Search Results (48)

Smart-port decarbonisation requires operations-research decision support under day-ahead uncertainty. We present a rolling-horizon Model Predictive Control Energy Management System, formulated as a Mixed-Integer Linear Program with five forecast streams, and benchmark it against a deterministic rule-based controller on an identical configuration. A full-year proof-of-concept at the Port of Ancona (8760 hourly steps over the 2024 Italian Day-Ahead Market, 6.5 MWp PV, 1.0 MWh BESS) combines realised 2024 market, photovoltaic and auxiliary-demand series with a post-AFIR projected cold-ironing demand—the dominant load—and is therefore an operational proof-of-concept rather than a fully metered baseline. The principal MPC outcome is structural: anticipatory dispatch raises the mean BESS state of charge from 13.6% to 46.0% and cuts residence at the minimum SoC from 81% to 6% of hours. The forecasting layer attains sub-7% sMAPE on cold-ironing-loaded demand and 9–18% on the remaining streams (seasonal MASE₂₄ ≤ 0.74 on demand and price streams). At the relay-constrained 0.08 C pilot, the realised savings is 0.44% (€14,463 yr⁻¹; 95% moving-block bootstrap CI [€12,842, €15,742]); benchmarked against an enhanced rule-based controller that is itself permitted price-threshold grid charging, the residual value of predictive optimisation is €5652 yr⁻¹ (0.17%), with the remainder of the gap being the value of enabling grid charging. A C-rate sweep shows the savings doubling to 0.93% at 0.5 C, and a direct 20 MWh/±10 MW simulation yields a €0.57 M yr⁻¹ gross arbitrage savings whose net value, after a realistic battery-degradation penalty, is substantially smaller. Controller-level operational CO₂ rises marginally (+6.2 t, +0.13%), an effect distinct from—and dwarfed by—the system-level cold-ironing decarbonisation. The framework is reproducible in open-source Python (PuLP/HiGHS) from the actual data and is portable to other single-node smart city energy hubs. Full article

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers account for a quarter of all cancer cases worldwide and are responsible for a third of cancer deaths. One of the characteristic features of GI tissue is its multilayered structure, which, in addition to multiple scattering, complicates optical spectral analysis. The use of spectroscopic diagnostics and photodynamic therapy for the detection and treatment of GI cancer is a rapidly developing field. The method proposed in this paper for layer-by-layer optical properties assessment, suitable for real-time clinical application to the walls of hollow organs, allows us to calculate the absorbed dose layer by layer. This paper proposes a method for recording spectral data in two geometries, diffuse reflectance and transmission, using light delivery from both the external and internal surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract wall. Layer-by-layer assessment of optical properties was performed using a developed algorithm based on the inverse adding–doubling method with initial optical properties values determined using the modified two-stream Kubelka–Munk model with the accuracy equal to 86 ± 13%. The method was approved in clinical conditions. Based on the results of the work, the developed method for assessing the optical properties of multilayered biological tissues exhibited sufficient speed and accuracy for in vivo application to personalize laser-induced therapy by correction of the laser dose. Full article

There is increasing interest in structured layered double hydroxide (LDH)-based catalysts because they combine tunable acid–base/redox chemistry with reactor architectures that can reduce diffusion lengths, improve heat management, and lower pressure-drop penalties. This review evaluates LDH, LDH-derived oxide (LDO/MMO), reduced metal/LDO, reconstructed hydroxide-rich, and mixed dynamic states integrated into honeycomb monoliths, open-cell foams, meshes/felts, thin films, washcoats, coated plates, microchannels, capillaries, and additively manufactured lattices. To move beyond descriptive comparison, the literature is assessed using unified evaluation dimensions: operative active state, support architecture, coating/integration route, active-phase loading, coating thickness and uniformity, reactor-volume-normalized productivity or STY, ΔP/L, axial/radial thermal gradients, time-on-stream, coating loss, regeneration recovery, and pilot-readiness. Representative benchmarks illustrate both the promise and reporting gaps of the field: NiFe-LDH-derived monoliths for CO₂ methanation have reached ~70% CO₂ conversion at 300 °C with >90% CH₄ selectivity and only 0.7% post-test mass loss; NiFe-LDH/iron-foam monoliths retained 85% ozone conversion after 168 h; high-entropy LDH-derived oxides showed T50/T90 values of 246/254 °C for toluene oxidation; and Au/LDH capillary films achieved 31.9% glycerol carbonate yield and 3.78 g h⁻¹ g⁻¹ productivity. The strongest current cases are pollution abatement and CO₂ methanation, whereas biomass upgrading, fine-chemical flow, high-entropy coatings, and photo/electrocatalytic films require deeper module-level validation. Overall, structured LDH catalysts should be treated as coupled chemistry–coating–reactor systems whose performance must be judged simultaneously by activity, accessible catalyst inventory, transport efficiency, pressure drop, thermal profile, durability, regeneration, and manufacturability. Full article

