Dry Temperature Research Articles

Escalating climate-related health risks for Hajj pilgrims to Mecca.

Global temperatures are on the rise, leading to more frequent and severe heatwaves with associated health risks. Heat-related illnesses (HRIs) are an increasing threat for travellers to hot climate destinations. This study was designed to elucidate the interplay between increasing ambient temperatures, incidence of HRIs and the effectiveness of mitigation strategies during the annual Hajj mass gathering over a 40-year period. An observational study was conducted utilizing historical records spanning four decades of meteorological data, and the rates of heat stroke (HS) and heat exhaustion (HE) during the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. With an annual population exceeding 2million participants from over 180 countries, the study analysed temporal variations in weather conditions over two distinct Hajj hot cycles and correlated it with the occurrence of HS and HE. The effectiveness of deployed mitigation measures in alleviating health vulnerabilities between the two cycles was also assessed. Throughout the study period, average dry and wet bulb temperatures in Mecca escalated by 0.4°C (Mann-Kendall P < 0.0001) and 0.2°C (Mann-Kendall P = 0.25) per decade, respectively. Both temperatures were strongly correlated with the incidence of HS and HE (P < 0.001). Despite the intensifying heat, the mitigation strategies including individual, structural and community measures were associated with a substantial 74.6% reduction in HS cases and a 47.6% decrease in case fatality rate. The study underscores the escalating climate-related health risks in Mecca over the study period. The mitigation measures' efficacy in such a globally representative setting emphasizes the findings' generalizability and the importance of refining public health interventions in the face of rising temperatures.

Changes in Moisture Desorption Rate of Shelled Corn Layers in a Low-Temperature Deep-Bed Drying Column

To optimize grain drying processes, high-moisture shelled corn was dried in a device using a combination of three temperatures (45, 55 and 65 °C) and hot-air velocities (0.7, 1.1 and 1.3 m·s-1). The grain moisture and temperature, and the relative humidity (RH) of interstitial airflow were determined intelligently in grain layers of 7.5 to 32.5 cm with 5.0 cm intervals. The change in RH of interstitial airflow in grain layers of 7.5-27.5 cm with drying time all revealed the shape of a hyperbolic line and took turns to lag. These RH lines shortened with an increased drying temperature from 45 to 65 °C and hot-air velocity from 0.7 to 1.3 m·s-1. The temperature lines were raised and shortened with an increase in drying temperature and hot-air velocity. A modified moisture diffusion exponential equation was developed to analyze the moisture desorption rate of corn kernels. For the average sorption rate curve from grain layers of 2.5-32.5 cm at 1.3 m·s-1 of hot air, the transition points from adsorption to desorption occurred at 2.4 h, 2.7 h, and 3.0 h with drying temperatures of 65 and 45 °C, respectively, and represented the earliest and largest initial desorption rates among the three hot-air velocities. The moisture desorption rate of samples increased with increasing drying temperature. Compared with the average value of grain layers, at the same hot-air velocity, the kernel effective diffusivity (Deff) values dried at 55 °C were correspondingly higher than those dried at 45 and 65 °C. At the same drying temperature, the kernel Deff values tended to increase with an increase in hot-air velocity, whereas the activation energy decreased. These results suggested that an increase in drying temperature and hot-air velocity may considerably shorten adsorption time and increase desorption rates of shelled corn in deep bed drying.

Lipidomics reveals the effect of hot-air drying on the quality characteristics and lipid oxidation of Tai Lake whitebait (Neosalanx taihuensis Chen)

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of temperature on the quality attributes, particularly lipid oxidation and phospholipid molecular species, of Tai Lake whitebait during hot-air drying. Fresh samples of Tai Lake whitebait were subjected to heat treatment and were dried at temperatures of 40, 50, 60, and 70 °C for 12 h. The results indicated significant and continuous increases in peroxide values (POV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and saturated fatty acids (SFA) contents during hot-air drying, but reductions in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). During the hot-air drying process, the mass fraction of triacylglycerol (TAG) and phospholipid (PoL) decreased, while the fractions of diacylglycerol (DAG), monoacylglycerol (MAG) and free fatty acid (FFA) increased. Furthermore, the drying treatment led to a more pronounced reduction in Phosphocholine (PC) content compared to phoethanolamine (PE). A total of 17 phosphatidylcholines (PC), 18 phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), 7 phosphatidylinositol (PI), and 9 phosphatidylserine (PS) molecular species were identified. By comprehensively considering the drying time and quality attributes, 50 °C was selected the ideal temperature for drying. The findings of the investigation revealed that thermal drying significantly influenced the quality attributes and lipid oxidation of Tai Lake whitebait. The insights gained from this study are valuable for improving the drying process for Tai Lake whitebait and enhancing its overall quality.

