Search Results (133)

The evaluation of climate change effects on airport infrastructures is important to maintain safety and flexibility in air travel operations. Airports are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events and temperature fluctuations, which can disrupt operations, compromise passenger safety, and cause economic losses. Issues such as flooded runways and the disruption of power supplies highlight the need for strong adaptation strategies. The study focuses on the application of the high-resolution regional model COSMO-CLM to assess climate change impacts on Roma Fiumicino airport (Italy) under the IPCC RCP8.5 scenario. The complex topography of Italy requires fine-scale simulation to catch localized climate dynamics. By employing advanced statistical methods, such as fractal analysis, this research aims to increase an understanding of climate change and improve the model prediction capability. The findings provide valuable insights for designing resilient airport infrastructures and updating operational protocols in view of evolving climate risks. A consistent increase in daily temperatures is projected, along with a modest positive trend in annual precipitation. The use of advanced statistical methods revealed insights into the fractal dimensions and frequency components of climate variables, showing an increasing complexity and variability of future climatic patterns. Full article

Load frequency control (LFC) remains a critical challenge in ensuring the stability of modern power grids. The integration of nonlinear dynamics into LFC design is paramount to achieving robust performance, which directly underpins grid reliability. This study introduces a novel hybrid control strategy—a fuzzy fractional-order proportional–integral–derivative (Fuzzy FOPID) controller augmented with a proportional–integral (PI) compensator—for LFC applications in two distinct dual-area interconnected power systems. To optimize the controller’s parameters, the recently developed Catch Fish Optimization Algorithm (CFOA) is employed, leveraging the Integral Time Absolute Error (ITAE) as the primary cost function for precision tuning. A comprehensive comparative analysis is conducted to benchmark the proposed controller against the existing methodologies documented in the literature. Nonlinear elements’ impact on the system stability is also investigated. The investigation evaluates the impact of critical nonlinearities, including governor dead band (GDB) and generation rate constraints (GRCs), on system performance. The simulation results demonstrate that the CFOA-tuned Fuzzy FOPID + PI controller exhibits superior robustness and dynamic response compared to conventional approaches, effectively mitigating frequency deviations and maintaining grid stability under nonlinear operating conditions. Furthermore, the CFOA demonstrates marginally superior convergence and tuning accuracy relative to the widely adopted Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. These findings underscore the proposed controller’s potential as a high-performance solution for real-world LFC systems, particularly in scenarios characterized by nonlinearities and interconnected grid complexities. This study advances the field by bridging the gap between fractional-order fuzzy control theory and practical power system applications, offering a validated strategy for enhancing grid resilience in dynamic environments. Full article

Canning is an excellent solution to provide convenient, affordable, nutritious, and safe seafood with a long shelf life. However, many canned products use tuna, sardines, and Atlantic chub mackerel, species that raise sustainability concerns and whose overuse can put additional pressure on them. Hence, this study aimed to i) develop and assess a nutritious and sustainable canned meal prototype using the Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) (whose EU allowable-catch amounts have increased, particularly, in Iberian waters) and vegetables in light brine in terms of stability, sterility, and physicochemical and sensory properties over a 4-month period at room temperature and ii) evaluate its nutritional contribution for different population groups. After preparation, the meal was stored for one month at ≈20 °C and ≈40 °C (to simulate the 4 months). Although the pH was not stable, the meal was considered commercially sterile according to the challenge accelerated tests. Moreover, aging did not significantly affect the meal’s physicochemical and sensory properties. This innovative meal prototype can be claimed to be “low-fat”, “reduced in NaCl/Na”, a “source of protein, phosphorus, iron, selenium and vitamin D”, and “high in vitamin B12”. It proved to be both nutritious and appealing for consumption, with potential to be scaled up. Full article

Renewable energy sources (RESs) are increasingly combined into the power system due to market liberalization and environmental and economic benefits, but their weather-dependent variability causes power production and demand mismatches, leading to issues like frequency and regional power transmission fluctuations. To maintain synchronization in power systems, frequency must remain constant; disruptions in the proper balance of production and load might produce frequency variations, risking serious issues. Therefore, a mechanism known as load frequency control (LFC) or automated generation control (AGC) is needed to keep the frequency and tie-line power within predefined stable limits. In this study, advanced proportional–integral–derivative PID controllers such as fractional-order PID (FOPID), cascaded PI(PDN), and PI(1+DD) for LFC in a two-area power system integrated with RES are optimized using the catch fish optimization algorithm (CFA). The controllers’ optimal gains are attained through using the integral absolute error (IAE) and ITAE objective functions. The performance of LFC with CFA-tuned PID, PI, cascaded PI(PDN), and FOPID, PI(1+DD) controllers is compared to other optimization techniques, including sine cosine algorithm (SCA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), brown bear algorithm (BBA), and grey wolf optimization (GWO), in a two-area power system combined with RESs under various conditions. Additionally, by contrasting the performance of the PID, PI, cascaded PI(PDN), and FOPID, PI(1+DD) controllers, the efficiency of the CFA is confirmed. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis that considers simultaneous modifications of the frequency bias coefficient (B) and speed regulation (R) within a range of ±25% validates the efficacy and dependability of the suggested CFA-tuned PI(1+DD). In the complex dynamics of a two-area interconnected power system, the results show how robust the suggested CFA-tuned PI(1+DD) control strategy is and how well it can stabilize variations in load frequency and tie-line power with a noticeably shorter settling time. Finally, the results of the simulation show that CFA performs better than the GWO, BBA, SCA, and PSO strategies. Full article

