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Appl. Sci., Volume 9, Issue 21 (November-1 2019) – 248 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): The figure illustrates a user’s view of a building, the purpose being that students can interact in a visual, auditory, and kinesthetic way when handling serial-shunt connection arrays to consider the main variables of the solar panel characteristics, such as the nominal power, voltage, and current. Thus, they can obtain input variables to the inverter and calculate the electrical protections on the DC side, such as fuses, fuse holders, circuit breakers, and surge protectors contemplated in the combiner box, and review its installation. View this paper.
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22 pages, 8584 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on Seismic Behavior of Steel Frames with Infilled Recycled Aggregate Concrete Shear Walls
by Lijian Sun, Hongchao Guo and Yunhe Liu
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4723; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214723 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2580
Abstract
Experiments were performed on four specimens of steel frames with infilled recycled aggregate concrete shear walls (SFIRACSWs), one specimen of infilled ordinary concrete wall, and one pure-steel frame were conducted under horizontal low cyclic loading. The influence of the composite forms of steel [...] Read more.
Experiments were performed on four specimens of steel frames with infilled recycled aggregate concrete shear walls (SFIRACSWs), one specimen of infilled ordinary concrete wall, and one pure-steel frame were conducted under horizontal low cyclic loading. The influence of the composite forms of steel frames and RACSWs (namely, infilled cast-in-place and infilled prefabricated) on the failure modes, transfer mechanisms of lateral force, bearing capacity, and ductility of SFIRACSWs is discussed, and the concrete type and connecting stiffness of beam–column joints (BCJs) are also considered. Test results showed that infilled RACSWs can increase the bearing capacity and lateral stiffness of SFIRACSWs. The connecting stiffness of BCJs slightly influences the seismic behavior of SFIRACSWs. In the infilled cast-in-place RACSWs, the wall cracks mainly extended along the diagonal direction. The bearing capacity was 2.4 times higher than in the pure steel frame, the initial stiffness was 4.3 times higher, and the displacement ductility factors were 2.44–2.69 times higher. In the infilled prefabricated RACSWs, the wall cracks mainly extended along the connection between the embedded T-shape connectors and walls before finally connecting along the horizontal direction. Moreover, shear failure occurred in the specimens. The bearing capacity was 1.44 times higher than that of the pure steel frame, the initial stiffness was 2.8 times higher, and the displacement ductility factors were 3.32–3.40 times higher. The degradation coefficients of the bearing capacity were more than 0.85, indicating that the specimens demonstrated a high safety reserve. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Concrete for a Better Sustainable Environment)
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28 pages, 8856 KiB  
Article
A Near–Far-Field Model for Bubbles Influenced by External Electrical Fields
by Juergen Geiser and Paul Mertin
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4722; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214722 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2238
Abstract
In this paper, we present a model that is based on near–far-field charged bubble formation and transportation in an underlying dielectric liquid. The bubbles are controlled by the dielectric liquid, which is influenced by an external electrical field. This allows us to control [...] Read more.
In this paper, we present a model that is based on near–far-field charged bubble formation and transportation in an underlying dielectric liquid. The bubbles are controlled by the dielectric liquid, which is influenced by an external electrical field. This allows us to control the shape and volume of the bubbles in the dielectric liquid, such as water. These simulations are important to close the gap between the formation of charged bubbles, which is a fine-scale model and their transport in the underlying liquid, which is a coarse-scale model. In the fine-scale model, the formation of the bubbles and their influence of the electric-stress is approached by a near-field model, which is done by the Young–Laplace equation plus additional force-terms. In the coarse-scale model, the transport of the bubbles is approached by a far-field model, which is done with a convection-diffusion equation. The models are coupled with a bubble in cell scheme, which interpolates between the fine and coarse scales of the different models. Such a scale-dependent approach allows us to apply optimal numerical solvers for the different fine and coarse time and space scales and help to foresee the fluctuations of the charged bubbles in the E-field. We discuss the modeling approaches, numerical solver methods and we present the numerical results for the near–far-field bubble formation and transport model in a dielectric carrier fluid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering)
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11 pages, 1794 KiB  
Article
Application of A Novel, Non-Doped, Organic Hole-Transport Layer into Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells
by Tom Grace, Hong Duc Pham, Christopher T. Gibson, Joseph G. Shapter and Prashant Sonar
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4721; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214721 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2331
Abstract
The search for novel solar cell designs as an alternative to standard silicon solar cells is important for the future of renewable energy production. One such alternative design is the carbon nanotube/silicon (CNT/Si) heterojunction solar device. In order to improve the performance of [...] Read more.
The search for novel solar cell designs as an alternative to standard silicon solar cells is important for the future of renewable energy production. One such alternative design is the carbon nanotube/silicon (CNT/Si) heterojunction solar device. In order to improve the performance of large area CNT/Si heterojunction solar cells, a novel organic material, 4,10-bis(bis(4-methoxyphenyl)amino)naptho[7,8,1,2,3-nopqr]tetraphene-6,12-dione (DPA-ANT-DPA (shortened to DAD)), was added as an interlayer between the CNT film and the silicon surface. The interlayer was examined with SEM and AFM imaging to determine an optimal thickness for solar cell performance. The DAD was shown to improve the device performance with the efficiency of large area devices improving from 2.89% ± 0.40% to 3.34% ± 0.10%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fabrication, Characterization and Application of Carbon Nanotubes)
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17 pages, 9870 KiB  
Article
Fully Coupled Multi-Scale Model for Gas Extraction from Coal Seam Stimulated by Directional Hydraulic Fracturing
by Zhaolong Ge, Liang Zhang, Juzheng Sun and Jinhong Hu
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4720; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214720 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2286
Abstract
Although numerous studies have tried to explain the mechanism of directional hydraulic fracturing in a coal seam, few of them have been conducted on gas migration stimulated by directional hydraulic fracturing during coal mine methane extraction. In this study, a fully coupled multi-scale [...] Read more.