A study of the inhibition properties of gallic acid/lignin-modified hydrogel inhibitor prepared via graft copolymerization

In view of the shortcomings of pure hydrogels, such as a single inhibition effect and poor stability at high temperatures, this study aims to develop a new composite hydrogel inhibitor and to study its inhibition mechanism. To this end, gallic acid and lignin were added to modify the hydrogel, and a gallic acid/lignin-modified hydrogel (GA/LG-PAA) inhibitor was prepared. By scanning electron microscope, it was discovered that inhibited coal samples treated with gallic acid hydrogel (GA-PAA) and GA/LG-PAA had bigger particles. By using thermogravimetric analysis, it was found that after the inhibition treatment with GA/LG-PAA, the coal samples’ characteristic temperature points have increased to different degrees. Among these, the dry cracking temperature was increased by 53.87 °C, the ignition temperature was increased by 20.23 °C, and the burnout temperature was increased by 19.79 °C. Thermogravimetric experiments therefore showed that GA/LG-PAA had the best inhibition effect. Through infrared diffuse reflection experiments, it was found that the peak areas of methylene, carbonyl, carbon-carbon double bond, ether bond and other functional groups were all increased in coal samples after inhibition. The GA/LG-PAA inhibited spontaneous combustion by forming ether bonds. The results show that GA/LG-PAA can effectively inhibit coal spontaneous combustion.

Amazon savannization and climate change are projected to increase dry season length and temperature extremes over Brazil

Land use change and atmospheric composition, two drivers of climate change, can interact to affect both local and remote climate regimes. Previous works have considered the effects of greenhouse gas buildup in the atmosphere and the effects of Amazon deforestation in atmospheric general circulation models. In this study, we investigate the impacts of the Brazilian Amazon savannization and global warming in a fully coupled ocean-land-sea ice-atmosphere model simulation. We find that both savannization and global warming individually lengthen the dry season and reduce annual rainfall over large tracts of South America. The combined effects of land use change and global warming resulted in a mean annual rainfall reduction of 44% and a dry season length increase of 69%, when averaged over the Amazon basin, relative to the control run. Modulation of inland moisture transport due to savannization shows the largest signal to explain the rainfall reduction and increase in dry season length over the Amazon and Central-West. The combined effects of savannization and global warming resulted in maximum daily temperature anomalies, reaching values of up to 14 °C above the current climatic conditions over the Amazon. Also, as a consequence of both climate drivers, both soil moisture and surface runoff decrease over most of the country, suggesting cascading negative future impacts on both agriculture production and hydroelectricity generation.

Content Analysis of Food Safety Information in Apple-Drying Recipes from YouTube, Blogs, Cookbooks, and Extension Materials.

Recurrent foodborne outbreaks associated with low-moisture foods prompted this study to evaluate apple-handling practices presented in apple-drying recipes available to United States consumers, and to explore the food safety implications of the recipes. Because little research is available on the safety of home fruit-drying, we conducted a systematic search of English-language apple-drying recipes from YouTube videos, blog articles, cookbooks, and university extension sources. Our evaluation found that most recipes excluded handwashing instructions, and potential cross-contamination practices were evident in 12% of the videos. Bruised or damaged apples were selected for drying in 16% of the videos, two blogs, and five cookbook recipes. Although more than half the blogs and videos demonstrated pre-treatment procedures, they did so predominantly to minimize browning with almost no mention of antimicrobial benefits. Drying temperature information was missing in 41% of the videos and 35% of the cookbooks that we evaluated. Even when temperatures were mentioned, most were insufficient for pathogen reduction according to the recommendations of previous studies. These videos, blogs, and cookbooks commonly advocated subjective indicators instead of unit measurements when slicing apples and checking for doneness. Our findings reveal the need for drastic improvements in food safety information dissemination to home apple-dryers and recipe developers.

