Clean Mechanism Research Articles

IoT-Based Automated Solar Panel Cleaning and Monitoring Technique

Aims: The objective of this research work is to design and develop an IoT-based automated solar panel cleaning and real-time monitoring system using a microcontroller to improve the output and efficiency of a solar module at a low cost.
 Study Design: Most of the time, dust over solar panels creates a barrier that obstructs the sun’s radiation and reduces their performance. As such, it is necessary to keep the solar panel clean to improve output power levels. We integrated the IoT technology along with a range of components, including a microcontroller, a NodeMCU, a servo motor, a DC motor-driven submersible pump, a Light Dependent Resistor (LDR), an LCD with driver IC, etc. to design the system. We developed the assembly language program for the microcontroller.
 Place and Duration of Study: The work was conducted individually under the supervisor of a faculty member as a part of the final project work of the Master of Engineering degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at American International University Bangladesh (AIUB), Dhaka, Bangladesh. The student conducted his research work at AIUB for two consecutive semesters from September 2022 to May 2023.
 Methodology: An LDR sensor detects the solar panel’s dirtiness and triggers the cleaning process through the microcontroller. The system monitors this continuously and real-time vital data is accessible to have some performance metrics, empowering timely maintenance actions to be triggered by the system and hence ensuring the maximum power output. The automated cleaning mechanism, driven by servo motors and mini submersible DC motor pumps, effectively removes dust and dirt from solar panels. An application was used to get real-time data through the internet to the user’s smartphone.
 Results: The server data is accessed to observe the system performance. The cost analysis shows that this system offers a cost-effective and sustainable solution for maintaining clean solar panels and optimizing power output.
 Conclusion: Such an automation system can contribute meaningfully to the progression of renewable power generation by significantly improving the efficiency and longevity of solar panels. Thus, we can have sustainable and efficient energy systems in the country by integrating IoT-based automation systems.

A Prototype for IOT based Solar Panel Cleaning Mechanism

A Prototype for IOT based Solar Panel Cleaning Mechanism

Laser waterless cleaning of residual organic solvents on the surface of polyurethane coatings.

Residual organic solvents have a great impact on the physical and mental health of equipment operators in industry and agriculture. Laser waterless cleaning technology of residual organic solvents on the surface of polyurethane coatings has great application prospects and is a good way to tackle the pollution problem. In this paper, the evolutionary behavior of a laser waterless cleaning mechanism and substrate surface state is analyzed. The influence law of laser energy density and scanning speed on the residual solvent cleaning effect was investigated. The optimal laser cleaning parameters were obtained by comprehensive evaluation of the substrate surface cleaning effect and microscopic morphology. The peak of solvent characteristics before and after laser cleaning was detected by Raman spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that the laser cleaning effect was better with the increase of energy density or the decrease of scanning speed in the substrate damage range, and the best laser cleaning parameters were laser energy density of 0.24J/c m 2 and scanning speed of 500mm/s. A significant reduction of the peak of Raman spectroscopy was found, reflecting the excellent effect of laser waterless cleaning of residual organic solvents.

Application of process analytical technology (PAT) in real-time monitoring of pharmaceutical cleaning process: Unveiling the cleaning mechanisms governing the cleaning-in-place (CIP)

We report for the first time the combination of inline process analytical technology and optical imaging to track and understand different cleaning mechanisms governing the cleaning process of Olanzapine. Clean-in-Place process parameters were studied through simultaneous inline process analytical technology and image analysis in a film flow apparatus. Methanol and water were compared as cleaning agents, and the effect of flow (0.5—1 L.min−1) and temperature (20–40 °C, and 60 °C for water) was investigated. The cleaning process was assessed in terms of cleaning time, volumetric efficiency, surface residue and governing phenomena. Raman spectroscopy was used to prove no degradation occurred during cleaning. Temperature increase improves the efficiency even when solubility is negligible. High variability was observed when detachment behaviour is dominant, and it is then advisable to prioritize dissolution in the final clean-in-place steps to improve repeatability. Results show that the cleaning process is governed by an interplay of dissolution and mechanical shear phenomena and is more efficient when solubility is significant. The combination of in-situ process analytical technology and optical imaging analysis during process development allows for the determination of the most efficient and repeatable conditions, which in turn significantly reduces solvent usage in pharmaceutical cleaning.

