Industrial Apparatus Research Articles

Recuperation systems for fluorinated gases at the CERN LHC Experiments

Particle detectors at the LHC experiments are very often characterised by large detector volumes and by the need of using very specific gases, some of which are greenhouse gases (GHGs). Given their high Global Warming Potential (GWP) and the increasingly stringent European regulations regarding the use and trade of these gases, CERN is today strongly committed to reduce GHGs emissions from particle detector operation. Different approaches have been adopted for reducing the GHG emissions. To achieve this objective, the CERN Gas Team has developed gas recuperation plants: i.e. systems designed to extract GHGs from the exhaust of gas recirculation systems allowing further re-use and, therefore, reducing drastically GHGs emissions without changing detectors operation conditions. They are industrial-scale systems, each of which relies on different principles for gas separation and purification. Considering the unique gas mixtures used in particle detectors, these recuperation systems have been specifically developed as no industrial apparatus currently exists to address these requirements. Recent developments are concerning plants for recuperation of CF4, C2H2F4 (also called R134a), SF6 and C4F10, which are used respectively for Cathode Strip Chambers, (CSCs) Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) and Ring-Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detectors. The separation of fluorinated gases is carried out mainly through membranes, absorbers, or distillation. Two state-of-the-art recuperation systems are briefly described in this paper.

Aproximación al modelo económico de Colombia: revisión histórica y teórica desde la segunda mitad del siglo XX

In this article, the result of research, the models of economic development in Colombia are identified from the second half of the 20th century, a period in which the State initiates a political, social and economic reconfiguration around the relations between the traditional political class with the business and industrial sector of the country. However, the bibliographic or documentary method is applied through a qualitative research approach that allows the bibliographic sources analyzed to be assessed in a rigorous and pertinent manner. It is concluded that the lack of investment in the agrarian and industrial apparatus in the country, as well as the little investment in technological development by the State and the private sector, are the basis of retardation measures in the country's economic model, in this way the Colombian economy lags behind the emerging economies.

Controlling the Variable Inertia of Flywheel: A Scientific Review

Due to the variation of the moment of inertia, flywheels, a well-known mechanical system, can balance the energy output by preventing fluctuations in rotational speed. Examples of prevalent applications are the engine with internal combustion and industrial apparatus. A flywheel with a considerable moment of inertia is mandatory to accomplish reduced angular velocity variations. A flywheel with a variable moment of inertia can be recommended for specific applications to obtain sustainable energy savings. Variations in the masses' radii from the flywheel axis can yield the concept of true inertia. Still, the control techniques for the variable inertial flywheel (VIF) are relatively complex. This paper critically analyses the available literature on VIF control methods and focuses on their application.

Solid–fluid force modeling: Insights from comparing a reduced order model for a pair of particles with resolved CFD-DEM

Solid–fluid force models are essential to efficiently model multiple industrial apparatuses such as fluidized beds, spouted beds, and slurry transport. They are generally built using strong hypotheses (e.g. fully developed flow and no relative motion between particles) that affect their accuracy. We study the effect of these hypotheses on particle dynamics using the sedimentation of a pair of particles. We develop new induced drag, lift and torque models for pairs of particles based on an artificial neural network (ANN) regression. The fluid force model covers a range of Reynolds numbers of 0.1 to 100 and particle centroid distance of up to 9 particle diameters. The ANN model uses 3475 computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results as the training data set. Using this fluid force model, we develop a reduced-order model (ROM), which includes the virtual mass force, the Meshchersky force, the history force, the lubrication force, and the Magnus force. Using the results of a resolved computational fluid dynamics coupled with a discrete element method (CFD-DEM) model as a reference, we analyze the discrepancies between the ROM and CFD-DEM results for a series of sedimentation cases that cover particle Archimedes number from 20 to 2930 and particle to fluid density ratio of 1.5 to 1000. The errors primarily stem from particle history interactions that are not accounted for by the fully developed flow hypothesis. The importance of this effect on the dynamic of two particles is isolated and it is shown that it is more pronounced in cases with a lower particle-to-fluid density ratio (such as solid–liquid cases). This work underscores the need for more research on these effects to increase the precision of solid–fluid force models for small particle-to-fluid density ratios (1.5).

