Search results
1 – 10 of over 2000Sadiya Naaz, Mangey Ram and Akshay Kumar
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the reliability and structure function of refrigeration complex system consisted of four components in complex manner.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the reliability and structure function of refrigeration complex system consisted of four components in complex manner.
Design/methodology/approach
Although, a variety of methodologies have been used to assess the refrigeration system's reliability function that has proven to be effective, the universal generating function approach is the basis of this research study, which is used in the calculation of a domestic refrigeration system with four separate components that are related in series and parallel with a corresponding sample to form a complex machine.
Findings
In this paper, signature reliability of the refrigeration system has been evaluated with the universal generating function technique. There are four components present in the proposed system in complex (series and parallel) manner. The tail signature, signature, Barlow–Proschan index, expected lifetime and expected cost of independent identically distributed are all computed.
Originality/value
This is the first study of domestic refrigeration system to examine the signature reliability with the help of universal generating function techniques with various measures. Refrigeration systems are an essential process in industries and home applications as they perform cooling or the maintain temperature at the desired value. A cycle of refrigeration consists of four main components such as, heat exchange, compression and expansion with a refrigerant flowing through the units within the cycle.
Details
Keywords
Michael Knowles and David Baglee
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between maintenance and energy saving in a commercial refrigeration setting.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between maintenance and energy saving in a commercial refrigeration setting.
Design/methodology/approach
Since there is little data available from within the industrial sector, the authors have surveyed the literature for evidence of a link.
Findings
Maintenance procedures play a major role in ensuring refrigeration equipment operates at maximum efficiency.
Research limitations/implications
Little real world data is available and this is a major problem at present. Improved maintenance policies can only be developed.
Practical implications
Substantial energy savings can be achieved if maintenance procedures are improved based on detailed measurement of energy usage. Monitoring the condition and performance of individual parts of a system are found to be crucial aspects in obtaining optimal performance.
Originality/value
This paper highlights a neglected area in both energy saving and in maintenance planning.
Details
Keywords
Thandiwe Bongani Radebe, Zhongjie Huan and Jeffrey Baloyi
South Africa is the highest consumer of commercial energy per capita in Africa, ranking 16th in the world for primary energy consumption. It is also ranked among the bottom 50 of…
Abstract
Purpose
South Africa is the highest consumer of commercial energy per capita in Africa, ranking 16th in the world for primary energy consumption. It is also ranked among the bottom 50 of the 150 countries regarding energy efficiency. The cold chain is a large contributor through refrigerated transport vehicles. To comply with the changing climate regulations, cryogenic and eutectic systems are systems with great potential for small distance refrigerated transport. The purpose of this paper is to introduce eutectic system to medium distance refrigerated transport.
Design/methodology/approach
This study presents the potential use of Eutectic plates inside a medium refrigerated transport vehicle, by numerically investigating the characteristics of phase change material eutectic plates applied at low-temperature ranges. A physical model and a mathematical model for three-dimensional transient natural flow were developed as proposed by Xiaofeng and Zhang. Using the governing equation of mass, momentum and energy conservation, three Eutectic plate configurations were modeled and simulated in ANSYS Fluent for 5 h.
Findings
A uniform heat transfer and airflow condition inside a refrigerated compartment were predicted using the Reynolds stress model. The configuration with eutectic plates placed at the top and side showed great potential for the system functioning in the South African climate.
Research limitations/implications
Medium refrigerated transport vehicle.
Originality/value
This configuration had a high-temperature distribution across the compartment and promoted high air circulations, showing that it could be ideal for medium refrigerated transport vehicles delivering perishable foodstuffs or non-food goods.
Details
Keywords
B. Saleh, Ayman A. Aly, M. Alsehli, M.M. Bassuoni and A. Elfasakhany
This paper aims to investigate the performance and working fluids screening for an ejector refrigeration cycle (ERC) activated by solar energy. Several common and new…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the performance and working fluids screening for an ejector refrigeration cycle (ERC) activated by solar energy. Several common and new hydrofluorocarbons, hydrocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins and hydrofluoroethers are proposed as refrigerants for the ERC to determine the most appropriate one.