Measurement and CFD-DEM Simulation of Suspension Velocity of Peanut and Clay-Heavy Soil at Harvest Time

The suspension velocity is the core of the cleaning and sorting mechanisms that utilize a combination of a fan and vibrating sieve. To investigate this, various experimental subjects, such as peanuts with different kernels and clay-heavy clods in different states, were used. The experiment involved simulating the suspension velocity of materials through numerical calculations using fluid dynamics and particle discrete element coupling. The Eularian model was employed to study the coupled gas-solid two-phase flow. The experiment measured the suspension velocities of single and double kernel peanuts, which were found to be 8.34~9.40 m/s and 8.13~9.51 m/s, respectively. Under 20.4% water content and lumpy conditions, the suspension velocities of smaller clods, side by side clods, and larger clods were 12.61~14.30 m/s, 14.16~15.76 m/s and 16.44~18.72 m/s, respectively; under 20.4% water content and smaller clods, the suspension velocities of lumpy and strip of clods were 12.61~14.30 m/s, 11.90~14.13 m/s, respectively; under lumpy and smaller clods, the suspension velocity at 17.6%, 20.4%, and 23.9% water content ranged from 12.38 to 14.20 m/s, 12.61 to 14.30 m/s, and 12.62 to 14.49 m/s, respectively. The simulations showed that the suspension velocity for different types of peanuts, clod sizes, shapes, and water contents was less different from the actual experiments. Specifically, the relative errors in suspension velocity for single-kernel peanuts, double-kernel peanuts, smaller clods, side-by-side clods, larger clods, lumpy clods, strips of clods, and clods with 17.3%, 20.4%, and 23.9% water content were 1.2%, 4.1%, 0.4%, 2.0%, 4.4%, 0.4%, 5.1%, 5.4%, 0.4%, and 1.9%, respectively, compared to actual experiment measurements. The results indicate a significant difference in the suspension velocity between peanuts and clay-heavy clods, which can be distinguished from each other based on this difference. Furthermore, the simulation results have been found to be consistent with the experimental results, thus verifying the feasibility of measuring the material suspension velocity using CFD-DEM gas-solid coupling.

Osmotic cleaning of typical inorganic and organic foulants on reverse osmosis membrane for textile printing and dyeing wastewater treatment

Reverse osmosis (RO) is one of the most fundamental membrane technology because it has higher salt rejections, which suffers from the issue of membrane fouling, as the membrane is inevitably exposed to foulants during the filtration process. For different fouling mechanisms of RO membrane, physical and chemical cleaning are widely used in the control of RO membrane fouling. The present study investigated the performance and water flux recovery using osmotic cleaning to clean the typical inorganic and organic foulants on RO membrane for textile printing and dyeing wastewater treatment. The effects of operation conditions (i.e., the concentration of cleaning solution, the filtrating time and cleaning time, and the flow rate of cleaning solution) on relative water flux recovery were examined. The results show that a highly water flux recovery (98.3% for cleaning of inorganic fouling and 99.6% for cleaning of organic fouling) was achieved under optimal operation of the concentration and flow rate of cleaning solution and the filtrating and cleaning time. Moreover, the experiment of repeated “filtrating-cleaning” cycles indicated that the osmotic cleaning has highly performance of recoverability of water flux (over 95.0%) can be extended in a relatively long time. The experimental results and changes on SEM and AFM images of RO membrane confirmed the successful development and application of osmotic cleaning for inorganic and organic fouling of RO membrane.