Review of Rotating System for Closing Die of Steel Wires Stranding Machine

The stranding machine utilized for armouring of all electric cables, electric wiring, mechanical motion control cables, clutch wire, wire ropes and structural components or communication cable. It uses for shielding on a cable, tube or liner. This machine is used in industrial apparatus in producing of electric wire and electric cable. It’s a device to manufacturing of mechanical motion control cables, clutch wire and wire ropes. In this paper, we review the development of rotating system for closing die of the stranding machine. We have investigated the problems solutions like undesired tube is rotation so inner jam problem, tube twist problem, poor surface finish and poor stranding quality so the methods of the current machine to be adopted to resolve the problem. The study result into elimination of inner jamming and twisting of tube which Improve the in quality and surface finish of cable and reduce wastages orlosses.

Industrially relevant injection moulding apparatus for in situ time-resolving small-angle X-ray scattering measurements

This work presents the design and construction of an automated industrial injection moulding apparatus that can be used with a typical multi-user beamline such as the NCD-SWEET small-angle X-ray scattering at the ALBA Synchrotron Light Source. This apparatus is focused on developing an understanding of how the mould temperature and the injection temperature and pressure affect both the orientation and morphology of the semi-crystalline polymer used to fabricate the injected parts. The system design follows current industrial practice and enables the collection of time-resolved X-ray scattering data at several points within the mould cavity, so we can understand the 4D morphology. In this work we show the effectiveness of the equipment using some results from the injection moulding of a random copolymer of polypropylene and that it can be used with a more demanding material such as polyhydroxybutyrate. This can be seen as the first step toward a multiscale digital twin for injection moulding.

Synergising an Advanced Optimisation Technique with Deep Learning: A Novel Method in Fault Warning Systems

In the realm of automated industry and smart production, the deployment of fault warning systems is crucial for ensuring equipment reliability and enhancing operational efficiency. Although there are a multitude of existing methodologies for fault warning, the proficiency of these systems in processing and analysing data is increasingly challenged by the progression of industrial apparatus and the escalating magnitude and intricacy of the data involved. To address these challenges, this research outlines an innovative fault warning methodology that combines a bi-directional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) network with an enhanced hunter–prey optimisation (EHPO) algorithm. The Bi-LSTM network is strategically utilised to outline complex temporal patterns in machinery operational data, while the EHPO algorithm is employed to meticulously fine-tune the hyperparameters of the Bi-LSTM, aiming to enhance the accuracy and generalisability of fault warning. The EHPO algorithm, building upon the foundational hunter–prey optimisation (HPO) framework, introduces an advanced population initialisation process, integrates a range of strategic exploration methodologies, and strengthens its search paradigms through the incorporation of the differential evolution (DE) algorithm. This comprehensive enhancement aims to boost the global search efficiency and accelerate the convergence speed of the algorithm. Empirical analyses, conducted using datasets from real-world industrial scenarios, have validated the improved warning performance of this proposed methodology against some benchmark techniques, as evidenced by superior metrics such as root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE), albeit with a slight increase in computational resource requirements. This study not only proposes a novel paradigm for fault warning within complex industrial frameworks but also contributes to the discourse on hyperparameter optimisation within the field of machine learning algorithms.

Modular and Cost-Effective Computed Tomography Design.

We present a modular and cost-effective gamma ray computed tomography system for multiphase flow investigations in industrial apparatuses. It mainly comprises a 137Cs isotopic source and an in-house-assembled detector arc, with a total of 16 scintillation detectors, offering a quantum efficiency of approximately 75% and an active area of 10 × 10 mm2 each. The detectors are operated in pulse mode to exclude scattered gamma photons from counting by using a dual-energy discrimination stage. Flexible application of the computed tomography system, i.e., for various object sizes and densities, is provided by an elaborated detector arc design, in combination with a scanning procedure that allows for simultaneous parallel beam projection acquisition. This allows the scan time to be scaled down with the number of individual detectors. Eventually, the developed scanner successfully upgrades the existing tomography setup in the industry. Here, single pencil beam gamma ray computed tomography is already used to study hydraulics in gas-liquid contactors, with inner diameters of up to 440 mm. We demonstrate the functionality of the new system for radiographic and computed tomographic scans of DN110 and DN440 columns that are operated at varying iso-hexane/nitrogen liquid-gas flow rates.

