer. The inertial kinetic energy propagates downward with the upward phase, and the maximum depth can reach over 2000 m.

Our primary objective is to construct a plausible unified model of inflation, dark energy and dark matter from a fundamental Lagrangian action first principle, where all fundamental ingredients are systematically dynamically generated starting from a very simple model of modified gravity interacting with a single scalar field employing the formalism of non-Riemannian spacetime volume-elements. The non-Riemannian volume element in the initial scalar field action leads to a hidden nonlinear Noether symmetry which produces energy-momentum tensor identified as a sum of a dynamically generated cosmological constant and a dust-like dark matter. The non-Riemannian volume-element in the initial Einstein-Hilbert action upon passage to the physical Einstein-frame creates dynamically a second scalar field with a non-trivial inflationary potential and with an additional interaction with the dynamically generated dark matter. The resulting Einstein-frame action describes a fully dynamically generated inflationary model coupled to dark matter. Numerical results for observables such as the scalar power spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar ratio conform to the latest 2018 PLANCK data.

This paper proposes an ARIMA approach to battery health forecasting with accuracy improvement by K shape-based clustered predictors. The health prediction of the battery pack is an important function of a battery management system in data centers. Accurate forecasting of battery life turns out to be very difficult without failure data to train a good forecasting model in real life. The conventional ARIMA model is compared with total and clustered predictors for battery health forecasting. Results show that the forecasting accuracy of the ARIMA model significantly improved by utilizing the results of the clustered predictors for 40 batteries in a real data center. One year of actual historical data of 40 batteries of large scale datacenter is presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.

To account for the very low mass density associated with Dark Energy and the Cosmological Constant, a new approach to the ground state of empty space is presented. The resulting model for the vacuum state associated with empty space proposes a crystalline-like texture for the chromatic structure of empty space. This vacuum state has the appropriate mass density and predicts acceleration for the Universe expansion. Furthermore, the model predicts that this texture is anisotropic and may lead to measurable changes in the production of electron and positron pairs by gamma rays incident on a solid crystal of low mass density such as graphite.

An increasing amount of electric energy is consumed by computers as they progress in function and capabilities. All of it is dissipated in heat during the computing and communicating operations and we reached the point that further developments are hindered by the unbearable amount of heat produced. In this paper we briefly review the fundamental limits in energy dissipation, as imposed by the laws of physics, with specific reference to computing and memory storage activities.

This study conducts a comprehensive review of the integration of Hybrid Electric Turbochargers in mass-produced road vehicles. The primary objective is to inform the readers about the potential advantages and innovative applications of HETs. Employing a SWOT analysis, the research compares the performance of HETs on thermal engines versus traditional turbochargers and HETs on thermal engines versus HETs on hybrid engines based on a synthesis of multiple research findings. The study elucidates the fundamental mechanics of turbochargers, emphasizing their inherent benefits. Additionally, it introduces a novel approach with the integration of the hy-brid-electric turbocharger, demonstrating its capacity, supported by practical examples. The in-corporation of turbochargers with energy recovery mechanisms, including HETs, is shown to significantly contribute to emissions reduction. Moreover, the electric drive facilitates the utili-zation of hybrid turbines, particularly on low-displacement engines, resulting in enhanced effi-ciency, torque, and liter power. In conclusion, the research underscores the potential of HETs to substantially mitigate the environmental impact of the transportation sector by reducing emis-sions and conserving energy. Their ability to optimize the fuel efficiency and power output of internal combustion engines, coupled with the feasibility of downsized engines, positions HETs as an attractive option for both manufacturers and consumers. However, it is acknowledged that the implementation of HETs is in its early stages, necessitating further research to comprehensively understand their environmental impact. Despite this, the promising positive impact on the en-vironment designates HETs as a technology deserving close attention in the forthcoming years.

Mn3O4 /graphene nanosheets (GNS) composites serve as very excellent electrode materials for supercapacitors. They can fully combine the advantages of two materials such as graphene and metal oxide. Meanwhile, they can improve not only the specific energy and specific power of the materials, but also the cyclic stability of the materials. The results of the cyclic voltammetry and constant current charge discharge test on the composite electrode material have shown that the Mn3O4 /GNS powder sample has good capacitive performance. When the scanning rate is 5~50mV, the specific capacity retention rate of the composite electrode is 80.3% and 88% respectively. Mn3O4 nanoparticles, with the highest ratio of network coated GNS, exhibit a specific capacitance value of 957.6 F g−1 at a current density of 2 A g−1 in 1 M Na2SO4 solution. Besides, its network structure demonstrates high specific capacity and multiplying performance.

The average sizes \ {\bar{L}}_{i\ } and their dispersion W_i along the i-th axis of crystallites in powders are used to determine the X-ray diffraction sizes, D_{i\ XRD}, averaged over crystallite columns within the BWA method. Numerical calculations have been carried out for an orthorhombic lattice of crystallites, such as LiFePO4, NMC, having Lamé's g-type superellipsoid shape. For Lognormal distributions, the analytical expression for the normalized coefficient Kn is found and includes two constants. The first K_{g,0} is a constant at W→0, the second K_g is a constant depending on the g -type shape. The dependences of D_{i\ XRD} are also calculated for Normal distribution. A fairly simple equation can be obtained as a result of analytical transformations in the framework of experimentally validated approximations. However, a simpler way is to carry out numerical computer calculations with subsequent approximation of the calculated curves. Using the obtained analytical expressions to control technologies from nuclear fuel to cathode materials will improve the efficiency of flexible energy network especially storage in autonomous and standby power plants.

Open Inertia Modelling (OpInMod) is a modelling framework designed to create unit commitment and economic inertia dispatch optimisation problems. Present energy system modelling generators do not consider power system inertia in unit commitment and economic dispatch modelling to assess future energy system pathways. However, maintaining sufficient power system inertia in power systems is the foundation for power frequency controllability. The work at hand describes the functionality and approaches of open source tool OpInMod. The softwares universal design approach increases reuse potential. OpInMod is distributed with a set of examples to test and understand OpInMod

In-cloud ice mass accretion on wind turbines is a common challenge faced by energy companies operating in cold climates. On-shore wind farms in Scandinavia are often located in regions near patches of forest, the heterogeneity length scales of which are often less than the resolution of many numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. The representation of these forests--including the cloud water response to surface roughness and albedo effects related to them--must therefore be parameterized in NWP models used as meteorological input in ice prediction systems, resulting in an uncertainty that is poorly understood and to present date not quantified. The sensitivity of ice accretion forecasts to the subgrid representation of forests is examined in this study. A single column version of the HARMONIE-AROME 3D NWP model is used to determine the sensitivity of the forecast of ice accretion on wind turbines to the subgrid forest fraction. Single column simulations of a variety of icing cases at a location in northern Sweden were examined in order to investigate the impact of vegetation cover on ice accretion in varying levels of solar insulation and wind magnitudes. In mid-winter cases, the wind speed response to surface roughness was the primary driver of the vegetation effect on ice accretion. In early season cases, the cloud water response to surface albedo effects plays a secondary role in the impact of in-cloud ice accretion, with the wind response to surface roughness remaining the primary driver for the surface vegetation impact on icing. Two different surface boundary layer (SBL) forest canopy subgrid parameterizations were tested in this study that feature different methods for calculating near-surface profiles of wind, temperature, and moisture, with the ice mass accretion again following the wind response to surface vegetation between both of these schemes.

The study of the surface thermodynamic properties of solid materials is primordial for the determination of the dispersive surface energy, polar enthalpy of adsorption and Lewis’s acid base properties of solid particles. Inverse gas chromatography technique (IGC) at infinite dilution is the best surface technique for the determination of the surface physicochemical properties of materials. (1) Background: This paper was devoted to study the surface properties of solid materials such as alumina particles by using IGC technique. (2) Methods: Different methods and molecular models such as spherical, cylindrical, van der Waals, Redlich-Kwong, Kiselev and geometric models, were used to determine the London dispersive surface energy of solid surfaces. Hamieh model was also used and highlighted the thermal effect on the surface area of solvents. (3) Results: The variations of the dispersive surface energy and the free energy of adsorption were determined for alumina particles as a function of the temperature as well as their Lewis’s acid base constants. Alumina surfaces were proved to exhibit a strong Lewis amphoteric character three time more basic than acidic (4) Conclusions: The new methodology based on Hamieh model gave the more accurate results of the physicochemical properties of the particle surfaces.

The paper examines design and operating data of current concentrated solar power (CSP) solar tower (ST) plants. The study includes CSP with or without boost by combustion of natural gas (NG), and with or without thermal energy storage (TES). The latest, actual specific costs per installed capacity are very high, 6085 $/kW for Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) with no TES, and 9227 $/kW for Crescent Dunes with TES. The actual production of electricity is very low and much less than the expected. The actual capacity factors are 22% for ISEGS, despite combustion of a significant amount of NG largely exceeding the planned values, and 13% for Crescent Dunes. The design values were 33% and 52%. The study then reviews the proposed technology updates to produce better ratio of solar field power to electric power, better capacity factor, better matching of production and demand, lower plant’s cost, improved reliability and increased life span of plant’s components. The key areas of progress are found in materials and manufacturing processes, design of solar field and receiver, receiver and power block fluids, power cycle parameters, optimal management of daily and seasonal operation of the plant, new TES concepts, integration of solar plant with thermal desalination, integration of solar plant with combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) installations and finally, specialization and regionalization of the project specification.

The present review article concludes with three different types of materials recently used to enhance the efficiency of supercapacitors. The first type involves carbon-based materials for storage and supercapacitor applications. The carbon materials could be obtained naturally and synthesized manually based on the needs. The second type discusses the recent advances in metal oxide materials for high-performance supercapacitors. The metal oxide materials involve in different types of attachment through the bi-tri metallic bonding, which enhances the specific capacitance. The third type involves recently advanced materials for high energy and power density application. The power and energy density of the materials is enhanced by the surface modification of the materials. In recent days, the MXene and Nano-composite materials seems to be an appropriate material to increase the power and energy density of the device.

