Sustainable Engineering and Innovation (SEI - E-Journal)
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142 research outputs found
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Shared manufacturing and the sharing economy ideal: Strategic limits in a fragmenting world
Full text linkThis study offers a strategic critique of shared manufacturing (SharedMfg), a concept rooted in the broader sharing economy (SE) and promoted as a mechanism for optimizing industrial capacity through peer-to-peer coordination. While such frameworks emphasize digital platforms, scheduling efficiency, and resource pooling, they frequently neglect the deeper constraints that govern the real-world feasibility of manufacturing. In particular, SharedMfg models are often constructed atop idealized abstractions, treating manufacturing units as modular, cyber-physical assets within an Industry 4.0 ecosystem, while overlooking the material, energetic, and geopolitical foundations on which all manufacturing ultimately depends. Extending beyond critique, we explore the conceptual underpinnings of SharedMfg within its systemic context, a prelude to the layered pyramid model advanced in this study. This paper argues that manufacturing does not evolve autonomously, but rather reflects the socio-political order in which it is embedded. To address this oversight, we propose a layered conceptual framework – a manufacturing transformation pyramid – that begins not with coordination, but with the substrate: matter, energy, and institutional structure. We contend that genuine transformation in manufacturing systems must be grounded in these foundational realities, rather than in digital optimization alone. Absent this grounding, SharedMfg/SE risks becoming a transient theoretical exercise, bounded by the specific conditions of its historical moment and detached from the structural realities that shape industrial capacity
Sustainable composite materials: Applications and future
Full text linkSustainable composite materials represent a critical step towards a more environmentally friendly future. They are an alternative to traditional composites by reducing waste. Sustainability of materials can be achieved through various studies. Composite materials will become more efficient and environmentally friendly with the various findings of researchers. They will play an important role in overcoming challenges such as resource scarcity. Sustainable composites significantly decrease environmental problems related to the production of biodegradable engineered materials. The production of sustainable composites results in less energy consumption and lower toxic gases. Sustainable composites are used in packaging, construction, automobiles, sports, and furniture equipment. In this study, sustainable composite materials are examined and criticized considering their benefits, innovations, applications and challenges, and future perspectives
Design of a turret stabilization system using reinforcement learning with external disturbance compensation
Full text linkReinforcement Learning (RL), in particular, Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), and Twin Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (TD3), to stabilize a weapon turret system with a set of external disturbances was considered in this study. Compared to traditional control algorithms such as proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers, they have their limits in dynamic settings because of manual tuning and a lack of a durable response to disturbances. This research will compare RL-based controllers and PID in a simulated scenario in which the turret will experience disturbances related to recoil, vibrations, and angular oscillations. A kinematic model of the turret was designed, and Lagrangian mechanics were used to model the disturbances of the turret. The run was done in PyBullet alongside the evaluation of the performance via mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE). These findings show that RL controllers, particularly PPO and TD3, performed better than the PID one in terms of faster stabilization, reduced errors, and compensation of disturbances. RL agents simulated independently to different patterns of disturbances in a noisy and dynamic environment, and performed better than conventional systems. The results prove that RL-based control systems can be used in real-world applications, especially where accuracy is necessary
Appropriate-technology pyramid solar still: Experimental performance and TRNSYS validation
