Low Speed Research Articles

Charge generation by passive plant leaf motion at low wind speeds: design and collective behavior of plant-hybrid energy harvesters

Energy harvesting techniques can exploit even subtle passive motion like that of plant leaves in wind as a consequence of contact electrification of the leaf surface. The effect is strongly enhanced by artificial materials installed as ‘artificial leaves’ on the natural leaves creating a recurring mechanical contact and separation. However, this requires a controlled mechanical interaction between the biological and the artificial component during the complex wind motion. Here, we build and test four artificial leaf designs with varying flexibility and degrees of freedom across the blade operating on Nerium oleander plants. We evaluate the apparent contact area (up to 10 cm2 per leaf), the leaves’ motion, together with the generated voltage, current and charge in low wind speeds of up to 3.3 m s−1 and less. Single artificial leaves produced over 75 V and 1 µA current peaks. Softer artificial leaves increase the contact area accessible for energy conversion, but a balance between softer and stiffer elements in the artificial blade is optimal to increase the frequency of contact-separation motion (here up to 10 Hz) for energy conversion also below 3.3 m s−1. Moreover, we tested how multiple leaves operating collectively during continuous wind energy harvesting over several days achieve a root mean square power of ∼6 µW and are capable to transfer ∼80 µC every 30–40 min to power a wireless temperature and humidity sensor autonomously and recurrently. The results experimentally reveal design strategies for energy harvesters providing autonomous micro power sources in plant ecosystems for example for sensing in precision agriculture and remote environmental monitoring.

Exploring dispersion modelling for resuspended pollen particles in a heterogeneous urban environment

ABSTRACT Urban air quality assessment in regard to biogenic emissions such as airborne pollen grains (PGs) is indispensable in the urban environment which significantly affects human health, climates, ecosystems, and energy production. Dispersion and deposition of PGs because of resuspension events (ReSE) are investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The mechanisms in PGs movement are achieved through the Lagrangian formulation-based discrete-phase model (DPM). The observed pollen grains distribution pattern is highly spatially dependent on heterogeneous urban obstacles as it induces modified characteristics of the wind flow field. Wind-urban structure interplays in PGs concentration variation. The simulated results identify the pollen hot-spot zones, where vortical flow features and low wind speed dominate. This approach offers a detailed understanding of the dispersion patterns of airborne PGs in urban environments because of ReSE with high resolution.

Oscillating surge wave energy converter using a novel above-water power takeoff with belt-arc speed amplification

We investigate the performance of a novel power takeoff (PTO) featuring belt-arc speed amplification for oscillating surge wave energy converters (OSWECs), aiming to address the PTO design challenges of extremely low rotary speed and large torque under the low-frequency and large energy density ocean wave excitations. The belt-arc design significantly increases the rotary speed of the generator, enabling generator downsizing and decreasing the powertrain friction losses. The design also allows for placing the generator above water, eliminating the need for high Ingress Protection ratings for the generator and powertrain, and potentially leading to substantial reductions in capital and maintenance costs. Using the potential flow theory, the dynamics of the integrated system are analyzed, and key parameters are identified. To validate the numerical analysis, a 1:10 scale model is designed, fabricated, and tested in a wave tank. Performance evaluations are conducted under regular and irregular wave conditions, with quantified effects of parameter tuning. The results reveal an optimal wave-to-electric efficiency of 48% under regular wave excitation and 20% under irregular excitation. These findings underscore the effectiveness of the proposed novel PTO design in addressing the challenges of low rotation speed and large torque inherent in OSWECs, demonstrating its ability to efficiently convert wave power into electricity.

Non-industrial production of therapeutic lentiviral vectors: How to provide vectors to academic CAR-T.

Bringing effective cancer therapy in the form of chimeric antigen receptor technology to untapped markets faces numerous challenges, including a global shortage of therapeutic lentiviral or retroviral vectors on which all current clinical therapies using genetically modified T cells are based. Production of these lentiviral vectors in academic settings in principle opens the way to local production of therapeutic cells, which is the only economically viable approach to make this therapy available to patients in developing countries. The conditions for obtaining and concentrating lentiviral vectors have been optimized and described. The calcium phosphate precipitation method was found to be suitable for transfecting high cell-density cultures, a prerequisite for high titers. We describe protocols for gradually increasing production from 6-well plates to P100 plates, T-175 flasks, and 5-layer stacks while maintaining high titers, >108 transducing units. Concentration experiments using ultracentrifugation revealed the advantage of lower centrifugation speeds compared to competing protocols. The resulting batches of lentiviral vectors had a titer of 1010 infectious particles and were used to transduce primary human T lymphocytes generating chimeric antigen receptor T cells, the quality of which was checked and found potential applicability for treatment.

