58622 research outputs found
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Dataset for "Assessing the susceptibility to mould growth of mycelium-based composite insulation"
No full textThis dataset contains the raw experimental results generated in the characterisation of mycelium-based composite (MBC) insulation materials. It includes primary measurement data for laboratory-produced specimens (MBC A) and two commercially sourced materials (MBC B and MBC C), covering thermal conductivity measurements, liquid water absorption by immersion, surface wettability (contact angle) measurements, and mould susceptibility assessments. The mould dataset includes individual specimen ratings after 28 days of incubation across five temperature and relative humidity conditions, as well as ratings after subsequent liquid-water exposure. All files report unprocessed specimen-level results used to generate the figures and statistical summaries in the associated publication
Marine soundscapes of the Arctic and human impacts:going beyond the “shipping bands”
Get PDFIn the Arctic, amplified climate change enables increased human activity, adding to sounds in the ocean. Future guidelines need to know local baselines and how best to measure anthropogenic impacts. The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive uses “shipping bands”, third-octave bands centred on 63 Hz and 125 Hz. Addressing the lack of measurements, acoustic models often use satellite recordings of ship tracks, We investigate sound levels in Cambridge Bay (Nunavut, Canada) between 2015 and 2024, comparing May (full ice cover, no shipping) and August (little to no ice, shipping activity). We show “shipping bands” should include frequencies up to several kHz and sounds include snowmobiles, aircraft and small vessels untracked by satellites. This will need addressing in future guidelines. This is particularly important because of the development of Arctic shipping routes, increasing resource exploration and tourism, amplified by current plans for the expansion of mining, drilling and other geostrategic pressures
An intelligent data-driven flow regime recognition method for horizontal air-water two-phase flow
Get PDFFlow regime recognition is very important in the two-phase flow measurement. However, considering that two-phase flow is much more complicated than single-phase flow, flow regime cannot be accurately identified by mechanism model. In this work, a novel intelligent data-driven method based on image encoding and transformer is proposed to recognize typical flow regimes encountered in the horizontal air-water flow. Dynamic experiment is carried out using a ring-shaped conductance sensor to collect voltage signals of bubble flow, bubble-slug flow, slug flow, slug-stratified flow and stratified flow. To highlight the characteristic differences between different flow regimes, the measured signals are encoded into two-dimensional images. To classify the encoded images of the five flow regimes, transformer models are then established. With the encoded images as the input of the model, flow regime identification is implemented by training of the model. The results demonstrate that the characteristics of different flow regimes can be better reflected in the encoded image with Gramian angular field. Meanwhile, the recognition accuracy of Swin Transformer is advantageous to that of Vision Transformer in the classification of the encoded images of the five flow regimes. Comparing with other identification methods, the method which combines Gramian angular field with Swin Transformer shows the best performance in the recognition of the flow regimes. The total accuracy reaches as high as 99.1 % This study offers an alternative for accurate flow regime recognition in two-phase flow measurement
Pioneering Net Zero Carbon Construction Policy in Bath & North East Somerset:Evaluating the effectiveness of novel planning policies over time
No full textIn January 2023, Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES) introduced the UK’s first planning policies requiring all new buildings to have net zero operational emissions and limiting embodied emissions for larger developments. Coinciding with this, a collaboration was formed between University of Bath academics, planning and climate officers at B&NES, and other local organisations, which studied the impacts of, and reception to, these pioneering policies in the first six months following their introduction [1]. This 2023 pilot study was published in a previous report [2], and the current publication builds on the findings of the first. This project evaluates the success of the policies two years on, establishing long-term trends, opportunities for refinement, and the national policy implications of this unique policy case study. This report provides the outcomes of this follow-on project, aiming to:• Understand the effectiveness and experiences with the policy, with a comparison to the initial pilot study. • Investigate how projects perform compared to their initial planning applications.• Gather in-depth insights from a variety of applicants and stakeholders.Incoming planning applications received over a 12-month period were analysed, and a questionnaire was sent to applicants to understand their views on the policy two years after its adoption. In total, 59 planning applications were reviewed, with 56 out of 59 submissions for minor residential buildings, meaning the homes need to be net-zero operationally. Only five responses to the questionnaire were received, representing a significantly lower response rate compared to the 2023 pilot study. Additionally, four interviews were conducted with participants from the 2023 study to capture, in more detail, the experiences of applicants working with the B&NES policy.The rate of compliance and key design parameters, such as thermal performance and air tightness, were compared for the 2023 and 2025 studies to see if there have been any noticeable changes in submissions and the reasons for non-compliance. This study has highlighted the need to follow projects through to completion after they receive planning to track the performance of real-world as-built thermal performance, air tightness and resulting energy use of new residential buildings in the region. Additionally, we make recommendations for clearer policy communication to applicants, refinement of the energy policy and an increase in ambition for the embodied carbon target values. <br/