Although numerous studies have tried to explain the mechanism of directional hydraulic fracturing in a coal seam, few of them have been conducted on gas migration stimulated by directional hydraulic fracturing during coal mine methane extraction. In this study, a fully coupled multi-scale model to stimulate gas extraction from a coal seam stimulated by directional hydraulic fracturing was developed and calculated by a finite element approach. The model considers gas flow and heat transfer within the hydraulic fractures, the coal matrix, and cleat system, and it accounts for coal deformation. The model was verified using gas amount data from the NO.8 coal seam at Fengchun mine, Chongqing, Southwest China. Model simulation results show that slots and hydraulic fracture can expand the area of gas pressure drop and decrease the time needed to complete the extraction. The evolution of hydraulic fracture apertures and permeability in coal seams is greatly influenced by the effective stress and coal matrix deformation. A series of sensitivity analyses were performed to investigate the impacts of key factors on gas extraction time of completion. The study shows that hydraulic fracture aperture and the cleat permeability of coal seams play crucial roles in gas extraction from a coal seam stimulated by directional hydraulic fracturing. In addition, the reasonable arrangement of directional boreholes could improve the gas extraction efficiency. A large coal seam dip angle and high temperature help to enhance coal mine methane extraction from the coal seam. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Science and Technology)
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31 pages, 1445 KiB  
Review
A Review of Neurotransmitters Sensing Methods for Neuro-Engineering Research
by Shimwe Dominique Niyonambaza, Praveen Kumar, Paul Xing, Jessy Mathault, Paul De Koninck, Elodie Boisselier, Mounir Boukadoum and Amine Miled
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4719; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214719 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 56 | Viewed by 16410
Abstract
Neurotransmitters as electrochemical signaling molecules are essential for proper brain function and their dysfunction is involved in several mental disorders. Therefore, the accurate detection and monitoring of these substances are crucial in brain studies. Neurotransmitters are present in the nervous system at very [...] Read more.
Neurotransmitters as electrochemical signaling molecules are essential for proper brain function and their dysfunction is involved in several mental disorders. Therefore, the accurate detection and monitoring of these substances are crucial in brain studies. Neurotransmitters are present in the nervous system at very low concentrations, and they mixed with many other biochemical molecules and minerals, thus making their selective detection and measurement difficult. Although numerous techniques to do so have been proposed in the literature, neurotransmitter monitoring in the brain is still a challenge and the subject of ongoing research. This article reviews the current advances and trends in neurotransmitters detection techniques, including in vivo sampling and imaging techniques, electrochemical and nano-object sensing techniques for in vitro and in vivo detection, as well as spectrometric, analytical and derivatization-based methods mainly used for in vitro research. The document analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of each method, with the aim to offer selection guidelines for neuro-engineering research. Full article
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18 pages, 1761 KiB  
Review
Prediction Methods and Experimental Techniques for Chatter Avoidance in Turning Systems: A Review
by Gorka Urbikain, Daniel Olvera, Luis Norberto López de Lacalle, Aitor Beranoagirre and Alex Elías-Zuñiga
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4718; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214718 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4202
Abstract
The general trend towards lightweight components and stronger but difficult to machine materials leads to a higher probability of vibrations in machining systems. Amongst them, chatter vibrations are an old enemy for machinists with the most dramatic cases resulting in machine-tool failure, accelerated [...] Read more.
The general trend towards lightweight components and stronger but difficult to machine materials leads to a higher probability of vibrations in machining systems. Amongst them, chatter vibrations are an old enemy for machinists with the most dramatic cases resulting in machine-tool failure, accelerated tool wear and tool breakage or part rejection due to unacceptable surface finish. To avoid vibrations, process designers tend to command conservative parameters limiting productivity. Among the different machining processes, turning is responsible of a great amount of the chip volume removed worldwide. This paper reports some of the main efforts from the scientific literature to predict stability and to avoid chatter with special emphasis on turning systems. There are different techniques and approaches to reduce and to avoid chatter effects. The objective of the paper is to summarize the current state of research in this hot topic, particularly (1) the mechanistic, analytical, and numerical methods for stability prediction in turning; (2) the available techniques for chatter detection and control; (3) the main active and passive techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The High Efficiency Machining Process and Machining of Complex Materials)
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9 pages, 2444 KiB  
Article
Phase Noise Cancellation in Coherent Communication Systems Using a Radio Frequency Pilot Tone
by Tianhua Xu, Cenqin Jin, Shuqing Zhang, Gunnar Jacobsen, Sergei Popov, Mark Leeson and Tiegen Liu
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4717; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214717 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4441
Abstract
Long-haul optical fiber communication employing digital signal processing (DSP)-based dispersion compensation can be distorted by the phenomenon of equalization-enhanced phase noise (EEPN), due to the reciprocities between the dispersion compensation unit and the local oscillator (LO) laser phase noise (LPN). The impact of [...] Read more.
