Natural resources
Silas Uwumborge Takal; Abdul-wahab Tahiru; Ebenezer Owusu-Sakyere
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 23 December 2023
Abstract
The literature on the contribution of local-level institutions to the development of collective response strategies to socio-ecological change is limited. In this article, the role of local-level institutional arrangements in developing and mobilizing stocks of adaptive capacity is examined. Using focus ...
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The literature on the contribution of local-level institutions to the development of collective response strategies to socio-ecological change is limited. In this article, the role of local-level institutional arrangements in developing and mobilizing stocks of adaptive capacity is examined. Using focus group discussions and interviews, data were collected from participants drawn from 7 communities on the local-level institutional arrangements, their impacts on climate change adaptation, and their effects on the climate change adaptation decision-making. Using the qualitative content analysis technique tool which compresses many words into themes systematically, it was evident that local-level institutional arrangements impacted the practice of adaptation strategies both negatively and positively. The positive impacts included serving as a channel for conflict resolution and mediation, source of security, and a source of unity, the negative impacts included: corrupt tendencies, loss of income, a higher cost of production, decreased output, and a high cost of shea nuts. The impacts of these institutional arrangements influenced climate change adaptation decisions made on: acquisition of land and trees; sharing of profits; and purchasing of shea nuts for processing. Therefore, institutional arrangements at the local level are critical for climate change adaptation, which is a key response mechanism to climate change impacts.
Energy
Mehdi Jahangiri; Omid Nematollahi; Hamed Saghaei; Ahmad Haghani
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 27 December 2023
Abstract
Providing sustainable energy to achieve favorable economic development has attracted the attention of many governments in recent years. Renewable energies, especially wind energy, have gained considerable media attention recently due to challenges with the use of fossil fuels, including difficulty in ...
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Providing sustainable energy to achieve favorable economic development has attracted the attention of many governments in recent years. Renewable energies, especially wind energy, have gained considerable media attention recently due to challenges with the use of fossil fuels, including difficulty in accessing and devastating environmental impacts. Extensive efforts have been made in Asia to benefit wind energy regionally, all of which have made Asia a leader in this field. There are a few simulation results in this area, given the importance and need to compile infrastructural strategies and programs that require a thorough understanding of the current state of wind energy usage and determining its potential in different regions. Therefore, this study reports for the first time on surveys conducted on average of 20-year wind speed data collected from 2892 stations in 49 Asian countries and wind speed and power density maps obtained using Geographic Information System (GIS) software and the Boolean method. Besides assessing the problems and issues of energy consumption in countries with high potential wind energy in Asia, in this paper, we try to explore the benefits and requirements of using wind energy in these countries as well as the possibility of maximally using wind energy. According to the results, east and north of Russia, as well as west and southwest Asia are optimal regions for establishing large-scale wind plants; there is no significant potential for the use of wind energy in other regions, especially in the majority of China, ASEAN countries, and their neighboring countries.
Environment
Alireza Yousefi Kebriya; Mehdi Nadi; Ebadat Ghanbari Parmehr
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 28 December 2023
Abstract
Mazandaran province, due to its strategic geographical location and high influx of tourists during holidays, coupled with the presence of power plants and industrial complexes, is facing pollution challenges. This research, conducted in 2022, focuses on monitoring nitrogen dioxide and ozone pollutants ...
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Mazandaran province, due to its strategic geographical location and high influx of tourists during holidays, coupled with the presence of power plants and industrial complexes, is facing pollution challenges. This research, conducted in 2022, focuses on monitoring nitrogen dioxide and ozone pollutants in the province and investigating the role of tourists during certain multi-day holidays. Utilizing Sentinel 5 satellite imagery, including daily images from holidays and non-holidays, the study compensates for the lack of regular pollution data in Mazandaran's monitoring stations by validating the satellite data against Tehran stations. Linear regression equations determine the levels of nitrogen dioxide and ozone pollutants, leading to the creation of an Air Quality Index map for Mazandaran during holidays. The results highlight a strong correlation (0.3-0.7) between satellite and ground data, with ozone pollutants exhibiting a higher correlation. The skew error is consistently zero, and the mean square error varies between 1.9-6.2 PPb for nitrogen dioxide and 1.1-5.1 PPb for ozone. Pollution estimates for different points in Mazandaran during holidays and non-holidays indicate higher ozone pollution compared to nitrogen dioxide. Ozone pollution is particularly unhealthy and very unhealthy during holiday periods, especially along the coastal areas, while non-holiday days show cleaner and healthier air quality. The pollution index map illustrates higher ozone pollution in coastal cities during holidays compared to other regions, emphasizing the impact of tourists. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of Sentinel 5 satellite in monitoring air pollution and underscores the significant influence of tourists and transportation on Mazandaran province's air quality.
Environment
Elaheh faghihnasiri; Farhad Qaderi; S. Mustapha Rahmaninezhad
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 30 January 2024
Abstract
Industrial processes are among human activities that cause the production of a large volume of wastewater containing organic pollutants such as phenol and its derivatives. Soil remediation is crucial for enhancing environmental quality for both humans and other living organisms. This study investigated ...
