Increase In Conversion Rate Research Articles

Long-chain PUFA profiles in parental diets induce long-term effects on growth, fatty acid profiles, expression of fatty acid desaturase 2 and selected immune system-related genes in the offspring of gilthead seabream

The present study investigated the effects of nutritional programming through parental feeding on offspring performance and expression of selected genes related to stress resistance in a marine teleost. Gilthead seabream broodstock were fed diets containing various fish oil (FO)/vegetable oil ratios to determine their effects on offspring performance along embryogenesis, larval development and juvenile on-growing periods. Increased substitution of dietary FO by linseed oil (LO) up to 80 % LO significantly reduced the total number of eggs produced by kg per female per spawn. Moreover, at 30 d after hatching, parental feeding with increasing LO up to 80 % led to up-regulation of the fatty acyl desaturase 2 gene (fads2) that was correlated with the increase in conversion rates of related PUFA. Besides, cyclo-oxygenase 2 (cox2) and TNF-α (tnf-α) gene expression was also up-regulated by the increase in LO in broodstock diets up to 60 or 80 %, respectively. When 4-month-old offspring were challenged with diets having different levels of FO, the lowest growth was found in juveniles from broodstock fed 100 % FO. An increase in LO levels in the broodstock diet up to 60LO raised LC-PUFA levels in the juveniles, regardless of the juvenile's diet. The results showed that it is possible to nutritionally programme gilthead seabream offspring through the modification of the fatty acid profiles of parental diets to improve the growth performance of juveniles fed low FO diets, inducing long-term changes in PUFA metabolism with up-regulation of fads2 expression. The present study provided the first pieces of evidence of the up-regulation of immune system-related genes in the offspring of parents fed increased FO replacement by LO.

Production of levulinic acid from glucose in sulfolane/water mixtures

Levulinic acid derived from biomass is a versatile platform molecule, which can be used in manufacturing different compounds to replace fossil-based chemicals. In this study, the effect of sulfolane as solvent in sulphuric acid catalysed levulinic acid production from glucose was investigated. The broad sulfolane concentration range was systematically studied and a kinetic model was developed to describe the levulinic acid production. A significant increase in glucose conversion rate was observed when the proportion of sulfolane in the solvent mixture was increased. The maximum selectivity of the levulinic acid production was found to be slightly over 50% and independent of the solvent composition. Thus, with sulfolane solvent, the same yields can be obtained in a significantly shorter time or at a lower temperature as when water is used as solvent. Sulfolane was also found to keep the generated by-products in soluble form. This will decrease fouling of the process equipment, which has been a major issue in designing of levulinic acid production processes.

Pyrolysis characteristics and kinetic analysis of rice husk

In this work, the thermo-gravimetric and differential thermo-gravimetric curves of rice husk at different heating rates (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 °C min−1) were obtained using a thermo-gravimetric analyzer under nitrogen atmosphere. The pyrolysis characteristics of rice husk were analyzed. The fitted Gaussian function peaks showed that the pyrolysis mass loss of rice husk can be characterized by three independent reactions. The devolatilization index D was calculated, and the effect of different experimental statuses on the pyrolysis of rice husk was discussed. The kinetic parameters of rice husk were calculated using iso-conversional models and distributed activation energy models (DAEMs). The kinetic parameters obtained by differential Friedman method and integral Ozawa method were found to be 224.85 kJ mol−1 and 220.06 kJ mol−1, respectively. The apparent activation energies for pyrolysis were not fixed value and continuously fluctuated with the increase in conversion rate. The kinetic parameters, obtained using the Kissinger method, were relatively simple and could not represent the variation trends of variables. Six different probability density functions for DAEMs were used to compute the pyrolysis kinetic parameters. The energy compensation effect existed between the activation energy and the frequency factors. It can be concluded from a comprehensive F test and the amount criterion test (Akaike information criterion test) that the Weibull model is more appropriate to study the pyrolysis of rice husk. Finally, the apparent activation energy, calculated using the Weibull model, was calculated to be 131.97 kJ mol−1, whereas the reaction order was 3.2.

