Engineering Technology Research Articles

Preface

International Conference on Hydrodynamics, Energy and Electric Power System (HEEPS) is an annually held conference, it aims to provide a forum for participants to exchange their experiences, share research results in all aspects about Hydrodynamics, Energy and Electric Power System and discuss the encountered practical challenges and the adopted solutions. The 2024 8th International Conference on Hydrodynamics, Energy and Electric Power System (HEEPS 2024) was held in Beijing, China from June 28th to 30th, 2024. This esteemed conference, as the eighth in its series, continues to serve as a premier platform for researchers, scholars, and industry professionals to converge, share insights, and collaborate on the latest advancements in hydrodynamics, water resources and hydropower engineering, energy systems, and electric power technologies. HEEPS 2024 was organized with the aim of fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and innovation within the rapidly evolving fields of fluid mechanics, energy systems, and power engineering. Building upon the success of the previous seven editions, this conference attracted a diverse and vibrant community of participants from around the world. The event was hosted with the support of esteemed institutions such as the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Universiti Putra Malaysia, further enhancing its international reach and impact. HEEPS 2024 was an outstanding three-day conference and a reference that attracted many remarkable keynote speakers, including: Professor Jizhong Zhu (South China University of Technology, China), Professor Ishak Bin Aris (Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia), Professor Lin Chen (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China), Associate Professor Sohrab Mirsaeidi (Beijing Jiaotong University, China), as well as Assistant Professor Jianxiao Wang (Peking University, China). The program kicked off with a series of keynote lectures delivered by renowned experts in their respective fields, setting the tone for an intellectually stimulating conference. These presentations covered a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from fundamental research in hydrodynamics and fluid mechanics to the latest developments in energy systems and power grid technologies. Besides, during all parts of the conference, the attendees actively interacted with the speakers and each other on specific topics. The conference’s Proceedings of HEEPS 2024 contains the papers accepted and presented at this great conference. All these contributions were carefully reviewed by program committee members and took into consideration the breadth and depth of the research topics that fall into HEEPS scope. On behalf of the conference organizers, we would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to all the editors and reviewers for their tremendous efforts and dedication to the conference. We also wish to thank all the authors and speakers for their great contributions to this conference and the conference’s Proceedings. And we believe that with such earnest support and contributions, the future HEEPS conferences will also scale new heights. The Committee of HEEPS 2024 List of Committee Member are available in this pdf.

Career planning matters: Intelligence-based career path predictions using data mining models - A longitudinal study

It is essential for students to plan their careers because selecting the right career path shapes a person’s life. In such disciplines as computer science, information technology, and software engineering, assisting students toward appropriate employment is even more helpful. Thus, throughout the student’s education, they must evaluate their strengths to determine which professional sector corresponds to their abilities. It is for this reason that this research introduces an intelligencebased career recommendation system that will incorporate the analysis of such factors as the student’s academic performance, economic status, and demographic features to use data mining models in determining the best prospective career path to offer the student a more transparent and more informed vision and course to set on in the future. Three key aspects were addressed: first, one or another model and classifier for assessing the impact of pre-university education on the choice of a profession and, consequently, the selection of technologies were used. Second, these models accurately forecast students' careers using core courses, CGPA, and FYP data. Third, socioeconomic or demographic data was incorporated into the prediction to make it more accurate. Regarding the method of class distribution balancing, the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) approach was used. The study reveals that variables specifying preuniversity education directly impact students’ career choices and that, employing data mining techniques, career choices could be forecasted considering academic performance and other related factors.

Polybodies: Next-generation clinical antibodies

Conventional antibodies [full-length and fragments: F(ab′)2, fragment antigen-binding (Fab), single-chain variable fragment (scFv), variable heavy domain of heavy chain (VHH)] are monospecific first-generation antibodies that have dominated the biopharmaceuticals field. However, advanced protein engineering technology has led to the advent of the next-generation polybody, which is a significant improvement over the conventional antibody. Polybodies comprise polyspecific and polyvalent antibodies that enable a single antibody to target multiple specific antigens simultaneously. Polybodies are superior to first-generation antibodies (more efficacious, broad-spectrum, resistance resistant, customizable, etc.) and provide a cost-effective healthcare solution. This review thoroughly addresses developments in polybodies, highlighting their superiority over conventional antibodies and offering future perspectives to encourage the generation of innovative immunotherapies.