Comparative Analysis of Aerodynamic Efficiency in Small-Diameter Wind Turbine Blades: NACA 4412 vs. Clark Y

Objective: This study aims to compare the efficiency of the Naca 4412 and Clark Y airfoil profiles for small-diameter wind turbines using Solidworks® modeling, 3D printing, wind tunnel testing, and computational simulation. The hypothesis posits that the Naca 4412 will be more efficient. Theoretical Framework: Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy, with the rotor being responsible for converting kinetic energy into mechanical energy, which is subsequently converted into electrical energy by the generator. Studies highlight the importance of optimizing the aerodynamics of the blades to maximize efficiency. Method: The Naca 4412 and Clark Y profiles were modeled in Solidworks® and 3D printed using high-quality ABS. The blades were tested in Armfield C15-10 and Edibon EEEC wind tunnels, measuring lift and drag forces at different angles of attack (30º to 70º) and varying wind speeds to achieve different Reynolds numbers. Results and Discussion: The Naca 4412 profile exhibited higher lift and drag compared to the Clark Y. At angles of 50º and 60º, both profiles showed greater efficiency, with the Naca 4412 achieving higher maximum angular velocity (357.93 RPM at 50º, 510.91 RPM at 60º). The performance difference can be attributed to the twist of the Naca 4412 and turbulence effects at low speeds. Research Implications: The results provide insights for the development of more efficient wind turbines, particularly in urban contexts where small wind turbines are used. Originality/Value: This study contributes by experimentally comparing two widely used airfoil profiles, offering valuable data for the optimization of small wind turbine blades.

Foraging trail traffic rules: a new study method of trajectories of the harvester ants.

Harvester ants are one of the most extensively studied groups of ants, especially the group foraging ants, Messor barbarus (Linnaeus, 1767), which construct long-lasting trunk trails. Limited laboratory investigations have delved into head-on encounters along foraging trails involving workers moving in opposing directions, with fewer corresponding studies conducted in the natural environment. To address this gap, we devised an in-field experimental design to induce lane segregation on the foraging trunk trail of M. barbarus. Using an image-based tracking method, we analyzed the foraging behavior of this species to assess the costs associated with head-on encounters and to figure out the natural coexistence of outgoing and returning workers on a bidirectional route. Our results consistently reveal heightened straightness and speed in unidirectional test lanes, accompanied by an elevated foraging rate compared to bidirectional lanes. This suggests a potential impact of head-on collisions on foraging behavior, especially on foraging efficiency. Additionally, Kinematic analysis revealed distinct movement patterns between outbound and inbound flows, particularly low speed and sinuous trajectories of inbounding unladen workers. The study of encounter rates in two traffic systems hints at the plausible utilization of individual memory by workers within trails, underscoring the pivotal role of encounters in information exchange and load transfer.

New Technique for Identification of Ichthyoplankton and Its Application in Biomonitoring Studies, Management and Conservation of Neotropical Fish.

Despite significant advancements in ichthyoplankton collection and data processing, challenges persist in the taxonomic identification of these organisms, particularly their eggs. To overcome these challenges, a novel technique has been developed to facilitate the identification of live eggs collected directly in wild. This user-friendly technique includes the collection, processing of the material, and field incubation. Sampling must be conducted using a pelagic net towed at low speed, preferably during early evening. The material processing involves pre-sorting and sorting to remove eggs and larvae. The separated eggs, kept in an aerated bowl, can be identified based on their morphological and meristic characteristics. Unidentified eggs can be placed in plastic bags with oxygen and incubated directly in the aquatic environment for 48-72 h. After this incubation period, the hatched larvae at the yolk-sac or preflexion stage, are identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Depending on the study's purpose, hatched larvae and field-collected larvae can be transported to research centers for further development, released back into the natural environment, or fixed to complete the collection. The application of this technique supports management and monitoring programs by identifying spawning areas through egg identification, forming broodstock, and replenishing threatened species, thereby enhancing scientific collections of ichthyoplankton. Additionally, it reduces mortality in ichthyoplankton techniques, including endangered species. Therefore, we believe that this novel taxonomic technique for identifying live ichthyoplankton represents a paradigm shift in the monitoring, management, and conservation of fish, as well as in ecological stewardship and advances in this area of research.