FORMATION OF FUNCTIONAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE FILM FROM INTESTINAL RAW MATERIALS DURING THE DRYING PROCESS

The purpose of the research is formation of the functional and technological properties of a multi-purpose film from intestinal raw materials during drying. Its hygroscopic properties after drying at temperatures ranging from 40 to 70°C were studied. It was established that the increase of the drying temperature leads to the decrease in the amount of moisture that the sample absorbs from the environment. Ranges of relative air humidity at which it is possible to store dried products in vapor-permeable packaging have been determined. It is noted that the storage of the multifunctional film is possible in a vapor-tight package with an increase in air humidity relative to the recommended ranges. The operations of packing dried film and making sausage casings from it, which follow after drying operation, are described. It was noted, that during these operations there are mechanical deformations of the film bending at angles up to 180°. It was established, that there is no violation of the integrity of the film, provided that it is bent to an angle of 180° during the packaging of finished products and the production of sausage casings from it. The integrity of the manufactured casings after their recovery during the production of sausage products has been proven. The elastic-plastic properties of the intestinal raw material film obtained at different drying temperatures were investigated. It was found, that strength of the film increases and its plasticity decreases in case of increasing the drying temperature. It is noted that, from the point of view of strength, the highest drying temperature from the range of 40–70°С. From the point of view of plastic properties, the minimum temperature should be chosen from the specified range. Studies of the drying process of a wet multifunctional film from intestinal raw materials have determined the rational values of the temperature and duration of the its drying. It is noted that during the selection of the drying temperature in the technology of obtaining a multifunctional film from intestinal raw materials, the determining factor is the functional and technological properties of the obtained semi-finished product, which depend on the drying temperature.

Effects of Temperature, Molecular Weight, and Non-Solvent Variation on the Physical Properties of PVDF Membranes Prepared through Immersion Precipitation

Research on porous membrane technology is proliferating, especially in the process of fabrication of membranes. Different methods in membrane fabrication can affect the physical and chemical properties of the produced membrane. This study aims to investigate the influence of temperature, molecular weight, and non-solvent type on the physical-chemical properties of PVDF membranes. The membrane was produced by the immersion precipitation method with varying PVDF molecular weights of 64 kDa, 352 kDa (Solef 1010), 534 kDa, and 573 kDa (Solef 1015); non-solvent variations of alcohol (methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, and butanol); and drying temperature variations of 40, 50, and 60°C. The produced membranes were analyzed using ATR-FTIR, XRD, TGA, DSC, and SEM, and their wettability properties were evaluated using water contact angles. The optimal drying temperature for membrane production was 60°C. The ATR-FTIR data showed that molecular weight impacted membrane structure, where PVDF MW 534 kDa membrane had the highest percentage of β phase (77.47%). Non-solvent changes also affected membrane structure; PVDF Solef 1010 with non-solvent isopropyl alcohol had the highest percentage of β phase (67.45%). This is supported by the XRD diffractogram that displayed peaks at 2θ values between 20.24° and 20.66°, indicating the presence of a phase β PVDF. The thermal analysis exhibited three stages of degradation for Solef 1010 with ethanol non-solvent and two for the other seven membranes. The degradation temperature increases with the increase in molecular weight and the difference in non-solvents. The highest thermal stability membrane was PVDF Solef 1010 with isopropyl alcohol non-solvent (430°C). SEM images showed the membrane with non-solvent isopropyl alcohol, displaying a dense sponge-like morphology. The wettability of membranes is affected by molecular weight and non-solvent type. The membrane with isopropyl alcohol non-solvent obtained the smallest contact angle (54.77°) and indicated the most wettability membrane.