Optimization of Piperine Extraction Process from Vietnamese White Pepper

The primary theme of this research was to consider and examine the piperine extraction process conditions from white pepper Piper nigrum L. The extraction method was carried out using a solvent cyclic extraction system with the same operating principle as the industrial apparatus and widely used in actual production. First, the one-factor-at-a-time method was used to determine the effects of the parameters on each process. The extraction conditions such as the ethanol concentration (90% v/v), solvent/solid ratio (3:1 mL/g), 3 times extraction per batch, each time at 70 °C for 60 minutes were found. The expected value of piperine yield from white pepper was 38.7 mg piperine/g of dry material and piperine content in oleoresin was 519.2 mg piperine/g of oleoresin. However, this method did not include the interaction effects between the research variables, which has not fully described the impact of the parameter for the response. Therefore, the study has successfully built a process for extracting oleoresin by Response Surface Methodolody (RSM) based on optimal conditions for 3 factors: ethanol concentration (85% v/v); solvent/solid ratio (3.4:1 mL/g), and extraction time (78 minutes). The results showed that the piperine extraction efficiency had a significant improvement (51.99%) compared with the variable-by-variable method (38.7%). This study proved the potential application of white pepper for the purpose of extracting active ingredients and economic. In other words, the entire skull of this pepper, which contained an abundant amount of piperine, was utilized to the maximum without wasting any leftover material after the extraction process.

Fabrication of biodegradable nano medical patches incorporating a sustained-release pharmacological agent using electro-spinning technique

Nano-polymer (self-disappearing) medical patches loaded with a long-acting drug (each substance separately) were created by electro-spinning synthetic polymers PVA and PVP at a rate of 10%W for each polymer and adding various medicinal substances, such as diclofenac de ethylamine and gentamicin, in concentrations of 5%w each. The morphological structure of the produced samples was further studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) before they were turned into a medical adhesive and tested directly on a human hand. This approach has already proven to be effective in delivering the medicine to the affected area without the use of any intermediaries. It is relatively simple to use, safe for medical usage, and inexpensive due to the lack of expensive industrial apparatus required for production.

High temperature oxidation behaviour of NiCrAlY clad developed on SS-304 through microwave irradiation

The current study investigates the underlying causes of the microstructural features, microhardness and high-temperature oxidation behaviour of the NiCrAlY powder cladded stainless steel (SS-304) substrate. The cladding was performed by utilizing an industrial multimode microwave apparatus, operating at 1.1 kW and 2.45 GHz with a 900 s processing time. The fabricated clad layer unveiled perfect metallurgical integration with the substrate and was noticed to be free from obvious flaws, including cracks or improper bonding at the clad-base material interface. The deposited clad layer revealed an equiaxed dendritic microstructure at the top while a typical columnar dendritic microstructure at the centre. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) examination of the clad sample revealed the existence of intermetallic compounds like γ′-Ni3Al, and Al5Y3O12 in addition to a solid solution of Iron (Fe) and Nickel (Ni) and chromium (Cr) enriched matrix. The microhardness of the clad layer was noticed to be higher than that of the uncladded SS-304 specimen. High-temperature oxidation investigation performed at 900 °C in air revealed weight gain by all the samples (bare and clad) in a parabolic fashion, initially for around 10 cycles of oxidation, beyond which the weight gain is noticed to saturate. The maximum oxidation resistance exhibited by the clad sample was credited with having intensified α-Al2O3 in the surface layer.

