On-site Demonstration Research Articles

Pilot scale on-site demonstration and seasonality assessment of nitrogen recovery and water reclamation from pig's slurry liquid fraction

Livestock slurry has gathered significant interest as a secondary raw material for fertilisers industry due to its content on macronutrients -nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium- and organic carbon. In this study, the performance of an on-site pilot plant composed by microfiltration, membrane-assisted stripping, and reverse osmosis for selective recovery of nitrogen as fertiliser and water reclamation was demonstrated for 2 years in a pig farm, referenced to 8 batches for seasonal assessment. Microfiltration mitigated the seasonal variation in the composition of pig slurry leading to stable process efficiency in the following steps. Membrane-assisted stripping resulted in the recovery of up to 56% of nitrogen as high-purity ammonium sulphate, and up to 42% of reclaimed water as reverse osmosis permeate. The proposed train of technologies reported proper performance and robustness during the whole demonstration period as it resulted in the production of reclaimed water and ammonium sulphate with no significant quality variations. The energy cost for both products obtained in this study was found in the average of the previous works reviewed with 12.49 kWh kg−1 NH3 produced, and 0.37 kWh m−3 of reclaimed water. The environmental assessment showed that nitrogen losses could be reduced by up to 90 kg N ha−1 d−1 by replacing manure spreading with precise fertilisation techniques, enabled by the selective recovery of nitrogen from SLF. Finally, the financial study showed that the scaling up of the proposed train of technologies would result in benefits for farms with more than 1600 pig heads.

A Holonic Construction Management System for the Efficient Implementation of Building Energy Renovation Actions

In the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, many efforts have provided remarkable contributions to construction planning and control processes during work execution. Nevertheless, frequent coordination issues among stakeholders and difficulties in dealing with unexpected events can be explained by the complexity featuring the construction sector. Several approaches to deal with this issue were investigated in the manufacturing area, among which this paper looks at the holonic approach as one of the most promising strategies. This study first analyzes the more fragmented and dynamic nature of the construction industry as compared with the manufacturing one. Secondly, it suggests developing a process-based holonic construction management system based on building information modeling (BIM) and a conceptual architecture for manufacturing control called Product Resource Order Staff Architecture (PROSA). The process-based paradigm ensures exploiting the benefits of BIM towards the development of sustainable and efficient regeneration methods of the built environment. Subsequently, a first management system prototype was developed and tested for the purpose of renovation works management. For the first time, results from an actual implementation of PROSA were applied to a real construction site, and its feasibility was assessed using the data on the field. Key performance indicators (KPIs) evaluated during the onsite demonstration confirmed a good performance of PROSA and the presented holonic approach, which contributed to the overall success of the energy efficient refurbishment project.

Advanced Process Control System for Trench Shape of Power Devices

In the semiconductor manufacturing, the manufacturing equipment is managed via the quality control (QC) in which the shape of the processed feature is checked whether it meets the specification. If the shape is out of the specification, some recipe parameters are modified so that the shape meets the specification. The calculation method of the recipe parameters depends on the know-how of the individual fab engineers, which cause difficulties in the QC. To overcome this problem, we have developed an automatic calculation method of the optimal recipe parameters with Advanced Process Control (APC) system with the stacking model method in order to solve these problems. In the development process, we have also performed comparison of two gap scoring methods. In the on-site demonstration of this system, we have further optimized the exploration method of the recipe parameters.