Design/methodology/approach
The ejector performance is characterized by the ejector area ratio (EAR) and entrainment ratio (ω), while the cycle performance is described by the coefficient of performance (COP). The influences of many working parameters like the evaporator, condenser and generator temperatures on the ejector and cycle performances are investigated for all candidates as well.
Findings
The results indicate that the best ejector and cycle performances are attained with the highest critical temperature dry refrigerant, i.e. R601 under all studied working conditions. From the perspective of energy efficiency and environmental issues, R601 can be considered the most appropriate working fluid amongst all candidates. However, extra attention should be considered against its flammability. The maximum COP, the corresponding ω and the necessary EAR using R601 are 0.743, 1.02 and 15.5, respectively, with 25 ºC condenser temperature and the typical values for the rest operating conditions.
Originality/value
Many common and new hydrofluorocarbons, hydrocarbons, hydrofluoroolefins and hydrofluoroethers are suggested as working fluids for the ERC to determine the most appropriate one. The mixing process inside the ejector constant-area section is assumed constant-pressure process.
Details
Keywords
Cansu Turan and Yucel Ozturkoglu
There is a large number of perishable foodstuffs produced, stored, distributed and delivered daily around the world. Almost all except for root vegetables are sensitive products…
Abstract
Purpose
There is a large number of perishable foodstuffs produced, stored, distributed and delivered daily around the world. Almost all except for root vegetables are sensitive products to temperature. Thus, adopting uninterrupted and appropriate logistics activities with predetermined range of temperature from production site until end-user is critical for ensuring required quality and safety. If a mistake is made during either transport or storage, it not only becomes risky for human health, but also generates huge food waste for the environment and negative economic impact for food providers. Therefore, this study aims to identify all potential factors affecting the cold chain performance in the food industry and to design a framework that includes these factors. This framework is also a roadmap for managers, food providers and logistics parties for sustainable cold chain management.
Design/methodology/approach
Considering, tangible and intangible potential criteria, the ultimate goal of this study is to identify potential criteria affecting cold food chain performance and propose a conceptual framework including 12 main criteria. Next, the importance order of each criterion and the causal relationships between them are determined. In this study, this relationship among criteria is analyzed by using fuzzy Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) approach because of its ability to solve complex problems by ensuring causal relationship among factors, additionally to determine importance order. Finally, suggestions for administrative implications are presented.
Findings
Fuzzy DEMATEL was used to explain the causal link and importance order among identified drivers. The analysis shows that five criteria (C1, C3, C8, C9 and C12) belong to cause (influential) groups and remaining seven criteria belong to effect (influenced) groups. The highest influential criterion is staff (C8) and is followed by technical issues (C9) as the second most influential factor. Additionally, top three most important factors are traceability (C7), staff (C8) and cold transportation (C5). According to the numerical results of fuzzy DEMATEL implementations, suggestions for managerial implementations are presented.
Practical implications
The main contribution of the study is to propose meaningful suggestions for managerial implications about sustainable cold chain in food industry for businesses and to examine causal relations between criteria and to rank criteria in descending importance order.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that focuses on determining the potential criteria affecting cold supply chain performance both theoretically and empirically in the sustainability environment. What are the enablers that affect the cold food supply chain stages is the research question of this study.
Details
Keywords
Markus Surmann, Wolfgang Andreas Brunauer and Sven Bienert
On the basis of corporate wholesale and hypermarket stores, this study aims to investigate the relationship between energy consumption, physical building characteristics and…
Abstract
Purpose
On the basis of corporate wholesale and hypermarket stores, this study aims to investigate the relationship between energy consumption, physical building characteristics and operational sales performance and the impact of energy management on the corporate environmental performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A very unique dataset of METRO GROUP over 19 European countries is analyzed in a sophisticated econometric approach for the timeframe from January 2011 until December 2014. Multiple regression models are applied for the panel, to explain the electricity consumption of the corporate assets on a monthly basis and the total energy consumption on an annual basis. Using Generalized Additive Models, to model nonlinear covariate effects, the authors decompose the response variables into the implicit contribution of building characteristics, operational sales performance and energy management attributes, under control of the outdoor weather conditions and spatial–temporal effects.