This study, based on the vessel position data of pump-suction beam trawlers and the integrated species distribution model (ISDM), deeply analyzes the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of the habitat of Antarctic krill and the contributions of key environmental factors. The Convolutional Neural Network–attention model (CNN–attention model) was used to identify the fishing status of the vessel position data of Norwegian pump-suction beam trawlers for Antarctic krill during the fishing seasons from 2021 to 2023. Variables of marine environment, including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH), chlorophyll concentration (CHL), sea ice concentration (SIC), sea surface salinity (SSS), and spatial factor Geographical Offshore Linear Distance (GLD) were combined and input into the ISDM for simulating and predicting the spatial distribution of the habitat. The model results show that the Area Under the Curve (AUC) and True Skill Statistic (TSS) indices for all months exceed 0.9, with an average AUC of 0.997 and a TSS of 0.973, indicating extremely high accuracy of the model in habitat prediction. Further analysis of environmental factors reveals that Geographical Offshore Linear Distance (GLD) and chlorophyll concentration (CHL) are the main factors affecting habitat suitability, contributing 34.9% and 25.2%, respectively, and their combined contribution exceeds 60%. In addition, factors such as sea surface height (SSH), sea surface temperature (SST), sea ice concentration (SIC), and sea surface salinity (SSS) have impacts on the habitat distribution to varying degrees, and each factor exhibits different suitability response characteristics in different seasons and sub-regions. There is no significant correlation between the habitat area of Antarctic krill and catch (p > 0.05), while there is a significant positive correlation between the fishing duration and the catch (p < 0.001), indicating that a longer fishing duration can effectively increase the Antarctic krill catch. Full article

Interface debonding between the steel tube and grouting materials in grouting jacket connections (GJCs) of offshore wind turbine supporting structures leads to negative effects on the load-carrying capacity and safety concerns. In this paper, an interface debonding defect detection and localization approach for scale underwater GJC specimens using surface wave measurement is proposed and validated numerically. A multi-physics finite element model (FEM) of underwater GJCs with mimicked interface debonding defects, surrounded by water, and coupled with surface-mounted piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patches is established. Under the excitation of a five-cycle modulated signal, the surface stress wave propagation, including transmission, diffraction, and reflection, within the outer steel tube, grouting material, and inner steel tube is simulated. The influence of mimicked interface debonding defects of varying dimensions on stress wave propagation is systematically analyzed through stress wave field distributions at distinct time intervals. Additionally, the response of surface-mounted PZT sensors in the underwater GJC model under a one-pitch-one-catch (OPOC) configuration is analyzed. Numerical results demonstrate that the wavelet packet energy (WPE) of the surface wave measurement from the PZT sensors corresponding to the traveling path with a mimicked interface debonding defect is larger than that without a defect. To further localize the debonding region, a one pitch and multiple catch (OPMC) configuration is employed, and an abnormal value analysis is conducted on the WPEs of PZT sensor measurements with identical and comparable wave traveling patches. The identified debonding regions correspond to the simulated defects in the models. Full article

Compared to a single horizontal or inclined tunnel, a U-shaped underwater tunnel combines both types. If such tunnels catch fire, the resulting scenarios will lead to varying intensities of induced airflow, which significantly impact the internal heat transfer mechanisms. This study numerically simulated the effects of varying induced airflow strengths on the heat transfer proportion and temperature distribution within the tunnel. Key variables including the inclination angle of tunnel sections, the heat release rate (HRR) of the fire source, and its distance to the tunnel opening were systematically investigated. The results indicate that when the fire is in the horizontal tunnel section, the primary factor affecting the temperature field distribution is the HRR of the fire. As the fire source moves toward the inclined tunnel section, a transition to strong induced airflow occurs above the corner at low angles of inclination. As the slope increases, the transition position shifts downstream, toward the lower side of the corner. At this point, the tunnel is affected by strong induced airflow. Using dimensionless analysis, models were developed for temperature field distribution under strong and weak induced airflow, guiding underwater tunnel spray activation temperature and firefighting and rescue efforts. Full article