Comparative studies on the efficacy of lincomycin and bacitracin for the control of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens

Background: The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of lincomycin and/or bacitracin for control of experimentally-induced Clostridium perfringens (CP) infection in broiler chickens.Methods: A total of 100 one-day-old Cobb-mixed chicks were divided into five groups (A, B, C, D and E, each of 20 bird). At the 15th day of age, all birds (except group A) were inoculated orally with CP broth culture (109 CFU/mL). Two days later, drugs were orally administered once daily for five consecutive days as follow; Group A and B were left untreated. Group C, D, and E were treated with lincomycin (0.5 g/l), bacitracin (100 mg/l), lincomycin and bacitracin, respectively. The efficacy of used drugs was estimated based on clinical symptoms, body weight, weight gain, feed conversion rate. Hematobiochemical changes were also determined.Results: Necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens induced a significant decrease in body weight, weight gain, erythrocytic count, hemoglobin content, PCV %, serum proteins, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. Additionally, a marked decrease in serum lipids was obtained. Furthermore, a significant increase in feed conversion rate, leukocytic count, phagocytic activity, phagocytic index, serum total globulin, γ globulin and malondialdehyde coupled with a marked increase in β and α globulins were determined. Medication of infected broilers with lincomycin and/or bacitracin improved clinical signs and reduced mortality rate to 8, 6 and 2%, respectively, as well as restored the performance and hematobiochemical alterations.Conclusions: a combination of lincomycin and bacitracin was of considerable value for the control of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.

A Financial Analysis of Procedural Revenue in Outpatient Spine Clinic: An Analysis of 36,312 Patient Appointments and Subsequent Surgeries at a Single Major Academic Institution

The economic pressures widely discussed in health care have a large impact on spine practices. This current study is the first to look at characteristics associated with revenues from an outpatient spine clinic. All clinic visits to spine providers were identified at a single academic institution spanning the dates June 1, 2014, to June 1, 2018. All payment information was calculated using Medicare reimbursement values for Current Procedural Terminology codes. Relevant clinical, surgical, and cost structure data was collected for each patient. On average, providers had 21.9 average appointments over the course of 7.6 hours per clinic day. The average ratio of new to follow-up patients was 39.3%, with an average new patient to surgery conversion rate of 15.0%. The adjusted average total procedural revenue per new patient, controlled for scheduled appointment length and actual appointment length, was $686.02. The adjusted average procedural revenue per surgery was $3444.64 and average procedural revenue per hour in spine clinic was $552.40. With a 1% and 5% increase in new patient visits, total procedural revenue increases 2.7% and 13.5%, respectively. With a 1% and 5% increase in conversion rate, total procedural revenue increases 6.7% and 33.3%, respectively. With a decrease in new patient appointment length from 30 minutes to 25 minutes, the opportunity for 1.7 new patient appointments per day was created resulting in a net increase in procedural revenue per clinic day of $837.57. Incremental changes in practice structure can significantly affect procedural revenue. Significant heterogeneity also exists among spine providers.

Comparative investigation on thermal degradation of flue-cured tobacco with different particle sizes by a macro-thermogravimetric analyzer and their apparent kinetics based on distributed activation energy model

The particle size was an important factor that can affect the thermal degradation behavior of biomass during thermochemical conversion. In this work, the thermal degradation behavior of flue-cured tobacco with different particle sizes for thermochemical conversion was investigated by a self-designed macro-thermogravimetric analyzer (macro-TGA) under inert and oxidative conditions. During pyrolysis and combustion, the thermal degradation behavior could be described by a four-stage and five-stage mass loss reaction, respectively. At the second mass loss stage, for six cut tobaccos, the mass loss rate increased with the decrease in particle size during pyrolysis and combustion. In addition, the combustion character index of cut tobaccos ranging from 3.0480 × 10−7 to 4.4825 × 10−7%2 min−2 °C−3 also increased with the decrease in particle size. Furthermore, the mass change data recorded by the macro-TGA were used to estimate the kinetic parameters, such as the apparent activation energy and the pre-exponential factor, based on distributed activation energy model. For the thermochemical conversion of tobacco materials, it was found that the apparent activation energy increased with the increase in conversion rate for pyrolysis reaction under inert condition, while the apparent activation energy reached a maximum within a certain conversion rate in the middle of combustion reaction under oxidative condition. As well, the kinetic compensation effect was evaluated by the equation $$\ln A = \varphi \times E + \psi$$. The investigation on thermal degradation and apparent kinetics of tobacco revealed the effect of particle size on thermochemical conversion, which can provide a reference for building a more accurate cigarette combustion model.