Digital elevation models (DEMs) are key fundamental inputs in hydrological modelling, yet the influence of spatial resolution on basin delineation and process representation remains insufficiently understood, particularly in small catchments. This study investigates the influence of DEM resolution on topographic characterization and hydrological response in a small agroforestry basin in central Portugal. Three DEMs with resolutions of 5 m, 10 m, and 30 m were generated from contour data and satellite sources and processed using the TOPAZ-based TopAGNPS delineation framework. The sensitivity of basin structure to delineation parameters—critical source area (CSA) and minimum source channel length (MSCL)—was assessed, and the resulting configurations were used as inputs to the AnnAGNPS model. Results show that DEM resolution strongly influences the representation of hydrological cells and stream reaches. Increasing resolution from 30 m to 5 m leads to a nearly doubling of average cell slope and increases reach slope by more than four times, with corresponding changes in drainage network density and connectivity. Log-linear relationships were identified between slope and contributing area, as well as between slope and reach length, consistent with established geomorphic scaling laws. Hydrological simulations further indicate that resolution-dependent delineation significantly influences runoff, erosion, and peak discharge estimates, with finer resolutions increasing sensitivity to parametrization. Among land-cover scenarios, desertified conditions generate substantially higher runoff and peak flows compared to naturalized and forested conditions. Overall, the findings demonstrate that DEM resolution, together with preprocessing and delineation choices, exerts a critical control on hydrological model outputs. These effects are particularly pronounced in low-relief, human-influenced catchments, where coarse-resolution DEMs may lead to systematic underestimation of hydrological responses. The study highlights the need for resolution-aware modelling strategies and careful parametrization to improve the reliability and transferability of hydrological simulations. Full article

The construction sector faces increasing pressure to reduce the embodied energy of building materials while valorizing industrial waste streams. This study evaluates the direct incorporation of post-industrial textile waste (100% cotton and cotton–polyester blends) in its native form to develop high-performance cementitious ceiling sheets. Composites were fabricated under a controlled hydraulic compaction pressure of 2.0 MPa, optimized to achieve matrix densification while preserving the integrity of the fibrous network. Viscoelastic recovery of the compressed fibers induced a hierarchical double-porosity architecture characterized by macro-voids and hollow fiber lumens. This microstructural evolution reduced thermal conductivity to 0.091 W/m·K, approximately 50% lower than commercial cement–fiber benchmarks—without compromising mechanical compliance. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed a mechanistic decoupling between water absorption and dimensional stability. Although the CP15 formulation (15 wt.% cotton–polyester) exhibited high moisture uptake (~21%), thickness swelling remained limited to 1.35%. This dimensional stability is attributed to the hydrophobic polyester framework, which bridges microcracks and constrains hygroscopic expansion within the cellulosic phase. The optimized CP15 composite achieved a Modulus of Rupture (MOR) of 8.75 MPa, exceeding ISO 8336 Category C, Class 2 requirements. Despite increased thickness, the areal density (10.84 kg/m²) remains compatible with standard gypsum-grade suspension systems, eliminating the need for structural modification. These findings establish a scalable, direct-valorization strategy for circular construction materials delivering enhanced thermal insulation and robust performance under tropical climatic conditions. Full article

This paper presents a power-aware Reconfigurable Parameterizable Pseudorandom Pattern Generator (RP-PRPG) for a number of applications, including built in self-testing (BIST) and cryptography. Linear Feedback Shift Registers (LFSRs) are broadly utilized in pattern generation due to their efficiency and simplicity. However, the diversity of generated patterns, as well as their power consumption, improves through circuit modifications. This work explores enhancements to LFSR structures to achieve broader range of patterns with reduced power consumption for BIST-based applications. The proposed circuit constructed on the LFSR platform can be programmed to generate patterns with varying degrees of different LFSR configurations. Diverse set of patterns of any circuit arrangement can be created using any characteristic polynomial and by utilizing the reseeding capacity of the circuit. The circuit combines a double-tier linear feedback circuit with zero forcing methods, resulting in more than 70% transition reduction, thus significantly lowering power dissipation. The behaviour of the proposed circuit is assessed for characteristic polynomials with degrees ranging from 4 to 128 using various Linear Feedback Shift Register (LFSR) topologies. For reconfigurable HDL and ASIC synthesis, the power-aware RP-PRPG can be used to generate an efficient set of stream ciphers as well as applications involving the scan-for-test protocol. Full article

