Performance investigation of single- and double-pass solar air heaters through the use of various fin geometries

This paper presents an experimental comparative study on the thermal performance of the following three single-pass types of solar air heaters (SAHs): (i) without obstacles, (ii) with rectangular obstacles and (iii) with a new form of obstacles in the air flow duct. Thus, we carried out studies to compare the best system with (iiii) a double-pass flat plate collector having the same type of obstacles in order to determine the best-performing model. All collectors were designed, constructed and tested in the University of Biskra (Algeria) in a stand facing South at an inclination angle equal to the local latitude. In comparison with the recent literature, at different air mass flows, the highest efficiencies were obtained from the double-pass SAH with trapezoidal obstacles. In addition, this study has allowed us to show that the use of obstacles, in the air flow duct of the SAHs, is an efficient method to improve their performances.     

Multivariate Data Analysis of Fatty Acid Content in the Classification of Olive Oils Developed Through Controlled Crossbreeding

The fatty acid (FA) composition of 540 Tunisian virgin olive oil hybrids (VOO) were classified by principal component analysis (PCA). Pearson correlation between FA variables revealed an inverse association between C18:1 and C18:2; C18:1 and C16:0, while C16:0 and C16:1 were positively correlated. PCA yielded five significant PCs, which together account for 79.95% of the total variance; with PC1 contributing 36.84% of the total. Eigenvalue analysis revealed that PC1 was mainly attributed to C18:1, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and the ratios oleic/linoleic (O/L) and monounsaturated fatty acids/polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFA/PUFA); PC2, by C16:0, saturated fatty acids (SFA) and the palmitic/linoleic ratio (P/L); PC3 by C18:2 and C22:0, PC4 by C18:0 and PC5, by C17:1. Then, PCA analysis indicated that in addition to C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C17:1, and C22:0, MUFA, SFA and the ratios O/L, P/L and MUFA/PUFA were determined to be the main factors responsible for the olive oil hybrids discrimination.     

给水温度对MSF海水淡化系统性能的影响

从理论上研究了给水温度对多级闪蒸海水淡化系统性能的影响,讨论了给水量温度对冷却不量,造水比影响及总换热面积对系统的设计与运行的影响。     

Solutions of a fractional oscillator by using differential transform method

In this paper, we present an efficient algorithm for solving a fractional oscillator using the differential transform method. The fractional derivatives are described in the Caputo sense. The application of differential transform method, developed for differential equations of integer order, is extended to derive approximate analytical solutions of a fractional oscillator. The method provides the solution in the form of a rapidly convergent series. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the preciseness and effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Series and parallel resistance effects on the C–V and G–V characteristics of $$\mathrm{Al}/\mathrm{SiO}_{2}$$/Si structure

This paper investigates the electrical behavior of the C–V and G–V characteristics of \(\mathrm{Al}/\mathrm{SiO}_{2}/\mathrm{Si}\) structure. The modeling of capacitance and conductance has been developed from complex admittance treatment applied to the proposed equivalent circuit. Poisson transport equations have been used to determine the charge density, surface potential, total capacitance, and flatband and threshold voltages as a function of the gate voltage, frequency (\(\omega )\), and series \(({R}_{\mathrm{s}})\) and parallel \(({R}_{\mathrm{p}})\) resistances. Results showed a frequency dispersion of C–V and G–V curves in both accumulation and inversion regimes. With increasing frequency, the accumulation capacitance is decreased, whereas the conductance is strongly increased. The shape, dispersion, and degradation of C–V and G–V characteristics are more influenced when parallel and series resistances \((\mathrm{R}_{\mathrm{s}}\), \(\mathrm{R}_{\mathrm{p}})\) are dependent to substrate doping density. The variation of \(\mathrm{R}_{\mathrm{s}}\) and \(\mathrm{R}_{\mathrm{p}}\) values led to a reduction of flatband voltage from ?1.40 to ?1.26 V and increase of the threshold voltage negatively from ?0.28 to ?0.74 V. A good agreement has been observed between simulated and measured C–V and G–V curves obtained at high frequency.     