Long-haul optical fiber communication employing digital signal processing (DSP)-based dispersion compensation can be distorted by the phenomenon of equalization-enhanced phase noise (EEPN), due to the reciprocities between the dispersion compensation unit and the local oscillator (LO) laser phase noise (LPN). The impact of EEPN scales increases with the increase of the fiber dispersion, laser linewidths, symbol rates, signal bandwidths, and the order of modulation formats. In this work, the phase noise cancellation (PNC) employing a radio frequency (RF) pilot tone in coherent optical transmission systems has been investigated. A 28-Gsym/s QPSK optical transmission system with a significant EEPN has been implemented, where the carrier phase recovery (CPR) was realized using the one-tap normalized least-mean-square (NLMS) estimation and the differential phase detection (DPD), respectively. It is shown that the RF pilot tone can entirely eliminate the LPN and efficiently suppress the EEPN when it is applied prior to the CPR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Communications and Networking: Prospects in Industrial Applications)
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17 pages, 5846 KiB  
Article
Study of the Dynamic Behaviour of Circular Membranes with Low Tension
by Antonia Lima-Rodriguez, Antonio Gonzalez-Herrera and Jose Garcia-Manrique
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4716; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214716 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4909
Abstract
The dynamic behaviour of membranes has been widely studied by well-known authors for a long time. A clear distinction can be made between the behaviour of membranes without tension (plate case) and membranes subjected to large tension or pre-strain in their plane (membrane [...] Read more.
The dynamic behaviour of membranes has been widely studied by well-known authors for a long time. A clear distinction can be made between the behaviour of membranes without tension (plate case) and membranes subjected to large tension or pre-strain in their plane (membrane case). In classical theories, less attention has been paid to membranes subjected to a low level of tension, which solution is between both extreme cases. Recently, certain fields of research are demanding solutions for this intermediate behaviour. It is the case of membranes present in MEMS and sensor or the response of the tympanic membrane in mammals hearing system. In this paper, the behaviour of plates and circular membranes with boundary conditions clamped in the edges has been studied. The natural frequencies for both cases (plate and membrane) have been calculated using the solutions of the traditional theories and these have been compared with the numerical frequencies calculated by finite element analysis. The dynamic response of membrane with low tension, corresponding to a transition between these extreme behaviours, has also been calculated. A theoretical solution has been used complemented with a wide set of numerical finite elements calculations. The analytical and numerical solutions are very close, being the error made using both methods very low; nevertheless, there are no analytical solutions for the entire transition zone between the plate and membrane behaviour. Therefore, this range has been completed using finite element analysis. Broad ranges of geometric configurations have been studied. The transition behaviour of the membrane has been clearly identified. The main practical consequences of these results have been discussed, in particular focused on the response of the tympanic membrane. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Acoustics and Vibrations)
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18 pages, 3791 KiB  
Article
Adaptive Network Based Fuzzy Inference System with Meta-Heuristic Optimizations for International Roughness Index Prediction
by Hoang-Long Nguyen, Binh Thai Pham, Le Hoang Son, Nguyen Trung Thang, Hai-Bang Ly, Tien-Thinh Le, Lanh Si Ho, Thanh-Hai Le and Dieu Tien Bui
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4715; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214715 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 4647
Abstract
The International Roughness Index (IRI) is the one of the most important roughness indexes to quantify road surface roughness. In this paper, we propose a new hybrid approach between adaptive network based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and various meta-heuristic optimizations such as the [...] Read more.
The International Roughness Index (IRI) is the one of the most important roughness indexes to quantify road surface roughness. In this paper, we propose a new hybrid approach between adaptive network based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and various meta-heuristic optimizations such as the genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and the firefly algorithm (FA) to develop several hybrid models namely GA based ANGIS (GANFIS), PSO based ANFIS (PSOANFIS), FA based ANFIS (FAANFIS), respectively, for the prediction of the IRI. A benchmark model named artificial neural networks (ANN) was also used to compare with those hybrid models. To do this, a total of 2811 samples in the case study of the north of Vietnam (Northwest region, Northeast region, and the Red River Delta Area) within the scope of management of the DRM-I Department were used to validate the models in terms of various criteria like coefficient of determination (R) and the root mean square error (RMSE). Experimental results affirmed the potentiality and effectiveness of the proposed prediction models whereas the PSOANFIS (RMSE = 0.145 and R = 0.888) is better than the other models named GANFIS (RMSE = 0.155 and R = 0.872), FAANFIS (RMSE = 0.170 and R = 0.849), and ANN (RMSE = 0.186 and R = 0.804). The results of this study are helpful for accurate prediction of the IRI for evaluation of quality of road surface roughness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meta-heuristic Algorithms in Engineering)
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13 pages, 3541 KiB  
Article
Experiment and Modeling on Macro Fiber Composite Stress-Induced Actuation Function Degradation
by Wei Wang, Zikuo Zhang and Zhichun Yang
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4714; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214714 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2268
Abstract
The effect of stress depolarization will cause actuation function degradation of a piezoelectric actuator, which can eventually trigger function failure of the piezoelectric smart structure system. In the present study, we experimentally demonstrate the degradation process of the actuation function of the Macro [...] Read more.
The effect of stress depolarization will cause actuation function degradation of a piezoelectric actuator, which can eventually trigger function failure of the piezoelectric smart structure system. In the present study, we experimentally demonstrate the degradation process of the actuation function of the Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) piezoelectric actuator. Actuation function degradation data of MFC actuators undergoing cyclic loads with four different stress amplitudes have been measured. Based upon the experimental results, the radial basis function (RBF) neural network learning algorithm was adopted to establish a neural network model, in order to predict the actuation function degenerative degree of the MFC actuator, undergoing arbitrary cyclic load within the concerned stress amplitude range. The maximum relative error between the predicted result and our experimental result is 4%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the ICMR 2019)
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14 pages, 3112 KiB  
Article
Mixed Hardwood and Sugarcane Bagasse Biochar as Potting Mix Components for Container Tomato and Basil Seedling Production
by Ping Yu, Qiansheng Li, Lan Huang, Genhua Niu and Mengmeng Gu
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4713; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214713 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3471
Abstract
To investigate the potential of biochar as a propagation mix component, three experiments were conducted. A phytotoxicity test was conducted with water extract of sugarcane bagasse biochar (SBB), SBB mixes (10%, 30%, 50%, and 70% SBB with 30% perlite (P) and the rest [...] Read more.