Determination of the absolute and relative soil velocity in the bucket of a rotary wire cleaner

Maintaining the reclamation network in working order requires annual restoration work, which consists in cleaning it from sediment and vegetation, as well as performing various types of repair and construction work. The specificity of the maintenance of irrigation systems is that the specific volumes of excavation are insignificant, and the objects themselves are dispersed over a large area. For the timely and high-quality performance of a large amount of repair and maintenance work on reclamation systems, a significant amount of specialized equipment is required. Recently, a large number of experimental models of sewer cleaning machines and mechanisms for cleaning irrigation systems have been created. At present, when creating new cleaning machines, they are supplied with replaceable working equipment, including for cleaning concreted channels and trays. In the future, the range of interchangeable equipment is planned to be expanded. The article deals with the theory of the movement of the soil particle being cut (deposition) over the working body and the ejection velocity of these particles. When unloading from the tray, which affects the power consumption of the rotor tray-cleaning engine.

Thermionic coating method with preliminary bombardment of the substrate surface with a stream of low energy ions

Relevance. Vacuum-plasma methods of applying functional coatings are widely used to increase the reliability and durability of machine and mechanism parts, cutting tools, and technological equipment, as well as in modern micro- and nanoelectronics for applying conductive and dielectric layers of various thicknesses. The study presents a method of thermionic coating that combines in one technological cycle the processes of surface cleaning by a stream of low-energy ions and plasma electron beam evaporation of a substance under conditions of thermionic plasma formation. Aim. The research aims to determine the possibility of using the presented methodology to create and process functional coatings without radiation damage to the substrate surface. Methodology. The experimental studies were carried out in a plasma electron beam system with a primary plasma source based on an arc discharge with a filament cathode. The samples were diagnosed using a scanning electron microscope. Results. The ion current density from the primary plasma was investigated to determine the efficiency of the surface cleaning mechanism by ion bombardment. The dependences of the ionic current density on the initial parameters of the experiment were determined. The results of the treatment of the (TiZr/TiSi) N sample surface with a plasma ion stream are presented. The obtained scanning electron microscope images showed that such treatment leads to the cleaning of the surface layer from various contaminants without damage and creates a substrate for further thermionic deposition of a coating with a high degree of adhesion. The mechanism of thermionic deposition of a titanium monolayer on a stainless-steel substrate previously cleaned by ion bombardment was studied. The revealed order of magnitude higher values of the ionic current to the substrate during the formation of thermionic plasma indicate a significant increase in the rate of the deposition process and contribute to the formation of a high-quality ion-plasma coating. Conclusions. The scanning electron microscope images of the sample surface showed that the titanium coating during thermionic deposition was uniformly distributed over the substrate surface, without any droplet phase, which indicates the suitability of this technique for applying functional coatings without radiation damage to the substrate surface

Removal mechanism of laser cleaning for inorganic thermal control coatings on aluminum alloys

To investigate a novel method for removing thermal control coatings, nanosecond pulsed lasers were used to clean inorganic thermal control coatings on aluminum alloys. This study assessed the surface condition after cleaning at different laser fluences and analyzed the cleaning mechanism. The results showed that the laser cleaning threshold of the coating was 1.44 J/cm2. When the number of laser cleanings was one, there were still coating residues on the surface of the substrate no matter how the laser fluence changed. When the number of cleanings was increased to two, the inorganic thermal control coating on the aluminum alloy could be successfully removed at 5.73, 7.00, and 8.28 J/cm2, while the surface of the substrate would slightly melt and appeared a wavy morphology. It is worth noting that at 8.28 J/cm2, the substrate was gasified and then plasma was generated, causing the appearance of cracks on the substrate surface, which led to the damage of substrate. Additionally, as the laser fluence increased, the cleaning mechanism of the thermal control coating gradually shifted from laser ablation to a combination of laser ablation and plasma impact.