Vibrational double diffusion has gained increasing attention in recent studies due to its role in enhancing mixing, disrupting thermal boundary layers, and stabilizing convection structures, especially in nanofluids and porous media. This study focuses on the case of two-phase nanofluid flow in the presence of vibrational effects. The flow domain is a fined chamber that is filled with a non-Darcy porous medium. Two concentration formulations are proposed for the species concentration and nanoparticle concentration. The thermal radiation is in both the x- and y-directions, while the flow domain is considered to be inclined. The solution technique depends on an effective finite volume method. The periodic behaviors of the stream function, Nusselt numbers, and Sherwood numbers against the progressing time are presented and interpreted. From the major results, a significant reduction in harmonic behaviors of the stream function is obtained as the lengths of the fins are raised while the gradients of the temperature and concentration are improved. Also, a higher rate of heat and mass transfer is obtained when the vibration frequency is raised. Furthermore, for fixed values of the Rayleigh number and vibration frequency (Ra = 10⁴, σ = 500), the heat transfer coefficient improves by 27.2% as the fin length increases from 0.1 to 0.25. Full article

Although image captioning has gained remarkable interest, privacy concerns are raised because it relies heavily on images, and there is a risk of exposing sensitive information in the image data. In this study, a privacy-preserving image captioning framework that leverages partial encryption using Double Random Phase Encoding (DRPE) and deep learning is proposed to address privacy concerns. Unlike previous methods that rely on full encryption or masking, our approach involves encrypting sensitive regions of the image while preserving the image’s overall structure and context. Partial encryption ensures that the sensitive regions’ information is preserved instead of lost by masking it with a black or gray box. It also allows the model to process both encrypted and unencrypted regions, which could be problematic for models with fully encrypted images. Our framework follows an encoder–decoder architecture where a dual-stream encoder based on ResNet50 extracts features from the partially encrypted images, and a transformer architecture is employed in the decoder to generate captions from these features. We utilize the Flickr8k dataset and encrypt the sensitive regions using DRPE. The partially encrypted images are then fed to the dual-stream encoder, which processes the real and imaginary parts of the encrypted regions separately for effective feature extraction. Our model is evaluated using standard metrics and compared with models trained on the original images. Our results demonstrate that our method achieves comparable performance to models trained on original and masked images and outperforms models trained on fully encrypted data, thus verifying the feasibility of partial encryption in privacy-preserving image captioning. Full article

Urban inland rivers are closely related to urban development, but high-density urbanisation has reduced the natural function of streams and the riverbanks are hardened into two parts, embankment walls and berms, which give rise to a variety of riparian landscapes. However, the difference in the height of riparian walkways affects the degree of their greening and landscape effects. In this paper, we studied single- and double-decker urban greenways, constructed quantitative indicators of spatial elements based on deep learning algorithms using an image semantic segmentation (ISS) model that simulates human visual perception, used random forests and multivariate linear regression models to study the impact of the height difference of the linear riverfront greenway on visual perception, clarified the impact of the visual landscape differences caused by different types of space on landscape aesthetic preferences (LP) and confirmed the impact of the specific extent to which landscape components influence preferences. The results of the study showed that there were significant differences in landscape perception scores between the single and double layers. (1) The influence of WED (negative correlation) and NI (positive correlation) is large in the single-layer greenway. The colour, material and structure of the guardrail can be beautified and diversified and the quality of the greenery can be taken into account to maintain the visibility of the greenery in order to improve the score of the single-layer greenway. (2) The significant influence of BVI in the double-layered greenway is positive. Water-friendly or water-viewing spaces can be added appropriately to improve the landscape score of double-layered greenways. This study is applicable to the regional landscape feature identification of single- and double-decker greenways on large-scale urban hard barge bank images, which realises the whole-region feature identification of a large-scale human perspective and is an effective expansion of analysis techniques for sustainable landscape planning and the design of riparian greenways. Full article