An intelligent data-driven flow regime recognition method for horizontal air-water two-phase flow
Get PDFFlow regime recognition is very important in the two-phase flow measurement. However, considering that two-phase flow is much more complicated than single-phase flow, flow regime cannot be accurately identified by mechanism model. In this work, a novel intelligent data-driven method based on image encoding and transformer is proposed to recognize typical flow regimes encountered in the horizontal air-water flow. Dynamic experiment is carried out using a ring-shaped conductance sensor to collect voltage signals of bubble flow, bubble-slug flow, slug flow, slug-stratified flow and stratified flow. To highlight the characteristic differences between different flow regimes, the measured signals are encoded into two-dimensional images. To classify the encoded images of the five flow regimes, transformer models are then established. With the encoded images as the input of the model, flow regime identification is implemented by training of the model. The results demonstrate that the characteristics of different flow regimes can be better reflected in the encoded image with Gramian angular field. Meanwhile, the recognition accuracy of Swin Transformer is advantageous to that of Vision Transformer in the classification of the encoded images of the five flow regimes. Comparing with other identification methods, the method which combines Gramian angular field with Swin Transformer shows the best performance in the recognition of the flow regimes. The total accuracy reaches as high as 99.1 % This study offers an alternative for accurate flow regime recognition in two-phase flow measurement
People-Led Digitalisation (P-LD) Metrics in UK Manufacturing:An Analysis of Workforce Impact Assessment
Get PDFKey Points People and Culture are critical: The UK government‑backed Made Smarter Innovation programme notes that one of the major barriers to adopting digital technologies is “people and organisational culture.” People-Led Digitalisation Metrics are not widely used: Based on responses by 410 professionals within UK manufacturing, most companies either do not use or have not considered using people‑focused metrics for assessing the impact ofdigitalisation on their workforce. Unwillingness is not about data collection: Low use of people-led metrics is not related to data collection. Our survey revealed metrics where data was easy to collect were assessed as ‘modest’ in terms of Usefulness. The same results were found for difficult to collect metrics
Recent trends in the chemical modification of polysaccharides for food packaging:A review
Get PDFThe environmental impact of petroplastics that do not readily biodegrade has intensified the search for sustainable packaging materials. Polysaccharides derived from plant and marine sources are biodegradable and renewable, but their hydrophilicity and weak mechanical and barrier properties limit their use in high-performance packaging. Chemical modification offers an effective solution by introducing hydrophobic or functional groups that enhance physicochemical performance, making modified polysaccharides strong candidates for sustainable packaging applications. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the chemical modification and development of plant-based polysaccharides (starch, cellulose and its derivatives, and pectin) and marine-based polysaccharides (agar, carrageenan, alginate, and chitosan) for food packaging applications. Emphasis on how chemical modifications influence key functional properties relevant to sustainable packaging, including barrier performance, biological activities, and freshness-monitoring capabilities. Film fabrication techniques such as solution casting, extrusion, coating, and electrospraying are also discussed regarding their impact on material performance. Overall, the reviewed studies demonstrate that chemical modification can substantially enhance the functional properties of polysaccharides and enable active and intelligent packaging functionalities. While challenges related to food safety, scalable production, environmental impact, and real-world performance remain, chemically modified polysaccharides show strong potential as sustainable and functional materials for the next generation of food packaging
Effective acid recovery from rare earth stripping solution by diffusion dialysis
Get PDFThe consumption of substantial alkali and emission of high-salinity wastewater during the precipitation step of stripping solutions in rare earth (RE) element extraction processes remain critical challenges. This study proposes an energy-efficient and environmentally benign diffusion dialysis (DD) process for separating H+ and rare earth ions (RE3+) in simulated rare earth stripping solutions. Six commercial anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were first evaluated for separating RECl3/HCl mixtures. The dense AEM with single polyethylene terephthalate string structure (M6) demonstrated the optimal DD performance for H+ and RE3+ separation. Among three typical RE3+ ions with different radii (i.e., Y3+, La3+, and Yb3+), the M6 AEM exhibited the lowest selectivity between H+ and La3+, which is correlated with the higher tendency of La3+ hydrated ions to dehydrate during transmembrane transfer. Under optimized operation conditions (feed solution: 0.2 mol L−1 HCl and 0.25 mol L−1 La3+), the DD process using the M6 AEM achieved an H+ recovery rate of 69.77 % and a La3+ leakage rate of 0.05769 % with a H+/La3+ selectivity of 5519.2. Importantly, the M6 AEM maintained consistently stable DD performance for separation of H+ and RE3+ ions over a 30-cycle consecutive operation in the stimulated rare earth stripping solution containing typical organic pollutants (i.e., P507 and sulfonated kerosene), showing an impressive antifouling property. This study provides an insightful guideline for practical acid recovery from the rare earth stripping solutions.</p
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