Comparing extragalactic megahertz-peaked spectrum and gigahertz-peaked spectrum sources

Recent sensitive wide-field radio surveys, such as the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS), the LOFAR LBA Sky Survey (LoLSS), and the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS), enable the selection of statistically large samples of peaked spectrum (PS) sources. PS sources are radio sources that have a peak in their radio continuum spectrum and are observed to be compact. They are often considered to be the precursors to large radio galaxies. We present a sample of 8,032 gigahertz-peaked spectrum (GPS) sources with spectral turnovers near $1400\ MHz $, and a sample of 506 megahertz-peaked spectrum (MPS) sources with turnovers near $144\ MHz $. Our GPS sample is over five times larger than any previously known sample of PS sources. These large sample sizes allow us to make a robust comparison between GPS sources and MPS sources, such that we can investigate the differences between these types of sources, and study their lifetimes. The shape of the source counts of both samples match that of the general radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) samples, scaled down by a factor $44 for the MPS sample, and a factor $28 for the GPS sample. Assuming no cosmological evolution, these offsets imply that both MPS and GPS sources have a shorter duration than general radio-loud AGN, with MPS sources having an approx 1.6 times shorter lifespan than GPS sources. The shorter duration of MPS sources relative to GPS sources can be explained by the transition between GPS and MPS sources coinciding with the jet breakout phase of PS sources, such that GPS sources traverse through the surrounding medium at a lower speed than MPS sources. Such evolution has been observed in simulations of PS source evolution.

Tracking the Plasma C-Terminal Agrin Fragment as a Biomarker of Neuromuscular Decline in 18- to 87-Year-Old Men.

Plasma C-terminal agrin-fragment-22 (CAF22), a breakdown product of neuromuscular junction, is a potential biomarker of muscle loss. However, its levels from adolescence to octogenarians are unknown. We evaluated young (18-34 years, n = 203), middle-aged (35-59 years, n = 163), and old men (60-87 years, n = 143) for CAF22, handgrip strength (HGS), appendicular skeletal-mass index (ASMI), and gait speed. We found an age-associated increase in CAF22 from young (100.9 ± 29 pmol) to middle-aged (128.3 ± 38.7 pmol) and older men (171.5 ± 35.5 pmol) (all p<0.05). This was accompanied by a gradual reduction in HGS (37.7 ± 6.1 kg, 30.2 ± 5.2 kg, and 26.6 ± 4.7 kg, for young, middle-aged, and old men, respectively), ASMI (8.02 ± 1.02 kg/m2, 7.65 ± 0.92 kg/m2, 6.87 ± 0.93 kg/m2, for young, middle-aged, and old men, respectively), and gait speed (1.29 ± 0.24 m/s, 1.05 ± 0.16 m/s, and 0.81 ± 0.13 m/s, for young, middle-aged, and old men, respectively). After adjustment for age, we found negative regressions of CAF22 with HGS (-0.0574, p < 0.001) and gait speed (-0.0162, p < 0.001) in the cumulative cohort. The receiver operating characteristics analysis revealed significant efficacy of plasma CAF22 in diagnosing muscle weakness (HGS < 27 kg) (middle-aged men; AUC = 0.731, 95% CI = 0.629-0.831, p < 0.001, Older men; AUC = 0.816, 95% CI = 0.761-0.833, p < 0.001), and low gait speed (0.8 m/s) (middle-aged men; AUC = 0.737, 95% CI = 0.602-0.871, p < 0.001, older men; AUC = 0.829, 95% CI = 0.772-0.886, p < 0.001), and a modest efficacy in diagnosing sarcopenia (middle-aged men; AUC = 0.701, 95% CI = 0.536-0.865, p = 0.032, older men; AUC = 0.822, 95% CI = 0.759-0.884, p < 0.001) in middle-aged and older men. Altogether, CAF22 increases with advancing age and may be a reliable marker of muscle weakness and low gait speed.

