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A Review on Recent Progress in the Integrated Green Hydrogen Production Processes
Get PDFThe thermochemical water-splitting method is a promising technology for efficiently converting renewable thermal energy sources into green hydrogen. This technique is primarily based on recirculating an active material, capable of experiencing multiple reduction-oxidation (redox) steps through an integrated cycle to convert water into separate streams of hydrogen and oxygen. The thermochemical cycles are divided into two main categories according to their operating temperatures, namely low-temperature cycles (<1100 °C) and high-temperature cycles (<1100 °C). The copper chlorine cycle offers relatively higher efficiency and lower costs for hydrogen production among the low-temperature processes. In contrast, the zinc oxide and ferrite cycles show great potential for developing large-scale high-temperature cycles. Although, several challenges, such as energy storage capacity, durability, cost-effectiveness, etc., should be addressed before scaling up these technologies into commercial plants for hydrogen production. This review critically examines various aspects of the most promising thermochemical water-splitting cycles, with a particular focus on their capabilities to produce green hydrogen with high performance, redox pairs stability, and the technology maturity and readiness for commercial use
The Professional Qualifications Directive. An, as yet, incomplete attempt to fully operationalize the principle of mutual recognition.
Get PDF"Mutual recognition constitutes a principle of the EU legal order whose purpose is to alleviate Member State beneficiaries from having to comply to a dual regulatory burden during cross border transactions. It relies on the premise that a destination EU state recognizes the given regulations of an origin member state.The arguments put forward in this thesis are that in the context of the secondary legislation regarding professional qualifications recognition, this premise has not been adhered to; that an alternative paradigm of mutual recognition has been employed instead, such that excludes certain beneficiaries from the recognition equation; and such as to render the operationalization of mutual recognition in this domain incomplete.These arguments raise concerns on several levels. Does the emergence of this new paradigm completely undermine the customary application of the mutual recognition principle? Is there scope for the old traditional paradigm to also be applied to the area related to the recognition of professional qualifications? Is there room for the mutual recognition exercise within the context of the Professional Qualifications Directive to be completed?To address the concerns raised, methodologically, the thesis employs a doctrinal legal research approach calling on primary and secondary EU legislation and associated materials relevant to the mutual recognition principle inclusive of those decisions of the CJEU that relate to the Professional Qualifications Directive. The development and functioning of the principle are examined in detail through the prism of the evolution of the directive.The findings of the thesis suggest that mutual recognition in the area of the free movement of workers remains not fully operationalized. The conclusion of the thesis is that for the mutual recognition exercise, within the context of the Professional Qualifications Directive, to be completed the traditional mode of operation of the principle must be firmly embedded in it.
Stigma management in grief after suicide: A grounded theory study of parental experience
Get PDF"Aim: This study aimed to understand the impact of stigma on how parents cope with grief after the suicide of an adult child.Background: Globally, 703,000 suicides occur every year; each one affects between 10-135 people. Studies have suggested that those who are bereaved by suicide are more likely to experience stigma that leads to complications during mourning Few studies have explored the influence of stigma in how parents cope with grief after the suicide of their adult child.Methods: A systematic literature review informed the design of a longitudinal study that used a constructivist grounded theory approach. In total, 12 parents of adult children who had died by suicide were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at two time points between 2015 and 2016.Findings: Three stigma-related processes emerged from the data: gaining awareness of stigma, hiding stigma and concealment of death, and surviving stigma to cope with grief. The following novel findings were observed; blame is averted from the deceased, acts of remembrance held specific significance and parents become involved in therapeutic activism in order to cope with grief and stigma and prevent further suicides.Conclusion: Building on existing theories of grief and stigma this qualitative work informed the development of a new triple process model of stigma management in coping with grief after suicide.
European Union How Does It Work?