Analysis on Evaluation and Spatial-Temporal Evolution of Port Cluster Eco-Efficiency: Case Study from the Yangtze River Delta in China

The improvement of port cluster eco-efficiency is of great significance to constructing a world-class shipping hub and the high-quality development of regional economy. This study adopts the Super-EBM (Super-efficiency Epsilon-Based Measure) model to evaluate the eco-efficiency of the Yangtze River Delta port cluster in China, and the GML (Global Malmquist-Luenberger) index, spatial hot spot analysis, gravity center migration model, and the Theil index are combined to reveal the spatial-temporal evolution. The results show that the average eco-efficiency of the Yangtze River Delta port cluster is 0.686, with 55.6% of the ports being below the average, which is directly related to the low scale efficiency. Mainly driven by technical efficiency improvement, the overall eco-efficiency has a growth rate of 8.7% from 2010 to 2019. Moreover, considerable spatial divergence has formed in the port cluster, and the eco-efficiency gravity center has always been in the south of Jiangsu. The overall eco-efficiency gap has widened by 19.92%, and the gap within the region, particularly within Zhejiang, is the major source. To improve the overall eco-efficiency of the port cluster, policymakers should strengthen the technological spillover of ecologically efficient ports in clean production and mechanism reform, while optimizing the resource consolidation system of ports with relatively low eco-efficiency.

Exploring the clean flotation mechanism towards wolframite using NaClO as an oxidant

The combination of lead nitrate and benzohydroxamic acid (BHA) has succeeded in the commercial flotation of wolframite for years, regardless of the detrimental effects of Pb2+ on environment. In this work, a clean flotation technology was developed to remove the use of lead nitrate. The oxidation flotation with sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) and N-[(3-hydroxyamino)-propoxy]-N-hexyl dithiocarbamate (HAHD) achieved an effective separation and enrichment of wolframite from calcite, while NaClO and BHA combination delivered an inefficient floatation recovery of wolframite. The flotation mechanism in the HAHD-NaClO-wolframite system was further explored by in situ AFM, FTIR, UV and XPS. The findings deduced that NaClO treatment increased the proportion of Fe(III) and Mn(IV) species in wolframite interface, which benefited the chelation of HAHD’s hydroxamic group with Fe(III) and the oxidation of HAHD’s dithiocarbamate group by Mn(IV). Thus, with the help of NaClO, HAHD was changed into (HAHD)2 thiuram disulfide which anchored on wolframite surface through its double hydroxamate groups, leaving the two hexyl groups and the thiuram structure outward for attaching air bubbles. As a result, the hydrophobicity and floatability of wolframite significantly strengthened.

The Fundamental Mechanisms of Laser Cleaning Technology and Its Typical Applications in Industry

Laser cleaning is an advanced surface-cleaning technology that can lead to the instant evaporation and stripping of the attachments found on a substrate’s surface, such as contaminants, rust, and coatings; it uses a high-energy laser beam to irradiate the components’ surface. Compared with common surface-cleaning technologies, laser cleaning has the advantages of precision, efficiency, and controllability. In this paper, the fundamental mechanisms of laser cleaning technology are summarized in detail; these include the laser thermal ablation mechanism, the laser thermal stress mechanism, and the plasma shock wave mechanism. The operational principles, characteristics, and application range of each mechanism are discussed. Their typical applications in industry are outlined according to the differences in the substrate materials used, including metallic materials, nonmetallic materials, and semiconductor elements. This study provides a significant reference and guiding basis for researchers to further explore the fundamental mechanisms of laser cleaning, as well as various aspects of the typical industrial applications of laser cleaning.

Design formulation and analysis of overhead water tank: Material used for automatic cleaning mechanism

The domestic overhead tank does not have any default kind of an automatic cleaning mechanism. As there are various types of tanks based on different applications, it seems a little tough to design an unique cleaning mechanism. It also involves maintenance of tank that needs to be done regularly to avoid the health hazards. The article aims to design an automatic cleaning mechanism for domestic overhead water tank. To achieve this, the tank is designed in such a way that the cleaning can be done both in manual and automatic ways. By keeping this view, that the fabricated material of the present overhead tank also shoots a vital effect to the people’s lives in their habitual things. In order to eliminate those adverse effects, the material is latered along with the design alteration. Thus gives the healthy aspects for an overhead water tank to use in all daily chores. To assure the properties of polyethylene and S2 glass fibres are taken, then it undergoes a series of analysis like static, modal and dynamic. So, that S2 glass fibre is a useful material for the tank when compared with polyethylene in the storage of water.

Uncovering tau in wasteosomes (corpora amylacea) of Alzheimer's disease patients.