A Practical Analysis of Wire Drawing Operation Effects on the Die and Product Behaviors

This study analyse the effects of different wire drawing experimental tests on the die and product properties. Drawing load, temperature, and wear rate are main die factors, that concerned with the interaction effects of drawing speed variation, wire angle alignment and lubrication. For the product, two factors; tensile strength and hardness are taken. A copper wire is drawing from (4.3 mm) into (3.5 mm) diameter with an area reduction of 1.65, 34% ratio.Six dies were employed in various alignments at three different angles (0°, 1°, and 2°), each has two different drawing speeds of (20 mm/min and 40 mm/min). Results show, the highest drawing load and temperature values in die no.5. The effect of using grease on the die wear rate found that the die wear decreases compared to without. But, when using mixed gradients under the same working conditions, the wear rate changed into coating layer on the die surface. The interaction effect of wire alignment on the product strength showing very small when dealing with low or higher speed, but elongation and ductility are significantly reduced with increasing the angle. The wire produced from die no.1, gives the highest micro hardness.

Investigation of Friction Stir Welding of Additively Manufactured Biocompatible Thermoplastics Using Stationary Shoulder and Assisted Heating

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, offers many advantages and, particularly in the medical field, it has stood out for its potential for the manufacture of patient-specific implantable devices. Thus, the unique properties of 3D-printed biocompatible polymers such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) have made these materials the focus of recent research where new post-processing and joining techniques need to be investigated. This study investigates the weldability of PLA and PEEK 3D-printed plates through stationary shoulder friction stir welding (SS-FSW) with assisted heating. An SS-FSW apparatus was developed to address the challenges of rotating shoulder FSW of thermoplastics, with assisted heating either through the shoulder or through the backing plate, thus minimizing material removal defects in the welds. Successful welds revealed that SS-FSW improves surface quality in both PLA and PEEK welds compared to rotating shoulder tools. Process parameters for PLA welds are investigated using the Taguchi method, emphasizing the importance of lower travel speeds to achieve higher joint efficiencies. In PEEK welds, the heated backing plate proved effective in increasing process heat input and reducing cooldown rates which were associated with higher crystallinity PEEK. Despite these findings, further research is needed to improve the weld strength of SS-FSW with these materials considering aspects like tool design, process stability, and 3D printing parameters. This investigation emphasizes the potential of SS-FSW in the assembly of thermoplastic materials, offering insights into the weldability of additively manufactured biocompatible polymers like PLA and PEEK.

Numerical Calculation of the Oil Flow in a Truck Rear Axle Transmission and the Influence of Gear-Induced Air Flow

Abstract For the reliable operation of a gearbox, consistently sufficient lubrication of tooth contacts and bearings is necessary. Thus, gearbox oil flow plays an important role. Additionally, air flow may affect the oil flow in the gearbox. The state of the art indicates that Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) enables targeted support of the gearbox development process at an early stage. Computational time plays a prominent role in practical applications due to associated costs. The particle-based Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) shows great potential for time-efficient calculations, especially with a simplified single-phase modeling approach. This study examines the influence of gear-induced air flow on gearbox oil flow, focusing on a test gearbox to identify a suitable modeling approach for a truck rear axle transmission. The results indicate that for the investigated operating conditions, the gear-induced air flow only impacts gearbox oil flow at higher circumferential speeds. For lower circumferential speeds, a single-phase SPH yields good results with significantly reduced computation times compared to the two-phase SPH. Applying the single-phase SPH to the truck rear axle transmission and comparing numerical results with experimental findings demonstrates a reliable representation of the oil flow characteristics.

Effect of Laser Parameters on Surface Texture of Polyformaldehyde and Parameter Optimization

This research aimed to investigate the influence of laser process parameters on the surface texture of Polyformaldehyde (POM) and to improve its processability and process predictability. A comparative experiment and analysis involving multiple processing parameters, including laser power, scanning speed, and pulse width, were conducted on POM. Statistical prediction models of laser processing POM were established among the laser power, scanning speed, pulse width, texture depth, surface roughness at the bottom of texture, and multi-objective optimization and experimental verification of process parameters were carried out based on the grey-Taguchi analysis method. Experimental results show that the laser power and scanning speed significantly affect the texture depth. Higher laser power and lower scanning speed are conducive to forming depth. The surface roughness at the bottom of the texture increases with the increase in scanning speed and shows a tendency to rise and then fall as the laser power increases. The surface roughness and texture depth obtained under the optimal process parameters(A5B1C1) are 1.373 μm and 466.891 μm, respectively, which were reduced by 10.08 % and increased by 3.42 % compared with the minimum surface roughness and maximum depth in the orthogonal experiments. The validation experiments of the prediction model show that it can meet the reliability requirements, and the errors of the predicted values of depth and surface roughness are 1.86 % and 7.60 %, respectively. The above research provides theoretical and experimental support for the precise control of surface texture prepared by laser processing POM.