To investigate the potential of biochar as a propagation mix component, three experiments were conducted. A phytotoxicity test was conducted with water extract of sugarcane bagasse biochar (SBB), SBB mixes (10%, 30%, 50%, and 70% SBB with 30% perlite (P) and the rest being peat moss (PM); by vol.), mixed hardwood biochar (HB) mixes (10%, 30%, 50%, 70% and 100% HB with PM; by vol.), PM, P, 70%PM:30%P, and a commercial propagation mix (exp. 1). None of the mixes caused phytotoxicity. The same biochar mixes (except 100% HB) were used for the seedling growth test (exp. 2). Both tomato and basil seedlings grown in all of the biochar mixes (except 50% HB) had significantly lower fresh weight, dry weight and growth index (GI) compared to a commercial propagation mix. Six seedlings from each biochar mix were transplanted into a commercial growing mix and grown for four weeks (exp. 3). Tomato seedlings from all biochar mixes (except 30% SBB) had similar SPAD (Soil-Plant Analyses Development) and GI to the control. Basil seedlings from all HB mixes, 70% and 100% SBB mixes had similar GI to the control. In conclusion, 70% HB could be amended with PM for tomato and basil seedling production without negative effects on plant biomass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Carbon Materials from Biomass and Their Applications)
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10 pages, 2674 KiB  
Article
Design of Positioning Mechanism Fit Clearances Based on On-Orbit Re-Orientation Accuracy
by Qingya Li, Libao Yang, Weiguo Zhao, Zhen Shi and Zhenyu Liu
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4712; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214712 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2159
Abstract
The factors affecting the re-orientation accuracy of the on-orbit replaceable optical unit were studied, and the mathematical models of the relationships between fit clearances of positioning mechanisms and the limits of rotation angles were deduced. When the relative position relationship of positioning mechanisms [...] Read more.
The factors affecting the re-orientation accuracy of the on-orbit replaceable optical unit were studied, and the mathematical models of the relationships between fit clearances of positioning mechanisms and the limits of rotation angles were deduced. When the relative position relationship of positioning mechanisms was determined, fit clearances were designed according to the requirement of the rotation angle limits, and the rotation angle limits were determined to ensure that the angles were within the index range. Theodolites were used to measure the re-orientation angles of the optical unit, and the errors between the measurement angles and the real angles were deduced. Then, the numerical simulation proved that the errors were within limits. The microgravity test environment was established, and the weight of the optical unit was unloaded by a suspension method to simulate the state of the optical unit when it was replaced on orbit. The test results confirmed the correctness of the design method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Mechanical Engineering)
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23 pages, 10605 KiB  
Article
Economic Optimization of the Energy Supply for a Logistics Center Considering Variable-Rate Energy Tariffs and Integration of Photovoltaics
by Alex Ximenes Naves, Victor Tulus, Elaine Garrido Vazquez, Laureano Jiménez Esteller, Assed Naked Haddad and Dieter Boer
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4711; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214711 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2444
Abstract
The energy supplied by photovoltaic (PV) panels connected to the grid creates more flexibility for energy management; however, oversizing the PV system may result in an energy surplus, an essential factor to be considered during energy efficiency optimization. The economic analysis of energy [...] Read more.
The energy supplied by photovoltaic (PV) panels connected to the grid creates more flexibility for energy management; however, oversizing the PV system may result in an energy surplus, an essential factor to be considered during energy efficiency optimization. The economic analysis of energy supply systems for buildings and industry should include a detailed feasibility analysis and a life cycle perspective. Simulations were performed to quantify the potential savings when the excess of PV energy (surplus) is supposed to be exported to the grid by considering the net metering and net billing approaches. Our objective was to evaluate the electrical demand of a logistics center with pre-design modeling and simulation, and determine the adequate system configurations by considering the life cycle costing (LCC). We established a baseline and three alternative economic scenarios for optimization. Combining the use of TRNSYS 180 Simulation Studio and its optimization library component, GenOp (Generic Optimization Program), we simulated different options of grid energy contracts considering the variable tariffs and the integration with PVs. Based on the LCC, a single-objective optimization (SOO) process was performed. This approach allowed us to envisage possible configurations, reducing up to a quarter of annual grid energy consumption that represents savings of around 21% for the LCC in a timeframe of 20 years, reaching up to 39% when the export of the PV surplus energy is considered. The payback period of investments is below six years for the optimal scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Engineering Thermodynamics)
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2 pages, 172 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue on Microgrids
by Mònica Aragüés Peñalba and Andreas Sumper
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4710; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214710 - 05 Nov 2019
Viewed by 1596
Abstract
Integration of renewable energy sources in the electrical power system is key for enabling the decarbonization of that system [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microgrids)
10 pages, 249 KiB  
Article
Test-Retest Reliability of Kinematic Parameters of Timed Up and Go in People with Type 2 Diabetes
by Francisco J. Dominguez-Muñoz, Miguel A. Hernández-Mocholi, Luis J. Manso, Daniel Collado-Mateo, Santos Villafaina, Jose C. Adsuar and Narcis Gusi
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4709; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214709 - 05 Nov 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2768
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease defined as a state of hyperglycaemia in fasting or postprandial states. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) often show reduced physical function, including low levels of strength, balance or mobility. In this regard, the timed up [...] Read more.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease defined as a state of hyperglycaemia in fasting or postprandial states. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) often show reduced physical function, including low levels of strength, balance or mobility. In this regard, the timed up and go (TUG) is a widely used physical fitness test in people with T2DM. However, there is a lack of studies evaluating the properties TUG in this population. The present study aimed to evaluate the test-retest reliability of kinetic and kinematic parameters obtained from TUG in the diabetic population with different levels of diabetic neuropathy. A total of 56 patients with T2DM participated in the study. They were divided into three groups according to the vibration threshold: (a) severe neuropathy, (b) moderate neuropathy and (c) normal perception. The TUG was performed using two force platforms to assess kinematic measurements. The results show that both kinetic and kinematic variables had good to excellent reliability. The reliability of TUG was excellent for the whole sample and the groups with non-severe neuropathy. However, it was just good for the group with severe neuropathy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanical Spectrum of Human Sport Performance)
14 pages, 3407 KiB  
Article
Parallel Analysis of Offshore Wind Turbine Structures under Ultimate Loads
by Shen-Haw Ju, Yu-Cheng Huang and Hsin-Hsiang Hsu
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4708; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214708 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3490
Abstract
This paper investigates efficient design of offshore wind turbine (OWT) support structures under ultimate loads and proposes three schemes to overcome excessive computer time due to many required external loads. The first is the assumption of a rigid support structure to find blade [...] Read more.