A series of M(x)CoCeMgAlO mixed oxides with different transition metals (M = Cu, Fe, Mn, and Ni) with an M content x = 3 at. %, and another series of Fe(x)CoCeMgAlO mixed oxides with Fe contents x ranging from 1 to 9 at. % with respect to cations, while keeping constant in both cases 40 at. % Co, 10 at. % Ce and Mg/Al atomic ratio of 3 were prepared via thermal decomposition at 750 °C in air of their corresponding layered double hydroxide (LDH) precursors obtained by coprecipitation. They were tested in a fixed bed reactor for complete methane oxidation with a gas feed of 1 vol.% methane in air to evaluate their catalytic performance. The physico-structural properties of the mixed oxide samples were investigated with several techniques, such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), elemental mappings, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed reduction under hydrogen (H₂-TPR) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption at −196 °C. XRD analysis revealed in all the samples the presence of Co₃O₄ crystallites together with periclase-like and CeO₂ phases, with no separate M-based oxide phase. All the cations were distributed homogeneously, as suggested by EDX measurements and elemental mappings of the samples. The metal contents, determined by EDX and ICP-OES, were in accordance with the theoretical values set for the catalysts’ preparation. The redox properties studied by H₂-TPR, along with the surface composition determined by XPS, provided information to elucidate the catalytic combustion properties of the studied mixed oxide materials. The methane combustion tests showed that all the M-promoted CoCeMgAlO mixed oxides were more active than the M-free counterpart, the highest promoting effect being observed for Fe as the doping transition metal. The Fe(x)CoCeMgAlO mixed oxide sample, with x = 3 at. % Fe displayed the highest catalytic activity for methane combustion with a temperature corresponding to 50% methane conversion, T₅₀, of 489 °C, which is ca. 40 °C lower than that of the unpromoted catalyst. This was attributed to its superior redox properties and lowest activation energy among the studied catalysts, likely due to a Fe–Co–Ce synergistic interaction. In addition, long-term tests of Fe(3)CoCeMgAlO mixed oxide were performed, showing good stability over 60 h on-stream. On the other hand, the addition of water vapors in the feed led to textural and structural changes in the Fe(3)CoCeMgAlO system, affecting its catalytic performance in methane complete oxidation. At the same time, the catalyst showed relatively good recovery of its catalytic activity as soon as the water vapors were removed from the feed. Full article

Bridge sensors are widely used in military and civilian fields, and their demand gradually increases each year. Digital sensors are widely used in the military and civilian fields. High-precision and low-power analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) as sensor read-out circuits are a research hotspot. Sigma-delta ADC circuits based on switched-capacitor topology have the advantages of high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), good linearity, and better compatibility with CMOS processes. In this work, a fourth-order feed-forward sigma-delta modulator and a digital decimation filter are designed and implemented with a correlated double sampling technique (CDS) to suppress pre-integrator low-frequency noise. This work used an active pre-compensator circuit for deep phase compensation to improve the system’s stability in the sigma-delta modulator. The modulator’s local feedback factor is designed to be adjustable off-chip to eliminate the effect of process errors. A three-stage cascade structure was chosen for the post-stage digital filter, significantly reducing the number of operations and the required memory cells in the digital circuit. Finally, the layout design and engineering circuit were fabricated by a standard 0.35 μm CMOS process from Shanghai Hua Hong with a chip area of 9 mm². At a 5 V voltage supply and sampling frequency of 6.144 MHz, the modulator power consumption is 13 mW, the maximum input signal amplitude is −3 dBFs, the 1 Hz dynamic range is about 118 dB, the modulator signal-to-noise ratio can reach 110.5 dB when the signal bandwidth is 24 kHz, the practical bit is about 18.05 bits, and the harmonic distortion is about −113 dB, which meets the design requirements. The output bit stream is 24 bits. Full article

A proof of concept of a novel parallel-flow solid–solid heat exchanger consisting of two L-Valves with concentric vertical tubes, named as Double L-Valve, is presented for the case of the Carbonate Looping process, as a CO₂ capture technology. The operational objective of the solid–solid heat exchanger is to heat up the relatively cold solid stream coming from the carbonator reactor by absorbing heat from the hotter stream coming from the calciner. This novel solid–solid heat exchanger concept has been constructed on a small scale to study the hydrodynamic response of the system experimentally at different designs and airflow rates in its cold state. Based on the experimental data from the small prototype, a scaled-up hydrodynamic model is proposed that provides estimations for the operational requirements at an industrial scale. Apart from the cold flow pilot model, the heat exchanger is being assessed in the current work for an industrial case study in terms of the following: (a) the heat transfer via rigorous one-dimensional thermal modelling, (b) the structural integrity of the design through Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis, and (c) a parametric study for its expected cost. The purpose of this work is to provide a holistic approach of this novel solid–solid heat exchanger concept, the main advantage of which is its simple design and relatively low cost. Full article