The impact of interactive design as a conversion rate optimisation tool for e-commerce

This research focuses on a serious issue with regards to low conversion rates (CR) in e-commerce websites. It investigates the phenomena in a series of phases using an e-commerce website as the case study. The A/B testing framework was used to investigate the possible factors responsible for low conversion rate and a number of solutions were provided, focusing on how the use of interactive design, human-computer interaction principles, and industry design standards could be adopted as a tool to enhance the conversion rate of an e-commerce website. These design factors were used in the creation of a web application which was tested in a comparative assessment with a case study website to prove that the new design enhancements resulted in an improvement in the performance of the new website. This resulted in the new website reporting an increase website usability and enhanced user experience, which ultimately lead to an increase in conversion rates.

Accelerated Conversion of Native Prairie to Cropland in Minnesota

SummaryUnplowed native grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world, due in large part to their agricultural suitability and widespread conversion to cropland. Despite this, remaining locations of these species- and carbon-rich landscapes are neither well monitored nor effectively protected. A recent spike in US prices for corn (Zea mays) and soybeans (Glycine max) intensified incentives to bring new land into production, potentially hastening the conversion of grasslands to crops. We combined satellite-based land cover data with aerial photographs and a field-based inventory of remaining native grassland (hereafter prairie) in Minnesota to assess the areas, rates, and locations of prairie conversion since 2008. Our results reveal that during 2008–2012, prairie was converted at average annual rates more than four times greater than the previous decade and a half. Corn and soybeans were the initial crops planted on 73% of converted prairie, and more than 80% of conversion occurred in recently established conservation priority zones, thereby magnifying the urgency to protect these sites. Broader land-use trends in Minnesota suggest that expansion of both croplands and developed lands continues to threaten all grasslands, including the subset that is prairie, and that the growth of developed or built-up land may be amplifying the conversion pressure exerted by agriculture, though further research is needed. Despite the small total area of prairie lost, the multi-fold increase in conversion rates and the confirmation of native habitat clearing may have substantial conservation implications, especially given the very limited prairie that remains in the region. The overall results reveal challenges for federal policies, including a loophole in the crop insurance Sodsaver provision surrounding alfalfa hay and limitations in the current enforcement of the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Parameters affecting reaction rate and conversion of TiO2 chlorination in a fluidized bed reactor: Experimental and modeling approach

Abstract Pilot scale chlorination of TiO2 was carried out with CO as reducing agent. The experimental analysis and modeling of chlorination process of TiO2 in the presence of CO and Cl2 in a semi-continuous fluidized bed reactor were aimed. Chlorination process was continuously monitored by measuring the amount of produced TiCl4 with time. The effects of different operating parameters including chlorination temperature, feedstock particle size and size distribution, amount of feedstock and Cl2 and CO flow rates on the conversion were systematically investigated. A gradual increase in chlorination temperature led to monotonous increase of conversion rate. Conversion decreased with increased particle size of feedstock. An increase in loaded feedstock led to a decrease in reaction conversion. A model was proposed to predict conversion, particle size distribution and mole fraction of components in gas phase as reaction proceeds. A good agreement between conversions predicted by the model and experimental data under various operating conditions was observed.

Study on pyrolysis characteristics and kinetics of vacuum residue and its eight group-fractions by TG-FTIR

This study investigates the pyrolysis behaviors and kinetics of vacuum residue (VR) and its eight group-fractions using TG-FTIR. The weight loss properties of the fractions of VR suggest that each fraction has individual cracking pathways which are determined by the chemical nature of the constituents. The Friedman and Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OFW) methods were used to calculate the reaction kinetic parameters of VR and its fractions, at heating rates of 10, 30, 50, and 100 °C/min. The activation energies of saturates and aromatics increased with the increase of conversion rates, whereas that for resins, asphaltenes and VR increased initially and then decreased. The on-line FTIR analysis of the gaseous products showed that the different structure of VR and its fractions leaded to the discrepancy of the release curves. Saturates and aromatics had significant release peaks at 530 − 750 °C, indicating they were the major contributors of methane, ethylene and light aromatics during the pyrolysis of VR within the temperature range of this study.