This paper investigates efficient design of offshore wind turbine (OWT) support structures under ultimate loads and proposes three schemes to overcome excessive computer time due to many required external loads. The first is the assumption of a rigid support structure to find blade wind forces, so that these forces are only dependent on wind profiles, which limits different cases in the structural analyses. Since the blade information is often confidential in turbine companies, this two-stage analysis allows the hub force to be the input data for the support structure design. The second is using a few control loads to perform the steel design between the second and the second-last design cycles. The third is using parallel computational procedures, since all loading cases can be independently executed in different CPU cores and computers. The test cases, with 5044 loading cases, indicate that the proposed method is fully parallel and can complete the design procedures using a few personal computers within several days. Test cases include IEC 61400-3, tropical cyclone, and seismic loads; although there are many loads to be considered, steel design is governed by a limited number of load cases, which are discussed in this paper. Full article
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15 pages, 9257 KiB  
Article
A Framework for Real-Time 3D Freeform Manipulation of Facial Video
by Jungsik Park, Byung-Kuk Seo and Jong-Il Park
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4707; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214707 - 04 Nov 2019
Viewed by 3618
Abstract
This paper proposes a framework that allows 3D freeform manipulation of a face in live video. Unlike existing approaches, the proposed framework provides natural 3D manipulation of a face without background distortion and interactive face editing by a user’s input, which leads to [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a framework that allows 3D freeform manipulation of a face in live video. Unlike existing approaches, the proposed framework provides natural 3D manipulation of a face without background distortion and interactive face editing by a user’s input, which leads to freeform manipulation without any limitation of range or shape. To achieve these features, a 3D morphable face model is fitted to a face region in a video frame and is deformed by the user’s input. The video frame is then mapped as a texture to the deformed model, and the model is rendered on the video frame. Because of the high computational cost, parallelization and acceleration schemes are also adopted for real-time performance. Performance evaluation and comparison results show that the proposed framework is promising for 3D face editing in live video. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Computer Interaction and 3D Face Analysis)
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16 pages, 2974 KiB  
Article
Damaging Effects of Pulsed Electric Field Process Parameters on Rhizoctonia solani Cells Using Response Surface Methodology
by Xuebin Feng, Qianhui Jiang, Mengyu Zhu, Jia Jiang, Wenqing Yin and Hua Li
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4706; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214706 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2697
Abstract
This work aimed to analyse the damaging effects of pulsed electric fields on Rhizoctonia solani. Design Expert software was used to design an orthogonal experiment. The cell membrane damage and cell wall damage were observed by scanning electron microscopy and quantitatively determined [...] Read more.
This work aimed to analyse the damaging effects of pulsed electric fields on Rhizoctonia solani. Design Expert software was used to design an orthogonal experiment. The cell membrane damage and cell wall damage were observed by scanning electron microscopy and quantitatively determined while using a conductivity metre and an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The results showed that the cell membrane damage rate was correlated with the voltage amplitude and processing time (p < 0.01), while the effect of pulse duration was not significant (p > 0.05). Besides, the cell wall damage was related to electric field strength (voltage amplitude) (p < 0.01), while the pulse duration and processing time had no significant effect on that (p > 0.05). The optimal process parameters for this method were 25 kV/cm, 5 min., and a pulse duration of 60 µs. The optimised conditions were tested based on these results. When compared with Control Check (CK), the cell membrane damage rate was 48.72%, which was significantly higher than CK (p < 0.01). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-Art of Microbial Concerns in Food Safety)
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15 pages, 3186 KiB  
Article
Simultaneous Analysis of Heavy Metal Concentration in Soil Samples
by Anna Śliwińska, Adam Smolinski and Piotr Kucharski
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4705; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214705 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4361
Abstract
The application of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to the simultaneous analysis of heavy metal concentration in soil samples was demonstrated in this paper. Two spectral techniques, namely, attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and diffuse reflectance (DRIFT), were applied and the whole infrared spectral region, [...] Read more.
The application of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to the simultaneous analysis of heavy metal concentration in soil samples was demonstrated in this paper. Two spectral techniques, namely, attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and diffuse reflectance (DRIFT), were applied and the whole infrared spectral region, i.e., far IR, mid IR, and near IR were considered in this work. Spectral data with reference to the results of laboratory analysis enabled the development of calibration partial least squares (PLS) models. The PLS models for the ATR near IR were characterized by a good fit and good prediction abilities. According to the results obtained, the most accurate description and prediction were realized in the case of mid/far and near IR for the mercury and nickel concentration in soil. Application of far IR slightly improved the prediction possibilities of the model. The construction of PLS models based on the Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra enables the perception of FT-IR spectroscopy as a supplementary method that is useful in the estimation and monitoring of the contamination level in soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sciences)
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29 pages, 6889 KiB  
Article
Is Deployment of Charging Station the Barrier to Electric Vehicle Fleet Development in EU Urban Areas? An Analytical Assessment Model for Large-Scale Municipality-Level EV Charging Infrastructures
by Giacomo Talluri, Francesco Grasso and David Chiaramonti
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4704; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214704 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3779
Abstract
This work investigates minimum charging infrastructure size and cost for two typical EU urban areas and given passenger car electric vehicle (EV) fleets. Published forecasts sources were analyzed and compared with actual EU renewal fleet rate, deriving realistic EV growth figures. An analytical [...] Read more.