Gas-fed reactors for CO₂ reduction processes are a solid technology to mitigate CO₂ accumulation in the atmosphere. However, since it is necessary to feed them with a pure CO₂ stream, a highly energy-demanding process is required to separate CO₂ from the flue gasses. Recently introduced bicarbonate zero-gap flow reactors are a valid solution to integrate carbon capture and valorization, with them being able to convert the CO₂ capture medium (i.e., the bicarbonate solution) into added-value chemicals, such as CO, thus avoiding this expensive separation process. We report here a study on the influence of the electrode structure on the performance of a bicarbonate reactor in terms of Faradaic efficiency, activity, and CO₂ utilization. In particular, the effect of catalyst mass loading and electrode permeability on bicarbonate electrolysis was investigated by exploiting three commercial carbon supports, and the results obtained were deepened via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which is introduced for the first time in the field of bicarbonate electrolyzers. As an outcome of the study, a novel low-loaded silver-based electrode fabricated via the sputtering deposition technique is proposed. The silver mass loading was optimized by increasing it from 116 μg/cm² to 565 μg/cm², thereby obtaining an important enhancement in selectivity (from 55% to 77%) and activity, while a further rise to 1.13 mg/cm² did not provide significant improvements. The tremendous effect of the electrode permeability on activity and proficiency in releasing CO₂ from the bicarbonate solution was shown. Hence, an increase in electrode permeability doubled the activity and boosted the production of in situ CO₂ by 40%. The optimized Ag-electrode provided Faradaic efficiencies for CO close to 80% at a cell voltage of 3 V and under ambient conditions, with silver loading of 565 μg/cm², the lowest value ever reported in the literature so far. Full article

Traditional PDF document detection technology usually builds a rule or feature library for specific vulnerabilities and therefore is only fit for single detection targets and lacks anti-detection ability. To address these shortcomings, we build a double-layer detection model for malicious PDF documents based on an entropy method with multiple features. First, we address the single detection target problem with the fusion of 222 multiple features, including 130 basic features (such as objects, structure, content stream, metadata, etc.) and 82 dangerous features (such as suspicious and encoding function, etc.), which can effectively resist obfuscation and encryption. Second, we generate the best set of features (a total of 153) by creatively applying an entropy method based on RReliefF and MIC (EMBORAM) to PDF samples with 37 typical document vulnerabilities, which can effectively resist anti-detection methods, such as filling data and imitation attacks. Finally, we build a double-layer processing framework to detect samples efficiently through the AdaBoost-optimized random forest algorithm and the robustness-optimized support vector machine algorithm. Compared to the traditional static detection method, this model performs better for various evaluation criteria. The average time of document detection is 1.3 ms, while the accuracy rate reaches 95.9%. Full article

Urban rail transportation is an important public transportation network for realizing the dual carbon strategy and sustainable transportation development. A top-stream station is an important node in this network. This paper focuses on 47 top-stream station sites during the peak hours of workdays from 2018 to 2020 in Beijing (26 inbound and 22 outbound, with Beijing South Station as a double-stream station) and collects and analyzes information such as station area spatial texture, spatial organization efficiency, land use function, land use mix, POI (Point of Interest) distribution and functional mix, construction intensity, and population heat distribution. Through an analysis of the network topological structure characteristics of each station area, comparison of spatial efficiency differences, analysis of land use function composition and mix characteristics, and distribution of spatial construction intensity, this paper discusses the relationship between the spatial structure, spatial function, spatial intensity characteristics and key indicators of the built environment of station areas from the perspective of urban design. The conclusion shows that there is a close relationship between the function, structure, and strength of the overall built environment of the station domain at the theoretical level. The regression test, to some extent, confirms the close relationship between key indicators and expands the indicator system for measuring the fit relationship. The comparison between general station sites and headstream station sites shows that the fit relationship of indicators for headstream station sites is not completely the same as that for general station sites, indicating that the influencing factors for headstream station sites are diverse. This reminds investment, design, construction, and management teams in practice that the measurement and planning of the built environment space structure of the station domain should be based on local conditions and be closely related to the topological structure of the station domain’s rail network and road network structure. At the same time, whether the stability of the indicator system and the specific R-squared value have differences in various cities requires further verification. This paper explores and tries to raise questions about the research methodology of the built environment space structure, the measurement of the station domain, and the concepts of station-city coordination and development. Full article