No full textAs the most concise, accessible guide to the EU, The European Union: How does it work? is an ideal introduction for those coming to the subject for the first time. A team of expert scholars cut through the complexity to explain how the EU works, both in theory and in practice, helping students gain the knowledge they need to succeed.A perfect introduction to the EU for those with little or no prior knowledge of the subject: concise and readable, with coverage of the key actors, policies, and developments in the EUAn expert line-up combines leading scholars and practitioners with first-hand experience of the EU's institutions'How it really works' boxes help students connect theory with clear explanations illustrated by real-world examples'Key concepts and terms' boxes, discussion questions and further reading features further support students in broadening their knowledge of the EUA range of boxes throughout the text explore specific cases that highlight how the EU works, what it does, or how it has evolvedAlso available as an e-book with functionality, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support</p
Impact of Socio-Economic Factors on Nutrition Efficiency: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis
Get PDFBackground: Paying particular attention to sustainable food consumption in low-income households is essential for increasing human health. Due to the growing population globally, this concept will likely become more serious soon.Methods: Following the importance of optimizing food consumption for sustainability, in this study, a novel methodology is introduced for calculating nutrient intake efficiency and determining choices of food in different locations. The impact of socio-economic factors on nutrition efficiency is assessed. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) as a well-known linear programming (LP) and a Tobit model are used to achieve the goals. Household Consumption and Expenditure Surveys (HCESs) of 30,000 rural and urban Iranian households in all provinces in 2016 are analyzed. A Nutrient Efficiency Map (NEM) of Iran was depicted by GIS software.Results: The results showed that many townships had nutrient efficiency scores of less than 70%. Northeast townships had the lowest scores, with an efficiency score of less than 50%. Overall, townships have lower efficiency in the North (seaside cities), East (desert cities), and North East (isolated cities) when compared with other areas.Conclusion: Therefore, it is suggestible that the government should modify the support policies and the protection packages based on social, geographical, and cultural status
How, when, and why do inter-organisational collaborations in healthcare work? A realist evaluation
Get PDFBackgroundInter-organisational collaborations (IOCs) in healthcare have been viewed as an effective approach to performance improvement. However, there remain gaps in our understanding of what helps IOCs function, as well as how and why contextual elements affect their implementation. A realist review of evidence drawing on 86 sources has sought to elicit and refine context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOCs) to understand and refine these phenomena, yet further understanding can be gained from interviewing those involved in developing IOCs.MethodsWe used a realist evaluation methodology, adopting prior realist synthesis findings as a theoretical framework that we sought to refine. We drew on 32 interviews taking place between January 2020 and May 2021 with 29 stakeholders comprising IOC case studies, service users, as well as regulatory perspectives in England. Using a retroductive analysis approach, we aimed to test CMOCs against these data to explore whether previously identified mechanisms, CMOCs, and causal links between them were affirmed, refuted, or revised, and refine our explanations of how and why interorganisational collaborations are successful.ResultsMost of our prior CMOCs and their underlying mechanisms were supported in the interview findings with a diverse range of evidence. Leadership behaviours, including showing vulnerability and persuasiveness, acted to shape the core mechanisms of collaborative functioning. These included our prior mechanisms of trust, faith, and confidence, which were largely ratified with minor refinements. Action statements were formulated, translating theoretical findings into practical guidance.ConclusionAs the fifth stage in a larger project, our refined theory provides a comprehensive understanding of the causal chain leading to effective collaborative inter-organisational relationships. These findings and recommendations can support implementation of IOCs in the UK and elsewhere. Future research should translate these findings into further practical guidance for implementers, researchers, and policymakers.</p
Stable and convective boundary-layer flows in an urban array
Get PDFIn this paper non-neutral approaching flows were employed in a meteorological wind tunnel on a regular urban-like array of rectangular buildings. As far as stable stratication is concerned, results on the flow above and inside the canopy show a clear reduction of the Reynolds stresses and an increment of the Monin-Obukhov length up to 80%. The roughness length and displacement height were also affected, with a reduction up to 27% for the former and an increment up to 5% for the latter. A clear reduction of the turbulence within the canopy was observed. In the convective stratication cases, the friction velocity appears increased by both the effect of roughness and unstable stratication. The increased roughness causes a reduction in the surface stratication, reflected in an increase of the Monin-Obukhov length, which is double over the array compared to the approaching ow. The effect on the aerodynamic roughness length and displacement height are specular to the SBL case, an increase up to 55% of the former and a reduction of the same amount for the latter