This work investigates minimum charging infrastructure size and cost for two typical EU urban areas and given passenger car electric vehicle (EV) fleets. Published forecasts sources were analyzed and compared with actual EU renewal fleet rate, deriving realistic EV growth figures. An analytical model, accounting for battery electric vehicle-plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (BEV-PHEV) fleets and publicly accessible and private residential charging stations (CS) were developed, with a novel data sorting method and EV fleet forecasts. Through a discrete-time Markov chain, the average daily distribution of charging events and related energy demand were estimated. The model was applied to simulated Florence and Bruxelles scenarios between 2020 and 2030, with a 1-year timestep resolution and a multiple scenario approach. EV fleet at 2030 ranged from 2.3% to 17.8% of total fleet for Florence, 4.6% to 16.5% for Bruxelles. Up to 2053 CS could be deployed in Florence and 5537 CS in Bruxelles, at estimated costs of ~8.3 and 21.4 M€ respectively. Maximum energy demand of 130 and 400 MWh was calculated for Florence and Bruxelles (10.3 MW and 31.7 MW respectively). The analysis shows some policy implications, especially as regards the distribution of fast vs. slow/medium CS, and the associated costs. The critical barrier for CS development in the two urban areas is thus likely to become the time needed to install CS in the urban context, rather than the related additional electric power and costs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cutting-Edge Technologies for Renewable Energy Production and Storage)
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10 pages, 774 KiB  
Article
Effect of Glycerol Concentration and Light Intensity on Growth and Biochemical Composition of Arthrospira (Spirulina) Platensis: A Study in Semi-Continuous Mode with Non-Aseptic Conditions
by Giorgos Markou, Eleni Kougia, Io Kefalogianni, Vasiliki Tsagou, Dimitrios Arapoglou and Iordanis Chatzipavlidis
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4703; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214703 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4246
Abstract
In this study, Arthrospira platensis was grown in the presence of different glycerol concentrations (0.5–9 g/L) under three light intensities (5, 10 and 15 Klux) in semi-continuous mode and under non-axenic conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth performance, [...] Read more.
In this study, Arthrospira platensis was grown in the presence of different glycerol concentrations (0.5–9 g/L) under three light intensities (5, 10 and 15 Klux) in semi-continuous mode and under non-axenic conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth performance, the biomass biochemical composition and any interactions between A. platensis and bacteria that would potentially grow as well on glycerol. The results here show that glycerol did not have any positive effect on biomass production of A. platensis. In contrast, it was observed that by increasing glycerol concentration the growth performance of A. platensis was restricted, while a gradual increase of bacteria population was observed, which apparently outcompeted and repressed A. platensis growth. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements (Quantum Yields) revealed that glycerol was not an inhibiting factor per se of photosynthesis. On the other hand, cyanobacterial biomass grown on glycerol displayed a higher content in proteins and lipids. Especially, protein productivity was enhanced around 15–35% with the addition of glycerol compared to the control. In distinction, carbohydrate and photosynthetic pigments (phycocyanin and chlorophyll-α) content decreased with the increase of glycerol concentration. The results here suggest that A. platensis did not utilize glycerol for biomass production but most probably as metabolic energy carrier towards synthesis of proteins and lipids, which are more energy consuming metabolites compared to carbohydrates. The study revealed that the addition of glycerol at amounts of 0.5–1.5 g/L could be a strategy to improve protein productivity by A. platensis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends on Algal Biotechnology for a Circular Economy)
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15 pages, 985 KiB  
Article
Variable Neighborhood Search Algorithms for an Integrated Manufacturing and Batch Delivery Scheduling Minimizing Total Tardiness
by Cheol Min Joo and Byung Soo Kim
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4702; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214702 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2003
Abstract
This article addresses an integrated problem of one batching and two scheduling decisions between a manufacturing plant and multi-delivery sites. In this problem, two scheduling problems and one batching problem must be simultaneously determined. In the manufacturing plant, jobs ordered by multiple customers [...] Read more.
This article addresses an integrated problem of one batching and two scheduling decisions between a manufacturing plant and multi-delivery sites. In this problem, two scheduling problems and one batching problem must be simultaneously determined. In the manufacturing plant, jobs ordered by multiple customers are first manufactured by one of the machines in the plant. They are grouped to the same delivery place and delivered to the corresponding customers using a set of delivery trucks within a limited capacity. For the optimal solution, a mixed integer linear programming model is developed and two variable neighborhood search algorithms employing different probabilistic schemes. We tested the proposed algorithms to compare the performance and conclude that the variable neighborhood search algorithm with dynamic case selection probability finds better solutions in reasonable computing times compared with the variable neighborhood search algorithm with static case selection probability and genetic algorithms based on the test results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Computing and Artificial Intelligence)
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19 pages, 3154 KiB  
Article
A Text Abstraction Summary Model Based on BERT Word Embedding and Reinforcement Learning
by Qicai Wang, Peiyu Liu, Zhenfang Zhu, Hongxia Yin, Qiuyue Zhang and Lindong Zhang
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4701; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214701 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 50 | Viewed by 10699
Abstract
As a core task of natural language processing and information retrieval, automatic text summarization is widely applied in many fields. There are two existing methods for text summarization task at present: abstractive and extractive. On this basis we propose a novel hybrid model [...] Read more.