Intervenciones educativas en asma infantil: Una revisión sistemática

ObjectiveTo analyze educational interventions in pediatric asthmatic patients to achieve an adequate inhalation technique and improve their self-management. DesignSystematic review based on the PRISMA recommendations. Data sourcesPubmed, Scopus, Cuiden, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases were reviewed. Study selectionSixteen articles published between 2014 and 2021 were included, with access to full text, languages: English, French and Spanish and pediatric population: 0–18 years. Data extractionTwo thousand three hundred and thirteen children were participated. The variables analyzed were: level of care, type of intervention, correct performance of the inhalation technique, follow-up of the technique, delivery of written recommendations, professional-educator category, variables related to respiratory pathology, school absenteeism, quality of life and economic costs. ResultsThe health care level was primary, hospital and community care, where specialist doctors, nurses and pharmacists stood out as educators. The most prevalent educational interventions are on-site demonstration and delivery of recommendations or multimedia interventions. Several articles report that asthma education is not carried out correctly, others state that their technique improves after the intervention, but most of them highlight the importance of periodic review of the technique. ConclusionsThe authors report improvement in the inhalation technique in all of them, as well as greater self-management of the disease and adherence to treatment. It is necessary to intensify the education of patients in the correct handling of the devices, and the follow-up and subsequent review to optimize the control of the disease.

Understanding community capacity-building at a local level for sustainable tourism in World Heritage Site: the case of Wulingyuan in China

ABSTRACT This paper is concerned with the concept and practice of rural community capacity-building (CCB) within the context of sustainable tourism. Issues are discussed with specific reference to a Chinese village located in the Wulingyuan World Heritage Site (WHS). The results of the CCB initiative conducted with residents, enterprises, and communities reveal a strong interest and necessity for sustainable tourism within WHS. The study takes place within the framework of the WH + ST programme established by UNESCO aligns with an understanding of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). The purpose of the research is to explore the understanding of CCB at the destination community level. By introducing experiences of a CCB on-site demonstration project targeting critical stakeholders of the destination community, the study aims to enhance knowledge and practice of the implementation of CCB in a part of the global discussion.

Coordinated Control Strategy and Physical Integration of a Multistation Integrated System

The integration of distributed photovoltaic and new energy vehicles could further aggravate the over-voltage, over-load, and three-phase voltage unbalance in distribution networks. Multistation integrated system (MSIS) can resolve the aforementioned power quality issues. In this article, a new topology for a MSIS is proposed, which uses soft open point as the key equipment of the system and adopts the hierarchical power supply mode for a data center, electric vehicle charging pile, and other function stations. Based on the topology of the MSIS and smooth switching of the converter control mode, a coordinated control strategy is proposed to control the working mode of each function station and further optimize the system operation conditions. The small signal model of the MSIS is derived, which can provide theoretical support for the stable operation of the system. The simulation results of two different application scenarios verify that the proposed topology of the MSIS and coordinated control strategy effectively improve the voltage level of the distribution network, enhance the reliability of sensitive load power supply, and ensure safe and reliable operation of the MSIS. Finally, the fusion and integration functions of the MSIS are tested and verified. The on-site demonstration indicated a mutual win–win situation for the power supply company, energy supplier, equipment provider and users.

Introducing pulse oximetry in routine IMCI services in Bangladesh: A context-driven approach to influence policy and programme through stakeholder engagement.

