Journal of Applied Research and Technology

Active power compensator for a DC voltage bus of a renewable source

O. Morfín, M. Gomez, J. Rodríguez, M. Murillo, N. Padilla — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Renewable energy sources generate intermittent electrical power due to weather conditions, such as variations in wind speed and solar radiation. The distributed nature of renewable energy sources requires new techniques to maintain the quality of electrical service and efficient use of energy. One of these techniques uses of battery bank when a renewable energy source does not generate the power level contracted by the utility grid. In this article, a power compensator is proposed. It consists of a bidirectional DC converter located between the battery bank and the DC bus of the renewable source. This compensator has two operation modes: one to store the excessive power in a battery bank; the other to deliver power when power intermittency occurs. The validation of the proposed power compensator is made using a prototype where the DC voltage bus of a renewable energy source is emulated through a DC generator-motor group, which allows bidirectional power flow.

Energy harvesting system using broadband textile antennas

J. Porras, A. Acosta , A. Corona, G. Puerto — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Taking advantage of the benefits provided by the energy harvesting from ambient radio frequency sources, a multiband receiver is designed and manufactured using broadband antennas constructed with textile materials to be adapted into a Tshirt. The antennas connected to the rectifier allow to capture energy from the environment from four mobile bands: 1700, 1800, 1900 and 2100 MHz, and from the 2400 MHz WiFi band.

A matlab based graphical user interface for the monitoring and early detection of keratoconus

I. Kallel Fourati, S. Kammoun — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The rapid and extensive growth in medical imaging modalities and their applications is creating a pressing need for computers and computing in image processing, visualization, archival, and analysis. In this article, a Matlab-based graphical user interface (GUI) program is proposed for the monitoring and early detection of keratoconus. The findings show the efficiency of the proposed to detect the early stage of keratoconus. The proposed neural network model produces accuracy, ranging from 96% to 92%. It considers, respectively, 2 classes (normal cornea and keratoconus) and 3 classes (keratoconus, suspected keratoconus or normal) which will increase to 99% with respect to the 2 classes of keratoconus and 94% to the 3 classes when combining topography parameters with OCT image corneal pachymetry measurements and clinical judgments.

The compatibility of the graphical interface components with common medical data and image analysis tools facilitates the involvement of the ophthalmologist in the digitization of the medical records, the image processing and the conception of multimodal artificial intelligence applications for medical imaging.

Study of the combined effect of coffee husk ash and polypropylene fibres on the mechanical properties of concrete

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

In this research, the effects produced by the combination of coffee husk ash and polypropylene fibers in the production of concrete were studied in order to evaluate the mechanical properties and determine an optimum design combination. Two standard concrete mix designs of f'c= 210 and 280 kg/cm² were developed, and experimental treatments of standard concrete were designed by adding coffee husk ash at 5%, 10% and 15% combined with polypropylene fibers at 1%, 2.5 % and 5%. The results showed that the resistance differs in 8.94% and 4.11% in compression, 8.55% and 15.03% in traction, 10.89% and 8.96% in bending and increases the modulus of elasticity in 5.66% and 14.15% with respect to the standard designs f'c= 210 and 280 kg/cm². It is concluded that the mechanical characteristics are relatively lower compared to the standard mix designs.

IoT-based real-time monitoring of supercapacitors used in electric vehicles

G. Shini, J. L. Febin Daya, P. Balamurugan — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The research focuses on the condition monitoring of supercapacitor systems installed in the electric vehicle that acts as the power source for the vehicle when it needs high power for a lesser time. This research work aims to introduce the Internet of Things in battery systems along with supercapacitors aiming to increase the efficiency and reliability of the system. In the corresponding research work, IoT-based condition monitoring for a 48V supercapacitor for an electric vehicle is implemented, the supercapacitor is charged using the phase shift full bridge DC-DC converter after that the data is transferred from the Matlab Simulink to the Thingspeak platform to enable IoT based application Hence establishing the real-time monitoring of super- capacitor. Introducing the Internet of Things will help researchers in a deeper understanding of supercapacitor behavior in a real-time environment as well as the real-time data will be helpful in the protection of the system.

A Highly efficient relay triggering circuit for fault detection during Power swings

S. M. Akolkar, H. R. Jariwala — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This paper introduces a Discrete Wavelet Transform based very simple and fast acting algorithm with multi-resolution analysis to sense all types of faults in presence of power swings using current signal analyzation. The algorithm confirms very quick and efficient detection of various fault types in the first signal decomposition level of signal. The novelty of proposed algorithm lies in use of special type of Battle Lemarie mother wavelet having an advantage of perfect symmetry ensuring decomposition into B-Spline or same order polynomials capturing excellent speed and time-frequency localization of signal. The algorithm is tested for different fault parameters such as fault resistance, fault distance and time of initiation of faults considering EHV double circuit transmission line network and IEEE 9 Bus system developed in MATLAB environment. The proposed algorithm is capable of detecting all types of faults consistently within minimum time of 0.001 sec.