As a core task of natural language processing and information retrieval, automatic text summarization is widely applied in many fields. There are two existing methods for text summarization task at present: abstractive and extractive. On this basis we propose a novel hybrid model of extractive-abstractive to combine BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) word embedding with reinforcement learning. Firstly, we convert the human-written abstractive summaries to the ground truth labels. Secondly, we use BERT word embedding as text representation and pre-train two sub-models respectively. Finally, the extraction network and the abstraction network are bridged by reinforcement learning. To verify the performance of the model, we compare it with the current popular automatic text summary model on the CNN/Daily Mail dataset, and use the ROUGE (Recall-Oriented Understudy for Gisting Evaluation) metrics as the evaluation method. Extensive experimental results show that the accuracy of the model is improved obviously. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Language Processing: Emerging Neural Approaches and Applications)
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20 pages, 14381 KiB  
Article
Application of Thermal Image Data to Detect Rebar Corrosion in Concrete Structures
by Seunguk Na and Inkwan Paik
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4700; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214700 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3437
Abstract
Rebar corrosion monitoring techniques have been used in studies involving embedded sensors that can detect changes in the corrosion currents and the polarization resistance of rebars in large structures. Defect detection methods that employ infrared cameras are useful non-destructive testing methods to detect [...] Read more.
Rebar corrosion monitoring techniques have been used in studies involving embedded sensors that can detect changes in the corrosion currents and the polarization resistance of rebars in large structures. Defect detection methods that employ infrared cameras are useful non-destructive testing methods to detect defects in concrete structures. However, the measurement results from these methods would vary depending upon several factors that affect thermography. Because of these reasons, they have not been able to provide sufficient reliability. The goal of this study is to develop a technique that uses infrared cameras to quantitatively measure rebar corrosion rates. To examine the impact of the cover thickness, the experiment variables were set at cover thicknesses of 10, 20, and 30 mm and rebar corrosion ratios of 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10%. Each variable was tested and a total of 60 specimens were created (i.e., 54 specimens and 6 preliminary specimens). In this study, corrosion was applied using an electrochemical corrosion method that employs Faraday’s law, i.e., the law of conservation of electric charge. The test results of height, width, and area of temperature distribution curve were analyzed, the height of temperature distribution curve was increased as the heating time was grown. In addition, the area of temperature distribution was varied dependent upon the corrosion rate and cover thickness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sciences)
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9 pages, 1702 KiB  
Article
Raman Spectroscopic Study of Coal Samples during Heating
by Yingfang Xie, Jinglin You, Liming Lu, Min Wang and Jian Wang
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4699; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214699 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3044
Abstract
Raman spectroscopy can be used to record the characteristic spectra of carbonaceous materials. The D and G bands are the most popular and most important spectral characteristics when discussing carbonaceous materials. In this paper, a Raman spectroscopic study of different coals was first [...] Read more.
Raman spectroscopy can be used to record the characteristic spectra of carbonaceous materials. The D and G bands are the most popular and most important spectral characteristics when discussing carbonaceous materials. In this paper, a Raman spectroscopic study of different coals was first carried out using a 355 nm wavelength laser beam as an excitation source. The spectral parameters of the resultant spectra were evaluated and analyzed. Raman spectral characteristics of different kinds of coals were explored. The high temperature-dependent Raman spectra of the coals were further collected in a temperature range from 298 to 1473 K in order to investigate the transformations of the internal structure of the coals during the pyrolysis process. An abnormal blue shift of the G band occurred at moderate temperature (600–900 K), and the intensity of the G band became weaker at high temperatures, indicating pyrolysis and graphitization of the sample at moderate and high temperature, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Energy Science and Technology)
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15 pages, 1604 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Multistream Fast TCP: Rapid Bandwidth Utilization after Fast-Recovery Phase
by Sarfraz Ahmad and Muhammad Junaid Arshad
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4698; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214698 - 04 Nov 2019
Viewed by 3664
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to enhance the performance of Multistream Fast Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) keeping in view the recent web-based applications that are being deployed on long-range, high-speed, and high-bandwidth networks. To achieve the objective of the research study, a [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study is to enhance the performance of Multistream Fast Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) keeping in view the recent web-based applications that are being deployed on long-range, high-speed, and high-bandwidth networks. To achieve the objective of the research study, a congestion control after fast-recovery module for congestion control scheme of Multistream Fast TCP is proposed. The module optimized the performance of the protocol by reducing the time that is required to consume the available bandwidth after a fast-recovery phase. The module is designed after studying additive-increase, multiplicative-decrease and rate-based congestion window management schemes of related transport protocols. The module adjusts the congestion window on receipt of each individual acknowledgment instead of each round trip time after the fast-recovery phase until it consumes vacant bandwidth of the network link. The module is implemented by using Network Simulator 2. Convergence time, throughput, fairness index, and goodput are the parameters used to assess the performance of proposed module. The results indicate that Enhanced Multistream Fast TCP with congestion control after fast recovery recovers its congestion window in a shorter time period as compared to multistream Fast TCP, Fast TCP, TCP New Reno, and Stream Control Transmission Protocol. Consequently, Enhanced Multistream Fast TCP consumes the available network bandwidth in lesser time and increases the throughput and goodput. The proposed module enhanced the performance of the transport layer protocol. Our findings demonstrate the performance impact in the form of a decrease in the convergence time to consume the available network bandwidth and the increase in the throughput and the goodput. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering)
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19 pages, 3329 KiB  
Article
A New Method to Determine How Compaction Affects Water and Heat Transport in Green Roof Substrates
by Victoria Sandoval and Francisco Suárez
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4697; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214697 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2433
Abstract
Although compaction affects water and heat transport processes in porous media, few studies have dealt with this problem. This is particularly true for substrates, which are artificial porous media used for engineering and technological solutions, such as in vegetated or green roofs. We [...] Read more.