Comparative research on acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) and butanol (Bu) as next-generation biofuels in compression ignition engine

Increasing global energy demand, along with economic and environmental issues, have necessitated substituting fossil fuels with biofuels. ABE (acetone-butanol-ethanol mixture), an intermediate product of biobutanol fermentation characterized by low-cost production, has recently emerged as a promising renewable fuel to replace biobutanol (Bu) for engine applications. This study compares ABE and Bu to determine which fuel is superior. To this end, their effects on engine operation and pollutant emissions were investigated. Each biofuel was tested on a research engine under varied loading conditions after being blended with diesel fuel at concentrations of 5, 10, 20, and 30% by volume. The results revealed that the diesel (D)-ABE and diesel-biobutanol (D-Bu) blends experienced dominant premixed combustion; however, deteriorated engine performance somewhat. ABE30 and Bu30 presented the highest increases in fuel consumption (11.67% and 7.89%, respectively), and the highest decreases in thermal efficiency (2.17% and 1.17%, respectively). All fuel blends offered a remarkable concurrent reduction in NO emission and smoke opacity. More specifically, ABE20 provided an average reduction in NO and smoke opacity (41.79% and 49.59%, respectively), as compared to diesel fuel, whereas Bu20 offered a mean reduction in NO and smoke opacity (45.42% and 54.98%, respectively). Collectively, results revealed that Bu20 and its counterpart ABE20 could be the most suitable candidates among the tested fuels. Considering ABE’s lower cost and less energy intensity production process than Bu, ABE20, which is compatible with existing engine technology and improves NOX-PM trade-off with a slight sacrifice in engine performance, emerges as a most promising biofuel.

Current Status and Trends in Shale Oil and Gas Drilling Engineering Technology Development at Home and Abroad

Abstract Shale oil and gas is an important component of unconventional oil and gas, and the United States has achieved energy independence through the shale revolution. China has abundant unconventional oil and gas resources, and the vigorous development of shale oil and gas is a necessary path for the development of China’s oil and gas industry. By systematically analyzing the developmental characteristics of shale oil and gas major countries, represented by North America, this study compares domestic and foreign shale oil and gas drilling engineering technologies from the perspectives of development process, well construction cycle, drilling parameters, and other aspects. It clarifies the advantages and challenges of Chinese shale oil and gas drilling engineering technology and provides targeted recommendations. The drilling mode for shale oil and gas in China has progressed from single horizontal wells to large-scale platform factory operations, significantly reducing costs and increasing efficiency. However, due to the complex geological conditions of shale formations and poor surface environment, China’s shale oil and gas wells have a horizontal section length about 1000 meters shorter than those in North America, and the well construction cycle is 2-3 times longer. There are still certain gaps in drilling efficiency and operating costs compared to foreign countries. By systematically analyzing the development process and parameter characteristics of shale oil and gas drilling engineering technology at home and abroad, this study clarifies the current status of drilling engineering technology, providing references for the integration and promotion of mature technologies, demonstration of key core technology breakthroughs, and exploration of cutting-edge technology research and development.

Optimal Electrocatalyst Design Strategies for Acidic Oxygen Evolution.

Hydrogen, a clean resource with high energy density, is one of the most promising alternatives to fossil. Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers are beneficial for hydrogen production because of their high current density, facile operation, and high gas purity. However, the large-scale application of electrochemical water splitting to acidic electrolytes is severely limited by the sluggish kinetics of the anodic reaction and the inadequate development of corrosion- and highly oxidation-resistant anode catalysts. Therefore, anode catalysts with excellent performance and long-term durability must be developed for anodic oxygen evolution reactions (OER) in acidic media. This review comprehensively outlines three commonly employed strategies, namely, defect, phase, and structure engineering, to address the challenges within the acidic OER, while also identifying their existing limitations. Accordingly, the correlation between material design strategies and catalytic performance is discussed in terms of their contribution to high activity and long-term stability. In addition, various nanostructures that can effectively enhance the catalyst performance at the mesoscale are summarized from the perspective of engineering technology, thus providing suitable strategies for catalyst design that satisfy industrial requirements. Finally, the challenges and future outlook in the area of acidic OER are presented.