Dehydrogenation characteristics of lean methane in a thermal reverse-flow reactor

In order to study the dehydrogenation reaction mechanism of ultra-low concentration methane in a thermal reverse-flow reactor, the effects of the cyclic period (120s–240s), the lean methane volume flow (90 Nm3/h to 180 Nm3/h), and the methane concentration (0.2 vol% to 0.8 vol%) on the dehydrogenation performance were studied systematically by using a thermal reverse-flow experimental system. When the methane concentration is 0.2 vol%, the reactor can achieve self-heat maintaining operation. With the increase in the methane concentration, the width of the high-temperature zone, the exhaust gas temperature, the methane conversion rate, and the maximum temperature of the heat-accumulator bed increase. With the increase in the lean methane volume flow, the width of the high-temperature zone, the distance between the center of the high-temperature zone and the center of the reactor, the maximum temperature, the exhaust gas temperature, and the methane conversion rate increase. With the increase in the cyclic period, the exhaust gas temperature and the deviation of the high-temperature zone increase, but the methane conversion rate and the maximum temperature decrease slightly.

Effect of dietary taurine supplementation on growth performance, digestive enzyme activities and antioxidant status of juvenile black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus ) fed with low fish meal diet

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary taurine supplementation on growth performance, activities of digestive enzymes, antioxidant status and the target of rapamycin (TOR) gene expression in black carp (initial body weight 5.94 ± 0.02 g) fed with low fish meal diet. Six isonitrogen and isolipidic diets were formulated. High fish meal–based diet (HFM) contained 20% fish meal and 24% soybean meal as a positive control. Fifty per cent of fish meal in HFM was replaced by soybean meal and were supplemented with 0, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.4% dietary taurine respectively (designated as T0.00 (a negative control), T0.05, T0.1, T0.2 and T0.4). The results showed that the partial replacement of fish meal by soybean meal without taurine supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in weight gain (WG), activities of amylase and lipase in intestine, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) in serum, with a significant increase in feed conversion rate (FCR), the content of malonaldehyde (MDA), triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in serum. WG in groups supplemented with equal or above to 0.1% dietary taurine was significantly higher compared with T0 group. With increasing levels of dietary taurine, the activities of amylase, lipase, GSH-px and SOD and glutataione (GSH) content significantly increased (p < 0.05). FCR, the content of MDA, TG and TC in serum and crude lipid content in whole body were significantly reduced after taurine treatment (p < 0.05). In liver, TOR mRNA expression in groups with equal or above to 0.1% taurine was significantly higher than T0 group (p < 0.05).

Effects of CO2 gasification reaction on the combustion of pulverized coal char

Although numerous studies on CO2 gasification during coal char combustion have been documented, the effects of CO2 gasification on high-temperature carbon oxidation, which is important for evaluation of carbon conversion during pulverized coal combustion under oxy-fuel and flue gas recirculation conditions, are unclear. Thus, the char conversion characteristics at various contents of O2 and CO2 were studied in a drop-tube furnace at 1373 K. Due to the cumulative effects of CO2 gasification, which can not only suppress carbon conversion due to endothermicity but also consume part of carbon directly, there exists a minimal carbon conversion point around the CO2 content of 9–13 vol%, where the growth of promotion effect with CO2 content catches up with the suppression effect, and an inflection point around the CO2 content of 17–25 vol%, where the promotion effect of the direct gasification reaction on carbon consumption surpasses the suppression effect. Increasing O2 shifts both points towards high CO2 contents, whereas increasing combustion gas temperature decreases the values. A mathematical formula including oxidation, effect of gasification on oxidation, and CO2 gasification, is presented, which gives well prediction on high-temperature carbon conversion. With increasing CO2 content, the reduction degree of CO2 gasification on oxidation rate increases, and the synthesis oxidation rate slightly decreases, whereas there always exists a minimal point for gasification rate, gross carbon conversion rate, and gasification weightiness. With increasing O2 content, the oxidation rate, reduction degree of CO2 gasification on oxidation rate, and gross carbon conversion rate increase; the gasification rate increases below the minimal point, whereas decreases above the minimal point; the gasification weightiness decreases. Combustion gas temperature shows positive effect on all abovementioned parameters. The results derived here provide meaningful guidelines for practical application and kinetics research on pulverized coal combustion.

