Sizing and Simulation of a Hybrid Hydroelectricity and Photovoltaic System with Storage for Supplying the Tamagaly District in Mamou,Guinea

The present study is a contribution to the study of hybrid electric power conversion systems in rural areas.The approach adopted uses a methodology for analyzing the complementarity that exists between the two renewable energy potentials(solar and hydraulic)based on their daily,monthly and annual variations.The different analytical formulas for sizing a PV(photovoltaic)field and a small hydroelectric power station are recalled in this work.The HOMER software served as a tool for optimal sizing and simulation of the system.This work focuses on the analysis of the behavior and control of the performances of a hybrid system made up of two renewable energy sources,hydroelectricity/PV with a storage system and a converter.The main results obtained relate to:monitoring of the variation in temperature variation,solar irradiation of the site,as well as the flow of the watercourse.The profile of the village’s annual charges is known.The annual production of electrical energy is 527.936 kWh/year.The hydroelectric plant will provide 155.316 kWh/year,or 29%,and for the PV field(372.620 kWh/year),or 71%.The monthly energy average is 43.995 kWh/month.The average daily consumption is 731 kWh/d with a maximum power of 163 kW.The completion of this project makes it possible to cover all electrical loads in the Tamagaly district,with an annual energy production of 206.783 kWh.This would make it possible to locally limit greenhouse gas emissions in the area.

A method to interpret fracture aperture of rock slope using adaptive shape and unmanned aerial vehicle multi-angle nap-of-the-object photogrammetry

The aperture of natural rock fractures significantly affects the deformation and strength properties of rock masses,as well as the hydrodynamic properties of fractured rock masses.The conventional measurement methods are inadequate for collecting data on high-steep rock slopes in complex mountainous regions.This study establishes a high-resolution three-dimensional model of a rock slope using unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)multi-angle nap-of-the-object photogrammetry to obtain edge feature points of fractures.Fracture opening morphology is characterized using coordinate projection and transformation.Fracture central axis is determined using vertical measuring lines,allowing for the interpretation of aperture of adaptive fracture shape.The feasibility and reliability of the new method are verified at a construction site of a railway in southeast Tibet,China.The study shows that the fracture aperture has a significant interval effect and size effect.The optimal sampling length for fractures is approximately 0.5e1 m,and the optimal aperture interpretation results can be achieved when the measuring line spacing is 1%of the sampling length.Tensile fractures in the study area generally have larger apertures than shear fractures,and their tendency to increase with slope height is also greater than that of shear fractures.The aperture of tensile fractures is generally positively correlated with their trace length,while the correlation between the aperture of shear fractures and their trace length appears to be weak.Fractures of different orientations exhibit certain differences in their distribution of aperture,but generally follow the forms of normal,log-normal,and gamma distributions.This study provides essential data support for rock and slope stability evaluation,which is of significant practical importance.

Utilizing sediment grain size characteristics to assess the effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in reducing aeolian erosion in Minqin desert area,China

The clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area,China,represent a pioneering windbreak and sand fixation project with a venerable history of 60 a.However,studies on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of clay–sand barriers against aeolian erosion,particularly from the perspective of surface sediment grain size,are limited and thus insufficient to ascertain the protective impact of these barriers on regional aeolian activities.This study focused on the surface sediments(topsoil of 0–3 cm depth)of clay–sand barriers in Minqin desert area to explain their erosion resistance from the perspective of surface sediment grain size.In March 2023,six clay–sand barrier sampling plots with clay–sand barriers of different deployment durations(1,5,10,20,40,and 60 a)were selected as experimental plots,and one control sampling plot was set in an adjacent mobile sandy area without sand barriers.Surface sediment samples were collected from the topsoil of each sampling plot in the study area in April 2023 and sediment grain size characteristics were analyzed.Results indicated a predominance of fine and medium sands in the surface sediments of the study area.The deployment of clay–sand barriers cultivated a fine quality in grain size composition of the regional surface sediments,increasing the average contents of very fine sand,silt,and clay by 30.82%,417.38%,and 381.52%,respectively.This trend became markedly pronounced a decade after the deployment of clay–sand barriers.The effectiveness of clay–sand barriers in erosion resistance was manifested through reduced wind velocity,the interception of sand flow,and the promotion of fine surface sediment particles.Coarser particles such as medium,coarse,and very coarse sands predominantly accumulated on the external side of the barriers,while finer particles such as fine and very fine sands concentrated in the upwind(northwest)region of the barriers.By contrast,the contents of finest particles such as silt and clay were higher in the downwind(southeast)region of the sampling plots.For the study area,the deployment of clay–sand barriers remains one of the most cost-effective engineering solutions for aeolian erosion control,with sediment grain size parameters serving as quantitative indicators for the assessment of these barriers in combating desertification.The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the construction of windbreak and sand fixation systems and the optimization of artificial sand control projects in arid desert areas.

Associations of genome-wide structural variations with phenotypic differences in cross-bred Eurasian pigs

Background During approximately 10,000 years of domestication and selection,a large number of structural variations(SVs)have emerged in the genome of pig breeds,profoundly influencing their phenotypes and the ability to adapt to the local environment.SVs(≥50 bp)are widely distributed in the genome,mainly in the form of insertion(INS),mobile element insertion(MEI),deletion(DEL),duplication(DUP),inversion(INV),and translocation(TRA).While studies have investigated the SVs in pig genomes,genome-wide association studies(GWAS)-based on SVs have been rarely conducted.Results Here,we obtained a high-quality SV map containing 123,151 SVs from 15 Large White and 15 Min pigs through integrating the power of several SV tools,with 53.95%of the SVs being reported for the first time.These high-quality SVs were used to recover the population genetic structure,confirming the accuracy of genotyping.Potential functional SV loci were then identified based on positional effects and breed stratification.Finally,GWAS were performed for 36 traits by genotyping the screened potential causal loci in the F2 population according to their corresponding genomic positions.We identified a large number of loci involved in 8 carcass traits and 6 skeletal traits on chromosome 7,with FKBP5 containing the most significant SV locus for almost all traits.In addition,we found several significant loci in intramuscular fat,abdominal circumference,heart weight,and liver weight,etc.Conclusions We constructed a high-quality SV map using high-coverage sequencing data and then analyzed them by performing GWAS for 25 carcass traits,7 skeletal traits,and 4 meat quality traits to determine that SVs may affect body size between European and Chinese pig breeds.

Study on the clogging mechanism of punching screen in sand control by the punching structure parameters

As an independent sand control unit or a common protective shell of a high-quality screen,the punching screen is the outermost sand retaining unit of the sand control pipe which is used in geothermal well or oil and gas well.However,most screens only consider the influence of the internal sand retaining medium parameters in the sand control performance design while ignoring the influence of the plugging of the punching screen on the overall sand retaining performance of the screen.To explore the clogging mechanism of the punching screen,this paper established the clogging mechanism calculation model of a single punching screen sand control unit by using the computational fluid mechanics-discrete element method(CFD-DEM)combined method.According to the combined motion of particles and fluids,the influence of the internal flow state on particle motion and accumulation was analyzed.The results showed that(1)the clogging process of the punching sand control unit is divided into three stages:initial clogging,aggravation of clogging and stability of clogging.In the initial stage of blockage,coarse particles form a loose bridge structure,and blockage often occurs preferentially at the streamline gathering place below chamfering inside the sand control unit.In the stage of blockage intensification,the particle mass develops into a relatively complete sand bridge,which develops from both ends of the opening to the center of the opening.In the stable plugging stage,the sand deposits show a“fan shape”and form a“V-shaped”gully inside the punching slot element.(2)Under a certain reservoir particle-size distribution,The slit length and opening height have a large influence on the permeability and blockage rate,while the slit width size has little influence on the permeability and blockage rate.The microscopic clogging mechanism and its law of the punching screen prevention unit are proposed in this study,which has some field guidance significance for the design of punching screen and sand prevention selection.