The effect of hybrid ratio on the flexural properties of Arenga Pinnata fiber/E-glass fiber/polyester hybrid composites

S. Sudarisman, S. Hamdan, H. Sosiati, K. Krisdiyanto — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Hybrid ratio effect on flexural properties of sugar palm/E-glass fiber hybrid-reinforced polyester composites has been investigated. Before being embedded, the sugar palm fiber was taken off from its original mesh, washed, alkali-treated, and chopped into ~10 mm long. The specimens were cut from composite plates having different hybrid ratios, fabricated using cold pressed technique. The total fiber volume fraction was kept at ~0.21, where four hybrid ratios, and two span-to-depth ratios were used. The E-glass was arranged unidirectionally and placed right on the surface of a bottom mold and wetted using the matrix, and the SPF was then evenly poured on the wet E-glass arrangement in randomly oriented pattern. Specimen preparation and testing were carried out according to the ASTM D790 standard, where the E-glass sides were placed in tension sides of the beams. It was found that flexural strength, and strain at maximum stress significantly increase with the increase of hybrid ratio.

Health assessment of welding by-products in a linear welding automation: Temperature and smoke concentration measurements

A. K. Gupta, V. K. Chouksey, A. Pandey — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Due to its potential to improve production and weld quality, automated welding systems are growing in popularity in industrial applications. However, these technologies generate potentially dangerous by-products like welding gases and fumes. By evaluating the temperature range and smoke concentration near the welding area, this study intends to assess the health parameters of welding by-products in linear welding automation. A four-wheeled robot system equipped with joint detection and referencing technologies will be the research subject, which will also improve welding conditions to match industrial standards. Also, the study will look into how welding factors affect smoke concentration and temperature range. The findings of this study will shed light on the health risks posed by automated welding systems and guide the creation of safety regulations that will shield workers from hazardous consequences.

Effect of microcarbon particle size and dispersion on the electrical conductivity of LLDPE-carbon composite

A. Zuhri, A. E. Pramono, I. Setyadi, A. Maksum, N. Indayaningsih — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This experimental research aimed to develop a conductive polymer composite (CPC) material for electromechanical devices. The composite was made by incorporating conductive micro carbon derived from rice husks into a Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) polymer matrix using hot compaction. Variations of filler composition were used, with carbon loading of 50%, 45%, and 40%, and mesh sizes of #150, #200, and #250. The experimental results showed that particle size variations did not significantly affect composite density, but higher mesh selection improved filler dispersion within the matrix, resulting in higher electrical conductivity values. The optimal conductivity value of 9.43E-04 S/cm was achieved with a micro-carbon composition of 50% loading. However, decreasing micro carbon loading had a more significant impact on reducing electrical conductivity values.

The improvement of signal communication for a foraging task using evolutionary robotics

F. Aldana-Franco, F. Montes-González, S. Nolfi — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Communication systems represent an evolutionary advantage for a group of robots solving coordinated tasks. In the field of evolutionary robotics, the emergence and establishment of communication are regulated by different variables. These systems are a tool produced by artificial evolution for the exchange of personal and environmental information. Since evolutionary processes involve multi-objective evolutionary methods, it is important to study all the mechanisms that affect the emergence and establishment of communication systems. One of these variables is the evolutionary advantage of emerging signals. In this article it is assumed that the signals appear because they are evolutionarily useful in solving a task. Emitter and receiver generate a process of conceptualization, which makes the signals associated with a meaning for the community. In this way an experiment is adapted to the FARSA simulator and the MARXBOT robot. This experiment consists of a group of robots that spend as much time as possible in a food zone and avoid a poisoned zone. Under normal conditions, robots tend to point to the food zone to attract the rest of the population. When the evolutionary importance of pointing out the food zone is reduced, the signals arise in different situations such as the presence of nearby objects and the poisoned zone. Communication is configured with the LED rings and linear cameras of the robots. In addition, an ethological method is adapted to quantify the behavioral effects of experimental manipulation.

Pulse-coupled neural network based on an adaptive Gabor filter for pavement crack segmentation

A. Luna Álvarez, D. Mújica Vargas, J. de J. Rubio, A. Rosales Silva — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This article proposes a Pulse-Coupled Neural Network based on an adaptive Gabor filter for the segmentation of cracks in the pavement in digital images. By estimating the noise in the image, the parameters of the filter that convolves the neurons of the model are adjusted. As a result iterations were reduced to 2%
with ? 90% precision. The algorithm was parallelized on the GPU and the processing time was reduced to n/NM regardless of the M and N dimensions of the
image.