Perspective on pathways towards responsible surface engineering

In this perspective sustainability-relevant aspects of modern surface engineering technologies, which enable improved structural and functional surface properties, are critically evaluated. Although plasma-assisted physical vapour deposition (PVD) is increasingly employed to address global challenges, such as energy efficiency and reduction of CO2 emissions, their inherently resource-intensive nature is often not considered.Surface engineering research should thus embrace sustainability-relevant aspects from a processes and materials design point of view. While we are convinced that sustainability-relevant surface engineering has to be based on synchronised process and materials solutions, we will discuss processes and materials separately.In terms of processes, we are going to describe the challenges of state-of-the-art technology, including energy and mass balances as well as product cycles. With respect to materials, the coating and process purity as well as chemical and microstructural complexity are discussed.Such approaches are fully in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production. We expect that the here discussed urgently needed pathways towards responsible surface engineering will become important for the surface engineering community and adopted within the near future. Responsible surface engineering includes the human behaviour and necessitates a change in mindset of materials scientists and process engineers. Hence, two main questions are critically evaluated in this perspective:1)What are sustainability-relevant aspects of PVD processes and materials?2)Which pathways are available to move towards responsible surface engineering?

Meniscal scaffolds based on self-healable elastomer-hydrogel composites with biomimetic structure and tribological properties for repairing meniscal injuries

Meniscal injuries are increasing dramatically with the aging of the population and the prevalence of sports. Tissue engineering technology is the most promising method for the treatment of meniscal injuries, but the preparation of long-term and durable meniscal scaffolds with mechanical and tribological properties like natural articular cartilage remains a great challenge. Here, inspired by the structure and lubrication mechanism of the meniscus, a durable meniscus scaffold with bionic 3D structure, self-lubrication, and intelligent drug release function is prepared. An elastomer-hydrogel composite consisting of a direct ink writing (DIW) printed elastomer skeleton and a hydrogel matrix is prepared for the meniscus scaffold. The bionic 3D structure of the scaffolds is realized by combining computer-aided structural design and 3D printing technology. The self-healing ability obtained by incorporating dynamic covalent bonds, and the robust interface achieved by co-curing of the elastomer and hydrogel resins, ensure the stability and durability of the composite meniscal scaffolds. Taking advantage of the coexistence of aqueous and oily phases in the emulsion-type hydrogel resin, a hydrophobic phospholipid is loaded into the hydrogel, and achieves excellent boundary lubrication of the composite through its fiction-response release and self-assembly. Moreover, the meniscus scaffolds enable intelligent drug release to adapt to the physiological characteristics during inflammation. In vivo tests in rabbit models validate the protective effect of the scaffold on cartilage. These methods and concepts provide a solid foundation for the preparation of bionic tissue scaffolds.

Study The Impact of Bologna Process on The Learning Proficiency of Students at ImamJa`afarAlsadiq University

The current research aims to study if the Bologna processincreasing the learning proficiency according to the openionsof students of the Technical College at Imam Ja’farAlsadiq University (Ijsu) - Baghdad - Iraq, the research sample consisted of (109) male and female students from the Department of Communications Technology Engineering, and a questionnaire was prepared for that consisted of onequestion, and the indicators of their validity and stability were verified, then the data were processed statistically using the statistical SPSS computer program, and the results indicated that the application of the Bologna processincreases the students` learning proficiency

Study The Impact of Bologna track on Student`s Following and Communication with Teachers At Imam Jaafar Alsadiq University

The current research aims to study if the Bologna processhelps the students follow and communicate with teachersaccording to the openions of students of the Technical College at Imam Ja’far Alsadiq University (Ijsu) - Baghdad - Iraq, the research sample consisted of (109) male and female students from the Department of Communications Technology Engineering, and a questionnaire was prepared for that consisted of onequestion, and the indicators of their validity and stability were verified, then the data were processed statistically using the statistical SPSS computer program, and the results indicated that the application of the Bologna processincreases the students` learning proficiency.

Power Distribution Transformer Maintenance Skills Required byElectrical Engineering Technology Students ofPolytechnics inNorth-East Nigeria

Electric power distribution industry in North-East, Nigeria is faced with inadequate number of power transformer maintenance personnel which has led to numerous abandonment of broken down power transformers. Transformer faults have been blamed for many power outages of long duration in many towns and communities in North-East, Nigeria.It is against this backdrop that thisstudy determined the power distribution transformer maintenance skills required by Electrical Engineering Technology students of polytechnics in North-East Nigeria. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study which employed a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was 144 comprising of 135 Electrical Engineering Technology Lecturers, 3 Power Transformer Maintenance Technicians and 6 Electric Power Distribution Company-Based Supervisors. The entire population was used hence, there was no sampling. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled: Power Distribution Transformer Maintenance Skills Required Questionnaire (PDTMSRQ) developed by the researchers. The instrument was validated by three experts and a reliability of 0.74 was obtained using Cronbach Alpha reliability method. Mean statistic was used to answer the research questions while ANOVA was used to test the two null hypotheses of the study at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that the Electrical Engineering Technology students of polytechnics in North-East Nigeria required preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance skills. The study recommended the following: Lecturers should encourage the students’ skill acquisition process by exposing them to various maintenance activities in order for them to imbibe the different methods of power transformer maintenance; Students should be trained to recognize sounds and sights of faulty equipment in order to predict the parts or components that needed replacement or repairs.