Spatial patterns of zooplankton abundance,biovolume,and size structure in response to environmental variables:a case study in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

The Yellow Sea(YS)and East China Sea(ECS)are highly dynamic marginal seas of the northwestern Pacific Ocean.To gain an in-depth understanding of zooplankton community structure,zooplankton abundance,biovolume,and size structure in summer 2017 in the YS and ECS were assessed using ZooScan imaging analysis.Zooplankton abundance and biovolume ranged 2.94–1187.14 inds./m^(3)and 3.13–3438.51 mm^(3)/m^(3),respectively.Based on the biovolume data of the categorized size classes of 26 identified taxonomic groups,the zooplankton community was classified into five groups,and each group was coupled with distinctive oceanographic features.Under the influence of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass,the Yellow Sea offshore group featured the lowest bottom temperature(10.84±3.42℃)and the most abundant Calanoids(mainly in the 2–3 mm size class).In the Yellow Sea inshore group,Hydrozoans showed the largest biovolume and dominated in the 3–4-mm and>5-mm size classes.The East China Sea offshore group,which was affected by the Kuroshio Branch Current,featured high temperature and salinity,and the lowest bottom dissolved oxygen(2.58±0.5 mg/L).The lowest values of zooplankton abundance and biovolume in the East China Sea offshore group might be attributed to the bottom dissolved oxygen contents.The East China Sea inshore group,which was mainly influenced by the Zhejiang-Fujian Coastal Current and Changjiang Diluted Water,was characterized by high chlorophyll a and the largest biovolume of carnivorous Siphonophores(280.82±303.37 mm^(3)/m^(3)).The Changjiang River estuary offshore group showed the most abundant Cyclopoids,which might be associated with the less turbid water mass in this region.Seawater temperature was considered the most important factor in shaping the size compositions of Calanoids in different groups.

New complex physiological findings evolve hypothesized mechanisms of Dravet syndrome

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies(DEEs)are neurological disorders generally involving medically intractable seizures and a diverse array of comorbid neuropsychiatric delays and deficits that may severely affect cognition,mood,sleep,social behavior,movement control,learning,and/or memory.Dravet syndrome(DS),also known as Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy of Infancy.

Boosting kinetic separation of ethylene and ethane on microporous materials via crystal size control

The adsorptive separation of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6),as an alternative to distillation units consuming high energy,is a promising yet challenging research.The great similarity in the molecular size of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6)brings challenges to the regulation of adsorbents to realize efficient dynamic separation.Herein,we reported the enhancement of the kinetic separation of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)by controlling the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4)(Atz=3-amino-1,2,4-triazole)to amplify the diffusion difference of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6).Through adjusting the synthesis temperature,reactant concentration,and ligands/metal ions molar ratio,ZnAtzPO4 crystals with different sizes were obtained.Both single-component kinetic adsorption tests and binary-component dynamic breakthrough experiments confirmed the enhancement of the dynamic separation of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)with the increase in the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4).The separation selectivity of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)increased from 1.3 to 98.5 with the increase in the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4).This work demonstrated the role of morphology and size control of adsorbent crystals in the improvement of the C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)kinetic separation performance.

Role of fullerenols derivative 3HFWC in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Fullerenes:The extensive development of nanoscience that has marked this century continues to evolve,producing new materials,structures,and devices for the treatments of diverse pathologies.Fullerenes are a family of nanoparticles with great applicative promise due to their small size(approximately 1 nm in diameter),structure,and capacity to cross biological barriers.