BackgroundPneumonia is the leading cause of under-five child deaths globally and in Bangladesh. Hypoxaemia or low (<90%) oxygen concentration in the arterial blood is one of the strongest predictors of child mortality from pneumonia and other acute respiratory infections. Since 2014, the World Health Organization recommends using pulse oximetry devices in Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) services (outpatient child health services), but it was not routinely used in most health facilities in Bangladesh until 2018. This paper describes the stakeholder engagement process embedded in an implementation research study to influence national policy and programmes to introduce pulse oximetry in routine IMCI services in Bangladesh.MethodsBased on literature review and expert consultations, we developed a conceptual framework, which guided the planning and implementation of a 4-step stakeholder engagement process. Desk review, key informant interviews, consultative workshops and onsite demonstration were the key methods to involve and engage a wide range of stakeholders. In the first step, a comprehensive desk review and key informant interviews were conducted to identify stakeholder organisations and scored them based on their power and interest levels regarding IMCI implementation in Bangladesh. In the second step, two national level, two district level and five sub-district level sensitisation workshops were organised to orient all stakeholder organisations having high power or high interest regarding the importance of using pulse oximetry for pneumonia assessment and classification. In the third step, national and district level high power-high interest stakeholder organisations were involved in developing a joint action plan for introducing pulse oximetry in routine IMCI services. In the fourth step, led by a formal working group under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, we updated the national IMCI implementation package, including all guidelines, training manuals, services registers and referral forms in English and Bangla. Subsequently, we demonstrated its use in real-life settings involving various levels of (national, district and sub-district) stakeholders and worked alongside the government leaders towards carefully resuming activities despite the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsOur engagement process contributed to the national decision to introduce pulse oximetry in routine child health services and update the national IMCI implementation package demonstrating country ownership, government leadership and multi-partner involvement, which are steppingstones towards scalability and sustainability. However, our experience clearly delineates that stakeholder engagement is a context-driven, time-consuming, resource-intensive, iterative, mercurial process that demands meticulous planning, prioritisation, inclusiveness, and adaptability. It is also influenced by the expertise, experience and positionality of the facilitating organization.ConclusionsOur experience has demonstrated the value and potential of the approach that we adopted for stakeholder engagement. However, the approach needs to be conceptualised coupled with the allocation of adequate resources and time commitment to implement it effectively.

철도역사에서 시각장애인 이동성 향상을 위한 모바일 앱기반 음성유도기용 스마트 중계기 개발

The voice guide system are installed to make known the location of the visually impaired in major places in railway station, but they are actually less utilized due to various problems.. The main reasons for the low utilization are the need to use a dedicated remote control and the burden of surrounding eyes due to the operation of the voice guide system. To solve these problems, the mobile app.-based smart repeater for voice guide equipment that can be operated through mobile apps was proposed and developed. The developed system was installed at metro Gwangju Songjeong Station, and on-site demonstration tests were conducted for the visually impaired. In addition, a very large increase was confirmed by satisfaction survey for them. Through these field test and satisfaction surveys, the technology and effectiveness of mobile app.-based smart repeaters and mobile apps for the visually impaired were confirmed.

Using the 4 M of the Age Friendly Health System to improve MIPS documentation in Primary care: A Feasibility study

Age Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) commit to evidence-based, low-risk, coordinated care that is centered on what matters most to older adults, their families and caregivers. Nova Southeastern University South Florida Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (NSU SFGWEP) has partnered with multiple primary care clinics to provide dedicated AFHS training and support to increase AFHS transformation in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. As part of the initiative, SFGWEP provide didactic training, clinic on-site brief demonstration, and infographic guidance for EHR documentation. NSU SFGWEP activities are conducted through training surveys, provider feedback, and e-clinical measures that align with CMS MIPS measures. Three participating health systems report annually on seven e-clinical measures that, collectively, provide indicators of the 4Ms of AFHS (what matters, medication management, mentation and mobility.) From baseline to Year 1, NSU SFGWEP saw improvement in controlled hypertension (54% to 94%), opioid screening (<1% to 11%), advance care planning (21% to 35%) and falls risk assessment (45% to 59%). Results demonstrate the need to continue and expand AFHS interventions for sustainability. In Year 2, SFGWEP will continue to expand awareness of best practices and benefits of the AFHS through education and training at NSU and at the various primary care sites. As mutual collaboration and implementation methods are shared among participating members, the expectation is that quality healthcare of our elder community adults will measurably improve.

Management plan of a paediatric outpatient department during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic.