Findings
METRO GROUP’s wholesale and hypermarket stores prove significant reductions in electricity and total energy consumption over the analyzed timeframe. Due to the implemented energy consumption and carbon emission reduction targets, the influence of the energy management measures, such as the identification of stores associated with the lowest energy performance, was found to contribute toward a more efficient corporate environmental performance.
Originality/value
In the context of corporate responsibility/sustainability of wholesale, hypermarket and retail corporations, the energy efficiency and reduction of carbon emissions from corporates’ real estate assets is of emerging interest. Besides the insights about the energy efficiency of corporate real estate assets, the role of the energy management, contributing to a more efficient corporate environmental performance, is not yet investigated for a large European wholesale and hypermarket portfolio.
Details
Keywords
Explains the problems, often unrecognized by engineers, which can be caused by excessive humidity in manufacturing, and identifies the confusion surrounding the measurement of…
Abstract
Explains the problems, often unrecognized by engineers, which can be caused by excessive humidity in manufacturing, and identifies the confusion surrounding the measurement of humidity, which may account for the low level of recognition. Reports on the measures being taken to eliminate that confusion and some of the instruments currently available to measure humidity. Outlines the main technologies available to correct excess humidity and their qualities.
Details
Keywords
Tianliang Wang, Ya-Meng He, Zhen Wu and Jun-jun Li
This paper aims to study the impacts of groundwater seepage on artificial freezing process of gravel strata, the temperature field characteristics of the strata, and the strata…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the impacts of groundwater seepage on artificial freezing process of gravel strata, the temperature field characteristics of the strata, and the strata process, closure time and thickness evolution mechanism of the frozen wall.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper several laboratory model tests were conducted, considering different groundwater seepage rate.
Findings
The results show that there is a significant coupling effect between the cold diffusion of artificial freezing pipes and groundwater seepage; when there is no seepage, temperature fields upstream and downstream of the gravel strata are symmetrically distributed, and the thickness of the frozen soil column/frozen wall is consistent during artificial freezing; groundwater seepage causes significant asymmetry in the temperature fields upstream and downstream of the gravel strata, and the greater the seepage rate, the more obvious the asymmetry; the frozen wall closure time increases linearly with the increase in the groundwater seepage rate, and specifically, the time length under seepage rate of 5.00 m d−1 is 3.2 times longer than that under no seepage; due to the erosion from groundwater seepage, the thickness of the upstream frozen wall decreases linearly with the seepage velocity, while that of the downstream frozen wall increases linearly, resulting in a saddle-shaped frozen wall.
Originality/value
The research results are beneficial to the optimum design and risk control of artificial freezing process in gravel strata.
Details
Keywords
K. Chaharbaghi, A.J.H. Goddard, R.S. Sayles and R. Buende
The operating targets of the Next European Torus (NET) vary over the planned physics and technology phases of operation, which will be cyclic and dynamic. Using the Dynamic Systems…
Abstract
The operating targets of the Next European Torus (NET) vary over the planned physics and technology phases of operation, which will be cyclic and dynamic. Using the Dynamic Systems Simulation Language a model is described which mimics the cyclic behaviour of the NET over the technology phase together with its dynamic behaviour. The simulation model represents a methodology that can be used to evaluate the reliability, availability and performance of the NET. A number of case studies are presented to demonstrate the underlying philosophy of the approach.
Details
Keywords
Iñigo Etxaniz, Alberto Izpizua, Manex San Martin, Joseba Arana and Marta Axpe
The paper aims to introduces a design of a planar motor with six degrees of freedom (dof).
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to introduces a design of a planar motor with six degrees of freedom (dof).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides a description of the model.
Findings
The paper finds that this planar motor is magnetically levitated in four dof and magnetically driven in the other two. In the design of the system, structural characteristics of all elements as well as magnetic forces done by magnetic actuators have been taken into account. The model was realized by means fem and then was simulated dynamically in developed Simulink model. The design of the system has been greatly influenced by the sensor system. Hall effect proves have been introduced in some parts of the system. Magnetic flux density, and its direction can be measured in different parts of the system.
Originality/value
The paper describes the design of a planar motor with six dof.
Details