Full text linkWater scarcity remains a global challenge that directly affects rural communities. The objective of this study is to design, build, and validate a pyramid-shaped solar distiller using appropriate technology for the decentralized supply of fresh water in Bucaramanga, Colombia. We combined a nine-day experimental campaign (April 1-9, 2025) with a TRNSYS (Type 66a-EES) simulation, evaluating two simulation models: a simplified energy balance model (MS01) and a variant that includes the efficiency of the Hottel-Whillier-Bliss (HWB) collector (MS02). Ambient temperature, direct normal irradiance (DNI), and four internal temperatures were measured every five minutes with calibrated sensors during the experimental process. The prototype reached tank/steam temperatures of 42-49 °C and produced 225-750 ml/day, with a total of 3,861 ml; the peak of 750 ml on a day of low irradiance was due to thermal inertia and reduced losses. Both simulation models reproduced the thermal and production trends with relative errors between ±0.012 and ±0.040. The cumulative yield on April 9 was 3765 ml (?2.5%) for MS01 and 3995 ml (+3.5%) for MS02. In summary, MS01 adjusted the tank/steam temperature values slightly better, while MS02 improved the distillation output prediction and offers greater calibration potential through the HWB parameters (FR, UL, (??)e). The results indicate technical feasibility and scalability for rural contexts, and point to simple design improvements (sealing, leak control, thermal management) to increase daily production. Overall, passive desalination is a practical alternative
Design and mathematical modeling of new electric vehicles
Full text linkThis paper presents the modeling and optimization of automatic control in electric vehicles (EVs). The performance and overall cost reduction of electric vehicles could be enhanced in multi-speed transmission with some challenges, such as avoiding jerk gearshift that will sometimes demonstrate to be incredible in the event of motor and clutch saturations. This work introduces explicit definitions to understand the jerk gearshift resulting from actuators or motor saturations. The gear shift includes transferring transmission torques from one friction clutch to another. The study of the influence of planetary gear sets on the gear shift dynamics trajectory with impact on the non-jerking. To improve the electric vehicle's performance, the number of gears in automatic transmission is being minimized, as the trucks which continuously increased. The structure of a multi-speed transmission could be optimized by double transitions shift with less difficulty. The simulations result illustrates that the non-overlapping of clutches' inertias phase in the dual transitions shifting could efficiently reduce the shift jerks. The torque phase overlap with the inertia phase of other clutches could be controlling the power loss at law level because of using less shift times. Additionally, this proposal offers tools to compare the transmission architecture through the conceptual designs for new electric vehicles
The effect of climate on water resources in Iraq using AI
Full text linkClimate change is increasingly affecting global water resources, considering their availability, quality, and distribution. The temperature rise, altered rainfall pattern, and extreme weather incidents further water challenges brought gains in vulnerable but dry areas. In this regard, the study adopted the utilization of AI, in particular, machine learning approaches for climate adaptation sciences concerning water resources. The models of decision tree, Naive Bayes, and linear regression evaluate relationships between temperature, humidity, wind speed, evaporation, and subsequent water balance using climatic data from 1991 to 2021 for three Iraqi governorates: Diwaniya, Najaf, and Karbala. The discovered trend indicates that rising temperature causes an increase in evapotranspiration brought about by water deficiency that persists. The application of AI in the research reflected that while the models can capture long-term phenomena at a gross scale, they are limited in making precise predictions, thereby making it imperative to develop solutions with ensemble learning and deep neural networks. Another thing gleaned from the study is the importance of AI as a complementary tool for water resource management based on data in the face of climate change. Another factor worthy of attention would be how to address the limits of the present when it comes to using data, model interpretability, and interdisciplinary integration so that we can define and implement sustainable climate adaptation options for tomorrow's water security. This study fills the gap in knowledge as it adopted a novel model using AI to predict the effect of climate change on water resources in Iraq. This study also opened a wide gate for future research in this domain
A review of renewable technologies for power generation in the high mountain ecosystem
Full text linkMountainous areas face challenges such as rugged topography, harsh weather, and limited access to power grids; however, they also offer potential for renewable energy generation, mainly through solar and wind resources. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of implementing renewable energy systems in these regions and identify the most studied renewable technologies in high mountain contexts using the PRISMA methodology for rigorous literature selection and VOSviewer for bibliometric analysis. Among them, solar photovoltaic and wind energy stand out due to their high potential in these environments. The study analyzes key parameters such as technological efficiency, solar radiation variability, and wind patterns, including technical aspects like minimum wind speeds derived from the Weibull distribution and solar irradiance levels necessary for system design. The results show that the insights obtained from the bibliometric analysis help evaluate the feasibility and performance of renewable energy solutions in complex terrains. In conclusion, the study highlights the most viable technologies for high mountain areas and provides recommendations for their implementation. Although technical and environmental challenges persist, these ecosystems offer significant opportunities for sustainable energy generation. The findings provide guidance for future research and the development of innovative projects in remote, mountainous regions