With the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection outbreak and spread, serious cases of infection and neonatal infection have been reported. Moreover, children show milder cases and a better prognosis than adults. The outpatient Department of Paediatrics has played a crucial role in the prevention and control of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection in children. Based on previous experience and existing diagnosis and treatment guidelines, we present the relevant strategies of this particular paediatric outpatient department when responding to the epidemic. Conclusion: Concurrently, we hope that this article can act as a reference in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further modifications will be made in the future with the increase in clinical experience and changes in the disease. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

송전철탑 및 전력설비 자동검출을 위한 영상 분석 알고리즘 개발

Over the past few decades the capacity of the power transmission system is growing more and more rapidly, and the power systems have also been expanding in line with continuous expansion of infrastructure. Efficient maintenance of the transmission infrastructure is critical for stable power system operation. However, since the transmission infrastructure is installed at a high location from the ground, the maintenance and diagnosis on transmission towers always involves the possibility of the safety accident of workers. Since 2016, Korea Electric Power Corporation has been developing technologies for monitoring and diagnosis of power lines using drones and has verified the usefulness of technologies through on-site demonstration. 3GBytes of video will be acquired by one flight. And video analysis is performed by below process. ① A worker finds an image frame that includes a transmission tower and power facilities, ② and expands the area of interest in the image, ③ finally the visually observes the facilities and determines whether defects are. These process requires the concentration of the operator and causes very high fatigue. To solve these problems, it is necessary to develop an image analysis algorithm for automatic detection of transmission towers and power facilities to automatically find image frames containing facilities and automatically enlarge the area of interest in the frame to provide diagnosis operator. In this paper describes the process of building a learning and testing image database for detecting transmission towers and facilities carried out for the development of these algorithms and the process of developing algorithms using deep learning CNN-YOLO v2(Convolutional Neural Network - You Only Look Once v2) and the improvement of performance aspects including accuracy and speed with existing algorithms. The recall and precision rate of YOLO v2 for detecting transmission infrastructure is 96.30% and 95.65% respectively, which is more accurate and faster than YOLO v1.

UV/chlorine vs. UV/H2O2 for water reuse at Orange County Water District, CA: a pilot study

On-site demonstration tests evaluated 1,4-dioxane removal in reverse osmosis permeate (RO permeate) at the Orange County Water District (OCWD) Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF).

On-site demonstration of an elevated temperature hydrogen clean-up unit for fuel cell applications

Hydrogen from coal-based syngas is usually purified by deep desulfurization and decarbonization scrubbing technologies. Such electricity consuming processes cost a large number of heat exchangers and compressors. In this study, a two-stage demonstration unit had been constructed and demonstrated to purify hydrogen (including useful nitrogen for ammonia synthesis) from on-site sideline shift gas mixture at Yangmei Fengxi ammonia plant. For the first stage, an 8-column hydrogen purification process by novel elevated temperature pressure swing adsorption (ET-PSA, operated at 180 to 220 °C) was developed and demonstrated to capture H2S and CO2 simultaneously by hydrophobic activated carbon (AC) to reduce the impurities compared to that of room temperature PSA. Working condition at elevated temperature was proved to be appropriate and stable for reversible H2S removal by AC. The second stage was a temperature swing adsorption for deep purification of CO to 0.2 ppm by commercial CuCl monolayer dispersed zeolites (PU-1 synthesized by Beijing Peking University Pioneer Technology Co., Ltd.). In order to examine the standard of trace impurities such CO and H2S in product H2, the purified H2 was offered to a 3 kW proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack to prove that all carbon and sulfur impurities met the demand not only for ammonia synthesis, but for PEMFC as well. Besides, two novel PSA steps: high pressure steam rinse and low pressure nitrogen purge were adopted to improve H2 recovery to above 93%. To demonstrate its stability, over 2500 h of operation had been carried out on the small-scale demonstration rigs by far.