Worldwide, the combination of cutting potato seeds and spoon-type seed-metering devices holds a dominant position in the development of potato planters. In this context, miss-seeding and multi-seeding caused by the seed spoon are important factors contributing to consequent yield reductions. These issues have become key concerns in the precision seeding of potatoes in recent years. This study first analyzes existing research into the monitoring and inhibition of spoon-style potato seed-metering defects. Then, the main problems of spoon-type precision potato planters are analyzed independently in depth, including the lack of monitoring methods, insufficient active inhibition of potato seed-metering defects, unexplored deep additional impacts of the ‘catching-up compensation’ effect, and limited research into multi-picking monitoring and inhibition methods. On this basis, four strategies are proposed: (1) improving the reliability of the seed-metering monitoring system, (2) simplifying the practicality of the miss-picking compensation system, (3) reducing multi-picking based on the trajectory abrupt change in potato seeds, and (4) researching the deep additional effects of the ‘catching-up compensation’ strategy and utilizing multi-means coupling simulation to assist in active seed-metering defect inhibition. Subsequently, relevant conclusions based on the existing literature and in-depth analyses are presented. Finally, prospects for the future development of potato seed-metering technology are discussed. This study aims to provide effective references for achieving intelligent, precise, and information-based potato seed-metering. Full article

As autonomous driving technology advances, connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) will coexist with human-driven vehicles (HDVs) for an extended period. The deployment of CAVs will alter traffic flow characteristics, making it crucial to investigate their impacts on mixed traffic. This study develops a hybrid control framework that integrates a platoon control strategy based on the “catch-up” mechanism with lane management for CAVs. The impacts of the proposed hybrid control framework on mixed traffic flow are evaluated through a series of macroscopic simulations, focusing on fundamental diagrams, traffic oscillations, and safety. The results illustrate a notable increase in road capacity with the rising market penetration rate (MPR) of CAVs, with significant improvements under the hybrid control framework, particularly at high MPRs. Additionally, traffic oscillations are mitigated, reducing shockwave propagation and enhancing efficiency under the hybrid control framework. Four surrogate safety measures, namely time to collision (TTC), criticality index function (CIF), deceleration rate to avoid a crash (DRAC), and total exposure time (TET), are utilized to evaluate traffic safety. The results indicate that collision risk is significantly reduced at high MPRs. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the deployment of CAVs, using control strategies to improve mixed traffic flow operations. Full article

We conducted 3D ecosystem model simulations over a 10-year period, supplemented by socio-economic data, to evaluate the ecosystem services provided by the large, shallow Oder/Szczecin Lagoon. Our analysis focused on three scenarios reflecting the progressive deepening of the navigational waterway across the lagoon: from 6 m (1880) to 10.5 m (1984) and finally to 12.5 m (2023). For the 10.5 m scenario, the total value of all six ecosystem services was estimated at EUR 272 million/year, or approximately EUR 0.4 million/year/km². The individual contributions of each ecosystem service were as follows: nitrogen retention, EUR 166 million/a; phosphorus retention, EUR 5 million/a; carbon storage, EUR 0.4 million/a; active recreation, EUR 61 million/a; landscape aesthetics, EUR 36 million/a; wild fish catches, EUR 3.2 million/a; and transportation, EUR 32 million/a. Among these, denitrification emerged as the most economically important process, valued at EUR 178 million/year, or EUR 0.26 million/year/km². Regulating ecosystem services displayed substantial interannual variability and pronounced seasonality. Additionally, the two parts of the lagoon, Kleines Haff (Germany) and Wielki Zalew (Poland), exhibited distinct patterns. Our model indicates that channel deepening enhances sediment burial and significantly increases phosphorus and carbon retention. However, the associated increase in connectivity to the Baltic Sea appears to have a minor effect. Full article

Sesuvium portulacastrum floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are effective at removing nitrogen and phosphorus, adsorbing heavy metals, and removing organic pollutants from aquaculture wastewater, and thus improve fish farming productivity. In this study, an S. portulacastrum FTW was used in a simulated grouper aquaculture experiment for 40 days. The FTW removed 1~3 mg/L of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) throughout the experimental period as well as the following toxic nitrogen species: 88% NO₂⁻-N in the middle stage and 90% TAN (total ammonia nitrogen) in the middle stage. The health of the groupers was promoted and the weight of each grouper was 8% higher than those in the control group in the end. Compared with that of the control group, the carbon sequestration of the aquaculture ecosystem was also increased by S. portulacastrum FTW because more carbon was held in the biomass, including through the growth of the plant mass of the FTW, 109 g C/pond, and a reduction in fishing catch losses, 442 g C/pond. Therefore, S. portulacastrum FTW can serve as a potential technology for improving the water environment quality of feeding ponds and contributing to carbon sequestration in aquaculture systems. Full article