Selective separation of metals from waste printed circuit boards using supergravity-assisted liquation technology

Waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) are the most crucial components of electronic waste，containing high-value metals that are attractive secondary sources and main recycling targets. This study proposed a combined method of supergravity technology and liquation technology to separate metals from WPCBs. Fe-rich, Cu–Zn and Cu–Sn phases were gradually precipitated and separated in supergravity fields. Two key parameters of separation temperature and gravity coefficient were investigated under different conditions. The optimum temperature was 1100 °C for separating Fe-rich alloy, and 800 °C for separating Cu–Zn and Cu–Sn alloy. Moreover, controlling the gravity coefficient at 600 in this study was deemed the most appropriate and energy-efficient. Under the optimum conditions, the mass fractions of Fe, (Cu + Zn), and (Cu + Sn) in Fe-rich, Cu–Zn, and Cu–Sn alloy reached 81.8 wt%, 95.0 wt%, and 89.9 wt%, respectively. A potential industrial apparatus for the novel method was also proposed. The results demonstrate that the proposed supergravity-assisted liquation method is a promising and optimized approach for selectively separating metals from WPCBs.

Darcy-Forchheimer flow of MHD free convective CNTs Casson nanoliquid via a cosinusoidally fluctuating heated plate

ABSTRACT This study explores the influence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), spanwise cosinusoidally fluctuating thermal and mass diffusion on unsteady MHD free convective flow of Casson nanoliquid via an infinite hot vertical porous plate in a Darcy-Forchheimer porous medium. The overlapping grid multi-domain trivariate spectral collocation method is used to solve the non-dimensional equations. The impact of varying physical estimators on profiles alongside skin friction factor, rate of heat, and mass transport is contemplated. It was disclosed that the velocity and skin friction factors can be maximized via strong buoyancy forces and porous permeability but minimized through strong magnetic field and the Darcy–Forchheimer relation. The temperature and rate of heat transport can be increased by higher levels of heat generation, viscous dissipation, diffusion-thermo, and radiation absorption. Conversely, these factors can be minimized with higher thermal radiation. The introduction of activation energy and nonlinear chemically reactive species is responsible for the increase in species concentration and the rate of mass transport. The velocity and temperature are enhanced with increasing CNTs volume fraction, which leads to an increment in skin friction factor and thermal transport rate. Therefore, the suspension of CNTs in conventional fluids to control the coolant level in industrial apparatuses is absolutely practical.

PCB Board Defect Detection Method based on Improved YOLOv8

This study provides an improved YOLOv8-based printed circuit board (PCB) defect identification method to address the current challenges associated with PCB defect detection, including the detection of small targets, low accuracy, and other related concerns. The YOLOv8 model serves as the foundational framework, and in order to enhance detection speed, the YOLOv8s model is selected due to its reduced parameter count. However, feature extraction becomes challenging for small target defects; to address this, the CA attention mechanism is implemented, which is more attuned to target feature information and aids in feature extraction. As indicated by the experimental findings, the enhanced YOLOv8s-CA algorithm model has the following characteristics: a footprint of 5.79 MB, a mean average precision (mAP) of 90.4 percent, an increase of 6.6 percent over the initial network, and a parameter count augmentation of merely 0.007M. Consequently, this model finds utility in compact industrial inspection apparatus and possesses a wide range of potential applications.

Exploring the determinants of destination satisfaction: a multidimensional approach

Tourism, as one of the major contributors to the world GDP, offers a wide range of economic and non-economic benefits to global society. The exchange of culture and values through travel and tourism improves harmony among people, which is essential for global peace. Consequently, governments have started giving policy significance to the tourism sector and making budget allocations for its promotion in their respective countries. This increased attention on tourism promotion through policy initiatives has fostered research attempts on various aspects of tourism, making it relevant and contemporary. However, few research attempts have been made to study the precursors of destination satisfaction. Therefore, the present study aims to fill this gap by studying the determinants of destination satisfaction through a multidimensional approach. The current study aimed to examine the dimensions of destination satisfaction and its role in deciding the destination loyalty. The study reveals interesting findings that helps the administrative apparatus in the tourism industry to come up with tailor-made policies to sustain and further enhance economic growth. The study findings reveal that factors such as satisfaction with destination characteristics, destination environment, and price significantly influence destination satisfaction among tourists visiting the Maldives. These findings underscore the importance of price as a determining factor in tourists' decision to visit the Maldives, suggesting the promotion of guesthouse tourism to provide a range of price options to attract a diverse tourist base. Additionally, the study emphasizes the necessity to enhance the quality of destination characteristics and prioritize environmental conservation efforts to ensure a positive tourist experience. The results highlight the important dimensions that determine the destination satisfaction of tourists visiting Maldives.