Framework for Assessment of Eco-Safe Rural Roads in Panchase Geographic Region in Central–Western Nepal Hills

Rural roads are important for the communities in the hilly areas of Nepal as they introduce livelihood opportunities at the local level, and provide better access to the healthcare, education, and resources. Yet, most of the rural roads in Nepal are unplanned and non-engineered, and these roads are often closed for many months during and after the monsoon. Such roads require huge investments, especially post-monsoon, to clear debris and to keep them operational. In parallel, there is evidence that such roads lead to a large number of slope failures and accelerated sedimentation, which degrade the environment and ecosystem services. To remedy such roadside slope failures, eco-engineering practices were tested and demonstrated in partnership with three communities in the Panchase Region of the Nepal’s Central–Western hills. Eco-engineering is a hybrid approach, combining civil engineering works for drainage and slope stability, with the plantation of deep-rooted vegetation. It is one activity contributing to nature-based solutions (NbS) for the sustainable and long-term operation of the rural roads in the Panchase geographic region. This paper describes the inter-disciplinary and community-based research, monitoring, and evaluation methods applied, including the establishment of onsite demonstration plots and rhizotrons in which key performance indicator (KPI) analysis of plant species was performed. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of eco-engineering for reducing risk, while creating ecological co-benefits along rural roads (or eco-safe roads) in hilly areas. Based on this research, an “eco-safe rural road assessment framework” was developed, outlining the systematic process to be followed for the design of eco-safe rural roads for more sustainable road construction and maintenance. The eco-engineering practices which are being promoted by this framework were accepted by communities and could be further implemented by local government bodies and upscaled in other similar hilly areas around the country.

An onsite demonstration and validation of LiDAR technology for wind energy resource assessment

ABSTRACTThe investigation of wind resource at higher heights is very crucial in planning wind power project. Normally, this involves the installation of a high and costly meteorological mast with a cup anemometer and wind vanes. This investigation uses the new ground-based remote-sensing technique Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to investigate the wind resource at higher heights. This paper describes the LiDAR technology principle and examines the potential of LiDAR measurement to estimate the wind resource at higher heights by conducting a measurement campaign at Tamil Nadu, India. The wind statistics were determined using the 10 min average time-series wind data monitored by ZephIR LiDAR. These include the Weibull parameters, daily mean wind speed, wind power density, wind energy density, vertical wind speed profile and capacity factor. The investigation reveals that the vertical wind speed profile measured from the LiDAR system has approximate closer values to the standard meteorological measurement.

Effective anti-biofouling enabled by surface electric disturbance from water wave-driven nanogenerator

Biofouling has been a long-last problem in a variety of marine systems which causes energy waste and device damage. In this study, we present a self-activated anti-biofouling system enabled by electrical double layer disturbance, which could effectively suppress the initial formation of conditioning layers and subsequent microbe attachment. The small and low-frequency alternating electrical fields were produced by a triboelectric nanogenerator under water wave impacts. Systematic analyses confirmed that the anti-biofouling efficacy was directly related to the strength of the electric field and was effective in both fresh lake and sea water environments. An on-site demonstration was implemented at a calm lake shore for three weeks. The water wave-driven anti-biofouling exhibited excellent surface protection, which was significantly superior to several commercial anti-biofouling coatings. This development brings an effective and eco-friendly solution for protecting a broad range of surfaces against biofouling.

Solar-driven photocatalytic decomposition of microcystin-LR: from laboratory development to on-site demonstration

Abstract Harmful algal blooms (HABs) found in various water bodies worldwide have been a huge concern due to their adverse impacts on human health and ecosystems. In particular, HABs associated with cyanobacteria have been of great interest because of their potential to generate and release biological toxins, especially, lethal microcystins (MCs). The overall goal of this study was to develop a new sustainable approach to decompose MCs, preferably on-site and in real-time with minimal effort, fewer chemicals, and low energy inputs. To achieve the goal, a high efficiency nitrogen-doped TiO2 photocatalytic film immobilized onto a glass substrate was fabricated via integrated sol-gel synthesis employing nitrogen-containing surfactants as pore-templating agent and nitrogen-dopant. The film exhibited visible light-activated, nanoporous, and transparent properties. Effects of surfactant type, calcination temperature, coating layers, and reaction pH on the photocatalytic decomposition of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) were investigated under visible light. Eventually, the TiO2 film was able to successfully decompose MC-LR on-site in a lake under solar radiation in real-time. This study implies the high potential of the TiO2 film for on-site and real-time decomposition of many organic contaminants in water by using sustainable solar energy.