The plum fruit moth (PFM), Grapholita funebrana, and the oriental fruit moth (OFM), G. molesta, are closely related fruit moth species that severely damage fruit trees in Rosaceae. Both species share common primary sex pheromone components Z8-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac. The secondary sex pheromone components of PFMs consist of Z8-12:OH, Z8-14:Ac, and Z10-14:Ac, while those of OFMs include Z8-12:OH and 12:OH. Previous researchers have proved that the inclusion of Z8-14:Ac and Z10-14:Ac did not augment PFM catches but inhibited OFM catches in orchards in Europe, thereby maintaining the species-specificity of the PFM sex attractant. However, which of these components, Z8-14:Ac or Z10-14:Ac, plays the major role in inhibiting OFM attraction remains unclear. In the current study, electroantennogram (EAG) assays indicated that both OFM and PFM males exhibited a moderate EAG response to Z8-14:Ac and Z10-14:Ac. Rubber septa loaded with varying ratios of Z8-14:Ac (1% to 30%) or Z10-14:Ac (5% to 110%) combined with a constant dose of Z8-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac produced diverse trapping effects. Sex attractants containing Z8-14:Ac did not significantly affect the trapping of PFM males but drastically reduced the capture of OFM males, with the reduction reaching up to 96.54%. Attractants containing more than 10% of Z10-14:Ac simultaneously reduced the number of OFM and PFM males captured. Z8-14:Ac was indispensable for maintaining the specificity of sex pheromones. Fluorescence competitive binding assays of recombinant GmolPBP2 showed the lowest K_i value (0.66 ± 0.02 μM) among the PBPs/GOBPs from OFMs, suggesting that it is the most likely target for Z8-14:Ac. Molecular dynamic simulation and site-directed mutagenesis assays confirmed that the Phe12 residue, which forms a π–alkyl interaction with Z8-14:Ac, was crucial for GmolPBP2 binding to Z8-14:Ac. In conclusion, Z8-14:Ac is vital to the specificity of PFM sex pheromones inhibiting OFM attractants when added to Z8-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac. This could be potentially used to develop species-specific sex attractants for the PFM. Full article

Nowadays, wind turbines are one of the most popular devices for producing clean and renewable electric energy. The rotor blades catch the wind’s kinetic energy to produce rotational energy from the turbine and electric energy from the generator. In small-scale wind turbines, there are several methods to operate the blades to obtain the desired speed of rotation and power outputs. These methods include passive stall, active stall, and pitch control. Pitch control sets the angular position of the blades to face the wind to achieve a predefined relationship between turbine speed or power and wind velocity. Typically, conventional Proportional Integral (PI) controllers are used to set the angular position of the rotor blades or pitch angle. Nevertheless, the quality of speed or power regulation may vary substantially. This study introduces a rotor speed controller for a pitch-controlled small-scale wind turbine prototype based on fuzzy logic concepts. The basics of fuzzy systems required to implement this kind of controller are presented in detail to counteract the lack of such material in the technical literature. The knowledge base of the fuzzy speed controller is composed of Takagi–Sugeno–Kang (TSK) fuzzy inference rules that implement a dedicated PI controller for any desired interval of wind velocities. Each wind velocity interval is defined with a fuzzy set. Simulation experiments show that the TSK fuzzy PI speed controller can outperform the conventional PI controller in the speed and accuracy of response, stability, and robustness over the whole range of operation of the wind turbine prototype. Full article

Magnesium (Mg) alloys with long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases are receiving increasing interest because of their excellent mechanical performance. The close similarity in atomic stacking sequences between different LPSO polytypes and Mg lattice often leads to ambiguous indexing in electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), a commonly used material characterization technique. Instead of the Hough transformation approach used in commercial software, an alternative indexing approach, which can catch subtle differences by matching experimental patterns with simulated ones, is explored in this study. Our results, showing ~94% of mapping data being correctly indexed as the target phase, 14H LPSO, demonstrate the capability of not only resolving the LPSO phases but also distinguishing different LPSO polytypes. This approach offers a valuable, if not unique, solution for the microscale characterization of LPSO phases, enabling precise microstructure tuning to further promote the mechanical properties of Mg alloys. Full article

The simplest evolutionary model for catching prey by an agent (predator) is considered. The simulation is performed on the basis of a software-emulated Intel i8080 processor. Maximizing the number of catches is chosen as the objective function. This function is associated with energy dissipation and developmental time. It is shown that during Darwinian evolution, agents with an initially a random set of processor commands subsequently acquire a successful catching skill. It is found that in the process of evolution, a logarithmic relationship between astronomical and developmental times arises in agents. This result is important for the ideas available in the literature about the close connection of such concepts as time, Darwinian selection, and the maximization of entropy production. Full article