High-Volume Mineral Admixtures Cement: The Effects of Particle Size Distribution

The effects of high-volume slag-fly ash cement with different particle sizes on hydration degree,microstructure and mechanical properties were systematically studied,by means of laser particle size(DLS),X-ray diffraction (XRD),comprehensive thermal analysis (TG-DTA),scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and mechanical properties tests.The results show that suitable particle size distribution of cementitious material has significantly promoting effects on hydration reaction rate and mechanical properties.Compared with slag without further grinding,the slag after ball milling for 4 h has an obvious improvement in reactivity,which also provides a faster hydration rate and higher compressive strength for the cementitious material.When the slag milled for 1 and 4 h is mixed at a mass ratio of 2:1 (i e,slag with D_(50) of 7.4μm and average size of 9.9μm,and slag with D_(50) value of 2.6μm and average size of 5.3μm),and a certain amount of fly ash is added in,the most obvious improvement of compressive strength of cement is achieved.

Grain size and surface micro-texture characteristics and their paleoenvironmental significance of Holocene sediment in southern margin of the Gurbantunggut Desert,China

The southern margin of the Gurbantunggut Desert,China,is characterized by alternating layers of aeolian and alluvial deposits.Investigating the characteristics of arenaceous sediment in this area is of significant importance for understanding the interactive processes of wind and water forces,as well as the provenance of sediment.However,there are relatively few investigations on the characteristics of such sediment at present.In this study,we researched three aeolian-alluvial interactive stratigraphic profiles and different types of surface sediment on the desert-oasis transitional zone of southern margin of the Gurbantunggut Desert.Based on the optically stimulated luminescence(OSL)dating of aeolian sand and analyses of quartz sand grain size and surface micro-texture,we explored the aeolian-alluvial environmental change at southern margin of the desert in Holocene,as well as the provenance of sediment.The results indicated that the grain size characteristics of different types of sediment in the stratigraphic profiles were similar to those of modern dune sand,interdune sand,muddy desert surface soil,and riverbed sand.Their frequency curves were unimodal or bimodal,and cumulative probability curves were two-segment or three-segment,mainly composed of suspension load and saltation load.The quartz sand in the sediment at southern margin of the desert had undergone alternating transformation of various exogenic forces,with short transportation distance and time,and sedimentary environment was relatively humid.In Holocene,southern margin of the desert primarily featured braided river deposits,and during intermittent period of river activity,there were also aeolian deposits such as sand sheet deposits,stabilized dune deposits,and mobile dune deposits.The provenance for Holocene alluvial deposits at southern margin of the desert remains relatively constant,with the debris of the Tianshan Mountains being the primary provenance.Aeolian sand is mainly near-source recharge,which is formed by in situ deposition of fluvial or lacustrine materials in southern margin of the desert transported by wind erosion,and its provenance was still the weathered debris of the Tianshan Mountains.In addition,the sand in interior of the desert may be transported by northwest wind in desert-scale,thus affecting the development of dunes in southern margin of the desert.The results of this study provide a reference for understanding the composition and provenance changes of desert sand in the context of global climate change.

Fish-on-Chips:unveiling neural processing of chemicals in small animals through precise fluidic control

Precise chemical cue presentation alongside advanced brainwide imaging techniques is important to the study of chemosensory processing in animals.Nevertheless,the dynamic nature of chemical-carrying media,such as water or air,poses a significant challenge for delivering highly-controlled chemical flow to an animal subject.Moreover,contact-based cue manipulation and delivery easily shift the position of the animal subject,which is often undesirable for high-quality brain imaging.Additionally,more advanced interfacing tools that align with the diverse range of body part sizes of an animal,ranging from micrometer-scale neurons to meter-long limbs,are much needed.This is particularly crucial when dealing with dimensions that are beyond the reach of conventional experimental tools.