Vibration suppression of a meta-structure with hybridization of Kresling origami and Yoshimura origami

In recent years, the deployment and vibration suppression capabilities of spacecraft have become one of the prominent research topics. Considerable effort has been dedicated to studying the deployability and vibration suppression performance of origami structures. However, traditional origami types severely limit their application in aerospace engineering due to their unique deployment behavior. This study introduces a novel meta-structure with hybridization of Kresling origami and Yoshimura origami (MHKYO), designed to suppress low-frequency vibrations. The band structure and transmission rate of the proposed metastructure were studied to evaluate its vibration suppression performance. The adjustment of the bandgap of the metastructure was achieved through geometric parameter variation. Quasi-static compression experiments and transmission rate experiments were carried out, and the results obtained were almost consistent with those obtained by finite element methods. During the compression process, the origami metastructure exhibited quasi-zero-stiffness (QZS) behavior. The influence of the metastructure’s stiffness on the band structure was analyzed. It is also proved that the hybrid origami metastructure improves the vibration suppression performance of the traditional origami metastructure. This work proposes a new origami-inspired metastructure, providing a certain theoretical basis for the application of origami technology in aerospace engineering.

The Gompertz Inverted Nadarajah-Haghighi (GoINH) Distribution Properties with Application to real data

Over the past years, many academics in mathematical statistics have introduced new continuous distributions to respond to real-world data growth, and this adaptability or flexibility has become essential to this development. In this study, a new distribution called Gompertz Inverted Nadarajah-Haghighi (GoINH) is proposed, according to the Gompertz family which is a new four-parameter probability distribution model. In addition, we will present a number of properties of the proposed distribution such as moment generating function, survival function, risk function, characteristic function, quantile function, pdf expansion, and ordered statistics which represent a few of the many mathematical and statistical features of the recently proposed model. The model parameters were also estimated using the maximum likelihood method. In the end, a practical application was carried out on real data, represented by failure times for 40 heavy-duty locomotive engines, and comparison with a number of new or known distributions to determine the efficiency of the distribution using a number of informatics criteria is using the R programming language.

Extensive Remedial in Factoring Polynomials on STEM Learners: An Action Research

There is a widely belief that high school students find it difficult to factor various kind of polynomials. Different ways of factoring polynomials are also highly considered in this action research. This paper chose grade 11 Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics students as respondents of the study. The study will use Extensive Remedial as the intervention for the problem. Results and Interpretation are obtained by using various appropriate statistical formulas like t-test and standard deviation. The researchers conducted this action research to verify if an extensive remedial will have a positive impact on improving the students’ ability to factor different set of polynomials

Cutting-Edge Hydrogel Technologies in Tissue Engineering and Biosensing: An Updated Review.

Hydrogels, known for their unique ability to retain large amounts of water, have emerged as pivotal materials in both tissue engineering and biosensing applications. This review provides an updated and comprehensive examination of cutting-edge hydrogel technologies and their multifaceted roles in these fields. Initially, the chemical composition and intrinsic properties of both natural and synthetic hydrogels are discussed, highlighting their biocompatibility and biodegradability. The manuscript then probes into innovative scaffold designs and fabrication techniques such as 3D printing, electrospinning, and self-assembly methods, emphasizing their applications in regenerating bone, cartilage, skin, and neural tissues. In the realm of biosensing, hydrogels' responsive nature is explored through their integration into optical, electrochemical, and piezoelectric sensors. These sensors are instrumental in medical diagnostics for glucose monitoring, pathogen detection, and biomarker identification, as well as in environmental and industrial applications like pollution and food quality monitoring. Furthermore, the review explores cross-disciplinary innovations, including the use of hydrogels in wearable devices, and hybrid systems, and their potential in personalized medicine. By addressing current challenges and future directions, this review aims to underscore the transformative impact of hydrogel technologies in advancing healthcare and industrial practices, thereby providing a vital resource for researchers and practitioners in the field.