Brain corpora amylacea, recently renamed as wasteosomes, are polyglucosan bodies that appear during aging and some neurodegenerative conditions. They collect waste substances and are part of a brain cleaning mechanism. For decades, studies on their composition have produced inconsistent results and the presence of tau protein in them has been controversial. In this work, we reanalyzed the presence of this protein in wasteosomes and we pointed out a methodological problem when immunolabeling. It is well known that to detect tau it is necessary to perform an antigen retrieval. However, in the case of wasteosomes, an excessive antigen retrieval with boiling dissolves their polyglucosan structure, releases the entrapped proteins and, thus, prevents their detection. After performing an adequate pre-treatment, with an intermediate time of boiling, we observed that some brain wasteosomes from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) contained tau, while we did not detect tau protein in those from non-AD patients. These observations pointed the different composition of wasteosomes depending on the neuropathological condition and reinforce the role of wasteosomes as waste containers.

An Experimental Study of Cavitation Bubble Dynamics near a Complex Wall with a Continuous Triangular Arrangement

The mechanism of cavitation cleaning of complex surfaces has received more and more attention. In the present paper, with the help of a high-speed photography experimental system, the dynamic behavior of a cavitation bubble in symmetrical positions near a complex wall with a continuous triangular arrangement is investigated. In terms of the bubble size and the initial wall–bubble distance, the non-uniform shrinkage of the bubble collapse and the movement characteristics of the bubble centroid are revealed. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) The collapse dynamic behavior of the bubble near a complex wall with a continuous triangular arrangement can be divided into three typical cases. (2) According to a large number of experimental results under different parameters, the parameter ranges corresponding to the three cases and the critical values between different cases are given. (3) The larger the bubble size is, or the smaller the initial wall–bubble distance is, the more significant the effect of the complex wall is, and the greater the movement distance towards the complex wall during the collapse stage.

Study on the Technology and Mechanism of Cleaning Architectural Aluminum Formwork for Concrete Pouring by High Energy and High Repetition Frequency Pulsed Laser

In the field of construction, the surface of architectural aluminum formwork for concrete pouring will remain the concrete adhesion layer of heterogeneous composite structures. In view of the difficulty of removing the concrete adhesion layer, we studied the technology and mechanism of removing the concrete adhesion layer by laser cleaning technology in this paper. We analyzed the composition and distribution characteristics of residual concrete on the surface of architectural aluminum formwork, set up a laser cleaning test system, carried out laser cleaning experiments on the concrete layer on the surface of architectural aluminum formwork under different storage times, and analyzed the mechanism of removing the concrete adhesion layer by laser cleaning. The experimental results showed that the residual time of concrete will affect the quality and efficiency of laser cleaning concrete residue on the surface of architectural aluminum formwork for concrete pouring. For concrete residues with short residual time, lasering can achieve efficient and high-quality cleaning. A nanosecond pulsed laser could strengthen the surface hardness of the aluminum alloy template during cleaning, which is helpful in improving the durability of the aluminum alloy template. The main mechanisms of laser cleaning to remove the concrete adhesion layer on the surface of architectural aluminum formwork is that the bubbles and water bubbles in the loose structure of concrete instantly absorb high-energy laser and make the concrete aggregate continuously air-burst. This paper provides technological and theoretical support for the application of laser cleaning technology to remove residual concrete on the surface of architectural aluminum formwork for concrete pouring in the field of construction.

Identification of cleaning mechanism by using neural networks

The identification of the cleaning mechanism is a necessary step to decide, which physical subprocesses are relevant for modeling the cleaning processes. In this work, a new approach is proposed employing machine learning based on neural networks to identify the prevailing cleaning mechanism. Existing grayscale image data from cleaning experiments with dried starch, ketchup and petroleum jelly is prepared as training data for the neural networks. First, an offline approach is proposed which determines the dominating cleaning mechanism along the whole cleaning process by supervised learning. The trained networks achieve accuracies up to 95% for unknown test data. Second, the offline approach is extended to an online technique, which aims for a time resolved determination of the cleaning mechanism. The online approach achieves over 80% accuracy on unseen test data. An advanced application test on a new soil with spatially and temporally varying cleaning mechanism shows good qualitative agreement of the predicted cleaning mechanism. This proves the present approach to be a useful tool for analysis of experimental cleaning data and understanding cleaning processes as a whole.