As AI models become more and more common in business and even in our daily lives, it is important to understand what the carbon impact of these models is. Recent papers have shown that this impact can be quite great, i.e., the training of a single high-end model can result in emissions of more than 500t of CO2eq. In this paper we discuss the factors that influence the carbon footprint of AI models, explore what impact different decisions have, and show how the footprint can be reduced. We also examine the footprint of different models to give a guideline on how urgent action is for different organizations.

Taking an existing public building as an example, on the basis of the measured data, the mathematical model of each equipment module of the chilled station and the TRNSYS custom module are established. The mathematical model of “chilled station cooling capacity—equipment power” is proposed and established. The full-frequency control strategy based on device contribution rate is proposed and established to set up the Matlab control module of the chilled station. The TRNSYS simulation platform is used to simulate a public building chilled station in cooling season. The result shows that the season energy efficiency rate of the public building air-conditioning system is 2.15 times the original after applying the new control strategy.

Solar energy adoption worldwide has expanded exponentially due to a surge in international interest in producing clean energy and the declining cost of solar power plants and their technology. It is anticipated that by 2050, solar will have surpassed fossil fuels to become the primary source of energy. However, one of the main challenges associated with solar energy production is the instability of photovoltaic (PV) power generation because of weather changes. Short-term forecasting of the power output of photovoltaic systems is essential for efficient management of the power grid and energy markets. This paper aims to evaluate the ability of deep learning (DL) models to provide accurate forecasting of hourly global horizontal irradiance (GHI) using different sets of features, including weather and aerosol variables along with solar radiation components. The results show that the best forecast skills are achieved by the long short-term memory autoencoder (LSTM-AE) model.

Polymer materials are increasingly being used for sliding machine elements due to their numerous advantages. They are used even where they are deformed and in such a state they interact frictionally e.g. in machine hydraulics or lip seals. Few publications deal with the influence of deformation, which is the effect of e.g. assembly on tribological properties of polymeric material. This deformation can reach up to ε ≈ 20% and is achieved without increasing the temperature of the polymer material. The paper presents the results of investigations in which high-density polyethylene (PE-HD) was maintained in deformation by means of a special grip (holder). The wear of the sample was significantly higher than that of the undeformed sample. This effect persisted even after partial relaxation of the stress in the sample after 24 hours. Additional investigations were carried out to explain the obtained results. There were the microscopic observations of the surface after friction, measurements of microhardness and free surface energy. Changes in the value of surface free energy and a significant decrease in microhardness with deformation under tension were observed. Strained material had a different surface appearance after friction and a different size and form of wear products. It was indicated that it is probable that the cohesion of the material will decrease and that the character of the wear process will change as a result of tension. Tension without heating of polymeric material (PE-HD), e.g. as a result of assembly, has been qualified as a hazard to be taken into account when designing and analysing polymeric sliding elements.

Sport nutrition knowledge has been shown to influence dietary habits of athletes. The purpose of the current study was to examine relationships between sport nutrition knowledge and body composition and examine potential predictors of body weight goal in collegiate athletes. Participants included National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III women (n=42, height: 169.9 ± 6.9 cm; body mass: 67.1 ± 8.6 kg; fat-free mass: 51.3 ± 6.6 kg; body fat %: 24.2 ± 5.3%) and men (n=25, height: 180.8 ± 7.2 cm; body mass: 89.2 ± 20.5 kg; fat-free mass: 75.9 ± 12.2 kg; body fat %: 13.5 ± 8.9%) athletes. Body composition was assessed via air displacement plethysmography. Athletes completed a validated questionnaire designed to assess sport nutrition knowledge and were asked questions about their perceived dietary energy and macronutrient requirements, as well as their body weight goal (i.e. lose, maintain, gain weight). Athletes answered 47.98 ± 11.29 % of questions correctly on the nutrition questionnaire with no differences observed between sexes (men: 49.52 ± 11.76% vs. women: 47.03 ± 11.04%; p=0.40). An inverse relationship between sport nutrition knowledge scores and body fat percentage (r = -0.330; p=0.008), and fat mass (r = -.268; p=0.032) was observed for all athletes. Fat mass (β = 0.224), BF % (β = 0.217), and BMI (β = 0.421) were all significant (p<0.05) predictors of body weight goal in women. All athletes significantly (p<0.001) underestimated daily energy (-1,360 ± 610.2 kcal/d), carbohydrate (-301.6 ± 149.2 g/d), and fat (-41.4 ± 34.5 g/d) requirements. Division III collegiate athletes have a low level of sport nutrition knowledge, which was associated with a higher BF %. Women athletes with a higher body weight, BF % and BMI were more likely to select weight loss as a body weight goal. Athletes also significantly underestimated their energy and carbohydrate requirements based upon the demands of their sport, independent of sex.

Following the international trend of using hydrogen as combustible in many industry branches, this paper investigates the impact of mixing methane gas with 23% hydrogen (G222) on condensing boilers’ operation. After modeling and testing several boilers with heat exchange surface different designs, the authors gathered enough information to introduce a new concept, namely High-Performance Condensing Boiler (HPCB). All the boilers that fit into this approach have the same operational parameters at nominal heat load, including the CO2 concentrations in flue gases. After testing a flattened pipes condensing boiler, a CO2 emission reduction coefficient of 1.1 was determined, when converting from methane gas to G222 as combustible. Thus, by inserting into the national grid a G222 mixture, an important reduction in greenhouse gases can be achieved. For a 28 kW condensing boiler the annual reduction in CO2 emissions averages 1.26 tons, value which was experimentally obtained and is consistent with the theoretical evaluation.

Antibodies constitute a major component of serum on protein mass basis. We also know that the structural diversity of these antibodies exceeds that of all other proteins in the body and they react with an immense number of molecular targets. What we still cannot quantitatively describe is, how antibody abundance is related to affinity, specificity and cross reactivity. This ignorance has important practical consequences: we also do not have proper biochemical units for characterizing polyclonal serum antibody binding. The solution requires both a theoretical foundation, a physical model of the system, and technology for the experimental confirmation of theory. Here we argue that the quantitative characterization of interactions between serum antibodies and their targets requires systems-level physical chemistry approach and generates results that should help create maps of antibody binding landscape.

An efficient design of conservation tillage trencher (CTT) saves time, natural resources, and conserves soil health by avoiding vigorous soil disturbance of tillage operations. A two-wheel tractor operated CTT has constructed with modified rotary shafts, toolbar frames, depth control bars, bed shapers and chisel ploughs for conservation tillage operation of sugarcane plantation. The performance evaluation of developed CTT was tested for comparing the suitability with small-scale farmer’s practice (SFP) and large farm practice (LFP). Finally, the CTT is applied for preparing sugarcane farmland in different conservation tillage methods of i) bed cum trenching (BT), ii) zero-tillage trenching (ZT) and iii) strip-tillage (ST). The performance of effective field capacities of CTT were 0.14 ha h-1, 0.12 ha h-1 and 0.14 ha h-1 for BT, ZT and ST, respectively. Developed CTT saved time 80% and 26-37% over SFP and LFP, and required 96% and 26-36% less labour than SFP and LFP, respectively. Conservation tillage required 7-10 l ha-1diesel whereas SFP and LFP required 25 l ha-1and 65 l ha-1, which reduced CO2 emission by 60-72% and 85-89% compared to SFP and LFP, respectively. Ultimately, newly developed CTT saved sugarcane land preparation costs by 86% to 90% compared to conventional tillage systems.

Excitation of the acoustic field leading to the Blaha effect affects the plasticity of the material significantly in ultrasonic vibration-assisted forming. In a micro-forming field, the effects are more significant in the deformation in surface of materials [1]-[3], in which reduction of the surface roughness based on the increasing of plastic deformation of surface asperity was effective [4]. On the other hand, the effect on deformation behavior of the bulk region indicted reduction in the yield stress of materials, and not only acoustic effect [5], but also impact effect is found to generate a large amount of dislocation and produce plastic deformation [6][7]. However, the effect on the bulk is more significant as that on the surface. Differences in the effect on the surface and the bulk are not clarified. In this study, the mechanism of the deformation in the surface of the material with ultrasonic vibration assistance is investigated and compared with that in the bulk. Forging tests using a newly developed ultrasonic vibrator were carried out on pure Cu foils with various process conditions. The longitudinal vibration frequency of the ultrasonic transducer is 60∓2kHz, and the vibration amplitude is in an adjustable range of 0~10μm. Forging test was carried out at different initial stress, specimen size and amplitude. The difference in acoustic softening and impact effects on the surface and the bulk was discussed.

By utilizing a generalized version of the Madelung quantum-hydrodynamic framework that incorporates noise, we derive a solution using the path integral method to investigate how a quantum superposition of states evolves over time. This exploration seeks to comprehend the process through which a stable quantum state ultimately emerges in the presence of fluctuations induced by the noisy gravitational background. The model defines the conditions that give rise to a limited range of interaction for the quantum potential, allowing for the existence of coarse-grained classical descriptions at a macroscopic level. The theory uncovers the smallest attainable level of uncertainty in an open quantum system and examines its consistency with the localized behavior observed in large-scale classical systems. The research delves into connections and similarities with decoherence theory and the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics. Additionally, it assesses the potential consequences of wave function decay on the measurement of photon entanglement. To validate the proposed theory, an experiment involving entangled photons transmitted between detectors on the Moon and Mars is discussed. Finally, the findings of the theory are applied to the creation of larger Q-bits systems at elevated temperatures.

