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A systematic review of socio-technical systems in the Water–Energy–Food Nexus: building a framework for infrastructure justice
Get PDFThis paper explores the place of technological interventions in the conceptualisation of the Water–Energy–Food Nexus (WEF Nexus). The focus is on the just infrastructure interventions required to decarbonise and adapt to the challenges of the climate crisis for sustainable livelihoods. We explore the overlap between two bodies of work, the WEF Nexus and Socio-Technical Systems, grown from different disciplinary perspectives, to scrutinise the extent to which there is a coherent synthesis of work that can examine infrastructure impacts and trade-offs in a WEF system. Following a systematic literature review and analysis, a framework is proposed for water and energy infrastructure interventions to both support sustainable development and recognise infrastructure’s role in a just and equitable society. This framework will support the creation of models that are less likely to miss vital components of a system or potential trade-offs and supports a multi-disciplinary approach to infrastructure interventions.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)This work was funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC, Grant no. EP/V006592/1, UK) and the Belmont Forum under the project title Theory of Change Observatory on Disaster Resilience–TOCO DR.Sustainabilit
Integrating models for calculating component sustainability metrics
Get PDFThis paper reports on the development of models for calculating sustainability metrics at a per part level, developed for the LEAD factory project. While many organisations collect site level data for sustainability, there is a notable lack of support to calculate at a per part level. This scope difference requires different methods, but part level information can aid organisations in making production changes to achieve sustainability KPI’s. A cradle-to-gate approach was used that links raw-material, the
transportation of materials and details on the production processes. To achieve this, a toolset of different models was designed and built to address key activities in the value-chain, to both support potentially independent analysis of just that value-chain
link or the more complete cradle-to-gate analysis. Integration of model outputs and planning of information flow within the toolset is the primary focus of this paper.
This is part 1 of a 2 part paper: this paper focuses on how the models were integrated and the design of the wider toolset. Part 2 focuses on the benchmarking using the model-set and comparing the “JENI” system developed as part of the LEAD factory
project.Innovate UKThis work has been carried out as a part of the LEAD Project 2022-2024 funded by Innovate UK and was developed in collaboration with MTC (Manufacturing Technology Centre), Photocentric Ltd, Essentra PLC, Unipart Ltd, and Games Workshop PLC.12th International Conference on Through-life Engineering Services – TESConf202
Data used to validate the DF-IBM algorithm against previous experimental and numerical data
No full textResults and data related to the paper "An improved implicit direct-forcing immersed boundary method (DF-IBM) around arbitrarily moving rigid structures".Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC
Using augmented reality and learning factories to deliver effective manufacturing training programs
No full textAugmented reality (AR) holds great promise in revolutionizing training methodologies across diverse fields, particularly in manufacturing. This paper proposes a morphology to support the integration of AR into learning factories, creating a symbiotic relationship that enhances training effectiveness and efficiency. The morphology introduces key characteristics such as target group, purpose, reality environment, technology, space, assessment, and system integration, tailoring AR applications to the specific needs of manufacturing training programs. The incorporation of AR within learning factories revolutionizes traditional pedagogical approaches. In addition, it enables realistic simulations, multi-sensory experiences, and remote collaboration between the different stakeholders involved. The paper offers a perspective on the value of AR as a tool in manufacturing training programs for knowledge development and skills acquisition. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between AR and traditional hands-on training, ensuring pedagogical alignment, considering ethical implications, and evaluating the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of AR integration in manufacturing education. Despite some challenges, the paper underscores the substantial benefits of AR in manufacturing training, heralding a transformative era in skill acquisition and knowledge transfer within the industrial landscape.14th Conference on Learning Factories (CFL 2024)Lecture Notes in Networks and System
Development and validation of the damped pendulum model for cantilever conveyor trough using Lagrangian method
No full textCantilever conveying trough has often caused the unbalanced swing in the rice combine harvester, leading to the high failure rate with the low operation efficiency. The purpose of this study is to establish a damped pendulum model for the cantilever conveyor trough of the combine harvester in the support of the hydraulic cylinder, in order to accurately analyze the unbalanced pendulum during operation. Taking the rice combine harvester as the research object, the force and dynamic models were established for the cantilever conveying trough using Lagrange equation. The hydraulic cylinder stiffness, damping and the total excitation were also determined in the damped pendulum model of the cantilever conveyor trough. Firstly, a static analysis of hydraulic cylinder was carried out using Workbench software. The hydraulic cylinder stiffness was solved to be 1.023 6×108 N/m. Then, the modal analysis was performed on the hydraulic cylinder, where the main vibration mode was corresponded to the intrinsic frequency of 60.604 Hz. The vibration acquisition test was also carried out, where the measurement points were set up at the front end and the rear end of the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder amplitude was obtained to integrate the acceleration signal. The logarithmic attenuation rate of amplitude was ln2. The intrinsic frequency and logarithmic attenuation rate of amplitude were then substituted into the damping formula to calculate the damping c of the hydraulic cylinder, which was 228.58 N·s/m. Finally, the half- and full-width field harvesting tests were implemented for the external excitation of conveyor trough. Four points were measured at the connection between the cutting platform and the conveyor trough. The acceleration signals were collected during the field tests. The quadratic integration and the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) were utilized to obtain the amplitude of cantilevered conveyor trough and the main frequency components of vibration. The excitation characteristics of cantilever conveyor trough were obtained to verify the subsequent differential equations of dynamics. All parameters were verified in the damped pendulum model of the cantilever conveyor trough. The ODE45 function in MATLAB was used to solve the equations of angular velocity and pendulum angle of damped pendulum model. The amplitudes of pendulums were compared between the theoretical solution and field test at the measurement points 3 and 4 in the initial and steady state, indicating the excellent performance. It was found that the theoretically solved pendulum amplitudes of measurement points 3 and 4 were very close to the test under stable conditions, with the errors of about 1.11% and 4.30%, respectively. Therefore, the accuracy and feasibility of damped pendulum model can be expected to serve as the cantilever conveyor trough.Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineerin
RSN editorial 2024
Get PDFSpecial Issue: Selected Papers from RADAR 2022 ‐ International Conference on Radar Systems (Edinburgh, UK)IET Radar, Sonar & Navigatio
Laboratory multistatic 3D SAR with polarimetry and sparse aperture sampling
Get PDFSpecial Issue: Selected Papers from RADAR 2022 ‐ International Conference on Radar Systems (Edinburgh, UK)With the advent of constellations of SAR satellites, and the possibility of swarms of SAR UAV's, there is increased interest in multistatic SAR image formation. This may provide advantages including allowing three-dimensional image formation free of clutter overlay; the coherent combination of bistatic SAR geometries for improved image resolution; and the collection of additional scattering information, including polarimetric. The polarimetric collection may provide useful target information, such as its orientation, polarisability, or number of interactions with the radar signal; distributed receivers would be more likely to capture any bright specular responses from targets in the scene, making target outlines distinct. Highlight results from multistatic polarimetric SAR experiments at the Cranfield University GBSAR laboratory are presented, illustrating the utility of the approach for fully sampled 3D SAR image formation, and for sparse aperture SAR 3D point-cloud generation with a newly developed volumetric multistatic interferometry algorithm.Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. Grant Number: P15684IET Radar, Sonar & Navigatio
Integrated biorefinery for bioethanol and succinic acid co-production from bread waste: techno-economic feasibility and life cycle assessment
Get PDFIn this study, an advanced decarbonization approach is presented for an integrated biorefinery that co-produces bioethanol and succinic acid (SA) from bread waste (BW). The economic viability and the environmental performance of the proposed BW processing biorefinery is evaluated. Four distinctive scenarios were designed and analysed, focusing on a plant capacity that processes 100 metric tons (MT) of BW daily. These scenarios encompass: (1) the fermentation of BW into bioethanol, paired with heat and electricity co-generation from stillage, (2) an energy-optimized integration of Scenario 1 using pinch technology, (3) the co-production of bioethanol and SA by exclusively utilizing fermentative CO2, and (4) an advanced version of Scenario 3 that incorporates carbon capture (CC) from flue gas, amplifying SA production. Scenarios 3 and 4 were found to be economically more attractive with better environmental performance due to the co-production of SA. Particularly, Scenario 4 emerged as superior, showcasing a payback period of 2.2 years, a robust internal rate of return (33% after tax), a return on investment of 32%, and a remarkable net present value of 163 M$. Sensitivity analysis underscored the decisive influence of fixed capital investment and product pricing on economic outcomes. In terms of environmental impact, Scenario 4 outperformed other scenarios across all impact categories, where global warming potential, abiotic depletion (fossil fuels), and human toxicity potential were the most influential impact categories (−0.344 kg CO2-eq, −16.2 MJ, and −0.3 kg 1,4-dichlorobenzene (DB)-eq, respectively). Evidently, the integration of CC unit to flue gas in Scenario 4 substantially enhances both economic returns and environmental sustainability of the biorefinery.Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) UK project grant: NE/W003627/1.Energy Conversion and Managemen
How the EU Soil Observatory contributes to a stronger soil erosion community
Get PDFNew policy developments have emerged in relation to soil conservation after 2020. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027, the proposal for a Soil Monitoring Law and the mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ have shaped a new policy framework at EU level, which requires updated assessments on soil erosion and land degradation. The EU Soil Observatory (EUSO) successfully organised a scientific workshop on ‘Soil erosion for the EU’ in June 2022. The event has seen the participation of more than 330 people from 63 countries, addressing important topics such as (i) management practices, (ii) large scale modelling, (iii) the importance of sediments in nutrient cycle, (vi) the role of landslides and (v) laying the foundations for early career scientists. As a follow up, among the 120 abstracts submitted in the workshop, we received fifteen manuscripts, out of which nine were selected for publication in the present special issue. In this editorial, we summarize the major challenges that the soil erosion research community faces in relation to supporting the increasing role of soils in the EU Green Deal.Environmental Researc
Impact of installation on the performance of an aero-engine exhaust at wind-milling flow conditions
Get PDFThis paper presents a numerical investigation of the effect of wing integration on the aerodynamic behavior of a typical large civil aero-engine exhaust system at wind-milling flow conditions. The work is based on the dual stream jet propulsion (DSJP) test rig, as will be tested within the transonic wind tunnel (TWT) located at the aircraft research association (ARA) in the UK. The DSJP rig was designed to measure the impact of the installed pressure field due to the effect of the wing on the aerodynamic performance of separate-jet exhausts. The rig is equipped with the dual separate flow reference nozzle (DSFRN), installed under a swept wing. Computational fluid dynamic simulations were carried out for representative ranges of fan and core nozzle pressure ratios (CNPR) for “engine-out” wind-milling scenarios at end of runway (EOR) takeoff, diversion, and cruise conditions. Analyses were done for both isolated and installed configurations to quantify the impact of the installed pressure field on the fan and core nozzle discharge coefficients. The impact of fan and core nozzle pressure ratios, as well as freestream Mach number and high-lift surfaces on the installed suppression effect, was also evaluated. It is shown that the installed pressure field can reduce the fan nozzle discharge coefficient by up to 16%, relative to the isolated configuration for EOR wind-milling conditions. The results were used to inform the design and setup of the experimental activity which is planned for 2023.Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Powe