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The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance of fire protective materials in protecting steel section. A new indexing system is introduced, named as fire endurance index (FEI), which can be used to evaluate the performance of fire protective materials.

In this study, experiments were carried out using W4 × 13 steel section. Eight samples were prepared; one was a bare steel section without any coating material, and seven were prepared using four types of materials such as vermiculite-gypsum plaster, gypsum plaster, concrete cover and glass wool-concrete cover for fireproofing of the sections. An enclosed electric coiled furnace was used for heating the samples for a certain period. The duration of protection was determined, and the FEI of the materials was calculated. The higher the index value is, the better the performance.

The results demonstrate that the glass-wool-concrete cover offered the best performance at high temperature among the four types of materials. In the experiment with glass-wool-concrete cover, the furnace temperature reached 750°C, whereas the steel temperature reached only 100°C. The FEI of the coatings were calculated. Among the eight samples, glass wool-concrete cover also achieved the highest index value.

The experimental work was performed using a limited number of specimens. Furthermore, the robustness of the indexing system needs to be evaluated with other materials and a wide range of heating rate and temperature. This study sets the foundation for future work.

The findings of this research may contribute to a better understanding of the performance of the materials used as fire protective coatings. This might be helpful for the researchers and practitioners in their design and implementation of legislation of fire safety codes.

Understanding the performance of the fire protective coatings will help in evaluating the fire resistance capabilities of the materials to use for the structural steel members, which may protect collapses and disasters of buildings.

This paper deals with the performance of four types of materials, that can be used as fire protective coatings for structural steel members. Furthermore, the FEI explicitly indicated their performance with numerical values. In this study, the heating of the specimens was performed using a non-standard fire curve based on the concept that naturally occurring incidents of fire do not follow the standard fire curves.

The purpose of this paper is to present a serial produced industrial robot for thin‐type space solar cells (SSC), which is applied to perform the bonding process of SSC.

An optimized process of adhesive coating and bonding for SSC is designed, based on an analysis of hydromechanics model. In order to perform the process, a novel robot is developed, which mainly consists of a three‐axis Cartesian coordinates' motion platform, coating‐and‐bonding device, solar cell and glass cover orientation plate, control system, pneumatic system, constant temperature module, and industrial personal computer software. The coating and bonding operation is based on the three‐axis Cartesian coordinates' motion and the help of pneumatic system.

Compared with the experimental prototype and handwork, the robot is more effective and reliable for the bonding process of the thin‐type solar cells.

The robot is very useful to realize automatic production of SSC.

Present investigation conducts a study on the hydrothermal features of a double flow Parabolic Trough Solar Collector (PTSC) equipped with sinusoidal-wavy grooved absorber tube and twisted tape insert filled with nanofluid. This paper aims to present an effectual PTSC which is comprised by nanofluid numerically by means of finite volume method.

The beneficial results such as pressure drop inside the absorber tube, mean predicted friction factor, predicted average Nusselt number and hydrothermal Performance Evaluation Criteria (PEC) are evaluated and reported to present the influences of numerous factors on studied interest outcomes. Effects of different Reynolds numbers and environmental conditions are also determined in this investigation.

It is found that using the absorber roof (canopy) can enhance the heat transfer ratio of PTSCs significantly during all studied Reynolds numbers. Also, it is realized that the combination of inner grooved surface, outer corrugated surface and inserting turbulator can improve the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of PTSCs sharply.

Novel PTSC (N.PTSC) filling with two Heat Transfer Fluids (HTFs), inner and outer surface corrugated absorber tube, absorber roof and inserting twisted tape (N.PTSC.f) has the highest PEC values among all novel configurations along all investigated Reynolds numbers which is followed by configurations N.PTSC with two HTFs and inserting twisted tape (N.PTSC.e), N.PTSC with two HTFs and outer surface corrugated absorber tube (N.PTSC.b) and N.PTSC with two HTFs and inner surface corrugated absorber tube (N.PTSC.c), respectively. N.PTSC.f Nusselt number values can overcome the high values of friction factor, and therefore is introduced as the most efficient model in the current study.