Optimising building heat load prediction using advanced control strategies and Artificial Intelligence for HVAC system

Amid the dynamic challenges posed by the COVID-19 era, this study offers a nuanced exploration, delving into the complexities of optimising building heat load prediction. This study addresses the imperative challenge of optimising building heat load prediction by implementing advanced control strategies and integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into air conditioning systems. The study emphasises the need to design HVAC devices for minimal energy consumption without compromising comfort conditions. The study introduces an intelligent predictive adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model that proves highly capable of accurately predicting HVAC performance outcomes while contributing to the development of a comprehensive dataset. The uncertainty percentage is evaluated across various membership functions, with the trapezoidal membership exhibiting the lowest error rate, followed by the Gaussian membership function. Weather parameters crucial to ventilation efficiency and heat load are examined, leading to the identification of an optimal combination involving 45 % relative humidity, 13 °C dry bulb temperature, and 5 km/h wind speed. The current system demonstrates significant efficiency improvements, with ventilation and heat load rates reaching 93 % and 97 %, respectively, compared to pre-COVID-19 conditions. The findings underscore the importance of considering these parameters in future HVAC designs, particularly in the context of COVID-19 guidelines (75 % and 79 %, respectively).

Enhancing Seed Germination and Seedlings Growth of Khao Dawk Mali 105 Rice Cultivar via Seed Coating and Infrared Drying Apparatus

Seed coating techniques had emerged as a promising approach for precise planting and safeguarding crops against environmental stresses. Simultaneously, infrared drying, renowned for its cost-effectiveness and efficiency, held promises for enhancing the quality of drying processes. This investigation delved into the procedures applied to Khao Dawk Mali 105 rice seeds during the coating and drying process using a prototype of the hexagonal drum. The results found that the drying temperature (factor B) and duration of drying time (factor C) had substantial primary effects (p ≤ 0.05), while the drum rotational speed (factor A) did not exert a noteworthy influence. Additionally, meaningful interactions were observed among the factors AB, AC, BC, and ABC. Impressively, it resulted in germination rates of 80.56 and 80.25 %, coupled with germination indices of 84.88 and 85.47 %, when utilizing a drum speed of 20 rpm, a drying temperature of 45 °C, and a drying time of 8 min (R-204508), and a drum speed of 10 rpm, a drying temperature of 45 °C, and a drying time of 8 min (R-104508), respectively. Additionally, the mean germination time amounted to 9.64 days, and the length of the rice seedling stem reached 13.66 cm when employing a drum speed of 20 rpm, a drying temperature of 50 °C, and a drying time of 8 min (R-205008). These discoveries emphasized the potential of the prototype's seed coating and infrared drying technology integration to improve rice germination and subsequent growth. This enhancement could ultimately result in higher yields and increased productivity, especially in small-scale agricultural settings. HIGHLIGHTS These discoveries emphasized the potential of the prototype's seed coating and infrared drying technology integration to improve rice germination and subsequent growth. This enhancement could ultimately result in higher yields and increased productivity, especially in small-scale agricultural settings. Ensuring precise control over drying temperature and duration is of paramount importance in establishing optimal and consistent conditions for the germination and subsequent growth of rice seeds, thereby augmenting plant vigor and overall yield The investigation determined optimal coating and drying conditions, encompassing a drum speed of 20 rpm, a drying temperature of 45 °C, and a drying duration of 8 min (treatment R-204508), along with a drum speed of 20 rpm, a drying temperature of 45 °C, and a drying time of 8 min (treatment R-104508). These conditions resulted in the highest mean germination rates and germination indices. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

The Effect of Drum Dryer Temperature and Rotational Speed on the Characteristics of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) Based Weaning Food Enriched with Composite Flour

Abstract Finger millet or red millet is a source of carbohydrates, protein, and phytonutrients that have not been widely used. This has the potential to be used as an ingredient in making bread and porridge. However, the protein content of millet is insufficient for infant feeding and deficient in essential amino acids like lysine, so other ingredients are needed. This study contrasted composite flour dried at various temperatures and rotational speeds with millet-based supplementary feeding. Finger millet flour, red bean, skimmed milk powder, sugar, and salt were used to produce the weaning meal in that sequence. The dough-to-water ratio is 1 : 4. Organoleptic, physical, and chemical interactions were all considered. The experiment used a randomised block design with three replications and a 3 × 3 factorial pattern. The study discovered that drum dryer temperature impacted chemical, physical, and sensory responses (p &lt;0.05). Temperature had a more significant influence on moisture content than rotational speed. Temperature above 120 °C results in lower moisture content at rotation higher than 1.0 min−1 and meets the criteria for instant porridge (lower than 4%). Lower moisture content at higher temperatures leads to increased protein concentration, but carbohydrates and fats remain relatively constant. The samples more preferred by the panellists were samples processed at higher temperature with rotation above 1.0 min−1. So, this value is recommended, apart from fulfilling the standard criteria, processing with higher rotational speed can increase the output capacity of the process.

