Mechanization and Import Substitution in Zimbabwean Farmers' Equipment: A Case Study of the Revitalization of an Abandoned Tractor Trailer
Drill String Vibrational Analysis and Parametric Optimization for a Portable Water Well Rig Development
An Efficient Deep Neural Network with Amplifying Sine Unit for Nonlinear Oscillatory Systems
The Occupational Directness of Nanorobots in Medical Surgeries
Recent Trends in Solar Thermal Cooling Technologies
Design of Oil-Ammonia Separator for Refrigeration Systems
A Review on Mechanical and Tribological Characteristics of Hybrid Composites
Design and Experimental Investigation of a Natural Draft Improved Biomass Cookstove
Progressive Development of Various Production and Refining Process of Biodiesel
Optimization of Wire-ED Turning Process Parameters by Taguchi-Grey Relational Analysis
Evaluation Of Mechanical Behavior Of Al-Alloy/SiC Metal Matrix Composites With Respect To Their Constituents Using Taguchi Techniques
Multistage Extractive Desulfurization of Liquid Fuel by Ionic Liquids
Isomorphism Identification of Compound Kinematic Chain and Their Mechanism
Development of Electroplating Setup for Plating Abs Plastics
A Comprehensive Review of Biodiesel Application in IDI Engines with Property Improving Additives
Solar energy is the most abundant and easily available renewable source of electricity. However, the installed solar panels may not always provide the optimal amount of energy because of the changing position of the sun from east to west. This study focused on extending the research and development of a model for a dual-axis solar panel tracking system with a cooling mechanism. The primary objective of this mechanism is to program the Arduino board in a way that ensures continuous alignment of the panel direction and Light-Dependent Resistor (LDR) sensors with the sun's rays. Direct Current (DC) motors were employed to adjust the panel direction accordingly. Sustained exposure to sunlight can lead to reduced efficiency when the panel is heated. To counteract overheating, an improved cooling system was implemented utilizing water and a pump arrangement to enhance the productivity of the panel. Water is sprayed or sprinkled using various Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) techniques, effectively maintaining the solar panel temperature at an optimal level. This mechanism can be enhanced by integrating a Real-Time Clock (RTC) to accurately track the direction of the sun. This ensures that the panel remains properly positioned even in the event of a power outage, enabling the utilization of solar energy for electrical purposes. This research focuses on developing an efficient solar panel tracking system with a cooling mechanism to maximize the energy output and address temperature-related efficiency issues. The integration of advanced features such as RTC further enhances the reliability and usability of the system.
This study focuses on the investigation of fluid flow in a Convergent-Divergent (C-D) nozzle with four inlets. The nozzle geometry comprised a convergent angle of 45 °and a divergent angle of 15 °. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to analyze the behavior of the flow within the C-D nozzle under varying inlet Mach parameters ranging from 2 to 5. The stream characteristics inside the nozzle were analyzed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. This study examined crucial parameters such as maximum pressure, minimum pressure, maximum velocity, and outlet Mach number, which are essential for understanding the behavior and performance of the flow. Fluent software, which is a well-established computational fluid dynamics tool, was used to conduct simulations and analyze the flow characteristics. The results obtained shed light on the behavior of the fluid flow and provide valuable insights into the performance of the C-D nozzle at different inlet Mach parameters. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the C-D nozzle performance and its applications in various engineering fields, such as aerospace and propulsion systems. These findings may have significant implications for optimizing nozzle design and enhancing overall system efficiency.
An increase in solar panel temperature reduces panel electrical efficiency, necessitating efficient active and passive cooling methods. This study proposes the introduction of Phase Change Material (PCM) on the backside of the solar panel, along with extended fins. The experimental investigation focuses on utilizing extended surfaces known as Thermal Conductivity Enhancers (TCE) in the PV-PCM (Photo Voltaic - Phase Change Material) module. Two independent aluminum fin designs are considered to enhance the thermal conductivity (k) of the PCM, analyzing the influence of the surface contact area and material volume fraction on the PV surface temperature during the charging period of the Production Validation Test-Pulse Code Modulation (PVT-PCM) panel. The experimental results demonstrate that an array of longitudinal and lateral fins with an optimal thickness of 3 mm maintains a lower temperature gradient throughout the process, significantly reducing the surface temperature of the PV panel. Numerical simulations using ANSYS Fluent were conducted for both the lateral- and cross-fin configurations, showing good agreement with the observed experimental data. This study aims tofill this research gap by optimizing PV panel cooling through the selection ofthe fin geometry, size, shape, and PCM.
The curvature correction factor is an important parameter for evaluating the stress of helical springs. A novel modelled curvature correction factor (KG) was proposed in terms of the shear correction factor (KS) and spring index (C). This factor (KC) falls between the Wahl and Bergstrasser correction factors, considering the stresses due to shear, torsional, and curvature effects. The ratio of the actual deflection to estimated deflection and the ratio of the actual stiffness to estimated stiffness are mirror images of each other. In addition, when C continued to decrease, the curvature correction factor increased sharply. In practical design, the actual deviation is greater than the evaluated deflection, and the evaluated deflection may need to be increased by a certain percentage to obtain the actual deflection. Therefore, a general equation was developed for this purpose. The ratios of the actual and evaluated deflections and the actual and evaluated stiffnesses were mirror images of each other. For suitable assumed data, the torsional shear stress, maximum shear stress, and modelled curvature stress were almost straight and parallel to each other.
Pulsating Heat Pipes (PHPs) are passive heat transfer devices, where heat transfer is higher than that in common heat transfer devices such as metal fins and heat pipes. The main reason for this is the two-phase phenomenon occurring inside the PHPs with oscillatory motion of the bubbles. The flow in the pipe is a multiphase flow, where vapor plugs and liquid slugs are created in PHPs due to capillary action. In this study, a CFD analysis was conducted on a two-turn PHP using the Analysis of Systems (ANSYS) Fluent software. The adiabatic section and overall height of the pipe were kept constant, whereas the height of the evaporation region varied at 32, 37, 42, 47, and 52 mm from the bottom. This study aims to investigate the performance of PHP and how heat transfer is affected. It also observed variations in the volume fraction and thermal resistance, considering other factors. The study was conducted under previously researched conditions with an inner diameter of 2.0 mm and an outer diameter of 3.0 mm. The PHP was made of copper, and the working fluid was methanol, which filled 50% of the volume. Heat inputs of 80 W, 85 W, 90 W, and 95 watts were supplied to the PHP. The simulation was performed, and the output results are presented in graphical and contour plots.