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Industrial processes are among human activities that cause the production of a large volume of wastewater containing organic pollutants such as phenol and its derivatives. Soil remediation is crucial for enhancing environmental quality for both humans and other living organisms. This study investigated the use of an electro-peroxone system to remove environmental pollutants from soil. In conjunction with ozonation, the study employed electrochemically generated hydrogen peroxide using a carbon electrode, addressing concerns about transportation and storage. Experiments were structured using response surface methodology (RSM) with three variables: ozone dosages ranging from 4 to 8 l/hr, initial pollutant concentrations from 20 to 50 mg/kg, and treatment durations between 7 and 14 days. The effectiveness of phenol removal from soil was assessed by applying a consistent voltage of 2 V/cm to the soil samples in all experiments. Results revealed a negative correlation between initial pollutant concentration and ozone consumption and a positive correlation between treatment duration and pollutant removal efficiency. Optimal removal efficiency occurred with a 14-day treatment duration, an 8 l/hr ozone dosage, and a 20 mg/kg initial pollutant concentration. The electro-peroxone system's application indicates its potential as a sustainable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective approach to soil remediation for pollution.
Energy
Hamed Kamelnia; Afsaneh Ghalehnovi
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 05 February 2024
Abstract
Electrochromic Glazing (EC) has seen a significant surge in adoption today, primarily attributed to its pivotal role in enhancing visual comfort, mitigating excessive heat, regulating cooling and heating requirements, and curbing lighting consumption, especially within office buildings. Moreover, electrochromic ...
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Electrochromic Glazing (EC) has seen a significant surge in adoption today, primarily attributed to its pivotal role in enhancing visual comfort, mitigating excessive heat, regulating cooling and heating requirements, and curbing lighting consumption, especially within office buildings. Moreover, electrochromic glazing effectively contributes to glare control. This research aims to explore the impact of electrochromic glazing, as compared to conventional clear windows, on both the south and north facades, with the overarching goal of enhancing thermal and visual comfort within an office complex located in Mashhad. The research process unfolds in two key steps. Firstly, a comprehensive building simulation was conducted to assess daylight performance and gauge thermal and visual comfort using the GrassHopper plugin. Ubsequently, the Honeybee and Ladybug plugins were harnessed to evaluate the Discomfort Glare Probability (DGP) index and the Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) index. The findings of this study underscore the compelling advantages of electrochromic glazing over conventional clear windows as a prime choice to maintain balanced daylight levels throughout the day.
In practice, using electrochromic glazing on both north and south facades of a building reduces the annual heating and cooling energy demand by 6.5% and 4.5%, respectively. Additionally, it has a significant impact on reducing intrusive light radiation and intolerable glare levels compared to reference transparent windows, with reductions of 40% and 34.52%, respectively.
Energy
Abbas Dehghani Rayeni; Seyyed Abdolreza Gandjalikhan Nassab
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 09 February 2024
Abstract
In the present paper, the effect of inclination angle on the free convection airflow inside the cavity of compound parabolic collectors and also on the performance of the thermal system is examined. In analysis, the airflow equations for computations of velocity, pressure, and temperature fields and ...
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In the present paper, the effect of inclination angle on the free convection airflow inside the cavity of compound parabolic collectors and also on the performance of the thermal system is examined. In analysis, the airflow equations for computations of velocity, pressure, and temperature fields and the conduction equation for obtaining the glass cover and absorber tube temperatures are solved by the finite element technique using the COMSOL multi-physics. For this purpose, the well-known κ-ε turbulent model is employed with the Reynolds average Navier Stokes scheme. Theoretical findings reveal that the pattern of air-free convection flow and also the temperature distribution are much affected by the collector inclination angle, such that the symmetric bi-cellular air flow at zero inclined angle changes to two non-symmetric recirculated zones at a large value of the till angle. This phenomenon causes a slight increase in thermal efficiency and leads to a more uniform air temperature distribution inside the collector. Numerical findings are validated by comparison with experimental data published in the literature.
Energy
Hadi Farzan; Mohammad Hossein Shahsavari
Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 10 February 2024
Abstract
This study analyzes the thermal efficiency of a new perforated cross-flow solar air heater (SAH) integrated with encapsulated phase change material (PCM) by using an experimnetal method. Since SAHs represent low thermal efficiencies, this study introduces a novel SAH that uses two methods to address ...
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This study analyzes the thermal efficiency of a new perforated cross-flow solar air heater (SAH) integrated with encapsulated phase change material (PCM) by using an experimnetal method. Since SAHs represent low thermal efficiencies, this study introduces a novel SAH that uses two methods to address this problem: the perforated absorber with cross-flow configuration and encapsulated latent heat storage (PCM) units. The perforated cross-flow configuration improves the turbulence and, consequently, the heat exchange rate in SAHs and improves instantaneous efficiency. PCM units store thermal energy, prolong the operating period, and increase long-term efficiency. To perform thermal analysis, a perforated SAH with encapsulated PCM units was fabricated and tested outdoors at mair = of 0.012 kg/s and 0.024 kg/s in autumn while ambient and operating parameters were monitored. The experimental data reveal that the outlet temperature reaches the peak value of 38 oC and 32 oC at mair = 0.012 kg/s and 0.024 kg/s, respectively, 12 oC and 6 oC higher than the ambient temperature. During the day, the charge/discharge process occurs in the encapsulated PCM units, avoids sharp temperature gradients and flattens the outlet and absorber temperatures’ profiles. The fabricated SAH reaches the highest thermal efficiency of nearly 83.7% at mair = 0.024 kg/s, which is a suitable value compared to common SAHs.