Methane steam reforming in water deficient conditions on Ir/Ce0.9Gd0.1O2-x catalyst: Metal-support interactions and catalytic activity enhancement

This work reports on the study of steam reforming of methane under water deficient conditions over Ir/Ce0.9Gd0.1O2-x (Ir/CGO) catalyst with very low Ir loading (0.1 wt% Ir). The catalyst surface was studied before and after testing by X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) and aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) with 1 Å best resolution. Ir/CGO was pretreated at 1173 K in He flow with less than 0.5 ppm O2 prior to catalytic testing. This led to the formation of Ir metal nanoparticles (NPs) with narrow-size distribution (2.5–6 nm, mean size of 4 nm in diameter). Ir/CGO slowly activated during reaction until reaching a steady state with tenfold increase of CH4 conversion rate. The initial catalytic activity was consistent with surface metal sites being the main active sites and the CGO support having no effect on the CH4 conversion rate except the inhibiting influence on the thermodynamically favoured carbon accumulation. After completion of the activation during reaction, Ir was present in the form of metallic NPs with smaller mean size (ca. 1.7 nm) than before testing, and oxidized Ir in 3+/4 + states. Metal support interactions were thought to be responsible for Ir oxidation and redispersion at the CGO surface during reaction. It is proposed that the improved catalytic activity is due to a synergy between highly dispersed Ir species and the CGO substrate through delocalization of the catalytic reactions in the vicinity of the Ir metal particles.

Biological treatment of toxic refinery spent sulfidic caustic at low dilution by sulfur-oxidizing fungi

One of the major concerns in petrochemical industries is eliminating hydrogen sulfide. Sodium hydroxide solutions are generally used for removing hydrogen sulfide and result in spent caustics which have a pH greater than 11 as well as high sulfide concentrations (2–3% w/v). In this study, SMHS-3 isolate was introduced with the ability to oxidize sulfur media containing sodium sulfide, thiosulfate and elemental sulfur. An analysis based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene indicated that Sadat Mahale hot spring soil (SMHS-3) was closely related to Aspergillus genus. The oxidation results showed that Aspergillus sp. SMHS-3 has the highest sulfur oxidizing ability which produced sulfate in an average range of 0.85 g L−1 after 10 days. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the sulfur decomposition and resulted in a 1.2 fold increase in sulfur conversion rate. Aspergillus sp. SMHS-3 was used in a low-diluted spent caustic bio-treatment, resulting in a 16% reduction of COD, 10% reduction of TDS and 55% removal of active sulfite after 10 days of treatment. Results from this study suggests Aspergillus sp. SMHS-3 as a potential fungal strain for oxidizing sulfur compounds and a possible candidate for spent caustic biodesulfurization.

2D Chiroptical Nanostructures for High‐Performance Photooxidants

AbstractModulation of the chirality of solid‐like nanoscale membranous structures used as selective photooxidants is an important goal of chemical and materials science. Here, the fabrication of a chiral plasmonic nanoparticle monolayer film which is a highly selective photooxidant under circularly polarized light (CPL) in the visible‐light region is reported. The chiroptical activity of the film can be controlled by altering the amount and stereochemistry of amino acids. The experiments disclose that this stable and reusable catalyst is active in the selective oxidation of glucose enantiomers and CPL of opposite polarization gives around 10.3‐fold increase in conversion rates. The results reveal that the handedness of polarized light dominates the catalytic activity of the chiral film. It is demonstrated that the specific chiral binding of the amino acid ligands and the local field enhancement in the light‐limited regime regulates the selective photocatalytic performance, as confirmed by first‐principles density functional theory and physical field simulations. With the catalyst's signature ability for chiral recognition and switching of handedness of polarized light, the discovery provides a foundation for designing and tailoring chiral inorganic photooxidants. This research also sets an example for the development of light–matter interactions and polarized optics.

How Inaccurate Metrics Hide the True Potential for Organ Donation in the United States.