Wi-Fi Direct in Android: Creating seamless device-to-device communication
Full text linkThe study examines the characteristic features, capabilities, and performance of Wi-Fi Direct as a device-to-device communication protocol in Android. During the research, the Wi-Fi Direct's effectiveness, connectivity speed and stability, energy consumption, and the possibility to transmit large-sized files, were assessed, comparing them to similar Bluetooth characteristics. The research data were taken from testing using Google Pixel 4 and Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones with Android, and the results were compared with secondary data findings. The test presupposed transmission of three different-sized files to measure performance outcomes in terms of power consumption, data transfer quality, connection speed, and reliability. The research revealed how Wi-Fi Direct works with the data transmission speed and connection stability compared to Bluetooth in Android and identified the consequences of Wi-Fi Direct use for the energy consumption of Android devices. The study findings show that Wi-Fi Direct is associated with better outcomes in the areas of file transfer speed, especially for large data files, while Bluetooth has proven to be more energy-efficient and easier to use for smaller tasks. These results align with the secondary data findings and highlight the potential of combining both communication protocols. Finally, the study emphasizes the growing relevance of Wi-Fi Direct for high-bandwidth mobile applications, irrespective of setup complexity and higher power consumption
Primary combustion control of cocoa pod husk pellets: Effects of kaolin additives and air velocity on efficiency and emissions
Full text linkThe control of primary combustion methods directly influences thermal efficiency and atmospheric emission concentrations. In this context, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of the type of biofuel through the incorporation of additives, as well as the operating conditions of the equipment by regulating the oxidizing agent velocity. For this purpose, a densified biomass (pellet) burner was employed, equipped with a thermal storage tank, a centrifugal fan for supplying the oxidizing agent, and a feeding system based on a screw conveyor with ON/OFF control. Emission characterization (CO, CO?, O?, and H?S) was conducted using a gas analyzer, while equipment efficiency was determined from the calculation of the experimental lower heating value (LHV) obtained from four (4) test runs. The results demonstrated that the addition of additives in the production of cocoa pod husk (CPH) pellets improved the compaction, durability, and structural stability of the biofuel, which led to more complete combustion. In particular, the use of kaolin, combined with an airflow velocity range between 5.0 and 6.5 m/s, provided the best system performance by enabling faster ignition, complete biofuel consumption, and an increase in bottom ash due to particle agglomeration. In conclusion, the incorporation of additives and the controlled adjustment of airflow velocity optimize the efficiency of the combustion process, while simultaneously reducing fly ash entrainment and lowering atmospheric emission concentrations
Comprehensive characterization of switching and conduction losses in high-ratio step-down converters for next-generation electric vehicles
Full text linkSustainable energy has become a critical focus due to the environmental and economic limitations of traditional fossil fuels. One of the most prominent applications in this field is electric vehicles (EVs), which rely on high-voltage DC battery packs (typically 400V or 800V) as their primary energy source. These batteries supply power to AC motors via inverters that convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). Additionally, EVs incorporate DC-DC converter systems to step down the high-voltage DC for auxiliary systems such as infotainment units, control modules, and lighting. The step-down DC-DC converter is composed of various components, including switches (such as MOSFETs or IGBTs) and diodes. These components are subject to different types of losses—namely switching, conduction, and thermal losses—which can significantly impact system efficiency and performance. This article investigates these losses through simulation using the PLECS software across multiple operating scenarios