In this study, we focused on the eco-driving of electric vehicles (EVs). The target vehicle is an electric bus developed by our research team. Using the parameters of the bus and speed pattern optimization algorithm, we derived the EV eco-driving speed pattern. Compared to eco-driving of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICVs), we found several different characteristics. We verified these characteristics with actual vehicle driving test data of the target bus, and the results confirmed its rationality. The EV eco-driving method can improve electricity consumption by about 10% - 20% under the same average speed.

In Thailand, there are several bus fleets—predominantly diesel buses—which is an internal combustion engine (ICEs) in circulation. These fleets are consumed a lot of energy and cause pollution, especially by emitting GHGs and PM2.5. Battery electric buses (BEBs) have been proposed to address these issues. BEB fleets still have a high initial cost, which is why most fleet governance agencies, such as the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), are facing investment decisions. This study aims to develop an energy model for the BMTA BEB fleet by using their real operating data. The methodology for the development of the investment model with two steps is described; there is a BMTA bus route analysis step and a fleet management and charging design step. The output is illustrated in terms of the maximum number of BEBs that can be operated on a sample route with the minimum number of chargers. Interesting results were obtained with the first step: Two of the five BMTA bus routes can be changed into BEBs in phases with a limit of 200 kWh for the energy requirements for every two rounds. The results from the second step demonstrated that the maximum number of BEBs for the two routes was 13, with four charger plugs of charger, thus requiring 150 kW per plug. The charging profile peaked at 600 kW from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. These results show the potential of the model for fleet design and investment decisions. The sample results from the models illustrate energy savings and cost evaluations for fleet management and design. Compared with diesel buses, THB 10.44 million per year can be saved in terms of energy costs by using a BEB fleet. An optimization model was used to assess the savings incurred due to the investment cost. More than 37% of the costs were saved. A full economic investigation should be carried out in the future. These results show only the energy used when the fleet has already been transformed into a BEB fleet in phases. The emphasis of battery size investigation and energy used were illustrated. They only depict an economic validation of the model, but do not refer to such projects’ feasibility, and the model has not yet been fully validated.

The application of nanotechnology to the petroleum industry has sparked recent interest to increase oil recovery while reducing environmental impact. Nanocellulose is an emerging nanoparticle that is derived from trees and may provide an environmentally friendly alternative to current enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies. However, before nanocellulose can be applied as an EOR technique, further understanding of its transport behavior and retention in porous media is required. The research documented in this paper examines retention mechanisms that occur during nanocellulose transport. In a series of experiments, nanocellulose particles dispersed in brine were injected into sandpacks and Berea sandstone cores. The resulting retention and permeability reduction were measured. The experimental parameters that were varied include sand grain size, nanocellulose type, salinity, and flow rate. Under low salinity conditions, the dominant retention mechanism was adsorption and when salinity was increased, the dominant retention mechanism shifted towards log-jamming. Retention and permeability reduction increased as grain size decreased, which results from increased straining of nanocellulose aggregates. In addition, each type of nanocellulose was found to have significantly different transport properties. The experiments with Berea sandstone cores indicate that some pore volume was inaccessible to the nanocellulose. As a general trend, the larger the size of aggregates in bulk solution, the greater the observed retention and permeability reduction. Salinity was found to be the most important parameter affecting transport. Increased salinity caused additional aggregation, which led to increased straining and filter cake formation. Higher flow rates were found to reduce retention and permeability reduction. Increased velocity was accompanied by an increase in shear which is believed to promote breakdown of nanocellulose aggregates.

This study focused on the predictive models incorporating machine learning techniques that induce new dynamics for forecasting energy generation, enabling effective planning, financing, and system monitoring. The research developed a machine learning-based power generation prediction model tailored explicitly for Kenya's Garissa solar power plant. The selected model demonstrated a root mean squared error of 5.23 during evaluation, resulting in a prediction accuracy of 90.42%. This high accuracy indicates that the model can be relied upon for precise generation prediction, facilitating effective planning, and system performance monitoring

The trials were performed on 20 multiparous cows of Holstein breed (39.7 ± 0.75 kg of milk) at the end of the first phase of lactation this different milk fat (4.1-2.8%). The aim of the research was to study the characteristics of nutrition, metabolism and biosynthesis of milk components in highly productive dairy cows with normal and low milk fat levels and the timing of their productive use. Study the characteristics of fermentation of scar formation substrates and their use in energy metabolism and biosynthesis of the milk components. Found that low fat milk is not associated with a lack of formation of acetate in the rumen (6.1 vs. 6.6 mmol/dl in the contents of the rumen, р>0.05) and the non change in the hormonal profile, but depends on the reduction of fatty acids synthesis de novo in mammary gland, regulated by conjugated higher fatty acids. The result is a reduction in the need of cows in the exchange energy (reduction of heat transfer by 6.2 MJ), a shorter service period (109.5 vs.139 days) and the prolongation of their productive use (the number of lactations correlated back with the level of fat in milk (r=-0.68, p<0.05, n=1300).

The organic solar cells (OSCs) have drawn attention in the past decade due to its cynosure in industrial manufacturing because of its promising properties such as low weight, highly flexible and low cost production. However, low η restricts the utilization of OSCs for potential application such as low cost energy harvesting devices. In this paper, OSCs structure based on triple junction tandem scheme is reported with three different absorber materials with the objective to enhance the absorption of photons which in turn improves the η, as well as its correlating performance parameters. The investigated structure gives the higher value of η = 14.33% with Jsc=16.87 (mA/m2), Voc=1.0 (V), and FF=84.97% by utilizing a stack of three different absorber layers with different band energies. The proposed structure is tested under 1.5 (AM) with 1 sun (W/m2). The impact of top, middle and bottom sub cells thickness on η is analyzed with a terse to find the optimum thickness for three sub cells to extract high η. The optimized structure is then tested with different electrode combination and the highest η is recorded with FTO/Ag. Moreover, the influence of upsurge temperature is also demonstrated on the proposed structure and observed that the upsurge temperature has greatly affected the electrical parameters of the device and η decreases from 14.33% to 11.40% when the temperature of the device rises from 300-400 K.

Because Newton's gravitation and Einstein's general theory of relativity are macroscopic gravitational theories, lack of explanations for gravitation at the microscopic level. Therefore, this paper attempts to establish a set of micro-gravity theory, which is to explain the origin of Newtonian gravity and Einstein's general theory of relativity from the micro level. Based on the knowledge of Newton's gravitation and Einstein's general theory of relativity, the gravitational field is interpreted as a gradient field of space-time density; the Newtonian potential is interpreted as the density of an object at the micro level; gravity is interpreted as the potential pressure(space-time pressure) exhibited by the gradient of the density of the object at the micro level; flection space-time is interpreted as the presentation of the gradient distribution of density at the micro level. Based on the understanding of gravitation at the micro level, motion is interpreted as the embodiment of the change of space-time density. The motion of the object needs space-time density difference (potential difference) to maintain, thus a new equation of motion is obtained. Through this new equation of motion, It can explain the origin of inertia, the orbital motion of the stars, the rotation and the revolution.

In quantum field theory (QFT), it is well known that when Feynman diagrams containing loops are evaluated to account for self interactions, probability amplitude comes out to be infinite which is physically not admissible. So, to make the QFT convergent, various renormalization methods are conventionally followed in which an additional (infinite) counter term is postulated which neutralizes the original infinity generated by diagram. The resulting finite values of amplitudes have agreed with experiments with surprising accuracy. However, proponents of renormalization methods acknowledged that this ad-hoc procedure of subtraction of infinity from infinity to reach at a finite value is not at all satisfactory and there is no physical basis for bringing in the counter term. So, it is desirable to establish a method in QFT which does not generate any infinite term (thus not requiring renormalization), but which predicts same results as conventional methods do. In this paper, we describe such a technique taking self interaction quantum electrodynamics diagram representing electron or photon self energy. In our method, no problem of infinity arises and hence renormalization is not necessary. Still, the dependence of calculated probability amplitude on physical variables in our technique comes out to be same as conventional methods. Using similar procedure, we hope, the problem of non-renormalizability of quantum gravity may be solved in future.

In atomic GdFe$_2$ films capped by 4$d$ and 5$d$ transition metals, we show that skyrmions with diameters smaller than 12 nm can emerge. The Dzyaloshinskii--Moriya interaction (DMI), exchange energy, and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA) energy were investigated based on density functional theory. Since DMI and MCA are caused by spin--orbit coupling (SOC), they are increased with 5$d$ capping layers which exhibit strong SOC strength. We discover a skyrmion phase by using atomistic spin dynamic simulations at small magnetic fields of $\sim$1 T. In addition, a ground state that a spin spiral phase is remained even at zero magnetic field for both films with 4$d$ and 5$d$ capping layers.

The prohibitive costs of small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) racks decreases PV adoption velocity. To overcome these costs challenges, an open hardware design method is used to develop two novel variable tilt racking designs. These are the first stilt mounted racking designs that allow manual change of tilt angle from zero to 90 degrees by varying the length of cables. The racks are designed using the calculated dead, wind and snow loads for Canada as conservative design for most of the rest of the world. Structural capacities of the wooden members are then ascertained and resisting bending moment, shear force, tensile force, and compressive force for them is calculated. A structural and truss analysis is performed to ensure that racking design with-stands the applicable forces. Moreover, implications of changing the tilt angle on the wooden members/cables used to build the system are also determined. The systems offer significant economic savings ranging from 1/3rd to 2/3rd the capital expenses of the commercially available alternatives. In addition, the racking designs are easy-to-build and require minimal manufacturing operations, which increases their accessibility. The stilt-mounted designs can be employed for agrivoltaic settings while allowing farm workers shaded ergonomic access to perform planting, weeding, and harvesting.