To cover the main contributions and developments in solar thermal collectors through focusing on materials, heat transfer characteristics and manufacturing challenges.

A range of published papers and internet research including research work on various solar thermal collectors (flat plate, evacuated tubes, and heat pipe tube) were used. Evaluation of solar collectors performance is critiqued to aid solar technologies make the transition into a specific dominant solar collector. The sources are sorted into sections: finding an academic job, general advice, teaching, research and publishing, tenure and organizations.

Provides information about types of solar thermal collectors, indicating what can be added by using evacuated tube collectors instead of flat plate collectors and what can be added by using heat pipe collectors instead of evacuated tubes.

Focusing only on three types of solar thermal collectors (flat plate, evacuated tubes, and heat pipe tube).

Useful source of information for consultancy and impartial advice for graduate students planning to do research in solar thermal technologies.

This paper fulfils identified information about materials and heat transfer properties of materials and manufacturing challenges of these three solar thermal collectors.

This paper aims to introduce two methods for immobilisation of TiO₂ nanoparticles on a glass plate by means of silicon resin as a medium. Then, to ensure the effectiveness of these stabilisation methods, the photocatalytic degradation and mineralisation of the dye C.I. Reactive Blue 21 (RB21), as a model organic pollutant, were compared using these immobilised systems and the suspended one utilizing UV and sunlight irradiations individually.

TiO₂ nanoparticles were supported onto a glass support by silicon resin as an adhesion agent by spraying of TiO₂ nanoparticles on the resin surface, which covered the glass plate or brushing the mixture of TiO₂ and the resin onto the glass. The characteristics of the applied nano-TiO₂ were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Brunauer

Emmett–Teller. Photocatalytic degradation and mineralisation of C.I. Reactive Blue 21 (RB21) by two immobilised systems were compared with suspended system in a batch mode under UV and sunlight irradiations after 2 h of treatment.

The results showed that these immobilised modes had efficiencies, including 82-87 per cent degradation of RB21 and 52-58 per cent decrease in chemical oxygen demand (COD) for the operational time of 120 min, comparable to that of the suspended mode (91 per cent degradation of RB21 and, consequently, COD is decreased by 65 per cent). Comparison between photocatalytic efficiencies of two immobilised systems revealed that coating by spraying method performed better than brushing one due to more available surface area of TiO₂. Finally, the results obtained from the mentioned supported systems under sunlight indicated the efficiencies about 87 to 89 per cent in comparison of the suspension system regardless of the reaction time enhancement up to 15 h compared to the UV irradiation.

In this research, the fixation of TiO₂ nanoparticles on a substrate such as normal glass by an easy, inexpensive, durable, repairable and repeatable technique for wastewater treatment was introduced. Due to the simplicity and cheapness of these stabilisation methods and as these stabilisation methods are applicable on other substrates such as concrete, ceramics, etc., you can use these methods in major scales for purification of contaminated water, for example for stabilisation of TiO₂ nanoparticles on wall pool utilized for water purification can be used.

Two introduced immobilisation methods in this study are novel. The photocatalytic efficiency of these immobilised systems in degradation of water contaminants was investigated by using these systems in degradation and mineralisation of the dye C.I. Reactive Blue 21 (RB21), as a model organic pollutant compared with same TiO₂ nanoparticles in an aqueous suspension system under UV light. Furthermore, this paper investigated replacing of inexpensive sources of UV light instead of UV lamps, and then the same photocatalytic reactions were carried out under sunlight as a UV source and degradation efficiencies by two UV sources were compared.

An autonomous mobile robot requires efficient perception of the environment to perform various tasks in a challenging environment. The precise sensory information from the range sensors is required to accomplish prerequisites, such as SLAM, path planning and localization. But the accuracy and precision of the sensors become unreliable in harsh environmental conditions because of the effect of rain, dust, humidity, fog and smoke. The purpose of this paper is to generate robust mapping of the environment in harsh environmental conditions.