There is a discrepancy between the reported increase in donor conversion rates and the number of organs available for transplant. Secondary analysis of data obtained from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients from January 2003 through December 2015 was performed. The primary outcomes were the (1) number of brain-dead donors from whom solid organs were recovered and (2) number of the organs transplanted. Descriptive statistics and growth plots were used to examine the trajectory of organ donation, recovery, and transplantation outcomes over the 11-year period. From 2003 to 2006, the number of brain-dead donors increased from 6187 to 7375, remaining relatively stable at approximately 7200 thereafter. The average eligible deaths per organ procurement organization dropped from 182.7 (standard deviation [SD]: 131.3) in 2003 to 149.3 (SD: 111.4) in 2015. This suggests a total of 12 493 unrealized potential donors (2006-2015). Since 2006, a steady decline in the number of donor-eligible deaths was reported. In 2003, the reported eligible deaths was 11 326. This number peaked in 2004 at 11 346, tumbling to 9781 eligible donors in 2015, despite a 9% increase in the US population. From 2006 to 2015, the data indicate an artificial depression and underestimation of the true potential of brain-dead donors in the United States of conservatively 12 493 donors or 39 728 missing organs. New metrics providing objective but verifiable counts of the donor pool are needed.

Kinetic contribution of CO 2 /O 2 additive in methane conversion activated by non-equilibrium plasmas

Abstract A temperature-controlled and pressure-controlled coaxial dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor was developed to decouple the thermal and kinetic effects of radio frequency (RF) discharge on methane conversion, and further to compare the kinetic behaviors of the mechanistically similar reactions of methane conversion with O2 and CO2 additives. A kinetic mechanism for RF plasma assisted methane conversion was assembled. The formation of products in the RF plasma reactor was measured with Gas Chromatography (GC–TCD) and the data were used to validate the kinetic model. The experimental and computational results showed the different kinetic roles of carbon dioxide and oxygen additives in methane conversion, due to the different dissociation and ionization energy of the two additive gases, as well as the thus produced electron energy distribution function (EEDF). Fuel oxidation by plasma generated O, O(1D), O2(a1 ∆g), O2(b1Σg+) and O+ in partial oxidation of methane was observed essential for methane consumption, which resulted in an increase in methane conversion rate, compared to pure methane pyrolysis and dry reforming of methane with CO2 additive. It was also found that dry reforming of methane with CO2 was by far the easier to produce the syngas as well as C2 hydrocarbon species, due to the weak oxidation ability of CO2 and also the significant deposition of the electron energy on CH4 dissociation in a dry reforming discharge mixture. This kinetic study produced comparative data to demonstrate the contribution of CO2/O2 additive in non-equilibrium plasma assisted methane conversion.

Highly Efficient Oxidation of Ethyl Lactate to Ethyl Pyruvate Catalyzed by TS-1 Under Mild Conditions

Highly efficient oxidation of ethyl lactate (ELA) to ethyl pyruvate (EP) was realized over TS-1 in the presence of aqueous H2O2 (30 wt %) at low temperature without other solvent. A 100% ELA conversion and 97.8% EP yield were obtained at 50 °C after 9 h. The conversion rate of ELA is sensitive to the reaction temperature. High reaction temperature (70 °C) leads to an increase in conversion rate of ELA but causes the fast hydrolysis and decarboxylation of EP to form byproducts of acetic acid and CO2. On the basis of the characterization (pyridine-FTIR and UV–vis) and reaction results, active species of Ti(OOH) were proven. In addition, a nonradical mechanism for conversion of ELA to EP for this catalytic system was proposed. By kinetic analysis, the formation of Ti(OOH) is confirmed as the rate-determining step. The apparent activation energy (103.4 kJ mol–1) was also obtained. Furthermore, TS-1 was highly stable for the oxidation of ethyl lactate. There were almost no change in ELA conversion and EP yield...

Design and fabrication of a prototype solar tapping device

Fossil fuel based energy sources are most commonly used because of the ease of availability and affordability, but have many long lasting negative effects, due to which a shift must be made to renewable and clean energy sources such as solar energy. Efficiency of the photovoltaic cells have increased by 1% every ten months, resulting in reduced costs and increased number of users. The project will explore the design and fabrication of an improved and efficient solar tapping device. An effort will be made to incorporate an architectural concept called “barrel vault” that is primarily used for natural lighting, over a Fresnel lens plate setup to act as a collector. The tracking mechanism incorporated is unique and can be modified to either have single axis or dual axis tracking depending on the requirements. Keeping in mind the environment and cost, an attempt has been made to fabricate the product with higher energy conversion rate, at an affordable cost using the above techniques. Upon analysing the results, the conclusion could be drawn that there was an increase in conversion rate of up to twice the traditional setup.