Offshore grids can have a key role in the transition of the energy system to sustainability. Although they require extensive infrastructure investments, they open up for the exploitation of additional resources and may be important to provide for part of the increasing electricity demand driven by sector coupling. This paper quantifies the socio-economic value of offshore grids and identifies their major drivers, performing energy system optimization in a model application of the Northern-central European energy system and the North Sea offshore grid towards 2050. The increasing wake loss with the size of hub-connected wind farms is integrated in the modelling. We find that without sector coupling no offshore grid may develop, and that the higher the level of sector coupling, the higher the value of offshore grids. Therefore, it can be strongly stated that offshore grid infrastructure development should not be discussed as a separate political topic, but seen in connection to sector coupling.

The fuel prices are increasing nowadays, causing a burden on the power system. From this, diesel generators that are still in use, must be hybridized with renewable energy (RE) to levelized the overall projects costs. This study aims to schedule an operation of a hybrid system photovoltaic (PV)/ diesel in a remote area which located in Wadi Rum district in Jordan to serve factory load in addition to obtain the best economical system combination that can serve the needs of a continuous electrical load without any interruption. Based on the results of the analysis using HOMER software, the configuration in the system will be a combination between PV modules, and diesel generator. The hybrid system has met the target for electricity production which is documented in upcoming sections.

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources in power grids highlights the role of battery energy stor- age systems (BESSs) in enhancing the stability and reliability of electricity. A key challenge with the renewables’, specially the BESSs, integration into the power system is the lack of proper dynamic model for stability analysis. Moreover, a proper control design for the power system is a complicated issue due to its complexity and inter-connectivity. Thus, the application of decentralized control to improve the stability of a large- scale power system is inevitable, especially in distributed energy sources (DERs). This paper presents an optimal distributed hybrid control design for the interconnected systems to suppress the effects of small disturbances in the power system employing utility-scale batteries based on existing battery models. The results show that i) the smart scheduling of the batteries’ output reduces the inter-area oscillations and improves the stability of the power systems; ii) the hybrid model of the battery is more user-friendly compared to the Western electricity coordinating council (WECC) model in power system analysis.

Agrivoltaics (Agri-PV, AV) – the joint use of land for the production of agricultural products and energy – has recently been rapidly gaining popularity, as it can significantly increase income per unit of land area. In a broad sense, AV systems can include converters of not only solar, but also energy from any other local renewable source, including bioenergy. Current approach to AV represents an evolutionary development of agroecology and integrated PV power supply to the grid. That results in nearly doubled income per unit area. While AV could provide a basis for revolution in large-scale unmanned precision agriculture and smart farming which is impossible without on-site power supply, chemical fertilisation and pesticides reduction, and yield processing on-site. These approaches could change the logistics and the added value production chain in agriculture dramatically, and so, reduce its carbon footprint. Utilisation of decommissioned solar panels in AV could make the technology twice cheaper and postpone the need for bulk PV recycling. Unlike the mainstream discourse on the topic, this review feature is in focusing on the possibilities for AV to be stronger integrated into agriculture that could also help in relevant legal collisions (considered as neither rather than both components) resolution.

To reduce the risk factors for mortality, the paper has focused on the assessment of the socioeconomic, clinical, physical, biophysiological, and biochemical characteristics of Down's syndrome which can be affected by the type of nutrition system, toxicity, and ecological footprint. Patients were males with trisomy 21 diagnosed by karyotype test and assessed by clinical examinations. Samples were collected from different biofluids. The physicochemical analyses of the biomatrix samples were performed and these properties had compared to findings of healthy males and age-matched controls. Duraphat application was proved effective for their oral treatment and saliva was the optimum biomarker for detecting malnutrition. Patients were hypersensitive to Cu while the Mn content in blood and hair was considered an expression to the degree of epileptic condition and chronic seizure development. The ecological footprint was 5.6 gha and carbon footprint was recognised in food poverty habits. These can be reduced by eating more plant-based proteins and fibre-rich foods with low saturated fats and sodium. The findings provide an up-to-date reference for expected developmental outcomes in children with DS in terms of biophysicochemistry. The genetically sensitive intervention is affected by heredity factor and sensitivity to toxics. Down's syndrome is encouraged to live green-hipster life.

Solar and wind resources available for power generation are subject to variability due to meteorological factors. Here, we use a new global climate reanalysis product, Version 2 of the NASA Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA-2), to quantify interannual variability of monthly-mean solar and wind resource from 1980 to 2016 at a resolution of about 0.5 degrees. We find an average coefficient of variation (CV) of 11% for monthly-mean solar radiation and 8% for windspeed. Mean CVs were about 25% greater over ocean than over land, and, for land areas, were greatest at high latitude. The correlation between solar and wind anomalies was near zero in the global mean, but markedly positive or negative in some regions. Both wind and solar variability were correlated with values of climate modes such as the Southern Oscillation Index and Arctic Oscillation, with correlations in the Northern Hemisphere generally stronger during winter. We conclude that reanalysis solar and wind fields could be helpful in assessing variability in power generation due to interannual fluctuations in the wind and solar resource. Skillful prediction of these fluctuations seems to be possible, particularly for certain regions and seasons, given persistence or predictability of climate modes with which these fluctuations are associated.

SARS-CoV-2 resembles the ancient mythical creature Hydra. Just like with the Hydra, when one head is cut, it is followed by appearance of two more heads, suppression of one SARS-CoV-2 variant causes appearance of newer variants. Unlike Hydra that grows identical heads, newer SARS-CoV-2 variants are usually more infective, which can be observed as time evolution of the virus at hand, which occurs through acquisition of mutations during time. The appearance of new variants is followed by appearance of new COVID-19 pandemic waves. With the appearance of new pandemic waves and determining of sequences, in the scientific community and general public the question is always raised of whether the new variant will be more virulent and more pathogenic. The two variants characterized in this paper, BA.5.2 and BF.7, have caused a pandemic wave during the late 2022. This paper gives full chemical and thermodynamic characterization of the BA.5.2 and BF.7 variants of SARS-CoV-2. Having in mind that Gibbs energy of binding and biosynthesis represent the driving forces for the viral life cycle, based on the calculated thermodynamic properties we can conclude that the newer variants are more infective than earlier ones, but that their pathogenicity has not changed.

Most of the structures in flowing water are a challenge to their stability and sustainable with different flow conditions. Recent, renewable energy research and development covers ocean and river energy platform in which flow of water drag considered in various conversion devices towards the offshore and onshore establishment. Various energy platforms have been suggested for offshore development. However, the stability of these platforms in water is a serious concern. To study the water interaction over circular and square cross-section cascade system under the water has been carried out. Water flow around the pillars or column of the energy platform are analyzed through simulation software. Very low velocity 0.5 m/s has been considered to analyze the system. Total fifteen numbers of cascade pillars having circular and square cross-section area were considered. K-ε turbulence model is adopted to calculate the flow interaction to the column. A velocity, pressure, and energy fields are found around the column.

With the year 2020, the world faced a new threat that affects all areas of life, negatively affects production in all areas, and paralyzes social life. The measures and restrictions taken by the country's governments to prevent the epidemic from spreading rapidly in the society with the effect of the Covid-19 virus, which first appeared in China and spread all over the world, brought a new lifestyle. Covid-19 has been much the impact on electricity use and electricity production in the period in Turkey as in other countries. There was a sharp decline in commercial and industrial electricity use. The coronavirus effect has also been reflected in the electricity demand and the consumption amount has undergone a great negative change. Due to the enactment of measures against the new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic and the partial or full-time curfews, electricity consumption was moved to homes, supermarkets, and hospitals in April 2020 from places where mass consumption is intense, such as industry, workplaces, and educational institutions. In this study, Covid-19 period, the first cases were examined electricity production and consumption in Turkey as of the date it is seen throughout, in comparison with electricity consumption data in the same month of the previous years corresponding to this period, the effects on electricity generation and consumption habits of this period were examined.

Buildings have started to play a critical role in the stability and resilience of modern smart grids, leading to a refocusing of large scale energy management strategies from the supply side to the consumer side. When the buildings integrate local renewable energy generation in the form of renewable energy resources they become prosumers and this reflects into additional complexity into the operation of the interconnected complex energy systems. A class of methods of modelling the energy consumption patterns of the building have recently emerged as black-box input-output approaches with the ability to capture underlying consumption trends. These make use and require large quantities of quality data produces by non-deterministic processes underlying the energy consumption. We present an application of a class of neural networks, namely deep learning techniques for time series sequence modelling with the goal of accurate and reliable building energy load forecasting. The Recurrent Neural Network implementation uses Long Short-Term Memory layers in increasing density of nodes to quantify prediction accuracy. The case study is illustrated on four university buildings from temperate climates over one year of operation using a reference benchmarking dataset that allows replicable results. The obtained results are discussed in terms of accuracy metrics and computational and network architecture aspects and are considered suitable for further used in future in situ energy management at the building and neighbourhood levels.

Hybrid reverse osmosis electrodialysis systems make it possible to obtain solutions with a higher concentration of components compared to single electrodialysis treatment, i.e. more efficient separation of brine and pure water. The article proposes experimental and pilot-industrial studies of a hybrid membrane system operation using industrial wastewater for the disposal of liquid waste from an ion-exchange chemical-desalting water treatment plant of a thermal power plant, followed by a calculation of economic efficiency and an analysis of the environmental feasibility of their use. The developed technological scheme offers separate processing of acidic and alkaline waste regeneration solutions using calcium carbonate reagent and desalination on baromembrane and electromembrane units to obtain clean water and dry residue. The hybrid system includes a booster filter press and an evaporator. The hybrid system makes it possible to provide a thermal power plant with a "zero discharge" with a minimum consumption of reagents and electricity, as well as return all water from wastewater to the power plant cycle.