Effect of stress-dependent microannulus aperture on well leakage

Debonding at the cement-casing interface is recognized as a principal failure mechanism leading to CO_(2) leakage in wells.This detachment gives rise to a microannulus,which notably possesses greater permeability than undamaged cement,undermining its sealing efficacy.Conventionally,the permeability of the microannulus is regarded as a uniform value throughout the well.However,fundamentally,a microannulus is one type of fracture,and its gap or aperture size is affected by the effective stress.In this work,we developed a unique experimental apparatus.This equipment facilitates the curing of cement inside a steel casing,the formation of a microannulus between the casing and the cement,and the investigation of the fluid flow dynamics along the microannulus under laboratory-replicated in situ conditions.The microannulus was formed by injecting fluid from one end of the setup,and receiving similar amount of fluid on the other end signified the development of the leakage channel.Additionally,strain gauges affixed to the casing’s external surface yielded key information on the microannulus’s opening and closure.We observed a noticeable decline in microannulus hydraulic aperture(or permeability)in relation to effective stress and an exponential equation fits their relationship.Our findings also indicate a distinct behavior when comparing liquid CO_(2) with water.Specifically,it is easier for liquid CO_(2) to create the microannulus.However,the hydraulic aperture range for this microannulus(0.7-6 mm)is considerably smaller than that created by water flow(2-17 mm).Finally,we integrated the stressdependent microannulus aperture size into the combined analysis of well mechanical integrity and well leakage.The outcomes consistently demonstrated that when factoring in the stress-dependent aperture sizes,the leakage rates are 3e5 times compared to a fixed aperture model.The traditional assumption of a constant aperture significantly underestimates fluid leakage risks.

Determination of Thermal Properties of Unsmooth Si Nanowires

We estimate the thermal properties of unsmooth Si nanowires,considering key factors such as size(diameter),surface texture(roughness)and quantum size effects(phonon states)at different temperatures.For nanowires with a diameter of less than 20 nm,we highlight the importance of quantum size effects in heat capacity calculations,using dispersion relations derived from the modified frequency equation for the elasticity of a rod.The thermal conductivities of nanowires with diameters of 37,56,and 115nm are predicted using the Fuchs–Sondheimer model and Soffer’s specular parameter.Notably,the roughness parameters are chosen to reflect the technological characteristics of the real surfaces.Our findings reveal that surface texture plays a significant role in thermal conductivity,particularly in the realm of ballistic heat transfer within nanowires.This study provides practical recommendations for developing new thermal management materials.

Correlation Study on Grain Size Characteristics and Geotechnical Properties of Surface Sediments in Qingdao Offshore Area

The comprehension of sediment grain size parameters and the corresponding sedimentary environment holds paramount importance in elucidating the engineering geological attributes of the subaqueous seabed.This study delineated the sedimentary environment zoning in the northern sea area of Qingdao through cluster analysis of grain size parameters derived from 123 surface sediment samples.The study analyzed the correlation between sediment geotechnical indices and grain size parameters across diverse sedimentary environments.A correlation equation was established for samples exhibiting a strong correlation.The study found four distinct sedimentary environments in the study area:coastal,transitional,shallow sea,and residual.Within the same sedimentary environment,the average grain size and sorting coefficient exhibit significant correlations with geotechnical indices such as water content,density,shear strength,plastic limit,liquid limit,and plastic index.However,notable disparities in the correlation between grain size parameters and geotechnical indices emerge across different sedimentary environments.

High-Efficiency Dynamic Scanning Strategy for Powder Bed Fusion by Controlling Temperature Field of the Heat-Affected Zone

Improvement of fabrication efficiency and part performance was the main challenge for the large-scale powder bed fusion(PBF)process.In this study,a dynamic monitoring and feedback system of powder bed temperature field using an infrared thermal imager has been established and integrated into a four-laser PBF equipment with a working area of 2000 mm×2000 mm.The heat-affected zone(HAZ)temperature field has been controlled by adjusting the scanning speed dynamically.Simultaneously,the relationship among spot size,HAZ temperature,and part performance has been established.The fluctuation of the HAZ temperature in four-laser scanning areas was decreased from 30.85℃to 17.41℃.Thus,the consistency of the sintering performance of the produced large component has been improved.Based on the controllable temperature field,a dynamically adjusting strategy for laser spot size was proposed,by which the fabrication efficiency was improved up to 65.38%.The current research results were of great significance to the further industrial applications of large-scale PBF equipment.