Viscoelastic, Optical, and Surgical Properties of Vitreous Body Replacement Hydrogels After Aging Compared to Porcine Vitreous Bodies And Silicone Oils.

First- (monomers), second- (pre-gelated), and third- (in situ gelating after injection) generation hydrogels were previously introduced to replace the vitreous body after vitrectomy surgery. In this study, we evaluated the surgical, optical, and viscoelastic properties of vitreous body replacement hydrogels before and after an accelerated aging protocol previously applied to intraocular implants. Measurements of injection force, removal speed using a clinically established vitrectomy setup, as well as evaluation of forward light scattering and viscoelastic properties before and after an accelerated aging protocol were conducted. Results were compared to porcine and human vitreous bodies, as well as currently clinically applied lighter- and heavier-than-water silicone oils. Removal speed of all tested hydrogels is substantially lower than the removal speed of porcine vitreous body (0.2 g/min vs. 2.7 g/min for the best performing hydrogel and porcine vitreous body, respectively). Forward light scattering in second-generation vitreous body replacement hydrogels was higher after the aging process than the straylight of the average 70-year-old vitreous body (9.4 vs. 5.5 deg2/sr, respectively). The viscoelastic properties of all hydrogels did not change in a clinically meaningful manner; however, trends toward greater stiffness and greater elasticity after aging were apparent. This study demonstrates surgical weaknesses of the hydrogels that need to be addressed before clinical use, especially low removal speed. Pre-linked hydrogels (second-generation) showed inferior performance regarding surgical properties compared to in situ gelating hydrogels (third-generation). This study highlights possible pitfalls regarding surgical and optical properties when applying vitreous replacement hydrogels clinically.

Experimental Study of the Vibration of Blades Induced by Flow and Sound in a Plane Cascade under Low Wind Speed

Experimental Study of the Vibration of Blades Induced by Flow and Sound in a Plane Cascade under Low Wind Speed

Effect of Baffles on Efficiency of Darrieus Vertical Axis Wind Turbines Equipped with J-type Blades

This study investigates the effects of incorporating baffles in J-type bladed vertical axis wind turbines. The objectives are to analyze the behavior of vortices and their impact on turbine performance and to explore various locations for placing the baffles along the J-type blades. The 3D numerical simulations of the current study applies the sliding mesh techniques to better model the rotational motion of blades about the turbine axis with respect to the wind. The results show that mounting zero-thickness baffles over the tips of the blades effectively reduces vortex leakage, minimizes tip vortices, and increases the pressure differential across the sides of J-type blades leading to a significant improvement of the turbine performance. At low tip speed ratios (TSRs) of 0.5, 0.75 and 1, in particular, the torque generation in comparison with conventional NACA0021 straight bladed turbines has been improved by up to 49.5%, 38.2%, and 28%, respectively. Considering a wide range of TSRs, on average, the implementation of baffles results in a 17.5% increase in torque generation. The effect of the baffle thickness on generated vortices and their evolution along the course of flow is also investigated to show how the zero-thickness baffles improves the blade aerodynamics.

The impact of shipping on the air quality in European port cities with a detailed analysis for Rotterdam

Air quality in cities with large maritime ports is considerably impacted by emissions from shipping activity which is of a growing relevance due to an increasing relative contribution. To explore the extent of shipping emissions to ambient air quality, simulations with the chemical transport model LOTOS-EUROS (LOng Term Ozone Simulation – EURopean Operational Smog model) were performed for the year 2018 at an approximate 1x1 km resolution for six European cities with large ports, i.e., Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Le Havre, and London. It was found that depending on the investigated city, 6.5% to 62% of the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration in the city centres is attributable to shipping activities. This corresponds to contributions of 1.8 to 11.5 μg/m3 to the ambient air NO2 concentrations. The average NO2 contribution of shipping in these six cities was 28% (7.1 μg/m3). The largest relative contribution was found for Le Havre where 62% (10.8 μg/m3) of the annual average NO2 concentration was caused by shipping emissions. The largest absolute contribution is found for the city centre of Hamburg with 11.5 μg/m3 (41%). The lowest absolute and relative contribution (respectively 1.8 μg/m3 and 6.5%) are found for London, also having the smallest port in terms of tonnage throughput, which is one of the influential factors that determine emission totals, investigated in this study. For the other investigated pollutants, i.e., PM2.5, PM10 and SO2, contributions from shipping were less pronounced with average contribution for all cities of 10% (1.2 μg/m3)7% (1.5 μg/m3) and 4% (0.16 μg/m3) respectively. To assess the effect of model choices on these results, this study also looked into the choice of simulation resolution and relations between meteorological parameters and NO2 concentrations. Following simulations with varying chemical transport model resolutions (1x1 km to 24x24 km), it is found that a decrease in ambient air pollutant concentrations away from localized emission sources is more pronounced at higher (1x1 km) model resolutions and source contributions are influenced more significantly than total concentrations. Considering meteorology, generally low wind speeds (1-2 m/s) lead to high NO2 concentration in city centres. For the cities where the port is much closer to the city centre (e.g., London, Le Havre, Hamburg and Antwerp) the absolute NO2 concentrations as well as the contributions from shipping emissions become highest for windless conditions. The high concentrations (>60 μg/m3 NO2) only occur when wind speeds fall below 6 m/s.