Lord Kelvin believed that the electromagnetic aether must also generate gravity. Presently, we have no methods to determine the density of the electromagnetic aether, or we say the $\Omega(1)$ substratum. Thus, we also suppose that vacuum is filled with another kind of continuously distributed substance, which may be called the $\Omega(2)$ substratum. Based on a theorem of V. Fock on the mass tensor of a fluid, the contravariant energy-momentum tensors of the $\Omega(1)$ and $\Omega(2)$ substrata are established. Quasi-static solutions of the gravitational field equations in vacuum are obtained. Based on an assumption, relationships between the contravariant energy-momentum tensors of the $\Omega(1)$ and $\Omega(2)$ substrata and the contravariant metric tensor are obtained. Thus, the cosmological constant is calculated theoretically. The $\Omega(1)$ and $\Omega(2)$ substrata may be a possible candidate of the dark energy. According to the theory of vacuum mechanics, only those energy-momentum tensors of discrete or continuously distributed sinks in the $\Omega(0)$ substratum are permitted to act as the source terms in the generalized Einstein's equations. Thus, the zero-point energy of electromagnetic fields is not qualified for a source term in the generalized Einstein's equations. Some people believed that all kinds of energies should act as source terms in the Einstein's equations. It may be this unwarranted belief that leads to the cosmological constant problem. The mass density of the $\Omega(1)$ and $\Omega(2)$ substrata is equivalent to that of around $3$ protons contained in a box with a volume of $1$ cubic metre.

This paper presents the values of several mechanical characteristics for two blends: H (60% PP + 12% PA6 + 8% EPDM + 20% Polybond 3200) and G (20% PP + 42% PA6 + 28% EPDM + 10% Polybond 3200) (%wt), comparing them to those of PP (polypropylene) and PA6 (polyamide 6). The adding of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) and Polybond 3200 help reducing the disadvantages of simple blends made of PP+PA6, when the PA6 concentration allows for having a PA6 matrix with droplets of PP. SEM analysis helps for understanding the performance of material G as compared to the neat polymers. EDX analysis proved that there was a matrix inversion, material H having a PP matrix and material G a matrix made of PA6 with droplets of PP. Strain at break for PP and material H were proved to be insensitive to test speed, but materials G and PA6 had large value for strain at break and energy at break for v = 10 mm/min. Taking at basis the values for polyamide 6 (PA6), material G has greater values for energy at break: with 97.8% for v = 10 mm/min, with 29.5% for v= 250 mm/min and with 98% for 1000 mm/min, without exhibiting the micro and macro cavitation of PA6. This means that the recipe, the technology and the mechanical characteristics make material G a potential candidate for applications where a low and moderate impact resistant material is required.

Abstract: A fertilisation experiment with aim to determine the effect of different potassium fertiliser rates and their interaction with nitrogen and phosphorus on field rotation productivity, potassium balance, fertiliser utilization and changes in content of potassium in soil was carried out in Lithuania between 1971 and 2020. The multi-factorial scheme with 45-treatment plots, where seven (including zero) rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilisers were studied. The experimental treatments during the study period included winter wheat, spring wheat, spring barley, sugar beet, spring rapeseed, annual and perennial grasses. It was found that potassium fertilisers was the most effective on agricultural crops when used in combination with other major plant nutrients – nitrogen and phosphorus. The balance of potassium (K2O) in soil, when nitrogen and phosphorus fertilisers were applied together, to compensate for potassium removal, when applying low nitrogen (N) 72 kg ha-1 and phosphorus (P2O5) 64 kg ha-1 fertiliser rates, 128 kg ha-1 of potassium fertilisers is required. When using high nitrogen 180 kg ha-1 and phosphorus 160 kg ha-1 fertiliser rates, 160 kg ha-1 of potassium is needed. The highest potassium uptake, reaching 51.6%, was achieved when plants had been fertilised with nitrogen 108 kg ha-1, phosphorus 96 kg ha-1, and potassium 96 kg ha-1. When fertilising with potassium fertilisers alone, the content of plant available K2O content in the soil increased, while fertilisation with nitrogen and phosphorus combined it’s decreased, except in the plots where the plants had been fertilised with potassium fertiliser at rates of 128 kg ha-1 and higher. Due to the influence of fertilizers, the amount of non-exchangeable potassium in the soil also increased, but relatively less compared to the amount of available potassium content.

Penrose’s singularity from 1965 predicted that in the center of the black hole space-time curvature is infinite and consequently gravity force there is infinite. In 2014 NASA measured universal space has Euclidean shape. This means that stellar objects cannot curve universal space and that the space-time singularity model has no physical existence. In the center of black holes energy density of superfluid space is so low that the electromagnetic properties of space are changed. This causes electromagnetic forces between the nucleus and orbiting electrons to become unstable. In the center of a black hole, atoms are falling apart into elementary particles. Black holes are rejuvenating systems of the universe, they transform old matter into fresh energy in the form of elementary particles. Astrophysical jets are the outcome of this process.

Naltrexone (NTX) is a potent opioid antagonist with good blood-brain barrier permeability, targeting different endogenous opioid receptors, particularly the mu-opioid receptor (MOR). Therefore, it represents a promising candidate for drug development against drug addiction. However, the details of the molecular interactions of NTX and its derivatives with MOR are not fully understood, hindering ligand-based drug discovery. In the present study, taking advantage of the high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of the murine MOR (mMOR), we constructed a homology model of the human MOR (hMOR). A solvated phospholipid bilayer was built around the hMOR and submitted to microsecond (µs) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to obtain an optimized hMOR model. NTX and its derivatives were docked into the optimized hMOR model and submitted to µs MD simulations in an aqueous membrane system. The MD simulation results were submitted to Molecular Mechanics Generalized-Born surface area (MMGBSA) binding free energy calculations and principal component analysis. Our results revealed that NTX and its derivatives showed differences in protein-ligand interactions; however, they shared contact with residues at TM2, TM3, H6, and TM7. The binding free energy and principal component analysis revealed the structural and energetic effects responsible for the higher potency of NTX compared to its derivatives.

Healthcare systems are mindful of the importance of proper diet and nutrition in reducing the risk of various chronic diseases resulting in hospitalizations. In this regard, they are focusing on promoting the intake of foods comprising various diets with health benefits, such as the ketogenic diet. In this meta-analysis, a total of 20 research studies on the effect of the ketogenic diet on the immune system were analyzed. The research studies were obtained from three databases: Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct. From the meta-analysis, the odd ratio of a similar outcome of an improvement in the strength of immunity between the intervention and control group was 0.76. On the other hand, the p-value for the studies was 0.09, with 15 out of the 20 being considered statistically significant. The heterogeneity between the studies was I2 = 15%, signifying a low variability in the findings that is not by chance. The Ketogenic diet indeed has positive effects on immunity. Nonetheless, it can also result in negative effects that may harm human health.

In this paper, modification of dual-Halbach permanent magnet (PM) array is investigated to improve performance of tubular linear machine, in terms of flux density and output power. Instead of a classical Halbach array with only radial and axial PMs, proposed model involves insertion of mig-magnets, which have magnetized angle shifted from the reference magnetized angles of axial and radial PMs. This structure leads to elimination of flux leakage and concentration of flux linkage in middle of the coil; therefore, the performance of machine is increased.

The aims of this paper can be traced back to goals number seven, twelve and thirteen introduced by Agenda 2030, namely "affordable and clean energy", “responsible consumption and production” and "climate action”, respectively. This is due to the fact that the present work supports decarbonization processes acting in a direct way on the electricity consumption achieved by plants pertaining to the waste industry; in fact, this study aims at the realization of a machine learning model for predicting the energy consumption achieved by a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) waste plant located in central Italy, given the distribution of the entering waste. This model is implemented in MATLAB. The model can be used to tune the distribution of the entering waste in order to adapt the plant energy consumption to the capability of the energy sources and can serve as a play-ground model for other energy transformation plants. The results of the study, which feed the literature on the application of artificial intelligence to real industrial plants, could be used to determine energy efficiency actions that could be incorporated into Property’s strategic planning.

The centrifugal force field in the hydrocyclone was affected by the concave-wall curvature radius R0, the mechanism of droplet deformation was closely related to the mass transfer efficiency. Numerical simulation and experimental data were collected to reveal the deformation characteristics and mechanism of single droplet crossing concave-wall jet. Normalized interfacial energy γ and stretching performance were provided to investigate the droplet deformation process. The results showed that the droplet was stretched along the streamwise and shrank along the spanwise in the concave-wall jet. The droplet interfacial energy and deformation were the largest when the droplet crossed the jet boundary at t = 0.20 s. Maximum γ value increased with the increase of R0 by 57.3% to 71.4%, and the distance between droplet and concave-wall increased with R0. Q-criterion was exported to show the vortex strength increasing as the decrease of R0 in the jet boundary. The pressure distribution inside the droplet showed that the pressure decreased as R0 increased, while the pressure difference increased along the streamwise and wall-normal direction. The study suggested that the droplet breakup was more difficult for the smaller R0, which was beneficial for liquid-liquid heterogeneous separation.

In Zambia, three feasibility studies have been conducted to assess the potential of wind energy for power generation. However, these studies did not investigate the capability of local support industries to manufacture wind turbine blades and towers. This study aimed to investigate and profile the capability of Zambian industries to manufacture wind turbine blades and towers. The study used a mixed-method approach to collect data; this utilized qualitative and quantitative approaches. The population of Zambian industries was collected from the Zambia Association of Manufacturers based on the registered members. This data was used to define the population for the study; the population was arranged into three strata whose characteristics are homogeneous within the stratum. Due to the low population, the study was conducted on the whole population. The qualitative data was collected from each stratum using a quantitative data collection tool developed for each stratum and analyzed. The study considered the capability of manufacturing companies based on wind potential results for Class III and Class IV, which exist in some sites. The results have revealed that on an as-is basis, no company in Zambia can manufacture WT blades and towers unless there is a complete overhaul of some companies or total investment in new infrastructure and equipment. The findings are useful for stakeholders involved in developing the wind power sector in Zambia.