Mechanoluminescence and Photoluminescence Heterojunction for Superior Multimode Sensing Platform of Friction, Force, Pressure, and Temperature in Fibers and 3D-Printed Polymers.

Endowing a single material with various types of luminescence, that is, exhibiting a simultaneous optical response to different stimuli, is vital in various fields. A photoluminescence (PL)- and mechanoluminescence (ML)-based multifunctional sensing platform is built by combining heterojunctioned ZnS/CaZnOS:Mn2+ mechano-photonic materials using a 3D-printing technique and fiber spinning. ML-active particles are embedded in micrometer-sized cellulose fibers for flexible optical devices capable of emitting light driven by mechanical force. Individually modified 3D-printed hard units that exhibit intense ML in response to mechanical deformation, such as impact and friction, are also fabricated. Importantly, they also allow low-pressure sensing up to ≈100bar, a range previously inaccessible by any other optical sensing technique. Moreover, the developed optical manometer based on the PL of the materials demonstrates a superior high-pressure sensitivity of ≈6.20nmGPa-1 . Using this sensing platform, four modes of temperature detection can be achieved: excitation-band spectral shifts, emission-band spectral shifts, bandwidth broadening, and lifetime shortening. This work supports the possibility of mass production of ML-active mechanical and optoelectronic parts integrated with scientific and industrial tools and apparatus.

Effect of Polypropylene Fiber Type, Content and Length on Mechanical Performance of Rigid Polyurethane Composites

The purpose of this work is to improve mechanical properties of rigid polyurethane (RPU) composites used in traditional ceramic casting industry. Therefore, monofilament (mono) and fibermesh (fibril) polypropylene (PP) fibers with various lengths (3, 6, 12 and 18 mm) were incorporated to polymer matrix at different rates (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2% by weight). Effects of fiber type and content on flexural strength, bending strength and compressive strength of composites were investigated. Surface morphology and thermal characteristics of composites were evaluated by SEM and TGA analysis, respectively. Bulk densities of specimens with and without PP fibers vary between 72,15-146 kg/m3. Compared to pure rigid polyurethane foam, bulk density of monofilament PP reinforced composites significantly increased and the highest density value (146,86 kg/m3) was reached in M6/2.0 sample. On the other hand, incorporation of fibrilmesh caused a decrease in bulk density. While the increase in percentage of mono PP increased flexural strength, the presence of fibril PP had a negative effect on strength. Compressive strength of all mono PP reinforced composites is higher than that of pure RPU, except for M6/0.5 sample. Besides, SEM analysis revealed that the presence of PP fibers generally reduced number of closed cells in composite structure. Experimental findings indicate that fiber type, content and length affect mechanical performance of RPU composites. In addition, it is possible to use mono PP fiber reinforced RPU composites as support apparatus in ceramic casting industry.

Effect of Croton tetradenius essential oil on larval viability, pupal viability, and wing geometric morphometrics of Aedes aegypti