A comprehensive numerical study on electrochemical-thermal models of a cylindrical lithium-ion battery during discharge process
No full textModelling the electrochemical and thermal behaviours of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is complicated by their multi-unit jellyroll structure. To evaluate the accuracy of cylindrical LIB models, eight electrochemical-thermal models (ECT) with different levels of fidelity and dimensionality (from one-dimensional (1D) to three-dimensional (3D) electrochemical and thermal models) are established for a Li[Ni8Co1Mn1]O2/graphite 18,650 type cylindrical LIB. The effect of different levels of model simplification on the predicted LIB thermal and electrochemical characteristics are compared under different discharge and cooling rates. Non-uniformity indexes are also introduced to compare the differences between the eight models for predicting electrochemical reactions and heat generation non-uniformity. The accuracy and computation time of different models are compared, and the applicable scope of different models is discussed comprehensively. Furthermore, the non-uniformity mechanism inside the battery are also analysed. The present work can be used to help other researchers select appropriate electrochemical thermal models under different applicable conditions and study the battery thermal management system
Sulfur infiltration and allotrope formation in porous cathode hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries
No full textWe investigate sulfur infiltration and formation of lower order allotropes in heated porous hosts during fabrication of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery cathodes. Sulfur existence in cathode ultramicropores has been an important question for Li-S batteries, as ultramicropores reduce the polysulfides " shuttle effect " but also delay sulfur dissolution and Li + ion diffusion in the trapped solid sulfur. A novel continuum-level model is presented including heat transfer and sulfur infiltration, either from the top of a porous host or from the porous host particle surface, and taking into account the pore size distribution. A novel decay factor in modeling sulfur infiltration incorporates the pore wall repulsion energy and allotrope formation energy (predicted by density functional theory [DFT] simulations). Simulations are performed for a microporous carbon fabric host and an activated carbon powder host with bimodal micropore and macropore size distribution , with Raman and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) spectroscopy confirming the predicted existence of linear S 6 and S 4 in ultramicropores. K E Y W O R D S lithium-sulfur batteries, melt and vapor infiltration, pore size distribution in cathode, sulfur allotropes 1 | INTRODUCTION Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have been in the research focus in the last decade because of their high theoretical energy density, 2510 Wh kg À1 , abundance and low toxicity of sulfur. 1 Intensive effort has been devoted on the cathode, where sulfur is incorporated in a porous conductive host with the aim for the host to not only enhance electronic conductivity but also allow for cathode expansion on the insertion of Li + ions and formation of polysulfides Li 2 S x during discharge. 2 Additionally, effective cathode hosts offer means to trap the sulfur and polysulfides to limit polysulfide shuttling between cathode and anode, which would cause reduction in capacity and coulombic efficiency. 3,4 Suitable microstructural architectures, including small pores, pores with necks and hollow particles, 5,6 and hosts functionalized with chemical groups with high adsorption energy to sulfur and sulfides 7 can provide such good traps. Additional specifications for host porosity and pore size distribution (PSD) target a sulfur mass greater than 5 mg cm À2 , making up at least 70% of the cathode weight, to realize the high theoretical energy density of Li-S batteries. 8 There is a vast range of porous host material candidates for Li-S battery cathodes: porous carbons, 5,6,9 activated carbon (AC) fabrics or fibers, 10,11 graphene and graphene oxide, 12–15 an
Exposure assessment of PM2.5 in temple premises and crematoriums in Kanpur, India
Get PDFRegular use of incense and earthen lamps in temples leads to the release of particulate matter (PM), airborne flecks, and gaseous pollutants. Similarly, the cremation of dead bodies using timber and other accessories such as incense, organic chemicals containing carbon, and clothes generates air pollutants. It is currently unclear how much emissions and exposure these activities may lead. This work attempts to fill this gap in our understanding by assessing the associated emissions of PM2.5 and the corresponding exposure. Ten temples and two cremation grounds were considered for the sampling of PM2.5. The average PM2.5 concentration at the ten temples and the two crematoriums was found to be 658.30 ± 112.63 µg/m3 and 1043.50 ± 191.63 µg/m3, respectively. The range of real-time PM2.5 data obtained from the nearest twelve stations located in the vicinity was 113–191 µg/m3. The exposure assessment in terms of deposition dose was carried out using the ICRP model. The maximum and minimum total respiratory deposition dose rate for PM2.5 for temples was 175.75 µg/min and 101.15 µg/min, respectively. For crematoriums, the maximum and minimum value of same was 252.3 µg/min and 194.31 µg/min, respectively, for an exposure period of 10 min
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