Iapetus, a Saturn moon, shows the most differentiated albedo dichotomy of the Solar System. The dark leading side has a lower albedo than the bright trailing side. Spectral data on the visible light reveal the existence of two types of materials on the surface. The darkening in the leading side is thought to be originated by the presence of organic material and carbonaceous compounds on surface, while the trailing side is covered by water ice due to migration processes from the dark side. On airless bodies like Iapetus, the surface escape speed is greater than the speed of water molecules, resulting in the retention of a H2O atmosphere that allows some species to get diffused through it. Here, there were performed simulations of the evolution of the surface temperature for each of the two hemispheres of Iapetus. The results showed a slow yet steady increment of temperatures for both sides, with a steeper slope for the dark hemisphere. It was also simulated how much energy budget can be accumulated in both sides and its consequences. Finally, we calculated the diffusion coefficients for ammonia, methane, and water ice. The results let us infer how these compounds could evolve over time.

The most potential renewable energy source for global emissions reductions is green hydrogen production. Iraq is looking into several sources of alternative energy to lessen its dependency on fossil fuels and to considerably cut its carbon dioxide emissions. This research examined the conceptual framework for the production and consumption of green hydrogen in Iraq. On the basis of accessible official and public data from government agencies, the potential capabilities of renewable energy resources are assessed, and certain fair assumptions are also established for a full study and evaluation of a possible hydrogen production in the country. The data presented here demonstrate conclusively that the contributions of renewable energy to the production of green hydrogen are substantial, giving the country prominence in the area of green hydrogen production. A pathway for a green hydrogen economy in the country by 2050 is proposed by this research based on its analysis. It is distributed in three stages: green hydrogen as a fuel for industry; using green hydrogen for fuel cells; and hydrogen commercialization. On the other hand, the research found a number of challenges to the implementation of a green hydrogen production that can be used in Iraq and other developing countries, including technological, economic, and social problems in addition to the related policy consequences.

Although several carbon sequestration methods have been proposed according to theories from various disciplines, it is not known which method is the best. This study evaluated and summarized the advantage and disadvantages of several major carbon sequestration methods, including carbon capture and sequestration, ocean alkalinization, algal cultivation, and wood burial, based on the first principles, namely, sequestration scale and time, elemental stoichiometry, and energy use efficiency. This study suggested that, at present, wood burial may be a leading candidate for carbon sequestration because it can be implemented immediately on a large scale, is cost-effective and efficient, has a long sequestration time, has low technical requirements, and has a relatively low impact on agriculture. This study also discussed the implementation of wood burial from the perspective of nutrient requirements. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the present study proposed a 25-year project starting in 2025 with an average sequestration rate of 3 Pg C per year, which includes burying 1.5 Pg of dead wood carbon and the creation of 9.7 × 10⁶ ha woodland.

Coronavirus disease is a newly identified infectious disease that began in Wuhan, China in 2019 and is recognized as COVID-19. This virus has a serious impact on the planet that causes the deaths of millions of people; it produces unemployment and poverty. However, it has constructive environmental effects that reduce the amount of pollution in the atmosphere. Pakistan is also a developing economy caused by this deadly virus. Before 03 April 2021, the percentage of reported cases ranges from 682,888, with about 14,697 casualties and a total of 609,691 cases retrieved. Pakistan’s war against coronavirus can differ from advanced technical countries due to lack of resources. In this article, we will address the relation between COVID-19 and the environment in the particular case of Pakistan. There is evidence that this pandemic has lowered concentrations of greenhouse gases, including CO2 and NO2, as a consequence of global lock-down strategies.

Due to rapid urbanization, the quantity of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) has increased, and with it the amount of waste generated by them. Sustainable management of this waste can lead to the creation of energy-rich biogas through the fermentation process. This review presents recent advances in the anaerobic digestion process resulting in greater biogas production. Disintegration techniques for enhancing waste activated sludge fermentation can be generally partitioned into biological, physical and chemical, each of which are covered in this review. These disintegration techniques were compared mainly in terms of their biogas yield. It was found that ultrasonic and microwave disintegration provides the highest biogas yield (>500%); however, they are also the most energy demanding (>10,000 kJ kg-1 total solids).

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are throwing in the interstellar space huge jets of energy in the form of elementary particles. The calculation of the energy density of space in the centre of the black hole with the mass of the Sun shows that in the space-time singularity of such a black hole energy density of space there is so low that atoms become unstable and fall apart into elementary particles. In this sense, AGN is a rejuvenating system of the universe. It transforms its own old matter into fresh energy in the form of jets.

The cost effective design of tidal turbines requires a good estimation of the loading cycles and their extrema that are related to the unsteady fluctuations of the current velocity. Apart from the ambient turbulence, the main source of velocity fluctuations is the presence of surface waves. In the present study, we analyse the effect of waves propagating against the current on the performance and the loads of a twin vertical axis tidal turbine by an experimental approach at a 1/20 scale. Overall, the results show little or no effect of the waves on the average power and loads compared to the condition with current only, but a significant impact on their standard deviation that rises linearly with the waves amplitude. The drag, lift and pitching moment show extended ranges up to 7.5 times higher and extreme values exceedance by 60 to 100 % with irregular waves compared to the condition without waves. Those load and power fluctuation increase are fully due to the presence of waves as the coherence function between the rotor torque or the loads and the velocity spectra exceed 0.5 on the whole wave frequency bandwidth. The results also reveal a rotational sampling of the waves by the rotors that had also been observed on horizontal axis turbines. From a structural design point of view, the authors recommand to conduct tests in irregular wave conditions as the loads range and extreme values are 1.5 to 2 times higher than those encountered with regular waves of the same significant height and period.

Many models with structures of matter associated with a structure of extra spatial dimensions have been proposed in recent decades. On employing a further generalisation from the local 4-dimensional spacetime form to a general form for proper time, we describe how matter fields resembling the Standard Model of particle physics can be accommodated far more directly than with a higher-dimensional spacetime theory. The successful identification of key features of visible matter in this non-spatial sector of extra dimensions in turn motivates seeking a candidate for dark matter residing in the original extra spatial dimension sector, and provides a close guide for the explicit form this invisible matter might take. We describe how such Standard Model and dark matter sectors in different extra-dimensional branches of generalised proper time are gravitationally connected through their common root in the local 4-dimensional spacetime and consider further possible mutual interactions and implications in comparison with existing dark matter models. A yet further possible branch of generalised proper time can be connected with dark energy models, hence in principle accounting for all three major components of cosmological structure within this framework.

Since the most important constituent of the cost of cryptocurrency production is energy bills, use of illegal electricity in cryptocurrency mining farms is very common. For this reason, many countries prohibit cryptocurrency production or restrict it with some legal regulations. This situation raises the problem of how to detect illicit cryptocurrency mining. Therefore, innovative approaches are needed to detect illicit cryptocurrency mining farms. In this study, it has been shown that unique noise and/or harmonic characteristics of machines producing cryptocurrency can be used to detect illicit cryptocurrency mining farms. The unique harmonic characteristics formed by data centers on neutral line have been detected by field measurements performed. Electricity distribution companies can make risk assessments with this approach by monitoring energy quality data. As a result, the necessary legal permissions can be obtained to investigate suspicious high-risk consumers. Illicit cryptocurrency mining farms can be detected by investigating at high-risk consumer facilities.

We review the basics of nuclear binding energy scheme assumed to be associated with the existence of a new strong elementary charge associated with square root of reciprocal of the strong coupling constant.

We measure the accelerated cosmic expansion rate of the late-time Universe and derive constraints on cosmological parameters from the final baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) uncorrelated measurements of different surveys after two decades of dedicated spectroscopic observation combined with the Pantheon sample of Type Ia supernovae, the Hubble diagram of gamma-ray bursts &amp; quasars data, the Cosmic Chronometers data, and the recent Hubble constant value measurement from the Hubble Space Telescope and the SH0ES Team as an additional prior. In Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) scenario, the model fit yields Ωm=0.313±0.034 and ΩΛ=0.672±0.025. Combining BAO with CC+Pantheon+QSR+GRB data sets we get H0=69.21±1.22 km s−1 Mpc−1, rd=133.46±2.49 Mpc. For the a flat wCDM model, we get w=−1.111±0.030. For a dynamical evolution of dark energy in a flat w0waCDM cosmology, we get wa=−0.292±0.167. We apply the Akaike information criteria probe to compare the three models, and see that all models are favored and cannot be discarded from the current data.

Quantum Gravity is not sufficient to predict the properties of particles (baryonic and non-baryonic) to a great extent. So, we develop General Quantum Gravity (GQG), which is a renormalizable formalization of quantized gravity that emerges from General Relativity through a new scenario of Quantum Mechanics. Inside every observable $(3+1)D$ spacetime in this new scenario of Quantum Mechanics, there must contain an internal hidden $(n+1)D$ spacetime, which immediately yields extra hidden dimensions by a closed continuous mapping, so that the overall spacetime must acquire Supersymmetry. We have also found that Superstrings are inevitably natural and universal but hidden inside every $(3+1)D$ observable spacetime. Superstrings are found eleven-dimensional (rather than lower dimensional) within this quantum spacetime. Consequently, eleven-dimensional Supergravity is necessarily a natural phenomenon within the GQG spacetime. GQG is formalized here in two different aspects. The first one gives an Einstein field equation in a semi-quantum Minkowski spacetime with semi-quantum Lorentzian metric tensor, whereas, the second one yields a purely Quantum Mechanical Einstein field equation in a quantum non-Minkowski spacetime with non-Lorentzian metric tensor. Dark Energy (as well as Dark Matter) appears from GQG quite naturally. We develop here Gravitational Electroweak Dark Energy interactions, where gravity and Dark Energy are allowed to combine with electroweak symmetry. Likewise, in Gravitational Chromodynamic Dark Energy interactions, we combine QCD with gravitational and Dark Energy symmetries. In a Dark Matter gauge symmetry model, we combine Dark matter with all possible gauge symmetries. A Universal Model $SU(7)_{UM}$ combines entire baryonic and non-baryonic particle interactions all together.

