Multi carrier energy systems and energy hubs: Comprehensive review,survey and recommendations

In this paper, the multi carrier energy (MCE) systems are reviewed from different point of views including mathematical models, integrated components and technologies, uncertainty management, planning objectives, environmental pollution, resilience, and robustness. The basic of MCE systems is formed by combination of cooling, heating and power (CCHP). The natural gas and electricity are the main inputs to MCE systems and the cooling, heating, and electricity are the common outputs. The regular energy converters in the MCE systems are combined heat and power (CHP), gas boiler, absorption-electrical chillers, power to gas (P2G) and fuel-cell. The generic energy storages are electrical, heating, cooling, hydrogen, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydro systems.     

Sign Language to Sentence Formation: A Real Time Solution for Deaf People

Communication is a basic need of every human being to exchange thoughts and interact with the society. Acute peoples usually confab through different spoken languages, whereas deaf people cannot do so. Therefore, the Sign Language (SL) is the communication medium of such people for their conversation and interaction with the society. The SL is expressed in terms of specific gesture for every word and a gesture is consisted in a sequence of performed signs. The acute people normally observe these signs to understand the difference between single and multiple gestures for singular and plural words respectively. The signs for singular words such as I, eat, drink, home are unalike the plural words as school, cars, players. A special training is required to gain the sufficient knowledge and practice so that people can differentiate and understand every gesture/sign appropriately. Innumerable researches have been performed to articulate the computer-based solution to understand the single gesture with the help of a single hand enumeration. The complete understanding of such communications are possible only with the help of this differentiation of gestures in computer-based solution of SL to cope with the real world environment. Hence, there is still a demand for specific environment to automate such a communication solution to interact with such type of special people. This research focuses on facilitating the deaf community by capturing the gestures in video format and then mapping and differentiating as single or multiple gestures used in words. Finally, these are converted into the respective words/sentences within a reasonable time. This provide a real time solution for the deaf people to communicate and interact with the society.     

Modeling uranium biosorption by Cystoseira sp. and application studies

The aim of the present work was to determine the applicability of raw and modified brown macroalga Cystoseira sp. as a biosorbent material for the sorption of uranium ions from aqueous solutions. Equilibrium of uranium biosorption was analyzed under isotherm models and thermodynamic parameters of the process. Recovery of uranium from acidic mine wastewater was also applied. The mechanism of biosorption was discussed considering experimental data and theoretical models. The bioremoval efficiency of modified biomass was higher than raw Cystoseira sp. and the theoretical biosorption capacity of modified biosorbent was calculated to be 468.01 mg U/g.     

Remote cutting of Li-ion battery electrodes with infrared and green ns-pulsed fibre lasers

Thin sheet anode and cathode materials made in composite structures constitute some of the most important components of a Li-ion battery. These materials are currently cut by punching technology, which shows degrading behaviour as the tool wears out. A viable option for Li-ion battery electrode manufacturing is the use of remote laser cutting. However, the operation requires fulfilling both productivity and quality aspects to substitute the conventional production method. One of the most critical aspects in quality is the clearance width, which is defined as the extent of the exposed middle layer of the sandwich at the laser cut kerf. This work investigates the quality aspects of laser cutting of Li-ion electrodes when a green fibre laser source (λ?=?532 nm, τ?=?1 ns) is used rather than the more traditional infrared (IR) fibre laser source (λ?=?1,064 nm, τ?=?250 ns). The processing conditions were investigated to reveal the technological feasibility zones. Clearance width was studied within the technological feasibility zones for all the material-laser combinations. Results showed that high productivity criterion is met by the IR system, since cutting speed could reach 30 m/min with 54 W average laser power on both anode and cathode. On the other hand, the green laser provided clearance width below 20 μm. In the best case, the clearance on anode could be eliminated with the green laser system. Although the maximum cutting speed was 4.5 m/min, upscaling of green laser power can provide required productivity.     

An improvement of quantitative strategic planning matrix using multiple criteria decision making and fuzzy numbers

The Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) is a useful tool to prioritize strategies at any level including corporate, business and functional. The ratings and attractive scores used in QSPM, however, require judgmental decisions and should be based on expert's opinion to ensure the applicability of chosen strategies. Application of a fuzzy multi-criteria decision making method is proposed in this paper with the goal of improving the output of conventional QSPM by allowing the experts to employ linguistic terms (qualitative data) in their judgments. Namely, a multi-criteria decision making index via the technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is adapted to the fuzzy QSPM in finding the sum total attractive scores of strategies. As a case study, the proposed method has been applied for strategy prioritization in a Tile Company. The results have been verified with expert knowledge and showed an improvement compared to the non-fuzzy QSPM.     

Photoluminescence emission of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide films prepared in phosphoric acid

The photoluminescence emission of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide films formed in phosphoric acid is studied in order to explore their defect-based subband electronic structure. Different excitation wavelengths are used to identify most of the details of the subband states. The films are produced under different anodizing conditions to optimize their emission in the visible range. Scanning electron microscopy investigations confirm pore formation in the produced layers. Gaussian analysis of the emission data indicates that subband states change with anodizing parameters, and various point defects can be formed both in the bulk and on the surface of these nanoporous layers during anodizing.     

Hydrogen liberation from the dehydrocoupling of dimethylamine–borane at room temperature by using novel and highly monodispersed RuPtNi nanocatalysts decorated with graphene oxide

Addressed herein, we reported the fabrication of the graphene oxide (GO) supported monodispersed ruthenium–platinum–nickel (RuPtNi) nanomaterials (3.40 ± 0.32 nm) to be utilized as a catalyst in the process of dimethylamine borane (DMAB) dehydrogenation. The nanoparticles were fabricated through the ultrasonication method by co-reducing the Ru³⁺, Pt²⁺ and Ni²⁺ cations and then the nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The fabricated nanomaterials showed outstanding efficiency and remarkable reusability in addition to their record catalytic activity at low temperatures and with extreme low concentrations. They had a significantly high turnover frequency (TOF) (727 h^?1) and low activation energy (E_a) (49.43 ± 2 kJ mol^?1) for DMAB dehydrocoupling. To the best of our knowledge, RuPtNi@GO NPs become a very promising candidate as the best catalyst ever.     

An overview of the environmental,economic, and material developments of the solar and wind sources coupled with the energy storage systems

There is a constant growth in energy consumption and consequently energy generation around the world. During the recent decades, renewable energy sources took heed of scientists and policy makers as a remedy for substituting traditional sources. Wind and photovoltaic (PV) are the least reliable sources because of their dependence on wind speed and irradiance and therefore their intermittent nature. Energy storage systems are usually coupled with these sources to increase the reliability of the hybrid system. Environmental effects are one of the biggest concerns associated with the renewable energy sources. This study summarizes the last and most important environmental and economic analysis of a grid‐connected hybrid network consisting of wind turbine, PV panels, and energy storage systems. Focusing on environmental aspects, this paper reviews land efficiency, shaded analysis of wind turbines and PV panels, greenhouse gas emission, wastes of wind turbine and PV panels' components, fossil fuel consumption, wildlife, sensitive ecosystems, health benefits, and so on. A cost analysis of the energy generated by a hybrid system has been discussed. Furthermore, this study reviews the latest technologies for materials that have been used for solar PV manufacturing. This paper can help to make a right decision considering all aspects of installing a hybrid system. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.