Energy and exergy analysis of a long-term nonlinear dynamic roll bond PVT solar collector model under Tunisian (North Africa) climatic conditions

Roll-bond type PVT modules drew little attention while offering a higher energy exchange area and an efficient heat transfer solution. Furthermore, comparative studies including exergetic assessment on PVT systems are very limited in the literature. In this paper, a novel and detailed nonlinear dynamic roll bond PVT model is performed under real-world weather conditions that provide reasonable and realistic system performance. By incorporating local solar, thermal, exergy, and electrical models based on five diode parameters, a thorough analysis is conducted. Likewise, a unique, rigorous exergy comparison between PV, thermal, and roll bond PVT systems is conducted. Results reveal that there appears to be a direct relationship between wind velocity and changes in ambient temperature which affect exergy efficiency. Higher irradiance and lower wind speeds lead to increased thermal losses, which lower the electrical exergy efficiency of the PV and PVT solar collectorsThe exergy analysis reveals that a PVT system outperforms PV + ST, and findings show that for thermal and electrical parts, the yearly average efficiencies are 33.7 % and 12.27 %, respectively. Findings enable a fast and an accurate assessment of fill factor (FF), which is temperature-dependent, over the course of a year’s worth of PVT collector operation.

Plasmodium Sporozoite Shows Distinct Motility Patterns in Responses to Three-dimensional Environments

During malaria infection, Plasmodium sporozoites, the fast-moving stage of the parasite, are injected by a mosquito into the skin of the mammalian host. In the skin, sporozoites need to migrate through the dermal tissue to enter the blood vessel. Sporozoite motility is critical for infection but not well understood. Here we used collagen hydrogels with tunable fiber structures, as an in vitro model for the skin. After injecting sporozoites into the hydrogel, we analyzed their motility in 3D. We found that sporozoites demonstrated chiral motility, in that they mostly follow right-handed helical trajectories. In high-concentration collagen gel, sporozoites have lower instantaneous speed, but exhibit straighter tracks compared to low-concentration collagen gel, which leads to longer net displacement and faster dissemination. Taken together, our study indicates an inner mechanism for sporozoites to adapt to the environment, which could help with their successful exit from the skin tissue.

Ventilation performance study of a high-speed train cabin based on displacement ventilation and mixed ventilation

Indoor ventilation systems play an important role in controlling energy consumption, thermal comfort, and airborne pollutants. This work is concerned with whether the combination of displacement and mixed ventilation can overcome these systems' respective shortcomings to improve the ventilation performance of high-speed train cabins. This work is based on computational fluid dynamics. The results show that when more fresh airflow enters the compartment from the top vents, the flow field is mainly driven by mechanical forces, and two vortices are formed. When more fresh airflow enters the compartment from the bottom vents, the flow field is mainly driven by thermal buoyancy. Meanwhile, the airflow mainly spreads upward, with lower cooling energy consumption, lower wind speed, higher ventilation efficiency, and smaller longitudinal diffusion of pollutants, but increased temperature difference. When the ratio of top and bottom supply air flow is 75%/25%, thermal comfort can be improved, while balancing energy consumption and air quality. If there was a disease outbreak, the flow rate of the bottom air supply could be increased appropriately. To further improve the ventilation performance, on the one hand, it is necessary to appropriately increase the temperature of the bottom air supply, and on the other hand, it is necessary to avoid short-circuiting of the airflow, due to the lack of synergy between thermal buoyancy and mechanical force. The results of the study can provide a reference for safeguarding passengers and improving the ventilation design of high-speed trains.