In the same manner that there are several statements of the second law of thermodynamics but all of them are equivalent, it is possible that most of the entropic methods applied to the nervous system and brain in particular share a similar outcome, or essence, that helps understand some aspects of the fundamentals of basic neurodynamics. In this short review focused on certain aspects of the entropic metrics some results are examined that indicate the fundamental importance of the natural tendency towards a maximal energy distribution for healthy brain activity and thus cognition to emerge.

The present article discusses the institutional model adopted in Brazil regarding energy production through biomass. The theoretical-empirical method is used to conclude that the model's difficulties can be overcome by adopting a network of contracts capable of subjecting renewable energy generation to an energy compensation model.

Offshore Wind Turbines (OWT) with increasingly higher energy output are being developed to meet energy demand, posing challenges for their foundation design. Several foundation types are used to support these turbines with monopiles (MP) accounting for 80% of the installed capacity. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear finite element models (FEM) were employed to investigate the behaviour of monopile foundation supporting a 5MW wind turbine when subjected to lateral loading. Results indicate that the MP behavior depending on the pile length to diameter (L/D) ratio and the soil shear strength. Inspection of bending moment profiles at the lateral ultimate capacity indicated the monopiles can behave in flexible manner even with low L/D ratio. The L/D ratio affected the MP normalized lateral ultimate capacity at varying degrees and the biggest effect was for soft clays, amounting to around 5 folds increase for L/D values of 3.33 to 13.33. Lesser effects were found for stiff clays.

Long-chain branched metallocene-catalyzed high-density polyethylenes (LCB-mHDPE) were solution blended to obtain blends with varying degrees of branching. A high molecular LCB-mHDPE was mixed with low molecular LCB-mHDPE are varying concentrations, whose rheological behavior is similar but whose molar mass and molar mass distribution is significantly different. Those blends were characterized rheologically to study the effects of concentration, molar mass distribution, and long-chain branching level of the low molecular LCB-mHDPE. Owing to the ultra-long relaxation times of the high molecular LCB-mHDPE, the blends started behaving clearly more long-chain branched than the base materials. The thermorheological complexity showed an apparent increase in the activation energies Ea determined from G’, G”, and especially δ. Ea(δ), which for LCB-mHDPE is a peak function, turned out to produce even more pronounced peaks than observed for regular LCB-mPE and also LCB-mPE with broader molar mass distribution. Thus, it is possible to estimate the molar mass distribution from the details of the thermorheological complexity.

Biowaste generated in the process of Oxytree cultivation and logging represents a potential source of energy. Torrefaction (a.k.a. low-temperature pyrolysis) is one of the methods proposed for the valorization of woody biomass. Still, energy is required for the torrefaction process during which the raw biomass becomes biochar with fuel properties similar to lignite coal. In this work, models describing the influence of torrefaction temperature and residence time on the resulting fuel properties (mass and energy yields, energy densification ratio, organic matter and ash content, combustible parts, lower and higher heating values, CHONS content, H:C and O:C ratios) were proposed according to the Akaike criterion. The degree of the models’ parameters matching the raw data expressed as the determination coefficient (R²) ranged from 0.52 to 0.92. Each model parameter was statistically significant (p<0.05). Estimations of the value and quantity of the produced biochar from 1 Mg of biomass residues were made based on two models and a set of simple assumptions. The value of torrefied biochar (€123.4·Mg^-1) was estimated based on the price of commercially available coal fuel and its lower heating value (LHV) for biomass moisture content of 50%, torrefaction for 20 min at 200 °C. This research could be useful to inform techno-economic analyses and decision-making process pertaining to the valorization of pruned biomass residues.

This paper constitutes an original and new methodology for the determination of the surface properties of carbon fibers in the two oxidized and untreated forms by inverse gas chromatography technique at infinite dilution based on the effect of the temperature on the surface area of the various organic molecules adsorbed on the carbon fibers. The studied thermal effect proved a large deviation of the classical methods or models relative to the new determination of the surface properties of carbon fibers, such as the dispersive component of their surface energy, the free surface energy, the free specific energy, the enthalpy and entropy of adsorption of molecules on the carbon fibers. The obtained specific enthalpy and entropy of adsorption for the polar solvents led to the determination of the Lewis’s acid-base constants of carbon fibers. Different molecular models and chromatographic methods were used to quantify the surface thermodynamic properties of carbon fibers and compared to the thermal model. The obtained results proved that the oxidized carbon fibers gave more specific interaction energy and greater acid-base constants than that of the untreated carbon fibers and thus highlighting the important role of the oxidization on the acid-base of fibers. The determination of the specific acid-base surface energy of the two carbon fibers showed greater values of the oxidized carbon fibers relative to the untreated carbon fibers. An important basic character was highlighted for the two studied carbon fibers, larger than the acidic character. It was observed that the Lewis’s acid-base constants of the oxidized carbon fibers are larger than that of the untreated fibers with more accentuated basic charterer. This result was confirmed by all molecular models and chromatographic methods.

Most astrophysicists today believe that the present universe was produced in a big bang. This article explores the big cycle of matter and energy in the universe, with the big bang as an important part of the cycle.The authors approve of the idea that the universe is gravitationally closed. That is, its average density is higher than the critical value. All the matter and radiation cannot fly out the closed universe.The 3k background radiation is a vast heat ocean in the closed universe, stable and eternal. It is not the afterglow of the thermal radiation of the decoupled fire ball, 380,000 years after the big bang, as many people believed so far. The big bang and the following big expansion drove the matter of more than 2×10¹² galaxies to the remote space. Their potential energies become higher and higher, while their huge kinetic energies that they derived from the big bang become smaller and smaller until drop down to zero. The galaxies will then return back one after another, passing the central region of the universe with tremendously great kinetic energies. They of course cannot all return back directly to their start point of the big bang and restore to the state of the original cosmic core. They will rush to pass the central region and fly to the other sides of the universe, and shuttle around the central part ceaselessly. From the big bang to the following expansion, to the numerous galaxies, to the more than 2×10²³ stars, and to the stars releasing huge nuclear energy due to their internal nuclear fusion each for about 10¹⁰ years, all these enormous processes are irreversible, resulting in enormous increase in entropy. These processes produce large amount of light and other radiations and pour them into the extremely vast heat ocean. These light and other radiations will also be shuttling ceaselessly in the vast heat ocean until, by their interaction with the rare dusts in the galaxies, they mingle into the 3K thermal radiation of the heat ocean. In all the galaxies, there are various black holes. Every black hole, since its birth, ceaselessly extracts the matter and radiation that approach it, and gets larger. In the above mentioned shuttling of all the galaxies, numerous stars and black holes in these galaxies have many chances to approach even meet each other. A black hole can annex other celestial bodies that it meets, including annex other black holes. All these processes carry on and on ceaselessly, resulting in the matter of these celestial bodies to concentrate again and again. The number of all the celestial bodies including the black holes reduces ceaselessly, and the mass of the survived black holes become larger, and their shuttling amplitudes become shorter. The larger black holes and the shorter amplitudes result in the rate of concentration of mass to be faster. Eventually, all the matter in the universe will be concentrated to form a tremendously large central black hole. The central black hole has an astonishingly large Schwarzschild sphere, absorbing the thermal radiation from the vast heat ocean very rapidly and ceaselessly until some threshold value of its internal energy is exceeded, and a new big bang breaks out. The black holes provide a way in the Universe to re-concentrate matter and energy again. Black holes are Maxwell’s demons in the Nature.

This study introduces a robust methodology utilizing Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) combined with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to repurpose abandoned hydrocarbon fields for energy storage, supporting the transition to renewable energy sources. We use a geostatistical approach integrated with Python scripting to analyze reservoir parameters—including porosity, permeability, thickness, lithology, temperature, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity—from a decommissioned hydrocarbon field in Southeast Hungary. Our workflow leverages stochastic simulation data to identify potential zones for energy storage, categorizing them into high, moderate, and low suitability scenarios. This innovative approach provides rapid and precise analysis, enabling effective decision-making for energy storage implementation in depleted fields.

According to known laws of physics, chronic positive mass balance is the actual etiology of obesity, not positive energy balance. The relevant physical law in terms of body mass regulation is the Law of Conservation of Mass, not the Law of Conservation of Energy. A recently proposed mass balance model (MBM) describes the temporal evolution of body weight and body composition under a wide variety of feeding experiments, and it seems to provide a highly accurate description of the very best experimental human feeding data. By shifting to a mass balance paradigm of obesity, a deeper understanding of this disease may follow in the near future. The purpose of this living review is to present the core issues of the upcoming paradigm shift as well as some practical applications related to the topic.

The environmental safety of a car is currently one of the most important indicators of the vehicle competitiveness and quality in the consumer market. Currently, the assessment of the ecological properties of vehicles can be made based on various criteria. In the case of combustion-powered cars, the most attention is usually paid to the values characterizing their use, and in the environmental assessment, first of all to pollutant emissions and operational fuel consumption. The proposed article considers the possibility of using the life cycle assessment to analyze the ecological properties of a passenger car during its operation. A simplified LCA method of the vehicle was presented, which in strictly defined cases can be used for the analysis of environmental impacts and the assessment of the energy analysis related to its operation. For this purpose, a vehicle life cycle model was developed. Data on the operation of 33 passenger cars of different manufacturers with similar operational characteristics, coming from different production periods, were analyzed in detail. The obtained results were found to be highly sensitive to the assumptions made in the article.