Although compaction affects water and heat transport processes in porous media, few studies have dealt with this problem. This is particularly true for substrates, which are artificial porous media used for engineering and technological solutions, such as in vegetated or green roofs. We propose a methodology to study the effect of substrate compaction on the characterization of physical, hydrodynamic and thermal properties of five green roof substrates. The methodology consists in a parametric analysis that uses the properties of a substrate with known bulk density, and then modifies the substrate properties to consider how compaction affects water and heat fluxes. Coupled heat and water transport numerical simulations were performed to assess the impact of the changes in the previous properties on the hydraulic and thermal performance of a hypothetical roof system. Our results showed that compaction reduced the amplitude of the fluctuations in the volumetric water content daily cycles, increasing the average water content and reducing the breakthrough time of the green roof substrates. Compaction changes the thermal behavior of the green roof substrates in different ways for each substrate due to the dependence of the air, water and soil fraction of each substrate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends of Sustainability in Civil Engineering and Architecture)
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16 pages, 3594 KiB  
Article
Latency-Classification-Based Deadline-Aware Task Offloading Algorithm in Mobile Edge Computing Environments
by HeeSeok Choi, Heonchang Yu and EunYoung Lee
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4696; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214696 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3253
Abstract
In this study, we consider an edge cloud server in which a lightweight server is placed near a user device for the rapid processing and storage of large amounts of data. For the edge cloud server, we propose a latency classification algorithm based [...] Read more.
In this study, we consider an edge cloud server in which a lightweight server is placed near a user device for the rapid processing and storage of large amounts of data. For the edge cloud server, we propose a latency classification algorithm based on deadlines and urgency levels (i.e., latency-sensitive and latency-tolerant). Furthermore, we design a task offloading algorithm to reduce the execution time of latency-sensitive tasks without violating deadlines. Unlike prior studies on task offloading or scheduling that have applied no deadlines or task-based deadlines, we focus on a comprehensive deadline-aware task scheduling scheme that performs task offloading by considering the real-time properties of latency-sensitive tasks. Specifically, when a task is offloaded to the edge cloud server due to a lack of resources on the user device, services could be provided without delay by offloading latency-tolerant tasks first, which are presumed to perform relatively important functions. When offloading a task, the type of the task, weight of the task, task size, estimated execution time, and offloading time are considered. By distributing and offloading latency-sensitive tasks as much as possible, the performance degradation of the system can be minimized. Based on experimental performance evaluations, we prove that our latency-based task offloading algorithm achieves a significant execution time reduction compared to previous solutions without incurring deadline violations. Unlike existing research, we applied delays with various network types in the MEC (mobile edge computing) environment for verification, and the experimental result was measured not only by the total response time but also by the cause of the task failure rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Edge Computing Applications in IoT)
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15 pages, 3638 KiB  
Article
Modelling and Stability Analysis of Wind Power Plants Connected to Weak Grids
by Esmaeil Ebrahimzadeh, Frede Blaabjerg, Torsten Lund, John Godsk Nielsen and Philip Carne Kjær
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4695; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214695 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2433
Abstract
It is important to develop modelling tools to predict unstable situations resulting from the interactions between the wind power plant and the weak power system. This paper presents a unified methodology to model and analyse a wind power plant connected to weak grids [...] Read more.
It is important to develop modelling tools to predict unstable situations resulting from the interactions between the wind power plant and the weak power system. This paper presents a unified methodology to model and analyse a wind power plant connected to weak grids in the frequency-domain by considering the dynamics of the phase lock loop (PLL) and controller delays, which have been neglected in most of the previous research into modelling of wind power plants to simplify modelling. The presented approach combines both dq and positive/negative sequence domain modelling, where a single wind turbine is modelled in the dq domain but the whole wind power plant connected to the weak grid is analysed in the positive/negative sequence domain. As the proposed modelling of the wind power plant is systematic and modular and based on the decoupled positive/negative sequence impedances, the application of the proposed methodology is relevant for transmission system operators (TSOs) to assess stability easily with a very low compactional burden. In addition, as the analytical dq impedance models of the single wind turbine are provided, the proposed methodology is an optimization design tool permitting wind turbine manufacturers to tune their converter control. As a case study, a 108 MW wind power plant connected to a weak grid was used to study its sensitivity to variations in network short-circuit level, X/R ratio and line series capacitor compensation (Xc/Xg). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning, Operation, and Control of Power Systems with Large-Scale Renewable Energy)
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29 pages, 7906 KiB  
Review
Shape Memory Polyurethane and its Composites for Various Applications
by Arvind Gupta, Anoth Maharjan and Beom Soo Kim
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4694; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214694 - 04 Nov 2019
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5000
Abstract
The inherent capability to deform and reform in a predefined environment is a unique property existing in shape memory polyurethane. The intrinsic shape memory ability of the polyurethane is due to the presence of macro domains of soft and hard segments in its [...] Read more.
The inherent capability to deform and reform in a predefined environment is a unique property existing in shape memory polyurethane. The intrinsic shape memory ability of the polyurethane is due to the presence of macro domains of soft and hard segments in its bulk, which make this material a potential candidate for several applications. This review is focused on manifesting the applicability of shape memory polyurethane and its composites/blends in various domains, especially to human health such as shielding of electromagnetic interference, medical bandage development, bone tissue engineering, self-healing, implants development, etc. A coherent literature review highlighting the prospects of shape memory polyurethane in versatile applications has been presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Materials Science and Engineering)
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