Comprehensive Review Discussion of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Learners in Operations of Integers: An Action Research

Based on perceived general observation, most Senior High School students tend to have difficulties in performing the four basic operations to the set of numbers called “integers”. An integer is a whole number that can be positive, negative, or zero. This study chose Grade 11 Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students as the targeted respondents for this particular action research. It aims to aid STEM students in their struggles on performing operations of integers. The study will use Review Discussion as the intervention and aid for the problem. Results and Interpretation are obtained by using various appropriate statistical formulas like t-test and standard deviation. The researchers conducted this action research to verify if review discussion will have a positive effect and impact on enhancing the skills of Grade 11 STEM students in operations of integers.

Preface: 5th International Conference on Humanities, Management Engineering and Education Technology (HMEET 2024)

The 2024 5th International Conference on Humanities, Management Engineering and Education Technology (HMEET 2024) was successfully held in Seattle, USA during August 10-11, 2024. The conference program covered invited, oral, and poster presentations from scientists working in similar areas to establish platforms for collaborative research projects. There were more than 50 individuals who attended this conference, represented many countries. HMEET 2024 provides a forum for accessing to the most up-to-date and authoritative knowledge from academic worlds, sharing best practice in the fields of humanities, arts, law, history, management engineering, education technology, sustainable development, and social science. The goal of this conference is to bring together the researchers from academia and industry as well as practitioners to share ideas, problems and solutions relating to the multifaceted aspects. This allows for the free exchange of ideas and challenges faced and encourage future collaboration between members of these groups. HMEET Organizing Committee Seattle, USA

Socially Disruptive Technologies and Conceptual Engineering

In this special issue, we focus on the connection between conceptual engineering and the philosophy of technology. Conceptual engineering is the enterprise of introducing, eliminating, or revising words and concepts. The philosophy of technology examines the nature and significance of technology. We investigate how technologies such as AI and genetic engineering (so-called “socially disruptive technologies”) disrupt our practices and concepts, and how conceptual engineering can address these disruptions. We also consider how conceptual engineering can enhance the practice of ethical design. The issue features seven articles that discuss a range of topics, including trust in blockchain applications and the evolving concept of nature. These articles highlight that as technology changes the world and our concepts, conceptual engineering provides invaluable tools and frameworks to reflect on these changes and adapt accordingly.

Assessing gender bias in the software used in computer science and software engineering education

Women are underrepresented in Computer Science (CS)/ Software Engineering (SE) and other technology related degrees. As undergraduates, they are also less likely to persist with CS/SE studies than men enrolled in those same courses. Gender correlated differences in personal characteristics, behaviour, and preferences mean that course design decisions may introduce unintended bias. To address this issue, we drew inspiration from the GenderMag method. GenderMag uses personas with evidence-based gender differences in problem-solving traits to detect usability issues in software. In this paper we investigate the personal qualities of CS and SE students, and how these influence their CS/SE learning journey. A series of persona development workshops were held to gather an extensive and unique qualitative dataset capturing the prior experiences, preferences, learning styles, motivations, goals, frustrations, and constraints of CS/SE students. Gender differences were used to construct preliminary male and female student personas. These personas were used in cognitive walkthroughs of software applications commonly used in education, and their performance compared to GenderMag’s Tim and Abi. While the student personas were less effective and lacked specificity compared to Abi, they were able to identify issues not detectable with GenderMag. Furthermore, the findings show the utility of persona development workshops as a data collection method and introduce a comprehensive list of CS/SE student qualities that may inspire future investigations.

Analysis of the Teaching Reform Path for Environmental Engineering Technology Majors in Higher Vocational Education Based on the “1+X” Certificate

In the context of building an innovative country, the country has put forward higher requirements for talent cultivation in vocational colleges. Vocational colleges should continuously explore and improve talent cultivation work to meet these requirements while cultivating more professional and practical talents for the country and society. This article takes the Environmental Engineering Technology major as an example. Integrating the concept of “1+X” certificate into environmental engineering technology teaching can better construct the curriculum system of the Environmental Engineering Technology major, make the curriculum structure more scientific, complete and standardized, and help students understand the connection between certificates and education from multiple perspectives, thereby achieving effective reform of the curriculum of the Environmental Engineering Technology major. Based on this, the article will elaborate on the concept and significance of the “1+X” certificate and analyze in detail the teaching system construction ideas of the environmental engineering technology major courses in higher vocational education under the background of the “1+X” certificate. Studying the shortcomings in the current development of environmental engineering technology education in higher vocational education in China and proposing improvement measures for the environmental engineering technology major courses in higher vocational education to address existing problems will provide certain references and assistance for the subsequent reform of environmental engineering teaching in higher vocational education in China.