With reference to Planck scale, Mach's relation and by introducing two new parameters Gamma and Beta, right from the beginning of Planck scale, we make an attempt to estimate ordinary matter density ratio, dark matter density ratio, mass, radius, temperature, age and expansion velocity (from and about the Planck mass in all directions). In analogy with currently believed cosmic acceleration, with a decreasing trend of total matter density ratio, cosmic expansion velocity can be shown to be increasing. By considering $H_0\cong 70$ km/sec/Mpc, estimated current cosmic mass, radius, total matter density, expansion velocity, temperature and age are: $4.3352\times {10}^{53}\mathrm{kg},$ $3.207\times {10}^{26}\mathrm{m},$ $3.138\times {10}^{-27}\mathrm{kg}{.\mathrm{m}}^{-3},$ $2.43c,$ $2.721\mathrm{K}$ and $19.78\mathrm{Billion}\mathrm{years}$ respectively. Point to be noted is that, with reference to Planck scale, cosmic temperature seems to be redshifted by a factor ${\left(Z_T\right)}_t\cong \sqrt{1+\ln \left(H_{pl}/H_t\right)}-1$ where $\left(H_{pl},H_t\right)$ represent Planck scale and time dependent Hubble parameters respectively. As a peculiar case, considering the equality of current Hubble parameter and current angular velocity, current cosmic rotational kinetic energy can be estimated to be 0.667 times the current critical energy. It needs further study.

Although solar photovoltaic (PV) system costs have declined, capital cost remains a barrier to widespread adoption. Do-it-yourself (DIY) system designs can decrease costs by about 50% by reducing labor costs, but if not attached to a building structure demand ground penetration for conventional footings. This is not technically and economically feasible at all sites. To overcome these challenges, this study details systems designed to eliminate drilling holes and pouring concrete. Two different designs for both fixed tilt and variable tilt PV racking are investigated to assess their structural integrity, constructability, and economic cost when fabricated with a ballast-supported foundation. The ballast-supported foundations are analyzed for eight such systems by proposing two separate ballast designs: one for single line of post systems, and one for double line of post systems built on a 4-kW basis. The results of the analysis found that both designs are slightly more expensive than typical in-ground concrete systems by 25%, but the overall DIY systems costs remain economically advantageous. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to show how modifications to the dimensions including clearances and distances between gabions influence the weight of the system and thus change the economic value of the design, so users can trade dimensional freedom for cost-savings, and vice versa. Overall, all the wood-based PV racking system designs provide users with cost-effective and easy DIY alternatives to conventional metal racking, and the novel ballast systems presented provide more versatility for PV systems installations.

In recent years, advancements in rooftop solar panel technology have sparked a revolution in the electricity markets. This has given rise to a new concept of energy exchange - the ability for consumers and producers to trade localized energy. This concept has been made possible by the emergence of blockchain technology, which has gained significant traction in the energy markets. Its unique ability to facilitate peer-to-peer (P2P) energy transactions has made it a promising solution for the trilemma of scalability, security, and decentralization. However, while blockchain technology has shown great potential, it is still in its early stages of development and has yet to reach its full potential. To fully understand the potential of blockchain technology in P2P energy trading, it is important to explore the trilemma in depth. This study proposes a blockchain-based scalability solution, with a focus on P2P energy trade. This strategy is supported by empirical modeling, utilizing data gathered from a trial case study. The results of this study demonstrate that the suggested technique outperforms base layer models in terms of scalability, while still maintaining the essential elements of security and decentralization. This proposed solution not only has the potential to revolutionize the energy markets, but also has broader implications. By providing a more secure and decentralized platform for P2P energy trading, it has the potential to address issues of energy distribution inequality and promote the adoption of renewable energy. With blockchain technology, individuals and communities have the opportunity to take control of their energy usage and production, reducing their reliance on traditional centralized energy systems. This not only has the potential to lower energy costs for consumers, but also contributes to the overall goal of reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change. The combination of rooftop solar panel technology and blockchain applications has the potential to create a significant shift towards decentralized and sustainable energy systems. This will not only benefit individuals and communities, but also have a positive impact on the environment and the global energy market as a whole. However, for this transition to occur, it is crucial that governments and energy companies continue to support and invest in these advancements.

In recent years, the need to make the built environment more resilient and adaptable to climate change has become increasingly evident. In Europe, this aspect concerns the vast majority of existing buildings, which present several deficiencies from the energy-efficiency point of view, considering they were designed before the introduction of modern energy codes. Nowadays, it is possible to retrofit existing buildings using advanced and high-efficient technologies such as Double Skin Façades (DSFs). The research aims to evaluate the use of properly designed DSFs for the energy restoration of existing buildings. In detail, various DSF configurations are applied to a residential building located in central Italy and investigated under present and future climate conditions, estimated through regional climate models. The results underline that all the analysed Double Skin Façades confirm to be a useful option, and, in particular, the Multi-Storey typology allows drastic energy needs decrement. Moreover, the general increase in temperatures and solar radiations could affect the building energy performance, and the insertion of DSF can mitigate the climate change effects, reducing the predicted energy consumption and ensuring better behaviours than the building in its original state.

We study the center of energy (CE) before and after the separation of superposed wave from a moving medium (MM). It is assumed that two out-of-phase mechanical transverse waves propagating from the opposite directions on a medium moving at non-relativistic speeds are superposed and the superposed portion (SP) is separated from the MM at that moment. We consider the CE of the SP before and after the separation from the MM. The location of CE (LCE) of the SP seems to be at the center of it at the moment of superposition. The SP rotates due to the separation from the MM since the velocity of each portion symmetric with respect to the center of the SP is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. The magnitudes of velocities of the symmetric portions become different as soon as the SP begins to rotate with the separation from the MM. Then the energies of their symmetric portions are not the same, so the LCE of the SP is not at the center of it. As a result, the LCE of it looks different before and after the separation from the MM. We must find a solution to keep the LCE of the SP constant. We propose that two out-of-phase mechanical transverse waves (MTWs) propagating from the opposite directions on a MM originally have hidden difference in relativistic energy and it suddenly appears within the range observable in Newtonian mechanics when the SP starts rotating. This means that the point of view of hidden difference in relativistic energy is necessary to keep the LCE constant.

Cogging torque is a pulsating, parasitic and undesired torque ripple intrinsic of the design of a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG), which should be minimized due to its adverse effects: vibration and noise. In addition, as aerodynamic power is low during start-up at low wind speeds in small wind energy systems, the cogging torque must be as low as possible to achieve a low cut-in speed. A novel mitigation technique using compound pre-slotting, based on a combination of magnetic and non-magnetic materials, is investigated. The finite element technique is used to calculate the cogging torque of a real PMSG design for a small wind turbine, with and without using compound pre-slotting. The results show that cogging torque can be reduced by a factor of 48% with this technique, while avoiding the main drawback of the conventional pre-slotting technique: the reduction of induced voltage due to leakage flux between stator teeth. Furthermore, through a combination of pre-slotting and other cogging torque optimization techniques, 84%, cogging torque can be eliminated for a given design.

Underground storage of natural gas has the characteristics of clean and low-carbon, and has the ability to provide sustainable and stable supply. It is a very high-quality green energy that can increase the storage efficiency of gas storage through fracturing, achieving the sustainable development goal of "Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality". The accurate evaluation of the fracability of a reservoir is an important prerequisite for reservoir fracturing design and post fracturing productivity evaluation. At present, research on fracability is mainly based on qualitative characterization or quantitative evaluation based on rock mechanics and fracturing construction parameters, which cannot fully reflect the rock composition and structure of each stage. Firstly, based on logging data, this paper analyzes the evolution laws of strain energy such as elastic properties, pre-peak dissipation energy, and post-peak fracture energy during the transition of rock materials from plastic deformation to brittle fracture in an energy perspective, and determines the key energy that affects the brittle characteristics of rocks. Secondly, a brittleness index evaluation approach has been established that can comprehensively reflect the mechanical properties of rocks during pre-peak deformation and post-peak damage stages. In addition, this article focuses on the impact of reservoir stratigraphic environment by combining the influence of geo-stresses with the rock brittleness index, and proposes a new method for evaluating reservoir fracability. Finally, this paper conducts a study on the fracability evaluation of three wells in a gas storage facility in eastern China. The results indicate that low modulus and fracability coefficient are beneficial for fracturing, thereby improving the gas production and peak shaving ability of gas storage.

In this paper, we study the fractional pseudo-parabolic equations u_t + (−△)^s u + (−△)^s u_t = u log |u|. Firstly, we recall the relationship between the fractional Laplace operator (−△)^s and the fractional Sobolev space H^s and discuss the invariant sets and the vacuum isolating behavior of solutions with the help of a family of potential wells. Then, we derive a threshold result of existence of global weak solution: for the low initial energy J(u₀) < d, the solution is global in time with I(u₀) > 0 or ∥u₀∥X_0(Ω) = 0 and blows up +∞ with I(u₀) < 0; for the critical initial energy J(u₀) = d, the solution is global in time with I(u₀) ≥ 0 and blows up at +∞ with I(u₀) < 0. The decay estimate of the energy functional for the global solution is also given.

While previous research has shown the use of attachable air-caps on windows to efficiently reduce a building’s energy consumption, the air-caps considered had to be attached to the entire window’s surface, thus limiting the occupants’ view and creating the inconvenience of needing to detach and attach the air-caps. In this study, a window-mounted air-cap roller module using Velcro tape that may be easily attached, detached, and rolled up or down was developed and performance tested in a full-scale test bed. It was found that as the area of the air-caps attached on a window increased, the required indoor lighting energy increased. However, the window insulation improved, thus reducing the cooling and heating energy needed. Attaching the air-caps to the entire window surface effectively reduced the building’s energy consumption, but views through the window may be disturbed. Thus, the developed window-mounted air-caps enable an occupant to reduce the building energy consumption and maintain their view according to their need. The findings of this study may contribute to a reduction in building energy consumption without sacrificing a pleasant indoor environment. Further studies may be needed to verify their efficacy under varying indoor and outdoor conditions.