This paper presents a novel technique, averaging data with short range selection (ADWSRS), to reduce the effect of harsh environmental (rain, wind, humidity, etc.) conditions on sensory information (range) to generate reliable grid mapping. The sensory information on laser and sonar sensors in terms of probability values (occupied/unoccupied cell) in generating grid maps are fused after passing through two newly designed pre-processing filters: laser averaging filter and short range selection filter. This proposed approach relies on various aspects such as averaging laser data analogous to current pose of the sensor, selection of short range with respect to threshold value to remove the effect of specular reflection/crosstalk of sonar and a newly designed apparatus in which dirt cover (glass cover) and air blower are coupled to remove the influence of dirt, rain and humidity.

This proposed approach is tested in different environmental conditions, and to verify the consistency of the proposed approach, qualitative and quantitative analyses are carried out, which shows 42.5 per cent improvement in the probability value of occupied cells in the generated grid map.

The proposed ADWSRS approach reduced the effect of harsh environmental conditions such as fog, rain and smoke to generate efficient mapping of the environment, which may be implemented in diverse applications such as autonomous navigation, localization, path planning and mapping.

This study aims to investigate the effect of porous material (clay pots) and it is facing on the productivity performance of a pyramid type solar still. The clay pots are placed in the basin facing up and facing down. The numbers of clay pots considered were 9 and 25, and its performance was compared with normal (0 clay pots) solar still.

The pyramid solar water distillation system has been designed, fabricated and tested under the actual environmental conditions of Kanchikacherla (16.6834 ⁰N, 80.3904 ⁰E), Andhra Pradesh, India. The solar still is used to produce the fresh water and hot water simultaneously from the brackish (i.e. containing dissolved salts) feed water for domestic applications. From open literature, it was established that the rate of evaporation is higher when the flowing water is held for a longer duration on the black color absorber plate, thereby leading to an increase in productivity of freshwater. Therefore, the pyramid solar still has been tested for smooth absorber plate and the absorber plate with porous heat storage material.

The porous material increases the production rate of freshwater compared to a base plate. However, the pyramid still with clay pots has higher productivity at a lower temperature because of the porosity effect.

The total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity and pH of the distilled water and the saline water have also been measured and compared.

Introduction Obtaining process vessel internals and ancillary equipment for use in extremely corrosive conditions in the chemical industry is often a matter of coming to terms with the expense involved. This is because such items are very often manufactured from expensive and exotic materials of construction. One company who have specialised for over two decades in attempting to expand the choice available by supplying alternative fabrications in plastic materials is Laminated Plastic Products Ltd.

The Westland Lynx helicopter is a particularly fine example of the use of advanced fan technology in modern aircraft applications. The firm of Airscrew Howden have come a long way from their original manufacture of the wooden ‘prop’ but they still continue to play a very essential part in all types of aircraft flying today; this takes the form of sophisticated fan designs to cover a wide variety of special air‐movement requirements that can arise in this sector.

This paper aims to provide a critical review of water generation from atmospheric air by using desiccant materials. Over the past few years, there has been very high stress on water scarcity, especially in Asian and African countries. Because of this insecurity, many countries are focusing on their research in the field of water technologies. Water generation from atmospheric air by using desiccant materials is one of the techniques among the air-to-water generators (AWGs).

A structured and systematic literature review has been presented to observe and understand the past trend/patterns in the field of water generation from atmospheric air by using desiccant materials. To understand the water generation technologies based on desiccant materials, the research papers from the years 1987 to 2022 have been studied and included.

The properties of the different and most probable desiccant materials in the field of AWGs have been discussed. A detailed review of testing reports of collected water samples has also been presented in tabular form. Finally, the economic analysis has been done and future prospects have been discussed. It is also found that the capacity of solid desiccant materials to adsorb the water is less as compared to liquid desiccant materials. But, the adsorption capacity can be improved by using composite desiccant materials.

The uniqueness of this manuscript lies in the compiling and examination of the existed published research papers, including variables such as author, year and geographical location, experimental/simulative, types of desiccant material, type of setup, desiccant material type and quantity and type of concentrator. This manuscript provides critique to the empirical and conceptual research in AWG technologies and also stimulates researchers to explore the topic very carefully.