Screening of representative rainfall event series for long-term hydrological performance evaluation of grassed swales.

Evaluation of the hydrological performance of grassed swales usually needs long-term monitoring data. At present, suitable techniques for simulating the hydrological performance using limited monitoring data are not available. Therefore, current study aims to investigate the relationship between saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) fitting results and rainfall characteristics of various events series length. Data from a full-scale grassed swale (Enschede, the Netherlands) were utilized as long-term rainfall event series length (95 rainfall events) on the fitting outcomes. Short-term rainfall event series were extracted from these long-term series and used as input in fitting into a multivariate nonlinear model between Ks and its influencing rainfall indicators (antecedent dry days, temperature, rainfall, rainfall duration, total rainfall, and seasonal factor (spring, summer, autumn, and winter, herein refer as 1, 2, 3, and 4). Comparison of short-term and long-term rainfall event series fitting results allowed to obtain a representative short-term series that leads to similar results with those using long-term series. A cluster analysis was conducted based on the fitting results of the representative rainfall event series with their rainfall event characteristics using average values of influencing rainfall indicators. The seasonal index (average value of seasonal factors) was found to be the most representative short rainfall event series indicator. Furthermore, a Bayesian network was proposed in the current study to predict if a given short-term rainfall event series is representative. It was validated by a data series (58 rainfall events) from another full-scale grassed swale located in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Results revealed that it is quite promising and useful to evaluate the representativeness of short-term rainfall event series used for long-term hydrological performance evaluation of grassed swales.

Influences of Different Factors on Gravity Wave Activity in the Lower Stratosphere of the Indian Region

The gravity wave (GW) potential energy (Ep) in the lower stratosphere (LS) of the altitude range between 20 and 30 km over the Indian region (60°E–100°E, 0°–30°N) is retrieved using the dry temperature profiles from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) radio occultation (RO) mission from December 2019 to November 2021. Through correlation analysis and dominance analysis (DA) methods, the impacts of multiple influencing factors on the local LS GW activity are quantified and compared. The results demonstrate that in the central and northern part of Indian region, the three factors, including the convective activity (using outgoing long-wave radiation as the proxy) mainly caused by the Indian summer monsoon, the mean zonal wind speed between 15 and 17 km, the height range where the maximum tropical easterly jet (TEJ) wind speed appears, and the mean zonal wind speed between 20 and 30 km, have the greatest impacts on the LS GW activity. In the southern part of the Indian Peninsula and over the Indian Ocean, the mean zonal wind shear between 20 and 30 km plays a dominant role in the LS GW activity, which is due to the fact that the GW energy can be attenuated by large background wind shears. It can be concluded that the LS GW activity in the Indian region is mainly influenced by the Indian summer monsoon, the TEJ, and the wind activity in the LS, while over different local areas, differences exist in which factors are the dominant ones.

Optimizing smart building energy management systems through industry 4.0: A response surface methodology approach

Effective control of inner climatic conditions in a Heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system based on efficiency of the system is imperative to ensure occupant comfort, energy efficiency, and preservation of indoor air quality. The existing problems with HVAC system includes inefficient adjustment to internal room parameters and limited optimization based on varying loads. The current study investigates the influence of Industry 4.0 by assessing internal room parameters in an indoor ventilated room conditions for system output. Smart systems like AI and IoT, integrated with sensors, dynamically adjust indoor conditions based on external climate, enhancing HVAC system efficiency. Using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM), integrated with AI and IoT sensors, optimally adjust indoor conditions in correlation with external climate, maximizing HVAC system efficiency. The study utilizes input parameters including Dry Bulb Temperature (DBT), Relative Humidity (RH), and Solar Radiation across diverse days to analyze system efficiency. ANN and RSM iteratively optimize system efficiency by training on RH, DBT, and air quality data. They converge on recommending 42% RH, 28 °C DBT, and 25 PM air quality, achieving 0.851 desirability. This approach enhances heat load (75.89%) and ventilation load (69.12%) efficiency significantly. Integration of Industry 4.0 sensors in the HVAC system resulted in a 16% efficiency increase and 15% cost effectiveness in the controlled room compared to prior measurements.