Plant-derived insecticides, such as the essential oils of Croton species, can be an effective alternative to replace synthetic chemical insecticides against Aedes aegypti. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the essential oil from the aerial part of Croton tetradenius on larval and pupal viability and the wing geometric morphometrics (WGM) of Ae. aegypti. The essential oil of C. tetradenius was extracted using an industrial Clevenger apparatus. To evaluate the larvicidal activity, 3rd and 4th instar larvae of Ae. aegypti were submitted to bioassays with essential oil using six concentrations and five repetitions. The WGM analyses were performed for the surviving larvae and pupae. For the morphometric analysis, 417 left wings of the adult mosquitoes were photographed and scanned. The essential oil of C. tetradenius showed larvicidal activity (LC50 = 4.71 and LC90 = 6.03 mg mL-1) after 24 h of exposure. Larval viability at the lowest concentrations (0.062 and 0.031 mg mL-1) was 96.67 and 95.55%, differing from the control group (97.78%). Differences were observed for the pupal viability for the concentration of 0.031 mg mL-1 when compared to the control. Geometric morphometry through canonical variables revealed an 82.46% difference between the groups studied. The principal component analysis also showed cumulative variance among the groups (28.32, 41.84, 54.61, 65.27, and 74.31%). Therefore, the essential oil of C. tetradenius was toxic to the Ae. aegypti mosquito larvae, and affected the larval and pupal viability, sex ratio, and wing geometric morphometrics of the mosquitoes.

Pyrolysis/combustion potential and heavy metal risk of oily sludge and derived products in industrial scale

Pyrolysis of oily sludge (OS) has been widely applied for harmless disposal in industrial scale with the benefits of high removal and recovery efficiency of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs). However, seldom research focuses on the evaluation of solid products from industrial apparatus. This paper devoted to evaluate the TPHs removal effect and optimizing directions of this technique by assessing the pyrolysis/combustion potential and environmental risk of OS and derived products, including fly ash (FA) and pyrolysis residue (PR). Unexpectedly, FA and PR still carried trace TPHs, ca. 0.27 and 0.24 wt%, which should arise attention. In comparison, the maximum weight losses of combustion for these solid samples were all higher than that of pyrolysis at the same final temperature, ca. 600 °C. Oxygen-rich atmosphere promoted decomposition of deposited coke and degradation of TPHs, especially heavy fractions. Therefore, these products had a certain potential for combustion utilization. Although the total weight losses of FA and PR were similar with that of OS, the comprehensive combustion characteristic index and combustion stability index of OS were much higher than those of FA and PR, indicating TPHs were more inclined to be burned that coke and dissociated metal compounds. Higher heating rate caused an increasing trend of these indexes. The thermal decomposition kinetics study based on the most probable mechanism function showed that FA and PR followed the mechanism of random nucleation and subsequent nucleation growth. The wastewater produced during gas washing was measured that contained large amounts of organics and harmful elements, which should be properly treated before emitted. Heavy metals are the dominant sources of environmental risks of solid products. Pb and Cu in FA and PR showed higher leaching concentrations and posed severer environmental risk than those in OS, which originated from accumulation effect. However, Cr, Ni, and Zn became more stable and safer after thermal pyrolysis/desorption treatment. These information on solid products and wastewater from industrial OS pyrolysis reminds future work to concern on the final disposal of the output of the whole technique.

Heat Transfer Enhancement in Tubular Heat Exchanger with Jet Impingement: A Review

Heat exchanger (HE) is a thermal device used to transfer heat from higher fluid temperatures to lower fluid temperatures. There is an increasing need to increase the efficiency of HEs, develop a wide range of investigations to increase heat transfer rate (HTR), and reduce the size and cost of industrial apparatus in accordance. The current work's goal is to review articles that discuss the main types of tubular heat HEs, factors that affect HTR, and jet impingement in tubular HEs, which are considered among the equipment used in various industries. Researchers have proposed several models of tubular HEs. Many industrial processes, cooling technology, refrigeration equipment, sustainable energy applications, and other fields use tubular HEs. Jet impingement cooling is assumed to be a very efficient method for increasing HT rate, and it has many uses in both the scientific and industrial spheres. This paper's goal is to present an overview of various techniques for improving HT in relation to jet impingement cooling and to define the area of potential future research. This study focuses on a variety of experimental and numerical studies to examine the HT and hydrodynamic behaviour of jet impingement over a range of Reynolds numbers, target surface shapes, distances from the jet plate or nozzle to the target plate, extended jet holes, and the use of nanofluids. Both single jet and multiple jet impingements cooling are included in the current work. The summary of jet impingement for various applications keeps the spotlight on new methods for enhancing HT.