Detection and classification of progressive supranuclear palsy from MRI images using deep learning

N. A. Sait, J. Kathirvelan — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

A timely and reliable computer aided MR image-based evaluations is required for the detection and classification of Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). It is a neurodegenerative ailment that is clinically very difficult to identify due to a high degree of overlap in characterized symptoms. Unlike other ailments, the primary constraint regarding PSP is the limited research work in this area. The main aim of our study is to establish a generalized model by comparing traditional custom CNN and transfer learning models such as DenseNet121, ResNet50, InceptionV3, VGG16, EfficientNetB0, Xception, MobileNet and InceptionResNetV2 which are fine tuned for the detection and classification of PSP with higher accuracy rates. Existing research has primarily focused on reducing the time complexity of neural networks and has only had success with low-level features. Furthermore, obtaining a significant volume of distributed labelled data is difficult. In our research, 125 T1 protocol based high resolution MRI images of 65 PSP and 60 normal control patients were considered. The image dataset is pre-processed, normalized and augmented before deploying them to the respective networks. The results propose that ‘InceptionResNetV2’ model can be considered as a generalised model for the detection and classification of PSP. The network offered a classification accuracy of 95%, Precision of 100%, Sensitivity of 92.8%, F1 score of 96.2% and a Specificity of 100% which is significantly higher compared to other models considered in the study and also the existing conventional ML models, thereby providing a prerequisite for significant diagnostic implementation.

Identification of geothermal potential zone associated with land surface temperature derived from Landsat 8 data using split-window algorithm

Akhyar, C. A. Sary — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

This study was conducted in the geothermal potential area of Mount Seulawah, Aceh province. Study was conducted using remote sensing methods in order to estimate and map the land surface temperature (LST). Data used in this study is Landsat 8 OLI and TIRS. Methods used in this study were split-window algorithm (SWA) to obtain the LST through NDVI analysis and landcover classification, and image enhancement to obtain the lineament density through visual interpretation referring to the results of band ratio and filter techniques. The results of the NDVI analysis show that the study area has a value in the range of -0.57 – 0.97. The results of the LST analysis show that the surface temperature in the area has a value in the range of 21.32 - 32.88 ^oC. Areas that have high LST values can be estimated as areas that have anomalies. Based on the results of the lineament density analysis, the higher density value in an area can indicate the better permeability where geothermal manifestations come out. The direction of the lineaments that control the study area is dominated by the northwest-southeast in accordance with the direction of the main stress, namely the Seulimum fault and the Aceh fault which also has a northwest-southeast direction. The overall results show that the Seulawah geothermal area is quite potential to be developed for the sustainable natural resource.

Use of recycled concrete and rice husk ash for concrete: A review

S. P Muñoz Pérez, E. Sánchez Díaz, D. Barboza-Cullqui, J. M. García-Chumacero — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

The rapid development of populations and the demand in the consumption of concrete is generating the need to produce larger quantities of cement, which brings with it negative effects for the environment. Approximately 0.87 kg of CO2 is produced by the manufacture of cement; In addition, the use of aggregates is generating great concern in the construction industry, due to the costs and the restriction of these. Similarly, the accumulation of construction and demolition waste (RCA) and rice husk ash (RHA) contribute to pollution. Therefore, the objective of this manuscript is to review the literature on the use of RCA and RHA for the elaboration of concrete. For this, indexed articles were used, between the years 2017-2021. The results showed that when 8% RHA is added, the concrete reaches a compressive strength of 70 MPa; as well as, the flexural strength of concrete by adding 50% RCA + 1.50% basalt microfibers was increased by 29.44%. On the other hand, when RHA is added by 15% it reaches a compressive strength of 48.8 MPa; in turn, the mechanical performance at bending with 10% seashell by fine aggregate and 20% RHA by cement, reached a resistance of 65 MPa. Concluding, that the behavior of concrete undoubtedly depends on the proportions of either RCA or RHA; however, the percentages must be no more than 8% and 15% respectively.

Effect of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on flocculation and filtration of bentonite suspensions

A. Nakamura, H. Sato, Y. Sato, K. Murakami — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0600

Separation of bentonite from wastewater is challenging because bentonite, is highly dispersible in water. Using cationic polymer flocculants has a high flocculation effect on bentonite. However, the flocculation mechanism is unclear. In this study, flocculation, filtration, and bentonite adsorption behavior are investigated using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as cationic small molecule; subsequently, the flocculation mechanism of bentonite is explored. The flocculation effect increases and the filtration time is reduced with increasing CTAB concentration. In particular, when more than 1500 ppm of CTAB is used, the filtration time is reduced to 2–3 min. Bentonite forms secondary flocculates after the formation of primary flocculates with increasing CTAB concentration. Additionally, the adsorption behavior reveals that CTAB is inserted between the layers, and it is excessively adsorbed on the bentonite surface. The increase CTAB concentration was effective in improving the shortening the filtration time owing to the formation of large bentonite flocculates.