Investigation of mechanical properties of luffa fibre reinforced natural rubber composites: Implications of process parameters

Natural fiber-reinforced composite materials are highly beneficial due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratio, and the compression molding process is frequently used to prepare natural fiber composites. The primary objective of the present work is to optimize the process parameters of the compression molding method to prepare luffa fiber-reinforced natural rubber composite and investigate the influence of process parameters on mechanical properties. Pre-processing parameters, specifically oven-dry temperature and time, processing parameters such as soaking temperature, time, and compression pressure, and post-processing parameters, such as oven-dry temperature and time, were considered to optimize. Natural rubber in its latex phase is utilized as a matrix material, and luffa fiber is used as reinforcement. The Plackett-Burman screening design technique was employed to identify the impact of different processing parameters on the mechanical properties of the luffa fiber-reinforced natural rubber (LNR) composite, and based on Taguchi's design of experiments, several process parameters were utilized to create L27 orthogonal array and the mentioned composites prepared accordingly. The ASTM standard is followed while testing the composite samples to determine their density, shore A hardness, and tensile strength. The density of the composite is unaffected by the process parameters; however, the shore A hardness of the composite is significantly affected. All the processing parameters most significantly impacted the tensile strength of LNR composites. The optimized process parameters for preparing LNR composite are the pre-oven temperature of 65 °C and time of 150min, the soaking temperature of 75 °C and time of 5min, compression pressure of 1.5 MPa, and the post-oven dry temperature of 55 °C and time of 45min. LNR composite can absorb energy due to its rubber matrix, making it useful for high-impact applications.

Performance Evaluation of Two Stages Parallel Flow Indirect Evaporative Cooling with Aspen Pads in Baghdad Climate Conditions

This study delves into the realm of advanced cooling techniques by examining the performance of a two-stage parallel flow indirect evaporative cooling system enhanced with aspen pads in the challenging climate of Baghdad. The objective was to achieve average air dry bulb temperatures (43 oC) below the ambient wet bulb temperatures (24.95 oC) with an average relative humidity of 23%, aiming for unparalleled cooling efficiency. The research experiment was carried out in the urban environment of Baghdad, characterized by high temperature conditions. The investigation focused on the potential of the two-stage parallel flow setup, combined with the cooling capability of aspen pads, to surpass the limitations imposed by conventional cooling methods. The empirical findings underscored the capacity of the two-stage parallel flow configuration to achieve air-dry bulb temperatures surpassing the ambient wet bulb temperature. Nonetheless, it was evident that an excessive application of water (exceeding 9 lpm) onto the aspen pads within the wet channels yielded adverse repercussions on the cooler's performance metrics, specifically in terms of wet bulb effectiveness and coefficient of performance. A range of air flows spanning from 150 CMH to 350 CMH was analyzed, revealing the influence of heightened air flow rates on the resultant dry bulb temperatures delivered by the cooling system. Notably, the peak wet-bulb effectiveness registered at 1.08, concurrently yielding a coefficient of performance measuring 7.8.

Analysis of microclimate temperature and relative humidity distribution of local poultry house in a subtropical area of Nigeria

The design of the ventilation system to ensure microclimate condition are optimum in poultry houses in the Nigerian context requires knowledge of the microclimate parameter distribution, which is lacking in the literature. This study investigated the patterns of temperature and RH distributions in a typical local poultry house. The specific objectives were to (i) analyse the vertical and horizontal distributions of the microclimate parameters in battery cage poultry housing and deep litter poultry housing, (ii) identify whether the distribution is homogenous or heterogeneous, and (iii) identify the data spread of parameters. An experimental intensive naturally ventilated local poultry house was used for this study. It consisted of deep litter (DL) and battery cage (BC) poultry housing systems partitioned by an air wall. Daytime, nighttime, rainy, and dry season temperature and RH distributions in the BC and DL poultry housing were analysed. Approximately 1.2 °C temperature difference was recorded between the poultry house and the ambient environment during the day and night. The temperature and RH distributions in the poultry housing were heterogeneous. Approximately 5% and 67%–73% of the daytime and nighttime temperature data, respectively, and 37%–41% of daytime RH fell within the optimum values.