A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF AI APPLICATIONS IN FINANCE FOR ACCELERATING CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has introduced transformative possibilities across various sectors, with green finance emerging as a significant beneficiary. This study meticulously investigated the integration and implications of AI within the realm of green finance, aiming to elucidate its potential in catalyzing the global transition to sustainable energy. The research sought to comprehend AI’s trajectory in financial ecosystems, its contemporary financial ramifications, and its pivotal role in advancing clean energy financial mechanisms. Through a comprehensive exploration employing advanced analytical models, AI-driven financial projections, and collaborative initiatives between AI and renewable firms, the findings underscored AI’s unparalleled capabilities in forecasting, risk assessment, and the design of innovative financial instruments. AI-powered tools have proven instrumental in ensuring adherence to green regulations, thereby facilitating sustainable investment bonds. The study concluded that AI’s integration into green finance signifies a paradigmatic shift, redefining the methodologies of funding, evaluating, and executing renewable energy projects. Its potential is vast, heralding a future replete with innovative solutions and profound insights. Recommendations emphasize collaborations between renewable energy stakeholders and AI experts, advocate for standardized green finance metrics, and promote AI-informed governmental policies. Continuous research and stakeholder education are paramount for AI’s widespread acceptance in green finance. The confluence of AI and green finance promises a sustainable future, contingent upon strategic foresight and persistent innovation.

A Project Report on Planning, Scheduling, and Delay Analysis of a Construction Project during Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study

Abstract: Time delay is one of the biggest problems faced by the construction industry in India. Completing projects on time isthe key factor of the project, but the construction process is subject to many variables and unpredictable factors, which result from many sources such as the availability of resources, external factors, the performance of parties, and the type the structure. Delay in the project, leadsto loss of productivity,increased cost, contract termination, and disputes between contractor and owner. These types of unrealistic exceptions are usually avoided by using a clean and efficient planning mechanism, which specifies the work and timetable to be used.This project aims to examine the causes and effects of delay ona building construction project during the construction phase and to provide control measures for time overrun in the project. A study was carried out on construction schedule, delays an,d various delay analysis techniques and methods to evaluate the causes of delay and their impacts on the construction project. The current study is based on a residential building, “Savali Saffron” located at Mundhwa, Keshav Nagar, near the old Orbis School, Pune, developed by Sapthasiddhi Associates. Studyingthe A-Wing, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, a delay of 42 days has been observed, with a sum of RS 8,26,500/- added to the original budget of the construction project. The effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Constructiontion Project is studied.

Surface Cleaning and Protection Engineering via Functionalization to Awaken the Intrinsic Catalytic Activity of Co3O4

AbstractThe inherent catalytic activity of transition metal oxide catalysts is constrained by the presence of surface hydroxyl groups, which are typical destructive poisons that are difficult to be completely removed. So, previous studies generally focused on reducing the accumulation of hydroxyl groups on the surface by introducing additional elements. In this study, a simple reflux treatment in methanol considerably increases the CO oxidation activity, water resistance, and stability of Co3O4. According to the density functional theory calculations, the cleaning of hydroxyl groups by methanol is spontaneous, and the assembled methanol has little effect on the surface chemical properties. In addition, the molecular dynamics simulations indicate that methanol molecules have formed hydrophobic entrances in the pores of Co3O4, which further protect the internal surface from erosion by water. Furthermore, methanol functionalization maintains the original CO oxidation mechanism on the clean Co3O4 surface. As a result, the inherent catalytic activity of Co3O4 is awakened while the water resistance and stability are improved. Collectively, this study establishes an atomic‐level description for the surface cleaning and protection mechanism on Co3O4 surface through functionalization by small organic molecules, which provides a new theoretical guidance for the modification strategies of transition metal oxide catalysts.