Coordination of distinctive pesticide adjuvants and atomization nozzles on droplet spectrum evolution for spatial drift reduction

Pesticide adjuvants,as crop protection products,have been widely used to reduce drift loss and improve utilization efficiency by regulating droplet spectrum.However,the coordinated regulation mechanisms of adjuvants and nozzles on droplet spectrum remain unclear.Here,we established the relationship between droplet spectrum evolution and liquid atomization by investigating the typical characteristics of droplet diameter distribution near the nozzle.Based on this,the regulation mechanisms of distinctive pesticide adjuvants on droplet spectrum were clarified,and the corresponding drift reduction performances were quantitively evaluated by wind tunnel experiments.It shows that the droplet diameter firstly shifts to the smaller due to the liquid sheet breakup and then prefers to increase caused by droplet interactions.Reducing the surface tension of sprayed liquid facilitates the uniform liquid breakup and increasing the viscosity inhibits the liquid deformation,which prolong the atomization process and effectively improve the droplet spectrum.As a result,the drift losses of flat-fan and hollow cone nozzles are reduced by about 50%after adding organosilicon and vegetable oil adjuvants.By contrast,the air induction nozzle shows a superior anti-drift ability,regardless of distinctive adjuvants.Our findings provide insights into rational adjuvant design and nozzle selection in the field application.

Population size estimates based on GPS telemetry

DEAR EDITOR,Accurate estimation of population size is a crucial issue in wildlife population ecology and conservation.While Global Positioning System(GPS)collars are well recognized as an effective method for monitoring wildlife behavior,their application in direct wildlife population size estimation remains underutilized.In this study,GPS telemetry was employed to survey a rhesus macaque(Macaca mulatta)population on Neilingding Island in Guangdong,China.From May 2021 to April 2022,32 macaques across nine groups were fitted with GPS collars,producing a dataset of 109739 location fixes.Analyzing data from all tracked individuals revealed the annual home ranges of the nine groups.

A data-driven model of drop size prediction based on artificial neural networks using small-scale data sets

An artificial neural network(ANN)method is introduced to predict drop size in two kinds of pulsed columns with small-scale data sets.After training,the deviation between calculate and experimental results are 3.8%and 9.3%,respectively.Through ANN model,the influence of interfacial tension and pulsation intensity on the droplet diameter has been developed.Droplet size gradually increases with the increase of interfacial tension,and decreases with the increase of pulse intensity.It can be seen that the accuracy of ANN model in predicting droplet size outside the training set range is reach the same level as the accuracy of correlation obtained based on experiments within this range.For two kinds of columns,the drop size prediction deviations of ANN model are 9.6%and 18.5%and the deviations in correlations are 11%and 15%.

Natural variation of an autophagy-family gene among rice subspecies affects grain size and weight

Elucidating the genetic basis of natural variation in grain size and weight among rice varieties can help breeders develop high-yielding varieties.We identified a novel gene,GW3a(Grain Weight 3a)(LOC_Os03g27350),that affects rice grain size and weight.gw3a mutants showed higher total starch content and dry matter accumulation than the wild type(WT),Nipponbare,suggesting that GW3a negatively regulates grain size and weight.Moreover,our study found that GW3a interacted with OsATG8 by cleaving it,suggesting that GW3a may be involved in the assembly of autophagosomes and starch degradation in plants.The haplotype analysis of GW3a showed functional differences between indica and japonica rice.Taken together,we conclude that GW3a is expressed in the autophagosome pathway regulating starch metabolism in rice,affecting yield-related traits,such as grain size,grain weight and thousand grain weight(TGW).Our findings also shed new light on autophagy-mediated yield trait regulation,proposing a possible strategy for the genetic improvement of high-yield germplasm in rice.