Levels,Sources, and Risk Assessment of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Soils from Industrial Areas: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to assess the pollution levels, sources, and human health risk of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soils of industrial areas of the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the surface soil samples from industrial areas (cement kiln, oil refinery, electric power plant, steel industry, and desalination plant) were collected and analyzed by High-Resolution Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry-Time of Flight (HRGC-MS/MS-TOF) to quantify the levels of 26 PCBs (including 12 dioxin-like PCBs and 14 indicator-PCBs). The investigated 26 PCBs were detected in all soil samples. The total PCBs concentration (from tri-CBs to hepta-CBs) ranged from 171 to 4892 pg g^?1 with an average of 1369 pg g^?1 in soils of the central region and of 142–1231 pg g^?1 with an average of 302 in soils of the eastern region, showing higher values at cement factory and/or oil refinery sites. Overall, the indicator-PCBs were the main congeners and contributed dominantly to the total mass of PCBs in comparison with the dioxin-like PCB congeners, with the most abundant for PCB-180 in the soil samples of the central region. Among individual dioxin-like PCBs, PCB-126 had the highest average value of the toxicity equivalence (TEQ). The TEQ values of ∑12dioxin-like PCBs did not exceed the Canadian soil quality guidelines of dioxin (4 pg TEQ g^?1). Based on human health risk assessment via ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation, low adverse effects of PCBs could be expected as indicated by lower values of cancer risk (≤10^?6). The principal component analysis indicated that there is a different source of PCBs with similar or different PCB profiles.     

Synthesis and electrical properties of co-doping with La3+, Nd3+, Y3+, and Eu3+ citric acid-nitrate prepared samarium-doped ceria ceramics

Fluorite oxides Ce_0.8Sm_0.1Ln_0.1O_1.9 (denoted as SDC for singular doping and LnSDC for Ln=La, Nd, Y and Eu), were prepared by the citric acid–nitrate combustion reaction to act as electrolytes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFC). The thermal decomposition, phase identification, morphology, density, particle size distribution and electrical properties of the samples were studied by TGA/TDA, XRD, SEM, the Archimedes method, a laser size analyzer and Impedance spectroscopy, respectively. All crystallite powders that calcined at 800 °C had a cubic fluorite structure; the average crystallite size was between 63 and 68.5 nm. The pellets were then sintered at 1400 °C in air for 7 h. The relative densities of these pellets were over 95%, which was in good agreement with the results of the SEM. The impedance measurements were performed in an open circuit using two electrode configurations. The results showed that Ce_0.8Sm_0.1La_0.1O_1.9 had the highest electrical conductivity, σ_700 °C, equal to 6.59×10^?2 S cm^?1 and the lowest activation energy equal to 0.85 eV. It was therefore concluded that co-doping with the appropriate rare-earth cations can further improve the electrical properties of ceria electrolytes.     

Effects of Alfalfa Saponins on the Moth Spodoptera littoralis

Alfalfa saponins administered to Spodoptera littoralis in the larval diet caused prolongation of the larval and pupal stages, retarded growth, increased mortality, and reduced fecundity and fertility. At least some of these effects were probably due to digestion problems manifested by longer food retention in the gut. Preliminary data indicated that the efficiency of food utilization was not altered. Saponin aglycones exerted similar developmental derangements; medicagenic acid proved most active; hederagenin, soysaponogenol A, and soysaponogenol B exhibited moderate activities; and soysaponogenol E was inactive. It is proposed that saponins become active only when the sugar component is cleaved off by the gut glycosylases and that substrate specificity of these enzymes is decisive for the activity of ingested saponins. For example, all tested -L-arabinopyranosyl glycosides were inactive, while the corresponding aglycones or glucosides were active. The liberated aglycones are apparently deposited in the tissues and exert post-feeding disturbances such as delay of imaginal ecdysis and reduced egg hatchability.