Conductive hydro drying of ripened papaya: optimization and product characterization.

This study addresses the product-process characterization of refractance window drying of ripened papaya, considering the abundant availability and underutilization of the perishable product. A statistical design approach with varied drying temperature, time and sample thickness has been adopted to characterize moisture content, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, vitamin C, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. The model fitting, analysis of variance, and numerical optimization showed that the quadratic model was the most suitable model for the response variables. The optimum process parameters were attained at a drying temperature of 90°C, time 86.92min, and sample thickness of 2.93mm. The optimal responses were moisture content 2.81%, total phenolic content 305.58mg GAE/g, total flavonoid content 51.92mg QUE/g, DPPH radical scavenging activity 91.56% and vitamin C 219.88mg/100g. With such high essential nutrients, refractance window dried ripened papaya can be utilized for commercially viable value-added food products.

Experimental investigation on mechanical performance and drilling behavior of hybrid polymer composites through statistical and machine learning approach

The current study focuses on fabricating partially biodegradable composites added with nettle and grewia optiva fibers in epoxy. The mechanical properties of various fiber reinforcement combinations, such as tensile, impact, and flexural strength were evaluated. One of the main issues when drilling natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites is delamination damage. Therefore, the drilling ability of the hybrid composites was investigated by various drilling operation conditions: drill diameter (4, 6, 8 mm), feed rate (0.125, 0.212, 0.3 mm/rev) and spindle speed (400, 600, 800 rev/min). The experimental investigation was carried out using a twist drill at dry and ambient temperatures. The response surface methodology (RSM) was adopted during the investigation and the contribution of feed rate (65.31%) was found as the dominant factor, followed by spindle speed (35.83%) and drill diameter (10.72%) to influence the delamination factor of hybrid composites. The grey relation analysis was further applied to the experimental results to rank the experiments. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the fractured surface of tested samples and delamination damage caused by drilling operations. The developed composites offered a maximum tensile strength (34.3 MPa), impact strength (11.13 J) and flexural strength (23.91 MPa) observed in the hybrid composites for a reinforcement combination of 5% nettle and 15% grewia optiva fibers. The prediction models developed by RSM and artificial neural network (ANN) were matched with the investigated results and ANN was noticed to be more accurate than the RSM. The research work will be beneficial for the industries involved in the development of structural panels reinforced with nettle and grewia optiva fibers.

Nanomaterial-Enhanced Sizings: Design and Optimisation of a Pilot-Scale Fibre Sizing Line

This study focuses on the development of a pilot-scale sizing line, including its initial design and installation, operational phases, and optimization of key process parameters. The primary objective is the identification of critical parameters for achieving a uniform sizing onto the fibres and the determination of optimal conditions for maximum production efficiency. This investigation focused on adjusting the furnace desizing temperature for the removal of commercial sizing, adjusting the drying temperature, as well as optimizing the corresponding residence time of carbon fibres passing through the furnaces. The highest production rate, reaching 1 m sized carbon fibres per minute, was achieved by employing a desizing temperature of 550 °C, a drying temperature of 250 °C, and a residence time of 1 min. Furthermore, a range of sizing solutions was investigated and formulated, exploring carbon-based nanomaterial types with different surface functionalizations and concentrations, to evaluate their impact on the surface morphology and mechanical properties of carbon fibres. In-depth analyses, including scanning electron microscopy and contact angle goniometry, revealed the achievement of a uniform coating on the carbon fibre surface, leading to an enhanced affinity between fibres and the polymeric epoxy matrix. The incorporation of nanomaterials, specifically N2-plasma-functionalized carbon nanotubes and few-layer graphene, demonstrated notable improvements in the interfacial shear properties (90% increase), verified by mechanical and push-out tests.