고정익 무인항공기(드론)를 이용한 노천광산 지형측량 기술의 현장실증

본 연구에서는 고정익 무인항공기(드론, SenseFly eBee)를 이용하여 국내 대규모 석회석 노천광산에 대한 지형측량을 수행하였다. 비행고도 300 m, 비행속도 12 m/s 조건으로 약 30분간 자동모드 비행을 수행한 결과 현장에서 총 288장의 항공사진을 촬영할 수 있었다. 특이점 추출이 불가능한 37장의 항공사진을 제외한 251장의 항공사진 자료들을 보정하고, 정합한 결과 7 cm 해상도의 정사영상과 수치표면모델 자료를 생성할 수 있었다. 4곳의 지상기준점에 대하여 고정밀 위성측정시스템를 이용하여 측정한 위치 좌표와 고정익 무인항공기 사진측량시스템을 이용하여 추출한 위치 좌표를 비교한 결과 평균 제곱근 오차가 15 cm 내외로 분석되었다. 고정익 무인항공기는 회전익 무인항공기에 비해 상대적으로 비행시간이 길어 넓은 영역의 신속한 지형측량이 가능하므로 대규모 노천광산 현장에서 효과적으로 활용될 수 있을 것이다. This study performed an on-site demonstration of the topographic surveying technique at a large-scale open-pit limestone mine in Korea using a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, Drone, SenseFly eBee). 288 sheets of aerial photos were taken by an automatic flight for 30 minutes under conditions of 300 m altitude and 12 m/s speed. Except for 37 aerial photos in which no keypoint was detected, 251 aerial photos were utilized for data processing including correction and matching, then an orthomosaic image and digital surface model with 7 cm grid spacing could be generated. A comparison of the X, Y, Z-coordinates of 4 ground control points measured by differential global positioning system and those determined by fixed-wing UAV photogrammetry revealed that the root mean squared errors were around 15 cm. Because the fixed-wing UAV has relatively longer flight time and larger coverage area than rotary-wing UAVs, it can be effectively utilized in large-scale open-pit mines as a topographic surveying tool.

Challenges Associated With Assessment and Testing of Fault Ride-Through Compliance of Variable Power Generation in Australian National Electricity Market

This paper presents challenges associated with the assessment and testing of fault ride-through (FRT) compliance for intermittent power generation, in particular wind and solar generation in the Australian National Electricity Market. Examples discussed in this paper focus on wind farm applications. The same principles, however, hold true for other intermittent generation technologies such as solar generation. Two aspects of compliance are discussed, namely, adherence to technical performance requirements and accuracy of model data subsequently used for undertaking power system simulations. Analytical assessment of compliance through simulation studies and the impact of positive-sequence and detailed electromagnetic transient (EMT) models are discussed. On-site demonstration of FRT compliance through long-term monitoring and staged fault testing are presented. Results obtained from each method are compared against simulation studies and differences between measurements and simulations are discussed.

Practice and thinking of foreign staff in pre-service training in ETC

The medical contingent of Chinese PLA to libera operated the China Ebola treatment center(ETC) with 100 beds, and employed 80 Liberian health workers according to the task requirements and the normal operation demand. Under consideration of current health education situation and epidemic prevention requirements, combined with experiences in the fight against SARS, the training content includes the Ebola prevention and control knowledge, isolation of patients and safe burial, malaria prevention and control knowledge, hospital disinfection technology, psychological intervention. Training methods diversified, with theoretical teaching, site visit, on-site demonstration and training and video guide. With the pass of the simulation training evaluation model in all staff, the expected goals of pre-service training have been achieved. Key words: Ebola virus disease; Foreign staff; Pre-service training